Do You Need To Gain Weight?

Question: I’m struggling to gain weight. What can I do?

The media is crammed full of advice on weight loss, but rarely do I come across advice for weight gain. It figures… Who would want to gain weight, isn’t that in the naughty category?

The main reasons for weight gain are:

1. To improve athletic performance or aesthetics. This might be the strong man who needs to consume anywhere from 8000 to 20000 calories per day. If you’re the size of a truck, the truck is easier to pull. Or the body builder who wants to gain muscle mass to be ridiculously good looking (Zoolander, great film).

2. Malabsorbtion issues. This is usually from the digestive system being damaged through a food type (wheat, gluten, dairy), an imbalance in gut bacteria (e.g. heavy use of antibiotics), or even stress from negative thought patterns or a high adrenaline flow. Generally it’s a mixture of the above culprits plus others. This group have lost too much weight and it’s effecting their strength, bone density and energy levels.

3. To survive a nuclear fallout.

Heal your gut.

The no. 1 way to gain healthy weight is to get to the root of the problem. It’s to heal your gut.

This can be long and painful. I’ve suffered from malabsorbtion issues for the last few years. Mine resulted from heavy antibiotic use and stress. However I will share with you some of my most helpful lessons learnt:

Lesson 1 – cut out all processed food and refined sugar until symptoms subside.

Lesson 2 – try an exclusion diet where you cut a common irritant from your diet for 21 days.

Lesson 3 – take probiotics daily. In food form (sauerkraut or kefir) or a supplement. I take “Dr Mercola Complete Probiotics” which has 35 billion good bacteria in 1 capsule.

Lesson 4 – have high omega-3 foods everyday (anyone for sardines?). If fish isn’t your thing, try a krill oil supplement.

Lesson 5 – try a 24hr Juice fast once a week. I find this resets my system if it’s been triggered off.

By keeping a food diary, I concluded that I would cut out wheat and gluten. Which is a good shout for everyone.

But weirdly, insoluble fibre was terrible for my gut. Vegetables and some fruit are high in insoluble (cannot dissolve in water) fibre.

As Chris Kresser puts it:

“consuming large amounts of insoluble fiber when your gut is inflamed is a little bit like rubbing a wire brush against an open wound. Ouch”

This means I now Juice some of my veggies that are particularly high in insoluble fibre and take a soluble fibre supplement (organic psyllium husk) to add… Umm… bulk to my stool… You made me write that.

To clarify, both forms of fibre are important for digestive health. But can you see even a super healthy food like vegetables may have to be scrutinised. Leave no stone unturned!

Simple weight gain strategies

I still have bad days (and weeks!) with my gut, but it’s heading in the the right direction. Over the last year I’ve put on 10kg through applying what is in this blog… That’s healthy muscle mass not a six pack made of flab.

Remember once we have a healthier gut, we will be more efficient at gobbling up all the nutrients and energy of every mouthful. Now some simple weight gain tips:

1. Increase portion size.

Hate to state the obvious. If you have 2 eggs every morning, try having 4. More food = more calories. Ease yourself into a gradual increase over time and aim for variety.

2. Liquid calories.

It’s not just thick shakes with protein powder and coconut oil that hit the spot. After having a meal I will sometimes make a healthy dessert of full fat organic yoghurt, mashed banana and some dark chocolate. That kind of meal just slips down and gets your stomach used to eating more.

3. Don’t be scared of fat.

You will know by now that I’m not scared of fat. My best sources are organic butter, coconut oil and olive oil. Mark Sissons has a nice blog on it. Other good fat sources are avocado, nuts (moderate as high in omega-6 and phytates), and raw organic dairy (if well tolerated).

4. Go after carbohydrates.

Especially if you’re exercising frequently you’ll be burning through your muscles’ stores of glycogen. That needs to be replaced. My favourite carb is mashed potato (blitz it up until it’s runny and creamy. Yum!)

5. Start powerlifting as a hobby

Exercises such as back squats will stunt naughty weight gain and enable the good stuff to dominate. We all have the (sometimes untapped!) potential to be strong, athletic and muscular.

Thanks for reading and contact me with any questions, I would be more than happy to help.

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Anyone For Sardines?

Remember that famous saying “you are what you eat”? If that was the case, I would be a sardine… I perhaps do have sardine-like characteristics with my big eyes and uncanny ability to swim underwater. Not really selling myself am I?

You know what sardines are. Those small fish that are usually canned. They are sold everywhere.

I have a few select foods that I include in my daily diet, they have to be cost effective, bursting with nutrients, tasty and easy to prepare. Sardines have passed the test with flying colours. In fact if I was stranded on a desert island and I was only allowed one food, I would take sardines (no, I can’t fish – the irony).

So what fuels my fishy obsession?

To answer that question, just take a look at their nutritional make up:

1 can (3.75 ounces, or 92 grams) of sardines will get you vast amounts of you Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of:

Vitamins

100% of Vitamin B12
63% of Vitamin D
24% of Vitamin B3
12% of Vitamin B2

As well as slightly smaller amounts of every other vitamin except for Vitamin C.

Minerals

35% of Calcium
69% of Selenium
45% of Phosphorus
15% of Iron
9% of Magnesium
9% of Copper
8% of Zinc

Fats

Although there is currently no official RDA for omega-3 fats in the UK, a daily intake of 450mg as a minimum is suggested, although some individuals with particular health issues are advised to consume as much as 4000mg. I would like to point out that in the West our processed and high sugar diet means we consume on average 25 times more omega-6 than omega-3! Even the health conscious will have boosted omega-6 from foods such as nuts and seeds, which are laden with omega-6.

It is thought that among hunter-gatherer populations, omega-3 fats and omega-6 fats are typically consumed in roughly a 1:1 ratio.

It may sound like an overwhelming task to get your fat ratios in order, especially as you look at your current intake of omega-3. But do not fear! Sardines to the rescue!

1 can contains a whopping 2,200mg of omega-3 fat.

This makes the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 12:1 in sardines, which will balance out the excess inflammatory omega-6 in the rest of our diet. This will certainly help with that homeostasis in the body.

Protein

A can contains 20-25g of protein. This is an excellent repair remedy for a hard work out.

If you’re not dashing out of the door to get your hands on this health nectar yet, these small and mighty fish are also close to the bottom of the ocean food chain, which makes them much less likely to be contaminated with mercury or other toxins. A clean food (apart from the BPA… I’ll come on to that…) in a world where most of our food is tainted with nasties.

How to eat them?

If you’re a hardcore sardine fanatic, straight out of the tin. For the rest of us, throw them into a fish curry or pie, have them with a Greek salad or try them on some oat cakes with a homemade pesto or tomato sauce.

Please don’t be put off by the small… How do I say this… Spine. You can’t taste it, it’s good for you, eat it. (You can get filleted sardines, but you’re missing out on vital calcium)

So I hope this sets off a sardine revolution. Don’t worry about their numbers getting gobbled up, they have been “super green listed” as environmentally friendly.

To summarise. This is ridiculous. They are tiny! Their nutrient power-to-weight ratio is unmatched. Go and try a can.

A note about BPA:

There are sardines available in BPA-free cans. Which you pay a little extra for. However I eat sardines from BPA-containing tins (I’m tight with my money) as the benefits far outweigh the negative impact of BPA in my opinion.

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

• Do I Need To Exercise This Christmas?

Of course you do! Now read this blog…

With Christmas fast approaching everyone seems to have their mind set on mince pies, mulled wine and an edible nativity. The thought of exercise can seem crude and out of place. Why would you inject discomfort and misery into the season of relaxation and joy?

Throwing some exercise into your Christmas will :

1. Build upon the fitness you have worked hard to achieve. Don’t throw it away!

2. Enable you to enjoy treats without piling on the pounds. Chocolate tastes better after press ups.

3. Fight off that sluggish post Christmas feeling. No one ever said they felt amazing after too much Christmas pudding and not moving.

4. Give you an active de-load week from your regular training.

Here are some exercise ideas that anyone can implement this Christmas, whether at home or visiting family:

Plyometrics

This is the fancy word for explosive movements like jumping. “Jumping?” I hear you cry! Like hopscotch in the playground??

You try hopping for 2 minutes on each leg or 50 broad jumps (long jump starting from and landing in a squat) and that will answer your question.

My favourite plyometric movements :

- Jumping lunges
- Jumping air squat
- Tuck jumps
- Box split jumps
- Squat star jumps

Try some complex variations such as broad jump into tuck jump. Ouch…

High repetitions

To gain the intensity that weight would usually bring try throwing in some high rep work.

100 air squats
100 press ups
100 lunges
100 dips
100 burpees

Maybe just the one round.

Static holds

Holding a movement will increase the intensity and fire up the muscle fibres in a unique way.

Try holding a press up at the top, half way down, and at the bottom for 30 seconds each.

Do a jumping air squat, but pause for 3 seconds in the bottom position.

Try squatting with your back against the wall. A classic ski prep exercise. Aim for 3 sets of maximum hold with 1 minute off between sets.

Loads of variety

There are a ton of bodyweight exercises out there. I have my favourites but try to incorporate all the major movement patterns (push, pull, squat) in as many different ways as I can. I’ve been running bodyweight classes every week for 5 years now and have never used the same workout again (maybe once or twice, if it made people cry). Stay clear of doing the same workout routine week in week out. Every workout has holes and weaknesses. Variety builds a well-rounded, adaptable fitness

Weight

If you feel you would benefit from an extra stimulus in addition to bodyweight try:

- Bodyweight jackets
- Gymnastic rings
- A kettlebell or a couple of dumbells

Tabata

These workouts must be short and intense. An interval format such as a “tabata” ticks both of these boxes. 20 seconds on of an exercise. 10 seconds recovery. For 8 rounds. Apply any exercise to this format, deal with the pain and enjoy a fitness you’ve never experienced before.

If all the above seems too much for you this Christmas, just walk as much as you can and always run up the stairs… And do press ups before chocolate. Make this a Christmas where you supercharge your batteries, rather than turn the power completely off!

Merry Christmas!

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Will Cardio Make Me Skinny?

This week’s question:

“My training goal is to get stronger and gain muscle mass but I have heard that cardio will restrict my progress. Is this true and if so what do you suggest I do?”

 

**This answer is targeted at the intermediate athlete. I won’t have time to go into depth on everything covered. If you would like any further information on this blog, please do get in touch.**

As humans it’s vital that we have a well-rounded fitness. This includes but is not exclusively:

1. Strength (moving heavy things)

2. Cardiovascular fitness

3. A decent level of muscle mass (hypertrophy)

Imagine the 3 points above aren’t really points… They are children. These children make up the family called “fitness”.

If each of the children are cared for equally, they will live in harmony with one another and the fitness family will thrive as one unit. However if any of the children are neglected or overindulged, chaos will reign. It won’t stop being a family, but it will be a dysfunctional one.

Tragically, many of us have our fitness in a chaotic state. What do I mean?

We love being amazing at something rather than being content with being good at everything.

Powerlifers (lifting heavy crew) are super strong but generally have poor cardiovascular health. Marathon runners are great at running long distances but often struggle to lift heavy things. The muscle men can look the part but can be lacking strength and cardio.

Is it possible to have this harmonious family of fitness, where strength, cardio and muscle mass go hand in hand?

Yes…!!

SMART TRAINING

Not everyone has the genetics to be able to compete at the CrossFit Games, but these athletes seem to hit the balance right with super strength, pleasing physiques and crazy cardio levels. That’s why I enjoy using the CrossFit methodology and have made some personal tweaks along the way.

1. Increase your Strength

Try to lift heavy 3 times a week. Majoring on back squats, deadlifts, strict press and bench. Aim for 3 sets of 5 (at a weight that you would struggle to do 6 reps with).

You should feel tried after this and want to sit down and rest.

2. Increase your Cardio

Aim to complete a CrossFit workout or sprint work/interval training once or twice a week (aim for 3 times if lacking in cardio fitness). Studies have shown that short duration cardio work improves long duration work too. However throw in a long burner on occasion for diversity.

After this you shouldn’t be able to hold a conversation and may feel a little sick and light headed due to the intensity.

3. Increase your Muscle Mass

Throw hypertrophy training into your strength days for assistance work. Ring chin ups, weighted dips, dumbbell chest press and lunges to name a few. Try reverse pyramid training to hit all the muscle fibres with no more than 90 seconds rest between sets. Keep your workouts short and intense, 45 minutes is ideal.

You should be “feeling the burn” in the muscles after this.

SMART LIVING

1. Get enough sleep

Getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night is one of the most important weapons against disease. Sleep is crucial for healing and repair. Just think how bad you feel after a bad night’s sleep. That says it all. If you’re hammering your body through training, sleep is the most effective way for repair and improvement.

2. Avoid over training

We can get into that trap of “more is better”. There are a minority of athletes who thrive on daily, intense training with minimal rest. I’m not one of them and you’re probably not either!

If you have got into a pattern of large quantities of intense training, try cancelling out a session or two and tell me if your gains don’t increase. Getting run down, loosing weight and feeling tired are all signs of over training

3. Eat enough

If you’re struggling to gain muscle mass and size you’re probably not eating enough. Eating the right foods is key… otherwise you will just get fat.

Personally I thrive on high calorie foods like coconut oil, olive oil, butter and yoghurt. If I’m losing weight I try to increase my healthy carbohydrates like potatoes (staying clear of gluten unless it’s a treat). I aim to get protein on board in every meal too. Studies show that those doing lots of training need 0.8-1g of protein a day per pound of bodyweight. I have very little sugar, processed foods or alcohol and enjoy intermittent fasting.

If you are increasing your food intake, ensure you do a little bit extra every week, rather than upsetting your body’s homeostasis by suddenly doing it all at once. You could also consider measuring the calories you burn and comparing with the calories consumed to pinpoint your needed intake.

To sum up…

Cardio won’t hinder muscle mass if used correctly. If you overindulge one area of fitness everything else will suffer. A pure fitness is one which pays equal attention to all types of training. Specialising will only bring specialised fitness.

Now go and do it. Happy training!

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

HELP! I Hate Exercise

I am one of those weirdos who has always loved exercise.  When I was about 7 years old I remember running 100 laps around our friend’s garden…  Because I dared myself to do it.  At 10 I did pull ups and push ups daily before I went out to play.

My personality is very black and white.  Exercise is in the “good” box so I get great satisfaction from doing anything in that box,  exercise being a prime example.

Many people aren’t as extreme as me,  but they see the importance of fitness and that is enough motivation to exercise.  A bit like cleaning their teeth,  they aren’t mega excited about it,  dishing out high fives and chest bumps,  but they don’t hate it either,  it’s just something they do.

The last camp is those who know they should do it,  but the knowing doesn’t move them into doing,  because they hate exercise.  That negative emotion chases off any desire to exercise .  You’re not going to do something if it doesn’t feel good.  Humans are driven by pleasure.

Maybe exercise will never become pleasurable but I want you to get excited enough that you no longer hate it! We all know it’s the best medicine there is.

Here are some strategies to fight off exercise hatred:

1. Have a big enough reason

Choosing to have children was a huge sacrifice for us,  the sleepless nights,  the never stopping,  the overpriced baby gear.  But my “why” is answered every time I look at Eleanor (my daughter),  she is worth it.

The same can be true of fitness to a lesser extent, it’s a sacrifice but it’s a wonderful trade off.  Fitness could be the key to you running around with your grandkids in years to come,  or climbing mountains in retirement.  Fitness right now can charge your body with energy and pack on functional muscle.

It makes you look better,  feel better and move better for longer.  I could go on.  Find your motivation and always go back to that when you feel like giving up.

2. Keep it short and intense

You should never be bored when you’re working out,  if you are,  ramp up the intensity and then try thinking about being bored.

3. Have clear goals and track your progress

I’m very task orientated.  I get such a kick out of hitting personal bests in my powerlifting.  Yours could be walking up a hill without getting out of breath or doing a pull up.  I have lifetime goals (some I’ve achieved already),  6 month goals and 6 week goals. This makes my fitness intentional rather than aimless.

4. Enjoy guilt free treats

When you exercise you can eat chocolate guilt free (moderation please)  and drink wine (moderation please)  and eat pizza… Actually don’t ever eat pizza.  Ever.

5. Find out what you love doing

Exercise is so diverse.  Maybe you were put off it at school with the generic school sports,  but it’s just about getting moving.  It might be joining a gym,  or hiking with mates or joining a climbing group.

6. Make it a lifestyle thing

I want to be exercising until I die.  I’m in this for the long haul.  I’m not interested in “weekend warriors”  who just do their football once a week (better than nothing)  or those who want to get “pumped,  ripped and buff”  for the beach. Roll on summer 2016… No.

7. Preach a Sermon of positivity

When I workout,  I always revisit my “why”  and I preach to myself (a bit crazy, I know) about the benefits of exercise.  We can get caught up in a negative thought patterns. “This hurts”, “I’m not making any progress”, “I wish I was at home eating pizza”.  That negativity will destroy any good feelings that exercise can bring about.

8. Get a training partner

Workout with a friend. Make sure they are fun and make you laugh.  My workout buddy isn’t a comedian but he’s a little funny to look at, so that works for me.

9. Go for group training

Isn’t it better doing things together?  Try one of my group classes or Mal’s salsa classes for something different.

10. Keep reading my blogs and subscribe.

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Is Fitness Just Something You Read About?

I’m delighted that you’re taking the time to read this blog. If you are a habitual reader of my blog, your support is really valued. This week instead of me harping on, I’ve asked three of my clients to give a snapshot of their fitness journey. Let it be an inspiration for you to start fitness whatever your story.

• Debbie

When I first contacted Dave my opening lines were “I’m unfit, fat and fifty”and struggled to sleep at night. I thought what I needed was a couple of sessions of exercise a week and to go on a diet that fitted with my chaotic lifestyle.

Dave had a slightly different idea. Within a couple of weeks he had started to unpick why I was unfit and overweight, gently building an exercise plan and for the first time this was all about me.

Short, intense sessions of fun (and yes it is fun) fat burning and muscle toning exercise that challenge both the body and the mind.

It’s not just the exercise, my eating habits have changed and for someone who loves food as much as I do (just ask Dave), I have still managed to lose a stone and a half in weight without actually going on a so-called diet. My two weekly training sessions with Dave are merely the starting point that now include walking on the beach, swimming or even just running up and down the stairs.

For me this is the key, it might have started as a means to an end but not any more. Its not even about losing weight now. That is just happening slowly and gradually without me really noticing (although other people do).

Now I build additional exercise into my (still very busy) life, love food more than ever and get a real sense of pleasure and achievement from the sessions that give me a real buzz.

The result is that I can sleep for England, am rarely ill, and I’m fit and two dress sizes smaller. This may sound too good to be true but it is. I’m not perfect and have days when I’m tired or lack motivation. When this happens Dave mentally picks me up, dusts me off and puts me back on the road again and doesn’t judge me for my failings.

Is there one thing I haven’t managed to change? YES. I’m still fifty but everything about that is all positive now.

• Steve Maros

As I approached 60 I decided that I needed to keep myself in shape if I wanted to stay fit and active in my later years. I had played a lot of racquet sports over the years so felt that I was in reasonable shape. However, as I started to play less sport, the need to do regular exercise became a priority.

Having started going to the gym about 3 years ago, I realised that I would benefit more if I had a personal trainer to guide and drive me onward. Like many people, I would do a work-out but not really push myself. Whilst I would work up a sweat, I never pushed myself to the limit. I have always eaten healthily so it made sense to get the best out of my body physically as well. The use of a personal trainer seemed an obvious choice. Whilst I felt reasonably fit I did lack core strength and to some degree, stamina as well. Having discussed my goals with Dave, he put together a weekly programme, which varies each week.

Over the three years I have seen the tangible evidence of the benefits that using a personal trainer makes. When I started I struggled to back squat 40kg. My personal best is now currently 135kg. My goal is to back squat twice my body weight. I currently weigh 69 kg but have rounded it up to 70kg…. so my goal is to back squat 140kg. Thanks to Dave’s guidance and expertise, that goal is getting closer to achievement. Another goal is to beat 52 back squats in 2 minutes carrying my body weight (70kg). Having had two attempts, I have reached 45 reps ……only another 8 reps to go !

The reason why the personal trainer approach works so well for me is because Dave makes it fun and interesting. He knows my weaknesses (upper body) and my pet hates (burpees) so he regularly includes them in the work-out. I know that without a personal trainer to make me do them, I never would !

Whilst it is often easy to get carried away with what you can lift or how long you can run for, the reality is that it is difficult to know how the benefits of training manifest themselves within your body. I am fortunate that each year I have a private medical check-up which is very thorough and I get provided with a very detailed report about the condition of my body. For the last three years, my metabolic age has been 15 years less than my biological age, which is 62. My lung age is 52. My resting pulse rate is 50. My blood pressure is absolutely spot on. These and other indicators are proof to me that healthy eating and a good exercise regime do help to keep your body in good condition. This can only be of benefit in the long run… so, roll on next session!

• Steve Miller

I’m so happy I found Dave to do personal training. I was browsing the internet searching for local PT’s and Dave jumped out at me… literally!

I didn’t really have a specific target, for example getting huge biceps. My wife and I had recently had a baby and having always been relatively fit I was carrying a few extra pounds and feeling sluggish. I just wanted to be stronger, lean and live a healthier lifestyle. By just looking at Dave I knew he was the right trainer for me.

Dave is extremely knowledgeable in both exercise and nutrition and I get so much out of every session. After a very short time I was already seeing results – I am stronger, leaner, my energy levels are so much more consistent (which is no mean feat with a little one at home) and I fit into those slim fit suits that have been gathering dust in my wardrobe.

I have loved all the sessions right from the start and each one is different. Not only is he very professional he is a smashing guy who is very easy to get on with and a it’s been great getting to know him.

It has been a pleasure training with Dave and I am always looking forward to our next session.

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

• Start Doing This To Make You Look Younger

What is one of the best anti-ageing medicines available to us?

Start moving like a child.

It’s an understatement to say that my 1 year old moves a lot. She is constantly on the go.

As I’m writing this she is squatting to pick up her dirty nappy bag and then swinging it above her head in victorious exhilaration. I should probably stop her. Anyway, over the last 5 minutes she has crawled, walked, squatted, thrown, pulled things over, rolled and always banging with her hands like she’s a mini “hulk”. It’s terrifying.

You may have heard of “intermittent fasting” but have you heard of “intermittent movement”? This is quite simply carrying out a ton of low intensity movements throughout our day. Good examples are house work, gardening, walking and running up the stairs.

I’m not sure if it’s just me but when I watch people (that’s not meant to sound creepy!) and they are hunched over their phone or tablet, getting an “iPad-neck” or just sitting at their desk for hour upon hour, something just seems very wrong about it. Aren’t humans designed to move? To interact with the world they live in? We have become these static, motionless, sick machines. We can’t have that.

When did you stop moving?

When do these super active children suddenly get all grown up and cease to move? As we develop and mature shouldn’t our movement morph with us, so that we move with more strength and speed and finesse? But it seems adulthood with all of its responsibility and technology has stunted this fundamental pursuit of movement.

What is the remedy for this disaster? We have to go back to the beginning and start moving like a child again.

Rediscovering movement.

1. Try to walk for 20 minutes every day. It’s the perfect low intensity movement, throughout time we have always walked, a lot. (You could try crawling, but not in public please)

2. Always run up stairs!

3. Aim to complete a number of bodyweight movements every day, use them to break up your sitting. (I usually go for 30 pull ups and push ups, you could try air squats, kettlebell swings or skipping – just do them at random intervals throughout your day)

4. Stand up as much as you can. Consider transforming you work station into a standing one.

5. Go to the gym and do some lifting and sprint work at lunch time

6. Check out posture training. Kelly Starrett and his “Mobility WOD” is a fantastic resource to get you sitting, standing and walking correctly.

7. Find an active hobby like gardening or rock climbing.

8. Try swinging your nappy bag around your head.

If you have mobility issues or ill health, scale it to where you’re at.

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Is Red Meat Killing Me?

Is red meat unhealthy?

Stress is the number 1 killer, so hyper obsession about food can do more harm than than the food itself!

However poor nutrition is also a form of stress on the body. So is red meat poor nutrition?

Now you are always going to get militant views from both sides! The vegan organic hemp wearing crowd and the muscle popping cow gorging gang.

What has the media been saying?

Every year the media makes its assault against red meat. It causes cancer and heart attacks and all things nasty.

The type of studies that the media cling hold of are observational studies. Now one of the biggest specific problems with observational studies on red meat is what is referred to as the “healthy user bias”. Since red meat has been vilified for years in the press those that prioritise their health take heed of the warnings. However these health conscious bunch also adhere to other healthy practices such as exercise, sleeping enough, eating your vegetables etc. Do you see? To sum up generally the people that eat red meat are the hamburger, pizza and chip lovers who don’t do a lot else and the ones that don’t eat red meat treat themselves with a chia seed, raw chocolate dessert whilst in the lotus position… Probably reading this article.

Let’s explore a little further…

A side note – Be careful of the media. It’s always preaching the latest health message that sells. For a long time “fat” has been the enemy with low fat products cramming the supermarkets, even though the correct form of fat is a potent health booster. Now it’s “carbohydrates are bad”. Give me a break!!

Disease free communities.

Rather than following the latest health fad I would suggest looking at disease free communities around the world, finding that common link.

1. Some have a large proportion of their diet made up of animal products such as red meat.

2. Others have a higher plant based diet, even fairly high in carbohydrates. ( I thought carbs were bad? *hitting head on desk)

3. What both share is a diet that is:

- free from processed foods and refined sugar.
- free from transfats (mainly from super heated vegetable oils).
- high in omega 3 and vitamin d.
- full of probiotics and fermented food.

To sum up so far. You can include or exclude red meat from your diet and still be extremely unhealthy or healthy. The major issue is refined sugar, processed food and a lack of omega 3, vitamin d and other minerals.

But should I eat red meat??!

Red meat contains a load of b vitamins, iron (primarily haeme iron, a form that is absorbed and utilised much more efficiently than the non-haeme iron found in plant foods), vitamin d and minerals such as zinc. It’s a potent health food.

However some red meat I would completely avoid, other types I would enjoy.

Quality is key.

1. Buy your meat local, where the animals have been well cared for and have been eating real food! (I do an order online every 6 months and then freeze, from a farm I trust)

A bit of a rant but bear with me… It amazes me how many cows are just given feed rather than grass, or chickens (I’m aware they’re not red meat) given just corn rather than worms and bugs. Let’s think logically! What is the natural food for this animal? Bad food = bad meat.

Some supermarket meats have been poorly cared for and fed. It’s not kind and it’s not good for our planet. If you go supermarket, go organic or free range.

2. Cooking method. Long and slow for meat is best. The meat can form carcinogenic properties through high temperature and fast cooking times. BBQ and microwaves are the worst! Also try marinating meat before cooking.

3. Only have processed meats as a treat.

In summary if the meat is of high quality and cooked correctly it can be included into a varied diet. Rather than overdoing red meat I mainly eat fish (everyday) but will also include the meat to add a nutrient power punch.

If you refuse to eat meat and aren’t eating oily fish daily please supplement with krill oil to ensure the correct 3:1 omega 3 to 6 ratio.

That’s it for this week. Email me your questions for next week!

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Am I Exercising Too Much??

This week’s question:

“Am I exercising too much?? ” 

Now if you laughed at this, firstly that’s disrespectful, and you’ve answered your own question!  Now stop reading and get moving.

For the serious readers… you’re probably not exercising too much.  But you may be lacking smart training.

1. Variety is key.  Now if you just run or just cycle or just lift heavy stuff , stop it! Your body craves to be pushed and challenged in multiple ways. That’s why I’m a fan of CrossFit, because it is a broad, inclusive fitness. You’re exercising too much if all your exercise looks the same.  Stop it.

2. Listen to your body.  This term is so over used and I’m not helping the problem, but listen.  If your work load is crazy,  the neighbour’s cat is keeping you up at night, your muscles aren’t recovering as they should, just ease off a little!  You’re not competing in the next Olympic games,  chill out.  When you’re feeling on fire, go for it and smash it.

3. De-load weeks. If you regularly put yourself through tough training, consider taking a de-load week once in a while. Use this time to mobilise, go for long walks or try something you’re not used to, like windsurfing or climbing.

What does my training look like?  This is a rough example and it’s constantly changing with the above factors in play.  I have my core method of training and on occasion I will divert completely away from that, for example by easing off the lifting.

(Every day: Skipping as a warm up)

- Mon.  Lift heavy stuff at gym (45min)

- Tues.  Long walk

- Wed.  Lift more heavy stuff at gym

- Thur.  Intense interval work (30min)

- Fri.  Lift even more heavy stuff at gym

- Sat.  Hill Sprints (20min)/occasional bike ride

- Sun.  Day off

To sum up, I lift heavy stuff 2-3 times per week majoring on the fundamental human movements  (squating, deadlifting,  pressing, olympic lifting).  I do a lung buster 1-2 times a week consisting of sprint work. Then I pack out the in between with low intensity work, like walking and bodyweight exercises most days.

I occasionally throw in a long endurance workout, but rarely.  I personally don’t thrive on them and find my endurance is at good levels from my sprint sessions (research supports endurance gains from interval sessions).

If you’re just starting out with this and the above example seems a bit overwhelming, here is a plan you could implement straight away:

- Mon.  Lift heavy stuff or home bodyweight workout

- Tues.  Long walk

- Wed.  Interval session (30 min)

- Thur.  Rest

- Fri.  Long walk

- Sat.  Hill sprints

- Sun. Rest

Is your training working?  It is increasing performance across all models of fitness (strength, stamina, speed etc.)?  Are you exercising too much in one area? Don’t miss out on gains, start training smart.

Ping me across your question and we can chat about it next week.

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

One Exercise Everyone Should Be Doing

I hate to break it to you… But you’re only here for a finite amount of time. That is why you need to be smart about how you exercise and what method you choose to adopt.

1. It needs to work. Producing tangible results of athleticism. Increased strength, power and lean muscle mass, burning off stubborn fat and decreasing risk of disease and injury. Helping you to live longer interacting with the world around you.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and and over again and expecting different results. If it’s working, the results should be amazing.

2. It needs to work efficiently. I can’t afford to invest hour upon hour every week in the pursuit of ultimate fitness. My fitness has to fit around my limited time. It will be a sacrifice but not an overriding one.

3. It needs to be fun (ish). It upsets me when exercise has become a chore for people, something you begrudgingly complete. I’m not always super excited to workout, but if I felt that way every session, something needs to change.

Here is one of the movements I use every week that puts a tick in each of those boxes. Anyone can do this and should do it.

Hill Sprints.

Like walking and squatting, sprinting is as natural as it gets. We just have an unnatural environment where we don’t need to sprint anymore. We have been doing this since the beginning of time, it’s hard wired into us. See those sprinters you watch, while you’re sitting down (eating your crisps), they don’t get their physique and solid abs from sit ups… It’s from sprinting.

I prefer using a hill because of the added intensity and reduced impact on the body.

I challenge you to try this once to twice a week for 6 weeks. Tell me if you don’t notice a difference in your performance!

This is how it works for me:

1. Blast out some dynamic warm-ups including running drills.

2. Jog down Road to scary big Hill. Set a 25m – 100m distance depending on ability.

3. Sprint flat out up scary big Hill with walk back recovery. Lungs burning. Dog walkers staring. Repeat 5-10 times.

4. Exhilarating jog home.

5. Mobilising (target those calves!).

This session only takes about 30min. Even the prime minister could diary that in.

What if…

…it’s raining? Man up. Or try it on an incline treadmill. Or on a smaller scale, using some stairs.

…I’m unfit? Your sprinting max effort equivalent may be brisk walking up a hill. Give that a go.

Let me know how you get on. If you’re new to max effort work, start steady and ease into the intensity. Have fun (ish)!

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Why I Never Stretch

The title is a little deceptive because if you know anything about me, you will know I’m a big fan of “stretching”, however what I implement goes by another name. It’s called “mobility” – stretching that has brains.

Why have I moved away from conventional stretching?

In the past when I’ve gone through intense seasons of training, I’ve always counteracted that with “stretching”. I would try to do an hour a day. Systemically working through each muscle group, holding at the end of range for 30sec then moving on. With the sacrifice of time, I was expecting to see amazing results. Did I? No. I got more flexible in those specific stretching movements, but I wanted to squat, lift and press better (main human movements) and the static stretching alone didn’t seem to help much.

Static stretching isn’t bad but mobilising always wins out.

What is mobilising? It uses a load of mobility tools to get you moving efficiently and pain free.

Quite simply it mimics the positions we perform in our workouts and consequently in real life. You get better at moving, not just better at your favourite hamstring stretches.

Kelly Starrett who popularised this approach defines mobility as:

“a movement-based integrated full-body approach that addresses all the elements that limit movement and performance including short and tight muscles, soft tissue restriction, joint capsule restriction, motor control problems, joint range of motion dysfunction, and neural dynamic issues. In short, mobilization is a tool to globally address movement and performance problems”.

Mobility tricks the neuromuscular system into reaching optimal muscle length far more effectively than solely focusing on static stretching. For instance a good chiropractor will never say they have stretched you, but tricked your system into bringing about the adaption.

So how does this practically work?

1. Book onto a free trial for personal training and we can cover the mobility tools:

PNF stretching (contract and relax), soft tissue work with a lacrosse ball or foam roller, positional movements, joint capsule with resistance band.

2. It’s important you aim for mobility and strength. Workout using real life movements such as squatting. These cause strength and mobility to go hand in hand. (Mobility tester: backsquat with pvc pipe)

3. Broaden your horizon.

• Consider doing Pilates. This will add to your library of mobility movements.
• See a Chiropracter to bring the spine into proper alignment. If your spine is off that is a priority to fix.

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Why You Need To Lift Heavy

Just for one second, stop imagining that guy with the huge belly lifting back breaking weights off the deck.  We are in fact “powerlifting” everyday, the degree and intensity differs from the big belly guy but not the necessity. As humans we have been built to lift heavy stuff. 

You sit down and get up (squat), lift weights off the ground (deadlift) and push stuff or put it above your head (press) multiple times throughout your average day.

We are sophisticated units that have been built to not only withstand but to thrive as we interact with the world around us.

I hear you… If we’re doing it every day, what is the point in mimicking it in the gym??  Don’t you know how busy I am?! I don’t need to be a powerlifter!

3 reasons you need training in lifting heavy stuff:

 
1. To thrive. You’re injured? You have a bad back? You’re immobile? We need to look at these most fundamental human movements in a controlled environment such a gym. We need to look at flawed movement mechanics and bring correction. Guess what, if your knees are caving in every time you sit down, if you’re hyperextending your back every time you reach for that top cupboard, if you’re not engaging your posterior chain every time you pick something up, you will get hurt.

1. To get strong. Many of my clients can handle huge weights with good form, picking up from the floor their body weight or double their body weight. This isn’t because lots of weight sounds impressive. It’s because they are preparing for the unpredictable challenges of life. Pushing the broken down car, moving that sofa without destroying your back, coping with the stress of the hundreds of squats we all perform every day. It’s not about being buff it’s about freedom. 

1. It’s a potent medicine. Lifting heavy stuff causes a whole host of anabolic hormones such as testosterone and human growth hormone to flood the body, which all have an amazing ability to re energize and repair your body. This helps fight disease and increase longevity, pack on functional muscle and increase bone density.

I have 20-80 yr olds following this method, the weights are scaled accordingly but that powerful adaption response still shines through.

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Functional Fitness vs Aesthetics

There is an aesthetics disease that has plagued many gyms around the world. As humans we often look to the external whether that be the shiny apple we pick up at the supermarket, the cover of a book or that guy that looks like superman. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look good but if aesthetics becomes our prime motivator for fitness we have fallen short of our potential.

I would argue that strength always trumps large muscles. Do you think its more impressive if an athletic strong guy deadlifts a fallen tree off a distressed heroine or a muscle bound macho man simply flexes his biceps as he calls 999? I know many very impressive Popeye-types but if you throw a few tests at them they lack that all important strength, which in turn limits their versatility in the world that we live in.

I have a secret. Last night I did my first biceps curl in 5 years. Now I’ll tell you why I hate biceps curls. You never work your muscles in isolation in real life, so why do it in the gym? Its a very inefficient way to get a weight from A to B. its boring and you look stupid. Whereas a clean gets you shifting more weight, gets you stronger, increases anabolic hormones and looks cooler. I did the biceps curl last night because, truth be told I do like the burny feeling in my muscles from some of the isolation movements… and I am prone to a touch of vanity. Yes chuck them in from time to time but when we major on these we lack that functionality that sets humans apart. Our bodies develop lumps of impressive but ineffective muscle and we adapt to a gym environment rather than the real world where we were designed to lift heavy things using every muscle in our body, where we can sprint flat out at ease, where we can carry awkward objects and jump over great heights.

Where there are some flaws with Crossfit I, love their philosophy in which they aim to specialise in not specialising. This creates a versatile athlete who can adapt quickly to the randomised challenges of life.

I believe we need to redefine fitness as we know it taking a bold move away from aesthetics and embracing greater heights with strength. So my simple challenge to you is this. Why do you do the exercises you do? Do you just skim the waters of aesthetics or do you dare to dive much deeper into this unconventional functional approach?

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Be Wise – Mobilise

An Olympic lifting coach once said that for every minute of strength training you do, you should do a minute of mobility. Ideally double that. That’s not realistic for everyone, but you get the point. We major on the training and minor on the stretching.

The movements you make every day often involve stretching, whether you intend them to or not. For example when you get out of bed in the morning your body makes a whole host of different movements. However often these stretches are done in a bad way which will lead to injury. Think of the body’s position as you sit up in bed in the morning – ouch, poor back!

 
The other problem we have in our western culture is that the postures we adopt often lead to stiffness and a tight muscle system. Sitting at a desk or table, driving a car, using a laptop or tablet – all prime examples of activities that promote poor posture. I find that the vast majority of my clients are incredibly tight, particularly in their hip flexors and shoulders. If you don’t mobilise you will find that when you exercise your body is in a poor position to carry out movements safely and efficiently.

 
Taking this into consideration you might find that mobility has become a tag on to your workout – slipped in hurriedly at the end, or even the first thing to go out of the window if you run out of time. It may become the element of your workout that you do begrudgingly out of a sense of duty. Or the part that you don’t do but feel a nagging guilt that you should… like eating vegetables you hate.

 
To stop this happening I incorporate mobility into everyday activities like brushing my teeth or watching TV. Below are a couple of stretches I often use. Come along to a PT session or one of my group classes in Dorchester, Tincleton or Tolpuddle if you want to see more.

The Teeth Brusher (one I do when brushing my teeth)
- stretches: hip flexors
- method: place one knee on the floor close to a wall facing away from the wall. Allow the top of your foot to rest against the wall so that your shin is parallel to the wall. Step your other foot out so that your knee is at a right angle and your foot below your knee. You should feel the stretch in the hip flexors of the leg that’s up against the wall. To accentuate the stretch try to straighten up your torso so that you are facing away from the wall, drive the hips forward… and squeeze the bum (my golden rule before you doing anything in life)

The Teeth Brusher

The Sad Neck Stretch (a more subtle one that can be done in a crowd)
- stretches: upper trapezius
- method: rotate your head about 45 degrees to one side and slightly down, as if you’re looking at the floor beside and slightly in front of you… like you’re feeling sad. Bring your opposite shoulder down and back with the back of your hand pressing into the small of your back. At this point you should feel the stretch in the shoulder and side of the neck that you are facing away from. To accentuate the stretch take the hand that you’re facing towards and apply some pressure on the upper side of your head that you’re facing away from, and move the hand that is in the small of your back down to your bottom.

The Sad Neck Stretch

In short start incorporating stretching into your everyday life, no not becoming obsessed with it but using “dead time” wisely. As I write this I’m lying on my front with a lacrosse ball just above my knee joint, and I’m just opening an closing the leg to mobilize my knee… yeah I’m a cool kid.

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Action From Summer Sessions

We’ve had some great times this year so far, blessed with some great weather where we’ve  been able to get in sessions outdoors as well as making the most of the gym facilities for indoor sessions. Lets take a look at some of the highlights so far this summer…

Outdoor Group Classes:

Out on Poundbury playing field we enjoyed a lunchtime class where we broke down the compound movement of a thruster and incorporated it into a fun work out.

A sunny Thursday morning Tolpuddle class (they’re a bit of an odd group!)

All action with sprints in Broadmayne

The group express that satisfaction you can only get after a good workout!

Partner Personal Training:

What better way to enjoy a sunny evening with a beautiful view than to be with your best friend doing dips on the bench? 

Individual Personal Training:

At the gym in Charlton Down, Steve enjoys the challenge of ultra high box jumps

Steve again, wielding the bar like a pro

Girls don’t get off lightly, as Ali proves she has what it takes

Why not come and join us if you haven’t already?

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Heart Life- Sarah Bedford

No Heart Ache. Which exercise is best for longevity of your heart?

Your heart is made of muscle, however it doesn’t ache like  we commonly know how an achy muscle feels. That’s because it’s made of different muscle fibres. We take for granted that our heart will keep working and beating because most of us don’t feel it and we’re certainly not in conscious control of it, thank goodness! Your heart beats, on average 103,680 times a day, we all have better things to think about.

It’s a Myth That Your Heart Never Gets Tired

While your heart certainly doesn’t get fatigued the way your skeletal muscles do, it isn’t impervious to fatigue or excess stress, such as from long-distance, endurance-type cardio exercise during which it simply responds to signals from your body to ramp up cardiac output to keep up with your exertion.

You can’t “feel its pain” until very late in the game, and at that point, damage has already been done and it may be a life-threatening situation.

The Right Kind of Exercise Will Increase Your Energy Production

One of the best ways to support your heart health and your overall health, including limiting aging, is to exercise – not to excess, but at the proper “dose.” Exercise triggers the workhouse in our cells, decline of which is common in aging. Scientists have identified  specific  components of cells that exercise influences.   In short, age-associated decline of our cells is haulted in its tracks with appropriate exercise.

This is not the first time researchers have linked exercise to cell changes. A 2011 review in Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism points out that exercise induces changes which can increase your cellular energy production and in so doing decrease your risk of chronic disease.

Aside from impacting your skeletal muscle and fat tissue, researchers noted that exercise induces changes that may also benefit your liver, brain, and kidneys. Increasing cell activity is extremely important because free radicals, which are toxic byproducts of metabolism as well as exposures to chemicals, pollutants, and other toxins, can overwhelm your body’s defenses. This can lead to oxidative damage to cells and tissues that can destroy cellular proteins, lipids, and DNA; this process often leads directly to the loss of cell function. In the long-term, irreversible damage in the cell workhouse can occur, leading to:

Impaired ability to utilize carbohydrates and fat for energy
Insulin resistance
Lower threshold for physical exercise
Excessive weight gain
Accelerated aging
Boosting antioxidants
Mop up free radicals, an effect that may even help boost your endurance.

What’s the Best Type of Exercise for Your Heart?

Previous research has shown that exercise alone can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by a factor of three. However, endurance-type exercise, such as marathon running, can actually damage your heart and increase your cardiovascular risk by a factor of seven… All in all, such findings are a powerful lesson that excessive cardio may actually be counterproductive while short bursts of intense activity are safer and more effective than even conventional cardio—for your heart, general health, weight loss, and overall fitness.

High-intensity interval training like Cross-Fit which requires but a fraction of the time compared to conventional cardio, has been shown to be FAR more efficient, and more effective. This type of physical activity mimics the movements of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, which included short bursts of high-intensity activities, but not long-distance running. This, researchers say, is what your body is hard-wired for. 

Basically, by exercising in short bursts, followed by periods of recovery, you recreate exactly what your body needs for optimum health. Cross-Fit combined with a comprehensive fitness program will benefit all of the muscles in your body, providing them with appropriate amounts of beneficial stress without leading to over-exertion and excess fatigue.

Do it for your heart, it’s the only one you have FOR LIFE!

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Dave’s Energy Boosts 18-22

The latest “Energy boosts”. Enjoy the read and try to action out at least one boost this week

  No.18

DO SINGLE LEGGED DEADLIFTS

The countless times I hear people say “my balance is terrible!” but many of our everyday movements are single legged. Walking, running, going up and down stairs. They all require some degree of balance.

Balance will plateau though if not targeted. The single legged deadlift is one of the best exercise I know to improve balance and all round leg conditioning.

-It improves balance

-It’s the perfect rehap exercise for lower body injuries

-Tones up the core muscles

- It develops and kicks into action our lazy glutes (our bums)

What does Dave think? ‘

I was shocked how difficult the movement was initially. Not only that but my glutes were so sore! Ive moved on from body weight and now use dumbbells to further the adaptation.

See how many you can do in a row!

  No.19

TRY A PROTEIN SHAKE

Protein shakes seem unnatural. When have you seen these magical “get me mega buff” concoctions? Normally in the hands of teenagers with the huge chest and arms but the tinny “sparrow legs”. With poor posture they slump over their brightly coloured protein fix. Enough to put anyone off.

There are many forms of protein shake ranging from hemp to pea protein. However the best in my opinion is whey. Whey is a byproduct of cheese-making.

It comes in isolate, concentrate and hydrolysate. In short isolate is the best choice, as it’s the purest form of protein. In terms of nutrient density concentrate or hydrolysate could be the winner but remember I have one goal here: protein.

WARNING: If you are going to use protein shakes please go for the unflavoured versions. The best I have come across is from “myprotein.com”. (select unflavoured). They use a cold, cross-flow micro-filtration. The cows the protein derives from are not treated with hormones, and are fed as far as possible from grass.

Many protein shakes contain dangerous sweeteners such as sucralose and aspartame which wreck havoc on the body over time.

What does Dave think?

YOU DON’T NEED SHAKES IF YOU HAVE A GOOD DIET and your happy with how your nutrition lines up with your goals…for me I struggle to put/keep muscle on and am finding I am verging on eating unhealthly amounts of foods just to get the fuel on board! With a protein shake I can get a 25g portion of protein without trying to stomach 3 pints of milk. I can get the protein on at a crucial time, directly after a workout to optimize recovery. I generally mix the powder with yoghurt as its unflavoured.

If you would like further details/ discount info on protein shakes please get in touch.
  No.20

LEARN TO SAY NO

We should aim to love others and live sacrificial lives. BUT sometimes the most loving thing to say is “NO”.

There is a disease called “people pleasing” it fights for our attention and if we let it will drive us to burn out.

Learn to prioritize your tasks in terms of importance and urgency, these tasks need to be derived from your goals. Simply put don’t say YES to everything! Otherwise you will end up being spread too thin, spinning too many plates that will  sooner or later come crashing down.

What does Dave think?

We all have a tendency to be inward looking and driven by selfish ambition, but the answer isnt to say yes to everyone and everything that comes our way, that will lead to burn out or us becoming resentful… the answer is to focus on doing a few things really well, to give and to serve out of a place of strength.

Do you need to revaluate how you spend your time? What your live goals are? When to say yes and no to others?
  No.21

EAT LEMONS

Even though they are slightly acidic outside the body they have a pH alkaline state once consumed. It is vital to maintain a slightly positive alkaline state to get our body firing at 100%.

Lemons boosts the immune system, detoxes the body (cleansing the kidneys and digestive system), remove toxins from the blood.

What does Dave think?

LOVE LEMONS! I have the juice of half – a whole lemon per day with yoghurt. Remember if you are having lemon juice with hot water, ensure the water is drinking temperature first, any hotter and it will kill off the vitamin C.

  No.22

SOAK YOUR NUTS, GRAINS, LEGUMES!

Living things generally do not want to be consumed by other living things.

I feel sorry for plants as they are passive organisms..unable to defend themselves. They want their seeds to stay whole in order for their plant race to survive and bring about world domination. (sorry that was over the top)

BUT they have a clever survival strategy, so the seeds will survive until the proper growing conditions are present. They have toxic anti-nutrients, lectins, gluten, and phytates. (Generally we eat fruit whole and poop out the seeds, so the fruit is happy with how this works).

We are mimicking nature when we soak these foods…tricking them. If eaten untreated though, they are very hard to digest and cause negative effects on our digestive system, but treating them makes the nutrients more available for our bodies and breaks down many of the harmful “anti-nutrients.”

What does Dave think?

I don’t eat many grains apart from porridge. I soak a big batch of oats overnight in water, adding a teaspoon of yogurt and a pinch of salt to help the breakdown. Generally the only nuts I eat are Brazil nuts and almonds. With the Brazil nuts I soak them in yogurt overnight (with the rest of my breakfast) and with the almonds I have this as a nut butter.

Anyone going to start soaking?

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

DW Personal Trainer

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Dave’s Energy Boosts 13-17

Here is a summary of the latest “Energy boosts”. I 100% believe that if you start putting even the occasional energy boost into action, you will enjoy the benefits of more energy with minimal effort.

No.13

START WALKING

Walking is in your DNA. We have been doing it since the beginning of time. Walking isnt just a healthy form of exercise, its an essential part of life. Our bodies break down when we lounge around but thrive when we use this gentle exercise:

-Walking is the ultimate body and mind detox

-Walking lowers the stress hormone cortisol

- Walking teaches us to slow down

-Walking increases longevity along with many other health benefits

What does Dave think? ‘

I make an effort to walk frequently. I just feel better after walking. It gets me outside, gets me enjoying creation, get the blood flowing and the mind slowing.
What is your favourite walk?

 
No.14

CHECK OUT CROSSFIT

Crossfit is the most effective strength and conditioning programme I have ever come across. It is fully inclusive of all ages and abilities and will get anyone moving better and feeling better.

Crossfit isnt so much about aimless “body sculpting” but drives to forge a broad, general, inclusive fitness.

The training method involves gymnastic/body weight movements, Olympic lifting/barbell movements, metabolic conditioning/running etc and much more!

What does Dave think?

I train my clients/classes and myself with this approach. It works harmoniously.

Would love to chat to your further about Crossfit, just give me a call or message! Check out 2013 Crossfit game highlights!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu7nyxvINPs

No.15

EAT (some) DAIRY

Dairy has got a lot of bad press of late. Handled in the right way it is a potent addition to many a diet.

EASIEST to HARDEST to Digest:

-Raw, fermented, full-fat dairy (Cultured butter, yogurt, kefir, cheese) Fermentation takes care of most of the lactose

- Raw, high-fat dairy (Butter/Ghee- Kerry Gold is best as the cows are fed on grass!)

- Raw milk. (jersey milk A2 is best, you can buy from modbury farm)

-Organic full fat, hormone and antibiotic-free dairy

-Non organic, homogenized, pasteurized (cows themselves can’t survive on pasteurized milk!)

What does Dave think?

I daily have homemade yogurt and kefir made from raw milk. I enjoy butter too! Many people freak out when I chat to them about raw dairy, but I would argue that raw milk from a vigorously tested, organic farm that has stood the test of time is safe in my eyes. Studies do show that there have been more cases of TB in pasteurized milk over raw but I guess the debate will always rage on. On another note many cultures never drink milk in its raw state, but ferment it in some way to make it more digestible, perhaps we should take note.

If you are lactose intolerant please try goats milk. It is superior over cows milk, and if its quality shouldn’t taste “goaty”

Any goat fans?!

No.16

AVOID NON- STICK

I know its magic to cook with! Before I give you the bad news lets put this in perspective. Stress kills you. So stressing about your cookware will do you far more harm, I am just providing you with knowledge, so either apply it or don’t worry about it. The choice is yours.

Now Non-stick has a nasty chemical known as PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) in it. (look it up). So it isnt ideal applying temperature to it, whilst it is in contact with your food. What is worse is when it flakes off into your yummy dinner.

What does Dave think?

You can simply change your non-stick cookware with inexpensive stainless steel or cast iron. These are the best alternatives.

Anyone going to make the plunge and say good bye to non stick??

 
No.17

LAUGH OFTEN

It’s the best medicine. Don’t take yourself too seriously and get around others that make you laugh!

What does Dave think?

Just spilled cocoa over the new rug as writing this…I will try and laugh it off…Tracey might not find it so funny…

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

DW Personal Trainer

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Dave’s Energy Boosts 6-12

Here is a summary of the weeks Energy Boosts, as seen on Facebook. Going out to all those in Dorchester and the surrounding area!
No.6

PLAY OFTEN

Get an active hobby! This is your “play” session of the week. It may be gardening, hiking, rock climbing or throwing a frisbee around with the kids. Something that you enjoy and that gets you moving.

What does Dave think? ‘

I love rock climbing on Sunday afternoons. Its also a perfect application for all my strength training at the gym in the week.

What hobby will you start this weekend?

 
No.7

HAVE ONE COMPLETE DAY OFF A WEEK

If God rested on the 7th day, dont you think you should too?

What does Dave think? 
This has been my biggest battle of late, to have one day a week where I dont work and just relax. You may have heard it said, we are human beings NOT human doings.

Post a picture of what you get up to on your day off

 
No.8

EAT COCOA

A power food packed with antioxidants, phytochemicals, minerals, and the building blocks of neurotransmitters and other “feel good” hormones.

“Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity” is a measure of the potential antioxidant capacity of a food. Organic raw cocoa has the HIGHEST ORAC value of any food.

What does Dave think? ‘

I generally have 1-2 big mugs of cocoa a day or put it with my breakfast or a smoothie. I am a big fan of 90-100% dark chocolate

Has anyone tried cocoa as a drink before (without all the sugar?!)

 
No.9

LIFT HEAVY THINGS

You really should consider lifting heavy things around 2 times per week. Unfortunately many girls have wrong perceptions about weight bearing activity. Fearful that it will “bulk them up”. In reality you were designed to lift heavy things, your body thrives on it! It releases building up (anabolic) hormones throughout the body, increases bone density and packs on functional muscle.

What does Dave think?

All I used to do is run. Over the last few years I have incorporated strength training into my programming. I am not a “body builder” type with bulging biceps but my overall strength has gone sky high, now being able to lift twice my body weight. I feel better and I move better.

Anyone scared of getting too bulky with strength training?

 
No.10

DRINK TEA

From least processed to most:

-          White Tea

-          Green Tea

-          Black Tea

There are some great health benefits with tea because of the antioxidants and minerals found in the leaves. However the quantity does vary depending on the type and quality of the tea leaves used.

What does Dave think?

I generally have a cup of green tea a day. Why? I’ve grown to like the taste (although it does look like pond water) and it makes me feel good, I figure its also hydrating me whilst giving me nutritional benefit.   If you like tea, drink it in moderation, if you don’t , you wont be missing out in a big way! Its an optional health choice.

