Love your heart
Iâve had this blog piece in mind for a while and I thought, what better time to write about the heart than on Valentineâs Day. The belief systems of both the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks believed that the heart was connected to the soul, with the latter believing it was the seat of reason. During Roman times the Greek philosopher Galen built on these ideas, arguing that emotions came from the heart, rational thought from the brain and strangely, passion from the liver! In Mediaeval times, the symbol of the heart began to appear as a sign of love, although originally the image much more closely resembled an anatomically correct diagram of the heart, something that most of us wouldnât find too romantic these days. The use of the image continued and was gradually adapted to look more like the heart we know today. Martin Luther, the major figure of the Protestant Reformation, used the image of a traditional love heart surrounded by a white rose as the symbol of Lutheranism from around 1530, and by the Victorian era, the practice of sending love notes on Valentineâs Day was born. The Lutheran symbol – reproduced from https://stainedglassinc.com What your heart can tell you Anyway, enough of the history lesson, the real reason I wanted to create this blog was to show you how you can use your resting heart rate for all sorts of useful things. Your heart is a muscle and just like those in your arms and legs, it contracts to create movement. Its job though is to move blood around your body, pumping used blood back to the lungs to be topped up with oxygen and freshly O2-enriched blood out to your muscles and organs where oxygen is in constant demand to keep you functioning. It has some unique properties that distinguish it from the muscles of your skeleton: Unlike skeletal muscles, itâs involuntary, meaning you donât have to think about it for it to beat. It would be slightly annoying if approximately every second your train of thought was interrupted whilst you remembered to contract your heart and keep oxygen-rich blood passing round your body. Instead, it is switched on automatically by its own electrical current. This passes through continuously, causing your heart to fill, contract and push blood around your body, then refill. Your heart muscle, or to give its fancy names, cardiac muscle or the myocardium, has to have oxygen to work. Your skeletal muscles can for a short period work anaerobically, or without oxygen, but this is bad news for the heart, one of the reasons why it beats continuously to ensure it gets what it needs. Hereâs how you can use your resting heart rate to learn more about yourself. 1. Fitness and health Like the muscles attached to your skeleton, with exercise your heart becomes fitter. Regular cardiovascular exercise; walking briskly, running, cycling, swimming and gym work, causes the cardiac muscle to grow, in much the same way as your muscles grow if you lift big weights often enough. As the heart grows in size and strength, that means it can pump out more blood with each beat and in response, it can perform its job more easily and not have to beat as often. This why measuring your resting heart rate is a good marker of your health and fitness. You can test it by feeling for your pulse in your wrist or neck using two fingers (donât use a thumb as it has its own pulse), or many sports watches these days will provide data on your heart rate constantly, including your current average at rest. Make sure you take readings when resting, having drunk no caffeine or alcohol, done no exercise and ideally not when stressed. First thing in the morning when you get up is a good time. Hereâs a guide to what the scores mean 60-80 beats per minute: a good resting score, well within the normal figures and showing that your heart is working at a normal level whilst at rest Less than 60 beats per minute: If youâre active and generally lead a healthy lifestyle, this shows that your heart is strong and not having to pump too often to meet its demands. If youâre overweight and live an unhealthy lifestyle e.g. drink or smoke excessively, itâs worth visiting your GP to discuss this as low resting heart rates for you can be a sign that itâs not quite working as it should Over 80 beats per minute: your heart is having to work hard even at rest. If you live an unhealthy lifestyle, you might want to consider what you can do to lose weight, increase your health or fitness and visit your GP to get a check-up. If itâs over 100, you should definitely see your GP to discuss actions and lifestyle changes. 2. Recovery Resting heart rate will vary constantly by a couple of beats, but if you notice that yours has increased by 5 beats or more, itâs likely that youâre a bit fatigued. It could be that you havenât recovered from a hard training session (or late night), or it could be a sign that you have a cold coming. For example, mine was hovering at around 45-48 last week, then all of a sudden it went up to 60 and was followed closely by a bout of man-flu. Monitoring it daily can help you to keep an eye on training intensity, knowing when to ease back, and also to help you evaluate whether youâre on top of healthy habits like fruit and veg intake, water and sleep. 3. VO2max and other markers Some of the fancier sports watches use something called Heart Rate Variability. Basically thatâs the time-gap between your heart beats. When youâre fit and well, not too tired, training at the right level for you and free from colds etc, your heart naturally speeds up and slows down. That means that the time-gap between beats
