Holiday Workout

It’s likely that your hotel gym or room won’t have the necessary poundage to allow you to smash personal bests. Therefore – try and take the time off and deload. If you are like most lifters, you wait for life to tell you to deload and you could probably do with a week or two off. Regardless of what people tell you, you won’t become catabolic and shrink to the size of a pre-pubescent boy (or girl). In fact, you’ll probably come back stronger and more determined post- holiday. 

By selecting 4 compound exercises (that either target all the same muscle or a plethora of different ones), a rep scheme, and a time limit. Density circuits work great when you only have body weight to work with. For example:

  • Bodyweight Squats x 30
  • Push ups x 20 
  • Elevated Hip Raises x 10 
  • Mountain Climbers x 40 

Repeat as many times as possible in 10 minutes- resting as necessary.

Cauliflower, Paneer & Pea Curry

 Ready in less than an hour, this easy, vegetarian curry recipe made with pan-fried Indian cheese and vegetables is also cheap to prepare
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 Min
Cook: 45 Min
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 225g pack paneer, cut into cubes
  • 1 head of cauliflower broken into small florets
  • 2 onions thickly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 heaped tbsp tikka masala paste
  • 500g carton passata
  • 200g frozen peas
  • Small pack coriander, roughly chopped
  • Basmati rice or naan breads, to serve
  • Raita or your favourite chutney, to serve

METHOD

  1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add the paneer and fry gently until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the remaining oil and the cauliflower to the pan, and cook for 10 mins until browned. Add the onions, and a little more oil if needed, and cook for a further 5 mins until softened. Stir in the garlic and curry paste, then pour in the passata and 250ml water, and season. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 18-20 mins or until the cauliflower is just tender.
  2. Add the frozen peas and crispy paneer to the pan and cook for a further 5 mins. Stir through most of the coriander and garnish with the rest. Serve with basmati rice or naan bread, raita or your favourite chutney.

Winter Prep: How to Avoid Weight Gain & Winter Munchies

It seems like the minute the weather turns colder, we crave more to eat. If you feel hungrier as winter draws near, you are not alone. So, is there a reason why we may want to eat more in cold weather and what can we do to avoid overdoing it by eating rich, heavy carb, sugary and hearty foods? 

Eating makes us warmer. Consuming calories also serves to warm the body up, as essentially you are adding energy to your system. Because cold weather makes your body temperature drop, you may feel an urge to eat more. So, if you respond to this urge by indulging in high- sugar, high- fat foods, you are going to cause a spike in your blood sugar levels followed by a dip which will leave you feeling colder and hungrier than before, causing the entire cycle to start again – and you at risk of putting on weight due to excess calorie consumption.

Winter gives us the blues. Shorter days and more time spent indoors means that many of us are exposed to very little sunlight in winter, and as a result can suffer from vitamin D deficiency as our bodies require sunlight to produce this important nutrient. You may also experience lower levels of serotonin (neurotransmitter linked to feelings of pleasure and well being) – which is also generated by exposure to sunlight.

Our culture associates rich food with Winter. Even though there are biological reasons why we may crave more food in inter, part of this tendency is psychological too, and deeply rooted in our culture. From childhood, we are taught to associate Winter with heavy, rich dishes also known as “comfort foods” – rather than with salads and other lighter dishes. Christmas and other Winter  holidays are traditionally linked to feasting and self- indulgence, which when combined with the prevalence of special treats that may not be available at any other time of the year, leads us to consume far more than we would on a normal basis. Hence cultural expectations and traditions, as well as deep- seated mental associations, all contribute to our urge to eat more during the winter months.

We stay in when the weather is bad. A final point to consider is the fact that we tend to stay indoors more in cooler weather, often skipping workouts to lounge in front of the TV or computer instead. This can make us more inclined to snack endlessly out of boredom, or because we’re conditioned to eat while doing certain things, such as watching a film. Because this extra eating is coupled with a decrease in physical activity, it can lead to the much dreaded Winter weight gain. 

7 Tips to avoid Winter weight gain: 

  1. Fill up your pantry with healthy soups, stews and other low-calorie dishes that contain plenty of fibre- rich vegetables and other healthy ingredients, along with protein to keep you feeling satisfied.
  2. Find healthier versions of your favourite comfort foods so you can indulge without blowing your calorie budget.
  3. Snack regularly throughout the day on healthy options to keep you metabolism burning and help avoid cravings for high- fat, sugary treats.
  4. Get outoside during daylight hours and try to get some sun on your exposed skin to top up your vitamin D and serotonin levels.
  5. If you think you’re suffering from SAD (Seasonal Effective Disorder, a form of depression associated with the shorter days of Winter) – take preventative measures and seek professional help if necessary.
  6. Continue to exercise regularly – it will boost your mood, take your mind off eating and burn up some of those extra calories.
  7. Find other sources of comfort when you’re stressed or have the urge to munch that don’t involve food. Think catching up with  friend, playing with a pet or savouring a hot cup of tea.

Preggo Workout

Not only does exercise during pregnancy offer a range of physical and mental benefits for mums- to- be, it’s also great for your bub. This workout will require a resistance band and a pair of dumbbells – try not to lift too heavy, we recommend under 12kgs! You can repeat this as many times as you feel comfortable. We recommend 1-2 rounds at your own pace, and remember to have a break when needed!

Fast walk 600m

Body weight Squats x20

Resistance band Rows x20

Resistance band Bicep curls x10

DB Walking Lunges x20

DB Lateral Raises x20

DB Tricep kickbacks x20 

Standing Donkey Kickbacks (each side) x10

Fast walk 700m

Importance Of Training For Pregnant Women

The benefits of exercising during pregnancy begin immediate and will last your whole life. Physical activity that maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness is the type of exercise during pregnancy that is important and can help with some common discomforts of pregnancy and even help prepare your body for labour and delivery. Overall and in most cases, exercise is safe during pregnancy. You will usually find it is even recommended.

Typically, the first rule of thumb is if you were physically active before you were pregnant, it is likely safe to remain active during pregnancy, More than likely, your healthcare provider will tell you to remain active, as long as it is comfortable and there are o other health conditions suggesting otherwise. Now is not the time to exercise for weight loss however, proper exercise during pregnancy will likely help with weight loss after the delivery of your baby.

Here are some of the benefits from exercise during pregnancy you may experience: 

  1. Helps reduce backaches, constipation, bloating and swelling
  2. You’re likely to gain less weight
  3. Increases your energy
  4. Improves your mood
  5. Improves your posture
  6. Promotes muscle tone, strength and endurance
  7. Helps you sleep better
  8. You’ll get positive attention
  9. Your labour may be shorter
  10. You feel less like a beached whale and more like a hot mama
  11. You’ll likely experience less leg swelling
  12. You’re more likely to avoid prenatal depression
  13. You may boost your child’s athletic potential
  14. You’ll bounce back faster after delivery
  15. Your child may have a healthier heart

Activities that are generally considered to be safe for pregnant mums include:

  • Aquarobics
  • Cycling
  • Jogging
  • Pilates
  • Yoga, stretching and other floor exercise
  • Pregnancy- specific exercise classes
  • Swimming
  • Walking

Don’t forget your pelvic floor exercises too. It’s important to do these from the very start of pregnancy, and resume them when it feels comfortable after the birth. When you’re exercising, listen to your body. Don’t push yourself like you might do when you’re not pregnant, stay well hydrated and know when to stop. 

If you have any doubts or questions about what types of exercise are safe for you at your stage and condition, please consult your RIM PT or GP!

The Psychology of Effective Workout Beats

Music to us at RIM, (as you may have already noticed) has made a huge impact on the sessions. Whether it be in a cardio or weight lifting class, music is actually the best workout buddy you’ll ever have!

  1. MUSIC CAN BE MOTIVATING. It’s said that people who listen to music can benefit up to a 15% better performance than people who don’t.
  2. MUSIC ON, WORLD OFF. Music provides a good distraction to the body; it allows you to become more aware of your surroundings instead of the pain of burning muscles. The benefits of distraction are most pronounced during low- to moderate- intensity exercise. When up against high- intensity exercise, music loses its power to override the physical feelings of tiredness, but it can still change the way people respond to fatigue. The right music elevates mood and persuades people to ride out waves of exhaustion rather than giving up.
  3. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BEAT. Beats Per Minute actually have an impact on what type of exercise you’re doing. Studies show that when people increase the BPM people will actually push harder and even work faster.
  4. WITH CARDIO TRAINING – TRY INTERVALS. Try this on a spin bike or whilst running. Choose an upbeat song you know and love. Keep a steady jog on the run or bike and just before the chorus or hook drops, amp it up. Try sprinting or putting on the resistance for its duration (usually 30-45 seconds) and backing off a little when the lyrics and melody come back in. Not only does it make the workout more enjoyable but it’s guaranteed to get your heartbeat up and sweat pouring.
  5. INCREASES ENDURANCE. Music does this by keeping people awash in strong emotions. Listening to music is often an incredibly pleasurable experience and certain songs open the mental floodgates which people control their emotions in everyday situations. If one strongly identifies with the singer’s emotions or perspective, the song becomes all the more motivational.

 

Green Tea, Blueberry and Banana Smoothie

Green Tea, Blueberry, and Banana

Antioxidant-rich green tea makes this healthy smoothie a nutritional powerhouse.

SERVINGS: 1

3 Tbsp water
1 green tea bag
2 tsp honey
1½ c frozen blueberries
½ med banana
¾ c calcium fortified light vanilla soy milk

1. MICROWAVE water on high until steaming hot in a small bowl. Add tea bag and allow to brew 3 minutes. Remove tea bag. Stir honey into tea until it dissolves.
2. COMBINE berries, banana, and milk in a blender with ice crushing ability.
3. ADD tea to blender. Blend ingredients on ice crush or highest setting until smooth. (Some blenders may require additional water to process the mixture.) Pour smoothie into tall glass and serve

NUTRITION (per serving269 cals, 2.5 g fat, 0.2 g sat fat, 52 mg sodium, 63 g carbs, 38.5 g sugars, 8 g fiber, 3.5 g protein

Benefits Of Lifting Heavier & Slower!

Indeed, lifting weights at a much slower rate than you’re used to may be the key to getting the results you’ve been searching for. Here’s why:

  1. LIFTING SLOWER PREVENTS INJURY. When you lift weights slowly, you’re much less likely to injure yourself. That’s because you have the time to learn how to do each lift properly and focus on maintaining correct form with every rep. Technique is much more important than speed when it comes to weight lifting. Of course, if you’re hurt, you’re unable to workout to your full potential, which will erase any progress you’ve made.
  2. LIFTING HEAVIER CAN BUILD STRENGTH FASTER. Being strong can solve a lot of problems. The stronger you are, the quicker you can transform your physique with subsequent training. Same goes for increasing sped, getting more powerful, or improving athletic performance- whoever is strongest at baseline will almost always see the greatest outcomes from training. Strength also correlates with levels of fat burning hormones in both men and women. This means that the stronger you are, the faster your metabolism will be, making a lean physique that much easier to maintain.
  3. LIFTING SLOWER CAN BUILD LARGER MUSCLE MASS. Slow lifts can build muscle much faster than regular lifts can. This happens because lifting slowly forces your muscles to hold the weight longer. In a standard bicep curl for example, a slow motion will keep your bicep activated the whole time. If you go faster, momentum will do a lot of the work for you, and your muscles will be active for a shorter amount of time.
  4. LIFTING HEAVIER CAN BURN MORE CALORIES AND LOSE MORE BODY FAT. People often mistakenly think cardio exercises like running or HIIT classes are best for burning calories, and fat loss. This is because the amount of calories you burn during exercise is usually higher with cardio than weights, but it’s what happens after the workout that really matters. Lifting weights elevates post- workout energy expenditure significantly more than steady- state cardio due to the metabolic stress it causes. Training at a higher intensity with heavier weights once or twice a week is even better because it trained all the motor units in the muscles metabolically and neurologically- a combination that helps you stay lean and builds coordination.
  5. LIFTING SLOWER FATIGUES YOUR MUSCLES. One of the main goals of lifting weights slowly is to fatigue your muscles until they fail. At a certain point you won’t be able to lift the weight anymore; this will send a signal to your body to repair the damaged muscle and instigate greater growth. When it comes to building muscle and getting strong, muscle fatigue is a very good thing.
  6. LIFTING HEAVIER WILL BE EASIER FOR YOU TO GET “TONED”. Training to “get tones” with high- reps and light weights will not provide the same benefits as lifting properly heavy weights. Getting tones requires two things to happen:
  • Lose excess body fat
  • Increase the size muscle cells to provide shape.

The truth is that toning is all about lean muscle. Of course, for most people, it requires the removal of any fat covering up the muscle, but it is muscle that provides the sleek, sculpted curves so you don’t just look bony and stick thin once you lose excess body fat. 

Last but not least always remember to wait at least a day off before you do it again! Resting is just as important as the actual workout. The good news is as long as you allow adequate recovery time before doing heavy, muscle- thrashing training again, the damaged tissue and muscle will rebuild stronger and more protective than before!

KB and DB at Home Workout!

Try this full body strength & conditioning workout to build your strength and muscular power, which also hits every muscle! All you need is a pair of dumbbells and a kettlebell!

DB Squat + Overhead Press x 10

KB Sumo Squat x 20 

KB Swings x 20 

DB Renegade Row x 20 

DB Bicep Curls x 20

KB High Pull x 20 

DB Tricep Pushbacks x 10 (each arm) 

KB Sit Up x 20

Complete 2- 3 rounds and remember to focus on technique over speed!

Vegan Lentil Soup

Vegan Lentil Soup

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

 

This simple vegan lentil soup recipe comes together quickly with mostly pantry ingredients. Be sure to have your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking! Recipe yields four large bowls of soup, or six more modest servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup chopped fresh collard greens or kale, tough ribs removed
  • Juice of ½ to 1 medium lemon, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. One-fourth cup olive oil may seem like a lot, but it adds a lovely richness and heartiness to this nutritious soup.
  2. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and carrot and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, curry powder and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, in order to enhance their flavor.
  3. Pour in the lentils, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
  4. Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender. Protect your hand from steam with a tea towel placed over the lid and purée the soup until smooth. Pour the puréed soup back into the pot and add the chopped greens. Cook for 5 more minutes, or until the greens have softened to your liking.
  5. Remove the pot from heat and stir in the juice of half of a lemon. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. Serve immediately. Leftovers will keep well for about 4 days in the refrigerator, or can be frozen for several months (just defrost before serving).