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Health and Fitness Tips by Guy Leech
I asked Guy Leech for some tips on health and fitness.
What do you say to people who don’t have time for fitness?
Finding moments to move is definitely within everyone’s grasp
People seem to use the excuse of “time” to steer away from physical activity, however the honest reason for this is a general lack of motivation and enjoyment in exercise
Busy as we may be, it is very important to make time for fitness – just as we find the time to lie on the sofa and watch TV. Make these little changes in your lifestyle that will improve your health, whilst not bringing lots of disruption to your busy, daily routine
What’s the best way to tone up?
The best way to tone up is by making the best use out of weights – whether you are a female or male. And no ladies, you will not bulk up from lifting weights!
Choose exercises that target different muscle groups and make your muscles multitask for a longer calorie burn
By working more muscles at once, more hormones are released, stimulating more calories to be burned throughout the day and fat is burnt off at a faster rate
What’s the best way to keep fit when you spend the majority of your day desk bound?
When we are sitting at our desks all day, we are not moving enough. It is as simple as that!
There are definitely exercise that can be carried out which don’t have to infringe on your busy day, such as taking the stairs at work whenever you can and walking or cycling to and from the office
Should people completely cut out sugar?
You should certainly avoid loading up your sugar content as anything in excess is ultimately bad for you – however it must be clarified that there are evidently good sugar and bad sugar foods
Refined sugar such as biscuits and chocolate are good to stay away from, however natural sugars such as those you find in fruits are a nutritional addition to your diet. This being said as long as your diet is a balanced one then you can’t go wrong
If you are having a takeaway meal, what’s the healthiest option?
Avoid the deep fried accompaniments and always go for the grilled options instead. Also opt for tomato based sauces over creamy, rich ones
GUY'S ADVICE ON THE MOST POPULAR HEALTH FOODS ON THE MARKET TODAY
Looking at some of the most popular health foods on the market today, Guy offers tips on how to consume them sensibly.
JUICING
With so many “juice cleanses” on the market it’s hard NOT to think that drinking juice all day is good for you. Even 100% freshly pressed juice still contains a heap of sugar and hardly any fibre when compared to whole fruits so try to keep your juice drinking to one cup per day. Particularly when paired with fresh vegetables, juices are a great way to consume nutrients, however sipping on juice all day is a really easy way to stock up on the calories. Another thing to remember is that pre-packaged juices are nutritionally similar to soft drinks so the best way to consume juice is by juicing your own fruit at home, that way you know exactly what’s in it.
SMOOTHIES
If packed with the right stuff, smoothies can be a great way to consume a whole lot of nutrients in the one hit, however smoothies can go from good to bad real fast; just like making your own muesli, it’s better if you whip up your own healthy smoothie from home. Many store bought smoothies contain ice-cream, high sugar yoghurt and even artificially flavoured syrups – which are definite no-no’s if you’re trying to watch your waistline so make sure you know exactly what’s in a smoothie before you start sipping!
RAW FOOD DIETS
Raw food diets are generally very fresh fruit and vegetable heavy and discourage the consumption of processed foods, which is excellent, however that cooking food can be more nutritious and at times even safer. The lycopene in tomato and the beta-carotene in carrots are released during cooking. Furthermore, cooked foods can be easier to digest and cooking meat and fish kills certain bacteria that could otherwise result in an upset tummy or in extreme cases, food poisoning.
ALMOND MILK
Almonds are full of nutrients such as Vitamin E, Magnesium, Zinc, Potassium, Iron and Calcium, they are reported to help lower cholesterol and are suggested improve digestive health. Almond milk is an excellent cow’s milk alternative especially for using in smoothies and as an accompaniment to homemade muesli. There are some drawbacks, Almond milk doesn’t have as much calcium or protein as cow’s milk. Processed almond milk can also be packed with extra sugar and preservatives, so make sure you read the ingredients and nutrition panel carefully. Fresh is always best though so try buying a nut milk bag, blending up some fresh almonds and making your own nutritious almond milk from home.
MUESLI
Cleverly marketed to the health conscious crowd, muesli can be packed with goodness while also being chock full of fat and sugar. Many people think they’re doing the right thing by swapping up their sugary cereals or fatty fried breakfasts for a portion of muesli in the mornings. The type of muesli on the shelves today provides a poor choice for those looking to shed fat and maintain a healthy weight. Instead of giving up muesli completely, try making it yourself. A mixture of oats, sunflower seeds, a small amount of dried fruit and macadamia nuts, make for a delicious and nutritious muesli withou the unhealthy fats and sugars.
For more information on Guy Leech visit: www.guyleech.com
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