One Personal Training

Post holiday blues or in my case sparkles…

2010-09-03T11:45:00.015+01:00

As I mentioned in my last blog, I was on holiday last week and I had a faboulous time.

The week started well with a friends 30th birthday, a game of cricket and some dancing in a village hall! Then James took me to a health farm for the night, he actually thought it was a hotel with a spar rather than a full on heath farm which restricted our portions but it was great anyway. We were able to play some tennis, did some swimming and a circuit training class as well as had a relaxing massage. The next day we went for a lovely walk around where I grew up and up a to the top of a huge hill which looks out over the Surrey countryside and then James proceeded to ask me to marry him. Blush. I said yes and then we spent the rest of the evening drinking bubbly and being very smiley.

On Thursday we drove to Devon to camp on a friend’s field for the bank holiday with a group of my oldest friends. The weather was good to us and we were able to do lots of canoeing, walking, played lots of volleyball and I did the 90 mins swim in the estuary I wrote about before I went on holiday. I was a little cold and blue when I got out to of the water but nothing an apple crumble in the local pub couldn’t fix! So although I didn’t do a lot of standard training I was very active and spent all my time in the great outdoors. Unfortunatley when your camping and the majority of your food is cooked over a campfire your diet is not as balanced as you normally aspire it to be and I think my consumption largely outweighed my activity!!!

At this point I must contradict Marta’s blog about the ability to get a good sleep in the countryside, one night we were woken up by two owls twit twoowing overhead, another night by a peacock screeching and another by the farm dog raiding our leftover pans by the fire!

And so I returned to work on Tuesday and the four day week was well received!

It is easy to let the post-holiday blues and the results of the excess of holiday get you down (if you haven’t returned home with a sparkly ring) but why not turn this on its head and make it into a huge motivational drive for you to work harder and get back on track I know I am.

Katie

Silence, dark nights and apple crumble ...

2010-08-31T10:11:00.002+01:00

Morning everyone!

What a beautiful day we have today. Much cooler though I must say. Looks like the autumn it's well on it's way.
How is everyone feeling after the last long weekend of the year before the government blesses us with another bank holiday in October?

I can not help but day dream about the last few days. I went to Cambridgeshire for some much needed rest away from London and a decent dose of fresh air. After just 2 days away from the hustle and bustle of the Big Smoke I walked into the studio this morning feeling as if I was away for much much longer. The most amazing things about the countryside, we often forget are the pitch black nights allowing your brain to produce enough sleep hormones to make you feel refreshed and raring to go in the morning and the silence you hear when you wake up (less the ringing in your ears from the constant city noise we are so used to and even unaware of sometimes).

Spending pretty much the whole weekend cooking yummy food (yes yes, apple and blackberry crumble included!), spending time around the table, chatting and laughing, walking through the fields I decided to go for a run on Sunday. Not really knowing where I was going made it just that little bit more exciting. It's amazing how different people are outside big cities. I am sure most of you runners know what a pain it is to run through the city, even by the river, dodging people who think we're only there to get in their way. Running through the small villages of Cambridgeshire there was nothing else but smiles, encouragement and friendly chats that I heard from passers by. Why don't we learn from people able to live their life slow, smile to strangers and appreciate what's around them?

It's so important to be able to switch off and slow down, especially if we are running around like crazy all week, working stupid hours and not getting enough sleep. It just shows that if done properly a couple of days away from it all on a regular basis will help to recharge our so overused energy batteries and help our bodies recover and get ready for another busy week ahead.

Have a great week all and I'll chat too you soon again.

Marta

Out of Office

2010-08-20T11:13:00.001+01:00

This is my last day in the studio before I go off on a week’s holiday. I am very excited and really can’t wait. I’m sure my next blog instalment will be all about my famous five camping trip so I wont bore you with the details now. Needless to say I’m looking forward to getting out of the big smoke and joining the masses on the A303 to the West Country.

I’ll be taking my trainers for some well desired countryside hills running and my wetsuit for a the odd swim in the estuary. The very same estuary that was featured in the FT this week for being a great place for open water swimming. The sharp eyed amongst you may notice the boats house in the photo in the FT is same boathouse I featured in my blog on Friday 16th July - I and so ahead of the trend!

I look forward to reporting all on my return.

Be kind to Marta and Scott next week as Jos, BJ and myself are all away.

Katie

Staying Motivated

2010-08-20T10:28:00.001+01:00

Hello all…

When I speak to people about there day I seem to get the same responses from family and friends.. “I’m tired” , “had such a hard day” or a general un-motivated response.

Whatever little obstacles you pass through your day, the way you react to these will depend on your mood.

Whether your boss Is giving you the ump or colleagues are being useless, just overcome the problem then shrug it off with a smile on your face.

I’ll guarantee you’ll feel a lot better and end the day having a great nights sleep being un-stressed.

Give it a go for a week and just see how you feel by Friday!

Scotty B

The Great Outdoor Gyms ... no excuses people!!

2010-08-19T10:32:00.003+01:00

Good morning all :)

The sun is out and the spirits are high!

Last weekend I ventured out on a trip around Kilburn and West Hampstead never expecting what was to come. After a huge downpour I managed to escape settling down on a cosy sofa of one of the West End Lane's tapas bars and having some yummy lunch I continued my escapade through random streets and alleys.

Now, I have been walking around here quite few times but this time something looking rather like a decent set of gymnast rings in a nice grassy little park like area took me slightly off my usual route to check out who and why would be installing such things outdoors. To my delight here it was right in front of my eyes a full on, bright coloured outdoor gym on one side and an assault course with a full set of rings, a massive spider web and all sorts of other amusements waiting for me to go and play. So I did :) The only problem was that it was still wet and very slippery from the rain but I can't wait to hit the rings again this weekend!

