Posts Tagged ‘exercise’

Diet and Exams

Monday, May 27th, 2013

What students eat and drink in the run up to their exams can affect their performance. Taking the time to eat healthily, get fresh air and exercise are very important preparations for a clear and focused mind during exam time.

Nutrition Tips -

Breakfast

Skipping breakfast can mean loss of recall and concentration both detrimental to a student so ensure you choose foods that are high in fibre and give your body a slow steady release of glucose for example

• Wholegrain cereal with milk, fresh orange juice.study food

• Bowl of porridge with sultanas.

• Wholemeal bread toasted with chopped banana.

 

Snacks

Snacking regularly on healthy foods can also ensure a steady slow release of glucose to the brain. Useful foods as snacks include

• Fresh fruit or vegetables.

• Popcorn.

• Fruit /Wholemeal scone.

• Dried fruit /nuts.

• Wholegrain cereal bars.

 

Lunch

Many students will be sitting two exam papers /day so eating a good lunch is very important. Here are some good options -

• Bowl vegetable soup and wholemeal scone/bread

• Wholemeal chicken/ham/egg/cheese sandwich

• Chicken/tuna wrap

 

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10 Top Tips for Getting and Staying Physically Active

Monday, February 18th, 2013

                                                              1. Get Moving.

Take the stairs instead of the lift, Walk short journeys you have to make, get off the bus a stop early.

       2. Start slowly and build up.

Don’t try to do too much too soon. Instead, take a gradual approach, and build up your activity routine as you become fit.

       3. Stuck for time?

As much as 2 x 15 minutes of exercise can make the difference.

     4. Desk exercises.

       While seated, perform some exercises to help strengthen and tighten your muscles.

       5. Do things you enjoy.

      You are more likely to stick with exercises that you find fun.

       6. Find a partner.

People who exercise with a partner or group are more likely to stay on track.

  7. Drink plenty of water.

Good hydration before, during and after exercise is essential to your wellbeing.

  8. Write it down.

An exercise diary can help you chart your progress and provide motivation on those days that you just don’t feel like getting off the couch.

   9. Reward yourself.

Set yourself weekly exercise goals and reward yourself with a new book, massage etc. at the end of the week if you have achieved these.

     10. Play some music.

  Exercising to your favourite songs can helps keep you motivated.

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Fish Oils and Being Physically Active

Tuesday, July 31st, 2012

Joint pain is not pleasant, and today, more and more people are beginning to suffer from joint pain at earlier ages than before. Active people, are complaining about sore, stiff and painful joints, and looking for a good natural relief from this discomfort. Fish oils are considered a dietary means of helping to deal with painful joint pain.

 

Why fish oil?

Well, fish oil contains EPA and DHA, commonly referred to as omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3 has a number of beneficial effects on the body, including the joints. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce inflammation by interfering with the production of inflammation-producing chemicals which stimulate pain nerves in the tissues. When you add these benefits to the others known to be associated with fish oil like lowering triglycerides, reducing the risk of blood clots, and benefiting both the heart and brain, there is no doubt that it is a beneficial joint supplements.

 

What foods contain omega 3?

Oily fish is the richest source of Omega 3. This includes salmon, mackerel, rainbow trout, fresh tuna, herring, shrimp, crab, sardines and pilchards. Weaker sources include flaxseed or linseed oil, rapeseed or canola oil, walnuts, and dark green vegetables.

 

How much should I eat?

2 portions of fish per week, at least one of which must be oily is sufficient for general health. This is equivalent to 500mg of Omega 3. 3-4 portions of oily fish, or 1000mg, is strongly recommended if you have heart disease or are at risk of heart disease.

 

Do I need a supplement?

You do not need a supplement if you are eating oily fish as recommended. If you dislike fish or have high requirements for omega 3, taking omega 3 in supplement form should be considered. There are many Omega 3 supplements on the market.

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Getting Active for Kids

Monday, June 18th, 2012

 

We all want our children to grow up to be happy, healthy adults. Whatever Active kidstheir weight it is important that children eat properly and get lots of exercise to build a healthy body.

Children need to do at least 60 minutes of activity a day to help them stay happy and healthy. Activity does not always have to mean sport – running around and having fun outside counts too.

The following activity chart should help us all to do something active every day.

  • Try to do at least 20 minutes of green activity every day.
  • Work towards 60 minutes of green and amber activities every day.
  • Agree on a limit to spend on red activities every day.

Green (Very active)

Playing outside – football, skipping, dancing, swimming, cycling.

Amber (Moderately active)

 Walking to school, cleaning your room, washing the car, getting off the bus one stop earlier.

Red (Non active)

Spending time on the computer / play station, watching TV.

 

Try to spend more time on green and amber activities and less on red.

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Starting to Exercise

Monday, March 26th, 2012

As we reported previously, being physically active can reduce risk of heart disease. It can also help to keep the lungs healthy, tone muscles, keep bones strong and help to burn calories so that you lose weight.

Health experts recommend 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity five times a week. It might sound like hard work but fast walking counts as a ‘moderate intensity’ exercise.

Better still, you don’t have to do 30 minutes in one go – it’s fine to do two blocks of 15 minutes or even three blocks of 10 minutes if you prefer. If you’ve never exercised or you haven’t been physically active for a long time, it’s worth getting the once over from your GP before starting out.

Then, follow these tips….

No matter what your age, level of fitness, ability, size or shape, there’s an exercise out there that’s right for you so start doing some research to find some activities that will suit you and your lifestyle.

Investigate what’s on offer in your local area – phone around the leisure centres, gyms and pools and find out about times, availability and prices.

Don’t narrow your choices down to the gym or class based activities. Explore other ideas.

Always warm up properly before taking part in exercise. You’re far more likely to injure yourself if your muscles haven’t been warmed up. Remember to cool down, too.

Start gradually and slowly increase the amount and intensity of the activity you’re doing. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll see an improvement.

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Shaping Up for the New Year

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

Have you over indulged this Christmas? Although it is all part of the fun it usually leads to gaining a few extra pounds. Many people make the New Years resolution to start trying to lose weight and here are some tips to help you achieve this.

 

Where to start?

First of all, try not to be tempted by the fad diets that are out there. Even though you can lose weight on these short-term crash diets, the weight is less likely to stay off and you may end up putting on more weight than you started with. Instead look for small, simple changes you can make that will give slower results, but will last longer. In the end you will lose more weight, and even better, you will be able to keep it off.

• Try to limit the amount of foods that are high in fat and/or sugar and usually have few other nutrients.

• Make sure you are eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and wholegrain foods, which are high in fibre. A high fibre diet helps you to lose weight and you need 5 or more portions of fruit and vegetables everyday.

• Choose lean meat, fish and chicken and grill, boil or bake it instead of frying.

 

Exercise

Exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. It can help you to lose weight as well as helping to prevent diseases such as heart disease. We need about 30 minutes exercise, 5 days a week at a moderate intensity. This means you should feel warm and be breathing a little faster when you exercise (you should still be able to talk). Always remember to check with your doctor before you start an exercise program if you have not been active for some time or you are unwell.

 

Alcohol

Alcohol is high in calories and will make a big difference to your weight. Keep alcohol to sensible levels. Check out my blog entitled Alcohol and Units – What Does It All Mean? to recap what these limits are. However if you want to lose weight, drinking less than this will help.

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