How to save yourself some time and money whilst improving your health and fitness!

A lot of people think getting fit can be hard, expensive and time consuming, but guess what…

IT ISN’T!

You can improve your health and fitness for FREE and save yourself some time too. You actually don’t need expensive gym memberships or any equipment, all you need is your legs!

You might be asking yourself now, how active would I need to be? and how much physical activity I would need to do?

Your first step on your fitness journey would be to minimize your ‘sedentary’ time. ‘Sedentary’ applies to lying down/sitting down for long periods while being awake.

Now is the time to limit the time you are sitting down or laying down for long periods of time.

By starting your fitness journey you can help to prevent and manage over 20 chronic conditions and diseases, including cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and depression!

The UK Chief Medical Officers (CMO) Guidelines recommend each week adults do:

At least 150 minutes (2 and half hours) of moderate intensity activity

Moderate intensity activity increases your heart rate, but you are still able to talk whilst doing it allowing you to socialize.

Examples include:

Brisk walking

Dancing

Gardening

Housework & domestic chores

And 75 minutes of vigorous activity (breathing fast and difficulty talking)

Vigorous activity involves heavy breathing and a higher heart rate. If engaged in vigorous intensity activity, you could not carry on a conversation.

Examples include

Running

Cycling

Swimming

Competitive sports

Circuit weight training

Or a mixture of both

Available apps

Both of those apps are user friendly and available on App Store and Google Play for downloads for free

Couch to 5K app

The Couch to 5K app can help you get vigorous activity into your routine

Active 10 App

The Active 10 app can help you with moderate intensity activity

All you need to do is keep your phone with you and the app will track your activity for you! You can also check back in to track your progress.

Moving forwards…

Once you feel like you want to challenge yourself even more on your fitness journey you can try and fit in two days of strengthening activities on top of the recommended guidelines.

As the gyms are still closed due to national lock-down, it can be difficult to find the motivation and ideas for workouts, the lack of equipment and weights and not having a change of environment can have an impact on everyone. To help you with those issues there are fitness apps available to make exercising at home easier as well as NHS free ideas. Those will allow you to get an idea of what kind of activity you can do to benefit your health further on your fitness journey whilst the gyms are still closed and to help you during those challenging times.

If you require any other medical advice contact your GP or any other healthcare professional who will be able to help you.

Mental Wellbeing and Motivation, Performance, Recovery and Prevention

The Health Benefits of Cold-Water Therapy and How you can Try it at Home

26th February 2021 mporter-raweLeave a comment

Did you know that immersing your body in cold water can have a wide range of benefits for your mental and physical wellbeing? The idea of stepping into cold water sounds completely unappealing and is usually something we actively aim to avoid. However, cold-water therapy is now becoming increasingly more popular amongst a wide range of advocates who are incorporating the practice into their daily lives.

Not quite convinced to take the plunge? Here are some of the benefits it can have:

Reduced Muscle Soreness

DOMS, or delayed onset muscle soreness, can be painful and debilitating. It can diminish your determination, leaving you stuck between a rock and a hard place, especially when your goals require you to complete intense daily exercise. Cold water immersion is a proven natural way to help your body recover faster. This is because the cold water causes your blood vessels to constrict helping with swelling and inflammation. The cold also lowers the temperature of the damaged muscle tissue and numbs the nerve endings which can bring much needed pain relief without reaching for the Ibuprofen!

Improves Lymphatic Drainage and the Immune System

The lymphatic system is a vitally important part of our immune system and is organised through a network of lymph nodes which attack bacteria, viruses and parasites.

However, unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system doesn’t have the heart (pun intended) to pump the lymph fluid around our body and instead relies on body movement and the contraction of muscles to push the fluid around the system.

Science lesson over, this is where cold-water therapy comes in. Cold temperatures cause lymph vessels to contract which forces the system to pump these fluids through the lymph nodes. After regular practice this can help cleanse the body and avoid a build-up of toxins. Leaving you infection-free!

It Has the Potential to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Firstly, cold-water therapy is not a cure for stress or anxiety and should not be treated as such, however research into the iceman, Wim Hof, has shown that by inducing stress on the body (through cold-water immersion) and combining this with meditation and breathing exercises, the brain releases opioids and endo-cannabinoids.

These cause a variety of effects such as:

Pain relief
Reduced anxiety
Regulation of sleep
Regulation of memory
Enhanced mood

There is also a separate theory that cold-water therapy can reduce your reaction to stress over time, as your body and mind begin to adapt to a stressor (the cold water).

Want to try mediating before cold-water therapy? See our guide to Mindful Meditation.

