How to keep off excess weight after losing it

5 ways to keep off excess weight after losing it

Each individual who is on the weightloss journey has a personal story of why they made up their mind to lose weight. From looming health risk to social issues, the determination to lose weight is usually strong and unwavering.

However, research, has shown that only 20% of dieters are able to lose weight and keep it off in the long term. This assertion does not necessarily apply to you, so, do not be afraid that all your efforts will result in temporary weightloss.

Here are 5 ways to keep off excess weight after losing it

1. Exercise regularly

After you attain your weightloss goal you should not neglect exercising on a daily basis. If you do, your excess fat will come back and you will find yourself back at square one.

So, to maintain your weightloss, exercise regularly. You do not have to do rigorous workouts, commitment to 30 minutes daily exercise five times a week is sufficient.

2. Join a support group

In a support group there are usually members who have similar goals and a professional who is an expert in their area of interest. Joining a support group will expose you to community support, encouragement, collaborations and expert coaching. These factors coupled with your own efforts can help you maintain weightloss.

At SlimFitU, we run a weightloss community for women who need to achieve optimal health, do join us. If you are yet to start your weightloss journey, contact me now to get started today.

3. Drink water

You should drink at least 8 glasses of water daily. This will help you stay hydrated and keep you full, thus, you will be active and have less urge to eat excess food. Another way water can help you maintain weightloss is to drink water before taking your meal. According to research, drinking water before you eat helps to boost your metabolism by 24 -30% and reduces the quantity of food that you tend to consume.

4. Eat protein

Eating protein will boost your metabolism and reduce your appetite for too much food thereby promoting moderate eating. See our previous post on the best sources of protein for a healthy diet. Also go here to learn more about how protein can help you maintain weightloss.

5. Be consistent

Always remember that health is wealth, so do not get lazy or procrastinate on your fitness routine. Exercise regularly, eat good food and do not be far from your support group.

Did you recently achieve your weightloss goal? What are your maintenance plans?

Share on:

How to master a healthy attitude towards food

Having a healthy attitude towards food means loving what you eat and maintaining a healthy eating habit. This concept is not about dieting or eating superfoods for a short period because you want to lose weight. It has more to do with eating a balanced diet, eating moderately and putting your health first when you eat.

How to master healthy attitude towards food

If you have a complicated attitude towards food or struggle with your eating habits, consider using these points as an improvement strategy.

1. Choose balanced diet over dieting

Balanced diet is a diet that contains the proper proportions of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water necessary to maintain good health. – Dictionary.com

Always add the right classes of food to your meals so that you get the required nutrients when you eat.

2. Plan to eat good food

Avoid eating on impulse. Impulse eating can make you eat unhealthy foods that will make you go fat in the short run and cause damages to your health in the long run. Learn to use meal plans to plan your foods and use substitution to replace unhealthy food ingredients with healthy ones.

3. Be conscious of what you eat

Being conscious of what you eat will bring you happiness and satisfaction when you eat. It is easy to attain consciousness as regards to food if you set your mind on it. Some tips you can follow are:

  1. Chew your food properly to aid digestion
  2. Stop eating when you feel full
  3. Always eat at the right time
  4. Do not skip meals to avoid feeling very hungry and subsequently over-stuffing your stomach.
  5. Be thankful to your food for providing you the nutrients that you need to function properly as human

When you practice the above tips and get used to them, you will always look forward to eat because of the benefits you stand to gain from eating good food. This will in turn help you to pick only healthy options when you plan your meals.

Related post: The concept of mindful eating for weightloss

4. Put yourself first

Instead of starving yourself because you want to look slim, you should rather eat to feel good both within and outside your body system. If you eat the right food, at the right time and in the right proportion, you will always feel smart, healthy and active which are the qualities that matter as against looking skinny and being able to wear certain clothes.

Your well-being comes first at all times. A good weightloss regimen will not require you to starve or eat wonder diet, neither is it wise for you to be required to binge eat or stuff up on fatty food if you are looking to gain weight.

Having a healthy attitude towards food is a lifetime habit that will help you love yourself and have a good health. It will also keep you in good shape which is neither overweight nor underweight but in a perfect-you shape.

Are you in a complicated relationship with food? Talk to me, let’s make it work together.

Share on:

20 fitness jargons you should know

Nowadays, almost everyone wants to stay fit because of the many benefits it gives the entire body. So, as you also venture into the world of fitness, you need to get familiar with everyday words used by fitness lovers, fitness expert, and fitness trainers.

Here are 20 fitness jargons you should know

1. Aerobic Exercise

It is a form of exercise that stimulates and strengthens the heart and lungs which improve the body’s utilization of oxygen. Examples of aerobics exercise are swimming, cycling, jogging etc.

2. Negative training

This is when the muscle lengthens during an exercise, called an eccentric contraction. The negative movement is said to be a crucial part of muscle development.

3. Cardio exercise

This is any form of exercise that raises your heart rate and increases respiration. Cardio exercise enables your cells to burn more fat during both exercise and inactivity.

Examples of cardios are walking, running, performing intervals on an elliptical machine, and a resistance training circuit that has little to no rest between exercises.

4. Jacked

Refers to a lady or a man who has a lot of muscle.

5. Gymnasium

A large room used for various indoor sports and usually equipped with gymnastic apparatus.

6. Spot

It means assisting another person with an exercise.

7. Recovery

This refers to rest between exercises. Most times, short recovery is best for fat burn and conditioning while a long recovery is best for powerlifting and bulking.

8. Circuit training

Circuit training is a form of resistance training using high-intensity aerobics and its target is to build strength. Traditionally, the time between exercises in circuit training is short, often with rapid movement to the next exercise. It is also known as a series of different exercises that are performed back to back with little to no rest.

9. Stacking

It means adding more weights to your workout in order to attain a weight goal, build strength and increase your body muscle mass.

10. Dieting

This is the practice of eating food in a regulated and supervised way in order to decrease, maintain, or increase body weight.

11. Prepping

This is the process of dieting and training to get fit or get prepared for a competition.

12. Newbie

This means a person new to the gym environment with no experience of how to use the equipment and lacking in fitness and technique.

13. Gym Rat

A lady or guy who spends every of his spare time in the gym.

14. Beasting it up

This relates to anything involving intense effort physically and mentally or doing an intense training with the aim of attaining your weight goal.

15. Calisthenics

Exercising using your own body weight which helps develop muscular tone.

16. Cardio-respiratory fitness

It is also called aerobic fitness. This is the measure of the heart’s capacity to pump oxygen-rich blood to the muscles.

17. Heat Cramps

This means muscle cramps that occur during or after an exercise in warm or hot weather.

18. Obesity

This is a weight disorder which is defined as a buildup of fat beyond the considered amount for a person based on age, gender and body type. It is also a condition of being grossly fat or overweight.

19. Warm up

This is the process of preparing for an athletic event (whether a game or a workout session). It involves exercising, stretching, or practicing for a short time before the day.

20. Physical fitness

This is the ability to perform regular or vigorous physical activity without getting tired easily.

Other fitness word you are likely to come across especially on social media include:

  • Fitfam
  • Fitmoms
  • We are stronger together
  • Community not competition
  • Fitgirl

Reference

 

Share on:

Shopping list idea for superfoods

Superfoods are those foods that support your weightloss purpose. They are like friends who cheer you on and also like coaches who push you off the couch when all you want to do is lie in all day.

When you incorporate superfoods into your weightloss plan, you will find that it is easier to eat the right food to lose weight than indulge in only rigorous exercise or wonder diet. This is so because eating good food will help you maintain your new shape, unlike if you had used only exercise and stopped.

What are these superfoods that help weightloss?

Superfoods are foods — mostly plant-based but also some fish and dairy — thought to be nutritionally dense and thus good for one’s health. – Livescience

Do not buy into the idea that superfoods are a class of food. Instead, they are foods which contain nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants, all of which keep diseases away from the body.

Here is a shopping list idea for superfoods you should look out for when next you are in the food market.