I have seen one of those in Ibiza and thought that it's probably just a holiday destination thing. It turns out slightly different however. There is a whole lot of them in London. Here's their website so go on, have a look if there's one in your area. They also have playgrounds for kids so no excuses for the whole family going for a walk and having an outdoor activities session using one of those.

Enjoy and let me know how you get on!

Marta :)

Joslyn's Blog Spot - The Magic 7!!

2010-08-15T15:21:00.002+01:00

I used to think that 8 hours sleep was the magic number! Ooh, if I get my 8 hours my skin will be lovely, and my attention span will be on flying form. Now that's not to say of course that I do ever get 8 hours, if I'm honest it's 6.5-7 in the week and I manage to get maybe 9 at weekends. Anyway according to a study of over 30,000 adults, by researchers at West Virginia University’s (WVU) faculty of medicine, 7 hours of sleep is the magic number!

People who sleep for less than seven hours a day, including naps, are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Whilst those sleeping fewer than five hours a day, including naps, more than double the risk of angina, heart attack, or stroke. Those at the highest risk are the over 60s, but it's good to get into good habits now I feel!

The study also found that those sleeping for more than seven hours, also increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, with those who slept for nine hours or longer being one-and-a half times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those who slept for seven hours.

Whilst the authors of the study were unable to determine the causal relationship between length of sleep and the risk of cardiovascular disease, they did point out that lack of sleep affects endocrine and metabolic function, as well as causing high blood pressure, impaired glucose tolerance and reduced insulin sensitivity. These can all lead to hardening of the arteries and thus cardiovascular disease.

Remember, sleep is the time during which your body really reaps the benefits of all of your hard work. Little time to grow and repair, means problems in the future.

2010-08-12T12:01:00.006+01:00

Happy Thursday!

How are we? The sun seems to have disappeared somewhere... At least it's not pouring down as it was on Tuesday.

I was going through my emails and all the newsletters and updates I am regularly getting and thought it may be worth sharing some goodness with you. You all probably know by now that I am a bit of a nutritional geek so have a look at some of the below and remember:

"Those who think have no time for healthy eating, will sooner or later have to find time for illness" - Edward Stanley

Here are a few website addresses I am visiting to explore and expand my nutritional knowledge and also find useful information on supplements and other valid tips and advice on healthy living (in a proper way, not the conventional and commercial rubbish we are being fed by media!). Some of them I have mentioned before but will still include them here so we have them all in one place.

First one I'd like to mention Patrick Holfird's website:

www.patrickholford.com

Patrick Holford is a pioneer in new approaches to health and nutrition, specialising in the field of mental health. He is widely regarded as Britain’s best-selling author and leading spokesman on nutrition and mental health issues, hence being frequently quoted in national newspapers from the Daily Mail to the Guardian. Patrick is also popular on radio shows and national television as a presenter, interviewer and guest.

Check out the "Are you 100% healthy" tab to see what really is wrong with you and how to fix it without visiting your doctor.

Another two are American websites known again for their brain tickling articles more often than not going against the conventional 'eat and live healthy' quotes, proving that what's been going on in the medical and nutritional public eye for the last 30-50 years is not quite the way it should be...

www.mercola.com

Dr. Mercola has made significant milestones in his mission to bring people practical solutions to their health problems. A New York Times Best Selling Author, Dr. Mercola was also voted the 2009 Ultimate Wellness Game Changer by the Huffington Post, and has been featured in TIME magazine, LA Times, CNN, Fox News, ABC News, Today Show, CBS’s Washington Unplugged with Sharyl Attkisson, and other major media resources.

Beware as Mercola has his strong supporters and quite a few do hate him too. Mainly for going against mainstream... You decide!

www.westonaprice.org

The Weston A. Price Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charity founded in 1999 to disseminate the research of nutrition pioneer Dr. Weston Price, whose studies of isolated nonindustrialized peoples established the parameters of human health and determined the optimum characteristics of human diets.

Check out a bit more about Price himself. Started as a dentist and drifted off in a completely different direction delivering amazing research. Look into his work. What a man!!

And here are the two favourite food sites of mine. The natural food finder will help you locate the best, most natural and healthy food at your door step. Have a look at Ben Pratt's blog as well. The guy knows what he is talking about. He is the author of the nutrition courses I did as part of my nutritional journey.

www.naturalfoodfinder.com

And the previously mentioned, and I am sure mentioned more than once - Abel and Cole. I am getting their amazing boxes delivered to my door every Wednesday morning. Absolutely delicious organic food. Check them out and if you decide to sign up put my name down as a referral :) Will get a lovely bottle of vino for that, haha!

www.abelandcole.com

So here you go! An abundance of brain training over the weekend. Read on and enjoy. It's worth it.

Till next time!

Marta :)

Would you feed your children food from GM crops?

2010-08-06T14:09:00.001+01:00

This week my brain is awash with science that is in the news. There are so many topics being thrown around in so many headlines. I feel that I am unable to write a blog which in any way does any of the subject matters justice in terms of the science and my personal conclusions but more that I urge you delve into the subjects yourselves as I think they are important to us all.

I would urge you to read the article on the BBC website called Fussy eaters - what's wrong with GM food?” http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8789279.stm Not just because it highlights many interesting points within the actual article but also because there are lengthy comments below the article which in fact tell as much as a story of societies trust or distrust of the science and interpretation or misinterpretation of the science depending on your view point as the article does about the topic of GM foods.

Have a read – see what you think and let me know!

You might also be interested in:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19266-briefing-anyone-for-a-cloned-steak-and-milkshake.html

Have a good weekend. I’m off to watch my friend do an Ironman in Nottingham. I’ll tell you about that next week.

Katie

Swimmers Nutrition (or lack of it)

2010-08-06T09:12:00.000+01:00

Last week I wrote about Stuart Broad and his pre / post exercises and nutrition.

I picked up the ‘Sport’ magazine this morning and found the nutrition of Rebecca Adlington who is the current 800m freestyle world record holder and double Olympic Champion.

Got to say I was a little shocked by Becky’s (first name basis ☺) nutrition.

Her breakfast at 05:15 consists of cereal, preferably Rice Crispies. Which consist of Simple Carbohydrates (sugar) and more rubbish.

First swim at 06:00 which takes approx 2 hours. This will consist of 3,000 and 8,000m swims then some speed work.

At 08:20 she goes home walks the dogs then has another bowl of cereal, this time it’s either Special K (sugar) or Weetabix Mini’s (sugar)…

10:30 “I always have a sleep during the day. As a top athlete its really important to get enough rest, so I’ll normally nap a couple of hours before lunchtime”
To be honest im not surprised she needs the sleep after a workout and the fact she’s currently on a come-down from all the sugar she consumed that morning.

13:00 (When she’s woken up, bless her) Rebecca then makes herself a ham and cheese sandwich followed by a packet of Wotsits. Seriously I know 12 year olds with better nutrition than this girl.

16:00 Circuit training which consits of Core stability work and body weight exercises. Straight after this Rebecca then goes to the pool with the rest of the team and does another 2 hour swim of Speed and Intervals… A lot of work for someone that’s eaten Starch and Sugar since 6am this morning,

I can’t take it away from Rebecca as she is the champion, so she must be doing something right. Plus with the training she’s doing she is burnings a lot of calories throughout the day so she does need these sugars to aid her through her training, but where was the protein throughout the day to help repair these muscles she working so hard? Where was the Complex Carbs to give her that energy to train throughout the day?
Have the Simple Carbs if your training 2-3 times a day like Rebecca but by adding some protein in every meal you will reduce excess fat storage.

This was a typical Monday for Rebecca, let’s hope the week gets better.

Until Next week all…

On another note, my Cricket team have won 4 out of the last 4 games (great captaincy ☺) and we’re looking good for promotion!

Scotty B

Back to basics part 3 - fats

2010-08-05T14:20:00.006+01:00

Hello hello

I am back with the fattest of my blogs so far, boo hooo! A little breakdown of fats and hopefully some enlightenment. The purpose of today's writing is to clarify what types of fats we have out there and explain a bit more about their chemical structure. I am not aiming to bust the fat myths and as you all know there is a lot of them out there. That's a totally different story to dwell on some other time.

Here we go then.

All fats (solid form) and oils (liquid form) are part of the lipids family. Due to several roles they play in human physiology they are an essential component of our diet.

For a better understanding of how important fats are in our diet have a look at some main functions they play in our bodies:

- they form every cell membrane

- in order to function properly the nervous system is covered in a thin fat layer (the myelin sheath)

- composes most of the central nervous system and the spinal cord

- synthesis of all steroid hormones

- assist in the regulation of enzymes

- protection of internal organs and body insulation

- transport, storage and utilisation of fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K)

The chemical structure of fats consists of chains of carbon rings joined together with hydrogen and oxygen. Smaller units of fats are called fatty acids, which can form different shape and length chains. Fats are very versatile and each different form will mean different function in the body. The shorter the chain the quicker its absorption into the blood stream in order to be used as a preferred source of energy. Believe it or not butter and coconut oil both consist of short fatty acid chains, and no, they do not make you fat! Olive oil and vegetable oils in comparison consist of long fatty acid chains.

There are different types of fats and oils found in food we consume every day. All of them naturally exist in a form of triglicerides. A trigliceride is built up of 3 fatty acids connected to glycerol (a carbohydrate backbone). Triglicerides are being broken down during digestion in order to be used by the body as required. Fat is the simplest macronutrient to digest.

Saturated fat

These fatty acid chains are saturated with hydrogen, their straight in their chemical structure - solid in room temperature. Saturated fats can be found in meat, poultry, dairy, eggs and palm and coconut oil.

They play a significant role in the body such as:

- enhancement of the immune system

- energy for and integrity of the cell

- enhancement of liver function

- antimicrobal and antiviral properties (especially coconut oil)

So as you can see they are good for you and it is important to know that increasing number of researchers fail to find a correlation between saturated fat consumption and atherosclerosis. But yet again this is another topic to be discussed another time. Onto unsaturated fats now.

Foods that are rich in unsaturated fats are almost always oils and come from plants. The name mean nothing more than some of the hydrogen atoms are absent from the fatty acid chains. Each time, when there is a hydrogen atom missing from the chain a double bond is being created between two carbon atoms, the chemical chain also bends in that place. There are fatty acid chains with only one double bond - monounsaturated fatty acids or several double bonds - polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Monounsaturated fats (52% of adipose tissue - body fat consists of monounsaturates) come mainly from olive oil, lard, avocado oil, almonds and hazel nuts and polyunsaturated fats come from flaxseed oil, sesame oil, corn oil and sunflower oil.

As both mono and polyunsaturated fats come from nature, the industrialisation of our food came up with another type, commonly known as trans unsaturated fatty acids (they exist in natural sources in very small amounts - less than 2% ). Trans fats are chemically altered in structure, mainly through mass processing of unsaturated oils. The body is unable to recognise this structure, therefore they become damaging to human tissue structure. Some experts believe that trans fatty acids are closer in their chemical structure to plastic rather than fat! They're associated with several health risks such as:

- coronary heart disease

- sexual dysfunction

- paralysis of the immune system

- atherosclerosis

- diabetes

- bone and tendon problems

Fats being such a broad subject can be discussed endlessly, I hope this has given you some basic understanding of what fats actually are and how important they are in our daily diets.

Till next time

Marta

You're Not Too OLD!

2010-07-30T10:08:00.014+01:00

I started this week worrying about how fast time flies. It is 18 Years since the Barcelona Olympics when Sally Gunnal and Lindford Christie inspired me by winning their medals but it feels like it was just yesterday.

