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Month: January 2023

Soma Fitness Personal TrainingBlog2023January
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Meal Prepping Tips

 

Meal prepping is a great way to stay on track with your diet and ensure that you have healthy, nutritious food on hand throughout the week. Here are some tips for getting started:

 

Plan ahead: Before going grocery shopping, sit down and plan out your meals for the next few days. This will help you avoid impulse buying and ensure that you have all the ingredients you need on hand. Consider your schedule for the upcoming week and plan your meals accordingly. For example, if you know you’ll be busy on certain days, plan for easy-to-make meals or leftovers on those days.

Choose nutrient-dense foods: Focus on foods that are high in nutrients and low in calories. Proteins such as lean meats, fish, eggs and beans, Whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, and avocados are all great options. Avoid processed foods, sugary drinks and snacks, and fried foods as much as possible.

Prep in bulk: Cooking in bulk can save you time and money. Choose recipes that can be easily scaled up or that have ingredients that can be used in multiple meals. For example, you can cook a large batch of rice, potatoes or quinoa, and use it for multiple meals throughout the week.

Keep it simple: Meal prepping doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Simple dishes like lean mince, grilled chicken or fish with a side of steamed vegetables, or a large salad with various toppings, can be just as nutritious and satisfying as more complex recipes.

Get organized: Invest in some good quality storage containers and label them with the date and contents. This will help you keep track of what you have and when it needs to be eaten. It’s also helpful to have a designated area in your fridge for your prepped meals, so you can easily grab them when you’re on the go.

 Add variety: Don’t feel like you have to eat the same thing every day. Mix and match your meals and try to change them up every week. This will help you avoid getting bored with your food and make it easier to stick to your diet. This will also give you a diverse amount of nutrients.

Enjoy: Remember to enjoy your meal and savour the flavours. Eating healthy should be a pleasure, not a punishment. Take the time to sit down and enjoy your prepped meals, and don’t feel guilty if you indulge in a treat every once in a while so long as you plan for it.

Herbs and spices: stock up on herbs and spices so you can add diverse flavours to your food. A lot of individuals perceive meal prepping to be boring bland add some flavour to your food by adding herbs or spices.

Keep track of your progress: Keep track of your meals and how you feel after eating them. This will help you identify what works for you and what doesn’t, and make adjustments as needed.

I am not a skilled cook? No one is born with the skills on how to cook, we all have to start somewhere, so start today and try one recipe at a time and build on it. Practice makes perfect don’t make excuses and build barriers for yourself, change your mindset in the information age today we have 1000s of recipes at our finger tips.

By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to meal prepping like a pro and staying on track with your diet. Remember to be patient with yourself and to not get discouraged if you slip up. Meal prepping is a process, and it takes time to develop the habit. We will be posting some meal prep friendly recipes throughout the coming weeks to help you all along the way.

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Spot Fat Reduction.

Spot reduction is a term used to describe the idea that it is possible to selectively reduce fat in specific areas of the body through targeted exercise. However, this idea has been widely discredited by scientific research, as the body does not lose fat in a specific, localized manner. Instead, fat loss occurs evenly across the body, and is influenced by a combination of diet, exercise, and genetics.

 

The human body stores fat in adipose tissue, which is distributed throughout the body. When the body burns fat for energy, it does so by breaking down triglycerides in adipose tissue into free fatty acids, which are then transported to the muscles to be used as fuel. However, the body does not selectively burn fat in specific areas. Instead, fat loss occurs evenly across the body, regardless of the type of exercise being performed.

 

This is due to the fact that the body’s fat burning process is primarily controlled by hormones such as insulin, cortisol, and adrenaline, as well as genetics. These factors influence the body’s ability to burn fat, and can vary greatly from person to person. Additionally, genetics also plays a role in determining where fat is stored on the body.

 

Despite the fact that spot reduction is not possible, there are still effective ways to reduce fat in specific areas of the body. The most effective way to reduce fat in any area of the body is to create a calorie deficit through a combination of diet and exercise. This means consuming fewer calories than the body burns, which will cause the body to burn stored fat for energy.

 

Another effective way to reduce fat in specific areas of the body is to focus on exercises that target those areas. For example, to reduce fat in the abdominal area, exercises such as crunches, roll outs, and leg raises can be effective. To reduce fat in the legs, exercises such as squats, lunges, and leg press can be effective. However, it is important to note that while these exercises can help tone and strengthen the muscles in these areas, they will not selectively reduce fat in those areas.

 

Spot reduction is a widely discredited idea, and the body does not lose fat in a specific, localised manner. Instead, fat loss occurs evenly across the body, and is influenced by a combination of diet, exercise, and genetics. The most effective way to reduce fat in any area of the body is to create a calorie deficit through a combination of diet and exercise. Additionally, exercises that target specific areas can also be effective in toning and strengthening muscles in those areas, but will not selectively reduce fat in those areas.

A good start would be to initially begin to track your calorie intake and place yourself in a 10% deficit to begin with. Try to perform x2 resistance training training sessions per week, a personal trainer could construct a program where you can focus more on specific areas to create a program bespoke to you. Try to perform x2 sessions per week of cardio vascular exercise decide on something that you particularly enjoy and that you can keep consistent.

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How to break your snacking habits

 

We all love a snack and snacking can be a great way to fuel your body and keep your energy levels up, but it can also lead to weight gain and other health problems if you’re not careful and make the right choices. We are going to go over some tips and strategies for breaking your snacking habits and developing healthier habits in their place.

 

  1. Identify your triggers: Before you can start breaking your snacking habits, it’s important to understand what triggers your snacking in the first place. Common triggers include boredom, stress, and certain times of the day. Once you know what your triggers are, you can start to develop strategies for avoiding or managing them.
  2. Plan ahead: One of the best ways to avoid snacking is to plan ahead. Make sure you have healthy snacks on hand, like fruits and vegetables, so that you can grab something when you feel the urge to snack. You can also plan your meals in advance so that you know you’ll have something to eat when you’re hungry.
  3. Find healthy alternatives: If you’re used to snacking on junk food, it can be hard to break that habit. But by finding healthy alternatives to your favourite snacks, you can still enjoy the flavours you love without the added calories and unhealthy ingredients.
  4. Get moving: Exercise is a great way to reduce stress and boost your energy levels, which can help reduce the urge to snack. Try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day, whether it’s a workout at the gym, a walk, or a yoga class. If you have enough in your budget to hire a personal trainer this can be a great way to learn the skills on how to exercise correctly.
  5. Be mindful: Be mindful of your snacking habits. Pay attention to when, where, and why you snack, and try to be aware of your body’s signals of hunger and fullness. By being mindful of your habits, you can make better choices about when and what to eat.
  6. Stay Hydrated: Thirst can make people eat more and increase the urge to snack. When we feel thirsty, our body is actually signalling that it needs water. But sometimes, our brain can confuse thirst for hunger, which can lead us to eat when we actually need to drink. Drinking water can help to curb your appetite and reduce the urge to snack, as well as keep your body hydrated. It’s also important to make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day, so that you’re not getting dehydrated and mistaking it for hunger. Drinking water before a meal or snack can also help you feel more full and eat less.

 

Breaking a snacking habit can take time and effort, but with a little patience and persistence, you can develop healthier habits that will benefit your overall health in the long run. Remember to be kind to yourself and don’t get discouraged if you slip up. Don’t give up just keep moving forward and you’ll get there.

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10 Important Habits for Weight Loss.

Weight loss requires a combination of several habits:

 

  1. Eating a balanced diet that is low in calories enough to place you in a slight deficit and high in nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and adequate amounts of proteins.
  2. Engage in regular bouts of physical activity, such as cardio and strength training, to burn calories and build/preserve muscle mass.
  3. A consistent monitoring of portion sizes and keeping track of the number of calories consumed each day. Don’t try to guess, use scales for an amount of time that it takes for you to know how to estimate your portion sizes but alway refer back to your scale weight when in doubt.
  4. Drinking enough water to stay hydrated and avoid overeating. Set hydration targets throughout the day to help you stay on track. Keep a water bottle with you at arms length at all times.
  5. Managing stress levels through techniques such as yoga, meditation, mindfulness or deep breathing. Anything that can put your body in a parasympathetic state of deep rest.
  6. Getting enough sleep each night, as lack of sleep can affect hormones that regulate appetite. Your quality of sleep is also important, have a sleep routine and stick with it consistently, this discipline will change your life.
  7. Avoiding processed foods, sugary drinks, and excessive alcohol consumption.
  8. Following a consistent eating schedule and avoid too much snacking. If you need to snack eat fruits or protein sources.
  9. Finding a form of physical activity that you enjoy and making it a part of your daily routine. This will help you stay consistent.
  10. Seeking support from friends and family, or a professional personal trainer, to help you stay on track and achieve your weight loss goals.

 

Weight loss is not a one-size-fits-all process and it’s important to consult a professional coach who can guide you and mentor you through a weight loss program with the right strategy for you. There is no quick fix, achieving health and weight loss is a journey that will have many hurdles stick to the plan and get through the tough bits and you will reap the rewards in the long run.