Sugar

Excess carbohydrate, especially from a sweet/simple source, will ultimately lead to an increase in body fat. Sugar in small doses will not cause any complications for the majority of individuals, however with modernisation of our food production techniques, you often find sugars hidden in foods where you might not normally expect them. This is primarily to extend shelf life and improve taste, however obvious side effects are that food can begin to possess a slightly addictive quality with real ‘sugar addicts’ experiencing strong cravings for certain foods at certain times. To avoid getting yourself in this position try to act on/follow the below points:

 

‘Diet’ foods – Foods that have had their overall/natural fat content reduced are often high in sugar so watch out when/if selecting ‘light’ options at the supermarket.

Fruit juices – These are filled with natural sugars and in most cases have had all the fibre/beneficial part of the fruit removed. Some companies will even add extra sugar to the juice to make it even sweeter still.

Instant foods – Instant porridges, ‘quick’ convenient lunches and ready meals are often filled with added sugar.

Breakfast cereals/bars – These are frequently filled with sugar, even the mueslis and granolas, so you have to be extra careful when making your selections. Look at the ingredients list and choose options that packed with natural whole ingredients.

 

With these simple steps you can hopefully lower your personal sugar intake, reducing your cravings in the long run and feel lot healthier/happier in yourself.

 

 

 Keep sugar consumption under control

 

 

 

Five Exercises for a Stronger Core

Five Exercises for a Stronger Core

 

One of the main requests we get from clients, Members and Boys is that they want to strengthen their core and improve body composition in the abdominal area. The abdominal area, or core, has three main muscular groups; the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis and obliques. Stereotypically men set themselves the goal of achieving a chiselled midsection with females preferring to generally flatten their stomach. These five exercises will kick start your quest for a stronger better looking core. 

 

1.       Squats

 

Whether you squat using your own bodyweight or with weights you’re going to strengthen your core. There are many variations of squat: Barbell Back Squat, Bulgarian Split Squat Dumbbell Goblet Squat etc. but whatever option you choose you’ll be sure to be working your core.

 

2.       Standing Overhead Press

 

The overhead press, or military press, is predominately a shoulder exercise however, when performed correctly with the right tempo your core will definitely be ‘firing on all cylinders’. Holding a barbell with a shoulder width grip, press the bar from just above your chest directly up above your head. Press hard and fully lock out your elbows at the top of the movement. On the way down ensure the return is slow (2-3 seconds), pause at the bottom and then repeat for desired rep range. Trust me, if you can press challenging loads above your head you will have a ‘rock solid’ core.

 

3.       Farmer’s Walk

 

You’re probably looking at this and thinking, what on earth is a farmer’s walk!? It’s actually quite a simple yet tough exercise.  You can perform the farmers walk with dumbbells, kettlebells, weight plates or anything else reasonably heavy. The simplest way to describe the farmers walk is to imagine you were carrying two heavy shopping bags back home (one in each hand). Keep your shoulders fixed and retracted back together with a nice tight core throughout the walk. Walk slowly for a certain distance or time and repeat this 3-5 times. Your traps (upper back) shoulders, forearms and core will certainly feel it afterwards!

 

4.       Pull-Ups

 

Pull-ups are the ‘king’ of all bodyweight exercises. If you can pull-up your own bodyweight several times with good technique you are bound to have a strong core. There are several width and grip variations: narrow (palms facing you), neutral and wide (palms facing away). Try mixing your grip up to engage as many muscles in your back and arms as possible. Keep the decent of the pull-up controlled (2-3 seconds) and be sure to fully extend your arms at the bottom before driving up pinching shoulders down at the top. An assisted pull-up machine will let you perform the above if you cannot manage pure bodyweight pull-ups.

 

5.       Jack-Knives

 

You can perform jack-knives on a fit-ball or using the TRX suspension bands. The exercise will involve holding a press-up position throughout whilst placing your shoe laces on the top of a fit-ball or in the bands of a TRX. From this position you slowly bring your knees in to your chest, keeping your hips up, and then return to the start position.

