Good Gym: Local blogger Leah Lockhart and I have started an Edinburgh Good Gym. It’s based on the original Good Gym in London http://www.goodgym.org and involves meeting up with people in your area, going for a run and along the way stopping to do something good for the community. Join us at http://www.facebook.com/goodgymedinburgh  and come along to our first date at 10am on Saturday May 5. Heavy lifting and digging will be involved, check out the event information at http://www.facebook.com/events/405065462853788

Here’s a wee Evening News article on Good Gym in Edinburgh http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-news/top-stories/fitness-fanatics-to-channel-energy-for-good-of-community-1-2155504

Healthy Living Event: Last month we had a stall at Hanover Health’s annual event, and I led a wee aerobic ‘energiser’ session after lunch. It really got the room moving, as you can see from this photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hanoverhealthfoods/6959445187/in/photostream

My monthly articles in the very fine Leither magazine can be found at http://www.leithermagazine.com/author/tracy – with a very loose fitness theme!

It’s always nice to get a mention, and here Harper’s Bazaar magazine has included me in the top 6 body trainers in the UK.

http://www.harpersbazaar.co.uk/beauty-health/beauty-specials/six-of-the-best-body-trainers-79443

The Healthy Living Yearbook continues to sell well and we’re planning a second edition for 2013. We have some extra retailers now, all listed on www.healthylivingyearbook.com. Newest additions at Tattie Shaw’s Greengrocer at the top of Leith Walk at 35 Elm Row. Also Bliss gifts, 5 Raeburn Place, have become our first Stockbridge stockist. It looks like Achilles’ Heel, Glasgow,  will be stocking the HLY from September and we’re looking at retailers in Glasgow and further afield. As you’re online now, the easiest way to order your Healthy Living Yearbook is directly through the website www.healthylivingyearbook.com (only £9.99 with free UK p & p).

And the Personal Training is going strong as we approach peak race season. I currently have some weekday day time availability, and Raymond the PT is available weekends at the studio too. So if you’ve been thinking about getting fit, perhaps Olympic year is the year for you to go for it! Simply email me at iwantto@getfitandenjoyit.com and we can book you in to get trim, toned and terrific.

There are three main forms of exercise:

1.  Cardiovascular (pulse raising) like running or swimming
2. Strength (weight bearing), this can be either body weight exercises (i.e. press ups) or using resistance (i.e. weights)
3. Flexibility, or stretching

A good exercise programme will encompass all three.

Firstly, cardio is important not only for burning calories, but also training your heart (it’s a muscle that can be trained to become stronger) and burning body fat. If you undertake regular cardio, you might find you get repetitive strains. For example runners might get sore legs, cyclists, sore shoulders. This can occur especially if you are doing a lot of the same type of exercise, for example preparing for a marathon. Knots and strains can build up into muscle pain with time, and regular massage helps ease these points of tension and speed up recovery time. Leg massage is essential for serious runners, and will also address any muscular imbalances.

Secondly, strength exercises tone muscles by putting them under resistance.  When challenging the muscles to work against a resistance, the muscle fibres actually experience miniscule rips and tears. It is the consequent healing of these muscle fibres bigger and stronger than before that creates growth in the muscle tissue. If you imagine scar tissue, you get the general idea. It sounds painful, but this is good, as it means your body heals stronger than before. A strength programme progresses by slowly increasing the resistance the body works against. You will understand also the importance of rest and good nutrition if you understand that exercise puts your body under a certain stress that it needs to recover from (hence ‘rest days’ in a weights programme).

Flexibility does assist stretching the muscle fibres so that the individual doesn’t end up with tight muscles. However sometimes even a good stretch is not enough. Personally I stretch my major muscle groups twice a day, however after a busy week of fitness, a good massage is what my body cries out for. Massage helps rid the body of built up toxins (lactic acid in the muscles is a by-product of exercise), and also assists the healing process. Add to that, it just feels lovely and relaxing. It is a true reward for sticking to your exercise programme. And yes, you’re worth it!

