Tag: tuesdaytip

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: No Pain, No Gain

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: No Pain, No gain? 🤔

We’ve all heard that old adage – no pain, no gain… but is that really true?

Well yes and no!

# 1 Cardio/ Hiit Workouts

If you’re trying to lose fat or get fitter then you need to be in a calorie deficit. In order to do this you need to eat less and increase your calorie burn (through exercise and daily activity). To improve fitness you need to be increasing the cardiovascular “stress” on your body (getting your heart and lungs working harder). So you do need to be at least a little uncomfortable when you work out, for some of the time. No you don’t need to push yourself to your pain threshold but you do need to be out of breath, sweaty etc.

#2 Weights / Resistance Training

Ok so there is some truth in the phrase here – in order for your body to build more muscle you need a training stimulus that’s large enough. So you need to get out of your comfort zone, you need to be working to fatigue. This forces the body to adapt, and causes micro tears in the muscle and new muscle fibres to form. That means soreness during and possibly after a workout (Delayed onset muscle soreness – Doms). The pain is inflammation around the muscles as they heal, not the tears themselves. You can also build muscle without experiencing DOMs.

#3 Acute Pain

Acute pain during or after a workout usually reflects injury. Working out should be uncomfortable and if you are not getting to that point you may not be working enough to create the changes you seek.  However, working past that point is also not beneficial, causing damage to the tissues.  Achiness, soreness and fatigue are fine.  Sharp, stabbing, grinding pains should be avoided.  

So yes, you have to work out at a certain level that will cause changes in your body, but it’s definitely not a case of no pain no gain! If you experience DOMs after every workout then you need to reconsider your approach.

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: How Many Steps?

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: How many steps? 🚶🏼‍♀️

We’re all used to being told to walk 10,000 steps a day – but why 10,000?

It turns out the 10,000 number isn’t based on loads of research and evidence, it’s in fact based on marketing for a Japanese pedometer in the 1960s and may not in fact be the holy grail for health it’s built up to be.

10,000 steps equates to roughly 5 miles (depending on gait etc) – when you’re just starting out that’s actually a really long way! You may not have the confidence or fitness to get close to 10,000. So having that goal can backfire if you’re constantly not hitting it and feeling bad. Also of course most trackers tend not to include things like swimming, cycling or spinning in the step count or any resistance training so it’s not an accurate measure of activity. On the flip side for some hitting 10,000 is a walk in the park (🤣) due to their job or commute so why have that as the goal?

A better approach, and one I use with my clients, is to track your current steps for a week or so, and look at the patterns. Then set goals based on those – so if on work days you’re only hitting 4,000 steps, there’s no point aiming for 10,000 if you physically can’t get them, instead aim for 6,000 instead – a moderate increase in activity. And rather than just focusing on steps think about increasing overall activity across the week.

Studies suggest 150 mins of moderate aerobic activity (walking, Swimming, gardening etc) , or 75 mins of intense activity (hiit classes, spin, etc) per week is the minimum requirement for overall health. If you’re trying to lose weight start there and then if you’re hitting it increase the goals.

When it comes to fat loss increases NEAT (Non-exercise activity thermogenesis) or the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise, is what matters in terms of increasing your overall calorie burn. So garden, walk, fidget, stand up – be as active as you can! And forget 10,000 and set yourself some realistic step goals.

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Fake News

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Fake News 📰

We’re all busy, we almost all have smart phones, and there’s so little time in a day that it’s very easy to just scroll through facebook or Instagram for information and it’s all too tempting to take it at face value.

But according to a recent survey social media is the no. 1 source of nutrition and fitness misinformation.

There is zero control over what people put up on social media – design a funky graphic, tap in to a common fear or desire, and you can pretty much say anything and some people will believe you – eggs are bad, eggs are good, eggs cure cancer, eggs cause cancer… eggs contain lysozyme! (Long word, sounds scary, must be bad…… it’s not 😆) … I could go on!

That’s not to say you can’t trust anything you see on social media but just be a bit critical of what you see. Anything fear-based, food shaming or more about what not to eat than what to eat, or claiming some incredible effect of a specific food is likely to be something to be wary of. Social media can be a great source of information but check where that info is from – who is posting it? Are they qualified? Do they have a fitness or nutrition qualification? Are they quoting scientific, peer-reviewed, studies to back up their claims? Are they trying to sell something – if so that’s often a red flag, or at least a reason to investigate a bit more.

