Final Group Blog Video

Hello!
Here's our last and final blog post for this blog. Thank you for tuning in every day and engaging your fitness lives!

This video runs you (the reader) through a few different blog posts including a workout circuits, landscape workouts and some great food and drinks to have when you're watching your calorie intakes!

We all individually filmed our sections of the video and I (Ben) compiled these together and cut it into the video you see below!

We hope you had a good time with us and keep fit!

- Ben

Benefits of exercise

The benefits of physical activity and exercise

Even though most people use exercise to loose weight, exercise can have other benefits to the body and persons.  It can have the following benefits :

·         

•         Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease
• ·         Reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
• ·         Reduce your risk of some cancers
• ·         Strengthen your bones and muscles
• ·         Improve your mental health and mood
• ·         Improve your ability to do daily activities and prevent falls, if you're an older adult
• ·         Increase your chances of living longer

Some people can be afraid to commit to physical activity due to getting hurt or pre existing health issues. The bottom line is that exercise out weights the issues of getting hurt. If there are concerns about current health issues or injuries, consult a doctor or a sport specialists and seek a training plan that’s suited to you. This will ensure that you get the crucial exercise you need!

The Importance of Breakfast in Weightloss

Many people still think that skipping breakfast will help them lose weight, but, to put it frankly, it won’t.

The key to success in weight loss is burning more calories than we consume. Maximising your metabolic rate will help you lose weight, and this is where breakfast comes in.

 

 

Eating a healthy breakfast to kick-start your metabolism after eight hours of sleep as soon as possible after we wake is one of the secrets to successful weight loss. When we skip breakfast, not only does our metabolic rate stay low, so too does our blood sugar levels. Skipping breakfast leads to low blood sugar levels and often leads us to feeling lethargic, and feeling extra hungry later on; making us reach for unhealthy snacking, or eating overly large portions for lunch or dinner.

 

Breakfast is important so that we feel nourished and satisfied, making us far less likely to over eat during the rest of the day.

 

Studies show a direct link between breakfast and successful weight loss, and compared to those who skip breakfast, breakfast eaters generally:

• Eat fewer calories throughout the day
• Eat less saturated fat and cholesterol
• Have better nutrition habits
• Weigh less (women 4kgs/men 3kgs less)

 

Common reasons for missing Breakfast

There are no excuses for missing breakfast. The most common reasons that people use to justify skipping breakfast, and what you can do to combat these, are described below;

• No Time -
  
  Eat something that doesn’t take any time to prepare, like a couple pieces of fresh fruit or a tub of low-fat yoghurt. Prepare your breakfast the night before. Eating something is better than nothing at all. 
• Preferring to exercise in the morning instead -
  
  If you exercise in the morning on an empty stomach, your metabolism won’t reach the same heights it would if you ate something before-hand.

• Not feeling hungry in the morning
  
  If you are not hungry when you wake up, chances are you are eating too much the night before. A good night time snack includes; an apple, reduced fat cheese, a tub of yoghurt & berries, a cup of warm milk or hot chocolate, and many more. 
• Unable to stomach food first thing in the morning –
  
  If you can’t stomach breakfast regularly, find something you enjoy more, or leave breakfast until after you’ve showered and are ready for the day ahead. 

Eating breakfast is so important (especially when trying to lose weight). Keep it fun and mix it up. Here are some possible healthy breakfast choices:

• Milk and whole-grain cereal
• Yogurt and cereal
• Instant oats topped with raisins, strawberries/blueberries or fruit
• Whole-grain bagel topped with fruit and yogurt
• Peanut butter on whole-wheat toast
• Fruit smoothie made with yogurt
• Fruit cocktail, with orange juice, strawberries, pears and pineapple
• Cheese and whole-grain crackers
• Egg and veggie omelet

- Mel

Hydration ~

"To supply water to a person or thing in order to restore or maintain fluid balance"

Our bodies DEPEND on water to survive. Every cell, tissue and organ in your body requires water to work correctly. Our bodies uses water in many different forms to aid our survival. Some functions of water within the body include maintaining body temperature, removing waste and lubricating joints. Nearly all of the major systems in our body depends on water to function. Water is essential for good health and optimum performance. 

