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Tag: weight loss

Why exercise is bad for you

When you treat exercise as something 'you should' be doing, you could soon be in trouble.

You go through a cycle of 'being motivated' and start training obsessively. Then you miss a training session and feel bad about yourself. You've failed. After that you punish yourself by exercising more intensely. Of course this cannot last, and ultimately you'll come to a halt again and pretty much stop exercising altogether. Until you feel that motivation again.

I had a client in the past who was training a lot. She lost over 5 stone. I have a degree in psychology and very much use that to my advantage in dealing with clients, but sometimes it's hard to know whether they are training because they genuinely enjoy it so much, or whether it's become an obsession that's going to lead to bad things.

I found out this client tried to kill herself not so long back. Training had become an obsession. No matter how much she achieved, she never felt truly happy.

Important note: Nobody is ever going to be 100 % happy with their bodies. That's just something we need to try and live with. So if you strive for perfection, you'll never get there. Those Instagram babes only show their best sides, and sometimes cry themselves to sleep because they're not 'good enough' (to who?).

In a way my old client's fitness journey was a true success story. She lost all that weight and looked absolutely incredible after having been overweight for so long. But that's of course just the snippet of her best possible fitness achievements. On the other hand it's a tragic story of how any extreme behaviour nearly always ends up in what we percieve as failure. During her recovery she's had to work with really understanding that being as thin as possible is not a route to happiness. Now she's put all the weight back on, and then some.

So when you see incredible weight loss transformations, don't assume they've 'done really well'. It should be so much more important to understand that getting to true fitness and eating healthily should be about feeling better, not worse about yourself.

Only then, even if you're still classed as 'overweight' by the rubbish official BMI standards, you can truly be happy. Just strive to be a little better.

Eat when you're hungry. Chew your food well. Notice how good you can feel after a balanced healthy meal. And how terrible and lethargic you can feel for days after eating too much crap. When you eat better, your body will reward you with more energy and a better hormonal profile, which will automatically lead to a healthy weight as a side product. Focus on adding good things to your diet, not taking anything away.

Weight loss is nothing more complicated than eating fewer calories than what your body burns. Whether you exercise or not, you'll lose weight if you're in a calorie deficit. So use exercise as a tool to feel better -- choose a sport you truly enjoy, or even just get out for a walk to get some fresh air to burn a few calories. Anything helps. And seriously, training less than 10 minutes a day a few times a week can get you in the best shape of your life. Move little and often, and don't use exercise as some sort of punishment. Humans were born to move. I don't believe in wasting your life doing something you don't enjoy (like going to the gym for many people), so choose to do nice things. Try out a new sport, you might love it.

Exercising too much can destroy you. But more importantly, exercising can also truly heal you. Just enjoy it. That's a great start.

YOUR 7 BEST FAT SOURCES

Fats.... lovely fats. Including good fats in your diet is so important for your body to function properly. It also helps your body get rid of bad fats. I made a simple list of my favourite sources of good fats -- make sure to include some in your everyday diet.

 

  1. Oily fish (salmon, mackerel... great for your brain)
  2. Extra virgin olive oil
  3. Nuts (not peanuts, nuts like walnuts, cashews, pistachios, almonds or hazelnuts)
  4. Seeds
  5. AVOCADO (the best possible types of fats found in nature... Eat your guacamole)
  6. Nut butters
  7. Eggs (the yolk is super nutritious and the egg white provides loads of protein)

 

There you have it! Do you think there's anything missing from this list? Just comment below. You can also add yourself to my team's Facebook group for all fat loss nutrition and exercise related support xx

5 SIMPLE NUTRITION RULES (for better health and fat loss)

I'll make it as simple as possible, because it's not supposed to be complicated. Nutrition is a topic which often gets people confused - there's so much contradicting information out there, and advertisers are shoving all sorts of bullshit (on top of the good information) your way constantly. No, you don't need the latest fat loss pills, superfoods, supplements or bullshit shakes they make you believe are good for you (often quite the opposite, actually). So how are you supposed to know how to eat to be healthier and to aid fat loss as well as you can? I want to make things clear and straightforward, so here's a list of the things that'll guarantee you'll get better fat loss results from training, as well as nourish your body optimally. No starvation, no restrictions, no fad dieting. Ever.

  1. Minimum 2.5 litres of water daily (plus tea/coffee on top if you like)
  2. Protein with every meal
  3. Vegetables (or fruit/berries) with every meal
  4. Healthy fats every day (avocado/oily fish/nuts/extra virgin olive oil...)
  5. REAL food 80% of the time (you'll recognise real food by checking out the ingredient label in the supermarket. If there's a single ingredient in it, it's real food.)

