How Many Calories Do You Want To Burn?

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It's Monday.  The calorie scales after a weekend of fun groan from all the delicious cocktails you drank and yet, a smart and talented woman like you dare to ignore the chime of the clock as it strikes gym o’clock!

You promptly divert all thoughts about exercise to a black hole in your head and focus instead on your list of tasks to achieve for the week.  Exercise, surely it can wait right?  After all, why bother thinking about that tempting piece of cake or that delectable 5 course meal you shared with the new boy in town when you simply have got oh so much to do.  Right?  Wrong!

Admittedly, your body looks great in that new dress but what are you going to do when you have a little wardrobe crisis after a few more indulgent weekends like so?  There’s only so much bulge that even the ‘ultimate magic secret slimming firm control knickers’ can cope with. 

So let me rephrase; how many calories do you need to burn after your weekend?  I suppose it depends entirely on how many of the extra treats that 'shall not be named' you had.  

To avoid any panic attacks over clothes in the future, make sure that you fit in a date with exercise.  On a positive note, your options for burning calories truly are endless.

For example, assume a female weighing 60kg spends 45 minutes cycling to work.  She could burn 300 calories.  Increase the tempo on the bike and you could be burning up to 600 calories per exercise session.  

Walking is also a great energy busting activity, in that you could burn up to 200 calories depending on your speed.  Choose a route with hills and this could increase up to 300 calories.  

Running is brilliant as you could burn anywhere between 500 to 600 calories depending on your weight, speed and distance.  This really is an excellent calorie burner.

Swimming is not only relaxing but 45 minutes in the pool for the same female weighing 60kg could result in an energy deficit of around 400 calories.  If a slice of bread provides approximately 100 calories, then you are not doing too badly.  The butterfly stroke is another efficient activity and for this movement you could burn up to 600 calories.

Playing sport such as tennis, squash or volleyball are all fantastic options for burning calories so why not join a team?  It's also fun and a great way to make new friends.

Alternatively, you may prefer the gym whilst we head towards winter.  Even resistance training exercise with weights burn calories when you perform the activity.  As you build muscle tone and increase lean body mass, your metabolic rate will rejoice and utilise energy in the form of calories.  

Before you commit to hours and hours of exercise, research does recommend less calories in, so make eating fewer calories from treat foods your top priority.  

When this fails, balance the energy scales with regular activity to burn excess calories after a fun weekend, but to also keep your heart ticking happy.  

For tips on how to incorporate little bite sized portions of exercise through-out the day, read Keep Your Body Moving and visit my page dedicated to Exercise 'Push Yourself'

So next time it’s exercise o’clock, think back to your long, lazy, indulgent boozy lunches and dinners with girlfriends over the weekend.  Let me remind you...did it start with something like this?  That single innocent little drink...

That's right ladies, think real hard and say yes to exercise.  Your body and heart will thank you for it.

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How To Shop Till You Drop And Lose Pounds Whilst You Do It

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Enjoy quality time with your close friends to shape your beautiful wardrobe, thighs and bottom too!  Every woman knows how fabulous a shopping expedition can be.  Yet can regular trips to your favourite shops hold the key to successfully shedding the necessary pounds?

Let’s count numbers.  It takes at least 20 minutes if not more to walk down Oxford Street after eyeing up the windows but do you really care exactly how many calories you burn as a result?  You will be having far too much fun to notice surely?  There’s all the department stores en route to visit, a new blouse to try on, winter coats to mull over, the gorgeous trousers to re-try for the millionth time, after all, you’ve got to be sure that your bottom looks small in that outfit right? 

Sound familiar?  I wouldn’t be surprised if a woman normally spends at least 2 snappy hours on her feet scouring the clothing racks in hot pursuit of the next divine outfit that will set her heart on fire.

Shopping may be an unexpected way of burning energy, but when you move your body, hey presto you use up energy.  Every savvy shopper knows that she needs both hands free for a successful shop, which means that not even a single hand can be spared for snacking when trying on clothes.  Perfect.

BENEFITS OF SHOPPING

Boost in mood

Burn calories unexpectedly

Awareness of body shape and clothing size

Can be done solo or with a friend

Window shopping is also a very enjoyable form of exercise, don’t you think?  Your purse will love you, and so will your hips and thighs for the gentle but fun workout.  Make this a regular activity and it will be impossible not to notice any weight that does creep up on you.  After all, you will be trying on clothes every week, which allows you to take control of any major changes in dress sizes straight away.  Remember, a size 10 in Karen Millen is not the same as a 10 in another store.  Different cuts and styles in clothing may require a change in dress size, but an increase from the usual size 10 to a 12 after a holiday of indulgent eating may very well indicate a true weight gain.

