Sue Burt Health And Fitness

FatScrap Chat Room January 2012

2012-01-08T08:11:00.001Z

Hi and welcome back!

So, it's been a few months since we had any activity here but I'm pleased to welcome you back to share your questions, experiences and support.

I'd like to also welcome, Claire, Sarah and Clare to this Chat Room and hope you find this tool useful in helping you to achieve your health and fitness goals.

As it is the New Year and the talk of New Years Resolutions is in the air, this is a good time to review your goals. Create goals that are exciting and inspiring and will create the life you dream of. When you have a goal that you really want, you will go out of your way to get it!! Make sure you have a clear vision of your goal; see yourself being the healthier and fitter person you want to be, doing the things you want to do and feeling all those positive feelings that come with a healthier and fitter lifestyle.

Now, if you have that vision, can you commit to it? Can you make a promise yourself that you intend to achieve it? Can you go a step further and write down your promise? Even a step further and share it with us here?!!!

All the goal achievers in the world recommend that once you have your vision, writing your goal is the next step to achieving it. Other steps are, keeping your written goal with you at all times, having your goal somewhere where you can see it each day, listing as many reasons why you want to achieve your goal, working out the steps you will need to take to reach it, and planning for any hurdles or obstacles that might come along.

I have a vision that next January I will be taking you to Centre Parcs because you will have achieved your goal! I am already seeing us exercising, swimming, relaxing, cooking etc there, hearing the laughter and fun we are going to have, feeling happy and excited that we are doing all these things and pleased to be sharing and celebrating your success! I am even now imaging having to book two chalets as so many of you have achieved your goals.....WOW!! What a vision!!!

Next year I will be writing this January Chat Room in Centre Parcs and will be including a picture of us all there!!! Including YOU!!!

Sue x

Rowing

2011-10-14T12:02:00.001+01:00

Yesterday I showed Vicky, Fi and Penny and Lizzie a film of correct rowing technique to help them improve their rowing skills. As we all know, it is so easy to get complacent with what we are doing, think we are doing enough to get by and then sometimes wonder why we are not getting better or achieving greater results. The improvement in everybody's technique on the rower yesterday showed how, just by observing and copying someone's behaviour, comparing it to their own behaviour and then changing one little thing they were doing, had a knock on affect to how they felt. The biggest change to behaviour for everyone was tilting the hips/body earlier in the move which led to less shoulder effort and more leg effort...the muscles which should be doing most of the work! This reduced tension in the shoulders, made breathing more relaxed and encouraged postural muscles to engage more. As Vicky, Fi, Penny and Lizzie practise this new rowing behaviour their leg, back and core muscles will become stronger leading to increased distance and speed.

So sometimes we have to take a step back, look at the behaviour of someone who is successful in what they do and what we want to do, look at what we are doing and compare our behaviour to theirs, notice where we might be able to make our behaviour more like theirs and then modify our actions to be more like theirs. With a bit of focus and practise we can see how this new behaviour affects our performance and as we notice how much better we might be feeling we can then continue to implement this new way of doing something until we no longer have to think about doing it, it just happens...Hey presto! A new positive habit has been created that is going to give us better results!!

If you would like to practise your rowing technique at home try this exercise with a partner.

Sitting opposite your partner with legs straight out in front of you and the soles of your feet against your partners, take a resistance band, tie the ends together and hold it as if you are holding the handle of the rower. Your partner holds the other end in the same way. (Think of the nursery rhyme row, row, row your boat!)

Now taking it in turns, keeping you spine long, rock your hips forwards and pull the band as if you were pulling the handle of the rower towards you on the effort part of the exercise.

At the same time your partner, keeping their spine straight, rocks their hips backwards and lets their arms and body be pulled forward as if they were holding the handle of the rower on the recovery part of the exercise.

Reverse the movement so that you are now doing the recovery part of the exercise and your partner is doing the effort.

Keep this movement flowing backwards and forwards as if you were on the rower and notice where you feel the muscles working in your body. Notice especially the muscles working in your upper back, between the shoulder blades, in the front of your arms, in your core (your trunk - abs, lower back and spine), in your buttocks. If you feel tension in your neck or shoulders you may have to adjust your neck and shoulder position.

Sue x

"As I row.... I feel my energy flow, I feel my strength power me forward as I overcome resistance." Sue

What do you notice as you row?

How Can I Change My Eating Behaviours?

2011-09-30T16:30:00.003+01:00

How much does what's happening in and around you dictate your actions? What if you were to change what is happening to make it easier to do something and harder not to?

Our actions have a lot to do with the influences around us. Often the reasons we eat have little to do with hunger and a lot to do with the subtle cues (triggers) that drive us. These triggers can be found in the eating environment, in the food environment and in the emotional environment.

The eating environment triggers may be regarding the atmosphere or ambiance of the place you eat, the ease and ability to eat, the social aspect of eating, the distractions around the eating and the time and length of time for eating

Imagine being in a busy, noisy, fast paced, “all you can eat” restaurant. Will you want to eat more because you are seeing other people eating, unaware of how much you are eating, wanting to get value for money, eating fast and distracted by the conversation around you?

The food environment triggers may be regarding the salience (prominence and visibility) of the food, the structure and variety of foods, the size of food packaging and portions, the shape and size of food plates, glasses and bowls.

Imagine being in a room with a large bowl of brightly coloured, assorted chocolates in the centre of the coffee table, will you want to eat more because of they way they look, because there are lots of different tastes and textures and because they are constantly in your view?

The emotional environment triggers may be regarding your internal feelings, the need for reward or punishment, the need for fulfilment and satiation, the need for energy or relaxation, the need for stimulation and variety…

Imagine being in a place where you feeling tired and bored and you think food will provide the energy and stimulation you need. Will you eat more because the food won’t be satisfying your real needs?

So what can you do to change your environment so that it supports the eating behaviour that you want to see in yourself?...........

Move!!!!

What can you move away from or move away from you?

What can you move nearer to or near to you?

Who can you move away from?

Who can you move nearer to?

Where can you move away from?

Where can you move nearer to?

Move away from the things that trigger unwanted eating behaviours

· Move away from self destructive feelings about yourself and move nearer to positive feeling about yourself.

· Move away from worrying about things you can not control and move nearer towards things that you can influence.

· Move away from the things you are fearful about and move nearer to the things that you have courage about.

· Move away from the lack of satisfaction and enjoyment around food and move nearer to feeling satisfied and pleasured around food.

· Move away from feeling guilty about what and how you eat and move nearer to feeling happy about what and how you eat.

· Move away from the larger portions/packages and move towards the smaller sizes.

· Move away from irregularity and being unorganised and move towards structure and planning.

Move away from the person/people who trigger unwanted eating behaviours

· Move away from seeing yourself being this person with this eating behaviour and move nearer to seeing yourself being a person with a different eating behaviour.

· Move away from the person/people who encourage your unwanted eating behaviours and move nearer to the person/people who encourage your desired eating behaviours.

· Move away from the person who tells you, you must, you should, you ought, you will…. and move nearer to the person who asks if you can.

· Move away from the person/people who disrespects you and move nearer to the person/people who respects you.

Move away from the places that trigger unwanted eating behaviours

· Move away from sitting near the vending machine at work and move nearer to a place that provides you with stimulation and energy at work.

· Move away from having coffee where there are cakes and biscuits on view and move nearer to a place that allows you to enjoy your coffee on its own.

· Move away from going to the same garage/service station where you always buy fuel for you as well as your car and move nearer to a different garage where you will only buy fuel for your car and have your own fuel elsewhere.

· Move away from the unhealthy food isle in the supermarket and move nearer to the healthy food isle in the supermarket.

· Move away from socialising around places you eat and move nearer to socialising around other places.

Of course, if you don't feel able to change the environments, or think it's important to change them, or don't really see yourself making the changes, or don't think there is any point in changing these environments that are influencing your behaviour, then that's another story.....!

Embracing Change And Uncertainty

2011-09-27T20:50:00.000+01:00

Why do we often fear change? Probably because it creates uncertainty and uncertainty can feel uncomfortable.

How much more comfortable it feels when we know we are doing the right thing, when we are certain that the change we are making is the right change to make. It explains why we are always looking to “Experts” to tell us how to lose weight, what the right diet is etc. “Experts” seem so certain about what they are talking about which, in turn, installs the confidence that we are looking for. We no longer have to worry, we have something to believe in, and we think we have the magic answer! We put our trust and faith in the “Expert” and can then blame them when we don’t get the results we expected but as we cling to an idea of perfection we are still clinging to a fear of change.

Uncertainty is a good thing. By 'not knowing' we have to learn to trust, find faith, be humble and be patient. When we fear uncertainty we resist, we tighten up, we become stressed and stop the natural flow of our metabolisms. Change is inevitable and necessary. Without change we would stagnate. Change creates difference and when things are different there is transformation and variation. And we all know that “Change is as good as a rest!”

How would it be if next time you are faced with change and uncertainty you trusted your intuition, you had faith in yourself, you respected your needs as well as the needs other’s, and took one step at a time…? Can you imagine how you might feel? By embracing uncertainty we can breathe, be open, relaxed and welcoming and let the mystery flow and unfold. We can learn what works and what doesn’t work for us. We can search and find our own answers and make change easier.

FatScrap Chat Room September/October

2011-09-18T16:19:00.000+01:00

Hi and welcome back

Somebody asked me the other day “Why can’t I ‘Just Do It!’? I know I need to eat healthily, I know I need to exercise, I know what to do and how to do it but I just don’t seem to be able to apply myself!

Well the reason why it’s not that easy to ‘Just Do It!’ is because we hold onto limiting beliefs and unconscious negative behaviours about ‘Doing It’.

For example, you might think you will go out for a run but somehow it never happens. Perhaps you have a deep down belief that you are not a good runner, or perhaps one time you ran and felt sick, well these are the sort of sabotaging thoughts and memories that can stop you in your tracks!

To be able to ‘Just Do It!’ you need to explore and uncover your limiting beliefs and unconscious behaviours around the It and start to focus on the beliefs and behaviours that support you in being able to ‘Just Do It!

Here are some questions that may help you begin this process..

Do you have any fears about It?

Do you have any joys about It?

What is important about It?

Do you have any painful memories about It?

Do you have any happy memories about It?

Can you see yourself doing It?

What have you learnt about It?

What is your relationship with It?

Sue x

10 Flat-Belly Tricks

2011-08-02T12:54:00.000+01:00

10 Flat-Belly Tricks

Zero sugar, more protein, exercise....mmmm where have I heard this before?!!!

Goals vs. Attachment (and Doing vs. Being) | Wanto Blog

2011-07-28T16:06:00.000+01:00

Goals vs. Attachment (and Doing vs. Being) Wanto Blog

FatScrap Chat Room July/ August

2011-07-19T15:13:00.000+01:00

Hi all

Well, last months attempts at chatting here didn't quite work out due to technical difficulties so we continued to correspond by email. This proved to be beneficial in some ways as some of you found it was easier to communicate this way, and thank you for all your food diaries, thoughts and comments.

I have decided to go back to using this space for our communications because it is a permanently open space and anyone can come here for help and inspiration at anytime. I hope that you can all appreciate the value of using this tool and I look forward to hearing from you.

Now, this week a challenge was set and I will hand you over to Hayley to tell you about it...

Dear Fat Scrapers

Just when I thought it was safe to go back into the gym, Sue comes up with a little gem!
She has challenged Vicky and I to lose 4lb’s in 3 weeks!!. Now having never really spoken to Vicky I was unsure how this would go down, however I have just trained for an hour with Sue and Vicky, and to be honest, she is very determined, you should’ve seen the look in her eyes!!........think I have my work cut out for me!

So, I am using an advantage(even if it’s unfair!!). I need your help, please join us in this challenge and we can all achieve it together. My thoughts are that if some of you join in then we can push each other at training even more than usual.

COME ON GUYS, I need your help!!!

...so there you are, the challenge is set 4lb of fat loss (not weight loss) in 3 weeks. Let us know if you are going to join in and we'll keep a record of it all here...and your food and exercise diaries of course as we will want to know how you did it!!

Sue x

Investing in yourself - A message from Hayley

2011-07-19T14:57:00.000+01:00

I'd like to share with you something that Hayley came up with this week. She said that when you are investing in something you would check your investment account to see what was happening so why, when you are investing in your health and fitness would you not check your measurements to see what was happening? Your body composition is just one of the things that changes when you are investing in your health and fitness and there are lots of other things too that you can check to see if your investment is paying off..other physical changes like your strength and fitness levels, your energy levels; nutritional changes like your cravings and enjoyment and your emotional changes like your happiness levels.

Also, Hayley made a very good point that when you are investing in something, for example, saving up for a holiday, you would ask yourself the question "Can I afford that?" when something comes along that might take your investment (focus) elsewhere. How would it be if you asked yourself "Can I afford this?" when you are drawn towards the chocolate bar with your cup of coffee, the glass of wine with dinner, the pudding that everyone else is having.....?

A while ago a past FatScrapper said to me that when she ate out with friends she felt she had to have everything they were having as they would split the bill and she would not be getting the value out of her share of the bill. Another FatScrapper asked her "What about the value you are getting out of your investment in FatScrap?

We always have a choice, and it's how we value our choices that leads to action. When you invest in your health and fitness, and FatScrap, you are investing in yourself, you are valuing you, you are acknowleding your self worth and increasing your self esteem. Love you, you are amazing!!!

And thank you, beautiful Hayley, for sharing your love with us!

Sue x

Strengthen your metabolism by choosing with your heart

2011-07-12T14:53:00.001+01:00

I have just been doing some further research on weight loss, especially after last night's "weigh in and measurements. Fiona pointed out that she was confused as to why she had lost 12 cm on her tummy and yet gained 1 cm on her calf and lost 8lb of body fat and because of this she was unable to feel good about the positive changes and was feeling bad about the gained centimeter and her perceived "small" weight loss. Well, there is no easy answer as to why the measurements show these changes in body composition and of course we "expect" that if we have lost centimetres we should have lost weight because that is what we are told to expect. (mmm and if we don't do as we are told then we are told we are in the wrong - would this explain your confusion and lack of feeling good Fiona? When you ask a doctor about losing weight they will usually tell you it's about eating less and exercising more, and yes, this is the theory and it makes sense but the research I have found today suggests that it's about eating less of the foods that make you "hungry" and more of the foods that satiate you. Now, I'm not saying that this is the answer but again, it makes sense and is worth taking into consideration. This is slightly different to the eating less and doing more theory which I have always struggled with as if you keep on eating less and less and doing more and more, somewhere along the line you will get to the point of eating nothing and having no energy to do anything!

Last night I was talking to Mandy and Fiona about the fact that they are struggling with "weight loss" because they have a very low metabolic rate. Today I read that a persons metabolic rate could be low due to the quality of the foods we eat rather than the quantity. It was suggested that if the food is lacking in the nutrients our body needs then the metabolic rate will be lowered to meet the nutritional values that are being consumed..for example if the body is not getting enough protein then it will not have enough fuel to power the muscles so perhaps muscle size is reduced to meet the level of incoming protein. And perhaps, if this is the case, it is the same for every nutrient we consume, if the level of the nutrient required by our body is not high enough then our body will not be able to operate at maximum efficiency. I believe that it is not just the amount (energy value) of food we are putting into our body that determines how well our body functions but the amount of quality (nutritional value) food and the amount of enjoyable (emotional value) food we are putting in our body. When our body is not having its energy needs, nutritional needs or emotional needs met it is going to send out signals that it is "hungry" (lacking in these needs) and if these needs are not met, then more signals will be sent out. We might become aware of these signals by feeling hunger pangs, craving certain foods, feeling empty, feeling tired, feeling unloved etc and it is when we misinterpret these signals or do not acknowledge them that we remain "hungry".

Last night I related the story of my restaurant lunch (Butternut squash salad - just salad leaves and squash and a few seeds) and how I did not feel satisfied from it (it was low in protein and fat and did not have enough variety of textures, colours and taste to satiate my senses!). I also made the choice to eat the bread roll that came with it as I thought this would help to "fill me up" but after my lunch I was still craving something. (protein and fat I guessed) Because I was aware of this I was able to make up for the lack of protein as soon as I could and when I got home I ate some homemade sausage roll!! Now, you may be thinking..what Sue ate sausage roll!!! And I say yes, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I felt it was what I wanted and I felt satisfied from eating it. Of course I could have made a "low fat, high protein" choice like a piece of chicken, and actually I did have that choice available to me but that wasn't what I fancied, perhaps it was the fat I was needing as well as the protein (Yes, we do need fat!!!!!) and perhaps I also was guided to it because it gave me a combination of different textures and taste which had been lacking in my meal! Anyway, the point is, I ate a small amount of what I fancied, enjoyed it and felt good from it!!! I listened to "my hunger", and I believe that I gave my body what it was asking for. I also believe that I gave it something that it did not need, perhaps too much wheat from the bread and the pastry, as I was up in the night with inflammation in certain areas of my body that I have not had since I have eaten less grain so I will listen to those signals and heed them.

