We have
been told over and over again that 10,000 steps is a healthy and achievable
daily goal. But why 10,000? It might surprise you to learn that the magic number
is actually the relic of a 1960s Japanese marketing campaign for a
pedometer.
Public
Health England recently released new guidelines suggesting that the ‘active 10’
– three speedy 10 minute walks per day – could be more advantageous than the
10,000 steps goal.
If losing weight is your aim, it’s worth noting that while increasing your step count can lower your body fat, not all steps are created equal. The higher the intensity of the workout, the more significant your weight loss will be. Not only will you burn more calories overall, but metabolic rate increases and remains high for hours after.
Regardless of your goal, experts agree that you reap the rewards when you get your heart rate up. Research suggests it could reduce your risk of early death by 15%.
To make
your 10,000 steps go the extra mile, try alternating between walking and
running and working inclines into your day.
Focus on full body exercises: A new study found that moves that recruit the deltoids and glutes create more ab activation then crunches. Plus, total body moves like deadlifts burn more fat.
Practice crocodile breathing: This form of breathing engages your abs more. Lie on your front with your hands under your forehead. In this position, inhale through your nose, filling your abdomen (not chest), for five seconds, hold for one, then exhale for three. You can also try it while working out, exhaling during the exertion part of the move.
Do chest openers: Exercises that work the back and open the front of the body will improve your core strength and posture by firing up your glutes and the muscles along your spine. And these moves tend to retract your head (which pokes forward most of the day, putting pressure on your midsection).
Thou shalt not…
Waste time doing tons of crunches: Crunches aren’t worth it. They just don’t do much to work any part of the core except the rectus abdominis. Plus, if you sit and hunch at your desk all day, the last thing you need is more forward-bending movements.
Fret about marathon planks: Holding a four-minute plank might be a cool challenge, but it doesn’t actually translate to every day life or sports. So what is the better choice? A variety of moves that work on stiffness, rotation and anti-rotation.
Skip unilateral moves: One-limbed exercises are a brilliant way to increase core activation. They can be tough, so start with bodyweight options like a one-legged glute bridge, step-up or split squat. Using one limb means the core has to work overtime to make sure the body stays stable.
Hunger games Come 3pm, it’s likely you have already started reaping the rewards. Vegans tend to have lower blood-sugar levels and a lower risk of type-2 diabetes. Plus, plant protein is linked with improved insulin regulation, meaning you’re less likely to reach for the biscuit tin for a mid afternoon boost.
B wise Be aware that some nutrients are harder to come by on a vegan diet, such as vitamin B12. It isn’t produced by plants, so the Vegan Society recommends taking a 10mcg supplement daily. Alternatively, get it via fortified cereals and alternative milk products, including soya and almond.
Gut feeling Without meat and fish, you’ll probably be chowing down on much more fibre than the average omnivore and your stomach will thank you for it. Your gut microbes’ favourite nutrient is dietary fibre, which plant-based foods are packed with. A diet rich in these has been shown to keep weight in check and boost your mood too.
Shelf life Loading up on fruit and vegetables will sustain you in the long term, cutting your risk of heart disease by up to 42%. Multiple studies show that vegan diets are also more effective than typical Western ones at lowering cholesterol levels. There’s even evidence to suggest a plant-based diet could help ease arthritis.
Green gains Building muscle? Vitamin D helps to regulate calcium in the body – a lack of both can lead to issues with bone density and muscle weakness. This can be a risk if you’re cutting out dairy. Regardless of your training goals, make sure you’re getting enough of these nutrients – from pulses, dried fruit and fortified alternative milks.
First,
there is no such thing as ‘ruining your diet’. If you associate certain foods
with failure, then this suggests you have some beliefs about food that need to
be challenged.
As for when to snack. Research has found that eating according to your circadian rhythm can affect your body weight, suggesting late night snacking could lead to more weight gain. We don’t know why yet, but high-sugar snacks could interfere with your sleep, as well as the obvious effect on your dental health.
As for daytime snacking? Becoming more in tune with your body’s cues on hunger fullness and thirst – snacking more mindfully – will help. In other words go with your gut.
We’re
living in a society where our to-do lists are never ending, and we’re expected
to do it all: work, raise children, keep up with social engagements, go to the
gym, cook meals, clean the house – the list is endless. We often get so
caught up in our commitments that we lose touch with how our bodies feel and
what they’re telling us.
We need to
let go of what our minds tell us we ‘should do’ and start listening to what our
bodies tell us we need. Here are just a few ways you can aim to reconnect with
your body’s natural cues:
Give yourself a break from exercise if you’re feeling fatigued We all know those days when we feel truly exhausted after a hectic week, a sleepless night, a stressful event, and going to the gym is the last thing we feel like. Instead of forcing a terrible workout, it might be a good idea to take a break and spend that extra hour relaxing or catching up on sleep.
It’s not
about avoiding exercise whenever you ‘don’t feel like it’- regular exercise is
important and can be a great stress reliever. However, on those days when
you’ve already over-worked yourself and are feeling truly sore or tired, it’s
important to take a day off to rest if your body tells you to. If you still want
to be active in some way, you could always go for a walk in the fresh air, or
do some slower-paced yoga.
Respect your injuries One of the worst things you can do when you’re experiencing an injury is to ignore it and keep going at full pace. Exercising with an injury can cause serious damage and will only worsen the injury, which means more recovery time and potentially putting your health at risk.
If you’re experiencing a serious injury, be sure to visit your doctor who will be able to advise you on the best way to proceed. Most minor injuries take a few weeks to recover at least, so you should avoid exercising or placing strain on your injury at all. Once you get back to the gym, start out slowly and build your way back up – it’s unrealistic to expect to get back at full form.
Prioritise sleep when you’re feeling run-down With so much going on in our lives, it can be difficult to get as much sleep as we need. While the number varies for different people, experts suggest adults need around eight hours of sleep a night.
When we
get run-down and our immune systems are compromised, getting enough sleep is
absolutely key to helping our bodies fight infection and keep us healthy. If
you’re feeling ill or low on energy, try to prioritise your sleep.
Pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues Due to the effects of diet culture and our modern lifestyle, our relationships with food is complicated and many of us have lost the connection with our hunger and fullness cues; we either ignore hunger pangs when our bodies crave energy, or continue to eat past the point of feeling satiated.
Being
tuned in when our body needs food, and when it’s had enough, is key to our
physical and mental health. If you’re suppressing your hunger instead of having
a snack or meal when your body tells you to, you’re depriving yourself of
the energy you need to live. This can lead to crashes in your blood sugar,
mood, and much more serious consequences when driven to the extreme.
Alternatively, regularly over-eating when you’re not hungry, either out of
boredom or for emotional reasons, can lead to disease and weight gain.
Work to
distinguish when you’re actually hungry or full, or when you’re under- or
over-eating due to emotional or environmental reasons. Eating is intuitive,
therefore you’ll be surprised by what your body is actually telling you when
you start to listen to it.
Exercising
over a hot summer can be challenging as our bodies struggle to deal with the
increased heat and humidity and keep cool. Usually, our bodies are warmer than
the environment – when this changes as a result of rising temperatures or
exercise, our muscles regulate heat by releasing sweat, which allows the body
to cool down. This becomes dangerous both when we fail to replace the fluids
lost in sweat, or when the body is unable to cool itself down and begins to
store heat, increasing our core temperature and putting our internal organs and
central nervous system at risk.The result
of this can be heat exhaustion and, ultimately, heat stroke.
To make
sure you avoid these issues, there are several measures you can take to protect
your body and ensure you remain safe and healthy while exercising in the
summer.
1. Don’t push your body too hard Exercising when it’s hot places your body under extra strain. It’s important to remain aware of this, paying close attention to how you’re feeling throughout your workout. Look out for any sign of light-headedness or weakness and reduce your intensity or stop training.
Understanding
that you are not going to be setting any personal bests, or performing to your
usual standard or intensity, is really important. Don’t push yourself too hard
and make sure you take consistent breaks to allow your body to regulate its
temperature.
2. Aim to exercise at a cooler part of the day Exercising during the hottest part of the day is a bad idea, especially if you’re sensitive to the heat. Make the effort to either wake up early and squeeze a workout in before the day warms up or wait until later in the night once the heat of the day has started to dissipate. Not only will your workout be much more enjoyable, but you’ll be able to perform much better.
