Low Fat Doesn't Work8/7/2018 (First Posted on Facebook)
Do you want to know how to waste a billion dollars?? Here is a great example of why most women over 40 struggle to lose weight. ➡️When I studied nutrition, lots of what I was thought was wrong. So how does the average person have any chance…. A Women’s Heath Initiative was set up in the early 90’s which would study…you guessed it…women’s health. One of the biggest questions they tried to solve was – whether a low fat diet prevented heart disease or cancer in women. 🙋♀️50,000 women enrolled They then took 20,000 of them at random and instructed them to eat a low fat diet with plenty pf fruits, vegetables and fibre. The women were given regular support to help them to stay motivated and on track. 💥On average, and without being told to do it the researchers noted that these women also consumed 360 calories less per day than when they did before taking part in the study. ➡️By the way this study cost in the range of a billion dollars⬅️ 💥These women on average were eating almost 20% less calories than what public health agencies from all over the world are telling us women should be eating. If’s fair to say that they were underrating. (I absolutely hate when people are told to exercise more and eat less to lose weight and then sent off to try figure that one out---that’s drives me crazy but is a story for another day) ⚠️So the moment you’ve been waiting for….what was the result. 🙈After 8 years…EIGHT YEARS!!!...these women lots on average TWO POUNDS EACH 🙉AND their average waist circumference INCREASED!! 💥This indicated that the 2lbs wasn’t even fat but was muscle…the very things we all want to increase. (Also the study failed to prevent heart disease and cancer) 🙋♂️Listen up folks….trying to live on a chicken and broccoli diet will not help you to achieve long term sustainable results. ⚠️My guess is that these women did lose more than 2lbs. They probably lost more than 2lbs multiple times throughout the 8 years. But…just like lots of other people and maybe just like you…every time they lost some they gained it back again. Your results from a starvation diet will only last as long as your ability to starve yourself! ✅🔥When you focus on reducing sugar from your diet BUT at the same time focuson increasing fats you will stay full, satisfied, have an abundance of energy and most importantly KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF LONGTERM!🔥✅
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(First posted on Facebook)
➡️"You should EAT MORE and EXERCISE LESS" That is an exact phrase I use with lots of women who start with us. They are trying to live on porridge, fruit, salads, low cal breads and wraps, pasta meals, rice meals, rice cakes Lots of those foods that I just listed have very low nutritional values. They are spinning 4 or 5 days a week or do a mix of classes and walking or jogging. AND…they are getting nowhere!!! Maybe they initially lost a couple of stone when they started but they are now stuck and many still have a few stone to go. ➡️This is because what they are doing is better than what they were doing…..but it’s not ideal. It might have worked for them a decade or two ago, but now that they are in their 40’s or 50’s they need to approach it differently. --------- Every single person that starts with us has been failing up to that point because they don’t understand nutrition. It’s not because they aren’t exercising enough and the crazy thing is that the vast majority think that that is the reason. ?♀️‘Well it can’t be my diet because I eat healthily’ they say. ?I wish I had a euro for every time I heard that. When someone says that we say….enlighten me And I then start writing down what I know they'll say before they say it: ?️Porridge, fruit, salad, wraps some bread but trying to cut down, typical Irish dinners your meat, veg spuds and things like curry, stir fries, spag bol Hand up if this sounds like you?♀️ And then they say….and this is where I fall down and they say they have a biscuit or two or a piece of chocolate in the evening. ➡️You’ve all been fooled for decades….I too was fooled. They don’t realise that there was more sugar in their porridge than in their biscuit. Sure how could that be they say…porridge is healthy. Well a cup of oats has 25g of carbs (taking the fibre out) – carbs are sugar – so it has 25g of sugar. The milk you added has 10g of carbs. Skimmed milk has the same amount of sugar as full fat. The few berries you added or the spoon of honey has another 5g of carbs/sugar. So that’s about 40g of sugar with your healthy breakfast. A spoon of sugar has 5g. So you have 8 spoons of sugar for breakfast. A biscuit would have half that. ?Guess how many carbs in bacon and eggs – zero Guess which has more nutrients and tonnes more of the essential macro-nutrients i.e. fats and proteins ✅Bacon and eggs Who wins ✅Bacon and eggs So what will I have instead? ✅Bacon and eggs One more time let’s all say it together ✅Bacon and eggs ??
(First posted on Facebook)
➡️I bet the advice that you were given on how you should proceed with your diet is wrong. I’ll tell you why in a minute, first it’s good to understand a few points. The term cholesterol in the way that it’s most commonly used doesn’t actually make any sense. The good and bad cholesterol (HDL and LDL) aren’t actually cholesterol, they are lipoproteins which carry cholesterol. So the first point is that cholesterol is cholesterol. HDL and LDL refers to something else. Now you’ve probably been told to reduce your saturated fat in order to reduce your ‘cholesterol’. I urge you to not only read this but to also do a bit of your own research before you make some pretty big decisions about your diet. ➡️Yes, saturated fat raises LDL (AKA bad cholesterol) levels but when first studying this many studies ignored the fact that saturated fat also raises HDL (AKA the good cholesterol). Now we need to go a small bit deeper. > It turns out that LDL (in the way the term is commonly used) isn't actually bad after all as there are different types of LDL. > Small dense LDL can cause heart disease as their small size allows them to pass through the arterial wall easily. Also known as VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein) > Large LDL cannot easily do this. It’s the small dense LDL which can become oxidized therefore leading to heart disease. > People who have large LDL are far less likely to get heart disease. ➡️So the second point is that we want large LDL and far less small LDL. ________________ AND here’s the thing! ________________ Saturated fats change LDL particles from small to large!! So even though saturated fat does raise LDL they are changing the LDL to the type which reduces the risk of heart disease. >>> ALSO Low carb diets, those which promote high fats are shown to reduce the number of LDL particles in the bloodstream. >>> AND Low fat diets are shown to do the opposite!! ************** ➡️Many recent studies have shown that there is no link between saturated fat consumption and heart disease! And these are some of the biggest and best studies. When are you likely to hear this advice from your doctor…..well unless they have done their own research then it’s likely that you won’t. Do your own research! Over 40's and Calorie Counting8/7/2018 (First posted on Facebook)
➡️If you are serious about losing weight then it’s important to understand fats, protein and carbohydrates and how they effect your body. At this stage people are pros at counting calories and could probably tell you how many there are in a bagel just by walking past a bread shop and smelling one. Counting calories isn’t half as important as counting fat, carbs, and protein (macros for short). If you are aiming to eat 1800 calories in a day you are basically aiming to eat acertain amount of food. ⚠️But which foods?? Let’s say that you eat 2000 calories a day and you read a magazine article that told you to cut out 200 calories a day to lose weight. ▶️Should you drop 200 calories of protein, fat or carbs? And now let’s look at it another way….. say you ate 1800 calories with the majority being fats one week & 1800 calories with the majority being protein the next week and 1800 calories with the majority being carbohydrates the week after…….. ⚠️Do you think that your body will react the same to those foods! That it doesn’t matter what you eat but once you stay at 1800 calories you will lose the same amount of weight each day? It simply does not work like that. ➡️Many studies, which were randomised controlled trials (which basically means they are the best type of study) show this to be true. These studies are not hidden away and have been published in many medical journals. The problem is that the average person wouldn’t come across them unless they went looking. Instead they are constantly being told to cut calories and therefore in most cases cut fats.⬅️ Macronutrients are metabolised very differently. There are many complex processes involved in both digesting food and converting it to energy. Fats are not proteins and proteins are not carbohydrates, yet all are put under the one heading of calories. ▶️If someone says drop 200 calories just ask them which one should I cut out? ▶️200 calories of fat or of protein or of carbohydrates? ▶️They might say fat so then ask them, why fat? ▶️They’ll then say because it contains twice as many calories as protein and carbs. So then ask them why that would matter? ▶️That is, if 200 calories is 200 calories no matter what then why cut fat? They might start to sweat at this stage... Fat Loss and Failure8/7/2018 (First posted on Facebook)
➡️Fat Loss and Failure⬅️ In most cases a 6 weeks fat loss programme doesn’t lead to sustainable results… Unless you have a stone or less to lose. If you have more to lose then it's too difficult to continue on afterwards on your own. Lots say it’s not. Lots fail. Especially since the last 7lbs to 14lbs are the hardest to shift and in lots of cases you will need to change tactics. ➡️What has worked up to the last stone might not work anymore or it might work but at an incredibly slow pace.⬅️ You can congratulate yourself for finally getting back into your size 12 or even 10’s 😁 but you will still have that pouch left ☹ If doing a short programme I would actually spend most of that time teaching them how to keep the weight off afterwards – not spending time teaching them how to lose it. Fast weight loss is simple to teach and for a lot of people it’s not even that difficult to follow as the rules are so simple and straight forward. Fast weight loss is the dreaded chicken and broccoli type approach. Not tasty but it’s quick. ➡️I hate using it and will only do so if absolutely needed⬅️ However, you will gain it back much quicker than the 6 weeks it took to lose it if you don’t understand what healthy maintenance nutrition is. And it’s NOT porridge, brown bread, wraps, brown pasta, brown ice, rice cakes, slimming bread, endless bowls of fruit and all the other things which we are told are healthy. And let’s face it, it’s a waste of time losing it and then gaining it back again. I will admit that I’ve had a few clients who just need an initial chat and they’re off…I mean they hit the ground running and are just absolutely flying it. They rarely touch base with me (even though I have my clients send me daily updates) and they are just losing it consistently week after week. The reality is that these women probably only need 6 weeks because they are so focused and self-motivated, and they don’t have any emotional connection with food. They eat to fuel and will do whatever is best, no questions asked. They have the information – they implement it, and that’s it. Don’t worry if you aren’t one of those people. Hardly anyone is that type of person. They are rare. But they are an absolute dream to work with! The truth is that I might only have one or two people at a time working with me who have that drive and determination… ➡️Back to the topic of 6 weeks… ⚠️In most cases people need more time ⚠️They need to adjust ⚠️They need to form new habits slowly ⚠️They have bumps along the way ⚠️And when they do, sometimes it can take a few weeks to get back on track ⚠️But they do get back on track ⚠️And they continue ⚠️And if they hit another bumpy patch 2 months later and stall for a couple of weeks – that’s fine. ⚠️We’ll deal with it. ⚠️Normally it might happen if they have exams, or if a loved one has become ill, or maybe they just went on holidays. ⚠️It’s just a bump ⚠️If we then plan it in – we deal with it – and they continue ____ NOW ____ Imagine you are doing a 6 week ‘diet and fitness plan’ and you hit a bump on week 5….or if you hit a bump on week 12 which is 6 weeks after the plan has ended. I would say that in 90% of cases that will be that. The person feels totally disheartened and feels like a failure (yet again) and before they know it they are back to where they started a few months ago. But now they feel even worse because they have let themselves down. My advice is to start a programme with the intentions of sticking with it until the job is done which should also include spending a few weeks at the end in maintenance so that you are completely ready to go alone. As always if you have any questions or would like more information just shoot me a message. Positive Attitude - Post Two8/7/2018 (First posted on Facebook)
I’m going to continue on from my recent tips on starting your day in a more positive way... ___ I get it, you don’t want to be hurt anymore. I don’t mean being hurt by others. I mean being hurt because you let yourself down AGAIN. >> I work with a lot of women who don’t even tell their partners that they are being coached by me at the start. They are so afraid of failing again! Not only will they let themselves down, they’ll having their partners and friends thinking “what is she up to now”....“what’s this new thing that she’s trying” They’ll only speak to me when they are at work or out for a walk on their own. When people then ask how they are losing weight they feel so good in themselves and so positive that they then tell them or else just say they are eating better. Typically these clients don’t even do any workouts with me. They wouldn’t even want to be seen workout out as they feel like such failures. Imagine that ….or maybe you don’t have to imagine it. Maybe I’m describing you. It’s very very unfair. How many times have they gotten excited about a new programme in the past and then felt so low after they failed yet again. This has happened so many times that even their partners don’t believe they’ll ever lose the weight. ⬇️⬇️ BUT…..it’s not their fault. It mostly happens when peoples past weight loss attempts were based around exercise instead of nutrition. Or if it was a nutrition based programme like a slimming club then they were doing the wrong things. It’s easy to go wrong when a nutrition programme isn’t designed for you. And also, I’m talking about women who are mainly of an age range of 40 plus. When you are 25 almost any ‘diet’ can work!! ⬆️⬆️ Sometimes people are trying to follow a diet that younger women and men are also following and the chances are that it won’t be ideal. If you have 4 stone to lose it might be enough to get you halfway there, but in a lot of cases the results stop there. >> It also might have worked when you yourself were 20 years younger, so you are wondering…why is it not working now! YOU are not the problem. The problem is that you are following a weight loss approach which isn’t specific to you and your current circumstances. Don’t be afraid! Re-educate yourself! Natural dips in hormone production, including hormones that when younger help to prevent weight gain along with increases in another hormone called insulin (which is the fat storing hormone) are both working against you. ****If you have any questions on this just ask!**** It can be hard to be positive all of the time, and of course, it is not possible to never have any negative thoughts, but if your negativity is mostly coming from the fear of failure then I hope that you now have a better understanding and can seeing where you might have been going wrong. If you can learn to switch your mindset a bit and practice positive thinking, this can have a great impact on your life and yourself in general. Try not to get scared by the fear of failing or not reaching your goals and know that even if you do make a mistake, you can try again. Believe that you will achieve your goals and you are one step closer to doing so. ***Remember that any mistake made is just a lesson to learn from. And if you have made many then you must be very wise indeed*** The video is my workout from today. Hopefully it'll help you to get started. Keep it simple when you start...just doing something is a bonus in itself. Positive Attitude - Post One8/7/2018 (First posted on Facebook)
A positive attitude will make you happier and increase your success in all areas both personally and professionally. I'm sure you didn't need me to tell you that. It's a bit of a vicious circle. A positive attitude will make you more creative but sometimes it can take a bit of creativity to find the solution to help increase positivity in your life. I'm going to post about this for awhile so I'd like some feedback on your thoughts. What makes you feel positive? For many that might be a hard question to answer, however, I'm sure you all could easily reel off lots if examples of things which make you feel negative. (For many it can be as simple as catching a glace of yourself in a car window and hating the shape of your body.) Let’s start with mornings, as that will set the tone for the day. Let’s create a attitude-boosting morning routine that puts you in a good mood so that you can start the day on the right track. We’ll keep this simple - you don't need to be a yoga master or a fitness freak to try these. 1. Spend 10 minutes in silence just concentrating on breathing. I know I have no chance of doing that with a 3 year old and a 5 week old but maybe some of you can! 2. Get in a short workout 3. If working out isn't your thing why not try some light stretching/yoga/Pilates 4. Eat a good meal - if you haven't planned ahead and feel guilty after eating a high carb breakfast like toast and a banana then plan ahead and make that first meal a good one. 5. Have your clothes ready - why start off in a bad mood because nothing fits Five very simple steps that anyone can do! If you are already making excuses when reading this and thinking about reasons why those steps wouldn’t suit you then be true to yourself and realise that you are just making excuses. You can do just one or you can do all five. Let me know what you think and if you can help others by letting us know what helps you to stay positive then comment below. I'm sure that small act of kindness will help both you and others to feel more positive!
There are tonnes of reason why the scales go up instead of down every now and again and it has nothing to do with fat gain.
A lot of new clients are always caught up on the scales and ignoring the fact that their body shape is changing as they are dropping inches really quickly, their clothes are getting looser, people are complementing them on how they've lost weight and even other things like their energy is boosted and their skin, hair and nails are in much better condition. Stand back and look at the bigger picture. Your fat loss doesn't run on 7 day cycles. In fat many people sometimes drop a few pounds every 7 - 10 days. That would be a frustrating 10 days waiting to see movement if you weren't aware of your weight loss pattern when it comes to the scales. >>> The scales doesn't show an accurate fat loss result so they are pretty useless. You might be wondering why the scales isn't very accurate. I also speak about this in podcasts which I share with clients as it's a point I want to drill home. There is nothing worse than seeing someone losing inches but because they didn't see a drop on the scales for a few days they get upset and order a pizza. What a complete waste of good progress!! Water Retention
I discuss water retention in the video below but I want to add some extra reasons on here.
The following are some more reasons why your weight on the scales fluctuates but which has nothing to do with body fat. Remember, if you are seeing positive change in your progress photos and/or measurements and if you are seeing change in your clothes then it doesn't even matter what the scales is telling you. It will catch up anyway in a matter of days in most cases. These are the main culprits for overnight weight gain i.e. water retention: 1. Menstrual Cycle (regularly as much as 7lbs) 2. Alcohol (regularly as mush as 7lbs - will take up to 5 days to flush out) 3. Extra salt from one day to the next (slight increase and decrease) If you happen to have more sodium today than yesterday then that will act as a magnet and attract water. So it doesn't matter if it feels like you are taking two steps forward and one back. Losing 2lbs today and gaining one back tomorrow. Look at your weekly result, bi weekly results and monthly results. If things aren't changing when they should be then we will start using a trick to bump things up anyway. So don't panic. 4. Starches or sugars All starches and sugars are carbohydrates. Your body has a huge capacity to store carbohydrates socking away at least 500 grams. To put that in perspective one slice of bread packs 15 grams of carbs (that's 3 spoons of sugar by the way and includes wholemeal bread). When you eat more carbohydrate than your body immediately needs, you'll store the leftovers in your liver and muscles, which will stay there until they're needed for fuel. And for every gram of glycogen you stockpile, you also put away up to 6 grams of water, so essentially it's a double whammy when it comes to your weight. This water weight can then take a week to flush out. 5. Being constipated can cause you to weigh more until your body releases the waste it’s hanging onto. It’s not uncommon for women to experience constipation in the first couple of weeks or as part of PMS, but stress, too little sleep, and travel can also be triggers. What CAn You Do?
If you think you are retaining water try drinking more water as this actually helps your body to release the water that it's hanging on to. Also potassium rich foods like cooked spinach have a natural diuretic effect helping to flush the water out. Just remember that there is nothing actually wrong with water weight other than the fact that it's making you look heavier on the scales.
Weight loss is rarely a steady decline until you reach your goal so this is why I use specific techniques to make sure my clients fat loss results are always as high as possible.
Bottom line: it’s actually normal for your weight to ebb and flow, so if you see a slightly increase, don’t panic. When clients follow our plans which are designed specifically for them taking into account their age then it is literally impossible for them to gain fat.
This means that if their weight on the scales increases by one pound and if they haven’t consumed anything that they shouldn't have then they can rest assured that they haven’t actually gained a pound of body fat. So shift your focus away from the scale and toward how you look and feel. It’s very possible to see more muscle definition and even a reduction in inches when your weight in pounds hasn’t budged. The only time I ever get a mail from someone worried about their results is if that person hasn't updated their progress pics or measurements. It literally never happens otherwise! This is why I'm always talking about the importance of the measurements, progress pictures and using goal items of clothing. Each week we have clients seeing big improvements in their pictures and measurements while seeing little or no movement on the scales for a few days. It changes week to week. The scales could easily then drop by 7 lbs over night. I've seen it happen tonnes of times. It's too unpredictable. Just ignore the scales, you'll be glad you did in a few weeks. Time and time again I hear people who when looking back at the first few weeks realise it was a big mistake to keep going by the scales. BONUS Piece
The following are the main 3 reasons why someone might not be seeing progress:
1. They are not following the correct plan. It might have worked for you before but now that you are over 40 you need a specific plan for your age group. This is mainly due to a hormonal imbalance. in lots of cases the hormone in question is insulin. 2. You are on medication which prevents weight loss. 3. You have an allergy or intollerance to a food that you are eating which is causing lots of water retention and bloating. Did you notice that I have not mentioned eating too much, portion size, calories or lack of exercise. These terms are too broad when working with over 40's I tell my clients eat as much as they want. Especially when it comes to fats and proteins. I don't use a high protein diet unless someone is looking for rapid fat loss but a diet which is low in fats and proteins is a diet which is high in carbohydrates. Everyone who starts with us is coming from a diet which is high in carbohydrates. My diet was also very high in carbohydrates when I was 2 stone overweight. People need to understand that carbohydrates as written on the labels means sugars. The added sugar in grams just means ........added sugar. The carbohydrates are the sugars which are already in the food. And before you say it...it doesn't matter if they are looked at as being 'natural'. Natural sugars are as fattening as added sugars. So it's not that people are eating too much. It's that they are eating too much carbohydrates. Their portion sizes are too big unless they are eating lots of carbohydrates. Their is no point in talking about calories as all foods are calories so you might as well just use the word food. And finally, it's very difficult to burn enough calories to lose weight unless you are willing to exercise for hours each day. It's a lot easier to lose weigh in your 20's. When you are in your 40's and 50's you will need to get this right! Living With IBS14/9/2015 IBS can be caused by stress, too many antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin or Advil, steroids, intestinal infections, a low-fibre, high-sugar diet, alcohol and many other dietary factors. An activate immune response to these foods, medications or stresses can cause allergies and can create havoc that leads to an irritable bowel. A good place to start managing your IBS is by healing your gut. The goal is to rectify the gut flora imbalance and inflammation that can be a cause of IBS. IBS doesn’t have a one cure fits all but healing the gut is something everyone should be doing anyway. It won’t do any harm and even if it doesn’t seem like your symptoms have lessened, it will most definitely improve your health. Grains, legumes and seed oils can cause IBS symptoms to flare so should be the first food item to go. However do not be alarmed, we will be replacing these foods with options that provide more nutrients while also having the benefits of not being harmful to the gut. Diary can also be problematic so should be avoided at this early stage. Keep in mind that some medications can also cause problems, speak to your doctor about this possibility. It’s well known that Antibiotics will kill bad bacteria in your gut however it must be remembered that the same antibiotics will also kill the good bacteria. This will greatly reduce the health of your gut. Other foods to consider avoiding at this stage are nuts, seeds, eggs and nightshades. The high levels of Omega-6 in nuts and seeds can cause inflammation. The white in eggs contain anti-microbial compounds which can lead to irritation of the gut. Nightshades contain anti-nutrients which are natural compounds which resist digestion and cause intestinal perforation. NightshadesHere is a list of nightshades. Some of these are uncommon however make sure to read to the end as many are eaten on a daily basis.
FODMAPS Many people start their journey to improving gut health by removing FODMAPs from their diet. FODMAPs are short chain carbohydrates (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols). These carbohydrates are commonly found in the modern western diet. The restriction of these FODMAPs from the diet has been found to have a beneficial effect for sufferers of IBS. Unfortunately many fruit and vegetables are high in FODMAPs. For a complete list of FODMAPs I recommend downloading an app for your smartphone. You will need to refer to the list of foods many times in this early stage of your journey. The reason FODMAPs may be an issue is because they linger in the small intestine and can cause discomfort such as gas, bloating, constipation and/or diarrhoea along with abdominal pain. Stress and anxiety Stress and Anxiety must also be avoided as much as possible. IBS effects the immune system, which is affected by stress. Lack of sleep is a major cause of stress so make sure you get a least eight hours of sleep every night. Regular exercise will help to reduce stress. Bone Broth At this stage we have listed foods to avoid however it is also important to include many foods which help to relieve the discomfort; while providing all the nutrients required for a healthy diet. Making bone broth is a very important step in this process. You will need to cook bones along with the connective tissue for at least 5 hours and preferably longer (up to and beyond 24hrs). Many nutrients are extracted from the bones during the slow cooking process. These nutrients will help to sooth and restore your digestive health. Make sure to add in plenty of vegetables. The slow cooking process will also cause the vegetables to become softer and therefore easier to digest. This is also a very time efficient way to cook food. Yes, the actual cooking process takes longer than most meals however preparation time is less than 5 minutes and if you use a very large pot or slow cooker you will have plenty of meaty bone broth to refrigerate and/or freeze for the coming days. Probiotics Probiotics such as Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Kombucha Tea and live-cultured yogurt can all be home made and are beneficial forms of gut bacteria. They will help to stimulate the natural digestive juices and enzymes that keep our digestive organs functioning properly. Probiotic supplements can also be purchased. Some people may have a problem with probiotics if they suffer from Candida as the probiotics will also feed this unwanted bacteria. Digestive enzymesDigestive enzymes can also help to relieve IBS symptoms. Taking these with meals will help break down food while your gut heals. Fish oil will also help to heal the lining of the gut. Food Intolerance Tests Blood samples can be analysed for food IgG antibody reactions. These foods should then be avoided which may help alleviate any symptoms that you have. For more information on Food Intolerance testing please contact me as I am an approved Lorisian Food Intolerance Test Practitioner. Eating a non-processed, low sugar healthy diet will help you to avoid dietary toxins while providing an abundance of nutritious and healing macronutrients.
GAA Strength Programme5/2/2015 KISS! Keep it simple stupid! – Although this programme is simple it is extremely effective and has been used by high level sports teams and elite athletes all over the world in various sports with huge success leading to improved performance. It is also very useful for the beginner to intermediate athlete when periodisation is introduced. Some big names behind this programme are Bill Starr, Glenn Pendlay, Mark Rippetoe & also ‘Madcow ‘ -Madcow made revisions to the programme when working with Glenn Pendlay.- This programme focuses on the core lifts which will become the base for functional hypertrophy and is perfect for sports such as GAA where strength and lean body mass are so important. "These compound lifts are the most effective exercises and produce the best strength gains" More isolation work can be added in an advanced programme however these big compound movements are targeted to the specific areas where weakness is common in GAA (knee, lower back, hamstrings). It is also aimed at strengthening the posterior chain which is the driving force (calf, hamstring, glutes, lumbar erector) all the while insuring that growth is in proportion. It is however a more taxing programme than the standard upper lower split which incorporates many isolation exercises. The key to strength is lifting heavy loads and with this programme you will be doing exactly that! This is a science based programme and further reading can be read here: Science and Practice of Strength Training by Vladimir M. Zatsiorsky, William J. Kraemer . The book discusses dual factor theory and the properly used concepts of volume, frequency, intensity, and workload. Click me: Also see this article This programme will also teach the athlete what it takes to build the right type of strength using periodisation and progressive programmes. Although it is straightforward it has been proven again and again to be enough to overload anyone and push them to their limit. An accomplished and seasoned lifter can still use this programme as a base but might incorporate more training sessions and add in some Olympic Lifts and/or some targeted isolation. The ProgrammeThe first programme is for the beginner. The second programme is aimed at someone who is familiar with the main compound lifts and wants to incorporate periodisation. If this type of programme is new to you and you find that you are making good strength gains with the beginner programme then you don’t yet need periodisation however you will still be using progression. If you have been following a strength training programme which already incorporated these lifts then periodisation will be of benefit. Click me: read this! Safety First If you are a beginner you may have to test your lifts first by starting out light and make adjustment until you know you 5 reps x 5 sets max load e.g. if you can complete an 80kg squat with correct form for 5 reps for 5 sets but don’t think that you could do the same with 85kg then 80kg is your 5x5 max. If you already know your 1RM (rep max) it will make this procedure easier. Always warm up before starting the workout. Also perform each exercise with a lighter weight first to build up to your target weight. Those warm ups are not included in the 5x5. The 5x5 only begins when you are at your target weight. An example warm up might be 1. 1 set of 5 reps with the empty bar 2. 1 set of 5 reps with bar plus 20kg 3. Add 10 – 20kg for another set of 3 reps 4. Add 10 – 20kg for another set of 2 reps 5. …… Do at least 4 warm up sets. Make sure you use correct technique during the warm up. Beginner: Adapted from the Starting Strength Practical Novice Programme For the beginner a programme which incorporates progression is unnecessary as is incorporating a deload phase. You may be able to add weight to the bar week on week as you will be starting light and strength gains come easier early on. It's of critical importance to learn the lifts using correct form.
* Note: Chin-Ups: 3 sets to failure or add weight if more than 15 reps ^ Note: One set as this move is complex and correct form must be used Use warm up sets at lighter weights and build up to the 5x5 which will use a constant weight. All the sets shown (5×5) are all working or “live” sets, not counting warm ups sets. Don’t be tempted to add additional exercises. The biceps/triceps already get enough growth stimulation from heavy presses, rows and chins. Abdominal work can be used as a cool-down. When you find that you are not progressing for a couple of weeks on the majority of lifts then move on to the Intermediate workout. Intermediate: Adapted from Bill Starr and ‘Madcow’ Volume Phase - Weeks 1 - 4
Deload Phase Weeks 5-6
* Note: Ramped sets: A method of weight progression where all sets are done with the same number of repetitions, while the weight increases up to the target weight (each set gets heavier, your target set being the 5th set). Ramped sets are calculated as a percentage of the 5th set. ^ Note: As the deadlift is such a complex lift care must be taken. If your are lifting 1.5 or more x bodyweight it may be wise to lower the volume on that lift to 3x5. Use warm up sets at lighter weights and build up to the 5x5 which will use a constant weight. All the sets shown (5×5) are all working or “live” sets, not counting warm ups sets. Don’t be tempted to add additional exercises. The biceps/triceps already get enough growth stimulation from heavy presses, rows and chins. Abdominal work can be used as a cool-down. INTERMEDIATE ExplainedVolume Phase - Weeks 1 - 4Each week increase your target weight i.e. the weight used for your 5x5 or the heaviest weight in the ramped 5x5. The goal is to perform new PRs (personal records) on week 3 and 4 of the volume phase. Make sure you are hitting 5 sets of 5 reps, lower the weight if needed. If you fail on the 4th rep of the 5th set carry the weight forward but if you fail before this then slightly drop the weight. The four weeks for this phase are not set in stone, you may find it easier at first to do this phase for 6 weeks and build up the weight more slowly. When starting this programme 1. Set your target 5x5 weight for week 3 at your current 1x5 RM (rep max) minus approx. 7.5%. 2. Set your target 5x5 weight for week 1 at your week 3 target minus approx. 20% 3. Split the difference between week 1 and week 3 to find your target for week 2. 4. Week 4’s lifts will be slightly higher than week 3 approx. 5%. e.g. You can bench 60g at one set for five reps. If you couldn’t do this with any higher weight then 60kg is your 1x5 RM. Your target 5x5 for week 3 is 60kg minus approx. 7.5%. Your target for week 1 is 60kg minus approx. 20%. It’s very important to plan out the weeks as stated above. If it’s not planned and you end up for example starting too light you can add on a week before the deload and that’s fine. But if you start too heavy you won’t be able to complete the progression so may not be able to increase the weight going into week 4. Deload PhaseThe purpose of the deload phase is recovery. As you are an intermediate lifter and lifting heavy, the deload phase is very important. You may feel that it is a wasted phase but it is vital for optimal strength while preventing fatigue. You can run the deload phase for longer than two weeks if you feel that you need more time to recover. When you are recovered you can start loading again. Use the same weight in week five as you did in the final week of your loading phase (week 4). You can increase the weight in the next deload week if you were able to complete all 9 reps. You can increase by a % or if unsure add 2.5kg to bench press, military press and row and 5kg to squat and deadlift. Starting your second training cycle (week 7 and 8) You may have started light in your first training cycle which is okay. You must listen to your body because after all when it comes to progression only you can decide on what % to increase the weight by. It’s also important not to listen to what others are lifting as their form may not be correct and perhaps your TUT (time under tension) is longer than theirs. Your target weight for week 7 is calculated from your new max lift (week 4). Important InformationSafety First (continued…) As you will be lifting heavy you must insure correct technique at all times. If you have not done these compound lifts before then start very light. See above under heading Safety First. Example: You find that your lower back is sore when deadlifting. This may be because your lower back is not as strong as your legs or upper back. Don’t continue with this exercise at that weight. You must strengthen your lower back before you progress with the deadlift. As all of these lifts use multiple supporting secondary muscles the chances of injury are greatly increased. Make sure your technique is perfect on all lifts before starting the programme. Controlled Movements and Rests When performing these exercises use a steady rep speed. Always have control of the bar and use a full range of movement to ensuring recruitment of all muscle fibres. There is no set time between sets. Take as much time as you need but no more. During the warm up you might only have to rest long enough to add the weights however when lifting at your target weight sufficient rest must be taken as these are big movements which require perfect form. Make sure you are getting the most out of every single rep as every rep counts. A usual rest may be anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes. Making changes to the programmesIf you know what you’re doing then you won’t need to make changes to the programmes. Bill Starr, Glenn Pendlay and Mark Rippetoe are at the very best at what they do, and that is making people stronger. Arms will be worked out as part of the pushing and pulling exercises however you can add in one bicep and tricep exercise once per week if you really want to. Core work will be done in On Pitch training and during explosive strength training. Don’t use any machines for these programmes! As Madcow said “In a nutshell, put your trust in some of the better coaches on the planet and enjoy the results. If it doesn't look like a typical program to you, that's because most programs suck and almost require drugs or a total novice lifter to see gains. For a lifter with some experience, it is not enough to go in and work hard - you need a program that properly regulates volume and intensity (either that or you'll settle for very suboptimal gains or simply use increased drug dosage to compensate for shitty training).” Advanced LiftersI’m not going to go into details here as I don’t want someone doing the advanced programme who isn’t ready for it. Plus – the above programme can be used for advanced lifters substituting in some Olympic Lifts and adding isolation exercises and more training days.
Low Carbohydrate Shopping List30/10/2014 50 - 100 grams per dayWe don't ask our clients to weigh and measure their food as that's just annoying. Instead, we advise clients as to what foods are high in sugar and what foods are low in sugar. It may seem obvious, but it's actually not so straightforward. Understanding that the term "carbohydrate" refers to sugars in food is important. Something is only called a carbohydrate because of the sugars that are in the food. When you see "carbohydrate" on a food label, it means it contains various types of sugars (except for fibre, which is listed separately in Europe). The "added sugar" section on the label specifically indicates the sugar that was added during the food's production. By reducing sugar intake, you can minimise insulin production and accelerate fat metabolism. If you have read the previous article you will know that carbohydrates drive insulin and insulin drives fat storage. How to manage carbohydratesMost vegetables and fruits are carbohydrates so when creating a meal plan it's important to choose low glycemic options (see list below). Some people prefer to initially cut out many high glycemic foods, while others prefer to leave some in. This decision often depends on how quickly they want to lose weight. We speak to each client about this when creating food plans in the initial weeks. Once you're satisfied with the rate at which you're losing weight, you can gradually add more carbohydrates (up until a point where you stop losing weight). Following this approach, you can expect to see a significant drop in inches (2 - 5) each week for several weeks. If you have less to lose, it may be closer to 2 inches, whereas if you have more to lose, it could be closer to 5 inches. That means within 60 days, you could lose 1-2 dress sizes, and within 90 days, 2-3 dress sizes. In the beginning, you might even lose 10-20 inches in just 14 days, which is equivalent to a full dress size. Starchy carbohydrates such as grains (bread, wheat, pasta, corn) and tubers/roots (potato, parsnip, cooked carrots) as well as sugary carbohydrates (honey, jam, table sugar, fruit juice) would ideally be limited or avoided since they are high glycemic which means that they will raise your blood sugar quickly. Fats and proteins should be eaten with carbohydrates
How much fats and protein?By including a healthy amount of fats and proteins in your diet, such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and seeds, you'll feel satisfied while enjoying tasty and nutritious foods. We pay special attention to your fat intake right from the start and make sure to create a food plan that includes fats, proteins, and carbohydrates according to your needs.
It's worth mentioning that you don't have to limit yourself to lean cuts of protein. However, if someone prefers lean cuts then they can add fats from other sources such as cheese, olive oil, and all the others listed later in this blog. This is not a low-fat diet, nor is it a high-protein diet. It can be described as a moderate to low carbohydrate approach. When you reduce your carbohydrate intake, your body will start burning both the fats from your diet and the stored fat for energy. All About Cholesterol19/9/2014 Once upon a time we weren't able to characterise the different lipid substances in our bloodstream now known as HDL, LDL and triglycerides so they were all bundled into the same classification called cholesterol. Everyone these days is worried about having high cholesterol however cholesterol has little to do with atherosclerosis and heart disease. If you want to know if you are lining up to have a heart attack or stroke at the age of sixty or if you will be heart healthy up to a ripe old age, you will want to know if you have LDL (Low-density lipoproteins) particles accumulating in the walls of your arteries. The size of the LDL particles is critical when determining this. LDL particles when oxidised cause atherosclerosis which is a build up of these fatty plaques which narrows and stiffens the arteries. Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of cardiovascular heart disease. So what foods cause atherosclerosis? When we eat carbohydrates such as bread, wheat, pasta, biscuits or sweets they turn to glucose when digested. Glucose is converted into triglycerides in the liver and is then released into the bloodstream as Very Low Density Lipoproteins VLDL. These VLDL will be converted into large or small LDL depending on the type of carbohydrate which was consumed. If it is the same starchy and sugary carbohydrates as named above then the LDL particles will be small. When oxidized these small LDL are the particles which cause all the damage. What is oxidation? Oxidation is the process of aging. An example of oxidation is when a kid puts a half eaten apple on the table for too long and it turns brown. Oxidation in the body can lead to many diseases including cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Large LDL particles are disposed of where as small LDL particles stick around (literally) for much longer. The small LDL particles oxidize over time and become inflammatory and because of their tiny size they get stuck which causes the build up of atherosclerotic plaque. Compared to large particles, small LDL particles are eightfold more susceptible to causing this narrowing of the arteries. So what should you do to avoid this? Avoid starchy and sugary carbohydrates as small LDL particles are formed when these are eaten. These same carbohydrates increase blood glucose which glycates these small LDL and forms atherosclerotic plaque. Foods that increase blood glucose are therefore responsible for both greater quantities of small LDL and also increased oxidation of these LDL. Simple Sugary Carbohydrates
Complex Starchy Carbohydrates
Heart disease and stroke are not just about high cholesterol. They are caused by oxidation, gylcation, inflammation and small LDL particles……and yes, the process is triggered by carbohydrates. Keep an eye out for an article coming soon which will discuss one of the other main causes of inflammation in our diet…..vegetable oils. Why we are overweight11/9/2014 You might have a genetic predisposition to put on weight. Maybe your mother, father or brother is overweight. The good news is that we now know that genes can be switched off and on and that the carbohydrates we eat are responsible for regulating the hormone which leads to weight gain. Having ‘bad’ genes just means that it is more important for you to be aware of this. Carbohydrates are responsible for insulin secretion and insulin is the fat storing hormone. If you are overweight, it’s very likely that it’s the carbohydrates in your diet which are to blame. To become leaner you must be aware of the quantity and quality of carbohydrate in your diet. Are all carbohydrates equal? No. Some carbohydrates raise your blood sugar more than others. These high glycemic carbohydrates are the ones which need to be reduced or eliminated from your diet. Eating less of these carbohydrates means less insulin will be secreted meaning less food which you eat will be stored as fat. Which carbohydrates are bad? The sugary and starchy carbohydrates which are digested quickly. Examples are grain based foods (bread, cereals and pasta) liquid carbohydrates (beer, fruit juice and carbonated soft drinks) and starches (potatoes, rice and corn). These foods are quickly digested and flood the bloodstream with glucose. It’s insulin’s job to remove this toxic amount of glucose and it does this by pushing some of the glucose to our muscles where we burn it as energy and pushing the remainder into our fat cells. Which carbohydrates are good? The carbohydrates in salad vegetables, most of the vegetables which grow above ground including leafy greens which are bound up in indigestible fibre meaning they take longer to digest. This ensures we don’t get a high blood sugar spike and as a result less insulin is secreted. These carbohydrates have a low glycemic load, therefore they are less fattening. What about fruit? Many people are shocked to find out that fruit can be fattening. I’m sure a lot of people reading this who have tried to lose weight in the past have increased the amount of fruit which they eat. Yes fruit contains many vitamins and antioxidants, however if you are trying to lose weight fruit may not be your friend. The type of sugar in fruit is called fructose. Unlike sugar and starches fructose has to be sent to the liver to be metabolised. This is because the liver contains the necessary enzymes. This extra step means it may not effect our blood sugar levels immediately, however, our liver responds to this flood of fructose by turning much of it into fat. For this reason fructose is actually more lipogenic, or fat-producing than glucose. Go for the low glycemic load fruits such as berries when choosing fruit. How it all happens – step by step
How to switch from fat storing mode to fat burning mode Stored fat (triglycerides) is constantly being broken down (into free fatty acids) and entering the blood stream so that it can be used up as energy. The problem is that if you eat a diet containing these sugary and starchy carbohydrates you will never access this for energy so it will be returned to the fat cells and stored once again as fat. The reason for this is that the constant flood of toxic levels of glucose as a result of your high carbohydrate meals must be delt with first. Some is used for energy and some is stored as fat. You want to make sure your body is in fat burning mode not fat storing mode. To ensure this you must eat less of these sugary starchy foods also known as high glycemic load carbohydrates. But aren’t carbohydrates heart healthy? No. The high glycemic load carbohydrates are not. My next blog article will explain this.
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