1. Vegetables

Vegetables top the list of foods that are mostly beneficial to the body. They help in detoxification and contain doses of vitamins such as vitamins A, K and B6. Some vegetables you should add to your list include:

  • Asparagus
  • Carrots
  • Broccoli
  • Lettuce
  • Beets
  • Cucumber
  • Leak
  • Spinach
  • Cabbage
  • Bell pepper

2. Berries

A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Berries are usually juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet or sour, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. – Wikipedia

superfood ideas

Some berries such as strawberries are full of nutritional values such as vitamins C and E, fibre, magnesium and copper. Others such as blackberries contain vitamins and ellagic acid which helps fight cancer. Cherries are high in anthocyanins and bioflavonoids, which are related to reducing joint and muscle discomfort. Examples of berries you should add to your diet include:

  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Black currant
  • Blue berries
  • Cherries
  • Black berry

3. Fruits

Taking 5 servings of fruits per day is highly recommended, so it is just natural that fruits are superfoods. Fruits are full of dietary fibres, folic acid and nutrients which help with the maintenance of your body. Examples of fruits are:

  • Banana
  • Orange
  • Apricots
  • Pawpaw
  • Pineapple
  • Almonds
  • Lemon
  • Kiwi
  • Watermelon
  • Honeydew melon

4. Poultry, fish and diary

Under this category are greek yogurt, eggs, salmon and skinless chicken breasts. These foods are full of proteins and omega 3 fatty acid which are needed for normal body function and good heart health.

Now that you have an idea of what to buy when you go shopping for superfoods, which foods would you like to add to the list? Share with us in the comments section.

Share on:

SlimFitU’s Fitmax, a Bootcamp

Participants will be required to report at a predetermined location on the aforementioned dates for live workout sessions, aerobic and strength training classes. Learn more

Share on:

Why you should blame yourself for your weight gain

why you gain weight

Talk to me one-on-one, there is no one here. You love to look trim, fit and young always, right? But due to several reasons, you find it hard to continue this fitfam race you have started. At times, you blame your inability to continue on nature and some other factors which can be quite irrelevant. Am I on track?

However, you should note that you are the only one responsible for how you choose to look and as such, you should blame yourself for your weight gain and not any other factor. This simple act of responsibility will make you more determined to lose the extra weight.

Here are some reasons why you gain weight. To be fair, you might not even be aware that these habits are causing you to gain weight. But you know what? Put the blame on yourself and you will adjust quickly.

1. You don’t eat at the right time

This is one of those things you indulge in that hinders you from losing weight. Most times, we all are guilty of skipping breakfast because of our busy schedules or because we feel skipping meals will help lose the weight. But, this is actually not true and research has shown that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it should not be skipped.

Also, due to keeping late night you are most likely to eat late. Eating late is a factor that can make you gain more weight.

2. Over-indulgence in healthy foods

In the bid to lose weight, you get carried away with eating healthy food only. Therefore, you eat an excess of healthy food but you fail to realize that too much of everything is not healthy. The only healthy options you can indulge in and go scot-free are fruits and vegetables. Also, some of these foods have lots of calories which explains your constant weight gain.

3. Too many cheat days

The truth is that you have so many cheat days and as such you find it difficult to lose the weight. Watch your food intake during work days. If you are the type that do not take homemade foods to work, you are liable to eat junks or unhealthy foods from fast food outlets.

You should try as much as possible to create a meal plan and stick to it if you truly want to lose weight and also keep fit.

4. You don’t drink enough water

Water has so many benefits and one of such is that it helps in the process of weight loss. Not drinking enough water can cause you to eat excess calories that could lead to weight gain. Plus, when you’re dehydrated, your body will preserve water for vital body roles, which can result in water retention and can lead to you gaining more weight.

5. You rely on exercise only

Most times, you put so much efforts in your workout routine and as such you forget to pay the much needed attention to what you eat. Exercise alone won’t work the magic for you. Research has shown that what you consume accounts for why you constantly add weight. Also, rigorous exercise also has a way of leaving you hungry, thereby increasing your appetite.


As you can see, none of the above 5 reasons constitute external factors. Your decision to maintain a normal weight starts and ends with you.

Now talk to me again, one-on-one, will you take charge of your life and stop blaming other factors for your well-being?

 

Share on:

10 workable ways to stick to your meal plan everyday

stick to your meal plan everyday

You may find it quite difficult to stick to a meal plan due to your love for variety or the difficulty to change old habits of eating just anything you feel like eating.

Here are some tips to help you stick to that meal plan you took so much time to prepare. I know you do not want to see your efforts go to waste, so here I am providing you with workable strategies to eat healthy.

1. Identify the why

Why did you prepare a meal plan? Is it to eat healthy? To improve your cooking abilities, to lose weight or to reduce expense on food shopping? The reason will serve as a reminder and motivate you.

2. Get creative in your meal preparations

For you to stick to your meal plan, you have to be creative in meal preparation. Prepare your meal in an attractive way that will make you stick and not cheat. These are several healthy meals recipes to inspire you. Just ask Google.

3. Include food that you love in your meal plan

For any reason, you first have to have love what you eat. Adherence to your plan can be achieved when you include food that you enjoy eating. However, if you are trying to lose weight and the food you love is unhealthy, then you have to look for the healthy options that will help you achieve your goal.

4. Try to be accountable

Try as much as possible to be accountable to someone on how you stick to your meal schedule. So you need to make it a family affair. Involve your partner and kids in the type of food you eat. In addition, try to get a partner that share the same goal of conscious eating.

5. Plan ahead for cheat days

Festivities such as birthdays, anniversaries and private dinner with friends are good examples of cheat days. So, you need to plan ahead not to be caught unawares in terms of what to eat.

6. Don’t starve yourself

Try not to starve yourself in the name of sticking to a meal plan. If you notice that you get hungry a lot lately then you have to work on your portion and look into your meal components. Improve on the plan to prevent yourself from cheating or looking malnourished.

7. Don’t remove calories from your meal

Do not forget that calories produce energy and prevent you from starving. Removing calories from your meals will make you hungrier and weak, thus tempting you to eat unhealthy foods. To avoid this misery, consider eating sufficient calories of healthy and nourishing foods.

8. Carry a healthy snack

Sometimes sticking to your healthy meal plan can be quite difficult especially once you are outside your home. Therefore, you will need something to snack on to prevent you from going for unhealthy options. You can snack on healthy high-protein snacks or fruits. This will help keep your appetite in check until you’re able to have a full meal.

9. It takes time before you totally change your habit

Researchers have found that it takes about 66 days on average to make a new behavior a habit. Therefore don’t feel terrible if it feels difficult to drop your old habit and stick to your new healthier way of eating.

10. Make sure you figure out what works for you

Figure out what works for you and include it in your food options, just make sure it is healthy and not full of junks. This will prevent you from cheating.


So you are now aware of the above tips and you don’t even have a meal plan? No worries, download one from here for absolutely free of charge.

Image reference

Share on:

Ramadan, you and your health

Ramadan, you and your health

Alhamdulillah the glorious month is here again. The month to reap multiple rewards and gain nearness to Allah.  Although it’s a month of losing sins, we can still make it a month of losing weight and getting used to healthy eating habits.

Ramadan is when you can potentially lose a lot of muscle tone and hinder your fitness goal. You don’t have to spoil all the hard works you have been doing all this while. You should understand your goal and be realistic.

With Ramadan, you can learn how to manage your eating habits, improve self-control and discipline.

Ramadan, you and your health

Normally, the body enters into a fasting mode 8 hours after the last  meal, when the gut finishes absorption of nutrients from the food.

In the normal state, body glucose which is stored in the liver and muscles is the body’s main source of energy.

However, during a fast, the stored glucose is used up first to provide energy. Later in the fast, once the stored glucose runs out, fat becomes the next stored source of energy for the body. As Ramadan fast only extends from dawn till dusk, there is ample opportunity to replenish energy stores at pre-dawn and dusk meals.

This provides a progressive gentle transition from using glucose to fat as the main source of energy and prevents the breakdown of muscle for protein. The use of fat for energy aids weightloss, preserving the muscles and in the long run reduces your cholesterol levels.

After a few days of the fast, higher levels of a certain hormone called endorphins are released resulting in a better level of alertness and an overall feeling of general mental well-being.

