Interval Training

What is it?

Interval training alternates between bursts of intense exercise followed by slower recovery phases. You use both your aerobic and anaerobic systems by varying either the resistance or speed you work at for different periods of time. Interval training can be done for almost any type of exercise, from cycling to bodyweight exercises to kettlebells, and there are so many benefits in making interval training your new workout...

1. It's efficient- it takes as little as 15 minutes a session depending on the length and number of intervals you do.

2. It burns sooooo many more calories than your standard steady-paced endurance workout because the intense exertion kicks your body into overdrive and kicks starts you metabolism.

3. It increases your cardio efficiency.

4. It improves performance- you will be able to train harder for longer ad your body uses its anaerobic system and adapts by becoming m ore efficient at removing lactic acid build-up. 

5. It mixes speed and intensity so there's less chance you'll get bored.

6.  There's variety- You can play round with the duration of your intervals or recovery periods, the speed you work at, the resistance and the number of repetitions you do of each interval. E.g. One popular type of interval training called Tabata involves working at 9/10 of your maximum effort for 10 seconds, with 20 seconds of complete rest. 

Interval training is great for people who are short on time, who get bored doing cardio or those who want to get the most out of their workouts. Here are the main benefits in summary:

• Short and sweet- can be done in as little as 15 minutes
• Bang for your buck- burns a lot of calories in little time
• Quick but effective- improves both aerobic and anaerobic systems
• Less chance of boredom
• You put in more effort because each interval is fairly short (usually about 30-60 seconds)
• There's variety because you can play around with variables like speed and resistance

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Boost your Immunity

Hi guys! Everybody knows it's easy to get ill during Winter as bugs are in full swing and you're maybe not looking after yourself as well as over the warmer months. This doesn't make sense, although we all end up doing it! It's easier and feels natural to whip up a fresh, cool salad in the middle of July and to get a big pot of stew on the stove during January.

What we should be doing is taking better care of ourselves before we're more likely to start feeling "run down". Ramping up the vitamin intake, eating lots of fresh fruit and veg and making sure we don't skip the gym just because, baby, it's cold outside.

I've put together some easy steps you can take towards better protecting yourself from infection this Winter...

1. Exercise- during and after exercise your body makes more germ-fighting cells called T-Cells and studies show these get to work faster in peeps who exercise regularly. Here's an interesting post I read from a-health-blog.com on how regular moderate exercise can increase immunity.

2. Probiotics- Those who regularly take a Probiotic supplement are 42% less likely to get the sniffles. Either take them in supplement form or eat natural, live yoghurt which is a great source of protein too.

3. Boost your Vitamin D intake, either by getting 20 minutes of sunlight a day or by taking a vitamin D supplement (look for vitamin D3). Examples of food sources are milk, oliy fish e.e. Salmon, Mackerel and Sardines) and fortified cereals.

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4. Cruciferous veg like Broccoli, Kale, Spinach, Cabbage and Lettuce all boost your immune system by increasing the liver's ability to flush out toxins.

5. Ginger- add it to teas and stir fries to cleanse your airways and lymph system.

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6. Get 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Researchers aren't 100% sure why yet but studies show getting this amount seriously reduces risk of infection.

7. What your Granny said is true! Wrap up warm!! Your immune system works better in a warm environment so turn up the heat.

8. Get eating garlic. Your friends might not thank you but your immune system will It's anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.

9. Get plenty of fresh fruit and veg which are high in vitamins A, C, E and Zinc. Aim to eat a variety of colours as these represent a different nutritional profile. Some good examples are berries, sweet potato, broccoli, tomatoes and carrots.

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Basically, the bugs are always there, it's how well you look after yourself which will determine whether you catch a cold!

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Tips on beginning to exercise

Accepting that there are changes you want to make in your life and taking the first step towards change is often the hardest. Well, it shouldn't be! When I began eating better and exercising regularly I... just did it. You sometimes need to dive right in at the deep end with both feet and see how it goes. The hardest part, I've found is the habit-forming part of change and keeping it up, but that's another post for another time, so today I want to share with you a few ways I found the motivation to start working out regularly, so here goes...

1. Be open minded. Be patient. Realise most benefits won't appear overnight after your first session, but things will improve for you, for sure. Remember, even if you can't visibly see the positive ways in which your body adapts to exercise, they will definitely be happening.

2. Plan it into your current routine. You don't have to spend hours exercising at a time, especially if you're starting out- begin small and build on it. Even 20 or 30 mins at a light-moderate intensity will bring about improvements. Write down times for exercising in your diary and stick to them.

3. Know why you're doing it. What is it you want to achieve? How will it make you feel when you get there? What is your motivation? Think of a few realistic goals to achieve (and preferably specific and measurable, e.g. to lose an inch of your waist). By having something in mind to work towards you can see how much progress you make and find motivation from getting closer to reaching your goals. 

4. Write them down. I mean, I'm a stationary and notebook obsessive geek anyway, but writing goals down and reminding yourself of them regularly will ingrain them in your brain and hopefully give you an extra burst of motivation at times when you need reminding of why you're getting sweaty bouncing around on a swiss ball in the first place. 

5. Don't compare yourself or your progress and goals to others. Everybody is different. Our bodies and how they work are all slightly different, so the rate you lose fat or put on muscle will be different to the next person. Try not to get caught up in whether or not you are doing better or worse than someone else. Do it for YOU.