Depressive Illness: A Natural Treatment

With an estimated 1 in 4 people expected to experience mental health problems in the course of a year, it’s likely either you or one of your friends or family will suffer some type of depression or anxiety disorder.

Still taboo, the first step is definitely to seek help. This means you must go and see your GP. This will allow you to discuss your health. This might involve medication or counseling. From here - in conjunction with more tried and tested methods from your GP - you might find other types of intervention might help.

Perhaps the most misunderstood part of depressive illness is the fatigue. Due to the fact your limbic system fried - the part of your brain responsible for sleep-wake cycles, temperature control, temper control, eating patterns and hormones - but most notably mood - you’ll need to rest. There’s no other way around this. 

I’m particularly referencing stress-induced depression here. But, just because this is a mental illness and not a physical illness does not mean you shouldn’t take some time out to become well again. Whilst you’re feeling low you’ll need to rest.

With symptoms of depression including disrupted sleep, fluctuations in appetite, energy & enthusiasm, difficulty concentrating and memorising the first priority is to stop and recover.

To help recharge your batteries you’ll find eating better will help. Your priority in this instance is not to reduce calories or even to be too strict - remember if you’re suffering with stress-induced depression you’ll no doubt be feeling overwhelmed by your environment anyway - therefore to be to strict with a diet can increase your stress.

However, by including more whole unprocessed food you’ll begin to nourish your body. This might start by improving the quality of breakfast to something with a little more protein and healthy fats - which is good for your brain - this might be scrambled egg on toast.

You could look at getting more fruits and vegetables into your diet by having a salad at lunch. This could involve a little bit of chicken or fish for protein with avocado for healthy fats and simple and easy to make homemade dressing of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. 

You must remember the aim is not to reduce calories. That’s akin to trying to run a sports car on half the amount of fuel it needs. Functioning on empty will not serve your body at this stage. I understand losing a little bit of weight might improve your confidence and self-esteem - both important for treatment of depressive illness - but you’ll need to be sensible about this.

The knock on effect of eating more fibre for someone who is feeling low is improvement in digestive function. If you consider the mood elevating neurotransmitters are produced in the gut, if you are struggling with a sluggish digestive system then this could exacerbate your problems. 

It’s not uncommon for someone who is stressed to suffer a lack of appetite - and somewhat ironically the opposite can be true - sometimes you’ll not feel satiated from your food you eat and may not be able to stop! - if lack of appetite is true then sometime drinking your food can help. In this instance, a smoothie is ideal. By chucking your fruit and veg in a smoothie maker you’ll be able to consume your fibre and nourish your body without the anguish of trying to eat.

From here you might want to look at reducing the amount of stimulants in your diet - most notably coffee. If you’re looking for an elevation in mood, you might prop yourself up on caffeine. This can be a dicey game. This can also create more anxiety. Beyond one or two coffees a day, try switching to decaf. And, needless to say drinking a little more water will probably help.

When you’re feeling up to it you might try taking some exercise. Getting moving can give you a boost in happy hormones and improved your feeling of self. However, given your condition I’d advice caution with doing anything too challenging or strenuous. Exercise is stress and to add stress to a stressed out body can have adverse consequence.

To start with you might take a walk or try some mindful exercise like yoga. Be careful with yoga because some classes are different - some are faster and more powerful whilst others are slower and more relaxing - you want the slower one to start with. However, the fitter and stronger you feel means you might want to try something more challenging. 

Needless to say, regardless of your depressive illness or not, you might feel a degree of trepidation before taking exercise - especially if you lack fitness. Most people - myself included - don’t feel like taking exercise before you start your session - it’s not normal to exert yourself - but the feeling after makes it entirely worthwhile. 

If taking exercise seems like too much effort at this stage, then being active with your rest might be a better option. With free apps like Headspace available on your smart phone you should try a simple daily 10 minute meditation. With the focus on breathing and mindfulness this means you’re still taking steps towards getting better. 

From seeking help from a doctor to resting, eating more nutritious foods and taking exercise you have a number of nutritional supplements which can help too. Again, I stress these are only options. The cost and quality of supplements will vary.

The first supplement to consider is fish oil. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oils have been found to reduce the rates of depression. With many other benefits, fish oils improve cognitive function and is brilliant start point in terms of supplementation. 

Diminished in stressed individuals, vitamin B (or more specifically vitamin B-12) have been found to play a role in producing brain chemicals that affect mood and other brain functions. 

Like fish oil, vitamin D has been linked with many health benefits. Most notably in this instance, mental health. It’s not quite fully understood yet, but research links low levels of vitamin D symptoms of depression. 

Another commonly depleted nutrient associated with depression is vitamin C. Connected with mood changes, fatigue and lethargy, according to Nutrition Journal in 2003 supplementing with vitamin C can elevate mood-enhancing neurotransmitters.

Considered ‘the original chill pill’, the mineral magnesium’s benefits have been stated for many years. From a simple point of view that stressed people tend to struggle to stay asleep, magnesium induces a deeper nights sleep and reduce tension within muscles.

Looking at slightly less common nutritional supplements inositol seems to be quite effective. Without the support of science, inositol is reported to have a similar effect to antidepressants. However, beware one of the side-effects of inositol appears to be increase in libido... 

The only other supplement I’ll note in this article is psyllium husks. Available in capsule and powder form, this fibre supplement can improve your digestive system which can help production of vital neurotransmitters created in the stomach. 

Needless to say, there is a very important lifestyle issue to consider beyond the natural treatment of stress-induced depression. The unfortunate truth is for your health beyond a certain point you need to change something or learn to cope. Again, for support and advice around these areas you must speak to your doctor first and then a counselor (or vice versa). 

10 Ways To Cheat Yourself To Bigger Guns & The Perfect Fitness Photo

Me and my 32 year old baby...

It’s Boxing Day and rather than use this time to promote my upcoming online fitness and nutrition plan The Hot Body Project, or start promoting my other online plan The Athletic Body Project, I thought I’d use the time to respond to the hundreds of (well, tens of) supportive and hilarious friends who have chimed in on my new Facebook profile picture. 

Yesterday (Christmas Day) whilst sat in a meat coma with drink in hand, I decided to change my Facebook picture from one of me with my beautiful family at my sister-in-laws wedding 18 months ago to one from my recent adventure race; Judgement Day.

The look I was inadvertently going for...

Rather than holding my baby (an 18 month old William) I switched to a photo of me holding my other baby (a 32 year old bicep). And a tyre. On a wall. Looking moody / sexy. Or as one onlooker described, “serious-and-moody-whilst-wearing-a-sexy-hat look!” Which was nice because that’s the look I was going for.

The gun in question...

Anyway, amongst other supportive messages I had a... 

Even my wife chipped in...

Very complimentary, I think you’d agree. Except for the reference to my inability to ‘fix a flat’  (thank you, Rachel). Or my massage therapist (when I can't get an appointment with) claiming I have a ‘spare tyre’ and my brother-in-law doctoring it to make me look like Popeye.

Popeye

'fix a flat'

Can't get an appointment with her...

'I have achieved my perfect weight, just not in the right places!'

However, undeterred I gamely responded amidst cries of “photoshopping” knowing these were my friends and I never take myself to seriously...

But, when I woke this morning and saw and advert with Arnold Schwarzzeneggar (however you spell it) prospering advice about “building bigger arms” I felt I needed to chime in. 

My Hero: The Austrian Oak

Rather than telling you how I actually did it - hard work and dedication - I’d tell you some hard and fast rules I applied in this picture (some without knowing) to make you look hot.

