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Friday, 3rd January

A recurring question I seem to have all the time would be the one “which diet should I go on?! Especially this time of year!

We talked about lifestyle changes yesterday, and how important it was to exercise regularly, however simple a programme.

YOU ARE NOT changing your lifestyle if you are going on the “faddy diets” that are trying to rip you off at this time of year! You are trying a short term fix that may lose weight initially, but is very likely to cause you long term misery!!

This is not just my opinion, this is the opinion of the vast majority of individuals I have met over the years who have been through it, and come out the other side with all the weight back on and their long term confidence and self-belief in tatters! It is also the opinion of doctors who have studied this scientifically and done numerous in depth studies on these so called diets.

Most people know by now what I think of these so called “wonder diets”!

Studies over the last few years show and confirm that 97 PER CENT, yes 97 per cent of people who embark on these diets put ALL the weight back on, and 5% MORE than when they first started.

Then there’s the powder and bars diets, which seem to cost a fortune, and again promise you the earth, and yes you lose weight to start with, but inevitably the weight comes back on extremely quickly in most cases.

Again, this is not a lifestyle change!!! You are not educating yourself about eating healthy, natural food and you are not caring what’s going on inside your body and the destructive habits you are adopting.

Fortunately, people selling you these destructive diets are not in the health business very long, and often go on to another scam selling more rubbish.

Unfortunately though, there is often a queue of people waiting to take their place and so the process continues!

There is a solution and you need to get back to shopping for healthy, natural food and making that food as attractive as possible so it becomes an everyday event.

More on this to come.

Twitt
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Wednesday 28th December

Back into it today as far as work goes, and judging by the sessions i have done so far, everyone  seems very happy they have got their first session under their belts!!!

Most people who are employed or self employed are back next tuesday, or some in the public service are back on the 9th January would you believe!!!

The sooner you get back into exercise the better, and its a good idea always to  get into your programme nice and gently!!!

If you attempt your pre-christmas efforts today, then you are risking injury or disappointment, as these levels will take some getting used to again.

Same with your food, no need to attempt to be  ultra-strict already as its likely to fail, getting into healthier habits gently can be more sustainable and more enjoyable.

With alcohol, if you have been drinking every day or most days, its time to cut that down as exercise and alcohol don’t really mix too well! New Year’s eve is coming of course but surely you can last until then?!!

The bottom line this week is to get outdoors and actually do something, however small, its guaranteed to make you feel better.

Being active or moving more every day should be a new year’s resolution for you.

Another new year’s resolution is not to fall for faddy diets, i keep on saying this but you only have to observe the hard facts, 97% of people on these diets not only fail, but put on an EXTRA  5%  on top!!!! PLEASE DO NOT FALL FOR THESE CHARLATANS AGAIN THIS YEAR!!! Save the money and spend it on something nice for yourself, maybe new clothes when you have dropped a couple of sizes, its entirely possible if you eat well and train regularly, and drink a maximum of once a week.

So its small things advised this week, a gradual change from over the top christmas habits to a sustainable healthy future. Make the change and reap the benefits!!

Twitt
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January 3rd 2011

The people who trained over christmas are really finding now that their workouts are becoming much easier. I found that this morning on my early morning run. To be honest, i found it tough gettting out there to start with as the temperature has dropped quite a bit, but 10 minutes in, everything seemed to be getting much easier and my last hill even involved a sprint, or at least a faster run!!

These are signs to me that christmas habits of staying active bearing fruit. The ability to start the new year in good shape takes the whole “lets get back into shape in january” out of the equation. The focus should easily go away from january now, and you should be already looking at getting into shape into january. If you are a faddy dieter, then your sole concern is just january because life is all about short term fixes for you, and no strong foundations are ever laid.

So if you are already in the swing of things or nearly there anyway, the target now must be a couple of weeks of conditioning and easily by the end of january, the target should be to be at the very top of your game. This will give you a great satisfaction that by the end of january, you will be looking and feeling very good indeed. This will be just as most diet club members will be tearing their hair out and about to see their “diet programmes” collapse in front of their very eyes.

Anyone who doubts that last statement should look at the fact that i have rolled out before, about the numerous studies that diet clubs and faddy diets in general DO NOT WORK 97% OF THE TIME. That is not my statement, these are independent studies done over numerous years over numerous clubs and diets.

Let’s concentrate on getting some good foundations in, eating more natural foods 80% of the time, exercising regularly, drinking enough water and sleeping well.

No matter what stage you are at, if you want to make 2011 the start of something special, then you have the SAME opportunity as ANYONE else.

Let’s get it going even on this bank holiday monday!!

Twitt
Posted on

Day 66 Exposing the fakes and the charlatans!

As we went through some essentials yesterday, we all know my opinion of faddy diets, but what really happens to your body and what is the “cost” to your body? Please consult with a respected doctor if you doubt any of this!

Most “diets” are low in calories so WHAT do they say that they are going to do for you?

These faddy diets encourage you to eat a diet entirely based on calories, and if you eat fewer calories than you use, you will somehow use fat as energy and that’s how you lose weight. Your body is a bit more clever than that according to scientists, and doesn’t just respond to counting calories. How many of you out there have been on kind of a starvation mode and still couldn’t lose weight, it does happen to many after a few weeks of eating like this you tell me!

The nasty effects of eating this way!

You avoid the essential fats that we talk about a lot on here that are vital for great health. Faddy diets encourage you to avoid these foods as they are somehow “fattening”! How wrong can you get! This advice should be banned!

You measure food just as a calorie, and therefore healthy food doesn’t really matter. Poor food choices which are harmful to your health in the long term count the same as far more healthy choices, very poor education again by the faddy diet “experts”.

When you keep denying yourself food, your rate of calorie burning (metabolism) slows down, and that’s what makes your diet eventually crash and burn. And when you return to eating your normal food, your body is still in starvation mode so will not only put your weight back on, but will more on more than when you first started, a nightmare scenario!

What about the very high protein diet?

This diet that severely limits your carbs always encourages you to eat all fat and all protein for a while. Then, a little carbs come in later. Let me say that weight loss can be very big in the first couple of weeks of this programme, which encourages people to stay in the all protein all fat stage!

The nasty side effects and negatives!

If you stay on this diet for the long term, you will be avoiding fibre, which leads to constipation and increased the risk of colon cancer.

If you don’t take in your fruit and veg, the risk of cancer, heart disease and arthritis goes up significantly.

When you take in all fats, and in particular saturated fats, you can develop cholesterol problems and heart disease.

Limiting carbs also discourages you eating your five a day of fruit and veg, always a bad idea!

An eating for life plan that discourages starvation methods, going without food for long periods, and counting calories works every time. You don’t cut out whole food groups and you have a healthy balance of foods in your life. Common sense actually works, so don’t be fooled by the charlatans ripping you off with the latest faddy diets that are all around us each day!

The benefits!!

You will be developing great health because you have balanced nutrition.

Eating little and often every 3-4 hours keeps your metabolism revved and stops you from going hungry, and stops willpower becoming the all important factor!

Eating enough fruit and veg makes sure you are in great health, fibre and energy to live the life you want to.

This is a simple plan for life  that works, there is no deadline and it doesn’t encourage you to avoid your treats completely, a bit of what you fancy is good for you now and again and keeps you sane!

Eating healthy and essential fats is actually GOOD for you, fish, nuts etc work for you every time if you let them!

I keep giving you choices every day, mine are actually based on science. The rest you hear are often “heresay” or “made up” to take your money and sound different or just plain dangerous.

Let’s have a great day and make the most of your body this week!

Twitt