Fat Loss Programmes

The question you should start with when embarking on a fat loss programme is ‘do I want to be thin or do I want to be healthy’? You can’t ‘out train’ a poor diet in the long term so putting your health first and fuelling your body with the nutrients it requires is key.

70% of how we look is based on what we eat and 30% is down to movement and exercise. Both diet and exercise are important for our overall health and well being, but when embarking on a fat loss programme it is vital that food habits change in order to see real lasting change. Extreme regimes of any kind rarely last and are almost impossible to keep up in the long term so healthy balanced meals containing protein, carbohydrates and good fats are essential to lose the fat and keep it off.

When someone has a large amount of weight to lose this balance is of even greater importance as the skin needs the correct nutrition in order to shrink and tighten effectively. Losing weight too quickly by under eating, over exercising or skipping meals can lead to excess skin folds on the body where it has shrunk too quickly. Extreme exercising also puts increased pressure on your adrenal glands and you can end up stressing the body with high cortisol levels that can lead to future health problems.

When deciding to lose weight It is very important to choose a food plan based on real food, as near to nature as you can. If it was made IN a plant DON’T eat it, if it was made FROM a plant then DO! Eating 3 meals per day with 2 small snacks is ideal as this ensures your blood sugar levels do not drop leading to ‘snack’ impulse eating.

Change your eating habits by cutting out processed foods and refined sugars. Start by reading labels and knowing what goes into the food you are eating. Where possible make your meals from scratch but If you are not a cook or are ‘time poor’ then make sure you purchase homemade fresh foods without additives and preservatives added. Watch your salt intake and be mindful of your calorie consumption and make changes today that your body will thank you for, not just this time next year but this time the year after and for many years to come.

Reducing Cholesterol

Do you or someone in your family suffer with high cholesterol? To dramatically lower your LDL cholesterol levels without resorting to high doses of statins I recommend these dietary tips:

·         1. Limit your intake of foods full of saturated fats, trans fats, and dietary cholesterol.

Foods with a lot of saturated fat include butter, fatty flesh like red meat, full-fat dairy products and oils. If you see partially hydrogenated fat in the Ingredient list of a food label, that food has trans fats.

·         2. Eat a lot more fiber-rich foods.

Foods naturally rich in soluble fiber have proven particularly good at lowering cholesterol. Excellent sources include oats, oat bran, barley, peas, and sweet potatoes, as well as legumes or beans, such as pinto beans, black beans and peas. Vegetables & fruits rich in soluble fiber include carrots, brussel sprouts, berries, passion fruit, oranges, pears, apricots, nectarines, and apples.

Buy Prebiotic Fibre Supplement HERE

·         3. Choose protein-rich plant foods (such as legumes or beans, nuts, and seeds) over meat.

They’re full of nutritional riches and are a very healthy, protein-packed alternative to meat. Legumes help lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, blood sugar, and insulin levels, and may even lower cancer risk.

Nuts and seeds have been proven to modestly lower LDL cholesterol levels. To avoid blood pressure raising salt, choose raw unsalted varieties. To avoid gaining weight, don’t eat more than a handful per since nuts and seeds are dense with calories (averaging about 175 calories per ounce).

·         4. Lose excess weight.

Losing excess weight is beneficial for all sorts of reasons including improving your cholesterol levels.

Do keep in mind that it’s important to limit fat intake, even so-called “good” fats like olive oil, because any fat is dense with calories, which means heavy consumption can easily lead to a heavy body.

·         5. Take supplements.

I recommend Sterols which are naturally occurring substances found in plants. A daily intake of 1 to 2 grams of plant sterols has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels.

Buy Plant Sterols HERE

Psyllium husks are also great. These seed grains are sold as a soluble fiber supplement and natural laxative.

Recovering From Cancer

When recovering after cancer treatment be prepared for a change in your palate. Bear in mind that your emotional recovery is just as important as your physical so choose foods kind and gentle to your mood, listen to what your body is asking for. Think about including the following;

Avocados - a rich source of antioxidants which attack free radicals and toxins in your body.

Pulses - provide your body with oestrogen like chemicals that may help block tumour regrowth.

Beetroot - for blood related cancers.

Berries - packed with antioxidants and vitamins.

Carrots, kale, eggs, garlic, onions, oily fish, peppers, nuts, seeds, spinach, tomatoes and whole grains