Are you sitting comfortably?

Did you know that sitting down for too many hours every day can seriously impact your health? I wonder how many of you have just stood up!

Sitting facts:

• Research estimates that if you cut back on the time spent sitting down to under 3 hours a day in total, it could add two years to your life expectancy.
• An analysis of 18 studies found that people who sat for the longest periods of time were twice as likely to have or develop Type 2 Diabetes or heart disease, compared to those that sat the least.

Although a daily workout is absolutely essential for your health offering many physical and mental benefits, its equally important what you do in-between and if that is mainly sitting down in an office, at home or travelling try these suggestions below.

Here are some tips to get you moving:

1. Aim to not sit down for more than 15 minutes at a time without standing up or taking a quick walking break.
2.  Try standing up when you talk on the phone or use your computer/ipad etc.
3. Try and cut down on your TV time each day and incorporate regular standing breaks into your viewing time. (Go and make a cup of tea for example).
4. Simple body stretches performed after sitting down will help your circulation.
5. Do small bouts of exercise throughout the day. Every hour or two, take the opportunity to do some squats, standing lunges, high knees, toe touches, or push-ups against the wall. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy, complicated, or long. Just a few minutes will do!

Click on this link to read further information on the subject www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-32082387

Hidden truth behind childrens packed lunches!

As its the last blog of the 'summer holidays with the kids' series and school has just started up again you may now be thinking about the foods you are going to send your kids to school with. Are you sure you know the true nutritional content of your childs packed lunch?

If you buy pre-packaged foods specifically aimed at children, you may be surprised at just how unhealthy those little packets are. Its really important to try to avoid processed foods as much as you can such as Dairylea, Frubes and Fruit Shoots. A little Petits Filous Frube for example contains almost 2 teaspoons of sugar! Thats a lot considering a child of 4-6 years should ideally have no more than 5 teaspoons of sugar daily or a 7-10 year old no more than 6 teaspoons daily. (www.nhs.uk) Just remember this: 4 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon sugar.

A typical daily intake of sugar for a child could look something like this:

Breakfast = Bowl of coco-pops with milk (4 teaspoons)

Morning snack= Club Chocolate bar (2 teaspoons)

Lunch = Munch Bunch yogurt, Ham sandwich, Frube (5.5 teaspoons) 

Dinner = Chicken Pasta and tomato sauce (2 teaspoons)

That all adds up to a whopping 13.5 teaspoons of sugar and excludes any other additional food items or sugary drinks (fizzy drinks/squash) that they may consume throughout the day. The occasional sugary snack is not going to do much damage, but a daily high consumption of sugar can lead to health implications.  Please see this excellent article on the dangers of excess sugar (articles.mercola.com/sites/.../07/.../high-sugar-diet-gut-bacteria.aspx).

How about including more veg such as cucumber and carrot sticks, sliced radishes and celery or cherry tomatoes.  Keeping some of last nights leftovers also is a convenient way to make up a quick packed lunch. (Cold meatballs, sliced chicken breast, falafels or a hard boiled egg cooked the night before are good examples). If the children fancy a sweet treat once in a while why not bake a homemade cake using half the required sugar (it will still taste just as good) slice it into portions then freeze it and just pull out a piece when required.

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Fun fitness with your kids in the park...

Take a look at my little video attached and let it inspire you to get fit with your children. They will love spending time with you and you will all get fit together whilst having fun. I would love to hear from you so please let me know how you get on?

Cycle, run or walk these lovely routes...

Continuing on the 6 week summer holidays with the kids theme, how about these great routes in Sussex that can either be walked, cycled or run and are mainly flat terrain.

1. Downs Link - This route follows a disused railway line and runs from Guildford to Shoreham-By-Sea with many access points along the way enabling you to do as much or as little of the route as you like. For more information see https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/media/2203/downs_link_6_stage_route_2010.pdf

2. Cuckmere Haven - A wonderful route down to the sea.  (Approx 4km to the beach and back) Why not take a picnic with you or have a swim when you get to the beach to cool you down if its hot! Check this site for information. www.countryfile.com/days-out/cuckmere-haven-east-sussex

3. Cuckoo Trail- This route runs from Polegate to Heathfield (approx 11 miles in total) and can also be accessed in many places along the route so you can choose just how far you want to go. See this website for great information on the route www.ocklyngemanor.co.uk/6_CuckooTrail_Eastbourne_to_Heathfield.pdf

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You won't look at a park bench in the same way again!

Are the kids watching too much TV or playing too many computer games? Get out the house and go to your local park and try these fun bench exercises below that you can all try. 

Bench Jump ups

Kids love these, it raises your heart rate and your legs and glutes (bum) will get nicely toned!

Start by facing the bench with your feet shoulder width apart, jump up and land with both feet on the bench then immediately jump back down again.  Repeat 5-8 times. 

Bench Press-Ups

Works out your arms and core. Hold on to the back of the bench and get into a press-up position.  Lower slowly down until your chest just touches the top of the bench and then raise back up to the start.  Repeat 3-5 times.

Bench calf raises

Tone those calf muscles and your balance too!  Stand with your feet on the edge of a bench and slowly raise up on your toes and back down again.  Repeat 10 times.

Let me know how you get on.

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Mum, Whats For Tea?

Why not use the summer holidays to get the kids cooking and help them to learn how to make healthy homemade dishes and snacks that they can take into their adult lives. Do you remember being shown how to cook by your parents/grandparents?  Its invaluable.

