Is It Time You Started To Take Care Of Your Health?

Why Fish Oils Are The Most Important Supplement

by Charles Poliquin

Fish oils have been promoted as a potential cure for virtually all diseases. Some members of the medical community have inferred that most ailments can be healed by manipulating the ratios between the EPA and the DHA. For those of us interested in positively and optimally altering body composition and maximizing our training efforts, fish oils offer sixteen possible advantages

1. Has positive effects on any disease known to man. According to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, fish oils have been shown to have medical applications in the treatment of extremely wide variety of ailments including hyperlipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, coronary heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias hypertension, stroke, bipolar disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, ulcerative colitis, Behcet’s syndrome, and Raynaud’s syndrome. Fish oils are also used orally for weight loss, asthma, cancer, painful menses, lung diseases, hay fever, Crohn’s disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, albuminuria associated with diabetic neuropathy, restenosis after angioplasty, miscarriage, preeclampsia, preterm labor, and intrauterine growth retardation. Fish oils are used for systemic lupus erythematosus, cystic fibrosis, gingivitis, renal impairment associated with cirrhosis, hyperglycemia associated with type 2 diabetes and claudication. Fish oils are also used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, and dyspraxia.

2. Cell membrane health. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), insure that cell membranes remain healthy. This means that the membranes are flexible and contain larger numbers of insulin receptors that are more receptive and responsive to circulating insulin. This results in decreased fat storage in the adipocytes (fat cells).

3. Fish oils turn on the lipolytic genes. That means that the genes responsible for burning fat are activated, which means there is an increased utilization of fat stores from the adipocytes.

4. Fish oils turn off the lipogenic genes. That means that the fat storage genes are turned off.

5. Fish oils diminish C-reactive proteins. This a newly identified risk factor associated with various inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis, angina, coronary heart disease, heart attack, stroke, congestive heart failure and diabetes. The DHA fraction of the fish oil seems to be one most responsible for that protective effect. DHA also has best ability to reduce blood pressure.

6. Reduced inflammation from physical training. EPA has the greatest effect on reducing inflammation through its downstream metabolites known as resolvins. Resolvins may be the key to the beneficial actions of fish oil in human diseases.

7. Pain management from the reduced inflammation. While fish oils reduce pain and inflammation themselves, they are also displacing other more pro-inflammatory fats out of the cell membranes, having an additive effect. When people improve their omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, they report a noticeable improvement in pain.

8. Increased focus in training. EPA regulates blood supply to the brain which is essential in maintaining focus in weight training sessions. DHA is important in brain membranes, memory and cognitive function.

9. Fish oils increase serotonin levels(the happy neurotransmitter). Therefore, fish oils will decrease incidence of depression, anxiety, panic attack and reduce carbohydrate cravings.

10. Fish oils will improve your cardiovascular risk profile. Fish Oils will lower VLDL, triglycerides, homocysteine, fibrinogen and increase HDL levels. Combining fish oils with plant sterols will improve lipid levels even more than either alone.

11. Fish oils can also decrease blood pressure by several mechanisms. These include increases in the vasodilatory compound, nitric oxide, reducing vascular inflammation, blocking the constrictive elements in the vascular wall such as the calcium channels reducing blood viscosity, and inhibiting a blood vessel constrictor (thromboxane). Lipoprotein (a) is another CVD predictor that can be lowered by fish oils (a 19% reduction was seen with natural, stable fish oils and just 4% with a highly purified fish oil).

12. Fish oils are a great stress fighter. Supplementation with n-3 fatty acids inhibits the adrenal activation of steroids, aldosterone , epinephrine and norepinephrine ( catecholamines) elicited by a mental stress, apparently through effects exerted at the level of the central nervous system. Therefore, for the same amount of stress, one will produce fewer stress hormones if consuming fish oils on a regular basis.

13. Fish oils turn on the carnitine enzymes. These are the enzymes responsible for the burning of body fat.

14. Fish oils mitigate insulin response. This means that your blood sugar won’t rise as quickly and sugar is less likely to go to your fat cells.

15. Fish oils reduce arterial stiffness and increase vasodilation. This benefit, which is good for both heart health and athletic performance, has been shown to take effect in 4 hours or less.

16. Very easy compliance. Taking fish oil on a regular basis is something very easy for people to do. Nearly all obese people are depressed, so for them to take fish oil, because it raises serotonin, could be their first essential step towards a lean healthy body.

As Charles has demonstrated, fish oil is incredibly important in our diet if we want to live a happier and fruitful life and would compliment any health insurance plan you have taken out. For those who don't have health insurance I strongly recommend this is the time to do it - Aviva.co.uk are the 6th largest insurance company in the UK and were awarded the title of 'Health Insurance Company of The Year' in 2010. If you're looking for experts in the healthcare industry and want an excellent standard of care, then Aviva.co.uk are the people to talk to. Check them out today at Aviva.co.uk

Download My Latest Article - Are You Letting These 3 Barriers Come Between You And Hiring A Personal Trainer?

Chris Hall Personal Training One Of His Clients

 

 

You can now download my newest article on:

Are You Letting These 3 Barriers Come Between You And Hiring A Personal Trainer?

 

This article looks at three main objectives people have when it comes to personal training and how you can overcome them. 

Using Supplemented Support For A Stronger Immune System

  

It has become apparent, just over the last week that winter is on its way and with it, an outbreak of cold and flu.

In only the last three or four days I have come into contact with several people who are showing early signs of a possible outbreak of flu. As a personal trainer my work requires me to come into contact with many different people throughout the day. Some of which are fighting fit whilst others are presenting with runny noses and tickling throats. The gym is a hybrid for illness and it’s paramount that my immune system stays on top form to help to protect me and my business from any circulating ‘invaders’ that may pose a threat to my health.

It is for this reason I have complied a list of the following that would be of great benefit for anyone currently presenting symptoms of a cold or flu or for those who want a stronger immune system and ‘health insurance.’

The list is compiled in order of importance; however if you have the means to take them all I would strongly advise you do so.

All supplements can be ordered through the Nutritiongeeks website using the:

Username – chrishall

Password - client

Vitamin D - 5,000IU per day

A study reported in a 2010 edition of "Nature Immunology" found that vitamin D is needed to activate the killer T-cells of the immune system so they can detect and kill foreign microorganisms, potentially preventing serious infection. Dr. Marina Rode von Essen and the other researchers discovered that killer T-cells rely on vitamin D in order to be activated from their dormant state.

Vitamin C - 5,000-8,000mgs per day

Vitamin C supports numerous natural immune processes, activating the work of macrophages, T cells, B cells, and natural killer or NK cells, the body’s first line of defense. It stimulates the production of the chemical messengers that activate the body’s natural immune response and it also supports a healthy circulatory system.

Zinc - 120-240mgs per day

The presence of zinc is one of the determining factors for how many lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) are present in your bloodstream. Zinc is key to lymphoid cell activation and the enzymes used in immune response. If zinc is not present in a sufficient amount, you can suffer a condition known as lymphopenia (a decreased level of white blood cells). This is a condition that occurs when the number of lymphocytes has been reduced. Lymphocytes are the cells in your body responsible for fighting foreign bacteria and viruses. A reduction in lymphocytes compromises your body's ability to fight infections much like being immunodeficient.

In cases of zinc deficiency or insufficiency, supplementation with zinc may improve immune functioning. A 1998 study in the "Journal of the American Geriatric Society" showed that zinc supplementation by elderly individuals, a population with historically low levels of zinc, raised levels of immune cells.

Glutamine - 10 grams 3-8x per day

Glutamine can help maintain a healthy immune system by providing a source of energy for immune system cells known as lymphocytes.

A further benefit of glutamine is that it can aid and help maintain a healthy gut. Glutamine can improve the barrier function of the gut and help prevent leaky gut syndrome.

Leaky gut syndrome is a condition in which there is increased permeability of the gut wall. In such circumstances contaminants such as toxins, undigested food and waste can pass through the wall of the intestine and affect other parts of the body placing a strain on the immune system.

Vitamin E - 400-800IU per day

Vitamin E is an efficient antioxidant and a modulator of your immune system. Vitamin E supports immunity by producing interleukin-2, a powerful protein that can destroy bacteria, viruses and cancer cells. A study reported in a 2000 edition of "The Journal of Nutrition" found that vitamin E supplementation improved cell-mediated immunity and oxidative stress in Chinese men and women.

I would also recommend you void consumption of sugar, According to Fred Pescatore, M.D., author of “The Allergy and Asthma Cure,” One teaspoon of sugar suppresses the immune system by 56%, and two suppresses it by 84%. It has also been noted that the consumption of as little as 5 grams (1 teaspoon) of sugar can suppress the immune system by 4-6 hours slowing down the responsiveness of white blood cell activity.

Stay Away From Sugar!

Download My Latest Article - Why The Fat Personal Trainer Is The Solution To The Obesity Epidemic – part 1

Fat Phil

 Please check out my latest article on Why The Fat Personal Trainer Is The Solution To The Obesity Epidemic – part 1

Also keep an eye out for part 2 which will conclude the series and answer the question as to why the fat personal trainer is society's answer when it comes to fat loss.

This Week's Top Tip - Use Compound Sets To Bring Up Lagging Bodyparts

The best way to bring up a lagging bodypart is to perform compound sets between each set of exercises. For example, if you're working chest and your calves need more development and are weak, between each set of presses, flyes, etc you would sneak in a set of calves during the rest periods.

This could also work well for developing grip and forearm strength - as the forearms recover extremely rapidly it's worth performing some grip, radial flexion, ulnar flexion, etc. between sets of an arms workout to help speed their development along.

Here's ANOTHER Reason Why Hall Training Systems Is Oxford's Fat Loss Specialist!

Across the last 20 days I've been supervising the training and nutrition of a local model. This client was referred to me after she wasn't happy with way she looked and has occasionally been turned down work due to her physique and current level of body fat. Knowing how important image is for a model especially for future work and contracts, I placed her on a training program combined with an eating and nutritional plan.
Originally measuring in at 23.06% body fat 20 days ago, she's put in the hard work, listened and implanted the advice and has seen a 3.04% drop in body fat as well as 6.6kgs drop across the last 20 days!
I'd like to congratulate her on her efforts across the last 3 weeks and although her goal is to lose another 4%, with the determination and information she receiving she'll be down to 16% within the next 4-6weeks.

Potassium Helps To Lower Risk Of Stroke By 21%

1 banana typically contains about 440 milligrams of potassium

A recent study published this year has revealed a diet rich in foods that are loaded with potassium can reduce your risk for a stroke by 21% and may also lower your risk of heart disease.

Potassium is an important mineral that is necessary for the body to maintain the balance of pH levels in our body. It is also involved in regulating our blood pressure, bone mass, nervous system, muscle function, and heart, kidney, and adrenal functions.
Potassium deficiency can result in hypokalemia. Symptoms include increase in blood pressure, heart irregularities, hypertension, muscular weakness, muscle cramps and constipation. An early sign of potassium deficiency can be recognised by twitching or cramping of the right side of the body, e.g twitching of the eye.

Check out the full report and study here

Here's One Reason Why We're Oxford's Fat Loss Specialist!

It's the end of another successful week with Hall Training Systems and I would like to share a client's fat loss success story.

I was recently referred a client wanting to lose body fat. Upon our initial assessment I briefly looked into their dietary habits and changed one meal... Breakfast. I also noticed she had her belly button pierced so asked her to remove it, as piecing of the navel disrupts total body meridian flow and slows down the rate of fat loss.

As skeptical as she was she went along with it.

Well with only a change to breakfast and the removal of a piercing she has dropped an incredible 2.9% body fat in just 10 Days!

Hall Training Systems Is Now Live!

HallTrainingSystems.com

Today has been an exciting day as the Hall Training Systems website has officially gone live!

Oxford now has it's first and only Fat Loss Specialist.

Check it out here: Oxford's Elite Personal Training Service and Fat loss Specialist

This Week's Top Tip - Implications Of Low Zinc Levels

Based on research, zinc deficiency is probably the most important causes of low testosterone and low fertility scores in males.
Low zinc levels can decrease sperm output, cause testicular shrinkage, reduce testosterone, slow muscle growth, decrease immune function, slow wound healing and create problems with the skin and appetite. With all clients I will always perform what's called a 'zinc challenge', to quickly assess the status of a clients zinc level. In all the years I've been performing the test only 3 people have passed successfully, for the rest an 8 week zinc rebuilding protocol is prescribed to help elevate their body's zinc levels.
We can probably safely assume that the chances of your levels being 'optimum' are rather slim. If this is the case then I usually find an 8 week course of supplementing a good chelated zinc product of around 120mgs per day will do the trick.

