Top 5 Tips for a Healthy Summer

With summer and beach bodies being a major thing right now, there is a lot of information and tips floating around the blogosphere, which can feel very daunting. So, to make life simpler I have rounded up 5 top tips for staying healthy, fit and active this summer.

1. Stay hydrated. 

Water should always be your best friend, and go to drink, especially in warmer weather. If your exercise lasts less than one hour, water will always be best for rehydrating. It is always worth carrying a bottle of water around with you, even when not exercising, to keep you feeling hydrated and on top form. 

Check out my '10 day water challenge' post for more benefits of water!

2. Limit cocktails.

We all love a cocktail in the summer, fact. However, they are packed with secret calories and so should be drank as a treat! I have listed the calorie contents of some of my favourite cocktails below...

Bahama mamma - 300kcal

Cosmopolitan - 200kcal

Daiquiri - 166kcal

Pina colada - 378kcal

Sex on the beach - 143kcal

3. Healthy fast food.

If you are in a rush or simply want lunch on the go when out and about, check the menu for healthier options to avoid unwanted calories. Most fast food and convenience restaurants will serve salads or grilled chicken, or even switched out french fries for veggie sticks!

4. Portion control.

It is very easy to over-eat, whether you are eating out and have a three course meal, are cooking at home, or piling your plate high at a buffet, extra calories are not always great. One easy solution is to select smaller plates, filling a smaller plate with food surely results in eating less than filling a large plate, right? Its also worth refreshing yourself with the proportions of different macronutrients on your plate. Try filling half of your plate with veggies, then divide the remaining half between protein and carbs.

5. Workout in the morning.

There is nothing worse than sweating your way through a workout in the midday heat. Try and plan your workouts for the morning before it gets too hot. Research has also found that early workouts can cause a metabolic spike, helping you burn more calories throughout the day.

Stay tuned for more tips on combating summer fitness...

Dark Chocolate Porridge

I always seem to struggle when picking out healthy breakfasts. I seem to gravitate towards sugary cereals which I know aren't good and only keep you full for an hour or so. I went back to the drawing board and came up with a new idea...

...Dark chocolate porridge!

Porridge, firstly, is healthy! It is high in fibre, improving digestion and lowering cholesterol. The oats, also, allow for a slow release in sugar and energy, keeping you fuller for longer and stabilising your blood sugar levels.

 I make my porridge with almond milk, which is lower in calories, and contains far less fat than cows milk. I find it gives the porridge a more creamy texture too. 

Then comes the dark chocolate. It not only tastes great, but has numerous health benefits. Research has shown that it can have protective effects against cancer and heart disease, as well as lowering cholesterol and improving cognitive function. To me, it seems like a no brainer to add a square or two of dark chocolate into porridge instead of adding sugar or syrups!

The recipe below has taken me several attempts to master, but I think I have finally perfected it!

Ingredients

- 30g oats

- 200ml unsweetened almond milk

- 1-2 squares dark chocolate (the higher % coco solids the better)

Method

- Heat the milk and oats in a pan, once they start to boil, stir until the consistency thickens

- Pour into your favourite bowl

- Add the chocolate and stir until melted

- Enjoy!

Holiday Health

Most holidays mean lazing by the pool, eating lots of good food and sipping cocktails. But it doesn't have to be that way. You may not have access to your usual running route or favourite gym equipment but there's lots of alternative ways to keep fit but most importantly have fun whilst on holiday.

Like myself, many of you may only go on one holiday per year, so when you do finally get to go, you want to have as much fun and relaxation time as possible. Which is why exercise and nutrition can, and most likely do, suffer. I have recently got back from a two week holiday to the Caribbean, everyday we would see people running around the resort or heading to the gym. I don't know about you, but I really did not fancy doing structured, strenuous exercise in the heat and humidity. 

So what is an easy, fun solution? Well, I have put some ideas together, most of which I did myself, which I feel work well at keeping your fitness ticking over but also allow you to enjoy yourself with family and friends!

