Tag: fitnesstip

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Making Habits Stick

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Making Habits Stick 🤗

Creating new habits is key to maintaining weight and fat loss. Recent studies have shown it takes an average of 2 -3 months for new habits to stick. So how can you help new healthy lifestyle changes become habits?

#1 Identify your obstacles

There will always be things that make some things harder to change so start by identifying them. If you can identify a bad habit, and what triggers it, you can start to change it e.g. if you tend to indulge in snacks in front of the tv at night then maybe try less tv time, doing something with your hands (adult colouring books, knitting, puzzles, online games etc) or find alternative lower calorie snacks.

# 2 Make new habits easier

How can you avoid the triggers altogether and make the healthier choice the easy one? So if walking past the chip shop is your trigger, change your route home. If you’re trying to avoid chocolate binges on the sofa ensure you don’t buy any on the weekly shop. If you’re trying to workout more then book yourself in to classes, or workout with a friend and have your workout kit in the car or by the door so it’s easy to go and do it!

#3 Set goals

You need goals and the most likely to help you succeed are SMART ones (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based). Tonnes of studies support this so rather than setting a vague goal of ‘eating healthier’ set yourself a goal of eating a proper lunch so you don’t end up snacking on cake mid afternoon. Instead of saying you’ll ‘exercise more’ set the goal of doing two 45 min workouts a week, or walking 20 mins a day etc.

#4 Accountabilibuddy

It helps to know someone else is keeping tabs on your progress. Find yourself an accountability buddy to give you a kick if you start slipping. Also hold yourself accountable by posting your goals publicly on social media or to friends/family, set phone reminders to go to the gym/have lunch/avoid pizza etc. Try writing a list of new habits on a planner and tick off the days you achieve them; visually seeing the progress really helps.

Soon those new habits will become the norm and it won’t seem like an effort anymore!

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

Chicken is already high protein….

Dr Nancy P

Chicken is already high protein…. 🍗

When it comes to snacking a high protein option can be a good choice – it helps to keep you fuller for longer and more satisfied. This in turn can mean you’re less likely to snack again later or over eat at your main meals and so can help with weight loss or management by helping you stick to your daily calorie goal.

As I’ve said before many brands capitalise on this by marketing their products based on their protein content.

This is a another great example of that marketing. The fridge raider slow roasted chicken bites are marketed as ‘powered by protein’ and yes they make a convenient snack. But they actually only have 12g of protein for 124 cals and are around 91% chicken.

Chicken on the other hand – which is readily available in pre cooked snack size packs – just like the fridge raiders, gives you 16.2g protein for only 79 cals and it’s basically just chicken (98%)! It’s also a lot cheaper too!

So if you’re looking for a meat based protein snack then just save the calories and money and buy some actual chicken!🤗xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: 3 Main Barriers To Weight Loss

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: 3 Main Barriers To Weight Loss 🍷

If you are struggling to lose weight it is usually down to the simple fact that you’re consuming more calories than you need. Often it boils down to three main areas where extra calories are sneaking in. I’m not suggesting you give any of these up completely but reducing them will help!

# 1 Alcohol

If you’re having a few big nights at the weekend, and maybe a couple of drinks during the week it soon adds up. It’s not difficult to put away 1000 cals in booze in a night. So perhaps try to first reduce the number of evenings you have a drink – go for 2 instead of 5 a week. Also try swapping for lower calorie options e.g. slimline gin and tonic.

# 2 Eating out

If you are eating out multiple times a week its very hard not to be over your calories as most main dishes will be 850 – 1000 cals. If eating out is essential (for work etc) then find the lowest options on the menu, look up the menu and plan what you’re having and log it in advance. Try to go for one course and avoid sides. If you can reduce some social meals out then do. Remember everything doesn’t have to revolve around food. Shift the focus from the meal to the relationship instead – seeing friends should be about that, not the food. Also remind yourself that all these foods will still be there when you reach your goal – it doesn’t all need to be eaten now!

