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Everything You Need to Know About Post Natal Fitness from A-Z

By Greg Brookes

postnatal fitness
Image by Aktiviosio

(This is Guest Post by Angela Hope of Hope Fitness)

A is for Abdominals

The baby belly – top of every new mum’s hit list and the part of their body they most desperately want to fix after pregnancy. Restoring the core is one of the most important steps you should take during the postnatal period and you should start as soon as possible after giving birth.

The abdominal muscles are made up of four layers which need to be strengthened from the inside out. The deepest and most important layer is called the Transverses Abdomis (TvA), which acts like a girdle around your middle. Make this strong and you will be making giant steps towards getting your waist back, having a flat tummy and an improved posture.

The next two layers are the Internal Obliques and External Obliques. These allow you to flex and rotate and give you that much sought-after pinched waistline. Finally we have the Rectus Abdominis, commonly known as the six-pack. These help flex the lower back and also assist breathing.

B is for Baby

Your beautiful little bundle of joy, your reward for 9 months of hard work. Unfortunately it will take at least another 9 months to fix the damage! Don’t use the baby as an excuse though; go out for a walk with the pushchair or put on the Davina DVD. Your little one will love watching you jump around your living room!

Although you may not feel like exercise as your time is so precious and you are very tired, however, exercise will re-energise you, help you sleep better, improve your ability to cope and give you some much needed ‘me’ time.

C is for Caesarean

A c-section is a major abdominal operation so the first 6 weeks after giving birth should be seen as a healing phase. During this time the only exercises you should be doing are pelvic floor exercises (equally important for both c-section and natural deliveries) and when you feel ready, gentle lower tummy exercises.

Under no uncertain terms should you be doing any lifting or impact exercise. Aim to stand up straight during the healing phase as it can become a habit to stoop to protect your stitches. However, the gently flex of standing tall will actually aid healing.

Gradually build up exercise by beginning a light walking programme, starting with 5 minutes and building up to longer walks, preferably at least 30 minutes 3 times per week. Look after yourself during this healing phase and you will be back on your feet quicker. Do the opposite and you can set yourself back weeks.

D is for Diastasis Rectii

Abdominal separation, a fairly common condition of pregnancy and the postnatal period, in which the right and left halves of the Rectus Abdominis muscle spread apart at the body’s mid line fascia, the linea alba. A gap of more than 2cm (approx 2 fingers width) is considered to be a problem but can easily be corrected using the right exercises.

Contrary to popular belief, abdominal crunches will not help you restore your pre-baby tummy and are more likely to make it worse! To help prevent or lessen the severity of diastasis recti it is best to focus on the TvA muscle, the body’s natural girdle. Activate this muscle by breathing and pulling your tummy button towards your spine. Continue to hold while breathing out.

E is for Energy

A good balance of regular exercise, healthy eating and plenty of rest will help keep your energy levels up. The right exercise can energise you, make you sleep better and help you to make better food choices. Look after your baby by looking after yourself.

F is for Feeding

If you are breast-feeding, make sure you feed your baby before exercising so you are more comfortable. It has also been shown that vigorous exercise can mean a build up of lactic acid in your milk so wait 20 minutes after exercise before feeding again. This won’t effect your baby at all, it may just make your milk taste funny!

G is for Glutes

The big muscles in your buttocks… the rock that holds your pelvis, hips and abdominals together. Often these muscles are very neglected as we spend a lot of time sitting on them! Allow these muscles to work properly and they are a vital component to your whole body strength, particularly your back.

H is for Hips

During pregnancy the hip flexor muscles (at the front of the hips) become tight due to the postural changes in your body – the growing uterus causes the pelvis to tip forwards. In addition, the body produces the hormone Relaxin, which softens the ligaments in your pelvis and other joints, to help you to give birth. This makes the whole pelvic girdle unstable and can often result in pain around the hips joints and pelvis.

After pregnancy it is important to remobilise the hips and focus on stretching out the tight hip flexor muscles.

I is for Iron

Once you have given birth, your iron requirements are greatly reduced. However, during this important rehabilitation stage it is important that your iron intake is adequate, as lack of iron can make you tired and more susceptible to postnatal depression.

Try and eat plenty of iron-rich food such as red meat, fish and poultry. Iron is also in green leafy vegetables and pulses although it is harder for the body to absorb. Drink a glass of orange juice, high in Vitamin C, with a meal to help absorb more iron.

J is for Jubblies

Breasts usually increase by at least one cup size during pregnancy and postnatally, especially if you are breast-feeding. Because your breasts will be much heavier, it is vitally important that you wear a supportive bra, especially when exercising. A sports bra specifically designed for exercising will give you the support you need and minimise discomfort.

K is for Kegels

Everyone should be doing their pelvic floor exercises, none more so than postnatal females. During labour the pelvic floor muscles will have become very overstretched and exercises to get these back in shape should be the first thing you do after giving birth. They will not only help with incontinence and hemorrhoids but also aid your postnatal recovery.

Find a trigger in your everyday life that will help you to remember to do them; boiling the kettle, feeding your baby, brushing your teeth.

L is for Lower Back

Many postnatal females have lower back problems beyond pregnancy, usually due to the hormone relaxin that is still in the body causing instability in the ligaments and joints around the hips and pelvis in addition to weakness in the core and glute muscles.

Your posture takes a while to get back to normal and you spend a lot of time lifting; the baby, a car seat, a pushchair, a toddler, all of which can exasperate a problem. In most cases exercise can be used to both alleviate these aches and pains and also restrengthen the weak muscles over time. Consider your posture at all times when walking and lifting and if possible treat yourself to a massage to soothe the aches and pains.

M is for Mobility

Keeping mobile keeps you young. We spend so much of our time sitting that most of us are unable to move properly. For example, during pregnancy, the hip flexor muscles can become very tight due to the extra weight in the pelvis. Here we often find that the lower back compensates for this, causing pain and discomfort. It is important to spend a little time each day working your joints through a full range of motion. Start at the top with the neck and work down to the ankles.

N is for Nutrition

“You can’t out exercise a bad diet”. Most of us know what we should and shouldn’t be eating but most of us find this difficult to adhere to. However, small changes can make a big difference. It’s difficult when you are tired and you have a baby to look after to remember to eat properly but all it takes is a little preparation and some forward planning.

Always start with a filling and nutritious breakfast, this will set you up for the whole day and prevent hunger later on. Drink at least two litres of water daily. Eat as many fresh, natural products as possible daily; fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs, fish.

Eat little or no refined carbohydrates; white sugar, white bread, white pasta, cakes, biscuits. Eat more wholegrains; brown rice, brown bread, oats. Cut down caffeine; no more than three cups of tea or coffee a day. Cut down alcohol; no more than two units (one drink) per week.

O is for h2O

Water is the one thing that we can not live without. Keeping well-hydrated is one of the most, THE MOST, important things you should be doing for yourself. Two litres of plain, fresh water per day should be your aim (preferably filtered or bottled).

It is difficult at first, you will probably find it a struggle to drink that much water during the day, with frequent trips to the WC! However, it does get easier as it becomes a habit. Aim to drink a glass first thing in the morning before anything else.

P is for Plank

The Plank exercise is a static exercise that works your whole core, particularly the deep stabilising muscles. You use your arms to raise yourself off the floor and hold the whole body straight and rigid, like a plank of wood. You can do it anywhere, you don’t need any equipment and it only takes a minute. What’s more, it is more effective than sit-ups and crunches because these work only the superficial abdominal muscles.

