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A-Z of Fitness – H for Hamstrings / Health

by Fitcentric· January 14, 2018· in A to Z of Fitness, Fitness, Personal Training· 0 comments
I get asked a lot similar questions, so over the next month both on my Instagram (@fitchicnic) and on here, I’ll be going through the alphabet talking about some of the most common health and fitness related questions and topics. H is for Hamstrings / Health What a contradictory photo – it shows my hamstrings, but definitely not what the pinnacle of health looks like! (Competing is an extreme of the fitness industry, and is 100% about aesthetics rather than health, strength, fitness or endurance.) Hamstrings. A lot of us spend our days with our knees bent, whether that’s sitting at a desk, curled up on the sofa, or cycling to work etc.  It’s no wonder that our hamstrings get tight, and that can limit our ability in squats and other everyday movements. There can also be other tightness issues in the calves, hip flexors, fascial interconnections, lower back, or a mixture of them all.   I could list various stretches to help with flexibility, but while either trying to touch your toes in a seated or standing position, then keep your legs straight, and bend from the hips rather than curving the lower back. This will be a lot […]
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A-Z of Fitness – G for Glutes

by Fitcentric· January 11, 2018· in A to Z of Fitness, Fitness, Personal Training· 0 comments
I get asked a lot similar questions, so over the next month both on my Instagram (@fitchicnic) and on here, I’ll be going through the alphabet talking about some of the most common health and fitness related questions and topics. G is for Glutes Big butts are in. Just know who on social media worked for it, rather than injected it! Toned, shapely behinds need you to be brave and go heavier than bodyweight squats. You also have to ensure you’re eating enough to fuel growth – they’re just like any other muscle after all. I’ll be honest, my bum was my favourite bodypart when I was a teenager (before I stopped exercising in my early 20’s, gained weight and found alcohol/adulthood.). Years of intense dance and gymnastics helped shape it without me ever actually having to step foot in a gym. However as adults, you’re going to need to start weightlifting at the gym to help you along. Keep in mind you actually need to use the glutes. Squats are a great exercise in general, but be careful of over-targeting the quads instead (especially during step ups and walking lunges.) The other “best” exercises include: Hip thrusts Step ups […]
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A-Z of Fitness – F for Frequency / Flexibility

by Fitcentric· January 11, 2018· in A to Z of Fitness, Fitness, Personal Training· 0 comments
I get asked a lot similar questions, so over the next month both on my Instagram (@fitchicnic) and on here, I’ll be going through the alphabet talking about some of the most common health and fitness related questions and topics.F is for Frequency / Flexibility F is for Frequency / Flexibility How often should you train? Firstly, whatever is realistic for your lifestyle. Don’t promise yourself 5x a week if you realistically can’t due to work and family commitments. However if you have the time and motivation, there’s no reason you need to train more than 5x a week. Take two rest days off non-consecutively for your mind and muscles to recover. That’s not to say you can’t do some “active recovery” on those days (walking, gardening, gentle stretching) but you don’t need to hammer the HIIT or heavy training 7 days a week. Being flexible is very important. I’m not talking about crazy yoga poses you see on IG, but maintaining a good level of flexibility is important for preventing injury in everyday life, as well as when you’re lifting weights. Take a yoga class every now and again, and make sure you include some kind of stretching before (dynamic) and […]
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A-Z of Fitness – E for Exercise

by Fitcentric· January 11, 2018· in A to Z of Fitness, Fitness, Personal Training· 0 comments
I get asked a lot similar questions, so over the next month both on my Instagram (@fitchicnic) and on here, I’ll be going through the alphabet talking about some of the most common health and fitness related questions and topics. E is for Exercise “What’s the best exercise to do?” Firstly, the “best” is the one you can stick to doing consistently. I’m a rubbish swimmer and hate cycling, so for me those wouldn’t be a good choice if I wanted to try to exercise 4-5x a week to keep fit. However that’s not to say you shouldn’t address your weaknesses – I plan to swim more this year, but as an added extra, not as my main focus. It depends on your goal as to specifically the ‘best’ thing to do, but for general all around fitness I usually advise doing a mixture of cardio (whatever sort), strength training in the gym, and some kind of stretching or yoga class. Remember for “losing weight,” you don’t have to run on a treadmill! (A common misconception I come across, maybe because that’s the “go-to” in the gym when people aren’t too sure what else to do.) Weight/fat loss is about […]
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A-Z of Fitness – D for DOMS / Deadlifts

by Fitcentric· January 07, 2018· in A to Z of Fitness, Fitness, Personal Training· 0 comments
I get asked a lot similar questions, so over the next month both on my Instagram (@fitchicnic) and on here, I’ll be going through the alphabet talking about some of the most common health and fitness related questions and topics. D is for DOMS / Deadlifts DOMS. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Ever ached for days after a workout? It’s the inflammation caused by myofibril tears in the muscles, and can last for over 48hrs in some cases. Some people actually like the feeling and think that they ‘haven’t worked hard enough’ unless they’re sore. This is NOT the case, and it shouldn’t be used as an indicator of whether the session was effective or not for building muscle. How can you treat it? The usual ways people try to relieve it (massage, exercise, stretching, supplements, Epsom salts, etc) aren’t actually proven to work, but just see if any of them work for you! Deadlifts. Why do them? Strength, athleticism, fat burning. You’ll also feel like a badass. The conventional deadlift targets most of the muscles in the body, including the core. It’s vital you do them with correct form and technique, so start learning how a hip-hinge (pushing the hips […]
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A-Z of Fitness – C for Carbs / Cardio

by Fitcentric· January 05, 2018· in A to Z of Fitness, Fitness, Personal Training· 0 comments
I get asked a lot similar questions, so over the next month both on my Instagram (@fitchicnic) and on here, I’ll be going through the alphabet talking about some of the most common health and fitness related questions and topics. C is for Carbs / Cardio Yummy, delicious carbs. In the words of the new bestselling book, Re-nourish by Rhiannon Lambert, her 4 rules for carbs include: – “Be carb conscious.” (Reduce Refined carbs, and aim for more Complex carbs such as grains, wholegrain bread and rice) – “Not all carbs are created equal.” (Complex carbs are important to help fuel the brain and body, as Refined carbs lack in nutrients.) – “Carbs make you happy.” (Helps create the happy hormone serotonin, and keeps concentration/mood swings at bay.) – “Cutting carbs is unsustainable.” (You can’t maintain it. Opt for balance and long term living.) Two other tips to remember: – Excess calories over a prolonged amount of time makes you gain weight, not carbs in particular! – Unless you’re a bodybuilder, the time of day you have your carbs makes zero difference to weight gain or loss (you can eat carbs after 6pm if you want!) C is for Cardio […]
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A-Z of Fitness – B for Bingo Wings / Body Fat / getting “Bulky”

by Fitcentric· January 04, 2018· in A to Z of Fitness, Fitness, Personal Training· 0 comments
I get asked a lot similar questions, so over the next month both on my Instagram (@fitchicnic) and on here, I’ll be going through the alphabet talking about some of the most common health and fitness related questions and topics. B is for Bingo Wings / Body Fat / getting “Bulky” My heart sinks every time a new client uses the phrase “bingo wings”, but it’s a common body gripe that a lot of women are self conscious about. Similar to my post yesterday, a combination of decreasing body fat and strengthening the upper body will help ‘tone up’ the arms. Try including these sort of exercises in your workouts: – Incline push-ups – Assisted pullups – Tricep dips – Back rows (standing, seated, bent over, single arm etc) The “getting bulky” myth. In my opinion and experience, sometimes when women start lifting weights/increasing their activity level, they get a lot more hungry and end up feeling like they can out-exercise a bad diet. However it’s then not the muscle mass that is the “bulk” (it takes months and years of hard work to gain a significant amount of muscle), it’s actually the excess body fat gained from eating more […]
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A-Z of Fitness – A is for Abdominals

by Fitcentric· January 04, 2018· in A to Z of Fitness, Fitness, Personal Training· 0 comments
Happy New Year! I get asked a lot similar questions, so over the next month both on my Instagram (@fitchicnic) and on here, I’ll be going through the alphabet talking about some of the most common health and fitness related questions and topics. A is for Abdominals Ahh, abs. Flat stomachs. Six packs. What it seems the entire commercial fitness industry only cares about! Having visible abs doesn’t define how fit, strong, or healthy someone is. It doesn’t prove they are ‘better’ than someone else when it comes to fitness, or even that they know what they’re talking about. Saying this, it doesn’t stop people wanting it, so how does someone actually get a flatter stomach? Think about it logically. The abdominal muscles are just like any other muscle. If you exercise them, they’re going to get tighter and stronger. However if they’re still covered in a layer of body fat then you won’t be able to see them. Be in a calorie deficit. This means burning more calories than you’re taking in. However crash dieting and simply not eating won’t work and isn’t healthy (more on this another time) but essentially, decreasing your body fat is the only way […]
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Why You Shouldn’t Overcomplicate Your Workouts (For Now) – The 80/20 Rule

by Fitcentric· November 06, 2017· in Fitness, Personal Training· 0 comments
Why You Shouldn’t Overcomplicate Your Workouts (For Now) – The 80/20 rule Reading random online health and fitness advice can sometimes be confusing, and lead to you having a million more questions. How many reps should I be doing? What’s the best thing to eat after a workout? What’s the best cardio to do? The bottom line is that it depends on your goals, your individual preferences, and where you’re at in your fitness journey. Something that’s always stuck in my mind is the 80/20 rule. There’s a couple of interpretations floating around, however there are two ways you can think about it when you’re talking about nutrition and fitness: Try and eat healthy, nutritious food 80% of the time, and allow 20% of the other time for treats and indulgences. This will allow you to still reach your goals long term, while allowing the body and mind to rest, relax, and enjoy life. Restriction and cutting out any one particular thing will likely result in binges, and a bigger bounce back when you do eventually have it again. For the majority of the population, we worry too much on the smaller details of fitness (the 20%), while still not […]
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5 Fitness Quotes To Live Your Life By

by Fitcentric· March 13, 2017· in Fitness, Health· 0 comments tags: abs, fitness, health, life, quotes
“Fitness is a journey, not a destination.” An old coach of mine once said that “once you start lifting weights, you’ll never be 100% happy with your body ever again.” I know that initially sounds like a reason to never start, but what she meant was that you’ll soon get addicted and always want to better yourself, while hopefully realising that you should and can actually love your body the way that it currently is. Love the process and appreciate what it can do and what it has achieved already. Do you think Olympians stop training once they win gold in a race? “A goal is a dream with a deadline.” Create smaller time-orientated actions that will help you on your way. You want to lose 10kg? It won’t happen overnight, so create a plan for 1 week that you’re going to stick to. Once you’ve done that then move onto the next one, and the larger goal won’t seem as daunting. “Abs are made in the kitchen.” There’s no point in killing yourself in the gym if you scoff down a pizza every evening – do an all around strength training programme and work hard on having a more […]
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