We have no time to stand and stare

Life is busy. We work hard, we play hard. And with everything going on how do we find the time to rest? Well, quite simply, we don’t!

Whilst striving to lead healthy lifestyles we exercise regularly and eat well but fail to remember this very important aspect. Without rest you are setting yourself up to burn out. Not allowing time to rest can put a strain on your immune system and cause fatigue, irritability, forgetfulness, mood swings, weight gain and depression. You are essentially putting down your shield of armour and waving your white flag to welcome all the nasty bugs and viruses into your body. Rest is essential and is repeatedly ignored by most people. We are too busy trying to fit everything in, please everyone and get things done that we forget to take a step back from time to time.

I’m going to focus on exercise as my example here…

Now we’ve all seen them (maybe you are one of them). They turn up to the gym wrist straps on, a bandage on one knee, ankle supports flashing above socks. Should this person really be in the gym? And should they really be going hell for leather on that treadmill?? Injuries aside, have you ever gone for your workout and coughed and spluttered your way through your session; felt so weak but bullied yourself into going to make up for those few glasses of Chardonnay you drank last night? Well its time we all stopped beating ourselves up and started focusing on REST.

A few weeks ago my glands started to flare. A week of intense cross fit workouts and strength training was followed quickly by a bank holiday weekend of drinking with friends and not getting enough sleep. So what did I do when I started to feel under the weather…well I soldiered on of course! I cut out the intensive cardio and stuck to slow strength sessions as I wasn’t feeling 100%. What should I have done? NOTHING. The swollen glands led to a viral infection which has now attacked my nervous system and caused me to be the victim of partial (and I’m hoping, temporary) paralysis. So I wanted to spend a bit of time stressing the importance of rest to all you hard working folk as I think we all just need to CHILL OUT (ok putting it in block capitals like that makes look anything but ‘zen’, but I’m just trying to highlight my point! J )

So firstly, I want you to take a good hard look at your schedule. How often do you take a day off? A day off from training, a day off from work, what ever it may be. And I don’t mean ‘I’m only going to do some casual cardio for an hour but that doesn’t count’ or ‘I’m just going to reply to a few emails after Sunday lunch’. I mean OFF, fully switched off. Not many I presume? Well it’s about time you started.

There are people that come into the gym everyday, sometimes more than once a day, without fail. I can see why and how this obsession begins. Exercise is addictive, especially once you start to see results and the incredible changes it can have on your body. I became one of these people; became obsessed with getting strong; wanted to achieve unassisted pull ups, wanted to deadlift more than my body weight, wanted to carry heavy weights over to my clients with ease. And yes I was doing great and the results were so satisfying…but then it all went wrong. Rather than sit back and let my body recover from the onslaught and build itself back up again I kept going. Sounding familiar to anyone yet…? Ever walked in for your 5^th session in a row on a Friday morning with a feeling of dread and fatigue? Listen to your body, don’t ignore the signs.

            You may argue that professional athletes manage to train 6, maybe 7 times a week and have no problems. Well the clue is in the title- ‘professional athlete’. These people’s lives are dedicated to fine tuning their bodies. They don’t complete a gruelling workout and then have to dash off to work for their 9 hour stint in the office.

            So I am advising you to take one day completely off from training per week- If you feel restless go out for a walk or casual bike ride. See if you aren’t refreshed and even more ready for action when you go back to train the next day.

Now to look at the bigger picture. When did you last take an extended break from your training? More than 5 days? Maybe you got injured or became ill and had no choice but to take extended rest. I bet you were thrilled when you could start again and hit the ground running, training like you did before, as much as possible with no consideration of rest for weeks, months, maybe years, until the same problem reared its ugly head again and the cycle continued.

