ThinQ Fitness

Fat Loss Equation

2009-05-25T10:57:00.003+01:00

We always get many of emails regarding safe body fat loss. Remember whatever the goal or objective, fat loss needs to be slow and steady at around 2lbs a week.

In one pound of body fat there are 3.500 calories. A calorie is a measurement of energy that is all, not what the content of the energy is. To lose 2lbs of fat would be to deficit the body’s total intake by around 1,000 calories a day from what it presently is.

This is quite a high amount to lose from ones diet on a daily basis. Therefore this is where exercise plays its part. If one can consume 500 calories less a day and combine that with burning 500 calories a day through exercise, then the magic formula of two pounds a week can be achieved.

In my next blog I will attach a chart for you to see how many calories different exercises burn per hour, but one thing for sure, any activity is accumulative calories burnt, so don’t limit yourself to formal exercise, living actively burns calories!!!

If one makes the deficit too dramatic two things will happen; one is you will get hungry and over eat and the other is that your metabolic rate will slow down and make you less able to burn the fat you seek to lose. It is a fine balance and not really around self control as much as understanding what “eating” is and sticking to “eating” as apposed to continually thinking about “what I fancy”.

In Lucy's High BMI Series we hope to help those with High BMI's to understand what "eating", in a biological sense is and offer practical nuts and bolts information to eating and weight loss. For those with a lesser journey ahead please keep a look out for Vanessa’s six week slim down plan coming to the site very soon.

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Fitness, Exercise, Health And Fitness

The Office Heptathlon

2009-04-28T17:15:00.006+01:00

In a study at the University of Ulster researchers found that for sedentary people, even a few minutes of daily stair climbing can improve cardiovascular health.

Previous studies have shown that accumulating short bouts of exercise can make a difference; this one shows just how short those bouts can be.

Twenty-two healthy female volunteers walked up 199 steps - more than you’re likely to find in your home, but maybe found in your office - in 2.25 minutes, a “brisk but comfortable” pace which shot their heart rates up to 90 percent of their predicted maximum.

They progressed from one ascent per day during the first week to six ascents per day, for a total of 13.5 minutes over the course of a day, during the sixth and seventh weeks.

By the end of this modest exercise program, the women were measurably fitter, heart rate, oxygen uptake and blood lactate levels during climbing were reduced.

So, this set us thinking the ThinQ Fitness office, what else could you do in an office environment in a short space of time, with your colleagues or on your own.

The Email Walk - You are about to send an email to someone who sits down the hall from you, or on the floor below. The challenge is to walk down to them as quickly as you can without running and talk to them instead. Don't forget to look out for those emails that can be delivered by walking during the day.

The Photocopier Skip - You don't actually need a rope to skip, a double or single leg hop does the trick. So you find yourself at the fax, photocopier or anywhere else you have to stand and wait for something to complete, time for 30secs of ropeless skipping. Feeling comfortable then your task is to repeat that 3 times. Getting odd glances from colleagues then grab a meeting room as you walk past and perform the task in private.

The Lunchtime Lap - If you walk to where you get or sit for your lunch, make that route longer. Do a lap of the building, walk to the bottom of the car park, walk each floor on the way down, just make it longer, preferably 10 minutes longer

The Computer Squat Thrust - So the task is a spreadsheet or letter, can you do it whilst performing a chair squat? Start on the chair, lift your bottom off the just slightly, hold that position whilst you complete the letter or spreadheet entries. Don't forget to reach for your chair when you return to make sure it hasn't moved as you got up. Ok, thats one squat done, four more to go.

The Boring Meeting Buttock Squeeze - So the presentation is 43 slides longer then it should be. Here is the way to turn that to your advantage. As each slide comes up squeeze those buttocks hard, hold for 30 seconds and release. Try not to pull faces or groan as you complete the task, you're meant to be paying attention.

The Buzzword Sprint - You have prepared for the task in hand by getting your buzzword bingo card, now put a spin on the usual game by rapidly tapping your feet in place for 30 seconds while seated, simulating a run, each time you get a buzzword in an email subject.

The Stair Climb - Grab your collegues and do the stair climb we mentioned at the start of the article. If you are finding it easy, miss out steps taking two at a time.

Now don't forget you also have the office workout videos on ThinQ Fitness

Make sure you keep a record of your office workout and get your colleagues to join in, you could even award some prizes each week.

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Fitness, Exercise, Health And Fitness

2009-04-28T08:55:00.002+01:00

Living Streets' Walk to Work Week takes place across the UK this week.

