Have you got what it takes?

• Date: Saturday 28th January 2012
• Time: 11am
• Location: Discovery Bay beach
• Cost: HK$100 – 100% proceeds go to charity

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When we exercise we build muscle, and muscle burns more calories than fat. However, muscle fibres are split into two types; slow and fast twitch. Slow twitch fibres rely on oxygen as their main energy source, and can work for longer, so are better suited for endurance exercise. Fast twitch fibres rely on adenosine triphosphate (ATP)  and glycogen to supply energy, and as ATP is used quickly, and glycogen breakdown causes lactic acid, these fibres can only be used for short periods, usually in brief intense bursts.

Interestingly, most people believe that sports that use the slow twitch fibres, such as jogging, are the best for weight loss, hence why we see people pounding the pavement day in day out, trying to burn fat. However, in recent times, it is becoming more evident that workouts which recruit fast twitch muscles, such as weights or resistance training, sprints or circuits, are the most effective at reducing body fat and resulting in a stronger physique. Put simply, slow twitch muscles continue to burn fat for maximum an hour after training, whereas fast twitch fibres keep on burning fat for up to a fantastic eight hours after you have finished your workout!

As with everything in life, balance is the key. A workout programme that incorporates both fast and slow twitch muscle fibres, will lead to the most effective weight loss. Studies have shown that women plateau in their weight loss if they focus on activities that work their slow twitch fibres only, such as running or cross training. Introducing weights, or resistance training and sprints, will not only help to balance out the fast and slow twitch muscle fibres, but will also add variation to an otherwise stagnant routine.

To enjoy a balanced workout, and work both your slow and fast muscle fibres, join Beach Bums Group Workout. Contact Claire for more details.

This is a familiar scenario for most new mums, and coupled with all the pressures of becoming a parent, it can seem like a monumentous task to return to anything close to your pre pregnancy self. Once you have become somewhat used to sleepless nights and the ever changing schedule that a baby brings, you need to start thinking about yourself. This is where it becomes hard for many women – they feel it is selfish to spend any time on themselves, and that the baby will suffer if they are not with it 24/7. While it is a wonderful gift to be able to devote so much time to your newborn, a mum who takes the time out to exercise is a mum who is fit and healthy and more prepared for the challenges of motherhood.

Exercise can have a life changing impact once you have given birth, however, it is extremely important you approach post natal exercise as cautiously as you would pre natal. Before you launch yourself into a new healthy lifestyle, make sure you consult your medical advisor and take on board any advice they give regarding your current capability. Everyone responds to pregnancy and delivery differently, so make no assumptions as to what is right for you.

That said, here are some tips that most women will be able to follow to start them on the road to their fantastic post baby body!

• Start Small:

Walking is an excellent start to a post natal exercise routine. Whether you have had a vaginal birth or a C section, most health practitioners recomend you begin with a slow walk. For those who have had a C section, slow walking promotes circulation to the site of the injury encouraging it to heal. As you begin to feel stronger, suggest to some of the other new mums you have met (this is Discovery Bay after all, most women know someone else who has given birth or  is about to!) to meet for a weekly walk. You can always have your social coffee afterwards!!!

• Take It Slowly:

Whether you are taking a class, have hired a personal trainer, or joined a walking group, do not expect to be back to your full pre pregnancy strength or cardio capacity immediately. Just as it takes time for you to adjust to your new life, it will take time for your fitness to return, or if you are a new comer to exercise, to build up your fitness. You need to make sure any injuries have healed before you partake in exercise, and your medical advisor has signed off on your intended exercise.

