Flex like a Bitch

As the next Challenge approaches, there are lots of ways to help protect your body from possible injury.

If you want to reach the finish line of the next challenge feeling fit and healthy, you need to train smart and eat right.

Suddenly embarking on a high intensity-training programme can leave your body in a lot of shock! It will be under pressure it has never felt before. As well as stretching and correct form, which our lovely trainers will drill into you, diet comes into play…in a big way.

This is why calorie counting does my head in. We are not just recommending clean, balanced meals because of low calorie content – Sod off Weight Watchers.

Vegetables, lean protein, fruit, whole grains and pulses contain various vitamins and minerals essential for achieving optimum health.
You will be training hard therefore you must replenish your body with the correct nutrients so it can grow strong, healthy and super sexy ;0)

Cartilage is a connective tissue that is found in many parts of the body, most importantly between bones. It absorbs force and distributes it equally, protecting joints under load and during movement. Without this, the very concept of high-knee-running would be a mere fantasy.

When cartilage is damaged or worn away, the affected joint becomes painful, stiff, and limited in its range of motion – kiss the splits goodbye.
Vitamin C plays a vital roll in the formation of collagen, which forms the basis of connective tissue. You can find this saucy Vitamin in the following CF diet friendly foods;

Grapefruit, lemons, oranges, kiwis, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, pineapple, papaya, peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts.

Omega 3 rich foods have an anti-inflammatory effect. Inflammation can cause major pain – ever had sore knees after squatting?? You can find this gem in walnuts, pumpkin seeds, oily fish like salmon and herring.

Vitamin E is your knight in shining armour when it comes to combating exercise-induced stress on your body’s cells. Shield yourself by eating almonds, sunflower seeds, spinach, whole grain breads and cereals.

Zinc is needed for the body's defensive (immune) system to properly work. A lack of zinc can slow collagen formation in connective tissue. Zinc yourself up (yes I just said that) with oysters, pumpkin seeds, crabmeat, sunflower seeds, whole meal flour and bread, turkey.

Copper is also needed for the maintenance of connective tissue. It works alongside zinc to stimulate the immune system to fight infections, to repair injured tissues, and to promote healing. You can find this in oysters, lobster (here’s your excuse for fine dining ladies! – unfortunately it is not found in Champagne), sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, crab, chickpeas, lentils, whole meal bread and whole grain cereals.
BUT there are foods that diminish these effects – food high in saturated fat like red meat and dairy. So steer clear of these or you risk more than a severe bollocking in your Food Diary Feedback…so there!

The important thing is to create the right balance, as getting too much of one nutrient and not enough of another can have a counter productive effect.
There are supplements you can take to help avoid injury to joints, and combat long term degenerative diseases that can put an end to your training days – Say sayonara to osteoarthritis.

WARNING: don’t get carried away and buy into the marketing too much – sports supplements are a lucrative and misleading industry.

We recommend:
Glucosamine – Highly productive in the formation and repair of cartilage. This supplement can relieve pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis. It helps to increase mobility and reduces the joint space narrowing (bone-on-bone…ouch!).
And
Chondroitin Sulphate - One of the building blocks of cartilage. This promotes the water retention of cartilage, keeping it spongey, as well as elasticity, thus helping to reduce joint pain and increase mobility (hello again drunken cartwheels at Sandance).
You can buy these at any reputable pharmacy (Life Pharmacy / Boots).
A clean balanced diet = Healthy bones and joints = happy squatting at CF :)

Bring on the March Challenge x

Food Currency

At CF we are not big on Calorie counting. Why?

As well as being socially ridiculous, cracking out your calculator at Nandos is no healthy way to monitor the nutrients you are putting into your body.
This article sheds light on portions in relation to calorie content, which will help you to make the right choices size-wise.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-200-calories-look-like.htm

Remember, you cannot compare the cals from a chocolate bar to those offered in a balanced meal of veggies, whole grains and lean protein. Yes it may taste ‘nice’ but is this your body reacting to a refined sugar fix or is it really satisfied??
Your body is no fool. Eating non-nutritional foods (junk!) is no way to obtain a healthy, hot body. Besides, a 6 pack will be of little use if you have clogged arteries!
Fad diets and ‘diet pills’ do not work. Drastic measures like skipping meals can lead to ‘starvation mode’. Your body clings on to fat reserves and burns lean muscle in an attempt to ‘survive’. This does no justice for body composition. Your metabolic rate increases depending on the amount of muscle you sustain. Who wants to be ‘skinny fat??’.

Depriving yourself of essential nutrients has a negative impact on your body’s ability to burn fat effectively.
When you eat sugary foods or foods lacking in nutrients like fibre, which slow down digestion rate, the hormone insulin is released. This puts any fat-burning on hold, and enables the extra sugars in your blood to be stored in cells. Too much sugar will be stored in FAT cells.

