Tip: Fixing up Metabolism

Metabolism is a  most common word now in the health and fitness field and most people still don't understand the basics. They just throw around  the word loosely. People are getting caught up on BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate); RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate), Metabolic Set point, etc. I will be dealing with these on a more detailed article later.

Metabolism is simply the amount of calories burnt for the body to function efficiently. That is the simplest definition though there are many things to still understand about how it functions. However it should be understood clearly that metabolism can be affected by conditions like environment, exercise, diet, etc.

My purpose in writing this post is that many have been saying they want to lose weight, or change body composition or the dreaded 'what diet should I be on?' question.

The first step is to assess your metabolism which is done by checking your body temperature. You can do this with a thermometer. The best time to do this is late afternoon or early evening since you have already started running through the day. Do this 4 days in a row. Check your readings with the table below

If it is 37C  (98.6F) you are at optimal and fine.

If it is 36C (97F) your metabolism has been reduced by 10%-20%

If it is 35.5C or below (<97F) your metabolism rate is in pretty rough shape.

If you find your self anywhere below 36C (97F) dont even think of starting a diet. Get back your optimal body temperature first. This requires eating more and supplementation for the first few weeks before you can even launch into a fat loss or body recomposition diet. Ideally, you might want to continue eating about 300- 500 calories more everyday for about 3-4 weeks. You might need a few more weeks but after three weeks measure your body temperature again and see if its pack to optimal and sustaining.

The reason to eat more is simple. You need more energy in the body to raise your metabolism to normal. Supplementation is necessary to cover nutritional deficiencies and in getting hormones to start working correctly again.

Before you get into any kind of weight loss diet , assess yourself first using the method given above and then start to focus on fat loss or diet.

Getting on your nerves? Sensory overload and what to do about it.

A common problem that I see happening today and most people are not even aware of is what I called sensory overload. I realised this happening with me a few years ago and then again recently more often. It can result in deep tiredness, high levels of irritability and inability to think clearly. It is a over-stimulation of senses to such an extent the brain just doesn't seem to process effectively.

Sensory overload from my definition is when your 5 physical senses are overloaded to an extent that creates adverse affects of stress, irritability and inability to think and function clearly and effectively.

Do you get that 'it gets on my nerves' feeling? Well, sensory overload is something like that multiplied by 2 or 3 times.

There are some simple solutions to this issue.

1) The power of silence: Many times to get rid of sensory overload, I go in for a timeout. I take some time (about 10 minutes) get alone, turn off computers, phones, dim lighting forms and just sit quietly and wait. I will enjoy the silence. I might even after a while incorporate deep breathing.However, the first thing I resort to is just sit quiet and not move.

2) Power naps/ Sleep: Many times a lack of rest or sleep is a huge factor in sensory overload. So what I choose to do is refocus back on power naps and quality of sleep. I have already addressed the topic of sleep in an earlier post here.

3) Mini Vacations- It is important to take mini-vacations. A change of scene and place. Now this might be on a weekly basis or fortnightly and might just involve taking a drive out of your usual setting and just out to the farm, outskirts of the city. It might also help to take a rip to another place close by every 3-4 months.

4) Disconnect: It is important to have times to disconnect with things. I realised this earlier on and wrote a post about it here.

These are the 4 common things I rely on especially points one and two being the main ones for me.

How do you deal with sensory overload? Share your thoughts and ideas if you have any ideas or views. Please share this article with people who you feel need help.

Bodyweight Training

Having trained exclusively with Bodyweight Training for the last three years, I have learnt a lot about them and understood them more deeply. Bodyweight Training can be used for different training goals whether fat loss, stamina, endurance, strength, muscle building. Bodyweight basic exercises are easy to learn.  There are also more challenging moves as you progress and these become difficult as they become more flamboyant and require more skill and discipline. These are the important points I have found about bodyweight training.

1) The best go- to exercise regime: These can be done anywhere anytime. You don't need a gym, no extra equipment -  just you and your body. Learn the basics - which are most times based on basic human movements - and you are good to go.

The best known bodyweight exercise: The Pushup

2) Shows the truth to yourself - Bodyweight exercises especially during progressions is ruthless in revealing the truth about yourself in case of physical strength and conditions. It will not lie to you. When I first started I could deal with some very heavy weights. However, I realised I couldnt do 15 proper pushups!!

3) Variety: There are different varieties of bodyweight exercises eg: calisthenics, pilates, bodyweight bodybuilding, shadowboxing and martial art styles, gymnastics, isometrics, etc....There are enough disciplines in bodyweight training to keep it fresh.

4) Identifies weak points and imbalances: This is a vital point as it can help point out serious injuries before they happen. We can get these corrected. I have found slight areas of tightness and discomfort near my spine to which I was able to correct immediately before something more serious happened.

5) Mental strength and focus; As I keep working on bodyweight exercises I find that I have to be more internally focused using greater mind-muscle connection and developing a mental strength.

6)Builds  Persistance: Sometimes in progressing in bodyweight exercises the learning curve gets quite steep. It calls for mastery and dedication to achieve the movement.  When I was trying to learn the back bridge it took me two years to get it. Sometimes if you want to learn a particular exercise it will require you to never give up, stay consistent and focused.

The Bridge

7) Easy on the joints and Injury recovery:- Unlike heavy weights, bodyweight training hardly stresses out joints and prevents joint injury. On the contrary, it keeps joints healthy and might even help recovery from certain old injuries and improve joint mobility.

8) Core strength: Bodyweight training helps strengthen the core in ways usual weight training cannot. As you stay with it, it builds an unusual strength of a different kind depending on the mode of bodyweight training.

9) Whole body training: Bodyweight training helps the entire body work as a unit. As compared to training with free weights, there are hardly any isolation dominant exercises.

10) Simplicity: Bodyweight, though sometimes not easy as you progress, has a beautiful simplicity to it. 

11) Creativity: We can get creative with bodyweight movements as we progress. in addition to that the cognitive ability even in adults starts to develop again.

The real prize in especially in bodyweight training is not when you are able to hit a really tough flamboyant cool looking move eg: a handstand. It is what you learn in the journey getting there. 

Interview : Wanphrang Warjri

Today, is the first interview post I have put up on my blog. It features Wanphrang Warjri - from the beautiful city of Shillong - aka - The Scotland of the East.   I was in Shillong a couple of months ago and I got to catch up with him. Wanphrang is a relative of mine and had a great transformation last year- From 87kgs to 79kgs- a whole 8 kgs- in 9 months! He had a drive and self motivation that was unique. I have not known Shillong to have a 'gym-culture' like other metropolitans and that makes things even harder. It was very encouraging to see him and the way he has been motivating others as well to live a healthy lifestyle.

Wanphrang, Labet and our family catching up over a good Chinese meal in Shillong

GS: Hi Wanphrang! First, tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do?

WW: Hi Gideon, I am from Shillong, Meghalaya. I am currently working in Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited.

GS : I met you when you came down to Bangalore. You had quite a transformation when I met you 9 months later in Shillong! Could you tell us what happened?

WW: First of all, I thank God for His guidance, grace and blessing that I could be what I am today. I started Brisk Walking four years ago for about 40-45 minutes, five days a week but still my weight wouldn't come down. Then I started controlling my diet and doing some of the exercises you showed me along with my walking and by God's Grace last year I could see some results.

GS: What kind of training regime do you follow?

WW: As of now, the training regime that I follow are 10 mins warm up (Brisk Walk) followed by 30 mins of jogging and then 5 mins of cooling down (walking). Then another 15 mins of exercises like Planks,sit ups, Lunges,Squats,back stretches,hamstring stretches. I do this 5-6 days in a week.

GS: What was your diet like? Do you still maintain the same diet?

WW: Before I didn't have a diet plan per se. I ate whatever I got. As of now, I have reduced salt, sugar and meat intake. I am trying to include more vegetables and fruits in my diet. I try to avoid junk or processed food as much as I can.

GS: What would be your advice to the readers out there looking to for a transformation?

WW: Never give up. The plan that worked for me might not work for others . So keep on trying new techniques and training regimes till you find what works for you and try to eat healthy food. Most of all pray to God. I would like to end this with a verse from the Bible. Proverb 16:3. " Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans". 

Thank you Gideon for your tips and help.

Thanks Wanphrang!

When I met Wanphrang in December, I was absolutely surprised by his transformation. The main key for him was he stayed consistent. He spent only one evening with our family by means of a casual visit and never in that 9 month gap did he ask me anything. He would only mention in chats that 'training was still going on' but I didn't know anything else. 

Remember, stay focused, stay consistent.

My Journey into Football.

I started playing football in May 2016. As a team we started playing futsal. I really had not been too interested in playing the game as much as I enjoyed watching it and training athletes. My main game had been basketball through school and college and then from college through my early career it had been bodybuilding. I had also been training a football player for Strength and Conditioning for 4 months prior to that.

I really had not been one to play the game but I had a strong and strict mentor and great teammates. After my first game, I took some time to reflect on the game. I knew nothing about practically being in the field. However, in this team I was a part of I realised I wasn't put down but encouraged and built up.

Some of my team mates

My Head Coach and team captain saw my potential and srengths and weaknesses in realation to the game and assigned me a position. It was a position that I instantly 'clicked' into and in further months started to become even better at it.

I started to learn more about the game and follow the instructions and rules. I found myself improving mentally, physically and skilfully. I also took time to study the game. We play 5 a side football so I started learning more about that. I also took an interest in changing my training routine to play better on the field. That tremendously helped my client who played football. I was three weeks into play when I got my first compliment. 'You have really improved and I dont like it. You are causing too much trouble for me to score.' 

 

First pair of football shoes!

My head coach sponsored a pair of football shoes for me. I was using cross trainers to play when he advised to get indoor football shoes and he got them for me.

A month and a half later I scored my first goal! My head coach who was also playing with us set me up for it! As the months progressed I started to focus more on my defense position and also watch other positions play. As a strength and conditioning coach at some point I have to know how to train those positions. In November, we moved more into indoor 5 a side football. I scored my 2nd goal playing a forward position!

My improvements came through an extremely patient and suppportive team. They kept correcting me and encouraging me. There was never one session I came out feeling like a loser. 

 It seems at the age of 36 I have found a sport I can get involved in. I look forward to each session and enjoy every bit of learning I get. My journey continues.....

Turning up the Heat: Steam Showers

I'm in the beautiful city of Shillong for a family event. 'The Scotland of the East' is a beautiful place and I enjoy the natural beauty and natural and healthy food. Here's a pic from a viewpoint near my place.

Shillong, can get really cold at this time of the year. Its most severe winter months are from December to February. Unfortunately, I'm not the type that handles cold weather very well. After a few days here my muscles and back was aching from the shivering and I was getting really tired. I also didn't want to end up with a chest congestion. Then I did something that I did regularly before and still do once in a while now- have a really hot shower! It worked. The shower head was powerful so I also got the added advantage of a hydrotherapy massage.

I closed the windows and all air vents. The steam from the water filled up the room. So while I had a shower I could also do a steam inhalation. This is one of the best ways I have got a steam inhalation considering, I got my chest to clear, I got a massage and I got my muscles relaxed.

So after doing this consistently for three days (and I'm still continuing) here are the benefits I found.

1) Muscles and nerves relaxed: The terrible pain from my muscles  being so contracted and locked up and nerves being overactive started to ease out.

