A poll, from diet firm Forza Supplements has discovered that 57 per cent of men regularly consumed 10,000 calories on a weekend and 46% of woman consume more than 8,000 calories on Saturdays and Sundays. These means that any slimming methods used during the week are completely undone by excess eating at the weekend.
Calories needed by men and women
Typically men need to eat 2,500 calories a day and women 2,000 calories a day. However, the Frorza Supplements research reveals that over half of men asked and close to half the women questioned consume TWICE their daily calorie needs over the weekend two day period.
Weekend eating is causing expending waste lines for slimmers
To lose 1lb of body weight a week a slimmer has to create a calorie deficit of 3,500. The Forza Supplements survey shows that people trying to lose weight are failing as they are actually ADDING to their waste lines due to binge eating at the weekend.
For example, a women looking to lose 1lb of body weight a week needs to eat 2,000 calories x 7 days - 3,500 calories (deficit), or 11,500 calories. Whereas the Forza Supplements survey shows that 46% of women are eating in excess of 2,000 calories x 5 days + 8,000 calories (weekend eating) = 18,000 calories a week!
Weekend favourite foods high in calories
The favourite food and drink proving to be the main culprit when it comes to overeating at the weekend include:
Full English Breakfast
Sunday roast
Pizza takeaways
Alcohol
Doner kebabs
Chocolate
Desserts
Snacks - biscuits and crisps
English diet hindering weight loss
As many as 70% of people admitted that they eat a Sunday roast dinner with second helpings as well as spend the weekend in front of the TV eating biscuits and crisps between meals. 70% of those people asked also said that they fatty takeaway meals, with pizza being the most popular choice.
The benefits of the 5:2 diet
The benefits of the 5:2 diet, where slimmers eating for 5 days followed by 2 days of fasting, are well documented, but the slimmers in the Forza Supplement survey seem to be over-compensating on their 'eating' days. This means that the 2 days of low calorie eating undertaken by slimmers are unable to lose weight due to eating too many calories over a week long period.
Scientists in the US are warning of the dangers of consuming 'healthy' smoothies and fruit juices, claiming that drinks high in fructose (the naturally occurring sugar in fruit) is contributing to the obesity problem rather than making people healthier. The claim by companies like Coca Cola, who own Innocent smoothies and PepsiCo, who launched Tropicana smooties in 2008, is that smoothies are a convenient way of getting your 5 a day.
Sugar loaded smoothies boost obesity
However, whilst smoothies DO provide a fruit fix, the amount of fruit, and hence the amount of fructose, in a typical smoothie is actually too high and is equivalent to eating up to six oranges or drinking a large 'full fat' coke. This means that a person who drinks smoothies on a regular basis will consume high levels of sugar, which results in spikes of insulin release and the level of stored fat being increased.
Drink a smoothie and eating normally
The other reason smoothies seem to be contributing to the rise in obesity is that people view drinks differently to food and so even after consuming a smoothie, people are still willing to eat normally, raising their daily calorie consumption.
Sugar is sugar is sugar
Whilst fructose is a naturally occurring sugar found in fruits such as apples, oranges, pears, mango and others, once consumed fructose turns to sugar in the same way that the sugar in coke and other soft drinks do. This means drinking a smoothie, like drinking any beverage high in sugar, refined or natural, will increase a person's calorie consumption.
Studies comparing eating fruit and drinking fruit juice
Further evidence supporting the theory that consuming fruit juices came from a study published by the BMA, British Medical Association. Scientific teams in the UK, USA and Singapore found that those who ate whole fruit, especially blueberries, grapes and apples, were less likely to get type 2 diabetes, than those who drank fruit juice.
The increase of smoothie consumption is on the rise
The British Soft Drinks Association report consumption of soft drinks containing added sugar has fallen by 9% over the last 10 years, while the incidence of obesity has risen by 15%, which is a worrying statistic for the government who are keen to reduce the on NHS by people who become ill due to the side effects of obesity - diabetes, coronary heart decease, stroke, heart attacks and poor health.
The importance of stretching for overall health and fitness shouldn't be overlooked but is it important to stretch before, during and after a normal exercise session or should stretching be performed on it's own in isolation from cardiovascular or weight training sessions?
Why is stretching an important part of physical fitness?
