Yoga…Pilates….Yogalates…Hot Yoga…meditation…What one suits you

I wanted to address this for awhile, what the difference is between Yoga and Pilates first of all and secondly what one suits you.

Yoga: Yoga is the general name for a number of different yoga disciplines and practices which derived from the religions and practices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. The most common and practiced form of yoga ‘Hatha Yoga’ is a discipline and concentration of the mind focusing on health and purity of the body and mind as one through meditation and various bodily movements.

Now there are as I said various different types of yoga:

Hatha – A lot of breath work, good for beginners of yoga or those that are experiencing and want to alleviate anxiety, stress, depression, muscle tightness/soreness, poor circulation, poor sleeping.

Vinyasa – More movement than Hatha and you will work the body a little more intensely but still in keeping with the same root principles of hatha yoga.

Kundalini – Focused more on the lower regions of the body, getting into your root energy, more core and upper thigh work.

Ashtanga or Power Yoga – requires constant movement and is a little more demanding physically so more geared to those that have been practicing yoga awhile and are physically fit to hold muscle demanding poses.

Iyengar – Using more props, blocks..straps…cushions etc this is geared more towards healing ailments of the body through yoga poses.

Anusara – Focused more on Heart poses, so focusing students on using the poses to see healing light inside themselves and bring out your potential. Good for those new to yoga.

Restorative – This is great for those that need to wind down after a hard day. It is focused on using the breath and meditation to relax the body and mind and bring them back to balance.

Bikram or Hot Yoga – This is 26 yoga poses only that is practiced in a room at 40 degrees heat and 40% humidity. It is quite a disciplined class that requires a lot of concentration. It is a hard class at the start and physically demanding as you sweat A LOT. It is good for perfecting poses and burning calories (added benefit) but don’t over stretch in the false heat, you may do more damage. If you do try this class, NOTE: the feeling of nausea and fainting is normal because of the intensity with heat, so come out of the pose and lay on the floor until the feeling has passed and come up gently.

So whether you are at a beginner, intermediate or advanced level, there are many different styles of yoga out there for everyone. Have fun with yoga, try some out and see what you like, just because everyone else in the class may look like pro’s or look like they adore the class doesn’t mean you have to be a natural or pro or feel the same way. Yoga is all about you in your mind and body. I myself right now am practicing Hatha and Vinyasa and find them SOO beneficial for my mind and body. I have taken Bikram classes and found them beneficial but did not draw me back so I left it be.

                          

Pilates: Pilates was developed by a gymnast named Joseph Pilates and is a body conditioning routine that helps build flexibility and long, lean muscles, strength and endurance in the legs, abdominals, arms, hips, and back. It puts emphasis on spinal and pelvic alignment, breathing to relieve stress and allow adequate oxygen flow to muscles, developing a strong core or center (tones abdominals while strengthening the back), and improving coordination and balance.

Unlike yoga there is not much types of Pilates but there are different levels, beginners, intermediate and advanced where the movements and exercises get more difficult and the adaptations become more intense and your practice becomes more skilled. Similar to yoga though Pilates concentrates on a particular breathing technique used to cleanse the body and use’s breathing to enhance the ability in a movement/exercise.

                                        

I hope the definition I have described of the two has dispelled some idea’s that these two are the ‘same’ or misconceived idea’s you may have had of them.

Yogalates or Yogilates: This is a combination of the two. It incorporates the mat work of Pilates but with the soothing breathing and relaxation poses of Hatha Yoga. It is a calming yet still challenging class that you if you enjoy both yoga and pilates want to incorporate it all in one class. Some hard core yogi’s may say that this is not a correct practice as you are breaking the chain of proper yoga concentration with pilates but I say to those people relax guys……people will find what they enjoy and works for them and should be allowed express it freely J.

Either way I think both of these practices are great for our bodies and minds and yoga exceptionally good for those that have hectic or stressful lives or those that suffer from any form of anxiety. So it is up to you which one you choose and suits you and your lifestyle.

