by Rebecca Prade | May 4, 2018 | FITNESS, WELLBEING
In the UK, a new craze is taking schools by storm – and it’s not the latest trainers or a new gadget. Schools all over the UK are participating in ‘The Daily Mile’, encouraging children to get outside and walk, jog or run a mile every day. The children don’t get changed out of their uniform; there are no notable exceptions if it’s a bit rainy outside, and once finished, they go back to their desks for double maths and lunch.
According to their website, the aim of The Daily Mile is to improve the physical, social, emotional and mental health and wellbeing of our children – regardless of age, ability or personal circumstances. It is a very simple but effective concept, which any primary school can implement free of charge and without the need for staff training. Its impact can be transformational – improving not only children’s fitness but also their concentration levels, mood, behaviour and general wellbeing.
The concept is the brainchild of Elaine Whyllie, the former principal at St. Ninians Primary School in Stirling, Scotland. She implemented the daily mile at her school after learning from teachers that students struggled to complete a lap at a nearby sports field (roughly a mile in length).
For decades, research has shown that the optimum school day should consist of two-thirds classroom time, one-third physical activity and no homework. In addition, active learning should be embraced; that means, for example, teaching kids to count by skipping and learning geography by going for a hike. Despite this research, we still make the fundamental mistake of thinking that more classroom time and more study give better results. The reality is that active kids are primed for learning, and literacy and numeracy are bolstered by physical activity and play.
As a nation, we are catastrophically failing to ensure our children are moving around enough. Government guidelines recommend that children get one hour of exercise a day, but unless children play a sport or have PE on that day, they often fail to hit that target. When we drive our kids to school, sit them on their butts all day, then drive them home again to sit more to do homework and then stare at screens, we have essentially created the ideal conditions for a significant health problem. We have, by engineering activity out of our kids’ daily lives, allowed obesity to flourish. While the Daily Mile usually only takes around 15-25 minutes, it is at least a small step in the right direction towards children getting more exercise.
With people like Jamie Oliver bringing childhood obesity into the spotlight at the moment, we have all been reading about how the UK is in the middle of an obesity epidemic. The data shows that almost a third of children aged 2 to 15 are overweight or obese and are now more likely to live a shorter life than their parents. But we must remember amidst all this that the causes of obesity are multifactorial, and while fizzy drinks and ultra-processed foods are responsible for some of these statistics, a lack of exercise is also very much to blame.
Children in the UK are simply not getting enough exercise, and the knock-on effect is hurting their mental health as well. Along with childhood obesity, childhood mental health issues are also on the rise in the UK, with one in ten children suffering from mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.
Doing the Daily Mile doesn’t just improve fitness, but it also has a positive impact on children’s concentration and mental well-being. With all the time young people spend in front of screens, kids’ attention spans are at an all-time low. By taking a break from the classroom to go outdoors and exercise, the children come back feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on whatever challenge they may face – whether it be a difficult maths equation or playground drama. Children experience a release of endorphins from exercising, which boosts their mood and allows them to think more clearly.
According to Dr Richard Bailey, International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education, “physically active children and young people perform better academically than their inactive peers and those who are most active benefit the most.” But also, just completing the task has a positive impact on the children. What felt like a colossal task just four weeks ago will now become light work – or, at the very least, a little easier. Those children who were once trailing behind should now be able to take on a jog; the joggers become runners, and the runners try to run as far as they can. This sense of achievement is so important, as it teaches kids the importance of perseverance and that hard work does pay off.
It may not seem like a lot, but The Daily Mile is just one of the ways we can begin to target childhood obesity and improve the lives of young people. If you struggle to incorporate exercise into your or your child’s life, need help creating a balanced diet, or just need some guidance towards living a healthier lifestyle, I’m here to help. Click here to arrange a free 15-minute chat.
For more information, check out www.thedailymile.co.uk and if not already, get your school involved.
