Lean, mean, fat burning machine

Time to go back to basics. The first thing that I recommend clients do is begin taking a fish oil supplement to increase omega-3 intake. It's the simplest and most effective thing to do to feel better,  be stronger and  get leaner.

For what you gain in health and fitness  they are very cheap, and all it requires is a few capsules down the hatch each day,  you'll significantly improve you health! In a previous article entitled 'Why Eskimos don't get heart disease and why you should consider tucking into a narwhal', I explained how  our agricultural system has left us chronically deficient in essential fatty acids, and what effect that has on heart disease rates. But today I'm going for the biggest effect of all;

FISH OILS MAKE YOU LEAN!

Chances are you have heard this claim before, but have you every really thought about why it happens. If you understand what is going on in your body, even on a basic level, then I l believe you will be more likely to  get hold of some.

Here's a brief outline of how this happens:

• FISH OILS IMPROVE CARBOHYDRATE TOLERANCE

Carb tolerance in it's most basic sense is the effectiveness which your body uses nutrients. If tolerance is low then sugar in the blood will be shunted into fat stores, making you fatter. However if you have a high tolerance of carbohydrates then you will be able to push more nutrients into you muscles and organs, which will make you feel leaner.

It has become apparent that the way tolerance improves is through the remodelling of the membranes around your cells. The process is actually very simple; the fatty layer which separates cells (cell membrane) contains proteins. These proteins are responsible for what goes in and out of the cell. The protein that controls carbohydrate uptake for the cell is more active when surrounded by omega-3 than when surrounded by something like a trans-fat.

If you eat lots of processed fats, then your cell membrane proteins will not be as receptive and so will not absorb as many carbohydrates. This leaves them in your blood to be sucked up by fat cells. If you eat lots of oily fish or take a fish oil supplement then you will have a cell membrane with lots of omega-3s and your muscles and organs will get a huge dose of energy and leave  your fat stores reducing.

• FISH OILS DECREASE INFLAMMATION

Inflammation is awful for the body, and it's effects are very complicated. However the main effects is that the body's stress levels go up. There are a huge number of reasons why inflammation may be elevated from injury to a poor diet, a tight deadline or not enough sleep.

Inflammation is bound to happen and in small infrequent doses is a good thing (like when you go to the gym or cut your arm). Swelling and increased blood flow allow the area to heal more quickly.

For this reason if your body senses inflammation then it perceives that the body is experiencing some kind of peril. It becomes catabolic, promoting muscle loss and fat gain; everything we want to avoid.

Taking fish oils will lead to significantly less inflammation  and therefore  improved body composition. It works by cutting off immune responses within the body. The exact mechanism of how this works is still undecided. However one explanation is that it increases the body's ability to respond selectively to genuine threats improving immune function and decreasing inflammation.

• FISH OILS INCREASE THE ACTIVITY OF FAT BURNING GENES

Including a good source of omega 3 fatty acids in your diet increases your body's ability to use  fat as a fuel. So eating more fat will actually  make you leaner.

The way this works is similar to the first example. it alters the function of a protein on the outside of the cell membrane which causes us to produce more  fat burning  proteins.

The long and short of it is that the food you eat will give you more energy and at the same time  omega-3s will make you less fat.

Everybody wins!

NOTE:

Most people will derive their protein from 6 sources:

1. Beef
2. Lamb
3. Pork
4. Chicken
5. Turkey
6. Eggs

There are literally hundreds of species of fish available for purchase in the UK. Go to a local fishmonger and experiment. Keep you menu fresh and get the fish oils thrown in for free!!!

Regain your health and reverse the effects of smoking

As far as I see it, you either smoke or you don't. The notion that you can be a social smoker is denial at best. The effects of smoking a few cigarettes every weekend are not that far removed from someone who smokes a few cigarettes every day. It's time to cut the excuses, put down the cigs and start to reverse the damage in as little as 20 minutes.



Here's a list from ASH of improvements your body makes after you put down the last stick.

20 minutes

• Pulse rate returns to normal

8 Hours

• Levels of poisonous carbon monoxide in the blood decline, this chemical impairs your red blood cells' ability to hold oxygen. This means improved aerobic capacity and reduced stress.
• Nicotine in the body drops to 10% of what it was immediately post cigarette. Dopamine, serotonin and adrenaline levels in the brain drop. Here comes the craving.

24 Hours 

• Nicotine and carbon monoxide are almost back to normal levels.

