Facts About Fats

Fats often get a bad press as most people associate fats with weight gain and see it as the enemy.

While it is true overconsumption of fat can cause weight gain, fat is actually incredibly beneficial for every cell function in your body and essential for life.

 GM Fitness would like to share with you the many fabulous facts about fats, that we hope will help demystify some common misconceptions regarding fat.

If the mere mention of the word Cholesterol conger up images of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease in your mind, then perhaps it is time to rethink what you have learned.

Cholesterol is necessary for the production of several hormones that are used to maintain homeostasis within your body.

Cholesterol is an important molecule in the body, but did you know that most of the cholesterol needed by our bodies is made by our own liver? The remaining cholesterol is obtained through the foods we consume. Persistently high cholesterol levels can be detrimental to our heart and blood vessels, but cholesterol also serves some very important functions in our body, including:

• Serving as a precursor for many hormones, including Testosterone and Estrogen
• Maintaining cell membrane integrity and fluid  
• Contributing to the formation of bile acids

Identifying Fats

Low density fats "Bad fats" LDL

LDL Cholesterol (Bad)
When too much LDL (bad) cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances, it can form plaque, this is a thick, hard deposit that can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, heart attack or stroke can result.

An easy way to remember your HDL from your LDL cholesterol is to think of a hoes pipe.

Imagine that you have two hoes pipes, the first pipe contains LDL low density lipo proteins, this hoes is running slowly because of its low pressure and contains a gravy like liquid and is dribbling out of the pipe.

 The second pipe contains HDL high density lipo protein this is a lovely clear fluid that is under high pressure and is spewing out like a fireman`s or firewoman`s hoes.   

High Density fat

High Cholesterol "Good fats" HDL (Good)

About one fourth to one third of blood cholesterol is carried by high-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL cholesterol is known as "good" cholesterol, because high levels of HDL seem to protect against heart attack. Low levels of HDL (less than 40 mg/dL) also increase the risk of heart disease. Medical experts think that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it's passed from the body. Some experts believe that HDL removes excess cholesterol from arterial plaque, slowing its build up.

Triglyceride is a form of fat made in the body. Elevated triglycerides can be due to overweight/obesity, physical inactivity, cigarette smoking, excess alcohol consumption and a diet very high in carbohydrates (60 percent of total calories or more). People with high triglycerides often have a high total cholesterol level, including a high LDL (bad) level and a low HDL (good) level. Many people with heart disease and/or diabetes also have high triglyceride levels.

Where we get these fats

Omega 6 (O-6) fatty acids are mostly in "land based foods”, such as  animal products, for example, beef, pork, poultry, eggs, dairy (other than non fat- skim milk etc.), beans  soy), grains (e.g corn, wheat, etc), nuts (walnuts have some O-3). Omega 3 are mostly in sea foods (especially fatty fish, although they have O-6 too. Wild fish get O-3 from krill. Land O-3 from foods such as  (walnuts, purslaine, flax seed.

The fatty acid most commonly found in flax-seed oil is α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18 carbons and 3 double bonds). In fish oil, they are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20 carbons and 5 double bonds), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22 carbons and 6 double bonds). ALA converts to EPA and DHA, but in limited amounts. Best to get your EPA and DHA from actual wild salmon and your ALA from flax.

Some foods that contain omega 3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to life, because they're necessary for our health, but our bodies can't make them. We get them in our diets in foods such as salmon, tuna, and halibut. Other seafood including algae, krill some plants; and nut oils. They're crucial in brain development, and are anti-inflammatory. Helpful in the prevention of heart disease, depression, and bipolar disorder.

Where are the most common places to find omega 6 fats?

Omega 6 diet sources Omega 6 (O-6) fatty acids are mostly found within and foods,  examples of these are animal products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs, dairy (other than non fat- skim milk etc.), beans (e.g. soy), grains (e.g corn, wheat, etc), nuts (walnuts have some O-3). Omega 3 are mostly in sea foods (especially fatty fish, although they have O-6 too. Wild fish get O-3 from krill. Land O-3 (walnuts, purslaine, flax not as well used)

Try to get most of your fat intake from whole food, unheated, unsaturated sources.

