GB Personal Training Ltd

Health, Fitness & Wellbeing

What Everybody Ought to Know About Fat Loss

By Greg Brookes

Have you ever wondered why you simply cannot lose weight or reduce that bulging belly? Well here is your answer…Fat Loss is a little more complicated than many think, there is no miracle exercise. It is important to look at the body as a whole. Here are the 3 fundamentals that you will need to follow in order to lose that stubborn fat and feel a million dollars.

what everybody ought to know about fat loss
Image by Randomplaces

1. Stress

Stress produces energy as a survival mechanism. Look out there’s a tiger! The body produces huge amounts of energy in order to optimise escape or deal with the situation. Getting stressed and producing energy while sitting down at work causes a rise in energy but no way of spending it. The body has to work hard to deal with excess energy, the hormone insulin is used to store energy in both the liver and our fat cells. So stress really does make you fat!

Stress also causes stimulation of the Sympathetic Nervous System (Fight or Flight) and shuts down the opposite the Parasympathetic Nervous System (Rest and Digest). So the whole time we are stressed we are unable to digest our food. So don’t eat at your desk choose a quiet and peaceful environment for good digestion.

Over stimulation of our stress hormones can wear out our Adrenal Glands. The more stress false alarms the body has to deal with, whether its from stimulants like caffeine or cigarettes, or from work, financial or relationship stress, they all contribute to exhausting your Adrenal Glands. Worn out Adrenal Glands lead to excessive fatigue and a whole host of hormonal issues including weight gain.

2. Nutrition

Food intolerance is a big problem today. Most people suffer in some degree or another. Gluten is the biggest problem. Dairy is also another. Many foods are now highly processed or relatively new to our ancient digestive systems. Food intolerance’s can cause leaky gut syndrome, auto immune problems, bloating, depression, and fatigue to name just a few.

Toxins are also a major problem. We are digesting more toxins today than ever before. Most vegetables are sprayed with chemicals all of which must be dealt with by the body. We all store toxins in our fat cells. Fat provides a natural barrier to protect the vital organs from the problems of toxic chemicals. Unless you eliminate as many toxins as possible your body will retain fat to protect the body.

Balancing blood sugar levels is vital for fat loss. Carbohydrates and stimulants are the enemy here. The more the body has to deal with surges of simple sugars the more it struggles to maintain an energy balance and stores energy in our fat cells. To stay energised, free of cravings and reduce fat storage you must manage your blood sugar levels.

3. Exercise

Most of us sit all day. We need to move more, the opposite of movement is death. So lets get moving. You don’t need to run to work or go nuts at a gym class you just need to move more often. Walk more, play more and have fun with your body 🙂

Most workouts and exercise routines in magazine don’t work in tune with your body and nature. The body dictates how it should move. Bicep curls are great for body building but useless for fat loss or everyday life. We need to be intelligent about how we exercise and base all movements on how the body is designed to move. We need to stimulate as many muscles as possible and enjoy ourselves.

Everyone is different, we don’t all need the same type of exercise. A one size fits all approach to workout design will only get you so far. We need to start at the centre and work outwards. Make progressions in a safe and logical way. Running before you can walk is ridiculous, and so is professional workout routines for unprofessional athletes. We need to use common sense and tailor make workouts to our abilities and not someone else’s.

Do you struggle with Fat Loss? Let me know your biggest problem below…

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Stretching

By Greg Brookes

stretching
Image by theloushe

#1 – You’re Not Just Stretching Muscle

Every time you stretch you are not just hitting your muscles but other soft tissue too. Fascia, the connective tissue that surrounds muscles, blood vessels and nerves also gets stretched. Lets also not forget the tendons that connect your muscles to your bones. So next time you think you are performing a quad stretch realise that so much more is being put under strain and you may not be targeting the muscle as much as you think you are.

#2 – Everything is Connected

Thomas Myers in his revolutionary book “Anatomy Trains”Âť describes how the body is comprised of connecting pathways of soft tissue. These pathways run through the entire body, some connecting soft tissue from head to toe. With the body interconnected in this way it turns localised stretching into globalised stretching. In other words, by stretching one section of the soft tissue pathway you are influencing other areas throughout that pathway. A simple example is how repeated wearing of high heel shoes shortens the Superficial Back Line (runs from the sole of the foot to the forehead up the back of the body) and can result in back pain and headaches.

#3 – Stretching De-Activates Muscles

The act of lengthening a muscle reduces the ability for that muscle to contract. This is a very useful theory that can be used to assist and activate other muscles. For example stretching the Hamstrings can assist in the firing of the Glutes if the firing pattern of the hip extensors is off. Stretching a muscle certainly will not render it useless but it will reduce its ability to contract.

#4 – We Should All Stretch Differently

We are all unique and have different length tensions throughout the body. There is no “One size fits all”Âť stretching program. Just like tuning a musical instrument we must only address the strings that need adjustment. It is important to understand your own body and then make adjustments accordingly.

#5 – Breathing Influences the Stretch

Deep breathing stimulates the Parasympathetic nervous system and this causes the body to relax. Mediation makes good use of this technique, as does Yoga which is fundamentally about ”The Breath”. When the body is relaxed it lets go of muscle tension. When you stretch you can use the breath to increase your stretching range of movement. As you slowly move into the stretch take a deep and long breath out and feel your tension release, do not fight it. As you breath in come out of the stretch slightly and then return into the stretch as you breath out again.