For those that don’t know it is the currently the European Athletics Championships in Barcelona on the same track as the Olympics were held. I may not still train or race like an athlete (see photo) but I do enjoy watching those that do! Funnily enough the silver medallist in the 10, 000m was won by Chris Thompson who was in my age group at my old athletics club. I was proud to watch him but I also had a small feeling of underachievement, he has got faster in 18 years but I have not.

Then, last night while I was cycling home I heard some news that made me feel frankly ridiculous for feeling old and wondering where the time had gone. Merlene Ottey, the once Jamaican Legend is competing in this European championship in the 4 x 100m relay for her new country Slovenia. Merlene Ottey is 50. In the interview she said that "she just loves to run and will run as fast as she can for as long as she can". Totally inspiring.

So the moral of today’s blog is that there is no excuse. Please don’t tell me when I ask you to do a berpie that you are too old. You are not too old you are just allowing yourself to feel old. Have a word with your self – focus on Merlene Otteys achievements she is 50 and still racing as an equal against teenagers, allow your self to be inspired, then get on with it!

Have a good weekend.

Katie

Joslyn's Blog Spot - Letters to parents concerning childhood obesity!

2010-07-26T22:05:00.001+01:00

In an initiative to combat the increasing incidence of childhood obesity, parents are being sent letters informing them of whether their child is of a healthy weight, or not. This caused a little concern last week as some parents were angry that their child was labelled overweight. One such child was Bailey Russell who is just recovering from cancer and has successfully gained weight after being painfully thin. Yes, this was an administrative error and in this instance the letter should not have been sent out. I was surprised however to read that his mother thought it appropriate to tell him what the letter said, causing him to be upset. Poor judgement it seems, in both cases.

The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP), established in 2005, is part of the Government’s work programme on childhood obesity and allows for analysis of trends in growth patterns taken from children in Reception and Year 6. The measurement is taken from the child's BMI (body mass index) which is a measure of healthy weight based on height, age and sex. The accuracy of BMI is not 100 percent as muscle mass and many other variables are not taken into account. Basketball player, Michael Jordan was indeed obese in his prime according to the BMI, but it's pretty obvious that all of his lean muscle tipped the scales. But sadly, the general population are not built like Michael Jordan, and for the general population, the BMI may be used as a general indicator of healthy weight. It's not gospel, but it's fairly useful.

The reality is that we have an obesity problem with 1 in 3 children obese by the age of 11. So where do we go with this problem? I believe parents should be informed if their children are overweight or indeed underweight, and they should equally be able to reason if their children are borderline obese, or are tall for the age, or any other factors that may bias the results, instead of freaking out. The real problem lies in the fact that a lot of parents don't actually realise that their child is overweight. A 2008 study from the Department of Health cites that only 12 percent of parents with overweight or obese children realise that their child has a weight problem. And so it is necessary for parents to be informed that their children are not of a healthy weight, and also of the consequences of that. As Marta rightly mentioned last week the old food pyramid is no longer an ideal guide to healthy eating, it originated in the late seventies and our understanding of food and general health has come on in leaps and bounds since then. (Remember it's not that long ago since we were all merrily passive smoking in pubs and restaurants!) Again though, if a parent is using the old food pyramid as a guide, and their child is overweight, surely they will realise something is not working and reassess the child's diet and physical activity in order to get them to a healthy weight?

There was also concern as to whether sending out such letters would cause eating disorders if a child is told they are overweight. The letters are sent via post to the parents, not the children, and so it would appear sensible for the parent to slowly adjust any necessary changes to food and activity levels rather than telling the child they are being put on a diet because they are overweight! The letters also come with leaflets about how to make these healthy changes. The good news is that the rise in childhood obesity is levelling off, so programmes such as this are hopefully doing their job. As my mother tells me, a satsuma in her Christmas stocking as a child was a dream, jump forward 60 years and kitchen cupboards are bursting with quality streets and pringles around the festive season. Ahem..."the diet starts tomorrow!!"

Cricketers Nutrition

2010-07-23T07:49:00.001+01:00

Know what your thinking – he’s going rabbit on about cricket again…

I was walking through Bishopsgate this morning and picked up this weeks ‘Sport’ magazine. Instead of looking at the gadgets as usual and the over priced sporting equipment, there was an interesting section on Stuart Broad (England fast bowler) and what he does before a game and his nutrition. Many see cricket as a bit of an old man’s game but in the pro form where they’re bowling in excess of 90+ mph it will take a well fed body to keep you on top.

A typical English test match will start around 10:30am so Stuart (first name basis ☺) will wake up around 7:00am and have a 10 minute swim, Jacuzzi then a stretch to start the day. He’s hydrate himself during and after the Jacuzzi.
Around 8:30am he’d be expected to arrive at the ground, there he will have his breakfast. His breakfast would consist of scrambled egg, beans on toast with a cup of tea. Not a bad breakfast to be honest, source of complex Carbohydrates and protein.
At 10:30am the days play will start, the players will have intervals for drinks and food throughout the day as the days play will finish around 6pm.

First break of the day will be lunch at 1:00pm. Depending whether Stuart will be bowling after lunch will depend on how strict he is with his lunch. Ideally if he is bowling after lunch he won’t want anything too heavy so his lunch will be similar to his breakfast – Carbohydrates and protein which will sit light on the stomach.
All the players, bowlers especially have an opportunity to take on fluids throughout the day whether it’s a scheduled break or not. Stuart says its not un-common to have sweets on the side line with your drink to give you that sugar rush. Problem is though if your anything like me and you start the bag any finish them your very likely to have crash in your blood sugar levels, which will result in you feeling very lazy and tired until you eat again.

Years ago, tea which is around 3:30pm used to consist of a cakes and cups of tea but now days is consists more of a banana and a protein shake to help you finish the days play.