These fats are the ones that consistently show up as cardio protective because they either lower cholesterol or they come with other benefits such as antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Just remember that they are best for you in their natural, unheated, unsalted state, particularly hemp seeds, the only commonly used seed that contains GLA, a crucial,  hormone regulating fat that is rare in other foods.

OILS (extra virgin olive oil for salads and grape seed are great for higher temperature cooking) Grape seed oil’s temperature can be raised quite high before it begins to smoke so it is less damaged by the heat. It also may help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. This oxidation is what does the damage to the cardiovascular system, and there is some evidence that the antioxidants in grape seeds help protect blood vessel damage that occurs with high blood pressure.

To maintain the beneficial properties of your oil and ensure it is as healthy as possible.

Heat your pan first to medium or high heat without any oil in it. Have your ingredients ready to go in before you add the oil and add the food as quickly as you can after you add the oil.

This will prevent sticking, preserving the oil, and give a better colour and texture to your food. Extra virgin olive oil is an excellent source of unsaturated fat. However, you only get the benefit if it is cold pressed and served raw and unheated.

AVOCADOS: Avocados are loaded with good (monounsaturated) fat. Some people are put off the idea of eating avocados, due to the fact that they are high in calories, consuming Avocado will ensure you benefit from a beautiful natural source of fat, not to mention high in nutrients and an impressive amino acid profile. Avocados are normally eaten raw so to ensure you obtain the good fat at its optimum   as heating denatures the fruit.
They also contain potassium to regulate blood pressure and the nutrient foliate for heart health, add avocado to your salad to makes the fat soluble vitamins more available to your body.

Healthy Digestion

Chew your food properly, eat slowly and take time to chew your food properly it takes around 20min for your brain to realise you are full, slower eating also aids digestion and can help with weight management.

 Eat whole foods and avoid processed and refined food,  include healthy fats (omega 3,6,9), which you can always use a supplement,  minimise refined sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and cooked starches.

Healthy digestive system is essential for absorbing nutrients, excreting waste, keeping unwanted substances/pathogens out of the body, and maintaining a healthy immune system and nervous system.

  Elimination ridding the body of its normal metabolic waste will ensure a healthy colon and help flatter stomach as well reduce the risk of other diseases. Ground flax seeds, fruit and vegetables fibre and of course regular exercise support healthy elimination.

 Exercise is important for many reasons, stress reduction, circulation/cardiovascular health, weight control, mood, sleep, blood sugar, bowel function, and respiratory health are all affected.

Getting outside and moving daily is a great goal, exercise is especially important for your brain's ability to produce "happy" hormones. Such as dopamine and serotonin.

Sleep will improve your memory and immune system, and is essential to balancing your hormonal systems, which rely on a circadian rhythm. Get between 7-8 hours of sleep every night for optimal wellness.

 Get outside in the sun daily for optimal brain function, immune function, cancer prevention, mood, bone health, You will find no Vitamin D supplement on the market that is a better substitute then sunlight, be careful not to go into direct sunlight, try to go out between 9-11am, or 2 hours before sunset, and when using sunscreen.

Carbs and the crash diet

For a long time people have used fats as a scapegoat for the obesity epidemic that is rapidly overtaking the U.K and neighbouring countries. Major food companies encourage us to mass consume their product.

They have an inescapable influence on our day to day lives, from television , to poster and advertising boards telling us to buy and consume more products.

Thankfully our government is trying to make amends for the damage theses products have had on a large number of the population, measures such as providing food information relating to the nutritional content of supermarket products and their contents.

Other steps have included regulating how advertisements can be aired,  avoiding exposing children to certain food adverts at times when children are more likely to watch broad casts.

When people describe carbs in a negative way we are referring to the sugar and refined process that strips the foods of its nutritional value, carbs are not bad, in fact most are good it's all about the choices you make.

Good Choices

Choose whole grain

Eat as much unrefined food as possible

Brown rice / Brown Pasta/ Brown Bread /instead of white

Fruit of all descriptions try to get your five a day

Vegetables as much as you like try to get your five a day

Stick to white lean meats, eggs, and fish

Chocolate 70% cocoa or above

Bad Choices

Sweeteners

 Biscuits

Crisps

Sugar

Fizzy drinks / carbonated

Too much alcohol

Sweets

Take away  

 

What is the big deal about Essential Fatty Acids?

