Great news, calories are meaningless
I would like to formally introduce you to another venture of mine – Be Nice To You. Here we tackle everything related to nutrition, health and wellbeing. Be Nice To You is different because we are not a calories and points based, food focused weight management programme. Be Nice To You is a whole of body and mind journey of discovery, the focus of which is achieving happiness though recognising what you can change to become everything you know you can be. Through Be Nice To You, you will explore and modify your food, movement, behaviours, self image, posture, hydration and the support you receive to improve your total well-being.
There have never been more low calorie and low fat products in the supermarkets, with some “light” products doubling their market share every year, yet we have higher levels of obesity and type 2 diabetes than ever before.
There is a direct correlation between the invention of manufactured fats and low calorie sweeteners and the increase in obesity and diet related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. If you plot them together on a timeline, the relationship between these products and such diseases becomes very obvious. Low calorie manufactured foods have had the calories removed from them by replacing the natural sugars with sweeteners and the natural fats with manufactured ones, which on the face of it seems like a good idea, but these products are so alien to our systems that our bodies have no idea what to do with them. This puts the body under stress which then creates the right conditions for storing fat.
According to a study published by The American Psychosomatic Society calorie restrictive diets increase the production of cortisol in the liver, cortisol being a critical factor in fat storage in the body.
Calories are meaningless because the way in which the calorific values of foods are determined bears absolutely no relation to the way our bodies process them. Humans break down food with enzymes in a chemical process that releases energy and, more importantly, the nourishment. What we don’t do is incinerate food at high temperatures using electricity in a bomb calorimeter. Calories are simply an unreliable measure of the energy potential in our food and bear absolutely no relation at all to how nourishing the food is. All foods contain calories to one degree or another, but not all foods contain nourishment. Nourishment is important because that’s the minerals, vitamins and trace elements the body needs to build and replace millions of cells that die every day. Calories don’t build cells.
There are low calorie foods that contain little or no nourishment and these tend to be manufactured foods. Conversely there are low and high calorie foods that are packed with nourishment and these tend to be the more natural products. So the conclusion is that it doesn’t matter how many calories there are in the food we eat, the important thing is how much nourishment we are able to extract from the food. If we want to slim down as a nation and reverse the diabetes trend, we need to see our food differently. Counting calories doesn’t work because they don’t matter. We need to look beyond calories and see the nourishment in our food.
So….quite an interesting discussion to be had. I will be telling you more about Be Nice To You over the next few months, but click here (http://www.benicetoyou.com/) to find out more!
January 2012 - Water, Water, Everywhere - should you drink 8 glasses of water per day
The facts:
Water makes up 60%-70% of the body’s fluids but what does it do?
- Regulates body temperature
- Carries nutrients and oxygen to cells
- Lubricates joints
- Flushes waste products from the kidneys and liver
- Dissolves minerals
- Prevents constipation
- Protects organs and tissues
- Moistens tissues
You lose, on average 1.5 litres of water per day of water through breathing, perspiration, urine and bowel movements so, just like a car using petrol, you need to replenish the supply by re-filling!! Failing to do this results in becoming dehydrated which has symptoms such as headaches, tiredness and loss of concentration. Extreme dehydration causes problems such as constipation and kidney stones.
Imagine the difference between a grape and a raisin. A grape is fully hydrated and the fluid moves about. A raisin is a dehydrated grape and the skin is stuck together and fluid does not flow around. This is very similar to the cells in your body. When you get dehydrated your cells get ‘stickier’ and the body’s efficiency drops.
Is it really 8 glasses of water per day? Does tea and coffee count?
Fluid can be obtained from drinks such as plain water, other beverages such as tea, coffee and squash, solid foods especially fruit and vegetables, a by-product of chemical reactions in the body.
We are all different so there is no one size fits all but as a guide I would suggest drinking 6-8 medium glasses of fluid daily but listen to your body (if you are drinking something other than water, watch the sugar and caffeine effects!). In hot weather or if you are exercising you will need more water as your body will lose more.
What’s the test for knowing if you’re dehydrated?
Look at the colour of your urine. The darker the colour, the more you need to drink.
