As much as yoga is beneficial, it has it’s shortcomings too. Especially for beginners doing yoga by themselves, and have no idea what they are getting themselves into. It’s good to read articles on how to do yoga by yourself, but make sure to read the risks that come with it.

OVERSTRETCHING. Just because your body can’t reach the limit you want it to, doesn’t mean you are weak. We all have different limitations and you need not do poses exactly as you saw the instructor do it on youtube! Yoga is all about relaxing your muscles and being in sync with our inner self. You can’t do that if you force your muscles beyond it’s limit. So do one thing, if you feel your muscles straining a little too much for comfort during exercise, STOP!

PULLING A MUSCLE. Pulling a muscle during yoga is very common. It is mostly as a result of overstretching. But also when doing poses like the forward-bend pose, the triangle pose or the warrior pose. To prevent pulling your muscles during these poses, again, don’t overdo it.

SLIPPING. Yoga is a form of exercise. And like all exercises, you sweat a lot! And we all know how slippery sweat can be. It’s not a problem when you are running, but due the awkward poses you get into during yoga, your sweat can be very dangerous. Sweaty palms during the headstand pose on a slippery yoga mat can send you sprawling on the floor before you can even blink. So make sure you get yoga mats that are not slippery. Those ones that are made of rubber? Yeah!

DEHYDRATION. Avoid heated yoga studios as much as you can. They can be really hot and stuffy. And that heat coupled with your body heat is just an explosion of heat waiting to happen! And a lot of sweating, leading to dehydration. But if you can’t avoid being in those studios, make sure that when you feel yourself getting dizzy during exercise, step outside for some cool and fresh air and drink some water. It helps.

BREAKING YOUR NECK. Most yoga poses requires you to stand upside down. Beginners tend to put all of their weight on their neck when they stand on their heads. Don’t do that! Instead, you should disperse your weight on your shoulders and arms. You can also use padding or blankets to support your shoulders. As they say, better safe than sorry!

WhatsApp number: +971 565 830 067  (Just send us code 2485 and we will get back to you ASAP)
Contact Us: Click here to send us your details or fill in the form below.

You can get in touch with us 24/7 and one of our experts will not only give you a free consultation but also help you pick out an appropriate male or female personal trainer to meet your needs. One-on-one personal training lessons are available in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and RAK.
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Knee injuries are any active person’s worst nightmare and many an athlete or sportsperson has had their career ended by an unexpected serious injury. From ACL’s to runner’s knee, knee injuries will at the very least mean some discomfort or, possibly, a lengthy lay-off and in the worst case, a total halt to intense physical activity. You should always seek medical attention when you suffer even a moderately serious knee injury as sometimes improperly rehabilitated injuries can be a strong pre-disposing factor for subsequent serious injuries. Depending on the assessment of your doctor, you will probably be asked to do some physical exercise to rehabilitate your knees after a period of rest.

A lot of people also suffer some serious knee pain and discomfort without actually having incurred a specific injury and in such cases, certain exercises for rehab are highly recommended.

Here are some of the most common exercises you can do to get back on your feet after suffering a knee injury.

1. Overhead Squat- Assess Knee Strength

Often, weakness in any of the tissues that are found in the knee or around the knee, will result in some form of compensation by the knee joint. Essentially, this means you will carry out regular physical activities using unnatural and poor form which will eventually, itself, be a pre-disposing factor to injury.

To assess the extent to which your knees might be compensating for any weakness, the overhead squat is a well recommended and popular technique. To do the overhead squat, you start off by performing a regular squat—stand with your feet, shoulder width apart, push your butt out and lower your back until your bum is slightly lower than your knees—but with both hands fully extended over your head. If your knees are compensating for some weakness, they will either subtly buckle inward or cave outward. Either motion will indicate some weakness in the surrounding muscles but when knees cave inwards, it indicates a need for the strengthening of the glutes (butt) and shin, and in the reverse scenario, it might indicate a weakness in the inner thighs and hamstrings. Read on for more details on how to strengthen weak leg muscles.

