5 top tips to avoid a binge on your health and fitness journey.
When you’re with your Personal Trainer or training with a friend in the gym…your motivation is sky high right?! But how about during work, at home or with friends? Sometimes life gets in the way of our healthy goals and we reach for the cake, pizza or one too many glasses of vino!
Here are some ways to help keep you on track…
1) Preparation:
Majority of us are desk bound most of the day…and work can be busy and stressful or boring and slow! Either way…preparation is key. If you know of a healthy venue for breakfast and lunch then great but to guarantee you don’t cave…make your own food and take it with you. Making sure you pack yourself out with the right foods throughout the day will prevent that afternoon crash towards the vending machine or office cookies. Make sure you’ve had plenty of protein to keep you fuller for longer (anything stodgy will make you sleepy and more hungry a lot sooner). An added bonus to pack lunches is you will most likely find you save money.
2) Dehydration:
Another tip I swear by is to DRINK WATER! I can’t stress this enough. We should all be having 2 litres a day and generally this doesn’t happen for most. Majority of people when they feel peckish and snack on bad food are just dehydrated. Drink a large glass of water when you feel the cravings kick in. This combined with some fresh air and a little walk will do wonders for your willpower.
3) Lack of sufficient sleep:
Get your 7-8 hours of sleep. As they say on the roads “Tiredness can kill” this is also true for your eating goals. Also if you are sleep deficient your body produces more Gherlin (a hormone that makes you want to eat more) and less Leptin (the hormone that tells you your full). Sleep also allows your body to refuel from the day and repair your muscles if you’ve worked out. Get a minimum of 7 hours and you’ll notice a difference.
4) Social pressures:
It’s easier to be good when there’s just you to think about. But when faced with social events it’s mostly all revolved around food and drink! Don’t over do it. I’m all for a treat or “cheat meal” but some people allow too many of them and this really slows down your progress. Don’t feel pressured by your friends “they are your friends right? So if you choose not to have that extra glass of wine or dessert they should support your decision. Think about YOU! And make your treat spending time with your friends and not what you consume when your with them!
5) You’re not eating enough?
When your goal is to lose weight, naturally, we all tend to eat less be it through calorie counting, skipping dinner or meal replacements etc. In my experience this isn’t the best way to lose fat and keep it off. Especially if you are exercising regularly, it’s important you know the right foods for fuelling your body for exercise and then repairing the muscles you have worked. If your skipping breakfast and then spending an hour in the gym your not going to have the energy required for an intense workout and your body may hold on to fat instead of burning it. So make sure you are not skipping meals and keep them balanced with protein, good carbs and good fats. Some good pre workout snacks (1-1.5 hours prior to exercise) are; a banana and yoghurt, a slice of brown toast with peanut butter, a blueberry smoothie with oats, quinoa and scrambled egg. Remember if you are not eating enough you will most likely feel starving all the time and end up having a binge!
I hope these points help. If you need more advice and inspiration on the right types of foods to be eating then visit us at our Personal Training studio in Ealing.
Get in contact today to discuss your health and fitness goals on 0800 840 6000 or email: contact@westlondonfitness.co.uk
Georgia Mahony
Personal Trainer
West London Fitness
Please check out our website at www.westlondonfitness.co.uk
West London Fitness Personal Training in
Ealing, West Ealing, Pitshanger, Hanwell, Greenford, Acton