At this point you may need a beady eye over your usual intake and exercise regime.  For this scenario see Let's Number Crunch: How To Drop Half A Kilo In A Week.

With only a few months to go before Christmas, it’s easy to be put off by the crowds and lead you to settle for online shopping.  Although this is both effective and time efficient, shopping whilst surfing the internet reaps no rewards in terms of weightloss.  Why not try late night shopping on a Thursday or Friday night when the heaving shops might be a little bit quieter?  This promotes the opportunity for burning calories, whilst also reducing the likelihood of you heading to the shops for returns on purchases that didn’t quite fit ‘right’.

In summary, walking is a fantastic energy burner and you will do plenty of it when you spend a couple of hours on your feet exploring the shops.  You may not burn as many calories when compared to a run or a swim, but it doesn’t matter.  It’s great to mix up the type of activities that you do during the week.

Have fun and don’t forget to draw up a budget before you hit the shops!

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To Eat Or Not To Eat – Pizza Or Glass Of Water?

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How do you cope when you rush out of an extended meeting that’s lasted for hours longer than anticipated?  It’s 3.30pm, you’ve missed lunch and there’s just a great British pie or pizza with soggy chips that the cafeteria will rustle up for you.  What do you do?  Do you gorge on the calories or skip it and survive on air and water until dinner?  Let’s discuss!

The good news is you are probably not alone.  This happens to everyone from time to time, but if this is a regular occurrence, you may need to do something about it.  Even so, let’s face it; if you haven't planned for this and don't have a delicious sandwich waiting for you in the fridge, then your options are pretty limited. 

Scenario one: you stuff yourself and feed your screaming tummy.  Scenario two: you choose to brave it and drink another glass of water as there really isn’t anything suitable to eat.

Sounds harsh but I believe we’ve incited a fierce debate.  It’s a little bit like weight cycling or yo yo dieting, whereby you lose weight and then regain it all over again in the space of a few days.  Did you know that some studies quote that fasting and feasting may affect your resting energy expenditure?  

Weight loss as a result of skipping meals may make you feel giddy with joy, but you may also experience a decline in your metabolic rate.  Worse, a high proportion of this weight loss may in fact be lean body mass rather than fat mass.  Not all studies are in agreement with these claims but the impact on state of mind and your food choices at the next meal as a result of skipping meals may in fact be pointing the finger towards an unhealthy diet and lifestyle.  

What's more, I can’t imagine that you will have energy for an intense hour of swimming or cycling after just a glass of water for lunch as fuel for your planned after work activity.

So if it's not scenario two should we settle on scenario one?  You decide to buy a slice of the cheesy gooey gluttonous pizza. OK, perhaps it’s only gluttonous if you go for the chips too.  And that’s exactly it, choose a small portion of what’s going on offer and top up with fruit or low fat yoghurt (instead of the soggy chips as extra) to keep you going till your evening meal.  This ensures that you are not filling your body with unnecessary calories just because you are raving mad with hunger.

Scenarios two is certainly not recommended but if you are beyond hunger, choose something light even if you only do choose a piece of fruit, cereal bar or a bit of toast.  

Be sensible and you may wake up in a weeks time finding that you have successfully managed to shed another pound.  Why?  You made the smart choice of eating to hunger instead of overriding the hunger cues.  It may not have been the most healthiest choice, but you chose an acceptable portion size which meant that you still had the energy for the planned after work exercise plans.

Purple verdict?  It’s possible you may disagree, but I say eat it and have the glass of water too.  Slot in an exercise session to work it off then forget about it.  Tomorrow’s another day.

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Can You Have Your Cake And Keep Your Waistline Too?

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Guess my shock when I had realised that I had gained weight since I started baking milk, egg, wheat and soy free recipes for the blog.  I love baking and love eating it too, but I love my waistline just that little bit more.  So how do you have your cake and keep your waistline too?

God created women to look and feel good right?  I mean, if you didn't look good (and I don't mean underweight), I mean the kinda woman that exudes confidence, happiness and inspires everyone around her.  She could be a size 10 or a size 20, it doesn't matter.  She just looks darn good and comfortable in her skin if you know what I mean.

