Holidays and Personal Training

The holiday season is  that one big and final challenge that one has to face by the end of every year. It’s always a debate of whether you should enjoy the holidays and eat as much as you want or maintain that strict diet to not put your year-long North London personal training sessions for body fat loss, weight loss, and muscle gain to waste. But did you know that you can actually still enjoy the holiday feasts while keeping the weight off? Your personal trainer will be more than proud when you hit the gym after the holidays sporting a still lean and fit body. Here’s are some do’s and don'ts on how to stay fit and enjoy the holidays: 

Do Plan Workouts

Morning is always the best time to get active, especially if you’re going to a holiday party. The later it gets in the day, there will be more food tempting you and you’ll completely forget about working out. So better sweat it out before you get busy with other things during the day. 

Do Pack Suitable Outdoor Activewear

If you’re staying in a place where it’s cold during the holidays, you need your cold season exercise apparel. This includes layers, gloves, and ear warmers. You will most likely have to do a lot of your exercising outdoors. 

Do Eat Throughout the Day

It's important to keep your blood sugar up so you don't end up famished and ready to shove anything in your mouth when you get to the festive meal/party portion of the day. Try to make sure your small meals include some protein.

Don’t Be Lazy

It’s a given that the holiday season is for rest, it’s your vacation anyway. But you do need to move! Don’t expect that holiday feast to magically disappear after you indulge in it. 

Don’t Go Back for Seconds on Dessert

It’s okay to eat dessert, hey, it”s Christmas for pete’s sake! Don’t feel guilty about eating that cookie your grandma made. Just don’t eat the whole plate. You may feel good afterward, but you certainly won’t feel the same the next morning.

Cramp-Away Exercises

Cramps can still occur even after medicine intake.

Almost every woman knows the pain brought by the monthly cycle. Apart from the conscious attempts to avoid leakage, cramps are also one of the burdens prior, during, or post menstrual period. Muscle cramps may occur in the pelvic area or lower abdomen area, back area, and thigh area. The most common area for pain felt is the lower abdomen area. Most women resort to pain killers or medicine when dysmenorrhea occurs. But sometimes, medication may take a long time to take effect or even never.

Ingredient in Focus: Kale

You may have heard about kale before. Or not. This member of the cabbage family has generated a lot of buzz in the health and fitness community earlier. Said to be a great weight loss food item, kale also contains a lot of health goodies.

Kale, also called borecole which may have originated from the Dutch boerenkool (farmer's cabbage), is rich in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin (a common carotenoid alcohol found in nature), folic acid, vitamin B6, manganese, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. Some say consuming kale on a regular basis may provide significant health benefits like cancer protection and lowered cholesterol. No wonder kale is being dubbed as "the queen of greens," "the new beef," and "a nutritional powerhouse." Kale is one of the healthiest veggies in the world!

Aside from having antioxidants, kale is also low calorie but high in fiber. This is why it helps in encouraging body fat loss.

On the other hand, make sure not to consume calcium-rich food while eating kale because it contains oxalates, naturally occurring substances which interfere with the absorption of calcium, as well. But who needs to eat calcium-rich food while eating kale when kale itself possesses a lot of calcium, right?

Image source: howstuffworks.com

Sources:
en.wikipedia.org
webmd.com
howstuffworks.com

Weight Loss Banquet Ideas

Any celebration calls for a feast. But if you are on a strict body fat loss diet, it would be hard to enjoy such occasions. People with food allergies might not enjoy such joyous events as well. So if you are planning to hold a feast that would truly be enjoyable for anybody, with health problems or not, try cooking (or ordering if you have a caterer) up a feast that would heartily and healthily enjoyed by your guests.

The most common allergy-causing food are fish, shellfish, nuts, and dairy. So here's a weight loss menu idea that subtracts all these.

Fun Body Fat Loss Lunch Sandwich Ideas

Raspberry goat cheese sandwich

I've already shared how you can snack properly when dieting, how to grocery shop for healthy food, and how to control yourself when eating out. Now, I'm  here to aid you regarding eating lunch at work. Well, I'm actually here to aid you regarding preparing weight loss packed lunch for work. And nothing spells packed lunch better than s-a-n-d-w-i-c-h. After taking ideas from the healthy grocery shopping post, you might have stocked on a wide array of body fat loss healthy ingredients and healthy food. But how should you prepare it for your daily meals like a packed lunch sandwich?

Balsamic veggie sandwich

 Sandwiches are the most common lunch fare in existence. It can become boring and blah. But if you put a little creativity and healthier options into it, your lunch sandwiches won't be so ordinary and fattening. Instead of the usual white bread, add variety by choosing whole wheat. Oat, rye, and buckwheat are available. The texture and subtle change in taste can add more oomph to your sandwiches. Maybe using whole wheat buns, bagels, and pita bread would be interesting and tastier! Here are tasty sandwiches that would attract your eyes and taste buds.

• Raspberry goat cheese sandwich -This simple open-face sandwich is refreshingly tart and nutty at the same time. Plus, raspberries pack a whole lot of metabolism-aiding fiber. Just spread some goat cheese on your preferred bread and place raspberries on top. (c/o katheats.com)
• Balsamic veggie sandwich - Healthy and surprisingly yummy, the variety of flavors and texture gives you a one of a kind sandwich experience. (c/o buttermilkandpinecones.blogspot.com)
• Crab, Lemon, Parsley, and Caper salad with Ricotta on Crostini canapés - Who says canapés should only be served in parties? Have a party of one at work by trying out this guilt-free tasty canapés. (c/o thebiggestloser.com.au)

Crab, Lemon, Parsley, and Caper salad with Ricotta on Crostini

• Tofu bun -Tofu is the meat of vegans. But even non-vegans can enjoy it as substitute for meat when on a weight loss diet. Here's a mighty tasty take on tofu (c/o vegan.sheknows.com) Or how about really transforming tofu into a burger? (c/o chefinyou.com)

tofu bun

• Guiltless health wrap - Like sandwiches, wraps can be filled with different ingredients depending on your prefence. Wrap some lettuce/romaine, low-sodium deli meat, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, olives, corn, cheddar cheese, mustard, plain yogurt and pepper into a whole wheat wrap and enjoy being on a flavor high! Another favorite version of mine is wrapping low-sodium deli ham, cheddar cheese, barbecue sauce, and banana peppers into a whole wheat pita bread.

guiltless health wrap

The cut of sandwiches can make a difference as well. From whole wheat wraps, to great canapés, take your sandwiches to a whole new different level.

sandwich cuts

Yoga VS Pilates: The Difference

Pilates and Yoga

Yoga and Pilates. You surely have heard of them. Maybe you already have an idea about them. But what sets them apart? They both involve stretching and breathing for body fat loss. They both help improve strength and stamina. Yet these two weight loss exercises differ in so many ways. How?

Origin
Yoga was born in India and has been around for more than 5,000 years. Aside from the physical, it also involves mental and spiritual disciplines. Yoga was brought to the West by Hindu monks in the late 19th century and soon (1980s) became a popular fitness exercise across the Western world.

Pilates, on the other hand, was developed by German-born Joseph Pilates in the early 1900s to help rehabilitate soldiers during World War I. It was originally called Contrology because it was a practice of using the mind to control muscles.

Gingerbread men in yoga stances

Objectives and Principles
In simplest terms, yoga is a disciplined method which has a philosophical / spiritual focus for attaining a goal and the purpose of it depends on the philosophical or theological system with which kind of yoga is conjugated. Because of this, it is mostly recommended for mental and emotional rehabilitation, while Pilates for physical rehabilitation. Yoga improves mental and emotional health by calming the one controlling the stress levels and hormone levels. Pilates improves upper body and core muscle endurance and flexibility by putting emphasis on spinal and pelvic alignment, breathing, coordination / balance improvement, and developing a strong core.

Ingredient In Focus: Flax Seeds

You may have heard about this weight loss ingredient which created a lot of buzz among the health and fitness community. Flax seeds come in brown and yellow varieties. Both have similar nutritional content and omega-3 fatty acids but a certain yellow type of flax seed called solin has a different oil profile and is very low on omega-3 fatty acids.

So how do these little seeds help in body fat loss? Are they tasty? How should they be used in dishes? First, flax seeds are rich in fiber and good fat. Fiber is filling yet low in calories. Fiber is absorbed by the body more slowly than other food compounds; thus, you will feel full longer when you eat it. Fiber also absorbs cholesterol and boosts metabolism. Then, the good fat like gamma-linolenic acid initiates thermogenesis (a fat-burning process that burns stored excess fat cells). Omega-3 fatty acids on the other hand help prevent chronic diseases including heart disease, arthritis, asthma, and diabetes.

Ground flax seeds

 Regarding flavor, flax seeds are nutty similar to wheat germ. The yellow variety has a milder flavor compared to the brown variety which has a bitter flavor. Flax seeds are grounded and then added to dishes. There is no standard consumption for it but 1 tablespoon a day is adequate and more than 3 tablespoons may be excessive.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to adding it to dishes. From flavorful chutneys to simple oatmeal, ground flax seeds are healthy without packing too much flavor punch into your dishes. You can add it to almost any dish you want. So why not try adding it to your salads, soups, and sauces? Nutritionists, personal trainers, fitness gurus, and health buffs encourage it!