So I would suggest that if you are not feeling good or happy about what is happening to your body, whether it is around your lack of weight loss, your lack of health or your lack of well being it might be due to your lack of nutritional requirements, your lack of physical requirements or your lack of emotional requirements. When you become more aware of the signals your body is sending you through how you are feeling, what you are thinking, what you are noticing, what you are hearing and what your intuition is telling you, you can respond to these signals and feel different. When you are feeling hungry for example and tune into your senses, you can eat the quantity of food that satisfies your physical hunger signals; you can eat the quality foods that satisfies your nutritional hunger signals and you can eat the pleasurable foods that satisfy your emotional hunger signals. Perhaps finding the right balance of quantity, quality and pleasurable foods that satiate you in every way is the magic formula for you to gain a stronger metabolism?

We are all different and we all have different needs, including different nutritional requirements, as the metaphor says " One man's meat is another man's poison", there is no magic formula of how much nutrition we all need, it is very much down to us listening to our own individual signals and learning to eat intuitively. How can you do this? Well, I believe that by noticing how you feel when you eat and after you have eaten is a good signal of whether the foods you have given you your correct nutritional requirements. When you accept that you are different to everyone else, and that your friend may be able to enjoy eating different amounts of different quality foods to you because they have different physical, nutritional and emotional requirements you will find that it is easy to accept the choices that you need to make to get the best from your body.

I am often told that I must have strong will power to make the food choices I make and yes, I think that is true. When you say you will do something, you commit to it and the stronger you are committed to something the more you will stick with it. Strong commitment comes from strong belief, the stronger the belief you have in something the more passionate you are about it. My willpower comes from my strong belief that the quantity, quality and enjoyment of the foods I eat will have an effect on the way I feel physically, nutritionally and emotionally so I am passionate about food, committed to eating what I am going to feel good from eating. My strong willpower means it's easy to say yes to my "medicines" and no to my "poisons".

Choose with your heart and your heart will feel good.

Sue x

FatScrap Chat Room May/June 2011

2011-05-18T12:15:00.000+01:00

Hi and welcome to the latest FatScrap Chat Room!

I have been looking into the benefits of eating a Grain Free diet and I am interested in trying this out to see how my body responds to it. I would welcome any feedback of your experiences if you decide to try this with me.

I suggest you try it for a week and if you feel fine with it, continue for longer as sometimes it can take a while for any health benefits to kick in.

If you would like any further info on why and how to eat Grain Free, I have included some links.

I will be blogging my food diaries and experiences below so I hope that you will find this useful.

I am avoiding wheat, rice, oats, wheat, spelt, barley, amaranth, millet, rye and corn for now and substituting with lots of vegetables and pulses for fibre. I also use quinoa as it is not a grain and include nuts and seeds for added nutrients, variety and to fill me up!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Sue x

http://www.nograindiet.com/index.htm

http://www.grainfreeliving.com/home

http://www.livestrong.com/article/418637-grain-free-diet-for-pcos/

FatScrap Chat Room April 2011

2011-04-14T17:34:00.000+01:00

Hi FatScrappers

Sorry I am a bit late with publishing this month's chat room; I have been spending my "me time" in other ways! Now you may be surprised that I consider creating this space for you as time for me and this brings me very nicely to the subject of this months Chat Room thought..how do you define "Me Time"?

I was at a workshop last week and the subject of "Me time" came up. Several people described how they liked to spend their "Me time" and I was interested to hear their very different ideas so I asked the question "How do you define 'Me time?" After several different answers we came up with what I believe defines it brilliantly - Freedom of Choice! So as I create this space for you, not because I have to but because I choose to, I know that I am having some time for me and feeling happy as I do it.

So FatScrappers, your mission, should you be prepared to accept it, is to think about the choices you have and value the "Me time" in them.

Of course, if you would like to share any of your "me time" experiences or thoughts on how you would define "Me time" we would love to hear them.

Sue x

FatScrap Chat Room March 2011

2011-03-02T16:38:00.001Z

Hi and welcome!

Goodness, where did February go? I think we were all so busy FatScrapping!And, it looks like you lovely committed people are still on track and feeling the benefits of this wonderfully healthy lifestyle!

And, of course, we have a few new FatScrappers on board - A big welcome from us all to you all! We hope you enjoy being a member of this growing Community and join us here in supporting each other, as well as recording your daily food diaries.

One of the first FatScrapping tools we use is the planning tool. Planning is such an important part of FatScrap and will help you find it easier to make healthy eating and regular exercise part of your routine. Eventually, this new lifestyle will become so much a part of you that you will not have to plan to achieve - you will already there, but at this stage, even planning your shopping is important so that you have all the best choices available. The question you might like to ask yourself is "How am I going to do this?" You might find that the more confident you are with the "how?", the less you need to plan and that's fine. But it's when you are not confident, not sure if you can do something, that planning can help. Planning is rehearsing success. The more you rehearse your actions, the more likely you will perform them. The more you rehearse your actions with a positive outcome, the more likely you will perform them with a positive outcome!

So whether you are planning your food choices and how you are going to feel when you are eating them, or planning to come to your training session and how you are going to feel when you are training, Plan to feel great and hopefully you will!!

Sue x

FatScrap Chat Room February 2011

2011-02-03T15:43:00.000Z

Hi FatScrappers

Thank you so much for all your January chatting and for sharing your FatScrap experiences and tips. I’m really looking forward to another busy Chat Room this month! The Chat Room is just one of the tools that your FatScrap Toolbox provides for you and I hope you have found it a valuable tool in your progress so far.

I think by now you will appreciate that good quality eating goes hand in hand with good quality exercising, and by good quality I mean a good quality of fun, pleasure and enjoyment! I am thrilled when I receive the feedback that you are really enjoying the training sessions and also thrilled when you are enjoying buying, cooking and eating healthier foods. This is the difference that I hope to make. Yes, I do hope that your body fat levels reduce, that your lean tissue increases and that you become stronger and fitter as a result of your lifestyle changes but it is the lifestyle changes that I am here to help you with. The reason you are gaining so much from the Programme is because you WANT to make the changes. So many people think that they want to be slimmer, fitter or healthier and wonder why they can’t do it. It’s simple really, they want something else more; they want to eat so called “treats” everyday, they want to regularly drink alcohol, they want to sit in front of the TV to relax when they come in from work, they want to keep doing the things that stop them becoming what they think they want.

The difference with all of you , my dear FatScrappers, is that YOU WANT to do something different, you want to make the changes that you know will get you where you want to be and you now know how to do this. So keep strong, keep believing, keep committed and keep wanting to be the person that you are today because you are slimmer, fitter and healthier, you are “going for gold”, you are “A star”, you are “a reflection of your true self”

And I am so happy for you!!

Sue x

FatScrap Chat Room January 2011

2011-01-05T16:06:00.001Z

Hi FatScrappers and Happy New Year!!

I am so happy to welcome in this New Year with so many new FatScrap friends! This time last year FatScrap was an idea I was playing with and a year on I can definately say that FatScrap is now an idea that I am working with!! It has given me so much pleasure helping you to make big and small changes to the way you think and feel about food and exercise and I very much appreciate your willingness and to give FatScrap a go..thank you! x

So here I am, once again, launching a new page for all your food diaries, chat and questions and hoping that you will find this tool invaluable to help you to achieve your health and fitness goals.

Apple got us thinking about the New Year on one of the previous pages and suggested we might like to write about our goals for 2011 beginning with..

"2011 is the year I am going to..."

This is Apple's goal..
2011 is the year I am going to... build on what I have achieved in 2010 and follow my dreams. I will continue to spend time with people and places I love and enjoy discovering what truely inspires me. Also I will reach the stage on my yoga course where I can begin to share with others what I have learnt and hopefully this can add enrichment and joy to their lives as it does mine

And here is mine...

2011 is the year I am going to... PLAN! Plan to be oganised, plan to be on time and plan to achieve my best. This will allow me to be calm and relaxed which will benefit my health, my family, my freinds and my work!

It would be lovely to hear your 2011 goals too!!

Health and happiness

Sue x

FatScrap Chat Room December 2010

2010-12-03T13:23:00.000Z

Hi and welcome back!

Thank you for all your valuable contributions in last month's chat room. I think this new system works so I will continue this way.

This month is the month of many stations! The question you must ask yourself when you approach one is "How important is it for me to stop here or how important is it that I stay on track?" Only you will know the answer that will leave you feeling comfortable with your choice..and that is the choice you should make.
Feeling guilty will lead to the negative cycle of results, beliefs, expectations and behaviours so make the positive choices and keep your positive cycle rolling forward! Happy Christmas!! x x

Continuing The FatScrap Way

2010-12-03T13:00:00.002Z

Now you know how good it feels to have gained a better way of eating, a better way of exercising, a better way of changing your body shape and a better way of feeling, you will want to continue this. So, what are you going to do now? Well, the obvious thing is to carry on what you have been doing – if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got! Eating a low sugar diet is going to benefit your health in so many ways and eating a very, very low sugar diet will increase those benefits even more!

This is why the next few weeks are so important for you and will make a difference to whether you have taken the Fatscrap principles on board for just a quick four week fix or whether you are prepared to commit further to them to maintain a healthy lifestyle and achieve further healthy benefits.

From what I understand, it is the sugar in our diets that is causing so many of the diseases we are suffering from and all around now there is strong evidence to support this. The high amount of sugars we eat in the form of carbohydrates put a huge strain on insulin production in the body and it is the result of the high levels of insulin that are thought to be causing so many health issues. The main sources of our high level sugar intake is starch (like potatoes, bread, rice, pasta) fructose and basic sugar. All of these foods (even the wholegrain!) cause insulin to be produced and insulin’s role is to store fat!! If you think about it, this makes sense as what are cows fed to fatten them up?...Grains!!

Over the last four weeks you have been amazed at how easy it is not to crave sugar when you are not eating so much of it, you have felt the benefits from eating less sugar, you have been shocked by how much sugar is hidden in so many of the “healthy” foods we think are told are healthy!! So, do you really want to bring more of this type of food back into your food choices? Ask yourself “what would be the benefit of eating more sugar again?” and then ask yourself “what would be the benefit of eating even less sugar?”

When I designed FatScrap I felt it was too much to ask of you to eliminate all forms starch, fructose and basic sugars so I compromised and suggested you eliminate the more obvious “unhealthy” forms of sugar – the starchy sugars in wheat and wheat based foods, the simple sugars in sugar, and sugary foods – and you managed to do this a lot easier than you expected. Now imagine how you would feel if you continued to choose delicious alternatives to these and more of those insulin raising carbohydrates?

I am not suggesting that you go on a “low carbohydrate diet” as such but just look at maintaining the reduction in the levels of these foods that you achieved so far and then gradually reducing them a little further as and when you feel you can. You may now be thinking, “What would I eat instead?” And the answer may surprise you, but it is probably what you have been eating more of instead already…FAT!!!

“FAT!!!!” you may be shouting “But doesn’t fat make you fat?!!!

” NO!!!! “

“Well isn’t fat bad for you?!!” you may be asking.

“NO!!! – NOT THE GOOD FATS!!!!

“I’m confused!!!!!!” you may be thinking

And yes, this is where it gets so confusing. We keep being told to eat less fat, we eat less fat and yet we still get fatter, we still get diseases – BECAUSE WE EAT MORE SUGAR INSTEAD!!! Manufacturers produce low fat products but add sugar in some form (fructose being one of the worse forms!!) to make the food taste nice and make us want more!

The GOOD FATS are what we want to be eating more of…

• Oils (eaten unheated) ― Fish oils, Flaxseed oil, olive oil. If you must cook with oil use coconut oil or olive oil

• Avocados ― excellent source

• Olives ― green or black and olive oil

• Nuts ― macadamia, almonds, pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, etc. PEANUTS ARE NOT NUTS!

• Seeds - pumpkin and sunflower

It really is this simple!!

Eat less food that turns to sugar that raise insulin that stores fat.

Eat more GOOD FATS that turn to essential fatty acids that support the cardiovascular, reproductive, immune, and nervous systems.

Drink less alcohol that contains energy (calories) that contains no nutritional benefits and makes you feel ill in the long term (think how a hangover makes you feel!).

Drink more water that contains no energy (calories) that contains lots of nutritional benefits and makes you feel well in the long term.

If you are ready to keep committing to your long term health and fitness

Continue….

Omitting cakes, biscuits, sweets, chocolate, sugary deserts, honey, syrups, sugar based drinks and replacing with the natural occurring sugars in fruit and vegetables.

Omitting artificial sugars and replace with the natural occurring sugars in fruit and vegetables.

Omitting wheat and wheat based foods like pasta, bread, pastry, pizza and replacing with smaller portions of alternative starchy foods

Omitting alcohol and replacing with water

And start to…..

Reduce starchy foods portions including wholegrain and potatoes to smaller portions at meal times and replace with larger portions of vegetables.

Reduce saturated fat foods like chips, crisps, fatty meats, butter and replace with healthy fats like unsalted nuts and lean meats, avocados, oils.

Reduce high sugar fruits like dried fruits, bananas, pineapple and replace with lower sugar fruits like berries.

Reduce fruit juice and replace with fruit flavoured teas or water

Reduce peanut butter and replace with almond butter or other nut butters.

And of course
KEEP COMMITTING TO EXERCISE!!
Healthy eating and exercise go hand in hand with creating the healthy body you deserve to have!

Sue x

Is Your Inner Child Keeping You Fat?

2010-11-09T07:57:00.001Z

The food we choose is not “naughty” or “bad”. Nearly all the food we eat contains some form of nutrition. It's just that some food is a better quality of nutrition than others.

Watching TV or spending time at rest is not "naughty" or "bad". Rest and down time is good for us, just not too much of it!!

So why is it we say that we ate “naughty” or “bad” food or that we are “naughty” or “bad” for eating junk food or not exercising?

Why is it that we think we are being naughty by giving ourselves treats, when actually would we treat a naughty child?

Is the cause of this "naughtiness" actually rebellion?

We may be saying that you really want a slimmer, fitter and healthier body and force ourselves to go on a diet or start and exercise programme but then find that we start being “naughty” or “bad”: the diet slips, excuses are found not to exercise and we end up being back where we started or worse!

I believe that often this happens because someone else’s rules are being followed. The diet, the teacher, the trainer makes the rules and we follow them, until there comes a point when we decide we don’t want to follow someone else’s rules and rebel.

So what would it be like if you were to take responsibility and make your own rules?

Having a healthy and fit lifestyle is not about punishing yourself or making yourself “naughty” or “bad” or “wrong” for being unhealthy or unfit. It’s about creating an environment that helps you to feel and be your best. It’s about being happy with who you are, enjoying the choices you make and feeling you are doing the best you can with the resources you have available.

You can find a balance between eating the healthier, good quality nutritious foods and the less healthy, poorer quality foods. You can find a balance of activity and exercise you enjoy, with rest and relaxation.

As an adult you can choose to do these things not because you think you should or someone has told you to.

But because you want to!

Sue x

FatScrap Chat Room November 2010

2010-11-01T15:00:00.000Z

Hi FatScrappers!

I am trying out a new idea for FatScrap this month and have created this space for you all to chat, record your food diaries, ask me questions and anything else you would like to use this for to help you all with your FatScrap journey.

I will still be producing weekly articles of motivation, tips and advice for you, and of course you are welcome to comment and respond to these on the relevant page.

Don't forget that you will need to click on the "subscribe by email" link (under the comment's box) to receive any updates of comments posted on each page.

I hope this new way might work better for us all so please let me know what you think.

Sue x

8 Tips To Help You Take Action To Be Fit and Healthy Today

2010-11-01T14:43:00.001Z

1. Prepare and plan!

Look at the resources and options you have available to you to take action and decide which ones will work best for you. In other words, what foods or types of exercise you like, what will be easy to achieve and fit in with your schedule.

2. Commit!

Once you have decided what you are going to eat each day or what exercise you are going to do schedule it into your diary and when the moment comes, do it!

3.Prioritize!

Having completed whatever preparation you need to do in advance, make sure you have everything in place for you to succeed i.e. the right foods in your fridge, cupboards and freezer, the right tools for your exercise

4.Set yourself smaller, achievable goals!

You don’t have to start by creating gastronomic, technical meals or by doing hours of intense or difficult exercise. Begin with simple meals and simple exercises that you know and enjoy.

5. Reward yourself!

A treat can be non food based and can even help you towards your goals. Treating yourself to a new kitchen gadget to help you with your cooking or a relaxing massage to help you get the best from your exercise can be fantastic rewards for your efforts.

