My Findings on Burning Body Fat

If you're like me and have struggled in the in the past with high body fat, well you may want to read this.   Over the years as we get older find it harder and harder to get rid of body fat, mainly because our metabolism slows down as we get older, our cells start dying and not replacing themselves effectively due to poor nutrition, pollution around us and the weather and stress in our lives, coupled with the fact that as we age and do not engage into physical and active things we lose muscle mass which makes our metabolism slow. 

I recently did a biometric reading for my body fat and was really shocked at the high level of my body fat. I knew I was overweight as I have about a stone and a half to lose, but the most shocking finding was that  my fat content was near 40%. 

This made me want to look into the reason that my body fat content was so high. 

I started by tracking what I was eating in the first instance, I felt I ate pretty healthily. But then you can eat healthy and still put on weight and fat. 

This made me want to look into the reason that my body fat content was so high. So here's what I found

I started by tracking what I was eating in the first instance, I felt I ate pretty healthily. I downloaded an app on my iPhone called MyFitnessPal. 

This is a really cool app, I put in my daily food habits and it told me how much macronutrients I was getting. To you and me that is how many carbs, fat, protein I was taken in. 

I didn't put any restrictions on the amount of carbs fats or proteins at this point as I just wanted to know what my day to day intake was on a regular basis.  I did this for three weeks. The findings were amazing not to say the least I was eating far too much fat and not expending enough energy i.e. exercise   

So even though on some days I ate less than my caloric intake, The content of the fat in what I was eating was really high, and also because I was not exercising the food that I was eating wasn't being used efficiently and therefore my body converted this to additional fat and began to store it.

it wasn't that I was eating the wrong types of food, it was about eating the right combination of food. 
So this showed me that you can eat healthy and still put weight and body fat on

So then I began paying more attention to the percentage of carbohydrates, proteins, fat intake. The recommended percentages are 50% carbohydrates 30% protein 20% fat so I set my goals on the my fitness pal app to those recommended percentages. 

I also looked up what my base metabolic rate (BMR) was.
If you do not know what this is, it is the calculation for how many calories your body needs to function on a daily basis, for instance the calories need it for digestion for breathing, processing waste within the body, moving, for the heart to pump blood around the body et cetera. This is also known as you're resting metabolic rate.  So your BMR dictates how many calories you need on a day-to-day basis to function normally. 

 In order to reduce weight you would then need to reduce your daily intake by about 500 cal to lose about half a pounds a week, if you wish to lose more, say a pound a week, then you would need to reduce your daily calorie intake to by another 500 cal. It is not generally advised to reduce your calorie intake more than 1000 cal as it would make you too weak to function on a day-to-day basis and it is not healthy. 

If you put your height and your weight and your age into my fitness pal app it will calculate all this for you. You then select how many pounds you would like or what your ideal weight is and it will give you the option of losing half a pound a week ora pound to 2 pounds.  Although, 2 pounds is a bit excessive and very hard to do in a week unless you have a lot of weight to lose in the first instance  Normally a pound to half a pound a week is acceptable. 

So I put into a goal, I weighed myself, I measured my hips and my waist and enter the information into the my fitness pal app and I also set a goal to increase my workouts to 4 times a week.

I also devised a specific program of workouts that I was going to do on those four days so I wasn't just going to wing it every day. 

I then use the my fitness pal app to preload in my meals for the day, in other words I plan to head on what I was going to eat. I found this really useful and helped me to keep my carb,  protein, fat content in relation to the goals I had set. I could pre-enter the breakfast lunch and dinner onto the app and look at the nutritional content to see how they met my goal. If I was over on the far side or under on the protein side I would simply remove an item and replace it with something else, until I found the right combination of food that would give me my macro percentages. 

Which I thought had little or no fat where most surprising, such as a slice of bread has a lot of fat and when removed from a meal plan reduce the amount of fat intake. By doing this has helped me to understand more about the level of macronutrients in the food that we eat, and has helped me to understand more about better food choices by being able to plan in advance. 

Of course the hard part is trying to stick to your meal plan for that day and I would say about 80% of the time I have done so, it's also good to plan in cheat meals, by this I mean days where you know you will be going out to a restaurant for a meal or to friends for dinner, or maybe a takeaway.  

My personal results so far,  I have reduced my body fat by 3% over a four week period which is pretty good and I have also lost 6.5 pounds in doing so. 

So here is what I did in summary 

1. Have an end goal in mind (whether it is a weight goal or to get into a dress size goal)
2. Track your eating habits using an app or a food counter or by writing it down
3. Plan your daily meals in advance using the app or writing it down and sticking to it
   Monitor your intake of macronutrients i.e. carbs, protein, fat daily. 
4. Adjust calorie intake as you lose weight (monthly)
5. Preplan a workout routine for the week including rest days
6. Make sure you drink 2 L or more of water on a daily basis. 
7. Plan your cheat days ahead so you know how much calories you will be taking in (If you do this on a heavy exercise day, you won't feel as bad!)
8. Increase your exercise activity to boost your calorie deficit rather than drop foods form your diet. 
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Stop! Don't Put That In Your Mouth

I got this as an email from Chris Reid last week and thought it so right for what's going on now in the news.

