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Introduction – What is Intermittent Fasting?

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Many people ask us; are there any benefits to intermittent fasting?

In short, yes there are many benefits to intermittent fasting, some which may surprise you too. As you continue to read this article, you will learn all about what fasting can do for you in the short and long term.

First though, let’s take a look at what intermittent fasting actually is, before we go into more details about the benefits of a fasting program.

Many people may already be aware of what intermittent fasting is, and they may even be familiar with some of the most common health benefits when following this particular protocol. However, when it comes to intermittent fasting there are far more benefits to be had than you might have first thought.

Following any form of fasting program can drastically improve ones health both physically and mentally. Not only this; your lifestyle and productivity in general can take a huge upturn as a result.

Just in case you are not aware of what intermittent fasting is, I will briefly give a short overview here. Essentially, intermittent fasting is a protocol in which you abstain from food, and certain fluids for a prolonged period of time. Any food or drink that contains calories and stimulates a metabolic response in the body is avoided for that duration of time.

There are many different forms of fasting in which your fasting and feeding windows last for various lengths of time. Some of the most common protocols are;

  • 16-8 – With this format you don’t eat or drink calories for 16 hours, and then you consume all your caloric intake for the day within the 8 hour feeding window before fasting for 16 hours again. This is one of the easiest methods to do begin with when getting started with the fasting lifestyle.
  • 18-6 – With this method, you fast for 18 hours and then you consume your daily caloric intake within a 6 hour window.
  • 20-4 (AKA The Warrior Diet) – You can probably guess this one by now! You fast for 20 hours and consume you daily caloric intake within a 4 hour window. This protocol is a more advanced strategy and it is only best to attempt this once your body is used to fasting.
  • OMAD (One Meal a Day) – Some die hard intermittent fasting fans consider the OMAD diet the ‘holy grail’ of fasting! With this method you do what it says on the tin and you eat only one substantial meal a day. This particular protocol is particularly powerful because after about 19 hours of fasting, your body begins to reap some of the more elusive benefits of fasting. This includes benefits such as autophagy and anti-ageing which we will discuss more in depth later.

Now we have a general understanding of this time based protocol, we will now look at some of the health benefits of intermittent fasting. There will be some common ones in the list that you will already be aware of. However, some of them will surprise you I am sure!

Fat Loss

Perhaps one of the most well known benefits of intermittent fasting is fat loss, and this is one of the main reasons that many people decide to begin a fasting program in the first place.

It is true that fasting is more effective than many other diet programs out there including the dreaded calorie restricted eating plan that millions of people fail with every year.

“How does fasting actually work in terms of fat burning though; and why is it superior to many other methods?”

Calories in vs calories out theory for fat loss that the vast majority of people are familiar with is fundamentally flawed. The theory assumes that all calories are equal. However, we know this not to be true. We can not oversimplify how different foods a processed in the body and the hormonal effect they have.

Most people believe that the only way to loss body fat is to either reduce the amount of calories you take in through food or increase the amount of calories you expend through exercise.

The diagram above is a great analogy that depicts how most people view the calories in, calories out theory for fat loss. It is in fact a myth!…Or at the very least an over simplified explanation. There is no such thing as one big container in your body that stores calories. In reality your body doesn’t really know what a calorie is. In actual fact, weight gain is more like a two compartment problem. The analogy I am going to share with you now was made popular by the world leading fasting expert Dr Jason Fung. Dr Fung has a great visual way of explaining how the body actually gains and loses weight.

Take a look at the diagram below.

The picture above shows how fat gain is actually a two compartment problem. Whenever you eat a balanced meal, the carbohydrates and/or sugars in that meal are turned into glucose. Imagine that this glucose is then stored in the ‘fridge’ (aka your liver). It is very easy to store glucose in the liver, and likewise it is very easy to take glucose out and use it as energy. Just like when you go to your fridge in the kitchen, you can easily fill that fridge with your food shopping. You can also just as easily take food out to eat it. It is quick, easy and convenient. However, there is only a limited amount of space in that fridge and similarly there is only a very small amount of space in your liver for glucose from food. Therefore, if you keep eating those 6 high carbohydrate meals a day, you soon run out of space in your liver and so the excess glucose overflows and gets pushed into fat cells instead. The situation now is that you gain body fat which can be very hard to lose if you don’t understand an effective method for doing so.  This entire process is moderated by the fat storage hormone insulin which is represented in the above diagram as the traffic cop.

Most people eat far too much far too often which causes the pancreas to secrete a large amount of insulin. This insulin then tells the body to store glucose energy from food in the liver. If the very limited space in the liver runs out, then the insulin continues to store that glucose energy, but in the fat cells instead, causing the person to gain weight.

Therefore, the key to efficiently burning body fat is to avoid spiking insulin, thus allowing the liver to deplete of glucose which in turn forces the liver to burn body fat for fuel instead. There are a few methods of reducing insulin secretion, but one of the most effective is intermittent fasting!

Let us look at what happens when we abstain from eating and drinking calories for a prolonged period of time.

  •  
  •  

So to continue with our analogy, what we need to do is to stop going food shopping (eating), consume all our food in the fridge (deplete the liver of glucose), which then forces us to break into those freezers in the basement for food (burn body fat).

The second image down shows this process in graph form. Notice how as the consumption of carbohydrates is reduced, fat oxidisation (AKA fat burning) increases exponentially. So now we can see how intermittent fasting allows our body to access its own fat stores by depleting the body (in particular the liver) of Glucose.

Reduced Hunger

As your body gets accustomed to fasting and you start to burn your own body fat for fuel, you will find that your hunger massively decreases. This is because over time your body becomes what is called fat adapted as we develop metabolic flexibility. The Mitochondria are the bodies ‘power plants’ which are responsible for converting the caloric energy from food into energy that the body and its cells can use. The longer amount of time you engage with an intermittent fasting program, the more effective your body becomes at burning fat. In fact, the amount of Lipase Enzymes available in the body that are responsible for oxidising fat for energy are significantly increased. Your body is now aware of your fat stores and it knows it can tap into this fuel source at any time it needs to. This means that you don’t get as hungry as often and also your metabolism increases because your body now knows that there is a larger fuel source available to you; not just the little amount of glucose that is stored in your liver.

In summary, if after about 3 weeks to a month of intermittent fasting you notice that your hunger levels have massively decreased, you have lost a lot of body fat and you feel mentally focused, then you are most likely fat adapted to a certain degree.

In the video below, one of my favourite intermittent fasting experts on YouTube explains fat adaptation and intermittent fasting further.

