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Thursday 24 November 2011

A Twenty Minute Full Body Workout

This year I developed a home workout that focusses on the full body. The idea behind the workout is for it to be affordable and convenient but still be able to be effective at meeting the needs of the individual.

Check out The Workout

The page contains great information on what exercises to do and the benefits they bring to us. So far there has been some great feedback towards the workout already and I would like to hear yours.

Monday 7 November 2011

Diet Myths – Part 3


Ok, this is the next instalment of my series of common diet myths. Today I will look at the final two myths regarding diet.

The first myth to discuss is to do with the elimination of carbs from your diet. People often try to incorporate high-protein, low carb diets into their lives, and often report rapid weight-loss. However, there are a number of reasons why you should keep carbs in your diet. Firstly, by focussing on a high protein diet you run the risk of increasing your chances of a heart-attack. Not good. Also, by cutting carbs, you can become irritable, nauseous and weak. Finally, eating too few carbohydrates can lead to the development of ketosis, which is a serious condition that can lead to gout and kidney stones.

The final myth to explode is that skipping meals is a good method for weight loss. This is unhealthy, and the fact is that your body is more likely to store food you do eat as fat because you have been starving yourself. If you eat inconsistently it makes it far more difficult for your body to regulate the metabolism. When you starve yourself, your body goes into ‘starvation mode’ which leads to it storing any extra calories as fat.

Hope this has helped

Friday 4 November 2011

Diet Myths – Part 2


I posted about diet myths recently and I would like to follow that up with some more common myths that should be ignored!

The first myth that I will discuss today is that of avoiding dairy products. The rumour that is put about is that dairy products, such as cheese and milk, are fattening and unhealthy. To avoid dairy products would be a silly thing to do. They are a good source of protein, zinc and some B vitamins and they are PACKED with calcium, which is essential for healthy bones.

Now a fairly controversial one (or maybe not). Frozen and canned vegetables are often considered to contain less ‘good stuff’, such as vitamins, than fresh produce. This is a controversial one because it CAN be true, but it isn’t always. Often, by freezing, you can keep more vitamins and minerals than if fruits and vegetables have travelled a long distance. Usually, you will be just as well off by eating frozen vegetables as if you were eating fresh. (A bigger problem may be what is used to produce the vegetables that may affect what nutrition vegetables can provide, but that’s another issue).


Thursday 3 November 2011

Exercise Myths - Part 2


Today I will look at two more common exercise myths that people need to be aware of. As before these are widely accepted to be true and the facts and research suggests otherwise.

The first myth to destroy today is the idea that if you want to lose weight you should avoid strength training because it will lead to you bulking up. It is now widely accepted that you can combine both cardiovascular exercises with weight training in order to maintain a healthy weight. In fact, strength training helps to increase and preserve muscle mass and this can help decrease percentage body fat.

The next myth to dispel today is regarding the idea that home workouts are not as beneficial to you as going to the gym. First of all, some people find it easier to stick to their workout program when it is home-based, which is more beneficial to us than something we cannot stick to. Secondly, you can exercise any body part you wish at home and so you will not be losing out by exercising at home. 

Check out my short full body workout here.

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Diet Myths - Part 1

I recently posted about some common fitness myths that are common mistakes that people make. Today I will discuss some myths relating to diet.


The first myth today is about low, or no, fat diets. People believe that cutting fat out of your diet is a good idea. It isn't. As with most things it is about moderation. However, completely removing fat from your diet is truly a bad idea. Fat is important to our body, it is used for energy, to repair tissue as well as to help use vitamins. Do not eliminate fat from your diet!

The second myth that I will discuss is the idea that eating late at night will be more fattening to your body. Many diets suggest that after a certain time in the evening you should not eat. Again, this is not a good idea. To put it simply, you should eat when you are hungry. Listen to the clues that your body gives you!

On a completely different note, are there any De Niro fans reading?

Tuesday 1 November 2011

Skipping

Skipping is one of the best exercises for losing weight, keeping fit and staying in shape. It is a cario-vascular exercise that will increase your heart rate and burn fat. One of the key things about skipping is that it is better for your knees as the impact on them is shared between both knees, while running, for example, the impact falls on each leg individually and therefore impacts the knees more. The proof is in the pudding with skipping, just think how fit boxers are. A boxers' training regime includes skipping for, often, up to 45minutes!

Skipping Ropes