Our bodies desperately need fats they are essential for life helping maintain healthy blood pressure, blood sugar levels, sleep cycles, skin, kidney, liver, lung and heart function and brain function.

They also help with the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K

Sources of Omega 3

Flaxseed oil (organically grown, cold pressed oil) All dark green leafy vegetables specifically raw grape leaves, kale, spinach, mustard greens, endive and dandelion greens.

Nuts and Seeds – hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, brazil nuts, wheat germ, wheat germ and canola oil.

Cold water fish – cooked Salmon and raw salmon in sushi are my favourites, but also consider sardines, smelt, shad, anchovies.

Omega 6 [Linoleic Acid]

The good news is that this essential fat is so abundant in most foods we eat on a daily basis that it is very difficult to develop a deficiency in omega 6. It is, however, only healthy in moderation.

It aids in brain and muscle growth and also plays a role in the manufacture of important hormones in the body. Particularly relevant to MS (Multiple sclerosis), It is of vital importance in the nervous system, as a transmitter of nerve impulses. Possible symptoms of a deficiency include:

• Loss of Hair
• Liver and kidney degeneration
• Failure to heal wounds (indicating a run down immune system)
• Miscarriage
• Arthritis

Sources of Omega 6

It is found, in abundance in the following plants and their cold pressed oils:

Nuts – Walnuts, pecan nuts, cashew nuts, pine nuts and pistachio nuts are all great sources of Omega 6 – eat liberally!

Seeds – Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds will provide Omega 6, but avoid sunflower oil which is not healthy.

Avocados – are rich in fibre, as well as other vitamins.

Olive oil and olives – easily added to your diet, this natural source will provide both Omega 3 and Omega 6.

Take control of your body

 

To find out why you crave certain foods, or feel hungry we must understand the mechanisms behind hunger.

Say hello to Leptin and Ghrenlin, these two important hormones help regulate your body weight.

Leptin and ghrelin are two hormones that have been recognized to have a major influence on energy balance.

 Leptin is a mediator of long term regulation of energy balance, suppressing food intake and thereby inducing weight loss.

Ghrelin on the other hand is a fast acting hormone seemingly playing a role in meal initiation.

What is Leptin

Leptin (Greek λεπτός (leptos) meaning thin)

Leptin is a hormone secreted by fat tissue cells and acts at its receptor in the brain to decrease food intake and promote energy expenditure including appetite, metabolism and hunger. It is the single most important hormone when it comes to understanding why we feel hungry or full. When present in high levels, it signals to our brain that we are full and can stop eating, when Leptin levels are low, we feel hungry and crave food.

Like insulin, leptin is part of a regulatory network that controls intake and expenditure of energy in the body, and a lack of leptin or resistance to it has been linked to obesity.

Excess weight can lead to leptin resistance, study found that high fructose diets can induce leptin resistance. These sugars actually impair the leptin’s ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and reach the hypothalamus. So even when the leptin levels are high, not enough is reaching the brain to tell the body to stop eating.

What is Ghrelin

Ghrelin is a hormone released by the lining of the stomach that promotes feeding behaviour, decreasing Ghrelin levels could potentially help combat obesity or weight gain.

Ghrelin promotes the drive for food intake and maintains blood glucose during negative energy balance, as well as sub serving the rewarding nature of food.

This increased release of ghrelin from the stomach into the blood may explain why a person who skips breakfast also finds high calorie foods more appealing than low calorie foods due to the peaking of the hormone during periods of fasting.

 

keeping Healthy

Quit the crash diets you are not doing your body any favours by losing weight too quickly, If you are trying to lose weight, one thing you can do to help your body is to maintain a five to six day healthy lifestyle, eating healthy foods and have a day where you eat what you like.

When you cut calories dramatically, your body goes into survival mode, this then causes your Leptin level to plummet, in turn making you feel hungry and generally creating lower energy levels that trigger you to eat more than you normally consume..

Maintaining a healthy balance while slowly modifying your food intake will insure a steady and realistic way to get fit and in shape without a yoyo effect.

