Here Are Some Tips For Lowering Your Blood Pressure

 Got High Blood Pressure? What are the signs?  Well for one if you are having lots of headaches, or feel light headed, or even hear your heart beat in your temple, that is some of the physical signs.  Some people may not have any signs.  

When you have had your blood pressure taken it is represented as two numbers, such as 120/80mmHg (one hundred and twenty over eighty millimetres of mercury).

• The first figure – the systolic blood pressure – is a measure of the pressure when your heart muscle is contracted and pumping blood. This is the highest pressure in your blood vessels.
• The second figure – the diastolic blood pressure – is the pressure between heart beats when your heart is resting and filling with blood. This is the lowest pressure in your blood vessels.

 The lower your blood pressure, the better for your health. Doctors recommend that your blood pressure is kept below 140/85

It is important to go get your blood pressure checked regularly at your local Doctor's surgery.  Alternately there are monitors which you can buy such as the  Omron Bp652 7 Series Blood Pressure Wrist Unit or the Omron HEM-650 Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor with APS (Advanced Positioning Sensor)and use these to help measure your blood pressure in between your GP visits. 

Getting your blood pressure under control as soon as possible can reduce the  following ailments,

• cardiovascular disease, such as angina (chest pain caused by reduced blood flow), stroke, heart attack, heart failure or atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat)
• kidney damage
• damaged sight

 Some of the causes of high blood pressure are

• lack of exercise
• poor diet
• stress
• being overweight
• high intake of alcohol

If you believe you have high blood pressure then you can improve this by improving your diet, losing weight or introducing more exercise into your daily routine.  Taking a walk instead of driving the car to the shops, walking the kids to school or even joining a salsa class or do something you enjoy or something you and the family could do together.

Herbalife have a great product called Niteworks which helps to increase the Nitric Oxide production during the night in our bodies while we are asleep. Niteworks has been known to help improve your blood pressure and Nitric Oxide production which in turn will increase blood flow.
Niteworks

SKU: 3150

Stimulates Nitric Oxide production.  

Developed in conjunction with Nobel Laureate Lou Ignarro, Niteworks contains special ingredients which work together with the body's own mechanism to increase Nitric Oxide production, a key component of assuring normal circulation. This helps provide your body with nutritional support during the night when it recharges its battery for the day ahead

Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)     
Herbalife Shop - http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com  or simply click on the tab here  to join our program. 

Summer Motivation - A Day In The Life....

Don't you just love it when the sun is shining. Get's the fitness hormones up and running!  Well for me anyway. Today I have decided to go out on a 10 mile round trip bike ride. For those of you on a weight loss regime, or a fitness regime riding is really good for you, less stress on the joints.

I have started my day with cheese on toast (wholemeal bread) and a cup of herbal tea, (Mango and Apple with a dash of Cranberry... yum!).

Morning meditation was done at 6.45am this morning, so am now totally motivated and inspired to begin this beautiful day.

Photo's will be coming so watch this space. 

So ladies and gents what exercise are you going to do today?  Leave me your comments below... don't be shy now!
















Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)   
Herbalife Shop - http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com  or simply click on the tab here  to join our program. 

Back On Track...

I am back on the training wagon.   It's not long now before the 1st of October and my 13 mile walk for cancer research. 
I just wanted to go over the importance of hydration before, during and after you exercise or workout.
Our body is made up of 95% of water, and when you workout you lose at least a pint possibly more.  So, as a recommendation take a sip every 15 minutes or so of your workout to ensure you don't dehydrate or lose electrolytes quickly. The main cause of dehydration is through sweat where the body excretes sodium.   A good isotonic drink is ideal to replacing the water quickly in the body and ensuring no electrolytes have been lost.

It's important to keep hydrated for a number of reasons. If properly hydrated you can operate at peak performance, otherwise fatigue may set in. The two main factors that contribute to fatigue during endurance performance are depletion of body’s carbohydrate stores and dehydration. 


Sports drinks are either hypotonic, isotonic or hypertonic. This is determined by the carbohydrate and sodium concentration of the drink.
 Hypotonic and isotonic drinks are designed to maintain hydration (isotonic drinks also supply some carbohydrate) whilst hypertonic drinks are used to supply energy via carbohydrate.

