Your Body - All The Gym You Need

As a trainer I get to hear all the excuses why people think they can’t workout or get in shape, and two of those I get the most are; “I can’t afford a gym membership,” and “I don’t have any equipment.” But guess what? You don’t need either to get in shape! In fact one of the reasons I started Edge Personal Fitness was to show people how they can get into shape using what they have around them, including their own bodies. Personally I’ve never owned any expensive gym equipment or a gym membership and most of the exercises I do don’t require either. 

A lot of people because of all the commercial hype now surrounding health and fitness, think they can’t get into good shape unless they’re climbing onto some fancy gym machine or slinging some kind of weight around, but the truth is you already own the best gym in the world and its entirely free-your body! Now that’s not to discount the important role that free weights and machines play in gaining muscle mass, especially if you’re entertaining Olympia fantasies, but they’re not the only way to pack on muscle and get in shape.

Bodyweight exercises are great because more often than not they engage a range of muscles all at once, especially your larger muscle groups, which are major generators of the steroid hormone testosterone which helps build bigger muscles. So you’ll want to focus on exercises that require you to use large muscle groups such as your chest, back, hamstrings, thighs and butt.  

Using body weight exercises is also beneficial because they more closely reflect natural body movements and reduce the likelihood of getting injured which is always a risk when using free weights. I prefer a combination of the two, to avoid the muscles getting rigid or the joints stiff. Bodyweight exercises will also make it easier to progress to more challenging free weight routines, when you feel like you need an additional challenge. But even then, before you go out and get a gym membership or start spending money on expensive weights, you may want to experiment with amping up your workouts by making the bodyweight exercises more challenging. For example if you can now pump out thirty push ups without breaking a sweat, you may want to alternate hand positions (closer, wider, staggered) to make it harder, or start doing decline push ups, plyometric push ups, or even one arm push ups! They’ll target the muscles from different angles and ways and keep the workout fresh and interesting. 

The key is to keep pushing yourself, whether by increasing intensity, or shortening recovery time or rest periods, all of which help boost testosterone levels. The harder you push the more testosterone your body generates. In fact an intense workout, can get testosterone levels as high as 1,000 percent! 

Somebody recently wrote me a note on Facebook asking for help because she was travelling and didn’t have access to a gym and didn’t know what to do. The answer -bodyweight exercises. You can make them as intense as you want to, they don’t require equipment and certainly don’t require a lot of space. If the weather is bad you don’t have to worry about making it to the gym, and similarly if the weather is great you can work out in your backyard, the park or beach…no hassle.

So forget about those late night commercials trying to peddle the latest weight loss devices, or expensive gym memberships and fancy equipment. You already own the finest piece of exercise equipment invented and that’s your own body. Get to know it, and put it to work for you. You might be surprised at the results you get.

 Kendal Burton is a Certified Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor, Sports Nutrition Specialist and owner of Edge Personal Fitness. For more health and fitness tips “friend” us on Facebook, or join our free fitness community atwww.edgepersonalfitness.com. If you have any questions, or a topic you’d like us to address email usatmail@edgepersonalfitness.com

The Couple That Sweats Together

A recent study on the subject found that couples are more likely to mimic each other’s habits-good or bad, including our health and fitness habits. It is now an established fact that our social networks also influence weight and obesity by influencing our eating patterns and the content of our diets.  

People are more likely to be overweight and unhealthy if their friends or social networks are. So imagine how truer this is of couples who live together. 

Men or women who eat healthy and workout, more often than not, influence their partners to eat healthier and work out as well, but more than that, studies show that working out together actually boosts weight loss success. There are also several other benefits for couples who opt to sweat together. For one its an additional opportunity to spend quality time together that you wouldn’t otherwise. The increased endorphins, improved stamina and sexier leaner body are bound to improve your sex life.

As in any other activity, working out with your partner helps keep you both motivated. Now you each have your own personal cheer section to egg each other on and to keep each other accountable for attaining your goals which also adds value to the relationship with your partner. Talk to your partner about your goals, so that they can offer better support to help you achieve them. It really helps to have a shared vision so that you can both share in the victory and satisfaction of seeing each other achieve your goals.

Remember exercise is a great stress reliever and mood booster, which means the more you push and the more of your frustration you leave on the gym floor the better for your relationship outside of the gym.

