It's that time of year again when we all start thinking about New Years resoltuions and what we want to achieve next year.
So I thought it'd be fitting to use this blog post to help you with what could be the most important thing you do all year!
Achieving your goals can be very difficult, with all kinds of obstacles to overcome, but the key to success is simple. Perseverance.
But first, you need to know what you're aiming for, and I think one of the simplest ways to succeed is using a method I learned from success coach, Brian Tracy.
And rather than me re-tell it, here's the man himself:
If you do this, and stick to it, I promise it'll have more impact than all of your previous attempts. Do this regularly and you'll be achieving all of your goals faster than you thought possible.
Good luck!
Mark
Tuesday 29 December 2009
Saturday 21 November 2009
Smoothie recipe and Kettlebell workshop reminder
Hi,
A few people have asked about this now so here's the recipe for my personal favourite smoothie.
It covers just about everything - protein, good fats, carbs, vitamins etc.
1/2 cup (125ml) Milk - ideally soy milk
2 raw eggs (whole) - don't worry, you can't really taste these!
1/2 cup of rolled oats
1 banana
2 ice cubes
1 cup of frozen fruit of your choice (I use the mixed berry smoothie mixes you can get from most supermarkets)
Chuck it all in a blender and give it a good blast until it's mixed properly. I've played around with this to get it right so it shouldn't be too thick or too runny, and makes about a pint.
Depending on which ingredients you use it should give around 570 kcal, 26g protein, 77g carbs, 18g fat. Perfect for breakfast or a quick pick-me-up if you're short on time.
Kettlebell Workshop...
For those of you local to Dartford, I'm running a Kettlebell workshop on Saturday 28th Nov ('09), 3-6pm at Acacia Hall, Dartford.
You'll learn some of the basics with this bit of kit, that you can add into your training at the gym or at home.
More details at MarkOneFitness.co.uk
This needs to be booked and paid for in advance and places are limited so if you're planning to attend get in quick!
Mark
A few people have asked about this now so here's the recipe for my personal favourite smoothie.
It covers just about everything - protein, good fats, carbs, vitamins etc.
1/2 cup (125ml) Milk - ideally soy milk
2 raw eggs (whole) - don't worry, you can't really taste these!
1/2 cup of rolled oats
1 banana
2 ice cubes
1 cup of frozen fruit of your choice (I use the mixed berry smoothie mixes you can get from most supermarkets)
Chuck it all in a blender and give it a good blast until it's mixed properly. I've played around with this to get it right so it shouldn't be too thick or too runny, and makes about a pint.
Depending on which ingredients you use it should give around 570 kcal, 26g protein, 77g carbs, 18g fat. Perfect for breakfast or a quick pick-me-up if you're short on time.
Kettlebell Workshop...
For those of you local to Dartford, I'm running a Kettlebell workshop on Saturday 28th Nov ('09), 3-6pm at Acacia Hall, Dartford.
You'll learn some of the basics with this bit of kit, that you can add into your training at the gym or at home.
More details at MarkOneFitness.co.uk
This needs to be booked and paid for in advance and places are limited so if you're planning to attend get in quick!
Mark
Wednesday 18 November 2009
Beat the Winter Bug with Zambroza
It's that time of year again when everyone seems to fall victim to colds and flu and whatever new "superbug" the papers declare is sweeping the nation.
Well as much as I'm sure viruses don't wait until Christmas to strike, people DO tend to get ill this time of year.
More than likely this is because people see December as a month where diet and exercise are impossible. They throw their diets out the window and see that one day of the year as an excuse to waste a whole month.
Yes, there may be more social do's or parties to go to, but that doesn't mean everything has to stop.
This lack of exercise, poor nutrition, and in many cases, excessive alcohol consumption will leave your body weak and susceptible to these bugs and viruses going round.
This, in my opinion, is the number one reason for the number of people who get ill this time of year, regardless of the cold weather.
Not to mention the amount of people who put on weight over the holidays.
So the message here is not to use that one day of the year as an excuse to waste all of your weight loss and fitness efforts. Yes, you can go to your work's Christmas party and have fun. Yes, you can go out for social drinks with friends...
But don't overdo it just because "it's Christmas". Keep your healthy eating plan going, keep up the exercise, increase your water intake to stay hydrated (especially if you're drinking alcohol).
And use your common sense! You know what's good and what's bad - more of the good, less of the bad!
Don't let Christmas put everything you've been working for on pause.
As for the colds...
Even the healthiest people fall victim to these sometimes when they're in contact with the germs so much, so it's not always avoidable.
Nobody likes that feeling when you wake up one morning and feel that little tickle in the back of your throat - you know you're going to get ill!
So what do you do? You wrap up warm, buy some vitamin C tablets, eat more fruit and stock up on Lemsip cos you know there's no stopping it!
Well I used to do exactly the same until I started promoting natural supplements. Then I came across an amazing little drink called Zambroza.
It's the most powerful anti-oxidant drink around and, although quite expensive, it works!
At £20 a bottle it's probably not something you'll take as the label suggests (15ml twice a day - meaning you'll get through the bottle in about 2 weeks), although the benefits of doing so would be great.
So how should you take it?
Buy yourself a bottle and have it ready. This is the key. If you wait until you're ill to order it, it'll be too late.
Buy a bottle and keep it handy, then, when you feel that tickle, crack open the Zambroza and take a shot (about 30ml) in the morning, at lunchtime, and in the evening. The bottle'll go in about 4 days like this, but I've never had a cold since I've been doing this (nearly 2 years).
£20 in 4 days might seem a lot, but how much is just one day off work going to cost you? And what price would you put on not feeling lousy for a week?! (plus the money you'll save on Lemsip, Lockets, and anything else you buy when your ill!)
I'm not going to guarantee that this'll work for everyone, but it's worked for me without fail for the last 2 years or so.
You can get your Zambroza with 15% discount here
I personally always keep a bottle handy. As soon as I open it, I order a replacement so I don't get caught out.
Give this a try, and if it works for you please leave a comment below to let people know.
(and if you already have a cold, you can still take Zambroza to help speed up your recovery)
Hope this helps a lot of people,
Mark
Well as much as I'm sure viruses don't wait until Christmas to strike, people DO tend to get ill this time of year.
More than likely this is because people see December as a month where diet and exercise are impossible. They throw their diets out the window and see that one day of the year as an excuse to waste a whole month.
Yes, there may be more social do's or parties to go to, but that doesn't mean everything has to stop.
This lack of exercise, poor nutrition, and in many cases, excessive alcohol consumption will leave your body weak and susceptible to these bugs and viruses going round.
This, in my opinion, is the number one reason for the number of people who get ill this time of year, regardless of the cold weather.
Not to mention the amount of people who put on weight over the holidays.
So the message here is not to use that one day of the year as an excuse to waste all of your weight loss and fitness efforts. Yes, you can go to your work's Christmas party and have fun. Yes, you can go out for social drinks with friends...
But don't overdo it just because "it's Christmas". Keep your healthy eating plan going, keep up the exercise, increase your water intake to stay hydrated (especially if you're drinking alcohol).
And use your common sense! You know what's good and what's bad - more of the good, less of the bad!
Don't let Christmas put everything you've been working for on pause.
As for the colds...
Even the healthiest people fall victim to these sometimes when they're in contact with the germs so much, so it's not always avoidable.
