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by Lucy Wyndham-Read

If you want to start getting fit and stripping off excess body fat then running is the perfect choice for you. The great thing is you can be an absolute beginner and by starting to add some intervals of running you can expect to see some impressive results.

To follow my free 6 week running plan then simply click on this link to get your free weekly workouts, weekly training tips, fitness diary and much more.

Running is one of the fastest ways to shape up and slim down. Especially for a flat stomach as like other forms of high-intensity aerobic exercise, running is proven to reduce abdominal fat and sculpt  your waistline.

The other great thing is that as with any exercise, this helps reduce those heavy carb or sugar cravings. So it is a great way to control your appetite, as once you have worked out, your body wants good healthy food choices and hydrating. Plus, from exercising you will have pushed up your calorie burn so  you are burning off excess calories. This really is the tip of the iceberg as the benefits for running run deep down (excuse the pun).

So how to start? Well, I recommend you take a measurement of your waist using a cloth measuring tape and do this at the narrowest point of your waist, then make a note of this number. You should then look at doing this weekly and always on the same day and at the same time. You can expect to see the inches go down quickly as that tummy fat disappears and those waist muscles tighten up. Using this method, you can easily not only tone up your body but also weekly improve your running and this can take you from never running before to being able to become a regular runner. Meaning that tummy fat never comes back!!

If you are a complete beginner to running then do this routine:

Walk for 2 minutes, then jog for 1 minute, repeat this 5 times.

If you are a runner, but want to strip your belly fat then do this:

Jog for 2 minutes, then run 40 seconds, and sprint for 20 seconds, repeat 5 times.

Aim to do this 4 times a week, then each week repeat the interval session an extra time. For beginners you will find that by week 3 you can start replacing the walking with gentle jogging.
It is important to also focus on eating foods that help to keep your abs flat, so avoid processed foods, high fat and high sugar foods. Aim to eat foods and meals which you prepare yourself.
One of my favourites is something I call “Flat Tummy Chicken Miso Soup with Noodles”, which is simple to prepare. Boil some water and use miso paste to make a stock, then pour this over some whole-wheat noodle and cook for 20 minutes. Add some cabbage leaves and mushrooms, and then once cooked, serve with a cooked chicken breast.

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When it comes to dancing you don’t get any more glamorous then the beautiful and super talented Kristina Rihanoff. I was lucky enough to catch up with her at the opening  of the “Everyone  Active Westcroft Leisure Centre” the other day, and got to learn how she stays in such amazing shape, and she shared with me some tips on how she always has that gorgeous glowing skin when she is performing.

LWR: So firstly I have to ask how old were you when you first started dancing, and was it always your dream?

KR: I actually had wanted to be a ballerina, and at the age of 6 my mother took me to a ballet school, but they discovered that I had what is known as a very tight hip turnout, which would have meant it would have been very painful, so they suggested I try ballroom, and this is how I then trained, and learned lots of styles of dance from ballroom to disco.

LWR: So do you think dancing is a good activity for children to do, as nowadays kids have become so inactive with new technology, and childhood obesity is now an epidemic?

KR: Dancing is such a great way to keep fit, and it is more than just dancing, it is a sport, and you not only get fit, but it gives you so many interaction skills and helps with confidence. So it is great for young kids, but to be honest for any age, and I have helped promote the everyone active school of dance, encouraging us all to get fit and healthy.

LWR: Are you super good with your nutrition?

KR: I have always eaten well, and growing up I had a very healthy diet. We lived in Russia near a seaport, so ate lots of fresh fish. I just eat sensibly, and would never eat fried, unhealthy foods.

LWR: Obviously dancing is how you keep fit, but do you do any other forms of exercise?

KR: I do Bikram yoga (90 mins yoga in hot room). I find this a nice way to relax, but also it is good for letting my muscles recover after lots of dancing, and helps to keep me flexible. As a dancer you need good mobility and flexibility within your joints and muscles, as this helps with your posture and keeps all the moves graceful.

LWR: What is your favourite dance to perform?

KR: I love dancing Latin, and my favourite would be Rumba as it is a very dramatic dance.

LWR: Ok, I have to ask, how do you always have such gorgeous glowing skin?

KR: I use the St Tropez mousse, as I find it really hydrates my skin and keeps the tone nice and even, plus I drink lots of water.

LWR: So do you ever get any time to relax?

KR: Not really. I would say that I am a workaholic, and my diary is now fully booked with work until the end of July. But then I will be taking a month off, and then I will get to relax.

LWR: I love fitness, but I have to say my dancing is not great, so how easy would it be for me to learn?

KR: it is easy, and as with anything, practice makes perfect.

LWR: Well I’d best put on my dancing shoes and practise.

Kristina is performing with Robin Windsor in “Burn the Floor “ at the Shaftesbury Theatre from the 6th March. Check here for more details: www.burnthefloor.com

For more details on the Westcroft Leisure Centre and its amazing facilities visit www.everyoneactive.com

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by Lucy Wyndham-Read

From having over 17 years as a personal trainer and having helped thousands of people get in shape, I can tell you honestly it is easier than you think. I apply what is known as the D.I.P.S Method and if you do this, then you simply get “Your Sexiest Body Ever”.

So here’s how it works:

• Determination
• Intensity Level
• Portion Size
• Simple & Short

D –Determination. This is the Captain of the ship, as without him the rest does not work, but the more you apply him, the easier it becomes. Determination is equivalent to your trainer turning up, so apply bundles of this and then you will see the results. Just 5 times a week do your 15 minute workout and stick to eating the right size portions and training hard, and as I said, you will find it so easy to then have your Sexiest body ever!

I – Intensity level. You could go for a leisurely 45 minute stroll, or a gentle jog, and get moderate exercise. This is still good for you, but if you want to melt off body fat, sculpt your body, and supercharge your fitness, you have to crank up the intensity, and you can then shorten the time. How this works is that you produce an effect known as EPOC, which stands for Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption, and this means the short intense burst of exercise stimulates your metabolic system to go into overdrive, and this stays elevated for hours after your workout, meaning you are still burning a higher level of calories, whereas moderate exercise does not ignite this effect.

Always add a burst of training as hard as you can from between 20 – 40 seconds, and then give yourself 1 minute recovery. Repeat this several times, and hey presto you will leave your body burning off more fat than with an hour’s training at a moderate pace.

P – Then Portion size. To get that amazing body takes a marriage of two things: good exercise and good food. And let’s be honest, you can never squat your way out of a dozen krispy kremes. So what you eat is how you look. But aside from that, we should be looking to eat well for more than just weight issues. It’s also for our health, well-being, energy, and even to give us that glowing skin. So it’s important to eat plenty of vegetables, fresh fruit, lean meats, fish, nuts, and wholemeal grains; but more important than anything is the Portion size, as nowadays sizes are frequently double and in some case treble what they once were, so it is no surprise that obesity is now so large a problem!! So always ensure you stick to the following size portions for each food group, and you can then see how easy weight loss can be.

S –Simple and Short. This is key, to ensure you can find the time and have the confidence that you are doing it right. 15 minutes is a small but meaty enough chunk of time. The routine is always to have a mix of cardio and toning, this way the cardio burns the fat and increases your fitness, and the toning helps define and sculpt your body, and helps to keep your daily calorie burn nice and high. The beauty of this approach is that you can do it in your own front room. Just put on your favourite tunes, and then add moves like jogging on the spot, travelling lunges, planks, abdominal moves, and even star jumps. Simply do each move do for 1 minute. And each week research online to add some new moves to your workouts.

So if this has inpsired you why not try my 500 Rep Workout on my Youtube Channel http://youtu.be/EIC7w5aGLfE

For more information on Portion Sizes watch my Portion Video on my Youtube Channel http://youtu.be/p2zpDMXWSrA

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© by Lucy Wyndham-Read

It is that time of year again where we all feel inspired to write our list of new year’s resolutions, and this year will be the year that we stick to them!! Setting bold promises such as: I will be strutting my super-toned body in my Melissa Odabash bikini, or I will run the 10k race for life this year, or I will be going to the gym for more than a latte!!

We all start with great intentions, but then obstacles creep up, and often our motivation slowly disintegrates. And the further into January we head, the further we drift away from our resolutions. So here are my top 10 ways to help you keep on track and stay motivated to keep those resolutions alive and kicking.

1: Get a partner in crime.

Chances are your friends are also looking to get fit in the New Year, so bring it up in conversation now. You’re more likely to stick with a workout schedule if you have someone to join you for those early-morning runs, after-work gym trips, and weekend yoga classes. You can also keep each other motivated by celebrating when you each achieve your weight loss goal.

2: Stick it

Post goals where you can see them. Put your 2013 list on the fridge, on your phone’s screensaver, or even at your desk at work. Constantly reminding yourself what you’re hoping to achieve will help build willpower so that you can stick to your weight loss plan.

