healthy Archives | Page 5 of 6

Five Apps to Help with Clean Eating

July 31, 2015November 1, 2018 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

We at TruBe know that maintaining a consistently clean and healthy diet is a tough challenge and sometimes we need some extra help to keep us on track. Luckily, there are hundreds of apps and programs to help us. We’ve tried a number of them and wanted to share our five favourites with you.

MyFitnessPal

Tracking what you eat throughout the day can take up a lot of your precious time. Especially when you have to work out how much carbohydrate, fats and proteins you have eaten. With MyFitnessPal all you need to do is scan the barcode or type in what you are eating and this amazing app will do all the calculations for you.

Superfood

If you need to add a particular superfood to your diet or want to add a variety of superfoods then is the app you need. This app allows you to search recipes based around individual superfoods as well as giving you the nutritional breakdown of each recipe. You can also browse the list of superfoods to discover new ones to add to your diet.

Deliciously Ella

Deliciously Ella is well known for creating some of the tastiest and healthiest recipes around. All recipes are gluten free and refined sugar free, which helps keep ingredients natural. The includes a healthy take on many traditionally unhealthy desserts such as banoffee pie and sweet potato brownies.

Fooducate

This fantastic app will give the nutritional breakdown of most supermarket products. All you have to do is scan the barcode and the app will grade the item from A (super healthy) to F (very unhealthy). .

Jamie’s Recipes

Jamie Oliver is well known for his use of good natural ingredients, easy to follow and delicious recipes, hence the nickname “The Naked Chef.” Jamie’s app provides a mouthwatering variety of recipes using lots of fresh produce. Some of his recipes may verge on the unhealthy side so be sure to choose with caution.

Now that your nutrition is taken care of, download our app and let TruBe help you with your workouts.

Meet our trainers and book a personalised fitness session tailored to your needs!

How to Decrease Cortisol Levels

July 24, 2015November 1, 2018 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

Living in London can be hectic to say the least. When you’re not working, you’re most likely socialising in one of the many bars and restaurants the city has to offer. All of which can cause more stress and give you very little time to destress.

Stress rarely has a positive impact on the body and one of the many negative side effects is the production of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol can decrease your immunity leaving you open to infections and illnesses. It can also break down muscle, bone and connective tissue, which isn’t ideal if you’re trying to build muscle, tone or strength. Lastly it can increase your abdominal fat deposition.

If you cannot avoid stress, how do you decrease your inevitably high cortisol levels?

Eat the right foods

If you make the right choices in the kitchen, you can protect your body from the effects of cortisol and also reduce the amount of cortisol. Foods such as blueberries, dark chocolate and black tea contain antioxidants which are great for reducing inflammation caused cortisol. Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish, avocados and eggs, will also fight off any inflammation giving your immune system a helping hand. Citrus fruits contain very high levels of vitamin C. Vitamin C helps your body rebuild proteins, which makes it the perfect partner to combat the breakdown of muscle tissue caused by cortisol.

Listening to the right music

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to listen to calm, soothing music. It can be anything that will take your mindset away from stressors. If dance, heavy metal or reggae music makes you feel happy, then take the escape.

Get more sleep

Trying to get an early night may be easier said than done. However the research suggests that if you get eight hours of sleep rather than six, it can reduce your cortisol levels by around 50 percent!

Box your troubles away
Hitting some pads, with great form, as hard as you can is the perfect way to release some tension. Exercising in such an intense and exhilarating manner releases an injection of endorphins into your brain. Endorphins are the body’s natural mood elevators and painkillers. Our TruBe trainers include British, European and world champions, all of whom will be sure to give you a great work out! Why not book a session?

Laughter is the best medicine
As Charlie Chaplin once said “Laughter is the tonic, the relief, the surcease for pain.” With that in mind do whatever makes you laugh and seek regular doses of it.

Get a massage
A relaxing massage not only soothes away your troubles by putting your mind at rest, the increase in circulation also helps to reduce the physical results of stress. By manipulating muscle tissue, new pathways to take fluids like cortisol out of the body, can be opened.

Yoga
Allow your central nervous system to recover using the the relaxing flows of yoga. Combine this with controlled, steady breathing patterns to move away from the short sharp breaths related to stress. Finishing with five minutes of pranayama breathing will give your mind something to focus on instead of the stressors in your life and leave you feeling refreshed. Take some time to destress by booking a yoga session.

TruBe also has other fitness disciplines which can be tailored to your needs. You can also book a TruBe Pilates and Ballet Barre session as well as yoga, boxing and kickboxing. Download the app now and book a session!

Don’t forget you can also invite up to two friends absolutely FREE!

Introducing Personal Trainer and Parkour Fitness Specialist, Rowena R

July 16, 2015November 1, 2018 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

Rowena is one of our most creative trainers, regularly practicing the art of parkour. She has a great understanding of how the body moves and like most great trainers, practices what she preaches on a daily basis.

What is your biggest client success story?
I worked with a weight loss client who managed to drop from a size 20 to a size 10 by changing her lifestyle and nutrition. When we started she was extremely self conscious and embarrassed by her low fitness levels. It was great to see her confidence grow as the months went by. Her posture improved, she treated herself to a new wardrobe and actually started to enjoy the sessions! She recently ran her first 10k and has progressed from a 20 second plank on her knees to a 90 second full plank.

What do you enjoy about being a part of the TruBe Team?
I love the philosophy behind the app and the fact it caters to today’s modern lifestyles. I love the use of functional exercise in the signature workouts as this is something I am very passionate about. I encourage all my clients to be strong for a reason! I also really enjoy teaching the barre workouts as I can draw upon my background as a professional dancer.

Your favourite piece of TruBe equipment?
The suspension trainer; as it’s so versatile and can be used both in and outdoors. It is great for core strength and adds an extra dimension to body weight training, enabling you to work through a greater range of motion without losing form.

What was your last health and fitness obstacle and how did you overcome it?
In September last year, I had surgery on both my knees and was on crutches for 2 months. This was a challenging time as I am normally so active. The surgery was quite invasive and I was left with a lot of scar tissue to work with but I was determined to make a full recovery. I’m happy to say the hard work paid off and I am now stronger than before and have a newly found confidence in my knees.

Tell us something we don’t know about you?
I lived in Cuba for 2 years, speak fluent Spanish and dance a mean salsa!

What is your favourite instagram account you follow?
GMB fitness – as they offer great tutorials

What is your favourite motivational quote?
Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live in.

What was your latest qualification?
Parkour UK ‘Parkour fitness Specialist’. Taking the principles of free running and parkour training into a fitness context.

How do you treat yourself?
With a pair of new workout leggings. I have a ridiculously large collection of colourful leggings, but there is always room for one more pair!

What is the best piece of advice you have received from a mentor?
If it doesn’t challenge you it won’t change you.

How do you find balance in your life?
I’ve learnt to be very strict about my days off work and rest days from training. Duvet day is sacred! It’s so important to take time out for myself and to give my body a chance to rest, yet not always easy to stick to. When I feel like I need a break I’ll take some time out for a walk by the river and a nice long stretch in the sun.

To book a session with Rowena, download the app and find her as one of our featured trainers.

Ten Reasons to Have a Personal Trainer On Demand

July 10, 2015July 22, 2017 Alex Coombes1 Comment

Exercising at home or in your local park is something we have all considered and even attempted, however it’s not as easy as it sounds. We believe that with a little bit of help you can achieve any fitness outside of the gym. There are many reasons why you may need someone to help you with your training outside of a gym; here are our top ten reasons.

You’re Time Poor
In London, long working hours are the norm and in a city where there is always something to do, usually involving drinking and eating, it is hard to squeeze in a workout. A mobile trainer will come to you, at your convenience.

You’re Expecting a Baby
Pregnancy is a tiring time and the last thing you want to do is leave your house and enter a busy gym. By ordering a trainer to come to your home you don’t need to worry about anything else except making the healthiest body for your baby.

You’re Injured
Being injured is a difficult time but it is still extremely important to keep exercising to maintain good circulation to deliver nutrients to the injured area. Some injuries will make it difficult to travel as you may have crutches, need a wheelchair or you’re just worried about being knocked over.

You’re A Work-At-Home Mum
Looking after children is a lot more than a full-time job and unless your gym has a creche it can be difficult to find the time to exercise. If your order a personal trainer to your home you can workout and keep an eye on the little ones at the same time.

Gyms Aren’t For You
The gym can be an intimidating place. An on-demand personal trainer can help you exercise just as well, if not better, from the privacy of your own home.

You Want to Make the Most of the Nice Weather
The sun can make rare appearances in London, but when it does London has some of the best parks to work out in. However, it is definitely easier to lie on the grass than to do push ups or sit ups, so a personal trainer that will meet you at the park will stop your workout turning into a picnic.

You’re an Exercise Newbie
If you are new to exercise the last place you want to go is somewhere full of judging eyes and so called “experts.” A personal trainer outside of the gym will help improve your fitness levels from the privacy of your own home.

You can Exercise with Friends
Healthy socialising is hard to come by in London. Ordering a personal trainer to meet you and your friends at a location convenient to all means that you focus on catching up and let the trainer worry about what set you’re going to do next.

You Get Distracted Easily
Home or park environments are littered with distractions that can prevent you from performing to your maximum. A good personal trainer will transform a dull, uninspired area into a focused, training arena.

You Need Fresh Inspiration
Training with your bodyweight requires a lot of creativity. Having an expert to train with can bring new ideas to your training to help you to push through plateaus and reach your goals.

TruBe trainers will travel anywhere in London bringing your workout to you. Its easy to book a session with our iPhone app. Download and book a session today.

Quick and Easy Healthy Proteins

July 3, 2015April 25, 2018 Alex CoombesLeave a comment

Our bodies are literally made out of proteins. When we exercise we use proteins to repair and rebuild muscle cells. Protein based foods can also be used to replace calorie dense foods when trying to burn fat. This can leave you fuller for longer. However remember that for effective protein digestion you must eat them with a small amount of good carbohydrates.

Choosing the healthiest protein foods is easy if you stick to organic and those without any unwanted added extras. We have made a list of our favourite proteinous foods and the best way to eat them!

Animal Proteins

Eggs – One of the best mixes of protein and good fats. A great go to breakfast and also a great high protein snack when hard boiled.

Beef Jerky – Jerky has a bad reputation for being unhealthy. But if you buy beef jerky from a good natural source it is packed full of protein and easy to eat on the go.

Turkey – Turkey breasts are easy to cook in bulk and can be ready to eat when you get home from the gym. It’s a great lean source of protein with only 1g of fat per 30g serving.

Seafood Proteins

Sardines – Sardines are great for adding to salads straight from the tin. Making it a quick and easy meal after late training sessions. Just squeeze a bit of lemon for some zing!

Salmon – Salmon is extremely high in omega 3 which is a very important nutrient for muscular recovery. Smoked salmon slices can be eaten on the go or baked salmon can be added to a summer salad to increase the protein in the meal.

Prawns – Pre cooked prawns are one of the easiest on-the -go proteins around. They are perfect for post gym recovery with around 22g of protein for a 85g portion and packed with omega 3 fatty acids.

Non Animal Proteins

Nuts – Raw nuts and good quality, organic nut butters can be eaten on the go or at the desk. Try peanut butter spread on apple slices for a natural energy kick.

Lentils – Lentils are full of Iron, Vitamin B, magnesium and are a good amount of protein for a plant based food. Try making a large batch of homemade spicy lentil soup then freezing it for an easy, nutritious meal.

Hummus – Made from mainly chickpeas, it’s a yummy high protein plant based protein. A great proteinous snack when eaten in small amounts and easy to make at home.

Quinoa – Quinoa is a carbohydrate with one of the highest protein values that can replenish energy levels as well as aid muscle recovery. Great to add into salads or to make quinoa breakfast pots.

Dairy

Greek yogurt – Greek yoghurt is loaded with calcium making it one of the best foods to keep bones strong and healthy. It also contains around 10g of protein per 100g serving. Try mixing it with frozen berries for extra vitamins and minerals.

Protein Shakes – The easiest alternative protein source to whole foods. You can go for standard whey protein or try a hemp protein for a dairy free option.

Got a favourite on the go protein snack? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

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