It’s officially British Summer Time which makes me eager to plan some outdoor sessions and challenges for members. We already have a triathlon event ongoing at the moment until April 10th. The purpose is to keep members active when they’re not at the studio doing sessions, a bit like homework I guess!
We have been using map my run to enter our distances and times. It’s a free app that can be downloaded onto your phone or iPod, where you can set challenges up or join existing ones. I highly recommend it if you’re the kind of person that is motivated by having structures or deadlines to your workouts. I have found that members and myself included do far more than we normally would once completion dates and targets have been set. If you lack motivation or tend to cerebrate about exercise, try an app like this. You will become strangely addicted to seeing your achievements down your feed, better still you can invite your friends to take part also!
Gluten Free Facts
We have all seen the ‘Gluten Free’ label stamped across many food products haven’t we? There is even a ‘free from’ section in most supermarkets now, with everything from gluten free, dairy free, wheat free, sugar free and soy free. But, are these foods healthy and should we be choosing them over traditional versions? There is no definite answer to that question as it varies so much, but I will try to lay down the facts so you can make better decisions when it comes to your food shop.
Firstly, what is gluten?
Gluten is a mixture of 2 proteins that are found in wheat, barley and rye. It gives the elasticity to bread and acts as a glue to other baked products and grains. People who are intolerant to gluten are called Coeliacs. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder that effects the small intestine and causes the body to launch an attack on it’s own healthy tissue. If undiagnosed people can become very ill. It’s important to note there’s a difference between a coeliac sufferer and someone who’s gluten sensitive. People who’re gluten sensitive can still eat wheat, barley or rye with some common side affects like bloating, stomach cramps and frequent visits to the toilet, but the body doesn’t attack itself like in Coeliacs. I follow a gluten free diet 80% of the time, not because I’m coeliac but because I display the uncomfortable bloating symptoms after consuming it.
I notice when I’m shopping down the free from section, you can buy bakewell tarts, bread, cereals and biscuits. These aren’t any more healthy for you than the originals, they still contain sugar, trans fats and are processed. Therefore, it’s important to know your food labels and how to read them. Labels are listed in order of quantity, so if the first word is sugar (or anything ending in ‘ose’) then the majority of the content is sugar. – Not healthy and should be avoided. Remember a lot of manufacturing companies jump on the ‘healthy food’ bandwagon, knowing they can sell products to the weight loss market as well as individuals who don’t fall into this category with their regular sugary confectionery. I’ve even heard of items on food menus like jacket potatoes, listed as ‘gluten free’!!! The fact is all potatoes are gluten free and the resturant didn’t really need to list it (every coeliac is well aware of which foods contain gluten) my suspicions point towards a marketing ploy.
In general I still believe that if you’re trying to be healthier you can go wrong with making up some sweet treats yourself. There’s lots of raw food alternatives to the naughties we love and better still they require no baking. Just a food processor and a fridge.
Fitness Fun
We did this in session last week and it was really challenging towards the end. Works great if you have a kettle bell but if you don’t then a weight or even a heavy bag with secure handles will do.
You’ll be doing just 2 exercises – kettlebell swing and burpee. It works like this:
Set a timer to beep every minute
Start the timer and complete 1 KB swing immediately followed by 1 burpee
Rest until the beeper sounds (this will probably be 50+ seconds)
For this set complete 2 KB swings followed immediately by 2 burpees.
This continues, adding an extra swing and burp each round. (You’ll notice your reps are increasing and your rest period is decreasing.)
Continue until the clock beats you or before if you cant go on any more.
We got to 17 reps of each, let me know how far you get! Good luck!
And Finally…
Thought Of The Week…
“Real transformation requires real honesty. If you want to move forward — get real with yourself.” ~ Bryant McGill
