Fitness Magazine

Blog about strength, conditioning, combat skills and weight loss

Eat the Rainbow: Eating colourful fruit and veg can keep You Fit and Healthy

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Eating your greens is super important; but don’t forget about your reds, yellows, oranges, blues and purples, too. The colour of our food can be an indicator of its nutritional value.

Often the colour pigments within fruit and veg are like protective little warriors which help lower our risk of disease. (The colours in the pick ’n’ mix from the sweet shop is not the same thing!)

The colourful phytochemicals within fruit and vegetables act as antioxidants, which clear out potentially harmful molecules (called free radicals) before they get a chance to damage our cells.

These little colourful warriors protect us from a number of health problems, such as heart disease, cancer, cataracts and even premature ageing.

Different colours have different properties, which is why when you’re picking your daily dose of fruit and veg you should select from each of the colour groupings: red, orange/yellow, green and purple/blue.

The added bonus of this is that mealtimes will include a variety of flavours and textures, making eating even more enjoyable. [Read more…] about Eat the Rainbow: Eating colourful fruit and veg can keep You Fit and Healthy

What’s the best exercise to Burn Fat?

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The secret to fat loss is simpler than you think.

The single question I get asked the most is a variation of this one. People want the quickest solution to fat loss. They want to know how to lose the belly or the love handles; how to drop 10kg for summer. People very rarely want to know the real answer, though. The amount of consultations I’ve had with people convinced that 1,200 calorie-a-day diets and hitting the treadmill seven days a week will give them that fitness-model look is unreal.

“It worked last time,” they tell me. “I lost 10kg before,” they say. And over and over I explain that it didn’t really work last time if you put it all back on six months later. They tell me about the butter they’ve been putting in their coffee and the clingfilm they’ve got wrapped around their waist; about the fancy gadget they got to zap the fat away and how they haven’t eaten carbs in since 1999.

Everyone wants to know the BEST exercise to burn fat. Is it the treadmill or crunches? Everyone does a lot of crunches. Crunches for days. Crunching away the belly that never budges.

The thing is, the answer you’re looking for isn’t as complicated as you might think. Firstly, you don’t need to go on a crazy diet. In fact, crazy generally means temporary and will never give you lasting results. And secondly, nobody gets that ‘toned’ look you’re talking about without picking up a few weights – unless you’ve been genetically gifted by the gods. And thirdly, there’s more to abs than sit ups (see this FREE abs workout).

The main thing to remember is to get your diet in check. [Read more…] about What’s the best exercise to Burn Fat?

The Powerful AB circuit You need in your Routine

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A strong core is key to progressing in any workout.

Having a strong core is the foundation to performing in whatever activity you want to perform in, from running to building muscle to carry home your groceries. So it’s important to include some ab work into your routine each week.

Now, there’s more to working your core than doing sit ups. And while there’s nothing wrong with sit ups, but let’s be honest: they can be a bit boring. And nobody wants to do a boring workout. So why not try this instead.

When it comes to ab workouts, it’s about quality over quantity. Don’t rush. Ripping through the motions isn’t going to strengthen that core; but it is likely to cause you some pain. Slow it down and focus on each rep. The slower you go, the harder you have to work. With slow, concentrated effort, you’ll be building up sets of quality moves.

Rest for 15 seconds between each exercise. [Read more…] about The Powerful AB circuit You need in your Routine

Which Protein Powder should You choose?

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Protein powders are a common staple in many an athlete’s training plan. Fitness enthusiasts across the board are now turning to protein powders, too. But how on earth is anyone supposed to decide which type/brand to go for?

If you’re a little overwhelmed by all the products on the shelves, maybe this will help.

What to look for in a protein powder

When it comes to protein, Whey is generally recognised as the don by most fitness and nutrition professionals. This is mostly because it represents major proteins in human breast milk – as opposed to cow’s milk, which is mainly casein. (It does come from cows, though – not humans!)

Whey is a source of essential amino acids, which are hugely important in the maintenance of muscle. It’s an excellent post-workout choice because of its rapid absorption into the body and high levels of Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs). It’s generally the easiest protein to digest and will get to your muscles the fastest.

Whey powders often combine isolates and concentrates. Isolates are considered purer, so those types are often more expensive.

Casein can take 2-4 hours to digest, so is not recommended for use during or after workouts, where you’d want something faster to digest. It’s good as a pre-bed protein, as the slow release can get to work while you’re sleeping, helping to reduce the delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) that happens after a good workout. (Eating some cheese before bed does the same thing.) [Read more…] about Which Protein Powder should You choose?

What are BCAAS? + PhD nutrition INTRA BCAA+ Powder Review

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BCAAs, or Branched Chain Amino Acids, are the building blocks of muscle protein. They’re considered the most important supplement in a sports nutrition programme and can be the difference between seeing and not seeing results.

It can be difficult to get enough of these amino acids, particularly if you exercise a lot. Working out burns amino acids rapidly, and if you don’t replenish them adequately, you may find that your not making any progress no matter how hard you train.

There are nine essential amino acids: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan and valine. These amino acids don’t need digestion and go straight into the bloodstream for immediate use by muscle cells. The main three that everyone talks about (the BCAAs) are Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine. [Read more…] about What are BCAAS? + PhD nutrition INTRA BCAA+ Powder Review