Nobody likes that feeling when you wake up one morning and feel that little tickle in the back of your throat - you know you're going to get ill!
So what do you do? You wrap up warm, buy some vitamin C tablets, eat more fruit and stock up on Lemsip cos you know there's no stopping it!
Well I used to do exactly the same until I started promoting natural supplements. Then I came across an amazing little drink called Zambroza.
It's the most powerful anti-oxidant drink around and, although quite expensive, it works!
At £20 a bottle it's probably not something you'll take as the label suggests (15ml twice a day - meaning you'll get through the bottle in about 2 weeks), although the benefits of doing so would be great.
So how should you take it?
Buy yourself a bottle and have it ready. This is the key. If you wait until you're ill to order it, it'll be too late.
Buy a bottle and keep it handy, then, when you feel that tickle, crack open the Zambroza and take a shot (about 30ml) in the morning, at lunchtime, and in the evening. The bottle'll go in about 4 days like this, but I've never had a cold since I've been doing this (nearly 2 years).
£20 in 4 days might seem a lot, but how much is just one day off work going to cost you? And what price would you put on not feeling lousy for a week?! (plus the money you'll save on Lemsip, Lockets, and anything else you buy when your ill!)
I'm not going to guarantee that this'll work for everyone, but it's worked for me without fail for the last 2 years or so.
You can get your Zambroza with 15% discount here
I personally always keep a bottle handy. As soon as I open it, I order a replacement so I don't get caught out.
Give this a try, and if it works for you please leave a comment below to let people know.
(and if you already have a cold, you can still take Zambroza to help speed up your recovery)
Hope this helps a lot of people,
Mark
Thursday 12 November 2009
Nutritional Support
Hi All,
I've recently come across a new programme designed to help you eat a healthy diet to suit your own personal dietary needs.
I get a lot of e-mails from people asking me to promote their products and most of them are useless, but I took the trial on this one and it looks pretty good.
Plan:one is an online, interactive nutrition programme that will help you lose weight, tone up, gain muscle, or whatever your training goals are.
What you get is a programme that you can enter your details into - height, weight, body fat percentage (if known), and your measurements - then it will give you a diet plan designed to suit your persoanl daily calorie requirements with healthy recipes.
You'll get told exactly what to eat and when, with the precise portions and measurements for all ingredients, and a calorie count for the meal (as well as preparation instructions).
It even makes you a shopping list so you get everything you need.
This is ideal for anyone who struggles with their diet as it's like having your own personal nutritionist telling you what to do.
They offer a 14 day trial for $4.95 (about £3.50) so you can give it a test run before committing to anything. (Click here)
I recommend giving this a try, even if you cancel after the 14 days, just to see if you think it'll be any help to you.
There's a lot on there recipe-wise, so you can take one of their plans and adjust it, taking out anything you don't like. Or you can even create your very own diet plan, using their resipes or by adding your own.
Click the link below and take a look at their website, and it can't hurt to give it a go!
Plan:One Online Nutrition Expert
Mark
I've recently come across a new programme designed to help you eat a healthy diet to suit your own personal dietary needs.
I get a lot of e-mails from people asking me to promote their products and most of them are useless, but I took the trial on this one and it looks pretty good.
Plan:one is an online, interactive nutrition programme that will help you lose weight, tone up, gain muscle, or whatever your training goals are.
What you get is a programme that you can enter your details into - height, weight, body fat percentage (if known), and your measurements - then it will give you a diet plan designed to suit your persoanl daily calorie requirements with healthy recipes.
You'll get told exactly what to eat and when, with the precise portions and measurements for all ingredients, and a calorie count for the meal (as well as preparation instructions).
It even makes you a shopping list so you get everything you need.
This is ideal for anyone who struggles with their diet as it's like having your own personal nutritionist telling you what to do.
They offer a 14 day trial for $4.95 (about £3.50) so you can give it a test run before committing to anything. (Click here)
I recommend giving this a try, even if you cancel after the 14 days, just to see if you think it'll be any help to you.
There's a lot on there recipe-wise, so you can take one of their plans and adjust it, taking out anything you don't like. Or you can even create your very own diet plan, using their resipes or by adding your own.
Click the link below and take a look at their website, and it can't hurt to give it a go!
Plan:One Online Nutrition Expert
Mark
Wednesday 23 September 2009
Solstic Energy Drink
Hi everyone,
Sorry for the lack of posts recenlty I've been working on some big projects and have been quite bad at finding the time!
This post is just a quick product review for Solstic Energy Drink.
I can personally vouch for this and the company that makes it - it's all natural ingredients and isn't just a sugar rush like most energy drinks.
Also, unlike Lucozade/Gatorade etc, it's not full of calories - only 12 total (unlike the 25 or so PER 100ml for gatorade!)
So if you're exercising for weight loss and drinking lucozade during or after a workout, you're replacing most of the calories you've just burned!
And the good news is it's actually CHEAPER than the alternatives, so if you're drinking an energy drink anyway THIS IS A NO-BRAINER!
You can get it at http://www.TopQualitySupplements.com for 15% off.
Here's the company's info on it:
Solstic Energy offers you a remarkable taste, packs tremendous energy and delivers health and vitality! Solstic Energy gives you a rich, smooth flavour you can enjoy anytime, so start your day with the bolt of delicious, nutritious energy your body and taste buds will crave! And you can enjoy our Solstic Energy anytime your body needs an extra boost!
Solstic Energy gives you the stamina you need wherever and whenever you need it!It's a fantastic alternative to Coffee, Tea, Fizzy drinks and other 'energy' drinks that provide a quick, sugar-fueled rush followed by an abrupt, vitality-sapping crash.
Solstic Energy's nutrient-rich formula increases energy without the unwanted jitters and crashes of other energy drinks because its power-packed ingredients support the body's natural energy-producing mechanisms.
You'll have the energy that you need now and later.
Yerba Mate provides long-lasting energy and has been used for thousands of years in the jungles of South America to increase endurance, Supports a positive attitude and mental alertness. Decaffeinated green tea extracts are rich in EGCG, which helps increase calorie and fat metabolism. Your body needs to constantly replenish water-soluble B-vitamins to support energy levels and fight the draining effects of stress. Guarana seed contains a naturally occurring caffeine that promotes a gradual, sustained increase in energylevels.
Citric acid is used to form ATP, the basic energy molecule of the body; and malic acid is important for energy production in the body in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
Solstic Energy also includes sucralose, a sweetener created from natural sugar that has been proven safe through over twenty years of in-depth scientific analysis.
So again - if you're spending £1.20, £1.50 plus on energy drinks anyway, this HAS to be the sensible option as it's much better for you and works out about HALF THE PRICE!
Get yours now at http://www.TopQualitySupplements.com
Mark
Sorry for the lack of posts recenlty I've been working on some big projects and have been quite bad at finding the time!
This post is just a quick product review for Solstic Energy Drink.
I can personally vouch for this and the company that makes it - it's all natural ingredients and isn't just a sugar rush like most energy drinks.
Also, unlike Lucozade/Gatorade etc, it's not full of calories - only 12 total (unlike the 25 or so PER 100ml for gatorade!)
So if you're exercising for weight loss and drinking lucozade during or after a workout, you're replacing most of the calories you've just burned!
And the good news is it's actually CHEAPER than the alternatives, so if you're drinking an energy drink anyway THIS IS A NO-BRAINER!
You can get it at http://www.TopQualitySupplements.com for 15% off.
Here's the company's info on it:
Solstic Energy offers you a remarkable taste, packs tremendous energy and delivers health and vitality! Solstic Energy gives you a rich, smooth flavour you can enjoy anytime, so start your day with the bolt of delicious, nutritious energy your body and taste buds will crave! And you can enjoy our Solstic Energy anytime your body needs an extra boost!
Solstic Energy gives you the stamina you need wherever and whenever you need it!It's a fantastic alternative to Coffee, Tea, Fizzy drinks and other 'energy' drinks that provide a quick, sugar-fueled rush followed by an abrupt, vitality-sapping crash.
Solstic Energy's nutrient-rich formula increases energy without the unwanted jitters and crashes of other energy drinks because its power-packed ingredients support the body's natural energy-producing mechanisms.
You'll have the energy that you need now and later.
Yerba Mate provides long-lasting energy and has been used for thousands of years in the jungles of South America to increase endurance, Supports a positive attitude and mental alertness. Decaffeinated green tea extracts are rich in EGCG, which helps increase calorie and fat metabolism. Your body needs to constantly replenish water-soluble B-vitamins to support energy levels and fight the draining effects of stress. Guarana seed contains a naturally occurring caffeine that promotes a gradual, sustained increase in energylevels.
Citric acid is used to form ATP, the basic energy molecule of the body; and malic acid is important for energy production in the body in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
Solstic Energy also includes sucralose, a sweetener created from natural sugar that has been proven safe through over twenty years of in-depth scientific analysis.
So again - if you're spending £1.20, £1.50 plus on energy drinks anyway, this HAS to be the sensible option as it's much better for you and works out about HALF THE PRICE!
Get yours now at http://www.TopQualitySupplements.com
Mark
Monday 27 July 2009
Preventing the Spread of Swine Flu
With the Swine Flu pandemic getting worse, we need to take it into our own hands to help control the spread of these nasty little germs.
Here's a copy of a recent release from Nature's Sunshine regarding the ideal product to help rid us of unwanted germs - Silver Shield.
I'll also add that this gel is brilliant for more than just cleaning your hands and surfaces, it's great for burns, grazes, blisters, skin conditions, viruses, fungus and many other things.
Take a look at the article below, then visit the website here.
Preventing the spread of Swine Flu
With the number of new cases of swine flu in the past week reaching an estimated 100,000 (Ref: BBC News) we have all become acutely aware of the importance of hygiene. TV advertising reminds us constantly that we all have a part to play in helping to control the spread of this flu pandemic.
Regular cleaning and hand cleansing with Silver Shield Gel and Liquid (with Aqua Sol Technology) is an effective way of preventing the transfer of unwanted invaders, and has become a popular alternative to other products on the market.
Scientific research is demonstrating that this form of silver has remarkable effects on a wide range of surface organisms:
• Potent cleanser and disinfectant.
• Proprietary technology is highly concentrated but non-toxic.
• Can be used topically and to purify water.
• Is completely non-toxic; no heavy metal contamination.
• Acts as an EPA-approved surface disinfectant.
• Available as a Gel, and Liquid formulation
In addition, Silver Shield Gel is the most potent silver product currently manufactured. It is completely non-toxic, safe and effective without the risk of heavy metal contamination.
How it Works
Silver Shield disables the specific enzyme that many unwanted microorganisms need to metabolize oxygen (breathe). When this enzyme becomes disabled, the microorganisms cannot thrive. Silver Shield with Aqua Sol Technology has been effective against unwanted micro-organisms when tested in vitro.
Silver Shield Gel is manufactured with a patented process called Aqua Sol Technology and uses only the finest particle size colloids to ensure maximum efficiency, providing 24ppm of silver in a clear moisturising gel. Nature’s Sunshine uses the very latest technology and cutting edge methods that provide you with only the very best quality silver products. Made with food-grade ingredients Silver Shield Gel contains no alcohol, and is safe for children.
Remember the Government Guidelines for preventing the spread of Swine Flu
• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, using a tissue and
• Throw the tissue away quickly and carefully
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
• Clean hard surfaces (like door handles and remote controls) frequently
Silver Shield Gel is ideal to carry in your pocket or handbag. It can be used frequently to protect your hands when hot water and soap are not available. Because Silver Shield Gel is so safe it can also be applied around the nose and mouth, or anywhere else on the body, and is completely safe to use on children, the frail and the elderly.
For more information on Silver Shield products visit http://www.TopQualitySupplements.com
Mark
Here's a copy of a recent release from Nature's Sunshine regarding the ideal product to help rid us of unwanted germs - Silver Shield.
I'll also add that this gel is brilliant for more than just cleaning your hands and surfaces, it's great for burns, grazes, blisters, skin conditions, viruses, fungus and many other things.
Take a look at the article below, then visit the website here.
Preventing the spread of Swine Flu
With the number of new cases of swine flu in the past week reaching an estimated 100,000 (Ref: BBC News) we have all become acutely aware of the importance of hygiene. TV advertising reminds us constantly that we all have a part to play in helping to control the spread of this flu pandemic.
Regular cleaning and hand cleansing with Silver Shield Gel and Liquid (with Aqua Sol Technology) is an effective way of preventing the transfer of unwanted invaders, and has become a popular alternative to other products on the market.
Scientific research is demonstrating that this form of silver has remarkable effects on a wide range of surface organisms:
• Potent cleanser and disinfectant.
• Proprietary technology is highly concentrated but non-toxic.
• Can be used topically and to purify water.
• Is completely non-toxic; no heavy metal contamination.
• Acts as an EPA-approved surface disinfectant.
• Available as a Gel, and Liquid formulation
In addition, Silver Shield Gel is the most potent silver product currently manufactured. It is completely non-toxic, safe and effective without the risk of heavy metal contamination.
How it Works
Silver Shield disables the specific enzyme that many unwanted microorganisms need to metabolize oxygen (breathe). When this enzyme becomes disabled, the microorganisms cannot thrive. Silver Shield with Aqua Sol Technology has been effective against unwanted micro-organisms when tested in vitro.
Silver Shield Gel is manufactured with a patented process called Aqua Sol Technology and uses only the finest particle size colloids to ensure maximum efficiency, providing 24ppm of silver in a clear moisturising gel. Nature’s Sunshine uses the very latest technology and cutting edge methods that provide you with only the very best quality silver products. Made with food-grade ingredients Silver Shield Gel contains no alcohol, and is safe for children.
Remember the Government Guidelines for preventing the spread of Swine Flu
• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, using a tissue and
• Throw the tissue away quickly and carefully
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
• Clean hard surfaces (like door handles and remote controls) frequently
Silver Shield Gel is ideal to carry in your pocket or handbag. It can be used frequently to protect your hands when hot water and soap are not available. Because Silver Shield Gel is so safe it can also be applied around the nose and mouth, or anywhere else on the body, and is completely safe to use on children, the frail and the elderly.
For more information on Silver Shield products visit http://www.TopQualitySupplements.com
Mark
Wednesday 15 July 2009
Anti-Obesity Pills
With recent news of an "anti-obesity" pill being researched it worries me that people don't even bother trying to lose weight the natural way any more.
There's obviously a market for this stuff or the big pharmaceutical companies wouldn't invest so much money into research for them.
