Well ladies it time to get up and at it this month

I hope you all had a good festive season watching the food intake and keeping active!

On my return from my holiday I had a few days to get use to the change in temperature! Brrrrr… then I was straight back into my training plan

Then the really bad weather hit Devon and as a fair weather runner I have been hammering the gym doing two workouts a day

On one of my trips to London I met up with Beverley, Bev’s FitFarm story is a good one in the fact that when I met Bev nearly 2 years ago now she could not run for more than 30 seconds! I remember quite clearly on a 7 mile route to the pool in Devon, Bev asking me why can’t I run for more than thirty seconds I just can’t do it? Well I told her as I do to lots of FitFarm clients, try and focus your mind to count to 60 and see how it feels it’s about building momentum when you run, relaxing the body and controlling your breathing. Read more…

By Julie Brealy

There is nothing more frustrating than to know that your diet and exercise, which used to keep you fit for years, are now less effective. The flabby arms and legs are still noticeable despite of intensive workout and stricter diet. This situation will start to puzzle you as why your exercise regimen and long-term diet programs are no longer effective.

Actually, there is nothing wrong in your workouts and diets. It has something to do with your age. Age is a vital factor that contributes to middle age weight gain. According to studies, the process of burning calories or also known as metabolism slows down as you age.

This is the rationale behind for that flabby arms though you workout religiously and keeps a stricter diet. However, there is good news! Middle age weight gain can be prevented. The only thing you have to remember is to start the prevention now and not to delay it further.

It is a known fact that there is no magic formula for long term weight loss and fitness. It is always a package of hard work and discipline. So to combat your body’s vulnerability to middle age weight gain, these are effective tips to remember.

Muscle burns more calories. To rev up your body metabolism, it is necessary to increase your muscle mass. This is best achieved by intensifying your strength trainings and engaging more into fat burning workout activities.

There are many options for fat burning exercises. It stretches from body combat, swimming, cycling, circuit training, aerobics, yoga and boxing. If you have been exercising, then try to increase your fitness level and to diversify your workout activities so as to boost your metabolism. However if you have sedentary lifestyle, then it is recommended to start slowly. The important step is to start now.

Be extra cautious with your food intake. Your metabolism declines with your age. If you are starting to climb the age of thirties, it is about time to cut back sweets and rich fat foods. Healthy foods such as vegetables, lean meat and fruits are good options.

However, not all of us have the ability to kick off a new healthy lifestyle. Leaving behind our old habits is a real challenge but there are ways to resolve this issue. You can always seek the expertise of nutritionists and gym instructors. To see fast result, it is recommended to enrol in fitness or weight loss boot camps.

You may oppose to this idea because of the fees involved but you have to consider its long term benefits to you. Your decision to join a fitness boot camp can be the key to a longer life and healthier you.

Fitness and weight loss boot camps are equipped with facilities and have the experts to guide and to ensure optimum result in your workouts and diet program.

So do not wait until losing weight becomes an arduous goal to achieve. Take the necessary steps now to prevent the middle age weight gain.

About the Author
Julie Brealy is the health manager at FitFarms, UK’s No. 1 Weight Loss Holiday and Fitness Boot Camp. She has been working for over 10 years in the weight loss industry advising companies in the US and the UK. Julie is also an experienced deep tissue massage therapist.

Well I am back Devon in very different climes than I have experienced at my holiday fitness camp -It’s freezing.

The news is I don’t think I will be on strictly next year or racing against Paula for the London marathon crown, but here’s the rest of my fitness week.

Day 4

After gracing the dance floor last night (I am not very graceful I must say)  it’s up and out at 6.30am for my run, after yesterdays run I was focused on achieving a 10 mile run by the end of the week so off I set to do at least 7 miles, for now the distance this time was what I was aiming for not speed or time. The second morning is wet, but nice for running in out here, I’m starting to go over in my mind what motivates me to put my trainers on and get off my bum. Firstly would be the one everyone should have which is to give myself the best chance of living  a healthy prolonged life and looking good in a pair of jeans whilst living it,  second is my 4 year old niece Katie born with a generic disease which my family are carriers of which makes me realise how lucky I am.  Every event I do will be for her, not knowing how long her life will be I aim to help raise money for the gene therapy she might need to have one day, then when she’s older I hope she will join me and enjoy exercise as being put of her life to stay healthy (have planned to do a marathon with her before I am sixty - she doesn’t know it yet!)  and last but not least a big part of my motivation comes from all the Fitfarmers that I have pushed to the max over the weeks.  I always think about the times when I can see someone really digging deep to achieve something they never thought possible just a few words of encouragement can make all the difference when you feel like you can’t do anymore, so in true fitfarms style I tell myself come on you can do it not far now!

Ok 7 miles later i feel good,  a bit of a rest then hit the gym for more strengthening work, one thing I do focus on is keeping the running muscles strong, so lots of focus on gluteus, hamstrings and  quads to stabilise the pelvis. Refuel, then its more bodycombat, just to end the day a visit to the plunge pool in the spa, - it’s been a good day.

Day 5
6.30am and it’s time for the today’s plan, I now think I should look at a little bit of speed so off I go to run 5 miles as fast as my little legs will go. The first morning it didn’t rain on me and I completed half of my 10 mile circuit. 42.33min not as fast as I wanted but its a baseline to work from, garmin says I was running 6.9mph does that mean gazelle’s pace!

Fuelled up then off to stretch in the hydro pool.

What I noticed today when I was trying to be Usain Bolt was how important my upper body strength is in driving me to run faster, so of to the gym for more core and arms before I do a body balance class followed by body conditioning.

Day 6
Today is going to be the hottest day of the week and as I have planned my big 10 mile circuit for weds morning I’m going to make today a rest day.

So it’s a short stretch come walk around the laguna to just take in a bit of the scenery that I have missed as I ran the last 3 days mind only focused on my running the athletes here call this place Alcatraz - I wonder why is it because they are bought here for a week put through a tough training regime and not being able to leave!! um now that sounds familiar!!!  ,
Midday it’s off to a Latin dance class and then took in some more body conditioning, it’s not been much for lying in the sun mostly cloudy so off to the plunge pool not bad for a rest day.

Day 7
Race day for me, up as usual to start at 730 but today think I should start earlier get it over and done with.

I am a bit nervous about this not sure why, ok so off we go I always worry that I will get a pull half way than fail to complete but I vanished all those negative thoughts and just relaxed to my ipod tunes, the best I could tell myself was If I can’t get a good time just enjoy the music.

Half way - 5 miles comes quite quick I feel the pace is ok but not great. I realize I may have to do 3 more laps not 2 as I am down on miles a little bit of panic creeps in but soon forget as my favourite Fitfarms tune comes on S club 7 . Its good timing as I pick up the pace, I think of the fab 5 and there Paris trip they did Fitfarms proud will I be their sixth member but what would that make us The Six-Pack! But as I think of a name before I know it 8 miles is coming up. Great only 2 to go time still slower than I wanted but I am nearly done, mile 9 comes - pick the pace up you’ve done it I tell myself. I’m also thinking what is the reason I am doing this, then unexpected my ipod chucks out the theme from Rocky oh yes off  I sprint counting down the meters as the end is in sight I start to raise my arms in true rocky style!!

10 miles in 1hr 32 mins not the fastest but its my first 10mile run so I can only get better, as I walk back to alcatraz in the rain I feel a sense of achievement and the start of being able to complete what I have set myself to do in 2010

Day 8
Last day plane leaves at 2pm so not much time but have planned a 5 mile run, quick blast of arms and abs in the gym then the last visit to the spa and if the clouds move a bit of sun.

Before I go shopping for thermals in Devon! As christmas approaches we should all be thinking about control of what we eat but most importantly keeping active. If you back off the exercise in the 7 -14 days of festive fun you will only be playing catch up when it’s all finished not only that but it’s hard to get back into the swing of things again in the new year as every man and his dog will be in the gym trying to beat the guilt of another year so I feel I have to do something about it !!!The equipment will be all taken and you are tired after work and that’s when you are more likely to walk away and say I’ll come back tomorrow but tomorrow never comes and then it is a viscous circle! so my advice is;

Make a new year plan:enjoy the turkey  its low in fat (if you avoid the skin) control the starchy carbs stack up on the veg and go easy on the pudding, but then know you have to work it off after, make your exercise plan suit what you are doing don’t plan things that are not possible, be active it’s a time for enjoyment so move your booty(lauren style) to the beat and dance the pounds away at your new year party. Enjoy time with the family play active games or if you wrap up go and do a run, hike or bike it with the kids there’s no excuse ladies you know what to do.

Please also read the Part 1 of the Fitness Holiday post.

