Health & Fitness Facts You May Not Know

This week’s blog takes a look at 15 facts in the health and fitness industry that you may not be aware of. See how many out of the following you know.

1) Never judge a book by its cover. If someone looks skinny it doesn’t mean their bodyfat is
automatically low. Visceral fat is also known as “deep” fat which is stored underneath the skin. It is  stored around major organs including the liver and pancreas  

2) It is widely accepted that: 1 gram of protein provides 4 calories of energy. 1 gram of
carbohydrates provides 4 calories of energy. 1 gram of fat provides 9 calories of energy  

3) Muscle and fat weigh the same. 1 pound of muscle is equal to 1 pound of fat, however muscle is
more dense and requires less room in the body  

4) There are 3 types of muscle fibre types (Type 1 – slow oxidative fibres , Type 2a – fast oxidative
fibres , Type 2b – fast glycolytic fibres,) 

5) There are a total of 206 bones in the human body

6) The largest bone in the human body is your femur aka. thigh bone

7) The largest muscle in the human body is the Gluteus maximus

8) The world record deadlift total is currently held by England’s Eddie Hall at 500kg

9) An average large glass of wine contains 195 calories, an average pint of lager contains 197 calories

10) Strong abdominal muscles do not gurantee a flat stomach

11) Water roughly makes up 83% of your blood, which it’s important for us to drink! 

12) Exercise can stimulate the release of endorphins, a hormone known to give us that “feel good” feeling 

13) The gymnasium in Ancient Greece functioned as a training facility for competitors in public games. It was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual pursuits. The name comes from the Ancient Greek term gymnós meaning “naked”.

14) Studies show that people who skip breakfast tend to be overweight or obese 

15) The heart is the strongest muscle of the body, so look after it!