48 hours

• Ability to taste and smell improves

72 hours

• Constriction of airways reduces, breathing is easier and energy levels are higher.

"Smoking sucks! The one thing I would say to my kid is, 'It's not just that it's bad for you. Do you want to spend the rest of your life fighting a stupid addiction to a stupid thing that doesn't even really give you a good buzz?"

Katherine Heigl











6 weeks

• Cilia in your lungs grow back and lung function will increase by 30%, no more smokers cough as your lungs begin to clean themselves again.
• Circulation improves
• Skin complexion improves, reduction in paleness and jaundiced appearance.

3 months

• Increased sexual performance. Smokers with erectile dysfunction tend to get back into the swing of things after 3 months.
• Increased testosterone and reduced rate of hair loss.

 
"Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times"

Mark Twain












9 months

• Risk of heart disease is halved compared to regular smokers

10 years

• Your risk of cancer is half that of a regular smoker

15 years

• Your risk of heart attack is that of a non-smoker

This month is 'Stoptober', if you would like to join the hundreds of thousands of people giving up smoking this months then please visit https://stoptober.smokefree.nhs.uk/ for free advice and support.

Eat healthy fats and get lean!

It follows logically that fat makes you fat right? It is the most calorie dense macronutrient, and it is the easiest food to digest. You only really get it if you eat 'bad foods', things like butter, pizza, red meat, cheese, fast food, pastries and pies.

Avoid fat and your calories will drop, you will only be left with lean meat, vegetables and healthy whole grains. Sounds great, and it's exactly what is recommended by doctors and the government...

Here's the issue, the truth is that fats are actually GREAT for you, and if you aren't going out of your way to shove these great foods into your diet you'll never be as healthy, lean and strong as you could be.


The first fact that must be accepted is that not all fats are created equal. Processed fats like hydrogenated and trans fats are to be avoided at all costs. They are not used well by the body and will almost certainly end up being converted into fat tissue in the body. These fats are found in margarine, deep fried fast foods, pizzas and pastries.

The other side of the coin is all of the other fats that you need to have. It is not important what they are called you just need to be aware which sources of fats are good for you and which are not.

Firstly we have the fabled essential fatty acids (EFA's), research has shown that these fats are not used primarily by the body to create fat tissue. They are used by the body to create hormones and to develop cell structure. If you are looking to create a naturally lean body through better health as opposed to a smaller body through calorie deprivation then this is essential.

But it isn't just EFA's that have this effect, monounsaturated fats found in avocadoes, nuts and olives are used in this way too. The body would rather use them as fuel than for energy storage.


The reason the world has a bad opinion of fats is misguided. It is the combination of fat and sugar which causes health problems. So when you increase your fat intake, ensure that you remove processed foods and simple sugars.

Saturated fats from good sources are not bad for you either! The saturated fat found in butter and in coconut oil is a great energy source and is used by the body for fuel rather than storage. Look for any food with medium chain triglycerides in them (MCT's).

Fats are also great transporters of micronutrients , for example vitamin D and vitamin K can only be absorbed in the presence of dietary fats.

To be as healthy as you can be, you must include fats in every meal you have. There should be no exceptions. Don't worry about the calories, as they will allow you to eat intuitively, which is the only way to eat for long term success.

It isn't all about the science

If you've read any of my previous articles, especially the early ones you'll understand that I come from a science background. It's quite obvious, the writing style, there referencing and the careful nature with which I state 'facts'; there's always a qualification to cover myself.

In science, you can never be right. You can just present data which back up your point. In the real world there are many things which we consider complete fact, e.g. the earth rotates around the sun. But the truth is, in the strictest sense we just have an overwhelming majority of data pointing in that direction. It could theoretically be wrong.




This principle applies in health and fitness. It seems from the evidence that for optimal body composition it is best to control sugar intake, exercise intensely for a short period of time and perform weight training to failure. But there was a time not so long ago that the brightest minds in the world thought differently. Carbs were king and going for a jog three times a week was the best thing for your health.

So that's it then. Ignore the science completely and go out in to the world basing all decisions on experience.



Not quite.

You see, I still love science, but not for the same reason I used to. Where it used to be the only thing which I thought about, it has now become a more flexible tool.

It offers a grounding and a baseline of knowledge, so you can interpret the results you get. But in the same way science results are all about the majority and unfortunately the world has outliers. People who don't offer the result you want when you make the necessary and appropriate changes.

So it all comes down to experience and personal experimentation. All the best coaches in the world operate firstly on generally proven principles backed by the science, and then they move onto working on instinct. They do what they feel is the right thing to do.