3. Wear the right clothing Making sure you wear the right type of clothing can be incredibly helpful in keeping your cooler during your workout. Choose breathable, lightweight, and light-coloured workout gear that will allow your sweat to evaporate, and you to cool down effectively.
4. Keep hydrated One of the most important things you can do when exercising in the heat is make sure you are staying properly hydrated! Guidelines suggest that you should be drinking between six and eight glasses of water each day (the equivalent of around two litres).
5. Try a different kind of workout If you’re struggling to keep up with your usual exercise regime, try out a different type of training that will allow your body greater opportunity to remain cool. For instance, if you’re a long-distance runner, try swapping your long runs for a shorter HIIT session or spinning class that will allow you to take on water and work out for shorter periods.
Less
aerobic-heavy classes such as yoga or Pilates are also a good option in the
heat as your heart rate does not typically increase by a large margin, and your
body temperature will remain fairly constant. The summer is also prime time for
swimming – not only is swimming great exercise, but there is no better way
to stay cool while working out, even if you do it outdoors.
A number
of recent studies show that a large number of children in the UK are not
receiving enough daily activity, with only 1 in 3 kids being physically active
every day. As technology develops and becomes more widespread, children are
spending more time looking at screens, and less time moving their bodies.
Exercise
has multiple benefits for children. Not only does it help them develop strong
muscles and bones, maintain a healthy weight and decrease the risk of diseases
like type 2 diabetes, but it aids mental developmental and health, increasing
motivation, focus and learning.
Encouraging
your child to be active and love exercise will set them up for life, equipping
them with the skills and confidence necessary to stay active and healthy.
Here are
just a few ways in which you can inspire your children to be active from a
young age:
Provide active toys A good way to get kids moving when they are young is to provide fun, active toys they can play with. This could be something as simple as a ball, although there are plenty of options to choose from. Not only will this get them moving and having fun, but it will help them develop motor skills, hand-eye coordination and other vital abilities.
Lead by example It has been shown that children who regularly see their parents enjoying sports and physical activity are more likely to do so themselves. If you treat your body with respect, your children will notice this and work to imitate you. Stay active yourself, and you’ll provide your children with a positive role-model, influencing what they see as normal and healthy.
Play with your child and exercise as a family Inspire your child to be active by taking the time to play with them and exercise as a family. Make activity enjoyable by taking them for a bike ride or walk in the park – add some fun with a little game or challenge. The opportunities are endless if you use your imagination. Make exercise and games a regular part of the week, and it will effortlessly become a habit for them.
Turn off the TV Limit TV time and computer use. The general recommendation is no more than 1 to 2 hours of total screen time a day, including TV, videos, computers, and video games. Screens are not all bad and they have a time and a place, but they shouldn’t be used all the time. Free time can then be used for more physical activities.
Allow them to try different sports and activities One of the best ways in which you can inspire your children to love exercise and make a life-long habit of it, is to help them find a sport or activity that they absolutely love and are passionate about.
Your
flexibility is, put simply, the ability of your joints and body parts to
achieve their full range of motion, allowing you to do simple, everyday tasks.
Like most things, your flexibility decreases with age as your muscles lose
their natural suppleness and become more prone to developing aches, tears and
pains.
Working to
maintain your flexibility is very important for a number of reasons – some of
the benefits include:
An increased range of motion If your muscles are tight, you’ll experience a reduced range of motion throughout your body. This can make it difficult to do simple things such as reaching overhead or bending down. Working on your flexibility will make your everyday activities (as well as exercise) much easier.
The prevention of injury When you don’t stretch, you increase your chances of injury as the tendons and ligaments around your muscles stiffen. Tight muscles reduce your range of motion, making it easier to injure yourself. Flexible joints require less energy to move through a greater range of motion. Working on your flexibility increases your range of motion and lowers your risk of injury to the muscles, tendons and ligaments.
Reduced back pain There are multiple muscles that feed into your back. When these muscles get stiff and tight, it’s common to experience pain. For example, when your hamstrings are tight, they pull the pelvis down and create more pressure on the lower back. Tight hip flexors and pelvic muscles will also place extra stress on the spine.