2. One-legged deadlift- Calf & hamstring

This is a really simple exercise to strengthen all the muscles along the back of your leg and you can do it, literally, anywhere. You bend over and touch the ground/your toes with one hand as if you were picking something up, and raise your opposing leg behind you till it forms a 90-degree angle with your standing leg, then return to starting position and repeat. The key to performing this exercise, with good form, is keeping your back straight and your core tucked in. To add some difficulty to this move, hold an appropriately heavy/light dumbell in your hand when you reach forward.

3. Isometric Squat- Quadriceps/Hamstrings & Glutes

These are squats without any dynamic movements. You simply squat and hold the position for some time, get back up, and repeat the process. Isometric squats have a strengthening effect on the knee joint and on the muscles around it so you should definitely be doing them for increased knee strength.

When you do squats, make sure that your knees do not extend beyond your toes, to limit the amount of strain being placed on the knees.

4. Calve Raises

Do calve raises to strengthen and develop your calves to make running, and other dynamic physical exercises, easier. To perform calve raises, lean with your palms resting against a wall and elevate your body till you’re standing on your toes. Go back down and repeat. Calve raises should be done in a slow and steady movement as opposed to faster jerky movements.

5. Swim

Swimming involves a lot of non-weight bearing knee motion and, for that reason, is an excellent activity for people with bad knees. You should swim to aid joint flexibility and .

Exercise tip

Avoid running on hard or uneven surfaces, while recovering from a knee injury. In fact, running on such surfaces is not recommended for anyone, even fit and healthy athletes.

WhatsApp number: +971 56 58 30067 (Just send us code 2741 and we will get back to you ASAP)
Contact Us: Click here to send us your details or fill in the form below.

You can get in touch with us 24/7 and one of our experts will not only give you a free consultation but also help you pick out an appropriate male or female personal trainer to meet your needs. One-on-one personal training lessons are available in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and RAK.
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Earlier this year, Dubai was ranked the 22nd most obese nation out of 191 nations around the world by the world health organization. And it really is no surprise considering the many factors they have that contribute to the growing concern of being over-weight/obese in the gulf countries. The main ones being;

Junk food- This is one of the major causes of the high obesity statistics in the UAE. Healthy food is rarely consumed in Dubai. Emiratis eat loads of junk food and sugar sodas which is filled to the brim with carbs that only add more fat.

High temperatures– It gets really hot during the daytime in dubai. This drastically limits outdoor activities because people spend most time indoors watching movies, reading, listening to music etc

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Status symbol -Emiratis have this concept that your size symbolizes your wealth, which in turn symbolizes your social status.

The WHO (World Health Organization) estimates that 62% of UAE citizens are obese and also predicts that over 700 people will be obese in the emirates by the end of 2015, making obesity and being overweight the fastest growing health concern in Dubai.
Of course, with all these alarming statistics come negative consequences. They could be physical, psychological/emotional, social or economical. Obesity increases your risk of having numerous health conditions like high blood pressure, cardiac problems, diabetes, sleep apnea, unhealthy cholesterol, asthma, gallstones, kidney stones, infertility, different types of cancers, including leukemia, breast, and colon cancer. And these are just the impacts obesity could have on your health. The emotional and psychological implications include depression, body dissatisfaction, anxiety, low quality of life etc. The economic implication mainly include lower salary, lower educational achievement, lower employment, and could cause the government etc. But enough of the gloomy info.
We’re here to tell you all you need to know if you’re planning to lose weight in Dubai, specifically. From diet plans you could use to gyms you could enroll in to the most effective workout routines suitable for Dubai residents. We are basically going to give you the outline of the most effective weight-loss plans you could possibly get in Dubai. So we’ll start with the basics;

How you know you need to lose weight
You know you need to lose weight by calculating your body mass index (BMI).BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by by his/her square height in meters. This presents in numeric terms the ‘thickness or thinness’ of an individual and categorizes a person as either under-weight, normal weight or over-weight by quantifying the amount of tissue mass in an individual. Or you could just look at a mirror and be the judge.
You could also use the body Fat percentage(BFP) to calculate obesity. This is the total mass of fat divided by total body mass. It calculates the total fat stored in the body including the essential fat.

