Top Health and Fitness Articles by Greg Brookes

What Babies Can Teach Us About How We Should Exercise

By Greg Brookes

Have you ever noticed the postural similarities between a baby and the elderly?

Understanding the development of the human body will help you realise why certain exercises are great for your posture and why others are destroying it.

Later I’ll be showing you what exercises you should focus on but for now lets look at what human development teaches us.

It Starts with Pronation

When a child is born, and even prior to birth, they adopt the fetal position. In anatomical terms this is referred to as being in pronation.

During Pronation the arms and legs are turned inwards and the body is in flexion or bent forwards.

It is also interesting to note that this position is adopted as a defensive position during times of danger, it’s comfortable and protects the vital organs. Shock most people and they will instinctively move into pronation.

Moving into Supination

As time passes the body starts to open out like a flower in spring. The spine begins to straighten and the limbs, through the development of muscle, start to turn outwards. The body moves from Pronation into Supination.

Finally we get to a position, all being well, where the body is fully upright. The spine develops its natural “S Curve” and the strength of our back muscles and Buttocks keeps us upright and open.

Maintaining an upright and Supinated position signals to the world that we are strong, confident and mean business!

Ends Back in Pronation

As we age gravity starts to take its toll. Muscles start to weaken and the body, slowly at first, and quickly towards the end brings us back down towards the fetal position.

Just like a wilting flower the body starts flexing forwards and the limbs begin to travel inwards.

Elderly people in their final years struggle to straighten their limbs and spend most of their time looking at the ground 🙁

How to Prolong Your Healthy Posture

The way you exercise will have a huge impact on how your body looks and reacts.

If you want to maintain your upright posture and stay in Supination rather than moving back into Pronation then you need to take action.

Exercising to improve your posture is not as difficult as you may think. All you need to do is promote more Supination within the body.

Here are the 3 key areas you need to address:

# 1 – Extension

Rather than spending all of your time on Flexion based exercises like Crunches that take you further into the fetal position.

Work on exercises that promote extension like: Back extensions, Cobras, and Sky Divers.

Here’s an example of the Back Extension exercise (note how it counteracts forward flexion)

# 2 – External Rotation

Have you ever seen someone running and flicking their feet outwards at the back?

Take a look next time you are in your local park and you’ll be surprised! When the knees come in and the feet flick out at the back that is usually due to weak external rotation of the hips. In other words, their buttocks are too weak to keep their legs in a straight line. The legs are being pulled into a pronated position.

Question: What is the biggest problem with feet today, and hence why the orthotic industry is booming? Answer: Pronation of the feet! Strengthen your External Rotation Muscles or Buttocks and the Pronation of the feet will more times than not disappear.

Work harder on exercises like: Bridges and Single Leg Deadlifts

Here’s a Tutorial video of a the Single Leg Deadlift:

# 3 – Supination

Most kinds of pushing exercises will put you into Pronation, or in other words fold everything inwards. Most kinds of pulling exercises will put you into Supination, or open everything outwards.

So hours spent on Push Ups and Bench Press Exercises will only help to promote bad posture, and turn the body inwards.

It’s ironic that most people work on their chest muscles to increase the appearance of their chest when they are actually only turning their posture in on itself and hiding their prized possessions. If you really want to reveal a good chest then work on exercises that lift the chest and open the body out like a beautiful flower.

Work harder on Pulling based exercises like: Rows, Deadlifts or Cable Pulls.

Here’s a video of an Single Leg Dumbbell Row:

Conclusions

We all only have a finite amount of time on this earth. We start off in a Pronated position and end in a Pronated position but how long you remain strong and upright is up to you.

You can either work hard to destroy your posture or you can work hard to improve it. With any luck you will work hard to maintain a beautiful flowing posture well into your twilight years.

21 Quick Actions That Will Radically Improve Your Health

By Greg Brookes

#1: Drink a Pint of Water as Soon as you Wake Up

We all know the importance of water, right?

We evolved from water. Our body is made up of approximately 70% water. We are basically a walking, talking, big mass of mostly water.

First thing in the morning your body is dehydrated from 7+ hours of no water. Drinking a pint of water before you do anything else will give your body the top up it needs to start the day.

In Dr. Batmanghelidj famous book “The Body’s Many Cries For Water“ he explains, in great detail, the importance of drinking water. He believes that often we are not hungry but thirsty as the body confuses signals for water.

Drinking 2 litres of water per day is a good starting point for most adults. Performance, concentration and sickness are all symptoms of dehydration. Your intestines will also squeeze and extract water from your feces if you are really dehydrated and nobody wants their body made up of that type of water, do they?

#2: Start a Workout Habit of 7 Minutes a Day

It doesn’t take long to form a new habit, usually in less than 30 days.

Don’t try to do too much too soon. Start by just developing an exercise habit rather than killing yourself at the gym.

Using my Daily 7 Minute Workouts is a great start:

1. Choose one movement pattern for each day of the week (Monday – Friday)

2. Movement Patterns include: Squatting, Pulling, Lunging, Pushing, Bending

3. Try to perform as many of that movement pattern as you can in 7 minutes

My advice would be to run through your 7 minute workout nice and early before breakfast. Early workouts work in tune with your hormonal system and leave you not thinking about exercise for the rest of the day.

Start your 7 minute exercise habit today and before long it will feel as natural as brushing your teeth!

#3: Ditch the Table Salt and Start Eating Real Sea Salt

The majority of people are still overloading themselves with processed salt.

Salt isn’t actually the problem, it’s the type of salt that matters. Did you know that human blood has the same salt content as sea salt?

Table salt is highly processed, often using chemicals, that leave it clean, white and absent of all those precious trace minerals. Most table salt resembles something you would find in a science lab rather than in nature.

There are lots of great unprocessed sea salt brands out there. Look for sea salt that is slightly grey in colour. My favourite is a French sea salt is called “Gros Sel de Guerande”.

Buy a good brand of sea salt and it will last you for months.

#4: Set Up an Organic Food Delivery

Eating seasonal food is important. The more local seasonal food your eat the less time it has spent in transit and the more nutrients the food will have. Fresh fruit and vegetables lose nutritional value from the moment they are picked.

To ensure you get the most seasonal and local food I recommend you sign up with a Local Organic Food delivery service like Riverford (the one I use) or Abel and Cole.

Organic Delivery is great because:

1. You get fresh fruit and vegetables delivered to your door weekly

2. You get to try some weird and wonderful foods that maybe you have never tried before

3. Organic food is not drenched in nasty pesticides and other chemicals

4. It actually works out cheaper than buying from the supermarket

5. It saves you time and effort of shopping each week

Set up an Organic food delivery today and you will be amazed at some of the great food you will be eating!

#5: Start to Breathe Deeply Through Your Belly Again!

Stress causes shallow breathing through the upper chest and neck. The more shallow you breathe, the more of a stress response you get.

Have you ever watched a baby breathe? They breathe deeply through their bellies right? As we get older and stress starts to creep into our lives we start to take that breathing from the belly and shift up and into the chest and neck.

Shallow breathing causes headaches, upper back and neck tension! As well as keeping you highly charged and your hormonal system on overdrive.