Cures Insulin Resistance and Improves Insulin Sensitivity

When a person is carrying excess body fat, this generally means that their body is not as efficient at processing Carbohydrates and sugars. This is often due to the person in question consuming a high Carb/sugar diet over a long period of time. You see, fat gain is a time dependant phenomenon. Consuming a diet that spikes Insulin levels excessively over a prolonged period of time leads to a condition known as Insulin Resistance.

The main job of insulin is to open up liver and fat cells to allow glucose from the blood stream into them after eating food. If a person continues to consume foods and liquids that spike insulin excessively, then the liver cells soon become full and begin to over flow with the glucose. Therefore the pancreas tries to overcompensate for this by secreting even more insulin whilst pushing glucose into fat cells instead as discussed in the weight loss section earlier. This precisely is how insulin resistance causes obesity.

To make this process easier to understand, observe the picture above. The inflated balloon represents a liver cell that is overflowing with glucose due to a carbohydrate and sugar heavy diet. Because this cell is full, the pancreas releases even more insulin to try to get the excess glucose out of the blood stream. However, because the liver is overworked, the insulin starts to put the glucose into fat cells instead.

The simple solution to this Insulin Resistance problem is to abstain from food, or partake in a very low carbohydrate and sugar free diet for a period of time as previously discussed in the weight loss section. This allows the body to burn off the stored glucose in the liver and fat cells which will in turn allow the body to respond normally to insulin again.

Improved Gut Health

Digestion is a very energy intensive process for the body. Fasting gives a chance for the gut to rest, and cleanse itself. Not only this, but a study from 2014 discovered that fasting promotes Bacterial Clearance.

The image below shows the title of the study, and you can click on the link below the image and checkout the study for yourself if you wish.

Source

In summary, the research found that when mice were put through alternate day fasting they were able to clear Salmonella twice as fast as the non-fasted mice. The bacteria just passed through the intestines and was not absorbed into the body. The fact that is study was performed on mice rather than human subjects does not really discredit the research that much. The reason that researchers use mice in studies like this is that they know the the results are pretty much the same as to what it would be in humans. So it’s all good news for your body and its guts if you do intermittent fasting on a regular basis. You inner workings are going to be much healthier, and your gut will fight off bad bacteria much more efficiently.

Not only this, but the process of intermittent fasting also promotes the growth of good bacteria. The stress (good stress) that fasting puts on your gut causes the immune system to up its game and so more good bacteria is colonised. In turn this causes;

  • Better resistance to bad bacteria
  • Improve symptoms of IBS
  • Cures acid reflux
  • Improves indigestion
  • Regulated bowel movements
  • Many more….

Good for Your Heart Health and the Cardiovascular System

Intermittent fasting is very effective for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack an other related health issues.

It was commonly believed that an over abundance of so called LDL “bad” cholesterol was the primary cause of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease due to a diet that was too high in fats. This however, is simply not the case. In fact cholesterol is essential to the body’s ability to function. Cholesterol is so important to the body that is is produced by nearly every single cell in your body. You NEED Cholesterol to survive! In fact, over 75% of cholesterol is made by your body and not ingested through your diet.

“If Cholesterol is really that bad for you then why is 75% of your total Cholesterol made ‘in house’ by your own body?”

NEWS JUST IN!…

It is in fact the oxidative stress that an over abundance of glucose in your body has on your your arterial walls that cause Cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.

In simplistic terms, if you consume too much sugar or carbohydrates over a long period of time, then inflammation and tiny cracks start to appear in the walls of your arteries. As a result, the LDL Cholesterol turns up at the site of the damaged artery and acts as a band aid by forming a coating over the inflammation. This, by the way is a good thing. It is the Cholesterol’s job to repair the damage. The only reason the LDL turned up in the first place was because of the inflammation of the artery that was caused by high glucose levels in the bloodstream.

“Blaming LDL Cholesterol for Blocking an Artery and Causing a Heart Attack is Like Blaming Firemen for Causing a House Fire Just Because They Are Always At The Scene!”

– The Muscle Expert

Therefore, when you fast, you give your body a chance to burn off the glucose which in turn reduces inflammation all over the body including your arteries. This then means that LDL cholesterol does not need to try repair the damage which could end up inadvertently blocking your arteries. Another powerful reason for giving intermittent fasting a try!

Decreased Cancer Risk

It is becoming more commonly known that cancer cells feed and thrive on sugar in the body. When you fast or consume a low carbohydrate and sugar diet, you literally create an environment in your body in which cancer cells can nor thrive nor survive.

Source

The global cancer statistics as shown above is worrying. This devastating illness impacts millions of people a year worldwide. There are many lifestyle factors that can be a catalyst for cancer. Some of them being;

  • Over consumption of alcohol
  • Smoking
  • Poor diet and obesity
  • Absorption/ingestion of carcinogens

And many more!

Source

“More Than 40% of Cancer Cases Can Be Prevented!”

NBC News

Some causes of cancer are sadly either genetic, or as a result of old age. It is an unfortunate fact that as we age we become more at risk of many forms of cancer. However, as we can see from the NBC News statistics, almost half of the cancer cases we see today could be prevented through healthier and smarter lifestyle choices. We can also see from the above chart that smoking, obesity and alcohol are the leading causes of a fair amount of cancer cases.

As already mentioned, cancer cells feed on glucose. In fact cancer cells are 10x more receptive to glucose and insulin which in turn means that they are 10x more likely to thrive and multiply in a glucose infested body. On the flip side, cancer cell do not feed on fat and oxygen (fat oxidisation) for fuel at all. Therefore, if one intermittent fasts intensely and regularly, their glucose and insulin levels will drop and as a result significantly reduce the chances of cancer cells thriving in the body.

Less Risk of Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease

There are a few theories as to how fasting can help prevent, or relieve the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and other related neurodegenerative  diseases. Nothing is 100% proven yet, however promising signs are beginning to emerge in recent research.

A study carried out by the Department of Food and Nutrition at Hoseo University in South Korea found that intermittent fasting may help prevent age related memory loss and mental deterioration.

Source

The concepts discussed in the study its self are fairly complex and make for very heavy reading. In essence though, the research looked at the effects of fasting on a group of rats with a form of Alzheimer’s disease in comparison to a group of rats without the disease. interestingly, positive results were observed.

“Intermittent fasting may be an effective intervention to protect against age-related metabolic disturbances, although it is still controversial.”

– Department of Food & Nutrition, Obesity/Diabetes Center, Hoseo University

A popular theory as to how fasting helps prevent and reduce symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases is to do with how the brain utilises glucose for energy.