1. It sounds obvious, but swimming is one of the easiest forms of exercise to do on holiday. More often than not you'll be sat by the pool anyway, so why not go for a dip? Swimming can have multiple benefits on holiday, you are not only getting some exercise, but you will also cool yourself down and escape the heat for a while. It doesn't have to be regimented lane swimming either, a couple of lengths of easy swimming whilst talking to your family/friends, or even swimming to the bar is better than nothing. Slow swimming can still burn around 25 calories every 5 minutes.

 Snorkelling also works great, either in the pool or in the sea, you have so much fun looking around under the water you completely forget that you are exercising!

2. Depending on where you are on holiday, water sports might be available. Anything from kayaking, to paddle boarding will be a good form of exercise, especially if you are fighting against waves and currents in the sea! Stand up paddle boarding can burn around 300 calories per 30 minute session and provides a good core workout. Similarly kayaking can burn around 200 calories per half hour, and works your whole upper body.

3. Depending on your chosen resort, other sports and activities may also be available. The resort which I stayed at had a sports hub where you could play tennis, football, basketball and baseball, all great forms of cardio that are also fun for everyone in your holiday party to be involved in. For those who are competitive why not compete in your own mini tournament?

4. Again, depending on where you are on holiday, you may decide to explore the local area. You can take to the road on foot or hire a bike to explore a bigger area faster. And guess what? Walking and cycling are great forms of cardio burning 100 and 48 calories per mile respectivley!

So next time you find yourself on holiday, remember these tips and you'll find yourself feeling both healthy and happy!

Chocolate Milk Post Exercise?

I have heard a few times now that chocolate milk works great as a post exercise supplement, but is this really true? I know that it tastes great as a snack, but can it really be good for you? Okay, so I have just done my research on this and it seems to be true...chocolate milk can be an effective recovery drink for exercise (Karp et al. 2006; Pritchett et al. 2013).

So now for the science...Chocolate milk is made up of a 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio as well as containing fluids and electrolytes. This composition is very similar to that of your typical sports drink. The idea, is therefore, very similar to that of any fluid based recovery drink - the liquids replace the fluids lost by sweat, the electrolytes help with efficient re-hydration, the carbohydrates replace glycogen that has bee used to aid energy replacement and reproduction and the protein aids muscle growth and repair. Simple!

In research, chocolate milk has been found to increase time to exhaustion and lower ratings of perceived exertion, meaning you can exercise for longer and feel less tired whilst doing it! (Karp et al. 2006)

Whilst the science of chocolate milk sounds very impressive, I don't think that it would be suitable for drinking after all exercise types. As mentioned earlier, it does contain a fair amount of carbohydrates and so can only really be suited to carbohydrate burning (endurance) exercises, such as running, swimming or cycling. If drank regularly after short exercise sessions weight gain could occur, but again, this is the case for other post exercise supplements, such as protein powders.

So next time you go to grab a bottle of pre-made sports drink after your workout, maybe think again and consider drinking some chocolate milk!

Alternative Protein Snacks

I know this whole thing is going to sound strange, but stick with it and you may be pleasantly surprised!  

 

Have you ever considered that there may be some alternative protein sources out there, aside from animal and plant based sources? Well, i'm going to talk to you guys today about eating insects…yes you heard right actually eating insects…

I have done a lot of research for my MSc dissertation into entomophagy (eating insects) and it appears that the protein content actually rivals that of whey, chicken and beef. Now I’m not suggesting we go ‘I’m a celeb’ style and look under a rock to find our food, but would you even notice if you ate a protein snack that contained insect flour instead of whey? I don’t think we would!

What are some unusual protein snack sources?

Insect protein may be in the form of whole crickets or spiders, a great protein snack right…? Maybe not. However, if you look at the bigger picture, insects can easily be ground down into a powder like substance very similar to that of whey protein. This insect protein powder can then be added into other protein snacks and blends, such as your favourite protein brownies or cookies. This then wouldn’t be too unusual to us. Mix in some other yummy ingredients such as chocolate or nuts and this will be one tasty protein snack.

