Posted by on 27 August 2010 | 0 Comments
UK researchers have reported that young children can strengthen their hip bones through vigorous exercise.
Teams from Cambridge University and the University of Southampton studied around 200 six-year-olds for one week. Cutting edge scanning technology was used to measure bone mass and analyse hip (femoral neck) and thigh bone structure.
Analysis of the findings showed a correlation between the amount of time spent participating in vigorous activity and the strength of the femoral neck, gauged by both shape and volumetric mineral density. These results were independent of other factors like lifestyle, diet and physical size.
The findings support the school of thought that encourages higher levels of physical activity in children in order to improve skeletal bone development. This in turn would promote the prevention of osteoporosis in later life.
Source: International Osteoporosis Foundation
| Read the full post
Posted by on 23 August 2010 | 0 Comments
Work stress has significant health issues. Finding a less stressful role isn’t always possible in this day and age so try these techniques to make your day more pleasant.
Begin your day right – try to start your day positively and with the right nutrition otherwise after feeding the kids, dodging traffic, and running late you might already be stressed by the time you get to work.
Avoid conflict – try to stay away from gossip, getting into arguments with fellow colleagues and always try to resolve conflicts calmly and with a clear head.
Understand requirements – make sure that you know what you need to do at all times. If you are confused about your work or you feel that you don’t understand a particular topic, this will lead to feelings of stress.
Avoid multitasking – we all know the saying, if you multitask you never do one job well. You can feel under pressure if you are trying to do too many things at once and therefore you won’t necessarily finish one complete task.
Be organised – set up your day properly. Write yourself a to do list, focus on each task one at a time and complete each one before starting the next. If other things urgently crop up during the day, make sure you reprioritise everything else to work around it. Keep your desk clear too – a clear desk is a clear mind!
Don’t be a perfectionist – sometimes we cannot do everything perfectly. You may annoy others if you do this and you’ll never get everything done. Strive to do your best but don’t waste time on the little things that aren’t important.
Be comfortable – sit properly at your desk, use a phone with a headset if you make a lot of calls, have a back rest and so on. Wear comfortable clothing. There is nothing worse than having to churn through work if you don’t feel like you are sitting properly or wearing the right gear. Work in a quiet space if you need to concentrate on a task.
Music soothes the savage beast – listen to something relaxing or upbeat on the way home from work. Clear your head from the stresses of the day by unwinding to your favourite track. You may face more stress when you get home so you need to be prepared for it!
Offload – sometimes talking to someone about your day helps you to offload the worries. Maybe you have a good friend you can go for a walk with or you can talk to your partner. Sometimes getting it all off your chest is a relief.
Exercise!!!! – go for a walk at lunch time to clear your head. Come home and do a good workout after work to offload all of your daily burdens. Even if you have to work later in the evening, sometimes getting off work early to exercise first is a good break. Or start your day right with an early morning workout.
| Read the full post
Posted by on 22 August 2010 | 0 Comments
There is a lot of research about that is conflicting about whether to stretch or not, and if being flexible is good for you.
Flexibility refers to the Range of Motion (ROM) around a joint. Too much ROM can be harmful and may result in joint instability or dislocations. Each joint has an ideal range. Our physical limitations are affected by our joint type, muscles, ligaments and tendons.
When we stretch we attempt to increase our range of motion around a joint. Should we actively attempt to increase a given range of motion around a joint? It depends on how our joint range of motion compares with the normal range of motion for that joint. It depends on what muscles we overuse or underuse and if we are injured.
Certain activities may result in us being imbalanced in our ROM for specific joints. Repeated motions for some joints can lead to strong yet tight muscles and possibly muscle imbalances. We need to ensure that certain muscles do not become weak and other become too tight. Balance must be in place at all times. Some would argue, it's not really about flexibility at all. The issue is that overused muscles become strong, tight and shortened, while the opposing inactive muscles become weaker and loose. And those experts argue that this is the real issue behind the debate over flexibility and stretching for athletes.
The role of your physio is to put the muscles back in balance.
With regard to stretching, here are some points to consider when deciding what, and how much, you need to stretch:
• Every joint has an ideal range of motion in order to maintain stability while moving freely.
• Too much ROM in a joint can be as undesirable because it decreases joint stability.
• Strive for balanced flexibility on the right and left sides of the body and in opposing muscle groups and adjacent joints.
• If your ROM is far from the norms, consider strengthening the loose areas and stretching the tight areas.
• Use a dynamic warm up prior to exercise.
• Static stretching, if performed, should be done after exercise.
If you stretch after exercise, it’s a good way to wind down from that exercise and release any tight muscles. However it’s a fine balance in that the real benefits of stretching should be coupled with strengthening any weak muscles in your overall exercise program.
Source
Andersen, J. C. Stretching Before and After Exercise: Effect on Muscle Soreness and Injury Risk. Journal of Athletic Training 40(2005): 218-220
Herbert RD, de Noronha M. Stretching to prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 4.
Ian Shrier MD, PhD and Kav Gossal MD. The Myths and Truths of Stretching: Individualized Recommendations for Healthy Muscles, The Physician and Sportsmedicine, VOL 28, #8, August 2000.
Raymond Soa, Joseph Ngb, Gabriel Ngb, Muscle recruitment pattern in cycling: a review. [www.drfisio.com.br/artigo7.pdf]. Physical Therapy in Sport 6 (2005) 89–96
Trehearn TL, Buresh RJ.. Sit-and-reach flexibility and running economy of men and women collegiate distance runners. J Strength Cond Res. 2009 Jan;23(1):158-62.
Witvrouw, Erik, Nele Mahieu, Lieven Danneels, and Peter McNair. Stretching and Injury Prevention An Obscure Relationship. Sports Medicine 34.7(2004): 443-449
| Read the full post
Posted by on 18 August 2010 | 0 Comments
We often think that the only way to burn calories is to attend a fitness class or go for a run. Yes, you do need to do some of these activities to achieve significant calorie burn, however you can also get rid of calories by doing some simple things every day, apart from the obvious ones.
Don't use the TV as your relaxation. So many people come home and sit in front of the television to try to relax. Why not do something more physical with your family. Play games like soccer or football, chase the kids around the park or simply take a walk with your partner to chat about your day and spend some quality time together. Everyone who is stuck in an office each day should appreciate getting out in the fresh air once a day for a cleansing walk.
Look for small ways to walk more. If you live close to the shoppig centre and you only need to run a few errands, walk there instead of taking the time to drive and then park. Carrying a few items home will also give you some resistance exercise at the same time!
Don't outsource your chores. We are so busy these days that we pay people to clean our homes, do our gardens and wash our cars. Working in the garden, washing the car, vaccuuming the floor, sweeping the back courtyard and so on are all forms of gentle exercise. Plus they are what I call "mindless" activities. They don't require a lot of thought so you can chill out while you are doing them. Even though you may not enjoy soem of these activities, they give you time out from the day to day tasks that occupy your mind.
Pace while you talk. If you have to take a lot of calls either at home or in the office, pace around or even do some other form of activity while you are chatting. This is a great way to stay moving whilst you have to chat. Every time you stand up and sit down, you are burning calories and reducing your mortality rate.
Be aware of all the physical activities you do in a typical day. If you find that the bulk of your time is spent sitting, make another list of all the ways you could move more - getting up each hour to stretch or walk, walk the stairs at work, walk further from your car park and so on. Keep track of what you do each day so you can ensure that you are getting the level of activity you need. Set yourself a goal so that you stick to it.
| Read the full post
Posted by on 6 August 2010 | 0 Comments
A Norwegian study has shown that low impact aerobics could not only assist pregnant women in staying healthy, but also help to prevent their newborn baby being overweight.
A heavier birth weight (known as fetal macrosomia) increases risk for both mother and baby. In newborns with a weight of more than 8.8 pounds (4kg), the risk of delivery problems, C-sections, postpartum haemorrhage and low Apgar scores (a simple method of quickly assessing the health of newborns) increase. Links between heavier birth weights and obesity later in life have also previously been drawn.
Data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort study, which included information on nearly 37,000 women, was used. Two-thirds of the subjects were of normal weight, while 20 per cent were classified overweight, but not obese.
Babies birth weights did not seem to be affected by pre-pregnancy exercise, just by that during pregnancy. The researchers found that in women who were pregnant for the first time and who regularly exercised during their second and third trimesters had up to 28 per cent lower chance of giving birth to a ‘too-big’ baby. Expectant mothers who were still working out regularly at the 30-week stage had a 23 per cent lessened risk of delivering a too-big baby.