It is known that degenerative diseases in the brain are mainly caused due to a high amount of dying brain cells. One theory is that with Alzheimer’s and related conditions, what has happened is that the brain is no longer able to use glucose for energy. For some reason the mechanism that the brain uses to use glucose has malfunctioned. Yet for most people it is glucose that their brains primarily run on. However, If you fast for a period of time, the body begins to produce ketones out of oxidised fat, which then can be used as an alternative fuel source by the brain. In many ways, the brain actually prefers ketones as a fuel source as it is a cleaner and more efficient form of energy. The one switches to using ketones for fuel rather than glucose, then a lot more of the brain cells are able to survive resulting in a reduced risk and/or relieved symptoms of many neurodegenerative  diseases.

Improved Immune System and Decreased Risk of Illness

Intermittent fasting can also drastically increase the efficiency of your immune system which may help reduce the frequency and severity of some illnesses you encounter.

In short, fasting kills off white blood cell responsible for fighting illness and disease. Now this may sound like a bad thing, but actually what happens is that this encourages the T cells to produce even more white blood cells which gives a healthy boost to your immune system. . I am going to let fasting and keto expert Thomas DeLauer explain in this in more detail.

Boost in Testosterone and Human Growth Hormone (HGH)

It is now known that insulin inhibits the production of testosterone and human growth hormone when it is released. Not only this, but healthy natural fats are essential for hormonal balance and testosterone production in both men and women. For this reason, when one undergoes prolonged fasting and the body is functioning primarily on fats, testosterone levels are significantly increased. In fact, every time we eat, for 3-5 hours afterwards out testosterone levels are significantly reduced.

Source

The European Journal of Endocrinology released a study that proved the effectiveness of fasting in boosting testosterone and HGH levels. The research found that fasting increased the levels of Luteinizing Hormone in the brain which signals to the sex organs to produce more testosterone. The study also found that Lutenizing Hormone increased by 20% in obese individuals and a massive 67% in non-obese individuals when fasting. This is a significant increase which can have many positive effects on your life.

The most common benefits of elevated testosterone levels are;

  • Increased muscle mass
  • Decreased body fat
  • Increased libido
  • More energy
  • Strengthened bones

And many more…

Improved Mental Focus and Enhanced Mood and Less Stress

When you fast for a a significant amount of time, your body starts to burn its own fat for fuel. The body oxidises this fat and produces something called ketones. These ketones are an alternative energy source for the body once all the glucose has been used. Ketones are actually a preferred energy source for the brain. They cross the blood/brain barrier more easily and they also provide more energy per unit of oxygen than glucose. The result of result is using ketones for fuel during periods of fasting appears to lead to reduced depression and an enhanced positive mental state in those who partake in prolonged fasting. Many subjects even report a euphoric feeling after 2-3 days of fasting.

A review by Fond Et Al looked looked into how many studies they could find that examined the effect of fasting on mood and brain disorders. They conducted a search on the Medline, Web of Science and PsycINFO databases to see what they could find.

Source

The clinicians found a total of 92 studies!

“Clinicians have found that fasting was frequently accompanied by an increased level of vigilance and a mood improvement, a subjective feeling of well-being, and sometimes of euphoria.”

Fond G Et Al

As a collective, these studies found that;

  • After 10 days of fasting, patients with clinical depression reported an 86% remission rate of their condition.
  • Other studies found that fasting or calorie restriction in healthy participants or those with medical issues showed improved energy levels, improved mood and reduced depressive and anxiety symptoms.
  • Another study that looked at the effects of fasting on Muslims during the month of Ramadan found that they experienced a decrease in both manic and depressive symptoms.

It would appear that fasting has enormous benefits on mood and mental health. Just another one of the many positive by products of fasting.

Autophagy

Essentially, autophagy is the bodies process of eating its own deformed and dead cells, and replaicing them with new ones. This is the cornerstone of the anti-ageing process. However, autophagy and the anti-ageing benefits associated with it, are only achievable through a more extreme and prolonged form of fasting. Generally a fast of more than 19 hours needs to take place before autophagy begins to occur in the body.

So how is autphagy stimulated in the body as a result of fasting? Well, when the body runs out of glucose (as it does when we are in a moderate to severely fasted state), the body starts burning its own body fat for fuel. As a direct result of this, the enzyme AMP – Activated protein kinase is released. This enzyme is only released as a result of burning fat for fuel rather than glucose. When this happens the process of autophay begins and the healthy cells in the body break down the dead or malforrmed ones whch then allows new cells to be created.

The most common benefits of autophagy are;

  • Increased longevity
  • Reduced cancer risk
  • Prevention or delay of neuro-degenerative diseases
  • Reduced inflammation
  • General anti-ageing

And many more…

So are there any benefits to intermittent fasting? – The Final Verdict!

In summary, intermittent fasting is something that can be extremely beneficial for your health, fitness and fat loss goals. The positive effects of fasting go far beyond aesthetics and fat loss. They go as far as helping to improve your general health. With ever more people around the world becoming interested in fasting, maybe the current global obesity and health epidemic will be a thing of the past in the not too distant future.

This article has been reproduced with permission and courtesy of Nick at The Muscle Expert.

AFTNews

Juniors gave seniors a scare at 56th Malaysia Open Table Tennis Tournament Succession plan on track, says TTAM

The juniors gave seniors a scare during the 56th Malaysia Open Table Tennis Tournament held at Dewan Sekolah Menengah Pay Fong, Malacca from 17 to 20 December, 2019.

It was a nail biting match in the quarter-final stage when 13-year old Low Yu Xuan from Malacca had a good chance to eliminate Podium Programme player Ho Ying of Johor. Yu Xuan took the first two games 11-7, 11-7 and putting everyone on the edge of their seats at 11-11 before losing the third game 11-13 to Ho Ying. Ho Ying then went on to win the fourth game with 11-7. It was another thrilling match in the fifth game when both players were at 10-10 level score. But experience gave the win to Ho Ying who won the match 12-10 winning overall (3-2) against Yu Xuan.

Ho Ying went on to win the rest of her matches taking the gold medal defeating Karen Lyne Ak Dick (Sarawak) in the finals with the score of (4-1). Joint bronze winners were SEA Games 2019 bound players Tee Ai Xin (Johor) and Alice Chang Li Sian (Sarawak).

“The succession plan which TTAM has been advocating and practising is working well. Seniors can’t take their senior positions lightly nowadays just because they are seniors. We have many promising hopes players, mainly the girls, and they perform very well despite playing against much older opponents in this tournament.

“We need to nurture these young talents and we are certain with proper guidance and training they will mature into international medal winners,” said Dato Michael Tiah, Vice President, TTAM.

Other junior players who played commendably against seniors were 17-year old Too Ying Chuen (Sarawak) who partnered Christopher Isaac Goh (Sarawak) to win the men doubles bronze, 16-year old Im Li Ying and 13-year old Lim Jing Shuen (Kuala Lumpur) who won bronze in the women doubles category as well as 13-year old Lee Xin Ni (Selangor) who partnered 16-year old Choong Javen to win bronze in the mixed doubles category.

