When we’re looking to change our bodies, it’s natural to want to see changes quickly.
It’s also totally logical, and probably also true, that the more closely we can stick with our plans, the more quickly our results will come.
But while this is true – I don’t think, for most of us, it’s the right thing to do.
You know as well as I do that by outlawing certain things from your diet, you’re much more likely to want them! And, there’s only so far your willpower will get you. You’ll never […]
When you’re changing your diet to lose weight, deprivation is NOT something you should be feeling!
Changing your habits and routines can be hard work, and you’re likely to experience some cravings here and there too.
But on the whole, you should feel that your change of diet is making you feel better along the way to your goals, and not worse.
If you’ve recently made a change to the way you’re eating and you’re feeling hungry, deprived and miserable, here are some ideas to consider:
Could you have cut your intake too much […]
So often, I meet people who feel they have been putting in loads of effort for very little pay back from the scales for their effects!
There are lots of reasons this can happen, but let’s look at the most common ones.
Are you truly in a calorie deficit?
If you’re to lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit. You simply won’t lose weight unless you are.
Is it possible that you’re miscalculating your intake?
Are you over estimating how many calories you’re burning?
This follows on from […]
Lots of people ask me for help in toning up their arms – it might feel like quite an uphill battle, but actually, a few adjustments to your workout routine will help a lot!
We can’t choose where our body takes fat from first, and while simply losing weight will result in smaller arms, we still won’t achieve that toned look without gaining muscle and strength in them.
And so – perhaps obviously – if you want to tone up your arms, your focus needs to be on building up the muscles in your arms. Don’t focus only on the […]
Happy New Year!
The start of the year is, of course, the most popular time for starting new health and fitness routines.
And 80% of these will fail. 75% of them within the first 3 months of the year.
Those are miserable statistics aren’t they!
With these in mind, I have just TWO pieces of advice for you if you’re trying to put any health and fitness related New Years resolutions into action:
Firstly:
Consistency is more important than quality.
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good!
It is best to commit to only what you […]
Whatever diet you can think of (or, perhaps, that you have tried) works in the same way – there’s not really anything magical about any diet.
They all work to create a calorie deficit.
The same is true whether you’re following a low carb or low fat plan, or if you’re trying intermittent fasting. Likewise, slimming clubs, meal replacement shakes and even the cabbage soup diet – they all work to create a calorie deficit. No magic. It’s the deficit which creates the weight loss.
You could eat only chocolate and still lose weight, as long as you […]
Most people I meet these days have some kind of wearable fitness tracker.
Their popularity has EXPLODED over the last few years.
Personally, I use an Oura ring, which I find pretty good. It’s more a sleep and recovery tracker which also tracks activity too.
The other day, I caught myself looking at the data from the previous nights sleep and thinking “oh, that’s nice”. I then proceeded to forget all about it and just move on with my day.
Which got me thinking about how many of us must do this.
Wearing these things is only useful […]
I saw an advert for an exercise class which promised to burn 900 calories per session.
This makes me roll my eyes.
I really can see the appeal – if you’re trying to lose weight, I know this kind of advert sounds awesome!
But if you’re trying to lose weight only with exercise, you are fighting a losing battle.
You will never out-exercise a bad diet.
A standard sized chocolate bar is somewhere around 200-250 calories.
That’ll take you about an hour to walk off, or about 40 minutes if you do something more intense for […]
Sleep is so important, yet, do you really know what makes a good nights sleep?
A great gauge is to think about whether you feel refreshed when you wake up in the morning.
You could also consider your energy levels throughout the day. Although sleep might not be the full story, if you’re feeling tired it could well be a sign that you’ve not slept enough, or that your sleep quality needs a bit of work.
If you’re restless, wake frequently in the night, or just feel like you don’t sleep well, these are more signs […]
Often in November we try to tighten up our diets for a few weeks, in anticipation of all the tasty treats heading our way over Christmas.
If this is the position you find yourself in right now, remember a revelation is not what is needed – 99% of the time, a simple ‘brush up’ around the edges is enough to achieve the changes you’re looking for.
Here are my top three strategies to put in place in order to shift a few pounds over the next few weeks:
Write Down Your Food Intake
You probably already have a […]
