The first piece of homework your nutritionalist will give you is to make a food diary, this is exceedingly important, you have to be TRUE to yourself about everything you pop in your mouth.
Get yourself a book, or set up a table on the pc, ie:
Breakfast
food/drink calories
Lunch calories
food/drink
Dinner calories
food/drink
Supper calories
food/drink
Snacks calories
food/drink
You can add on each day the exercise you took, and how much you burned off in calories..
Fill in a sheet every single day, bring it to me and lets look where your succeeding and where adjustments could help with weight loss/gain as part of your move towards a more healthy lifestyle.
Begin now.... you will see results, and btw, drink plenty of water each day (2 litres), cut back on tea and coffee, and keep away from concentrated fruit juice.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
EXERCISE AND FITNESS
Hi everyone,
Its time to take the plunge and try something new and different, Hannah is training to be a Zumba instructor and today we went to a class together, it was such a lot of fun, the class had 40 attendees and a mixture of ages, sizes, abilities and sexes, there was no pressure to be 'able' to do everything from the outset, it was lots of smiles, dance moves, aerobic activity and oh boy it makes you sweat, hannah was of course a natural at it, being a dancer, but have come away ( as you all know my co-ordination is at times questionable ) ready for more, and willing to go back for more fun..
We topped it off with a ten minute run in the gym, which im sure we will increase, and a massage and workout on the vibro-plate....
Its time to take the plunge and try something new and different, Hannah is training to be a Zumba instructor and today we went to a class together, it was such a lot of fun, the class had 40 attendees and a mixture of ages, sizes, abilities and sexes, there was no pressure to be 'able' to do everything from the outset, it was lots of smiles, dance moves, aerobic activity and oh boy it makes you sweat, hannah was of course a natural at it, being a dancer, but have come away ( as you all know my co-ordination is at times questionable ) ready for more, and willing to go back for more fun..
We topped it off with a ten minute run in the gym, which im sure we will increase, and a massage and workout on the vibro-plate....
Saturday, January 9, 2010
PILATES BREATHING
Pilates exercises require breathing very fully, taking advantage of every breath cycle to draw in lots of fresh air and get rid of every bit of stale air. We want to oxygenate our blood, get our circulation going, and get the rejuvenating qualities that a deep breath delivers.
Despite the focus on the breath in Pilates, some people feel a little "inhale deprived" when they start learning Pilates exercises. Keeping the abdominal muscles deeply pulled in, and taking a great big inhale at the same time, can seem like contradictory directions. But there is a special breathing technique we use in Pilates that allows us to maintain a contraction of the abs throughout an exercise. It is called, lateral breathing.
In lateral breathing we breathe deeply, all the way down the spine and into the pelvic bowl, but emphasize expanding the breath into the back and sides of the ribcage.
When the abs are pulled in properly, they protect the spine and act like a supportive corset for the whole trunk. Knowing how to breathe well while keeping the abs contracted gives us extra support throughout an exercise. As you practice lateral breathing, you will find that you are able to perform Pilates exercises with greater ease. It helps make the scoop of abs easier and enhances the sense of lengthening the spine with the breath.
This exercise will help you feel the lateral expansion of the ribcage with the breath:
1. Wrap about 3 feet of exercise band around the lower part of your ribcage. You can also use a length of elastic or just wrap your hands around your ribcage.
2. Hold the band closed in front of your chest.
3. Inhale: Let the breath travel down your spine and expand into your back and sides so you feel the band is stretched, side and back, by your breath.
While lateral breathing is the technique to use when you want to keep your abs in during an inhale, we are talking about training the abs here. We don't want to have our abs contracted all the time. Diaphramatic Breathing, with a natural extension of the belly on an inhale, is still the healthiest way to breathe regularly. Adding lateral breath to your diaphramatic breathing will increase your overall breathing capacity.
Despite the focus on the breath in Pilates, some people feel a little "inhale deprived" when they start learning Pilates exercises. Keeping the abdominal muscles deeply pulled in, and taking a great big inhale at the same time, can seem like contradictory directions. But there is a special breathing technique we use in Pilates that allows us to maintain a contraction of the abs throughout an exercise. It is called, lateral breathing.
In lateral breathing we breathe deeply, all the way down the spine and into the pelvic bowl, but emphasize expanding the breath into the back and sides of the ribcage.
When the abs are pulled in properly, they protect the spine and act like a supportive corset for the whole trunk. Knowing how to breathe well while keeping the abs contracted gives us extra support throughout an exercise. As you practice lateral breathing, you will find that you are able to perform Pilates exercises with greater ease. It helps make the scoop of abs easier and enhances the sense of lengthening the spine with the breath.
