Our 3 top tips to getting back in the gym

So here we are working on our business and our focus has changed from how we can survive during this to now how can be come back better and stronger than before this!

As we sit each Monday and plan out our weeks focus we have also planned ahead on a bigger scale, not only within our business, but within our Technofunc community and as individuals!

We are planning our return to the gym and we want you to start to do the same!

For some, you’ll find it easy as the gym is your sanctuary, the thing that starts or finishes your day, its your outlet, its your ‘you’ time, your child free zone where you work on yourself and your training goals, for others its your social place and others your work place whatever the gym is to you, unexpectedley it got closed off just like that…. Like poooof!! Its gone. Your not allowed in you have to train outdoors or at home.

It was, has been and is a massive change for people and it could go 1 of 2 ways. Either be the best thing ever to happen to your routine as you ( like me) needed and were craving the slowness that it forced you to adpot or it could be the thing to send you insane with boredem and you are craving your old routine and social life.

Either way, its a good time to start to focus on your return to your health and fitness goals and here are our 3 main areas/ top tips for making your return to the gym a smooth success:

1. ESTABLISH A LEVEL OF CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS

   Your probably thinking yeah right. I have just not done anything for like 8 weeks, AS IF…. BUT! If you have a low to medium level of cardiovascular fitness going on, trust me it will be a-lot easier for you. So our Top tip for this section would be to start NOW to add in at least 3 cardio based activities or workouts a week to help you with this. Jump onto the online membership and get those home workouts in. Also remember that your breathing and lung capacity ( as in how you breath) impacts this and how much you will or will not struggle. Make sure you breath the air in through your nose and out through your mouth, opposed to a big huffy and puffy heavy breathing in and out your mouth.

2. HAVE A PLAN OF ATTACK

   The perfect time is NOW to plan your return. Wether you were or are the seasoned exerciser or a complete beginner. We are ALL in the same boat with the return to normal life and routine so great opportunity to think about your goals, what you REALLY want to achieve and set a plan of attack to get there. Our tips for this section would be to take a look inside, think about what goals you want to achieve, WRITE THEM OUT and than plan how you are going to work to get them. Add in your eating, your training and your lifestyle goals as-well as Health and Fitness is a holistic framework and isn’ t just about fat loss, eating salad and going to the gym.

3. ESTABLISH YOUR NEW ROUTINE

   Start to transition back into setting your schedule for IF you were going to the gym. Factor in how your normal day would go and try and follow that schedule. Having a schedule makes your day and plan work smoothly and gives you some direction instead of wondering aimlessly. Knowing when your working out, when your working, resting or have free time helps a lot instead of not knowing and feeling like you have no purpose and also helps keep you on track.

Taking a step back and looking at your current habits and work life schedule will help give you a birds eye view of what your doing and allow you to become aware of where the changes need to be made!

Remember that you Do have time for anything if you make it a priority. So if keeping fit and healthy is a high value of yours it will than become a high priority to get it done. A 45minute workout is 1% of your 24hour day And definitely achieveable to complete.

I highly recommend the App Called Cozi for a schedule. We use this for our family and work schedule and it allows us to see what each other is doing at what time for work or life so in another areas our family runs smoothly. You can set reminders, repeat days, invite other people to your schedule and even create to do or shopping lists!

Give it a go and if you have your own scheduling tools we want to hear them! Comment on our Facebook post for this blog and share what helps you!

Cant wait to see you in the club!

Coach Channy xo

Change your ISO Habits for better Mental Health

These are uncertain times. As we all try to adapt to this crazy new world we find ourselves in, it’s important to recognise how crucial mental health is during this time. So, let’s look at how you can look after your mental health in isolation (oh yes, and how exercise CAN help!).

Social isolation doesn’t discriminate when it comes to affecting someone’s mental health. The loneliness and lack of normality that comes along with it can be enough to cripple almost anyone. Like when you start getting jealous of the bins being out on bin night, you know it’s getting bad.

In attempt to try and shed some hope during these dark moments, know that with the correct routines and habits put into place, you can still manage to be happy (yes, even in isolation).

BUT HOW? I’m so glad you asked! Here are a few habits you can add to your day that’ll make you happier:

HABIT 1 – EXERCISE (ISO STYLE)

The first method I’ll address is exercise. Although we know how good exercise is for our bodies, many people forget just how amazing exercise is for the mind. Here are some fun facts to prove my point:

• According to a study led by the Black Dog Institution in 2017, as little as one hour of exercise per week would be enough to have prevented 12% depression cases.

• A short, 10-minute brisk walk can increase mental alertness, energy and positive mood states.

• Exercise has been shown to improve self-esteem, reduce stress and anxiety.

No one type exercise is better than another for your mental health, so just find something that you enjoy! This can be as simple as walking or running outside (just remember to practice physical distancing), or even finding a home-workout to do. As mentioned above, something as small as 10 minutes is all you need to better your mood

HABIT 2 – MEDITATION

Another method is meditation. According to the black dog institution, meditation has the following benefits for your mental health:

• Reduces stress, anxiety and depression

• Improves concentration, learning and memory

• Assists with finding emotional balance

Our minds are designed to think. On average, we think up to 60,000 to 80,000 thoughts per day. Unfortunately, the majority of those thoughts are often negative. Meditation allows us to be more mindful of these thoughts and as a result, we can observe and shift where our focus goes.

According to Black Dog Institution, recent studies indicate that through meditation, the brain literally develops through neuroplasticity. This means it builds neural pathways and grey matter, effectively re-wiring the brain to become better.  Might as well work on this while you’re in isolation, right?

HABIT 3 – PRACTICE GRATITUDE

As “guru” as practising gratitude might sound, it has been clinically proven to help individuals with low mental health or stress. It can also help you to simply be more positive and improve your mindset.  It works like this: every morning and every night, you write three things your grateful for that day. This simple practice works by teaching the mind to notice valuable parts of your day and to hold some gratitude towards them.  Here are some fun facts about gratitude practice:

• It’s been shown to be effective in reducing depression and stress.

• It can help to increase resilience.

• Gratitude practices can improve quality of sleep and build emotional awareness.

HOW TO MAKE THESE HABITS PART OF YOUR DAY

Building habits is a slow process, and it’s about frequency and NOT duration. So, in other words, it’s not how about how long I exercised for, but how many times I’ve exercised that week. Let’s break it down into four simple steps to make these habits last:

Make it obvious: Making it obvious means you’re simply reminded of it frequently. For example, someone quitting smoking shouldn’t place cigarettes in front of themselves all day. Alternatively, if you’re trying to exercise, strategically placing your gym clothes nearby so that you see them frequently can be a good method.

Make it attractive: This means thinking outcome based. If you’re exercising, think about how good it will feel to be in better shape. Try and associate that image and feeling with exercise.

Make it easy: This means making it easily accessible. For example, I might not eat the salad if it’s hidden at the top of the fridge, however, if it’s at the right height then I am more likely to eat it.

Make it satisfying: Aim to make it as enjoyable as possible. This can be done by rewarding yourself afterwards and associating something positive. For example, try putting music on during a run.

My last tip… Remember that it’s PHYSICAL distancing, not SOCIAL distancing. Now that we are all at home with plenty of free time (some more than others), there has never been a better time to call your loved ones.

Make time to chat to family and old friends that you’ve been meaning to talk too. Simply making a call to a friend is enough to remind us that we are loved.

ANXIETY

This week we want to put our focus onto ANXIETY. Did you know that Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia? On average, one in four people – one in three Females and one in five Males– will experience anxiety at some stage in their life. In a 12-month period, over two million Australians experience anxiety.

Everyone feels anxious from time to time. When anxious feelings don't go away, or happen without any particular reason or make it hard to cope with daily life it may be the sign of an anxiety condition. 

What is Anxiety?

Feeling anxious in certain situations can help us avoid danger, triggering our 'fight or flight' response. It is how we’ve evolved to keep ourselves safe. Sometimes though, we can become overly worried about perceived threats – bad things that may or may not happen. When your worries are persistent or out of proportion to the reality of the threat, and get in the way of you living your life, you may have an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety is actually a term for a group of mental health disorders. Each anxiety disorder has its own specific set of symptoms. It is possible to experience more than one type of anxiety at the same time.

It's important for doctors to know which type of anxiety you have, so they can advise you on the most effective treatments.

So what are the types Anxiety…?

Here is a list of the common types of Anxiety

• generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

• social phobia

• specific phobias

• obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

• panic disorder

• separation anxiety disorder

• agoraphobia

The levels of severity of Anxiety are dependant on the individual and there is a range of contributing factors for developing anxiety. The factors could be biological – genes (family history), personality traits and brain chemistry – or they can be life events, such as trauma and long-term stress, or a combination of these factors

What are some signs and symptoms to look out for?

Normal anxiety tends to be limited in time and connected with some stressful situation or event, such as a job interview. The type of anxiety experienced by people with an anxiety condition is more frequent or persistent, not always connected to an obvious challenge, and impacts on their quality of life and day-to-day functioning.

While each anxiety condition has its own unique features, there are some common symptoms including:

• Physical: panic attacks, hot and cold flushes, racing heart, tightening of the chest, quick breathing, restlessness, or feeling tense, wound up and edgy

• Psychological: excessive fear, worry or obsessive thinking

• Behavioural: avoidance of situations that make you feel anxious which can impact on study, work or social life

These are just some of a number of symptoms that you might/can experience. They're not designed to provide a diagnosis just to guide you on what to keep an eye out for!

We all have experienced it or may experience it now in our lives and its OK. Its ok to be in a state of worry. If you are like me, i honestly haven’t suffered a-lot throughout my life with Anxiety but on the odd occasion i do get it when i just over think and over think and over think and don’t disconnect and ground myself to the present.

I myself have experienced it recently with the closure of our gym. For about 3-5 days i just didn’t feel myself, my chest was tight my breathing was short, i couldn’t sleep, my mind was in absolute over drive and thinking about all the WHAT IFS and it just was too much for me to handle. It wasn’t until i decided to look at the positive sides of this situation ( thanks to Mat for being positive and pulling me out of that sad period) and seek gratitude for what is happening and focus on what i am grateful for which is having time to be able to spend with Archie because i never got a Maternity leave. Grateful for being able to have some down time to clean out our gym facilities and get rid of the cluttered stuff we just didn’t have time for and really grateful for being forced to slow down and focus on myself, my relationships and my family and reconnect and realign with all things that fill my cup up!

Everyones situation is different, but know its ok to not feel ok, to feel overwhelmed, to feel uncertain about the future. Its ok to feel uninterested and lose motivation. Its ok to feel uncomfortable, unhappy and confused.

Lets try to interrupt Anxiety with Gratitude. When you feel it creeping on again its crucial we know how to control our breathing and we could have a completely different outcome.

This is a breathing technique that i learnt in prenatal yoga. It is utilised to help women regulate their mind and breathing to remain calm throughout birth/labour which can be very stressful situation for some. So i highly recommend using this technique as it helps in all situations.

How to regulate your breathing and emotions:

1. Take 3 big long deep breaths in, first through your nose. Picture the path of your breath going in through your nose, travelling down into the bottom of your lungs to fill them up

2. Hold this breath for the count of 3 seconds

3. Exhale this slowly either through your nose or pursed lips ( Imagine your blowing out a candle on a birthday cake thats the position you want your lips to be in) while you relax the muscles in your face, neck, jaw, shoulders and stomach.

4. Look around you and be aware of your surroundings tell yourself what you can see, hear, smell

5. Tell yourself 3 things you are grateful for in that moment

The idea when experiencing an episode of Anxiety or even a panic attack bought on by severe Anxiety is to bring you back to the moment. Be in that moment and pay specific attention to something ( Like your breathing or surroundings) to help bring you back to you!

References:

https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/clinical-resources/anxiety/what-is-anxiety

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety/signs-and-symptoms

Educational Videos:

https://youtu.be/IaPN9KQoYbs

https://youtu.be/4QHGYTP5HsE

https://youtu.be/wIENw9sobHg

The Dirty word....STRESS

Stress, it’s that 6 letter dirty word that many of us have experiences. Whether it’s a tense interaction with a boss or pressure from friends and family, we all face stressful situations from time to time and even more so now in a time of uncertainty. For some of us, these events happen sporadically. For others, daily stress is a regular part of life!

Everyday stresses can seem like small things when considered individually. Mostly we all associate stress as a negative feeling and of course when it begin to stack up, collectively they can be quite harmful. But there is also stress that is beneficial and positive to your overall wellbeing.

Good stress, called eustress, can actually be beneficial to you. Unlike bad stress, or distress good stress can help with motivation, focus, energy and performance. For some people it can also feel exciting.

On the other hand, bad stress typically causes anxiety, concern and a decrease in performance. It also feels uncomfortable and it can lead to more serious health issues if not addressed.

There are 4 types of stress that we want to de-bunk today and it’s really important that we break these down and get you to fully understand each one of them!

So what are they types of stress we experience…?

1. Tolerable Stress

2. Positive Stress

3. Toxic stress

4. Physiological Stress

All of which are beneficial to our health and wellbeing. Let’s kick off talking about what stress is; Stress is the body’s physiological and cognitive response to situations/events we perceive as threats or challenges. It is a normal and natural response.

So let’s break them down:

Positive Stress: Symptoms: Brief increase in heart rate with mild elevations of hormone stress levels A positive stress response refers to a physiologic state that is brief and mild to moderate in magnitude. Examples of stressors that trigger a positive response is dealing with frustration, anxiety associated with being in novel situations or environments of uncertainty.

Tolerable Stress Symptoms: Serious Temporary Stress responses buffered by supportive relationships A tolerable stress response is associated with exposure to non-normative experiences that present a greater magnitude of adversity or threat. Examples of this type of stress response include experiencing the death a family member, a serious illness or injury, natural disaster, an act of terrorism. This helps to “reduce the physiologic stress response and promote a return to baseline status.”

Toxic Stress Symptoms: Prolonged activation of stress response system in the absences of supportive relationships This is considered as the most dangerous or harmful type of stress response. Exposure to stressful and adverse experiences over a long period of time can become toxic. This repeated exposure to stress without the benefit of buffering protection of a supportive relationships has been termed toxic stress. Several adverse life events may contribute to toxic stress response include neglect and abuse, divorce/separation, death of a loved one, exposure to domestic violence, incarceration of a parent or a family member, neighbourhood violence, extreme poverty, parent or family member abusing drugs/alcohol, parent or caregiver having a mental illness and traumatic events. Exposure to toxic stress can have detrimental short and long-term physical and mental health consequences on both children and adults.

One other thing that I want to add in here is physiological stress.

This is the type of stress that majority of the world is experiencing right now due to the global impact of what it happening with COVID-19. What is Physiological Stress? There is no denying that stress can cause long term effects on our health and wellbeing and physiological stress can be broken down a few different ways, but let’s start with this simple “bucket” terminology to help you understand how it can effect this physiological stress effects your body!

We all have what is called a physiological load. This is to do with all the different stresses we have in life and with reference to the above some are positive some are tolerable, some are just outright toxic to our life.

Let’s say you have 6 buckets. You have 5 small buckets that are labelled Buckets 1-5 and Bucket 6 is labelled physiological Load.

Bucket 1 - Nutritional Stress

Bucket 2 - Relationship stress

Bucket 3- Work Stress

Bucket 4- General Stress

Bucket 5 - Financial Stress

Bucket 6 - YOUR LOAD

As you can see they all funnel down to Bucket 6. Now how full that bucket is dependent on how full those other little buckets are above it. If its super full, our bodies can’t handle that overload and will shut down and go into stress mode. The more stress we have the more catabolic we are, the more catabolic we are the more inflamed our bodies get and susceptible to being sick. The thing that we need to do the most in this given situation is reduce that physiological load right now.

With all the panic, fear and anxiety around us or within us, we need to tap back in to what we can do to decrease that physiological load which can be done from working out.

What are you doing to help build your energy? Are you choosing the right nutritional choices and drinking enough water? How are you thinking right now?

All of these things effect your bottom bucket and this effects how you feel right now if you feel stressed. Check in on that big bucket and see what you can do to make changes and remember everyone’s buckets are different sizes. Some can handle more stress than others and/or deal with stressful situations in different ways.

Here are our tips on what you can do to help lower the physiological load to decrease your stress levels:

Find a balance: It’s important to structure some of your time so that you can be comfortably busy without being overwhelmed. Working hard does not usually equate with working efficiently. In fact, working too much can reduce productivity.

Be kind to yourself: Understanding that you aren’t weak because you’re feeling stressed is important. Stress is a very normal reaction to the stressors in your life.

Lean on the people you trust: Before your stress levels escalate, reach out to someone you trust such as a friend, family member or co-worker. Sharing your feelings or venting your concerns may help to reduce your stress.

Keep a journal: Set aside time to reflect on your day. Write down any thoughts or feelings you’re having. This can be a useful tool to help you better understand your stressors and how you react to stress.

Eat well-balanced, regular meals: When it comes to managing stress, proper nutrition is your friend. Skipping meals can lower your blood sugar, which can depress your mood. In some cases, this can also trigger intense feelings of anger and frustration.

Exercise regularly: Engaging in regular physical activity can improve your overall health and reduce your stress levels. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins. These feel-good hormones can also ease symptoms of depression and anxiety. Right now we can’t participate in group exercise but we can go get some fresh air and go for a walk, run or ride. We also have our Survival of the Fittest program where we deliver online workouts and nutritional education you can join here.

Get plenty of rest: Your ability to manage stress decreases when you’re tired. Try to get a recommended seven to nine hours each night. If you have insomnia, aim to get as much sleep as you can, then build in periods of rest during the day.

Practice relaxation exercises: These exercises, which can include deep, slow breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, involve tensing and then relaxing various groups of muscles. Try to put aside 15-30 minutes a day to do this.

Hope this help you manage your stress with some new coping tools!

Coach CY

xo

Some useful videos to further help explain how stress impacts your body and brain are listed below:

How does exercise effect your brain

How stress effects your brain

How stress effects your body

Resources:

COVID-19 Resource

7Strategies to avoid harmful stress

Mental Health: You are not alone in this...

Loneliness

‘Loneliness’ is described as a discrepancy between an individual's preferred social relations, which lead to a negative experience of feeling alone as well as distress and dysphoria of feeling socially isolate. Social theories of loneliness suggest that loneliness is considered as a sign of absence of attachment figures in one’s life that may lead to other negative feelings such as low self-worth and self-doubt.

It is important to note that being alone and experiencing loneliness are not the same thing. People can be alone and not feel lonely and can be around people and feel lonely.

At such a daunting and testing time with COVID-19 and everyone suddenly having to practice social distancing and social isolation it is important that we all take note of any feelings of loneliness that we may have and try and work out what we need to do to help overcome them feelings. Naturally as people become isolated and distant from their daily connections, mental illnesses will increase, develop and/or be triggered. I know for myself I am ok being alone but there is a certain degree to being alone that my mind may start to take over and I start to feel lonely. This normally happens when I have a few weekends at home without any interactions with friends and limited ones with family. I have over the years worked so hard to tackle this and grown my mind to think differently when and if I ever have feelings of loneliness, including accepting that its ok.

First thing to acknowledge when and if ever feeling lonely is to know that having feelings of loneliness are totally ok. Although loneliness sometimes is considered a negative feeling in society, science shows that it is actually something we need in order to overcome a situation that may put us at a disadvantage. Just like feeling physical pain, this is the way your body tells you there is something wrong. We are literally wired as human beings to form connections. It is a part of our biological make up to have connections and interactions with other human beings; physically and emotionally. The neurons in our brains are often shooting messages along their electrical currents to create certain feelings or thoughts which may lead to feelings of anxiety, stress and depression. It is up to us to learn how to overcome and tackle them feelings when we start to notice them.

In saying that it is important to know what the signs and symptoms of loneliness are and what you can do to help yourself if ever feeling lonely.

Some symptoms of loneliness include;

- Physical symptoms; having aches and pains, headaches, illness or worsening of medical conditions

- Mental health conditions as noted above – increased risk of depression, anxiety, paranoia or panic attacks

- Low energy – tiredness or lack of motivation

- Sleep problems – difficulty getting to sleep, waking frequently or sleeping too much

- Diet problems – loss of appetite, sudden weight gain or loss

- Substance use – Increased consumption of alcohol, smoking, medications, drugs

- Negative feelings – feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness or thoughts about suicide and self-harm.

So, what can we do when feeling lonely not just now with COVID-19 and social isolation but any time? Here’s some tips on some things you can do;

1. 3 C’s – CATCH IT, CHECK IT, CHANGE IT

There are technical names for this type of practice, but I won’t bore you all with them and will just try and explain how this is done.

CATCH IT – Catch your thoughts.

Acknowledge what you are thinking and feeling and tell yourself that it’s ok to have those feelings. Rather than over thinking the feeling/thought, ride the wave. This helps to separate it from you as a person and changes it to a moment in time as an acknowledged thought/feeling. For example; At home on your own starting to feel down. We may have a thought like ‘No one must like me I’m alone’. Take notice that, that it was you are currently thinking.

CHECK IT – Check your thoughts.

Ask yourself where is the evidence that this thought it true. Such as thinking of the last time you saw or spoke to your friends and family.

CHANGE IT - Change your thoughts.

Instead of thinking ‘No one must like me I’m alone’. Try and remember step 1 was about naming the feeling as ‘loneliness’. Tell yourself this than think of the connections you have. For example. I feel lonely but that’s ok to feel sometimes, I actually have friends and family who love me and I saw them just a few days ago, I have clothes that were made by someone in China so really that’s pretty cool that someone made the clothes I’m wearing and I also have neighbour’s close by.

Note; if you aren’t used to doing any sort of positive self-talk or its new to you it’s ok to be so uncomfortable with it. It is a mindful skill that takes time to learn and develop.

2. At a time like COVID-19 a good way to connect is online.

Text your friends and family, don’t feel afraid to say you’re feeling lonely and organise a FaceTime chat or a phone call. I have become a FaceTime person the last few years. Mainly because I have friends who live long distance but it’s such a helpful way to still feel connected.

3. Practice daily self-care routines

Such as making your bed, having a routine and setting yourself some tasks to do during the day to keep yourself busy.

4. Exercise

My most favourite one!! If you start to feel overwhelmed with thoughts of loneliness try and go for a walk even if it’s only 10minutes. Or be creative, counteract your thoughts of loneliness by doing some sort of physical movement. For example, stop and do 10 squats when you have thoughts on loneliness. It might be tough at first but once you start, you’ll start to feel the benefits. This helps balance out the energy in our body and take the focus away from our mind and thoughts into a more physical action which without us even knowing is changing the neural pathways in our brain to more positive and useful ones.

5. Pets

Pets are great company if ever struggling with loneliness.

6. Do an activity or take up a new hobby

Gardening, colouring in, reading books, music, learning a new skill

7. Practice Mindfulness

Spotify, YouTube and google all have some great guided ones. There are also some great apps you can download such as the CALM, SMILING MIND and BLOOM apps.

Loneliness looks different for everyone. Just know it’s ok to feel, we are mammals and designed to connect and form attachments with others. Reach out to your support networks, Face time, send text messages, get up and get your body moving and don’t be afraid to check in with those around you. We can’t control having to be isolated right now but we can control how we respond to the situation. When you take time to think of connections, they can be found in so many more ways that just being physically present with people.1

KY.

xo

Why exercise is ESSENTIAL for STRESS management

With the world the way it is at the moment, many of us are walking around extremely stressed. When managing stress exercise plays an undeniably essential role in curbing the stress

Virtually any form of exercise from aerobic, strength and yoga can act as a stress reliever for the body.

HOW??

Exercise has the ability in improving your overall health and wellbeing, this is done through;

✅Exercise releases your endorphins “your feel-good hormones” these put the body into a feel-good state.

Exercise is motion meditation, essentially whilst your moving whether it be swimming, running or lifting weight, you will often find yourself ‘loosing yourself in the moment’ & following your strength session or run you have seemingly forgotten about all of the day’s irritations and stressors.

Regular physical activity increases your self-confidence resulting in you feeling better about yourself, whilst it also relaxes the body which lowers symptoms of depression and anxiety.

HOW TO MAKE IT FIT FOR YOU?

• Make time for you and your health, you will often find that once you begin exercising and start to feel good other areas of your life will also improve.

• Do something you enjoy or may have interest in! This is utterly important as you are more likely to buy in to the process!

• Build a routine, pick an activity & pencil it in to your timetable week in and week out and stick to it.

Whatever exercise you do allow it to be your escape from the current stress you may be under and allow yourself to unwind!!

Dont forget even in this time we are able to bring Technofunc to you, just in a different way with our Survival of the Fittest online Program

Now, more than ever you need this....

While we have this crazy shit storm happening around us with the virus outbreak, it puts extra stress on our bodies plus the temperature and weather is ALL over the place at the moment, so in times uncertainty our motivation and sadly our immune system can also suffer due to poor diet and lifestyle choices people opt for to get them through the daily stresses of uncertainty.

Why do we change our healthy habits when we stress or panic and when the weather does funny things and or in the colder months? We swap the greens for more carbs, meal prep for fast and easy, the joggers for ugg boots and the morning walks for morning sleep in’s? And unfortunately if we don’ t use it, we lose it! Its so important to keep our bodies moving and our immune systems strong even if we are in isolation there is still some room to move in your house or backyard and its important that you remain mindful of your eating habits.

Here are 7 simple ways you can boost your immunity today👇

✅ Eat a protein, vegetable and fruit rich diet: increasing your vegetable, protein and fruit intake are the perfect boosters for your immunity. If you think your eating enough of them eat more. Vegetables and fruits are so rich in nutrients.

✅Exercise regularly: Regular exercise is one of the pillars of healthy living states Harvard University. Exercises promotes good circulation, which allows the cells and substances of the immune system to move through the body freely and do their job efficiently. Helping cleanse and detoxify the body.

✅Get quality sleep: sleep is time for the body to restore and rejuvenate the entire body giving you a healthy, strong immunity and body. How good do you feel after a good nights rest?! If you have little ones and quality sleep is difficult try to rest where you can throughout the day.

✅Get enough Vit D: Vitamin D turns on key peptides in your immune system that trigger a strong anti-microbial response, allowing you to quickly and effectively fight off invaders before they can develop into a full-blown infection. Getting out in the sunshine or consuming enough foods with vitamin D.

✅Minimise stress: stress will suppress the immune system. Stress is the way we perceive something. To minimise stress use stress management techniques regularly to help manage your stress.

✅ Take adequate steps to avoid viruses/infections like washing your hands regularly and not touching your face with your hands.

✅ Includes spices into your meals: ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, turmeric, cinnamon are yummy additions you can add to meals to help boost your immunity to fight off viruses.

Overall focus on building the strongest immune system and body for you and your family. This is what our bodies and minds need right now, and it important that we understand why exercise is important for stress management!

WHY EXERCISE IS ESSENTIAL FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT

With the world the way it is at the moment, many of us are walking around extremely stressed. When managing stress exercise plays an undeniably essential role in curbing the stress

Virtually any form of exercise from aerobic, strength and yoga can act as a stress reliever for the body. HOW?? Exercise has the ability in improving your overall health and wellbeing, this is done through;

-Exercise releases your endorphins “your feel-good hormones” these put the body into a feel-good state.
-Exercise is motion meditation, essentially whilst your moving whether it be swimming, running or lifting weight, you will often find yourself ‘loosing yourself in the moment’ & following your strength session or run you have seemingly forgotten about all of the day’s irritations and stressors.
-Regular physical activity increases your self-confidence resulting in you feeling better about yourself, whilst it also relaxes the body which lowers symptoms of depression and anxiety.

HOW TO MAKE IT FIT FOR YOU?

