Monthly Archives: December 2011

Take these 10 easy steps to lose weight – fast!

Don’t go on a ‘Diet!’ the word “diet” is depressing to most of us. We think of giving up foods that are comforting and enjoyable. With low calorie diets you may see success on the scales , but soon you are fighting cravings and low energy levels. Eventually, feeling those cravings you will start cheating as well as carrying negative feelings towards the so-called ‘healthier diet foods’. Do yourself a favour and promise never to follow diets.

 

Instead Make Simple Changes To Your Eating Habits – It might be substituting a piece of fruit for a bag of crisps, or drinking water instead of coffee, whatever it is, making these small changes can make all the difference to your overall weight loss goal. Remember, a pound of body fat contains 3,500 calories. Start by lowering the amount of calories each day by 500. By the end of the week, you’ll have consumed 3,500 calories less than you would have without making those small changes. Plus you will have dropped a pound of body fat.

 

 Eat Organically - We need to go back to basics and support our local farmers when it comes to meat, fish & poultry. Nutritious food is essential when it comes to weight loss and should be a priority. Milk, eggs and meat are all your best choices when it comes to Organic so even if your funds won’t allow you too go fully organic just choose a few quality products each week.

Apply a “Zigzag Approach” To Calorie Reduction - This approach can have a dramatic affect when it comes to weight loss. Start by reducing your calorie intake for 3 days and then have one day when you eat a bit more.

Lift More Weights - Many people often shy away from lifting weights when this is the one thing they SHOULD be doing to reduce their body fat. A lot of men and woman are often worried that they don’t want to start looking ‘bulky’ or ‘butch’ if they start a weights programme….nothing to worry about! its incredibly difficult to build large muscles!!  Lifting weights builds more lean muscle tissue. More muscle will speed up your metabolism which means you will burn fat at a quicker rate. Even when you’re sleeping, you’ll be burning a higher ratio of calories.  Try our Burn and Firm classes, or Kettlebells on Blackheath.

Eating 5-6 Small Meals Per Day helps your metabolism remain in a ‘positive state’. It also helps keep your blood sugar levels stable, stopping cravings. Your metabolism (the rate at which your body burns calories) slows down throughout the day so never go to bed on a full stomach as this is when your metabolism is at its slowest. Carbohydrates convert into fat more easily than protein so make your first 2 meals of the day the largest, and the smallest meal of the day in the evening.

Prepare Yourself Mentally For Weight loss - Its important to mentally prepare yourself for the changes you’re going to make. Take some time, before you start your programme, to think about what you actually want to achieve, how much weight you’d like to lose and what level of commitment is required from YOU in order to achieve this. Keeping a nutrition log sheet would be a good place to start. Take some ‘before’ photo’s so you can see your shape changing.

Use Low Fat Cooking Techniques- Avoid frying, instead replace with steaming, baking, grilling or stir-frying. Use olive oil and eat as much food as possible in its RAW state.

Don’t Be Lazy - If you drive, you are less likely to meet the recommended health target of 150 minutes of exercise each week. Try to make part of your journey active travel and ask yourself “Could I walk instead, or could I add some walking into my day?” Stop taking escalators and walk up the stairs instead, Run home from work a couple of days a week, enter a Race to keep you motivated!

Choose The Best Time To Exercise - The best time to exercise is the time you’re most likely to keep it up!  for most people is in the morning. This is also the time when certain hormones peak which in turn boosts your metabolism – they then come down in the afternoon.  Join our Bootcamp programme for a month to get you into a routine! we will mentor you all the way!

Dispelling some exercise myths

Can I spot reduce fat?

The answer is NO! Its not possible. When you exercise you use up energy (fat) from wherever it is stored. The bits that you use up first are determined by your genetics. You can, however, spot tone a muscle or group of muscles. For example, abdominal curls tone the tummy muscles but don’t burn fat just from the tummy. You need to do whole body, pulse-raising, aerobic exercise (such as walking, running, skipping, step ups) to burn fat. You will have stuborn areas which will hold onto the fat but slowly and surely as you keep exercising you will be able to reduce your bodyfat overall.

I’m just getting started : How far should I walk?

This depends on your start point. If you have regularly, walked for 2 miles a day for 1 year with your pooch, then you will be used to that and should increase it, building up either the distance or the speed at which you do it. If, however, you are totally unused to any walking at all, then just a walk round the block will be plenty. The key is to push yourself JUST out of your comfort zone, wherever that is. Build over time to 30 mins 5 days per week to be up to the minimum daily requirements.

Can I do too much exercise?

Yes. The body will get used to exercise gradually. But as a new exerciser if you try to do too much too soon, you run the risk of a possible injury. People who start running programmes are very prone to this, building up too fast and not allowing the body to adapt. Be sensible, know what you do normally and build it up slowly. Every training schedule should have rest days to allow for fitness level to build… it takes time. Aim to exercise 3 – 5 days per week.

Will doing weights make me muscular?

Men will build muscle more quickly due to the presence of testosterone. For a women to look like a body builder they have to lift virtually their own bodyweight 6 times per week, and perhaps take artificial supplements as well. For most of us its not going to happen! The use of weights in gyms and classes tones muscles to show shape and form, without actually increasing muscle size massively. This is good for you, increasing the metabolism, helping to make your body into a fatburner. It also makes you look great, especially if you are doing aerobic exercise to burn the fat as well.
Courtesy of Sara Ottley -Burn It Fitness Ltd 2012

Christmas is a time for family fitness

For most families, life turns even topsy-turvier than usual during November and December. We squeeze extra entertaining, baking, shopping, errands, concerts, and parties into our already busy schedules, and that means fitness takes a back seat. Combine that with all the tempting treats: Ho-ho-uh oh! It’s essential to find ways to fit in some family fitness, and we promise there are ways to do it that won’t turn you into a Grinch.

Setting up a simple, fun family fitness challenge is the perfect way to get everyone in the household motivated to get healthy.
Hold a family meeting to kick off your family fitness challenge. Solicit everyone’s ideas — little kids too! — for a goal to work toward. You might want to target healthy eating, increased physical activity, new strength goals, or less TV time/more family time.

Create Family Holiday Fitness Traditions

Treasured rituals are an important part of the Christmas season for most families. Add or adapt yours to include fitness! Consider:

  • An all-ages Christmas carol singing party, complete with active party games like pin the tail on the donkey or musical bumps
  • Walking, instead of driving, to view christmas lights and decorations
  • A kids’ talent show during family get-togethers
  • Cutting down your own Christmas tree
  • A family skiing, snowboarding, sledding, or walking trip during school holidays

 

Good Luck, be inventive and most of all have fun as a FIT FAMILY!

Outdoor Bootcamps are hot news for Burn It Fitness in 2012

Burn It Fitness in 2012 – Well only 4 weeks to go and we launch our first 4 week Bootcamp on Blackheath. We can just about hold in our excitement!.

Outdoor bootcamp fitness in London has never been so exciting!

Bootcamp promises to deliver fantastic results with you working hard to acheive your personal goals. Blackheath common is a beautiful spot to spend time on your own wellbeing and improve your health in the new year.

places are limited to 20 per course so you will be working closely along other local like minded people and all help push each other in the same direction.

All of our instructors are fully qualified personal trainers and highly experienced in delivering professional, challenging and ever changing classes.

If your wondering what to expect:

Kettlebells, Power bags, Battle ropes, Vipr, TRX, Sprints, tabata, Cross Fit, body weight, tornado Balls, Team games, Relay, Planks, Stability exercises, balance training, Plyometrics….etc…etc.!

See you on January 16th at 6am!!!! (of course – other times also available! )