ANSWERING SOME HEALTH, FITNESS AND FAT LOSS QUESTIONS..

“I have heard sit ups are great for achieving a flat, toned tummy. Should I be doing sit ups to help shift stubborn tummy fat?”

No... sit ups are frankly dangerous! They compromise spinal health and any Personal Trainer worth their salt should not be recommending them for your abdominal programme.

Spinal expert Dr Stuart McGill performed a study which indicated sit ups create up to 764 pounds of compressive load on the spine, which leads to elevated rates of disabling back pain and disorders. Instead opt for planks, stir the pot and dead bugs to help keep backs happy and abs fab!

“I have really weak wrists and I don’t feel very stable when exercising. How can I improve this?”

Joint instability and a global lack of strength is very common, particularly with desk workers. The trick is to incrementally build strength over time. If you go too hard, too fast, this can cause overuse injuries, pain and more dysfunction. Instead opt for Pilates and Strength Training exercises which develop joint stability and strength in a controlled environment with a focus on proper form.

“I often experience back pain when participating in classes or the gym. How can I stop this?”

Focus on form. Taking the trouble to learn exercise movements and patterns correctly with an awareness of form at the beginning is invaluable, before you have had the chance to build bad habits. More often than not, a sore back post exercise is your body’s way of communicating with you, telling you it is unhappy. I often observe a blanket approach to exercise and training, a “one size fits all” kind of attitude that every movement is perfect for every person. This is simply not true. We come in all shapes and sizes and we should be mindful of that when selecting exercises. As a general rule of thumb, if it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t right for you.

"Eeek... I am going on holiday in six weeks and I want to feel my best and confident in my body!"

What should I be doing?”

Panic not, 6 week is a good chunk of time to implement some positive changes.

• Try to get lots of quality, uninterrupted sleep, it is essential in helping restore positive balance to your body. ( That means no screens before bed folks...!)

• Eat fresh, colourful, natural and unprocessed foods. If you don’t recognise the ingredients on the packet, it does not make it on to your plate. Take responsibility for your food choices!

• Try to get at least x2 full body workouts in per week. Chuck in some HIIT sprints on the bike, rower or cross trainer to kick start your metabolism. Big, compound full body exercises like squats, lunges, push ups and pull ups are great to get more bang for your buck if you are short on time but want to maximise effectiveness of the workout.

• Body brush religiously... Dry brushing your skin will kick start your lymphatic system which helps eliminate toxins. The stiffer the bristles on the brush the better. It will revitalise the quality of the skin and help manage stubborn cellulite.