To benefit maximally from this month and improve your health, here is my advice:

  • Your meals must contain adequate level of energy food such carbohydrates and healthy fats to prevent muscle breakdown.
  • Meals should be simple and not different from your everyday diet.
  • Your diet should contain complex carbohydrates that will help release energy slowly during the long hours of fasting. Consider eating foods such as oats,  wheat, millet,  beans and  lentils for this purpose.
  • Also consider fibre rich foods such as grain, wheat, potatoes, vegetables, because they are digested slowly.
  • Avoid heavily processed fast burning foods that contain refined carbohydrates. These foods come in form of sugar, white flour, cakes, chocolate etc.
  • Avoid too much fatty foods.
  • Stay away from caffeine as it stimulates faster water loss through urination.

What you should eat

For the pre-dawn meals, chose slow digesting foods that are filling and provide energy for many hours. Examples of such foods are:

  • Sweet Potato
  • Brown rice
  • Ofada rice
  • Whole wheat bread
  • Oat
  • Banana

Bananas are high in potassium. A banana at this  time can control your thirst level throughout the day.

Other sources of potassium  are

  • Milk
  • Dates
  • Avocados
  • Dried peaches
  • Pistachios
  • Pumpkin
  • Peas
  • Dark chocolate

Balance your food and water fluid intake. This is very vital. You should take lots of water between Iftar and Suhoor. Drinking enough water at Suhoor is important, but not as much as drinking it throughout your non-fasting hours.

Now to break your fast, (Iftar), consider the following foods:

  • Dates, because they are refreshing and provide the energy you need.
  • Fruits in form of juices and smoothies should also be included.
  • Meals at Iftar should also be light. This will help you to remain alert for the Tarawih prayers.
  • You may have desserts after Tarawih prayers.
  • You may also decide to have cups of tea but avoid meals very close to bedtime.

May Allah accept our fasts.

Do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions concerning your diet and fitness routines. Also, go here to download a free meal plan I designed to ease your eating options this month.

RAMADAN MUBARAK FROM ALL OF US AT SLIM FIT U SOLUTIONS.

Share on:

The effects of stress on your eating habit

effects of stress on your eating habit

Stress is an intense attack which could cause emotional, psychological, physiological or behavioral exertions on the human body.

Stress can modify your eating pattern and also determine the type of food and frequency at which you eat. All of these are not ideal for your fitness or weightloss goals.

Effects of stress on the eating habit

Investigative studies have shown that stress can affect the eating habit in diverse ways and they can be grouped under four major headings. They are

  • Emotional
  • Physiological
  • Psychological
  • Behavioral

1. Emotional effects

Stress can affect your emotional state and modify your eating habit in the following ways:

  • Preference for energy dense snacks, which means intake of excess calories
  • Snacking without limits
  • Impulse eating i.e., eating on-the-go, not necessarily out of hunger
  • Overeating especially for depressed people just to while away time

2. Psychological effects

Just as stress is able to affect your state of the mind, it is also capable of changing your eating habits. An unstable person cannot think straight and as such the below factors are noticeable with psychological effects of stress:

  • Poor eating habits which could be the end result of nervousness, loneliness or boredom
  • Substance abuse such as taking alcohol or drugs
  • Nutritional vulnerability because of lack of dietary requirement in your foods
  • Skipping meals
  • Heavy consumption of unhealthy food

3. Physiological effects

The major effect of physiological stress on eating habit is binge eating. Read more about this eating disorder here.

4. Behavioral effects

  • High dramatic shift in food choices which could be detrimental to your well-being
  • Higher levels of stress might make you choose unhealthy foods such as fatty foods or baked foods over wholesome meals

Way forward

It will be beneficial for your health if you keep stress at bay. Always remind yourself that the key to a healthy mind is a healthy body. So, be mindful of what you eat and how you eat regardless of the situation.

Consider the suggestions below to alleviate the effects of stress on your eating habit

  • Identify the root cause of the stress and solve it once and for all
  • Have a record of these stressors and know how to avoid them when you see signs

Above all, do not hesitate to see your doctor if you have symptoms of stress that refuse to go away.

Have you considered using a meal plan to organize your diet? Contact me now for a free meal plan. Offer valid while it lasts.

References

Image credit

Link 1

Link 2
Share on:

10 health benefits of avocado

Health benefits of avocado

Fruits have so many nutritional values for the body which justifies why doctors always advise their patients to always take one fruit per day. One of such fruits with high nutrients is avocado.

Avocado is the fruit of the avocado tree majorly found in South Central Mexico. It is also known as an alligator pear and classified as a member of the flowering plant family called Lauraceae. Avocados have a green-skinned, fleshy body, which is mostly seen in a pear shape.

Over the years, numerous studies have shown the health benefits of avocado. Below are some of these health benefits.

1. Avocado is loaded with healthy fat

Avocado is one of the fruits that contains the highest amount of fat (which is 77%). The fat in avocado is from Oleic acid which studies have shown is heart friendly (i.e. it does no harm to the heart). This acid has also been linked to helping reduce inflammation and providing a lot of beneficial value on genes linked to cancer.

2. Avocado contains fiber

A large amount of fiber can be found in avocado. Fiber is a part of plant food that is indigestible, it passes through the digestive system, absorbing water along the way and it also helps bowel movements.

Research has also shown that fiber in avocado has helped people to achieve weightloss and also maintain a healthy weight. Fibre in avocado is also useful for the following:

  • It helps to lower risk of contracting many diseases
  • Controls blood sugar level,
  • It helps to prevent a heart attack
  • It also helps to prevent acne and skin rash.

3. It prevents the risk of eyes disease

Avocado contains lutein and zeaxanthin which are good for the eyes. They protect your eyes from dangerous high-energy light waves like ultraviolet rays in sunlight. They also decrease the risk of eyes infection.

4. Avocado contains potassium

Potassium is a component that we cannot ignore its beneficial effects because it plays a key role in helping us to attain good health.

According to Lawrence Appel (MD, MPH), a professor of medicine, epidemiology, and international health at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, he mentioned that: “Potassium in the diet lowers blood pressure. High blood pressure is the major risk factor for stroke and heart disease.” Furthermore, potassium reduces the risk of kidney failure and heart attack.

5. It contains vitamin C and vitamin A

Vitamins C and A are essential vitamins​ for the body. “Vitamin C has received a great deal of attention, and with good reason. Higher blood levels of vitamin C may be the ideal nutrition marker for overall health,” “the more we study vitamin C, the better our understanding of how diverse it is in protecting our health, from cardiovascular, cancer, stroke, eye health [and] immunity to living longer”, says study researcher Mark Moyad, MD, MPH, of the University of Michigan.

The above statement has helped explained the benefits of vitamin C.
On the other hand, vitamin A is also as important as vitamin C because it helps to provide good sight, fights against inflammation and helps to prevent cancer amongst other benefits.

6. It is also good for pregnant women

Avocado provides a vitamin called folate, which helps to prevent birth defect as well as heart defects during pregnancy.

7. It reduce symptoms of arthritis

Avocado reduces the symptom of arthritis in the body. Avocado provides food supplements that help to treat and also suppress the symptoms of arthritis, mostly in the knee and hip area.

8. Avocado prevents liver disease

It contains glutathione, this helps to prevent chronic liver disease. Avocado is also rich in vitamin C and E, these two nutrients help to deactivate free radicals. By deactivating free radicals, you protect your liver cells from damage. Avocado provides anti-inflammatory properties which support your liver health.

9. It helps to get rid of bad breath

Studies have shown that the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of flavonoids found in avocado have helped to get rid of bad breath. This is because flavonoids have the ability to kill the bacteria in your mouth.

10. It helps to prevent oral cancer

Studies have also shown that avocado can help prevent oral cancer due to its overall nutritional contents.

With the above-listed health benefits of avocado, do yourself some good and get one today!

Share on:

3 overwhelming side effects of remaining overweight

side effects of remaining overweight

Have you ever come across people especially women who prefer to remain overweight?

Some of them argue that being big makes their outfits look better on them, while others claim that their spouse prefers them to be big and fleshy.

Well, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but you know what? The side effects of remaining overweight are real.

