Spending hours on the treadmill or racking up mileage on the road has always been seen as the best way to burn fat, lose weight and get fit. I’m going to let you in on a little secret, you no longer need to spend hours a day sweating. Nope, you can get the same and even better benefits from high intensity interval training (HIIT) or high intensity circuit training (HICT- strength component). This kind of exercise takes 30- 40 minutes and burns about 200 calories every 20 minutes (if done right) AND keeps you burning calories throughout the day. Not only does it burn those calories, but it is also very beneficial to your VO2 Max which in turn, increases your overall cardiovascular fitness.
I watched a Documentary on BBC called ‘The Truth about Exercise’ and they have scientifically proven this method to stay fit and healthy. They even recommend a quick 3 minute workout a day that WILL keep you fit, healthy, lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. This 3 minute workout includes 20 seconds of intense, fast, all out cycling/running/elliptical, followed by a 30 second recovery. You then repeat that 3 times. And then you’re done for the day! This method is for those of you who just want to remain healthy and partially fit.
HIIT or HICT is definitely, in my opinion, the most effective form of exercise. To create your own circuit, you need to mix up some strength training, functional exercises with some high intensity exercises such as jump squats, jump lunges, burpees, clean and jerks etc. Anything that will elevate your heart rate.
I have been training like this for years and the benefits are amazing. If you would like to check out the documentary, you can find it online through the following link:
I am currently on my end of term vacation. It is a grand total of one week long but, wow, is it great to have some down time. After a very busy, physically and mentally demanding two months, it really is wonderful to be able to relax for a bit and not have to worry about a thing. Of course, people vary in what they mean by ‘relax’ and everyone’s ideal holiday is very different.
My idea of the perfect one week holiday involves gracing the gym floors of Virgin Active, my beloved, every day with my greatest gym partner, my Mom. I really do miss those training sessions when I am away, as well as the high tech equipment, vast space and air-conditioned gym (no, the university gym is NOT air-conditioned). If it were summer, I would be taking advantage of the beach and bronzing my skin (responsibly of course), but because it is not autumn, I am enjoying a good amount of shopping, dining out, cycles along the beach front and spending time with my family. That is my IDEAL holiday. No worries, no deadlines, no need to dress up or wear shoes for that matter (apart from in the gym).
Some people may just like to spend their week reading in a hammock, catching up on missed series, partying non-stop with their friends or even- GASP- working… What is your ideal holiday? Do you like to stay fit and healthy? Or do you like to take that week to indulge and avoid the gym all together?
Since I was young, my family have always enjoyed active holidays; snorkelling in Mauritius, quad biking in Doha, hiking in Thailand, theme parks in Australia and scuba diving in Indonesia… never a dull moment, that’s for sure! For me, active holidays are the best. I get very bored just sitting around reading. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good TV session or spending an hour or two reading, but I get itchy feet and crave physical activity.
If you are the type of person who likes to veg out and take advantage of fast food and packaged sugary treats when you are on holiday, then I suggest you take a little look at what your vacation habits are doing to your body. To often people fall prey to that dreaded holiday weight gain. It seems so silly because most people actually try to LOSE weight before they go on holiday so that they look and feel great, only to put it all back on, and MORE when they go away. Here are some tips to stay clear of taking home that extra baggage:
Do something active everyday. This can be going for a walk, swimming in the sea, cycling around town, playing a game of tennis or bat and ball on the beach, playing a round of golf or even going bowling. Just get off your butt and do something fun!
When eating out, opt for healthier meals that include grilled meat/poultry/fish and salad or vegetables. If you MUST have starch, go for brown rice or sweet potato. Stay clear of fried foods and cheese laden meals.
Make ONE meal during your holiday a cheat. Choose your favourite kind of food and indulge… once.
Get your family in on it. Get them to do fun activities with you and try new healthy foods.
Avoiding that holiday weight gain will ensure that you come home feeling fresh, light and revived; instead of sluggish, heavy and guilty.
