Oftentimes, upon starting one of the BBR programs, clients notice drastic positive changes in their moods and sleep quality. Whilst there is a lot to say about the benefits of exercise for those areas of life, today I’d like to talk about something that’s often completely overlooked – namely, that gut feeling.

See, in the last 15 or so years, tons of new information has emerged regarding the tiny hard working organisms inhabiting our intestines. This community of bugs – friendly or otherwise – is known as gut microbiota, and its composition has detrimental effects on many aspects of health and wellbeing. Today, we’re going to cover all things gut health, as well as offer some sustainable ways to improve it!

#1 Healthy gut – healthy brain

We are not over exaggerating by saying hundreds of BBR girls have reported feeling less moody and anxious, as well as happier overall, upon embarking on their health and fitness journey with us. Whilst there are many factors potentially taking part in these improvements, improved gut health may very well be one of the most important!

See, there are different colonies of microorganisms living in the intestines, and each type of those little crawlers wants to thrive and proliferate. To achieve that, they produce a variety of chemicals sending certain signals to the brain, which can influence many aspects of your behaviour!

In fact, many neuroactive compounds appear are produced in the human gut – and recent research shows that the gut microbiota can influence those processes! For example, microorganisms have the ability to produce a metabolite of human neurotransmitter dopamine, which is strongly associated with better mental quality of life.

In short, keeping your beneficial microbiota happy can have incredible effects on your mental health!

#2 Digestion aid

Certain populations of beneficial bacteria are known to aid fibre digestion, producing short-chain fatty acids which are incredible for gut health. In turn, fibre has many health benefits – including preventing unwanted weight gain and fighting diabetes – so you certainly want to keep those fibre-digesting bacteria satisfied!

#3 Strong immunity

If you’ve been catching too many colds lately, your gut health may need a serious boost! Turns out the gut microbiome is largely in control of the immune response, modulating it by sending signals to immune cells. That’s right – the composition of your gut microbiome can shape the way your body responds to infections and other pathogens!

#4 Better sleep quality

Can’t quite hit the snooze button consistently? Turns out the gut biome might be to blame! Emerging evidence suggests that sleep-wake cycles (also known as circadian rhythms) regulate the gut biota, and in turn, the ‘bad’ gut bacteria, such as clostridium, can increase the likelihood of sleep-related problems such as fatigue. In women, those links appear to be especially strong, emphasizing the importance of nurturing the gut bacteria!

Tips for a healthy microbiome

Reassess your nutrition. Modern diets are often low in fibre and incorporate lots of highly processed foods, and neither of those features are great for a healthy, balanced gut flora. Better nutrition habits alone can make all the difference in your microbiome composition – which, in turn, can shape the way you look and feel! A balanced nutrition plan incorporating a variety of foods from all the core food groups can help balance out your gut health, with amazing effects on overall wellbeing. Stuck for nutritious meal ideas? Check out this amazing BBR cookbook to keep you inspired!

Fermented foods are your friends, as they promote diverse, healthy gut flora. Try incorporating foods such as yoghurt, sauerkraut and kefir into your diet – and reap the amazing benefits!

Increase your intake of prebiotic foods, which include oats, apples and bananas, to name a few. These accessible, tasty foods contain a certain type of fibre that boost the growth of healthy bacteria.

Consider a probiotic supplement if you know your gut flora has been suffering for a while. These supplements contain live bacteria that can help populate your gut with healthy strains very quickly.

Don’t self-experiment with antibiotics. Although great when medically justified and prescribed by your doctor, antibiotics are not something to be taken lightly and consumed with no indication. This is because antibiotics wipe out much of the ‘good’ gut flora together with the ‘bad’, leading to potential side effects. This is not to say you should ditch your prescribed medication, as the doctor will consider benefits and risks for you – but please don’t take them without a consultation.

Focus on sleep. As mentioned above, poor sleep quality can contribute to suboptimal gut biome composition – so make sure you’re getting 7-9 hours quality bed time most nights!

Regular physical activity is a must! Research shows that exercise increases the diversity of gut microbiota, which contributes to positive health effects – so make sure to incorporate regular exercise into your lifestyle!

Follow the tips above – and positive changes will follow shortly!

P.S. Looking for an enjoyable exercise protocol that really works?

You’re in the right place, as all BBR programs incorporate great exercise protocols along with gut-friendly meal plans! All you need to do is choose a Challenge that aligns with your personal goals and sign up (subject to availability, as places for each intake fill fast).

Each Challenge includes:

• 6 Week Training Program
• Personalised Meal Plan
• Regular Check Ins
• 24/7 Support from Rachel & Team, including the exclusive Facebook Forum
• Access to the BBR App – BOTH home and gym options now available!

There are limited numbers for each Challenge, as we want to work closely with a dedicated, hardworking group of women. If this is YOU, sign up now!  

TEAM BOOTY

Build lean, toned legs and shapely glutes!

This program is specifically designed to help you create the perfect peach! Building a booty is something Rachel has put so much research into! She’s spent years trialling different methods to create the ultimate build-a-booty program. Through training and nutrition, you are guaranteed create the perfect peach, whilst also shaping your entire body and achieving the ultimate curves!  

TEAM SHRED

HIIT workouts designed to shred fat FAST!

With minimal equipment required, this program is specifically designed to help you lean out and maintain / build a lean sculpted physique. Through training and nutrition, you will tighten and sculpt your entire body whilst maintaining a feminine shape. This program is designed to help you obtain the ultimate lean physique whilst still holding curves in all the right places. We want you to reach the body goals you’ve always dreamed of!  

TEAM BIKINI (Brand new ROUND 3 now available!)

Sculpt an hourglass physique and a tight, toned core.

This program specifically focuses on enhancing or creating the feminine attributes, i.e. a tight waist and a round booty. We focus the training throughout this program on these two attributes specifically, coupled with perfect nutrition, you will sculpt the perfect hourglass shape with curves in all the right places. This program is designed to help you obtain a gorgeous waist to booty ratio. Be the best version of you in just 6 weeks!