If you decide to remain overweight, it is my duty to let you know of the health risk you might be exposed to. Obesity happens gradually but awareness and prevention can keep you safe from health related issues. Some of these issues are:

  • Type 2 diabetes which is a result of high blood sugar level in your body system
  • Heart disease which can eventually cause stroke or even death
  • Cancer

Type 2 diabetes and overweight

Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the blood sugar is above the normal level. An individual may suffer type 2 diabetes due to hereditary factors. If you know of any diabetic case in your family history, and you weigh as much as to cross the BMI borderline, you will do yourself plenty good to be wary of diabetes. Always do the following:

  • Remove junks from your diet
  • Workout a lot; and
  • Avoid stress

It is not exactly clear why diabetes is related to overweight, however, having too much fat in the body can cause your cells to change and make them resistant to the hormone insulin. When you are resistant to insulin, your cells will no longer take up blood sugar.

Heart disease and overweight

An overweight person is more likely to develop coronary heart disease which is a condition where the coronary arteries become narrowed by a gradual build up of fatty material within their walls. Coronary heart disease can lead to heart issues such as angina and heart attack.

Heart disease does not represent a single disease, rather, it is used to describe several health problems that may affect your heart. Some of these problems include

  • Heart failure
  • Sudden cardiac death
  • Abnormal heart beat rate
  • Chest pain; and
  • Heart attack

Cancer and overweight

Based on several observational studies, people who have higher amount of body fat are usually at risk of cancer such as liver cancer, kidney cancer, colorectal cancer and breast cancer. Link to cancer.gov

The relationship between overweight and cancer can be traced to situations such as chronic low level inflammation – a common case with obese people – causes DNA damage​ where antioxidant levels in the body are lower than required. And DNA damage is the leasing cause of cancer.

There is a pretty thin line between overweight and obesity. Make sure to calculate your BMI at least once a year. BMI calculators are available online and at health centres. Below is a typical representation of BMI chart.

Underweight    below 18.5
Normal         18.5 – 24.9
Overweight     25.0 – 29.9
Obesity        30.0

The good news is that all of these health risks are preventable if you eat healthy foods such as fruits and vegetable, have a consistent fitness routine and live a overall healthy lifestyle.

Share on:

What are the side effects of weightloss drugs?

Before you think of taking drugs to burn fat, first ask yourself what the side effects of weightloss drugs are.

You should be cautious of taking weightloss drugs because of possible side effect that may arise. The effects include high blood pressure, constipation, dry mouth, insomnia, stomach pain, loss of appetite and severe birth defect in pregnant women.

Weightloss drugs are not for everyone because of the possible risk outlined above and people who take such drugs should also watch for signs of liver malfunctions such as yellow skin or eyes, body itching, brown urine or yellowish stool.

The side effects caused by weightloss drugs depend on the type of drugs. There are generally stimulant-type drugs, fat absorption interfering drugs and neuroactive drugs.

Stimulant-type drugs are likely to generate side effects like:

  • Insomnia
  • Restlessness
  • Drug dependence; and
  • Withdrawal symptoms

An example is phentermine which is recommended for no longer than 12 weeks, because of the risk of dependence.

Fat absorption drugs like orlistat can lead to oily spotting, gas, and soft stools. These category of drugs can be used for much longer term, compared to stimulant-types. They are particularly useful for maintaining previously lost weight.

The common side effects of neuroactive weightloss drugs like lorcaserin include:

  • Dizziness
  • Dry mouth
  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Vomiting
  • Constipation

Diet and exercise are so far the best prescriptions for weightloss due to their zero side effect. While diet and exercise play very crucial role in shedding weight, they also help in proper functioning of the body.

Many people who use drugs for weightloss often gain back the weight they lost when they stop the drugs except they continue to maintain their weight with diet and exercise.

To use drugs for weightloss, you must consult a healthcare provider for professional guidance. Also, experts are of the opinion that weightloss drugs deliver best results if used along with doctor-approved diet plan and exercise routine.

It is health-wise to avoid self medication in any situation, either for weightloss or any health related issue. Being reckless with medication may cause you more harm than what you are trying to prevent or cure.

As regards weightloss, we opine that healthy lifestyle modification is always the best route to take. This includes changing your eating habit, taking your fitness routine more seriously, and most of all taking charge of your life and health. These steps can help you maintain a healthy and happy long life.

You can easily lose 5kg in 15 days in our monthly weightloss challenge. The next challenge starts in June. Subscribe now to be notified of the start date.

 

Reference link

Share on:

Five everyday weightloss products you must own

Imagine going to the farm without a cutlass or hoe. What are you going to dig with? Your bare hands or teeth? Don’t mind me, I am just starting today’s post on a sarcastic note. Who goes to the farm with a cutlass and hoe nowadays anyway? We have tractors and other cool equipment to work with.

On a more serious note, if you want to achieve good results efficiently and effectively, you have to work with tools that will help you maximise productivity, even if they are just basic items. Same applies to weightloss. To burn fat and remain fit, you need to make use of products that are specifically designed for fitness purpose. These products range from very basic items to technical tools. In this post, I will discuss five everyday weightloss products you must own in no particular order.

Five everyday weightloss products you must own1. Weightloss journal

Just like any other goal you work to achieve, weightloss is also deserving of a journal. You should write down every detail about your journey from day 1 till the day you achieve your goal (after you shed the desired kg, comes the fitness routine — this would help you keep the fat off — so weightloss is not a destination, it is a lifestyle that you should adopt through fitness routine).

You may write your fitness mission thus — I weigh 120kg as at 10th April, 2017 and I want to lose 5kg by 30th April, 2017 — in your weightloss journal. You can also use this basic item to keep track of what you eat, daily activities and body measurement. A weightloss journal is like your personal buddy to which you could tell everything about your weightloss journey.

This article discusses further about how and why you should keep a weightloss journal. Do check it out.

2. Meal planner

Yes, you can think up what healthy foods to eat briefly before you are ready to eat. But also yes, you may get busy to grab all the ingredients you need, eventually going for an unhealthy snack because you could not make it to cook your own food. This is where a meal planner comes in. Remember you are on a mission to lose weight, so every action you take concerning food and fitness routine must be deliberate. You must avoid mindless eating or starving before you eat. This can make you eat unhealthy food and thwart your weightloss efforts.

A meal planner helps you to organise your food consumption for different times of the day. With a meal planner, you would not have to eat the same type of food all the time or even eat junks as you already know what is next on the menu and you can start preparing for it on time, instead of wasting time first, thinking about what to eat. So this weightloss item is a time saver and it helps you eat healthy. See other benefits of using a meal planner here. You may also contact me for your next meal planner.

3. Running shoes

You read that correctly. Running shoes is on the list, so what? Go into your closet and bring out your “running ballerina” 🙂 Examine it very well, is it really a running shoe or is it that flats in odd colour that you couldn’t find any other wearable use for except as a running shoe? If you have cool trainers, congrats! But if you own a running ballerina, please stop! Click here for specifications of the right running shoes and go get one now.

You may be wondering why I am placing so much harsh emphasis on this item. It is simply because you need it everyday for your fitness routine. And all you want is lose weight and get fit, not to develop foot injury right? Go figure.

Five everyday weightloss products you must own4. Water bottle

This one is for you soda lovers. The common excuse for indulging in this drink is “I am thirsty and I need something sweet and chilled to quench my thirst”. Say no more. Water can get boring at times especially if it is in room temperature, but really, aren’t we trying to lose weightloss here? Soda must go! Water bottles are here to the healthy rescue. This basic item can help you stay healthy and also save money. You need it everyday because you take liquid every day, and with water bottles, you will be more inclined to take healthy drinks such as water, flavoured or in its pure form. Here are 8 health drinks you can make at home and fill up your water bottle with.

5. Tracker

I previously wrote an article on run trackers and other tech tools for weightloss, read it here.

Before you go, what about losing 5kg in 15 days? Yes, it’s possible. See testimonies from participants of the last SlimFitU’s weightloss challenge and how to join us here.

 

Share on:

HighIights from the last Health Lunch with Hafsah — April Edition

The programme held on Sunday, 2nd April, 2017 at 8, Aderibigbe Shitta Street, Maryland in Lagos State of Nigeria between the hours of 12pm to 4pm.

The purpose of the programme — Health Lunch with Hafsah — is to bring together women who are on the same mission of a healthy lifestyle under one conducive environment to discuss food and fitness.

In case you missed this edition, here some of the activities:

Arrival

The attendees arrived early and I was impressed by their punctuality. early. Everyone got seated and we started on discussions​.

Discussions

The attendees talked about how they have been coping with their new lifestyle viz a viz, exercising and eating right, and how it has affected their lives positively. They all had one thing in common, exercising is not easy! I reassured them that nobody ever said exercising was easy, it is work. For any activity to count as exercise, it has to elevate your heart rate. I went further to say that exercising gets easier with time. However, when it gets too easy, it is time to intensify.

Health talk

Below is the summary of the health talk we had:

  • Exercising must be done consciously and it must raise the heart beat rate. Also, that we exercise for 30 — 60 minutes does not mean we should become a couch potato the remaining 23 hours in the day. You should be active all day.
  • I also explained that exercising alone cannot effect weightloss. We have to cut the calories they consume, every time we eat.
  • They were advised to change their exercise routine. So that the muscles do not get used to the same exercise, to prevent plateau and boredom.
  • I commended all the attendees on their efforts to eat healthy, avoid junks and exercise daily. I also reiterated the fact that eating healthy meals requires planning just as we plan every other aspects of our lives. Avoiding junks, fizzy drinks is achievable once we are determined to change.

Fitness session

A short fitness session followed where we worked out by performing different exercises for various body parts.

Lunch

We had a sumptuous lunch of porridge with vegetable sauce and grilled chicken which we washed down with a bottle of chilled tiger nut drink.

Closing

A brief chit chat session followed and the attendees got to know themselves better. The programme ended on a satisfactory note.

Next edition

If you missed this edition, watch out for the next one.

Share on:

Nine dieting rules for effective weightloss

Dieting according to an online encyclopedia is the practice of eating food in a regulated and supervised fashion to decrease, maintain or increase body weight. One key to a successful diet result is obedience. If you obey the rues and regulations you will get the desired result.

So you have made up your mind to start your weightloss journey by dieting? Follow these rules for effective weightloss and you are set for a good result. I have broken​ the rules into two parts: the dos and the don’ts.

Dos of dieting for weightloss

1. Eat food rich in fiber

If you are dieting, it is pertinent that your food be rich in fiber, so that the little food intake will be nutritious and filling, therefore, keeping you healthy and full throughout the day. Resist calories loaded foods. Example of fibre rich foods are cereal, whole grain, wheat bread, oatmeal etc.

2. Drink enough water

Take clean and pure water at interval to boost your energy. The recommended amount of water to drink per day is 8 glasses. So when dieting instead of you marring the journey with consumption of fizzy drinks and juices, replace them with water. Remember that those drinks are loaded with empty calories. Water is quite filling, helps in better digestion and also helps to clear the system of built-up toxins.

3. Eat in small portion

Nutritionists advocate eating in small portion throughout the day. Portion moderation will keep you full all day and helps you refrain from grabbing junks. So instead of finishing a bowl of food at a go, try and eat them in bits, that way you wouldn’t be taking in more calories than expected.

4. Use hand-fist measurement for all your consumption

This method works perfectly well for dieters. Whatever healthy food you are consuming shouldn’t exceed your hand fist size, so as to reduce calories intake, which is a culprit in dieting for weightloss.

5. Eat balanced diet

Most times, we do not know how to combine our foods to get the maximum result. You need to consult the experts in the field. Get the nutritionists, food technologists, food scientists, and dietitians e..tc to assist you in getting your food combination right. Contact me now for your affordable mealplan.

Don’ts of dieting for weightloss

6. Don’t starve yourself

It will be an effort in futility if you go starving yourself. Experts say you will be slowing down your metabolism. So eat but make sure you do so in a healthy way and in little portion.

7. Dump junk foods

These foods are high in sugar and loaded with heavy calories. They raise your taste bud leaving you  with cravings for more of the sugary stuff, and this automatically means consuming more calories. Refrain from eating junks when dieting.

8. Reduce or don’t eat fatty food

Saturated fat should be eliminated from your menu; these fats hinder progress in the dieting journey. They line up cells in the body, thus making easy digestion almost impossible. So avoid them foods such as red meat, bacon and butter.

9. Don’t be a food lover

Dieting and food addiction cannot go together. Because if you need to lose weight through dieting, then you must look the other way when food is staring you in the face. Refrain from always been around food and learn to restrict your intake to the set calories intake for the day.

Follow these rules and you are fit for life.

Share on:

Practicable fun ways to lose weight daily

It is on record that about 3500 calories add up to make a body pound. To lose these amount of calories per day, you need to continuously expend energy or cut down your calories consumption or engage in exercises like cardio and aerobics to burn fat. Now this two options seem like a big deal because giving up your favorite junk and exercising regularly are no child’s play.

The aim of this week’s publication is to present you with techniques you can use to burn calories without doing any hardwork. Remember that I am an advocate of 80/20 — weightloss has more to do with what you eat than how you exercise. Also, consistency is the best approach to whichever method you adopt for your journey; it is better to exercise 40 minutes per day everyday than to workout 2 hours a day twice in a week.

Below are some activities you can integrate with your daily routine to burn calories

  • If your office located in a storey building ditch the elevator and use the staircases to and fro. You can’t imagine how many calories you will burn with this little exercise.
  • What about standing? If you have an interesting novel you can stand reading it and because you are fascinated by the novel, you could actually be standing for up to 3 hours unknowingly and this cutting of calories add up over time.
  • Do you feel so lazy to workout? Do not worry, inculcate the habits of trekking to your favorite mall for shopping, and if luckily for you the mall is a storey building, aim to shop on the third or fourth floor. Use the staircase to get to your destination, and after shopping use it again to descend, not the lift or elevator.
  • You could deliberately be a little late for work, an event or an occasion, so that you could either be walking briskly or almost running or jogging to get to your destination.
  • You can also expend energy while sitting, the aim is not to sit still while on your seat. You could recline on your chair or be tapping your leg on the floor, turning, twisting, leaning forward and backward. All these little movements are exercises that you expend energy to do and it simply means cutting down calories and ultimately losing weight.
  • Don’t make that call or use the intercom if you need anything in the same building. The trick is make that to and fro messaging, dropping of files or any activity yourself by getting up to do them instead of using another person or technology. This goes a long way to help you expend energy and cut calories.

Which of these activities do you love?

Share on:

Three fun and relaxative ways to lose weight

The saying that little drops make an ocean also applies to weightloss. It is so because the result you get after a period of time are benefits of combined efforts you make to become fit. Contrary to popular belief, you can actually lose weight in exciting and enjoyable ways. This includes some of the activities you engage in on a daily basis.

Here are some fun and relaxative calories cutting routine you should also try for your weightloss journey.

1. Go sightseeing

Do know that you can burn calories if you go sightseeing more often? During sightseeing, you are bound to move around from one end of the location to the other, while you feed your eyes and at the same time burn enough calories. So visit that new vicinity or neighborhood that you are yet to see in order to burn fat while exploring your environment. However, be mindful of what you eat during your outing. I previously published a post about how you can eat healthy if you have to eat out. Read it here and use it as a guide for your next sightseeing.

2. Play games you love

So you love playing games, then make it a habit to indulge in one or two after the day’s work. Do not just eat, shower and go to bed; also relax your nerves with enjoyable games. You could play table tennis, basketball or even the games on your smart phone. You can also involve your kids and play piggy back with them. If you participate in games that you love, you stand to gain in two ways — you will burn calories and also catch some fun with your loved ones. Click to read more about “exergaming” on WebMD.

3. Go visit a friend/family

This is another fun thing you do without realizing that you are actually burning calories. Yes, you can cut down calories by calling on your loved ones now and then. When you are with your friends or family, you tend to talk for longer periods without pause. All the gestures and demonstrations can make you sweat, thereby burn calories. You may also engage is some activities such as cooking, and the bustle of moving around the house. Another evidence is the fact that you have to commute from your location to another destination to pay the visit. This too, will help you sweat out even in the smallest way.

Get active. An active woman is a healthy woman.

Important link

Share on:

These eight eating habits will help you lose weight fast

Losing weight is no longer rocket science, as it has been discovered that little changes to diet content, mild exercises and modified lifestyle can do the magic.

