Here are Kelly's words of fitness wisdom from January 2011:
New Year Healthy Eating Tips January 2011
Diet – no thanks!
So you’ve probably overdone the rich food and booze over the festive season and are now planning a drastic diet to get back into shape.
Don’t do it – drastic diets can be harmful to your health and be very difficult to stick to.
Rather than cutting food out, try portion control instead.
Ideally, you should be looking at the following portion sizes for a healthy, balanced diet:
- Pasta or rice – a heaped handful
- Potatoes – a computer mouse
- Lean meat – a pack of cards
- Fish – a cheque book
- Cheese or chocolate – a small matchbox
- Sweets/jellybeans or nuts – 8 – 12
But this is the best news – zero calorie foods:
Surely all foods have calories?
Yes, but these foods also include a balance of macronutrients (protein/carbs/fats), vitamins and minerals.
Enzymes break down calorific content and these foods are said to contain enough vitamins and minerals to stimulate enough enzymes to break down the calories – so they are effectively zero calories!
These wonderful foods are:
Apples, asparagus, beetroot, blueberries, celery, lemon, lettuce, green beans, oranges, peaches, pineapple, radishes, raspberries, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, turnips and watermelon.
What a cracking fruit salad! And remember, all these foods add to your healthy five a day portions.
Happy Eating!
Training Tips for the Girls
On a Sunday I make it my "free session" which means I could do anything - depending on how I feel (if I go out the night before it could be a swim).
Or if I've missed a body part during the week, I'll do a good session on that.
Sometimes it's a good cardio blast while catching up on the soaps on the tv screens.
Today I did a 40 minute run and then some core work.
Sunday's a great day to train it has a nice chilled atmosphere, some people are reading the newspaper, it's a chance when partners can train together or girlfiends catch up and have a good gossip.
Today two ladies caught my attention. They'd been walking on the treadmill chatting away and then moved on to the inner and outer thigh toning machines. They were working away completing lots of repetitions. Still having a good gossip. After I'd finished my 3 sets of stomach work and looked again. They were still there on the same machines completing more reps like there wasn't a care in the world.
Most ladies use these machines because we'd love to get rid of our flabby thighs, but are these going to do the trick?
Sadly not. Time to try something different.....
- Much more effective exercises can be done by simply squeezing a firm fitball between your thighs and hold for 20 secs at a time increasing the time up to a minute as you progress.
- Or why not try side lunges holding dumbells. You step out to the side and as you push back to the centre draw the dumbells upright under your chin leading with your elbows to perform an upright row. This will work your upper back muscles too. So not only are you working more muscles in your lower body by performing lunges you are saving time and incorporating upper body too.
- Plie squats are also great too. These are performed by taking a very wide stance and turning your feet outwards (like a ballerina) You go down as low as you can keeping your back neutral and knees over toes squeezing your glutes throughout the repetition.
If you are unsure of how to perform these exercises and want to try them, please ask one of the fitness staff.
But remember - this is only going to help tone the areas. If you are wanting to beat away the flab, then more cardio work may be needed or take in less calories.
And finally for all you men out there - don't feel embarressed by performing these excercises! It's just as important that you work the adductors and abductors (inner and outer thighs) especially if you play sport. It helps strengthen your thighs and prevents injuries.
Happy Leg work:)
Training Tips for the Boys
OK boys so you want to build up?
You go to the gym to pump those pecs and get them guns ready for the weekend.
So when I’m training myself, It’s rare I see guys doing a tough leg workout.
I’ll have a chat with them and they’ll tell me they are doing “chest and triceps today luv, I did back and biceps yesterday.”
Or ”It’s just arms today, I train my shoulders and abs every day.”
Guys why do you do this?
So I put it to them: "Do you not train your legs?”, knowing full well the response will probably be one of the following:
- “Nah, my legs are all good, they are big enough.”
- “No, I don’t need to train my legs, I want to focus on upper body.”
- “My legs get enough work from when I cycle to warm up or I play footy.”
Well let me tell you boys the best way to improve the upper body is to have a good leg work out at least once a week.
And I don’t mean a few sets on the leg extension and some reps on the calf machine.
I mean a hard session where the next day you are walking like John Wayne.
So we ‘re talking a variety of squats, lunges, high step ups with added weight and plyometric work (explosive movements) so you can superset.
Working large muscle groups stimulates growth in other areas so working on your legs will improve your strength for your upper body.
As I’m stretching out on the mats from my workout this morning, to my delight some of the Giants come to train - yep straight onto the stepper to warm up and then into leg work - walking lunges, static squats, kettle bell dead lifts.
As I look back I check out their upper body. Yep well toned big frame, with muscles that are strong no doubt. Probably something every guy wouldn’t mind looking like -
So boys, train those legs!
Kelly's December 2010 tips
Four key ways to weight loss success:
- Smaller portions
- Cutting back on sugary soft drinks
- Eating fewer high fat foods
- Consuming less alcohol
Drink Chocolate milk for recovery.
This needs to be fat free and is an excellent recovery drink. It stimulates muscle building and reduces muscle breakdown. Chocolate milk also replaces glycogen faster than a protein-free drink.
Drink within an hour of training.
Exercise reduces fatigue in cancer patients
Persistent fatigue affects 96% of cancer survivors.
Studies show that survival rate increased from 66% - 96% when the patient took part in moderate exercise for 3 months.
Kelly
Email Kelly on kelly.potts@kirklees.gov.uk
