Start Your Own (Healthy) Revolution

"Dontcha know talkin' about a revolution sounds... like a whisper" and if you were listening to music in the late 1980's you will recognise these Tracey Chapman lyrics. 


However, you may not recognise the truth of this statement in relation to your health and well being. 


It's that little voice inside that very quietly tells you that YOU DO know exactly the right things to be healthier, fitter, happier.
 
It often pipes up when you're partaking in a particularly unhealthy practice, or in those quiet moments of reflection.


Listen to that voice. 


That voice knows you better than you think.


Too often we ignore that quiet voice or it is drowned out by our 'inner teenager' who loudly shouts:


"but I DESERVE it', 
"No one tells ME what to do", 
"I can have it if I WANT to",
"but I'm SO (insert feeling here), I just NEED this".




Start to view living a healthier life as a revolutionary act, where YOU reclaim your responsibility for your own well-being and daily choices.


Learn the difference between what you want and what you need.


Learn that saying 'no' to your 'wants' while meeting your needs, gives you a profound sense of mastery over YOUR life.

Challenge your 'usual' habits, particularly when you are feeling tired, stressed, sad, angry; examine your responses and find out what you do instead of rest, relaxation, or dealing with difficult feelings.

Start to change those responses. Get help if you need to.

What if you lived in a world where the majority of people were healthy and happy most of the time?

Imagine that future - then start creating it in your own life, one step at a time.

Core Strength Matters

A recent New York Times article, Are Crunches Worth The Effort, cites a study published by Indiana State University this year, that found little correlation between robust core muscles and athleticism in healthy, young adults. 

I looked at the research and came up with some different questions and conclusions.

The “healthy, young adults” group was asked to squat, lunge, twist, crunch and hold a plank position, leap off the ground while tossing a medicine ball backwards over their head and sprint through a short obstacle course.

For those of us who wouldn’t necessarily be classified as 'young, healthy adults', who sit most of the day in the car on the way to our desk jobs and on the couch watch TV in the evenings, my questions are:


How many of us would have trouble completing the tasks set for these participants? 


And would there be a correlation between our (lack of) core strength and incidence of back pain?

But I haven’t done that study. Yet.

The article goes on to mention more studies, one of collegiate rowers, athletes who train and compete in their chosen sport at college level, and novice adult runner displaying weak core-strength; there is no definition of ‘novice runners’ here, they could be people who run occasionally without necessarily doing any other form of training; again this is my supposition.

The rowers added eight weeks of core training to their normal workout routines and the novice runners completed six weeks of core drills.

Result: the rowers had great looking abs (unsurprising for athletes with lower body fat than the rest of us) while the runners lowered their 5km run times significantly.

For me, there is no question of whether crunches are worth the effort however doing abdominal exercises correctly depends on how you move. Your core is a complex area and it is the muscle group responsible for keeping you upright, strong and stable as you move throughout your life. 

At MET Fitness you are taught to activate your core correctly and use specific movements to avoid neck recruitment, spinal bending & injury. 

If, like Thomas Nesser, associate professor of exercise science at Indiana State and senior author of this study, you’d prefer to forgo crunches altogether, do remember to heed his advice’ that, in most instances, “train for your sport, core strength will develop”. 

So pick a sport and get training!

Spring Fitness - FAST!

It is wonderful to see so many more people out walking, running, riding and playing in the sunshine this week!


A little taste of spring goes a long way towards getting you thinking about getting into shorts & skirts for summer.


If you're uncomfortable at the mere thought, give yourself the gift of 15 minutes every morning before your shower, to do this total body workout.


10 Pushups
20 second Plank
30 Squats
10 Lunges (each leg)
20 Crunches


Start with one round, vary the repetitions as your skill level increases and before you know it you'll be doing 2 - 3 rounds, knowing that you're getting a workout done before you start your day.


As I tell all of my clients, you can't out-train a bad diet so you also need to think about what you're putting into your body and in what quantities.


Fresh food, real food, is the best fuel you can give your body and doesn't have a nutritional panel to decipher.

Eat lots of leafy greens, crunchy colorful veggies and good quality lean protein and enjoy how much more energy you have as you shape up for summer.


If you have questions about any of the exercises listed here or would like some technique tips, find me on Facebook and message me.