The occasional cheat or treat will unlikely do you harm as your body then senses the rush of fuel and boosts Leptin levels, increasing your metabolism and priming your body for fat loss. Occasional cheating helps ease your body down to lower daily leptin levels without making it feel too starved. That way, as you lose the weight, your body adjusts and realizes that the reduced Leptin levels are normal not irregular. Providing meals and foods are consumed at regular intervals throughout the day, this is one reason why it is important to eat meal roughly the same time of day or evening and not leave too long between meals, this leaves less time for Leptin to build up and more time for your new levels to normalise.

Be persistent, new research shows that it may take upwards of 6-9 months for your new levels of Leptin to normalise.

Too much sugar intake make your brain less sensitive to leptin, which causes you to eat more and pack on the pounds.  Some foods have been shown to increase leptin activity and sensitivity.

The biggest connection scientists have found between Omega 3 Fatty Acids and leptin look promising for consumers of fish.

For fish lovers the news just keep getting better, Fish contains Omega 3 fatty acids researchers found that a group of people who ate a high proportion of fish every day had lower leptin levels, despite eating the same calorie load and having the same body fat as the fish free control group, suggesting that a fish rich diet increased their bodies sensitivity to leptin.

There’s good news, too, for those that are already overweight and leptin resistant it’s only temporary. So even if you’re overweight and likely leptin resistant, you can improve on that state. Unlike type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, which is very hard to reverse, leptin resistance is fairly correctable with a normal, healthy diet and exercise.

Something really simple that everyone can do to keep their leptin levels high and keep cravings under control is to sleep well.

When you go to sleep, your leptin levels naturally rise, but if you cut your sleeping short, your body tries to adjust by making you hungry again. Research has found that shorter sleep periods (6 hours or less instead of lower overall daily leptin levels, cause an increase in appetite, and even make people crave carbs and other fattening foods. It is important for your body to rest so it can maintain its natural hormonal balance, allowing you to look and feel your best.

Unsaturated Fat

Here are some good choices of unsaturated fats:

Salmon

Mackerel

Herring

Tuna

Canola oil

Soybeans

Soybean oil

Corn oil

Flax seeds

Flax seed oil

Peanuts

Peanut butter (without added hydrogenated oils or sugar)

Tub margarine/spreads (with 0g trans fats)

Olives

Olive oil

Sunflower oil

Safflower oil

Avocados

Almonds

Walnuts

Hazelnuts

Sesame Seeds

Pumpkin Seeds

Unsaturated fats are divided into monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, and both types are thought to have beneficial effects on cholesterol levels.

Monounsaturated fats help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol while also boosting HDL (good) cholesterol.

Polyunsaturated fats are also thought to help lower total and bad cholesterol. But monounsaturated fats tend to be favoured over polyunsaturated fats because some research suggests that polyunsaturated fats are less stable, and can reduce levels of good cholesterol as well as bad.

But let's not ignore polyunsaturated fats. 

These are often a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, found mostly in cold-water fish, nuts, oils and seeds, and also in dark leafy greens, flaxseed oils and some vegetable oils.

One kind of omega-3 fatty acid is an "essential fatty acid," which cannot be manufactured by our bodies, so eating these foods is the only way to get them. Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to lower blood pressure, combat LDL (bad) cholesterol, fight inflammation and protect the brain and nervous system.

Saturated Fats

Then there are bad fats, those apparently artery clogging saturated fats, from meat and dairy products.

 An easy way to remember your saturated fats, is to remember these fats are solid at room temperature.

Saturated fats have been shown to directly raise total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Conventional advice has been to avoid them as much as possible. However, a meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in early 2010 found no link between saturated-fat intake and increased risk of coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease.

Still, the Harvard School of Public Health, in a study published in March 2010, found that replacing saturated fats with an equal amount of polyunsaturated fats did indeed reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 19 percent.

Perhaps, then, saturated fats may not be so bad after all, and they are certainly an important source of vitamins and minerals. 

Plus, some argue that coconut oil and palm fruit oil, which are plant-based sources of saturated fats, may actually be beneficial because their particular fatty-acid make-up means they are metabolised differently in the body. Stearic acid, found in animal products and in some foods such as chocolate, gets a pass because much of it is converted by the body into oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat. Thus, saturated fats may be more beneficial, or at least more neutral, than we think

Trans fats are made by a chemical process called partial hydrogenation. Liquid vegetable oil (an otherwise healthy monounsaturated fat) is packed with hydrogen atoms and converted into a solid fat. 

This made what seemed an ideal fat for the food industry to work with because of its high melting point, its creamy, smooth texture and its re-usability in deep-fat frying.

Hope you found this useful for more please subscribe:

 GM-FITNESS

https://www.gm-fitness.co.uk/

Author: Gareth Myles 

GM FITNESS

WHY IS EXERCISE IMPORTANT?

WHERE IT ALL BEGIN?

When did exercise become important?

Homo sapiens have been exercising from the beginning of time, only in the last 100 or so years has our technology advanced to a point that most human beings can get through an average week without having to build a fire, hunt or gather.

Our so called primitive ancestors would hunt and gather spending hours searching for the family’s next meal, journeys could take days on foot over testing terrain, no perfectly balanced air-conditioned vehicle to take them to the supermarket, a fine balance of speed and agility would be part of their daily lives.

People of this time would also dance and partake in cultural games that could often last for hours. However sadly there were no DJ on hand at that period, if you wanted music you would first have to build the instruments, and if you wanted real collaborative music then no single push of a magic button could do.

Manual labour was an inescapable reality for our fun loving ancestors, if they wanted something, they would have to sweat to get it.

  

This type of lifestyle pre 10 000bc would demand a high level of fitness and activity level.

The earliest documented Chinese expression of exercise dates back over 4000 years, the practice of aligning breath, movement, and awareness for exercise, healing, and martial arts training all have roots in Chinese history, medicine and culture. Many Company’s even today in modern china start the day with group exercises, movements and practice controlled breathing before starting work.

The Chinese believe this helps there worker focus and maintain good health, recently scientific evidence would indicate that cardio vascular work before work can help improve blood flow to the brain, strengthen the immune system, and can be more stimulating than caffeine.      

Cong Fu was originally devised to defend against attackers it is a martial art that kept its citizens fit, alongside other existing activities in china were badminton, dancing, fencing and wrestling a sport not Just for Japanese.

 

The Ancient Greeks

 The Greeks were obsessed with their idea of perfection,

Fuelled by an narcissistic ideology the roman`s had an obsession with the human form, which is entrenched in the beautiful art work and culture of the time.  Evidence of t Roman`s obsession exist today, in the immortalised god and goddess like physiques still survive today through sculpture and works of art proudly displayed and preserved as a near timeless moment in history.

Rome and the roman way of life could seem somewhat hedonistic compared with other cultures of the time period, fitness was entangled in their daily lives, a physically fit body was a badge of honour worn with pride.

Romans were great exhibitionist, thousands would gather to watch displays of power strength and agility, gladiators showed off their power and strength in games of life and death, inhumane by today’s standard but to them it would have been as normal as gathering to watch a sporting event today.  

A human symbol of strength, Roman appreciation for the beauty of the body and importance of health and fitness has become well documented in history.

They believed that physical wellbeing was necessary for mental wellbeing which would result in a strong healthy sound mind.

Fast forward  1176-1860  United States of America

Fitness at this time was very much influenced by European cultures including German and Swedish gymnastics in the USA.

Early leaders in the United States were aware that exercise and health was very much an important aspect of life.

Benjamin Franklin recommended that people exercise regular including running/swimming or some basic forms of resistant training.

  

United States

1865-1900 Post Civil War

The Industrial revolution was a very important event in terms of modern fitness for the USA.

As rural life changed into urban life, people became less active resulting in a decrease in physical activity levels and the increase in public transport.

By the 1950s diseases such as cardio vascular disease and cancer was starting to become recognized and the medical community began to ponder whether the increase could have a common connection.

The 20^th Century

Theodore Roosevelt debatably one of the most physically fit US presidents held a strong view point on the importance of exercise, as it was well documented that as a child he suffered a great deal with asthma but he allegedly overcame this with regular exercise and living with a healthy attitude.

Some New Fitness Developments

1950s

Jack Lalanne began his lifelong career as a media fitness instructor

He introduced the first pulley machine the safety system for doing squats and the first leg extension machine.

