A Vegetarian diet

The vegetarian diet has gained popularity in recent years with estimates that vegetarians now account for 18% of the global population. Apart from the ethical and environmental benefits of cutting meat from your diet, a well-planned vegetarian diet may also reduce your risk of chronic disease, support weight loss and improve the quality of your diet.

WHAT IS A VEGETARIAN DIET?

The vegetarian diet involves abstaining from eating meat, fish, and poultry. There are several forms of vegetarianism, each of which differs in their restrictions.

The most common types include:

  • LACTO-OVO-VEGETARIAN DIET: Eliminates meat, fish and poultry but allows eggs and dairy products.
  • LACTO-VEGETARIAN DIET: Eliminates meat, fish, poultry, and eggs but allows dairy products.
  • OVO-VEGETARIAN DIET: Eliminates meat, fish, poultry, and dairy products but allows eggs.
  • PESCATARIAN DIET: Eliminates meat and poultry but allows fish and sometimes eggs and dairy products.
  • VEGAN DIET: Eliminates meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy products, as well as other animal-derived products, such as honey.
  • FLEXITARIAN DIET:A mostly vegetarian diet that incorporates occasional meat, fish, or poultry.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Most vegetarians avoid meat, poultry, and fish, though some also restrict eggs, dairy, and other animal products. A balanced vegetarian diet with nutritious foods like produce, grains, healthy fats, and plant-based protein may offer several health benefits, but it may increase your risk of nutritional deficiencies if poorly planned. Be sure to pay close attention to a few key nutrients and round out your diet with a variety of healthy whole foods. That way, you’ll enjoy the benefits of vegetarianism while minimizing the side effects.

 

Anti-Inflammatory foods you can eat

Inflammation can be both good and bad. On one hand, it helps your body defend itself from infection and injury. On the other hand, chronic inflammation can lead to weight gain and disease. Stress, inflammatory foods, and low activity levels can make this risk even greater. However, studies demonstrate that some foods can fight inflammation.

13 foods which may help to fight inflammation:

  1. Berries
  2. Fatty fish
  3. Broccoli
  4. Avocados
  5. Green tea
  6. Peppers
  7. Mushrooms
  8. Grapes
  9. Turmeric
  10. Extra virgin olive oil
  11. Dark chocolate and cocoa
  12. Tomatoes
  13. Cherries

Strength Training: 7s/21s

This is an advanced method of training that the working muscle group in three different ranges of motion within a single set. Its name from the total number of reps per set you form with this training technique in each set, you do a total of 21 repetitions but as three separate sets of 7 reps.

21s are a popular method used by bodybuilders to shock their muscles into new growth by targeting specific ranges of motion (ROM) for a given movement. It’s a mix of partial and full reps within the same set to fully pump your muscles up.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

  • Muscle recruitment is being used maximally throughout the session
  • Increase your strength and endurance
  • Adds variety to your training
  • Can help to burn fat
  • Places enough microtears in the fast-twitch muscle fibres to ensure continued growth which may have faltered after repetitive training
  • It will kick-start muscle growth and hit your body from a new angle
  • It will burn more calories to strip body fat from your muscles, giving you better definition

Low Intensity Steady State Training

Low-intensity steady-state, or LISS, is a method of cardiovascular exercise in which you do aerobic activity at a low-to-moderate intensity for a continuous, and often extended, period.

“LISS” is a newer term used to describe a low-intensity style of training, but this form of exercise has been around for decades. You may also know it as:

  • Low-intensity exercise
  • Steady-state training (SST)
  • Continuous cardiovascular exercise
  • Long slow distance (LSD) training

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

  • It aids in fat burning and fat loss. Steady-state training improves your body’s ability to use fat as fuel instead of using glycogen stored in your muscles
  • It’s appropriate for all levels. Since LISS is easier to do and gentler on the body, it’s appropriate for beginners. Intermediate to advanced fitness levels often use it as part of an endurance training program
  • It allows for easier recovery. Because you’re putting less stress on your heart and body, you may find you recover more quickly and easily from LISS
  • It’s an effective way to train for endurance events. Exercising at a lower intensity for a long period of time puts less stress on your heart and lungs than a more-intense workout
  • It’s also great for recovery after a difficult workout. You can use LISS as a recovery session the day after a high-intensity workout

Glutes

The muscles in the group are:

Gluteus Maximus

Primary function is upper leg (thigh) extension. (i.e., moving the upper leg backwards as in rising from a squat position). The same with bent-leg deadlifting, the rear leg drive when sprinting and any hip extension exercise where the thigh is extended backwards.

Gluteus Medius and Minimus

Perform similar functions depending on the position of the knee and hip joints. With the knee extended, they abduct the thigh (out to the side away from the opposite leg). When running, they stabilize the leg during the single-support phase. With the hips flexed, they internally rotate the thigh. With the hips extended, they externally rotate the thigh.

Gamellus Inferior and Superior

Both assist to laterally rotate the extended thigh.

Quadratus Femoris

A deep muscle in your gluteal region and is generally concerned with lateral rotation and stabilisation of the femur at the hip joint and is a strong external rotator and adductor of the thigh.

Obturator Externus

Primary action is to externally rotate the femur when the hip was in neutral position and flexed at 90°. Its secondary function is as an adductor when the hip was in flexion.

Piriformis

Helps rotate the hip and works with rotators such as the obturator externus and the gemellus inferior. It will rotate the thigh while extended and will abduct, or pull inward, the thigh when flexed.