Gym Rat Fitness Personal Training Magazine

How to stop yourself from overeating Wondering why you constantly overeat?

Here are three factors that may be contributing to over-indulging. It’s easy to over-dramatise the odd extra helping as a ‘binge’ or ‘blowout’, but if you are consistently eating more than your body needs, there may be good reasons.

The stick: Macro shortfall

The human body’s drive for protein is so powerful that it will keep consuming food until its protein needs are met according to a University of Sydney study.

As protein intake decreases, kilojoule intake increases, researchers reported.

The fix:

Consume 15 to 20 per cent of daily kilojoules from high-quality, low-fat protein sources. Lean meats, legumes, fish, eggs and tofu all qualify.

The stick: Multitasking

Whether it’s the portion sizes at your local, a bout of intense work stress or mindless nibbling in front of the telly, there’s a whole gamut of reasons why we eat more than what we need or when we’re not hungry at all .

The fix:

Try to eat intuitively – only when you’re hungry. Focus on eating when you feel hungry and stopping when you feel full.T

The stick:

OverwhelmResearch suggests that when we can choose from a wide variety of foods, we generally eat more

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How to stop yourself from overeating

ON THE MEANING OF FITNESS:

The meaning of fitness for me is, well, fitness with meaning. You have to train with purpose. W eight loss and changing body shape isn’t enough because weight comes and goes and body parts come in and out of fashion, like round bums. The deeper the meaning, the more powerful the motivation. For me, I train to be healthy, to live longer, to be the best I can be for my husband, to keep mentally and emotionally well and balanced and now that I’m at the age where I’m starting to think about kids, I’m training to be fit for pregnancy.

ON HEALTH AND FITNESS MISTAKES

I’ve tried every fad diet out there. I’ve experimented on my body in so many ways, always seeking the magic fix that I could pass on to my students or clients, but diet after diet, I was always let down. Nothing works, except hard work. All my years in health and fitness tell me the key is to train the mind and the mind will train the body. Trying to remedy the body first never works, or it may work but only short term. I see so many women hating themselves, hating themselves slimmer, punishing themselves, feeling guilty. I’ve learned that you can’t hate yourself healthy, you have to love yourself healthier. Self-love is sustainable, self-loathing is not. It’s only when I began to truly accept myself, respect myself and ditch the diets that I’ve found consistency, balance and inner harmony. That’s why I love the kiss and the hug, and created TIFFXO. Embracing self-love will heal and transform you. It’s about throwing out the all-or-nothing attitude, and the toxic thought patterns of ‘I’ll be happy when I reach…’, ‘I don’t deserve this’. Learn to give yourself a cuddle, forgive and move forward.

ON FITNESS/HEALTH/NUTRITION MYTHS

Food fashion, fads, myths – I’ve just had it with them! My clients always say to me, “But I’ve tried everything.”

My response is always, “Have you tried one thing consistently, for 30 days?”

There is no magic. The magic is in you. Own your power, eat well, train consistently and have fun doing it and learn to zen. If you do this every day, your body will thank you and be in the best shape of its life! You are the gift to your body. We have to stop seeking outward illusions and realise that the power is in us.

ON WORKOUT MOTIVATION

There are tricks that can help us find our mojo, but what makes motivation stick is creating a habit, just like taking a shower or a good probiotic every single day. Some days you feel it – hell, yeah! Some days you don’t – ah, well it has to be done anyway because you know you will feel phenomenal afterwards, and nobody has ever regretted a healthy meal or a workout. So for 30 days stick to something, give it meaning, make it realistic and be disciplined (sorry to use that boring word but it really does work). Motivation will get you there, but habits keep you going. I train every single day in some way, be it a stretch session or taekwondo, HIIT or tone…every day I move because I feel emotionally and mentally better for it.

Read Tiffiny’s full cover story in the January 2017 edition of Women’s Health and Fitness Magazine.

In need of some more inspiraiton? Head to our motivational section for more. 

Health and fitness with Alexa Towersey We chat to September cover model, Alexa Towersey about all things fitness, health, career and self-love. Check out the exclusive cover story interview below!

ON CAREERI’ve been in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years. I’ve played pretty much every sport known to man including American football, boxing, soccer, skiing and horse-riding. I completed a Bachelor of Science in biology and psychology and went on to do a post-graduate diploma in sports management and kinesiology, and then I interned with an All Blacks-endorsed Pilates studio.

ON EXPERIENCES When I was 27 I moved to Hong Kong, where I was the senior strength and conditioning coach at a mixed martial arts (MMA) gym. I decided to get into half-Ironman events and I took two years to qualify for the world champs.

Original post:

Health and fitness with Alexa Towersey

There is no escaping fitness bands nowadays, from TV ads to appearing on your friend’s wrist, they’ve fast becoming a mainstay in the UK. There’s such a range of bands and purposes that you’ll probably be able to find one for any niche (want a tracker to stop you from slouching?