# 3 Work Snacks

Offices seem to be filled with snacks and it can be really hard to avoid them. Try to bring your own snacks and to avoid wherever the office snacks are stored. Maybe chat to whoever is responsible for that side of things and see if some lower cal options can be provided (they can still be treats e.g. 2 finger kitkats instead of 4). Also try to save some cals on coffees too – switch to an americano rather than a latte etc.

It is possible to manage all three of these and lose weight, but you really can’t have your cake and eat it so you’ll have to reduce some of it somewhere! This is what I work together with my clients to do – so they can still enjoy all these things, reach their goal and stay there!

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

The healthy smoothie deception…

Dr Nancy P

The healthy smoothie deception…. 🥤

You’d probably consider grabbing a bottle of some fruit based smoothie as a healthy option. It may be something you’d grab to go with your sandwich at lunch etc. It seems perfectly reasonable and it’s marketed as 2 of your 5 portions of fruit and veg a day.

On the other hand if I suggested you grab a punnet of strawberries, one and a half apples, a quarter of an orange, a handful of black currants, a bunch of grapes and two bananas to go with your sandwich you’d probably think I’d gone mad! However that’s exactly what you’re doing when you grab a bottle of fruit smoothie.

It would actually be pretty hard to eat that quantity of fruit alongside your lunch without feeling very full, yet we can easily guzzle down 390 cals of smoothie? The fruit itself is virtually the same amount of calories – so what’s the difference?

The difference is bulk, mainly from fibre. The fibre you get in whole fruit is what makes it almost impossible to eat the same quantity of fruit as is in the smoothie. The smoothie strips almost all that fibre out so all you’re getting is sugar and the micronutrients.

There’s nothing wrong with having the smoothie if you want it, and have the calories for it in your day, but I think it is worth stopping and considering the quantity of fruit it compares to. And perhaps if you want something healthy to go with your lunch grabbing a punnet of strawberries instead? 🤗xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Avoid Overeating

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Avoid Overeating 🍔

We all overeat sometimes, it’s natural, but we can learn to spot the triggers to prevent it happening.

# 1 Friends and family

They often encourage you to ‘just have one more’ or question your choices. It’s tough, but be polite but firm. After a few occasions they’ll accept your choices and may even join you!

# 2 Crockery

Larger plates lead to larger portions. An easy tactic is to go for a smaller plate to reduce your portions.

# 3 Tiredness

Tiredness leads to overeating as a pick me up and is often mistaken for hunger. Focus on getting quality sleep, and if you’re tired pack healthy snacks in advance to stop you going for the easy fix.

# 4 Boredom

Try to focus on the root of the problem; distract yourself, call someone, go for a walk, read a magazine, anything that stops you raiding the fridge.

# 5 Booze

Booze makes you less likely to feel full and likely to reach for salty, fatty snacks, which then make you drink more, leading to more snacks. Plus you’re likely to overeat the following day. Alternate booze with water, have a proper meal rather than endless snacks, and get straight back to normal eating the next day.

# 6 Thirst

Thirst is often confused for hunger. Always have a large glass of water before you eat anything to check you really are hungry.

# 7 Gulping food

It takes 20 mins for the body to recognise it’s full. So chew each mouthful longer, or put the cutlery down between bites to slow you down.

# 8 Blown it

One small slip and we’ve blown it so we may as well go mad and eat the world! Stop and remind yourself that one small slip is better than a massive binge!

# 9 Feeling deprived

If you’re cutting foods you love out then you’re liable to fall off the wagon. Incorporate everything you like in moderation and factor larger treats in to your weekly calories.

# 10 Starting tomorrow

When you tell yourself you’ll start your diet tomorrow you’re far more likely to over eat today, as a ‘last chance’ to eat whatever you want. So instead start at your next meal!

Do you recognise any of these triggers in yourselves? I certainly do! That’s the first step to changing things!

Happy Tuesday

🤗 xx