Don't wait to lose weight!

Are you concerned about your weight? Have you noticed changes in your breathing and energy levels recently? Are you suffering from painful joints? These are just some of the symptoms that carrying excess body fat can have on your health.

Becoming overweight or obese doesn’t happen overnight, it usually develops gradually over time due to poor diet and lifestyle choices. We all know how easy it is to gain a few pounds and how challenging it is to lose them. But it’s not impossible!...

Why should I lose weight?

Apart from the obvious benefits of feeling healthier, fitter, stronger and more energetic, people who are overweight also have an increased risk of many serious diseases and health conditions, such as:

· Type 2 diabetes

· Hypertension (high blood pressure)

· Coronary heart disease and stroke

· Cancers

· Respiratory problems

· Osteoarthritis

· Liver and gall bladder disease

It’s also worth noting that recent reports suggest that obesity can cause a more severe reaction to the Covid-19 infection.

But before you panic, remember that there are lots of things you can do to improve your health and tackle weigh gain. And, as the NHS says, that starts with a healthy reduced-calorie diet and regular exercise.

Exercise, not extra fries!

As a fitness instructor and personal trainer I am of course a strong advocate of keeping fit. An hour workout is only 4% of your day and can offer huge health benefits, so I always think it’s worth making time for! But I’m also passionate about making sure that exercise is fun, not something to dread. You don’t have to become a fitness fanatic, addicted to the gym and pushing yourself until you feel sick and wake up in pain the next day. Exercise should energise you and make you feel great too.

So that’s always my number one tip: find a type of exercise that you enjoy. Whether that’s walking, dancing, swimming or something else entirely, if you enjoy it, you won’t find yourself making so many excuses about not having time. That’s what we always aim to do at my Fit2theBeat classes – have so much fun that we forget we’re exercising!

You can’t out exercise a bad diet

But a sharp reminder: unfortunately, exercising regularly does not give you a free pass to eat whatever you like! It’s said that food is becoming an over-abused drug which leads to excessive overeating – instead, nutrition should be about nourishing your body with real whole foods so that you feel energised and healthy.

A healthy, balanced diet should be based on gradual, sustainable weight loss. There needs to be a change to long-term healthy eating habits, not a short-term rapid weight loss fad diet that’s unlikely to last. A healthy, balanced diet should consist of:

· At least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day

· Higher fibre carbohydrates such as wholegrain rice and pasta

· Protein such as meat, fish, eggs and lentils

· Dairy or dairy alternatives

· A small amount of healthy unsaturated fats

Need help or advice?

As a qualified personal trainer I can help you with both exercise and nutrition to get you feeling fitter, stronger and healthier. Feel free to send me a message to book your FREE consultation.

Take care of your body – it’s the only one you have to live in!

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