Shape up: Keep exercising and don’t let your body get in the red WE’RE ALL CUTTING BACK, BUT SACRIFICING YOUR FITNESS REGIME IS A FALSE ECONOMY With the world economy still in such a fragile state, stress levels continue to rise as employees are faced with the prospect of redundancies, pay cuts and the cancellation of bonuses. Company leaders and employees work longer hours and forego their fitness regime in an attempt to rebuild and…

It’s easy to let your mind wander when you are resting after a hard set. But relaxing for too long will see you lose your mental focus and let your muscles go off the boil, compromising your efforts to achieve muscle exhaustion. It’s very important to time your rest periods with a stop watch. Your rest time between weight exercises or sprints is a variable that can influence your training result. When you are training…

Recent research from the University of Western Austrailia, has shown that dog owners are not only less stressed but 68% of are more likely to achieve the recommended level of physical activity than non-dog owners. Dogs never say No to a walk / jog. Dogs never cancel appointments or have bad days and they always have a huge smile on their face. Dogs don’t slow you down. Dogs spent hours getting ready for a running session or…

YO-YO DIETING CELEBS ARE NOT GREAT ROLE MODELS. INSTEAD TAKE EXERCISE TIPS FROM THE LIKES OF HUGH JACKMAN WHO WORKED HARD TO BULK UP FOR HIS LATEST MOVIE Another week, another wave of celebrities make headlines for their activities on the weighing scales. On some occasions, one is going up, while another is going down. The world of yo-yo dieting is alive and kicking and this is especially the case with our alleged role models…

The number one stumbling block to weight loss is lack of sleep. Lack of Sleep Disturbs our blood lipid profiles, our ability to metabolise sugar, testosterone production to build fat burning muscle and it can also raise your blood pressure. A poor quality of sleep can disrupt our immune function and our memory so it is important to start dimming the lights at least 1.5 hours before bed to increase melatonin production. There are different nutraceuticals…

NEVER MIND MASKS AND VACCINES, DEVELOPING A STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEM IS THE BEST WAY TO COMBAT THE CHANCES OF CONTRACTING ILLNESS IN THE FIRST PLACE. The recent outbreak of swine flu has been interesting. As we sit and wait to see if it becomes a full-blown pandemic (looking less likely, for now anyhow), the US and Irish governments have submitted financial aid for the development of a vaccine that will hopefully help combat the virus….

Allow 21 days to smash bad habits THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO EMBARK ON A NEW CHALLENGE ONLY TO GIVE UP A SHORT TIME LATER. FEELING LIKE A FAILURE, THEY RESORT TO PREVIOUS HABITS, AND THE HOLE THEY ARE IN GETS EVEN DEEPER. The secret is in making lifestyle changes, not quick fixes. The magic rule of 21 states that it takes 21 days of performing a task, in a row, to crystallise that new…

Free your Mind and the Rest will Follow CAN’T MANAGE TO LOSE WEIGHT, OR DO YOU REGAIN IT ALL TOO QUICKLY? YOU NEED TO STICK YOUR NECK OUT AND BE ACCOUNTABLE – PERHAPS YOU NEED TO START Summer time is the catalyst for many people to initiate lifestyle changes to become fitter and healthier. The sun puts pressure on people to cast aside our long coats and woolly jumpers and expose our vitamin D-deprived white…

There have been many scientific studies listing countless benefits of high intensity interval training like sprints. A paper just published in the American College of Sport’s Medicine’s Exercise and Sport Sciences Review (July 2009) listed the following benefits that intense aerobic interval training provides for the heart over low or moderate intensity exercise. Increased maximal oxygen uptake Improved heart muscle contractile function Improved heart muscle calcium handling Reduced cardiac dysfunction in metabolic syndrome Reversed pathological…

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO ACHIEVE A MAJOR GOAL, YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND UNEARTH THE EMOTIONAL REASONS BEHIND YOUR DESIRE TO CHANGE The determination and motivation to achieve a desired goal, such as weight loss, will depend on the reasons why you want achieve it. In my line of work I witness many people exercising but see very few people training. There is a difference. Those who exercise train…