Tag: calories

Tuesday Tip: Omega supplements 🐟

I’m often asked whether certain supplements etc are necessary. One that frequently comes up is fish oil / omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega’s are essential for heart and brain health. They lower blood pressure, reduce triglycerides in the blood, and reduce the risk of heart disease and ischemic stroke. They’re known to help reduce joint inflammation in rheumatoid disease. They also aid brain and eye function. There is evidence they help to prevent and alleviate dementia, depression, asthma, migraine, and diabetes. So they’re pretty important.

There are three main types of omega-3s: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) – found in fish, Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – also in fish and Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) – in plants.

Obviously ideally you want to try to get your omega-3 fatty acids from foods rather than supplements. Aim to eat 8-12 oz non fried, oily fish high in DHA and EPA a week e.g. Mackerel, Salmon, Sardines, anchovies etc. Also try incorporating at least two tablespoons of omega-3-rich nuts and seeds (for ALA) into your diet (flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, soybeans etc). If you don’t eat fish then you’ll need to increase the amount of plant based sources.

It’s always better to get them from food but if you can’t hit those levels then it is one of the supplements that is worth taking. Ideally you want a supplement with a combined total of 500mg EPA and DHA). Always go for reputable brands to ensure that what’s on the label is actually in the product, keeping you safe and healthy! I take one myself and if you want a specific recommendation let me know.

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx

Tuesday Tip: Things that don’t matter 👀

Worrying about the things that don’t matter can make a big difference to your progress when trying to lose weight. Here are a few of those things.

# Scale weight

Worry less about your weight on the scales. Focus more on your energy levels, Strength, muscle mass, sleep quality, nutritional quality, exercise performance.

# Social media

Worry less about the complex and extreme nutrition messaging you see on social media. Instead focus more on the basics. The boring nutrition messages are often the most useful – calories are king, don’t complicate things.

# The end goal

Worry less about the gap between now and the end goal. Instead focus on the next best thing you can do right now to get there. Just focus on one step at a time.

# Daily weight fluctuations

Worry less about daily weight fluctuations. If you do use weight as a measure then focus on longer term trends in weight over weeks. Use an average weight change over days and weeks.

# Failing

Worry less about the little slip ups, bad days, ‘failures’ and instead focus on what you do for the majority of the time. That’s what counts. You don’t need to be 100 percent on it all the time to succeed.

# Other people

Worry less about what other people are doing. Focus on your own journey because everyone is different and will progress at different rates.

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx

Tuesday Tip: Beat the Autumn Blues 🍂

So Autumn is certainly in the air; cooler, darker evenings and mornings. For me, and many of my clients and class members this is a tough transition. It’s hard to find motivation to continue regular exercise, and we crave warming, comfort foods. I’ve posted this before but it’s always a useful reminder at this time of year.

Low energy, low mood and low motivation makes us want to hibernate rather than work out. So how can you keep that summer mojo going? Focus on shorter workouts if you’re struggling to find motivation for long sessions. In an ideal world you’d aim for 30-45 mins of high intensity exercise 3 x week: a class, a home hiit workout, or a cycle or run. But anything is better than nothing so if you can only do 10-15 mins then that’s fine! Don’t forget all the other ways you can exercise too like gardening, walking, swimming etc

Find a gym buddy; it’s harder to skip that workout when you’re doing it with someone else. Join a colleague for a lunchtime run, or meet up with a friend at the gym or at a class. The social side of fitness plays a massive role in keeping you on track.

Try to sneak exercise in whenever you can: park further away, take the stairs, walk over to speak to colleagues in the office rather than phoning or try a walking meeting with colleagues. If you’re watching the kids play sport then walk the sideline instead of standing still.

Exercise isn’t about losing weight, it’s great for stress relief and at this time of year when things can be a bit manic it’s a great release. The endorphins will lift your mood and help energise you. Make the most of those bright autumnal days and go for a walk outside.

Focus on warming, filling foods like soups and casseroles. I also like to stew up a load of fruit (apples, pears, plums, berries – whatever!) and use it as a snack or pud. Warm it up, sprinkle some oats or a little cereal on it and a dollop of Greek yoghurt – a great comforting dish!

Oh and just because it’s not hot you still need to be drinking plenty of water. It’s even more important to ensure you’re properly hydrated at this time of year as it’s when most of us forget – so get sipping while you workout!

Don’t let the changing seasons get you down – embrace it – enjoy it and have some fun this Autumn 🍁

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx