Easy does it
You don’t get unfit overnight and it also takes time to improve your fitness levels, especially after lockdown, so start yourself off gradually and increase slowly, writes Tracy Griffen
Trainer Tracy Griffen on a gentle return to fitness
You are an amazing creation. We sometimes forget the sheer magnificence of our own bodies. The complex electric circuitry of your brain, your vast network of blood vessels.
Stretched end to end, the circulatory system in the human body reaches over 66,000 miles, that’s more than two and a half times the circumference of the Earth. Even the fact that we can walk upon two feet is a feat of engineering more impressive than the Forth Bridge.
As a personal trainer I am constantly amazed by the ability of the human body to adapt, to shape our environment and to thrive in adverse conditions. Individually we are capable of wondrous things, but often we feel defeated by the very body that carries us around. We have all just lived through a (hopefully) once-in-a-lifetime pandemic that has tested our mental and emotional strength. No wonder many of us feel exhausted.
Some of us developed a lockdown belly with tailored clothing and dressing to impress not a priority. When you live in stretchy trews, Zooming from the comfort of home, it can be a rude shock trying to pour oneself into clothes perhaps not worn since summer 2019. You are not alone. Rather than investing in a whole new draw-string wardrobe, try using an old favourite outfit as motivation to get moving.
We store energy where it’s convenient for our body to use it. Quite often energy is stored as body fat around the tummy. ‘Fat around the middle’ (as it’s known in the fitness industry) is actually a clever trick of evolution. Our bodies deposit body fat in locations handy for future use. By storing fat around the middle, it is easily accessible by our body to metabolise at times when we need it. So you can see it’s quite ingenious. High levels of the stress hormone cortisol, alcohol and calorific foods can also translate to fat around the middle. Rather than despair at a wider waistline, consider it as fuel for future use. Now life is returning more to normal, we can get out of the house more, and hopefully be under less stress. This is a perfect time to start burning any of those reserves we’ve stored over winter. If you think about hibernating animals, they too store fat for over-wintering.
The difference is that a squirrel will probably enter the warmer months with less fat reserves, where many of us humans have more. The thing to do is view extra pounds as a potential energy source. If you become more active, less stressed and eat more fresh fruit and vegetables (and less comfort food) it is logical that your body will start to use up some of the calories stored over lockdown. Your belly is your battery pack. There is an optimal form of exercise to burn body fat that is Low Intensity Steady State (LISS, as opposed to HIIT, which is High Intensity Interval Training). LISS used to be called LSD training, Long Slow Distance, but the name has been changed to avoid confusion. Low Intensity Steady State exercise is just that, exercising as a low intensity steadily, for a period of time. It is also known as the steady plod, and is a noble speed at which to travel.
By undertaking lower effort, but longer duration aerobic exercise, you effectively use stored body fat. A fast walk for at least half an hour is enough for many, so you feel puffed but not absolutely exhausted. A caveat to that would be that you’re not doing a fast walk to your favourite bakery for a slice of cake.
The idea is to push yourself, not too hard, but so you feel you’ve had a workout. A heart rate monitor can be handy for this, or use the ‘talk test’ – you should be able to talk to an exercise companion and still keep moving at the same time.
Just doing this regularly, every other day, or around three times a week, and cutting out a regular slice of cake, may be enough to tip your calorific balance into the negative.
For those who are into measuring performance, you may wish to install a pedometer (step counter) app on your smartphone to check that you are increasing your activity. Most people I know haven’t been hitting 10,000 daily steps – many have been lucky to make it to 5,000. If you’re reasonably fit, or bored of walking, try jogging, cycling, swimming, or even dancing. As long as you’re getting your heart rate up.
The additional bonus of LISS training is that it can give you a natural mood boost. Getting your heart rate in the cardiovascular zone – technically this is 65 per cent-75 per cent of your MHR (Maximum Heart Rate) for the heart rate training geeks – is the optimal level of exertion for dopamine release. Hello exercise high.
High Intensity Interval Training does have its place, especially if you’re pre-diabetic. HIIT uses a greater proportion of stored muscle glycogen (stored sugars) compared to body fat, so is a short sharp way to drop your blood sugar levels. You may be relieved to hear you don’t need to do HIIT to be fit, but you do need to do lower intensity aerobic exercise regularly. The general rule of thumb is to get your heart rate up so you feel slightly puffed for at least half an hour at least every other day, or around three times a week. This way your body adapts to it. More and longer is also good.
It is curious to note that elite athletes do over 90 per cent of their aerobic training at this lower level of intensity. It’s the pace you can improve your form and technique, and also with time, build up speed and endurance. If you start with fast walking, you can take it up to jogging. If you’re already jogging, go at a ‘sightseeing’ pace and don’t worry about speed too much. This will also help
The general rule of thumb is to get your heart rate up so you feel slightly puffed for at least half an hour at least every other day
avoid injury and mean you recover from workouts quicker.
You don’t get unfit overnight, so too it takes time to improve your fitness levels. Start gradually, and increase slowly. Remember to stretch and hydrate well to ensure your muscles are in tip top condition. Once you actively emerge from hibernation, you may well have a fresh appreciation for just how amazing the human body is – in all shapes and sizes.
If you need a hand, don’t be afraid to call in a professional. A qualified personal trainer can help you get in shape safely and effectively. In fact, I spent a chunk of lockdown writing my new book Get Fit and Enjoy It: Learn Effective Exercise without a Gym, that teaches you how to safely start exercising... and hopefully help you fit into your old jeans. It’s available to buy online from www. getfitandenjoyit.com for only £7.99.
A positive mental attitude and some knowhow makes the whole process of getting fit much more enjoyable. However you approach exercise, remember to be kind to yourself, you truly are magnificent.
Personal trainer Tracy Griffen runs a private fitness studio in Leith and trains individuals of all ages, sizes and abilities. You can find more information at www.griffenfitness. com email tracy@griffenfitness.com or feel free to call/text 07743 741 088