The Slim Blog

Yes I know I had five skinny muffins… but the people who make them used the latest ‘calorie compression techniques’ so I won’t gain an ounce! - anonymous

I work with a lot of veteran dieters who have been through the slimming clubs and back again more times than they can remember.  They all share the same confusion as to how they’ve gained weight, but when I look at their nutrition there is no mystery.  Usually it is filled with so-called ‘diet and slimming foods’ - low fat biscuits, low calorie desserts, healthy option cereals and bars, diet ready meals and skinny muffins!

Slimming club members have been taught to follow a low-fat diet.  What they’re not told is that these high carbohydrate diet foods are often the underlying cause of their weight gain.

I noticed a certain healthy option yogurt that kept popping up in the nutrition diary of one of my new clients.  She showed me the yogurt and to be fair the label looked great! 

• Low in fat
• Full of calcium to help stengthen your bones
• Contains friendly bacteria to aid digestion

…all with big tick symbols just to remind you that you’re making the right choice!  Sadly for her, what they forgot to mention is the incredibly inhospitable, unfriendly, chin multiplying calories it contains - just over 600, which is about the same as a Big-Mac!

Some of the most well advertised diet foods do actually contain a large number of calories, even the ones that say ‘only 199 calories per pack’.  That’s like saying, ‘you’ll only have to run for 20 minutes to burn this off!’.  Doesn’t sound quite so appealing though does it?!

So next time you see a diet or weight loss food advertised on TV keep in mind -

• Diet foods are often full of poor quality carbohydrate.
• Slimming desserts are full of chemicals and sugar.
• Low in fat doesn’t mean low in calories.

My advice? Learn how to read the nutrition info (conveniently for the food manufacturers this is tucked away on the back) and ignore all the fibs plastered on the front!

Liam

The Slim Company
personal training and weight management | Baldock | Bedford | Biggleswade | Harpenden | Hatfield | Hertford | Hitchin | Letchworth | Luton | Royston | St Albans | Stevenage | Welwyn

I’ve often thought about where all the fat goes when I diet.  One thing is for sure…. it doesn’t go far cos it keeps finding me whenever I lose it! I think it hides around the corner and jumps back on board when i’m not concentrating! - anonymous

That lady has neatly summed up the problem faced by all serial dieters - keeping the weight off.  Slimming clubs all over the world have made their fortunes from the weight rebound effect.  Start a diet… lose the weight… give up the diet… regain the weight…. and so on.  Sounds familiar doesn’t it?!

I remember one of my first ever clients telling me how, despite her being 16 stone, she was a ‘weight loss expert’.  True, she had been slimmer of the year.  Yes, she knew every diet inside out.  And fair enough, she had lost an incredible amount of weight at slimming clubs over the years - in total over 30 stone.  But for all her weight loss and diet expertise, she continually struggled to keep the weight off. 

Dieters repeatedly approach weight loss like the washing up.  The more it piles up, the less they want to deal with it.  When it does pile up too high they ignore it.  And when enough is enough they’ll find a massive burst of motivation, clean it all up, wipe their brow when the job’s done… and then sit back and let it pile up all over again! 

So what’s the big secret? How is it that some people lose the weight and keep it off while others see their weight rebound in a matter of weeks?  The secret is… sustainability.  Whatever you do to lose the weight, you have to sustain to keep the weight off.

If you’ve got 7lbs to lose for a holiday, then diet.  But diet in the knowledge it’ll all be back by the flight home!  If you’re looking to achieve a healthy weight long-term, dieting is not an option.  You have to change you’re nutritional habits so that you always eat the right amount for your metabolism.  There is no other way to sustain your weight loss.

So if you’re thinking about starting a diet or joining a slimming club, just remember one thing.  If you can’t eat like that for life, then you won’t keep the weight off for life.

Liam

The Slim Company
personal training and weight management | Baldock | Bedford | Biggleswade | Harpenden | Hatfield | Hertford | Hitchin | Letchworth | Luton | Royston | St Albans | Stevenage | Welwyn

It is now widely accepted that personal training is no longer just for skinny celebrities.  Over the last 5 years, home personal training has become an increasingly popular service, particularly with dieters and slimming club veterans who struggle with weight loss.  Yet millions of other dieters are still to be converted.  Why? Because when they think of a “personal trainer” they think of Harvey from celebrity fit club - the drill sergeant who pushes his overweight clients to breaking point!

Sadly the TV personal trainers like Harvey have given us home personal trainers a bad name.  The truth is that home personal trainers have a very gentle coaching approach with our clients. Think of us as the softies of the fitness world!  Here’s a few things to keep in mind…

Home personal trainers work mainly with people of low fitness levels.

…at least they are when we meet them anyway!  We show our clients how to gradually increase their activity levels, and know that the first time we push a client too far is the last time we’ll see them!  So remember - our career depends on our ability to design enjoyable fitness plans.

Home personal trainers don’t always exercise with their clients.

..our clients would far rather be out boozing! That’s why we design the fitness plan and then visit them weekly to monitor their progress.  Between sessions we coach our clients via text or email.  Just think how much easier it is to find the motivation to exercise when you’re getting daily support.

Home personal trainers offer expert nutrition, slimming and weight loss advice.

…which means exercise is optional!  Often our role becomes that of a ‘nutrition coach’ rather than a fitness trainer.  If you’re a serial dieter struggling to lose weight, then what better way to find the motivation to eat well than one-to-one weekly nutrition coaching from a nutrition expert.

For the fitness fanatics out there don’t worry.  The best and most experienced personal trainers know how to adapt their coaching style to suit each individual client, so if you want your personal trainer to push you, all you’ve got to do is ask!

Liam

The Slim Company
personal training and weight management | Baldock | Bedford | Biggleswade | Harpenden | Hatfield | Hertford | Hitchin | Letchworth | Luton | Royston | St Albans | Stevenage | Welwyn

Hello all!

My name is Liam and I’m a personal trainer and weight loss coach from Letchworth, Hertfordshire.   I’ve found my passion in fitness and nutrition, and have spent the last 5 years helping people lose weight and get fit.  If you’re interested in health and fitness, looking to lose weight, or thinking about getting a personal trainer, then add this to your favorites!

So here’s what I’m hoping to achieve with this blog…

·         To provide a source of realistic, jargon-free fitness and weight loss information.

·         To offer expert advice to anyone interested in getting fit and/or losing weight.

·         to promote a healthy and sustainable approach to slimming and fitness.

Don’t be scared to get involved and leave comments or post questions! All I ask that my clients don’t give me too much abuse …unless it’s deserved!

Liam

The Slim Company
personal training and weight management | Baldock | Bedford | Biggleswade | Harpenden | Hatfield | Hertford | Hitchin | Letchworth | Luton | Royston | St Albans | Stevenage | Welwyn