With summer coming and posts popping up in magazines and on instagram about “summer bodies” and whatever else, it’s very easy to fall into the trap of thinking the more exercise you can do and the less you eat or the more foods you cut out the better – THIS IS NOT TRUE!
Not only can it be damaging to your mental health and physical health, potentially leading you into binge restrict cycles, disordered eating and even to eating disorders, it can also slow down or stop any progess you were making towards your health and fitness goals.
Here are some common signs that you should be aware of
– Low Energy, Fatigue
– Broken Sleep, Finding it hard to fall asleep
– Mood Swings
– Hair Loss
– Poor Concentration
– Constipation
– Irregular or Lack of Periods
– Feeling Cold
– Low Sex Drive
– Depression, Anxiety
– Extreme Cravings
– Not seeing progress in your workouts/fitness
Before setting an exercise or diet plan for yourself here are two things you need to be honest with yourself about!
- Will you be sacrificing the enjoyment of your life? Saying no to friends, to dinners out, cutting out entire food groups, spending hours in the gym?
- Is it sustainable? Are these long term lifestyle changes or a quick fix for a few weeks?
Remember 1200 calories a day is the recommended allowance for a 2-3 year old!
If you think you have been under eating or over training here’s a few tips to get you back on track!
- Book an appointment with a coach who can look at your plan and point you in the right direction.
- Take it slow – start by adding in an extra snack or switching a higher intensity workout for a walk, yoga or Pilates.
- Assess your goals! What is it that you want to achieve and why?
- Include Protein, Fat and Carbohydrates into each meal.
- Eat 3 meals a day – even if you don’t think you are hungry prepare the meal, have a bite and see how you feel.
- Look at your workout schedule and add in an extra rest day.
- Try to get 6-8 hours sleep a night. Create a sleep routine limiting caffeine and screens before bed.
- No food is off limits. Remove good or bad labels from food. Enjoy all foods in moderation. (This reduces cravings an bingeing)
- Reach out to friends and family for support.
- If you are really struggling reach out to your GP or a therapist.
Don’t miss out on life always looking to lose the last five pounds. The least interesting thing about you is your body. There is always help and always a way out, the first step is to choose you and then ask for help. xxx