Some of us are better than others but let’s face it, we all love a good snack now and again.

Saying the word ‘Snack’ almost feels like I’m swearing at times because so many diets have (wrongly) tried to teach us that snacking is bad. Actually, I approve of the grazing, or little and often eating approach because for many of us it can be easier to judge how much you should eat and it seems more purposeful than eating a huge meal because (in theory) we snack when we feel hungry, so the energy is put straight to good use. Don’t underestimate how powerful your perception of food is. If you view food solely as fuel (as many athletes must), then some of the deeper and more complex issues that we have with food are no longer a problem (i.e. over-eating, eating when we are not hungry). For the majority, we have a passion for food, and take pleasur it its taste, texture and colour – so living off energy gels is not going to do it for us!

Image: Maggie Smith/FreeDigitalPhotos

When Snacking Goes Bad

Sadly there are so many snack-type products out on the market that are blatantly unhealthy such as sweets, and other products that market themselves as being ‘healthy snacks’ but are actually only going to worsen your hunger pains in the long run (I’m thinking high sugar cereal bars). So this is the first hurdle some snack fans fall over.

The second hurdle is often preparation. I love to have an evening snack. When there’s a good show on TV, there is nothing criminal about grabbing a snack (as long as you don’t do that all day long!). The problem is you have cooked dinner, and you’re looking for a quickie food fix. Nobody wants to invest too long in the evening creating a health masterpiece for a snack. We want to grab and go back to the comfy sofa. Preparation and a little thought is the key to avoiding the snack minefield of pre-packed foods and sweets that our tastebuds are craving.

We know there is a healthier way!!Here are some healthy, speedy snacks that you can easily prepare (in no particular order)

My Favourite 5

1.Sliced Apple & Nut/Seed Butter

(I love dunking apple slices into a small bowl of warmed sunflower seed butter – even better if both are organic!)

2. Full Fat Greek Yoghurt with frozen blueberries, cherries and dusted with cinammon

(The natural fat in the yoghurt will help your body absorb the fat soluble vitamins from the tangy berries, and cinammon goes with everything in my book!). Sorry to those who are not dairy fans.

3. Hot Banana, coconut milk, and cocoa (and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper!?)

We all know banana and coconut are a great flavour combo but I like to add a bit of dark chocolate or pure cocoa powder into the mix, or even cayenne pepper for a kick!

Banana also has a nice side effect of being a natural sleeping pill (aiding seratonin etc)

4. The humble boiled egg (free range pelase!)

A controversial choice for some maybe but I needed a more transportable snack in my top 5, and this is The king of snacks when it comes to packing a nutritional punch.

5. Avocado drizzled with fresh lemon juice

Avocado makes a great food for mixing with other things but sticking to the snacks approach, an avocado is easy to slice open (in half) and dig in with a spoon. Not everyone can eat an avocado straight (due to the high fat content) – I like a refreshing drizzle of lemon juice.

Hope you have found some of these ideas useful and will give them a go (if not already doing so). We’d all love to hear of other healthy snack suggestions, so don’t be shy – please share them!

My Top Five Healthy Snacks is a post from: LMD Fitness Thank you for subscribing to receive rule free fitness updates from LMD FITNESS

Further Reading:

1. Why Fat is Our Friend
2. Why are Cherries Healthy this Summer (And Beyond!)?
3. Food: Body Fuel or a Life Joy?

The Ultimate Muscle Building Guide

With all of the information about building muscle on the internet, it’s very easy to become confused, and eventually overwhelmed due to information overload.  Even after sifting through all the resources, there are so many viewpoints, opinions and ideas based around this subject that it’s hard to know exactly who’s right, and who’s wrong.

While the information out there may be beneficial and even useful, it’s easy to get caught up in the fine print and lost in the details.  Ever heard the phrase “there’s more than one way to skin a cat”?  It rings true in this situation as well.  There’s typically some good information in just about every resource you find on this topic.  There’s also a lot of misinformation, too.

If you’re interested in a RULE-FREE approach to building muscle, you mustn’t harbour any doubts about what is going to work and what isn’t.  You simply need an easy, no-nonsense plan to follow.

Hypertrophy in a Nutshell
In order to experience muscle growth (hypertrophy), you must train in a fashion that produces a stimulus which warrants the accrual of new lean body tissue.  After this stimulus has been created, your energy intake must be sufficient to build new muscle.

Without getting technical, the training involved must challenging and the load has to become greater over time.  As the workload increases and the body proves more efficient when moving said loads, the magic begins to happen.  You see, when one starts out performing a new movement such as a bench press, squat, powerclean, or something like hill sprints, even very light loads can seem difficult.  However, over time and with much practice, they become easier.  This is called adaptation.