For the purpose of health, it is recommended that your BMI is within a healthy range (or at least less than 25).  To calculate your BMI use this interactive calculator on BBC BMI Calculator.  Alternatively Do You Know Your Waist To Hip Ratio?

If your risk factors for disease are raised as a result of being over the healthy thresholds and cut-offs discussed above, then let's see how we can find a way of letting you eat a bit of that cake and keeping your waistline too.

I love my Banana & Pecan Delight but it pays to keep your objects of desire under control.  All for the sake of looking good but feeling good too.  I sometimes look through photos from girly nights out and remember how much I loved wearing that dress and this quickly suppresses any urges for a calorie rich snack.

When I baked Wholesome Oaty Chocolate & Hazlenut Slice I knew that ingredients such as oats and nuts would contribute to my overall fibre intake.  I also took it round to an afternoon BBQ for dessert.  Sharing your baking with friends mean that you get to satisfy your sweet craving whilst keeping your waistline happy too.

Ingredients such as polenta and fruit can improve the overall nutritious score of your baking like in Cherry O Olympics Cherry Cake.  I also sliced this and wrapped it into individual portions using glad wrap or cling film as you call it.  This is a great way of controlling portion sizes and making your baking last.  It's so tempting to slice just another 'tiny' sliver and before you know it, you've created a huge dent in the cake and it most likely has ended up in your belly!

 Italian Banana Loaf With Polenta, Walnut & Coffee is absolutely delicious but baking such as these cannot stay in the house.  Instead share the love by taking it to work the next day and share with your colleagues.  Your colleagues or friends will love you and so will your waistline.  

Take on the French approach too.  My girlfriend Celine is tiny but eats cake through-out the day.  Read How The French Stay Slim and you'll see what I mean.  She may eat cake and yet she has a gorgeous figure too.  How does she do it?  She eats tiny portions.  You'll never catch her stuffing her face with cake!

Baking such as High Energy Lemon & Almond Polenta Cake are exactly that, high in energy regardless of ingredients.  Cake simply is not a girl's best friend.  If you choose to bake it then let's summarise the tips that we discussed above.

1. Add fruit, oats or other high fibre ingredients to improve the nutrition score on your baking
2. Reduce total added sugar by adding fruit such as banana or sultanas.  Banana is a great binder too.
3. Stick to small or 'French' portion sizes.  You want to look good and your waistline will thank you for it.
4. If you do give in and whip up an amazing number in the kitchen, don't panic.  Individually portion and wrap your baking to make it last.
5. Alternatively, take it round to a friend or to work the next day.  It's good to share the love.
6. Finally, don't forget to exercise to burn off the extras.  If you need a bit of inspiration read Your Ultimate Inspirational Guide To Running or OMG Where Is That Food Diary & Exercise Regime?

So to answer your question above, yes it's entirely possible to have your cake and keep your waistline too, but ladies, stick to the tips above.  Aim for 'French' or sensible portion sizes and burn off extras with exercise such as walking or your favourite dance class.  Just keep your body moving!

On that note, it's time for bed.

Have a wonderful week my lovely readers.

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How To Keep The Pounds Off On Holiday: Climb A Mountain?

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I have a huge confession to make and that is, I did absolutely nothing to keep the pounds off on holiday!  Or should I say that I simply did not even think about it! My focus was to relax and completely enjoy beautiful Scotland. 

I ate two course meals and if I see another cooked breakfast in my life I think that I may have to scream from overindulgence!  Yet I am a little bit surprised to find that I weigh the same post holiday.

Here's how to do it.

I see no point in depriving yourself from tasty treats during your holiday.  If you take the same approach as me, make sure you slot in plenty of walking during the day to burn off the extras.  Always consider portion sizes.  It may take a minute to eat that chocolate bar, but at least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise to burn it off.

For example, on arriving at Glasgow, we ditched the bags, threw on some comfortable shoes and walked around for at least an hour to soak in the views and to get to know the city.  The next morning we picked up a car to drive towards Isle of Mull, but we selected our car snacks thoughtfully.  Plenty of water, nuts, fresh fruit and a bit of chocolate.  The latter came in handy once we decided to climb Cobbler a couple of days later.

Car snack tip: always eat the fruit first, then the higher calorie snacks.  Cereal bars are useful too as they store well and can last for the duration of your holiday.  Always remember to screen your labels.  Yes you are on holiday, but your heart never misses a beat.