Walk to Work Week is all about raising awareness of the benefits of walking and encouraging the nation to fit more of it into their everyday lives.

Find out how to get involved:

http://www.walkingworks.org.uk/walk-to-work-week-2009

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Fitness, Exercise, Health And Fitness

Mini Workouts Keep Our Busy Mum Moving

2009-04-14T21:02:00.004+01:00

Barbara, a ThinQ Fitness member and busy mum, talks about fitting exercise into a hectic schedule.

Little and often has been the best way for me to fit some exercise into a hectic week where school holidays clashed with a deadline.

I had great plans to do three fat burner workouts last week, plus some Pilates, but somehow time slipped away and I was starting to feel disappointed at my lack of progress.

Then, I realised that I manage to fit piano practice into my busy schedule so decided to approach exercise the same way. The ideal would be to sit down at the piano for at least an hour, start with scales to warm up and work through my new music, breaking it down into sections learning each one thoroughly. The reality is that I probably have a practice session like that once or twice a week. For the rest of the time, I play when I can and still make progress. I run through some scales while the kettle boils, practise a longer piece while dinner cooks or just play for five minutes in between writing stories.

So, that’s the way I have exercised this week. Working on the principle that it’s better to do a little than nothing at all, I’ve tried to fit Anna Lovelock’s morning workout in; no matter whether it’s after breakfast or before bed. Once I get over the hurdle of starting to move, I often find that I want to keep going and add on another short block of exercise. Pierre Pozzuto’s bums workout is ideal if I want to feel virtuous; even though it’s only ten minutes long, my muscles definitely know they’ve been worked. I’m still building up to completing Lucy Case’s seriously challenging ten minute abs session but dreams of a flat stomach keep me going and I just do what I can.

Now that my stressy work week is over, I see that I’ve done much more than I thought possible. On top of my mini workouts, I fitted in two hi-lo sessions which would never have happened if I’d had to drive to the gym. In fact, four weeks into my membership at ThinqFitness, I’ve done more classes than I did in a year at my local health club.

There was always an excuse not to go out to the gym; I’d just washed my hair, I was too tired, I needed to wash my hair, I didn’t have the right clothes, all the other people at the class were younger and thinner, I’d be the only one who couldn’t master the routines..... Now, I get up in the morning and put on sports kit and don’t get changed until I’ve done some exercise: simple and no excuses.

Now that I think of it, I’ve saved so much in gym membership, that perhaps it’s time to treat myself to some more kit. I’m off to browse the online shop for ideas.

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Fitness, Exercise, Health And Fitness

Get Skipping With The Kids This Weekend

2009-04-11T11:46:00.001+01:00

This weekends challenge is to get out with the kids and do some skipping.

Get Dad/Grandad involved as well, and if they think skipping is just for girls show then Sheraz's skipping fitness video.

You can find that video by clicking here.

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Fitness, Exercise, Health And Fitness

Why Combine Diet and Exercise?

2009-04-11T11:36:00.003+01:00

If you are new to understanding how reducing, increasing body fat or mass and exercise work together then this is a very simple overview which may help.

Body Fat Reduction:

To loose body fat you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. But this reduction needn’t be dramatic. Dramatic calorie reduction is a big no-no as it affects healthy body functions at so many levels. The easiest way to reduce your calories is to cut out snacks, reduce your intake of sugary foods and reduce your intake of saturated fat foods. Substitute these for healthy snacks such as fruit and try to eat a little lean protein with every meal to fill you up. Then instead of eating table spoons of lard (which is what cakes and biscuits contain) you will be consuming vitamins, minerals and stuff your body can actually process and use. Remember the golden rule that 500 calories less per day will reduce your weight by 1lb per week.

How exercise helps:

It burns calories, it tones up wobbly bits, and it increases your metabolic rate (if you eat regular nutritious meals). To loose body fat it is best to do some cardio work and also some toning work. Cardio work improves the delivery systems of the body, Muscle improves the overall fat burring capabilities and increase your metabolic rate.

Body Mass Gain:

This is not the reverse of losing weight as although the mountains of calories in saturated fat foods will help you get fatter, they will give you health problems, so, thin or fat the sat-fats are gone. To gain muscle mass and body fat one needs to exercise using weights to make the muscles bulk up. You need to increase your calorie intake through healthy foods which are also high in calories and increasing your portion sizes.

How exercise helps:

Weight training increases the demands placed upon the muscle (called the load). As the load increases so the demand on the muscle will increase. By regularly training in this way the muscle increases in size. This should be gradual and progressive as sudden overload will tear and injure the muscle. Again a balance between cardio and weight training is required as without a good strong heart pumping blood, oxygen and nutrients, it will be hard to lift all those weights, so budding weight-trainers remember to do skipping and circuits etc too.

