Health Related Fitness Tips

Fruit energy (September 30^th)
Having fruit daily will not only help reduce your risk of illness but also provide you with the energy required for a physically active lifestyle. Health and nutritional experts believe that by eating an apple a day you reduce your heart disease and strokes risk by 25%. A large health study carried out in Finland that involved 60,000 people revealed that from the individuals that ate an apple a day were 12% less likely to have major health illnesses. Bananas are an excellent source of energy for endurance based exercise as they contain fructose (fruit sugars), potassium (important for muscle contraction) and complex carbohydrates for replacement of glycogen muscle and liver storage. Bananas also contain vitamin C important for general health and maintaining immune system levels.

Preventative foods (September 29^th)
Foods that contain vitamin C such as citrus fruits, green vegetables, cherries, bananas, broccoli, jacket potatoes and berries are excellent for the health of your skin, the elasticity and durability of the artery walls. Health experts believe that by drinking a glass of orange with each meal can reduce your heart disease risk by 50%. Orange juice can boost HDL High Density Lipoprotein within the body, which is the positive cholesterol and also can provide a short term energy release from fructose which is a natural fruit sugar that overrides the insulin response. Following hard exercise there are waste products produced in your body called 'free radicals' that can damage proteins, cells and DNA and to off set the effect of these substances on your body you should consume fresh vegetables and fruit.

Be active (September 28^th)
If you wake up every day and decide you want to be active as opposed to being sedentary and lazy you will live longer and have a better quality of life. Seeing yourself as an active person means that you keep moving when performing your everyday tasks, when you do house work vigorously at a faster pace than normal you can burn more calories, increasing incidental exercise by playing with the children or grand children and joining in their games rather than being a passive spectator will not only be healthy for you but great fun for the kids too. Getting outdoors in the garden digging, weeding and cutting the grass for half an hour can burn 100 calories. Regularly exercising protects and enhances joint health as well as strengthening tendons and muscles, as well as reducing your risk of anxiety and depression.

Circuit exercise (September 27^th)
Circuit training has been the core winter conditioning of many top class athletes in lots of different sports disciplines such as cycling, athletics, football and many others. It caters for muscle strength, recovery, flexibility and endurance and a session can be specifically designed to meet the competition demands of the individuals and teams. The benefits of a collective circuit gym session can if controlled properly by a committed and knowledgeable coach can create a strong and cohesive team sprit and bring people forward in terms of individual fitness. The key to an advanced circuit session is down to the levels of recovery time introduced and that is determined by the coach or instructor's observation and knowledge of his participants.

Don't miss breakfast (September 26^th)
A study from a North American University has shown that not eating at breakfast time increases your chance of gaining fat weight. Having a proper breakfast with some fruit juice, protein and complex carbohydrates will increase your energy levels for most of the day, especially if you also exercise during the morning too. Coffee or tea (which contains caffeine) will assist you in being more alert and consuming protein in the form of eggs or yoghurt can kick start your day and help your concentration levels until lunchtime. Drinking orange juice at breakfast time will help maintain your immune levels and also reduce your risk of heart disease. Always eat complex slow release carbohydrates in the form of cereals or whole-meal bread so that your liver and muscle glycogen levels are topped up.

Natural running (September 25^th)
Your body is naturally designed to cope with the physical challenge of running with a very intricately designed foot that can help balance and drive the body forward and upwards. The Achilles tendon acts like an elastic band and along with the structure of the foot it absorbs the shock of landing and levering forward and the strength and combined flexibility of the upper leg and muscles in the backside work towards balancing during the running action. Everyone's running style is individual as is their physical make up however despite some of the recent claims relating to barefoot running, please if you are serious about running consistently over a sustained period of time without incurring injury please do not run barefooted, walk barefoot if you wish but don't run without any support or cushioning.

Whole foods (September 24^th)
Foods that contain high levels of vitamins and essential minerals can greatly enhance the quality of your life and your health related fitness. Foods such as berries, citrus, bananas all contain energy related nutrients and vitamins that can increase the immune system. Folic acid is part of the vitamin B group and is an extract of spinach and can also be found in yeast, wholegrain cereals, green vegetables, liver and oranges and whole-meal bread. Folic acid is important for the formation of red blood cells, skin health and muscle growth and is essential for the absorption on iron in the body so that blood can be more efficient in carrying oxygen to all parts of the body.

Positive action (September 23^rd)
Positive thinking is like regular exercise, practice makes perfect; by practicing being positive and optimistic in all areas of your life even when things are difficult. By continuously doing positive things such as exercise, nutritious eating habits, by consciously having optimistic thoughts every day you can hopefully change some negative aspects of your daily life. Try to identify your negative weak points and thoughts so that you can exchange them for more a positive outlook which does at first require some level of discipline to do. Visualization is a very positive and constructive way of practicing positive thought until it eventually becomes an unconscious habit in various stress situations within your everyday life.