                                               Namaste :)

 

NOTE: If anyone of you peeps in Dublin 15 are looking for a pilates instructor, my sister is a pilates teacher and has 2 classes a week. Message me for deets :)

 

 

Fueling your workout - Pre,Post Workout, Protein Info & Game/Race Fueling

Fuel your Workouts –Pre, Post Workouts, and Protein Info & Game/Race Fuelling

When we workout and give so much of our energy to ourfitness and training we should be giving the same energy and thought into fuelingour workouts. I find that a lot of people don’t know what they should be eatingbefore their workouts or training session and likewise after it also and I myselfonly really getting it right as to what I should be eating pre and post workoutto gain the best benefits. As everyone has different goals for themselves whattype of food and how much of it will differ slightly. Unsure as to whether we shouldbe eating carbs or protein or how much and from what source. So I have givensome examples as to what benefits your workouts and wards off that hunger pangpost workout. Remember we need to eat food to get our bodies to look good, themore clean and regular you eat the better your metabolism is. You need to fuelthe machine before you start its engine.

Firstly let’s get this out of the way: How much protein do we require:

The RDA is 0.8 grams per kilogram of lean bodyweight (U.S.Food and Nutrition Board, 1980) for sedentary adults.(70kg man – 56g Proteinper day is the RDA. How was the amount come to: The RDA is only a rationed 0.8grams per kilogram? Well it seems they concluded that 0.36 grams per kilogramof lean bodyweight in protein is lost per day. With a safety margin in place,it has been bumped up to 0.45 grams per kilogram of lean bodyweight, and thenbumped up again to approximately 0.75 grams per kilogram. This is to replacethe amount which may be lost during digestion, as well as making up for a lackin quality of protein.

The general protein requirement for sedentary adults is justenough that if one follows this guideline they will supply themselves withenough amino acids to replace each day's loss without allowing for exercise andthe growth of muscle tissue therefore needing to fuel our bodies more withprotein while exercising and muscle building/repairing.

·       For those looking to lose weight (body fat%) and general tone:

Pre workout:

A light protein snack mixed with a carbohydrate – this willgive you energy for your workout and also keep a supply/store of protein forwhen you are working those muscles (you don’t want muscle loss/just fat loss.

e.g.  2 rice cakeswith peanut butter and some veggie sticks

        Half of asmall Protein Shake

        Half of asmall wholegrain wrap with half of a banana and a teaspoon of peanut/almondbutter.

       Some Almondsand natural yoghurt

Post Workout:

Light snack to curb your hunger until your get home for yourmain meal (breakfast/lunch/dinner)

E.g. some raw nuts / vegi juice / carrot sticks / homemadenatural mini granola square

·       For those looking to build lean muscle –Hypertrophy

Pre Workout:

You are going to require some protein for your muscle build,and all depending on how big of a muscle build you are going for and what sizeyour body is, your protein requirements change. The recommendation for musclebuilding and strength training is 1.6 g - 2.2 g of protein per KG of bodyweight.Fueling: you want to have enough energy so that your body does not eat intoyour muscle supply and only eats into your Carb and Fat supply.

e.g. Protein and blended Banana shake made on 80% water, 20%skim milk

       Small portion WholemealPasta/Tuna/Broccoli

       Protein Pancakewith raisins and wholemeal flour

      2 Egg whitesscrambled in half wrap

Post Workout:

This is the most crucial time for you time get protein intoyour body. The biggest absorption happens within 30 mins after your workout sohaving food/shake on hand to assist this and to ward off hunger until you haveyour main meal is ideal.

e.g. Low Carb/Whey Protein Shake made on 1% milk

       ChickenBreast/Rice or Quinoa/Spinach & Broccoli

      Turkey andspinach roll ups

      3 x Scrambled eggwhites made with 1% milk and broccoli

·       Sports Specific / Pre Game Nutrition  

Fueling up before an important game or race is vitally importantto your performance and body. You don’t want your body to fail you half waythrough because you didn’t take in the correct nutrients for your peak performance.

