I haven't blogged for ages, partly because my personal circumstances have changed big time, and my emotions are running pretty high just now. This has been a gradual build up over the past few years and to say I've been stressed is an understatement.
However, onwards and upwards, and to days blog looks at how it is possible to get your life back on track the way YOU want it, and not how everyone else thinks it should be. It takes guts to make change, to step out of the norm, not knowing whether the grass is going to be a brighter shade of green or some murky khaki colour. And once you've made a big change if it's not all you thought it would be often there is no going back.
The biggest thing I found to take on board is that WE are EACH responsible for our own experiences. Each time we make a choice we are doing what we think is right at that particular time, and beating ourselves up later is a futile exercise.
Negative thought processes are capable of ultimately leading to ill health. Harboured within the body with no way to be released means that they are stored, and where they are stored will differ depending on individual make up. Positive thinking goes a long way to producing positive outcomes. If we can really believe in something, there is a greater chance that it will happen and happen in the way we want it to.
Loiuse Hay, author of YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE, believes that there is a strong correlation between diseases you may have had or are having now and a probable cause through certain thought processes.
For example ;
Health problem 1; sore throat.
Probable cause; holding in angry words. Feeling unable to express oneself.
New thought pattern ; I release all restrictions, and I am free to be me.
Health problem 2; heart problems.
Probable cause; long standing emotional problems.Lack of joy. Hardening of the heart. Belief in strain and stress.
New thought pattern; joy, joy, joy. I lovingly allow joy to flow through my mind and body and experience.
Reading this you may think this is all a little left of centre, but reading the book is well worthwhile should you be feeling vulnerable for whatever reason, and in need of some direction and guidance. Louise Hay is a very wise lady.
How many of us go over what has happened during the day as we lie in bed trying to sleep. Going over the events of the day, trying to rationalise them, beating ourselves up for things we said, things we did, things we may do in the future ,all can create negative thought patterns which can be hugely stressful.
When at my most stressed I really struggled to drop off to sleep and found that if I kept a notebook by my bed with a pen I could 'offload' all the confused thoughts swimming around in my head onto a sheet of paper helping to clear my mind so that I could relax enough to sleep. (It makes fascinating reading in the morning too, but you may need to hide it!).
We very rarely say to ourselves how well we have done, how loving we are in our relationships, how kind we have been to someone, how lovable we are, what great parents we make etc. etc.
What I'm trying to say is that the only thing we are ever dealing with is a thought, and a thought can be changed. Thoughts are one of THE most important things EVER. Thought processes can be dangerous if they are continously negative. Thoughts go on to produce feelings, and we buy in to those feelings. Change the thought and the feeling changes too.
For any one of us to heal our lives positive thinking is the way forward. I had a year of Emotional Freedom Technique with a qualified therapist. In a nutshell its all about releasing negative emotions and replacing them with positive ones. It works. I am now very excited about my future, and not petrified that I was about to make a dreadful mistake, as I was before.
The biggest negative emotions are guilt, criticism, fear and resentment and the thoughts and the feelings attached can cause more problems than anything else. Some of these thoughts come about because its easier sometimes to blame others than it is to take responsiblity for our own experiences. I beleive that what you give out you get back, in spades.
These four negatives can be responsible for ill health and disease. Long term resentment can 'eat away' at the body and make you ill. Guilt is a form of self punishment and often leads to pain. If we can forgive people for not being the way we want them to be it frees us up to release the emotions and move on.
Try this exercise, which goes along with EFT as a way to clear negativity, and to stop us beating ourselves up. Stand in front of a mirror, look directly into your eyes and tell yourself you love yourself just the way you are, and that you accept yourself just the way you are. Whenever you pass a mirror say it over and over until it becomes a habit and you truly believe it.
It's amazingly difficult to do this for most people, but worth perservering with. It can be quite an emotional experience, and if it is that's fine just go with the flow.
I've been on an emotional rollercoater for years and am still on it, although the ride is beginning to slow down alot. I still find myself sometimes overwhelmed with emotion so that I break down and cry. It's very therapeutic and so much more so if you have someone to hold you whilst it happens. I never underestimate the power of touch - human beings thrive on it from being babies; a cuddle can change my day so much for the better.
Life is a huge learning curve. A friend said to me yesterday that we are still learning. We learn every day, and won't stop until the day we die. So on this basis it is absolutely OK to make mistakes as we learn, to accept that this is part of living, and not to beat ourselves up over them. Let the negative thought pass through your head/body and replace a positive one. Every time.
This blog could go on for ever, there is so much to say on the subject but you may switch off very shortly so I'll wrap it up.
Tips to Heal Your Life :
- let out negative emotions by writing them down
- every time you have a negative thought, replace with a positive one
- get to bed on time, quality sleep reduces stress
- eat well. If you constantly put rubbish into your body in the form of poor food and drink it will have a negative impact. Really.
- repeat positive affirmations to yourself in front of a mirror every day, learn to believe you are a good person
- try EFT
- learn by your mistakes;move on
- be affectionate and in turn you will recieve affection
- cry if you need to, it can be very therapeutic
- accept cuddles/hugs
- take life one day at a time, its more manageable this way
- read Louise Hays book YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE, because you are the only person who can; take responsibility for your experiences.
I hope this has been food for thought.
