Most people frequently weigh themselves to determine body fat, it’s assumed the heavier the person the fatter they are. This is a misconception.

Body weight is an important measure and a useful source of information, but it does not provide us with detailed understanding necessary for better health. A person with excessive fat can weigh the same as someone who is considerably leaner.

So, what can you do to assess how much of your body is fat and how much is lean body mass? The answer is simple - your body composition.

Body composition is a breakdown of your weight, expressed in terms of its actual make up. That is, how much is fat and how much is lean tissue (bones, muscles, water, tissue and organs). It’s this balance and understanding that’s essential information to your health. This is why regular body composition tests are important.

How can you assess your body composition?
There are basically three ways in which you can measure body fat. These are:

Hydrostatic Weighing Tanks
This method is regarded as the most accurate but also the most uncomfortable and perhaps impractical. It uses the Archimedes’ principle of displacement and involves being weighed underwater as well as on land. This method is normally only used by laboratories for research purposes.

Skinfold Measurement
The method is based on the understanding that superficial deposits of fat at various sites (measured by Skinfold calipers) correlate with total body fat. This method requires the assistance of a trained health professional and some people regard it as too invasive.

Bio-electrical Impedance
Bio-electrical impedance devices are low cost, portable, non-invasive and non-intrusive instruments which are used to assess body composition.

They measure the body’s resistance to a harmless current which is passed through the body. Formulae are then used to convert the impedance reading into measures of body composition that can be easily read and understood.

Most Bio-electrical impedance devices provide a quick analysis of your body composition that includes Body Fat % and weight.

At fitness-etc we recommend that you monitor your body composition on a regular basis to keep you motivated and help you achieve your health and fitness goals.

Source: Maltron International Ltd

A host of top athletes have hailed the recovery powers of milk on the back of two new pieces of groundbreaking research.

Champion decathlete Dean Macey, Olympic sprinter Marlon Devonish and long jumper Greg Rutherford were all quick to celebrate the news that milk may promote better recovery after exercise than both water and isotonic sports drinks.

The key new study, conducted by Loughborough University and published in the British Journal of Nutrition, indicated that milk is significantly more effective than water or isotonic drinks at re-hydration after training.
And it’s more good news for dairy as a second study, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition this month, also backed milk as a post-exercise drink.

This study suggested that milk can help increase muscle size and strength, whilst reducing body fat.  Several other studies have also noted milk’s positive effects on exercise and recovery, while athletes and sports teams are already experiencing the benefits by consuming milk after training.

Dean Macey said: “I can’t say it comes as a huge surprise to me that this research says milk is the best thing for athletes, it makes perfect sense. If you want a great, natural drink to help performance then it’s got to contain milk every time.” Read more »

London is buzzing today with the news that, for one remarkable day, many of the capital’s roads will be completely traffic-free and open only to cyclists.

All Londoners – from mums on shoppers to old folks on rusty relics – will be have the opportunity to ride down the city’s most famous roads, seeing sights like London Eye, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge.

“It’s a chance to enjoy a view of London you’ve never seen before” said Mark Watts from the Mayor of London’s Office. “You can pedal at your leisure past sights like The Houses of Parliament, the Thames and Buckingham Palace. It’s free and anyone can be part of it.”

The entire route is only nine miles in total. So it’s not some gruelling cycle marathon, it’s just a nice day out for the whole family.

However, it’s not just about cycling the route. According to organisers, getting their will be half the fun, with a host of Freewheel Hubs around the capital where people can meet up and cycle in together. Plus, once you get there, you can stop off and chill out at The Freewheel Festival in St James’s Park.

The Hovis London Freewheel – organised by the Mayor of London – is aimed at encouraging more people in London to cycle. London is already experiencing a cycle revolution with the number of cyclists soaring by 83 per cent since 2000.

Targeted at all Londoners especially those who have access to a bike, but do not use it, the Hovis London Freewheel will offer participants a traffic-free ride round some of London’s most famous roads and landmarks. Riders will have the support, advice and help of regular cyclist ‘mentors’.

The Hovis London Freewheel is accessible to and inclusive of all Londoners, including those with disabilities.

Registration and participation in the Hovis London Freewheel is FREE. Click here to register.

Thousands of arthritis patients with crippling disabilities were given new hope yesterday after winning the right to free treatment with a “smart” drug.

The surprise decision to approve NHS funding of the antibody drug MabThera was hailed as “a triumph” by one leading charity.

The news comes less than three weeks after a health service watchdog issued draft guidance rejecting free prescriptions of another cutting-edge drug, Orencia, for people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

Read more »

UK Government guidelines recommend that we take 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week. But what is “moderate exercise”?

It’s clear that many people who exercise are not working out at the right level of intensity. How many times have you been to the gym and watched a person reading a book or magazine while on the upright bike? How many people do you see each day that are dressed for exercise but are just strolling around the village?

At fitness-etc we believe that one of the simplest ways to check the intensity of your workout is to use the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale. Read more »

30 years ago the marathon was the most testing and extreme of sports, now it’s the Ironman Challenge.

In 1978, there were only 15 challengers; in 2007 there will be 1700. The marathon covers 26.2 miles whereas the Ironman Challenge covers 140 miles! It comprises a 2.4 mile swim; 112 mile bicycle race; and to finish a 26.2 mile marathon! It can take up to 17 hours to complete.

Read more »

Even low levels of weekly exercise could help reduce blood pressure and improve fitness, scientists say.

Experts say walking for half an hour, five days a week, is the minimum required to achieve health benefits.

But a Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health report from Northern Ireland found walking on just three days a week gave similar benefits.

The finding could encourage those with sedentary lifestyles to take up exercise gradually, the authors say.

This could be helpful as few people currently meet the minimum recommendations for exercise, with many saying they do not have enough time. Click here for full article

Tiger Woods won his 13th major title of his career at Southern Hills Country Club and put his victory down to his improved fitness levels.

On a day when the temperature reached a tournament-high of 102 degrees, Woods strode down the middle of each sun-drenched fairway as playing partner Stephen Ames sought shade between shots. Ames finish tied for 12th after a 6-over-par 76.

Ernie Els and Woody Austin had a rare chance to catch Woods when they got to within one shot. Neither player was able to reel in the world’s best golfer as he held on to win his 13th major title and fourth PGA Championship with an 8-under-par 272 total. Read more »

The Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is a scale of how hard you feel you are working when you exercise. The scale relates to the responses experienced during exercise and is based on the correlation between perceived exertion, heart rate and oxygen consumption.

This is an excellent exercise for working the muscles of your chest.

Method

• Rest your back on a bench with your feet flat on the floor.
• Hold a dumbbell weight in each hand with your palms facing the wall opposite.
• Raise the weights above your chest such that your arms are slightly bent.
• Slowly extend your arms away from the vertical position until your hands are at shoulder level.
• Use your chest muscles to raise the weights until your arms are back at the start position.
• Repeat the exercise for the required number of repetitions in your programme.

Muscles worked

• pectorals