Gut health plays a crucial role in our overall well-being. A healthy gut not only aids in digestion but also supports a strong immune system, enhances nutrient absorption, and promotes mental clarity. It is the foundation of good health and vitality.
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I started working out in the gym in my early 20s but had a break for 14 years when my daughters arrived and returned about 15 years ago. I have tried a lot of diets, not because I needed to lose weight but to see if they worked. If they worked on someone who is naturally underweight, have worked on that over the past 2 years though, then someone who needs to lose some weight should have no problem. I studied nutrition at school but not at the level needed for health and fitness but at least I had an understanding of macro-nutrients.
One thing I can say with certainty it is harder to put weight on than lose it. COVID has meant I had to work from home and I could eat what I needed to put the weight on.
2 - Are your weightloss goals realistic
In this podcast episode titled "Are Your Weight Loss Goals Realistic?", the host dives into the topic of setting achievable weight loss goals and the importance of being realistic in your approach. Karen Martel explores the common tendency for individuals to set over-optimistic goals when embarking on a weight loss journey.n this podcast episode titled "Are Your Weight Loss Goals Realistic?", the host dives into the topic of setting achievable weight loss goals and the importance of being realistic in your approach. Karen Martel explores the common tendency for individuals to set over-optimistic goals when embarking on a weight loss journey.
It's fantastic to hear about Lydia's journey and her success with the gradual fat loss approach of dieting without tracking calories and/or macros. It's great to see that she has been able to improve her relationship with food while still working towards her goals.
Weight loss without tracking calories is possible by focusing on whole, unprocessed foods, listening to your body's cues, practicing portion control, staying active, managing stress, getting enough sleep, and seeking support. By adopting these lifestyle changes, you can achieve your weight loss goals without the need for calorie counting.
After achieving weight loss goals, it's crucial to adopt a maintenance mindset to sustain your progress. Without a maintenance mindset, it's easy to slip back into old habits and regain the weight you worked so hard to lose. So, how can you maintain your weight loss and stay on track?
By adopting a maintenance mindset, you can ensure long-term success in maintaining your weight loss. Stay committed, stay positive, and embrace the journey towards a healthier and happier you!
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This podcast from Karen Martel talks about how to create achievable goals that keep you motivated.
It also discussed what you could do to try and discover why you are not losing the weight you think you should.
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Remember the feeling of being young and just letting yourself move in time with music? It might have been in your bedroom, or in front of the television or you may have built an entire week in Ibiza around dancing, but sometimes life can come between us and getting our groove on.
What if a spin around the dance floor is exactly what you need to shift your moods? Can dancing be so powerful it can alleviate the need for anti-depressant medication? You’ll already know from your own experience that dancing is good for your heart – you can feel your heart rate rise as you move – but there is scientific evidence that says dancing can improve our mental health.
A study undertaken by Anna Duberg, a physical therapist at Örebro University Hospital, looked at the impact of dance on 112 Swedish girls, aged 13 to 19. These girls had all made repeated visits to the school nurse with symptoms, including anxiety, depression, fatigue, headaches, and back, neck, and shoulder pain.
In the study, 59 of the girls were randomly assigned to a group that danced together two days a week and 53 girls to a control group where the girls did not change their habits. Results show that the girls in the dance group increased their self-esteem and benefited from improved moods, compared with the control group.
This positive effect lasted long after the study ended, with the impact still felt 8 months later. At Minot State University, North Dakota, a research study, of adults aged 65-91, found that 12 weeks of Zumba not only improved the moods of the participants, but also improved visual recognition and decision-making.
Exercise releases endorphins, hormones which are known to improve your mood, but it would appear that dancing brings with it other benefits that don’t come with hitting the gym or pounding the pavement.
Dance can help encourage a calm approach to life and allow people to express their creativity. A study documented in Complementary Therapies in Medicine showed that researchers found that tango classes lowered individuals’ stress levels more than meditation and encouraged positive emotions, better self-esteem and lessened anxiety.
Many studies demonstrate that dancing does make a difference to individual’s mental health and wellbeing. Research shows that people who dance are less likely to be depressed and they connect with higher levels of emotional well-being.
There are some physiological facts that are easy to connect with dancing. It’s great for your leg muscles and glutes, it works your hips, your lower back and your abdomen and many forms of dancing can also work the arms and the upper body, which can bring relief from back pain.
Yet, there are other emotions that dancing can make us feel that you might not experience through other exercise. Sure, running is great for that one foot after the other meditative state but you’re more likely to stay ‘in the zone’ rather than connect with yourself or others on a deeper level. Dancing can make you feel happy while you are dancing, rather than pushing on to complete a workout or training schedule. Dancing can also make you feel free and tap into your emotions at the same time.
Whether it’s in your living room or your local studio, get dancing!
Free on-line training classes
The link below incorporates HIIT exercises too and moves from Body combat that give you a whole body workout that will tone you too.
]]>These are some of the toughest weeks of the year. Days are getting longer and lighter and shop windows are filling with bunnies, flowers and bright colours – but you might be wondering how you’re actually going to make it to Spring.
We tend to think of the time around Christmas as the low point of the year, but it’s often the last few weeks of Winter and the first few weeks of Spring that can feel so overwhelming. Another Winter has taken its toll on hair and skin and coughs and colds have nibbled away at energy reserves, yet there is one really easy way to get yourself ready for Spring. This year it is slightly different that COVID has hit us but we are fortunate in the UK that we are allowed out once a day for exercise. This is really important not just for fitness health but mental health too.
It can be easy to do nothing when you feel at your lowest, however gentle exercise can make a huge difference without feeling like it’s taking over your life.