And with an over-the-counter version making about £400million in it's first year in the US it shows that the number of people opting for the LAZY way out is huge!
But how well will these pills actually work? They, by definition, are drugs, that mess around with your body's natural chemistry and could have all kinds of side-effects.
Side-effects from the popular over-the-counter drug include wind and diarrhoea due to the undigested fat passing through the body (because the drug prevents it from being absorbed). The drug can also interfere with the absorption of some vitamins which means your entire body will suffer without extra supplementation of this vital food group.
What is the real cost of these pills? People are putting their health at risk and paying for the privilege!
All to do something that is possible with just a little bit of hard work.
The key to weight loss is simple. Eat a healthy diet and burn more calories than you consume through exercise (NOT by eating less).
A good exercise program, maintained consistently will ensure that you're burning calories, increasing your metabolism, and working your muscles.
So without even going into the whole gastric bypass arguement, my advice to anyone looking to lose weight is this:
* Change your diet to include healthier options, cutting out everything that is obviously full of sugar or saturated fats
* Eat your full quota of fruit and veg every day (Go for 5 portions of each - not combined)
* Exercise EVERY DAY, without fail - the key is consistency (with the diet as well as the exercise side of things)
All this leads to a healthy body as oppose to cheating your way thin and keeping the same old bad habits that got you there in the first place!
You could have liposuction but that doesn't cure cholesterol or blood pressure problems, or improve the health of your arteries; and again, you'll still have the same habits that made you gain weight in the first place, meaning unless you change this it'll just happen all over again!
There really is no better way to do this than good old fashioned exercise and healthy eating.
It really isn't as hard as you might think if you do it right!
Fill in the form opposite and I'll send you a copy of my Weight Loss report which'll tell you what you need to be doing to see fast and permanent weight loss whilst improving your fitness and health.
There's obviously a market for this stuff or the big pharmaceutical companies wouldn't invest so much money into research for them.
And with an over-the-counter version making about £400million in it's first year in the US it shows that the number of people opting for the LAZY way out is huge!
But how well will these pills actually work? They, by definition, are drugs, that mess around with your body's natural chemistry and could have all kinds of side-effects.
Side-effects from the popular over-the-counter drug include wind and diarrhoea due to the undigested fat passing through the body (because the drug prevents it from being absorbed). The drug can also interfere with the absorption of some vitamins which means your entire body will suffer without extra supplementation of this vital food group.
What is the real cost of these pills? People are putting their health at risk and paying for the privilege!
All to do something that is possible with just a little bit of hard work.
The key to weight loss is simple. Eat a healthy diet and burn more calories than you consume through exercise (NOT by eating less).
A good exercise program, maintained consistently will ensure that you're burning calories, increasing your metabolism, and working your muscles.
So without even going into the whole gastric bypass arguement, my advice to anyone looking to lose weight is this:
* Change your diet to include healthier options, cutting out everything that is obviously full of sugar or saturated fats
* Eat your full quota of fruit and veg every day (Go for 5 portions of each - not combined)
* Exercise EVERY DAY, without fail - the key is consistency (with the diet as well as the exercise side of things)
All this leads to a healthy body as oppose to cheating your way thin and keeping the same old bad habits that got you there in the first place!
You could have liposuction but that doesn't cure cholesterol or blood pressure problems, or improve the health of your arteries; and again, you'll still have the same habits that made you gain weight in the first place, meaning unless you change this it'll just happen all over again!
There really is no better way to do this than good old fashioned exercise and healthy eating.
It really isn't as hard as you might think if you do it right!
Fill in the form opposite and I'll send you a copy of my Weight Loss report which'll tell you what you need to be doing to see fast and permanent weight loss whilst improving your fitness and health.
Wednesday 24 June 2009
Interval Timer
I thought for the blog today I'd take the opportunity to recommend one of the best training aids I've ever bought.
If you do any sort of training, an Interval Timer is priceless.
You can train without looking at the clock to time your rest periods, you don't have to worry about the timer during a set or run. There are no distractions so you can just get on with your set until the time's up.
I personally prefer using this method to counting reps - where poeple tend to stop at 10 (or a pre-designated number) even if they can do more.
This way, you keep going until the timer stops, so you can work harder, meaning better results!
It's as good as having someone next to you telling you when to go and stop.
The best Interval Timer I've come across is from Gymboss - it's cheap, easy to use, and can do whatever you want, with intervals from 1 second to 99minutes and 59seconds.
You can set it to run through once, to keep going until you stop it, or to stop after a set number of rounds (1-99).
Either set it to a single time to repeat, or have two times programmed in - for example you can set it to time 60 seconds for your work period, and then a 30 second rest before it starts again.
I use this for my own training ALL the time, with every Personal Training client I have, AND in all of my Bootcamp classes.
The timer's only $20 and ships quickly (you can get them on e-bay, but for the sake of saving £1 you're better off going to their official site here - much more reliable).
And you can also get them in 3 different colours now - Silver, Slate, or Hot Pink (nice!)
Click the link below and get your timer now - it'll be the best purchase you've ever made for your fitness training!
If you do any sort of training, an Interval Timer is priceless.
You can train without looking at the clock to time your rest periods, you don't have to worry about the timer during a set or run. There are no distractions so you can just get on with your set until the time's up.
I personally prefer using this method to counting reps - where poeple tend to stop at 10 (or a pre-designated number) even if they can do more.
This way, you keep going until the timer stops, so you can work harder, meaning better results!
It's as good as having someone next to you telling you when to go and stop.
The best Interval Timer I've come across is from Gymboss - it's cheap, easy to use, and can do whatever you want, with intervals from 1 second to 99minutes and 59seconds.
You can set it to run through once, to keep going until you stop it, or to stop after a set number of rounds (1-99).
Either set it to a single time to repeat, or have two times programmed in - for example you can set it to time 60 seconds for your work period, and then a 30 second rest before it starts again.
I use this for my own training ALL the time, with every Personal Training client I have, AND in all of my Bootcamp classes.
The timer's only $20 and ships quickly (you can get them on e-bay, but for the sake of saving £1 you're better off going to their official site here - much more reliable).
And you can also get them in 3 different colours now - Silver, Slate, or Hot Pink (nice!)
Click the link below and get your timer now - it'll be the best purchase you've ever made for your fitness training!
Sunday 14 June 2009
Wednesday 10 June 2009
Moving throughout the day
After a conversation with a client the other day, I've decided to make this post short and sweet and explain the importance of keeping your body moving throughout the day.
Lots of common problems nowadays tend to be caused by a lack of movement.
Unless you remember an exact time when you got an injury, or know how it came about (i.e. you fell over/twisted an ankle etc.), chances are it's been a long time coming.
Unfortunately, due to modern society, most people spend in excess of 8 hours a day sitting down. They get up, sit and eat breakfast, sit on the train/bus or in the car to get to work, often sit at a desk all day, then drive/bus/train home to sit down for dinner and for a bit of TV.
Obviously there are exceptions, but most people (even the busiest mums) find time to watch a bit of TV.
Well spending this much time seated, means a lot of your muscles are either pulled taught, or left on slack.
Your body doesn't like slack muscles, so if they're like it for enough of the time it will start to "wind them in", pulling them tight (such as your hip flexors when seated).
Then, when you stand up straight, these tight muscles get pulled tighter, so to avoid ripping them, they'll pull your joints with them to avoid being stretched.