3: Dress it up

Living a healthy lifestyle isn’t always easy, but gearing up with new workout clothes and the right trainers certainly helps. Look for fitness clothes that inspire you, nice fresh colours and flattering fits, as if you feel good in your workouts, you will be keen to workout in them. One of my favourites is this USA PRO T-shirt. I love the tangerine colour and the neckline.

http://store.usapro.co.uk/usa-pro-loose-t-shirt-ladies-343057?colcode=34305706

4: Step it Up

Invest in a pedometer. These are very cheap and a great motivator, as you can see how many steps you tot up daily. Aim for 10,000 a day and that puts you in the active category, yet push it up to 12,500 and you are then in the highly active category, and will easily melt off those excess lbs.

5:  Beats to beat the bulge

Music is one of the best ways to boost our motivation, as we all have those songs that inspire us, so create your own Playlists. You may have one that’s for walking; for this it would be good to have music that has beats per minute of between 130 – 145. For running or high intensity training, look at a range of between 160 -180 beats per minute. Then also have a special song that you can play when you are struggling with motivation, one that instantly makes you want to jump up and put on your trainers!!

6: Pin it

Inspire yourself and keep your motivation fully charged by making your own Pin board on Pinterest. Gather healthy recipes, smoothies, even gorgeous clothes and styles you want to wear and healthy body shapes, as this can all be part of your visualisation, and name this as your 2013 Healthy Lifestyle. For some workouts and motivation pictures, check out my Pinterest boards.  http://pinterest.com/lwrfitness/

7: Go Public

Tell your family and friends about your New Year’s goal. Saying this out loud—and letting others know about your fitness plan—will help hold you accountable for them. Let’s face it: If you tell the people closest to you that you’re entering a bike race, it’ll be a lot harder to bail out on it!

8: Get tough

The biggest and most important thing of all is to ditch the excuse, and get tough. Make exercises non-negotiable!!  A workout can be short (and I have always known that shorter high-intensity workouts get better results and better bodies); for a super calorie-burning workout that takes just 4 minutes, try  my LWR fast fat-burning method, so then you really have no excuse!

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/lwr-fast-fat-burning-method/id425159901

9: Inspire others

Write it down. Keep an online journal on your achievements, and help to inspire others, as this way you all motivate each other. Share your workouts and share your healthy recipes. There is nothing more rewarding than hearing you have helped and inspired others, so use those social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to encourage others.

10: Believe

This is often overlooked, but you have to believe you can do it and then you will. So throw away any negative thoughts of failure, that you can’t do it, because the answer is you CAN. Believe in yourself and while 13 may be unlucky for some, 2013 is going to be the most amazing year for you, as you do have the power to achieve all your dreams and goals.

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By Lucy Wyndham-Read

With Christmas parties, office dos, social events, and family get-togethers over the festive period, it is so easy to gain those extra pounds with the abundance  of extra food, which is often composed of more indulgent choices than we would normally make.  So it  is no surprise that on average we gain 5lbs over  the Christmas period, according to The British Dietetic Association.  So here are a few ways you can be sure to keep control of your waistline over Christmas.

Tip 1: MIND OVER CHOCOLATE

As tempting as it is to have one or two of the chocolates left at the reception at work, try and enjoy the taste of will-power more, as these brightly packaged sweets can contain up to 50 calories a time, and more than that, the sugar in them will then make you feel tired, so that you are then more likely to reach for more. So use mind over matter to decline these!!

Tip 2: SPRITZERS WIN

For Christmas drinks, simply make sure you avoid those creamy liqueurs, and instead opt for spritzers, and always add ice to your drinks. And why not be healthy and virtuous with a sophisticated bloody Mary – that way at least you are getting one of your 5 a day.

Tip 3: PICK LIGHT

Canapés: these tiny little treats served at parties can be stuffed with salt, sugar and high levels of fat, so always pick the smoked salmon over the creamy mushroom-stuffed vol au vent.

Tip 4: GO SWEET

When making Christmas dinner, if you can’t give up your roast potatoes (and if we can’t tempt you to go for a sweet potato mash instead, low-fat and tasty), then cut them big and chunky, so they absorb less oil while roasting.

Tip 5: TRY THIS

Christmas dinner can actually be a very healthy meal, done right. If you go in for eating the turkey breast without the skin, have lots of vegetables, have boiled potatoes instead of roast, and skip the bread sauce, this meal then becomes very healthy, and stops you feeling bloated and stuffed. But it is only once a year, so a little of what you fancy is okay, as long as it is only a little!! Also, if you can’t resist the Christmas cake, then have it without the icing and marzipan, as this will save you lots and lots of calories.

Tip 6: FILO versus SHORTCRUST

We all love mince pies but often bought ones are laden with calories and have thick shortcrust pastry cases. So why not make your own healthy ones, and do them in a light filo pastry case without the pastry lid on top? Make these super calorie-saving healthy mince pies which you can then impress the girls in the office with. http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/jamie-oliver/jamie-s-mince-pies-recipe

Tip 7: SNACK ATTACK

Instead of crisps and creamy dips, try a toasted wholemeal pita bread cut into small slices  making pita chips, along with vegetable crudetes, and have dips like guacamole and salsa, or make a nice dip of low-fat Tzatziki, using low-fat yogurt with added cucumber chunks, a sprinkle of dill,  and poppy seeds for an extra crunch.

Tip 8: STEER AWAY FROM THE SYRUP

Be careful with your festive lattes. Even though the tempting Christmassy adverts make them look mouth-watering, these extra shoots of caramel, gingerbread and festively shaped snowflake chocolate sprinkles all add up. For example a Cost Coffee Medium Cappuccino Takeaway with Gingerbread Syrup and Whole milk will be 331 Calories…..so a lighter choice would be the Medium Latte with Skimmed Milk and Sugar-Free Vanilla Syrup at 113 Calories. http://www.costanutrition.co.uk/

Tip 9: ORDER RIGHT

When eating out for Christmas lunches, always opt for a healthy starter like a clear soup, salmon or melon, and try and say no to the bread. But if it is too tempting, then at least opt for brown over white.

Tip 10: SPEED IT UP

If all else fails ,then look at adding some fat-burning foods to your daily diet, so that you can then counter-balance those naughty treats. Fat-burners include things like mustard powder, so you could add a pinch of this to your scrambled eggs in the morning. Or you may be more of a sweet tooth, so opt for another fat burner such as cinnamon, and sprinkle a little in your latte on your way to work!!!

For more information on Healthy Eating visit http://www.bda.uk.com/

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Top 10 tricks to curb Sugar Cravings

By Lucy Wyndham-Read

“A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down”, to quote Mary Poppins. Well, it may do that, but a spoonful of sugar also helps the waistline go up!

The more sugar we have in our diet, the more we crave it, which then leads to energy slumps, and means we are less likely to exercise, and on creeps the weight. This then becomes a bit of a negative spiral. Yet with these simple tricks on how to curb your sugary cravings, you can start increasing your energy and reducing your waistline and jumping on the positive spiral,  and you will soon easily be able to say NO to those high-sugar and fatty snacks!

1. ALWAYS GO FOR BROWN NOT WHITE: as the white stuff behaves like sugar in the body and wreaks havoc on blood sugar. So opt for brown rice, wholemeal bread, oats and wholegrain. A simple but effective trick, as whereas one slice of white toast can often lead to wanting another, if you opt for the wholemeal version, straightaway you feel fuller – plus less calories, so a win-win situation!

2. MORE IS MORE: Often eating that sneaky cupcake, biscuit or chocolate bar can heighten your cravings even more, so be warned.

3. PLAY SWAP SHOP: Swap high-sugared and high-fat snacks for fresh fruit instead – it will give you that sweet satisfaction but without the consequences.

4. BE AWARE: Fizzy and caffeinated drinks as these will raise blood sugar. So avoid these and swap for herbal teas instead.

5. BLUE LIGHT: For that emergency, before you break into the biscuit barrel, try sucking a hard-boiled sweet as this can do the trick.

6. MOVE IT: An instant quick fix to stop the sugary cravings is to get some adrenaline pumping by doing exercise. Even if it is just a short burst of 20 star jumps, it helps and works. You have then not only stopped those cravings, but better still even burnt a few extra calories.

7. TAKE TO THE TOOTHBRUSH: If the craving is fighting you hard, then quickly brush your teeth. This works a treat, as that minty fresh feeling can kill that sweet craving.

8. DO  It 5 TIMES A DAY: Having 5 small meals a day keeps your blood glucose levels stable. If your blood glucose levels are stable, you may not crave sugar as much. So always do these 5 everyday: Breakfast, Snack, Lunch, Snack and Dinner.