Visit our Weight Loss Programme websites:
UK Fat Camp | UK Fitness Boot Camp | UK Weight Loss for Children

The Festive Season is always the most challenging period of the year particularly for those who are struggling to lose weight because it is the time for parties and celebrations with friends, families and colleagues. A string of these celebrations even just for a week or two is enough to add extra kilos on your weight. To counterattack these potential weight loss opportunities, the article ‘50 Ways to Cut 500 Calories a Day’ of Shaun Chavis in MSN Health & Fitness can be very helpful to you.

The article outlines 50 various ways to cut 500 calories a day. Note that these are activities and not any diet scheme. Though you are already familiar with some of the tips, it is great to refresh your knowledge and learn new strategies.

There are two noticeable areas that these tips are trying to hit. It is your food intake and the activities you can do to consume 500 calories. For food related tips, it gives you a better idea of the calories stored in the featured food option. It advises you to choose smartly in the menu list to save calories. A classic sample illustrated in the ‘50 Ways to Cut 500 Calories a Day’ is the spaghetti. The spaghetti with meat sauce can save you 560 calories than with Italian sauce.

On the other hand, the various activities that can burn 500 calories a day can include hiking, walking, circuit training and so on.

This article ‘50 Ways to Cut 500 Calories a Day’ has really valuable information that can be very beneficial to you especially during this festive season.

Read the full article, ‘50 Ways to Cut 500 Calories a Day‘ from MSN Health and Fitness.

Fitness Editorial Credits to Shaun Chavis, Health.com.

The importance of creating conducive ambience for weight loss in your home is very important. According to Megan Othersen Gorman who has written the ‘How Your Home May Help You Lose Weight’ that the things we have in our
house affects our ability to lose weight.

The article outlines some tips on how to create conducive ambience for losing weight. The first area you must hit is the fridge and food cabinets. Of course, it is difficult to lose weight if your cabinet and fridge are stocked with ice cream, cookies, cheese and other high-calorie foodstuff. If you are trying to shed extra pounds, then stock these areas with
nutritious and healthy food options.

Another interesting suggestion is to minimize watching TV or to stick only to one TV unit for extreme measures. Let’s face it! TV plays a major influence in our life from the way we think to the way we eat. Strong marketing ads pour in the televisions. This will encourage you to taste those high calorie foods that are scrumptiously advertised in the TV.

Reading the article ‘How Your Home May Help You Lose Weight‘ will enlighten you that willpower to lose weight is best practice if you have the right place this is conducive for your weight loss goal.

Editorial Credits to Megan Othersen Gorman, Rodale.com for MSN Health and Fitness

The article of Leah Zerbe entitled ‘Eat Slowly to Lose Weight’ is not actually a new idea about weight loss. This concept has been taught to us since childhood. Perhaps it is not about losing weight that our parents taught us this manner. Our parents want us to eat slowly and to have small bites because they don’t want us to choke. And it is precisely correct!

According to the ‘Eat Slowly to Lose Weight’ article, an ideal time to chew each small bite is at least nine seconds. So count from one to nine while chewing a bite-size piece of chicken. In this way, you are making sure that you are eating slowly.

Actually, this is also a good eating habit to adapt. Aside from it helps you to lose weight; it is a great way to savor the flavor of the food. As what Zerbe mentioned, relishing the taste of the food makes you feel more satisfied.

The article also suggests filling our fridge with small packs of nutritional snacks like fruits.

Indeed we always take for granted the thing that we had been taught since childhood. Simply remember your Mum’s yell to eat slowly when you were a child and you are on your way to shedding those extra pounds.

Read the full article, “Eat Slowly to Lose Weight” from MSN Health and Fitness.

Editorial Credits to Leah Zerbe, Rodale.com.

Hi Ladies,

Thanks for all your 40th birthday and 2010 challenge wishes.

This month I will share with you my winter break training plan and how I will be beating the guilty feeling of over eating in the festive season.

First I am writing this months blog from the plane taking me to my winter training camp, yes I am sending my first week of my break in sunny climes at a sports boot  camp where I will start my half marathon training plan.( I know I am completely mad get time of work and go running, but ladies it is in the sun)

Day 1 arrive to heat of 77 degrees check in to the gym to get the travel legs moving. A 2 hour workout followed by a visit to the spa that will do me.
.
Top gym tips:
Work harder, not longer. For your cardio workout decrease your duration and increase your intensity, follow the rule that each cardio session should leave you needing a short recovery, if you can jump off and on the cardio equipment with feeling you need a break your not working hard enough. You will burn more calories in a short time if you work to a higher intensity then if you stick to your moderate level for a longer period.

Day 2
Ok so am not that comfortable with pounding the streets, but once I get my head around it I quite enjoy the feeling I get from running, it gives me a sense of freedom and strength that my body moves under the control of my mind.

So 7.30am off I go to join the morning run after  a strange warm up by the pool we head to the stadium where we get put into groups on what distance we wish to cover as I am at day 1 of my program I choose a nice 5km to find my feet with the road surface and heat also to check out the other runners abilities (they all look like pro’s).

The running guide as they are called is a young danish girl who looks like a gazelle, she tell us she will run at 5min/km pace (means nothing to me as I only do miles) in my mind I think I need to ask Kim one of the fab 5 running fitfarmers, to translate, but after my flash of oh damn that could be fast I work out that I did my last 10km race in 50.37mins so its a similar pace to that. Ok off we go the gazelle sprints off followed by her heard of pro runners, great! it could be a long week. Twenty mins into the run a women that I was pacing drops out (think she was just running for the bus) damn now am stuck to keep up with the heard 25.47 mins later I arrive back at the stadium at least 2 mins  behind the gazelle and her heard. What is it they say about fitness trainers, they can’t count and find it hard to calculate distance and time! (The gazelle is my next fitfarm recruit).

The sun was out but no time to rest I am off to a bodycombat class, great fun and a good workout, then hit the gym a intense workout on the arms and core, then guess what next off  to the spa after my first full day I needed to plan the rest of my training and where better to do it then in the sauna.

Day 3
Woken by thunder and lightening was I back in Devon! No its the lovely Julies on holiday let’s piss down syndrome or is it the curse of Mr. Cole!

Made my plan in the sauna last night, which was to run between 40 - 60 mins this morning with my new training partner Garmin, I will try and cover as much distance as possible but concentrate  on time as I need to build my confidence that I am not out of my depth when I return home to join the local running club.

52 mins later I have done 6 miles, I am pleased with that, weather was great to run in just a little drizzle of rain, no rest though my plan was to do 4 classes to day so straight off to body attack armed with oatcake I make my way to the disco area, 1 hr later I wait to join in the Latin class from the back of the room (don’t want to put people off with my lack of rhythm), then at 11 am its time to refuel and yes hit the spa, best thing in here is the ice plunge pool and the hydrotherapy pool great ways to keep the legs lactic acid free.

After lunch I hit the gym with my arms getting the bullet, then off to a fitball class where I discover my core is working nicely, then back to the gym to finish off my arms.

Torn between revisiting the spa and a ballroom dancing induction! Um ok I know its a hard choice but the mad bit of me that says I can move my feet so strictly here we come.

Catch up with me again on my return and find out if I am longing to be Ginger Rogers or Paula Radcliffe.

For now ladies just one motivation tip:

The best motivation is a bit of progress, stick to your plan.

The more you visualise having achieved success, the quicker that success will become reality.

Julie Brealy
FitFarms Health Manager

Visit our Weight Loss Programme websites:
UK Fat Camp | UK Fitness Boot Camp | UK Children Weight Loss

By Julie Brealy

Have you watched the biggest loser? Is it amazing to see their body transformation from obese to healthy and well toned physique? You witness how they train hard and are challenged to take their body’s limits in weight loss and fitness boot camps.

These rigorous physical activities s are indeed effective in shedding unwanted pounds and building fitness fast. So if you consider this option to get fit, here are at least the five things you can expect in any fitness or weight loss camps.

Varied Activities. The exercise activities are varied because a fitness boot camp aims to break the boring and monotonous routines in the typical gym.

Spirit of Teamwork. It is more motivating to workout with people who shared the same goals as yours. Also, your group and instructor can be source of inspiration and support to help you continue with your fitness program. It will be a teamwork motivation and effort for a common goal.

After-Program Support. It is easy to workout if you are surrounded with motivated individuals however the greater challenge awaits after you finish the boot camp program. It is important that your boot camp has support group or person you can contact after the program is over.

In this way, you can rely for support and find a source for motivation in situations where you are discouraged to continue keeping a healthy lifestyle.

Educational. As part of your training, it is expected that your trainers will impart you with tips and information about health, weight, fitness and nutrition. These are valuable information that you can use particularly once the fitness or weight loss program is over.

Qualified Personnel. It is not only about the trainer’s qualification. There should be qualified nutritionist and dietitians too. A long term weight loss is sustained through proper balance in nutrition and exercise.