You will love being active on holiday.  It really makes you feel like you've 'earned' that fabulous meal you are about to have.  We did a couple of walks.  The first was in the area of Fort William and led to this beautiful waterfall.

Our second walk was up a mountain called the Cobbler.  The climb and descent took us nearly 4 hours, which includes photo stops and moments of sheer panic on the eerie 'staircase' that eventually led to some spectacular views of towering mountains and Loch Long (or a Loch of some description).  The staircase is actually a steep path created by slabs.  Tricky and slippery when wet.

It's worth the climb as the views are truly amazing, exhilarating and you'll have a sore bottom to remind you of the great climb the next day!

For anyone interested, here are some of the shots from our climb.  The first photo illustrates some of the first views from as early as 10 - 15 minutes into the path.

At this point you will feel relaxed and happy, cocooned with a false sense of confidence that the climb will be a piece of cake!  

Below are more photos.  Although we were lucky for a sunny and bright start, we did experience cloud and rain along the way.  The rays of sunshine depicted in the photo below still made the experience magical and so beautiful.  Your heart will truly be warmed just by watching the 'sun rays'.  Enjoy my 'rays of light' as I call it.  Can you see it?  We may still be walking through the 'forest' at this point.

Almost half way there, I really was not expecting to climb to the top of the summit.  I am terrified of heights, but the lovely purple littered path still made me feel safe and enticed to continue.  Such picturesque peaks!

If you are fit, enjoy the climb as you will be rewarded with plenty of monstrous views that will completely take your breath away.  For the rest of us, it is tiresome and a tiny bit more challenging if you are afraid of heights.  The only advice that I can share with you is to relax, take your time and try to enjoy the experience as much as you can.  The only thing that got me through the staircase was the Frenchman gripping my hand (or was it me gripping his..?).  Either way, I am so glad I did it.  The uphill climb is fantastic for a bootilicious bottom ladies!

I did threaten to throw tantrums when the Frenchman persisted that I continue the ascend.  I really was completely consumed with fear at one point.  I feel incredibly silly and ashamed now but very thankful that I didn't give in to my fears and reached the top.  It is such an incredible feeling when you reach the peak.  You feel proud and speechless as you take in the views of water, mountains, sky and even clouds as they fog up your view but it is at this moment when you realise that every step truly was worth it.

Very thankful that I ate that cooked breakfast.  I needed all of my strength and courage to get  here.  On reflection, physically this was not a demanding climb but mentally this was one serious challenge.

As the clouds and rain took over, we knew that we had to stuff at least half a sandwich into us rapidly and then retrace our steps back down the cobbler.

As we stepped off the final slab on the 'staircase', I rewarded myself with a cadbury flake.  Well deserved I thought.  Besides I needed something to stop the shakes.  

My favourite moment as we descended the mountain was when this beautiful rainbow appeared from absolutely nowhere!  Just amazing.  It really makes you feel like the luckiest person in the world.  Exercise truly is possible on holiday and who knows what your adventure will lead to?

Can you spot the rainbow?

Keeping It Real: What To Eat After Exercise

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Image from google

Fruit?  Yoghurt?  Your next meal?  What do you eat after exercise?

If you are worried that I am about to suggest a great big plate of greens, don’t be!  Much as I enjoy salads and broccoli, this is definitely not what I am reaching for immediately after exercise.

It actually depends completely on what you’ve just done, don’t you think?  If you find that you channel your brain after an exercise session trying desperately to suppress all yearnings for anything that resembles food, then stop right there!  Listen to your body, or should I say that growling tummy?  If you have been out there hot on your heels (or trainers should I say), working the streets and burning some serious energy, then this energy will need replacing.

If you exercise to burn off extra curves then you still need to eat or you’ll only end up over eating the next time you do eventually choose to eat.
 

After strenuous exercise, the most important thing might actually be to replace fluids.  If you weigh yourself pre and post strenuous activity on a hot day, there could be a difference between ½ to a kilogram or more.  

This sadly will not be body fat, but fluids lost from exercise.  So you’ll need to replace these precious fluids to avoid dehydration.

What next?  I may choose something light like yoghurt which is a great combination of carbs and protein.  You may prefer to dive straight away into your evening meal or breakfast if you exercise in the morning.  This is also an excellent post exercise solution.

Either way, don’t over think it.  If you just want a drink and something light like a piece of toast with a bit of peanut butter, fine dig in. 

Your choices really will depend entirely on your nutrition and exercise goals.  After high intense exercise of 60 minutes or more, always hydrate and fuel up with energy .  

Think of your body like a car, which needs to be topped up with fuel after a drive.  Your body works in exactly the same way.  

After a high intensity workout, even if you are aiming for negative energy balance to facilitate weight loss, it is still beneficial to eat a small snack such as low fat yoghurt, a banana, or a glass of reduced fat flavoured milk and so on to avoid over eating later at a meal.

However, if you’ve just been out for a 30 minute walk and your goal is weight loss, then you may wish to reach for the fruit bowl after making yourself a cup of tea or you may end up fuelling an already ‘full’ engine.  

Remember, If you haven’t burned it, then you don’t need it.  Walk out of that kitchen and reward your hard work with something that isn’t food.

Purple Tip - If you plan to exercise the next morning pre-breakfast, then eat a balanced meal of slow releasing carbohydrate foods, protein and vegetables the night before.  

Consider a sports drink consisting of 5-6% of carbohydrate to drink during exercise to improve your performance in the morning.  This is especially useful if your exercise session is of high intensity lasting more than an hour and you did not manage a pre-workout snack.  Always eat breakfast afterwards.

So it’s not set in stone what to eat after exercise.  The message is eat something, whether it be a light snack such as fruit or yoghurt or your next meal such as breakfast or dinner.  

Just think, are you filling up more than what your tank has just used up, or just enough to keep your engine humming along happily during the day?  Think about it.

What do you eat lovely readers, after a work-out? 

The Secret Sauce For Happiness - A Morning At Race For Life

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It's possible that you too have someone in your life who may have been touched by cancer.  


It was a pleasure to take part in today's Race For Life event in Regent's Park.  This is one of the most beautiful parks in London.


You will be so busy enjoying the gorgeous flowers and birds that you'll quickly forget that you are out exercising.

If you are like me, you may have been complaining about the rain and making excuses to exercise secondary to the 'wet' summer that we've been experiencing.  And like me, if you took part in today's race then you may have realised how precious life really is and appreciated rain for the first time.


You may have appreciated life, the opportunity to race (yes, even in the rain), and the glorious opportunity to spend a saturday morning with friends, loved ones or simply the chance to enjoy a walk with your special friend like Mr Gorgeous below.

Or her...  Drenched, but happy and proud.

As we continued our walk to support those we love or loved with cancer, happiness, we have come to believe is right there in front of us.  


It is in the people we love and in the little things that make us happy.  It may be the flowers you see around you, your adored pet, your favourite pink top, the sound of your new baby laughing or that hug you received from your mum who you secretly think nags at you endlessly.

Whoever or whatever 'it' may be, open your door and invite happiness every day, for who knows what tomorrow may bring?

But of course the stars for today are these lovely super heroes!  Bat girl sure looks good!

And of course it may come as no surprise to you when I say that food sure does make me happy.  We headed to a lovely Italian restaurant on Crawford Place called 'Briciole' for some much needed feeding.


The food was delicious, the service was homely and pleasing, with the decor stylish and inviting.


The green olives were truly authentic and tasty (and hence why there are only two left to photograph)!

This flavourful Sicilian inspired dish with red prawns were truly a taste from Italy.  I was a very happy diner.

In conclusion, I am grateful for a lovely day with the girls.  Lovely readers, what makes you happy?  What are you most grateful for today?

OMG Where's That Food Diary & Exercise Regime?

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Image from Google

Lovely readers, I must apologise profusely.  I have not maintained a food diary for over two weeks, maybe three.  There's been a holiday to France that's interrupted the routine and then I've been down with a bit of a dreadful cough.  My exercise schedule has totally been ditched to a corner.  


Yet, I am looking longingly at some of the spectacular summer dresses that are splashed across Grazia.  I do fancy a new summer dress or two.


How do you get back on track after a holiday or brief period of illness?  How do you find the motivation to pick up from where you left off?  The fact is, the lack of sun certainly does not tempt me to race to the park for that much needed run.  


Admittedly, I do miss exercise.  I am thinking that the key is to start small.  Perhaps just a 5K run tomorrow will do.  I'll pencil in a date with Nike Training app for later in the week too.  A buddy system works well, especially if you exercise regularly with a friend.  You will definitely want to keep this date with your buddy to get back on track.  


Think about it, that feeling when you return to exercise and healthy eating after a period of indulgent behaviour will be freeing, making you feel so much lighter, happier, healthier.