Again, using the hip flexors as an example, this means these muscles will literally pull your pelvis forward, causing a tilted pelvis, leading to an increased lumbar arch and general poor posture.
Mix this with all of the other muscles that get tightened due to prolonged periods of sitting down and you've got some major postural problems!
So how can you avoid/counter this?
Well the best way to correct these muscle imbalances is with a personalised correctional exercise programme consisting of strengthening exercises for the weaker, stretched muscles, and stretching exercises for the tight muscles, as well as some mobility exercises to keep the joints moving and healthy.
But that's for another time - consult with your local fitness expert if you're interested in getting a programme written.
For now, you can start to reverse these effects, or at least prevent them from getting any worse by performing some simple exercises throughout the day - avoiding sitting without moving for long periods of time.
The added bonus of this is that it will give your brain a bit of a rest from work too, meaning you'll come back refreshed and able to work better anyway.
So,
Step 1
Get yourself a timer, either use a kitchen timer, a watch with a countdown timer, or go to http://www.online-stopwatch.com/ and get their free countdown timer which you can leave running on your computer while you work. (see below)
Step 2
Set the timer to 50 minutes. You can set it to whatever time you want, but 50 minutes seems to be the best as it's long enough to get a good portion of work done uninterrupted, but you won't be sat still for too long.
Step 3
When the timer goes off after 50 minutes, get up out of your seat and do something!
This could be something as simple as a few full body exercises (Squats, lunges, twists and bends), some stretches for the muscles that are tight, or even just spending 5 minutes walking around the office.
If you can do this consistently every hour, every day, you will be keeping your body moving and prevent further imbalances occurring or getting worse.
I'll be posting some short video clips of exercises you can do in these "mini-breaks" here over the next few days so be sure to check back or bookmark http://www.youtube.com/user/MarkOneFitness and check it periodically.
Again, if you want to use the free online stopwatch like the one below click the link to download it now.
Get a Stopwatch like this or make your own! At: Online Stopwatch
Lots of common problems nowadays tend to be caused by a lack of movement.
Unless you remember an exact time when you got an injury, or know how it came about (i.e. you fell over/twisted an ankle etc.), chances are it's been a long time coming.
Unfortunately, due to modern society, most people spend in excess of 8 hours a day sitting down. They get up, sit and eat breakfast, sit on the train/bus or in the car to get to work, often sit at a desk all day, then drive/bus/train home to sit down for dinner and for a bit of TV.
Obviously there are exceptions, but most people (even the busiest mums) find time to watch a bit of TV.
Well spending this much time seated, means a lot of your muscles are either pulled taught, or left on slack.
Your body doesn't like slack muscles, so if they're like it for enough of the time it will start to "wind them in", pulling them tight (such as your hip flexors when seated).
Then, when you stand up straight, these tight muscles get pulled tighter, so to avoid ripping them, they'll pull your joints with them to avoid being stretched.
Again, using the hip flexors as an example, this means these muscles will literally pull your pelvis forward, causing a tilted pelvis, leading to an increased lumbar arch and general poor posture.
Mix this with all of the other muscles that get tightened due to prolonged periods of sitting down and you've got some major postural problems!
So how can you avoid/counter this?
Well the best way to correct these muscle imbalances is with a personalised correctional exercise programme consisting of strengthening exercises for the weaker, stretched muscles, and stretching exercises for the tight muscles, as well as some mobility exercises to keep the joints moving and healthy.
But that's for another time - consult with your local fitness expert if you're interested in getting a programme written.
For now, you can start to reverse these effects, or at least prevent them from getting any worse by performing some simple exercises throughout the day - avoiding sitting without moving for long periods of time.
The added bonus of this is that it will give your brain a bit of a rest from work too, meaning you'll come back refreshed and able to work better anyway.
So,
Step 1
Get yourself a timer, either use a kitchen timer, a watch with a countdown timer, or go to http://www.online-stopwatch.com/ and get their free countdown timer which you can leave running on your computer while you work. (see below)
Step 2
Set the timer to 50 minutes. You can set it to whatever time you want, but 50 minutes seems to be the best as it's long enough to get a good portion of work done uninterrupted, but you won't be sat still for too long.
Step 3
When the timer goes off after 50 minutes, get up out of your seat and do something!
This could be something as simple as a few full body exercises (Squats, lunges, twists and bends), some stretches for the muscles that are tight, or even just spending 5 minutes walking around the office.
If you can do this consistently every hour, every day, you will be keeping your body moving and prevent further imbalances occurring or getting worse.
I'll be posting some short video clips of exercises you can do in these "mini-breaks" here over the next few days so be sure to check back or bookmark http://www.youtube.com/user/MarkOneFitness and check it periodically.
Again, if you want to use the free online stopwatch like the one below click the link to download it now.
Get a Stopwatch like this or make your own! At: Online Stopwatch
Saturday 16 May 2009
How does exercise/diet help you lose weight?
So many people seem to be trying to lose weight without really understanding what it is they need to do for that to happen.
People go on diets – How does eating less help?
Sounds like a stupid question doesn’t it?
How about – How does exercise help?
Pretty stupid too... Or is it?
Without knowing how each of these things affects your body in a way that helps you to lose weight, you’re just “doing what everybody else is doing” without understanding why you’re all doing it.
It might have worked for your friend, you may know people who lost weight with a weight management group, but you don’t know what else they did while they were doing that; and how many of those people went on to re-gain that “lost” weight?
Everyone is different, but there is one simple truth that is true for EVERYONE – To lose weight you need to [consistently] burn off more calories than you consume. This means changing your lifestyle, not “going on a diet” which will ultimately end, meaning you start your journey of weight gain all over again.
Without understanding this one simple fact, you go into your diet with no idea of what you are doing or how it will work other than “It worked for________ (fill in the blank)”.
And for those of you who believe that you can do this properly without either exercise or diet (i.e. just do one of them), you’re fighting a losing battle.
What IS a calorie?
Contrary to popular belief a calorie isn’t just a way of seeing how good or bad for you a food is.
Calories ARE NOT bad!
A calorie is simply a measure of energy.
Therefore if we eat 2000 units of energy and only use 1500 units of energy, we store the extra 500 units (yep, as fat).
So, the recommended daily calorie intake for the average female is around 2000 calories (a VERY rough guide that should not be taken as gospel – for a more accurate measure of your daily amount you can use the Harris-Benedict Formula at the bottom of this article).
So, to lose weight you need to be consuming LESS calories than you’re burning. Simple.
But wait!
You can’t simply cut back on your eating and not exercise because your body is programmed to survive – 1000‘s of years ago, people didn’t know when their next meal would be, so we’ve evolved to survive as long as possible without food by holding onto our richest source of energy – fat.
If you cut back on your eating too much, your body will HOLD ON TO FAT, so instead of burning fat stores, it will burn muscle tissue, because muscle tissue needs energy, and your body wants to get rid of anything that’s burning energy.
So while reducing your calorie intake may cause you to lose weight, it will be from muscle tissue NOT fat tissue.
Enter... Exercise
By exercising, you are maintaining, or even building muscle tissue. This is important for a number of reasons.
Firstly, as I mentioned above, muscles need energy to function. Meaning the more you work a muscle, the more energy it needs/burns. So the more muscles you are working, the harder you’re working them, and the more often you work them – the more calories you will burn.
