Fast or Slow: It’s time to test your muscle fibres

So there I was doing my monthly read of all my New Scientists when I found it. A piece called What’s Your Superpower by Catherine de Lange  (sorry you might have to pay for it). In it, was a section on whether you were born to exercise and within that was a fairly simple comparison test to determine whether you have predominantly fast-twitch muscle fibres (which makes you good at power sports like sprinting or weightlifting) or slow-twitch ones that make you better at endurance exercise like, erm running half marathons perhaps.

I’m guessing he’s a Type-Two!

To do the test is simple

1) Do a simple wall squat for as long as you can. If you don’t know what that is. Stand up straight against a wall, now walk your feet forward and squat down as if you were going to sit in a chair. Stop when your thighs are parallel with the floor and make sure your knees and ankles are in a straight line, support your back against the wall and hold it until your thighs cry.  Anything over 30 seconds is good and probably means you have a high percentage of slow-twitch fibres

2) Do a vertical jump test. This sees you standing side on against a wall and reaching up. Mark that point. Now, with your hand in the air jump as high as you can from a standing position. Measure that point. Now calculate the difference. Anything over 20 inches (50cm) means you probably have mostly fast-twitch fibres,

I, of course, couldn’t wait to try this out, My score….

Wall squats – 55 seconds

Reach test – a pathetic 15cm (poor).

Hmmm, so according to this I have  a higher proportion of slow-twitch fibres that are good for marathon running. That’s handy isn’t it considering it’s 100 days to the Dumbo Double Dare, however I do seem to have missed out on whatever genetic gifts allow you to run said half marathons in less than 2 hours. In fact my fastest ever ever time for a half was 2.06 – I was thrilled. Then the winner of the men’s marathon, which started at the same time as the half crossed the finish line and threw up by my trainers! Thanks, you’ve just proved my time was  actually hopeless – and I need to wash my shoes!

So, how do you do in the test? You know you want to try it. Oh, and don’t panic if you get the ‘wrong’ score for your sport – doesn’t mean you can’t do it, you can counteract your fibres with the right training.

 

image: Freedigitalphotos.net

Whose Blog/Tweets or Vlog can’t you live without?

Time for one of those odd posts where my work life and blog life collide.

I’m working on a big piece for one of the UK’s glossy magazines and I need to nominate the best people talking about health, fitness, beauty and all things wellbeing online. So, I thought who better to ask than a group of bloggers!

They can be a blogger, a tweeter or a vlogger, the only rule is that they really give you useful, cutting edge information. You need to come away really feeling like you know something new – and you can trust that info. Does anyone have anyone they’d like to suggest? Post your recommendations below……

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

Seaweed Slices for Breakfast – alright then.

‘You’re eating a slab of moss,’ said The Boyfriend when he came up to my office the other day. ‘Why are you eating moss?’

Actually I was eating a slab of seaweed and very tasty it was too. The item in question was one of the Crackits range from InSpiral Foods. They had dispatched them after reading my post on their Raspberry and Kale crisps as they thought I might like them. It seems the team at inSpiral may have a little crystal ball lurking in their office, because yes, I do.

Raw is going to be one of the big food trends this year – when I went to the Natural and Organic Products Show recently, every fifth stand was someone offering you something uncooked and actually pretty tasty. For a regime that can be really tricky to do it’s either a welcome help – or, as companies bring in more snacky sounding goodies like sweets and crisps – sacrilege. I’ll let the proper raw food devotees argue that one out.

Personally, I am neither patient nor creative enough in the kitchen to be raw, never will be. It requires a dedication and planning of meals that I will never possess, so I welcome the new additions – but there again I was topping the crackers with all manner of things that would make a true rawist shudder. Frequent combos included tuna mayo on the Wasabi,  Spirulina and Arame ones (aka the moss),  ham and tomato on the Onion, Pepper and Herbs ones and, my personal favourite hummus on the really, really good Mexican Chilli and Cacoa ones. In fact, I was treating them kind of like Ryvita.

Albeit high protein Ryvita. These things are made from a mix of soaked seeds and nuts bound with vegetables and other goodies. This makes them, really, really filling – and suitable for anyone on a wheat free diet or who is watching their carbs. Calorie wise I can’t tell you what’s in them as the information is not yet on the pack or their website, but I’m guessing they’re not a super low calorie choice! And my money would definitely be on them containing more calories than Ryvita – but just two would fill me up for quite some time and they are packed with good stuff. Some days I had them for lunch (they go well with soup and salad), I also breakfasted on them a lot – I don’t do well with cereal in the morning and some days I just can’t face more yogurt. These actually worked pretty well.Yes, even the seaweed ones.

I admit to leaving those ones till last in my trial. In fact, I left them till the cupboard was empty and I had no choice but to eat them. I’ve been off all things seaweed after a nasty experience with Wholefoods exotic sounding ‘Sea Spaghetti’ the other day. It looked like a great idea – lots of strips of seaweed (kind of like the above) and I was looking forward to it and salmon for lunch – however, I didn’t read the instructions about rinsing and draining and basically ended up with a mouthful of chewy sea water. But these are really good, not at all ‘seaweedy’ and I didn’t have to spit them in the sink.  Which is always good for a food I think.

If you want to give them a try, you’ll find them on the inSpiral website. www,inspiralled.net.

 

Second image: freedigitalphotos.net

Off to The Pub for Lunch: Here’s the (UK) Calorie Counts

Steins are not a low calorie choice.

If you’ve been into a Slug and Lettuce recently you’ll have noticed something new on the menu – an under 500 calorie section. I haven’t had a chance to get to one to try it myself yet, but the press release tells of goodies like an 8oz Rump Steak with house salad (489 calories) and an Aubergine and Tomato Bake with salad (at 430) which sound good on paper at least.

It also gives me a chance to do a post I’ve been planning for a while, but never got round to which is (drumroll)….a list of the lowest calorie (chain) pub meals.

As with chain restaurants, some pub chains don’t have any of their calories listed on their menu or website (at least anywhere I can find anyway) – Ember Inns and All Bar One get named and shamed here. Some others only give you the good news with the less than 500 calorie dishes, but increasingly more pubs are being open and honest – although for someone who loves pies, the numbers do make quite scary reading. Still, at least now I know I want a 1481 calorie Steak, Kidney and Boddingtons Pudding at a Brewer’s Fayre I need to run for roughly two and a half hours beforehand to earn it! (To be honest, I would run that far for a Steak and Kidney Pudding).

If you wouldn’t however, here is a list of the main pub chains with their lowest calorie options – and, a link to where you’ll find the calories for any other items you might fancy.

Slug and Lettuce Grilled Tuna Salad – 485 calories

Slug and Lettuce. Only list the calories for their under 500 calorie options. Of these, the lowest calorie is the Chicken and Pepper Skewers with Salad at 416 calories. Click here for the menu

Yates: Have also introduced an under 500 calorie section. The lowest calorie option is the Crayfish Tail salad at a ridiculously low 140 calories. Click here for the menu

Chef and Brewer: The lowest calorie main course is the Grilled Sea Bass with Salad at 246 calories.

Click here for a full list of calories for everything on the menu (good on you Chef and Brewer).

Brewer’s Fayre: The lowest calorie dish is the Jacket Potato with Quorn Chilli at 499 calories

Click here for a full list of calories - it’s very well hidden, right at the bottom past all the allergy info. If you’re printing it out it’s from page 54-56

Wetherspoons: There’s a tie here – the lowest calorie option is the Chicken Wrap (339 calories) with a side salad (17 calories) to make it more of a meal – or for the same 356 calories you could have the veggie version of the Sweet Chilli Egg Noodles.

Click here for a full list of calories – and I mean full. Everything is listed here and on the menu, even sauces – top marks.

Harvester: Your lowest option is the Flame Grilled Chicken Breast and peas (260 calories) with a side of baby potatoes (110 calories)

Another chain that lists everything on their website and the menu – just be careful with the unlimited salad bar.

Toby Carvery: Don’t officially list their calories, but do have a strange little nod to nutrition in a picture of a roast dinner that you can hover over (find it on this page here). It’s not massively helpful unless you take your weighing scales to the restaurant though as it’s calculated by 100gm  weights for meat and veggies – but the Yorkshire and Roasties figures are helpful

Drinking image: istockphoto.com © kzenon

How to Tackle The Post-Run Munchies: Anyone?

Today’s post is a break from tradition. Instead of attempting to be useful, I’m asking for advice.

Four weeks ago I started doing the Parkrun on a Saturday morning. It’s a 5k timed run, and I’ve actually surprised myself at how fast I’m going (okay, so I haven’t yet quite broken 30 minutes, but speed is relative, I’m running faster than I have for about six years). However there is a problem. I’M STARVING.

There must be something else in here I can eat?

The run is at 9am. I get home at 10am. I then fixate on food until lunchtime – and pretty much for the rest of the day. Seriously, I was eating lunch at 11am this morning – I had a chicken salad (heavy on the chicken) – I was satisfied for about two hours (an hour of which I spent asleep – this fast running thing is also very tiring), now I wish to eat everything in the fridge again.

