Woodlands Fitness Centre

The Woodlands newsletter: Monday 3rd June 2020

Wednesday 3rd June 2020

Hi,

On the 16th April, we posted on Facebook and Instagram to offer all of our members a complimentary 30 minute online PT session, which many members took us up on.

It's absolutely imperative we all keep active. These are really unusual times, a completely unprecedented situation, and I just hope that regular exercise can keep us all sane.

For 10+ years I've been teaching classes, group personal training and 1-to-1 personal training sessions and I also need you guys to keep me busy too. Being part of a gym should be about being part of something more than just leg extensions and kettlebell swings and we need to stick together to get through the lockdown.

Exercise is not just about aerobic capacity and muscle size. Sure, exercise can improve your physical health and your physique, improve your sex life and even add years to your life - but that's not what motivates most people to stay active.

People who exercise regularly tend to do so because it gives them an enormous sense of wellbeing. They feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about themselves and their lives - and it's also powerful medicine for many common mental health challenges.

Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more. It also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts your overall mood. And you don't have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits.

Research indicates that modest amounts of exercise can make a difference. No matter your age or fitness level, you can learn to use exercise as a powerful tool to feel better.

Exercise is a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment. It relieves tension and stress, boosts physical and mental energy, and enhances well-being through the release of endorphins.

Studies show that exercise can treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication—but without the side-effects, of course.

Exercise promotes all kinds of changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being.

Exercise also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in your brain that energize your spirits and make you feel good.

Exercise can also serve as a distraction, allowing you to find some quiet time to break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that feed depression.

So please contact me for your session through email, social media or any other way you can think of.

We will still be offering online coaching, diet plans and workout plans free to all our members. Again, please message us with your requirements.

We gave our members the following 4 options in regards to their direct debit:

1). Continue to pay your Direct Debit in the normal way, so that your club can retain key staff and continue to invest during this short time. If you are happy with this option, no further action is required by you.

2). Defer your DD for an initial 1 month period, if you choose this option we will respond with a separate email to confirm your next payment date. If the club continues to be closed after this 1 Month term we will contact you again before that payment is due to defer the payment for a further period of time.

3). Continue to pay your DD on the due date, but pay 50% of the monthly amount to support your club.

4). Continue to pay your DD on the due date and the money you pay can be exchanged for 1-2-1 personal training sessions. For example, if you pay £25 per month and we're closed for 2 months, you would get 2 x 45 minute PT sessions. Drop me a message and we can arrange this.

Everybody who sustains their direct debit or standing order (even at 50% of the monthly amount) during this temporary closure will be exempt from all future price increases and will retain any special offers (including our 2-4-1 offer) indefinitely.

Not everybody pays through the same direct debit company. Some people pay by standing order. Please contact me if you're not sure.

We know that training at home is not as good as training in the club but don't forget that any member whose payments are live can still have online personal training, either 1-to-1 or in groups.

As we said, we really appreciate all the members that have been able to continue their payments. They have allowed us to invest in the club and ensure we can reopen for you and our staff in the strongest possible position.

If we all abide by the rules the Government will be able to relax these restrictions - and will be hopefully be back to normal.

Stay in touch with us on socials and we will keep you updated.

For any further information please email: woodlandsfitness@yahoo.co.uk.

Yours in fitness,

Giles


Is there protein in whole grains?

Whole grains are generally higher in calories and lower in protein than legumes but should absolutely be included as part of a balanced plant-based diet.

Per cup, they each contain less than a gram of saturated fat, are a great source of dietary fibre (for healthy bowels amongst other things) and, more surprisingly, often a source of iron too.

Raw oats:

Using oats as a base for a low-sugar muesli is a great start to the day. 1 cup of raw oats provides 10.6g of protein as well as 19% of your recommended daily allowance (RDA) of iron. Once cooked, though, they lose almost half their protein value.

