Exercise Tips

I know a lot of ladies have spoken to recently regards to toning your legs, here's one exercise which you can try:

So if you want those toned, slender legs here we go!

great for working buttocks, quads and hamstring ( front and back of thighs)

Ensure you have a warm up first:

• Use a box step / or the bottom of your stairs
• start off in a lunge position off the step
• keep an upright position
• relaxed shoulders 
• hands on hips
• ensure your front leg knee does not go over your toes if it does then you need to take a wider step forward
• the main action is in the back legs
• as you lower your back leg, ensure you keep your upright position
• knee should be just above the floor, be careful not to hurt your knee against the floor
• on the up faze bring your knee up towards the chest and then lunge back into position.
• you may need a wall for balance to start off with
• to make this exercise a little more challenging try hold hand weights once you are good at balance

Only do this exercise if you have been doing lunges already, if you are just getting to lunges, the only difference in exercise would be to take out the step and not to bring you knee to your chest, back to basic lunges.

Let us know how you get on!

healthy eating tips

Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible– all of which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you.

Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart”—it’s not justwhat you eat, but how you eat. Your food choices can reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, as well as defend against depression. Additionally, learning the habits of healthy eating can boost your energy, sharpen your memory and stabilize your mood. You can expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a satisfying, healthy diet.

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS

To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.

• Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety and freshness—then it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
• Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart.  Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking.  As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
• Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet.  The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.

Healthy eating by The Food Standard Agency

Food Standard Agency by the Government 

What is recommended amounts:

• Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods 33%
• Fruit and vegetables 33%
• Milk and dairy foods 15%
• Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein 12%
• Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar 8%

Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods
Eat plenty, choose wholegrain varieties when you can.

Fruit and vegetables
Eat plenty, at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day.

Milk and dairy foods
Eat some, choose lower fat alternatives whenever possible or eat higher fat versions infrequently or in smaller amounts.

Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein
Eat some, choose lower fat alternatives whenever possible or eat higher fat versions infrequently or in smaller amounts. Aim for at least two portions of fish a week, including a portion of oily fish.

Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar
Eat just a small amount.

Extreme Core Workout

Plank

Your Position

1. Start by lying face down on the ground or use an exercise mat. Place your elbows and forearms underneath your chest.
2. Prop yourself up to form a bridge using your toes and forearms.
3. Maintain a flat back and do not allow your hips to sag towards the ground.

Target Muscles

1. The Core - Abdominals, Hips, Back

Step By Step Instructions

1. Hold this position *focusing on tightening your abs* until you can no longer maintain a flat bridge. For beginners, start with 10 seconds and gradually increase your time. Try to work up to 3 minutes.
2. Return to start position.

Beware of Cheating!

1. Remember to not let your hips and back sag. This exercise will only be effective if you work to maintain a flat line from your shoulders to your feet. You might want to start in front of a mirror to learn the technique.

Side Plank Exercise

Your Position

1. Lie on your side with your right hand on the ground or use an exercise mat. For beginners, it is recommended to begin this exercise on your elbow.
2. Lift yourself up to form a plank with your right arm straight and your left arm on your side.

Target Muscles

1. The Core - Abdominals, Hips, Back

Step By Step Instructions

1. Hold this position for the recommended number of reps (start with 8-12). Repeat with the other side.

Beware of Cheating!

1. Remember to keep your body in a straight line, tightening your abs and butt muscles. You might want to start in front of a mirror to learn the technique.

When you first start with planks you will find that you can manage 45 seconds to begin with it, keep at it and you will be able to hold a plank for 1min and half in no time.

Let us know how you get on!

Healthy eating: Banana's

Bananas consist mainly of sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) and fiber, which
makes them ideal for an immediate and slightly prolonged source of energy

Reducing Depression

Bananas contain tryptophan, an aminoacid that can be converted to serotonin, leading
to improved mood

Anemia

Bananas are relatively high in iron, which helps the body’s hemoglobin function

Constipation and Diarrhea

Due to their content in fiber, they help restore a normal bowel function. In
addition, diarrhea usually depletes your body of important electrolytes (of which the
most important is potassium, contained in high amounts in bananas). They also contain
pectin, a soluble fiber (hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the
digestive tract.