The fact that you care enough about your and your partner’s health is also a powerful statement of your love and commitment to them and your family.

But more than just being in the gym together, it is important to choose the right kinds of exercises to do together. There’s no point being in the same gym on different machines or else you’re defeating the whole point of working out together. So be creative…design a series of exercises or circuits that allows you to take turns on the machine while the other spots, for example, or design some exercises that you can do simultaneously. Partner based exercises are more fun especially if you introduce a competitive element to them.

Also be careful to avoid some of the natural downsides to working out together. Don’t become so competitive that you become jealous of or resent your partner for doing better at an exercise or lifting more weight or getting results faster than you.

Make sure to work out your schedules to avoid frustration, by maybe splitting household chore or other responsibilities to make time for each other and most importantly have fun with each other,

Kendal Burton is a Certified Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor, Sports Nutrition Specialist and owner of Edge Personal Fitness. For more health and fitness tips “friend” us on Facebook, or join our free fitness community atwww.edgepersonalfitness.com. If you have any questions, or a topic you’d like us to address email usatmail@edgepersonalfitness.com

Breakfast - The Most Important Overlooked Meal of The Day

There’s been a lot of tension between me and a close friend lately, because I find myself always lecturing her about skipping breakfast. She resents it and I get that she’s a busy professional mother with a lot to take care of, but my argument is that she also has to make time to take care of herself and her health or she won’t be any good to her husband or daughter if she continues to neglect her health.

Sadly a lot of my friends are in similar positions. Perhaps you too, are so busy and so pressed for time, that you rush through breakfast or skip it altogether. If you do, then just like my friend, you’re doing it at your own risk.

How many times when we were growing up, did teachers and parents drum it into our heads that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day?” Well they knew what they were talking about. Studies are now confirming what our parents and teachers knew all along – that people who eat breakfast do not have the weight issues that people who don’t do and are generally healthier.

My friend is a perfect example, and even though she would like me to take her on as a client, I refuse to because her refusal to eat properly will sabotage any exercise regimen I put her on and we would both be wasting our time in the long run. In fact, one study found that skipping breakfast actually increases your risk of obesity fourfold.

After sleeping for eight or ten hours, the body needs energy to function properly again and to help us meet those demanding schedules that keep us rushing out the door every morning. But guess what? The very excuse we use to skip breakfast is the very reason we should make sure we have it, because breakfast is where we will get the minerals, vitamins, protein, and fibre that will in turn give us the strength and endurance that we need for our bodies and brains to function at their best

So you’re short on time...wake up half an hour earlier so you can prepare something to eat. In fact the earlier you can eat after waking up, the better for your overall health. Try eating within an hour of rising to help give your metabolism a jump start. Most mornings I have a banana or protein shake, and then have a more substantial meal later in the morning…especially if I’m working out first thing in the morning.

Make sure your breakfast is a healthy combination of nutrients and take your time to consume, digest and enjoy your meal. It will help with digestion while giving you time to mentally plan your day. Throw in some high fibre cereals and you’ll be doing your heart a lot of good, as well as reducing the risk of diabetes and stroke. So be sure to say away from high sucrose or high fat foods and eat more whole grains.

A healthy breakfast is good for your body as well as your brain, as it will help you be more focussed and productive throughout the day and has even been found to sharpen problem solving skills and hand and eye coordination; a sharp contrast to my friend who is always tired, drowsy and grumpy. Recently she had to take a long leave of absence from work because of illness, likely brought on by too many skipped meals and a weakened immune system.

Eating a proper breakfast will also help you stay fuller longer, and reduce the risk of you consuming a heavier meal at lunch when the hunger or “the Kong” kicks in. Also the more protein in your breakfast menu, the better for you.

And the best part is you don’t have to spend any real time in the kitchen to put together a good or healthy breakfast meal.

Some good ideas include a fruit and vegetable smoothie; vegetable omelette with whole wheat slices; whole grain cereal with low fat milk and fruit slices or a hard boiled egg and a banana. Another solution is to plan and prepare all your meals for the week on the weekend, or the night before. 

Kendal Burton is a Certified Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor, Sports Nutrition Specialist and owner of Edge Personal Fitness. For more health and fitness tips “friend” us on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/EdgePersonalFitness or join our free fitness community atwww.edgepersonalfitness.com. If you have any questions, or a topic you’d like us to address email usatmail@edgepersonalfitness.com

Sexercise – Feels Good & Good For You

You already know that sex feels really good. What you may not know is that sex is also good for you and can actually help you lose weight. I know what you’re thinking, but it’s true…the average lovemaking session can burn anywhere between 50 and 150 calories depending on how hard you go at it. The experts also suggest a single orgasm can burn up to one hundred calories. 

A lot of guys joke about it, but semen also has some nutritional value. It reportedly contains 150 mg of protein, 11 mg of carbohydrates, 6 mg fat, 3 mg cholesterol, potassium copper and zinc, and several vitamins. In addition Psychology today reports that it is a great antidepressant. Women who have regular intercourse are in a better mod than women who don’t. Explains a lot right fellas? But it is a scientific fact that sperm contains mood altering hormones that when absorbed through the walls of the vagina. 

Something else you may not know is that the better in shape you are, the more enjoyable sex can and will be. It’s a little known fact but fat, especially abdominal fat isn’t just sitting there. It is “metabolically active.” That means it’s (for lack of a better word) “alive” and actively transforming testosterone to estrogen in men…in essence, making you more like a woman than a man. So if you’ve ever wondered why some guys seem to have bigger breasts than their women, now you know why.

Sadly, it also means that the size of the penis is also dropping and the bigger you get, the higher the risk of erectile dysfunction. There have been reported cases where full functionality never returns, even after the weight loss so the suggestion is to get the weight under control sooner, rather than later, otherwise your wife will be calling you “big boy” for all the wrong reasons.

Working out also benefits your sex life in other ways, such as increasing your stamina and endurance to help you perform better in bed. The physical strength will also allow you to be more adventurous in bed, by permitting you to assume and hold various sexual positions. If you follow a proper exercise regimen that includes flexibility training then you will also enjoy greater limberness that is bound to leave your partner impressed.

Of course working out and being in shape makes you look and feel more attractive and that won’t hurt your sex life at all and the experts have the data to prove that too.

In 2005, researchers at the University of Arkansas actually carried out a study to prove all this and did find a connection between fitness, positive self image and sexuality. But they also found it varied markedly between men and women. 

For instance the study found that men work out to gain muscle mass, whereas women work out for health reasons, and because of poor body or self image. And any married guy could have told tem this, but they found that no matter how good a shape your woman is in, she will never be satisfied. Something is always going to be too flabby, too big, or not firm enough…no matter how many times you compliment and reassure them. We could have saved the scientists a lot of time and money right?

But they were able to conclude overall that better physical fitness leads to a better sex life, physically and psychologically. The study concluded that “the better we feel, the more likely we are to engage in sexual activity, and exercise improves physical endurance and even encourages the flow of blood to the genital region.”

So there you have it, more reasons to go to the gym and pump iron. If you won’t do it to stay healthy, do it because it will get you more sex and help you  perform better in bed.

Kendal Burton is a Certified Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor, Sports Nutrition Specialist and owner of Edge Personal Fitness. For more health and fitness tips “friend” us on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/EdgePersonalFitness  or join our free fitness communityatwww.edgepersonalfitness.com . If you have any questions, or a topic you’d like us to address email usatmail@edgepersonalfitness.com

Big Belly? Big Problem

As a Personal Trainer one of the questions I get asked a lot is “How much should I weigh?” My answer is always the same. “Don’t worry about that. That’s the least of your worries.’ And it really is. I try to discourage my clients and friends from paying too much attention to the scale, and instead focusing on their BMI or the amount of fat they’re lugging around, especially around their mid section-their belly fat.

More and more attention is being paid to belly fat because of the health ramifications. Also known as Central Obesity, belly fat usually comes in one of two forms.-visceral and subcutaneous fat. Subcutaneous fat is found under the skin, close to the surface. The visceral fat on the other hand, is found around the organs and pose serious health threats. The reason for this is that unlike subcutaneous fat, visceral fat cells deposit metabolic products directly into the blood stream and these collect in the liver and other organs. This in turn affects the body’s ability to regulate insulin levels, blood sugar and cholesterol, which can all cause heart problems, high blood pressure and a host of other health complications.