The first thing to understand is that you can do this. You have got this covered. The only thing standing between you and walking is your brain. The brain is adept at coming up with reasons and excuses not to get moving, so try listening to your body instead. While your brain is screaming that you’ll never be an Olympic athlete, your body is quite enjoying the sensation of putting one foot in front of the other.
This is just between us, but do feel stiffer than you’d like? Are you breathless by the top step of the stairs? Have you just really got out of the way of walking?
We can throw out the old lines about getting off the bus a stop earlier or parking at the far side of the car park and walking. That will help to get you walking a few steps extra, but it takes away from the sense of achievement that you will so deserve when you start walking for 10 minutes a day. That’s all. Just 10 minutes a day for a week.
When you’ve carved out 10 minutes for you and your body every day to go for a walk, you can consider adding a few minutes to each walk. Or, you may even want to head out twice a day. You might feel like you want to start at 10 minutes and double your minutes by the end of the week, however research shows that effort put in in small increments over a longer period of time generates a greater result than large increments done over a shorter period of time.
What else could you do with in 10 minutes a day that would generate such great results? Cleaning the house? Reading a book? Sleeping? 10 minutes won’t really make that much of a difference.
Walking will get your joints moving and it will strengthen your lower body muscles. Walking will strengthen your bones and improve cardio-respiratory health. Walking will take you outside, help you to manage your mind and work on your wellbeing and mental health. 10 minutes a day? Let’s get walking.
]]>We might be a few weeks in but this is still very new for everyone – including the kids! Lockdown life may mean that we’re staying around the house a lot more, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Yes, there will be tough situations where people are confined by their living spaces or because they have children who need a little bit extra love, care and attention, but we’re here to help you through the weeks ahead.
Remember – if you or anyone that you live with experiences any Covid-19 symptoms, please follow government guidelines.Here’s something to ponder…. If you tell a child to put down their tablet or iPad and get moving, are the children grumpy because they’re having a screen taken away or is it because their body is actually crying out for the benefits of exercise?
Exercising makes the brain release feel-good chemicals called endorphins throughout the body and it is this that makes us feel good about ourselves – and exactly what children and young people need at a time like this.
Get the trainers on and get out running. Bearing in mind that you can only do this by household, you can still take up running – or get your kids to discover what going out for a jog is like. So many children can run about when they are playing, but they can’t run for any sustained length of time. You can try running one minute on and off, staying local to your area, and work up to a couple of km. Imagine the collective feeling of putting one foot in front of the other and getting that meditative effect as a (small) group.
Housework can be really tiring – there’s a lot of bending and stretching and twisting. Get your children involved in taking care of the world around them. There’s no better time to get their buy-in to keeping their home clean – and tidy.
While children can be naturally resistant to housework (aren’t we all), instilling an appreciation of a clean home will stand them in good stead. You can lead from the front and make it fun too, though. Teach children how to tidy by asking them to explore the house for things that are in the wrong place and return them to their homes. They can take responsibility for their own things or take a room each. You can set a time limit – this helps to create a bit of a buzz and get their hearts pumping as they dash up and down stairs (carefully).
This is also a good time to teach children how to hang clothes out. It might seem like nothing, but the bend-and-stretch movement, done with a bit of gusto, is very Joe Wicks!
There’s no good time for something as brutal as a lockdown, but it has come at a time in the year when it is possible to use whatever outdoor space you have. Digging, raking and brushing are perfect for getting your garden in good shape, but amazing for getting little heart rates up.
Often, when it comes to gardening, we’re trying to fit it in with other things at the weekend and so it’s done without getting the children involved as much as they could do.
If you can, help them to clear a patch of soil and pop whatever seeds you have in. Not only can they grow what they eat, but it gives them a sense of ownership over their own little space.
Remember not to burn your garden waste – we need to keep our air clear for those who might be struggling to breathe.
If you are limited on space or it’s a rainy day, there’s a lot that you can do in a very small space. There is a great deal of choice when it comes to streaming options, and you can ‘buy-in’ to a package or just find some stretching content that you like and get going.
Another, excellent way to make use of the lockdown days is to get stuck into a plank challenge. If you and your family can do a daily plank, adding a second or two every day, you’ll be super fit by the end of this!
]]>When Boris Johnson locked the UK down, did we truly understand the enormity of what was happening? The advice was clear but it also begged a lot of questions. They might seem silly or flippant at first glance, but with an overwhelming desire to behave properly and adhere to the guidelines, it can be hard to know what’s right.
Just to be clear, though, a party for 25 with a groaning buffet table is totally wrong.
As things stand – and are set to stay in place for a few weeks yet – we can leave our homes to take part in exercise once a day. It’s not always clear what sort of exercise this is – a walk, a bike ride or a run – but what of kayakers or horseriders?
The rules may be in danger of turning the country into ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’, where some people have access to wide expanses of countryside at their back doors, while others must stick to their local areas, which are built-up and have a lack of greenery. It’s no surprise that parks are facing influx of people, many of whom are trying to stay 2m apart, while others chance their arm at a doze in the sun. Sunbathing, it appears, doesn’t count as exercise so keep moving when you are out.
There has been evidence in the press that some people think joggers are selfish for huffing, puffing and showering sweat everywhere. It’s unlikely that joggers’ sweat or breath will reach other people, but it’s important to remember that people are just very scared at the moment. It’s a moral dilemma but, by a jogger going out of their way to avoid noticeably breathing near others, it shows wonderful community spirit.
Another good question for the collective conscience and one has that filled social media threads… Sometimes, to exercise away from people, it needs a car journey. Driving for miles has been clamped down on actively by many police forces and discouraged in general. The car parks of many public spaces have been closed, including common land. This means that you can enjoy it freely if you are in walking distance but prevented from accessing by car.