They get their credibility from the results they get not from the things they know.

So think about this when selecting a coach. If they come at you with a system which will take you from start to finish with no individualisation towards the end then they are only ever going to get you sub par results; the human body is not a mathematical formula.

Systemisation is essential at the beginning, because achieving a state of nutrition and training is a requirement (control) for making more specific changes later on. But when you get to the sticky bit at the end and you are still on the same diet you always have been, how do you think you are going to change?

Kate Solomons - My Blog 4 months in the life of RWL!

I joined RWL at the end of March 2013 with one goal in mind; to look and feel amazing on our wedding day.

I've always had a yoyo type relationship with food and exercise, I like to look and feel good but with a busy lifestyle and working away I have found it hard to commit to certain diets & regimes in the past. I will often have an event, occasion or holiday which makes me refocus and start thinking about 'getting in shape again’ but after years of starting again it was becoming laborious, I wanted fitness and wellbeing to be a lifestyle not a stop-start strategy!!

I've never been massively overweight, and as a 5'8 tall woman I can carry some excess weight without looking cumbersome and would always dress for my size, but it's been a long time since I was truly happy with my body and feel I could wear what I wanted. I’ve always had an hourglass figure and been quite curvy and in proportion, however as you can see from this swimwear shot taken shortly after starting at RWL, there’s no tone or definition. As any bride-to-be will know, we put a great amount of pressure on ourselves to look and feel amazing on our special day so this for me was the best motivation I've ever had, yet 5 months before the wedding I still hadn't found my enthusiasm, I was a size 14 and wanted to be a comfortable size 10!

Beginning of April 2013

Having met with Sam & Joe to discuss my goals and hear about their suggestions and expectations I have to admit I was slightly apprehensive. Their positivity and genuine belief in me to achieve my goal was inspiring but I still had doubts; I had less than 4 months to achieve a goal I’d spent years trying to reach.

We discussed the different routes I could take and being the type of person I am I wanted to jump in feet first, this would mean starting my programme straight the way, building strength and eating clean for 14 days. The initial thought of eliminating carbs, sugars, dairy, alcohol and processed food from my diet seemed impossible but I realised that if I wanted results I would have to put my trust in the team and follow their techniques by the book.

We took a photo of me in a size 10 dress I'd bought a while back and had never worn and was told this would be my measuring tool; jumping on the scales once a week would no longer be part of my routine; measurements were more constructive than what my scales said!

Trying on my dress was a daunting task, I understood the purpose was more about the end result but it scared me to see how far away I was; it looked more like a top, my hips and bum were too big & I just couldn't pull it past my waist. Even looking at these pictures now as I write this, fills me with the dread of how I felt at the time of this photo.

The first few sessions went by and I started to learn how RWL worked; positivity and vision were a must in the gym and I had to start leaving my insecurities and doubts at the door. I was introduced to new habits, fundamental traits that in time would be the norm for me.

As my training programme progressed and I became stronger in the gym it was more than just my body that was changing, my mind became clearer, my thoughts more focused, I was sleeping better and my skin and hair were also improving; in just a month I already felt huge improvements! I continued to eat clean and was so impressed with how much easier I found it, the training and nutrition worked together and I wouldn't allow myself to be tempted by foods I had to avoid when I’d worked so hard in the gym, and equally the better I felt about myself the more I wanted to push myself while training.

I had interim goals which really helped to keep me focused, a show in June I was presenting and a dream dress I wanted to wear for it, my hen do in July and the dread of wearing a bikini and then of course our wedding in August.

The coaches are all extremely proficient and are as serious about achieving your goals as you are - they have an invested interest and help you stay motivated & on track, every programme is tailored to your training & nutrition, you know that the coaches really understand your lifestyle, your goals & your timescales, it's like no other gym I've ever worked with.

Something I found quite prolific was that 10 weeks into working with RWL I hadn’t found the need for any medication! Simple tasks such as taking a couple of paracetamols for a headache or waking up feeling groggy hadn’t occurred in this time, I hadn’t experienced any down days and my body was noticeably stronger and clearly my immune system  was much tougher.

 

I reached June and was feeling so much better about myself, the dress I’d bought to host Miss Leicester fit better than I had hoped and for the first time in a long time I could honestly say, I felt amazing! I had maintained my curvy shape but had lost inches and felt so much more toned and confident. Friends and family were starting to comment on my 'new look', I enjoyed the compliments and it made me even more determined to reach my goal.

