These Asian superfoods are perfect for anyone hungry for better health and fitness.
1. Sashimi
Raw fish contains more omega-3, for a cardiovascular health boost.
2. Pak Choi
This is a source of sulforaphane, with anti-cancer properties.
3. Wood Ear Mushrooms
Packed with stamina-boosting polysaccharides.
4. Ramen
Contains dissolved collagen, to slow skin ageing.
5. Miso
Fermented soya beans are full of probiotics, for gut health.
If gaining muscle is on your radar – and I’m not just talking about bulking up Arnie-style!) – you’ll know that there is a lot of advise out there on the best strategy. A combination of weight exercise and good nutrition will definitely put you on the right road for success. But of the two, is one more effective than the other at helping to build muscle?
You can’t add on muscle mass without any building blocks, which means you need to be taking in more calories then you’re burning off. The tricky part is to ensure that those extra calories end up stored where you want them.
A surplus of between 250kcal and 500kcal per day is recommended. Protein (1.5–2.2g per kilo of bodyweight) will help your muscles repair and grow. Carbs will feel your workouts, and nutritious fats will maintain healthy hormone levels.
Hypertrophy occurs when a muscle is repeatedly stressed, which means pushing yourself to your limits until those limits increase. Research shows that the load doesn’t significantly affect hypertrophy, so long as you’re working close to the point of failure. Keep your rep ranges between eight and 12, using weights that are at least 60% of your one-rep max. Slow and heavy(ish) wins the race.
The decider:
Exercise
Feeling tired even at just the thought of your next workout session? Here is a look at whether exercise or diet are more effective in boosting your energy.
Exercise triggers the release of invigorating neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine, while also boosting blood flow to the brain. In one study, 10 minutes simply walking up and down stairs proved a better booster shot then 50mg of caffeine.
Be wary of overdoing it, though. One major cause of fatigue is stress. When prolonged, this can cause a malfunction whereby your body is constantly pumping out excess cortisol. In this state, upping your exercise will only make your body more stressed.
A targeted diet is a more reliable energiser. For optimal mental and physical stamina, it is recommended a macro split of 30% protein, 30% fat and 40% carbs. Low-carb diets can cause a drop in energy. Include high-fibre foods such as wholegrains, beans, lentils and potatoes in every meal to drip-feed your body energy throughout the day.
In addition to this, make sure you’re getting enough magnesium (wholegrains, leafy greens), iodine (seafood, iodised salt), vitamin D (fatty fish, eggs) and B12 (red meat, shellfish).
The decider:
Diet
Whatever your exercise goals, keeping your heart strong and healthy has to be top of the list. Here are some of the benefits that working out and eating well have on your heart health.
There are 2.3 million people in the UK living with heart disease. The good news is that many of the big risk factors – high blood pressure, raised LDL cholesterol and a waste height ratio above 0.5 – are under your control.
The dietary protocols are fairly predictable: more fibre-rich whole foods, less processed meat and refined carbs. Keep in mind that diet that are high in sugar can increase the synthesis of LDL cholesterol.
In terms of exercise, cardio is king. And ‘cardio’ it doesn’t just mean a narrow choice between running, jogging and plodding: fast-paced dumbbell circuits and bodyweight drills count too.
The decider:
It’s a tie
If you’ve ever tried to lose weight before, you’ll know that it isn’t easy. Especially keeping the weight off after the initial drop. A mixture of working out and eating a well-balanced diet will always be the best strategy. But if you only have time to focus on just one, which is more effective?
Weight loss happens when your body requires more energy and calories then you’re putting in, and so is forced to break down the molecules in your fat cells for fuel.
There are countless ‘fat-burning’ diets out there, from keto and paleo to intermittent fasting, but all rely on creating a calorie deficit.
Aim for a deficit of between 250kcal and 500kcal per day and see how your body responds. There are two simple ways to work towards a 250kcal deficit: first, consume less; second, move more.
