The Sport Scoop

Here’s your challenge, should you choose to accept it….

Whilst we are all adjusting to the idea of getting back into shape by leading a healthy lifestyle in the first month of the year; we came up with a few sports activities for you to consider and pit your skills against!  By taking on new exercise activities you will be more likely to increase mood satisfaction which will in turn help with efficacy levels which if maintained will reduce hunger & and aid weight loss.   So here are some ideas for you to consider…

1. Get on your bike…

If you live in the country this can be a perfect way to get out of the house and get some fresh air.  Cycling is a great calorie burner and whether your charging up hills or negotiating an urban obstacle course it can be as much fun as it is good for the heart & soul.

2. Go for a dip….

Always a good call as an alternative to running and its bound to keep your heart pumping just as much which will increase efficient weight loss.   Set yourself a target of lengths to do in a certain time and then go for it – this will give you a clear objective in the pool!

3. Dust off those runners….

Head out of the house or join the local gym.  Try to find out if your local gym run any affordable classes, this will help to keep your gym sessions interesting & prevent boredom from setting in by doing the same routine over and over again.

4. Anyone for a game of tennis?

With spring just round the corner now’s the perfect time to think about getting some practice on the tennis court so you’ll be in good shape & nick for those summer tennis parties!   Find a local tennis club and ask if they have any special group club nights so that its easier to find a partner to play against.

5. Fancy a kickabout in the Park?

This is a great way to have a casual weekend bit of fun & exercise with friends & family.  All you need is a ball & some grass!  A good 30 minute run around will help burn off those extra weekend drinking calories to get you in fine fickle & ready for a good hearty lunch.

6. Or get those walking shoes on…

Take the opportunity whenever it arises to walk rather than drive, every little bit of exercise will help burn those calories and help to get you back into shape faster.

Superfoods to keep us healthy & youthful…

In an attempt to keep our skin looking youthful, we often focus on enhancing our complexion using a host of topical creams, serums, lotions and potions. More and more people are looking to injectable treatments such as botox and fillers to ’turn back the clock’.  However, in order to achieve a truly youthful complexion, it is vital that we consider what goes on inside our bodies too. A nutritious diet is fundamental in optimising skin health and preventing ageing.  Hundreds of studies have confirmed that we can improve both the length and quality of our lives and our appearance through the food we eat.

Fresh fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, enzymes and antioxidants, all of which are essential for skin health. Antioxidants counteract the effects of free radicals, molecules linked to cell damage which can cause disease and premature ageing. The Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) rates foods on a basis of nutrient content and so is a good reference in helping you to choose the most nutritious foods.  And remember – five a day is a minimum recommendation!

Pure water. Consuming a minimum of 2l per day (more if you are exercising) keeps your body adequately hydrated. Water ensures the skin retains optimal moisture and volume, helping to keep it supple and preventing premature wrinkling.

Protein rich foods. Collagen fibers and all of the skin’s cells are composed of structural proteins created within your own body. Regular intake of dietary protein is essential for skin health. In addition to quality organic meat, eggs and fish, vegetable protein sources are also important. Consume beans, pulses, unroasted nuts and seeds regularly.

Healthy, essential fats are needed for keeping skin supple and moisturised from the inside. Omega 3s are often lacking in our diets and deficiency can contribute to problems such as dry skin and eczema. Include oily fish, sea foods and unroasted nuts/seeds (especially linseed/flaxseed) in your diet.

Green superfoods. Alfalfa, chlorella, spirulina, barley and wheat grass are potent antioxidants and have an alkalising effect, helping maintain a healthy pH balance and preventing inflammation. These are widely available and can be juiced or taken in supplement form.

Include these foods in your diet regularly and you can be sure you’re doing everything you can to keep your appearance youthful, from the inside out.

If only money really did grow on trees…

Its now the middle of January and pay day at the end of the month still seems a long way off!  All our moods can easily be affected by depressing cash flow issues, but don’t despair its time to stay positive & motivated.   If saving money wasn’t part of your New Year’s resolution list, then you haven’t failed or given up yet, so add it to the fridge as it is now!

