Weight training - 7 reasons why you're not seeing results at the gym

So you’re hitting the gym hard frequently, you’ve got your routine in full swing and you’re working hard towards your goals. #thegrind #trainmean

Despite all your efforts and various hashtags you’re not seeing the progress you thought you would and you really can’t think as to why not.

Here are some common mistakes that people make when it comes to shaping that sculpted and lean physique at the gym.

1)      EGO LIFTING

Oh so you workout? What can you squat? The answer is does it really matter unless your form is perfect? Nope. You may be squatting 100kg and be totally proud of this but it won’t get you the results you want in terms of your physique if you’re not performing the exericise correctly. Take a look at your form, is your stance correct? Are pushing through the heels? How about your depth and glute activation? If one of these elements aren’t correct then drop the weight, it doesn’t really matter the weight you’re squatting, work on what challenges YOU; by the last few reps you should really feel it but you don’t need to kill yourself and compromise your form and your safety.

     

2)     NOT THINKING ABOUT THE MUSCLE 

A lot of people tend to rush through their workouts without really thinking about the muscle they’re trying to activate. You may want to get out of the gym, your mind may be elsewhere but there was really no point going unless you stimulated that muscle you were targeting.

     

3)      PROGRESSION

 Plans need progression. It’s as simple as that. Stimulating the muscle using the same       weights/volume won’t lead to your muscles requiring to grow and they won’t grow if they don’t have to. To provide a stimulus big enough for growth you need to PROGRESS whether it be in weight or volume. The logical approach here is to gradually increase your weights, just as.. if you kept upping your volume continuously  you may be in the gym for hours doing a 67 rep leg press eventually. Put simply, your muscles adapt in order to complete the tasks you set them, more stimulus = growth.

       

4)   YOU’RE NOT CHALLENGING YOURSELF

     Leading on from my last point, if you’re not pushing yourself you won’t change. Pressing      2kg dumbbells over the course of 4 weeks won’t give the signal for your muscles to grow.      It’s time to step out of your comfort zone and give some heavier weights a try.

     

 5)  YOU’RE DOING TOO MUCH CARDIO

Cardio can be your best friend and your worst enemy when it comes to gaining muscle mass. The key is to find what works for you; 30minutes of cardio 4x a week may help someone GAIN muscle in following ways – increase blood flow to the muscles and aiding recovery. Of course there are variables here..the intensity as well as the duration. Also, this may not be something that suits you or your body type. Some people hold onto muscle better than others genetically and so it’s important to understand where you stand in relation to this. You may be doing the same volume of cardio as someone else (and this may work for them) but for you it may be detrimental to your muscle gains. Bare in mind that weight training is the thing that will give you that lean and toned look, diet secures this and cardio is simply a tool to aid this process and keep your heart healthy.

    

 6)    YOU NEED TO LEAVE THE GYM

Put simply, you’re not resting enough. Rest is an important part of recovery and growth. You need to make sure you’re giving yourself time off from the gym and you also need to ensure you’re getting enough sleep. The amount of rest days you need to take is all relative to you and how you recover, as well as what you’re eating..how much you’re sleeping. But rest is important, don’t neglect it. A rest day can make all the difference in your training, the next day you’ll be feeling a lot more energised and ready to push harder.

      

7)    YOU’RE INCONSISTENT

Physical progress requires consistency in your diet as well as your training. If you’re skipping out leg day or simply avoiding the gym you won’t be seeing the results you want. Like many things, you get out what you put in. A good quote I heard about this was ‘Be consistently good, not perfect sometimes’ Rethink your approach if this is you, think sustainable, realistic and also think about your own health and happiness. 

Heathy (sort of) Fudgy cranberry double chocolate brownies

It has been a while since I posted a recipe on my blog and so I thought I would treat you guys to something special. 

Today I made the most gorgeous, fudgiest chocolate brownies. (If I don't say so myself..) I really do love baking, and it's nice being able to make time for it on my weekends. I am planning to do a lot more of it whilst I can. 

The weather outside today is truly disgusting, It makes me want to leave Britain and set up a new life in LA, the sun makes me so happy! No wonder Americans are crazy happy and us brits just don't get it. 

So, as you may know, as all I've done is bang on about it..I am on prep. 8 weeks out tomorrow, but I am eating rather flexibly. These brownies being  a prime example that deprivation of your favourite foods is not necessary (even on prep) and that modest amounts of the things you love aren't going to make you balloon..then float away and becoming stranded like the beached whale you have now become. 

INGREDIENTS 

2 eggs 
1/4 Sukrin Coconut flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 + 2 generous tablespoons of honey
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 dried cranberries 

 HOW TO

1) Preheat the oven to 180'C and grease/line a shallow-ish brownie tray using coconut oil 
2) Start by mixing the eggs,  melted coconut oil and vanilla then add the honey.
3) Next add the coconut flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa powder.
4) Stir in the chocolate chips and cranberries 
5) Fill the greased and lined baking tin and pop it in the oven for 20 minutes
6) Remove from the oven and allow the brownie to set 
7) Try not to eat it all at once (It's tough, believe me)





Serve these with whatever the hell your heart desires..I will have my portion with a bit of greek yogurt this evening, whilst crying with happiness. 

Diary of an (almost) bikini competitor – Volume 1

Thoughts: SHOW DAY, PREP, FOOD, BIKINIS.

Yup, competing quite literally can take over your life; your thoughts and everything you do. But I’m trying my hardest to not let that happen. In some respects it SHOULD be a large part of my life and it is, because well..It’s only a few months out of my life, it’s important to me and it’s exciting plus I’m really enjoying the process. Having a goal really does make me a happier person (no matter how odd that sounds) Just coasting along through life isn’t what I really want to be doing; and that goes for everything in my life including my career.

However, I am looking into other goals to and I have some for this year which are not bikini related. For instance, I want to learn to drive, because to me it seems almost ridiculous I have rely on lifts aged 20 (almost 21) I have been putting it off for a while and my excuse being ‘I’m too busy.’ Honestly, I am very busy but being able to drive will open up a whole lotta new doors for me and so I’m making it a priority.

The plan is a week’s intensive course.. presuming I pass I want to get my car sorted out pretty quickly and get my ass on the road. I’m SO excited about this, as it’s been a nuisance ever since I decided to spend my holiday in the US rather than learning to drive before Uni (but I certainly don’t regret that) ever since, LIFE got in the way. But I’m not making excuses anymore and IT IS going to happen.

Another goal of mine is fitness related but it’s a little different I guess. I want to get a personal training qualification. Not to be a personal trainer as my full time job but just as something to have under my belt as I study nutrition and having both would be kinda groovy. I’d like to be able to train people in my spare time and be able to claim that I am actually qualified to do so. So, that’s another goal.

But lets talk how my prep is going, my diet..my training, my supplements. Just about everyone is interested in the finer details about how some people choose to do things. Which in a way is a good thing; it can be nice to see a different approach to something. But many of us can often get consumed by this to the extent we lose ourselves; what we love to do and how we want to live our lives.

 JUST BECAUSE SHE’S DOING IT DOESN’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO

So your favourite Instagram ‘fitspo’ has cut all dairy from her diet. Maybe dairy doesn’t agree with her, perhaps she just doesn’t really agree with IT or simply just  doesn’t like it. But I’m sure there’s some sort of reasoning behind it. Naturally, you now feel inclined to question your dairy intake too (I mean it must be bad now right?) Well no, dairy isn’t bad and if YOU enjoy it and it works for YOU then why are  you cutting it out?

There are SO many ways of achieving the same goal. Some may be better than others but you’ve got to ask yourself will this work for you?

DON’T LOSE YOURSELF IN THE PROCESS

I remember a time where I used to literally pretend I hated Pizza. Why? Because I wanted to avoid it at all costs..even with friends. Truth is, I LOVE PIZZA. Okay this is maybe a bad example ‘girl loses pizza-identity’ but you get the picture. The same with foods you feel you should consume but you really don’t like them. Yup, I’ve had experience with this too..a previous coach put tuna on my meal plan. Aaand boy do I hate fish, it’s something I have tried to like but it just not my thing. I ate a can of Tuna whilst almost throwing up with each mouthful, adding various spices to try and lighten the terrible taste but BOY do I hate tuna. Not a good experience and I have overcome this silliness thankfully.

There are no magical powers in Tilapia, no magical powers in broccoli, or chia seeds. If you don’t like them you don’t have to eat them, no one is gonna judge you for it. There is no single set way of eating that is going to allow to reach your destination and I cannot preach this enough.

Yes, healthy food is good and our diets should be made up mainly from lean meats, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates..not to mention lots of veggies. BUT, that odd cookie you’re eating that fits your macros and is keeping you sane could potentially be your lifesaver when it comes to staying on track.

It is important to note of course that not all food is created equally. Yes a cupcake may have the calories or macros as a bowl of oats with some peanut butter but it does not mean it will have the same effect on your body. There’s a lot of science that goes into it but we won’t go into that today. However, if you love cake and you fancy a treat, go ahead and eat the cupcake, it won’t kill you.

The same rule applies to everything; your training, your lifestyle etc.

A lot of us gym goers lay off the drinking which is good in terms of health and if you’re say for instance prepping for a show..drinking will have negative effects on your progress. However, many people who enjoy the gym also enjoy a drink, others do not. But, there are no pressures either side of this I promise. As in, if you enjoy a drink or two now and then and to let your hair down then the fitness industry if not gonna hate you. Likewise, if you’re really not a fan of alcohol or anything that comes with it then there’s no one who’s going to tell you that  you need to drink (apart from a few pushy friends of course, but they’ll back down..eventually) The honest truth is, we put these pressures on ourselves; to be a certain way, to fit in..conform and do what everybody else is doing.

True happiness however, is finding yourself. Being you unapologetically and accepting yourself completely. You know what? I gladly accept that I am a crazy gym lady who likes routine and order but also at the same time loves to eat donuts and go a little off the rails for a night. Because that’s me, I’m not perfect and I in no way claim to be.

Recently, I found myself truly lost in that I didn’t know who I was exactly. I have always loved the gym and fitness, participating in it and learning about it. Whilst this took a step back I began going out, eating till I felt inhuman, drinking whatever the hell I wanted on a weekly basis and neglecting my real interests. I claimed I was ‘having fun’ and when I questioned this others would remind me this is normal and this is balance; how life should be lived. But truly, I was uncomfortable; this lifestyle unsettled me and I was constantly anxious and aware of the fact this wasn’t what I truly wanted.

So, anyway. I’ve moved on from this now and my body has changed a lot because of it.  I’m proud of that; not the way I look physically so much (perhaps a little in terms of how far I’ve come) BUT no, that’s not why I’m proud, I’m proud of what it symbolises; finding me again and being true to myself.

The point I’m trying to make here is that just because eating whatever the hell you want and letting go for the majority of the time is considered normal and sometimes being super healthy and mainly sticking to routine is considered obsessive or odd it doesn’t make a difference to the lifestyle you should choose to lead. And of course it works both ways, just because someone is super duper healthy and works out all the time it doesn’t mean you need to either if you don’t enjoy it.

Often we find that actually our idols are unrelatable; one dimensional and lead unattainable idealistic lives. Yes, this all looks very appealing but is it real? Are they happy? Are they true to themselves? Not always. 

  

It doesn’t matter what other people are doing, don’t let is consume your thoughts and feelings. Put in the effort when it comes to YOU and what makes you happy, it’s really that simple. 

The lo-down on losing fat

FAT LOSS MYTHS

1) Juice cleanses 'detoxify' the body 

There are so many diets out there that claim to detoxify the body and help you lose weight. But the reality is your body already has a built in detoxification system. 

You may lose weight on this sort of diet, but its based around the fact you'll usually be consuming less calories.Living off juices or teas etc is not healthy, it may actually

do your organs MORE harm and will almost always cause faitgue, muscle loss and a decreased performance at the gym. Whilst micronutrients are important, don't neglect your macros..get 

a balance of both! 

2) Cardio is the best way to achieve fat loss

Nope. Cardio is an excellent tool to aid fat loss but if you want to achieve that lean and 'toned' look then weights is your answer. Lifting heavy burns crazy calories, not only 

whilst you're at the gym but even when your muscle is repairing at home. Weight training = eleveated metabolic rate + increased muscle mass. What's not to love? 