Depending on the type of sport or race it is, the energy youwill be exerting and the distance you will be covering will ultimately affectthe amount of your intake. Carbohydrates will play a major role in this,fueling your body correctly and with nutrients and minerals such as Salts, Sugar,Iron, and in particular B Vitamins for energy metabolism as depleting these canall lead to poor performance. Protein of course for your muscle recovery. Youdon’t want your nutrition to be your downfall after months of training.

NOTE: (While the typicalathlete has about 80 to 120 mmol glycogen/kg muscle, a carbo-loaded athlete canhave about 200 mmol. This is enough to improve endurance by about two to threepercent)

Pre Game/Race(that will last longer than 90 minutes):

In the 2-3 days leading up to your game/race you shouldstart Carb loading your body, letting your body store up Glycogen. You shouldhalt any long last minute training sessions a few days before your race. Althoughremember: Drastic changes can easily leadto upset stomachs, diarrhea or constipation. For example, carbo-loading on anunusually high amount of fruits and juices might cause diarrhea. Too many whiteflour, low fiber bagels, breads and pasta might clog your system. Try noteat a huge amount of dense Carbs late the night before the race as this mayhinder your performance, try carb loading for one or two days before(trainless/ eat a little more carbs) and then the day before try get your largercarbs in at breakfast and lunch.

Day of the race: lay off the heavy carbs, eat regular, proteinand nutrient meal for breakfast and fuel throughout the race.

E.g. Wholemeal Pasta/Brown Rice/Quinoa/Oatmeal/Fruits

Pre Game/Race(last under 90 minutes)

The correct of balance of Carbs, Protein and Nutrients arejust as important but you do not need to carb load as much as the above. If yousufficiently carb load for a day before you game/race and lay off training theday before; morning off, fuel up with carb rich/protein and nutrient rich mealyou should be storing a sufficient amount of Glycogen to fuel you for yourgame. Make sure you refuel and rehydrate throughout to keep optimum enduranceand power (Water and Isotonic drinks to prevent muscle fatigue)

E.g. Wholemeal Pasta/Brown Rice/Quinoa/Oatmeal/Fruits

Post Game/Race(FOR BOTH)

You want to refuel your body back with Glycogen, Mineralsand Nutrients that you will have lots and also your protein for muscle recovery.

Protein & Energy Bars

Protein Shake & Vegi Juice

Chicken/Tuna/Egg Wrap with vegi’s

Wholemeal/Chicken and Vegi Pasta Bake & fruit.

ANDREMEMBER at all times to continually REHYDRATE - WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      

       

Fitness and Gym Terminolgy explained A-Z

Gym/Fitness Terminology explained

For those of you that have ever heard these phrases uttered on the gym floor, in article’s you have read, on health programs or talk shows, on fitness video’s or by trainers and thought, hmm what the hell does that mean….I want to be doing what that guy or girl is doing but I have no idea what they said. So let me divulge some of the terminology and explain some the acronyms used in the fitness world. The key to moving forward is knowledge and knowing how your body works so knowing how to train it correctly is KEY. I have highlighted one's that i feel are important to know.

·        ABDUCTION to draw away from or deviate from the midline of the body; opposite of adduction; side movement away from the midline of the body; example a side leg raise moving the leg away from the body's center.

·        Adduction - to bring toward the midline of the body; opposite of abduction; example, bringing the elbows together in the front of the body like a chest press working the pectoralis muscle.

·        Aerobic exercise- Any rhythmic activity that increases the body's need for oxygen by using large muscle groups continuously for at least 10 minutes. The term aerobic means “with oxygen.”

·        Agility - The power of moving the limbs quickly and easily; nimbleness; activity; quickness of motion; as, strength and agility of body.

·        Agonist muscle- A muscle that is very effective in causing a certain joint movement. Also called the prime mover. On a biceps curl, the biceps is the agonist muscle that flexes the elbow joint.

·        Anaerobic exercise- Short lasting, high intensity activity, where the demand for oxygen from the exercise exceeds the oxygen supply.

·        Antagonist muscle- A muscle that causes movement at a joint in a direction opposite to that of the joint’s agonist (prime mover). 

·        BarBell - These are weights attached to a long bar which requires both hands to pick up.