Hypertonic drinks are therefore designed for energy rather than hydration. Hypertonic drinks are best taken before exercise for energy and then to refuel.
The primary electrolyte lost through sweat is Sodium. If a large amount of Sodium is lost through sweating, the concentration of sodium in the blood drops which increases the movement of water into the cells leading to further dehydration. So sodium replacement in the right concentration is the key to rehydration.

The right level of sodium is dictated by how much sodium you lose through sweat and the rate at which you sweat.

When I work out I use the Herbalife H30 drink which helps to quickly hydrate and also gives energy at the same time.  You can order this from the site by clicking on the hyper link.

What ever you are doing this week ensure you keep yourself hydrated properly.  We should all be drinking at least 2 litres of water per day minimum, and remember if you are working out you will need more.

H3O Pro Isotonic Drink - Lemon Lime



H³O Pro™ Isotonic Drink - Powering Exceptional Performances

As we demand more from our bodies during exercise, it's vital that we support our body and provide what it needs. That’s why you get so much more from H³O Pro™ isotonic drink than other leading brands on the market. Developed by experts in sports nutrition, H³O Pro™ is an innovative isotonic drink which helps to power exceptional performances





Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)     
Herbalife Shop - http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com  or simply click on the tab here  to join our program. 

Sun is Shining, Get Your Vitamin D

It’s dubbed the ‘sunshine vitamin’ but how do we get enough vitamin D when the sun isn’t shining or you avoid sunlight?

Sun exposure is required for the skin to produce vitamin D, as a normal balanced diet contains very little.  This has brought about a growing concern for vitamin D deficiency in particular groups: older people or those living in institutional care with little exposure to sunlight, those with darker skin tone, and those who cover themselves because of cultural or religious reasons.

So how do you make sure you get enough?   You don’t need to bake yourself in the sun and risk skin cancer to get a good dose of vitamin D.
How much you need depends on your skin colour. If you have fair skin, you may only need approximately 5 minutes of daily exposure in summer sun, whereas if you have darker skin, you may need up to 20 minutes each day.
More exposure is needed over winter to produce vitamin D because UV levels are considerably less. But by getting enough sunlight hours over summer, you can build up your stores for winter.

It’s also important to remember that even when it’s cloudy, you are still exposed to UV light, so just because you can’t see the sun, doesn’t mean you’re not getting vitamin D!

Very few foods contain vitamin D: oily fish, eggs and some fortified milks and margarine. It’s a good idea to include these healthy foods in your diet, even if you don’t think you have concern for vitamin D deficiency.
Those over the age of 50 years need almost double the amount of vitamin D than those younger than them. So to make sure you get the recommended amount, try to get about 15 minutes of sensible sunshine each day and eat the healthy foods mentioned above.



Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)     
Herbalife Shop - http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com  or simply click on the tab here  to join our program. 

Stuck on Losing Weight?

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Two quarters in, and how are your plans for losing weight goin?  Or have you given up like 80% of those who started the new year with weight loss plans and expectations.

Don't get disheartened, weight loss is a long process even if it is only a few pounds you want to lose, in fact the less weight you have to lose the harder it is to lose.  So don't beat yourself up if you are down to the last 10 pounds or so.  It will take even more persistance that usual to get it shifted.






So what can you do if your weight loss slows down.  Here are some tips which have helped both myself and my clients in the past:

• Cut down on calorie intake and increase your level exercise 
• come off the weight loss program for at least  3-5 days, then go back on again with a vengence
• do a mini detox for 5 days cut out bread, daffeine, fizyzy stuff, alcohol, starches, wheat and dairy.
• step up your exercise regime more toning, working out with weights rather than cardio type exercise,  and drink more water and fluids, burning more calories will kick start any sluggish metabolism.
• Increase your protein intake, increasing protein reduces the carbs urge, and therefore makes you feel fuller longer.  Try our natural whey protein supplement.
• add more fibre to your diet - this will help to get rid of more fat.  Try our Fibre and Herbs supplement.
• drink more water, sometimes not having enough water inhibits weight loss.
• are you eating the right number of calories? If you are eating too less than what your body needs, it will try to hold on to as much of your body fat as it can for energy and body function purposes,therefore you may need to eat more calories. It is always important to adjust your calories with the weight loss.