So, long sessions on the treadmill are not necessary and could be detrimental to your physique, be clever with your training. 

3) Protein and protein powders make you 'bulky'

The only thing that will make you 'bulky' is excess calories (in an uncontrolled way), as females we tend not to gain ridiculous amounts of muscle, so lets discount that. 

a calorie surplus will make you gain weight yes, but often when you're training with weights and this surplus is controlled, high in protein and good whole-foods then its likely 

that this extra weight will be in the form of muscle, and the good kind. The kind of muscle that gives us good glutes, and lean arms. If you're already eating an unhealthy food calorie surplus

and adding in a shake or two a day then you can see why LOTS of protein could be a problem in terms of fat gain, but if you're eating well, monitoring your intake somewhat of carbs and fats then the extra protein will do you good.

4) Lighter reps for a more toned physique 

Lighter reps and more of them may give you a toned phyqique but this myth that heavier lifting for lower reps will not achieve the same look needs to be adressed. Lifting heavy puts a large 

strain on your muscles and requires a lot of energy, not only will lifting heavy burn those calories and give you that 'toned' look but it will provide a larger stimulus to your muscles 

that in turn = larger muscles = lower body fat. So put down those 2kg dumbells and opt for something a little more challenging, you should be struggling towards the middle to end of 

your rep range and if you're not you need to start stepping out of your comfort zone. 

5) You can spot reduce 

What can I do for a flatter tummy? how do I lose a little fat from my thighs? The answer..obtain a lower body fat. This is achievable through a good diet and exercise regime. It's as

simple as that. Working these particular areas will create more muscle, but that muscle will only be visible if you've got everything else in check. Abs are indeed made in the kitchen. 

6) I need to buy lots of fat burners 

In terms of fat loss, the best means of obtaining a faster..more efficient metabolism is through adequate nutrition - ensuring you hit you macros as well as micros, plenty of water, 

lots of sleep and a good training plan. In many of these so called 'fat burners' that you can purchase from a supplement shop, the main ingredient that is actually burning any fat at all

is usually caffeine. Caffeine, as we all know is found naturally in tea and coffee, so why spend all the extra cash on something probably full of nasty chemicals? For instance, alleged

fat burner 'Raspberry ketones' has little to no affect on fat burning as demonstrated by many studies, not to mention all the others on the market! Get your body functioning optimally 

the natural way, micronutrients such as your B vitamins are essential for regulation of blood sugar and an efficient metabolism. Omega-3 in fish, flaxseed or oil forms is also an essential component 

of a healthy fat burning body. Do your research and you'll find you may be able to save a fortune. 

7) Macros are all created equal

IIFYM, an excellent way of keeping yourself on track if you're looking to lead a healthy lifestyle WITHOUT the restriction of eating stricly clean foods. However, it must be noted here that

30g of carbs from a cookie is not the same as 30g of carbs from a bowl of oats. Firstly, lets take a look at the sugar contents, and the GI. The cookie has a high GI, it raises 

blood sugar levels rapidly, unlike the oats which are a complex carb and release energy at a slower pace. A raise in blood sugar will cause a spike in insulin, resulting 

in anabolic processes (i.e - fat storage) Now lets look at fibre, you may think that fibre isn't of much importance. But fibre (In oats, not so much in the cookie) will not only keep 

you feeling satisfied for longer but it slows down as well as reduces the absorption of carbs and fats. Thus, it monitors your blood sugar as well as your cholesterol levels. I'm not saying

you should only eat clean foods, but just bare this in mind whilst trying to lose fat.

8) You must be in a large calorie deficit to lose weight

NOT true. A huge calorie deficit will result in metabolic damage, severe drowziness and HANGER. Feed your body good whole-foods, keep to a slight deficit and you'll burn that fat in a healthy way and actually maintain it.

Just because you're dieting you don't need to feel like crap, in fact..healthy food should you make you feel better. Do yourself a favour and don't do too much too soon, calculate a slight deficit, plateau..repeat.

8 cardio tips for achieving the body you want!