Now as one adapts to a given load, it will become lighter and the initial stimulus will no longer be sufficient; so one must do something to create the stimulus again.  This comes in the form of adding weights, reps or both.

This is how a scrawny teen can start out only squatting the bar and eventually end up squatting twice his body weight – which can actually occur over a few years.  Over such a timeframe, his nervous system and muscles become more efficient and thus find a way to continually move more and more weight.

As the body adapts, new muscle mass as well as increases in strength start to appear.  This is assuming one is consuming enough calories.

Now we must discuss energy intake.  Yes, all that food we enjoy so much can and will be used as the building blocks that fuel our muscle gains.  The first and most important part of this equation is simple.  In order to build muscle, ones energy intake must be greater than their expenditure.  There’s no magic pill, and no genie in a lamp to grant your muscle-building wishes.

If building muscle is high on your list of priorities, ensure you’re eating enough.

Eating For Muscle Gain
This concept is often made very complicated, but today, I’d like to make it as simple as possible.  If you’re dying to pack on the muscle and have tried everything known to man, I encourage you to rethink your approach.  Perhaps, consider reverting back to something more simplistic and laid back.

The first thing you should do is establish your maintenance intake.  For most, anywhere from 14-16 multiplied by your body weight in pounds is going to be fairly accurate.  If you’re sedentary, it may even be 12-13 x body weight.  If you’re on your feet all day and very active, it’s likely be a bit higher than 16 x body weight.

Once you establish your maintenance intake, you’ll need to determine the approach you want to take.  If you’re not too worried about adding a little fat in the process, shoot for around 400-500 calories over your maintenance intake daily.  If you’d like to keep fat gains minimal and allow for slower gains in body weight and muscle mass, merely add 400-500 calories over your maintenance intake on training days only.  On your off days, simply consume maintenance calories.

Here are some simple guidelines for setting up the diet.

Protein: 1-1.2g per pound of body weight
Fat: 0.3-0.5g per pound of body weight
Carbs: fill in the rest of your intake to hit calorie goals

*If you do well on a lower-carb diet, use the high end of the fat recommendations and vice versa if you do well on a higher-carb diet.

For Women:  Since women possess far less of the hormone known as testosterone than men, they can expect gains in muscle mass to be much slower and will never be able to add as much mass as a man will over their lifetime.  With regards to this reality, it only make sense to cut these numbers in half.  So instead of 400-500 calories over maintenance, I’d suggest about 200-300 extra calories on training days only.  This could equate to consuming a shake with extra carbohydrate and protein on training days and omitting it on off days.

Plus, I don’t know of any female who’s interested in rapid weight gain anyhow.

Training For Muscle Gain
The general rule for hypertrophy is to continually get stronger and to support the muscle gains with an adequate caloric intake.  However, depending on your experience, the way you train will vary.  If you’re a rank beginner, I highly recommend getting started on a simple strength training program that includes the main lifts such as the bench press, squat, deadlift, chins and rows.  Ideally, the beginner will be training 3 days per week with each session being a full-body workout.  If they have more time, splitting up the training over 4 days in an upper/lower fashion is okay, too.

However, becoming proficient at the movements and strength should be of primary concern.  Over time, as one becomes stronger, the muscle gains will follow.  Just remember there will come a point in which the full-body training will become too taxing.  At this point, one must explore alternate training methods.

This is where one becomes an intermediate.  While full body training is doable as an intermediate, it’s crucial to vary the loads and volume from time to time.  If you don’t want to mess with full-body training or need a change, one option is doing as I mentioned earlier in splitting up your training over 4 days.

On that note, I’d never, ever recommend someone do the often popular bodybuilding training in which you trash each muscle group once per week.  This is hardly favourable in terms of recovery or efficiency, and very few individuals will experience the gains they are after on such a routine.  While you may read about these training methods in the magazines, they’re not for the average population but for bodybuilders with years of experience and oftentimes access to lots of PED’s (performance enhancing drugs).

Sample 4-Day Split

Lower/Limbs day
Squat or leg press 3×6-8
RDL or Glute-ham raise 3×6-8
Leg extension 2×10-12
Leg Curl 2×10-12
Calves 5×8-12
Bicep movement 3×8-12
Tricep movement 3×8-12

Upper/Trunk day
First chest movement (bench press) 3×6-8
First back movement (rows) 3×6-8
Second chest movement (flyes, machine press) 2×10-12
Second back movement (chins, pulldowns) 2×10-12
Shoulder movement (vertical press) 3×8-12
Rear delts/trap movement (shrugs) 3×8-12

*Always start on the low end of the volume recommendations and then add a set or two as you adapt and work capacity improves.
**This routine could also be performed on 3 non-consecutive days and rotated in the upper/lower/upper/lower fashion every other day.

