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Get faster, fitter, and stronger at the pool by improving your freestyle breathing technique with this Speedo Fit video.

Get faster, fitter, and stronger at the pool by improving your freestyle kicking technique with this Speedo Fit video.

Get faster, fitter, and stronger at the pool by improving your freestyle stroke technique with this Speedo Fit video.

Research now shows that high-intensity interval training optimizes our muscles ability to burn fat. No one has a good thing to say about body fat but those bulges and dimples are actually a reminder of our amazing ability to store energy. Fat cells known technically as adipocytes commonly cluster together in their millions (or billions) to form the body's adipose tissues. But what is undoubtedly a wonderful evolutionary adaptation can also be the last thing we want to see when we look in the mirror. Men, thanks to testosterone, store more fat around the middle. This belly fat can carry a heavy health burden. Female hormones, including estrogen, push fat further down the body, with a preference for accumulating on the buttocks and thighs. Alas, there is no exercise or diet that targets the fat stores of specific body areas. With fat loss, it's a little from everywhere, no matter what the exercise or how you lose weight. But if fat loss is your goal, then the secret is to tune your body to burn fat not just during exercise, but all day and night too. The answer is giving power to the muscle mitochondria, the tiny structures within cells that generate energy that account for nearly all the fat used by the body. These small powerhouses can be re-tuned to use more fat. And the evidence shows that high-intensity training may well be the best way to achieve this. Putting your muscles (and mitochondria) into an energy crisis the kind that has you really huffing and puffing triggers the molecular machinery in mitochondria to adapt. They do this by increasing in number and size, and by turning on the fat-burning enzymes. Because fat is such a great source of energy, intense training teaches the muscles to make greater use of this plentiful energy source. Researchers at the prestigious Mayo clinic in the US, have analyzed all the genes and proteins required for maximal fat burning in response to different types of exercise training. In both young (18 to 30) and older (65 to 80) exercisers, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) had by far the greatest activation of muscle fat-burning capacity. There was a 49 percent increase in maximum capacity to burn fat in the younger group. In the less fit older group, it was a massive 69 percent increase in just three months. So, going hard in the gym provides a powerful boost to burn more fat, irrespective of age. THE SKINNY ON FAT Fat cells are formed from tiny stem cells that sit hidden in the most interesting places including in the eyelids, the soles of the feet and in the middle of the back. Wherever and whenever, these tiny stem cells (sometimes known as progenitor cells or pre-adipocytes), sit waiting for their chance to spring into action and grow into fat cells. It's still not known whether the number of fat cells we possess is genetically programmed. Through childhood and into adolescence, increasing body fat drives increased activation of the fat stem cells, which drives the number of fat cells in adulthood. In the middle years the total number of fat cells in most people stays relatively constant. Some scientists argue that people with a greater fat cell count are most likely to become obese, while people with fewer fat cells are destined to be skinny. Other scientists are not convinced. They point to the percentage of the population now overweight or obese, which is greater than the population with a healthy bodyweight suggesting even those with lower fat cell counts are becoming overweight. Although most fat ends up in adipose tissue, there is the chance that some fat will spill into other tissues and organs, posing major health concerns. Fatty liver is now recognized as a contributor to heart disease, while a fatty pancreas is a newly identified risk for diabetes. Published by www.lesmills.com

Salads - These don’t need to be boring, layer all your favorite vegetables in a bowl such as lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, radish, avocado, carrot, capsicum, or beetroot. Choose your protein, grilled chicken with herbs and lemon, steak strips with herbs and seasoning, fresh, smoked or tinned salmon or tuna, boiled or fried eggs, bacon, halloumi, feta, or cheddar cheese. Top with nuts, seeds, sprouts, sauerkraut, kimchi, fresh herbs. Omelettes - are the best low in time/ lazy dinners. Chop up any vegetables, leftover meats and put in a pan with some oil, cook until slightly soft then add your egg mixture which is beaten eggs and cream with salt and pepper, then sprinkle on cheese. Cook until the bottom is brown and then transfer to the oven to cook through for about 10-15 minutes and golden on the top. Serve with a salad or some sauerkraut or homemade relish. Lettuce Cup Tacos - These are a healthy alternative to Taco Tuesday which will taste so good you won’t even miss the taco shell. Start off with your favourite protein i.e. chicken breast, mince, steak or beans and cook in a Mexican spice mix (cumin, coriander, chilli, paprika, turmeric) with some onion and capsicums until cooked though. Prepare your taco sides eg: grated carrot, sliced capsicum, Mexican slaw, beans, refried beans. Layer the protein and sides in the lettuce cups and top with guacamole, cheese and sour cream. Arrrriba! Fish parcels - These are super easy one parcel wonders and let’s be honest we all need more fish in our diets! Start with cutting up some baking paper into large squares then in the middle arrange your fish (either white fish like snapper, terakihi etc or salmon and then top with vege’s such as green beans, cherry tomatoes, olives, lemon slices and a little bit of butter. Top with fresh herbs like parsley, coriander or basil. Roll the paper up tightly and then cook in the oven for 12-20 minutes until fish is cooked though and the vege’s are nice and soft. Serve with homemade kumara chips and salad. Spaghetti Bolognaise and Zoodles - This meal could not be easier and speaks more to the soul. Dice an onion and 2 garlic cloves and cook in a little oil until soft, add mince and cook until brown. Add a low sugar pasta sauce (I like the Jamie Oliver range) and cook until warmed though. Serve with zoodled carrot and zuchinni and top with cheese and sour cream. By Kali Brydon BSC Human Nutritionist #NutitionAdvice #HealthyEating

Sugar activates the reward center in our brain much the same way that drugs do, and provokes similar cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Studies in rats have shown that sugar activates the brain's pleasure centers more than cocaine does. The main perpetrator is not glucose, but fructose, which some researchers have dubbed alcohol without the buzz. In the United States, intake of added sugar is far beyond recommended limits, and almost half of it is coming from sweetened beverages. Studies suggest that every time we eat sweets we are reinforcing those neuropathways, causing the brain to become increasingly hardwired to crave sugar, building up a tolerance like any other drug. By Kali Brydon BSC Human Nutritionist #NutitionAdvice #HealthyEating #SugarFree

When your travelling or on the go it’s great to have some snacks ready to go so you don’t get caught out feeling hungry and reaching for the nearest usually unhealthy snack. Here are some easy, healthy snacks to take with you when you are on the run: Fruit I know I know it sounds so boring but what about mango slices with fresh lime or a mixture of blueberries, strawberries and raspberries or even fresh coconut pieces. You could even make a fresh fruit salad with seasonal fruit before you head out. Coconut yoghurt, chia porridge and sliced fresh fruit This is a great breakfast on the go option that can be made in advance and grabbed from the fridge. Make a chia porridge and layer with fruit, coconut, coconut yoghurt, berries, banana and for a nutritious and filling snack. Nuts Nuts are a great snack when you are on the road, if possible go for the activated kind. You can also dry them out in the oven and flavor with garlic and herb salt and vinegar. Smoothies Smoothies are an easy snack that you can make ahead and grab when you are heading out the door. Try to include some greens to boost the nutritional value of the smoothie (you won’t even taste them!) Make sure you keep it cold, no one likes a warm smoothie! Boiled eggs This one takes a little less prep time and are really easy to eat on the go. Containing a good mix of protein and fats, eggs will keep you full for a long time. By Kali Brydon BSC Human Nutritionist #NutitionAdvice #HealthandFitness #HealthyEating

Ingredients: 1 Bag of Curly Kale 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil Himalayan Rock Salt Optional: 1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper / 1 Tsp Sesame Seeds / 1 Tsp Cumin / 1 Tsp Smoked Paprika Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. 2. Rip the leaves off the kale stalk and wash. 3. Transfer to a big mixing bowl and rub the coconut oil into the leaves. 4. Sprinkle on the salt and any other flavouring until evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer and bake at 160 degrees for around 8 minutes or until they look crispy but not brown (they will harden as they dry). #NutitionAdvice #HealthyEating #Recipe

Ingredients: 3 Tbsp Plain Flour-use Buckwheat, Brown Rice, Spelt or other flour of your choice 2 Fish Fillets, such as Snapper,or other delicately textured white-fleshed fish 2 Tbsp Ghee, Butter or Olive Oil Lemon and caper sauce: 50g Butter Juice of 1 Lemon 1/4 Cup Capers 1 Handful of Basil Leaves, Roughly Chopped 1 Handful of Flat-Leaf Parsley, Roughly Chopped Method: Put the flour on a large plate. Sprinkle with a large pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix together. Dredge the fish fillets in the flour, so they are evenly coated, shaking off any excess flour. Melt the ghee in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook the fish 3 minutes on each side, until golden and just cooked through. Place the fish on a warmed plate and cover with foil to keep warm and moist. Wipe out the pan with paper towel and return to the heat. To make the sauce, add the butter and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until it starts to turn a lovely dark golden colour and smells beautifully fragrant and nutty. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and capers, it's a good idea to stand back as the hot butter may splutter a little. Add the basil and parsley and then swirl the contents of the pan around. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Return the fish to the pan and spoon the juices on top. Serve immediately. #NutitionAdvice #HealthyEating #Recipe

Ingredients: 1 Cup Hazelnuts 1 Cup Walnuts 2 Tbsp Cacao Powder 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup 1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Filling: 1 1/2 Cups Cashews, soaked in water overnight 1/2 Cup Hazelnuts 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, gently melted ⅓ Cup Maple Syrup 1/4 Cup Cacao Powder 1 Cup Water Icing ⅓ Cup Coconut oil 3 Tbsp Maple Syrup 1/4 Cup Cacao Powder Garnish Cacao Nibs Method: To make base, place hazelnuts and walnuts in a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Add cacao, maple syrup, vanilla and process until well combined and the ingredients are sticking together. Press base mixture into a lined 20cm spring form cake tin and place into the freezer. To make filling, drain cashews. Process all ingredients in a food processor, except coconut oil, until smooth. Slowly pour in coconut oil while food processor is on and process until smooth and creamy. Pour cheesecake mixture over base and place back in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours. To make the icing, gently melt coconut oil in a pot on the stove top over low heat. Add maple syrup and cacao powder to the pot and whisk until all ingredients are combined. Take the cheesecake out of the freezer and pour chocolate icing over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with cacao nibs and place back in the freezer so that the icing can set. Store in the freezer in an airtight container. #NutitionAdvice #HealthyEating #Recipe

Ingredients: 1 Frozen Banana 2 Medjool Dates 1 Cup Coconut Milk 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds 1 Tsp Real Vanilla Essence or Paste Sprinkle of Himalayan Rock Salt Instructions: Blend all ingredients except salt and then sprinkle salt on top. Serve immediately. #NutitionAdvice #HealthyEating #Recipe