Performing stretches allows one's muscles to reach their full range of motion (ROM) and this in turn allows muscles to perform effectively when weight training or performing cardiovascular or sprinting (very fast moving and dynamic) forms of exercise. Being flexible is a sure sign that someone stretches and is near the peak of their physical fitness. Not sure? Well, who do you think is more flexible? A ballerina, gymnast, sprinter or someone who sits on the sofa all day watching TV? The answer is pretty simple - all of the above, bar one.
All professional athletes stretch to some degree. From marathon runners, footballers, skiers, weight lifters and even golfers, all perform flexibility tasks and stretches as part of their on-going exercise programmes.
But should I stretch before exercise?
Research shows that performing static stretches prior to exercise can actually have a negative impact on performance. From gym goers to runners, performing static stretches - stretches where you hold a position of stretch for 10-60 seconds reduces the amount of overall performance, whether this is by lifting lighter weights or running at a lower speed.
However, dynamic stretches performed before exercise actually promotes higher performance in all forms of sport and exercise.
What are dynamic stretches?
Dynamic stretches are fluid movements that move a muscle through its full range of motion (ROM) without pausing in any one position. This might include arms swings, leg swings, twists at the waists, hip rolls - bending the knee and rotating the leg in the hip socket, and very light movements with weights - fast squats, shoulder presses, bench presses, press ups etc.
Dynamic stretches improve flexibility prior to exercise and get the blood flowing to the muscles groups that will begin to work once exercise commences - e.g. quadriceps and shoulders for runners, legs and hips for golfers?
Should I use dynamic stretches before and during exercise sessions?
Yes by all means. Aim to use dynamic stretches to warm up for 5 to 10 minutes prior to vigorous exercise and as light active rest in between bouts of heavy exercise. For example perform arms swings and leg flicks between sprints or light leg swings between squats.
Should I stretch after exercise?
Many people believe that static stretching speeds up the recovery of muscles when performed after exercise. However, the research on this is still not conclusive, with many sports scientists believing that performing static stretches directly after exercise may push the muscles natural range of motion (ROM) to far and cause injury.
That said, as long as you're peforming static or dynamic stretches only to a point that feels *mildly* discomforting (you can feel the stretch slightly) then performing either post exercise will be fine and will actually help improve flexibility if performed a number of times during a given week.
So, the question of whether you should perform stretches before, during and after exercise is simple. Yes. Just me mindful of the types of stretches you perform and when.
Before we discuss the benefits of fast walking let's define what 'fast walking' actually is. In this instance fast walking doesn't necessarily mean walking at a fast pace but rather walking after a fast; taking a walk prior breakfast for example.
Why should I walk before breakfast?
When we sleep we still burn calories and deplete our blood sugar levels, which means that taking a walk ebfore breakfast is more likely to burn body fat rather than rely on blood glyogen or muscle glycogen for energy - the energy. This means that overweight people, or people looking to drop that last percentage of body fat to display a six-pack will benefit from walking (at a moderate pace) before eating any food for that day.
How much fast walking should I do?
This depends on the amount of body fat you need to lose. For those overweight, 30 minutes 5 times a week will help (followed by a calorie controlled diet of course) whilst those looking to reveal their abs my benefit from 30-40 minutes 3-5 times a week; though up this level or decrease it depending on the results you get.
Follow this plan for 6-12 weeks to see real weight loss and health benefits.
Monitor your energy levels
That said, exercise of any kind before breakfast can be tiring so make sure that fast walking doesn't sap your energy too much. After the walk you should feel good rather than too tired to tackle a normal working day or any other exercise that you have scheduled into your day.
Engrained into our public consciousness is the mantra that exercise is good for us. Although research has proven that exercise is a smaller contributor to weight loss as opposed to adopting healthy food choices, exercise carries far too many health benefits for it to be ignored even if it may not reduce your waistline. But, increasingly I hear people saying that they simple can't find the time to exercise.
Changing habits as we get older
Sixteen years ago, at the age of 24 I decided to start exercising and nervously joined my local gym in Kentish Town, North London. The main reason for this change in lifestyle, as hitherto I had not been a particular sporty person, was to avoid long term illness. The occasional walk up a flight of stairs was totally exhausting and my friends and peers, not only started to look fatter and older but they were already getting symptoms from the lack of exercise, indulgence in rich high calorific foods and weekend binge drinking e.g. high blood pressure, palpitations, kidney infections and swollen livers. Being somewhat vain I wanted to regain my youthful looks and energy and decided action was required.
Exercise is a necessity for good health
Seventeen years later I remain a regular exerciser, perhaps missing only a week or two across that time due to illness. Perhaps you are thinking that I am different to you and that I absolutely love exercise. I don't. In fact, sometimes, I positively dread the prospect of hauling myself up to the gym but if I want to maintain my youthfulness and have a more comfortable old age to look forward to, it is a necessity. So, finding the time is something I have to do.
How long do you need to exercise to get health benefits?
Like many other people, I have a regular job, that is tiring and the impetus to exercise is sometimes hard but I tell myself this: it's only 30 minutes, 50 minutes at max, depending on my session. That's it. 30 minutes really isn't that long compared to the health benefits you can achieve in such a short space of time. Think about how we waste time so easily; watching television, day dreaming, procrastinating even when we could be doing something very beneficial for our health.
Watch TV or exercise? Why not do both?
A recent piece of research conducted in Queensland, Australia suggested that for each hour of television watched, our life expectancy was reduced by 22 minutes, whilst another study found that for every 15 minutes of daily exercise conducted expectancy increased by up to 3 years. I will let you study the maths here but you can easily see that you can have somewhat of a trade-off and still watch television as long as you partake in exercise.
Finding the time to exercise
The reluctance to exercise based on lack of time is, in my view, just another excuse. It doesn't have to be particularly lengthy. For a cardio session to be beneficial, especially if you employ high intensity training into your workouts, you can receive benefits from 10 - 15 minutes each time. For a weights session, if you break up body areas e.g. upper and lower body, you can be done in 25 - 30 minutes with super setting (e.g. active rest so as soon as you have done a chest exercise, you do a back exercise instead of sitting on a machine waiting doing nothing) which increases metabolism and increases bone density.
Not everything we do can be avoided
Most of us, if we could would rather not have to go to work for 8 or so hours each day but we need to out of necessity, to pay our bills. Many of us find daily routines a chore e.g. brushing our teeth but we have to do them if we wish to maintain a healthy smile. Similarly, we need to think of exercise as a necessity, for a longer, healthier, more comfortable older age. Can you still not find the time?
Why is it that being healthy can make friends and family feel so damn uncomfortable? Surely those who love you dearly should be pleased that you have corrected your vice-ridden ways and taken the road less trodden to reduce (hopefully) the odds of illness and obesity. But alas, I am not so sure this is the case. I think I can speak with authority on this matter having been on both sides of the dichotomy.
Social drinking
There was once a time, a decade or so ago, when I used to binge drink too heavily. In fear of sounding too righteous now, I never actually drank at home but I socialised with friends a lot. I would, without fail or second thought, take round numerous bottles of wine, a spirit and possibly also a liquor like Tia Maria or Kahula which I would add to a strong coffee to elongate the evening. If my companion didn't guzzle and drain the alcoholic contents as enthusiastically as me, I would become unsettled; disgruntled even that the level of commitment wasn't as sufficient as mine? If I was dedicated to wearing the mother of all hang-overs tomorrow morning, then why wasn't she? This was the ritual that we embarked upon and I thought we both knew the rules and would abide by them consensually. Becoming so blotto that we would share secrets that would be forgotten by morning was part of the ritual we had both signed up to.
Time to make a change
Of course, I can now see how annoying that is to be the one trying to cut down. Making healthier lifestyle choices shouldn't mean that you have to change your circle of friends but in some cases not doing so might actually be holding you back from taking that first crucial step.
Your parents f**k you up
I have a difficult relationship with my mum and food. Having worked as a night nurse for years her eating habits are pretty bad. Because she was permanently tired, her body naturally craved carbohydrate-heavy sweet treats in the main. Time was precious with mum as she struggled to support her young family on one salary so when my sister and I did spend time with her it was often in a tea shop. The sumptuous choice of foods ranged from Bakewell slices to coffee and walnut cake or doughnuts to scones with lashing of clotted cream and jam. Spending special quality time with mum equalled eating cake. This was the deal, just like my expectation with my 'drinking' pals and there was no getting out of it. Despite her sweet tooth, mum was never over weight and could happily substitute a cake for her entire day's calorie intake and similarly my sister. But I was not made of such sterling will-power and became a chubby teenager who struggled with my weight until my twenties.
