....and here it is, your SUMMER edition of myPrinciples, packed to the brim with terrific articles, tips and facts to keep you fit and healthy.

So we now know the SECRET to weight loss i.e. calories in needs to be less than calories expended, but the question is, how do you monitor your calorie intake?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is widely used in health science as an estimate of under and overweight.  It is calculated as  : weight (kg) / (height (m) squared).

Used on its own or in conjunction with BMI, waist circumference provides a stronger indication of weight related health risk. For instance, insulin resistance, diabetes type II, dislipidemia, hypertension, and heart disease are highly correlated with intra-abdominal fat, which increases waist circumference.

Now that you know your body fat percentage, BMI and waist circumference, what do you do? Well, which of the following options refers best to your results?

Welcome to the very first edition of myPrinciples Health and Well Being newsletter!

This is your quarterly newsletter which contains loads of great health, fitness and general well being information which you will not only find interesting but practical in every day situations!

Stretching is a fundamental element of all exercise reigimes. An effective stretch will aid the recovery process, reduce post exercise soreness and enable you to increase your frequency of exercise as a result of reduced post workout muscle trauma.

Stretching also aids in the maintnenace of supleness and flexiility which is critical for members of all ages, regardless of their fitness objectives, whether that be a young client looking for muscle hypertrophy or an older client who simply wants to maintain or increase their muscle condition.

Flexibility is essential for maintaining balance which becomes more critical as we get older and the risk of falls becomes a threat to our mobility and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with confidence.

So, regardless of your age, gender or fintess objective, you need to stretch!

All Core Principles Personal trainers integrate stretching as a fundamental part of our session, whether that be a facilitated stretch at the end of a one on one PT session or at the end of a Group PT session.

Check out our Stretch sequence below to see just how a facilitated stretch works!!

So, what is Resting Heart Rate?

Your Resting Heart Rate is the number of times your heart beats in 1 minute. The best time to test your Resting Heart Rate is first thing in the morning, when you awake, as simply getting up and walking around your bedroom will cause your heart rate to rise, with other factors such as smoking or caffeine, also causing an increase.