Does it seem like every time you read the
paper or turn on the news, you are told about
yet another food that will cause your head to
explode, stomach to burst, heart to jump out
of your mouth....or worse!?

So much information and so much doom and
gloom...I find myself staring at the produce
counter as if I am picking out numbers on the
roulette wheel!

Well....let me try to offer this simple tip.

Before you eat it, ask, "what is this"?

Each item you eat or each ingredient of the
item you eat should be "something" that
exists on its own without need for human
manipulation....

Examples:
Carrots.....they grow as carrots
Rice.... it grows as rice
Pizza Pocket.....well...lots of stuff that
is food, lots of stuff that is synthesized from
food and some good old chemical compounds
that is created in labs....

Look at the examples above and see
the theme.

Celery, beans, apples and water are different from
hotdogs, beefaroni, onion rings and pepsi!

Get it? You should be able to look at your
food and name the natural ingredients or
identify it as an actual complete food in and
of itself.

Now....notice I am not talking about fat, sugar
cholesterol etc....no, I am talking about identifying
exactly what you are eating because as much as
high fat foods increase bodyfat, toxic food can
be worse!

All of those processed foods containing un-natural
ingredients as if it were a chemical cocktail are
TOXIC!

Your body reacts by defending itself against
the toxins. How does it do that? Well aside from
the liver working over time until it is destroyed,
the rest of the toxins store in your body fat.

Yes...TOXINS STORE IN BODY FAT

Now...ask yourself why it is so hard to lose that
fat? Are you sure all you need is diet and exercise
now? Let me tell ya, you need more because that
fat is now storing a toxic mix of chemicals that
can kill you if they were released into your body...

So the result is that your body holds the fat not
as energy storage, but more like a toxic waste
dump and your body is not going to let it go!

Here is what you can do to start the purge of
these toxins.

1. Drink at least 3 gallons of water per day
2. Exercise regularly
3. Eliminate new toxins by eating whole foods
4. Consider an herbal detox program...visit your
local whole foods store for recommendations.

Many people deal with weight issues that
result from toxic diets as opposed to high
fat diets. The problem can be addressed
however. Our body is incredible and with
the correct assistance from us, can overcome
it's toxic issues.


To your dieting success! 

Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)
LFGC Founder
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Lose Weight And Eat Cake

Most diets say you can't eat cakes or sweet things, but for the first time, here is a diet that you include cakes and desserts.

Our challenge starts to kick off April 15th, so who is in?

It's easy as 
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No one gets left behind!


To your dieting success!

Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)
LFGC Founder
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Early Morning Routine

Woke up super early this morning and had it in my head that I would go to the gym.

So I jumped out of bed, got my stiff together and got in the car.

Got there for 6.30am. At the gym I was surprised to see quite a few others there already working out.

I did a quick 10 minutes in the cross training machine, 5 minutes
rowing and 15minutes doing various weight bearing exercises.

After a shower I felt a lot more energised and am ready to start my day 'full of beans'

Working out no matter what the of day always leave you energised. It gets the heart pumping and the blood flowing. Oxygen is moving more freely around the body improving circulation.

Exercising helps improve your blood pressure and I am sure there are a multitude of other benefits.

If you are busy just like me then getting up a little bit earlier to do done exercise whether its walking, running, skipping or the gym, get pumping!

Looking forward to the rest of my day, hope you all enjoy yours :)


PS join us now at http://www.ichange.com/user/ColetteM for your online weight coaching with COlette Morris


To your dieting success!

Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)
LFGC Founder

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Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com

or simply click on the tab here to join our program.

Effective Digestion Can Make You Have More Energy

Have you eaten a large meal then felt really really tired after eating it? Have you thought about why you feel tired? Why does your body all of a sudden seem to want to shut itself down and force you to sleep?

It's all to do with the foods we eat together.  But, there is a better way to eat our foods effectively, and this is called Food Combining.

What is Food Combining? In simple terms is is combining of different foods that are compatible with each other to aid the digestive process making it easier for our body to digest the food.  Food is only capable of nourishing the body when it is digested.  Most processed foods these days make it hard for our bodies to digest the food effectively and also the nutrient value in processed foods is very low in comparison to fresh vegetables and steamed protein such as fish or white meats. 

