Sep 1 2017

Avoiding “Gym-Juries”

Posted on September 1, 2017 by admin

Fed up of my bingo wings, I recently joined the gym. To further incentivise myself to stick with it I spent a small fortune on kit that neatly skimmed my lumps and bumps, and cobbled together a rough workout plan from YouTube tutorials. I swerved the induction by fibbing to the receptionist as I stupidly thought it would call attention to my newbie status. Yet within about 15 minutes of being left to my own devices it was pretty clear I had all the gear and no idea.

I spent my entire first session on an exercise bike as I couldn’t even name some of the other equipment there let alone work out how to use it. Even then, I couldn’t monitor the distance I’d clocked up or calories burnt as I didn’t know how to reset the damn thing from the previous bum sat upon it.

It might have been a complete fail, but at least I didn’t bruise anything other than my ego. Lucky really, as a recent study conducted by Hayward Baker, suggests a whopping 47% of us Brits have suffered ‘gym-juries’ in our quest to get the perfect body. With ankle sprains being the most common reported injury, closely followed by resultant back problems, I suspect I’m especially high risk given the extra poundage I’m hauling around.

Despite the fact that some 45% of those surveyed are pessimistic about achieving their summer fitness goals, I’m determined to stick with it. I’ve 3 sessions under my belt now and am pretty sure I can score a healthy BMI by 2020 (slight exaggeration) if I force myself to turn up a few hours every week. Still, I am going to be a bit more careful. My ankles are a mess following numerous fractures, and I’m pretty sure if I get an injury it’ll squash all my motivation to go again.

So here’s a few tips from an amateur to help you avoid a gym-jury on your first trip to the gym:

DO an Induction

Regular gym-goers might make it all look easy, but if you haven’t put in many hours at a gym before, your induction is invaluable. In fact, you will find it beneficial to undertake an induction every time your switch gyms as the machines are very likely to vary from gym to gym. Far from looking like a wally, your fellow gym-goers will have seen a million inductions going on around them, and won’t be sizing you up on your first day.

If you’re unsure ASK

All reputable gyms will have instructors on hand to assist you with machines. If not, ask your fellow gym-goers if you need a little help. Don’t feel nervous about doing so, as it’s better to ask than plough on and risk coming a cropper.

Warm up before hitting the machines

Failure to warm properly accounts for a significant number of gym-based injuries. An effective 5-10 minute warm-up prepares the body for exercise by increasing the blood flow to your muscles, and lubricating your joints. This will reduce the chance of soft tissue (ligament, tendon and muscle) injuries by allowing them to move through a greater range of motions easily . It’ll also get your heart rate up safely, helping you avoid a rapid increase in blood pressure when you hit the machines.

Buddy up

Not only will having a gym buddy keep you motivated, they can also check your form to make sure you’re not putting undue pressure your body. Make sure you tell each other of any health concerns or aching muscles each time you head to the gym, so you can help hone each other’s workouts and stop each other burning out.

Stay hydrated

You bought that fancy water bottle for a reason, so use it. A good workout should get you all sweaty, and you’ll need to replenish lost water -especially if you consider you could lose up to a litre an hour. Failure to do so will likely make it far more difficult to control your body temperature, cause muscle cramps, dizziness, and other more serious health problems. Being dehydrated can also seriously affect your energy levels making your time spent at the gym less effective. Your muscle cells are almost three-quarters water so if you’re short on fluids, you’ll feel the strain. Drinking little and often will give you the best chance of hitting your exercise targets.

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Following these simple tips should help you avoid common gym-juries, however should you have an accident, check out Hayward Baker’s free-to-use injury compensation calculator. to get an idea of how much compensation you might be entitled to. If you’re stuck at home and unable to work off those indulgences for awhile, knowing you might qualify for a pay-out should help take the edge off.

Happy exercising!

Jul 6 2017

DIY Meal Replacement Shakes

Posted on July 6, 2017 by admin

Everyone is doing it, social media channels are full of it, kitchens up and down the country have been transformed by it - juicing and shaking is now a multi-billion industry. As with everything, there are a few basic rules to follow to get the best of the trend - whether you’re aiming for a summer body, energy boost, or are just on a health kick.

If you replace a high-calorie meal with a meal replacement shake containing fewer calories, this will help you lose weight - this is obvious. Many people do so and are happy with the outcomes. However, it is important to choose a proper meal replacement product for weight management, and brands differ so dramatically in calories, quality of ingredients and price it can be hard to make sense of them . As an alternative, you can prepare a MR shake by yourself. In fact, do-it-yourself shakes guarantee the lack of artificial components or any hazardous ingredients, and the nutritional values can be perfectly adjusted to suit your diet. Shakes prepared from protein sources, vegetables and fruits provide the same benefits of branded shakes but without drawbacks.

Preparing a DIY shake couldn’t be easier. Simply select and base flavour, then pack it out with vegetables and fruits that best complement this. Use bananas, mangoes and coconut milk to create a tropical shake, or if you prefer chocolate shakes, add some berries or cherries. Vegetables such as carrots or beet can be used to create veggie shakes.

You’ll then want to pop in the core ingredient of any shake – protein. The role of protein in shakes is to suppress craving and supply protein to muscles, making it an ideal component for weight loss, muscle-building or body sculpting. It is advised to use qualitative protein source like whey, however there are many cheaper protein powders available in stores or markets, comprising of soy, egg whites, and a host of vitamins and flavouring additives. Read up on each to ensure you are selecting the optimum product for your needs.

Of course, you can swerve artificial protein altogether, but I’d still advise adding a substitute like yogurt, almond or peanut butter to thicken your shake, and deliver energy to your muscles - especially if you are replacing a meal with a shake.

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As regards the volume & type of ingredients needed for your shake, if you’re not following a set recipe much of this is down to trial and error. Yet there are a few very basic rules that will act as a loose guide. Liquid-wise, you’ll not want to exceed 8 ounces. You might also want to add natural flavor extracts including peppermint, vanilla, lemon, or cinnamon for added taste. As soon as you added together all ingredients of your shake, hop onto Google, find a calorie counter and tot up all the calories to discover the energy value of your DIY shake.

Then you’ll want to blend everything together. I thoroughly recommend investing in a Nutribullet or other electric blender if you intend to make shakes regularly - titanium blades will cut through the most formidable ingredients in seconds saving you time and hand ache! Include milk, water, or juice to dilute if necessary. If you prefer chilled drinks, you may add some ice cubes to the shake (again, a good quality blender will make short work of these) or opt for frozen fruit over fresh fruit.

My final tip, is to research super fruits and vegetables. Many of these will have proven health benefits and will help you safely lower your cholesterol level, speed up your metabolism and more. Good luck, and happy shaking!

May 8 2017

5 weeks smoke free!

Posted on May 8, 2017 by admin

I’m well overdue a quit smoking update on this blog. In fact, anyone would be forgiven for thinking I’ve totally folded and am still carrying a pack of Carlton Superkings in my coat pocket.

Thankfully this isn’t the case.

I’m now 5 weeks smoke free and haven’t caved once during this time. That equates to some 720 cigarettes I haven’t smoked, and a total saving of £300+. I’m no longer bringing up a bunch of unholy gunk when I cough (the least attractive part of quitting smoking), I’m able sit through an entire movie without having to pause it for a fag break, and I’m sitting here with less than a fiver in my bank account as I’ve splurged on all kinds of treats, and not death sticks.

How does it feel?

Well good. Mostly. Many ex smokers tell me that they never completely lose the craving, and I can well believe that. I do find myself rushing outside when next door light up and cowering next to the fence that separates us - purely to inhale any smoke that wafts over. I still love the smell (although not on my clothes & breath), and there are some cigarettes I really do miss. When my mind starts wandering I’ll whip out my lozenges and the pesky nagging feeling usually tapers off in 5 minutes.

I have put on weight. This is a combined product of increased lethargy and fridge grazing. Apparently it’s normal to feel knackered when you ditch the fags as these had acted as a stimulant. Funnily enough, I’m also unable to metabolise alcohol at the same rate as before and a few glasses of wine have me floored.

So I’ve ordered a FitBit and will be challenging myself to get out and about next week. I’ve downloaded an app called Seek, which I have on good authority is a kind of Pokemon Go for adults that rewards you through vouchers for getting out and about. I’m a sucker for free cash so hopefully this forces me to shift my arse off the sofa.

I also tried to come down to a lower strength patch last week. Having felt fine I figured I might get away with accelerating the program and weaning myself off NRT slightly quicker. The patches make me itch all over (not just the site of the patch) and leave red marks that last for days - so I wanted to do away with them as quickly as possible. This wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had though and Craig and the kids had to deal with a petulant, stroppy & sweary Madam for the week. Having consulted with my counsellor, she’s suggested I go back to Step 1 patches this week, then we’ll use alternate patches next week to better graduate the weaning process. I’ve reluctantly agreed as I didn’t think my family would survive another week of the bitch from hell.

So it’s largely a mixed bag. I feel good about myself, yet I feel stupid for putting it off for so long. I feel inspired, yet oh so lazy. I feel healthier, yet I’m wearing jeans the next size up… I guess this goes with the territory.

I’ll update you all again soon