Monday 28 December 2015

Do we need to CLEANSE?

Why Cleanse?


Put most simply, cleansing involves giving your body a break from anything toxic, so that the body can work these toxins out of your system. The outcome of a successful and well-planned cleanse is that you will be likely to experience:
- more energy
- clearer skin
- weight loss (if needed)
- brighter eyes
- a stronger immune system
- greater mental clarity
- increased self confidence
- and when necessary a great boost against illness.

A cleanse basically cleanses your body, and makes you feel like you are bursting with energy and on top of the world!

So Why is Cleansing Necessary?
The body is constantly in a flux of cleansing, however due to the modern diet, our heightened daily stresses, the toxic chemicals we ingest daily, and the increase in chronic degenerative diseases the body often needs a helping hand and to be cleansed so that it can work more effectively to eradicate these toxins from the body.

Why Do So Many People Cleanse to Lose Weight?
Although it may seem strange - fat is actually saving your life!
The body retains fats as a way to protect the vital organs in the body from the toxins that we ingest (and create through stress). It is literally a last resort, life saving action to hang on to fat. However, this should give you some indication as to how harmful these toxins must be as to retain fat as a defence mechanism the body must be fairly desperate - as we all know - excess fat leads to a whole host of other degenerative conditions and diseases!
So when we cleanse the body of toxins, we give the body a chance to repair and strengthen itself - and when the toxins disappear, guess what happens to the protective layer of fat...yes, that disappears too!

What Does a Cleanse Do?
A cleanse helps to strengthen the organs that the body uses to flush toxins from the body on a daily basis. These include the skin, the lymphatic system, the intestines, liver, lungs, and kidneys.
These toxins could invade the body from a variety of sources including the environment, foods, drinks, stressful lifestyle (for instance alcohol, tobacco, pesticides, heavy metals, food additives, oral contraceptives, and drugs).
Cleansing works because it gives your body a break from the toxic excesses that modern life creates. By removing the body's necessity to burn energy digesting heavy, sugar and fat-laden meals and snacks that are difficult to digest and metabolise, and which play havoc with blood sugar, your energy is released to cleanse and regenerate your bodies tissues and vital organs.

Will I Need to Starve Myself?
A common misconception is that cleansing the body involves restricting your food and basically starving yourself for days on end. Not a very appealing thought, and you can understand why the people who attempt this ill-fated approach often fail and then renounce their new-found drive
for a healthy lifestyle!
A perfect example of a slightly crazy, and most definitely idiotic detox is the 'Lemonade Diet' popularised in the 1990's and somehow still being attempted across America today! This diet involves consuming nothing but homemade lemonade (containing maple syrup!) for anything up to
14 days and beyond, with the mantra - if you feel hungry, just have another glass of lemonade! I'm sure I do not have to explain the dozen flaws in this plan - but let me assure you, a proper cleanse is about abundance, not starvation. OUR detox provides you with ALL the nutrients you need and more.
To give your body the tools it needs to detoxify, cleanse and regenerate a programme must give the body even more vitamins, minerals and nutrients than normal. THIS is why ours works so well.
Our regime increases your intake of foods and drinks that serve our bodies well as building blocks...(and) provides protective antioxidants and simultaneously cuts out those habits that rob you of nutrients and optimal health.

What If I Have a Bad Day?
The most important thing to remember is that if you have a bad day it is not the end of the world and it should certainly not spell the end of your cleanse. You should use this opportunity to think about what went wrong, why you made the decision to move away from your goal and use this as an opportunity to understand how you will respond next time. Worrying about it will do no good - so don't beat yourself up, see it as a positive step towards improving your health.

What About Temptations?
There will always be temptation! The best way to combat this is to address it before it becomes a problem and two excellent techniques for doing this is to set measurable and achievable goals and to create a list of all of the benefits you will gain from following through with your cleanse and all of the things you stand to lose if you do not follow through. This list can then be copied and placed strategically around the home, office and even your car! It is also a good idea to run through the list and carefully consider each point when you wake up (to set yourself up for the day) and before you go to bed (to reward yourself and give yourself a pat on the back!).
The list can include anything you like, and can be spread over time - for instance,
- what will life be like in 1, 5, 10, 20 years if you follow through with the detox and start a new healthy lifestyle?
- If you achieved your health goals, how would this affect you?
- if you did not achieve them, what would your life be like then?

