Health
Walk to a Fit and Healthy Year
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- Written by Sarah Brookes
Walking comes naturally to us humans. It's one of the first skills we develop in our early years, long before we learn how to talk (or invent excuses to avoid walking). And given good, basic health, it's something you can do throughout your life without worrying about overdoing it. Before today's ever available cars, buses and trains, walking was the principal form of day to day transport for most people and usually involved a lot more time and distance covered than most of us spend at it today.
It's all about the calories!
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- Written by Sarah Brookes
Strictly speaking there is no magic formula that gives us the exact amount of calories we should eat per day, or how many we need to lose weight, however most women will lose weight successfully on around 1500 calories a day and for men around 2000 calories.
But there are some tricks we can use to find out a little more accurately how many you personally need.
Why do I need to know you may be thinking - well in order to lose weight we need to be taking in less energy (calories)
A-Z of Fitness
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- Written by Sarah Brookes
A – Aerobic Activity: At least 30 minutes of daily aerobic activity — such as walking, cycling or swimming — can help you live a longer and healthier life. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) defines aerobic exercise as "any activity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously, and is rhythmic in nature." It is a type of exercise that overloads the heart and lungs and causes them to work harder than at rest.
Get Off The Treadmill and Get Metabolic!!
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- Written by Sarah Brookes
Have you ever stopped and actually stood and took in what is going on around you in the average gym? Have you noticed everyone lined up in rows running to nowhere on the treadmill like a hamster in its wheel? Spinning those wheels in an endless cycle of repetitive movements for what seems like hours/weeks/days/months/years? In fact have you seen those same people week in week out doing the exact same thing? They may have lost a few pounds since they started but
Exercise Myths
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- Written by Sarah Brookes
How many times have you heard things about exercise that you may still believe to be true? For example; sit ups will give you a 6 pack, muscle will turn to fat when you stop training, muscle weighs more than fat etc. etc. Keep reading and see which of these are more fiction than fact:
1) Let’s start with my favourite one – muscle weighs more than fat – so a lb of muscle = a lb of fat, in fact a lb of feathers would weigh the same there would just be a hell
Get Fit for Tennis
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- Written by Sarah Brookes
With the summer approaching and the better weather just around the corner now is the time to take your exercise outdoors! Over the next few months I will be writing a series of articles on getting fit for some popular sports. With Wimbledon approaching, Tennis came to mind for the first piece.
Racquet sports require many physical requirements, such as good flexibility, co-ordination, aerobic fitness, and strength.
Festive Fitness
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- Written by Sarah Brookes
Are Excuses stopping you from looking your best this festive season?
It may be November but it still gives us nearly 8 weeks until Christmas Day but how many of you are making excuses not to start or continue your exercise and nutrition program now?
If I had a pound every time I heard I’ll start my “diet” in January or “I’ll join the gym as one of my New Year’s
Get Fit for Golf
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- Written by Sarah Brookes
Golf is usually seen as a gentle “game” and not a hardcore exercise/sport, however it actually takes a lot more effort and certainly burns a lot more calories than you would think.
There was a recent scientific study by Neil Wolkodoff which had surprising results: the study concludes that golfers who walk 36 holes a week will burn around 2,900 calories per week. The threshold of 2,500 calories burned
Fitness Q&A
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- Written by Sarah Brookes
Decembers article was your chance to ask those exercise questions that you have wanted answered, below is a selection of the questions put to me, any other questions you would like an answer to don’t forget to leave a comment below!
Q. I know that I’m going to have a heavy festive season and I want to begin the New Year by losing a few pounds.
