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Feb
2019

Do The Unthinkable Weight Loss Plan Review

Categories: Food

Muscle Food, famous for high protein food hampers, have a brand new weight loss programme called Do The Unthinkable. For four weeks I’ve given the plan go and now I’m ready to dish the lowdown on this new food and fitness plan. 

What is Do The Unthinkable?
Do The Unthinkable is a weight loss plan from Muscle Food. Every meal and snack is delivered directly to your door, along with access to high intensity workouts to complete each week and support from a Personal Trainer. The plan is designed to be followed for 12 weeks and is split into three phases, with each phase split into four week sections. 

My weight loss on Do The Unthinkable
Having completed Phase 1 of the plan, I’m delighted to share that I feel fitter, stronger and a lot slimmer. I also feel more in the know on what to eat for successful weight loss. That said, my final weigh in shows that I’ve actually stayed the same weight, despite feeling trim. I put this down to a few things that are completely on me and not the plan, the main thing being my birthday in the last week of the plan and having too many unplanned indulgences! I should also share that I have a really good skill at putting on weight quickly, so I’m sure if it wasn’t for those extras I consumed, my weight loss could have been a good 6lbs down! 

What I love about Do The Unthinkable weight loss plan
– Yummy food to your door
Having every meal and snack delivered directly to your door is simply amazing and makes eating healthy so simple! Each week I would receive a huge hamper filled with all the food choices I made online. Many of the meals to choose from just require heating up, but there are also lots that you can make yourself with the ingredients provided – I’m a big fan of the Peri Peri chicken with wedges and roasted veg. Overall the food was good.

– Easy to follow
When you sign up to Do The Unthinkable, you’re given special access to the plan online and here you can pick from a wide range of foods to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can also choose three snacks a day. Online you can access all the workouts you need to complete for each week and there’s a great Facebook group too, where you can ask a Personal Trainer and other members questions.

– Online support
I was really impressed with the online support you receive with the plan. The Personal Trainer is great at answering any question you have, as our the members of the private Facebook group you have access to. The whole community is really friendly, welcoming and full of inspiring members.

– Challenging workouts
The workouts are tough!

– 5 days on plan and 2 days ‘off’
There are several options available when it comes to the plan. You can decide to receive food for 5 days, 6 days or 7 days. I opted for the first option and enjoyed having my weekends free to be able to eat out or simply have the foods I’m used to making.

What I didn’t love about Do the Unthinkable
There are tons of positives to this plan and while I’m about to reveal the areas that didn’t work for me, I’m conscious that this is a matter of opinion and may not be a big deal to everyone. So please keep that in mind when you read on.

– Some meals are a lot tastier than others
After sampling quite a range of meals during Phase 1, there were meals that I really enjoyed and others that I personally found really disappointing. The less likeable meals were often low in vegetables or tasted quite different to the name given to them. Having meals and snacks that didn’t taste great was a little disheartening on days where I seem to have a run of ‘bad’ meals, however by week 3 I found my favourites and I picked all the meals I knew I liked. 

– Food boredom
Even though I discovered all my food favourite towards the end of Phase 1, I started to feel bored of having the same meals. I loved the idea of not thinking about meal planning and cooking, but (surprisingly to me) I found myself looking forward to making my own meal plans and recipes again.

– Workouts not for beginners
This is a funny one to critique the plan on, as while I ‘enjoyed’ the workouts and found them amazingly challenging, at times I felt awful doing them and wished there was a beginner’s level. However, a workout isn’t meant to be easy is it? And throughout the workouts you are advised to go at your on pace, so perhaps this one is on me!

– No cold lunch options
All the lunches and dinners you receive require heating up or cooking from scratch. Many can be just be put in the microwave, so it’s not that they’re tricky to prepare in any way, but on occasions when I wasn’t near a microwave or wanted to be ‘out out’ over lunch time, I found myself wishing for a cold lunch option that I could take out with ease. That said, you have plenty of filling snacks as part of the plan, so just make sure you have one of those with you until you can get somewhere appropriate to prepare your meal.

Following the plan as a mum
– Clear your freezer
I’m usually the household cook and although all my meals had been taken care of, thank you Muscle Food, I still needed to feed my family. I’m in the habit of having a well-stocked freezer of family meals, but I hadn’t anticipated just how much of my Do The Unthinkable meals would need to go in the freezer – almost all of it! So heads up – make some space before you sign up to the plan!