The list could look something like this:
If I Achieve My Health Goals:
- I will have loads more energy to achieve the things I want in life
- I will be able to spend more time playing with the kids
- I will be able to get up earlier and go running, swimming etc
- I will have energy all through the day
- I will have the body of my dreams
- I will be able to attract the man/woman of my dreams
- I will be able to wear a swimsuit/swimmers
this summer!
- My confidence will be through the roof
- I can buy that dress/suit/shirt I have always wanted
- I can start wearing shorts/a skirt!

If I do not follow through on my commitment to achieve my health goals:
- I will be so fat/thin for the rest of my life
- I will have no energy
- My skin will be blotchy
- I will be bloated and heavy
- I will have no mental clarity
- I will still find it difficult to get up in the morning
- I will still be too embarrassed to wear x, y, z

These are only very basic examples to give you an idea - you should really try to be as detailed as possible and as emotionally charged as possible for yourself - throw yourself into it and you will be surprised on how much of a motivating effect it can have. Be graphic, aim high with your expectations!
Of course - another great way to avoid temptation is to remove it! Clear your cupboards of ANY unhealthy foods...and enjoy it! This is a great way to embrace your new lifestyle!

'Ouch, My Head Hurts!' Is This Normal?
When cleansing people often experience what is known as 'cleanse flu' or 'cleanse crisis'. As your body is systematically cleansing itself of toxins and pollution, this is the period during the programme that these toxins are being eliminated from the body. Different people experience
different symptoms, but commonly they can include headaches, nausea, cold-like symptoms (blocked nose, shivers etc), spots and pimples etc. Different people also experience these symptoms in varying degrees of severity, with some people not experiencing them at all! Fear not though, as these feelings are never more than uncomfortable and they rarely impact too much upon your normal daily routine. The symptoms also usually occur between days 1-3, so it can be planned that these days fall over a weekend, or even better a long weekend/holiday.
The best medicine is to drink lots of fluids to help speed up the toxin flushing process, especially vegetable juices or green drnks in days 3-9'. Have lots of rest and try to relax - but remember, try to steer clear of pharmaceutical medicines (where possible) as these may end up putting more toxins back into your body.

If you wish to try the 9 day cleanse or mini 5 day cleanse contact: Toughen Up

As ever, always consult with a medical practitioner before undertaking any new dietary changes and seek their professional advice. If symptoms persist - go to see your doctor!

Saturday 5 December 2015

Aloe Vera: top 12 health benefits

Aloe Vera has so many health benefits! 



Aloe Vera contains over 200 active components including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, polysaccharide, and fatty acids – no wonder it’s used for such a wide range of issues
 Humans have used aloe therapeutically for over 5000 years – The list of benefits and effects for this miraculous plant are many.

 Here is a list of the Top 12 Benefits of Aloe Vera (including some medicinal uses):
 1. Aloe Vera Is High in Vitamins & Minerals:
Aloe Vera contains many vitamins including A, C, E, folic acid, choline, B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B6. Aloe Vera is also one of the few plants that contains vitamin B12.
Some of the 20 minerals found in Aloe Vera include: calcium, magnesium, zinc, chromium, selenium, sodium, iron, potassium, copper, manganese.

 2. Aloe Vera is high in Amino Acids & Fatty Acids Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. 
There are about 22 amino acids that are necessary for the human body and it is said that 8 of these are essential. Estimates of the amino acids found in aloe range from 18-20 amino acids, with all 8 essential amino acids. Aloe Vera also includes quite an impressive range of fatty acids. Aloe contains three plant sterols, which are important fatty acids – HCL cholesterol (which lowers fats in the blood), campesterol, and B-sitosterol. All are helpful in reducing symptoms of allergies and acid indigestion. Other fatty acids include linoleic, linolenic, myristic, caprylic, oleic, palmitic, and stearic.

 3. Aloe Vera is an Adaptogen Aloe vera is a well-known adaptogen. 
An adaptogen is something that boosts the body’s natural ability to adapt to external changes and resist illness. It is thought that aloe’s power as an adaptogen balances the body’s system, stimulating the defense and adaptive mechanisms of the body. This allows you an increased ability to cope with stress (physical, emotional and environmental stress like pollution)

 4. Aloe Helps with Digestion Poor digestion is related to many diseases. 
A properly functioning digestive tract is one of the keys and foundations of health. Aloe is known to soothe and cleanse the digestive tract and help improve digestion. The interesting thing about taking aloe internally is that, because it is an adaptogen, it helps with either constipation or diarrhoea, helping to regulate your elimination cycles in whatever way you need.  It’s been a great remedy for people with problems such as irritable bowel syndrome as well as acid reflux. Aloe also helps to decrease the amount of unfriendly bacteria and in our gut keeping your healthy intestinal flora in balance. Aloe is also a vermifuge, which means it helps to rid the body of intestinal worms.

 5. Aloe Helps in Detoxification Aloe Vera is a gelatinous plant food, like seaweeds and chia seeds. 
The main benefit to consuming gelatinous plant foods in your diet is that these gels move through the intestinal tract absorbing toxins along the way and get eliminated through the colon. This will help the proper elimination of waste from your body and help the detoxification of your body.

 6.  Aloe Alkalizes the Body; disease cannot manifest in an alkaline environment. 
Most people are living and subsisting on mostly acidic foods. For great health, remember the 80/20 rule – 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acidic. Aloe Vera is an alkaline forming food. It alkalizes the body, helping to balance overly acidic dietary habits.

 7. Cardiovascular Health
There hasn’t been a lot of studies conducted on Aloe’s effect on cardiovascular health, but there has been some research to show that Aloe Vera extract injected into the blood, greatly multiplies the oxygen transportation and diffusion capabilities of the red blood cells. According to a study published in the 2000 issue of the British Medical Journal, beta sitosterol helps to lower cholesterol. By regulating blood pressure, improving circulation and oxidation of the blood, lowering cholesterol, and making blood less sticky, Aloe Vera juice may be able to help lower the risk of heart disease.

 8. Aloe Helps Boost the Immune System
Given the stresses of our daily lives, everyone can use a boost to their immune systems. The polysaccharides in Aloe Vera juice stimulate macrophages, which are the white blood cells of your immune system that fight against viruses. Aloe is also an immune enhancer because of its high level of anti-oxidants, which help combat the unstable compounds known as free-radicals, contributing to the aging process. (Free radicals are a bi-product of life itself, it is a naturally occurring process but we can overload ourselves with unnecessary free-radicals by living an unhealthy lifestyle). Aloe is also an antipyretic which means it used to reduce or prevent fever.

 9. Aloe Vera is Great for the Skin
Because of aloe’s well-known healing properties for the skin, aloe is one of the primary compounds used in the cosmetic industry. It is a known vulnerary, (meaning it helps heal wounds) and is great for applying topically to burns, abrasions, psoriasis and even to bug bites. Aloe acts as an analgesic, acting to help relieve pain of wounds. It’s feels especially good to cut a stem of aloe, place it in the fridge and rub it on sun burnt skin – the immediate soothing effect feels like an absolute lifesaver. Aloe is also an antipruritic: A substance that relieves or prevents itching. Aloe Vera is an astringent: which causes the contraction of body tissues, typically used to reduce bleeding from minor abrasions.
 Due to aloe’s high water content (over 99% water) it is a great way to hydrate, moisturize and rejuvenate the skin. Aloe increases the elasticity of the skin making it more flexible through collagen and elastin repair. Aloe is an emollient, helping to soften and soothe the skin. It helps supply oxygen to the skin cells, increasing the strength and synthesis of skin tissue and induces improved blood flow to the skin through capillary dilation.

 10. Aloe Vera is a: Disinfectant, Anti-biotic, Antimicrobial, Germicidal, Anti-bacterial, Anti-septic, Anti-fungal & Anti-viral:
Aloe Vera’s active ingredients are sulphur, lupeol, salicylic acid, cinnamic acid, urea nitrogen and phenol which are substances that prevent the growth of disease-causing micro-organisms and act as a team to provide antimicrobial activity thus eliminating many internal and external infections, also active against bacteria. It also helps to treat fungal and viral infections.

 11. Aloe Helps Reduce Inflammation 
Aloe Vera contains 12 substances, including B-sisterole, which can help to slow down or inhibit inflammation.  This may be able to help with painful joints due to stiffness and help improve joint flexibility.

12. Weight Loss 
A Secondary effect Improving your digestion, and detoxifying your body will have a secondary effect of promoting weight loss because when you start to improve your digestion you naturally eliminate more efficiently, which is a primary way that we all detoxify – through our bowels. This will lighten your toxic load on your body and will give you more energy.
The Clean9 and Aloe are different from other plans as we intend to rid of the toxins in our body. The body holds on to fat as a protection mechanism from the toxins so, if we get rid of the toxins the body let's go of the fat. This also helps us to keep the health benefits much longer post cleanse.
This helps us not 'YOYO' and go straight back to how we started before!


Friday 13 November 2015

Fuelled by Argi

Argi+ – 6 Ways it helps you to Run

L-arginine has been called the miracle compound – and for good reason! Since Nobel Prize winner Dr Ferid Murad’s discovery of Nitric Oxide in the 1980s he says that he is no longer surprised at the ways in which amino acid L-arginine can impact on our cardiovascular system and general health. Whether taken for general health, as a sports supplement or for elite performance, Argi+ is regarded as the very best source of L-arginine that we can provide our bodies because of the synergistic combination with vitamins and herbs. As a runner, I have found that Argi+ helps me in numerous ways –
  • Argi+ makes my running easier – my steps feel lighter and my heart rate is lower for the same pace. I’ve tried this over 5k, 10k and 20k distances.
  • You are getting a huge Vitamin C and Vitamin D dose with the super fruits added in Argi+ – and, so far I’ve managed to avoid the ‘overly gaunt’ look a lot of runners get. This also means that I seem to be less likely to get colds or pick up viruses after hard training sessions.
  • Drinking Argi+ after a run means that, for me, my muscles recover faster and I get less stiffness in the following morning or the morning after. I also use a recovery protein shake (Forever Lite) too and I believe the Argi+ helps get the nutrition into the muscles more effectively. In fact, on race days, I will mix my Forever Lite protein and nutrition shake with my Argi+ in a glass of water about 3 hours before running. I then find that I have much more strength at the end of the race which I believe is because the Argi+ is helping deliver the extra protein into the muscles where it is needed.
  • With Argi+ I just feel like I’ve got more energy! If I use it late in the afternoon, it often keeps me awake and alert for a hour or two after my normal bedtime – which is not always a good idea!
  • I run faster and perform better with Argi+. On the occasions that I don’t take my Argi+ (ie. I go straight out for a run and don’t have a chance to have my Argi+ drink 45 minutes before leaving) my legs feel heavier and my breathing is more laboured. It is difficult to measure the exact impact, but I would say that I lose between 1 and 2 minutes on a 25 minute run when I am without my Argi+.
  • I also believe that Argi+ helps me to avoid injury by increasing the recovery rate of my muscles so that I reduce the risk of muscle tears and injuries when I next train. It also means that muscles are in better condition the next day or for the next run, so I am less likely to tear a muscle or develop an injury.
We know from research that L-Arginine, the key amino acid in Argi+, does help deliver more nutrition to the muscles. We also know that L-Arginine helps improve and protect the circulatory system by helping the body create sufficient nitric oxide to dilate the blood vessels and to improve the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to all of your tissues and critical organs. I feel that Argi+ is a smart addition to my nutrition. Head over to our Online Shop to order your Argi+.