RX
Saturday, 19 September 2009
Monday, 31 August 2009
CAFFEINE AND FAGS
I went to a wedding reception on Saturday night; and a great time was had by all.
However, I woke up on sunday morning with foul smelling hair from the night before - cigarette smoke, yuk! Not had that for ages, since before they banned people smoking in bars and clubs (not that I frequented them all that much but..........).
It was probably my fault for going to stand outside with the smokers at the wedding (and there seemed to be alot), but that's where most of the interesting conversations were taking place.
It reminded me of a chat I'd had with some friends a while before about smoking, and drinking coffee. And how the two things go hand in hand for what seems like still too many people.
So, another blog on why it really, really is not a good idea for your body to be pumped full of nicotine and caffeine on a regular basis (yes alcohol and sugar are terrible too but that another days blog; before you start Lucy).
Someone had read an article that said that caffeine improves your memory. I've read up on this and apparently it does in fact stimulate regions of the brain that regulate mood, concentration, arousal and alertness. A good thing, temporarily?
Especially in my case; after three children I sometimes feel as if many of my brain cells have left my head permanently! But lets hang on a minute - this needs to be weighed up against the side effects of drinking too much coffee. Way too much can make you get the shakes (and I've witnessed this in an addicted friend). It can also cause anxiety and stress and mess about with your ability to concentrate.
Moderation is the key then?
What happens if we look at drinking coffee from a different angle? What if you're a regular exerciser, so to all intents and purposes looking after your body; but you also drink a shed load of coffee to get you through your day?
What's happening here is that you're possibly putting a bit of pressure and stress on your adrenal glands. Exercise is a cortisol producer in the short term (the stress hormone) AND so is coffee so you're getting a double whammy if you're doing both.
Rest after exercise reduces this and allows your muscles to recover and grow stronger etc. but if you're drinking coffee your body is likely to be in 'fight or flight' stress mode virtually all the time, which gives it a limited ability to rest and repair.
Long term adrenal fatigue can lead to all sorts of health problems like sleep disturbances, being tired but wired, depression, cravings - for caffeine!, poor immune system function and also weight gain.
This doesn't sound too good does it? And if you smoke as well as exercise and drink coffee. Well........read on.
We all know, or should do by now that smoking damages the lungs, and what do we need to exercise effectively and efficiently? A jolly good pair of lungs, amongst other things. Your cardiovascular system is damaged by smoking - fact. Smoking fills your body up with nasty toxins, reduces its ability to effectively transport oxygen in the blood and it stimulates the adrenals - just like coffee. Which is why we get a kick from it, and go back for more!
So if you're a smoker, if you like to drink lots of coffee and you also exercise, you're doing ONE really great thing. Pat yourself on the back, and then let's have a look at what you can do about the two things that you know need addressing if you want to be fit, and healthy, on the inside, long term.
Suggestions:
Keep a diary - write down when you have a fag, when you have a cup of coffee and if you are able to work out why you felt the need for either or both then write this down too. If you can work out what triggers your desires, great, it can be worked on from here.
Try to substitute a cup of coffee for a cup of something else, say a herbal tea. Peppermint is a stimulant, as is green tea (and green contains a small amount of caffeine too). Sometimes, if it's a drink for comfort or relaxation that you're after, this may work for you, you can still clutch a Starbucks takeaway cup, and pretend!
If you wake up gagging for a fag and a coffee to kick start you in the morning, distract yourself. Book to see a personal trainer like me. You'd hardly want to turn up for a fitness session smelling of smoke and coughing your guts up now would you?
This sounds crazy but humour me. Give your fag packet to someone else at work. That way you may think twice about having to go and ask for one, than if they were within easy reach on your desk.
Maybe you use smoking as a relaxant after a hard day at the office. Try to find another way of relaxing. How about a swim, a massage, meet a friend whose company you enjoy in a place where you know you can't smoke, Anything.
Meditation, or yoga are great 'mind over matter' tools which could be helpful with both coffee and smoking. And EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique, a type of counselling which helps to let go of the negative emotion attached to events/habits etc in our lives. Perhaps you started smoking when your relationship broke down, or you lost your job, and it's now become a crutch. I can't recommend EFT highly enough, and if anyone would like further details I can recommend a great lady who does it.
Hypnotherapy can be another great way to help you get off the stimulants. It's also sooooo relaxing. Contact me for a great guy who is able to help.
Patrick Holford, a leading nutritionist, has written a book on how to quit addictions - effectively called How To Quit Without Feeling S***. I think many many people are extremely worried about what will happen to them if they do quit their coffee/smoking habit. They know the 'come down'/detox is not going to be at all pleasant and this can put people off for years. Your body becomes dependent on substances that you fill it with very quickly and its not easy just to go cold turkey.
Patricks book aims to help by offering nutritonal and supplement recommendations to help 'take the place' of the substance you are trying to get away from. It's a thick book, and he's sold thousands of copies. Yes it is a big problem so please don't beat yourself up about it.
And that brings me on to my last point (hurray you might be saying). To quit smoking or drinking coffee YOU HAVE TO WANT TO WITH ALL YOUR HEART. When I ask clients , "on a scale of 1-10 how much do you want to give .......... up" and they say 5 out of 10, I know they are not ready. We go through goal setting, what will help, waht will hinder etc and for some it may take a health scare or shock to make them realise how serious a problem it is for them. For others, they may just wake up one day with the sheer determination, or have an earth shattering, light bulb moment that makes them ready.