There are three variations of the plank that target different areas of the core; the basic plank, the side plank and the sky diver. The plank is highly effective core exercise however, do not attempt the plank if; you have diastasis recti, are still recovering from a c-section or have lower back problems.

Q is for Q Angle

This is the angle between your hip and your knee. A “normal” Q angle is 14cm for males and 17cm for females. Females usually have a higher Q angle due to their naturally wider pelvis. Your Q Angle will increase during pregnancy as your hips widen to give birth and may never return to their pre-pregnancy state.

Unfortunately a higher Q angle can often result in knee pain. This is why it is important that a postnatal exercise programme redresses the balance of pregnancy and post-pregnancy induced changes, and restore the ‘ideal’ posture. It is essential to learn how to utilise the the deep stabiliser muscles in the core and re-align the body through the strength and stretch of opposing muscles.

R is for Relaxation

Relaxation is an important part of good health, vital for maintaining clear-mindedness and overall wellness. Make time for it every day, and develop a relaxation technique that deeply relaxes you quickly. Find a way to make some ‘me’ time every day, whether it is a hot bath, an exercise or yoga session, reading a book or magazine or just a quiet lay down.

S is for Squats

Love them or hate them they are a great exercise for working your whole body, primarily the big muscles in your thighs, hips and bottom. Squats strengthen your knees and ankles and all the supporting tendons connecting them. They help your balance and keep you mobile.

Squats also strengthen your core as both the muscles of your abdomen and your lower back are utilised to hold and balance the weight throughout the movement. This strengthens both your posture and balance, as well as assists your body in performing everyday physical tasks. Finally, if the big muscles in your body are strong and lean, this increases your metabolism so you burn more calories at rest.

T is for Transversus Abdomnis

The Transversus Abdomnis (or TvA for short) is the deepest lying abdominal muscle and probably the most important. Forget the 6 pack, this is just the icing on the cake. Make the TvA strong and you will have that flat tummy and pinched waist you always dreamed of. The TvA is a natural “girdle” around your middle and supports the abdomen and lower back.

If you don’t know where your TvA is or what it feels like to contract it then try this. As you breathe in, pull your tummy button towards your spine. As you breathe out, continue to hold your tummy in. This is your TvA working. Repeat this exercise throughout the day especially when you are walking or lifting.

U is for Unfit

You may be feeling unfit after having a baby but actually pregnancy has an amazing training effect on your cardiovascular system. Your heart and lungs have been worked out really hard to grow and support your little one for 9 months. The amount of blood circulating around your body increases, increasing blood pressure and resting heart rate, making the heart work harder.

Your lungs will have been taking in more air per breath to assist the heart and send more oxygenated blood around the body. This is why, with the right balance of exercise and nutrition, you can take advantage of this training effect and be fitter and healthier than ever before.

V is for V Sits

Once you have restored a base level of strength back in your core, try this simple but effective exercise for toning the abdominals, the obliques and the lower back muscles. V Sits are very physically demanding but done regularly can reduce fat and increase core strength in your torso. Begin in a seated position, contract your abdominal muscles and core, and lift your legs up to a 45-degree angle.

Reach your arms straight forward and maintain good core posture and a strong spine. Hold this “V” position for several seconds to begin. As you get stronger, hold the position longer. Return to your starting position slowly. Just before you reach the floor, stop and hold the position for a few seconds. Repeat this entire movement several times.

W is for Walking

Simply the best postnatal exercise. It’s free, it’s safe, you can take baby with you and the fresh air will do you both good. As soon as you feel able to after giving birth, begin by doing a gentle daily 10 minute walk, gradually building up to doing three 30 minute power walks per week. For it to be really effective you need to make sure you get the heart pumping.

The best way to do this is to walk up a hill. Not only will you really get that heart rate up, which will burn fat and tone that wobbly bottom, but it will also help to strengthen the muscles surrounding the pelvis that are still weak from pregnancy. How about trying a Buggy Workout class and join like-minded mums?

X is for X Training

Variety is the spice of life as they say so why not add something different to your fitness regime. During the postnatal phase make sure you go for an activity that is low impact, until you have built up strength in your hips and pelvis once again. Swimming is an excellent form of postnatal exercise as there is no stress on your joints. When you’re feeling a bit stronger why not try Zumba. Check out your local classes.

Y is for Yoga & Pilates

Both these type of classes restore the strength of the abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor muscles, help to reduce fatigue, energise the body and calm the mind, improve posture and open the chest, strengthen the back and shoulders and re-establish core stability.

Above all else they offer a rare chance for peace, quiet and to truly relax! Most classes can be easily adapted for postnatal but make sure you let the instructor know that you are. Better still, do a class specifically aimed at postnatal. Try and find a class with fewer numbers so that you get more one-to-one attention from the instructor.

A good yoga or Pilates class with an experienced teacher is an excellent form of postnatal exercise however, if done incorrectly can do more harm than good.

Z is for ZZZ’s

Sleep. One thing you need most for your health and well-being but one thing you probably lack most. It is important for your postnatal recovery that you get enough, good quality sleep to ensure that your body balances out fat-burning hormones, reduces stress and levels of cortisol, which make the body cling to fat.

Not sleeping properly disrupts the hormone leptin, which controls appetite and metabolism, so when you are sleep-deprived you will tend to eat more. Unfortunately when babies are born they take a few weeks, months, maybe even years to learn to sleep through the whole night. Try to stock up on as much sleep as possible, taking 15 power naps during the day and making sure you get an early night.

For more about Angela’s services visit Hope Fitness

 

Is it Time to Go Against the Grain?

By Greg Brookes

What I’m about to reveal about grains is based upon empirical evidence.

Nothing has had a bigger impact on my life, my wife’s, my friends and my clients lives than grains.

If there is one major piece of nutritional advice that you need to seriously take note of then this one about grains is it!

OK, lets dive into it…

The problem with glutenWhat are Grains?

Grains are seeds. Examples include:

  • Corn (yes it’s a grain)
  • Wheat
  • Rye
  • Millet
  • Barley
  • Spelt

Grains are excellent for business because they have a long life and store well, unlike fresh vegetables.

It is important to realise that we have been living and evolving without grains for millions of years. In terms of human evolution grains are a relatively new addition to our diet.

What is Wrong with Grains?

# 1 – Heavily Sprayed With Chemicals

Similar to many other non organic foods, grains are sprayed with Pesticides, Herbicides, and other chemicals to keep bugs and insects from destroying the crops. As I’ve mentioned in other articles ingesting poisons from pesticides takes a lot of nutrients from the body as you try to neutalise all those ill effects.

Lets put it another way:

“If someone handed you a small vial of poison every morning to go with your breakfast would you drink it?”

# 2 – Grains are Highly Processed

Processed Hot dogThere are 3 main components of a grain, for example a wheat grain contains:

  1. The Bran (The outer layer, hard and full of Fibre and Nutrients)
  2. The Germ (Nutrient Rich Embryo that sprouts)
  3. The Endosperm (Mostly Starch and makes up most of the grain)

Unfortunately when grains are processed both the Bran and the Germ are removed leaving just the Endosperm or the part made up of mostly starch, which is sugar!

The food industry now knowingly having removed all the nutrients from the grain try to put the nutrients back into the grain by adding synthetic vitamins.

As you know, we come from nature and so don’t like things that don’t come from nature. Digesting synthetic vitamins takes more nutrients from the body as it struggles to digest them.

# 3 – High in Carbohydrates

As you can see from above, the majority of the grain is made up of starch, which is a white tasteless sugar (glucose to be more precise). If the grain is processed then almost 100% of the grain is starch.

So put another way White Flour is pure sugar! Whole Wheat Flour has less sugar because it includes all 3 parts of the grain but it is still high in sugar.

Sugar is our worst enemy; it increases demands on our hormonal system as insulin fights to maintain blood sugar equilibrium, it damages blood vessels and arteries, and it forces the body to store fat in our adipose tissue.

# 4 – Very Addictive

Grains contain Exorphins which are morphine like compounds which basically get us excited and make grains very addictive, so one reason why we crave grains is because of the Exorphins. You can read more on Exorphins and Food Heroin in this excellent article by Eric Yarnell

Grains are also addictive due to their sugar content. When we eat grains it spikes our blood sugar levels that leaves us feeling energised, alert and happy. But the highs never last too long and as blood sugar levels drop the cravings begin.

The higher we climb the harder we fall. This starts off a vicious cycle of eating grain based foods like breads, cakes, cookies to lift us up and then getting dropped like a stone as our blood sugar crashes.

# 5 – Causes Mineral Deficiency

Phytic acid is in a lot of grains. This specific acid binds with the minerals in our body like Calcium and Zinc and stops our body from absorbing them. Phytic Acid also helps to eliminate these minerals from our system.

So if you eat a lot of grains, then it’s very possible that you’re also mineral deficient.

One way to get around the problems of Phytic Acid is to ferment, sprout or soak the grains. That’s why I always recommend to clients if they can eat things like oats, for example, to soak them overnight because that eliminates or practically removes most of the Phytic Acid problem.

So a little tip for you: soak, ferment or sprout as much as possible.

# 6 – Gluten Sensitivity & Intolerance

Gluten (Latin for Glue) is a protein contained in grains like Wheat, Barley and Rye. Gluten adds a gluey, fluffy texture to foods. So the lighter and fluffier your bread or cake the more Gluten it usually contains. Processing is often used to increase the Gluten content because everyone wants a light fluffy cake right?

Unfortunately, the gluey structure of Gluten does not generally agree with our digestive system and most people now suffer from some kind of Gluten Sensitivity without realising it.

Gluten Sensitivity

Sensitivity to Gluten causes an immune reaction, that can show its ugly head in many different areas. A lot of people associate Gluten Sensitivity with just bloated bellies, but it can affect you from head to toe.

Gluten Sensitivity can:

  • Block blood into the brain
  • Cause skin problems
  • Respiratory problems
  • Fatigue
  • Depression
  • Mental disorders
  • Physical disorders

“In fact, the New England Medical Journal associated 55 different diseases with gluten sensitivity”

Celiac Disease

One of the most extreme diseases caused by gluten sensitivity is called Celiac Disease. Those suffering from Celiac disease have destroyed their Microvilli and Villi in their small intestines.

The small intestines main job is the absorption of nutrients found in food. In our small intestines, we have tiny needles called Microvilli and Villi. These little fingers run all around our intestines and increase the surface area.

If you suffer from Celiac disease then your Villi and Microvilli will have atrophied, and been destroyed. The small intestines become smooth with no Villi. When you have little or no Villi then absorption of nutrients from foods becomes very difficult.

The only conclusive way to check for Celiac Disease is by taking a biopsy of the small intestine and examining the Villi and Microvilli content. No Villi means you have Celiac Disease.

Leaky Gut Syndrome

Damage to the small intestine through excess consumption of gluten can also lead to leaky gut syndrome.

As the cell walls of the small intestine become irritated and damaged greater permeability can occur. The result is foreign bodies, like badly digested proteins, that can pass through the cell wall and into the blood stream. These foreign invaders are then attacked by the immune system resulting in food sensitivities and allergies, they can also cause autoimmune disorders of the body.

Gluten is Everywhere

So you may be thinking about avoiding Gluten but unfortunately gluten is in more things than you may think.

Gluten causes fluffiness and stickiness so you can find it in:

  • Lipsticks
  • Stamps and Envelope Adhesives
  • Sausages and Hamburgers as Fillers
  • Pasta
  • Bread
  • Shampoo

It’s used in everything.

It could be time to become a Gluten detective, like me!

Gluten Cross Contamination

Another problem with Gluten is the wide spread cross contamination within factory’s.

Take oats for example, that don’t naturally contain gluten. But if the oats are processed in the same factory as something that contains gluten, like wheat, then the oats can become cross contaminated.

It only takes a miniscule amount of gluten to cause a reaction in your body if you’re sensitive to gluten. Don’t think you need to eat tons of flour or gluten to have a problem. Simply using a lipstick or shampoo that has gluten in it can cause a problem.

Don’t think that you cannot absorb Gluten through the skin because you can. Gluten will permeate the skin just like Steroid Creams or Nicotine Patches do!

Cross-reactivity

If you are sensitive to gluten then cross-reactivity can also be a problem. With cross reactivity the body starts to associate similar things to gluten and react to those as well. For example if you drink your tea with a biscuit then the Gluten from the biscuit can become associated with the tea and caffeine.

Cup of espresso

One of the most common cross-reactivity foods is Casein which is the protein in dairy products. Think Cereal with Milk.

So often when people eat dairy products, they’ll have a reaction even though there’s no gluten in the food because there has been cross-reactivity from the gluten.

So I always insist that my clients avoid gluten, but also avoid dairy as well just to make sure. Research shows that most people that have got gluten issues also have dairy issues as well.

Cross reactivity foods include:

  • Dairy
  • Oats
  • Coffee
  • Tea

How to Deal with Grains

As you can see from the list above there are many reasons not to eat grains. Grains are one problem and then grains that contain Gluten are an even bigger problem.

Not only are most grains low in nutrients but they are high in sugars (cause weight gain), chemicals (take nutrients from your body) and have the potential of causing a whole host of diseases.

Lets Take Action!

Here’s my 3 step plan that you can try to first determine your reaction to Gluten:

Step # 1 – Remove all Gluten for 30 days

If you want to know if you have Gluten Sensitivity issues and I’m sorry to say that most people do, then remove Gluten from your diet for 30 days.

This means going totally Gluten Free, so avoid all foods that contain Gluten such as:

  • Cereals
  • Bread
  • Pasta
  • Sausages and Burgers
  • Beers

Most supermarkets now have a Gluten Free section and most foods have a requirement to list whether they contain Gluten. So become a Gluten Detective and keep an eye out!

Go here for a good list of Foods Containing Gluten

Step # 2 – Introduce a Small Amount of Gluten

Now comes the real test. If you have been strict and avoided Gluten for the complete 30 days then I can guarantee you will have lost weight and feel 10 times better.

But, to see if you do have Gluten Sensitivity issues try eating a small portion of grains that contain gluten (a slice of bread for example) and then gauge your body’s reaction.

Look out for the following symptoms:

  • Bloating and Cramping
  • Fatigue and lack of Energy
  • Skin Irritations
  • Lack of positivity
  • Headaches and Clouded Thinking

If you experience any of the above or indeed any negative effects then chances are you’ve got Gluten Sensitivity Issues.

Step # 3 – Make Your Choice

Now you have a clear choice. If you reacted to Gluten then you need to pay attention, fast!

Gluten is simply not for you and you will need to avoid it as much as possible. If you don’t pay attention then disease will follow. It may sound drastic but you may only be a few steps away from Celiac Disease and then a whole host of other problems.

If you didn’t react to the Gluten then you can do what I do and that is avoid grains as much as possible but treat yourself every now and then.