A balanced take on the scales: weighing up the pros and cons
Weighing scales have been around for millennia (if youâre a geek like me you can read more about their history here). Theyâre probably the most used health measuring tool on planet Earth (and maybe other worldâs too, who knows), and theyâre responsible for their fair share of strong opinions, heated debates and full-blown arguments. Many swear by them, sometimes to the point of unhealthy obsession, whilst opponents, particularly from the modern-day fitness world, espouse throwing them out of the nearest window or banishing them to far-away lands. I thought then that it was high time for a balanced view on the matter, so Iâve weighed in with this blog (couldnât resist, sorry), dedicated to guiding you through whether you should use them at all, and if so, how often. Weighing in weeklyâŚor even daily Iâll be the first to admit, for many years I would discourage my clients from this approach, rolling out the justifications weâll review in a minute. Iâve mellowed in my old-age and those of you whoâve worked with me or been taught by me on a course will know that one of my favourite sayings is âit dependsâ. That said, Iâve never gone as far as thinking that weighing yourself daily was a good idea, especially as I once worked in a gym with a PT who weighed herself in ounces (something I thought was only reserved for the ingredients of Bake-Off contestants) and would be devastated at the tiniest changes. Imagine my surprise then this week when, whilst researching for the next balance book/online offering (titled Think: Developing a mindset for lasting success, part 1 of The Art of Balance: How to be fit, healthy and happy), I came across a decent amount of research suggesting that weighing yourself daily might be highly effective. My flat world had just become round!!! One study of 294 college students found that people weighing themselves daily lost significantly more weight over a 2-year period than those who weighed in daily. Another began with a single weight-loss seminar, after which, half of the 162 attendees were asked to weigh themselves daily, whilst the other half were offered no advice on weighing regularity. Over one year, the men asked to weigh daily lost significantly more than those who were not given advice on weighing frequency. There was no difference for the women though. In the second year of the study, the half originally not advised on weighing frequency were also asked to weigh-in daily and again the men in this group went on to lose significant amounts of weight whilst the womenâs weight remained constant. A review of a wide range of studies on the topic found that both daily and weekly weigh-ins were equally successful, regardless of the other features of the weight loss programme, and one study of over 11,000 participants in Israel discovered that when people visited their GPâs or dietician frequently for weigh-ins on a weight management programme, they were up to 13% more likely to lose a significant amount of weight, in this case at least 5% of their starting weight. This figure is commonly used in the medical world and is considered a decent marker of success. Consider my eyes opened to new possibilities. Iâm sure itâs no coincidence that Weight Watchers (now WW of course) and Slimming World had so much success built around their weekly weigh-in models. Regular weighing may of course not be right for everyone, so hereâs some guidelines that might help you to decide if itâs right for you. Weigh yourself daily or weekly if: You know youâre impatient for results and become demotivated without them. Regular weigh-ins can help provide focus by providing evidence of quick wins. See my recent blog on why so many people love quick wins here. You need a disciplined structure to keep you on track. One of the other big reasons for the success of Slimming Clubs is the public weigh-in; itâs nice to get praise for success and equally itâs nice not to feel like youâve failed in front of others. If you know this works for you, join a club or replicate it by weighing in with colleagues at work, family or friends. I was amazed by the successes on a weight-loss challenge I helped run for the Bank of Ireland a few years ago which contained a weekly weigh-in and a competition element, people like to win and hate losing (except weight of course). Youâre ok seeing progress in smaller chunks. You may have a goal of losing a few stone and daily or weekly weigh-ins will see you chipping away at this pretty