Yep, that exists. Want to see how hard you can kick a ball? Yes, sir.), but at the core of almost every device out there is the ability to track steps, calories and sleep.

They’re not the most sexy of subjects, but they’re three of the most crucial to our health

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Why Do I Need An Activity Tracker?

Don’t just weigh yourself, track your body composition and cardio fitness with the Body Cardio scales

The world is full smart kit these days – smartphones, smart watches, smart central heating, smart TVs, etc. – it’s like you can’t throw a stone (not that we’re condoning throwing stones) without hitting something smart!

And while it’s easy to question the genuine usefulness of some of this smart tech, one thing that’s undeniably useful is a set of smart scales.But what can possibly be smart about a set of bathroom scales?

You step on them, they tell you how much you weigh, and you walk away wishing you hadn’t eaten that whole pizza the night before.

Your set of bathroom scales does its job, and does it well – sometimes too well – so what more could you possibly want?As it happens, your bathroom scales could be telling you a lot more about your body, your health and your general wellbeing

From:

The Smartest Scales In The World

If you’d rather wear a wristwatch than a fitness tracker, Withings has the perfect solution

While fitness trackers have become quite the fashion accessory for many, there are those who simply don’t want to wear a plastic band around their wrist, especially if they like to wear a wristwatch.

But you can use a good fitness tracker as a wristwatch, right?

That’s true – many fitness trackers have screens built-in that can display the time of day as well as all your activity data. But that doesn’t mean it looks good, especially if you’re dressed to the nines.If only there was a fitness tracker that looked like a stylish, analogue watch.

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So You Don’t Want To Wear A Fitness Tracker

It’s easy to overlook your sleep when you start on a health kick. Your focus naturally drifts towards planning out your diet and exercise as the two key aspects of your fitness routine, and clearly they are both very important.

However, all the work you do in your waking hours can be undermined if you don’t pay any attention to your sleep, as keeping your mind and body well rested is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle.

Anyone who’s ever had a poor night’s sleep knows the physical, mental and emotional toll it can have on a person. Offices all over the world are full of people drifting through the day unable to concentrate on their work due to tossing and turning all night, but the effects of bad sleep can be far more drastic than feeling a little grouchy the next day.

Regular poor sleep raises the risk of suffering severe medical conditions including obesity, heart disease and diabetes, and shortens overall life expectancy.

Source:

The Secrets Of Sleep

Girls Gone Strong

girlsgonestrong.com

“Hot body secret.”

It’s the holy grail of fitness – work hard enough to lose fat without getting bulky. GGS bloggers Neghar Fonooni, Molly Galbraith, and Alli McKee have distilled the science into a lean-out formula and paired it with precision workouts. They also jot the latest science news and have a free recipe book to download. 

 Neghar Fonooni

negharfonooni.com

“You’ll want to work out.”

For fitness expert Neghar Fonooni, fitness equals happiness. Framed within principles of motivation, infused with her infectious energy, her counsel makes even hardcore kettlebell workouts sound doable (and fun). 

Mobility WOD

mobilitywod.com

“Find balance in going hard.”

Don’t know when to return to gym after an injury or trying to find the tricky balance between working out often enough and overtraining? Doctor of physical therapy and CrossFit coach Kelly Starrett has built his vlog around movement and mobility, spanning topics including managing pain and fast-tracking injury recovery to using exercise science to improve athleticism. 

Nia Shanks

niashanks.com

“Fit mind, fit body.”

Shanks embraces the relationship between mind and body, addressing psychological and physiological factors with humour and compassion. Her candid exploration of anxiety and motivation and the non-physical perks of working out are a refreshing antagonist to tyrannical body ideals and training manifestos. 

Mile Posts

mile-posts.com

“Love your run.”

Marathoner and mother Dorothy Beal proffers the practical lessons she’s learned during her journey from overweight to super fit. Her inspiring blog spans playlists tailored to motivation and BPM, running technique tips and even hints for hot-footing it with a stroller. 

Ask Lauren Fleshman

asklaurenfleshman.com

“Couch to half marathon.”

If you reckon you’re not a runner, Lauren Fleshman begs to differ. As well as penning the blog equivalent of a running encyclopaedia, sorted into categories such as technique, training, recovery, racing and nutrition, Fleshman personally answers reader questions, which are archived for your reference. 

 Run to the Finish

runtothefinish.com

“Quirky, compassionate running.”

If the pressure to achieve an outcome cripples your buzz, take a step back with quirky running blogger Amanda Brooks, whose disdain for perfection gives this running blog an edge. The paradox is that by focusing on the process (you’ll be amazed by how quickly you forget about PBs), you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised by background performance gains. Brooks also canvasses strategies for overcoming sugar cravings and simplifying clean eating. Her relatable personal anecdotes are a pleasure to read too.

Precision Nutrition

precisionnutrition.com

“Fitness myth buster.”

If you like slavishly following fitness tropes and trends, look away. This no-bulltish blog takes an unforgiving look at the fitness industry and scrutinises the merit of trends and ideologies. We love that the sharp wit is backed by solid science. Whether you want to get to the bottom of whether skipping brekkie will make you fat or what to eat before cardio, this is your reality check.

Purely Twins

purelytwins.com

“All about balance.”

Gorgeous twin sisters Lori and Michelle have carved a niche with their fine balance of fitness, wellness and healthy living. With topics including workouts, food and wellbeing, every visit to the site offers fresh inspiration depending on where you’re at and what you’re looking for.

LiVe Life Active

livelifeactive.com

“Reality check trainer.”

PT and fitness model Erin Weiss is a refreshing voice in an often-obsessive industry, calling out unhealthy extremes and the consequences of pressure to maintain an unrealistic body. Delightfully infusing serious topics and fitness training tips with lighter notes such as fashion loves, this resists being preachy while keeping it real.

Comeback Momma

comebackmomma.com

“Big picture body bible.”

Firm legs? Taut abs? Whatever your fitness goal, fitness coach Jenn Mitchell has thought of it first and written a program to suit. Her blog, which she started after struggling with depression and weight gain, is sorted into specific goals. Her down-to-earth wisdom and a big-picture perspective to topics spanning family, food, fitness and fashion are genuinely inspiring.

Originally posted here:

11 feelgood and inspiring fitspo mantras

The workoutUsing a timer set for 30 seconds of work and 10 to 15 seconds of rest3 to 4 rounds of each move1. Side plank hip dipsHold yourself up in a side plank (either from the knees or toes) Using control, lower the bottom hip to the floor with an inhale. As you exhale, push the hips back up to the ceiling.

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3 ways to target your core

As a sports nutritionist, triathlete and self-confessed cashew butter addict from Melbourne, Stephanie Lowe is passionate about the health benefits of going gluten free. Her blog offers written posts and podcasts about everything from gut health to fat loss. It also offers delicious GF recipes and Lowe’s ebooks, including Free From Gluten and Real Food Reset. 

My food philosophy

“Real is best. Food that comes out of the ground, from a tree or from an animal is the most nutrient dense and whole source of nutrition. In fact, one of the biggest changes we can make to improve our health is to significantly reduce or eliminate our intake of packaged foods.”

Foods on high rotation in my diet

“Every meal I eat contains many non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and zucchini. It also contains a quality protein such as free-range eggs or grass-fed meat and good fats such as avocado and olive oil. My carbohydrates come from wholefood sources, such as berries and sweet potato. Eating this way offers me optimal nutrient density, blood sugar control, satiety and long-term health benefits.”

Foods I avoid

“I stay away from packaged foods and particularly avoid ingredients that promote inflammation in the body, such as gluten, refined sugar and polyunsaturated seed oils such as canola oil (because they are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which we have too much of in our Western diet). I believe that anti-inflammatory nutrition is the key to my good health today, and tomorrow.”

Why I became gluten free

“I stopped eating gluten nine years ago to help my mental state and heal my relationship with food, which wasn’t healthy. I was so inspired by the changes I experienced that I went back to university to study nutrition at a post-graduate level so I could educate others on the power of real food. Before this dietary change, I was eating gluten every day, whether it was a small amount through traditional soy sauce or in larger quantities in low-fat cereals and muesli bars.”

Health benefits

“Once I stopped eating gluten, my digestion improved, but the biggest change was the emotional impact – I felt calmer and happier. I really began to understand that with 90 per cent of serotonin receptors (our happy hormone) found in our gut, the food that we eat has a significant influence on our brain and mental health.”

Challenges

“It can be tricky when waiters at a restaurant don’t quite understand gluten free, or perhaps don’t take your request seriously enough. The great thing is that in 2016 the awareness of gluten free is quite high and many restaurants code their menu GF, which makes ordering out very easy. Ten years ago it was much more challenging to cut out gluten, as many people didn’t even know what gluten was. Now, as long as you communicate what your dietary requirements are, most restaurants and cafes will go out of their way to assist.”

My transition tips

“The best way to approach gluten free is to focus on real food. If you fill your plate with non-starchy vegetables, quality protein and good fats, and choose wholefood carbohydrates, you are 99 per cent of the way there. Healthy, fresh food doesn’t come in a box, so there is really minimal need for the gluten-free products that are increasingly appearing on our supermarket shelves. Stick to whole and fresh foods instead.”

My day on a plate

Breakfast:

» A berry smoothie with spinach, avocado, coconut milk, cinnamon and raw pea protein

Lunch:

» Shepherd’s pie with pumpkin mash or a three-egg omelette with a side of avocado and kimchi

Dinner:

» Grass-fed steak or free-range chicken with a rocket salad or steamed greens topped with grass-fed butter and Himalayan salt