caloriescount – Page 95 – Every Step Fitness

Things that might help with cellulite… and things that won’t … 😏

Cellulite, that dimpled, lumpy appearance of the skin, is something over 90% women (and 10% men) suffer from. There are loads of products and promises out there that claim to reduce cellulite – but what actually works?

The most important thing to note is that cellulite is normal, it can affect anyone, at any age and fitness. It’s caused by fibrous connective tissue pulling on the fascia beneath the skin causing a dimpled appearance. It’s more prevalent in women because male connective tissue is more tightly interwoven. Women’s higher oestrogen levels also cause fat cells to respond differently, and as we age cellulite increases. It has a strong genetic component and some people are more prone to it than others.

There is zero evidence that any of the so called ‘cellulite’ reducing creams, gels, laser treatments, detoxes, supplements, funky workouts or foods have any significant effect. Any effects are temporary at best and ‘work’ by tightening the top layer of skin but the effects wear off after a few hours. There are surgical options that claim to reduce it but none give permanent results, most are very expensive and involve cutting the fibrous tissue to reduce the appearance.

If your bodyfat is high then you’ll have more prominent and prevalent cellulite, so fat loss via a calorie deficit will reduce it, but as it’s about the structure of the fat deposits you can’t completely get rid of it, unless you reduce your bodyfat to dangerous levels. A good diet, good sleep, and regular exercise are all great for your health but won’t reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Whilst there is zero evidence that ‘cellulite busting’ foods can help, studies have shown that if you smoke then giving up can help. The chemicals in smoke reduce blood flow, weaken and disrupt collagen formation meaning fat shows through more.

Exercise has very little impact on cellulite. It will obviously help to reduce bodyfat but any fat still there will still show through and you definitely can’t spot reduce it by doing specific exercises for specific areas. We all have cellulite – I have it, I’ve had it since my teens, and I had it at my lowest and highest bodyfat. It’s a fact of life so don’t waste energy or money trying to get rid of it. Focus on eating a healthy, balanced diet and doing exercise you enjoy to keep yourself fit and healthy.

🤗 xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip : To breakfast or not to breakfast?

August 10, 2021 Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip : To breakfast or not to breakfast? 🍳

I often hear people saying that they are not a ‘breakfast person’. They often say that they don’t eat breakfast because they forget, they’re rushing, they aren’t hungry, don’t think they need to, or just don’t want to. Some people also skip breakfast to have more calories for later in the day. Now whilst this is all absolutely fine and can work for some people (I have some clients who employ this strategy very successfully), it doesn’t always. Very often skipping breakfast means that, although they’ve stocked up some calories for later, they’re so ravenously hungry that they overeat. You may not even recognise the issue – but if you regularly skip breakfast and also have a problem of overeating/snacking after dinner then it might be worth revisiting that pattern.

Consider planning in some breakfast, and trying to view it as something that will fuel you for the day and prevent you from bingeing later, rather than something that just takes up calories. Aim for something with some protein in it – eggs, greek yoghurt, nut butters , milk etc as well as carbs. It doesn’t have to be traditional breakfast foods if that’s what puts you off – you can eat anything you like for brekkie. Equally you don’t have to have breakfast as soon as you wake – it can be a couple of hours later if that works better for you.
Try experimenting with different dishes and timing and see if anything helps reduce those post dinner munchies.

Many people do cope perfectly well without breakfast but if you’re finding you’re not able to control your appetite later in the day and are over eating then maybe you’d benefit from including breakfast in your daily diet.

Happy Tuesday 🤗
xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

I want frosties but I’m watching my calories so having weetabix…”

August 4, 2021 Dr Nancy P

“I want frosties but I’m watching my calories so having weetabix…” 🥣

Before I start I’m not suggesting Frosties – sugar coated flakes of corn are a particularly ‘healthy’ breakfast. But I think most people would naturally assume it was also significantly higher in calories than other ‘healthy’ cereals and I imagine that given the choice, most people would choose the weetabix as the better option to reduce calories. But is it really?

