Written by:
Alexandra Tan, Year 12
With so many positive responses from teachers and
students about last week’s ‘Health and Fitness’ article, this is the second
installation featuring more of your favourite teachers, and their advice on
achieving healthy and active lifestyles.
Mr. Keens
PE teacher by day, athlete by night- Mr. Keens
epitomizes a healthy and active lifestyle. Being physically fit is a
prerequisite for a PE teacher, but to Mr. Keens, this position means more than
just teaching sport and this is clearly reflected through his passion for
health and fitness.
Mr. Keens: Being a PE teacher allows me to
encourage and inspire youngsters to lead a healthy lifestyle incorporating
exercise and a healthy diet. While I understand not everyone enjoys exercising,
I think more should be done to highlight the psychological benefits of short
exercise sessions per day. Exercise not only increases the release of
endorphins (feel good chemical in the brain), but it is also widely regarded as
a great tool to prevent depression and decrease levels of stress.
Exercise doesn’t mean you need to go to the gym and
buy all the needless accessories and matching outfits. Keep it simple. Exercise
can be anything that works up a sweat: walking, cycling, swimming. Try to
incorporate this into your everyday life, be creative if time constraints are
tight. Try walking or cycling to work, walking and talking to a colleague
rather than email (we are all guilty of taking the 'easier' option) and try
making the effort to go to that fitness class with your friend. In a world of
ever increasing pressures taking the time out to invest in your health is a
last priority for some and I feel that this issue needs addressing.
Q: What role has your love for football played in
your lifestyle?
A: Football is a fantastic game and I have been
involved in since I was about 7 years old. I have followed Sheffield United
from a young age and hope to see them reach the FA Cup Final, fingers crossed
we can beat Hull City in the semi-final!
I currently play in the UFL for Nomads FC, the oldest
team in Manila. Nomads try to strike a balance between being a social and
serious football club and currently compete in the 2nd tier of Philippine club
football.
I currently train twice per week with the squad and
we have a game each Sunday. I supplement this with my own training such as yoga
and running, aiming for 2 rest days per week to allow for some rest and
recovery. Football training sessions generally last 2 hours and includes
possession work, fitness work, small sided games and lots of work on the
'shape' and tactics of the team's play.
I would recommend football to anyone looking for a
sport to take up. It doesn’t get much better than 5 a side football match; it's
fun, social, challenging and competitive all at the same time.
At Nomads alone we have over 10 different
nationalities in the squad from different continents, all brought together by
sport. Friendships made through sport are sometimes the best and longest
lasting!
Q: Any nutrition tips?
A: It is vital for young people to exercise
regularly and eat healthily. The physical health benefits are well published:
reduced risk of Type II diabetes, decreased risk of heart attack, decreased
risk of stroke etc. I worked on weight management camps in the UK for a number
of years I have a strong knowledge of nutrition and here are some of my own
nutrition tips:
1. Look at eating
healthily as a lifestyle change and not a 'diet.' It needs to be
sustainable so one step at a time, not at once - it won't and can't last!
2. Learn how to read and
understand food labels so you know what you are eating- amazingly simple
and sometime truly shocking, especially in drinks!
3. Don't eat when you're
bored, you're probably not hungry so go out and do something instead.
4. Try to eat 'real' food
and avoid replacement drinks/ bars that claim to have the same benefits.
5. Eat plenty of
vegetables, you’re mum was right; they are good for you!
6. Drink plenty of water;
this is an underrated but crucial part of a healthy diet.
Q: What’s your favourite workout music?
A: Anything with a beat when I'm running.
Jay-Z is always a good shout, a bit of old school rock and David Guetta too.
Q: What’s the best advice you can offer to the BSM
community about healthy living?
A: Find a sport or exercise you enjoy and do it
regularly. Combine this with a healthier diet and you will suddenly find
yourself following a healthier lifestyle. You will look, and, more importantly,
feel great!
Ms. Taylor
Ms. Taylor is one of the most active teachers in
BSM, having initiated the Running Club. Though this was initially aimed for IB
students, the club has grown and attracted many students throughout the entire
senior school.
Ms. Taylor: I started the
before school ASA as a way to help IB students with their action section of
CAS. By giving them something to do in the mornings, they can have after school
to focus on creativity and service projects. I see running as the easiest and
cheapest way to stay fit. My aim for the club was to have members participate
in a 5 and 10km run.
Q: How has married life
affected your fitness?
A: Getting married and the
run up to the wedding did make me run more, but I don’t think being married
changed my fitness. However, it is BSM and moving to the Philippines that has
affected my fitness for the better. I live in a condo with a gym; the weather
here never stops me from running or cycling outside, unlike England where I was
known as a ‘fair weather cyclist’ who would only ride to work from
March-October.
Q: What's your fitness
routine?
A: I try to train with a
trainer twice a week and we have a routine that involves resistance training.
Then I run 3km at running club on Wednesday mornings. I try to do two more
cardio sessions a week, either 10-12 km on a cross trainer or a 3-5km run
outdoors. I enjoy being part of Mr. Hunt and Mr. Tibbits’ International Award.
You get a workout by trekking for hours and get to see some more of the
country.
Q: Any nutrition tips?
A: Don’t diet, eat
everything in moderation and enjoy food. It is the energy your body needs to
grow, repair and work.
Q: Favorite workout
song/playlist/artist?
A: Roni Size, Mika, Mark
Ronson, Phoenix, Blondie, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Florence and the Machine,
The Kills, Maximo Park- anything as long as the tempo is quick. I’ve got some
of my songs on my Nike+GPS app and there is even an app called Pace DJ, which I
want to try out.
Q: What’s your best advice
for the BSM community wanting to get fit?
A: Start. Workout by
yourself and with others, their motivation helps. Set yourself a manageable
goal. Mine was to run a 10km, which I did with Mr. Moore, Mr. Kennedy and some
Year 12 science students last year. Since then I haven’t done another 10km run,
so perhaps I need to.
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