After a days cricket he will have the ‘hot, cold’ treatment which consists of 1min in an ice cold bath then 1min in the hot bath, this will help the muscles relax and with the protein help them repair and avoid the muscle soreness for the following day.
After the baths its known the bowlers will have any problems they felt throughout the day delt with, whether it’s a niggle in their backs or just feeling tight.

As a test match (5 days of cricket) is tough on the body he will have another good source of protein for dinner, usually Sushi and bed by 10:00pm ready for the next days play.

May I add very rarely am I in bed by 10:00pm on a Friday before my cricket on a Saturday so maybe I should take this on board!

Speak soon all

National template? Give me a break!!

2010-07-22T12:55:00.004+01:00

It was supposed to be back to basics part 3 today funnily enough about fats, and I will talk about fats... slightly different though! Back to basics has been postponed.

How many of you read metro on their way to work? Over the last few days I picked up the paper twice, and twice there was an article about NHS sending letters to parents saying that their kids are overweight and at a risk of cancer.... Now come on!! Have a read first, this is today's article. It fills me with a mixture of fury, embarrassment at today's medic's incompetency and the ridiculous methods our government is trying to use to desperately tackle the raising problem that stems from the European and American governing bodies in the first place! Where do you think our super healthy, NOT! food pyramid comes from telling us to stuff our faces with 6 - 11 servings of carbohydrate (bread, rice, pasta, cereals) a day, when the human genetics are not even supposed to process grains?

How can we possibly tell someone you're fat putting the person on a set of scales that are probably not even calibrated properly. Knowing nothing about the person's background and medical history (obviously, telling a recovering cancer patient that he is overweight and at a risk of cancer) and not bothering to look deeper into each individual case. That would be frustrating for an adult but a 5 year old boy? And also, the article says he was a mere 2 pounds above the norm. Well there is a question - What is the norm? How is this being set up? Based on an average person? Who is an average person? Is there one out there? How many times have I told you that during your sessions? It's hard to generalise amongst adults, even harder with children. Especially fighting conditions like cancer. This article followed another one, from just a couple of days ago (Tuesday's Metro) which I couldn't find on the net to post a link for you. Similar story with totally healthy kids asking their parents 'Are they saying I am fat mum?' Again, how much do they know about the little boy and girl that had some checks some time ago and apparently were a bit too heavy for the standards.

The NHS explain themselves saying the letter follows a national template... Please! If there's no time or money to investigate and make sure appropriate advice goes to patients out there relying on their doctor's being knowledgeable and someone to trust when it comes to health and wellbeing, maybe consider spending the money that was paid to someone for drafting this letter, letterhead paper, ink, printers, postage etc etc on reeducating a few big headed professionals setting up national standards causing more damage than help DOH!

Sorry I went on a rant on here today, back to 'fats' again next week.

Till next time.

Marta :)

Joslyn's Blog Spot - Swimming from England to France...

2010-07-20T23:41:00.002+01:00

How do you get from the Uk to France? I know the only way I go is via plane or train honey. But a bunch of folks, one being a very good friend and client of mine has decided it might be a good (read, crazy-ass) idea to swim it!! That's right, goggles on, earplugs in, let's go for a paddle!!! Bbrrrrrrr!! So my friend, let's call her mad-Jen was semi-freaking out about the fact that whilst herself and the team have been training since May in the cold waters of Parliament Hill and Dover (and a brief foray in the North Sea in 6-7C) working up to almost 3 hours in 15C, the conditions have generally been flat-ish and quite calm. Cue, the channel, hmmm let's see, damn cold, no sides to hold onto, choppy water, and more jelly fish than you would ever care to imagine!!! Brave. Oh, and, no wetsuits or covering themselves in lard. Expletive. So the guys have been given the green light with the tide and other such sea-faring stuff which I don't understand since I'm a dry-land girl. The team are raising money for Bliss and Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Truly Inspirational guys!!!!! Wishing you all the best of luck you crazies!!!!

Having an adventure.

2010-07-16T11:10:00.007+01:00

Last weekend I went on a little adventure down to the West Country with my Mum and step father. They had hired a cottage so I went down with them for the weekend. On arrival on Saturday the weather was beautiful so we blew up Brian's (step father) new two man canoe and wondered down to the estuary.

The place where they were staying is on the edge of The River Avon which leads to the beach at Bantham and The Ham about a mile around the corner. Being tidal you have to get your timings right to use the estuary to get to the beach or you have to push hard against the current. Needless to say on Saturday afternoon the tide was about 45 minutes from high tide so to get to the beach we were going to have to push hard against the last of the incoming water. My step father and I jumped to the challenge and pootled off in the canoe in the direction of The Ham and the beach while my mum walked across the land to reach the same point. It was pretty tough going especially as Brian was not really getting the nack of trying to paddle in unison with me so we kept banging paddles which I’m guessing is less than efficient!

The banks narrow at the last bend of the estuary before our destination and thus the current increases in strength. People on the bank actually stopped to watch as Brian and I battled the current very slowly and felt the burn but triumphantly we marine landed the canoe and met my mum for a 5 minute power-rest. I then donned my wetsuit, trying not to get too sandy, waded into the estuary and helped my mum into the canoe. Brian and my mum then proceeded to do the odd paddle but pretty much got taken by the tide back to the boat house were we had begun while I swam.

The point of my blog today is that although we all have our many reasons for training, the outcome is the same, an increase in fitness and a by product of this fitness is that we can lives that little bit easier and even do adventurous things without any trouble. I do feel good when I have completed a triathlon but I feel equally good about beating the tide on a Famous Five style adventure on a Saturday afternoon in the countryside, I thank my training for that.

Happy adventures.

Katie

Slimming Pills

2010-07-16T06:53:00.001+01:00

The BBC have reviewed the use of diet pills and whether they work. They have studied 4 out of 100’s of remedies and none or very little of them have any scientific evidence to prove they work.
The 4 they investigated are Adios, Alli, Biosynergy and Slim-nite.. Each of these companies have offered a small sentence to claim why or how there product works.

Adios - "Can help you to lose weight by speeding up your body's metabolic rate."
Scotty - Just as eating healthier and doing some weights programme would help increase your metabolic rate and keep it raised rather than let it drop when you come off the tablets.

Alli - "Alli is clinically proven to help you lose more weight than dieting alone."
Scotty - To start your not allowed to be on Alli tablets unless you have a BMI of over 28, ask yourself why? Also yes it may make you lose weight quicker but what happens when you come off these tablets? What happens in the long run? …. NEXT

BioSynergy - "Clinical trials of Hoodia have shown that calorific intake can reduce by up to 1000k/cals per day."
Scotty - What if I’m eating well throughout the day, good sources of protein and complex Carbohydrates prior to 6pm, by taking this tablet I wont be able to eat as much therefore wont it reduce my metabolic rate in the long run?

Slim-nite "Research suggests that carnitine is a normal constituent of the body where it plays a vital role in converting stored body fat into energy."
Scotty - Three studies investigating the effects in humans of L-carnitine were found. Two of the studies found that the amino acid did not promote weight loss. The third was not able to show the specific effect of L-carnitine in weight reduction.

So to sum up if you eat well, exercise regularly and increase your metabolic rate naturally this will help you loose weight and keep the weight off without having to put any of these chemicals in your body.
The added bonus of doing it OUR way is you’ll keep the weight off and by training you’ll be stronger and feel better within yourself!

Speak soon all…. Scotty B :)

Back to basics part 2 - protein

2010-07-15T11:05:00.008+01:00

Another Thursday, back to basics part 2.

Protein time today.

To start off, a little bit on what a protein actually is. All proteins are built of smaller building blocks called amino acids. There are 20 in total out of which 9 are considered essential, which means they have to be ingested from food as human body is unable to synthesise them. And only when we intake a sufficient amount of the essential amino acids, the body is able to produce the remaining 11. A varied diet with a range of different protein sources will provide adequate amounts of both types.

Amino acids then are joined together and form peptides. They are forming various length chains, which eventually become proteins. The easiest way to imagine this process is to think of various words being created using different combinations of the 26 letters in the alphabet. Proteins are formed when the amino acid chain counts at least 100 of them or if two or more multi peptide chains link together.

It is important to remember that the shape and structure of a protein is absolutely essential to its function, therefore anything like cooking at high temperature will denature its shape making it much more difficult for the human body to absorb and use it as initially intended.

Proteins are essential for growth and repair. They serve as base material for:

- muscle

- bones

- blood vessels

- DNA and RNA

- enzymes

- antibodies

- hormones

They also are responsible for homeostasis, the process in which the body is trying to maintain a balanced state. Some of the proteins help with maintaining this balance. Hormones (protein serve as building blocks) are chemical messengers in the human body that regulate various processes, such as blood glucose levels. Enzymes, also built of protein, are responsible for speeding up reactions.

Energy source is another use of protein in our bodies. Although not the usual, when necessary they can be converted into glucose (hence long endurance training will eventually lead to breaking down muscle tissue, which essentially is protein, when the body runs out of the glycogen stores in the muscles, and no, it will not help you stay tight and lean, go do some intervals instead). They can also be converted into fatty acids or ketones as and when needed.

There are two types of protein in foods that we consume.

Complete protein - containing all essential amino acids in sufficient amounts needed for the liver to produce the other eleven. They are mainly found in animal source foods like:

- eggs (7-12g per egg)

- meat (22-36% by weight)

- poultry (15-34% by weight)

- dairy (depending on product)

- fish (13-26% by weight)

Complete protein from non animal produce can be found in buckwheat, quinoa and soy. Soy however is the least recommended out of the 3 as its protein is extremely fragile and easily damaged by processing that it needs to go through
before it is edible.

Incomplete protein - comes mostly from plant matter, which primarily is a source of simple and complex carbohydrates, however still contains other nutrients. Plants often contain smaller concentrations of protein in comparison to animal produce, therefore it is difficult to intake enough purely from plant based diet.

Main plant based protein sources are:

- grains (rye, spelt, oats, barley etc. 2-18% by weight)

- pulses (beans, peas, chickpeas etc., 5-26% by weight)

- nuts and seeds (anything from 1-26% by weight)

- vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, onions, squash etc, although only 1-7% by weight)

Incomplete protein source won't have all 9 essential amino acids in there, therefore they should be combined with other sources to make complete protein, they are also called complementary protein. Example combinations are:

- rice and pulses

- vegetables and seeds

- grains and pulses

Another important thing to remember is the biological value of protein, which is nothing more, nothing less than the quality of the nutrient. Looking at the values of different products, if a certain food has a biological value of 70%, this means that only 70% of specific nutrient such as protein will be absorbed by the body. Here are a few examples:

- eggs 95% - 100%

- chicken 95%

- red meat 80%

We all need to remember though that more than anything it is the quality and origin of the food that counts. We can eat as many eggs as we want but if they come from battery farmed hens there's a little chance of the protein being good quality. Same thing with industrial farmed meat coming from ill animals being fed human made fodder that is not their natural feed and antibiotics to fight disease. How is that supposed to be good for us? That is a completely different story which I have talked about before anyway.

Till next week - fats on the agenda.

Marta :)

Joslyn's Blog Spot - The breakfast that tastes like ice-cream!!

2010-07-12T22:54:00.001+01:00

I thought I would share with you the breakfast recipe that I ave every morning and am still very in love with!! It tastes like berry sorbet and is indeed divine!!

Mixed Berry Breakfast Shake

450g of frozen strawberries
115g cup of blueberries
1 scoop of unflavoured protein powder
Water

9 almonds or walnuts to eat separately.

Throw the fruit and protein powder into a large beaker and add enough water just to cover the fruit and protein. Blend it up and there you have it!!! The most delicious sorbet like breakfast smoothie!! Nibble with the nuts to get that good fat in too!!

There was still a long way to go!

2010-07-09T09:25:00.003+01:00

For those that have not already done so, I would read Jos’s blog titled “Joslyn's Blog Spot - "Well done" only!!” before you read this.

As you will have already read, Jos and I found ourselves at Dorney Lake in Windsor in the midday heat on Saturday to both race. I raced a ¾ distance triathlon which is 800m swim, 30km bike and 7.5km run and Jos was meant to run in the 5Km race. Although pre-race I had another puncher which the nice bike man fixed (the 5th inner tube in 2 races) Jos had much more drama with her car that broke down 7 times.

My race started at 1105 by which time Jos had still not arrived due to aforementioned broken car.

I first spotted that Jos had finally arrived on my third bike lap of six around the lake. I bellowed a loud hello to get her attention. For the next 3 laps I smiled as I passed Jos on my bike proving that I am not grumpy during the entire race.

The “not far now incident” occurred on my first run lap of three. For anyone that has not done a triathlon it is hard to describe the feeling of the first few kilometers of the run straight off the bike. It is not a great feeling. Your legs are as heavy as led and you are full to the brim with lactic. When Jos offered the motivating comments of “not far” I still had 5km to run and as far as my pain ridden body was concerned that was far! On laps two and three you really do feel a lot better and as Jos mentioned I did skip past on these final two laps.

Post race I then jumped in my car and drove around the M25 and down the M3 home to help my mum out by playing in a teachers vs. students hockey match for Founders day at my old school (my mum is dept head there and thus me playing for the teachers). I didn’t have time to eat post triathlon and pre-hockey but felt fine… until I started to run. I then realized that I was a little fatigued and in fact a triathlon then hockey was maybe a step too far on one of the hottest days of the year, but I powered on none the less trying hard not to be tackled by any of the kids!

I did Ok at the triathlon and we won the hockey 1-0 so other than the terrible tan lines from the racing back of my triathlon top and ridiculous classic hockey tan lines from hockey skirt to socks a good but tiring day was had.

Katie

5-3-1 Update

2010-07-09T07:45:00.001+01:00

I have just finished my 3rd week of the strength programme, my Deadlift has increased by 10kg, the over head press has remained at 52.5kg and my squat has improved by 5kg.

Marta has measured me up and taken the nasty skin folds so I can keep an eye on my weight and body fat to give me a good idea of how well its all going.

The idea is to get my Deadlift to 2.5 x my body weight so around 200kg (+80kg) and my Squat 2 x my body weight so roughly 160kg (+50kg) Depending how my body weight fluctuates.

On another note – Like every Saturday, it was cricket day so we travelled to Southend to play Eastwood (yes still in Essex).
I lost the toss and was asked to field in the heat, after 3 ½ hours the opposition finished 268/7 of their 45overs.
Over lunch, my bowlers were tired and fielders demoralised. After a motivational chat from the skipper ☺ we went out to chase down the mammoth score.
We were 30/3 after 5 overs – Not the start we hoped for!
But not to fear, Skipper came to the crease (the same skipper that had an average of less than 10 this year) and scored an emphatic 128 which included 9 sixes - and took the team to the brink of victory but we ended up 268 all out and tied the game.

So, something that initially looked un-reachable soon became reachable!

See you all soon and wish me luck for tomorrow…

Scott

Back to basics part 1 - carbohydrates

2010-07-08T12:05:00.009+01:00

Happy Thursday everyone :)!

After murdering you all with my nutritional and emotional escapades I have decided to go back to basics. We can be talking as much as we want about what to eat, what's good and what's bad but we can't go very far in our ventures if we don't know some of the basics. And again I don't want you to get to worked up about it but it will be good just to break it down a little.

Carbohydrates today ladies and gents. Some of us think they're awesome, some think that they're the biggest enemy. Well... there is a bit of truth in both statements, however it is essential to understand the difference between different types of carbs and what happens when we eat them.

Dietary carbohydrates are used in the body in different ways. They could be directed to the liver or muscles and be stored as glycogen or used immediately as fuel. Excess carbohydrate will be sent into adipose tissue and converted into fat (yes yes it's those bad boys that are responsible for those love handles that you're desperately trying to get rid of).

All carbohydrates are made up of molecules called saccharides, which we can divide into 3 groups:

- simple carbs (sugars)
- complex carbs (starch)
- non starch polysaccharides (fibre)

Simple carbohydrates can be further divided into

Monosaccharides - single molecule of sugars

- glucose
- fructose
- galactose

Disaccharides - two monosaccharide molecules joined together

- sucrose (glucose + fructose)
- lactose (glucose + galactose)
- maltose (glucose + glucose)

Healthier options of simple carbohydrates will be fresh fruit and vegetables. Some fruit will still be really high in sugar therefore upsetting the blood sugar levels in our system. Those to avoid will obviously be all processed and refined simple carbohydrates in cakes, biscuits and soft drinks. You need to remember that nature's creations such as fruit or vegetables have got a myriad of other nutrients like vitamins, helping with digestion and absorption, which all the processed produce will be stripped of.

Complex carbohydrates are much longer and more complicated, branched chains of simple carbohydrates, consisting of many molecules of glucose, fructose and galactose joined together. They are also called polysaccharides and once eaten our digestive system breaks them down into monosaccharides and allows them to enter the bloodstream. Following this absorption they'll either be metabolised or stored accordingly to the body's needs. Yet again we can divide them into refined such as white bread, white rice or pasta, cakes, biscuits and pastries and unrefined such as whole grain and whole meal products, pulses and quinoa. We can also find them in fruit and vegetables.

And again the least processed the better. All refined and highly processed carbohydrates will be stripped of their mineral and vitamin content, lacking fibre and upsetting blood sugar levels and balance (faster insulin response). The unrefined complex carbs will provide a steady insuline response, and all the nutrients the processed produce is lacking.

Finally fibre which consists of non starch polysaccharides - NSP is the indigestible plant material such as:

- pectin

- lignin

- cellulose

- hemicellulose

Fibre can be found in fruit, vegetables, grains and beans. There are two types:

- soluble, found in the inner, soft parts of plants

- insoluble, found on the outer layer such as the husk in unrefined grains or fruit and vegetable skins

As it cannot be digested (human digestive tract lacks the appropriate enzymes to break it down) it does not provide energy. Why is it so important then, you may think? It not only supports the digestive process and makes it more effective but also reduces damage to colon and delays the release of glucose into the blood, therefore regulating insulin levels.

Yet again it proves the more natural and least processed the better, so ditch those nasty bran flakes and go get yourself an organic fruit and some veggies, eat with the skin on and you're sorted!!

Till next time.

Marta :)

Joslyn's Blog Spot - "Well done" only!!

2010-07-06T23:49:00.002+01:00

Most of this Saturday was spent trying to unsuccessfully complete a 5k race in Windsor. So I set off at about 8am in the morning and arrived at the race, not in my own car, at about 12.15pm. I live an hour away from Windsor! The time in between was spent nursing an engine that cut out five times on the way, twice on the motorway (it required some Magnum PI driving let me tell you!) and once just coming off a roundabout, which required me preventing my heart from literally leaping out of my mouth!! After the fifth cut out there was no re-starting of my little peugeot and I called for help. After cracking rubbish jokes for 10 minutes, helper guy finally got me back on the road, only for the engine to cut out for a sixth time!! Luckily for me I stopped outside an Abbey, my mother said that her prayers had been answered and in I went to get some help from the nuns! A very kind lady dropped me the final half-mile to the race!! So near and yet so far!!

With my race having started at 10am, it was well and truly over, but I got to watch Katie finish her triathlon that she was competing in on the same day! Now let me tell you a little something about Katie. Should you find yourself cheering for her from the sidelines, choose your words carefully "you are nearly there" was swiftly met with "no I'm NOT nearly there!!" I spent the next 10 minutes working out what one should say for when she next came by, however my fear was met with a smiley "NOW I'm nearly there!!" with a minute or two to go!! Note to self. Words of encouragement should be limited to "well done," at no point should reference be made to race completion time!! Nevertheless, having had my own slight cardiac-arrest infused journey to the race, I felt I deserved to sport the T-shirt and fraudulently act like I had competed. Here we are smiling!! See if you can spot the fraud!!

Murray vs. Nadal

2010-07-02T11:19:00.003+01:00

So as Personal Trainers we do have to be at work quite early but this does has its perks… a few Wednesdays ago we were able to nip to a quite somewhere to watch England beat Slovenia and today, well today I will be racing home to watch Murray vs. Nadal.

There has been a lot of banter around the studio about the result of this game some of which makes me get a little feisty. Most people are hedging their bets on Nadal, I can’t say that I’m not but I am full of hope for Murray. Classic English mentality, I hope he wins but I don’t think he is going to…

We are a strange collection of stereo types us English, we are pessimistic but love to win, we like pluck but hate arrogance! It has always confused me and Murray is a classic example. A number of clients have said to me that they don’t like Murray because of his attitude, but it is this same attitude and single mindedness that in fact makes him a great player. We want a winner but unless he is the blazer wearing sloppy haired type like Henman, we don’t want a winner… I don’t get it myself.

My personal opinion is, he is driven, he is professional (don’t even get me started on those footballers), he is doing well and I respect him for that. My point is that he is a tennis player that is what he does, he doesn’t have to be top of the ranking of people you want to have over for dinner. Give him a break.

Prove us all wrong, beat Nadal.

Katie

She's back :)

2010-07-01T15:02:00.004+01:00

There she is again, nice and bronzed, sunkissed and yet another year older. I must say I had the time of my life and Ibiza was absolutely amazing! Not only for the nightlife but also for my beloved Spanish tapas and Rioja. As I was chatting to some of you the nights out out there are simply unreal and I can try and talk to you about it as much as I can but it's just not going to be the same. You have to see it yourself.

We went to one of the opening nights, therefore the show was super special. Why do I want to write about this on a PT blog you may think... Well SKILLS, that's what I am on about. Performers were unbelievable but what made me stop stomping and stare with my mouth open as if I was 5 again were the male (yes, yes male!!) pole dancers. Not only unbelievable physique but more than anything strength and ability to control their own bodies were the things that made me think, blimey, that really is something! I wish I had my camera with me so I could share. Anything from effortlessly climbing up the pole, swinging and spinning to human flags... I've not seen male dancers doing anything like this before!!!

Apart from going out in the evening I managed to have a few mini training sessions and the essential run on the beach (the best thing ever, says the person who is not friends with running!). An amazing spa in our hotel helped to sweat and wash out any signs of the day after hanging and the Med was a great turquoise cool down after a few hours in the Balearic sun.

10 days went way too quickly and here I am again with new energy and enthusiasm. Went back to deadlifting yesterday and had a wicked session. As of next week I am officially trying to become friends with running to challenge myself and see how my body reacts to a different type of training so watch this space.

I've also got a couple of articles for you that I came across by accident reading the random paper left on the tube by fellow commuters. One on our youngsters spending more money on sweets than American kids (they're trying to solve the problem by making the choc bar sizes smaller... WHATEVER!!) and another one on Alex Uttley - the leader of Spelbound - this year's winners of Britain's got talent and his battle with Guillain Barre Syndrome, an inflammatory disease affecting the nervous system. Have a look and I will see you all soon.

Till next week.

Marta :)