What level of Fitness should I be?:

Being fit makes life so much easier and enjoyable as your body works efficiently. By being reasonably fit, being around the right weight and being reasonably strong and supple your body will serve you better and last you longer. It is desirable for a new comer to aspire to being a level 3 on the Fitness Table. Weather gaining muscle mass or loosing body fat it is desirable to train the heart and lungs (cardiovascular), and the muscles (toning). Start cautiously with beginner level classes and try and do 2-3 per week trying out a mixture of disciplines and teachers. When ready progress to an intermediate level doing as much of the class as possible, resting if need be.

As the weeks progress you will be able to do more and you will notice you feel fitter and firmer.

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Fitness, Exercise, Health And Fitness

ThinQ Fitness High BMI - An Introduction

2009-04-06T14:50:00.008+01:00

Lucy explains what ThinQ Fitness has to offer our larger members.

High BMI is the area of the ThinQ Fitness site dedicated to our members who have a larger than average body mass. To understand if you are in this category have a look at the body mass calculator below.

If you are in the red area toward the top, or indeed off the chart, or have a waist measurement over 38inches (if short) 44 inches (if tall), or wear clothes exceeding a size 16, then welcome, we want to help you and you are in extremely experienced and caring hands.

My name is Lucy Case and I am the Fitness Director for ThinQ Fitness but also a Personal Trainer with my own very special clients. It is in recognition of my clients that I decided to develop this programme for ThinQ Fitness, to share the strategies used for my larger body mass clients and to some how reach out and touch you in your life and make the difference to you to help you to find a different way.

To date the books, articles and research I have read seem to all be after making money for the author, selling you yet another diet (which won’t work), or filling your head with scary stories about health risks. There seems to be nothing out there which demonstrates to me that anyone really cares. The speech and the terminology used seems to dehumanise folks with larger body mass, which to my mind must be very distressing.

To me you are you, equal in every way. I want to share with you my insight and success in helping people to ultimately help themselves. If you were lost you may buy a map or ask for directions. If your body is storing excess body fat and you have not yet found the right set of tools to sort the problem out, then this is a chance to learn about the tools required for the job.

My series of videos talks you through many aspects of your personal growth and understanding. They are absorbing at many different levels. There are the practical things, how to record your statistics, how to monitor your progress, and what equipment you may need. There is also the dietary information, how to use the food plans, how to use the shopping list and how to fill in the exercise sections. You are a whole person with passions, upsets, likes and dislikes, the only difference that honours me with your presence today is that your Body Mass is larger than it should be for optimum health and I can help you address that issue.

Whilst having a larger body mass may feel like an emotional issue, and sometimes can have been caused by an emotional issue, the desperation around being large can cause emotional problems. The nuts and bolts of large body mass are that in consuming too many calories on a daily basis your body has done precisely what it was designed to do, which is to store the excess as fat. Whilst you are an emotional being and should fully express your emotions in the channels of expression appropriate to human behaviour, my role is to sever the link between food and emotion so that you can think independently, perhaps steering emotions one way and nutrition another to help establish a different template to living your life.

In truth there are many personal trainers out there far more experienced than myself, there are many more doctors and experts in nutrition far more qualified than me, there are Life Coaches whose books I would gladly recommend, there are more showy characters, more glamorous characters, there are fitness Instructors bursting through the doors of my office full of tips and magazines galore litter my sitting room floor, so why do I think that my writing this, and talking to you on my videos, may help?

Well it’s an odd feeling I have inside, an inner voice if you like, which has observed one thing and that is this. The only way we can really change, is from being able to manage change. From my perspective, the material I read is pitched incorrectly, as even if you can understand the books, people don't succeeded in achieving their weight loss goal using the information they contain. It is quite simply often due to one thing, they just don’t want to lose weight, most likely because the changes being asked of them, are not realistic or sustainable.

We don’t need much further proof to demonstrate that this change is not easy, than if we walk around a local hospital and witness it is the hospital staff themselves (often dealing with the front line realities of High BMI) who are a contributing factor to the High BMI statistics.

In other words, if hospital staff are not motivated to change given that they witness, know and live in a place that fully understands the implications of High BMI, then it means the messages around how to change are not palatable or achievable. Put simply, if it is not easily achievable then it isn't going to happen. Theory clearly is one thing. Change, is another.