Exercising outside of peak times is also encouraged, but it’s unlikely that you will find yourself the only person anywhere. There are some basic hygiene standards to follow that might seem overkill in the middle of a forest, but we don’t yet know what we don’t know about Coronavirus and how long it lingers. To this end, avoid touching things, such as gates, stiles and latches when you are taking your daily exercise.
If you have managed to pick up some speed and work up a good sweat, it’s likely that you’ll shower upon your return home. If you didn’t manage to break into a sweat, you might be less likely to wash. However, remember to wash your hands as soon as you come into the house. This is a good practice anytime you come back into your home.
If once a day just isn’t cutting it, the digital world is bursting at the seams with streamed workouts for you to enjoy without leaving your living room. Joe Wicks has a daily PE class on YouTube. While it’s aimed at children, it’s open to everyone.
If you have always fancied looking like Thor, you might like to try Chris Hemsworth’s Centr app, which has a free 15-day trial.
And, as if they don’t already do more than enough for us, the NHS has an online fitness studio with videos to help you get dancing. You can try La Bomba or even belly dancing!
]]>You may be a super fit gym bunny who is thriving on the extra hours to stream your exercise or you might be rejoicing from getting your daily run ring fenced, but it’s likely that there’ll be someone in your life who won’t be going far or moving much.
At Brave Active, we’re all about empowering people to get moving. During Lockdown, this applies just as much to our older generation as it does to our bright young things.
You may have someone in your life who simply can’t get out of the house and you’re not in a position to take them out. Remember, we’re living in a time when we show love by staying away from our vulnerable loved ones. That doesn’t mean that a phone call has to be a rundown of what you’ve both watched on telly or what’s for tea.
Spend a few minutes taking someone at the other end of the phone through some chair exercises (you can try them out on someone in your home first!)
Chair exercises are good for those who find it hard to move about. It’s good to start off with just a few minutes – and, if you’re taking someone through the exercises by phone, you can try a new one every day. Don’t push it and let them set their own goals. If they’re showing symptoms of Covid-19, please don’t try any exercise.
Talk your phone companions through these little checks!
Use a strong chair, with armrests if possible. Don’t use an armchair if there is another, harder chair to choose from.
Make sure that your thighs are parallel with the floor.
Move your arms and legs steadily. Start with moving one at a time and try two when you get used to them. Don’t force it, but the more you do the easier it gets.
Start off gently and view the first few minutes and last few as a warm up and cool down. Be gentle and let the body catch up!
You might feel warm or get a little out of breath but make sure that you are always in control of your breathing. If you feel it is too much at any time, stop.
Remember to keep breathing. Don’t hold your breath – it is easier said than done sometimes.
Don’t lift your arm above your head – This means that you can take care of your heart and don’t make it work too hard.
Keeping your left leg on the ground, gently lift your right leg and then press the heel of that foot to the floor. Try to pull your right toe back towards your right leg and feel a gentle stretch. Try this five times and then swap legs.
Lift your right hand and place it on your left. Then, return your right hand to the arm of the chair. Reach as far as is comfortable. If you can do this 5 times, great! Swap arms and put your left hand on your right shoulder.
Placing your right hand over the other, push both hands out and forward at shoulder height. Give yourself a gentle stretch. Take your arms back to the arm rests and try again, putting your left hand over your right.
As before, lift your right hand diagonally and touch your left shoulder. At the same time, stretch your left leg out and dig your hell into the ground. Then, bring your leg back in and put your arm back on the armrest. Next, swap over to lift your left hand diagonally and touch your right shoulder. At the same time, stretch your right leg out and dig your hell into the ground. Then, bring your leg back in and put your arm back on the armrest. Look at you go!
These exercises may seem like very simple, but they might make all the difference to someone’s mood and mental outlook.
Why not pick up the phone and give it a go!
]]>There are a lot of pitfalls you should be aware of when it before starting your weight loss plan.
Below are some of the main areas to look out for:
Eating a muffin/croissant or bacon and egg McMuffin is not a good way to start your day. These fast food breakfasts contain high-GI carbs that spike your blood sugars which make you want more fairly quickly after eating them.
Ensure you have a healthy breakfast that contains a combination of low-GI carbs and protein (like eggs or dairy), to keep you feeling fuller for longer.
If you have exercised before breakfast you must have a good breakfast to stop excessive snacking mid-morning.
Health experts try to make out that lemon water is a wonder drink – but research says otherwise. Supposedly it helps detox the body. The body detoxes itself. Lemon water or supplements are not necessary. The acidity is not good for your teeth either and it does not help you lose weight.
Water accounts for 60 percent of your body and is essential to every cell. It is recommended that you drink 2 – 3 litres of water a day. This can help in alleviating the hunger pangs too.
6 other reasons you need to stay hydrated:
Water keeps your throat and lips moist and prevents your mouth from feeling dry. Dry mouth can cause bad breath and/or an unpleasant taste–and can even promote cavities.
Dehydration lowers your blood volume, so your heart must work harder to pump the reduced amount of blood and get enough oxygen to your cells, which makes everyday activities like walking up stairs–as well as exercise–more difficult.
Your body releases heat by expanding blood vessels close to the skin’s surface (this is why your face gets red during exercise), resulting in more blood flow and more heat dissipated into the air. When you’re dehydrated, however, it takes a higher environmental temperature to trigger blood vessels to widen, so you stay hotter.
When you’re well hydrated, the water inside and outside the cells of contracting muscles provides adequate nutrients and removes waste efficiently so you perform better. Water is also important for lubricating joints. Muscle cramps do not appear to be related to dehydration but it is thought they are caused by muscle fatigue.
