Benefits of using the belt

While full body weightlifting exercises such as squats, deadlifts or overhead presses adds enormous punch to the resistance training, they also load the spine with additional work and weight. In such cases, the weightlifting belt can help

(a)    Increase the pressure within the abdominal cavity, allowing the core muscles to support the spine as much as they can.

(b)   Reduce risk of hyperextension of the lower back as it props the back up such that the risk of it being in a comprising position is reduced.

Size does matter

In order to reap maximum benefit from the belt, you would need to ensure that the belt width corresponds to the torso size. When the belt is worn, it should not be brushing against the hips during deep squats nor should be pressing inwards onto the ribs.

Always bear in mind that the belt is designed to aid, not hamper, the training. Any discomfort or pain is an indication that something is not right!

Each exercise is to be performed for 10-15 repetitions and repeated for 2 – 3 cycles. All you need are a pair of dumbbells 10-15 pounds

• Pushups – Narrow stance – working the triceps
• Biceps Curl
• Lateral raises
• Dips on a chair
• Push ups – Wide stance – working the shoulders

If dumbbells are not available, consider filling plastic bottles of 1.5L to 2L as weights. Then, instead of doing repetitions, repeat the exercises for 60-90seconds.

Add these exercises to a cardio workout and you would be on your way to the fitter and toned physique!

Balance

Repetitive exercises will tend to wear the joints and put unnecessary pressure on the same muscle groups. Blend the impact activities such as running, kickboxing with resistance training and stretching exercises such as yoga or pilates.

Form

Repetitions would not count if the form isn’t correct. Furthermore, improper form might even raise injury risks. Such situations are common in weights training, squats, sit-ups etc. If you are unsure of the correct posture, always seek a professional trainer for advice.

Moderation is the key

While “no pain, no gain” seems to be a common guiding principle, it’s always best to listen to the body. When you experience acute pain or experience symptoms such as giddiness, it’s a sign that the body isn’t adjusting well. Go slow and increase the intensity or duration in a moderate fashion.

Here are some tips to help you resist these cravings and keep your diet on track.

Choose the right group of Carbs

Many fad diets advised participants to stay off carbs, thus leaving a sense of “emptiness” in the stomach after a meal. Instead of starving your body of carbs, choose multi-grain bread, brown rice or oats over white rice/refined flour to maintain a balanced diet.

Eat all you want – Magic Belly Fat Buster

While this is another common lure of quick fix diets, it just doesn’t make sense. Fat loss can be better achieved by a combination of physical activity and proper diet rather than pill-popping solutions.

Set realistic plans & goals

Slowly train and condition the body to accept the new balanced diet regime. For example, if you are drinking soft drinks every day, try to decrease it to every other day on the first week and gradually tapering off to once per week on a “cheat day”. More tips on goal setting can also be found in our archive.

While we all know exercise is great, not all exercises are created equally for an effective calories burn and the most common reason (excuse) is: “Lack of time”.

If so here’s a 4 minute body weight exercises that you can do almost anywhere and allow you to burn more calories in a short burst of time.

What’s Tabata Protocol?

It’s a high intensity interval training protocol originally created by a Japanese researcher, Dr Izumi Tabata. It consists of 20secs of high intensity exercise followed by 10secs of rest and is repeated for 8 consecutive rounds, thus bringing the total workout time to 4min.

The original Tabata Protocol advocates a single exercise and repeat over the 8 exercise intervals. However, I prefer to perform a variety of exercises to spice up the routine and minimise the possibility of centralised muscle fatigue (as you would experience in a single exercise over 8 intervals). With variety, the body is also challenged to perform and the metabolic requirements is thus boosted which in turn translate to higher caloric exhaustion.

Suggested Workout Plan

A simple body weight Tabata workout is as follows:

A. Squats- 20secs

Rest- 10secs

B. Burpees – 20 secs

Rest- 10secs

C. Mountain climbing – 20 secs

Rest- 10secs

D. Skipping (knees above hips, rope optional) – 20 secs

Rest- 10secs

A. Squats- 20secs

Rest- 10secs

B. Burpees – 20 secs

Rest- 10secs

C. Mountain climbing – 20 secs

Rest- 10secs

D. Skipping (knees above hips, rope optional) – 20 secs

Rest- 10secs

Here are 3 basic exercises that can help you attain a stronger core. Add these exercises to the end of a cardio exercise to further bump up the caloric burn.

Plank – to perform a basic plank , first assume a push up position (on the toes) and keep a straight back. Then maintain this position for 1 minute and repeat for another 2 sets. Keep a rest interval of no more than 30 seconds between sets.