For Women: Despite what you’ve ever heard or read about how strength training might make you large and bulky like a man, I can assure you it’s false.  There’s no reason why a female shouldn’t be training like a man in terms of routines and movements.  The myth about women getting bulky is very misleading.  What I’d like you to understand is that all the bodybuilding training in the world would never make you overly bulky simply because you lack the hormones of your counterparts.  Yup, as I mentioned earlier, the lack of testosterone you possess is the reason you’ll never be as big as the guys.

So lift heavy, lift often and enjoy every minute of it.

What if I’m not a Bodybuilder?
So you’re interested in muscle gain but you don’t wish to be a mass monster?  That’s just great.  Many athletes can benefit from an increase in muscle mass as it can have a very positive effect on their performance.

One idea we must keep in mind is the training load you’re already under if you’re a triathlete, swimmer, sprinter, long distance person or involved in another sport that requires lots of training.  Even if you’re merely a serious weekend warrior, I’d assume you are already training a fair amount and adding 4 days of intense lifting to your current routine would not only be impossible, but would only hinder, rather than further your progress.

In my opinion, the sweet spot is going to be 2-3 training sessions per week.  Now, since your athletic training must come first, muscle gain and strength training will be a close second.  If you’re in the offseason, I think 3 sessions per week are absolutely doable.  It’s all going to vary depending on your athletic training and other stressors.

One way to approach this process is to lift on the days your regular training is somewhat lighter.  Pick 4-5 movements that you’d like to progress on.  An example might be to perform a movement of each: quad movement, hamstring movement, horizontal press, and a horizontal pull.  The next session for the week would be similar but you would do a vertical press and pull instead of the horizontal movements.

As far as sets and rep ranges go, I personally like the 5×5 method, however you could do something along the lines of 3×10-12 or even  4×3 (extra heavy).  Ideally, since you’re an athlete and under a lot of training stress, I’d like to see a periodized program spaced out over 8-12 weeks that starts in the higher rep ranges (10-12) and tapers down to the lower rep ranges (3-5).

An example workout would be as follows

Week 1-4 – 3×10-12 for all movements

Workout 1
Squat
Glute-ham Raise (GHR)
Bench movement
Rowing movement

Workout 2
Squat (or deadlift)
GHR (or quad movement)
Shoulder press
Chins or Lat pulldown

Week 5-8 – 5×5
Week 9-12 – 4×3

Now of course you could make exercise substitutions if you get bored, but I’d recommend keeping your movements fairly static to gauge progress.

Putting it all Together
The recipe for this equation is simple.  Focus on building strength; then consume enough food to ensure recovery and muscle growth occurs.  The process doesn’t happen overnight and some may believe it to be slow and arduous; however, it’s the consistency and hard work that pays off with this one.

JC is the author of JCDFitness, where he writes about hypertrophy training, fat loss, and his relaxed approach to all things fitness.  Be sure to check out his free eBook, A No-BS Approach to Looking Great Naked and follow him on Twitter.

The Ultimate Muscle Building Guide is a post from: LMD Fitness Thank you for subscribing to receive rule free fitness updates from LMD FITNESS

Further Reading:

1. 2010 Virgin London Marathon Training – PART III: The Before and After
2. 2010 Virgin London Marathon Training – PART II: A Rule Free Approach
3. Gain 8 lbs of LEAN MASS in 1 Workout?

The North Face Hedgehog GTX: Understated and technically superior

Upon opening the box, the pair of Hedgehog GTXs before me didn’t scream excitement and adventure. As you can see in the pictures below, they are grey and quite plain looking (officially ‘foil grey and citronelle green’. It wasn’t until I got up close and personal with this shoe that I knew it had something more to offer.

As I pulled the shoe from the box, I was impressed by how lightweight it was given the promise of a sturdy hiking shoe!

Impressive Specification

Again, in an understated way, the shoe lets you know you are handling a quality piece of kit. Subtle markings reveal the Vibram® moulded sole, the Gore-Tex® lining and spongy X-202™ air-pod heel cushioning, which as I found combine to give you a unique ‘Northotic’ ™ experience in this shoe.

The official specification from fitnessfootwear states:

The Hedgehog GTX XCR is a streamlined, ultra lightweight, waterproof, breathable, Gore-Tex® XCR® low-cut with exclusive Vibram® outsole, designed for fast-paced outdoor activities.

