Tag Archives: Weight-loss

April 5, 2021

DIET VS EXERCISE #3: WEIGHT LOSS.

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight before, you’ll know that it isn’t easy. Especially keeping the weight off after the initial drop. A mixture of working out and eating a well-balanced diet will always be the best strategy. But if you only have time to focus on just one, which is more effective?

Weight loss happens when your body requires more energy and calories then you’re putting in, and so is forced to break down the molecules in your fat cells for fuel.

There are countless ‘fat-burning’ diets out there, from keto and paleo to intermittent fasting, but all rely on creating a calorie deficit.

Aim for a deficit of between 250kcal and 500kcal per day and see how your body responds. There are two simple ways to work towards a 250kcal deficit: first, consume less; second, move more.

However, an over-reliance on exercise can have its downsides. In one study, people who trained for an average of half an hour per day didn’t lose any more weight than those who averaged 15 minutes – the more committed exercises subconsciously rewarded themselves for their hard work by eating more food.

As well as tracking your calorie intake, it is advised that you boost your non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). This covers any movement that isn’t part of your structured training plan, such as walking to the shops, cleaning the house, or running around after the kids.

Where exercise does come into its own is weight maintenance. Research shows that people who form good fitness habits alongside switching up their diets are far more likely to stick to their plans. So, think less about burning fat and more about bulking up your willpower.

The decider:
Diet

June 15, 2020

FOODS THAT FIGHT CRAVINGS.

Making sure you eat three satisfying meals a day, with an optional two snacks, is crucial to warding off any food cravings in between meals. Have plenty of the following in your everyday diet, rather than taking supplements that may disrupt your nutritional balance.

Chromium – this regulate blood-sugar levels and is found in wholegrain cereals, black pepper, thyme, organic meat and cheese.

Magnesium – found in meats, green leafy vegetables, dairy products, beans, apricots, curry powder, wholegrain cereals, wheatgerm and nuts.

Iron – iron from red meat (especially liver) Is most easily used by the body; other good sources of fish and Sawyer, and you can get some from eggs and green leafy vegetables.

Zinc – rich sources are wholegrains, brewer’s yeast, wheatgerm, seafood and meat.

Tryptophan – milk and eggs contain plenty of this amino acid.

April 17, 2019

EXERCISE BURNS FAT – SO WHERE DOES THE FAT GO?

It’s no secret that fat loss is a modern obsession. Most of us have some, most of us want to lose some. Surprisingly, then, one of the most obvious questions raised by all this fat-fixating is never really addressed: when it leaves our bodies, where does the fat actually go?

If you’re unsure, you’re not alone. Some would believe that fat turns into muscle, or that it leaves the body via the colon, both of which are incorrect. Others may believe that fat is converted into energy and lost as heat (no doubt based on the “energy in equals energy out” assumption). Trouble is, this would disobey a fundamental law of chemical reactions, known as the conservation of matter (or mass), which states that the same amount of matter comes out of a reaction as goes into it. It doesn’t simply vanish.

Put simply, fat tissue is full of lipids – compounds that store energy. Even if those compounds are broken down and generate heat, you’re still left with the same number of atoms you started with.

So, where does the fat go?
When you begin to run low on fuel you produce a hormone that, when mixed with oxygen, breaks down fat in order to use its energy. When fat is metabolized, it needs to go somewhere. Once converted to carbon dioxide and water, over 80 percent of each measurement of fat leaves the body as CO2. The rest is released as sweat and urine.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean you can get rid of any unwanted jiggle by simply huffing and puffing on the couch. When you engage in any form of physical activity, however, your body’s metabolic rate is raised significantly. So a higher intensity workout will produce more huffing and puffing – more energy burned, more converted fat expelled.

Knowing that fat is actually leaving your body via your lungs might even make those extra reps a little easier to get through.

July 25, 2016

CLASSIC DIET TRUTHS… FACT OR FICTION?

Scales

Grapefruit helps you to lose weight
It was once believed that grapefruit contained fat-busting enzymes, but the truth is in it’s ability to reduce levels of the hormone insulin in our blood. This, in turn, causes us to feel less hungry and we are therefore more likely to eat fewer calories.

Spicy foods speed up your metabolism
Research has proven that eating spicy foods, such as chilli sauce and hot mustard, with your meal can increase your metabolism and therefore increase the number of calories you burn. This small metabolisim-boosting effect may be useful when losing weight, but only as part of an overall mix of weight-loss efforts. Strength training (i.e. lunges, squats and exercising your biceps and triceps) can increase your metabolism by 15%.

Missing meals helps you to shed pounds
Not true. When we miss a meal our bodies go into primitive survival mode and cleverly slow the rate at which we burn calories. Skipping a meal also makes you feel hungrier at the next one, so you’re more likely to eat more to compensate for the meal you did not have. Eat three balanced meals a day, plus healthy snacks in between, to keep your metabolism and appetite steady.

Separating proteins and carbohydrates makes you slimmer
Not so. Our bodies are perfectly capable of digesting the nutrients in a mixed meal. However, research shows that we naturally eat less when we eat just one type of food per meal, because we get bored so stop eating sooner. As a result, people who follow ‘food-combining’ diets where they separate protein from carbs often tend to lose weight successfully.

October 22, 2015

10 SUPERFOODS PROVEN TO MELT FAT!

Porridge

Not only have these foods been given the title of ‘superfoods’, for their great nutritional value and overall benefit to health, but now it’s been discovered that they contain ingredients that actually aid in weight loss too. Below is a list of these superfoods, along with the ingredient that makes them super.