Protein shakes have become huge within the fitness industry. They are regarded as the ultimate ‘muscle building formula’. These tasty shakes are the perfect go-to, low calorie snack or post/pre workout meal… but how good are they really? Is spending a bunch of money on a barrel of vanilla flavoured powder really more beneficial then eating regular high protein foods such as chicken, eggs and tuna? I do love the convenience of protein shakes, and I love the versatility of them. Being able to make whatever kind of shake I want and even using the powder to make protein pancakes or oats is another added benefit.
Got Protein?
In my opinion, the only people that should be taking protein on a regular basis are body builders, athletes, very active individuals and vegetarians. Most regular adults should be able to get the recommended 45-56 grams of protein a day from a healthy diet rich in lean meat and poultry. Those who exercise regularly will need a higher intake of protein to help with muscle growth and recovery, that’s when shakes come in handy. Lets be honest, eating a bunch of eggs and chicken breasts gets a little boring after a while. Protein shakes are a great way to mix it up, plus they are easy to whip up and take on the go.
Since there are so many different kinds of protein shakes (whey, soy, rice, egg, casein, etc.), I am going to stick to the most popular, Whey. So what is whey protein? It is a “complete protein” that is fast and easy to digest. Whenever we eat a protein source, our body uses the 20 amino acids to repair our bones, muscles, organs and virtually every body part and tissue in the human body. There are a number of health benefits of supplementing whey protein:
weight loss
Assistance in increasing muscle mass
Anti-cancer properties
Decreases cholesterol
Increase in glutathione levels (your body’s main water-based anti-oxidant)
Increase in immune system function
Increase in power in sports
Decreased recovery time and symptoms of over-training
Unfortunately, some people do experience some side effects while taking whey protein. This is mainly caused by milk allergies or lactose intolerance and can cause:
Stomach pains
Cramps
Reduced appetite
Nausea
Headaches
fatigue
I must say, I was worried about the fact that too much protein is “bad for the kidneys.” But, research though has shown this is not true at all in healthy people. For those with known kidney disease, high protein diets can increase pre-existing conditions. But, healthy people, without any underlying or unknown kidney disease have nothing to worry about with higher intakes of protein. Great news! But what does happen with a high protein diet is that your body then adapts to an increase in protein by increasing glomerular filtration rates to flush out the extra protein which leads to more fluid passing by your kidneys, and thus, an increase in urine. That explains a lot!
When is the most effective time to take Whey protein?
Whey protein is fast digesting, so the best time to take it by itself would be within 30-60 minutes after strength training. If you want to have it as a quick snack or for breakfast then it is best to pair it with other foods to slow down the digestion. I often make protein pancakes which I like to add whey to. They are DELICIOUS! You can also add some nuts, oats or fruit to your shake. The combination of the fat will help slow down the digestion of the protein, thereby allowing insulin levels to stay level, while also stimulating CCK, which is a hormone that helps tell your body that you’re full.
Protein pancakes:
1/2 scoop vanilla (or chocolate) whey protein
2 egg whites
1/4 cup oats
cinnamon
Method: Mix all the ingredients together and cook like regular pancakes. Enjoy with some low fat plain yogurt.
The Verdict:
I believe that if possible, stick to a healthy diet full of REAL, fresh foods. On the other hand, I am definitely not opposed to supplements if you are serious about training, competing or you are an athlete. Protein powders in general have great physical and physiological benefits. They are convenient and don’t contain too many unnecessary ingredients. Personally I would opt for a whey protein with no artificial flavours, purely because I don’t think flavourants are very good for you, just your taste buds.
Overall, I give Whey Protein (and the rest of the protein family) a thumbs UP!
I have written about this topic before now that I have been immersed in University life for the past two months, it is frightening to see how real this phenomenon is. It is clear why and how first year spread conquers most young girls: alcohol, constant late nights, drunken munchies, fast food and laziness. Yup, it is as simple as that! Now the reason WHY girls do this to themselves is simple. They lose control. After being ‘controlled’ by their parents for the past 18 years, they now have the freedom to do anything they want. So they get drunk every second night, hit the local petrol station for late night pies, and order Steers the next day for breakfast, lunch AND dinner all the while sitting on their bed watching How I Met Your Mother the entire day. If this sounds familiar, you yourself a favour and check yourself before you wreck yourself.
I went to university at the age of 21, determined NOT to fall prey to weight gain. What did I do? I LOST weight. How did I do it?
I set myself a number of goals before I left for Uni. I wanted to get good grades, attend most my lectures, get involved in a lot of sport and make first team netball (my favourite sport). I also wanted to get a job at the gym so that I could make some extra cash and get some more experience. Not only have I achieved all of the above, but I have also managed to have an awesome social life, get involved in a community engagement project AND workout everyday with my new training partner. While doing all of this I have been able to keep to my healthy eating on a budget and get enough sleep to get me through the next day without any problems.
Being on the go the whole time has been so rewarding and has made me feel so accomplished. The weight loss has been an extra bonus.
I also set some goals for myself with regards to fitness and health. I wanted to be able to do 10 pull ups easily, get down to 54kgs and 15% body fat, do 10 clapping push ups and 10 hanging v-raises (toes all the way up to the bar).
So far I have managed to achieve my 10 pull ups, get down to 56kgs (2kgs to go), 17% body fat (2% to go) and 5 clapping push ups. The hanging v-raises are still on my list!
My diet has been relatively simple, with most days being pretty similar My staples are oats, apples, tuna, salad, rice cakes, peanut butter (natural), chicken, pineapple and on occasion, ostrich steak. Oh yes, and I treat myself to Lindt dark chocolate… AMAZING!
I plan on aspiring and motivating the girls at University to live a healthy lifestyle and try to balance everything for a healthier body. I am so excited for my future endeavours, and hope to make a difference in the lives of many people across campus, and the world. That is my ultimate goal.
I know I know, it has been a couple of weeks since I have written ANYTHING on my precious blog and I feel terrible! Neglect is never a good thing! But here me out, I have been so busy trying to balance by new hectic life and honestly, time has been a slight issue. I am slowly learning to manage all my new activities so I WILL be writing consistently again!
Right, so what exactly have I been up to? Well, I’m trying to balance studying with sport, socialising, working out and working. I have been writing essay after essay and preparing for test after test. I have also made it into first team netball so I have practice now 4 times a week, which is wonderful but super tiring!
The best part is that I got a job at the campus gym as a personal trainer! So I have been trying to set up clients and organise my time to fit all that in. On top of that, I am starting a weekend boot camp called ‘HIIT IT’. As the name suggests, it is going to be a high intensity interval training boot camp that incorporates purely functional fitness.
All of this is so exciting but quite overwhelming for someone who is used to having no commitments and waking up thinking ‘what should I do today?’ so please forgive me, I will get back on track and motivate the hell out of everyone!
I am now on a one week holiday and enjoying my much needed R&R and spending time with my family. Now is a great time to get my blog back up and running.
On the plus side, I have managed to not only AVOID first year spread, but actually reverse it! Yup, I have lost weight. 1kg to be exact, and I am down to 17% body fat. I am also planning on competing in the USN Face of Fitness this September, so watch this space!
If anyone has any particular topics they would like me to write about, please don’t hesitate to ask. I would love to get some feedback and Ideas.
Spending hours on the treadmill or racking up mileage on the road has always been seen as the best way to burn fat, lose weight and get fit. I’m going to let you in on a little secret, you no longer need to spend hours a day sweating. Nope, you can get the same and even better benefits from high intensity interval training (HIIT) or high intensity circuit training (HICT- strength component). This kind of exercise takes 30- 40 minutes and burns about 200 calories every 20 minutes (if done right) AND keeps you burning calories throughout the day. Not only does it burn those calories, but it is also very beneficial to your VO2 Max which in turn, increases your 
overall cardiovascular fitness.
Live, Love, Lift 