Sugar: The bitter truth!

Conditioning Research: Lustig - Sugar the bitter truth

In a nutshell for those who are not familiar with what eating sugary foods does to the body and the effects it has on OBESITY in MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN please read on . . . . .

Our body has 2 hormones that have to work TOGETHER to transport fuel to the muscle to be used for energy, Insulin & Glucagon. (lets think of them as 2 taxi drivers)

When blood glucose gets too high the pancreas works hard to regulate this spike by releasing insulin and other regulating hormones. When this happens, our other taxi driver glucagon can't transport fat to the muscle for energy. 

  
Glucose will be brought to the liver and muscles to replenish glycogen used during exercise. Excessive blood glucose can also be taken up by fat cells and stored as adipose (fat) tissue!



GLYCEMIC INDEX
Depending on the speed of conversion to glucose, all carbs can be placed on a scale between 0 and 100. This scale is known as the Glycemic Index (G.I.)


Complex Carbs = Slow releasing = Low G.I. 

Brown Rice

Potatoes

Other root vegetables

Wholemeal breads

Granary bread

Simple Carbs = Faster releasing = High G.I.


Table Sugar
Fruit Juice
Sweets
Bread made with white flour
Pasta made with white flour



We only want an increase in blood sugar straight after training and not, for example, on a non-gym day when there is simply no need for a massive sugar rush!
 Stick to the complex carbs and maybe post workout quick release food to replenish the energy quickly!

 I want to use white bread as an example. This highly processed food is high G.I., low in fibre, proteins and good fats - boo!


White bread ----> Easy to eat - - -> Digested quickly - - -> Sugar spike - - -> Insulin released - - -> Excess energy stored as fat - - ->  Sugar levels drop - - -> Carb cravings - - -> Cycle repeats - - -> Fat gain! 

Oils

So as I'm sure many of you are aware that our bodies need Essential Fatty Acids (EFA'S) or maybe not?

EFA'S are called ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS because they are necessary for life!

Our bodys cannot make EFA's for itself unfortunatley, nor can it store them so it is mega important that we get them in our daily diet! (and people when I say diet - I don't mean we are starving ourselves, I just mean our general food intake!)

There are four basic types of fat that the body takes from food: cholesterol, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated essential fatty acids. The polyunsaturated essential fatty acids are the one's the body uses to build itself.

Omega 3, Omega 6 & Omega 9

In addition to providing energy, Essential Fatty Acids are part of the structure of every cell in our bodies. We need them to achieve & maintain a healthy heart; but they are also essential for a healthy brain, for healthy function of other organs, eyes, skin, joints, hair & immune system.

For anyone that actually gives a toss about what they feed themselves and whats in our grub then I'm going to tell you that this is the "Rolls Royce" of oil blends. Aside from the post workout protein shake, the only supplement I take is this baby here Udo's Choice. A friend told me about it and I now drink it like my dad necking a pint of Tennants. You soon get used to the taste. Couple of mouth fulls a day and your good to go! :)

Berryfit's top 10 gym tunes . . .

In no particular order . . .

1. Eminem - Till I Collapse
2. Tiesto - Adagio For Strings
3. Eurotrash - Get Up Get Down
4. System F - Out Of The Blue
5. Beastie Boys - Sabotage
6. Korn - Freak On A Leash
7. Rocky - Heart's On Fire
8. Pantera - Cowboys From Hell
9. Limp Bizkit - Faith
10. Verecocha - Carte Blanche


Feel free to post any of your own gym music. It always helps when you get new music for your ipod/mp3 player. Much appreciated!! Hope you like my choices. A fine selection if I do say so myself, BOOM!

Newbies?

Ok, so I've been training a few people that have never set foot in a gym before, EVER!
  I was chatting to a woman and she nearly broke down in tears in front of me she was that nervous, God love her. That's serious stuff like. I mean, I remember the 1st time I set foot in a gym, it's scary biscuits.

  
  But at the end of the day we are all there for one reason or another, whether it's to lose weight, feel good about ourselves or better our health . . the list goes on.
 YOU have as much right to be there as anybody else in the gym. So next time you walk in, get changed, get the tunes pumpin and have a great workout. Don't be shy :)

Stocking up for the winter!

Well not only do Fitness First provide you with GREAT membership deals, GREAT service and GREAT personal trainers, they also encourage us to stay active!Certainly one of the more popular ways amongst us to "keep fit" :)

Supermarket domination?

What's your opinion?

I mean don't get me wrong, I still go to supermarkets for bits and bobs but these billion dollar companies like Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys just seem to be popping up all over the show. Not to mention they are all English!!

Back in the mid 80's there would have been typically a few butchers, fruit and veg and bakeries lined the streets. Now we have very little.

Tesco's opened up a supermarket in Crumlin down the street from my cousin's butcher shop. Thankfully no damage has been done. Tesco's 'meat display' looks something like Lady Ga Ga would wear on a night out . . . needless to say the meat is crap at best. They don't hang the meat to give it maturity or flavour. They pre pack it and fire it out on the shelves and I can guarantee the meat will be as tough as old boots. Anyhow - my rant is over. I urge you to support your local farmers/butchers and tradesmen as Tesco would say . . . "Every little bit helps!"

