Ok so your waist is spilling over your jeans and you decide to reign in the booze and takeaways, hit the gym five times a week and only eat green things for the next two weeks!! If you are sporting some wobbly bits make sure you don’t make the common mistakes everyone else does.
Going on a Diet!
The minute you announce to yourself and everyone else that you are on a diet you will think of nothing else but food. The sense of deprivation that accompanies any diet is miserable, you will crave your favourite foods and ultimately set yourself up for failure. What you need to establish is a healthy eating plan for life! It must be jam packed with lots of tasty, nutritious foods that keeps you energised, satisfied and looking awesome! We are huge fans of natural based diets, call it Paleo, Caveman, Zone, Primal …..whatever! It involves getting a lot of good stuff and cutting out the bad. Check out our Facebook Page where we provide meal ideas and also Cucina Ceri or Everyday Paleo are a great place to start.
Low fat
Our bodies need fat for energy, insulation and brain health they are essential! When you omit fat from your diet not only are missing out on vital nutrients, but you will struggle to satisfy your appetite. Fat has gained an unfair reputation as the reason behind weight gain and people now opt for a “low fat” diet to lose weight. The irony is that low fat diets tend to be laden with sugar and artificial sweeteners which disrupt the bodies biochemistry and hormonal balance even more making sustainable weight loss almost impossible. Know your fats and make them a regular addition to your diet.
Counting Calories
Most ladies are legendary when it comes to counting calories and can recite the calorific content of the entire Starbucks menu without a second thought. Counting calories is in fact rather useless when it comes to weight loss as studies are pretty much defying the notion of calories in = calories out. Firstly, there are different types; calories from fat, carbohydrates, protein and alcohol. Each impact differently on our body and metabolism. Some disrupt our hormonal balance more than others, some are more easily utilised by the body for energy rather than being stored as fat. You are much more complicated than a simple equation. A BioSignature review can help you establish what’s going on with your body and how to work your daily needs but as a general rule calories from protein, good fat and veggies are your best bet for weight loss.
Snacking on Fruit
Fruit is healthy right? For some people maybe but fruit is essentially sugar (fructose) and therefore impacts upon our blood sugar levels. If you are overweight and tend to store fat around your waist it is a sign your body is not metabolising sugar effectively and it should be moderated in your diet or consumed with fat or fibre to slow down the impact on your blood sugar level. If you are happy with your waist size and have an active lifestyle fruit is otherwise a healthy addition to your diet. Fruits with a low glycemic index and high fibre content are best, such as berries, apples and pears. It is best to consume after exercise, when your body needs simple sugars for recovery and eat with a handful of nuts, a sprinkle of cinnamon (this spice lowers the glycemic load of food) or try spreading almond butter on a sliced apple or pear.
Cardio Cardio Cardio
People often assume cardio is the most effective fat loss strategy and focus on exhausting themselves on the cross trainer or pounding the pavements every day. In fact how your body composition transforms outside the gym actually has a greater impact on your physique. Your workout should be conducive to producing lean muscle mass that will ultimately raise your resting metabolism so you burn more fat whilst sat at your desk or even sleeping at night. This is best achieved with a combination of strength and interval training. So running is good just make sure your sprinting and preferably up a hill, check out our 15 minute fat loss workouts.
