complexs

Complexes, what are they?

Using different training devices such as kettlebells, barbells and dumbbells in a circuit training style with no rest, this is a form of metabolic training, using reps between 5-10 depending on the weights or time you have set yourself.

Complex training can be used with different types of equipment. The possibilities are endless, there are some exercises that you can do with one bit of equipment and not another, so its always worth playing around and see what works and what doesn't.

You can break it down to upper and lower workouts, I've used my TRX and then combined it with cardio as a finisher. 

The possibilities are endless. Enjoy  

Dumbbells

Good mornings

Hammer curls

Bent rows

Single arm snatch

Single arm snatch

Squats

Lunges 

Barbell

Deadlift

Wide grip bent row

High pull

Front squat

Push press

Back squat

Clean 

Kettlebells using 2 kettlebells

Swings

Front squat

Swing to row

Bent rows

Squats

Push press

Goblet squats

Is there a perfect diet?

Is there a perfect diet?

Clients are endlessly searching for the perfect diet that will help them lose weight, feel great, and improve their health, and they want me, to help them find it. While I need to work within their health and fitness parameters, these five guiding principles can help clients refine their food intake and reach their desired goals.

Does the Perfect Diet Exist?

What is the ideal diet? There are numerous books that will try to convince the reader that one diet is superior to another. Unfortunately, no one diet is right for every client. Nutritional needs depend on someone’s age, activity level, health status, genetic makeup, goals, and many other factors. Additionally, as those variables change, so too should their intake. Thus, the perfect diet is one that is in constant flux and meets the current needs of the client. While it may be easier to follow a pre-programmed meal plan, that may not be ideal in the long run. Below are some guiding principles to help clients improve their nutritional intake.

Fresh is Best

Whole, fresh foods are superior to foods that are processed. The nutrition content is higher and there are no added ingredients, preservatives or chemicals, especially if the food is organic.

Processed foods provide sensory overload and nutritional deprivation. These foods contain sugar, salt, preservatives, and other ingredients that do not provide much nutritional value but may stimulate overconsumption of them.

Avoid Demonizing Foods

While fresh foods are a better choice, most clients will still want to consume some of their favourite foods, While these foods do not support optimal health or losing weight, making something off limits can make clients want it more. As the saying goes, we want what we can't have. In fact, telling a someone that they cannot eat a particular food may actually have them consume it more than they otherwise would have.

Encourage consuming more foods that are in line with their goals and less foods that are not. Establish how frequently to include less nutritious foods in their diet and appropriate portion sizes. This will allow people to meet their goals while still enjoying an occasional treat.

Include a Variety of Foods Each Week

Too often, people get caught up in consuming the same foods every day. While this may make it easier to plan and stay consistent, consuming a variety of foods can:

Help avoid developing food intolerances

Provide a wider variety of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients

Lower inflammation in the body

Encourage a diverse gut microbiome, which is associated with better immune functioning.

Encourage yourself to rotate the foods you eat, so you are not consuming the same fruits, vegetables, proteins and fats every day. Many use a four-day rotation diet, in which the same foods are eaten only every four days. This allows you to have some continuity and regularity with your meal planning while also keeping food choices varied. Eating foods in season also assists with variety.

Limit Variety within Each Meal

While variety within an overall nutrition plan is important, keeping meals simple may be better than having too many ingredients at a single setting. Some research has shown that people will consume more when there is a variety of food to choose from. In one study, participants consumed 23% more yogurt when offered three different flavours, rather than just one.

Having yourself focus on eating fresh foods and keeping the options at each meal limited helps keep:

Nutrient density high

Calorie density moderate

Quantity of food consumed reasonable

Eat Local and In Season

With the ability to get almost any food at any time of year, it makes it easy for you to eat the same foods every day. Encourage yourself to eat locally and purchase foods from a farmer’s market. Not only are you supporting your local farmers directly, but you are also buying foods that are in season and are picked at, or close to, their peak ripened state. Foods purchased from other countries are often picked in an unripe state and then chemically gassed to artificially ripen them.

Summing it All Up

There is no such thing as a perfect diet. There is no one plan that will magically help clients meet all of their goals. However, implementing these five guiding principles can help your clients make better food choices and improve the quality of their overall diet. This gives them the freedom to choose foods they enjoy, adjust their food consumption to their bodies’ current needs, and reach their health and fitness goals.