Taking a break from training can help to alleviate any twinges or pains, boost energy levels and help you to overcome plateaus. If you don’t start including this into your routine you will just keep following the same pattern. Try training intensely for 3 weeks and then take an easy week. Slow it down and reduce volume, intensity, frequency or all three. After about 3 cycles try and take 5 days completely off from your usual training. Take an extended break or do something completely different for a bit – staying off the weights, simple body weight circuits in the park, long bike rides, hiking up hills. Don’t be afraid to take a break. Give your body and mind a rest for a few days, you wont lose anything and you will find you come back to the gym feeling fitter and stronger and more prepared for the next phase. Gains don’t happen during the workout, they happen during recovery. Following difficult bouts of work with rest will allow your body to adapt and improve to better handle the new workload.

 Mentally you may find it hard to rest- I understand this. When you’re used to training solidly what could happen if you stop…you’ll lose all your strength, muscles will disappear, your fitness will diminish and heavens above you’re going to get fat! THIS WON’T HAPPEN. I haven’t been able to exercise for 2 weeks now, and yes it is frustrating and I can’t wait to get back to training but my body has told me to stop – well it actually told me a while ago and I didn’t listen so now it’s made me stop. So listen to your body and respond to what it is asking of you.

Exercise is the perfect example to highlight the importance of rest. But the same principles must be applied to all aspects of your life. We live in a hectic world and there are constant stressors all around us. The human body is fragile and can be extremely vulnerable if it’s not looked after properly. So sit back, chill out and keep on smiling. J

Wake up and smell the coffee!

Sitting down to enjoy a cup of warming, fresh coffee is one of my favourite times of the day. There is something incredibly satisfying and comforting about a cup of coffee. It’s a great drink to catch up with friends over, ponder the newspapers with or simply sit and watch the world go by. I would never tell someone to stop drinking coffee, why deny yourself of this great pleasure in life? Coffee has been slated as an unhealthy commodity by many in the health industry but there’s no chance I’ll give up my daily dose.

            Everyone has their ‘drink’. The one they’ll order day in day out. I certainly have mine which the local coffee shop now starts preparing for me as they see me walk in the door! Whether yours is a tall vanilla, extra hot skinny latte or a simple black Americano have you ever considered whether ‘your drink’ is actually good for you or whether it could be playing the lead role in your battle of the bulge?

            In itself coffee isn’t actually the health demon many would have you believe and scientists are finally starting to admit that coffee poses very little risk to most people. It is easy to see why researchers took a dislike to coffee considering the average cup contains about 100mg of stimulating caffeine which increases metabolic rate, blood pressure, heart rate and breathing. This led researchers to fear for the health of our hearts under the influence of caffeine but regular coffee drinkers quickly build up a tolerance to caffeine which sees all these effects diminish after a few weeks of regular consumption. Habitual coffee drinkers are no more likely to suffer from hypertension than those who never touch the stuff. Drinking coffee won’t cause any greater trouble to an irregular heart beat or increase the risk of heart disease, breast cancer or osteoporosis (as was feared a few years ago). In fact, coffee has been shown to improve neurological function, helping people to learn and retain new information and improve attention and psychomotor skills. However, at the end of the day coffee is a stimulant and can cause stress on the adrenal glands causing a release of cortisol into your system. Coffee should be consumed and enjoyed in moderation. Don’t rely on coffee as a pick me up; enjoy coffee for the flavour it provides not for the functions it brings with it. When your relationship with coffee becomes one of dependence you need to start looking at the wider picture.  

So, the good news…you don’t need to quit you daily coffee J but you do need to consider what’s going into your cup…

The increase in coffee houses providing a multitude of ways to jazz up this simple drink are what is turning this simple beverage into a health nightmare. Artificial sweeteners, flavourings, sugars, soup-bowl sized mugs and chemicals involved in the decaffeinating process are all making this morning ritual something intoxicating.

