Fat Loss & Compound Exercises

You cannot spot-burn fat!

When I start a nutritional program with a new client one of the first things I ask them is what their goal is. A lot of people say oh I want to lose weight from my stomach/bum/arms etc.

It is important to understand that you cannot spot burn fat - i.e. you cannot chose from where you want to lose fat from - its up to your body! Fat loss is like a sponge drying out - you cannot dry one corner first, it all happens gradually.

As a part of this misconception so many people think that doing sit ups will mean that you can lose fat from this area. Unless you have a relatively low body fat percentage doing sit-ups is not a great way to lose fat for two reasons

1. You cannot see you abdominal muscles under body fat
2. The abdominal muscles are some of the smallest muscles in your body so working those versus larger muscle groups burns less calories

The best way to lose fat is to do a combination of:

• HIIT cardio (preferably fasted cardio i.e. before breakfast as your body has not yet had fuel so it will take from fat stores
• Strength (weights)  & Resistance training - preferably working a number muscle groups - Compound exercises
• Eat 5 clean meals a day  
• One cheat meal a week (if needed)

Compound Exercises

Compound exercises make up the basis of most of my workouts as I do not have a lot of spare time and want to make the most out of my gym visits! 

I try and work as many muscles as possible with individual exercises. This style of training is also great for increasing power and endurance, building muscle mass and strengthening the body as a whole! (Gym pigeons put down the dumbbells and do some legs!)

Here are some of the best compound exercises (taken from Muscle and Fitness). They are quite advanced moves so make sure that you know the correct form for all of the individual components before moving to dynamic exercises and start with a low weight and work up!

Exercise 1: Squat Jump into a Lunge
Muscles worked: Quads, Hamstrings, Calves and Glutes
12-15 reps x 8 sets 




Exercise 2: Hanging Clean into a front squat
Muscles worked: Quadriceps, Shoulders, and Calves 
12-15 reps x 8 sets



Exercise 3: Deadlift into a Bicept curl
Muscles worked: Quadriceps, Shoulders, Calves, Biceps 
10-12 reps x 6 sets


As always make sure you speak to your GP before starting a new workout regime! Speak to a personal trainer about the correct form for performing these exercises before attempting them!


Additional Reading
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/powerful_workout_exercises.htm
http://www.livestrong.com/article/256699-full-body-compound-exercises-for-women/
http://skinnybulkup.com/compound-exercises/
http://www.criticalbench.com/compound-exercises.htm
http://www.body-building-resource.com/bb37.shtml
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/3-compound-combination-moves-total-body-fitness

Clean Recipe - Courgetti Bolognese!

This is a really tasty recipe and trust me you will not miss the spaghetti - said by a former pasta addict! 

For the Courgetti

• 1 large courgette (half a courgette per person)
• Spiralizer (I bought mine from Lakeland)
• 1 tsp coconut oil

For the Bolognese

• 1 tsp Coconut Oil
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 red onion - diced
• 1 red pepper/capsicum - diced
• 2 400g packs of 95% lean minced beef (grass fed)
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes
• 3 fresh tomatoes - chopped
• 1 beef stock cube (low sodium)
• 1 tsp agave syrup/honey/coconut palm sugar

Method

• Heat 1 tsp of coconut oil in a pan and add the chopped onion - fry for 2 minutes.
• Add the minced garlic, chili powder and the red pepper, fry for another 2-3 minutes and then put the ingredients aside in a bowl.
• Fry the minced beef in the pan until brown, then strain off any liquid. 
• Add in the cooked onion and peppers, the canned and fresh tomatoes, the stock cube and let simmer
• Add in the remaining ingredients - balsamic vinegar, natural sweetener and some pepper if desired (there is no need for salt as the stock cube is high in salt) 
• Let simmer on a low heat for 10-15 minutes to let the mixture reduce - this is an important step as we do not want the mixture to be too liquid and run off the plate and it also intensifies the flavors. 
• Wash and chop each end off the courgette and place into the spiral-er. Heat 1 tsp coconut oil in a pan and once hot fry the courgette for 4-5 minutes to soften.

Cortisol - what it is and how to deal with it!

What is Cortisol?

Cortisol is a stress hormone that our bodies release when it feels threatened. It dates back to our cave-woman days when our flight-or-flight defence would kick in. The problem is in our lifestyles we are faced with many threatening situations caused by traffic,long working hours, stressful office/work situations etc. and our bodies continue to pump the hormone through our bodies. Here's where the problem starts.

When our levels of cortisol become excessive we increase our risk of:

• Increased abdominal fat
• Reduced glucose utilization
• Impaired immunity
• Reduced muscle mass
• Osteoporosis

If you are trying to reach your peak fitness or have a particular goal like a visible six pack then this combination not at all desirable.

Here is a great diagram that shows the effect stress has on weight gain.

When our bodies are under long periods of high stress and are pumping out lots of cortisol the system can break down leading to the opposite - low cortisol levels. This is also problematic as its linked to chronic tiredness and even severe muscle fatigue.

So before you get to a cortisol burn-out is is key that you manage your stress and in turn you cortisol levels. Here are the best ways to do this:

Stress Management

• Its mostly common sense here - if you are stressed your body will over produce cortisol so the best way to combat it is to manage stress. It is key that you find a way to incorporate things that make you happy into your daily life. Whether this is going for a walk, having a quick swim (this one is a lot easier living in UAE!), chatting to your loved ones, practicing yoga for a few minutes each morning etc.

Exercise and Nutrition

• If you are reading this then you are most likely good at the exercise & nutrition part! Well done!
• Exercise both aerobic & anaerobic release endorphins (feel good 'happy' hormones) which will naturally help a cortisol imbalance
• Eating carbohydrates (think clean starchy carbs like sweet potatoes, brown rice) with protein post workout will help you replenish lost nitrates and glucose - this will help your body respond to a cortisol imbalance a lot quicker
• Research has shown that Vitamin C has a very powerful effect on our immune systems and can help clear cortisol after serious mental stress (and post workout). Good sources are citrus fruits - oranges and kiwis and leafy green veggies! Supplements may also be needed to increase intake levels. 

Adequate sleep

• Getting a full 8 hours kip really is vital to your bodies ability to function at full capacity. When we do not get sufficient sleep our body stays in a maintained state of alertness which requires higher levels of cortisol.

Additional Reading & Sources
http://www.poliquingroup.com/Tips/tabid/130/EntryId/2315/-Lower-Cortisol-By-Getting-More-of-THIS-Everyday-Nutrient.aspx
http://breakingmuscle.com/health-medicine/why-and-how-you-absolutely-must-manage-your-cortisol
http://time.com/3903826/coffee-early-morning-worst-time/
http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/how-lower-cortisol-manage-stress
http://breakingmuscle.com/health-medicine/the-ups-and-downs-of-cortisol-what-you-need-to-know
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/what-you-should-know-about-cortisol
Image Credit: http://www.nutrivive.ie/news/nutri-vive-news/stress-nutrition-cortisol-health