My gut feeling is I’m not eating enough prior to the run – this morning I ran on a protein shake, last week it was fruit and popcorn (slightly tragic but we hadn’t been shopping) but the really strange thing is, I’m also doing long slow runs on a Sunday. They don’t trigger this same unbearable urge for food.  Last week. I didn’t eat before I ran, ran for almost five miles, got back at 11am and didn’t have lunch until 1ish and was happy as a clam.

Does this happen to anyone else? And if so, why do you think it is – and how do you fix it without inhaling the fridge?

 

Image: freedigitalphotos.net

Seeking: Cat Loving Cyclist Who Likes Lycra

Don’t panic, The Boyfriend has not vacated his position. I have not just typed my internet dating ad into my blog by mistake. Instead, this is my target audience for this first part of the post. I am aware it may be a little niche……but look, look, look (below). The genius cartoon that is Simon’s Cat has been turned into cycling wear by a company called summitdifferent.co.uk. How cool is that? And if you’re saying ‘what on earth is Simon’s cat?’ Click here and go to You Tube to watch the cartoon. You can thank me later….much later if you’ve watched all of them.

 

Personally, I really need new kit. I did my Park Run the other day in my ‘race shorts’: you know that perfect pair of shorts that are so broken in nothing rubs or chafes and so you always wear them on race day.

These shorts were bought for me as a birthday gift when I worked on a magazine called Options. Options magazine closed down in 1999. I’ve been wearing those shorts for over 14 years – and they are still wearable (if a little grey).  I have also been known to run in a pair of shorts I bought at a shop called The Warehouse when I first started running in New Zealand – this makes them circa 2002 and let’s not even get started on my race shirts (I think the most up-to-date one says 2009 on it!).  I do have a few newer bits of kit that I’ve been sent for work (my fave being a Revolution Running top) but I really need to go shopping.

The problem is, I hate spending money on running kit. I just can’t bring myself to hand over money for it. The one time this psychological barrier gets broken is at running expos. There I charge round like a woman demented buying Fuel Belts and flashing lights that sit on your arms, eating a meals worth of protein bars and debating what to buy from my guilty pleasure – slogan tops from One More Mile. They just make me laugh so hard. Thankfully they are at the Disneyland races expo so I can see a shopping spree coming on. After all, how could you resist these….

This may be my new motto

He He He He…..

So, who is your favourite workout wear company?

Main image: freedigitalphotos.net

 

 

Fitness-Freak Pop-Up Rave: This looks so much fun

Wave your hands in the air……blow those whistles.

Quick post today as my proper job is making me unravel the intricacies of NHS reform – my brain is therefore somewhat fuddled, however, this just popped into my twitter feed and it looks SO MUCH FUN.

It’s a pop up Fitness Rave in London on June 5th. Glo sticks. flouro gym kit and a few hundred other people waving their hands in their air while you blast up to 500 calories.  Sadly I can’t go as it’s The Boyfriend’s birthday (thankfully I remembered before I clicked ‘pay’) but you could go and wave a glo-stick for me and report back. Find out more here http://fitness-freak.com/events/fitness-freak-rave. It’s a bargain at £12.50.

 

Image: freedigitalphotos.net

Heels Up: The Simple Way to Flatter Abs

So, I’ve had a busy fitness weekend – I did my 5k Park Run with a new PB, then I tested that seven minute workout, then I did 4.5 miles on Sunday (the longest I’ve run in a very long time) – and then, because my abs were the only part of my body that didn’t hurt yet I decided to test a tip I found in my email in-box.

It came from fitness expert Lyndsey Todd who runs a training group for personal trainers and it seemed stupidly simple – but with the promise of big results. It read as follows….

‘Lift your heels off the floor to engage your abs before you crunch. You’ll target your abs precisely and avoid arching your back.’

Hmm, I thought – will it?

Well, after a conscious set of 10 crunches with heels up, and 10 with heels down – repeatedly about five times while I ummed and ah’ed, I can say that yes, it does feel different. The crunch is definitely more focused and I can feel the muscles along the side actually pulling. It might still not flatten as well as a plank, but hey, planks are miserable. I hate doing them and I don’t mind doing these.

Talking of misery and pain – at least now I know that my legs were aching for a good reason yesterday. While I know I’m a few days behind in posting this (because I only saw the pictures last night), pictures of the medals for the races that I am doing at Disneyland this summer have been released. For those of you who have asked why I would put myself through running a 10km one day followed by a 21km the next, this is why. Bling. Look at their little jingly magnificance. Behold how shiny and cute they are.

Although, if you still think I’ve gone mad, you can join the queue behind The Boyfriend who really doesn’t get it at all!

I particularly like the Dumbo one. I’ll get the first three.

The Seven Minute Workout To Replace All Others – erm, not quite!