Hope this has been food for thought............RX
However, I woke up on sunday morning with foul smelling hair from the night before - cigarette smoke, yuk! Not had that for ages, since before they banned people smoking in bars and clubs (not that I frequented them all that much but..........).
It was probably my fault for going to stand outside with the smokers at the wedding (and there seemed to be alot), but that's where most of the interesting conversations were taking place.
It reminded me of a chat I'd had with some friends a while before about smoking, and drinking coffee. And how the two things go hand in hand for what seems like still too many people.
So, another blog on why it really, really is not a good idea for your body to be pumped full of nicotine and caffeine on a regular basis (yes alcohol and sugar are terrible too but that another days blog; before you start Lucy).
Someone had read an article that said that caffeine improves your memory. I've read up on this and apparently it does in fact stimulate regions of the brain that regulate mood, concentration, arousal and alertness. A good thing, temporarily?
Especially in my case; after three children I sometimes feel as if many of my brain cells have left my head permanently! But lets hang on a minute - this needs to be weighed up against the side effects of drinking too much coffee. Way too much can make you get the shakes (and I've witnessed this in an addicted friend). It can also cause anxiety and stress and mess about with your ability to concentrate.
Moderation is the key then?
What happens if we look at drinking coffee from a different angle? What if you're a regular exerciser, so to all intents and purposes looking after your body; but you also drink a shed load of coffee to get you through your day?
What's happening here is that you're possibly putting a bit of pressure and stress on your adrenal glands. Exercise is a cortisol producer in the short term (the stress hormone) AND so is coffee so you're getting a double whammy if you're doing both.
Rest after exercise reduces this and allows your muscles to recover and grow stronger etc. but if you're drinking coffee your body is likely to be in 'fight or flight' stress mode virtually all the time, which gives it a limited ability to rest and repair.
Long term adrenal fatigue can lead to all sorts of health problems like sleep disturbances, being tired but wired, depression, cravings - for caffeine!, poor immune system function and also weight gain.
This doesn't sound too good does it? And if you smoke as well as exercise and drink coffee. Well........read on.
We all know, or should do by now that smoking damages the lungs, and what do we need to exercise effectively and efficiently? A jolly good pair of lungs, amongst other things. Your cardiovascular system is damaged by smoking - fact. Smoking fills your body up with nasty toxins, reduces its ability to effectively transport oxygen in the blood and it stimulates the adrenals - just like coffee. Which is why we get a kick from it, and go back for more!
So if you're a smoker, if you like to drink lots of coffee and you also exercise, you're doing ONE really great thing. Pat yourself on the back, and then let's have a look at what you can do about the two things that you know need addressing if you want to be fit, and healthy, on the inside, long term.
Suggestions:
Keep a diary - write down when you have a fag, when you have a cup of coffee and if you are able to work out why you felt the need for either or both then write this down too. If you can work out what triggers your desires, great, it can be worked on from here.
Try to substitute a cup of coffee for a cup of something else, say a herbal tea. Peppermint is a stimulant, as is green tea (and green contains a small amount of caffeine too). Sometimes, if it's a drink for comfort or relaxation that you're after, this may work for you, you can still clutch a Starbucks takeaway cup, and pretend!
If you wake up gagging for a fag and a coffee to kick start you in the morning, distract yourself. Book to see a personal trainer like me. You'd hardly want to turn up for a fitness session smelling of smoke and coughing your guts up now would you?
This sounds crazy but humour me. Give your fag packet to someone else at work. That way you may think twice about having to go and ask for one, than if they were within easy reach on your desk.
Maybe you use smoking as a relaxant after a hard day at the office. Try to find another way of relaxing. How about a swim, a massage, meet a friend whose company you enjoy in a place where you know you can't smoke, Anything.
Meditation, or yoga are great 'mind over matter' tools which could be helpful with both coffee and smoking. And EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique, a type of counselling which helps to let go of the negative emotion attached to events/habits etc in our lives. Perhaps you started smoking when your relationship broke down, or you lost your job, and it's now become a crutch. I can't recommend EFT highly enough, and if anyone would like further details I can recommend a great lady who does it.
Hypnotherapy can be another great way to help you get off the stimulants. It's also sooooo relaxing. Contact me for a great guy who is able to help.
Patrick Holford, a leading nutritionist, has written a book on how to quit addictions - effectively called How To Quit Without Feeling S***. I think many many people are extremely worried about what will happen to them if they do quit their coffee/smoking habit. They know the 'come down'/detox is not going to be at all pleasant and this can put people off for years. Your body becomes dependent on substances that you fill it with very quickly and its not easy just to go cold turkey.
Patricks book aims to help by offering nutritonal and supplement recommendations to help 'take the place' of the substance you are trying to get away from. It's a thick book, and he's sold thousands of copies. Yes it is a big problem so please don't beat yourself up about it.
And that brings me on to my last point (hurray you might be saying). To quit smoking or drinking coffee YOU HAVE TO WANT TO WITH ALL YOUR HEART. When I ask clients , "on a scale of 1-10 how much do you want to give .......... up" and they say 5 out of 10, I know they are not ready. We go through goal setting, what will help, waht will hinder etc and for some it may take a health scare or shock to make them realise how serious a problem it is for them. For others, they may just wake up one day with the sheer determination, or have an earth shattering, light bulb moment that makes them ready.
Hope this has been food for thought............RX
Sunday, 23 August 2009
IN SEASON
I've been severely reprimanded this week on facebook for a comment I made about my lunch the other day. I had asparagus, and as my friend Pete pointed out in a rather barbed comment, it is currently out of season here. He suggested I think of the planet, and the airmiles from Peru to here, which is where it had come from.
Fair enough, wrists justly slapped. I didn't think. I love asparagus, bought it in a rush from the supermarket, cooked it , ate it, and it was, as usual, delicious. But, it had come a long way to get to me and that's far from a good thing!
Especially as there are plenty of vegetables, and fruits, that are in season here just now, and so are readily available without all the transporting overseas, packaging etc.
Peter grows his own vegetables, pretty much organically and currently has the following available on his doorstep :
runner beans
beetroot
potatoes
cabbages
turnips
parsnips
So, really I have no excuse eating asparagus when these veggies and more can be grown and bought here. Cucumber, brocolli, peppers, and tomatoes are also in season - so much to choose from.
Fruit is also in abundance just now. Our strawberries have unfortunately finished, but they are still available elsewhere in the country, along with other berries such as raspberries and blackberries. Also plums, peaches and cherries too.
So, from now on note to self : I will think consciously before I buy. I am good, mostly, but I'm only human and make the odd mistake; in future I'll make a conserted effort to buy local, in season fruit and veg.
These colourful foods are so full of goodness, in the form of vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, phytonutrients,fibre etc.- they are an essential part of our diet, and a tasty, joyful, versatile, mouthwatering experience. Buying locally and organic, and eating them fresh, ensures the maximum amount of goodness is maintained.
The recommendation is to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, but ideally aim higher and make it mostly vegetables, preferably the dark green variety.
Juicing is a great way to get all five in. I like to start the day with organic carrot, green apple and ginger juice - adds a zing to breakfast.
So, Petes going to deliver some of his produce to me; can't wait. And a client gave me some of her garden lettuce for my lunch today, again organically grown, and it tasted so fresh. And lastly (short blog today)I've found a lovely shop/cafe in Harrogate called Fodder, who only sell produce grown/made in Yorkshire, including cheeses, fruit and veg, meats and even chocolate. A bit pricey but you get what you pay for, and it tastes delicious.
Promise I won't slip up again, Pete.
RX
Fair enough, wrists justly slapped. I didn't think. I love asparagus, bought it in a rush from the supermarket, cooked it , ate it, and it was, as usual, delicious. But, it had come a long way to get to me and that's far from a good thing!
Especially as there are plenty of vegetables, and fruits, that are in season here just now, and so are readily available without all the transporting overseas, packaging etc.
Peter grows his own vegetables, pretty much organically and currently has the following available on his doorstep :
runner beans
beetroot
potatoes
cabbages
turnips
parsnips
So, really I have no excuse eating asparagus when these veggies and more can be grown and bought here. Cucumber, brocolli, peppers, and tomatoes are also in season - so much to choose from.
Fruit is also in abundance just now. Our strawberries have unfortunately finished, but they are still available elsewhere in the country, along with other berries such as raspberries and blackberries. Also plums, peaches and cherries too.
So, from now on note to self : I will think consciously before I buy. I am good, mostly, but I'm only human and make the odd mistake; in future I'll make a conserted effort to buy local, in season fruit and veg.
These colourful foods are so full of goodness, in the form of vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, phytonutrients,fibre etc.- they are an essential part of our diet, and a tasty, joyful, versatile, mouthwatering experience. Buying locally and organic, and eating them fresh, ensures the maximum amount of goodness is maintained.
The recommendation is to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, but ideally aim higher and make it mostly vegetables, preferably the dark green variety.
Juicing is a great way to get all five in. I like to start the day with organic carrot, green apple and ginger juice - adds a zing to breakfast.
So, Petes going to deliver some of his produce to me; can't wait. And a client gave me some of her garden lettuce for my lunch today, again organically grown, and it tasted so fresh. And lastly (short blog today)I've found a lovely shop/cafe in Harrogate called Fodder, who only sell produce grown/made in Yorkshire, including cheeses, fruit and veg, meats and even chocolate. A bit pricey but you get what you pay for, and it tastes delicious.
Promise I won't slip up again, Pete.
RX
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
OPTIMISM
I've got alot, alot of stress in my life just now and have had for some time. I really believe if I wasn't in this line of work I'd have gone under by now. I work hard at positivity, goal setting, saying "I can" instead of "I can't" and looking after my body, mind and soul with regular doses of TLC. It works.
Have you ever noticed how really difficult it is to feel optimistic when you're tired and lacking in energy and how different foods can help balance things significantly. Ever wondered why you get that dreadful energy slump mid to late afternoon? Look back; could it be the low- in- nutrients lunch you ate a few hours before? And what do hangovers do to your optimism levels? I can't really remember what a hangover feels like but can remember struggling big time the day after one (my halo is clear for everyone to see!).
Food affects mood, and energy levels, definitely. Every morsel you put between your lips has a direct correlation to how you're going to feel later.My children are a good example of this; if they eat sweets they are on a high for twenty minutes, but then (and this is when it's time to take cover) they crash and burn and I have to pick up the pieces. Life is not good at this point. Their negativity increases, they are less productive, have less concentration skills and lower energy levels.
What happens here usually with an adult is that they'll reach for more of the stuff that's created this state in the first place and so these peaks and troughs continue.
Food affects mood, I repeat,for lots of scientific reasons which I won't bore you with but ultimately the aim of the game is to BALANCE BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS. Eating low Glycaemic Index foods helps with this; these are foods that release their energy slowly avoiding those peaks and troughs, and wholegrain carbohydrates are helpful here.
They allow for the absorption of tryptophan, which is a mood boosting amino acid found in foods such as turkey, beef,fish,eggs, milk and cheese, brown rice and nuts, and in turn to make the feel-good brian chemical seretonin.
So one of the ways to success is to cut out all refined carbohydrates ie. the white ones - white rice, white bread, white pasta etc.(very little nutritional value) in favour of the wholgrain,'brown' variety.
The top ten foods to help boost your happy hormones are :
sunflower seeds, dark chocolate (yes, there is a reason to live!), prawns and other seafood, oats, apricots,oily fish, brewers yeast, cottage cheese,turkey, and eggs. Give them a try see how you feel.
In summary, next time you're down in the dumps and your glass is always half empty, take a look at your diet. Revise it using the tips above and you're sure to feel better.
Oh and the odd glass of wine won't hurt either, just as long as it IS just the odd glass. Hangovers are pants in anyones book, aren't they?
And one last thing, to improve things even further EAT RIGHT FOR YOUR TYPE by following the METABOLIC TYPING DIET. See previous blogs for details, or contact me.
Today's tip : start a food diary and record everything that passes your lips, liquid or solid (and cigarettes). Take a look at the end of each day, and aim to improve the day after. After all tomorrow is another day!
RX
Have you ever noticed how really difficult it is to feel optimistic when you're tired and lacking in energy and how different foods can help balance things significantly. Ever wondered why you get that dreadful energy slump mid to late afternoon? Look back; could it be the low- in- nutrients lunch you ate a few hours before? And what do hangovers do to your optimism levels? I can't really remember what a hangover feels like but can remember struggling big time the day after one (my halo is clear for everyone to see!).
Food affects mood, and energy levels, definitely. Every morsel you put between your lips has a direct correlation to how you're going to feel later.My children are a good example of this; if they eat sweets they are on a high for twenty minutes, but then (and this is when it's time to take cover) they crash and burn and I have to pick up the pieces. Life is not good at this point. Their negativity increases, they are less productive, have less concentration skills and lower energy levels.
What happens here usually with an adult is that they'll reach for more of the stuff that's created this state in the first place and so these peaks and troughs continue.
Food affects mood, I repeat,for lots of scientific reasons which I won't bore you with but ultimately the aim of the game is to BALANCE BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS. Eating low Glycaemic Index foods helps with this; these are foods that release their energy slowly avoiding those peaks and troughs, and wholegrain carbohydrates are helpful here.
They allow for the absorption of tryptophan, which is a mood boosting amino acid found in foods such as turkey, beef,fish,eggs, milk and cheese, brown rice and nuts, and in turn to make the feel-good brian chemical seretonin.
So one of the ways to success is to cut out all refined carbohydrates ie. the white ones - white rice, white bread, white pasta etc.(very little nutritional value) in favour of the wholgrain,'brown' variety.
The top ten foods to help boost your happy hormones are :
sunflower seeds, dark chocolate (yes, there is a reason to live!), prawns and other seafood, oats, apricots,oily fish, brewers yeast, cottage cheese,turkey, and eggs. Give them a try see how you feel.
In summary, next time you're down in the dumps and your glass is always half empty, take a look at your diet. Revise it using the tips above and you're sure to feel better.
Oh and the odd glass of wine won't hurt either, just as long as it IS just the odd glass. Hangovers are pants in anyones book, aren't they?
And one last thing, to improve things even further EAT RIGHT FOR YOUR TYPE by following the METABOLIC TYPING DIET. See previous blogs for details, or contact me.
Today's tip : start a food diary and record everything that passes your lips, liquid or solid (and cigarettes). Take a look at the end of each day, and aim to improve the day after. After all tomorrow is another day!
RX
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
MIDDLE AGED SPREAD
I've been on Radio Leeds again today. Thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience but feel the need to blog as a result. Bearing in mind that this station has a heavy bias towards middle aged females upwards, the majority of the questions put to me this time and the last were about carrying weight around the middle and how to get rid of it.
No suprises here really, just take a look around you when you're out and about! Check out all the muffin tops, the bursting bellies, the rotund shapes (and actually its not just middle aged ladies). Terrible scenes really; we are a nation of increasing waistlines.
Is it any suprise when there is so much junk food on offer? It's so accessible, it's readily available and very, very cheap. It saves people time, it tastes great (if you like that kind of thing...........think I'm in the minority here) so why shouldn't we eat it all the time?
Because..............in the main it has very few nutrients in it for our bodys to use to stay healthy and give us the required amounts of energy we need to exist in a happy,healthy state.
Processed foods, foods that have been tampered with, are basically non-nutrients. Our bodys don't recognise them as foods but as they are filled with salty and sugary flavourings it stimulates something in us to want more, and more. Basically until some good nutrition comes along. And some bodys are waiting a very long time for this to happen!
So if you are interested in finding some shape again (because it IS there somewhere), and being able to wear what you want, to feel better about yourself, to have more energy,and to be healthier in the long run, here are some top tips :
Cut out the CRAP foods (caffeine,refined,alcohol and processed)
Drink lots of pure water and herbal teas
Reduce the amount of refined wheat products you consume
Reduce the amount of processed dairy foods you consume
Reduce, drastically, the amount of processed sugary products you consume- *massively important*
Exercise for 30 minutes 5 times a week - include some resistance and some interval training in this. Stick to it, make it a habit.
Get some good quality sleep each night (repair sleep = 10.30pm until 2am, physical repair, 2 until 6am mental repair)
Keep a food diary. This will highlight those biscuits you forget you've eaten or the fourth glass of wine you drank. Just keeps it all real.
Don't do thousands of abdominal crunches - THEY WILL NOT GIVE you A SIX PACK or any definition you require! You need to lower your overall body fat to have a defined stomach. Simple as.
Ok so there's some stuff to be going on with. Hope it helps. And by the way if you're intimidated by gyms, don't go - you can do all you need to do from home.
Call me.
RX
No suprises here really, just take a look around you when you're out and about! Check out all the muffin tops, the bursting bellies, the rotund shapes (and actually its not just middle aged ladies). Terrible scenes really; we are a nation of increasing waistlines.
Is it any suprise when there is so much junk food on offer? It's so accessible, it's readily available and very, very cheap. It saves people time, it tastes great (if you like that kind of thing...........think I'm in the minority here) so why shouldn't we eat it all the time?
Because..............in the main it has very few nutrients in it for our bodys to use to stay healthy and give us the required amounts of energy we need to exist in a happy,healthy state.
Processed foods, foods that have been tampered with, are basically non-nutrients. Our bodys don't recognise them as foods but as they are filled with salty and sugary flavourings it stimulates something in us to want more, and more. Basically until some good nutrition comes along. And some bodys are waiting a very long time for this to happen!
So if you are interested in finding some shape again (because it IS there somewhere), and being able to wear what you want, to feel better about yourself, to have more energy,and to be healthier in the long run, here are some top tips :
Cut out the CRAP foods (caffeine,refined,alcohol and processed)
Drink lots of pure water and herbal teas
Reduce the amount of refined wheat products you consume
Reduce the amount of processed dairy foods you consume
Reduce, drastically, the amount of processed sugary products you consume- *massively important*
Exercise for 30 minutes 5 times a week - include some resistance and some interval training in this. Stick to it, make it a habit.
Get some good quality sleep each night (repair sleep = 10.30pm until 2am, physical repair, 2 until 6am mental repair)
Keep a food diary. This will highlight those biscuits you forget you've eaten or the fourth glass of wine you drank. Just keeps it all real.
Don't do thousands of abdominal crunches - THEY WILL NOT GIVE you A SIX PACK or any definition you require! You need to lower your overall body fat to have a defined stomach. Simple as.
Ok so there's some stuff to be going on with. Hope it helps. And by the way if you're intimidated by gyms, don't go - you can do all you need to do from home.
Call me.
RX
Thursday, 30 July 2009
PURE EVIL
I'm not really sure where I'm going with this blog post today, but feel the need to cover the whole topic of the dreaded SUGAR substance again.
Boring, freaky, wierdy, antisocial, mad, crazy, are just a few of the adjectives that have been used to describe.......me, yes, me! And that's by my friends. All because I took sugar out of my diet. And when I say sugar, I also mean refined carbohydrates (pasta, bread, rice) and alcohol as the body converts them to a form of sugar to be digested.
It is by far the hardest thing I have ever attempted to do in my life, no exaggeration. Therefore, in some situations I have succumbed.Sometimes I have to admit it's because I don't want to be different (although in normal circumstances I do quite like this).
Chocolate bars, chips, glasses of wine,fresh bread and butter, tortilla chips and dips, champagne, mints after a meal, a latte with friends in Starbucks, popcorn and coke in the cinema - all of these foods are now the norm in our daily lives, and are, in the main, part of sociable eating. To take all of this out(and more) is, I'll admit, damn near impossible.
I keep being told that we only get one life and we should just enjoy it! My God, I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. I love my life, I love all the opportunites we get, all the choices we have etc. etc. but shouldn't we be able to do this without eating sugar? Does it really have such a hold on us?
I read an article in a magazine the other day in which a journalist had been challenged to give up sugar for one month. Thats all. She did it eventually but with lots of false starts, and then feelings of irritablility, lethargy, spaceyness, moodiness, major cravings and more. This sounds more like someone withdrawing from cocaine, or serious alcohol intake than just plain old sugar.
Sugar is found in almost ALL processed (or CRAP) foods. Try reading some labels next time you're in those dreaded middle aisles in the supermarket and you'll be amazed. Even in what could be considered the most savoury meal, sugar will be present.
Why is this necessary? because those nasty food giants have worked out that by adding the right combinations of sugar, salt and fat to foods they can create insatiable feelings (ie. we never feel satisfied) so we crave more. The Pringles advertisement strap line 'Once you pop you can't stop, is very, very accurate for those reasons.
So, what happens in your body when you eat these foods is that, because they are nutritionally lacking, and have just the right chemical combination, your body wants more. But its more than a want - its a need. It's an overwhelming urge for more. Try eating one chip from a whole plate of them. Once you've tasted one and it activates that 'need' within you ie through your taste buds, you literally can't stop without physically removing the plate from within your grasp.
David Kessler, an Amercian who worked with Bill CLinton to take on the tobacco manufacurers has just written a book - THE END OF OVEREATING, and it's about this very topic. How the food manufactuerers are making stuff thats impossible to stop eating. Its great for their profits, but terrible for our waistlines.
Apparently from an insatiable point of view these are the top foods to be avoided at all costs :
Pringles, French Fries, Starbucks Mocha Frappucionos, Snickers, Kettle chips, Chocolate chip cookies, Flapjacks (unless home made),biscuits (especially chocolate ones). I'd add anything alcoholic to this list!!
The thing is and now this is serious. Sugar causes health problems, in excess.Apart from it making us fat, it makes us bloated - this is because glucose is stored in water in the body (short term) as glycogen in the muscles and tissues, so when you take it out of your diet you literally deflate!
It can also lead to syndrome X which is a resistance to insulin that can increase the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, and I think everyone knows that this is one of the biggest diseases of our time, and is rapidly rising in numbers.
So, the big food giants should be shot, in short.They are ruining the nations health, to line their own pockets. Not quite that simple I guess, as we can all say NO, but as I've just outlined it IS NOT THAT EASY. If it were we wouldn't need millions of diet books, self help books,low fat and low sugar processed foods (by the way avoid these, they're just as bad) and everything else that makes up the whole 'diet industry' - also doing well out of us thankyou very much!
This blog rambles abit today. I'm not apologising. It's my blog and I can ramble if I like!! I hope you've got something out of it, and it makes you think a little. If I could challenge you to attempt to take sugar out of your diet for one week and see what happens that would be just great. Please give me feed back. Don't resort to smoking to fill the gap however, as someone I know did. Couterproductive, big time!
Right, now back to my life; how to avoid all the available alcohol in our holiday home (particularly Pink Camel Valley Champagne), and the nibbles that will be out to go with it tonight.........aaaaaaaargh!
RX
Boring, freaky, wierdy, antisocial, mad, crazy, are just a few of the adjectives that have been used to describe.......me, yes, me! And that's by my friends. All because I took sugar out of my diet. And when I say sugar, I also mean refined carbohydrates (pasta, bread, rice) and alcohol as the body converts them to a form of sugar to be digested.
It is by far the hardest thing I have ever attempted to do in my life, no exaggeration. Therefore, in some situations I have succumbed.Sometimes I have to admit it's because I don't want to be different (although in normal circumstances I do quite like this).
Chocolate bars, chips, glasses of wine,fresh bread and butter, tortilla chips and dips, champagne, mints after a meal, a latte with friends in Starbucks, popcorn and coke in the cinema - all of these foods are now the norm in our daily lives, and are, in the main, part of sociable eating. To take all of this out(and more) is, I'll admit, damn near impossible.
I keep being told that we only get one life and we should just enjoy it! My God, I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. I love my life, I love all the opportunites we get, all the choices we have etc. etc. but shouldn't we be able to do this without eating sugar? Does it really have such a hold on us?
I read an article in a magazine the other day in which a journalist had been challenged to give up sugar for one month. Thats all. She did it eventually but with lots of false starts, and then feelings of irritablility, lethargy, spaceyness, moodiness, major cravings and more. This sounds more like someone withdrawing from cocaine, or serious alcohol intake than just plain old sugar.
Sugar is found in almost ALL processed (or CRAP) foods. Try reading some labels next time you're in those dreaded middle aisles in the supermarket and you'll be amazed. Even in what could be considered the most savoury meal, sugar will be present.
Why is this necessary? because those nasty food giants have worked out that by adding the right combinations of sugar, salt and fat to foods they can create insatiable feelings (ie. we never feel satisfied) so we crave more. The Pringles advertisement strap line 'Once you pop you can't stop, is very, very accurate for those reasons.
So, what happens in your body when you eat these foods is that, because they are nutritionally lacking, and have just the right chemical combination, your body wants more. But its more than a want - its a need. It's an overwhelming urge for more. Try eating one chip from a whole plate of them. Once you've tasted one and it activates that 'need' within you ie through your taste buds, you literally can't stop without physically removing the plate from within your grasp.
David Kessler, an Amercian who worked with Bill CLinton to take on the tobacco manufacurers has just written a book - THE END OF OVEREATING, and it's about this very topic. How the food manufactuerers are making stuff thats impossible to stop eating. Its great for their profits, but terrible for our waistlines.
Apparently from an insatiable point of view these are the top foods to be avoided at all costs :
Pringles, French Fries, Starbucks Mocha Frappucionos, Snickers, Kettle chips, Chocolate chip cookies, Flapjacks (unless home made),biscuits (especially chocolate ones). I'd add anything alcoholic to this list!!
The thing is and now this is serious. Sugar causes health problems, in excess.Apart from it making us fat, it makes us bloated - this is because glucose is stored in water in the body (short term) as glycogen in the muscles and tissues, so when you take it out of your diet you literally deflate!
It can also lead to syndrome X which is a resistance to insulin that can increase the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, and I think everyone knows that this is one of the biggest diseases of our time, and is rapidly rising in numbers.
So, the big food giants should be shot, in short.They are ruining the nations health, to line their own pockets. Not quite that simple I guess, as we can all say NO, but as I've just outlined it IS NOT THAT EASY. If it were we wouldn't need millions of diet books, self help books,low fat and low sugar processed foods (by the way avoid these, they're just as bad) and everything else that makes up the whole 'diet industry' - also doing well out of us thankyou very much!
This blog rambles abit today. I'm not apologising. It's my blog and I can ramble if I like!! I hope you've got something out of it, and it makes you think a little. If I could challenge you to attempt to take sugar out of your diet for one week and see what happens that would be just great. Please give me feed back. Don't resort to smoking to fill the gap however, as someone I know did. Couterproductive, big time!
Right, now back to my life; how to avoid all the available alcohol in our holiday home (particularly Pink Camel Valley Champagne), and the nibbles that will be out to go with it tonight.........aaaaaaaargh!
RX
Monday, 27 July 2009
DON'T LOSE IT
I'm about to go away for a couple of weeks on holiday with my family and the last thing I need (a, because it's my job and b, because I've worked hard at it) is to lose any of my fitness/muscle tone.
It's very easy when we go away from our normal existence to indulge and think "Oh what the hell"; but holidays are short lived and however enjoyable ,most of us will return a few weeks later, look in the mirror and wish we hadn't been couch or pool potatoes for the whole time.
Today's blog details a time saver workout that ANYONE can do ANYWHERE. It won't take up hours out of your family time, or deprive you of relaxing in the sunshine, and if you do it in the morning it's out of the way, and that box can be ticked.
I love to get up early and workout in the fresh air overlooking the sea. I find it hugely motivating and exhilarating to have a breathtaking view to look at whilst pushing my body out of its comfort zone.
Other than a pair of trainers there is NO EQUIPMENT REQUIRED, and as much as I miss my punch bag, weights,bosu ball, stability ball, kettlebells,and all the other paraphenalia I have collected over the years to add variety to exercise, for two weeks I can manage perfectly well without it.
Skipping ropes require minimal room in the suitcase, and will provide an aerobic workout that'll tire you pretty quickly, and resistance bands too. Running and brisk walking are great to do anywhere and if you're lucky enough to be on a beach try volleyball, bat and ball, boule or anything that gets you up and moving. Swimming is a superb all over body exercise and a great cool down when you've had too much sun.
Back to the workout for today - this can be adapted to your personal fitness levels and ideally done every other day, with a run/swim/walk on the days in between. Work on the basis though, that anything is better than nothing!
Sets : x3 of each exercise
Reps : 10-15 of each exercise
Warm up for 5 minutes, a brisk walk is good, or marching on the spot.
Body Weight Squats
Forward lunges
Lying bridges
Push ups
Tricep dips
Plank
Side plank
Stretches to finish - important.
Remember : if you're somewhere hot you need to drink lots of water, and before you get thirsty. Also try to workout in the morning when it's cooler - and because you've done it for the day then! And ENJOY! Our bodys are made to move - yes really.
Good Luck and have a good holiday, I know I will. RX
It's very easy when we go away from our normal existence to indulge and think "Oh what the hell"; but holidays are short lived and however enjoyable ,most of us will return a few weeks later, look in the mirror and wish we hadn't been couch or pool potatoes for the whole time.
Today's blog details a time saver workout that ANYONE can do ANYWHERE. It won't take up hours out of your family time, or deprive you of relaxing in the sunshine, and if you do it in the morning it's out of the way, and that box can be ticked.
I love to get up early and workout in the fresh air overlooking the sea. I find it hugely motivating and exhilarating to have a breathtaking view to look at whilst pushing my body out of its comfort zone.
Other than a pair of trainers there is NO EQUIPMENT REQUIRED, and as much as I miss my punch bag, weights,bosu ball, stability ball, kettlebells,and all the other paraphenalia I have collected over the years to add variety to exercise, for two weeks I can manage perfectly well without it.
Skipping ropes require minimal room in the suitcase, and will provide an aerobic workout that'll tire you pretty quickly, and resistance bands too. Running and brisk walking are great to do anywhere and if you're lucky enough to be on a beach try volleyball, bat and ball, boule or anything that gets you up and moving. Swimming is a superb all over body exercise and a great cool down when you've had too much sun.
Back to the workout for today - this can be adapted to your personal fitness levels and ideally done every other day, with a run/swim/walk on the days in between. Work on the basis though, that anything is better than nothing!
Sets : x3 of each exercise
Reps : 10-15 of each exercise
Warm up for 5 minutes, a brisk walk is good, or marching on the spot.
Body Weight Squats
Forward lunges
Lying bridges
Push ups
Tricep dips
Plank
Side plank
Stretches to finish - important.
Remember : if you're somewhere hot you need to drink lots of water, and before you get thirsty. Also try to workout in the morning when it's cooler - and because you've done it for the day then! And ENJOY! Our bodys are made to move - yes really.
Good Luck and have a good holiday, I know I will. RX
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