It’s a well-known and undeniable fact that exercise helps you keep fit & healthy and using supplements to help boost the results of every workout you do is a great way of getting more out of your programme.

Taking supplements on board at specific times really can improve the impact that each workout has on your body, so we thought we’d take some time to explain when (and how) you should be focussing on your supplements.

It’s important to remember that there can be too much of a good thing though, we wouldn’t advise you gobbling it ALL up before, during and after every single workout you do – these supplements should be taken as part of a varied and balanced diet; and they do say that variety is the spice of life.

Before you start your workout a good strong black cup of coffee doesn’t just give you the obvious caffeine ‘boost’, it also increases your metabolism and helps you to burn fat faster when you do begin your workout. If you are exercising here at Diana’s, why not make a pit stop in The Café for a nice cup of pre-workout Jack’s Beans coffee?

You could also enjoy a pulse bar with your coffee (the MyProtein Pulse Bars available in The Shop here contain one gram of L-Carnitine, a gram of Taurine and 100mg of Caffeine) to help break down fatty acids, produce energy and stop your skeletal muscle taurine stores from being depleted.

There is a range of supplement drinks available on the market that contain minerals and nutrients that can help you both pre and intra workout. The L-Carnitine, Green Kick and Red Kick drinks are all great, both before and during your workout, they are all packed with various goodies including caffeine, taurine, guarana extract, sugar and sweeteners, all of which help to replace the nutrients you lose during sweating and exercise.

Once you’ve completed your workout, why not kick back in The Café with a great tasting Hurricane XS protein bar from MyProtein? They are an excellent snack to eat post workout as they provide up to 28 grams of premium protein with only 23 grams of carbohydrates (depending on the flavour). The addition of creatine monohydrate in these bars helps to grow and maintain muscle mass and also helps to improve performance in high intensity, successive bursts of short-term exercise (like a HIIT class for instance).

For more information on supplements and how they can make a difference to your results, chat to our team the next time you are in, or give us a call and book a meeting; any specific questions? Drop them in the comments below.

Our relationship with food is often a complex one – we understand it gives us life, providing the nutrients and vitamins we need to be healthy…and that a poorly managed diet can cause us problems. So what foods should we be eating?

Of course it all depends on your personal taste but ‘healthy’ food can be tasty while doing truly magical things for your body and your health! You may have seen our blog on Superfoods already, but this blog is focussed on foods that help your fitness levels and you can find at any local supermarket.

5) Oatmeal

Oatmeal can do an astounding amount for your health. Most notably, oatmeal can help the heart by reducing blood pressure and therefore lowers the risk of heart disease altogether. It can give your body better immunity and can even prevent the possibility of diabetes and cancer. A nice side effect if you’re focusing on weight loss, is its ability to make you feel fuller as it takes a while to digest.

4) Spinach

Why do you think Popeye ate all of that spinach?! Admittedly, spinach doesn’t make your muscles grow and turn you into a temporary superhero, but its advantages to your health are undeniable. It may not seem overly appealing to eat, but there are numerous ways to make it a bit more exciting, such as:

• Fry with British Samphire and courgettes
• Serve wilted with red onions and lemon juice
• Sprinkle leaves over your favourite pasta dish
• Include a small handful in your favourite wrap.

Like oatmeal, spinach has also showed evidence of protecting against (prostate) cancer and is hugely rich in nutrients, being significantly helpful in sustaining the health of your bones.

3) Broccoli

Broccoli is one of those vegetables that most people despise as children and then as adults, struggle to eat a Sunday roast without it! Broccoli is known to aid with the prevention of arthritis, and similarly even has anti-aging properties. In addition to its predecessors on this list, broccoli largely helps with cancer prevention and has also been known to reduce allergic reactions! Try adding a floret or two to your favourite smoothie!

2) Sweet Potatoes

Swap the mash in your meal for some sweet potato instead! This brilliant vegetable can pack a massive punch in your journey to good health. It’s high in vitamins C and D, which boost the immune system to help fight unwanted illnesses, and is also good a source of potassium. You can also serve them in many different ways, meaning you can easily substitute standard potatoes with a tasty sweet potato accompaniment.

1) Salmon

It’s common knowledge just how beneficial salmon can be to your health. Salmon can reduce inflammation and increase cardiovascular health and aid with tissue development. The omega-3 present within it can even go so far as to help treat diseases such as Alzheimer’s, and has been known to be fantastic for your eyes.

So why not start the day fresh with a breakfast of oatmeal and return home to a full and delightful meal of salmon, sweet potatoes, spinach and broccoli?

Trying to achieve a specific goal? Chat with one of our personal trainers about creating a diet to support your goals!

Around this time every year, when the grocery aisles are fully stocked with goodies, a dilemma arises: Do you stock up on sugar laden treats for the local trick-or-treaters? Or do you wear your dietician hat and look for healthier alternatives that won’t evoke a look of disgust from the children?

With the helping hand of these healthy alternatives you will start a new trend of healthy treats for trick-or-treaters (or even yourself). Gone are the days when you dunked your hand into a bowl of confectionary and pulled out a fistful to take home. Gone are the days when you sit under your covers and scoff all your trick-or-treat finds.

Welcome the days of fun and healthy alternatives the dentist won’t scowl upon.

Banana Ghost Lollies

Cut a large banana in half lengthwise and then in half again to make four quarters. Insert a lollypop stick into the bananas and place them onto baking parchment and place them in the freezer. When the bananas have frozen, melt white chocolate in the microwave for thirty seconds at a time or on the hob. Make sure to stir the chocolate until it is melted and soft. Dip the bananas into the white chocolate and scrape off any excess. Place onto baking parchment while you dunk the rest. Before the chocolate hardens, add chocolate chips or raisins for the eyes (you have to be quick here). Return your ghost lollies to the freezer until completely set.

Cheese pumpkins

Using soft cheese, spoon out one tablespoon of cheese onto baking parchment. Roll it into a ball and with a toothpick, carves lines into the side of ball to create your pumpkin. Place a pretzel stick into the middle at the top and gently press it down to slightly flatten the pumpkins. Serve with crackers for an adorable yet healthy snack.

Snack-o’-Lantern Fruit Cups

These are super simple but so much fun – and a great alternative to carving pumpkins what with the pumpkin shortage we’ve got this year! All you need is some medium sized oranges and your favourite fruits to make a fruit salad. Start by slicing off the top of the orange and hollow out the inside – just as you would a pumpkin. You can save the orange segments to be part of your fruit salad. Carve your spooky designs into the sides your oranges and use a paper towel to soak up any remaining juice inside. Then simply fill with your favourite chopped fruit and replace the top of the orange.

Apple bites

Ok so continuing the simple but tasty theme, these apple bites look awesome and take minutes to make! Start by slicing your apples just before the core to give you two pieces and the left over core per apple. Then slice each piece in half so you now have four apple quarters. Chop out the middle of your quarters from the skin side to make your open mouth. You might want to rub a smidge of lemon juice on the flesh to reduce the natural browning. Next spread your filling that will represent the tongue – jam or peanut butter work well. Finally, take some almond pieces or your favourite seeds and push them gently into the top and bottom pieces of apple to create your teeth.

Have you heard the buzzword ‘superfoods’ recently? While there’s no official scientific classification of a superfood, it is a group of foods which contain high levels of vitamins and minerals to keep our bodies healthy and happy! They can be source of antioxidants to shield our bodies from damage and disease.

While many common ingredients provide these nutrients, including salmon and kale, we want to take a look at some more exotic foods that are worth getting to know.

Goji berries

Move over blueberries, there’s a new super berry in town! Goji berries are slowly becoming more popular on our supermarket shelves because they contain a lot of Vitamin C.

The orangey berries are said to help improve circulation and boost the immune system – what’s not to like!

Cocoa powder

Add cocoa powder to your post work-out smoothies for a chocolaty taste with all the health benefits. Flavonoids in cocoa powder help to lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to your brain and heart.

With fewer than 15 calories per tablespoon, what’s stopping you treating yourself?

Seaweed

Embrace your inner merperson by incorporating seaweed into your recipes, as it’s rich in omega-3 acids which help to prevent cardiovascular attacks and strokes.

Seaweed is also packed full of important minerals, including calcium and magnesium, to maintain your strong bones.

Chia seeds

If you’re not a fan of fish or seaweed, another way to get omega-3 into your diet is with chia seeds. As well as omega-3, the nutrient-rich seeds are packed with fibre and calcium.

If you’re already a fan of chai lattes, you’ll enjoy the crunchy and nutty flavour which you can add to porridge, salads or stir-fries.

Black garlic

Don’t be put off by the smell, black garlic has long been acclaimed for its health benefits but it’s only just reaching western markets.

Black garlic is created by fermenting raw garlic and is a source of important probiotics and it’s sulphuric components are key to keeping a healthy heart.

Black beans

Give yourself an energy boost after your fitness class or swim with a dose of black beans. One cup of these super beans contains 15 grams of protein without the saturated fat found in meat – imagine your muscles…

What can you make with black beans? From salads to pasta and even brownies, the list is endless!