How many cups of tea do you drink a day?

 
No.11

STAND UP

How can sitting down at breakfast, in the car, at work, in front of the TV be any good for you? What is worse we twist our bodies into this weird Tetris block with poor posture when we do sit down. Sitting down weakens our muscles, especially in the legs and the hips. It’s just one big static stretch, all day long, which weakens them.

What does Dave think?

It’s a no brainer, I feel rubbish sitting down for long periods, my back hurts, I feel drained, NO! When I’m moving around, standing up, it gets the muscles moving and the blood pumping. Right now I have my laptop perched on a chair that’s on a table, so I can stand up and type! You may not be able to do that at work, but at least try to get moving every 20minutes.

Who suffers with back problems?

No.12

EAT BRAZIL NUTS

Selenium! An essential mineral that isn’t in many of our foods but selenium is vital for thyroid hormone production, the manufacture of endogenous antioxidants

What does Dave think?

I try to have 3 Brazil nuts a day, that gives me my RDA of Selenium. Its that simple.

Any Brazil nut fans?

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

DW Personal Trainer

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

Dave’s Energy Boosts 1-5

Here is a summary of the weeks Energy Boosts, as seen on Facebook. REMEMBER simple changes brings about radical success

No.1

EAT LIVER

This is natures multivitamin. Its a superfood above the rest. Its contains a load protein, vitamin A, several B vitamins, folic acid, iron, copper, CoQ10 (a naturally occurring fat soluble antioxidant)

What does Dave think? I hate the stuff, but its lovely in a homemade pate! Try and have this 3 times a week.

Who hates liver too?

No.2

DO PISTOL SQUATS

Pistol Squat Demo

What does Dave think?

Sore subject as Tracey (my wife) did one on her first go! To start with I scaled the exercise and used a chair to squat down to…took me about 3months to do a full version…

Anyone managed to do a full version?

No.3

SLEEP BETTER

3 Tips:

- Minimise blue light exposure before bed. Install Flux onto your devices (http://justgetflux.com/)

- Wear a sleep mask or have black out blinds to ensure your sleep in complete darkness.

-Avoid alcohol before bed. I’m sorry but alcohol will destroy your REM sleep even though you feel like you’ve slept better!

What does Dave think?

I’ve lost friends over this issue. Quite regularly I will kick guests out if they stay past 9pm.

How many hours do you get a night?

No.4

DO WALL ANGELS

Remember those snow angels you did when your were a kid? This is similar. Get your heels an inch away from the wall, suck your rips down and squeeze your bum. Try to now place the back of your hands and arms on the wall, have your elbows tucked in by your side and hands up as if you’re waving at someone. Now straighten those arms to above your head whilst keeping them in contact with the wall the entire time.

What does Dave think?

I can now keep my arms flat against the wall for the entire movement. Gold star.

Who suffers from tight shoulders?

N0.5

GO BPA FREE

BPA (Bisphenol A) is a chemical found in hard plastics and the coatings of food and drinks cans.

It can behave in a similar way to estrogen and other hormones in the human body, but Its an endocrine disruptor, interfering with these natural hormones. Bad news!

What does Dave think?

I have taken some simple steps to limit BPA. Such as using BPA free tupperwares and water bottles. I also limit the amount of canned food I eat (canned fish and tomatoes)

Anyone started to see BPA free labels on any of your products?

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

DW Personal Trainer

Dorchester personal trainer - Dave Wall - www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk

The Truth About Chiropractic

If I told you there was a unique method of chiropractic which can make your workouts stronger in an instant, give you upright posture and grow older physiologically younger what would you say?

I’m Sarah Carter, chiropractor from the Hansson Chiropractic Centre in Weymouth and I’m talking about Advanced Biostructural Correction (ABC). If you’re interested in improving and maintaining the quality of your health for life you’re going to love this…

 

When someone seeks the help of a Chiropractor, Osteopath or Physiotherapist, more often than not it’s to get rid of pain over a short period of time.

 

Here’s the question… If you don’t have pain or symptoms does that mean that you’re 100% healthy, and there are no problems?

 

I’m here to tell you that joint wear and tear and anything that isn’t related to cancer, infection or fracture, is possible to resolve over time using this method of body correction. This is because the majority of body problems are a consequence of an abnormal posture which puts abnormal strain on the brain, brainstem and nervous system. If your body is even slightly twisted, compensating for an old injury or occupational strain and such like, nerves exiting your spine are stretched, we know from neurosurgery research that a stretched nerve doesn’t work properly therefore when this happens, those cells that the nerves supply are affected. This is how chiropractic helps all sorts of weird and wonderful symptoms and complaints.

 

ABC looks at your whole body and the ‘triangle of health’ (physical, chemical and emotional aspects of life). Dave and I have spoken at length on optimal nutrition, I have to say it’s so refreshing to speak to someone who is ‘on it’ with regards to good food and understands the effects of nutrition on our bodies. I too love helping people get this right and also work alongside a nutritionist and psychotherapist to give people the whole care that they need. My work is all concerned with the physical side of the triangle. I assess a person’s resting posture and structural stability which is a reliable predictor of future injury and degenerative joint wear and tear that we so often call ‘old age’. Using specific whole body stretches and gentle spinal adjustments this method unwinds body compensation patterns and over time restores normal biomechanics by straightening and balancing the body.

 

We see marked improvement in our clients’ posture, breathing, digestion, heart and lung function, and of course relief of musculoskeletal pain. Your body just works better when you’re getting corrected!

 

Who is this happening to? Basically, everyone.

 

Have you noticed people’s posture when you walk down the street? Some are slumped forward, rounded shoulders, forward head-carriage, lopsided shoulders and hips, knock-knees, pigeon toes. All of these postures are a product of how their bodies have had to screw themselves up and compensate for injury, occupation, hobbies and strains. If asked, many of these people will report no pain however that doesn’t mean that that person doesn’t have a body problem. How long will their joints last in that funky position? 10, 20 years before they start to feel arthritis kicking in? Who knows, I’m just interested in halting any degeneration that has already begun, better still preventing it in the first place and starting to correct and stabilise the spine. When your posture is upright your body heals faster and your cells function better because you have a clear, well functioning brain and nervous system.

 

I regularly take before and after photographs of clients on their first visit and free spinal assessments. Here’s someone you may recognise…

 

This is after just a few ABC adjustments (I hadn’t even finished yet!).

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
If you’re interested to find out more, or would like to discuss whether I can help you, drop me an email on scarterchiro@gmail.com or telephone the Hansson Chiropractic Centre on 01305 761507 and ask to speak with me. Here are some useful links:

 

 www.abcmiracles.com, www.meningealrelease.com and www.hanssonchiropractic.com.

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]]> Thu, 27 Feb 2014 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/228/work-out-of-the-week-17-02-14 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/228/work-out-of-the-week-17-02-14

Work out of the Week 17.02.14

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Dave under Exercise, Workouts

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If the olympic lifts are done right, they are one of the most effective tools for fast tracking your fitness and overall body health. Today we play with the Clean and Jerk.

 

Mobility 

Walking Lunges with High Arms

Walking Lunge Leg Rotations

Hamstring Walkouts

 

Strength 

Clean and Jerk- 5-5-3-3-2 (try the squat jerk rather than split jerk which is shown in the video and picture above)

 

Wod

30 Clean and Jerk for time

omem 3 Burpee Box Jumps

 

Finish 

Hollow Hold

Superman Hold

Plank

Weighted sit up

 

Stretch 

Fun one this week! The weight of the Clean and Jerk needs to be heavy enough to restrict you to 3 reps for each round. If this movement is too advanced, scale it down. Try the Clean in isolation.

As always please contact me if you need further assistance or would like to book on for a free consultation.

 

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

DW Personal Trainer

 

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]]> Wed, 19 Feb 2014 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/212/listen-to-your-mum https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/212/listen-to-your-mum

Listen to your Mum

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Dave under Exercise, Lifestyle

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Remember when your Mum always said “EAT YOUR VEGETABLES” in that slightly annoying and shrieky voice? You didnt want to conform so you fed them to the dog on the sly…but we all know Mamma is always right. If she knew a thing or two about mobility and stability that same shrieking voice would come out again.

I get such a great joy when I see clients genuinely shocked about their strength increase through the training.  In one sense strength means freedom, but it has to be married up with mobility and stability work, otherwise all those hard gains will crash and burn.

 

4  Simple Drills to fast track your Success

 

1. Wall or Floor Angels – Remember those snow angels you did when your were a kid? This is similar.  Get your heels an inch away from the wall, suck your rips down and squeeze your bum. Try to now place the back of your hands and arms on the wall, have your elbows tucked in by your side and hands up as if you’re waving at someone. Now straighten those arms to above your head whilst keeping them in contact with the wall the entire time.

 

2. Broom Handle over & under- Grab a pvc pipe or a broom handle… even a sturdy stick will do! Grip the pipe with an overhand grip. Let your arms hang straight down in front of you, so the pipe is touching your hips/front of legs. Pull the pipe backwards, keeping the arms locked out. If you have poor shoulder mobility you might make it just behind the head, if your shoulders are in good health you will be able to take the pipe all the way over your head, down past the back, so the pipe ends up touching your bum – arms locked out the whole time.

 

3. Hamstring Walkouts- Try to keep your feet flat on the ground with your legs straight, bend over, get those hands on the floor and walk the hands out and away from the feet, until you are in a push up position (sneak in a push up if your wish here), then walk the hands back to the feet and stand up. If your hamstrings are in good health, you should be able to maintain a locked out position with the legs.

 

4. The Paleo Chair- Personally my favourite because it looks awesome…and scares people. Simply drop into the very bottom of an air squat, drive the knees out with the elbows for an added stretch, hold for a few seconds and come back to standing. This is actually how most children sit or crouch, then we cruelly put them in a high chair and wreck their mobility… I’m not bitter.

 

The Secret Ingredient 

Get yourself a foam roller. Trigger Point do a very good one, that you can buy from Amazon. Roll over your tight muscles over the entire body until your heart is content and voila you become a supple ninja.

 

Get in touch and let me show your through these movements in person.

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

DW Personal Trainer

 

Dave Wall – Dorset Based Personal Training

 

 

 

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]]> Thu, 13 Feb 2014 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/195/“bandee”-–-dedicated-workout-03-02-14 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/195/“bandee”-–-dedicated-workout-03-02-14

“Bandee” – Dedicated Workout 03.02.14

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Dave under Exercise, Workouts

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Some encouragement for you!…Burpees will never stop sucking, no matter how many times you do them.

 

20 Push Ups

5 Burpee

20 Forward and Backward Lunges

 

20 Air Squats

5 Burpee

20 Tuck Jumps

 

20 Kb (kettle bell) swings

5 Burpee

20 Alt Kb swings

 

20 Push Press

5 Burpee

20 Thurster

 

20 Deadlift

5 Burpee

20 Back Ext

 

20 Push up

5 Burpee

20 Forward and Backward Lunges

 

Plank work, wall angels and stretching to finish…

 

Unless stated otherwise use dumbells if youre new to this form of training, if you have the strength load up the bar! The only extra weights for the barbell you will need  is for the deadlift near the end. This will give you a short breather…try to do the rest unbroken.

As always please contact me with any questions you may have, I would love to help.

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

DW Personal Trainer

 

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]]> Thu, 06 Feb 2014 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/215/organic https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/215/organic

ORGANIC???

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Dave under Diets, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Stress

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ORGANIC.  A word that has been exalted in the health and fitness world.  A way of life reserved for the health gurus amongst us…and those that have deep pockets. Is it just hype?

 

Personally I love the idea of organic food. However I think thats because I’m a bit snobbish and perhaps get a self-righteous feeling when I’m chewing on my organic celery. Thankfully I’ve moved away from this nonsense and now have a better understanding of this way of life.

 

Organic isnt all Bad

The studies show organic is often more nutritious with a greater concentration of phytonutrients and less pesticides than conventional produce.

 

Conventional produce isnt all Bad

Lets face it there are countless studies that overwhelmingly show that fruit and vegetables have numerous health benefits, they are essential for optimal health. These studies were done with conventional produce.

 

Words to Organic Fans

What are companies after? Money. Money is a very helpful tool to open up new opportunities, but when used to satisfy the bottomless well of greed, people get…ruthless. Companies all know that if you stamp organic on a product it gives it instant superiority. Their next goal is to tick  all the legal boxes whilst prioritising profit.  Unfortunately some companies have put customer well-fare way down the list, moving entirely away from what organic foods set out to achieve.  There have been reports of non-organic items being used in organic products… then selling them as organic… kind of funny, don’t you think.

 

Lastly, organic doesnt mean chemical free… We know that the some of the synthetic chemicals used in farming are carcinogenic (this is where the organic boom originated from) but some of the “organic” alternatives are shown to have similar effects, with negative effects on the environment too.

 

Words to Conventional Fans

There are still foods that are more highly sprayed than others. Ever looked at your reflection in that perfect, glossy apple and marvelled that God had made apples to be a fashion accessories as well? Ever forgotten about that spinach at the bottom of the fridge… it still looks green so into my soup it goes. Food generally dies a short time after being picked but our fruit and veg are still smiling past their life expectancy. Its weird.

 

What is Best?

Grow it your own!  At worst you will get some dog wee mixed in.

Second best is to purchase your produce at a local farmers market or shop. If you have to use a money making giant like TESCO, avoid the foods on the dirty dozen list and stick to the foods on the clean 15 list. (see below)

Remember though, stressing about pesticides or dog wee is far more harmful than eating what fruit and veg you can afford and what is available.

 

SO Enjoy life and just getting some fruit and veg down you.

 

The Dirty Dozen 

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Cherry tomatoes
4. Cucumbers
5. Grapes
6. Hot peppers
7. Nectarines (imported)
8. Peaches
9. Potatoes
10. Spinach
11. Strawberries
12. Sweet bell peppers

Dirty Dozen Plus: Kale/collard greens and Summer squash

 

The Clean Fifteen

1. Asparagus
2. Avocados
3. Cabbage
4. Cantaloupe
5. Sweet corn
6. Eggplant
7. Grapefruit
8. Kiwi
9. Mangoes
10. Mushrooms
11. Onions
12. Papayas
13. Pineapples
14. Sweet peas (frozen)
15. Sweet potatoes

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

DW Personal Trainer

 

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]]> Thu, 06 Feb 2014 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/231/workout-of-the-week-27-01-14 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/231/workout-of-the-week-27-01-14

Workout of the week 27.01.14

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Dave under Exercise, Workouts

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The Pure Fitness Classes focus on mobility and metabolic conditioning. They take place in village halls in and around the Dorchester area.

 

Todays Pure Fitness class:

 

Warm Up

1 Push up. 1 Bridge Hip Thrust (add 1 rep each rd for a total of 7-10 rds)

20 Under and Overs with pole (Amazing for tight shoulders)

20 Stork stance Stretch

 

12 min EMOM (Every Minute on Minute)

Odd minutes

10 Squat Drops

5 Hamstring Walkouts

Even Minutes

10 Strict press

5 Over Head Squats

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3VMBdEBB7c&feature=youtu.be)

 

Stretch Off

 

EMOM workouts are normally done as a strength workout. Working lower reps with big lifts. However with todays sessions we just used a PVC pipe instead of a Barbell. This is a great training method for those starting off or dont have access to weights. It is crucial though to lift heavy at least twice a week for the greatest gains.

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

DW Personal Trainer

 

 

 

 

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]]> Thu, 30 Jan 2014 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/230/workout-of-the-week-20-01-14 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/230/workout-of-the-week-20-01-14

Workout of the week 20.01.14

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Dave under Exercise, Workouts

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A “fun” Lung buster today!

 

Mobility

10 Hamstring Walkouts

20 Under and Over with pvc pipe

10 Poor Man GHD

 

Strength

4 x 5 Rep Max Clean (Check out this Clean and Jerk Video )

 

12 min AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible)

12 Push up (Chest to the floor)

12 box jump (Hips through at top and step down not jump to save the knees)

12 Weighted Jumping Squat (Use plates or dumbells)

Weighted Stair run (Grab a couple of plates from 5kg to 25kg, your choice)

 

Stretch Off

REMEMBER Keep it short. Keep it intense. The human body thrives off intense bursts of exercise rather than long duration. Watch your body transform as you decrease your typical workout times, up the intensity and start exposing yourself to functional movements. As always if your new to this form of training, ensure you get plenty of time with a Crossfit coach going through the movements, dont just watch a youtube video and hit the gym!

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

 

Dave Wall- Dorset Based Personal Training

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]]> Thu, 23 Jan 2014 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/190/workout-of-the-week-13-01-14 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/190/workout-of-the-week-13-01-14

Workout of the week 13.01.14

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Dave under Exercise, Workouts

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How do you move better and feel better? Every tried using your body how it was designed to be used?…

Teaser

Tabata Air Squats (20 sec on. 10 sec complete recovery) 8 rds. Your lowest score is your overall score. Complete 15 reps on first round and only 3 on the last. Your score is 3. Being mean motivates you to greater heights.

 

Strength

Back Squat 4 x 5 rep max (This is the ultimate strength exercise. A must for all athletes in their programming)

 

8 min OMEM (on minute every minute)

3  Push press

6  Hang power Clean

 

The Finisher 

50kg weighted stair walk

10 Push up

Stair run

10 Lunges

3 rds

 

A huge amount to fit in during a 45-60min session. It would go well with you to even concentrate on one aspect from todays favourite, if this style of training is new to you, such as Back Squat Strength & OMEM.

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

Dave Wall- Dorset Based Personal Training

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]]> Thu, 16 Jan 2014 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/229/workout-of-the-week-06-01-14 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/229/workout-of-the-week-06-01-14

Workout of the week 06.01.14

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Dave under Exercise, Workouts

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A pure strength session to pack on some functional muscle…

 

The 4:

Strict press 5x 5  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G1ATSx1JQ8)

Hang power clean 4 x 5 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzQJB9XHd5c)

Bench press 3 x 5 (keep those elbows in tight, use your whole body not just your arms, engaging the core, pushing through the legs)

Deadlift 2 x5

 

Summary:

The idea of the strength is that it needs to be heavy, heavy enough that it scares you a little ! However technique and solid form throughout the movement is a MUST. If you arent conditioned in these movements please ensure you firstly work on form and then step up the weight. Also a training partner to spot you and ensure the movement standard is reached is a very good idea.

