Good morning ~Contact.FirstName~,
What I find with the ladies (and myself at times) is getting the meals right is fine, it's the snacks where people often go wrong.
Unhealthy snacking can really slow down results.
I do always focus with my clients first on getting the meals right and the rest will follow.
Unfortunately with the amount of temptation out there today going through a day without snacking is virtually impossible for some (especially office workers!!) so I’ve come up with a list of healthy snacks to stop you from reaching for the nearest biscuit tin or bag of crisps.
So here they are:
1. Nuts – Nice, easy and delicious. You can pick up some good packs for relatively cheap of mixed nuts. Make sure you get unsalted. Great ones to eat for loads of healthy fats and packed with goodness are Brazil nuts, cashews, almonds and walnuts. Seeds (pumpkin, poppy, sunflower) are also great.
2. Fruit – What could be easier? If you are trying to lose weight then you don’t want to be eating much more than about 2 pieces of fruit a day. Aim for low GI fruits, basically means less sugar. So go for fruits such as berries, plums and apples as opposed to grapes and pineapple.
3. Dark Chocolate – I’ve found this so useful at cutting out those sweet cravings. Try and get high quality 80% + cocoa dark chocolate it’s delicious and just one piece can really stop you craving foods and suppresses your appetite.
4. Yoghurt – There are loads and loads of unhealthy yogurts out there. Ignore the low fat versions as they have added sugar (THE ENEMY) to replace the flavour lost from the fat. Full Fat Greek Yoghurt go for.
5. Salad – Lettuce, cucumber, celery, tomatoes and sliced peppers drizzled with some balsamic vinegar and a bit of black pepper. Easy! That’ll keep you going until your next meal and has hardly any calories in.
6. Veggie Crudites – Chop up some carrot, celery or cucumber sticks and snack on these. Great to dip into hummus for a delicious snack (occasionally).
7. Boiled Eggs – Maybe a little boring if you eat too often but a couple of boiled eggs are packed with good fats and protein and very filling.
8. Peanut/Almond Butter – Avoid overeating this but if you have got a bit of a sweet tooth this helps. Chop up some apple and have with a bit of peanut butter for a lovely tasting snack. Almond butter is healthier but sometimes more expensive. Go for natural peanut butter, Meridian do very nice peanut butter and it’s quite a bit healthier than your normal supermarket version.
9. Popcorn – Now we’re talking. Buy some popcorn seeds. Have a small handful and cook in a pan for a great and low calorie snack. That is as long as you avoid adding loads of salt or sugar. Try cinnamon and a little bit of honey.
10. Healthy Bars – There are a few decent bars out there which are great for deserts or snacks. You will find the best ones are higher in calories but that’s as they have some goodness in, you aren’t just eating empty calories. Good ones to try are Eat natural bars (The dark chocolate ones are amazing), Nakd bars or 9 bars. You can even make your own healthy bars.
So there you have 10 healthy snack ideas which are easy to make and healthy to eat.
Hope this helps you stick on the straight and narrow!
Jamie Stedman
If you are still spending more time than normal at home these days you’ve probably noticed a few temptations.
They are in your kitchen: all the food inside your fridge and/or kitchen cabinets! Especially tempting if you stocked up on snacks and “extras”.
I’ve got two things in this email that might help. One is a tip and another is a recipe.
First, the tip: If you find yourself making too many trips to the kitchen for food, what about setting specific times for your meals and/or snacks?
If you know you have a meal coming up in an hour or so, you might be less apt to sneak a snack.
And second: A recipe!
Actually, this isn’t a recipe so much as a DIY idea.
Staying on-track is all about planning ahead … and putting together some Healthy Snack Tupperware Boxes is a fun and easy solution.
Kids love them, too!
You can assemble your healthy snack bento box in a reusable meal/food container with dividers, but that’s definitely not necessary. Instead, you can use ziploc snack bags or other small sealable containers.
Simply package up your ingredients and keep them in the fridge until snack/mealtime!
Tip: make sure your bento box contains at least one protein-rich ingredient. This will help stabilise your blood sugar and also help you feel fuller, longer.
Possible Healthy Snack Bento Box Ingredients:
Try to include a mix of 3 to 4 different items in your boxes.