·        Body composition- Amount of fat vs. lean muscle tissue in the human body.

·        Burpee - full body exercise used in strength training and as aerobic exercise. It is performed in four steps, and was originally known as a "four-count Burpee":

·        Calisthenics- Exercising using one’s own body weight which helps develop muscular tone.

·        Cardiorespiratory fitness- Measure of the heart’s ability to pump oxygen-rich blood to the muscles. Also called cardiovascular or aerobic fitness.

·        Core- A muscle group comprised of the abdominals, lower back, oblique’s, and hips.

·        Cortisol- A hormone secreted by the adrenal gland that makes stored nutrients more readily available to meet energy demands. These hormone levels increase under stress, which can stimulate your appetite, leading to weight gain or difficulty losing weight.

·        Cross-training- An individualized combination of all aerobic-training methods, characterized by a variety of intensities and modes.

·        Delts - slang term referring to the deltoid muscle – Shoulders (outer)

·        Detraining (reverse) Principle- This principle says that once consistent exercise stops, you will eventually lose the strength that you built up. Without overload or maintenance, muscles will weaken in two weeks or less.

·        DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness)- Muscle soreness or discomfort that appears 12 to 48 hours after exercise. It is most likely due to microscopic tears in the muscle tissue, and it usually requires a couple of days for the repair and rebuilding process to be completed. The muscle tissue grows back stronger, leading to increased muscle mass and strength.

·        Eccentric contraction- A lengthening of the muscle during its contraction; controls speed of movement caused by another force.

·        Ectomorph- A body shape characterized by a narrow chest, narrow shoulders and long, thin muscles.

·        Electrolytes- Salts (ions) found in bodily fluids. Pertaining to exercise, your body loses electrolytes (sodium, potassium) when you sweat. These electrolytes need to be replaced to keep concentrations constant in the body, which is why many sports drinks include electrolytes.

·        Empty Calories - calories obtained from foods high in sugar and fat without significant nutritional value

·        Endomorph- A body shape characterized by a round face, short neck , wide hips, and heavy fat storage.

·        Endorphins- Opiate-like hormones that are manufactured in the body and contribute to natural feelings of well-being.

·        EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption)- This explains why your breathing rate remains heavy for a few minutes after finishing a workout. Your body needs more oxygen after a workout in order to restore the oxygen stores in the blood and tissues, and to meet the oxygen requirements of the heart rate, which is still elevated.

·        Epinephrine- Also called adrenaline, a hormone that stimulates body systems in response to stress.

·        Eustress- "Good" stress that presents opportunities for personal growth. (Exercise is an example of this. It puts stress on the body and its systems, but the results of this stress are positive.)

·        Fast twitch muscle fibers- Fibers that are better-suited for high-force, short duration activities because they contain more stores for anaerobic energy utilization.

·        High-density lipoprotein (HDL)- Retrieves cholesterol from the body’s cells and returns it to the liver to be metabolized. Also referred to as “good” cholesterol.

·        High impact- Activities that place more stress on the bones and joints, where your limbs are actually making contact with the ground or other surface with force. Examples include: walking, running, step aerobics, and sports that involve impact, like basketball or tennis.

·        Hypertrophy- An increase in cell size (girth), usually in reference to fat or muscle cells. (Muscle building)

·        Interval training- Repeated intervals of exercise interspersed with intervals of relatively light exercise. This type of training provides a means of performing large amounts of high-intensity exercise in a short period of time.

·        Isokinetic exercise- Exercise in which the rate of movement is constantly maintained through a specific range of motion even though maximal force is exerted.

·        Isometric exercise- Any activity in which the muscles exert force but do not visibly change in length. For example, pushing against a wall or carrying a bag of groceries

·        Isotonic exercise- Any activity in which the muscles exert force and change in length as they lift and lower resistance. For example, bicep curls or leg extensions.

·        Ketosis- A condition in which the body adapts to prolonged fasting or carbohydrate deprivation by converting body fat to ketones, which can be used as fuel for some brain activity. The real danger in ketosis is that ketones are acidic, and high levels of ketones make the blood abnormally acid.