6. Break challenging days into more manageable chunks:

If you do have a day that feels like there is going to be no time for you to eat healthily or exercise, make a plan of how you can address it by fitting in some healthy snacks or short sessions of activity so that it feels you have been able to do something.

7. Don’t try to be perfect!

There really is no perfect moment to start to have a healthier or fitter way of life as there will always be busy days, social events etc that you will have to work around and none of us are perfect! Simply choose what seems to you to be an optimum time for you to be focused, determined and willing to do what it takes to be in the flow of taking imperfect action

8. And just do it!

News And Tips October Update

2010-10-30T15:32:00.008+01:00

The FatScrap Fat Loss Programme

The next Group FatScrap Fat Loss Programme starts on Saturday 6th November and runs for 4 weeks.

Here's what FatScrap members are saying about FatScrap..

"What I love about FatScrap is that I continue to be surprised about all the different ways to exercise. It's never boring and each session feels so individual. I now have loads of ideas of what I can do at home."

"I am still so very focused on the FatScrap Programme - so enjoying all my fitness sessions and eating healthily"

"Its great, all my clothes feel loose where my body is toning up with Sue's exercise and the healthy eating. Mentally I feel great too, as I feel I am rewarding myself with all this goodness."

If you want to be saying things like this by the end of November then sign up now to join the Group FatScrap Programme or to book your own one to one FatScrap Fat Loss Programme sessions.

More on "FatScrap Fat Loss Programme" here

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Special Offer for YOU!

Recommend a friend to join the new FatScrap Group starting in November and receive a one to one free personal training session (worth £25) as a thank you from me!

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FatScrap Bootcamp

The first FatScrap Bootcamp was held on Saturday 16th October and turned out to be a fun day of health, fitness and friendship for all concerned. We started the day with a healthy breakfast of stuffed buckwheat pancakes breakfast and then Marjorie introduced us to the pleasures Tai Chi which gently prepared our bodies for the day ahead. We then continued to exercise at different levels of intensity until lunch time, when we explored different ideas for cooking chick peas and tasting the results. Neil then came along with his high energy and motivating Boxercise workout which was then followed by a delicious well earned healthy FatScrap brownie. We were then ready to warm down and prepare for Marks yoga, relaxation and meditation session to end the day feeling a great sense of achievement and well being. Not only did we all learn from the experience but we gained support and friendship from each other.

The next FatScrap Bootcamp is being held on Saturday 4th December from 8am-5pm so if you would like to be involved please contact me now to reserve your place.

More on "FatScrap Bootcamp" here

*********************************************************************************** Relaxation and Meditation Group

There is still time to join a relaxation and meditation group in Brighton Hill on Mondays. Debbie Tyce has been running classes for several years now and I have been lucky enough to join in and feel the benefits of taking some time out and connecting with myself.

Contact Debbie on 07919373670 to find out more.

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Train-Gain Gift Voucher

Have you started thinking about Christmas presents yet? Well this might be a perfect present for you or one of your family or friends.... A Train-Gain Gift Voucher! You choose the value and the receiver can use it for or towards any of health and fitness services I offer. Who do you know that would love a one to one personal training session or would like to come to a FatScrap Bootcamp Day after the Christmas indulgences?

Contact me to purchase a Train-Gain Gift Voucher

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How to achieve your healthy eating and exercise goals

Create Urgency
• Identify potential threats showing what might happen if you don’t eat healthily and exercise regularly.
• Examine opportunities that show what might happen if you do eat healthily and exercise regularly.
• Create convincing and compelling reasons why you want to eat healthily and exercise regularly.
                                                       • Gain support from professionals, friends and family who want to help
                                                       you eat healthily and exercise regularly.
                                                      • Take time to buy into eating healthily and exercising regularly
                                                       and prepare for it.

More on "How to achieve your healthy eating and exercise goals" here

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Are you walking your talk?

We are all very good at telling ourselves what we should do, what we ought to do, what we must do, and we are even better at telling ourselves that we can't and that we have failed - a habit that can become a destructive self fulfilling prophecy - we talk ourselves into giving up!

FatScrap Healthy Lunch Box Ideas

2010-10-26T13:07:00.000+01:00

• Ryvitas/ricecakes.oatcakes canned/smoked salmon and medium fat cream cheese
Carrot and cucumber batons and cherry tomatoes
Fruit

• Home cooked chicken mixed with brown rice mushrooms, peppers and onion
Natural yoghurt
Fruit

• Oriental style Prawn, brown rice noodles with stir fried mixed vegetables salad
Natural yoghurt
Fruit

• Jerk chicken with sweetcorn, tomato and peppers and green salad
FatScrap flapjack

• Spicy mixed beans with brown rice, grated cheese and green salad
Fruit

• Wheat free Pasta with tomatoes, mushrooms, pepper and tuna (canned in spring water)
Fruit
• Egg, cress and reduced-calorie mayonnaise mixed with yoghurt with Ryvitas/ricecakes.oatcakes
Cucumber and carrot batons and cherry tomatoes
Fruit

• Potato salad made with reduced-calorie mayonnaise mixed with yoghurt onion and wheat free sausages with green salad
Fruit

• Mackerel/sardines in tomato sauce with brown rice and mixed vegetables
Natural yoghurt
Fruit

• Tuna, cannelleni beans, onion and tomatos with green salad
Natural yoghurt
Fruit

• Rye bread with cream/cottage cheese and pineapple/smoked salmon/chives with green salad
Fruit

• Bulgarwheat and mixed vegetables salad with grilled chicken breast
Natural yoghurt
Fruit

• Vegetable soup
Ricecakes and houmous
Natural yoghurt
Fruit

• Meat and vegetable soup
Wheat free pasta and tomato salad
Natural yoghurt
Fruit

• Vegetables and lentil soup
Natural yoghurt
Fruit

• Cooked chicken, ready to eat organic dried apricots and curried yoghurt with brown rice and green salad
Cucumber, carrot and red pepper batons

• Celery, Apple, carrot and walnuts with reduced-calorie mayonnaise mixed with yoghurt and green salad
FatScrap Flapjack

• Beetroot and feta cheese salad with rye bread
Celery, carrot and cucumber batons
Fruit

• Prawns with tomato puree with reduced-calorie mayonnaise mixed with yoghurt and avocado and green salad
Ryvitas/ricecakes.oatcakes
Fruit

• Spanish omellete with tomatoes and green salad
Natural yoghurt
Fruit

• Roasted vegetables with brown rice and homous or falafel
Green salad
Natural yoghurt
Fruit

• Quinoa with meat/fish and vegeatables with green salad
Natural yoghurt
Fruit

RESULTS UPDATE

2010-10-26T09:08:00.077+01:00

MANDY
BEFORE AND AFTER 6 MONTHS OF FATSCRAP

Reduction of
18lb in weight
2% body fat
2cm in the upper arm
5 cm around the chest and back
9cm around the waist
8cm around the navel
10cm around the hips
5cm around the thighs

NICK

BEFORE AFTER 4 WEEKS FATSCRAP

Reduction of
in weight

body fat
in the upper arm
around the chest and back
around the waist
around the navel
around the hips
around the thighs

TRACEY
BEFORE AND AFTER 4 WEEKS FATSCRAP

Reduction of

in weight
body fat
in the upper arm
around the chest and back
around the waist
around the navel
around the hips
around the thighs

BUBBLES
BEFORE AND AFTER 3 MONTHS OF FATSCRAP

Reduction of

12lb in weight
4.4% body fat
1 cm in the upper arm
7 cm around the chest and back
5 cm around the waist
4 cm around the navel
around the hips
2 cm around the thigh
2 cm around the calf

FatScrap 25th to 31st October - How To Be Comfortable In Your Own Skin

2010-10-25T21:29:00.000+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

How To Be Comfortable In Your Own Skin

Love

Acknowledge the good things about who you are – your strengths, qualities and attributes - to love yourself and see that who you are is more than just how you look.

Value yourself highly by talking encouragingly and positively about yourself.

Treat

Treat your body well by giving yourself healthy foods to nourish your soul.

Exercise regularly in a way that you enjoy to help you feel positive about the way you are.

Accept

"Trust life and it will teach you, in joy and sorrow, all you need to know."-James Baldwin (1924-1987)

Accept the past and feel a sense of inner calm as you, learn from it.

Accept the present and feel strong as you learn from all that comes your way.

Accept the future and feel confident that you will arrive where you are meant to be when the time is right.

Loving, treating and accepting positively will help you feel grateful, setting yourself up for more Abundance and Happiness being attracted and coming into every area of your life! When the Universe sees that you are grateful for what you have, it will send you more.

Sue x

FatScrap 18th to 24th October - Are You Walking Your Talk?

2010-10-18T09:52:00.003+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

We are all very good at telling ourselves what we should do, what we ought to do, what we must do, and we are even better at telling ourselves that we can't and that we have failed - a habit that can become a destructive self fulfilling prophecy - we talk ourselves into giving up!

Stuck State
What you focus on is what you get, so all the while you focus on what you can't do, you will stay not being able to achieve. You will remain a victim of your circumstances.

Action State
Where concentration goes, energy flows, so all the while that you concentrate on what you can do, you will create action and achieve. You will become responsible for your circumstances.

Perfect/Imperfect Action
Perhaps this is where the problem lies for most of us, we set ourselves up to fail by creating high expectations - we expect to be perfect! When we start a weight loss programme we expect to lose weight, we expect to be able to change our eating habits overnight and become someone who only eats "good" food; we expect to become someone who loves exercise and wants to do it everyday; we expect our talk to do the walk for us. But I think that most of you have found that this doesn't happen. It takes lots of practice for things to become habits - let's face it, you don't become a driver overnight, it takes weeks and months of practice and making mistakes before you can drive a car without having to concentrate hard on where you are going, what you have to do and how you have to do it, so why should you become a healthier, fitter and slimmer person overnight? It takes weeks and months of practice, making mistakes and having to concentrate on where you are going, what you have to do and how you have to do it.

The key to becoming something different is to take imperfect action, allowing yourself to make mistakes but then learning form these mistakes so that next time you can try and do something different to avoid making the same mistake again. This is not the same as failure - Failure is giving up!!

Start walking your talk and take an imperfect action today to help you get fitter, healthier and slimmer!

Sue x

FatScrap 11th to 17th October - How To Achieve Your Healthy Eating and Exercise Goals

2010-10-12T20:25:00.000+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Here are some things you could this week to help you achieve your goals. How many of these ideas have you tried to make sure you stay motivated and on track?
Which ideas have you put into action already and are helping you?
Which of these ideas might you need to put into action now?

Create Urgency

• Identify potential threats showing what might happen if you don’t eat healthily and exercise regularly.

• Examine opportunities that show what might happen if you do eat healthily and exercise regularly.

• Create convincing and compelling reasons why you want to eat healthily and exercise regularly.

• Gain support from professionals, friends and family who want to help you eat healthily and exercise regularly.

• Take time to buy into eating healthily and exercising regularly and prepare for it

Create Action

• Identify the things you can do to eat healthily and exercise regularly.

• Emotionally commitment yourself to eating healthily and exercising regularly.

• Identify how you can eat healthily and exercise regularly.

• Identify and acquire any further resources or skills you may need to eat healthily and exercise regularly.

Create a Vision

• Determine your values that are central to eating healthily and exercising regularly.

• Develop a short summary (one or two sentences) that captures the person you "see" eating healthily and exercising regularly.

• Create a strategy to execute that vision.

• Practice your "vision speech" in the present tense often.

Communicate the Vision

• Talk often about your vision in the present tense.

• Openly and honestly communicate your concerns and anxieties to yourself and to people who can support you.

• Apply your vision to all your actions

• Practice your vision by acting as if it has already been made

Remove Obstacles

• Take responsibility for eating healthily and exercising regularly.

• Ensure your actions are in line with your vision.

• Recognize and reward yourself for making change happen.

• Identify the person you are when you are resisting eating healthily and exercising regularly

• Take action to quickly remove barriers (human or otherwise).

Create Short-term Wins

• Create short term realistic and achievable targets that you can implement successfully

• Choose early targets that are worth the cost. You want to be able to justify the investment in each project.

• Thoroughly analyze the potential pros and cons of your targets. If you don't succeed with an early goal, it can hurt your entire change initiative.

• Reward yourself as you meet the targets you set.

Build on achievements

• As you achieve your targets, Analise what went right and what needs improving.

• Set goals and targets which continue building on the momentum you've achieved.

• Keep ideas fresh by reminding yourself why you want to eat healthily and exercise regularly.

Anchor the vision
• Make eating healthily and exercising regularly part of who you are.
• Show the values behind your vision in your daily actions.

• Be passionate about eating healthily and exercising regularly and recognise the value it has in your life

• Be persistent and create actions to maintain eating healthily and exercising regularly

• Add emotion to your vision

I hope this finds you going where you want to go and being the person you want to be..if not, then I hope it brings you more direction and focus.

Sue x

Latest News, Tips and Advice from Sue Burt, Health and Fitness

2010-10-03T16:20:00.002+01:00

Hi everyone...As they say, time flies when you are having fun, and time has certainly flown for me over the last few weeks as I have been having fun meeting up, and working, with lovely new friends and old, as well as adapting to the changes of pace as summer holidays end and a new routine begins...And I don't know about you but I feel some sense of relief and comfort as I get back into more of a routine - knowing where I am going, what I have to do and why. I know that when my day is planned I achieve what I have set out to do.. and more!

So, what would it be like if you planned your day to include eating three healthy meals and an hour of activity or exercise? Would you be more likely to achieve it? What tools could you use to help you plan ahead to achieve your goals?

Which Is More Damaging – Smoking Or Obesity?

2010-10-02T17:03:00.000+01:00

A few days ago while walking my dog at 8.30 in the morning I met two beautiful young girls on their way home from a sleepover, still wearing their pyjamas, singing along to the music playing on their ipods. As I smiled at them, they smiled back and even greeted me with a chirpy "Morning!" I was struck by their happy energy, confidence and carefree spirits but felt a tinge of sadness that their bodies looked so out of condition for their young age. I had the pleasure of meeting them again a little while later as I walked back along the path and found them sat down in the middle of the pavement, smoking. We connected once again as we talked about my dog and their sleepover and they told me how tired they were from lack of sleep. This then opened the door for further conversation on how they were feeling and I was able to bring up the subject of smoking which they seemed to welcome discussing, and then thanked me for helping them think about their behaviour and how it might be affecting their health. When they told me they were only 13 years old I was shocked. Not only because they were smoking but also by their obvious high levels of bodyfat at such a young age! This, coupled with a later conversation with Dusty (one of our FatScrappers) led me to think about which is more damaging, smoking or obesity?

Well, as always, The Universe answered my question and I was directed to a study that highlights a big health risk of obesity in children. It found that...

• The plaque build up in the neck arteries of obese children or those with high cholesterol is similar to levels in middle-aged adults.
• Using ultrasound images, researchers equated the “vascular age” to be 45 years old in these children.

• Obese children who have high triglycerides are the most likely to have prematurely aging arteries; these children should be treated as high risk for cardiovascular disease, researchers concluded.

Now this also shocked me. Does it you? And it made me wonder what is the “vascular age" of my arteries?

We can not see what is going on inside our bodies but we can see accumulated body fat on the outside and realise that it might be reflecting the potential damage we are doing to ourselves on the inside. Overweight and obese people are at a higher risk of developing diabetes, many forms of cancer, heart disease and can lead to the onset of almost every degenerative condition.
People who smoke are at higher risk of heart disease, stroke, lung disease, lung cancer and many other forms of cancer, and children who smoke under the age of 15 are three times more likely to die prematurely than someone who starts smoking at 20 years of age!
So, my conclusion is, obesity is as damaging as smoking. We all know that smoking may seriously damage our health but often fail to recognise that obesity may also seriously damage our health. Some would argue that obesity is a disease, as the body is not “at ease” and so health is damaged already! If someone is already obese and smokes, then the combined unhealthy actions of eating too many unhealthy foods with inactivity and smoking will result in even higher risks to health.
Once we all take more responsibility for our health, change our choices and our actions, we can all lower our risks of developing disease and increase our happiness, quality of life and wellbeing.
Going back to the 13 year old girls who are obese and smoking, well I just hope that I may have made a difference in the few minutes that I spoke to them about their choices and actions as these, combined with their young age are a potential lethal cocktail for their future health and happiness.

Sue x

FatScrap 4th to 10th October - Planning To Achieve

2010-10-02T14:55:00.000+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

As they say, time flies when you are having fun..and time has certainly flown for me over the last few weeks as I have been having fun meeting up, and working, with lovely new friends and old, as well as adapting to the changes of pace as summer holidays end and a new routine begins...And I don't know about you but I feel some sense of relief and comfort as I get back into more of a routine - knowing where I am going, what I have to do and why. I know that when my day is planned I achieve what I have set out to do.. and more!