– Healthy meal ideas for everyone
My daughter is a huge copycat and often asked for the same meals as the ones I was eating (or a version of), so I ended up making similar meals for the whole family. For the most part this felt like a huge positive, as we were all eating healthy dinners together. It only became an issue when I couldn’t replicate the high protein breakfast pancakes (why can’t I flip pancakes!) and I ended up sharing my Do The Unthinkable batch with my 3 year old!

Would you recommend that plan?
Overall I enjoyed the plan and I would recommend Do The Unthinkable. I felt a huge sense of freedom and reassurance knowing the foods I would be eating during the week where going to be healthy and help me lose weight. The plan opened my eyes to new types of meals and snacks you can enjoy on a weight loss journey, along with portion control – which has always been a weak spot of mine. 

Although I’ve shared a few things I didn’t love about the plan, I wonder if this would change as I enter Phase 2 and 3, where I would get stronger and perhaps be given the choice of different foods to pick from.

I’ve always wanted to try a weight loss food delivery service, and I’m glad my first experience of one was Do The Unthinkable. The support from the Personal Trainer and Facebook group really is fab and I was always impressed with just how hard the short, at-home workouts were. 

Click here to find out more about Do The Unthinkable and how Josie Gibson got on when she followed the plan for 5 weeks.


Feb
2019

What is a healthy diet?

Categories: Food

In a world full of nutrition confusion, I’ve been seeking a simple answer to the question, what is a healthy diet?

A diploma in Nutrition and Weight Management 
Despite previous success in losing weight, it occurred to me last year that I still didn’t know what actually made a healthy diet. So I decided to embark on a diploma in Nutrition and Weight Management. I’ve been studying an accredited course by the Association for Nutrition (AfN) and I’m delighted to share that I’ve passed part of the diploma that allows me to train as a Nutrition and Weight Management advisor (but I still have several modules to study before I achieve the full diploma – wish me luck). Although I have lots more to learn, I would like to share my main takeaways from the course so far. 

1. Visit NHS.co.uk
The NHS, among lots of other things, is a fantastic nutritional resource and a good place to visit if you’re ever unsure what to eat for good health. My favourite resources are the Eat Well Guide and 12 week NHS weight loss plan. The whole site is filled with tons of information on healthy eating along with more specific notes on things like, food advice for vegans, a guide on vitamins, meal ideas for kids and lots more.

2. Carbs are not the enemy 
I’ve always felt conflicted about carbohydrates. There are so many low carb diets out there that seem to work, but anytime I’ve tried them I’ve been left feeling rubbish. Since studying nutrition I’ve gained a much better understanding of the role of carbs and just how important it is to consume this food group (e.g. rice, potatoes, porridge). In a nutshell, it’s our body’s main provider of energy and the main source of energy when it comes to ‘brain’ fuel. Plus wholemeal/wholewheat varieties are usually high in fibre which is also incredibly important for good (gut) health and something people in the UK are known for not having enough of. What I have also learnt is what makes a healthy portion and in hindsight, this is something I personally struggle with (aka. I eat too much for my body). Which leads me onto…

3. What to put on your plate
The Eat Well Guide referenced earlier not only gives a visual demonstration of what kinds of food you should be eating, but also an idea of how much from each food group. This has been a great help for me when it comes to understanding portion sizes.

4. Macros and micros
I’ve been intrigued by these words for a while and this is what they mean. Macro stands for macronutrients – these are the food groups we need to consume the most of everyday. This includes fat, protein and carbs. Micros stands for micronutrients, also important and are vitamins and minerals we need to consume regularly, in smaller amounts. For good health it’s important to consume a range of foods from that contain these macros and micros. With regards to fat, protein and carbs, it’s recommended that 10-15% of you calorie intake comes from protein, 30-35% from fat and 50-55% from carbs (these vary a little if you drink alcohol). When it comes to vitamins and minerals, you’ll be in safe hands if you eat a wide range of fruit and veg. Which brings me onto my next point…

5. “Eat the rainbow” aka lots of fruit and veg
I always new fruit and vegetables where key to a healthy diet, but I really didn’t appreciate just how amazing these things are. They’re a great source of vitamins and minerals and also contribute towards your macro intake. If you’re ever unsure what to eat, just make sure your plate is piled high with these and ‘eat the rainbow’ as they say – as different coloured fruit and veg actually provides you with different vitamins and minerals. 

5. Moderation and balance 
I used to think phrases like a ‘balanced diet’ or ‘all in moderation’ were boring sayings, and that there must be something far more complicated behind heathy eating and successful weight loss. However, now that I have a better understanding of how everything we eat works together I appreciate that this really is the key to a healthy diet and healthy weight loss. When it comes to the foods that we love the taste of but know aren’t the best for us (e.g. foods high in fat and sugar like chocolate) it’s ok to have them… but in moderation. This is something in particular that I’ve tried hard to do, otherwise the alternative (cutting foods out) can lead to binge eating, and usually binge eating on that exact food you were trying hard to ignore.

6. Calories and weight loss
There are lots of methods out there with regards to how to lose weight, but essentially you need to consume less calories than you’re using (than you’re burning/working off) to create a deficit and that leads to healthy weight loss. This is usually a different of 500cals per 1lb of fat. Team that with eating the right kinds of foods (my next point) and you’ll lose excess fat and feel great, too!

7. Foods to eat
Foods that are great for your health and weight loss are…
– A wide range of fruit
– A wide range of vegetables
– Wholegrain varieties of rice, pasta and bread (as these are higher in fibre), along with potatoes, porridge and other starchy carbs
– Protein, from foods such as chicken, tofu, eggs and fish
– Beans, lentils (lots of legumes and pulses)
– Unsaturated fats (e.g. avocados, salmon and nuts) 
– Dairy or alternatives, such as milk and yogurt. (There are conflicts in whether you should consume full fat or low fat, but for weight/fat loss, lots of experts agree that its better to go for low fat diary options as you can consume good fats from other sources).


Feb
2019

6 ways to stick to your fitness goals after a sleepless night

Categories: Fitness

Over the last 4 years I’ve had my share of sleepless nights thanks to my little one, but regardless of having children or not, we’ve all experienced nights when we just can’t switch off and sleep. Those nights can be incredibly frustrating when you want to keep up with your fitness goals, but are seriously lacking in energy. Here are a few strategies I’ve adopted to help keep on track with my health goals despite the lack of sleep.

1. Walk
You may not have the energy to attend your usual circuits class, but could you head out for a walk instead? Walking in my opinion is an extremely underrated form of exercise. It’s a great fat burner, gentle to do (so ideal if you’ve not had much sleep) and has many health benefits. Plus, it can give you the opportunity to get some fresh and clear your head.

2. Eat healthy
It can be tempting to reach for foods high in sugar when we feel tired, but once that sugar high has faded, you’ll be left feeling even worse than you did before. Do your best to eat healthy and nutritious foods on days when you feel exhausted and make this your goal if you’re unable to stick to your usual workout plan.

3. Make a food plan
I’ve had nights that have left me feeling sick with tiredness and on those days I’ve learnt to accept it’s ok to say ‘not today workout’. Use the time you were going to spend exercising, on meal planning and prep instead. This is a great way to keep on top of your fitness goals without causing any potential injuries attempting to exercise when you’re exhausted. Pick a new recipe to try in the week, do an online shop full of healthy foods or write down what healthy meals you can make using ingredients you’ve already got in the cupboards.

4. Catch up on cooking
Similarly to the above, if you’ve had one or more awful night’s and feel dizzy as it is, take the time off to get your energy back. If you have little ones that can help with some cooking, use it as a time to make something healthy together – it could be lunch for the day, or a healthy cake recipe. I’m a big fan of oat muffins, banana pancakes and mug cakes! Or use it as time to do some batch cooking. 

5. Do a shorter workout
Only you can say whether it’s physically safe to attempt some exercise and if you do attempt it, remember it’s ok to just do a little bit. You may have set out to exercise for 45 mins, but remember you can achieve a lot in 15 minutes too. On occasions when i’ve felt a little foggy but have completed a shorter workout than normal, it has actually left me feeling pretty good and re-energised. Try an online HITT workout, a light jog or do some yoga. 

6. Go back to bed
Sleep is just as vital for good health as exercising, so if you’ve had a bad night’s sleep and feel terrible, make it a priority to catch up on sleep and give yourself a rest day (or two). If you are able to have a nap then do so, or get yourself to bed early that night. 


Jan
2019

The one question I dread as a mixed race mum

Categories: Baby & Me

I’ve had the honour to write regularly for familiesonline.co.uk over the last year and I would love to share these posts with you, and hear your thoughts on them.

To read my latest post ‘The one question I dread as a mixed raced mum’ visit www.familiesonline.co.uk/blog and to have a read of some of my other parenting related rants, loves and observations go to www.familiesonline.co.uk/blog/blogger-chloe-lovell.

Plus, if you’re looking for the latest parenting news, places to go and reviews, be sure to check in often with www.familiesonline.co.uk.

As always, thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you’ve enjoyed the trip!

Chloe x


Jan
2019

21 practical weight loss tips for beginners

Categories: Weight Loss

I’m often asked for my top weight loss tips, so I’ve put together a post that contains the many tips I’ve picked up over the years that have helped me to lose 4 stone and keep it off for quite some time now. These are not quick fixes, but practical steps you can take to improve what and how you eat. These weight loss strategies have also helped me to improve my relationship with food and how I view my body. If your New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight, I hope you find these useful and I hope that you are kind to yourselves in the process of changing your eating habits and associated behaviours.

1. Record what you eat
Tracking what you eat is a simple way to keep an eye on what you’re consuming, as it’s quite easy to forget what you eat, especially if you’re prone to snacking. It’s also a useful tool to adopt if you calorie count or want to track how much protein, carbs or fat you’re consuming. Apps such as MyFitnessPal are great for tracking and recording your progress, but simply writing down what you eat on a piece of paper is just as useful.

2. Plan your meals in advance
I’m a huge plan of meal planning. All you need to do is jot down what you plan to eat and when. I find this helps you to make and stick to healthy choices “in the moment”.

3. Walk more
I always think that walking is a hugely underestimated form for exercise. It’s a great fat burner, free to do, relaxing, and suitable for all fitness levels. Incorporate it into your everyday schedule or set some time aside to take a stroll.

4. Eat way more vegetables then you’re currently doing
Vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals that will leave you feeling great in so many ways, plus they’re a wonderful source of fibre and can help fill you up for very few calories. Include a large portion of veg with as many meals as possible. Carrots, cucumbers, peppers, celery and fruit make great snacks too.

5. Be kind to yourself
In the pursuit of weight loss many of us can be very cruel to ourselves – whether that’s in the form of starving your body from food or having negative thoughts and opinions about yourself. For anyone wishing to lose weight, please do be kind to yourself. It can take time to lose weight and for long-lasting results it’s far better to work on creating new, healthy eating and exercise habits one step at a time that are sustainable. Although this book – Body Positive Panda – isn’t a weight loss book, I would highly recommend reading it if you continually find yourself having negative thoughts about your body, or feel you may behave in a less than positive way towards yourself. This book does not advocate dieting, so it may seem like a very strange thing for me to recommend it, but it helped me to put my weight loss goals in perspective and re-evaluate why I’m wanting to lose weight and if I actually want or need to. After some time asking myself some difficult questions, I realised that I have a genuine interest in nutrition and I enjoy exercising, so from a distance it might not seem that a lot has changed in my behaviour but take my word for it that mentally and emotionally, I’ve experienced a huge shift in my attitude towards weight loss and I feel far happier and healthier for it.

6. Remember the basics of weight loss
There are a lot theories when it comes to successful weight loss methods, but there is one fundamental thing experts agree on – consume less than you’re using. If you eat more than you’re ‘burning off’ you can gain weight. Plus, there’s undeniable research when it comes to the benefits of consuming a wide range of fruit, vegetables and foods as close to their natural state as possible (e.g. heavily fried or processed foods are never featured in a healthy weight loss plan for this reason). I find this helpful to keep in mind when I feel conflicted by healthy food messages or if a new fad diet appears on the scene. A healthy diet consists of a wide range of fruit; vegetables; wholegrains (brown rice for example); legumes; pulses; protein (e.g. chicken, tofu, salmon, eggs); healthy fats (found in avocado for example), lots of water and exercise.

7. Food shop online
Supermarkets can be tempting places, with buy one get on free offers on foods that tend to be high in fat and calories, and low in vitamins and minerals. Once you’ve made a meal plan for the week ahead, why not shop online as a way to reduce the temptation to buy foods that aren’t great for your health or weight loss goals.

8. Cook from scratch whenever possible
This is a simple way to reduce salt, sugar and saturated fat in your diet, as many pre-made sauces and ready meals contain a higher proportions of these compared to when you cook a meal with fresh ingredients from scratch. Plus, cooking from scratch is an easy way to include a load of vegetables – think soups, stews, curries and stir fries.

9. Cook in batches
If getting in the kitchen to cook everyday is impractical, then start ‘batch cooking’ and save the extra portions in the fridge or freezer for future meal times.

10. Enjoy fruit as a dessert or afternoon snack
Fruit is naturally sweet and makes for a great dessert or snack, especially if you have a sweet tooth. Fruit needn’t be ‘boring’ either. I personally love a piece of fruit but I also love making banana ice cream (blend a frozen banana with some milk – that’s it), fruit sorbets (more frozen fruit in a blender), fruit salads, mixing fruit with some yogurt or making a smoothie. Plus, you’ll be consuming a load more vitamins, minerals and fibre too!

11. Eat more protein
Lean sources of protein can really help you to feel fuller for longer, and reduce the urge to overeat on foods that may not be great for you. My favourite protein sources are plain greek style yogurt, quark, chicken, tuna and salmon. I also love lentils and beans, which are great sources of fibre too. I should state here that I’m not an advocate for cutting out carbs, but when it comes to breaky, lunch and dinner I have found it beneficial to reduce my carb portion sizes slightly, if favour for a larger portion of protein and veg.

12. Eat more fibre
Nutritionists and health experts often report that we do not consume enough fibre, and we can all benefit for upping our fibre intake. Fibre ensures you have a healthy working gut, are ridding your body of toxins and, well let me just say it  – stools! Stay regular by opting for brown rice, brown bread, lentils, beans and green leafy vegetables. There are many other benefits too and I personally have found in recent years, that increasing my fibre intake has helped significantly with my weight loss.

13. Join a group
The buzz of other people working out or eating healthy is infectious and I’ve always found it beneficial to be around people with a similar goal. Groups can come in so many forms, so have fun finding one that works for you and keeps you motivated. It could be a group (online or in person) where you discuss healthy food choices (like WW), or a local exercise class or gym where you naturally have conversations with those taking part about their goals and share tips. Or, start your own group with friends and family and motivate each other to try new healthy recipes and new activities.

14. Learn from the process
If you have a ‘bad’ day and go off track, try not to beat yourself up about it. Put it in perspective and learn from it. For example, I would overeat anytime I would restrict my food intake too much during the day. This may sound silly but it’s almost as if I thought I wasn’t allowed to eat while trying to lose weight. That is ridiculous, we all have to eat. I learned that I simply needed to eat more nutritious foods and not to let hours and hours go by without eating, as that was also a trigger for me to indulge on high fat and high calorie foods.

15. Eat
Eating less and burning more will create a calorie deficit that will lead to weight loss, but please don’t take that to the extreme. From experience, when you eat more nutritious foods (such as lean protein, fruit, vegetables, brown rice and bread, lentils, beans) you may feel as though you’re actually eating more than you’ve ever done before. Your body will thrive on receiving all the right macronutrients (fat, protein and carbs) and micro (vitamins and minerals) nutrients it needs.

16. Forget ‘good’ and ‘bad’
I’m guilty of referring to myself as having been ‘bad’ if I eat a piece of chocolate or as if the chocolate itself is ‘bad’. For me it’s important to establish and share that eating chocolate (or any other food not on a superfoods list) doesn’t make you a bad person. There are no ‘bad’ foods; some foods do have higher nutritional benefits than others but eating chocolate or crisps doesn’t make you bad. If you like these foods, enjoy them in moderation and don’t be hard on yourself after eating them. Life is too short for that.

17. Be mindful of your portion sizes
Without sounding confusing having just said eat and forget good and bad foods, for weight loss a deficit between what you’re consuming and what your using needs to be created. I went through a time when I just wasn’t losing weight, even though I felt as though my diet was healthy and any treats I had were in moderation. It came as a bit of a shock to me when I realised (through research and talking to a PT and weight loss coach) that I was simply overeating – even though the foods I was consuming were healthy. Here’s a link to a handy portion size guide I came across online.

18. Be mindful when you eat
As much as possible sit down to eat and focus on your food without distractions – even if you’re just having a snack or a hot drink. When you eat while watching TV for example, it’s easy to consume your food without really acknowledging it and that can leave us wanting more food than we need. Try to savour every moment and make eating a fun event.

19. Enjoy feeling better
While I understand the happiness that can come from losing weight, I also want to shout about the benefits of eating well and exercising more, because this has (ever since I started to really change my eating habits for the better) always been a surprising benefit. Binge eating on chocolate and consuming portion sizes way bigger than I needed for my lifestyle I believe where the reasons why I was overweight and felt so lethargic. Eating more natural foods and moving more has given both my energy and confidence levels a huge boost. Eating better makes me feel better and every time I complete an exercise (be it running, cycling, or weight lifting) without wanting to keel over, I feel extremely proud of how far I’ve come and how much stronger and fitter I am today.

20. Weigh yourself just once a week
Weighing yourself is one way to measure your progress, and if you do weigh yourself regularly please only do it once a week – ideally at the same time each week, first thing and in the nude! If that’s not possible, weigh yourself on the same day, at the same time each week wearing similar clothes each time. Weighing yourself throughout the week can be disheartening if the number on the scales fluctuates, which is does depending how what you’ve eaten, how much you’ve drunk and so on. Other measures you may like to try or consider are how you feel; how your clothes feel; you may be able to access scales that tell you your body composition and see if your ratio of fat to muscle changes over time; or a measuring tape – so that you can see if you’ve lost inches from your waist, hips, thigh and arms for example.

21. Make one change at a time
There are many ways to achieve successful, healthy weight loss. In this post alone are 21 tips and I wouldn’t blame you for feeling a little overwhelmed if you’ve reached the end of the post and aren’t sure where to start. While you lose weight focus on one area (or tip provided in this post) you could change at a time. Focus on that area for a week and give yourself time at the end of the week to review your progress and see if you’re ready to focus on another area.

If you’ve enjoyed this post and have found it useful, please like, share and comment; and I wish you the best with all your health goals, you can do it!

Chloe


Nov
2018

Don’t Panic – Plan It: Christmas Healthy Eating Tips That Are Easy To Follow

Categories: Weight Loss

There are a few things I’d like you to know before I dive into some top Christmas weight loss tips.

1) I love Christmas and it should be enjoyed to the fullest; this post is by no means trying to dampen your festive spirit, be a buzzkill, or a party pooper.

2) The following tips are healthy strategies you could adopt if you’d like to keep on track with your weight loss goals in the run up to Christmas.

3) I can’t promise you that you won’t gain any weight over Christmas, but these are tips I’ve put into practice over the last few years and they have made a huge difference.

Although Christmas is actually just one day, celebrating Christmas can become a month-long session of pubs, dinner dates, parties, buffets and lots more. Before I was ever aware of what and how often I was eating, the Christmas period was a time when I could easily gain a stone or more. (Quite the skill I know.) However, in recent years I’ve managed to maintain my weight or gain only a few pounds thanks to a few simple strategies. There is no reason why you can’t enjoy your Christmas pudding and keep on track with your health goals, too.

1) Lose, gain or stay the same?
This is a tip I gained from WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers). The idea is that you decide before all the festivities start if you’d be like to lose weight over Christmas, stay the same or if you’d be happy to accept a gain once the festivities are over. This can help with setting realistic goals and help you to be mindful of your food and exercise choices during December. I’ve personally never aimed to lose weight over this time, as for me that’s just not realistic. I range between wanting to stay the same or gain a few pounds; but no gain that would take me too long to shift come January.

2) Make a note of all the events you’ve got coming up
It can be a busy time of year with lots of social occasions full of alcohol and indulgent food. Think ahead to special events you have coming up; are there any events where you can be more mindful of what you eat and drink (while you still enjoy yourself of course); and others where you decide to ‘let your hair down’ and indulge on what’s on offer. 

3) Be aware of how many boozy nights you have
Mulled wine, prosecco, festive ales – alcohol is everywhere at this time of year. I love a little drink, but it can increase your appetite and if you suffer with hangovers that last a day or more, then it can lead to more times when you’ll be more than likely overeat and/or not exercise. Try having a few nights where you keep your alcohol content low or at zero.

4) Relax, Christmas dinner is pretty healthy
Turkey, sprouts, potatoes… traditional Christmas dinner is actually pretty healthy, especially if you cook with healthy oils and maybe lay off the goose fat. Fill your plate up with all those Christmas veggies, lean meat, clementines and any other healthy Christmas treats you can find.

5) Embark on a festive walks
Want to catch up with friends and family, while keeping fit? Why not suggest a festive wintery walk!

6) Enjoy yourself!
Most importantly, just enjoy yourself. If you make a mini festive weight loss plan, then good luck and I hope you succeed, but if it doesn’t quite go to plan than don’t stress it. “Life is too short” and it’s more important to enjoy the holiday for what it is and what it means to you.


Nov
2018

5 ways batch cooking can help you lose weight

Categories: Weight Loss

I’m a huge fan of ‘batch cooking’; so much so that I’ve decided to dedicate a whole blog post to it. Here are five reasons why I love to batch cook and how it can help you to eat well and lose weight healthily (if that’s your goal).

Weight loss tips
Batch cooking: To cook more than you need to in order to create extra portions for future mealtimes.

Batch cooking helps you to stick to a healthy diet
When you’re tired and hungry it’s easy to reach for foods that might not be best for your health or weight loss; I’m talking about high fat, high sugar and overly processed convenience foods. If you’re like me, it’s at these times when we’re more likely to overeat too. Having healthy meals already cooked, that just need heating up, is a great way to stick to your healthy eating goals.

Batch cooking comes in handy when unplanned events strike
I remember an occasion when my daughter was a baby and it was the first time she was really poorly. Anytime I left her she would cry and so cooking dinner that day was the last thing on my mind – until I got really hungry and I had nothing to eat! (I should add I was also behind with my food shop.) When I got back into the habit of batch cooking, having some healthy meals to hand felt like a lifesaver for moments like these (and there have been several moments like these). Batch cooking is also great for if you ever have unexpected guests around mealtimes – this one hasn’t happened as much to me, but if you surprise me with a visit then I can heat up some chilli con carne for you!

Batch cooking saves time
I first started batch cooking to save on the amount of time I needed to spend in the kitchen; this was when I didn’t particularly enjoy cooking – just eating! Now, I see batch cooking as a huge timesaver for my future self! If I know I have a few hectic days coming up that will leave me short on food prep time, I will turn to my pre-cooked meals to help me stay on track with my healthy eating. (I now like to cook, if you were wondering.)

Batch cooking can give you a break from cooking!
Batch cooking is perfect for when you simply want to do other things and have a break from cooking but still eat healthily.

Batch cooking saves on waste
I’ve also found batch cooking to be a good way to use up any ingredients that might be on the turn – particularly vegetables. I often make batches of vegetable curries, or roast a load of veggies – they make a great side dish.

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Happy cooking!
Chloe


Nov
2018

Meal planning for weight loss

Categories: Weight Loss
Meal planning

I’m often asked for my top weight loss tips and one of them has to be meal planning. At the start of each new week, I’ll make a note of what I’m going to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner; plus two (sometimes three) healthy snacks. Planning my meals in advance has helped me to make healthy food choices and lose weight. Here are a few other reasons why I’m a big fan of meal planning.

The benefits of meal planning

– Meal planning helps you to make healthy choices before hangryness and/or tiredness sets in. I find both of these emotions in the past have led me to overeat on foods that were high in fat and sugar, and not good for my health (or weight loss goals).

– Planning what you’re going to eat in advance makes food shopping easier; as you’ll know what you need to stock up on. It also saves on waste, as you won’t be buying anything you don’t plan to eat.

– Meal planning helps you to look forward to meal times. It’s easy to get stuck in a food rut and when that happens, I’d often start fancying more indulgent foods that weren’t great for me. ‘Healthy’ food can be and is delicious, so planning a breakfast, lunch or dinner that you’re excited to eat is a big win all round.

– Planning your meals in advance encourages you to try new foods and is a good way to see if you’re eating plenty of fruit and veg over the course of a week.

– Meal planning also encourages you to think about any social occasions that you might have coming up. It ives you a chance to create a plan of action that will help you to make healthy choices, or decide if it’s a occasion that’s worth some indulgence – and if so, go ahead and enjoy it!

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