Dedicate the next 2 weeks to following these principles. You'll notice just how easy it is to lead a healthier lifestyle. Note, that I'm saying REAL food 'just' 80% of the time?! That's right, you can have #naughtyfood freely, as long as it's not the basis for your diet. It means being able to eat chocolate and drink beer, guilt free, WHILST losing body fat.

[[More about the Freedom Diet here]]

 

/Erika

BEST PROTEIN SOURCES for meat eaters and vegetarians

Protein helps you stay fuller for longer - it is the macronutrient with the highest satiety factor (over carbohydrates or fats). Protein also, very importantly, helps build and maintain lean muscle mass in your body, which is super important in keeping your metabolism high throughout your life, and helps in building and maintaining a lean body that burns fat effectively.

To oversimplify, if you are currently inactive, make sure you get an absolute minimum of one gram of protein per every kilogram of bodyweight, every day. So if you weigh 80 kg, you should aim to get at least 80 grams of protein daily. You can track your protein intake easily with an app like MyFitnessPal (by going to the nutrition section in your food diary).

Here's a simple list of the best protein sources:

  • Poultry (chicken, turkey...)
  • Red meat (beef, pork, lamb...)
  • Seafood (tuna, salmon, mackerel, prawns, scallops...)
  • Eggs
  • Dairy (yoghurt, cottage cheese, fromage frais, milk, cheese...)
  • Whey protein powder (not necessary, but great if you struggle to get enough protein in)

And if you're a vegetarian, here are the best foods to help with your daily protein intake:

  • Beans (kidney, chickpeas/hummus, haricot...)
  • Legumes (lentils, peas, peanut butter...)
  • Nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews...)
  • Seeds (sunflower, flax, pumpkin, hemp...)
  • Milk alternatives (almond/cashew/hazelnut/soya/rice drinks etc. ...)
  • Soy/tofu
  • Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oats, bread...)
  • Veggies (peas, broccoli, spinach, kale etc. ...)
  • Protein powder  (hemp protein/pea protein/rice protein etc. ...)

For optimal health and best results from any training you do, try to include a source of protein with every meal you have.

Good luck, and make sure to join The 10 Minute Body team on Facebook where you can ask nutrition and exercise related questions.

/Erika

5 tips for a healthier life

Hiya,

I just sat down to wait for dinner to cook and decided to write this

I totally live by 'the 10 minute body' stuff as I can't be bothered to waste my time in the kitchen (despite the fact that I love cooking) or doing 2-hour-long workouts

So I've just done a 10 minute prep, it's my first time ever making MAKARONILAATIKKO in the oven, which is a Finnish dish that nearly everyone loves.

Directly translated it's macaroni casserole, and I filmed making it so you can see how to make it yourself on my YouTube channel later (you'll get a notification when I've uploaded it if you've subscribed... Unless I have majestically fucked it up and it turns out shit :D)

Today I wanted to remind you of 5 things that I know majorly helps you be healthier... Check 'em out and make sure to incorporate them into your lifestyle before this summer.

[Make sure to also start the summer challenge {if you haven't yet} to give you a bit more structure with food and at-home exercise]

 

1. Drink a lot of water. 2 litres a day is your absolute minimum.
2. Increase your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). This is ANY activity throughout the day that's not classed as exercise. What can you do to be a little bit more active tomorrow? Make sure to at least feel your core muscles activate when you're sitting down and standing up.
3. Focus on positive things, and stop negative self-talk. I hate fad dieting with a passion, because they destroy people's self esteems and just make most fatter in the long run. Stop punishing yourself and denying the foods you love eating. Doing it the freedom diet way makes eating anything possible, you just have to be within your personal calorie limits. Listen to this inspiring TED talk I also shared on Facebook.
4. Eat many different (natural) colours. Mixing different coloured veg in your diet makes your body get more vitamins and minerals. Ditch the vitamin tablets, get your nutrition from real food.
5. Make sure you know what it feels like to be hungry. I've spoken to so many overweight people who don't remember the last time they were hungry. Just plan your meals ahead of time so you know what you're having when you get hungry to avoid resorting to junk you don't need. Listening to your body is a key factor in learning what makes you feel good. Eat when you're hungry, stop when you're satisfied. There's an increasing amount of scientific evidence to suggest that letting yourself get hungry results in improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and also in better insulin sensitivity.

My food's nearly ready..... I'm excited to see if it's anything like the stuff I used to love at school!

Take action to be healthier TODAY.

Talk soon,
Erika

Morning workout video! #10minutebody

You can do this quick workout as soon as you've got out of bed. It'll be a fantastic start to the day, and boost your metabolism for the entire day. Suitable for beginners!

Get on it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqNt9gbtWeM

Lose weight easily with these swaps

Here's my quick list of simple food swaps that you can easily take advantage of, starting now.

What's crossed over is your TREATS - they should not be your everyday diet staples.

(There's nothing wrong with having them, but remember moderation. If you go for the crossed over options habitually, you've got some work to do.)

 

SO:

ONLY AS A TREAT - HAVE THIS INSTEAD

 

Cereal - nutty muesli (less sugar than fruit muesli), porridge with fruit, low sugar cereal (e.g. Weetabix), or go for a cooked breakfast of eggs, beans and brown toast.

Chocolate - have a glass of water, then eat a piece of fruit. You get natural sugars from fruit, which is far better than refined sugar from sweets and chocolate. If you still find yourself craving sweet, distract yourself by going out for a walk or doing housework.

Creamy sauces - tomato or vegetable based sauces

Fatty red meat like bacon and sausages, chicken thighs and wings - chicken breast, turkey breast, lean red meat. At least trim the fat off your bacon. Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel you should still have!

Flavoured yoghurt - plain yoghurt (natural probiotic yoghurt/Greek yoghurt)  with fresh berries/fruit if you want sweetness in it

Main meal at a restaurant - go for a starter or a soup, or ask for a doggy bag if you're going for a main meal. Portion sizes in most restaurants are mahoosive, rarely under 1,000 kcal, so save half of it until later.

Dried fruit - fresh fruit. With dried fruit, you'll quickly have way too much sugar. It's still better than sweets, but the fresh stuff is the real thing.

Juice - water. If you really want a bit of sweetness in your water, infuse it with berries or lime/lemon

100% fruit juice - fresh fruit. Not only does it satisfy you more, you'll end up consuming fewer calories and getting much more fibre from the real thing.

Fizzy pop - sparkling water (infused with fruit, berries, cucumber, fresh mint leaves etc. if you like)

Latte/hot chocolate etc coffee shop high calorie drinks - swap for an espresso or an americano, and add a bit of milk yourself.

 

You can also consider whether you need to use oil in cooking. If you have a good teflon pan, chances are you don't. Or grill your meats, no added fats needed!

Note! Do not go for advertised diet products. Low fat items are often higher in sugar, low calorie meals won't keep you satisfied and will make you more likely to crave naughties, and just generally bear in mind that the flavour has to come from somewhere. Food manufacturers want to add as much (addictive) flavour to foods as possible so they can make more money when you buy their products again. Also, Artificial sweeteners are added to tons of processed foods, and some research suggests they're even worse for you than pure sugar, so do your best to steer away. Science has also shown that people who consume more artificial sweeteners and 'diet foods' are heavier than people who don't, so

focus on eating real, unprocessed food.

 

How to look thinner instantly

Most people would like to be a little slimmer.

And there is one powerful trick you can use to your advantage.

Psychological studies have shown that by using this simple trick

you will be perceived as slimmer, taller, more attractive and as someone with a higher status. And everyone can do it instantly!

It's all to do with your posture. Stand and sit up tall and the quality of your life will improve. You'll even be burning a few more calories a day due to extra muscular contractions!!

Watch the short video below for more -->

https://youtu.be/PffLvLIE9fk

My 5 top tips for building a healthier diet

I did personalised calorie & protein calculations for a young lady recently. She started using MyFitnessPal, and despite hitting her fat loss eating targets she's struggling to know where to start in terms of building a healthier, more sustainable overall diet instead of eating crap within her allowances. Both will make you lose weight, but of course it's better to focus on good quality nutrition to keep your body healthy and mind sharp. Now I know it's much more media attractive to promote a simple unsustainable shitty juice diet than make BALANCE an attractive idea. If you've done several diets in the past, you're used to being given specific rules on how to eat for a short period of time. Unfortunately, this is very rarely sustainable and the cold truth is that if you want to lose weight and keep it off for good, you have to work on finding your own balance with nutrition. A professional can help you build up good basics, but you must do the hard work of integrating the new habits into your lifestyle yourself.

Here's my top 5 tips on how to make the process as painless as possible:

  1. Eat only when you're hungry. Wait for it, and then really enjoy your food. Always have a healthy snack handy though (fruit/nuts/natural yoghurt/even just a glass of water), because the time when you're most likely to make bad choices with nutrition is towards the end of the day when you're tired and hungry. Kill off the biggest hunger whilst you're making a quick healthy meal.
  2. Focus on colours. The more colours you have in your diet, the more vitamins your body gets from the food you eat. Now obviously this doesn't include artificial colourings. Stock up on different coloured veg to get up to a great start, or have a side salad with your meal. If you're not a huge fan on veg, just chop it up small to hide it in great traditional dishes like spaghetti bolognese or various oven bakes. I tend to throw in onion, garlic, peppers, grated carrots and even celery for a great tasting, authentic spag bol.
  3. Eat from a small plate. This has all to do with your brain - research shows that if you eat the same amount of food from a small plate versus a larger plate, you'll be full sooner eating from the smaller plate. This is because your brain  will perceive that you've had more food  when you've finished off a full plate. If you're genuinely still hungry after finishing it, feel free to top up. Another related tip that can work wonders is to eat with a smaller fork, or even just a teaspoon.
  4. Focus on the positives. There are no foods you can't have if you're trying to lose weight. Your brain is very bad at processing negatives - if you tell yourself you "can't have chocolate", all your brain hears is "have chocolate". Traditional dieting - where you're only allowed certain types of foods - and not allowed others, is based on a deprivation mindset. This won't help you build long lasting habits. To build a sustainable healthy diet, you are in fact allowed anything you want, but you should learn to not want a lot of it. Just think about the reasons of why you want to eat it. To successfully maintain your dream weight, your diet should consist 80-90% of real foods and 10-20% of treats (this can be readily processed foods, chocolate, alcohol... whatever you fancy). When your overall diet is based on real, nutritious food, you'll feel fantastic and full of energy... So why would you want to ruin it with tons of junk? Remember, the first bite of your favourite foods/treats is always lovely.... And the experience doesn't increase on the 10th mouthful. You can learn to just have a bite of chocolate, not the whole bar at once.
  5. Balance out your macros. Try to find a balance with having all three types of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats) in good proportion with every meal. Fats are highest in calories, so although you need fats to be healthy, you also want to be careful not to over consume them. For portion control, take a handful (not more) of carbs with each meal (that's pasta/rice/potatoes...) and limit added fats to a minimum. You'll get enough fats pretty much with any diet, so focus on foods that contain great quality fats like avocado or salmon. Also, a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil a day has great health benefits, so you can make sure to top your side salad with that every day. Processed fats (transfats) are the worst and super unhealthy, as these are produced in factories just to make your processed food palatable. Most importantly, try to make sure to have protein (meat, dairy, eggs...) with every single meal of the day and you're off to a great start - it's also the macronutrient with the highest satiety factor, i.e. it'll make you feel full for the longest.

I hope these tips will help you build a healthier, sustainable diet that'll get you the body you deserve. Maybe you can share it with a friend to help them out too.

Peace out, love yourselves.

Erika xx

Fast & simple beginner’s fat burn home workout

So I had a chat with my mum on Skype the other night. She told me she's started doing 50 sit ups a night to improve her fitness. I had to stop for a second to realise I'd failed to talk to mum about some very important basic fitness principles, and how sit ups are not the answer. I am ashamed. I've had hundreds of private clients over the years who know better than my own mum?!

She's going to fly over to visit us from Finland next month, and I'm sure as hell going to make sure she leaves a week later being a lot more educated. In this post you'll find out exactly what she'll learn.

Now, most people will take on doing ab work at home because they want their waist to be smaller... Correct? Yep, well working on your abs will do very little, if anything. They might even make matters worse if you're doing the exercises wrong. Loads of people have got ab work induced lower back pain, which is not fun and can take a long time to get rid of. Also, if your breathing is wrong you can be encouraging your belly to actually push out, not get any slimmer.

Like your experienced powerlifters, they might be in pretty decent condition but also do a lot of exercise whilst pushing their bellies out towards their belts... Not ideal if you want to look slim.

So instead, focus on a full body workout where you use all of your biggest muscle groups. That way your body will burn the most calories (and fat), and since you cannot target fat loss, it'll burn off the most overall fat and tone up your body in all of the problem areas, including your waistline.

Here's your exercises for an effective beginner's home workout:

  • Squat (standing up and keeping your heels on the floor, lower your bum down as if you were going to sit down on a chair. Keep your knees aligned with your toes. Your hands can come in front of you for balance as you squat down. Aim to get your thighs parallel to the floor.)
  • Push up (keeping your knees on the floor [and feet uncrossed] whilst resting on your arms, lower your chest down until your arms are parallel with the floor, then push back up whilst breathing out at the top. Make sure your arms are aligned with your nipples, not your neck!)
  • Seal (or 'lying back extension'. Lie down on your stomach, holding your hands by your temples. Lift your chest up controlled off the floor as high as you can, hold for a second at the top and lower back down to where there is still tension in your back muscles. Repeat. If you want the extra benefit of working out your bum too, just lift your feet up off the floor whilst squeezing your glutes at the same time as lifting your chest.)

Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions of each of these exercises. That's it! These exercises also train your core when you make sure your posture is good throughout, so no need for specific ab work unless you're already lean or have a particularly weak core.

50 crunches every night

3 x 15 squat, push up, seal every night

Make it into a daily routine and soon you'll start seeing much better results than you would from doing sit ups .

Good luck,

/Erika

P.s. If you've got any questions, just drop me a message