\u00a0<\/p>\n
When you add all those things together, that creates a\u00a0concoction\u00a0of imbalances in your hormones. This is a key factor that will block you from losing weight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cortisol \u2013 The Stress Hormone\u00a0\u00a0<\/h3>\n
To give you\u00a0a very specific\u00a0example, when you wake up in the morning, you want the right level of cortisol.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cortisol is the stress hormone, which will help you to get up out of bed without feeling like\u00a0it’s\u00a0a struggle.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Serotonin\u00a0& Melatonin \u2013 The Sleep Hormone\u00a0<\/h3>\n
When you go to bed at night, you want to make sure you feel like your stress\/cortisol is going down, and the correct\u00a0serotonin\u00a0and\u00a0melatonin levels\u00a0kick in.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
These are the sleep and wake regulating hormones\u00a0and you want them to be\u00a0balanced.\u00a0So\u00a0you feel like as soon as you hit the pillow, you want to go to sleep.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
As I mentioned, the problem with the typical\u00a0modern-day\u00a0lifestyle is just that this\u00a0doesn’t\u00a0happen for most people.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now, there are many other hormone imbalances and things that we need to rebalance. But these are just the typical main ones that we come across.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Training Hard Without Results?\u00a0You WON’T Lose Weight!<\/h4>\n
I’ve\u00a0seen people who train five, six times a week, they’re\u00a0even eating the right foods as well as having healthy habits\u00a0like drinking lots of water and so on.\u00a0But they still struggle to get into shape and lose weight.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
That’s\u00a0because their hormones are all\u00a0out of whack.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
And no matter what they do, if they\u00a0don’t\u00a0focus on rebalancing things, internally, the external side will remain the same.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
I’ve\u00a0seen this far too many times.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t\u00a0let this be you!\u00a0<\/p>\n
How to rebalance your\u00a0hormones\u00a0<\/h3>\n
So\u00a0what we\u00a0actually want\u00a0to focus on now is how can we rebalance those things,\u00a0with these easy\u00a0beginners\u00a0steps:\u00a0<\/p>\n
- \n
- Spend some time in\u00a0nature and\u00a0regulate your body\u2019s internal clock.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Reduce your blue light consumption, that means no screen time 1 hour before\u00a0bed\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Have a regular wake and\u00a0sleep time\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Open the blinds\/curtains when you wake up, let the\u00a0sun shine\u00a0through\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
We want to be able to switch off, and understand when to switch on our body’s internal mechanisms to be working at the right times.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
If\u00a0your\u00a0hormones are\u00a0completely\u00a0out of whack, I promise you that you\u00a0won’t\u00a0get results or lose weight.<\/p>\n
Step #2 \u2013 Myofascial Release\u00a0 (MFR)<\/h2>\n
In this section,\u00a0we’ll\u00a0be covering what myofascial release is, how to do it, and why\u00a0it’s\u00a0really important\u00a0for you.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So\u00a0let’s\u00a0begin by breaking down the word itself.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Myofascial release can be\u00a0basically broken\u00a0down into two parts,\u00a0Myo, and then\u00a0fascia, or facial. So Myo\u00a0basically means\u00a0muscle, and this sits underneath the\u00a0fascia, then on top of the muscle, is the\u00a0fascia\u00a0itself.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
What is\u00a0fascia?\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Fascia is\u00a0a very simple, interconnected network of\u00a0fibres, which go all the way from your head down to your toes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
If you think of it like a spider’s web, it has a similar appearance, but also acts in\u00a0a similar way.\u00a0When you pull\u00a0on one part of the\u00a0web or the fascia, it\u00a0interacts with the rest. And\u00a0for\u00a0fascia\u00a0that’s\u00a0all the way up from your head to your toes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
![\"Fascia](\"https:\/\/fitroots.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Fitroots_Promo-Image-Fascia_1920x1080_NT_1-Feb_01_V1-1024x576.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\nSo, what that means is, if I massage my neck, there is a direct effect throughout the rest of the body. <\/p>\n
This is why it’s really important that we focus on how our body works together as one unit. <\/p>\n
So, when it comes to releasing stress, pain, aches and tension from the body, it’s not the case, that we just strengthen parts in isolation. <\/p>\n
Just like we shouldn\u2019t train our muscles in isolation. <\/p>\n
Start treating your body as one unit with myofascial release in the right way. <\/b> <\/p>\n
Now you know what myofascial release is, let’s figure out a few principles that you can apply as you do it, to make sure it works for you. <\/p>\n
Here\u2019s an example of what happens if you stretch instead of doing MFR. <\/p>\n
Think of an elastic band stretching. First, the elastic band is able to snap back into shape, but over time, if you keep stretching eventually some tension will be lost. That\u2019s the same thing that happens when you stretch. <\/p>\n
How to remove knots and increase weight loss<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Now, let\u2019s add the idea of adhesions, tension or knots as most people are familiar with. When you have a buildup of fascia you will feel a tension or a gritty, knotted sensation when you rub your muscles. These are areas of dehydration which need to be released. If you pull your muscles while you have adhesions, you will tighten the adhesion. You may get temporary relief, but the problem still remains and actually tightens.<\/p>\n
These adhesions in the body can inhibit weight loss directly or indirectly. They can stop you from wanting<\/i> to exercise or they can stop the flow of water throughout the body and therefore cause build up of toxins which inhibits your body’s optimal function. Which in turn will make it harder to lose weight. <\/p>\n
Is muscle tension all bad? <\/strong><\/h4>\n
All tension is not bad. Healthy muscle tension will allow you to expand and also contract your muscles. <\/p>\n
This is where the muscle needs to be able to shorten, lengthen and work appropriately. And that could be for modern day life. Imagine, you’re just walking around, or it could be whilst you’re running or sprinting or even doing your training. <\/p>\n
So when you think of myofascial release in this way, and it’s done properly, you’ll understand that actually we’re getting rid of the adhesions or tightness in our body, which causes postural dysfunctions, pain and other problems. <\/p>\n
When we look at it in a holistic sense, we know that this is what’s going to help us to reduce your pain. <\/p>\n
Hydration and Fascia <\/h3>\n
Once you release your fascia with myofascial release it\u2019s super important to hydrate. <\/p>\n
The reason is that when you release tension in your body, your body releases toxins, and you want to flush those out. <\/p>\n
So, remember, when you do myofascial release, drink half a litre of water after. You\u2019ll flush those toxins out and rehydrate those areas that need it most. <\/p>\n
MFR Principles: <\/strong><\/h4>\n
- \n
- Do it regularly, because otherwise you won’t see the effects <\/li>\n
- Do it properly, chase the pain, don\u2019t run from it. Go to where the pain is and understand that the pain is what you need to get out of your body. <\/li>\n
- Do drink water and hydrate after you release <\/li>\n
- Don\u2019t try to release bones, only focus on the muscles. You can’t actually release bones, ligaments, tendons, In the same way you can muscle so don’t try to release those areas only focus on muscular release. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Try this quick, and beneficial foot release here to see how MFR can really help.https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nn7TmF6vwB0&t=4s<\/p>\n
Step #3\u00a0HYDRATE!\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Now that you\u00a0have\u00a0got\u00a0a\u00a0taster\u00a0of why hydration is important\u00a0for\u00a0flushing\u00a0out your toxins after\u00a0MFR,\u00a0let\u2019s\u00a0delve\u00a0a little deeper.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It’s\u00a0really important\u00a0to understand how you should be drinking your water,\u00a0and also\u00a0why\u00a0you need the\u00a0right kind of water.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Losing water weight<\/h3>\n
This is key when wanting to lose weight, or more accurately lose fat. The truth is, if you want to lose weight, just like when fighters start weight cutting, you actually aim to DEhydrate the body. This way you lose all the water weight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But this is not sustainable, not normal, and not healthy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For most people who want to lose weight, the goal is to lose weight long term, not for a few hours.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Drinking water & Weight Loss<\/h3>\n