Once you are released from the walls of inactivity and indulgent eating, you will be back into the usual exercise routine (but my god that goats cheese tart was delicious - for the recipe see A Party Tart With Goats Cheese, Parmesan & Tomato).


It's taking that first step back towards the healthy 'you' that's the tricky part.  Here a few tips that you might also find useful if you are in a similar situation.  After all, I'd rather keep trying to get back into it and fail a few times, than never try at all.


Tip 1
I plan to place my running gear on my bed before I leave the house, so that the first thing I see when I return home is my promised date with the park.


Tip 2
Mark the exercise period in your diary as you would with any other appointment.  This way if a friend tries to tempt you with after work drinks or dinner, you will need to schedule this after your exercise session.  


Tip 3
If you have a gym membership, look through the range of exercise classes and book yourself into one.  Make sure that you head straight to the gym after work.  Don't forget, if you prefer to exercise with a friend, then call a friend and plan a walk or alternative exercise activity together.


Tip 4
If everything fails, try on your favourite dresses or pair of jeans to remind yourself that exercise plays an important role in keeping your body and heart in tip top shape.


So on that note I shall leave you to mull over exercise, healthy eating and gorgeous summer dresses.


How do you get back into your exercise routine?

Paleolithic Diet & CrossFit - A Bodybuilder's Winning Combo?

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I admit it – I was full of contempt when Joseph Hoang talked to me about the paleolithic diet experience.  You may also know this diet as the ‘caveman diet’.  I believe it’s taken the world by storm, but seriously; to me - it really is just another low carb and low energy diet..

Yet I’ve met Joe who swears by the diet.  Joe is 31 and is an IT consultant.  He is dedicated to his exercise regime of crossFit workouts and has successfully lost around 18kg since commencing the paleo diet.

How did you hear about the diet?

‘I hit a time in my life when I thought to myself, I need to do something about my body.  I want to look good.  My diet was unhealthy and I ate a lot of rubbish.  Takeaway meals such as Chinese, Lebanese or Indian used to be my usual dinners whilst cheesy crackers and chocolate biscuits were my staple snacks.' 

'I decided to exercise and I joined the gym.  I gave up smoking.  I got introduced to crossFit training and my coach in Australia at the time suggested that I give the paleo diet a go.'

 Your first impressions on the paleo diet

‘Being of Asian background I was worried about the restrictions such as rice, potato and milk.  I gradually took the approach by cutting out one food at a time.  I first cut out all refined sugars so out went the chocolate biscuits.’

‘By this stage I had reached 82kg and I thought it was all muscle.  I was gaining weight but I didn’t worry as I knew that muscle weighed heavier than fat.  I really thought it was all muscle.  Boy did I need a wake up call!’

  

'I commenced the diet in December 2010.  It took me 3 months to lose the weight.  I dropped down to 64kg which is a 22% body weight loss.  My waist used to be 35cm and I reduced this to 28cm.  I am a small guy so these measurements are better suited for me.’

Give me a quick example of what you used to eat like before your dramatic weight loss

Breakfast

‘Hangover food’ like bacon and eggs, a large bread roll with BBQ sauce and mushrooms

Snacks

A whole box of cheesy & salty crackers called ‘Shapes’.  I would then start on a packet of ‘Tim Tams’ (chocolate biscuits in Australia).

I would also drink three mochaccinos with whole milk and during the weekends I would drink a 1 litre bottle of fizzy drink per day.

Dinner

A large meal based on meat, rice, bread, potato and veggies.  Often take-aways.

‘At my fattest I was working full-time so I really didn’t have time for exercise.  I was also a smoker so I didn’t have the energy or even the lungs to run!  I was only able to run 200 metres without stopping.  Enough was enough so I quit smoking in 2009.'

What changes did you make first?

‘I joined crossFit, started exercising and cut out the biscuits.  As a result, I lost around 5kg but it was a struggle to lose more.  I had a huge appetite after exercise and really struggled to shift the weight.  I hovered around the high 70s for about a year.  By this stage I was running and swimming.  I even completed two marathons that year but still struggled to shed the extra body fat.  During this time, a friend at work recommended that I cut out carbs from my evening meal.  I tried it and this helped me lose a little bit more body fat.’

‘I then cut out some of my high fat snacks and replaced it with berries, apples, cherry tomatoes and nuts.  For lunch, instead of large sandwiches I chose large chicken salads.  For dinner, I ate roast chicken with steamed vegetables.  Once a week I’d treat myself to my favourite foods such as noodles or absolutely anything I wanted.’