Tips
Drink before you get thirsty! Carry some water in your bag. You feel thirsty when you are already dehydrated.
Water, water everywhere
Spring water, mineral water, tap water – which to choose and what are they exactly?
Spring water is collected directly from the spring where it rises from the ground, and must be bottled at the source.
Mineral water emerges from under the ground, then flows over rocks before it’s collected, resulting in a higher content of various minerals. Unlike spring water, it can’t be treated except to remove grit and dirt.
Drinking water from UK taps is as clean as it can be and will rehydrate your body. It does contain other impurities that can’t always be extracted. For more information, please email me.
Recommendation: Are you running your feet ragged? Footworks Chiropody based at Burlington Court 18 Lower Temple St, Birmingham, B2 4JD offer a variety of fantastic treatments including Biomechanics, Wilde Pedique treatments for fungal nail infections as well as pedicures and general footcare. Their blog for this month is about training shoes and what to buy. It may shock you to know that when you walk, the pressure on your feet could exceed your body weight and when you run, it can exceed it by three or four times! Drop them a line to be added to their newsletter list - we love what they do! Click here to drop them a line!
New start, new you
How many of you have been chatting with friends and family over Christmas about getting fit in the New Year. How about “referring a friend” and in return, we’ll give you a free half hour massage or your next appointment for free! Your referred lady/gent will received a free 1 hour consultation too!
Are you nuts about nuts ….plus exercise without the boredom!
Are you going crackers over nuts? Do you eat them, do you not eat them? Are they fattening? With the Christmas season coming up, I am sure you’ll be at parties, buying nibbles at the supermarket and possibly over indulging! Well……
It is true, nuts do contain fats. That is why ‘common knowledge’ says they are bad for you. But this is simply not true. The fat in natural (non heat treated) nuts are good for you as they are the fats your body naturally needs. Every nerve in your body is laminated by fats and you need to eat the fats to ensure this maintains itself. The fats need to be natural and not heat treated just like the ones found in nuts so rest assured they are good.
Not only are the fats good but nuts also contain potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, zinc, vitamin E, selenium, copper, calcium and thiamine and as there are a huge variety of nuts, you can get a variety of vitamins and minerals from them.
In a study done at Loma Linda University, results showed that people who ate nuts five times a week had around a 50% reduction in the risk of heart attack. Nuts may also help reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and also fight some forms of cancer.
HOWEVER, heat treated nuts such as roasted, general commercial salted nuts and dry roasted are not good. They are ok to have on occasions for a treat but not as a healthy snack. When fat is heat treated it changes the molecular properties of them and that is when they become bad for your body. Some heat treated fats look like plastic under the microscope. Because the body does not recognise the fat any more it is processed like a toxin and the body has to store it in a fat cell.
Finally be mindful that nuts can be moreish. Just be careful that you don’t eat the whole bag before you realise. Enjoy in moderation and remember heat treated nuts are a treat.
I hope that helps!
This month, I’m sure you’ll be discussing with your relatives, friends, partners etc about keeping fit in 2012. It’s a discussion that ALWAYS starts in December and ends by mid January. Some people hate the gym, hate the thought of exercise but want to do “something”. Here are a few ideas of alternatives to the usual exercising…..sit back and have a read!
Wishing you all a happy, healthy and fun-filled Christmas with all the best for 2012!
Tripods at Dawn
Tripods at Dawn Photography Holiday to Southwest America
Walking doesn’t just have to be an aimless amble around a dreary, miserable and boring route. How many of you are budding photographers, either beginning your hobby or have been doing this for some time. Why not put on your walking boots and join the Tripods at Dawn photographers for a not to be missed, once in a lifetime, spectacular 12-day adventure exploring the Southwest USA.
Taking you on a circular route, beginning and ending in Las Vegas, through Nevada, Arizona and Utah, you will be able photograph the awe-inspiring sights and scenery along the way. Although this isn’t a walking holiday, it is amazing how much ground you will cover so get fit and enjoy yourself at the same time. Walking to and from locations and seeking out creative compositions, you will follow in the footsteps of well-developed trails. We do say that a moderate level of fitness is required on this superb trip as you will be carrying your kit of course!
Capture the magic of National Parks, iconic landmarks and hidden treasures. From one of the seven wonders of the natural world, The Grand Canyon, to the incredible rock formations of Antelope Canyon (Upper and Lower), the stunning view of the Colorado River at Horseshoe Bend, the beautiful sandstone formations at Lake Powell, the canyons, monoliths and arches within Zion National Park, view the beautiful scenery from a boat trip and see the bright lights of the Las Vegas Strip from a helicopter! How could you possibly turn this down!
For more information and to book your place, please visit www.tripodsatdawn.com and get in contact with the extremely talented Tripods at Dawn Photographers.
Places are limited to 8 people, so book asap! Cost: £2,750 including single occupancy hotel accommodation but excluding return flights to Las Vegas. But special discount of 10% applies if you book before 31/12/11
Jonathan - A Professional for the Professionals
In a world of hustle and bustle and never having time to sit down, making time to have your hair done not only gives you time to relax and chatter, but makes you feel good too! The weather is so dreary at this time of year, it’s easy to have drenched hair when you’re dashing around and I don’t know about you, but it then starts to look drab and lanky.
Jonathan Parker, owner of Jonathan in Birmingham City Centre is an expert in helping clients get a style/cut that suits them, advising on colour to highlight and enhance, and a specialist in repair work - of cuts and colours bringing out the best creating an image for them which they know suits them and looks good. This is pure 1-1 time - no queues, just Jonathan working with to achieve a look that makes the best of your hair, your face shape and lifestyle. Appointments are available 6 days a week, with early and late appointments available on request. Jonathan is currently offering a discount as well, do drop him a line. I highly recommend him!
First Floor Burlington Court, 18 Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, B2 4JD
0121 643 9264, jonathanparker911@gmail.com
Dancing
Think of exercise, and you probably think of either those people you see out jogging in all weather, head down against the rain, hair plastered to their head, mud-spattered trainers; or your mind conjures up an image of the gym with all the terror of unflattering lycra, and an hour spent cycling on a bike that doesn’t go anywhere.
Just imagine if you could dress up in your best clothes and high-heeled shoes before heading off for an hour long workout? I do that all the time because my exercise of choice is ballroom and Latin dancing. That may sound rather sedate, but only if you’ve never tried it. I remember taking a boyfriend to a dance class once: he was a rugby player and keen canoeist, and scoffed at the idea of ballroom dancing being a way to keep fit. After a three minute quickstep he was gasping for breath and begging to be allowed to sit down! Obviously some dances are faster than others, and jive, quickstep and cha cha will burn off the calories quicker than say a waltz, but the slower dances need a lot of control, so you gain strength and flexibility too. There are dance classes all over the country for all levels, but if you live in the Birmingham area I particularly recommend Mandy Daniels at www.letsdance.org.uk
Ghost Walking
There are a number of evening and weekend walking tours taking place in and around Birmingham throughout the year, such as ghost walks, city sightseeing walks, and themed tours. You can discover more about Birmingham’s canals, entertainment venues, heroes, villains and Jewellery Quarter. The walks vary in length, but work out at an average of around 2 miles altogether, normally with no more than a few minutes’ of walking at a time without a stop. People of all ages and fitness levels generally cope with no problems at all. You don’t need to be a visitor to the city –in fact many of the people who join the tours are local people who want to do something a bit different.
For anyone who feels they need to be more active but hates the idea of the conventional gym, sport or activities, a walking tour could be just the thing. You get your body moving in the fresh air, and don’t even notice that it is exercise. If you think you’d like to join one of the walks then contact Blue Badge Guide Ian Braisby Ian@midlandsdiscoverytours.co.uk or visit the Midlands Discovery Tours website for more information.
If you’re not working up a sweat, you’re not working hard enough
Welcome to my monthly newsletter. Each month I will share with you truths and myths of the health, fitness and nutrition world. Something you may have considered, wondered about, or it might just be something to inspire you for the coming month. Please feel free to let me know what you think by clicking here!
“Let’s go to the gym and work up a sweat”. So, does this mean that if you don’t get “sweaty Betty”, you may as well not have bothered going?
Definitely not!