Personal Trainer Tracy Griffen runs Griffen Fitness, 3 Balfour Street, and is also the author of the newly published Healthy Living Yearbook, full of seasonal fitness ideas and easy healthy recipes.

www.getfitandenjoyit.com

www.healthylivingyearbook.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/tracygriffen

Facebook: www.facebook.com/griffenfitness

Healthy Living Yearbook will give you lots of ideas on thriving with the seasons. Written by Personal Trainer Tracy Griffen who specialises in designing personalised exercise programmes to fit in with busy lives, it’s jam-packed with lots of hints and tips to look and feel great throughout the year.

* What’s good to eat in season

* Easy healthy seasonal recipes

* Resisting temptation hints for those times when indulgence beckons

* Fitness ideas no matter the weather

* Realistic information on nutrition, wellbeing and exercise

If you need some motivation to live a little healthier, this is the book for you. Get fit and enjoy it!

192 pages of full colour inspiration….

“If you want to make 2012 the year you become fit and healthy this is the book for you.”

Bite Magazine, December 2011

 You can purchase yours for £9.99 (with free UK delivery) from www.healthylivingyearbook.com

Edinburgh stockists

Edinburgh Shiatsu Clinic, 40 Comiston Road, http://www.edinburghshiatsuclinic.co.uk

Elvis Shakespeare, 347 Leith Walk, http://www.elvisshakespeare.com

Inner City Sanctum, 240 Leith Walk, http://innercitysanctum.co.uk

La Cerise, 199 Great Junction Street,  http://www.lacerise.biz

Leith Cycle Co, 276 Leith Walk, http://www.leithcycleco.com

Robert Stone Therapeutics, 27 Montagu Terrace, http://www.robertstonetherapeutics.co.uk

Sublime Hair Design, 16 Grassmarket, http://www.sublimehairdesign.com

Word Power, 43 – 45 West Nicholson Street, http://www.word-power.co.uk

Also from all five branches of Waterstone’s in Edinburgh: Ocean Terminal, Fort Kinnaird, Cameron Toll, George Street, West End… and from Amazon.

Get fit and enjoy it!

Whenever I see roast chestnuts for sale on the street, I have to stop and indulge in one of my favourite festive treats. Juggling shopping bags as I shell the hot nuts whilst walking down the street, there’s always one at the bottom that is impossible to open. And beware the bad nut!

Poetic license aside, chestnuts are the winter king of nut. There’s a whole genus of chestnut trees, however it is the fruit of the sweet chestnut variety that is most edible and has been an important food stuff throughout history. Whilst they taste completely indulgent, they are the lowest in calories and fats of all nuts [180 calories, 2.74g fat per 100 g]. Chestnuts are high in carbohydrates, balanced in proteins and are an excellent source of trace minerals including potassium, iron, zinc (important for your immune system) and manganese; they compare with brown rice in nutritional value. In other words, they’re a wonderfully healthy winter snack.

If you’re buying them to prepare at home, choose shiny, firm and unblemished chestnuts, a sign of freshness. Store in the fridge, and use as soon as possible. Using a very sharp knife, score a cross on the rounded side of each chestnut. Preheat the oven to 200C and place in an oven tray in the middle shelf. Roast for 20 minutes, then remove and place directly into a bowl lined with a clean tea-towel. Wrap the towel around the chestnuts and leave for 5 – 10 minutes (this helps steam the shells so they loosen). Gently crush down on the towel before unwrapping. Shell and enjoy.

Instead of roasting, you can boil for twenty minutes. Cooked and peeled chestnuts can then be used in recipes including stuffings, desserts, soups, salads and much more. I think fresh chestnuts taste completely different to canned or vacuum sealed chestnuts. Enjoy them now whilst they are still in season, and have a very happy and healthy festive season from Griffen Fitness…

If you would like more seasonal hints and tips for the Scottish year, check out personal trainer Tracy Griffen’s ‘Healthy Living Yearbook’, only £9.99 online at www.healthylivingyearbook.com – a perfect Christmas present for your loved one…

-          Investigate classes: aerobics and dance classes are a fun and sociable way to while away a chilly evening.

-          Runners need to invest in some high viz gear for running in the dark. If you find running in the dark demotivational, perhaps plan a longer run on the weekend in daylight, and be sure to get out for a walk or jog at lunch.

