Category Archives: Advice

Now you can walk while you work!

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TreadmillIt was only a mater of time before someone came up with a way to get us up out of our office chairs and burning calories while we work. For some of us, going to work is the only time that we do get to sit down and rest our legs a little, but perhaps no longer!

In America, a doctor has invented a desk with a built-in treadmill. Dr James Levine, of the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, has himself spent a decade walking on a treadmill as he works, because he believes that sitting down all day increases the risk of heart disease. He also claims that by standing up we burn three times as many calories.

Dr Treadmill writes: “Muscle contractions, including the ones required for standing, seem to trigger important processes related to the breakdown of fats and sugars. When you sit down, muscle contractions cease and these processes stall.”

Now the walking-working doc is launching his very own brand of Walkstations, which are a cross between an office workstation and a treadmill.

According to report the treadmill is a lot quieter than those noisy gadgets we use at the gym and while users are encouraged to walk, they can still apparently carry on their work

Hmmm. We want to see move evidence of how it’s possible to walk on a treadmill and easily use a computer keyboard or design a graphic, or whatever it is that your usual office day entails.

What do you think to this invention?

Men fear the flab, too

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New research has added hard facts to many people’s concerns. No longer are fears about flab, diets, wobbly bits and muffin tops the preserve of the women… now men are fretting about the less-than-perfect bods, too. Once, seemingly long ago and probably in the last century, there was an era when men were simply too butch and strong (or out of tune with their conscious side?!) to even think about their body image. Rarely would you hear a bloke voicing his concerns about his flab or eating a fat-laden meal followed by two puddings. It just wasn’t what was expected of men. But times change… And like generations of womenfolk, the guys are now worrying about their weight, what they eat and a range of untoned body areas.

It’s not just the beer bellies

Arms, chest, legs and tums. Just like women have been complaining for years, the men are now spending a great deal of time fretting about areas of their body that they perceive to be less than perfect. How do we know this? Well, apart from what you must surely be hearing from your male friends and colleagues, a new study, carried out jointly by the Centre for Appearance Research (CAR) at UWE Bristol, The Succeed Foundation and Central YMCA, has found that:

  • 17.4% of men had a definite fear that they might gain weight every day
  • 17.8% of men felt fat every day
  • 62.8% worry about lack of arm muscle
  • 62.9% worry about lack of chest muscle.

Men would make huge sacrifices to gain the body beautiful

More than a third of men would even sacrifice a year of their life to achieve their ideal body weight or shape, according to the research. A lead researcher said: “The fact that one in three men would sacrifice a year of life to achieve their ideal weight and shape is a worrying sign and suggests that men are placing more value on their appearance than on other things, including life itself.” The fat talk isn’t helping Until recently, chat about body wobbles, diets and fitness was generally only heard among groups of women. Yes, you might have had a fleeting chat with your male partner in the confines of the home about his weight gain or fitness, but men only talk about football, rugby and cars when the meet at the pub. However, 21st century man is now almost as likely as the fair sex to talk endlessly about their bodies and what they plan to do to get in better shape. The research has revealed that four in five British men regularly talk about one another’s body and most are unhappy with their muscularity. The most common topic is beer bellies. Sadly, it seems, the talk doesn’t actually help much. Opening up among each other about weight worries and fitness concerns simply leads to more negative thoughts. This mirrors research among women, which shows that listening to just five minutes of body talk can lower overall body confidence. The researcher said: “Historically conversation about your body has been perceived as something women do, but it’s clear from this research that men are also guilty of commenting on one another’s bodies. In many cases this is having a damaging effect. “The high levels of body talk that we have found in men are symptomatic of a growing obsession with appearance.” The study showed that, like women, body talk among men also affects their self-esteem. It can even make them too self-conscious to go to the gym. Hey guys, welcome to the self-conscious world of women!

Time to re-think our body-perfect obsession?

Perhaps it’s time for both men and women to re-evaluate why we are so obsessed with the body-perfect. While being fit and healthy is important it isn’t necessary to over do it. Health experts recommend around an hour of exercise every day and a balanced diet. Surely, this isn’t worth obsessing about and it’s actually not that difficult to achieve. Or is it? Tell us your views on male and female fitness obsessions.