These are at least the five things you can expect from a weight loss or fitness boot camp. You pay to get fit so make sure that it happens and you get back your money’s worth.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_Brealy

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by Julie Brealy

Do you workout everyday in a confined air-conditioned room and stare at the same wall every time you run in the treadmill? Sometimes the gym can be suffocating especially during the peak hours. You are lucky if your time is flexible because you can hit the gym anytime of the day.

However, if you are one of those unlucky who can workout only in the gym after office hours, then perhaps you may want to consider other options for fitness. Why not step out from a typical crowded fitness gym and hit the neighbouring park to get fit?

Here are the top five benefits why you should consider outdoor exercise for your fitness.

The Unrivaled Benefits of Sunlight. Nowadays our work and lifestyle has driven us to spend more time indoor. More so, there is the news, researches and stories about over exposure to sun can lead to skin cancer.

These are few reasons that propel us to take for granted the benefits of sunlight. However, proper exposure to natural sunlight is good for our health and well-being. It has a significant effect in our bones because sunlight makes our bones denser. The Vitamin D that we get from the natural sunlight helps the process of calcifying our bones.

Also, skin exposure to sunlight boosts our immune system and it makes the healing process of cuts, bruises and rashes faster because it transports more blood to the skin surface.

Indeed exposure to sunlight is vital to our body and for these reasons; its benefits cannot be underrated.

Fresh Air for Cleaner Lungs. Most of us know that fresh air is good for our health but have you asked why?

You stayed for few hours in the bar last night or you occasionally spray air fresheners at home. We also regularly inhale dust that is swirling unnoticed around us. All these impurities are breathed in through our nose and mouth, and because our respiratory system is like a sponge, it absorbs all the impurities.

However, with fresh air it cleanses our lungs because it brings more oxygen to our body. The more oxygen we have in the body, the better it is because it boosts up our energy level and it significantly clears our brain.

If you want to be on top of your performance always, physical and mentally, step out and get a fresh air. The easiest way to achieve this is to carry out a regular outdoor exercise.

A moment to Appreciate Mother Nature. Let us face it. We run in the treadmill everyday and looking at the same wall for an hour or two. Or you can deceive yourself and install a nature theme TV screen but still, nothing can replace the real beauty of nature - the vast blue sky, the greenery landscape and the woods.

These beautiful sceneries are soothing not only to our eyes but to our total well-being. Exercising outdoor is invigorating and revitalizing experience.

Fun & Adventure. How many of us quit the gym because of boredom because we do the same routine every day?

There are great outdoor workouts that you can choose and it ranges from jogging, hiking, swimming, cycling, gardening, skiing, skateboarding and so on.

Opportunity to Develop New Skills or Hobby. You cannot certainly be extremely good in all various sports but you can definitely try and continue practicing until you become good at it. This process can lead you to discovering an untapped potential to excel at certain outdoor sports or exercise that you never consider before being good at.

It is a good occasion to learn, explore and nurture new skills or hobby.

These top five benefits of outdoor exercise cannot be taken for granted. It is the best way to keep a healthy lifestyle and improve your fitness level. Though another option you can consider is fitness boot camp wherein you will have the proper guidance from certified fitness experts and nutritionists. Boot camps offer varied outdoor activities and exercises.

Julie Brealy is the health manager at FitFarms, UK’s No. 1 Weight Loss Holiday and Fitness Boot Camp. She has been working for over 10 years in the weight loss industry advising companies in the US and the UK. Julie is also an experienced deep tissue massage therapist.

Article Source:  http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_Brealy

It is quite common for us to take for granted breakfast meal because of various reasons.  We always rush in the morning to catch the bus or we don’t have time to prepare a hearty breakfast meal because we wake up late. Though we are aware that breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, we hardly pay attention to this fact. Instead we grab the easiest and convenient breakfast which can either be coffee, donut, croissant, and fat-rich breakfast items.

That is why reading the article in CNN Health entitled ‘Breakfast Can Help Keep You Lean’ is very striking.  Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, and with the help of American Dietetic Association’s experts, reviewed few of the most popular breakfast meal and accordingly graded it into A, B, and C.

The idea is to pay attention to what you eat in the breakfast. A good choice is a combination of protein, carbohydrates and fiber, and the ideal breakfast concoction is comprised of oatmeal with skim milk, a half-ounce nuts, berries and orange juice.

Also, according to the article it is essential to consume significant calories for breakfast and a recommended amount is 500-calories for an average person.

You can click here to read more about the article, ‘Breakfast Can Help Keep You Lean’ from CNN.com - Diet and Fitness.