http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk en-gb dkpersonaltraining.co.uk 2012-5-11T00:00:00Z dkpersonaltraining.co.uk http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#118092 Food companies are regulated when it comes to how they label their products. Below are some common terms you may see on food labels and what it actually means. Next time your at the supermarket use this as a little guide to help make an informed choice Fat Free Total fat content per 100g of product must not exceed 0.15g Low Fat Total fat content per 100g of product must not exceed 5g and total fat content of a normal serving of the food must not exceed 5g Reduced Fat Foods Must contain less than 75 of the fat content per 100g than the regular alternative. Note that this does not necessarily make the food a healthy option the foods just contain less than the alternative Low Calorie Foods Must contain no more than 40kcal per 100g. Low calorie drinks must contain no more than 10kcal per 100ml. Low fat foods are also considered thoses where less than 30 of calories comes from fat Although manufacturers have regulations to follow they can get around some of these by using different t... 2012-5-11 14:06:56 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#116678 Intermittent Fasting amp Weightloss The simple meaning of the term intermittent fasting IF is really just that. Every time you go to bed in the evening you begin a fast which will last until you wake and eat. Unless you can eat and sleep at the same time of course Also those who follow certain religions fast as part of their belief system. Its nothing new even if a lot of fitness gurus and nutrition experts will have you believe that fasting is a very complex thing. While the science behind the adaptations your body makes when it is placed under a fasted state are by no means simple the application and inclusion of IF into your daily life is pretty straightforward. I want to focus on the use of IF when somebodys main goal is to lose weight fat in this case. I want to state before I continue that the information in this article is to be used as an insight into intermittent fasting only it is not by any means a definite way for you to lose weight. Some research has shown that IF h... 2012-4-18 19:41:45 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#107189 Gluten can be a real problem for some people. At worst you can be diagnosed with coeliacs disease. This is caused by gluten in the foods we eat wheat rye barley and sometimes oats damaging the lining of the small intestine causing problems absorbing nutrients. It is a disease which can occur at any time. The cause is not yet understood fully but having a family member with the disease will increase the chances of developing it. A wheat intolerance is another very common problem. Sometimes it is confused with other intolerances such as lactose. The effects from consuming wheat when someone has an intolerance to it include Feeling bloated headaches constipation and certain joint pains. These symptoms can occur 3 or 4 days after consuming wheat so can be very confusing to the sufferer as to what is bringing on such symptoms. If you feel you may be suffering from a wheat intolerance visit your GP and ask for a food challenge test. This will determine wether or not an intolerance is prese... 2011-11-20 17:37:11 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#104462 Diabetes is becoming more and more prevalent in todays society. Predominantly the type 2 variation. Without going into to much detail type 2 diabetes is when the cells in the body become insulin resistant andor the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin for the bodies needs. It is a nasty disease and can have a massive effect on the sufferers physical and mental health. It is a disease which usually delvelops later in life but young adults and children are being diagnosed much more these days. This is due to inactivity and a poor diet. Some reasons for a diabetes type 2 diagnosis are Family history of the disease Obesity High blood pressure Sendentary Lifestyle Unlike type 1 diabetes type 2 is preventable. With certain lifestyle changes you really can minimize your risk from this disease. Here are four simple steps to help Stop smoking Increase your daily activity levels Eat a more healthly diet Manage and control your weight Doing these things will not only ... 2011-10-12 08:40:48 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#103517 Fitness is not just one thing. The term can be broken down into many parts. For the purpose of this blog post I will focus on two Functional Fitness This term has been around for many years. I see the meaning of the term as Performing day to day tasks without difficulty. Health Related Fitness Being active enough to reduce the risks of developing diseases such as Heart disease diabetes obesity some cancers and stroke to name a few. For example exercising to improve your functional fitness will have a major impact on how well you can go about your day. Sitting down and getting up out of a chair taking the stairs at work carrying your shopping bags home picking up your infant child reaching for something in a high cupboard the list goes on All these tasks we carry out each day need us to have certain levels of Strength Flexibility and Coordination. A balanced weight bearing resistance type programme for the whole body including some flexibilty work will help achieve these physi... 2011-9-29 08:32:32 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#101334 A personal trainers role can encompass many things. The more obvious ones being someone who prescribes and designs an exercise plan for you depending on your personal goals. Another like myself is someone who can offer a nutrition and weight management plan again depending on your personal aims. But what about some of the other benefits a personal trainer can give you There are many Handing control to someone else This can take alot of trust to allow someone else to plan and dictate how and when you train but having the right personal trainer makes this so much easier. You should feel confident your personal trainer has your best interests at heart and any PT worth their salt will. Feedback If you exercise on your own you may never really know how well you are doing. Are you progressing Are you doing to much or too little Are your exercise choices the right ones for you and your personal goals When using a personal trainer you will receive educated feedback on ... 