Friday 4 September 2015

Metabolism Boosting tips


  1. Keep hydrated
    Drinking the recommended 8 cups of water a day will help your body function at peak performance levels.
  2. Keep calcium levels up
    Obesity research shows that a dip in calcium levels can trigger the same hormone that causes the body to hold onto fat to be released. Choose low-fat dairy, cheese, yoghurt, tofu or oatmeal to keep your levels up.
  3. Vitamin C
    Vitamin C and calcium work together like a fat-burning dynamic duo. Calcium speeds up your metabolism whilst vitamin C helps the body to absorb the mineral.
  4. Vitamin B
    B is key to maintaining a healthy metabolism. Try adding nuts, seeds, chicken, beef or fish into your diet.
  5. Reduce alcohol There is a significant dip in your metabolic rate following a night of drinking. Combined with hangover cravings and you are in for double trouble.
  6. Eat constantly
    Snacking doesn't have to be a no, no. An empty growling stomach means you are not supplying enough fuel. This is a sure way to slow down your bodies basic functions. Choose high-fibre, high protein snacks like low-fat cheese, vegetables or Greek yoghurt... to curb the hunger pangs.
  7. Non diet, diet soda Although it may have low or zero calories diet sodas have adverse effects on your metabolism and can lead you to craving more sugary things.
  8. 7 to 8 hours sleep
    Sleep is essential to a healthy body as this is the time you r body gets to recover and repair. Cutting down on sleep limits the amount of healing time your body has and reduces its performance.
  9. Resistance training
    1 pound of muscle burns 35 to 50 calories whilst 1 pound of fat burns 5 to 10. You don't have to lift heavy, even light weights at high repetitions will greatly improve muscle tone and burn fat.
  10. Interval training
    Interval training, HIIT, Fartlek... this type of training allows you to burn more calories in a shorter period of time. no more 'don't have time', excuses.



Wednesday 15 April 2015

Flat Belly Action Plan

Promotes increased energy and Good health

This drink can play a huge role in your plans to achieve a flatter stomach.

INGREDIENTS:
2 litres water
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 medium cucumber, sliced
1 medium lemon, sliced
12 small mint leaves

Place ingredients in a large pitcher and leave overnight.
Drink the whole pitcher throughout the following day.

Enjoy your flatter stomach and slimmer waistline.

Friday 20 March 2015

5 Things You Don't Know About Body Fat



Fat is the ultimate three-letter word, especially the kind that you spend so much time watching your diet and hitting the gym to keep at bay (or at least to keep off your butt). But beyond making you look less-than-svelte, fat can have significant physical and emotional implications. 

Fat Comes In Different Colors
More specifically, there are different types of fat that have different hues and functions: white, brown and beige. 
  • The white fat is what most people think of as fat -- pale and useless. Useless in that it has a low metabolic rate so it doesn't help you burn any calories the way muscle does, and it's the predominant type of fat in the human body, encompassing more than 90 percent of it. In other words, it's a storage unit for extra calories.
  • Brown fat is darker in color due to a rich blood supply and can actually burn calories rather than storing them -- but only if you're a rat (or other mammal); certain critters can activate brown fat to burn calories and generate heat to keep them warm in winter. Humans, sadly, have so little brown fat that it won't help you burn calories or keep you warm.
  • The third type of fat, beige fat, is in between white and brown in terms of its calorie-burning ability, which is actually very exciting. Why? Because researchers are looking into ways to shift white fat cells into more metabolically active beige ones via diet and exercise or supplements. In fact, there is preliminary evidence that certain hormones which are activated by exercise may convert white fat cells into beige ones, as well as some evidence that certain foods such as brown seaweed, licorice root and hot peppers may have the ability to do this as well.

The Fat On Your Butt Is Healthier Than The Fat On Your Belly
It's probably safe to say that no woman favors the fat on one body part over another, but it's actually safer health-wise to be more of a pear than an apple. Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, is much more responsive to the stress hormone cortisol compared to the fat on your thighs or butt, so when stress hits hard (and you don't find a healthy way to handle it), any extra calories consumed are more likely to end up around your middle.
Belly fat is also much more inflammatory than fat located elsewhere in the body and can create its own inflammatory chemicals (as a tumor would). These chemicals travel to the brain and make you hungry and tired, so you're more likely to overeat or eat junk food and not exercise, thus creating a vicious cycle and perpetuating the storage of more belly fat. The good news is that anything that helps you reduce inflammation helps reduce those signals to the brain. 
First You Burn Calories, Second You Burn Fat
The term "fat-burning" is often thrown around in fitness circles, but as an expression of weight loss, it's indirect. Before you "burn" fat, you burn calories, whether those calories come from stored carbohydrates (glycogen and blood sugar) or from stored body fat. The more calories you burn during each workout, the bigger deficit you will create and the more fat you will lose.
You can also create a calorie deficit by eating less. The trick, though, is time, since it's hard for most people to put in the time needed to burn enough calories to make a weight-loss dent. Fitness experts recommend using high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to burn as many calories as possible in as short amount of time as possible. This method, which alternates between hard/easy efforts, can burn double the calories in the same amount of time spent exercising in a steady state.
Fat Affects Your Mood
Certainly there is no easier way to ruin your day than seeing you've gone up a few numbers on the scale, but having excess fat -- especially around your belly -- activates that inflammation/cortisol cycle, which studies show may be a factor in serious mood disorders like bipolar disorder. If you're stuck in a stress/eat/gain/stress cycle, however, you're likely to experience at least a perpetually low mood, even if you don't have an actual clinical condition.
To help break the cycle, try eating a square of dark chocolate, there is just enough sugar to satisfy a stress-induced craving, but the healthy flavonoids help calm inflammation that leads to more stress. Low-fat dairy products like yogurt can have a similar effect -- the combination of calcium and magnesium can help calm the stress response.
Even Skinny People Can Have Cellulite
The dreaded c-word is caused by fat trapped under the skin (known as subcutaneous fat). The overlying skin "dimples" are created by connective tissues that tie the skin to the underlying muscle, with fat trapped in between like a sandwich. You don't need a lot of fat to cause a dimpling effect, so you can be in great shape and have low body fat but still have a little pocket of dimpled fat, for example, on your butt or the backs of your thighs.