Central Obesity occurs when you consume more calories, carbohydrates and fats, than are expended through regular physical activity. In addition studies have shown that ethnicity, genetics, age, environment, genetics, and lifestyle all contribute to Central Obesity.

So how do you determine if someone is centrally obese? Using an individual’s weight, height and other measurements I am able to calculate their body mass index or BMI, which is now the more accepted and widely used method of determining or diagnosing if a person overweight or obese. But when it comes to determining the health risks associated with Central Obesity, then BMI measurement isn’t the best predictor. Nor is it enough to just look at the size of a person’s stomach to determine the existence of or severity of Central Obesity. Scientists have developed some hi-tech methods such as computer aided tomography and imaging scans to determine Central Obesity. But those are expensive so most doctors today use the waist circumference or waist to hip ratio method to determine Central Obesity. Cut off points established by the World Health Organisation are used for reference, so that persons who surpass these measurements are considered to be Centrally Obese and as a result at risk of developing certain medical conditions.

According to these “cut off points” a person with a waist measurement of greater than 90 cm in men and greater than 80 cm in women is classified as being centrally obese.

Any higher than these established measurements and you’re considered at increased risk for a variety of conditions including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, breast cancer, stroke, heart disease, and something called metabolic syndrome. Metabolic Syndrome is a combination of risk factors that raise your risk of heart disease and other health problems, and which are associated with glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and hyperlipidemia (Hyperlipidemia refers to a series of conditions, including high cholesterol and high triglyceride levels).

The challenge in controlling Central Obesity is getting to the more deeply embedded, harder to lose visceral fat. One of the best ways to do this is through moderate or vigorous exercise. The other, is to adjust your diet and begin practicing good nutrition. by eliminating processed foods and consuming more fruits and vegetables, eating smaller portions; drinking a lot of water, avoiding junk food which is usually high in calories, sugars and fats and eating at least five or six small, healthy meals and snacks spread throughout the day.

Kendal Burton is a Certified Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor, Sports Nutrition Specialist and owner of Edge Personal Fitness. For more health and fitness tips “friend” us on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/EdgePersonalFitness  or join our free fitness community atwww.edgepersonalfitness.com . If you have any questions, or a topic you’d like us to address email us at mail@edgepersonalfitness.com

Eat Smart, Be Smart

When you think about food or eating healthy, you most likely think about its impact on your body, but eating good food is just as important to your mental wellbeing as your physical wellbeing.

Scientists now believe that there is a close link between diet and cognitive function, or a person’s ability to process thought, memories, learn new information, their speech and literary comprehension. Caffeine for instance is well known to stimulate the brain.

A lot of research has been done on the affects of food or nutrients on brain functions and the results have been astounding.  One such nutrient is Iodine which is required for the production of the thyroid hormone necessary for normal brain development. In fact Iodine deficiency is recognised as the world’s most prevalent preventable cause of intellectual disability. 

The fact is that the brain is a very active, and is a very big consumer of the energy supplied by food. In the case of young children for instance, that is as much as 87%. As you get older, the cortical organisation is more stable and so the glucose utilization by the brain drops to about 25% which is still significant. This is why children require a proper supply of this nutrient (Iodine) early in their lives, in order to fuel the rapid development and growth of their brains.

Iodine deficiencies during pregnancy can lead to babies being born with Cretinism, one of the most serious conditions resulting from Iodine deficiency. It also causes severe cognitive impairment or retardation.

A study in New Zealand of mildly Iodine deficient students between 10-13 years, found that Iodine supplementation significantly improved their cognitive test scores, and general learning abilities. Iron deficiency has been found to have a similar effect, especially on memory and attention. Iodine rich foods include seaweed, cod, potatoes, milk, shrimp, navy beans, and eggs.

Taking vitamins have also been found to be equally good for the brain as for the rest of the body. Vitamin B12, (eggs, cheese, beef, lamb, shell fish, milk) Vitamin C (chilli peppers, guavas, bell peppers, thyme, parsley, broccoli, cauliflower, papaya, oranges) and Vitamin E (sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, apricots, olive, spinach) especially, because of their antioxidant content which helps prevent and even reverse cognitive impairment or deficit.

Folic acid is also important to cognitive ability and early brain development. It is one of the major building blocks for a normal functioning brain and as such is an important nutrient for pregnant women.

Studies have shown that consuming high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids also helps improve cognitive ability. The reverse has been found to be true of cholesterol. 

Carbohydrate rich foods are also good brain food, but appear to be better for certain cognitive functions such as short term memory and mathematical learning etc. suggesting that a diet of complex carbohydrates with a low glycaemic index will help keep you sharper for longer, by slowly releasing the glucose required to fuel the brain.

Fish rich in Omega 3 essential fatty acids (salmon, herring, sardines) are good brain food. So are berries, nuts and seeds (Vitamin E) like walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and flax seed. Oatmeal, grain bread and brown rice, beans and avocados are also good because of their role in reducing hypertension risk and improving blood circulation which is also good for the brain and cognitive function. 

The bottom line is that a diet of the right mix of foods supplying the right mix of vitamins and minerals is still key to maintaining good physical health as well as good mental health. So don’t just eat smart but eat to be smarter.

Kendal Burton is a Certified Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor, Sports Nutrition Specialist and owner of Edge Personal Fitness. For more health and fitness tips “friend” us on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/EdgePersonalFitness  or join our free fitness community atwww.edgepersonalfitness.com . If you have any questions, or a topic you’d like us to address email us at mail@edgepersonalfitness.com

Natural or Processed Foods. Which are Better?

For years we’ve been discouraged from consuming processed foods in favour of whole or natural foods on the assumption that “all natural” is healthier, but that may be a little misleading.

Many “all natural” foods, are actually very heavily processed, and not all "0 trans-fat" or "made with real fruit" or "all natural" labels or claims are true.

Processed foods are foods whose chemical or physical state has been modified for various reasons, including improving taste, and product preservation. But not all processed food is bad for you, nor are some of the methods used to process them, unhealthy or harmful. These include, dehydration, irradiation, canning, and pasteurization.

Having said that, I need to also say that not ALL processed foods are healthy either; for the simple fact that a lot of them have high salt or sugar content, plus trans or saturated fats and a litany of other unpronounceable ingredients. Up to 7 out of 10 items at the supermarket may have ingredients that have been genetically modified.

When you pick up natural or whole foods on the other hand, (especially organically produced foods) you assume it has had minimal exposure to chemicals like pesticides, as opposed to processed foods which may have THOUSANDS of chemicals added to them, including stabilizers, colouring, softeners, emulsifiers, and preservatives. A lot of the contents or ingredients in these processed foods are not even listed on the food packaging, because manufacturers are not required to state more than that they have artificial colouring or flavouring.

Because of this belief that ALL processed foods are unhealthy, many people are eliminating otherwise nutritious food from their diet. They may even be spending more money on supposedly natural or whole foods, which may not be that nutritious after all.

When we buy natural foods, we expect that they have gone through minimal processing, contain no artificial ingredients or flavourings. Not so. The truth is that all foods are processed in some form or another, mostly to remove disease causing micro-organisms and to increase shelf life. 

Fruit and vegetables unfortunately don’t come with labels but they do have stickers on them which will tell you whether the fruit was organically grown, genetically modified, or produced with chemical fertilizers, herbicides or fungicides. Learn what the numbers on the stickers mean and ask questions, because just because its fruit or vegetable, doesn’t mean its “natural” or healthy.

Even in the case of “natural foods,” some of the practices employed by producers or growers may affect the nutritional value of the foods. For example foods produced using fertilizers may have their vitamin C content altered or reduced. Even the way we prepare our food at home can further reduce its nutritional value. This is important to note, because it is food nutrients which help to keep our immune systems strong and keep us disease free.

The point of all of this is not to confuse you, but to encourage you to be more discerning when shopping and choosing between whole or processed foods. Read labels and make healthier choices. Try to get food that is as close to its natural state as possible, with all their vitamins, minerals and nutrients, phytochemicals and fibre intact. Many of these are removed through processing. Be weary of foods loaded with salt, fats and sugar because foods with those will pack the calories and pounds on. Eating healthier food options may actually help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight while keeping you disease free.

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kendal Burton is a Certified Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor, Sports Nutrition Specialist.