2011-8-28 14:32:06 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#101082 I recently wrote an article for www.fitstream.com on core strength. httpwww.fitstream.comengbarticlescorestrengtha195 Fitstream is a great resource if you are interested in functional fitness training. They sell some great products and their site is packed with info. 2011-8-24 09:29:31 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#99502 So what is core stability A good definition is The ability to maintain proper spinal alignment shoulder girdle positioning and pelvic position whilst moving the limbs. When we undertake exercise to improve our core stability we exercise our core stabiliser muscles. Working these muscles will not only improve our core stability it will also improve our flexibility core strength reduce back pain improve body alignment reducing lateral and rotational movement during everyday activities in turn decreasing hip knee and ankle injuries. Also improvements in our posture balance and body image. Our core muscles are involved with every movement we make so having them strong and in good order is so important. Instead of focusing on the superficial situp muscles rectus abdominus when we workout make sure you include exercises that challenge the deeper muscles such as the TVA transversus abdominus and the obliques. Working these muscles can really tighten up the waistline and flaten the stomach. ... 2011-7-31 15:57:40 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#97973 Modern day life can be very stressful. The pressures we find ourselves under can really take there toll on our mind and bodies. When we encounter stress our body releases special chemicals to deal with it. These chemicals are called adrenaline noradrenaline and cortisol. You might of heard of Fight or Flight Well these are the chemicals which prepare us for either action. Among other things our heartrate increases the pupils dilate and blood flow increases to the muscles. Back in the stoneage when we were faced with a sabre tooth tiger these reactions could save our lives. Unfortunatly the stresses of today are more likely to be paying the mortgage office politics family problems and waiting in traffic. Instead of being able to vent these chemicals in a way we are programmed to do kill the sabre tooth we cant. One reason being there arent too many sabres about these days and two you might find yourself behind bars if you start attacking people in your office So these chemicals build up... 2011-7-8 20:09:22 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#97703 So here is a quick post regarding running and running technique. Running is and proberly forever will be a very popular form of exercise. It can be effective for cardiovascular improvements endurence etc but can cause alot of physiological problems if not undertaken with proper form and technique. Stress fractures joint problems not to mention the energy wasted when not implementing proper form.So lets start there. Are you aware of your body position when you run Do your head arms and hips rotate as you run If so your wasting energy hampering your times and distances because you will become tired sooner. Try keep everything moving in a frontal plane of motion straight ahead. Hope this helps 2011-7-5 12:33:05 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#96537 You have taken the first steps to becoming fit and healthly. You might of joined a local gym started an exercise class hired a personal trainer changed your diet cut things out your drinking more water and have knocked the booze on the head. Your feeling great and looking great people are noticing the changes you have made and that makes you feel brilliant. All that hard work you have put in is paying off well done you 2 or 3 months later........................things have slowed down. But why Your still exercising the same your diet is still the same your doing all the right things.You have hit a plateau. This is when your progress levels off. So what do you do More often than not you become demotivated fast. You have been so used to all the good things that come with starting a healthly lifestyle weightloss positive body image etc.. this plateau is real tough to take. So whats the answer DONT BECOME DEMOTIVATED. You have put so much effort in why give up now With a few tweaks he... 2011-6-18 15:27:32 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#95657 I thought I would start a fun running challenge solely for people who use twitter. I know alot of people who enjoy running and take part in various running events park run 10ks marathons even a jog round your street The idea is this Run 1 mile record your time send it to me and I will post a league table of everyones efforts. If you can prove your time distance that would be great using things like Run Keeper Nike etc will help. The challenge will be ongoing and you can attempt to beat your time as many times as possible. The runner who sits at the top of the table gets bragging rights so give it a go If you could retweet and use the hashtag mymile so as many people take part as possible. Maybe we can start something fun and promote exercise to lots of people Post your times to DKPTNorwich 2011-6-7 08:56:46 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#95005 According to UK dietry information men and women should get about 60 of their daily calories from carbohydrates. If your eating 2000kcals a day this could equate to a huge 1200kcals a day Now if your trying to lose weight consuming this number of calories from carbs is not going to help you. Let me explain why Carbohydrate is the bodies energy currency. When we eat carbs our body converts them into a simple sugar unit that can be used for energy easily. If the simple unit is not used it is stored by the body. The problem is if you currently have a sedentary lifestyle or want to lose excess weight you wont be using the stored energy resulting in weight gain. Another problem with a diet high in carbohydrates is the massive rise in blood sugar and insulin levels that occurs when we eat them. This in itself has a real negetive effect on the oxidation and breakdown of fat cells burning fat. Of course cutting out carbs completely from a modern day diet would be nigh on impossible for mo... 2011-5-29 14:42:22 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#93689 Nutrition Swap cows milk cheese for goats milk cheese. It has 40 less calories Eat pineapple. It will increase your