Don't ignore injuries- learn from them

Most people training at the gym unsupervised have had  an injury that has caused a set-back with their exercise routine, this will unfortunately often cause them to stop exercising altogether. 

This is a mistake; very rarely will someone be so badly injured they cannot exercise at all- there is nearly always a way around it- I have trained a client with bad ankles, knees and shoulder- through corrective exercise and choosing pain free exercise and ranges of motion they have soon gotten over these problems- the result: improved strength, decreased body fat and less pain in the injured joints.

Even when the injury goes away without treatment, forgetting about it and just putting it behind you would be a mistake. It happened for a reason,usually due to poor exercise form and there being no one there to correct it at the time.


By choosing to learn from it, you can prevent it from happening again as with anything in life.
Come up with some proactive steps to ensure that it does not occur again. 

For example, if the setback was a pulled hip-flexor, and after evaluating what happened you realize that the reason you injured yourself was because you didn't take the time to warm-up before hand, take this as your cue to always make sure you are properly ready to exercise each time you workout.

Mark Hayward Personal Training, Exeter, Devon

Interval training and metabolism

The main principle behind weight loss from exercise is catabolism.

In simple terms if you can  get  your body to require more energy, your body will cooperate by breaking cells down to create  it. This process known as metabolism is what burns calories and results in weight loss if done correctly.

Interval training gets the job done best. I have my weight loss clients and boot camp members do interval training at each session. The reason being it really works! Interval training is simply adding a high-energy burning component to your exercise plan on an infrequent, or interval, basis. 

For example, if you can run for 20 minutes every other day, you're boosting your metabolism and burning calories/energy. But you can actually burn disproportionately more calories if, during that 20 minute run, you add a 30 second or 1 minute sprint. 

Why? Because during this 30 seconds or 1 minute, you give your body a “wake up call “ and jolt it into fat burning mode.

And I mean jolt in a good way- just enough that your body has to rev things up a bit more. To make up for the additional energy requirements, your body will be forced to burn more calories than usual.

The reason interval training is so effective  is because of the metabolism-boosting effects you get as a result and due to the fact that your body suddenly, needs to find more energy and fast.

While it was happily moving along and supplying your energy needs during your regular cardiovascular exercise, it suddenly needs to find more for 30 seconds or even a minute; during that time it will increase your metabolism even further.

However if you decided to increase your 30 second or 1 minute sprint into a 20 minute sprint, you will not experience all of the benefits.

Indeed your body will utilise more energy when you are exercising in the upper ranges of your aerobic training zone. But your body will not get the jolt it gets from interval training.

Interval training can last longer than 30 seconds or 1 minute. Some experts suggest that you can use interval training for 30-40 minutes, depending on your health and overall exercise programme. I think 20 minutes is ideal, you can finish off the workout with some resistance exercise and core work.

Also interval training is more interesting- it breaks up the sometimes monotonous aspect of steady state cardiovascular exercise.

Remember to not overdo it with your interval training like any exercise. Your goal here is to become healthier and stronger, and lose some adipose tissue in the process.

You will gain nothing if you run or cycle so hard during the intervals that you get hurt. Men are particularly prone to fall into this trap- forgetting they have not exercised for months or years! You will actually undermine your own health, and possibly have to stop exercising while torn muscles or other ailments heal.
Mark Hayward Personal Training, Aylesbury, Bucks

Boosting your metabolism

To boost your metabolism safely you will need to look at three areas:

1. Exercise

2. Lifestyle

3. Diet 

In part look I will look at the role of muscle tone in keeping lean.

Exercise is a major factor in boosting your metabolism and burning off extra calories.

Unless you naturally have an extremely fast metabolism, where you can eat thousands of calories a day without putting on weight, you are in the same group as the rest of us who need to take action to get that metabolic burning! 

Cardiovascular exercise is an important component of boosting your metabolism. Increasing your heart rate, blood circulation, body temperature, and oxygen intake/carbon dioxide exchange, will all lead your body into a catabolic state whereby it is breaking down fat and converting it into energy. 

Many women (and some men) shy away from barbells and dumbells because they think they will get bulky muscles.! There really is no need to. You will not end up looking like Herman munster in drag! It takes many years of heavy weight and vast quantities of food and "supplements" to build big muscles. For a woman and most men to do so accidentally with light weights is impossible.

So what's the deal with muscle and metabolism? 

It is because a pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat. So the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn. Even when sleeping you’ll simply burn extra calories, because muscle requires more energy to maintain. 

It will only last as long as you exercise though.When you stop working out your metabolism will return to it's previous sluggish state and the fat will return home at the slightest opportunity.

Catabolism will cause weight loss.

If your body need more energy to function each day then it will break down more cells to obtain this energy. In the process you will need more calories and lose weight.

I always include weights in a weight loss programme for my clients whether it be body weight dumbells or resistance bands this combined with cardiovascular exercise burns fat faster than anything else!

A full body workout 3 days a week moving quickly  in a circuit fashion from one exercise to another produces best results.

Do both high  (20-30) and low reps (6-10). Each set should be hard. Vary the weight according to the number of reps- heavy (6), light (20).

 In part 2 I will look at the effect of interval training on fat loss and boosting your metabolism.

Mark Hayward Personal Training, Exeter, Devon

Lose weight with just these small changes

I have said it thousands of times before: after reducing calories and increasing exercise avoiding sugar should be your priority in your quest for losing weight. 

Many food appear innocent enough on the surface but can make weight loss very difficult because of the added sugar in them.  Here are some of the main culprits to be avoided.

Tomato-Based Pasta Sauces

One famous make of pasta sauce has 15 grams of sugar (almost 4 teaspoons) per 1/2 cup serving—and in fact most people eat more like a cup of sauce with their pasta. Many brands lists sugar as the third ingredient after tomato purée and tomato juice. I don't suggest cutting out tomato sauce from your diet altogether as it counts as a vegetable serving and is full of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant linked to a lower risk of prostate and breast cancers. You want a sauce where any type of sugar (corn syrup, fructose, etc.) is either not listed at all or is at the end of the ingredients listed. 

Fat-Free Salad Dressings

Fat-free salad dressings are usually full of with sugar as, due to the reduction of fat, the taste is compromised and this is made up for by adding sugar and salt. Most of the  calories in fat-free salad dressings are  from sugars like honey and concentrated fruit juices. Sugar is often as high as eight grammes ( two teaspoons)  for every two tablespoons of dressing. I would suggest  avoiding fat-free dressings altogether and going with a dressing that lists canola or olive oil as the main ingredient and has either no or very little added sugar. These fat-containing dressings may have more calories but they’re worth it because canola and olive oils are heart-healthy fats that help lower LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol). Make sure you use them in moderation  moderation though! because their calories add up quickly.

Smoothies

Smoothies are often promoted as healthy options, and as a great way to add fruit  to your diet. However most manufactured smoothies have added sugars in them. One well known brand boasts 38 grams of sugar (nine teaspoons) and 230 calories in a single-serving bottle. Sugar is  the second ingredient listed after milk and fructose is added too. Make your own with a cup of skimmed milk (80 calories) or plain lowfat  yoghurt (110 calories), 1/2 cup of blueberries (45 calories) and just a teaspoon of maple syrup (16 calories). Again consume in moderation but these are much better for you than shop made ones.

Barbecue Sauce

Barbecue sauce should also be added sparingly, always only enough enough to add  flavour. As always some are healthier than others: one well known  make of barbecue sauce has 12 grams of sugar (three teaspoons) in only two tablespoons. With high-fructose corn syrup listed as the second ingredient (after tomato puree) and molasses the third, sugars account for 80 percent of the calories in this sauce. 

Multi-Grain Cereals and Crackers

Multi-grain crackers and cereals can be good for you—full of fibre and low in fat. The original versions of shredded-wheat  have no added sugars, but this is quite rare and you should always double check any cereals ingredients. A famous brand of multi-grain cereal has six grams of sugar per  serving (1 1/2 teaspoons)—and sugar is listed as the third ingredient with another source of sugar further down the list. Stick with the plain versions of the cereal; try adding  fruit as a sweetener. Multi- and whole-grain crackers can also contain plenty of  sugar: two popular whole-grain crackers contain three sources of sugar that add up to four grams of sugar (one teaspoon) in every serving! Check the ingredients carefully and make sure sugars are way down on the list!

 http://www.markhaywardpt.com/index.html

Ten rules of sensible nutrition

It’s very easy to be confused by the multitude of nutritional advice being provided in the media today; hence I have decided to recommend the following 10 guidelines to help you be healthier, weight less and become fitter in 2013!

Eat in moderation
 
This doesn't mean a specific amount of food or specified number of calories per day. Eating in moderation refers to your attitude to restraint with regard what you are eating.  In simple terms this means eat to fuel your lifestyle and no more.This varies according to every individual’s circumstances. For example, a marathon runner who has little excess body fat and runs seventy  miles every week will need more food each day than a sedentary office worker who needs to shift 3 extra stone. Moderation means stopping eating when  you begin to feel full. Make sure you eat slowly so you know when you have reached this point! Stop for a few minutes to let your food go down and you will be far more  likely to resist  a  second slice of pizza and to choose  vegetables instead of additional chips.

In order to eat in moderation, you need to know portion sizes. But we are looking at a manageable lifestyle change not a rigid diet plan. The foods you eat will fall into either of two categories: carbohydrate or protein. Carbohydrates include fruit, vegetables, bread, pasta and rice. These last three are starches; you will need to limit your consumption of these if you want to lose weight and keep it off. Proteins are meat, eggs and dairy. Each serving of carbs should be about  the size of your closed fist. A serving of protein will be approximately the size of your palm.

The easiest way to eat in moderation is to divide your plate into quarters. Half your plate should be covered with fruits and vegetables. A quarter of your plate should be allocated  for protein, and a quarter can be used for starches for example bread, baked potato and pasta. If you aren’t full by this point, eat only extra vegetables. Leave out extra starches. Additional protein is allowed, particularly if you are physically active.

Avoid empty calories
 
An empty calorie is a food or drink that has zero nutritional value besides its energy value. This  includes sugary drinks like lemonade or lucozade. Other examples of empty calories would be most breakfast cereals and sweets. Empty calories should be saved for a weekend treat and special occasions only. No exceptions. If you make a habit of regularly consuming these empty calories, they will likely catch up to you in the form of blood sugar problems, weight gain, and poor health.

Limit sweet and/or fatty food to one meal per week
 
This is straight forward. Stay away from sweet, fatty food e.g. cakes, biscuits- have them in moderation once a week if you must.

Eat five servings of vegetables each day
Thgere is no need to restrict carbohydrates from vegetables. Fruits must be limited yes, but no one ever become fat eating vegetables in excess. As well as filling you up they keep you healthy by providing essential vitamins and minerals your diet may be lacking if you avoid them.
Don't cover them in oil or cheese either, eat them raw or with a main meal on their own. Select a variety of colours to get the full benefit from them.

 Choose whole grains
When you decide to eat starches, look for whole grain sources which provide better nutrition than their highly refined counterparts. For example, next time you have pasta, try whole-wheat  instead of regular. You could try mixing both whole-wheat and regular pasta in your dishes until you get used to the fuller flavor. After a short while  you will find that whole-wheat pasta far more flavour and is much more satisfying. When buying bread, get a whole-grain variety instead  white, even if your white bread is “fortified with vitamins and minerals.” Make sure you look for bread that has whole-wheat or whole-grain as the first ingredient on the label, and look for products with 2-2.5 grams or more of fiber per serving.

Choose lean meats
 
You do not have to be a vegetarian in order to be a healthy eater; vegetarianism is not the healthiest approach to eating in itself. You can keep good nutritional habits and still eat meat on a regular basis. The most important thing is to choose leaner meats- they are high in protein and have limited saturated fats. Fish, chicken, venison, turkey, and lean beef. You might limit red meat to two meals week as more frequent consumption has been linked to serious health risks. Fattier meats like pork should be consumed on a less frequent basis. Check how the meat is prepared. Avoid fried foods as much as possible.  Processed meats like sausages and bacon are full of fat and chemicals and are high in sodium so avoid whenever possible. Heart patients need to eliminate all fatty and processed meats from their diet.

Chose law fat alternatives 

Always look at food labels. Not all reduced fat or fat-free foods are good for you. Many contain extra sodium, sugar, or other chemicals that can be harmful long term. Many however are good alternatives to high fat foods. Whenever possible, choose the healthier food option. For example, iceburg lettuce offers little in the way of nutrition, but green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, and spinach leaves are a great alternative for salads and side dishes, and they have more taste. Many low-fat or fat free salad dressings are good alternatives to high fat versions. Whenever you can, order grilled chicken instead of fried, wholegrain bread instead of white, jacket potato instead of chips. Having the healthier alternative is the main thing to remember whenever you’re about to eat a meal or snack. By applying this simple rule, you can make good choices about your food and drink and enjoy it guilt-free knowing that your are on your way to becoming fitter and healthier.

Go easy on the olive oil

Many people seem to treat olive oil like it is a "free" food i.e. they can have a s much as they want, guilt free.  They drown thier salads, roast their vegetables with it smother thier pasta- because it's healthy right?  Good for the heart it may be (which is debatable) but it will also make you fat in record time; it is very high in calories and your body will covert it to fat in an instant. If you wonder why you can't lose weight try leaving it off your healthy meals.

Have one cheat day per week
 

Have one day a week when you ease up on your diet a little. This will help stop your metabolic rate from dropping and make you more likely to stick to your diet.  But be sensible! Don't at until you can't get up from the table. Eat until you begin to feel full, eat slowly and enjoy your cheat food. Do not scoff down an entire pizza; just have a couple of slices. One slice of cake not the whole lot.  If you do over indulge you may very well put all the weight back on you have lost that week.

Exercise four to six days per week
 
 Not nutrition I know but exercise is critical in achieving and maintaining good health and low body fat. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you take in. The best plan for long-term weight loss combines healthy eating with increased physical activity. But exercise isn’t just for people who need to lose weight; a habit of exercise is for everyone. You do not have to sign up to a gym, lift heavy weights, or run marathons to get all the exercise you need. Go for a brisk walk of thirty to sixty minutes; perform calisthenics at home; or try an exercise DVD that you might enjoy doing three or four days per week. Try to move more in between workouts- increase your daily physical activity  by taking the stairs instead of the lift, parking your car at the back of the car park instead of finding a spot close to the supermarket, walk to work or park a couple of miles away or take your children to a  park and running and play along with them. Look for a way to make exercise fun, and you will be more likely to stick with it for the long-term.

http://www.markhaywardpt.com/about-us.htmlPersonal Trainer, Exeter, Aylesbury

Get your priorities right!

 A man brings a big jar and shown it to a group of people. In front of them he fills it up completely with big rocks. "Is the jar full?" he asks...

People answer that it is, indeed, full.

"No it's not" he replied... and then proceeded to pour some very small rocks that fit in the empty spaces.

"Is it full now?"

"Yes, now it answer" said the crowd...

"No it's not..." he then proceeded to pour sand in the jar, there was still some room. "So now it's full, right?"

"YES!" was the unanimous answer.

"Not yet!" ... he then poured some water in there. "Okay now it really is full"... "What's the moral of the story?" he asked...

"If you truly want, you can always do more" was the group's answer.

"Not quite! It means that if you want to do as much as you can, always start with the biggest things, don't waste your time on the small stuff, you can always add that later on"....

And it's true, if you were to fill the jar with sand and water first, there is no way you would have been able to fit the rocks in there!


The lesson to be learnt here is as follows: Focus on only the things that work with your exercise regime- if you want to lose weight then run; don't try to balance one legged on a swiss ball while lifting a dumbell overhead or attend a yoga class- do these only if you wish to join the circus.

You more than likely know what works for you already- don't waste your precious time and energy on fads and fashion. 

Boosting your metabolism

To boost your metabolism safely you will need to look at three areas:

1. Exercise

2. Lifestyle

3. Diet 

In part look I will look at the role of muscle tone in keeping lean.

Exercise is a major factor in boosting your metabolism and burning off extra calories.

Unless you naturally have an extremely fast metabolism, where you can eat thousands of calories a day without putting on weight, you are in the same group as the rest of us who need to take action to get that metabolic burning! 

Cardiovascular exercise is an important component of boosting your metabolism. Increasing your heart rate, blood circulation, body temperature, and oxygen intake/carbon dioxide exchange, will all lead your body into a catabolic state whereby it is breaking down fat and converting it into energy. 

Many women (and some men) shy away from barbells and dumbells because they think they will get bulky muscles.! There really is no need to. You will not end up looking like Herman munster in drag! It takes many years of heavy weight and vast quantities of food and "supplements" to build big muscles. For a woman and most men to do so accidentally with light weights is impossible.

So what's the deal with muscle and metabolism? 

It is because a pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat. So the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn. Even when sleeping you’ll simply burn extra calories, because muscle requires more energy to maintain. 

It will only last as long as you exercise though.When you stop working out your metabolism will return to it's previous sluggish state and the fat will return home at the slightest opportunity.

Catabolism will cause weight loss.

If your body need more energy to function each day then it will break down more cells to obtain this energy. In the process you will need more calories and lose weight.

I always include weights in a weight loss programme for my clients whether it be body weight dumbells or resistance bands this combined with cardiovascular exercise burns fat faster than anything else!

A full body workout 3 days a week moving quickly  in a circuit fashion from one exercise to another produces best results.

Do both high  (20-30) and low reps (6-10). Each set should be hard. Vary the weight according to the number of reps- heavy (6), light (20).

 In part 2 I will look at the effect of interval training on fat loss and boosting your metabolism.

http://www.markhaywardpt.com/about-us.html