The 56th Malaysia Open Tournament consists of men team, women team, women singles, women doubles, men singles, men doubles and mixed doubles.

Kuala Lumpur Team Receiving their gold medal from 
Dato Michael Tiah Dato Michael Tiah, Malacca TTA president Tan
Poh Chuan and committee member

In the women’s doubles, Ho Ying & Tee Ai Xin (Johor) took the gold eliminating Alice Chang Li Sian & Karen Lyne Ak Dick (Sarawak) in the finals with the score of (3-1). The joint bronze winner pairs were Look Lee Peng & Oh Yong Xia (Pulau Pinang) and Im Li Ying & Lim Jing Shuen (Kuala Lumpur).

In the men’s singles category, Choong Javen (Selangor), bronze medallist at the recent SEA Games 2019 defeated Muhd Shakirin bin Ibrahim (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia) in the finals for the gold medal with the score of (4-1). The joint bronze winners were Danny Ng Wann Sing (Kuala Lumpur) and Wong Qi Shen (Kedah), also a SEA Games 2019 bronze medallist.

The tournament also saw a hard-fought win by the pair of Muhd Ashraf Haiqal bin Rizal & Mohd Hashri Fikri against Muhd Shakirin bin Ibrahim & Chai Kian Beng (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia) with a score of (3-2) in the men’s doubles event. The joint bronze winners were Choong Javen & Amos Ling Yi Heng (Selangor) and Christopher Issac Goh Kho Hian Hui & Too Ying Chuen (Sarawak).

Mohd Hashri Fikri who is an ex national player in 2018 is now back to train with the national team since August 2019 and has shown impressive play.

“He managed to get into the top 10 list and in fact can beat many of the trainees in the national team,” observed Dato Michael Tiah.

“Under our high impact performance training programme and selecting players based on merit of play, all players need to be consistent and at their best at all times. We are pleased to see the standard and quality of play from the players have levelled up and bar has been raised,” Dato Michael Tiah explained.

In the mixed team event, gold was won by Tan Yi Heng & Lim Jing Shuen (Kuala Lumpur) who went against Christopher Issac Goh Kho Hian Hui & Alice Chang Li Sian (Sarawak) in the finals with a score of (3-1). The joint bronze winners were Ong Cheong Sae & Ho Ying (Johor) and Choong Javen & Lee Xin Ni (Selangor).

Last but not least, in the men’s team event, Team Kuala Lumpur (A) took the gold, Selangor (A) took silver and team Angkatan Tentera Malaysia settled for bronze. In the women’s team event, Team Johor took the gold, followed by Team Sarawak (silver) and Team Kedah (bronze).

Organized by the Malacca Table Tennis Association, the 56th Malaysia Open Table Tennis Tournament, drew a total of 130 participants from 10 states and 2 Federal Territories.

The Malaysia Open Table Tennis Tournament is where all top players nationwide congregate to compete for the prestigious status as crème de la crème of Malaysia’s table tennis contingent to represent the country in International Table Tennis tournaments.

It was definitely grueling and competitive. Apart from showing off their talents, players are to demonstrate qualities of sportsmanship, ethics, teamwork, professional conduct as well as respect for other players, coaches, umpires and officials.

As the tournament is aimed at scouting talents to represent Malaysia internationally, the following new initiatives were taken to make the tournament more exciting:

a) To allow 2018 Men and Women’s team event Champion and Runner-up to send 2 teams.

b) To reward cash prizes for both Men’s and Women’s team event.

c) Top 10 players from this Championships will be given an option to train with the national training team next year.

Results Summary

d) Cash prizes of RM10,000 is sponsored by Vice President TTAM, Dato Michael Tiah.

For more information on the results of the tournament, kindly go to https://www.ttam.com.my/single-post/2019/08/22/56th-Malaysia-Table-Tennis-Championships-2019

AFT Podcast, AFTNews, Airsports

Tengku Abdillah (Malaysia) receives Compagnon D’Honneur award at 113th FAI General Conference, Lausanne

Video

AFT News Network // Lausanne, 8 December 2019 – Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, FAI – The World Air Sports Federation conferred the prestigious award of “Compagnon D’Honneur” to Malaysia’s Tengku Abdillah – Regional Vice President for East and South East Asia.

Tengku Abdillah (Malaysia) receiving the prestigious Companions of Honour award from FAI President, Bob Henderson (New Zealand)

In a phone interview, Tengku shared his excitement.

https://www.australiafitnesstoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/WhatsApp-Audio-2019-12-08-at-23.40.23-1.ogg
AFT speaks with Tengku Abdillah in Lausanne

When they mentioned my name, I was shocked and tears start coming from my eyes. I never never expected it, not at all. What I’ve done for FAI was just my passion and my love for airsports… After seven and a half years as regional Vice President of FAI, I’ve said that’s it, I’ve got to stop somewhere and end of this year, I’ll stop”.

“I started airsports by flying the aeromodelling aircraft with my son and a few of my friends. When the Department of Civil Aviation at that time decided to organise an air carnival, they wanted all activities of airsports to be there. A DCA representative contacted me, and I became the leader for aeromodelling… DCA was very happy, and after four air carnivals, they contacted me and mentioned that Tun Dr. Mahathir, the Prime Minister then asked to setup an Air Sports Federation. They gathered four disciplines; aeromodelling, parachuting, paragliding and hot air balloon and started the Malaysia Sport Aviation Federation. I was elected as MSAF President from 2012-2015 (correction: 2011-2015) and then concentrated on regional basis for the FAI, and then I was the one who initiated the AirSports Federation of Asia (AFA),”.

“Next year, I want to concentrate more time in Malaysia especially on drone, and eSports,”.

Photo credit: FAI / Marcus King

The 113th FAI General Conference took place in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 5 and 6 December 2019 and was attended by 110 delegates from Active, Associate, and Temporary Member Countries alongside International Affiliate Members, FAI elected Officers, Presidents of Honour, Companions of Honour, delegates appointed by Presidents of Commissions and Observers.

FAI COMPANIONS OF HONOUR

Tengku Abdillah (FAI Regional Vice President for East & Southeast Asia / Malaysia Sports Aviation Federation) and Dr John LANGFORD (National Aeronautic Association of the USA) were appointed FAI Companions of Honour by the Conference for their services to FAI.

Tengku Abdillah will join a team of two Malaysian pilots at the 2019 FAI World Drone Racing Championships in Xiangshan Ningbo, China next week from 11-14 December 2019. The championship, which attracts over 100 top drone racing pilots from around the world is a major highlight in the international drone-racing circuit.