Commenting on the findings, Dr Robert Welch, chairman of obstetrics and gynaecology at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan, said, ‘Women often adopt healthier habits before and during pregnancy, like stopping caffeine use. This study suggests that adding exercise to that list may be icing on the cake’.
The results seemed to show that pregnant women who had already had previous children did not achieve the same level of benefit through exercise, although low-impact aerobics appeared to reduce the likelihood of having a too-large baby.
Welch advised that in more progressed stages of pregnancy women should not do any exercise which involves laying flat on their back, as this position can restrict blood flow to mother and baby. He also advises that pregnant women keep their heart rate to below 120bpm, which provides an aerobic workout without negatively affecting blood flow.
Source: Obstetrics and Gynecology (Australian Fitness Network eNews)
| Read the full post
Posted by on 1 August 2010 | 0 Comments
Well, with less than one week to go, this team is ready!
Last weekend saw us complete our last training session. I know that a number of people were quite nervous heading into our final training session. They knew it was 14km. They knew the course as they had done 12km of it the fortnight before. They knew that it was going to be tough. There were several hills and they had to do two laps of the course. A mental challenge for anyone.
They stood for the final briefing session and I asked them to remember how far they had all come. I challenged them to think about giving this their best shot. If they could succeed in this run, then they could succeed in the C2S. I even suggested singing Eye of the Tiger and the Rocky Themes as they ran up the hills to inspire them!!
And guess what? They were legends!!!
This team was amazing. They ran like they hadn't run before. Some fantastic times were achieved on the day and many of them walked away thinking "yes, I can do this!". I know they can do it.
As we head into Sunday 8 August, I would ask each and every one of you to think of the team as they head off on what promises to be an amazing day. We have almost 50 people running and around 60 or so coming along to our picnic on the day. If anyone wants to join us, you are most welcome!
Kaz
| Read the full post
Posted by on 1 August 2010 | 0 Comments
Chicken & Spinach Lasagne (with a twist: no pasta)
Ingredients:
Olive oil spray
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic crushed (adjust garlic more or less to your liking depending on tomato sauce you use)
1/2 bunch spinach, stemmed, washed & roughly chopped
3 chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, cut into 1cm strips
3 cups Paul Newman's Roasted Capsicum sauce (or tomato passata)
200g low fat ricotta, crumbled
1/2 cup grated reduced-fat cheddar cheese
350g sweet potato, peeled and cut into wafer thin slices.
Preheat oven 200 degrees (400 F)
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat, spray lightly with oil and cook the onion and garlic gently until soft. Add half spinach, and cook gently until wilted then tip mixture into a bowl. Add remaining spinach to the pan and cook until wilted, then add to the bowl and allow to cool.
Add more oil and cook the chicken until lightly browned. Add the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Remove from heat.
Squeeze excess water from the spinach and chop roughly. Combine with the ricotta and cheddar cheese.
Spray the base and sides of an ovenproof dish lightly with oil and cover the base with sweet potato slices. Spoon a third of the chicken and tomato sauce mixture into it, and then a layer of chopped spinach and ricotta mixture. Repeat this process twice, finishing with a layer of cheese. Cover the dish with a lid or tightly with foil and place in the oven. After 30 minutes remove the lid or foil and bake for a further 20 minutes until golden.
Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving with a simple green salad.
Serves 4.
Nutrition analysis
Total Kj: 1440kj
Carb: 13.1g
Fat: 16.3g
Saturated fat: 7.8g
Protein: 32.9
Fibre: 6.2g
| Read the full post
Posted by on 1 August 2010 | 0 Comments
My team of 4 is the “Ocean Crew”. Three of us are from Reckitt Benckiser (Jennifer's employer) and we completed the Himalaya trek together last year, plus Jennifer's boyfriend.
For our training we try to organise a hike approx every second week. So far I’ve done the first 72km of the trail and other non-trail walks, with the longest one day practice hike of 31km, which took us 8 hours. We’re planning to do the last 28km in the next week or so. We plan to do a night hike as we understand that hiking in the dark is quite difficult.
See the link to our page which shows our goal, current amount raised & a blurb written by me! http://www2.oxfam.org.au/trailwalker/Sydney/team/295
Jennifer
| Read the full post
Posted by on 1 August 2010 | 0 Comments
I still remember the day I received the organisation chart (whilst on maternity leave) from the IT company where I had enjoyed a role as Regional Finance Manager. There was my name, at the bottom left hand corner with an asterisk next to it indicating my long term absence. Perhaps it was that I knew deep down I was never going to be on that chart again, as I felt I could not return to work and leave Cate(now 9) & Jack (6). It was a blow to my self worth, that job made me feel important and here I was sitting in my PJs nursing my little one, knowing my life would never be a position on that diagram again.
