Last week I popped in to a famous UK supermarket to grab a snack while on the road.

As I looked at what was available in the ‘quick snack’ section, I came across a packet sandwich for £1. A whole sandwich filled with cheese and butter – nothing else.

No sauces, no dressings, no fancy bread – just a plain, old fashioned sandwich, and marketed as being so too, hence the bargain price tag.

Of course I didn’t buy it, knowing the hidden ingredients in most packet sandwiches, but it made me wonder about our health as a nation, and our economic situation right now.

If we as humans kept our eating simple – good, old fashioned foods, with no sugary dressings, sauces or flavourings – we would save a fortune in the process, and maybe our country, and the world at large, wouldn’t be in quite the bad shape it is right now – both physically and financially.

Just a thought….

It’s more than you might think.

EVERY single one of you needs to drink more water, regardless of your age, height, fitness or whether you feel thirsty or not.

ALL of you need at LEAST 2 – 3 litres a day!

That’s a little more than a glass here or there…

You NEED 1 litre of water for EVERY 50 pounds of your bodyweight.

There are 14 pounds in a stone, and 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds.

Work out your weight, and then work out how much water you need.

You should be aiming to drink a bathful of water every month!

Drink ENOUGH and you will see accelerated fat loss – I mean ACCELERATED!

You will also see a BIG improvement in your skin and your energy levels.

So, don’t delay… Drink today and start looking and feeling a WHOLE lot better!

Sharing a parking space does NOT count!

The number of times I see people driving into the supermarket car park, kerb crawling, waiting earnestly for a space to magically appear, just outside the shop.

They drive along at a snail’s pace, checking every movement they see, in case someone is about to pull out of a space nearby. They go round and round the block, living in hope.

NOT me! I don’t hang around with these types of people.

Instead I drive to a far corner, where I’m guaranteed a space.

I park up, stroll across to the entrance, and guess what?

I nearly ALWAYS beat the kerb crawlers to the door!

Face it people. STOP being forever on the look out for short cuts.

Just face the task in hand and get to WORK.

Very much like the task of getting fit, shedding fat, and eating more sensibly.

You can either hang about, umming and ahhing, or just get to work and START.

The choice is yours, but believe me, while you may have to start work sooner, at least you’re guaranteed RESULTS while most other people are still dithering at the starting gate.

Sharing a parking space does NOT count!

The number of times I see people driving into the supermarket car park, kerb crawling, waiting earnestly for a space to magically appear, just outside the shop.

They drive along at a snail’s pace, checking every movement they see, in case someone is about to pull out of a space nearby. They go round and round the block, living in hope.

NOT me! I don’t hang around with these types of people.

Instead I drive to a far corner, where I’m guaranteed a space.

I park up, stroll across to the entrance, and guess what?

I nearly ALWAYS beat the kerb crawlers to the door!

Face it people. STOP being forever on the look out for short cuts.

Just face the task in hand and get to WORK.

Very much like the task of getting fit, shedding fat, and eating more sensibly.

You can either hang about, umming and ahhing, or just get to work and START.

The choice is yours, but believe me, while you may have to work along the way, at least you’re guaranteed RESULTS while most other people are still dithering at the starting gate.

Most of us know the famous Hans Christian Andersen tale about an emperor who unwittingly hires two con men to create a new suit of clothes for him.

These men convince the Emperor that the supposed ‘clothes’ he will be wearing are of the finest silk and invisible to anyone who is either stupid or unfit for his position in society. The Emperor cannot see the non-existent cloth, but pretends that he can, for fear of appearing stupid.

When the con men tell the Emperor that his new suit is finished, they dress him in mime. The Emperor, proud of his ‘outfit’, goes on a procession through his Kingdom showing off his new “clothes”, all the while really naked!

Now, I’m not calling you stupid or unfit for society, but what I am saying is this…

Suppose, like the Emperor, you had to walk around town, completely and utterly stark-naked!

How would you feel, besides being embarrassed to be naked in the first place?

Would you feel confident in your own skin?
Would you wear it well and with pride?
Would you try and cover up parts of your body that you didn’t like?

The TRUTH is, that if a law were past that declared us all be naked as we went about our daily lives, we would ALL work MUCH harder at tightening up those saggy bits and trimming some of the excess fat off our tummies, thighs and hips.

But, like the Emperor, we ‘hide’ behind our clothes. We pretend to see what ISN’T there. Fully clothed, many of us kid ourselves that we are lean, mean fighting machines underneath, healthy and not needing more exercise or a better diet to solve our problems.

SO MANY people live in denial.

They tell themselves that they’re as fit as a fiddle, despite larger fittings and feeling underpar.

They listen to those around them who tell them that they’re fine the way they are, that they shouldn’t change and that exercise and healthy eating is for boring people.

These people are like the con men. They get you to believe that nothing needs to change and that you’re fine the way you are.

If you are unhealthy or ill because of your current weight, you need to take ACTION and listen to your body.

Take off your clothes and look in the mirror.

Do you like what you see?

If not, don’t be like the Emperor and kid yourself into believing that what you see is all good.

Expose what lies beneath your clothes and work on your ‘new clothes’…

Most of us know the famous Hans Christian Andersen tale about an emperor who unwittingly hires two con men to create a new suit of clothes for him.

These men convince the Emperor that the supposed ‘clothes’ he will be wearing are of the finest silk and invisible to anyone who is either stupid or unfit for his position in society. The Emperor cannot see the non-existent cloth, but pretends that he can, for fear of appearing stupid.

When the con men tell the Emperor that his new suit is finished, they dress him in mime. The Emperor, proud of his ‘outfit’, goes on a procession through his Kingdom showing off his new “clothes”, all the while really naked!

Now, I’m not calling you stupid or unfit for society, but what I am saying is this…

Suppose, like the Emperor, you had to walk around town, completely and utterly stark-naked!

How would you feel, besides being embarrassed to be naked in the first place?

Would you feel confident in your own skin?
Would you wear it well and with pride?
Would you try and cover up parts of your body that you didn’t like?

The TRUTH is, that if a law were past that declared us all be naked as we went about our daily lives, we would ALL work MUCH harder at tightening up those saggy bits and trimming some of the excess fat off our tummies, thighs and hips.

But, like the Emperor, we ‘hide’ behind our clothes. We pretend to see what ISN’T there. Fully clothed, many of us kid ourselves that we are lean, mean fighting machines underneath, healthy and not needing more exercise or a better diet to solve our problems.

SO MANY people live in denial.

They tell themselves that they’re as fit as a fiddle, despite larger fittings and feeling underpar.

They listen to those around them who tell them that they’re fine the way they are, that they shouldn’t change and that exercise and healthy eating is for boring people.

These people are like the con men. They get you to believe that nothing needs to change and that you’re fine the way you are.

If you are unhealthy or ill because of your current weight, you need to take ACTION and listen to your body.

Take off your clothes and look in the mirror.

Do you like what you see?

If not, don’t be like the Emperor and kid yourself into believing that what you see is all good.

Expose what lies beneath your clothes and work on your ‘new clothes’…

Business Trips can either be a joy or a downright pain. Either way, being prepared for the trip ahead can make or break your time away.

Before you get close to heading to the airport, grab your schedule or your diary and mark out what you’ll be doing for the upcoming days. Mark off meetings, flights, dinner appointments and deadlines. Leave any down- time blank. Now look to see where you have gaps in your days.

Plan to give yourself some ‘ME’ time. Everyone needs time to relax, especially on a business trip, where the pace can be hectic, relentless and hard work.

Pencil in time for you, to recharge your batteries, get some sleep, have a massage, exercise or even take a wander and do some sightseeing or finding your bearings.

This down-time needs to be used carefully, otherwise you will simply find yourself lying on your bed in the hotel room, flicking through the TV channels, trying to fill your time. Speak to the concierge, do your research before leaving home and know what there is to do in your new neighbourhood.

You also need to keep an eye on your eating away from home, because this where most business travellers come unstuck. They have new foods to try, business lunches and dinners to attend and so an abundance of excess calories.

Be sensible. Watch your intake and go easy on the breakfast buffet. Start your day with eggs, natural yoghurt and fresh fruit or oats, to fuel your morning. Skip the coffee first thing and continue the trend throughout your day. Instead drink water, and keep it coming!

Continue to eat regularly throughout the day – small, healthy snacks that you should aim to pick up from a supermarket or health food shop close to the hotel. If in doubt, speak to the concierge or hotel reception. I’m talking nuts and fruit, in small portion sizes.

Pace yourself with business lunches and dinners, by only ordering a main course or 2 starters as a starter and a main course. If you’re drinking alcohol, be sensible and remember you’re on business!
Drink 2 glasses of water for every glass of alcohol and be sure to wash your food down with water.
Use the alcohol as a social accompaniment, not a thirst quencher.

Stick to these rules and you will find yourself thinking more clearly, sleeping better, reducing your stress levels and performing better at your job.

Have a good trip!

Business Trips can either be a joy or a downright pain. Either way, being prepared for the trip ahead can make or break your time away.

Before you get close to heading to the airport, grab your schedule or your diary and mark out what you’ll be doing for the upcoming days. Mark off meetings, flights, dinner appointments and deadlines. Leave any down- time blank. Now look to see where you have gaps in your days.

Plan to give yourself some ‘ME’ time. Everyone needs time to relax, especially on a business trip, where the pace can be hectic, relentless and hard work.

