Category: Your Health

November 12, 2012 Suzie

 

I’m a big fan of Green Tea, it is rich in antioxidants and known for it’s numerous health properties. Below is a brief overview of how Green tea  can enhance your health and fitness.

Green tea helps us shed unwanted kilos by helping to:
1.    Increase our metabolism (burn more calories/kilojoules throughout the day).
2.    Increase our body’s ability to burn fat (fat oxidation).

While some of green tea’s effect on our metabolism is known to come from the caffeine it contains, green tea doesn’t have as much caffeine as coffee but helps the body burn more energy than coffee.

As well as helping us to lose weight, green tea is believed to have many other health benefits:
•    Reduce our risk of developing many forms of cancer.
•    Inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
•    Lower total cholesterol levels.
•    Improve the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.
•    Help reduce the risk and treat rheumatoid arthritis.
•    Reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
•    Helps to strengthen the immune system
•    Help prevent tooth decay.
•    Eliminating free radicals within the body
•    Works to normalise blood pressure levels
•    Helps to fight bacteria and viruses
•    Improves the condition of the intestines by blocking bad bacteria and increasing levels of good bacteria
•    Helps to detoxify the body
•    Helps to stabilise diabetes
•    Slows the ageing process

In order to enjoy these health benefits and others, researchers recommend drinking green tea on a regular basis.

In fact, many recommend drinking between 5 and 10 cups per day to get the full benefits from drinking green teas.

Remember if you have any questions or are concerned about your health always seek advice from a health professional 🙂

October 3, 2012 Suzie

Sometimes people need a slap in the face. Ok maybe not quite so violent, perhaps a little shake, when it comes to facing the facts about health.

Some people tell themselves their bad habits are fine, normal, not harmful and happy to continue. I’ve been guilty of doing it myself. Maybe your wanting or needing a wake up call….

Here’s an extract from my book Empower Lifestyle Upgrade. I encourage people to really take  their time reading this and absorbing it:

Face the facts, the truth, the reality
You may not be able to read the following page.
This page tells you the truth. I am not here to lie to you, to sell you a quick fix.
You need to be told the truth and accept it as reality.
If you are ready to read this page and absorb it, then you are ready to change.

• Your body will not change unless you put in the hard work

• You cannot spot reduce fat on your body. Once you start losing weight your body will choose where it wants to lose weight, you can strengthen and tone areas however.

• There is no such thing as ‘try’ you either ‘do’ or ‘don’t’. You MUST DO to cause change

• You cannot improve/help something you dislike (i.e. your body, yourself)

• Unhealthy eating and lack of exercise can cause you an early death. YOU CAN KILL YOURSELF…. seriously.

• No one is going to save you… you have to help yourself

• You are worth the effort

• Life is short and will wait for no one

• Life is also a precious gift to be enjoyed to the fullest

• You CAN do it. You just chose not to in the past. DO IT NOW!

If you think someone you know could benefit from reading this post, then please share the love by pressing a share button 🙂

September 11, 2012 Suzie

It’s fair to say that Winter knocked me around a bit. I had 4 infections in less than 10 weeks…..ridiculous. I would recover, stay healthy for a week and then catch another virus. I was over it to say the least.

Being sick is no fun for anyone. Being a PT I couldn’t afford to lie in bed and keep getting sick, my training and nutrition got quite shocking, set me back majorly and I was very embarrassed when I would get sick, yet again.

During my last infection I made a declaration of war… war against illness, and I meant it.

Obviously my immune system was not up to scratch, so I went on a rampage to sort it out.

First I did some research and discovered natural ways to boost immunity.

My first stop was Harvard Health Publications:

“Your first line of defense is to choose a healthy lifestyle. Following general good-health guidelines is the single best step you can take toward keeping your immune system strong and healthy. Every part of your body, including your immune system, functions better when protected from environmental assaults and bolstered by healthy-living strategies such as these:

  • Don’t smoke.
  • Eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and low in saturated fat.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Control your blood pressure.
  • If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
  • Get adequate sleep.
  • Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly.
  • Get regular medical screening tests for people in your age group and risk category.”

But I already did these things so I kept looking and bumped into a site called Ask Dr Sears and he enlightened me with the top 8 foods that boost your immunity

  • Vitamin C. Vitamin C tops the list of immune boosters 
  • Vitamin E.Vitamin E stimulates the production of natural killer cells, those that seek out and destroy germs and cancer cells. Vitamin E enhances the production of B-cells, the immune cells that produce antibodies that destroy bacteria. 
  • Zinc. This valuable mineral increases the production of white blood cells that fight infection and helps them fight more aggressively. 
  • Garlic. This flavorful member of the onion family is a powerful immune booster that stimulates the multiplication of infection-fighting white cells, boosts natural killer cell activity, and increases the efficiency of antibody production. 
  • Selenium. This mineral increases natural killer cells and mobilizes cancer-fighting cells. 
  • Omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Bioflavenoids. A group of phytonutrients called bioflavenoids aids the immune system by protecting the cells of the body against environmental pollutants. 
  • Carotenoids. Beta carotene increases the number of infection-fighting cells, natural killer cells, and helper T-cells, as well as being a powerful antioxidant that mops up excess free radicals that accelerate aging.

From reading page after page of other sites I was able to pull out a few more tricks:

  • honey
  • green tea
  • lemon
  • ginger

After talking with a nutritionist friend of mine we decided upping my dosage of probiotic was important, which makes sense as your digestive system is related to your immune function.

So this is what I did (and still currently doing):

  • daily garlic supplement (extra dosage), plus including fresh garlic and onion into meals whenever I can (my poor family)
  • lemon squeezed into hot water first thing in the morning
  • doubling up my probiotic while i’m getting myself back on track
  • drinking green tea
  • diligently consuming multiple servings of Vitamin C through supplement and natural i.e oranges, over the day
  • taking my liquid fish oil for my omega 3 fatty acids
  • eating my veggies and fruit
  • LOTS OF WATER! I drink a lot anyway, but decided to up the efforts 😉

So far so good, no one likes getting sick, I for one am going to do whatever I can to prevent it 🙂

If you think someone else would benefit from a boosting their immune system, share this article by using the share buttons below 🙂

 *Photo coutesy of Ping Ming Health

July 19, 2012 Suzie

Don’t let your skin suffer this winter, make it smooth as silk!

We know that winter naturally draws moisture from our skin so it’s up to us to combat dull dry skin

Do you know how important our skin is?

The skin is the largest most important eliminator organ in the body and is responsible for one quarter of the body’s detoxification each day.

The skin receives one third of all the blood circulated in the body.

The skin is the last to receive nutrients in the body, yet the first to show signs of imbalance or deficiency.

What will not only improve the health of our skin, detox us and make us glow? Body brushing and a good moisturiser is the answer!

Detoxification is performed by a number of organs, glands, and transportation systems, including the skin, gut, kidneys, liver, lungs, lymphatic system, and mucous membranes. The dry brushing technique deals with detoxification of the skin, stimulating the circulation and lymphatic flow and shedding dry skin cells.

When buying a body brush, look for brushes with coarse, short bristles made from natural fibres. They can be purchased from most supermarkets, pharmacies and health stores.

For best results, brush daily. A sluggish system can lead to toxin build-up and cellulite, but committing to daily body brushing pays dividends — body brushing can eliminate nearly 500g of toxins from the body a day!

Brush your body naked before showering. To really get the circulation going start brushing at the soles of your feet. Work your way up your body, don’t forget to brush your palms as well, using long sweeping strokes that extend towards your heart. Body brushing also helps prevent ingrown hairs, so pay attention to ingrown-prone areas like the bikini line, lower legs and the backs of the arms.

Make sure you keep your brush clean, it is important. For hygiene issues it’s important to have your own brush and not share it with others. And don’t hold onto it forever. Body brushes should be replaced once a year as they lose effectiveness as a result of softening and shedding. Keep your brush in a dry clean place and disinfect it once a week with a natural disinfecting spray.

After you are scrubbed moisturise your entire body with a light weight easily absorbed nutrient rich moisturiser. And voila, there you have it, soft, supple, healthy skin!

 

July 3, 2012 Suzie

How to overcome Winter training obstacles

We’ve identified the pros to training during winter and also looked at the cons. Let’s now help you overcome any obstacles you may be facing so you can achieve your goals.

 

TIPS FOR OVERCOMING OBSTACLES AND ACHIEVING AWESOME RESULTS!

 

  • Choose the right clothing – “there is no such thing as bad weather – just bad clothing choices”. Dress for the weather, layering is highly recommended. Try for 2 thin tops, with one being long sleeved and able to be taken off. Look for tops that use high-wicking materials, they take sweat away from your skin allowing you to stay warm without overheating. You may like to add fleece to start with, this will also be handy as you finish up your workout to keep you warm. A hat (beanie) may also be a good option for you as heat is lost through the head. Depending on the temperature and the type of exercise you are doing, gloves may also be appropriate and useful.
  • Change the tyres, on your feet – check your training shoes, just like tyres on a car or bike they get worn out through usage over time. You are more likely to slide on wet or icy surfaces and without good grip on your shoes you increase your risk of injury.
  • Alter goals seasonally – with shorter daylight it can be hard to stick to your original goals depending on what they are. Use the change in season as an opportunity to update your goals and making sure they are realistic and achievable. Work with what you’ve got.  For example, if you usually train after work, reduce the amount of time you exercise and/or workout in your lunch hour. You would be getting out in the sunshine and getting some of that essential Vitamin D from sun exposure, not to mention some fresh air. You could cut down the time but increase the frequency or the intensity of your workouts. There is always a way, sometimes you just need to think outside the box.
  • Boost that motivation – music can be an exceptional motivation tool. Music has the power to change your mood dramatically. It can make you sad, make you happy and seriously change your current state of mood from lazy to pumped and ready for anything.  Use the power of music to get you up on those dark cold mornings, or out of the house when it’s raining and miserable. Create your own power playlist to motivate yourself and take control.
  • Motivation is contagious – team up with a training buddy of a group for extra motivation. You will be more likely to attend workouts and work hard, you are being held accountable. Training with others adds a social dynamic and encourages a bit of healthy competition. Again why not take the training outdoors and soak up some of that vitamin D, you’ll be doing your body good and will feel better about the longer winter nights.
  • Keep it clean people – germs spread like wildfire in winter, you will notice in the office and especially if you have children. Whilst you can’t always prevent getting sick you can absolutely decrease your chances of getting sick and reduce the length of illness. Firstly let’s start with the most obvious and clichéd, washing your hands frequently. You come in to contact with lots of germs every day in the most common  and uncommon of places. Think doorknobs, keyboards, handles, petrol pumps, toilet doors, rails, buttons etc. Before you eat make sure you wash your hands and don’t touch your mouth or eyes etc. Quarantine the sickly, at the office try and steer clear of the Mr sniffles and Mrs outrageously loud cough/spluttering, if you can encourage them to go home, and if not, steer clear. Don’t share cups or utencils with others and definitely keep yours separate if you are sick so nobody else uses them. Use a tissue for sneezes and coughs, and have a bottle of hand sanitiser with you. These little bottles are pure genius when it comes to using public toilets and public transport in the germy season. Drink lots of water and eat a diet rich in highly nutritious foods to boost your immune system and keep your health in check. Get a good night’s sleep  and if you feel like you’re on the verge of getting sick, ease up and rest, increase vitamins and flush it out of your system

 

Now there’s really no excuse not to exercise during Winter is there 😉

 

 

June 27, 2012 Suzie

The obstacles to training during Winter

 

Let’s explore some of the most common obstacles experienced by exercise goers during winter.

  • Reduced daylight –  depending on what part of the world you live in, the length of daylight can be altered significantly. Lack of daylight and the ability to enjoy daylight during your day can lead to depression and Vitamin D deficiency.
  • Cold mornings – I will not lie to you, even I find it hard to get out of a warm bed on a cold early winter morning.
  • Lack of motivation – it’s not uncommon for goals to fall by the wayside at winter time. There’s no bikinis or summer outfits to drive you to looking your best. When it’s cold and conditions aren’t ideal it’s easy to choose the ‘easy’ option of opting out of training or eating healthy.
  • Comfort food – outside activities are often replaced with catch up dinners and socialising revolving around food and drinks. The type of food we eat as well tends to change to starchy warm, rich comforting food. Watching a DVD with popcorn and a block of chocolate anyone?
  • Dehydration/lack of moisture – the cold air actually deprives you of moisture, the extra layers worn whilst working out draw more sweat from body.  The cold weather also alters your thirst sensation to maintain core temperature, you are usually unaware you are dehydrated till it’s too late.
  • Redirection of blood flow – Cold weather draws blood towards the abdomen to raise core temperature. This can increase your risk of injury if the arms and legs aren’t prepared for strenuous work. To prepare them try performing longer and more gradual warm up, up to 15mins of cardio and mobility exercises. This prepares your arms and legs and all their joints for a hard workout and will reduce your risk of injury.
  • Increased risk of danger training outdoors – lack of light and wet, icy conditions can contribute to injuries. Be safe, know yoru environment. Do not train in the dark unless you have the proper equipment and check out your surfaces before you start to train. Reduce your risks, an injury is not worth it!
  • When outdoor training is not ideal – some conditions i.e heavy rain, snow, ice etc can make training outdoors or even participating in social /active events outside unappealing. When you are not a member of a gym or do your exercise purely outdoors (for e.g running, cycling, swimming) it can affect your training program and your motivation. Try thinking outside the box, look for fitness classes that are held indoors at community centres, workout DVDs may come in handy or even moving your workouts indoors – there are a lot of options and you can get just as good a workout indoors if you know what to do!
  • Illness – The germ infested months of the year. It’s not that cold weather by itself makes you sick, it can however lower your immunity and make you susceptible to picking up germs, infections etc. Illness can definitely be a set back to your training. Keep this in mind though, depending on what type of illness you have, exercise can actually help. If you catch a common cold right at the beginning, some gentle exercise can actually help your condition and lessen the severity and duration. However if you have a virus you must let your body rest and recover, pushing your body in such a state will only prolong the illness and delay recovery. Listen to your body it will tell you when you need to rest.

 

Don’t let these obstacles throw you off training in Winter, in our next post we will overcome these obstacles. The pros (although they appear fewer) are much more significant than the cons!

 

Stay connected with the Reve community via our facebook page 🙂

 

June 20, 2012 Suzie

Why training in Winter is fantastic!

 

The cooler months are by far the best for working out.

In a nutshell, if you want to look and feel your best for summer, the best time to start is in the winter months and the sooner the better. Often people make the mistake of waiting till the weather warms up to start their training program only to find that by the time they’re seeing awesome results the summer is nearly over.

If you truly want to look and feel your best, it’s time to start training now!

 

WINTER

Winter months vary in temperature depending on what country you reside in. In Australia we are fairly lucky with our winters, depending again on what part of the country you are in. We are prone to sunny clear blue skies with crisp air that make us question if it actually is winter or not. We do however experience the lows as well, bitterly cold winds, constant rain, shortened daylight and snow.

Training in winter can have a variety of obstacles, but on the flip side a lot of pros as well. Firstly let’s identify the pros:

 

THE PROS

  • Be summer ready – by far the best pro of all is being ‘summer ready’ before everyone else. Whilst everyone else will be realising they can’t hide under big bulky clothing anymore and wanting to fit into bikinis you my friend will already be parading around in your most desired summer outfit oozing confidence and pride in what you have achieved.
  • Winter is a good training climate – winter months are actually a good climate for some forms of exercise especially long slow aerobic distance training. Yes you may be cold to start with but as soon as you start exercising you will warm up and appreciate that the climate is not adding to your heightened body temperature. Running is the perfect example, think about a time you have gone for a run (or performed a workout) in hot humid conditions… it sucked right? Now compare that to when the conditions were cooler… there’s a reason you performed better in the cooler conditions.
  • Time out – again depending on what country you live in, in Australia our holiday season being Christmas and New Year coincide with summer. We love socialising in the long warm days and as a big generalisation our social events tend to quieten down in winter and we tend to hibernate.  If your winter season is quiet then you have more time to focus on you and use that time that might otherwise be tied up in family gatherings and holiday celebrations. It can be your time to set new goals and devote time in order to achieve them

 

In our next Winter series post we will identify the cons to training during Winter and offer you a range of tips and strategies to keep you feeling motivated, on track and achieve those results.

 

 

June 6, 2012 Suzie

The impact of stretching on the body is amazing. Who would think that moving your body into a position and holding it could have such a big impact. It  requires virtually no effort which sounds appealing right?

It is an expectation that all my clients include stretching when doing their programs. In fact I write it in their program books as a must and go through all stretches to make sure it’s drummed into them. Why? Because when you exercise your muscles contract and shorten, if you do not stretch out and lengthen those muscles then you are going to stiffen up and reduce your flexibility.

Why does that matter? When you have limited flexibility  it restricts movement patterns, think about squatting, getting up off the floor, sitting on the toilet, reaching your arms above your head, bending over to pick something up, walking properly… yep, all these things and many more are affected by your flexibility.

Want the good news? It is actually one of the easiest things to improve compared to fitness and strength! Consistency is key, by consistantly stretching you will notice a difference in your range of motion (ROM) your posture and freedom of movement. You can also improve it at any age, so no excuses for those in the upper range of the age scale.

Below I have included basic full body stretches. I recommend all of them but if you’re lacking time focus on the tigher areas. For a lot of people this usually includes the hamstrings/glutes/hip flexors and backs, especially for office workers. Ensure you stretch after every workout, always do your static stretches on warm muscles.

 

Stretches

To be done after every workout. Make sure you don’t stretch cold, do not bounce or drop into stretches, ease into them. Hold each stretch for 20-30seconds. Repeat 1-2 times.

 

Quadriceps  
•    In a standing position pick up your foot and bring it towards you bum
•    Keep knees close together, pelvis forward standing up straight
•    To target different sections change direction of foot to outside and towards the body

 

Calves
•    Soleus –  place half the length of one foot against a wall, then proceed to lean body forward with leg straight for desired intensity
•    Gastroc – hands on wall or rail, take big step back with one foot, keep back heel on floor and leg straight, step far enough away to feel a stretch down the lower half of your leg

 

Hip flexor
•    Kneeling down take big step forward with one foot, keep leg  at 90degree angle
•    Ease pelvis forward tucking the glute in, straight back, chest up
•    For more intensity rotate body toward knee with arms outstretched

 

Hamstrings
•    From hip floxor stretch position straighten front leg
•    Bend over easing bodyweight over the leg
•    You control intensity by how low you hover over the front leg

 

Glute Maximus
•    Lying down on your back
•    Bring one knee into your chest as far as you can
•    One hand continues to hug the knee the other holds the ankle, angling it in towards the chest
•    Play around with the angle until you feel a stretch right across the backside area

 

Piraformus
•    One leg bent, foot on flat on floor
•    Place opp ankle on knee
•    One hand holds ankle the other pushes the knee towards the ground

 

Lower back
•    Lying on your back legs bent, arms outstretched in line with shoulder
•    Take your knees and drop them over to one side
•    Turn your head and look the opposite way
•    Lengthen top leg and angle it until you feel a nice twist in your back

 

QL (quadratus lumborum, lower side of back)
•    Sitting on floor, one leg straight, other bent in foot resting against inner thigh
•    With opposite hand pick up knee and angle it towards the body
•    Other arm (knee side) forms a C shape  reaching over the body
•    Play around with angle until you can feel it in lower back region

 

Latissimus dorsi
•    Holding onto a rail with both hands, feet hip width apart
•    Lower  yourself back until you are almost in a squatting position, sit your weight in your hips
•    Play around with the angle until you feel it stretching and lengthening your back

 

Shoulders
•    Straighten one arm and cross your it over your chest straight
•    With opposite arm, fold up around arm pulling it away from the body

 

Chest (pec major + minor)
•    Stand next to a pole or corner of a wall, place arm 90degrees flat
•    Feet are slightly turned out
•    Proceed to rotate your body away from the wall until you feel a stretch along your chest

 

Triceps
•    take one arm up straight above head
•     fold at elbow down to reach back
•    With opposite hand pull elbow slightly to opposite side of body

 

Upper trapezeus
•    Stand with one arm straight palm flexed straight, other hand placed lightly on side of head
•    Gently pull head in opposite direction whilst lowering shoulder to towards the ground

To see photos for the above stretches, check out our static stretches section via the drop down exercise menu on our homepage

Share the flexi love by sharing this post using the share buttons below 🙂

 

April 26, 2012 Suzie

‘Top 5 reasons healthy eating rocks!’ – wow that enthusiasm felt a little cheerleadery didn’t it. Let’s roll with it!

Ok so I had my little rant as to why dieting sucks ( diet meaning restricted eating) now I want to tell you why you want to do it.

At the risk of sounding cheesy eating healthy really can change your life drastically, for the better.

I’m not new to healthy eating, i’ve been doing it for quite a while now, but like most people i’m prone to indulging and in some cases (cue christmas), over indulging. But this new way of restricted eating doesn’t allow such things. I’m using the opportunity to explore the pros and cons of dieting. Hopefully in this article I showcase the benefits of eating healthy.

While I found restricted eating very hard at first, hence my previous posting, now i’d like to share with you all the positive aspects.

I’ve said it before and i’ll say it again – you don’t know how good you feel until you feel like crap. It’s so true, I think we take it for granted.

Here are my top 5 reasons why healthy eating rocks!

 

1. Health benefits

Adding years to your life, reducing your risk of lifestyle diseases such as type 2 diabetes, reducing cardiovascular disease. Improving immune system, digestive system, the list goes on and on.  My personal favourites that you notice early are increased energy and improved sleep!

 

2. Physical benefits

Even though good health is the most important thing anyone can ever have, it’s the physical benefits that people get most excited about. When you start seeing the benefits of your hard work, it is the best feeling ever! Let me run through some of them, weight loss (who doesn’t like a bit of that), reducing body fat, radiant skin – yep I said radiant, it’s smooth, clear and has a glow. Stronger nails, nicer hair, flatter stomach and that ‘firm’ feeling, nothing beats the feeling when you drop fluid weight and you feel your new firmer body, that’s where the muscles were hiding! Because you have more energy you’re able to be more active, only adding to your benefits.

 

3. Save money

I’m sorry but I disagree in the most part with those people who say that eating healthy is too expensive. Bull. Maybe look at your choices. I’ve been making recipes for 4 people and most of them cost less than $20 in total, last weeks roast chicken was about $10 in total with vegetables and left overs for the next day. When you’re in a food court, that’s a different story, a healthy lunch can cost about $15 as opposed to a cheap and nasty burger, fries and soft drink meal… I can see why people fall into the trap. Since eating restricted i’ve eaten most meals at home or prepared them at home to take with me. This has saved me money and I have still found ways to socialise. Saved money is going towards new clothes of the smaller size variety 😉

 

4. Good influence

I’m not forcing anyone around me to eat the way I do. But I am finding it is kind of rubbing off. Those close to me aren’t eating things  i’d be tempted by around me and told me they’ve cut them out also. My boyfriend is eating healthy too which is a big support. Since I am doing a lot of cooking at home, those who want to be fed must eat my super healthy stuff (they can add whatever they like to it). I’ve had no complaints so far!  When you eat healthy you are showing those around you the benefits and that it is possible for them to achieve those benefits also. Don’t ram the message down their throat, instead be a good example.

 

5. Liberation

Now this one sounds a little silly, but after you refuse foods for quite a while you build strength. This sounds overdramatic I know. But resisting and ditching old food habits makes way for new ones. I’m looking at the positive side, I’ve now learnt exactly what goes into foods and the effect they have on the body. I now have new cooking skills which I didn’t have before, i’m better at flavouring my food naturally and how to make natural fresh healthy food super yummy. I don’t feel tied down to any cravings, yep I used to get cravings for chocolate as most people do I think, but I now know that the world won’t fall apart if I don’t have it.

 

There are my top 5 reasons, although I really don’t think it’s possible to put into words just how fantastic it can be. Your health and physical benefits far outweigh anything else. The best way I can describe it is that when you are fit and healthy and eating foods that agree with your body, you are like a superhero…. yes, just roll with it for a second. A super hero because you realise that you can do everything with ease, things that used to feel hard for you feel super easy, and with extra energy you really do almost feel super human. Everything is easier, clearer and achievable when you’re fit and healthy.

Ok that’s enough cheese 🙂

 

April 23, 2012 Suzie

Word of warning, slight vent ahead!

Without going into too much detail I am having to follow a strict diet for a while for health reasons (nothing serious!) and the process has inspired this post.

This is not a post about why dieting isn’t good for your weight, how it will make you yo yo and put weight back on. It is not about fad diets that are crazy and extreme and not good for your health at all. I am using the word diet in this post in terms of restricted eating, not because I want to lose weight.

I’ve been on a lot of diets in my youth, i’ve wanted to try them all to find the secret to quick weight loss. Now, as a trainer I wish I could go back in time slap myself with some sense. Dieting by your own choice is one thing but having to eat a certain way due to medical reasons is another. I have so much more respect and empathy for these people now, how frustrating it must be to live with it.

Trust me you have no idea what food actually contains until you are restricted. So here are my top 5 reasons why diets suck

 

1. Eating out and celebrations

When trying to choose healthy options in the past I looked at it like I was doing a good thing for myself, I was looking after my body and it was my choice to do so. When you’re restricted on a diet you are not allowed certain foods therefore the freedom of choice is taken. Recently I found myself in 2 predicaments. 1 – I went out to dinner with friends and knowing this in advance I looked up the restaurant’s menu online and chose the best option. In reality what came out of the kitchen wasn’t as healthy as it described in the menu which was very frustrating. 2 -At the next dinner out I asked the waitor for a side salad with no dressing which they declined, seriously how much does a few pieces of lettuce cost??! Having to sit at the table while everyone ate garlic bread was just cruel but hey the ordeal was over with within 10 minutes and then I forgot about it.

Socialising is heavily related to food. I control what I can but what about those things you can’t? Parties, weddings, events? Times you can’t control what food is offered? It’s quite isolating and you often feel like you are being rude for refusing food.

 

2. Peer pressure

There’s something about when your friend goes on a diet, you just want to convince them not to, that they don’t need to they look fine the way they are. That what they’re doing is silly and unnecessary “go on, just have one piece/sip/plate” “why are you dieting for? Don’t get skinny!” Is it that people genuinely don’t understand or that they don’t want you to succeed? I have to say though, when restricted eating is for your health the pressure is mostly taken off.

 

3. Temptation

I don’t think i’ve ever noticed how many temptations there are around me in my everyday life. All of a sudden everything is amplified. People walking past you with a coffee, what’s in people’s trolley’s at the supermarket, the smells out of people’s homes as they cook dinner as your walking/running past, a mother feeding their child a sandwich for heavens sake! People offering me temptations is the worst, it also falls under the ‘being rude by refusing’ umbrella. I must admit that temptations die down after a while, it’s just the idea of it that is appealing. Try attending multiple birthday parties and having to eat your own lame fruit salad in lieu of cake… I still thought the fruit was beautiful though!

 

4. Wanting what you can’t have

Isn’t this, as humans, How we function? The grass is always greener and what not? At first, when I was told I couldn’t have bread I was upset, I don’t know why seeing as I don’t eat bread anyway, but the pure fact that I wasn’t allowed depressed me. Mental strength anyone? I started craving all sorts of random stuff purely because it was on the No No list, luckily that too has subsided.

 

5. Boring

Enough said.

 

This is not an all bad post, if you can read between the lines you picked up that i’ve got a handle on it right? Right? In all seriousness, following a diet can be hard. If you do not have to do so for medical reasons then I advise against it, it can cause health problems and weight gain. Instead, why not CHOOSE to eat healthy, you are not restricted, you can have whatever you want but you CHOOSE not to. You indulge every now and then, that’s normal, but you eat sensibly and eat to fuel your body with highly nutritious foods.

Stay tuned, i’m about to flip this article on it’s head… 🙂

 

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