Whether you're a cardio bunny or tend to live in fear of it, here are some tips to maximise your cardio routine. I think almost everyone has a love/ hate relationship with cardio, sometimes it can be a chore..other times it's your best friend. Either way, it can be a good addition to your routines if you do it right.

1) HIIT

Okay, so we've all heard about the supposed benefits of HIIT. But lets make them a little clearer. HIIT is high intensity interval training. There are so many ways of performing HIIT, e.g  - sprints on the treadmill, spin, a circuit. Which makes HIIT versatile and a lot more appealing to many. The idea is you get your heart rate up, utilising your anaerobic pathway and burn some serious stored energy. You take a little break, say..30s and tap into your aerobic pathway and burn some fat. So HIIT is an excellent way to deplete energy stores, burn fat and still make it home in time to resume normal daily activity such as watching Youtube and night bowls (normal right?)

Here is an example of a common HIIT workout I do, usually performed AFTER weight training (I'll explain why below)

1 min warm up (walk)
14 minutes of sprints
30s on, 30s off
80% max

Circuit (with weights when you can) 4X

10 lateral raise into burpee
10 box jumps
10 alternating arm medicine ball press ups
20 mountain climbers

2) Steady state cardio 

Steady state cardio was said to be the height of fat burning at one point, claiming that it directly tapes into your aerobic pathway and utilises fat stores. But in all honesty, yes..steady state cardio burns fat..but overall you won't be burning as many calories as something that really gets your heart pumping such as like HIIT.

It's important to understand that like HIIT, steady state cardio takes many forms..it can be a jog,  a walk or even steady state on a bike. Each of these activities have different lengths and intensities. A run for 40 minutes of course will burn more calories, but in terms of bodybuilding is not ideal. If you're looking to reserve muscle mass then you want to be saving your time and energy primarily on weights and using cardio simply as an extra tool to burn fat. However, a low/medium intensity walk for 40 minutes will allow your body to reserve your hard earned muscle and tap into those fat stores all at the same time (win win)

So, theres definitely a place for steady state in the world of bodybuilding. Hence why you almost always see that big guy at the gym on a crazy incline holding onto the machine for dear life.  My advice would be to add a little incline walking post workout and see how it effects your progress! for me it instantly sped up fat loss and did not effect strength and muscle gains.


3) When's the best time? 

This is all subject to when you can of course, some time of the day is better than none. However, it all depends on your goals..if you're training for a race and you're looking to build up your cardiovascular endurance go ahead and prioritise that; get up early, go for a run. But, if you want that 'lean and sculpted' look that is best achieved with weights get your weights in first. Weight lifting not only burns calories, builds muscle and makes you look like a lean machine, but after your workout, your metabolic rate is also raised (as your body tries to rebuild itself) so that's a calorie burning elevation for at least 8 hours. Combined with the fact that a body with more muscle mass burns more calories..well..just living. If I do cardio, it will (unless the workout is solely cardio on the odd occasion) be a short time after weight training. This way, your glycogen stores are already depleted and your body is then forced to rely on its fat stores. Even a 15 minute walk after your weights can make a huge difference.

4) MUST I do cardio? 

The short answer..no. If you don't like cardio, then don't do it. The idea behind cardio in the purpose of bodybuilding i.e - getting that lean bod' is to create a larger calorie deficit when you're looking to lose fat so that the process is sped up. However, cardio is not needed in that you can create a larger deficit by just eating less or just eating the same and cutting slowly in order to reserve muscle mass. Too much cardio will effect muscle growth, depending of course on your body type and who you are. So, many keep cardio minimal even during a cut and only add it in as a last resort. Which is fine, but it's important to understand that not everyone works in the same way and perhaps your body responds well to cardio ..or god forbid..you enjoy it. I do cardio, because I enjoy it, and I love feeling fit and healthy. Cardio is not just for fat loss, it for heart health and pumping the blood to your muscles can even induce muscle repair (in the right volumes) So nope, not necessary, but oh so necessary if you enjoy it and it compliments your training program.

5) Don't let it be a chore

Find alternative ways to do cardio if running on the treadmill is not for you. Go outdoors, walk your dog, do a fitness class. If you want something to be a part of your lifestyle it has to be something that you enjoy and that is sustainable. Long periods of cardio on the treadmill are boring for many, so they achieve the same calorie burn (or more) in a short HIIT session or they have way more fun at a fitness class with friends. Mindset is everything, let cardio be a positive addition to your routine, find a way to make it work for you.

6) Add weights

Wanna really feel the burn? GO ADD WEIGHTS. Mix up your session, perhaps do your normal weight session but add in a few cardio moves between such as press ups/ dips/ jump squats. TRX is an excellent way of incorporating strength and getting your heart rate up. Combining these two elements not only gives your a great calorie burn but its an excellent way to improve your body's functionality and fitness. Remember, your body adapts to the stimulus you provide it, if you're keeping the workout high energy, using weights but also combining this with a good diet and plenty of rest your body will (with consistency) turn into a lean mean super-fit machine. What is important to remember here though, is that if you're trying to build mass primarily and burn fat secondly, focus on your heavy lifts over your cardio, don't let cardio effect your strength.

7) How many days a week?

This of course all depends on your goals and where you are currently. If you've started off with a lot of fat to lose, then there's no harm in doing cardio for a short period everyday. If however, you don't have much fat to lose you should focus on maintaining muscle mass too and perhaps rely more on a calorie deficit than too much cardio to lose the fat. This is also subject to your body type and how your body responds to cardio, some find it difficult to gain muscle and size and so should keep cardio to a minimum. Others retain muscle and sometimes fat easily and can afford to add more cardio into their routines. The only way to really find out which is you, is to see how your body responds when you put all of this into action. But you'll find that those who tend to gain weight more easily, those who are carb sensitive or claim to just look at a donut and gain 10lbs should do more cardio in order to achieve steady fat loss.

8) Fasted cardio

Fasted cardio can be an useful tool in burning fat. But is not necessary if you don't enjoy it. Of course, training on a fasted stomach will cause your body to burn more fat as you'll not have a ready supply of glycogen to fuel your workout, forcing you to rely on your fat stores. In turn, making your body adapt to rely on fat and improving its fat mobilisation efficiency. However, if the quality of your workout is affected by this its probably safer to avoid fasted cardio. In some individuals it may induce muscle loss and leave them feeling overly drained too quickly. If you are just starting to add cardio to your weight training routine to lose fat, you don't need to do too much too soon. As soon as you add that extra cardio, you'll create a calorie deficit and you'll begin to lose weight (provided your diet is on point of course) So, fasted cardio isn't needed. I'd say however, that if it works well for you and its easier for you to get up early and do cardio then go for it. It's also useful when all other means are exhausted, for instance..during the final weeks of prep for a bikini competition you may need to push out all the stops in order to carry on losing those final lbs of fat. So fasted cardio, effective in that it uses fat stores, potentially harmful to muscle progression if you have that sort of body type and in my opinion should be built up to towards the end of a cut. Don't exhaust all your tools at once.

Diet Diaries - Fighting cravings (blog post 2)

When it comes to dieting, cravings can be a huge hinderance. Especially when you first begin, when your body is used to sugar, the body will crave it. Aaaand when your body is depleted of energy, it will also fight you with cravings and hunger cues. Dieting can be difficult, so here are my top tips for staying on track.

1) Using your will power

So they say, that there are two parts to a person's brain. The animal brain and the human brain or pre frontal cortex. The animal brain is all about survival. You diet, it'll send out the survival cravings. You cut out sugar? THE ANIMAL BRAIN NEEDS ALL THE CAKE IN THE WORLD. But the human brain, the part of your brain that reasons with you, tells you what you should do, that is what controls your decisions ultimately. Now, once you disassociate the two. You are a very powerful person indeed. Once you learn that you are in control of you cravings, that this part of the brain that focuses on survival can't make you eat that cookie.. that you can decide for yourself, that's when you're able to succeed in dieting. Your cravings are not you, your animal brain is not you. You have full control over your progress.

Another thing to think about is the long term, what are your goals? If you want to look good in that bikini on holiday, that's cool, think about it. Go check out Victoria secret bikinis, perhaps even buy one. If you want to compete, think about the feeling of accomplishment on stage after all the hard work. If you're doing this just for a healthier, happier you..think about that, think about why you're doing it and why you owe this to yourself. However, I think it's best to be at peace with you and your body even if you are far away from your end goal. Train to improve yourself, both mentally and physically. If you're fighting your body throughout, hating yourself and punishing yourself this is an unhealthy attitude to have and it won't get you anywhere in the long term. Have the mindset that 'I am beautiful now but I want to achieve these goals for me, because they matter to me and I'm on the right track, trying my best. This is far more than what most are doing and I'm proud of myself for it.' 


2) Break the habit - Emotional eating 

We, as humans are a lot of the time controlled by pain and pleasure. And often enough, we make the association between unhealthy foods and a feeling of pleasure, perhaps a way of coping with stress or even just fighting boredom. One way of fighting the urge is to dissociate these two things. Instead, associate your happiness with something else, something productive. Healthy foods, reading a book, hitting the gym. Ultimately, this positive association we have with over eating is just a pattern or a habit. For instance, watching a movie or sitting on the sofa we may associate with over eating, when we repeat this TV watching..couch sitting notion and pair it with excessive amounts of food we're going to expect this every time. It becomes normal; like a necessity. But it's about breaking this pattern, again you are in control of it. You may want to think about the consequences of over eating say in the long term or that short term feeling of just being uncomfortable, visualise it, act on it.


I found this to be an interesting exercise..

Think of that food you crave to eat in excess, think about eating it, the taste..the texture..the smell of your favourite food. Think about the pleasure you may get from it. Feeling hungry? Now..imagine a big ass dog comes over, this dog is not a friendly looking thing and he's angry. He starts to excrete smelly goodness all over your food, then uses his paws to mix it altogether and he's real happy with his work so he winks at you. Now visualise it, eating the food..the new taste and texture. The smell of dog poo and your favourite cookie. Feeling disgusted? now, this is a bit extreme, but it's about breaking the association, this is a helpful technique if you're prone to overeating or binge eating.

3) Eat your greens 

Green veg is very low in carbs, fat and protein but full of fibre. Add some greens to each meal. They're full of nutrients and will help you keep fuller for longer. Don't stress about the macros, if its gonna stop you eating that jar of peanut butter later on..who the hell cares? Wholegrains, seeds and bran are a great source of insoluble fibre. This means that it is not fermented by the bacteria in your gut. nor is it soluble (DUH) this gives the feeling of fullness. Soluble fibres found in as oats, bananas and nuts are broken down by bacteria which then produce short chain fatty acids, to the human brain this releases a feeling of satiety and as it is soluble it produces a sort of 'gel' in the gut that limits the absorption of other macronutrients. So eating veggies with your carbs..it all makes sense now right?


4) Have a calorie maintenance day 

Being in a calorie deficit can be difficult. You may be lacking in energy, you may be feeling a little low and hangry. So add in a day where you eat a little more, give your body a break to perform optimally in the gym, to release leptin (a hormone that stops the cravings) and to potentially prevent a binge. You shouldn't need to eat too much here, maybe just at your maintenance calories. In the long term, this may give you a better relationship with food, a more efficient metabolism and improve your progress.

5) The carrot test 

A test I invented myself. So you've got a craving..it won't go away. You're thinking about a certain food and how damn hungry you are for it. Would you replace this food with a carrot and that end your hunger? if not, this is simply a craving and you're not actually hungry. Actual hunger should be satisfied by almost anything you enjoy. If you're hungry for the carrot still, go eat the carrot. (talk about yolo) or go eat something else that's good for ya, just not the pack of Oreos. If you're looking for something sweet that won't jeopardise your macros I'd highly recommend harley's sugar free jelly. It's around 9 kcal for a large pot..now that's sheer volume for calories. I often snack on them when I know I'm not actually hungry just craving something sweet. You may seem me in Tesco holding 6-10 pots wishing I'd picked up a basket.

6) Occupy yourself with other things 

Food is often something we turn to when we're bored. The craving can usually be subsided by doing something else. Even something as simple as taking a shower, painting your nails, watching a motivational youtube video or hitting the gym. Again, we need to associate food not as something to fight boredom (there are plenty of other things) but as something we need to nourish us, to perform, as fuel. Drinking lots of water helps a lot too, often when we think are hungry it is just that we need a drink. Water is essential to everyones diet, not just if you're trying to cut down. Don't let yourself go dehydrated. Every cell in your body will thank you for it.

 7) EAT

If you're real hungry, then eat. Don't starve yourself, this will leave you feeling grumpy, tired and unhappy. Those fitness competitors that towards the end of their cut eat very little. Notice how they slowly decline to that low level of calories and post competition work their way back up. That's because it's not healthy, and it's not maintainable especially if you want to progress in the gym. Eating is good, but think about why you're hungry. What are you lacking? Vitamins? Eat some veggies. Protein? add a scoop of whey in your yogurt. Don't just go the thing you crave, think logically about what you NEED, you body does not NEED sugary foods but a lot of the time that is what we associate with lots of energy..immediately, so we crave it. However, what your body actually needs is a different story. Work with your body, not against it. And also, remember this, no food is terrible for you in moderation. Of course, no foods are created equally in terms of the way our body utilises them. Processed sugary foods nutritionally are not as optimal, but if you fancy a treat..then go for it, but in moderation, eat it, satisfy the craving and move on. No guilt and no excessive consumption.

Diet Diaries, blog post 1

So, after some time off I thought I'd get my blog up and running and update you guys on what I'm doing currently. These past few months I have been VERY relaxed with my food and boy have I had fun. No tracking.. oh hey are those doughnuts? yeah I'll get extra cheese please..why the hell not? (now I understand why the hell not) Whilst it's good to be relaxed, I miss the routine of it, the excitement of progress and actually just being more in control of my intake and so have decided to diet (DUN DUN DUN) lose some fat and let the muscle that is sneakily hiding underneath show. Maybe I should change the name of my blog fat to strong? just kidding, I ain't fat. 

So how do I propose to do that ..I hear you ask? Well, It's simple. A calorie deficit. How I create the calorie deficit will vary. Wether it be eating under my maintenance or adding some cardio here and there. Either way, a calorie deficit is essential in fat loss. I often get asked what my macros are. And I am sometimes reluctant to share them as everyone is different in terms of what they need to reach certain goals. However, it is interesting to compare. Usually, my macros are sky high. Last year I was hitting over 200g of protein..yup, crazy. And guess what? I was super lean. This time, my macros are geared towards fat loss. So here as an approximate round up: 

Carbs: 140
Protein: 170
Fat: 50 

Consuming around 1700 calories. I'll be using myfitnesspal to track my food and be focusing on hitting macros over calories. I believe, even when you know you're in calorie deficit it is important to track your intake. This way, you are able to adjust your macros and therefore have more control over your progress. The body does however work in mysterious ways, and just because you've reduced your calories and added cardio that does not necessarily mean you'll lose tonnes of weight straight away. There are a number of factors that come into weight loss including of course energy expenditure and intake but also your body's hormones and metabolism. The key is to be patient and at least happy in the knowledge you're on the right track. 

Am I eating clean? Not entirely, but mostly. The reason being is that day-to-day I am a firm believer that clean foods are the bomb. Not just taste-wise but they top processed foods when it comes to macronutrients as well as micronutrients. Whilst hitting your macros is important, getting your vitamins and minerals in are VITAL for a healthy body, allowing you to reach those targets, push harder and in order to regulate an efficient metabolism. 

As for my routines..they are far more rep filled (and fun) supersets, added cardio sets and just an all round mix up. My plan is to increase my strength, functionality and cardiovascular endurance. I miss being super duper fit. I'm going to be sharing a few of my routines with you throughout the course of my progress so stay tuned. 

My plan for the coming months (although I am incredibly busy) new job, big move etc. is to show you guys my journey and a few tips along the way, whether it be through Instagram (@salboi) snapchat - sallyiscool95 (very cool indeed) or my blog. I aim to get a useful blog post out at least once a week showing you how I'm progressing and sharing how exactly I'm doing it. 

Much love and have a fabulous week!