Tag: fitness

5 min read

Health

How to stay motivated to workout and eat healthy

Zoe

July 8, 2019 2:12 pm July 8, 2019

5 min read

1340 views

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5 min read

We have all been there when we have had all the good intentions of keeping fit and healthy and struggled to stay on track but, is it easier said than…

We have all been there when we have had all the good intentions of keeping fit and healthy and struggled to stay on track but, is it easier said than done?

The truth is:

There are actual ways to help you stay on track with your fitness and healthy eating regime and I am going to tell you how.

During my first pregnancy, all aspects of healthy eating and working out went completely out of the window. I made up numerous excuses on “eating for two” so I could ridiculous size portions of whatever food I wanted or “craved“. Post baby I had to work harder than ever to get myself back on track, living a healthier lifestyle. I went from weighing my heaviest at 72kg to 56kg.? Now, during my second pregnancy, I have been able to stick to a healthier lifestyle and I have felt so much better for it.

Motivating tips to working out and eating healthy

Here are my top tips for staying motivated to working out and eating healthy.

Set yourself a reachable goal. I love to set a goal that is small so I can reach it and feel good for reaching it. This can be a goal such as: “for today, I am going to not eat chocolate and only snack on fruit” or “for the next two weeks, I will do 20 minutes stair master at the gym 4 times a week.”? After completing a goal, push yourself further and make your goal more challenging.?
Don’t go food shopping hungry. You are more likely to fill up your basket with all of the wrong things shopping on a hungry stomach. By the time you get back to your car you probably have already opened that packet of biscuits or crisps and undone your healthy eating efforts. Go food shopping with a plan. Stick to plenty of vegetables and fruit and if you need to, keep track of your meals in a food diary.
Stop making excuses. This is my biggest one. I always get told “oh I would love to go to the gym but I don’t have time” or “I can’t workout when I have kids.” Sure, it might be difficult to get out of the house to a gym, but what is stopping you from doing a home workout? Some gyms are open 24 hours.? Could you go at another time in the day rather than watching tv? Even excuses relating to your diet. “I am having a chippy tonight as I have been good this week”. Why make an excuse to convince yourself that you can go off track and justify it because you have been healthy throughout the week. Sure treat yourself now and again. But stay conscious that it is very easy to fall off track, as a cheat meal can quickly turn into a cheat day and then the whole “i’ll start my diet on Monday…”excuse.
Add variety to your workouts. Exercise doesn’t just have to be going running. There are so many different activities you can do to keep fit. Try out different classes like boxing or yoga and see which one you prefer. I love to have a workout day focusing on cardio where I will do 10 minutes on the bike, rower and then cross trainer. You may even prefer to workout once a week with a partner.
Reward! Once you have reached your goal you need to reward yourself for all of your hard work. Rewards don’t always have to be naughty treats too. Why not get a new gym top after reaching a 6 week goal or get some new fancy bubble bath to have a long soak and rest your muscles.
30 Weeks Pregnant
Take photos. Taking progress photos do not have to be for the rest of the world to see. They are a great way for you to keep a private track of your weight. Take them weekly, a front, side and back body shot and in a couple of weeks put your newest ones side by side with your first and you should feel so proud at the difference. Physically being able to see the results will help you stay motivated.
Create a playlist. Music is so beneficial during workouts. Stick your headphones on and get your head in the zone. You may find different songs are better for different points of your workout. I love listening to a good podcast during my cardio to help the time go by and listening to an energetic upbeat track during my weight lifting sessions.
Get support. Support from others is essential. Speak to other members of your household about wanting to change up your eating habits and see if they are willing to take on the challenge too. You could go on a clear out and get rid of any foods you are trying to avoid together so you are not tempted. You could always create a social network support group to encourage one another to stay on track.

So get your head completely in the zone. Start thinking of yourself as an athlete, and not a couch potato. Set a goal, enlist a friend, mark it on your calendar, and have some fun. You?ll be setting yourself up for a lifetime of better health, more happiness, and more energy for everything else in your life.

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2 min read

Health

Postpartum Fitness: Lean Muscle Diet Plan

Zoe

February 15, 2019 5:21 pm February 15, 2019

2 min read

2604 views

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2 min read

Slipping into your pre-pregnancy jeans can become a distant memory after you have your baby. Having time for yourself seems to vanish. The thought about having to go and do…

Slipping into your pre-pregnancy jeans can become a distant memory after you have your baby. Having time for yourself seems to vanish. The thought about having to go and do a workout takes more effort than actually doing it.

I remember feeling sluggish and needing a change. Before pregnancy I lived a healthy lifestyle and loved every second of it! After my baby, I was grabbing anything I could to eat, when I could and it was not a sustainable way to live. But, at that time my priorities were not me.? The only thing that mattered to me was if my baby was fed, changed and happy. But mums need to be happy too!

I began to lose myself and become so unhappy. Still wearing my maternity clothes and torn between the “love your postpartum self” message you see online. I found it hard to accept that was me now and I didn’t want to settle for the body I didn’t feel comfortable being in.

How did I change?

After 6 month postpartum I felt ready to take on a diet plan. I am not a fan of the “skinny” diets and feel my most comfortable self when I have lean muscle for a toned physique.

My diet plan works best with a consistent gym workout routine. I like to set myself a challenge of a number of weeks to use the diet plan before I change it up or swap foods.? If I find I have to eat out, then I always choose plates with lots of vegetables and a clean meat source.?