• Be Realistic:

Fantastic as Discovery Bay is, it is not Hollywood. Most of us are not blessed with chefs, nutritionists, personal trainers and nannies at our beck and call. Do not expect to ‘bounce’ back into shape. If you do, good for you, but for most of us, it will take at least 6 if not a more realistic 12 months for a full recovery. You might never return to pre pregnancy status. Sometimes there can be changes in bone structure, especially around the hip and pelvic area. Some women go up a shoe size. These things happen, and there is little you can do to change them. Embrace the new you, like you have embraced your new post baby Dolly Partonesque bosom ( I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that will disappear!). Do not get frustrated if the weight does not fall off. Most women discover that the initial weight loss they experience after giving birth plateaus. Rest assured if you continue to monitor your diet (if breastfeeding do not forget to allow for an extra 500 calories a day to enable milk production), and continue exercising, you will lose weight.

• Be Cautious:

If you are taking your exercise regime up a notch or two from your initial walking, ensure that your group instructor/trainer is qualified to attend to your postpartum needs, and is aware you have given birth recently. Some women suffer from abdominal seperation, and need to avoid certain exercises. Others may have excessive back pain post partum, due to the abdominal wall being loose and providing inadequate support. Whatever your condition, rule of thumb dicatates that if an exercise makes you feel uncomfortable don’t do it.

• Suit Yourself :

Find activities that suit you and your personality, and commit to an exercise regime in an honest, realistic manner. Do not set yourself up for defeat. You need to schedule in a walk or a training session, and stick to it. In addition to not coming with manuals, babies also do not come with time tables, so you need to create one for them. If you do not commit to a specific time, place and person to exercise with, chances are it will never happen. The child will cry as you are leaving the house, fatigue or seperation anxiety will overcome you, and before you know it, months have passed and you have yet to take your first step on the road to getting fit and fabulous.

Post natal exercise is shown to have numerous benefits above and beyond the more superficial one of weight loss. Many women can feel depressed or isolated after giving birth, and exercising with others, be it a friend, a trainer or a class situation, can help lift spirits and give you someone to share any stresses with, as well as boost energy, and (many new mums will find this hard to believe!) reduce fatigue. Studies have shown that those who become sedentary after giving birth, can have difficulty reorganising their personal timetable. So come on, schedule in some time, ensure you have the support of a friend, helper or family member to watch your child (and speaking of support, a great bra!) and get exercising. The world better watch out, Super Mum is coming!

 - as appeared in InsideDB April 2010

 To learn more, or to discuss your post natal fitness options, contact me on Claire@Corereflex.com or 647 64315

Unfortunately, the plain simple truth is, if you are carrying extra weight, you are most likely eating too much and moving too little! Even the discovery of what scientists call the ‘Fat Gene’ or FTO, suggested that it was more responsible for an increase in appetite rather than absorption of fat. In short this means it can no longer be used as an excuse for obesity. Poor eating habits are a far likelier culprit. Mostly these habits start when we are children, and stay with us to be passed on to future generations. Which is why some people blame their weight on genetics as everyone else in their family is obese – must be true, right?

In today’s world, staying in shape can seem like an uphill battle. We are constantly bombarded with cheaper food options, or delicious confectionary, or turn to alcohol or chocolate as a comfort in our stressful world. Our busy lifestyles mean we sit down to healthier meals less often, eating on the go or waiting until we are so hungry that we grab the first thing in sight, usually fast food of some kind.

Obesity on today’s scale is a recent epidemic, yet genetics have been around since the beginning of time. Currently one in ten adults around the world is obese, a figure which has doubled since the 1980’s. In days gone by,  people simply moved more (usually through physical labour), and ate less (not as great a choice of foods, less processed foods, the list could go on!). More importantly, if one has a genetic disposition to being overweight, shouldn’t that spur you on to eat healthier and exercise? Scientists have proven that while exercise doesn’t counter fully the effects of the obesity gene, it does dramatically reduce its impact. Of course it is easier to sit on the couch and blame genetics for your expanding waistline….

Winning the battle of the bulge takes effort whether you have the fat gene or not – eat healthily and get moving!

No more excuses – Join Beach Bums Group Training today 

Whether a breast cancer sufferer, or not, studies that span the last decade have shown that exercise greatly reduces the risk of breast cancer. Two very clear findings emerge from various studies undertaken by universities and cancer research centres worldwide.