Why you need to lose weight
Apart from the afore-mentioned health risks, social, psychological and economical implications associated with obesity and weight-loss, you could be personally motivated to lose weight for your well-being. Wouldn’t you want a normal life? Do normal everyday activities like normal people do and just basically live a more fulfilled life? ‘course you do! Just this, i believe is enough reason to get up and burn those carbs. But if you want more, I’ll give you more. Imagine yourself a hundred pounds lighter and with a higher self-esteem. Yeah. Your weight actually has dramatic effects on your confidence which has dramatic effects on your happiness/mood and/or psychological well-being which has dramatic effects on your food/calorie intake(for the emotional eaters). It’s a vicious cycle.

What You need to do to lose weight
There’s a whole lot you can do to lose weight. From workouts to diets to slimming pills to surgeries to varieties of other methods. What we’re going to do is tell you the best way to lose weight and give you the guidelines you’ll need to burn those carbs the healthiest way possible. So here we go…first thing you need to do is…

Set a goal

Doing this will actually set the foundation of your workout. Think of all the reasons you want to lose and gather your motivation from there. Then evaluate yourself and figure out what your dream weight or your dream dress size and just set a goal from there. It could be a long-term goal like losing 100 pounds in a year or a short term goal like losing 5 pounds a week. Another thing to put into consideration when setting up your goal is to keep it realistic, setting up extreme goals is just you setting yourself up for disappointment because you most probably won’t achieve them and that could affect your motivation. Also remember to keep it specific so you’ll have a clear idea of what exactly it is you’re aiming for; for when things get tough and hazy along the way.

Seek Support

Okay, so they’re two different points but they’re similar…in a way. Seek support from your loved ones (family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, strangers, weirdos whoever), they could be a strong source for motivation. And for this weight-loss journey you’re about to embark on, you’ll need all the motivation you can get. I mean it. It’s not going to be easy but once you get the right dose of motivation, determination, dedication, inspiration and information (guidance) you’ll be good to go and that’s what we’re here for.

Consult Your Doctor

This is pretty important. Very important, actually. You need to be sure you have no underlying health issues that could be triggered by strenuous workouts like cardio. A dietitian or nutritionist can also give a healthy diet plan that would be suitable for you and aid you in your weight-loss which takes us to our next point.

Set a diet plan

This doesn’t have to strictly be a list of low carb foods, vegetables and fruits. Just make sure you’ll be getting the essential nutrients (protein,omega 3, carbohydrates, vitamin c, etc) your body will need for the transformation it’s about to go through (another reason you need to consult a doctor). We always advise our clients going on a weight loss program to ‘eat less more often’. Eating lighter meals would keep you from being hungry and not overeat (like hungry people tend to do). We also let them have an ‘off’ day maximum once a week, when we let them eat whatever they want, whenever they want to. This is actually a good strategy because it would help you ‘recharge’ and lift your spirits. Make sure you meet the average daily required calorie intake of 1000kcal.

Plan your Workout Regimen And Follow It.

This is where the real challenge is. Making a workout plan is easy, sticking to it however is a whole different ball game. Its the real calorie burner right here. Its important to balance out the different types of training (strength training, flexibility training, aerobic (cardio) training, anaerobic exercise) so you could work all the different muscle groups in your body and tone up. Don’t focus too much on the dynamics of the workouts and try to make it fun. Throw in your favorite sport somewhere. And i mean a sport that actually includes physical activity.

Conclusion
This is all you need to know- and do for a healthy weight-loss. It will be tough. There’ll be days you’ll want to give up. But if you dedicate yourself to you goal and follow these guidelines, there’s no way you won’t persevere.

WhatsApp number: +971 56 58 30067 (Just send us code 2380 and we will get back to you ASAP)
Contact Us: Click here to send us your details or fill in the form below.

You can get in touch with us 24/7 and one of our experts will not only give you a free consultation but also help you pick out an appropriate male or female personal trainer to meet your needs. One-on-one personal training lessons are available in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and RAK.
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When starting a weight-loss program, it’s the norm to get bombarded by all these myths and misconceptions and get misguided by all these ‘tips’ that are supposedly going to help you lose weight faster. First thing you should know is that there is no shortcut to weight-loss. A proper and healthy weight-loss with long-term effects requires time, effort and dedication. Keep reading to find out all the other mistakes you’re making that are keeping you from achieving the optimum results from your dieting and workouts.