We all eat foods that when combined takes our bodies too long to digest, therefore we become lethargic, tired and sometimes have unpleasant symptoms.  By learning which foods are compatible with each other in digestive chemistry will help to enhance your nutrition and alleviate some of these uncomfortable symptoms. Eating the wrong foods together can take up alot of out energy to digest it,  it has been suggested that our body needs around 8 hours of working energy to digest a large meal eaten with foods not combined effectively, therefore making us feel sleepy and tired as the body uses up extra calories to try and breakdown the foods in the digestive process.   By selecting the right foods that work together to digest more efficiently  and therefore gives us more energy to do other activities.

It is important to realise how our body digests food.  There are three areas where food is passed, the mouth, the stomach and the small intestine.  These areas form part of the digestive tract.  There are different enzymes which break down different food types at different parts of the process.  Food is broken down in the mouth by chewing on it (mastication) this is mixed with saliva and depending on the type of food different enzymes are secreted to break down the food further to aid digestion. However, the enzymes do not work well when the wrong foods are combined. 

Think about it this way, protein is broken down by an enzyme called pepsin, and fat is broken down by an enzyme called lipase and starch by an enzyme called amalyse and so forth.  However, these enzymes can only work in various environments, i.e. only when that particular food is being broken down, so when the wrong foods are eaten together the enzymes do not work well, and sometimes stop working and therefore is not able to breakdown the foods digested.  

So in part 2 of my food combining post I will go into foods that are compatible and foods that are not compatible to give you an idea on effective combining.  Of course, like any other diet, you need to consult with your general practitioner before starting any new diet if you are on medication or have any medical ailments. Food combining is effective for managing your weight, and for effective weight loss if used properly. 

Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)   
Herbalife Shop - http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com  or simply click on the tab here  to join our program. 

Today's Quick Low Fat Meal

Today I came home and quickly knocked this dish up!

Prawns with mushrooms, leeks, sweet pepper in a ginger and sweet chilli coconut sauce.

Ingredients:
Half a packet of frozen prawns or 8-12 large tiger prawns
Three mushrooms finely chopped
One whole leek chopped finely
Half a sweet bell pepper
One teaspoon grated ginger
Two tablespoons of coconut milk or a tablespoon of coconut cream a splash of sweet chilli sauce

ently fry in two teaspoons of vegetable oil the leeks, mushrooms and bell peppers add black pepper and soy sauce. Then add prawns and a little ginger add a little water and a splash of sweet chilli to taste.  

Simmer for 15 mins in a low heat then serve on a bed of rice!

Enjoy!

Regards
Colette Morris
London Fit Girl Club Founder
Skype user name: cmorris088
http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com
twitter: @ldnfitgirlsclub

Super Foods - 10 Healthiest foods

This healthy food list consists of foods that have more nutrients per calorie than most other foods. They have also been shown to contain vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that prevent disease: from cancer to heart disease to arthritis, and many more.

These super foods are ideal for heart healthy, low fat cooking. We should include the 10 healthiest as part of a healthy eating program on a regular basis. Our list of super foods is arranged alphabetically, not in order of importance.

The 10 Healthiest Foods

• 1 Berries
  Berries are extremely rich in antioxidants which help protect the cells in our bodies from diseases like cancer. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin C and soluble fiber.
• 2 Broccoli
  Broccoli (and other cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage) helps fight cancer, especially affecting the breast, colon and lung. It boosts the immune system.
• 3 Citrus Fruits
  The citrus bioflavanoids in oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit have anti-cancer properties.
• 4 Garlic
  Numerous studies have shown that garlic can lower blood pressure and decrease LDL cholesterol (the "bad" one) while increasing the good HDL cholesterol.
• 5 Nuts
  Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids that protect us against heart disease. Almonds can also help lower LDL cholesterol levels.
• 6 Oats
  Oats help reduce cholesterol. Oats are also an excellent grain for diabetics as they have less impact on blood sugar levels than some other grains.
• 7 Salmon
  The Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon and other fatty fish may help prevent heart disease and stroke.
• 8 Spinach
  Spinach's secret weapon, lutein, makes it one of the best foods in the world to prevent cataracts, as well as age related macular degeneration, the primary cause of preventable blindness in the elderly.
• 9 Tomatoes
  Tomatoes contain high levels of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect against cancer, particular cancer of the prostate.
• 10 Turkey
  Turkey is especially lean and low in calories, making it an excellent healthy food choice. Turkey also contains selenium which has been shown to inhibit cancer development, improve the immune system, and aid in the metabolism of our thyroid hormone. Next time you cook a turkey, be sure to make the most of the turkey leftovers.

The top 10 healthiest foods, or "super foods", are easy to fit into a healthy diet. By consuming these super foods on a regular basis you can easily gain many health benefits.


This article was contributed by Karen Ciancio. Karen is a cook and a fan of all things cooking related. Her website Cooking Nook contains recipes that feature each of these super foods plus lots of other recipes, cooking tips and kitchen ideas.


Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition) 
http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email me LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com