9. PACK THE PROTEIN: Eat protein with every meal and snack, as it doesn’t affect blood sugar and will keep you feeling fuller for longer. Examples: for breakfast try yoghurt, for snack try a small piece of cheese with a slice of ham, for lunch try lentil soup, for dinner try chicken breast.
10. POWER OF THE MIND: You actually have the willpower to say NO. Sometimes we are allowed the odd treat. Question before you pop it in your mouth: do you really need this? Give yourself 5 minutes before you make that final decision, and often by then the craving has passed . Copyright LWR Fitness.

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                                                                                       © by Lucy Wyndham-Read

Bond girls always have amazing bodies to die for and  the latest bond film  “Skyfall “has the stunning Naomie Harris with legs that even James Bond would probably die for, and then the beautiful Bérénice Marlohe who embraces her sexy feminine curves. So even though we may not be able to get our own 007 we can still with my simple moves work on enhancing our own body shape so we all feel sexy just like a bond girl.

Exercise 1: The Bond Girl  Bottom Lift

Stand facing your sturdy chair and grip both sides. Keep your tummy pulled in, and the knees slightly bent, with your heels off the floor.Now raise one leg behind you as high as you can and hold at the highest point. Squeeze the bottom tight, and do 50 tiny pulses. Then rest, and change to other leg. Remember to keep tummy pulled in and knees soft.

Exercise 2: Thigh Crushing Thighs

Place both hands firmly on the chair. Have the knees slightly bent and tummy pulled in. Now extend one leg out to your side and hold for a second at the highest point, then slowly lower. Hold, then lift same leg again. Do 25 each leg.

Exercise 3: Bond Girl Bikini Abs

Lie face up on the floor with your knees bent and feet resting on the chair. Place your fingertips by the side of your head, and lift head and shoulders off the floor. Now reach around with one hand to try and touch the side of the chair. Hold, then come back to centre, and then reach around to the other side. Aim to do this 30 times.

Exercise 4: The Wonder Bust Lift

Using a mat or towel to protect your knees, get down on to all fours, then push your hips forwards so your spine is in a straight line. Hands should be shoulder-width distance apart and in line with your chest. Now pull in tummy slowly, and lower your body towards the floor. Hold, then push back up. Aim to do 20.

Exercise 5:  Armed and Ready

Stand in a split stance with knees slightly bent, keeping your tummy muscles pulled in. Holding your full water bottle, take the arms behind, with your palms facing the ceiling. Now hold and do tiny pulses. Aim to do 60.

Repeat the above circuit 3 times. Always spend a couple of minutes warming up and always cool down.

HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM THIS WORKOUT

You should look at doing this 3 times a week, and combine this with doing a walk, swim, bike ride or gym for 20 minutes.

The other key factor is to focus on eating small portions, plenty of vegetables, pulses, fish, lean meats, and fruit. Always drink your 8 glasses of water a day. And finally be strict with yourself – and if you commit then you’ll look fit!!!

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by Lucy Wyndham-Read

Here is how to stay slim and in shape throughout the Autumn. Let’s face it it’s very easy to slightly lose motivation to exercise during the autumn months.  This can be due to the colder weather, shorter days, and not forgetting also the fact that it’s easy to hide and cover up under bulky clothes.

Plus our diet tends to change, from having our alfresco salads to now craving hot, cosy carbohydrate-rich foods, which often just end up making us feel stuffed, tired and bloated! This often has a knock-on effect and we end up reaching for more carb-loaded foods, and then we hide all the evidence away under that big woolly jumper. So to prevent this I have put together some exercise routines that will stop you craving the wrong carbs, and will keep you in shape so you can stick to you skinny polo neck with your skinny jeans, and look fab throughout autumn. Plus there are recipes for two of the best Skiing Soups, that are stuffed full of vitamins and minerals, and will keep you full while keeping your tummy flat.

This  Weekly Fitness Plan can be done indoors and will help keep your energy levels sky high, and your metabolism pushed to the maximum, so that you burn more calories every hour, as well as keeping those muscles super sculpted and toned.

Metabolism Boosting Monday

 Monday is all about raising that metabolism – do this by my 4  Minute Fat Burning Workout (see below). The beauty with this is that it means you burn more off more calories throughout out the day. Approximate calorie burn 350 calories

Toning Tuesday

Simply squeeze in before or after work:

10 Lunges/ 10 Squats /10 Burpees /10 Ab Crunches – repeat 5 times

Approximate calorie burn 150 calories

Walking Wednesdays

Make the most of your lunch break by squeezing in a 21 minute Power walk:

2 minutes brisk pace, 1 minute faster pace – repeat 7 times

Approximate calorie burn 250 calories

Thursday Treats

Treat yourself to your own spa bath, with lots of candles and a few drops of oil, and just unwind;

 this is good to give your muscles  a rest and give you some pamper time.

Approximate feel-good factor 100%

Fun Fit Friday

Pre cocktail hour, squeeze in 10 Burpees while getting ready for your night out with the girls.

Approximate calorie burn 100 calories

Sculpting Saturdays

The stair challenge: run up to 10th stair then walk back down, then run to the 9^th and back down.

Keep doing this till you reach the first step. Repeat the routine 5 times.

Approximate calorie burn 160 calories

   Scheming Sundays

Set some time today to plan your shopping list for next week and work out some super tasty soups that you can make and freeze for next week. After lunch, squeeze in a 30 minute stroll.

Approximate calorie burn 290 calories

The LWR 4 Minute Fat Burning Routine

This is based on training at a super high intensity for very short periods for the total duartion of just 4 minutes, the result here is that it supercharges your natural calorie burn, and can raise it to burn an extra 35 calories an hour, and this can stay elevated for at least 10 hours.  (So you can burn off an extra 350 calories daily!!!)

 I have created a series of different moves but I recommend you start with the jogging.

You will need a clock or timer for this.

Always spend a couple of minutes warming up first.

 For 20 Seconds, jog on the spot as fast as you can.

Then for 10 seconds gently march on the spot, and get your breath back.

 Perform this exercise 8 times in total.

        For more details on this 4Minute Rouitine and to read the review by Marie Claire Magazine visit :              

        http://www.lwrfitness.com/albums/

 So now you have the perfect fitness routines here are a couple of simple reciepes to keep you in shape,these are my favourite Low Fat Super Healthy Autumn Soups

Butternut, Apple and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients: tsp virgin olive oil

1 small finely chopped red onion

Half of a small butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 sweet potato

1 Granny Smith apple

1 tsp vegetable broth

1 tsp dried mixed herbs

Preparation:

Heat oil in large saucepan. Sauté onions, squash, and sweet potato for 5 minutes. Add apple, vegetable broth, and herbs. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer soup to a blender, and purée until smooth.

 Antioxidant Stuffed Autumn Soup

Ingredients:1 tsp olive oil

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp curry powder

2 carrots, sliced

1 courgette sliced

1 sweet potato, chopped

1 pear, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 small Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 tbspn low-sodium chicken broth

Handful of parsley

Preparation:

Heat oil on medium in a large pan. Sauté celery and onions until softened. Sprinkle curry powder over them. Add vegetables, fruit and parsley. Pour in broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Transfer soup to a blender, and blend until smooth.

 TIP: Instead of having this with a doorstep-size chunk of bread, opt for a toasted wholemeal pitta. Just as tasty, and keeps your tummy as flat as a pitta, as opposed to being inflated from the doorstep-size chunk of bread!!

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How to Love your Heart and Lower your Cholesterol

by Lucy Wyndham-Read

The most important muscle in our body is our HEART, but often we focus more on our weight and toning than we do on our underlying health. Yet really our overall health should be our primary concern, and the most important muscle for us all to keep toned and strong is our heart. The bonus of this is the stronger our heart, then the fitter our body, so we can also then get those super sleek arms and tiny toned tummy.

Imagine your heart as a pump; if you exercise what you get is a better, stronger  pump. Regular exercise makes the heart more efficient. Exercising regularly promotes improvement in the heart s ability to transport and use oxygen, reduces blood clotting ,lowers blood pressure, boosts the HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol),increases your energy levels and the “feel good “chemicals in the brain! Plus off course we are still burning calories, getting in shape, sculpting our body and giving our complexion a beautiful glow all at the same time!

Understanding Cholesterol

Here is how we can keep our cholesterol levels healthy. Let’s start with a simple analogy of cholesterol and our arteries. Imagine that your arteries are like a straw, and that you want to drink your favourite drink. But then imagine if there were bits of debris inside the straw. This would make it very hard to drink. And this is very similar to the effect of a build-up of cholesterol within our arteries causing narrowing of the arteries and even a blockage, which reflects how much harder your heart would have to work to get the flow through the arteries. But if the inside of the straw is clear, then you’re able to sip away and enjoy your drink. And if you have clear arteries, then this is easing on your heart.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is found naturally in the body as it plays a key role in the workings of every cell. The body also uses cholesterol to make vital chemicals. Cholesterol only becomes a problem if you have MORE than your body needs.

