Take Control
Today I was asked by a client interested in accelerating the process of reducing body fat and what I would recommend. Shall I cut out carbs? Should I skip breakfast? The answer is simple, no. Why?
Ultimately its come down to one thing, well actually lots of things but for the purpose of this blog lets just say its one thing. Energy balance. When starting out in this industry I got massively caught up in the paleo (which has its place) then carb cutting which made me feel lousy then I would crash and go crazy on carbs having completely neglected them for as long as humanly possible. Fat-loss doesn’t have to be difficult, I take a flexible approach, I don’t restrict a macronutrient, feel bad if I finish a pot of hummus. I train hard during the week and I take a relaxed approach to tracking calories. MyFitnessPal which I wish more people would use is a great tool for this as well as providing information on what the food I am eating contains.
Energy Balance for those who don’t know it energy in (calories) and energy out (calories we burn daily). If we consume too many calories we put on weight, essentially stored ad body fat, if we are in a calorie deficit we lose weight. Its not carbohydrates or fat causing us to gain weight, its simply eating too much of anything.
One variable I always look to change first is output. Moving more throughout the week, whether its increasing cardio, walking from underground stations, increasing weekly gym sessions or swimming at the weekends.
The BB Bench Press
The Barbell Bench Press: A staple for most looking to increase size and strength through the chest. And rightly so. Studies have shown that the Bench Press is one of the best exercises for eliciting a high level of muscle activity in the Pectoralis Major. This exercise will also recruit the arms and shoulders.
Tips:
- Feet flat on the floor
- Shins vertical
- Squeeze your Lats and Glutes
- Point you knuckles to the ceiling
Don't push the bar to much too often though. Mix up grips and use Dumbells.
The Benefits Of Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil may be one of the most misunderstood of the more readily available dietary fats/oils.
The main difference between coconut oil and other forms of saturated fats and triglycerides is the much shorted length pf the fatty acid. Coconut Oil is actually a medium chain triglyceride (MCT), 6 to 12 carbon lengths long. This smaller chain length makes it much easier for the body to absorb, digest and process as its breakdown requires less energy and less enzymatic action that what is usually needed for the longer chain triglyceride.
Once broken down into medium chain fatty acids and absorbed in the body, they are then delivered to the liver where they are used as a primary source of energy, which in turn leads to an increase in metabolism, ultimately resulting in an improvement in blood lipid profiles.
Interestingly in eastern Asian cultures where coconut oil is a significant source of fat, rates of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease are lower than their western counterparts.
Coconut Oil contains high levels of antioxidative compounds which help protect it from oxidation and degradation. Coconut oil has been proven to improve levels of testicular antioxidants, thus suggesting a protective role in reproductive health and increased levels of testosterone.
Furthermore, supplementation of the oil has also led to a significant improvement in bone density, volume and structure.
Effective Fat Loss
There is nothing more confusing or controversial than the hot topic of nutrition. Read this, do that, lose weight. Fad dieting which often works in the short term rarely works in the long term with yoyo results demotivating thousands when nutrition can be made easy and simple. The single best advice surrounding diet is that the best diet is the most consistent diet. It doesn’t have to be complicated, calorie counting bewilderment. It needs to nutritional good, by that I mean anything that once lived or grew usually cuts it.
If you find yourself deep in the aisles of a supermarket you’re probably in the wrong place. Supermarkets generally keep the fresher produce on the outside aisles. The further in you get the more refined, processed and tinned food will get.
My Top 5 commandments for and effective nutrition plan;
- Protein, Protein, Protein – Aim to have a portion of protein with each meal. Protein provides the building blocks to essential muscle recovery and building through the breakdown of amino acids, you will also find yourself less hungry.
- Green is Great – Vegetables should be the foundation to each meal. Get creative with different varieties and colours the more the merrier. You’ll burn more calories consuming this stuff as well.
- Avoid Alcohol – I don’t need to explain why
- Consistency – Start as you mean to go on, plan ahead, shop ahead and be prepared.