2) Clear Breathing passage. I could feel a light heaviness in my chest start to build up and I knew a bad congestion was not far behind. After the first hot shower, that stopped immediately. As I mentioned before the steam in the room helped greatly.

3) Active: I could move more actively and freely and be more productive instead of feeling and being like a human popsicle!

4)  Detox: I did feel better like after I do a detox. Only later did I find out steam showers actually assist the body detox.

5) Massage: I got a powerful relaxing massage due to the water force.

5) Cost and Convinience: I could do this in my own house. I didn't need a sauna session, jacuzzi session a spa or any other expensive method.

So these are the benefits I found out of my personal experience. I also found a link which lists more benefits of steam showers which you can find here.


I encourage you to give the steam showers a go and find out its benefits for yourself.

Did you enjoy this article? Did it help? Pass this post on to your social circles. It could help someone.

A Deeper Look - The Importance of Strength Training

Over the years as an athlete trainer and a coach, a lesson that I have learnt and continued to learn is the importance of strength. I cannot emphasise this enough. Smart planned consistent strength training is vital to good health. These days I have been finding my niche in exercise for rehab and special populations (senior citizens, pre and post pregnancies, basic orthopaedics) and athletic strength and conditioning. I keep seeing the same thing over and over again. A simple weakness in a few muscles can cause terrible discomfort for people. Though I have been able to assist many people into recovering faster and easing their pains and discomforts, I thought I'd share a few of the things I learnt about the importance of strength training.

Strong muscles are necessary to hold your body up properly! 

1) Strength training strengthens the whole body and all its systems - Strength training generally trains the entire body- bones, muscles, nerve activity, tendons, ligaments, internal organs, cardiovascular systems etc.


2) Strong muscles protect the body - Strong muscles doesnt necessarily mean deadlifting 300lbs. It also isnt the priority to make you look good though its a byproduct. However, strong muscles help your balance preventing falls, In the event of a fall, a stronger muscle can contract harder and prevent more serious damage from happening. It can protect your joints and internal organs.  Whiplash most times is a caused by weak musculature. A strong muscle will help your balance, protect joints and internal organs, and stop serious whiplash.

Courtesy: pixabay.com

3) Strong muscles help in posture - Posture is underestimated. Incorrect posture is the cause of most back pains, neck pains, mobility issues, etc. A large cause of incorrect posture are weak muscles or muscle imbalances ( a group of muscles too tight and another group too weak).
Posture is largely connected to muscles and if muscles are weak you literally get bent out of shape!

Courtesy: www.ergonomics-info.com

  

4) Muscles - Bone relation - Strong muscles helps bones stay in place. We already saw how muscle and bone is necessary for posture. However another aspect of strong muscles are its ability to overcome the strength of the bones. Take for example the unfortunate even of a limb- bone breaking.
Assuming its not a complicated or extremely serious fracture what holds that bone in place rather than slinging off is the fact that the muscle is holding it in place. I heard a story of a person who walked about a mile with a broken leg! He was on a deserted road and limped his way to help. Another instance I heard about was of an amateur bodybuilder in South Africa. He put on so much muscle mass and strength that he broke his bones. He didn't take necessary supplements for bone health.

Im sure you see the further importance of strength training. Of course you do need proper guidance for specific aspects of strength. If you have any questions you can get in touch with me.

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Meditation

Meditation - tons of information about it these days. The biggest benefit everyone claims for meditation is stress relief and thats correct but there is so much more. So I'm going to post what I have found to be effective for me and my clients.

Meditation means to 'contemplate' or 'muse'. That means to think about, and talk about again and again, especially to yourself which also involves muttering or self dialogue. Meditation doesn't need to be complicated. So how is it done?

1. Find a topic: A truthful one. I usually meditate on something from the Bible or what my mentor has said. The topic is important because if we are meditating on the wrong and negative thing its worry which defeats the purpose of stress and is also fatal.

2. Position: Lotus positions with closed eyes and folded palms. The classic represented pose for meditation. The only problem is it gets uncomfortable a little too soon. If you close your eyes it just helps with focus and shutting out distractions. I've done meditations with my eyes open. Also meditation can be done sitting or lying down. If you are taking an afternoon nap or setting in for your sleep in the night, this is beneficial. You go to sleep more easily and drift off for your nap or sleep.

3) Place: Find a comfortable and quiet place. You want to avoid noise, distractions, etc.

4) Time: If I am in the course of the day and have work, I usually take 7-10 minutes out. I dont usually go for 30 minutes or 1 hour.

5) Discipline: Stay consistent. 7-10 minutes everyday is better than a fancy INR 5,000 1 hour course twice a week (especially when you can do it for free). Build a discipline, slowly but steadily

Benefits:

Here are some of the benefits of meditation.

• Reduces Stress
• Calmness
• Mental strength
• Focus and Concentration
• Critical Thinking
• Healthy lifestyle
• Boosts Immunity
• Boosts Strength

Go ahead and start to implement this. It doesn't cost anything. 

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The Overlooked Bases - II: Sleep

In the previous post we looked at hormones and how they majorly impact fitness goals. In this post we are going to look at another important factor -sleep- and how it can affect our goals, and what we can do to enhance our sleep patterns.

Sleep. One of the most blissful blessings that mankind has been given to enjoy. Most of us know what it is to enjoy a good sleep especially at nights. We wake up fresh, rested, mentally alert and our productivity for the day is high. We are more calmer, solve problems better and above all stay at peak health.

However, in spite of all its benefits, in the last few years sleep seems to have lost its purpose and priority. The right quantity and quality of sleep is being compromised. I am not talking about necessary situations that arise due to natural circumstances of life or the missing of sleep for a few days because of some heavy work load which occasionally comes up. I'm talking about sleep not being prioritised in the light of accepting heavy workloads in which people are ready to compromise sleep months at a time, staying up late nights watching TV, partying or hanging out with friends.
I don't have a problem with those activities but there is a lack of sleep epedimic which is coming about by not prioritising sleep. Some things lack of sleep leads to are:

1) Poor Health
2) Decreased and compromised immunity
3) Massive hormonal imbalance
4) Digestive system disorders
5) Lack of productivity
6) Decrease in mental alertness
7) Unable to lose weight or gain weight.

I remember having a conversation with a client who was struggling to lose weight.

Me: 'You are improving, but your progress is too slow. Since your training and nutrition is going fine you will have to work on your sleep.......'

Client: 'Oh forget about it till mid next year. I just have too much work'.

I felt really bad for him. I felt bad because this was in his hands to control yet he couldn't prioritise his health correctly. Not only was did he have a problem with belly fat, he also couldnt see the effect of what he was doing. He could fall seriously ill with massive problems and then not be able to work and also jeopardise his family. This is not a problem I had as a one off. This is a constant recurring problem I come across with a lot of people.

From my own personal experience I can give examples of proper sleep. If I get less sleep three to four days in a row my immunity drops and my fitness goals and productivity come to a halt. I also remember about 6 months ago, I needed to lose some weight and my wife needed to gain some weight. We were wrestling with these problems for well over a year and a half. We were exercising regularly and appropriately and also eating well but we just were not making progress. Finally, I
was led to check our sleeping habits. I corrected our nightly sleep patterns and introduced afternoon naps. Within 2 weeks our results came - I dropped weight rapidly and my wife started to gain weight. Also our immunity was at superb level.

Here are some essential things you can do to improve your sleep.

1) Work with your natural cycle and stick to timings as much as possible: The body slows down and starts preparing to relax around sunset and then go of to sleep. In the morning by the time the first sun rays start to enter the room you should be waking up well rested.

Here are some articles that can be helpful to further understand your biological clock

http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/bio-clock

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/03/your-bodys-internal-clock-and-how-it-affects-your-overall-health/254518/

2) Quantity and Hours of sleep: Its best to get 6-8 hours of sleep. Its best to go to sleep by 10:00 or 10:30 pm and get up by 6 am. As a general guideline, every hour before 12 pm does a lot more to enhance sleep and its benefits.

3) Lighting: As sleep times get closer turn down the lights. Finally, when you go to sleep turn off all lights. The room should be absolutely dark.

4) Temperature: The room should be cool. Not too warm and not too cold. Both the extremes will affect your sleep.

5) Activities before bedtime: Its better to start turning off electronic equipment before bedtime. Turn off the TV, computers and phones at least half hour before going to bed. You can take time to reflect on the day, write, read, plan a bit for the next day, spend time with family, etc..

6) No electronics in the bedroom: Do not keep phones, laptops, TVs in the bedroom. If these are on they have EMG waves emitting from them which interfere with the body pattern. Also the blue light stimulates the pituary gland which makes sleep difficult. Here is an old post of mine dealing with this.

Set this base of your sleep right and take back your health and achieve your goals and lifestyle.

Please feel free to leave comments and share this if you know anyone who needs this.

The Overlooked Bases- I: Hormones

There are overlooked bases when starting out on a fitness or strength building program. Not paying attention to these are what causes delays in goals or stagnating early into your training. In this part we are going to look at hormones.

Today, almost everything in our environment seems to be attacking our health. Most of the food we eat, organic or not, the air we breathe, most supplements and current social and work lifestyles seem to be draining our health. In this chemical and biochemical battle and misplaced lifestyle timing, our hormones take a beating. The onslaught of this outside attack sometimes shows up immediately but a majority of it shows up after a period of time which could be as short as two days or after a period of years.

What are hormones and what do they do?

Hormones are chemical messengers in our body that are secreted by glands in the endocrine system. They are made up of amino acids and are responsible for influencing growth, fertility, moods, emotions etc...

So as you can see these glands and hormones are vital to our well being. Unfortunately with excess pollutants and artificial and unnatural goods, cosmetics and foods, most of our glands and hormones dont work as efficiently as they should. Its a bio- chemical warfare in our bodies.

This is a reason why most times, you cant lose weight, you wont put on size if you need too, you have severe mood swings and sometimes you are just plain tired and depressed all the time. Instead of hormones being in a balance and the right hormones being in a higher count the hormones are imbalanced causing some hormones to shut out completely or the wrong ones to be in excess.

So what can we do?


Here are a few things you can do to boost your hormonal health right away.

1) Start getting a proper quantity and quality of sleep.

2) Cut out refined sugars whereever possible. I would even go so far as to say put an end to it.

3) Eat natural, whole, unprocessed foods.

4) Increase your water intake.

5) Get more sunlight.

6) Supplement correctly, wisely and responsibly.

7) Exercise regularly and choose a correct training plan for you (not the latest fad).

Fortunately the fix is quite simple - Get as close as possible to nature and natural things and consume natural unprocessed stuff. Live in line with the natural laws of life. Remember, simple might not always be easy. Its difficult to suddenly start getting a continuous schedule of sleeping by 10:30pm consistently if you are packed with work. Follow these steps and begin to cover your hormonal bases.

If you know anyone who will benefit from this post please don't hesitate to share it. Feel free to drop me a message if you have any questions to the topic.

Upgrade Your Walking

Walking when done correctly can be very therapeutic and corrective.

Here is a plan I have learned and use it to good effect for results on myself and with my clients.

The plan is based on a count of every 8 steps.

1) Set your posture.

2) As you start to walk, inhale deeply on the first four steps.

3) Hold your breath on the next two steps.

4) Exhale on the last two steps.

Team Building with Laser tag - 1

Laser tag is a great team builder. After playing more than 30 sessions I am drawing from my experience in the game. Laser tag can mimic team work of a family, a military unit, a corporate department, sports team, etc. After all, teams are found in nearly every field and department today.

