Calorie counting got you down? Can I help?

...and I recommend you watch this movie - -

I watched a really interesting documentary over the weekend called That Sugar Film. You can find it on Showmax.
​
The film looks at hidden sugar in foods and the effect it can have on the human body.

Over a 60 day period, one man follows a low fat diet. He eats the same amount of calories that we was eating on but swaps out the fats for sugar. Not table sugar but the hidden sugars in normal regular foods that we eat that we think are healthy.

Within 15 days his liver had stopped being as efficient. Within 30 days he had gained 2kgs and 4 cms around his waist. 

Any gain around  your waist is a sign that you are starting to store visceral fat in your abdominal cavity. And when your visceral fat increases then your body becomes inflammed and starts you on the slippery slope towards type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and scarily, dementia. 

If you have spare 98 minutes, make a plan to watch the movie. It is an eye opener. 

7 suggestions to kick start your Summer 2018

1) Watch your beverages. 
Fizzy drinks are HIGH in sugar or artificial sweetners. There's no nutritional value in these drinks. Aim to cut them out completely.
Replace them with infused water (strawberries, apple slices, lemon slices, lemongrass stalks, cucumber, mint leaves, pineapple chunks, orange slices)
Try sparkling water or soda water.

2) Eat a mix of protein and fats to start your day. So that your body is sufficiently fueled to keep you going. 

• Try smoothies with protein powder.
• Scambled eggs with cheese and avo.
• Oats or quinoa with berries
• Greek yoghurt with berries and nuts & seeds.

​3) Become mindful of all that passes your lips.

• Smell your food. Taste it. Chew it.
• Focus just on eating.
• Remove or switch off distractions like TV & cellphones.
• Put your fork down between mouthfuls.

Studies show that those who wolf down their meals eat more and go beyond satisfaction.
This is because it takes up to 20 minutes for your brain to register that you're full. 

4) Don't let slip ups stall you.
Consider that a slip up is 1 out of 21 meals. So slipping up once is not a bad average!
Everyone has them, it is part of life. The key is to accept the slip up and eat well at the next meal. 

5) Work on strength training to keep your metabolism revving long after you've finished sweating. 
The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn even when you're resting. 

6) Weekends are differnet to week days.
Different routine, different people.
Make sure to start your weekend, on a Friday afternoon, with a protein and fat snack like biltong and nuts or hummus and vegetable sticks with olives.
You'll be less likely to overindulge later in the evening.

Don't skip breakfast for brunch later. Have a smoothie first thing and fit in some exercise.
The activity will help to destress and help to keep you on track with your food choices later on in the day. 

On Sunday evening, plan your meals for the coming week.

• Write them down, make a shopping list and prep your snacks for the week ahead.
• Pack your nuts and biltong.
• Chop your carrot and cucumber sticks.
• Make a pot of soup. 

7) Increase your FAT intake.
​Fat takes longer to digest so it keeps you fuller. Eat avos, add coconut oil to smoothies, stir fries and instaed of butter on your toast. Eat full cream Greek yoghurt.

Fats don't make You Fat.

Now these 7 suggestions are all great!

But if you go ahead and try to incorporate all fo them immediately you'll probably last 3 days.
Why?
Because change is hard. It takes effort and doing all 7 of these new changes is likely to leave  you feeling overwhelmed, irritated and rebellious.

So instead of trying to turn your life long habits on their head in one almighty flip, try changing the course of your health a couple of habits at a time. Small steps in the direction of your goals will prove over time to get you closer to said goals.

So which 2 will you choose for the coming week?

I double dare you to reply to me and let me know!!!

---

30-Day Fit and Healthy Jump Start program starts 9 October.

Habits can be difficult to change on our own.
So instead of fighting a bad habit, why not make a new habit?

We all have good intentions of eating healthy and exercising, but other things seem to get in the way. 

If you have had failed weight loss attempts in the past, it’s likely because the changes and restrictions weren’t something you could live with long term.

It’s not your fault!

This 30-Day online program will help you incorporate healthy habits that set you up for long-term SUCCESS. 

No crazy diets, and no long lists of foods that you CAN’T have! 

Oh, and it also doesn’t involve spending hours at the gym each day.

Register HERE. 

Invite a friend or two for extra support and motivation. 
The more the merrier and you'll all be keeping each other on track!