Hot weather exercise tips

The hot weather has arrived so get moving! Running and cycling outside is great but make sure you are keeping your body in a healthy state while doing it. Follow my hot weather fitness tips to make sure you can get the most out of your workout.

Water- seem simple? Don't forget to keep hydrated. You will sweat more in the heat, so need to drink more water. Drink when you get up and have 2 or 3 cups 2 hours before your workout as well as while doing the activity if needed. It will be a great benefit for your body and will keep you hydrated throughout.

Get snacking on water filled foods like apples and carrots, this will give you the energy to make the most of your workout and that extra hydration for your body. Try not to work out with no 'fuel' in your body, summer sun doesn't mean no food, keep healthy eating and you will still hit those goals!

Avoid mid-day, the forecast may say it will not be to hot that day but miracles may happen. At mid-day the sun is at it's hottest point you will find more benefit exercising before 10am and after 3pm. This will keep your body protected from the sun and will stop you being over heated and drowse.

Put the dark colours away, get your brights out! Dark colours will absorb the heat, so where loose light coloured clothing.

Finally don't forget the sun cream if the weather is scorching avoided burning try using factor 30 or above.




Any more questions email us - info@richardtaylorpt.co.uk



Richard Taylor Personal Training Club
www.richardtaylorpt.co.uk

"Changing your lifestyle to incorporate exercise and proper nutrition is not easy. But it is definitely a journey with endless rewards that are well worth achieving

7 fruits and Vegetables a day!

For many years now we have been told to eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day, but recently you may have seen conflict on this matter as university studies show that eating more fruit and vegetables can decrease your risk of cancer and heart disease.

So what evidence is there to show this?

Researchers have conducted a survey with 65,000 adults over 35 years of age. Researchers looked at their nutrition intake using UK regulations on portion control and compared this to mortality rates 8 years after the data was taken.  

The studies then showed the more vegetables and fruit with a balanced diet a person ate the less they were suffering with diseases such as cancer, stroke and heart attacks.

Careful choice with what you pick to eat has been shown to help decrease your risk of death from cancer or heart disease. Canned fruit or vegetables can increase your risk of death from the diseases but by choosing fresh vegetables it may lower your risk by up to 42%. Eating a vast amount of fruit such as 3 or 4 portions a day didn't seem to decrease your risk, but by having more than 7 portions of fruit and vegetables, more being vegetables, it benefits the body much more.

7 portions may seem high but by eating meals based around vegetables and snacking on fruit and vegetables instead of usual choices you will be well on your way to making a lifestyle change. 

Any more questions email us - info@richardtaylorpt.co.uk

Richard Taylor Personal Training Club
www.richardtaylorpt.co.uk

"Changing your lifestyle to incorporate exercise and proper nutrition is not easy. But it is definitely a journey with endless rewards that are well worth achieving!

Benefits of eating lentils

Eating lentils can do a number of things for your health, so why not try and include lentils in your cooking. Try them on salads or in your home-made soups.

Suffer with high cholesterol? Lentils contain high levels of soluble fibre which help to reduce your blood cholesterol. This will reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Eating high fibre foods can do wonders for your heart health also lentils are a good source of folate and magnesium.

Need help with your digestion? Eat away; lentils can help prevent constipation and other disorders such as IBS.  If digestion isn't your problem but you suffer with your blood sugar, lentils can help to stabilize your blood helping those with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycaemia.

Protein! If you suffer to get your protein in your diet, lentils are your answer. It’s perfect for vegetarians and vegans too.  As well as being high in protein you get an energy kick too! Lentils are full of iron, which transports oxygen through your body and helps with energy production and metabolism.

So all the above sounds good but there is one bonus.

Weight loss!

Lentils provide you with great nutrients and are still very low calorie! One cup of cooked lentils are only 230 calories, eat away!

Richard Taylor Personal Training Club
www.richardtaylorpt.co.uk

"Changing your lifestyle to incorporate exercise and proper nutrition is not easy. But it is definitely a journey with endless rewards that are well worth achieving!

Snack Attack

Feeling peckish in-between meals?  Not sure what snack can keep the weight down but also leave you feeling full? Well... have a read of my chosen snacks.

Snack on protein, if you exercise regularly and eat protein you will build lean muscle which will help your metabolism to speed up, this will lead you to burn more calories. Try eating one or two hard boiled eggs or a handful of almond, cashew or pistachio nuts they will all be a great boost of protein.

Fruit, if you want a light snack go for an apple, if you know you will need something to fill you for longer, a glass of skimmed milk and an apple will go down a treat. If hunger is really creeping in a banana and a few almonds will be perfect too.

If you have a little more time, take fresh water tuna and top it on small oatcakes. Just one or two as it is a snack.

Why not have breakfast again! If you’re eating a low calorie breakfast like porridge and water, or a 2 egg omelette just repeat it, the calories are low and it will be great to keep you full.  

If hunger isn’t what you are snacking for and just feel bored, try making yourself busy, tidy the house, exercise, plan your next workout or social plans. If this doesn’t satisfy your mind pick on salad or vegetables choose foods that calories are nearly zero, meaning you can pick away without the guilt.

My best tip is to try and drink a pint of water before you snack, the water will fill you up, just give it a go!

