Tag: cut calories

Not all burgers are created equal… 🍔

Often when tracking calories it’s easy to underestimate. Very often this isn’t deliberate or even conscious – we either try to estimate based on other known meal items or we search for a similar meal on the database and use that. There’s a subconscious desire to make the calories fit too and a natural tendency to err on the lower side. This has been proven in multiple studies.

In this example if you’d been out at an independent pub (without calories on the menu) and chose the cheeseburger and fries you might realise that the calories will be high. You’d possibly look up some other similar meal items and then assume it would be close. If you for example looked up the McDonald’s version you’d see that a cheeseburger and large fries is around 742 calories. Most people would realise that a pub style burger is likely to be more (the burger itself is usually bigger and of better quality etc) so in my experience with my own clients people estimate around 950-1000 calories.

However as you can see an average pub cheeseburger and fries actually comes in at over 1600 cals and can be as much as 1850 calories with sauces etc. That’s a huge difference and a very substantial amount of calories for one meal. To put it into perspective – one McDonald’s cheeseburger is 298 cals – so that’s the equivalent of eating five and a half of them in one sitting! You’d never do that would you? So why is it ok to eat that 1642 calorie meal?

Obviously if you want to spend your calories on that as a meal then that’s absolutely fine – it’s your choice, and your body. There’s no need to feel guilty but just do so knowingly rather than kidding yourself that you’ve had 1000 calories. Remember knowledge is power!

🤗

xx

Things you think cause cellulite… 😏

Cellulite, that dimpled, lumpy appearance of the skin, is something over 90% women (and 10% men) suffer from. There are loads of myths out there about what causes it and usually there’s some ‘solution’ they’re selling which can ‘fix’ the problem. There are loads of products and promises out there that claim to reduce cellulite – but what actually causes it and what actually works?

People will have you believe that cellulite is a result of you being heavier than you should be, of eating the ‘wrong’ foods, or not doing the ‘right’ exercises, or a result of hormones and therefore something that you can address. Well the reality is the main cause of cellulite…. is literally just existing (and particularly being female – though men also have it)!

The most important thing to note is that cellulite is normal, it can affect anyone, at any age, weight 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.

Now whilst it is true that if your bodyfat is high then you may have more prominent and prevalent cellulite, (so fat loss via a calorie deficit may 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. You also can’t exercise it away. A good diet, good sleep, and regular exercise are all great for your health but won’t reduce the appearance of cellulite. There is also zero evidence that any specific foods either increase or reduce cellulite. Though studies have shown that if you smoke then giving up can help as the chemicals reduce blood flow, weaken and disrupt collagen formation meaning fat shows through more.

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.

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

Craving chocolate … 🍫

We all have cravings for certain foods or drinks at certain times. It may be for chocolate, biscuits, cheese, toast, wine – etc, whatever it is it’s usually perceived as a “bad” food.

If you’re trying to lose fat/weight then when a chocolate craving hits you may avoid it at all costs. Why? because it’s “bad”. It’s not a snack packed with protein or fats, or vitamins or all those things we know we should be eating. It’s full of sugar (omg!) so it is definitely evil and must be avoided at all costs…..So you avoid it and have some fruit and a yoghurt (because they’re ‘good’)… but that doesn’t really cut it…. So then you have a nakd bar (fruit and nuts so that’s ‘good’ too!)… but you’re still craving chocolate… so you end up eating the chocolate anyway. None of those snacks are an issue and in fact they’re all delicious but you didn’t want them – you wanted chocolate… and now you’ve ended up eating almost 600 calories.

Instead, if you are craving chocolate then just have it! You don’t need to earn it. You don’t need to justify it. Not every item of food you eat needs to be packed with vitamins, protein etc. If you have a balanced diet overall then it’s absolutely fine to have some foods in your diet that aren’t nutritionally great but that give you pleasure!

Funnily enough, the more you label foods as ‘bad’ and try to avoid these foods, the more power and the more the craving you’ll have for them. When you enjoy the foods you crave or want to eat without guilt, they begin to lose their power over you and your urge to overeat them diminishes. Over time, you’re able to eat anything, without eating everything.

Chances are that in most cases if you enjoy that chocolate for your snack, factor it into your day’s calories, then you won’t feel the need to inhale a giant bar later that day or eat loads of other things you didn’t actually want. So rather than creating rules about foods that are good or bad, try to view all foods as things you can have – in moderation.

Enjoy 🤗

Xx