Water makes up to 60% of an adults body, this is more than half of our body weight. We lose water from our bodies each day through forms of sweat, when you go to the bathroom and even when we breathe. Water is lost faster when the temperature is high, when you are physically active or when you have a fever. Sicknesses such as vomiting and diarrhea also cause rapid loss of fluids. When this water is lost, it is essential for it to be replaced. When the water you lose is not replaced, the state of dehydration occurs. Dehydration is a condition that develops when the body loses more water than it takes in. This state of imbalance alters the usual levels of sugars and salts present in the blood, which can further interfere with bodily functions.

Symptoms of dehydration:

• Little or no urine, or urine is much darker than usual
• Dry mouth
• Extreme thirst
• Headache
• Confusion
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• No tears when crying
• Sleepiness
• Fatigue

Don't wait to experience such symptoms before taking action. Simply prevent dehydration by drinking plenty of water.

How much water should you consume every day?

There is no specific amount required for the body to function optimally. Each persons body weight, composition and activity levels vary, hence why there is no set amount to which we should drink. The general guideline people are told to follow is to aim to drink between 1.5 and 2 Litres of water daily. This is a reasonable goal to follow however as mentioned previously, different amounts will adequately hydrate different people. As a general rule, healthy people can remain hydrated by drinking water and other fluids whenever they feel thirsty. 

How else to stay hydrated

Water is the most effective option to staying hydrated however there are other fluids and foods that will help you stay hydrated.

Fluids:

• Tea
• Coffee
• Soda

Foods:

• Fruits & vegetables
• Watermelon
• Tomatos
• Iceberg Lettuce
• Cucumber
• Celery
• Strawberries
• Broccoli
• Spinach

These fruits & vegetables have a water content of 90% or higher 

10 benefits of drinking water with lemon

Packed with antioxidants and health benefits, drinking a glass of water with half a lemon in the morning revitalises the body and the mind

1.  Supports the immune system as is rich in vitamin C, this will boost your immune system assist the body in fighting colds and flu. Your body's ability to absorb iron is also increased
2. Aids digestion as lemon juice is similar in atomic structure as the body's digestive structure. Helps cleanse the bowel by flushing out waste more efficiently and stimulates the realises of gastric juices, aiding digestion
3. Repairs skin as the antioxidant properties help combat free radical damage, the cause of the symptoms of ageing
4. Reduces appetite as lemon contain pectin - a soluble fibre that creates a feeling of fullness which will suppress your appetite and help you from constantly snacking
5.  Balances pH levels as lemons are on of the most alkalising foods for the body. A good hP level is essential as to much acidity can be inflammatory. 
6. Cleanses the urinary tract as lemon juice is a diuretic; encouraging the production of urine.
   As a result, toxins are released at a faster rate helping to purify the system and keep it healthy
7. Freshens breath due to the antiseptic qualities of lemon which kill off bad bacteria in the mouth
8. Protects overall health as there are high levels of potassium in lemons which can help brain and nerve functioning and control blood pressure. Lemon also contains vitamin P which improves overall blood flow
9. Promotes healing as the ascorbic acids and vitamin C promote wound healing and maintaining healthy bones, tissues and cartilage. Calming of inflammation is also promoted
10. Detoxifies the liver as lemon water acts as a liver cleanser by assisting in detoxification. It purifies and stimulates the liver by encouraging the production of bile, an acid required for digestion

Stay hydrated everyone!

Georgia

Brutal CrossFit Workout

A great way to spice things up at the gym is to try out our Brutal CrossFit workout. CrossFit is a high intensity strength and conditioning program which entails a mix of aerobic, body weight and Olympic weight lifting exercises.