The calories for this diet plan is 1503.

Aiming to lose body fat whilst maintaining lean muscle mass.

Disclaimer: If you face any specific medical conditions consult your doctor before using the diet plan.

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7 min read

Health

Your 5 Golden Rules | Fitness after having a baby

Zoe

January 6, 2019 5:56 pm January 6, 2019

7 min read

1445 views

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7 min read

Getting into shape after having a baby can be one of the most daunting tasks. Many of us can start off with all the right motivation and will power but…

Getting into shape after having a baby can be one of the most daunting tasks. Many of us can start off with all the right motivation and will power but then fall off track. Sadly, we find ourselves back at square one, eating a tub of ice cream whilst watching Netflix when the baby is asleep.

People who have been successful with their health and fitness have these two things in common:

First, they identify what exactly is needed to form the grounds of their healthy lifestyle.

Second, they put 100% into executing their finds.

One with out the other is not setting you up for success.

But, you’re probably wondering:

“What are the simple grounds to making a healthy lifestyle that actually works?”

1. Time

One of the biggest excuses for not sticking to a fitness regime is not having the time. This have been one of my excuses too, especially after having a baby. It is so important that before you start you really commit yourself and give the time needed. Unfortunately, this may also mean sacrificing time away from other activities you are use to doing. This can be hard as you already don’t get as much me time anymore, now that you have a little one. Personally, I train 5 nights a week, giving me the weekend off and I will only train

once Mole is in bed fast asleep. That way, I also don’t feel guilty about not being with her when she is awake. Is it harder to train at night after a busy day? Yes, but, Mole is my main priority.

Making this commitment will form the grounds to your new healthier lifestyle and the rest will flow from there.

?First and foremost, prioritise the habit of exercising regularly,? says personal trainer, life coach and author Mike Campbell.

2. Plan

Have a plan. Do not go to the gym with no plan. Do not go into your diet with no plan. You will waste time and end up having nothing to focus on.

A workout plan for me helps me walk into the gym focused. I know exactly what machine I need to use and a back up plan

if it is taken. I waste no time thinking “erm I’m going to do that one now or should I train my arms instead?”

Having a food plan will keep you focused on what it is you have been eating. It is very easy to sneak in extra calories and forget about it. Like when you go into the kitchen and start nibbling on cheese in the fridge or a biscuit out of the cupboard whilst waiting for your dinner to cook. I like to plan my food so I have my more exciting meals towards the end of the week giving me something to look forward too.

After having a baby, I find I prefer my workouts to be more fast paced so I can get home quicker even if she is asleep. So I will tailor my plan around this.

3. You do you

Be realistic in your goals. When I first started my fitness journey my goal was to compete in women figure bodybuilding. I had no muscle tone and quite a bit of body fat. (Thanks to my part time job at McDonalds) It was not going to happen. You will just set yourself up for failure as you will not reach what you want in the time frame. After having Mole, I gave myself 9 months to reach my pre-baby weight. If you want to return to the gym after giving birth, consult your doctor first and make sure your body is ready and not just your mind.

Choose a goal that truly works for you and start small. It could be as simple as, in two weeks you want to be able to run for an extra 10 minutes on the treadmill.

Now:

The sooner you can understand the patience required to achieve fat loss and muscle building, the sooner you can apply yourself to consistently getting it done. Take into consideration that you have had a baby. There will be times where you can’t make the gym or you have an off day with your diet because their needs come firsts. Do not let this put you off your goal, simply extend your time frame.

4. Where to start?

Investing time learning the correct form for exercises will really benefit you. You can research different exercises that target specific muscle groups. Knowledge is power in fitness, you will reach your goal faster by educating yourself first.

A personal trainer can help you. They will be able to show you the correct form for different exercises and what exercises will work for your body and goal. Some gyms offer this as a free service.

There is nothing more daunting than walking into a gym and having no clue what to do. Even if you have been to that gym plenty of times, you can still ask a trainer for help. Too nervous to ask directly? Check out the gyms bulletin board for their email.

Here’s the downside:

Feeling intimidated is a real thing.

You will feel like the only one who feels intimidated when you walk into the gym, but trust me, you are not! There looks to be 100 men and women owning the floor and you will feel like they are all watching you. They are not. They are focused on their own journey and you should be too. Try going to the gym at off peak times to practice and get your confidence up.

You could even start off by completing some home workouts. I have seen some great videos where you can get your baby involved too. The whole process should be fun for you. A happy mummy will equal a happy baby.

5. Society

Here is the strange part:

When I wanted to return to the gym after having a baby I got so many negative comments from people. Even though my doctors had cleared me to go and train, people thought that they had the right to put me off my fitness goals with comments like “you should be spending time with your baby not the gym” or “your body needs to heal don’t snap back too soon.”

The truth is:

I felt miserable not doing something about getting back to my old self.

Social media has started to become a place where women are congratulated for sharing images of their post-partum bodies. Do I think this is good? Yes. It is amazing women can have the self love they deserve. But, what I don’t like is how a woman who wants to work hard for their healthy body can also feel ashamed for getting back into shape too soon. Who’s to decide what is too soon? Doctors of course, but not opinionated others.

Do not feel like you have to conform with society. Focus on your own personal goals and do not let opinions of others stop you from reaching your full fitness potential.

Doctors recommend waiting until your postnatal check up ? around six to eight weeks ? before you start dieting. If you?re worried about your weight in the meantime, try switching to low-fat options and stay away from foods with a high sugar content.

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