Healthier options made difficult
Now in the beginning of my forties, I have succeeded by and large to become healthier and more discerning of my weight and general fitness but still certain traditions remain which are difficult to break. I had lunch with mum only last week and she did her usual trick of looking at the dessert menu before checking out the savoury selection. When I asked her what she was having, she looked fairly non-plussed by the lunch menu saying that she would only have something small in order to save herself for a hearty pudding and added "and I'm sure you'll help me out and have some". When I replied that I wouldn't be having one as I was looking to control my carbs intake, choosing a high protein option she was knocked off kilter. This time, I had been the one to break the sacrosanct pact that had been so deeply entrenched in our relationship. She was miffed of course, trying her best not to show it but then also decided that she too wouldn't have one now. I presumably made her feel guilty about her less-healthy yearnings and it wasn't an easy call to make on my part. Mum looked almost hurt that I deviated from the expected response.
My role with carbohydrates and espcially sugar
I am going to see my friend Lisa next week. When Lisa and I meet, which isn't very often now as I live overseas, we always have cake, specifically Battenburg cake that we both refer to as 'Window' cake. This exchange of carbohydrate, fat and sugar is a tradition that neither of us appears able to break. I know Lisa's weight fluctuates and from time to time she resorts to commercial diet products to get her back 'on track'. I too am still on an experiment to combine hard weight and interval training at the gym with a depletion of carbohydrates in order to coax my body into using up my fat stores for energy and subsequent weight loss. But we both know that neither of us has the guts to alter this tradition in fear of altering our relationship.
Overcoming sugar in the same way as overcoming alcohol
Over the years, as my friends have become pregnant and been unable to drink and with small children, less inclined to want a hang-over, I have learnt that meaningful as well as interesting conversations can still be had without being paralytic. So why can't we make that shift when considering a sugary treat with friends? Are we worried that without that glucose spike and subsequent squirt of insulin, conversation will dry up and we would merely be left making small talk over a Ryvita? Or are we too polite to make the other feel uncomfortable at the expense of one piece of cake?
Using a heart rate monitor is the key to developing your fitness, not to mention controlling your weight and burning calories. Heart rate monitors, regardless of their cost, relay the heart rate of the wearer to a heart rate monitor watch via a band worn just underneath the chest. The band picks up the heart rate, allowing the wearer to access the intensity of their workout.
Using a heart rate to improve your fitness
Sports scientists, as well as athletes and regular gym users, understand that improving fitness isn't just about jumping on the nearest treadmill and running for as long as possible. To improve fitness it is important to workout at the correct intensity. To improve fitness exercisers should perform at 70 - 95% of their maximum heart rate. This means that a. an exerciser needs to know what their maximum heart rate is and b. at what percentage of their maximum heart rate they are working at. The latter can be understood by using a heart rate monitor whilst the former can be calculated using a very simple equation, 220 - age = maximum heart rate. This is called the Age Predicted Maximum Heart Rate, or APMHR.
Calculating your Age Predicted Maximal Heart Rate
To find your maximal heart rate and the percentage needed to improve fitness follow this simple guideline. Below, we have used the age of a 30 year old.
This means that that in order to improve in fitness a 30 year old exerciser needs to achieve a working heart rate between 133 - 180 beats per minute ... something without using a heart rate monitor they might not know.
Why the difference in the heart rate range needed for improved fitness?
There is a marked difference between the lower and upper heart rate range discussed. This is mainly to do with the type of exercise being used. Not necessarily the equipment being used but the goal of the exerciser and the intensity in which they will work. At 70% of your Age Predicted Maximal Heart rate (APMHR) the heart rate monitor should read close to 133 bpm (remember, this is for a 30 year old exerciser ... your APMHR may be different). This level of exercise will be able to be sustained for a long period of time and is good for first time exercisers or for elite athletes looking to recover from a hearder exercise session.
