Yearly Archives: 2014

March 7, 2014

ON FORM.

Running_Form

There are many factors that could be impacting your runs – the wrong soundtrack, the cold weather, that extra muffin at lunch time – but form is without doubt the biggest culprit.

Follow these simple steps to check yourself and make sure you keep perfect form:

Posture – avoid slouching and stand tall throughout your run, keeping your gaze forward at all times.

Cadence – keep your cadence high, about 180 strides per minute, by running lightly.

Midfoot – avoid heel striking to reduce impact, and forefoot striking, which can strain the calf and Achilles.

Lean – adopt a slight forward lean from the ankles, keeping your core strong so that you don’t start to bend forward at the waist.

February 28, 2014

9 SIMPLE WAYS TO TRIM FAT FROM YOUR WAIST.

Cut just 100 calories a day.
According to research, that’s all you need to ditch to beat belly bulge. Dropping this amount from your daily intake – for instance one biscuit, a fizzy drink, or a glass of wine – will help you lose about 12 pounds a year. And it’s a cinch to stick to a plan that requires no actual dieting or deprivation.

Build muscle mass.
During a cardio workout, your body burns hundreds of calories, but your metabolism slows down almost instantly when you stop. After strength training, on the other hand, you burn fat for hours after. It’s recommended that you do three 45-50 minute sessions a week.

Run from fat.
One of the most effective ways to reduce flab around your middle is to jog it off. If steady running is not your thing, then try Interval training – constantly switching up the pace of your workout – will also help you lose weight, because it blasts more calories. For example, do two minutes of sprinting followed by a 60 second walk, then repeat for a half hour.

Eat good-for-you foods.
Your body is smart and it knows when it’s not getting any nutrients. So if you munch on processed foods like crisps and cakes, you’ll still be hungry. Munch regularly on fruits, vegetables, fish, low-fat dairy, and whole grains for an instant fix.

Have a high-protein breakfast.
Skip the sugary cereals. They’re too easily digested, which means they speed through your system. An egg-white omelette is a good choice. If you’re eating on the go, try unsweetened Greek yogurt with fruit and a dollop of honey or low fat cheese with whole-grain bread.

Don’t skip meals.
That will only set you up to overeat. Nosh on small portions every three to four hours to keep your metabolism running, so your body won’t panic, go into starvation mode, and stop burning calories – which is what happens when you haven’t eaten in a while.

Avoid a freak-out.
Stress causes the body to start stockpiling fat in the gut. Your system thinks a crisis is coming and deposits fat cells into the belly because it’s the most convenient storage space. Chill out with yoga, meditation, or massage. If you’re a stress eater, keep healthy snacks such as almonds on hand to prevent junk-food binges.

Get your shut-eye.
Lack of sleep increases the likelihood you’ll gain weight. When you’re tired, the hormones that stimulate appetite increase, while the hormones that help you feel full plummet. Aim for seven to eight hours a night.

Move more all the time.
Computers, TVs, video games, and cars keep us glued to our seats. The result: We’re less physical than ever before. To trim your tummy, do whatever you can to keep moving. Even 10 minutes can help. Studies show that you can burn up to 350 calories a day (the equivalent of your lunch!) by walking around when you’re on the phone, tapping your toes when you’re surfing the Web, doing squats when you’re brushing your teeth. Before you know it, you’ll be saying bye-bye, belly fat!

February 21, 2014

CUT REFINED CARBS.

White_bread

Not all carbohydrates are an enemy. It’s the refined carbs (like white bread, white sugar, and sweets) that you need to avoid.

They seem harmless, but they have been stripped of their macronutrient content and reduced to a simple sugar that your body quickly digests.

The result is, your blood sugar spikes, your body pumps out tons of insulin to get the sugar into your cells, your blood sugar plummets, you feel sleepy, and any sugar the insulin didn’t deal with gets converted into fat.

This access fat typically sits around your belly, which can lead to illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.

Complex carbohydrates, like whole grains, help to maintain well-controlled blood sugar levels. Keeping you energized, slim, and healthy.

