Category: Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: No Progress? 🤔

Are you stuck and not making progress? When things aren’t going the way you want it’s easy to give up, here’s a little kick up the backside to hopefully prevent that happening!

1 ‘I just need to find my motivation’

You don’t need motivation, you need action. Motivation isn’t going to magically appear; you have to decide to make a change. That will be what motivates you, not a pretty Insta quote (but we love them anyway 🤣).

2 ‘It’s not my fault…’

It may not be your fault but it is your responsibility. We can all find reasons why we can’t do things. Yes it may be harder for you; you might have a health condition or responsibilities that affect your ability to exercise/lose fat etc. But what’s the option? Not bothering just because it’s going to be harder? Of course not! Anything is better than nothing! 🤗

3 ‘I’m just not prepared to give up….’

Some things are going to have to change if you want your body to. The ‘you’ who has lost 10kg fat isn’t doing what you’re doing now, so if you want to get there you need to make changes. You have to decide what you’re willing to sacrifice; switch your 1200 tub of ice cream for a 320 cal one? Cut back on meals out? Switch tv time for a 30 min walk? The choice is yours.

4 ‘I just can’t say no…’

The main reason people don’t lose fat is because they can’t say no. ‘Fancy a cake with coffee?’, ‘want another drink?’, ‘how about a take away?’. Try saying no and choose something nice but lower in cals! Prove to yourself that you have the ability to choose!

5 ‘It’s been 3 days and I’ve lost no weight…’

The body you want is the sum of all the small actions you do today. Eating 300 fewer calories today, or going to the gym when you don’t want to, doesn’t seem like it’s getting you that result today, but do it consistently for 1, 2, or 3 months and it will.

Life happens, things get stressful – it happens to everyone. Don’t let that stop you doing something. Can’t make it to the gym? Do a 15 min walk, Blown your cals? Get straight back on it tomorrow. Do something, no matter how small, every day that takes you closer to your goal.

Happy Tuesday 🤗
Xx

Tuesday Tip : Reframe those goals 😃

When you’re at the start of a weight loss journey it can seem very overwhelming and almost impossible to achieve. If you have a significant amount of weight to lose (which is of course is a different figure for different people – a lot could be anything from 5 to 50 kg!) then focusing on that as your goal can actually be counter productive.

Rather than trying to lose 15kg why not try losing 1kg 15 times. That changes the perspective – losing 1kg feels achievable right? Once you’ve lost one kg then you lose the next kg etc. It all comes down to your mindset and that will dictate how you approach your weight loss journey, and that will determine whether you’re successful.

Take everything in bite size pieces and small steps. That goes not only for your goals but everything. Instead of trying to overhaul your entire diet and exercise routine just focus on one small change at a time. Maybe adding in an extra walk, or one exercise class a week for example? Or perhaps eating more veggies, or reducing the number of nights a week you drink alcohol, or just starting to track calories (even if not reducing them) etc. One step at at time makes things seem much more achievable and means you’ll feel more successful – which in turn means you will be less likely to give up after a few weeks!

Happy Tuesday🤗xx

Tuesday Tip: Are super foods super? 🫐

Green tea, açai, blueberries, avocado, kale… just a few of the supposed super foods which can ‘detox’ your body, lose pounds, even cure cancer! How super are they really? A quick google search reveals thousands of articles and products relating to super foods. Many of these relate either to some supplement, product, weight loss program or some other sales pitch. You rarely see true nutrition experts (qualified nutritionists/ dieticians) using the term, many of whom dispute that particular

foods have an specific magical health benefit claimed by their advocates. People are however willing to pay more for foods perceived as healthy and these superfood labels aim to cash in on this.

So are there such things a superfoods? The short answer – no. Yes many of these foods have good nutritional profiles and may be higher in particular micronutrients but that doesn’t make them any better than many other foods. So what makes them super? Essentially a combination of poor scientific research / cherry picked research, catchy headlines and marketing campaigns from food producers.

Really a superfood should be one that not only keeps you well nourished, but that also provides pleasure and enjoyment to eat and makes you feel good. In that respect almost any food could be super, especially within the context of a balanced diet. So don’t be distracted by the latest, overhyped, trendy ‘superfood’ – instead focus on eating a variety of foods, including a range of fruit and veg, and those that taste good to you!

Happy Tuesday 🤗xx

Tuesday Tip: Why lift weights? 🏋🏻

There are a lot of misconceptions and fears around lifting weights – especially for women. Many people believe lifting weights is only something you should do if you want to build ‘big’ muscles and will result in a certain, often termed ‘bulky’, look. Whilst altering body composition to achieve that look is valid reason to lift weights there are loads of other important reasons, not related to aesthetics, which are even more important as we age.

# Strong musculoskeletal system

Lifting weights improves the strength of our entire musculoskeletal system – muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints and bones. This helps us stay mobile, strong and safe and far less prone to injuries and health concerns such as osteoporosis.

# Independence

As we age we lose muscle mass which means we lose strength and bones become more brittle and prone to fractures etc. By lifting weights you maintain bone strength and muscle mass meaning as you age you can maintain your independence – get up without assistance, carry your groceries, lift heavy stuff, and are less likely to break bones if you do fall.

# Improved power

Power depends on the ability to generate force. As you get older you have to continue challenging your nervous system to be stable, powerful and coordinated. We lose power at almost twice the rate we lose strength. Power enables you to stop yourself if you fall, stop your children running out in front of a car, lift bags onto the kitchen side etc. Lifting weights aids in power development and maintenance.

# Proprioception

This is the awareness of your body’s position and movement in space and is a component of balance. Lifting weights improves your awareness of what your body is doing and how it’s moving. This improves coordination and is vital for daily movement.

# Resilience

Any form of fitness training requires you to challenge yourself, learn new skills, be consistent and willing to put yourself out of your comfort zone. This encourages mental and physical resilience and can help you manage stressful situations.

So lifting weights isn’t just about your looks – it’s vital to loads of aspects of your life, health and well-being. So if you’re not already then consider adding some form

of weight training (be it a class or in the gym) to your workout schedule.

Happy Tuesday 🤗xx