Firstly, in a study conducted by the Washington University School of Medicine in St.Louis, and Harvard University in Boston, researchers were pleasantly rewarded by their findings. Acknowledging proven research that exercise by post menopausal women greatly reduced the risk of breast cancer, they sought to see if such exercise had the same benefits for pre-menopausal women. The study concluded that women who were physically active between the ages of 12-35 saw the greatest reduction in breast cancer, lowering their chances of contracting the disease by up to 23%. The findings show that regular activity was the key factor, not intensive activity. It is believed that through exercising frequently from such a young age, females can reduce their exposure to estrogen which, in high quantities, is often associated with a greater risk of breast cancer.

Secondly, exercise has been shown to aid those who already suffer from breast cancer. The Alberta Cancer Board in Calgary, published a study which examined women with breast cancer over a period of 8.3 years. They concluded that those who participated in at least four hours per week of moderate intensity recreational activity over their lifetime, were at a far lower risk of death from breast cancer, in addition to the risk of its recurrence or progression. Granted, physical activity is no substitute for medical intervention, and it might be the last thing that many exhausted cancer patients feel like doing, but it can help address the ‘what can I do?’ feeling of futility that affects many people when diagnosed with cancer. Though housework was not considered sufficiently beneficial, the intensity of exercise does not have to be extreme, with brisk walking being enough. Again, it is thought that the link back to estrogen is the key in this study, and that physical activity lowers hormone levels. That aside, getting out of the house and enjoying open space and exercise, can be beneficial for your emotional as well as physical wellbeing.

It is never to late to start safeguarding you, or your family from breast cancer. Make exercise fun and inclusive for all ages of your family, and reap the many benefits.

Read more about the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine’s on going study, which continues to look at the links between exercise, estrogen and breast cancer.

Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation

Location

We meet at the Resident’s Club, and then train outdoors at a number of locations – training on grass, sand or hard surfaces.

I could not think of a better way to spend my mornings; with an incredible group of woman from diverse backgrounds.  These women have become not only friends, but my cheerleaders and support system.    - Erika.

Current Training Times

• Monday @ 10am (women only)
• Tuesday @ 8am (women only)
• Thursday @ 8am (women only)
• Friday @ 7am (mixed class)
• Friday @ 10am (women only)

Pricing

HK$900 for 10 sessions, or HK$500 for 5 sessions – to be used over 5 weeks. We also have a drop in rate of HK$125 – try before you buy!

I decided to sign up to Bootcamp Group Training to get my fitness back after taking a few months off over the summer. After initially being worried that it would be way beyond what I could do, I found that wasn’t the case at all; I could go at my own pace but still be pushed. Beach Bums Group Training is a fun way to work up a sweat outdoors, with a good variety of strengthening, toning and fat burning exercises, as well as some light-hearted banter thrown in for good measure!     - Natalie.

Welcome to the Spot Reduction Myth!

Everyone has their problem area that they would like to eliminate, be it a wobbly bum, bingo wings or a jelly belly. Unfortunately localised fat loss is an impossibility. A muscle does not own the fat surrounding it, and so you cannot decide where your body is to lose fat from.

Fat storage is a mixture of genetics and hormones, neither of which we have much natural control over. In general, testosterone (the male hormone) promotes fat storage around the abdomen, chest, heart and stomach. Take a look around you, most men tend to be ‘apple’ shape.Estrogen (the female hormone) causes fat to be stored on the lower body, making most females a ‘pear’.

The only way to lose fat from a specific area, is to lose fat from your entire body all at once. To do this you need a mix of  cardiovascular and weight/resistance training. And of course you need to consume less calories than you burn during the day. Only then will you begin to reduce fat throughout the body, including the area you are trying to target. Frustratingly, sometimes you will notice your fingers getting skinnier, with no discernible loss from your big belly. Or even better still (and thank you Mother Nature), women tend to lose weight quickly from their chest, but hey, the thunder thighs are still there in full force.