Mistake 1. You Skip Meals/ starve yourself.
Your body needs energy and nutrients to sustain itself and perform all its vital bodily functions. The energy and nutrients is derived from the food you consume. So if you skip meals, you are depriving your body of these nutrients taht are important to keep your metabolism going which would help you burn more calories. Research has shown that meal-eaters lose weight faster than meal-skippers. And by skipping a meal, you are more likely to overeat during the next meal which just sets you back.

Mistake 2. You think foods labeled “low fat” or “fat-free” have less calories.
Don’t be fooled by good marketing strategies. Those foods are infused with lots of refined carbohydrates and loads of sugar to make up for the lack of fat so as to make it palatable. Those additives will only set you back in your weight-loss goals.

Mistake 3. You disregard the liquid calories.
Be it Punches, sodas or juices. These liquids contain loads of calories (carbs and sugar) that is processed and stored as fat in the body once it is consumed. When you swap those calorie-dense liquids for water, you will dramatically reduce your calorie intake.

Mistake 4. Count every calorie
You won’t lose any weight if at the end of the day you consume more calories than you burn. While you may think you’re on the right path with those salads, sugar-less coffees and lean meat, it can be very easy to overlook calories hidden away in the small things like salad dressings and coffee creamers. Far too many people make this fatal weight-loss mistake and unfortunately, they don’t even realize it and simply give up after a few months of disappointing or no results.

The key here is to refer to product labels for every food item, no matter how small, and take note of its ingredients. Only when you know exactly what you are consuming can you regulate your calorie intake which is consequently essential to successful weight-loss.

Mistake 5. You fall for “ so-called magic ” diets

As we said earlier, there are no shortcuts to weight-loss. However, there are lots of highly exaggerated diets out there that would have you believe that it is possible to magically lose weight by taking slimming pills, eating a specified diet or doing a certain exercise regime.

Weight-loss is a long and slow journey that requires patience, effort and dedication in order to be done healthily and to reap the optimum benefits.. The exaggerated shortcuts do not give you long-term effects which means you are most likely to gain back all the weight you “ magically “ lost.

The presumed cause of Multiple Sclerosis(MS), is multi-factorial, including: genetics, infectious agents and environmental exposure. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society(NMSS) recommends a low-fat, high fiber diet for the general population.

Currently MS is officially incurable, but implementing nutritional strategies will make you healthier and may help prevent MS.

MS

MS is more prevalent in higher latitudes, but there are cultures that are exceptions. American Eskimos have a low prevalence of MS. Coastal Norway has a 75 percent lower MS incidence rate than inland Norway, which is along the same latitude. The main environmental difference in the low prevalence cultures is their high consumption of fish, which is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin D.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Abnormal inflammation is the root of accelerated aging and almost all chronic diseases including MS. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish have strong anti-inflammatory qualities, while omega-6 fatty acids found in domestic animal meats increase inflammation. Your can balance your body’s inflammation by consuming more salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines, and less beef and pork.

Your furry friends might just be the cutest prescription for a longer, healthier and happier life

We can all agree that animals naturally just make us feel good and have a way of breaking out huge smiles across our faces. Over the last 20 years, research on human-animal interactions has emerged, proving that people who have pets are happier and healthier. They visit the doctor less often, have more fun, and feel more secure than people who don’t have pets.

Mood Boosters

Like any enjoyable activity, playing with a pet can elevate mood-boosting levels of serotonin and dopamine. What’s more, contact with animals can immediately increase levels of oxytocin, the feel-good hormone that lights up the brain’s pleasure centers. When performing a stressful task, people suffer less stress when their pets are with them than when a spouse, family member, or close friend is, according to a 2002 study at State University of New York at Buffalo.  A pet’s calming influence even works better at controlling high blood pressure than the most frequently used prescription drugs.

Personal Trainers

Who’s walking whom? Dog owners who regularly walk their dogs are more active and less likely to be overweight than those who don’t own or walk a dog. All pet owners have to exert some physical activity to care for animals, and are often up and active to be near, play, and cuddle with them.

Social Butterflies

Your animal friends can help you make more human friends. Multiple studies have shown that walking with a dog in public leads to more conversations. People assume that pet-owners are kind and approachable. Some of the social support we get from humans we get from animals, too. Animals are an extension of our natural social support system, not a replacement for it.

Pain Killers

Animal-assisted therapy is quickly becoming an accepted means of pain management in hospitals. People who use pet therapy while recovering from surgery need less than half of the pain medication than those who do not use it. Meanwhile, patients and even their vital signs report significant improvements in pain, mood, and other distress measures after a therapy animal visit.

Heart Healers

Pets are more than heartwarming. They also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attack by lowering systolic blood pressure, plasma cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. And those pet owners who do suffer from heart attacks have higher rates of survival than non-pet owners. A year after suffering a heart attack, regardless of its severity, dog owners are significantly more likely to still be alive than those who do not own dogs. While many of the cardiovascular benefits can be attributed to the mere presence of an animal, the increase in physical activity among pet owners is also linked to improved heart function.

Health Monitors

Animals can sense changes we can’t even sense in ourselves. That’s why more and more animals are being trained to monitor their owners’ health. One-third of pets living with people with diabetes, including dogs, cats, rabbits, and even birds exhibit dramatic behavioral changes when their owners’ blood glucose levels drop. And after just three weeks of training, dogs can detect breast and lung cancer up to 97% of the time. Animals can also sense the oncoming of epileptic seizures, and service animals are able to warn their owners to sit or lie down before the onset of the seizure.

Immune Strengtheners

It is known that the more pets children have growing up, the fewer allergies they develop in adulthood. They are also less likely to have eczema, and have higher levels of some immune system chemicals, pointing to a stronger overall immune system. By curbing stress and reducing the levels of harmful chemicals like cortisol and norepinephrine, pets further strengthen immunity throughout life.

Child Therapists

Animal interactions are hugely beneficial to the development of children, especially those with developmental challenges. Children with autism are often able to comfortable interact with pets, which can in turn help their interactions with other children, while the sensory experience of petting an animal can be soothing for children. Taking care of a pet can encourage children, especially those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to focus their attention, and teach children than caring is not just “mommy’s job”.

Approximately every year, I’m sure you realize the needle on the scale is just that little harder to budge. But how? You’ve cut back on portion size, you’ve even said no to those delicious desserts! It was only last month that you even signed up for Zumba classes, and yet your jean size is only going up whilst your energy levels are going down. WHAT’S GOING ON?!

Starting in your early 40s, your body goes through a series of changes that profoundly affect digestion, metabolism, and other bodily functions. Thanks to hormonal and other changes, the very growth rate of your cells slows rapidly down. It’s just something we have to learn to work around.

Here’s a 10-step plan for understanding the challenges that prevent weight loss over 40, and for learning how to overcome them.

1. Get to know your body.

Many years ago, older didn’t necessarily mean plumper. Think of those icons of the American prairie, they looked to be in perfect shape no matter the age. But today, those of us over 40 face a twofold challenge: We’re living longer, and we’re no longer out there catering to our farm animals at 5 a.m in the morning.

When it comes to burning calories, it’s a fairly simple equation. What goes in must be burned off, or it sticks to our ribs. Acquiring weight is absurdly easy, eating just 100 extra calories a day will lead to a 9- to 10-pound weight gain over the course of a year.

How much is 100 calories?

Not a lot: A can of Coke contains 155 calories, a chocolate bar more than 200. But after 40, our activity level tends to decline, too. So the challenge is to bring the two into balance and exercise after you’ve enjoyed these tasty treats.

Look back over the past year, and think about when your weight seemed to be holding steady and when it seemed to be trending slowly upward. What were you doing during the good weeks? Make a list of what works for you, and what throws you off. Your own healthy habits in the past are the ones most likely to work for you now.

2. Eliminate underlying metabolic conditions.

Would it surprise you to know that thyroid problems strike as many as 1 out of 5 adults over age 40? And 8 out of 10 of those adults are women? The most common of these is hypothyroidism an underactive thyroid and it’s one of the primary reasons many women over 40 can’t lose weight. The thyroid is a tiny gland that produces hormones that regulate metabolism, and when it’s not activated. Think of low thyroid as having your internal thermostat set too low. Symptoms include feeling cold all the time, poor circulation in the hands and feet, clammy hands, tiredness and lethargy, hair loss, and weight gain despite real attempts to exercise and eat well.

If you suspect an underactive thyroid may be slowing your metabolism, the first step is to call the doctor and ask for a thyroid test.

3. Adjust your eating habits for maximum energy.

Your goal at this stage in your life is to keep yourself feeling full without succumbing to the temptation to eat like you could at age 20. One strategy is to eat more frequently but to consume less at each sitting. An added benefit of eating this way is that it’s easier to keep your blood sugar steady, so you don’t have the peaks and valleys that contribute to fatigue.

Here’s the rule:

Try eating five to six small meals a day, and don’t go more than three or four hours without eating. For example, you might eat a light but healthy breakfast before you leave for work, then have a nonfat yogurt in the late morning. Then instead of eating a big pasta lunch and spending the afternoon in a stupor, eat a light lunch and spend the rest of your lunch break taking a brisk walk. An afternoon snack of nuts and an apple keeps you from needing the 4 p.m. sweet treat and makes it easier to avoid overeating at dinner.

Your goal is the opposite of the starvation approach to dieting, you want to trick your body into feeling satisfied and well-fed at all times, though the total amount you’re eating is less.

4. Time your eating.

Most experts agree on one thing: Snack after 8 p.m., and whatever you eat is more likely to go straight to your hips and stomach. Happily, the opposite is also true, what you eat in the mornings, when your metabolism is revved up to its optimum operating speed, is much more likely to be expended efficiently.

Don’t like to eat breakfast?

Unfortunately, there’s no way around this one; eating a good breakfast is one of the key habits experts have identified that keeps thin people thin.

5. Trick your metabolism with fat-fighting foods.

You’ve probably heard it all before, but it’s true: It’s really not just about how much you eat, but how much of which foods. There are plenty of healthy foods you can eat all you want of and no, that doesn’t mean stuffing your fridge with celery sticks. Instead, make a few simple tweaks to your diet, incorporating foods that actually fight fat instead of those that trigger it.

6. Make muscles your friend.

The more muscle mass you have, the more effectively your metabolism burns calories. But sad to say, a natural tendency of aging is to lose muscle, gradually replacing it with fat. So in order to enlist the calorie-burning abilities of muscle, we do have to work at it.

The key here to long-term benefit is basic strength training. Buy some hand weights, a bar, and some stretch bands, and channel your high school gym teacher. And don’t ignore your core; planks, curls, and Pilates moves help strengthen the deep core muscles that are key to posture. Make it as pleasant as possible; work out while you watch the evening news or your favorite sit-com. Other tools that help: kettlebells, an exercise ball, and ankle weights. Slowly and gradually build up those biceps, abs, deltoids, and glutes, and you’ll have some key allies in your fight to prevent age-related weight gain.

7. Get more sleep to burn more calories.

Sleep gets ever more elusive as you age. It’s not just that we’re busier and more stressed. We also have multiple physical issues, from back pain to snoring to night sweats, any of which can interfere with getting a good night’s sleep.

Yet, paradoxically, getting a good night’s sleep is one of the keys to losing weight. In recent years, significant research has shown that lack of sleep is directly connected to weight gain because of the actions of two hormones, leptin and ghrelin, that control hunger and satiety, or feeling full.

Here’s how it works:

When you’re sleep deprived, ghrelin levels increase at the same time that leptin levels decrease. The result is more craving, less feeling full. Add to that the fact that sleep-deprived people often crave “energy” foods, which tend to be sweet or salty, and you can see how small changes in your routine can add up to big weight gain.

8. Strike up a healthy relationship with your sweet tooth.

A trick that many experts recommend: Cut the treat in half before you start eating, carefully wrapping the second half up to “save for later.” You may or may not want it after, sometimes if you eat the first half slowly and consciously enough, you’ll feel satisfied. But knowing it’s there if you do plays a nice trick on your brain, which tends to crave things it perceives as being in short supply.