Sluggishness (September 22^nd)
If you feel tired and sluggish throughout your normal day it may be due to a number of causes lack of sleep, lack of exercise, stress, poor diet, in some cases depression and could be due to an undiagnosed illness. Regular exercise can help kick start your energy levels as a sedentary lifestyle is not only bad for your health and mental wellness but also means you have a lower metabolic rate so your energy can be reduced over time. By not consuming essential nutrients in your diet you can be putting yourself at risk of low energy output and also a lowered immune system, so regular fruit and vegetables in your diet and reduced saturated fats will greatly reduce your sluggishness. Exercise can also ensure you get a good level of quality sleep which is vitally important for maintaining your energy throughout the next day.

Fruit nutrition (September 21^st)
Choosing fruit as a first course at a meal time is an excellent choice for a number of reasons because fruit can partially fill you up before you perhaps eat less nutritious foods. Also fruit is very good for providing quick energy and vitamins essential for energy production and general health. Vitamin C is found in various fruits such as citrus and berries and cannot be stored in the body so therefore has to be consumed on a daily basis and drinking a glass of orange juice at every mealtime can greatly reduce your heart disease risk. Bananas are a superb replacement food following rigorous exercise as they contain complex carbohydrates, potassium essential for muscle contraction and surprisingly protein which can be converted in the body to serotonin which is a chemical responsible for mood elevation.

Environment running (September 20^th)
If you have been regularly running as part of your health related fitness program and have been using running machines and road running, then maybe you need to try and run in a more natural setting. Running off road is a great way to get to the next level of fitness and in particular running on hilly cross-country courses which is an excellent way of challenging your various physiological systems, your heart and lungs, your upper body muscles and your weight bearing legs. Running off road, though challenging causes less shock on your muscularity and skeletal structures but can create a level of physical intensity that ensures that you have a good workout. The variety of the environmental surroundings will often determine the type of session you are prepared to have however it is still down to your determination to take advantage of the natural environment and work hard and push yourself to achieve greater fitness levels.

Healthy food healthy you (September 19^th)
Being consistently active and physically able to exercise is an important part of being healthy but you have to eat the right foods that suit you in order to maintain your health related fitness. Most processed foods contain very little organic nutrients, always read the labels but as a general rule packaged foods are not as beneficial as fresh vegetables, fruits and salads. It is important not to over cook vegetables otherwise you will lose a lot of the organic nutrients present. Most vitamins cannot be made by your body so it is important to consume plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables daily, especially vitamin C. Fruit and vegetable smoothies are an excellent and simple way to consume all the nutrients needed for a healthy life. Vitamins essential for maintaining health and fitness are organic substances that are found in plants and animals and are better sourced through naturally produced foodstuffs.

Clean out your system (September 18^th)
Why wait until you have over indulged at Christmas to 'detox' your body systems, why not kick start your health and fitness levels by reducing or eliminating foods and drinks that generate toxins in your body. This can be achieved by cutting out caffeine and alcoholic based foods and drinks for a few weeks to enable your body to have a rest also some positive diet and lifestyle changes may come about as a result of this extreme health intervention. By stopping eating saturated fats and simple sugar based foods you can substitute them for fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as reducing your salt intake to enable your taste buds to be re-educated to expect less salt that can be damaging to your long term health.

Have more energy (September 17^th)
Whether you are exercising to your limits or leading a sedentary lifestyle you still need to consume the correct foods to ensure you maintain your energy levels throughout the day. Regularly eating slow release carbohydrates such as whole-meal bread, brown rice and pasta will ensure that the glycogen levels in your muscles are maintained and the vitamin B contained in these foods will act as a catalyst for energy release. For quick energy consume plenty of fruit because the fructose (fruit sugar) contained within will not create an insulin response so that your energy levels will be more consistent. After exhaustive exercise bananas and fruit juice will help you take advantage of what is called the carbohydrate window, which is a time following exercise (approximately 45-60 minutes) where you body will absorb more carbohydrates so therefore quicken and aid recovery.

Avoid health pitfalls (September 16^th)
To maintain a healthy lifestyle it is sometimes prudent to plan your exercise and dietary requirements in order to avoid the health pit falls that are part of everyday life. Planning the shopping for food and actually shopping when you are not hungry can lead to better food choices where you can consider your healthy options rather than your perceived immediate needs. Planning your training schedules over the next month and keeping a training diary can help you balance your hard sessions and recovery phases to ensure you maintain your expected fitness levels. Keeping a training diary can also help you if you need to get fit again after an illness or injury by evaluating what works for you and where your weak areas are.