I mean if that doesn't make you hungry I don't know what will!

Developing Good Sleep Habits

I can't stand it when I wake up feeling tired! I'm certainly a person that needs their rest!

This is a common factor with people of all age groups. It is an article I stumbled upon and is worth reading!

“Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night.” ~William Blake

I believe that Blake’s quote is profound advice for living. Once you have your sleep environment properly set, it is time to address your sleep routines and rituals.

Do’s:

Go to bed the same time every night. Even if you're sleepy, stay on schedule. The more your body is on “rhythm” the easier it will be to fall asleep and wake up. Keep a sleep journal to document your hours and be able to review your patterns. (If you can document your training, you can do this, too!)

Have a “pre-sleep” routine. This can include reading, soft music, mentally planning out the next day, or even deep breathing. Turning the lights low or even wearing sunglasses in the house thirty minutes before bed can jump start the sleep process.

Have a light snack before bed. A glass of milk and peanut butter sandwich can be a simple and quick meal to give you the protein and carbs your body needs to get to bed. To get a little more technical (and less tasty to some) some sliced turkey and cottage cheese can deliver the L-tryptophan and slowly digested protein that can get you off to bed and supplied during sleep.

Improve your supplement closet. In addition to the potential effects of supplement classics like melatonin and valerian root, making sure you're not deficient in magnesium and zinc (found in ZMA may also help with a restful night sleep. Another supplement to look into is arginine.

Don’ts:

Don’t oversleep. A few days in a row of this can confuse your sleep schedule.

Don’t use caffeine (up to 8-10 hours before sleep), alcohol (which can disrupt sleep patterns), cigarettes (stimulant), and sleeping pills.

Don’t nap. And if you do need to lie down on the couch for a snooze during the day, keep it under 25 minutes.

Don’t train within three hours of bedtime. (Jacking up your nervous and cardiovascular system will make it nearly impossible for your body to shut down and get restful sleep).

“There will be enough time for sleeping in the grave.” ~Benjamin Franklin

Most athletes look at training and nutrition with such detail, but merely gloss over sleep. To reach your full potential (in body and mind), you must embrace the art of sleeping as much as you have the art of training.

Most of us recognize the things that lead to bad sleep habits, but are you really doing anything about it? Make no mistake: you are the result of the behaviors you maintain. So make some of the behavioral changes listed above and your life—not to mention your physique—will improve.

If, however, you subscribe to the Franklin quote above and miss too much sleep, that time in the grave might just be sooner than later.

Industry Leaders . . .

Ok so I've recently started adding strengths coaches & leaders in the fitness industry on facebook such as Poliquin, Chek, Boyle . . . .
Being leaders in the industry they are constantly furthering their knowledge and would be a shame for us "P.T's" to miss out on all the gossip!
I'd highly reccommend getting on their website, adding them on facebook or following them on twitter!
Charles Poliquin
Paul Chek (love this guy)
Michael Boyle

A lucky fella in work Brian won a competition to go on Poliquin's strength and conditioning course up to the value of £600 - from what I hear its gonna be tough and the pass mark is something ridiculous like 92% !!
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DRAGON'S DEN?

Did anyone see the episode of Dragon's Den the other week? Duncan Bannatyne who owns shit loads of health clubs, hotels, gyms, brewery's etc etc and quite frankly has enough money to send me to the moon and back! ANYHOW . . . he came across with a great point! (12.30)

The dog ate my shoe's

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So I reckon my next 2 purchases will not be any supplements or shakes but these . . .

fatgripz.com

If you want forearm's like bowling pins then look no further!

Want to go further than bodyweight exercises? Pull ups, dip's even squats? This is the next tool on the list :)

Easy to attach onto a dumbbell or wrap around a plate. Adhere to proper technique at all times. Please don't be a hero and end up ass over tit in front of all the gym members!

BerryFit: Exercise for kids . . .

 I set one of my 1st clients, Morgan Taggart a wee homework on why exercise can be good for kids. So she typed out on her computer a few lines in her own words.
  Might I add, Morgan is coming on leaps and bounds since training. Her confidence has grown, her friends and family have noticed great changes in her appearance AND THIS IS ONLY AFTER 3 WEEKS!
  Up to date Morgan has lost 7.6lbs after only 6 training sessions and following a healthy diet plan I made for her. She has signed up with BerryFit for a 12 week package, training twice a week completely tailored to work around her schedule. She has now realised that only proper nutrition along with correct exercise is the way forward to a happy and successful life ahead . . .

  "Hello, I'm Morgan Taggart and I've been training with Craig and he is the best trainer. He has taught me a lot about diet, nutrition and exercise. He is also teaching me how to play badminton."

1. Exercise keeps you fit and healthy
2. Exercise helps you if you want to loose weight
3. If ou sit all day and do nothing and eat all fatty foods, it can lead to diabetes, strokes, heart conditions and problems with your health
4. Exercise helps you eat and sleep better
5. Exercise can make you live longer
6. Energy drinks such as Lucozade and Powerade are all bad for you and when you're exercising it can dehydrate you so drink water because it is tasty and very good for you

THIS WAS TAKEN ON OUR 1ST DAY - WAIT TILL YOU SEE HER AFTER 12 WEEKS :)

Survival of The Fit Brit

So finally the FitBrit challenge is over at Fitness First Newtownabbey . . .

1. Row

Men:500m Women: 400m

2. Seated Shoulder Press

Men: 20kg - 30 reps Women: 10kg - 30 reps

3. Bunny Hops

Men: 30 reps Women: 20 reps

4. Bike

Men: 3km Women: 3km

5. Bench Press

Men: 20kg - 30 reps Women: 10kg - 30 reps

6. Box Jumps

Men: 30 reps Women: 20 reps

7. Squats

Men: 20kg - 30 reps Women:10kg - 30 reps

8. Run

Men: 1km Women: 800m

CONGRATULATIONS to Dom Melly who completed this gruelling test in 11m 54s. Dom's cardio must certainly be up there, he plays semi professional football for Bangor FC.

I think everyone found 6, 7 & 8 the hardest as it became sheer agony on the legs!!

What a great workout though in such a short space of time.

Mixed Martial Arts vs Kung Fu

I thought this post would suit the young lads out there in the gym that are thinking of getting involved in some form of martial arts. Hope this helps . . .

So if you want my opinion, I'm more of a traditionalist . . . I'd have to go for Kung Fu. I was brought up watching countless Bruce Lee films, pure poetry in motion.

Kung Fu can translate into a few different meanings, but the one that sticks with me is 'hard working man' - the strengthening of the body and mind. It came about thousands of years ago by Buddhist monks most famously from the Shaolin Temple. It was used for killing, life & death situations. You don't win a great big shiny gold belt at the end of it!

A while back I had several private lessons at an instructors house learning Southern Praying Mantis - "Chow Gar" one of the many types of Kung Fu out there! Needless to say it was a big wake up call! It's like he's my personal trainer for the day, he pushes me to my limits physically in a way than you would find it very difficult to do on your own. Lets just say it's what I would call 'character building' :) Some of the things you're taught, you certainly wouldn't use in a streetfight, not that your supposed to go out looking for a fight, that's one of the nice things about Kung Fu . . it's purely self defence. If you get cocky and big headed you'll be told where the door is. These boys don't muck about! The fighting styles that are practiced today were developed over the centuries, after having incorporated forms that came into existence later. Some of these include Bagua, Drunken Boxing, Eagle Claw, Five Animals, Hsing I, Hung Gar, Lau Gar, Monkey, Bak Mei Pai, Praying Mantis, Fujian White Crane, Wing Chun and Tai Chi Chuan.Mixed Martial Arts for me is a great spectacle to watch. You can learn a lot from just watching the likes of UFC on television. The training for MMA is second to none. It doesn't get any tougher! These guys are fit as a butchers dog! The local MMA gym in Antrim has a few buckets in the corners of the gym for people to throw up during their workout, NICE!Some of the many styles involved are Brazilian ju-jitsu, Wrestling, Judo, Kick boxing.Don't get me wrong, I respect these guys, but aside from the money, it's beyond me why they want to kick the shit out of each other to win a shiny gold belt. I'd rather know that I'd only ever have to fight if it was really called for.It is not for the faint hearted though. Whether it's on t.v or you're taking a few digs to the head yourself . . . be prepared for 1 or 2 bruises and a spot of blood!!Why can't we all just be good friends . . . . . . . . . . !?!

PLEASE, do not try this at home!!

THIS GUY CRACKS ME UP!

If your having a bad day and fancy a laugh - check this out. But please do not try this at home!

Im not sure how I stumbled upon this but I'm sure my friend Richard would enjoy the clip! ;) only slaggin mate!

Why do YOU go to the gym?

The majority of people that join a gym will tell you they are there to get in shape, loose weight, look like their favourite celebrity, bla bla bla . . . .

The truth is a lot of people go (they wont exactly tell you this to your face) to impress members of the opposite sex, whether it be in the gym or that special someone outside. Some people go to make new friends that find it hard maybe being socially accepted, others like to go to class sessions as they like being part of a group/team and enjoy working out that way & some people to go to find love!

God's honest truth, at my local gym's last BBQ/Quiz night there was a man that proposed to a lady in front of everyone (cringe-worthy) to which she replied yes. A week later I found out the wedding was off!! hmm . . .

Many people will spend hundreds even thousands of ££'s a year on gym membership and still look the same as when they started.

Personal Training is a great way to hit your target and definatley worth the money in the long run!

Marathon Runner vs Athletic Sprinter.

This photo gave me a great laugh. Nothing to do with the picture might I add . . .

I said to my mum, "I'm doing a blog related to marathon runners vs sprinters, here have a look at this picture", to which she replied, "WHICH ONE'S THE SPRINTER!?!"

An average body fat % of a marathon runner can be anywhere from 12-16% which is still quite low but in comparison to a sprinter they have roughly 6-9%.

Personally, I like to incorporate the sprinters training into workouts with my clients. Time efficent, very effective and if you like burning calories then look no further!

I'll let you decide for yourself :)