What is the FAI?

The FAI was founded in 1905 and is a non-governmental and non-profit making international organisation with the basic aim of furthering aeronautical and astronautical activities worldwide, ratifying world and continental records and coordinating the organisation of international competitions. It is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

AsiaFitnessToday is a proud media supporter of the Malaysian team once again, having supported the pilots at the inaugural 2018 World Drone Racing Championships held in Shenzhen last year. Drone racing is adopted as a Move8 movement program for youth empowerment. Find out more: www.move8.org.

AFT TV, AFTNews, SEA Games, Sport

30th SEA Games 2019 Philippines

Video

Highlights from Philippines

Medal Tally

Updated 9.12.19 at 2.30pm (+8GMT)

Click here to view: https://www2.2019seagames.com/medals/

AFT News Network – The Philippines plays host for the 30th South East Asian Games from 30 November to 11 December 2019, with all major activities taking place in the northern city of Clark at the newly built New Clark City Sports Village with other locations at Subic Bay Freeport Zone and Metro Manila. The 12 day games will showcase 56 sports including eSports as a first showcase game this year and will welcome over 8,750 athletes and team officials, 2,050 technical officials, 1,500 members of the media, 12,000 volunteers and over than 500 million viewers.

eSports

DOTA Gold Medal Match / Ceremony 16:00 (+8GMT)
Via ANC Who will sweep the Southeast Asian Games eSports event? A monumental first time ever for eSports to be a medal event for the regional games.

Gymnastics, 4 December 2019

Via ESPN5 Carlos Yulo bagged his fifth SILVER medal in the 30th Southeast Asian Games in the men’s gymnastics horizontal bar.

Badminton, 3 December 2019

Via Toggle SG Indonesia vs Malaysia – Badminton Men’s Team Finals – Match 1 #SEAGAMES2019

Beach Volleyball, 3 December 2019

Via Rappler Thailand’s beach volleyball teams beat the Philippine teams on Tuesday, December 3. Finals will be played on Friday, December 6 #SEAGames2019

Basketball (Men’s), 3 December 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_4aJfqQSwA
Via GMA News Full game and awards ceremony of the SEA Games 2019 3×3 basketball men’s finals between the Philippines and Indonesia.

Bowling (Women’s), 3 December 2019

Via SG Sports TV Singapore’s New Hui Fen and Shayna Ng won Gold and Bronze respectively at the Bowling Women’s Singles at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines.

Weightlifting (Women’s), 2 December 2019

Gymnastics (Women’s), 2 December 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dv5kvQTou0
Via ABS-CBN Philippines 2019 Southeast Asian Games Women’s Gymnastics on December 2, 2019

Volleyball (Men’s), 2 December, 2019

Via Rappler The Philippine men’s volleyball team gets its campaign off to a rousing start, winning in straight sets vs Cambodia Monday, December 2, 2019 #SEAGames2019

Wushu, 2 December 2019

Via ESPN Agatha Wong clinches the Philippines’ second GOLD in the 30th Southeast Asian Games after leading the Women’s Wushu Taijiquan competition with 9.67 points. ‬

Figure Skating (Freeskating Senior Category), 1 December 2019

Awards ceremony for the Figure Skating – Senior Men #SEAGames2019
Gold: Julian Zhi Jie Yee (Malaysia) Silver: Christopher Caluza (Philippines)
Philippines’ Alisson Krystle Perticheto’s at the Senior Ladies – Free Skating at the Figure Skating competition of SEA Games 2019.

Single Dance Quickstep, 30 November 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh04D_c9XmI

Opening Ceremony Finale, 30 Nov 2019

Via CNA Filipino boxing champions Manny Pacquiao and Nesthy Petecio light up the 2019 SEA Games cauldron, sparking spectacular fireworks to cap the opening ceremony on Nov 30, 2019.

Opening Ceremony (Full), 30 November 2019

Via GMA News The Full Opening Ceremony of the 30th SEA Games 2019 in Philippines

Football (Women’s), 29 November 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBl3YAV7GI4
Via ABS-CBN Game Highlights where Philippines defeated Malaysia to make its way into the finals at the Southeast Asian Games Women’s Football

AFTNews, Olympics, Sport

Transparency highlighted in Tokyo 2020 Olympic Boxing Regulations

Video

28 Nov 2019 Newsflash: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that it has stopped planning for the boxing tournament at Tokyo 2020 and launched an investigation into its governing body the International Boxing Association (AIBA) – via Reuters

20 Nov 2019 – The International Olympic Council (IOC) Boxing Task Force has complemented existing International Boxing Association (AIBA) regulations with specific amendments to deliver its commitment to transparency while minimising the impact on boxers at the upcoming Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The IOC Boxing Task Force has confirmed that the judges’ scores of all rounds will now be displayed at the end of each round. All officials will be selected from the IOC Boxing Task Force pool of eligible officials, which will consist of qualified AIBA-certified individuals who have been reviewed to ensure they meet the selection criteria. The IOC Boxing Task Force will then randomly select every official for each competition from the pool of eligible individuals.

The full referee and judge selection process will be conducted under the independent supervision of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and include extensive independent background checks of each individual. No referees or judges involved in the Olympic Games Rio 2016 will be eligible to participate in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic boxing qualifiers or Olympic competition.

Download a summary version of the Boxing Technical Officials Selection Process here.

Mr Morinari Watanabe, IOC Boxing Task Force CHAIRMAN said:

“The main objective of the IOC Boxing Task Force is to ensure the completion of the mission of delivering events, while putting the boxers first, and with transparent and credible sporting results and fair play.”

“It is only fair to the boxers not to change the fundamental competition rules so close to the Olympic qualifiers and the Olympic competition in Tokyo. The IOC Boxing Task Force has therefore focused on the full review of the rules enforced by AIBA in the current year of 2019, limiting changes which impact on boxers while increasing transparency by displaying the scoring and in the selection process for referees and judges.”

Boxing Athlete Ambassador Shelley Watts (AUS), a 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Rio 2016 Olympian, said:

“The IOC Boxing Task Force amendments to the AIBA Rules will have a positive impact on the conduct of Olympic Boxing Qualifying Events and at Tokyo 2020, as they focus on key areas such as clarity, transparency and integrity. These amendments are the result of an inclusive decisional process that took into consideration the athletes’ voice: we made sure that changes will not impact the dynamics of the current practice of the sport, while improving the standard of the competitions.”

The AIBA Rules, effective as of 9 February 2019, and following the IOC Boxing Task Force Amendments, shall constitute the Tokyo 2020 IOC Boxing Task Force Event Regulations, applicable at the Olympic Boxing Qualifying Events and the boxing tournament at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Download the “Event Regulations for the Olympic Boxing Qualifying Events and the Boxing Tournament at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020” here.

