When it comes to maximizing your workout efficiency, few routines are as effective as High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

 In today's fast-paced world, where the pressures of work, family, and personal goals can be overwhelming, getting a good night's sleep can sometimes feel like an unattainable luxury.

Mental health is as crucial to our well-being as physical health. While therapy, medication, and other interventions play a significant role in managing mental health conditions, exercise has emerged as a powerful, natural way to boost mood, reduce stress, and enhance overall mental well-being.

With summer just around the corner, many women are gearing up to feel their best in the warmer months. A balanced approach to fitness, combining strength training, cardio, and flexibility, can help you achieve your summer fitness goals

Strong legs are fundamental to overall fitness, enabling better performance in sports, enhanced daily functionality, and a well-proportioned physique.

Tennis is a sport that requires a combination of strength, agility, speed, endurance, and flexibility. While on-court practice and match play are essential for developing tennis skills, incorporating gym exercises into a player's training regimen can significantly enhance their physical capabilities, leading to improved performance on the court and reduced risk of injury.

Walking, often overlooked as a form of exercise, holds tremendous potential for improving mental health and well-being. The simple act of putting one foot in front of the other can have profound effects on various aspects of mental health, including mood, stress levels, cognitive function, and overall psychological well-being. 

Treadmills and cross trainers are two popular pieces of exercise equipment found in gyms and homes worldwide. Both are effective at providing cardiovascular workouts and improving overall fitness levels, but they have distinct differences in terms of design, functionality, and the type of workout they offer.

Designing an effective workout routine involves understanding which muscles to target together to maximize efficiency, promote balanced muscle development, and prevent injury.

Staying motivated to continue exercising is a common challenge that many people face.

The winter holidays are a joyous time filled with festivities, family gatherings, and delicious food. However, it's also a season where many individuals find it challenging to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The combination of cold weather, tempting treats, and busy schedules can lead to neglecting our well-being. Let's In this article, we'll explore strategies to stay healthy during the winter holidays, incorporating three gym exercises for those who prefer indoor workouts, and two easy and nutritious recipes to keep your diet on track.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has gained tremendous popularity in recent years as an effective and time-efficient workout regimen.

Leg exercises are an essential component of any fitness routine, and they play a crucial role in overall strength, balance, and mobility.

How Increasing Upper Body Strength Helps You

Increasing upper body strength offers a wide range of benefits that can positively impact a person's daily life, physical health, and overall well-being. Here are some of the key advantages of improving upper body strength:

What Is The Core Of The Body?

The term "body core" typically refers to the central or core area of the body, which includes the muscles, bones, and structures in the torso and pelvis. The core is a crucial part of the body, as it provides stability, balance, and support for various movements and activities.

Yoga can be beneficial for lower back pain in several ways:

Evaluate Your Fitness Objectives

If you established your goals at the beginning of the year or earlier and are still following the same workout routine, it's time to evaluate any progress you've made and adjust your regimen accordingly.

Does HIIT Help With Weight Loss?

Yes, HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) can be effective for weight loss. HIIT workouts typically involve short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by periods of rest or low-intensity exercise, and they can help you burn more calories in a shorter amount of time compared to steady-state cardio exercise.

While trail running typically takes place outside, there are still ways to train for it in the gym.

Functional exercises are a great way to keep your body and mind active. They are also a great way to challenge yourself and make sure you are staying on track. With functional exercises, you can work on different parts of your body at the same time, which is an added bonus. 

Start your day with a big glass of water and continue to sip on water throughout the day. If you're looking for something with a bit more flavor, try adding slices of cucumber or lemon to your water for a refreshing boost of flavor.

 What Are Triceps?

The triceps brachii, commonly referred to as the triceps, is a large muscle spanning the back of your upper arm. It has three heads, the medial head, lateral head, and long head, and attaches to both the shoulder blade and elbow joint.

Osteoporosis is a condition which causes the bones to become brittle and weak. In the early stages, there are little to no symptoms, which means you may not be aware you have this condition until it’s already progressed. 

Do you find sticking to those healthy habits become that little bit tougher during the colder months? Is hitting that snooze alarm and ditching your morning walk becoming the norm? Are you reaching for carbohydrate comfort foods more?

In order to improve your squat, you need to make sure that your form is correct. Follow these tips to improve your squat form:

Back strengthening exercises can help improve balance, strength, and mobility in your back. Exercise properly to prevent back problems in the future!

Whether you’re an avid gym goer in need of a change or a complete novice looking to learn the lay of the land – group training could be the answer to your prayers!

The most important part of any diet is being able to stay on it to achieve the desired results. By making the diet too extreme or limiting, it can become too difficult to follow.

For some people when they start their health and fitness journey, it can often become overwhelming of where to begin. Cardio exercise is one of the most popular forms of exercise. Understanding the major benefits of cardio exercise may help you discover how to start including it as part of your routine.

What is mobility?

Mobility is simply a person’s ability to move. In professional ‘terms’, it is described as how well we can move our bodies (joints and muscles) freely through their full range of motion.

One of the key suggestions when aiming to eat healthier is planning your meals. Mapping out your meals with higher volume, lower-calorie options ensures that you never feel restricted and stay fuller for longer! Bulking up your meals with these 9 pantry staples means you always walk away feeling as energized as possible. 

We are all of course aware of the physical benefits that exercise provides us with. It tones up your limbs, strengthens your core, aids in keeping your heart strong, and can add years onto your life. But what about the benefits of exercise on how you feel, your brain development and overall health?

Eat more leafy greens

Leafy greens like spinach and kale are already known to be packed full of essential nutrients like iron, vitamin A, vitamin K and magnesium, but they’re also a rich source of folate, which helps the body to produce feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.

Our bodies need to be fueled correctly in order to function to the best of their ability when working out. Consuming the right foods and fluids before and after you exercise is crucial to get the best out of your exercise.

Yoga can reduce cortisol

Cortisol is the body’s primary “stress hormone”. It not only contributes to those familiar, unwelcome feelings of stress and anxiety, it also promotes the breakdown of tissue around the body, including muscle. When cortisol levels are chronically high, you can expect to feel terrible, and struggle immensely trying to gain mass.

Here are six food swaps to help make your next barbecue a bit lighter and kinder on your waistline.

Balancing college and finding time for the gym can often be very difficult. Many of you might have part-time work to throw into the mix, making it a whole lot harder to manage it all. With these priorities at hand, we get it, it's easy to let go of looking after your fitness and health. Before you know it, your energy levels are down and you're finding that running isn't as easy as you remember, leaving you to wish there was a way to juggle it all.

WHAT IS STRENGTH TRAINING?
Strength training is a type of resistance training that involves lifting weights in order to build muscle strength and size.

EXERCISE RELEASES HAPPY HORMONES

As you work out, different chemicals get released into your body; one example of these is endorphins, which are produced by the central nervous system. These work with the opiate receptors in the brain to reduce the sensation of pain and provide a boost of positivity and pleasure. This can lead to a feeling of post-workout euphoria that’s a natural and healthy way to feel good.

Aside from physical changes, there are major mental benefits to exercising. As we age and become more sedentary, our cogitative ability is negatively affected, so you can start to see things such as mental reasoning, memory and thinking start to decline. By keeping active, you can help ward off some of these symptoms and also alleviate symptoms of depression which is all the reason to get moving, no matter what age you are.

Whether you’re wine tasting in Italy or sampling the local delicacies in France, most holidays involve major food indulgences. There’s almost an unwritten rule that when you’re away from home, there’s a no-holds-barred mindset where all healthy eating habits are thrown out of the window.

 As the days get shorter, the evenings get darker, and the weather gets chillier, heading outside for a jog isn't quite so appealing, is it?! 

There’s no getting around the fact that for some of us the gym can feel like an intimidating place when you’re first starting out. Our latest research shows that 50% of non-gym members say they find the idea of going to the gym scary, with one in five saying they would find it very scary. But don't worry, because we have found the best ways of overcoming this.

Body composition will change as you age.

The first thing to understand is that weight gain really does seem to be a natural part of the ageing process, with various research confirming the trend. One 2014 cross-sectional study1 of Czech women found, for example, that body fat mass increased with age, and that even when lean body mass (think “muscle”) decreased with age, weight gain still occurred due to the increased fat gain.

Successful muscle definition isn’t the result of luck or magic, but rather the culmination of hard-work and dedication to training and nutrition. Training alone will not result in muscle definition so it's important to keep your diet in check.

Ready to return to weight training after a long break? Getting back into lifting after a while away from the gym? Here's a guide to help you plan your return to the gym safely and effectively, so you can get your strength and fitness back.

They are high in fibre which improves digestive function and bulks up the stool to make bowels more regular

When we think of exercise we often think of all-out, high intensity running, cycling or sports and aerobics. But it might surprise you to learn that one of the most effective ways to safely condition your body is by practicing Pilates.