We call this workout the Filthy 50

The Facts: 

This workout is a CrossFit staple which consists of a series of intense exercises that will push you to your absolute limit. The circuit includes 50 reps of different exercise, all of which are done as quickly as possible. 

50 box jumps with a 24 inch box, 50 jumping pullups, 50 kettlebell swings, 50 walking lunge steps, 50 knees to elbows, 50 back extensions, 50 reps of push press with 20kg, 50 burpees, 50 double udners and 50 wall balls using a 10kg medicine ball.

The Brutality:

This workout does quite a good job at conveying the basics and craziness of CrossFit. After my first attempt I only made it to the knees and elbows stage. It's such a challenge because its an intense full body workout that includes cardio. The number of exercises can be daunting, so it's best to start slowly, go at your own pace and focus on the task at hand, not how much more exercises you have to go. You can also modify the amount of reps from 50 down to 20 or 25 if its your first time through the circuit.

Workout Time:

30 minutes



- Keven

The Ketogenic Diet Tips

The Ketogenic Diet

The aim of the ketogenic diet is to get the body in a metabolic state called ketosis. Ketosis is when the body uses the body’s fat stores as a source of energy, which can lead to quick weight loss results. The ketosis state is a natural state which helps the body survive where there is no food available

The basic concepts of ketogenic diet

·         Its about tracking carb amounts and keeping carbohydrate levels to around 20-60 grams per day

·         The nutrient intake on a ketogenic diet typically works out to about 70-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% from protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrate on a daily basis when calories are not restricted.

How to do a Ketogenic diet

1.      Get a carb counter
2.    Remove all high carb foods from your cupboard e.g pasta
3. Be more prepared to spend more time in the kitchen
4.  Stay hydrated
5. Think about any social situations that will be encountered, and devise ways to handle those times when temptations to eat the "old" way will be high
6. lLearn how to stop your sugar cravings

BBQ Turkey Burger Recipe

A continuing aspect of a healthy and fit lifestyle is having dinners which both look amazing, taste amazing but also aren't a pain to make or eat. Turkey meat is a rich source of protein, iron, zinc, potassium, vitamin B6, niacin and phosphorus, it has a significantly less fat content than other popular meats, it can lower cholesterol levels as well as containing the amino acid tryptophan which then produces serotonin, which plays an important role in strengthening the immune system.

Ingredients
Coleslaw
2 cups thinly shredded cabbage
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lime juice
Burger
4 lean ground turkey patty
4 split burger buns (preferably whole-grain/wholemeal)
1 teaspoon olive oil

Method
Coleslaw:
1. Combine coleslaw ingredients in bowl. Mix ingredients until satisfactorily mixed, then set aside.

Burger:
1. Pour olive oil over hot fry-pan
2. Place turkey patties onto fry-pan
3. Cook until brown (centre of burger should be around 74 degrees celsius for a safe cook)
4. Assemble burger.
5. Enjoy!

- Ben

Easy Office Workout

 

 

 

No more making excuses for not fitting exercise into your daily routine. Many people use a full-time job and being stuck at a desk for 8+ hours as an excuse to avoid exercise. So I’ve created a simple office workout that can be done in less than 20 minutes to get your heart racing.

Repeat each exercise as many times as you can for 30 seconds, and then jump straight into the next. (ie. No rests until the whole circuit is completed)!

 

1. Chair squats (Use your office chair as a guide – do not sit down)

2. Desk Push-ups (Move your legs far from the desk to really challenge yourself)

3. Calf Raises

4. Wall Sit – (Ensure knees are at a 90 degree angle – hold for 30 seconds, you got this!)

 

5. Chair dips

6. Alternating Lunges

7. Chair Crunch

 

Once the entire circuit is complete, rest for 90 seconds, and then complete another two times.


Well done guys, now you busy 9-5 workers have no more excuses.

 

Keep working hard, stay fit

Mel xx