Bell peppers
The vitamin C helps produce carnitine, which in turn helps muscles use fat.

Avocados
Full of protein, fibre and monounsaturated fats that lower cholesterol.

Kelp
High levels of iodine to help thyroid hormone production and minerals to break down fat.

Eggs
Just 80 cals and 6g of protein, it’s a great way to start the day, helping limit your calorie intake for the rest of the day.

Oats
A third of your daily amount of fibre in a single serving. Keeping you fuller for longer.

Spinach
Full of fibre, vitamins and minerals to ease water tension.

Grapefruit
When drunk with meals, the juice is thought to lower weight gain by up to a fifth.

Dark chocolate
Aim for a couple of squares that are at least 70% cocoa. This will reduce your craving for sweet, salty and fatty food.

Peanuts
Have a handful as the amount of energy used to digest them means you burn calories while you’re eating them. Studies also show eating peanuts increased metabolic rate by 11%.

Cumin
A fat-busting miracle that lowers cholesterol.

September 21, 2015

HOW MUCH EXERCISE SHOULD I DO?

Weight

Have you ever wonder if you are doing enough exercise? Are you confused by which intensity, frequency and type of activities you should be doing? Listed here are guidelines issued by The Department of Health, which outline the amount of exercise a typical person should aim for based on their age.

Adults (19–64 years):

  • Adults should aim to be active daily. Over a week, activity should add up to at least 150 minutes (21⁄2 hours) of moderate intensity activity in bouts of 10 minutes or more – one way to approach this is to do 30 minutes on at least 5 days a week.
  • Alternatively, comparable benefits can be achieved through 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity spread across the week or combinations of moderate and vigorous intensity activity.
  • Adults should also undertake physical activity to improve muscle strength on at least two days a week.
  • All adults should minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary (sitting) for extended periods.

Adults (65+ years):

  • Older adults who participate in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits, including maintenance of good physical and cognitive function. Some physical activity is better than none, and more physical activity provides greater health benefits.
  • Older adults should aim to be active daily. Over a week, activity should add up to at least 150 minutes (21⁄2 hours) of moderate intensity activity in bouts of 10 minutes or more – one way to approach this is to do 30 minutes on at least 5 days a week.
  • For those who are already regularly active at moderate intensity, comparable benefits can be achieved through 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity spread across the week or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity.
  • Older adults should also undertake physical activity to improve muscle strength on at least two days a week.
  • Older adults at risk of falls should incorporate physical activity to improve balance and co‐ordination on at least two days a week.
  • All older adults should minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary (sitting) for extended periods.

 Children & young people (5-18 years):

  • All children and young people should engage in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity for at least 60 minutes and up to several hours every day.
  • Vigorous intensity activities, including those that strengthen muscle and bone, should be incorporated at least three days a week.
  • All children and young people should minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary (sitting) for extended periods.

Individual physical and mental capabilities should be considered when interpreting the guidelines. Always consult your doctor before you start a new exercise regime.

 

January 23, 2015

EAT UP, SLIM DOWN.

Scales

The secret behind fat-loss success lies in fuelling your body with nutrient-dense meals. Start by going back to basics.

Number one on the list is fibre, both soluble and insoluble. Fibre helps slow digestion and recharges your body with a steady stream of energy, but worryingly, a whopping 90% of British women don’t eat enough roughage.

Eat meals high in protein, which helps preserve lean muscle mass, and omega-3 fatty acids. These turn on fat-burning enzymes in your cells and regulate the hormone leptin, which keeps you satiated.

Finally, spice up your meals for a metabolism kick. Chilli and paprika both contain capsaicin, which helps speed weight loss, while cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar and reduce cravings.

December 29, 2014

WEIGHT LOSS TIPS TO KICKSTART YOUR NEW YEAR.

Scales

Feeling stuffed after that Christmas feast?

If you seriously need to work on that belly bulge and want to get back into a healthy eating plan, then here are some simple slimming strategies to get you back on track.

1. You’ll need to eliminate all processed, packaged foods over the next four weeks to help kick-start your liver, the main channel of detoxification.

2. Make sure to eat at regular intervals. You should eat three meals plus two snacks, one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon to avoid blood sugar dips.

3. Avoid caffeinated and fizzy drinks. Swap tea and coffee for decaffeinated versions and sip on herbal teas including green tea, fennel tea and nettle. Increase your intake of water to a minimum of two litres a day. Liven up water by adding slices of cucumber or a squeeze of liver-boosting lemon.

4. Avoid eating meals in front of the computer or TV and try to concentrate on what you’re eating, taking a break in between bites.

5. Allow yourself one treat each week. Choose from a small glass of red wine, a small bar of dark or raw chocolate, lemon sorbet or a small pot of frozen yoghurt.

July 25, 2014

IS EATING LATE PREVENTING YOU FROM LOSING WEIGHT?

Alarm clock on bed

In order to burn the most fat, you should go 12 hours overnight without eating.

The reasoning behind it is that during the day your muscles use some of the calories you eat for fuel, the rest is stored as glycogen.

Overnight, that glycogen is converted to glucose. Once the glycogen is gone, your liver starts burning the fat cells.

Fasting for 12 hours overnight allows your body the chance to convert the glycogen and start burning fat.

Therefore, if you usually eat your breakfast at 7:00am, try to have your dinner by 7:00pm the night before.