Snippets !!

Hi

OK,  so we all read about new diet and exercise fads in the media every day, there is always some 'celebrity ' pushing a diet or fitness regime as the next new thing .

As a fitness proffessional I have access to the real experts and what REALLY works .

This page will be dedicated to passing onto you all the latest updates and articles that I find out about on the courses, conventions and workshops that I attend regularly throughout the year .

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Great article by Dax Moy on Stress and how it affects us particularly when trying to lose fat :

http://www.londonpersonaltrainingstudio.com/blog/20-stresses-that-will-guarantee-your-fat-loss-will-fail/

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Organic or not Organic ?

A list of the top 12 foods to get in organic form due to there high absorption of pesticides and chemicals ..check out the list here ;

http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/

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Get your hands on a fantastic Free nutrition guide designed by Marc Kent

www.EATSmartDietSolution.com

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So you think your microwave is safe ?

Read this ….

http://usahitman.com/microwave-test/

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Great blog on Pelvic Floor exercises and why we should all be doing them !!

http://clairemockridge.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/how-often-should-i-do-pelvic-floor-exercises/

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Interesting articles about 'Wheat' and how it is making us Obese as a nation;

http://www.fatfiction.co.uk/fat/wheatpt1/

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Sugar : The Bitter Truth

This is a pretty alarming insight into sugar and how it effects our health, its a long video but worth a watch if you are interested in your own health!
Especially if you have kids who like sugar !!

http://youtu.be/dBnniua6-oM

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Here are 2 great articles for runners =

Stitch and what may cause it ;

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/injuries/a/aa053100a.htm

Preventing the most common 'Runners' injuries;

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/prevent-the-five-most-common-running-injuries-2442312

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Great article written by Jon Le Tocq of Storm Force Fitness / Guernsey's Top Personal Trainer …

http://guernseypersonaltrainer.com/2010/05/stubborn-fat-loss/

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fguernseypersonaltrainer.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fstubborn-fat-loss%2F&h=28b46

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GOT MILK ?

If you think milk is good for you then think again and check out this article by Nutrition and health expert Phil Richards …

http://www.philrichardsperformance.co.uk/problem-with-milk-whey-casein.html

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DO YOU HAVE ANY SILVER FILLINGS  ?

If you have any then, then you may want to read about what harm they could be doing you .

http://www.philrichardsperformance.co.uk/insanity-mercury-mouths.html

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Facebook article written by the 'Bootcamp King' Mr Paul Mort,  on how to stop carb cravings;

http://www.facebook.com/adele.james1#!/note.php?note_id=350621287347&id=729131053&ref=mf

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Did you know the way you breathe can affect your bodies PH ?

 By  Adele James 

 Many people develop bad breathing habits as they get older due to factors including poor posture, emotional stress, and even restrictive clothing .

 

 

For us to inhale deeply , the Diaphragm muscle needs to move down into the abdomen and, in order for it to do this, the belly must rise or expand.
This allows the bottom, or ‘Lower Lobes ‘ of our lungs to properly fill and this is where most of the Oxygen exchange takes place,[ i.e., oxygen gets passed into our blood stream.]
For this reason , breathing into the chest is known as ‘shallow’ breathing , even if you feel like it is a ‘Deep’ breathe you will not be supplying the body with enough O2 and so what happens is your breathing rate has to speed up.
‘Quick’ breathing creates a more Acidic PH .
O2 sticks too tightly to the red blood cells and is not released effectively to the tissues as it travels around our body causing our cells to become energy deficient , and this can lead to tiredness, lack of concentration and generally, a low level of physical performance .
Chest breathing can also restrict the blood vessels leading to further lack of O2 to the extremities such as hands and feet , but more importantly the heart and brain and this can make us emotionally very anxious.
However , don’t worry !
There is a very simple way to reverse this bad habit, although, like all bad habits it can take a little time and persistence to master it.
Try to inhale without moving your chest or ribs and instead feel your tummy expand and inflate , [ this may seem tricky to start with as we are a nation obsessed with sucking our tummies in !] just practise this quietly for 5 minutes, 3 or 4 times per week, preferably lying flat or sitting in a comfortable but supportive chair [ not a sofa !]
Do not worry about forcing the breathe out, just allow the body to release the breathe and the belly will naturally drop back in.
A simple yet very effective way of creating a healthier mind and body.
 
 
 
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Barefoot Trainers …?
If you are interested in the New trend of 'Barefoot' shoes such as Vibrams, then have a look at this article .
I have a pair myself and love them , but they don't suit everyone and you need to ease yourself into using them to allow your body time to adapt.
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A great article on the importance of Magnesium , by Trainer & Health coach Jon Le Tocq…..
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Stress & Exercise
 
 
by Adele James  
 
One of the biggest contributing factors to poor health & weight gain is stress .
 
Let Me explain …..
 
When we get ‘stressed’ , our body produces a hormone called ‘Cortisol’ which enables us to ‘Fight or Flight’.
Now, back in the days when we lived in caves, this was pretty useful stuff for giving us a surge of energy to escape or protect ourselves from whatever danger was causing us to become stressed.
However, most things that cause stress nowadays do not need you to become physically active , in fact most of it occurs whilst sat at work, on the phone, or in the car for example.
So, what happens is that the ‘Cortisol’ is left in the body to create havoc on our systems.
It makes us more susceptible to illness & disease, but not only that, it actually makes your body hold onto its fat stores like there’s no tomorrow !
This makes it impossible to loose weight, no matter what diet you are on.
The good news is, with regular exercise you can stop some of the effects that Cortisol have on your body .
Any exercise is good for reducing your stress levels, even if it is a 20 min brisk walk !
But, it has to be regular , at least 3 or 4 times a week , EVERYweek .
Another excellent source of ‘stress reducing’ exercise is Yoga, due to the breathing techniques it incorporates which have a calming effect on the area of our brain linked to stress.
 
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My top health & fitness tips :

1. Exercise at LEAST 4 times a week for 30 to 40 mins , but mix it up , do a variety of things , not the same thing over and over. Oh , and put some energy into it , don't just go through the motions !

2. I truly believe the Vegetarian diet is healthiest. Eat foods that includes plenty of fresh vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruit [ especially berries], beans,  pulses, healthy oils & butter and free range organic eggs . . Avoid 'fat free' & 'low calorie' stuff , it just contains more sugar or sweeteners .

3. Drink more water , preferably mineral water [ the average glass of tap water contains up to 350 chemicals , including pesticides, hormones, prescription medications like anti-depressants as well as rust and sediment from the pipes it travels along . If you could really SEE what tap water looks like,  trust me , you would NOT want to drink it  .

4.Cut down on alcohol consumption , Yes, even red wine !.

5. Go to bed earlier if you are tired,  rather than sleeping in later try to get to bed before 10.30 pm at least 5 times a week .

6.Get plenty of fresh air , all year round . I know our weather sucks , but wrap up and get out there, we need some exposure to the sun to make Vit D !

7 . DO SOME YOGA REGULARLY, even if it is just a 10 minute relaxation breathing session . !!

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Why you should be nice to your feet ……..
By Adele James .  
 Our feet are our first point of contact with the ground and send lots of information to our brain about the surface we are on, including , how level it is, how supporting it is , whether it might be slippery, and how hard or soft it is .

All this information is important to how the body functions, and problems with the feet can have a massive impact on our other joints , muscles, and nerves as well as our posture in general.

By squeezing our feet into shoes all the time not only are we dampening this information , but we are also inhibiting the muscles of the feet from doing their job properly and they can start to weaken.

If the muscles are not functioning as they should be, this can then put strain on the knees which can put strain on the hips , the back and so on .

So what can we do to help our feet ?
Here are some simple tips and exercises ;
 
1. Try to go barefoot whenever possible, if you don’t absolutely have to wear shoes, then don’t !
2. Wiggle your toes slowly and then quickly for a minute, spread them out and create ‘Space ‘ between each toe.
3. Trying to pick up a pencil from the floor using just your toes.
4. Massage your toes with your fingers, and move them about to try increasing the range of motion you already have .
5. Roll from heel to toe whilst spreading your toes and trying to make an ‘even’ contact with the floor.
6. Place a small weight [ tin of beans ?] on one end of a towel and then try to drag it towards you by placing the foot on the other end of the towel using your toes in a ‘Scrunching ‘ action.
As you get stronger increase the weight .
7. If you have a desk job , kick your shoes off at work whenever you are sat down [ But please do consider your colleagues and make sure you have nice smelling feet  first ! ]
8. Try to place ‘Even’ body weight through the soles of your feet when walking and standing .
9. Look at the soles of your favourite shoes , Are they wearing out more on one side to the other ? If so, you’re probably loading your body weight unevenly and this may effect other areas of your body.
10. Practicing some Yoga, Mountain Pose and standing balance postures teach you a better awareness of balancing your body weight and correcting your posture.
 
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 Cancer prevention:This is a truly thought provoking video ;
 

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This is one of the best videos I have seen so far explaining about Acid/ Alkaline foods and the effect on our health .

This really is a must watch video !!

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I have been a vegetarian since I was about 8 years old, due to my love of animals , but there is a huge health incentive to being veggie too . 

Here are some more facts as to why I believe it is the healthiest diet ; 

When you look at the comparison between herbivores and humans, we compare much more closely to herbivores than meat eating animals.
Humans are clearly not designed to digest and ingest meat =
 
Meat-eaters: have no skin pores and perspire through the tongue
Herbivores: perspire through skin pores
Humans: perspire through skin pores
 Meat-eaters: have intestinal tract that is only 3 times their body length so that rapidly decaying meat can pass through quickly
Herbivores: have intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length.
Humans: have intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length.
 Meat eaters; sharp front teeth for tearing flesh,  but no flat rear molars for grinding.
Herbivores: no sharp front teeth, but flat rear molars for grinding
Humans: no sharp front teeth, but flat rear molars for grinding.
 
If you do eat meat I would strongly advise you source it from grass fed livestock, preferably Organic and from a local farmer .
 
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 Interesting facts on Water and Coke written by Dax Moy;

WATER

 1. 75% of the UK population are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half world population.).

2. In 37% of all the UK population, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

 

 5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50%less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day?

COKE

1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days.

3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.

8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.

2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous Material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.

3. The distributors of coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years!

Still want a coke?

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Great article by 'Personal Trainer of the Year Charlotte Ord :

Are you feeling fat, tired and miserable?
 
I've been focusing a lot of my personal research on stress and fat loss recently, and how nutrition plays a big part in combatting both 'unexplained' tiredness and plateaus in fat loss, even when exercise regimes and calorie intake seem conducive to success.

Following a live & dry blood analysis with rugby, boxing and strongman strength and conditioning guru Phil Richards last weekend, I am now even more convinced that both our feelings of well being and body transformation success are enormously influenced by 2 things. Our diet and our stress levels.

To put it simply, we are only as healthy as the liquid we float in, and if our blood is congested, tired, & sticky, the likelihood is that's how we'll feel too. At a basic level, it comes down to blood acidity; the more acidic, processed foods we consume, the higher the acidity level of our blood & the worse we feel. This goes for water too. Many of us still drink tap water by the gallon thinking that it is good for us, but it's actually riddled with hundreds of chemicals (350 in the UK), rust & sediment from pipes, and a number of nitrates that are washed off fields, including herbicides and pesticides. Yum.

It was interesting to hear a coach like Phil, who has worked with some of the biggest, strongest men in the sporting world, reiterate over and over again how important a positive mental attitude and the ability to talk about problems rather than bottling them is for both health and fat loss. People who have a tendency to harbour intense emotions are proven to experience more bowel problems, and those who suffer from anxiety, pessimism and other repeatedly negative states of mind are at twice the risk of disease. This ties in convincingly with the fact that high and maintained levels of cortisol (caused by a variety of different stressors) results in impaired metabolism, insulin resistance (potentially leading to what is known as Syndrome X, or Metabolic Syndrome), and consequently, more fat, particularly around the abdominal region. So what can we do to start remedying the situation? Well, first let's start with 3 quick tips on how you can immediately start feeling brighter and more alert.

1) drink bottled water only. Remember you are only as healthy as the liquid you swim in. So keep it really clean.

2) Take alkalising salts or bicarbonate of soda every day to help reduce your blood acidity levels and promote healthy red and white blood cell production.

3) Get as much sleep as possible. It sounds obvious if you're constantly feeling below par, but it's more than just a simple case of shut eye. A lot of people get into the habit of staying up late, getting up early, and generally depriving themselves of the sleep our bodies really require in order to function optimally. The problem with getting too little sleep (ie. less than 8 hours a night) is that sleep deprivation results in elevated cortisol levels, which in turn contributes significantly to insulin resistance. Studies have shown that people who sleep less than 6.5 hours per night secrete a whopping 50% more insulin yet are 40% less sensitive to the effects of insulin compared to normal sleepers..bad, bad news for both fat loss and health at large.

These 3 bits of take home advice are seriously easy to implement (yes you CAN get that much sleep, you just need to get into bed and switch the light off), and will make a BIG difference to how you look and feel. Try it.

 

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Great article on the Top 10 biggest Fat loss mistakes by Trainer Jon Le Tocq;

http://guernseypersonaltrainer.com/2010/03/the-10-biggest-fat-loss-mistakes/

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2  great articles explaining the role of Cortisol,  the 'Stress' hormone and how it can affect fat loss amongst other health problems. One is written by Jon Le Tocq and  one by  Debbie Jukes;

http://guernseypersonaltrainer.com/2010/04/stress-cortisol-diets-make-you-fat/

http://debbiejukes.blogspot.com/search/label/cortisol

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Fantastic video explaining all about Glute activation by Jon Le Tocq::

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Do you crave chocolate ?

If so,  then you must read this article by Top Personal Trainer Mark Raynsford :

http://markpt.wordpress.com/2010/01/16/do-you-crave-chocolate/

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Butter V's Margarine

Article Written by The Bootcamp King/ Fat loss expert Paul Mort ;

http://www.precisionfitness.co.uk/
This week’s rant is one that’s pretty serious actually.

Before I get any hate mail though, let me clarify that there are some GREAT GP’s out there who are doing magnificent work helping people. Just not many. I hope I can clear some of the rubbish I hear the GP’s in MY local area spouting which are covering symptoms but not the cause.

Recently one of our bootcamp members cured her diabetes with our diet and training plan. No more medication. Surely the doctor should have been able to give her an eating plan that could fix this? Fair play to him though, he congratulated her and told her ‘to keep doing what she’s doing’

Every week people ask me about eggs. Anyone that’s ever had a cholesterol problem has been told by there GP that eggs must go from their diet as they are bad for cholesterol.

This REALLY annoys me- they actually do the OPPPOSITE and IMPROVE cholesterol.

You see the study that was done on this a long time ago now, was funded by the cereal board. Guess what they don’t want you having for breakfast? Interesting huh?

The study did indeed that eggs do increase you cholesterol. HOWEVER, what failed to be sensationalised was the fact that eggs increase your good cholesterol (HDL) which, in turn will decrease your bad cholesterol (LDL). So there you have it- eggs are GOOD for your cholesterol.

Anyway, not sure if you saw/heard/read about the heart surgeon who was suggesting we ban butter and replace it with margarine last week?

As I shook my head in belief at what I was reading I decided that I simply MUST write an article on this as its SCARY that thousands of people will actually do this!

So the doctor in question blamed butter (as it’s a saturated fat) for the rise in cardiovascular disease in the UK.
While we’re in the subject of GP’S did you know that in 7 years of training, they spend ONE DAY on nutrition? Yet many of use will turn to them for advice on weight loss?

The guy was quoting research on butter that was done in 1972! Another case of a doctor who hasn’t actually done any research since he qualified.

Here’s a VERY recent study from that little know university Harvard-

** Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter**

He also had this to say "By adjusting your diet by replacing butter with a healthy spread or margarine is a very simple thing to do and makes a whole world of difference."
This is absolutely SCANDOLOUS.

Let’s iron a few things out with saturated fat from butter

* Fat DOES NOT make you fat. This is one of the main reasons people aren’t losing any weight- they’re following low fat diets- now they WILL make you fat in the long run.
* We NEED fat in our diets, whether it’s saturated or not- they help us produce hormones such as testosterone- which is vital for out libido, both male and female and VITAL for fat loss.
* Saturated fat is shown to prevent cancer
* Saturated fat stimulates your immune system- pretty handy at this time of year
* Saturated fat is actually the preferred source of fuel for the heart
*There is no such thing as a BAD FAT- unless of course, it’s been manufactured and chemically altered (which we’ll come to in a second)

Worst of all this though is replacing a natural fat, which has just two ingredients (milk and salt) with a chemically denatured piece of junk, such as margarine and low fat spreads- its HORRIFIC.
Let me share with you some facts about margarine and the low fat spreads that are commonly on TV ads.

*You can’t’ believe it’s not butter? That’s because it’s not- its one molecule away from being PLASTIC. That’s right- your ‘healthy spread’ is but one molecule away from being a brick of LEGO!

* Worse again, margarine shares TWENTY SEVEN ingredients with PAINT. No I don’t know about you but ANYTHING with that many ingredients- most of which you won’t be able to pronounce can’t be ‘good for your heart’- or anything else for that matter, can it? Would you spread dulux on your ‘low fat’ crackers? “Pass me the tin of ‘duck egg blue’ and a knife please darling, it goes really well with those grapes”

If this still hasn’t convinced you that this doctor is plain stupid (am I allowed to say that?), then try sticking a plate of margarine anywhere where flies are. Guess what? Even flies won’t go near it! And they eat dog crap right?!!?

So do me a favor- Bin the low fat spread. PLEASE.

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This is a really useful article on Cooking with oils , which ones are good and which aren't ;

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/healthy-oils/

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Top Coach  'Dax Moy  Websites 

Link to Dax Moy's website  the Coach & Trainer that all the good Fitness proffessionals turn to for advice , education, information & training ,

http://www.londonpersonaltrainingstudio.com/

http://www.daxmoy-pts.co.uk/

http://personaltrainerelite.com/

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

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