About the IOC

The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit independent international organisation made up of volunteers, which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of 3.4 million US dollars goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.

Video: Boxing Men’s Middle (75kg) – Gold Medal Final – Brazil v Japan Full Replay – London 2012 Olympics

AFTNews, Olympics

Chinese women make history by winning Olympic berth at rugby sevens

AFT News Network // Guangzhou, China, November 11, 2019 – The Chinese women’s rugby sevens team defeated Hong Kong 33-0 at the Asian Rugby Women’s Sevens qualification tournament on Sunday, November 10 and has secured a spot in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The victory also created history as it will be the first time for China Rugby to appear in the Olympics.

Eight women’s teams from Asia competed for the solitary ticket to the Olympics. China dominated their group defeating Korea 49-0, Hong Kong 42-7 and Sri Lanka 55-0. In the semi-finals, China crushed Thailand 34-0.

Japan as hosts have already gained an automatic berth in the 12-team Olympic tournament. The other women’s teams to qualify are: New Zealand, United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Great Britain, Kenya and Fiji.

Hong Kong and Kazakhstan, who defeated Thailand 17-14 in the third-place play-off, will head to the global repechage in June 2020, where 12 teams will contest for the last two spots.

The Asian men’s Olympics rugby sevens qualifiers will take place at Incheon, Korea from November 23-24.

AFTNews, PRNews, Sport

Sportradar announces OTT partnership with Max Muay Thai

Sportradar, the leading global provider of sports data intelligence, today announced an OTT (Over-The- Top) partnership with Max World Sport Ptd. Ltd. the company behind Thailand’s largest Muay Thai promotion, Max Muay Thai. The multi-year deal will see Sportradar OTT power the live and on-demand broadcast of the promotion’s fights seven days a week. 

Multi-tier subscription packages tailored to the needs of every fan will be available on the OTT platform in both Thai and English, and will allow Muay Thai fans to access content across various devices at any time. 

Dylan Chuan, Sportradar’s Sales Director, Audiovisual, APAC, said: “It is a great honour for us to be working with Max World Sport, helping rights holders and promoters alike increase their revenue through a data- driven OTT strategy.” 

“Data needs to be at the heart of OTT when it comes to the optimal viewing experience, targeting appropriate content and relevant marketing collateral at users as well as monetisation – the key piece in the puzzle.” 

Sportradar believes in an evidence and data-based streaming strategy allowing rights holders to tell engaging stories to fans across the full range of digital distribution channels. This facilitates the creation and growth of direct-to-fan relationships based on personalized experiences built on underlying data insights. With such a holistic OTT approach, underpinned by data, Sportradar will also act as the strategic digital OTT transformation partner, advising Max Muay Thai on their commercial strategy for the organisation. 

Sportradar and Max Muay Thai’s partnership will seek to further capitalise on Sportradar’s leadership position in OTT to maximise the value of Max Muay Thai’s dynamic content through Sportradar’s latest OTT features, including fully integrated data and video. 

One example is Sportradar’s partnership with Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, where the club has been able to integrate indirect revenue streams into their OTT offering by leveraging Sportradar’s technology, ensuring the delivery of innovative content, accessible to fans across all channels. 

“This is a definite game-changer for Max Muay Thai.” Said Arisa Tohcharoensuk, Max Muay Thai President. “Max Muay Thai has established continued growth, not only in our country (Thailand) but globally. With the collaboration with Sportradar I can say that this is the key to our continued success. In partnership with Sportradar we can experience a different viewing experience through OTT platforms.” He added. 

A World-Class Muay Thai Tournament Organiser since 2013 the promotion aims to showcase Thailand’s Muay Thai sport not only to Thailand, but all throughout the world. 

Sportradar is the leading global provider of sports data intelligence. Established in 2000, the company occupies a unique position at the intersection of the sports, media and betting industries, providing sports federations, news media, consumer platforms and sports betting operators with a range of solutions to help grow their business. Sportradar employs over 2,000 people in more than 30 locations around the world. It is our commitment to excellent service, quality and reliability that makes us the trusted partner of more than 1,000 companies in over 80 countries and official partner of the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, NASCAR, FIFA and UEFA. We monitor, analyse and deliver insights from more than 400,000 matches annually across 60 sports. With deep industry relationships, Sportradar is not just redefining the sports fan experience; it also safeguards the sports themselves through its Integrity Services division and advocacy for an integrity-driven environment for all involved. 

More information can be found on www.sportradar.com. 

AFT Features, AFTNews, Sport

Naomi Osaka talks about a rollercoaster 2019

Naomi Osaka, the world’s current No.3 ranking tennis player, recently spoke to CNN Sport about the rollercoaster of a year she’s been having.

Despite having won two consecutive Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour events, almost eight months went by before she was able to garner any wins. This gave her strength for the WTA Finals in Shenzhen, China.

She told CNN, “I think (my) mindset, I think I’m more confident in myself than I was before.”

She has struggled with the attention that came with being the world’s No. 1 but did not manage to win the year’s three other grand slams.

This mid-season slump is the catalyst that strengthened her resolve to fight her way back to the top.

“I actually had this dip after I became No. 1 because I couldn’t really handle it too much,” said Naomi, “I won the two grand slams, had the dip and then suddenly everyone counted me out of it a little bit.

“And the I was thinking to myself I didn’t want to be the person that fades away. And whatever happens, I want to leave some sort of legacy.”

After having some time to reflect on her performance, Naomi found renewed joy in playing tennis. She says the most important thing is to “Enjoy what you’re doing, no matter what it is.”

AFT Features, AFTNews, Rugby, Sport

Du Toit and Scarratt named World Rugby Players of the Year 2019

South Africa’s Pieter-Steph du Toit and England’s Emily Scarratt have been named World Rugby Men’s and Women’s 15s Player of the Year 2019 in association with Mastercard respectively at the World Rugby Awards in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday.

On a night to remember at The Prince Park Tower, only 24 hours after South Africa had lifted the Webb Ellis Cup for the third time with a 32-12 defeat of England, greats of the game past and present and the rugby family celebrated the outstanding achievers of the year.

On a celebratory night for world champions South Africa, Rassie Erasmus was named World Rugby Coach of the Year and the Springboks were also crowned World Rugby Team of the Year for the first time since 2009.

Du Toit was named the World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year 2019, becoming the first Springbok recipient since Bryan Habana in 2007 and third overall.

He received the award ahead of five other nominees in Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones, England flanker Tom Curry, New Zealand flanker Ardie Savea, South Africa team-mate Cheslin Kolbe and USA hooker Joe Taufete’e.

