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Heading on holiday this summer? Dive-bombing in the swimming pool is a holiday must, but it is actually one of the best forms of exercise and can be done by just about anyone regardless of their age or fitness level. Here are five reasons why you should be in the pool this summer: • Underwater swimming is the only time you should hold your breath while exercising. • If the 300,000,000 tiny air sacs (alveoli) in your lungs could be laid out flat, they would cover a home swimming pool (not an Olympic one!). • Whilst on holiday, if you... Read more

During exercise, heart rate and blood pressure increase, which in turn causes the body to pump out more sweat, preventing your body from overheating. Sweating may not be very glamorous but have you ever wondered why it is that you’re sweating more (or less) than your fit friends? The amount you sweat is dependent on so many factors, including diet, body size, environment, and genetics. Glance around any gym, and you’ll see all kinds of perspiration. Some exercisers will be drenched from head to toe, while others will have nary a drop of sweat on the brow. So, whether you’re... Read more

When we think about carbs we think of bread, cakes, potatoes and pasta and we definitely don’t think about apples and broccoli...and yet what many people don’t know is it dairy, fruit and vegetables contain naturally occurring carbohydrates. Carbohydrates get quite a lot of bad press, especially with so many low carb diets being made popular by those looking for fast weight loss. But before you ban every carbohydrate from your diet – you should know the facts!* Carbs are an immunity booster: eating carbs before a workout reduces your chance of sickness by supercharging your levels of cytokines (signalling molecules that... Read more

Sportswear is now a huge market, with brands such as Adidas and Nike taking over street style and even hitting the international catwalks. It plays an essential role while working out in a fitness gym, and therefore should be chosen with care. As our obsession with everything fitness continues to boom, it’s becoming more and more important to consider what we wear when we work out and how technologically advanced our sports kit really is. At Elite Body Squad, we can help you choose sportswear that will maximise your workout without hitting your pocket too hard. By wearing the correct... Read more

Whether you are prepping for a competition or exhibition or simply following a muscle-building diet plan, building muscle requires an increase in calories. To gain weight you must eat more calories than you burn each day but not so much that you’ll add fat along with it. You can increase your muscle building power by adding some or all of these 5 nutritious foods to your diet... * Beef is important for building lean muscle due to its protein content, cholesterol, zinc, B vitamins and iron content * Brown rice is a slow digesting whole-grain that provides longer lasting energy... Read more

We all know that most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium and calories and are a healthy part of everyone’s diet.But did you know...* Grapes explode when you put them in the microwave* A strawberry isn’t actually a berry, but a banana is* The world’s most popular fruit is the tomato* Coffee beans aren’t beans. They are fruit pits* Bananas are slightly radioactive* Cucumbers are fruits* Pomology is the study of fruits* Tomatoes have more genes than humans* The pineapple is actually a berry * The stickers on fruit are edible. Read more

An ancient crop, lentils have had a place in human agriculture for more than 8,500 years. Low in fat and packed with goodness, they are full of beneficial nutrients such as fibre, protein, minerals and vitamins. But this isn’t all they have to offer, they are naturally low in calories and contain virtually no fat – just 230 calories for a whole cup of cooked lentils.So it would appear that a diet rich in pulses will help prevent disease, eliminate blood cholesterol and suppress the appetite.But as Elite Body Squad ambassador Emma Larson illustrates, this doesn’t mean boring, tasteless dishes! Can... Read more

BodyPower is the biggest indoor fitness expo in the world, bringing together the leading brands and athletes in the health and fitness industry. Will you be there?  Some of our Elite Body Squad Ambassadors have successfully competed at the event in previous years, including Lucy West who is once again confirmed as an official BodyPower UK Athlete.  Taking place at the NEC, Birmingham this weekend, visitors should expect to be entertained, inspired and motivated, with some of the UK’s best and most dedicated amateurs going head-to-head in various competitions. Good luck to those ambassadors taking part and we look forward... Read more

What pre-workout snacks do you use to power up your gym sessions. High-energy carbs and muscle building protein is high on the list. If you’re in need of something, eat a small, 100- to 200-calorie snack about half an hour before your workout. If you fail to provide yourself with the energy and nutrients required during exercise, the chances are you won’t see results as quickly as you should.  We asked our Ambassadors, and here are the best of them:  Brandon Daord I eat a lot of eggs and carbs before I workout. Eggs are an easy fix because you... Read more

What your food label really means  Added vitamins: One-dimensional factory versions of natural vitamins found in whole foods: ascorbic acid (man-made vitamin C) is usually synthesised from the fermentation of GM corn, while artificial vitamin E is commonly derived from petrol.  Soluble fibre: A healthier-sounding term for modified starch, which is widely used to reduce the quantity of more nutritious ingredients in processed foods, and keep down manufacturers’ costs.  ‘Natural’ colourings: The only difference between these and artificial ones is that they start with pigments that occur in nature. Otherwise, they are made using the same highly chemical industrial processes, including extraction using... Read more

Have you ever taken a close look at the food you eat and what is actually in it?There are some products that make it onto our plate that are classed as a processing aid, and not an ingredient, so there’s no need for food manufacturers to declare it on the label, no obligation to tell consumers that it has been added to their food. This leaves us wondering how many other ‘products’ we have actually consumed.Ambassador Emma Larson raised this very issue last week when looking at flour tortillas. Half of the ingredients she couldn’t even pronounce, confirming her belief... Read more

Carbohydrates play an important role in maintaining a healthy diet and are a key fuel source for runners, especially during long or high intensity runs.Runners are advised to choose the right variety of carbs and eat at the right time to get the most benefit. Carbs are a primary source of energy and help to both fuel a run and also renew energy once you've finished.Our bodies and training plans are all different – but a few simple principles remain the same.- Brown rice is a great source of complex carbohydrates. Throw in some protein to slow the digestion of... Read more

With the London Marathon only days away the training should now be done. Everyone at the start line will be looking for their best race day.Runners at every distance have many things in common, physical, nutritional and psychological. So how do you psych yourself up to complete one of the most famous long-distance marathons?Sometime in the future, distances you find challenging now will feel easy. If you want to increase your running stamina but don’t know where to start, here are a number of tips to help you run further and boost your endurance...BE CONSISTENT: to increase your aerobic capacity... Read more

Losing stubborn body fat and getting into the best shape possible requires some cardio - or aerobic - exercise.  It’s also a natural way to lift your mood, improve your memory, and protect your brain against the decline that comes with ageing. All forms of aerobic training will provide many similar benefits, while high intensity and low intensity methods (although both within the so-called fat burning aerobic zone) have benefits specific to their respective functions.   But you don’t need a gym membership when it comes to training, you just need to get moving! Here are some of the ways... Read more