Below is a really quick idea to get you started that is so easy to make, healthy and the kids love it!

Homemade beef burger and chips

(Whilst you prepare the chips get the children to prepare the burgers).

Chips:

• 6 medium sized white or sweet potatoes washed and sliced into chip shapes
• 1 tbs coconut oil (a healthier option than olive or sunflower oil)
• Light sprinkling of pink himalayan sea salt (a healthy salt full of minerals that will not adversely affect your health) (paprika is an alternative for those that like some heat!)

Place sliced potatoes into pan of boiling water and cook until very slightly soft for approx 5-8 minutes.  Drain and spread out on a baking sheet.  Add coconut oil to chips and as it melts spoon it over chips to cover them all.  Sprinkle salt or paprika. Cook in an oven at 190 degrees for 25 minutes.

Beef Burgers:

• 500g Minced beef
• 3 tsp fresh chopped rosemary 
• 1 chopped fresh garlic clove (alternatively 1tsp of wholegrain mustard)
• 1/2 tsp pink himalayan sea salt 

Ask the children to combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mould into burger shapes. Place onto a baking sheet and cook at 190 degrees for 20 minutes.

Serve the burger and chips with salad either on its own or with a wholemeal roll. 

Don't forget to get the kids help you with the clearing and washing up too!

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Summer Holidays - Get fit with the kids ideas.....→

The summer holidays have almost begun and with this in mind we thought it might be nice over the next six weeks to feature some healthy tips, videos and recipes that you can do with the children so keep a watch out for my weekly blog.

Be a good role model and set an example to your children by incorporating exercise into your daily activities.  Try these fun activities with your children over the next week and get fit in the process.

1. Create a fun obstacle course using hoola hoops, bean bags, balls and skipping ropes then time everyone and try and beat your time every go.  If doing this inside add some music for an added element of fun. 

2. Sign yourself and your family up to do a charity walk/run in the Autumn and enjoy training and sharing the event together.  Notice your children's sense of achievement upon completing it! Check out this colourful family 5km fun run (www.runordye.co.uk).

3. Nothing lifts your spirits more than an evening walk on the beach or across a hilltop and watch the sun go down.  Think of those glutes, quads and hamstrings getting a nice workout!  Play chase with the children along the way and this will up the cardio intensity. 

Please let me know how you get on and if you would like further information on personal training please contact me at lyndsey@redhotpersonaltraining.com.

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Core Training for balanced development

Core is key....

What is your core?

When you hear the words core training what comes to mind?  Endless crunches that seem to produce no results?

A great number of people believe that your core muscles consist of only your abdominal muscles which is just not true.  Muscles of the core region include the abdominals and the hip and spinal musculature.  In fact when you strength train your core you aim to target all the muscle groups that stabalise the spine and pelvis.

A strong core can help you with your functional fitness (those crucial ab and back muscles you call upon every time you turn, bend and lift) and also from an aesthetic perspective (sculpting and tightening that mid section!). 

Suffer from lower back pain?  

In some instances, weak or poorly controlled core muscles can be associated with lower back pain.  Correctly strength training the core muscles will result in them being stronger and more correctly balanced with less uneven strain being placed on the spine. 

Core Workouts

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A great core workout may want to include planks and side plank exercises to encourage a neutral spine position with a natural curve in the back.  Other excellent core exercises include the glute bridge that can help stabilise the pelvis. 

Using a swiss ball to perform core exercises on can be a great tool to really target those inner hard to reach core muscles whilst also adding an element of fun to the routine. Progression can then be made onto a push up lateral row that engages all the core musculature at once resulting in a thorough core workout.

If you have any questions or want advice on how to do any of these exercises, please get in touch. My email address is lyndsey@redhotpersonaltraining.com. 

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3 Top Tips for more ENERGY!

We all wake up sometimes feeling that we could spend another hour or two under the covers.  Would it not be nice to spring out of bed ready to start the day with endless energy?  Follow these three top tips and see how your energy increases:

1. Lights out at 10!

Yes, no more watching TV, reading on an iPad, or using your phone late into those late hours.  Our body clock works best if we limit the amount of artificial light that we use after darkness falls as this tricks our brains into thinking that its still daytime.   Your brain usually starts secreting melatonin around 9-10pm, which is what makes you sleepy. However, if you regularly trick your brain into changing this natural cycle by exposing your eyes to artificial light late into the night, you may find your sleep disturbed and energy zapped for the next day.

2. Get more sunlight

This links with the above tip.  Just 20 minutes of sensible daily sun exposure on your bare skin can provide many health benefits and exposing your eyes (without sunglasses)  to the early morning rays can initiate melatonin production hours later which basically sets your body clock rhythm by telling your brain its daytime, this in turn allows restful sleep to occur 12 hours later. Use that lunch hour to get out the office and feel that sun on your skin. 

3. Avoid an energy slump

You know that all too familiar feeling you get half an hour or so after eating a sugary snack, a sugar rush followed by another craving to eat more! Its a viscous circle that won't be broken unless you make a conscious effort to break it. Really ask yourself if you are truly hungry or just bored when you reach for that piece of cake?  Try drinking a large glass of water, wait for five minutes and then ask yourself the same question?  Maybe you were just thirsty.  If you are still feeling hungry try a healthier alternative such as some strawberries, sliced avocado or some nuts. Remember, if you don't have it in the cupboard you can't eat it so add healthy options to your weekly shopping list.

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