Have you ‘let yourself go’?

 In those altered days of Zoom and Skype did you drop the ball a bit?  Now that you are smothered in a mask have you stopped bothering?  Combine this with baggy ‘lounge wear’ and you have a recipe for a perfect disaster.

You didn’t see anybody, go any where or do anything – so what was the point – right?!

Wrong – it matters.  It matters how you look, how you are and how you feel but not because of what others think – but because of what you think.  And it matters because we are coming out of all this.  It matters because now you can get your hair cut, your nails done and go to those shops you haven’t been in for months.  

Take a good hard look in the mirror.  Are those trousers a bit more snug fitting?  (Yes, the ones that you have just got out of the cupboard for the first time in months).  Is that top stretched a bit tighter?  And how’s your fitness?  Still getting in those ten thousand steps every day?  Picking up some weights perhaps?  And how about your abs – when did you last check how long you can hold a plank for?

Right – here we go – you have a choice (well, in fact, you have several choices)

• You can do nothing (not recommended!)

• You can go back to the gym and go bonkers with a huge regime – for approximately one week by which time you will be exhausted / sore and despondent

• You can get help with a programme that is both achievable and sustainable.  With an appropriate and progressive regime you can be where you want to be.  It won’t happen over night (after all, it took time to get where you are now!) – but you can get fitter, sleep better and eat wisely again.  

So, here’s the plan.

• Go back to the gym

• Ask for help

• Tip up regularly and keep to the programme

• Eat healthily (stop binging on crisps / chocolate etc etc)

• Cut out the excess alcohol 

• Get some fresh air (aka walking) 

• Reclaim your body and your life!

Enjoy your post lockdown freedom!

We re-open on Monday 12th April

 We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday, we will be open from 06:30.

What do you know about being dense?

 ‘ A calorie is a calorie’ – right?  Right – just like a pound of feathers weighs the same as a pound of coal.  

However, a pound of coal takes up very little space but a pound of feathers covers a vast area.  Basic physics – you learnt it at school – coal is denser than feathers.  

And did you know – the same applies to food 

1 tablespoon peanut butter – nearly 100 calories

Or you could add a serving (half a tin ) of tuna or a boiled egg to a bowl of salad leaves and come out with roughly the same number of calories 

Or add in some baby sweetcorn – just a 100 calories in this lot    

Or mange tout?  All these for less than 50 calories ! 

 Both are great eaten raw – easy to snack on.  

Or this whopping serving of broccoli for 150 calories        

The salad and any of  these veg will take you longer to eat and leave you feeling fuller – its all about density.

So – a great way to think about your food is to consider the density of what’s on your plate.  

Low density foods are vegetables, bananas, grapes and grains, medium density are lean meat and starchy foods and very dense foods are red meat , desserts and biscuits.  Food stuffs to eat less of are those that pack lots of calories into a small space (and increase your blood sugar rapidly) .  No food group is bad, just watch your density.

Want to eat more than just salads?  No problem – how about Butternut soup?  

Just take a butternut squash, an onion and a sweet potato, boil in some chicken stock and add curry powder to taste.  Blitz it through and you’re done.

Have an apple if you’re feeling peckish – that takes up space in your stomach. 10 white grapes are just 20 calories.  

Just think about foods that fill a gap – not about foods that are dense and crammed full of calories and have barely an impact on your empty stomach!  

Re-opening 12th April

 As stated in the Prime Minister's press conference today, we hope to be able to reopen on the 12th April.

Lockdown - a time for reflection?

 What has COVID taught you?  Has it been a time to think about what really matters, to evaluate your life and maybe do things differently?

Maybe your definition of ‘enough money’ has changed?  After all – there is not much point having a ton of money and not even being able to go on holiday?  Or maybe you have had thoughts on what you want to do with your life – do you really want to go back to that job once everyone is in the office again?

Whilst you ponder on those big topics – how about doing some work on something that could do with some thought right now – your body?  

We have heard and read, countless times, that people who have other ill - health conditions and / or are overweight do far less well if they get ill.  This is, of course, true of anyone getting COVID but it is also true generally.  The fitter you are the more likely you are to avoid illnesses (because your immune system is working well) and the quicker you are to recover if you do get ill because your body is not trying to deal with the overload and stress that a poor lifestyle places on it.  

So what can you do?

How about:

• A healthy diet – cook from scratch, plenty of fruit and veg, good helpings of protein and complex carbs (so skip the cakes, biscuits, white bread, white rice and white pasta)

• Keep the alcohol down – loads of empty calories and a rather easy habit to slip into just now

• Don’t smoke – just don’t smoke

• Get some sleep – ditch the box set binges and keep to some sort of routine – we are designed to have a rhythm to our days – don’t kick against it

• Drink enough water (check your pee – don’t let it get dark – keep it light) 

• And – of course – get some exercise

I know its cold, dark, wet and slippery but your body will still benefit from getting outside and those steps are important.  

And then – stretch and move your body – make your muscles work.  None of us can get to the gym right now – but you have your body weight.

Go for press ups, planks, squats, lunges.  How about a few mountain climbers, just for fun and there is always burpees.  

If you’re not sure how to build a great little workout – just shout – we will plan one for you.  

Whatever else you decide is important in your life – don’t forget your body – it’s the only one you’ve got.

February's Home Workout

 We have a new workout for February. Try to complete this in under 40 minutes. For the competitive amongst you, it took me 34:08

A squat shoot is where you perform a squat, touch the ground between your feet  and extend your arms above your head as you push yourself back up. 

Toe taps are where you lie on your back with your legs straight up, and touch your toes with your fingers (or as close as you can get)

Regarding shoulder taps, and mountain climbers, 1 rep counts as 1 for each arm/leg!

Rest as and when necessary, but try to keep it as short as possible.

Home Workout - Week 4

 It's the final week!