Oh and those little white spots on your nails… a sign of zinc deficiency.

Here Are Three Things You MUST Take To The Gym With You!

Yesterday I talked about the three things you must NOT bring into the gym. Today I'll be discussing the three things you MUST bring to the gym:

1) Stopwatch - Rest intervals between sets/exercises is possibly one of the underestimated factors when it comes to training. Too little and you'll be insufficiently recovered, too much and the training response will be lost. As a general rule of thumb the shorter the rest intervals the greater the metabolic cascade. (i.e fat loss) The greater the rest the more neural recovery you'll have. (i.e training for strength)
Remember your rest intervals will help dictate the training response.

2) Training Log or Notepad - I see so many trainees lifting weights, bashing set after set out without recording their progress. This is such a dumb move as the likely hood of someone being able to remember their previous sessions, weights, sets and rest is extremely slim - invest in a notepad and start recording your sessions. You harvest results on data not guess work!

3) A Focused Mind - You'll find both endurance and strength improves when you enter the gym with a clear and focused mind. It's important you separate your personal/work life from the gym. If you can do that then you'll soon see your progress take off.
Training should be a time dedicated to YOU - don't let problems at work get in the way of your results!

Here Are Three Things You Must NOT Take To The Gym With You!

Here are 3 things you must NOT take to the gym with you:

1) Mobile phone - leave your phone in your gym bag. There's evidence to support that training with a mobile phone decreases testosterone levels by 31% as well as a drop in strength.

2) Heat magazine, Complete Works Of Shakespeare, or any book for that matter - the gym is a place for training, not for reading... I don't walk into my local library with a pair of resistance bands and perform a set of push ups - keep it in your locker!

3) Ego - This is possibly one of the No 1 causes of most injuries and poor results. Many people will favour weight over technique which results in improper movement patterns and poor muscular development. Tip: leave your ego in the dressing room!

Tomorrow I will be taking about the top 3 things you MUST take into the gym.

Success Story - Triple fat loss drop

I've just come out of measuring body fat for three of my clients... And would just like to say congratulations to all three on their successful drops in body fat.

Client 1 - dropped a total of 4.6% across the last 3 weeks!

Client 2 - dropped a total of 1% in a week!

Client 3 - has dropped an incredible 6.3% in just short of a month!

How have these three achieved such incredible drops in fat loss? They've all adopted the Systems of Hall Training!

5 Facts About Omega 3!

I'm just on my way home from attending a fascinating seminar by Dr Lars Lindmark on the benefits of fish oil. I'd like to share 5 top facts I learnt today:

1) Our total omega 3 intake has dropped 80% from what is was 100 years ago.
2) Hong Kong and Japan have the highest omega 3 intake in the world but also the lowest heart disease and cognitive disorders, according to studies.
3) Omega 3 is considered the No 3 "drug" to help combat depression.
4) By supplementing only 500mgs of fish oil per day will decrease the risk of coronary heart disease by 30%.
5) Eyesight deteriorates as we get older. The retina is comprised of 60% omega 3 fat. By supplementing with omega 3 you can reduce your chances of sight related problems and 'slow' down the acing process.

Here's 5 reasons why you should be supplementing your diet with the invaluable fat... Omega 3.

This Weeks Top Tip

Strengthening the external rotators of the shoulder and the scapulae retractor to the point of structural balance are the two best ways at improving your chin ups and pressing movements.

Another Reason Why Steady State Cardio Makes You Fat

A lot of people are still under the impression that spending hours on the treadmill will help lose body fat, despite plenty of research stating the opposite.

A study published by Williams and Woods (2006) using almost 13,000 habitual runners observed they all tended to get fatter every year, even those who ran more than 68 km a week! 

One of the many problems with long distance cardio is the body adapts too quickly to the stimulus placed upon it and is regarded useless after 6-8 weeks.

If you're looking at improving your body composition my advice would be, ditch the treadmill and start lifting some weight.

Source: The effects of changing exercise levels on weight and age-related weight gain.

This Weeks Top Tip

Many 'experts' believe coffee isn't good for our health and can cause all sorts of 'problems.' However there have been so many studies backing coffee up, from increasing fat loss and strength output, extending one's life to improving brain health.

In the year 2000, two studies (one in the mainstream journal Neurology) showed that coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk for Parkinson’s disease. More recent studies have also shown that coffee drinkers are less likely to get Alzheimer’s and dementia, with a decreased risk of about 65% at late-life. It's also been shown to improve short-term cognitive function on various testing parameters like reaction time, choice reaction time, incidental verbal memory, and visual-spatial reasoning.

The mechanisms behind the health benefits of coffee could be the fact that coffee enhances detoxification in the body, and/or its anti-oxidant content and ability to increase insulin sensitivity and reduce the onset of type 2 diabetes... after all Alzheimer's can otherwise be known as type 3 diabetes.

Source: Caffeine as a protective factor in dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Hall Training Systems Is Now On Facebook!

I'm please to announce Hall Training Systems has now landed on Facebook... Finally!

Please take the time to check it out and recommend it to friends and family.
Thank you

Find it @ www.facebook.com/fatlossexpert

Hall Training Systems.co.uk Coming Soon!

I'm please to announce that the design of the Hall Training System website is finally underway. I've teamed up with one of Oxfords top web team - Pandemedia.biz to create what is hopefully going to be Oxfords best and most resourceful personal training website.
The official launch is expect to be towards the end of March and will contain a host of the following features:

• A research corner that will allow people to have access to scientific papers backing up a lot of training, nutrition and health claims. These are great at dispelling common gym myths.
• A video library that will teach people proper exercise technique and provide an array of new exercises to add in to workouts.
• A library of articles that you can download and access to expand your knowledge and aid your training.
• Special client login area that will give my clients access to exclusive articles, download-able protocols and FAQ's.

I'm really excited about the launch and will be sure to inform you of its launch.

This Weeks Top Tip

 Here is another reason you should ditch the treadmill in favor for weights.

Researchers have discovered that resistance training or in other words, training with weights, improved markers of blood pressure more effectively and efficiently than aerobic training. Resistance exercise increases blood flow which is known to reduce blood pressure.

Source: Changes in Arterial Distensibility and Flow-Mediated Dilation After Acute Resistance vs. Aerobic Exercise

The Myth Behind... Discipline. Why Discipline Doesn't Exist!

The following article was written by world renowned health expert and strength coach Charles Poliquin. I came across this back in Oct 09 and it really gave me food for thought. I'd like to pass it on in the hope it opens your eyes up to the misunderstood term... Discipline!

There is no such thing as discipline. There is only love.
Love is the most powerful creative force in the universe. You are the result of what you love most. You either love finely etched muscular abs more than donuts or you love donuts more than wash board abs you could do your laundry on. It is as simple as that. Don’t beat yourself up that you have no discipline or further drown yourself in a sea of refined carbs. Admit that you like crappy food more than you love strength. Or ask yourself this, what do you really love? Self-esteem is the reflection of self-judgment. One of the best ways to raise self-esteem is to make truly loving choices that lead to increased strength of body and mind. For example, if you truly love yourself in the gym, you choose the full squat with chains over the leg extension machine. At the restaurant, if you truly love yourself, you pass on the heavenly smelling basket of bread and creamy butter, and ask for some more limes for the water. Limes alkalize your body which in turn helps your bones, muscles and your ability to deal with stress.

When you are faced with difficult choices, ask yourself, in context of course, what would a loving expert recommend? For example, when working chest, would a loving strength coach recommend the pec deck, or full range dumbbell presses. When choosing desserts, would the loving nutritionist recommend a bowl of berries or the triple decker brownie submerged under melting vanilla ice cream.


How to free yourself from the outdated concept of discipline:

1. Accept that all your choices are reflections of what you truly love.
2.  Love is the greatest creative force of the Universe. Use it wisely.
3. Choose to love yourself more than external things.
4. Treating yourself well accelerates the growth of your self-esteem.
5. When people comment on your results and say things like “Wow you have a lot disciple” answer “No, I just make loving choices for myself". Reinforcing your own positive behavior will help you grow in strength.
6. What you appreciate appreciates. Whenever you make a truly loving choice, say to yourself ‘Thank you for taking care of me in a loving way”. The more you talk to yourself like a loving parent, the faster you will grow. Let’s say, for example, you just did a single on the squat with a load you didn’t feel like doing. Say: “Wow! I am impressed with your strength of mind, that’s why you are a champion”. By documenting and rewarding your successes, they will grow in magnitude and frequency. Whenever I meet a goal, I reward myself with positive things like a vacation or a new piece of equipment. When I get something better, I make the choice of giving away the old piece to someone who will appreciate it. Living a clutter free life allows for more growth.
7. The more you believe in yourself, the more objectively you will be able to take the advice of authority figures.
8. “Use your faults” was French singer Edith Piaf’s motto. I don’t like to stretch athletes. It is too time consuming and requires too much energy. Using that fault, I developed the Poliquin Instant Muscle Strengthening Technique (P.I.M.S.T.),  which is a system that uses a myriad of body work techniques such as acupressure points that instantly give increases in flexibility!

There is an old Hindhu saying: “The World is as we are”. Are you tired of seeing the condition of the world around you? Start by changing yourself - be the change you want to see in the world - Charles Poliquin

How Many Kcals Do I Need To Burn To Lose 1lb Of Fat!

I often find people get very caught up on how many calories they burn up in a workout.
It is the end figure illuminated on the treadmills display that often dictates to someone whether or not they've had a productive workout. If an hour passes and they're not happy with the figure displayed they'll often stay for an extra half hour/hour  to help increase it - nevertheless this is all well and good but do any of these people know exactly what figure their trying to achieve?! I mean what figure do they reach before they decide; time's up!

Well for most people who either run, row, cycle, etc their main goal is probably fat loss. (although we already know, looking back at a recent blog post that long duration cardio has a negative impact on fat loss)
With this goal in mind then, how many Kcals are needed to burn... lets say a 1lb of fat?

If you type into Google "how many kcals are in one pound of fat"  the answer you get is about 3,500kcals, however if we look at the science the figure is more like 4,082Kcals.

That's right - 4,082Kals Equate to One Pound of Fat

Now I'm not saying jump on a treadmill and reach 4,000kcals every workout, that would be ludicrous. What I am saying is, we now have a better idea of the figure we need to reach in order to burn a pound of fat.
E.g If you need to lose an extra 5lbs then you should aim for a calorie expenditure of 20,410Kals over a period of time to help with this weight loss.
Bare in mind this doesn't have to come from exercise alone, by adjusting your diet, taking into account your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR - amount of Kcals you burn while resting) and eating the right foods at the right times will help with total calorie expenditure.

Let this be quick reference, something tangible, to help keep you focused and on the right track. This figure can be used as a goal, something to aim for when training without over complicating things.

Remember though the science of fat loss and body re-composition isn't as simple as calories in vs. calories out.

Success Story #4

I'd like to congratulate another of my clients today on a terrific drop in body fat measurement around the love handles (supra iliac)

After only starting up with me a week ago I advised her to limit the intake of sugars and carbs and as a result she has dropped from 30mm to 24.6mm.

A total loss of 5.4mm and in only 6 days! 

Her total training for the week was only a one hour yoga session.

This shows that with certain, small yet important changes you can reap huge rewards.

This Weeks Top Tip

This is a top tip for anyone who finds it a problem remembering names, numbers, dates or even people's faces.
A lot of people believe that their ability to remember and retain information is down to perceptiveness and general brain activity. Little do they know that memory can be enhanced by eating the correct foods!
Brain cells, the primary component our brains are made out of, require what we call neurotransmitters to carry messages around.
Low levels of certain neurotransmitters can have impacts on our memory, specifically the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine and dopamine.

If you have a hard time remembering names and numbers it is a sign that you have a deficiency in the acetylcholine neurotransmitter.

For those of you who struggle to remember peoples faces it’s a deficiency in dopamine levels. 

If you are someone who struggles with the above then I've provided a short list below of the types of foods your diet should revolve around to help resolve the problem.

Here is a list of foods that help boost Acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter responsible for memory, concentration and focus:

Acetylcholine

• Egg Yolks
• Meat – Chicken, Beef, Pork, Mutton
• Fish
• Liver
• Dairy Products – Milk and Cheese
• Vegetables – Broccoli, Cabbage and Cauliflower have higher amounts
• Pine Nuts and macadamias are particularly good if eaten at breakfast
• Blueberries are also great at raising acetylcholine levels

Remember those clearly… and now for the next one.

Dopamine

Dopamine is responsible for learning, a very important feature that helps boost intelligent memory, the memory that contributes to your overall intelligence. A list of foods that boost this particular neurotransmitter:

• Protein sources – Meat, Milk products, Fish, Nuts, Beans,

I often find this information to be invaluable to clients of mine who need great memory for their job e.g accountants, mathematicians, historians, lawyers, policemen etc

The Myth Behind... Long Duration Cardio For Fat Loss. A MUST READ

One of the most common myths held by the public and indeed many fitness professionals is the notion that steady state cardio (long duration aerobic exercise) is the best exercise for fat loss. However when we take a look at the science and results I achieve with clients, it tells us a different story.

A study published by Trapp and Boucher et al, at the University of New South Wales, Australia has shown long duration aerobic work to be infective at burning body fat and can in fact make you even fatter!
Below are two study's that will open your eyes and educate your mind to world of aerobic training and it's affect on fat loss.

Study 1: Trapp and Boucher et al (1)

Group 1: performed 40mins of steady sate aerobics at 60% of VO2 max, three times per week for 15 weeks.

Group 2: performed 20mins of  interval training (8secs on, 12secs off - 60 times) three times per week for 15 weeks. Group 2 started at 5mins for the first week then built up to the full 20mins during the 15 week period.

Both groups had their dietary intake closely monitored.

Results
Group 1: The steady state group GAINED 0.5kgs of fat in the 15 weeks!

Group 2: The interval training group LOST on average 2.5kgs of fat in the same time frame. When two already lean subjects were removed the interval training groups results improved to an average loss of 3.9kgs of fat. (two of the women in the group lost 8kgs of fat, each)

Study 2: Tremblay et al (2)

This study pitted 20 weeks of endurance training against 15 weeks of interval training.

Group 1: 20 week steady state aerobic program burned 28,661 calories during their workout.

Group 2: 15 week interval training program burned only 13,614 calories during their workout (less than HALF as many as group 1)

Results
Group 2: lost 450% MORE body fat than group 1, despite the fact their workouts were both shorter and burned fewer calories.

Conclusion
The calories you burn during your workout are much less important than the calories you burn after your workout.
A 30 minute steady state aerobic workout will only give you 30 minutes of a metabolic boost and that's it!

A 20 minute high intensity interval workout will:

• Burn more calories after your workout, boosting your metabolism for up to 36 hours post exercise.
• Cause your body to burn more fat all day long. Your body will burn a greater percentage of calories from fat after an intense workout rather than a low intensity workout, such as jogging ot long distance training.
• Keep the stress hormone (cortisol) low, allowing for preservation of muscle, low oxidation stress and decreased death of brain cells.

You only need to compare two kinds of athlete - a marathon runner and a sprinter to help show that interval training supersedes long distance work when it comes to fat loss!

Sources: 
1. Trapp EG and Boutcher SH. Fat loss following 15 weeks of high intensity, intermittent cycle training. Fat Loss Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

2. Tremblay A, Simoneau JA, Bouchard C. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism, 1994 Jul:43(7):814-8

The Myth Behind... Turning Muscle Into Fat

This was inspired by a friend of mine who was told by his friends he was wasting his time in the gym as when he stops training all the muscle he had would turn to fat... I had to laugh when he told me this however it's not the first time I've heard it.

A lot of people believe you can turn fat into muscle and muscle into fat.

Let me tell you now, this circulating 'gym talk' is in fact complete nonsense and is a total myth!

Fat and muscle are two completely different compounds and total opposites. Muscle is comprised of mainly water and amino acids (proteins) it's metabolically active (requires energy/calories to help maintain it) and is a 'living' tissue.

Fat on the other hand is comprised of toxins and is a storage site for lipids that can be released into energy. Fat can also be broken down into two substrates - white and brown adipose tissue. White adipose tissue is usually the fat which the majority of us don't like and want to lose... it's metabolically inactive and can raise questions to ones health if too high.

Another reason people still believe this to be true is through the reflection of bodybuilders. Bodybuilders dedicate great time and effort when it comes training and nutrition. They have incredible physiques and extremely low levels of body fat, often consuming 5,000 - 6,000 Kcals per day to help grow and maintain their muscular physique.

Problems become apparent when they become too old or decide to stop training; we often see bodybuilders looking fat and out of shape. This image gives people the impression their hard earned muscle has now turned to fat. The actual explanation of this is down to nutrition.

Many bodybuliders go through years of consuming enormous amounts of food per day, once they retire from training their muscles begin to atrophy from lack of stimulus and they find it hard to cut back on the calories and still eat what they were when once training... this then causes a problem! 

The amount of calories going in each day soon adds up and so does the body fat!

So the next time you run into someone giving you the 'chit-chat' of turning muscle into fat, you can either direct them to this post or simply smile to yourself and walk away in confidence knowing the truth behind it all!

Research Study

A combination of some sun exposure and vitamin D supplementation may be the most effective means of reducing the risk of breast cancer, as opposed to either one alone, suggests findings from a recent study. 

Source: Joint effects of dietary vitamin D and sun exposure on breast cancer risk: results from the French E3N cohort

On The Twelth Day Of Christmas, Hall Training Systems Gave To Me...

...Improved Kicking Power!

The split squat is the best known exercise for predicting kicking power.

For sports that require a strong kick (kick boxing, football etc) the spilt squat should be a stable exercise in your workout.

I will be posting up exercise technique in a couple of days as this is one exercise I see so many people perform incorrectly.

On The Eleventh Day Of Christmas, Hall Training Systems Gave To Me...

...A Great Breakfast For Fat Loss!

They say 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day.' When it comes to training it IS!

When training for fat loss a breakfast consisting of cereal, piece of toast and a cup of coffee will leave you feeling tired, bloated and often the carvings for sugars and carbs.

If becoming lean is high priority for you then a breakfast high in protein, fats and greens will be a far superior option.

A great example would be bacon and eggs with a handful of pine nuts and an avocado or chicken breast on a bed of watercress with a handful of cashew nuts.

A breakfast high in these macro nutrients will help keep blood sugar stable, feel fuller for longer and help to increase metal focus throughout the day.

On The Tenth Day Of Christmas, Hall Training Systems Gave To Me...

...A Simple Way To Measure Whey Protein Amount After A Workout!

Use this simple formula to calculate the amount of whey protein the body needs after a workout.

0.3 grams of whey protein per lb of bodyweight

e.g A 200 lbs man would need 60 grams of protein (200 x 0.3 = 60)

Remember! Your post workout shake needs to be consumed within the first 10 minutes of finishing your workout

On The Ninth Day Of Christmas, Hall Training Systems Gave To Me...

...The Importance Of Good Eating When It Comes To Strength Training!

The energy stored and utilized by a muscle is determined on what you ate 2 days ago

On The Eighth Day Of Christmas, Hall Training Systems Gave To Me...

...Two Signs To Look For When Over Trained!

When it comes to training the phrase 'more is better' isn't necessarily the best approach to take.

Overtraining is very common amongst most gym goers and can really halt progress in your performance.

Suppression of appetite is a sign of over training on volume of work i.e too many resp and sets

A drop 2% in body weight is a sign of over training when it comes to intensity i.e amount of weight lifted in respect to your 1 R.M

If you find yourself falling victim to either of these then it's time to take several days off before re-entering the gym again.

On The Seventh Day Of Christmas, Hall Training Systems Gave To Me...

...The Myth Of The Vertical Jump!

Don't waste your time on developing your quads and calves if you want rapid increases in your vertical jump. These two muscles only contribute between 10-15% of your vertical jump.

Instead focus on developing the hamstrings, glutes and erector spinea (otherwise known as the posterior chain) all of which contribute towards 80% of your power output.