#6 – Stretching Can Be a Waste of Time

Stretching can be a waste of time if your body NEEDS to retain that tension for stabilisation reasons. A good example is the hamstrings being used to maintain core stability through pelvic alignment. No matter how many times you stretch the Hamstrings they will continue to Grip the pelvis so long as your core stability is weak. The solution is to strengthen the core muscles that maintain pelvic alignment thus enabling the hamstrings to relax. If a muscle simply won’t lengthen then you must look at why it is being held under tension.

#7 – Stretching Can Cause Injury

Knots, Adhesion’s and Scar Tissue leave our soft tissue weak and vulnerable. Putting poor quality soft tissue under strain through stretching can cause further damage. Think about stretching an elastic band with a knot tied in the centre, the knot gets tighter and produces weak breaking points. Spending time addressing your soft tissue through massage and foam rolling will go a long way to improving it quality.

#8 – Stretching is NOT a Warm Up

Static stretching has it place at the beginning of a workout as part of a corrective exercise program but should not be thought of as a warm up. Mobilising the joints and dynamically taking the body through the movement patterns used in the forthcoming workout are far better ways to prepare the body for exercise. Stretching should be thought of as corrective and nothing more!

#9 – Better to Stretch Away From Exercise

Stretching can be done at anytime but stretching when the body is relaxed is the most effective time for correcting muscle tissue length. Stretching in the evening is best. If you try and change soft tissue length during your workout time the sympathetic nervous system is often active and the muscles finds it hard to relax. You can however perform maintenance stretching at this time.

#10 – Stretching is 3 Dimensional

We have over 600 muscles in the body and they all run in different directions. When you stretch you need to consider the angle of the muscles on stretch. For example you have 3 Hamstrings and by just internally or externally rotating the legs you can hit different muscles. If you find one stretch easy then try it from a different angle. You body will always chose the easiest path so look for the lines with restriction.

 

6 Ways to Improve Recovery After Exercise

By Greg Brookes

Recovery from exercise is just as important as the exercise itself. Without a suitable recovery program you will take a long time to heal, suffer from fatigue and ultimately struggle with reoccurring injuries. Here is my guide to recovery and 6 options you should consider:

1. Sleep

Its is during sleep that the body releases anabolic hormones that repair itself both physically and mentally. During the evenings our cortisol levels drop and the Pineal Gland releases melatonin. It is melatonin that lowers the body’s temperature and causes drowsiness but it is the Central Nervous System that controls the sleep wake cycle. Stimulates like caffeine, bright lights and TV have a detrimental effect both on our Cortisol levels and Central Nervous System causing disrupted sleeping patterns. Avoid caffeine after 4pm and dim lights in the evenings. Follow your circadian rhythm and go to sleep with the sun and rise with the sun. This generally means head on pillow by 10.30pm. There is no more important recovery technique than sleep so make it your priority!

2. Nutrition

The body is influenced by everything you eat and drink at a cellular level. If you feed the body shitty protein shakes, sports drinks and vitamins, then body has to TAKE energy from your body in order to process this DEAD food. If you want to speed up recovery then you need to feed your body food with living content. Lots of fresh vegetates and fruit if you need the carbohydrate injection after a workout. The more muscle tissue you break down during a workout the more protein you will require. So eggs,  seared meats and Quinoa are excellent choices. If you are not exercising hard then you may need only a small amount of protein. Everyone is different so listen to your body. Ultimately, good nutrition if vital for quicker recovery.

3. Passive & Active Rest

There are 2 main types of rest, passive and active. Passive rest involves little energy so you may sit and read a book, meditate under a tree or go to the theatre. Active rest involves movement but not so intense that it requires a healing response. Examples are Tai Chi, Walking in Nature, Gentle Cycle Ride, Yin Yoga or Qi Gong. I personally like Active rest, it pumps the systems of the the body and brings fresh nutrients and life into the body.

4. Foam Rolling

Often called the poor mans massage, foam rolling is an excellent tool for soft tissue recovery. Foam rolling the muscles can help to improve soft tissue quality. As the body gets pulled and pushed through daily life knots and adhesion appear due to micro trauma to the tissue. Foam rolling can help improve the movement of soft tissue as well as bring fresh blood and nutrients to the damaged area. Never roll onto joints and never roll an area that causes pain.

5. Massage

If you have the money and the time then this is a great option for recovery. Not only is massage beneficial for the body but its great for the mind too and if done correctly can induce a parasympathetic response (causing the body to de-stress). Just like the foam roller a good therapist will focus on improving soft tissue quality. Another benefit is the stimulation of the lymphatic system which connects directly with the immune system. For many people who do not have a regular massage it can induce cold like symptoms as the body cleans itself.I personally try to get a massage every 1-2 weeks and I love it!

6. Cold Showers and Ice Baths

Like many of these recovery techniques Ice Baths or Cold showers cause a flushing or pumping of the system that helps to eliminate toxins from the body. Ice baths and ice packs will also help to reduce infamation of the body. I personally like to take a cold shower after exercise.