I arranged to bring the Miss Leicester finalists for Miss Great Britain to RWL to train and be put through their paces and the team were looking to select an RWL Fitness Model from the finalists who trained. It was a great way to introduce the girls and their families to RWL and the great work they do!

 

 



 

By July we had really upped my game, I was now training 4-5 times a week, I hadn't drank alcohol since starting at RWL and hadn't missed it, I was still sleeping better so my work productivity and energy levels were vastly improved! My strength programme had moved to 'transform' and I was really starting to feel more defined, working on toning my abs, my legs and my arms - the bingo wings had gone.

On the 10th July I flew to Marbella for my hen do, 12 ladies aged 18-60 all ranging from sizes 8-18's, we’re such a close group of girls and no one cares about each other’s size or physical makeup, but most females still feel the pressure of looking their best around peers. I was now fitting in size 10 clothes and for the first time in years felt confident in my bikini.

A vast change from my first bikini picture taken just 12 weeks before!

Having returned from my hen do I had a lot of hard work left to do, I’d only been away for 5 days but having eaten and drank as much as I wanted and not completed any training while away, I had put on a few inches and was carrying some excess water. I now had 3 weeks left until the wedding but more importantly just 2 weeks until my final dress fitting as from then I would have to maintain my size to ensure the dress wasn’t too big or too small.

I continued to train 5 times a week and kept up my nutrition. Towards the end of July we decided to try my ‘original’ red dress – my measuring tool and I was amazed by the results!!

The dress easily fell over my bum and hips and I could actually wear it as a dress!! These pictures side-by-side really show the progression!

All through the process I had seen the numbers decrease each time I was measured and that was great motivation watching the inches get smaller, but even that didn’t compare to actually seeing results like this in a photograph.

The morning of our wedding I woke up bright and early, my dress hanging from the back of the door at my mum’s house where I had spent the night. The sun was beaming & I couldn’t believe our day had finally arrived. My bridesmaids arrived and we spent the morning getting ready, having hair & makeup before eventually getting into our dress.

I felt absolutely amazing and was so glad I had invested the time into making myself look and feel the way I did at that moment. Countless  goals, events & occasions had been and gone in my life and so many times Id thought ‘well I’ve almost achieved it, I’m better than I was but wish I had a couple more weeks left…’ not this time I had achieved my goal and couldn’t have felt better! I though back to the times my energy was lacking in the gym or I wasn’t pushing myself hard enough and Joe, Sam or Jeff would say ‘think about those wedding pictures, you’ll have them forever’.

We had the most amazing day, and I never lost sight of what the day was really about, marrying my best friend and the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Publically announcing our love for each other in front of friends and family; it’s not about the dress, the venue, the cars or the flowers but you ask any bride-to-be if you could wave a magic wand and make her feel wonderful in her dress as she walks down the aisle to her husband-to-be, she would jump at the chance to feel at her best, RWL own that ‘wand’ and I will always endorse what they do. I can’t speak highly enough of their strategies, finally a gym that really works and gets results!

Thank you RWL for helping me to finally achieve my goal, I loved wearing my wedding dress and you’re right, along with the memories….these pictures will last forever!

After a wonderful honeymoon and, dare I say it, 5 weeks away from the gym I am excited about getting back into my training and nutrition. I have picked up some ‘new habits’ that I hope I will keep forever. Of course with the wedding and spending time in Italy, with the temptation of so many carb based meals, I did falter slightly but not like I’ve done before and once I’m back in the gym and in the right mind-set I know I can continue to train and maintain the hard work we have achieved.

 

Looking forward to the next stages of my RWL journey.

 

 

Pure and natural rocket fuel

Somewhere in your local green grocers hides a vegetable with superpowers; which when consumed in the correct quantities has been shown to significantly improve performance in both high intensity exercise and endurance.

This unassuming little vegetable sits quietly on the shelf, and only a few people appreciate potential benefit. The supplement industry is on it and has already refined and purified its active ingredient and shoved a hefty price tag on it.  

With a supplement you can chuck down some artificially sweetened powder and water. With this super vegetable you can indulge in a deep purple, earthy, sweet and comforting vegetable, filled with antioxidants and vitamins. You'll feel great, and perform even better.

Have you guessed what it is yet?

It's beetroot!

Nitric oxide in the blood is both an ergogenic aid and a vasodilator.