Du Toit said: “To my team-mates and our coaching staff, everyone here tonight said it is a team sport and I can’t emphasise it more. To my team-mates, the friendship we made over these last few months is unbelievable and for me personally it is a massive honour for me to accept this award.

“I think if the players around you play good rugby as well and you have got good coaching staff around you and you set your standards a bit higher it is just the way your life goes forward. It is an unbelievable feeling and the Springboks mean so much to me, I can’t describe it.”

Scarratt slipped seamlessly back into 15s in 2019 to claim the World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year award, the first English player to do so since her captain Sarah Hunter in 2016.

She received the award ahead of four other nominees in England team-mates Sarah Bern and Katy Daley-Mclean, France scrum-half Pauline Bourdon and New Zealand scrum-half Kendra Cocksedge.

Scarratt said: “We don’t chase after individual accolades and achievements in a team sport and I have been unbelievably lucky to play with and against some fantastic players over the years and it is pretty cool for sure.

“The quality of rugby in England and around the world is going through the roof. It is really exciting, I think the women’s game over the last few years has really pushed on and it is definitely down to us to showcase what we are about, put good quality rugby out there for people to see and hopefully New Zealand 2021 is going to be one hell of a spectacle.”

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “This has been a very special year for rugby, culminating in one of the great Rugby World Cups.

“All of the nominees should be very proud, but Pieter-Steph du Toit and Emily Scarratt have been outstanding this year and thoroughly deserve their accolade.

“They have not just demonstrated their excellence on the field, but they are also superb ambassadors for the game and an inspiration for a new generation of players and fans.”

The award winners were selected by independent panels, who voted on every match from the Six Nations through to the Rugby World Cup 2019 final. The process also involved player input. For more details on the respective awards panels, click here.

World Rugby Men’s Player of the Year in association with Mastercard – Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa)

A linchpin in the South African pack, Du Toit has started nine of the Springboks’ 11 tests in 2019 and been an unused replacement in the RWC 2019 win over Canada. The towering 27-year-old may have flitted between second-row and flanker in the early days of his international career, but he has made the No.7 jersey his own over the last two years and his work-rate and versatility mean he is one of the first names down on Rassie Erasmus’ team sheet.

Nominees: Tom Curry (England), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa), Ardie Savea (New Zealand), Joe Taufete’e (USA)

World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year in association with Mastercard – Emily Scarratt (England)

The centre slipped back into 15s rugby in 2019 as if she had never been away playing sevens since Rugby World Cup 2017, starting four matches in a Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam winning campaign, and scoring a try against Scotland. The 29-year-old always seems to have more time on the ball, gliding through gaps or releasing team-mates into space. She was at her most dangerous in the Women’s Rugby Super Series, scoring four tries in her three starts and 43 points in total.

Nominees: Sarah Bern (England), Pauline Bourdon (France), Kendra Cocksedge (New Zealand), Katy Daley-Mclean (England)

World Rugby Team of the Year – South Africa

South Africa have created history on a number of fronts in 2019, the first to win both the Rugby Championship and Rugby World Cup in the same year but also the first to lift the Webb Ellis Cup after losing a match, against New Zealand in their Pool B opener. That loss, 23-13, is their only one of the year, having won 10 and drawn the other of their 12 tests. On the back of their third Rugby World Cup success, the Springboks have risen to also number one in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings for the first time since November 2009.

Nominees: England, Japan, New Zealand, Wales

World Rugby Coach of the Year – Rassie Erasmus (South Africa)

It might not have been Rassie Erasmus’ intention to become Springboks head coach when he returned to South Africa but he has taken to the role with aplomb. An astute tactician, he has bonded the team together impressively and been rewarded with results. This year South Africa have won the Rugby Championship title and become the first team to lose a match in the pool stages and go on to lift the Webb Ellis Cup after a dominant 32-12 defeat of England, a result which took them back to the top of the World Rugby Men’s Rankings for the first time since November 2009.

Nominees: Warren Gatland (Wales), Steve Hansen (New Zealand), Eddie Jones (England), Jamie Joseph (Japan)

World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year in association with Tudor – Romain Ntamack (France)

A World Rugby U20 Championship winner in 2018, Romain Ntamack is calmness personified on a rugby pitch despite being just 20 and the youngest member of France’s RWC 2019 squad. He made his debut at centre in the Six Nations opener against Wales in February but has now made the fly-half berth his own, starting eight of his 12 tests there, including three in Japan. The son of RWC 1999 runner-up Émile, he has clearly inherited his father’s vision, flair and desire to attack the line.

Nominees: Joe Cokanasiga (England), Herschel Jantjies (South Africa)

World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC – Jerry Tuwai (Fiji)

Fijian playmaker Jerry Tuwai was nominated for the third year running after once again carving open defences at will with his vision and step, making the most of his diminutive frame to dart through gaps to create opportunities for himself or those around him. He may no longer have the captain’s armband but he is still the heartbeat of the Fijian side, helping them win titles in Cape Town, Hamilton, Hong Kong, London and Paris and a third series title for himself. The 30-year-old also featured in the HSBC Dream Team for the third year in a row.

Nominees: Folau Niua (USA), Stephen Tomasin (USA)

World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC – Ruby Tui (New Zealand)

A powerful runner and tireless worker at the breakdown, Ruby Tui is one of the first names down on coach Allan Bunting’s team sheet and someone who never gives less than 100 per cent for the Black Ferns Sevens’ cause. The 27-year-old, like her fellow nominees, was named in the HSBC Dream Team for the 2019 series, having started every match and scored 15 tries in their title-winning season. A New Zealand team without Tui in it is not as scary a prospect for teams, not only for her physicality but the way she inspires others around her with her performances.

Nominees: Sarah Hirini (New Zealand), Tyla Nathan-Wong (New Zealand)

World Rugby Referee Award – Wayne Barnes (England)

The 40-year-old is one of the most experienced referees of all time, having taken charge of his 90th test on Friday with the bronze final in Tokyo at the end of his fourth Rugby World Cup. A good communicator on the field, and a part-time barrister and trial advocate in London off it, Barnes has been an international referee for 13 years. With an attention to detail that is first-class, he is a great team player and leader who is always willing to help others learn.