One of the simplest things that gets most of my students to lose weight FAST is to drink more water.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It’s shocking how fast someone can lose weight just by drinking the recommended amount of water for their body type and activity level. A lot of the time people don’t realise how much more they eat as a result of being thirsty.<\/p>\n
Staying hydrated often keeps poeple away from coffee, snacks and other treats. This is mainly down to the body being satisfied, it is not craving something, and therefore in a stressed state.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why is water so important?<\/strong><\/h4>\n
So,\u00a0let’s\u00a0get started with the body itself.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
First of all, the human body is\u00a0roughly made\u00a0of about two thirds water.\u00a0We need to acknowledge that, especially as we train more, we need to replenish the\u00a0system\u00a0in a healthier\u00a0way. And hydration is the first point of contact when it comes to in taking nutrition, not food, but\u00a0actually water.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Water is the most important because\u00a0it’s\u00a0the most abundant,\u00a0and it helps the body to transfer nutrients\u00a0to the right parts of the body,\u00a0in the right parts of the cells.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
If\u00a0there’s\u00a0no water,\u00a0we’re\u00a0dehydrated.\u00a0We\u00a0won’t\u00a0be able to transport things in the way we need to.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why filtered water is\u00a0better\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Next up, we need to understand the right kind of water is much,\u00a0much more important than the quantity.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
For example, tap water is not going to be as good as\u00a0remineralize\u00a0water through a gravity water filter.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
So\u00a0if you\u00a0don’t\u00a0have the filter yet,\u00a0I’d\u00a0highly recommend that you get that because\u00a0that’s\u00a0going to help you replenish your system in a much, much healthier way.\u00a0You will feel the benefits over having something like tap water.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Let’s\u00a0figure out some of the signs of dehydration:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Really tight, dry skin\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Constipation\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Feeling agitated or stressed\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Muscle tension.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
There are many more, but\u00a0if your body is\u00a0starting\u00a0to feel like\u00a0it’s\u00a0dehydrated, the simple sign is\u00a0\u201cOh, I need a drink, I’m thirsty\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
So,\u00a0if you feel like that\u00a0often, and you feel like even when\u00a0you’re\u00a0drinking,\u00a0you’re\u00a0not getting enough water or enough nutrients to the body to make you feel\u00a0satiated\u00a0from hydration point of view, then it could be the case\u00a0there’s\u00a0something else wrong.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
This could be down to a lack of electrolytes in the body. This can easily be fixed with increasing your salt intake.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
How to stay hydrated\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Now that you know\u00a0that the\u00a0kind of water\u00a0you drink\u00a0is important\u00a0and\u00a0signs of dehydration,\u00a0we’ll\u00a0go through a few tips you can use to make sure you get the right hydration.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Over the years,\u00a0I found that people\u00a0struggle to fit the amount of water they need into their routine. They either get to the end of the day and\u00a0realise\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0only had one glass, or\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0worried\u00a0they\u2019ll\u00a0need to go to the bathroom too often.\u00a0This is\u00a0because\u00a0they’re\u00a0so used to\u00a0little\u00a0amounts of water\u00a0and their body is just not used to\u00a0it and\u00a0doesn’t\u00a0know how to consume the amount it needs to function most effectively.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
How much water do you need?\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Here\u2019s\u00a0a simple formula to work out how much water you need based on a low activity day:\u00a0<\/p>\n
(Your weight in kg) x 0.03333 =\u00a0litres\u00a0you need to drink\u00a0<\/p>\n