The trick is to get these assembled BEFORE you are hungry or feel like snacking! That way you’ll feel less tempted by less-than-healthy snack foods that might be lingering in your kitchen.
I hope this idea helps you – and your family – stay on track!
Make it an amazing day,
Jamie
Good morning,
If there is one food or should I say food type that you should be eating every single day what do you think it is?
I like to think I have taught you well and you know the answer
PROTEIN
Fats and carbs are essential but I'd say the one thing to ensure you are eating enough of is protein, from a good health perspective anyway.
Most people overeat on the carbs every meal:
Breakfast – Toast, porridge, cereal, fruit
Lunch – Sandwiches, wraps, crisps
Dinner – Pasta, rice, pizza, potatoes
Snacks - Ice cream, chocolate, biscuits
Plus booze!
For some people that’s a normal day.
There’s very little protein there which is a problem.
If you’re trying to lose weight and that’s what you’re eating then you’ll struggle.
Protein is essential throughout the day but a high protein breakfast gets the day off to a great start.
It’ll help you lose more weight, fill you up and boost your metabolism.
You don’t have to eat chicken breast or steaks for breakfast (unless you want to!)
Number 1 source of protein for breakfast is?
You got it Eggs.
Eggcellent work!
Perfect source of protein and very versatile so you can boil, scramble, poach, fry or turn into an omelette.
So get your day off to a good start with a high protein breakfast.
The world is a little protein mad with protein shakes, bars, cookies and even pizzas!
Where possible try to get your protein from natural foods like meat, vegetables and eggs.
Take care,
Jamie Stedman
PS Last weekend we opened registration for our July course. We've got 9 spaces left and you can start any day between the 28th of June and 5th Of July. Just reply with 'July' to find out more
At Fitter Body Ladies we have our 3F system.
You've probably heard me talk about it.
It stands for:
Food
Fitness
Focus
If we get all 3 right we should be able to achieve the results we've always wanted.
This week I'll give you some tips from all 3 Fs.
Today is Food:
One thing we try to educate our ladies on is to forget the diets, forget the quick fixes and concentrate on health.
So many of us are controlled by food.
Many can't say no to a biscuit even though they know it's not helping their goals
Many can't stop after a couple of crisps
Many can't get through the weekend without a little binge (then start again Monday)
Many just give into temptation whenever it's near
It's tough - I struggle with things myself.
It's made harder today by the fact that unhealthy food is everywhere we look.
TV ads
Social Media
Bus Stops
Every aisle in the supermarket
So what can we do?
We need to teach control
We need to look at habits
We need to PLAN
The most effective thing that we see ladies do to help with this is get their planning right.
Having a meal plan for the week gives you direction.
It means you buy the right foods and not the wrong ones.
Plus once you can get ahead of the game and start prepping things in advance that's all you need to do then is eat it! Having your food there makes you much less likely to grab something bad on the go.
Rather than throwing 10 tips at you today I just wanted to give you one.
PLAN
Look ahead to the rest of this week and pencil in what meals you're having.
We've got a whiteboard on our fridge with a section for each day, so we plan our meals and then buy the ingredients we need for it.
Have a great day,
Jamie
Good morning ,
Quick fire email.
After talking to a lot of ladies the last month since opening most say they have put on weight over the last year, I think during the lockdown we all turned to things to comfort us, many turned to wine, chocolate and crisps!
There's no use beating yourself up about it, what's done is done, it's time to move forward and do something about it.
Many ladies try and conquer weight loss on their own, make up their own workouts, make up their own diet plans or just grab something from a magazine or the internet.
It's tough and it's why sadly so many ladies fail to reach their goals.
So to help you out if you're going it alone and your weight loss is stuck then here is 10 reasons why that may be.
How many of these are you guilty of?
All 10 of these if done too often can stop you from losing weight.
1. Over Treating – Not every workout or task deserves a treat. If you’ve walked half an hour you don’t need a dessert as a reward for it!
2. Not Sleeping Enough
3. Drinking Sugary/Fizzy Drinks
4. Overeating – Watch your portion sizes
5. Skipping Meals – Unstructured eating can cause you to overeat at other times in the day
6. Not Drinking Enough Water
7. Your Body – Not your fault, but certain things going on in the body can cause problems with weight loss e.g. thyroid problems
8. Your Diet Is Boring & Restricted
9. Not Exercising Enough
10. Not Varying Your Exercise Routine
So something to think about!