Researchers have recently discovered that artificial sweeteners fail to trigger the body’s natural satisfaction response. So eating that 100-calorie artificially sweetened cookie only adds to your problems; you’ll keep on wanting the real cookie, so the 100 calories you just ate were in vain.

9. Forget dieting. Focus on your fuel-to-energy ratio.

If, like most 40-somethings, you’re packing some extra pounds, you’ve probably made plenty of resolutions to go on a diet. You’ve also probably figured out by this point in your life that diets rarely work, and neither does suddenly embarking on a strenuous new exercise regimen. There’s a good reason that sudden, drastic changes don’t lead to long-term weight loss, and may even lead to a rebound. Nature designed us with optimum abilities to maintain a steady metabolic rate, because it helps us weather food shortages and sudden demands on our energies.

Unfortunately, this means that when you’ve gradually gained weight over time, your body has adapted to the new weight and now does its best to hold onto it.

Make slow, gradual adjustments to each end of the equation. YOU decide which end of the fuel-in, energy-out equation to emphasize and when.

10. Make slow, realistic changes in tune with your lifestyle.

Let’s say you want to lose 10 pounds. To do so right now, you’d have to burn 35,000 calories which is an overwhelming number that would require you to eat nothing at all for about 2 weeks, or jog for 51 hours, or walk for 126 hours. Not only would it be impossible, but attempts like those would send your body into starvation-mode metabolic slowdown, sabotaging your efforts.

Studies show that if you take the slow-but-steady approach, you’re much more likely to keep that 10 pounds off. Remind yourself that you are the only one in charge of tuning up your metabolic engine. Decide whether to focus on cutting down the number of calories you’re consuming, or on upping the number you’re burning.

Your primary goal should be making small, gradual lifestyle changes that you can incorporate into your daily routine and stick with over time. That’s the ultimate secret to combating over-40 weight gain.

Use healthy-meal shortcuts

We’re often told to steer clear of packaged foods for better health, but some frozen and pre-made goods can truly help you whip up a healthy meal in minutes. There are tons of good options in the freezer aisle, either for individuals or even family-size meals, that can be prepared quickly. Buy a rotisserie chicken for example, take the skin off and slice it on top of a salad, or buy frozen vegetables to serve with it. Keep in mind that rotisserie chickens can be high in sodium, so cut back your intake from other sources. On nights when even that’s not an option, you still have choices about where you eat out or what prepared foods you bring home; the key is knowing ahead of time which restaurant you’ll choose and which items are healthiest, so you’re not stuck making a last-minute decision.

Set up your own home gym

If you can’t devote time to driving to the gym or you’re stuck at home with kids, working out in your own home may be your best option for fitting in quick calorie-burning session. Not always do you necessarily need to invest in expensive cardio machines, you can still get a great workout using nothing but your own body weight, or with a few simple tools (like hand weights and resistance bands) that take up next to no room in your home. Just roll out your yoga mat, set up a mirror, and you’re ready to go.

Use high-tech solutions

Few of us have the time to keep track of all the numbers involved in weight loss, calories eaten, calories burned, steps taken, and so on, but I guess that’s why fitness trackers were invented. Apple has already given us a health app that can monitor our daily steps as well as other fantastic tools. These apps and devices can save an extraordinary amount of time and make it much easier to follow a specific plan or reach daily step goals or calorie goals. Plus, seeing the a tracker on your wrist may serve as a constant reminder to get moving. Other sources are ones where you can log your meals with an app like MyFitnessPal, which automatically calculates calorie totals and nutrition content for you.

Use social media

Talking about your weight loss journey with your virtual social circle can help you feel like part of a community. So join an Instagram fitness challenge, Tweet about your Pilates class, or start a Facebook group—all on your own time. We all know you spend endless hours scrolling through these sites anyway so why not engage everyone with your progress and it turn you’ll realize how it’ll help you in the long run push yourself further.

