Affirmations - Can They make You Thin?

 What is an affirmation?
Put simply it is something you say to yourself over and over until you believe it to be so.  

Many of us may be using affirmations in a negative way - if you believe you can't do something or something will go wrong or you wont pass a test, then your conscious mind and unconscious mind are working together to ensure these things happen. 

Have you ever said to yourself, right I'm on a diet, then immediately a little person in your head says to you, but I want chocolaate, cakes, all the forbidden things I cant have, because I have just said I want to lose weight and go on a diet....


Next time you have this little person in your head tempting you to go down the route of destruction, say something positive and affirm this over and over until you believe it to be so. 


Here are a few affirmations I use daily to help be achieve my goals:

I'm feeling thinner and healthier and have more energy each day

Today I am going to stick to my diet and will not be tempted by _______

More calories in equals exercising to get more out which will help me reach my target weight of _____

 You get the drift?  So now your turn, send me your affirmations in the comments box below....
 


 
Colette Morris  SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)

LFGC Founder

    

Get a 10% discount on Herbalife Products at our Online 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. 

Do You Suffer From having A Fat Day?

Today I woke up feeling FAT... How many of you have had a 'fat day!'  

There are times during the month when women do bloat and genuinely even if you are stick thin you can feel and seem visibly fat.  

It's not just us women who have fat days, men too can have 'times of the month' when they too bloat up.   

Sometimes the food we eat can have adverse effects on our bodies and we do physically bloat.  The best way to track if you are intolerant to certain foods is to keep a food diary of what you eat and drink, including times.  This can help to identify what types of foods you are intolerant to so  you can avoid them. 


Another way to find out what you are intolerant to is to cut foods out on a temporary basis and then introduce them back into your diet. It would be best to seek the advice of a qualified nutritionist before embarking on an elimination programme.

If you are thinking of eliminating food types from your diet, you would need to ensure this is done in a controlled manner preferably in consultation with a qualified nutritionist. Again you will need to keep a diary.  

 The first things to cut out would be dairy.  Wheat is also another food type that people are frequently intolerant to, that includes flour, beer, cakes, pasta. If you are eliminating food from your diet, you should do so for 10 days ensuring you cleanse the system thoroughly by drinking lots of water.  Then slowly introduce the food you have eliminated and note down your symptoms.  

You don't have to be fat to feel fat.... So, if like me you are having a 'fat day' keep track of how you feel, what you have eaten and get some more exercise in! 



Colette Morris  SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)

LFGC Founder

    

Get a 10% discount on Herbalife Products at our Online 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. 

What's The Deal With Belly Fat?

Muffin Top! Belly Fat!  we all know that feeling when you pull up your jeans and you struggle to do up the top button, and horror of horrors, when you look down at the tight jeans you squeezed into and  the muffin top is clearly visible! Arghhh!

Belly fat is the worst type of fat to have, as it has been shown to lead to a variety of illnesses which can be avoided.  


Now i'm going to disclose some well known secrets of the trade.... there are some good fats and bad fats.  MUFAS or Monounsaturated Fatty Acids are plant-based fats found in some of the world's most delicious foods--avocado, nuts and seeds, oils, olives, and dark chocolate! 

Studies show that these good-for-you fats enhance heart health and protect against chronic disease. And now the latest research shows that these dietary superstars may even target fat where it's hardest to lose--in your belly!

So how does this work you ask, well a handful of MUFAS on a daily basis will not only help to reduce your belly fat, but also is good for heart health as well.  

Of course you have to put this into context with exercise and watching what you eat!   Why not join our weight loss challenge and get more information to help you reduce belly fat and weight loss. 


You may also want to view one of my previous posts on obtaining a flatter belly here ==> http://londonfitgirls.blogspot.com/2010/11/foods-for-flatter-stomach.html







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. 

Stress and Your Health

 Stress can have a devistating effect on our health our mind and our bodies.  It is important to recognise the feelings of stress and to be able to have strategies in place to deal with this. 


We all have stress in our lives, and there is such a thing as good stress and bad stress, believe it or not. Stress can manifest itself as aches and pains, stiffness in back neck or shoulders, ulcers, stomach ailments, spots, rashes, loss of hair, headaches, loss of appetite as well as the opposite comfort eating to allay our fears and stresses. Some in the medical industry feel that some cancers are bought on by stress. 


So recognising you are stressed is important in the first instance.  Once you have recognised this, look at what may be causing the stress, now in these days and times, it could be any of the following areas:

• Finance
• Relationships
• Health
• Job / Work related

 

In most of these areas you can 'take charge' of the situation if you regocnise the issues.  Seek help and more importantly take action.  

 

Techniques to help destress

Meditation is a great way to destress.  Find a quiet place to relax, close your eyes and breathe deeply, in through your nose out through your mouth.  Do this for at least 5 minutes if you can go longer you will feel yourself relax.  Tell youself to relax in your mind and you will find yourself sinking deeper and deeper into inner peace. 

 

Self Development  

Is a great way to improve your mindset, thinking positively can help resolve stressful situations.

Recognise your triggers to stress, and as soon as you feel your heart racing, or your blood boiling take measures to calm yourself down. 

Now a majority of people who are overweight tend to comfort eat, that is also to do with stress, being in a stressful relationship, having a stressful time at work, other types of stress or lack of self esteem.  With weight gain and stress, this can lead to health problems, so therefore really important to recognise stress which is causing you to be ill, or gain weight needs to be addressed quickly.  Changing your mindset, eating habits and exercising more can help you to improve your stress levels and improve your health at the same time. 

Your turn.... if there are techniques you use that are helpful to keep you destressed, why not share them in my comments below.....

Colette Morris  SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)

LFGC Founder

    

Get a 10% discount on Herbalife Products at our Online 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. 

Diet Question Time Sundays - IBS and what to Eat and Not Eat

Now this is a tricky subject IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome, is not uncommon about 1 in 5 people are affected by this.  Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gut disorder. The cause is not known. Symptoms can be quite variable and include abdominal pain, bloating, and sometimes bouts of diarrhoea and/or constipation. Symptoms tend to come and go. There is no cure for IBS, but symptoms can often be eased with treatment.  Having a balanced diet can also help reduce the symptoms as well. 

If you have any of the following symtpoms, you may have IBS.  

• Some people have bouts of diarrhoea
• some people have bouts of constipation
• bloating and swellling of the abdomen from time to time
• passing more wind that usual
• some people have bouts of diarrhoea that alternate with bouts of constipation
• some people have an urgency to go to the toilet,  either arter eating or in the morning during eating breakfast.
• a feeling of not properly emptying your bowels when you go to the toilet
• Sometimes your stools become small and pellet like, sometimes watery or ribbony. 
• poor appetite
• belching, or feeling full after soon eating.

SO, what kind of things can you eat to help your IBS?  

Finding out what is your trigger food is essential for understanding what you should or should not eat.  Everyone's diet is different so there isn't really a one diet fits all. 

Food elimination is a great way to find out what brings on the symptoms of IBS for you.  
Keep a food diary on a daily basis and make notes of how you feel after eating each food type.  This will help identify what foods are triggering your IBS and thus which ones to avoid. 


I found a really great site that points out what to eat and what not to eat, click here for more details. 

This site is also a great site  http://www.mealplansite.com/medical-irritable-bowel-syndrome.aspx 

http://ibsdietplan.org/  

SO now its your turn, if you suffer from IBS, what tips can you give to others.... comments in my comments luv box below :)




 
Colette Morris  SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)

LFGC Founder

    

Get a 10% discount on Herbalife Products at our Online 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. 

Motivation Vlog

Colette Morris SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition) 
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 me LondonFitGirlsClub@gmail.com

What To Eat For Snacks

 Snacking is the number one downfall for most diets....

I know we all do it, have a quick biscuit here and there, you can never seem to stop at one!  

Here are some healthy snacking tips for you to follow and enjoy.  Always try to eat organic snacks, grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts.  These will help with sustaining your blood sugar levels. 

• Avoid preservatives, white flours, refined sugars, food colorings and artificial flavors. 
• Read labels and look at calorie amounts and fat content as well as salt and sugar levels.
• Snacks should be maximum of 120 calories or less.  Ensure that you build your snack calories into your day to day meal plan. 
• Avoid excessive alcohol as this adds loads of calories 
• Prepare your snacks in advance.  The worst thing is eating out of a packet or box as you are more than likely to eat the whole thing.  If you put them onto a small plate or into a ready made snacking back (portioned out), this will help. 
• Get rid of temptation foods.  So, if you have the wrong type of snacks available, you need to give them away or get rid of them. If there are no temptations in your fridge or pantry or cupboard, you are less likely to go off track. 
• Have healthy snacks available.  Put fruit out on the table so that these are easily reached. 