Secondly, the more muscle mass you have to maintain, the more calories you will be burning throughout the day just to maintain that muscle. These calories (if you are burning more than you are eating) will come from fat stores.
So in short, the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn both during exercise AND throughout the day.
Starting to see why exercise is so important?
Without taking this too much further (you can download my Free report on weight loss from my website), I’ll leave you with a simple calculation that should show why it is important that you use both exercise AND a slight reduction in calories (only slight, or you’ll end up holding on to fat remember) to lose weight/bodyfat.
3500 calories = 0.45kg (just under 1lb) -- so to lose 1lb, you need to burn off 3500 calories MORE than you consume.
Spread this across the week and that means a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day.
Remember if you reduce your calorie intake too much you hold fat, so you need to create this deficit using diet AND exercise.
Reduce your calorie intake by 250kcal per day, AND increase your exercise/activity by 250 calories per day, and you’ve got your 500 calorie deficit. Meaning a steady, healthy weight loss of 1lb per week.
More importantly, by maintaining or building muscle, you won’t gain the weight back again when you “finish” your diet.
If 1lb a week isn’t good enough for you, then you will need to increase the amount of work your muscles are doing (not long runs/bike rides in the gym – work your muscles), but NEVER reduce your calorie intake by more than 500 calories below your recommended amount!
The harder you work, the more you’ll lose.
My book, Fab In 15 Minutes is a collection of 15 minute workouts that burn up to 250 calories each – this is a great way to reach your target quickly and effectively without ever having to set foot in a gym. Visit http://www.fabin15minutes.com/ for these weight loss workouts. If you could consistently lose 1lb a week working just 15 minutes a day would you do it?
To work out your recommended daily calorie intake use the Harris-Benedict formula below:
Men: 66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) – (6.8 x age)
Example- For a 170cm tall man aged 35 and weighing 90kg:
66 + (13.7 x 90) + (5 x 170) – (6.8 x 35)
= 66 + 1233 + 850 – 238 = 1911 calories
Women:655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) – (4.7 – age)
Example- For a 165cm tall woman aged 35 and weighing 75kg:
655 + (9.6 x 75) + (1.8 x 165) – (4.7 x 35)
= 655 + 720 + 297 – 164.5 = 1507 calories
Once you have this number (your BMR), multiply it by the following depending on your activity levels, to get your daily calorie guideline.
Sedentary BMR x 1.2 little or no exercise, desk job
Lightly Active BMR x 1.375 light exercise/sports 1-3 days per week
Mod. Active BMR x 1.55 moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days per week
Very Active BMR x 1.725 hard exercise/sports 6-7 days per week
Extra Active BMR x 1.9 hard daily exercise/sports AND physical job
So if we take the female example above with a lightly active lifestyle, your daily calorie guideline would be 1507 x 1.375 = 2072 calories per day
Please note, if you are “over-weight”, this calculation will slightly overestimate your caloric needs.
Now you (hopefully) have more of an idea of what it is you’re doing, check out the FREE weight loss report at http://www.markonefitness.co.uk/, and the workout book at http://www.fabin15minutes.com/.
People go on diets – How does eating less help?
Sounds like a stupid question doesn’t it?
How about – How does exercise help?
Pretty stupid too... Or is it?
Without knowing how each of these things affects your body in a way that helps you to lose weight, you’re just “doing what everybody else is doing” without understanding why you’re all doing it.
It might have worked for your friend, you may know people who lost weight with a weight management group, but you don’t know what else they did while they were doing that; and how many of those people went on to re-gain that “lost” weight?
Everyone is different, but there is one simple truth that is true for EVERYONE – To lose weight you need to [consistently] burn off more calories than you consume. This means changing your lifestyle, not “going on a diet” which will ultimately end, meaning you start your journey of weight gain all over again.
Without understanding this one simple fact, you go into your diet with no idea of what you are doing or how it will work other than “It worked for________ (fill in the blank)”.
And for those of you who believe that you can do this properly without either exercise or diet (i.e. just do one of them), you’re fighting a losing battle.
What IS a calorie?
Contrary to popular belief a calorie isn’t just a way of seeing how good or bad for you a food is.
Calories ARE NOT bad!
A calorie is simply a measure of energy.
Therefore if we eat 2000 units of energy and only use 1500 units of energy, we store the extra 500 units (yep, as fat).
So, the recommended daily calorie intake for the average female is around 2000 calories (a VERY rough guide that should not be taken as gospel – for a more accurate measure of your daily amount you can use the Harris-Benedict Formula at the bottom of this article).
So, to lose weight you need to be consuming LESS calories than you’re burning. Simple.
But wait!
You can’t simply cut back on your eating and not exercise because your body is programmed to survive – 1000‘s of years ago, people didn’t know when their next meal would be, so we’ve evolved to survive as long as possible without food by holding onto our richest source of energy – fat.
If you cut back on your eating too much, your body will HOLD ON TO FAT, so instead of burning fat stores, it will burn muscle tissue, because muscle tissue needs energy, and your body wants to get rid of anything that’s burning energy.
So while reducing your calorie intake may cause you to lose weight, it will be from muscle tissue NOT fat tissue.
Enter... Exercise
By exercising, you are maintaining, or even building muscle tissue. This is important for a number of reasons.
Firstly, as I mentioned above, muscles need energy to function. Meaning the more you work a muscle, the more energy it needs/burns. So the more muscles you are working, the harder you’re working them, and the more often you work them – the more calories you will burn.
Secondly, the more muscle mass you have to maintain, the more calories you will be burning throughout the day just to maintain that muscle. These calories (if you are burning more than you are eating) will come from fat stores.
So in short, the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn both during exercise AND throughout the day.
Starting to see why exercise is so important?
Without taking this too much further (you can download my Free report on weight loss from my website), I’ll leave you with a simple calculation that should show why it is important that you use both exercise AND a slight reduction in calories (only slight, or you’ll end up holding on to fat remember) to lose weight/bodyfat.
3500 calories = 0.45kg (just under 1lb) -- so to lose 1lb, you need to burn off 3500 calories MORE than you consume.
Spread this across the week and that means a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day.
Remember if you reduce your calorie intake too much you hold fat, so you need to create this deficit using diet AND exercise.
Reduce your calorie intake by 250kcal per day, AND increase your exercise/activity by 250 calories per day, and you’ve got your 500 calorie deficit. Meaning a steady, healthy weight loss of 1lb per week.
More importantly, by maintaining or building muscle, you won’t gain the weight back again when you “finish” your diet.
If 1lb a week isn’t good enough for you, then you will need to increase the amount of work your muscles are doing (not long runs/bike rides in the gym – work your muscles), but NEVER reduce your calorie intake by more than 500 calories below your recommended amount!
The harder you work, the more you’ll lose.
My book, Fab In 15 Minutes is a collection of 15 minute workouts that burn up to 250 calories each – this is a great way to reach your target quickly and effectively without ever having to set foot in a gym. Visit http://www.fabin15minutes.com/ for these weight loss workouts. If you could consistently lose 1lb a week working just 15 minutes a day would you do it?