I come to you having stripped the whole diet structure down to one simple statement, “common sense”, and my pragmatic and direct method of coaching does not have the aim of perfect nutrition. I believe perfect nutrition in health is almost a different issue, one we all aspire to, as a long term ideal, but not what real people can really achieve, day in day out. In that sense, whilst the industry seems to agree unanimously that “diets don’t work” it may be useful to realise that to some extent these huge lifestyle changes required to achieve “perfect nutrition or mind balance” also don’t work.

In fact “big anything changing” just doesn’t work because people don’t like to change, they like everything to stay the same and they like comfort and pleasure above all else. They like their dreams, but in truth, most people are pretty laid back about achieving them, and I realised therefore that a laid back approach to sorting their problems would probably achieve more and be more appealing in its very imperfection and boringness. I bring the equivalent of a sketch to the table and in so doing it has allowed my clients the space to step forward, get involved and try to improve my product bit by bit, and this is where the fun begins……….

I have taught probably thousands of fitness classes and I can tell you one thing, the classes where I teach the same thing week in, week out are the most successful. That includes the warm up. As a new teacher I used to observe the popular classes to see what it was the teachers did which brought the numbers in. Do you know the most packed class I ever saw consistently was by a teacher wearing no head mic, speaking clearly, smiling a lot and walking around the class correcting the same technique she had corrected the week before? It dawned on me then that progression is not always the goal, participation is, involvement and managing what one has are really noble things too. It doesn’t and cannot always be about progress.

In our quest for knowledge and progress we assume people are “with us” when actually they are not, and potentially never will be. I taught more and more advanced classes over the years believing that the harder the routine, the more “special” I was, in fact, I had lost touch. As a result I went back to teaching beginners again for two years and this knowledge of beginners has helped me develop the Intro Fit series, the Intro Step video and now this High BMI series.

What I have learnt is this. Once a person has found a slot they like, they just want a variation of that over and over again and don’t want to be challenged too much beyond that. In other words, if we as professionals can accept that progression is not appealing to people, then we are likely to have more success with them in the long run as we are adapting to their need for things to stay the same.

My unique concept therefore is this, I get you don’t like change and I work to accommodate as little of it as possible. In taking on as little as possible and maintaining it, you will get some good results which will cheer you up and make you feel good. These connections therefore will help you to make a few more changes and bit by bit you will find you are actually just sorting out the issues as you trundle along. Not in a big “life changing” way but in a small and consistent way, understanding as you go, some of the key areas of nutrition and thoughts which may be helpful to you.

Find the High BMI series of videos by clicking here.

Lucy Case

Fitness Director ThinQ Fitness

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Fitness, Exercise, Health And Fitness

ThinQ Fitness on the Big Screen

2009-03-31T14:12:00.004+01:00

This week, I’ve been seeing the bigger picture since installing a gadget that sends ThinQ Fitness to my TV.

I’m so pleased with this new arrangement which gives me much more room to move. I had been using a laptop in the corner of the living room but that meant some major furniture removal each time I wanted to make space in front of the screen.

Setting up a wireless connection for the laptop is the most obvious solution but in our house there are problems with signal strength. Rather than invest in some serious booster equipment, I went for a simple PC to TV sender.

One For All SV1750 Wireless PC to TV Sender

Despite my husband’s scepticism - especially when I told him it had been half price - it was incredibly simple to set up and now I can send whatever is on my laptop screen to the TV.

So, with no furniture removal necessary and a clear floor space, it is easier than ever to exercise. The highlight of last week was taking my first ballet class since I was six years old. Of course, my daughters couldn’t resist the opportunity to dress up as ballerinas and join in. I felt distinctly shabby in trackie bottoms and t shirt next to the two of them dressed in leotards and tutus with their hair in proper ballet dancer buns. I don’t think I’m ready for a leotard just yet but perhaps I’ll treat myself to some ballet shoes because this class with Mel Kay is definitely going on my favourites list.

I may have got to grips with my plies and tendues but couldn’t master the art of the hula hoop. Gemma Osman’s hula workout looks such good fun but I’ve come to the conclusion that I need a much bigger hoop. I did achieve a workout, of sorts, but this was mainly bending down to pick up the hoop! Any tips would be gratefully received.

This week I am approaching a deadline for work and that usually means that I forget to leave my desk and end up with my shoulders up to my ears and terrible back ache. I’m determined to swap one coffee break each day for Anna Lovelock’s desk workout and to try to fit in a couple of Pilates classes to keep my back mobile.

My week of exercising in front of the TV instead of lazing on the sofa watching it has definitely paid off: I’ve lost 3lbs so far. Next week, I start on the fat burner workouts to keep up the momentum.

