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Are you feeling constantly tired? These 5 things may be the cause:

1. DEHYDRATION --- even mild dehydration can make us feel tired and sluggish. It can sometimes be confused with hunger, so the next time you feel hungry - have a glass of water or two and then see how you feel!
2. MOBILE PHONES --- in today's society, you cant go anywhere without someone having their phone clamped to their ear or hand...we even take them to bed with us! Any electronic gadget's artificial blue light can suppress the sleep hormone Melatonin. A 2011 poll by the National Sleep Foundation found that 20 percent of people ages 19 to 29 are awakened by a call, text, or e-mail at least a few nights a week. TURN IT OFF!
3. MEDICATION --- some drugs helping with depression, migraines or high blood pressure can have energy-sapping side effects. Consult with your doctor and see if there is an alternative...if not, how about taking the medication right before bed time (always ask a doctor or medical practitioner first).
4. OVER TRAINING --- rest periods (outside of training) are as important as training itself. Let your body rest and repair. Too much constant training can increase the stress hormone, Cortisol.
5. LOW IRON --- this mineral is essential in helping transport oxygen around the body. If you're not getting enough you can sometimes feel fatigued - ask your doctor for a simple blood test to see whether you're a bit low. Foods high in iron consist of; dried herbs, liver, clams & mussels, roasted pumpkin seeds, sun dried tomatoes, sun dried apricots, turkey, beef, lamb.
   

Louise

Read more at Women's Health: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/taking-energy#ixzz28QGfZmhG

Have a heart!

As a Personal Trainer, I am often asked 'why?'...'Why is it good for me?', 'Why should I do that?', 'Why have you recommended that?'. One of the most common questions is; 'Why is doing more activity good for me?'. We are all told we should. We are know we should. But why!?

Being active is essential for a healthy heart for the simple reason that your heart is a muscle. Even if you haven't been active for some time, your heart can become stronger so it's able to pump more efficiently, giving you more stamina and greater energy. Becoming more active will also improve the ability of your body's tissues to extract oxygen from your blood, help you maintain healthy levels of blood fats and speed your metabolism.

If you are overweight, you're 80% more at risk of heart disease. The best way to control your weight is to eat a healthy diet and take regular exercise.

Three types of exercise are vital for all-round fitness: aerobic, resistance training and flexibility.

Aerobic training is anything that elevates your heart rate and gets your breathing rate up. This type of exercise means the body uses carbohydrates and fats as a source of energy, and is training your heart and lungs to be more efficient at extracting and using oxygen. It includes: walking, running, boxing, dancing, rowing etc.

Resistance training is anything that trains your muscles; improving strength, stamina or definition of the muscles. Not only does this type of training benefit the muscles of the body, it also helps strengthen the joints and bones - making them less prone to injury. This type of training is key to maintaining and/or losing weight - this is because it is muscles that burn more calories. It includes: resistance machines, resistance bands, free weights, body weight exercises, and even things like carrying heavy shopping!

Lastly, flexibility training is anything involving stretching to lengthen your muscles and keep you supple. By taking a little time out of a busy day for 5-10 mins per day, you will not only maintain or increase your flexibility, you will feel more relaxed and reduce tension throughout the body. Pilates or yoga are good things to get into to help flexibility, as well as having some assisted stretching in your Personal Training session.

I hope that this information has been useful - make sure you take some time to look after yourselves and lead a healthy, active lifestyle...You'll feel better for it. If you struggle for motivation, or just don't know where to start - remember that I, Louise Wright (The Wright Direction), am ready to help any ability, any age, any one, to achieve their goals and get fit, healthy and happy.

Louise :)





(Info source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/in_depth/heart/prevention_activity.shtml)