-          Likewise, it is imperative if you’re cycling to wear high viz and have working bike lights. If the weather gets icy, let down your tyres a bit for extra grip on the road, and be extra careful with braking distance and turning corners.

-          You can always turn your bicycle into an indoor exercise bike using a turbo trainer attachment.

-          Go for a swim at your local swimming bath. A favourite winter trick for Antipodeans is to retreat to the sauna for a warm up.

-          Invest in some fast-wicking underlayers to keep warm and dry when exercising outdoors. My purchase of the year is toasty warm Bridgedale wool walking socks.  If the winter is going to be as harsh as predicted, it makes sense to invest in a pair of YakTrax or similar before the snow starts. These are ice grips that can be fitted onto the sole of your everyday shoes that make walking in the snow and ice safer, quicker and more enjoyable. All of these are available from a good outdoor shop (Tiso on Rose Street or Leith is a Scottish-owned outdoor chain).

-          Getting outdoors each day into some green space is a proven way to help alleviate the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Make it a priority to get outdoors everyday no matter the weather.

-          A home cooked breakfast or porridge is an ideal start to your day, and will provide you with energy for the day.

-          Be sure to pack your lunch and healthy snacks to ensure that you don’t reach for calorific comfort food. A small handful of almonds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts and dried fruit are an ideal energy giving cold weather snack. Remember a portion size is only a small handful, not the entire packet!

If you would like more hints and tips about staying fit throughout the Scottish year, check out personal trainer Tracy Griffen’s ‘Healthy Living Yearbook’, only £9.99 online at www.healthylivingyearbook.com – a perfect Christmas present for your loved one…

- fresh fruit, chop it up to make it more appealing.

- carrot sticks and hommous

- oatcakes with cream cheese and herbs, or blue cheese and apple

- a bowl of cereal. Great if you’re watching the tellie…

- homemade popcorn (with a little salt, no butter)

- a mix of sunflower and pumpkin seeds

- wholemeal pita bread with salad

- a small handful of almonds

- an apple (the pectin in it will help you feel full)

- lovely sweet cherry tomatoes

- natural yoghurt with chopped fruit, or flavoured low fat yoghurt

- wholegrain toast with marmite

- half an avocado

- homemade flapjacks

- edamame beans (frozen soy beans in pods from a Chinese supermarket)

- for meat eaters, beef jerky is high in protein and low in fat, but can be high in salt

Try healthy samples at my Real Food event

Personal Trainer Tracy Griffen will be running a Healthy Eating evening at Real Foods, Broughton Street on Wednesday 19^th October from 7.30pm – 9pm. Come and learn about how to stay slim over winter, and enjoy tasters, a guided tour of Tracy’s favourite secret ingredients with a free goody bag at the end. All for only £5! 

Check out http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=148834061871345 for full event details and how to get your tickets…

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese system for healing, re-balancing, cleansing and preventing illness through the insertion of needles at specific points in the body. It is based on the belief that all living things have an energy (called Qi- pronounced Chi) that flows through the body along specific channels or meridians.  These meridians are connected to organs within the body and also to specific emotional states.

However these channels become blocked over time by the toxins that we take in, as well as from the general stresses and strains of everyday life. When our Qi becomes blocked it can affect our physical, psychological and emotional health. By placing needles at certain points along these meridians, the Qi can become unblocked and flow freely, restoring balance and well-being.

The theory behind ear acupuncture is that the whole body can be mapped on to the ear.  Within the NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) protocol only five needles are inserted into each ear. These five points are concerned with cleansing the body of toxins and restoring emotional balance.

What is it good for?

Ear acupuncture is an excellent method of detoxing and rebalancing.  It is particularly useful for:

Addictions
Anxiety
Balance/Harmony
Concentration
Depression
Detox
Digestion
Energy levels
Menstruation
Mood swings
Morning Sickness
Muscle aches
Relaxation
Sleep
Smoking
Stress

What does the session include?

The session is limited to a maximum of eight people.  Each person will receive an auricular acupuncture treatment (using sterile surgical steel, disposable needles).  While sitting calmly in a quiet atmosphere, with essential oils and relaxing music, you will be taken through a guided meditation.  The meditation is based on the Buddhist concept of mindfulness which teaches us to let go of our racing thoughts and inner chatter (known as monkey mind!) and focus on the present, helping the mind to become peaceful and calm. The whole session lasts around 45 minutes.