            Enjoy your coffee the healthy way by following my tips below:

• Avoid the flavourings – Even if you think you are being health-wise by opting for the sugar-free syrups this extra shot will fill your body with artificial sweeteners such as sucralose or aspartame which can cause long term side effects to your health.
• Sprinkle some cinnamon – Cinnamon is one of the most antioxidant rich herbs on the planet. It has been shown to have amazing medicinal qualities that enhance blood sugar signalling, reduce inflammation, stimulate immunity and promote neurological health. Cinnamon has been shown to powerfully stimulate regions of the brain allowing for greater attention span and memory- just what you need for that dull morning meeting....it tastes great too!
• If you can’t cope without added sweetness, swap sugar for honey. Honey is still full of simple carbohydrates but raw honey contains antibacterial and antifungal properties making it a better choice than the empty calories sugar provides.
• If your morning coffee is all you manage to grab first thing, make it with full fat rather than skimmed milk. Full fat milk will keep you feeling fuller for longer and dampen the stimulatory effect of the caffeine which can play havoc on an empty stomach. The added calories will keep you going until lunchtime so you are less likely to snack on sugary treats.
• Skip the whipped cream….do I need to elaborate?!
• Go organic- As with all fresh produce coffee beans are an agricultural product at risk of exposure to nasty chemicals so buy organic beans if you can.

So stop stressing about your coffee habit, make the right choices, sit back and enjoy your steamy cup…you deserve it! J

Good Mood Food :)

It is amazing how the focus on diet and food has become so wrapped up in weight loss, building muscle or stripping fat.  Food has become a product to serve vanity and people have forgotten how this vital part of our lives can actually affect the way we view ourselves and our lives. I’m talking about our mood. What you eat on a daily basis will ultimately affect your mood on a daily basis and also influence your brain function. In a world full of work and social pressures and the prevalence of chronic stress and depression on the rise, isn’t it time we started to look and our food differently?

There is well documented evidence of the positive effects food can have on our mood swings, depression, anxiety, concentration, memory, fatigue and behavioural disorders. Equally, there is also evidence of certain products having negative effects on our moods, such as alcohol, caffeine and sugar.

The control of blood sugar levels is vital when it comes to tackling your mood. How do you feel when you’ve missed a meal? When trying to navigate the tube home when you’ve not eaten since lunch are you calm and patient? Have you ever tried to cut out carbohydrate completely and felt great for the first few days? The picture all these scenarios bring to my head is me frantic, impatient, snappy, weak and fuzzy-headed desperately searching out a mars bar to provide some much needed sugar! Allowing your blood sugar levels to drop so dramatically has detrimental effects on your brain function as glucose is the only source of fuel for the neurons in your brain. 

There is a lot more to brain function than just fuel however. The neurons in your brain are responsible for the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters (stay with me, the science lesson is nearly over!), which all effect the way we think, feel and behave. Examples of these chemicals include serotonin, dopamine and acetylcholine. The nutrients in your food affect the release of these neurotransmitters and, ultimately, your mood! So….simple J now all you need to know is how to eat to keep that smile on your face…read on…

PROTEIN

Protein is not only useful for muscle growth and repair but is also largely responsible for our intelligence and mental abilities due to the amino acids that regulate brain activity and development. One such amino acid, tyrosine, increases the production of dopamine and epinephrine (or adrenaline) which are responsible for increasing energy levels and alertness. Peanuts, almonds, avocados, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds are great natural sources of tyrosine.

CARBOHYDRATE    

Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, the essential fuel for your brain. Research has show that the human brain functions best with approximately 25g of glucose circulating in the blood stream, which is only about the amount of carbohydrate found in an average banana.

Carbohydrates also trigger the release of insulin which allows for the uptake of amino acids into muscle cells, apart from one – tryptophan. This allows a clear pathway for tryptophan to cross the blood-brain barrier where it is converted into serotonin which regulates mood, appetite and sleep.

A special type of carbohydrate called Inositol does not render energy like a classic sugar, but has a wide range of beneficial effects on the nervous system. Inositol has been shown to improve mental endurance, modulate serotonin activity, support brain and bone marrow cell membranes, and combat a number of psychiatric conditions and disorders. This special carbohydrate can be found in fruits (bananas, raisins and citrus fruits), beans, yeasts, grains and most nuts.

ESSENTAIL FATTY ACIDS (Omega-3)

The cells of the brain and nervous system depend on these essential fats as they are made up mainly of fat themselves. Numerous studies have shown positive effects of omega-3 consumption and improved brain function, especially in children.

Chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts are great plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

SELENIUM

Many people are deficient in this essential mineral as due to intensive farming methods it is now leached from our soils. A deficiency in selenium has been linked to irritable, anxious, depressed and hostile behaviours which have been corrected with supplementation. Include a daily dose of Brazil nuts, shellfish, fish, oats and sunflower seeds in your diet to up your selenium levels.

FOLIC ACID

A deficiency in folic acid causes levels of serotonin in the brain to decrease which has been linked to depression. Foods high in folic acid include dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, avocado and nuts and seeds.

CHOLINE

Choline affects the neurotransmitter acetylcholine which plays a role in memory. Low levels of this B-complex vitamin have been linked to poor memory, concentration and even increased risk of Alzheimer’s. Look to foods with high cholesterol levels such as eggs and liver to get your dose of choline.

VITAMIN D3

Recent studies have linked vitamin D3 deficiencies to depression and it has been speculated that vitamin D3’s physiological protections directly affect moods. Several studies indicate the potential for preventing and treating mental disorders such as depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), anxiety, and schizophrenia with vitamin D3 supplementation. This is a new area of research and so no conclusive answers can be said yet, but there does appear to be a connection with vitamin D and mood – the sun makes us all smile right..? And even if it turns out not to be beneficial in this area, I will always recommend everyone to get a plentiful supply of this vitamin for its other numerous health benefits.

Should you eat before an early morning workout?

This is an on-going debate amongst people in the health and fitness industry and there will never be one simple correct answer to this question. Nutritional practice is individual and what works for one person for their pre-workout meal won’t work for everyone else.

The importance and type of pre-workout meal varies depending on the type of workout you are doing, its duration, intensity and what you hope to achieve from it. If you are planning on a high intensity, anaerobic strength or speed session I would always recommend you fuel up before. However, if you are planning on a steady state cardio session at a comfortable intensity the requirements of the pre-workout meal will change. It will also be dependent on what you want to achieve, whether this be fat loss, performance, metabolism shifting or endurance training.

Food choice is crucial when it comes to the pre-workout meal/snack. Stick to easily digested foods that won’t sit heavily on your stomach causing nausea and cramps. The food choices made are completely individual as different people can tolerate different things so experiment to see what works for you. You should be able to exercise 30-45 minutes after a light snack, but if you can’t, you may have underlying digestive issues that need to be sorted out first (contact me for more information on this problem).

The most important thing to ensure from your pre-workout meal is that you help your body build and maintain muscle mass. Consuming essential amino acids – specifically Leucine- before (and after) exercise has been proven effective at maintaining muscle mass. If the aim ISNT to lose body fat, low GI carbs will also be a good addition. Building and maintaining muscle mass will create a healthy metabolism, lean body composition, strong skeleton and aid any weight loss efforts. When you wake up, your body is in a highly catabolic (muscle wasting) state. Therefore, if you then exercise at a high intensity on an empty stomach you will be using your muscles for fuel….counterproductive! You are also likely to fatigue faster making your workout less effective.

In addition to fuel, hydration is also very important before a workout. When we wake up in the morning our bodies are very dehydrated. Ensure you drink a plentiful amount of water (again, amount is down to individual tolerance) before you exercise and have a bottle of water to hand during your workout.

If training for performance gains I would also recommend an intake of caffeine 30-60 minutes before. Caffeine is one of the FEW ergogenic aids that has repeatedly been shown to benefit exercise performance (don’t believe everything you read on a forum!!).  Caffeine is a natural stimulant that will provide you with greater ‘energy’ and focus. It also has the added benefit of blocking receptors in the body that cause inflammation and pain which will dramatically reduce post workout muscle soreness…win win!

 In relation to this topic I direct you to an abstract from the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism that concludes: “when moderate endurance exercise is done to lose body fat, fasting before exercise does not enhance lipid utilization; rather, physical activity after a light meal is advisable”. Please follow this link to read a bit more:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21411835