Cholesterol can’t dissolve in the blood so it has to be carried in the bloodstream by special transporters known as lipoproteins, which include low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL)

The one that is thought of as the bad guy here is the Low-Density LDL, and the good guy is the High-Density HDL.

If you have too much LDL in your body it then dumps the cholesterol to the sides of your arteries.

So this is why LDL is called the bad guy. But the good news is that you can lower the amount of LDL Cholesterol you have, by simply eating the right foods, which is all about eating the less saturated fat. Below is a guide to the best foods to eat to lower your cholesterol.

The good guy here, the HDL Cholesterol, is the opposite to the LDL, as this one hoovers up all the cholesterol that the bad guy, the LDL, has left sticking to the arteries. HDL goes through sucking it all up and takes cholesterol away from the arteries to the liver to be disposed of. This is why you should try to maintain a high level of HDL cholesterol. Exercise is a great way to increase your Good Cholesterol, HDL and also tone the most important muscle your heart!!

Simple Summary

To keep your heart strong and healthy, focus on exercising, which could be anything such as a walk, run, swimming, or cycling. This will help to keep you heart healthy and strong. Look at doing some sort of activity/exercise 5 – 6 times a week.

To help lower your cholesterol, adopt a two-pronged approach. To reduce the Bad Guy Cholesterol, the LDL, focus on a low saturated fat, healthy diet.

And then to increase the good guy, the HDL, you need to focus again on the exercise, so keep your body moving, and this will help keep more of the high levels of the Good Cholesterol.

Understanding and visualizing in simple terms how heart and cholesterol work in our body can help give us that extra motivation. By getting a better grasp of how we work, we can work ever better.

In the end it always goes back to basics: eat healthily and move more!!

For more information on Cholesterol visit: http://heartuk.org.uk/

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(How personal trainers push themselves to work out even when they don’t want to!!)

 by Lucy Wyndham-Read

We all know that the main purpose of a personal trainer is to motivate, encourage and support you to ensure you reach and maintain your goals. So as personal trainers it is important that we also apply this to ourselves, in order that we can teach this to our clients. So how do I push myself to the maximum and how do I motivate myself at times when all I want to do is snuggle up on the sofa and indulge in my favourite magazines whilst sipping away at my latte? (Which every so often I do allow myself to do, but only after a workout!!!)

Here is how I become my own LWR FITNESS PERSONAL TRAINER.

Tip 1: MUSIC TO GET YOU IN THE MOOD

The first thing for me is that I always have to train and work out with music. This does several things. Firstly it gets me in the mood!! If I want to do a fast hard session, then the music needs to be upbeat and fast; this then instantly instils energy and the thought of sitting doing nothing is not where I want to be. The fast beats will make me want to train to the music. So my top tip here is always have your music to hand. Charge your ipod or mp3 player every night so it is ready and willing whenever you are.

And I have created a library of different fitness playlists. I have ones titled:-

15 Minute  Intense Cardio Workout  (3 songs)

5 K Run  (6 songs)  This works well as I can pace myself through each track. Track 1 is my slower pace, to start off, then come track 6, I am near the end of my run, so this is a faster tune.

You can be as adventurous as you want, and you can call your playlists whatever is going to motivate you the most;  for instance it could be: My Bikini Workout, Lose Those Last Stubborn Pounds, or Lose That Muffin Top!!

The other great use of your iPod is to download a podcast. I do this if I am planning on doing a longer session, maybe a 10k walk. I use this time to listen to the latest fitness and nutrition podcast, which I have downloaded in advance, so I can kill two birds with one stone, keeping fit and educating myself while working out.

My tip to you: Find 5 top tunes that really motivate you, and also find a podcast – which could be learning a new language, or even a story (something for those slower-paced workouts which are ideal for walking to).

Tip 2: LOSE THE EXCUSE OF NO TIME

Even I sometimes say “I have not got time today”. I may have deadlines for writing features, errands that have to be done, and projects that are urgent to finish!! Yet I can break this down, and say the most important thing above all is my health, and actually it will take just 10 minutes to make a real difference. So the minute I start thinking “when can I squeeze it in” is the time that I just grab the iPod and put on my trainers and get working out straight away. It may be just something as simple as exercises in the front room, for instance a mix of star jumps, squats, burpees, and jumping lunges, and hey presto, once I have done it I feel amazing, and I normally find that I am more productive at what I am about to embark on and find that I do it quicker, so in the end I actually have more free time.

My tip for you: Have a quick workout of your own choosing that is ideal for you. It could be something as simple as just doing a 10 minute walk around the block, or doing a quick little circuit workout of your own design in your front room.

TIP 3: KEEP ON TRACK WITH MONTHLY GOALS

Many (and I mean many) years ago I decided to go off and join the Army. My family were all very shocked at this decision, as my Mum is an artist and my Dad a well-known folk-singer, so quite a bohemian family background, and not your typical military family. But nevertheless off I went, and for me one of the biggest appeals was the degree of challenge, in more ways than one, as I had never been good at sports and had always lacked confidence, and I knew that this would combat (excuse the pun) all these issues, and would be a great springboard to becoming a fitter and more confident adult.

Within basic training you are doing fitness sessions all the time, and they don’t take no for an answer. You can’t say “Excuse me, Sergeant, I can’t do this workout”. This provided me with my revelation, as I realised that when you put in the effort and don’t back down, you can simply do anything. And this is where my passion for fitness grew. I spent five years within the army. You had your own duty, and after your basic training you continued to keep fitness levels to a high standard, and in those days the army would perform random Basic Fitness tests. These involved running 1.5 miles in under 13 minutes, performing 22 press-ups in under 2 minutes, and doing 50 full sit-ups in 2 minutes. Failure to pass this would be deemed down to you, and could result in punishments such as having to do an hour’s drill at 5 am the following morning!!

So this is where I learnt how to keep myself fit. I would always keep on track with my training, and would have a monthly goal, which was to have always completed 4 training sessions a week. This worked, and I always passed my Basic Fitness test with flying colours – though I still ended up doing the drill at 5 am. (But that is a completely different story!!!)

So my tip to you in this connection is: set a goal,  and why not create your own Basic Fitness test. This could be as simple as: power walk 1 mile as fast as you can, then time yourself to do 10 burpees, 10 press-ups and 10 sit-ups, and make a note of the time, and re-do this every month aiming to complete it faster!!!

Tip 4: PUSH YOURSELF TO THE MAX!!!

To see results, you constantly have to challenge yourself. I do this by applying short intervals of training really hard. This way I know that, as I am just doing it for 20 seconds, I can put in 100%,  knowing I will then have a 10-second reduced-intensity rest period, before I push myself back up to a high intensity. This is something I do every day. It is a 4-Minute LWR fast fat-burning workout that I created, and even if I am out for a run I insert this at least once into my routine. The great thing with interval training is that you feel amazing afterwards, knowing you have trained hard.

So my tip to you: Always add intervals, and this can be applied to any form of exercise, whether walking, swimming, cycling, or toning. Just add 20 seconds, or just count 20 times (and always count backwards as this makes you feel you’re reaching your goal quicker).

The LWR Fast fat Burning method available on Itunes http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/lwr-fast-fat-burning-method/id425159901

Tip 5:  USE YOUR FAVOURITE OUTFIT AS AN INCENTIVE

Anyone who knows me knows that I love fashion and glamour, and when I am not working it is guaranteed you will either find me in Space Nk (this is the shop to find the best make-up and beauty products ever) or Harvey Nick’s, daydreaming away at all the latest lustful collections.

But for me the best way to look and feel amazing is to keep on track of your fitness and focus on sticking to a healthy diet, as nothing feels better than slipping into your favourite outfits with a toned body. Sometimes if we don’t feel great, we rush off to the shops in search of retail therapy. But instead, give yourself 3 days of training hard and eating well, and then all of a sudden you’ll start to love your wardrobe again, as everything fits and looks better when you have worked out.

So my top tip to you: keep putting on your favourite outfit as an incentive. You know that if you commit to your workouts, then you will feel great inside your favourite fashion garment

Tip 6: SIZE DOES SO MATTER FOR ME!!!

Okay girls, when it comes to size, and I am talking portions here, this makes a massive impact. I always harp on about this in my apps and books, but nowadays portions are double the size they used to be, hence the reason that obesity is double the issue. So when I eat out, I always go for a starter size, and at home I always apply the right size portion rule for the right size food groups. Once you do this, then it is so easy to manage your weight. (But with the exception of my weakness which is chocolate and Rose – so once it a blue moon I do go large!!)

So this my top tip to you: on my blog on Portions or Food groups you can find a simple, easy-to-follow guide for the sizings of each food group: http://www.lwrfitness.com/downsize-your-portions-with-this-picture-portion-guide-and-watch-the-lbs-drop-off/

So this is how I keep myself fit, as even trainers can have off days. We all have the occasional day on which things are more of a challenge than on others, so this is why I engage all the above to be sure to change that feeling from “I can’t” to “I want to do it right now!!”

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