Eyesight Protection

Research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology has proven that adults
consuming at least 3 servings of fruit per day have a reduced risk (by 36%) of developing
age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older
adults, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

Healthy Bones

Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of fructooligosaccharide, a compound
that nourishes probiotic (friendly) bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria
produce enzymes that increase our digestive ability and protect us from unhealthy
bacteria infections. Thanks to fructooligosaccharides, probiotic bacteria can increase
both in number and functionality, increasing our body’s ability to absorb calcium.
In addition, green bananas contain indigestible short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that are
very nutrient to the cells that make up the mucosa of the stomach. These cells, when
healthy, absorb calcium much more efficiently

Healthy Kidney

About 190,000 cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed each year.
Research published in the International Journal of Cancer has shown that daily
consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, is highly protective to
kidney health. The results show that, over a long timeframe (13.4 years), women eating
more than 2.5 servings of fruits and vegetable per day cut their risk of kidney cancer by
40%. Among the fruits, bananas were especially protective. Women eating bananas four to
six times a week halved their risk of developing the disease compared to those who did
not eat this fruit. The conclusion of the study is that frequent consumption of fruits
and vegetables, especially bananas, cabbage and root vegetables, may reduce risk of
kidney cancer. This is because bananas and many root vegetables contain especially high
amounts of antioxidant phenolic compounds, while cabbage is rich in sulfur, necessary for
effective detoxification of potential carcinogens.

Blood Pressure

Bananas are extremely high in potassium (about 4673mg), yet very low in sodium (1mg),
thus having a perfect ratio for preventing high blood pressure. So much so, the US Food
and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for
the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Heartburn

Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn,
try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness

Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood-sugar levels up and avoid
morning sickness.

Smoking

Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. They contain vitamins B6 and
B12 they contain, as well as potassium and magnesium: these substances help the body
recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Ulcers

This is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicle
cases. It also helps reduce acidity and reduces irritation. Bananas stimulate the cells
on the internal stomach lining to produce a thicker mucus (which protects against acid).
Additionally, bananas contain protease inhibitors that help eliminate bacteria in
the stomach that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of ulcers.

Nerves

Bananas are high in B vitamins that have been shows to improve nerve function

Mosquito Bites

Many people report that rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a mosquito bite is
very effective in reducing itching and swelling

Stress Relief

Bananas are high in potassium, which helps normalize the hearthbeat and regulate the
body’s water balance. During periods of high stress, our body’s potassium levels tend to
be rapidly depleted: eating bananas is a healthy way to rebalance them without using
drugs

Stroke Risk

According to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part
of a regular diet can reduce the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%

Tricep dips

Toning your triceps — the muscles that run on the backside of your upper arm from your shoulder to your elbow — is one way to really help prep your arms for tank tops. Triceps Dips are a great, basic exercise for working your triceps. What's more? They're pretty easy to do and don't require much equipment.


Here's how you do them:

• Position your hands shoulder width apart on a secured bench or stable chair.
• Move your buttocks in front of the bench with your legs bent and feet placed about hip width apart on the floor.
• Straighten out your arms and keep a little bend in your elbows in order to always keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints.
• Now slowly bend at your elbows and lower your upper body down towards the floor until your arms are at about a 90 degree angle. Be sure to keep your back close to the bench.
• Once you reach the bottom of the movement, slowly press off with your hands, and push yourself straight back up to the starting position.

Fit's Tip: Don't allow your neck to sink and your ears to fall close to your shoulders. Also, straighten your legs as you get stronger, this will make the exercise harder.

Let us know how you get on?

If you feel any pain in the shoulder region do stop, as for some people this exercise is not suited. Maybe try press ups.

Fat Burners & Fat Burning Weight Loss Supplements

When the word " Fat Burners" is used to describe a diet pill or weight loss supplements, the product may contain an amphetamine like compound with potentially lethal effect on the centra ner bous system and heart. "Fat Burners" or "Fat Burning" weight loss supplements do not burn or reduce fat in a healthy way.

Side Effects of " Fat Burners" may include:

Rapid or irregular heartbeats (heart arrhythmias)
Raised blood pressure
Depression
Nervousness
Insomnia
Heart attack or stroke

Over the past 12 years, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued several warnings to consumers of diet product and supplements containing these dangerous compounds.