Rules of Nutrition

1.       Eat more protein (meat, fish, eggs) and avoid breaded or coated varieties. Be wary of meat with lots of ingredients. Protein leaves you fuller for longer and will help curb hunger cravings. A source of protein should be eaten with every meal. If you are exercising, protein will help to alleviate a lot of muscle soreness and promote recovery. Soya and tofu is not healthy.

2.       Eat less refined carbohydrate (bread, pasta, potatoes, sweets, fruit juices). When you eat these foods, you raise your blood sugar quickly and when it drops again soon after, you will be hungry again. Also, when your blood sugar is high, you do not burn fat. Fruit, sweet potato and rice in moderation have adequate carbohydrate for your energy needs and are infinitely more nutritious. A small piece of fruit before training can help raise your energy levels. Eat all the green vegetables!

3.       Eat little and often and never get hungry. It is very difficult to make good food choices when hungry. Eating small amounts of good food often will ensure your metabolism is working as effectively as possible. A good guideline is three light meals and two snacks a day.

4.       Avoid foods labelled as low fat or fat free. Fat tastes good. Low fat and fat free foods typically have more sugar and salt to replace the fat and make them taste better. The full fat version is almost always healthier and if you are eating it in moderation, then it should not affect your waistline too negatively if at all.

5.       Avoid processed foods. These are foods that generally have a lot of ingredients in them. If you don’t know what it is, probably best to avoid it. This goes for low cal and heart healthy cooking oils, spreads and margarines. The fats in these are far from “heart healthy”. You are better with coconut oil (Asia market), olive oil and real butter.

6.       Drink more water, green tea and soda water. The body finds it difficult to distinguish between hunger and thirst. Food is also metabolised more efficiently when you are properly hydrated. Green tea helps you burn fat and is a great alternative to coffee and tea which both lead to dehydration. Rooibos tea is another great tea with tons of antioxidants but no caffeine so suitable at night.

7.       Prepare food in advance and bring it with you in a lunchbox. If you always have something healthy to hand, you will have no excuse to eat badly.

8.       Eat slowly and serve yourself small portions. It can take up to twenty minutes from the time the food goes in your mouth until your brain gets the signal that you have eaten. By this time, you may well have overeaten. If you have a small portion and are still hungry twenty minutes later, have another small portion until you feel satisfied.

9.       Everything in moderation. Avocado, olives and nuts (not peanuts- they are unhealthy) are a great source of healthy fats and I would recommend a small amount with every meal. More could be counterproductive. Healthy foods are only good for you in certain amounts. For this reason, try to add variety to your diet. Experiment with different combinations of meats, fish and colourful vegetables.

10.   Enjoy your food. Ask me for some delicious healthy recipes and have fun playing with different herbs and spices.

WHY I PREFER RESISTANCE TRAINING TO CARDIO

The term “cardio” generally refers to aerobic exercise. Typical examples are long distance running, dance and well, aerobics.  Cardio can be fun and it definitely has its place in a balanced training programme but unfortunately, the fitness industry currently places too much emphasis on its importance. Cardio on its own can raise cortisol levels and cause a hormonal imbalance that actually causes you to store fat around your middle. Also, cardio while dieting can result in reduced muscle mass which will put you in a position to gain fat more easily and mean you’ll have to work harder to reach fat loss goals. The simple antidote to this is to do resistance training as well as or instead of cardio.

Examples of resistance training would be lifting weights or doing exercises using bodyweight as resistance such and push ups, pull-ups and squats. Such exercises help to build and maintain lean muscle mass (provided nutrition is adequate). More muscle requires more energy to maintain and so the food you eat is used more efficiently and less of it is stored as fat. I won’t go in to detail about how women don’t build bulky muscles as that article has been done to death but if you want more information on the topic or proof, email me, call/ text me or just ask me. I’m more than happy to chat about the topic!

Resistance training is recommended by health professionals the world over to treat a myriad of health problems such as heart conditions, diabetes, osteoporosis, Multiple Sclerosis, arthritis, depression, insomnia, eating disorders, low self esteem and much more. The benefits cannot be overstated.

Now that we have discussed why resistance training is so important, the next step is to determine what kind is the best. The answer is whatever kind you enjoy doing the most and will stick at. The best exercise programme in the world is useless if it is not followed regularly. 

For me, the best exercise is weightlifting. Since I started weightlifting over two years ago, I have gained lots of lean muscle and lost a lot of fat (meaning I am now two dress sizes smaller). I now eat more food than I used to and I can enjoy more treats without worrying that I won’t fit in to my favourite jeans.  I have more energy, I sleep better and I really look forward to training. The feeling of lifting more weight this week than I did last week or last month is very empowering and the confidence boost from it really does transfer to all aspects of my life. I feel ready for any challenge whether it is playing football with friends, helping a relative move house or helping a stranger when their car gets stuck.

The best way to find out what works for you is to try many different things. Give each new thing a chance and stick with it for a few weeks to a few months and if you don’t like it, move on and try something else. It doesn’t have to cost the earth. You can get a very effective resistance training workout at home using everyday objects such as chairs, steps and even tins of food. 

If you want more information about anything I’ve mentioned above, call, text or email. 0877915646, info@deelynch.com