Perhaps it was more for distraction, my husband Jim (James to us) encouraged me into getting out and exercising. There I stumbled on a whole new world. One that made me feel strong, enabled me to connect to other adults I never considered I would have things in common with. It was a world far removed from being “mum” but a place that I was able to rebuild that self confidence, boost my energy, disconnect from the humdrum and give me the benefit of having an extra glass of wine & square of chocolate (Mint Lindt my favourite!!).
Why had I not known this existed before? I had always treated exercise as another item on my never-ending ‘To Do” List. When I had achieved some reasonable endurance and increased strength I started to look for new ways to be challenged and so I enjoyed a number of years of motherhood and finding various & challenging ways to exercise.
At one Xmas celebration with a bunch of my exercise buddies we came up with the hair brain idea of doing a triathlon in the New Year. I remember jumping on my new bike that Xmas early each morning as the sun rose to ride to my classes and workout sessions. Cycling, Swimming, sprinting, running, cycling, running and so on all in preparation for that first triathlon. (Oh an occasional massage & coffee, that’s my other vice). It was an experience I still recall that was full of excitement and anxiety. I placed 7th in a field of over 100 competitors. The kids & Jim had stood by the sideline cheering me on with their homemade poster “Go Mum”. I barely slept that night from the amazing high I experienced from competing and succeeding in passing what I thought was an unimaginable goal.
This was a significant turning point for me. I was now able to continue with confidence and empowerment in completing further triathlons, duathlons, Sydney to Gong bike race and most importantly obtaining my qualifications to become a personal trainer. For me exercise is not just simply shedding some kilos, getting fit or part of the daily grind - it means so much more. I can only hope that my clients take away something from exercise that gives them the benefits I have enjoyed and experienced.
So here I am 9 years later and looking forward to belonging to my new team! Who needs an org chart to prove their self worth. I look forward to meeting you and sharing some of your journeys. See you at training!
Julie
| Read the full post
Posted by on 1 August 2010 | 0 Comments
smh.com.au - SARAH WHYTE May 02, 2010
More than half of the personal trainers and fitness centres in Australia are not regulated. Only 1170 of 2500 fitness businesses are registered with Fitness Australia, which oversees safety and qualification standards of personal trainers and gym instructors. Of the 35,000 individuals working in the industry, 20,000 are registered. The organisation is calling for the federal government to enforce regulation.
''We need government support and regulations so the consumer can be better protected from unscrupulous operators,'' Fitness Australia general manager of operations Robert Barnes said.
''Regulation would compel business owners and operators in the industry who are not registered with our industry association, to get on board or get out.''
Membership of Fitness Australia has grown 34 per cent in the past 12 months, albeit amid concerns that unregistered personal trainers are operating with no qualifications or training in parks or unregistered fitness centres.
Olympic track star turned personal trainer Matt Shirvington said he was shocked by the lack of regulation: ''I did not know that anyone can call themselves a personal trainer without the relevant training - I thought everyone had to do the eight-week course. ''Being a personal trainer carries a lot of responsibility and, as the industry is continually growing, I absolutely think it should be regulated.
''If you are not registered and accredited with the industry then you can't get insurance unless you pay a very large premium.''
NSW Law Society Injuries Committee chairman Terry Stern said government regulation would decrease the amount of injuries associated with personal training: ''If the industry was regulated, there would be a higher standard of personal training and therefore a better product and fewer injuries.''
Some in the industry have criticised the eight-week intensive course that is compulsory for Fitness Australia members.
A former Fitness First personal trainer said it was ''churning out'' trainers who were using a ''one size fits all'' method with their clients. ''I would like to see a variety of exercise prescriptions taught, rather than just teaching someone how to lose weight,'' he said. Other industry professionals defended the course, saying it had been revised.
''This course is equivalent to a semester of university, and provides a very good and intensive program for our trainers,'' said Greg Hurst from the Australian Institute of Fitness.
The Australian Sports Commission said the fitness industry was not considered a ''sport'' and would be near impossible to regulate.
| Read the full post
