To busy for exercise? Burn calories whilst you sleep!

No money, no gym no time?…… No problem

20 minutes and an empty street could be all you need.

HIIT is considered to be an excellent way to maximize a workout that is limited on time. We incorporate HIIT training into all our fitness because it’s short sharp and to the point! When you plod along on the treadmill doing stead state exercise you are working in an 'aerobic' state which is great but once finished that’s pretty much it in the way of using energy/calories. When you HIIT train however you are bringing an anaerobic activity into it. This raises your metabolism for hours (up to 39 hours!) after the activity has finished. There by using a greater number of calories in total. For instance for me 76 kg male, a 1 hour steady run would burn 500 calories and small to none after burn. But a 20 minute HIIT training session would be around 400 calories and up to 39 hours of high metabolize burning more calories.

One study published earlier this year showed that fit people continued to burn more calories at least 39 hours after they stopped exercise, and that their bodies chose to use nearly double the fat during that time than in inactive people. To find out more about after burn (EPOC) click on the link http://www.blogger.com/goog_777267606

How to HIIT train?

A HIIT session consists of a warm up period of exercise, followed by six to ten repetitions of high intensity exercise (95% of maximum effoert ), separated by medium intensity exercise (50% effort), and ending with a period of cool down exercise. The number of repetitions and length of each depends on the exercise. The goal is to do at least six cycles, and to have the entire HIIT session last at least fifteen minutes and not more than twenty.

How to HIIT train
Chose how you want to train i.e treadmill, rower, bike, outside running, hill reps, skipping or jogging on the spot!

Warm up 3-5 minutes jog to warm muscles you intend to use and increase heart rate.

Main session
Complete 6-8 repetition, this might be 30 seconds sprint and 60 seconds jog ( a 1-2 ratio).  As you get fitter over the weeks move to a longer sprint and shorter rest 1-1  then move to a 2-1 ratio.

Cool dowm
5-10 minutes cooling down helps remove lactic acid witch can cause cramps and stiffness and allows the heart rate to return to its resting rate.

Finish

To join in HIIT training in Farnham go to http://www.commandofitness.co.uk/ 20 minutes or hard work, no cost, no gym and extra calories burnt!

Doing a marathon next year? How to avoid hitting the wall!

So you got your place in the Marathon, well done. You will receive (wanted or not!) loads of advice on how to prepare for your marathon, how to train, what to wear and how to tie your shoe laces. You may also here the phase ‘hitting the wall’ getting throw around as if it’s inevitable and you will find this wall!

What is hitting the wall and how do I avoid it?

It’s described as a condition caused by the depletion of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles. I.E. Running out of fuel. The condition can usually be avoided by ensuring that glycogen (stored carbs) levels are high when the exercise begins, this can be achieved by ‘carb loading’ days before the race. You will also need to maintaining glycogen levels during exercise by eating or drinking carbohydrate-rich substances (sports drinks, gels and bars), or by reducing exercise intensity. This is not a choice if you’re already walking and want to finish the marathon!


So how many carbohydrates do I need to eat before, during and after the marathon? 

This depends on your body size, your fitness level and how fast you intend to run!
I have found a comprehensive link that will tell you an estimate of how many carbs your body needs!

http://www.endurancecalculator.com/

Guys enjoy your marathon and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me!

THE TOP 10 NUTRITION MYTHS! 5 minute lunch time read.

Don’t drink alcohol. Take vitamins. Avoid eating eggs yokes. We’ve heard these pieces of nutritional advice for years – but are they accurate?

Two exercise physiologists Wendy Repovich, Ph.D., FACSM, and Janet Peterson, Dr.P.H., FACSM, set out to debunk the “Top 10 Nutrition Myths.”

1. Eating carbohydrates makes you fat. Cutting carbs from your diet may have short-term weight loss benefits due to water loss from a decrease in carbohydrate stores, but eating carbs in moderation does not directly lead to weight gain. The body uses carbs for energy, and going too long without them can cause lethargy.

2. Drink eight, 8-oz. glasses of water per day. You should replace water lost through breathing, excrement and sweating each day – but that doesn’t necessarily total 64 ounces of water. It’s hard to measure the exact amount of water you have consumed daily in food and drink, but if your urine is pale yellow, you’re doing a good job. If it’s a darker yellow, drink more H2O.

3. Brown grain products are whole grain products. Brown dyes and additives can give foods the deceiving appearance of whole grain. Read labels to be sure a food is whole grain, there can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

4. Eating eggs will raise your cholesterol. This myth began because egg yolks have the most concentrated amount of cholesterol of any food. However, there’s not enough cholesterol there to pose health risks if eggs are eaten in moderation. Studies suggest that eating one egg per day will not raise cholesterol levels and that eggs are actually a great source of nutrients.

5. All alcohol is bad for you. Again, moderation is key. One glass of wine and 1 pint of beer are considered moderate amounts, and should not pose any adverse health effects to the average healthy adult. All alcohol is an anticoagulant and red wine also contains antioxidants, so drinking a small amount daily can be beneficial.

6. Vitamin supplements are necessary for everyone. If you eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, along with moderate amounts of a variety of low-fat dairy and protein and the right quantity of calories, you don’t need to supplement. Most Americans do not, so a multi-vitamin might be good. Special vitamin supplements are also recommended for people who are pregnant or have nutritional disorders.

7. Consuming extra protein is necessary to build muscle mass. Contrary to claims of some protein supplement companies, consuming extra protein does nothing to bulk up muscle unless you are also doing significant weight training at the same time. Even then the increased requirement can easily come from food.

8. Eating fiber causes problems if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). There are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber can cause problems in IBS sufferers; soluble fiber, however, is more easily absorbed by the body and helps prevent constipation for those with IBS. Soluble fiber is found in most grains.

