5 Common Weight loss Mistakes women over 50 make.

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Hi friends – today I’m sharing with you five common weight loss mistakes women over 50 make.

The other day I was have a coffee after a dog walk and I overheard two women (over 50) chatting about their weekend and I thought how long will it take before they start to talk about their weight…. Bingo, 5 minutes in after discussing the food they ate they started to make pledges to each other on which diet they were going to try this week.

In the twenty years that I’ve been coaching women, through the 90’s the 2000’s and 2010’s I have noticed how the way we women view ourselves and our weight is always at the forefront of our minds.

One of those women at the cafe was talking about how she did this detox the other day and how she’s going through menopause and she’s like it just feels like nothing is working. I don’t know what’s going wrong. In the back of my mind, I’m thinking the problem isn’t that nothing is working. The problem is you are crash dieting and you’re in menopause.

During menopause the body just says I’m done with you not paying attention to me, I’m done with you eating too few calories, eating too many calories, chronically dieting and you’re not giving me what I need so I’m not going to release this weight.

So today, I’m here to tell you that if you’re feeling frustrating and feeling desperate to lose weight and considering doing something like a detox, a shake program or a meal replacement program or cutting carbs and sugar drastically because you’re so frustrated and want to lose weight as fast as possible, I want to help you understand that one year from now you’re going to have the same problem. You’re still going to be struggling with the same problem.

 

And I was thinking about this on the way home from the cafe like I think what happens is we get blinded by our desperation to lose weight. We are so frustrated and unhappy with where we are at, that it leads us down the path of taking drastic measures even though logically in our brain we know we could never do that thing for the rest of our life.

That is the other thing I think women are blindsided by. The way you lose your weight is how you have to maintain your weight so if you lose weight doing shakes then you have to do shakes the rest of your life to maintain your weight.

Taking Ownership

What I commonly see with clients as well as women who come to me who are interested in working with me is that they are not good at challenging themselves and their justifications for why they can’t do things. They also don’t set and adhere to boundaries. What do I mean by these things?

Many times women will say they don’t have time to do something or that they can’t do something for another reason like they’re injured, don’t have money, too tired, etc.

I truly believe where there is a will, there is a way. There is always something we CAN do to move us closer to our goals. I think we get caught up though in thinking if it’s not perfect that it’s not worth doing. Then we don’t do anything.

Caught up in the 90’s diet mentality

Many women are still “going ON a diet” and eating too little, starving their bodies of vital nutrients which nourish our now hormone depleted bodies.  They are skipping meals and going to weight loos groups which fat shame you after stepping on the scales.  Is this you.  This whole mindset needs addressing, reassessing and changing.  It’s no longer about just calorie deficit and exercising like crazy, it’s about managing emotional and physical stress.

Eating Low Fat

This is soo last century!  We need fat to help us to balance our hormones in to longevity.  Eat it and eat it every day.  Nuts, seeds, avocados, oily fish, olives.  Your body will not lose fat without eating these.  Believe it.

Drinking too much Alcohol

Many women use a glass of wine as part of their evening relax routine.  I’m here to tell you that Alcohol is a poison, your liver has to detox the poison, the liver is also the organ that metabolises your fat (ie: burns fat).  If it is busy getting rid of the wine, it will not do its job of burning fat.  Alcohol also raises up your stress hormone Cortisol which can make certain Menopausal symptoms worse.

Obsessed with looking like they did when they were 20

As we get older, our bodies don’t respond the same way to weight loss efforts, and science has some explanations to offer. As we age we naturally tend to gain weight, to the tune of 1 to 2 pounds (lb) per year.  So if you are 50 now, you are likely to NATURALLY be 2 stone heavier than you were when you were 20.  Your skin will be different due to the decline in collogen.  These are normal and natural ageing processes.  The one thing you can do though is maintain, or even build more lean muscle.  Lets celebrate our new shape and form in this new era of our lives.  Stop trying to look 20 again!

Ten Miniature Habits To Help Reduce Drinking At Home

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Alcohol is often the spark to ignite laughter between friends and relaxation after long days, but it can have a murkier side.

As one of the world’s most common psychoactive substances, alcohol is classified as a depressant, slowing the central nervous system, decreasing motor coordination, reaction time, and cognitive performance, and influencing mood.

Regular or heavy consumption can disrupt sleep patterns, affect judgment, alter behavior, cause depression, and impact your heart health and immune system.   Particularly in the menopausal woman.

Regardless of how much you consume, decreasing your intake may be a smart option. Whether you want to cut back because one drink every few nights has turned into several every night, or maybe you want to feel better overall, whatever the reasons, the health benefits can be immediate: lower risk of cancer and strokes, more energy, better sleep, clearer skin, and weight loss.

To help you succeed, I’ve created ten miniature habits that easily fit into your routine.

Each habit consists of a Trigger (an everyday routine that triggers drinking) and an Action (the new practice that will replace frequent drinking or stop altogether.)

After you complete a new habit give yourself a “pat on the back”—Praise—for nailing your new practice.  Whatever makes you smile because praising yourself activates feel-good vibes that make your new habit easy.

Pick one or two miniature habits from the checklist each week and take on the challenge to complete the habit daily for at least five days.

Not all of them will suit your lifestyle, but once you’ve tried some, you’ll be able to customize others to meet your routine. Are you ready for the challenge?

  1. After I finish one glass of wine, I will immediately put dish soap into the glass.
  2. After I get home from grocery shopping, I will put one beer in the fridge and the rest in the cupboard.
  3. After I start making dinner, I will pour myself a non-alcoholic beverage.
  4. After I finish dinner, I will immediately brush my teeth to stop drinking in the evening.
  5. After I arrive home from work, I will fill my water glass.
  6. After I see it is past eight p.m., I will boil the kettle.
  7. After I say goodnight to my children, I will make a herbal tea.
  8. When I think about pouring a glass of wine, I will do three push-ups.
  9. After a friend asks if I want to catch up for a mid-week drink, I will smile and say, “thank you, but not tonight.”
  10. When I feel discouraged, I will reread the intro to this challenge.

Good luck and let me know how you get on.

2023 Well-Being Days and Half days

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2021 saw the launch of Not At Home Well-Being Escapes we ran 4 full days of escapes at the beautiful venue of Amalfi Whites in South Derbyshire.

The days are designed to be fully immersive, and each day has a different topic concerning women’s health and well-being for the Peri to Post menopausal woman, so far we have covered weight loss, pelvic health, stress management, sleep and strength.  Each day we include an outside walk, a delicious healthy themed lunch and home made cake.  We have two movement sessions again linked to the theme of the day.

In 2023 we will be adding a couple of half day escapes which will be held on weekend dates.  I will confirm the venue soon, but it will be in South Derbyshire.

Come and join us again for these brilliant days, where all the like minded ladies gather to laugh and learn, move and eat!

Provisional Dates (TBC)

Full Days  £95

9th March

8th June

21st September

16th November

Half Days £55

1st April

5th August

Send me a text or whatsapp 07812107684 to let me know if you would pre-book any of these dates.

 

Are you a nocturnal urinator?

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What do your pre-bed/sleep habits have to do with the pelvic floor?  As a pelvic floor pilates teacher, I teach that it is not a healthy sign if you have to get up to pee in the middle of the night. When a client reports that they do get up once, twice, three times per night to go pee I will discuss things like bladder irritants, hydration intake before bed and teach habits to “retrain” the bladder. These things are all very important to continue working on but there’s another aspect to why we shouldn’t be getting up in the middle of the night to pee; it’s a sign that we are not reaching the very important REM (rapid eye movement) cycle! 

A lot of great things happen in our body during REM. It is a very important stage of sleep that influences learning, memory and mood. It is also one of the times when antidiuretic hormone (ADH) is released. ADH’s most important role is to conserve the fluid volume of your body by reducing the amount of water that is passed out through the urine. When fluid needs to be conserved and not expelled, ADH secretion increases and we urinate less. When we are properly hydrated, ADH secretion decreases and we urinate at the normal amount (every 2-3 hours and the flow should be strong for 8-12 seconds).

ADH plays an important role in hydration but it also plays a huge role in our ability to sleep through the night! A well-hydrated adult should need to urinate every 2-3 hours. So, how are we supposed to be able to sleep 8+ hours straight without urinating? ADH! When we fall into REM sleep, ADH release is increased which decreases the amount of urine that is produced, we do not have to pee as much and, voila! We are able to sleep without peeing!

However….

During and after menopause, the ADH, which is a hormone is also affected, so we do tend to see ladies going for a wee more often at night.

Healthy Sleep Habit suggestions:

  1. Set a consistent sleep schedule – go to bed at roughly the same time each night.

  2. Have regular bedtime rituals – take a bath, listen to music, meditate. These should be relaxing activities and so that you cue your body that it is time to go to sleep.

  3. Get regular exercise but make sure it is at least 2 hours before bedtime.

  4. Limit caffeine and avoid nicotine – these are stimulants and will interfere with your sleep. Try to stop caffeine intake after 12. Withdrawal from nicotine will initially interfere with sleep. However, once you are past the withdrawal phase, you should be able to sleep better (studies show).

  5. Don’t eat a meal right before bed. Try to eat dinner at least 2 hours before bedtime. A light snack before bed has been shown to promote sleep however.

  6. Avoid alcohol – although alcohol is a sedative and initially promotes sleep, it will interfere with the quality of sleep; you will wake more often and might have increased nightmares.

  7. Keep naps short to increase your “sleep debt” during the day to help you fall asleep easier.

  8. Use your bedroom for sleep only! Try not to eat, watch TV or use other electronics in bed. You want to associate your bedroom with sleep and not other things that might trigger stress.

  9. Stop screen time 2 hours before bed – using screens (TV, cell phones, tablets, laptops) can damage our biological clock. The light emitted “confuses” our brain and makes us think its daytime.

  10. Make sure your bedroom is cool, quiet and comfortable!

10 Ways To Include Flax Seeds In Your Food

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Flax seeds are tiny oil seeds that originated in the Middle East thousands of years ago. Today they have gained popularity as a health food due to their high content of unique plant compounds, heart-healthy omega-3 fats, and fiber, all of which link to numerous benefits.

With their mild, nutty flavour and crispy, crunchy consistency, flax seeds are an all-around ingredient that can enhance the taste and texture of almost any recipe.

Flax seeds have been linked to slight increases in oestrogen, improved hormone metabolism, fewer hot flashes, reduced vaginal dryness, and better overall quality of life in menopausal and postmenopausal women

Let’s explore the many ways to savour the health attributes of this potent seed.

  1. Swirl into SmoothiesPut a couple of tablespoons of flax seeds in your blender and pulse for 10 seconds (Or you can buy them ground.)

    Now you are ready to boost your healthy fat intake by blending a tablespoon or two into your favorite fruit smoothie.

    Use, for example, ½ banana, 1 cup of berries, 1 cup of almond milk, and two tablespoons of flax seeds.

  2.  Add to Granola Two tablespoons of flax seeds contain 4 grams of fiber. So, boost your fiber intake by mixing two to four tablespoons of flax seeds into your granola.Try this homemade granola instead of the store-bought: 110 grams of almonds, four tablespoons of peanut butter, one tablespoon of cinnamon, 150 grams of oats, two tablespoons of maple syrup, and three tablespoons of flax seeds.

    Bake everything for 12 – 15 minutes.

  3. Use instead of oils when bakingTry replacing oils for ground flax seeds in baking goods in a ratio of 3 parts flax seeds to 1 part oil, which means, instead of 1 tablespoon of oil, use three tablespoons of ground flax seeds.
  4. Swap out eggs for flaxseedFlax seeds create a viscous liquid that mimics an egg. So, if you are out of eggs, mix one tablespoon of ground flax seeds and two tablespoons of water.

    Let the mixture rest while you gather the rest of your recipe ingredients.

  5. Substitute for MeatAdding flax seeds to a vegetarian burger recipe is a great way to get a meaty flavor. The flax seeds will help bind the ingredients together.

    Use ¼ cup of ground flax seeds instead of breadcrumbs.

    And a bonus here is that flax seeds are gluten-free!

  6. Salad DressingSwirl ground flax seeds into your favorite salad dressing to make sure you get tons of good minerals like phosphorous, magnesium, manganese, zinc, selenium, copper, and iron.

     

    Try this delicious salad dressing recipe:

    • One cup of water
    • ½ cup of lemon juice
    • Two cloves of garlic
    • One teaspoon of salt
    • One teaspoon of granulated onion
    • ¼ cup of fresh basil
    • ¼ cup of finely ground flax seeds

    Mix everything except flax seeds in a blender until smooth. Then add flax seeds and blend thoroughly

  7. Make a healthier nut spreadFlax seeds have enough healthy fats to create a creamy and buttery spread. The taste of flax seeds butter on its own may not be as appealing to you at first.

    So, the first time you try, add ground flax seeds to your favorite peanut butter or other nut spread

  8. Boost your Soup RecipesSwap out part of the butter or cream for two tablespoons of ground flax seeds in a creamy soup. That will create a velvety and nutty finish in soups. Add a dash of whole flax seeds on top for a crunchy finisher for the finishing touch.
  9. Use in PancakesMake delicious flax seed, gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar-free pancakes

    Use ¼ cup of flax seeds, one ¼ cup of gluten-free flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, 1 cup of almond milk, one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and two tablespoons of maple syrup.

    Serve your pancakes with your favorite fruits.

  10. Sprinkle on TopThe easiest way to add flax seeds to your daily diet is to sprinkle them on any yogurt or oatmeal, giving you a healthy start to your morning.

Including flax seeds in your diet will give you a tasty experience and provide your body with many health benefits.

The high fiber content in flax seeds may relieve constipation and positively affect your gut microbiome.

Research suggests that flax seeds may be helpful for some people diagnosed with heart and blood vessel diseases. Apart from this, flax seeds may also help blood sugar in some people with type-2 diabetes.

Studies also show that due to the nutrient lignans found in flax seeds, eating these seeds may help decrease cancer growth and lower the risk of several types of cancer.

So, go ahead and give these nutritious seeds a try.

1-2-1 Refresh Your Reformer Sessions

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****EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT****

I’m so excited as it’s so close to the time I can once again actually see bodies again in the Pilates studio.

As from next Monday 12th April I am able to offer 1-2-1 Refresh your Reform Sessions at The Reformer Studio in Long Eaton.

These will be 35 minute sessions 1-2-1 for a special Post Lockdown Price £25 (normally charge £40) and will be designed to cater for your own needs.

During the session we can assess how your body is moving, what you would like to work on and get on the reformer for a targeted session.  Just for you!  An idea session to get you ready for the group mat or reformer sessions, or if you just want ‘a go’ on the reformer as a one off.

All the relevant COVID friendly safe guidelines will be followed, the equipment fully sanitised and I will wear a visor throughout.

Time Slots available are:

Please text me or email me now and book your slot now.  I cannot wait to help you to move and groove again.

07812 107684

[email protected]

 

 

Cortisol (stress hormone) – 5 Lifestyle hacks to lower it

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Peri menopause is a state of body & MIND, it’s the opposite to puberty, when once again your hormones are a chaotic mess.

Metabolism becomes less forgiving; you may feel more stressed out. Sleep erodes. Amygdala (reptilian) brain (the non rational side) can take over, making you overreact or snappy. It’s a period of rough waters that can be navigated optimally.

Heres some more things that are happening…

Read more