Health Is Not My Priority

Have you ever thought this way?

We know plenty of people that have/do.
In the stress & mayhem of daily life we often find ourselves consumed by commitments restricting both our finances and time…

This often results in us ultimately neglecting ourselves as we prioritise other things such as work, family & finance over our own health & well being…

Whilst this is common and not unexpected it often has the opposite effect, by focusing on our daily priorities we forget to question why they are so and what we truly need in order to accomplish them.

Our ‘Pyramid of Priorities’ has a familiar 1st Tier for most of us…
 STOP...and ask yourself why are these my commitments?
Untitled Diagram

The highest priority in life for every living thing is survival, this and how we feel will drive the majority of our behavior…Take it one step further and ask yourself ‘What Do I Need To Survive, NO…Flourish?’….

If your Body, Brain or Both are not functioning at optimum capacity how can you expect them to get you where you want or even NEED to be?  It’s no different to maintaining your vehicle to ensure that it transports you to where you need to be.

Today’s Top Tip: Start At The Top Of Your Pyramid.
Get this right and the rest will be considerably easier…

Happy Health,
Tom’s

Chicken Shish Kebabs

Serves 2
Prep 10-15 Minutes
Marinate >1 Hour
Cook 15 Minutes

 

For the Marinade

  • 6 tablespoons natural Greek yogurt

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • ¼ teaspoon cumin

  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

  • zest from half a lemon

  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon

  • 1 garlic clove

  • Black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon tomato purée

For the Salad and skewers

  • 2 chicken breasts cut into large pieces

  • ¼ red cabbage

  • ¼ iceburg lettuce

  • 2 tomatoes

  • ¼ cucumber

  • ½ red onion

  • 2 mushrooms

  • ½ yellow pepper

  • 2 pitta breads

Instructions

  • mix together the all of the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken pieces and cover in the marinade. Cover with foil and marinade in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.

  • When ready to cook, heat the grill on a high heat and prepare the skewers.

  • Alternate chicken pieces with pieces of red onion, mushroom and yellow pepper.

  • Once assembled, place the skewers under the grill and cook for 15 mins until the chicken has browned and cooked through, turning a couple of times throughout cooking.

  • While the chicken is cooking, prepare the salad. Slice the red cabbage and iceburg lettuce into thin strips and chop the tomatoes and cucumber into large chunks.

  • In the last couple of mins of cooking the skewers place the pitta breads under the grill. Turn them over after 1 min.

  • Slice the pita breads along the side to make a pocket and remove the chicken and vegetables from the skewers inside the pitas.

  • Serve with the salad & Enjoy

Why Should I Drink Water?

Given the recent spells of hot weather it’s no surprised that we were recently asked ‘why do I need to drink more water?’.

We all know that staying hydrated is important, here’s a simple guide to why:

– your body is ~60% water
– water is used in the cleansing of the blood and removal of waste (kidneys & liver)
– water aids digestion & helps metabolise fat
– you lose water through the production of energy, cooling, breathing & numerous other functions
– the warmer you are from exercise or climate the more you sweat in an attempt to cool down
– therefore if you don’t replace it you begin to dehydrate, disrupting your bodily functions
– dehyradation can have serious effects of your liver & kidney function and lead to
– water keeps the blood runny allowing it to circulate easily, thick, dehydated blood is harder to pump which increases blood pressure and places stress on the heart

…The UK government recommends: we drink 8 glasses a day which = 2litres…
>>> If you wait until you’re thirsty you’re already dehydrated….

TOP TIP
1) Fill 4x 500ml water bottles in the morning and make sure they’re empty by bed time…take them everywhere you go….Take small sips regularly rather than occasional , large gulps…
2) You can flavour your water with sliced fruit, mint, sugar free squash & herbal tea to make it more interesting

Low Impact Vs High Impact HIIT

When chasing your goals the key to success always starts with effective planning

There is tons of evidence to support the benefits of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), however this can be intimidating when you have injuries and mobility issues….

These don’t need to stop you though as there are plenty of low impact exercises which place minimal stress on your joints & bones, they will however get your heart rate up nice and high.

At our Camps & Classes we make a point of catering for all abilities and offer High & Low Impact Options…

What’s Stopping You!!!

Drop It Like It’s Squat

Drop It Like It’s Squat…

Focusing on your hips is an easy way to nail your Squats…visualise sticking your bum out and drop your hips down as if you’re sitting into a chair…

New squatters often start by leaning forward seeing their heels lift which places excess pressure on the knees & decreases the efficiency of this exercise…

Remember: Keep your feet flat, push your hips back and drop them like it’s squat…

Elevate Your Training

1 session is all it takes to see improvements in your workouts & subsequently your results…
 
Asma demonstrates this perfectly in her 1st Ever Session…Her KB swing improves noticeably within 2 sets…
For a small investment of your time & money you can speed up & increase your progress whilst minimising the risk of injury…
 
Good Trainers can help take your training to the next level & beyond…
 
…Great Work Asma…

Healthy Hummus (sesame free)

We’ve got a great recipe here for a healthy, homemade hummus – sesame free for those that are allergic or work in allergen sensitive settings…

Ingredients:

  • 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
  • 1 Garlic clove, crushed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 100ml water
  • 10 cumin seeds, crushed
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp paprika

In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Process for two mins or until smooth and creamy. Half way through, use a spatula to push pieces off the edge of the processor.

Serve and enjoy with some fresh vegetable dippers as a super healthy snack…

It’s More Fun With A Friend

Exercising can become boring over time, this is a leading reason many people quit, inevitably resulting in a decline in their health & self esteem…

Experience and supporting studies have shown that working out in a group is not only more fun but more effective as people work harder when they are among their peers…

Boot Camps & Classes are a great way of meeting new people and sharing a fun & varied workout, therefore increasing the longevity of your results….