 The minimum muscular fitness test for children was introduced by Kraus Hirschland, this test was designed to measure strength and flexibility in children.

Conclusion

Modern Society

We have become increasingly reliant on machines in our high tech society, we move ever forward into automation, more of us work in offices and factories physical labour becomes increasingly scarce.

We walk less, our eating habits become worse, and we spend less time focusing on our health than any period in history, partly by choice and partly by design.

Modern careers force us to adopt ever sedentary lifestyles, often spending much of our time at our desks moving from one seat at home to another via public transport and finally cemented firmly to the office seat.  

Before the age of Mac and Pc there was a time when warriors would train for hours, hunter gathers would travel by foot, visiting neighbours, using their bodies as nature intended, they would use every muscle in their body, easily achieving more than 30 mins exercise a day.

They had no central heating or comforts of today, meaning there energy expenditure would have been higher, the consequence of them being unfit could literally be a case of life or death they could need strength to ward off wild animals disease and survive the elements.

Today only the board worrier survives, the most dangerous creature he or she faces is the deadly office chair, and inactivity has become the number one cause of death in the 20^th century taking more lives in a few short years than all the wars in history with sugar as its catalyst.

 Movement is key to human health with diet being the foundation of a healthy working mind and body, good nutrition is the most effective method of reducing health related disease. Your muscles including your heart and cardiovascular system respond to overload, meaning they adapt to increasing loads, placed upon the body.   

Something as simple as walking for 30 min a day could drastically reduce your risk of cardio vascular related diseases.

So start your day with a healthy breakfast and try to get your health rate increased, the good news is that morning cardio has also been linked to a reduced risk of alzheimers and an increase in cognitive function. 

Get Motivated 

GM FITNESS

Movement With GM-Fitness

Good afternoon, Check in from GM-Fitness.

How was your weekend?
Did you manage to stay active and eat well?
Weekends often tend to be the sore spot of a fitness regime, due to routine going out of the window, family and friend meetups, This type of behavior is often the case for many people as we feel the weight from the week has been lifted off our shoulders and now it is time to unwind and distress from our 9-5 lives.
What we consume has an effect on the way we feel. A little of what we fancy is healthy, but to much is sometimes thought as a binge.
All the hard work that we put in during the week can sometimes be knocked out of the equation due to the over indulgence of the weekend.
A little fact
3500 calories= 1 Pound of GAINED WEIGHT.
The trick when it comes to weekends is to still participate in exercise.
Set your alarm for Saturday morning boot camp, One class can burn up to 800 calories, This will set you up for the weekend ahead.
Movement is key to a successful Health/ Wellness/ Fitness Lifestyle.
Remember what ever you over consumed that is now in the past, it is now time to move on and think about the present moment.
Monday is a new day and today is all about movement.
The more we move the more calories we burn up= The better we feel= The more functional our day will be, as exercise enhances your mood and everyone wants to feel happy on a Monday.
GM-Fitness recommend setting yourself 1 daily GOAL, This goal will give you a feeling of self worth and achievement, so go right ahead and write down your goal, please have a valid reason why you wish to achieve this goal.
Follow the Smart Steps below
Keep your GOAL
SMART
MEASURABLE
ACHIEVABLE
REALISTIC
TIMED

GOAL------------------------------------------

Tips to help you work towards your goal.

Preparation- Plan your meals for the week ahead.
Book your training sessions in.
Schedule down time.
Read something new every day.
Learn to Laugh.
Do not stress your self out over situations that you can not control.

Have a great Monday.
Remember
Water will find a path to flow.

SO stay focused and remember the smart Method.

GM-FITNESS.

High Intensity Training With GM-Fitness

What Is High Intensity Interval Training, and how often should we do it?     

High intensity interval training is also known as HIIT Can also be called High Intensity intermittent training known as (HIIE)

This type of training is interval based, which means it is cardiovascular exercise, alternating with short sharp periods of exercise and a short recovery period.

A HIIT session can vary from 10 to 45 minutes in duration an example of this type of training could be 30 Seconds of Jump squats followed by 30 seconds of slow squats followed by a 30 second recovery, typically completing 4-6 Rounds in one circuit.

The amount of time that you exercise for will vary depending on the types of exercises that have been set.

