Health & Fitness

How to make lifestyle changes

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To live a long and healthy life you should aim to make lifestyle changes for the long term, not just for a quick fix that you most likely won’t stick to.

Below are a few tips to get you started in order to make positive changes to your life.

  1. Start with small changes and gradually change other areas that you need to improve on. It usually takes around 28 days to form a new habit so if you try to change everything all at once then you are not so likely to succeed as you won’t want to stick to it.
  2. You have to be dedicated to reaching your goal and be prepared that it can take hard work and some days you wont feel like working out but you can push through that and once the habit is formed you wont feel like missing your workouts.
  3. Have a plan, a weekly and month workout plan to follow will help you to stay on track, it can be adapted as needed and you can look back at what you have already achieved which can help to keep you motivated.
  4. Aim to eat more nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables, change white rice, pasta etc for whole grains or try grains such a Quinoa which is packed full of protein and nutrients.
  5. Keep your portions smaller but don’t skip meals.
  6. Get plenty of sleep, 7 to 8 hours a night
  7. Drink more water, this will help to boost your metabolism, increase energy and also helps to improve your skin.
  8. If you are short of time, short workouts will help, try swimming, yoga, walking or even walking up the stairs, these can all help to boost your fitness.

Tips For Keeping Fit Over Christmas

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Lots of people tend to stop their fitness routines during the Christmas holidays, claiming they don’t have time to do their workouts. Lack of exercise and excessive eating is one of the main reasons for gaining weight. Here are a few tips to keep you fit and healthy during the holiday season, whilst still enjoying the festivities and spending time with your family.

  1. Don’t skip meals thinking you can save the calories and eat more later in the day. This doesn’t work and you can end up eating more, it’s better to eat a good breakfast so you stay fuller for longer helping to avoid having to snack too much.
  2. Keep active by going for a walk. Try to take your family and friends along with you so it can be more social.
  3. Take the stairs and do some strength exercises to burn more calories. Don’t be tempted to miss the strength exercises and just do cardio, as strength work can burn just as many calories as cardio whilst building muscles. This will help you to stop gaining extra fat if you over eat.
  4. Do shorter, more intense workouts, these can give similar benefits of longer, less intense workouts.
  5. Try not eat too much, you can still eat your favourite foods but take smaller portions, choose a smaller plate so you aren’t tempted to add too much to your plate, your brain will think you are eating more than you are.
  6. Eat slowly and chew your food, so you feel like you have eaten more.
  7. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated and chose lower calorie alcoholic drinks, like white wine, champagne and vodka.
  8. Stock up on vitamins and eat some fruits and vegetables.
  9. Get enough sleep, the lack of sleep can lead to hormones problems and weight gain.
  10. Enjoy your Christmas and don’t worry if you have to do less exercise, a rest can give your body time to recover from all the hard training and you will feel good for the New Year once you get back into your routine again.

Making Lifestyle Changes That Last

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There is no point in going on a diet or starting a new exercise routine if you are only going to do it for a few weeks. You need to make lifestyle changes that you will stick to throughout your life.

If you think you don’t have time to change your lifestyle then you will become unhealthy and as you get older many problems as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle, lack of exercise, poor dietary habits and stressful lives will start to affect you.

Here are a few tips to help you to make gradual changes to your lives:

* Set goals and make changes, one change at a time, even if it’s just to add extra fruits and vegetables to your diet. You don’t have to change everything at once, otherwise you probably won’t stick to it.

* Make your goals realistic, such as to lose 2 kg of weight in the month or to start a Yoga class to reduce stress.

* Goals might include, eat a healthier diet, start an anti ageing diet or exercise routine, reduce stress with meditation or yoga, train for a race such as a 5 km or a marathon.

* Aim to get more sleep, even if you only start with a few minutes of extra sleep each night.

* If you can’t fit exercise into your daily work schedule, try and get up every hour and walk around for 5 minutes. If you are working 8 or more hours a day, those 5 minute walks will add up.

If you would like help to manage your lifestyle, I can design a plan for you which will include diet, exercise and stress reduction.

Book Personal Training, Yoga or Running sessions with me and we can gradually work towards a healthy you with a plan you will stick to.

Contact Emma Phillips – Email: [email protected] or call +971 52 9779426

 

 

The Benefits of Yoga

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Below are just a few of the benefits Yoga has to offer:

  • Yoga has many benefits from healing ailments, lowering high blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing levels of sugar in the blood of diabetics and relieving stress and anxiety with controlled breathing and certain Asanas.
  • Yoga asanas can flush out toxins and speed up recovery after exercise. Athletes risk becoming injured, sick or burnout from too much training and not getting enough recovery. With a carefully control training plan and by incorporating Yoga sessions into your plan you can get stronger and cope better with the hard sessions, whilst recovering quicker for your next training session.
  • Yoga can also keep you younger for longer, by increasing your flexibility and strength. As you get older the muscle mass starts to decline. Bones can also become weaker but by practicing Yoga and other strength/load bearing exercises you can slow down the process.
  • Yoga lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol, helping the body to destroy viruses and to helps the immune system fight off diseases.
  • Controlled breathing and certain Asanas can help to alleviate asthma and to give an energy boost to the body, it can help you to relax better so your sleep improves and you feel happier and more relaxed overall.

 

 

 

 

How To Lose Weight

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Finding it hard to lose weight, try these tips:

  • Eat more protein, a high protein breakfast will stop you from feeling hungry through the morning. Try eggs, greek yoghurt or avocado on toast.
  • Eat whole, natural foods, not processed, just think of eating healthier not just about losing weight. Whole foods can be more filling so you are less likely over eat. Try oatmeal, quinoa, eggs, meat and fish, boiled potatoes, fruits and vegetables.
  • Don’t worry about counting calories, just aim to keep your portions low.
  • Lift weights 3 times a weeks, this will help to speed up your metabolism so you will burn more calories.
  • Eat slowly, so you will feel like you are eating more.
  • Drink more water to boost your metabolism.
  • Avoid sugary drinks and fruit juice.
  • Consider taking a multivitamin when you are trying to lose weight to make sure you are getting all your nutrients.

For Personal Training sessions for weight loss or nutrition advice, contact Emma 0529779426

3 yoga poses for stress relief, relaxation and improved wellbeing

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Yoga heals the nervous system, reducing tension and anxiety. It calms the mind and loosens tight muscles, helping you to let go of any worries. If you learn to let go of your worries during a Yoga session you will learn to let go at other times also and with regular practice, you will feel calmer, more relaxed and happier over all.

Try these 3 yoga poses for stress relief, relaxation and improved wellbeing

Childs Pose

Childs pose relaxes and quietens the mind. It relieves stress, improves the central nervous system, reduces headaches, stretches the lower back, hips, thighs, ankles, shoulders and neck.

  • Kneel on your hands and knees then release your hands and knees to the floor keeping your knees hip width apart.
  • Exhale and slowly lower your buttocks to the floor .
  • Lengthen the back of your neck and slowly rest your forehead on the floor. Either stay with your hands reached out overhead or gently place them by your thighs with the palms facing up.
  • Take take several slow breaths and relax, holding the position for up to 2 minutes.

Downward Facing Dog

This Downward Facing dog pose helps to the reduce stress fast, energising and reducing tiredness by improving the blood circulation to the whole body. It can relieve headaches, neck and shoulder tension and also helps to strength bones and muscles.

  • Kneel on your hands and knees then slowly push your hips up by straightening your knees and elbows so your body forms a V shape. Take a few deep breaths and hold the pose for as long as you feel comfortable building up to up to 2 minutes.

Triangle Pose

The Triangle pose helps to reduce stress, anxiety, depression and tiredness whilst toning and stretching the whole body. It will also improve digestion, help to reduce body fat by improving the metabolism, increase bone density and improve balance.

  • Standing upright, extend your right foot out to the side about 4 feet in width with your foot facing out to 90 degrees.
  • Bend down to the right side whist exhaling and hold your right ankle or calf (you can place your hand on a block just behind your foot if easier).
  • Inhale and lift the left hand over your head, keeping it straight.
  • Hold this position for unto 1 minute, then repeat on the other side.

Photo’s courtesy of PIXABAY