Tag: Mark Wolff

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Health

9 WAYS TO COMBAT LOCKDOWN EATING

LOCKDOWN – YOUR GAIN OR LOSS

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During the global Covid-19 pandemic most populations have been or are in some form of lockdown, there has been a growing concern to manage nutrition properly and ensure health, proper weight management, as well as to stay in top shape.

There are several genuine and valid concerns.

Firstly, before lockdown occurred most people were leading consistently active lifestyles. Gym visits and outdoor activities such as running, and cycling were routine. Calorie burn rates were up nicely due to a higher and consistent volume of training.

Then, for many it came to a grinding halt. The minute your training intensity and volume drops so too should your calorie intake to fall in line. Eating more calories than you burn off will absolutely lead to weight gain. 

Over and above this lockdown has left people more sedentary than their normal daily routines. Driving around, walking to meetings and general office run arounds such as shopping and walking around for longer periods of time which add to calorie burn rates have also dropped significantly.

There is way more lounging around and frequent kitchen visits have become part of the normal daily routine. Emotional stability has been thrown out of whack due to the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Stress levels are on the rise for many and in a lot of cases depression has started to emerge.

This has led to emotional eating for a lot of people. Easy kitchen access and comfort foods has exaggerated the situation even more. Sleeping problems and elevated stress levels also play a part in this emotional roller coaster ride many of the world’s population is currently on. 

It’s not an easy situation by any means. However, there are some ways to manage it and emerge in a healthy state.

The Power of Exercise & Nutrition

EXERCISE:
No matter your circumstances whether indoor training equipment or not this is the time for adaption. Human movement including some strength training is vital from a health perspective. There are plenty of creative ways to mix it up from body weight strength and core exercises to simple intensity interval sessions.

If you have access to indoor training equipment such as treadmills, smart bike trainers and weights then there is no excuse for keeping it up. It does not take a lot to prevent muscle atrophy and just doing at least thirty minutes of exercise daily is sure to keep your body happy physically and mentally.  

NUTRITION:
As mentioned earlier nutrition is numero uno in keeping in shape. Not just from a weight management point of view but to also fortify and strengthen the immune system. What you put into your mouth each day will ultimately determine how your overall health.

My 9 Top Tips for Managing your Nutrition

1. Avoid the Junk
Keep the processed / junk foods out the house. If its not in the kitchen it is not accessible.
2. Natural is Best
Stock natural whole foods to make wholesome valuable nutrient dense meals.

3. Higher Fibre Low Glycaemic Foods
Aim for higher fibre and lower glycaemic foods to ensure good satiation as well as lowered blood sugar and controlled insulin levels. Incorporate a decent amount of nutrient dense lower glycaemic plant-based foods mainly in the form of vegetables.

4. Plan your Plate
Do not wake up without an eating plan for the day. If you have a structure you will not go wrong. However, if you have not planned your eating for the day you will base your meals on emotion and will just go off the path.

5. Drop the Treats
Treats in the form of sweets or pastries needs to be controlled. Lockdown has left many experimenting and baking away in the kitchen. This will just boost the emotional need for more and lead to a decline in healthy eating potentially promoting weight gain. If you are looking at making treats there are plenty of healthy options out there which are sugar free and low in calories.

6. Overeating Health
Most do not understand how to construct a meal based on proper required macronutrients intake. It is possible to overeat health. Just because the ingredients are healthy does not make your overall meal healthy. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats play an important role in any nutrition planning. Get them wrong and you will land up gaining weight.

7. Portion Control
Instead of large meals at any one sitting. Rather eat smaller meal portions more frequently throughout the day. This is the best way of managing insulin levels and ensuring you do not overeat.

8. Healthy Fats
Fats come in different forms. Avoid all processed fats such as hydrogenated vegetable oils and trans fats. Eat natural healthy fats and try to ensure the majority are unsaturated fats which provide much better health benefits to the body.

9. No Out-Training Bad Nutrition
This will never work. If you can train a lot due to being in lockdown then it does not mean you can out train a bad diet. The opposite. The minute you increase stress on the body due to intense or volume exercise then proper quality food intake needs to come up to help support it. Hard training and poor eating will place your body at risk for injury or illness.

In short, this period has provided challenges to many of us and its by no means easy when curve balls are thrown at us in life. Routines are completely turned upside down and all it requires is adapting quickly. Sitting around thinking about what is wrong does not solve the problem.

When it comes to health quick decisive decisions must be made to preserve and strengthen it. My advice is do not let yourself down you are in complete control. What you do today and tomorrow will set you up nicely for many weeks and months to come. Just give it some planning and focus.

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Health

YOUR BATHROOM SCALE IS AN INSTRUMENT OF TORTURE

“In the Middle Ages, they had guillotines, stretch racks, whips and chains.  Nowadays, we have a much more effective torture device called the BATHROOM SCALE.“ – Stephen Phillips

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The following statements will probably mean a whole lot to most of you on an emotional level. When engaging with people I often hear so much about the bathroom scale, and I thought it was about time people out there actually became more knowledgeable about its use and how to change their bad bathroom habits.

“I gained a kilogram of weight this past week”, or 

“I am 500 grams heavier today then I was yesterday”, or

 ”That bloody scale it’s my best friend and my worst enemy it just depends on the day”. And finally,

“Please don’t make me stand on that scale I can’t sleep at night just thinking about it”.

It’s amazing how some are so dependent on the scale and others dread it to a severe degree. After most workouts I see the guys in the gym change room lining up to weigh themselves. Some even do it with their clothes on as they exit to head towards work.
Ladies don’t you even think of laughing, you are far worse. Many of you love to weigh yourselves at least 2 to 10 times a day. It’s like some form of addiction, the nicotine craving of this century or are you just plain mad?
I think it is about time the record was set straight because grams, kilograms and pounds are enough to drive anyone insane.

Weight is often used as a reflection of general health.

The BMI (Body Mass Index) is a quick measure to determine your general health based on your height, whether you are overweight or not. However, it is not an accurate reflection of your true health status. There are various body types, and without going into too much technical detail, every human being is unique, everyone has different musculoskeletal structures. Some people are tall and thin some medium and muscular and some short and stocky, well known as ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph classification.


Some of us are pure in our classifications, while a large percentage of us have combinations of body types. It is possible to be ectomorphic and with diet and exercise gain some more mesomorphic characteristics.


Basically, what I am trying to say is that the scale is not useful in determining an accurate picture of what your bodies status really is. Let’s be blunt about it, most of you are trying to achieve weight loss or gain, with no knowledge of your body’s composition.

For whom is a scale the most useful?

I find the scale is mostly useful for elite athletes or professionals that need to fit into a certain weight category for competition, such as powerlifting, boxing, and others. In cycling, a lot of preparation is geared around power to mass weight ratio, in other words how much power is required to propel a certain amount of weight to achieve maximum performance. You can understand that for a cyclist in the mountains, this is a key measurement.

The other use of the scale is a more scientific use of how much fluid should be taken in by an athlete during exercise, and this is usually a replenishment volume for fluid lost in the form of sweat. Some serious athletes will weigh themselves before and after exercise in various environments from hot to cold, to get a fairly accurate idea of the amount of fluid they lose and how much they need to take in to keep their hydration levels up during an event.    

Are you Wasting your time weighing-in 10 times a day?

Now I have told you where the scale is most useful, and I bet very few of you fit into those categories. You are probably wondering if you are wasting your time weighing yourself ten times a day.

In short yes you are. It really is not a realistic reflection of your true body composition, and the most basic reason is, how much percentage of that weight comprises of muscle and fat? You have no clue, and I can tell you that many times I have monitored people who are fatter at a lighter than heavier weight.

Simply put, a simple bathroom scale cannot differentiate between muscle and fat. In terms of weight and health, I was once deemed to be a health risk, due to my weight being excessive at a medium height. This was however so far from the truth, as I had a higher percentage of lean muscle mass. I was a poor “health statistic” thanks to BMI ratings, but in more than excellent health. 

Thinner does not always mean healthier.

A lot of women often say they don’t want to gain muscle. Well I have news for you ladies, this does not mean you will be muscular and bulky, the contrary, toned in shape and healthy.

A leaner muscle mass means you burn off more calories to move around as it requires more energy, you use a lot less energy to move fat, as fatty tissue is an already easily tapped energy source.  Thinner does not always mean healthier, either. Extremely thin people often have a lower-than-desired lean muscle mass percentage which can lead to health risks.

When we do not ingest enough calories, not only do we lose a percentage of our fat, we also diminish the percentage of lean mass. Starvation studies have proven that losses of lean mass and fatty tissue leave people with the same percentage of body fat after weeks of starvation. So, in truth you are wasting your time and harming your health.        

If You Want the Scale To Show You Are Losing Weight Then Focus On This!

A shocking fact is that fat takes up more than four times as much space as lean muscle mass but weighs far less. So, if you want to reduce your size, then reduce your percentage of body fat.

An obvious indicator is your waistline which is well known as a health measurement factor of visceral fat. If your pants are loosening around the waist and your weight is staying constant, then you are heading in the right direction. 

So, what do I recommend?


Straightforward and simple, invest in two simple items, a skin fold calliper to measure body fat and a tape measure to measure body part circumference. If you can afford it, an impedance meter can also be used to measure body fat quite quickly and although not the most accurate it still can form a baseline if used correctly. 

A skin fold calliper measurement is a good reflection of body fat measurement, and I would use at least a 7-point test for a more accurate measure. Also, when measuring, once every 2-3 weeks should be enough to monitor your progress, you won’t notice major difference daily. The second measuring device I mentioned earlier is the tape measure. You can use this to record your neck size, waistline, biceps, thighs calves and chest.

Always measure at the same time of the day to ensure less accuracy fluctuations. The other option is to go to professional to do these measurements for you.

Based in the Johannesburg area in South Africa? I can highly recommend contacting Zac van Heerden. He is vastly experienced and works will athletes all across the world.

Below is a table showing general body fat guidelines of course athletes drop even lower on the body fat scale.  

Health RatingMaleFemale
Healthy10% – 20%15% – 25%
Moderately High20% – 25%25% – 30%
High25% – 30%30% – 35%
Obese 30%35%

People who fall into the Moderately High category to higher have an increased risk with health problems such as diabetes, blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

I hope this has set you on the right track, try quitting that adrenaline pumping scale routine for a while, which significantly affects your emotional health. Track your progress in a more beneficial way, and you will start to realise the scale is totally “overweighed”.

Want to ask me more questions? Join in on my FREE weekly webinars.

All the best,

M.

Categories
Health

HARDEN YOUR HEALTH

The last few weeks has seen global efforts to thwart COVID-19 the latest Corona virus strain which is creating momentum worldwide with escalating infection rates. Over the last few days we as athletes have also seen the postponement and cancellation of some major sporting events which as hard a pill as it is to swallow , but its definitely the correct course of action to reduce high a infection risk. Plenty of training and racing goals have been thrown a curve ball and these goal posts have had to be shifted. Personally right now I feel the focus should be on our health and ensuring we are not just responsible for ourselves but for those around us.

The training for us all should continue as we do not just do this for finish line medals and kudos. For most of us it’s a lifestyle and yes racing motivates us to train. However right now we have a much more important motivating factor which should keep us on our toes and that my friends is health. As we stand without a treatment for this virus our only course of action is to boost our own immune systems and make sure that we are in excellent condition to be able to fight off any infection that comes our way.

Training and racing especially as intensity and volumes increase so does immune system suppression which makes us far more susceptible to infection and illness. In line with a real war we are just about to face, I decided to put together a short guide of how we as athletes can strengthen our health and boost our immune systems to be able to navigate this next part of our journey.

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT HEALTH STATUS
Starting with the basics, it’s always best to get a proper snapshot of your health first. How can you hope to strengthen your immune system if you have an underlying condition? In my line of work I come across many athletes with underlying conditions such as anaemia, insufficient vitamin levels, improper organ function or underlying infections and inflammation. If you have an underlying condition and do not know about it then you basically starting on the back foot and this needs to be addressed first.

What should you do?
A full medical with a nice batch of basic bloods & some additional vitamin and mineral testing to make sure everything is in good order. Remember as an athlete you place your body under stress and if certain levels are on the low end its highly likely that you will reduce them further and impact your health. Vitamin drips in my view are a complete waste of time without understanding exactly what you are treating. There is something called excessive vitamin and mineral dosing and in some cases this can be highly toxic to the body. My advice is to see a medical professional and get it done properly without playing a guessing game. I wrote in a previous blog called Blood’s don’t Lie you can check it out by clicking here.

LISTEN TO YOUR MESSAGES
Once you get the results from your physician its best to discuss them with him or her and make sure everything is in line. Remember you are an athlete not a couch potato. So make sure the physician understands that because some might say your levels are normal. However that is the general population norm. You want to rather be on the upper end of the spectrum not on the lower end due to the amount of stress the body goes through daily. If you do have an underlying condition you have to address it. Athletes are so good at ignoring issues when it comes to injury and illness. Don’t ignore them and adhere to proper medical advice.

NUTRITION
Proper nutrition is absolutely the health fuel for your engine. Healthy nutrition allows the body to fortify and strengthen itself against illness and disease as well as ensure our energy system is kept up at all times. When we make bad food choices we place additional stresses on the body and in times of need when we should be our strongest to fight off foreign invaders this should be kept to a bare minimum. After all our own natural defences are all we have and we need to make sure that they are fortified. Eat nutrient dense meals with plenty of vegetables and fruit and ensure that you are eating properly for your unique needs. As an athlete ensure your calorie intake is not an excessive deficit so that the body gets sufficient nutrients to help with restoration and repair. Carbohydrates often get a bad rap however when it comes down to endurance sport carbohydrates are your fuel king and when it comes to recovery there is nothing that will get your fuel tank recovered quicker than carbs. Remember carbohydrates can come in healthy forms such as fruits and vegetables which are high in anti-oxidants and free radical fighting nutrients. Eat with intent and insure that whatever goes into your mouth has a purpose for strengthening your body.

TRAINING
It’s a scientific fact that exercise boosts the body’s ability to fight off infection and illness. However, one should not over do it. Endurance athletes tend to place huge stresses on the body with intense bouts of volume training. This will certainly place the immune system at risk. Over-training places any athlete at risk to infection. Rather stagger your sessions properly, reduce intensity ratios and volumes and allow the body to fortify itself without over stressing it. With most events now cancelled or postponed do yourself a favour and switch your focus to health especially in these trying times. Get outdoors more and limit your visits to the gyms in order to protect yourself more from infection risk. Most importantly just keep on going.

SUPPLEMENTATION
Alongside a healthy eating regime supplementation can play a beneficial role. I mentioned earlier blood tests can show where there are areas of deficiency and those can be addressed. Right now though our focus is on immune system strengthening and there are a number of supplements which have been shown to aid immunity.

Vitamin C
Its amazing how Vitamin C is at the top of most people’s lists when it comes to immune boosting. However it is not really the king on the list. It is an antioxidant which helps fortify and reduce inflammation however its over estimated by a large amount due to massive ongoing marketing in the supplements sector.

Vitamin D
If someone asks me what to take for immune system strength I will always advocate vitamin D as one of the best immune system defences. Vitamin D can improve immune system responses and a deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased susceptibility to infection. Research suggests that vitamin D can help reduce the risk of respiratory infections, including colds and flu especially among people who don’t get enough of the vitamin from diet or exposure to sunlight which is most of the population. Athletes tend to train in the early morning hours and many also indoors which limits exposure to sunlight and then again sun creams further limit the body from it. It is worth dosing with vitamin D and a simple blood test.

Wellmune®
This is something you have probably never heard of but it is the bomb. Wellmune®  is a leading natural yeast beta glucan clinically proven to help strengthen your immune system. In a clinical study, marathoners taking Wellmune® for four weeks experienced a 40% reduction in upper respiratory tract infection symptoms. Wellmune® primes immune cells helping them find and kill foreign invaders.Where can you get this ingredient. 32Gi’s new plant based pure protein being launched this week contains the correct dosage of Wellmune® to ensure your immune system is properly fortified. A medically backed natural supplement is absolutely worth taking.

32Gi’s NEW Immune Boosting Pure Protein

Zinc
I think zinc is an awesome mineral . It does help the immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses and worth dosing to keep immunity up nicely as well as it being good for the skin.

Elderberry
Elderberry is packed with antioxidants and vitamins that may boost your immune system. It can aid the reduction of inflammation, lower stress levels and help protect the heart. It is often advocated in the prevention and ease of cold and flu symptoms.

Probiotics
Probiotics are there to keep the gut healthy and to ensure the immune system functions well. Taken from a peer reviewed research publication it states that probiotics can also modulate the immune system, enhancing the body’s innate immunity. This modulating effect helps alleviate excessive inflammation in the gut, thereby boosting immune function. We know that health gut bacteria is important for proper health and immune system function and there is no harm in dosing with probiotics on a daily basis.

In short there are many avenues we can try to help fortify and improve our immune system function and health. Not all vitamins and minerals have been researched to such an extent that they are conclusively providing the best benefit. We are after all unique and what works for one individual may not work for another. One thing we do know and that is proven, is that proper healthy nutrition, plenty of good sleep and exercise goes a long way to ensure that our body’s remain physically strong and healthy to weather the storms.

all the best

M

Mark Wolff is a certified exercise & sports nutritionist, endurance nutrition and physiology expert with over 20 years experience. An endurance multi-sport athlete with a running, triathlon, mountain biking and weight lifting background, he works extensively with professional and amateur athletes in a variety of sports disciplines as well as those just wanting to change their lifestyles. He firmly believes that a person can only reach their full potential when their health and nutrition is given the proper focus. Mark’s focus on nutrition and physiology is not just on training and racing, but he places major emphasis on recovery, immune system health, emotional stability, stress management and performance. Mark is co-founder of 32Gi, a sports nutrition company, focused mainly on health and endurance nutrition. He is also co-founder of Rapid Recover focused on pneumatic compression equipment to improve circulation for recovery, rehabilitation and health.