slowly, sometimes not at all if weighing daily. In fact, only weigh daily if you can always keep the big picture in mind, the long-term goal. Weight is affected by so many things; hydration levels, food in your stomach, whether youâe been to the loo or not, the menstrual cycle and more besides, that itâs highly unlikely youâll see a consistent drop in weight. If youâre happy to look for trends over time but need that regular check to keep you on track, it can work for you. You use other monitoring methods alongside it. For example, you might weigh-in daily but do a waist measurement every 1-2 weeks as well. You can also use other tape measure readings, clothing fit and body fat tests if you have access to them. Often if people perform exercise whilst attempting to lose weight, muscle mass increases and so can weight. That doesnât mean youâll end up big and bulky though; muscle is very dense and so you actually get firmer and smaller the majority of the time, which is what most people are after. Changes to size and muscle mass will definitely be gradual so performing them fortnightly or even monthly is better. One of my favourite food psychology researchers, Brian Wansink, suggests that if you do weigh weekly, Wednesday is a good day to choose. Presumably
Take the squat test
This is a great fitness test to try at home as it needs very little equipment. It’s also great as you can record your total and aim to beat it over time; I’ve set out a simple training programme below that can help you to better your score in future. Why squat? There are loads of benefits to adding squats to your exercise routines… 1. Research has linked being able to perform more squats with a lower risk of mortality…or put simply, dying. That’s because they’re a great marker of your overall ability to function; to get in and out of a chair, up and down the stairs or to have the leg strength to maintain your balance and prevent falls 2. Another study in 2015 showed a link between brain function and leg strength. Twins were tested and the ones who maintained leg strength better over a ten-year period also saw a much smaller decline in cognitive performance. This may be because the leg muscles are the largest and therefore a strong indicator of overall health and fitness 3. You’ll tone and strengthen lots of muscles, including your legs, bum and core (in fact, you’ll likely tone your stomach much more with squats than with sit-ups because of all the extra muscles utilised and calories burned as a result). Done regularly you’ll feel and see improvements in confidence, health and sports performance. 4. They’re also a cracking exercise for keeping you mobile and strengthening bones and joints. They can help decrease risk of osteoporosis, arthritis and ankle, knee, hip and lower back problems, as well as manage existing issues if pitched at the right level. 5. Add in the fact that they don’t need fancy equipment and can be done literally anywhere and you’ve got yourself one truly balanced exercise! Test yourself Here’s a simple squat test you can use to assess your leg strength and endurance. There are links to easier and harder alternatives at the end of this blog if you prefer. Get a sturdy chair without soft cushioning (a dining room chair is ideal) and place it with its back against a wall. Warm up for 5-10 minutes by walking, doing step-ups, marching/jogging on the spot or anything else that gets you feeling warm and a bit sweaty Stand in front of the chair and keeping your heels on the floor, squat down until your bum taps the chair before lifting straight back up til you’re completely upright, knees not locked out. Try a repetition or two to practice if you wish. When ready, perform as many squats as you can until you need to stop and check how you got on against the tables below. Taken from the Australian College of Sports & Fitness Improve Here’s a simple training plan you can follow if you’d like to improve your score. If you scored less than 30: Do sets of 10 until you reach a number greater than your total from the test. For example, if you scored 17, do 2 sets of 10; if you scored 26, do 3 sets of 10. Have a 30-second rest between each set. Aim to do this 2-3 times each week and re-test the following week. If you scored more than 30: Do sets of 20 until you reach a number greater than your total from the test. For example, if you scored 36, do 2 sets of 20; if you scored 51, do 3 sets of 20. Have a 30-second rest between each set. Aim to do this 2-3 times each week and re-test the following week. Each time you re-test, take your new total score and adapt the training programme based on the above guidelines. Alternative tests This test is a little easier and was designed for people aged 60-94 year’s old to assess leg strength: https://exrx.net/Calculators/SeniorChairStand This one is a toughie and a good choice if you’re after a squat test that challenges you both physically and mentally: https://www.topendsports.com/testing/tests/wall-sit.htm Be sure to share your score with us and we’ll check in on your progress next week!