This exercise will help you feel the lateral expansion of the ribcage with the breath:
1. Wrap about 3 feet of exercise band around the lower part of your ribcage. You can also use a length of elastic or just wrap your hands around your ribcage.
2. Hold the band closed in front of your chest.
3. Inhale: Let the breath travel down your spine and expand into your back and sides so you feel the band is stretched, side and back, by your breath.
While lateral breathing is the technique to use when you want to keep your abs in during an inhale, we are talking about training the abs here. We don't want to have our abs contracted all the time. Diaphramatic Breathing, with a natural extension of the belly on an inhale, is still the healthiest way to breathe regularly. Adding lateral breath to your diaphramatic breathing will increase your overall breathing capacity.
Special K challenge
i found this and thought you'd be interested, these are just ideas, finding a plan that suits you may take some time, if you would like a specific plan, get in touch and we will write one that is specific to your needs..
2 week kick-start plan
To help kick-start your healthy eating habits, eat two bowls of the 10 delicious varieties of Special K cereal - one for breakfast and the other for lunch or as an evening meal, then enjoy a third nutritionally balanced meal everyday for two weeks. You can snack on fruit and vegetables too.
Breakfast 1 bowl of Special K Red Berries with 125mls semi skimmed milk.
Snack Apple
Lunch Special K Creamy Berry Crunch with 125mls semi skimmed milk (remember you can swap your 2nd bowl of Special K to the evening).
Snack Carrot sticks
Evening meal Lebanese chicken kebabs
Drink Consume plenty of (non-alcoholic) fluids such as water or diluted fruit juices throughout the day
Create your 2 week kick-start plan.
Long term healthy lifestyle plan
We've created a sensible, balanced meal plan to help you stay in shape and there are hundreds of healthy recipes available on the Personal Plan, making sure every day provides tasty variety.
Breakfast 1 bowl of Special K Oats & Honey with 125mls semi skimmed milk.
Snack Hummus and carrots
Lunch Chunky Tuna nicoise wrap
Snack Orange
Evening meal Moroccan chicken with couscous
Drink Consume plenty of (non-alcoholic) fluids such as water and diluted fruit juices throughout the day
i found this and thought you'd be interested, these are just ideas, finding a plan that suits you may take some time, if you would like a specific plan, get in touch and we will write one that is specific to your needs..
2 week kick-start plan
To help kick-start your healthy eating habits, eat two bowls of the 10 delicious varieties of Special K cereal - one for breakfast and the other for lunch or as an evening meal, then enjoy a third nutritionally balanced meal everyday for two weeks. You can snack on fruit and vegetables too.
Breakfast 1 bowl of Special K Red Berries with 125mls semi skimmed milk.
Snack Apple
Lunch Special K Creamy Berry Crunch with 125mls semi skimmed milk (remember you can swap your 2nd bowl of Special K to the evening).
Snack Carrot sticks
Evening meal Lebanese chicken kebabs
Drink Consume plenty of (non-alcoholic) fluids such as water or diluted fruit juices throughout the day
Create your 2 week kick-start plan.
Long term healthy lifestyle plan
We've created a sensible, balanced meal plan to help you stay in shape and there are hundreds of healthy recipes available on the Personal Plan, making sure every day provides tasty variety.
Breakfast 1 bowl of Special K Oats & Honey with 125mls semi skimmed milk.
Snack Hummus and carrots
Lunch Chunky Tuna nicoise wrap
Snack Orange
Evening meal Moroccan chicken with couscous
Drink Consume plenty of (non-alcoholic) fluids such as water and diluted fruit juices throughout the day
Monday, January 4, 2010
weekends in suffolk
we are offering this year a special treat, you can come to stay in suffolk, and train/run/cycle in beautiful suffolk.
you will be fed home cooked healthy food all weekend, and given advice on where to 'train', you will have access to comfortable surroundings, with a treatment room on-site, where you can choose one of many treatments on offer, including sports massage and thai massage, you can discuss, injuries, rehabilitation, stretching, strengthening, nutrition and training programmes..
any level of athlete is welcome, even beginners, we have beautiful surroundings just five minutes from home, and a labrador who loves to run!!!
benditlikebecky, is a well respected and renowned sports therapist, who also teaches pilates, yoga and circuits, and works at a local gym, we have many sports men and women who love to train locally and the running routes are tried and tested.
call for details or to discuss your motivational plan for exercise over 2010.
you will be fed home cooked healthy food all weekend, and given advice on where to 'train', you will have access to comfortable surroundings, with a treatment room on-site, where you can choose one of many treatments on offer, including sports massage and thai massage, you can discuss, injuries, rehabilitation, stretching, strengthening, nutrition and training programmes..
any level of athlete is welcome, even beginners, we have beautiful surroundings just five minutes from home, and a labrador who loves to run!!!
benditlikebecky, is a well respected and renowned sports therapist, who also teaches pilates, yoga and circuits, and works at a local gym, we have many sports men and women who love to train locally and the running routes are tried and tested.
call for details or to discuss your motivational plan for exercise over 2010.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
HOWS YOUR EXERCISE!