What would it be like if you planned your day to include eating three healthy meals and an hour of activity or exercise? Would you be more likely to achieve it? What tools could you use to help you plan ahead to achieve your goals?

Most of you know, I work as a personal trainer and fitness instructor and describe myself as a tool that people invest their money, time and energy in to help them achieve their goals, but like any tool, if I am not used I won't be able to help. I wonder how many of you have invested in tools to help you achieve your goals but don't use them? Gym memberships, home exercise equipment, recipe books, fitness DVDs...? What would happen if you did use these tools?

Over the years I have had to come up with different tools to help people achieve their goals, especially when it comes to weight loss. What tool might help one person might not always help another, but in time I discovered, what I think to be, some of the best tools for helping achieve weight loss goals and have put them together in the form of FatScrap - a toolbox full of tools that will guarantee results. And, as discovered by successful FatScrappers, the more of the tools you use, the easier it is to achieve results!!

Yes, FatScrap is an investment, but if you get value out of it, then is the investment worth the cost? How many tools have you invested in, not used and so have been not worth the cost? Are you getting value out of your gym membership, your home exercise equipment, your recipe books, your fitness DVDs...? Are you blaming other things like lack of time, lack of ability, lack of knowledge, for you not using these investments?

When my daughter asks me if I think something is expensive, I suggest that she thinks about whether the cost is relative to the value she is going to get out of it which brings me to another question; how much do you value your health and fitness, and is it enough to invest your time and energy in?

So, when you plan your health and fitness goals to be important enough and plan to make the time to be healthy and fit as well as plan to put in the effort to do what it takes, you will achieve!

Sue x

FatScrap 27th September to 3rd October 2010 - What Are You Hungry For?

2010-09-27T12:05:00.000+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Being hungry for something means that brain is receiving signals that you need satiating but sometimes it is not food that you need…

There are two kinds of hungers; one is caused physiologically, and the other is caused psychologically. We eat not only to feed our bodies to satiate physiological hunger, but also to feed our minds to satiate psychological hunger as well. So when you are feeling hungry, try tuning into the signals and perhaps you will recognise that it may be your mind that needs feeding rather than your body.

Hunger can be triggered by many different factors, externally and internally.

Externally, time can trigger hunger. We see the clock saying 1pm lunch time and feel hungry just because it is 1pm. We have learnt to be hungry at this time of day. So equally, if you are not hungry at a certain time of day, e.g. breakfast, then you can learn to be.

Hunger can also be triggered by sight, smell and taste so keeping foods out of sight is a good way to avoid eating them. This can be more difficult when faced with the colourful array of junk foods at places like the petrol station but once you have turned yourself off to the sight, smell and taste of them it will be easier to not respond to these foods. Further more on the subject of sight, colour can greatly affect our desire for a food. Often we are attracted to a food because of its brightly coloured packaging rather than the food itself! Apparently we are not attracted to blue food as this not a natural food colour so the colour blue can be an appetite suppressant!

I have noticed that when I have travelled East, I find that I feel less hungry and far more satisfied and this is because each meal is designed to satisfy the taste...sweet, sour, salty and bitter using herbs and spices. You could try following these principles with your meals and see if you notice that you no longer crave certain tastes.

Internally, hunger can be triggered by:

• Blood glucose levels and insulin so this is why it is important to keep eating slow release energy foods;

• Body temperature – hunger is triggered when the body feels cold;

• Equilibrium - the body maintaining it’s natural balance so hunger will be triggered if starvation mode is reached;

• And interestingly, hunger can be triggered by setting boundaries around how much you think you should eat, in other words, if you eat a smaller portion than you think you need you are more likely to feel hungry.

But what about those psychological hunger, the needs that you are not filling in your life? The needs you are not fulfilling may be causing feelings in you that you don’t like, don’t want to deal with, don’t understand, don’t think you should have and don’t want so you end up trying to smother, fill, bury, drown, push down, squash or change these feelings with food.

Of course, knowledge plays a great part in what you are hungry for. Understanding and recognsing your needs, how food affects you and how you respond to it will trigger your choices. But the question is..

Are you hungry enough to make the choices that will get you where you think you want to be?

Sue x

FatScrap 20th to 26th September 2010 - What does being healthier, fitter and slimmer mean to you?

2010-09-20T00:00:00.000+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

If you watch programme like X Factor you will often hear this question asked “What would it mean to you to…?”

And the answer, nearly every time is “Everything!”

But what is “Everything!”? Is this where we often go wrong, expecting everything, and ending up never reaching our goals because we don’t really know what they are?

If your goal is to become a healthier, fitter and slimmer person we need to ask more questions about what this means. Questions like:

What does "being healthier, fitter and slimmer" look like?

What does it sound like?

What does it feel like?

If you could create a healthier and fitter life, what would you change, if anything? Would you add anything? Subtract anything?

To me it means enjoying eating healthy foods, enjoying keeping active, enjoying feeling positive about myself, enjoying taking responsibility for myself and letting go of blame and guilt.

It means making choices that will serve me well.

It means tuning in to my needs and values while at the same time, remembering the needs and values of my family and friends.

Your version being healthy, fit and slim might look very different...but it’s about what works for you.

Today I invite you to explore the idea...let your subconscious explore it, too...and see what shows up!

Sue x

FatScrap 13th to 19th September - Are You Responsible For The State You Are In ?

2010-09-13T00:00:00.000+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Do you blame your past and present circumstances for your body’s current state? Perhaps you blame the lack of time you have to prepare healthy meals or exercise, or you blame other people or events for preventing you from making healthy choices, or maybe you put it down to will power and the fact that you don’t have any..Well how would it be if you actually took responsibility and looked at how your excess weight could be influenced by the state of you.

Have you ever considered that your stress level, your emotional state, your thoughts, your beliefs and values, your communication with yourself and others, your relationship with food and exercise, your actions and the way you see yourself can all play an important factor in food digestion and assimilation and whether you lose or hold on to body fat/weight.

If you think about it, food is energy, so if surplus food is stored as body fat, body fat is extra stored energy. So you could ask yourself why it is that your body holding on to this extra energy?

When we hold on to something it can be because we don’t want to let go of it, it makes us feel safe or supported, we are frightened of letting go of it, we think we need it, we are attached to it…..what is this extra stored energy doing for you?

What needs to happen for you to stop holding on to it?

What are you holding in that needs to be released and expressed?

What would happen if you did stop holding on to it?

When it comes to weight loss the focus always seems to be about making changes on the outside but I believe, and the FatScrap Programme promotes, that to achieve and maintain healthy body fat levels, deeper changes on the inside have to be made as well.

Accepting that your physical state can be determined by your emotional, spiritual and nutritional state, you can then be responsible for making choices that will lead to you being in the physical state you want to be in.

Sue x

FatScrap 6th to 12th September - Balancing hormones

2010-09-06T00:00:00.000+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Leptin is a circulating signal that reduces appetite, and is believed to increase physical activity and feelings of well being.

Ghrelin is the hormone that makes sure we eat enough and, is the one that works alongside leptin.

Insulin is a hormone that increases appetite, decreases physical activity and feelings of well being by suppressing leptin, as well as promoting the chemical dopamine which makes a person want to eat to get the feel good dopamine “rush”.

It is an imbalance in these hormones that can lead to obesity.

Leptin
In general, obese people are found to have an unusually high circulating concentration of leptin and are said to be resistant to the effects of leptin.

A study published recently suggests that the consumption of high amounts of fructose causes leptin resistance and elevated triglycerides in rats. The high fructose diet rats subsequently ate more and gained more weight than controls when fed a high fat, high calorie diet.

Eating fructose in it’s natural form (fruit) is not usually the cause a high fructose diet, it’s the high levels of fructose hidden in manufactured products. Reducing your consumption of these foods will help lower your levels of fructose and in turn help balance your leptin levels.

Insulin
It is the high level of sugar and the low level of fibre that are now in our diets from processed, manufactured foods that promote insulin production.

So lowering your intake of sugars and increasing your fibre intake will likely lower your leptin resistance and your levels of insulin.

Ghrelin
Higher levels of gherlin have been found in people who have less sleep than those who have more so it is now thought possible that lack of sleep leads to higher levels of ghrelin, which in turn triggers the appetite and leads to obesity (although scientists are not completely certain whether obesity raises gherlin levels or high gherlin levels lead to obesity).

Higher levels of gherlin also create less leptin which means this appetite suppressant doesn't get to kick in and do it's job!

In addition, high levels of ghrelin have been found to suppress the amount of fat used by the adipose tissue. This implies that those with high levels of ghrelin in their bodies will not only feel hungrier than those with low levels, but may burn fat more slowly as well.

I have read that high levels of blood sugar trigger the overeating behavior. In other words, binge eating or out-of-control feeding, is associated with a malfunction in the brain’s hunger signals. The level of ghrelin depends on the state of nutrition and hydration of an individual. So its effect does not end with hunger, it affects thirst as well.

So, bearing all this in mind, this is why the recommendations for aiding fat loss are to eat less sugars and refined carbohydrates in order to maintain normal blood sugar levels, drink plenty of fluids to keep well hydrated and increase activity and exercise so that you are not just mentally tired from your busy day, but physically tired as well.

And what are we trying to encourage you to do on this FatScrap Programme?

- Eat healthily by eating less sugars and refined carbohydrates in order to balance hormones and maintain normal blood sugar levels.

- drink plenty of sugar free fluids to keep well hydrated and drink less alcohol which we know contains sugar and dehydrates the body.

- make exercise part of your routine to help you get fitter and sleep well!

Sue x

FatScrap 30th August to 5th September 2010 - Who Do You Think You Are?

2010-08-30T12:28:00.005+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

In your quest to be healthier, fitter and slimmer have you thought about how you see yourself? Are you always looking for and seeing the negative -what you don't like about yourself, how you don't want to be, all the failures you think you make?

For some of you feeling negative may feel comfortable - it's what you always do, it gets you noticed, it allows you to feel sorry for yourself but it also can keep you stuck and attract even more negativity into your life. The thought of changing yourself into a more positive person might even feel quite scary as this might be someone you would not recognise.

When you are thinking of making changes in your life, first think about who you would be if you made this change. Can you really see yourself as healthier, fitter or slimmer person for example? Would you like to be a person who can say "No" to the less healthy foods and "Yes" to exercise? Can you hear yourself saying "thank you" to the compliments that come your way? Can you see yourself looking in the mirror and thinking "Wow, I look good!"? Can you imagine waking up feeling like you want to make healthy choices for the rest of the day? If not, then you have to ask yourself the question what is the point of becoming healthier, fitter and slimmer if I don't really want to be that person!

On the other hand, if you do want to be that person, then be that person now! The sooner you start making the choices that a healthier, fitter and slimmer person would make, the sooner you will see yourself being healthier, fitter and slimmer. Change will not happen without action, so today....

ACT AS IF YOU ARE!

Sue x

FatScrap 23rd to 29th August - Increase Your Vegetables And Fruit Intake

2010-08-23T15:12:00.000+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

This week I would like to encourage you to eat more varieties of vegetables and fruits.There is an abundance of English seasonal produce in the shops right now, from potatoes, beans, broccoli and beetroot to tomatoes, courgettes and peppers and the fact that they are in season now means that they are right for us to eat now. Eating in tune with the seasons provides our body with the nutrients it naturally needs at the different times in the year. It also means that we eat these foods when they are fresher and taste best. On a more holistic level, eating with the seasons allows us to connect with nature and connect with ourselves. We can become more intuitive about what our body needs. If you think about, tropical fruit for example, are grown in the tropics, where the climate is hot. These foods are natural cooling to the body. So do we really want to eat pineapple in the winter when our body is crying out for warming foods? And of course, there is always the environmental argument and the consideration of how far our food has travelled to get to our table...

Aim for at least 3 portions of 3 different vegetables a day (a portion is 2/3 tablespoons) and two portions of fruits (a portion is one whole fruit e.g orange or a handful of smaller fruits). Also choose different colours of vegetables and fruits as the colours reflect the different nutrients that they contain. Make sure you include at least one portion of leafy green vegetables and one portion of berries in your choices for even better health protection.

When it comes to juicing, then vegetable juice is a better option but I would suggest you do not count it as one of your 3 portions but as an added bonus portion. On the other hand fruit juice should be counted as one of your fruit portions and I would only recommend you have one small glass. On the whole it is better to eat your fruit and vegetables whole rather than juiced as you gain more nutritional benefits and your body uses more energy (calories) to digest them!

When choosing your meals, choose the vegetable or fruit part of your meal first and then compliment them with your other choices. Today, for example, for my lunch I chose roasted butternut squash, sweet potato and beetroot and added some tofu and rice.

To motivate you to choose more of these wonderful foods you might like to learn more about the health benefits that they provide. There are lots of sites on the web with information but here is a link for one that I like http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/vitamins-nutrition-chart.html and http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/minerals-nutrition-chart.html

Stocking up your fridge, freezer and cupboards with lots of vegetables and fruits will mean that you always have them available. Bulk roasting root vegetables or Mediterranean vegetables will give you ready to eat options that can be added to salads, made into dips or reheated, added to soups or other hot dishes. Preparing a large leafy salad and storing in an airtight container will give you a couple of days worth of instant nutrition for days when time is short. Making a large pot of vegetable soup will give you warmth and fullness in minutes on our cooler summer days but of course there are always the cold soup ideas like Gazpacho that can be pre cooked and ready to refresh and cool you on those hotter summer days which hopefully we may see a few more of.

Not only are vegetables full of lots of healthy nutrients but they also contain very few calories meaning you can eat a lot of them to fill you up!

Vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts and beans are the life changing foods that will help you feel stronger, look better and stay healthy so why not make it your goal to eat more of these foods today and for the rest of your life!!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP 16th to 22nd August - Making A Start On Becoming Healthier And Fitter

2010-08-16T07:51:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Having had some quiet time and a bit of rest from the blog for a couple of weeks I now feel refreshed and it's time to get back in touch with you all, so hello to FAT-SCRAPPERS old and new and any followers... and thank you for being here!

As there are a few new FAT-SCRAPPERS joining us I am going to go back to basics this week which will help all of you to get on track again if you have stepped off.

The first stage of FAT-SCRAP is preparation as it is a big key to success. De cluttering your cupboards and fridge of the foods that will not give you the best nutrition in order to achieve the results you are hoping for is the first place to start. Then using the shopping list to restock your cupboards, fridge and freezer will mean that you have lots of choices available and it will be quick and easy to create healthy, nutritious tasty meals.

Using your meal planners make your goals this week around eating regular, balanced ,healthy meals. It helps if you start first by choosing the fruit/vegetable part of the meal first, then the protein and then the starchy complex carbohydrate, so for example, a dinner choice might be broccoli, beans and carrots with roast chicken and jacket potato.

One of the main reasons that weight loss groups are popular and successful is because they offer support and accountability. This blog is a place where you can find both of these tools. By recording your daily food diaries you will be accountable and I will be able to support you with advice about your choices. You can also record your how you are feeling, any highs or lows and hopefully support each other.

Following the FAT-SCRAP principles and using the tools will help you to keep focused, prepare well, create action and be successful. So make a decision to act today and, if you like, use this page to connect, focus and achieve great results!

Sue x

Motivation, Bouncier Balls and more!!

2010-07-24T16:45:00.000+01:00

Hi everybody!

No added sugar, no dairy, no wheat!

No excuses this summer for rain stopping play, so hope you are having fun playing in the sun! Although as I write this the rain is pouring down but that doesn't mean we can't still be healthy and fit! It's given me a chance to focus my attention on playing in the kitchen today and trying to create some healthier alternatives. The FAT-SCRAP fruit cake has been a great success as it tastes and smells so delicious..I can promise you this as I have one cooking in the oven at the moment. Here's the link for it again in case you missed it

FAT-SCRAP Fruit Cake
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A few weeks ago one of our FAT-SCRAPPERS (Apple) introduced us to Bounce Balls, a nutritious nutty snack which she found on sale in the juice bar in town. Having tasted them I thought that I could come up with something equally tasty, easy to make and cheaper so here is my first attempt..And I have to say, I think they are even nicer!!

Bouncier Balls

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For those of you who need a little bit of help in motivating yourselves to eat healthily and exercise regularly I have written an article here with some tips.
How To Motivate Yourself To Eat Healthily And Exercise Regularly

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Trevor completing Big Wheel Event

Next week my husband, Trevor is taking part in the Help for Heroes challenges. On Monday he will be completing the three hour challenge comprising one hour each of rowing, cycling and running and then on Thursday he will be rowing for four hours as part of a team completing the 12 hour challenge. If you feel you can help him with his fundraising for this very worthy cause you can make a donation here which will be greatly appreciated

Help for Heroes fundraising

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I would like to introduce you to the wonderful Liza Nightingale, who is a qualified Personal Image Consultant from Reflection Image Consultancy and is passionate about empowering women and men to feel and look amazing. I spent a wonderful 3 hours with her recently where she helped me identify a palette of colours that harmonised with my natural colouring and pampered me with a full makeup application in colours that complimented my colour palette.

As well as "A Reflection Colour Analysis", Liza also offers

A Reflection Wardrobe Makeover
A Reflection Make-up Session
A Refection Style Analysis
A Reflection Personal Shopper

Reflection Image Consultancy believes in energising your personal style and not trying to change it. An individual consultation takes your style and personality and then with clothes, colour and make-up advice can change the way you look and feel about yourself. It is an eye opening and fun journey.

– Liza makes sure of that!

Reflection Image Consultancy
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I have published two more dates for the 4 week group FAT-SCRAP Programme for this year. These are 18th September to 16th October and 6th November to 4th December so if you, or someone you know wants to get in shape before Christmas this is the healthy way to do it!

To change your body you have to want to change your lifestyle. If you go on a diet you are just making a temporary quick fix. FAT-SCRAP encourages you to make healthy eating and exercise part of your regular routine so that the fat comes off and stays off!!

FAT-SCRAP Introduction

That's all for now folks!

Sue x

How To Motivate Yourself To Eat Healthily And Exercise Regularly

2010-07-22T20:29:00.000+01:00

Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice.” Wayne Dyer

Examine your needs
We all need to eat and we all need to move but we all make different choices about what and how much we eat and move depending on how it makes us feel. Viewing the task of choosing to eat healthily and exercise as satisfying your needs to be healthy and fit will lead to you seeing yourself as a healthy and fit person. Connecting with the value and reward in your healthy choices and how you are satisfying your needs will allow you to take responsibility for your motivation through taking a different perspective and creating your own rewards.

Reward yourself
On the subject of rewards, yes we all want to see some reward for our efforts but should we wait for other factors like the number on the scales, the size of the dress, etc to reward us to feel motivated and then blame those things when perhaps they perhaps fail to meet our expectations? Or would we feel more motivated if we tuned into the rewards that we can give ourselves like a pat on the back when we are feeling pleased with the delicious healthy meal we have prepared; a smile in the mirror as we think about our achievements; the love we give oursleves each time we do something that is going to benefit us; the respect we give ourselves when we give our body what it deserves.

So using a combination of examing your needs and your need for reward is an effective way of motivating yourself.

Here are some other ideas for motivation..

Keep focusing on the compelling reasons why you are doing what you are doing e.g reducing your blood pressure, preventing disease, becoming stronger...
Keep focusing on the little things that you can achieve that will help you reach your long term goal
Build in accountability by doing things like keeping food diaries and booking training sessions in your diary.
Take control of your time by adding the value to it. Is eating healthily and exercising worth the cost (sacrifice of time spent doing something else) and worth the effort (making time to do it)?
Think about the negative consequences of not being healthy of fit or being fatter.
Look for the fun and enjoyment in your choices
Spend time with people who will support and encourage you.

FAT-SCRAP JUNE 2010 WEEK FOUR

2010-07-20T20:02:00.000+01:00

There is no love sincerer than the love of food – George Bernard Shaw

Hi and welcome back!

Do you have a good relationship with your food?

FAT-SCRAP has been designed to help you get in touch with the foods that will make you feel good in the long term but to do this your relationship with these foods has to be a positive experience right from the start. So at what point can you begin having a relationship with your food?

One of the first stages of digestion is called the cephalic phase which occurs even before the food enters the stomach. It results from the thought, sight, smell, or taste of food. So if digestion starts with the thought, surely thinking about what you are going to eat is the first place to begin.

You plan a meal, for example a roast dinner. Now straight away you have something to look forward to, perhaps you can even visualize your meal and imagine the smell and taste. You are already sending positive messages from your brain your body is receiving them. Just think if you miss out this crucial part of the digestive process you are missing out on increasing your metabolic power!

The next part of the relationship is choosing the food. Using your senses you can look, smell, feel, touch, imagine the taste of these foods and hear yourself confirming your choices as you put them in your basket. Go to food markets in other countries and you will be reminded of how passionate food shopping can be– you can probably picture it now…the vibrant colours, the busy noise, the varied smells, the excited energy…. Now think about what it is like for you when you go shopping. Could you anticipate and relish the experience, spend time carefully savouring, digesting and assimilating your choices engaging your digestive system in the whole process? Even the checkout can become a positive experience as you touch and connect with each item.

You can connect again with your food as you lovingly prepare it. Once again, your senses can be fully aware of what is going on as you peel, chop, rinse, and cook. As you see the food coming together the smells become stronger, your taste buds become excited, your saliva starts to flow in anticipation, your thoughts become more tuned into the pleasure and enjoyment..

And then you sit with your meal in front of you, you can absorb the appealing colours and aromas and be thankful for what you are about to receive……

As you eat the food all of your senses are on fire - Let the passion (and metabolism) burn!! You can become even more aware of all of the flavours, aromas, textures, depth, weight, temperature, colours as they result in responses from your body from the moment they enter your mouth and continue on their journey of nourishing and satisfying you.

And this is where the brain and the food must be in unison for if we feel pleasured, nourished and satisfied we won’t want to eat more! It’s when we don’t pay attention to our food that our brain misses the experience and interprets it as hunger!!!

So now can you see the benefit of having a fantastic relationship with your food?

Another important factor to add to the process of digestion is relaxation. If you are feeling stressed, anxious, rushed, forced, or negative when eating, the body goes into the fight or flight response and in this state important vitamins and minerals are likely to be excreted, blood flow to the digestive organs decreases, hormone levels change and can encourage weight gain, and fewer calories are burned.

And what about the consequences of our food choices? Again, if you have enjoyed, savoured and felt positive about them, then that is going to have a positive response from your body. So what happens when you feel guilty, bad or naughty?...STRESS!!!! And negative responses from your body.

So to sum it up...
If you treat your food with the love and respect it deserves, in turn it will love and respect you.

Bon appetite!!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP Velvety Chocolate Pudding

2010-07-11T10:32:00.001+01:00

Oh my goodness! An all natural, healthy version of a chocolate desert..can you believe it?! And what's more it tastes delicious! But be warned..as with anything you eat, it contains calories so think carefully about how much you eat of it and make it part of a balanced meal. For example, start off with some thing light like a salad or veggie sticks and salsa and then follow it with this heavenly treat!

1 banana
1/2 Avocado
1 heaped teaspoon cocoa powder
1 heaped dessertspoon nut butter
1 strawberry

Put all ingredients into food processor and blend until smooth.
Pour into serving dish and top with a strawberry.
Yummmmm!!

Alternatively you could serve this as a dip!

I'm sure you might be able to think of some variations on this..any ideas?

FAT-SCRAP JUNE 2010 WEEK THREE

2010-07-10T19:02:00.003+01:00

“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice.” Wayne Dyer

Hi and welcome back!

This week I thought I'd discuss the topic of motivation with you, especially as it has come up a lot during our sessions.

When I first became a personal trainer I thought it was my role to motivate people to eat healthily and exercise until my NLP trainer, Linda, told me that people have to motivate themselves; my role was to be motivational.

So my friends, how do you motivate yourselves?

Examine your needs
You joined FAT-SCRAP ultimately to reduce your weight/body fat levels viewing the task of doing this in a positive way and linking it to your need for food and exercise. We all need to eat and we all need to move but we all make different choices about what and how much we eat and move depending on how it makes us feel. Viewing the task of choosing to eat healthily and exercise as satisfying your needs to be healthy and fit will lead to you seeing yourself as a healthy and fit person. Connecting with the value and reward in your healthy choices and how you are satisfying your needs will allow you to take responsibility for your motivation through taking a different perspective and creating your own rewards.

Reward yourself
On the subject of rewards, yes we all want to see some reward for our efforts but should we wait for other factors like the number on the scales, the size of the dress, etc to reward us to feel motivated and then blame those things when perhaps they perhaps fail to meet our expectations? Or would we feel more motivated if we tuned into the rewards that we can give ourselves like a pat on the back when we are feeling pleased with the delicious healthy meal we have prepared; a smile in the mirror as we think about our achievements; the love we give oursleves each time we do something that is going to benefit us; the respect we give ourselves when we give our body what it deserves.

So using a combination of examing your needs and your need for reward is an effective way of motivating yourself.

Here are some other ideas for motivation..

Keep focusing on the compelling reasons why you are doing what you are doing e.g reducing your blood pressure, preventing disease, becoming stronger...
Keep focusing on the little things that you can achieve that will help you reach your long term goal
Build in accountability by doing things like keeping food diaries and booking training sessions in your diary.
Take control of your time by adding the value to it. Is eating healthily and exercising worth the cost (sacrifice of time spent doing something else) and worth the effort (making time to do it)?
Think about the negative consequences of not being healthy of fit or being fatter.
Look for the fun and enjoyment in your choices.
Spend time with people who will support and encourage you.
Use the FAT-SCRAP tools!!

If you would like to discuss or share with us how you keep motivated we would love to hear your comments!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP JUNE 2010 WEEK TWO

2010-07-03T15:56:00.002+01:00

"The home is the center and circumference, the start and the finish, of most of our lives." Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Hi and welcome back!

I received today's quote (above) in a newsletter from Sue Rasmussen,a coach in the USA who specialises in decluttering. If you get chance, have a look at her website as she has a lovely style and an holistic way of approaching her subject. http://www.unclutter-organize-transform.com/. I recently decluttered my spare room and it felt so good getting rid of some of the things I was storing in there that were weighing me down!

So you may be wondering what this has to do with FAT-SCRAP?..Well if you think about it, you are getting rid of some of the things you have been storing that have been weighing you down!

Look at it like this..Your body is your home, it's where you live all of your life. And, just like your home, you want it to keep you secure and comfortable but how you do that depends on who you are and what is important to you. One person might like to see themselves living in a "show home" style home because it makes them feel secure and comfortable whereas another might like to see themselves living in a "lived in" style home because that makes them feel secure and comfortable. When we choose our home, we choose depending on our current desires and needs for comfort and security but throughout our lives our desires and needs change and so often our homes change.

You have joined FAT-SCRAP because you are feeling a desire and need to change your home. Maybe you don't feel quite so secure in your home anymore. Maybe it is not as strong as it used to be, or maybe it has been neglected and getting run down, maybe you don't feel comfortable..whatever your reason, changing your home requires some physical decluttering - getting rid of some accumulated body fat, cleaning and freshening up your food choices, putting away some old habits and replacing them with new habits....and some mental declutter- changing some of the beliefs you may have about losing weight, diets and exercise as well as beliefs about what you can and can't do, throwing away the negative thoughts that may be holding you back and finding positive thoughts that help you move forward....In short, you are decluttering your "home" of the things that no longer serve you well.

In Sue Rasmussen's newsletter she also included an article about decluttering which I'd like to share with you here so that you can think about how you would apply her advice about decluttering your home to your body. I have highlighted the last line in particular as I believe it reinforces what I am always saying..to change your body and maintain that change, you have to change your lifestyle!

I look forward to hearing your comments..

Sue x

Today's Article - Transform Your Space, Transform Your Life
by Sue Rasmussen, MCC

I truly believe that when we transform our space, we transform our entire lives as well.

Why, you might ask?

When you clear out clutter, organize your stuff, and move around your furniture, there is a corresponding level of change that happens on the inside as well.

When you set up your environment, you set it up based on your current beliefs, your taste and style, your likes and dislikes, your current lifestyle and habits, and what seems important in the moment.

And each time you make a change in your environment, it takes looking inside and make new decisions about what you decide to change.

Each time you decide to let go of something that is no longer serving you, set up your space to really work for you, in a new way that you absolutely love, you are honoring who you are today.

Not who you were last year.

Or who you were as a business owner or professional ten years ago.

Who you are TODAY.
And I guarantee you, the person you are today is very different from the person you were even last month, and certainly last year.

Give yourself permission to change.

Allow yourself to evolve.

Let yourself 'grow out of' your stuff and the way your environment supports you.

And remember that you when you change your environment, you are changing your life as well.

FAT-SCRAP Members and Guests Social Event Friday 30th July 2010

2010-06-29T14:46:00.002+01:00

Time 7.15pm
Venue: 5 Grosvenor Close, Hatch Warren, Basingstoke.
Tickets: £5 which will be donated to Breast Cancer Care Charity.
Please book by 24th July.

The evening will include:

A demonstration of a FAT-SCRAP style vegetarian supper which will then eat!
A competition for the tastiest FAT-SCRAP style snack so if you would like to enter, bring along either one of my recipes with your adaptations or something you have created that is wheat and sugar free (dairy allowed!). We will all have a taste and then vote on our favorite!
A Nutremetics Pampering Experience where you will be able to enjoy giving yourselves a mini facial with Nutremetic products that contain the amazing anti-ageing properties of the Hunza Apricot Kernel Oil, along with tips from our FAT-SCRAP member, Liza on how to cleanse, tone and moisturize your skin followed by a 5 minute one to one skin consultation.

So come along and feel good by nurturing yourself on the inside and out!

Tickets available now!!

FAT-SCRAP JUNE 2010 WEEK ONE

2010-06-26T14:12:00.001+01:00

“A man who is constantly engaged in action and works hard until he has achieved his goal, undergoes lots of metamorphosis and positive change which helps in his self improvement” Sam Veda

Hi and welcome back....And welcome to our new FAT-SCRAPPERS!

These pages are for you to use to help you with your motivation. Keeping a daily record of the foods you eat, your daily activity and any exercise you perform will ensure that you to stay focused and on the right track. It will also enable me to advise, encourage and support you where possible and most of all; these pages will help you to help each other!

As well as recording your daily food choices etc this week, I invite you to tell us a bit about yourself (you don’t have to use your real name), about what you are hoping to achieve by following the FAT-SCRAP programme, about what you think you might find difficult or easy, or anything else that you would like to share with us.

And any current FAT-SCRAPPERS might like to continue recodring their food diaries etc and using this space to connect with and support each other.

And of course, to anyone following our FAT-SCRAP experiences we would love you to join in with your comments, questions or, much appreciated, support!! Let us know if you have been inspired by our FAT-SCRAPPERS to make some of the FAT-SCRAP changes and how they have helped you!

To commit to this programme positively it is important that you focus on you your desire to be healthy and fitter, what you can and want to eat, what you can and want to do and what you can and want to achieve. Your self talk will be things like "What can I have for my lunch that will help me feel stronger and healthier on the inside?" and "I will go to my exercise session because I want to feel happy that I have achieved something."

I describe FAT-SCRAP as your tool box to being healthier and fitter. You have invested in the tools but it's up to you to use them. And like anything, the more tools you use, the easier the job becomes. To remind you of the tools available for you here is a list

FAT-SCRAP TOOL BOX
Tool 1. Omitting wheat, sugar and alcohol from food choices - helps regulate blood sugar levels to keep energy levels constant and reduce sugar cravings, balances hormone levels, encourages alternative healthier options, reduces toxins, reduces processed foods and chemicals from diet, creates a better feeling of well being, encopurages the body to reduce body fat levels, strengthens immune system, strengthens metabolism. May help reduce PMT symptons

Tool 2: Meal Planner – to help you plan and balance your food choices so that you will be better prepared and more likely to eat healthier foods

Tool 3: Shopping list – to help you make alternative choices and add variety, to help you stock your cupboards and freezer with more nutritious foods, to help you have healthy choices to hand when you have not had time to get to the shops.

Tool 4: Exercise Planner – to help you commit to exercise sessions by planning ahead, to help you be better prepared.

Tool 5: Goal Picture – to help you know where you are going, to help you to know what you have to do to get there.

Tool 6: Changes Sheet – to help you put a change you want to make into action, to help you check that you are making the change you want, to help you identify what needs to happen for the change to made.

Tool 7: Positive/negative cycle – to help you understand where your difficulties in making a change are coming from and how you can overcome these difficulties.

Tool 8: Commitment phrase – to help you stay motivated and commited, to remind yourself why you should get back on track if you get off.

Tool 9: Support, knowledge and strength band – to wear to remind yourself that you are following the FAT-SCRAP programme and of the outcomes that you are following it for.

Tool 10: Blog – to help you be accountable for your choices, to help you commit to writing your food diaries, to give you somewhere to look back and see how far you have come, to help you share and gain ideas for food choices, to help you focus daily on what you are doing, to help you connect with other like minded FAT-SCRAPPERS and Sue, to share your highs and lows.

Tool 11: Each other – to help you train and gain!

Tool 12: Sue – to help you train and gain!

Tool 13: Eating and drinking healthily – to help your body be healthier, stronger and balanced so that all the parts are working better for you, to provide the best fuel for your workouts.

Tool 14: Weekly talks and weigh ins – to get together with other FAT-SCRAPPERS and learn how to use the FAT-SCRAP tools, share ideas and experiences, monitor progress.

Tool 15: Body Composition Analysis – to help understand what is happening to your body while following the FAT-SCRAP Programme.

Tool 15: Exercise – To help increase strength, stamina, flexibility and balance so that your body works better for you.

Tool 16: Quotes – to help motivate you.

Don't worry if you don't know how to use some of these tools yet. I will be introducing them to you over the next four weeks at our Saturday workshops.

So, looking forward to another fantastic FAT-SCRAPPING week with you all!!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP JUNE 2010 WEEK TWO

Are you worried about your cholesterol levels?

2010-06-25T11:19:00.000+01:00

Did you know that research has discovered that the more sugar we eat increases the risk of having high levels of unhealthy cholesterol and triglyceride and low levels of the good cholesterol. When I talk to people about the sugar in their diets they always are quick to tell me that they don't eat a lot of sugar but as we speak further about their food choices it seems that while they may not be putting sugar in or on their food, they seem to forget about the hidden sugars in things like drinks, breakfast cereals, fruit flavoured yogurts and processed foods. A breakfast cereal with 16 grams of sugar per serving has about 4 teaspoons!!!

So it's time we all became more sugar aware..read the labels, look for hidden sugars - anything added ending in -ose or the word syrup means added sugar.

And watch out for the artificial sweeteners too! They can have just as bad effects on the body as sugar!!

And if you want help in lowering your cholesterol levels through reducing the sugar in your food choices and increasing your exercise, see FAT-SCRAP for more information.

NEW GROUP FAT-SCRAP STARTS THIS SATURDAY..IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN!!

Sue x

Bouncier Balls!

2010-06-24T17:43:00.001+01:00

A few weeks ago one of our FAT-SCRAPPERS (Apple) introduced us to Bounce Balls, a nutritious nutty snack which she found on sale in the juice bar in town. Having tasted them I thought that I could come up with something equally tasty, easy to make and cheaper so here is my first attempt..And I have to say, I think they are even nicer!!

1/2 cup Almonds
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon tahini
1/2 cup dried fruit (I used sultanas)

Place nuts in food processor and chop till finely ground (or you could use ground almonds and/or chopped nuts)
Add dried fruit
Mix together with peanut butter and tahini.
Shape into 6 balls

Enjoy!

Alternative versions

Mix ground almonds with some peanut butter and tahini and dried fruit and add some almond extract.
Add seeds to mixture before shaping
Add cocoa powder to mixture before shaping
Roll balls in cocoa powder
Roll balls in melted 70% cocoa chocolate

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 WEEK FIVE

2010-06-19T17:01:00.002+01:00

"Love the new logo - it represents what we all want to unleash the person we all feel we are underneath when we allow ourselves to dream without boundaries!" Claire

Hi and welcome back!

This week I m trying out a new format for the blog, hoping that it will it be more user friendly! I will publish a new page for the week every Saturday and then we can all connect and communicate through the week on this one page. This will mean that you only have to click on the"subscribe by email" link on this page to then receive emails of any activity on it through the week. So whether you want to connect every day or just once a week you can come back to this page and post a comment any time you like. I will still contribute motivational and informative pieces in the comments to help you keep on track! Hope this makes sense and works for you. Please let me know if you prefer this way of connecting or if I could improve it further.

I thought today I would share with you my outcomes from my FAT-SCRAP journey over the last six months.

Over the years of working with people who's main goal of having a personal trainer was to help them lose weight I learnt that my role in helping them was more than just doing one hour of exercise each week with them if they were going to achieve their goal. In January I brought together a group of tools that I believed would work to ensure that people did achieve their fat loss goals and created FAT-SCRAP. With the help of Apple and Pear we trialed the FAT-SCRAP Programme for four weeks with great success. So with RESULTS that were positive I had the BELIEF that the Programme worked, the EXPECTATION that it would work, a positive MINDSET AND ATTITUDE, so much so that I was passionate and excited about it, so my BEHAVIOUR was to go for it...and in March I launched FAT-SCRAP to the world - well to a bit of the world I could reach!! Six months later my RESULTS-BEHAVIOUR CYCLE is still positive although my EXPECTATIONS have changed - FAT-SCRAP does work for people who want or are willing to change.

So if you are achieving your goals following the FAT-SCRAP Programme it is probably because you are focused right now, on seeing yourself as a fitter, healthier and slimmer person and you are wanting and willing to eat healthily, do exercise and do what it takes to feel fitter healthier and slimmer. If you are not achieving your goals it is probably because you are focused, right now, on seeing yourself as someone else. Perhaps you are focusing on seeing yourself as a Provider, and so you have to be more wanting and willing to do the extra hours at work and feel like you are working hard and earning the money. Perhaps you are focusing on seeing yourself being sociable so you are wanting and willing to go out for meals, get together for drinks and feel like you fit in and are one of the crowd. Perhaps your are focused on seeing yourself relaxing on holiday, so you are wanting and willing to lie down, read a book, drink wine etc to feel relaxed...When you know where your focus is directed and how you want to feel you can accept that this is where you want it to be ......but you can also accept that you can change it's direction if you want to feel different.

Next time you make have to make a choice ask yourself the questions "Do I like being the person I am when I am making this choice?" " Do I like how I feel about my choice?" When you listen to your answers hopefully you can make the right choice for you at that moment and be happy for that choice.

Now, enough from me....Claire wrote in her blog yesterday "Its the journey that we hesitate along - those stones of doubt we trip on, the times when we vear off the path and find the wicked witches sweet house or it becomes a little steep and tests all our resolve when we are tired and it the slope feels like a mountain, or we get caught in the bramble and bogged down in swamps!" and I thought it would be good if you shared your interpretations, thoughts and comments about this interesting analogy of her journey.

Also, thank you Claire for your comments re my FAT-SCRAP logo (see above). What do you all think?

So, if you have any comments on anything I have written or anything else, we would love to hear from you..and don't forget the main purpose of this page is for you to record your food diaries if you find this is a tool that helps you keep focused on making healthier choices. I will do my best to respond to any comments you put here as soon as I can. And, if you are just an interested reader following our FAT-SCRAPPERS we would welcome any comments and support from you too!

Happy FAT-SCRAPPING!!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY SIX

2010-06-16T16:32:00.003+01:00

Inside everyone of us there is a healthier, fitter and slimmer person!

Hi and welcome back!

Hope you like the new FAT-SCRAP logo!

As we approach the end of this four weeks of FAT-SCRAP I invite you to look back to wear you started and notice what you wrote, how you were feeling, what you were thinking might be difficult, what your expectations were etc. As you read through each days comments, follow your journey as if you were reading about someone else. What advice would you have given this person, knowing what you know now? What advcie would you give yourself today? Please share your comments with us if you would like to.

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY FIVE

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY SEVEN

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY FIVE

2010-06-15T13:40:00.002+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

As I talked yesterday about the effects of hormones on our bodies with regards to appetite, I thought it would also be good to understand another key hormone in this area which is ghrelin. Ghrelin is the hormone that makes sure we eat enough and if you remember from yesterday, leptin (The world leptin means “full” in Greek) is the one that works alongside ghrelin to make sure we feel full and satiated.

Higher levels of gherlin have been found in people who have less sleep than those who have more so it is now thought possible that lack of sleep leads to higher levels of ghrelin, which in turn triggers the appetite and leads to obesity (although scientists are not completely certain whether obesity raises gherlin levels or high gherlin levels lead to obesity.) Higher levels of gherlin also create less leptin and so the appetite supressent doesn't get to kick in and do it's job! In addition, high levels of ghrelin have been found to suppress the amount of fat used by the adipose tissue. This implies that those with high levels of ghrelin in their bodies will not only feel hungrier than those with low levels, but may burn fat more slowly as well.

I have read that high levels of blood sugar trigger the overeating behavior. In other words, binge eating or out-of-control feeding, called hyperphagia, is associated with a malfunction in the brain’s hunger signals. The level of ghrelin depends on the state of nutrition and hydration of an individual. So its effect does not end with hunger, it affects thirst as well.

So, bearing all this in mind, this is why the recommendations for aiding fat loss are to eat less sugars and refined carbohydrates in order to maintain normal blood sugar levels, drink plenty of fluids to keep well hydrated and increase activity and exercise so that you are not just mentally tired from your busy day, but physically tired as well and more likely to sleep well.

And what are we trying to encourage you to do on this FAT-SCRAP Programme?

- Eat healthily by eating less sugars and refined carbohydrates in order to maintain normal blood sugar levels, - drink plenty of sugar free fluids to keep well hydrated and drink less alcohol which we know contains sugar and dehydrates the body

- make exercise part of your routine to help you get fitter and sleep well!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY FOUR

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY SIX

More Tips, Recipes and News!

2010-06-15T11:52:00.022+01:00

GRADING YOUR FOOD CHOICES

I am always encouraging people to think about eating near to nature, the more natural a food is, the more likely we are to gain valuable nutrients and vitality from it. Here's a simple way rethinking your food choices to be nearer to nature...MORE

FAT-SCRAP

Since the launch of FAT-SCRAP at the beginning of the year I have been helping people who are serious about getting healthier and fitter by exercising regularly and eating healthily! With the help of FAT-SCRAP one member has fully committed to a healthier lifestyle and as a result has seen a reduction in her weight of over two stone in 6 months!! So if you, or anyone you know, are serious about scrapping your fat and having a healthier and fitter body by adopting a healthier and fitter lifestyle then FAT-SCRAP can help. I guarantee it - so much so that I offer a 100% money back guarantee if your body doesn't change after committing to the Programme for 4 weeks!!

The next Group FAT-SCRAP starts Saturday 26th June...MORE

HEALTHY CHEESECAKE - IS IT POSSIBLE?!

YES!!!

Now, for those of you who think that you can't eat the food you love if you eat healthily, here is an idea us FAT-SCRAPPERS have come up with for a healthier Cheesecake recipe........MORE

GROUP TRAINING

Group Training Sessions are still being held on Wednesdays at 6:30pm and Fridays at 6:00pm. Buy 10 sessions for £80. 5 participants at each session maximum!....MORE

MAY NEWSLETTER

FAT-SCRAP Mini Cheesecakes

2010-06-14T16:13:00.002+01:00

As several of us FAT-SCRAPPERS are lovers of cheesecake we discussed different ways to come up with our own healthier versions. Now you can indulge in a very simple and heavenly cheesecake that won't leave you feeling guilty - unless you eat too many!

Oatcake Biscuits

Organic Cream Cheese

Organic Natural Yoghurt (optional)

Vanilla Extract

Berries

St Dalphour Jam - sugar free (optional)

Mix some cream cheese with a little yoghurt (if using) and some vanilla extract to taste.

Spread cream cheese mix onto Oatcake

Top with a little jam (if using) and berries

Sit back and savour!!

FAT-SCRAP SNACK IDEAS

2010-06-14T15:59:00.001+01:00

Here are some snack suggestions for lower starchy carbohydrate snacks (good for days when less activity

For more active days, and especially before and after training sessions include a portion of starchy carbohydrates (e.g oat cakes, rice cakes, ryvita, small wholegrain roll -if you have reintroduced wheat -) with your snack.

Piece of fruit and small handful of nuts
e.g banana and brazil nuts
apple and walnuts
pear and almonds

Piece of fruit and small amount of cheese (if you have reintroduced dairy
e.g blueberries and goats cheese
apple and cheddar
pear and brie
pineapple and cottage cheese

Fruit and natural yoghurt
e.g mixed berries and yoghurt
banana and yoghurt
mango and yoghurt

Vegetable sticks and houmous
e.g red pepper and houmous
cauliflower and houmous
carrot and houmous
beetroot and houmous

Vegetable sticks and salsa
e.g yellow pepper and salsa
celery and salsa
baby corn and salsa
mange tout and salsa

Vegetable sticks and small amount of cheese (if you have reintroduced dairy)
e.g tomato and cheddar
beetroot and goats cheese
celery and cottage cheese

Vegetable sticks and nut butter
e.g celery and peanut butter
carrot and almond butter
cucumber and cashew nut butter

Spanish omelette/fritata

Mixed bean salad

2 or 3 falafel

Vegetables and cheese/fish/cold meat (prereably not ready cooked from supermarket)
e.g. cold roasted Mediterranean vegetables with small piece of chicken
cold roasted Mediterranean vegetables with tuna
cold roasted butternut squash with goats cheese
cold mediterranean roasted vegetables with houmous

Soup
e.g Vegetable and chicken
spicy butternut squash and cashew nut
celery
broccoli and stilton

Avocado
half avocado and prawns
half avocado and salsa
half avocado and tuna

Fruit or vegetables with small handful of seeds

Vegetable sticks ideas (all raw)
pepper
carrot
celery
cucumber
broccoli
mange tout
sugar snaps
baby corn
cauliflower
mushroom
beetroot (cooked)

Roasted root vegetables
butternut squash
sweet potato
carrots
onions
parsnips
swede
celeriac

Roasted Mediterranean vegetables
courgette
aubergine
onion
garlic
tomatoes
peppers

....can you think of any others?

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY FOUR

2010-06-14T12:17:00.002+01:00

Hormones play an important part in how our bodies respond to food and exercise.

Hi and welcome back!

A reminder about hormones...

Leptin is a circulating signal that reduces appetite, and is believed to increase physical activity and feelings of well being, but in general, obese people have an unusually high circulating concentration of leptin and are said to be resistant to the effects of leptin.

A study published recently suggests that the consumption of high amounts of fructose causes leptin resistance and elevated triglycerides in rats. The high fructose diet rats subsequently ate more and gained more weight than controls when fed a high fat, high calorie diet.

Insulin is a hormone that increases appetite, decreases physical activity and feelings of well being by supressing leptin, as well as promoting the chemical dopamine which makes a person want to eat to get the feel good dopamine “rush”. It is the high level of sugar and the low level of fibre that are now in our diets from processed, manufactured foods that promote insulin production.

So by lowering your intake of sugars and increasing your fibre intake over the last few weeks you are likely to have lowered your leptin resistance and your levels of insulin, and in turn are eating less, exercising more and feeling pretty darn good!!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY THREE

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY FIVE

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY THREE

2010-06-13T11:43:00.004+01:00

Sometimes it is easy to mistake thirst for hunger

Hi and welcome back!

As I was talking about fibre and the importance of making sure you are drinking enough to prevent constipation yesterday I thought it was a good idea to remind you about the other benefits of being well hydrated...

When it comes to losing body fat it is even more important than ever to consider your hydration. All functions within the body require the presence of water and for these functions to occur quickly and efficiently we need a well hydrated body. In short, being well hydrated helps boost our metabolic rate meaning we will burn energy faster - I have read that a well hydrated body burns 3% more calories than a dehydrated body- which makes sense when you think about it as once the body is dehydrated it will start to shut down!

Another thing to remember is that we get a lot of our fluids from food, especially fruit and vegetables, so if you are not eating a lot of fruit and vegetables you are even more likely to be dehydrated and more likely to eat more of the other foods(which are higher in calories) to fill up your fluid reserves.

And, when it comes to exercise, our muscles also hold a lot of water, so if you are dehydrated, your muscles are likely to be weaker - and what do we want to become?...Stronger!!!!

Bearing all of this in mind why would you not want to drink more water?

Health benefits of drinking water:

regulate appetite
increase metabolism
boost energy levels
less water retention
alleviate some headaches
help reduce blood pressure
help reduce high cholesterol
ease joint pain
decrease in risk of some cancers
less chance developing kidney stones
release toxic waste products
improves skin

So, bottoms up and cheers!!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY TWO

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY FOUR

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY TWO

2010-06-12T18:08:00.003+01:00

A high fibre diet needs to be accompanied with lots of water to help prevent and ease constipation

Hi and welcome back!

One of the great things about FAT-SCRAP is that it encourages you to increase your intake of fibre.

Fibre is essential to aid the digestive system in the elimination of toxins and waste. There are two types of essential fibre – insoluble and soluble. Soluble fibre is found in fruit, beans, vegetables, oats, rye, barley, Insoluble fibre is found in whole grains, wheat and corn bran, vegetables, including potato skins, nuts, seeds, and some fruits. So by eating more of these foods you will be increasing your fibre intake and helping lower your risk of intestinal distress.

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY ONE

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY THREE

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY ONE

2010-06-11T21:51:00.002+01:00

When you learn what you can live without, you develop the patience to be able to make conscious choices, to accept or refuse, turning towards to your own happiness.
Hi and welcome back!

I'd like to remind you today that FAT-SCRAP is not a diet although it may seem like one at first. If you remember, the reason we were omitting some foods and drinks from our choices was to see if this had a positive effect on our bodies in how we felt, for example, would we feel less bloated, have more energy, feel slimmer? The other reason was to encourage you to make different food and drink choices from what you would usually choose.