Sunday 8 March 2015

No More Excuses! 10 Tricks That'll Motivate You to Work Out

It's true what they say: 80 percent of success is just showing up. Once you're there — you're there. This advice can be hard to take when, after a late night of fun, your alarm goes off before the sun is up.
Propelling yourself to the gym, pool, mat, or trail can feel like a hurdle in its own right, but it's always one worth jumping. If you've resolved to work out more this year and get fit for 2015, motivate yourself to keep on sweating with these tricks.

  1. Channel that glorious post-workout feeling. Whenever you feel the instinct to skip a sweat session, imagine how accomplished and energized you feel after just 30 minutes or an hour of exercise. Just get there already.
  2. Make a date with a friend or fitness trainer. If you set a time to meet someone, you'll feel obligated to go, even when your mind and body are telling you otherwise.
  3. Create a healthy post-workout routine and make time for it, too. Reward yourself after a workout by scheduling extra moments to relax in the steam room, blow out your hair to perfection, or get a hot coffee or a protein-rich smoothie.
  4. This is the simplest, and possibly hardest, piece of advice to follow: schedule your workout early in the morning before the day's distractions detour you from lofty intentions.
  5. Carry a motivational token or photo with you. Beyoncé keeps a painting of an Oscar at the gym, so she's literally running toward her next goal. Instead of commissioning a masterpiece, snap a shot of the dress you want to wear on your next date, a beautiful beach you hope to visit this year, or even yourself at your best, and make it the wallpaper on your phone. When you feel like caving, look at it.
  6. Instead of going home to watch your favorite show on the couch, suit up and watch it on the treadmill. If your gym doesn't have TVs on each machine, load up your iPod or iPhone.
  7. Try something new. Sign up for an exercise class you've never taken before, take a hike to a vista point, ride your bike to a new trail, work out at a different time of day or try a virtual challenge.
  8. Throw on your favorite workout wear and some lip gloss. Kelly Osbourne admits to dolling up so she feels positive and pretty when she sees her reflection working out.
  9. Avoid taking a physical dip by fueling your body with a healthy pre-workout snack. You'll have something to burn and a boost of protein to keep your eye on the prize.
  10. Give yourself a gold star. Plot out a reward system and treat yourself when you hit your goal of workouts per week, weight loss, or the finish line. Wouldn't a massage or a pedicure feel great after all your hard work?
Source: Thinkstock
 
 

Friday 6 March 2015

Need Motivation? Exercise with a friend



Exercising regularly is good for not just your weight and/or weight loss goals but also health and overall well being. Many studies have shown that regular exercise has mental benefits too.
It can ease depression, stress and irritability.

Look forward to your workout instead of dreading it

Think of Tomorrow not Today.
Always think about how much better you will feel after you workout instead of dreading getting started. Have you ever regretted a workout? I'm sure you have regretted not working out though!

Preparation.
Plan your day around an exercise routine. Thinks of exercise as a commonly as you would your shower, brushing your teeth and eating. Yes there are days you have had to miss a shower but didn't you feel so much better when you had the time to shower? Don't you normally plan a shower as part of a daily routine?