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Fitness, Exercise, Health And Fitness

The Big Stretch

2009-03-26T21:05:00.005Z

Kari McCreath looks at whether we need to rethink our stretches.

If you’re like me, you were taught the importance of warm-up exercises back in grade school, and you’ve likely continued with pretty much the same routine ever since. Science, however, has moved on.

Researchers now believe that some of the more entrenched elements of many athletes’ warm-up regimens are not only a waste of time but actually bad for you. The old presumption that holding a stretch for 20 to 30 seconds — known as static stretching — primes muscles for a workout is wrong. It actually weakens them.

In a recent study conducted at the University of South Hampton, athletes generated less force from their leg muscles after static stretching than they did after not stretching at all. Other studies have found that this stretching decreases muscle strength by as much as 30 percent. Also, stretching one leg’s muscles can reduce strength in the other leg as well, probably because the central nervous system rebels against the movements.

“There is a neuromuscular inhibitory response to static stretching,” says Malachy McHugh, the director of research at the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma at Lenox Hill Hospital in New Hampshire. The straining muscle becomes less responsive and stays weakened for up to 30 minutes after stretching, which is not how an athlete wants to begin a workout.

THE RIGHT WARM-UP should do two things: loosen muscles and tendons to increase the range of motion of various joints, and literally warm up the body. When you’re at rest, there’s less blood flow to muscles and tendons, and they stiffen. “You need to make tissues and tendons compliant before beginning exercise,” Knudson says.

A well-designed warm-up starts by increasing body heat and blood flow. Warm muscles and dilated blood vessels pull oxygen from the bloodstream more efficiently and use stored muscle fuel more effectively. They also withstand loads better. One significant if gruesome study found that the leg-muscle tissue of laboratory rabbits could be stretched farther before ripping if it had been electronically stimulated — that is, warmed up.

To raise the body’s temperature, a warm-up must begin with aerobic activity, usually light jogging. Most coaches and athletes have known this for years. That’s why tennis players run around the court four or five times before a match and marathoners stride in front of the starting line. But many athletes do this portion of their warm-up too intensely or too early. A 2002 study of collegiate volleyball players found that those who’d warmed up and then sat on the bench for 30 minutes had lower backs that were stiffer than they had been before the warm-up. And a number of recent studies have demonstrated that an overly vigorous aerobic warm-up simply makes you tired. Most experts advise starting your warm-up jog at about 40 percent of your maximum heart rate (a very easy pace) and progressing to about 60 percent. The aerobic warm-up should take only 5 to 10 minutes, with a 5-minute recovery. (Sprinters require longer warm-ups, because the loads exerted on their muscles are so extreme.) Then it’s time for the most important and unorthodox part of a proper warm-up regimen, the Spider-Man and its counterparts.

Athletes are now lunging, kicking and occasionally skittering spider-like along the sidelines for their warm ups.

While static stretching is still almost universally practiced among amateur athletes — watch your child’s soccer team next weekend — it doesn’t improve the muscles’ ability to perform with more power, physiologists now agree.

Stretching muscles while moving, on the other hand, a technique known as dynamic stretching or dynamic warm-ups, increases power, flexibility and range of motion. Muscles in motion don’t experience that insidious inhibitory response.

Dynamic stretching is at its most effective when it’s relatively sports specific. You need range-of-motion exercises that activate all of the joints and connective tissue that will be needed for the task ahead.

For runners, an ideal warm-up might include squats, lunges and “form drills” like kicking your buttocks with your heels. Athletes who need to move rapidly in different directions, like soccer, tennis or basketball players, should do dynamic stretches that involve many parts of the body. “Spider-Man” is a particularly good drill: drop onto all fours and crawl the width of the court, as if you were climbing a wall. (For other dynamic stretches, see the sidebar below.)

Even golfers, notoriously nonchalant about warming up (a recent survey of 304 recreational golfers found that two-thirds seldom or never bother), would benefit from exerting themselves a bit before teeing off. In one 2004 study, golfers who did dynamic warm- up exercises and practice swings increased their clubhead speed and were projected to have dropped their handicaps by seven strokes over seven weeks.

Controversy remains about the extent to which dynamic warm-ups prevent injury. But studies have been increasingly clear that static stretching alone before exercise does little or nothing to help. The largest study has been done on military recruits; results showed that an almost equal number of subjects developed lower-limb injuries (shin splints, stress fractures, etc.), regardless of whether they had performed static stretches before training sessions. A major study published earlier this year by the Centres for Disease Control, on the other hand, found that knee injuries were cut nearly in half among female collegiate soccer players who followed a warm-up program that included both dynamic warm-up exercises and static stretching.

You’re Getting Warmer: The Best Dynamic Stretches

These exercises are good for many athletes, even golfers. Do them immediately after your aerobic warm-up and as soon as possible before your workout.

STRAIGHT-LEG MARCH

(for the hamstrings and gluteus muscles)

Kick one leg straight out in front of you, with your toes flexed toward the sky. Reach your opposite arm to the upturned toes. Drop the leg and repeat with the opposite limbs. Continue the sequence for at least six or seven repetitions.

SCORPION

(for the lower back, hip flexors and gluteus muscles)

Lie on your stomach, with your arms outstretched and your feet flexed so that only your toes are touching the ground. Kick your right foot toward your left arm, then kick your left foot toward your right arm. Since this is an advanced exercise, begin slowly, and repeat up to 12 times.

HANDWALKS

(for the shoulders, core muscles, and hamstrings)

Stand straight, with your legs together. Bend over until both hands are flat on the ground. “Walk” with your hands forward until your back is almost extended. Keeping your legs straight, inch your feet toward your hands, then walk your hands forward again. Repeat five or six times.

References:

Shrier, Ian. "When and Whom to Stretch?." Physician & Sportsmedicine 33.3(2005)
Cheung, Karoline , Patria A. Hume, and Linda Maxwell. "Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: Treatment Strategies and Performance Factors." Sports Medicine 33.2(2003)

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Fitness, Exercise, Health And Fitness

Exercise fits into busy mum's schedule or not just thinking fitness

2009-03-24T10:45:00.007Z

Barbara, a ThinQ Fitness member starts to blog for us on how she fits exercise into her busy schedule using the http://www.thinqfitness.com/ site.

Hi, I’m Barbara, a 44 year old mother of three and a newcomer to ThinQFitness. The team at ThinQ have asked me to share my experience as I find my way around the site and try out some of the classes. I’m so excited to have found a way to exercise anytime, anywhere, and look forward to letting you know how I get on.

I work from home as a freelance journalist and, like many working mothers, find there aren’t enough hours in the day to fit in regular exercise classes. Juggling work, running a home and the hectic timetable of my three children, aged 13, 11 and 8, leaves me too tired to go out to the gym in the evening and I end up settling down to watch TV with a glass of wine instead.

No wonder then, that over the past few years, my weight has been steadily rising and my waist expanding. This morning, my bathroom scales registered my heaviest ever weight: 12 stone 3lbs. I’m 5ft 8 so the charts show that I’m just a bit overweight but I want to reverse the trend and drop a stone in the next few months.

This year started with resolutions to do better and move more. My lovely daughters bought me a ballroom dancing DVD but the complicated choreography left me feeling totally inept and frustrated at my clod hopping dance efforts. Since then, I’ve had more success with a traditional style aerobics DVD but after a few weeks was ready for a change of routine.

I discovered ThinQFitness while looking for fitness downloads on the internet. Within half an hour, I’d had a good look round and done the free Office Workout with Anna Lovelock; just what I need to unscramble the muscles in my back and shoulders. I also downloaded Anna’s Morning Workout which packs an amazing amount of work into 15 minutes.

Now that I’m fully signed up to the website, I’ve been exploring all the other classes and the only excuse for not exercising is that I’m spoilt for choice. Last week, I decided to give dancing another go, with Gemma Osman’s Latino Aerobics. Guess what? I didn’t feel stupid and heavy because Gemma carefully broke everything down into manageable chunks and I showed off my sexy hip moves with abandon; knowing that no-one was watching apart from one slightly intrigued little black dog.

My aim over the next few weeks is to have fun trying out as many workouts as I can and hopefully, I’ll be shedding a few pounds along the way. I’ll be clearing some space in the living room later this evening for Street Party Dancing with my 13 year old daughter. Also on my wish list this week are a hula hoop workout and ballet. Can’t wait – and I never thought I’d say that about exercising. I’ll be back next week to let you know whether my dance moves pass the teenager test.

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Fitness, Exercise, Health And Fitness

Introduction To Fitness 1

2009-03-23T08:56:00.006Z

Join Lucy in part 1 of a gentle introduction to fitness video that spans 6 sessions.

This course aims to teach you all the basic steps found in our general workout video classes.

It will also enable a new member to build up a degree of fitness prior to doing standard length classes. This gentle immersion course is fun and Lucy's simple, friendly instruction will keep you motivated and wanting to come back for more.