Learn to slow down your breathing and take your breath to your belly. Deep breathing through the diaphragm stimulates the “Parasympathetic Nervous System” and causes the body to relax.

1. Try taking 10 deep breaths counting to 5 on the IN breath and 5 on the OUT breathe

2. Push your belly OUT as you breathe IN and pull the belly IN as you breathe OUT

3. 2 thirds of your breath should come from your belly and 1 third from your chest

Take some time each day and learn to breathe deeply. It’s a wonderful stress reliever!

#6: Re-Assess Your Medication and Make Some Changes

The sale of Drugs, whether over the counter or via prescription is a multi-million pound industry. Many people are far to easily convinced to take drugs based on TV ads or Doctors recommendations.

The truth is, ALL drugs are poison to the body. It takes a lot of energy for the body to process drugs and most drugs have side effects.

If your are suffering from a sickness or disease then start to question what may be out of balance in your life. Are you stressed out, eating dead foods, dehydrated, lacking in quality sleep?

If you have been taking medication for a long time then book an appointment with your doctor to reassess your situation. Don’t just reach for the drugs every time you have a headache, backache, constipation etc. Start to question the source of the problem rather than addressing the symptoms every time.

#7: Eat More Living Food

If you want to bring life into your body then you need to eat live foods. Dead foods only equal a dead body!

So think about what foods you are eating. Do you eat fresh and seasonal foods (see action #4) or are you eating packaged and processed foods?

The fresher the food the better. Try steaming or eating some of your foods raw to get the maximum nutrition from them. Boiling vegetables only leaches all the vitamins and minerals out into the water. So if you do boil vegetables make sure you use the water to make soups and sauces.

#8: Get to Bed by 10:30pm, it’s When, Not How Much Sleep that Counts

The human being operates on what is called a circadian cycle.

We evolved from nature and have always been influenced by the fall and rise of the sun. In the mornings the hormone Cortisol is stimulated, this prepares the body for action. In the evenings Cortisol levels should be reduced and Anabolic hormones are released to stimulate tissue regrowth and repair during sleep.

If you go to bed too late then you miss out a large portion of the the Growth and Repair cycle which usually runs from around 10-2am. From 2am to 6am most repair is mental rather than physical.

We are creatures of the earth and need to work with our hormones rather than against them.

It’s not necessarily how much sleep you get that matters but more when you sleep that counts!

#9: Take Your Shoes off and Start Earthing

How often to you touch your bare feet on the grass or earth?

Earthing is based on the principle that we have lost our connection with the earth. If you think about it, do you ever walk around in bare feet anymore? Our ancestors used to have constant connection with the earth and this is something that has been lost today.

There is lots of research coming out now that shows positive reasons why we should all get out there and dance on the grass or paddle in streams.

Just connecting your body to the earth will give you lots of natural energy.

So get out there today for 5 minutes and get connected back with nature.

#10: Avoid Wheat for the Day, You Won’t Regret It

Wheat is a major problem and probably the most influential food action your could take today.

It’s not actually the wheat that is the problem but the wheat’s protein Gluten that is the real nasty. The sticky protein Gluten is a big irritant to most peoples gut.

Being Gluten intolerant doesn’t just mean having gut problems like wind and a bloated stomach. Gluten can also cause an auto immune response from Leaky Gut Syndrome resulting in: Arthritis, Headaches, Back Pains, Depression and more.

Gluten is everywhere so be careful. Common foods include: Breads, Pasta, Sauces, fillers in Sausages, and Cereals.

You can take a food sensitivity test to find out if you are Gluten sensitive or you can avoid Gluten for 30 days and see just how amazing you feel without it.

#11: Free Your Mind With 5 Minutes of Meditation

Stress is the number one killer. Meditation offers you a chance to take your mind away from the daily grind and be with yourself for a few minutes.

There are many ways to mediate, here are 2 of my favourite methods:

1. Sit quietly and breathe deeply through your belly. Concentrate on your breath as you breathe through your nose. Count each breath and see how high you can count.

2. Again sit or lie quietly and breathe through your belly. Concentrate your vision on an object about 10 feet in front of you. Keep your eyes relaxed and focus on that object ONLY.

If you do start to think about your worries and problems don’t give up just accept them and refocus on your meditation.

Start with 5 minutes and work up to 30 minutes per day.

#12: Avoid Drinking Caffeine in the Afternoon

Coffee and Tea both contain caffeine which adds extra stress to your body and mind.

The stress that caffeine causes effects your nervous system. With every cup of caffeine your adrenal glands release hormones that fire up your system and prepare it for action. As the system gets fired up glucose is released into the body to give it energy. This energy response all dates back to our survival days when we needed energy to fight or run from wild animals. We don’t usually need this energy anymore so it gets stored in the liver or in the fat cells for later.

The roller coaster that the blood sugar levels are put on due to caffeine intake and subsequent cortisol and insulin responses is very damaging to the body. Adrenal fatigue is all too common these days, as is Insulin Resistance and Diabetes.

Caffeine really does get on your nerves so take a break from it as much as you can, especially in the afternoons when you should be winding down.

#13: Choose BIG BANG Exercises and Save Time

If your goals are to improve your fitness and lose fat then you shouldn’t waste your time with small exercises.

Small exercises only target small muscle groups, like the biceps or triceps. To get a quicker response from your workout you need to focus on big exercises that hit large muscle groups.

Here’s my list of top 5 Big bang exercises:

1. The Lunge – a basic movement that not only works most muscles of the body but improves your balance and movement skills

2. The Row – pulling your hands towards you is excellent for recruiting most of the muscles in your back. Perform this exercise standing up and you will use the legs and core muscles too!

3. The Squat – uses most muscles in the body but in particular the buttocks and thighs

4. The Push Up – avoid the bench press and stick to the push up. The push Up targets the chest, triceps and core muscles and you can do them anywhere.

5. The Deadlift – again uses most of your 600 muscles but heavily works the back of the body so great for posture

Put these exercises together in a circuit in the same order as above and you have a quick and highly effective workout.

#14: Take a Walk in Nature

There is nothing more natural and uplifting than taking a walk in nature. If your mind is busy, you are feeling the pressures of the day, or you simply need a break from the office. Taking a quick stroll through a park, fields or woods, is great for the soul.

Walking in nature can offer you some active meditation. A time to let yourself go and reassess your situation. Remember we all come from nature so get out there and reconnect.

#15: Plan Out Your Meals for the Week

OK, don’t turn your nose up at this suggestion. A little planning can go a long way.

There is nothing worse than opening the cupboards and finding them bare. Empty cupboards usually means eating and drinking things that you know you shouldn’t.

Take 5 minutes and write down a list of meals for the week. Once you have your meals jotted down, split each meal up into ingredients required. You then have your shopping list for the week.

This is a simple technique that only has to be done once a week, but the time and aggravation it saves is well worth it. Also, once you have written down a few weekly lists you can combine them to save even more time.

#16: Follow the Rainbow Diet

It’s a fact that different coloured vegetables contain different nutrients.

Next time you are out grocery shopping try and choose as many variations of colours as you can find. The brighter and more colourful your shopping basket the better.