Those looking to get fit quickly will aim to push their heart rate to between 152 bpm and 181 bpm. This form of exercise is both exhausting but extremely beneficial for exercising both the muscles used and the efficiency of the heart and lungs to pump oxygen around the body. And whilst exercise at a higher intensity will be shorter, certainly at a heart rate above 85%, the benefits have been proven to significantly higher than exercising at 85% or lower.
Should I purchase a heart rate monitor?
In a word, yes. If you're serious about improving your fitness, burning excess calories and controlling your weight, or even losing weight, the use of a heart rate monitor will able you to monitor your exercise intensity and work at a level that will help you reach your health and fitness goals.
It has been suggested that today's parents will be the first generation to out live their children due to the growing problem of child obesity. With over 20% of children (and increasing) classed as overweight, child obesity is a problem for many parents across the UK. Therefore, what can be done about helping your child staying within a healthy weight range for their height and age?
Should I put my child on a diet?
Should we allow children to diet if they are overweight? Of course! But this doesn't mean crash dieting, yo-yo dieting or losing weight using some of the extreme weight loss programmes popularised by celebrities or slimming companies. Simply replacing high sugar foods and snacks will dramatically aid the weight loss of your child. This means replacing sugary breakfast cereals for healthier options, including porridge, wholemeal toast or eggs, stopping the consumption of fizzy drinks like Pepsi, Coke, lemonade etc and substituting ready meals and snacks high in sugar, fat and salt with wholesome meals that include an amount of lean meat (chicken, beef, lamb, pork), vegetables and a small amount of carbohydrates (wholemeal bread, beans etc.)
Also, if you child eats school dinners and you're not sure what they are buying, you could always substitute their school dinners with a healthy pack lunch which includes sandwiches, fruit and low sugar drinks.
Will exercise help my child lose weight?
Exercise may help a child lose weight ONLY if their diet is healthy. Exercise alone has been shown to make no difference in the weight of children or adults when used without dietary changes. That said, with many children (approximately 50%) of children leading a sedentary lifestyle and with most schools children performing less than 2 hours of PE or games per week, extra exercise should play a part in a child's daily lives.
This might be via organised team sports like netball, football, rugby etc or simply by running, jumping and playing at playtimes or afterschool, visiting the local gym for swimming or junior gym sessions, riding their bikes or going for family walks. Of course this is easier said than done due to the numerous sedentary distractions children face with video games, social networking, internet use and TV.
Getting fit as a family
Children will always take the lead from their parents, so if you smoke, drink a little too much and are overweight, the likelihood is that your children will follow suit. So, if you're worried about the health and weight of your offspring, make sure you're setting a good example by eating healthily, exercising and encouraging your children to do the same by offering them opportunities to taste a variety of wholesome foods and try a wide range of fitness activities.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a relatively new concept sweeping health clubs and gyms that is not only improving people's fitness but also allowing them to burn more calories and shed excess body fat in the process.
What is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and how does it work?
Traditionally, gym users and people who exercise have trained for prolonged periods of time (for 30 minutes to an hour) thinking that the more running, cycling, rowing, swimming or aerobics they did, the fitter and slimmer they would become. However, sports science research has found that much smaller bouts of high intensity exercise followed by small rest periods is far more beneficial for health, fitness and weight loss than longer sessions of steady state exercise.
How 6 minutes of exercise a week is better than 90 minutes
For example, one study found that performing 2 minutes of all out exercise 3 times a week was better for fitness and calorie burning than performing 30 minutes moderate exercise 3 times a week. How is this possible? Well, high intensity interval training stresses the body so much that the heart, lungs and the ability to burn calories is forced to improve, even when relaxing watching TV. Whereas, steady state exercise at a moderate levels burns calories during a workout, but this ability to burn extra calories stops as soon as exercise ceases.
Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption and HIIT
Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), also known as the afterburn effect, is the increased rate of oxygen consumption following a highly intense form of exercise. In simple terms EPOC is the processed used during rest after HIIT to return the body back to a resting state. In order to do this the body burns extra calories in order to do so. THis includes the return to a normal state for the bodies hormones, lactic acid levels in the muscles, fuel stores and celluar repair.