Nominees: Jérôme Garcès (France), Nigel Owens (Wales), Jaco Peyper (South Africa)

Award for Character in association with Land Rover – The city of Kamaishi

Rugby has a long, proud history in Kamaishi and the rugby community was a pillar of strength in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and resultant tsunami on 11 March, 2011 that claimed more than 1,000 lives in the town. As Kamaishi began the long road to recovery the idea was raised of hosting Rugby World Cup 2019 matches to bring hope to the local people. An emotional presentation convinced Japan 2019 organisers to name Kamaishi one of its 12 host cities and the Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium was duly built on the site of the elementary and junior schools that were destroyed. On 25 September, 14,025 fans were welcomed for the Fiji v Uruguay match on a day of celebration and remembrance. Typhoon Hagibis sadly forced the cancellation of the Namibia v Canada match on 13 October – with both teams pitching in to help the recovery effort – but Kamaishi was already one of the endearing stories of RWC 2019.

Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service – Bernard Lapasset (France)

The former World Rugby Chairman is recognised as an exceptional leader and a true visionary. He oversaw many of the significant moments in the game’s history, including Rugby World Cup 1995 in South Africa and the transition to professionalism during his first spell, and then rugby’s return to the Olympic Games programme in the form of sevens and the decision to award RWC 2019 to Japan during his eight-year tenure from 2008-16. A recipient of the Légion d’Honneur in 2006 and the Commandeur de la Légion d’Honneur a decade later, Lapasset was also instrumental in France hosting RWC 2007 and is currently co-chairman of the Organising Committee for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

IRP Try of the Year – TJ Perenara (New Zealand, v Namibia)

Playing in the unfamiliar role of fly-half against Namibia at Tokyo Stadium, TJ Perenara side-stepped Prince Gaoseb before racing into opposition territory and producing a stunning pass to George Bridge. Once play was recycled Rieko Ioane popped a pass to Brad Weber whose ridiculous offload found Perenara on the left wing. The All Blacks replacement set a course for the line, brushing off tackles from Obert Nortje and Helarius Kisting to touch down in the corner. Just.

Nominees: Charles Ollivon (France, v Wales), Sergio Parisse (Italy, v Russia), Cobus Reinach (South Africa, v Canada)

IRP Special Merit Award – Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)

Jamie Heaslip played 95 tests for Ireland, 13 of them as captain, and five for the British and Irish Lions from 2006-17 to take his place in the centurions’ club. The number eight enjoyed unprecedented success with Ireland, including Six Nations titles and a Grand Slam, not to mention numerous honours on the domestic front with Leinster. Off the field, Heaslip has worked with International Rugby Players and as a representative on World Rugby’s Rugby Committee and Rugby Athletes’ Commission, and also with the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Olympic Committee, speaking for players at all levels, men’s and women’s, sevens and 15s. The 35-year-old has also worked proactively with Rugby Players Ireland on issues such as protecting sensitive player data and image rights.

Full list of World Rugby Awards winners
World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year, in association with Mastercard – Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa)
World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year, in association with Mastercard – Emily Scarratt (England)
World Rugby Team of the Year – South Africa
World Rugby Coach of the Year – Rassie Erasmus (South Africa)
World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year in association with Tudor – Romain Ntamack (France)
World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC – Jerry Tuwai (Fiji)
World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC – Ruby Tui (New Zealand)
World Rugby Referee Award – Wayne Barnes (England)
Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service – Bernard Lapasset (France)
Award for Character in association with Land Rover – The city of Kamaishi
IRP Special Merit Award – Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)
IRP Try of the Year – TJ Perenara (New Zealand, v Namibia)

For more details on the World Rugby Awards, visit www.world.rugby/awards.

AFTNews, Diet & Nutrition, Men's Health, Wellness, Women's Health

5 Ways to Help Your Parents Stay Healthy and Active

When you were a child, mom and dad were quick in chasing you around. But as they get older, you may notice that they no longer have as much energy for physical activities. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the recommended amount of physical activity is about 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Did you know all physical activity and basic physical movements require healthy muscles for strength and energy?

If you’re caring for parents, it is important to know regular exercise and the right nutrition not only helps them keep chronic illnesses at bay – but it also helps preserve their muscles to give them the strength and energy to achieve all of life’s possibilities as they age.

Here are five ways to help mom and dad to stay healthy and active as they enter their golden years.

Follow A Balanced Diet Incorporating Muscle Nutrients

Image: sansoja/Pixabay

Maintaining a balanced diet goes beyond making sure mom and dad get a healthy dose of fruits and vegetables. The body requires important nutrients and sufficient protein as it ages to support overall health and muscle strength. However, no single food provides all the nutrients for good health, so it is important to make sure mom and dad eat a variety of foods for different vitamins and nutrients.

There is also another nutrient that should be the mainstay of your parents’ diet. HMB, a muscle building ingredient, can help in maintaining muscles and physical function as your parents age. HMB is a metabolite of the essential amino acid leucine and has been shown to help the body regain strength2. Small amounts of HMB can be found in avocados, citrus fruits, cauliflower and catfish, but these are not enough to fully support mom and dad’s overall muscle health and strength. Hence, oral nutritional supplementation with HMB can help keep them strong.

Incorporate Weights into Your Daily Runs

You may be familiar with the heart-health benefits of jogging and running, but why not add a little strength training into the aerobic mix? By adding some resistance in the form of ankle weights or handheld dumbbells, older adults can build stronger, leaner muscles and protect against muscle loss as they age. Consider joining mom or dad for regular jogs around the neighborhood, passing off the weights among you for a rotating benefit for everyone.

Consider Low-Impact Routines and Resistance Training

Try something new and encourage mom and dad to join you for low-impact exercises that build the mind, body and balance, which can help prevent dangerous falls3. Even if they have never done them before, the stress-busting, blood-pressure-lowering benefits of yoga, pilates and tai chi make these routines worth exploring.

In addition to low-impact routines, resistance exercise has been proven as an effective way to increase muscle mass and strength. Create more moments that matter together and try out a class or even stream routines from YouTube.

Image: John Moeses Bauan/Unsplash

Bust A Move

Take advantage of the heart-pumping benefits of dance for older adults and crank up a few tunes from different decades for fun with the entire family. Help mom or dad take a jog down memory lane in a group class that teaches the moves of yesteryear, such as line dancing, ballroom dancing or even disco! Feeling daring? Go virtual and get a gaming console that encourages dance.

Make Workouts A Family Affair

Who said workouts had to be all work and no fun? Find physical activities that the whole family can partake in. The Ensure Gold Strength Run on November 10 is a 3-kilometer run that can put mom, dad and the whole family’s strength to the test. You can run side-by-side with mom and dad and encourage each other along the way, all while enjoying nostalgic music from the disco fever of the 70s all the way to the roaring 90s! There will also be fun activities to test your muscle strength and try other aerobics and strength training fitness.

While aging is natural, losing too much muscle mass is not. It is never too late to take steps to slow down or reverse muscle loss. These simple measures are key in supporting good muscle health so that your mom and dad have the strength and energy to continue doing the things they love with the entire family. Make your family’s muscle health a priority.