Beach fit (September 15^th)
At this time of year when people are considering going on holiday and showing off their bodies due to the better weather conditions, it can potentially be more stressful depending on how comfortable you are with your present body image in swimwear. The most important thing to consider is being healthy first and being happy rather than competing with images from the media of how we should look. Self acceptance and valuing yourself are greater attributes than trying to be something we are not. Being over weight however can greatly put your health at risk and cause life threatening conditions as well as reducing your quality of life, it is not about how you look it is about how you feel and maintain good health.

Summer drinking (September 14^th)
With the increased temperatures during the summer months it is essential that you remain well hydrated throughout the day, especially if you are in training and exercising regularly. It is important for sustaining exercise levels and also to help with concentration levels. If you lose 2% of your body weight in sweat you can lose a fifth of your physical ability to perform endurance exercise and risk possible heat related illness as well as putting your heart under unnecessary stress. So paying special attention to drinking before, during and after exercise is an important discipline to adhere to, making sure you are properly hydrated prior to sleep will help you maintain quality levels of sleep.

Lasting energy fuel (September 13^th)
If you regularly do endurance based exercise for long periods of time it is essential that you consume the right amount and right type of energy fuel that will assist in speeding up recovery time and also enable you to train for longer durations of time so that your body can adapt to demands you put on it. Complex carbohydrates are ideal for endurance fuel and have a slower longer lasting energy release and also contain essential vitamins and minerals important for the release of energy within your body. Whole-meal pasta, bread and rice are ideal for serious endurance athletes they contain vitamin B which is also a catalyst for efficient energy release. All endurance exercise is dependent on proper hydration so ensure that you drink enough during, before and immediately following exhaustive exercise to maintain lasting energy levels.

Acetylsalicyclic acid (September 12^th)
Acetylsalicyclic acid is more commonly known as Aspirin and has many different benefits to offset various illnesses. Within the last two decades research has found many amazing positives from regular consumption of this simple and cheap drug. It is believed to reduce your risk of heart disease, can lower your blood pressure and can offset the risk in men of developing prostate cancer. However like all drugs there needs to be some care so seek some medical advice, especially if you have a history of stomach upsets such as stomach ulcers and never consume aspirin on an empty stomach and always take low doses as that seems to have the most beneficial results, some aspirin can be enteric coated which is so that the aspirin dissolves lower within your intestines.

Eat for health (September 11^th)
Nutritional health studies carried out in Australia have found that by regularly eating tomatoes you can reduce your risk of heart disease by 70% by preventing blood clotting. Garlic also has the ability to lessen blood platelets sticking together but the main cause of heart attacks is due to a build up of fat in the arteries (atherosclerosis) that can actually clog up the blood supply to the heart. If the heart cannot get a fresh supply of oxygenated blood then the muscle very quickly stops working efficiently and can lead to a heart attack even death. So by reducing your salt and saturated fat intake, contained in high levels in processed foods; and exercising daily for a minimum of 30 minutes will drastically reduce your heart disease risk.

Maintain muscle mass (September 10^th)
As you get older you will very gradually lose your muscle mass and strength unless you offset this by training more or harder to assist in maintaining your muscle mass and reducing your body fat. Your muscle mass is reduced by 3-4% over 10 years as you get older which leads to a reduction in you leading an active lifestyle and also a lowered metabolic rate so that you burn less calories at rest. To maintain muscle mass and your health related fitness you should engage regularly in weight bearing and resistance weight training this will also improve muscle strength and efficiency to burn fats. A health study from the USA states that in order to maintain or increase muscle mass you should consume protein with every meal and you should consume a minimum of 1.2g of protein daily. Protein can be found in foods such as fish, nuts, cheese, Soya and meat. Muscle that is toned burns off more calories than fat and weight training exercise can increase calorie consumption by 15%.

Record your fitness (September 9^th)
Keeping a regular record of your training and dietary habits so that you can observe improvements in your fitness program will help you be more disciplined and can lead to considerable fitness levels. So something as simple as recording information about how much fresh fruit and vegetables you consume throughout the day will over time help you observe patterns of poor nutritional habits and see when your weak times are. So making a record of the different type, intensity and duration of the exercise can help lead to improvements, also systematically increasing your exercise levels will help you to reach a high or optimum level of general fitness and health.

Stop stressing (September 8^th)
By having clear and individual life goals and fitness aims you can greatly reduce your ability to offset stress in your everyday life, the key is being consistent in positive specific areas of your life such as being active daily even when you feel mentally tired try to do moderate exercise as this will ensure you have a more balanced mental wellbeing over time. There are various stress reduction methods that are more effective following exercise such as PMR Progressive Muscle Relaxation, this method involves lying flat on your back in a quiet and relaxed environment, then systematically contracting different muscles and then relaxing them starting from the top of your body and working down to your feet. Relaxed systematic breathing exercises, where the emphasis is on deep abdominal slow exhalation, combined with a positive visual image and thinking of positive outcomes. Exercise is great stress reliever and even a brisk walk in the daylight for longer than 20 minutes can instantly elevate your mood.