 

If you would like any of the gym team to show you any of these core strengthening exercises please do not hesitate to ask. I hope you will start implementing some of these exercises in your current programme. Along with a sound nutrition plan, consistent training and appropriate rest you really will start to see that desired midsection start to emerge in no time at all!

 

Thank you for reading.

 

Simon

 

sjp@tonbridge-school.org

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     Pull-Ups are great for building a stronger core

HIIT

High Intensity Interval Training

 

Whenever someone asks me what is the best way to get fitter and burn fat quickly? I’ll always respond with high intensity interval training (HIIT). Anyone can try HIIT training as you need very minimal equipment to get going so it works well in the gym or outside. HIIT also only requires you to work for a 10-20 minute period and you will still definitely feel like you’ve worked hard!

 

The benefits to HIIT are:

-          Increased fat metabolism.

-          Short term increase to your metabolic rate. (You’ll burn calories after you’ve finished)

-          Increases in human growth hormones (HGH) responsible for metabolism regulation and the ageing process.

Not only do you get these benefits when you regularly perform HIIT but it will also make you a lot fitter. Research has shown that doing HIIT increases muscle oxidative capacity by almost 50%, increases glycogen storage by 20% whilst improving cycle endurance capacity by 100%.  The University of Nebraska found that thirty second intervals were better for building endurance and aerobic capacity than intervals lasting three minutes. Therefore short intense interval training is an effective proven way to quickly build fitness.

It is tough though as you’re working above your aerobic threshold for extended periods of time and I would not recommend it to a complete beginner.

Example HIIT Workout

If you want to do it in a gym then find a treadmill, bike, cross trainer etc. and set your total time limit. If you haven’t done HIIT before start with about 10 minutes. This total time will comprise of 30 seconds “rest time”: 30 seconds “work” time. During your work time you need to focus on hitting a percentage heart rate of at least 80-90% of your maximum and during your rest time you need to focus on recovering to get ready for the next interval. If you feel you need more time to recover in between intervals then increase your rest time and decrease your work time slightly and vice versa. That’s the beauty of HIIT training you can play around with the work rest ratio until it suits you. Remember the whole point of HIIT is that you’re working above your aerobic threshold during the work times; you should be breathless and building up lactic acid in your muscles so don’t be afraid to work hard. You can also do this outside following the exact same principles as above obviously you will be limited to bodyweight exercises like running, burpees or cycling presuming you own a bike.

I hope you can incorporate HIIT into your training programme. Whether you’re looking to get fitter, faster or stronger it will definitely be of benefit. Start by doing it once or twice a week at the start or at the end of your session and if you need any more assistance or guidance please feel free to ask a member of the gym team to show you!

Thank you for reading,

Simon

sjp@tonbridge-school.org

Habits & Goals

Habits & Goals

It’s that time again when people start setting themselves goals and resolutions for the upcoming year… Why not take a second, read my blog post and hopefully you’ll be a lot more likely to achieve some of your aspirations this time round.

Typical New Year resolutions:

• Lose weight.
• Eat healthily.
• Train more regularly.
• Quit smoking.
• Reduce alcohol consumption.

These are all perfectly good goals, they’re realistic, they’re achievable so why are the majority not achieved? Firstly, they’re too broad. If there’s no plan of action inevitably after a few weeks you may lose track. One way to increase your chance of success is to begin by implicating good habits prior to working on a goal. These small stepping stones will help with overall progress and make the larger end goal more achievable.

For example: If your goal is “eat healthily” compile a list of all of the ‘smaller’ habitual changes you need to make in order for you to achieve this:

• Eat at least one to two pieces of fruit a day.
• Eat at least one to two vegetables a day.
• Drink more water/cut out juices and fizzy drinks.
• Eat at least two portions of oily fish a week.
• Increase your quality protein intake. (Chicken, Beef, Eggs, Salmon, Brazil Nuts etc.)
• Replace starchy carbohydrates with complex varieties. (White Bread à Brown Rice etc.)

Now these are just a handful of points you can implement every day which will ultimately move you closer towards your end goal. More importantly when you create your list the points should be specific to your lifestyle. Hopefully you’ll start consistently achieving these smaller points and it will become second nature to you.

Finally, don’t give up! Just because you’re not seeing progress on whatever your goal may be it doesn’t mean you’re not working hard for it. Some goals are short term and some are long term. Think of the small habitual changes as laying the foundations to achieve long term success. You need to determine your long term and short term goals then, break them down, plan them out, improve your habits and finally you can begin to put a time frame on the project.

I’m personally planning my goals for the 2015 now, breaking them down and seeing whether they are short term or long term. For any more advice and help on goal setting, why not arrange a free consultation with one of our qualified personal trainers.

Thank you for reading.

Simon Passey - sjp@tonbridge-school.org

 

 

Five Foods You Should Include In Your Diet Over Christmas

With Christmas fast approaching I wanted us to take a moment to think about what foods we’re going to be feasting on over the festive period, hopefully this post will help you get started. There is always a lot of temptation at this time of year with numerous different indulgent options available so it’s the perfect time to step back and think about what you’ll be putting in your mouth. Christmas should be a time where we relax and have fun with our family and I wouldn’t ever say don’t let yourself go a little but, with that being said, let also focus on some of the tasty options on hand which won’t damage your waist line quite as much. Below I’ve listed five incredible foods that you must include in your diet over Christmas. These foods boast fantastic nutritional value and will also benefit your health in many ways.

1. Smoked Salmon - Having smoked salmon with eggs on Christmas morning is a tradition for a lot of families and it’s certainly one I plan to act on in my household. Salmon is extremely high in omega 3, which will contribute to healthy function of the brain and heart, act as great anti-inflammatory for joints and can also reduce the risk of depression through acting as a stress ‘reliever’. What more could you want before a busy day of unwrapping presents, preparing the turkey and dealing with all those in-laws!
    
2. Turkey - I’m sure this one will come as no surprise to you and I expect the majority of people reading this post intend to tuck into a nice big turkey for their Christmas lunch. Turkey is a great source of lean protein and it also contains numerous minerals and vitamins such as selenium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus, niacin and vitamin B6. Turkey will help keep blood sugar levels stable as it registers very low on the GI scale. Finally, turkey contains the amino acid tryptophan which plays a role in the release of serotonin, improving your mood whilst playing an important role in proving a boost to the immune system.
    
3. Vegetables - Brussel sprouts, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower etc. are all great examples and as far as I’m concerned the more variety you can get your hands on the better. Vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and contain virtually no sugar registering very low on the GI scale. The more colour you can get on your plate the better as eating more coloured vegetables will help protect against certain illnesses and degenerative conditions. Vegetables contain hundreds of phytochemicals which act as antioxidants helping to get rid of potentially harmful molecules called free radicals before they get a chance to damage our cells.
    
4. Fruit- If you have a choice of desserts over Christmas, make sure you go for the dessert with plenty of fruit in. Most fruits are low in fat, sodium and calories. Try and stick to fruits without skin such as berries, grapefruit and watermelon. These tend to have a lower sugar content and will therefore minimise raise to your blood sugar level. Fruit contains many essential nutrients such as potassium, fibre, vitamin c and folic acid. Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure. Dietary rich in fibre can help reduce blood cholesterol levels, may lower risk of heart disease whilst aiding overall bowel function. Finally vitamin C is important for growth and repair of all body tissues, immune system function, healing cuts/grazes and keeps teeth and gums healthy. So don’t just eat fruit over Christmas, start eating it regularly all year round to take advantage of these great health benefits.
5. Nuts & Seeds - Instead of snacking on chocolate, sweets and crisps replace them with some mixed nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are full of different vitamins and minerals for example:  all nuts contain vitamin E in, a powerful antioxidant to help promote better looking skin, hair and nails. They also contain magnesium, potassium, fibre, zinc, iron and vitamin B6. Most nuts are high in healthy monounsaturated fats. By eating a handful of nuts a day instead of sweeter alternatives you will, in the short term, help stabilize your blood sugar level and, in the long term, improve cholesterol levels whilst reducing the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Hopefully you won’t get bought too many sweets and chocolates if you ask for mixed nuts instead.

 

So please take note of all the above foods you should include over the Christmas period. They are all incredibly tasty and healthy so if you do in fact enjoy them why not make it a change for life and take the positive steps into the New Year as well. I hope you have a fun, fantastic Christmas and New Year. Relax from your busy and hectic lifestyle for a few days. Eat lots of good food, recharge and prepare yourself for an awesome 2015!

Thank you for reading.

Simon Passey – sjp@tonbridge-school.org

Testosterone & Oestrogen Effects on Training

In this modern day people have a variety of training goals with the majority based around making a change to overall fitness, aesthetics and health. Male or female, increasing ones percentage of lean muscular tissue is a crucial step taken to reducing body fat and improving overall health. As with most things these days’ people often want results as quickly as possible and individuals often ask: “What is the fastest/best training programme for fat loss?”, “How many times a week should I train?”, “What is the best nutrition/diet plan to increase my muscle size quickly?”, “How many grams of protein and carbs should I be eating a day?” These questions are all perfectly valid and of course specific training/nutrition bring about specific results. There are however other key components that will lead to a big big difference in the amount of lean muscle you can gain.

Testosterone is one of these components and it plays an extremely important role in building muscle, fat metabolism, increasing energy levels not to mention improving ones sex life. Having high levels of testosterone will boost virility, vitality, strength, power and energy and if you have consistently low levels of testosterone it may inhibit your performance in the gym.  Testosterone levels also naturally decline from about the age of 27 as well so, this article makes for even more important reading to individuals above this age. Although testosterone is fundamentally the male sex hormone females do also produce it on a much smaller scale. This is why women tend to possess less muscle and more body fat then men. These days both men and women tend to have inhibited their testosterone levels through the pressures of our ever modernised lifestyles

So with the above taken into consideration you’re now probably asking yourself “How do I know if I have low levels of testosterone and how do I fix it?” Having your testosterone levels measured accurately will involve having to have blood tests taken by a medical professional, but some other good indicators can be struggling to reduce body fat, low energy levels and low sex drive.

Here are some basics ways to improve testosterone production and help them keep levels healthy:

• Avoid processed and refined foods.
• Eat a variety of nuts.
• Ensure you consume omega 3 in your diet.
• Eat healthy saturated fats in moderation.
• Perform regular heavy weight training
• Perform high intensity interval training.
• Limit your workouts to 45-60 minutes.
•  Get 20 minutes of sunlight per day.
• Have sex more often.
• Compete in something.
• Aim to have 8 hours sleep a night.
• Minimise/manage your personal stress levels.

 

Now to discuss the female sex hormone oestrogen. In females oestrogen plays an essential role in the growth and development of secondary sexual characteristics whilst regulating the menstrual cycle. Other functions effects cause increases to the fat stores around the hips and chest. The female sex hormone is also present in all males in lower levels. These average levels have recently increased due to environmental factors and because of modern food production techniques.

Therefore, if your want to lose fat you need to ensure you’re oestrogen levels are ‘regular’.

Here are some ways to keep oestrogen levels healthy:

• Try to eat organic, grass fed, and wild caught fish.
• Avoid drinking or eating out of plastic.
• Avoid drinking beer.
• Detox your liver to improve oestrogen removal.

 

If you suspect your testosterone levels are ‘low’ and you oestrogen levels are ‘high’ then try some of the tips above and hopefully your levels will get back to where they should ideally/naturally be.

For more information on this post, please contact sjp@tonbridge-school.org

Thanks for reading,

Simon.