1. Get a good photographer. Judgement Day offer the participants free photos. They’re great. The photographers, unlike at other races, are brilliant. This photographer is now my best friend.
2. Sit at the correct angle. A quarter turn is enough. The angle matters. Like Zoolander, you want them to get your good side.
3. Sit up high. It makes you feel grandiose. A little like Kim Jong Un. 
4. Look moody with a vacant stare. I didn’t know I was doing this, but it worked in my favor here. You can do this too. To help you, you need to get really tired. I did this on this occasion by running 10k up and down hills with a 20kg sand bags. I’m sure there are better ways, but play with a couple and see what works for you.
5. Get muddy. I got the look by wading through lakes, crawling through mud and putting a little on my face. It gives your skin a darker complexion.
6. Wear a really tight vest. If you want to look muscular this is important. Some would say more important than actually training and eating well. The vest I’m wearing is extra small. I could hardly breathe. It made the race tough, but I looked hot, and that’s importanter.
7. Get a tattoo and short hair. This isn’t essential, it’s just cool. But try it, it might work for you.
8. Carry a manly instrument. In this case I’ve got a tyre. You could try wood, a diet coke (think diet coke break), a gun or a drill. It doesn’t have to be functional, but it helps.
9. Have a sunbed. Some people might not like this, but it’s a factor. Like mud, but cleaner, a sunbed makes your skin thinner and appear more ‘healthy’. But don’t be swayed from your usual ‘6 minute a month’ sunbed to a 10 minute one. The orange looking woman in the shop (the one that flirted with me) is a bit of a shark. Don’t be tricked into that, unless you want a great picture.
10. Get your photographer (my best friend) to add a grainy finish. This is better than the mud and the orange tan for bringing on a flagging bicep. 

There you have it. Forget hard work and dedication. Sack off the training and meal prep. Don’t even consider lifting something or watching what you eat. Follow my ten step-fail-safe gun enhancer plan today and let me know how you get on.

I believe it can also work for abs, thighs and ass improvements too.

The Fit Green (Woking Bootcamp) take on Survival of the Fittest

The Fit Green (Woking Fitness Camp) take on Survival of the Fittest

The excitement and trepidation arriving at Woking Station was evident. A few seasoned pros, and a handful of newbies, with a coffee in hand we boarded the train.

We were on our way to Wembley to take on the Men’s Health Survival of the Fittest. An obstacle race which The Fit Green (Woking Fitness Camp) has taken on several times before. But this year it was different.

Having moved from Battersea to Wembley we knew we were in for a new challenge.

Led by matriarch - and part time secret agent - Fiona Sheridan we made the lengthy journey to a part of town known for it’s footballing exploits. 

Expertly led by Fiona...

Entertained by the need for photographic ID, some of us had a longer journey than others. 

By this I especially mean Brandon. He was new to racing, but a peak at his driving license picture - taken in January -when he was 6 stone heavier - gave us an indication of how far he’d come. 

Brandon has lost six stone since January

By his own admission back then he’d have struggled to walk the course - let alone run the complete distance - being on the start line was an achievement in itself.

The long journey was made all the more interesting by our other token ginger - Laura - who shared her luscious red locks with fellow handsome bald man Ben for pictures. 

Ban with hair...

Having made it to the venue we met with Mel (designated driver) and some others for team pictures / banter and several nervous wees...

Team Wee (except Roger)

Being a new race - and being in this part of town - it was difficult to know what to expect - and nobody was disappointed. 

The traversing of stadium concourse was tip of the iceberg. We were soon out of the grounds of the stadium where the organisers had clearly put some thought into the route. 

We made our way out along the river Brent (I think) and had a nice mix of urban areas and mud. 

We slid, climbed, waded and crawled eventually finding our way back into the familiar sight of Wembley Arch to the big wall to finish.

Having opened up a bit I enjoyed setting a good pace (for me) passing many of The Fit Green team en route. So when I hopped the wall at the end to see Jane (36) and Jan (age unknown) who I’d passed at the start I was a little bemused. Especially when they insisted they hadn’t taken a shortcut.

I was shortly followed by Marie (French) who had been suffering with a bad hip, Ben and Brandon. Being a little cold the guys quickly got themselves the other side of the barrier and into the warmth of the beer tent whilst I waited by the wall to help the rest of the team to finish.

Not long after Fiona, Roger and Carol - who for once didn’t take a shortcut - came through the finish line to rapturous applaud from the encouraging crowd - including our team photographers Anna (Amy, Kate or whatever she calls herself) and Sophily. 

Camera Shy... 

Having helped several strangers over the wall I then saw the beaming smile of Tabs clambering off the A-frame. By her own admission she wanted to kiss me. Being young, handsome and bald I thought this was due to my charm, but it turns out it was more to do with the fact I could help over the wall and she knew she had finished.

Tabs, Hannah, Mel & Marie

Escaping my attention Hannah - who is single and looking for love - was ably assisted by a handful of helpful men. A familiar theme for everyone in this type of race - men or women. 

This was quickly followed by the giggling gang of Tash and Josh (lookalikes) and Laura. And finally, Sophie and Anja.

Collecting our stuff, getting changed we headed into the beer tent where we toasted our success with a couple of quiet beers and several very loud ones. 

Beer...

With most of the team electing to hang around we sat in the warm comfortable atmosphere  reminiscing about our race highlights toasting our success. 

We had a brilliant day - everyone absolutely loved the race - and it was great fun to be there as part of a team. Bring on the next race...

www.TheFitGreen.com

The Ultimate Green Smoothie

If you’ve been watching me track my diet on MyFitnessPal or been following my Instagram you’ll notice I’ve been starting my day with a green smoothie.

I’ve been doing this for a couple of reasons...

1. I need to increase my dietary fibre. I have a daily target of 38g. The combination of kale, spinach, frozen berries and an apple gives 13g. 
2. Nitrates.

I’m not fond of nutritionism (the over analysis of food) because I think in a hectic stressful world with disrupted sleep, etc. focusing on individual micronutrients to the exclusion of others is a little short sighted. And looking at the bigger picture can often be a more important.

However, if the examine.com guide to exercise performance is to be believed increasing you nitrates by consuming leafy green vegetables can improve anaerobic (repeated short bursts of intense efforts) and aerobic (longer durations) endurance.

In short, nitrates break down in to nitrites which circulate in the body and are turned into nitric oxide. Elevated nitric oxide improve blood flow and work output.

By improving energy production in cells this is very important for exercise performance.

Whilst examine.com is an independent company set up to scientifically analyze the supplement industry it seems you cannot supplement nitrates due to regulation surrounding sodium nitrate, a food additive frequently added to meat products.

Therefore you’re encouraged to hit your target by consuming leafy greens by incorporating them in your pre workout meal in liquid form 60-120 minutes before exercise.

The research states 500g is enough to seek performance benefits, but I’m afraid I fall a little short. Even with my commitment to improved exercise performance and health I can only squeeze in 200g of green leafy vegetables without it being too disgusting to consume and being too expensive to bother.

But undeterred, I feel the lesser dose will serve me well, and comes with other fringe benefits because green leafy vegetables are a great source of calcium and can aid with liver detoxification.

On a little aside, if you’re taking blood thinning medication warfarin you must consult your doctor due to high levels of vitamin k in green leafy vegetables.

Lately I’ve noticed a renaissance in smoothie making mainly due to the popularity of the nutribullet which by all accounts is the latest ultimate kitchen gadget.

If you’re joining the trend I encourage you to be careful with what you use. Too much of a good thing can do the opposite. For example too much fruit can disrupt blood sugar balance (relevant for weight loss / fat loss & health) and leave you hungry. 

Use sugary fruits sparingly and veer towards berries and apples for best results. And get some vegetables in. Some people also like to add flax seed of something similar for added fibre. But again beware, some of the benefits of flax seed are overstated.

If you want to see to see what’s in my smoothie head over to Instagram.

Running To Get Fit?

“Running is a great way to swap you flabby bits for sore hips, knees and ankles...”

Please don’t misunderstand this article. I love to run. If you take a look at the picture above you’ll see me completing The Trans Britain (six marathons in six days), The Wall (a 67 mile one-day footrace), Ironman France and The Strongman Run in Germany. I’ve done a little bit of running in my time...

Having competed and completed many races from 5k to ultra, both on road and off road, I know a little bit about this stuff too. With a background in strength training, rehab, nutrition, etc. I feel it gives me an chance to offer a little bit of insight.

Beyond this I've helped many other people do it too...

I love to run. I love the freedom. It gives me headspace. I love the fresh air. For me finishing a run (even training runs) brings an incredible amount of elation.

But please don’t mistake it. It may well be an element of do as I say and not what I do...

To quote Boston strength and conditioning coach Eric Cressey...

Running can be a great form of exercise if people... 

1. aren't significantly overweight. 

2. have an appreciable level of strength and flexibility. 

3. don't have significantly degenerative joints. 

4. aren't doing it to the exclusion of other training modalities. 

5. aren't doing it on pavement (or at least do so in moderation) 

6. have the right footwear. 

7. Watch out for traffic.

Again, don’t shoot the messenger. I can only relay what I know from working with hundreds of people, years of study and observation. 

Some of the most jacked up [technical term] people I come across are runners. Most are worse than even the desk bound executives who’ve been sat at a desk for 12 hours a day for 20 years stooped over a keyboard. 

Typically stiff as a board, the tightness through their ankle, hips and upper back/ shoulder girdle prohibit them from being able to move about in a decent range of motion with control to go about daily tasks sitting and standing, picking up stuff from the floor or holding children for a period of time. 

I generalise, obviously these people often maintain a healthy weight and a healthy heart (subject to a healthy nutritional and lifestyle status), but under closer scrutiny their strength, muscular balance and flexibility leave lots to be desired.

Fortunately, there is a growing movement in practitioners ready and able to assess and correct both structural integrity and running form. For example my local physiotherapist has a running school in which they’ll get runners on the treadmill and coach them how to run and teach them strengthening, stretching and stabalising exercises which help them pursue their hobby with less chance of injury. That’s the role of a good coach.

The key point here is about priorities. You need to need to know areas of your body where you are tight and weak and go to work to improve them. You cannot do this by running. Admittedly, you can to this in conjunction with a running program providing your imbalance is not too severe. But your best improvements is sometimes to back off the running and build a foundation of strength.

Please also don’t misunderstand, running is a good form of exercise and should cost you nothing. Unless your coach is watching every step you take you’ve no need to run with a qualified instructor.

With free local clubs like Horsell Runners, The Sweatshop, free apps like Couch to 5k to help you program and running forums on Runners World, if you’re being charged by someone to run someone is clearly taking the piss. You’ll find the experience and the guidance you need for free both on and offline. 

However, admittedly checking for structural integrity is a different kettle of fish. This obviously takes skill and experience. But here are a five simple things you can do to help reduce the risks and make the most out of running...

1. Stretch - take the time after running to stretch muscles. Think calf, hamstrings, quads, glutes and more.
2. Use a foam roller - foam rolling can free off tight muscles. This will work out little knots and adhesions.
3. Strengthen - some simple bodyweight circuits are a great way to cross train. Include squats, lunges, press ups and core exercises.
4. Rest - take a day off. It’s important.
5. Vary distances, terrain and speed - to avoid common overuse injuries you need to do this.

FAT LOSS: Metabolic Resistance Training

If you want to see RAPID and lasting results in fat loss and fitness you need to understand the basics.

The current guidelines suggest a healthy adult should exercise between three and five times per week at a moderate to high intensity between thirty and sixty minutes and it should be cardiovascular exercise

...judging by the state of the nation these generic, boring and inadequate recommendations seem to be working?!

The sad truth of the matter is they don’t.

Following the government exercise protocols combined with the government guidelines on nutrition will leave you fat and unhappy at best.

Why So Complicated

Before I tell you the truth I need you to understand how we have arrived at where we are...

For a long time the mantra ‘eat less, move more’ has haunted the masses. In the old days the only way to improve the way you looked was to go on a low calorie diet and go running.

If you look back at some of the old pictures from yesteryear closely whilst from afar they were admirable somewhat tragically these people under closer inspection were not so hot.

With the sharp reduction in calories and obvious lack of efficient exercise these people looked kind of skinny fat. They might have fitted into a pair of jeans, but the absence of muscle tone meant they didn’t look any better with their clothes off.

Bodybuilding.

Fast-forward a few years and with the popularity of Arnie movies bodybuilding became popular.

For guys lifting weights and staring in the mirror admiring themselves between sets for a couple of minutes became the way to go.

The benefits of strength training became popular, but this was a very masculine way to train, and despite the obvious chemical advantage of the movie stars, guys went in there droves and followed the plan and invariably didn’t get the look they wanted.

Aerobics.

At this time aerobics became popular. Dressing in leotards, sweatbands and hopping back and forth over boxes was the only way to burn fat and this was popular.

You could trade your flabby unpleasant bits for achy hips, knees and ankles and this was the perfect compliment to life's excesses.

Unsurprisingly this craze continues today, however now it’s called Zumba and involves more dancing and co-ordination than before.

Today.

Step into the new millennium and despite an abundance of evidence to the contrary cardiovascular training and strength training are still seen as separate exclusive entities.

More worryingly women are scared of strength-training for fear of becoming bulky and guys are scared of cardiovascular exercise becoming skinny. The irony is neither is true.

Strength Training

Strength-training will not make women (or most guys that matter) bulky. The truth is they don’t have the right hormones to elicit this response.

Strength training is fantastic for women (and guys). It stabilizes joints, balances the body and can tone muscles that your typical cardiovascular training cannot reach.

The trouble is using the same outdated principles bodybuilders in the 80’s used mean it will not make an inference on body fat especially when combined with a terrible diet.

The Cardio Myth

Similarly cardiovascular training will not have a meaningful effect on body composition due to the way many people go about it.

Slow and steady cardio has many shortfalls. With latest research saying it does not have the impact on metabolism many people think with much of the weight loss coming from muscle hence the skeletal look of many runners.

This combined with the joint pain; discomfort and boredom make it a double whammy.

Good information?

With the birth of the Internet we are now better informed than ever. By typing into Google ‘fat loss’, ‘exercise’ or ‘diet’ you will have over a million hits and will be inundated with options to help you get fit.

The trouble with this is not all of it is factually correct and with that much contradictory advice comes a certain degree of paralysis.

Too much knowledge means people don’t know where to start.

Therefore the question of what do I do to get in shape still remains...

How To Get In Shape

In truth, there are hundreds of ways to get in shape. I’ve already alluded to a couple.

It would be remiss of me to say they have no benefits. Some are just more effective than others.

My preference and the most-effective training method I have found is a training method called metabolic resistance training. These workouts are popular with the people in the know.

Supported by science, and tried and tested on the gym floor, metabolic resistance training or MRT is the perfect compromise of cardiovascular and strength training.

In fact I’ve used it to get hundreds of men and women in shape.

To be honest, for many the benefits have to be seen to be believed.

MRT is quite simply strength training with incomplete recovery.

By carefully pairing exercises you can get much of the benefits of strength training (muscle tone, increased stability, etc) and due to the short recovery time between exercises it has a cardiovascular response (accelerated fat loss, out of breath and sweaty!).

Often the workouts are of shorter duration and slightly higher intensity making them the perfect solution to the time-challenged person.

Metabolic resistance training can also be done using bodyweight exercises. Or with equipment like barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, the prowler, tractor tires or farmers walk.

Characterized by the short blasts of intense efforts and whole body routines the workouts follow a 600 rule.

The aim of each short and intense workout is to get every one of your 600 muscles to work hard. This might on occasion include a frown, a grimace or a smile!

The Afterburn Effect

Using multiple sets of between five and thirty repetitions of each exercise MRT stimulates the exact metabolic processes needed to create The Afterburn Effect.

It is this Afterburn Effect that makes it so effective. Research indicates in isocaloric comparisons MRT is more effective than either strength training or cardiovascular training for fat burning. This is due to something called EPOC.

EPOC or Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption is quite simply the recovery of metabolic rate back to pre-exercise levels. Many people are fixated with calorie expenditure during exercise and have totally overlooked what happens afterwards.

The truth is once you have finished exercise it can take several minutes for your metabolism to return to pre-exercise rate with light exercise or several hours for something more intense or vigorous.

This means with MRT you could continue burning fat at an elevated level for up to 48hrs after a workout. This is why it is so effective. Imagine burning more calories each day without even exercising...

Muscle Confusion

With hundreds of exercises to choose from the mini circuit style workouts tend to focus on larger compound or wholebody exercises for maximum metabolic impact and being shorter duration they are easy to fit into your busy and hectic lifestyle and they’re fun and challenging too.