Strength training should be your foundation for all other training types. 2-3 heavy sessions a week is ideal.

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

 

Dave Wall- Dorset Based Personal Training

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]]> Thu, 09 Jan 2014 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/232/workout-of-the-week-30-12-13 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/232/workout-of-the-week-30-12-13

Workout of the week 30.12.13

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Dave under Exercise, Workouts

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My top workout this week…

 

Strength component:

Back squat – 5 rep max (completing 5 full reps to the movement standard, using the maximum weight you can maintain)

 

WOW (workout of the week):

OMEM (on the minute every minute) 12 minutes

5 Deadlifts

1 Burpee

10 Skips

 

Ideally this should allow you a 20 second break after each round until the next round begins on the minute.

 

Scale reps and weight to ability. If you need more of a challenge, I would suggest increasing the burpee repetition or changing the skips to a double-under standard (pass the rope under twice per jump).

 

Summary:

Deadlifts are one of my favourite movements and it is simply picking a heavy weight up from the floor with good form. It is a compound movement meaning it works multiple muscles and joints at the same time. It is a great safe movement, especially for beginners, and will rapidly improve your strength where the majority of us fall down.

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

Dave Wall- Dorset Based Personal Training

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]]> Mon, 30 Dec 2013 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/223/what-gets-the-green-light https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/223/what-gets-the-green-light

What Gets The Green Light?

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Dave under Exercise, Lifestyle, Nutrition

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I want to expose you to simple tools that can radically transform how your body operates. With much study, experience and thought I now present the changes I have made, that have had the biggest impact. These are known as the “green light” choices.

This will be your reference point. A place you can easily come to for a quick check up on your progress. The intention isn’t for an in depth study but a summary of top tips.

Pick some of the green light choices that sit most comfortably with you, and feel free to ignore others. You have to let your convictions be a compass on what you adopt. I’m not looking to “indoctrinate” but to educate.

 

Nutrition

• Grass-Fed Meat
Best to get this from your local butchers (I use Quality Butchers in Maud Road by Dorchester Hospital)

• Organ Meat
Personally I struggle to eat my 2-3 portions of liver a week, but it is the most nutrient-dense food on the planet. I also enjoy slow cooked lambs heart. It sounds and looks disgusting, hence the cheap price, but tastes just like any other muscle meat.

• Seafood
Try to avoid tinned fish due to the BPA levels from the packaging. Grab some milled and ground seaweed from Naturalife Whilefoods in Dorchester and sprinkle this over your food.

• Vegetables
No peas or sweet corn found here as they aren’t actually vegetables! Mix the colours up, include plenty of green, and don’t overdo starchy varieties. I tend to have an avocado most days for essential fatty acids and energy levels. Try exchanging toxin-filled grains with sweet potato. Check out the “dirty dozen list” which exposes the most highly sprayed fruit and veg and use this to guide you when to go for organic in the supermarket. I have a weekly vegetable box delivered to my door from Riverford, which is fantastic.

• Nuts and Seeds
Nut butters are a good option, as long as they don’t contain vegetable oil, eat in moderation due to the calorific density. Bigger tubs can be purchased online from Myprotein. Peanuts are a legume so no prizes for necking those, although I do tend to have peanut butter as a regular treat to boost calorie intake. Brazil nuts are a great option as they are the best source of selenium. Almonds and pumpkin seeds are highest in protein.
Coconuts are a regular food source for me. They are actually a nut. In the Philippines the coconut tree is called the “Tree of Life”. I use coconut oil daily as a spread or to cook with. The only downside is that as this superfood is getting more publicity the prices are increasing, but this does mean that the saturated fat that coconut it mainly made up of, is finally getting the praise it deserves.

• Eggs
Check out my blog on eggs! I generally have around 3 a day, I buy these in Charminster next to the golf course.

• Organic Dairy Products
If you tolerate dairy this is a great source of nutrients. Butter is the easiest to digest which I daily cook with. Being high in saturated fat, its very stable and therefore safe to heat (extra virgin olive oil is also a great option). I drink unpasteurised milk daily, purchased locally from Modbury Farm in Burton Bradstock. I occasionally have unpasteurised brie from The Fridge in Dorchester. Making yoghurt from the unpasteurised milk, using a simple yoghurt making kit which can be bought cheaply from Amazon is another good option. If you are vegetarian these products are a must to get the protein and essential fats on board.

• Herbs and Spices
Get into a habit of using a wide variety of these with your foods. To name a couple: Turmeric, which contains Curcumin, is described by Dr Ajay Goel as “a complete well-being tonic – it benefits every organ in the body… It shows promise of fighting nearly every disease”. Rosemary contains phytochemicals which boost mind productivity, not to mention being the sole herb in which the fatigue-fighting Carnosol is found.

• Fermented Food
We’ve been eating this stuff for thousands of years, well until recently. This is a must for everyone, its an essential for healthy gut flora. Say good bye to your IBS. Homemade Sauerkraut and yoghurt are easy options. Try using unrefined salt in your Sauerkraut, which is actually a pink colour, unlike that found in the supermarket!

• Treats
The best treat for your body is chocolate. Sorry not dairy milk which is crammed full of sugar but dark chocolate, I’m talking 90%. As always try not to overindulge as it is calorie-dense. Also try having raw cocoa powder with cinnamon as a drink, cocoa has higher antioxidants than any other food.

• Supplements
The only supplements that I take are Lamberts Cod Liver Oil and Lamberts Pure Fish Oil, this will give you your Vitamin D and Omega 3 hit, that we are all desperately lacking. Try taking one of each a day.

• Drinks
Along with your hot cocoa (no added sugar!) try green tea with lemon and experiment with the herbal teas in the Pukka range. Get yourself a filter tap fitted (UK water filters.com). In terms of alcohol, a glass of organic red wine is the best option. What about your tea and coffee? There are some nutritional benefits but especially as a society we tend to become over-reliant on the caffeine fix rather than addressing the root issue of our fatigue.

• Red Lights

Try not to eat carbohydrates in isolation, only post workout in that 45 minute window.

Reduce sugar from your diet, as sugar gets you fat.

Avoid vegetable oil as they are off the chart in pro-inflammatory Omega 3 and full of Polyunsaturated fats, which are unstable and prone to oxidation, which in turn causes free radicals to go on the attack.

Use BPA-free containers. BPA (bisphenol A) is a hormone disrupter and leaks into food from packaging which contains it. Big culprits are the packaging of tinned tomatoes and tinned fish, as well as plastic drinking bottles. I use a BPA-free Nalgene bottle.

Limit use of the microwave. The word itself suggests the unleashing of atomic destruction.

Try not to drink with food, as this limits the body’s ability to digest due to pH imbalance in the stomach.

Branch out from just consuming grains as a staple. The only grains I have are porridge oats.(Check out this article)

BUT my biggest red light: Don’t be ruled by food. Have treat days and always eat what you’re given if you’re a guest!

 

Lifestyle

Time management:

• Have section of Down Time in the day. This may be one entire block (morning, afternoon or evening) or if you’re in a busy season, 10minutes, where you shut your eyes, switch on some music and escape. We aren’t designed to endure stress over an entire day, without moments of calm.

• Try to arrive 10minutes before your appointment. When you are late, you have a big sign over your head. Every light will go red, every slow driver will be realised onto the roads and your wallet and keys will hide from you. Allowing for extra time overcomes set backs.

• Turn off all electronic devices and enjoy just “being” not “doing”. We complain about being too busy, but we are to blame for our busyness. The motivation for our busyness is normally driven by wanting more. Strive for success, aim high but learn the art of contentment. Start resting and stop adding to your endless to do list.

• Ensure you have one day off a week.

 

Sleep:

• Power Naps. If your diary allows, try to pencil in a quick power nap – it will energize you more than any caffeinated drink or sugary snack.

• 8 hours of sleep. I know you know this one, and don’t give me “I can survive on 4 hours a night!”. Its generally best to be early to bed and early to rise. Adjust your sleep patterns to the time of year, during winter you will always needs more sleep.

• Sleep mask. This is geeky but I always wear a sleep mask in bed. Even the smallest bit of light can disrupt melatonin (sleep hormone) levels.

• Avoid bright lights before bed. This means your TV and laptop. Try installing Flux onto your computer which blocks out the melatonin-lowering blue light.

• For more info check this out.

 

Hygiene:

• Use chemical-free body products. Get along to Medusa Apothecary (High East Street, Dorchester or the new branch in Bridport) for some expert advice and quality products that will last.

• A side note that I hesitate to add… for the last 3 years I have only cleaned with water. I use an organic facial moisturiser from Medusa (which has lasted 2 years), coconut oil-based hair wax, “Pitrok” a natural antibacterial mineral deodorant and I make my own toothpaste from coconut oil and bicarbonate of soda. The secret is out! Due to the length of time that these last, it’s a very inexpensive option, and no I don’t smell! Your skin is your biggest organ, what are you feeding it?

 

Socialise:

• Laugh often with others and at yourself

• Meet with a wide variety of people, its healthy to get alongside others with different personalities, options and ways of doing things.

• Charity. This shouldn’t be done to fill a guilty hole but because we were made to serve, and when you make a sacrifice, you will also find pleasure and meaning.

• Don’t count out Church. No not a dull, religious building, full of judgemental snobs but a vibrant community of people that want to help you in any way they can. Consider going on an Alpha course to explore the Christian faith. I go to Dorchester Family Church.

 

Get outside and explore:

• Plenty of sun, for your vitamin D boost.

• Be wise on suncream choice (see my blog)

 

Fast:

• Try a 20-24 hour fast once a week or intermittent fasting (see my blog)

 

What is the biggest red light?

• Stress. Remember stress kills you. Now don’t stress about being stressed!

 

Exercise

• Limit endurance activities. The body isn’t designed to take the ongoing stress of continuous exercise at moderate intensity, it exposes the body to cortisol, the stress hormone. This kind of exercise is great to throw in occasionally but unless you are training for a specific sport, I would heed caution. It always puzzles me when people say they have taken up running to burn fat!

• A low intensity exercise like walking is key. Activities like this are the antidote to stress and in fact lower cortisol. We have been walking since the beginning of time and I suggest you do a lot of it.

• Lift heavy things. From teenagers to 90 year olds, we should be weight training. I enjoy Olympic Lifting and am a huge fan of the Crossfit training style.

• Sprint often. Rather than your long run, try a sprint session for fat loss, increased muscle, more power and extra time saved. You will become a functional, speedy machine, keep it up and the grandkids wont know what hit them!

• Try new sports and skills. What about rock climbing, skiing, weightlifting?

• Have clear goals and overall vision. Set yourself challenges from a Rock Solid Race to completing a pull up.

• Encourage others to exercise.

• Train in groups for greater motivation.

• Don’t over-train, and tone down your exercise rate if you’re busy or tired. Rather than stopping exercise completely its always a good idea to do an “active recovery” session, whether that be a walk or mobility and stretching exercises.

• Remember your workouts and exercise should be:

Intense. There isn’t a workout where I don’t feel “ouch this hurts!”. Intensity is what brings about improvement. Why not go from your hour-long gym session to a 10 minute all out effort.

Varied. I generally workout weekdays with weights and body weight exercises, with walking or rock climbing at the weekends. Very rarely do I ever have a workout that is the same. Our bodies are adapting machines, give it new challenges and it will wonderfully develop.

Functional. Train not for the sake of training but to become more functional. To cope more efficiently and effectively with all those everyday tasks that life brings. Train for the unexpected.

• Moblize often. Buy a Fitness-Mad spikey massage ball from Amazon. Get in that paleo chair daily. Not sure what a paleo chair is? Just copy how the nearest child to you crouches!

• Get those shoes off! Walk around the house barefoot or go all out and buy a pair of Vibram five finger shoes. I have had mine for 3 years, I love them. We weren’t designed to wear trainers.

• Red Light: Don’t live to workout. But workout to live

Try adopting one new green light choice a week, see how your body responds and enjoy the progress you will make!

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

Dorset based personal training

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]]> Sat, 30 Mar 2013 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/209/intermittent-fasting-–-my-journey https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/209/intermittent-fasting-–-my-journey

Intermittent Fasting – My Journey

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Dave under Diets, Lifestyle, Nutrition

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In The Beginning

I heard the whispers of Intermittent Fasting a few years ago but now it seems to have exploded into the health and fitness world.

I know fasting has been carried out for thousands of years. There hasn’t always been a supermarket around the corner and somehow the human body coped with periods of food restriction or fasting without keeling over.

I know many religions systematically fast, for spiritual reasons. Hey even Jesus gave it the thumbs up.

I know fasting seems logically a very good idea. We do it every night.

BUT is its worth the effort, the discipline, the self denial?

To be honest this is a subject I have been turning the cold shoulder to for too long. Why? I really love food and quite frankly I don’t want to go without it unless I have an overriding reason.

What follows is my intermittent fasting journey. The whats, whys and hows along with my own failures and successes.

 

What is it?

Fasting is simply making a voluntary decision to go without food for a period of time.

I often ask my Mum:

“Mum have you been fasting again?”

She replies:

“David, I have been doing lots of fasting recently”

I turn away in a satisfied triumph, which is short lived, as she goes onto say:

“I have my breakfast, then fast before my next snack”

Frustratingly my Mum is technically correct, as always. However the type of fasting I have been journeying on is intermittent fasting (IF), where you abstain from food for a window of time throughout the day or fast for up to 24 hours once or twice a week.

 

Why do it?

“Instead of using medicine, rather fast a day.” – Plutarch

Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine and Paracelsus another high flyer in the medical world both believed fasting enabled the body to heal itself.

These are fascinating claims!

Lets take a step back.

Food is essential to life (even though we can last around 40 days without it). Food is a good thing. BUT like so many good things in this world we try to suck the life out of it, we get extreme and “too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing”.

We have run away from “eating to live” to “living to eat”. The consequence is that we generally over eat, not just over eat but over eat with rubbish, which is the key.

What happens when you keep putting the wrong kind of fuel in your new Ferrari? It breaks. Our bodies are amazing creations, capable of the most incredible things but we fuel them with toxins, sugar and chemicals. The obvious step is to minimise this wrong fuel. The next is to start IF, which is like having a regular MOT and service.

Here is a simplified step by step process of how IF works:

1. Your food intake is temporally stopped.

2. Many of the systems of the body are given a break from the hard work of digestion (think how tired you get after a big meal) and this creates time and energy to start the clean up process.

3. The liver and immune system start detoxifying and healing the body.

4. Your body is forced out of go-go mode (triggered by food intake) and into repair mode.

5. The body moves from cellular reproduction to cellular repair.

We know some well educated Doctors that lived a long time ago digged fasting, we know fasting is the equivalent to an MOT and now we know the healing process that takes place but IS IT REALLY WORTH IT? Is IF a tool I want to use for the rest of my life? These are the questions I started to ask.

I began the search for the truth behind IF, I wasn’t willing to change my life for the latest fad that seemed logical but lacked compelling evidence.

What I found was that IF research was still very much in its infancy, the vast majority of tests have been done on animals with only one human trial up to date. Nevertheless the findings are more than shocking!

Here are some reasons why I have started IF and why I want you to embark with me on this journey with me:

A. Its one of the most effective tools for fat loss

•   Fasting improves insulin sensitivity (a hormone that prevents the release of stored fat)
•   Fasting causes you to be fat burner (with lower insulin levels the body becomes reliant on stored fat for fuel rather than sugar)
•   Fasting causes your body to burn energy at a faster rate (the hormonal trigger, catecholamines, is increased)
•   It decreases body fat without destroying muscle and bone density

B. Its one of the most effective tools for chronic illness, even depression

•   Fasting causes resistance to illness (“normal cells” go into survival mode and display extreme resistance to stresses. Cells such as cancer cells have no way to transform for production)
•   Fasting enables healing from illness (The body is taken from a go-go survival state to a repair state)

C. Its one of the most effective anti-aging products

•   Similar to exercise being a good stress to the body, fasting forces the body to adapt into becoming stronger and healthier.

D. Its one of the most effective tools for enjoying food!

•   Breaking a fast turns a routine meal into a moment of enjoyment.

 

How to do it?

There are numerous way to fast!

I have experimented with some.

•   24 hr fast
•   Calorie restriction fast (over two days, can consume 500-600 kcal each day)
•   Fasting for a window of time during the day (fasting until 1pm, having your biggest meal then decreasing your food quantity through the remainder of the day)

Everyone is different so please do your own trial period of what method works best for you. Personally I have found the 24-hr fast to be the most effective and convenient. I eat my last meal at 6pm then eat again at 6pm the following day (sleep time counts as fast time). I generally carry out a 24 hr fast once a week. I wouldn’t recommend this method more than twice a week due to muscle loss.

I found with the calorie restriction method that I lost too much weight (inc fat and muscle) which I felt wasn’t healthy. I do know my parents and some of my clients follow this method with great results. My only concern here would be if you were to spread the food intake out throughout the day this would diminish the “cleansing process” of the body. On another note if you were to fill your calorie allowance with poor nutrition or high carbohydrate foods this could cause blood sugar problems and be counter productive!

It is essential that you keep your fluids up throughout IF, as our body grabs a large part of its water requirements through the food we eat. I usually drink green/black tea, herbal teas and plenty of water. If you are a tea fan (you’re not going to like this), I would limit or fast from this too to give your body a break from the caffeine.

For me Fasting it’s a love hate thing. But a vital one at that, which I will continue for the rest of my life.

 

Questions:

 

How will I feel in a fasted state?

There is a feeling called hunger, you might feel that. Remember when you were a child and you cried out “I’m starving!” (you still may do this) you may feel hungry like this but don’t worry, just as you didn’t die as a child, the hunger won’t kill you now.

The comforting part is that the hunger feelings will come in waves. Even extreme hunger passes, especially as you set your mind on other things. If this is the first time you have fasted, please persevere! Your body will fight against any form of change, even a good one and will demand to eat when it’s used to being fed, stay focused, dig deep and take on some fluid instead.

I normally have a “heightened” feeling during a fast, where I don’t feel lethargic but switched on. If you do start feeling sick or completely drained of energy, eat something!

 

How to start and break a fast?

The most helpful principle I have adopted to maximise the effectiveness of fasting is becoming fat adapted. Being fat adapted means that you can easily access and burn fat for your main source of fuel rather than sugar.

Many of us are sugar burners from consuming excess sugar in the form of carbohydrates in our diets. The advantage of being fat adapted when it comes to fasting is that your body won’t struggle with the stress of fasting as a sugar burner would.

If you are fat adapted the body senses the food shortage and will fuel your body with energy from fat reserves in a smooth transition. For a sugar burner they will experience cravings for more sugar as their stored fat from excess sugar is much harder to access. Sugar burners’ bodies think they’re starving when in fact they’re just having difficulty accessing that stored fat (that’s where cravings can come from).

Become fat adapted – increase your good fat intake, especially leading up to a fast. Avoid a high carbohydrate meal before your fast, as your blood sugars will only crash and it will be hard to fight those overriding cravings for food.

I normally break my fast by eating a small meal slowly, really enjoying it! Please ensure you do eat enough after your fast to boost energy levels, and to avoid blood sugar spikes during that night’s sleep. As always never over eat.

 

Can I exercise in a fasted state?

There is research to support that exercising in a fasted state actually increases performance in exercise. Its almost a peek into what life was like when we had to hunt for our food. The body, aware of its need for food, takes itself to the next level and prepares for action.

Our bodies are adapting machines. They have to respond or we would die. Exercise is a stress that causes adaptation, fasting is a stress that causes adaptation, couple the two together and you get a greater improvement. Why? Essentially fasting forces your body to function with lower glycogen (stored carbohydrates) and use glycogen more efficiently.

 

What about ongoing calorific restriction for health benefits?

There is increasing evidence that ongoing calorific restriction increases longevity.

Personally I believe you can get all the health benefits including a longer life expectancy from fasting, without the unpleasant negative effects of a calorie restricted diet.

One of my goals is to be able to keep up with my future grandkids as I chase them across the beach! My granddad is mid 70s now, he can still beat me in an arm wrestle, he can keep up with me on a sprint and match me at press ups (well almost!). A calorie restricted diet destroys all the means by which this dream is kept alive:

•   It destroys muscle mass
•   It destroys bone density
•   It makes you really grumpy (speak to my friends and family when I haven’t been getting enough fuel onboard… not pretty!)

This extreme way of living just doesn’t make sense. We have been designed to live life not just endure it until the bitter end. Imagine if you had been living for healthy perfection then you get hit by a bus, where’s the fun in that?!

 

Is it the ultimate cure?

In my enthusiasm please don’t get the impression that fasting will fix all your problems! It’s a wonderful tool that should be used alongside others.

For instance if you’re stressing about the topic of fasting, that would hinder the benefits its giving you!

Ironically health conscious folk like myself could be doing all the right things but going about it the wrong way, a way that controls you, stresses you out and robs you of living. Let’s be blunt – stress kills you – so let’s not hold any tool as an ultimate cure and stress about it in the process.

 

Are there reasons that I should not fast?

Fasting is a stressor to your body so I would strongly recommend that you do not fast if any of the following apply:

•   Chronic lifestyle stress
•   Overtraining
•   Sleep deprivation
•   Blood sugar problems
•   Pregnancy
•   If you are still growing
•   Eating disorders

This is by no means an exhaustive list. I think its especially dangerous for those with eating disorders to undertake a fast, as for those individuals we don’t want to make food an even bigger deal than it already is. Also for those that haven’t stopped growing I wouldn’t recommend fasting, although skipping a meal once in a while will do them no harm.

Ultimately you have to listen to your body and how it responds. For some It may be suitable to fast for a window of time rather than a straight 24 hr block.

For instance it is good practice to get the bulk of our food intake on during the day and fast before bed. During the day is when we need the energy the most and our systems are fully functioning. Once you start overeating in the evenings (generally because you haven’t eaten enough quality nutrition in the day) this diminishes how well you digest the food and can disrupt sleep, as food can decrease melatonin levels. However there is not hard and fast rule, everyone is unique.

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

Dorset based personal training

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]]> Sat, 24 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/217/shout-out-to-clients https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/217/shout-out-to-clients

Shout Out To Clients

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Dave under Lifestyle, notice

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I was reflecting on all those that I train in the Dorchester area and come in contact with on a regular basis. I would call them all athletes even though they would scoff at that title! Being a personal trainer, living and breathing health and exercise everyday, one would assume I would be an all singing, all dancing, mega-fit superstar. I would be in a league of my own, however I’m glad that will never be the case.

My Mum would forever out punch me.
Emma and Helen could always out run me.
Andy and Yvonne would out-cycle me.
Dave would constantly outwit me. Alex would out smart me.
Ange and Sue could outstretch me, Nigel would probably out live me.
Steve could jump further.
Elaine and Mulu could persevere longer. Mairead could dig deeper. Tracey and Justine would most definitely laugh harder.

Comparing yourself to others is a dangerous game.

Every athlete has strengths and vulnerabilities.

Learn to love yourself where you’re at.

Give your best shot but don’t beat yourself up if you fall short of perfection, we all do.

There are no superstars but also no failures in my personal training circle. Failure comes when we live to be fit and healthy rather than being fit and healthy to live.

The main thing is that we stick together, support one another, and move forward on our journey of success and bumps.

Be encouraged you wonderful clients. Remember I’m paid to be good, but you’re good for nothing! I wish you all the success and motivation with your health, fitness and life as a whole. Keep smiling, keep laughing and keep training hard!

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]]> Sat, 01 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +0100 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/205/exposed!!-dave’s-delectable-diet https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/205/exposed!!-dave’s-delectable-diet

Exposed!! Dave’s Delectable Diet

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Dave under Diets, Lifestyle, Nutrition

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So what does Dave eat…?

There seems an ongoing battle to carve out a healthy but realistic eating plan in this convenience food culture.

Even the most dedicated REAL foodie out there can fail in the 24/7 nutrition mission. We are surrounded by prettily packaged food, screaming “eat me!” Its looks really tempting when we’ve missed out on our 8 hours the night before, missed out on the work deadline and the cat is sick. Fed up, stressed out, we give up and throw in the towel. Or do we?

Similar to when we exercise, over time our body gets more efficient and goals that seemed impossible are attained because of perseverance, because of conditioning. When it comes to nutrition its the same case of conditioning and forming habits of a lifetime.

Planning meals ahead, experimenting with new foods and cutting down on refined carbohydrates can suck in the early stages, but over time it becomes a breeze. I have a very low sugar and gluten intake, I rarely eats grains apart from oats and I can’t remember the last time I had a biscuit. I have worked hard at eating real food over a sustained period and the results are amazing.

Here is a peek into what I eat. I don’t expect you to adopt this as your nutritional plan as there is no “one size fits all” diet, but grab a few ideas. A vegetarian for example would need to branch out to alternative foods to give them correct doses for their needs. My nutrition is simple, is easy and is varied.

Breakfast

I normally start the day with a pint of filtered water or green tea. I can exercise twice a day at times and I sweat a lot! Therefore fluid intake for me is a major factor.

Option 1: Butchers Bacon, free range eggs, Spinach with Italian herbs.
Option 2: Frozen berry, banana, pear, mixed nut smoothie made with unpasteurized organic milk or coconut milk.
Option 3: Porridge made with organic rolled oats, soaked overnight (this decreases the phyates) with mixed seeds and cinnamon.

If I am in a rush I will have a pre-prepared smoothie in the fridge. Even though its mainly liquid I will still chew and take my time with it to aid digestion.

Midmorning snack

At this stage I will have consumed more water (sipping it, never downing it!)

Option 1: Celery and nut butter or organic peanut butter
Option 2: Coconut, date & pumpkin cookies, chocolate banana cake or peanut butter cookies (see recipes on the website)
Option 3: Large mug of cocoa or a caffeine-free, organic herbal drink from the “Pukka” range such as 3 ginger or vanilla chai. If I have a herbal drink I will sometimes have it with a couple of squares of dark chocolate (90-100%)

As you may have noted I try to consume cocoa most days. Raw cocoa is crammed full of phytonutrients that give raw cocoa powder the highest antioxidant value of any food.

Lunch

Option 1: Last night’s evening meal
Option 2: Homemade soup
Option 3: Mixed vegetables, sauerkraut, tinned fish/ prawns with homemade chutney or extra virgin olive oil pesto.
Option 4: Vegetable omelette
Option 5: Marinated Chicken and pepper kebab (make a batch to last throughout the week)
Option 6: Bacon, grape, broccoli and almond salad

The list is endless when it comes to lunch options. Lets move away from the typical sandwich or the predictable and boring salad. Be creative, make it fun. I try to include sauerkraut into my diet every day, if you were wondering, its fermented cabbage that is packed full of probiotics. An absolute must for any IBS suffers or REAL food fans.

Midafternoon Snack

Option 1: Oatcakes (go for ones void of vegetable oil, including rapeseed oil) with coconut oil, avocado and tinned mackerel.
Option 2: Shredded coconut, soaked oats, organic plain yoghurt and defrosted berries.
Option 3: Apple and almonds

This is usually the time the biscuits call to us, so plan ahead and eat when your body is ready. I very rarely have that over-powering hunger feeling as I am pre-emptive with my eating and consume foods that maintain a steady blood sugar level.

Dinner

Option 1: Sweet potato chips, roasted peppers with organic cheese and butchers pork steaks
Option 2: Beef & green veg stir fry
Option 3: Roast chicken & seasonal veg.

As I tend to work some evenings I will often have my main meal at lunchtime. We have a bad habit of starving our bodies in the day when it needs the energy the most, then when evening comes overeating on a huge meal. Overeating in one sitting massively slows down your metabolism, especially at this stage in the day where the body is winding down anyway.

Its best to cut out eating before bed, as your body doesn’t want to be working on digestion when its trying to repair all the other vital areas. If I do eat something I will try to go for a slower releasing and higher protein choice, to fight off any sugar spikes that will disrupt sleep. By this point I will have hydrated myself sufficiently throughout the day so that I can stay clear of any fluids and avoid wetting the bed.

Other Tips

- Ensure you have a cheat meal once a week, where you eat anything you want! This will not only make your eating choices sustainable during the rest of the week but show you how rubbish nutrition can make you feel! I would suggest Green & Blacks ice cream to be included within your choice.

- Try not to drink large amounts at meal/snack times as this decreases the body’s ability to digest.

- Avoid making food choices through will power but focusing on the bigger picture. For example I know if I don’t fuel my body properly I will perform poorly, so the temporal pleasure of the food is offset by my future goal.

- Avoid cooking and consuming unstable fats such as vegetable oil. Try to cook with stable fats such as coconut oil, butter or extra virgin olive oil.

- Cook in batches to save time. You don’t want to be a slave to the kitchen, so by cooking in advance and in larger quantities this can be a huge time saver.

- If you’re a vegetarian, vegan, paleo fanatic or whatever else, follow your convictions and be open to adopting eating ideas that you can adapt to your needs. If your main source of nutrition comes from vegetables and fruits I would argue that this is the most important factor to anyone’s diet.

- Listen to your body. The quantity of the food I consume varies from day to day. There will be some days where I graze throughout and don’t have a main meal. I tend to eat little and often. However I have finally figured out that my body is the best system to guide my food choices not the latest nutrition guru, like me!

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

Dorset based personal training

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]]> Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0100 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/216/peanut-butter-cookies https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/216/peanut-butter-cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Dave under Nutrition, Recipes

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I would suggest that peanut butter isn’t a daily addition to your diet, but an occasional treat. These yummy cookies are a sugar-free flour-free dairy-free snack option that I have been enjoying over the last few weeks!

200g     Peanut Butter (try to find one with as few ingredients as possible, excluding vegetable oil, sugar and excessive salt)
100g     Ground Almonds
50g       Dates
3tbsp    Honey
1            Free Range Egg
1 tsp      Bicarbonate of Soda

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C(fan)/Gas 4/350°F, grease a baking tray.

2. Blend together the peanut butter, ground almonds and dates until smooth ish.

3. Mix in the honey, beaten egg and bicarbonate of soda.

4. Take dessert spoons of the mixture and roll into balls, flatten with your palm and cook for about 10 minutes until lightly browned. Remove and cool on a cooling rack, then enjoy!

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

Dorset based personal training

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]]> Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0100 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/221/the-sun--a-lovehate-relationship https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/221/the-sun--a-lovehate-relationship

The Sun. A Love-Hate Relationship

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Dave under Lifestyle

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The joys of the British Summer

Its British summer time. Holiday makers flock to the beaches and soak up the rare and precious rays of sunlight. Bronze bodies bake in the sun, in an effort to create that flawless tan. Bronze is now beautiful.

If you glance across a Dorset beach and happen to see a pale figure hiding in the shade of an umbrella, plastered in suncream, peering out from behind some oversized Ray Bans, it isn’t a vampire… that would be me.  Pale is now frowned upon.

I have one of those frustrating skin types, that it seems is allergic to the sun. I’ve been known to get sunburnt in winter. I’m not joking. Even as I type this blog I am wondering if the computer rays could be attacking my skin. Maybe I should put a layer of suncream on just in case. But is suncream the solution?

 

Cancer is not a myth

Since the 1940s sunworship has been in and suncream was driven into mass production. We all know the price of a Baywatch tan could be cancer. The sun’s Ultraviolet A (long-wave) and Ultraviolet B (short-wave) rays are the culprits for skin cancer. Melanoma, being the deadliest form.

“The incidence of both non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers has been increasing over the past decades. Currently, between 2 and 3 million non-melanoma skin cancers and 132,000 melanoma skin cancers occur globally each year.”

World Health Organisation.¹

 

Vanity induced complacency

We watch a powerful skin cancer advert, read a thought-provoking blog or sheepishly go to work on Monday morning with a complexion resembling a lobster, and we vow to NEVER get burnt again. But the cycle happens again sooner or later. The definition of this is insanity. We keep doing the same thing again despite the damaging consequences. We take huge sacrificial measures to nourish and protect this body of ours, as once its worn out eBay wont offer us a new one. But ironically we neglect sun protection.

If you’re reading this blog I assume you have some interest in a healthy lifestyle and want to look and feel amazing in your years to come. Well the take home message is: Too much of a good thing like sunlight can become a detrimental thing.

When I was in my teenage years many moons ago, I went through a season of detesting my pale complexion and chasing after the cultural standard of beauty. I rigorously crafted out time to catch some rays, on occasion I would get burnt, but skin cancer seemed a lifetime away and my new look just around the corner, so I was persistent. I remember my Mum confronting me one day with a worried look, she questioned “You take so much effort to look good but then you are careless when it comes to the sun. I don’t understand?!”

There are many persistent people out there, especially teenagers, who have a beach body ambition and are being careless. Insanity? Many soak for too long in the sun, which is literally adding on years to their skin age. They are looking to their immediate desire rather than making wise choices that will affect their future bodies.

The dangers of too much sun are huge, are real and are deadly.

Suncream… and Cancer?

The sun is out, I pop into Dorchester and grab a bottle of suncream at the store.  As you know I have pale skin, so I put a factor 50+ into my basket. I am confident that I will scare everyone with that pasted on my face but I wont get sun damage. It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

Hopefully after reading the following you will assume I am completely mad, If you don’t already.

 

High factor suncream does not make you invincible.

When describing the factor of suncream, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) comments “there is no assurance that the specific values themselves are in fact truthful…” (FDA 2007).

Even if the “magic number” of factor proved to be correct, what does it actually protect us from?

We have our two main types of ultraviolet light:

UVA (long-wave)- This penetrates deeper into the skin causing different types of DNA damage and our potentially deadly melanoma skin cancer.

UVB (short-wave)- This penetrates only the outer skin layer and causes our sunburn and non-melanoma skin cancers.

Now most suncreams block at least some UVB radiation but many don’t stop UVA rays at all!

Experts suggest that while your bottle may state a protective factor of 15 against sunburn, the equivalent protective factor against free radical damage would be 2. Because of this, suncream can give us a massive false sense of security. We apply this miracle potion and expect to be 100% protected, we therefore stay out longer in the sun’s radiation. Yes, suncream does stop you getting burnt but the real danger of free radical protection goes barely untouched.

Today, many experts believe that both UVA and UVB exposure may contribute to melanoma risk (Donawho 1996, Garland 2003, Godar 2009, Setlow 1993). Sunscreens sold over the past three decades may not have afforded cancer protection because they blocked UVB but allowed higher UVA exposure (Draelos 2010). Thus sunscreens may have contributed to risk of melanoma in some populations (Gorham  2007).²

 

What’s in my suncream?

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) agree that the majority of high street brands selling suncream do not sufficiently protect against the dangerous radiation from sun exposure. However, they also note that substances found in suncreams may in fact be harmful.

Research carried out by EWG tested 831 suncreams, of which a whopping 84% were found to contain hazardous ingredients! Repeat offenders were chemicals such as Benzophenone, Homosalate and Octyl Methoxycinnamate (Octinoxate) which can imitate our natural hormones and disrupt our body functioning. Ironically toxic chemicals were also found in suncreams which are actually thought to cause DNA damage when exposed to sunlight, including Padimate-0 and Parsol 1789 (Avobenzone).  As if that wasn’t enough, the study showed that over 50% of the products advertised inaccurately when it came to their UV protection and water resistance.³

You may be scratching your head right now and thinking, but surely the added vitamin A in my suncream or face cream has benefits?

You would be right in thinking that Vitamin A does have anti-ageing benefits and you will often see that Vitamin A has been added to suncream, in fact it is now in 25% of all suncreams. Great, so I get protected from getting burnt and have vibrant skin! However what many people don’t know is that when exposed to sunlight, Vitamin A can produce free radicals which damage DNA in the skin, and it has been shown to speed up the growth of skin tumours in animal studies. The FDA and National Toxicity Program (NTP) have been involved in research investigating the “photocarcinogenic” properties of Vitamin A since it was first suggested as long ago as 1985. Has money-making been pushed into the limelight while our wellness has been shut in the dark?

 

What do the statistics tell us?

We would expect the health-conscious public who have been stock piling suncream to be winning the fight against skin cancer. But unfortunately the enemy continues to take ground and produce more casualties every year. Instead of the incidence of skin cancer plummeting as you may expect with suncream becoming more and more widely available, the numbers are on the rise. ^4,5,6

The FDA state that current research does “not demonstrate that even [broad spectrum products with SPF greater than 15] alone reduce the risk of skin cancer and early aging.” They also point out that they are “not aware of any studies examining the effect of sunscreen use on the development of melanoma.”

Before you freak out and throw all your suncream out of the window or vow never to step outside again. Don’t be extreme.

I strongly believe that suncream should be used, but our first line of defence should be covering up and avoiding the hottest times of the day, as recommended by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2001, with suncreams used as an adjunct.

Here are some of the top sun protection tips:

* During summer stay out of the midday heat. If we ever see the sun in the UK, it is strongest between 11am and 3pm. The sun is also stronger closer to the equator, so maybe move away from Dorset and up to the north coast of Scotland?

* Stay away from nudist beaches! Rather be a prude than a nude – cover up and block those UV rays.

* Look cool and stay safe – time to invest in a pair of Ray Bans!

* Make friends with a tree, stay in the shade. Be particularly vigilant with your little ones as they lack melanin to protect their skin.

* Avoid the lobster look. Getting burnt isn’t the start of your Baywatch tan, but a warning sign that you’ve had too much sun.

* Keep the suncream flowing. Remember that a high SPF won’t make your skin invincible and you must reapply often.

How to choose your suncream:

* Stay away from sprays as you will inevitably breathe the chemicals in when applying, go for a good old fashioned cream.

* Look at the ingredients. Avoid suncreams containing Vitamin A, Oxybenzoate and insect repellent. Instead go for creams with Zinc, Titanium, Avobenzone and Mexoryl SX, which are protective but poorly absorbed systemically.

After much research I decided upon the following suncreams. They may seem expensive coming in at around £10 but they do last. In the last year I have endured the Maldives and South Africa, plus the occasional sunny day in the UK, and I am yet to finish my Caribbean Solutions bottle.

- Caribbean Solutions [http://www.amazon.co.uk/SPF-25-Biodegradable-Sunscreen-Ounces/dp/B001DJDPZY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_beauty_1]

- Badger All-season Face Stick [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Badger-Company-Season-Sunscreen-Unscented/dp/B003II0R7M/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1338910939&sr=1-1]

Please do your own research and look up your current suncream at http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/

 

The Benefits of Sunlight

After all that sun-bashing, the fact is we would be dead without the sun.

Sunlight causes our fine tuned body to work in harmony. It initiates a multitude of hormonal messengers that whiz around our bodies. Its sends serotonin and tryptamine levels sky high, keeping our moods and sleep/wake cycles in order and it boosts our metabolism. The sun has numerous life-giving effects. Sunlight causes cell growth, it provides warmth and it also manufactures that most essential nutrient, vitamin D.

A plant without sunlight dies and a human without sunlight will speed to the same fate. We are designed to be outside and our bodies crave the sunlight that kicks energy into motion.

The problem is that we are extreme.

We hide away all winter in our cosy homes. In the summer, work keeps us indoors during the week. At the weekend our sun starved skin gets an overdose of sun, which makes it sick. Little and often is the key.

* During winter make every effort to get outside. Go for a bike ride or take a leisurely stroll. Even if the sun isn’t out, the light will be doing wonders for your body.

* During summer try to get 10-15 minutes at least 3 times a week of sun exposure. Take lunch early and get outside when the sun isn’t at its strongest. Try to hold off from the suncream (for this short duration) as this will block vitamin D production.

Our Friend, Vitamin D

Vitamin D has a long list of vital functions. It increases bone density, boosts the immune system, protects against various forms of cancer, and keeps us a lean, mean fighting machine.

However, levels of Vitamin D in the UK population are abysmal. Incidence of Vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency in the white population stands at 80%, while in the black and South Asian populations (who require 2-10 times the sun exposure of white people in order to produce the same amount of Vitamin D) it rises to a whopping 95%! ⁷

So where can I get me some of this wonder vitamin?

1. Sunlight. The body’s main source of Vitamin D comes from that big burning ball in the sky.

2. Oily fish, such as mackerel and sardines. A small tin provides 70-90% of your daily requirements of Vitamin D, along with big doses of Vitamin B12, Omega-3 fatty acids, protein and selenium. I normally have a can of mackerel or sardines a day. Try it on some oatcakes with avocado on the side.

3. Eggs. Read my blog on eggs!

4. Salmon, Herring and Tuna are also good dietary sources of Vitamin D. Avoid over-eating tuna, as its mercury levels are on the high side.

In summary just because you find a product on a shelf with fancy packaging and miracle claims, just because “that’s what everyone else does”, just because an “expert” has given it the thumbs up, doesn’t always mean it is the right choice for you.

Enjoy your freedom in living out a balanced lifestyle.

 

References

1. World Health Organisation “Ultraviolet Radiation and the INTERSUN Programme” [http://www.who.int/uv/faq/skincancer/en/index1.html, accessed 11^th June 2012]
2. Environmental Working Group [http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2012sunscreen/, accessed 11^th June 2012]
3. Does Sunscreen Really Protect You? Larry West [http://environment.about.com/od/healthenvironment/a/sunscreen.htm, accessed 11^th June 2012]
4. Changes in the Incidence of Skin Cancer Between 1978 and 2002, P. Aceituno-Madera et al. Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas (English Edition) 101(1):39-46
5. Cancer Statistics 2008, Jemal A et al. CA Cancer J Clin 2008,58:71–96
6. Epidemiology on Malignant Melanoma in Europe, Osterlind A. Acta Oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden) 1992, 31(8):903-8
7. Vitamin D Guidance, January 2011. Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry Clinical Effectiveness Group [http://www.icms.qmul.ac.uk/chs/Docs/42772.pdf, accessed 11^th June 2012]

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

Dorset based personal training

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]]> Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0100 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/197/chocolate-banana-cake https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/197/chocolate-banana-cake

Chocolate Banana Cake

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Dave under Nutrition, Recipes

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A scrumptious snack that can easily be transformed into a delectable dessert by adding a dollop of fresh organic cream and some juicy berries!

100g        Dark Chocolate (the higher the cocoa solids the better, I use 85% or 90%)
75g          Unsalted Butter
3               Ripe Bananas
1 tbsp      Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp     Bicarbonate of Soda
3               Free-Range Eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C(fan)/Gas 4/350°F, grease and line a baking tin or cake tin.

2. Melt the chocolate and butter together over a gentle heat. Meanwhile mash the bananas with a fork.

3. Add the mashed banana to the chocolate mixture, along with the cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix well.

4. Beat the eggs with a fork and temper in to the batter.

5. Pour into the tin and bake for 15-20 mins, until the top is set. Serve warm as a dessert or store in the fridge for a gooey chocolatey snack!

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

Dorset based personal training

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]]> Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 +0100 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/220/the-egg-revolution https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/220/the-egg-revolution

The Egg Revolution

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Dave under Nutrition

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Eggs for Breakfast?

Have you had your eggs for breakfast? No I’m not talking about the ones with Cadburys stamped across them but the ones that are exploding with nutrition.

Most of us are egg lovers, but we have been fed a lie that due to the high cholesterol content eggs are a danger zone for healthy living. Some of us have therefore put aside this “superfood” altogether, whilst others have munched on their omelette with guilt hovering in the air. You heard what I said and I firmly believe it: eggs are in fact a “superfood”.

 

Fat Genocide

It started in the 1980s, a fat genocide. A politically weighted mission to cut fat from our diets. Eggs were just one of the casualties. It is now over 30 years later and what do you see? A mountain of diseases with an obese nation, on average we weigh 25lbs more than we did 25 years ago. Something has gone horribly wrong.

We can make life transforming steps back in the right direction and we can start with the egg.

This news excites me, being a die hard egg fan! When I was younger I remember the first time I heard the bad news. All the coaches knew I was pro-egg, this made them feel uncomfortable. One coach drew the short straw and awkwardly shuffled over to me, he said “son, there is something you need to know… if you want to make it, you have to make sacrifices, for you that means having one egg a week instead of your daily egg routine… it’s the cholesterol, the stuff weighs your legs down and makes your ticker soft. I’m sorry” I didn’t break down and cry (inside I did) but I thought “that’s kinda rubbish” but I have faithfully followed that rule until I stopped following the crowd and started looking at the facts.

 

The fad food industry

Eggs have been on nature’s menu since the dawn of time, many cultures consume eggs in abundance and enjoy a extremely healthy lifestyle with virtually no heart disease, diabetes or cancer. As fad food industries grow it is profitable for them to tarnish the use of traditional foods to boost sales of the new-fangled, supposedly healthy foods that have led to the sad statistics of nearly half of our population dying of heart disease, 1 in 2 or 3 people developing cancer, and a diabetes epidemic that grows daily.

 

What’s in an egg?

Eggs aren’t just for bodybuilders (normally those guys eat them all wrong anyway, overcooking and taking the best bit out, the yolk!), they aren’t just for the sporting elite, they are for EVERYONE.

Nutritional content of 1 egg (50g) & percentage of recommended daily intake:

• Choline (26.5%)
• Tryptophan (25%)
• Selenium (22%)
• Iodine (18%)
• Vitamin B2 (15.2%)
• Protein (12.5%)
• Molybdenum (11.3%)
• Vitamin B12 (9.1%)
• Phosphorus (8.6%)
• Vitamin B5 (7%)
• Vitamin D (6.6%)

Eggs are power houses of protein. They contain all the essential amino acids (proteins that your body can’t make), making them a complete protein food. This complete protein is vital especially for those that exclude meat from their diets. This protein enables your body to function at its optimal level.

We have all heard of protein but what about choline? Two large eggs provide 252 milligrams of choline (all in the yolk), a little less than half the recommended daily supply. This nutrient has significant effects on brain function, nervous system and cardiovascular health. It is massively important for those that are pregnant as it is necessary for brain and memory development in the foetus.

Although our bodies can produce some choline, we cannot make enough to make up for an inadequate supply in our diets. More than 90% of us are choline-deficient. Egg yolks are the greatest source of this vital nutrient.

There is a great evil that happens daily, I have witnessed it on many occasions, even with screams of protest they continued. The yolk is destroyed! There is a rumour going around that it is bad for you. Check this out:

“Whole Eggs, including the yolk (not just egg whites) are an incredibly good source of usable protein. Most people know that eggs are one of the highest quality sources of protein. However, most people don’t know that the egg yolks are the healthiest part of the egg. That’s where almost all of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants (such as lutein) are found. Egg yolks contain more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, and B12, and panthothenic acid of the egg. In addition, the yolks contain ALL of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the egg, as well as ALL of the essential fatty acids. Also, the protein of whole eggs is more bio-available than egg whites alone due to a more balanced amino acid profile that the yolks help to build.”

Mike Geary’s- Fat Burning Kitchen

Like we have cut out the fibre from fruit and created convenient but fat promoting drinks, we are cutting the goodness out of the eggs. I am sure If God wanted eggs to be yolkless he would have created them that way.

 

Confused about Cholesterol?

When I start getting excited about eggs (I know I’m sad!), the first question I always get is “aren’t eggs high in cholesterol?”
Your body is designed to maintain a state of equilibrium. It’s true that eggs do contain a large amount of dietary cholesterol, but when you consume cholesterol-rich foods your body down-regulates its own production of cholesterol to keep a balance.
Spin this around, and if your diet is low in cholesterol warning bells go off in your body and it simply produces more. Why? Contrary to popular belief, cholesterol has numerous vital roles to play in body biochemistry.
According to the latest research, eating whole eggs increases your good HDL cholesterol, thus improving your overall ratio of good HDL cholesterol to bad LDL cholesterol.
Let me stress at this point, when I say “cholesterol-rich foods” I am not talking about fast food and desserts but foods that have been around for thousands of years!

“The reason why we find a high amount of cholesterol in the egg yolk is not an evil trick played by mother nature to damage our health with the exact foods that are full of nutrients, but because cholesterol is an extremely important nutrient that is much needed by the future animal that should come out of the egg if no one intervenes. Cholesterol is not only important for the future bird or reptile, but for us too. It’s the precursor to all sex hormones and is used by every cell of the body. It has also been shown countless times that dietary cholesterol raises the “good” HDL while it’s the sugar, especially fructose, grains and omega-3/omega-6 imbalances that raises the “bad” LDL and the triglycerides in the blood.”

Sebastien Noel – paleodietlifestyle

 

Forget about Cholesterol will eggs make me fat?!

Studies have shown that dietary cholesterol does not influence weight gain.
One such randomised controlled trial compared two groups, one of which ate a breakfast including 2 eggs, while the other consumed a bagel supplying the same amount of calories and weight mass.
The results showed a 65% greater weight loss in the group on the egg breakfast compared with the bagel group, along with an 83% greater decrease in waist circumference and increased energy levels. All of these results were statistically significant.
(Egg Breakfast enhances weight loss. Dhurandhar N, Vander Wal J, et al, The FASEB Journal. 2007;21:538.1)
I eat 2-3 eggs daily. If you know me you may have spotted that I’m not out of shape, in fact my body fat is always in the single digits. Being a personal trainer you would expect me to exercise (which I do!) but I never have and never will exercise to loose weight. We all know exercise is crucially important, with countless benefits. However I would argue that nutrition is the key player in body transformation and eating REAL food, such as eggs is the key factor in nutrition.

 

How to cook your eggs

If you cast your mind back to those science lessons at school, you should remember that heat changes the chemical structure of substances such as food (that’s why cooking with unstable fats like vegetable oil is a disaster). Therefore overheating the egg can damage many of the nutrients and even cause egg allergy and intolerances.

I prefer to lightly poach my eggs so that the centre is still runny and yummy. Crack a egg into a cup and pour into just off boiled water, allow to cook with the heat turned down for 2-3minutes then lift out carefully with a slotted spoon.

Fried egg and making an omelette where the middle is still a little runny are good options too . Cook with a little organic butter, coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil.

Lastly… Sorry, I know this will freak some people out, if you want to go Rocky, separate the egg white from the yolk (save the white for later – uncooked egg white is difficult to digest) and eat the yolk raw. I had two this morning!

A nice meal idea is what I had for dinner last night: organic onions, garlic, red pepper and purple sprouted broccoli fried in a small amount of organic butter, seasoned with herbs. I then made an omelette from chicken eggs with a duck egg thrown in, and served the omelette on top of the fried vegetables.

 

Questions

Will eggs give me Salmonella?

The Salmonella associated with raw eggs is actually on the shell, the inside of the egg is sterile. Even though cases are rare now its best to stay well away from battery eggs which pose the highest risk.

Can you become intolerant?

I can’t repeat it enough, there is no such thing as a one size fits all diet! As we have established eggs are an amazing food, but listen to your body. If you’re not feeling 100% after your egg dish ask some questions. Did you eat too many for your individual make up? Are the eggs free range? How were they cooked? If you do start to become intolerant in the long run, try cutting them out for a week and introducing them slowly. Remember too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing!

What are the best eggs to buy?

The best are free range, organic eggs that are fed on a natural diet of shrubs and insects. Chickens will eat anything, however corn is not a natural part of their diet! Saying that I do buy eggs that have been fed some corn and allowed to eat a natural diet. I purchase them from a local farm shop.

Eggs affect my poop!

I wont go into too much detail but I always have this question! Again everyone is different, I personally don’t suffer from this, however I do ensure that I drink plenty of water and eat lots of vegetables and fruit to keep me regular. Eggs may slow down ones movements but this is easily combated with a healthy diet.

In summary eggs deserve the title of “superfood”. Its no yolk!

References:

http://www.docroberts.com

http://www.whfoods.com

 

Please remember to contact me, Dave Wall if you are interested in personal training in the Dorchester area or if you would like to trial an exercise / fitness class. Increase fat loss, strength and functional fitness to get you moving better and feeling better.

Dorset based personal training

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]]> Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0100 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/198/coconut,-date-andamp;-pumpkin-cookies https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/198/coconut,-date-andamp;-pumpkin-cookies

Coconut, Date & Pumpkin Cookies

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Dave under Nutrition, Recipes

2 Comments

Try these delicious snacks – easy to make and highly nutritional!

When we’re hungry we’re likely to crave food high in sugar and chemicals for that quick fix. Normally we reach for a packet of crisps or a chocolate bar – be radical, rid your cupboards of these danger foods! Replace them with something that tastes great and will satisfy those cravings…

50g       Coconut Oil
50ml     Coconut Milk
50g       Dates (pitted or chopped, vegetable oil-free!)
100g     Desiccated Coconut
50g       Pumpkin Seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C(fan)/Gas mark 3/325°F, grease a baking tray.

2. Combine the Coconut Oil, Coconut Milk and Dates in a food processor or using a handheld blender.

3. Mix in the Desiccated Coconut and Pumpkin Seeds.

4. Take handfuls of the mixture and form into balls, place each ball onto the baking tray and slightly flatten with the heel of your hand.

5. Bake for 10-15 mins, until the coconut begins to turn golden. Cool on the tray and enjoy!

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]]> Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/194/are-your-summer-goals-making-you-fat https://www.dorchesterpersonaltraining.co.uk/blog/194/are-your-summer-goals-making-you-fat

Are Your Summer Goals Making You Fat?

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Dave under Stress

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“Your body is programmed to protect you from the threats and uncertainties of a prehistoric world, where daily survival threats came down to three things — starvation, freezing, and being eaten.”

The Gabriel Method by Jon Gabriel

So are your summer goals making you fat?

How to prepare a heart attack.

Picture this.

The ground-shaking sound of your alarm clock blasts its morning song into your ears. You are snapped out of your deep (REM) sleep and adrenaline surges through your blood stream, elevated cortisol levels rise and you realise its Monday morning again and you’re late for work… again.

Your muscles are immediately commanded into play as you jump from your bed, throw some clothes on and run to the kitchen.

You grab some highly processed, nutrient void, carbohydrate rich cereal from the cupboard. You splash your super treated and heated pasteurised milk onto your breakfast. Unaware of the dead bacteria you are about to consume. Your heart is still thumping in your chest and you realize you have 10 minutes to get to work. You half swallow half chew your cereal, giving your digestive system a nice early morning battle to deal with.

You’re heading out of the door. Where are your keys??! Two minutes later you find the keys in your pocket. As you exit the driveway you complete a nice wheel spin and glance at your elderly neighbour’s disapproving eyes as you speed away.

You fall through your office doors, sweat appearing on your forehead as you try to forget that Ikea lorry cutting you up at the roundabout. You abruptly grab your co- workers coffee out of his hand and have a good slurp, handing it back to him with a “Thanks mate”. The caffeine gives you a little kick and you enjoy the momentary high. “Thank you God for coffee” you sigh.