To work out your recommended daily calorie intake use the Harris-Benedict formula below:
Men: 66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) – (6.8 x age)
Example- For a 170cm tall man aged 35 and weighing 90kg:
66 + (13.7 x 90) + (5 x 170) – (6.8 x 35)
= 66 + 1233 + 850 – 238 = 1911 calories
Women:655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) – (4.7 – age)
Example- For a 165cm tall woman aged 35 and weighing 75kg:
655 + (9.6 x 75) + (1.8 x 165) – (4.7 x 35)
= 655 + 720 + 297 – 164.5 = 1507 calories
Once you have this number (your BMR), multiply it by the following depending on your activity levels, to get your daily calorie guideline.
Sedentary BMR x 1.2 little or no exercise, desk job
Lightly Active BMR x 1.375 light exercise/sports 1-3 days per week
Mod. Active BMR x 1.55 moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days per week
Very Active BMR x 1.725 hard exercise/sports 6-7 days per week
Extra Active BMR x 1.9 hard daily exercise/sports AND physical job
So if we take the female example above with a lightly active lifestyle, your daily calorie guideline would be 1507 x 1.375 = 2072 calories per day
Please note, if you are “over-weight”, this calculation will slightly overestimate your caloric needs.
Now you (hopefully) have more of an idea of what it is you’re doing, check out the FREE weight loss report at http://www.markonefitness.co.uk/, and the workout book at http://www.fabin15minutes.com/.
Monday 11 May 2009
Supplements - supplement :-)
As a quick follow-up to the previous post, I'd like to mention the ONLY supplements that I recommend to my clients and that I use myself (which can be found here).
These products are manufactured to the highest standards and use the finest organic and naturally sourced ingredients (this even includes the skin and hair care products).
By using only natural ingredients, and not resorting to cheap, synthetic ones, you are guaranteed to get much better results from taking them.
This does mean they are slightly more expensive, but as I said before, nothing's more expensive than buying something that doesn't work!
And as valued subscribers to my mailing list, you can get 20% off when you place your order by using the code NLSubs20
You can also take the free Lifestyle Analysis Questionnaire to determine which of your body systems are stronger, which are weaker, and which products are best suited to support those weaker systems.
Many of my clients have reported great results from these products so please try the Lifestyle Analysis and take a look at your recommended products.
If you decide to order, remember to enter your discount voucher code and your order will be shipped right to your door. Click the link below to be taken to the site's homepage:
High Quality Supplements
If this link doesn't work, just copy and paste the following into your browser:
http://www.naturessunshine.eu/uk/markonefitness/index.asp
Feel free to send this link on to friends and family so they too can take the Lifestyle Analysis.
These products are manufactured to the highest standards and use the finest organic and naturally sourced ingredients (this even includes the skin and hair care products).
By using only natural ingredients, and not resorting to cheap, synthetic ones, you are guaranteed to get much better results from taking them.
This does mean they are slightly more expensive, but as I said before, nothing's more expensive than buying something that doesn't work!
And as valued subscribers to my mailing list, you can get 20% off when you place your order by using the code NLSubs20
You can also take the free Lifestyle Analysis Questionnaire to determine which of your body systems are stronger, which are weaker, and which products are best suited to support those weaker systems.
Many of my clients have reported great results from these products so please try the Lifestyle Analysis and take a look at your recommended products.
If you decide to order, remember to enter your discount voucher code and your order will be shipped right to your door. Click the link below to be taken to the site's homepage:
High Quality Supplements
If this link doesn't work, just copy and paste the following into your browser:
http://www.naturessunshine.eu/uk/markonefitness/index.asp
Feel free to send this link on to friends and family so they too can take the Lifestyle Analysis.
Monday 4 May 2009
Supplements
A lot of people nowadays seem to think that to lose weight, build muscle, or rid themselves of aches and pains, supplements are the answer.
Spending a small fortune on multi-vitamins, joint supplements, protein powders, energy drinks, fish oils, and even steroids for the really desperate (and lazy), you have to wonder if they’re working or not.
Most of the food now available to us is lacking in vitamins and minerals due to the over-farming of the fields, meaning that the soil doesn’t get the chance to replace it’s depleted nutrients – and since you are what you eat (this applies to plants too) – there will be no nutrients in the soil for the plants to absorb, which in turn means no nutrients in the plants for us to absorb.
This isn’t just limited to our plants either; our meat is also mass farmed meaning the suppliers are constantly looking for cheaper ways to provide MORE meat with less effort and expense. So they turn to factory farms where animals are packed together as closely as possible, not able to move and probably never even seeing daylight.
Obviously this causes the animals to get sick, and the only way to keep them alive long enough to make it to slaughter is to pump them full of antibiotics and other drugs to make them grow quicker. Their food is also lacking in any sort of nutrition – again, no nutrients in the animals food means no nutrients in the meat when we eat it.
Check out the video below to get an idea of how our foods are being produced. This is the tamer version that I thought everyone could watch. If you’re a bit braver, head to my links page at http://www.markonefitness.co.uk and check out the video “Meet your meat”.
Eating antibiotics in our food every day means we grow a resistance to antibiotics (ever had a course that didn’t work...?). This also breeds new strains of germs that are resistant to antibiotic treatments.
So what can you do about it?
The best thing you can possibly do for your health (along with exercise) is to eat healthy, nutrient rich foods; which means buying fresh fruit and veg from local producers – if you get it from your supermarket then the chances are it’s been treated with chemical preservatives and has been in cold storage for anywhere up to 6 months before it reaches the shelves.
Organic foods are not a fad for the rich; they are a necessity for everyone who wants to be healthier. How much cheaper is it really to buy non-organic food when you have to spend a small fortune on supplements to make up for its shortfalls?
However, I understand that it DOES cost more to eat everything organic, and in the current economic climate cost is an issue. So my advice is this:
Eat as much organic as possible – particularly meats as these can actually cause you harm with some of the chemicals they contain.
Get your fruit and vegetables seasonally from local farms (look around for farmers’ markets, there are more around than you think) – or alternatively, grow your own, you’ll taste the difference!
And as a lot of your food will still be lacking in nutrition, yes, I do recommend that you consider taking a good quality supplement to ensure you are meeting your daily requirements for essential nutrients.
So what supplements should you take?
Personally, I recommend taking as few as possible. Many of the supplements available are, again, unfortunately made as cheaply as possible (these companies are businesses after all), so remember: If it’s cheap to buy, it’s cheap to make. And if it’s cheap to make, it has cheap ingredients.
All this being said, I would recommend taking a good multi-vitamin, an omega-3 supplement, and (if you struggle to eat breakfast or to get protein in every meal) a protein supplement.
The price ranges for these vary dramatically, so get the best that you can afford. Nothing’s more expensive than buying something that doesn’t work, so avoid going for the cheapest stuff available – it won’t save you anything in the long run.
If you’d like to know where to get top quality organic, natural supplements, contact me through my website www.markonefitness.co.uk and I’ll be happy to give you some good companies that sell high-quality products.
Spending a small fortune on multi-vitamins, joint supplements, protein powders, energy drinks, fish oils, and even steroids for the really desperate (and lazy), you have to wonder if they’re working or not.
Most of the food now available to us is lacking in vitamins and minerals due to the over-farming of the fields, meaning that the soil doesn’t get the chance to replace it’s depleted nutrients – and since you are what you eat (this applies to plants too) – there will be no nutrients in the soil for the plants to absorb, which in turn means no nutrients in the plants for us to absorb.
This isn’t just limited to our plants either; our meat is also mass farmed meaning the suppliers are constantly looking for cheaper ways to provide MORE meat with less effort and expense. So they turn to factory farms where animals are packed together as closely as possible, not able to move and probably never even seeing daylight.
