Five Easy Tips For A Healthy Body...

No, I'm not going to tell you to give up processed foods, refined sugars and alcohol - those things are wonderful and add some much needed flavour to life... Rather than spreading sadness by telling you what you can't eat, I'm going to suggest a few things you can add in to your day instead... They may not make you leap for joy, but it's far better than spending the evening wracked with guilt and tears because you ate a bagel... 

1/ Water First Thing.

“People have reportedly lost 15lbs in one day with this one tip alone…”

As soon as you wake up, drink 1 pint of water. Do this first before you drink / consume anything else. 1 pint is your starting point - 3.5 pints (2 liters) first thing is the goal you'll want to build towards over a period of months (or even years...).

The benefits of drinking water are too numerous to mention in this quick tip, but I will provide one or two of the more impressive features:
- Water first thing is a brilliant method of cleansing - people have reportedly lost 15lbs in one day purely from choking down 2 liters first thing... This weight loss is via 'elimination', so either start small or plan your first day accordingly... 
- It’s the best thing you can do for your skin. Try this for one month: consume at least 5 pints (around 3 liters) of plain water every day. This includes your “water first thing” habit. Just trust me, if you are 40, you’ll look 30 by the end of this trial...
- Water is used in every metabolic process (respiration, digestion, assimilation, elimination, etc). If you are not drinking enough water, you are inhibiting nutrient and oxygen delivery to your brain and muscles, and you are slowing down your metabolism and fat burning process.
- Your body is 50-60% water overall. Your muscle, brain and blood are all about 80% water. This means hydration levels affect your health, and your physical and mental performance.
- It helps you perform. A drop of 1.5% in your hydration levels translates as a 10% drop in your maximal strength - that is HUGE in our world... And the leaner you are, the worse the drop...

2/ Vegetables.

“These are vital if you’re drinking lots of water…”

All winners have vegetable goals. Fact. Here are yours:

- Eat at least one portion of cooked vegetables every evening.
- Eat at least one portion of raw vegetables at every lunch.

This does two things for us: it decreases systemic inflammation and improves gut health via fiber. There are benefits to cooking vegetables as well as to eating them raw:

- Cooking vegetables breaks down the plant’s cell walls and aids the body’s uptake of some nutrients bound to those cell walls. However, cooking vegetables can also mute certain vitamins (Vitamins B and C are very sensitive to heat).
- Eating both cooked and raw vegetables ensures you get the full spectrum of nutrients that vegetables have to offer.
- In addition, raw vegetables at lunch will help stabilize blood sugar through the afternoon, and provide much needed electrolytes - these are vital if you’re drinking lots of water…

If you don't like vegetables, all you have to do - and it's very simple - is find an adult to put them on a spoon for you and make airplane noises... They'll go down a treat...

3/ Cod Liver Oil.

“Better eyesight, hearing, digestion, skin, nails, teeth, joints…”

More specifically, fermented cod liver oil & high vitamin butter oil blend…

Get the capsules - you really don't want to taste it, trust me... It's like licking Ghandi's flip flops... 

Every single cell in your body requires fat to function. This cod liver oil / butter blend provides the full spectrum of vitamins A, D, E and K, various quinones, such as CoQ10, provides PQQ - Vitamin B17/Laetrile, EPA/DHA, and it’s all perfectly balanced, all in the right proportions to be absorbed…

Benefits include but are not limited to: - Better mood - Increased stamina - Increased libido - Better eyesight, hearing, digestion, skin, nails, teeth, joints, etc - Faster recovery - Improved immune system

I can’t stress enough how good this stuff is, but sadly I do not have the room here to list all the benefits…

Basically, everyone should take this stuff UNLESS you happen to be allergic to fish products or you’re sensitive to iodine or to fermented foods. Those unlucky individuals will need to get their fat-soluble vitamins from other foods.   

4/ Probiotics.

“Those who increased their probiotic intake for four weeks lost 8.2% belly fat…”

- Probiotics enhance your immune system - a healthy gut will absorb more nutrients than an unhealthy one.
- Probiotics have also been shown to reverse ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and other gut inflammations that occur from a lack of sufficient probiotics.
- Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity issues/symptoms can be managed far better by adding probiotics.
- They have been shown to improve colon function.
- A healthy gut flora balance has been shown to help prevent cancer by nourishing enzymes that inhibit tumor production throughout the body.
- And as a final perk, they have been shown to significantly aid fat loss - a Japanese study found that those who increased their probiotic intake for four weeks lost 8.2% belly fat.

The fancy yogurts that top up your 'good bacteria' are more expensive and contain far less 'good bacteria' than most, if not all, probiotic supplements. And it's just a guess but I'm willing to bet they are top heavy in sugar (empty calories) too. 


5/ Movement.

“For women, more muscle and less fat means you will have an hourglass figure – strong glutes, visible abs, and with a little work, the ability to lift twice your bodyweight…”

Movement, or more specifically resistance training is a must for a healthy body. 

Strength training has been shown time and again to improve heart function and decrease blood pressure. It improves arterial function and decreases inflammation. As far as blood pressure goes – a review found that across eight trials, systolic blood pressure was reduced by 6.2mmHg – more than double the benefit of typical blood pressure lowering medications. Less inflammation, lower systolic blood pressure and improved arterial function can only mean good things – a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Low muscle mass has been linked with accelerated aging, poor posture, diabetes, osteoporosis, certain cancers, and just a seemingly endless list of bad stuff. If you aren’t lifting yet, now is as good a time as any to start.

You will age better and live longer. Loss of strength and mobility is the number one reason why people are put in nursing homes. More muscle mass means greater strength and mobility, stronger bones and lower body fat, meaning a better quality of life for longer…

Now, before you ladies start worrying about getting bulky, know this: men and women do not respond to exercise the same way. Guys increase their testosterone levels by lifting heavy, and tend to experience a boost in testosterone straight after a workout. When women lift heavy they elevate their levels of growth hormone which will primarily burn body fat; as an added bonus, growth hormone also helps build muscle – basically, this means that for every kg of muscle you gain, you will lose at least the equivalent in body fat. More muscle and less fat will give you an hourglass figure – strong glutes, visible abs, and with a little work, the ability to deadlift twice your bodyweight – this can only have a positive effect on your self image.

I suppose the main point is - and hopefully you picked up on this on your own - resistance training allows you an awful lot more wiggle room with food AND allows an awful lot more freedom in life...

A word of caution though, without good form, lifting heavy weights can be dangerous. It’s worth having a qualified professional show you the ropes, watch your movement and take care of your programming for you.

~ Coach Collins

Copyright 2016