Find the other sessions at http://www.thinqfitness.com/

Fitness, Exercise, Health And Fitness, Cardio

Body Mass Index

2009-03-21T13:28:00.008Z

A good way to check if you're a healthy weight is to use the Body Mass Index (BMI). Now you'll see more from us on this over the next few weeks so keep checking back, but I thought a review of what your BMI is always a good starting point.

BMI is a measure that can allow you to check if you're a healthy weight for your height. It allows for natural variations in body shape, giving a healthy weight range for a particular height.

Although useful for most people, BMI doesn't work for everyone. It's not suitable for young children or older people. It's also not very useful if you have a high muscle bulk, perhaps because you're very athletic. The heavier muscles will push up your BMI measurement. For instance, heavily muscled rugby players have "obese" BMIs, even though they are not carrying excess body fat.

You can check your BMI using our healthy weight tool here on the site.

What your result means

BMI 18.5-24.9

Well done for being in the ideal weight-for-height range. But remember that it's still important to eat a healthy diet if you want to stay in that range, and to ensure that your body has all the nutrients it needs. A BMI below 18.5 is a health risk and too low for optimal health.

BMI 25.0-29.9

Your weight is just above the ideal range. That's fine if you're a keen athlete with plenty of body muscle, but if this isn't the reason for your higher BMI, your health is beginning to suffer from the extra stored fat. Check your diet and make small changes to prevent more weight gain, and to help lose the extra weight.

BMI 30.0-34.9

This is a wake-up call: change your diet now. You are at a much higher risk of developing ill-health due to your weight. You're 10 times more likely to get diabetes, and your weight is increasing your risk of arthritis, heart disease and some cancers. Your weight means you have a shorter life expectancy, and weight-related health concerns will reduce your quality of life. Remember, even a 5-10% weight loss will have a major benefit on your health. So what are you waiting for?

BMI 35.0+

It's likely that you already know that your weight is seriously affecting your health. You're at raised risk of heart disease, stroke and premature death. In addition to making lifestyle changes, you should discuss your weight issues with your GP or district nurse, as you may need the additional support of a health professional.

Make sure you take a look at our High BMI workouts, tailored to those of you that want to do something about your weight, but don't know where to start.

Also take a look at downloading our fit pack, where you can print out the BMI chart.

Find more posts like this at http://www.thinqfitness.com/

Pierre Pozzuto Bums 10 Min Workout Video

2009-03-17T14:58:00.008Z

We love a tight behind so, this 10 minute workout video just hits the spot if you are a bit short of time but want to exercise anyway. Pierre the fitness master will make sure that this exercise workout really hits the spot. Find more online exercise videos like this at http://www.thinqfitness.com/

Fitness, Exercise, Health And Fitness, Cardio

Why Is Water So Important?

2009-03-17T10:19:00.007Z

Water is vital to each and every cell in your body and each and every process by which a cell does its job.

The Job Water Performs:

Let us start by thinking technically about what water does for us.

Water assists with absorption, excretion, circulation and aids digestion; is the medium for all chemical changes within the body; functions as a solvent for the body’s constituents; assists the carrying of nutrients in the blood; takes waste products from the cells; is utilised in building and repairing the body; assists with body temperature regulation and finally lubricates the body’s moving parts.

So rather a large set of tasks, and we can begin to see already why we say its vital.

Daily Consumption:

I guess we have all seen many articles and discussions on how much water we should be drinking, so what should we be trying to drink, water wise, each and every day.

Salt requirements and fluid requirements are intimately linked, so it is important to be aware of the factors that may change this balance. A good guide would be 8 glasses of water a day, but in cases of illness, extreme heat or where sweating during exercise, we would need to be drinking a more. How much more depends on you and your body, try to keep your urine that pale yellow colour.

It is important to keep the intake regular, as water is not stored by the body but don't drink too much as this can upset the salt balance in the body.

Water Is Essential For:

Transporting oxygen from the blood to the cells.
Stabilizing body temperature.
Lubricating joints and organs.
Helping the kidneys to function properly.
The removal of waste products.

Tips To Avoid Dehydration:

Do not drink too much tea, coffee or alcohol.
Do not wait until you feel thirsty (as this can be a sign of dehydration).
Drink before, during and after exercise.
Make sure urine is pale yellow.

Useful Tip:

Sometimes we can feel hungry when actually we are thirsty, a miss-cued signal from the brain, and this can make us think we should reach for food, when we should be reaching for a drink. So, next time you feel hungry in-between meals, have a couple of glasses of water.