• Make time for you and your health, you will often find that once you begin exercising and start to feel good other areas of your life will also improve

• Do something you enjoy or may have interest in! This is utterly important as you are more likely to buy in to the process!

• Build a routine, pick an activity & pencil it in to your timetable week in and week out and stick to it.

Whatever exercise you do allow it to be your escape from the current stress you may be under and allow yourself to unwhind!!

Cheers

Team Technofunc

What is Carb Cycling?

There are more ways to manage carbs than one. Some people prefer going keto, others take things a step further and eliminate them on a carnivore diet. For me, my body i can work them into my day and i personally have higher carb days than other which naturally puts a limit, or, I earn my carbs through training. Both of these allow me to enjoy carbs without going overboard and suffering the consequences. However, there is another method called carb cycling, which is what we’ll be exploring today. Are you ready? Then let’s get to it!

Carb Cycling 101

Carb cycling is more of a practice rather than a diet. It doesn’t tell you to go vegan or keto.

The idea is to “cycle” carbs either every day, week, or so often. 

There’s no one way to carb cycle: 

• Alternating between high carb and low carb days; Mon, Wed, Fri, and Sun are low carb, Tue, Thur, and Sat are high carb

• Lowering carbs for losing weight, increasing carbs for gaining weight“Carb Loading” (i.e., increasing carbs) before athletic events or activities (marathons, powerlifting, cycling, sports, etc.)“

• Re-feeds,” when you eat either a meal or full day of high carb every few days or weeks before returning to low carb the rest of the time (also practiced as “Cyclical Keto”)

• Activity levels- some people eat most of their carbs around their workouts or days when you’re most active; similar to our “earn your carbs” principle; rest or low activity days are for low carbs

  An important thing to note about carb cycling is that the other macros- protein and fats- should, for the most, stay the same. While fat can be tweaked a bit, experts recommend you consistently eat the same amount of protein. 

  The Pros and Cons

  Let’s start with the benefits, or pros, of carb cycling:

• Creates a caloric deficit without counting calories: In other words, you’re naturally cutting back on calories by lowering high carb foods like pasta, cereal, bread, rice, and dessert. Over time, this results in weight loss. I’m not a fan of counting calories; I think it’s unnecessary and open to becoming an obsession. However, I do believe in portion control and tracking your macros and other habits that naturally control calories without needing you to count them to the exact calorie.

• Fuels Workouts and Supports Recovery: Unless your metabolism has switched over to burning fat for fuel, you’re going to need some carbs to help you exercise. You’ll also need to pair them with protein for recovery.

• Creates Metabolic Flexibility: Speaking of your metabolism, you can teach it to swing between burning mostly fat and back to mostly carbs with carb cycling. On your low carb days, your primary energy source becomes fat. And on high carb days (you guessed it!), you mostly burn carbs. Metabolic flexibility gives you the advantage of “adapting” to different diets and eating styles. What happens if you’re on vacation and, try as you might, you end up eating a load of carbs? Instead of dealing with blood sugar swings and weight gain (provided you don’t overeat), your body can efficiently use the extra carbs as fuel. And the same works on the opposite side with fat. All in all, you’re increasing your sensitivity to insulin and keeping blood sugar from going unstable. 

• Hormones: There are three hormones that I need you to focus on- thyroid, testosterone, ghrelin, and leptin. All four play huge roles in metabolism, exercise performance, hunger, weight maintenance, and well-being. If any of these starts getting imbalanced, a whole host of problems may occur. Problems that, in some cases, can cause serious damage. The days you “refeed” or “increase” your carbs may help to keep these hormones in check, acting as a sort of “reset.” However, I should point out that not everyone needs a refeed day, and not everyone’s hormones do well on higher carbs. But some people do and are worth mentioning. 

  Now onto the cons, or drawbacks, of carb cycling. Because there’s no such thing as a perfect “practice,” even in the dieting world. 

• Zero Research: Unfortunately, there’s no research on carb cycling. There is on low carb diets and carb “loading” in athletes, but nothing specifically on the practice of cycling carbs itself.

• Maintenance: For some people, following “rules” or “protocols” with their diet may not be sustainable. If you’re least concerned about performance or weight and would rather eat intuitively, then skip carb cycling.

• Carb Binges: In the wrong hands, carb cycling may be used as an excuse to binge on empty carbs from junk food (cookies, ice cream, soda, juice, etc.). Even though you’re eating more carbs, they should be coming from whole foods such as fruit, sweet potatoes, squash, whole grains, and legumes. 

  Final Thoughts

  This post is for those of you similar to me or that are trying to manage their carb intake.As you can see, there’s more than one way to do so. You can still enjoy carbs with the right planning. If low carb or earning your carbs hasn’t worked out for you, then consider cycling them in every few days or around your training.

Dining out while dieting

After a recent request for dining out while dieting or trying to eat better, this is for all the people who love to dine out regularly but are trying to get results..

When you know you’re going to go out: Save ample calories during the day.

Be safe with this, ‘ample’ meaning what you think you're going to need + a few hundred more in case of spontaneity. For example, in the case of say dinner and drinks it can clock up quite quickly so leave about 600 (the equivalent of say - steak, chips, and steamed vegetables) for a meal and 300 for alcohol (equivalent of about 2-3 glasses of wine).

1. Tips for saving calories during the day:- Have breakfast later- Have things that may suppress your appetite like sugar-free sodas, coffee, and tea, etc- Have plans and keep busy during the day. Don’t give yourself the opportunity to be wallowing about food - Have voluminous (yet low calorie) foods/meals that will fill you up but not take from you calorie budget- Have low calorie go to’s like: Chobani and Danone YoPro Yogurts, Uncle Toby’s Quick Oat Sachets, Corn Thins with low-fat dairy and spreads, Cruskits with Light Ricotta and honey, Salads with Chicken/Prawns/Turkey, Lite Tuna tins, Smoothies, Deli meats and Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges on Purebred Sandwich Rolls/Country Split Bread/ Be Free Wraps/ Mountain Rye Wraps, BSC or Fulfil Bars, The Bar Counter Bars, Aussie Bodies Lo Carb Mini Bars, Eggs, Omelettes, etc.
   

2. Hit your minimum protein requirement during the day. Your protein will generally be sitting at a minimum of 0.85g per pound of body weight so aim for that, that way you're not limited to higher protein options off a menu. You’d rather have hit your protein and just go over on protein if need be then not hit it at all, but do keep in mind - calories trump macros for fat loss so don’t exceed your calories chasing macronutrient goals (e.g going way over on carbs and fat and eating extra calories to hit protein OR forgoing food of choice to hit your macros and then out of feeling like you didn’t get what you wanted going over anyhow).High Protein (low calorie) foods:- Chicken- Beef- Tuna- Fish- Quest, BSC, Aussie Bodies- Whey Protein- Cottage Cheese- Egg Whites- Fat-Free Deli Meats- Low-fat Cheese- Chobani and YoPro Yogurts
   

3. Hit your fiber during the day - Rule of thumb: 15g per 1000 calories.Foods for hitting Fiber during the day:-  Bananas and Apples and most fruit- Green Beans and most vegetables- Slim Pasta- Protein Bars (Quest, Aussie Bodies)- Muesli Bars (Carmens, Bar Counter Bars)- Be Free Wraps- Purebred Sandwich Rolls- Ryvitas- Oats- All-Bran

4. Pre-plan. Aside from saving a number of calories, have a look at the locations website for their menu so you can pre-plan the dish you may order. If you’re unsure about serving size and how many calories to account for you can always look at their location tag on Instagram to see photos of the dish too.

5. Make most of your meals as accurate as possible during the day to give leniency for a guesstimated meal.

When you’re out (Restaurant): What to look for when ordering:

1. Specified weights provided. Things like steak where a weight is usually specified is very simple to calculate. The weight usually refers to raw weight and a lot of meat dishes like steaks & burgers will generally specify this particularly at steakhouses.

2. A dish where the components on their own are generally quite calorie-dense will mean the dish itself will be high in calories. E.g Pasta dish with parmesan, prosciutto etc - all very high-calorie individual items so you’ll need to account for a high number of calories to have that dish.

3. Dressings. Anything that involves a creamy or oil-based dressing will be relatively high in calories and need to be accounted for quite generously, so consider getting the dressing on the side.  

4. Check out the sides, if there are steamed vegetables consider ordering them as they serve as a good resort if you feel as though you’ll have a tendency to overeat. Filling up on veggies is quite harmless but also provides you with a dual benefit of being nutrient-dense and filling.

5. The amount of ingredients used. Anything with a high volume of ingredients and components will always be more difficult to account for, it’s doable but complexity levels will differ depending on the simplicity of the dish.

6. Cooking methods such as braising, pan-frying etc can all indicate additional oils, bases etc may be used so consider that as a factor for allocating caloric intake to as well as perhaps requesting a dry grilled cook (further explained in ordering tips).

When ordering:

1. Ask questions. Don't be scared to ask the waiter or make specifications. E.g ask what the leanest cut steak is, or how something is cooked.

2. Ask for dry grill, no oil, butter or marinade for steaks or account for the extra calories. Again the staff is so fine with this.

3. Be wary of too many calories accumulated by a number of dishes, so forgo an entree to have a main and dessert, forgo dessert for alcohol, or forgo the table bread for a wine. You may not be able to have it all (perhaps if you’ve planned well enough you can) but you can certainly make most wants work, or if you do spill over your calorie allowance due to inability to forgo a dish just be mindful of the compromise you may make within your progress - the impact of which will be determined by the extent of the error/exceed.

4. Order a side of steamed veggies - fill up on these when you want to just keep eating.

5. If you order wine ask to be refilled not in the midst of glass one but after the glass is finished so you can keep track of your number of beverages.

6. Think slim. If you’re on a weight loss journey don’t order or select foods/restaurants like you don’t give a toss about your results. Be wise and mindful, after a day’s worth of food and only saving 500 or so calories while trying to progress with fat loss goals and/or eating management don’t put yourself in a vulnerable position of being at a pizza bar or chocolate waffle bar under such restriction.

7. Don’t forgo what you really want if you have a tendency to binge eat or have a blow out day after having forgone what you want to have. If you’ve made the caloric allowance and are worried about hitting macros, forget your macros at this point in time (if you’ve followed the above you would have hit your minimum protein anyhow) and just satisfy yourself with what you really desire.

How to enter/account for your order:

1. Guesstimate. Some food items you won’t know exactly the brand/weight of but it can be calculated as close to accurate as possible. Aim to overestimate rather than underestimate, and if you’re taking a real stab in the dark it’s good to do so with lower-calorie choices like steamed veggies, salads etc. A good example of a guesstimation would be a side of chips. You won’t know the exact weights or brand of the chips but using your discretion for serving size you can enter as e.g. KFC regular OR large for thicker cut chips or McDonald's medium or large for thinner fries. The key is appropriating what is on your plate to what is available in your calorie counting tool database.

2. Deconstruct the meal. For further accuracy enter non-meat & Vege meals as its components to account for overall calories. E.g- 1x Hamburger Bun, Wagyu Beef Patty, 1x Slice American Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, 1 Tablespoon Aioli, etc.

3. Toss up between whether it is easier and more accurate to deconstruct or just guesstimate and account for the serving size. For example, it’d be more accurate to deconstruct a burger or a pasta dish while it’d be more accurate to just find a suitable Pho or sushi entry in a calorie counting tool database and just adjust the serving size based on what you were served/had.

4. If you have alcohol vodka soda water/coke is recommended as it's a lower calorie option (65 calories per glass) and champagne (100 calories per glass) and wine (125 calories per glass) are pretty stock standard in calories and can be easily tracked in a calorie counting app. Cocktails are super high (200-400 calories) and should be avoided particularly if a dinner allowance is being saved.

5. Make sure you add oil if you feel/saw/were made aware of if it were used in the cooking method. A tablespoon is about 120 calories so be mindful of this.

When you’re out (Take Away):

Some people find themselves on a work lunch or out and about in a food court with no meals prepared. In these instances here’s some tips for managing these circumstances on a weight loss journey:

1. Get familiar with hot spots that supply nutritional information so check the website. Some mentionable favourites include Grill'd, Guzman Y Gomez, Crust Pizza, McDonalds, Subway, Boost Juice, Sumo Salad, KFC, Sushi Train, . Some of our favourite picks include:- Mc Donalds Bacon and Egg McMuffin 290 calories- 6-inch Roast Chicken Subway with salad and Mayonnaise on Wheat Bread 375 calories- Grill’d Sweet Chilli Chicken Burger 550 calories- Wondermelon (high protein) Boost Juice 156 For Regular

2. Account for the calories of what you’ve had using the above calculation tips involving guesstimations and deconstructions.

3. Opt for less complicated, if you’re at a work lunch, just keep it simple if you haven’t made an allowance for that meal, e.g. Steak and Steamed Vegetables over Pan-Fried Salmon with Dill Pesto, Sauteed Mushrooms and Beans with Oil and Slivered Almonds.

4. Once you’ve accounted for the macros/calories post having the meal, make up the remainder of your day with the lacking macronutrient. So if your meal was high in protein and fat and low in carbs then consider resorting to a muesli bar and fruit for an arvo snack rather than a protein shake and nuts for instance.

5. Taper back during the day rather than writing the day off and overeating. It’s not all over and ruined, making the day still count just involves a few small tweaks, but work out your intake first and see what you have left rather than seeping into your state of mind.

Stage Three - The next day:

1. Be prepared for water retention. Whether you went over your intake or not, some dine out foods tend to be high in sodium, not only that you may have eaten later in the evening and had a lot of volume having saved so many calories for a denser meal so you may naturally be holding onto a lot of fluid and feel heavy. Don’t fret this will go down in a few days.

2. Get back on the horse. If things didn’t go according to plan get back on the horse the next day and carry on keeping your goals in mind.

Here’s two examples of common dine out meals that we’ve made guesstimations for:

In time you can expect:- To get better at the art of eating out. Practicing eating out more often allows you to get comfortable and more confident at it as well as reassuring that you’re not missing out and practicing a sustainable method. It will also allow you to invest trust in the process of adhering to a caloric and macronutrient method in seeing that it won't hinder your results if done correctly.

- Your efforts reflected in your results. If you’re dining out excessively guesstimating most meals and being somewhat inaccurate for a vast majority. Then you can expect your results to be at worst idle if you’re sitting at maintenance, weight gain effects if it’s meaning you’re sitting in a calorie surplus consistently or extremely slow if your inaccurate intake is counteracting most of your deficit.

So in summary, you aren't an antisocial alien and you shouldn’t set yourself up for a weight loss journey that confines you to the four walls of your home. Fat loss is a science, if you’re eating more than you’re burning (calorie surplus) you will gain weight, if you’re eating less than you’re burning (calorie deficit) you will lose weight, you can ensure that eating out works into these calculations and doesn’t hinder your results.

The successful methods and individuals who achieve their goals and keep off their lost weight are those that can be sustained for a long period of time and satisfy the preferences of the individual. You can’t expect that isolation and eating what you know is accurate or ‘within your plan’ can be kept up, it’s a sad and short-lived practice that will be counteracted by a moment of weakness and throwing in the towel.

Don’t prohibit yourself from eating out, be wise, be prepared and be flexible!

Resources: https://equalution.com/blogs/news

Lets talk heart disease....

Your sweetheart may hold the key to your heart, while boxes of chocolate treats, celebratory champagne and romantic, high-calorie dinners may dance in your mind as a way to celebrate Valentine's Day, but your heart may be pining for something else. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, it is a great time to look at the state of your heart…..

Lets talk Heart Disease…..What is it?

Coronary heart disease is characterised by a narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Fatty deposits, or plaques, cling to the artery walls and can clog the arteries, making it more likely that a blood clot will form.

A heart attack occurs when a blood clot blocks one of the arteries of the heart. This prevents the flow of blood, cuts off the oxygen supply to the heart and damages or kills the heart cells.Food is directly involved in many of the risk factors for coronary heart disease. Paying attention to what you eat is one of the most important preventative measures you can take.

There are 5 main risk factors that impact your Heart health and these are:

1. Smoking

2. High Cholesterol

3. High Blood Pressure

4. Inactivity or Sedentary Lifestyle

5. Carrying excess weight

Now, it may seem evident that all of the above are things that are in our 100% complete control. All of which are controlled by our diet and lifestyle. There is no ‘magic’ food to decrease the risk of developing heart disease. You need to eat a healthy diet and have plenty of exercise. High-salt diets increase blood pressure and the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Most of us consume more than ten times the amount of salt we need to meet our sodium requirements (salt contains sodium and chloride). However, there is evidence that plant foods – especially wholegrain cereals, legumes, nuts, fruits and vegetables – may decrease the risk of heart disease.

The foods that best protect against heart disease include:

• oily fish – such as mackerel, sardines, tuna and salmon which contain omega-3 fatty acids. This type of fat has been shown to decrease triglycerides and increase HDL-cholesterol levels, improves blood vessel elasticity and thins the blood, making it less likely to clot and block blood flow

• some vegetables oils – such as corn, soy and safflower, which contain omega-6 fatty acids, and those containing omega-3 fatty acids such as canola and olive oil. All of these can help to lower LDL cholesterol when used instead of saturated fats such as butter

• fruit and vegetables – antioxidants in fruit and vegetables offer protection against heart disease. Fruit and vegetables are also important sources of folate, which helps lower the blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine, which appears to be linked to an increased risk of heart disease

• fibre – wholegrain cereals and fruit and vegetables

• unrefined carbohydrate sources with a low glycemic index – foods such as wholegrain breads and breakfast cereals, legumes, certain types of rice and pasta are important for people prone to diabetes because they help keep blood sugar levels in check

• legumes and soy – soy protein has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels, especially if blood cholesterol levels are high

• nuts and seeds – they should be eaten in small quantities, as they are high in kilojoules

• tea – some evidence suggests that the antioxidants in tea can help prevent the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries. The antioxidants may also act as an anti-blood clotting agent and improve blood vessel dilation to allow increased blood flow

• alcohol – it is thought that a moderate intake of alcohol may have some potential health benefits. For example, some types of alcohol (such as red wine) may contain protective factors like antioxidants, although this is still being researched. Alcohol also increases the HDL (‘good’) cholesterol and this helps clear cholesterol from the body. However, a high intake of alcohol increases blood pressure and also tends to increase triglycerides (a type of fat) in the blood, increasing the risk of heart disease. Current guidelines for alcohol intake in Australia recommend no more then two standard drinks per day for men and one for women to reduce the risks of harm related to alcohol

• foods containing vitamin E – some studies indicate that vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect against ‘bad’ cholesterol. Good sources of vitamin E include avocados, dark green vegetables, vegetable oils and wholegrain products. It is better to eat foods containing vitamin E rather than take supplements, which do not have the same protective effects

• garlic – a compound in fresh garlic called allicin has been found in some studies to lower blood cholesterol

• foods enriched with plant sterols – a daily intake of 2–3 g of phytosterols/stanols lowers LDL cholesterol levels by approximately ten per cent in healthy people and in those with high cholesterol and those with diabetes. This intake can be achieved by the consumption of two to three serves of phytosterol-enriched foods like margarine spreads, reduced-fat yoghurts, milk and breakfast cereals.

So now you know what heart disease is and food that help prevent it here are our 10 top tips for this Valentines day and beyond that!

10 heart-healthy tips for Valentine's Day and beyond

1. Stay active: The key to heart health is to keep moving and avoid being sedentary. Ideally, aim to get your heart rate up with at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least five days a week. However, any movement will be good for your heart so keep moving and stay active.

2. Limit your consumption of red meat, sugar and unhealthy fats. There are plenty of foods you can eat instead to enjoy a heart-healthy diet. Add fruits and vegetables to your diet to increase your fiber consumption.

3. Reduce your salt intake. Can't imagine your favourite foods without that added salt? Over time, however, you can re-train your taste buds to become accustomed to a lower-sodium diet, and you will start to notice subtle flavours in your foods again.

4. Stop smoking. Smoking not only damages your lungs, it also negatively affects your heart health. Once you stop smoking, your odds of developing heart disease drops rapidly. Breaking that smoking habit is essential for your overall health.

5. Keep your weight under control. Ask your doctor if you are overweight. Obesity increases the risk of heart attacks, heart failure and diabetes. A healthy diet with portion control and regular exercise is the best way to maintain a healthy weight.

6. Know your cholesterol levels: High cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease. If you have not had your cholesterol levels checked in the past year or two, get them checked now to find out if you're at risk for heart disease.

7. Know your blood pressure: High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes and heart failure. Many people with high blood pressure are unaware that they have this condition. There are effective treatments for hypertension in addition to lifestyle modifications of exercise and salt reduction.

8. Know your blood sugar levels: Over time, elevated blood sugar levels can lead to diabetes, a strong risk factor for heart disease. Ask your doctor if you are at risk. If you are pre-diabetic or have "early" diabetes, lifestyle changes can be effective.

9. Reduce stress: Stress is a strong risk factor for heart disease, especially for women. Try meditation, yoga, or simply being silent and still for 10 minutes a day. Be mindful of stress in your life and take extra care of your heart.

10. See your doctor regularly. Regular medical follow-up is one of the best ways to prevent cardiovascular disease. Studies show that individuals who stop their cardiovascular medications are at higher risk for heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and reduced survival.

Happy Valentines Day Techno Tribe!

Coach Channy

xo

Meal Prep 🍽

There are many benefits to meal planning. First is that it keeps you on track with your nutrition. (Failing to plan is planning to fail, right?) Second is that it puts you in complete control of your food intake.

When you wing your meals on the fly or go out, there’s no telling how much food you’re actually eating (studies show that people poorly self-monitor meals) or what’s really being served to you. Restaurants are notorious for adding ingredients behind your back, like processed seed oils to dressings. Third and finally is how much time it saves. Instead of spending hours every day trying to figure out what to eat, you can get it all done in one day.

Think of how many hours you’ve saved! But there’s an art to meal prepping. Many people have written books about it. You can use them at home or during one of our challenge meal plans. So, let’s not wait any longer- it’s time to get started!

Planning and Shopping

Consider this “stage one” of your meal prep. Instead of going shopping without a clue about what to buy, start by committing things to paper. That means writing down your menu. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and optional snacks and dessert. And don’t think you have to go overboard with fancy meals or complicated recipes. Start with your favorite go-to recipes. If you to add any changes or adjust it to your diet, go right ahead- this post shows you how. (By the way, don’t forget that the internet is your friend!)

Depending on your menu, lifestyle, and schedule, you can either create a full menu for the entire week or split it into 3-4 days. Some people like to get it all out in one day, while others prefer planning, buying, and cooking their food every 3-4 days. Find what works for you!

Once you’ve set up your weekly menu, it’s time to go shopping. But not so fast! You need to make sure that everything is well within your budget. When grocery shopping for meal prep, be sure to have an accurate list of every single ingredient that goes into your food. On our challenge meal plans, we will provide both a regular shopping list for every week plus an extra “Stock Your Pantry” list of essentials. These include bulk ingredients like almond flour, olive oil, protein powder, and seasonings. 

Kitchen Time

Now that you’re done shopping, it’s time to head over to the kitchen. Make sure you’ve set a block of time specifically for your prep. You don’t want to head home only to collapse on the couch and watch TV while your food sits in around. Get your prep out of the way ASAP!

During your prep, it helps to take notes. If there’s a better way to cook your veggies, write it down. If a recipe needed tweaking or you added something new that made it absolutely delicious, write it down. Pretty soon, you’ll become the head chef of your own exclusive cafe!

Efficiency is key, especially if you’re already short on time, which is why you don’t have to worry about making everything from scratch. Salad dressings, sauces, and condiments can be bought at the store, provided you find a brand with clean ingredients. For instance, In our plant-based Meal Plan for the challenge there’s a recipe for vegan feta and parmesan. But if you can find a good quality one at the store, then feel free to buy that instead. 

Portion Control

A major advantage of meal prepping is portion control. So, if you’re prepping for multiple days at a time, remember to measure out individual portions for each day. If you made an omelet that has four servings, either slice it into four quarters or have four storage containers to put each serving into. 

Don’t worry about having to cook elaborate meals for each meal and day of the week. Not only can that be expensive, but it can also suck away a huge chunk of your time. Look for recipes that have multiple servings, such as stews, soups, giant salads, stir-fries, and so on. With things like smoothies, portion the ingredients out for individual servings into little bags or containers. So, if I was going to make a strawberry banana smoothie, I’d already have measured out the ingredients and stored them away for the next morning. The only thing left for me to do come breakfast time is to dump them into a blender, mix, and drink up!

No Food Goes to Waste

Uh-oh; looks like we’ve got some leftovers. Stop- don’t throw anything away! Let no food go to waste. Re-purpose them into future meals like scrambled eggs, stir-fries, and salads. Or, put them away in the freezer. You could always defrost them later on for emergencies. Which reminds me- always be prepared for the unexpected. I know that life gets in the way. Something comes up, and suddenly we’re late for dinner. Or our food spoils. Don’t worry! Have a backup plan. Maybe keep some items stocked up for these situations. Canned chicken or fish. Raw nuts and seeds. Kale chips. Hard-boiled eggs. Frozen leftovers. Expect the unexpected with your meal plan; that way, you won’t be caught off guard and will keep the momentum going.

Over to You

Ready to meal prep like a pro? Share your tips and tricks with everyone on what helps you!

Portion Control

TRAIN YOUR PORTION EYE

What does that mean? Having the ability to judge a portion size using a visual aspect. So, what we do for our challenges is food tracking.

This essentially is what we believe to be THE BEST way to learn your body, learn how it responds to different foods and become familiar with how much you really are eating on a daily basis.

So that’s defiantly the avenue we chose to educate our members on, however it can be overwhelming at first if you have never done it, so like our goal setting we create SMALL achievable stepping stones to get there. Starting with portion control.

 This is the easiest way for us to help you get in the routine and rhythm with food because lets be real, TRACKING it isn’t for everyone. It can be time consuming (if you want to do it accurately), weighing, measuring and portioning out your meals.

THE VISUAL ASPECT 

Its also going to take some self control and discipline to stick to it but that’s it. Its all on you! 

Whether dishing up a single meal or multiple meals in advance, I want you to try gauging your portion sizes in the following way:

Divide your plate VISUALLY into thirds. Each third is space for your source of protein, carbohydrates and fats. 

With regards to protein, for men, visualise TWO palms (no fingers included) of protein dense foods with each meal. And that means YOUR palms, not those of the Incredible Hulk. (haha)

For women, ONE palm of protein dense food with each meal. I would also like to stress that protein NEEDS to be your priority. Make sure you’re getting it! 

For carbohydrates, men may visualise TWO cupped hands of carb dense foods,  women ONE cupped hand. 

When it comes to vegetables, males can throw TWO closed fists worth of veg on the plate, women ONE closed fist. 

Lastly, with fats, for men, TWO thumb size pieces of fat dense foods, ONE thumb size for women. 

So as you can see, that it! All you need is two hands and the ability to count to two

Do you even "NEAT" ?

Aside from working out with us in the studio, are you getting in enough movement everyday?We are not referring to going for another workout, or participating in a sport. We are referring to Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. Otherwise known as NEAT.

In the fitness industry, everything is about working out, pumping up our muscles and breaking a sweat. But unless you’re an ultra-fit professional athlete, there’s no way you’re going to be exercising all day. That would not only be insane, it would fall under overtraining if you’re not too careful.

NEAT, as the name implies, is not related to exercise or working out. As much as we all want to be in shape and sculpt our bodies, we can’t forget that there’s more to life than just working out for a set number of time. Our bodies were made to move and function in a variety of ways that aren’t related to beating our PR at the gym.

Now you may be wondering what exactly NEAT is….

NEAT comes in the form of the simple things we do everyday without consciously being aware of the fact that we’re moving our body. What does this look like?

• Chores– Washing the dishes, gardening, cleaning the house, doing yard work.

• Play– Chasing your kids, Frisbee, swimming (for fun- i.e., not going for laps around the pool or finishing a mile)

• Traveling by Foot– Walking in the mall, to the post office, around the neighbourhood

You may already be doing NEAT without even knowing it. The problem is– we’re no longer doing enough of it. Today, we are suffering the consequences of modern convenience. Instead of taking the stairs, we use the elevator. People go mad in parking lots if it takes more than a minute to walk to the store.

We’ve become slaves to sitting; all day, we sit in the car on the way to work, where we spend most of the day sitting in front of our desk, and then we drive back home- still sitting- where we’re too tired to exercise and choose to sit in front of the TV until it’s time for bed. Rinse and repeat.

Too much sitting is becoming a huge cause for concern. It can mess with our circulation, cardiovascular health, and metabolism. It ruins our posture, and makes us more susceptible to injury and back pain. And the solution isn’t to temporarily work out for a few minutes and go back to sitting all day. What we have to do is focus on the regular movements we get in everyday through NEAT.

Why else should you care about NEAT? If your goal is to lose weight, NEAT will help to keep your metabolism running strong instead of slowing down to a sluggish pace from too much sitting. If you want to maintain muscle strength, then incorporating NEAT will keep them from going into atrophy from staying sedentary (your legs, hips, glutes and back bear the brunt of the couch potato lifestyle). If you want to prevent yourself from premature aging and developing diseases, you’ll definitely want NEAT to help lower the risk.

Here’s how you can incorporate NEAT everyday, on top of managing your diet and exercise:

• Do Your Chores– Your mum was right! Roll up those sleeves, and tidy up. Why not skip the car wash, save some money, and wash the car yourself? Get the whole family involved and make it a team effort. It will also teach your kids responsibility and basic life skills they’ll be able to take when they grow up.

• Walk, Walk, Walk- Park far away from the store. Take the stairs. Arrange “walking meetings” with your work associates. Walk around the house during phone calls. Take a 10-minute walk every couple of hours at work. If you can walk to the store, post office, or even work, use your own two feet for commuting. Go for an evening walk after dinner. Take the dog for a walk around the block. If you have kids, do the same with them for some special bonding.

• Change Your Work Environment- Sit down on a stability ball or forgo sitting altogether and make a standing workstation.

• Fidget Around- If you’re commuting or chair bound at work, keep adjusting your sitting position. Fidget like a small child trying to get comfortable. Raise your heels, tap your toes, bend and extend your legs.

Try to find an opportunity to incorporate some non-workout related movement every day! Get creative, and see what you can make of every situation!

Top tips for enjoying Christmas

1) Don’t Eat Your Emotions – The sudden proximity of family or lack of due to COVID can sometimes bring up emotions.  Small slights can reopen old wounds, especially with loved ones. 

The fact that your Aunt or Uncle is happy to crack jokes to everyone know at Christmas dinner table what she thinks or your appearance or comment on you in anyway it doesn’t mean you need to sabotage your self-control and discipline.   Instead of attacking that bowl of mashed potatoes to combat your unease, remind yourself of your fitness goals and resolutions and do your best to laugh it off. 

2) Moderation Is Your Friend – Enjoy yourself.  Have fun.  Treat yourself and indulge a little.  Just don’t get carried away.  Be aware of the difference between treating yourself and overdoing it.  Sure, having that large mocha with whipped cream while visiting your sister is perfectly fine, but having it five days in a row during the holidays is not.  A treat is no longer a treat if you do it too often.

3) Drink Plenty of Water – The abundance of salty foods during the holidays makes drinking more water an imperative.  Also, staying hydrated makes us less inclined to be hungry or, at least, feel hungry.  Carry a bottle of water with you when shopping.  It will also help fight off the overwhelming need to ‘accidentally’ stumble into your local See’s Candy only to find yourself surrounded by a formidable army of chocolates. 

4) Walk It Off! – Our wellbeing can be put to the test this time of year.  Walking for thirty minutes to an hour is a fantastic way to manage stress, especially after a big meal with family.  Keep your activity high and focus on your NEAT. Set a steps target, be active with the family and play some games like cricket, soccer, football, totem tennis and or swimming!

5 - Relax! – Don’t take the holidays too seriously and remember that most of us are in the same boat.  There’s no need to restrict yourself and put pressure on yourself that will trigger an avalanche of unintended junk food.

Balance is important to a healthy lifestyle.

Low carb 3 spice Christmas cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup avocado oil
1 egg
3/4 cup Swerve (erythritol sweetener)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.

2. Add the egg and avocado oil and mix with wooden spoon until crumbled dough is created.

3. Use your hands to knead a dough that sticks together. Form the dough into a ball, wrap into a foil and let it firm up in the freezer for about 10 minutes.

4. Place the dough in between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out into a 1/2 inch thickness. Use your holiday themed cookie cutters to create fun shapes for your cookies. Use up all the dough, and place each cookie carefully on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 – 12 minutes. Sprinkle the cookies with powdered Swerve before they cool down. Then let them cool down completely.

Macros:
Calories: 2,330.9
Carbs: 48.3 g
Net Carbs: 21.4 g
Fat: 226.6 g
Protein: 52.6 g

Note: This is for the entire recipe, not individual portions, which are going to vary depending on both the size and amount of brownies you’re going to eat. Just like you wouldn’t consume an entire cake or container of ice cream, you wouldn’t be choking down this entire recipe in one go. Relax, enjoy the treat, and be mindful of your portions.

Avoid the Christmas Func.

That time of year is fast approaching! Christmas / New Year is just 3-4 weekends away! And while it can tend to be a fun, happy time of year (with more parties and social events on the calendar), it generally comes with more calories!

Did you know that between the 15th December and the 5th January, we will gain on average 4-6kg!? If you have any type of health and fitness goal, this small window of festive cheer can possibly derail your progress, or if not, definitely put you back a few steps. Think of the colder months. I’m pretty sure you weren’t working your ass off on those freezing mornings or nights just to allow you to ‘accommodate’ the festive season. It’s crucial that we keep our ‘eyes on the prize’ during this period. Stay focused on your goal. 

So I thought id share some of my top tips to give you the best possible chance to avoid the ‘Christmas Gainz!’ 

Maintain your usual workout routine

This should be the top priority for anyone with a heath and fitness goal! Be it with a trainer, in a class environment or just by yourself, sticking to what you have done throughout the year is vitally important to limit unwanted weight gain. Your routine is just that.. YOUR ROUTINE! It shouldn’t cease to make way for activities which may come back to bite you on the bum so to speak. If your gym closes or has limited classes do what you can to make them OR ask for some at home or outdoor workouts you could do instead.

Be active with family and friends

Sedentary activities, such as sitting on the couch watching TV, are common holiday traditions for many families. Inactivity may contribute to weight gain, especially if accompanied by overeating. Doing some type of physical activity with your family may prove beneficial for weight control. Even something as simple as a family walk can get your mind off food and allow you to bond with your loved ones. Things I remember doing as a kid was playing backyard cricket, soccer or even totem tennis!

Snack wisely  

During the holiday season, unhealthy snacks like cookies and other goodies tend to be available for you to take as you please. When treats are easy to access, you’re more likely to snack unnecessarily. At home, this problem can be solved by keeping treats out of sight. However, that strategy is more difficult to avoid in situations that you cannot control, such as at your workplace or a family party. Try to be mindful of your snacking habits. If you find yourself munching just because there’s food around — and not because you’re hungry — it’s best to avoid snacking altogether.

However, if you are hungry and need a snack, opt for real foods. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds are filling snacks that don’t contain added sugars or unhealthy fats — both of which can lead to weight gain.

Watch your portion sizes

This is a BIG one…When the holidays arrive, it can be easy to overload your plate. Those who eat larger portions tend to gain weight more easily than those who don’t. The best way to overcome this is to control portion sizes or use smaller plates. Use your best judgment to fill your plate with a reasonable amount of food. Check out our trainer tips on portion plates here

Practice mindful eating

People are often in a rush during the holiday season, which frequently leads to multitasking during meals. Studies show that those who eat while distracted are more likely to overeat. This is because they’re unable to pay attention to their body’s fullness signals. To prevent this, eat mindfully and minimise distractions — including work and electronics. Try to chew slowly and thoroughly, which will allow you to better recognise your body’s fullness signals and consume fewer calories.

Keep meals balanced with protein

Holiday meals are typically rich in carbs but low in protein. However, it’s important to include some protein with every meal, as it promotes fullness and may be useful for weight maintenance. 

Limit liquid calories

During the holidays, alcohol, soft drink and other calorie-rich beverages are prevalent. These drinks can contribute a significant amount of sugar and empty calories to your diet, which can cause weight gain. Additionally, alcohol consumption is often linked to increased appetite and is a risk factor for weight gain. 

Lastly…

Draw the line

During the holiday season, many people have an “I’ll start tomorrow” mentality, which can end up prolonging unhealthy habits. If you’re serious about controlling your weight, it may be helpful to draw the line, set limits for yourself, and stick to your goals regarding food intake. It’s okay to say no to certain foods and habits that don’t align with your goals. It’s also important to be aware that you might have a slip-up or two. People often abandon their goals after this happens. However, it’s best to simply move on and make a healthier choice the next time you eat.

So there you go! Hopefully this helps!

Coach Channy xo

Importance of food to your Energy Levels

Here are some tips for maximising your energy levels:  

•Eat breakfast every day but avoid fast-acting sugary cereals. Oatmeal, a slow releasing carb, is a much better choice than many other sugary cereals.

•Eat little and often to keep your blood glucose and therefore your energy levels stable

•Avoid refined sugars and processed foods – they cause big peaks and even bigger dips in your energy levels

•Eat natural, unprocessed foods to supply your body with essential vitamins and minerals so it can unlock the energy in your diet efficiently

•Focus on complex carbohydrates such as brown bread, brown rice, brown pasta, and starchy vegetables like potatoes. These slow-acting carbs will provide you with sustained energy

•Get enough sleep – seven to nine hours per night is optimal

•Use but don’t abuse caffeine. Like fast-acting sugars, caffeine gives you a fast lift but can also cause a slump in energy levels

• Plan your food intake around your activity levels; the more active you are going to be, the more carbohydrate you should consume. If you are going to be sedentary, you may want to dial back the carbs – especially if your goal is weight loss

• Drink at least two litres of water a day. Water is essential for energy production and helps flush your body clean of fatiguing toxins

Modern life can sap your energy and leave you feeling like you are always one step behind. However, if you eat healthily and learn how to make the most of the energising power of carbohydrates, you should find that you are much better equipped to keep up.

Technofunc is for everyone

We at Technfounc are here to provide PURPOSE DRIVEN workouts in a UNIQUE environment which everyone can be comfortable in.

We are a diverse JUDGEMENT FREE zone where lasting active lifestyle can be built.

Our product is a TOOL, a means to an end, not just a brand name or a mold maker but a tool that can be used by everyone to move their body, impact their life and attain mental clarity.

In the end its all about YOU.

As we EVOLVE and educate ourselves we will seek to perfect this safe, energetic, motivational and FUN environment where everyone feels ACCEPTED and RESPECTED.

We are not here to kiss your butt only to kick it when and if you need it. (We like to call it FUNC IT UP)

We need you because lets face it, our tribe wouldn’t be the same without you,

YOU BELONG HERE.

Each and everyone of you! You found your tribe!

We are not a gym. We are Technfounc!

Coach Channy

xo

Do you know how your body moves?

How much you move literally impacts your strength, your power, you you think, how you look and how you handle everyday movement patterns!

Movement doesn’t include just one muscle or muscle group, it’s ALL muscles in your body working together to create greater day to day function and mobility.

So today we want to talk all things joints!

The adult human body has 206 bones, and with the exception of the hyoid bone in the neck, each bone is connected to at least one other bone. Joints are the location where bones come together. Many joints allow for movement between the bones. At these joints, the articulating surfaces of the adjacent bones can move smoothly against each other.

However, the bones of other joints may be joined to each other by connective tissue or cartilage. These joints are designed for stability and provide for little or no movement. Importantly, joint stability and movement are related to each other. This means that stable joints allow for little or no mobility between the adjacent bones. Conversely, joints that provide the most movement between bones are the least stable. Understanding the relationship between joint structure and function will help to explain why particular types of joints are found in certain areas of the body.

The surfaces of bones at stable types of joints, with little or no mobility, are strongly united to each other. For example, most of the joints of the skull are held together by fibrous connective tissue and do not allow for movement between the adjacent bones. This lack of mobility is important, because the skull bones serve to protect the brain. Similarly, other joints united by fibrous connective tissue allow for very little movement, which provides stability and weight-bearing support for the body. For example, the tibia and fibula of the leg are tightly united to give stability to the body when standing.

At other joints, the bones are held together by cartilage, which permits limited movements between the bones. Thus, the joints of the vertebral column only allow for small movements between adjacent vertebrae, but when added together, these movements provide the flexibility that allows your body to twist, or bend to the front, back, or side. In contrast, at joints that allow for wide ranges of motion, the articulating surfaces of the bones are not directly united to each other. Instead, these surfaces are enclosed within a space filled with lubricating fluid, which allows the bones to move smoothly against each other.

These joints provide greater mobility, but since the bones are free to move in relation to each other, the joint is less stable. Most of the joints between the bones of the appendicular skeleton are this freely moveable type of joint.

These joints allow the muscles of the body to pull on a bone and thereby produce movement of that body region. Your ability to kick a soccer ball, pick up a fork, and dance the tango depend on mobility at these types of joints.

Stay with us over the next few weeks as we dive into sharing blogs on human movement, human body function and more!

Article Source: Open Text Book

Knee Pain when Squatting

Squatting is a foundational human movement, along with pushing, pulling, rotation and hinging. You may hear warnings that squatting below parallel is dangerous for your knees, but that's a myth. With proper biomechanics, you should be able to perform a deep squat without knee pain. However, it might not be possible if you have weak hips, lack of joint mobility or poor form.

The Truth About Squats

No matter what you've heard, full squats aren't bad for your knees. It's a resting position for people in Eastern countries, but Westerners typically lack the mobility to comfortably assume the position — which is likely, partially responsible for the false belief that you can get a knee injury from squats below parallel.

The concern that causes many health professionals to warn against squatting below parallel is that it potentially increases the risk of knee laxity, or weakness of the ligaments of the knee joint, and puts excessive pressure on the knee.

However, according to a study published in 2014 in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, that's untrue. In fact, previous research has shown that deeper squats only result in increased activation of the gluteus muscles and that experienced weightlifters actually have less knee laxity than sedentary people.

In addition, according to a 2015 scientific review by Tony Ciccone et al. of the Center for Sport Performance at California State University, stress on the knee actually decreases when the angle of the knee passes 90 degrees.

So, just to clarify, it's most likely not a knee injury from squats that is causing your pain.

Your Hips Are Weak

Physical therapist Jonathan Gayed says that in his experience, the most common reason for knee pain during deep squats is weak hip muscles — specifically the gluteal muscles. The glutes help stabilize the knees; if the glutes are weak, the knees won't track straight, typically caving in with the force. When this happens repetitively and under load, it can cause pain and tissue damage.

You can fix weak hips by doing these exercises:

Hip thrusters. Sit on the floor in front of a weight bench positioned lengthwise with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place a barbell or a dumbbell across your hips (use a pad for cushioning). Press your shoulders into the bench and raise your hips up to full extension. Keep your knees at a 90-degree angle. Lower down; then repeat.

Outer thigh extensions. Use the abductor machine at the gym or use resistance bands. Sit on an exercise step and place a closed-loop resistance band around your knees. Open your knees against the resistance; then return to starting.

You Have Limited Ankle Mobility

You'll know if you don't have effective ankle mobility because you won't be able to get as deep in a squat as you'd like to. This can cause overcompensation that affects your form and increases the forces on your knees.

Improve ankle mobility with these exercises:

Knee-to-wall ankle mobilization. Stand facing a wall with your toes about 4 inches from the wall. Place your palms on the wall and step one foot back as if you're going to do a calf stretch. Bend into your front knee as you shift the weight forward, attempting to touch the wall with your knee. Your back heel can lift but your front heel should stay on the floor. Do 10 repetitions; then switch sides.

Banded ankle mobility. Anchor a resistance band and loop it around your ankle. Walk away from the anchor point until the band is taught; then kneel on the knee of the unbanded leg. Press forward, allowing the knee of the banded leg to extend beyond the banded ankle until you feel tension in your ankle. Hold three seconds; then release. Do 10 reps on each side.

Read more: Knee Pain on the Outside of the Knee

You Are Using Improper Form

You can really mess up your body if you use incorrect form during a deep squat, especially if you are using a considerable load. The wrong form can put too much pressure on your knee joints, which can cause an acute knee injury from squats or can lead to an overuse injury over time. The key is to go back to basics. Get rid of the weight and practice proper technique, the finer points of which are:

• Use an athletic stance with your toes pointed slightly out.

• Keep your weight in your midfoot.

• Shift your hips back slightly as you lower down.

• Keep the knees behind the toes.

• Don't let your knees bow inward.

• Maintain a neutral spine and an upward posture with the chest out, shoulders back and the gaze forward.

It's a great idea to consult a certified personal trainer or physical therapist who can observe your form and provide feedback about anything that is contributing to your knee pain. Only when you are able to complete 20 unweighted squats with correct form should you begin to add weight.

Another effective way to practice proper squatting form and prevent sore knees after squats is to perform box squats. This trains proper squatting technique by reinforcing the hip hinge and the motion of pushing the hips back. They're simple to do:

• Just place a plyo box or weight bench behind you as you are squatting.

• Reach your hips back and sit down on the bench; then stand up again.

• Maintain all other points of your proper squatting form as outlined above.

You Have an Unrelated Knee Condition

It's possible that your knee pain isn't related to squatting but is exacerbated by the movement, causing sharp knee pain when squatting. Common conditions that can cause pain in one or both knees include:

• Patellar tendinitis, which is an overuse injury that causes irritation and inflammation of the tendons of the knee.

• Osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative arthritis that occurs when cartilage in the knee decreases with wear-and-tear and age.

• Knee bursitis, which is inflammation in the small sacs of fluid — called bursae — that cushion your knee joint.

If you have tried strengthening your hips, improving your ankle mobility and working on your form and you still have knee pain, make an appointment with your doctor!

Blog source: livestrong.com