Pencil in time for you, to recharge your batteries, get some sleep, have a massage, exercise or even take a wander and do some sightseeing or finding your bearings.

This down-time needs to be used carefully, otherwise you will simply find yourself lying on your bed in the hotel room, flicking through the TV channels, trying to fill your time. Speak to the concierge, do your research before leaving home and know what there is to do in your new neighbourhood.

You also need to keep an eye on your eating away from home, because this where most business travellers come unstuck. They have new foods to try, business lunches and dinners to attend and so an abundance of excess calories.

Be sensible. Watch your intake and go easy on the breakfast buffet. Start your day with eggs, natural yoghurt and fresh fruit or oats, to fuel your morning. Skip the coffee first thing and continue the trend throughout your day. Instead drink water, and keep it coming!

Continue to eat regularly throughout the day – small, healthy snacks that you should aim to pick up from a supermarket or health food shop close to the hotel. If in doubt, speak to the concierge or hotel reception. I’m talking nuts and fruit, in small portion sizes.

Pace yourself with business lunches and dinners, by only ordering a main course or 2 starters as a starter and a main course. If you’re drinking alcohol, be sensible and remember you’re on business!
Drink 2 glasses of water for every glass of alcohol and be sure to wash your food down with water.
Use the alcohol as a social accompaniment, not a thirst quencher.

Stick to these rules and you will find yourself thinking more clearly, sleeping better, reducing your stress levels and performing better at your job.

Have a good trip!

After many years of working with clients seeking fat loss, it has been made very clear to me that a client’s eating habits can say a great deal about where they currently are, both physically and emotionally.

While ‘emotional eating’ has always been seen by many as a poor excuse for eating too much or all the wrong things, there is a certain amount of truth in this theory.

I’m a firm believer that you ARE what you eat, and that what you eat reflects HOW you are feeling.

A recent study highlights this, by assessing how people feel when they crave certain foods in their daily diet.

The results are very interesting…

Cheese and Crackers = confused or frustrated
Meat = Angry
Ice Cream / Custard = Needing Comfort
Chocolate / Coffee = Feeling Sad and Needy
Crisps / Fries = Stressed
Stodgy Foods / Pasta = Feeling Lonely

Now, while we all eat some of this food occasionally, it’s consistent patterns of these foods in your eating that should flash up little red flags.

When you find yourself needing certain foods for emotional rather than hunger reasoning, you need to start asking yourself WHAT is causing you to eat these foods so regularly.

What is bothering you, stressing you out, making you feel lonely or frustrated?

Unlocking these answers will be the KEY to helping you reduce your cravings.

I sit down with all my clients that are having a hard time with their eating and we go through WHAT the potential causes might be.

More often than not we find a root cause – stressed at work, lonely while the kids are at school, bored, tired, unhappy, frustrated with their jobs – even their marriages.

Once people start diggin inside themselves, they more often than not find the answers they NEED.

To FIX a food craving takes more than abstinence.

It requires the strength and courage to face the underlying issue HEAD-ON and take steps to CHANGE your predicament.

Why not ask yourself what that reasoning might be?

After many years of working with clients seeking fat loss, it has been made very clear to me that a client’s eating habits can say a great deal about where they currently are, both physically and emotionally.

While ‘emotional eating’ has always been seen by many as a poor excuse for eating too much or all the wrong things, there is a certain amount of truth in this theory.

I’m a firm believer that you ARE what you eat, and that what you eat reflects HOW you are feeling.

A recent study highlights this, by assessing how people feel when they crave certain foods in their daily diet.

The results are very interesting…

Cheese and Crackers = confused or frustrated
Meat = Angry
Ice Cream / Custard = Needing Comfort
Chocolate / Coffee = Feeling Sad and Needy
Crisps / Fries = Stressed
Stodgy Foods / Pasta = Feeling Lonely

Now, while we all eat some of this food occasionally, it’s consistent patterns of these foods in your eating that should flash up little red flags.

When you find yourself needing certain foods for emotional rather than hunger reasoning, you need to start asking yourself WHAT is causing you to eat these foods so regularly.

What is bothering you, stressing you out, making you feel lonely or frustrated?

Unlocking these answers will be the KEY to helping you reduce your cravings.

I sit down with all my clients that are having a hard time with their eating and we go through WHAT the potential causes might be.

More often than not we find a root cause – stressed at work, lonely while the kids are at school, bored, tired, unhappy, frustrated with their jobs – even their marriages.

Once people start diggin inside themselves, they more often than not find the answers they NEED.

To FIX a food craving takes more than abstinence.

It requires the strength and courage to face the underlying issue HEAD-ON and take steps to CHANGE your predicament.

Why not ask yourself what that reasoning might be?