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Water You can live for days, even weeks without food but in as little as one day life can cease without water!!! The proper functioning of organs requires WATER. It assists absorption, excretion, circulation and digestion. It is required for all chemical changes within the body. It is a solvent for the body’s constituents. It assists in carrying nutrients in the blood. It takes waste products from the cells. It is utilised in building and repairing the body. Assists with the body temperature regulation. Lubricates the body’s moving parts It is so important to drink plenty of water every day. The best way to calculate the minimum amount of water you should be having is to convert your weight into pounds then divide by 2. This will give you the total in fluid ounces you should be drinking. Of course you should have more if it is hot or you are exercising. e.g. 11 stone = 154 pounds, divided by 2 = 77 fluid ounces (2.5 litres) If you can’t face plain water have WEAK diluted sugar free squash or real juice squeezed into it for taste. A quick test to see how hydrated you are, is to check the colour of your urine. Very pale straw colour with no odour is GOOD. Anything different shows you are dehydrated. The darker the colour and strength of odour indicates the level of dehydration. If you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated! Les Slinn Personal Trainer

Breakfast is Important If I was to say to you, I want you to go without food for 15 hrs most people would look at me as if I was mad! but by missing breakfast and not eating till mid morning a lot people are doing this everyday. Another problem is that people try and compensate by drinking caffeinated drinks and eating fast pick me up junk foods mid morning. These are almost always high calorie, low nutrition foods that only make the problem worse. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; energy levels are maintained by eating carbohydrate foods, which release their energy (glucose) slowly. It also kicks starts your metabolism, which helps keep your fat levels under control and keep you're mid morning hunger pangs at bay. Always try and load up on foods rich in vitamins A, B, C and Zinc making sure to include fibre in your breakfast. Some of the best breakfast foods are whole grain cereals, porridge, wholemeal toast, oily fish, fruit and eggs, perhaps try something different each morning. Rather than drink coffee in the morning try and substitute some of those drinks with water, coffee is a diuretic which takes away water from the body, so it is important to drink water regularly. s The most commons reasons why people skip breakfast are: ¤ No time- we all lead busy lives, but make time for that most important meal of the day. Get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning, making it your time to sit down, have breakfast and think about your daily tasks ahead. ¤ Not hungry in the morning- this is usually because people have eaten a large meal before going to bed, whilst asleep your stomach is still digesting food but at a slower rate, the result of this is that food is still often in the stomach in the morning. The benefits of eating breakfast are that it sets you up for the coming day by boosting concentration, making you less irritable, alleviating tiredness in turn making you more focused in the morning. You will be less hungry mid morning and less likely to eat those high calorie and low nutrition foods. Les Slinn Personal Trainer

Getting Kids Active According to the World Health Organisation its recommended that Children should be doing at least one hour of exercise a day. This includes walking to school, PE, playtimes and after school activities, but how many children do this amount? Schools, Parents and Doctors are concerned about that our children are becoming more sedentary and playing more computer games rather than going out and getting some much needed exercise. The rise in obesity in Children is due to poor diets and a lack of exercise, all sorts of problems can develop such as tiredness, backaches, emotional, psychological and low self-esteem. A lot of schools have started to take an active interest by putting on after school fitness clubs and checking what children are bringing in for their school lunches. By educating the children and parents this is a step in the right direction. Children should always eat breakfast, as this is the most important meal of the day, this should be wholegrain cereals, fruit or porridge not the sugar coated cereals. Eating a decent breakfast will set them up for the day helping them to stay focussed on their schoolwork and less likely want to load up on low nutrition high fat foods mid morning. Water is also important, 6-8 glasses a day this will help stop them from becoming de-hydrated and feeling tired at the end of the day, again always stay away from the high sugared drinks available. Fruit, at least 5 pieces a day, once a few start taking it in their lunch boxes regularly, you will see more doing it. As parents we are all role models for our children, if you are more active your children will tend to be, not all children like taking part in sports but they can try different things to get help them more active. Scout and Guide associations do a great deal in getting children more active, they have many activities for all children aged 4-14 years to take part in, a lot of children have weekend camps, hikes and help out in the local community. When I go into schools to talk to the staff and children, teachers are trying to get the message across to the children about becoming more aware of their health and fitness. Obesity is a growing problem and we have to ensure that activity levels are maintained and that children find fitness fun as well as being healthy. Les Slinn Personal Trainer.