• Waterproof and breathable Gore-Tex® XCR® membrane
• Abrasion-resistant, bomber synthetic nubuck and breathable sandwich-mesh upper
• Gusseted tongue
• Northotic™ ergonomic footbed
• Lightweight, compression-molded EVA midsole
• Heel X-2 O2™ air pod
• Injection-molded TPU shank plate
• Exclusive, lightweight Vibram® rubber outsole

Hedgehog’s Under Foot

The first thing I felt when I slipped into the Hedgehogs was…smooth. The inside of the shoe has a Gore-tex lining throughout which makes the shoe extremely comfortable on your foot. Unlike other hiking shoes, you are protected from the rougher feel of the breathable exterior mesh.

The second feeling to hit me was…sponginess. You can tell that great thought has gone into the design of the sole. The heel in particular is a soft sweet spot which can be put down to the Heel X-202 air pod which the North Face has built in.

What happened when I really put these Hedgehogs through their paces? Well, they survived and better than that, they improved the quality of my hike. I took them out on a 4 miles trail covering various terrain and undulating ground. When I was on hard and dry ground, the spongy footbed absorbed well, relieving the pressure from my ankles. When I was on wetter more unstable ground, the Vibram rubber outsole gripped aggressively and I felt like there was no great risk of falling on descents. The thing that impressed me most was the versatility of this lightweight shoe to handle these various conditions and keep my feet dry. Given how robust they are, they don’t add much weight at all and feel a bit more like a trail trainer than a sturdy hiking shoe! As you can see from the picture above, the ankle is quite low-cut, which I like but this may not suite everybody’s foot shape. I normally take a UK size 11, and the Hedgehog size 11 fitted fine. I have a wide foot and felt that the shoe provided sufficient room.

These shoes retail for £76.45 on FitnessFootwear. Initially I thought that sounded like quite a lot but after experiencing the in-built quality, I can see that they would be a worthwhile investment. I haven’t had my pair that long but I would expect them to last over many miles and conditions! These hedgehogs may look quite plain but they seem to be built to do the job as promised.

If you are in need of a hiking or general walking shoe, I would strongly consider the Hedgehogs. You can visit the FitnessFootwear Blog for all the latest sports and outdoor shoes news, reviews and previews.

Need New Hiking Shoes? The North Face Hedgehog GTX Reviewed is a post from: LMD Fitness Thank you for subscribing to receive rule free fitness updates from LMD FITNESS

Further Reading:

1. My First Open Water Swim – Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim 2010

What Swimming Means To Me

Swimming has become my main form of exercise over the past few months as knee problems have prevented me participating in many sports. It is a great feeling to jump into the cold water in the morning and is an excellent cardiovascular activity with minimal strain on the body. I found that as my fitness in the pool increased it became slightly boring just swimming back and forth for thousands of meters and I was looking for an alternative…

Open water swimming allowed me to escape the lines on the bottom of the pool and the smell of chlorine on my skin. It gave me a great sense of freedom being out in the ocean, allowing me to enjoy the coastline of the U.K. I found that there were many events held around the UK and the motivation of swimming or racing with others added to the excitement. I took the plunge literally and signed up for my first open water event.

Forced Smiles Trying to Hide the Pre-Race Nerves

British Heart Foundation Bournemouth Pier To Pier Swim 2010

The British Heart Foundation Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim is an annual event held in Bournemouth between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers. It is the largest charity sea swim in the UK with 1200 entrants swimming 1.4 miles down the coast.

As I had covered the distance comfortably in the pool and sea in preparation, I was confident in my abilities. It was however my first mass start and the thought of 1200 people running into the water made me slightly apprehensive. In order to reduce the chance of getting kicked or punched in the face I approached the front of the group. Next to me stood the likes of Ironman triathletes and a Michael Phelps looking character. I started to breathe deeply.

Suddenly the horn sounded and I felt the people behind surge forward, making me sprint towards the water. I made an attempt of diving into the water trying to use some of the speed I had already generated and sprinted towards the first buoy. I felt bodies all around me, legs kicking, arms flailing and water splashing. As I made my way around the buoy the pack started to thin out and I began to relax my stroke trying to get into a rhythm.

The buoys along the beach indicating the course were fairly spaced out and the current and chop on the water made it difficult to swim in a straight line. I spent the next thirty minutes weaving in and out of the buoys, with the pier in the distance slowly getting closer and closer.

With 500m to the pier, I started to head diagonally towards the shore and increased my stroke rate in a final sprint to the finish. I felt the water slowly start to get warmer and then my hand touched the sand, I had made it. I stood up and started to run out of the water. I felt out of breath and dizzy after the final sprint, and the run to the finish was a blur.