#17: Dream about What You Really Want

Do you know what you really want out of life? Have you ever taken the time to think about it?

Setting goals and taking control of your life is important for your overall happiness. There is something very intrinsically rewarding about achieving a goal. Generally the harder and longer a goal takes to achieve the more rewarding it will be.

The subconscious mind has a clever way of finding solutions for you but you have to set it a goal first. Dream big and don’t worry about how you will get there, just let your subconscious take care of it.

Here’s my proven goal setting technique:

1. Close your eyes and dream about what you want your life to be like in 5 years. How will it look and feel?

2. Now ask yourself what skills you need to achieve your dream? List them down.

3. Next work backwards and plan out your pathway to your dream. Where will you need to be in 3 years, 2 years, 1 year, 6 months, 3 month, 1 month, 1 week?

4. Write out your road-map and stick it on the wall. Tick off each week as you progress towards your 5 year dream.

This technique is highly effective. Don’t sweat over the small stuff, it will sort itself out. As I said before trust your subconscious to find a way. Take control of your life and you could be living your dream in only 5 years!

#18: Spend More Time Standing

For some people the idea of standing more often terrifies them but the truth is sitting down is not very good for our backs.

When we sit down huge amounts of pressure is transferred to the lower back, far more than when standing. It always amuses me when people say their back hurts and so they need to sit down. If you have a bad back you are better to either lie down or stand up.

I’m sure you know that we live in a sitting world. We sit going to work, at work, going home from work, and finally at home in the evening.

Try to spend more time on your feet. One simply technique to prevent prolonged sitting at work is to set a stopwatch on your computer. Every 50 minutes take the time to get up, move around, drink some water and look at something other than the computer screen. You will be amazed at how much more productive you will become by using this simple method.

#19: Turn the Lights Down and Chill Out in the Evening

Dig out those candles, dim the lights, and play some soft music. In the evening it’s time to relax and work with your hormones not against them.

I mentioned earlier how we are influenced hormonally by the sun and how these hormone levels change throughout the day. Well, in the evening we should be winding down and preparing to sleep. Bright lights and stimulating TV will activate the cortisol hormone. High cortisol levels should naturally occur in the morning when its time to wake up and get going, and not in the evenings.

So in the evenings try to avoid all stimulants, relax and wind down the right way.

#20: Limit Your Fruit Intake to 1 Piece Per Day

What? I know what you are thinking. Reduce fruit, I thought that was good for me?

Fruit is good for you but only in small doses. Fruit contains high amounts of sugar. I know it’s the natural sugar Fructose but it’s still sugar.

Sugar is the largest cause of obesity today. No its not fat, its sugar. Sugar consumption has drastically risen over the last 50 years and fat consumption has drastically dropped, but we are all in worse shape than ever. We have more gyms, medical practitioners and health carers than ever before but we still can’t stop the obesity epidemic. Stop sugar and it all goes away!

Here’s my quick guide to Fruit and Sugar:

1. Avoid all Sugars including syrups and artificial sweeteners (they are even worse than sugar).

2. All ingredients that end in “ose” are a sugar. For example: Sucrose, Glucose, Fructose, Maltose etc.

3. Limit fruit to one piece a day. Only eat seasonal fruit. Fruit is not a meal.

Fruit has changed a lot over the years. Our ancestors would have eaten fruit that was much smaller and more sour. They would have only eaten it when it was in season and usually to fatten up for the winter.

Be very very careful with fruit and sugar!

#21: Do Something Different

Remember the feeling you last had when you did something different? We are creatures of habit and although most habits keep us safe they don’t always challenge us.

Have some fun by changing a habit and doing something you haven’t done before. It can be as simple as taking a different route to work or waking up in the middle of the night and looking at the stars. The challenge is to experience something new.

Spend 5 minutes looking through Google for something new. Try a new sport, join a new club, start a new business, try a new hobby, reconnect with an old friend, go to the theatre, book a weekend break.

Life is short. It’s amazing what happens when you try something new. With new experiences come more new experiences. Without change you get the same results so get out there and explore.

How many of these Quick Actions will you take today?

Is Your Left Brain Affecting Your Health?

By Greg Brookes

Do you spend too much time using your Left Brain?

If so it may be seriously effecting your health!

Let me explain…

The 2 Autonomic Nervous Systems

We have 2 autonomic nervous systems, the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic. Both are involuntary and control many things from heart rate and perspiration to digestion and breathing rate.

The Sympathetic Nervous System which initiates our “Fight or Flight” response helps us to avoid or deal with life threatening situations. Historically it was our “Fight or Flight” response that kept us alive.

When this survival response is activated we get a sudden rush of adrenalin, the muscles are primed, our focus intensifies, and our heart rate increases.

You have probably experienced this feeling when you catch yourself before a fall or have come close to any kind of physical danger. When you look at the brain it is the Left Hemisphere that predominately controls this response.

Now lets take a look at the Right Hemisphere of the brain.

The right hand side of the brain predominately controls the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) or our “Rest and Digest” response. The PNS helps repair the body, slow the heart rate, and reduce stress levels.

Now think about how you spend your day.

Which Hemisphere do you spend most time using?

Left Hemisphere

Stress & Deadlines
Financial Issues
Caffeine
Too Much Exercise
Smoking, Alcohol, Drugs
Sugar
Yang

Right Hemisphere

Meditation & Deep Breathing
Art & Creativity
Playing Music
Sleep & Relaxation
Yoga & Tai Chi
Nature
Yin

Finding a balance between your Right and Left Brain hemispheres will seriously help to improve your health.

Use Your Right Brain More Often

Next time you feel really stressed out (Left Brain Dominance) try something that is a stress reliever (Right Brain Dominance).

Here are a few examples:

Take a stroll in nature to clear your head
Take 10 Deep Breaths with your diaphragm
Change approach and get creative or brainstorm
Chill Out and Listen to some music
Draw, Paint or Doodle for a while
Lay off the Caffeine, Booze and Sugar

Conclusions

Living in your Left Brain can be a fast and bumpy ride.

Spend more time reducing your stress levels by learning to use your Right Brain more often. Get creative and switch things up.

Remember when you were just a kid and used your Right Brain more often?

It’s time to revisit those days again!

18 Valslide Exercises from Beginner to Advanced

By Greg Brookes

Valslides, created by Valery Waters, are an excellent addition to any fitness toolbox.

They are great for reducing impact during certain exercises or for intensifying Core and Abs exercises.

There are 2 types of Valslides that you can use, one is for use on Carpets and the other for shiny flooring like Wood, Stone or Vinyl.

Here are a list of my favourite Valslide exercises to get you started:

Beginners

# 1 – Fast Mountain Climbers

A nice introduction to using the Valslide. You will have one Valslide under each foot while in the Push Up position.

Next keeping your arms straight and core nice and tight you alternate sliding your knees to your chest.

Start off slow to get a feel for the movement and then work on picking up speed.

This exercise is not only demanding for your Core muscles but is also a great cardiovascular exercise.

Perfect for beginners because it takes the high impact out of the movement.

Try 30 seconds for a good pulse raiser!

# 2 – Reverse Lunge

Performing a Reverse Lunge with a slider under the moving foot adds a different dimension to the regular reverse lunge.

As you bring the foot back through to the starting position you will notice that you will have to deal with the friction that the Valslide produces.

Be careful that during this movement you do not just slide backwards and forwards without dropping the back knee.

Remember you are still performing a lunge and not just a rear hip flexor stretch.

Work on one side first and then switch to the other side.

# 3 – Hamstring Curl

This exercise is great for working into the hamstrings.

Start by lying on your back with both heels on the Valslides.

Next raise your hips and keep them up as you pull both heels in to your buttocks and then push them back out again.

When you first start this exercise you may want to just pull in one leg at a time.

Ensure that you straighten the legs at the end of the movement to fully lengthen the hamstrings.

# 4 – Slow Mountain Climbers

Valslide Slow Mountain Climbers Exercise

A beautiful Core exercise that works on stabilisation.

The exercise looks very similar to the Fast Mountain Climber except the knee is brought to the outside of the elbow.

The movement should be performed at a very slow pace allowing the Core muscle to engage correctly.

The slower you move the more difficult the exercise. Attempt to keep your hips as still as possible throughout the movement.

# 5 – Side Lunge

One of the more difficult beginner exercises that requires good flexibility through the hips.

Starting from a standing position place one Valslide under your one foot.

Next slide that foot directly out to the side and push your hips backwards.

Keep your chest held high and back flat. Keep pushing your hips backwards and leg out to the side until your thigh is parallel with the floor.

Pause and then return to the starting position. The deeper you drop into the lunge the more you engage your buttocks.

# 6 – Forward Lunge

Very similar to the Reverse Lunge but moving forwards. You will find this lunge variation more difficult that the Reverse Lunge.

Using a Valslide for the Forward Lunge teaches you to load the back leg in a different way because overloading the Valslide would throw you off balance.

The friction produced from the Forward part of the lunge is also something that you would not usually have to deal with when performing a regular Forward Lunge.

# 7 – Clock Lunge

A great exercise to finish of the beginners section.

The Clock Lunge works your Lunge pattern through all the different movements listed above.

Start by performing the Forward Lunge with the right leg, then the Side Lunge with the right leg, and finally the Reverse Lunge with the right leg.

Next switch legs and perform the Reverse Lunge with the left leg, followed by the Side Lunge with the left leg and finally the Forward Lunge with the left leg.

Next switch legs and repeat.

You will notice that you are Lunging around a clock in a clockwise direction: 12, 3, 6, 9 and 12 O’clock.

Advanced

# 8 – Squat Thrust

Another good cardiovascular exercise that works the Core hard too.

Set yourself up as if you are about to perform the Fast Mountain Climbers.

Next with both feet on the Valslides pull your toes into your chest and then back out again.

Keep your Core tight and ensure you complete the full movement to straighten your legs at the end.

A great exercise if impact is a problem for you.

Try 30 seconds without stopping to really get your heart beat racing.

# 9 – Double Lunge

One of my favourite Valslide exercises for testing the legs.

You will have your foot on one Valslide and then imagine that the other foot is stuck to the floor.

Next slide backwards into a Reverse Lunge and then Forwards into a Forward Lunge.

Keep the pace fairly brisk and ensure that your knee gets as close to the floor as possible for every repetition.

One repetition counts as forwards and backwards.

Try 10 on each side for a nice leg workout.

# 10 – Alligator Walk

This tasty exercise works both your Core muscles and your shoulders too.

I like the shoulder stabilisation that is required to perform this exercise correctly.

Start in a Push Up position with your feet on the Valslides.

Next with your Core engaged and back nice and flat start dragging yourself forwards on your hands.

Only move your hands as you continue to walk forwards dragging your legs behind you.

Find some room and move forwards for 10 and backwards for 10. If your hips start to sag towards the floor then stop the exercise.

# 11 – Hand Slide Outs

Very powerful Core exercise that can be modified depending on strength.

Start in a Push Up position with your hands on the Valslides.

Next taking it in turns slide your one hand out forwards as far as possible.

Next return the hand slowly and repeat on the other side.

The crucial part about this exercise is keeping the Core engaged and the back flat.

Only slide your hand as far forwards as you can manage with good form.

# 12 – Reverse Lunge with Overhead Reach

Valslide Reverse Lunge with Overhead Reach

A nice full body movement that lengthens the back and mobilises the rear hip flexors too.

Perform the regular Reverse Lunge as mentioned in the beginners section.

As the back knee drops down into the lunge reach up with both hands and look up at the same time.

Next bring both arms down as you drive from the front leg back into the standing position again.

# 13 – Plank Slide Outs

A demanding Core exercise that requires a good deal of foundational core strength to begin with.

Start in a regular Plank position with your feet on the Valslides.

Next keep your Core engaged and hips up as you slide your feet backwards.

Slide your feet back as far as your Core muscles can handle before sliding back to the starting position again.

If you are new to this exercise work on only sliding backwards and forwards a few inches before really going for it.

# 14 – Push Up to Squat Thrust

A nice Valslide combination exercise that starts with a regular Push Up and then adds in a Squat Thrust.

Begin the exercise in the Push Up position with the feet on the Valslides.

Perform a single Push Up and then when back at the top of the movement pull the knees in and out for a Squat Thrust.

Keep the pace steady and don’t sacrifice your form for speed.

Keep that core tight and your hips up.

# 15 – Cross Body Mountain Climbers

A similar Core exercise to the Slow Mountain Climbers but this time a little more focused on the Obliques.

From the Push Up position with the feet on the Valslides take the knee underneath the body and as close to the opposite elbow as possible.

Return the leg to the start position and repeat on the other side.

Keep the movement slow and controlled.

# 16 – Pikes

A nice core exercise that demands good core stabilisation as well as hamstring flexibility.

Start in a Push Up position with both feet on the Valslides.

Next keeping your legs straight pull your legs in towards you and push your buttocks up into the air.

Try to get your feet as close to your hands as possible without bending your legs.

Next slowly slide your feet back into the Push Up position.

# 17 – Side Plank Reach Through

This Core exercise works the side of the body as well as your Upper Thoracic mobility.

Start in a Side Plank position with your top hand on a Valslide.

Next sliding the Valslide along the floor take the hand underneath the body as far as possible.

Rotate the body as much as possible as you reach through.

Next pull the arm back through and start again. Move slowly throughout the exercise and keep your hips nice and high.

# 18 – Push Up Slide Outs

This exercise takes the regular Push Up to the next level and really challenges the one side of the Chest and Triceps.

Start as with a regular Push Up but with both hands on the Valslides.

Next as your descend down into your Push Up slide one arm out to the side as far as possible.

As you push up from the bottom of the push up return the arm back to its original position.

You can either work on one side for a certain number of repetitions or switch sides after every rep.

Loaded Exercises

The above selection of exercises require no equipment other than the Valslides.

You can, when you are comfortable with the Valslides, start to add loaded movements like Reverse Lunges while holding Dumbbells or a Kettlebell.

Take your Valslides with you wherever you go, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Have you tried using Valslides yet?