As I write this blog I would like my readers to know that I am a son in a family, a family man, worked for 6+ years in the corporate in analyst to managerial capacities and played club level basketball and done some coaching for basketball teams as well.

1) Different Gameplays

Laser Tag has a variety of gameplays. In each gameplay, since the goal is different the team has to work together to achieve the goal. It brings realistic scenes as at some point in the game you run out of 'ammunition' at crunch situations or the team might be faced with that same scenario, 

2) Different Venues

Each venue brings its own challenges for the teams. We have played out in the woods, in the parks, in apartment blocks, enclaves, inside houses, confined spaces with minimal lights and heavy sounds. The teams have got to decide on communication methods, best course of 'attack' or 'defense' etc.

3) Different Times per session

Ever had those days at work when the team suddenly has to finish something in a short period of time? Or the work assigned has a longer time period and you are pacing yourself without having to drop productivity of yourself or the teams? Well laser tag games can be of different time lengths depending on game play or availability of time to just 'sneak' in a game!!

4) Realising who are the best people within my group for me to work with

In my case even within the team, I usually work even better with just one or two other people. This is not to say I ignore the rest of my team. Its just that when these team members and I come together we can keep our entire team strong and achieve the gameplay goal more efficiently.

5) Realising my strengths and weaknesses.

One thing I learnt really quickly in laser tag, is I am not all I thought I was. In my first few games I thought I would be taking my team to victory and when the results came out I was hit the maximum number of times without landing a single shot!! Delusions of myself broke quickly. However, I also started realising where my strengths were. I was better off listening to a leader and following instructions than giving them. Learning my strengths and weaknesses helped me push my strengths up to help the team and go back and work on my weaknesses. While I had some of my ego busted during some of the games I was also grateful to lend my strengths to benefit the team.

6) Realising others strengths and weaknesses.

Taking up from the last point, I realised strengths and weaknesses of others. So where I was weak I would have to depend on the others who were strong and where I was strong I went forward and covered the others. I did realise there is no place for ego or pride if the team is to win together. 

7) Teaches us where to take risks.

There are some times when the team needs to take risks. It isn't nice but sometimes its the only way to go forward and possibly win.

These are just a few points that I realised are important for team building. In part two I will be talking about a few more points that I had realised progressively as I kept playing the game.

If you find these points useful for team building I strongly suggest that you go ahead and call for a laser tag game whether at home or the office. Contact www.skirmish.in ASAP.

5 Things to Stay Healthy in the Season

During this season one thing is certain There is a lot less work and more food everywhere. Its those tasty, delicious, mouth-watering, meals and even more delicacies and goodies. There are few things you can do to keep things in check:

1) Get your mindset right, keep your conscience light.

In this season you will no doubt enjoy food and lots of it. You could have late nights, sleep in, not have time in the early morning to exercise and all that is OK!. It happens, it's life. Please don't go on a guilt trip and also remember this period is not going to last.

2) Enjoy your food Responsibly.

I did mention go ahead and eat, but wherever possible try to watch your eating habits. Eat only as much as you need too - don't eat on feeling or out of gluttony.

3) Do some form of exercise or activity at least for 7-10 minutes everyday. 

Since there is less work, chances are you have a little more time and energy to exercise.

4) Do not ignore your rest. 

This season can come with a lot of events and visits which might actually make you tired. Remember to catch up on your rest and sleep well. There is a reason as to why they call this the Holiday Season and wish each other 'Happy Holidays.' Read this blog post I did a few years back to get more ideas.

5) Stay Focused. Stay consistent

Discipline never takes a day off. Yes there are occasional slip ups but you have to stay focused and consistent. Its your health and life that you are working towards. Stay focused and stay consistent.

If you know anyone who will benefit from this post please don't hesitate to share it.

Guilt Free - Strength and Fitness

Recently, I have been having to deal with an issue most of my clients have admitted to me. It' isn't the first time I have heard it and I am writing this blog post out of concern for anyone else who is struggling with this issue. Even some of my best trainees open this up. If they miss a training session or go slack on their diet they feel guilty!

Now to me, feeling guilty about missing a training session of messing up on the diet once or for a few days is a sign of trouble showing up. I don't ever want any of my clients or those I advise feeling guilty over missing a session or cheating on thier meals. To be feeling guilty will stop and make you think you are just doing things without reults coming. While I don't advocate being lazy and just giving excuses and the ' I'm like this only' excuse which is also terrible for your overall health, fitness and strength goals, being guilty also doesn't do any good.

Buried guilt is a sneaky thing which will come back to hit you hard when you least expect it. It builds patterns into your mentality keeping you weak. As a result you will not be able to go forward. Yes your body might push harder the next time but its more damaging in the long run. Guilt turns toxic inside of you and it drains your strength. Here are just some of the effects of guilt:

• Cortisol levels go up increasing stress.
• Headaches and Backaches
• Cardiovascular disease
• Gastrointestinal disorder
• Steady decline of the immune system
• Contributes significantly to depression and anxiety.

As you can see from the above list non of this is helping in your effort to stay healthy, fit , strong and living a long life. If brought in to the exercise and diet parts of your life, you are just going to go on with a mindset hoping to have results and you you will just be 'spinning your wheels' without going anywhere. Many times that mindset can be hidden and you don't even realise it. Soon its taking its toll on you, then results get further and further and finally you drop out of living a healthy lifestyle or continuing that journey. 