Alternatives.
As well as having healthy food options available to stop you snacking on fast/ processed foods. You should have options in case work, family or other obstacles force you to miss a planned gym session. have a quick workout prepared that you can do anywhere as a backup.
Keep Track.
Look at your calendar. Don't think about it as a daily chore but instead average out a low estimate of pounds you can lose if you stick with your plan and look ahead on the calendar. In two weeks you know you won't regret it, so think of a day you mark on the calendar, your difference in how you feel and how much closer you are to your weight loss goal!

Find Exercise Friends.
Many studies have shown having a friends to help keep you on track, motivated and inspired is a huge step toward regular and consistent exercise! An exercise friend will also help you look forward to exercise instead of dreading it!


Exercise with Friends

Sunday 1 March 2015

Resolutions fading fast? Set yourself interim goals


resolutions-comp.jpg  

How to stick to your goals

Things like healthy eating, regular exercise and giving up smoking can have a real positive impact on our mental and physical health and are central to many people’s New Year's resolutions.
Every year millions of people make resolutions yet almost 80% of us fail to achieve them. Most of us strive for unrealistic goals and ultimately set ourselves up for a failure. 
 
Be realistic
Unattainable goals are often the enemy of achievable resolutions. Change one small thing at a time.
 
Planning helps
Don't wait until the last minute - plan ahead.
 
Develop a support network
Friends, family and colleagues can all help you - talk to them about what you're planning to do and tell them how they can help.
 
Measure your successes
Stay motivated by measuring how far you've come each week, whether it is miles or inches. This will help you realise how small changes can make a big difference.
 
Reward yourself
Celebrate when you succeed with a treat, which doesn't necessarily have to be the thing you're trying to avoid. You might reward the first month of your successful diet with a night at the cinema.
 
Treat failure as a small setback
If you slip and break your diet, forget to exercise or have a secret cigarette, don’t despair! Learn from the setback: what situations made you slip? Can you avoid them next time? Don't obsess over small setbacks - it won't help you achieve your goal. Start fresh the next day. Don't give up!
 
Make your resolution stick
After a couple of weeks, the changes you've made will become a habit and part of your routine, so don't be discouraged if you're still finding it hard after the first week. Stick to it and it will only get easier!

Give Virtual Fitness Training a try
Virtual Fitness Training gives you a set exercise and number of repetions or distance to be covered, that you must complete within a specified time period.
By taking on one of these challenges once a month or whenever you need to push yourself. It can help to keep you motivated and on track with your fitness goals.

How does it work?
Sign up to the challenge you wish to attempt. You have one calender month to complete the challenge so have as many attempts as you need.
When you are ready to perform the challenge, record or get a friend to record you completing the task and upload it to us for verification.
Once verified, at the end of the event period a medal will be sent out to you.

We also support Macmillan Cancer Support charity so whilst you are keeping your fitness on track you are also helping to support a great charity in their work.
We make our donations via Givey which unlike some other organisations give 100% of your donation to the charity

Saturday 28 February 2015

How To Crank Up Your Metabolism

Don’t settle for a sluggish system. Boost your calorie-burning superpowers with these expert tips to burn fat 24/7.


Woman kick boxing
                                            
Have you ever watched a slim woman wolf down a giant bag of Kettle Chips and then wondered where she puts it all?
Well, she doesn’t put it anywhere. More likely she has a Maserati-fast metabolism that incinerates fat before it has had chance to latch on to her thighs.
Of course, to some degree our bodies hum along at a preset speed determined by gender and genetics – but there’s still plenty of wiggle room. In fact, you can rev up your metabolism to burn around an extra 500 calories every day simply by making a few pain-free lifestyle swaps.
“You actually have a huge amount of control over your metabolic rate,” says John Berardi, author of The Metabolism Advantage. While peoples’ metabolism typically nose-dives with age (see below), studies show that you can limit that decline to as little as 0.3% per decade – without gruelling daily sweat sessions and extreme diets.
Here we reveal the experts’ metabolism-stoking tips to help you fire up your body’s internal inferno and scorch through fat.