Burning more calories even at rest with high intensity interval training (HIIT)
When performing high intensity interval training (HIIT) lactic acid builds up in the major muscle groups used. So, performing HIIT on a stationary bike would create huge volumes of lactic acid in the quadriceps, whereas rowing would do so in the legs, back and arms. Once the exercise stops the body must work hard to convert this lactic acid build-up back to pyruvic acid and in doing so the body continues to burn extra calories after exercise finishes - for up to 32 hours!
Also, high intensity interval training has the ability to increase the metabolic rate, meaning that during exercise and rest more calories are burnt by the body, aiding weight loss and weight management.
How to create your own high intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise programme
HIIT can include sprinting on a field, on a treadmill or uphill, cycling on a bike, rowing, swimming and weigh-training. The basic premise is that you will perform bouts of high intensity intervals interspersed with activity recover. This might mean sprinting for 30 seconds as fast as possible followed by a minute of walking, followed by another 30 second all-out sprint or 20 seconds cycling as hard as possible on a high level of resistance followed by 40 seconds of very slow easy pedalling, repeated a number of times.
Examples of high intensity interval training (HIIT)
Before you begin high intensity interval training (HIIT) pick a form of exercise that you enjoy and you feel you can perform in an allout intense fashion. This could be track running, treadmill running, cycling, swimming etc. After a 5 minute warm up simple perform repeated bouts of 15 second, 20 second or 30 second high intense intervals with low intensity rest of between 30 seconds to a minute. Aim to perform 5 to 10 all out bouts of exercise, starting at 5 bouts if your new to HIIT and working your way up to 10 bouts over the course of a month or two. Follow this with a 5 minute cool down and your done. So, a typical seesion might look like this:
5 minute warm up
30 second sprint, followed by 30 seconds walking x 10
5 minute cool down
Total exercise time 20 minutes. Total time working at your maximal level, 5 minutes
Dieting for prolonged weight loss doesn't work and trying to lose weight via dieting can actually make you fatter. Really? Surely not. How can this be true. Weight loss is all about dieting and cutting out bad foods, junk foods and fatty foods that add weight. Aren't they?
How weight loss diets normally work
Traditionally to lose weight people drop the number of calories they eat during meal times and snack times. This makes perfect sense. If eating too many calories makes you fat, then too few calories will make you thin. This, is true. However, and this is a BIG however, many people view diets as a short term method to weight loss.
What the diet industry banks on
The diet industry is based solely on the idea that diets don't work. Companies, including Weight Watchers, Slim Fast and others encourage dieters to follow a weight loss programme for a number of weeks - or however long it takes the dieter to reach their target weight, only to see sucessful slimmers return at a later date because they have gained weight again.
What typically happens is that after someone has lost weight they feel they can begin to eat whatever they want again. This will include treats and sweets and things that were not included in their weight loss programme. And so the process of regaining excess weight again begins.
Why can diets make you fat?
During the course of any weight loss programme, the body consumes fewer calories that it wants to. Sounds simple. However, this can trick the body into believing that it is 'starving', that food isn't plentiful and so when extra calories are reintroduced, it quickly stores these calories as excess body fat, just in case food and calories are reduced again in the near future. The result is that as soon as a diet is finished and a target weight has been reached, a dieter finds that their weight begins to goe back up quicker than it was lost. And so yo-yo dieting begins - losing weight only to regain weight followed by another diet to lose weight only to again regain any weight lost etc.
What is the best way to lose weight?
The single best way to lose weight and not regain lost weight after a diet is to not diet at all. Rather than thinking you're on a short term quick-fix diet, try to make better choices at all meal times; rethink what you eat and aim to make these changes a lifestyle choice rather than choices to simple lose weight. This will reduce the amount of calories you eat during each meal but will do so over the long term, which will allow you to maintain your target weight.
Also, aim to incorporate resistance training or weight bearing exercises into your lifestyle changes, not to burn calories during an exercise session per se (although this will happen), but rather to increase your metabolic rate, which is the rate at which your body burns calories during rest. Muscle is the bodies fat burning engine and so the more lean muscle tissue you have, the more calories you will burn and the better chance you have of staying slim.
Total Trainer endeavours to keep all the personal training information as up to date as possible. Total Trainer acts to bring together prospective clients with recognised personal trainers who offer a wide variety of personal training and fitness training services and allowing clients to reach their health and fitness goals.
