Category: Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Tracking calories, not losing weight? 🔍

If you’re tracking your calories and not losing weight, you’re not tracking accurately. I know you may think you are, and I’m not suggesting you’re consciously under tracking but the reality it’s hard to be totally accurate.

Research shows that even the most careful trackers often underestimate their intake, and the gap is bigger than most people realize. If you’re

1,500 calories a day, studies suggest in reality, you may be consuming closer to 1,700 calories if you’re very accurate, and closer to 2,000 (or more) if you’re not. That’s hundreds of calories each day slipping through unnoticed.

In one study, adults underreported their daily calories by as much as 700 calories. That’s the equivalent of a burger and fries missing from their food diary. Even more telling, when participants were offered a financial incentive for accuracy, they still couldn’t reliably track what they ate. So this isn’t about dishonesty; it’s about the inherent difficulty of calorie tracking.

Think about it: portion sizes are hard to estimate, labels can be misleading, restaurant meals hide oils and dressings, and a quick handful of snacks often goes uncounted. Even small mistakes add up quickly. That spoonful of peanut butter you logged? If it’s actually two, you’ve just underestimated by nearly over 100 calories. Repeat that a few times a day, and it’s easy to see how the numbers add up.

So what does this mean? Is tracking pointless then? No but you have to be really honest with yourself and be open to the fact that you’re probably not tracking perfectly- no one is. So if you’re not losing weight it doesn’t necessarily mean your body is broken or your metabolism is damaged. It likely means your intake is a little higher than you think, and that’s normal. You either need to double down on the tracking and check you’re being as accurate as possible or lower your calorie goal. Track as best you can, stay mindful of hidden calories, and adjust based on results over time.

Happy Tuesday 🤗
Xx

Tuesday Tip: Strength Training and Brain Health 🧠

We often think of crosswords, Sudoku, or ‘brain training’ apps as the best way to protect our memory as we age. But recent research suggests strength training may do more for your brain than any puzzle ever could. In a 6-month study of older adults with mild cognitive impairment (a group at high risk for dementia) participants were assigned to one of four groups: resistance training, cognitive training, both, or a control group of nothing. Resistance training alone came produced the best results.

It was a simple strength training program of lifting at around 80% of their maximum strength, 3 sets of 8 reps, 2–3 times per week, focusing on major muscle groups. After six months, those who got stronger also got sharper. Improvements were seen in memory, executive function, processing speed, and attention. MRI scans even showed growth in the posterior cingulate cortex, a brain region tied to memory and one of the first hit by Alzheimer’s. The stronger participants became, the more this area grew. Interestingly adding cognitive training to resistance training actually reduced the benefits. Strength training alone not only improved cognition but maintained those gains for at least 18 months after the study ended, without continued exercise. Brain atrophy slowed, connectivity improved, and memory held steady.

Why? Building strength boosts brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), blood flow, and growth factors in both muscle and brain. In short, your muscles talk to your brain. So if you want to protect your mind, train your body. Two to three full-body sessions a week, working hard enough to challenge yourself, may be one of the simplest, most powerful ways to keep your brain resilient. Forget just training your brain, train your muscles. Your mind will thank you.

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx

Tuesday Tip: Cortisol and Belly Fat 😓

Cortisol makes you gain belly fat is a common myth. The idea is that the stress hormone causes stubborn belly fat and therefore we should avoid cortisol ‘spikes’ at all costs (which translates to suggestions to avoid certain workouts etc), but is that really the truth?

Cortisol is essential. It helps regulate energy, inflammation, and even fat metabolism. Levels naturally rise and fall throughout the day, with a large spike in the morning (part of your circadian rhythm) and smaller increases during activity or stress. Research shows these short-term rises are not harmful, they’re protective and necessary. Exercise, fasting, even drinking coffee trigger temporary cortisol increases, and that’s a good thing. These transient spikes mobilize stored fuel and support recovery. If cortisol alone caused belly fat, athletes and early risers would all struggle with weight gain, which clearly isn’t the case.

So where does the belly fat myth come from? Chronic stress or Long-term elevated cortisol has been linked to appetite changes, sleep disruption, and overeating. But importantly, cortisol doesn’t directly add fat to your stomach. Instead, chronic stress often leads to behaviors like late-night eating, less activity, poor sleep etc that add up over time. The hormone plays a role, but it’s not acting in isolation.

Some also claim exercise spikes cortisol and therefore makes fat loss harder. Acute exercise-induced cortisol is good – studies show that long-term training actually lowers resting cortisol levels and improves stress resilience. So workouts don’t make you fat, they make you fitter and more stress-tolerant.

Remember – cortisol spikes are normal and often beneficial. Chronic stress may influence weight, but mostly via the habits it can create, not hormones alone. Exercise helps regulate cortisol long-term. If you’re concerned about ongoing stress or health issues, consult your doctor—not social media.

Stressing about cortisol is more harmful than the hormone itself.

Happy Tuesday 🤗
xx

Tuesday Tip: How to be healthy 🥗

The health and wellness industry loves to sell you the idea that to be healthy you need cold plunges,infrared light, expensive trackers, trendy supplements etc . But the truth? You only need to nail a few basics to cover most of your health and fitness needs.

# Reduce bodyfat and build muscle

Too much body fat raises health risks, but you don’t need to be shredded. Research shows the lowest mortality risk is around 20- 22% body fat for men and 25-30% for women, which is quite attainable. Also vital is building and keeping muscle as it supports metabolic health and helps prevent age-related weakness.

# Move more
Sitting for 10+ hours a day can raise your risk of death by up to 192%. Even light movement, walking, household chores etc adds up. Around 7–9000 steps a day is a great target but it depends what your baseline is – something beats nothing.

# Eat mostly well
Eat a balanced diet including protein, carbs, fruit/veg and plenty of whole foods. Include healthy fats and enough fibre too (around 14g per 1000 calories). It’s fine to have sugar/junk food – just have it in moderation.

# Don’t overdo the booze
The idea that a little alcohol is healthy is false. Health risks rise with ANY consumption of alcohol. It’s one of the few actual carcinogens (cancer causing) foodstuffs. The less, the better.

# Prioritise sleep—especially regular sleep
Short sleep is linked to higher health risks, but this is often also linked to high stress and poor diet it’s hard to tease apart the biggest risks. Regular exercise can offset some harm of short sleep. Sleep regularity (consistent wake/bed times) may be more important than total hours.

You don’t need a magic hack to be healthy. Move your body, lift some weights, eat sensibly, keep alcohol low, and get consistent sleep. Do that, and you can safely ignore 90% of the wellness info online.

Happy Tuesday 🤗
Xx

Tuesday Tip: Walking in Weighted Vests 🏋️‍♂️

Another month another social media fad – walking in weighted vests are the latest thing fitness influencers claim are essential. Now whilst a weighted vest can make a walk feel a bit tougher, it’s not the muscle-building, fat-burning, bone-strengthening miracle some influencers make it out to be.

Let’s look at the claims. It claims to effectively build muscle. Wearing a vest doesn’t come close to traditional resistance training. It might offer a slight challenge for beginners, but for real gains, you need proper lifting with progressive overload. Could you do squats, lunges, and jumps with a vest – yes sure but it won’t help with moves like deadlifts, presses, and rows etc.

They claim it improves bone density, however studies show that even when worn for over 7 hours a day, the impact on bone density is minimal. Exercise itself is the real driver behind stronger bones.

What about increasing fat loss? Wearing a weighted vest might increase calorie burn slightly (about 1 extra calorie per minute while running with 10% bodyweight), but to see any meaningful fat loss effect, you’d m need to wear it for 8+ hours a day, which also increases the risk of back pain and injury. That’s a steep trade, off for a tiny reward.

So in short

⁃ Walking with a weighted vest is not a fat loss hack

⁃ It won’t build muscle or strengthen bones on its own

⁃ It can add variety or intensity to your walks or bodyweight workouts for some exercises.

If wearing one makes your walk more enjoyable, go for it! All movement is good movement. But if your goal is meaningful fat loss or strength, stick to what works: lift weights, move consistently, adjust your nutrition, and stay patient.

No trendy shortcut can replace the basics. Don’t let social media ‘experts’ derail your progress.

Happy Tuesday 🤗
Xx