FIRST THING IN THE MORNING

Metabolic Rating: 3
Eat a decent breakfast. Every. Single. Day. If you don’t, your metabolism goes into starvation mode (it’s paranoid like that) and slows to a crawl. In fact, research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found testers who ate no less than 22% and up to 55% of their total daily calories at breakfast gained only 1.7lb on average over four years. But those who ate less than 11% of their calories first thing gained nearly 3lb. See the pattern there?

Crank it up: Go for morning munchies that are slow to digest. Try a mix of lean protein with complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. Berardi recommends an omelette made with one egg and two egg whites, plus a handful of sliced mixed peppers and onions. Follow that with a small bowl of porridge topped with a handful of frozen berries and 3tbsp of omega-3-loaded flaxseed (try Linwoods, £5 for 425g from Tesco). Great, now you’re firing on all cylinders.
AT THE OFFICE
Metabolic rating: 2
Rejoice, caffeine addicts. According to a study in the US journal Physiology & Behavior, the metabolic rate of people who regularly drank caffeinated coffee was an average of 16% higher than those who drank decaf. “Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system by increasing your heart rate and breathing,” says Robert Kenefick, a research physiologist at the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine. We won’t argue with that, Sir.

Crank it up: Follow your morning cup of the black stuff with an ice-cold glass of water. Researchers at the University of Utah found just drinking one glassful can raise your body’s metabolic rate by up to 30 per cent and keep it raised for around 10 minutes. The theory is your body has to burn extra calories to maintain its core temperature. Get your recommended eight glasses a day.
AT THE GYM
Metabolic rating: 3
Swap hours on the treadmill for the Tabata Method. This school of exercising is all about fast and furious intervals – 20 seconds of gut-wrenching effort followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated a total of eight times over four minutes. Studies have shown working out this way is as effective at boosting your metabolism as much longer lower-intensity sweat sessions.

Crank it up: Geoff Bagshaw, a trainer at Equinox gyms, has come up with this three-move sequence. Do as many reps as you can of the first exercise in 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, then repeat eight times. Rest for two minutes, then do it again for the other two exercises. Got it?

Lunge with a bicep curl: Holding dumbbells at your sides, step back into a lunge, curling the weights up to your shoulders. Repeat on other leg. That’s one.
Squat overhead press: Hold your dumbbells at shoulder height, arms bent, and lower into a squat. Now raise the weights to the ceiling as you push back up.
Push-ups: You know this one. Assume push-up position, bend arms and lower.
AT MEAL TIMES
Metabolic rating: 3
To slim down, pile your plate with protein. Regular large helpings will help you build and maintain lean muscle. And we all know muscle burns more than fat by now, right? Aim for 30g of protein – that’s 250g of low-fat cottage cheese or 100g of chicken breast – at each meal.

Crank it up: Chase your meal with a cup of green tea. “It’s the closest thing to a metabolism potion,” says Tammy Lakatos Shames, co-author of Fire Up Your Metabolism. In tests, people who consumed three to five cups a day for 12 weeks shed an average of 4.6% of their total body weight. Another study found having two to five cups a day torched an extra 50 calories a day. Not bad. Try Clipper organic green tea. To really go for the burn, down it two hours after eating. Research shows it can increase breakdown of fat by a third. Now go forth and burn.

RAGE AGAINST TIME

Beat the downshift in metabolism that creeps up along with those laughter lines. With each passing decade, your metabolism slows down by about 5%. Ouch. Hormones are partly to blame, but so is the typical drop-off in physical activity. As a result you lose muscle mass, a major calorie consumer. So by the time you hit 35, you’ll burn about 75 fewer calories a day than you did at 25, and by age 65, it’s a hefty 500 fewer, says Dr Madelyn Fernstrom, author of The Real You Diet. But don’t panic. You can outsmart Mother Nature with the tips above. A warning: here’s what happens if you don’t.

20s: Your muscle and bone mass are at their peak and your metabolism should be firing on all cylinders. Enjoy it while you can.
30s: Your body’s cellular powerhouses, the mitochondria, start to get less effective at turning food into energy for your muscles to burn.
40s: The decline continues as your oestrogen levels go into free fall, further slowing your metabolism and causing belly fat.
 
By Jen Ator

Monday 12 January 2015

Personalised Dietary Plan

In search of a personalised diet http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30709297