Diets or Lifestyle Change? Trying to lose weight is the reason most Gyms and Leisure Centres are very busy. People are always after a quick fix, that diet that will change their lives, that body they have yearned for. There is a lot of modern day pressure for people to be slim, unfortunately for the vast majority they are repeatedly disappointed, This is because they have tried every diet going in the hope that they will quickly find the answer. Whilst striving for that unrealistic goal can make you feel miserable which also effects your self -esteem and confidence. For any person to be able to lose weight successfully and more importantly keep the weight off, you do need a lifestyle change rather than trying diet after diet. What you need to ask yourself is what has led you to become the way you are, is it because of physical inactivity, comfort eating due to stress or boredom, skipping meals then eating the wrong things or perhaps eating too much? Weight management does not mean going on a diet until you reach an ideal weight only then to return to old habits, hence the expression yo-yo diet. It is about finding a lifestyle change involving long term eating and physical activity plans that take into account your emotional, social and physical needs. Try these tips: ¤ Habits- look at your present habits, maybe eating too much high calorie, fatty foods or drinking too much alcohol and not enough water. ¤ Calories- reduce your calorie intake and increase your physical activity ¤ Goals- set realistic long term goals not short sharp quick fix diets. ¤ Shopping- try not to go to the supermarket on an empty stomach you will be tempted and buy impulse high calorie foods. ¤ TV- try not to eat in your dinner in front of the tv, you tend to eat more than if you all sit up at the table as a family. Simply because sub-consciously you are not concentrating on eating but watching tv. ¤ Serving sizes- try and not let any food groups on your plate touch this will keep portion sizes down. Les Slinn Personal Trainer

How to Stay Motivated A lot of people who join a Gym, are all full of good intentions to go three times a week, put all their effort in to lose those gained pounds and get fit again. For a couple of weeks or maybe a month all is going well, then they start slipping, missing a few trips to the gym and before you know it they do not go again. This is a classic scenario where their initial motivation fades and the latest programmes on the television become more inviting. Try to set yourself goals if you start to flag, your energy levels are dropping or you feel there's no time and your feeling bored .It could be things like taking part and entering a local fun run, learn a new hobby or sport. Perhaps try different classes available at your gym, just because one class did not suit you does not mean others wont. Get a friend or family member to exercise with you this will also help to keep up your enthusiasm. Another way is to regularly change your exercise program in the gym. Programs should be reviewed every 5-6 weeks as your body will get use to doing the same exercises and they need a change. Another good way to motivate you is by choosing an outfit or item of clothing in your wardrobe that currently feels tight when you wear it. As you start to exercise, once every 2 weeks try that piece of clothing on again, as you tone up and lose weight it will become looser and looser you will be amazed how good that feels. The social aspect is just as important, as you go along to different classes and activities you will meet new friends, you can all have fun and workout together. This does not have to be gym based it could be taking your dog for a longer walk, or cycling with your children or grandchildren, you will meet other people doing the same thing. The benefits to staying motivated are that you will be fitter, healthier, have less stress, more energy, which all will help you to have a positive outlook on life. Les Slinn Personal Trainer

Jog to get Fit We all know that Running/Jogging is used in many different sports and that it is one of the easiest ways to start exercising. All you need to start jogging is a good pair of running shoes, tracksuit and a little enthusiasm to get started. Running includes fun-runs, cross country, fell running, half and full marathons, the good thing about a lot of these is that the majority of these events, charities benefit from your efforts. Many people just enjoy running outside simply to stay fit and to maintain their fitness, others rather run on treadmills and listen to music whilst in the Gym. As with all exercise, if it's a while since you have exercised or are recovering from any illness, have high blood pressure or have had any recent surgery, please consult your Doctor before embarking on any exercise. If all is ok and you are ready to start always warm up, walk briskly increasing your arm movements, do this for approximately 5 minutes, and then stretch those muscles out. Start walking again gradually break into a slow jog, only go at a pace that you feel comfortable with. Always listen to your body, the best way is to try and hold a conversation with someone. If you find that you getting too breathless to talk that's the time to slow down or go back to walking until you recover again. You will find the more times that exercise the longer it will take for you to get breathless, this is a good measure that your fitness level is improving. Always try and set yourself goals, aim to try and improve the amount of time you are jogging rather than walking say "each time I exercise I will increase jogging time by 1 minute". You will be surprised how much better you will feel once you have done this. Other ways to try and keep yourself motivated is by having clear aims like running in the local fun run or raising money by taking part in charity organised by your gym. Perhaps keep a progress record on every time you went jogging, the time of day, how you felt and how you did. The simple act of writing it down acts as a motivator. Also try and get into a mind set of saying "When I go for a run" rather than "If, I go for a run". As with all exercise always ensure that you always drink water, as we all lose more sweat at a greater rate when exercising. If you do jog outside especially this time of year when it is cold, always ensure that you have the right equipment, good running socks, shoes, tracksuit, gloves and more importantly a hat. This is because we lose a lot of heat through our head. Always check the ground outside before running, in case it is too icy and invest in reflective clothing so you can be seen. Les Slinn Personal Trainer