- Quality – If possible eat lean, free range, high quality grass fed meats. The animals are leaner themselves and the meat much better quality. Farmed Salmon for example contain up to eight times the level of carcinogens as their wild counterparts.
If you have any questions on nutrition, training or programmes please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected].
My Top 3 – Magnesium, Vitamin D, Omega – 3
I wanted to cover the subject of supplementation because often too much emphasis can be put on supplements to either aid or enhance training or completely the opposite it can be overlooked and neglected.
Regardless there are other factors that must be achieved when looking at supplementation being nutrition and training. However, I do believe that if you have the first two achieved the supplements can help - but they must not replace a well balanced diet or meats and greens.
'No supplement can provide a shortcut to the success of your goals'
My Top 3 I am keen to cover today are;
- Magnesium
- Vitamin D3
- Omega 3
First up Magnesium, a supplement the general population is commonly deficient in. It is involved in 300 essential biochemical reactions in the body ranging from energy production in your cells to protein synthesis. Key for energy, reducing fatigue and muscle building. Magnesium is best taken before bed to help relax the body, aid sleep and reduce stress.
Vitamin D3, again another supplement / vitamin most are deficient in. Vitamin D is VITAL, yet most of us will be shocked to hear you’re deficient in this. Studies
Show D3 may decrease risk for many diseases and conditions including certain types of cancer, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, weight loss and even longevity.
Last up, Omega – 3 a type of essential fatty acid. Commonly found is meats and oily cold watered fish it is essential for good health. Research has shown that it can help prevent a host of serious long term ailments including cancer and heart disease. For fat loss its great as it promotes the utilization of existing fat stores for fuel.
Supplements are there to supplement a well balanced diet. Optimal health not only leads to a better functioning body, but can also lead to bigger more motivated gym performance.
The Back Squat
The Barbell Back Squat is certainly a staple exercise within the Vitality Personal Training Studio and is considered one of the best compound exercises to evaluate lower body strength.
The Back Squat will engage all major muscle groups of the lower body and upper body which will act as either stabilisers or prime movers.
The Back Squat will target the quadriceps, hamstrings and calves whilst creating the ideal environments throughout the entire body. The human body will release more testosterone and growth hormone, which creates an anabolic environment for other areas of the body to grow.
Squatting correctly and safely will elicit a fantastic fat burning response. The more muscle you have on your frame, the more calories you will burn during training and rest post training. Compound lifts such as the squat will burn fat and lean you out. As well as a great fat burning effect, squats are also known as a functional movement. The Squat can relate to a numerous real life activities assisting in reducing injury and increasing efficiency day to day. Leading on from the functional benefits of the Back Squat, the ability to squat in full range of motion will improve flexibility and mobility as an added bonus by increasing the range of motion through your ankles, knees, hips and lower back. This development in flexibility and mobility will carry over too many other exercises and as mentioned day to day activities.
Safely for obvious reason regarding this exercise is crucial. At Vitality Personal Training form and exercise execution are paramount therefore if you would like to know more about this or other exercises then please touch base.
Nutrition for the City Worker
For most, Fat Loss is the most common goal in the Health & Fitness industry. It’s not surprising given the poor information the general public are subjected too, from the print press we read to the online health and fitness apps which also contain poor information. For example, I read this week that a new juice diet can help shed weight in just a matter of weeks, and astonishingly coffee drinkers are less likely to become obese with the average number of cups of coffee being 5 per day.
Today we are going to take a closer look at the nutritional components that aid fat loss and most specifically, how to set up an optimal nutritional day for the busy individual living and working in London. Nutrition, will always be the number one contributing factor to whether or not you achieve your body composition goals.
Before looking at what a typical day’s nutrition should look like it’s important to understand the three macro-nutrients involved in establishing your nutrition plan and why they’re so important.
Protein! Proteins are the building blocks to multiple functions in your body like protein synthesis, detoxification and hormone building. It’s important to understand that without quality proteins, our body’s cannot complete these functions to full capacity. Lastly, without quality proteins, long lasting changes in fat loss are pointless.
Fats! Yes, Fats are our friend. Healthy fats are involved in hormone building and energy output. A diet low in healthy natural sources of fat will halt any fat loss program you are currently trying. Fat is key, and this is one macronutrient I see many people completely ignoring whether it be education of fats or even knowing what a healthy fat might be.
Carbohydrates! I said the C word. Carbohydrates are involved in energy output and act as a direct fuel for the brain. Carbohydrates are a non-essential nutrient because our body’s can produce carbohydrates from proteins through a process called ‘Gluconeogenesis’. Natural sources of carbs are great, Sweet Potato and Vegetables are considerably better than a pizza or sandwich. It’s having the willpower to make the correct decision.
Now we know what macronutrients should be on our plate it’s important to understand meal frequency. Eating too few meals won’t get you to where you need to be, eating too many will make it impossible to maintain over a long period of time. Sustainability is key. It depends on the individual, but for most people 4 complete meals a day or 3 meals per day with a snack in between would be a good starting block.
Now how to make all the above fit into your busy lifestyle. Each meal will consist of the following;
Animal Protein
Healthy Fat
Non Starchy Complex Carb (Vegetables, Leafy Greens being the best options)
Breakfast
Poached Egg, Salmon & Avocado
Lunch
Grilled Chicken Breast
Spinach
Handful of Cashew Nuts
Dinner
Fillet Steak
Boiled Kale
Tablespoon Olive Oil & Balsamic as dressing
The key to success is consistency. Without consistency you most certainly will not achieve your goals. Finding a manageable process of setting up your daily nutrition will increase the likelihood of success. Starting with four meals would be a good place to start, it will stabilise your blood sugar and help sustain energy throughout the day and give you more energy.
Strength & Conditioning, Olympic Lifting
This week I took part in a 2 day Strength & Conditioning course covering Olympic Lifting. The Clean & Jerk was by far my favourite. Olympic lifting can have huge benefits on the body. Transferring a weight from the floor to overhead, switches the entire body on.
It took 5 hours to get to this point but something I would like to be able to transfer to clients. Power, Body Composition, Sprint Speed, and Flexibility will all see huge improvements.
Stress: The Secret Killer
Stress can be as debilitating as most diseases. Yet the frenetic fast paced city life of London causes millions to suffer in silence, most people live with chronic stress not knowing how to best manage it nor aware of the negative impact it can have on daily life.
It can make you feel lethargic, tired, and it can rapidly increase the ageing process. More relevant for this blog is the impact is can have on body composition, training and impeding you from reaching your athletic potential.
Why like many of our problems does stress go ignored? Do we secretly admire highly stressed people who manage multiple tasks at once?
Success is something we all strive for, and stress appears to be something we all accept as a part of success. By understanding stress we can hopefully create strategies to overcome it, consequently this will ensure we manage future stressors effectively also.
Let's looks at the two most common types of stress;
Acute Stress: This is the most common form of stress. It can come from demands and pressure of the recent past and anticipated demands and pressure of the near futures. Acute stress is thrilling and exciting in small doses, too much can be exhausting. Examples could be giving a speech in front of hundreds of people, or not concentrating at the wheel of your car and almost crashing.
Chronic Stress: This is the secret killer. This is the response to emotional pressure suffered for a prolonged period time in which an individual perceives he or she has no control.
How The Body Responds To Stress: When you perceive a threat, your nervous system kicks into action by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. Its these hormones that allow us to react in almost a superhuman way. Your heart rate will increase, muscles tighten up, blood pressure will rise and your body's sensors will become more responsive.
Stress Management
Strength Training: is a very effective way to counter the demands stress can put on the body. It can improve energy use, build muscle and make you feel good. It also elevates the body’s natural anti-stress system.
Omega- 3 Fats: Fish oils are proven to decrease inflammation in the body and studies suggest is can help fight against chronic stress. Omega- 3 supplementation has also been found to decrease the acute stress response from intense strength training, leading to less inflammation post workout and faster recovery.
Eat Antioxidant Rich Foods: Berries and leafy green vegetables will increase your glutathione to minimise the effects of chronic stress. Antioxidant rich foods include cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower, dark green veg such a kale and collards, and berries such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.