Have you been depending on weightloss drugs, surgeries, and advanced technology to lose weight? Worry no more because the following minor tweaks and adjustments can add up to save calories and help quicken your goal of fast and lasting weightloss.

Here are eight eating habits that will help you lose weight fast

1. Prepare healthy meals ahead of hunger

Change or modify your eating habit of preparing foods only when hungry. With the intense of hunger you may grab whatever is available, which are mostly unhealthy options. So to consume more weightloss friendly foods, prepare your foods ahead of mealtime.

2. Eat in smaller bowl

Putting foods in big plates naturally means heaping your plate with more calories. So load foods in smaller bowl, that way you trick your brain to believe you are eating a lot, which results in the consumption of fewer calories.

3. Add flavor to your water

The role of water in weightloss journey cannot be over-emphazied. Apart from cleansing, it makes you feel full without taking in calories. But some people claim that water is tasteless, they’d rather take more of tasty liquids. The trick to take in tasty liquids without calories is to add flavour to your water. You may squeeze in lemon, lime or berries so as to add some cool taste to it.

You may also like: The concept of mindful eating for weightloss

4. Quench hunger with water trick

Most times hunger masquerades as thirst. The secret is when you feel hungry in-between meals, you might just need to drink a glass of water and wait for some minutes to see if you still feel hungry. If you feel full afterwards, you would have saved yourself from consuming unwanted calories.

5. Avoid eating too fast

If you eat in a haste, you are more likely to gulp down more food than necessary and of course the satiety rate from the brain kicks in late. So the trick is to eat slowly, take smaller bites and spend time to chew. Within a short period, the brain will trick the body to feel full even when you have just ate little food.

6. Add more metabolism revving veggies

A recent study has postulated that adding spices, salsa or chilli pepper to food does not only add flavor but can actually speed or rev up your metabolism. So take advantage of this trick daily by adding more of chilli veggies to your dishes.

7. Use the portion control trick

Be a winner in your weightloss journey by apportioning your meals. Let whatever you want to eat be your hand fist size. Eat whatever you want but take more of the healthy options and maintain recommended portion size.

8. Flee from temptation

Get yourself off places, event or people who add more damage to your weightloss goal. Try to avoid living in the kitchen, attend get-together only when necessary, organise fruits party if there is need to party. Let fast food joint be the last place on your mind. Basically, keep all temptation at bay.

Reference link

Share on:

How to remain motivated through your weightloss journey

It is usually not easy to set a goal and remain on track towards achieving it. You need strong will and some motivation to keep you going whenever you set a goal. When you make up your mind to lose weight, you may begin to notice that holding on to your resolve is not as easy as you made it.  You may start getting discouraged due to obvious reasons like not seeing the results immediately, not getting supports and missing your favorite junks.

These attitudes lead to failure because one major factor you need to achieve your weightloss goal is motivation. Self motivation and external motivation are very important keys that will keep you going if you want to see a lasting result from your efforts.

I have come up with a list of five practiceable and realisitic tips that will help you remain motivated through your weightloss journey. Here they are:

1. Write down your weight loss goals

Write down the exact goal you want to achieve on paper. Make sure it is measurable and timebound. Your goal could be to lose 5kg in 15 days. Put down reasonable and realistic goals and match them with equally realistic time frame. Don’t be too hard on yourself so as not to give up easily.

2. Join a support group

Find a like minded group in your neighborhood and liaise with them to achieve your goals. A support group is just like having teammates because they look out for one another and a weightloss group is not an exception. You would be encouraged by the positive result of others and stay motivated to keep on moving despite all odds. So help your weightloss journey with a good support group.

3. Add colorful meals to your diet

Most weight watchers make the mistake of eliminating colorful meals from their lives. The best bet is to replace the colorful unhealthy option with beautiful healthy meals. You do not have to cut out your favorite meals completely, just start with a reduction while indulging more on the healthy meals. Then gradually switch up things, that way you would stay on track than the fast method you wouldn’t be able to maintain.

You could stock up your refrigerator with healthy foods, keep your fruits in a bowl and near places you could easily get a bite if need be. Replace your white pastries with whole grain pastries and add a lot of veggies to it.

4. Set a new target

As you stay motivated, you will get to know what works and what does not work. If you set new targets as you improve, you will find that you are working on a more feasible and realistic goal. This will help you achieve your weightloss dreams faster and efficiently.

5. Celebrate your victories

Keep yourself motivated and encouraged by celebrating even the tiniest of achievement. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done. This will pep you up and motivate you to want to do more. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Keep on moving and you will start to see the big and visible result.

If you need some gentle nudges for your weightloss journey, do not hesitate to contact us as we offer both group and one-on-one support for fitness and healthy lifestyle modifications.

Share on:

Best organic protein sources for a healthy diet

Organic protein refers to dietary proteins which are in the form of whole food or supplements. They are organically grown and usually free from chemical induced soil, pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics and artificial additives.

Organic protein is available in powder form and you can mix it with milk or water to form a shake, you can also blend it into smoothies or add it to oatmeal. It is quite healthy for the body and nutritionists have recommended it for various health benefits which include but not limited to:

  • repair of muscle cells damaged during exercises
  • repair of wornout tissues
  • a good source of nutrient for vegetarian diets
  • help with quick recovery after surgery
  • help with fast healing of injuries
  • support the building of muscle mass

Vegans whose diets are lacking in animal protein may be recommended to take plant-based protein. The below listed foods are good sources of organic protein.

Soybeans and soy products

Soy beans are grown organically, that is, without chemical or additives. Soy bean and its products contain amino acids. It could be made into soy protein powder, tempeh, soymilk, roasted soybeans and shakes.

Hemp seed

These nutritional seeds are good source of organic protein. Studies have recorded that hemp seeds are good for fighting heart diseases, reduction of obesity risk and metabolic syndrome. Hemp seed is rich in fiber and omega 3.You can make hemp seeds into protein powder, unsweetened hemp milk and bars.

Quinoa

This food contains a higher dose of protein along with healthy unsaturated fat more than the other sources. It helps make you feel full throughout the day because of its abundant fiber and it also contains a good amount of amino acids.

Amaranth

This organic protein source is a natural gluten-free grain or seed, which studies shows, is a good source of digestion assisting fiber. It also contains calcium and bicep building iron. You can prepare porridge with Amaranths for easy consumption.

Eggs

Eggs are good source of organic protein. They are very good for vegans and others, who want to stay healthy all year round. The protein in eggs helps to preserve the muscles, promote metabolism, keeps hunger under control, thereby aiding weight loss. You can eat eggs on its own, take it with sandwich or diced in salad.

Spinach

Spinach contains organic protein just like the other sources of protein. You can retain its nutrients by steaming it, which in turn  will cause it to keep its vitamins. These vitamins boost the absorption of calcium and cut away any bloating effect from vegetables. You may add spinachs to your salads for a healthy diet.

Beans

This is also a good source of organic protein, and its nutrients help the heart, brain and muscles to function properly. Beans digest slowly keeping one full for a long period of time. You can eat it  as porridge or soup.

There are several ways to prepare these proteins into yummy looking foods. Like I said in my previous post, get creative and eat healthy.

Share on:

How to reduce calorie intake without starving

Calories in nutrition are likened to consuming energy through eating and drinking. This implies that anything you eat as food or fluid, aside water, contains calories. You should be aware of what you eat, so as to avoid negative health implications such as:

  • Hormonal disorders
  • Weight gain
  • Overall health risk as well as elevated triglycerides,
  • Breathing problems,
  • Diabetes
  • Coronary artery disease, etc.

Calories are essential to human health but the key is taking the right amount of it. If you consume just the number of calories your body needs each day, you will enjoy a good and healthy life. Health authorities have come up with calories requirement for men and women. They are around 2700 and 2000 per day for men and women respectively.

The fact remains that high calorie intake poses some health risk, and people undeniably are making efforts to control it which have resulted into starving for some individuals. Starving on its own is not good for the body system.

Here are some healthy ways you can reduce calorie intake without starving

Eat fewer carbohydrates

This category of nutrient is the main source of added calories in a typical diet. It is a good place to start cutting calories. Cut down carbohydrates filled foods such as yam, garri, bread, pasta and trans fat from your diet. The body stores excess calories from these foods as fats which leads to weight gain and subsequently, weight gain related ailments. Endeavour to replace them with oily fish, nuts, seeds, vegetables, plant based oil and sesame.