The five principles are:

Fresh is best.

Avoid demonizing foods.

Include a variety of foods each week.

Limit variety within each meal.

Eat local and in season.

SCREEN TIME, HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

We spend - on average - 2 hours 28 minutes a day on our smartphones. Shocked?

Research by Ofcom found that 15% of UK adults feel they are always at work because of constant phone access. More than half admit that their devices interrupt face-to-face conversations with loved ones. 

If you’re worried about spending too much time on your phone, here are some things you could do instead.

How much time should we spend on our phones?

Currently, there are no set guidelines from the NHS on how much screen time adults should have. Experts suggest that it’s more important to find a balance between screen-based and non-screen activities. If you find yourself drawn to your phone when you’re having a conversation with someone, for example, that might suggest the balance is off.

The NHS recommends that children should have no screen time until age 2, and for no more than an hour a day after age 2. The NHS doesn't have any recommendations for children aged 5-17, but some research suggests they should spend no more than 2 hours in front of a screen.

How to cut down on screen time

If you’re looking to become less reliant on your phone (or other device), here are our top tips to help you avoid using it.

• Keep track of how much time you actually spend using it. You can easily monitor screen time with Apple’s built-in feature, or for Android you can download Google’s Digital Wellbeing app

• Set usage limits. You can do this in your settings in Apple, or through the Digital Wellbeing app for Android

• Delete any apps that make you feel stressed, or take up too much of your time (you can always reinstall them later)

• Disable notifications to stop your device from distracting you

• Put it in another room – out of sight, out of mind

• Find other things to do instead…

7 things to do instead of going on your phone

If you’re worried that you or your family are spending too much time on your phones, here are some things you could do instead…

1. Read a book

Books encourage relaxation and also hone your ability to concentrate. Reading books may also have further health benefits. A Yale School of Public Health study found that adults who read for three and a half hours per week or more could expect to have a longer lifespan than those who did not read books. Try a book swap with a friend to expand your library for free.

2. Develop your skills

You’ll find you have more free time as you use your phone less. Invest it into developing your skills, especially if there’s any you haven’t kept up with. Dedicate time to practicing the skill that you’ve been ‘too busy’ for.

You could also try learning something new. You could meet with a friend to learn a new skill together or to teach one another a skill you already have.  As we get older, learning new skills can help keep the brain active and stave off age-related cognitive decline. A new instrument, language, life skill or even how to play a new board game could help to keep your mind sharp.

3. Take up exercise

Instead of sitting on the sofa staring at your phone, get moving. Studies have shown that a sedentary lifestyle can lead to all kinds of health problems. These include obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer. So, put down your phone and get moving.

If you’re new to exercise, challenge yourself to walk more each week. Walking for just 10 minutes a day can have health benefits. Try going for a jog if you’re feeling more confident. If it’s possible in your area, and safe for you to do so, consider signing up to an exercise class.

4. Have a conversation

When we have our eyes down on our phones, it’s a signal to whoever we’re with that we’re not properly listening. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that having little face-to-face social contact nearly doubled older adults’ risk of depression. Try putting your phone to one side and giving your full attention to who you’re speaking to.

5. Get some sleep

More than a third of people look at their phones just before going to sleep. But the light the devices emit can suppress the body’s production of melatonin – the sleep hormone. Putting down your phone an hour or so before bedtime is recommended in order not to disrupt your sleep cycle. This can ensure you have the rest your body needs to be healthy.

6. Look after your posture

According to the British Chiropractic Association (BCA), 22% of people have experienced back pain after using a smartphone. So rather than hunching over a device, do some simple stretches. You could even book in for a yoga or Pilates class.

7. Get out into nature

Nature can’t be fully accessed via mobile phones or screens. It is best experienced through being out in the world and using all five senses. Nature-deficit disorder has been identified as a growing phenomenon among children. However, adults also benefit from time in natural environments.

Positive ways to use your phone (and other devices)

Cutting down your screen time doesn’t mean swearing off all technology. There are plenty of healthy things you can do using your devices, such as

• Connecting with loved ones using video call

• Learning a new skill on YouTube, or apps like DuoLingo or SkillsShare

• Checking in with your mental health, with apps like Headspace

• Boosting your wellbeing with online classes. Remember, if you’re a Benenden Health member, you can access free online wellbeing classes on diet and nutrition, mindfulness and exercise sessions too.