Find out more about Jamie Oliver’s #AdEnough campaign here www.jamieoliver.com/adenough/
by Rebecca Prade | Jan 22, 2018 | FITNESS
Physical Strength – The most common health issues that we suffer from today (obesity, diabetes, mobility issues) come from our modern-day lifestyle, which includes inactivity and too much overconsumption. The advice that we hear most often is to increase our cardio activity (e.g. go for a run or walk). Whilst there are many health benefits to going for a run, there is evidence that it does not increase a person’s metabolic rate (the rate at which you burn calories when at rest). Read below to find out why we think strength training is the most important and effective way to prevent these health issues.
OVERCOMING OUR SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE
Strength training forces your body and muscles to adapt in four main ways. Firstly, your central nervous system adapts by forcing your muscles to work in an effective way. For example, the more deadlifts you do, the better you get at doing them, and so you become stronger and improve your physical strength. Secondly, as you increase muscle mass, they need more energy, and your muscles get this energy from burning glycogen (sugar), so they consume more calories. That is what speeds up your metabolism. Finally, using your muscles in this way promotes better posture. By sitting all day, we are weakening key muscle areas, such as the glutes, hamstrings and lower back. Strengthening these areas allows for good posture and mobility as we get older.
IMPROVED HEALTH & MOBILITY IN OLD AGE
As we age, our physical strength becomes compromised, and we seem to get hit with more and more health problems. You should see exercise as an investment – the more time you spend on your body now, the better off you will be in the future. After the age of 50, there were complaints about having aches and pains go through the roof. All this can be caused by a lack of mobility. For example, osteoporosis is a major indirect cause of death. An elderly person who breaks a bone may end up in a hospital bed for enough time to contract an infection. Pneumonia is an obvious example. People who lift weights in older age are independent for longer; they don’t tend to hurt themselves, and even if they do, they recover much faster. The good news is that it only takes small changes to make large improvements, and a little resistance training goes a long way. A walk or cycle to work every other day, along with a couple of strength sessions a week, will make a huge difference to your physical well-being, health and longevity.
IMPROVED HORMONE BALANCE
From a cosmetic point of view, there is nothing more effective at changing how your body looks than resistance training. The burning of calories combined with better posture and firmer muscles will transform the shape of your body. But more crucially, this type of training can balance hormones, whereas other forms of exercise, such as cardio, can actually disrupt hormones, and this is true for both men and women.
If you are very stressed or fatigued, for example, doing a lot of cardio can actually make the situation worse. For men with low testosterone, nothing is going to raise testosterone like strength training, but doing a lot of cardio, on the other hand, may actually start to do the opposite and start to depress those anabolic hormones. In men, studies have shown that resistance exercise balances growth hormone and testosterone. In women, it balances oestrogen and progesterone (See our blog on resistance weight loss for more on this topic). Also, the release of chemicals that you get from working out is proven to make you feel great.
BE CONSISTENT!
I have spoken about this in a previous blog post, but it is so important. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to learn to enjoy the process of exercise. Don’t be fixated on an end goal. I don’t know anybody who doesn’t enjoy taking some time out for themselves. And it doesn’t matter how busy you are, it’s important, especially if you’re busy. Especially if you have kids and you feel like you’re frazzled because you have no time or you’re spread too thin.
Taking 20 or 30 minutes to yourself will make you feel good and everybody wants and deserves to feel good. This is how you should approach fitness. If you like something, do it. And do it because you’re enjoying it at the time that you’re doing it. Then what you’ll find is, you will become consistent at doing it. I know this blog has been about strength training, but really, at the end of the day, anything done consistently is going to be better than even the best program done inconsistently. So learn to enjoy the process, and you’ll never have to worry about this I’m-on-the-wagon-off-the-wagon idea. Start to realise there is no wagon. It’s just the way you live.