Always drink plenty of water

Drinking water before you eat is a trick that will make you feel full, resulting in the consmuption of little food when you eat. Water also increases the amount of calories you burn. It is more impressive to note that cold water intake makes the body use extra calories to warm the water up to body temperature and this can drastically help in calories reduction.

Eat more protein

Eating more protein filled food than carbohydrates is the way to go in calorie reduction. If you replace carbs and fat with protein, you can actually reduce the hormones which boost hunger and cravings for more food and calories. So a maximum boost of satiety hormones, will lead to a major reduction in hunger, which means less intake of calories.

Workout

Exercise is the best bet to help you cut down on calories. If you eat excess calories, you should expend them with exercise. You may feel lazy to do aerobics and other strenuous exercises but simple movements such as cleaning the house, walking around your neighbourhood, and taking the stairs can go a long way in helping you expend energy. The most important thing is to get your heart pumping and breaking a sweat to burn significant amount of calories.

If you like this article, you will also like our weightloss challenge where we encourage you to lose 5kg in 15 days through healthy lifestyle modifications. Join us here.

Share on:

Five ways to consume pastries the healthy way

The hard truth is that letting go of pastries is a really tough one. Think of it, the deliciousness ?, the sumptuous look and oh! the beautiful colours. But, here is another hard fact, indulging in pastries without slowing down will do you more harm than good. Sorry.

However, if you are a lover of pastries, here are some healthy ways you can indulge in them without too much compromise to your healthy diet.

Prepare the pastries yourself

This gives you the power to add or subtract ingredients that are detrimental to health, unlike when you order them from your favorite fast food joint where they come with loads of calories, unhealthy toppings, dressings and preservatives.

When preparing them yourself, you can eliminate or substitute some ingredients like swapping trans fat with healthy oil. If you are frying, a good non–stick pan should be used to dry fry instead of deep frying. This gives you the advantage to cut down calories, fat and oil, unhealthy dressings that are usually not required.

Eat a little portion a time

Moderation is always important. Do not stuff your system with too much junks. Avoid valued sized items and go for small sizes when it comes to snacks with a lot of dressings and toppings. Satisfy your appetite with little at a time, i.e. eat a slice at a time and save the rest for later.

Customize your orders

If you do not have the time to prepare the pastries yourself at home, then, you can take advantage of special order offer granted by some fast food restaurants. Order for healthier options that are tweaked to suit your desire. You could swap a hamburger for a wheat bun, or a white flour pizza for a wheat pizza.

Go for quality

Go for pastries with quality ingredients, like pastries with more fiber, whole grains and high quality protein. If it means paying more, then don’t hesitate to pay instead of gping for cheaper options that are loaded with unhealthy oil, fats, sugar and calories.

Weightloss? Start here free of charge

Steer clear of cheap pastries that are kept fresh with trans fat. Eat healthy pastries with quality toppings of dried fruit, nuts, seeds, cottage cheeses etc. Alright, these recommendations do not come cheap, however, your health is safe when you eat quality food instead of cheap alternatives.

Load up on veggies

Do not be confused about this. Ignore the baseless rumours that adding loads of veggies to your pastries reduces taste and crunchiness. Rather adding veggies is really an easy way to add loads of flavor and vitamins to your food. Load your pizza, pies, buns, hamburger etc, with tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, onions, green, red, pepper, mushroom, spinach, broccoli and so on.

Eating healthy is actually fun and it can help you unleash the creativity in you. Now go create some healthy recipes.

Share on:

How to control food cravings at night

Diving into chips and other junk foods after night meals is fast becoming a trending unhealthy addiction. Most people are not able to control this obsession because of their lifestyle such as getting home late from work and too tired to put together a healthy dinner.

This post provides help and information for controlling your late night cravings, so you can embrace healthy eating.

Understand yourself

Knowing the right quantites and type of foods you need to eat will help you a long way. We all have different reasons for late night food cravings; some of just want to get busy while watching TV, while others love to snack after some types of meals.

Some people just have to eat late at night due to inevitable reasons, like the example mentioned in the first paragraph. However, in this case, it is important to rearrange your schedule and fix your meal times to reasonable hours of the day to make sure you eat at appropriate hours. Remember, health is wealth.

Summarily, understand yourself first and seek to provide solution to your cravings.

Be low on simple carbs and high on proteins

Simple carbs such as white bread and white rice have a way of making you filled up immediately you take them and very hungry after some minutes because they break down just as fast as you eat them. Replace these foods with complex carbohydrates and include healthy proteins in your diet. Pick your dinner carefully, and eat as early as you can.

Early to bed

Staying up late in the night to watch TVs, or do some work can increase your cravings because at these times, you get hungry. Don’t put yourself in a helpless situation, always go to bed early as early as you can.

See the four foods you should consume for longevity

If your schedule involves working late into the night, try to restructure your work plan if possible, so that you can sleep early and evade night cravings. Early to bed early to rise makes a man HEALTHY, wealthy and wise. Remember?

Disgust yourself with unpleasant choices

As unusual as this idea sounds it works just fine for a lot of people. If you have something that disgusts you, it can serve as a reminder for you to stop taking late nights junks.

Distract yourself

You can chat up your friends, finish your homework, write in your diary, or do any other choice chore. If you get busy with productive task, you will think less of food and even be able to ignore false ignore pangs.

I hope you enjoyed these tips. Do not forget to share with that your late night food craving friend.

Share on:

The most effective weightloss resolution

Weightloss resolution? no way!

Do yourself a favour, do not resolve to lose weight. Resolve to change your habits. Encourage healthy eating and improved fitness that could easily result in weightloss.

How do you do this? Ask yourself the following questions

  • Do you meet your nutritional needs?
  • Are you getting 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily?
  • How are your foods prepared?
  • How many foods are fried?
  • How many servings of sweets do you have daily?
  • How many food items come from a box, package or can?
  • What beverage choices are you making?
  • How much water are you drinking daily?
  • How many cups of tea and coffee do you consume?
  • How many sugar sweetened beverages do you consume daily?
  • What activities are you doing while you eat?
  • How quickly do you eat your meals?
  • How often do you eat breakfast?
  • Do you skip lunch?
  • How many minutes of physical activity do you get each week?

Try to get answers and analyze your results. Make changes and improve wherever appropriate. Set goals and be determined to achieve them. Resolve to make realistic resolutions.

Here are some of them

Including a variety of foods in your diet daily will provide your body with numerous benefits of different nutrients.

Overloading your body with fried, fatty, sweet and sauced foods can add unwanted fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar to your diet. Small changes in this area will benefit not only your weight but also help lower the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Keeping your body hydrated is key to your health. Try to drink at least 8 cups of water daily. 100% fruit juices are not 100% after all. Fibre of the fruits have been removed, plus most contain added sugars. Coffee, tea and diet beverages are not the best sources of fluid for the body. They should be consumed in moderation.

Doing another activity like watching TV, reading, playing with computer makes you lose track of how much you have eaten and you may eventually overeat. Make eating a deliberate event. Focus on your meals, relish the taste and enjoy every bit of it. Don’t eat too fast, try to slow down, chew more slowly. Take a drink of water between bites.

Try not to skip any meals. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Distribute your meals throughout the day to stay nourished. 5 – 6 smaller meals (snacks inclusive) is better than 2 large meals.

Physical activity can help you stay fit and healthy. It also helps you to tone your body and lose weight. Include 30mins of exercise at least 4 days each week. You can start with walking or jumping ropes.

Changing of habits comes from the mind.
Make the change.
Change your mind to stay healthy.
Change your mind to change your body.

We can help you achieve the aforementioned with our weightloss coaching and lifestyle modification programmes. Contact us now to get started.

Share on:

Simple ways to stay healthy while you enjoy the holidays

The holiday period is a time of merriment, visitations, and lazy indulgence. You might get carried away easily and forget some of your daily routines in staying healthy. Also, due to being at home all day, you may be tempted to eat outside of your diet or even eat beyond your daily moderation if you were to be at work.

Follow these simple tips to help you stay healthy while you enjoy the holidays.

