Cutting out carbs

We can certainly advise a low-carbohydrate diet for faster weight loss than just a plain low-fat or low-calorie diet. But it pays to keep your carb choices, where you have them, as close to natural as possible. The best options are organic, and whole (unprocessed). You’ll get the energetic and mood-supporting benefits of some carb in your diet, without the high insulin, no fat burning response to more processed carbs.

There’s often a lot of rumours out there about carbohydrates (“carbs”) and their detrimental effect on weight loss. Namely, suggestions that cutting out carbs after a certain time in the afternoon or evening will help you accomplish quick weight reduction.

Whilst this is somewhat true, the idea of completely cutting out carbs from one’s diet has to be done cautiously.

Carbohydrates in your diet tend to require insulin to be released into the blood stream, depending on the type and quantity of carbs eaten. Insulin in turn switches off fat burning for as long as it’s present. To stay fat burning for longer, it would make sense to keep your insulin levels low – ie have no carbs.

Historically we encountered carbs only in things like fruits and berries, possibly milk and honey – until cultivation of cereal grains allowed us to eat grainy, starchy crops. So we’ve always had carbs in our diets, and we definitely need them for energy production in high intensity exercise, and for our normal brain function (since neural tissue can’t use fat as a fuel).

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Beginning exercise - the humble push-up

Before you even step foot in a gym, there's a vast history of movement and exercise that the human race engaged in without ever having seen a dumbbell. Man has used a variety of resistance exercises over the years to build strength, endurance and speed - often relying on only bodyweight.

One of the best developers of chest, triceps, shoulders and even core muscles is the humble push up. By focusing on proper form and technique, you can use this anywhere-exercise to develop better definition and size up top. It’s the ideal chest builder that you can begin to use now in time for summer. Or shaping up for some new clothes!

Begin on the ground, with hands underneath your shoulders, and body straight. Exhale as you push your body off the ground, so that only your toes and palms remain touching the floor. Your body should remain straight at all times between neck and feet (if you are working up to the strength to push your whole body, start on knees rather than toes).

Aim to build up to 10-15 push ups in a row, without touching the floor in between presses. As your strength grows, add another lot of 10-15 push ups after a short rest, working up to 3-4 “sets” of 15 repetitions.

Done on every second or third day, the humble push up can begin to create the proud chest, firm upper arms and widened shoulders we all look for as a mark of confidence and strength.

Summertime tips

With summer approaching it’s now the best time to be reminded of getting back into great shape!

You can decide to make changes to your nutrition, health, fitness and strength at any time and any age. There’s never a “too late” or “too old” – and “not enough time” really doesn’t hold much water either when you consider the amazing benefits to both productivity and reducing stress levels, that regular exercise can provide.

Here’s a couple of quick tips to get started:

1. Set a goal. It might be to fit back into old clothes, or to look good on the beach this summer. A visual goal makes an enormous difference, whilst a visual with a feeling attached (ie confidence, sex appeal, achievement, finally accomplished your goal) is all the more potent.
2. Find some way of reminding yourself about both every day. Whether it’s words on the fridge or a picture next to the bathroom mirror. Get visualising regularly to really forge ahead with the motivation.
3. Get support. Ask a friend in a similar situation if they have accomplished a big physical change before, or would like to. Working together with others is a powerful way of developing the new health habits that are required for lasting change.