What happened when you transitioned onto the caveman diet?

‘I cut out all of my high fat snacks and ate only fruit or nuts.  I also got inspiration from John Stone Fitness who took photos of his weight loss every day for an entire year.  My photos above are my weekly progress over 3 months.

Was there anything that you could eat on the paleo diet?

‘I did my own version of the diet.  This is how I ate.'

Breakfast

Coffee and 2 x hard boiled eggs

Snacks

Almonds and macadamia nuts.  If I felt naughty I ate cashew nuts, but always plain, never roasted.  I ate these in unlimited quantities, but you get so sick of eating them.  After about 20 nuts you can’t face eating another.  It kept me full until lunch.

Lunch

I ate the same lunch every day!  A small can of flavoured chicken or tuna.  Or fresh roasted chicken with lettuce, tomato and tabbouleh which was based on tomatoes, onions, garlic and parsley prepared with olive oil.

‘I never felt hungry as I always snacked on berries and nuts.’

Dinner

Roast or grilled meat with vegetables such as broccoli or bok choy to name a few.  Potato and sweet corn were not allowed on the diet but I did eat avocado as this was highly recommended.

Dessert

Cup of tea with berries

‘This was the hardest three months of my life but the feeling I had afterwards was amazing.  My stomach felt tight like I had abs all the time.  I felt surreal.  I was eating such an unhealthy diet previously that I didn’t know what being healthy felt like.  This felt amazing!’ 

What was the hardest about the diet?

‘The first two weeks was the hardest as I had a huge energy crash.  I was highly irritable and was sleeping at my desk by 3pm.  My shirt would be untucked and my tie swung behind me the wrong way around.  I also had to cut out yoghurt and milk which I really loved.'

Did you take any multi-vitamins or any other supplements?

‘I took a multivitamin tablet a day.  The diet said that you didn’t need calcium from dairy alone, greens were sufficient.  I don’t recall the diet recommending a calcium supplement and I am not sure if the multivitamin tablet contained calcium.  The diet did not recommend additional supplements but I felt that I needed a vitamin tablet.’

How are you maintaining your weight loss?

‘I maintained the diet but re-introduced carbs.  I eat carbs only in the form of sweet potatoes as it's a low GI food.  I was not keen on pasta and rice as I always noticed that I felt sleepy after eating these.  If I was out with friends and I ate rice, particularly Jasmine rice, then I would be the first to be asleep at the dinner table!  I still have a cheat meal once a week where I still choose to eat rice, pasta and other favourite foods.'

What’s your diet like now?

Breakfast

1 x sweet potato with tuna, chicken or hard boiled egg

Lunch

Avocado and chicken salad with salad greens, tomatoes and another sweet potato

‘I continue to snack on fruit and nuts all day.’

                                                                                         

Dinner

Similar to lunch

‘I eat dinner quite late as I train after work for almost three hours.  Sometimes I feel a little faint during training and hence why I introduced carbs back into my breakfast and lunch.' 

Your last words before we bid you farewell?

‘It was the best thing I did.  At first it was one of the hardest 2 weeks during the crash, but then it all came together.  The satisfaction of securing tight abs made it totally worthwhile!   I’ve made it to the top 30 for crossFit and I have also made it on TV last week.  If you'd like to watch the clip where I am exercising then check out this video on 'The Box UK' on Ramp Training

  

The purple impression

Thank you so much Joe for sharing your inspiring story with us today.  The positive changes for Joe are that he stopped smoking and he is exercising successfully at a competitive level considering that he never exercised previously.  He is also eating fruit and vegetables which are a valuable source of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.  


I have recommended that Joe introduces carbs pre-exercise in the form of smoothies, fruit and yoghurt or in another format that is easy to digest and is acceptable for him.  This could help improve performance and avoid the ‘dives in energy’ that he has experienced previously.   


As he trains for up to 2-3 hours per each exercise session, he may benefit from a sports drink during training to replace electrolytes and provide additional energy.

The diet over a short period of time has clearly been helpful in reaching Joe's weight loss goals.  Joe was insightful and was able to recognise when he needed to increase his energy intake through carbohydrates to meet the high demands of his exercise routine.  


I still feel that Joe can reach peak performance if he increased his intake of carbohydrates pre and post training.  


What do you think?