Drink plenty of water

Drinking plenty of water is very important to your health. As you eat varieties during the holidays, be it desserts, snacks, beverages, you should also drink plenty of water to cleanse your system and expel excesses.

Start losing weight free of charge

Water increases the rate of metabolism; the process by which your body converts the food you consume into energy. Drinking plenty of water will also keep you hydrated giving you a glowing skin and increased mental alertness.

Drinking enough water will also keep you and help you avoid eating g too much. Water is always a good substitute for soda and not too healthy beverages.

Workout

During the workdays, you perform some exercises involuntarily – from moving from one section of the office to another, to going up and down the stairs, among several activities that amount to exercise. You should also remember to workout during the holidays too, so that you don’t gain weight and become lazy.

You don’t have to do anything rigorous; strolling, jogging, cycling, or running around your neighbourhood for ten minutes a day can help you stay fit and healthy during the holidays.

Indulge in moderation

You don’t have to give up some foods for you to stay healthy. You only need to eat the amount of food that your body really needs. Also, consider eating in small portions by following up a main meal with fruits or vegetables in case you are not satisfied. As the saying goes, too much of everything is bad.

Happy holidays!!

Share on:

Four tricks to eating out the healthy way

At times we get too busy too cook our own meals and we are forced to eat out. We may also be tempted to eat out due to laziness or cravings. It is simply inevitable to feel like indulging in some eating habits that do not go well our diet.

If you find yourself in this situation too often, the solution is finally here. Stop feeling guilty all the time, instead follow these tweaks to make sure you are eating out the healthy way.

Do you want to lose weight? Start here for free

Walk to the restaurant

Walking shortly before you eat (typically within thirty minutes to one hour), promotes your metabolism, reduces the amount of sugar that stores up in your blood after eating, and protects your blood vessels against fatty foods.

If you are eating out, choose a restaurant close to your location that you can walk down to, or park your car at a convenient space several metres away from the restaurant and stroll down the rest of the distance, if the whole distance of the restaurant is not trekkable.

Walking before a meal can help get your system ready to get rid of the high amount of carbohydrates, sugar or high protein from the junk or not too healthy food you are about to eat.

Eat moderately

Moderation will help you maintain a healthy diet and also save money. One way you can eat moderately is by eating only one serving. Do not be tempted to go for a second serving because the first one was too delicious or did not satisfy you.

In fact, you should divide your first serving into two, eat one part at the restaurant and take the other part with you to eat later. If you do this, you are giving your system enough time to get rid of the first set of junk you consumed.

Make a healthy choice

Eating out should not necessarily translate to going to eat junks or unhealthy foods. There are also healthy foods at the restaurants. You just need to order right or make healthy subsitutes.

How to make up your mind to lose weight

Healthy subsitutes include ordering for water instead of beverages or requesting for vegetables filling in your sandwich instead of beef.

Another trick is to carry your own substitute along, such as honey, instead of using the sugar at the café if you have to drink coffee. You could also order for appetisers that would fill and hold you till you are able to get home to prepare your own food.

Walk back to your location

After eating at the restaurant, do not jump into your car or into any relaxing position, instead, slowly walk back to your car. And if you actually walked from your location, then just stroll back.

Do not walk briskly, for this is not recommended after a meal. You should indulge in moderate physical activity after eating as it aids digestion, burns calories and gives you a good heart health.

Are you craving an eat-out? Indulge yourself but always remember that too much of everything is bad.

Share on:

Invitation to our free weightloss programme

We have opened our doors once again for you to join in our free weightloss programme. We held the same programme in August in form of a consultation for ten lucky people, most of whom have joined the SlimFitU group for their entire weightloss journey.

SlimFitU’s free weightloss programme for December/January

Similarly this time around, we need just few people who are serious about losing weight in order to become fit, and those who want to learn lifestyle modifications on how to live healthy without compromise.

We don’t do hypes, wonder diets or artificial supplements. We do workable diet made up of everyday food and moderate fitness routines.

Come and experience the effectiveness of weightloss coaching, group support and gentle nudges. Register here. Terms and conditions apply.

Registration closes next Friday, 23 December, 2016.

Please share with your loved ones. Healthy living is happy living.

Share on:

How to make up your mind to lose weight

To lose weight, as in really lose weight, you need to be consistent in your program. Consistency requires determination and a strong will. This means that you need to get serious about shedding that extra pounds of flesh. Below are some tips to help you make up your mind to lose weight:

Picture yourself in your desired new weight

Think of all the activities that you find difficult to do due to your excess weight. Picture yourself in that dress you so much love but cannot wear because of too much extra flesh. Also, think of the health issues that are linked to excess weight and see yourself living healthy without having to deal with any of those issues.

You should think of all the aforementioned and let them serve as motivation to get you started on your weightloss journey.

Listen to or read weightloss success testimonials

By getting familiar with people who have gone through the weightloss phase and their stories, you will find yourself wanting to also start your own journey.

Most of these people are always glad they made up their minds and you would see their faces glow whenever they recount their experience. Each of them also has a unique narrative that includes the stage at which they realised they are overweight.

You should seek out these people for the much needed encouragement and positivity.

Get a weightloss/fitness coach

A weightloss coach is not just someone who will force you to eat ugly food or exercise. He/she is also there to guide you, motivate and give you some gentle nudges to help you make up your mind.

A good coach would breakdown the concept of weightloss in such a way that you will now see it as a lifestyle. This is against the hypes that you are probably bombarded with by “magic” weightloss outfits.

Making up your mind to lose weight is not rocket science. Look within you, picture your future self, get familiar with those who had previously lost weight. Finally, speak with a coach.

Are you finding it difficult to start your weightloss journey? Contact us for a boost.

Share on:

The concept of mindful eating for weightloss

Aside quenching hunger, eating plays a great role in your life but
most of you are not aware of this fact because eating is a routine activity.

There are some eating abnormalies you exhibit without plans to curb them. Some of this habit include:

  • Not eating at the right time: for one reason or the other, breakfast becomes brunch, lunch becomed dinner.
  • Finding it difficult to cook your own foods at times, instead you resort to eating fast food, junk or even skipping meals.

All of these habits summed up greatly affect the nutrition in your body. When trying to lose weight, it is pertinent to be mindful of what you eat, how and when you eat.

Mindful eating is learning to pay attention. Instead of eating mindlessly, putting food into your mouth almost unconsciously, not really tasting the food you’re eating … you notice your thoughts, feelings, and sensations.

In mindful eating, you learn to pay attention to:

  • Why you feel like eating, and what emotions or needs might be triggering the eating.
  • What you’re eating, and whether it is healthy or not.
  • The look, smell, taste, feel of the food you’re eating.
  • How it makes you feel as you taste it, as you digest it, and throughout the day.
  • How full (or sated) you are before, during and after eating.
  • Your emotions during and after eating.
  • Where the food came from, who might have grown it, how much it might have suffered before it was killed, whether it was grown organically, how much it was processed, how much it was fried or overcooked, etc.

If you adopt this technique to your weightloss routine, you will lose fat once and for all, and all your subsequent activities will be geared towards remaining fit. Mastering this technique takes practice. However, learning it is worth the time and effort.

At Slim Fit U, we will help you become conscious of your food consumption process as part of your weightloss routine.

We believe in the 80/20 rule, that is, 80% diet and 20% exercise. So when it comes to diet, and eating generally for weightloss, you can trust us to give you the best coaching, encouragement, group support and gentle nudges.

Aside for weightloss, some other benefits of mindful eating include:

  • Learning to eat when you’re hungry, and stop when you’re sated.
  • Really tasting food, and to enjoy the taste of healthy food.
  • You slowly start to realize that unhealthy food isn’t as tasty as you thought, nor does it make you feel very good.
  • As a result of the above three points, you will often lose weight if you’re overweight.
  • You learn how food affects your mood and energy throughout the day.
  • You learn what food best fuels your exercise and work and play.

Stop eating for eating sake. Eating is not supposed to be a mindless routine activity. Instead, eating is a well planned activity that should take extra care because, you are what you eat. And you know what? The saying, garbage in garbage out, is as real as tomorrow being Wednesday.

Our door is always open for questions, your weightloss concerns, and suggestions. If you are interested in joining our weightloss group on WhatsApp register here for a free starter session.

Reference: zen habits

Share on: