The truth about so called ‘Detoxing Products’.


Many companies have produced so called detox products with classic phrases to capture its target market such as ‘9 day cleanse’ and ‘accelerate your weight loss’. The marketing model  also allows for mass marketing of these products and is  based upon non qualified individuals who can ‘own their own business’ promoting how you can dramatically improve your health and wellbeing by solely taking this product. There is always one question I ask distributors boasting such claims, how? 

I'm always open minded and in the time I have spent in the health and fitness industry I have been proven wrong with industry break throughs for example functional training, generally thought it was a fad but turns out it's good stuff.  However these detox products are purely taking advantage of the insecurities of its mainly female based target market offering them a quick fix solution for all their body issues, smart marketing granted! 

The science behind the claim.
So many detox programmes replace 2 meals a day with shakes normally breakfast and dinner with a low GI lunch midday. This will be for a handful of days with a further calorie restricted couple of days to help ‘clean the liver’. Now in theory the distributors will claim that this is to encourage all the ‘toxins’ in the body to be filtered through the liver and to aid the removal of fatty tissue around vital organs such as the liver and kidneys, which granted is important and vital for optimal health and the prevention of disease. This all sounds great and to top it off it will also help you shift a few pounds as well. Normally to Joe public this would be enough to get the sale, a random bit of scientific waffle and no more questions asked. 

The truth 
Ok so let's face facts! Our bodies are walking rubbish bins being exposed to a huge amounts of toxins everyday. The air we breath is polluted, the tap water we drink is unclean, the food we eat is processed, our stress levels are the through the roof and to top it off we sit down all day and don't even flex a muscle. So how do we survive?
The truth is our bodies are very good at filtering these toxins out of our system through self regulating mechanisms such as the liver, the kidneys, colon and even our skin. If the toxic build in the body builds up to much then the overloaded toxins are stored in the bodies connective tissue including the muscular and nervous systems. Remember how if you go through a phase of eating crappy food or through times of high stress you get spots? That's due to the skin which is the largest detoxifying organ in the body pushing out these toxins through our pores. The liver works by filtering substances such food additives, excessive hormones, toxic medications and drugs such as alcohol. The kidneys work by filtering harmful substances out of the blood and into urine. Your body already has the A Team of detoxifying organs in place to remove the everyday rubbish!

So based on this actually ask yourself what is your £50 detoxing pack actually going to do that your body isn't already taking care of? The weight loss will come from the severe lack of glycogen you have eaten over the last 9 days leaving your body depleted of energy which is why exercise is not recommended. Not to mention the loss of water which would be responsible for a high percentage of that weight loss.

So before investing your hopes, money and dreams into a fool proof weight loss solution please always do your research and ask yourself if the individual selling you the product is actually concerned about your health or are they just trying to take your money. 

Fitness Essex Personal Training 
info@fitnessessex.com 
07718976794

The Fitness Essex Christmas survival guide!

So you have been training hard for most or at least some of the year and now that the festive period is upon us the fear of all that graft going down the pan and the dreaded wobble returning haunts you! 

Don't worry you are not alone (or American) so fear not Fitness Essex is here!

We are hosting Boxing Day at our flat this year and the yummy food purchased is currently starring me right in the face! But we must say NO! I will not be weak and return to the slightly more wobbly self I once was back in 2014. I am armed with the FE Christmas survival guide so body fat and wobble can go do one!

So let's prepare for the weeks ahead. Well here are the facts:

The average Brit consumes around 7000kcals on Christmas Day alone, the average Amercian consumes about 20,000kcals made up mainly of eggnog and chocolate covered Turkey. 

The average Brit attends around 2 Christmas parties on the build up to the festive season and drinks about 4000 kcals alone. The average American attends about 65 Christmas parties consisting of every single house down their street as they have to be extra festive and of course check out the competition on the most lit up house award, they also have the ability to drink even more egg juice. 

The average Brit will consume about 2265 kcals on Christmas Day even before their dinner made up of alcohol/nuts/chocolate and Mince Pies. Now let's be honest a pint of John Smiths at 5am in the morning is a good start to the day before I open up the set of Primark pants I have wrapped under the tree. 

The average Brit will put on around 6lbs between Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. Now this is nothing compared to the average American who will put on around 4 stone realise that they can no longer get out of the chair. But will fear not as the American is prepared for such an event and so purchased the popular motorised chair original made for the disabled so they are still able to add even more lights to their house even though Christmas has gone and it's now almost Easter. 

Ok so now we are fully aware of the situation we are in its time to put together our fat free/problem free solution.

Stage 1 - The Christmas work party 

So based on the fact that the average Brit will attend 2 work parties and consume around 10,000kcals made up of drinks and some sort of grease based food on the way home, we need to have a plan to avoid this major threat. 

Top tips

1. Eat before you go out, a meal made up of a good protein, carbs and some veg before going out will boost your metabolism and make you less hungry when walking passed the house of grease on the way home.