Eat more fiber

If you’ve followed my other articles you’ll know to eat at least 30 grams of fiber a day (from food, not supplements). People who did that for a year lost almost as much weight as those who followed a complicated diet plan with 13 components in a recent studies. For people who find it difficult to follow complex dietary recommendations, a simple-to-follow diet with just one message, increase your fiber intake may be the way to go.

The logic is simple: eating foods rich in fiber, like whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables, makes you feel full, so you have less room less room high-calorie junk food.

Get a handle on stress

The way you deal with that stress can mean a lot to your waistline. Stress has a big influence on appetite, food intake, and how the body processes calories, and I think people underestimate that. And no, confronting your anxiety won’t add a ton of extra time to your day.

Unwind with ways to beat stress in 10 minutes or less.

Reflect on your priorities

Take a long, hard look at what’s eating up your time. You may be able to pinpoint time sucks you weren’t conscious of before, or decide that certain commitments aren’t as important to you as they once were. You may also want to talk with your boss or your partner about ways you might make your schedule more flexible.

Most people still find time to go to the doctor when they’re sick or get their hair done when they need a cut, but they’re not able to find a few minutes to exercise or eat well, because it just doesn’t seem as urgent. But it should be just as important, in order to ward off health problems in the future.

If you truly can’t find time to take care of yourself, it’s probably time for a change.

• Make sure you get plenty of sleep
  

All too often when it feels like there are just not enough hours in the day, we get into the bad habit of tempting ourselves to stay awake until late or wake up ridiculously early to get everything done.  Eventually, that strategy can backfire if you’re not getting enough quality shuteye for your body to function properly. If you’re trying to change your behavior and lose weight by eating less and moving more, you will be more likely to achieve that if you are getting the proper amount of sleep.

• Productive weekends
  

Even though we’re pressed for time, most of us have pretty predictable schedules when it comes to the much needed weekends, if you’re anything like me, you cannot wait to have a long lie in, followed by comfort foods and more sleep. However, can help to spend some time on Saturday and Sunday shopping for healthy food, preparing some lunch and dinner items for the week, and deciding which days you’re going to eat what.

You can also use your day or days off to get in longer workouts at the gym than you’d have time for during the week. If you can get in 120 minutes of exercise over the weekend, you really only need to dedicate small amounts of time throughout the week to reach your 150-minute goal.

• Get your family and friends involved
  

You may argue that weekends are for family time, or that you’d rather spend your precious free time with friends. But why not turn that social time into fitness time? You don’t need to go to the gym for it to count as exercise, You can choose to participate in an activity with your kids for a few hours and still get your heart rate up and see beneficial results.

Swap your typical girls shopping spree into a date in Spin class. Or, start a weekly walking or hiking tradition with your family. Either way, being active with others can help you stick with it. Social support is a key ingredient to any sort of behavior change.

• Switch to a high-intensity workout

The best workout for fat loss doesn’t require hours upon hours in the gym. In fact, multiple studies show that a 20-minute high-intensity interval workout may burn more calories than 45 minutes chugging away on the elliptical.

So Berry Good

Freshly extracted Pineapple juice, natural Yogurt, Fresh Blue and Blackberries

This delightful drink is not only incredibly sweet and delicious, but also one of the healthiest smoothies you can make. If you are at all concerned about your kids’ health, pour one of these in a flask and stick it in their packed lunches everyday!

What you will need:

• 1/4 Medium Pineapple
• 1 Handful Blackberries
• 1 Handful Blueberries
• 100g Low-fat live Yogurt
• ICE

Begin by juicing the pineapple and place all other ingredients in the blender.

Blend until completely smooth.

• What’s in it: Vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, E, all the essential amino acids, natural sugars, essential fatty acids, good bacteria, anti-oxidants, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, folic acid, bromeline, potassium and ellagic acid.

This juice is so good for your little ones because its packed with anti-oxidents, which help to their skin as soft and clear as the day they were born. It is packed with anti-ageing vitamin E and amino acids, the key building blocks for the entire body. And if you thought it couldn’t get any better, this super smoothie is even loaded with essential fatty acids, vital for heart protection and good elasticity in the skin and is a rich source of calcium and also iron.