For delicious recipes, visit our website. Or you can check out Bexology’s nutrition, fitness & wellbeing pages for advice you can trust
by Rebecca Prade | Jan 9, 2018 | FITNESS, WELLBEING
Despite what we’ve long been told, and the tendency to food- and fat-shame in our culture, the number on the scale isn’t always a simple reflection of the number of calories we consume vs. the number we burn. In fact, the stress brought on by extreme diets and exercise can undermine them entirely and actually cause weight gain. So why is it that sometimes diet and efforts at the gym just don’t pay off on the scale? Often the real key to losing unwanted belly fat, and gaining energy, clarity, and a better mood lies with your hormones. Weight loss resistance is often hormonally based in women and these imbalances not only have an effect on our weight, but also on our mood and happiness. Here I’m going to talk about what to do if hormones are out of whack and the most important things we all should know about hormones, regardless of what we may weigh.
There is a common misconception that weight-loss is just a case of simple maths: eat less, exercise more and et voilà, you’ve lost weight! This hypothesis has been widely disproven and remains the greatest misconception people have about diet and weight loss. Calories matter, more to some people than others, but hormones matter more. Almost anyone who struggles with weight also battles a hormone imbalance and there are many hormonal imbalances that will have an effect on your weight:
High cortisol causes belly fat deposits, PMS, disrupts other hormones and not to mention gives you a short fuse.
High insulin increases blood sugar.
Leptin can be blocked causing you to be continually hungry.
A slow thyroid can cause hair loss and fluid retention.
Problems with the HPA (hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal) control system.
The list goes on. Addressing these imbalances will not only help you lose weight more easily, but your mood will improve, your energy will increase and your daily outlook will no longer be determined by the bathroom scale and your battle of the bulge. Let’s take a look at these imbalances and how they affect us more closely.
The root cause of cortisol imbalance is usually a dysregulated HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis, which is the boss of all of your hormones. When the HPA axis is up-regulated, you churn out too much cortisol resulting in excess belly fat, feeling like you’re constantly racing from task to task, feeling wired but tired, quickness to anger and irritability, and rapid weight gain. Since the root cause is usually the HPA axis, the key is to reset it, starting with cortisol. Any other attempts at fixing the hormones will likely fail in the long-term if the wayward HPA axis is not addressed. Here is my (simplified) protocol for becoming more objective about your stressors and balancing cortisol in women (all suggestions that are proven in randomized trials, the best evidence we have):
- Talk through what’s stressing you with a girlfriend.
- Practice some form of meditation or yoga regularly.
- Add B vitamins and omega-3s to your diet if deficient.
- Take phosphatidyl serine until you perceive less stress.
- Get a massage once or twice per month.
- Limit alcohol and coffee, or ideally switch to green tea, which contains L-theanine, an amino acid that reduces stress without sedation.
- Increase your greens especially cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale and cauliflower to aid detoxification of hormones.
- Eat extra dark chocolate (80% cacao or higher).
- Try an adaptogenic herb such as ashwagandha. This one of my favourite adaptogens. It helps to reset cortisol, so it’s not too high or too low during the day.
Here is a breakdown of the other hormones that are often problematic:
INSULIN: Insulin is a fat-storage hormone. Insulin resistance means your cells can’t absorb the extra blood glucose your body generates from the food you eat, when that happens, your liver converts the glucose into fat. Insulin resistance usually causes weight gain and sugar addiction.
LEPTIN: High leptin causes weight gain and excessive hunger. Leptin is nature’s appetite suppressant. When you’ve had enough to eat, leptin signals your brain to stop eating. When you are overweight, your fat cells produce excess leptin. When your brain gets bombarded with leptin signals from too many fat cells, it shuts down; leptin levels keep rising, receptors stop functioning, your body doesn’t get the leptin signal, and you don’t feel full. You keep eating the wrong foods in an addictive pattern, and you keep gaining weight.
OESTROGEN: Oestrogen dominance is when you have too much oestrogen compared with its counter-hormone, progesterone. Having too much oestrogen in the body causes a number of symptoms, including weight loss resistance, moodiness, PMS, and heavy periods.
THYROID: Your thyroid acts as the gas pedal of your metabolism, managing how fast or slow you burn calories. When the thyroid is sluggish, it can cause weight gain, fluid retention, hair loss or thinning, depression, and constipation, among other problems.
It is also important to remember that emotional, mental, social, and spiritual factors can also affect your hormones. “Stress” is often a catchall for emotions, and it is the over-activated stress response that can often lead to weight loss resistance. Mental and emotional obstacles, beliefs, and attitudes can sabotage weight loss. Also, unprocessed and/or troublesome emotions can lead to overeating, drinking too much alcohol or binge-watching TV for example, to self-medicate. Even worse, the drill-sergeant approach of restricted eating and harsh exercise can escalate hormonal and emotional problems.
The best way to get your hormones back on track and reinstate a healthy weight is to correct hormonal imbalances with changes to the way you eat, move, think, and supplement.
CHANGE THE WAY YOU EAT AND DRINK. Remove processed foods, refined carbohydrates, sugars and sugar substitutes from your diet. Eliminate alcohol for 21 days (even a single serving can reduce a woman’s metabolism by more than 70%! It’s a temporary effect, but can add up over time if you drink most nights).
TARGETED EXERCISE. Make sure to keep moving, and choose forms of movement that you love, but exercise smart. Avoid chronic cardio as it places so much stress on the body that cortisol shoots sky-high. Interval training and more gentle exercise such as Pilates or yoga are more likely to stabilize cortisol than running a half marathon. Interval training involves short periods of high intensity exercise with moderate-level exercise as recovery. It is incredibly efficient and comes without the cortisol-raising side effect of a long run. Not only that, but it is extremely effective at raising growth hormone, the growth-and-repair hormone that maintains your lean body mass, a crucial indicator of how your body is biologically aging. Other excellent forms of exercise include lifting weights twice a week at a minimum to prevent osteoporosis, walk or hike briskly at an effort level of 9 to 10 (out of 10) for 3 minutes, alternating with an effort level of 6 to 7 for 3 minutes, for a total of 30 minutes, a protocol shown to foster weight loss.
SUPPLEMENTS. Here are a few of my favourites to help balance hormones:
MAGNESIUM is required for over 300 different processes in the body and deficiency can result in sleep disorders and anxiety, which in turn affect your hormones. Today, due to farming practices our soil has been depleted of magnesium and the percentage present in food has fallen drastically so supplementing is your best option. Take 400mg-600mg of Magnesium Glycinate a day in the evening.
BERBERINE is the most proven supplement to reset insulin and support weight loss in women. It activates an important enzyme called adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, or AMP, nicknamed the “metabolic master switch.” Take 300 to 500 milligrams one to three times per day. It works better when combined with milk thistle.
DI-INDOLE METHANE (DIM): This supplement is akin to eating 25 pounds of steamed broccoli. Many women with weight loss resistance have oestrogen dominance, a problem that affects 75 to 80% of women over thirty-five. Specifically, DIM reduces 2-hydroxy-estrone and 2-hydroxy-estradiol, so that you have more protective oestrogens and fewer bad oestrogens. Dose is typically 200 mg/day but must be adjusted to the individual. Alternatively: Eat more lightly steamed cruciferous vegetables, which can improve your good-to-bad oestrogen ratio by 30%.
CONSIDER GENETIC TESTING. It can guide the best ways for you to eat, move, think, and supplement for hormonal harmony and weight loss. For example, changing your food strategy can reset the way certain genes are expressed: You can reduce your carbohydrate intake to reset the ADRB2 gene, which controls your weight changes in response to exercise.
If you think hormones are playing a role in your inability to lose weight get in touch with us to book a consultation so we can discuss testing options and provide you with a fully tailored plan to help you get control over your hormones again and get back control of your weight.
For delicious recipes visit our website. Or you can check out Bexology’s nutrition, fitness & wellbeing pages for advice you can trust
Recent Comments