Stretching
all these muscles regularly will help to ease tension and soreness which will in
turn relieve pain in the back and other areas of the body. The more flexible
your pelvic muscles, hamstrings, hip flexors, and quadriceps, the less stress
you’ll feel in your lower back.
Better posture When we spend time hunched over a computer, certain muscles in our body — such as shoulders, back, core, and neck — actually shorten. This can have a big impact on your health, even increasing the amount of cortisol (the stress hormone) being released in your body. Stretching will help to lengthen and strengthen your muscles, reducing the effort it takes to maintain good posture throughout the day and can help you to feel more relaxed.
What are some different ways to stay flexible? The best way to maintain flexibility is to stretch regularly. Whatever your age, you should try to stretch for a short period at least once a day. If time is short, focus on stretches that work the larger muscle groups such as shoulders, hamstrings, hips and lower back, and calf muscles – areas that are prone to stiffness and soreness as we age.
Yoga is
also a great way to stay flexible and supple as postures focus on lengthening
muscles and relieving tension in the body.
As any
parent will know, a consistent exercise routine is one of the first things to
go after you have children. With shifting priorities, less time to yourself,
reduced sleep and less energy, it is entirely normal for new parents to find
themselves exercising less.
While it
is common for your usual exercise routine to slow down or even come to an
abrupt halt, it can still be possible for parents to incorporate some form of
exercise into their week. Regular exercise is essential to the well-being of
everyone, parents included. It has been proven to have a positive impact on
depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. It relieves stress,
improves memory, results in better sleep, and boosts overall mood.
How can I do more exercise as a parent? While finding the time and motivation to exercise as a parent is tricky, there are a few ways you can include more in your daily routine. The important thing to realise is that your definition of what makes up exercise has to shift after you have children. Change your perspective, and exercise and activity aren’t as hard to achieve as you might think.
1. Be active throughout the day One of the most efficient ways to fit exercise into your day is to make it a part of your usual daily activities. For example, instead of taking an hour to go to the gym, you can be active in a number of different ways such as walking to the shops instead of hopping on the bus.
2. Exercise more efficiently One of the skills you pick up very quickly as a parent is time management and making the most of every free second you have. You need to exercise more efficiently with the time you do have – an effective workout doesn’t need to eat up a large chunk of your time, it can be done in 20 minutes. For example a HIIT routine is high in intensity and speedy.
3. Invest in home gym equipment If you are working out at home, it might be worth investing in a few items to help you out. Equipment doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive – a workout mat, resistance band, skipping rope and a set of dumbbells are just a few things that could help you do the job.
4. Make exercise a family affair One of the most effective ways of squeezing in exercise is to involve your children. Not only will you get more exercise, but your children will too. A few ways to exercise together are to walk/cycle/run around your local park (an idea might be that you run while you kids cycle so you move at a similar pace), play ball games together such as football, or go swimming.
Did you know that between 75 and 90 percent of all doctor’s office visits are due to stress-related complaints? For this reason, it is important to understand the many different ways in which stress impacts our health and wellbeing. This infographic guide from the team at Study Medicine Europe shows how stress affects the body and also offers some practical pointers on stress management.
How Stress Affects the Body
When we feel stressed, our brain triggers a “fight or flight” response which pushes the body into survival mode. Once in this state of high-alertness, the stress hormone, Cortisol, can temporarily modify or shut down functions that get in the way, such as your digestive or immune systems or even your growth processes. This is why you may experience symptoms such as headaches, heartburn and stomach aches when you feel stressed.
The Impact of Chronic Stress
Chronic stress refers to when your stress system is continually activated over a long period of time. This overuse puts a lot of pressure on the body and increases the risk of certain illnesses. Studies have found that people who suffer from chronic stress are more likely to suffer from particular conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and burnout.
Combating Stress
We all know that it’s important to look after our physical health, but sometimes we forget about the importance of taking time to look after our mental health. Part of being healthy is learning positive ways to manage stress. Some ways to do this include learning mindfulness, being able to recognise your stressors, and making lifestyle changes.
Learn More About the Negative Health Impact of Stress
If you are curious about the science of stress and would like to find out more, why not check out the below infographic. This handy guide looks at how stress work and lists out the many ways it can affect our health. It also outlines some things you can try to reduce stress in your own life.