2. Try and avoid beer and wine, as a lady this is easy as you can drink anything vodka based but tonic water and lime is a good idea. Now as a man this is more tricky as you do not want to be seen as the office girl pants. So I suggest bottled beer instead of pints and make the thing last just bore the hell out of colleagues about how you used to be fat and now your a machine.

3. Do morning cardio the morning of the party. This will boost your metabolism throughout the day, this will also mean your body will metabolise the alcohol quicker and so you will be dancing after 2 bottles and so drinking less.

4. Dance like your in a Busta Rhymes video! Dancing for 30 minutes can burn up to 225kcals so that's a bottle of beer and a bit so do the Math. One bottle of beer = 30 mins of shakin your booty. Ladies no doubt you will be up moving like Shakira most the night so lay of the wine and your all good.

Stage 2 - Christmas Day - The BIG ONE

Now this day posses a host of dangers from the minute you wake up. Based on the fact your British (not American) and will consume 7000kcals today we need a full proof plan of action.

Top tips 

1. Make sure Santa eats his mince pie on Christmas Eve or else guess who will be eating it Christmas Day morning!

2. Now morning cardio would be a good idea, but it's Christmas and I'm opening up my Primark pants and soap on a rope! So cardio is a no go (unless you are really boring). Now a morning beer is a pleasure saved purely for Christmas so enjoy it (ladies you know you will have a glass of Bucks Fiz but that's got orange in it so your all good). So enjoy your morning beer.

3.  Now your 200kcals down thanks to the beer we need to make up some kcals so you are now to become the Christmas fairy (boys this will be deemed 'sweet' by the misses). Getting up and down handing out presents takes your mind of the empty pint glass as you have a responsibility as you are 'The Christmas Fairy' and that's an important job. It will also help burn the calories from your morning beer.

4. So now the snacks have come out, but your prepared and feeling strong so you avoid the cheese and go straight for the porridge. This does sound boring but don't forget you are no longer the fatty from 2014 you are a machine and your machine does not need cheese. Porridge will also help keep hungar cravings away reducing the likely hood of snacking.

5. Now unless you are Cliff Richard you are going to be drinking today, so think back to your Christmas party. No not the person you hooked up with but your style of drinking bottles over pints and spirits over wine will help reduce unwanted calories. 

6. During the Christmas dinner remember that really your eating a roast dinner and meat and veg never hurt anyone so tuck in. Now being a Midlands lad we stick gravy on everything so don't be shy. Try to reduce the roast pots and mash as let's be honest it is Christmas but again your machine doesn't need potato not today! So enjoy your meat veg and spirits/beer you have earnt it!

7. The pudding always comes with options. Saying no will make you look like the family weirdo who has an eating issue so you must be part of the gang. However Christmas pud without the custard ain't a bad start but it does taste like feet. So a thin slice of key lime pie won't hurt but don't get all eager and dig in with uncle Daves spade.

8. After the dinner grab a seat and watch Home Alone or Elf no doubt they will be on, probably on channel 5. Now this is where you are to fall asleep, sleeping will help aid digestion and prevent further snacking so start counting sheep. 

By the time you wake up it's 8pm and the relatives are just heading home and you have survived Christmas Day with very little damage to your waist line, great success!  Now it's time to wash up and burn them last few calories.

New Years Eve 

Now New Years Eve is an easy one and so I expect everyone to get this right! New Years Eve is an extremely important day for one reason. ITS MY BIRTHDAY so for the next 24hrs you are ALL to join me and get completely 'Bungalowed' as the whole world (accept the weirdo Chinese) celebrate the fact it's my birthday. So only for this day do you have a calorie green card to get completely 'Gazeboed'. 

But on a serious note Christmas is a time for friends, family and good times. Relax enjoy and remember it's almost January so no doubt you can start your New Year New Me campaign.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all at Fitness Essex. 

(Last point, America is probably one of the best countries in the world to spend Christmas, but they seriously need to stop drinking eggnog)  

Why is fat so important in our diet?

Fat is one of the most essential macronutrients in our daily diet however people stray away from anything with FAT in the name due to the common thought that FAT is BAD! It is a common mistake to confuse the health promoting fats with the life threatening Trans fats and Saturated Fats.

So what is a Trans FAT??

A trans fat is a manufactured fat produced by food manufacturers to improve the taste, shelf life and texture of foods. It refers to the unsaturated fats that you see on food labels, they are a combination of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. Trans fats are very harmful to your health, increasing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and they are also the main cause of clogged arteries. Trans Fats are so dangerous that many fast food chains are now starting to cut them out of their food, companies such as Burger King, Pizza Hut and McDonalds have realized the dangers. However this does not mean there is no danger! they are aware of the dangers however trans fats are still present, for example you could leave a Happy Meal on the shelf in the sun for 2 months and there will be no decomposition and the food will still be edible, (does this sound healthy)???

Health Promoting Fats

These Healthy Fats are called Linoleic acid (LA), Gamma linolenic acid (GLA), arachidonic acid (AA), alpha linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Fatty Acids are needed by the body for many different functions including your skin, respiratory and circulatory system, also your brain and organs. It is also vital for the absorption of essential Vitamins A,D,E,K with Vitamin D being the most vital vitamin in the body with over 300 different functions. The two Fatty Acids the body cannot produce are the Omegas 3 and 6.

Omega 3 plays a vital role in Brain function and is found in Oily Fish such as Mackerel, Salmon, Herring and Tuna. Fish should play a role in our daily diet apart from Tuna due to its high Mercury levels.

Omega 6 plays a vital role when it comes to the prevention of health problems such as Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, High Cholesterol and digestive difficulties. Good sources of Omega 6 would include Flaxseed, Walnuts, Pumpkin seeds and Raw leafy Vegetables.

 Here’s a table to help you understand the types of fats and the categories they fit into.

Monounsaturated	Polyunsaturated	Saturated	Trans Fat
Olive, Canola and peanut oil	Herring	Meat	Margarine
Nuts	Mackerel	Poultry	Cookies
Avocados	Salmon	Butter	Pastries
	Sardines	Cheese	Fried foods
	Walnuts	Cream
	Sunflower oil	Coconut oil
	Nuts and seeds
10% of your fat calories	10% of your fat calories	10% of your fat calories	This should be low in the diet

A good way to add Health Promoting Fats to your diet is through quality Omega Supplements including fish oils, Cod Liver Oil should be avoided!!! Adding Pine Nuts, Avocado and Olive Oil is a great addition to many meals and they taste great.

Hopefully I have made you more aware about the different types of fats but also educated you that not all fats are bad and some are essential so don’t avoid fat, fat is your friend!!!

Surprising Foods to Avoid when Losing Weight

Whether you made the popular New Year’s resolution to lose weight back in January, or if you’ve just decided to drop a few pounds for 2013 it can seem like an uphill struggle, especially when you’re stood with both feet planted on the starting line. Here at Fitness Essex we have created the below post to help you to identify which of the foods in your diet could be hampering your progress, and some of the foods may well surprise you! We all know that donuts and cakes are not appropriate diet foods; however did you know that your morning slice of buttery toast is one of the top sources of calories in your diet?

Our first piece of advice is to always read the labels on your food so that you can be sure of the levels of fats (particularly saturated and trans fats) and sugars which they contain. Some supermarkets make this easy by labelling their products clearly; however this is the exception rather than the norm. So, always read the label so that you can make an informed decision.

Surprisingly High Fat Foods:

·         Breakfast cereals & cereal bars – breakfast cereals and cereal bars are notorious for being very high in sugar, but for also blending into the background of our daily diets. Reading the label on some of the most popular cereals can be a real eye opener. Many cereals are full of healthy but very fatty nuts, and this combined with the milk you slosh over it could be causing you problems. Our advice would be to dodge the sugary kid’s cereals, cut down on the size of your bowl, add some fresh fruit to the mix and opt for skinny milk.

·         Breads, rolls & bagels – yes we all love hot buttery toast but bread can be very high in calories (and other nasties), particularly if it is made from refined grains (white bread). However, if you’re a bread lover don’t despair as there are healthier versions out there in the bakery aisle. Opt for healthy Vogal bread and cut down on the amount of butter you use. Simple!

·         Concentrated fruit juice – many brands of concentrated orange juice contain a startling amount of sugar. Sipping on some OJ can often make you feel like you’re being healthy by getting some of your 5 a day, however unless you are consuming ‘freshly squeezed not from concentrate’ orange juice you may be drinking sugar and preservatives rather than vitamins and minerals. Always read the label before you buy juice and go for the purest you can find.

·         Salad dressings – rustling up a bright, cheerful and healthy salad is great for the soul as well as the body, however if you then douse it in mayonnaise, salad cream or a salad dressing you may end up consuming more fat than if you’d opted for that sarnie. Be sparing with the dressing and add flavour by sprinkling a small amount of seeds on top.

·         Cheese and cheese spreads – cheese is exceptionally easy to get addicted to and is one of the dieter’s worst enemies. It’s in so many of the countries favourite dishes that it can be difficult to avoid, however even small amounts of cheese and cheese spread will derail a diet with its high fat content. So steer clear.

·         Alcohol – another menace for the dieter is alcohol! Alcohol is one of the most calorie-dense food stuffs around and therefore should be avoided by people who are trying to lose weight. Alcohol actually halts the burning of fat in the body and activates fat production and storage. Cut down as much as possible, and cut it out completely if you can! Every time you down a pint of beer you are consuming the equivalent of a slice of cheesy pizza…

We think that it’s important to end on a positive note here and to mention that not all fats are bad for us, and our bodies do need some good fats to function properly. It’s all a question of moderation, so yes go ahead and have a small handful of healthy walnuts nuts (which are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids), just don’t follow it up with lots of other high fat foods.