Don’t despair, be persistent and while exercising think of how strong you are becoming, how much better your posture is and how much more energy you have. Distract yourself with these positive side effects and in no time at all you will be waving goodbye to your problem area…….and not a bingo wing in sight!

Basically glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles. During exercise glycogen in the muscles is burned directly for energy, and when this runs out the liver steps in producing blood sugar for energy. At most your liver can produce enough sugar to last 12 hours at rest, so during intense exercise when muscles are drawing sugar from your bloodstream at a rapid rate, the liver runs out of its stored sugar and your blood sugar level drops and you bonk.

Once the body has exhausted glycogen stores, it turns to fat as its next source, followed by protein. However these sources need oxygen to be utilised, and no athlete wants an increased demand on their oxygen supplies during exercise. It means you can’t generate the same level of energy, and you have to slow down. Also, the brain can only use glucose as an energy source, so once the glucose is gone you start feeling mentally fatigued, which is when you begin to doubt your ability to continue. Basically things start going rapidly downhill from a physical and mental perspective.

Whether you run, cycle, box or swim, bonking can be beaten! In the days before an event carb load, which packs muscle with glycogen especially if consumed straight after training. During an event or intense exercise consume carbs in the form of sports drinks/gels (remember liquids are absorbed quicker than solids), as this has been shown to replenish glycogen stores, allowing you to continue your exercise without the fatigue! And most of all, keep training – the fitter your body becomes, the more it uses fat for moderate tasks, leaving glycogen ready for use when you really need it!

The Nike Triax c3 is a breath of fresh air in such a market, simply comprising an easy-to-use heart rate watch and chest strap.

This is perhaps one of the most straightforward, and more importantly, reliable HRMs on the market. Through multiple sweaty hikes, swimming pools, beach based boot-camps and air-conditioned activities, this monitor remains as good as new, with its functionality intact. It boasts three main features; watch, heart rate monitor and timer, which are easy to read and switch between, and presented on quite a cool watch.

Once you have attached the chest transmitter strap across your chest (Nike recommends using saliva to moisten the sensors on the chest strap), it takes 5 to 10 seconds for your heart rate reading to appear on your watch. Or even better, if you are a gym bunny, the Nike Triax c3 Heart Monitor works by sending out an analog signal which is easily detected by most gym equipment,including those marked ‘Polar Heart Rate Ready’, meaning you only have to wear the chest strap to the gym and your heart rate will appear on the machines display. This is another plus for the HRM, given that most other models transmit digital signals which are not compatible with the majority of gym equipment.

Personally my biggest concern was being restricted by the chest strap, however I find it extremely comfortable to the point that I often forget I am wearing it.

On the down side, there is no backlight or milisecond timer on the watch, and it does lose its second display after one hour, which some may find frustrating, but for distance athletes or those training under an hour, this should not be an issue.

While other HRMs include calorie counters, and can store heart rate ranges – both functions which are absent on the Nike Triax c3 – such frills add up, with many models coming in at three or four times the cost of this one.

All in all, its looks, features, and most of all reasonable price make this a clear favorite in the HRM race.

Nike Triax c3 Heart Monitor Features

• 30m water resistance
• Accurate heart rate data
• Anatomically designed chest transmitter / Comfortable fit
• Chronograph / Displays exercise time and heart rate
• Nike simplified logic / Easy two-button operation
• S-shape design curves around wrist / Comfortable fit

Having fallen victim to the ‘side cruncher’ syndrome on more than one occasion, and been a witness to multiple flashings on the hip abductor, let this site be a reminder to all about gym etiquette! My personal favourite is The Pelvic Thruster – I take sadistic delight in watching my clients blush when subjected to this exercise in public!

And let us not forget the one true offender that is missing from this list…..The Turbulent Treadmill. You know exactly what I mean – you’re panting away on the treadmill, when your neighbour decides that a bout of flatulence is the only way to improve the gyms air quality.

Try running without breathing….you get the picture!!!!!!!!

See more gym crimes at www.awkwardworkouts.com.