So\u00a0for example, if\u00a0you’re\u00a090 kilos, and you multiply that by 0.033, that will give you the amount you need.\u00a0So that means if I\u00a0was\u00a090 kilos, I would need 2.97\u00a0litre\u00a0have water to make sure\u00a0I’ve\u00a0got everything I need.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
![\"Drink](\"https:\/\/fitroots.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/woman-drinking-water-outdoors-PRSKT26-scaled.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n3 tips for drinking enough\u00a0water\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Now you know how much water you need to\u00a0drink,\u00a0here\u2019s\u00a0how you can make sure you get through it:\u00a0<\/p>\n
- \n
- Carry a bottle of water wherever you go,\u00a0at all times<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/strong>This\u00a0\u00a0could\u00a0be when\u00a0you’re\u00a0at work,\u00a0when\u00a0you’re\u00a0home, when you go to the gym, the office or wherever it may\u00a0be.\u00a0Make sure\u00a0it’s\u00a0BPA\u00a0free, ideally, glass.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Take a\u00a0half\u00a0litre\u00a0glass of water\u00a0to bed, then in the morning, drink it first thing<\/strong>.\u00a0That’s\u00a0your half\u00a0litre\u00a0for the morning already. And when you set your body up right from the start with water, as the first thing\u00a0you\u00a0intake in the morning, it will rehydrate the system, especially after sleeping.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Set reminders on your phone,\u00a0or email calendar to remind you every two to three hours that you need to drink that half\u00a0litre<\/strong>\u00a0of water.<\/strong> So good indications if\u00a0you’re\u00a0drinking two to three hours half\u00a0litre, then by the end of the day,\u00a0you’ll\u00a0have what you need, obviously depends on your weight and your circumstances how much water you\u00a0actually need, but\u00a0that’s\u00a0just a rough\u00a0indication.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Over time, these tips\u00a0may still help you but some of them especially like setting reminders,\u00a0you\u00a0don’t\u00a0need for long term,\u00a0you\u00a0need to reinforce it into your\u00a0habits\u00a0so it\u00a0becomes second nature.\u00a0The main thing is you build a\u00a0self-awareness\u00a0to know that when\u00a0you’re\u00a0dehydrated,\u00a0and\u00a0you know what to do and how to fix it.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
So\u00a0there it is. Your first 3 steps to\u00a0optimising\u00a0your health.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
There is not one that is more impactful than the other, if you focus on all 3 consistently for the next 2 weeks\u00a0you\u2019ll\u00a0notice a difference.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0not enough and you would like some 1-1 guidance on\u00a0optimising\u00a0your health\u00a0join Modern Warrior\u00a0Programme\u00a0now!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Click here to book a FREE call to find out how you can\u00a0optimise\u00a0your health in\u00a012 weeks.\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
OR<\/p>\n
Sign up for the next FitRoots Modern Warrior Challenge<\/a> to kickstart your body’s optimisation in just 5 days!<\/p>\n
- Set reminders on your phone,\u00a0or email calendar to remind you every two to three hours that you need to drink that half\u00a0litre<\/strong>\u00a0of water.<\/strong> So good indications if\u00a0you’re\u00a0drinking two to three hours half\u00a0litre, then by the end of the day,\u00a0you’ll\u00a0have what you need, obviously depends on your weight and your circumstances how much water you\u00a0actually need, but\u00a0that’s\u00a0just a rough\u00a0indication.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Take a\u00a0half\u00a0litre\u00a0glass of water\u00a0to bed, then in the morning, drink it first thing<\/strong>.\u00a0That’s\u00a0your half\u00a0litre\u00a0for the morning already. And when you set your body up right from the start with water, as the first thing\u00a0you\u00a0intake in the morning, it will rehydrate the system, especially after sleeping.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Carry a bottle of water wherever you go,\u00a0at all times<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/strong>This\u00a0\u00a0could\u00a0be when\u00a0you’re\u00a0at work,\u00a0when\u00a0you’re\u00a0home, when you go to the gym, the office or wherever it may\u00a0be.\u00a0Make sure\u00a0it’s\u00a0BPA\u00a0free, ideally, glass.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fitroots.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Modern-Warrior-Challenge-1024x463.png\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n