When a person is severely dehydrated, skin is less elastic. This is different than dry skin, which is usually the result of soap, hot water and exposure to dry air.
Your kidneys need water to filter waste from the blood and excrete it in urine.. If you are severely dehydrated, your kidneys may stop working, causing toxins to build up in your body.
Save your money! You do not need supplements to be healthy or to help you lose weight.
Protein shakes and trendy detox teas might help you lose weight quickly (as they suppress your appetite) but the weight loss is not sustainable and will go on. Some of the detox teas dehydrate you so you are in effect only losing water. 60% of adults are lactose intolerant so the pre-made protein meal replacements may not be the best choice either.
Concentrate on forming new eating and exercise habits that become your new lifestyle of choice. It is 80% diet and 20% exercise that will reshape your body. At the best the fat burners will do nothing but at the worst they increase your metabolism to a level that gives you bad jitters and leaves you feeling cold and sweaty. (I talk from experience on this one).
Diet drinks still contain sugar and that it is the arch enemy for weight loss.
Weighing yourself is not a bad idea but it is unnecessary although my Personal Trainer is probably fed up with the regular updates I send. If it works for you, then so be it. Weighing yourself every morning can become an obsessive habit and you should not focus on the number on the scales but focus on other good attributes the change in diet and exercise has done e.g. better sleep, more energy. Also bear in mind that weighing on a daily basis does highlight the fluctuations of weight which can vary up to 4lbs. Again, I talk from experience, I am actually attempting to gain weight and some days my weight drops down for no apparent reason but rebounds the following day and in reverse this could happen for those losing weight.
Exercise is *really* good for you in many ways.
When it comes to weight loss, not only can exercise help you burn energy, but it’ll also help to build muscle, which speeds up your metabolism. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn.
Regular exercise reduces your risk of conditions like heart disease and stroke, helps to strengthen your bones and is essential for mental health. Your aim should be 30 minutes a day.
You need to get enough sleep to lose weight – so it’s important that you prioritise starting your day with a solid seven to nine hours of shut eye. You may ask why?
When you haven’t slept enough, your hormones go haywire. Ghrelin and leptin the two hormones that control your appetite and hence your ability to lose weight. Ghrelin tells your brain you’re hungry and will increase when you’re sleep deprived whilst leptin, which tells your brain that you’re full, drops. Consequently, the day following a bad night’s sleep you can be tempted to overeat.
]]>The walls of gyms, village halls and community centres have long reverberated to the sound of a thumping bass, as people lunge, bounce and punch their way to fitness. All over the UK, people come together on a weekly basis to follow and instructor and to get their sweat on.
As the Coronavirus pandemic took hold, instructors decided to stop classes. Then, the UK Government shut the facilities. Within days, though, instructors were reaching out to their classes and – through the magic of technology – the UK was once again moving and grooving. Two very interesting things have now happened. Friends and family have been able to attend each other’s virtual classes on Zoom or Zoho from hundreds of miles away, but we’ve also been able to explore some new and exciting types of classes…
For some of us, we work better on a one-to-one training basis and can really drill down when we’re working with our PTs. With social distancing making this an impossibility to do in person, the PT world has also gone digital. Work on the parts that you want to – more conditioning, hike your cardio-vascular or give your back a good stretch – with a one-hour slot without having to leave your own home.
Many gyms have reopened but check their risk assessment before deciding to return! A 100 square feet minimum is required per person and there should be a minimum of 15 minutes between each class using the same studio but it is recommended it is 30 minutes. Equipment should be cleaned down by the gym instructor to avoid cross contamination.
Oh yes – that’s Pilates and boxing combined. Get your pulse racing with this epic blend of boxing, dance and Pilates. Perfect for those who like to keep their workouts fresh, the activity switches rapidly between the three different disciplines. It’s perfect to keep boredom at bay and keep the mind focused on what’s coming next rather than the sweet, sweet burn!
The Pilates will help your muscles to become stronger and leaner. You will improve your flexibility and coordination, which is perfect for those boxing jabs and uppercuts too! Your dance moves will release those all-important endorphins and boosts your metabolism.
For some of us, we work better on a one-to-one training basis and can really drill down when we’re working with our PTs. With social distancing making this an impossibility to do in person, the PT world has also gone digital. Work on the parts that you want to – more conditioning, hike your cardio-vascular or give your back a good stretch – with a one-hour slot without having to leave your own home.
Many gyms have reopened but check their risk assessment before deciding to return! A 100 square feet minimum is required per person and there should be a minimum of 15 minutes between each class using the same studio but it is recommended it is 30 minutes. Equipment should be cleaned down by the gym instructor to avoid cross contamination.
Nia is a workout with a difference. Bringing together dance and martial arts, alongside mindfulness, Nia looks after your body, your mind and your soul. Perhaps more a practice than a workout, Nia is a holistic approach to taking care of yourself. Many people can sense an unleashed energy and potential within which Nia promises to help you access. By spending time listening to your bodies and tuning into your senses, Nia cardio-dance workouts combine 52 simple moves with dance arts, martial arts, and healing arts to get you fit. Non-impact and practiced barefoot it is a wonderful way to dissolve the stresses and strains of modern life.
Who didn’t want to be a ballerina when they grew up? Most young girls have a notion that they probably won’t be a princess when they grow up, but a ballerina is a possibility. And why not? Ballerinas are as graceful as they are fierce, with a lion’s strength and the poise and posture of, well, a ballerina.
If you’ve been working from home, without the health and safety guidelines that you might count on a work, you might find that you’re tighter across the shoulders than usual. Barre-style fitness brings together Pilates, with the flow of yoga and the finesse of ballet. Barre fitness will help to strengthen and tone your muscles without increasing your bulk and, helpfully, will improve your posture. More than a gorgeous-looking stretch, barre workouts also increase cardiovascular endurance and metabolism.
For some of us, we work better on a one-to-one training basis and can really drill down when we’re working with our PTs. With social distancing making this an impossibility to do in person, the PT world has also gone digital. Work on the parts that you want to – more conditioning, hike your cardio-vascular or give your back a good stretch – with a one-hour slot without having to leave your own home.
Many gyms have reopened but check their risk assessment before deciding to return! A 100 square feet minimum is required per person and there should be a minimum of 15 minutes between each class using the same studio but it is recommended it is 30 minutes. Equipment should be cleaned down by the gym instructor to avoid cross contamination.
]]>You’re here and reading this – you’re headed in the right direction. However, if this is your first step on the way to getting fitter and moving more, it can feel really daunting, even though you know the benefits of feeling stronger, happier, leaner and more dynamic.
So many of us hit January with great intentions. We start out, uncomfortable in our clothes and our own skin after Christmas, we bite off more than we can chew and we’re back on the sofa in our pyjamas before the end of January
This year, you are going to create some achievable, bite-size goals that signal the start of a new, life-long relationship with exercise and you’re going to smash it.
We’ve all got busy schedules so where you slot your exercise in can be key to how successful you are in hitting your goals. Morning exercise is an amazing way to get it done and dusted and out of the way before the demands of the day start. If you can set aside 15 minutes a day to do some form of exercise, you are already on to a winner. A 15-minute walk can become a 15-minute jog by the Spring and 15 minutes’ HIIT will make a big difference to your fitness levels.
Sit down with a pen and paper and work out what you absolutely have to do every day and what you could re-arrange to make sure that your exercise comes higher up the list of priorities. Work and family will be right up there, but there have got to be ways to claw back a few moments every day for yourself. Let’s look at that again- for yourself. People may need you but you’ve got a whole lifetime to take care of. You need to make sure that your own body, mind and soul can go the distance. Make your list, ensuring that exercise is on it and use your time wisely
You can set yourself some targets. Simple, achievable targets that – with a little effort – you will hit. Here’s a few that you can choose from:
Join a sports club – the hardest bit is the moment that you say hello. It all gets easier after that
Invest in what it is that you need to get moving, whether that be a pair of trainers, leggings or gym gear.
Wear it, make it part of your daily uniform, become comfortable in leaving the house, dressed for activity and you are much more likely to make it happen
]]>There’s an awful lot of gorgeous sports and active wear on the market – we should know! We spent a long time getting our collection just right. However, exercise wear isn’t really like anything else that you wear.
Whether you’re an endurance athlete or just getting started, you need your kit
to work with your body. Wearing the right kit can also have a huge positive
psychological impact on your performance, removing the very last barrier
between your body and getting it moving.
Here’s our top 5 tips on how to dress for exercise.
It might seem a bit technical and maybe a little over the top if you are just starting on your exercise adventure, but you are going to sweat much more and much more easily than you can imagine. Invest in breathable fabrics that wick, or take away, away moisture from your skin. This will help you to feel cooler and drier and generally less sticky. When you’re trying to give it your all, you don’t want to think about clingy clothes.
You don’t have to spend the earth to get amazing workout clothes but it is highly likely that you will wash your clothes at the end of every workout session. Look for exercise wear that has good stitching and good material.
You may also to think about investing in a pair of gloves to save getting callouses on your hands once you start lifting heavier weights. I personally prefer leather gloves although they may take a few weeks to wear in. I tend to lose mine before they need replacing and if you buy a good quality glove you can even put them in the washing machine on a short wash. I tend to buy gloves that have a wrist wrap around so they can support my wrists when doing really heavy deadlifts, etc.
If you’re going to be heading outside for a jog or a boot camp, make sure that your clothing gives you the protection that you need. While you may opt for sleeveless vests in the summer, opt for sleeves in the winter, no matter how hot you get.
Keep the cold weather at bay with layers of breathable tops, including a ventilated outer layer, that you can take off and put on as required. Remember to have a warm layer ready to pop on after. It’s tempting to cool down naturally but be kind to your body and don’t let yourself get too cold, too quickly.
You’re going to be working hard – the least you can do is to feel comfortable. Trainers that pinch, leggings that chaff, tops that gape are going to distract you and could even put you off future exercise. Remember, your brain is looking for any reason to get your body out of a session. Make sure that you feel confident and comfortable in what you are wearing – you’d be surprised at the positive impact it could have on your performance.
There’s a reason we don’t run in heels…. You need to exercise in clothes that are fit for purpose. You won’t master yoga poses or hit your first 5k in clothes that won’t let your body move as it needs to.
You are doing something amazing for your body, mind and soul – it’s only fair that you give yourself a fair chance and dress accordingly. Yes, that is total permission to treat yourself to something that’s going to help you get moving.
]]>It’s simplistic to think that exercise is all about the body. The simple truth is that most of the work is going on in our heads. Why is exercise such a struggle?
Your mind is in charge of every part of your running or exercise experience. It is your mind that tells your body to move, juggles your emotions and seeks to protect of you – which is why it is so often screaming at you to stop before you start.
Your brain is there to make sure that we don’t do anything that might be too hard for us and it will tell you that it will be better if you don’t run – however knowing that this is what’s going on is half the battle and, using a few simple techniques, you can regain control. Let’s take a look…
The hardest minute you ever run will be your first
Everybody has to start somewhere and a Couch To 5K programme is a great place to start. These programmes build your stamina and endurance up gradually and there will be some runs easier than others, but graduates of these programmes claim that the hardest minute was the first time they had to run for 60 seconds without stopping.
Manipulate your mental focus
Left to its own devices, your mind will throw every reason under the sun to make you stop moving. Distracting your mind by thinking about something else can free your mind from holding you back. Whether it’s what to have for tea or something more thought-provoking, giving your brain something to think about will allow it to let you get moving.
Your conscious mind will be the loudest voice in your head, but you can harness its power with confident thinking. Heading out for a run when you’re not really feeling it will generate a series of negative messages. Your brain will pass these messages on to every part of your body, making it harder to breath and lift your feet. Any niggles will pull you up short and you’ll find yourself throwing in the towel sooner rather than later. Take charge and send positive messages instead – try thoughts like ‘Oh, that feels nice on my calves’, ‘I like the colour of my running tights’, or ‘I can do this and I will’.
Let’s be honest. Life post-exercise is a gorgeous place to be. Everything feels better and you have the buzz that comes from getting your heart pumping. Take time to enjoy this feeling and consciously capture it for future reference. The more often you have this feeling, the easier it is to tap into next time you head out.
Exercise helps us to get in touch with our bodies but we can also learn a lot about our minds. Take control of what’s going on in your head, pull on your trainers and move.
]]>If you want to lose weight or reshape your body and heading to the gym isn’t possible right now, you have several other options. In fact, according to research, body shape is changed by 20% exercise and 80% diet. This means you may want to focus on changing your diet more than worrying about working out too much. You deserve to take control of your life by having a healthy fitness routine, believing in yourself, and changing your life for the better.
Changing your eating habits makes it easier to lose weight. In fact, commit to small changes each day, and you’ll be making progress. For one, eat small portions by using a smaller plate. Other changes you can make are chewing slowly and taking smaller bites. Old habits may be difficult to break, but give your body the time it needs to adjust.
Unhealthy foods such as ice cream, candy bars, hamburgers and others can contribute to dangerous health problems. For this reason, it’s wise to find simple ways to avoid these. At first, you may crave junk food, but eventually you’ll likely adapt to a healthier diet. For one thing, you can hide junk food from family, toss it in the trash before you can eat it or just don’t buy it at all. Every time you feel weak, remember the benefits of healthy eating. Become educated on what types of foods will help you sleep better, think more clearly and make you feel energised.
Getting an adequate amount of sleep is essential to better health, happiness and weight loss. Eating healthier, exercising and avoiding stress can significantly improve sleep quality. Moreover, you can download a calming app that plays soothing nature sounds to help you calm down. You can also have a positive mindset throughout the day. Before bedtime, you can do activities to wind down such as reading a book or meditating. Avoiding technology and the TV an hour before bed time helps calm the brain down and helps you sleep once your head hits the pillow!
Changing small habits can have a huge impact on your mindset.
You can’t survive without water. It makes up nearly two-thirds of your body and is essential for you to function properly. As a basic guide, most people need about 1.5 to 2 litres of fluid a day, which is about eight to 10 glasses.
You can get this from water and other drinks, such as milk and fruit juice. Water in food also counts – fruit and vegetables contain lots of water. Cucumber and lettuce have the highest water content of any food – a massive 96%.
Tomatoes area also packed with water – about 94%. Keep your hydration levels topped up by adding them to a salad or a sandwich.
Water is the best choice when it comes to meeting your body’s needs for fluids. It doesn’t have any calories and is free if you drink tap water.
If you find it tough to drink just water and want a tastier drink, then squash, milk, fruit juices or teas will also top up your fluid levels. It’s a trade-off though, because these contain calories, usually from sugar, and they can damage your teeth.
Try and avoid fruit juices, fruit based smoothies and fizzy drinks due to their high sugar content unless you select the low sugar variation of the fizzy drinks.
You can get the exercise you need by living a more active lifestyle. Firstly, find activities you genuinely enjoy doing. This may be hiking, walking a nature trail or skiing. Additionally, volunteering improves mental health, positivity and fitness. Volunteer opportunities to consider are planting trees, joining a community garden, walking dogs at a local shelter, participating in a charity walk and many more.
Forget about the gym because yoga and Pilates can help you maintain a healthy weight, and possibly even lose weight. Remember, these aren’t a replacement for exercise though. You can enroll in a yoga or Pilates class with a friend or by yourself. A few benefits of both are increased muscle strength, flexibility and tone. You may also find Pilates and yoga classes online. So grab a mat, find a quiet spot and commit to fitness.
You can find ways to have a fitness routine indoors or outside at home. For example, a few simple exercises you can try are lifting dumbbells, walking or push ups or leg squats. If practical walk the children to school or go jogging with the baby in the buggy.
Consider including vigorous exercises like running, jumping rope, jumping jacks or aerobic dancing in your fitness routine.
You won’t have to waste money on expensive exercise equipment or gym memberships. Plus, you won’t feel guilty for skipping gym workouts.
Feel energized to start your day by genuinely immersing yourself in your home workouts.
If you suffer from anxiety or stress, you can benefit from eliminating anything that stresses you out from your life. Consequently, for your own sanity, toxic people may have to go as well. You can find ways to avoid people who you can’t completely cut out of your life. Further, if city life stresses you out, consider moving to the country or spending more time in nature. Spiritual techniques like meditation or yoga can be highly beneficial by calming your mind, body and spirit.
Being too harsh on yourself may cause you to go back to former bad habits. For this reason, take a break for a day sometimes by eating a piece of cake or cookie. You can also do a hobby, read a book, or just relax and watch the sunset. After this, you’ll probably feel recharged enough to go back to your regular routine. Finding time to participate in positive activities you enjoy is far from selfish. Always remember how special you are by staying positive and being healthy.