Here are some easy tips to help you out:

• Grab your shopping bag and slip on some athletic shoes, its time to go shopping like an Anneka Rice Challenge quest!  Push yourself to eat healthily for as economically as possible, see how far you can make your cash stretch.  Can you feed the family on £10?  Its definitely possible, see if you can do it.  And whilst your shopping try to complete your list & get round the supermarket in record timing!
• Use those voucher sites and discount deals, such as Groupon, KGB Deals, Living Social, Keynoir, Wowcher, etc…to their full potential.  You can find special offers for reduced beauty treatments at spas and salons & find healthy eating out options at the same time.  Use the internet to source cheap alternative products, Ebay & Amazon offer really good deals for great products & deliver them straight to your door!  Also websites such as Money saving expert are really helpful, check out this link http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/?gclid=CJGBg5_93q0CFdMifAodYEc_hg
• Try and make lunch at home during the week rather than buy expensive options on the high street during your lunch break.  Cut out all the unnecessary purchases (avoid the Snickers bars, Walkers crisps, cans of Coke & other bad temptations) they all seem inexpensive & minor but add up over the course of a working week and they certainly aren’t part of your diet plan in achieving those weight loss goals!  Don’t give into those cravings, stay in control of those hunger cravings!
• Finding interesting things to do for the whole family can be tricky but help is at hand as there are lots of activities & entertainment options being promoted at this time of year.  Head to the Timeout website http://www.timeout.com/ and enter in your location city and it will bring up all the various exhibitions and special offers for you & your family, including ideas for the children of all ages, however big or small.

There are lots of new films out at the moment but its really expensive to take the whole family to the cinema, so why not sign up to Net Flix who offer unlimited films & new TV episodes online for only £5.99  a month!   Surely a cheaper alternative to the movies & monthly cable subscriptions.  https://signup.netflix.com/?locale=en-GB

Beat the Bloat

Would you like a flatter, more toned stomach? I think we all would, but its never that easy, it take hard work & true dedication.  But don’t worry that’s why our resident food Nutritionist, Kim Pearson,  is close at hand to help us achieve those weight loss goals that we all crave to succeed with.

So, alongside the correct exercises, what you eat and drink plays a vital role in helping you achieve the abs you always wanted. Here are five great fixes for a flat stomach…

The Wonders of Water
Water retention can cause us to feel as though our midriffs have turned to jelly. Ironically, the best way to beat fluid retention is by drinking more water! The body retains water for several reasons. Have you ever noticed how a hangover is usually accompanied by the feeling that you’ve gained 10lbs overnight? Well the retains water to ‘dilute’ the toxins that your liver’s not yet processed. Drinking water and herbal teas supports the liver in doing it’s job of excreting waste products, helping to reduce water retention.

Ban Bread
Bread and other wheat products can cause tremendous bloating in some people. Gluten, the protein in wheat, can be very irritating to the gut. This can result in what we refer to as the ‘post pasta pregnancy’ look! Pasta, bread, biscuits, cakes, cereals and many other foods contain wheat. In moderation, it’s usually ok (unless you are celiac or have an allergy) but many of us eat it for up to 3 meals a day. Cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and pasta for tea? Then wheat has probably featured in all of your meals. Make simple changes like eating poached eggs with rye bread for breakfast, swap from sandwiches to salads or soups with some protein for lunch. Make a habit of focussing your meals around lean protein and vegetables rather than starchy carbohydrates such as bread and pasta. This will reduce your wheat intake and help you maintain a healthy weight.