If you have any more, let us know, leave your comment below...
















Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)     
Herbalife Shop - http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com  or simply click on the tab here  to join our program. 

LFGC Blog Now Mobile Friendly

 Yes we have,  we are now mobile friendly so if you are viewing our blog on your mobile you will no longer have to keep moving from left to right, as it will now fit nicely onto your screen. Ijust checked it out on my iphone and it displays really quick, and easier to navigate through the pages on the site.

So spread the word, we are now more accessible for those of you on the move!










Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)    Herbalife Shop - http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com  or simply click on the tab here  to join our program. 

Come Join Us On Facebook....

The London fit girls have a facebook page where you can interact with us online, add your photos, leave us comments, videos and more.

Join us  London Fit Girls Club on Facebook




See you there!





Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)     
Herbalife Shop - http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com  or simply click on the tab here  to join our program. 

Earthquakes of the Human Kind....

Today we have great video workout for your abs.

I find this really does work, and its easy to do.The best this is

it works your stomach and helps you get your flat belly.

Recommended Products for the day:

 Gourmet Tomato Soup

Today I am recommending the Gourmet Tomato Soup. So if you fancy

a quick snack, then why not add this to the list. 

It is a hot, savoury and nutritious healthy
snack that's easy

to make. It combines the latest in nutritional science
with prebiotic

inulin fibre and naturally occuring tomato lycopene.
Popular

flavours basil and oregano offer you a taste of the
Mediterranean.

Another of my favourite recipes using Herbalife

meal replacement shakes is 

Chai Latte Shake

Ingredients:

2 scoops French Vanilla Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix

2 tablespoons Personalized Protein Powder (or more)

1 cup plain soy milk or nonfat milk

3 tablespoons unsweetened liquid iced tea concentrate

1/2 banana

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

A few dashes each:  ginger, clove, black pepper

4-5 ice cubes
Directions:

Place all ingredients in the blender and blend thoroughly until the ice cubes are completely crushed.
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving (with nonfat milk and 2 TBSP Personalized Protein Powder):

Calories: 272

Protein: 29.5 grams

Fat: 0.5 grams

Carbohydrate: 38 grams

Don't forget to leave me your comments, and if you have any favourite shake recipes email me them and I will get them on the blog for you...

Enjoy Your Day and feel your belly wobble with doing the 'earthquake'...


Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)    Herbalife Shop - http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com  or simply click on the tab here  to join our program. 

Meal Replacements & Weight Loss

Everybody is now getting on the band wagon with meal replacement products, and yet Herbalife started out 30 years ago with their meal replacement shake powder. 

Replacing two meals a day with a healthy protein shakemakes it easier for your body to digest the food as it is in liquid form, also  you feel more energised because the body is not taking up all its energy to process or digest a heavy meal.  The protein shakes not only keep you full but helps to stop those carb cravings, which we all know are lethal.

Now, I take my shakes in so many different ways, so I thought I would share some of my favourite

shakes with you during the lovely month of June. SO here is number one. 

Strawberry-Kiwi Shake

Serves 1
Ingredients:
2 scoops French Vanilla Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix
2 tablespoons Personalized Protein Powder (or more)
1 cup plain soy milk or nonfat milk
1/2 cup frozen whole strawberries
1 very ripe kiwi, peeled
1/8 teaspoon lemon extract
4 ice cubes
Directions:

Place all ingredients in the blender and blend thoroughly

until the ice cubes are completely crushed.

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving (with nonfat milk

and 2 TBSP Personalized Protein Powder)

Calories: 292
Protein: 30 grams
Fat: 0.5 grams
Carbohydrate: 43 grams

Don't forget to re- order your favourite flavours

www.healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com

My recommended product for today  from the

Herbalife Range:

Fibre and Herbs - Fibre Supplement

Fibre & Herb is high in soluble fibre which helps to optimise your digestive health by supporting the body's natural elimination of waste and toxins.This is a mini detox in a bottle and great for helping to get rid of the excess fat in our body.  So if you want to cut fat quickly, then add this to your regime.

Order from our site.  www.healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com

Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)    Herbalife Shop - http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com  or simply click on the tab here  to join our program. 

Wow, June Already!

 Where is the year going? We are now half way through the year and have you got your bikini beach bodies yet?  If not take the opportunity to join us by signing up to our summer body shape up.  It's not too late!


We kicked off in May with a feature on 'who inspires you'  
You can read more about that by clicking on the link.

Then we had some great content on food combining.

So here we are in June.  The middle of the year and summer is hotting up here in the UK. If you have been training, exercising, getting together with friends, let us hear about it by posting in the comments link below. 

I am in mid flow of my marathon training,although I have dropped off a bit. But, will be heavily motivated to get back on track with all this lovely weather we are having.

During June I will be doing a series of posts on outdoor activities that you can do to  improve your fitness regime, no matter your age or ability. So watch out and share your blog appreciation as always by leaving me a comment on my posts.  

So starting out with my first post...

If you haven't got a bicycle I would encourage you to go get one. It is a great way to tone up your thighs, calves and posterior, it can also get your heart muscles pumping if you go for an exhilarating ride through the country.  I try and cycle as much as I can rather than jump in the car,so the next time you have to pop out to the shops, try getting on the bike. It's more healthy for you and is quicker than walking!

Here are some things I learned that will help you in selecting the right type of bicycle...

What is the Right Kind of Bike for Me?

Well, there are basically four main styles of bikes to choose from, depending on what you are going to use the bike for you can go for the following:

Road Bikes  - these are essentially designed for riding on the road or paved streets and for going fast. They have skinny tyres and usually have a very light weight frame. The design of the bike means that your riding position putes you bent over the handlebars.  These are great for long distance and travelling at speed.  These bikes are not really good for riding off road, such as in parks or woods.

Mountain Bikes  Now, this baby is the most popular at the moment, they have wide tyres with knobbly treads and a very heavy thick frame.  These aremore designed for off road riding, durability and are not as expensive as road bikes.  The Mountain bike is not as fast as the road bike, as it is a lot more heavier. You can change the tyres to road tyres to make riding them on a paved area easier.  The seating position on this bike is a lot higher than that of the road bike. You sit more upright with the straight handlebars, so a great choice if you have back problems.


Hybrid bikes are compromise between road and mountain bikes and offer the best features of both if most of your riding will be shorter trips on pavement. With skinnier, smooth tires, they typically can go faster than mountain bikes, yet feature the upright seat and handlebar position that many people favor.
Hybrids are a good choice for most city riding, and offer speed, durability and comfort

 
Cruisers are bikes that have wide tires, wide seats, upright handlebars and sometimes even just a single gear. These are the bikes that you’ll often see at the beach. More simple mechanically, they are easy to maintain but work best with flat terrain and a rider whose main interest is more about being comfortable than with going fast.

 Must Have Accessories:

If you are thinking of riding out after dark, you need to get a good BikeLit, White LED headlight and tail light Cateye TL-LD130 LED Bicycle Tail and Safety Light (Red) to ensure you are seen by motorists.  
  Wearing a reflective vest is essential if you are thinking of night riding as most accidents happen because motorists do not see the bike rider at night until it is too late.  

It is really important to select the right helmet and to wear one when out cycling. 












 Also make sure you have a bike pump with you in case of any flat tyres.
There are many types so find one that suits you. It is important to ensure you tyres are properly inflated before you go out on your bike ride. 


Tyres that are not pumped up properly can make your cycling
efforts hard work and tiring.



 





Safety First 
If you haven't done so, I would advocate going on a road biking awareness course.   Riding on the road is not an easy feat, and there are drivers out there who are not bike savvy or bike friendly.  You can ask your local police station or locate a course on the web.

Some riders have taken to wearing video camcorders on their helmets to record accidents that have happened to them, due to bad road drivers.  It is hard to prove you were not in the wrong if an accident were to occur, so having video evidence is becoming more and more prevailent on getting compensation to road accidents.

Well there you go.  I hope you have found this post useful... let me know by sharing the link, tweeting, sharing on facebook and more...



Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)    Herbalife Shop - http://healthyweightloss.herbalcoach.com/

Colette Morris is a qualified Nutritionist and Herbalife Independent Distributor so if you want advice on your diet for weight loss, weight gain or sports nutrition, email LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com  or simply click on the tab here  to join our program.