What does it feel like?

The needles are very fine so you should hardly feel them going in. You may experience a pleasant, warm, tingly feeling. Clients describe acupuncture as a unique kind of balancing experience. Often saying they feel “relaxed yet alert”. Some people may feel very energised after a session while others may feel a little drowsy.  Overall people describe a sense of improved well-being.

Curious? Give it a try every Thursday at Griffen Fitness. Remember to reserve your place by emailing Tracy.

The TRX is a go-anywhere fitness device designed by an American ex-Navy Seal that uses gravity as a resistance. It’s basically two seatbelt-like straps that hang from an anchor – not a new idea, but pitched to a new market. The nifty thing about the TRX is that you can hang it from pretty much anywhere and exercises are good fun to do. The Griffen Fitness TRX is hanging off a door anchor on a very sturdy internal door in the studio, but you can also take it outside and use it hanging from a tree, fence, flagpole etc. You can read more on the origins of TRX at Wikipedia or check out the TRX website at www.trx-fitness.com

If you have ever seen the physique of gymnasts using the suspended rings, you get the idea of how hanging around can have it’s benefits. Now, of course not everyone is an Olympic athlete, so TRX exercises can be adjusted according to your strength. As a rule of thumb, the more horizontal you are on the TRX, the more work your muscles do.

So far I have found it a very useful tool for toning upper body, and offering alternatives to body weight exercises. It challenges the core as you use lots of stabilising muscles whilst executing the exercises. Whilst some trainers are doing entire workouts on the TRX, I am using it as an alternative to body weight exercises. It’s always good to have variety in a fitness programme, and the TRX can add a bit of suspended animation to your workout.

You can try the TRX training system at the Griffen Fitness studio as part of a comprehensive fitness programme. See www.griffenfitness.com for more information…

Scheduled rest days are crucial to allow the body to recover from exercise. Muscle builds by experiencing tiny rips and tears with exercise. It is the subsequent healing of these muscle fibres, bigger and stronger than before, that makes you stronger. You body is adapting to exercise. If you don’t have a day off, then it doesn’t have a chance to heal before you are working it again. Regular exercise at an appropriate level with rest days is the most reliable method to use. An injured body will not want to continue a fitness programme.

With this in mind, I was proud that I had never had a sick day from work since I started my fitness business in 2005. I usually take two rest days off work a week (weekends), where I focus on relaxation rather than exertion. I still haven’t had a day off sick, but I have sustained an injury by not following my own advice.

It’s a bit embarrassing to admit that I managed to pinch an intervertebral disc (otherwise known as a ‘slipped disc’) in my upper back from overdoing it at a recent ‘Extreme Kettlebells’ workshop. It was a bit of a crazy situation, as instead of resting the previous weekend, Andy and I had a weekend of mountain biking and hill walking. So I’d done a full week’s Personal Training, then an adventure weekend, then another full week’s Personal Training, then a full weekend Extreme Kettlebells course involving swinging heavy Kettlebells for around six hours per day. What bit of that plan sounds sensible?

It’s all very easy to see in retrospect that I’d pulled my shoulder when mountain biking in high winds. As I was working all week I didn’t give it a chance to heal, so by the following weekend of Kettlebells, my upper body strength was already compromised. I even mentioned it to the Kettlebells instructor at the start of the course, and he told me to “just do what you can”. I should have listened to my body! Your body needs at least one day off intense exercise a week. That doesn’t need to be blobbing on the sofa, but taking it easy – even if it’s just a wee walk. So lesson learnt, and passed onto you good folks, now it’s time for the bit about….

How to build up fitness again
Do you work through injury?

It is very frustrating when you build up a good level of fitness and then get injured, as the most effective road to recovery is rest. I do not believe in working through an injury, as injuries occur as the body is in imbalance. Unless you are able to address the imbalance, the injury is likely to recur. So with that in mind, I’ve recently had three weeks off cycling and weightlifting.  I tried cycling, but the numbness in my fingers indicated nerve damage that needed complete rest. Frustrating! I’ve focussed on neck strengthening exercises that my physiotherapist showed me. I had overused my upper back, and so had to give it complete rest. I even ‘talked’ with my left shoulder, explaining that I had made a mistake in overusing it and that I was very, very sorry. I would learn to be more gentle with my shoulder in future. The result? My back is (nearly) OK after four weeks, rather than the six week time span predicted.

My hints for returning from injury:
1.    As soon as possible, apply a cool compress. Remember the First Aid mantra R.I.C.E. – rest, ice, compression, elevation. Applied straight away this can help prevent the injury worsening.

2.    Rest the injury: you may need to rearrange your life to accommodate this. Some people believe in working through the injury. Personally I believe rest is best. If you work in an office, remember that even though it might not directly affect your work, you may feel more tired.

3.   Pain is the body’s way of telling you that something is wrong. Listen to it.

4.    Get extra sleep: the body repairs itself when you are asleep, so what better reason for getting an hour or two’s extra kip? I factored in daytime naps between morning and evening PT sessions. Obviously not everyone can nip home in the middle of the day, so be disciplined in getting to bed earlier.

5.    Eat well: extra protein and hydration will help the body repair itself. Make sure you eat a least five fresh fruit and veg a day (more is good). You can add in a multivitamin, just in case. If you’re feeling drained, try a good Vitamin B Complex supplement.

6.    Follow instructions: I highly recommend going to a private professional (don’t wait for the NHS). I use Edinburgh Physiotherapy who are wonderful. Yes, it costs extra, but it saves me recovery time and therefore money. And then be sure to follow their advice!

7.    You might need to change the kind of exercise you do. Many folk get lower leg injuries from imbalances when running on tarmac. Swap it for something low impact. Try working out in water, it cushions the body wonderfully and has a cooling effect. Water physiotherapy (hydrotherapy) is being used more widely in Australia and it’s only a matter of time until it’s used here. You can exercise around the injury, but be aware of how the injured part may be affected.

8.    Give yourself time: it can be frustrating waiting for the body to recover, but essential. I had hoped to catch up on some writing, but I discovered that even typing was painful, so I had to rethink that one. Give yourself time to do the everyday things in life – even getting bus money out my purse took longer (no cycling!), so I felt I was always running late. The more patient you are, the quicker you will heal. For long term conditions, this can be frustrating, especially if you find yourself putting on weight and losing muscle tone.

9.    Learn the lesson. Try and work out what caused the injury and address it. For lower leg issues (i.e. knee / ankle), a trip to a podiatrist may uncover a biomechanical cause. You may need different running shoes, or to be careful with certain movements. You may also need to strengthen up the area to help prevent it recurring.

10.    Increase intensity slowly. It’s likely you will not be as fit as you were before the injury. Keep this in mind and slowly increase distances and intensity. You may also need extra rest days (note to self).

This was the featured article for the July Griffen Fitness newsletter.
You can receive all of Personal Trainer Tracy Griffen’s fitnesss articles directly to your Inbox by signing up for her free monthly fitness newsletter at http://www.getfitandenjoyit.com

Ingredients – Large loaf measurements indicated (medium loaf in brackets)

370 mL water (300mL)
10mL lemon juice (10mL)
30mL sunflower oil (22mL)
175g rye flour (125g)
500g unbleached white bread flour (375g)
2 tbsp skimmed milk powder (1.5 tbsp)
2 tsp salt (1.5 tsp)
4 tsp brown sugar (1 tbsp)
1.5 tsp easy=blend dried yeast (1tsp)
Optional: a variety of
2 tsp caraway seeds (1.5 tsp)
small handful sunflower seeds
small handful porridge oats (for a crunchy crust)
lemon rind to flavour
mixed herbs

- Add the liquid to the breadpan
- Sprinkle over the flours and flavourings
- In separate corners, add the skimmed milk powder, sugar and salt
- Make a well in the middle, but not as far down as the liquid, and add the yeast.
- Set the bread machine to basic / normal setting, dark crust.

Do you have a good breadmaker recipe? email me through my website at www.griffenfitness.com/contactform.html