I think by now you will appreciate just how much of all these foods and drinks we have in our diets. In the case of wheat, it is so easy to eat it at every meal and for every snack..just think - Bran Flakes for breakfast, biscuit for snack, sandwich for lunch, cake for snack, pasta for dinner...ALL WHEAT! Would you choose oats for every meal?

Anyway, going back to the Programme, the idea is not to put you on a restriction diet and deprive you of these food and drinks but to help you become confident that you do not need to have so much of these less nutritious foods and drinks and confident that you can choose alternative healthier foods and drinks. Once you have seen and felt the positive effects that not having them has, and also the benefits of making healthier choices, you will be less likely to want to include them again in such big quantities!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY TWO

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY

2010-06-10T17:03:00.003+01:00

I think in England you eat too much sugar and meat and not enough vegetables.
Arsene Wenger

Adopting a new healthier lifestyle can involve changing diet to include more fresh fruit and vegetables as well as increasing levels of exercise.
Linford Christie

Hi and welcome back!

Some of you may remember this from a previous blog but I thought it was a good idea to remind you of it....

What is the first food group you usually think of when choosing your meals? Is it the protein part - meat, fish, eggs, nuts etc? Or is it the starchy carbohydrate part - potato, pasta, rice, oats, bread, cereal etc? I bet it isn't the fibrous carbohydrate part - vegetables or fruit! I wonder why this is the often the part of the meal we don't base our meals around or don't always include in our choices, when it is the group that gives us so many health benefits for not a lot of calories?!

So today, could you start planning your meals by choosing the fruit or vegetables that you are going to base your meal around? For example - breakfast: blueberries and raspberries with porridge and yoghurt; lunch - red pepper, celery, and carrot with houmous; dinner - vegetable stir fry with noodles and chicken.

Can you imagine how colourful and interesting your meals will look, how much variety you will have on your plate and how good you are going to feel from eating these delicious, well balanced meals - and with all the extra fruit and vegetables not only will you be increasing your nutritional value intake, you will be increasing your hydration levels, increasing your fibre levels and increasing your healthier food intake (with a lower calorie intake) at each meal!

And to make sure you have always got lots of vegetables and fruit to hand each day, use your shopping lists to get your cupboards and freezers stocked up!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY NINETEEN

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTYONE

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY NINETEEN

2010-06-09T11:29:00.005+01:00

Will - the power to chose or decide; desire.
Willpower - the strength of will to chose or decide; desire

Hi and welcome back!

When people talk to me about their health and fitness goals one of the most common things I hear from them is "I haven't got any willpower" and this lack of willpower then becomes the reason for not achieving their goals. Do you believe that your willpower isn't very strong? If so, the questions you might like to ask yourself are

"How strong is my desire to reach my health and fitness goals?"

"Am I prepared to make the choice to do what it takes?"

"Have I decided that I am worth the sacrifices and the hard work?"

Listen to your answers and hear if they are the answers that convince you that you will achieve your goal? If they do not convince you, then what needs to happen so that you are convinced?

Think of anything you have ever achieved in your life and how strong your desire was to achieve that goal. How easy was it to make the choices and decisions that led you to achieving that goal? Is your desire to achieve your health and fitness goals the same? If not what is different? What needs to happen for your desire to be the same?

If you really, really, really want something, do you do everything in your power to get it? Do you let nothing get in your way?

If you are not achieving what you want to achieve what might be getting in your way? Could it be you, I wonder?

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY EIGHTEEN

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWENTY

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY EIGHTEEN

2010-06-08T22:07:00.004+01:00

When things go wrong as they sometimes will
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill.
When funds are low and the debts are high.
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit.
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out:

Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are.
It may be near when it seems so far:
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things seem worst that you must not QUIT.

Author unknown
Distributed compliments of Brian Tracy

Hi and welcome back!

Motivation comes from how you feel about something. Generally if you feel something is going to be fun or enjoyable you will do it. If you feel positive about it and you believe that it will help you progress or improve you will do it. If you feel that you can be successful you will do it. If you feel that it is interesting you will do it. If you feel supported you will do it.

Unfortunately I have not felt motivated to write the blog over the last week as I was not feeling a lot of these things. Both the new FAT-SCRAPPERS have not been here because of holidays and family commitments and our other members have been busy with holidays and work commitments so knowing that probably no one was reading or connecting here I felt quite lonely, bored and negative - hence no motivation.

So this leads to me to ask you "Are you feeling motivated to eat healthily and exercise regularly!? If you are then I invite you to share with us which of the above is helping you feel this way and how...And if you are not then I invite you to share with us which of the above is not happening and why.

And I am pleased to say that our new members Claire2 and Rainbow are now ready to hit the blog big time!!!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWELVE

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY NINETEEN

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWELVE

2010-06-02T15:32:00.003+01:00

Adam and Eve ate the first vitamins, including the package. ~E.R. Squibb

Hi and welcome back!

A reminder of a previous blog about helping you to make healthier choices....

Eating near to nature is the theme to our food choices, so with this in mind I thought I'd show you a way to think about this...

GRADING YOUR FOOD CHOICES!

Take an apple from the tree..It’s a grade A food - nature itself!

Process it by peeling it and chopping it up....it's now a grade B food

Process it more by cooking it .....It has now become a grade C food

Up to here, the apple is still just an apple, it has just had some goodness taken away from it.

Add some sugar to it......now it is a D grade food

Add some pastry to it....

and now you have something that is apple, minus some valuable nutrients, with added less nutritious foods .................. so becomes an F grade food!!

F = FAKE AND/OR FAT STORING FOODS!!

How many grade A foods are in your food choices today?

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY ELEVEN

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY EIGHTEEN

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY ELEVEN

2010-06-01T09:16:00.002+01:00

We can't change what has happened in the past. We can learn from it, and grow from it, and ultimately go on from where we are now. we cannot predict the future - it is filled with infinite possibilities. the best we can do is to live, and love, the moment we're in. Life is like Disneyland - if we are thinking about the next ride and how we're getting there, we can't enjoy the ride we're on right here and now! -Lissa Coffey

Hi and welcome back!

It’s another exercise day today for some of you and I wonder how you are feeling about it? Are you doing it because you have to or want to? What are your expectations about the exercise sessions? Your self talk could make the difference to what you achieve today, so what do you want to achieve?

If your reason for exercising today is weight loss, how will you know at the end of the session that you have lost weight? The answer is you can't know - So is it worth making this the reason for doing the training? If, however, your reason for coming is to get stronger or fitter, or something similar, then by the end of the session you will know if you felt a little bit stronger or fitter than last time. As you see yourself doing one more press up, holding the plank a few more seconds or managing one more body weight get up, you will know that you have achieved something and you will be living and loving the moment you are in!!

Looking forward to seeing you become a little bit stronger and a little bit fitter today!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TEN

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWELVE

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TEN

2010-05-31T18:44:00.004+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

If time is money, and time well spent is an investment, is this investment in your health and fitness money well spent?

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY EIGHT

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY ELEVEN

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY NINE

2010-05-30T18:28:00.000+01:00

"The seeds that you have planted are beginning to sprout results"
Hi and welcome back!
Since the start of your investment in FAT-SCRAP some changes have been made...and the outcome of these changes have already brought results. Now it is more important than ever to remain positive and hold a clear vision of your desire and intention (reminder to complete your homework!!) and be aware of the people around you who encourage your positivity or those with negative mindsets. Even your best friend may want to sabotage your results by persuading you that one piece of cake won't matter!!

Daily action of acting as if you have already achieved your goal- even if it only consists of baby steps -is essential to keep the energy of your manifestation at a high level.

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY EIGHT

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TEN

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY EIGHT

2010-05-29T14:32:00.002+01:00

The first and most important step toward success is the feeling that we can succeed. - Nelson Boswell

Hi and welcome back!

Today is the end of the first week of FAT-SCRAP for some of you and we are meeting up for some mental training as well as physical training. As usual I am nervous about the weigh-in, as I know it can be a big motivator or demotivator. All I can say is a repeat of my comments yesterday..Is the number on the scales a realistic measure of your success this week?

I would suggest that you measure your success on your achievements this week and, as a summary, perhaps you could share with us some of the changes you have made to what you do and how you think and feel about your health, fitness, diet and exercise since you have been on the FAT-SCRAP programme.

Also, if you feel you can, please share with us any difficulties you have had, and how you might be able to overcome these in the future.

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY SEVEN

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY NINE

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY SEVEN

2010-05-28T20:33:00.004+01:00

"Success is a personal definition; it's about how you feel." -Lissa Coffey

Hi and welcome back

What has got to happen for you to feel successful on this Programme? Is it really all about a number on the scales being a measure of your success or can you measure your success on how you are feeling? If you are feeling happy because you are feeling a little bit fitter or stronger, or you feel you have more energy, or a more positive outlook, or feeling proud of some of the choices you have made, or more empowered and confident perhaps, can you say today that you feel successful?

Looking forward to hearing about your successes!!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY SIX

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY EIGHT

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY SIX

2010-05-27T21:04:00.002+01:00

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.
Annie Dillard

Hi and welcome back!

Today and yesterday saw another training session for some of you and I wonder how you are feeling about it? Your body may be aching by now from your last session and hopefully that will just be some of your muscles reacting to the fact that they are not used to being used! The good news is that the more you use these muscles again the less they will complain!! (And Apple and Pear can vouch for that!) If you have noticed any pain in your joints then this is something we do need to take into consideration so please let me know. The other thing to remember that resting those muscles is important to allow them to recover and strengthen, but that doesn't mean you have to be a couch potato - keeping active everyday is a priority!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY FIVE

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY SEVEN

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY FIVE

2010-05-26T11:22:00.003+01:00

"Enjoy the journey, enjoy every moment, and quit worrying about winning and losing."
Matt Biondi

Hi and welcome back!

..And I hope our newbies are not aching too much from their first FAT-SCRAP training session!!!!! Well done - great efforts and achievements! Now you are someone who includes exercise as part of their regular routine as well as being someone who fuels their bodies with healthy foods...the next step is to enjoy being that someone and enjoy the daily benefits and gains you are experiencing!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY FOUR

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY SIX

Latest News- 25th May 2010

2010-05-25T12:14:00.002+01:00

As a lot of us are having to watch our finances a bit more these days and looking for ways to have healthier and fitter lifestyles, I am now offering more affordable group fitness training classes and weight management packages, so you can now have the support, advice and guidance of a personal trainer at a fraction of the cost.

For free advice or to ask any questions re healthy eating or exercise go to my blog/website where I will do my best to help.

Keep happy and healthy!

GROUP FITNESS TRAINING

Train-Gain Circuits

Group exercise sessions are available in private studio for up to 5 people on

Wednesdays at 6:30-7.30pm

Fridays at 6-7pm

Cost £10 per session

A prepaid discount card of 10 sessions is available for £80

These are suitable for all abilities and offer participants the benefits of working out with a personal trainer in a small group and in a private environment.

Fitball Conditioning

Group classes are available at Barcelo Health Club, Basingstoke Country Hotel
Thursdays 10-11am
Cost £8 per session

More details

FAT-SCRAP

A unique Weight Management Programme encouraging lifestyle changes to food and activity choices that are guaranteed to work!

This programme is available on a one to one or group basis. Prices from £60 for 4 weeks

Over the first 4 weeks members have averaged a weight loss of approximately 8lb! Over 16 weeks one member has reduced her weight by 20lb! Check out the results pages to see the differences!

More details

PERSONAL TRAINING

Sessions are held in a fully equipped private studio and can be tailored to suit individuals’ requirements.
Prices from £25 session
Discounted block bookings are available.

More details

MOTIVATIONAL BLOGS

Daily advice, motivational articles, recipes etc are available on the blog pages for anyone wanting help with having a healthier and fitter lifestyle. FAT-SCRAP members also use these pages to record their food and activity diaries, ask questions and support each other so anyone interested can follow their experiences, get tips and make comments.

More details

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY FOUR

2010-05-25T10:52:00.004+01:00

Every day is a new beginning. Treat it that way. Stay away from what might have been, and look at what can be. - Marsha Petrie Sue

Hi and welcome back!

Beginning something new can be exciting, bringing the promise of new experiences, new possibilities, and new outcomes while it can also be daunting and frightening remembering old fears from past experiences, old doubts and old failures.

So, today, whether you are just beginning your journey or are well on the way, I invite you to share with us how you are going to, or continuing to, look at what you can do and what can be so that enjoy each day of this journey of health and fitness in a positive and excited frame of mind.

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY THREE

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY FIVE

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY THREE

2010-05-24T10:04:00.002+01:00

"Nothing tastes as good as being healthy and looking good feels"

Hi and welcome back!

Interestingly when people have asked me about FAT-SCRAP the biggest resistance to the Programme is giving up either the sugar or the alcohol or both! "Oh but sugary foods/alcohol make me feel good" is the usual comment..."I couldn't possibly give it/them up!"

Yes, I agree they do taste nice and do make us feel good..but for how long? How many times have you enjoyed these foods and then felt guilty or not so good for having them? They might make you feel good in the short term but in the long term....??? The question I ask is "Is the short term sacrifice of sugar/alcohol worth the cost if it is going to lead you having a healthier and fitter body in the long term?"

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWO

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY FOUR

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWO

2010-05-23T11:28:00.002+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

How exciting for those of you who have just begun the FAT-SCRAP Programme and are on the way to a healthier and fitter you and for those of you who have been on the Programme for a while continuing with your healthier and fitter lifestyle!

How does it feel to be fuelling your body with the foods it deserves... Foods that you have thought carefully about, foods that will give you energy and foods that will look after your body?

Now you are providing your body with fantastic fuel your engine will be so much better prepared for your workouts and you will be able to give them 100%!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY DAY ONE

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY THREE

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY ONE

2010-05-22T14:15:00.003+01:00

“A man who is constantly engaged in action and works hard until he has achieved his goal, undergoes lots of metamorphosis and positive change which helps in his self improvement”
Sam Veda

Hi and welcome back!

And welcome to our new FAT-SCRAPPERS!

These pages are for you to use to help you with your motivation. Keeping a daily record of the foods you eat, your daily activity and any exercise you perform will ensure that you to stay focused and on the right track. It will also enable me to advise, encourage and support you where possible and most of all; these pages will help you to help each other!

Today, I invite you to tell us a bit about yourself (you don’t have to use your real name), about what you are hoping to achieve by following the FAT-SCRAP programme, about what you think you might find difficult or easy, or anything else that you would like to share with us.

And current FAT-SCRAPPERS, well, you have had your week(s) off and experienced following the FAT-SCRAP Programme on your own. Today I invite you to share with us your experiences and your thoughts for this coming month.

And of course, to anyone following our FAT-SCRAP experiences we would love you to join in with your comments, questions or, much appreciated, support!! Let us know if you have been inspired by our FAT-SCRAPPERS to make some of the FAT-SCRAP changes and how they have helped you!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MAY 2010 DAY TWO

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Friday Week 3

2010-05-21T14:30:00.000+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Tomorrow is the start of the next 4 weeks of FAT-SCRAP so this is a good day to make sure you are prepared by having your cupboards, fridge and freezer stocked up with lots of delicious healthy food choices, your sessions booked in your diary, you have comfortable and practicle workout gear, you have a positive mindset and that you are willing to do what it takes to reach your goals.

Have a read through your manual/workbook, make a note of any questions you have, think about what your purpose for joining FAT-SCRAP is and what you want to achieve, then sit back and visualize your goal, noticing what you are seeing, feeling, hearing, thinking, eating, drinking, smelling and doing.

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Thursday (week 3)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Saturday (week 3)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Thursday Week 3

2010-05-20T08:23:00.002+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

When I was on holiday I took the opportunity to try different foods than I would usually go for and loved the walnut and orange salad which was walnuts and oranges on a bed of salad leaves. I am going to make this myself but think that the addition of some avocado and a walnut oil and orange juice dressing would compliment it.

Now the weather has warmed up you might be thinking of making more salads. Perhaps you could share your ideas or favourites here today.

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Wednesday (week 3)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Friday (week 3)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING - Wednesday Week 3

2010-05-19T08:09:00.002+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

A healthy alternative to peanut butter is almond butter. Aparently it has six times the calcium, three times the amount of Vitamin E and twice the iron of peanut butter. You could also try other varieties like cashew nut butter or pumpkin seed butter or try mixing some peanut butter with tahini (sesame seed paste) for a change of taste and nutrients.