This is a rather extreme scenario with a theatrical approach to what pressures our body can go through in the 21st century.

My point is: Stress kills you.

As we are ploughing through this time of spring and there are those amongst us that undertake the self denying task of giving up something they particularly crave in order to get that beach body, I would like to put another spin on this. Instead of giving up a certain food or drink, or starting a new gym membership which wont see out the month, why don’t you look at the bigger picture? What is most damaging to your life? Stress. Why not give up stress then? It’s ironic that this good intention may be making you fatter, as you are stressing about your ever elusive summer goal that you are failing to achieve. Stop. Lets look at the bigger picture.

Stress. Of course there are stressors that are inevitable, uncontrollable but there are many that aren’t.

Types of Stress

Physical – This could take the form of something that is amazing for you, such as exercise, which has got out of balance and you are overtraining. Endurance athletes will particularly fall prey to this one. There could be a structural imbalance in your body, perhaps from bad posture or over emphasizing certain muscles through exercise or through your daily routine

Digestive –This is a hidden stress at first but will start to surface over time in the form of food sensitivities and digestive problems such as IBS.

Chemical – Toxic cleaning products and personal care items, air pollution, pesticides can daily assault our body with chemicals it was never designed to deal with on a daily basis.

Nutritional – Too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing, so lack of variety can cause stress in the diet, poor food quality, inappropriate macronutrient ratios and skipping meals.

Life outlook – A negative outlook on life will slowly corrode your mind and therefore body. If your outlook is focused solely on work or your finance or even your happiness, you will be fighting a losing battle as you will begin to become enslaved and stressed out by these good things in an attempt to make it your number one thing.

Why is stress a problem?

Let’s face it, life can be relentless and at times it’s just about getting through the day.

We live in a world of technology, a “microwave” culture where we can get instant results, through pressing a few buttons on a keypad or instant communication with someone the other side of the world through emails and Skype. There’s an unwritten rule that we have to reply to emails, text messages and even our Facebook within seconds – if we fail to do this, people raise an eyebrow and think we’re out of touch. It’s crazy to think that not too long ago people weren’t even dreaming about air travel. Now we can fly across our planet in hours, being pushed through the skies on a seat thousands of feet in the air (and we complain about the lack of leg room!). On the one hand this is brilliant as it increases our opportunities and limits time on task but on the other hand more is expected of us and we expect more of ourselves.

Back in the day vast quantities of time was taken up by walking great distances, catching, preparing and eating food, and sleeping. Our time was taken up by being community and building relationships with those in our close social circle. There were stressful times when a tiger was chasing you through the forest, lots of adrenaline and cortisol soaring through the body but also large amounts of times to re-energize, to de-stress, to live life.

Are you in a catabolic state or an anabolic state?

A catabolic state is a breaking down state, it’s the tiger encounter in the forest, lungs are burning, legs are screaming and your body is ripping all the energy it can from the blood to fuel the escape. Your mind is flashing on repeat DANGER DANGER and your body is responding. That is a catabolic state.

An anabolic state is a building up state, I’m talking about a bath by candlelight, laughing with friends around the dinner table, soaking up the sunlight on a walk. Your body will be repairing and building itself up again.

The 21st century is demanding and if you don’t have the correct coping mechanisms in place you will crash and burn, this may be over years. Our hectic lifestyles force us into that catabolic tearing down state all the time, remember our extreme example at the beginning. Stress is a good thing – work, being driven – good things but if you’re constantly in this state you will run out of fuel and finish your drive early.

My desire is for all of us to get the correct balance, where we are productive, working hard but also laughing, enjoying life and not feeling overwhelmed by the pressures that we put onto ourselves.

Am I stressed?

Do you worry?

Do you sleep through the night? (When your mind is whirling and you begin to worry your poor body is no match for the power of imagination. Even though you’re tucked up in your cosy bed, because your mind is going DANGER DANGER, your body responds accordingly. It’s like there’s a tiger in your bed!)

Do you find it hard to switch off from work?

Do you feel like hiding or running away?

Do you get ill when you go on holiday?

Do you have to eat high energy food to unwind?

Do you NEED a glass of wine to unwind?

Do you find yourself constantly short with people?

Are you a fast and impatient driver?

Have you become addicted to stress, that feeling of being wired?

Here are some possible signs you could be stressed, we all experience these from time to time, but if one or more of these pointers are a regular occurrence this is your wake up call, to change before it is too late.

The science bit

“Cortisol is the stress hormone, it is produced by the adrenal cortex and is responsible for increasing blood sugar (glucose). One of the ways in which it causes sugar to rise is by telling your liver to convert glycogen back into glucose and then send it out into the bloodstream to be used as fuel. The other is to catabolize—or break down—muscle tissue and deliver the amino acids to the liver to be converted to glucose.

According to research by Epel et al., there are four times more cortisol receptors in the deep layers of abdominal fat as compared to subcutaneous fat—or the fat directly beneath the skin. Consequently, chronically elevated cortisol coupled with an appetite for fattening foods leads to an accumulation of belly fat. Storing fat in the midsection may be a survival strategy by the body to keep the limbs lean enough to fight or flee in the event of an emergency. However, abdominal fat is also highly associated with heart disease and other chronic degenerative diseases”

The Dark Side of Fat Loss by Sean Croxton

When your body experiences stress, this causes increased levels of cortisol, which in turn increases blood sugar (glucose). The clean up hormone insulin has to deal with the excess glucose in the blood and stores the glucose as glycogen in your liver and muscles. However they can only take so much, once they’re full, known as “insulin resistant”, we are in trouble. The blood sugar rises, in response insulin levels rise to combat this. Insulin then has no other choice but to shove the out-of-control glucose into the fat cells, where it is converted into fat. An enzyme called lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is used in this process.

A friend of mine who is a health and fitness teacher is a very interesting example of how the stealthy enemy of stress was taking a toll on her body. From the outside she looked a picture of health, she seemed happy and energetic, she was outlifting all the men in the gym even with her tiny frame. She looked in great shape and all the signs pointed that way, so it appeared. In fact inside she was one giant ball of stress, even though she looked lean and fit, her fat percentage was dangerously high. That doesn’t make sense you may be thinking?! This lady had the anabolic and catabolic states totally out of balance. She would teach all day in her extrovert and engaging style, her nutrition contained a poor variety and ratio, she went home after work, then was shortly out again on her second job as a sports physio. If she eased off the accelerator a little, entering that anabolic “building up” state she would immediately get ill. It’s ironic that she knew this, she was teaching about the dangers of it, but the assaults of life were literally carrying her off into an out of control state. If stress can happen to a professional like this, it can happen to you. Stress is subtle, it’s deceptive and it’s lethal. Stress isn’t “just who I am”, it is a DANGER DANGER warning bell that you MUST listen to. You may appear fit and lean but that doesn’t give you an “out of jail free” card from the casualties of stress.

What Can I do about it?

The great news is that you can do something about It! Yes some people are inclined to stress more due to their personality but I am a living testimony (and work in progress!) that you can change and see a immediate difference.

1. Accountability. If you know stress is a particular problem for you, ask a close friend or partner to openly challenge you on a ongoing basis and to offer their support and guidance. Remember stress is deceptive, often you wont know you have fallen prey to it and it takes an outsider looking in.

2. Time management. We are busy, but often we poorly manage our time alongside this, adding to the pressures of daily life. Create a “to do” list every morning, aim for 3 realistic goals that you would like to achieve, whether it be to do a supermarket job or nail your marketing idea to the team. Having these goals will enable you to stay focused on what is most important and spend appropriate time on task.

3. Put more time in the bank. Running late is a huge stress. I have had to battle with this myself. I used to think arriving somewhere even 5 minutes early was a waste of my time, as I could be doing or stressing out over other things. Now I aim to arrive 10 minutes before my appointment. This allows the cortisol levels to drop, it gives me thinking space and it’s not as selfish and rude as arriving late with sweat pouring down your face.

4. Use your commutes. Instead of seeing how closely you can drive to the car in front in an effort to speed up their driving, use your commute time to unwind, prepare yourself for a relaxing evening and de-clutter any work stresses from your mind.

5. Rest day. Ensure you have at minimum of one complete day of rest a week, where you don’t do ANY work. Go for a relaxing stroll, read a book, play with the kids. You body has to have downtime, you were created to rest, if you go against this constantly you will burn out. Even superman gets tired.

6. Mini stress killers. Once a day aim for 10-20 minutes where you do NOTHING. This may be sticking on your favourite music and just listening, it may be lying on your comfy sofa and doing a few breathing exercises. I find this especially hard being a “doer”, but introducing as little as 10 minutes in your day, will kill stress.

7. Socialise. I don’t care if you spout off to me that you’re an introvert and you find other people’s company draining. Get some good friends that you feel relaxed with and have a good laugh. Eat what you like, drink what you like and let your hair down. We are all wired to need social interaction and put on hold our disciplined nutritional habits (in moderation!).

8. Get away. Book yourself regular weekends away. Leave the laptop, turn off the phone, “share” the kids with some friends and get away. It doesn’t have to be expensive, it’s normally more fun when it isn’t! Anyway who can put a price on de-stressing your life? You will come back energised, switched on and ready to work hard and achieve. If you really can’t manage getting away, make sure you pencil in weekends at home with no commitments.

9. No one wants to be an Eeyore. After every day think of 5 positive things. A negative and critical mindset is one of the biggest factors that brings about a destructive management of stress. Negativity spreads like wildfire. Think positive, be happy!

10. Love yourself. No I don’t want you to be gawping at yourself in the mirror every 5 minutes singing Queen “We are the champions”, but to have a strong identity and security in who you are, to have a correct and positive perception of yourself and learn to laugh at yourself as well as love yourself. Not taking yourself too seriously is a great step towards loving yourself.

11. Ultimate stress handlers. Get around people who handle stress well and adopt some of their coping mechanisms that work well for you! I was recently told a story of a dentist who never turned anyone away. He used to get huge queues, waiting rooms full of demanding patents eager to be seen. To everyone’s surprise during the most busy times, where people were literally packed in like sardines, he would take a break and clean the windows for 10 minutes! His colleges learnt that they were always going to be busy, always have another patient to see, so instead of letting stress get the better of them and ploughing on mindlessly, they realised that a break needed to be taken before they themselves broke.

12. Loving life in the 21st century. Instant communication. Brilliant. But don’t get caught in the trap of feeling the pressure to respond instantly to everyone’s demands. Set specific times in the day to check emails rather than being interrupted by ongoing alerts popping up on your desktop. If your job allows, turn your phone off on days off and during your lunch break.

13. Take a break. Don’t eat your lunch on the go or at your desk. Make sure you have time away from work to switch off and recharge your mind. You’ll be far more effective in the afternoon if you’ve had a break rather than grinding on through.

14. Live your life, don’t be ruled by it. Remember the above points aren’t more rules to follow and get stressed out about, but useful guidelines that can make a huge difference to your life.

15. Don’t make friends with tigers (read the entire blog if you’re confused by this)!

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Nutrition

Posted on February 19, 2012 by dave under Nutrition

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As a personal trainer I will ask you often “What did you have to eat before the session”, “What have you got planned for dinner tonight”. You will probably get fed up with this! I DO NOT want food to become another stress. Remember, that is disastrous. What I do want is for you to put into place healthy and realistic eating choices. That doesn’t mean a 3 week starvation, eye straining, headache but something that is sustainable and that you can continue with for the rest of your life. You are what you eat. In simple terms you are made up of cells, what are those cells made from? What you put in your mouth. I hope none of you in that case would need a label saying “Cadbury” stamped across your forehead! I want to make it all about eating natural, nutritious, energy boosting food. That will fight stress, that will fight fatigue, that will get you feeling amazing.

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Stress

Posted on February 19, 2012 by dave under Stress

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Take a sneaky glance down at your midriff – if you’re really brave, try giving it a little poke. What you might find is that there are some unwanted cuddly bits. Would it shock you if I suggested that this may not be down to what you have been putting into your mouth or missing that work out class on a rainy night, but that actually it may be down to stress? Let’s be blunt. Stress kills you. You probably know that not looking after yourself through nutrition and exercise stresses your body, but many people are missing vital pieces of the puzzle. How many ZZZs do you get a night? Sleep is high on the list for fat-busting ammo. The body needs to repair itself, sleep allows the body to heal. How much “me” time do you get? If you aren’t having down time your body will be in a constant war-time mode. It will be switched on. It will be prepared for anything. But stay in this mode constantly and you will inevitably crash and crash hard. Why is it that you get ill when you go on holiday? If you do, that is a big, flashing warning light. Your body is saying, “FINALLY!” I am allowed time to recover and fight these infections. If you are in this war time mode, you may have heard it called “fight or flight”, your body will be pumping out lots of adrenaline and a stress hormone called cortisol. Over longer periods of time you body isn’t designed to take this. It is a common fact that many become addicted to this state which is ruining their health and shortening their lives.

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Why Diets dont work!

Posted on February 19, 2012 by dave under Diets, Nutrition

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Its 2012, yes another year that you will embark on your dieting mission to loose 2 stone, another year where that “new” you will just slip out of your fingers, another year where you will become even more disillusioned with health and fitness… I guess there’s always next year.

Does this sound like you?

I took a different approach. Rather than loosing weight, my goal was to find the diet that in short would get me feeling great and functioning great. I tried everything under the sun. The cereal diet, low fat diets, high fat diets, vegetarianism, fruitarianism, I tried necking three 1000-calorie protein shakes a day. What happened? I felt worse then ever. Nothing seemed to work.

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. This is a wake up call away from insanity, there is a different way, a way that produces fast results over a lifetime, a way that will change your live. It doesn’t involve running 10miles every day, It doesn’t involve starving yourselves on a strict low calorie diet, It does involve going back to what our body was designed to eat, REAL FOOD.

“You’ve been told that your weight gain is a disease. Well, I beg to differ. In my humble and
experienced opinion, excess fat storage is not a disease. It is a symptom. And beneath every
symptom is a root cause.”
Sean Croxton

What is the root cause? Its lifestyle that is over busy, sleep deprived and malnourished. In this blog I will be focusing on one aspect of this which is nutrition, specifically, dieting.

Weight loss v Fat loss

Do diets work? Our initial response would be, yes, everyone has a best friend that has dropped a stone in her first month of dieting, but what happens? Its not sustained and eventually the weight is piled back on. Research studies on the best weight-loss programs boast a short term success rate of only 20 percent, once more the success rate of achieving and maintaining weight loss for more than 2 years if often cited as 5 percent! The tragic thing is that these dieters try the same tactic 6 months down the line, only to fail again. This why it is called “yo yo dieting”. Is it their lack of will power that is to blame?

I will offer some solutions so you wont be fighting against your body, It wont be a case of will power but working with your body to achieve the results you have always wanted.

Dieting will achieve short term weight loss, but is that a good thing? This weight is often not fat but actually muscle, water and even bone. As you know these are vital to the body functioning properly. If you look at an experienced dieter they may appear slim but there body wont have much shape. This is because they still have a relatively high fat percentage and a low muscle mass.

Dieting forces your body into something called “starvation mode”. Your body doesn’t care about being thin, it cares about survival! You restrict your calories and that sends warning bells throughout your body. Your metabolism slows down and your body starts storing fat and burning muscle (a disastrous mix), everything you put into your mouth goes straight to the fat stores as your body assumes a famine is coming and needs to prepare. From the outside it may appear you are loosing weight but you are fighting a loosing battle, eventually your body’s need for survival will overrun your desire for weight loss and a binge will take place, in consuming foods that are full of salt, sugar and fat. The result? You end up putting on more weight than before, your fat cells have ballooned.

Its all about the Hormones

The thinking behind dieting is “consume less calories and lose weight”. A bagel and a chicken breast may have the same amount of calories but each food will send entirely different messages around your body. With the chicken you will get a better sense of well-being. Your metabolic messengers like leptin and ghelin control hunger; neurohormones like serotonin and dopamine impact motivation; insulin, cortisol, glucagon, human growth hormone and testosterone all impact fat and muscle storage and breakdown. These hormones are triggered off by what you eat. Same calories, different hormonal messengers therefore different fat loss outcome. Food can not be merely seen as calories but the building blocks of your body, think about It, what are your cells made of? Yes, the stuff you put in your mouth.

How can I change?

Just by reading this blog you have been made aware about the dangers of dieting, you have begun to re-educate yourself. That’s a good start. Where do you go now? Just start by eating REAL food. Real food isn’t packaged, it doesn’t have to sell itself with clever marketing, its not man-made, but its just natural God made nutrition. Lets take margarine for example; its highly processed vegetable oil, that is full of a big naughty “Trans fat”, margarine without the adding colourings is a light grey colour! Yummy. Why not try small amounts of organic butter instead? Start reorganizing your eating habits, opt for loads of fruit, vegetables, increase protein from clean sources and don’t over do starches. A good starting point would be to have half of your plate as vegetables, a quarter protein and a quarter starch. Start listening to your body and picking up on the clues its giving you, from energy levels to what your poop is like! Adjust your nutrition accordingly. There isn’t a “one size fits all” diet, like everyone looks different on the outside, everyone is different on the inside and requires different nutritional ratios.

Fat Loss Principles

1. Stop dieting and start living – As we have seen above, dieting only increases fat storage in the long run, we weren’t designed to follow restrictive diets but to live life by eating REAL food.

2. Stop copying the latest fad or even what those around you are eating, start listening to your body and discover what foods fuel you the best.

3. Don’t be extreme, don’t overload your body with a particular food, aim for plenty of variety.

4. Aim to graze on food throughout the day, try to work up to 6 small meals a day (inc snacks). Try not to eat for 2 hours before you go to bed.

5. When eating starches try to minimise gluten and wheat found in grains. Oats tend to be the most tolerated grain, but always soak grains overnight in water to neutralise, anti nutrient “phytates”. Sweet potatoes are always a great choice.

6. Drink plenty of filtered water (again not to close to bedtime!)

7. Have a “cheat meal” once a week, to show yourself what bad nutrition feels like and to limit cravings.

8. The biggest of all of these is don’t stress about it! You may have the perfect diet, but if you’re stressing about it you will be undoing all that good. Remember we’re here to live life not to be enslaved by it.

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