When it comes to healthy eating and exercise, there seem to be so many questions. Should you be eating after 8pm? Are carbs good for you or not? And then there’s the age old debate of whether cardio or weights/strength training is better for you.
Both cardio and strength training have massive health benefits – whilst cardio is great for your heart health, helps with weight loss, brain power and immune health, strength and weight training builds muscle, boosts metabolism and can significantly improve your mental health too.
The Australian Government recommends adults aged 18-64 to do two and a half to five hours of moderate intensity physical activity per week as well as muscle strengthening activities on at least two days each week.
But which one is more important?
MACROS Fitness Ambassador and strength and conditioning coach at Acero Fitness Ben Putland tells WHO it’s all down to the individual and what they’re looking to achieve.
“The type of workouts and frequency are all based on whether you are seeking to lose weight, build muscle, focus on strength, or increase endurance,” he says.
“For weight loss you want to invest in HIIT and cardio more so than weights, for muscle building this would be the other way round.”
“If there’s something you particularly enjoy (Pilates, boxing, sprints, whatever your obsession), make sure it’s a part of your week. I do encourage balance and mixing things up from time to time so you don’t get bored and stimulate different muscle groups.”
Ben, who has trained celebrities including Nathaniel Buzolic and Laura Dundovic and has also trained alongside Rebel Wilson’s PT Jono Castano, says that everyone’s fitness journey is different, and that they key word is ‘journey.’
“I always want to make sure my clients remember that results don’t show after a day or a week, as long as you stay consistent and have fun with it, you can and will achieve your goals,” Ben says.
The celebrity personal trainer also says that when it comes to food, you don’t have to always slave away in the kitchen to prepare healthy meals.
“I also recommend to my clients who are always on-the-go travelling for work or time poor that they utilise a meal delivery service that suits their goals. Companies like MACROS deliver fresh, portioned meals direct to wherever you are, and can cater to an array of dietary needs.”
Meal kits and ready-made meals took off during the pandemic, Nutritionist and Food Service Dietician James Halim previously told WHO.
“Banana bread, stress baking, and comfort food dominated 2020. We were forced to cook more than ever before, following the meteoric rise of sourdough bread and gourmet meal kits,” he said of last year.
However, expect 2021’s top food trends to include fancy charcuterie boards, plant-based protein and fermented veggies.