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Tuesday (week 3)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Thursday (week 3)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING - Tuesday Week 3

2010-05-18T16:47:00.003+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Well I am back from my travels, and feeling rested in one way but lacking in energy at the same time and I know why this is..I haven't been active enough!! It has been good to take some time out and spend sometime relaxing, reading books, chatting with friends etc, but this weekend I have felt more and more lethargic as the time has gone by. This lethargicness that has gradually built up has reminded me that the less you do something, the more difficult it becomes to do something, the more difficult it becomes, the easier it is to find excuses why you shouldn't do something, the easier it becomes to make the excuses the easier it is to believe you can't do something, the more you believe you can't do something the easier it is not to do something. So, it was so lovely to get back into routine this morning and remind myself that I feel so much more energised once I get going by going out for a long walk with my dog, especially as the sun was shining!

I am wondering how you have been getting on over the weeks. I wonder if you have slipped into doing less because the FAT-SCRAP routine has not been there. I can see that you have not been connecting on the blog which is interesting as I know you have all been finding it a useful tool and I wonder if this is because I haven't been sending the daily reminders to you. It would be good now to hear how you have all been getting on, reconnect with each other, share our ups and downs and check that we are all on the track that we want to be on.

Looking forward to hearing from you!!!

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Monday (week 3)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Wednesday (week 3)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Monday Week 3

2010-05-17T00:00:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

And welcome back to FAT-SCRAP training this week! Classes are running again on Tuesday and Thursday at 12pm so hope to see you there. The next 4 week new FAT-SCRAP group starts this Saturday so if you haven't already signed up, you might want to think about how you have managed on your own over the last two weeks and how FAT-SCRAP may be of help in supporting you over the next four weeks. Remember you have a lot of FAT-SCRAP tools available to you but are you using them to get the results you want?

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Sunday (week 2)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Tuesday (week 3)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Saturday Week 2

2010-05-16T00:00:00.000+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

As some of you know, I am in France at the moment, enjoying the French way of life, and it reminds me to tell you about an interesting book I read called "Why French Women Don't Get Fat". There are two things that I especially took away with me from reading this book. One is that the French do not binge drink, they enjoy their alcohol with their meals, and that if they have a lot of food one day, then they just eat less the next. Two ideas you could apply to your lifestyle that may help you create moderation and balance.

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Friday (week 2)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Sunday (week 2)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Sunday Week 2

2010-05-15T00:00:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Have a look back at your journey so far and notice if you are still focusing on moving away from your goal of being healthier, fitter and slimmer or if you are moving towards your goal of being healthier, fitter and slimmer? Do you see yourself today as someone who is healthier, fitter and slimmer than the person you were when you started this journey?
Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Saturday (week 2)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Monday (week 3)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Friday Week 2

2010-05-14T00:00:00.002+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

If time is money, and time well spent is an investment, is the investment in yourself money well spent?
Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Thursday (week 2)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Saturday (week 2)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Thursday Week 2

2010-05-13T00:00:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

When we make time for something, we decide how much time to give it by its worth. - Is it worth the effort? Is it worth the cost? We put a lot of value on time, after all time is money, isn’t it? and time wasted is money down the drain, time well spent is an investment

.. So it makes sense that if we want to make time for exercise we need to think about the time we spend exercising as an investment – that it is worth the effort. It is worth the cost

Now you are exercising and making it part of your lifestyle, so what makes you make the time....what are you investing in?

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Wednesday (week 2)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Friday (week 2)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Wednesday Week 2

2010-05-12T00:00:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

How many of you reading this have tried diet after diet or weight loss programme and hoped that it would be the "magic wand" that would make you slim? And how many of you now realise that there is no magic wand, it's down to us to make different lifestyle choices that will lead to us becoming slimmer. So now rather than looking for the magic wand, think of yourself as a Magician, an agent of transformation, and ask yourself "How can I transform my self so that I become the person I want to be?"

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Tuesday (week 2)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Thursday (week 2)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Tuesday Week 2

2010-05-11T00:00:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Walking is a great activity for the days you are not exercising but remember the FAT-SCRAP training you have been doing and commit to working at this higher level of intensity during your exercise sessions to help burn extra calories during and after your workouts.

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Monday (week 2)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Wednesday (week 2)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Monday Week 2

2010-05-10T00:00:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Don't forget that strength training is an important part of FAT-SCRAP so make sure you are keeping up with the press ups (I know how much you all love them!!) and they will also help strengthen the muscles in the back of the arms, meaning that your arms will look better for summer!

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Sunday

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Tuesday (week 2)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Sunday

2010-05-09T00:00:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

It's very easy to make excuses and blame others or situations that prevent you from eating healthily or exercising, so you might like to think about what might happen if you were to take responsibility for your choices in these situations. For example, you may be going out, so take responsibility for your choices by taking something with you in case you can't find anything suitable to eat, or eat some healthy food before you go so that you will not need to eat so much later. Perhaps you could share with us how you take responsibility for your choices.

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Saturday

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Monday (week 2)

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Saturday

2010-05-08T00:00:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Are you as motivated to achieving your goals as you want to be? If not, what can you do today that will get you motivated. If you are, please share with us how you keep motivated so that we can help each other reach our goals.

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Friday

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Sunday

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Friday

2010-05-07T00:00:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Sometimes it can be difficult to get into action.

My old 2CV car was always difficult to get going on a cold damp morning and often needed a push, but once she got going she always got me where I wanted to go!

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Thursday

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Saturday

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING - Thursday

2010-05-06T00:00:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

What are your values around your health and fitness? What's important to you about your health and fitness? Do you live by these values? Are your health and fitness choices making you happy? If you were to make your health and fitness choices based on your values do you think you would feel happier? What needs to happen for you to be happier about your health and fitness?

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING - Wednesday

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING - Friday

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Wednesday

2010-05-05T00:00:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Today and everyday from now on why not think about treating yourself with kindness. What can you do today that will be kind to you - kind to your mind and soul and kind to your body, inside and out?

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Tuesday

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING! - Thursday

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING - Tuesday

2010-05-04T00:00:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Remember your body needs fueling before and after your workouts and your starchy carbohydrates are a perfect fuel for providing energy to your muscles and helping them refuel and recover. Protein helps protect the muscles, especially if you are trying to lose weight, helps keep the muscles strong and helps you feel fuller for longer. Healthy fat helps the body absorb vitamins, can help with endurance workouts and helps protect against some diseases. So, make sure you are not exercising on empty, not starving yourself after exercise and not treating food as the enemy! Food provides the fuel we need so when you are making your choices try asking yourself "Does my body need this fuel and is the best fuel for my body?"

Sue x

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING - Monday

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING - Wednesday

KEEP ON FATSCRAPPING! - Monday

2010-05-03T16:52:00.002+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

You have worked very hard over the weeks at making changes and I hope you will agree that all your efforts and all the sacrifices you have made have paid off.

You have been regularly committing to doing some form of exercise to help you become healthier and fitter..you can still do that! It's up to you now to have a go and see what you can achieve on your own - you may surprise yourself!! Try out some different forms of exercise, do some of the exercises we have been doing together, go to the gym and make use of the membership that you have.....!

And of course, now you have felt the benefit of eating healthily, do you really want to change that?!

This week, we would love to hear how you manage to keep active, eat healthily, and exercise regularly...

Go on - show us you can do it!!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP MARCH 2010 RESULTS!!

KEEP ON SCRAPPING THE FAT! - Tuesday

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 RESULTS!!

2010-05-02T15:34:00.003+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Results are in..well done everyone! I hope you are proud of the results you have achieved so far. As I said yesterday, it is not just your weight, measurements and body composition which are important factors in measuring your success, but also your results in how you are thinking and feeling now. When I first meet with someone interested in working with me to lose weight I ask them why they want to lose weight. The usual answer is "to be happy". My question is "does that mean that you think all slimmer people are happy?" I have met many people who have lost a lot of weight and really seem no happier than before. Before they were worrying about how, and if, they would lose weight, now they are worrying about how, and if, they can keep it off!

Today I invite you to share with us your results and your present happiness!!

"Why "weight" to be happy when you can choose to be happy today?!"

Sue x

Before and after photos:

APPLE - 16 WEEKS

PEAR -16 WEEKS

JAYNE - 9 WEEKS

MARA - 9 WEEKS

RESULTS to be added

DUSTY - 4 WEEKS

MANDY - 4 WEEKS

RESULTS TO BE ADDED

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY NINE

KEEP ON FAT-SCRAPPING - Monday

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY NINE

2010-05-01T13:37:00.002+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Today is the final day of FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010! Can you believe that four weeks have passed already!! So, we are meeting for weights, measurements and body composition results as well as our last training session for this month. How exciting it is to look back and see how the changes we have made to our food and exercise choices have changed our minds and our bodies. A couple of days ago you looked back through your daily comments and might have already noticed some positive results by changes in your beliefs, expectations, attitude/mindest and behaviours. Your weekly weigh-ins have also shown some changes and positive results . Today, we will have more results to go by to measure the success of your changes. I wonder which of your changes is your biggest result?

Tommorows blog will be called FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 RESULTS!!. and you will be able to share your results with everyone there. I will include your before and after photos there too!!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY EIGHT

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 RESULTS!!

FAT-SCRAP MARCH 2010 REST WEEK

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY EIGHT

2010-04-30T18:22:00.002+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Today I invite you to think about those foods, or drinks that you would usually choose that you are now either choosing in moderation or not choosing at all and share with us what you have replaced them with, or how you now chose them in moderation, so that we can help each other to manage our choices better.

Mine are..

Wine- I now only have it if it a wine that I am going to really enjoy, taste and savour, and only have a glass on a Saturday or Sunday with my dinner.
Bread/wheat - I base my meals around other foods and then have a different choice of starch with them.
Cakes/biscuits - I make my own healthier versions
Cheese - I only have goats cheese as I enjoy this the most
Chocolate - I only have 60/70% cocoa chocolate and think about quality rather than quantity when I am eating it
Crisps - I enjoy a few tortilla type crisps sometimes on a Saturday with some veggies and dip but actually enjoy ricecakes with dip just as much!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY SEVEN

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY NINE

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY SEVEN

2010-04-29T15:34:00.002+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

As we approach the end of this four weeks of FAT-SCRAP I invite you to look back to wear you started and notice what you wrote, how you were feeling, what you were thinking might be difficult, what your expectations were etc. As you read through each days comments, follow your journey as if you were reading about someone else. What advice would you have given this person, knowing what you know now? What advcie would you give yourself today? Please share your comments with us if you would like to.

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY SIX

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY EIGHT

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY SIX

2010-04-28T15:05:00.002+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

As I talked yesterday about the effects of hormones on our bodies with regards to appetite, I thought it would also be good to understand another key hormone in this area which is ghrelin. Ghrelin is the hormone that makes sure we eat enough and if you remember from yesterday, leptin (The world leptin means “full” in Greek) is the one that works alongside ghrelin to make sure we feel full and satiated.

Higher levels of gherlin have been found in people who have less sleep than those who have more so it is now thought possible that lack of sleep leads to higher levels of ghrelin, which in turn triggers the appetite and leads to obesity (although scientists are not completely certain whether obesity raises gherlin levels or high gherlin levels lead to obesity.) Higher levels of gherlin also create less leptin and so the appetite supressent doesn't get to kick in and do it's job! In addition, high levels of ghrelin have been found to suppress the amount of fat used by the adipose tissue. This implies that those with high levels of ghrelin in their bodies will not only feel hungrier than those with low levels, but may burn fat more slowly as well.

I have read that high levels of blood sugar trigger the overeating behavior. In other words, binge eating or out-of-control feeding, called hyperphagia, is associated with a malfunction in the brain’s hunger signals. The level of ghrelin depends on the state of nutrition and hydration of an individual. So its effect does not end with hunger, it affects thirst as well.

So, bearing all this in mind, this is why the recommendations for aiding fat loss are to eat less sugars and refined carbohydrates in order to maintain normal blood sugar levels, drink plenty of fluids to keep well hydrated and increase activity and exercise so that you are not just mentally tired from your busy day, but physically tired as well and more likely to sleep well.

And what are we trying to encourage you to do on this FAT-SCRAP Programme?

- Eat healthily by eating less sugars and refined carbohydrates in order to maintain normal blood sugar levels, - drink plenty of sugar free fluids to keep well hydrated and drink less alcohol which we know contains sugar and dehydrates the body
- make exercise part of your routine to help you get fitter and sleep well!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY FIVE

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY SEVEN

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY FIVE

2010-04-27T14:33:00.002+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

A reminder about hormones...

Hormones play an important part in how our bodies respond to food and exercise.

Leptin is a circulating signal that reduces appetite, and is believed to increase physical activity and feelings of well being, but in general, obese people have an unusually high circulating concentration of leptin and are said to be resistant to the effects of leptin.

A study published recently suggests that the consumption of high amounts of fructose causes leptin resistance and elevated triglycerides in rats. The high fructose diet rats subsequently ate more and gained more weight than controls when fed a high fat, high calorie diet.

Insulin is a hormone that increases appetite, decreases physical activity and feelings of well being by supressing leptin, as well as promoting the chemical dopamine which makes a person want to eat to get the feel good dopamine “rush”. It is the high level of sugar and the low level of fibre that are now in our diets from processed, manufactured foods that promote insulin production.

So by lowering your intake of sugars and increasing your fibre intake over the last few weeks you are likely to have lowered your leptin resistance and your levels of insulin, and in turn are eating less, exercising more and feeling pretty darn good!!

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY FOUR

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY SIX

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY FOUR

2010-04-26T15:49:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Last week I suggested to those of you who are on the first month of the Programme that you now might like to reintroduce some more dairy foods back into your choices. today I invite any of you to share with us what you noticed when you chose to omit these foods from your choices whether you have reintroduced them, what have you noticed and what have you decided about your dairy food choices for the future?

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY THREE

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY FIVE

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY THREE

2010-04-25T10:45:00.004+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

Last month I included some ideas for snacks and thought it might help if I included them again.

Here are some snack suggestions for lower starchy carbohydrate snacks (good for days when less activity)

For more active days, and especially before and after training sessions include a portion of starchy carbohydrates (e.g oat cakes, rice cakes, ryvita, small wholegrain roll -if you have reintroduced wheat -) with your snack.

Piece of fruit and small handful of nuts
e.g banana and brazil nuts
apple and walnuts
pear and almonds

Piece of fruit and small amount of cheese (if you have reintroduced dairy)
e.g blueberries and goats cheese
apple and cheddar
pear and brie
pineapple and cottage cheese

Fruit and natural yoghurt
e.g mixed berries and yoghurt
banana and yoghurt
mango and yoghurt

Vegetable sticks and houmous
e.g red pepper and houmous
cauliflower and houmous
carrot and houmous
beetroot and houmous

Vegetable sticks and salsa
e.g yellow pepper and salsa
celery and salsa
baby corn and salsa
mange tout and salsa

Vegetable sticks and small amount of cheese (if you have reintroduced dairy)
e.g tomato and cheddar
beetroot and goats cheese
celery and cottage cheese

Vegetable sticks and nut butter
e.g celery and peanut butter
carrot and almond butter
cucumber and cashew nut butter

Spanish omelette/fritata

Mixed bean salad

2 or 3 falafel

Vegetables and cheese/fish/cold meat (prereably not ready cooked from supermarket)
e.g. cold roasted Mediterranean vegetables with small piece of chicken
cold roasted Mediterranean vegetables with tuna
cold roasted butternut squash with goats cheese
cold mediterranean roasted vegetables with houmous

Soup
e.g Vegetable and chicken
spicy butternut squash and cashew nut
celery
broccoli and stilton

half avocado and prawns
half avocado and salsa
half avocado and tuna

Fruit or vegetables with small handful of seeds

Vegetable sticks ideas (all raw)
pepper
carrot
celery
cucumber
broccoli
mange tout
sugar snaps
baby corn
cauliflower
mushroom
beetroot (cooked)

Roasted root vegetables
butternut squash
sweet potato
carrots
onions
parsnips
swede
celeriac

Roasted Mediterranean vegetables
courgette
aubergine
onion
garlic
tomatoes
peppers

Jayne added her favourites:
Roasted wedges of butternut squash with some garlic and chilli, this hot or cold makes a great snack, serve it with a piece of feta and shredded sage

Cherry tomatoes, and combine a handful of those with anything protein

Roasted parsnips can be satisfying if you want something sweet
....can you think of any others?

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY TWO

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY FOUR

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY TWO

2010-04-24T00:00:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome back!

One of the great things about FAT-SCRAP is that it encourages you to increase your intake of fibre.

Fibre is essential to aid the digestive system in the elimination of toxins and waste. There are two types of essential fibre – insoluble and soluble. Soluble fibre is found in fruit, beans, vegetables, oats, rye, barley, Insoluble fibre is found in whole grains, wheat and corn bran, vegetables, including potato skins, nuts, seeds, and some fruits. So by eating more of these foods you will be increasing your fibre intake and helping lower your risk of intestinal distress.

Sue x

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTYONE

FAT-SCRAP APRIL 2010 DAY TWENTY THREE