However, an over-reliance on exercise can have its downsides. In one study, people who trained for an average of half an hour per day didn’t lose any more weight than those who averaged 15 minutes – the more committed exercises subconsciously rewarded themselves for their hard work by eating more food.
As well as tracking your calorie intake, it is advised that you boost your non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). This covers any movement that isn’t part of your structured training plan, such as walking to the shops, cleaning the house, or running around after the kids.
Where exercise does come into its own is weight maintenance. Research shows that people who form good fitness habits alongside switching up their diets are far more likely to stick to their plans. So, think less about burning fat and more about bulking up your willpower.
The decider:
Diet
We all know that a balance of both exercise and good nutrition are paramount to our physical well-being. But what effect do they each have on our mental health?
It may surprise you that our minds are not separate from what we consider to be the physiological elements of our being. The way we use and maintain on muscles, organs and digestive systems informs our emotional state.
In one study, scientists asked test subjects to snack on either crisps and chocolate or fresh fruit. Within 10 days, members of the junk food group were exhibiting greater symptoms of low mood and anxiety than the fruit eaters. High-sugar, high-fat foods can cause a flash of hormones in the brain is pleasure centres, which is followed by a crash. Common deficiencies can also contribute to poor mental health, such as those in vitamins B12, C, D and omega-3.
Your workouts, meanwhile, will give you both a short-term high and a long-term lift. As well as releasing endorphins, exercise also triggers the release of numerous brain-cell mediators, including serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline, which light up the pleasure and reward centres of the brain.
Research shows that those who trained for just 2 and a half hours each week had a 31% lower risk of depression than those who didn’t. Exercise has been shown to be as effective as medication in reducing symptoms of moderate depression.
For many struggling with their mental well-being, getting outside and moving for half an hour each day will be easier than a total dietary overall.
The decider:
Exercise
Whatever your ambitions for the year ahead, working out and eating well will always be sound strategies. But which is more effective? Here is a look at the benefits of each on your immune system.
Your immune system can be compromised by a range of factors, from age and obesity to smoking. But it can also be strengthened.
The effect of exercise on immunity is dependent on dosage. There is a theory that intense training – for a marathon, say, or CrossFit – temporarily suppresses the immune system, leading to an ‘open-window’ of heightened infection risk in the hours afterwards. However, recent research suggests that this only applies to pro athletes with six-hours-a-day schedules.
Research shows that a bout of moderate-effort exercise can help the immune system to sweep up pathogens. If your training is more professional, further studies show that increasing your intake of carbs and polyphenol-rich berries and veg can help to offset any damage.
Following a Mediterranean diet – rich in healthy fats and plant-based foods – will boost the microbiome diversity in your gut, while prebiotic foods promote the growth of healthy bacteria.
The decider:
Diet
For many, Christmas is a difficult time of year to keep to a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Lack of time for exercise, meal prep and eating healthily can give way to exhaustion, unhealthy food and lifestyle choices.
If you’ve been treating yourself more and exercising less, this can often result in feelings of guilt, especially those of you who have recently started on your journey to better health.
Don’t despair! The key is to accept this and move on…
Try my Home Workouts: Total Core exercise guide to get you back on track. This simple guide provides easy-to-follow exercises which target all muscles of the core and help you to build strength and tone. Visit my shop page for further details.
In addition to this guide, it’s essential you introduce yourself back into your previous routine slowly. Don’t take away all treats, as you’ll feel deprived. Eat well balanced meals that include all three macronutrients – protein, complex carbohydrates and good fats.
Start to move more. This doesn’t mean you have to get straight back into training for your 10k run or head off to the next sweat-inducing spin class. Do the things that you enjoy, like taking a walk in your local park or dancing around the living room with your family.
The key is to be kind to yourself and move forward. And here’s to a happy and healthy 2021!
The chemical messengers in your blood will help you smash your weight loss goals.
In the weight-loss conversation, almost everyone obsesses over diet and exercise. However, the latest science shows that not only are your hormones a defining factor in how you age, they also play a crucial role in the way you put on (or lose) fat.
Calories, of course, remain king. But armed with this crash course on hormones, you can expect to burn off a princely sum in your pursuit of a lean physique.
Leptin and Ghrelin
Blame these two if your gut grumbles an hour after you’ve eaten. Leptin, released by your fact tissues, alters your appetite in the long term by telling your brain when you have stored enough fat. Ghrelin, produced in the gut, signals to your brain that you’re hungry. If either is out of sorts, cravings will strike.
Hack
Eating 30g of protein at each meal reduces ghrelin – it‘s why you feel so full after a steak.
Irisin
The latest weight-loss hero on the block, this ‘exercise hormone‘ was only discovered in the past decade. Scientists believe that Irisin has the superpower of converting white fat, linked with an unhealthy metabolism, to brown fat, which is linked with effective calorie burn.
Hack
To make the most of this hormone, mix up your workouts. If you’re not throwing some high-intensity work into your routine, it’s time you started. It doesn’t even have to be a set plan: just spend 30 seconds with a skipping rope (or performing jumping jacks) between weight sets. Alternatively, introduce a few sprints to your usual run, or between lifting sets.HackHack
To make the most of this hormone, mix up your workouts. If you’re not throwing some high-intensity work into your routine, it’s time you started. It doesn’t even have to be a set plan: just spend 30 seconds with a skipping rope (or performing jumping jacks) between weight sets. Alternatively, introduce a few sprints to your usual run, or between lifting sets.
Insulin
This hormone keeps your blood sugar in check and helps your body to store fat and build muscle. Weight gain can lead to insulin resistance, which means your cells don’t respond well to it. As a result, your pancreas compensates by producing more. Over time, the combination of high insulin levels and insulin resistance can make it harder to lose weight.
Hack
Instead of ‘low-carb‘, go for ‘slow carb‘. Your digestive system requires more time to process nutrient-dense carbohydrates. These foods slow down digestion and help you stabilise blood sugar and insulin levels. It’s the right season for it right now: parsnips, swede and celeriac are all at their peak.
Cortisol
Exposure to high amounts of stress produces the hormone cortisol, which can cause muscle breakdown and a redistribution of fat to your gut. High levels at night are one of the biggest causes of weight gain, especially belly fat.
Hack
Install a phone bowl in your bedroom – and keep it far away from your bed. That means no mindless scrolling in bed, and therefore no more sleep lost to the smartphone abyss. Another perk: a solid night of sleep is a natural stress-reliever.
HGH and IGF-1
Your pituitary gland produces HGH, which stimulates the production and secretion of IGF-1 by the liver. Both are growth hormones that break down fat and use the energy to strengthen your muscles.
Hack
Set a snack curfew. Don’t eat anything for two hours before you go to bed. Food will reduce the natural surge in growth hormones during the early hours of the night (and no, staying up later will not reduce this effect). As an incentive, know that losing 5kg can raise your IGF-1 level.
It’s the workhorse vitamin, reinforcing your bones, bolstering your immune system and easing harmful inflammation.
The latest evidence suggests that vitamin D may reduced respiratory infections, autoimmune diseases and even your risk of dying from cancer.
The NHS suggests that between March and September, you’re probably getting plenty from the sun – but after that, you’re at risk of deficiency.
If this is severe, you could develop symptoms such as muscle weakness, fragile bones and bone pain.
Aim to take 1000 IU (international units) each day. While 600 IU is enough to avoid deficiency, a little more may help you build up your blood level of vitamin D, so you can unlock its full disease-preventing potential.
Enzymes in your skin can convert UV rays into vitamin D, but the amount generated depends on your skin colour, where you live and the time of year. So, seek it out in food. Canned salmon (716 IU in a serving) and cooked trout (648 IU) will push you towards the goal. A portobello mushroom contains 316 IU, a glass of milk has 100 and an egg has about 40.
Prioritise these foods rich in vitamin D, as they also carry other disease-preventing benefits. However, taking a supplement will ensure you hit your IU target.