Striving for the perfect body

There is an over-whelming amount of information out there teaching us the “best way” to lose body fat. A Google search will get you over a million hits on how to lose weight. With all that information available to us, shouldn’t we all be healthy?

Here are a couple of issues with the information you’ll find on Google:

• Some of it is just ridiculous
• Most of it doesn’t even touch on mindset 

You might be asking yourself…… “Mindset? What does mindset have to do with losing body fat?” I’m here to tell you that it’s a huge piece of the fat loss puzzle. And once you understand the importance of your mindset, it changes everything.

I’m going to mention the term “successful fat loss” a few times through this article, which to me means sustainable fat loss. Reaching your goals means nothing if you do not have the ability to sustain your results. No one wants to be a yo-yo dieter. I’ve been there and it’s not fun.

Fat loss is both easy and hard. It’s easy because it comes down to basic science. Expend more than you consume, and you lose fat. Seems simple, right?

But it’s hard because you need to have a good fitness & nutrition plan that you’re consistent with. And you need to be patient. Otherwise, successful fat loss isn’t going to happen. If you can wrap your mind around the fact that consistency and patience are a must, then successful fat loss will be a lot easier and less stressful.

Here are just a few ways that your mind can hold you back from your fat loss goals: (and it’s worth noting that these tips are applicable to any goal you are trying to achieve. Health, career, family, etc)

 

• You lack self-belief

The first step to setting a goal is to believe you can achieve it. If you’ve ever struggled with self-doubt, you know that truly believing in yourself takes time and takes effort. You have to change the way you talk to yourself, change the way you look at yourself, and change the way you think of yourself.

 

• You have comparison syndrome

Are you constantly comparing your body, your workouts, or your results to those around you can really hinder your progress? It’s great to have a support system and people to hold you accountable, but always remember that your body is different than any other body on this entire planet. Therefore, your progress will be different. And we are all so different, which means that what works for your best pal Suzie may not work for you.

The only person you should compare yourself to is the person you were yesterday. 

•     You’re impatient

Stop giving up after a week, or a month, or even 6 months. Real change takes time. Depending on how far you have to go or how big your goals are, a sustainable body transformation can take years. Stop chasing fast results. They aren’t sustainable. And in the grand scheme of life, taking 1-2 years to get yourself healthy, truly healthy, is not that long.

 

• You don’t realize what it really takes

Change is challenging both mentally and physically. Before you even start the process of fat loss, you should sit down and figure out why you want to change. Dig deep! And write it down. This is something you can always come back to when you feel like giving up.

 

• You’re letting the scale dictate your progress

I’ve been a nutrition coach for 6 years now and I can confidently say that weight loss is never linear. And if you are allowing the scale to dictate the effort you give, you won’t get the results you so badly want. Body weight fluctuates daily based on thing like hormones, water, workouts, stress, and a million other things that have nothing to do with fat.

Here’s what this means: the scale is not the best method to measure your progress. Keep track of energy levels, sleep quality, motivation, performance, and take progress photos.

 

• You’re not addressing the REAL issue

If you are overweight, chances are there are bigger issues than just lack of exercise, poor diet, and an unhealthy lifestyle. Sometimes it’s underlying emotional issues that are keeping you from changing your habits and becoming healthy. Maybe you turn to food for comfort or a way to deal with grief. Maybe you’re unhappy or lonely and turning to food in order to fill these voids. To achieve successful fat loss, it may require a deep dive into some emotional stuff. But once you start to recognize and address these issues, you will be well on your way to accomplishing your goals.

 

• You’re scared to fail

Even though you may be uncomfortable and unhappy in your current situation, stepping into the unknown and changing your habits is downright scary. Maybe you’ve tried losing body fat in the past and have failed so now you’re afraid to give 100% effort.  Trying your hardest is scary because you have no excuse to fall back on if you don’t get the results you’re hoping for. However, not having a sense of urgency when it comes to change can hold you back from making real progress. Be relentless in your efforts and remember that you have only failed when you stop trying.

If any of these relate to you and you would like a chance to sort them out to lead a more sustainable fat loss process, then feel free to send me a message for a FREE 30 minute health coaching sessions (online).

enquiries.iysftiness@gmail.com

 

3 Reasons why women and girls should do some sort of strength work

One of the biggest misconceptions about women strength training is that it is going to make them gain an undesirable amount of muscle mass and that they will look bulky. Foe women who are sprinters, weight lifters or bodybuilders who tend to have a larger amount of muscle mass will eat, train, and take very specific supplements to get like that for years and years. But would you say they look ‘bulky’? Who are we to say who looks bulky or not? These women are incredible athletes who put their lives into their training and get the results they are wanting to win. Which is just like when women join the gym or get a trainer, you are investing your money to look a certain way. It is hard for us as women to get bulky and gain undesirable amounts of muscle mass. We do not have the same hormonal profile as males, and we find it much harder to put on muscle mass then them. Even for them, it is a very hard, specific, and a slow process. Another common misconception is that women should only be doing light weights or circuit type training. Everywhere from 2-20 reps. When we are doing little reps our weights will be heavier and when we do higher reps our weights will be lighter. I phase my clients in and out of strength and intensity programs. So, when we are doing strength, we are focusing on more volume, fewer reps, and moving heavyweights, and when we do intensity we focus on more reps, fewer sets, and an intense focus. This allows my clients to get long term results and in return avoid injuries. The heavy lifting is going to make their muscles stronger (not necessarily bigger) and denser. So, when we go into a calorie deficit, they attain the ‘lean and toned’ look. Here are 3 reasons why every female should be lifting weights and lifting heavy; 1. Get lean and toned Strength training has been shown repeatedly to improve body composition and even treat metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Remember; strength training shapes and tightens the body. Strength training is key when it comes to improving body composition. 2. Reduce depression Depression is on the increase and is being diagnosed more and more. The research has shown repeatedly that strength training helps prevent both depression and anxiety. It helps in the release of dopamine and serotonin (our happy neurotransmitters – ‘happy hormone’). It has been shown that the effects of exercise on improving and treating depression last longer than some anti-depressants. 3. Bone loss prevention This is a very important benefit of strength training in females. For females who have suffered from eating disorders in the past which has led to Amenorrhea (stopping your menstrual cycle) this often also results in some bone loss. Unfortunately, when bone is lost, we cannot always get it back. However, strength training has been shown to increase bone mineral density and bone strength. Which prevents osteoporosis later in life, or even when women decide to have a baby, having a strong body prior will only benefit your before, during and after labor. Strength training isn’t just about strengthening your muscles, it also strengthens your bones, tendons, and ligaments.

The effects of poor gut health

Over the past few years gut health has become more and more of a priority and it seems now every supplement company has jumped on board promoting gut-healing supplements. Bloating is painful and uncomfortable, and it is a sure way to kill your mood for the day. Especially when it is unexplained. Firstly, it is important for you all to know that the digestive system is so complex, it is 9 meters in length and problems can occur along any point of the tract. This means the potential for issues are so  widespread. Almost all of our hormones are made or synthesized through the gut. This means that if there are gut issues there are likely going to be hormonal issues as well. Which is why certain foods react for some but not for others. There is a very big link between gut issues and mental health problems, as some of you may know your gut is like your second brain. Most of our serotonin is made in the gut and what we know about depression is it is a serotonin deficiency. There are also links between gut health, anxiety, and mood disorders as most of our neurotransmitters are also made in the gut. Essentially, poor gut health can impact almost every system in the body and the symptoms, you experience can be anything from mental health, skin issues, water retention, sleep issues to your common bloating and cramping. Here are some of the possible areas where things could be going wrong; In your brain If you are stressed and in-flight or fight mode you will not be able to digest your food properly along with if you are mindlessly eating and never feeling full or only crave certain foods. Your mouth Not chewing your food properly and dehydration can lead to gut issues Your stomach Low HCL; this can be lowered by stress, inflammation, poor thyroid function and infections causing decreased protein breakdown and increased risk of pathogens entering the system. Your Gallbladder This is where we absorb fats if there is inadequate bile being secreted, we will not be able to absorb fats causing stress on the system Your Pancreas If there are issues with pancreatic enzyme secretion carbohydrates, fats, and protein will not be absorbed properly The Small intestine This is where I see the most issues and is generally due to clients eating foods they are sensitive to which destroy the villi and microvilli on the small intestine wall The Large intestine This is generally where the infection can occur which will create issues over the entire G.I tract You are not what you eat but what you absorb! Issues with the gut can be wide-spread. It is important to make sure you get the right help to get to the root cause of the problem. Unfortunately, for the gut, it is not just a ‘pill’ or course of supplementation or antibiotics that will correct the issue. It takes a lot of time to repair and rebuild. And may include semi-permanent alterations to your food choices. But it will be so worth it in the long term!  I would recommend a dietitian, nutritionist who would be able to recommend you to get certain tests which some include blood test, When you notice yourself feeling uncomfortable and swollen make sure you write down the foods and drinks you have eaten that day and keep a note for any similarities.

Trusting your gut

Have you ever made a decision that was in line with your best experiential judgment but against your gut? Whether it is the right call or not, the uncertainty is enough to deter a positive outcome. Ideally, we can learn to align our gut instincts with our best judgment and nurture our intuition into something we can and frequently do trust, rely on, and believe in.

Firstly, what is our intuition? We have all heard terms like “a woman’s intuition” or “a mother’s intuition,” but intuition is something we all acquire.

Essentially, even if we are not aware of it, our gut or intuition is always present. It’s not a nagging voice in our head, nor the devil on our shoulder. Our intuition is a kind, inner voice that guides us towards more positive actions and outcomes.

Whenever we get scared or nervous, we won’t trust ourselves, and we cut off communication with our inner guide. Thoughts like ‘I can’t,’ or ‘there’s no way’ block us from creative ideas and intuitive direction. Then fear leads us to overthink and start future-tripping negative outcomes.

When these feelings start to occur, take a deep breath and try to slow down your thinking. If the feeling really does not go away, then listen to that gut (not your head) your gut can tell you so much more about yourself than your head. Overall make sure you give those feelings a try. Start small (like taking a different route home), listen (is it telling you it’s okay), and take note (that instinct was a good one or not).