Fitness advice

When I was first asked to write this blog for the this is Plymouth website I was asked to focus on issues of health and fitness and for some time I managed to succeed in this simple task however before long, as my regular readers will know, I found myself writing about politics and holidays as well as constant discussions about pole dancing. Anyway, today I will ensure that by the end of the blog I have given you some words of wisdom to help you become fitter and healthier!

Someone who is getting fitter and healthier is the lovely Ellie who has been visiting me once a week for a private pole dancing lesson, check out her comments on her progress so far via her blog on her quest to lose weight. I will look forward to another lesson with Ellie & Nicky next week.

On the subject of health and fitness I will write a full blog in the week (probably Wednesday!) about last weeks annual Women's Health Fair, it is an event that definitely needs its own blog!

So, as promised, here is some fitness advice: The Universities of Birmingham and Manchester Metropolitan have been testing athletes performances and the link between increased performance levels and liquid carbohydrate supplements. It has been known for some time that carbs play an important part in fuelling the muscles but this new research shows that athletes don't even have to drink sports drinks, instead they can simply swill them round the mouth and then spit them out and still achieve the same effects.

In the study participants, who were all trained endurance athletes were given specially prepared drinks with glucose, maltodextrin or neither, artificial sweeteners were then added to the drinks so that they all tasted the same. The athletes given the glucose and maltodextrin drinks did marginally out-perform those who had neither supplement, remember that all athletes simply rinsed their mouths with the drinks before spitting them out yet still achieved higher performance levels. Dr Chambers suggests that the findings challenge previous evidence that the carbohydrates fuel the muscles and believe that the carbohydrates in sports drinks stimulate the brains receptors directly from the mouth. The findings indicate that the brain can have a greater effect on the body's performance than either the lungs, muscles or heart.

OK, so I am not a scientist and you may prefer to read the report yourself via the Manchester University website, but the findings are interesting and I do believe that your attitude towards training is as crucial as your physiology.

Before I sign off I must pass some comment on recent incidents in Plymouth surrounding the arrest and charge of Vanessa George, the case has shocked the residents of Plymouth and is particularly close for me as I have a good friend whose children are involved. My thoughts are with all the families who have been affected by this disturbed woman, I hope that justice is truly done. I must also question what on earth Linda Gilroy was doing raising questions in the house of commons about the case, surely Linda must have known that her questions would be barred and that members of the public would see through her pathetic attempt to regain public confidence?

Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful weekend,

Stay Healthy,

Sam x