|
 I used to hate gyms. If I went into one (on holiday when I was trying to keep my weight down) I felt intimidated and unfit compared with the lithesome bodies jogging effortlessly on the treadmills and those on a cross-trainer with long and slender limbs I could only dream of.
But that all changed five years ago. I went for some physio for a pulled muscle and discovered a different kind of gym run by physiotherapists. I soon discovered that their amazing team offered group or personal fitness sessions for a wide range of ages and abilities. There are classes for those living with Parkinson’s as well as folks like me wanting to just stay fit into advancing years.
I now go twice a week for a personal training session with a physiotherapist/fitness trainer and I see this as my personal investment into living longer and being stronger and fitter. With my arthritic feet and my asthmatic lungs, my trainer knows how hard to push me. I wear a heart monitor so I know how hard I am working – this is both motivating and educational – and my trainer will push me much harder than I would push myself. At the end of it I get an email telling me how hard I have worked and, from week to week, I can see my progress or otherwise.
The fitness programmes are a combination of strength exercises and high-intensity interval training. (Mary will explain the benefits of this kind of activity in detail in her section below.)
I start each session on the exercise bike to warm up. After five minutes I then do short bursts of maximum speed for about 10 seconds before easing off for about 30 seconds. Then I go again. I do this about five times and I can see that with each ‘burst’ my heart rate goes up and up - progressing from green (level 2) to yellow (level 3) on the screen. By repeating the ‘race’ mode every 30 seconds I am able to increase my heart rate until I reach my optimum which for me is when I get into the next level (orange). My physio trainer tells me that this pattern of activity significantly boosts my fitness.
After this I do strength exercises, ending up with another burst of intermittent ‘race’ and ‘relax’ activity on the bike or rowing machine. At the end of it, I feel really great because I know it has done my body good.
So, how can we translate this into everyday activities if we don’t go to a gym?
If we go for a walk and go steadily for five minutes, that warms us up. Then if we speed up and stride out with real pace for 10 seconds, this will boost our heart rate, then walk at a normal pace for a minute and repeat this fast/normal pace process for five minutes. And remember, if we walk briskly uphill, it will cause our heart rate to increase even more on the ‘max effort’ bits of our walk.
Now for some great news! Mary has designed a new High-Intensity Interval Training workout for you to try this week. We recorded it a couple of weeks ago and it is significantly more challenging than anything else we have ever put on the website. I accompany Mary but exercise at a much lower level. This gives you the option to see which version you can manage. Perhaps you will start by following my gentler workout and after a few sessions feel able to progress to Mary’s higher level.
The great benefit of this workout is that it is quick to do but hugely effective and will dramatically boost your fitness. Have fun as you try it out.
|
|
|
Last Friday I had a fantastic day traveling to the Channel 4 TV Studios at Leeds Dock to appear on Steph's Packed Lunch. It was great fun appearing live on the show and while I was there to promote my autobiography we also had a lot of fun getting Steph and comedian Marcus Brigstock to try using a Facial-Flex. This is the anti-ageing beauty product that I have endorsed in the UK for over 20 years because I really believe in it. If you missed the show you can see the clip by clicking on the video below.
|
|
Makes approx. 20 slices
Per slice: 228 calories, 2.8g fat (excl. marzipan or icing)
Prep time 30 mins
Cook time 2 - 2½ hours
225g (8oz) no-pre-soak prunes, pitted
115g (4oz) cooking apple, peeled and grated
175g (6oz) dark muscovado sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 lemon and 1 orange, zested
175g (6oz) self-raising flour, sifted
1 tbsp mixed spice
50g (2oz) sunflower seeds
225g (8oz) currants
225g (8oz) sultanas
225g (8oz) raisins
115g (4oz) glacé cherries
120ml (4fl oz) brandy
2 tbsps apricot jam, sieved, to glaze
- Preheat the oven to 170°C, 325°F, Gas Mark 3. Lightly grease and line a round cake tin (20cm/8in diameter, 7.5cm/3in deep) with greaseproof paper.
- In a large mixing bowl mix together the prunes and apple. Add the sugar, then beat in the eggs a little at a time.
- Press down the mixture to squash the prunes.
- Mix in the lemon and orange zest, then carefully fold in the flour, spice, sunflower seeds and fruit.
- Gradually stir in the brandy.
- Pour into the prepared cake tin.
- Using the back of a metal spoon, make a slight dip in the centre to allow for an even top once baked. Bake in the oven for 2 - 2½ hours or until a metal skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Allow to cool on a wire rack, then remove the greaseproof paper. Glaze by brushing with warmed apricot jam and arrange some cherries or dried fruits on top. Store in an airtight container.
|
|
|
In the coming weeks we will be bringing you more Christmas recipes.
Next week: How to make your own low-fat mincemeat.
|
|
Fun, Facts & Fitness from Mary Morris MSc.
Over many years of working with the general public the most common reason given for not exercising enough is quite simply not having the time to do it... and I get it. I really do! Hectic and rushed lifestyles with work and family commitments make it extremely difficult to make time for indulging in just oneself. I see it clearly with my children and their spouses trying to juggle their hectic lives as well as fitting in enough time to stay fit and healthy. So, this week we are focussing on the value of H.I.I.T (High-Intensity Interval Training) workouts.
If you are in the younger age group (and I mean maybe under 50) then H.I.I.T is a great time-saving way to train, and the vast array of benefits that are listed below may encourage you to have a go. If you are in the older age group then it may not be time that you are short of but you are keen to enhance your health and fitness to a level that secures the function of your cardiovascular system to being the very best it can be.
What is H.I.I.T Training?
Put simply it is a mix of short bursts of hard exercise with periods of rest in between. There are many, many variations of workouts in different formats but they all result in an improvement in your fitness. It may be with cycling, swimming or walking where we change the intensity of our activity in short pre-set periods of time. For example, we may exercise hard for just 20 seconds and then rest for the same amount of time. As we progress, we may exercise hard for 40 seconds but only rest for 20 seconds. There are no set rules for it, except to keep switching!
It's all to do with our body's energy systems as it uses both the aerobic system (with oxygen) and the anaerobic system (without oxygen). Aerobic work is generally within our capability and we feel we can 'walk and talk' for example, but if we start going up a steep incline quite quickly, we not only can’t talk but our body cannot take in enough oxygen to carry on so our body switches to the anaerobic system. However, we cannot sustain this system for very long before we have to slow down.
The good news is that this system has lots of benefits to our health and why, even for we older adults, I do promote it. There is now a new H.I.I.T Workout on our website which you might like to try. Be kind to yourself though. Watch it through first and assess how much you think you can manage. Start with just one round before resting and over time add another round, and so on. There are no hard and fast rules, it's just a case of getting out of breath and you certainly see evidence of that with my demonstration! I could really feel it!
To be effective you need to reach 80% of your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) which is calculated by subtracting your age from 220. For example:
Age 60 years: 220 – 60 = 160. 80% of 160 = 128 beats per minute.
It is useful to have a device such as a Fitbit or Apple Watch so you can monitor your heart rate.
What are the Benefits?
- H.I.I.T burns a lot of calories in a short amount of time - as much as 25 - 30% more than other workouts.
- A huge benefit is that our body continues to burn more calories for many hours after we have finished. This is called ‘thermogenesis’ and is also known as the after-burn.
- We also gain improved oxygen consumption known as our VO2-Max. which means that our heart pumps more blood in every single beat.
- It controls our blood sugar level so is a benefit for those at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
- Our ‘Resting Heart Rate’, (which is an indicator of our fitness), will lower as will our blood pressure.
- Lots of variety is possible with H.I.I.T training so we can avoid our workouts becoming monotonous.
Safety Tips
- Begin with more ‘rests’ than ‘exercises’ initially.
- Build the intensity of each move gradually over time. As your fitness improves you will automatically work harder.
- If you are on medication for high blood pressure or you are a diabetic then this kind of exercise may not suit you. Check with a medical practitioner first.
|
|
|
This Week's Fitness Challenge
- Watch The H.I.I.T Workout on the website and do it twice this week. Always have rest days in-between high-intensity workouts.
- H.I.I.T workouts are not known to build much muscle strength compared to working with weights or resistance bands so do a full-body Strength Programme 3 times this week.
- Enjoy at least one mindful workout this week. Look for Tai Chi or Yoga or our Stretch programme. Or do a Ballet or Pilates workout from the website at a level that suits you.
|
|
|
Did you know...
One of the early exponents of High Intensity Interval Training in the 1970s was athletics coach Peter Coe. Inspired by the principles propounded by the German coach and university professor Woldemar Gerschler and the Swedish physiologist Per-Olof Åstrand, Coe advocated sessions involving repeated fast 200-metre runs with only 30 seconds of recovery between each fast run. He used this technique in training his son, Sebastian.
 As a middle-distance runner, Seb Coe went on to win four Olympic medals, including 1500 Metre Gold medals in 1980 and 1984. He set nine outdoor and three indoor world records and the world record he set in the 800 metres in 1981 remained unbroken until 1997.
Lord Coe is now the Chancellor of Loughborough University, the same university he attended over 40 years ago and I was honoured to meet him in 2019 when I attended a University Graduation ceremony at which he was presiding.
|
|
|
And finally...
As Christmas approaches, we know that it’s a struggle to get everything done and still have time to do our exercise. I am delighted that Mary has designed this new HIIT workout so that we can stay fit in the shortest of time. I hope you will give it a try.
Have a wonderful week and stay healthy.
With love and best wishes,
Rosemary Conley CBE DL
|
|
LIVE LONGER | LIVE HEALTHIER | LIVE HAPPIER
|
|
|
|