In the research I conducted for my Master’s degree, over half of the participants agreed that insects could be a great protein alternative to animal sources, with a further third of the population stating they would be willing to use solely insect protein in their diet. They stated the reason for this would be to increase their health and contribute to a better environment. Reducing the demand on livestock for protein can reduce global gas emissions by 100 times and increase land space availability, thus increasing food sustainability for the future. The farming of insects also uses up to 2000 less gallons of water per lb than the rearing of cows.

Eighty percent of the world are already eating insects as protein snacks, so why aren’t
 we?

Commonly consumed insects include locusts, caterpillars and crickets. The nutritional information for the most commonly consumed insects are shown below.

Insect	kcal per 100g	Protein *	% Fat
Locust Flour	436	47.5	22.9
Cricket	117	13.7	5.3
Witchetty Grub	417	13.2	36.2
Silkworm	229	23.1	14.2
Caterpillar	458	66.6	13.9
Beetle	192	27.1	3.7

(Bukkens, 1997)

*crude protein value (total nitrogen content)

As you can see the protein content, of locust flour for example, beats that of most of our most popular protein snacks. In addition, insects contain all essential amino acids.

Do you think that next time you reach for your favourite protein cookie you may think again...? 

10 Day Water Challenge

Has anyone ever heard of or thought about doing a re-set to detox the body..?

..Resetting is about undoing years of bad habits and learning to make better health choices. The re-set in particular I want to discuss revolves around water. The body is made up of 80% water. The body uses water as a transport medium, moving everything around. Therefore, water moves around waste products and toxins as well as nutrients. Basically, drinking more water will increase the amount of waste (including fat) leaving the body!

But how much water will you need?

.. roughly you need to drink 1/2 ounce for every pound of your body weight

.. 0.033 litres per kg. 

What to expect after 10 days? It goes without saying that you will need to use the bathroom more, this is a good thing as you will be removing more waste. You will also experience an energy boost and get clearer looking skin (bonus, right?!). A small amount of people have been found to experience bloating (water retention) or headaches, this however will pass after the first few days. There has also been a lot of reported results of weight loss and a decreased waist measurement.

How to measure your results? Use a simple indicator of waist measurement and body weight both before and after the challenge. 

The rules:

- Drink all your water per day before going to bed. 

- Any left over water must be drank before starting the next days water.

- DO NOT drink all the water in one go, sip throughout the entire day

Have fun!

Supplement Series: Raspberry Ketones

A few years ago raspberry ketones were the new 'in' thing marketed for fat loss. But do they actually do what they claim? And are they still they still a popular supplement for weight loss?

Raspberry ketones are a natural substance which give raspberries their scent. They are also used as flavorants in food products and are contained in some cosmetic products. However, the raspberry ketones sold as a weight loss aid are artificially derived and are not actually natural. 

Now for the science... the molecular structure of raspberry ketones is similar to that of capsaicin and synephrine, both of which are known to boost the metabolism. When given to rats, raspberry ketones increased the breakdown of fat and made fat cells release more adiponectin (regulates metabolism and blood glucose). Low levels of adiponectin are associated with diabetes and obesity. However, to achieve the results seen in rat studies you would have to consume 100 times the recommended dosage of raspberry ketones.

There has been no hard evidence found on human weight loss with raspberry ketones. Some people lose weight - others do not.

 If you are on the fence, it may be worth considering that raspberry ketones have in fact been found to improve hair growth and improve hair elasticity! 

Supplement Series: Creatine

Creatine is a non-essential nutrient in diet, meaning the body can produce it, it can also be found in fish and red meats. 60-70% of the bodies store of creatine is within the muscles in the form of phosphocreatine (PCr), which is used to re synthesise ATP, therefore it has a vital role in energy production. 

The idea behind creatine supplementation is that by increasing the level of stored creatine, the body can re-synthesise ATP faster and therefore recover from high intensity faster and increases force/power production. Simple right?!