Are You Fit but Unhealthy? The 10 Systems of the Human Body

By Greg Brookes

As a Holistic Personal Trainer it is important to understand that the body is made up of a system of systems.

All the systems are related. If one system fails or is affected by disease then this effects the other systems.

For example: Respiratory issues will effect the Nervous System and induce anxiety. Absorbing unnatural foods through the Digestive System may trigger off an auto-immune disease in the Immune System. An over worked Nervous System will suppress the Reproductive system.

A fit person is not necessarily a healthy person. Just because you look good in the mirror and have ripped abs doesn’t mean all your systems are functioning well.

I have dealt with many clients that look great but are suffering from digestive issues, depression, skin problems, poor sex life, adrenal burnout, fatigue etc.

The following 10 Systems make up the Human Body and should all be addressed if you want to live a long, happy and healthy life.

# 1 – Skeletal System

The framework of the body. Not only do the bones of the body act as protection for the vital organs but also as anchor points for all our soft tissue. Your bones are alive and constantly regenerating, placing stress on your bones is vital for their health.

Watch out for:

Problems with the Joints like the Spine, Pelvis, Ankles/Wrists. The bones connective tissues, Cartilage and Ligaments. Bone Fractures. Also, Osteoarthritis / Rheumatoid Arthritis.

# 2 – Muscular System

The muscular system attaches to the skeletal system and produces movement. The body is basically a system of pulleys moving around your joints. The muscles have a rich supply of blood enabling them to repair and recover quickly.

Watch out for:

Muscle and Tendon Strains, Tears, Tendinitis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

# 3 – Nervous System

The nervous system is the body’s computer sending messages quickly around the body. You have an automated system that governs things like breathing and heart rate. The nerve endings of your body relay information back to the spine or brain for immediate reaction.

Watch out for:

Problems with vision. Bad Sleep Cycles. Nerve Damage that includes dead spots on the skin. Anxiety. Smell, Taste, Touch and Hearing problems. Balance issues. Strokes, Migraines, Meningitis.

# 4 – Endocrine System

The hormonal system of the body. Hormones originate from the glands. Hormones send messages around the body. Hormones cause specific reactions in the body like the release of Adrenalin or Insulin.

Watch out for:

Adrenal Fatigue and Anxiety Issues. Pancreas, Thyroid & Parathyroid problems. Issues related to the Testes or Ovaries. Diabetes level 1 or 2.

# 5 – Cardiovascular System

The cardiovascular system involves the blood stream and the transportation of oxygen to the working tissues. The more economical the oxygen transportation system the more efficient the muscles can continue to work.

Watch out for:

Problems with the Blood, Arteries, Veins, and Capillaries. Heart issues including attacks, angina, atherosclerosis, valves disorders, embolism, thrombosis, arrhythmia, and hypertension (or high blood pressure)

# 6 – Respiratory System

Breathing in and breathing out oxygenates the blood as well as removing the waste carbon dioxide. The better the respiratory system the more oxygen in the blood and the more efficient the muscles can work. Incorrect breathing patterns will directly affect the Nervous System.

Watch out for:

Problems with the Lungs, Common Colds, Influenza, Bronchitis, Asthma, and Emphysema.

# 7 – Urinary System

The body’s purification system with the assistance of the Kidney’s. The more you drink the more the kidney’s have to work. The more toxins you drink the more your kidney’s are stressed.

Watch out for:

Problems with the Kidney’s, Incontinence, and Kidney Stones.

# 8 – Digestive System

Often referred to as existing outside of the human body the Digestive system runs from mouth to anus. In many ways the digestive system is blocked off from the rest of the body to avoid things that shouldn’t be eaten entering into the blood stream. The digestion system is responsible for breaking down food and absorbing the nutrients into the body.

Watch out for:

Problems with Mouth & Throat, Salivary Glands, Teeth, Stomach, Small Intestines, Liver, Gallbladder, Pancreas, Large Intestine or Colon, Digestion, Enzymes, Peptic Ulcers, Gastritis, Hiatus Hernia, Alcoholic Liver Disease, Portal Hypertension, Gallstones, Pancreatitis, and Diverticular disease.

# 9 – Lymph & Immune System

The immune system keeps us healthy and fights off those deadly bacteria with the help of the white blood cells. The lymphatic system is a separate system that transports lymph or recycled blood plasma. Also absorbs and transports fatty acids.

Watch out for:

Viruses, Bacteria, Superbugs, Malaria, Fungi, Parasitic Worms, Allergies, and Immunization.

# 10 – Reproductive System

Helps us reproduce offspring. Often one of the first systems to be affected when other systems are not functioning well. Nature does not want unhealthy people to reproduce!

Watch out for:

Menstrual Cycle issues, and Contraceptive pills. Prostate, Testicular cancer, Hydrocele, Endometriosis, Fibroids, Breast Lumps, and Prolapsed Uterus.

The Problem with Western Medicine

The western style of medicine often uses a reductionist style of treatment, focusing in on the symptom and removing it or treating it with drugs. This approach only pushes the problem deeper down only to raise its ugly head elsewhere.

In my opinion, only way to achieve optimal health is to look at the body as a complete whole and not as a separate collection of systems.

Is this how you approach your health?

The Benefits of Earthing or Grounding

By Greg Brookes

Last year I read an eye opening book by Clinton Ober called “Earthing“.

Clinton’s book is full of all the latest research and the huge benefits that can be had from Earthing or Grounding yourself.

Earthing has been proven to produce such amazing results for recovery that many of the cyclists in the “Tour de France” last year were embracing it.

Research is also highlighting many other benefits of Earthing or Grounding yourself including:

Anti-inflammatory effects
Reducing stress by Activating your Parasympathetic Nervous System
Thinning the Blood by Reducing Blood Viscosity
Improving Sleep by Normalising Cortisol Levels
Acting as a Powerful Antioxidant
Speeding up Healing Times from Exercise or Injury

What is Earthing or Grounding?

Earthing is quite simply the act of touching your skin to the Earth to take advantage of the never ending supply of negative ions on the Earths surface.

The moment your skin makes contact with the Earth your body absorbs trillions of these negative ions and they act as a nutrient to the body.

Here’s what Clinton had to say in his own words:

“Your body becomes suffused with negative charged free electrons abundantly present on the surface of the earth. Your body immediately equalises to the same electric energy level, or potential, as the earth.”

Why Should We Care About Earthing?

Think about your regular day.

You wake up, walk around on your insulated floor, put on your insulated shoes, drive to work in your insulated car, sit at your desk, drive home, watch TV, go to bed.

For most people your skin rarely makes contact with the Earth.

This is very different from our evolutionary ancestors who spent more time outside working and touching the Earth on a daily basis.

Now think about how great it feels when you take off your shoes and walk on the grass. How about walking barefoot along a beach? What about how great it feels after a day of gardening, camping, swimming in the sea or paddling in a stream?

There is something intuitive and instinctive about our connection with the earth that when embraced it pays us back in dividends.

It is also worth noting that both Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine have both been using Earthing for 1000’s of years.

How it Works?

The voltage of the surface of the earth is zero.

