All posts filed under: Health & Fitness

Fitness Tips: Simplicity

Published by Leanne Spencer

This month I want to talk to you about simplicity. I think one way that we can get more time, more freedom, more headspace, therefore more simplicity in our lives, is to have a bit of discipline around mobile phones. I’ve recently read a great book called ‘How to Break Up With Your Phone’ by Catherine Price, a journalist based out in the States who I interviewed for my podcast series several months ago – it’s a brilliant book which I’d recommend. It is literally dog-eared from the notes I’ve taken from it for my interview, but also our rescue dog Kami got her teeth into it – so we’ve both read it, both enjoyed it, and both got through it. I was talking recently to a client of mine who said that he lost his phone last week and therefore wasn’t going to have a mobile phone for at least another week. He was describing the extra freedom he felt he had – after a bit of anxiety, a separation anxiety from the phone …

What is Body Mass Index and should I be worried about it?

Published by Leanne Spencer

I want to talk about some of the better alternatives to BMI. I’ve heard this number bounced around quite a bit. It stands for Body Mass Index, and it is an equation (based on height and weight) that is done to give you a rough indication of whether you are overweight, or underweight, or so on. If you are a very muscular person, your Body Mass Index is going to imply you are overweight, when usually that isn’t the case – it’s because you have got the dense muscle mass. So it’s not an accurate number, but that said, I’m not particularly keen on any number that you can apply to somebody’s body composition (which I think is a better way of describing things). Body composition is how your body is composed of water, muscle, fat, and bone. For most people, we want a little bit more muscle, and in some cases, quite a bit less fat, but body composition is the right term. What am I a fan of? Look in the mirror. Be …

I’m Worried My Blood Pressure Is Too High, How Can I Lower It?

Published by Leanne Spencer

Are you worried about your blood pressure and not sure how you can lower it? Maybe your doctor has told you that you have high blood pressure, or maybe you keep a track with a kit and you do your own blood pressure testing and it’s a little bit higher than you’d like it to be. There are lots and lots of things you can do to lower your blood pressure. Popular belief has had us believe that salt intake is linked with hypertension – which has been dismissed slightly now. It’s not a bad idea to have a look at the salt content in your food. Often, if you’re consuming a lot of salt, it’s because you’re eating refined and processed foods – and we know that’s not healthy for us. The best drug-free brilliant remedy for high blood pressure is exercise but ensuring the appropriate type and intensity of exercise. If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, I strongly recommend you consult a doctor or a personal trainer or both before …

Have you run out of time to get fit and healthy for this summer?

Published by Leanne Spencer

I would say absolutely not, there is still plenty of time to get your body and your mind in better shape and get you feeling really good about your summer holiday. If your fitness levels are not great at the moment, the first thing to do is start increasing your daily life movement. Getting out there and walking much as you can, lifting some heavy things, whether that’s lifting your children up or whatever it is that you do – but start moving the body. Do compound movements – these are movements that involves multiple joints. For example, when you sit down in a chair and get back up again, you’re using the knee joint, the hip joint, and you’re using the ankle joint as well. One of the things I absolutely love recommending to people is running or jogging. It’s not necessarily for everyone, but it’s a really great way of toning and what I love about it most is you immediately start seeing improvement straight off the bat. It takes about two weeks …

Health Matters:  Six Ways to Increase Self-Esteem

Published by Becca Teers

Last month was National Teen Self-Esteem Month and it got me thinking about the ways that we can nurture and support both our own and others’ sense of self worth and confidence. Teenagers have a lot to contend with these days, what with peer pressure, study and exam stress and the growing problem of bullying in schools. Social media can heighten the pressure to look and behave a certain way, to have the perfect body, own the latest gadget or wear the best trainers. There’s a tendency to look at others’ lives portrayed on sites like Instagram or Facebook and think that we don’t quite match up or that we aren’t good enough in some way. Teenagers are also dealing with practical, social and physical changes and of course hormones! Self-esteem is easily damaged, especially during childhood and teenage years. Of course I believe that it can be repaired and enhanced, so that as adults we can thrive, fulfill our full potential and be happy. I still think though, that preventative measures are always better than …