·        Lactic acid- Once thought of as a waste substance that builds up in the muscles when they are not getting enough oxygen, leading to muscle fatigue and soreness. Now, experts believe that lactic acid is beneficial to the body, acting as a "fuel" to help people continue high-intensity (anaerobic) exercise even when oxygen consumption is low.

·        Lactic threshold- The point at which the level of lactic acid in the blood suddenly increases (during exercise). This is a good indication of the highest sustainable work rate. Also known as anaerobic threshold.

·        Lean mass- Total weight of your muscle, bone, and all other body organs. (Everything in the body besides fat.)

·        Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)- Transports cholesterol and triglycerides from the liver to be used in various cellular processes. Also referred to as “bad” cholesterol.

·        Max VO 2- (V02 Max) Highest amount of oxygen one can consume during exercise. The higher this number, the more you are cardiovascularly fit and capable of increased levels of intensity.

·        Mesomorph- A body shape characterized by a large chest, long torso, solid muscle structure and significant strength.

·        MET- An expression of the energy it takes to sit quietly. It is frequently used as a measure of intensity on cardiovascular machines (treadmill, stationary bike, etc.) For example, moderate intensity activities are those that get you moving fast enough or strenuously enough to burn off three to six times as much energy per minute as you do when you are sitting quietly, measured as 3-6 METs.

·        One-Rep Max (1 RM)- The amount of weight/resistance that can be lifted or moved once, but not twice; a common measure of strength.

·        Opposing muscles- Muscles that work in opposition to the ones you are training. For example, the bicep is the opposing muscle to the triceps; the hamstring is the opposing muscle to the quadriceps.

·        Overload Principle- This principle says that in order to train muscles, they must work harder than they are accustomed to. This “overload” will result in increased strength as the body adapts to the stress placed upon it.

·        Physical fitness- The ability to perform regular to vigorous physical activity without great fatigue.

·        Pilates- Exercise programs that combine dynamic stretching with movement against resistance.

·        Plank - an isometric exercise for the abdominal muscles

·        Plateau- Point in an exercise program where no additional progress is being made (gains in strength, weight loss, increased endurance, etc). One way to break through a plateau is to change the kind of activity you are doing or something about your current activity- adding hills, increasing speed, increasing distance, etc.

·        PNF stretching- Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching is a static stretch of a muscle immediately after maximally contracting it.

·        Pronation-To turn or rotate (the foot) so that the inner edge of the sole bears the body's weight.

·        Plyometric training- Exercises that enable a muscle to reach maximal force production in as short a time as possible. For example, jumping from a 3 ft. stool to the ground and immediately springing back up to another stool.

·        Rate of perceived exertion (RPE)- Scale of 1-10 that rates how you are feeling (both physically and mentally) as it relates to exercise fatigue.

·        Shin splint- Generic term used to describe pain in the lower leg, either on the medial (inside) or lateral side (outside) of the shin bone.

·        Skinfold caliper test- A method of determining body fat whereby folds of skin and fat at various points on the body are grasped between thumb and forefinger and measured with calipers.

·        Slow twitch muscle fibers- Fibers that are better-suited for low-force, long duration activities because they possess more endurance enzymes.

·        Specificity of Training Principle- This principle says that only the muscle or muscle group you exercise will respond to the demands placed upon it. By regularly doing curls, for example, the muscles involved (biceps) will become larger and stronger, but curls will have no effect on the muscles that are not being trained. Therefore, when strength training, it is important to strengthen all of the major muscles.

·        Static stretching- A low force, high-duration stretch where the muscle is held at the greatest possible length for up to 30 seconds.

·        Superset - A superset is performed when two exercises are performed in a row without stopping.

·        Tapering- The process athletes use to reduce their training load for several days prior to competition.

·        Traps – Trapezius Muscle – Upper part of your back, runs along both sides of your spine and run along tips of your shoulders.

·        Waist to hip ratio- A calculation of the proportion of fat stored on your body around your waist and hips. Formula: waist measurement divided by hip measurement. Women should have a ratio of 0.8 or less; men should have a ratio of .95 or less.

·        Yoga- A variety of Indian traditions geared toward self-discipline and the realization of unity; includes forms of exercise widely practiced in the West today that promote balance, coordination, flexibility, and meditation.

If there are some that I have not mentioned but you would like explained just ask me. J .

Kick your Own Ass.....When your tired and making excuses

Kick in the Ass! * while yawning….

So we all have those days, like me today, where we know wewant to workout, we know our bodies need it, we know we don’t really want tobreak our routine but that little red devil on our shoulder is happy to whisperin our ears… ‘no its ok to go home’ ‘ you did enough yesterday’   ‘you’re tired, relax’ …DON’T LISTEN. I know it’shard but try and keep your goals and the vision you are working towards firmlyin your mind. IT will eventually prevail.

 I have had a throatinfection for the past week and trust me I know what it feels like to go back toworking out after days of couch cuddling….Its ain’t easy…..BUT these are thetimes when we need to kick our own ass’s the most!

You will most likely for the rest of the evening , even ifyour go through with your workout and reach that gym door or put on thoseworkout clothes continue to tell yourself you don’t want to do this and in turnend up doing a workout only giving 50% effort and over-all not really enjoyingthe fact that you worked out at all….SWITCH YOUR MIND OFF.

I right now feel tired and sluggish and this tune is in myhead “ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ…..” from doing a 90 min Bikram Yoga session last night andwould love nothing more than to jump right on that bus at 5 pm and high tail ithome……BUT no I am going to the gym, I am going to do my work out because I knowafter my 45 mins…..yes 30-60 mins is all you need (not slaving for 1hr and half)I am going to feel on top of the world and yet a little closer to my goal ofre-shaping my body and getting stronger/ leaner and fitter.

You may be saying right now to yourself…yeah right Emma, butI have had a really busy day or you don’t understand I just don’t have enoughenergy….. I know, I get it, I really do, I know what it’s like to be crazy busybut I also know what it is like to achieve a goal and especially a fitness one,and the feeling is worth everything especially if it makes a difference to yourconfidence, self esteem or sports goal!

You will never see results without giving something ofyourself…..so give that extra little bit of energy, push yourself a little moreand see if your efforts start to show. I know I will be shaking off my yawn’sand giving myself a swift kick in the bum to wake up and make the most out ofthat 45 mins to get my goal. Go on, you can do it ;) …..

And the end result....... happy (sweaty) head... In the end I gave it 100% (as can be seen by the vain popping out on my forehead.. :P) and had my deserved mini protein shake straight afterwards for my muscle recovery! It is all worth it in the end ladies and gents! The endorphins will lift your mood anyway so your bound to feel great in the end :) , and good on you if you went and did your workout and if you didn't.....SHAME on you... ;P only kidding.... You'll get them next time

Blind Sighted by Numbers ...The Weighing Scales Obsession.

Hi all,

I wanted to address a topic that i have mentioned in previous article's but i think probably deserves its own article.

The Weighing Scales and the Obsession with the numbers on it.

When trying to lose weight or change/improve body shape i tend to see alot of people use a weighing scales as their only means of visual improvment or use the scales as an indicator of what their body composition is ("I am over weight because i weigh more than avergae/I am healthy becasue i am skinny/My body hasnt changed because the scale says so/I weigh more after my workouts...etc). I would like to make aware some of the body composition myths and some of the assumed results of the weighing scales as i have seen especially woman get dis-couraged when they are obssessed with the weighing scales and lose 7lbs in a week (due to crash diets leading to water loss mostly) but yet their bodies don't change shape like they assumed it should because really no major fat mass has been lost. Our goals for our bodies should be: fit and healthy; to keep ourselves strong/resilient/flexible/agile/glowing and hot of course ;D....So a few notes below if your feel this was maybe you at one point or another or someone you know that you could pass the advice too :).

