All Posts By

Lisa Barwise

Lisa Barwise
In Beginner-Kettlebell-Training

Why Women need to do Kettlebell Training

6 Benefits of kettlebell workouts for women   #1 Conditions muscle but won’t beef you up   One of the first questions I get asked is “Are kettlebells going to make me bulky?” and my answer is that I’ve been trying to get bulky for years! No honestly, you will enjoy being lean, toned whilst still keeping those curves. Effective kettlebell workouts for women are very dynamic and cardiovascular in nature. Although the resistance element of kettlebell training will condition existing muscles it will not cause a huge amount of muscle hypertrophy or muscle growth. Great news for women who wish to add muscle tone without the bulk Plus ladies, you don’t have to worry about looking like a bodybuilder, women have 100 times less Testosterone, the male growth hormone, so it is very difficult for women to put on too much muscle.   #2 Sculpts a Glorious Goddess body   Kettlebell training burns fat and increases muscle tone fast. Most of the exercises are multijoint (compound) movements that link the bottom half of the body with the top half via the core muscles. Great for your abs! The body recruits 100’s of muscles in order to control and maintain balance of…

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Lisa Barwise
In Carb Cycling

Why intermittent fasting is not only safe for women, but the solution to stubborn fat and lack of energy

What is Intermittent Fasting?   Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and not eating. It’s not a diet that says “eat this, not that”, but rather you don’t eat any food for a certain length of time – usually 16-24 hours. There are a number of different types of intermittent fasting (highlighted below), but they all serve the same purpose—to allow your body time without food to spend more of its energy on internal healing and repair—something that cannot happen when you’re constantly in a fed state.       Who is Intermittent Fasting For?   Based on the numerous benefits you’re about to discover, intermittent fasting is really meant for anyone who is serious about improving their health and perhaps losing weight without overhauling their diet. Technically, you don’t need to change anything about your diet to benefit from intermittent fasting, which makes it very appealing to many people. Intermittent fasting is also for those who want that extra edge to burning fat while maintaining their muscle (shouldn’t we all?). It’s completely safe to do and provides enormous benefits so it’s really just a matter of committing to it, trying it out, and seeing if it’s...
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Lisa Barwise
In Plant Based Nutrition

Why it is the worst time of year to diet and what to do instead

This time of year is not always the best time to diet.   And honestly, I HATE the word diet. Not a fan of the word DETOX and don't get me started on the word TONE.   But what is the most important thing you need to do is take back control. It's a slippery slope. One glass leads to many. Sugary treats become a daily thing. And then there is dessert and double dessert and cream, lots of cream. And lying around on the sofa, barely moving unless it's to the fridge. Sound familiar?   So what I want you to focus on is not WEIGHT LOSS but on CONTROL.   Save By having a clear plan of action to eat more healthy food and move your body to build muscle.   When you focus on nourishing your body with good food and moving your body to build lean muscle, you are going to have a leaner, stronger and curvier body and you are going to feel amazing with a strong mindset. Focusing on wanting to lose weight will ultimately result in lack of motivation and well, just frustration and even putting on everything you lose. Diets alone are...
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Lisa Barwise
In Body Shape Change

Why you want to focus on building lean muscle in your 40s, 50s and 60s

If you're like many women over 40, you've probably noticed that it's become a lot easier to gain a few pounds than to lose them. The foods that you ate without care in your 20s and 30s now stick to your body like glue, adding bulk to your midsection. Exercise that you did to lose it in your 20s just doesn't work in your 40s and well, it is just plain frustrating.   [Related article: Worst exercise for the over 35s and what to do instead]   And whether we like it or not (or want to truly accept it), we are conscious of aging and not just solely for aesthetics but for our joints, immune system, energy levels. We are just more conscious of wanting to be our best selves and live full and long lives, right. Though we talk about wanting to "age gracefully," the truth is that when it comes to getting older, we're programmed to dread an inevitable decline: in our health, our looks, our sexual relationships, even the pleasure we take in living life. And this is why I bang on all the time to my Warrior Kettlebell Goddesses about building lean muscle.   The...
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Lisa Barwise
In Carb Cycling

What is carb cycling and what does it mean for fatloss in your 40s?

You know, I am 40 years old and in my best shape yet.  But it hasn't been easy.  I am not blessed with good genes or an easy to manage body shape.  I've had a baby (who is now 10) and well I like sugary treats and used to live off carbs! But carbs are not the enemy and when I began to follow this easy to follow cycle in relation to what training I was doing and began working out with kettlebells my whole body shape changed. And so can yours. Whatever age you are.   How? You just need to eat the right things, at the right time for the right purpose and in relation to your exercise.   Let me tell you about carb cycling and why carbs are not the enemy. Carbohydrates are simply one of the macronutrients you need to fuel your body. Along with proteins, fats and fiber. The concept of cycling your carbohydrates is simply about eating more of less carbs on given days based on your level of activity and needs of your body for fuel and for building lean muscle. Macros, short for macronutrients (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates), form the basis of...
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Lisa Barwise

What does it mean to be a Warrior Goddess?

We are living in unprecedented times of stress, we have an excess of information and expectations, demands, responsibilities, multiple jobs, family demands, you name it. And more often than not, to shelter ourselves away from the monotony we turn to unhealthy habits — (name your vice!) But it should be the other way around: the more cornered we get by elements that can throw us off balance, the more committed to our health and wellbeing we must be. Health is synonymous with success, in any shape or form or version. Healthy people thrive in every aspect of their lives — it is the foundation of our greatest achievements, of confidence, of limitless creativity and of longstanding relationships. When you feel good, you not only create a force field of positivity but you become a magnet for the things you wish to manifest in your life. Making healthy choices and caring for yourself de-clutters your mind and makes space for the projects, people and places you’ve always wished you’d have time for and makes you a happy, healthy woman with a happy and healthy family and life. Save Save Save Save Save A WOMAN’S BODY AS BOTH WARRIOR & GODDESS  ...
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Lisa Barwise
In Beginner-Kettlebell-Training

Say goodbye to bingo wings and hello to sexy arms!

Do this easy, no gym, beginners workout in the comfort of your own home with only two pieces of kit.   These are my client's favourite arm moves that in a matter of weeks will have your own looking slimmer, leaner and more toned than ever before.   Whether you’re rockin' a swimsuit, a little black dress or a tank top, you want to show off strong, lean arms. But toning your arms is more…   Research indicates arm exercises can actually help reduce muscle pain in your neck and traps. With these moves, you’ll sculpt and define your arms, reduce excess fat, and get stronger and healthier. For beginners, you’ll need a set of kettlebells- 2x 4kg or for those with a bit more experience you can go heavier with 2x6kg. Do the exercises as presented in order here to prep your arms for each upcoming move, and be sure to rest your arms on alternate days. Save Save The 10 Minute Sexy Arms Workout Plan Kettlebells Needed: 1x 6kg for Beginners 1x 8kg for more Advanced   Warm Up:    Circuit:    Clean Push Press Left x 15 reps Clean Push Press Right x 15 reps Halo Clockwise x...
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Lisa Barwise

Eat More, Lift More, Rest More to Lose More.

What is it about this time of year for reflection, frustration and exhaustion… it really is a stressful time and we haven’t even begun the festival ‘silly’ season yet! I have seen it time and again with my clients this month. More injuries, colds, flu, tiredness and just plain ole lack of energy. The irony is that so many of my clients are insanely motivated to keep going and to reach their goals and yet their bodies and spirits are just not getting the memo! It’s like they have lost their mojo… What this is telling me is that we are not taking care of our life’s vehicle very well.  We’ve maybe asked too much of it and given too little in return. And this needs to change.  But what is the correct way- the best way-  to do just that. Firstly let me tell you, gone are the days of restrictive calorie dieting, skipping meals or avoiding carbs and there is no benefit to killing yourself in the gym. What used to work for you in 20s ain’t gonna cut it in your 40s (sorry but it’s true!!) You’ve got to find the right balance of eating to fuel…

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Lisa Barwise
In Plant Based Nutrition

Bloating? Should I be worried?