As I crossed the line I was surrounded by fellow swimmers and handed a medal and applause from all the friends and families watching. It was a great experience, cementing my love for swimming in open water!

I have now got the swimming bug and have booked the Nokia Thames Swim (2 miles), Big South Swim (2.4 miles) and my first triathlon. I am excited already!

See Video Footage Here — >> Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim 2010

My First Open Water Swim – Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim 2010 is a post from: LMD Fitness Thank you for subscribing to receive rule free fitness updates from LMD FITNESS

Further Reading:

1. A Quick Starter Guide to Open Water Swimming
2. Triathlons, Ultra-Marathons and Iron-Mans: Welcome to the Endurance Age
3. How To Simplify Your Fitness Regime

Lately, I have posted quite a lot of endurance related articles. This is simply because I like my blog to reflect my personal activities, which, following my first London Marathon,  have taken a turn towards entering my first triathlon. Triathletes do not have a physique which everyone desires. They are often very lean and broad, but the combination of three cardio disciplines does not have to result in such a physique. It is perfectly fine to carry more muscle or more fat than serious triathletes and still enter these events! I love the multi-disciplinary aspect and the all-round health benefits triathlon can offer. I’m confident in my running, so it was time to give swimming a go…

There’s something very primal about open water swimming (even in a wetsuit!). Taking on the elements face to face beats the pool any day for me. Pool swimming will often  make up the bulk of our swim training but I urge you to get out in the open water when you have the chance. When you do, here are some useful open water swimming points to note which have helped me to date.

Geared up before a 1.4 mile sea swim event! You’ve got to try to look the part too right?

Sighting

Even if you are swimming in crystal clear sea water (very unlikely in the UK), there are no black lines to guide you like in the pool. This makes sighting a vital skill when in the open water. Sighting is the practice of looking ahead of you, eyes just above water level, to assess where you are in the water relative to where you want to be going. There are a couple of techniques but I think the easiest is to sight just before you turn your head to breath. This should form one smooth movement as you push down slightly with your leading arm to bring your eyes just above water surface level and then swiftly turn your head left to breath. The key is to decide how often you sight. Sight too often and it will slow you down as your hips drag in the water creating resistance, but sight too little and you may waste time swimming off course. I like to sight about once every 8 strokes. It takes practice to improve this skill, so give it time.

Equipment

Wetsuits are compulsory in some events and given their buoyancy, many swimmers like to use them in races regardless. It takes some getting used to but it is important to get a suit that fits and does not restrict your movement too much (especially around your shoulders).  I like to use a straight arm recovery when I am in my wetsuit so that my shoulders do not get too tired working against the material in a bent arm recovery. In a triathlon, you need to be able to whip your suit off with ease at the transition, so it’s a good idea to lube up (with non-petroleum based lubricant) in the right places and practice, practice, practice taking off your wetsuit quickly for a transition.

Technique Tips

-Learn how to breathe bilaterally: This is a pain for most people who have a dominant breathing side but it can help straighten out your stroke, saving you time from either sighting more often or swimming off course. It also comes in useful when you are swimming close to others and getting splashed in the face. Nobody likes to swallow sea water, so just turn and breathe to the other side.

-Don’t fight the water: If you are swimming in choppy, or rough waters then it is tempting to tighten up and try to swim harder. This is often a wasted effort. Keep a smooth and relaxed stroke. By working with the natural forces, keeping good hip rotation, you can save yourself time and energy.

-Nutrition: It’s true that a bit of extra body fat can help to keep you warm but with wetsuits to do that job for us, I’m afraid we cannot use swimming as an easy excuse to eat junk food. Swimming in open water is calorie consuming stuff. I usually go for slow digesting carbohydrates before a swim (e.g. porridge oats), and quicker digesting carbohydrate to help my body recover after a swim (think banana, apples etc). I recently learnt that a drink of coke after your swim can help kill off any nasty bacteria that you may have wallowed from the water too!

Finally, practice makes perfect. I have learnt that the only way to become a good open water swimmer is to swim often in open water environments. It’s as simple as that – and remember it is always best practice to go accompanied by another person! SwimSmooth is one of my favourite swimming websites so check it out.

Oh, for your information my first 1.4 mile open water swim was the British Heart Foundation Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim. It went well, without any major problems and I came in after 53 minutes – The snappers got a picture of me exhausted! I entered with my swimming companion, Chris Thomas, in fact, and he has kindly offered a write-up of the event, which will hopefully persuade you to get in that water yourself! His account of the race will be coming soon to LMD Fitness, so keep your eyes out for it!

A Quick Starter Guide to Open Water Swimming is a post from: LMD Fitness Thank you for subscribing to receive rule free fitness updates from LMD FITNESS

Further Reading:

1. My First Open Water Swim – Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim 2010
2. How To Simplify Your Fitness Regime
3. Triathlons, Ultra-Marathons and Iron-Mans: Welcome to the Endurance Age

The Benefits of Coconut Water

The likes of Rebecca Romijn, Demi Moore and Madonna are supposedly in love with Vita Coco (http://www.vitacoco.com/). Whilst Vita Coco may be healthy for us, given that it often comes with a 12 month shelf life, I cannot help but think (as with fruit smoothies) that the best way is totally fresh from the green coconut and not a carton. Unfortunately green coconuts don’t grow on trees in the UK…I have seen them for sale in Whole Foods Stores though!

It is the green coconut (typically 7 months old) that is used for its water as oppose to the hardened and old brown version (which contains all of the juicy coconut meat!).

Coconut water from these green coconuts is known to (amongst many other things):

• Offer a natural isotonic beverage that hydrates the body – it contains natural electrolytes such as potassium;
• Promote weight loss and boost energy levels; and
• Cleans our digestive systems, which is why many detox plans include it.

When I was in Brazil…

When I was in Brazil a year ago, I lived off fresh coconut water or agua de coco as they call it. I remember walking down the Rio sands and seeing coconut bar after coconut bar. If there was one thing I could have brought back with me, it would be a lifetime supply of green coconuts!

I remember drilling holes and drinking out of these when I was a kid but now I know there are green ones too! Image: Suat Eman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Coconuts have far more to offer than just healthy water!

Coconut palms are called the ‘tree of life’ in India, a country which knows how to use each and every part of the coconut! Coconuts may contain large amounts of saturated fat but they are medium chain triglycerides which can actually aid the calorie burning. I previously talked about why fats are good for us. Coconut oil is great to use in cooking because the heat will not denature the fats, and therefore the health benefits are retained. Coconut oil can also be used as a great moisturises for the body.

Coconut water is expensive but if you can afford it then I say go for buying green coconuts and do it yourself. Desiccated coconut meat can be good but try to avoid the bleached varieties. I also use organic coconut milk in lots of cooking and sometimes for breakfast. It is high in calories though so don’t go OTT.

For further reading, I can suggest a great post by Mark Sisson on all kinds of coconut products.

Why Is Coconut Water Good For You? is a post from: LMD Fitness Thank you for subscribing to receive rule free fitness updates from LMD FITNESS

Further Reading:

1. Why Fat is Our Friend
2. Food: Body Fuel or a Life Joy?
3. My Top Five Healthy Snacks

Tour de France – The World’s Most Gruelling Cycle RaceImage: Tom Curtis / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

No Pain, No Gain

I recently completed my first real endurance event by running the 2010 Virgin London Marathon. I admit it was probably the best day of my life (the fact that I got engaged secured that)! Going back to why these endurance events are so popular now, I can think of a few reasons: we need physical exertion/pain in our lives, we need to achieve in our own eyes and in the mind of others, and we need purpose. Endurance events can offer each of these things in varying degrees for us all.

I am currently reading a book called ‘Over the Edge’ by Michael Bane. I would recommend it to anyone because we can all connect to Michael‘s story, in which he compiled a list of 13 ‘extreme’ events to take part in which changed his life forever. We are not going to be all so dramatic in our own lives but as you will see below, my own Event Hit List is growing…

Success and Camaraderie Are Guaranteed

From personal experience, I know that it is easier to be motivated, and therefore train more effectively when you have a set goal in front of you. The deadline of an event can put pressure on you to perform but this is a positive thing because you have an obvious goal and you can structure your training to achieve that goal. I have found that when I am not training for a particular event, although my motivation to succeed doesn’t fade, my focus and effectiveness in training are not always as high. It takes great motivation, dedication (and yes, vanity) to go to a gym 5 times a week and ‘pump iron’ when the end goal is to improve your physical appearance. I am not trying to degrade workouts for fat loss or muscle building in any way but simply saying that it can be mentally easier to train to be functionally fit for a specific event. I would almost be willing to bet my life savings that once a first timer has completed their first endurance event, just crossing the line (regardless of the time), will bring them a sense of achievement that, in my experience, you cannot get from looking in the mirror after a few workouts. The fact that most events are completed alongside hundreds or thousands of other competitors only adds to this feeling of achievement!

There is an Event for Us All…

In training for a marathon, I admitted to shedding some muscle mass but I overcame this concern. Firstly it isn’t permanent, and secondly, as I have written before, you can retain muscle even during endurance training. There are now so many events out there that you can find one to best suit your needs. A sprint triathlon for example, will not require you to burn excessive calories when training or cover hundreds of miles but it still brings all the fun of a multi-disciplinary event.

If this is all starting to sound interesting to you, I recommend that you make yourself an ‘Event Hit List’, listing events which you would like to complete in the short term and then the long term. Here is my Event Hit List:

Short Term

• Run a Marathon - The London Marathon
• Open Water Swim – Bournemouth to Brighton Pier to Pier Swim (In training for this one right now!)
• Complete a Duathlon
• Complete a Triathlon  (As soon as I get my road bike through, this one will be getting crossed out!)

Long Term

• Run a Marathon Overseas (I love the idea of running through New York or Boston)
• Run an Ultra-Marathon
• Complete an Iron-Man

I believe that lists should always evolve, because our personal goals do, but there is never a better time to get started than the present. Whether you have never run a mile, or are an experienced marathon runner, there is an event out there for you. It is worth going to find it!

Triathlons, Ultra-Marathons and Iron-Mans: Welcome to the Endurance Age is a post from: LMD Fitness Thank you for subscribing to receive rule free fitness updates from LMD FITNESS

Further Reading:

1. 2010 Virgin London Marathon: “Yo Adrian – I did it!”
2. 2010 Virgin London Marathon Training – PART I: Is It Good For You?
3. 2010 Virgin London Marathon Training – PART II: A Rule Free Approach

Has a Six Pack Always Been In Fashion?

Growing up as a child in the 90s, my answer would be yes. I only have to look to Brad Pitt in Fight Club, or more recently the whole cast of 300, to see that having a six pack is part of being in shape for any man. Am I wrong to think this though? With the exception of Bruce Lee (click to read my article on this legend!), I haven’t really seen any alpha male film stars sporting six packs back in the 1960s or 1970s (please correct me if I’m wrong). I’m putting the bodybuilders aside (i.e. Silvester Stalone and Arnold Schwarzenegger) because they are a special case and not your typical men. So my answer would probably be no. Sean Connery didn’t have a six pack as James Bond but was seen as sexy and masculine but equally our new millennium Daniel Craig gets the same response and does have a six pack.

Do Men and Women Desire a Six Pack?

Abs for Women: To put it bluntly, I do not find a perfectly chiselled six pack all that attractive on women. I totally respect that some women want one and would respect any women who has achieved one but it is not something I think of as the pinnacle of sexy. I think most of us guys like to see women with firm tummies as opposed to ripped ones! There are so many celeb examples but I’ll go for an obvious one in saying Megan Fox has a well toned midsection.

A toned stomach on a woman is sexy but would a defined six pack  be too? Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net / Andy Newson

Abs for Men: Earlier I mentioned Brad Pitt and Daniel Craig. These are the abs which we are supposed to spend all of our time chasing? Well actually, you don’t need to spend your whole life trying to get abs (see Rule Free Abs below!) but more importantly, do men even need to worry about a six-pack? I would never go as far as saying women crave a beer belly but I think it is fair to say that not all women (more than we are led to believe perhaps) look for a six pack in a guy. Hollywood does set examples for us and there is nothing wrong except that a Tyler Durden physique of less than 5% body fat is pretty damn unsustainable year round.

A study carried out a The University of California asked 141 college women to look at six standardized silhouettes of men ranging from brawny to slender. It might surprise you that most preferred a toned man who was more likely to commit over a muscular man which they felt would be more volatile, aggressive and dominant! Now this study obviously isn’t definitive but there are many others out there that show women aren’t going to ignore you if you lack muscle or the perfect six pack. Most of the time we don’t even have our stomachs on show – so obviously it is the eyes and the face which carry most impact at first sight!

My Little Paunch is Worth It!

I workout hard and eat well. This gives me a well toned stomach but it is by no means a perfect six pack. We all make our choices and mine is this: I have abs that I can see but I am not prepared to put in all that is required year round, to go the full way and get the golden six pack. Why not? Well, it would probably require me to clean up my diet even more…way less dark chocolate, no more cheeky beers or red wine. It sounds pretty dull to me. Personally the trade off for some stomach fat for a looser lifestyle is worth it. This ‘trade off’ will be reached at a different point for us all. Some wont stop until their abs are perfect, others will be happy never to see there abs. Basically, I’m saying don’t stress about it too much. There are no short cuts to seeing your abs but here are my Rule Free Ab Favourites…

Rule Free Abs

**These exercises will only help with your abs if you can get your diet right first because all that stands between you and your abs is a layer of stomach fat.

