Un-diet yourself for summer!

Un-diet yourself for summer!

With the summer holidays around the corner, many people will inevitably be looking for the next dieting fad to help them get ready for the beach, but recent research suggests that might all be a waste of time and energy.  

Why diets fail

According to Dr. Mark Hyman, functional medicine doctor, Director of the Cleveland Clinic Centre for Functional Medicine and New York Times bestselling author of “Ultrametabolism” and “Ultrawellness” most diets predictably fail because of 5 reasons…  

  1. You try to exercise your willpower to control your appetite instead of understanding there is a science behind hunger
  2. Your focus is too much on counting calories
  3. Your diet consists of all low-fat foods
  4. Your weight is actually affected by hidden reasons that require medical attention
  5. You lack a solid health and weight loss plan to guide you on your journey  

Dr Hyman also says that when the average dieter loses weight, they lose muscle AND fat, and then when they regain the weight, they gain back only the fat… which will ultimately slow down your metabolism. And that’s not what you want from a diet!

How can you succeed with your health without dieting?  

Here are 5 success tips that will keep you in peak health without dieting:

  1. Eat enough whole fresh food to satisfy your appetite (your body will be less hungry because it’s fully nourished)
  2. Eat protein for breakfast to boost your energy for the day
  3. Eat your last meal three hours before bedtime to give your system time to digest before sleep
  4. Make low-glycemic foods your diet staple such as nuts, seeds, chicken and fish so your blood sugar stays level
  5. Eat good fats at every meal such as avocado, nuts, seeds and olive oil (healthy fats are your friend, not your enemy)

More and more experts in the field are extolling the virtues of slow, sustainable weight loss. Even diets that get remarkable results over short periods of time often lead to people putting the weight back on afterwards.

On the other hand, people who lose weight gradually and steadily (about 1 to 2 pounds per week) have much more success. Healthy weight loss is about having a sustainable eating pattern, rather than eating to starve yourself over short periods of time and then facing the prospect of yo-yoing back to your original weight (or worse!).

Sustainable weight loss, sustainable exercise

The British Heart Foundation recommends that ‘a combination of diet changes and getting more active has been shown to be more effective than just changing what you eat, so think about ways to get more active. That might be walking instead of driving, or something more structured like swimming, an exercise class or a sport you enjoy. Aim for 150 minutes a week, and break it into 10 minute chunks if it seems like a lot to begin with.’

At Pilates Klinik we obviously believe you should make time during the week to exercise, and our central location makes us easy to get to if you work in the city. If you haven’t done Pilates before, maintaining a regular practice will help you get in serious shape. It was designed to be the ultimate fitness programme, improving core stability and coordination while toning the muscles.

Our studio offers beginner, mixed ability or intermediate Reformer classes. At Pilates Klinik, our goal is to create a uniform and familiar structure to all of our classes. Regardless of your fitness levels, we guarantee that you will leave the class feeling stronger, more flexible and energised.

Add regular Pilates classes to improved eating habits and you’ll feel great, inside and out. Get in touch and book a class today!

 

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