Walk to get Fit One of the most easiest and cheapest was to get fit is by walking, a lot of people depend on the car to take them the most shortest of journeys. The cost to us not walking, coupled with living more sedentary lifestyles, is worrying. Obesity is on the rise rapidly in this country and is becoming as much of a problem as smoking, as the leading cause of preventable death in the UK. It is also a very low impact exercise that most people can benefit from as its easy, free and can be fun. Walking improves your cardiovascular fitness by getting your heart pumping blood around your body which in turn will help the condition of the heart and lungs, it also is a great way to work your muscles in your lower body. If it's a while since you have walked always start off slowly, increase the distance each time, perhaps by getting off that bus one stop before you usually get off. Walk to the shops rather than drive, at lunch time get out of the office have a walk around this will burn off calories and clear your mind to help you focus on the tasks for the rest of the day. Just because you have a treadmill at the gym, it does not mean that you have to run on it. A lot of people set the different programs so they walk briskly and also watch the television before they know it they have walked 30 minutes at a brisk pace whilst watching their favourite soap. The social aspect to walking can be good to, in which you could join a rambler group and meet new friends. As we have the Ridgeway right on our doorstep you have a whole countryside waiting for you to discover it, organisers usually set a route so that you all start and finish together. This can include hill walking or lowland walking, with the added bonus of picturesque scenery and fresh air. Others will just like to go out as a family group take a packed lunch and just enjoy the day. Whatever you decide to do its time to get you and your family active again. Les Slinn Personal Trainer

The Perfect Bottom Summer is around the corner, the shorts come out, and everyone starts thinking about getting that Beach body, Men all want that six pack, Ladies all want that perfect bottom. Ladies often tell me that their ideal choice would be one just like Kylie Minogue, no guarantee that you will be able to get one like hers but you certainly should be able to exercise so you can tone up what you have. There are plenty of myths that if you start exercising one of your biggest muscles which is called the Gluteus Maximus, you will end up with a bigger rear than when you started, this isn't true. Your body has different muscle fibres: slow and fast twitch. The Slow twitch fibres (think marathon runners) are made for endurance and can't get very big. Fast twitch muscle fibres (think of bodybuilders) are made to lift heavy weights and grow larger. So if you do a lot of aerobic exercise be it treadmill, cycling, cross training etc, you're relying on your slow twitch muscles so they will not get bigger whilst doing cardiovascular exercise. Also Muscle building requires progressive resistance, which means increasing the weight and less repetitions so as to make you put more effort to lift that heavier weight, So if you were to lift lighter weights but with more repetitions you will be just toning that rear. Women do tend to store fat in the glute area and it can be one of the most difficult areas to shift. If it is your desire to reduce, then aerobic exercise needs to be taken into consideration as it raises your heart rate and will increase the rate you burn fat. Also diet needs to be looked at especially your consumption of high fat, low nutrition foods and alcohol. The best combination to burn fat, shape and tone the bottom you need a combination of all which combine diet, aerobic workouts and specific exercises which target your gluteus maximus muscles which may help you get that Kylie bottom you have always wanted. Les Slinn Personal Trainer

What body shape are you? Are you an Apple or a Pear? Strange question you may ask. These are the two main types of body shapes the majority of people looking to lose weight will be. To determine what body shape you are, firstly divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement to get the ratio. If your ratio is greater than 0.85 for women or 0.95 for men then you are an apple shape. If the ratio is less, then you are a Pear shape. In general more men are apple shapes, this is because they carry their excess weight on the abdomen, rather than hip and thighs. Problem with this shape is more fat in this area will point to possible higher blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes. If you are an apple shape and have a BMI (Body mass index) of over 30 you are significantly at risk of developing problems. You will need to reduce your fat intake, protein and sugar intake. Look to increase lean protein and vegetable carbohydrates, fruit, water and more importantly increase your activity. Women tend to be more Pear shape as excess weight can generally be found around the hips, thighs, and bottom area. Pear shapes will have a narrow waist, shoulders but wider hips and thighs. This is because their bodies are designed for reproduction reasons as energy for nurturing and developing a foetus is stored below the waist, Since fat has this purpose you do find that when women lose weight they will burn from other areas first usually the face, arms or bust. If you are pear shaped always look for a low-fat lifestyle with plenty of aerobic activity, as any excess weight will be stored on hips and thighs. Cut down on the amount of fats you are consuming by becoming more aware of what you are buying in the supermarkets. Try this tip, before you put that food item in your basket have a look on the back of the tin or packet and check out the fat content. This simple act will start to make you more aware of what you are consuming. We only have partial control of our body shapes but you can make the most of what you have by simply changing your lifestyle to a healthier active one. Les Slinn Personal Trainer

Sugar Sugar is used to flavour and preserve foods; it is also used in a variety of foods including biscuits, cakes, ice cream, pickles and alcohol. It provides you with no vitamins, minerals, fibre or protein. In Britain on average we buy approximately a pound of sugar per person per week and put that together with all the processed foods, cakes and sweets its no wonder our sugar intake is far too high. By eating too much sugar it can promote tooth decay, all these high sugared drinks and snacks we consume can lead to cavities. More worrying is the link with obesity, our bodies crave for sweet sugary foods and by adding sugar to the foods we eat, it's so easy to overeat hence the growing problem. Always be careful when food shopping, turn the packaging around and have a look at the ingredient labels before you decide, anything with sucrose, glucose, dextrose, maltose or fructose these are all different names for sugar. Its not only in sweet based products you can also find them in soups, cheesy biscuits and sauces. Giving up sugar completely is not realistic, this is because most processed foods contain it, however we can reduce our sugar intake; Drink more water and less sugary soft drinks Eat less cakes and sweets and more fresh fruit Try drinking your tea and coffee without sugar or try reducing the amount. Tinned fruit in natural juice rather than in syrup. Avoid breakfast cereals with added sugar. Cutting back on sugar is the easiest way to cut calories without losing nutrients and you will find that once you stop adding sugar you will get use to it. Perhaps try drinking your tea or coffee without sugar for a week, then have a cup with the original amount of sugar you use to have, you will notice the sugar straight away. It will make you wonder why you use to put all that sugar in.

Are you wearing the right running shoes? With all the Fun Runs, Race for Life, Half Marathons and Full Marathons coming up many people are taking to the road and training ready for their prospective events. You have all the right training gear, looking good, but how many of you look at your footwear? Do you still wear those old trainers you have had for years in your cupboards expecting them to give you as much support as they did when they were new? If you fail to get the correct running shoe to suit your feet this may cause problems with your ankle, shins, knees, hips and also your lower back whilst training. Did you know that running shoes only last approximately 500 miles before they need replacing? Running is a complex biomechanical process in which, you generally strike the foot with your heel first, then your foot rolls downwards and inwards slightly as it meets the ground and lastly the heel lifts as you push off from the ball of the foot. Some of us overpronate or supinate (or underpronate) which generally means that our feet our unbalanced as they strike the ground. Overpronate means that runners feet roll too far inwards and supinators their feet roll inwards after a little contact, these runners are said to have rigid feet that don't absorb the shock too well, both these problems can lead to injury over a period of time. The best piece of advice I can give is visit a specialist running shop. Fortunately, in Swindon we have two excellent shops called The Big Adventure Store located at the Basepoint business park, Rivermead, and Run Swindon in Old Town, where you will get the advice from knowledgeable people who will spend time looking at how you run on treadmills using videos to see what running shoes are correct for your feet. When I did my first marathon in New York it was the best money I spent, as at least I knew all my lower limbs were in balance, all I had to work on then was the 26 miles ahead of me. So before you get those old trainers out, just have a second look as it may save you a future injury. Les Slinn Personal Trainer