Negative nicotine (September 7^th)
Smoke contains a substance called nicotine and nicotine is very addictive and can shorten your life, reduce your life quality and put you at risk of so many illnesses. If you manage to give up smoking you will feel the physical benefits within three days as your breathing will improve and therefore you will experience a higher level of energy. Not exercising is believed to be as harmful as smoking 10 cigarettes a day and if you get professional help to quit smoking then you are 4 times more likely to stop. Smoking can cause heart disease, lung cancer and circulatory health problems that can reduce the quality of so many areas of your life, so why do you need to smoke? Do you smoke because you want to or because you are addicted to nicotine, I think you know the answer to that.

High intensity foods (September 6^th)
Whether you are looking to maintain your general health or improve your sporting performance over time you have to exercise very regularly and vary your diet to include what might be considered high intensity nutritional foods. Foods such as broccoli, Brussel sprouts, citrus fruits, berries and potatoes that can maintain a healthy skin and boost collagen levels and also help artery walls stay elastic and strong. Most of these foods contain vitamin C and if you become deficient in vitamin C it can put your lung health at risk and you will be unable to fight off lung infections so vitamin C has to be consumed daily as it cannot be stored within the body. By drinking one glass of orange juice at every meal you can greatly reduce your risk of heart disease, strokes and increase your immunity to general viral illnesses.

Balanced healthy life (September 5^th)
Having a healthy and balanced lifestyle that involves a prudent and balanced diet supplemented by regular daily exercise of 30 minutes or longer can lead to you making overall life improvements that go beyond your general health status at that time. Confidence and an increased self esteem can be a result of being disciplined enough to maintain regular training that is dependent on exercising because you want and need to habitually exercise to fulfill short term benefits rather than a distant long term goal. Basically once you get into a consistent habit and that can take 3 weeks to occur, you have to just do it and not look for the motivation before training as often the immediate benefits do not become apparent until after finishing exercising.

Prevent injury (September 4^th)
If you are regularly training hard and you want to sustain a high level of fitness and health you need to stick to basic training rules to try and prevent injury. If you get injured you cannot train and keep maintaining your high levels of fitness and health so you have to stick to some basic rules in order to try and avoid injuries. So always warm up before you exercise, start exercising very gradually at a low intensity to begin with so that your body can increase its temperature and start working more efficiently. Always make sure you have the correct sports shoes that will support and cushion you to reduce the hard impact of your weight landing on the ground especially when running. At the end of each training session you should cool down by reducing your intensity and making sure you don’t become too cold, so that you can gently stretch your working muscles whilst they are still warm. Always keep well hydrated as soon after, during and before exercise as possible in order to ensure that you maintain your hydration levels.

Phased training (September 3^rd)
Long term training gains have to be achieved by phased training blocks that can lead to eventual high levels of fitness and physical peak performance. Successful International athletes always plan their training to reach a peak at a set time of the year and this can be done by a systematic form of training that is sometimes called periodisation, which is a model of programmed training that is proven to be successful. This type of systematic training involves a block of gradual conditioning training which acts as a base for harder more specific intensive work that enables your body to absorb more physical stress in order to improve. So phasing your training into blocks of high volume/load (5 months), intensive training (3 months) and then competitive simulation training (2 months) with a 1 month of competition phase over a 11 month period can lead to you reaching your physical peak for that year.

Country fitness (September 2^nd)
Exercising in the great outdoors not only challenges you to varying degrees of physical intensity levels in pleasant and a pollution free environment which can lead to great fitness benefits. Strong power walking over hilly terrain, uneven surfaces, through woodland or moorland can challenge all your muscle groups and you can also switch off from the stresses associated with an urban sedentary lifestyle. Trail running/jogging has become very popular in North America and of course has historically been a traditional sport in Britain called cross-country running. It is a superb way to reduce stress and raise your cardiovascular fitness levels as well as reducing your body fat levels and increasing your local muscular endurance, so get out in the countryside and get moving.

More energy (September 1^st)
How can I have more energy every day to work harder mentally and physically, enjoy myself more, relax better when I choose to rest and to be more active in my leisure time? Well the simple key is to be disciplined to exercise daily which will lead to a better quality of sleep and a more prudent approach to your food consumption, why invest in exercise to improve your health status if you are not prepared to be disciplined in your diet, over time your food options will be determined by what your body needs. Keeping well hydrated throughout the day even if you are not an active person will still ensure that you will have more energy. Natural fruit options can lead to a quick release of energy as well as increasing recovery time following hard exercise it is also a more nutritious and vitamin supplement option for a healthy lifestyle.