Basically, what we are after is high intensity intervals that involve short periods of vigorous exercise that elevates your heart rate (Expect to feel uncomfortable for a short period of time)

High Intensity training provides many benefits in a shorter amount of time- It also provides many health benefits.

Burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time.

Improve Oxygen consumption

Reduce High Blood pressure

Burn Fat

Reduce blood sugar

Gain Muscle

Improve Posture

Speed up your Metabolic rate

Adults aged from 16-60+ Should do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity throughout their week, Or at least 75 Minutes of high intensity training per week.

There is a well known anti ageing enzyme  known as TELOMERASE which is activated through exercise, one single workout can activate TELOMERASE in cells.

Anti Ageing HIIT benefits could include

Increased energy

Boosted metabolic rate

Improved Libido

Improvement in muscle

Reduced body fat

Firmer skin

High Intensity Training can also help balance hormones for weight gain and unhealthy eating habits.

GHRELIN- This hormone is responsible for long term weight gain and the short term eating habits known as the munchies. This hormone is produced in the stomach and it is believed to be the only hormone that can stimulate appetite.

= It is released in response to stressful situations, which explains why people eat when they are under stress.

= The stress cycle contributes to weight gain, by exercising we help reduce stress)

LEPTIN- This is known as the starvation hormone, why? Because it gives you the sense of feeling full, by telling your brain that you have eaten enough food, Leptin is a key component to maintaining that your energy levels are sufficient.

= High intensity training can control both hormones and balance other hormones naturally.

= Leptin mediates long term regulation of energy balance and will suppress food intake there by inducing weight loss.

High Intensity Exercise can be incorporated in to your daily routine as easy as….

Walking to the shops

30 Seconds power walk 10 seconds recovery (repeat for duration of shop walk.

HIIT Training can involve

Body weight training

Band Work

Running

Cycling

Swimming

Kettlebells

Bar Work

Weights

Training with Partners.

Here at GM-Fitness We offer a varied Training Program which offers HIIT Sessions which focus on keeping your body Balanced, injury free and teaching you why exercise is important for everyone.

GM-Fitness (Health, Wellbeing, Fitness) 

www.gm-fitness.co.uk 

Not Fat But Fit This Christmas.

Festive Facts For you to think about this Christmas.

Lets Talk Energy in versus energy out!

Before you over indulge a little to much.  Lets discuss a few things!

Your weight is a balancing act, calories play a big part.
The more sugar we consume the more we crave....
A mince pie has 258 calories with 19.4grams of sugar that equals roughly 45-60 minutes of exercise to burn this off, this would be moderate exercise.

Despite all the fad diets on the market, weight management still comes down to calories you consume versus calories you burn.
Calories are the energy in food, our bodies demand a constant supply of calories to keep us functioning.
From thinking to running a race.
Fats, carbs and protein are the types of nutrients that contain calories and good nutrition that our bodies require.
Calories are converted to physical energy or stored within your body, either for recovery and repair, or stored as FAT.
Stored fat will remain unless you use up those extra calories that you have consumed, either by reducing your calorie intake or increasing your daily exercise.
THIS EQUATION IS SIMPLE
IF YOU EAT MORE CALORIES THAN YOU BURN= YOU WILL OF COURSE GAIN WEIGHT.
3500 calories equals 1 pound/ 0.45kilograms of fat. You need to burn 3500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound.
Example
Cut 500 calories a day from your diet, you would loose about a pound a week=
500x 7= 3500 calories.
Please NOTE THIS IS THE HEALTHY WAY TO LOOSE WEIGHT WITHOUT LOOSING LEAN TISSUE( MUSCLE)
Cutting calories can be as simple as
Reducing your portion sizes
swapping high calorie foods
exercising daily
making good food choices.
With Christmas just a few weeks away, think
about the food you are consuming,enjoy this festive season, but do be aware of how many extra calories you are consuming.
87 CALORIES= 20 MINUTES OF MODERATE EXERCISE
106 CALORIES= 25 MINUTES OF MODERATE EXERCISE
149 CALORIES= 35 MINUTES
210= 50 MINUTES
350CALORIES= 1HOUR PLUS
One small glass of wine equals 120calories.
The Good News
GM-Fitness Bootcamps are running throughout December as is pt sessions and group lifting classes.
There should be no reason to why weight gain will be an issue this year. HAHA

Changing The negative Thoughts that in prison us in our own minds..