Reverse crunch – this exercise will work the rectus abdominis (lower abdominals). Firstly, lie flat on the back and place the hands under the lower back for additional support. Slowly bring both legs off the ground by contracting the abdominals and allow the legs to reach towards the ceiling. Again repeat the sequence for another 2 sets with 15 repetitions in between sets.

“Superman fly” back extension – the back muscles are often neglected by many people and yet ironically these are one of the most important muscles. Lie face down and straighten your arms and point to the front. Next, slowly lift off the arms and legs and breathe in while doing so. Perform the movements slowly and concentrate on maintaining a good form.

Muscular Imbalance

While most injuries are associated with aggravated physical activity, we can address this from the problem at source i.e. muscular movements and balance. Improvement in balance and coordination can greatly reduce the risk of injury via good footwork and light on the feet.

Some of the exercises that can enhance our balance and coordination include:

• BOSU ball exercises
• Stand on one leg and close your eyes (Hold for a minute and repeat on other side)
• Engage in multi-directional sports such as tennis, squash etc. or add in side shuffle and running backwards during warm-up

If you are solely lifting weights, pumping iron or running on treadmill, the above suggestions would certainly complete your Fitness Aspects.

Diet

Most injuries are cause by inflammation of the affected body parts and some items in our diet can actually aggravated these inflammation.

Ponly-unsaturated oils like soya, canola, sunflower, and corn oil can break down easily to toxic compounds when heated and prolonged consumption of such burnt oils have also been linked to inflammatory joint diseases.

Conversely, food items such as ginger, onions, garlic and pineapples (when taken regularly) have also been linked to lowering inflammation symptoms.

Coupled with rehabilitative and conditioning exercises, addressing muscular imbalance and diet issues can certainly aid in minimising or even preventing injuries.

Ironically, most knee pain does not arise from the knee itself but rather from some other parts of the body. For example, a tight iliotibial band, hip flexors, or quadriceps muscles, weak core can contribute to excessive stress or strain and these in turn are being transfered to the knees.

Pain Location

Front of the knee Above the knee – pain from quadriceps muscle strain and quad tendon inflammation, probably from activities where the knees go beyond the toes, such as in poor squatting technique and posture

Below the kneecap -the source of pain is the patellar tendon, that joins the knee cap to the top of the lower leg

Under the knee cap - pain from excessive compression of the knee cap and could also arise from arthritic changes underneath the knee cap

Back of the knee

Pain can be experienced at the inside, middle, or outside of the knee. This is often due to hamstrings or calf muscle tendon involvement or poor joint mobility, especially when bending the knee.

Inside of the knee

Pain can be due to tendinitis from the muscles where the tendon inserts. It also can be due to ligament strain of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) or irritation to the medial (inside) meniscus.

Outside of the knee

Pain can be due to tendinitis, often from a tight iliotibial (IT) band. It can also be caused by ligament strain of the LCL or irritation of the lateral (outside) meniscus.

Some people may have higher metabolism and can eat junk/comfort food without visible fab around their belly or thighs.

Essentially, being healthy and fit does matter more than the absolute weight itself. Trimming weight (via “slimming” pills etc.) without achieving fitness and health just does not make sense. The crux of the issue is to be fit and to take care of the body while doing so. Therefore, it is possible for a thin person to have a higher body fat percentage than those who are visually overweight.

Getting fit and eating right can also help to

• Improve your cardiovascular strength
• Prevent the loss of muscle mass
• Control the cholesterol level
• Minimise risk of osteoporosis and other diseases
• Provide a boost to your immunity

Note: all the above cannot be achieved via mere weight loss(via “slimming” pills or “dieting”)! Hence, it is critical to eat right and exercise regularly instead of being fixated on weight loss.

Stay fit and not thin!

However, since not all sources of carbohydrates are not created equally, it is important that you choose the sources carefully. Recall that grains, fruits, vegetables and sweets are all sources of carbohydrate!

Energy Shake

Popular choice for most people as it’s convenient and relatively easy to prepare. You can choose from pre-mix shakes or you can choose to blend them yourself using yoghurt (protein/calcium) and fruits (for taste/vitamins). A good window for such shakes is 30-60mins after the workout which is the time that the body repair itself and it requires all the essential fuel it deserves. Checkout some of the shakes recipe in our earlier post.

Hearty Salads

Add a dash of beans and grains to your salads can help to enhance the flavour and enrich the meal with folate and Vitamin E, which are essential for a healthy heart. Power up the salad with lean meat such as chicken breast or fish for a fully gratifying meal.

Beta Carotene Boost

Other than beans or grains, consider adding sweet potatoes as they are rich source carbohydrates, potassium, energy boosting Vitamin B6 and Vitamin A (in the form of the anti-oxidant beta carotene). Mix it up with spinach and oranges to pump up the iron and Vitamin C contents in the salad. Vitamin C has also been linked to aiding the iron absorption process.