For example I may have a Croissant on the weekends. But to be honest with you, there are so many Gluten free options out there that you never need to go without.

Try baking your own treats: Gluten Free Brownies made with 90% Dark Organic Chocolate are heavenly 🙂

In Conclusion

We all eat far too many grains. They have become a staple choice for breakfast (Toast), for Lunch (Sandwiches), for Dinner (Pasta), and for Treats (Cakes & Biscuits).

Our survival is not dependent on grains and as you can see they don’t really offer a nutrient rich food. Non organic grains are covered with chemicals that draws existing nutrients from the body. Grains are high in starch, which means high in sugar and not only cause fat storage but hormonal issues too. Those struggling with blood sugar issues like diabetes should certainly be very weary of grains.

Finally, many grains contain Gluten that has found its way into almost all prepackaged foods. Gluten Sensitivity is on the rise and many of use suffer with Gluten issues without even knowing it.

I urge everyone to take part in my 3 Step process above and witness for yourself the huge impact that eating no grains can have on your health.

 

Are you willing to give up Grains for 30 days?

10 Things You Need to Know About Juicing

By Greg Brookes

10 things about juicing

Last year I received a Juicer for my birthday.

I have to say that juicing vegetables was one of the best things I started doing in 2012.

Once my wife and I started drinking juiced vegetables we noticed a number of benefits:

  • Even more energy
  • Better Skin, my wife noticed this one especially
  • Better Hydration, extra water first thing is a good start to the day
  • Quicker workout recovery and healing time

I’m totally converted to juicing and believe that everyone should discover the benefits it has to offer.

Before you start, here are 10 things you need to know:

# 1 – Don’t Juice Fruit

Fruit has way too much sugar to be used for juicing. You can get a very quick high from juicing fruit as your sugar levels escalate but this puts heavy demands on your hormonal system. What starts out as a boost of energy will soon turn into an energy crash. Juicing fruit is a very quick way to pile on fat as your body stores excess sugar in your liver and fat cells. If you are diabetic or struggle with your insulin levels then juicing fruit is especially dangerous.

# 2 – Drink Immediately

Have you ever cut an apple in half and left it for 15 minutes? Goes brown right? This reaction is called oxidation, it’s the fruit reacting with oxygen. This is the reason why most foods are stored in air tight containers. So when you juice your vegetables make sure you consume the juice as quickly as possible to ensure you absorb all that goodness.

# 3 – Gets Absorbed Quickly

When you eat vegetables they take time to get absorbed into your blood stream. The fibre in all vegetables is the reason why absorption is slowed down. Now we definitely need fibre in out diets and it’s especially good for improving digestion so I would NEVER recommend replacing meal after meal with juices. But juicing vegetables will give you those important other nutrients quickly and effectively.

# 4 – Gives Digestion a Break

We all eat far too much for our needs. Having a juice now and again gives our digestive system a break and time to recover from digestion overload. Juicing is often used for cleansing as well as part of a fasting diet. The principles of fasting and cleansing are all based around giving the digestive system time to catch up and recover.

# 5 – Only Juice Organic

I know there are a lot of non-believers out there who don’t buy into Organic food but juicing should be one exception. Organic foods are not covered in chemicals that when juiced you are drinking. Toxic juice drinks will take more nutrients out of your body than you can put in. Plus, vegetables grown in good organic soil provide more nutrient dense veggies. Remember you are what you eat, carrots eat soil nutrients, just the way we eat carrots. Healthy soil is the source of all healthy foods including meats.

# 6 – Add Fat to Juices

If you are a fast oxidiser meaning you absorb carbohydrates (sugars) quickly then you may want to add a little fat to your juices to slow down the absorption. This is the case for me, so I add either some good quality flax oil, coconut oil (my favourite), hemp oil, or olive oil into my juices. By adding approximately a teaspoon of this fat I find it gives me a nice even energy release.

# 7 – Use the Vegetable Pulp

After you have juiced your vegetable you will be left with a considerable amount of pulp. The pulp still contains nutrients and lots of fibre. You can use this pulp to add to other meals like a vegetable hash with eggs, or save the carrot pulp for making Gluten Free Carrot Cake 🙂 If you don’t choose to use the pulp for cooking then at least use it for compost.

# 8 – Juice Early

I always drink my juices in the morning when I first wake. You can of course juice at any time but I like to have the intake of nutrients and energy first thing so I can use it throughout the day. I would not recommend juicing too late in the afternoon as additional energy is not what you want when the body should be winding down along with a decrease in cortisol levels.

# 9 – Don’t Peel

Always wash your vegetables before juicing and if you buy organic they will be covered in soil anyway so this is a must. If you are juicing lemons then I recommend you remove most of the peel because without doing this you get some serious zesty zing in your juice. Experiment for yourself but too much zest can be overpowering. If you do juice the zest make sure your lemons are not covered in wax as many are these days.

# 10 – Buy a Good Juicer

Now I’m no juicing machine expert but my wife did do some serious research before buying my juicer. Many juicers can be hard to clean and others do not extract that much juice from your vegetables. My juicer is amazing, we bought it from Amazon and it’s super easy to clean, very sturdy and generates loads of juice. Its not that expensive either.

The juicer I have is a Philips HR1861 Whole Fruit Juicer (affiliate link).

Finally if you a wondering what I like to juice then here is a list of my favourite ingredients I like to throw in my juicer, not all in one go though 🙂

  • Kale
  • Cucumber
  • Spinach
  • Celery
  • Carrot
  • Beetroot
  • Watercress
  • Lemon
  • Lime
  • Ginger

Oh and did I mention that these juices taste delicious, bonus!

(I mentioned above an affiliate link for my juicer. This means that if you purchase a juicer through that link I get a small commission at NO EXTRA cost to you. I have only included this link because I’m 100% happy with this product and would like you to experience the benefits of it too. Just wanted to be totally transparent with you.)

What are Your Juicing Experiences? Leave me a comment…

 

 

What is Your Greatest Pain?

By Greg Brookes

what is your greatest pain
What is Your Greatest Pain? Image by Ricky David

 

It’s the beginning of 2013 and I mean to start the way I mean to carry on!

My main goal and focus for this year is to help you, the reader of this blog.

So I have a very important question for you:

What is Your Greatest Pain?

You know, what is that one thing preventing you from being fit, healthy, slim and happy in 2013?

It could be that you lack motivation to exercise and eat right, you may feel overwhelmed with media information, perhaps you’re tired of failing or just need a proper plan and supervision.

If you don’t identify what it is that is holding you back from achieving your goals then you are always going to struggle. 

Let me know in the comments section below exactly what is stopping you and together we’ll work on a solution, OK?

So once again: What is Your Greatest Pain?

Let me know your Comments below:

How to Reduce Belly Fat in 2013: I Asked Over 4700 Personal Trainers

By Greg Brookes

I asked over 4700 Personal Trainers and Fitness Professionals this one question:

“What is your Best Advice for Reducing Belly Fat?”

Image by Vipez…..NOT everyone is Lovin It

I stipulated that I wanted a little more than just increasing exercise and reducing calories. After all we know this already right?

I think you will find some interesting answers below, some I agree with and others I’m not so convinced. I’ve also included my answer at the bottom of the page.

Enjoy!

Jessica Rapp, Personal Trainer Unique Physique for Life


Less Stress =Better Sleep=Better Workouts=Cleaner Eating=Reduced Belly Fat & Overall Fat!

  1. Don’t sweat the small stuff
  2. Aim for 8 hrs of sleep per night… a better rested YOU will be less stressed & less likely to over eat.
  3. Physical activity such as metabolic training involving all muscle groups and cardiovascular training into one workout 3-4 times per week.
  4. Include one day per week of Core Training for 30-45 min straight. (results are as noticeable in core as very next day)
  5. Eat clean, NO processed foods!  Keep calories within your daily allowance!

Visit Jessica’s website: www.uniquephysiqueforlife.com

Sandra O’Hagan, Personal Trainer  So Full of Life


Since you cannot spot reduce belly fat, it is important to reduce fat on your entire body and my recommendations are:

Weight Train, Green Smoothies, Decrease Stress…but wait, there’s more…

 It is essential to reduce processed food and alcohol and consume fresh fruits, vegetables, high quality protein and healthy fats and adding a green smoothie (spinach, fruit, avocado, chia, flax, hemp, ginger, water and any other super foods you like) can provide excellent nutrients, detox and antioxidant properties as well as keep you satiated and provide great energy which will make it easier to say NO to other unhealthy choices.

Ditch the Barbie weights and lift to build muscle and rev up your metabolism.  Do full body workouts combining weight training and cardio into circuit training for an excellent way to blast the fat that collects around your middle.

When you feel great you do great and that helps you eliminate the stress that can cause you to hold belly fat.

Visit Sandra’s website: www.sofulloflife.com

Rose Scott, Health & Wellness Coach and Personal Trainer

  1. The first and foremost is that you must have the right mindset and really want to achieve this goal.
  2. Proper nutrition is vital as what we eat reflects what we become, “we are what we eat” therefore eat healthfully of good sources of protein, vegetables and limit fat, carbohydrates and eliminate sugar in all of its forms.
  3. Sleep is important for regeneration of cells and body metabolism.  People that do not obtain adequate sleep binge late at night on unhealthy food.
  4. High interval intensity exercises burn fat.  Also try doing other exercises such as planks and core strengtheners that force you to “suck in that gut”.

Visit Rose’s website: www.riseabovewithrose.com

Alex Robinson, Personal Trainer Twickenham

Exercise and Diet will in most people get results, and specific’s can be altered to achieve perhaps greater results, although frankly this method is a bit ‘hit and miss’. If a client is paying a premium for a service to reduce specifically belly fat then a programme taking into account their Oestrogen levels, one which will promote the storage of fat cells in the abdomen, how well their gut is functioning and testing their Cortisol, Leptin and Ghrelin levels will make sure your client achieves outstanding results.

Visit Alex’s Website: www.stokehealth.com

Nadja Lewis, Personal Trainer Los Angeles

Change your diet (eating patterns) and your exercise routine (if you have one).  Cut down on salt and sugar intake, increase w/foods that will keep you feeling ‘full’ for longer such as veggies, fruit, and include some fiber.

Get enough sleep and handle your stress (don’t let it handle you).  Stress sometimes leads one to turn to ‘comfort foods’…instead drink more water.

Exercise FREQUENTLY…and CONSISTENTLY.  It’s nice to ‘tighten’ up your abs/stomach muscles, however working the core (the plank is an EXCELLENT exercise) really helps to ‘shape’/reduce your belly fat if done CORRECTLY.

Visit Nadja’s website: www.fitnessbynadjalewis.com

Angela Hope, Pre & Post Natal Fitness Specialist Ipswich

To begin reducing belly fat immediately: Eat clean – cut refined carbs, caffeine, alcohol and processed food from your diet. Sleep well – have 8 hours good quality sleep every night. Stay hydrated – drink at least 2 litres of filtered or bottled water daily. Exercise regularly – be consistent but mix it up, just have fun!

Visit Angela’s website: www.hopefitness.co.uk

Pete Luffman, Bristol Personal Trainer and Kettlebell Club

My top tip to reduce belly fat is to take longer breaks between eating meals, effectively going into a semi short fast. During this fasting period wonderful things will happen to your body, like switching to burning fat to fuel your activity, stabilise hormone secretion, improving insulin sensitivity, and a whole host of other health benefits. 

Plan your exercise sessions to commence towards the end of this fasting period to further enhance your results. Bare in mind this will only work if you are currently eating to support your metabolism, eating from natural whole food sources (no junk or fast food), and you are controlling portion size.

Visit Pete’s website: www.mybristolpersonaltrainer.com

Joey Shillolo, Personal Trainer Canada

Eliminate sugar and manage your carbohydrate intake.  Fat loss is a hormonal process and I teach all my clients to understand the role of insulin as the chief mediator of fat storage.  Knowing what foods have the greatest impact on insulin (ie simple sugars and processed carbohydrates) is key to loosing belly fat and keeping it off.

Visit Joey’s website: www.js3pt.com

Tracy Steen, Inside Out Fitness

Increase your metabolism, and your body will burn fat FOR you! The #1 way to do that? Increase your lean muscle tissue.  In other words, pump some iron ladies!

Visit Tracy’s website: www.insofit.com

Mr. America Jason Kozma, Los Angeles Personal Training

First you’ll need to eliminate all simple carbohydrates from your diet while you are trying to reduce belly fat.  This includes not just candy and alcohol, but fruit, juice and carbs that break down quickly like pasta and bread.

For exercise, you’ll of course need a full weight training and cardio regimen. Add fat burning cardio for an hour 6 days per week and you should train your abs with 3-4 exercises, 3-4 sets each, 3 times per week on nonconsecutive days.

Visit Jason’s website: www.lapersonaltrainer.com

Michael Caulo, Personal Trainer and Certified Fitness Nutritionist

Most people know that exercising and eating clean will help reduce body fat.  Sometimes exercise and eating the right foods aren’t enough especially when dealing with reducing fat in the mid section.  Now I’m not here saying that you can target fat loss because that is not how the body works , but you can guide your body in the right direction by doing the right things.  

If eating clean and exercise aren’t enough you can add supplements into your nutrition plan that can aid in metabolizing fat which will help burn fat off your body and thus reducing the fat on your belly.

Two supplements that have been associated with breaking down stored fat and allowing it to be used for energy are gamma linolenic acid (GLA) and L-carnitine (Amino Acid).  Both allow for your body to use its fat cells as a source of energy instead of your carbohydrate intake for the day which only burns food eaten that day but doesn’t directly break down and lose fat on your body.

Visit Michael’s website: www.lifeofafighter.com

Rich Blackburn, Personal Trainer Harrogate and Martial Artist

Change your breakfast to a protein breakfast.

Carbohydrates such as cereals for example, have a strong effect on your body’s insulin production, especially after a period of fasting (sleeping).

Your Insulin levels spike, and sugars are drawn out of the blood and stored  elsewhere as fat.

By having a protein breakfast you are starting your fat burning furnace, but not spiking your Insulin levels.

Visit Rich’s website: www.360totalfitness.co.uk

Igor Toronto, Personal Trainer

Balance your hormones

Your Hormones determine your body fat much more than calories (although calories still count). The first steps to balancing hormones are to improve your nutrition, manage your stress better, and improve the health of your digestive system.

Take care of those 3 things, and you’re well on your way to a flatter belly.

Visit Igor’s website: www.TorontoFitnessOnline.com

Chris Janke-Bueno, Personal Trainer My Core Balance

My recommendation is to focus on health first and fitness second. For the workouts, I highly recommend high intensity interval training. But what you do on your off days is probably more important. When you’re exercising at a high intensity, recovery is key.

Drink at least 1/2 gallon of water a day. Eat a huge salad daily for lunch. Take warm baths and try to relax. Get to bed by 10:30. And perhaps most importantly: make sure you’re doing some sort of balancing exercises, whether its Yoga, Pilates, or Core Balance to ensure that you don’t overtrain.

Visit Chris’ website: www.mycorebalance.com

Brian Underwood, FMS Expert and Nutritional Specialist

I’ve competed in 3 Natural bodybuilding shows so honestly, it’s 100% diet!  I don’t honestly agree with calories in, calories out because I feel that any excess protein will turn into waste and excreted.  I could have 3 twinkies all day and yes, I’d lose wait but if you continue this practice you’ll begin to lose LBM bc your body will go into starvation mode. Those are also empty calories with low amino acid profile. 

Amino acids should be the #1 macronutrient ingested for any goal.   Yes, your activities of daily living are important too.  Moving rather than sitting will help facilitate the weight loss.

Bryna Carracino, Personal Trainer

The best way to reduce belly fat is controlling what foods you put in your Body. 80% of getting fit and staying there is food consumption. The other 20% is exercise…  I tell my clients you want a six pack eat clean! Don’t eat anything from a bag, can or box. Eat unprocessed foods, Lean proteins, veggies, fruits, good fats and whole grains. Keep it balanced keep it clean.

Visit Bryna’s website: www.itrainwithbryna.com

Heather Lowe HBK, CPT, CFC Personal Trainer at Heat Fitness

The best way to help reduce belly fat is by eating less dairy and breads. These foods go straight to your abdomen and make you look bloated. By avoiding these foods in your diet you will see a great improvement to your stomach.

For the best exercise, I would say the plank as it targets all of the muscles in the abdomen and helps to keep the rest of your body strong 🙂

Visit Heather’s website: www.Heat-Fitness.vpweb.ca

Lucy Howlett, Personal Trainer

My top tip for reducing belly fat is to have a daily greens drink. I use one which contains wheatgrass, alfalfa, barley grass and peppermint, both for myself and with my clients. As well as many other benefits, greens drinks help digestion and alkalise the body, making it more efficient at removing toxins and excess fat.

I had a small, stubborn patch of fat around my belly button for years, despite training hard and eating well. Adding a greens drink helped make a difference and my stomach became flatter. This of course needs to work alongside training wisely, using full body movements and functional training, keeping stress levels low, getting enough sleep and keeping a watchful eye on your diet.

Visit Lucy’s website: www.lucyhowlett.co.uk

Vit Müller, Personal trainer / Group Fitness Instructor / SYDNEY

If you are struggling with that stubborn belly fat and you’ve tried everything but nothing seems to work (especially doing those 1000 sit ups you keep doing 🙂 – spot reducing doesn’t work! )  try this , move your body across more joint than one – focus on Compound exercises as they are the best to increase your metabolism which aids with fat burn .

Exercises like Squats, Push ups, Pull ups, Dead lifts, Turkish get ups for example. Now mix this kind of resistance training with some HIIT (High intensity interval training) on your other days and you are on the right path to loose that stubborn fat.

Off course not to forget the importance of healthy eating and healthy sleep otherwise all the hard work get wasted. My best advice is to hire a qualified trainer who will guide you through proper technique and keeps you motivated shall you struggle.

Visit Chris’ website: www.vitfit.com.au

Paul Edgar, Personal Trainer Body and Mind Fitness Company

Don’t follow the latest weight loss diet. The reality is that only 2% of weight loss diets (eat less, exercise more principle) are successful for long-term health [all diets have their benefits but the reality is that they are all high-fad diets where the weight loss is not sustainable. There is no diet that is going to be the perfect diet for everybody

Look at what you are eating and when you are eating it. Why do we become obese? Generally, it is to do with ALL of the following: The quality of food we eat, The amount and type of calories, The type of fats and carbohydrates

When you eat makes a difference. It is ALL of the following:

  • The type, balance and quality of carbohydrates, protein and fats
  • The amount of fibre
  • The type of phytonutrients (plant chemicals)
  • The vitamins and minerals
  • The timing of meals and portion sizes
  • The frequency of meals

Control your stress levels. If you don’t subdue stress, you’ll have more visceral fat due to an increase in the stress-hormone cortisol, which means more inflammation and therefore more obesity. The body shuts down your digestion under stress and the blood goes to the muscles, brain, heart and lungs for the fight or flight response

Build up your muscle by incorporating strength training into your workouts. Muscle burns 70 times more calories than fat so when you lose weight (i.e. on a restrictive diet), you lose muscle and fat – when you put the weight back on, it is just fat and this burns 70 times fewer calories than muscle so you need fewer calories to maintain the same weight.

Visit Paul’s website:  www.bodyandmindfitnesscompany.co.uk

Brian Danley, CFT Personal Trainer

Reducing abdominal fat requires a combination of intense anaerobic circuit training (i.e., upper-lower body circuit), short high-intensity cardio interval training (HIIT), and a healthy, clean diet of minimally-processed foods.  Training legs at a relatively high-intensity level (e.g., 70% 1-RM) while performing circuits can go a long way toward leaning out one’s midsection.  

Rest durations between sets should be fairly brief (e.g., less than 2 minutes) to stoke the metabolic rate intra- and post-workout.  HIITs of up to 20 minutes incorporating intervals of 30s to 1-minute intervals is ideal.

Bottom line:  Living the lifestyle of eating healthy, working out regularly, and sleeping well are the keys to being lean and in fighting condition!

Visit Brian’s website: www.briandanleyfitness.com 

Angela Sladen-de Rox, CNC, RSNA, Weight Management Expert

Eat a minimum of 4 cups (pushed down and packed) of a mixed salad (minimum 6 different veggies: eg. lettuce, sprouts, tomatoes, cumber, red onion, celery, red, green or yellow pepper, snow peas, etc.) AND a minimum of 2 cups of steamed mixed veggies (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.) EVERYDAY.

Visit Angela’s website: www.totalhealthmethod.com

Mike Esparza, Personal Trainer

Don’t think you only need to do stomach exercises, you’ll be greatly disappointed. If you really just want to focus on losing stomach fat, do full body weight training with light weight for higher reps and do lots and lots of cardio. If you have an hour to train, do 20 minutes of weights with short rest periods followed by 40 minutes on non-stop cardio.

You can throw in some stomach exercises every night before you go to sleep. If you do this 5 days a week mixed with a healthy diet you’ll get good results. Don’t be the person to do 1000 crunches every day and expect to lose your stomach. You’ll just go from having a fat belly to having a strong fat belly.

Visit Mike’s website: www.yourbody-yourgoals.com

Anna Ferguson, Personal Trainer, Lifestyle Coach & Nutritionist

1. Water!!! It’s an old one but true!! You can guarantee if a person is dehydrated they will be carrying a few pounds. I’ve seen it time and time again when using my body analysing scales. So get drinking.

2. Sleep, it’s amazing how a lack of sleep and poor quality sleep can really get the body storing fat. I have seen clients go to bed 1-2hrs earlier every night for a week and lose up to 5lbs. The body needs that rest and recovery. It resets the body and metabolism, and also helps people be mentally ready to make healthy choices. When tired its all too easy to reach for convenience foods.

3. Regular exercise. Consistency and persistence will win the day every time whatever you do. People are often sporadic with training and also healthy eating. Binge and starve or hard training verses nothing, just shocks the body. The clients that are in the best shape have trained regularly and consistently their whole lives. Make exercise like combing your hair or brushing your teeth, a habit that is impossible to break.

4. Focus on metabolism. You need only a very small amount of iodine in your diet that helps the function of the thyroid gland. Increase your oily fish and green leafy veg especially spinach will give you a boost and help burn that belly fat, at rest and during exercise. If struggling as you don’t like fish or green leafy veg then maybe you can try a kelp supplement.

5. Reduce stress now….. When cortisol (stress) is high in the body, the body will lay down fat around the middle. “They say” it takes 10secs to get stressed and 12 hrs to come down from that. If that is true we could get stressed a couple of times a day and become a fat storing machine. So take time out to breathe, meditate and relax every day….. This is as important as exercise and healthy eating and the one thing people tend to over look. If you want to reduce belly fat chill out!!!

Visit Anna’s website: www.fitness-fusion.co.uk

Mark Beard, Personal Trainer

In most adults who are overweight, the protruding belly is often due mostly to visceral fat. This is fat that has built up over a period and surrounds the stomach and other organs causing a swell at the abdomen. This fat is different to the subcutaneous fat that sits just below the dermis and is evenly distributed all over the body within fat cells.

Visceral fat is usually a direct result of poor eating habits over a sustained period and it can be more difficult to shift than subcutaneous fat. The methods for achieving this are however much the same as for sub C fat and rely upon the clients reducing their simple sugar intake, ensuring that most of their carbs are in the form of medium-to-low GI carbs and that intake of carbs generally is reduced/tapered towards the end of the day.

Whilst body fat generally cannot be attributed to fat intake. a build up of visceral fat may well be as a consequence of both saturated fat intake and simple sugars. In any weight loss campaign it is commonly accepted that the calorific intake will be of significantly more consequence than exercise.

However, it is important to stress that regular high intensity interval training ( for fat burning) combined with resistance training for the development and improvement of muscle density (for sustainable calorie burning) should not be overlooked and should be part of a balanced exercise and  weight loss programme. I would also add that any serious attempt at weight loss generally will be considerably less successful without also cutting back on alcohol intake as alcohol can impede a person’s metabolism by up to 70%.

Visit Mark’s website: www.get-me-fit.co.uk

Stuart Seymour, Personal Trainer

1. Eat breakfast….Most people neglect breakfast thinking they will lose weight, but eating a healthily breakfast helps your insulin levels thus helping keep your LDL cholesterol (bad) levels low.

2. De-stress….. when stressed the body produces a hormone called cortisol which increases body fat

3.Aim to increase exercise- just walking 10,000 steps a day really helps

4.Switch to wholegrain foods

5.Drink plenty of water… Drink water through out the day can lead to a more active metabolism. Aim for 2 – 2.5 litres a day.

Visit Stuart’s website: www.motiv8personaltraining.co.uk

Lamar Mckay, Personal Trainer NY

The best means of reducing fat is to increase the intensity of gross motor function exercises.For example the cornerstone of many of my training programs is the deadlift.

The deadlift when done properly is recruit nearly if not all of the muscles in the body utilizing a mixture of anaerobic and aerobic muscle fiber. The body to reacts when placed under a significant amount of stress . To paraphrase a 80’s video game “Evolve or Die.

For most of us we know what foods are a bad choice for our health. Nutritionally we are what we eat. Unfortunately many of us eat because food is available as opposed to eating for their needs.

Learning to eat to serve the bodies needs versus gluttony is the obstacle some will struggle with. And for others the details become more refined when we come to understand food sensitivities and allergies.

Visit Lamar’s website: www.mckaystrength.com

Pamela Brown, Personal Trainer Peak Success Fitness

The resistance workout should consist of multi-joint exercises using short rest periods (less than a minute) and non-competing exercises (i.e.,supersets, circuit workouts) using challenging weight.

This should be followed by interval training, whether it’s cardio intervals, aerobic intervals, or sprint intervals, or body weight circuits from 10-25 minutes (depending on what you do).

Consume healthy fats, low-glycemic carbs, and lean meats at regular intervals throughout the day along with plenty of water (at least 1/2 your body weight in ounces.

Visit Pamela’s website: www.peak2successfitness.com

Ed Ley, Personal Trainer Absolute Health and Fitness

The reduction of Belly fat is a mine field of possibilities. This question highlights perfectly why diets don’t work. A blanket reduction in belly fat is possible to achieve but how best to achieve belly fat loss can vary dramatically from one person to another.

We know that a post menopause woman will require a different intervention to a 25 year old male. There are a thousand different lifestyle, genetic and health related considerations when it comes to losing belly fat. Different hormones are at work and blanket prescriptions can be careless.

What becomes confusing in the world of nutrition is that people feel the need to narrow down to specific foods and micro and marco- nutrients yet the world provides us with evidence to the contrary.
Populations closer to the equator seem to thrive well on a diet close to 60% carbohydrate, the further from the equator we move the more fat and protein dense a diet seems to become and many populations seem to thrive under these circumstances.

To take a blanket approach to losing belly fat I would recommend lifestyle changes above any targeted method.

Visit Ed’s website: www.absolute-health.co.uk

Amanda Wright, Personal Trainer

  1. Get motivated, be committed and determined to make a lifestyle change.
  2. Set realistic goals
  3. Eat clean, at least most of the time
  4. Variety is the Spice of Life

Visit Amanda’s website:  www.mw-pt.co.uk

Conor Doherty, Personal Trainer Star Factory Fitness

The best way that I’ve come across to burn belly fat involves a combination of a high protein and moderate carbohydrate diet and the use of interval training.

I’ve tried many different food and nutrient combinations and I always seem to lose the most fat when I make sure that each meal consists of a high quality protein source like a chicken breast, egg whites, or lean ground beef as well as including a bunch of different veggies with each meal. I find that spinach is the easiest veggie to include in my diet because I can pack a bunch of it in a shake and not even taste it, and I always use it for salads.

As for training, I train athletes, so my focus and training always comes with performance in sports in the back of my mind. An awesome way to help burn belly fat is to run intervals either on the treadmill, on the slideboard (I train mostly hockey players), or through kettlebell swings. The after effect of interval training is a lot different than steady state cardio because your metabolism is firing on all cylinders hours after an interval workout, where as a steady state cardio workout doesn’t provide that effect on the body. I’ve had the most success burning belly fat with that combination of nutrition and exercise.

Visit Coner’s website: www.starfactoryfitness.com

Renee McLaughlin, Certified Health Coach

Looking to blast belly fat?  Excess belly fat is a signal your body isn’t processing your food (particularly high glycemic carbs) efficiently.  It can also mean your liver is getting tired and toxic!  What to do? Learn how to eat to balance your blood sugar.  Blood sugar gets balanced by eating 5 – 6 small, balanced (balance of lean protein/low glycemic carb) mini meals a day.  This will allow your body to balance blood sugar and turn off that insulin pump that makes you hungry, tired, cranky and craving sweets.  It will also allow your body to shift into a “belly fat burning” mode.

Visit Renee’s website: www.healthcoachforsuccess.com

Levon Basso, Personal Trainer Superhuman Fitness

In addition to exercising more, I tell my clients to try and change first the things that are the most easiest to change (as opposed to attempting to turn everything in your world upside down and trying to change everything at once, which is very difficult to sustain).

When it comes to food, one thing I suggest to my clients is to switch out the dishes in their kitchen cabinets. Rather than a full-sized dinner plate, only make smaller plates or bowls available to yourself too eat off of. I’ve tried this myself and I was surprised at how satisfied I felt, despite how much less I obviously ate than I usually do.

And going back to the rationale of change that I mentioned – this is an easy first step as there’s no food changes involved, no re-making your refrigerator contents. Just simply eat less, and a smaller dish is an easy way to ensure this, especially if it’s the only option in your cupboard!

Visit Levon’s website: www.superhuman-fitness.com

Chris Hitchko, Personal Trainer Show Up Fitness

The million dollar question is, “What is the best way to reduce belly fat?” My students and clients ask it daily, “How do I lose my gut, spare tire or beer belly?” In the end, they all want that goddess and/or herculean shape! My answer usually mystifies them, “When do you think you were in the best shape of your life?” So begins the much needed thought process for clients to understand that this goal will take time.

The average person was in the best shape of their life in high school or in the beginning of college – before their freshman beer drinking days! If you‘re in your 40’s, that means you have treated your body like crap for over twenty years. If you are close to retirement, that means you have probably had unhealthy habits for almost 4 decades!

We continually set unrealistic goals that usually result in failure. I have been a trainer for almost 10 years and have been teaching personal trainers for over three. My mantra is tough love. You either  show up, listen and put in the hard work, or continue to be unhealthy and fat. The USA is an inactive nation that sets unrealistic fitness and health goals! Many of us do not comprehend that the best way to decrease the giggle in your pants is via realistic goals and proper behaviour modification.

You need to begin with exercising a minimum of five days a week – three of those days should be full-body workouts with weights. One day needs to focus on higher intense cardio or an aerobics class. The last day can be Pilates, yoga or functional movements such as push-ups, lunges, jumps or using a TRX. Once you have jolted your fat butt into gear by exercising more; begin the behaviour modification via nutrition.

You need to eat breakfast and drink ½ of your body weight in water daily! It is unacceptable to have two-three large meals a day. Now is the time to eat 5-6 small meals spread out every 2-3 hours. The consumption of vegetable and fruits needs to increase to fight off all of the bad chemicals we have been ingesting for the previous 10 – 30 years. Implement these few bullet points of exercising, changing your habits and you will have entered the precise realm for reducing belly fat.

The results depend on you deliberately modifying your behaviour and continuing with this lifestyle for the rest of your life!

Visit Chris’s website: www.showupfitness.com

Olly Hermon-Taylor, Personal Trainer Lean Green Human Being

The best way to reduce belly fat is to find a strong enough REASON to make the changes to your diet and lifestyle you’re going to need to make in order to burn fat, flatten your stomach and build a lean, toned body.

What’s going to get you out of bed in the morning when it’s dark and cold and help you fight the sugar cravings when they start to sink their teeth in around week 3?

The answer is a big, powerful, emotional reason to want to change. Something stronger than will power and self-discipline that will fuel you to reach your goals, whatever life throws in your way.

Find YOUR big reason and then make the following, simple changes for 30-Days:

  1. Eat NO “Bad Carbs” (bread, pasta, white potatoes, white rice, cakes, pastries. Avoid the white or beige stodge).
  2. Walk EVERY DAY for 20 – 60 minutes. Leave your phone, ipod, ipad etc. behind and walk in nature (field, park, woods).
  3. Lift Weights. Start with the basics: squats, lunges, pushes, pulls, bends, twists and keep it simple. Hire a good personal trainer if you’re a beginner.

Visit Olly’s website: www.leangreenhumanbeing.com 

Becky White, Personal Trainer

My best advice for reducing belly fat is to reduce your carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrate is the body’s preferred energy supply and can be found in foods such as bread, cereals, pasta, sweets, fruit etc. Carbohydrates are not ‘bad’ but in order to burn fat we need to replace carbohydrates with protein & healthy fats. Carbohydrates are also NON-ESSENTIAL to the body so there is no harm in removing them from your diet.

A low-carbohydrate diet should be a way of life and not a short-term fix. Here’s a typical day’s food plan: breakfast – 3 egg omelette with mushrooms & tomatoes or some meat. snack – 1 handful of nuts and an apple. lunch – chicken breast & avocado salad. snack – cottage cheese with chopped carrot, celery & peppers. dinner – salmon fillet with lots of steamed green vegetables. snack – natural yogurt with pumpkin seeds.

Visit Becky’s facebook page: onesixeightfitness

Antony Phillips, Personal Trainer AWP Fitness International

Reducing belly fat is best accomplished with a combination of proven techniques. First, and foremost, is proper nutrition. No matter the clients age, or respective metabolism, this is priority #1. It would be beneficial to measure RMR (resting metabolic rate) to get the exact daily caloric requirement. Then daily meals can be planned using this figure, minus no more than 20% of this figure to create a caloric deficit.

Note: this does not take into consideration a person who is exercising, which requires a caloric bump equivalent to the need to be effective. Meals should be spaced out at no more than 3 hrs. This can work as 4-6 meals per day.

Foods to avoid: I like the saying “if it’s white, don’t bite!”. This applies to products with flour, sugar, dairy, white rice & potatoes. These tend to be high glycemic creating blood sugar spikes, and thus fat deposits when inactive. Consume ‘clean’ proteins, ‘power’ greens, and ‘good’ fats. Next, and equally important, is hydration. For an inactive individual, 1/2 the total body equivalent in ounces of water per day will provide appropriate hydration.

The metabolic equation for fat loss requires proper hydration. The remaining tools, and least important, are increasing muscle mass & cardio activity. Increased muscle mass burns more calories during exercise as well as when at rest.

Remember, it is not possible to train properly without proper fuel at the right time. Most are genetically programmed to deposit fat in the mid-section first, and it is the last place the body will retain it when leaning out. Patience & resolve are vital. Good luck.

Visit Antony’s website: www.area44.com

Greg Brookes, Holistic Health, Fitness & Wellbeing Coach

London Personal Trainer Greg BrookesWe are all unique both inside and out. The huge array of diet and fitness books is testament to the fact that just one standised blueprint does not work. If you really want to lose your belly then you need to look inwards. You need to connect with your dreams, motivations and desires. You need to discover what really makes you tick. This is the true essence of happiness and ultimate secret to achieving a healthy looking body.

The biggest reason why most people can’t lose their belly is not usually down to the advice given but more to do with adherence. People just give up!

Your first step should be to develop a habit, the habit should be small, simple and manageable.

Second you need to look at effectiveness. What small habit will have the biggest impact on your belly? Exercise doesn’t even come close to nutrition when it comes down to reducing belly fat so my advice is to develop a small nutrition habit. Reduce sugar intake, eat more protein, go gluten free, avoid dairy etc. All these options can be broken down further into manageable habits. e.g.. Avoid eating wheat for lunch, reduce sugar in tea and coffee etc.

Develop small habits slowly and add to them day by day week by week. Once nutrition is in order start adding exercise. Try one exercise per day, like Squats, Push Ups etc. Again think about effectiveness and adherence!

Finally, anchor your innermost desires, motivations and dreams to your healthy lifestyle. Work on your nutrition to improve the lives of your kids. Improve your health to better enjoy life with your partner, family and friends. Nothing can stop the strongest desires of a man or woman who’s acting from within and following their dreams.

Over to You

What do you think of these answers? What are you going to do to reduce your Belly in 2013?

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Greg Brookes is the founder of GB Personal Training Ltd and KettlebellsWorkouts.com. He has been featured in Men's Health, Women's Fitness, Men's Fitness, and Health & Fitness Magazine, where he wrote a monthly column. He has also been featured in the majority of UK national newspapers. Labelled as "the trainer to the trainers" he delivers seminars and a regular newsletter to help Personal Trainers improve their skills and achieve better results for their clients. Continue reading

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