Fitness Focus
Exercise is key to optimimal health. Get expert advice to prevent injuries and to boost your performance in this fitness focus section.
Top 7 Supplements for Athletes
There is so much information out there on supplements – what to take, how much, who needs what – that it can be confusing to sift through the research and separate the facts from the marketing hype. Michele Vieux, athlete and fitness trainer, helps athletes decide which supplements should be taken.
The Genetics of Fitness
Have you ever wondered what your genetic potential might be in sport? Research suggests that there is a definite link between sporting capabilities and genetic makeup. Ian Craig explains.
Get Moving
Exercise plays an important role in all the phases of life, not just until you pass your driving test! Ian Craig gives some good reasons to get moving, and suggests some exercise options.
Functional Sports Drinks
What do we mean by functional and how does what we consume affect the body? Ian Craig discusses your functional health through the lens of sports drinks.
Nourishing Connective Tissue
We have an intricate network of connective tissue running throughout our body that serves a higher purpose than just holding us together. Ian Craig explains why.
Recovery from Exercise – are supplements a help or a hindrance?
If you ask any sports person what they are most worried about, they will generally respond with one of two possible answers: injury or illness. The consensus of most scientists is that exercise is good for you, but up to a point.
Thin is Fit – or is it?
Yes, it is possible to be thin but unfit! To maintain or increase lean body mass, you need to look at both diet and a comprehensive exercise programme. You’ll not only lose fat, but experience considerable health benefits.
Clean up your Sport – Detox!
Athletes are not typically a group of individuals that you might associate with detoxification programmes and liver support. Should we be leaving that to the overweight middle-agers who have indulged themselves at Christmas? After all, you are a clean-living, highly fit and healthy lot, aren’t you? Or are you? Surely superfit sports people don’t need to detox? Read on, the answer may surprise you.
Where’s My Waist?
Most people believe that doing hundreds of sit-ups or abdominal crunches will automatically reduce your waistline and give you a rock-solid six-pack. Wrong! The reality is that you’ll also need to reduce the layer of body fat covering your midsection in order to see those toned abdominals.
Over Training Slows Us Down
Overtraining can be affected by the sum of stresses in your life, not just the overall mileage that you’re doing - I term this the ‘total load’ concept, and can be summarised by the sum of physical, physiological and psychological stresses in your life. A tailored training and nutrition programme that lies within your personal limits can go a long way to improving your performance.
8 Belly-Busting Strategies
We all hate our belly fat, mostly because it is unsightly; however, scientists also have a special interest in belly fat because it is so different from the other parts of our bodies. The major problem with belly fat is that it is actually its own endocrine organ. It can produce hormones and inflammatory molecules, and it has enzymes that turn testosterone into oestrogen.
The Lowdown on Health Bars
Health bars are a convenient and very tasty way to sustain your energy when training, but how do we know which ones are good for you? Ian Craig gives the lowdown on the best of the best on the South African market.
The Body’s Brain Balance
The mind – and its emotions – is a fascinating realm to work within. When we realise that the mind and body are really one entity, it becomes very easy to nourish the mind through nutrition. Ian Craig explores this fascinating subject through personal experience.
Sports Recovery – Beyond Carbs and Protein
Still stuck on the same old recovery drinks? Ian Craig suggests that you try adding some colour and vibrancy to these all-so-important shakes.
Walking is Healthy
‘My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She’s ninety-seven now, and we don’t know where she is.’ ~Ellen DeGeneres
The Psychology of the Injured Athlete
Does your mind slow down or speed up your recovery from an injury? Ian Craig thinks it does, and supports this theory with a convincing literature review..
Does Exercise Age Us ?
A certain amount of oxidative stress is needed for adaptation to the exercise and adaptation to life. BUT, if this oxidative stress is excessive for a prolonged period, it becomes damaging to the body and potentially impacts the ageing process.