New FitBall Exercise

Here's a new fitball exercise that I've found.

I'll be incorporating into my client's sessions over the next week or so.

Remember: practice makes perfect!!  ;->

Sports Drink, Anyone?

I have always advocated the use of milk-based protein drinks for post workout recovery rather than 'sports drinks', such as 'Lucozade' or 'Powerade'.

My rationale being that, as well as providing evergy via various scources, they also contain the nutrients, calcium and, of course, protein that the body demands post-workout.

However, thanks to good old fashioned marketing, most people seem to automatically reach for sugar-loaded sports drinks.  Yes, the processed sugar within them may well replenish your body's glycogen stores, but that's all it does.  Nutrition wise, they are as packed with goodness as a house brick!  You may as well drink full-sugar Coke.

It appears that I have finally been proven to be correct.

A recent study at the University of Texas in the US, which included 32 healthy amateur male and female cyclists, found that those who had been given a milk-based post workout drink built more lean mass, shaved off more fat and had improved VO2 max results compared to those people give sports drinks over the period of the study.

To me, it's common sense.

Unfortunately, in these days of product placement and multi-million £ marketing campaigns, many people, including other fitness professionals, seem to take the sports drink route.

As always, natural is best!

Andy

Don't Avoid Fat!

Avoiding fat is advocated in many diets but it may do us more harm than good.

Fat plays an important part in the formation of the cells in our body as well as hormone structure. Avoiding fat can therefore cause issues with our metabolic function meaning that processes such as our immune system cannot function appropriately.

About 30% of your diet should come from a variety of sources of fat.

By far the most healthy fats are 'monounsaturates', such as those found in olive oil and nuts. In fact, these are FAR more healthy that the 'polyunsaturated' fats that have been touted as 'healthy' for the last few decades.

Personally, I never use any fats apart from extra virgin olive oil and fresh butter.

Yes, butter contains, dare I type the words, SATURATED FAT.  However, saturated fats have had far too much bad press in recent years.  There is nothing unhealthy about including a small amount in your every day diet.  In fact, butter is far preferable to any type of margarine or low fat spread simply because it is a natural product. 

I would recommend that everyone takes an Omega 3 supplement.  It provides the types of fats that we tend to struggle with getting enough of in our regular diets.

Obestiy Epidemic?

We hear much about the 'obesity epidemic' these days.

Having spent many years dealing with people of all ages and backgrounds, much of the blame can be laid at the door of the food industry and government for putting profit before people's health.  There is simply so much mis-information out there that it's hardly surprising that people don't know what constitutes a healthy diet, even (in many cases) if they think that they do.

However, that is far from the only reason.

Good old fashioned LAZINESS also plays a huge part.

I was watching 'Pushy & Proud; Fast Food Mums' on Sky Living last night and I was truly appalled at one woman in particular.

She had four children, all of whom appeared to be under 5 and who's diets consisted of McDonalds fodder and whatever she could buy at the chippy.  Her reasoning being that it was 'quick and easy' for her.

Wonderful.

Neither she, or her husband, worked, so it's not like she had a hectic lifestyle that prevented her from cooking decent food for her kids.  She simply couldn't be bothered.

The fact that they could actually AFFORD to get take-away food for 6 people whilst living on state benefits is a subject that I won't go into here, but I found her 'can't be ar**d' attitude staggering, but far from surprising.

Eating healthily isn't difficult.

In fact, it's both easy as well as cheap.  Far cheaper than living on fast-food 7 days a week!!

If you'd like to know more about adopting a healthy lifestyle, check out my 'definitive' program at;

 http://www.apmoore.co.uk/definitive.htm

Andy

The First Post

This is my new blog.

I'll be posting here with the latest news & offers, as well as advice about nutrition and exercise.

If there's anything that you'd like to know, or you have any questions regarding your own lifestyle or workout regime, feel free to leave a comment.

Andy