balance on…..blogging beginnings and counting calories
Welcome to the the first ever balance weight loss blog! Itâs taken a fair bit of reading web pages that we didnât really understand to get to this point, so itâs nice to be able to start writing! Weâll be posting regularly on weight loss, health and well being, including: News – the latest research and press coverage for all things weight loss, health and well being. Recipes – weâll be giving you a range of healthy alternatives to your all-time favourites, ideas for healthy snacks and recipes using a range of healthy foods. All will be based on our âten pillars of nutritionâ. Exercise advice – at home, outside, or in the gym, weâll show you how to fit activity into your everyday lives with practical examples of awesome exercises and simple, effective training programmes. Success stories – we love to praise those whoâve achieved their goals, so weâll be sharing their achievements and how they did it with you, to motivate you and give you ideas for your own journey. Our own research and reading – we like to keep on top of the science and weâre keen to share what we find with you. Weâll put together articles on a range of topics, everything from sleep to stress management, from food to fitness, from what works for your mind to what works for your body. If you want us to write about anything in particular, just ask and weâll create a post just for you! We thought weâd start with a look at something that appeared in the news recently. These days, you canât go more than 24 hours without seeing a TV programme or a news story about weight loss, food, exercise, health and well being!! In many ways this is fantastic as it raises peopleâs awareness of the subjects and gets them thinking about their own health. We do however work with people who tell us theyâre confused by all the conflicting information that they read and see from day to day. âFish is really good for you as itâs packed full of Omega 3â or âthe seas are polluted so be careful with fish as it may be full of chemicalsâ, âmake sure to get your five portions of fruit and vegetables each dayâ, or âfruit is high in sugar and may increase your risk of diabetes.â Which one is true? Who should I trust? Sometimes itâs not easy to know, so weâll be helping to make it simple to understand by offering you a balanced view (pun very much intended)! Last week the Daily Mail had a story about a research study that they say tells us that counting calories is meaningless. Is this the case? Have a look for yourself . The findings suggest that the calories on food labels might not be correct, especially in processed foods where they may often underestimate the calories. It also showed that different people processed foods differently and as such may absorb different amounts of calories from the same foods. Thereâs a lot of good messages in this article to take away, including: Just counting calories may not be an effective way of losing weight, and certainly wonât guarantee good health. People are different! Foods that work for one may not work for another. Youâll need to learn over time how you respond to different foods and use a little trial and error to discover what works for you. Real foods are best! If it grew in the ground or on a tree, or it lived and died and not much happened to it afterwards, itâs probably good for you. If it was processed, and itâs advertised on TV, itâs probably not! Healthy cooking can be a recipe for success – steaming is particularly good for you and the odd bit of raw food can be great. Donât go mad on this, there have been a number of cases of people experiencing severe health issues with extreme raw food diets, and there is research to suggest it lowers HDL cholesterol and raises levels of markers of inflammation in the body. In fact, most fad diets like this purely work because they restrict you from consuming as many calories as you normally would, thereâs no magic going on. To count or not to count? When we work with clients we donât ask our clients to count calories and arguably you donât need to. If you eat real foods youâll get full fairly quickly and absorb the nutrients you need. If you eat processed foods itâs easy to over-consume as they donât contain what your body needs, leaving it hungry for more. They do however have refined sugars, trans-fats and other unhealthy substances that play around with your blood sugars and insulin levels, making you hungry again soon after. This is not to say that calories are irrelevant, far from it. If someone eats too much they can gain weight, if they donât eat enough they can lose weight. This is undeniable. If somebody finds it helps to count calories by measuring portion sizes and it works for them, well thatâs great and it should not be discouraged. People need to find their own ways to achieve balance in life and balance on the scales! If youâre considering making lifestyle changes to lose weight, remember that for thousands of years before food labelling and ‘low-fatâ or ‘liteâ foods existed, people successfully managed their weight by being in tune with their bodyâs, eating when they were hungry and stopping when they were full. Oh, and you wonât see a fat lion very often!! We hope you enjoyed our first instalment, weâll be back soon with lots more to help you balance your life and balance your scales. đ
