Everyday life has become busier and busier.
The fitness industry is saturated with more complex workouts, meal plans and diets than ever before that it’s almost difficult to know where to start!
You may have heard the expression you can’t out train a bad diet and it’s very true. We spoke to personal trainer and wellness coach extraordinaire Laura Farrington about five simple, easy and effective tips to help you on your fat loss journey that you can implement right now.
1. Eat real not processed foods:
Try and always be mindful of what you’re putting in your mouth. Real foods such as fruits, nuts seeds, meats & vegetables are from the earth and not processed. These foods are easier for our body to digest as they only have one ingredient. Processed & packaged foods may seem lower in calories but are high in preservatives, toxins and additives which cause turmoil in our bodies. They can have almost 40 ingredients, leaving us with bad gut health and lower energy. Check the label! Try to get in as many greens as possible – green smoothies are a great way – just make sure not to add too much fruit.
2. Have a serving of protein with each meal:
The benefits of protein are unparalleled especially when it comes to fat loss and gaining lean muscle. We should at a minimum getting at least 20g of protein with each meal (1 medium chicken fillet) We need protein for repair and recover and it will also assist with dampening of the appetite and increased energy levels. Prioritise protein.
3. Drink more water:
Most of us are dehydrated and therefore our brain tricks us and tells us we are hungry. We use food to fill the empty feeling when in fact all we need is a glass of water. Aim for a minimum of 2L of water per day. Try and drink a full pint of water first thing in the morning upon waking to flush out your system before the days begins. Not only will it cleanse your system and flush out any toxins but it will wake you up and even remove stubborn body fat.
4. Beware of Bread
If you are a bread fan be careful of faddy breads that claim to “contain protein” or even be brown breads. A lot of brown breads are just white breads dyed brown; there is no difference in the ingredients. When it comes to fat loss and toning up breads are full of carbohydrates so should be eaten in moderation. If you are going to eat bread make sure it is wholesome bread full of nuts and seeds, something that your body can easily digest – why not try the McCambridges low GI bread which contains Linseed Oil, Jumbo, Oats, Sunflower, and Pumpkin Seed. Or substitute it for some fibre crackers!
5. Be careful of carbohydrates
When it comes to losing weight watch those carbs. Our body can only store a certain amounts of carbohydrate as energy; the rest is stored as excess fat. Keep the carbs for post-workout meals, when the body needs it most!
It is not easy to get out of the rut when it comes to fitness. Hopefully, these tips will help get you motivated to make the little changes that are needed for long-term health.
Laura is a personal trainer, yoga instructor and wellness coach based in Dublin – follow her journey here
