Tag: fitnessmotivation

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

I need to give up sugar… or maybe sugar isn’t the problem?

Dr Nancy P

I need to give up sugar… or maybe sugar isn’t the problem? 🥣

One of the many diet myths I hear a lot is that sugar is bad, and clients will often say they need to give up sugar. Now in reality this usually means they intend to give up things like biscuits, chocolate, cakes, ice cream, doughnuts etc. Very few people are mainling pure sugar! These foods aren’t just “sugar” – they all contain significant amounts of fat too.

As you can see from this comparison – 50g of sugar contains nothing but sugar. It’s 50g of carbs – no fat, no protein etc. All of those carbs are sugar and 100% of the calories it contains are from sugar. The jam doughnut on the other hand contains around 12.4g sugar which accounts for only 17% of the total calories. The majority of the calories come from fat, other carbs and a little protein. The foods that people commonly associate with sugar are a mixture of sugar, fat and salt which make them hyper-palatable. That means they’re designed to taste really good – which encourages you to eat more. Eating 50g of pure sugar in one sitting is actually not a pleasant experience (try it – I dare you lol!) and it isn’t something most people would do. Eating a jam doughnut or 2 though – well thats super easy. To consume the same amount of actual sugar as pure sugar you’d need to eat 4 doughnuts in one go.

So this combo of sugar, fat and salt is what makes doughnuts and other snacks so easy to over eat. That’s not to say doughnuts are bad but they have the potential to derail you from your goals because they’re calorie dense (i.e. more cals in a smaller package) and as I said they taste great so you’re likely to eat more. So it’s not the sugar thats causing this – its the combination of ingredients in these products. So vilifying sugar is pointless and a misunderstanding of where the real issue lies. In fact sugar is actually an important nutrient and the brain’s main fuel source.

In sum, sugar isn’t “bad”, it isn’t causing you to gain fat in itself and you don’t need to give it up. If you have a balanced diet then having the odd “sugary” snack like doughnuts etc is fine – just account for it in your calories.

Enjoy 🤗

xxx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Weekend woes

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Weekend woes 😬

This is an extremely common pattern I see in my clients, and myself. Weekdays are often “ok” calorie wise or even good, and then weekends it goes a bit off track. A common pattern is as follows:

  • Super restrictive eating during the week (1200 cals or below)
  • Cutting out everything you ‘enjoy’ to meet those low calories
  • Resulting in low energy, fatigue, hunger, cravings and resentment.
  • Ineffective workouts as energy levels are low
    Then the weekend hits:
  • Willpower is low and because you’ve been ‘good’ all week you indulge without restraint
  • Brunches, take aways, meals out, drinks, food-centred social events etc tend to occur and you don’t bother calorie counting.
  • You also snack on everything you’ve been craving all week.
  • End result – massively over your calories over those 1-3 days
  • This pushes your weekly calorie average up and halts progress
  • You wake up on Monday feeling rubbish, like a failure and end up being more restrictive the following week.
  • And it continues….

How do you resolve this?
For starters view your week as a whole and consider the average calories over the whole week. Avoid being too restrictive on weekdays but recognise you’ll want more calories in your budget to spend at the weekend. So save some calories on weekdays (100-150 per day). You’ll head into the weekend feeling less miserable and better able to exercise some control. Plan the weekends – reduce some of the indulgences but factor in some of the things you enjoy. Plan ahead for restaurant meals, drinks etc using those extra calories you’ve saved.

So it’s two pronged – eat a little more during the week, eat a little less at the weekends. Track your weekends rather than viewing them as a free pass. Consistency is key!

Happy Tuesday 🤗
Xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

Trick or treat? ..

Dr Nancy P

Trick or treat? ..🎃🍫

It’s pumpkin season and there’s a multitude of pumpkin spice snacks out there. Pumpkin is often promoted as a health food (pumpkin itself does indeed have many health benefits) and there are lots of snack bars out there that are marketed to imply that they are a “healthy” choice. This is a perfect example – this bar definitely looks like it’s a healthy choice. It’s got nuts and pumpkin seeds in it – great for good fats, vitamin A, and a host of other benefits.

So you might decide to reach for this rather than reaching for a pumpkin spice caramel chocolate square thinking it was a better choice. Well that may not always be the case.

It does contain a good range of nutrients (and fat and sugar) and is definitely a good snack to give you energy and keep you full and will cost you 202 cals. But you could actually have 2 of these chocolate caramel squares for fewer calories. So if you were trying to lose fat/weight and looking for a snack, then rather than reaching for a “healthy” snack bar when you don’t fancy it, you’d be better off just going for a snack you actually want – like the chocolates if that’s what you fancy. And if you do want the ‘healthy’ bars then be sure to read the labels carefully as some are extremely high in calories.

Ultimately, if you’re trying to lose fat or weight, it comes down to calories. So enjoy a balanced diet overall and just be mindful of the calories in what you’re having.

Happy Hallowe’en 🤗

xxx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Trick or Treat Yourself

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Trick or Treat Yourself 🎃

Hallowe’en is increasingly becoming more of a ‘thing’ in the UK so it’s worth a quick mention about how to handle the celebration if you do choose to. Here are some fun fitness tips to enjoy Halloween while staying on track.

# Enjoy Real Pumpkin

While pumpkin spice lattes are high in calories, fresh pumpkin is nutritious and low-calorie, with only 26 calories per 100 grams. It’s fibre-rich, keeping you full longer, and contains no saturated fats or cholesterol. Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, especially Vitamin C and A, pumpkin supports healthy skin and vision. The seeds are also brilliant too. They are also full of anti-inflammatory compounds and rich in healthy fats, protein and fibre and recent evidence suggests they can help with pelvic floor issues.

# Watch Horror Movies

It may sound strange, but horror movies can help you burn calories! MA recent study found that watching a 90 minute horror film can burn around 113 calories. The adrenaline rush boosts your heart rate and reduces appetite, contributing to calorie burn.

# Take Halloween Walks

Take a leisurely stroll or jog through your neighborhood to admire Halloween decorations. This not only allows you to enjoy the spooky sights but also helps you get some activity in. Plus, if you have children you can use it to scout out which houses are amenable to trick-or-treating.

Eat Before Trick-or-Treating

If you trick-or-treat then eat before you go so you’re less tempted to dip into the children’s stash. When you’re hungry, unhealthy choices are harder to resist.

# Buy sweets last minute and offer alternstievs

If you’re open to people visiting your home to trick-or-treat then consider buying the sweets closer to the day so they’re not sitting around tempting you to tuck in when you’re feeling snacky. Also consider offering other things to trick-or-treaters – fruit may not be popular but unwanted small toys and children’s books might be. You could have a choice of a sweet or a book/toy. So you get to clear out some unwanted items and it’s better for the children’s health).

It is only one day so in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t really matter but it’s always worth being mindful regardless.

Happy Hallowe’en 🎃

Xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

Just an Autumn snack…

Dr Nancy P

Just an Autumn snack… 🎃

At this time of year, all the cafes bring out their range of seasonal drinks and pastries. You’re out shopping or meeting up with friends and family, so you just grab a quick autumn-inspired drink or snack to enjoy and get you in the seasonal spirit. You’ll savor it in minutes without really thinking too much. But that’s okay, because it’s just a cozy little autumnal snack…

These snacks can vary but are often quite high in calories. Take, for example, a cinnabon bun that can come in at around 885 calories. For comparison four and a half Krispy Kreme doughnuts contains fewer calories overall at 877. While I’m sure you could enjoy all of them in one sitting (I certainly could), most people probably wouldn’t. You’d likely maybe have one or maximum two at one sitting, rather than indulging in four and a half!

Obviously you can eat whatever you want and if cinnamon buns are your thing then go for it! But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be aware of the calories in some of the treats you’re enjoying.

Knowledge is power, so being aware of the calorie content of your favorite autumn snacks and our perceptions of what we consume is always a good thing.

If you want that cinnamon bun, have it and enjoy it. If you’d prefer to have a doughnut or two, go for it. Just be mindful of the calories so you’re making informed choices!

Happy autumn! 🎃