In general it’s mostly about balance and moderation – yes we can make grand claims about the awful effects of one food, or the amazing benefits of another – but it usually comes down to quantity. Having a takeaway once a week – not that bad, having it for 2 meals every day – probably not a great idea!

So be critical guys – it’s your body, read the advice, question it, ask for more info if you want – go and do a pubmed search online and find the research…. and yes I’m totally aware of the irony in me posting this on social media, but I’m very happy to chat through the research behind anything I post, and engage in healthy debate about it – any time!

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Combat Slowing Metabolism

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Combat Slowing Metabolism 💪🏼

I am often asked how to combat a slowing metabolism as we age. Metabolism (basal metabolic rate – BMR) is the number of calories your body needs to carry out basic bodily functions at rest (breathing, circulating blood, cell repair, hormone balancing etc). Contrary to popular believe your metabolism doesn’t slow down as you age. What actually happens is that physical activity reduces and lean muscle mass is lost. This means a lower BMR giving the effect of a slowing metabolism. So how can you prevent this happening and keep your metabolism firing?

# 1 Be more active

Work activity in to your day – walk more, stand more, try new classes/exercises etc.

# 2 Resistance training

It’s important to build and maintain muscle so ensure you are doing some resistance training in the form of a class (e.g. pump) or in the gym itself.

# 3 Avoid fad diets

Extreme dieting can cause a down regulation in metabolic rate which can persist for years after the dieting ends. Cutting calories is fine but do it in a steady and sustainable way, in conjunction with physical activity, to help preserve muscle mass.

# 4 Find your motivation

Find what motivates you; is it the form of exercise? the social aspect of classes? the feeling of getting stronger? fitting in to your jeans? being able to run around with your children or pets? Whatever it is find that thing that keeps you going – write it down and keep it somewhere you can see it.

# 5 Get good habits

Find some healthy habits that work for you; track your food, exercise regularly, find alternatives to eating when you’re stressed (adult colouring books, reading, a bath etc), and measure your progress. Studies show those who measure their progress regularly are more likely to lose fat and keep it off long term.

# 6 Get hungry

Listen to your hunger signals and learn how to tell when you’re really hungry vs bored/emotional. A little hunger is a good thing; train your body to recognise actual hunger, Practice mindful eating – pay attention to what you eat, and when you eat, to help avoid boredom or stress eating.

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Where to start with fat loss

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Where to start with fat loss 🏃🏼‍♀️

The weather is becoming milder and it’s the time of year when people start thinking about losing weight and getting back to fitness. Sometimes it can all be a bit overwhelming and it’s hard to know where to start. Here are my top tips to get started.

#1 Decide

It sounds obvious but you have to decide you want to make a change. YOU have to put in the work every day, so this commitment and decision have to come from YOU!

#2 Walk

Walking is a free, easy way to increase your activity right from day one. So don’t wait, don’t even think about it, just get out and walk – even if only round the block!

#3 Have a goal

The goal can be anything but making it something tangible or measureable is best – fitting in to a certain pair of trousers, being able to do X push-ups, managing a 5k run – whatever it is. Write it down and pop it somewhere visible – like on the fridge!

#4 Work out your why

Why do you want to lose fat? What’s driving you? Is it so you can be fit enough to play with your kids? To feel good at an upcoming event? To improve your health and ensure you’re around as long as possible? Find that emotional driver, right it down and pop it on your fridge.

#5 Track your food

How can you make changes if you don’t even really know how much you’re eating anyway? Loads of studies show that people tend to underestimate the number of calories they’re eating by on average 1000cals a day, so take the guess work out and use something like my fitness pal to track your calories and see where you need to make cuts.

#6 Switch to water

An easy, quick way to cut calories is to stop drinking them. Cut the juice, fizzy drinks, sports drinks, booze – switch to water , or zero calorie drinks.

#7 Pay attention

When you eat pay attention to that, not the Tv, or your phone or laptop. Many studies have shown that not paying attention to what you eat increases calories consumed and decreases feelings of fullness. So look at what you’re eating, take your time, chew well, and enjoy it.

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx