Jabernet, Author at The Body Retreat

Interval Training is it for you?

Interval Training is it for you?

Interval training is becoming know as one of the best ways of increasing fitness levels whether that be speed or strength, but also interval training is now one of the most popular exercise protocols for improving health and losing weight because it burns body fat more effectively.

One of the best things I like about interval training is that you don’t need any equipment or have to go to the gym as it can be done anywhere.

If you are not sure how interval training work or what to do then just follow this simple rule,

Alternate periods of high intensity effort with periods of short low intensity or rest periods

So for an example-

High intensity phase – High knee run on the spot 20 – 45 sec

Low intensity phase – Slow controlled Squats 10 – 15 sec

Repeat 4 times

This stop –start workout is not only teaching your body to recover quickly from the high intensity phase (improving your fitness level) but also training it to burn body fat more efficiently for energy, turning you into a fat burning machine even when you are not working out.

Charity Mixed Bootcamp Day

Charity Mixed Bootcamp Day – Saturday 5th October 2013

10am to 4pm

Latimer Place Hotel, Chesham, Bucks HP5 1UG

The Body Retreat working in partnership with Breakthrough Breast Cancer and The Eve Appeal are holding a mixed Bootcamp Day raising awareness and much-needed funds for two great causes.

Breakthrough Breast Cancer is more than a name. It’s a force. A force of thousands of people across the UK working together with a single-minded ambition to stop women dying from breast cancer. the funds we help raise support finding new treatments, discovering the causes, promoting early detection and ensuring the best possible care for women diagnosed with the disease.

Every day in the UK 53 women are diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer and 21 will die! The Eve Appeal are determined to change thisThe Eve Appeal are woking towards improving survival rates of women with gynaecological cancers through pioneering research into screening, early diagnosis and risk prediction.

This special Body Retreat event is an opportunity for you to sample a “bootcamp” day and try your hand at a wide rage of activities from circuits, Pilates, kettlebells and Just Jhoom Bollywood Dance class to name but a few. We promise that whatever your level of fitness you will have fun. We will also be joined on the day by Ali Archer from Massage Aid to offer neck, shoulder and back massages… should you feel any niggling aches and pains 🙂 All our team have volunteered their time on the day to help raise as much money as possible, all monies raised from the event are going straight to the two charities.

There will even be calorie free* cake on offer at tea time.

Your ticket price also includes a delicious healthy two course lunch and a ticket for the raffle draw – we have some amazing prizes lined up, including a Laura Mercier goody bag, Garmin Sports watch, Stella & Dot accessories to name but a few…. you will not want to miss out on these prizes.

Ladies why not get together with your friends or your other half and join us for this unique day? This fun day will both challenge and delight you. By joining us on this unique day you will not only have fun but most importantly raise valuable funds for these two very special charities.

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*We believe that cake eaten in the name of charity must be calorie free

Start embracing change today

There has been a lot of change at The Body Retreat recently and it shows little sign of slowing down right now. We are working hard behind the scenes to ensure that our retreats give not only the best results but also the best retreat experience any woman could wish for. But despite the fact that we are choosing to make these changes there are times when it can feel a bit overwhelming.

It got me thinking about the nature of change. Change is part of everyday life and yet we can often find change challenging.

Think about it, change is inevitable. At this very moment, for instance, your body and cells are changing. The earth, economy, technology, how we do business, and even how we communicate is changing.

You can choose to resist the changes that are always afoot and ultimately be swept away by them. Or you can choose to coöperate with change, adapt to change, and benefit from change.

Change, of any type or through any stage in life, is often looked upon as frightening. If, however, change is embraced with a positive attitude, seen as an opportunity or a chance to live with greater excitement and fulfillment, then moving through a change brings many benefits.

How can we embrace change? It actually pretty simple and easy – it begins by accepting that life is a journey of discovery and that change is part of that journey. Most people know this, yet change is still scary. Why?

