Hello again everybody.

This month I am going to give you tips that will be useful. This is an excerpt of one of the seminars I have given. At the end there is also a testimonial from a mid fifties lady who has been on two of our challenges. Our challenges really try to replace bad lifestyle habits with good lifestyle habits. They are simple and very doable. We have another 30day challenge starting on the 1st of March. Email me at olamideb@awakenlifestyles.com if you want to join. Remember if you want to go fast, go alone; If you want to go far, go in a group.

1.Drink water

Our bodies are made up of 50-75% water and this decreases as we age. Besides helping us lose weight, water helps nutrition work, ⅔ of the water in our bodies is intracellular (inside the cells) and ⅓ is extracellular, which circulates between cells and inside organs, supplying nutrients and excreting waste.
Research shows that obese people who drank 2 cups of water before each meal over a 3-month period lost 5 pounds more than those who didn’t. 1 year later, the water drinkers had kept more of that weight off.

2. Sleep
How much you sleep AND the quality of your sleep will affect nearly every aspect of your daily life, so it’s important to get the sleep you need every night. Proper sleep is critical for stress management, weight and overall health.
Inadequate sleep leads to an increased chance of developing obesity by 23% with just 6 hours of sleep per night and 50% with just 5 hours per night, and 73% with 4 hours per night.
Lack of sleep disrupts circadian rhythms and can lead to inefficient body regulation of energy balance, metabolism, and appetite.
Abnormal leptin and ghrelin levels – hormones that tell your body “I’m full, stop eating” – can go away with too little sleep.
Said simply: Sleep more, eat, and weigh less! Strive for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Stress:
Increases The Hormone Cortisol and makes our bodies crave carbohydrates and increases appetite
Makes our bodies store fat around the midsection

We can gain weight even if we don’t eat more due to stress
Contributes to Major Illnesses like heart disease, depression, obesity and poor mental health

3. Exercise
Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.
Examples of exercise. Walking, jogging, cycling ,dancing , swimming.

Physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths globally.
From a health standpoint, exercise can be more beneficial than simply being at a healthy weight.
Besides burning calories, exercise is also important because when you exercise your body releases endorphins, which make you feel good and motivate you to eat well, do your job well and simply be happy
A growing body of evidence has shown that normal weight couch potatoes are more vulnerable to all causes of death, especially heart disease, than overweight people who exercise
Exercise for an exercise goal, not for a weight goal
Strive to be active at least 30 minutes every day to help keep your body strong and lean. Remember it doesn’t have to be expensive.

4. Eat Right
Feel empowered by putting the most nutrient rich foods in your body. When you focus on how good you feel when you fuel yourself with the best foods you will continue to be motivated to eat these foods.  The benefits from skin health to weight loss, and all that’s in between, will follow.

Eat Real Carbohydrates not processed food. Replace refined carbohydrates like bread, pasta, cereal, with complex carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Complex carbs are also packed with antioxidants that help reduce inflammation in the body.

Eat healthy fats.
A common misconception is that fat should be completely eliminated. In reality, we could not live without fat. The body utilises dietary fat for energy, healthy hair, skin, nails, vitamin absorption, and normal everyday bodily functions. Good fats promote several health benefits such as protection against heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, depression and it can reduced blood pressure and lower cholesterol. Choose sources such as nuts, seeds, fish, avocados, and extra virgin olive oil.

Eat lean protein
Our bodies require protein to continuously renew and replenish our cells, stabilise our blood sugar, and give us energy.  Our bodies are literally made out of the amino acids that make up protein in our food.
Many foods contain protein, but the richest sources include animal products like meat, dairy, eggs, and fish as well as plant sources like beans, quinoa, nuts, and seeds.
Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, which slows digestion and promotes stable blood sugar levels.

Eat Breakfast
By eating a hearty breakfast, you’ll give your metabolism a jumpstart and be in better control of your cravings.
When we miss our first fuel of the day, we are often hungry by mid-morning and more likely to engage in mindless nibbling, snacking, overeating, and over compensating for any calories “saved” by skipping breakfast.  Studies repeatedly show daily breakfast consumption is associated with maintaining a healthy weight.

Eat at regular times
It’s important to balance your food intake throughout the day to help maintain normal blood sugar and decrease the chances of binging when hunger strikes.
Keep track of what you eat. Try to avoid frying foods by learning how to roast or bake, and eat more raw foods to boost flavor and cut calories. Also try experimenting with herbs and spices to reduce salt intake. The healthiest foods are those found just as nature intended – whole and unprocessed. When was the last time you saw an ingredient list on a stalk of vegetable or a fresh fish

5. Live Deliberately

Our surroundings impact our mental and physical healthy. Improve your work and home environments:
■ A clean and organized work space increases employee productivity
■ Keep a clean and organized bedroom
■ Have a designated place for everything
■ Label items and folders
■ Use plants to help circulate air

6.Nurture and pamper yourself

Treating yourself to something special can have great emotional and physical impact
Time spent caring for yourself is valuable: massage, bubble bath, manicure , etc.

It is obvious that many things need to be in sync for us to be in optimum health. Don’t worry, it is like driving. When you don’t know how to, it seems difficult but when you know how to, it is very easy. These are general guidelines and the specifics may differ from person to person.

Testimonial from KI
Where do I start? I guess back to 2013 with my Cambridge diet. So I had a nice round happy face and weighed 92kg. A comfortable size 18 and then shirts started gaping at the bust line and skirts began to get snug and would ride up and crease all day long. Had heard of Cambridge but thought, too drastic!

However I really needed to shed the weight, so I dove in. Good results, because 6 months later, I was 75kg, my target weight. And down to size 14 and happy as a lark. This was April 2014. I could swear by Cambridge and mocked everyone who put the weight back on. I told them to eat right…but did I know what eat right was? I had dropped a few bad habits, but did I really know what was bad for me?? I thought bread, cakes, sweets….I was right, but didn’t know the whole story.

So come October 2016, I was 79.6kg. Praised myself though that I had done well to keep of the 17kg that I’d lost but couldn’t seem to shed the 4.6kg. Tried all kinds of diets, would drop 1kg put back 2Kg. Yo-yoed for a while. Got myself the Cambridge products and couldn’t seem to muster up the will power past 1 week. Had tossed out all big sizes, so dilemma! My size 14 clothes were tight. The first 2-3kgs you gain, your clothes are still fine. I was up almost 5kg and miserable.

So my lifestyle change started when I received the GET.IT.TOGETHER 30 day weight adjustment challenge flyer. My motivation? I needed to lose weight – 5kg. I’d seen LB’s physical change and believed something must be right here. I also liked the idea of weight adjustment…not diet!

So along came the 1st lesson, before takeoff…No flour, no sugar. I have preached that to everybody who cares to listen. That’s the starting point and we can keep whatever weight off by simply cutting out on these two “killers”.
Week 1 menu and after the 1st week I weighed in minus 2kg. Compared it to my Cambridge plan, then I weighed in minus 2.7kg but no food…only porridges, shakes and soups.

I was thrilled to high heavens. Because that 1st week, I had era, I had sweet potatoes, I had salads, chicken, fish, boiled eggs/omelets! And lost 2kg! First real diet where I was eating and losing weight. I was hooked.

My work takes me all over the place, hotels, flights…and complained to LB that the weight wasn’t dropping off as I hoped. Got my next vital lesson. Sleep! Nothing is going to happen if I didn’t get enough sleep…if I didn’t drink enough water….and throw in some physical exercise. Not to mention eating your food fresh!
I have since made so many adjustments with the varied food plans, cut out all the processed food, and seasoning with garlic, salt and ginger. Throw in the lifestyle seminar and that’s a real winner.
What more can I say? I’m down to 71.3kg after 2+months and I’m heading to a new target 70kg, to get my BMI as close to Normal as possible.

LB has been a super health coach, listening, advising and helping us make the necessary adjustments. The most fun part is get on your scale and take a photo of your weight! You can’t cheat…it’s distant coaching and I’ve encouraged a number of people to get on the challenges and they can see, feel and are living the results.

About Olamide Balogun

Olamide Balogun (LB) is a wife of one man , a mother, a mentor and personal coach, a Human Resource consultant,
a minister of God, a friend , a confidant and many more. She trained as a lawyer and now runs an HR Consulting firm and manages furnished offices to let. LB spear headed the registration of an NGO that has adopted a school with over 2000 children in premises that has no water, electricity or toilets. LB has a passion for imparting knowledge and also for wellness and optimum quality lifestyle. Follow me at catapultbylb.wordpress.com

Source: Bellanaija