Physical activity and obesity

Despite the BBC having the power to make a difference, they opt for printing an absurd article indicating that physical activity has a minimal influence on tackling obesity. Conveniently, aside from a brief acknowledgement of heart disease, diabetes and dementia, they failed to mention that is has been medically proven that those who partake in regular physical exercise - at least 150 minutes per week for adults - can lower their risk of developing a multitude of health concerns by:

Up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
Up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
Up to a 50% lower risk of colon cancer
Up to a 20% lower risk of breast cancer
A 30% lower risk of early death
Up to a 83% lower risk of osteoarthritis
Up to a 68% lower risk of hip fracture
A 30% lower risk of falls among the elderly
Up to a 30% lower risk of depression
Up to a 30% lower risk of dementia

They also fail to mention the substantial amount of excess energy contributing to obesity which is burned via physical activity, or the beneficial impact physical exercise has on the muscular, respiratory, circulatory and cardio-respiratory systems.

If you learn one thing today, ensure that its to not listen to the media - particularly when they portray exercise as ineffective in the battle against obesity. 

Check out the full article here...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-32417699

Body weight and image: The impact of negative insults

You're too fat, too wobbly, too ugly and too thin are just a selection of the insults that have the ability to instantly destroy one's confidence, and leave a negative imprint on the brain that will ignite each time one feels weak, defeated or vulnerable.

Throughout my school years I was repeatedly told that I was too fat, too ugly and too smelly. I now scrub myself red raw so that I don't 'smell', wear so much make-up that I resemble the contents of a cosmetics counter and nearly starved myself to death - all in the hope of silencing the bullies and 'fitting' in. Seventeen years later, and all it takes is one hurtful comment for me to resort back to analysing my body, weight and appearance in a negative manner.

Although we all ooze imperfections, openly targeting others weaknesses in the hope of finding comfort in cruelty, isn't the answer to banishing your own insecurities, jealousy or self-loathing. You may not be happy in your own skin, but that doesn't give you the right to destroy someone else's.

If there is one thing that I have learned from my weight loss journey, it is that we should never allow size, weight, appearance or others to define who we are. There will always be someone desperate to criticize how you look, but that desperation often stems from jealousy, envy and their own insecurities.

Whether its your weight, physical features, skin colour or imperfections that hold you back, be proud of them and who you are. Why? Because the second that you learn to love and accept yourself, is the second that those hurtful comments fail to have their intended impact. Instead, they make you stronger, happier and more determined to be, and stay, true to yourself.

I have chosen to share this video not only to emphasize the damaging impact words can have, but to prove that changing to please others won't make you happy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsL7W-GHhJA&app=desktop

The dangers of dieting quick fixes

Diet pills, extreme detoxes and slimming supplements may be growing increasingly popular, but many companies fail to inform unknowledgeable dieters of the health dangers associated with these proclaimed 'quick' fixes.

Although I will refrain from pin pointing specific brands, a multitude of local and non local weight loss promotions and slimming methods have recently captured my attention in a some what alarming manner.

Despite the desperation to achieve the unrealistic definition of the 'perfect' beach body, resorting to unhealthy and unacceptable measures in order to lose excess weight can have damaging consequences in terms of health, well-being and sustainability.

Diet pills - slimming pills alone will not make you healthier or instantly lose excess weight. Any diet related pill should be prescribed via a GP (NOT by commission fueled 'health' companies or the internet) who will be in a professional position to monitor your diet and physical activity level in conjunction with any medication he/she has prescribed. More than often, a GP will suggest a healthier and more sustainable approach to weight loss than pills.

Skipping meals and meal replacements - malnutrition, cravings, tiredness and diminished energy levels are just a selection of the health effects associated with skipping meals. Dieters are also at an increased risk of weight gain as they return to consuming 'normal' meals after opting for meal replacements, and experiencing an overwhelming urge to snack on foods high in fat and sugar as a result of skipping meals.
Successful, sustainable weight loss requires a gradual caloric reduction and/or increase in physical exercise, not depriving the body and mind of the essential nutrients it relies on.

Supplements - although certain supplements such as omega-3 and vitamin D3 can be beneficial to health, slimming related supplements and products can prove detrimental. Hair loss, rashes, severe stomach cramps, tremors, malnutrition, fatigue and weight gain are just a snippet of the side effects associated with the slimming supplements and products 'health' companies continue to promote. I have personally witnessed men and women of all ages and backgrounds being admitted to hospital and left with long-term health problems as a result of these dangerous supplements - many currently being promoted in local buy and sell groups.

I understand that the need and desire to lose excess weight can be overwhelming, and I understand how appealing quick fixes may be, but please think sensibly before resorting to any of the methods listed above. You only have one body, and the health risks and dangers associated with unhealthy weight loss methods are not worth your health and in some cases, your life.

Be prepared to be bombarded with quick fixes as summer approaches, but approach these methods with severe caution and common sense - there is no quick fix for successful weight loss on a long-term basis.

Depression Awareness Week 2015

Affecting an estimated 350 million people worldwide - including myself - depression is a serious mental health disorder that can potentially have devastating consequences if left untreated.

Renowned for its multitude of psychological, physical and social symptoms, depression is more than just experiencing overwhelming feelings of low self-esteem and sadness, it has the ability to rapidly destroy your life, relationships, personality and ability to socialize, with many struggling to even get out of bed.

Although those struggling with depressive thoughts are often crying out for help but are too ashamed, embarrassed and scared to seek comfort in a friend, loved one or medical professional, showing them that they aren't alone can quite literally save a life, as well as reassure them that with the right care, understanding and support, there is light at the end of a very dark and lonely tunnel.

This week marks depression awareness week - a week dedicated to raising awareness about a disorder many fail to understand, or are too afraid to address and accept. If you're suffering with depression or know someone who is, please don't turn a blind eye in the hope it will disappear. It won't.

Eating Disorders: Life post recovery

As an ex anorexic and bulimic, I want to take this opportunity to address a topic that I feel is often overlooked in the health and fitness industry....the long-term damage abnormal dietary habits can have on the human body.

Emotionally draining, difficult and testing are just a selection of the words that describe the recovery process eating disorder sufferers face. The ability to view food with a healthy mindset while fighting the overwhelming urge to resort to the unhealthier habits they've fought to create can often prove to be the hardest obstacle to overcome, but this is only the start of the daily battles they will have to face for the rest of their lives.

Four years ago I made the decision to conquer my eating disorders, and four years later I've found myself with a multitude of unsightly side effects as a result of the extreme measures I once resorted to in order to remain thin.

I bloat after eating regardless of how big or small the meal - to the point of looking 7 months pregnant, my body is unable to digest or accept rich foods, the foods I once loved or any foods that I don't consume on a daily basis - this restricts my diet extensively, I suffer from crippling stomach cramps and non self induced vomiting when I attempt to reintroduce 'new' foods - it takes months of eating those new foods every day before I can comfortably consume them, my periods still haven't fully returned, I struggle to maintain adequate energy levels due to my restricted nutrient intake and I battle to overcome unhealthy thoughts each time I eat.

Although this is just a snippet of life after an eating disorder/s, I am still one of the lucky ones.
If you're considering resorting to unhealthy or abnormal dietary habits in any way, shape or form, please think again. Accepting that you have a problem is hard enough, but accepting that you have potentially destroyed your body for life, is even harder. Be smart and most importantly, be sensible. Being thin is not worth trading your life, happiness or health for.

Walking for weight loss

Although often overlooked for its multitude of health benefits, walking is a free and convenient form of exercise that helps to maintain a healthy heart, increase stamina and mobility and reduce the risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes by burning excess calories - it also acts as a natural reliever for anxiety and depression, and reduces the incidence of arthritis and some cancers.

With the average person walking 3,000 to 4,000 steps per day, investing in a pedometer is a fantastic way to ensure that you hit your daily recommended 10,000 steps - roughly 5 miles.

This simple but effective tool not only allows you to track your steps, miles and estimated caloric burn, its also a brilliant way of setting new challenges and boosting motivation levels - you'll be surprised at how great you feel when you see how many steps you've walked!

Walking for just 30 minutes a day is enough to reap the health benefits associated with this low impact exercise, and incorporating more intense workouts such as hiking and trekking can burn up to 500 calories per hour - more if you're walking on hilly terrain or carrying a heavy rucksack. Finances, convenience and effort may be the three main barriers preventing many from exercising, but walking instantly destroys each of these common obstacles and is suitable for all ages, genders and fitness levels. So, what are you waiting for?

Top tip: Focus on steps and miles as opposed to how many calories you burn via walking. Pedometers only provide an estimated calorie burn and don't take into consideration factors such as your age, weight, gender, terrain or how hard your body and heart is working.

