Tag Archives: weight loss

WAIST-WHITTLING SUMMER SAVERS

Posted on by


With the summer sun – and that longed-for beach break – now tantalisingly close at hand, our thoughts are turning to shedding the cosy winter layers and honing what’s been hiding underneath.

But if achieving that fabulous bikini body means losing a few extra pounds, it’s a relief to know even the smallest of changes can make a massive difference to your shrinking waistline.  Nutritionists agree that despite the popularity of diets such as the Dukan, Atkins and GI, the only path to long-term weight loss is to adjust diet and lifestyle to ensure you eat fewer calories than your body uses.

Clare Grace, research dietician at the Queen Mary University of London reports: “Weight gain occurs when the number of calories eaten is greater than the number used by the body.” In fact, to gain, and therefore lose 1lb in weight, you’ll need to eat – or avoid – an extra 3,500 calories.

Sounds like a challenge, but it needn’t be.  Cutting back or burning off an extra 100 calories a day could help you lose 10lb a year, so just a couple of changes to your daily diet could see you beach-ready and bikini fit in time for the summer!

Five easy calorie crunchers

1.    Oranges and lemons – It makes for a refreshing start to the day, but that glass of orange juice packs a calorific punch with around 110kcals for a 250ml glass. Shave 100 calories from your morning tipple by replacing orange juice with a blend of PLj Lemon Juice and water (£2.29 for 500ml from Sainsbury’s and Waitrose).  At less than 7kcals per glass, it also delivers 75% of the RDA of vitamin C in every serving so makes good sense all round!

2.    Banish the biscuit tin – It probably comes as no surprise, but biscuits are crammed with calories – just two Hobnobs clock up a whopping 142kcals!  For a more nutritious snack with your cuppa, nibble on a kiwi fruit and a Satsuma.  At 14kcals and 18kcals a piece, you’ll be laughing all the way to a lower dress size.

3.    Keep things open – Providing the filling is relatively healthy, a good wholesome sandwich can make for a tasty, filling meal.  To save on the calorie content, think Scandinavian and opt for an ‘open sandwich’, using one slice of bread rather than two.  It’ll save you around 100kcals, and if substituted with a healthy side salad and fat-free dressing, will be just as satisfying!

4.    Season for the season – Rather than smothering steamed vegetables with lashings of butter, sprinkle them with lemon juice and fresh herbs for a delicate, fat-free and calorie-crushing flavour.

5.    Winning with wine – At the end of a long day, there’s nothing quite like an evening tipple.  Every 250ml glass of wine delivers 185kcals, so opting for a small glass (89kcals for 120ml) or better still, a gin and slimline tonic (56kcals for a single serving) will help you to continue the saving.

It’s not just about cutting calories from your daily diet though – you can also make a difference by moving more throughout the day to speed up your calorie burning potential.

Five easy calorie consumers

1.    Be a mean cleaner – Throw yourself into a 20-minute cleaning frenzy of vacuuming, scrubbing, mopping or tidying, should see you burn off around 100kcals.

2.    Go the extra mile – Walk a mile further than you normally would every day and you’ll clock up a 100kcal deficit.  Running the mile will burn the same – you’ll just complete the mile a little more quickly!

3.    Window shop – Take yourself off for a 40 minute shopping spree at lunchtime and burn 100kcals while you’re at it!

4.    Dig it – Digging and raking reap the biggest benefits in terms of calorie burning in the garden – just 15 minutes could see you 100kcals down.

5.    Ironing out – Work up a sweat with the ironing pile!  Just 25 minutes of enthusiastic ironing could see you burn 100kcals!

From a Muffin Top to a Skinny Muffin

Posted on by

From a Muffin Top to a Skinny Muffin

By Alison Clark, independent nutritionist and spokesperson for Europe’s no 1 healthy eating plan, Eurodiet.co.uk,gives advice on how to get rid of a muffin top.

What is a muffin top?

According to the Oxford Dictionary a muffin top is “a roll of fat visible above the top of a pair of women’s tight-fitting low-waisted trousers”. You might also call it spare tyre, love handles or back roll but either way, what most of us want to know is why is it there and how can we get rid of it?

In some cases, the only risk from the over spilling of flesh above the waistline is one of sinning against fashion. However, for many more this excess fat could be a sign of central obesity, indicating a real risk to future health.

As we are often reminded, being overweight is bad for your health. What many people don’t realise is that carrying extra fat around the middle of your body can put you at an even higher risk. This is because there are two types of fat with different characteristics: the fat carried under the skin, called subcutaneous, and the fat stored around the tummy surrounding the organs, which is called visceral fat. Visceral fat is the most dangerous, significantly increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

How do I know if I am at risk?

Get to know your body! Apple shaped people store more fat around the middle than pear shaped. It’s a good idea to make a habit of measuring your waist circumference – see the table below for the key limits.

Increased risk

Very high risk

Women

80 cm or more

88 cm or more

Men

94 cm or more

102 cm or more

To measure your waist accurately, use a soft tape measure and aim for halfway between your hip bone and your lowest rib. If you’re not sure, measure just above your belly button – the important thing is to always measure the same place so that you can keep track of any changes.

What can I do about it?

The only way to reduce fat is to lose weight! The best way to do this is with a combination of a balanced diet and regular exercise and the good news is that shrinking that muffin top won’t be the only benefit of adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, aim for at least five different ones every day to ensure that your body gets all the vitamins, minerals and fibre it needs. If you prefer a little help and want to go on a diet, try a high protein diet such as Eurodiet.co.uk, they have revered engineered foods normally associated with high carbs into high protein such as bread, pasta and risotto. Base your meals on wholegrain starchy carbohydrates to make sure that you have plenty of energy throughout the day. Include lean meat and fish and try some alternative protein sources for a change such as pulses and eggs.. Make sure you also include low fat dairy products in your meals to get the calcium your bones need. Avoid fatty, sugary, fried and salty foods and drink plenty of water.

Finally, in order to have a healthy lifestyle and lose the love handles, you will need to exercise. Although targeting your stomach with sit ups or crunches will help to tone the muscles in that area, it will not specifically reduce abdominal fat – you need to lose weight from your whole body. Start with 30 minutes a day or moderate activity and build up from there. If you are not sure then speak to a personal trainer or gym staff who will be able to advise you on the best exercises for you.