If you miss a training session or a few training sessions or your diet hasn't been clean for a while - whether you were being slack or things just happened that got too much in the way there are a few things you can do:

• Face reality - As long as you are living and breathing there is hope. Acknowledge to yourself you missed up that schedule and get back on track quickly! Forgive yourself and get up. There is more strength in standing up and getting on to the path again especially after you trip up. Don't wallow in the guilt and self pity.
• Get a coach and stay accountable - Find a good coach or trainer. They can help mentor you and give you the support that you need.
• Find a social support group - If you are already training in a group, these could be the right people to give you the support you need, especially if they are all networked to the same coach who mentors you all.
• You can learn 'pre-emptive strikes' or 'counter- attacks' to help you stay on your plan.

There are two examples that I can give to which I saw this work and work well. The first is my own experience and my second transformation. 

The second comes from a client of mine who was seeing me for nutritional coaching. She came to me in September of this year.  From September to October she was struggling to start effectively on the plan and no results whatsoever. To make matters worse nearly all her initial conversations and texts conveyed the message that she was stressed out and she would tell me at times she felt guilty. I told her that she first needed to stop feeling guilty and stressed out. At the beginning of November we met up and she was a different person. She had started to lose weight, her skin was clearer, her voice was calmer and she had more confidence about her. The gamechanger - she worked hard but threw out the extra baggage of being stressed and the guilt of not being able to stick to her plan. She has lost about 5kgs from October end till now.

Don't let guilt hold you down. Life does happen. Things do get tough. However, there is no reason to carry around mental toxic waste like guilt with you especially when things are not going your way. It will just do more harm than than good. Get over it, stand up and keep going. Practice Guilt free strength and fitness.

Eat First, Supplement Later - II

In the last post, we had looked at the importance of eating correctly and building a good nutrition base with whole foods first and then going into supplementation. Eating them first should be a priority unless you want to be made of this:

Now lets get into supplements. Supplements are just that - supplements! They are your insurance policy in your nutrition and diet so that any deficiencies are covered. Not all supplements are equal. Which supplements and how much depends on the lifestyle of the person. Of course there are other factors, like environment, health, etc that determine which supplements, what kind and how much.

Almost always the food we are eating, even if they are whole foods, are deficient in the adequate amount of required nutrients to our bodies - especially with multi vitamins and minerals. This is because of environmental causes, pesticides, insecticides, genetically modified foods, the way food is grown today, etc. Some things  like some amino acids (building blocks of  protein) Vitamin D3 just cant be made by the body. These have to be supplemented. The most common form of supplements is a multi vitamin-mineral.

Supplementation is not necessarily medicine and in most cases if you look closely most of the medicines prescribed by doctors are mostly chemically synthesized versions of amino acids, fatty acids or vitamins and minerals. This is not to say they are not good. They have their place as their is a time and place for that. If supplements dont fall under the medical prescription, the other kind of supplementation will definitely help you to avoid doctors visits.

There are two groups of people now. Some want supplements and some will have nothing to do with them. In these are further extremes. From the ones who support supplements the extremists will forego normal food and ask for 'the millionth gram/ of XYZ in x quantity so that it will support their hypothalmus to produce enough hormones too...... ' you get my drift. The other side just flat out refuses healthy supplements, and they have poor nutrition and dietary understanding and habits.

Supplements picked up from a nutraceutical base rather than a pharmaceutical base are much more purer and effective.

For the average person, at any given point in todays world, we are deficient in some level of adequate macro or micronutrients. Most issues with skin, hair, fat loss, weight gain are as a result of inadequate nutrients. The answer is supplementation after you have eaten first.

There are common forms of supplements for macronutrients as well. Common forms include protein, fish oil, fiber. It is important to know what supplements you are taking. A common mistake is when someone decides to suddenly go all 'health and fitness' they want the latest tub of protein powder and omega 3 fish oil. That in itself is not wrong but here are the two biggest mistakes I have seen.

1) They usually want to supplement without eating an adequate amount of whole foods first

2) They usually go with a heavily marketed protein powder which has nothing but chemicals.

Educate yourself on what supplements you want to take. Check the quality and do your research.

As far as protein supplements are concerned they need to be checked. For vegetarians I definitely recommend a protein supplement as plants dnt have all the necessary protein nutrients required.

Here are some supplements that work for nearly anyone and everyone. Before you delve into these please remember these are my suggestions and not to be taken as medical advice or replace it. Check with a doctor who is sensible and who you trust first.

1) Vitamin C
2) Vitamin D3
3) Vitamin E
4) Vitamin B especially B12
5) Omega 3 - fish oil

Supplements will help you and in light of todays lifestyle, environments, and food production methods, its turning more into a necessity for every day. If you have been given supplements to take or suggested to take  you must know in detail why you are taking them. Remember, however its always eat first, supplement later!!

Eat first, Supplement Later - I

'Could you suggest a protein powder for me?'

This is a question that came from a client who was on a Nutrition Coaching program with me after two months of starting off. Prior to that she had asked me about supplements and I told her to stay away from them for a while - at least until she got her diet dialed in and her nutrition on track.

Unfortunately, its a question that comes from far too many people who's basic nutrition is not correct. On the other hand we have a bunch of people who think supplements are a waste of time or not necessary. I'll be dealing with how to use supplementation in another post. For a quick primer on supplementation read it here

The first thing you need to know about your nutrition is remember the 6 components of food. In case you have forgotten what they are:

1) Proteins
2) Fats
3) Carbohydrates
4) Vitamins
5) Minerals
6) Water

Protein - Protein is necessary to build structure and enhance growth of the body.

Fat -  Although a structure builder, fat is also a good energy provider. However fats play a very very important role in hormones functioning properly. The correct fats are not harmful. As a matter of fact along with good protein fats can give you healthy glowing skin, hair and nails.

Carbohydrates -  Carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy and is important to transport protein across the body as well.

Vitamins and Minerals - Vegetables and fruits (in that order) provide your micronutrients. Vegetables are one of the most powerful food groups you can have. Eat as much of them as you can throughout the day. Fruits having a higher sugar content can be eaten more sparingly.

Water - Water intake is absolutely necessary to keep the body hydrated and healthy It helps also in keeping the body systems cool rather than producing excessive heat. Water makes up approximately 70% of the body.

The first three are referred to as macronutrients. These are responsible for building structures of the body and providing energy. Vitamins and minerals are known as micronutrients. They are responsible for efficient working of certain processes and activities in the body. These are taken in much smaller quantities than the others but are absolutely vital for being healthy.

Getting the right foods that provide these nutrients and in required proper proportions for yourself will ensure your main nutritional bases are covered. So if you are not first covering the right quantities of the main groups don't even start on supplementation. If regular eating is not done first supplementation has no use or can even have some terrible consequences. Build a healthy relationship with food. Do not abuse it. You have to let food work for you and not let it control you. In all this remember its important to enjoy your food.

Eat well, eat responsibly and you will find your health and strength changing for the better. After the basics have been set we can move into supplementation which will be written about in a following post.

4 Points for a Unfriendly Fitness Schedule

After all these years of training, I have realised there are training principles we have to abide by which must be followed to bring successful results to my clients.

Sometimes life does get in the way and we cant have a perfect schedule of training and diet. So here are things I have found that have worked with me and my clients.

1) Mini Training sessions:- If the 30 minutes or one hour program does not suit you then find a training pattern that does. I found that 'mini' trainings throughout the day work well. What does this mean? Do shorter, stimulating exercises throughout the day. This undoubtedly will lead to more work meaning more muscles to work and more energy expenditure.

2) Diet Strategies: I usually am not one to go with a 'eat this, dont eat this' approach. However what I do suggest and strongly advocate is finding the right diet strategy. Sometimes we have to re-evaluate our diets to suit our lifestyle. For example, if a client has a job where they are more actively involved, they would need more energy. If there are clients who have a more mentally activity and less physical movement, I definitely wouldnt recommend eating excessive calorie dense foods.

3) Exercise Selection: If we are with mini training sessions, the right exercises are vital. It does not make sense to say 'Walk for 5 minutes up and down the corridor' when you have 20 kgs to lose in a hurry. That might get a blood circulation going but its not going to be enough to crank up enough energy to challenge the body and muscle of any kind. We need exercises that

• Will challenge your entire body in about 10 - 15 reps.
• Thats doable in about 5-7 minutes.
• Thats safe movement and will limit fatigue.

4) Use events of the day: Find things in your daily routine and use those to your advantage. Taking a common example of walking - it is often suggested that if you can walk somewhere walk. Like take the stairs instead of the elevator. However if its for a distance, think about keeping a smaller backpack with you that you can load up with some heavier weight. If you strap that on and walk you now have an additional weight and your simple walk suddenly became more intense.

Of course these points are so simple we don't really think it will help until we actually do them. So here is my recommendation - Start. After this deal with the details as they present themselves.

This is based on High Frequency Training but also taking into consideration the lifestyle of a client. If the client is working heavily at a desk job, works nights and also has family commitments, I know they are going to struggle sticking to a 30 minute training plan.

I have practiced this myself and found they work. I have also tried them on my clients and they have been having good results. These points can crash nearly any reason that you have for not being able to have an exercise plan and a diet strategy going for you. 

PIlates - My take!!

I finally got my certification in Teachers training for Pilates to which I am really happy about and thankful about.

Pilates has quite a mixed response in the fitness industry. One group swears by its benefits while the other shoots it down. If there is one thing I have learnt in my life its go back to the source, where things began or by the person who created it. 

So what is my take away about Pilates since I have always been involved with lifting weights and strength training?

An important point to remember is Joseph Pilates himself referred to this practice as 'Controlology' which had been practiced for years before Pilates as a training system ever came up.

1) Pilates is not a sissy fad - In the fitness industry people want the latest fad to shed weight quick and look good. Unfortunately Pilates is just made and marketed that way like most other things in the fitness world. It was around for quite a while.

2) Pilates is good for strengthening you from the inside out - Pilates helps you reach to activate vital core muscles that you probably didn't even know you had. Yet its these muscles that are the powerhouse of the musculoskeletal system.

3) Mind Muscle connection - Pilates requires a lot of mind muscle connection with also being able to hear instruction at the same time. You are working vital muscles which you cant see but are very important for your musculoskeletal system.

4) Pilates is a form of strength training- There is a lot of isometric contraction in Pilates. Isometric contractions are known and researched to cause upto 50% more strength in the body. As a matter of fact some of the strongest and best physiques came out of isometric training. 2 names that immediately comes up are 'The Mighty Atom' and Charles Atlas.

5) Pilates is probably one of the best programs for Rehab - Please read that again carefully. I didnt say it was the best. I said it was probably one of the best. How do I know this? I heard about it. Joe Pilates was a sickly child with quite a few illnesses at 4 years old. 10 years later at 14  he was modelling for anatomy charts. After three days of 8-10 hours of training as a healthy and fit trainer I was feeling much better around my joints and certain muscle groups and 12 hours from finishing that trainng session I put a client of mine on Pilates immediately. This client was in for rehab and training with me for four months and her comment was

Wow. My movement is so much better and there is less pain!!'

That session was a session of strength training and 30 minutes only!

Oh and of course Joe Pilates rehabbed an entire section of WWII soldiers using his principles.

6) Pilates CAN be a stand alone but might not necessarily be the complete training that you need - Pilates might cover only one part of your fitness needs. Joseph Pilates himself was involved with a host of other training methodologies.

7) Since Pilates is essentially principles it can blend in and be applied to a lot more other disciplines essentially.

Pilates was quite an interesting learning for me. I definitely recommend at least 4 sessions to learn the principles. The principles are definitely something I will incorporate in all trainings of mine and that I teach.

Got any questions? Comments? I would like to hear your views.

  

Intangible but Powerful Fitness Goal keys

After a year and a half of struggling with maintaining my fitness levels and weight I have learnt a lot more as I continued to train clients.

I am just fresh out of my 2nd transformation and the results this time have been much more rapid than my previous one. I wanted to share with all of you some overlooked keys but most important keys to weight loss, losing fat and building muscle and strength.

1) Mindset and focus: You have probably heard it time and time again - set a goal when you want weight loss.
This locks in your focus. The goal set can also be to gain muscle and strength. However an important factor to look for when you are setting a goal is to be realistic and set a timeline.

2) Be honest: Take a long hard look at yourself and be honest. Tell the truth to yourself. 'I am fat and it's not healthy. I need to lose weight.'  It takes guts to stand in front of a mirror and tell yourself that. Many times we are scared to admit it aloud. Stop running. Embrace it. Locate yourself and only then can you move forward.

3) Responsible:- Responsibility is important. To lose weight you need a simple but effective plan. You have to find one which you know you can stick with for that particular period of time in both nutrition, exercise and rest. You already know you can't lose weight eating whatever you want or when 'cheat day' is every 48 hours. If it's your diet, take some time to find out what is an effective plan that you can stay consistent with till you lose weight. Don't just keep putting in everything into your mouth. If it's exercise, don't just jump into P90, Insanity, Zumba or the latest in thing -  find the one that's right for you. If you need to, get a trainer to design a program for you.

'Eat responsibly, Train Responsibly and Rest Responsibly'

4) Consistency - Once you find an appropriate plan of action to lose weight start it and stay consistent and committed to it. It is not in the 3 days of doing it but in the full journey. In my case in the 2nd transformation, my weight showed no changes in the first two weeks. However in the 3rd week it showed a weight loss of 4kgs! (no thats not a typo). By the time I entered the beginning of the 5th week I was down by 7kgs!  However, if  I had given up within the first two weeks I would have not seen anything except a fatter version of me or at the worst the same old fat version of me.

5) Stay calm: It's important to remember not to stress out on a weight loss plan (or anytime for that matter). Excessive stress will result in cortisol being released and make you gain weight. When I was in transformation I got more rest, went and had more fun, enjoyed more quiet time and introspection than the previous months. I not only got to know myself better but reached my goal in record time. 

    Don't stress out over the fact that you have to lose weight either. Yes you acknowledge it and embrace the fact that you need to lose weight but things will start getting better when you relax. This really happened with a client of mine over the last 3 months. She could not lose weight in 2 months and was always stressing out over it. So I had to keep telling her to relax. Then about a month ago she told me she lost 3kgs. Nothing changed in her diet pattern. Her exercise regime was far from effective  since she was just starting strength training, but she just took things calmly and she lost weigh almost immediately. (you can read my article on de-stress here.)

These are keys that will help you in your weight loss journey. These are hardly talked about or emphasized but they are just as important as nutrition, exercise and rest when it comes to losing weight. 

Transformation 2015

Looking at myself in past months, I realised I had put on a lot of weight and I needed to drop fat off my body fast. (Yes even we trainers and fitness enthusiasts are human and we don’t always get it right). I had done a body transformation once before. I needed another - quickly

The Status

Wt: 82 kgs. Waist size 34

Apart from these photos and stats, the problem was much worse.

• I could not focus on a plan or a program to help me in diet or nutrition
• The diet plans I was designing for me was not working well.
• My mental toughness was much lower than before.
• I was not able to stay consistent
• My pullups were at 0.

It wasn’t a body transformation only that I needed it was a fitness lifestyle transformation

My ‘WHY am I doing this?’

I did this because I could not be irresponsible to My God, myself, my family. I was heading for serious trouble and I knew it. I also missed the ability to live strong and healthy, eat responsibly and enjoy my food. The thought of not being able to do things with my family and play with my daughter was just too painful. Also the truth that I looked an absolute mess was horrible.

Setting the Goal

I had been toying with this idea for 4 months. I set my body transformation goal for December 15th, 2015. That is almost always  when the season’s goodies start coming in. I had thought of two dates before this but never made it. Now I was in the last week of October and that’s when I aimed hard for December.

The Transformation Plan

This main plan was The Aggressive Fat Loss Bible

The strength training program was Beginners Bodyweight Bodybuilding.

The plan was a unique one which promised results in a month. I am usually skeptical of such quick transformation plans, however it was from the trainer that helped me breakthrough before and I trust his work.

Action

I started with my body and fitness transformation on 26/10/2015. Though simple, it wasn’t always easy. I was heading straight into winter so some days were really really cold accompanied by extremely heavy rains. Work was erratic. I didn’t always have what I needed to maintain my nutrition. As for staying with training, I did not always feel like doing it. I was sometimes too tired. Also with a toddler at home, the timings and plans didn’t go as planned. What I had planned to finish before 5p.m, sometimes started only at 8:30 p.m.

Oh yes, this time I kept my mouth shut about the transformation. Only my wife knew about it.

Results

One month later I checked my stats again. Here are my results.

WT: 75 kgs. Waist Size 32

However I had more than a body transformation.

• I was stronger, healthier, faster.
• The shape I was looking for had finally started to breakthrough.
• I got my mental toughness edge back.
• I now could stay consistent and discipline and I knew it - I picked a program and followed it.
• I learnt a lot about my body, bodyweight training, mentality and coaching cues.

My transformation wasn’t easy. However, it was doable. My previous transformation took 9 months. This took only one. It led to a new body composition, strength, skill, knowledge and wisdom. The experience of achieving something like this is amazing. Do a fitness body transformation -  it will transform your life.

If you need help with a lifestyle transformation please don't hesitate to contact me.