Monday, July 27, 2009

9 biggest health and fitness mistakes even the smart people make

Corporate health and fitness company ‘Healthy Executives’ shares with you some common mistakes that people make with their workouts and nutrition.
A number of these mistakes can be very costly and can lead to injury and may be the difference between a successful and ineffective workout.
1. Not having breakfast – Skipping breakfast will slow the metabolism and have you reaching for the not so healthy options around mid morning. If you are not used to having breakfast then start with just a piece of wholegrain toast.
2. Not warming up or cooling down – Muscles need time to adjust to the demands of the activities placed on them. If you plan on going for a run then a slow increase in intensity will prepare your joints and muscles for what they are about to do. Take at least 3 – 5 minutes after any exercise to stretch your muscles. This is an ideal time to enhance your flexibility as your muscles are more pliable and can prevent injuries.
3. Too much caffeine - (more than 600mg can affect your health) A standard cup has 80mg. If you need a substance to change the way you feel (wake up or feel good) then you possibly have an addiction.
4. Not eating any carbohydrates – There is so much hype about carbohydrates that most people make the mistake of not having any at all. There are good carbs (fruit, wholegrain bread, rolled oats etc) and bad carbs (white flour, sugar, white rice etc). Include much more of the good stuff in your diet and moderate the portions of the bad carbs.
5. Wearing the same exercise shoes for too long - 750km of running or about 1 year of use is ideal. Wearing the same shoes for too long can lead to overuse injuries in the lower leg (knees, shins, ankles and feet).
6. Not enough sleep – Ideally aim to get around 8 hours. Studies have shown that not getting enough sleep can lead to lowered immune system and heart disease.
7. Lifting more weight than you can handle- : You know you are lifting too much weight when your technique is sacrificed in order to lift a heavier load. Gradually increase the resistance of your workout to prevent injury. Talk to any bodybuilder and they will tell you it is not about how much weight you lift. If you have to jerk your body while lifting your weight then you are lifting too much.
8. Not drinking enough water – Keep a bottle of water on hand to top up your fluid levels. If you wait till you are thirsty – you are already dehydrated.
9. Not exercising intensely enough - Leaning on the side bars of the stair-master will lower the intensity of the workout as well as put a strain on your wrists and lower back. If your intention is to lose body-fat then you will need to exercise intensely enough to get you huffing and puffing with a light sweat.
© Healthy Executives 2009

Sunday, July 19, 2009

How fit are you?

How can you tell if all that exercise you do is paying off?
These are the 5 components to determine how fit you are.
1. Cardiovascular fitness
2. Muscular strength
3. Muscular endurance
4. Flexibility
5. Body composition
But, fitness is multi-dimensional. A bodybuilder will have little body fat and lean muscle but may not possess good flexibility or cardiovascular fitness. A marathon runner will have excellent cardiovascular health with a strong set of lungs but conceivably have little upper body strength.
So what does all that mean?
Fitness means different things to everyone. For some people it is being able to run 5 kilometres easily or being an elite athlete, while for others fitness means being able to keep up with the kids.
The only actual way to know how fit you are is to put yourself to the test. A thorough fitness evaluation will include activities and special tools that specifically measure...
1. Your ability to participate in cardiovascular exercise (to measure your maximal oxygen uptake)
2. Joint flexibility (how much range of movement you have in and around your joints)
3. Body composition (waist circumference and Body Mass index )and body fat percentage
4. Muscular strength and endurance (how strong you are)
To evaluate your fitness, you need to take into consideration your current lifestyle, genetics, body shape, what regular exercise you do and general health.
Working to optimize each of these five components is crucial to enhancing your overall fitness and general health. Enlist the assistance of a Personal Trainer to evaluate your current levels of all of the above and put together a program for improvements. Measure again in 3 months to assess what areas you have made progress with.
Your hard work will pay off.
Remember consistency is the key to making any improvements in your fitness.
Gradually increase your exercise over a period of weeks to avoid injury or burnout.
Enjoy fitness. Enjoy life.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

How to stay healthy in winter

Cold weather, increased exposure to viruses, and winter eating habits can result in illness, time off work and weight gain.
So how do you include some winter friendly options during the cold weather and maintain your health, when all you feel like doing is hibernating?
Being a devoted exerciser for most of my life, I believe in restructuring my eating and exercise routine according to the seasons.
• Keep active indoors or outdoors: Early morning darkness and cold maybe all it takes to stop you from your regular exercise during the colder weather. With a little planning and lateral thinking, you can adjust your training to maintain your fitness and health over the winter months. If you usually run or walk outdoors, then give a try on a treadmill or a set of stairs. There is a smorgasbord of indoor group exercise classes at your gym or offered by your local city council.
• Have a back-up plan: When it’s cold, dark and wet outside, a plan b is essential for keeping you on track. A back up plan provides flexibility. If morning doesn’t work for exercise, then try lunchtimes or evenings. Keeping pre-prepared meals in the freezer and healthy snacks in your desk drawer can assist you when you are running short on time.
• Avoid dehydration: Cold air can be very drying, which means it can dehydrate the body. Keep drinking during and after exercise as well as throughout the day.
• Enjoy healthy warm foods: Overeating and an increase in comfort foods can easily lead to weight gain during colder months. Look for inspiriting in your favourite cook books for some healthy low fat meal options. Starting your day with ½ cup of oats with skim milk mixed with a sprinkle of nuts and grated apple will keep you going for hours.
• Get support: Staying on track is easier when you communicate to the others about what you are up to. This may also be a perfect time to enlist the experience of a Personal Trainer to hold you accountable. Consider getting a buddy to train and share the experience with.
If you are usually prone to a yearly dose of sickness, then think about getting a flu jab. It is essential to put together an eating plan and exercise routine that suits your lifestyle to greatly enhance your chances of good health over the winter months.
Enjoy fitness, enjoy life.
Chris Bakens
© Healthy Executives 2009

Monday, July 6, 2009

5 Reasons you can't lose weight

1. You skip breakfast. - Kick-start your day with a low GI breakfast. A good breakfast will prevent the hunger pangs around 10am; boost your performance and mood for the day. If time is an issue, then prepare the night before and have on the run or when you first get to work. Try ½ cup rolled oats with some skim milk, chopped apple, nuts and cinnamon. Place in the fridge overnight and heat up and enjoy.

2. You don’t realize what kilojoules you are drinking. - Smoothies, energy drinks and soft drinks may give you a quick energy boost but are all loaded with a tonne of excess kilojoules. A typical caffeine drink (like V or red bull) may seem like a good solution to enhance your mood, but it is equivalent to a medium size fries from McDonalds. Even when you think you are buying healthy with a low fat option you can be buying a tonne of kilojoules from the sugar content. A 650ml banana buzz low fat smoothie from Boost Juice is 1995kjs. That is equivalent to over 4 Tim Tams. Cut down on excess kilojoules by watering down your juice or nectar with sparkling water.

3. You don’t know what a serving size is – Most people do not know what an average serving size is. Australian health educator and dietician Allan Borushek says “Food portion size is critical to controlling calorie intake for weight control. Super-sized food servings have become more common when eating out and in the home. This can mean a day’s worth of calories being consumed in one meal, or a snack being equivalent to a full meal.” It may not always be possible to have scales or measuring cups on hand each time you eat. Serving sizes of your protein or carbohydrate foods are no bigger than the size of the palm of your hand. Protein foods (meat, dairy, eggs etc ) Carbohydrate foods (breads, cereals, sweets etc)


4. You put food or drink into your mouth without thinking - Do you constantly nibble while you are cooking, working at your desk or reading a book or magazine? A good rule to use is to only eat from a plate to avoid over-indulging. If the average nibble is 105 kjs (25calories), then the consumption of 4 extra nibbles can mean 420kjs.

5. You blame others or make excuses why you cannot lose weight – List the excuses you have used in the past for not losing weight. Is it procrastination, your health, the weather, your job, your kids or maybe even your friends? Be honest with yourself and look for solutions to any of your excuses. Find the support in the people around you by sharing your goals with them.

©Healthy Executives 2009

Followers