9. Eating immediately after a workout will improve recovery. Endurance athletes need to take in carbohydrates immediately after a workout to replace glycogen stores, and a small amount of protein with the drink enhances the effect. Drinking low-fat chocolate milk or a carbohydrate drink, like Gatorade, is better for the body, as they replace glycogen stores lost during exercise. Protein is not going to help build muscle, so strength athletes do not need to eat immediately following their workout.

10. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented by eating foods low on the glycemic index. High levels of glucose are not what “cause” diabetes; the disease is caused by the body’s resistance to insulin. Foods high on the glycemic index can cause glucose levels to spike, but this is just an indicator of the presence of diabetes, not the root cause.

To Cold To Train?

Morning all,

With the weather getting colder and the nights closing in you might find more excuses not to train. Here is a picture of my training session today 10am 21/10/10 at Frensham Pond.

It was cold to start with but the sand hill runs got us all warm. It was a hard session and a first training in sand for most people..... but what a beautiful day!
For more information check out
http://www.commandofitness.co.uk/smallgptraining.html

Studying for something? Hit the treadmill not just the books!

HIT THE TREADMILL NOT JUST THE BOOKS TO BOOST GRADES
Study: College grades were better with vigorous activity

BALTIMORE – Many students sweat before finals, but those who also sweat through exercise may have an edge, according to a study presented today at the American College of Sports Medicine’s 57^th Annual Meeting in Baltimore.

A study of 266 undergraduates showed higher grades among those who more often engaged in at least 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity—generally defined as effort of seven or eight on a scale of one to 10.

Vigorous physical activity can be associated with higher grades. “Students who participate in vigorous activity seven days per week have high grades that average.

These findings reinforce what many experts already recommend—a daily dose of physical activity to reduce stress, improve performance and increase one’s sense of well-being.



http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home_Page&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=14753

Need a kick start in fitness? http://www.commandofitnessresidential.co.uk/

Thin on the Outside, Fat on the Inside?!

Fat but thin?

We have all know skinny people who can stuffthey faces with crips and chocolate and not put on a single pound of weight, but where is it all going?

We have two kinds of Fat in the body,

Subcutaneous fat is the type found just underneath the skin. This is the fat that keeps you from stepping into a bikini or fitting into your suit. In other words, the fat you can "see."
Visceral fat, or "hidden" fat, lives deep within the torso. It wraps itself around your heart, liver and other major organs.
Men and women tend to store this fat in different places. Men tend to collect fat around their middle (apple shape). Women typically store fat around the pelvic region, hips, bum and thighs (pear shape)


Studies are finding that thin people, especially if they don't exercise, can have high amounts of visceral fat too. Researchers have even developed a name for them: TOFI, which means "Thin on the Outside, Fat on the Inside."
If you are sedentary, you can expect to slowly accumulate a steady amount of visceral fat year after year. This is true even if your weight remains stable
So how can you determine whether or not you have too much visceral fat? If you are visibly overweight, with a large amount of subcutaneous fat, you most likely have a high amount of visceral fat, too. But if you are thin, it can be hard to tell just by looking.

Want to take steps to remove visible and invisible fat?
Get moving
I believe Exercise is the number one method for prevention and reduction of visceral fat. It can also have an impact on subcutaneous fat. But always check with your doctor before you increase your activity level.

• Exercise moderately (30 minutes most days of the week) to help to prevent an increase in visceral fat. Walking, jogging, swimming, tennis and other activities all can help.
• If you already have excess visceral fat, try to work in more vigorous amounts of exercise for longer periods of time, 60 minutes would be ideal.
• Work some strength into your routine at least two days a week. Since muscle burns more calories, exercises that increase muscle strength are great. Like press up, pull ups, star jumps, squats and lunges.
• Remember, spot exercising, such as doing sit-ups, can tighten abdominal muscles, but it will not target visceral fat.

Ban the word diet!

Ban the word diet!

I hate the word and think it’s a shame when people say ‘I am on a diet’. It feels like your missing out. If your ‘on’ a diet that means that there is a chance you can be ‘off’ the same diet. What we need to do it slight changes to our eating habits so we don’t feel like where on a typical diet. Here are five simple tips.

• Keep portions under control.
• Fill up on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans. Limit simple carbs such as white bread, crisps, chocolate, cakes, pastries and sugary drinks.
• Replace saturated and trans fats with healthier fats such as nuts, seeds, olive and canola oil and avocados.
• Choose mostly lean proteins such as chicken, turkey, fish and low-fat cottage cheese over fatty red meats and cheeses.

• Drink plenty of water. The UK government recommendation states we should drink approximately 1.2 litres (6 to 8 glasses) I advise my fellow bootcamp members to try and drink near 2 litres if they have attend a circuit that day.

Remember that eaten correctly is only half the job of keeping healthy. If you're inactive, it's time to get outside and start exercising!
Tom Wyles Commando fitness Chief Instructor
For more down to earth information on Health and fitness check out http://www.commandofitness.co.uk/

Simple carbohydrates are usually considered to be "bad" carbs, but these are those that have been processed and broken down before being put back together again in an unnatural way such as to produce a sweet product like chocolate.

Commando Fitness welcomes all

Hi guys and welcome to the Commando Fitness Blog. We will place a weekly fitness and nutrition tips and advice for you to use at home. These will be same simple things to fit around your lifestyle which will help make you healthier and fitter!  We currently run out door bootcamp in Farnham Surrey (http://www.commandofitness.co.uk)%20and/ and have a week long residential camp in Tilford Surrey (http://www.commandofitnessresidential.co.uk/). For more infomation check out the websites.