Thin, but fat.

Being thin is so last century. Being strong is in. Why should you care about gaining muscle? It is going to keep you functional longer. Life expectancies have risen 30 years in the last century, health expectancy is not keeping up. Having more muscle keeps you moving, improves balance, helps to maintain independence and improves brain health. Thin, but with …

Instant Pot or Not?

Photo of an Instant Pot

Do you have an instant pot? There are many benefits for cooking healthy meals, faster. I recommend these as a great tool for everyone.

Your Brain on Exercise

stressed neurons respond to exercise

Are you nurturing your neurons?   Neurogenesis, the production of new neurons, in the brain where we store memories can be improved with exercise. Exercise “cleans up” our brain’s environment (so does sleep, but in a different way) and allows new nerve cells to thrive. Exercise is not only one of the best ways to turn on neurogenesis, but it …

Heart Age or Fitness Age?

Have you thinking about your health and fitness plan? Next week the gym will be busier, there will be more google searches for “healthy recipes” and more people will be talking about getting back into a routine. That is great news. Which is a nice change. This week the news about our collective health hasn’t been so positive. The Guardian …

Steady State Training

All day long. On our recent trip to the French Alps, we were hiking 4-6 hours a day through mountainous terrain. Most of the time was a steady effort. Not high intensity, just a sustained, comfortable effort. We had planned (and trained) to run the Tour du Mont Blanc but we quickly realized that was neither necessary or for the …

How To Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated while exercising is important for maintaining your performance. It doesn’t take a lot to increase your body temperature, reduce your capacity and reduce your ability to recover. Stay hydrated while exercising, even in cooler temperatures, to get all the benefits from your workout. You can learn more about hydration and how to make your own recovery drink, as …

Mindfulness, Mental Health and Movement

Why it matters. We all know that exercise is medicine. It is good for our muscular, skeletal, cardiovascular, immune, respiratory systems. Exercise regulates our mood, it relieves depression, it is a prescription we should all be taking. Movement is medicine. In the last month I have been exploring the link between exercise and mental health, depression, meditation. Thank you for your …

Why is HIIT so popular? 5 Tips to HIIT your workout.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is popular and can be effective if done correctly.  It can be a cardiovascular or strength training workout. It can result in a big return for a small time investment. HIIT is a combination of short bursts of high-intensity training followed by a recovery period. It can help slow down the effects of muscle ageing, improve …

How menus encourage eating more

How menus encourage us to eat more food Knowing how menus are designed can help us make better choices. Being aware of the ways restaurant menus prompt us to make choices makes it easier to be prepared for the temptations. It is easier to make healthier choices when you know what to look for. You can also find more infographics …