A 50g portion of frosties (because who actually has the recommend 30g?!) comes in at 187 calories (excluding the milk). Now as expected it’s high in sugar (18.5g) – I mean it’s coated in the stuff so that can’t be a surprise.

In contrast 50g of weetabix are 181 cals, so they’re only actually marginally less calorific – 6 calories (which in the grand scheme of things means very little). Now they obviously contain much less sugar (2.1g) and more protein (6g), and fibre (5g), which are beneficial of course but that doesn’t make them automatically better for weight loss.

When it comes to fat loss it’s the calories that matter – create a calorie deficit and you will lose fat/weight. So in this scenario you’d be no better off with the weetabix over the frosties. Now there are some additional benefits to the weetabix as I mentioned – less sugar, a little extra protein and more fibre which may help keep you a little fuller. Both cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals anyway so you’re not missing out on as much as you think with the frosties. Plus many people will add sugar etc to weetabix anyway – thereby increasing the sugar and calories.

Now personally, I am not a fan of frosties at brekkie – but not because I think they’re that much worse than weetabix – rather I just don’t want super sweet cereal at that time in the morning lol!

However if you love frosties and you enjoy a bowl for brekkie then go for it (they’re also great sprinkled on ice cream …) ! If you love the weetabix then have it! But if you’re eating weetabix because you think it’s lower calorie, or feeling guilty for loving a bowl of frosties to start your day, then stop worrying. As long as you’re having a balanced diet you’ll get plenty of nutrients in throughout the day so if you love frosties enjoy them! 🥣 😋

Whichever you choose – read the labels, check the calories and be mindful of your portion size but most importantly enjoy it!

🤗 xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Activity Tracker Caution

August 3, 2021 Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Activity Tracker Caution ⌚️

Fitness trackers and smart watches are a brilliant tool to help get you moving, to track your activity and steps and to give you an idea of the intensity of your workout BUT they’re not a great tool for measuring calories burned.

The assumption is that these expensive watches are fairly accurate at measuring your calorie expenditure during exercise / daily life. The reality is most of these haven’t been tested at all and vary hugely in accuracy. A 2016 study found that whilst some trackers were only up to 8% out when sedentary they overestimated activity (including walking) by up to 40%. A further study in 2017 found some trackers overestimated exercise calorie expenditure by up to 93%!

This is why if you’re eating back your calorie burned from your tracker (or even just eating back half of them) you’re likely to be eating any calorie deficit you’ve accrued and may find you’re not losing weight/fat. So if you do have an activity tracker don’t use it to measure the calories you’ve burnt so you can go and eat them! You can however use them to measure your relative burn to see how ‘hard’ you’re working or how used to your workout you’re becoming by using it as a relative measure of effort

and by using the heart rate data. You can also them to measure steps (again accuracy varies a bit but they’re still great for seeing how active you are).

As I’ve said before – separate the exercise from the food side of things. Exercise for mental and physical well being, NOT to earn food.

Happy tracking! 🤗

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

A bit of mayo on your sandwich…

July 28, 2021 Dr Nancy P

A bit of mayo on your sandwich…. 🥪

As I mentioned last week, it’s often the little things that can make a big difference when you’re trying to lose weight/ fat. Condiments often add more calories than we realise and because they’re not really seen as ‘food’ we generally overlook them when it comes to tracking calories. So swapping them to a lower calorie option is a great way to save some calories without impacting too much on the overall taste of the meal. It’s also a brilliant way to make sustainable long term changes to your diet.

In this example I’ve chosen Mayonnaise. The standard Mayo that you might put in your sandwich or dip your chips in will cost you around 202 calories. You’ve got a couple of options for swaps – both a light and a lighter than light option. The latter is almost a tenth of the calories! And if you don’t fancy the lighter than light option then the light option is still over half the calories of the original version.

So if you enjoy a bit of Mayo then perhaps it’s worth checking out these options for some easy calorie savings. Obviously if you enjoy the original version then have it! Just be aware of those calories and include them in your tracking. 🤗 Xx