Cool temperatures keep perspiration down but your heart can be beating just as high as if you were out in the tropics!
Perspiring is your body’s way of cooling itself, similar to the fan on a car cutting in! If this didn’t happen, you’d overheat and collapse (just like the cars you see at the side of the road steaming!). You can still burn energy/fat and not perspire!
We’ll use the word “perspire” as it sounds much better than “sweat” but in essence, it’s the same. Depending on age, fitness level, gender and the environment, perspiration is different from person to person. You therefore cannot compare and say he/she is not fit because they sweat a lot or don’t sweat at all. We all sweat at our own rate.
The fitter you get the quicker and more you sweat from your own base level. The body does not like its internal temperature to change. As you increase your fitness the body becomes better at marinating its internal temperature by sweating quicker and more therefore dissipating the increased heat from exercise faster and more effectively. So sweat is a sign of fitness but only from your base sweat level.
Furthermore, exercising in air conditioned rooms or cold air means you will not perspire as much because your body does not get as hot and the air will evaporate any “water”. With the science “hat” on, this is known as radiation. Heat “radiating” out of the skin when the air around you is cooler than your body. However in humid climates, the perspiration can’t evaporate and that’s why it drips off you (not nice!). It is important to note that the amount you perspire does not have anything to do with energy you burn. When you exercise, you are sweating all the time, but it is evaporating depending on what conditions you are in.
Did you know.
- Perspiration is made up of water, potassium and salt? It varies in every person.
- The average person has 2.6 million sweat glands
Remember: Losing excessive amounts of water makes you dehydrated, so ensure you’re taking enough water on board when you exercise. Also, due to the loss of the salt and other minerals, it is important to replace salt in your diet. This is not just any salt or any salt you buy from supermarkets. Salt, found naturally and unprocessed contains many trace elements including potassium and sodium chloride. Trace elements are important for the body but get stripped out of processed salt and sold to the vitamin companies. Adding real salt to your diet (salt that is still grey and damp) will give your body all it needs. Click here for a site about real, natural salt.
Now here’s the exercise that’ll get your heart beating!
Squat jumps:
Start with feet hip width apart, squat down then jump up, with arms in the air, and land in a wide squat. Repeat.
Have a great November!
Kate
What burns energy, running a mile or walking a mile?
We’ve all heard it….”no pain, no gain”. Running has therefore got to be better because you sweat more, you breathe faster and therefore burn more energy!
Really?
I suppose you can use the same argument of “which is heavier, a 1kg of feathers or a 1kg of brick” – they are both the same! Therefore because the distance is the same, the energy used must be the same!
OK, that’s not strictly true, so here’s the science bit!
Take on average someone who weights 70kg, walking about 3.1 miles per hour, they use 50 units of energy per km but running at 6.2 miles per hour, they use 78 units.
So…..running is better so it seems! HOWEVER, at the start of the run, you are metabolising carbohydrates before you start to burn fat. 60% of your maximum aerobic capacity (reached at around 75% of maximum heart rate – generally 220 minus your age) is optimal, therefore low to moderate exercise is a better way to burn energy/fat and on the plus side can be easier on your joints! OK, so you do burn SLIGHTLY more energy when you run, but it’s not a huge significant amount.
Running is more of a workout per unit of time but if you think you’ll need to exercise for half the time if you run, you’re sadly incorrect! Then again, an amble round the park for three miles is equivalent of a three mile run, that isn’t quite right either!
Overall, even if you are running every single day, you won’t lose any weight if you are putting more energy into your body than you need.
I suppose the next question is comparing your exercise on a treadmill to that outdoors. Yes, you’ve got the pounding of the pavement on your knees and legs. Running outdoors does burn slightly more energy than indoors because of the air resistance but more tricks of the trade show that setting the treadmill to an incline of 1% evens this out!
Many scientific papers on movement and exercise do not take into account the impact of our mind and how we feel on the rest of the body. The psychological impact is yet to be truly explored.
The truth is what is right for you? We are all different and as such need to do what is right for your body and mind. If you don’t like or can’t run then walking is definitely the best thing for you and will make a significant difference to you health and wellbeing. If however, you are training for a marathon walking is not going to get you there (unless you are walking the 23 miles). I believe the outside is better for health as you get fresh air and can take in nature but if you get hay fever then the gym might be the place for you.
Do what is right for your body. The only thing science ever shows us is the average info for Joe Bloggs. Do what makes you feel amazing.
While we’re talking about lower body, here’s the fabulous exercise of the month!
Squat
Start with the feet just over hip width apart and then lower your bum down as far as you can and come back up. Try 2 sets of 12 and increase to 3! Make sure you rest for 60 seconds between each!
Have an awesome October.
If I exercise my tricep muscles, will I lose my “bingo wings”?
How many times have we all chatted amongst ourselves “I couldn’t bear to wear a sleeveless top”, “Don’t ask me to wave good bye to anyone!” “I hate my bingo wings/dinner-lady arms/nanna wobbles!”
The tricep muscle, which is found on the back of the upper arm, is an area that many women notice the accumulation of a little more fat than they feel is socially acceptable!
We are overloaded with websites, magazine articles, blogs and features in the newspaper about the best way to combat “bingo wings”. How many of you are confused as to what the best exercises are, whether they work, how often you have to do them and how long it will be before your bingo wings have flown away and gone forever?
Yes, I agree, exercise can help as it targets certain muscle groups but sadly it is impossible for this area to be tight and non wobbly all of the time!
It is important to note that your triceps SHOULD wobble when waving because the muscle is relaxed! If you then tense your arm as shown below, see how the tricep won’t wobble! Even Madonna would have a wobbly tricep when waving! If this didn’t happen, when tensing the arm it would cause it to rip! Not nice obviously!
The great news is you can improve the muscle tone, making them look great and for you to feel amazing. Why not try this:
Tricep Dip
Put a bench, sofa or something that supports behind you and place your hands on to it directly underneath your shoulders. Keep your legs bent but make sure your body is in line and your bum is as near to the bench as possible. Gently lower yourself up and down feeling the muscles at the back of your arms working. Try one set of 12 and then up to 2 sets and then 3!
To increase the difficulty, move your feet further away but ensure your bum stays close to the bench.
Dazzle everyone with your amazing arms!
Have a sunny September.
I’ve been running three miles three times a week, so why is my fitness and weight just the same?
So….you’ve never run before….you’re delighted that you’ve been able to build up your running to three miles and not just that, three miles, three times per week! Yey!!!
When you start a new exercise, your body makes changes to adapt to the load you are putting on it. Your muscles work harder, consume more energy and burn fat. However, just like when you learnt to drive and had to concentrate before performing any action, after a while your body and mind got used to it and you probably drive automatically now! Your body is the same! When you first started to run, it was more painful, more tiring but now, you just breeze along the roadside! So…your body doesn’t need to adapt anymore and you use less energy even though you’re doing the same exercise that was difficult at first!
The secret is to change that exercise, increase it, alternate to interval training (speeding up and slowing down), run for longer or even do another exercise in between?
Don’t get used to your exercise…….trained athletes use less energy than untrained ones with similar body types …You are a trained athlete!!!
Exercise of the week:
Summer is here, so you’ll no doubt be showing off your glutes! Try the glute lunge!
Lunge forward with your right foot and take your left hand to the outside of your right foot. Repeat on the other side and then try 3 sets of 12!
Have a fabulous August!
Book:
Emotional Intelligence – Daniel Goleman
In this fascinating book, based on brain and behavioural research, Daniel Goleman argues that our IQ- idolising view of intelligence is far too narrow. Instead, Goleman makes the case for “emotional intelligence” being the strongest indicator of human success. He defines emotional intelligence in terms of self-awareness, altruism, personal motivation, empathy and the ability to love and be loved by friends, partners, and family members. People who possess high emotional intelligence are the people who truly succeed in work as well as play.
Stomach crunches will make my stomach flat…Truth or Myth?
How many of you own a stomach crunch machine? How many of you use it? How many of you have been doing stomach crunches at the gym or in your own home but they don’t seem to be having the desired effect?
