Dining ‘al desco’ New research by Grace Say Aloe has revealed that 40% of office workers typically opt for ‘al desco dining’ when lunchtime rolls around. Multitasking your way through lunch by trying to eat whilst taking phone calls and typing emails may feel like the best way to get through everything at once. But according to top food psychologist, Dr Christy Fergusson, you should avoid eating lunch at your desk at all costs. According to Dr Ferguson “Eating while you’re distracted by work can be a disaster for your waistline and energy levels. How many times have you mindlessly munched your way through lunch and before you realise it you’re on your last bite? Research has shown that eating while distracted can lead to overeating. For example, one study found that those eating while watching TV ate 36% more pizza and 71% more macaroni and cheese. What’s more, the type of distraction doesn’t matter. So while you're unlikely to watch TV at your desk, chowing down lunch while staring at a screen: scrolling through a spreadsheet or mulling over emails, could be just as detrimental.” “Switch off the distractions. Step away from your computer screen and put your smartphone back in your bag. Take time to focus on what you’re eating. Taste, savour and enjoy each mouthful. By practicing mindful eating, you will eat less and finish your meal feeling more satisfied.” Ditch sugary treats Sugar is one of the main sources of empty calories, and not only this, it can wreak havoc with your appetite and metabolism. So here’s four simple hacks from nutritionist Kim Pearson to keep in mind when reaching a sugary pick-meup! 1) Drink a large glass of water before the meal Water is essential for many aspects of health and it could even help with weight loss. In one study, people who drank water before meals ate on average 40 calories less at their meal. The body can confuse hunger with thirst, so reach for a glass of water before snacking to help avoid over eating. If water is too bland, jazz it up with slices of fresh citrus fruits or cucumber and mint. 2) Eat food off a blue plate Studies have found that when a food’s colour contrasts with the plate on which it is served, fewer calories are consumed. Blue is frequently recommended as it contrasts with many popular foods – and very few foods are blue. Try eating from a blue plate to see if it helps moderate cake consumption. 3) Turn off the lights Studies have shown that people eat less when they are blindfolded. It’s believed that when less influenced by the look of food, the body tends to think it has eaten more than it actually has. Therefore, eating in the dark can help you stop eating when you are full, rather than when the plate is clean.
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Q&A with Davina McCall
How do you keep yourself motivated? I get asked about motivation so often and I think that is one of the hardest things when you start working out. It's so important to feel motivated. The first thing I always say to people is sign up for something. It doesn't matter if it’s a walk or a 3k run, just sign up for something and get fit for it and the minute you've done it, sign up for the next thing. I always have two or three things a year in the diary that I have to stay fit for. I make sure I do them with friends so then you can get fit together - it's much more fun. What is your advice to people that are struggling to get motivation? Getting motivated is as easy as making a decision - trying is a word that I hate. You are either doing, or you are not doing. But trying is a horrible no mans land, so make that decision to do, and that will ignite your motivation and kick start it for you. Are you at your ideal body shape? I am where I want to be now, and last year I lost about half a stone and I am going to try and stick to it. I often fluctuate, but this is where I feel the most comfortable and confident. Please don't worry if you put on a bit of weight when you work out. It's perfectly normal - muscle burns fat and you need to build muscle to burn the fat. It is widely reported about the benefits of exercise for mental health - how have you noticed the changes in yourself since exercising? I talk about this often on my Instagram page, because of the benefits I feel mentally and physically after exercise. Sometimes if I've trained really hard, I get a real sense of joy and euphoria, so it has a profound effect - especially in the winter when it's really important to keep the motivation going. Keeping it going helps the endorphins, and that dopamine that you get from a hit of exercise it will help keep
you happy d u r i n g these winter months. What is the next fitness goal you would like to achieve? I would like to do a Disney half marathon Davina: Toned In in Florida 10 on Blu-ray, DVD dressed as and on Digital is Arial - although available now! the mermaid tail might be a problem, haha! Does eating healthily come naturally to you? It does now and I think that's a really important message that I want to get across as eating heathily used to be denying myself something - but it doesn't mean eating cardboard and not getting joy out of things. It means that you eat the right foods and crucially the right amount of food. Thats why I've enjoyed doing my book, Sugar Free Family - my lifestyle has been a journey and I have now achieved a balance. You have never looked better are there any trouble areas you have to work harder at? Definitely my bum, legs and calves. All of my legs and my bum I have to work very hard at. What's been you fitness highlight to date? I would say that seeing the impact that I've had on people is always really humbling and always inspires me to keep doing what I'm doing. Helping other people whilst making myself feel good is a win win.
Health Magazine January 2018
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