This sudden drop in blood sugar levels results in energy depletion and you are left feeling tired and hungry again. If you eat 1 biscuit, you are likely to polish off the rest of the packet too.

Eating clean, healthy foods that release energy at a slow rate keep you feeling satisfied and energised, as well as providing you with essential vitamins and minerals for optimum health.

I hope I explained that well. Nutrition is a complex diva.

Bring on the March Challenge Food Diaries. x

Clever Marketing

At CF we live and breathe the concept of 'clean eating'.
This does not entail polishing your snickers, dousing hot dogs in bleach or ordering a Big Mac with a Diet Coke.
I've lost count of how many times I had to argue the poor nutritional value of brand cereals (Rob Newbould).
It is amazing what big name brands can get away with when trying to trick the consumer into buying their product on the pretence of 'healthy eating'.
Next time you amble around Spinney's open your eyes to the conspiracy of 'clever marketing'. I absolutely love this blog... x

http://eatsleepdreamlovefood.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/clever-marketing.html

I really, really (don't) hate to burst your bubble here people. In preparation for the next Challenge... and sea of food diaries...those of you taking sanctuary in your convenient lunch of 6 inch turkey salad on wheat bread - please read this article and think again before you join the queue at Subway.

...And see why I am not just being a pedantic, ruthless bitch when you get pulled up in big red writing for your 'Eat Fresh' fast food options.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/hea lth/article-1365424/Subway-vs-McDonalds-The-artery-clogging-truth-favourite-fast-food-chains.html

As CF regulars like masterchef Peppy Dosanjh can tell you, eating clean is all about home cooked meals with (genuinely) fresh ingredients. We have got so many helpful downloads on our website, so use and abuse these to plan, prepare and perfectly execute your Challenge Diet...bring it!!

http://circuitfactory.ae/downloads.php

If you have any questions please feel free to email me: hanna@circuitfactory.ae

So at the local gym – in Bradford – they are selling these ‘Sculptress Diet Bars’ – pink wrapper, branded with the word sculptress like ‘princess’ and ‘diet’ – aimed at women obviously. Clever marketing.

With 215 calories per bar, most of which are from sugars – can this really be considered as a healthy snack option?

I query how our prehistoric ancestors got by without one.

Take a look at the ingredients:
Milk proteins (whey protein concentrate, milk protein isolate, calcium caseinate, emulsifier: soya lecithin), glucose syrup, milk chocolate (14%) (sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cocoa mass, emulsifier: soya lecithin, flavouring), humectant (glycerol), honeycomb pieces (8%) (sugar, glucose syrup, vegetable fat, water, raising agent: sodium bicarbonate; emulsifier: soya lecithin), concentrated mixed fruit juice, rice starch, sunflower oil, mineral blend (potassium phosphate, sodium chloride, magnesium phosphate, ferric pyrophosphate, zinc oxide, cupric gluconate, manganese sulphate, potassium iodide, chromium (III) chloride hexahydrate, sodium selenite, sodium molybdate), L-carnitine L-tartrate, milk mineral complex, vitamin blend (dextrose monohydrate, vitamin C, vitamin E, niacin, biotin, vitamin A, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin D, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B12, vitamin K), flavouring, caramelised sugar syrup, green tea extract, antioxidant (mixed tocopherols), sweetener (sucralose).

...Good luck to your body attempting to process all that shite.

Eating foods high in chemicals and other nasty additives makes a lot of extra work for your liver as these need to be broken down and eliminated from your body.
215 calories = 1 medium chicken breast and 1 cup of chopped garden vegetables.
This provides you with essential vitamins and minerals without the strain on your liver.

Eating a clean diet is not something unobtainable, that only super slim, vegan, macrobiotic diet-followers can do.
I actually spoke to someone today (whilst she tucked into a plate of fish and chips) who said 'I have never eaten a salad before'....she then went on to admit she had eaten lettuce, carrot, cucumber, tomato...but never in the same sitting.
Healthy food isn't just lettuce leaves and chopped celery. You can make a pretty hot and sexy salad adding lean protein, roasted veg, beans, wholegrains...

...If the thought of depriving yourself of doughnuts is terrifying then is this really a healthy relationship with food?
No.
Sugar is a drug. You need to break the habit to lose the addiction.

Sally Reid is one of CF's yummiest mummies. The hardest part of joining CF for Sal was the diet....

"To be honest the first few days were hard to lose the craving for sweet things and a quick sugar rush. It made me realise I was eating for the wrong reasons before – tired, bored, stressed etc. Women especially are very emotional eaters. Once I weaned myself off the junk, I rarely crave it any more. You quickly adjust which pleasantly surprised me!"

Ditch the sugar - find your figure....simple ;) x

The Bloody Truth

Even though I am female I get completely grossed out when women talk to me about periods. Yes I should probably grow up and get over it but there’s a reason I didn’t go to medical school and study gynaecology.