The body is made up of over 70% water along with lots of other minerals making your body highly conductive.

When you make contact with the earth your body is Grounded or Earthed and becomes a zero voltage.

Our super conductivity can also work against us by absorbing Electro Magnetic Fields from all our electrical appliances and mobile phones. Earthing helps to neutralise these Electro Magnetic Fields.

How to start Earthing?

In a modern world Earthing is not as easy as it used to be but research from Clinton Ober and many others have shown that regular Earthing or Grounding can have great health benefits.

My simple advice would be to make the most of the good weather and get outside into nature more often.

Spend more time walking barefoot. Make contact with the Earth more often by touching nature.

In short, be instinctive and live like a child again.

There is a reason why kids love water and walking around without shoes on, it goes back millions of years!

For more on this topic visit Clinton’s website www.earthing.com

9 Ways to Make Exercise More Fun

By Greg Brookes

Lets face it, workouts can get boring and motivation can start to wane.

If you are bored of your workouts then your body is probably bored of them too!

Don’t think you are alone if you just can’t seem to muster up the motivation to workout today, tomorrow or even anytime this week.

Often getting started can be the hardest step to take.

If you find that you are getting bored with your exercise program then making a few changes can inject a fresh lease of life into your workouts and really get you rockin’ again.

Here are a list of ways you can change up your exercise routine to make them more fun…

# 1 – Use a Timer

I love to train using a timer, it keeps me honest and motivated too. Rather than just running through 10 Squats or 10 Push Ups, try setting your timer for 60 seconds and then seeing how many squats or Push Ups you can perform in that time. Record your result and then try and beat it next time.

# 2 – Set Yourself a Challenge

Workout Challenges are a great way to motivate you. Cross Fit became highly successful because they laid out many of their workouts in a challenge format. So a simple challenge may be 1500 Metres on a Rowing Machine, 20 Barbell Squat and Presses, and 20 Chin Ups. Complete in the quickest time possible and then try and beat that time next workout.

# 3 – Do Everything Only Once

Repetition is often what makes many people get bored quickly. To avoid the repetition perform more exercises in one giant circuit. So rather than performing 4 exercises for 3 circuits, perform 12 different exercises instead. Giant circuits are great because you know that once you are done with an exercise then you don’t have to do it again.

# 4 – Create Movement Variety

Did you know there is more than one way to perform a Squat? You can side step and squat, squat and press, squat and rotate, squat on one leg, jump squat etc. To add more fun to your workout why not perform 3 types of different Squats rather than 3 sets of the same. Here’s a nice progression: 1st round Yoga Squats, 2nd round Dumbbell Squat and Press, 3rd round Jump Squats.

# 5 – Train with a Partner

Training with a friend can be motivational especially if they are more motivated than you. Partner training is best when you take full advantage of it. One of my favourite methods is: You Go, I Go. So for example your partner performs 20 Kettlebell Swings, then you perform 20 Swings, then your partner etc. You can do the same for Sprints, Swimming Laps etc.

# 6 – Get Outside

There is nothing more invigorating than training outside in nature. Have you every tried a few Hill Sprints? What about a nice bodyweight workout under a tree? Go for a swim in the sea or outdoor pool. A change of environment can be all you need to freshen things up.

# 7 – Switch Equipment

I spent years training with Kettlebells, then I tried a few Powerbag workouts and I was hooked. Later I picked up some Indian Clubs and couldn’t get enough of them. I used to jump rope, then I got addicted to hill sprints. There are so many options out there so start to mix it up. Workouts are so much more fun if you use a different piece of equipment each time.

# 8 – Strip it Back

You don’t need to do lots and lots of exercise in order to get the benefits. Some days performing just one exercise well and to your full capacity is all you need. If you lift well then 5 x 5 barbell Deadlifts will leave you recovering for days. 10 minutes of Kettlebell Snatches will blow your mind. 100 Bodyweight Squats is a great start to the day! Sometimes you just need to keep it simple!

# 9 – Play More

Who said workouts are all about running or lifting weights? Try 1 hour of Paddle boarding or Kayaking for some great core engagement. Practice performing some handstands or forward rolls to reconnect with your natural movement skills. Improve your balance by trying some Slacklining. Go climbing with a friend or just walk in the hills.

Exercise and workouts should not be a chore. Find something you love and then do more of it. Human Movement is a natural part of our evolution, it’s deep within us you just need to let it out!

Why not try some of my Fun Workout Challenges?

5 Steps to Developing a Healthy Habit

By Greg Brookes

Habits are all around us. Most of the things that you do on a daily basis involve following some sort of habit.

We eat the same foods, shower and get dressed in the same way, walk the same route to work, play the same sports or use the same workout routines. Our whole lives consist of a series of habits.

But why do we use so many habits?

Habits keep us safe, they tell the brain that “we have done this before so it’s OK to do it again”. Habits take up less mental capacity, and the more we stick to our regular habits the less brain intensive they become. Habits get easier and easier!

We all know how hard it can be to change a deep ingrained habit. The brain and body is less willing to give up a habit that has been entrained.

Our ability to develop habits can work to our advantage, especially when it comes to developing our health and fitness. 30 days and you can entrain your brain to developing a new habit.

Here is my simple 5 Step Guide to developing any habit:

# 1 – Choose Just One

Don’t overwhelm yourself by try to do too much at once. Start by choosing just one habit to develop. If your goal is to lose weight then choose just one aspect of fat loss that you can focus on and develop into a lifelong habit. So you may choose to eat a better breakfast, start an exercise program, join a fitness class or hire a Personal Trainer.

# 2 – Keep it Simple

Once you have decided on what habit you would like to develop you next need to simplify. Don’t try to change too much at once. So if you choose to start an exercise program, just begin by performing one or 2 exercises before you shower every morning. If you are looking to improve your diet and lose weight then try to avoid bread for breakfast. Develop one habit at a time. Try to do too much and you end up being overwhelmed and doing nothing.

# 3 – Model Somebody

We all hear about goals like losing 7lbs in 21 days or running a marathon but these goals can set you up for failure. Rather than thinking about individual goals try to model somebody who has achieved what you want to achieve. So if you are trying to develop a nutritional habit think whether your Role Model would eat that or drink that. If you are thinking about skipping a workout, ask yourself how many times your Role Model skips a workout. Find a good Role Model and be inspired to do what they do.

# 4 – Develop Routine

Habits are all about routine. The more you stick to the routine the more the brain develops a habit and starts to make it a “No Brainer’ for you. So give your habit a chance. Exercise at the same time each day. Begin by performing the same exercises each day. Eat breakfast at the same time each day. I’m writing this Blog post at the same time as I write everyday. Start a routine and stick to it.

# 5 – Stick to the Schedule

Habits are simple, you just need to stick to the schedule. Forget about the results and focus on the schedule. Get yourself a calendar and cross off each day. Never break the chain. If you are running short on time one day then do less exercise. Just don’t break that schedule. The longer you can keep going the easier it will get and the more of a habit you will develop.

For more on developing habits I can highly recommend the The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. It’s a great read and probably the best overall summary of cutting edge information on Habit Development.