So what kind of snack ideas can you use:

• cruditities with humus or with a light dip
• handful of nuts,almonds, walnuts,cashews, peanuts, hazelnuts
• berries, 
• dried fruit
• fresh fruit
• Rye bread, or crackers with light toppings.

The main thing to remember is however many calories go in, you need more to come out.  
Exercise is essential for weight loss so I don't have to keep on harping on about it!

SO what is your favourite low calorie snack, share it with me in the comments below :)
 
The best one will get a box of Herbalife Snack Bars (flavour of your choice)!


Colette Morris  SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)

LFGC Founder

    

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. 

Coconut Delight

Morning!

I thought I would share this with you.

There are so many recipes you can make up with a few ingredients, a blender and imagination!


So here are some of the things you can do with your Herbalife nutritional shake mix.

I started off my day with a lovely coconut delight!
My recipe:
300ml skimmed or soya milk
2 tablespoons of coconut yoghurt
2 scoops of Vanilla Herbalife Nutritional Shake Mix
Protein Powder (Optional)
Pinch of cinnamon
Half a spoon of vanilla essence
Ice (optional) and blend.

 Don't forget to leave me a comment below with your favourite smoothie or shake mix.


Colette Morris  SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)

LFGC Founder

    

Get a 10% discount on Herbalife Products at our Online 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. 

Fat Busting Exercise Routines

 Hey I've got a massive secret!

Well it is not really a secret, because it's been around a while, but there is a way in which you can work out less and burn more fat....

Yes you heard me right. How?

It's called High Intensity Interval Training (or HIIT)

SO what is it?  Well it's format is brief bouts of hard exercise in short bursts paired with easier activity for recovery, this helps to burn off more calories per minute than doing a longer workout at a steady pace.  


You can perform a HIIT workout in 30 minutes or less.  A great iphone app for this is NIKE WOMENS TRAINING. They have a range of interval training sessions and weight bearing sessions so your choice!


 This routine helps to burn of 350 calories in 30 minutes and as you get fitter you can extend the length of the workout. You can do this with any type of cardio,running, jumping rope, or treadmill elliptical. 


So for the first 10minutes:
warm up - this could involve walking at a moderate pace for the first 1- 2 minutes,then stepping up the pace for the next 3-4 minutes then leading into a light jog for the next 5 - 7 minutes, then a short sprint for the next  30 seconds then back down to alight jog for the final 2 minute.


30 seconds - workout at a strong to challenging effort,  this is where you feel almost breathless and can only sing 'happy birthday' a few words at a team.


then rest for 1 minute

Repeat the above sequence two more times, so after your first sequence you should be walking at a moderate to fast pace, then stepping that up to a light jog then extend the jogging time where you are able to, if you are not up to jogging yet, then increase your walking pace to as fast as you can and sustain this for at least 4 - 5 minutes.


Don't forget to warm down, so take 5minutes out to cool down walking, stretching etc.




Colette Morris  SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)

LFGC Founder

    

Get a 10% discount on Herbalife Products at our Online 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. 

My Strawberry Wake Up

Morning!

If you are in a hurry in the mornings and don't have time for breakfast, or if you don't eat breakfast then consider having a nutritional shake instead. If you want to find out more on the benefits of nutritional shakes you can view my previous post on this here:

Benefits of Nutritional Shakes

I started off my day with a lovely Strawberry and coconut nutritional shake.

My recipe:
2 level spoons of Herbalife Vanilla nutritional shake mix, 8 strawberries halved, 2 dessert spoons of coconut yoghurt and blend.

Calories:  approximately 290

For more delicious recipes click here

Working it!

Getting motivated to go the gym, or to go for a walk can sometimes be difficult, that's why it is so important to have a buddy or person who can push or motivate you along.

It's been proven that most people who are successful in losing weight do so when supported. 

So I thought I would share a quick motivational video with you.

If you find it difficult to lose weight and would like to be supported by a weight loss coach CLICK HERE 

Colette Morris  SAC Dipl. (Diet &Nutrition)

LFGC Founder

    

Get a 10% discount on Herbalife Products at our Online 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.