The terms muscle mass and lean body mass are often thrown around and used interchangeably, but they’re different. All muscle is ‘lean,’ primarily composed of proteins, however lean body mass (LBM) refers to your total weight minus the weight composed of fat mass. Skeletal muscle mass (SMM) is part of your LBM but are only the muscles that are controlled voluntarily for movement and posture. When thinking about gaining muscle, you’re referring to your SMM, as an increase in LBM can be a result of water weight.
So, what is protein and why is it important for muscle growth?
Protein is a macronutrient built from amino acids, which are stitched together in long chains. The body can manufacture many of those amino acids, however there are nine amino acids, known as the essential amino acids (EAA) which can’t be made in the body. These amino acids must be consumed through food from sources like beans, meat, soy, and nuts.
Leucine is the amino acid responsible for a lot of the muscle-building process. It is known as the leucine trigger concept because enough leucine triggers muscle protein synthesis. Protein synthesis is a process in which protein is produced to repair muscle damage caused by intense exercise, it is the opposite of muscle protein breakdown (MPB) where protein is lost as a result of exercise. Scientists measure the intensity of exercise by one-repetition maximum (1-RM), meaning the maximum weight you can lift for one rep. Even when exercising to failure, low intensity exercise will do little to increase muscle protein synthesis (MPS) so therefore won’t increase muscle mass.
MPS can be enhanced by increasing your protein intake immediately after exercise. The amino acids from the protein will be transported to your muscles, replacing any lost during exercise. This can also help improve recovery, performance, and endurance. Many studies have been undertaken to examine the role of protein in building muscle. A study published in the journal Nutrients, found that protein intake ‘was shown to promote additional gains in lean body mass beyond those observed with resistance exercise alone.’
Protein can also play a role in weight loss. Studies suggest that eating protein can increase the number of calories you burn by stimulating your metabolic rate. According to the Dietary Reference Intake report for macronutrients, a sedentary adult should consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound. However, protein intake varies for each individual and relies on a number of factors. You can find out your recommended protein intake using a protein calculator. Increasing the intensity of your workout, in a safe way, and combining that with sufficient protein consumption is a great way to build muscle. If you’re looking for somewhere to store your protein powder for your post workout refuel, check out our shakers, each come with built in storage for 150grams or protein powder or snacks!
]]>A protein shake is effective both pre and post workout. Trying to mix protein powder and liquid in a water bottle on the move will often result in a lumpy solution. That's why we've created shaker bottles with three separate compartments allowing you to insert your pre, intra and post workout supplements, in one handy pack.
If you are looking to buy a compartment shaker bottle then your hunt is over because you can now get the best protein shaker bottle in the UK made from 100% recyclable PP.
Here are just a few of the reasons to purchase the best protein shaker bottle in the UK
Spinning is a low impact cardiovascular workout that doesn’t put too much stress on the joints, which makes it a great way to keep fit when recovering from an injury. There are two key factors at play when spinning, the speed and the resistance, which allows you to go at your own pace and ease yourself in if you’re new to spinning. A common misconception about cycling is that it is a lower body workout, but it also works your entire core, which includes your lower back. This is because muscle control is required to stabilise your body when pedalling.
The main muscles you use on a spinning bike, the glutes and the quadriceps, are some of the largest in the body, so you burn a lot of energy. Associate Professor of kinesiology at Penn State University, Jinger Gottschall, found that high-intensity spinning could even increase the fitness levels of highly advanced athletes, as all her studies have demonstrated an increase in heart and lung capacity.
Spinning doesn’t just torch calories but can improve overall physical health. A study found that one hour of spinning was enough to trigger the release of blood chemicals associated with heart stress or changes. These biomarkers signal that the heart is getting a good workout and are the same signals the body might receive when undergoing prolonged exertion, such as running a marathon. The author of the study Dr. Smita Duttaroy thought that some of biomarker shifts observed during the study could lead to blood vessel repair and renewal. It has also been shown to strengthen the immune system. One study found that when cycling, the thymus (the part of the body that creates immune cells) was producing the same level of cells in older people as in younger adults, which is pretty beneficial considering the thymus typically begins to shrink around the age of 20.
Aside from the physical benefits, there are other added bonuses to cycling on a stationary bike. You don’t have to worry about the weather and it’s a lot safer than cycling on the road, plus you have more control over your workout than you would do when cycling outside.
Next up, read about our exercise motivation hacks here.
]]>Reward Yourself
Charles Duhigg, the author of The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business advises to give yourself tangible rewards. He outlines the neurological habit loop involving, the cue to trigger the behaviour, for example leaving your gym gear on the chair next to your bed. The routine, waking up and going to the gym, and the reward. Having an extrinsic reward after performing the habit, such as treating yourself to an episode of your favourite TV show, is powerful because your brain can latch on to it and make the link that the behaviour is worthwhile.
Make It Easy For Yourself
Make working out as easy for yourself as possible. Pack your gym bag the night before, lay out your gym clothes and make sure your phone or iPod is charged up. That way you’ll be a lot less tempted to stay at home.
Get An Accountability Buddy
It’s a lot harder to flake on a commitment you’ve made to a friend than one you’ve made to yourself. Sharing your goals with a partner can help keep you on track. Plus, they’ll be able to motivate you on the days you’re not feeling so driven to work towards those goals, and vice versa. Researchers at Kansas State University found that people who exercised with someone whom they perceived to be better increased their workout time and intensity by as much as 200%.
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Acquiring an accountability buddy is one way to commit yourself, but another effective way is by making a monetary commitment. Whether that be paying upfront for a six-month gym membership or a block of personal training sessions. Jeremy Goldhaber-Fibert is an assistant professor at Stanford University studying health decision science and refers to this as the penalty for not completing the commitment you’ve made (to exercise). So, if you don’t show up to your training session there would be a monetary penalty.
Next up, read about the benefits of yoga here.
]]>You get a boost of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin because it’s produced in your skin as a response to sunlight, although you can also get it through certain foods. Your body needs Vitamin D to absorb calcium and promote bone growth. It helps to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, helping to facilitate normal immune system function.
It can improve your mood
Not only does exercising out in the sunlight give you a boost of Vitamin D, but it can boost your serotonin levels. Serotonin is the key hormone that stabilises our mood and feelings of wellbeing. Exercise itself promotes the release of serotonin, however people have been found to have higher levels of serotonin in the brain on bright sunny days. Furthermore, studies of shift workers have detailed the effects of sunlight on mood. As altering the normal light and dark cycles by sleeping during the day and working during the night, under artificial light, can disrupt the body’s metabolism.
It challenges you
Exercising outside can challenge the body in new ways. For example, running on a treadmill or cycling on a static bike isn’t quite the same as doing so outdoors, where you may encounter a steep incline, rough terrain, or other obstacles. This forces the body to adapt. Even the unpredictability of the weather and exposure to natural elements can be an added factor for the body to overcome, increasing the difficulty of the workout.
It adds variety
Training in the gym can at times become monotonous when sticking to the same training regime. According to a study from the University of Essex, being outside can act as a ‘distractive stimulus.’ This is because when our attention is drawn to the external pleasant green environment, it takes our focus away from the physiological sensations we might be undergoing, such as breathlessness. It is suggested that exercising outside also reduces our perceived effort, so we can train harder without feeling as tired.
Next up, read about our top ten healthy snacks here.
]]>Here are some tips for healthy snacking:
When cravings do hit and you’re short on time, it’s easy to reach for a bag of crisps or cereal bar, but it’s always best to opt for whole foods over highly processed foods where possible. Here are some quick and easy healthy snacks you can prep at home or grab on the go.
1. Mixed Nuts
These are a great nutritious snack, as they don’t require any prep and are very filling. They provide a balance of healthy fat, protein, and fibre.
2. Celery Sticks
Celery sticks are brilliant because they’re a low carb, filling snack. They also contain luteolin, an antioxidant that reduces inflammation and may help prevent cancer. You can combine them with different dips to mix up things up, like hummus or cream cheese.
3. Kale Chips
If you’re a crisp lover then kale chips are a healthy alternative. Kale is loaded with fibre and antioxidants like quercetin and kaempferol, which decrease blood pressure.
4. Edamame
Edamame beans are a great on-the-go snack, as they don’t require any prep. They’re also high in folate and minerals such as iron, magnesium, and manganese.
5. Falafel with Hummus
Falafel is another easy grab and go snack, high in micronutrients and a good source of fibre and protein. Hummus is naturally high in good fat because of its sesame seed and olive oil content.
6. Baby Carrots with Blue Cheese
Carrots are one of the best sources of carotenoids. Pairing them with a creamy salad dressing or dip heightens those benefits as the fat increases your absorption of the carotenoids.
7. Greek Yoghurt with Mixed Berries
Greek yoghurt is a great source of calcium, potassium and is high in protein. Berries add some more flavour and are high in antioxidants.
8. Fruit
Healthy snacking can still be simple!
9. Protein Shake
Protein shakes are low in sugar, and you’ve already guessed it, high in protein. They make for a great substantial snack between meals.
10. Dark Chocolate
If you have a sweet tooth and need a chocolate fix then dark chocolate is a great alternative. It generally contains less sugar than milk chocolate and is a powerful source of antioxidants.
Next up, we bust some of the most common weight loss myths here.
]]>It’s a great way to improve flexibility
Yoga can improve flexibility as holding yoga stretches and poses for a period of time allows muscles to go deeper into the stretch. Yin Yoga tends to hold poses for longer so that the deeper tissues feel the positive effects of the stretches. Vinyasa flow yoga is also said to promote flexibility, as although the poses are not held for as long as those in Yin Yoga, the poses are linked together in flow, which warms the muscles, allowing for a deeper stretch.
It can strengthen the muscles
Yoga is a form of functional fitness. You use both large and small muscles and move in many directions, not just back and forth in one motion. It combines the three elements of muscle growth: passive overload, metabolic stress, and mechanical damage.
To explain these in simple terms, progressive overload is when you keep lifting heavier and heavier over a period of time, which your body facilitates by building muscle. Yoga differs slightly in that you’re lifting your body weight, which isn’t going to significantly change week on week, however the increase is in the pose progression.
Metabolic stress is a physiological process that your muscles undergo during exercise and is caused by the accumulation of waste metabolites, it’s that feeling when you think you can’t possibly manage another rep. This process has a positive effect on muscle growth. Vinyasa is great for metabolic stress, as there is no rest between poses, which encourages the build-up of waste metabolites, usually caused by anaerobic respiration.
Mechanical damage involves microscopic tears in the muscle fibres which are caused by the eccentric contractions involved in performing yoga poses. Any yoga pose that involves lowering your body can be eccentric training and you can increase the intensity by slowing your descent.
It can improve your posture
Research has found that yoga exercises can help with bad posture. The spine is the central channel of the nervous system, so it’s crucial to keep your spine healthy and happy. The core integration sequence of yoga exercises helps by building a strong core foundation to support your posture, helping with alignment. Yoga encourages increased awareness of the body through pose positioning and movement.
It’s a brilliant way to de-stress
Yoga is great for clearing the mind as it focuses on breath work, drawing our attention towards our breathing rather than our thoughts, a common practice in meditation. Yoga sessions will usually conclude with five minutes spent relaxing in corpse pose, lying flat on the back, which allows for the release of tension in the mind and the body.
Next up, get the low down on protein shakes here.
]]>Myth: All calories are equal
Focusing solely on calories ignores the metabolic effects of each calorie, although all calories have the same energy content, different foods go through different metabolic pathways, which means they have different effects on hunger. A protein calorie is not the same as a carb calorie. The way in which you digest calories and retrieve energy from them depends on their source. For example, carbohydrates have been separated into two categories, simple and complex. An apple is classed as a simple carbohydrate as it is digested quickly by the body, however, chips are also classed as simple carbohydrates, yet they do not have the same health benefits. A better measure is to look at the glycaemic index of food. A low glycaemic index raises blood sugar levels slowly, which is beneficial as too many insulin spikes result in insulin resistance.