Want to develop an Exercise Habit?

My 12 Week Essential Bodyweight Program includes a daily workout of only 1 or 2 exercises per day and all using no equipment.

5 Signs of Stress and How to Take Action

By Greg Brookes

Stress can have an enormous impact on your Physical, Emotional and Mental health.

It’s important to note that the body cannot distinguish between one stress and another, stress is stress regardless of its origin.

Everybody suffers from stress in one way or another but how stress is perceived is a very subjective matter. For example someone who works with bears would be less stressed when confronted with a wild bear than someone who sees a bear for the first time.

Here are list of signs that indicate you are suffering from stress and ways to combat your everyday stress levels:

# 1 – Impotence

Lets start with one for the men. If you suffer from heavy amounts of stress then it is not uncommon for your sex drive to go down. Stress after all is a response to a threat whether that is physical (being attacked), mental (worrying about financial security), emotional (relationship issues), Chemical (medical drugs), and Nutritional (toxic unnatural foods).

During stressful times the hormone Cortisol is released which increases energy supplies by elevating sugar in the blood but at the same time suppresses non essential things like reproduction. When under threat getting an erection is the last thing the body is concerned about.

Take Action:

Discover your largest source of stress and deal with it. Here’s a true story about a stress that overtook my life. Many years ago while studying at university I started getting anxiety attacks. As time went on the anxiety got worse to the point where I couldn’t attend lectures or at one stage even leave the house. I tried everything to combat the anxiety from changing my diet, to exercising more, and even meditation.

Nothing worked until I addressed the thing I had feared the most, the relationship I had with my long term girlfriend. I was courageous and ended the relationship. There were tears but it was transformational. The anxiety attacks slowly disappeared, I got back to my lectures and I graduated with flying colours.

At the time I was blinded by the impact the relationship was having on my life but now I see how that relationship was my biggest stress. By taking action to deal with that stress everything else fell back into place. So identify your biggest stress and take action.

# 2 – Sleep

If you have difficulty sleeping at night then you may want to take another look at your stress levels. Stress is caused by the release of the hormones Adrenaline and Cortisol. Adrenaline increases your heart rate as well as elevating your energy levels. During the evening you need to slow down your heart rate and reduce energy levels ready for a good nights rest.

Take Action:

Wind down in the evenings. Avoid stimulating foods and drinks after 4pm, that means caffeine, sugar and chocolate. Exercise in the mornings and not late at night. Take a nice warm bath before bed and try drinking camomile tea. Avoid bright lights in the evenings and swap TV for a nice book. Lavender oil on your pillow or wrists can also help.

# 3 – Digestive Problems

If you suffer from bloating, lots of wind or you look down in the toilet and don’t like what you see, then you may be suffering from stress. During a stressful situation the Sympathetic Nervous System is stimulated and this leads to a whole cascade of reactions to deal with the threat. One of these reactions is the closing down of the digestive system. Digestion comes low on the priority list when danger is near by.

Take Action:

Be careful drinking caffeine after meals. Caffeine stimulates your “flight or fight” response and switches off your digestion. Take a good look at your diet and see how much of what you eat comes from nature. Go organic. Non organic food is sprayed with chemicals that cause a stress to your body. Just washing non organic food is not enough. Pesticides are designed to resist being washed off by the rain.

# 4 – Aches and Pains

Some people just can’t seem to get back into full health. They always have an ache or a pain somewhere. If you find that you take a long time to heal following an injury or a workout session then you may be suffering from stress. Cortisol, the main stress hormone, is released when you are stressed. Cortisol is responsible for suppressing growth responses that would usually help you recover from an injury or workout.

Take Action:

Ask your partner for a massage or better still visit a professional massage clinic. Receiving a massage will help de-stress and also reinvigorate soft tissue by bringing fresh blood to damaged areas. Spend 30 minutes every evening stretching all your tight areas, or invest in a foam roller and start rolling! Work on getting to bed early, asleep by 11pm latest!

# 5 – Mood Swings

Stress has a large effect on the brain. The constant release of the stress hormones Cortisol and Adrenaline is not only hard on the body but on the mind too. Stressed out people often suffer from depression, have energy swings, and struggle with mental clarity including memory issues.

Take Action:

Get your mind away from your troubles by trying some meditation. You don’t need to sit cross legged to meditate. Try going for an evening stroll in nature. Also try starting a new hobby or making some new friends. Basically try to find a way to distract yourself from your daily stresses. Simply counting 20 slow deep belly breathes can be all the distraction you need from time to time.

Final Note

Stress is stress no matter where it comes from. Taking daily action to combat stress will lead to a happier and healthier life. Start by identifying and then addressing your biggest stressor first and everything else will fall into place. Stress accumulates in the body so it is not always the final stress that tips you over the edge that is your biggest issue.

Good luck and RELAX!

Greg's Daily Diet – Part I – Breakfast

By Greg Brookes

I recently received the following comment to one of my articles on Grains:

“I like your website and services that you offer Greg but your dietary advice seems idealistic. I like the idea of trying some of your suggestions out but I just donâ€™t see how I could ever do it, Iâ€™ve hardly be able to eat anything! Shops, cafes, restaurants, dinner with friends it would be so hard to eat as you suggest that it would cause me more stress than the benefits involved.

I do eat healthily but I want to improve my pot belly that keeps me with a 4 pack instead of an 8 pack Cutting out starchy foods does seem to be the way forward but I just donâ€™t think I could live as you suggest.

Ideally I would get a diet plan for the week showing how it could work but it seems that actually 10% of food in supermarkets can only be eaten and that must be difficult to stay motivated.”

It is often thought that I am some kind of health freak and that many of my principles are not practical in real life. Do you think this?

The truth is I base all my principles on Science and Nature. So it doesn’t matter how many times you want to believe that grains are good for you or low fat foods are good for you or that protein shakes are good for you, both nature and science shows us otherwise.

Mother Natures Food — Image by Rocketeer

So you really have a choice…

# 1 – Trust in Mother Nature and all the beauty that she has created in the world, and Look, Feel and Live Healthily

Or…

# 2 – Try and make up your own rules, listen to the media and all the million dollar food marketing companies and spend a lifetime battling with health problems!

OK, with all that said I’d like to outline how I eat and drink during the day.

It is my hope that you can then see how living inline with your body and with nature is totally possible and not idealistic.

I’ll run through an average day, include all my meals and give you the reasoning behind why I eat, what I eat and why I avoid certain foods.

Right, lets get started…

Wake Up

During a full nights rest your metabolism slows and Â your body rejuvenates. If you get to bed early enough (before 10:30) then you will have had full physical repair as well as full mental repair.

Once you wake up you will be dehydrated due to a lack of fluids during your 7-9 hour fast. Drink a glass of water when you first wake up to replace lost fluids.

Next I drink tea, generally decaffeinated and without milk. There are 1000’s of choices of tea but here are a few options:

Green Tea (different teas have different amounts of caffeine)
Chai Tea (black tea, slightly caffeinated)
Yerba Mate (caffeinated)
Chicory (not a tea more of a coffee substitute, caffeine free)
Mint (caffeine free)
Lemon and Ginger (caffeine free)

What’s the problem with Caffeine?