Good versus bad of yoga

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The “good and bad” of yoga argument continues to rumble on. Internet news sites have been reporting on recent spate of yoga-related injuries, including stories of chronic back pain created by doing yoga, “how power yoga can do more harm than good”, and “over-pushing in yoga cause long-term injuries”.

On the other side of the fence, yoga promoters continue their mantra of “yoga being the best form of exercise since the invention of the wheel”.

The chances are, that on both sides, there is a little exaggeration of the actual truth. Whatever form of exercise you choose to take part in, if you over-do it you’ll have an increased risk of injury. Being taught by an unqualified instructor can also lead to injuries, but this applies to all sports, including running, cycling, aerobics and more.

Shona, a qualified yoga teacher of 10 years, says: “Putting things into perspective, yoga does have a great many benefits… but if you go at it too hard or too long before your body is ready for it, the chances are you will end up with a niggle or an injury. It’s all about getting to know your body, starting slowly and building up the practice. If you follow the guidance of an expert teacher you will reap great benefits and avoid injury.”

And one of the greatest benefits of yoga is for improving back complaints. Back pain and injury is one of the most common ailments of desk-bound 21st century works, but by attending a yoga class it is possible to relieve back pain and strengthen your core muscles for you future good health. We have research-based evidence to prove this!

Yoga benefits revealed through research

1) A study published in Annals of Internal Medicine revealed that yoga is a safe and effective treatment for chronic back pain. The yoga in question was the Viniyoga form. The yoga participants had 12 weekly, 75-minute viniyoga classes, and after this course of treatment they found that they were much better able to do daily activities involving the back, compared to the non-yoga group.

2. A West Virginia University study in America found that Iyengar yoga “may relive chronic back pain more effectively than conventional treatment”. The yoga participants took Iyengar style yoga classes twice weekly for 24 weeks. The control group received standard medical care. The researchers found that the yoga group had better back-related function and less pain compared to the control group.

3. A control trial published in Pain Journal showed that Iyengar yoga may help to reduce back pain. The participants took part in weekly yoga sessions for 16 weeks after which they all reported a significant decrease in the level of their back pain.

Tell us about your experiences of yoga. Good or bad?

Spring clean your fitness clothing wardrobe

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Are you smelling a scent of spring in the air? Do you feel the promise of warmer days and brighter evenings? If so, you have the perfect excuse for giving your fitness clothing wardrobe a mini makeover.

While buying a few new items of fitness clothing will involve getting out your bankcard there are a number of benefits to additional fitness clothing and kit:

Feel-good factor: Popping on a new pair of trainers and a shiny new fitness clothing outfit is guaranteed to make you feel good about yourself. No-one is going to find a workout easy when they are wearing age-old and faded out kit so a fresh, brightly coloured t-shirt, new leggings and even new socks in a whiter shade (rather than a grey) will make you feel good and have you smiling as you glance at your image in the mirror.

Important boob factor: This one is for the girls. High quality sports bras are vital for keeping your boobs in place and for preventing sagging in later life. But did you know that many bras can only withstand 12 washes in the washing machine. After this, the support starts to decrease. So a couple of new sports bras will have you stepping into spring with confidence and less bounce!

Go for bounce: While women will be keen to keep their boobs in one place, when it comes to footwear bounce is an asset. Running and walking trainers need to be replaced so that they provide enough cushioning for injury prevention. Running or walking in a brand-new pair of trainers is always a joy. Go on, see what we mean!

Motivation: Buy a set of fitness clothes that fit you and another set in a reduced size. That way you’ll have the motivation to lose weight and get in shape just so you can prove to yourself that you can fit into a dress size smaller.

Keep up with the trends: Flappy running shorts and loose-fit vests went out with the turn of the century so if you haven’t woken up to the trends of 2012 now is the time to do so. This season is all about blocks of bright and bold colours. Mix and match black leggings or lycra-tight shorts with bright vests and t-shirts, such as fuchsia pink, turquoise and lime green. The guys have a wealth of similar options, including bright blues, reds, oranges and yellows.  Look out, too, for running trainers in colours other than your average white and black. Many brands are now creating footwear in a rainbow range of colours.

No sweat: Fitness clothing doesn’t last forever, and that includes the sweat-wicking properties of some fitness clothes. Update your fitness clothing wardrobe to ensure that you are not the whiffy keep-fitter in the gym or runner out on the streets. There are many different items to choose from and all with an array of sweat-wicking fabrics and promises. You’ll be amazed how effective a new t-shirt can be when it hasn’t been worn for years and washed 50 times.

Cycling v Running

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When people think about getting fitter, they often start with jogging. However, this isn’t always the best thing to do. In this article, we look at the benefits of cycling over running.

The whole idea of exercise is to keep fit, which generally means doing something. So, what happens when you are out running and you need to gather your breath, you stop. However, when you are out cycling, as you are sat down, you may stop turning the pedals but at least you are still moving. Runners are stopped but are still using their leg muscles as they are stood up. Cyclists are sat down and so are resting their leg muscles for a brief time.

When you run downhill, you put a lot of pressure on your feet, ankles, shins & thighs. However, riding a bike downhill is great fun and takes very little effort. Another reason to choose a bike over running shoes are shin splints – ouch! Bikes support your body and so reduces the risk of injuries caused by running, like shin splints.

Cycling Makes You Feel Younger

It’s official, cycling makes you feel younger. As cycling helps to circulate blood around your body, and helps you to lose weight, it benefits your heart. Research done by the British Heart Foundation shows that cycling at least 20 miles per week reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. Compared to non-cyclists, there is more than a fifty percent benefit. So, riding your bike reduces stress, makes you fitter, healthier and thus younger. In fact, Sharp (the National Forum for Coronary Heart Disease Prevention) suggest that cyclists who cycle on a regular basis, have a fitness level comparable to someone 10 years younger. See, I told you it was true!

Benefits of Cycling

Cycling is an aerobic activity, which means it can help get oxygen into your body. This in turn helps to deliver oxygen and nutrients into your muscles. As you exercise, your lungs expand to take in oxygen, your heart beats faster to take this oxygen around the body. Thus, a strong heart and powerful lungs are the building blocks of general fitness.

You only have to cycle a few miles per day to help you develop your muscles, we’re not talking about turning yourself into a body builder, just a healthier version of yourself. Cycling helps to develop the upper thigh muscles, the backside muscles and the calf muscles. For women, this helps develop beautifully toned & shapelier legs.

Cycling helps with weight loss, it increases energy levels and helps the body to burn fat. This article highlights how many calories we burn cycling and this one is a guide to energy drinks and foods for cycling

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How to look sporty – and feminine

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As more and more women take up fitness and sports activities, so sports clothing designers and manufacturers are responding with gear that is both practical and feminine.

If you’re new to sport then you’ll not recall the many decades when women were forced to buy small men’s sports clothing in a range of bloke-ish blues, blacks and greys. The cut of these clothes was rarely flattering and the fit was male-orientated and definitely not great for the female physique. Remember flappy running shorts and vests that revealed too much bare skin? Oh dear!

You see, if you’ve been paying attention, women tend to have longer legs compared to men, and shorter bodies. They have smaller waists and bigger chests and hips. Many sporty women are proud of their physiques so they prefer to have clothing that fits beautifully and offers a flattering line.

Brilliantly, contemporary women’s fitness clothing includes feminine-fit, bright colours and detailed design. The choice is amazing too, so you do not need to look like your pal’s twin sister, unless you want to!

One key trend also sees a range of sports clothing that can be worn to the gym or for everyday wear. Lycra and sports-fitting clothing are comfortable so many women are now choosing to wear leggings and sports tops as leisure wear in the evenings, when walking the kids to school and at weekends.

You don’t need to be a Tomboy to love sports

Take a close look at the detailing in women’s sports clothing today and you’ll see a host of feminine features. Tops are cut to neatly fit waists and chests. Sports shorts and trousers offer room for wider hips but without being unflatteringly baggy.

Clothing is cut, nipped, tucked and designed to follow the contours of the female physique.

However, for women who do want to hide some areas  of their body, such as bums and tums, there are designs that will still flatter. Skorts, for example, are created with a skirt over the top of lycra shorts to offer a more flattering look. Sports tops and vests also come in tight-fitting and looser fit to suit the individual’s shape.

T-shirts with v-necks or round necks and pretty capped sleeves are also popular among women who want to keep fit and look good.

This summer look out for fitted vests, especially those with internal bra supports. Women’s two-in-one shorts are also set to be big. The shorts have an internal Lycra short with a looser-fit running short over the top.

If you don’t want the top of your legs to be on display but you still want to look summery  choose capri or three-quarter length leggings or sports pants. There is a choice of high waist, low waist, wide waist and with drawstring or without.

The sports clothing colours this season

Bright pinks, berry colours, vivid blues and purples are set to be big again. This year look out for yellows, lime greens and oranges, too. In fact, it’s a year for rainbow coloured clothing!

And who ever imagined that sports bras had to be black or white? Sports bras and supporting crop tops now come in an array of fabulous colours. So much so, that your sports bra could easily double as a top in itself when the going gets hot.

Looking fit and feminine never felt so good!

Benefits of yoga for runners

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Jane arrived at her first yoga class feeling fit and ready for anything. Just 10 minutes into the Ashtanga-style yoga class, the keen runner and mum-of-two realised that while she might be fit and fairly lean, she wasn’t flexible. Not in the least. In fact, the 70-year-old yogi to her right was able to reach and hold yoga poses to a far greater extent than Jane, and she was surprised to see the amazing suppleness of the rather large lady to her left.

By the end of the 90 minute class, Jane was in no doubt that she needed to attend a yoga session at least once a week, if not twice.

She says: “I realised just how stiff my joints and muscles are during the yoga class. I could hardly even touch my toes at the class start but by the end I was able to wrap the tips of my fingers under my toes. So this was amazing progress.

“I had heard that runners have tight muscles, especially in their legs but I really didn’t realise how tight my muscles are.

“I know that it’s of benefit to runners to have nicely stretched muscles and some flexibility, especially if we want to avoid injury, so I decided there and then that I’d pursue the yoga thing.”

That was three years ago. Jane still attends a regular Ashtanga-style class and has definitely reaped the benefits.

She says: “I feel so much more balanced in my running style and stronger, too. I have much stronger core muscles and I rarely get injured from my running. I am now in my early 40s so I would be expecting to pick up regular niggles but the yoga seems to perfectly balance the running.”

The benefits of yoga for runners

  • The range and number of yoga postures can help to correct muscle imbalances that result from high-impact training. Yoga can help to align the joints, improve bone density, stretch and stabilise the body to prevent pain and injury, particularly in injury-prone areas such as hips, hamstrings, Achilles tendon and the iliotibial band (IT band).
  • Standing yoga postures correctly align the knee, strengthen the arches of the feet to provide better shock absorbers and maintain healthy connective tissue in the foot and shin.
  • Standing yoga postures also improve balance, pelvic stability and leg strength.
  • Dynamic and flowing yoga sequences develop a sense of rhythm between breath and movement. These sequences can also improve stamina and coordination.
  • Yoga breath work and concentration exercises can improve body awareness and confidence – and lead to a more positive attitude to your running pursuits.

Why not book up a few yoga sessions at your gym or local yoga centre in the coming months and see if you reap the same benefits?

Fitness fashion trends for 2012

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It’s not just the exercise that you do that’s important, it’s also how you look. In 2012, there’s a host of fab fashion predictions for keep-fitters. Here we bring you the best from the fitness fashionistas.

Accessorise: Headbands, sweatbands, arm warmers, bags, gloves, socks, laces, you name it, the fitness accessories arena is burgeoning with a host of funky kit and designs. If you want to be a trend leader this year at the gym or while out for a run you need to find a unique accessory and wear it with pride.

WomensTempoRunningShorts-BlackandWhiteBlack and white: Last year, fitness clothing was bright. Think neon yellows, pinks and greens. In 2012, the fitness trendies are fighting back with a return to neutral colours, and especially black and whites. But don’t mix and match white tops with black leggings. It’s all black or all white if you want to keep up with the trendies.

Hair today: Beards are in for the guys, while long hair is on trend for the girls. Apparently, there is nothing cooler than a buff athlete with a burly beard (think David Beckham). And for the ladies, the hottest look is definitely not short, pixie cuts but long lovely locks (perhaps tied up in a high bun for your workout).

Cool Runnings

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Despite the unseasonally warm weather this Autumn we are now well and truly heading into winter, and if you want to keep safe and warm whilst running outdoors there are plenty of running clothes and accessories to keep you both toasty and visible.

As the temperatures drop and the evenings get darker, it becomes increasingly important to wear running gear that is insulated and has reflective piping – the more the better!  Ronhill have produced the Vizion Windlite Jacket, an ideal lightweight running jacket that is both wind resistant and water repellent, keeping you protected against the elements.  The jacket comes in Fluo Yellow for men and Fluo Pink for women, with reflective graphics and tape, which means it boasts 360 degree reflectivity, providing maximum visibility.

The Vizion Windlite Jacket is also LED compatible, which means you can attach Ron hill’s battery operated Vizion LED Running Strap, a brilliantly simple gadget that either glows or flashes to make you extra visible in bad light. It easily clips on to your jacket and you can wear as many as you want, thought I would avoid covering yourself in them in case you start to look like a mobile disco!

If you love to listen to music whilst you run, Ronhill have also produced an ideal two-in-one with their LED MP3 Armband which not only comfortably holds your MP3 player, but comes with the Vizion LED so you can listen to you music and been seen in the dark.  It’s easy to see why Ronhill have earned a reputation as a leading British running wear brand!

If I say the word headband to you, I’m sure horrific visions of 80s aerobics classes will float through your mind, however if, like me, your ears really feel the chill on colder days turning an attractive shade of pink, wearing a lightweight headband can help keep them warm whilst regulating your body temperature.  Ronhill have produced the cotton Women’s Vizion Headband (yes, it matches the jacket!) which keeps your ears warm and of course increases your visibility in poor weather conditions, all without even a whiff of Jane Fonda.

It’s not just your ears that can suffer whilst running in the winter but your hands (mine often take on a matching shade of pink), in which case investing in a good pair of lightweight gloves seems the most obvious solution.  However, gloves and touch screen MP3 players or phones lead to the irritating situation where you have to remove your gloves to change a song or answer a call, getting a cold hand or accidentally dropping the glove – all of which sounds like far too much hassle! Fortunately, some running gloves, such as the comfortable F3 Sports Glove by eGlove, have developed in line with technology.  Just as warm and soft as a traditional glove, the F3 Sports Glove is designed with conductive fabric on the forefinger and thumb that enables you to use a touch screen without having to take them off  (having recently tried a pair, I can safely say that it really does work!). They even have all important night reflective detailing, and can of course be worn for a multitude of activities.  Brilliant!

Fit deck exercise cards and app

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PushUpsRecently I have been away on holiday and with that comes the guilt or pleasure of missing my regular exercise. No gym, no exercise, seems a fair exchange? This year I decided my holiday would actually be an opportunity to get fitter not fatter. Usually I train most week days, running, swimming, and gym so I would say I reasonably fit but have never tried fit deck previously.

Before leaving I worked out a body weight routine with my trainer and also downloaded Fitdeck from the app store. This is the electronic version of the card system which comprises of about 50 playing cards each with an exercise on. You then “play” or perform as many cards as you feel fit (excuse the pun). No equipment is required for any of the exercises so you only need yourself…no excuses now.

QuadI never had the original card set but the app has additional pre exercise warm up and stretches, then your select amount of exercise cards then warm down cards. You can also select your level so as a beginner you may get 10 repetitions, 20 as an intermediate, 30 as an advanced. The cards are dealt equally between upper, mid, lower and complete body exercises so you get a balanced workout. If an exercise requires a time i.e. hold this position for 30 seconds, you can tap the counter and it will bleep once the time expires. Each exercise has a diagram and brief explanation which I managed to follow easily enough. A few exercises were not clear to me and seemed very easy so I guess I wasn’t doing it right. I suppose in todays video enhanced world short video clips with an audio explanation would make it even better but the current 2D system is still great. The app also records your sessions in it’s log with all the exercises you completed so you can see what you have done.

I can see Fitdeck being ideal for those away from home with the majority I would say being able to be performed in a hotel room. If like me you struggle to memorise routines this could be a great addition to you exercise regime.

You can download Fit Deck today from iTunes.