Obviously this causes the animals to get sick, and the only way to keep them alive long enough to make it to slaughter is to pump them full of antibiotics and other drugs to make them grow quicker. Their food is also lacking in any sort of nutrition – again, no nutrients in the animals food means no nutrients in the meat when we eat it.
Check out the video below to get an idea of how our foods are being produced. This is the tamer version that I thought everyone could watch. If you’re a bit braver, head to my links page at http://www.markonefitness.co.uk and check out the video “Meet your meat”.
Eating antibiotics in our food every day means we grow a resistance to antibiotics (ever had a course that didn’t work...?). This also breeds new strains of germs that are resistant to antibiotic treatments.
So what can you do about it?
The best thing you can possibly do for your health (along with exercise) is to eat healthy, nutrient rich foods; which means buying fresh fruit and veg from local producers – if you get it from your supermarket then the chances are it’s been treated with chemical preservatives and has been in cold storage for anywhere up to 6 months before it reaches the shelves.
Organic foods are not a fad for the rich; they are a necessity for everyone who wants to be healthier. How much cheaper is it really to buy non-organic food when you have to spend a small fortune on supplements to make up for its shortfalls?
However, I understand that it DOES cost more to eat everything organic, and in the current economic climate cost is an issue. So my advice is this:
Eat as much organic as possible – particularly meats as these can actually cause you harm with some of the chemicals they contain.
Get your fruit and vegetables seasonally from local farms (look around for farmers’ markets, there are more around than you think) – or alternatively, grow your own, you’ll taste the difference!
And as a lot of your food will still be lacking in nutrition, yes, I do recommend that you consider taking a good quality supplement to ensure you are meeting your daily requirements for essential nutrients.
So what supplements should you take?
Personally, I recommend taking as few as possible. Many of the supplements available are, again, unfortunately made as cheaply as possible (these companies are businesses after all), so remember: If it’s cheap to buy, it’s cheap to make. And if it’s cheap to make, it has cheap ingredients.
All this being said, I would recommend taking a good multi-vitamin, an omega-3 supplement, and (if you struggle to eat breakfast or to get protein in every meal) a protein supplement.
The price ranges for these vary dramatically, so get the best that you can afford. Nothing’s more expensive than buying something that doesn’t work, so avoid going for the cheapest stuff available – it won’t save you anything in the long run.
If you’d like to know where to get top quality organic, natural supplements, contact me through my website www.markonefitness.co.uk and I’ll be happy to give you some good companies that sell high-quality products.
Thursday 16 April 2009
Outdoor Training
Now that the worst of the weather is behind us and it's starting to warm up a bit I'd like to think that most of you are considering moving your training (or at least part of it) outdoors.
Granted if you're used to using the gym machines (which by now I hope I've convinced you not to) you may be at a loose end as to what you can actually DO outside other than running.
Well I'm going to use this post to give you some ideas of what you can do to turbocharge your training and increase fitness levels, and fat loss, faster than you could imagine.
The limits of the gym mean there are a huge number of exercises you can't do, or just don't want to do in a busy gym, that you can easily do in the unconfined space outdoors and without so many spectators making you feel like YOU'RE the one doing things wrong (as if sitting on a bike watching telly's going to get results!).
So, for starters, you can achieve almost any result you want using just bodyweight exercises.
These could include push-ups, squats, lunges, sprints, chin-ups (on a bar/tree/rope), burpees, jumping (lots of variations), crawling and climbing, although there is no limit to the movements you can make up and combine.
Make use of the space - this isn't generally available in gyms, so unless you're willing to train in the rain, you won't be able to perform these exercises for a large part of the year.
Use the space for sprints, bounding, skipping, gymnastic type rolls and cartwheels, try some handstands or even make use of obstacles like benches and fences. Challenge yourself.
And with just a few simple, cheap bits of equipment you can add literally thousands of new exercises to your routine.
Buy a bag of sand from your local DIY store, a bit of rope, resistance bands, an old tyre, heavy medicine balls and some dumbbells and you've got yourself a gym that outshines even the flashiest of gyms.
But remember that training is about having fun and pushing yourself to the limit, don't stick to the same exercises you'd do in the gym, take advantage of your surroundings and make up as many movements as you can, however silly they might look.
If you can see potential in ANYTHING, use it!
Change your exercises to take advantage of the outdoors and train HARD. Find a local Bootcamp and make it a regular training session.
If you're local to Dartford, Kent, visit my website Personal Trainer Dartford for times and locations of my Bootcamp classes.
And just so you know that I put my money where my mouth is, check out this video of a workout I did a couple of weeks ago (I haven't got around to editing the more recent ones yet!). It's a great example of a tough workout that you can do in your back garden, or anywhere!
Now that the worst of the weather is behind us and it's starting to warm up a bit I'd like to think that most of you are considering moving your training (or at least part of it) outdoors.
Granted if you're used to using the gym machines (which by now I hope I've convinced you not to) you may be at a loose end as to what you can actually DO outside other than running.
Well I'm going to use this post to give you some ideas of what you can do to turbocharge your training and increase fitness levels, and fat loss, faster than you could imagine.
The limits of the gym mean there are a huge number of exercises you can't do, or just don't want to do in a busy gym, that you can easily do in the unconfined space outdoors and without so many spectators making you feel like YOU'RE the one doing things wrong (as if sitting on a bike watching telly's going to get results!).
So, for starters, you can achieve almost any result you want using just bodyweight exercises.
These could include push-ups, squats, lunges, sprints, chin-ups (on a bar/tree/rope), burpees, jumping (lots of variations), crawling and climbing, although there is no limit to the movements you can make up and combine.
Make use of the space - this isn't generally available in gyms, so unless you're willing to train in the rain, you won't be able to perform these exercises for a large part of the year.
Use the space for sprints, bounding, skipping, gymnastic type rolls and cartwheels, try some handstands or even make use of obstacles like benches and fences. Challenge yourself.
And with just a few simple, cheap bits of equipment you can add literally thousands of new exercises to your routine.
Buy a bag of sand from your local DIY store, a bit of rope, resistance bands, an old tyre, heavy medicine balls and some dumbbells and you've got yourself a gym that outshines even the flashiest of gyms.
But remember that training is about having fun and pushing yourself to the limit, don't stick to the same exercises you'd do in the gym, take advantage of your surroundings and make up as many movements as you can, however silly they might look.
If you can see potential in ANYTHING, use it!
Change your exercises to take advantage of the outdoors and train HARD. Find a local Bootcamp and make it a regular training session.
If you're local to Dartford, Kent, visit my website Personal Trainer Dartford for times and locations of my Bootcamp classes.
And just so you know that I put my money where my mouth is, check out this video of a workout I did a couple of weeks ago (I haven't got around to editing the more recent ones yet!). It's a great example of a tough workout that you can do in your back garden, or anywhere!
Wednesday 8 April 2009
The Workout the World Forgot
Hi everyone,
Welcome to my first blog!
I thought I'd start it off with a video that sums up how training should be, it's a guy called Erwan Le Corre and this is how it should be done - completely natural training with no gyms in sight!
Check it out!
Welcome to my first blog!
I thought I'd start it off with a video that sums up how training should be, it's a guy called Erwan Le Corre and this is how it should be done - completely natural training with no gyms in sight!
Check it out!
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