Egle Paulauskaite

The pandemic has shown us that health and social relationships matter most. And the lockdown has changed the way we live (at least for a while) and the way we perceive time. When gyms closed and fitness classes were canceled, we had to figure out how to exercise at home. Turns out, 3-4 hours of sweat sessions every week shaking that bootie are not just unnecessary but have also been robbing our time. So did the daily commute. We learned that the popular workout routines varying from yoga, pilates, spinning, body pump, to body boost can be done from home. Alone these apps can get you the needed amount of physical and mental fitness. Except for the 6 Minute high intensity workout performed on our “time machine”. Time, because it literally buys you time and improves your quality of life.

I must confess: the creamy shake that tastes like roasted pistachio, salty caramel, or Swiss chocolate is also my favorite post-workout snack. Whether it's a healthy choice is another question. Now before you too get seduced by the beautiful protein powder packaging and get confused by the endless list of L-amino acids on the package, let's answer some key questions about how much protein you actually need and what sources are best. Nutrition and sports performance experts Albers-Concepts, betteryou and Sarah Ledermann share their recommendations. 

Who really wants to try a "Brigitte sauerkraut diet" that relies on 1200 kcal a day to lose 2 kilos? Hopefully no one. Because diets cause stress, even unhappiness, are difficult to adhere to and do not bring long-term success. Meanwhile a nutrition strategy does, especially if it is developed personally for you on the basis of your body analysis. We observe that 90% of clients make outstanding progress with smart nutritional adjustments combined with the 6-Minute Workout and they are able to stick to their self-imposed regime. Why do diets fail and, in contrast, nutritional strategies based on individual body analysis lead to long-term success?

Exercise isn’t all about your body. In fact, building muscles and conditioning your heart and circulatory system are mere side effects of working out. Exercise is really about your brain. But not just any exercise. It’s one that challenges, frustrates, and rewards to an extent that signals neuronal changes in the brain. While resistance training is known to not just train your muscles but also the muscle-nerve connection, there is so much more to it. With 80-100 billion nerve cells, known as neurons, your brain is capable of some astonishing feats. If you understand how to make your brain change for the better, you know the ultimate longevity secret to keep your mind bright and clear and your body capable of performing at the age of 100.