Full Flow Fitness

https://www.facebook.com/316452655759/posts/10162032973800760/?app=fbl

Just a couple of functions from each segment of the spine.

While spinal anatomy is designed to be incredibly strong and highly flexible, it is often a source of back pain. Here's what you should know about spinal anatomy and common causes of back pain: https://bit.ly/37rTIlE

This is an excellent post from BTN.

There can be a bit of an attitude that in order to gain health benefits from exercise, the body needs to be pushed to its limits.

This can be the case in order to achieve a certain type of fitness. However for the majority of people just keeping active is the most important way to gain long term health benefits. It’s also an approach that can be sustained, which is also very important.

Walking can extend your life, and you don't even have to break a sweat!

It's often said that getting your steps in is a useful way to burn calories, and that's true, but being active is about much more than thermogenesis

A recent study involved giving step counters to over 16,000 elderly women and asking them to track their daily activity. Afterwards they were split into quartiles from least to most active, then monitored for 4.3 years

All cause mortality was reduced by as little as 4,400 steps per day, with the trend continuing up to 7500 steps per day

And the best thing? Intensity (measured as steps per minute) made NO difference once total volume was accounted for

Being active is incredibly important for overall health - at least as important as nutrition is, and far more important than formal exercise

Get that step count up!

I ready enjoyed this info graphic on Carbohydrates.
Loved the different examples of carbohydrate foods and the rate of energy release into the body.

The slower release carbohydrates being more fibre based. The slower rate of digestion meaning these keep you feeling fuller for longer. This would help to resist the urge to snack. A good option for body composition and weight management.

The quicker release carbohydrates being digested at a faster rate by the body, gives you a quick spike of energy. So actually pretty good to have before a high intensity, low time duration, session of exercise. However having a high spike of energy can lead to a bit of a slump quickly afterwards. Could then lead to the urge to snack.

I liked this a lot.

https://www.facebook.com/BreatheEducation/photos/a.272136939482820/5299611516735312/?type=3

Your body works as a unit rather than individual parts. Movement and consistent movement is important!

https://neurosciencenews.com/processed-food-memory-aging-19473/?fbclid=IwAR3B_s8qSSbjk8JpyZJTW3ntNxbeSOcO9VtUIPAGwGsBhfBbFDVoNyY-xio

Found this study an interesting reed and worth a look.

The relationship between what you eat and how your brain reacts is deeply connected, through the gut-brain axis.

This making a lot of people’s food choices emotionally driven. Process foods potentially giving the brain a short term “reward” reaction. Making them a little on the addictive side for some.

Also the potential for these foods to decrease brain activity is an interesting insight and highlighting the importance of a balanced diet for healthy body and mind.

How Highly Processed Foods Harm Memory in the Aging Brain - Neuroscience News A diet high in processed foods leads to neuroinflammation and memory decline in older rats, a new study reports. Supplementing a processed food diet with DHA, an omega 3 fatty acid, helped mitigate memory problems and reduce inflammation.

The days are getting darker and winter is drawing in.

It’s always a time which can potentially derail people’s fitness and activities, especially as the weather takes a turn and the feelingly to want to hibernate sets in.

It’s so important to keep active as the picture below highlights. The positive effects on the body and mind are so important at this time of year.

It’s all about fine tuning the activity to the time of year. Finding activities you enjoy doing and able to keep consistent indoors or having appropriate attire to allow you to exercise outdoors.

Interesting insight from BTN.

Maybe our body composition isn’t all down to genes but behaviours.

Fair enough our genes may influence the way we behave.

However behaviours and strategies are also learnt. These can also have an influence on how we treat our bodies. Whether that is what we eat or how active we are.

I think a few of the folks I train can relate to this. 😄

https://www.facebook.com/245018777868/posts/10158531422847869/?d=n&substory_index=0

Thought this was a good post from the guys at BTN.

Highlights that exercise is good for mental well-being but also the importance of not being to hard on yourself while you’re exercising.

Enjoy your achievements.

Exercise is one of the most powerful tools for combatting mental ill health

Both in terms of prevention and in terms of treatment

There are some caveats, though - first both low and high exercise are associated with poor mental health and so it's important to find a sweet spot rather than just continuously doing more

And second/more important - while anxiety and depression can be treated with exercise, they also make exercise very difficult to do, so be kind to yourself and those around you, and ask no more than 'do your best'

Some days will be better than others, so capitalise on the good ones and trust that a difference can be made

Made me chuckle!