As previous attendees will know we always encourage a more holistic approach to health, fitness & wellbeing and discourage using this one measure as the only measure that should make us feel good. “Ditch the scales” is a statement often heard on one of our fitness and wellbeing weekends. What is more important is body composition, energy levels and measurements of various parts of your body.

Finding out your body composition is often not easy, but perhaps even that is not the most important measure of our likely chances of living a long and healthy life.  Research suggests that it is your physical fitness that is a better indicator of your long term health rather than your weight.  Another reason to get rid of those scales then.

Steven Blair, an exercise scientist professor at the University of South Carolina, has spent a number of years studying obesity and physical inactivity as causes of health problems.  He suggests that obese people who are physically fit are half as likely to die as  people of normal weight who do not exercise.  This is bad news for those thin people who believe they do not need to exercise because they have been blessed with a great metabolism!  If you are one of those people you’d do well to dig out those trainers and get that exercise regime back on track.

Aim for Fitness Improvement:

Because it is not the number on the scales that is important weight loss should never be the primary aim.  Fat loss and improved body composition is a better aim but even focusing on those measures can sometimes be a difficult journey.  Many readers will know the frustration of working hard to get their diets right and making sure they hit the gym hard 3 or 4 times only to find that they’ve not lost any weight that week.  For some this disappointment leads to reverting to the very pattern of behaviour they are desperately trying to avoid – comfort eating.

On the other hand focusing on fitness improvement rather than weight loss has some significant benefits.  For one thing it is easy to measure fitness improvements by simply measuring how much more weight you are lifting, how much further you can walk, run, swim or cycle in a given time or how quickly you complete a given circuit.  These improvements can give you immediate feedback on how well you are doing and the improvements you are making.  Unlike a weight loss goal it is also rare, if you have genuinely worked hard during the week at your fitness goals, for this hard work not to show in an improved result whatever fitness measure you are using.

Conversely using weight loss as the measure of success is fraught with variables.  Something as simple as an ill timed glass of water could scupper that goal of 1lb weight loss this week .  By focusing on the fitness goals not only do you then get the immediate feel good benefits of doing exercise but you also get the feel good factor that comes with achieving and getting better at something.

Of course we are not saying that you can eat anything you like as long as you get out there for a good walk occasionally.  Clearly carrying too much weight will have a negative impact on many areas of your life.  However, focusing on the fitness improvements rather than the more fickle weight loss results will bring more consistent success, will improve the many systems within your body that require exercise to operate efficiently and also move the focus away from food, which for many is a good thing.  As we work to improve our fitness levels we will be encouraged to exercise more, and we all know what tends to happen to THAT number when we increase the intensity and duration of our exercise sessions!

Ginny is climbing Kilimanjaro to raise funds for
Marie Curie Cancer Care in June 2012. If you’d like to
sponsor her please visit http//uk.virginmoneygiving.com/VirginiaKing

How REM Works:

In explaining how REM works I normally use an everyday example which most of us can relate to: “After a bad day at work you drive home only to be cut up by an overly aggressive driver?” We react badly, perhaps with anger or by taking their actions personally. Later that day we may tell our loved ones about it, explaining how much its upset us, only for them to suggest we don’t worry about it. We take it to bed with us and have a good night’s sleep. On waking we have either forgotten about it, or we have indeed followed the advice of our loved ones and are saying something like – “why do I allow these people bother me so much?”

As the BBC article explains during REM sleep we literally move the memory from the primitive, emotional parts of the brain to the intellectual, sensible areas of the brain where we have greater emotional control over it.

So Why is This Important for my Health, Weight Loss or Fitness Goals?

The beauty of REM sleep is that it helps us deal with these daily stresses and strains, which reduces our underlying anxiety and stress levels. Some would say it empties our stress bucket. With an empty stress bucket taking the appropriate eating and activity decisons in order for us to achieve our health & fitness goals becomes easy. Most of us understand that our eating patterns & decisions are affected by our stress levels (comfort eating and binge eating tend to increase with our stress levels).

Studies have also shown that people who sleep less than 8 hours sleep per night (and therefore have less REM sleep) are far more likely to have issues with being overweight.

With high underlying stress levels parts of our brain are encouraging us to eat something for comfort and stay at home for safety, which typically are not conducive to getting out for that run/walk/workout and avoiding the packet of biscuits in the cupboard. We then rely on willpower to get us to make the right decision of which we only have a limited supply.

This post was written by Alex Brounger, Clinical Hypnotherapist and MD of EQ. You can follow Alex on Twitter: @AlexFromEQ or why not ‘Like’ our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/EQhfw

Hydrostatic Underwater Weighing

The density of fat is approximately 10% less than that of water (which means it will float) whereas the density of lean muscle tissue is about 10% greater than water (so it will sink). Underwater weighing identifies the whole body density and will therefore give a very accurate indication of body fat percentage and lean muscle tissue density. Unfortunately using this method of measurement requires being dunked in a tank of water and the use of some pretty complicated machinery, not widely accessible outside of universities and science research labs.

Bioelectrical Impedence Monitoring

This is the method that we use at EQ. Body fat percentage is calculated by inputting your gender, and height into a machine, which then passes a very mild electrical current through your body (so mild you can’t feel it). The electrical impulse passes faster through lean muscle tissue (due to its high water content) than it does through fat. So by measuring the speed of that electrical current the body fat percentage can be calculated. The accuracy of this method is dependent on hydration levels but it normally gives a reasonably accurate measure.

Skin Fold Caliper

This is where measurements are taken, using skin calipers, from various different parts of the body. These measurements are then entered into mathematical formulas to give an indication of the body fat percentage. It is important to get exactly the same body part each time and it’s best done by a well practised professional. Some prefer this method over the Bioelectrical impedence method.

• Heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rates increase
• Bronchial tubes in the lungs dilate (allows greater oxygen uptake)
• The muscles resting tension increases (ready to explode into action)
• Blood vessels close to the skin contract (to help slow bleeding in the event of damage)
• Endorphins are released (to blunt pain)
• Digestive, reproductive and other systems are put on the back burner.

On a slower scale glycogen and fatty acids are converted into glucose, the liver is encouraged to make more glucose whilst the well known stress hormone cortisol blocks insulin receptors in an attempt to protect the brain’s supply of glucose (of which it currently requires quite a bit).
At this stage our mental processes are competing for resources. The brain is always working on an energy budget which prevents all of the areas of our brain working at once. Because the brain is perceiving that we are being threatened the energy is directed towards the primitive areas of the brain. This area of the brain is great from protecting us from physical danger (chiefly by priming is for physical activity (hence the changes in our physiology detailed above) but it is the latterly evolved areas of the brain which are most effective at dealing with whatever is creating the stress in the first place.

So what Exercise Does in Response?
1) Exercise triggers production of insulin receptors which means better use of blood glucose and reverses the actions caused by cortisol.
2) It relaxes the spindles within the muscles which have tightened as a result of the stress response. This relaxing of the body sends a message to the brain that it can relax and switch off the stress response.
3) The increased blood flow that is caused by the exercise prompts the heart to increase the amount of ANP (atrial natriuretic peptide) in the blood. This hormone also helps to switch off a crucial element of the stress response.
4) Exercise encourages the release of neurotransmitters which help us to focus, to relax and feel confident (click to see a previous post for more details on this).
5) Blood supply and energy are then redirected to the, more recently evolved, intellectual areas of the brain which are better equipped to deal with the problems and challenges that have caused you to feel stressed in the first place.

Fertiliser for the Brain
As we learn new material (whether that be gaining knowledge, developing skills or developing movements) we rely on brain cells (normally referred to as neurons) to make connections with each other. The better we know something (or the better at performing a skill we get) the stronger and more numerous the cell connections, responsible for carrying out that activity, become. In the same way that muscle fibres grow stronger during rest after exercise so too do the cells within the brain grow stronger as we learn, move, think, dream and visualise things. These connections are made more easily if each neuron: has many branches, is in good condition and can communicate powerfully with other neurons. There is a protein prevalent in the brain which encourages neurons to be in that prime condition  BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor). This protein, sometimes described as Miracle Gro for the brain, is like a high quality protein shake to the muscles of the body. Several studies have shown that the more we exercise the more of this protein is produced and is available in the brain and so the better the condition of our neurons become. So the great news is that the more we do what the body has been designed to do; move, lift and stretch, the more fertile our brains become for further neuron connectivity.

Feel Happy & Focus on the Subject in Hand
Here’s another example of how what our body does has an impact on the brain. Of the many neurotransmitters in the brain three are very well know to have an impact on our mood, our feelings of motivation and our ability to concentrate as well as the ability to feel good about ourselves. These are dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. Numerous studies have demonstrated that exercise radically increases the levels of these neurotransmitters in the brain.
So not only does exercise encourage the development of strong and efficient muscle tissue it also encourages the development of strong and efficient neurons, which are the building blocks of intelligence. It is hardly surprising that exercise improves both brain and body function. After all only a mobile creature needs a brain in the first place.
This Article was written by Alex Brounger

When you think about it, breakfast should supply the energy you need up to lunch. Lunch should see you through to dinner. (Well more or less, healthy snacks mid morning and afternoon are a great way to stop your blood sugar dropping too far, hence elevensies and afternoon tea).

By skipping breakfast you are starving your body of the energy it needs to survive until lunch. This means you are always in catch up mode. Leaving you feeling tired in the afternoon and craving increasingly sugary snacks as your body fights to fill in the gap in energy.

A large dinner fills you up but creates a rapid rise and crash of your blood sugar. Hence when you wake up in the morning, feeling shaky and nauseous it is actually a serious warning sign that you need fuel.

In order to break the cycle, start your day with something that will provide you with slow release energy. Porridge is a really good option, as are eggs on whole grain bread. If this all feels too much, or you simply do not have time to make these, why not make a smoothie to take to work? Ideally smoothies should be drunk as close to the time they are made as possible, but small steps are easier to take and why make your life harder than it needs to be? Blend together fruit; oat milk; and some nut butter. The more types of fruit you use the better to boost your vitamin and mineral intake. I am a great fan of oat milk, which can now be found in a number of supermarkets. Steer clear of peanut butter as it is high in salt, but almond, hazelnut or cashew nut butters (again available from super markets or health food stores) give you the protein you need at each meal, while making your smoothie silky smooth. Sip this a little at a time and set your body used to having its energy supply reinstated.

Alternatively, start small with some fruit such as an apple or a pear and some nuts to snack on through the morning until lunch. Try to increase this as time goes on, but it’s a good start. If you simply cannot face anything until you get to the office then why not try some wholegrain bread with avocado and any of the nut butters previously listed once you get there. Go on give it a try, you will notice the difference very quickly and wonder how you ever managed without your morning energy fix.

This blog was produced by Kerry Evans EQ’s Nutritional Therapist and Chef.

• Begin your day with a mug of hot water and lemon. This needs to be before you drink or eat anything else and you must leave 15 minutes before you consume anything subsequently. Squeeze the juice of half an unwaxed lemon into the mug then poor boiling water over both the juice and the half lemon. Remove half lemon before drinking. Lemon and its peel constituent Limonene, destroy bacteria in the both the mouth and intestine. On being received by the liver ( after about 5 mins), the bitterness and astringent properties cause the liver to contract releasing bile and thus releasing toxins that have stored up over night. (Pitchford 2002) This in turn relieves indigestion and flatulence. Any food or drink consumed before drinking this will reduce its effects.
• Keep animal protein consumption to a minimum, especially red meats. This is because the liver breaks down protein so over consumption of it can cause additional stress. Fish and eggs are best. The liver can actually benefit from the consumption of eggs as they are cholesterol neutral as the HDL cholesterol (the good guy) actually help remove the LDL (the bad guy) from the blood stream for excretion. The sulphurous compounds within eggs are actually really useful for the liver to help increase phase 2 liver detox (mopping up of toxins for excretion from body via bowel or kidneys). The particular detox pathway they are useful for is called sulfation which amongst other things is the breakdown of drug residues, hormones and xenobiotics. Eggs are also a complete protein containing all 8 essential amino acids which the body has to ingest as it cannot manufacture them.
• Raw beetroot is good for the liver due to its nutrient density. it contains iron, potassium, niacin, copper, vitamin c, folic acid, zinc, calcium, manganese, magnesium and phosphorus. (Hass 2006). The phytonutrients that are responsible for the bright colour may help the liver function better during ailments, specifically beetroot contains Betaine. Betaine enhances the activity of Betaine Homocysteine Methyltransferase, an enzyme that converts homocysteine (a harmful by product of metabolisation) into Methionine which is an amino acid which may help the liver to repair itself (Matsen 1998). 1 large beetroot grated in a salad a few times a week or “Beet it” pre made juice is available in Sainsburies.
• All members of the brassica family- cabbage, brussell sprouts, kale, broccoli and cauliflour are healing for the liver. Specifically, they are inducers of all 6 conjugation pathways of phase 2 liver detox. This means they help eliminate toxins from the liver. This is due to their Sulforaphane content.
• Green tea 2x cups daily contains polyphenols, bioflavenoids and catechins. The polyphenols are anti-viral, the bioflavenoids dampen down P450 enzymes in the liver (you want them to be moderated) but speed up conjugation enzymes which gives your liver a big break and the catechins may neutralize cancer causing agents in the liver.(Matsen 1998)

Bibliograpy

Matsen J, (1998) The Secrets to Great Health From Your Nine Liver Dwarfs, Goodwin Books Vancoover.
Haas E M, (2006) Staying Healthy With Nutrition, Celestial Arts, California.
Pitchford P, (2002) Healing With Wholefoods, Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition, North Atalntic Books, California
Balch J F, (2004) Prescription for Natural Cures, John Wiley and Sons.
Shabert J, Ehrlich N, (1994), The Ultimate Nutrient Glutamine, Avery Publishing Group, New York.

This post was produced by EQ’s Nutritional Therapist: Suzee Tylee

Defined as “a debilitating psychological condition brought about by unrelieved work stress, resulting in depleted energy and emotional exhaustion” (dictionary.com) the negative consequences of burnout may not just affect the career of the individual that is suffering, but also those people that work alongside them and, more significantly, members of their own team.

In an effort to demonstrate to their employers that they are the ones that drive forward their businesses, and the departments within them, they may actually be pushing themselves into a situation where they become a drain on resources. Symptoms of burnout can include: a lack of energy, motivation and drive; a feeling of listlessness and continual tiredness; a quickness to anger and suspicion and being more susceptible to colds, flu and headaches. It is not difficult to see how a person suffering from these sustained symptoms will struggle to prove their own worth within a business let alone defend the worth of their team members.

It has therefore never been more important for individuals to look after their health and their work-life balance. Clearly stress levels and the number of hours that need to be worked in order to get the job done will always fluctuate. However, if these increases have been maintained over a long period of time then it could result in strong negative consequences that are hard to reverse. “Are you feeling the effects of sustained pressure to perform at above 100%?” Spending some time out of the business, engaging the mind and body on activities that are completely unrelated to your normal working environment, can put a stop to the physiological damage caused by the effects of the sustained stress and long working hours.

EQ offer a solution. EQ offers a personalised programme of exercise, excellent quality food of the highest nutritional value and a programme to engage your mind in understanding what health and life balance looks like for you. Taking you out of your normal environment and forcing you to focus on anything but the causes of stress, a retreat at a beautiful country manor may well save your career and those who rely on you to sell the value they add to the business.

Understanding a concept is one thing. Achieving it is completely another. But try to achieve it we must for our own health and for the benefit of those around us who are also impacted by our daily decisions. Of course it is not easy and I’ll not pretend I’ve got it right. However, in the same way that a person who tries to get out for regular exercise is normally fitter, trimmer and healthier than the person who has given up completely, if you continue to try you will certainly improve the balance in your life.

Identify & Use Opportunities:

It is quite often the case that there are already opportunities which individuals can take advantage of that will bring an immediate change to their work-life balance. A lot of employers now currently offer flexitime arrangements to some or all of their staff. Check this out and see if you can take advantage of this.

Holiday make sure you take all your holiday. Some surveys suggest that up to 45% of people do not take all their holiday entitlement. Plan well in advance of your holiday cut off point to ensure your employer can make the necessary arrangements for you to take your full allowance.

Many businesses now also allow people to work from home. Even if this is only once a fortnight, not having that commute to and from work can give you back a considerable amount of time.

Improve Your Skills:

As Jim Rohn often said “Don’t wish it was easier; wish you were better”. Very often it is a lack of skills that prevent people improving their work life balance. Ask yourself the question: what one thing could I do better that would free up some time for me?

The obvious one is Time Management, but Assertiveness is also a key skill in managing your Work Life Balance. A confident and assertive employee is far more likely to get their full holiday entitlement; the opportunity to work flexitime or have their work from home proposal accepted. Communication is another key skill. Do your boss, partner and family fully understand what is important to you and what you would like to spend some time on each week? Perhaps it is not their inability to listen but your inability to make them understand.

Now that you have identified an area you can improve find ways of doing something about it. Identify a training course, a book or an audio CD that will help you turn that area of weakness into one of strength.

Other People/Businesses:

There are many businesses offering a myriad of timesaving services. Lend some thought to the things you do not enjoy doing. After a little research I’m sure you’ll find a company that can help take the activity off your hands, freeing you up to spend time on yourself. Of course, this will mean finding the means to pay for it, but do not just think of the monetary value of the service, but also the value of the time you are freeing up.

Alternatively have you done a few favours for people in the past that you feel may not have been returned? Be bold and ask for one back. The majority of people will be more than willing to help and welcome the opportunity to pro-actively say thank you for the favours you have done them in the past.

Take some time out for yourself:

At EQ we believe it imperative we all periodically take some quality time for ourselves. And we are not talking about a beach holiday. Taking on a challenge to completely change your environment and your day to day schedule can do wonders for your physical and mental wellbeing, reinvigorating you for when you head back to work and/or your busy family life.

This blog was written by Alex Brounger, Managing Director of EQ.

For Further Information:

www.eqretreats.co.uk

Call 0843 289 1660