• An ergogenic aid is something which helps people to perform better when it is taken; examples include caffeine and creatine.
• A vasodilator is a substance which encourages blood flow to the peripheral muscles; this is good for reducing blood pressure and achieving the ‘pump’ which bodybuilders love.

Beetroot contains very high levels of nitrate and when this absorbed by the body, it gets converted into nitric oxide and these effects become pronounced.

Sounds pretty good so far... Here's what the evidence is saying

A study in 2010 went out to discover what it is exactly about the nitrates in beetroot which increase performance. They felt that it was doing one of three things:

1.      Increasing the amount of oxygen delivered to the muscle

2.      Increasing the efficiency with which the muscle uses oxygen

3.      Altering the ratio of energy systems used

 
All of which would lead to a slower rate of fatigue and increased performance

What they found was unexpected; in both high and low intensity exercise they found that increased levels of nitric oxide in the blood allowed muscles to use the body’s units of energy (ATP) more efficiently to do the same work. So each ATP molecule would produce slightly more force than before, leaving more ATP behind for later, and reducing the rate of fatigue.

In essence both 2 and 3 from the list above were correct.

The differences between 1 week of beetroot supplementation and placebo were huge, in high and low intensity exercise efficiency increased by 14% and 11% respectively.

This translates to the average gym goer in a couple of ways:

·         Muscle

o   If you want to build more muscle; high levels of nitric oxide will allow you to cause more damage to your muscles for longer.

·         Strength

o   If you want to get stronger or more powerful; high levels of nitric oxide will allow you to train at a higher intensity for longer.
 

·         Calorie burning

o   Not much benefit for fat loss and calorie burning will probably have very little effect.

·         Aerobic fitness

o   It will make it harder for you fatigue yourself, which is the aim of aerobic training.

How long do these effects last for? I don't know, but I imagine as with all things, if you supplement above natural levels then your body will naturally down regulate production, leaving you at a disadvantage.

So save it for before big competition events, or take it during strength and muscle building training for the best results! The results of the study were achieved by drinking 0.5 litres of organic beetroot juice for 6 days, that's it.  

Omega 3's help to build giants

In world rugby, population numbers mean nothing. Samoa, Tonga and Fiji are three tiny island nations that more than hold their own on the world stage. Their physicality and athleticism mean that what they lack in organisation is more than made up for in raw brutality on the field.

Every player is a different level when it comes physical performance, they are a truly scary bunch of players. But what is it that makes them so big and muscular? What are they eating????

A quick tribute to three of the biggest Samoans out there

As far as I can see it, there are a thousand reasons to maintain a diet high in long chain omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (Omega 3's). The list is seemingly endless:

• Reduced inflammation
• Arthritis
• Alzheimer's
• CV disease
• Metabolic disease
• Fat loss
• Muscle gain
• Hormone balance
• Sleep
• etc.
• Improved insulin sensitivity
• Fat loss
• Muscle gain
• Energy levels
• Sleep
• Altered gene expression
• Fat loss
• Protein synthesis
• Improved lipid profile
• Hormone balance

The list goes on a lot longer than that, and is a lot more detailed, but that's just what I could get off the top of my head.

The interesting fact is that when people are presented with this list and given the choice of taking these supplements or not, some people still aren't convinced.

The problem is that supplements are not drugs and they don't work in the same way. They will not have any acute effect when you take them and you probably won't notice any difference in the first few weeks. So what will convince you to take them?

I think it's all about education and specific advice.

Take someone who is interested in gaining muscle mass; when they are reading about how omega 3's will give them a better lipid profile and reduce their inflammation they are not going to be interested. However if you explain that omega 3's will help them gain muscle and get stronger, suddenly their ears will perk up.



A study published in 2011 investigated the effects of increasing omega 3's in the diet of healthy young and middle aged adults. They gave a relatively low dose, and the results were very interesting.

They found that Omega 3's alone produced no difference muscle protein synthesis (a great measure of muscle building). However when they increased the availability of amino acids in the blood and stimulated an insulin response, those who had extra Omega 3's produced more muscle tissue.

Omega 3's are an anabolic supplement!

The exact mechanism which caused this is still unknown, but ultimately that's not important. The important thing is that we know what the effects are.

The best suggestion that the authors gave for the mechanism was that altering the membrane fluidity altered the way the cell processes proteins, up-regulating synthesis.

So, if you would like to gain more muscle and be bigger and stronger than you have ever ben before, then increase your omega 3 intake. This can be achieved through either eating oily fish and wild meats, or taking an omega 3 supplement.