• A weighing scales is used for measuring the weight of something.
• It will not tell you your body composition (unless it is one of the body composition machines, which are expensive and mostly found in gym's/doctors offices)
• Your body compostition and body weight is made up of Water Mass, Bone Mass, Organ weight, Muscle Mass and Fat Mass. People tend to see there body weight as only FAT and MUSCLE...these are only two of the components that make up your weight.
• To get a correct gauge you should go and get your Fat mass and Muscle mass checked. These are the real results as to your body composition and why you look as you do.
• You should have more Muscle mass than Fat Mass.
• Muscle Mass is more dense than Fat Mass and therefore does not cover as much of an area (hence, you may weigh more than people think and look healthy/slim/toned if you have a considerate amount of muscle mass and less fat mass; also, can happen, people may weigh the same but one may look bigger due to a larger fat mass, as fat mass covers a larger area; The same can happen for slim people, they may be slim but still contain fat mass but little muscle mass giving a slimmer look due to underdevloped body muscle.)

What i want to highlight is that the scales should not be the only relied indicator on your performance or improvments or as an indication of how healthy you are (***unless - exceptions to the rule - You are sports specific weight gaining and dropping for competitions i.e body builders/iron man/ sports specific etc.. OR weight was at the much larger end of the scale or vice versa at the much much lower end - this should be addressed seriously***). If you are constantly watching the scales for results for small-medium amounts of weightloss or improving your body shape(fat burning) it is demotivating and not accurate enough to tell you what is going on inside.

I have included here a great story here from a wonderful Fitness Expert Rachel Cosgrove about when she was making weight for a competition and friends of her's(women who were serial weighing scale watchers) were amazed at how she dropped 10lbs in a week yet her body was the exact same... she was making people aware that the scale's are not a correct indication of your weight in terms of Fat mass, they will only give you your TOTAL body weight including water, organs etc.... http://www.rachelcosgrove.com/2011/11/making-weight/

Anaerobic and Aerobic Exercise and Fat Burn....How it really works

Anaerobic / Aerobic / Fat Burn

How it all works

·        Two different types of energy systems are used when you workout. Aerobic and Anaerobic.

·        Aerobic means in the presence of oxygen, Anaerobic means in the absence of oxygen.

·        Aerobic fitness is necessary for our everyday lives, for our lung function. This is the energy system in how we breathe. This is also the energy system that gets used in long cardio, such as walking/ slow/moderate running/moderate exercises for longer periods of time, when you are not using 100% of your VO2 max (maximum oxygen consumption).

·        Anaerobic fitness is necessary for our muscle build and fitness (burns fat), fitness of our hearts, lungs. This is the system that gets used when you go from a resting level to a sprint/100% VO2 max. Most effective at 30 second intervals and up to Max 2 minutes. This utilizes ATP and CP (the energy phosphates of which we have short supply) and Gylcolysis.

The reason why the Anaerobic System burns fat more efficiently than the Aerobic system.

When exercising in an anaerobic zone our body uses ATP (adenine triphosphate) & CP (creatine phosphate) and anaerobic glycolysis. Glycolysis; Direct glucose breakdown (sugar – from refined and complex carbohydate’s) is utilized for energy. The usage of this glucose is what burns fat. If this glucose is not used it is stored in the body as fat. A small portion will be stored as glycogen (we all need a certain amount as back-up) and the rest of the glucose will be converted to fat storage. As you see then over eating of foods with high glucose levels (sugar and refined carbohydrates) and direct high fat foods combined with the under usage of the glucose is when we put on weight – Fat. So therefore, training in an anaerobic zone burns glucose and body fat. 

It is the most beneficial for fitness as anaerobic exercises build muscle as they use Type II a & b muscle fibers - Fast Twitch. These muscle fibres are used in the building and repairing of muscles. The more anaerobic/resistance exercises done, the more Type II muscle fibers built, the more muscle you have. The more fat is burned during exercise and everyday. The afterburn effect can continue for up to 48 hours after a workout.

Little muscle mass or under devolved muscle in the body does not burn fat efficiently. Therefore it is still possible to lose weight by not training anaerobicly or by resistance  but it will be 80% of the time muscle mass and water weight that you lose with very little of it being solid fat mass, this can be seen by body shape also.