When choosing a nutritious snack to tide you over, remember three things you need: Protein + Fat + Fiber and here's why. 

A lot of people incorrectly assume that fat needs to be avoided at all costs. We’ve decided to take a look at what this food group actually does, and why it’s essential to staying fit and healthy.

I remember when I was in school and after every break my primary school teacher would bring back a coffee into the classroom she’d sit there drinking it like it was the best thing ever. She used to read a story to us and because we all sat fairly close to her, her breathe stunk of coffee! However the cup of coffee she was drinking from smelled amazing!

There was one memory of my mum (not a coffee drinker) making a coffee to try it out and I wanted to taste it because it smelled so good, but when I did it tasted like I was eating the skin of an orange without actually tasting any orange. At 5-6 years old the bitter taste was just too much. It wasn’t until 2013 that I tried coffee again, I was a grown man, I got to stay up past my bed time and I didn’t need to hold hands with anyone to cross the road. 

The term ‘fat-free’ is one of the more common forms of labelling that should raise a warning flag. If you’re new to losing weight it’s an easy mistake. ‘Fat-free’ yogurt may be relatively free of fat but when the fat is taken out the yogurt doesn’t taste so good. Manufacturers compensate by adding more sugar as well as thickening agents neither of which are good for your health or your diet plan. Fat free ice cream is much the same with added sugar in the form of corn syrup that is high in fructose – one of the main causes of obesity. 

Conventional wisdom has it that the older you get the less strength and mobility you have. This belief was strengthened in previous studies that showed people over the age of 40 typically lost 8% or more of their muscle mass with each decade, a process that accelerates after age 70. Of course, less muscle mass means less strength and mobility, which as you age leads to less independence. It has also been linked to premature mortality.

Achieving optimal health and fitness can be challenging for even the most dedicated of us. But when applied each day, these top 5 rules for improved health and fitness can help you to attain more of it, forever:

Before we get into the details of the junk food addiction aspect let’s first define the subject. The official definition of junk food is food, meaning some substance that is basically edible, with little or virtually zero nutritional value. Junk food is often high in saturated fats and sugar and contains calories but little in the way of either protein, vitamins or minerals – as numerous scientific studies have proven. 

People constantly thinking that weight loss is linked to many hours of gym and sweat… Well, let's say that this is just a myth.
You dont need to go for an hour 4 times a week to get results. All you need is a regular ’Fastie’ and you will feel the difference. 

Beets may not have occurred, or appealed to you as a body building option let alone something you should consume more often. Enough to put anyone off beets! However, fresh beets, if you can find them in farmer’s markets or health food stores are far better tasting either grated raw in a salad or as the colourful main ingredient in borscht soup. Minus the vinegar beets are naturally delicious and their nitrates increase vasodilation – the widening of blood vessels which increases blood flow to tissues that most need it enabling the body to work harder and also lowers blood pressure.

Surprisingly Psy forgot one truly important icon of Korean culture in his Gangnam Style spoof of Seoul lifestyles – kimchi! In Korea everyone eats it almost with every meal, including breakfast. This is beyond being simply a super food although foreigners may wonder what all the fuss is about. Kimchi has an acquired taste. Made from fermented cabbage, onions, garlic and spices it kicks a powerful punch as well as providing beneficial bacteria that aid digestion and nutrient absorption. A diet containing kimchi has been found to decrease waist size and body fat while improving blood sugar levels. Eat it as a side dish with any meal.

“Why am I not losing weight even though I’m training more?”

A very common question from many people, have many answers...First we need to make sure that everyone understands the difference between weight loss and fat loss.
What’s the difference?
Weight Loss = Wanting to lose body weight on a scale – The sum weight of bones, muscles, organs, fat, etc.
Fat loss = Wanting to reduce the fat on your body regardless of weight – The amount of fat between muscle and skin.

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

Weight loss problems

Everyone needs a certain amount of protein in their diet and anyone involved in fitness training and body building will logically need more in a daily basis. One way to get an energy boost after working out while avoiding the dangers of high fat sources of protein, such as fatty meats, is by shaking up a shake based on protein powder alternatives or buy one of the hundreds brands in the market.

There are a number of such alternative sources of protein that are ideal for making shakes, including soy, egg and whey. All are high in protein and low in carbohydrates. All you need is a blender, 1-2 minutes and some imagination.

Fat never goes out of fashion at least not the numerous approaches to getting rid of it. How it gets there is generally well documented usually under the headings of an unbalanced diet and lifestyle. Of course, getting rid of just about anything is always going to be harder than if we’d simply avoided it in the first place, but here we have a recent study that looks at making a cure for too much fat from one of the main culprits: namely dairy products.

It is a truth generally acknowledged that one of the main causes of obesity is a diet high in dairy fats. However, it has been discovered that diets high in low-fat dairy calcium in fact helped burn off more fat than low calcium diets mainly because calcium plays an important role in regulating body weight and fat metabolism.

Although better known for maintaining bone density and strength, calcium also lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, and has been shown to increase weight loss. A recent study found an increase in dietary calcium intake to 1200 1300 mg per day together with a normal intake of protein increased fat and energy excretion by about 350 calories per day.

Before starting a personal training program you should take a fitness analysis which tests muscular strength, aerobic fitness, flexibility and body condition - and of course takes in great consideration your health problems if any.  The fitness analysis comprises the following.

Blood pressure check

It is important to test your blood pressure as high blood pressure increases your chances of strokes, coronary disease and kidney disease.

Body fat percentage check

Allows us to see what percentage of your body is made up of fat so we can get an understanding of how much muscle you have and how much fat we suggest you lose.

BMI test  Body mass index test

Estimates a healthy weight based on your height so you can get a rough idea of whether you are overweight and how overweight you are.

Heart rate is a useful measure of physical exertion and can help monitor your performance and avoid some common training errors, such as going too fast on what should be long slow runs. You've seen this tool in front of you every time you are using a cardio machine in our gym.