Author Archives: Leanne Rose

April 24, 2014

TOO BUSY TO MEDITATE?

Try these three easy mindfulness exercises that fit seamlessly into a hectic day.

At work
Pause between your tasks, taking 15 seconds to a couple of minutes to sit comfortably, breather deeply and observe how your body feels. It’s a simple way to refresh your mind.

At home
Pay attention as you brush your teeth or take a shower. Focus on the feeling of brushing each tooth or the sensation of the warm water on your skin, rather than simply going through the same old motions.

Out and about
Walk with purpose and attention, noticing the environment around you, the fall of your feet on the ground and your thoughts as you stride.

April 18, 2014

RUNNING: SUCCESS SECRETS.

Reap more running rewards with these top training tips:

Be consistent – it might take weeks, months or years, but regular training will eventually produce the results you are after.

Find a suitable routine – get a good running plan from an expert and stick to it.

Have fun – if running feels like a chore, you won’t want to do it. Make it social and fun.

Vary your runs – to stay motivated, mix up your training. Do long and short runs, on and off road, and throw in some hill sprints!

Go for a goal – set yourself a goal that excites you, challenges you and that you truly want to achieve.

April 11, 2014

GO SLOW.

Thought doing weights was a simple as lifting and lowering with the correct form? Think again!

The speed at which you contract into a move and release out of it – the tempo – seriously affects what you get out of it, even when it comes to body weight exercises.

Slower movements with weight allow all portions of the muscle to be activated, loading the muscle with more resistance and making it stronger.

For best results, use a slow and controlled tempo for the eccentric movement – that’s the lowering of the weight – and an explosive tempo for the concentric part of the movement – the phase where you’re contracting.

April 4, 2014

MIND OVER MATTER.

Your body is a slave to your mind. Whatever your body does, it does because the mind commands it.

However, we still don’t use our muscles to their fullest potential because we’re generally unable to activate them to this extent.

When you’re doing exercises, try to focus on contracting and controlling the muscles you’re working to create a greater connection between your body and mind.

March 28, 2014

GET DYNAMIC.

A dynamic warm-up is much more efficient at preparing your body for a workout, as well as preventing injury.

Dynamic stretching sends blood to your muscles without inhibiting their strength. It allows the muscle to stretch through its full range of motion without holding the stretch point too long.

Static stretches, which hold the stretch point for longer, promote relaxation. Try some dynamic stretches that replicate the movements you’ll be making in your workout. For example, think high-knee marches before a run.

March 21, 2014

WHY US PERSONAL TRAINERS ARE ALWAYS REMINDING YOU TO ‘KEEP THE CORE ENGAGED’.

Ask any of my clients and they will tell you that I’m constantly reminding them to ‘engage the core muscles’. But what does this really mean and why is it so important?

In order to contract your core muscles, you need to imagine that your belly button is being pulled back towards your spine. This can be a bit difficult to start with, but as you learn the correct technique and as your muscles become stronger, it will soon feel natural.

It is essential that you give your breathing some extra attention too. Efficient breathing helps activate your core and diaphragm, leading to energy flow through the body which affects both muscular endurance and pain tolerance.

By engaging or ‘activating’ your core muscles you allow yourself to be stronger at your weakest point. Engaging the core is fundamental in exercise as it allows your body force to be distributed more efficiently and can even allow you to do more reps and lift more weight.

So next time you exercise make sure you don’t forget to get those deep core muscles involved to get yourself out of the average and into the extraordinary.

March 14, 2014

ON FORM.

There are many factors that could be impacting your runs – the wrong soundtrack, the cold weather, that extra muffin at lunch time – but form is without doubt the biggest culprit.

Follow these simple steps to check yourself and make sure you keep perfect form:

Posture – avoid slouching and stand tall throughout your run, keeping your gaze forward at all times.

Cadence – keep your cadence high, about 180 strides per minute, by running lightly.

Midfoot – avoid heel striking to reduce impact, and forefoot striking, which can strain the calf and Achilles.

Lean – adopt a slight forward lean from the ankles, keeping your core strong so that you don’t start to bend forward at the waist.

February 28, 2014

9 SIMPLE WAYS TO TRIM FAT FROM YOUR WAIST.

Cut just 100 calories a day.
According to research, that’s all you need to ditch to beat belly bulge. Dropping this amount from your daily intake – for instance one biscuit, a fizzy drink, or a glass of wine – will help you lose about 12 pounds a year. And it’s a cinch to stick to a plan that requires no actual dieting or deprivation.

Build muscle mass.
During a cardio workout, your body burns hundreds of calories, but your metabolism slows down almost instantly when you stop. After strength training, on the other hand, you burn fat for hours after. It’s recommended that you do three 45-50 minute sessions a week.

Run from fat.
One of the most effective ways to reduce flab around your middle is to jog it off. If steady running is not your thing, then try Interval training – constantly switching up the pace of your workout – will also help you lose weight, because it blasts more calories. For example, do two minutes of sprinting followed by a 60 second walk, then repeat for a half hour.

Eat good-for-you foods.
Your body is smart and it knows when it’s not getting any nutrients. So if you munch on processed foods like crisps and cakes, you’ll still be hungry. Munch regularly on fruits, vegetables, fish, low-fat dairy, and whole grains for an instant fix.

Have a high-protein breakfast.
Skip the sugary cereals. They’re too easily digested, which means they speed through your system. An egg-white omelette is a good choice. If you’re eating on the go, try unsweetened Greek yogurt with fruit and a dollop of honey or low fat cheese with whole-grain bread.

Don’t skip meals.
That will only set you up to overeat. Nosh on small portions every three to four hours to keep your metabolism running, so your body won’t panic, go into starvation mode, and stop burning calories – which is what happens when you haven’t eaten in a while.

Avoid a freak-out.
Stress causes the body to start stockpiling fat in the gut. Your system thinks a crisis is coming and deposits fat cells into the belly because it’s the most convenient storage space. Chill out with yoga, meditation, or massage. If you’re a stress eater, keep healthy snacks such as almonds on hand to prevent junk-food binges.

Get your shut-eye.
Lack of sleep increases the likelihood you’ll gain weight. When you’re tired, the hormones that stimulate appetite increase, while the hormones that help you feel full plummet. Aim for seven to eight hours a night.

Move more all the time.
Computers, TVs, video games, and cars keep us glued to our seats. The result: We’re less physical than ever before. To trim your tummy, do whatever you can to keep moving. Even 10 minutes can help. Studies show that you can burn up to 350 calories a day (the equivalent of your lunch!) by walking around when you’re on the phone, tapping your toes when you’re surfing the Web, doing squats when you’re brushing your teeth. Before you know it, you’ll be saying bye-bye, belly fat!

February 21, 2014

CUT REFINED CARBS.

Not all carbohydrates are an enemy. It’s the refined carbs (like white bread, white sugar, and sweets) that you need to avoid.

They seem harmless, but they have been stripped of their macronutrient content and reduced to a simple sugar that your body quickly digests.

The result is, your blood sugar spikes, your body pumps out tons of insulin to get the sugar into your cells, your blood sugar plummets, you feel sleepy, and any sugar the insulin didn’t deal with gets converted into fat.

This access fat typically sits around your belly, which can lead to illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.

Complex carbohydrates, like whole grains, help to maintain well-controlled blood sugar levels. Keeping you energized, slim, and healthy.

They are your body’s main source of fiber, giving you energy to keep you perky even during the grey days of winter.

The mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin comes from an amino acid called tryptophan, which is only able to enter the brain after digesting a healthy serving of carbs.

So for your waist’s (and your mood’s) sake, don’t give up all carbs!

Lanima Fitness

Personal Training for Women