Have you noticed that some people tend to put on weight more around the abdominal area? Especially in men. You may have heard of the term ‘apple’ and ‘pear’ shaped. Well, abdominal weight gain means you’re apple shape. If this is you, it’s important to know that you are at a much higher risk of developing coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes, as it will lead to greater insulin resistance.

The fat which you can see, that lies just under your skin, is known as subcutaneous fat. This is the bits that everybody wants to try to reduce and get rid of. But there is another place where ‘apple’ shaped people also gain more fat, and that is actually within your body and builds up around your organs. This is known as visceral fat.

More and more studies are showing that it is this fat that you need to shift to help reduce the risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This can be done easily through a healthy lifestyle – watching what you eat, keeping to a low fat diet, and exercising more. Even exercise alone can help lower the amount of this visceral fat mass.

So, you have been warned! If you don’t do anything about your wide waistline – then you’re heading for a shorter life with lots of health problems. Do something!

If you need more advice and tips of how to lose weight and burn fat, then I suggest you take a look at The F.A.B. Diet. It will really help you get started onto the road of good health.

Until soon with more musings…

Loretta

…That is to your weight lifting dumbbells, of course!

Yes, it’s true ladies.

If you are after a quicker and more effective fat loss, and muscle definition, you need to start lifting much heavier weights.

By doing so, you will be working your body and your muscles much more. You’ll be gaining more muscle mass, which in turn will lower your fat mass. So don’t be shy of using the heavier weights at the gym or at home. Don’t just use the baby dumbbells. Go for over 5kg, and do lower repetitions. With time, you’ll notice the difference.

So ditch the baby bells or at least use them for a warm up) and go for the big ones!!!

Until soon with more musings…

Loretta

Peanuts! Peanuts and more PEANUTS!

Yes. Word is out from health professionals that peanuts and most nuts in general are very good for our health, along side a healthy balance diet and exercise.

Recent studies have confirmed that regular consumption of peanuts and peanut butter can help benefit your physical, mental and emotional health. It also has cardiovascular benefits.

Peanuts are a good source of monounsaturated fat (like the one you find in olive oil) which benefits your heart and helps reduce cholesterol, gall bladder disease and Type 2 diabetes. It also contains essential amino acids, folic acid, magnesium and zinc which can help with depression. Studies have found that having a moderate fat intake (from mono and polyunsaturated fats) in the diet rather than a low fat intake, is more beneficial and can also help with weight loss.

Replacing high sugar/fat snacks with peanuts and other nuts, helps to lower your weight as well as keep you feeling satisfied for longer, as they are slow burning (ie. low Glycaemic Index). Australian researchers have managed to show evidence that frequent consumption of peanuts as part of a healthy diet does not contribute to weight gain.

If you want more information, you can check out the American Peanut Council.

So go on…..keep a packet of peanuts with you for snacking on throughout the day. But bear in mind that you still need to eat a healthy balanced diet and do regular exercise also. And make sure that the nuts you buy are fresh (ideally not salted or roasted as they will be high in salt!).

Until soon with more musings…

Loretta

Hi again.

Did I mention that I am also a diet therapist? I love trying to help people achieve their health goals. This was an article I wrote recently and I hope that it may be of some help to you:

Have you started to notice that your clothes are feeling tighter? Is everything you do taking more effort? Are you feeling low about how you look?

Maybe it’s time for you to look at your diet and lifestyle and try to lose the weight, for whatever reason.

The best way to get started is to write down all the reason as to why you want to lose the weight. This is going to be your ammunition for motivation and you should always refer back to this the next time you get tempted to go ‘off the rails’.

Being overweight can have a big impact on your health e.g. increases the chances of diabetes, heart disease, painful joints, snoring, high blood pressure, infertility and so on. By losing weight, even as little as 5-10% of your current body weight, you will be drastically lowering the chances of suffering from these conditions, gaining an extra 9-10 years of your life. You will also gain benefits psychologically i.e. better self-esteem and confidence.

So if you feel the time is right for you to lose weight, here are some top tips to help you get started:

1.    Keep a food diary: write down the time, the food and drink and the amount of everything you consume everyday, and keep this information in a handy notebook. At the end of the week, you can then go back through and see what has been happening. You may be surprised what you find. You must be honest with yourself. You may even wish to record the emotions you were feeling at the time of consumption e.g. depressed, sad, happy, stressed etc.

2.    Eat regular meals: very important and is the key to successful long term weight maintenance. Aim to spread out your meals evenly (every 4-5 hours at least). If necessary, plan to have healthy snacks like fresh fruit or vegetables or a diet yoghurt. This should help you avoid being hungry and then eating the first thing that comes to hand, which tends to be biscuits, crisps, chocolate, take-aways etc. And try to avoid eating too late.
3.    Have at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables per day: this is much easier to do than people think. A portion is the equivalent to something fitting in the palm of your hand e.g. an apple, small banana, small bowl of salad etc. You need to make sure you include these at every meal – at least half the intake should come these. Make smoothies with fresh fruit to help you get your portions in.

4.    Cut down on fats and sugars: simple really. Go for low fat/diet products and avoid too many take-aways and eating out. The can be tasty but are very high in calories and often don’t fill you up for very long.
5.    Be organised: plan you meals ahead so that you are always prepared to make a healthy meal/snack. Try not to keep foods that you are trying to avoid in the house.
6.    Exercise: activity goes hand in hand with healthy eating. You need both in order to life a long and healthy life. So get moving! Aim for 45-60 minutes of physical activity everyday in order to see significant changes. Remember, if you are not used to exercise, you must build up to this slowly. Start off with 20 minutes 3 x a week and build it up week by week until you achieve your goal. You can anything from dancing, running, yoga, swimming, cycling, the gym etc. Also, try to increase you daily activity by avoiding the use of cars, buses, tubes, lifts, escalators etc. as much as possible. If you can walk – WALK!

If you feel you need more help and support then there are plenty of products and information on the internet. Here is one of the better ones I’ve seen which focuses on getting rid of all the ‘junk’ in your body to help you get healthy and one the best way to exercise to burn fat efficiently.

Take a look at these site that I have come across:

Top Secret Fat Loss Secret

Turbulence training

Burn the fat feed the muscle

So what are you waiting for? Get started!

Until soon with more musings…

Loretta