Suggested supplementation is in the form of a loading regime, which can be a bit confusing at first. You would do 6 days of 20 g per day supplementation followed by 2 g per day maintenance. The positive effects of the supplement will wear off after a month if maintenance doses are not taken.

There are several side effects reported when taking creative including: impaired renal function, weight gain via water retention, effects on hydration and gastrointestinal discomfort. In addition 30% of the population have been found to be non-responders to the supplement and therefore experience no benefits whatsoever. 

Overall, creatine supplemention is benefitial to those who wish to recover faster from high intensity exercise or who require a higher force/power output during exercise.

Worth a try I'd say!

Supplement Series: Protein Shakes

As many of you will be aware, various supplements can be taken in addition to a regular diet to give health, performance and weight benefits. This post will feature protein and protein shakes, specifically the pros/cons and the optimal time for taking them. 

It goes without saying that protein is found naturally in the diet in both meats and plants, which when eaten in appropriate amounts is adequate for the synthesis of muscles, red blood cells, enzymes and the synthesis of other regulatory compounds (e.g. DNA and hormones). However, when exercising excessively or doing large amounts of strength training additional protein is beneficial. 

To give an idea of how much protein is required for different people, an endurance athlete requires 1.2 - 1.4 g per kg of body mass (for example, a 100kg person would require 120 - 140g of protein) and a strength athlete would require 1.2 - 1.7 g per kg of body weight. To induce a training adaptation e.g. increasing muscle mass, a higher rate of protein synthesis is required, therefore more protein is needed. 

A typical protein shake serving will include around 20 - 25g protein which is fairly similar to that of 100g of chicken breast (27g). The key benefit of a protein shake over consuming a high protein meal, is convenience. You can easily take protein powder to the gym for example, allowing you to consume protein straight after a workout. You can also buy protein powder which is fat and carbohydrate free, therefore not impacting upon daily macro content.

Pros:

- The ingestion of protein (1.2 - 2.1 g.kg.BW) over a 12 week period of resistance training has been found to increase lean body mass by 5%.

Timing of ingestion:

- There has been no differences found between ingesting 20g protein immediately before or after exercise.

- Protein synthesis was higher ingesting 10g protein immediately after exercise compared to 3 hours later.

- Therefore, the optimal time to drink your shake appears to be immediately after exercise. 

Cons:

- Additional fat gain can occur if consuming protein with a high fat/carbohydrate content.

- A high protein diet can put excess strain on the kidneys due to excess ketones.

- Protein shakes may also cause gastro-intestinal discomfort.

Overall, when consumed in appropriate quantities, protein and protein shakes can be effective in increasing muscle mass when taken alongside resistance training and immediately after exercise.

Running 101 [2]

Following my latest post on the pros and cons of running I thought I would give you some advice on how to gain the most out of each run and how to minimise potential injuries. 

Flexibility in muscles, tendons and ligaments is crucial in avoiding injury. Therefore before and after each run it is important to complete basic stretches of the major leg muscles to improve and maintain flexibility. 

A good posture is key to allowing an efficient run and ensuring maximum oxygen flow to muscles. Ensure a fairly upright position with the chest pulled up and shoulders back. A slumped position requires more muscles to hold the body up causing an energy wastage.

The majority of leg injuries occur due to over striding and therefore placing the foot down in front of the body instead of directly below. The knee should only be bent at a 90 degree angle when running. 

It is important to coordinate the upper and lower body when running. When in coordination the load of the run is taken off of a single muscle group and spread throughout the entire body. The upper and lower body should be completing a similar amount of work.

When breathing during a run the chest shouldn't be rising and falling, you should adopt a technique called 'belly breathing' utilising the full abdomen capacity to fully inflate/deflate the lungs, making use of more oxygen per breath. 

Finally, it is important to remain relaxed when running. This will reduce the likelihood of straining tight muscles. You will also notice a lot more of your surroundings and therefore have a more pleasant running experience.

Happy running!