• Drink plenty of water (not sports drinks)
• Focus on static ab-contractions: Planks, Side Planks, Hanging Knee/Leg Raises. Breathing consistently as you do these exercises will improve the mind to muscle link with you abs. Static ab exercises are all about form, so try not to shake under the pressure too much and keep that bum down on your planks!
• Say No to Crunches and sit-ups. They are not the safest way to train your abs as they can cause back problems.
• Do non-direct ab exercises in high volume: Dumbell Rows, Clean and Press. These will pull you core into action whilst working other muscle groups too!
• Practice Bruce Lee’s (secret) breathing technique. It requires breathing out through pursed lips and contracting your abs simultaneously (static contractions). This works the mind-muscle link so that your abs will be better recruited during other exercises. Rusty of Fitness Blackbook wrote a great article covering this technique.
• Do High Intensity Interval Cardio Workouts (after training your abs). An example is alternating sprints/jog intervals when running. This will be an effective fat burner.

Remember we cannot spot fat loss i.e. chose which part of our body will lose fat so, even if you are shedding fat unfortunately it will not necessarily go from your abs first. That said, if you can build up your stomach muscles, it will help with their visibiltity.

Good luck in obtaining a stomach which you are happy with, and as I have questioned here, is it really the end of the world if we don’t walk round with the perfect Hollywood six pack?

Do You Want to Know How to Get Six Pack Abs For Summer? is a post from: LMD Fitness Thank you for subscribing to receive rule free fitness updates from LMD FITNESS

Further Reading:

1. 2010 Virgin London Marathon Training – PART III: The Before and After
2. The Ultimate Muscle Building Guide
3. Your Unique Physique

Frozen Cherries and 70%+ dark organic chocolate make a great anti-oxidising snack!

Why Are Cherries a’ Super-Fruit’?

Cherries are fast overtaking Goji-berries as the next super-food, and cherry extracts and supplements are widely available. Here’s why…

Their deep ruby red colour that just screams “eat me”, tells us they are crammed with anti-oxidant compounds to defend us from damaging free-radicals, often far more than other fruits. Like dark chocolate, they also pack a flavonoid punch, which helps our body to function correctly. Specifically, anthocyanins and quercetin, which is anti-inflammatory! Cherries can also provide vitamin C, beta carotene (19 times more than blueberries/strawberries) potassium, magnesium, iron, fibre and folate.

These are the kind of attributes that make this all-in-one red health bomb a brilliant natural sports recovery product, with its anti-oxidants working in conjunction with plenty of vitamin C to strengthen collagen and keep colds and other viruses at bay.

A recent clinical study from the University of Michigan has reinforced the heart health benefits of cherries. The study found that a diet incorporating cherries lowered body weight, reduced body fat (and “belly” fat!!), inflammation and cholesterol. The result was that the antioxidant activity in adults was increased after eating one and a half servings of cherries, thereby reducing the risks associated with heart disease.

Try These Simple Cherry Recipes

Berries can be highly fertilised, but if you cannot buy organic, I recently discovered on ZentoFitness that soaking your fruit in a splash Apple Cider Vinegar and water can help to strip away any chemicals from the fruit without altering the taste.

Like all berries, cherries are so easy to consume. One of my favourite ways is just simply eating them straight. Here are a couple of cherry recipes I favour:

Chocolate Cherry Bomb – a healthy desert that will blow your taste buds away

Ingredients: 500g whole cherries with stalks still on, 250g of organic dark chocolate

• Rinse the cherries or soak in an Apple cider vinegar/water mixture, and let them dry. Put the cherries to one side on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.
• Heat your chocolate in a heatproof bowl resting just above a pan of simmering water, and mix as the chocolate melts.
• Dip your cherries one by one into your melted chocolate to give each a generous coating. Then place each cherry onto the baking tray, allowing them to dry (putting them in the fridge should speed things up!)
• Enjoy this flavoursome, flavonoid packed treat for desert or just an energy snack!

Cherry Smooth - A great post-workout shake!

Ingredients: 250g (handful) frozen cherries, 5 tbsp natural full-fat Greek yoghurt, sprinkle of cinnamon, 1tbsp organic cocoa powder/cocoa nibs, 1 banana or apple (optional for added sweetness)

• Whiz these ingredients together in your blender until you have a smooth, liquid consistency. Add water or ice cubes if you want it a bit more liquid. Drink this refreshing, revitalising smoothie right away!

Hope you enjoy those recipes, and please share any of your favourite cooking methods with cherries or any other berries!

Why are Cherries Healthy this Summer (And Beyond!)? is a post from: LMD Fitness Thank you for subscribing to receive rule free fitness updates from LMD FITNESS

Further Reading:

1. My Top Five Healthy Snacks
2. Food: Body Fuel or a Life Joy?
3. Food for your Mood