You know how much I love testing things I see in the newspapers – there was the happy morning I spent practicing trying to stand up from a seated position without moving my hands (supposed to determine how long you’ll live), then there was the ‘does skipping reduce your appetite‘ post…..this morning I was lounging about catching up with the week’s news and I spotted this….the seven minute workout that’s as beneficial as a long run. Next thing I know I’ve got my trainers on and a stop watch and I’m leaping up and down doing Star Jumps.

What I like to think I look like doing Star Jumps….

About 60 seconds later while balancing against the wall with burning thighs I’m regretting this decision. The principle is this. There are 12 moves and you must do each of them for 30 seconds, then take a 10 second rest before moving to the next one. Aerobic moves must be done as hard and fast as you possibly can – and apparently, you should be in pain afterwards. A full set of the moves (and the paper) can be found by clicking here, but in a nutshell it’s….

Jumping Jacks, Wall Squats, Push Ups, Crunches, Step ups on a chair, Squats, Tricep Dips, Plank, Running on the spot, Lunges – and just because they want to kill you at the end, a Push Up with rotation and then a Side Plank. Now I admit, I can’t do those last two exercises solo, let alone after 6 minutes of all-out other body moves but I figure let’s give it all a go.

Seven minutes later…….

Hmmm, I have a mixed verdict. It’s a great all round workout – although the 10 second ‘rest’ is a misnomer as it’s about the same amount of time as it takes you to get into the next position. Yes, some of the moves are killers, but I think that’s more to do with your own personal weaknesses than anything else. The cardio was easy for me (although I could probably go harder if I did it again now I know what to expect), the exercises where I’m strong – like squats, press ups, lunges and normal planks were also fairly easy as I don’t think I could do those faster without losing form and risking injury – but those where I’m weak (wall squats as they hurt my knees, the last two and the tricep dips) did hurt a lot. I was puffing by the end of it but I hadn’t broken into a sweat.

At this point, I was confused. Did I feel I did as hard a workout as my 5k Park run yesterday morning? (40 seconds off last week – new PB – nearly threw up at the end) – erm no. I also wouldn’t say it was as tough as my Educogym weights (although it’s along the same principle – lots of reps to fatigue and no rest in between). Does this means the scientists have lied?… Also, no.

Here comes the catch…….

 You see if you read all the way down to the end of the paper, they explain that most people on their own won’t reach the intensity you need to get results from this program in one set. They therefore suggest this isn’t a workout you do once. It’s actually designed to be repeated 2-3 times – giving you 20 minutes of exercise not seven. Suddenly it all becomes clear – now that would be a killer workout.

However I did learn something very useful…..

Now as fun as the workout was to try (and I would do it again on days when I can’t get to the gym as you can do it anywhere) the thing I found most interesting about the paper was not the moves but a line in the third section on Fat/Weight Loss which explained something to me.

As of January when I hit the gym, I do the heavy-weights, low-reps, no-break in between program that the lovely Educogym people taught me. This makes me quite a novelty in my gym where the weights machines are full of men trying to bulk up and sitting there for ages between reps (although note to the bloke who was sat there for 10 minutes talking on his phone the other day -a) that’s too long b) you have to push them to get bigger, it’s not done by osmosis). I therefore always feel a bit strange as I literally run from one machine to the next – however now I understand why I’m doing it. This combo provides the maximum release of fat burning chemicals and growth hormone – the ultimate combo for building muscle AND stripping fat, which is what I want to do. At least now, when I have to ask one of the sitting men nicely if I can swap in I can explain ‘I need to release my catecholamines.’ That’ll confuse them.  

 

Main image: Istockphoto.com

Stopwatch: freedigitalphotos.net

Nails + Sunglasses = Fun Idea Alert

Last year I told you about the (stupidly expensive) matching flip flops and Essie nail polish combo – this year, I’m updating the idea. Matching your nails to your sunglasses. The idea couldn’t be simpler – just pick a colour or feature in your glasses and match your nails to it……

It could be a simple frame to polish combo like this one….

Nails Inc Kensington Park Polish (c/o polyvore.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or, you could get creative – those of you wearing heart shaped sunnies could get busy with the nail stickers.

Heart stickers from focalprice.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or just match some other feature on the frame….My sunnies are a black and diamante Westwood pair so I’ve had to a go bit rock goddess to totally match them….those of you without a secret goth past that means you own black nail varnish, or simply want nails that look like they belong in summer, not the depths of winter,  might just want to choose a glitter to match the sparkles!

Sportsgirl Black polish topped with Mavala Sparkling Silver

 

 

Main images: istockphoto.com © Grady Reese and © decisiveimages