Here goes…Periods and exercise. The bloody truth.  So once a month females go through a brief spell of bleeding out of their vaginas. What’s worse than hearing about this is the fact that when you’re on your period all you want to do is tell people. Yes I’ll have a diet coke with that and my flow is ridiculously heavy this instant.

Throw your handbags at me if you want but I feel we use this as an excuse – own up how many times have you barked abuse at your partner then blamed it on being pre-menstrual. I actually threw a saucepan at an ex when he finished my maltesers. Fucker.  “But I’m not a crazy bitch I’m premenstrual." 

Weigh-in day at the Circuit Factory and the amount of females who say ‘my weight won’t have changed because I’m on my period’. Well the fact that your diet has been shit may be the underlying cause of your 2kg weight gain.

I worked at a Health Club in the UK and there was a lady who wanted to sign up with a discount for the 12 weeks of the year where she would not be able to use the gym due to menstruation. She classed this as her ‘disability’.

This is for those of you who have been kindly describing to me in great detail the life and times of your vagina.

So like an overconfident teenage boy – let’s break it down…

I've been bleeding for 7 days and I'm not dead yet

During your monthly cycle, the levels of Oestrogen in your body cause your uterus to thicken in preparation for ‘the egg’ becoming fertilized. When this doesn’t happen you shed the lining over 4 to 7 days, if timed poorly you ruin your best pair of white silk knickers along the way.

Why am I such a moody bitch?

4 – 5 days before your period your hormones are all over the place. Oestrogen levels rise and fall making you feel emotional, depressed, irritable, angry…

You may experience increased insulin resistance which means the glucose you eat is not able to enter your cells and stays in your blood –  your brain produces more insulin and you crave more sugars as your cells are not receiving the glucose.  These ups and downs in blood sugar levels will affect your mood as well as your energy levels.

Eat a balanced diet to stabilize blood sugar levels and avoid unnecessary spikes.

I’m pre-menstrual and all I want to do is eat mars bars – in fact I’d replace my tampons with a box of mars bars if that means I get my fix without compromising the diet.

Just before your period you go through what’s known as the ‘luteal phase’. Your Oestrogen levels drop (as you have an adequately lined uterus) as do your Serotonin levels.

Serotonin – other than sounding like a 80s pop band– is a neurotransmitter in the brain that regulates your mood. It controls your mood – it calms you down and makes you happy.

Your body craves high carb foods that promote serotonin production.

Chocolate – contains a chemical that releases serotonin in the body and also enhances secretion of endorphins – another feel good chemical.

It’s proven that women have a harder time than men replenishing serotonin levels - women think they have a harder time than men full stop.  This does not give you the green flag to roll around in baked goods. 2 squares of 70% cocoa dark chocolate will suffice.

It feels like I’ve been punched in the ovaries - I will punch you in the face if you make me run on the treadmill.

Endorphins are also released during exercise. Which is why exercise is actually recommended during your period.

Regular exercise limits PMS which helps with similar symptoms during your period. Getting the right amount of exercise should help to reduce period pain and ease cramps.

Will following the Gwyneth Paltrow Macrobiotic Twat Diet help?

There are all sorts of supplements claiming to help with PMS as they improve your mood.

B Vitamins – help your body to generate energy from food. They help form red blood cells – a deficiency can lead to anaemia which leaves a person tired and zombie like. But don’t get spending your pay pack down boots on supplements – if you eat a balanced diet rich in protein and leafy greens you should get all the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs.

I’ve gone up 5 pounds, therefore the diet isn’t working and I may as well sit at home eating biscuits

Some women retain water before their period. It’s not exactly known why but they do.  You can help by avoiding foods high in sodium that prevents your body ridding itself of excess water. Salty foods like tinned soups, condiments, soy sauce, processed food. 

Another great way to get rid of excess salt and water is to sweat it out with exercise.

I’ve been through 10 super sized tampons and am contemplating putting a mattress between my legs

Oestrogen is responsible for ensuring the lining of your uterus is thick ready for fertilization. The thicker the lining, the heavier your period.  Excess of oestrogen causes Menorrhegia (heavy bleeding).

Over exercise actually causes Amenorrhea which is when you stop having periods altogether as you have such little body fat.

Try taking NSAIDS like Ibuprofen which inhibit the hormone in the uterus that helps to shed the lining and also helps relieve cramps.

Tampons at the ready

If the Williams sisters can don their tennis whites and be filmed legs akimbo on the tennis courts mid flow then what’s stopping the rest of us. You wouldn’t find Rebecca Addlington dropping out of the 800m freestyle and forfeiting her Olympic Gold Medals due to her ‘monthlies’. Even a small issue like public urination won’t stop Paula Radcliffe in her tracks never mind a bit of period pain.

Try being proactive in this situation rather than dwelling on something you can’t change. Studies show that women who exercise regularly have lighter and shorter periods.

Do yourselves, your partners and any poor sod that catches you having an emotional moment a favour. Ditch the excuses and get to the gym instead of hugging your hot water bottle and gorging on chocolate.