The reason is simple really – once someone has become comfortable with the way things work they naturally find it hard to embrace something different

Remember, if you keep doing things in the same way you have done, expect the same result. Start embracing change today. Adopt an open mind, move outside your comfort zone. Look at the change not as a threat to your current situation, but as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Once you get started, you will find change is full of amazing opportunities and the change to need or want to make might just be the Secret to Success!

At The Body Retreat we help clients focus on the changes they want or need to make, then we work together to identify the behaviours that help them to maintain the change for good.

Delicious Baked Eggs Recipe

As the weather turns autumnal bring some Mediterranean sunshine into your life with this delicious Andalusian dish.

Baked Eggs and Peppers

Serves 4

2 garlic cloves

1 hot red chilli (optional)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 red onions, roughly sliced

2 red peppers, roughly sliced

1 yellow pepper, roughly sliced

1 green pepper, roughly sliced

1/2 tsp salt

400g can plum tomatoes

Small handful baby spinach

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 eggs

Fresh parsley, coriander or dill to garnish

Chop the garlic and chilli (if using), until you have a rough paste. Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan, add the garlic and chilli and fry very briefly. Add the onions, peppers and salt. Stir once, cover, lower the heat and sweat for 10-15 minutes, or until it just starts to catch a little.

Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes and squish them to remove excess juice. Add the pulp and Vinegar to the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The peppers must be soft enough to break with a spoon, and the juices should be reduced, dark and glossy. Season to taste.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Mix the spinach through the pepper mix. Divide the vegetables between dishes, make a dip in each and break in an egg. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the egg is just setting. Leave the yolk soft as it will enrich the peppers when it breaks. Garnish with herbs.

Autumn Fitness Tips to beat Hibernations call!

Is a comfy seat in front of the TV calling your name this autumn?

The nights are starting to draw in, there is a slight but definite chill in the air, Autumn is here but it definitely feels like Winter is is on its way.

Autumn is a transitional time of year. The leaves on the trees change, it becomes darker earlier, and the temperatures cool down. The kids settle back into school routine and the thought of settling down on the sofa in front of the TV seems a welcome change from those busy summer months. It feels like time to hibernate.

But after being active during the long bright evenings are you afraid all your efforts to stay fit and healthy over the summer months will be lost?

Shorter days and lack of sunshine reduce our body’s production of serotonin, a hormone-like substance that promotes feelings of relaxation and happiness.

A natural reaction to this is that we start to eat more carbohydrates such as pasta, potatoes and rice that help to raise serotonin levels. With our bodies naturally craving starchier ‘comfort’ food, and the lure of the sofa in the evenings it’s easy to pile on the pounds as the weather turns colder.

But autumn doesn’t have to mean adding inches to your waistline.

Below are our Top Autumn Fitness Tips. So no need to be tempted by the sofa’s hiberantion call!!

Head to the Hills and Trails

Autumn is one of the most beautiful times of year for getting outside. Find some local parks or trails to walk, run or ride a bike and take in the view of changing leaves.

Turn Garden Jobs into a Workout

Autumnal colour on the trees is lovely, but when those chilly winds blow and they are all over your lawn, it feel like a different story. BUT….Raking leaves or clearing the garden can burn around 150 calories every 30 minutes.

Exercise Early in the Day

Try to work out in the morning or during the day. Particularly when the clocks changing and it becoming darker earlier, it can feel as if it is later in the day than it really is. This can make people more tired than usual. Getting into a routine of working out early will guarantee the workout gets done and still allow time in the afternoons and evenings to relax.

Vary Activities

As the weather cools down and summer ends, it can become difficult to stay motivated. This is the time of year when gyms and studios put on their winter timetable so its a great time to try a variety of different activities to help keep a fresh spin on exercise

Put The Kettle On

Drink more tea to warm up for the cooler temperatures. Green tea and black tea contain antioxidants that help ward off diseases so you can remain healthy and active as the season shifts into winter.

So whatever your goal, loosing weight or keeping fit and healthy there really is no excuse to be inactive this season.

Please show that you care about us here at The Body Retreat by sharing what we do. You can sure this post on your chosen social mead by silly using one of the buttons to side or along the bottom. And as always we would love to hear what your thoughts are, how are you keeping active this weather?