Stomach crunches will NOT give you a flat stomach. They may shorten the stomach muscle, pulling your ribs closer to your pelvis (making you look stooped over and fatter), but they won’t make it flat. Working a specific muscle does not mean the fat will come off from that muscle. You could be working your legs but the fat may come off your arms. We are all different and the body has its own mechanism for picking where it will use fat from. Doing stomach exercises won’t necessarily burn stomach fat. They key is to work the big muscles of the body as they burn more fat per work out.
For this reason the exercise of the week is one that will work all your major muscles so you get more for your work out and burn more fat.
Backwards lunges with arms overhead
Multi-directional lunges are great at strengthening and exercising your core muscles.
Stand with your feet apart with your arms by your side. Step back on your right leg into a reverse lunge swinging your arms up and over your head. Repeat with your left leg and alternate. Build up to 3 sets of 10 (5 on each leg).
Did you know that your abdominal muscles form a rounded area, not completely flat and that age, food, stress, hormones and gender affects the size of your stomach?
So….could you even get a flat stomach by contracting the abdominal muscles on their own?
Keeping your shoulders back and imagining there is a string attached to your head which is being pulled upwards. This can instantly make you feel taller, slimmer and more toned.
Have a wonderful July!
Kate
Humans, a Reflection of Mother Nature
Is it a coincidence that we have similar traits to the very earth we walk on? Is it coincidence that there is a reflective trend in the incidence of human ill health and the degradation and damage of our planet?
It is all too easy to get caught up in the materialist, workaholic human world and forget to stop and look where we have come from and what we are actually part of. As humans, we contain the same amount of water as there is on the surface of planet earth*. We rise and sleep with the sun, females have the same length of menstrual cycle as the moons cycle, we are the same salinity as the sea and growth comes from good nourishment. Just like our planet we are delicate and fragile when we add chemicals and foreign objects to the system. In essence we are a mirror image of the very environment we call home. Yet we forget to look outside our materialistic work and think of the consequences of our behaviours and to varying degrees we are killing of both the human race and the planet that houses us.
So what does this have to do with anything? Well, that depends on you. This can be just passing information or it can help you to see that we are part of something very large and exciting and you can start to make choices that reflect your health and in return the health of your home, the earth.
The less chemicals we consume and spray the healthier we can be, the more we nourish our body and earth the stronger we can grow and the more we have respect for ourselves, others and our planet the more we can get out of life. The steps to achieve this can be as simple as, stepping of the rat race once in a while and see the beauty around you and treat your body, mind and environment as you would treat a small child.
*The exact numbers may vary depending on the book or review you have read.
Stout but fit, just like Pooh Bear
First impressions are powerful thoughts that cause us to judge people in an instant. What do we base these judgments on and how do we know if they are the truth/reality?
If you met a slim gentleman (A) and a gentleman that was stout (B) what would your first impressions of their fitness and health be? Most people would assume gentleman A to be fitter and healthier due to their visual look. Society amongst other things, has taught us to believe that slimmer is fitter but is this the truth. Firstly we must ask ourselves what is fitness and health and is size and shape the only measure of it?
If you asked a group of people what health and fitness was to them and asked how they would measure it, you would get many different answers. Health and fitness is subjective and as such can only be defined by the individual and their personal parameters. Therefore, one persons perception of fitness (I can walk to work and not get out of breath) can be totally different to another’s (I can bench press 100kg) and therefore their body shape will look nothing alike. Who is right and who is wrong?
Is Pooh Bear fit? He is stout and cuddly yet he walks every day and plays lots! Does that make him fitter than a model who eats little nutrition, hardly trains due to lack of energy yet has little if any body fat and fits societies “healthy” shape. There are plenty of people I know who on first impressions would be perceived to be “overweight” and “unfit” due to their size yet I would not like to take them on in the gym. And I am not talking about the big muscle men just Joe Blogs.
So when we judge on first impressions what are we actually doing? When we have information presented to us, in this case in the form of an “overweight” person, we delete, distort and generalise the information and base our reality on past experienced, personal values and beliefs. Our own belief about people and situations are not reality only our own reality. Reality exists but is never experienced by anybody. All we known is our own reality created by years of experience, deep routed beliefs and learnt truths. What you perceive in people is merely a reflection of your own deep values.