Having a Go at Home

We understand you won’t be jumping straight into an ice bath or rushing to your nearest body of water for some wild water swimming just yet. But having a cold shower at home is just as effective and a really easy and safe way to replicate these methods at home and start reaping the benefits straight away:

Firstly, it’s completely up to you whether you hop straight into a cold running shower or take it nice and easy; gradually dropping the temperature from warm to cold.
Each day push yourself to stay immersed for a little bit longer and set yourself timed goals.
Start with 30-40 seconds on the first day and keep progressing.
Focus on controlling your breathing.
Breathe deeply and count each inhale and exhale.
Take note of how you feel, do you feel awake, energetic, happy?

Set yourself a challenge and have a go! It offers the opportunity to discover a range of benefits for your body and mind all in the comfort of your own home.

However, if muscle recovery is your main concern and cold water don’t suit you, have a look at our guide; What Type of Bath is Better for Muscle Recovery?

Exercises, Fitness, Mental Wellbeing and Motivation, Nutrition, Toning, Workouts

4 Tips to Fitness With Less Exercise; Always And Forever!

13th February 2021 iakwetey- nyanuLeave a comment

Wondering how to reach fitness with less exercise whilst staying healthy and young always and forever? Then keep reading, because this blog has got you covered. But before we start slicing the cake, have you ever heard the saying prevention is better than cure? I bet you have. Keeping that in mind and as a Generation Z /millennial member, one of the smartest gifts you could give yourself is to personalize this saying in terms of your health and nurture your God-given healthy skin and body into your desired form and shape by practising the 4 tips below

1. Have a Life

Yes, it’s that simple; have a life. Life is too stressful to be serious at all times. So, whether you are a student or a worker, ensure you live a balanced life. How is this possible? Pick one or two healthy activities which are of interest to you and practice them at least once a week. In my case, I chose to dance Kizomba once every Thursday for about 3 hours in heels. By so doing, I ended up burning my calories, obtained a toned body and improved my body fitness. This obviously doesn’t require much exercise in comparison to other alternatives. In effect, I achieved an enviably toned body, mastered the art of walking and dancing in heels and overall, obtained improved mental wellbeing. The trick, however, is to begin practising this strategy whilst you are young and fresh.

2. Have a Workout Plan

Identify areas of your body which you would love to tone and then create a mild workout plan around them to undertake twice a week. Since our end goal is to remain healthy and fresh forever, It is advisable to get one or two workout equipment in your household as an alternative to the public gym. This will ensure you have 24/7 access to them in the face of any unforeseen circumstance in the future.

3. Be Conscious About Your Diet & Eating Habits

Pay attention to everything you consume daily: you can’t afford to be passive about this. Thus, control your nutrients intake. Especially, in this 21^st century where myriad information exists regarding nutrition and how to go about it. Click here in case you aren’t sure where to start. You also might want to eat slowly by chewing all your meals thoroughly to expedite digestion as this process begins with the saliva in your mouth. Drinking more water also helps in keeping your body & skin healthy as it keeps you hydrated and flushes out toxic materials from your body. A rule of thumb is to drink eight glasses of water a day.

4. Get Enough Sleep

Sleeping is so vital to the body and your health such that, you cannot underperform it. Your brain depends on it to function properly and what I love most about sleeping is that it involves zero exercises, yet it helps your body and wellbeing in tremendous ways. Medical experts have posited an average of 6 to 10 hours.

Okay, there you have it. Your comments are welcomed.

Connect with me:

Fitness, Nutrition

Bodybuilding On A Vegan Diet

10th February 2021 eenglandLeave a comment

It is a common misconception that bodybuilding and following a vegan diet are mutually exclusive. This is false! Bodybuilding is all about eating right and training hard, whether animal products are included or not.

Diet plays a huge part in building muscle. Traditionally, bodybuilders include eat a lot of meats, due to their high protein and calorie content. As vegan diets exclude a lot of food groups, it is important to know which foods contain key nutrients to build muscle.

For muscle gain, protein intake should be around 0.7-1.0 grams per pound of body weight and a calorie surplus of around 10-20% is recommended. Vegan diets do tend to be lower in calories than those including animal products, so you will need to significantly increase your portion sizes to be successful and avoid unwanted muscle loss.

Attempting to lift heavy weights and carrying out intense workouts with insufficient calorie or protein intake can be dangerous, so careful meal planning is absolutely vital. If you are new to the vegan diet, start with low intensity workouts until you have fully adjusted to avoid injury! Click below to learn how to safely lift heavier weights.

https://www.exercise.co.uk/learn/why-and-when-to-lift-mote-weight/

What To Eat & When?

For the best results, it is critical to get the right balance of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats) and to schedule meals around your workouts. Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are also important to remember, as they are crucial for maintaining good health and aiding the muscle building process.

Proteins

Eating protein is key for bodybuilding, as it is responsible for maintaining nitrogen balance within the body. When the body has sufficient protein, it has a positive nitrogen balance, therefore is in an anabolic state. This means it uses proteins to build muscle tissue. However, if you have a negative nitrogen balance, your body will break down muscle tissue to use for energy and enter a catabolic state.

Proteins are made up of of amino acids. Most of these are made by the body, but there are nine essential amino acids that can only be obtained by consumption – foods containing all of these are “complete proteins”. Nutritional guides can tell you which amino acids are in various foods.

For bodybuilders, protein intake should occur every 2-3 hours. This is easily achieved by having 5-6 smaller meals a day or having plenty of snacks ready. High protein intake is recommended 1 hour pre-workout and within an hour post-workout. It is common to use protein shakes or other sports drinks for this, as they are not too heavy. The largest protein intake should occur approximately 1 hour before bed as the body will naturally enter a catabolic state during sleep.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates can be a controversial topic for some, but the fact remains, that they are the primary source of energy for the body and the macronutrient that is most easily broken down for energy. Therefore, carbohydrates are essential for bodybuilding. Your body breaks carbohydrates down into glucose for immediate use or stores it as glycogen for later use.

Some glycogen is stored in muscles. When those muscles are used, the glycogen is converted into energy to be used instead of breaking down muscle tissue. Glycogen stores are also essential for the muscle repair that happens post-workout.

Your biggest meal of the day is usually your highest carbohydrate intake, this should occur 3-4 hours before your workout. Many athletes also benefit from another smaller carbohydrate intake about 1 hour pre-workouts to ensure the body is energized. High carbohydrate intake is also essential post-workout to top up depleted glycogen stores.

Carbohydrates are made up of sugar, fiber and starch. Simple carbs are higher in sugar and should be avoided – these include cakes, biscuits, sugary cereals and white bread. Instead, bodybuilders opt for complex carbs, high in fiber and / or starch, e.g. fruits, vegetables, whole grains and rice.

Fats

Contrary to popular opinion, fat is essential for a healthy lifestyle. As the third macronutrient, it is easily overlooked by bodybuilders and there is a heavier focus on protein and carbohydrates.

Vegan diets are already lower in calories, so fats can help bodybuilders consume enough to stay in a calorie surplus as they are caloric dense. Many key vitamins are fat soluble, this means that they can only be absorbed in the presence of fat – some examples include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K.

There is no specific recommended time to consume fats, however it is important to remember that fats slow down the digestion process. This means they are great to consume before sleeping, to keep your body in an anabolic state for longer overnight.

Omega-3 fats are highly praised in the health community. This is great news for vegans as nuts and seeds are rich in omega-3.

Micronutrients

Vitamins and minerals are essential for maintaining good health. Most fresh fruit and vegetables are high in macronutrients anyway which is great news for vegans!

When bulking, the most important micros to look out for are iron, vitamin C and calcium. Iron is vital for transporting oxygen to the muscles and vitamin C helps increase the amount of iron absorbed by the body. Calcium intake is closely linked to metabolism in that insufficient calcium levels will trigger the hormone responsible for storing fat.

Head to https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-vegan-diet/ for more information on vegan nutrition.

5 Staple Foods

1) Tofu & Tempeh

These soy derived products make for great meat substitutes as they are packed with protein and extremely versatile! Tofu provides 13g protein per 100g and tempeh provides 19g protein per 100g.

2) Legumes

Vegan essentials such as beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas all come under this category. They are rich in protein, fiber and are a great source of vitamin B. Chickpeas, black beans and lentils are also great sources of carbohydrates.

3) Nuts

As a great source of fatty acids and protein, nuts are a staple for building muscle (even for non-vegans). Almonds and cashews are among the most popular as they are rich in iron, but all nuts provide great health benefits. Many are also available as nut butters or non-dairy milks.

4) Quinoa

As a complex carb and a complete protein, quinoa is a great addition to any vegan pantry. It is high in carbohydrates and protein, as well as packing in micronutrients such as zinc, magnesium and iron.

5) Fruit & Vegetables

This one seems obvious, but fruit and vegetables are a great source of vitamins and minerals, essential for any vegan meal!

Now you have the diet nailed, check out some great exercises for full body workouts and muscle gain – good luck!

https://www.exercise.co.uk/learn/what-are-the-best-workout-splits/

Digital Marketing Management – Student Blogs

Monthly Archives: February 2021

Want to get fit for free?