Find more posts like this at http://www.thinqfitness.com/

10 Min Abs Workout Video

2009-03-13T19:19:00.007Z

This short abdominal fitness video takes you through a range of exercises designed to tone up and firm the stomach area. Lucy will keep you hard at it in this workout and done regularly this will help give you the shape you desire. Find more online exercise videos like this at http://www.thinqfitness.com/

Fitness, Exercise, Health And Fitness, Cardio

Make Your Body Burn More Calories

2009-03-13T18:42:00.005Z

Once your metabolic rate has increased you will find you burn calories more quickly, enabling you to lose weight. The question is how do we increase our metabolic rate?

We will delve into that below, however, if you do follow the tips you will not only increase your metabolic rate but also achieve fantastic muscle tone, excellent cardiovascular health and steady constant energy.

Lets start with how you burn calories. We burn calories to provide energy for three main functions:

1) Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

This is the amount of calories you burn just by being alive – even when you are lying down, doing nothing. BMR accounts for approximately 60% of the calories burned by an average person.

2) Active Metabolic Rate (AMR)

This is the energy used during movement – from lifting your arm to operate the remote control to cleaning the windows. This accounts for approximately 30% of the calories burned by an average person.

3) Dietary Thermo genesis

The ‘thermogenic effect’ described as meal-induced heat production – the calories burned in the process of eating, digesting, absorbing and using food.

You will have probably noticed that all of the above factors can be influenced by us and what we do, producing an increase in calorie burning.

So what are our tips for increasing the calorie burning capability of the body?

1) Build Muscle

Muscle is metabolically active and burns more calories than any other body tissue. By increasing the amount of muscle your body has, you can increase your calorie burning potential. For every extra pound of muscle you put on, your body uses around 50 extra calories a day. Regular weight training can boost basal metabolic rate by about 15%.

Muscle, Strength and Endurance (MSE) training helps to build and develop muscle. There are numerous benefits to developing muscle tone, the primary one is that your whole body is stronger and less likely to be injured, and just as important, that toned torso also looks fantastic and makes us feel great on the beach. Let’s not forget then, that in the process of creating and maintaining that toned body, we are actually burning calories as well. What is known as a win-win situation, I think you will agree.

2) Aerobic Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise (Cardio) strengthens the heart and lungs and makes the whole body work super efficiently. There are many benefits to having a strong heart and lungs; the primary one is that it creates less overall stress on the body. Instead of lots of little squeezes creating a rapid heart beat, a happy heart gives big, solid squeezes and as the transportation systems for the flow of blood become so much smoother with regular exercise, a constant stream of oxygen and nutrient rich blood is always available to all the tissues.

As well as calories being burnt during cardiovascular exercise, post exercise the body will still be burning calories at a higher level for some two-three hours. No wonder exercise makes you hungry!

3) Eat Little and Often

There is some evidence to suggest that eating small, regular meals will keep your metabolism going faster than larger, less frequent meals and thus burn more calories.

There are three reasons why meal frequency may affect your metabolism. Firstly, levels of thyroid hormones begin to drop within hours of eating a meal, and metabolism slows.

Secondly, it may be that the thermogenic effect of eating several small meals is slightly higher, than eating the same amount of calories, all at once.

Thirdly, it may be that as metabolism increases with exercise, so the process of digestion increases, as it becomes more efficient. Therefore to provide “constant” energy and to avoid the “dips” which occur if blood sugars are not kept topped up, we eat more often. Eating more often acts in a similar way to putting fuel on a fire, keeping it burning brightly but quickly. Of course the clever bit is making sure all the fuel is of low GI food, so it burns brightly but not too quickly.

4) Move More

Although the average person burns around 30% of calories through daily activity, a sedentary person may only use around 15%. So it makes sense to be as active in your day-to-day life as possible. Every little count towards keeping the fire of metabolism alight.

We need to be thinking in our daily life how we achieve that, some examples may be:

Walk instead of using the car for errands.
Put the radio on and clean the house actively.
Don’t put off gardening or mowing the lawn.
Have a good clear out, do a skip run, sweep the yard, move the sofas!!!

5) Eat Spicy Food

Cheeky one this one, but did you know that there is evidence to show that spices, especially chilli, can raise the metabolic rate by up to 50% for up to 3 hours after you’ve eaten a spicy meal?

One final note, the wonderful, free radical bashing green tea, also stimulates your metabolism!!

Find more posts like this at http://www.thinqfitness.com/

ThinQ Fitness Blog

2009-03-13T18:29:00.002Z

Hello, and welcome.

We'll be posting articles, online workout videos and exercise links here that are related to our fitness web site http://www.thinqfitness.com/