So ask yourself how much exercise do you do a week, and what are you aiming for, if you don't do any at the moment, you will need to begin at a steady and regular pace.
Why not make yourself a chart.... mon - sun, aim to exercise every other day, and a session over the weekend, perhaps start with a 10 minute walk, and increase it each week, so week 2, walk for 15 minutes every other day, gradually building up to 30 minutes each session. You may find if you are new to exercise this makes you fatigued initially but keep going because it will make a huge difference to your life, add to this a healthy eating plan, cut back on cigarettes and alcohol and keep trying.. (contact me direct for support)
If you feel you would like to do more, we can write a plan for you, or you can join us in our circuit classes where you can take things at your own pace.
i love to have a varied exercise routine, it keeps things interesting for me, circuits, pilates, yoga, walking, swimming, powerlates, yogalates..and more!
Those of you who are active, what are you waiting for, get back to exercise, circuits, gym, walking, we also run yoga and pilates classes, and coming very soon ZUMBA FUN, with the lovely Hannah..
Ideally we should aim for 30 minutes of vigorous exercise 5 times a week or 60 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 times a week.
Keep logging on, there's going to be alot more!!!!
Why not make yourself a chart.... mon - sun, aim to exercise every other day, and a session over the weekend, perhaps start with a 10 minute walk, and increase it each week, so week 2, walk for 15 minutes every other day, gradually building up to 30 minutes each session. You may find if you are new to exercise this makes you fatigued initially but keep going because it will make a huge difference to your life, add to this a healthy eating plan, cut back on cigarettes and alcohol and keep trying.. (contact me direct for support)
If you feel you would like to do more, we can write a plan for you, or you can join us in our circuit classes where you can take things at your own pace.
i love to have a varied exercise routine, it keeps things interesting for me, circuits, pilates, yoga, walking, swimming, powerlates, yogalates..and more!
Those of you who are active, what are you waiting for, get back to exercise, circuits, gym, walking, we also run yoga and pilates classes, and coming very soon ZUMBA FUN, with the lovely Hannah..
Ideally we should aim for 30 minutes of vigorous exercise 5 times a week or 60 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 times a week.
Keep logging on, there's going to be alot more!!!!
SOME LUNCH IDEAS TO GET YOUR DIET STARTED
Apricot and cottage cheese sandwiches
Dried apricots x 1 handfuls
Cottage cheese x 3 tbsp
Lettuce x 1 cups
Wholemeal bread (sliced) x 2 slices
1. Thinly slice the dried apricots and stir into the cottage cheese.
2. Shred the lettuce.
3. Top the slices of wholemeal bread with the cottage cheese mixture and shredded lettuce.
Avocado and prawn pasta salad
Prawns - fresh or frozen x 50 gram(s)
Avocado x 1
Little gem lettuce x 1
Plain low-fat yoghurt x 2 tbsp
Tomato puree x 0.25 tbsp
Pasta x 100 gram(s)
1. Add pasta shells to a pot of boiling water and cook according to instructions - about 10 mins.
2. Meanwhile, remove the peel and the stone from the avocado and chop flesh into small chunks.
3. In a separate bowl mix together the tomato puree and yoghurt.
3. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and run under a cold tap to cool.
4. Combine pasta, prawns and avocado with the yoghurt dressing.
5. Season to taste and serve with lettuce leaves.
Bacon, lettuce and tomato baguette
Bacon x 100 gram(s)
Tomato(es) x 1
Lettuce x 1 cups
Plain low-fat yoghurt x 1 tbsp
Wholemeal baguette x 0.5
1. Grill the bacon under a pre-heated grill.
2. Slice the tomatoes and prepare the lettuce.
3. Slice open the wholemeal French bread and spread on the yoghurt.
4. Fill the bread with a layer of lettuce, then the tomato and bacon.
Bean salad with jacket potato
Onion(s) x 0.5
Cucumber x 0.25
Tomato(es) x 2
Haricot beans x 2 tbsp
Kidney beans x 2 tbsp
Jacket potato x 1 (medium)
Lettuce x 1 cups
Olive oil x 1 tbsp
1. Scrub the potato, then dry and prick several times with a sharp knife.
2. To microwave: cook one potato (225g/8oz) for 6 min on full power (800W), turn halfway through cooking. Allow to stand for 1-2 min before serving. ( i dont love microwave cooking, oven tastes better)
3. To oven bake: rub a few drops of olive oil into the potato skin, place the potato in a pre-heated oven at 200°C or gas mark 6 on a baking tray. Bake for 90 min or until soft.
4. Create a bean salsa by combining chopped onion, cucumber and tomato with the drained and rinsed beans.
5. Serve the salsa with a jacket potato and a green salad.
Cheese, ham and salad bagel with veggie sticks (bagels are a very dense starch, so you could substitute for 3 ryvitas)
Bagel(s) x 1
Cheese x 50 gram(s) or cottage cheese if wanting to lose weight
Sliced cooked ham x 100 gram(s)
Celery (sticks) x 2
Baby sweetcorn x 80 gram(s)
Red pepper x 0.5
Lettuce x 1 cups
1. Slice the cheese and place in the bagel along with the ham and lettuce.
2. Serve with baby sweetcorn, strips of pepper and celery sticks.
You could have a low fat yoghurt for dessert, or a piece of fruit, always have water after each meal, and keep your fluids up throughout the day....
Apricot and cottage cheese sandwiches
Dried apricots x 1 handfuls
Cottage cheese x 3 tbsp
Lettuce x 1 cups
Wholemeal bread (sliced) x 2 slices
1. Thinly slice the dried apricots and stir into the cottage cheese.
2. Shred the lettuce.
3. Top the slices of wholemeal bread with the cottage cheese mixture and shredded lettuce.
Avocado and prawn pasta salad
Prawns - fresh or frozen x 50 gram(s)
Avocado x 1
Little gem lettuce x 1
Plain low-fat yoghurt x 2 tbsp
Tomato puree x 0.25 tbsp
Pasta x 100 gram(s)
1. Add pasta shells to a pot of boiling water and cook according to instructions - about 10 mins.
2. Meanwhile, remove the peel and the stone from the avocado and chop flesh into small chunks.
3. In a separate bowl mix together the tomato puree and yoghurt.
3. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and run under a cold tap to cool.
4. Combine pasta, prawns and avocado with the yoghurt dressing.
5. Season to taste and serve with lettuce leaves.
Bacon, lettuce and tomato baguette
Bacon x 100 gram(s)
Tomato(es) x 1
Lettuce x 1 cups
Plain low-fat yoghurt x 1 tbsp
Wholemeal baguette x 0.5
1. Grill the bacon under a pre-heated grill.
2. Slice the tomatoes and prepare the lettuce.
3. Slice open the wholemeal French bread and spread on the yoghurt.
4. Fill the bread with a layer of lettuce, then the tomato and bacon.
Bean salad with jacket potato
Onion(s) x 0.5
Cucumber x 0.25
Tomato(es) x 2
Haricot beans x 2 tbsp
Kidney beans x 2 tbsp
Jacket potato x 1 (medium)
Lettuce x 1 cups
Olive oil x 1 tbsp
1. Scrub the potato, then dry and prick several times with a sharp knife.
2. To microwave: cook one potato (225g/8oz) for 6 min on full power (800W), turn halfway through cooking. Allow to stand for 1-2 min before serving. ( i dont love microwave cooking, oven tastes better)
3. To oven bake: rub a few drops of olive oil into the potato skin, place the potato in a pre-heated oven at 200°C or gas mark 6 on a baking tray. Bake for 90 min or until soft.
4. Create a bean salsa by combining chopped onion, cucumber and tomato with the drained and rinsed beans.
5. Serve the salsa with a jacket potato and a green salad.
Cheese, ham and salad bagel with veggie sticks (bagels are a very dense starch, so you could substitute for 3 ryvitas)
Bagel(s) x 1
Cheese x 50 gram(s) or cottage cheese if wanting to lose weight
Sliced cooked ham x 100 gram(s)
Celery (sticks) x 2
Baby sweetcorn x 80 gram(s)
Red pepper x 0.5
Lettuce x 1 cups
1. Slice the cheese and place in the bagel along with the ham and lettuce.
2. Serve with baby sweetcorn, strips of pepper and celery sticks.
You could have a low fat yoghurt for dessert, or a piece of fruit, always have water after each meal, and keep your fluids up throughout the day....
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