Sugar cravings can be a diet killer, by eating sunflower seeds, pistachio nuts, plain yogurt and strawberries, or a tiny portion of dark chocolate they will all help you to curb that sweet tooth.

Avoid processed foods, white carbs and sugary foods including sugary or fizzy drinks (the diet options are bad too)

Warning most cereal bars, yogurts or ‘diet’ snacks that contain ‘low fat’ usually are full of sugar so watch out!

Think healthy and natural and you will choose well; if it comes with a label always check it!

Need any more advice? Email me – info@richardtaylorpt.co.uk

Richard Taylor Personal Training Club
www.richardtaylorpt.co.uk

"Changing your lifestyle to incorporate exercise and proper nutrition is not easy. But it is defiantly a journey with endless rewards that are well worth achieving!

Top Tips To Help Your Diet

So you have tried everything and the weight won't budge! Starting to lose motivation and focus because he scales are showing you results.

Sound familiar?

Well have a look at my tips and see if your missing any crucial points.

1. Do not skip breakfast
Breakfast energizes you for the day, and gives your metabolism a kick-start.
2.  Avoid late night snacks
You will not need the energy the food gives you late at night, so it will store as fat. watch out!
3. Don't skip the weights
Adding lean muscle to your body will keep you toned and increase your metabolism.
4. Think before you eat
Before taking that bite, are you really hungry or are you just bored?
5. Get 8 hours a night
Sleeping will help to keep your appetite hormone at bay, so sleep away.
6. Eat the lowest calorie foods first
Eating your vegetables before your potatoes will fill you up, so if you have to leave anything on your plate it will be the highest calorie option.
7. Have a cheat meal
Keep your craving to use for one cheat meal a week, it will not destroy the diet and will help you from cheating all week.
8. Keep a food diary
Keeping track of your food can be a real eye opener and you can pin point where you are going wrong. Make sure you record everything!

Hope this helped, stay motivated and you will be amazed!
Try to exercise as much as you can for maximum results!

Richard Taylor Personal Training Club
www.richardtaylorpt.co.uk

"Changing your lifestyle to incorporate exercise and proper nutrition is not easy. But it is definitely a journey with endless rewards that are well worth achieving!

The Sugar Trap

Here is the 7th part of an article I found in the Sunday Times.

The Truth About Fruit


Fruit is not fundamentally bad for us, but the amount we are eating can be detrimental. In The Sweet Poison Quite Plan, the author David Gillespie recommends that adults eat only two pieces of fruit a day and children only one. Fruit containing higher amounts of fibre and lower quantities of fructose such as kiwis, apples, grapefruit, blackberries, pears, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and lemons are the best choices, while bananas, watermelon, pineapple, mangoes, papayas and grapes should be avoided.

None of this matters when it comes to fruit juice, as it’s all bad. When fruit is juiced, any positives are squeezed out all that’s left is sugar, water and a bit of vitamin C. Dries fruit is even worse and often contains nearly 70% sugar.

The author of Great Brain, Dr David Perlmutter says: “Our caveman ancestors did eat fruit, but not every day of the year. A medium-sized apple contains 44 calories of sugar in a fibre- rich blend thanks to the pectin. If you juice several apples and concentrate the liquid down, you get a blast of 85 sugar calories.”

If you want to think about it in terms of grams (as a benchmark a 330ml can of Coke has 35g of sugar), the average glass of orange juice has 21g of sugar, apple juice 28g, cranberry juice 37g and grape juice 38g, and many bottles fruit smoothies contain between 20g and 35g of sugar. All of which says we shouldn't be starting our mornings or hydrating our kids with fruit juice.


However, the Plenish Cleanse founder, Kara Rosen, reassures us that not all juice is evil. “the new juice taking the market by storm is cold-pressed vegetable juice, particularly green juices, made up of ingredients such as cucumber, spinach, kale, broccoli and lettuce and low – glycemic index

fruits such as pears. The sugar content is lower than conventional juices, and due to the cold-press juice extraction method, they have other nutritional benefits.” So, go green or go water.

Richard Taylor Personal Training Club
www.richardtaylorpt.co.uk

"Changing your lifestyle to incorporate exercise and proper nutrition is not easy. But it is defiantly a journey with endless rewards that are well worth achieving!

The Sugar Trap

Here is the sixth part of an article I found in the Sunday Times

How to calculate sugar consumption

Most health organisations recommend that people limit themselves to 10tsp (40g) of added sugar a day, but many researchers say it should be 6tsp for woman and 8tsp for men. Teaspoons are easier to visualise than grams, so remember this easy equation: to get the number of teaspoons, divide the number of grams by 4. So, a regular Snickers bar contains 30g or about 7tsp of sugar, a 330ml can of Coke has 35g or 9tsp of sugar. We shouldn't eat or drink manufactured sugar bombs full stop. Any food with sugar in the first three ingredients is a bad idea. Avoid foods with more than 10g sugar per portion.

keep an eye out for the next part of the article!

Richard Taylor Personal Training Club
www.richardtaylorpt.co.uk

"Changing your lifestyle to incorporate exercise and proper nutrition is not easy. But it is defiantly a journey with endless rewards that are well worth achieving!