If you've had enough of trying to on your own and want some professional help to do it in a fun and friendly environment then why not join our June 28 Day Transformation Program?
We've got 8 spaces left.
Click the link below to find out more:
Thanks,
Jamie
Raise your hand if you’ve ever had a bad day and “treated yourself” to sugary or high-fat processed food!
[ME]
Pizza … ice cream … chips … or whatever other food falls into your “self-soothing” category.
Stress eating is REAL.
BUT … too much stress eating will derail your results. And even more importantly, it’s not good for your health.
I’ve seen it happen time and time again with some of my clients.
They’ll be feeling GREAT and amazing making progress, but then BOOM!
They’ll get hammered by a busy time at work, a sleepless night, or a super hectic week.
And if they aren’t prepared ahead of time, the stress flood gates open – and it’s stress-eating central!
I’ve got a quick rundown of why this matters – and what to do about it.
You will probably recognize this stress eating cycle:
You get stressed … your cortisol levels rise ... your metabolism slows ... you crave sugar or other processed foods ... your blood sugar rises and falls ... you get more cravings ... and on and on.
UGH.
You need a plan BEFORE THIS HAPPENS to help avoid falling into that cycle.
When you notice yourself getting stressed:
● Take 5-10 minutes to sit quietly and focus on your breathing. Don’t fight any stressful thoughts that may pop up. Instead, just notice them and let them go.
● As soon as you have the chance, exercise. It prompts your body to release endorphins, which have natural stress-fighting properties.
● Go outside! Being in nature for just a few minutes is a proven stress buster.
● Keep a journal and focus on the positive things happening vs. the negative. This can shift your focus and lift your mood in a pinch.
● Eat something containing protein (the most satiating nutrient) at your next snack/meal.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are chronically stressed and feel “stuck” or overwhelmed, reach out for help!
Remember this: You are much stronger than your stressful days.
If you just have this little plan written down and ready to put into action
when you start feeling a bit stressed it will help to just stop going into
'autopilot'
Committed to your success,
Jamie
What do you do after 6pm?
Short and sweet message today.
But a good one none the less.
Do you want to start seeing great results?
I mean, if you've set yourself a goal to lose some weight, or get a more toned looking body, or to feel fitter and healthier......
Start monitoring what you do after 6pm.
Seriously.
Actually record what you eat, your activity levels [steps, exercise], and specifically what you do.
Most [but definitely not all] of us will do the following:
Snack on unhealthy processed stuff
Drink some wine
No more than 100 steps as sitting down watching TV
Stay up late
Take phone to bed and go through most used apps for at least 10 mins
I can just about guarantee that those ladies achieving their goals are instead doing something like:
Snacking on healthy stuff - if within their calorie target for each day
Drink zero sugar soft drinks [mostly water or tea]
Get our for a walk or run or gym session [if not done already]
Go to bed early enough to get a good quality sleep
Just start with monitoring what you do after 6pm.
It's a lot easier to monitor this than what you do throughout the whole day.
It might surprise you.
Jamie
"I'm not losing any weight?"
So I'm having a chat with one of our members this week, that had reached out asking for some help.
Regarding food.
Specifically she felt like she was eating 'healthy' but wasn't losing weight.
And it was 'doing her head in'
I asked her to show me her food diary for the last 7 days.
And I've gotta say from Monday through to Friday, she had it nailed.
A really nice balanced diet with protein in each meal, complex carbs on workout days,
healthy mid afternoon snacks, and drinking plenty of water - and all within her calorie allowance.
But I knew what was coming .
Whenever I see an initial food diary like this that isn't helping achieve weight loss, it can only mean one thing.
The W.E.E.K.E.N.D
Yep excess wine, takeaways, sweet treats, and snacking on Friday and Saturday........and a little bit into Sunday!!
I showed empathy because I have been there! - many a time.
And I am wayyyy too much of a weekend lover myself to suggest that you should not enjoy yourselves at weekends.
But it just needs to be planned slightly differently.
Choosing lower calorie alcoholic beverages - vodka with slimline tonic.
When choosing a takeaway go for something like a mixed grill and salad from the indian [my fav]
If you know you're having a lot of calories in the evening then have fewer than normal throughout the day.
And importantly if drinking make sure that when you get peckish you go for some healthy prepared oven roasted chick peas with chilli flakes instead of a big bag of crisps.
It can definitely be done.
Especially when the reason why you're committing to your health and fitness journey is important enough.
We cover this with our 3F system and today's message is within the FOOD principle.
Something to consider this weekend may be?
Have a fun one.
Jamie
How you all doing today?
There are scary stats coming out about the state of our nation, we are fatter than ever.
There's no getting away from the fact that the current pandemic has been made dramatically worse due to the state of our health.
It's a massive, massive wake up call (or should be!)
We are quite simple as a nation much fatter than ever before!
The constant supply of nutritionally empty and sugar packed junk is making us fat and lazy.
Don’t get me wrong, I eat my fair share of junk but I exercise regularly and eat well around my bad foods.
For a lot of people minimal activity and processed junk food is the norm, day in day out.
I imagine that those people aren’t currently reading this article/email.
But for those of you (like me sometimes) who struggle to stop snacking on unhealthy foods in the evenings/weekends I’ve got a few tips to help.
1. Make Sure You’re Always Hydrated – I’m still amazed at how little some people drink. If you’re dehydrated you’re often tired and hungry – this means you’re more likely to make bad food choices.
2. Eat Your Greens – Dark and green leafy food are great, packed full of goodness and very filling. The magnesium content can help you combat your chocolate cravings.
3. Get Moving – You don’t need to do any high intensity stuff, just move your body. Walk the dog/go for a little jog. Anything to get the heart rate elevated and the blood pumping. Try doing this every time you fancy a sugary snack (unrealistic if you want a sugary snack 10 times a day) and see if you still want to afterwards. I reckon after all that work you may just fancy a bit of fruit instead.
4. Shop Better – If there’s junk food in the cupboards at some point you’re going to eat it. If you don’t want to eat it or it makes you feel guilty afterwards then don’t buy it. Easy.
5. Allow Time To Rest – If you’re constantly feeling fatigued and run down you’re more likely to eat quick, easy, processed meals and foods rather than taking time to prepare nice food.Allow some time to chill out each day and get your sleeping pattern sorted.
That’s all for me today.
Don’t let these highly calorific and sugary foods hijack and run our brain!
Take care,
Jamie Stedman
How is your week going so far?
More importantly have you had a haircut yet!?
Mine has gone a bit wild to say the least so I will definitely be phoning later to book an appointment.
Back to today's post...
After 9 years in the fitness industry I'm not so easily shocked anymore.
In fairness the people I work with are all in a good position as they are trying to do something about their health, they're all at different parts of the journey.
But for many, getting fitter and healthier just isn't on their agenda.
Some people's diets are appalling to be honest.
I still know people who when asked by me 'do you eat any vegetables?' make a face like a petulant fussy 5 year old when being handed a plate with vegetables on.
I understand that everyone's tastes and likes are different.
But as we go through life we do things we like doing and do things we don't like.
It's proven that a healthy diet makes you live longer and with better quality.
If adding some vegetables to your diet whether you like them or not isn't worth that then you're a lost cause!!
There are certain nutrients that our body need to function properly.
Cut them out and you risk feeling (at best) tired, sluggish, over weight, (at worst) getting seriously ill.
Here are 5 essential nutrients and which foods are the best sources.
1. Vitamin D - Sun is your best source as well as oily fish and egg yolk.
2. Omega 3 Fatty Acids - Salmon, mackerel, sardines, flax seed and walnuts.
3. Vitamin B12 - Meat, eggs and dairy products are your best sources. If you're a vegetarian then a supplement is a good idea.
4. Iron - Red meat, chicken, eggs, offal, green leafy veg.
5. Iodine - Iodised salt, milk, eggs, seaweed, fish.
5 really important nutrients to keep your levels high.
Some people don't realise how poorly their body is functioning until they change their lifestyle and see how good you can really feel.
Take a few minutes to think about how well you truly eat.
Have a great day,
Jamie Stedman
