Weight Loss Guru

Did you know that each one of us is made up of roughly:

63% water
22% protein
13% fat, and
2% minerals and vitamins

And, did you realise that every single molecule in our body comes from the food we eat and the water we drink. So eating the highest quality food in the right quantities helps us achieve our greatest potential for health and vitality.

Yet among the big news stories of the new millennium was this: the number of starving people in the world is now roughly equal to the number of clinically obese people. But the irony is that many people in the developed world are actually eating less than they used to, so what’s going on?

I have seen, over the last twenty years or so, that the quality of food we’re eating has got worse and there is now more focus on highly processed foods. The people I see in my one-to-one clinics and in workshops and seminars seem to be more stressed and very inactive. It appears that we are more obsessed with how we look rather than what we eat.

The sum total of this behavior is that we are gradually eating ourselves to death and, believe it or not, many people who are overweight are actually suffering from the same condition as people who are starving. Yes, MALNUTRITION, The reason being that the processed packaged food is often so heavily refined that it’s lacking in the vitamins and minerals we need for our bodies to work well.

Just as the quality and type of fuel used in your car influences both the performance and longevity of the engine, so the quality and type of food you eat influences the health, performance and longevity of your body.

If your diet contains lots of packaged and processed foods then chances are you are missing out on vital nutrients - so it’s time to cleanse your body. Every  single process that takes place in your body - including digestion, fat burning, thinking, breathing, walking and talking - requires vitamins and minerals.

When you eat fresh, natural foods, your stock of vitamins and minerals gets topped up: quite simply, when you eat well, your body works well.

As we lose touch with real ‘live’ food, it becomes harder to form the association with the vitamins and minerals in food and the realisation that we are alive because of them. Our body requires them to survive, so if we keep eating food that is lacking in them, our body’s stocks of these nutrients become depleted so we will start to malfunction and it will become increasingly harder to concentrate and process information. The  body will have less energy and it will find it more difficult to metabolise food and burn fat. That’s why junk foods are often called ‘anti-nutrients.’ They literally attack your stores of nutrients and damage your health.

So commit to giving your body what it needs, including good food and plenty of activity, and I will help you along the way, giving you encouragement, support and guidance.

Until next time

THE AVERAGE BRIT SPENDS 5 ½ MONTHS IN THEIR LIFETIME WORRYING ABOUT THEIR SNACKING HABITS!

I was recently asked to be a spokesman for The Fair Trade Nut Company. They wanted me to comment on their research that reveals Britain is a nation of ‘underground snackers'. The research shows that the average Brit spends an astonishing five and a half months in their lifetime worrying about these ‘indulgences’.

Snacking has become a well-hidden secret for the nation with nearly one in two (49%) of respondents admitting that they consciously choose to eat between meals when no one else is around. More than a quarter (27%) go a step further to conceal their covert snacking by hiding wrappers from loved ones.

It seems as a nation we have cause to worry; over two thirds of UK adults admit to regularly helping themselves to crisps, biscuits and chocolate between meals. The majority (84%) snack once or twice a day but a very peckish 12% snack three or more times a day.

Despite all the worrying and secrecy, snacking makes just a quarter of people happy, 32% said their between meal treats made them feel instantly guilty, a further 23% said it made them feel naughty.

It appears that the healthy eating messages we all see and read every day haven’t had the required effect. They have sent the average snacker underground, sneakily eating when no one is around with some even stashing their wrappers out of sight, rather than encouraging us towards healthier eating habits. The underground snackers make it even worse for themselves by worrying themselves silly about their diet. The truth is; there is nothing wrong with having a couple of snacks a day. But, if people want to lose weight and eat healthier then more of these snacks need to be a healthy protein-based snack like nuts, seeds, or fresh/dried fruit. By replacing your un-healthy snacks you’re giving your body an excellent nutritious boost between meals, which keeps you alert and energized, rather than the super-high followed by an energy-slump that you get from eating snacks that are loaded with calories, are often processed (packed full of nasties), and will spike your blood sugar levels.

The research highlighted that the main trigger to snacking is not hunger but boredom – nationally 51% of respondents claimed they reach for a quick bite when tedium gets the better of them.

It’s important to eat when you are hungry and not go for long periods without eating foods, as this causes our blood sugar levels to drop and our bodies then desire instant energy. These quick energy foods including; fizzy drinks, cakes, chocolates and crisps are so readily available and just too easy-to-grab in times of need. I suggest that you carry with you, or have to hand, snacks that will keep you satisfied and give you good energy and nutrients when you need them. I keep a mixture of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit in a little plastic container in my car and in my bag, and I always make sure I keep it topped up.

Remember to only eat small amounts of nuts at one time as they tend be high in fat. Also it’s best to go for the unsalted and un-roasted variety.

What's in your snack stash? Or do you admit to being an unhealthy 'underground snacker'?
And what about in the US? - Surely you're a bit more chilled-out about this sort of thing? Or not?

Scary Stuff: 

LONDON (AFP) — Britons are the world's biggest fans of fast food, just ahead of Americans, while famously gastronomic French are the least attracted by quick meals, according to a study published Wednesday.

America's reputation as the home of fast food is under threat from the British, who are more addicted to burgers, chips and pizza than any other nation in the world.
    
Despite fears over an obesity epidemic, a survey has found that Britain's relationship with junk food has become even stronger than that enjoyed by the US, traditionally known for its devotion to all things deep fried.

A poll of 9,000 people in 13 nations found almost half of British respondents would be unable to give up fast food.

Some 45 per cent of those surveyed in the UK agreed with the statement "I like the taste of fast food too much to give it up", while 44 per cent of Americans said they would be unable to shun burgers, pizzas and chicken wings.

Telegraph article >