Rather than focusing on the number of calories you consume and burn each day, it is better to focus on eating whole foods and avoiding highly processed foods.
Myth: Weight loss is a linear process
Your weight will fluctuate on a daily basis, depending on your water and sodium intake. Just because the scale has gone up by a pound doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve gained a pound of fat. It’s better to track weight loss over the long term, as an overall downward trend means you’re making progress.
Myth: Foods labelled ‘low fat’ are a healthier option
To produce low fat foods, food manufacturers began replacing the animal fat in their products with unsaturated vegetable oils. Some of these changes involved altering the structure of vegetable oil so it could be used to replace solid fats. However, to do so requires undergoing a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenated fats increase levels of dangerous trans-fats which are bad for the heart and cholesterol. Manufacturers also had to increase the amount of sugar in these ‘low fat’ products so that they remain tasty. Therefore, the typical low-fat product is usually high in carbs. Our bodies tend to digest foods high in carbs more quickly, which can lead to blood sugar dips and cravings.
Myth: Carbs cause fat gain
It’s a myth that carbohydrates are more easily stored as fat than other macronutrients. Weight gain is the result of consuming more than you burn, not the result of eating carbs. It is often thought that carbohydrates drive obesity because they raise hormone insulin and insulin is said to block the release of fat, however this does not fit with historical evidence. Indigenous groups like the Kitavans and Massas thrived on high carb diets. The Kitavans had very low insulin levels and few overweight people, despite surviving on a diet made up of 70% carbohydrates.
Myth: Skipping meals helps with weight loss
Skipping meals can be detrimental to your health. Your blood sugar levels drop when you skip meals consistently, which can have a negative effect on your mood. It can also lead to increased hunger which may cause you to overeat at your next meal, cancelling out any reduction in consumption you might have hoped for. Restriction usually ramps up cravings and the desire to binge, which often results in yo-yo dieting. If your body does not know when its next meal is coming it will start conserving energy, meaning it won’t burn fat as efficiently and may cause your metabolism to slow down.
You should always seek professional advice on any weight loss programme, and most importantly try and make it fun! Whether that be by teaming up with a friend or trying out some new recipes.
Next up, read about the best exercises for toning here.
]]>Some shakes are designed to supplement protein, while others can be used as a meal replacement. The two most common types of protein powder are whey and casein. Whey protein is dairy based and quickly absorbed, whereas Casein protein is slowly absorbed. Casein and whey are both proteins found in milk. Casein makes up 80% of the protein in milk, while whey makes up 20%. Casein has a slower absorption rate in the gut, so it provides your cells with small amounts of amino acids over a prolonged period of time. Whey is best for taking straight after a workout, as it is considered better for muscle building, whereas casein is better for preventing muscle breakdown.
Whey protein powder comes in three different forms, isolate, concentrate and hydrolysate. Concentrate usually has slightly less protein but more fats and carbs, while isolate and hydrolysate have higher levels of protein. There are also plant based protein powders available, such as soy, pea and hemp powder.
Proteins are assembled from amino acids, and while some are produced by your body’s cells, others are supplied by the food you consume. Proteins that supply all the nine essential amino acids are considered to be the best. The recommended daily intake of protein for people aged 19 years and over is 46g for women and 56g for men. Protein powder can be a great solution for those who struggle to get enough protein in their diet, particularly those who eat a plant-based diet. If you do decide to give protein powder a go, you’ve got the perfect place to store it in one of our core shakers!
Next up, find out the best exercises for toning here.
]]>Bodyweight training can be an effective type of strength training, it’s also a great skill to master your own bodyweight. A common misconception is that bodyweight training isn’t as effective as free weight training, however, gymnasts for example are among some of the strongest athletes, and the basis of their training involves bodyweight. Moreover, bodyweight exercises engage your whole body. Most bodyweight exercises are classified as closed kinetic chain exercises (CKC), where your hand or foot is fixed to a surface, like the floor. Movement at any point in the kinetic chain requires you to move other joints in the chain, creating resistance in multiple areas, hence you are not just working one part of your body.
Depending on the type of bodyweight exercise, these could even be done inside a hotel room. A great way to formulate a bodyweight training plan is to select a few exercises and create a circuit. If you want to up the intensity you can perform these as a HIIT circuit, check out our post on HIIT training to learn more on this.
Here’s an example of a bodyweight circuit:
This would be one complete circuit which can then be repeated four to five times. There are so many different bodyweight exercises focusing on different areas of the body. You can use the chart below to formulate your own bodyweight circuit.
For a simpler approach, just moving your body each day can be a great way to stay in shape while on vacation. The plus side of an early morning run is that it allows you explore your surroundings without so many tourists around. Though if running isn’t your thing try swimming, hiking or cycling; and if you’re really yearning for your gym fix you may even be able to find a pay per day gym local to where you’re staying. The main thing to focus on is actually enjoying your holiday, you’ve earned it! And if you can get in a few workouts while enjoying your holiday that’s an added bonus.
Next up, find out how to optimise you diet here.
When calorie cycling you will alternate between high, medium, and low-calorie days. The basic principles are as follows:
Calorie cycling is not only helpful in overcoming the weight-loss plateau, but increases your ability to stick to a diet, as you’re less likely to feel restricted and binge. It gives you a mental break and allows for more flexibility when dieting. Calorie cycling should result in less hunger and a reduction in the negative hormonal adaptations surrounding a traditional weight-loss diet.
It is thought that hunter-gatherers may have had a similar eating pattern, as food was not always available, depending on the season and success of their hunting efforts. If the body goes for long periods of calorie restriction, it will metabolically adapt to preserve energy. These adaptations include a decrease in thyroid hormone, increased cortisol (the stress hormone) and a decrease in leptin (the hunger hormone that tells your brain when you are full and to stop eating).
On a day-to-day basis, leptin rises and falls depending on your calorie intake. However, in the long term, leptin changes based on your body fat percentage. When your body fat percentage is high, so are your leptin levels, and your brain responds to this by boosting fullness after eating, metabolic rate and physical activity.
There are many ways of calorie cycling. If your goal is to lose fat, you could maintain a calorie deficit for five days a week, and then have two maintenance higher calorie days, known as ‘refeed days.’ This can also help with muscle retention when dieting. However, if your goal is solely to gain muscle you could reverse this, with the lower calorie days helping to combat any fat gain. You can adjust the balance between higher and lower calorie days dependent on what works best for you.
]]>Subcutaneous fat (the deepest layer of fat) is the most difficult to lose, it is less effective at burning free fatty acids and is less metabolically active than visceral fat. Explosive exercises are good for fat loss as this style of training can increase your level of hormone growth (HGH) which is responsible for increasing muscle tissue that will fight the storage and production of adipose tissue. These exercises will also improve your insulin sensitivity. The more sensitive to insulin you are, the less likely your body is to convert blood glucose into stored fat. Glucose is either stored in your muscles, the liver or as fat. Examples of explosive exercises include box jump, lateral bounds, burpee with knee tuck and squat thrusters.
For full body toning try these exercises:
Push Ups – they tone the upper body, shaping shoulders and arms, but also working the abs and core
Plank – when toning the stomach plank is preferable to crunches because you’re less likely to injure yourself, plus planking is more effective at building a tight core
Squats – they strengthen your lower body and core, they’re also an effective fat burning exercise as they work some of the largest muscles in your body
Lunges – they increase strength in your legs and glutes, plus they’ll help with your balance
If you want to see faster results, then try adding weights, here are some weighted exercises you can try:
For faster fat burning results you can try these exercises in a HIIT circuit, to learn more about HIIT training click here.