Our Mind is a powerful Tool, often enough we can be trapped in our own prison with no way out, constantly battling with our known self disruptive thoughts.

We can be our own worst nightmare. 

Listening to that voice inside our head that is constantly being negative and knocking us down.

How do we change that voice and escape the prison that we have put ourselves in to.

If we do not decide to change our thought pattern, then our thoughts will always remain the same.

Ways to Help you change your current thought pattern.

Start to become aware of the way you think and feel, be open to listening to your body when you know what triggers a bad negative thought, write that trigger down.

Try to always take walks during the day especially when the sun is shining to  boost those happy hormones. During the winter months when its dark wet and windy this can often lead to a feeling of darkness. To combat this schedule your walk into your diary regardless of the weather, it is important to break the negative routine that you are currently following.

Eat a balanced diet as a balanced diet has an effect on the way we feel.

Umming and ahhing here.. If you want to change, the first step to change must come from within you.

Surround yourself with positive people, people that have goals and ambitions, say good bye to the people drainers.

Book yourself in for weekly training sessions, Training equals endorphin's= endorphin's equal happy hormones, happy hormones equal a positive way of thinking. If you have an appointment you are less likely to cancel.

Set your self weekly smart goals, as humans we like to be constantly achieving goals, without personal achievements being set, we can often feel lost and low.

Drink plenty of water and green tea throughout the day, staying hydrated has positive effects on your bowel movements.

Laugh, Watch a funny movie, play a childish game, bake some cakes, Break your day to day routine and set out some out to have a good old giggle.

Here at GM-Fitness we are believers in stepping out of your comfort zone,

if you are not happy about something only you are responsible for changing it.

Coaching and training is available with family run GM-Fitness.

For more information.#Contact the team today. or follow us throughout Decemberwww.gm-fitness.co.uk

Beat The Christmas Bulge With GM-Fitness

November 24, 2016fat burning, fitness, weight loss Edit

It is a fantastic time of year.      GM-Fitness 

Time For Family, Friends, Fitness, Food and Alcohol.

Christmas Cakes, Christmas Pies, Christmas Puddings, FUN, Laughter and hopefully you stay focused with lifting.

A great time for lights, decorations, parties and celebration, Often a hard time to stay on track with your fitness regime, but it does not have to be that way.

With Christmas biscuits at the office, Christmas cakes at your friends house, Wine and  cookies everywhere you look, it can sometimes be overwhelming to say no, the word moderation goes out the window and over indulgence here we come.

Let me tell you a little something this is NORMAL. Do not beat yourself up over it. We are all of course human, and need to let our hair down at some point in the year, so let it be Christmas.

One afternoon of over indulgence does not mean we have to carry it on the next day. what it means is, yesterday was yesterday so move on forget about it, and carry on eating your normal healthy food.

The trick here is your mind set, if we can let go of one day and not let it run in to two, three or four days of  consecutive over indulgence, Then we should  hopefully not pile on to many pounds.Please note that to put on a pound of fat you must consume 3500 extra calories on top of your normal daily calorie intake.

What can we do to ease the weight gain over Christmas?

Stick to your fitness routine. Make No Excuses why you can not make a session.

Have a positive mind set. If you binge one day, let it go and remember tomorrow is the start of a new day.

Eat only if your hungry, Do not eat just for the sake of it we are not human dust bins.

Do Not skip breakfast.

Make time for daily walks.

If you drink one day, try to have a non drinking day the next.

Stand in front of the mirror naked and ask yourself are you happy with what you see.

Opt for clear spirits.

Have a positive mind set.

Be part of a fitness group, where you share your daily food intake and have the support of like minded people.

Try not to cave in to peer pressure often enough your friends pressure you in to one more drink, one more cake because they feel guilty for not being able to take control of what are they consuming, by you over eating ,over drinking it makes them feel better, haha they are not the only ones now gaining more junk in their trunks. You are joining their club.

Keep following us.

we will be posting daily blogs from Monday 28th November about how we GM-Fitness stay on track over this festively Fit Season.