Category Archives: Healthy lifestyle

August 24, 2015

CONTROLLING YOUR WEIGHT – BACK TO BASICS.

The key to weight control is keeping energy intake (food) and energy output (physical activity) in balance. When you consume only as many calories as your body needs, your weight will usually remain constant. If you take in more calories than your body needs, you will put on excess fat. If you expend more energy than you take in you will burn excess fat.

Exercise plays an important role in weight control by increasing energy output, calling on stored calories for extra fuel. Recent studies show that not only does exercise increase metabolism during a workout, but it causes your metabolism to stay increased for a period of time after exercising, allowing you to burn more calories.

How much exercise is needed to make a difference in your weight depends on the amount and type of activity, and on how much you eat. Aerobic exercise burns body fat. A medium-sized adult would have to walk more than 30 miles to burn up 3,500 calories, the equivalent of one pound of fat. Although that may seem like a lot, you don’t have to walk the 30 miles all at once. Walking a mile a day for 30 days will achieve the same result, providing you don’t increase your food intake to negate the effects of walking.

If you consume 100 calories a day more than your body needs, you will gain approximately 10 pounds in a year. You could take that weight off, or keep it off, by doing 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily. The combination of exercise and diet offers the most flexible and effective approach to weight control.

Since muscle tissue weighs more than fat tissue, and exercise develops muscle to a certain degree, your bathroom scale won’t necessarily tell you whether or not you are “fat.” Well-muscled individuals, with relatively little body fat, invariably are “overweight” according to standard weight charts. If you are doing a regular program of strength training, your muscles will increase in weight, and possibly your overall weight will increase. Body composition is a better indicator of your condition than body weight.

Lack of physical activity causes muscles to get soft, and if food intake is not decreased, added body weight is almost always fat. Once-active people, who continue to eat as they always have after settling into sedentary lifestyles, tend to suffer from “creeping obesity.”

May 25, 2015

KEEPING GOOD POSTURE AT WORK.

Our everyday lifestyle can put strain on our bodies. Considering most of us work 8 plus hour days and sit in front of computers for the majority of the time, we need to sit up and be aware of our posture. Here are some top tips for achieving good posture, issued by the NHS.

Support your back
Avoid back pain by adjusting your chair so that your lower back is properly supported. A correctly adjusted chair will reduce the strain on your back.

Adjust your chair
Adjust your chair height so that you can use the keyboard with your wrists and forearms straight and level with the floor. This can help prevent repetitive strain injuries.

Rest your feet on floor
Your feet should be flat on the floor. If they’re not, ask if you can have a footrest, which lets you rest your feet at a level that’s comfortable. Don’t cross your legs, as this can cause posture-related problems.

Place your screen at eye level
Your screen should be directly in front of you. A good guide is to place the monitor about an arm’s length away, with the top of the screen roughly at eye level.

Using the keyboard
Place your keyboard in front of you when typing. Leave a gap of about four to six inches (100mm-150mm) at the front of the desk to rest your wrists between bouts of typing. Your wrists should be straight when using a keyboard.

Keep your mouse close
Position and use the mouse as close to you as possible. A mouse mat with a wrist pad may help to keep your wrist straight and avoid awkward bending.

Avoid screen reflection
Your screen should be as glare-free as possible. If there’s glare on your screen, hold a mirror in front of it to identify the cause. Position the monitor to avoid reflection from overhead lighting and sunlight.

Working with spectacles
People with bifocal spectacles may find them less than ideal for computer work. It’s important to be able to see the screen easily without having to raise or lower your head.

Make objects accessible
Position frequently used objects, such as your telephone or stapler, within easy reach. Avoid repeatedly stretching or twisting to reach things.

Avoid phone strain
If you spend a lot of time on the phone, try exchanging your handset for a headset. Repeatedly cradling the phone between your ear and shoulder can strain the muscles in your neck.

For the full article and a video explaining how bad posture contributes to health problems including back pain, visit the NHS website: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/workplacehealth/Pages/howtositcorrectly.aspx

April 24, 2015

TAKE TIME OUT.

As the popularity of high-intensity workouts soars, the pressure of Hiit workouts and the like, can mean that people are more susceptible to injury.

Which is why there is a new-found importance being placed on recovery – this year’s buzzword – and there has been a rise in classes such as restorative yoga and self-myofascial release (soft-tissue therapy) methods that also include massage balls, foam rollers, ice baths and massage.

These techniques can help promote recovery and enhance overall sports performance and longevity in training, whatever your goals might be.

The recovery phase has long been an important (but too often ignored) part of a workout. But these strategies speed up and optimise recovery and rebuilding, meaning you are less likely to tear, pull or anger anything that might end up putting you out of your new-year regime altogether.

November 21, 2014

HOW STRESS CAN SABOTAGE YOUR WEIGHT-LOSS GOALS.

Forget stress eating—new research shows that crazy long to-do lists do more than encourage you to reach for that triple chic muffin. Try these simple stress busters to keep your metabolism up to speed.

Take a spin. Twirl around in a circle and say what’s bothering you out loud. You’ll feel silly and may even laugh. It’s hard to laugh and be stressed at the same time!

Get outdoors. When you go outside, you realise that you’re not the centre of the universe but just a part of it. So your problems don’t seem as big. To turn your stroll into a walking meditation, say ‘peace’ each time you take a step. Five minutes a day keeps stress at bay.

Give thanks. Keep a running appreciation list on your phone. Being thankful every day puts frustrations in perspective.

Deck out your desk. Place a photo of a loved one or some fresh flowers near your computer. It’ll remind you that your world is not simply about paperwork, computers and deadlines – there is more to life than your desk.

Cut the clutter. Straighten up your drawers or clean out the cupboards. Rifling through things takes up time and creates frustration. These are mindful things that bring order to your life.

Find a new hobby. New endeavours enrich our lives and give our minds a rest from our daily to-do list. How about taking a new art class, hiking, singing, or getting involved in a book club?

July 25, 2014

IS EATING LATE PREVENTING YOU FROM LOSING WEIGHT?

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.

July 4, 2014

WHAT IS OIL PULLING?

Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic procedure that is said to boost oral and overall health by withdrawing toxins.

The procedure is pretty straightforward: take any vegetable oil, such as coconut, olive or sunflower, and vigorously swish it around your mouth for 20 minutes, then spit it out.

Don’t gargle, don’t swallow. Repeat daily. In simplified terms, by doing this, the oil purportedly cleans and detoxifies your mouth by binding with oral bacteria (hence, the “pulling” away of toxins from your mouth) that you later spit out with the oil, and the healthier mouth in turn leads to a bunch of other positive physical effects, like clearer skin, eased PMS, cleared allergies and alleviated migraines.

There are two beliefs as to why this may work: first, it’s thought that by swishing the oil like a mouthwash, it cleanses the mouth of bacteria due to its antimicrobial properties.

Secondly, once the procedure is done, the oil is thought to coat the surface of the teeth, creating a slippery barrier that prevents bacterial buildup.

Now, if you’re raising your eyebrows as to whether this silver bullet is actually real, you’re not the only one. Skeptics may think that swishing mouthwash would be the same as swishing oils, but the bacteria in our mouth is covered with a fat membrane and is attracted to the oil, so oil is far better at pulling.

Newbies may find it a bit unsettling to swish for such a long time, and may even feel gum soreness afterward. This is normal, as when toxins are aggravated – pulled out of their hiding spots – they tend to be irritant and cause discomfort just as they do inside the body when you do a detox or cleanse. The discomfort will pass after those first few days, so stick with it and it will be worth it!

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.

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.

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.

October 11, 2013

3 INSTANT ENERGY BOOSTERS.

Have a glass of 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.

Talk fast.
Ever notice that energetic people tend to zip through their words? Fast talk means fast thinking, which automatically boosts your energy. Speed-talk your way through your next friendly chat, and feel that breathless rush give you a boost.

Practice self-forgiveness.
No more “I’m worthless because I’m overweight” or “I’m lazy for skipping my workout” thoughts. The feeling of guilt keeps you stuck in a low-energy rut.

Lanima Fitness

Personal Training for Women