They are your body’s main source of fiber, giving you energy to keep you perky even during the grey days of winter.

The mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin comes from an amino acid called tryptophan, which is only able to enter the brain after digesting a healthy serving of carbs.

So for your waist’s (and your mood’s) sake, don’t give up all carbs!

February 7, 2014

PORTION SIZES: EXPLAINED.

Many of my clients tell me that they are confused about how much they should (or shouldn’t) be eating.

It can be very misleading when reading food packaging to gauge exactly how much is a recommended portion size.

More often than not, restaurants and supermarkets lead us to believe that what they are selling is the correct portion size for one person. When, in reality, it’s likely to be about one and a half to two times as much!

So how do we control the amount of food that we eat? The best way is to educate ourselves on what is the right portion size for all foods from the various food groups. This way we can be armed with the knowledge before we are presented with more than we need.

However, this doesn’t mean complaining to the restaurant manager next time we eat out, or stopping ourselves from enjoying the odd take away. It means that by being aware of the recommended portions sizes we can help to ensure that both ourselves and our families eat the right amount of food for the majority of the time.

I found Bupa’s guidelines on portion sizes to be the most clear and easy to understand. Below is a summary of their recommendations:

STARCHY FOODS: Eight to 10 portions per day (to maintain weight for an average adult, depending on your activity level)

Some typical amounts for one meal may include the following:

  • Cereal – nine tablespoons (three portions)
  • Bread – two slices (two portions)
  • Baked potato – one medium baked potato (two portions)
  • Boiled potatoes – four small potatoes (two portions)
  • Pasta – nine tablespoons (three portions)
  • Rice – six tablespoons (three portions)
  • Noodles – one block of dried noodles (one portion)
  • Pitta bread – a filled pitta bread (two portions)

Meat, fish and other proteins: Two to three portions per day (with at least one portion of oily fish a week)

One portion counts as the following:

  • Lean meat – 100g raw / 75g cooked
  • Fish – 75g oily fish or 150g white fish
  • Eggs – two medium sized eggs
  • Baked beans – five tablespoons (half a tin)
  • Pulses – four tablespoons
  • Nuts – two tablespoons

DAIRY: 3 portions per day

A portion includes the following:

  • Milk – 200ml (a small glass)
  • Yoghurt – 150ml (a small pot)
  • Hard cheese – 30g (size of a small matchbox)
  • Cottage cheese – 90g or about two tablespoons

FRUIT & VEGETABLES: At least 5 portions per day

One portion is 80g of any fruit or vegetable. Examples include:

  • Large fruit – one or two slices of large fruit (such as mango, pineapple or papaya)
  • Medium sized fruit – one medium sized fruit (such as an apple, orange, banana or peach)
  • Small fruit – two small fruits (such as kiwis, plums, satsumas or clementines)
  • Grapes and berries – one to two handfuls of grapes or berries
  • Fruit juice and smoothies – 150ml (a small glass)
  • Mixed veg – three heaped tablespoons (such as peas, carrots and sweetcorn)
  • Salad leaves –one dessert bowl
  • Beans – three heaped tablespoons

FAT & SUGAR: limit your intake of these foods

Foods high in fat include butter, cream, chocolate and cakes. Foods and drinks high in sugar include soft drinks, sweets and biscuits. You should only eat foods from this group sparingly.

January 31, 2014

5 GOOD FOOD VOWS.

Good_Food

1. Fill up on plenty of wholesome, fresh food

2. Try to cook meals from scratch as often as possible

3. Savour food, be mindful of every mouthful that you eat

4. Eat a balance of all food groups instead of cutting one out

5. Avoid eating in front of the TV or at the desk, as distractions can lead to overeating.

January 17, 2014

5 HEALTHY PLEDGES FOR 2014.

Pledge

Make 2014 both a happy and healthy new year, with these 5 pledges to help you to look and feel greater than ever.

1. Get enough shut-eye
It is recommended that you get at least seven to nine hours sleep a night. This gives your body enough rest to repair, burn fat and ward off stress.

The main three factors causing lack of sleep are caffeine, stress and alcohol. As well as reducing these, try the following foods to help you get a goodnights sleep:

  • Eggs – provide tryptophan, which our bodies convert to serotonin, then store as the sleep chemical melatonin. Start your day with eggs to reap the benefits at night.
  • Kiwi – research shows that eating 2 kiwis an hour before bed increases the average nightly kip and boosts sleep quality.

2. Eat a healthy, balanced diet
A balanced diet starts with eating lots of fresh vegetables, protein, good fats and carbohydrates (yes some carbohydrates are actually good for you!).

Not all carbohydrates are an enemy. Many of us fear the consequences of this food group and their associations with weight gain have stuck with many dieters. It’s the refined carbohydrates (like white bread, white sugar, and sweets) that you need to avoid.

Complex carbohydrates, like whole grains, help to maintain well-controlled blood sugar levels. Keeping you energized, slim, and healthy.

And if you need another reason not to curb the carbs, this macronutrient is in fact the only fuel that our brains can utilise, so without this our brain health and memory deteriorate.

3. Get active
Hit the gym, take a walk or go for a bike ride. Whatever you do, just get moving!

Regular exercise is not only good for your physical health (helping to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and strokes, as well as maintaining bodyweight), but it can boost your mental health too.

When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins, which trigger a positive mood making you feel happier and increasing your self-esteem.

4. Drink more water
Staying hydrated is one of the easiest things you can do for energy. When you skimp on water, the cells in your body shrink, so they can’t function as efficiently. This triggers feelings of fatigue.

The signs of mild dehydration, such as low energy and sleepiness, can dupe your brain into craving food. Many people confuse that empty-pit feeling in your belly as hunger, but in fact it’s quite often triggered by thirst.

Water is the perfect hydrator and drinking plenty of it helps flush away toxins that build up in our cells. You should aim to drink at least 1.2 litres of fluid (six to eight 250ml glasses) a day.

5. Stand Tall
Good posture is probably the world’s simplest beauty secret. It makes you instantly look taller and slimmer. You take in more oxygen, improving your skin and creating a wealth of new energy.

The perfect poise will help you look and feel more confident. To improve your posture, just follow these simple steps:

  • Look in a full-length mirror, from the front and the sides.
  • Firstly, observe and get to know your natural stance. Check if you have slipped into bad habits (i.e. is your pelvis sticking out?, is your back arched?, are your shoulders rounded?, etc)
  • Correct any deviations so that your feet are slightly apart, with toes pointing forward. Imagine pulling your body upwards, starting at your neck and pulling up through your chest to your waist and hips. Feel the gap between your shoulders and ears lengthening, and each vertebra spreading out from its neighbours.
  • Now focus on engaging your abdominal muscles. Pull your navel back towards your spine, whilst continuing to breath normally and tucking your bottom in.
  • Correct your posture every time you think of it. Soon your body will retrain and good posture will become automatic.

 

January 10, 2014

DON’T JUST RELY ON WILLPOWER THIS JANUARY.

calendar

Last year 67% of people surveyed by The Gym Group made a New Year’s resolution to do more exercise.

However, despite good intentions, a third of people who joined a gym last January quit after just three months.

It’s not easy relying just on willpower and focus to form good habits. Once your behaviour becomes automatic, you wont even need to worry about it.

Make sure you get into a regular fitness regime that best fits around your lifestyle. That way you are more likely to stick with it and soon it will become routine.

January 3, 2014

SUPPORT YOUR SYSTEM.

Prevent the sniffling cold this winter by stocking up on essential nutrients to support your immune system.

Vitamins A, C, D , E, iron and zinc, found in foods such as leafy green vegetables, oranges, nuts and seeds should help keep you fighting fit.

Incorporate hearty soups too, with beans and lentils. As these are packed with B vitamins, iron and magnesium, which are great for boosting energy!