Balance your Blood Sugar
Balancing your blood sugar is essential in achieving optimal health and a gorgeous figure. Refined and high sugar foods eventually get converted to fat and will draw water into cells with them as they are stored, adding to the bulk! Stick to low and medium ‘glyceamic index’ foods which break down slowly, giving you a sustained release of energy and minimising fat storage.  These foods include fish and organic meats, vegetables, most fruits (except dried fruits and bananas), pulses and whole grains to name a few. High GI culprits to avoid include sugary, refined foods such as biscuits, sweets, white bread/pasta/rice and many breakfast cereals.

Pop Probiotics
Many people suffer digestive issues – commonly bloating – following the use of prescribed antibiotics. Alongside doing their job of killing bad bacteria, an unfortunate downside is that antibiotics also kill friendly bacteria in the colon. These ‘beneficial bacteria’ are essential in maintaining digestive function and the health of the immune system. If you have taken a course of antibiotics I would ALWAYS recommend you supplement a good probiotic. So are those little probiotic yoghurt drinks any good? Unfortunately… they’re not great. Many contain high amounts of sugar and lack the amounts of probiotic bacteria needed to make a real difference. I recommend a 30 day course of BioCare’s BioAcidophils Forte. Clients of mine have had fantastic results with symptoms often clearing within the first week.

Avoid Alcohol
There is no avoiding the perils of excess alcohol consumption! Beer bellies are commonly seen in middle aged men but the effects are becoming more apparent in younger people too. As mentioned earlier, alcohol is a toxin and in it’s attempt to dilute the toxic effects the body holds on to excess water. In addition to this, alcohol stimulates the stress hormone Cortisol. Increased cortisol levels have been directly linked to an increase in weight stored around the middle. So not only is it important to limit alcohol, reducing caffeinated drinks, smoking and stress will also benefit you greatly. If you do fancy the odd glass, red wine has more nutritional benefits than beer and less gassy – meaning it’s less likely to cause your tummy to swell.

Follow these simple tips and you’ll beat the bloat, reduce excess weight and feel fantastic by the time summer arrives.

FULLfast hits the silver screen with a new celebrity face – Binky, star of the show, ‘Made in Chelsea’

Too often nowadays celebrities jump on the bandwagon to endorse products & brands half heartedly without the necessary commitment required.  That’s why we are pleased to announce that FULLfast has been taken on by a celebrity to be part of her serious January detox programme.

Binky from the show ‘Made in Chelsea’ has decided to involve FULLfast in her January detox programme alongside other expensive luxury beauty treatments.  She’s finding it to be the perfect remedy for shedding those extra lbs and achieving her weight loss goals as the spray formula is giving her the needed assistance in the mental battle of dieting!

“I’m really excited to be the new face of FULLfast. We’re all guilty of over-indulging during the Christmas period and so I’m looking forward to using FULLfast appetite-control spray to help control my hunger pangs throughout January! The spray makes me feel fuller for longer which reduces appetite and helps me shed those extra few pounds. I love the fact you can just pop it in your handbag so I can use it at home, at work or even in the gym!”

To follow her continued progress for the next month log onto Twitter and follow Binky 

Don’t believe the hype…Beware of Online bargainers!

We all know that the internet is now the cheapest way to shop and also the most convenient.  Whilst this is a good thing for all retailers and shoppers alike it is also far too easy for rogue merchants to market products at misleading prices.

There are various online traders who claim to be able to supply products at cheaper prices however omit the fine print details such as shipping.  Once an order is firmly placed and all the costs come to light many of these so called cheaper traders are in fact even more expensive!  So watch out and make sure to read the full offer & service they are providing.  Don’t forget to read all the fine print if you are planning to buy from sources online other than the official website.   Remember if a deal looks too good to be true, then it probably is.

We recommend buying FULLfast from the official source website or from one of our retail partners such as Harvey Nichols www.harveynichols.com as this will ensure that you receive the genuine article at the correct price.

We are now also proud to announce that the appetite control spray is now available through the Revital Health Food Stores nationwide and online.  Revital have teamed up with us to promote FULLfast in all 14 of their stores as they consider FULLfast to be a truly effective slimming aid & the genuine article to assist with dieting plans.