Caffeine induces levels of stress within the body. It raises hormones and blood sugar levels to give us energy. High blood sugar levels causes hormonal issues and fat storage.

I don’t recommend that everyone needs to give up caffeine, there are far more important things to tackle with regards to your health.

However, many people are far too stressed out to handle the extra anxiety that caffeine can cause both mentally and hormonally. If you suffer from IBS , Anxiety Attacks or Energy Slumps then I recommend you eliminate caffeine.

I rarely drink caffeine but if I do then I limit it to one cup and drink it before 4pm. Caffeine has a life of many hours so you don’t want to drink caffeine in the evening because it will disrupt your hormones during sleep.

Finally, drinking caffeine after meals is not recommended. Drinking caffeine stimulates your Sympathetic Nervous System which in turn shuts down your Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS). Your PNS is responsible for digestion so stimulating your body after a meal will cause problems with digestion.

Breakfast

First thing in the morning your body is empty and ready to take on food.

A good meal will provide you with energy for the day.

Just like taking a car on a long journey you need to fuel up first

What you eat now will have a profound effect on the rest of your day.

For many people their breakfast will consist of Tea or Coffee, Fruit, Toast, and or Cereal with Milk.

Lets take a look at these and see why they are not the best start to the day.

Firstly, if you start your day with toast you immediately elevate your blood sugar levels. As I discuss in my article on Grains, toast is made from grains and most grains, whether brown or white contain mostly starch. Starch is sugar.

Then lets add some jam or marmalade which is more sugar.

Next you have some fruit or a fruit juice because you think its healthy. That’s more sugar, it’s called Fructose!

Perhaps you go for a nice bowl of wholegrain cereal, whether it has added sugar or not the grains are mainly starch or sugar.

Finally add some milk to your cereal, which has its own natural sugar and that’s Lactose!

So the upshot of all these common breakfast options is that you consume a lot of sugar for breakfast.

Why Sugar Causes Weight Gain

Let me outline in very simple terms why sugar is such a problem.

When you eat sugar you elevate the concentration of sugar in your blood stream.
Sugar in the blood stream is damaging to the organs, arteries and blood vessels.
Blood sugar stimulates the release of the hormone insulin
Insulin forces the sugar into the muscle cells for energy usage
Too much blood sugar means the muscle cells are full and so the sugar gets stored in your fat cells

Small amounts of sugar in the body you can deal with very effectively but too much sugar causes problems!

When you are low on energy your body should use your stored energy by releasing the hormone Glucagon.

But, and here’s the big but…

Your body cannot activate your Glucagon Hormone and so release your stored energy if your Insulin Hormone is busy working managing your blood sugar.

In other words your cannot store energy and release it at the same time. Makes sense, right?

So if you want to lose fat and use up your stored energy then you need to limit your sugar intake.

Here’s what I recommend for breakfast

Remember sugar is the enemy here so we need all natural foods that will keep our blood sugar levels balanced.

Here are some of my favourite choices:

Omelettes Â (with lots of veggies)
Boiled Egg
Smoked Salmon with veggies
Bacon and Eggs (buy good quality organic)
Sausages and EggsÂ (buy good quality organic gluten free)
Leftovers from the night before
Oats made with Water and Butter (oats don’t agree with me but see how you go)

Here are a few examples of my recent breakfasts:

(Scrambled Eggs, Bacon and Buttered Leeks. Cooking time 10 minutes.)

(Eggs, Mushrooms, Watercress, Tomato, Cucumber. Cooking time 2 minutes)

(Gluten Free Sausages, Leeks, Eggs. Cooking time 15 minutes)

(Scrambled Eggs, Courgette (Zucchini), Avocado, Wild Rocket. Cooking time: 3 mins)

You will notice that I try and add as many vegetables into my breakfast meals as I can. This has taken time to develop but now both myself and Lucy love our morning veggies!

Some days I will complete my breakfast with a Vegetable Juice to add even more goodness into my mornings 🙂

Common Breakfast Objections

# 1 – Aren’t Eggs High in Cholesterol

Eggs are one of natures prized complete foods. A perfect balance of Fats, Protein and Carbohydrates.

Buy organic free range eggs and avoid the ones with added omega 3 that taste fishy.

There is no scientific evidence that links eating natural cholesterol with heart disease. For overwhelming scientific evidence on the myths of Cholesterol read these books:

The Great Cholesterol Con by Dr Malcolm Kendrick
The Great Cholesterol Myth by Dr Jonny Bowden and Stephen Sinatra

Â # 2 – I Don’t have time to Eat Breakfast

We all have the same amount of time, you, me, the Queen, the President. The difference between all of us is how we manage OUR time.

Wake up 15 minutes earlier. Go to bed 15 minutes earlier. Plan your breakfast the night before.

All the breakfast options that I show above take less than 15 minutes to prepare. Make breakfast an important habit each morning just like brushing your teeth or taking a shower.

# 3 – I Can’t Face Eating Food Early in the Morning

This is a common objection but it is a habit that can be changed with time.

If you are used to just drinking coffee and then flying out the door then you need to slowly start a new habit.

Begin with something light. Perhaps an organic natural yoghurt, apple, or even a home made vegetable juice.

With time start to add more food into the mix. Perhaps some eggs a few times per week. Or a nice cooked breakfast on a weekend.

The point is you need to start slow and build up. Start building a breakfast habit. You will be surprised at how quickly your habit will grow and you’ll be longing for more food at breakfast time.

# 4 – What’s Wrong with Drinking Milk?

Modern day milk is heavily processed until it’s not even a recognisable natural food. Here are a few of the reasons to avoid milk:

Pasteurisation destroys vital nutrients including vitamins
Homogenisation damages the molecule structure
Many people are allergic to dairy without knowing it
Many people are lactose intolerant meaning they lack the digestive enzyme Lactase that digests the milk sugar
Leafy greens have more calcium than milk

Here’s the kicker that most people don’t realise:

Low Fat Milk is actually more fattening than full fat milk because the fat actually slows down the release of the milks sugar (lactose) into your body

A common compromise that many people make with milk is to opt for Soya Milk, Almond Milk or Rice Milk.

Soya milk has many serious objections, one of which is due to possible Soya Bean Genetic Modification
Rice milk is made from Rice and is therefore high in starch and therefore sugar
Almond milk may be an option but all artificial milks tend to have additives one of which is often sugar in some shape or form

My advice would be to avoid all milks and milk substitutes. If you are not eating cereal then the only other use for milk is in tea or coffee and these can easily be drunk without milk.

Breakfast Conclusions

We all know that breakfast is an important meal that should not be missed.

Eating meals the way I eat today has taken time. I’m constantly adding and honing my daily meals, always looking for ways to add in more nutrients or foods to better improve my health.

Try to start a breakfast habit if you don’t already have one. Start slow and build up!

Finally, remember we are all different. Some people can tolerate oats others can’t. Some people are allergic to eggs others aren’t. The best way to discover your optimal diet is to test and see how you feel: 1,2,3 hours after your meal, and then adjust accordingly.

Next check out Lunch…