There’s nothing worse than spending your days feeling bloated, heavy and sluggish. No one wants to walk around all day feeling like someone’s blown up a party balloon in their digestive tract. Bloating can be stubborn, painful and seemingly impossible to get rid of. What’s worse is that many people accept bloating as a normal digestive symptom. The truth is, you shouldn’t be bloated after every meal you eat, or become more bloated as the day goes on. Being bloated regularly is your body’s way of telling you something is “off” in your digestive tract, and it needs your attention. Abdominal bloating is often categorized as a symptom of irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. The problem with IBS though is that it’s a very general, vague term for digestive disorders that are believed to have no known cause. From a holistic perspective, there’s always a logical reason for digestive symptoms to occur. In fact, the most common causes of bloating are linked to specific factors in a person’s diet or lifestyle.   1. Common food sensitivities   I cover this in depth in my recent articles and really can be the main culprit to the bloating issue: Gluten free : health fad...
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Lisa Barwise

Too little or Too Much Movement

    Use it or lose it, right?   Modern society has been engineered for sitting. As a result, humans spend more time off their feet than ever before.   However, recent studies show that all this sitting is doing much more harm than anyone thought.   People Are Sitting More Than Ever Before   The idea that sitting can be harmful seems ridiculous at first thought.   Sitting is a default human body posture, and when people work, socialize, study or travel, they often do so in a seated position. It’s second nature.   However, that doesn’t mean sitting is harmless. It’s like eating — necessary, yet incredibly harmful if you do too much of it.   Unfortunately, sedentary behavior, or sitting too much, is now at an all-time high. Over half of the average person’s day is spent sitting, doing things like driving, working at a desk or watching television.   In fact, the typical office worker may spend up to a whopping 15 hours per day sitting. Agricultural workers, on the other hand, only sit about 3 hours a day.   It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that if we don’t move enough, we won’t…

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Lisa Barwise
In Plant Based Nutrition

This is what I tell my clients who struggle with belly fat

What would you say if I could tell you three things that will automatically shrink your belly for you? Would you do it? I mean, what wouldn't you do, right? Before I delve into the detail, let me first tell you about my battle with the belly bulge. I have lean shapely legs but always carry weight around my belly.  In fact, I was trying to remember a time that I had a flat belly and the only time I can remember is when I was 19. Now, I still wore a bikini on the beach and even the occasional crop top (very occasional) but never did it confidently (not since I was 19). I have always had a wobbly belly. Not really overweight (though I did balloon to a size 12 when I lived in France) so I understand your frustrations. Then I had a baby and now that area has excess skin too. But I have a the flattest and most toned stomach I have had in years now at the age of 39 then I did even 5 years ago when training for a marathon. So, now you are ready to hear the big secret, those three...
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Lisa Barwise
In Carb Cycling, Plant Based Nutrition

Gluten free: health fad or life saving diet?

Wheat, the staff of life, has been used by nearly every major civilization since the dawn of time, or at least the last 9000 years. This isn’t necessarily a good indicator that something is good for you.   Have you ever been told to avoid eating gluten or wheat products? An estimated 1 in 100 people in the UK and in Europe has celiac disease. However, only about 24% of people with the condition are clinically diagnosed It is estimated that 83% of Americans who have celiac disease are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease caused by a reaction to gluten, it is not a food allergy or an intolerance. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Some people with coeliac disease are also sensitive to oats. Damage to the gut lining occurs on eating gluten. The average length of time taken for someone to be diagnosed with the disease from the onset of symptoms is a staggering 13 years. There is no cure for the condition; the only treatment is lifelong adherence to a strict gluten-free diet. If a gluten-free diet is not followed, the disease can ultimately lead to…

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