Get on the front foot with your children’s eating habits and start to pave the way. Healthy eating is a skill that must be taught. They’ve got to learn it from us.

If you’re a little bit unsure as to where to start, here are the four ‘P’s  for raising healthy kids and toddlers:

There are many schools of thought when it comes to the term ‘sweat it out’. 

The goal of your post workout “meal” is to replace your glycogen stores and digest some protein to help repair your muscles. This should be done as soon as possible and as shakes are much faster to digest and prepare than whole foods they tend to be the preferred option.

Weight loss can be achieved through gradually reducing the amount of calories you take in or by doing repetitive exercise for any given duration i.e. walking, jogging, running, cycling etc

There are three ways to get this much needed vitamin: the sun’s UV rays, food sources and supplements.

1. Create a calm and restful environment
Close down your laptop, put your phone down, turn off the lights and create a space that is calming and ideal for sleeping. Exposure to bright lights and electronics can stimulate your mind before bed which is the opposite of what we want when it’s time to sleep!

HUNGER HORMONES: GHRELIN AND LEPTIN
Two important hormones that shape our appetite and hunger signals are leptin and ghrelin. Leptin suppresses your appetite. The more body fat you have, the more leptin you produce.

It can range from a mild ache to debilitating pain that may derail your workout efforts. But don’t let this common running conundrum stop you in your tracks. The best treatment is prevention, so here are some simple ways to keep your shins strain free:

Stay away from Carbonated Drinks

Drinking carbonated drinks such as sparkling water and soft drinks may seem like a treat, but where do you think those tingly bubbles end up? Trapped in your belly. Watch out for sugar-free or low-carb products, too. These beverages still contain artificial sweeteners, such as sorbitol, which can be difficult for many people to digest.

So, how do you keep a spring in your step when your fuel tank is low? Thankfully, nature provides food varieties that serve up big flavor and an even bigger energy hit. 

Step 1: Take stock

Change requires an honest assessment of where you’re at. Analyze your eating patterns, physical activity, moods, social network and destructive habits (i.e. smoking, excessive drinking, four coffees/day). Once you identify the things you need to improve, you can start to tackle what realistic action is required to make positive changes. 

Luckily, there is a way of preventing dry eyes. But let us get a bit more familiar with the topic.

1) “Eating past 7pm is bad for you” – Our body doesn’t store more calories just because it’s later in the day however ideally you should aim to have your last main meal around 2-3 hours before bedtime to avoid indigestion. Eating late at night isn’t problematic if you truly are hungry or have just come in late from work etc. however it may be problematic if you are snacking on high fat/sugar foods out of boredom and subsequently eating too many calories over the course of the day.

Often people think of protein as a means for “bulking up” at the gym – but in fact, protein is so much more.  Did you know that protein is a component of every single cell in your body, and is used to build and repair bones and tissue?
So it’s safe to say – sourcing adequate protein is pretty important!

1. Drink Water

When your body lacks enough fluids a common side effect is a headache. Many specialists claim that this occurs because blood vessels contract in an effort to conserve fluid. So the next time you feel a headache coming on drink water and continue to do so during the course of the day. Also stay away from caffeine drinks such as tea and coffee or alcohol, all of which dehydrate you and prevent your headache from going away.

Below are 5 easy ways to make walking more enjoyable, more productive and drive long term results.

Luckily we've uncovered 5 of the healthiest ingredients that you probably haven't used yet!

WHAT IS THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET?

Thanks to dense coastlines and rich soils, the islands caressing the Mediterranean Sea serve up diets full of nuts, veggies and legumes, and olive oils. Traditionally a peasant-style diet, it’s largely plant-based, with little meat, and next to no hyper-processed foods. However, it is relatively high in fat – meaning if the Mediterranean diet is as healthy as research shows, fat is not the enemy commonly thought of in Western diets.

If you’ve ever set a big goal, you know that your excitement and enthusiasm are high and you can’t wait to get started. But over time, motivation naturally starts to decrease and day-to-day life becomes a distraction. But that’s no reason not to set goals in the first place. You just have to change your strategy.

The endorphin rush that comes with a workout, the accomplishment in improving strength or dropping a few kilos is hard to beat. It is motivating and inspiring and is often the driving force that keeps us going back for more.

For most, this healthy habit is something that enhances our quality of life, but for a subset of the population it becomes more sinister.

1. Carbohydrates

Eating carbs increases the level of tryptophan in your blood, which the body converts into serotonin – a sleep-inducing brain chemical that slows nerve impulses and promotes calm. While more research is needed, sleep researchers generally agree that including a carbohydrate, particularly slow-burning carbs (beans, pasta, quinoa, sweet potato) to your evening meal will help you sleep more soundly.

1. Fresh Fruit
Bananas: an excellent source of energy, Vitamin B6, potassium and fiber.
Apples: a great source of fiber, Vitamin C and help regulate blood sugar. They’re very satisfying, making them a perfect afternoon snack.
Blueberries: Blueberries are packed with Vitamin K, Manganese, Fiber and Vitamin C, and their antioxidant count is high.

Vitamin A is a potent antioxidant necessary for collagen and keratin production – a type of protein responsible for skin strength and smooth, plump appearance (not quite the same as what you find in fancy skin creams. Be sure to include lots of sweet potato, carrots, dark leafy greens, pumpkin, capsicum, mangoes and broccoli in your diet.

Eat Fresh Foods

While manufacturers are getting better at reducing the sodium levels in foods, you should still read the labels. Fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, unsalted nuts and fresh lean meats are naturally low in sodium and should make up the majority of your diet.

Everyone can eat a bit healthier with a few tweaks to their diet – here are some basic rules and cooking tips to point you into the right direction.

The stomach, which contains hydrochloric acid, will help in the proper digestion of food. The problem lies when the LES either does not close all the way or it opens too often that produces acid to your stomach and move up into your esophagus.

My general compromise for a person without these conditions is: 1 good quality coffee per day. What do I mean by good quality coffee? Coffee made by running water through ground coffee beans with an espresso machine, plunger etc. Instant coffee is not OK as it is high in a chemical called acrylamide which has been shown to cause nerve damage and some research suggests that it is carcinogenic (cancer causing).

Red meat

Whether you want to strip body fat, or build lean muscle, eating red meat helps by keeping you fuller for longer and curbing hunger cravings.

A powerful source of energy and nutrients – such as vitamin B2, iron and zinc, red meat also helps the functioning of bones and muscles. When selecting your meat look out for fresh, lean cuts which have a vibrant red color, and opt for grass-fed beef, which has higher levels of omega-3 fats.

Enjoy red meat twice a week, and chicken, fish or vegetable sources of protein on other days.

1. Willpower is a mind-body response

You may have heard the mantra ‘tell your mind what to do and your body will follow.’ It seems logical that willpower works simply through your mindset, however, it’s actually a full-blown mind-body response. This mind-body response triggers a ‘pause and plan’ effect, which puts your body into a calmer state, unlike the adrenaline rush of stress, which depletes your willpower reserves and leads to poor decision making. The result is the difference between reaching for that chocolate bar or taking a deep breath and making a cup of tea instead.

When we are stressed, or experience stress there are changes in the brain and in the whole body. We experience the ‘stress response’ or ‘fight-flight’ response. When we are in danger or feel threatened our body gets ready and geared up to face up to it in the best possible way to survive. Our heart rate increases, muscles become tense, stress hormones are released and flood into the nervous system, fats and sugars release to create instant energy, the digestive system shuts down to save energy and the area of the brain which is used for clear decision making shuts down.

Here are some examples:

Playing with your kids and grand children

As we get older, many of us complain of stiff joints, immobility and tight muscles - not to mention just a lack of general cardiovascular fitness. All of these things create a barrier when it comes to carrying out our daily chores and activities, but we get by. We adapt, we figure out ways of making things easier. We take the elevator instead of the stairs, we park closer to the supermarket and we store things where they’re easily accessible.

Sleep
Alcohol may help you fall asleep quickly, but the quality of your sleep may not be so good. Those who drink close to bedtime don’t get enough rapid eye movement (REM) sleep where important processes of dreaming and restoration occur. This lack of sleep impairs muscle recovery and reduces energy, meaning your workouts the next day will suffer.

Modern wheat has been subjected to selective breeding over thousands of years, stripping it of many nutrients, but untouched ancient grains boast a far richer nutritional profile. Higher in protein and lower in gluten, they’re an excellent source of dietary fiber, which not only give you a “full” feeling, but are necessary  for digestive health.

Here are six things you should never do before hitting the gym.

KNOW YOUR RISK?

Women of all ages should take heart disease seriously. Those under the age of 65, and especially those with a family history of heart disease, need to pay close attention to the risk factors. Smoking is another contributing risk for heart disease more so in women than in men, so either quit or don’t start this unhealthy habit.

To Burn Calories- Standing

According to studies standing at a desk increases calorie burn by 20 percent compared to sitting. Why? When we sit, our muscles are not engaged, our digestive system slows and blood circulation is gradual. So if you find yourself chained to the desk most of the time, stand up every 20 minutes and go to the printer, get a drink of water, take a stretch or pace while talking on the phone.

Considering how crucial it is to our survival, we spend very little time thinking about the way we breathe. In fact, most of us generally only think about our breath when we’re short of it. But it’s a subject that could do with a little more attention. If we breathe the way our bodies were designed to, we can unlock real and lasting benefits for our workouts and our health.

Staying slim, toned and vibrant for life is something we all want. And the key to getting it is to train your metabolism to perform at its best. Your metabolic system is not only responsible for burning fat and building lean tissue, it’s also involved in hormone function, recovery, sweat, sleep, regeneration.

So how do you get your best metabolism ever? Imagine you were trying to train a puppy. The most effective approach is to keep repeating the same messages, day in, day out. The best kind of information over and over until things click into place. 

When we think of athletes and active people, we certainly don’t think of exercise being dangerous to their health. It makes sense that active people would be healthier than sedentary ones. The truth is, exercise and strenuous physical activity can increase our oxygen consumption in order to meet our energy demands.

QUALITY VS. QUANTITY

For an ideal sleep you need to go through several stages. Two of these phases are particularly important: Deep sleep is the most restorative stage of sleep when the body repairs itself, and studies suggest the most damaging effects of sleep deprivation are from inadequate deep sleep.

While usually overlooked, good balance is an important factor for your overall health and injury prevention.  Poor balance can lead to falls and injury, especially for older people. By developing greater balance, you’ll improve your coordination and postural stability.

It is true to say that all fats are not created equal. In fact, fats such as cholesterol, saturated fats and trans fats are detrimental to one’s health when ingested in large quantities. Conversely, omega 3 fatty acids are one type of fat that possess countless health benefits.

Omega 3s have been shown to improve heart rate, cut the risk of blood clots, decrease plaque in arteries, reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure and boost good cholesterol (HDL).

Whether it’s your heart beating, nerves communicating or muscles pumping – your metabolism works 24/7 and is the source of your energy. To carry out these bodily functions, we require energy that ultimately comes from our food. Metabolic rate is affected by many factors, including our age, weight and genetics.

Believe it or not, exercise can be unhealthy if overdone. It’s known as overtraining.

When we exercise, we push our body, and this is normal. The exertion stimulates our muscles and cardiovascular system, which makes us fitter. But when we increase the frequency of our training, or up the intensity level, our bodies struggle to recover which can bring progress to a standstill, or even send it backwards.

Everyone is different so there’s no exact formula for how much exercise is the right amount. How quickly your body recovers is affected by experience, intensity, how often you train, nutrition, sleep and other lifestyle factors. But there are a few tell-tale signs it might be time to pull it back a little.

Getting fit isn’t just about bigger muscles, it also helps build brain cells. Here are five reasons why exercise makes you smarter, sharper and more productive.

Keep a bottle of water with you during the day:

While it might seem obvious, always carrying a water bottle with you will encourage you to keep sipping on water throughout the day. Keep a bottle on your desk at work, in your car or in your gym bag and you’ll have one with you wherever you go.

Including foods with protein in every meal and snack is essential for weight and fat loss. Protein containing foods help to make you feel fuller for longer period of time, preventing blood sugar spikes and dips.

Studies have shown that even just one alcohol-free month boosts both your short- and long-term health and can help you drink less in the months following.

Sometimes it’s all too easy to put health and fitness into the ‘goals to be achieved’ bucket and revisit at a time in your life when it feels like more of a priority.

 Diet and lifestyle changes can have a positive impact on blood pressure levels. Here are five ways to lower your blood pressure naturally.

When it comes to breaking a sweat, many people focus on bigger biceps and a trim waistline, but for some, that’s not enough motivation to get moving. Indeed, the phrase ‘exercise is medicine‘ is becoming increasingly recognized as a fundamental form of treatment for various lifestyle related diseases, including depression, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, some cancers, and hip fractures. Here are a few unexpected benefits of exercise that happen when you're active.

Yoga, an ancient practice and meditation, has become increasingly popular in today’s busy society. With many forms of exercise and training coming and going, yoga is one that has stood the test of time, having been around for more than 5,000 years. The word yoga means ‘to join or yoke together’. It brings your body and mind together, and is built on three main elements – exercise, breathing and meditation.