]]>HIIT has been shown to produce the same results as a longer training session. HIIT spikes your heart rate so you’ll be burning more calories per minute than you would with a lower intensity workout. More calories are burned from fat during HIIT, and less muscle lost, plus fat continues to burn faster for 24-48 hours after your workout, hence why HIIT is a popular training method when trying to lose weight. To aid weight loss you can cut alongside HIIT training, to learn more read our post on the basics of cutting here.
When starting out, aim to complete two to three HIIT workouts a week to allow yourself time to recover between sessions. You can build up to the recovery ratio, so as a beginner you may want to start on 20 seconds of work, 40 seconds recovery and gradually reduce your recovery time whilst increasing your work time. During a HIIT workout you should be at about 70-85% of your maximum heart rate for the high intensity periods and at 70% or less during the recovery periods.
You can complete a HIIT workout with or without weights. The principles for HIIT weight training are that you should complete repetitions using a heavy weight that will lead to muscle failure at the end of the set, where you can no longer lift any more. You should attempt to increase the load at each workout, which is thought to improve muscle development.
Tabata is another method of HIIT that involves 20 seconds of high intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, usually performed in 8 repetitions. This could include mountain climbers, skipping, high knees, jumping jacks, or any body weight exercise. Tabata only takes four minutes total and does not require any equipment.
According to exercise guidelines released by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association, you can opt for the following or a mix of both: moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week or vigorously intense cardio twenty minutes a day for three days a week.
]]>Sweets, fats, and processed foods should be used sparingly. Foods such as meat, fish and eggs should be consumed in 2 servings a day. Grains, pasta, and breads 3-5, and fruit and veg should form the basis of most meals.
The average adult will need somewhere around 2,000 to 2,5000 calories per day to maintain their current weight. However, the amount of calories you need depends on a number of variables, including your size, muscle mass, level of activity, gender, and age. Once you know how many calories your body needs you can start to meal plan. However, certain high calorie foods aren’t very filling, and some foods may be higher in calories than we think. Dietician, Paula Norris, has created a ‘Spot The Difference’ series on Instagram, highlighting how portion control and switching out certain foods can affect our calorie consumption.
Take these salads for example, on first glance they look pretty similar, however, there is a 300-calorie difference between the two. The salad on the left has double the amount of chicken, 200g as opposed to 100g. 2 tablespoons of oil instead of one. Double the amount of avocado, a half as opposed to a quarter and one cup of rice instead of half a cup. Though, to compensate for the decrease in rice, black beans have been added. This demonstrates the importance of serving size.
Similarly, you can make smart swaps. The snack on the right-hand side has fewer calories but is higher in fibre, more filling, nourishing and lower in added sugar. You don’t have to drastically alter your diet but try and opt for healthier substitutes where possible, for example replacing spaghetti with courgetti (spiralized courgette) or fries with sweet potato fries.
Here are some examples of smart swaps you can make:
When eating healthy you can still consume the foods you enjoy, everything in moderation, including moderation.
As with any weight loss regime, to cut you will need to be in a calorie deficit, consuming less calories than you expend. One pound of body fat is equal to approximately 3,500 calories, now, while this does not factor in the complexity around fat loss, it is a useful benchmark to keep in mind. It is possible to safely lose 1 pound of fat a week without extreme dieting, which means eating at a deficit of roughly 500 calories per day. Here are some tips to cutting when starting out.
Avoid sugar
Sugar is quickly consumed by the body to be used as energy and any excess is stored as fat. Try and cut down on sugary foods and instead opt for foods high in protein and fibre. Protein is important for building muscle, which is metabolically more active and burns more calories than fat. The higher your muscle mass, the higher your resting energy expenditure, therefore you’ll burn more calories whilst resting. Keep your protein intake high to preserve muscle mass as you continue eating at a deficit.
Prioritise sleep
We tend to underestimate the importance of sleep. If you’re tired your body compensates by burning fewer calories the next day. A lack of sleep also creates an imbalance in the body that increases ghrelin levels and decreases leptin levels, which can cause you to feel hungrier and in turn consume more calories than usual.
Up Your Water Intake
Filling up on water can help to stave off hunger, similarly, drinking a glass of water before and during a meal will fill you up more. Aim to replace soft drinks with water or herbal tea so as not to add empty calories.
Incorporate Cardio
Adding cardio to your workouts can help to burn additional calories and may allow you to eat slightly more on those cardio days. This should be done alongside weight training.
Refeed Days
Refeed days involve eating more carbs to increase energy and improve performance, as those days of higher carb intake will restore the body’s glucose stores. A 2017 survey found that participants could achieve better fat loss and muscle retention by incorporating refeed days. If you are planning a social meal at a restaurant, use that as your refeed day. For more on this, check out our post on how to remain healthy when eating out here.
Prepare & Plan
Fail to plan, plan to fail. When starting out it can help to plan out your meals for the week, or even to meal prep in order to avoid opting for unhealthy quick fixes when you are hungry. It’s easy to forget about those pesky calories consumed while snacking, so using a calorie tracking app, like MyFitnessPal, can be helpful. Regularly tracking your calories will also allow you to familiarise yourself with the number of calories pertaining to various mealtime staples.
]]>It Holds You Accountable
It’s easy to cancel on your own plan to work out but when you’ve got a date in the diary with a friend, you’re a lot more likely to stick to it. Scheduling regular workouts with a friend can also help you to be more consistent with training.
It’s A Great Way To Switch Up Your Workouts
We all fall into the rut of doing the same workouts which feel comfortable, the weight section of the gym can be daunting at times. However, training with a friend can give you that extra boost of confidence. Plus you can learn from each other and share techniques.
Motivation
It never hurts to have a hype man, and it’s a lot easier to encourage other people at times than it is to be your own cheerleader. You’ll be a lot less likely to give up when you’re training with a friend, and if you’ve set a time to workout in the gym together it can push you to exercise for longer.
It’s Fun
Working out is a lot more fun with a friend. Chatting can help the time to fly by and it’s social! Trying a new class together, or joining a sports team, that you might be too scared to approach alone is a great way to make new friends too.
]]>
Metabolic tests measure the rate at which your body burns calories and uses oxygen during rest or activity. Usually there are three tests you would be offered when looking at metabolic testing.
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) – This provides an estimate of the number of calories you burn when your body is completely resting
VO2 Max Test – This tests your metabolic rate during different stages of exercise. VO2 max stands for maximum volume of oxygen, and gives you information about the intensity levels at which your body uses oxygen and burns fat
Lactate Threshold Test – This is mainly used for athletes and provides data about the intensity level at which your body can no longer supply enough oxygen for maximum performance
If you are interested in metabolic testing for weight loss, then RMR is probably the test for you. By understanding your resting metabolic rate and daily activity level, your trainer can estimate the number of calories you burn in a day without exercise. This test will enable you to understand how your body burns energy during exercise which can help with the management of food intake.
There are several factors which can affect the speed of your metabolism. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, so athletes tend to have a higher metabolism. There are some factors which are out of our control, for example age. As you get older, your metabolic rate generally slows, though strength training can help with this by maintaining muscle mass. Gender is also a factor, as the basal metabolic rate of women averages 5 to 10% lower than in men.
While metabolic testing can be useful, it generally tends to be quite expensive and is not a necessity for weight loss. For tips on how to lose weight sustainably, check out our post on manageable healthy lifestyle adjustments here.
]]>Adjusting your portion size can be a great place to start, which is easily done by using smaller plates. Similarly, meal prepping for the week can help with portion control. If you are making food when you’re hungry, you’re more likely to overeat or dish up a larger portion.
Keep healthy snacks at the ready, so rather than reaching for a packet of crisps when you’re hungry on the go, you have a nutritious option to hand. Keeping a food diary can be a great way to hold yourself accountable as we often forget about the calories we consume through snacking. If you do tend to get hungry before mealtimes, and snack, drinking water before a meal helps to prevent overeating. Drinking water can also boost metabolism by 24-30% over a period of 1 to 1.5 hours.
Intermittent fasting is known to be an effective weight loss tool, which follows the practice of consuming all your meals within an allotted eating time, to maximise fat burning results during fasting. There is a great article which you can read here, explaining the benefits, contrasting the approach against Keto. While keto may be too restrictive for some, cutting back on carbohydrates is an effective weight loss strategy as refined carbohydrates can spike blood sugar rapidly, leading to hunger, cravings, and increased food intake.
Another simple tool to help you maintain a healthy diet is sleep! You’ve probably been told this a million times, but when you’re tired your body craves more sugar for energy to burn, and it’s harder for us to make healthy choices.
There really is no hard and fast tool to weight loss, if you want to maintain that weight loss. Try to reframe your thinking, we’ve been conditioned to think of certain foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ when really that isn’t the case and only fosters negative feelings of guilt when we opt for said ‘bad’ food. Do not get disheartened if you don’t see immediate results, as living a healthier life doesn’t just have physical benefits but a multitude of benefits for your mental health.
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Reading the menu before you go is a great way to ensure you make a healthy choice. Not all menus display the calories in each dish, but you’ll usually be able to find the nutrition information online, which can be helpful, particularly when you are calorie tracking.
Choose water over a fizzy drink. It’s a very simple way to reduce sugar intake. Similarly, if you are having alcohol with your meal, opt for a lower calorie option, like a spirit with tonic rather than wine or a cocktail which usually contain lots of sugar.
Eat mindfully. We’re all guilting of wolfing down a particularly tasty dish but eating more slowly can stop you from overeating – plus it means you’ll take time to really savour the flavours of your meal!
Choose a restaurant which offers healthy options, or alternatively just ask! A lot of restaurants will happily swap out white rice for brown rice, if it’s available, or potatoes for a salad. Asking for sauce on the side is another great tip, that way you can add exactly how much you want to your meal.
Try, the emphasis on ‘try’ here, and resist the pre-dinner breadbasket! Now this can be very difficult, but ultimately it saves more room for your main and means you’ll enjoy it more when it does come!
Remember it’s okay to have a day off. Think of healthy eating as a lifestyle choice rather than a diet. You’re allowed to have days where you eat more or choose a meal that isn’t the most nutritionally beneficial but is the most tasty! It’s all about balance.
]]>Ease Yourself In
Now that UK gyms have reopened it is tempting to make up for lost time. However, if you do go full steam ahead and schedule back-to-back workouts, you’ll likely burn out after a couple of weeks. Set realistic targets that are sustainable over the long term. It’s also important to take rest days to allow your body time to recover.
You Don’t Have To Go To The Gym To Workout
One of the key takeaways from lockdown has been the power of the home workout. There are so many great free resources online now from yoga classes to HIIT workouts, all available on Youtube. Visiting the gym can involve a lot of extra time spent getting ready, travelling there and back. So, save yourself that extra bit of time by working out from home, even if it’s just on those really busy days.
Workout In The Morning
We tend to lose motivation towards the end of the day, especially when we’re tired or have had a particularly hard day. So waking up slightly earlier and getting that workout done first thing is a great way to ensure exercise remains a part of your routine. Plus, it’s a great way to set the tone for the day ahead.
Plan Your Week
Plan. Plan. Plan. How does the old saying go? If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. If exercising is a priority for you then make it a priority. Carve out the time in your schedule, even if it means sacrificing something else, like watching that extra episode of your favourite Netflix show.
Work Smart
Optimise your workouts. You don’t have to spend hours working out at the gym, just make sure the time that you do spend working out has maximum effect. You should also factor in general activity. We’ll be walking a lot more now, so make the most of it. For example, on your way to work in the morning you could get off the train a couple of stops before or park slightly further away to increase the distance of your walk. Even housework can be a great form of exercise.
Make It A Social Activity
Working out with friends is a great way to hold yourself accountable, move your body and socialise all in one! You can switch things up by trying a new class together or cycling to your destination!
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