metabolism and contains bromolina which will help break down protein Green tea can boost fat oxidisation and metabolism by up to 20 Add chilli to your food. It fires up your metabolism Good fats help burn fat. Eggs walnuts dark chicken meat amp rapeseed oil are great sources Everyday If it didnt grow walk or swim.......dont eat it Processed foods are just no good. Take lunch breaks away from your desk. You will eat 250 less calories in a day than those who eat at work Leave no longer than 3 hours between meals. Keep feeding your metabolism Have a hot bath in the evening. It will aid digestion and help you sleep Cut out late night carbs Working out 10 mins of skipping will burn same amount of calories as a 30 min jog Play squash for an hour. You could burn a massive 1040 calories Exercise outdoors. Sunlight contains leptin which can help supress your a... 2011-5-11 14:30:12 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#93193 One services I offer is a technique called self myofascial release or foam rolling. Below is more info on why you should be including this amazing technique in your fitness regime. Static stretching alone cannot return muscle imbalances to their correct lengthtension rate. Imbalances can have a major impact on your daily activities and your sporting fitness performance. The foam roller can enhance flexibility increase the overall function of the kinetic chain elevate performance in whatever sport of lifestyle situation and reduce the overall possibility of injury dramatically. Essentially you get many of the benefits of stretching and then some. Its also fairly well accepted that muscles need to not only be strong but pliable as well. Regardless of whether youre a bodybuilder strength athlete or ordinary weekend warrior its important to have strength and optimal function through a full range of motion. While stretching will improve the length of the muscle foam rolling will work to ... 2011-5-5 12:16:46 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#92430 If weightloss is your aim you should really be including regular resistance exercise in your training programme. The overall benefits for men AND women are numerous. Im not talking about bodybuilding just a regular structured resistance plan. Below are some of the benefits Resistance training increases your BMR Your metabolism calories burned The more lean muscle you have the more calories these muscles will burn Reduce and control osteoarthritis Lowers unhealthy LDL cholesterol levels Manages and reduces negative stress Prevent back pain Reduced effects of diabetes Enhance confidence and selfesteem 2011-4-25 08:05:03 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#92318 Below is some stark facts regarding the health of our nation Obesity will cost the NHS 16345 BILLION by 2050 Childhood cancers amp heart disease will increase dramatically 13 children clinically obese The NHS spends 1631 MILLION an hour on diabetes care 10 of its annual budget 1639 BILLION a year Falls among the elderly cost the NHS 1631.7 BILLION a year Physical inactivity costs the NHS 1631.5 MILLION per year COPD This could bankrupt the NHS........... Is exercise the best medicine Obviously its not the answer to every health problem but as a nation I believe we all have to realise the importance of looking after ourselves 2011-4-23 07:21:31 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#91934 Basic Nutrition for Health The 3 essential macronutrient groups which provide energy for the body are 61623 Carbohydrate 61623 Protein 61623 Fat These nutrients come from the foods we eat and it is important to recognise that most foods contain at least 2 if not all of the 3 energy nutrients. Some foods contain high amounts of one nutrient and therefore are considered a good source of that nutrient but it is important not to equate a food to any one nutrient as others will be present. Carbohydrate is the bodys primary energy fuel and can be used by the aerobic and anaerobic lactic acid energy systems. Good complex carbohydrate sources include wholegrain cereals like oats and unsweetened muesli wholewheat pasta wholegrain rice potatoes and cous cous. These are likely to raise blood glucose slowly and steadily providing energy for the brain and muscles over a period of hours. Simple carbohydrates or sugars such as sweets biscuits cake sports drinks and fruit can raise blo... 2011-4-17 15:57:22 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#91780 Exercise and diet are the key players in the weightloss weight gain issue. Of course they are I hear you cry but its amazing how many people still dont realise the link between the two. I dont want to get into metabolism issues or other factors that will have an effect on your weight like medication stress etc I just want to make a really basic point that I feel some people still dont see. The link between what you eat and the exercise you do. Are you that person who regularly goes to the gym spends a good 45 mins on the cross trainer throws in a few resistance sessions........but you still cant get rid of that weight If so its most proberly your diet that is getting in the way of you shifting those extra lbs. My point is this it can take 10 mins to consume 600 calories but to work that off can take 1 hour depending on what exercise you do. If weightloss is your main goal just be conscious of what you eat in relation to what it takes to work it off later. 2011-4-15 09:54:33 http://www.dkpersonaltraining.co.uk/page4.htm#91722 I often get asked by people What is that thing your swinging around The thing they are asking about is a kettlebell. Below is a really great article giving a brief history of the kettlebell and why you should use them. They really are a fantastic tool and I have had lots of success personally with them as have my clients. Enjoy Kettlebell training is an old school fitness tool that holds great promise for current fitness seekers. The style of training used with the Kettlebell returns us to learning how to use our bodies better. All the moves are groundbased and get the trainee back on hisher feet learning to use their bodies to produce and control force. These are useful skills for any athlete or client. Why use them Displaced Center of Gravity The center of gravity of the KB is six to eight inches below the center of your hand. Barbells and dumbbells center the weight with your hand. The offset of the KB makes the weight alive in your hand and increases the difficulty and be... 2011-4-14 13:48:28