Food skincare

Fueling the body and mind with healthy, nutritious food may provide a multitude of health benefits, but many fail to apply the same principle to their skin.

As an established beauty blogger and firm believer in the natural approach, stumbling across a beauty brand that creates their products from nutritious superfoods - think pomegranates, avocado and almonds - instantly had excitement oozing out of my every pore.

Befine beauty is not only vegan friendly (they don't test on animals) they also refrain from including hidden nasties such as allergens, parabens, fragrance and preservatives in their products - you can't get much more natural than that!

Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing a few sneaky reviews of my favourite food related beauty products, in the hope of emphasising the beneficial effects associated with incorporating superfoods into our beauty regime.

I cannot wait to reap the results of this warming clay mask that's full of natural goodness...

Exercising Safely: How to warm up

The importance of exercising safely should never be underestimated. In order to prepare the body for more strenuous physical activity, a warm up comprising of movements to raise the pulse, increase mobility and stretching should be performed.

Raising the pulse - walking, gentle jogging, marching and less strenuous versions of the exercises you will be performing during your main workout will all increase the pulse.

Increasing mobility - circling the hips and ankles, rolling the shoulders and gently swinging the arms in circles are just a selection of the movements that can be performed to loosen the main joints - this prepares the joints for the movements that will be performed during your main workout.
When targeting mobility, always ensure a gradual increase in movement by starting the sequence small before getting increasingly larger.

Stretching - an adequate stretching technique requires focusing on the muscles you are using, and performing each movement in a slow, steady and balanced manner - this means no bouncing!
In order to prevent injuring muscles and joints, always stretch on warm muscles as opposed to cold, and hold each stretch for 8-10 seconds working from the top of your body down to your toes. This will ensure that your neck, shoulders, chest, inner, front and outer thigh, and upper and lower calf are targeted, and no areas are missed.

Eating disorder support and advice

Affecting approximately 1.6 million people in the UK, the term eating disorder refers to an abnormal or distorted attitude towards food or body image that determines what one does, or doesn't consume - sufferers often have an unrealistic fear of food, calories or becoming fat, and can over or under eat.

Binge eating disorder, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa can all have a detrimental impact on mental and physical health, forcing sufferers to develop a multitude of health concerns - some potentially life threatening - experience overwhelming emotions of self loathing and depression, and become increasingly more socially isolated and withdrawn.

As an ex anorexic, bulimic and binge eater, not only have I experienced at first hand the negative impact associated with abnormal dietary habits, I also understand how the rapid deterioration of these complex mental health conditions can quickly dominate your life, leaving many sufferers feeling alone, vulnerable and isolated.

With this in mind, I have decided to set up a confidential and non-judgmental support service for eating disorder sufferers, family, partners, friends and carers, where loved ones and those experiencing any form of eating disorder or negative body image can contact me for advice, support and a list of industry and medical professionals who can also assist them through a truly difficult, draining and testing time.

For more info, support or a confidential chat, please feel free to contact me direct via Facebook or on bunsandguns@hotmail.co.uk

Fitness Tip: How to tackle breathing difficulties

Although the lungs have the capacity to use up to 2.5 litres of oxygen per minute during exercise, respiratory conditions such as asthma and those new to physical activity can often experience breathing difficulties during periods of exertion.

A great tip (and one that I regularly use as an asthmatic) to help the body increase its maximum capacity and the amount of oxygen it can take in during physical exercise, is to breath out deeply via the ribs and abdominal muscles.

You may struggle at the beginning of a new exercise programme, but the lungs - particularly the intercostal muscles between the ribs - will grow increasingly stronger with consistent training and exercise, allowing you to exert yourself harder or for longer, without the difficulties you once experienced.

Weight Loss: How to maintain your target weight

You've trained hard, eaten clean and monitored your health in order to transform your physique, but what happens once you've hit your target weight?

Maintenance can be a tricky subject for many - you either resort back to your old ways, struggle to maintain a healthy balance or fall below your ideal body weight - but life doesn't necessarily have to revolve around strict dieting, grueling exercise regimes and treat restrictions in order for you to maintain your new and improved self.

Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing my personal tips and tricks for mastering weight maintenance, as we take a closer look at how to achieve a healthy balance between exercise, nutrition and most importantly, life!

So, if even the thought of how to sustain your 'perfect' weight makes you want to reach for the nearest cake for comfort, keep your peepers peeled for my guide to successful, sustainable weight management.