Hi Fit Fam

I hope that you had a great week filled with good training and healthy eating!!

Today I have the pleasue of writing this from my home away from home Riyadh... Wonderful to be back.....

So Today!!!

How well do you know your ABC’s???  

You are probably thinking I’ve gone a little nuts!!! Not quite.  Today I am giving you my Fitness Alphabet!!!

Each letter will be related to fitness in some way… Also can I say it was much harder than you may think!!!

Hope you enjoy



A-    Vitamin A, a powerful antioxidant essential doe healthy skin, hair and immune system. Found In foods such as eggs, oily fish and liver!!!


B-  B Vitamins, B vitamins help release energy from your foods and are required for a healthy nervous system.  You should get adequate B vitamins from a balanced diet.  Vitamin B12 however ismainly found in animal sources.


C- Calcium- that’s what’s your bones are made of!!! 
adequate calcium is required to support bodies nervous system, muscle function and of course your bones.


D-    Vitamin D- low levels of vitamin D are linked to high blood pressure, cancer and depression. Up your dose by getting some sun, as your full vitamin D cannot be obtained through foods alone!


E-     Exercise- as it says exercise is a requirement for all those able.  Exercise to maintain health and wellbeing!


F-     Fats- Fat is not a bad word, your body requires fat to function properly and eating the correct healthy fats in Nut, seed, lean meats oily fishes, healthy oils can help with weight loss.


G-    Goals- Do you have them?  Research shows that people
having set goals and targets will more likely achieve them! (see my previous post on goal setting)


H-    Hormones- Endorphins and hormone that is released when you exercise.  Often called the HAPPY HORMONE.  Also released when you eat sweet
goods.  So instead of getting that feeling from food get moving and get your
fix from exercise


I-       Iron- required by the body to produce red blood cells that transport oxygen to the muscles. Low levels of iron and people with
anemia may feel tired and lethargic making exercise hard. 
Best source of iron are found in red meat.


J-      Juices- not a fan of juices.  They are often filled with additives and sugar.  If drinking juice make sure that is close to 100 % pure.  Or better make it yourself!


K-     Vitamin K- required for blood clotting and to maintain strong bones.  Found in foods such as broccoli and other dark leafy vegetables.


L-      Love handles- women’s worst enemy- excess stomach fat can be an indication of higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol (see previous log).   Try and stay as stress free.  Allow time for you, relax and enjoy your
time.


M-  Magnesium- often over
looked but a crucial mineral needed to help with calcium absorption and vitamin c.  Found in Nuts and seeds.


N-    Nutrition- my ration
when looking to get in shape is 70% Nutrition and 30% exercise. If your nutrition is not right all the exercise in the world will not get you where you want to be!


O-    Organic- everyone thinks that organic foods are better and they often cost more.  In an ideal world they SHOULD be better however there is a lot of dispute regarding this.  So until there is sound evidence I’m on the fence.


P-     Potassium- an important mineral that works with sodium to regulate fluid in the body.  It helps move nutrients in and waste product in and out of the
cells.  Found in bananas, watercress and pumpkin.


Q-    Question- if you have
read this far, leave me a question on anything for another blog.


R-     Rest- I can never
emphasize enough that rest is just as important as working out. 
Overtraining can lead to injuries, hormonal imbalances and demotivation!


S-     Sleep- in line with the above tip.  Sleep and recovery is where your body get stronger. Try and maintain a regular sleep pattern, irregular sleep andinadequate sleep can effect cortisol levels.


T-     Tunes- I don’t know
about you but music and feel good music makes me workout.  Top tip put a playlist together for the type of workout in mind!!!


U- UV rays and natural sunlight are required by the body for vitamin D production.


V-    Variety- it’s the spice of life, doing the same thing day in day out can be boring.  Top tip, eat a variety of foods, and try different forms of
exercise.  You might be find a passion!!!


W-  Water- I don’t need to go on here!!!!


X-   X rated-try and avoid Trans fats, and foods containing artificial sweeteners andpreservatives.  Eat as if you would have many years ago. 
Natural from the ground!


Y-   Everything that you do make sure that you are doing it for you. 
Set your goals on what you want to achieve.  Don’t do something that
you feel is unrealistic for you


Z-     Zinc another important mineral required for healthy nails, skin and hair. Can help fight colds




Well there  you have it Jill Calverts Personal Training Alphabet of
Fitness!



Until next week stay healthy.

Jill

Hi Fit Fam

I hope that you had a great week filled with good training and healthy eating.

Today’s blog is focused more on Ladies, sorry Gents.  I am not alone and can speak for most PTs in saying that one of the main reasons why female clients cancel sessions, is due to their monthly menstruation (period).  
 
Unfortunately its human nature, and ladies we will have these from teens to adulthood!!!  There is no escaping them.   You should try not to let them ruin normal life!!! 
 
Albeit everyone is individual and there are specific cases where
periods can effect normal living, but for the most that’s not the case!!!!

I often get asked should I exercise during my period.  What type of exercise
etc?

So today I will cover….


What happens to the body at that time?
Tackling the Cramps?
Should you exercise, and what type of exercise?

What happens to the body at that time?

Menstruation is a woman's monthly bleeding. When we menstruate, our bodies shed the lining of the womb (uterus). Most menstrual periods last from 3 to 5 days.  Regular menstrual cycles indicates that important parts of your body are
working normally. It also prepares your body for pregnancy each month. The
average menstrual cycle is 28 days long.

During and possibly prior to your period you may experience some not nice symptoms…..


•        Cramping, bloating, and sore breasts,
•        Water retention- this is one of the reasons why we may weigh heavier just before and during menstruation
•        Pelvic pressure
•        Backache
•        Food cravings
•        Difficulty concentrating
•        Mood swings and irritability
•        Headache and fatigue

With all these symptoms the thought of exercise may not be the most appealing, I understand but I also understand the importance of consistency
in training!


Tackling Cramps

The main and most complained about side effect of the monthly P is cramps.  Below I have listed some tips on how to cope with them.

Exercise… YES research shows that carrying out regular exercise and exercising during your period can alleviate the symptoms.

Ensure that you sleep well.

Supplements such as magnesium and B1 may reduce the symptoms.

Exercise such as yoga and meditation can help.

Not a favorite of mine, but painkillers may also help.

Hot baths to ease cramps may also help.

Should you exercise, and what type of exercise?

Here is my advice….

Listen to your body.
Try and continue to exercise, Yes I understand it can be uncomfortable however it is equally as important to exercise!  You may just need to
reduce the intensity of the session.
Exercises such as walking, yoga and moderate strength training are great.  
If you can.. then do it… speak with your trainer… they will understand, they are well equipped to modify the session to suit your energy levels.
Stay well hydrated.
Eat well as sugar levels tend to be lower during you period resulting in light headedness and feeling tired.

This was a simple and honest blog and I think that it is always good to go over the small things that can make a BIG difference…

Until next week

Stay Healthy
Jill

Hi Fit Fam

I hope that this finds you well and have had a great week.....

This weeks fit bit is a delicious and healthy recipe to satisfy your sweet tooth!!!!

The picture above are my Carrot Muffin/buns.  They are gluten and dairy free!!!!

What you will need

I made three Muffins

3x Egg Whites
200ml hazelnut milk ( or any other nut milk)
3x carrots (precooked with cinnamon)
1.5 Dessert spoon of coconut flour
teaspoon of 100% raw coco powder.

I then blended these and was able to form bum like models.

Placed them in a tray lined with coconut oil and sprinkled seseme seeds on top.

The finishing touch was a Walnut on top.

The total marcos for the whole mixture would be 300 calories

One bun would be 100 calories


Carbs 10g from the carrots
Protein 10g from the egg whites
Fats 2g (healthy fats from the coconut oil, hazelnut milk and walnut on top ;)


Hope this little recipe inspired some to get baking!!!

Until next week stay healthy

Jill

Hi FitFam

Hope you are all well and have had a great week of great training and good nutrition???
 
Today's Blog is a little bit of information regarding Protein Powders.  This was also a request from a blog follower so here you go :)
 

I often get asked should I take them and which one do I take Whey, or Casein?

So today I will explain the benefits of both and when and how to take them.

Differences

Both Whey and Casein are the main proteins in Milk and provide many essential amino acids, however both are very different in they way they are digested.

Whey Protein

Whey Protein is rapidly absorbed.  It empties from the stomach very quickly, which results in a rapid and large increase in protein in the blood which in turn
translates into a quick but transient increase in protein synthesis (muscle
building)

Whey has higher levels of leucine.  Leucine is on essential amino acid that stimulates protein synthesis.

Casein Protein

Casein is the most abundant protein in milk. 

Casein is slower to digest and empties from the stomach at a slower rate.  It supplies amino acids to the bloodstream at a slow and steady rate, which again prevents muscle breakdown. 

These are the main differences between the two.

How to use them.

Both have their benefits and me personally use both types.  It is about the timing when you will use them.

They both have different but complementary effects, I would recommend whey in the morning and after workouts and casein before bed.


Should you take them.

Like all supplements that is what they do! Supplement, they should never be solely relied on and in an ideal situation, getting your nutrients from whole foods is better however, if you are training hard, these product may help you on the road!!!!

Research shows these proteins *support* greater increases in lean body mass and decreases in body fat as part of a resistance training program.


Well I hope that you enjoyed this little snippet of info.

Until next week

Stay Healthy

Jill