Taking care of your health and well-being is the right way to live a positive lifestyle. Consider the benefits of loving yourself so you can be the best mother, friend or wife to loved ones. Besides this, take the time you need each day to enjoy your own life.
]]>It is estimated that only 8% of people stick to their New Year’s resolutions. Everyone starts off with good intentions at the beginning of January that this is the year they will keep to them and get the body of their dreams by dieting and exercising.
But four weeks in when the truth hits home, you remember you hate getting up early to go for a run or a trip to the gym and you’d rather have a plate of chips than yet another bowl of brown rice or quinoa? The key to being successful and sticking to your fitness goals is to be realistic. If you’re serious that 2020 is the year you’ll eat clean, never skip leg day and shed that annoying half a stone that just won’t budge, read on for our New Year’s cheat sheet. This is how to set fitness goals that you’ll be able stick to.
The New Year is a great motivator for making a new start but you have to be honest with yourself and what your current state of fitness is and how good you are at sticking to a diet.
Making major lifestyle changes undermines your ability to stick to your objectives. At the moment gyms are rammed with people kicking off the New Year with their keep fit resolution but come March 80% of those will have ditched the gym. Some will have left because they have achieved what they needed but the vast majority because they cannot keep to the punishing schedule they set themselves.
Set yourself up for success by ditching the all-or-nothing mentality and focus on smaller more achievable goals instead.
Identifying a specific area where you want to see improvements can help you to stick to your resolve. Rather than saying “I want to be fitter” think about what that really means to you. Do you want to finish a 10k run? Make it to two Metafit classes a week? Lift a certain weight? Apply the same mentality to your training as you do work and create S.M.A.R.T goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.
If you are a project manager you know the old saying, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. This applies to your New Year’s resolutions too. If you want to get fitter by going to more classes at the gym, get hold of the new timetable and identify which classes best suit your schedule. If you want to make changes to your diet, such as cutting out red meat or eating more veggies, research a few easy recipes that you can prep ahead or buy a blender so it’s easier to whip up a post-workout smoothie.
If you’ve identified a fitness goal that you really want to stick to, you must own it. Find someone to work out with and let them know what your goal is or make it public via social media so friends can keep you motivated. Create your own blog and monitor your progress with photos, weights and measurements.
]]>Whether you’re getting fit or staying fit, we want to help you make 2020 your easiest year yet. You wouldn’t believe how much a few tweaks to your usual routine can affect your performance and motivation. Here are five of our top tips to make the process easier.
What are you wearing?
Activewear is about more than just aesthetics; it needs to support movement and protect against injury. It’s no exaggeration to say that good sports bra is foundational to success. If you have a large chest, you’ll already know the discomfort of trying to do anything vigorous while wearing the wrong bra. Even if you have small breasts, the extra strain brought on by exercise can take its toll on your shoulders and back. Invest in a good sports bra and feel the difference for yourself. High compression leggings will keep those wobbly bits in control too.
Appropriate footwear, please!
Your trainers need to match the exercise you’re doing otherwise you can permanently damage the bones in your feet. Your flexibility, cushion and shock absorption requirements will all depend on your frame and activity level, so the best course of action is to go to a specialist shoe shop and get tailored advice from an assistant. Don’t want to buy a new pair of trainers? Ask for sports insoles instead.
Get the kids involved
It’s true that having a gym buddy helps keep your motivation up; however, finding someone who can sync with your schedule is easier said than done. Instead of going with a friend, get the kids involved. Lots of gyms offer youth classes that combine exercise with play. While they do that, you can grab some workout time – and some peace!
Pump up the tunes!
It’s amazing what a good playlist can do for your motivation. Studies have shown that listening to energetic tunes while performing cardio and strength exercises can help you to push yourself further and make the session feel as if it’s passing faster. There are countless playlists available on music apps, often curated to complement a specific activity, so get your headphones on and crank up the volume.
Snack happy
One of the biggest diet pitfalls is trying to choose something to eat while hungry. Your brain is hardwired to reach for foods that provide an instantaneous energy boost, i.e. those that are high in fat or sugar. To get around this, plan a snack time between meals so that your hunger doesn’t build up. You should also pre-prepare what you’re going to eat. For example, instead of taking a bag of nuts to work, put a handful in a container and only bring this. Doing so will remove the temptation to overeat.
]]>There’s also a lot of choice out there so finding out what works best for us is important. Like a pair of broken-in trainers, what we wear on our legs can help to keep us moving and that’s whether we’re doing a marathon or a mile. What we run in becomes a uniform and it’s something that we reach for.
It has to be easy and comfortable or it simply becomes another reason not to run. While you can try on a pair of jeans before you buy, you can’t really put your running clothes to the test until you’re in the middle of a good session. That’s why we’ve put together the Brave Active guide to what to wear on your legs so that you can work out what’s best for you.
These can be a great thing to start off with if you’re heading out for your first run. It’s possibly something that you have in your wardrobe already and jogging bottoms can cover up what you may not be ready to share with the rest of the world yet.
However, as you progress through your training – and become comfortable with all these new words that now apply to you – you might find the excess material flaps around your legs and makes the running experience a bit weightier. If you can find the confidence to move straight to running tights or leggings, your legs will thank you for it.
How your running leggings, or tights, fit does matter. Leggings offer compression, which helps to boost your circulation and keep you on the move.
If they’re too tight, however, you run the risk of your leggings cutting into you or restricting your movements. Make sure that you can easily squat (and breathe out!).
Choosing a material that will wick the sweat away from your skin and help to keep you dry will be instrumental in keeping you comfortable during your run.
Science has come a long way and has been important in creating materials that move with your body. The pay-off is that these materials are synthetic and work best against dry skin. Investing in a breathable wicking material will be worth it.
If you’re just starting out on your running journey, you might imagine that you’ll never find yourself in that beautiful zen moment of putting one foot in front of the other and not thinking about anything. These moments will appear more quickly than you might think.
What you will realise quickly is that running time is your time and you’ll want to make it as enjoyable as possible. You won’t want to be constantly pulling up leggings that won’t stay in place.
Getting the right fit can make all the difference, but going for a high waist style or ones with a good, thick waist band can keep your leggings up and on tightly!
It might be your time to be free but the number of things that you need to bring with you can soon mount up and leave you with your hands full.
Running leggings often come with a key pocket along the waist band. Pockets for you to pop your mobile phone into are also becoming a popular option so that you can run hands-free.
]]>Cold air exercise can be just the thing to beat the winter blues! It might take everything you’ve got to get yourself out of the front door, but you will reap the rewards….
Outdoor exercise is the perfect way to reconnect with the natural world around us and take a break from the four walls that surround us. Winter exercise can help alleviate low moods, give energy levels a boost and help fight off the extra pounds that come with a more sedentary lifestyle.
Here’s our go-to guide for Fresh Air Fitness in the Winter months
Cold air isn’t your enemy but things do get more complicated if you get wet, so dressing dry is the key to success here. Water draws your body heat away from you, which is why you can feel both cold and miserable when you’re wet. Unlike other times, when natural fibres are the only answer, this is the time to break out the synthetic fibres, including polyester, nylon, and polypropylene, as they wick moisture away much more quickly, keeping you drier and warmer.
Layering up traps air between layers, which means that you don’t have to wear bulky clothes to stay warm. Start with a thin base layer, made of synthetic fibres, a middle layer, polar fleece for example, and a shell-like outer layer that is windproof. Just remember that the more waterproof your shell is, the harder it will be for sweat to escape, so think breathable.
Layering means that you can de-layer as you warm up but can quickly add layers back on as you warm down.
When it comes to the winter months, wearing bright clothes is a great way to lift your mood, but it’s also an important part of making sure you can be seen. Running in the dark is one thing – and you will need reflective wear – but an overcast, grey day can reduce visibility considerably. Go bright, be seen.
Protecting your extremities is really important in low temperatures. A hat or headband will help with the heat that escapes from your ears and head, while good synthetic socks and a pair of gloves will take care of fingers and toes. If it is particularly frosty, you might even want to use a synthetic running snood to get started. Pulled over your mouth and nose, it could help you while you warm up and get your heart rate up.
Cold weather can be harsh on your skin – as can central heating, so this applies just as well inside – so make sure you moisturise before heading out, considering extra protection for lips and the tip of your nose. As you’ll be spending more time outdoors, it’s always worth making sure your cream has an SPF of at least 15.
The warm up is always an essential part of any workout and this is even more important in cold weather. Cold weather workouts come with greater risk of strains, so take care to warm your muscles up properly. Include lunges, squats and arm swings in your warm up, but make sure you move while you warm up.
Airways narrow in cold weather and breathing in cold air can really hurt. Breathing through your nose is the best way to warm up air on the way to your chest, but that can be tricky mid-run. A running snood or scarf over the mouth can take the edge off the worst of the chill.
Cool downs are just as important in the cold weather as on a balmy summer’s day. It helps your heart to re-calibrate and return to normal.
It’s then important to get out of damp, sweaty clothes, shower and redress in clean, dry clothes to maintain your body temperature.
It may be cold outside, but you are one cool customer! Exercising in the cold weather means that you chose to do the hard – but more rewarding – thing, over another half hour in bed. You are an exercise goddess and we salute you!
]]>Temptation is everywhere. The box of chocs in the office, the special offers in the supermarkets, the endless opportunities to eat more, drink more and relax more. It is utterly beguiling and – before long- the fairy lights will go back in the roof space and there’ll be a long, flat January ahead.
There’s always a few people who push on through the festive period with their normal fitness routine or running schedule, but they can’t really be enjoying it, can they?
We know that exercise can help us to overcome so many of our demons, yet it’s often the first thing that bites the dust when Christmas rolls around.
There’s a lot to think of at Christmas, but your brain can do the thinking while you take a quick lap around the block. You’d be back in under 30 minutes but your mind will have worked through the questions whirling around your head. Taking a quick run is a lot like a system reset. You arrive back where you’ve started, blood pumping and feeling better than you did when you set off. Everything is just as you left it, but you’re seeing it with fresh eyes and a healthy dose of endorphins.
Fitting an exercise class in might feel like a mammoth task if you’ve got to travel to get there, but – with so many options available on streaming – you can take 20 minutes to get moving at home. You might give the Christmas tree a nudge every now and then, but you will feel all the better for it. Then you can tackle the Christmas wrapping.
This year, why not give yourself the greatest gift of all at Christmas? The time and space you deserve to take care of your body mind and soul.
Every little bit of exercise that you can include in your routine at this time of year does two very important things for you:
It can be hard to take the first step, but that is the hardest part of all exercise. Don’t give it too much thought – just pull your trainers on and get moving. Your body is capable of great things, even if your brain tries to give you good excuses not to do it.
Instead of having a more hassled Christmas where you struggle to find time to fit exercise in, deliberately set time aside for yourself to do some exercise. No one will give you this time, so you have to take it for yourself. By ‘keeping ticking over’, you may find yourself less likely to reach for a sneaky mince pie, have a fourth glass of fizz or spend an entire day on the sofa.
Imagine a different January, without feeling sluggish, without having to splash out on expensive vitamins and without having to resolve not to spend another Christmas overdoing it.
Worth the effort? Hell yeah!
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