Teff, Kamut & Amaranth:

Teff, kamut and amaranth are certainly lesser known amongst the whole grains. Teff is a grass seed commonly found in Ethiopia and now available in health stores in the UK.

Cooked, a cup yields almost 10g of protein, 29% and 9.5% of your RDAs of iron and calcium respectively.

Kamut and Amaranth are easier to find and grown worldwide, offering up similar amounts of protein and 17% and 29% of your iron RDA.

Whole wheat pasta:

Switching out white pasta for the whole wheat version increases your protein intake by 2 grams and doubles your iron intake as a percentage of your RDA.

Buckwheat:

A cup of buckwheat — actually a gluten-free seed — will provide you with 5.7 grams of protein and almost as much dietary fibre.

Buckwheat is another good source of iron and a range of other vitamins and minerals, including manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, niacin, zinc, folate, and vitamin B6. It is a great replacement for rice or pasta, either as it comes or in noodle-form.

Wild & brown rice:

Rice is our final grain. It is the lowest in protein but wild and brown rice are whole grains (white rice has its grain and bran removed meaning it raises the blood sugar more quickly and loses some of its nutritional value).

They are both a good source of carbohydrate and healthy calories that we need in order to utilise protein from elsewhere.

Brown rice also provide us with magnesium while wild rice (technically a seed) brings in the omega 3.

I hope all of the above makes sense but if you have any questions please come and ask me.


What Is Overtraining?

Overtraining syndrome is a condition that occurs when the body is pushed (through exercise) beyond its natural ability to recover.

Importantly, it's not to be confused with mere tiredness, which is to be expected whenever you are engaged in a comprehensive workout regime.

Overtraining doesn't happen immediately; it takes several weeks to become overtrained. The technical term for training that can lead to overtraining is called "overreaching."

However, research shows that if your diet is adequate in calories, protein, carbs, as well as the right supplements, then you can actually capitalise on overreaching and turn it into a way to grow bigger and stronger.

Several studies have shown that when subjects overreach for several weeks, during the two weeks following, they grow significantly bigger and stronger while taking it easy.

The key is to stop the overreaching just before it turns into overtraining.

Use a workout program for 6 weeks.

After week 6, I suggest you take it fairly easy on your arms and train them just once that week before getting back into any serious training programs.

I hope all of the above makes sense but if you have any questions please come and ask me.









Exercise of the week: Dumbbell Straight-Leg Deadlift

This exercise works the Hamstrings, Glutes lower back and Traps.

Hold a pair of dumbbells in front of you with an overhand grip, palms facing the body.

Hinge forward at your hips, slightly bending the knees, lowering the dumbbells to the ground without allowing your back to round.

Brace your core.

Lift back to the starting position.

Repeat the move for 10-15 reps before switching sides. Complete 3-4 sets.

I hope all of the above makes sense but if you have any questions please come and ask me.


Kidney bean curry

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 small pack coriander, stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly shredded
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground paprika
2 tsp garam masala
400g can chopped tomatoes
400g can kidney beans, in water
Cooked basmati rice, to serve

Method:

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a low-medium heat.

Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to colour.

Add the garlic, ginger and coriander stalks and cook for a further 2 mins, until fragrant.

Add the spices to the pan and cook for another 1 min, by which point everything should smell aromatic.

Tip in the chopped tomatoes and kidney beans in their water, then bring to the boil.

Turn down the heat and simmer for 15 mins until the curry is nice and thick.

Season to taste, then serve with the basmati rice and the coriander leaves.

Enjoy!


Useless Facts

Most lipstick contains fish scales!
Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn't wear pants!

There are more than 10 million bricks in the Empire State Building!

Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand!

The placement of a donkey's eyes in its' heads enables it to see all four feet at all times!






The Woodlands Fitness Centre Ltd
A: Unit 27, Molyneux Business Park, Darley Dale, Derbyshire, DE4 2HJ
T: (01629) 733 123
E: woodlandsfitness@yahoo.co.uk
W: www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk