How to prevent that annual Christmas weight gain https://t.co/FkO7aEBNql

How to prevent that annual Christmas weight gain https://t.co/FkO7aEBNql

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) December 21, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

How to prevent that annual Christmas weight gain https://t.co/FkO7aEBNql #Slimmer

How to prevent that annual Christmas weight gain https://t.co/FkO7aEBNql #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) December 21, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

How to prevent that annual Christmas weight gain

THERE’S not much left of 2017 and then the New Year begins. So I’d like to wish you the BEST Christmas and all good wishes for a happy and healthy 2018.

The end of the year is a great time to reflect on what lifestyle habits have been holding you back and what strategies you’ll adopt in 2018 to help you succeed in your weight loss goals.

When the busy-ness of this next seven days is over, take 10 mins for yourself and have a time of reflection.

It really is SO important to do this and I would urge you to find the time – it will get 2018 off to a great start!

In the meantime, there are still 11 days of 2017 remaining and they’re probably the 11 days when people do the most overeating!

There’s a way you can prevent too much weight gain over the next couple of weeks, because it’s always easier to maintain momentum rather than undo damage.

Focus on finishing the year on an upbeat note so you can build on that strength going into 2018!

So how do you prevent weight gain during the festive period?

In several studies researchers intentionally overfed people and discovered that some people put on fat and some people didn’t. Further experiments were carried out to see what actually happens inside people’s bodies that determines whether they store excess food as fat or burned it off.

So what’s happening?

Well, the people who burn it off naturally increased their movement and those who put on fat did not. We’re not talking about going to the gym or doing intensive workouts.

We’re talking about natural everyday movement that seems to stop during the holiday season!

This type of movement is called NEAT. and it stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.

This is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise. It ranges from the energy expended by walking, typing, performing physical work around the house/garden to running around after kids and general day-to-day activity.

So how do we put this into practice right now?

Well have a think about CONSCIOUSLY increasing your NEAT during this holiday season.  Make time for post-meal walks and stay ACTIVE during the day (even if it’s cold outside!)

This fascinating video explains why many experts believe that sitting is the new smoking. The message is: Keep your bum off seats as much as possible!

If you’re a member of our Slimpod Club we’ll be posting an activity thread so we can all motivate each other to continue with those Fitbit steps, or dog walking or even a few squats!

Have a great Christmas!

The post How to prevent that annual Christmas weight gain appeared first on Slimpod.

How to prevent that annual Christmas weight gain

There’s not much left of 2017 and then the New Year begins. So I’d like to wish you the BEST Christmas and all good wishes for a happy and healthy 2018.

The end of the year is a great time to reflect on what lifestyle habits have been holding you back and what strategies you’ll adopt in 2018 to help you succeed in your weight loss goals.

When the busy-ness of this next seven days is over, take 10 mins for yourself and have a time of reflection.

It really is SO important to do this and I would urge you to find the time – it will get 2018 off to a great start!

In the meantime, there are still 11 days of 2017 remaining and they’re probably the 11 days when people do the most overeating!

There’s a way you can prevent too much weight gain over the next couple of weeks, because it’s always easier to maintain momentum rather than undo damage.

Focus on finishing the year on an upbeat note so you can build on that strength going into 2018!

So how do you prevent weight gain during the festive period?

In several studies researchers intentionally overfed people and discovered that some people put on fat and some people didn’t. Further experiments were carried out to see what actually happens inside people’s bodies that determines whether they store excess food as fat or burned it off.

So what’s happening?

Well, the people who burn it off naturally increased their movement and those who put on fat did not. We’re not talking about going to the gym or doing intensive workouts.

We’re talking about natural everyday movement that seems to stop during the holiday season!

This type of movement is called NEAT. and it stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.

This is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise. It ranges from the energy expended by walking, typing, performing physical work around the house/garden to running around after kids and general day-to-day activity.

So how do we put this into practice right now?

Well have a think about CONSCIOUSLY increasing your NEAT during this holiday season.  Make time for post-meal walks and stay ACTIVE during the day (even if it’s cold outside!)

This fascinating video explains why many experts believe that sitting is the new smoking. The message is: Keep your bum off seats as much as possible!

If you’re a member of our Slimpod Club we’ll be posting an activity thread so we can all motivate each other to continue with those Fitbit steps, or dog walking or even a few squats!

Have a great Christmas!

The post How to prevent that annual Christmas weight gain appeared first on Slimpod.

Keep calm and carry on is the new Xmas challenge! https://t.co/YAz7gFxYeA #Slimmer

Keep calm and carry on is the new Xmas challenge! https://t.co/YAz7gFxYeA #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 27, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Keep calm and carry on is the new Xmas challenge! https://t.co/YAz7gFxYeA

Keep calm and carry on is the new Xmas challenge! https://t.co/YAz7gFxYeA

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 27, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Keep calm and carry on is the new Xmas challenge!

WELL, the 30 day challenge is over and there’s less than four weeks to go until Christmas…the busiest and most stressful time of the year for a lot of us. Mums have enough on their plates throughout the year and then it gets 10 times busier.  So many people have been doing really well with their healthy habits during the past 30 days so don’t let it all go to the wall now!  Sustainable weight loss is about continuity and putting an end to the yo-yo dieting stuff!

However, because we’re heading into this ridiculously busy time of year, your mind and body will need a little extra help to stay on track and today I thought I’d give you some advice on how to deal with the effects that stress can have on your body.

It’s a scientific fact that the more stressed we are, the more sugary things we eat. And the more of them we eat, the more stressed we become. That’s the most vicious circle imaginable.

It’s a bit like the old riddle about the chicken and the egg: what comes first, the sugar or the stress?

Stress changes how you eat and the choices you make. It makes you reach for the comforting sugary foods and a recent study suggests this seems to affect women more than men.

Stress means our bodies are awash with  hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which makes our blood sugar level go up and down like a rollercoaster.

We’re surrounded on all sides by sugar-packed comfort food so it’s easy for us to reach for a quick fix. But the stress which makes us go for the sugar produces more cortisol and we can become resistant to the insulin which controls our blood-sugar levels.

One of the effects of excess cortisol is that far more sugar is then stored as fat than is burnt as energy. And cortisol makes us store the fat around our middles, so that it is closer to the vital organs which might need it.

Constant stress means cortisol levels are high all the time – and you put on more and more weight.

So here’s my tips for keeping calm and carrying on as Christmas approaches.

1. Avoid sugary breakfast cereals. They make your body react in such a way that the  the old cortisol/insulin battle starts up.
2. Too much caffeine raises your blood sugar level just like sugar does. So go for decaff tea and coffee. Tastes just the same, does you more good.
3. Exercise. Go for a walk, go to the gym, go swimming, talk the dog out, go for a jog. Whatever works for you will help reduce the stress hormones whizzing around inside you.
4. Things you can eat to lower stress include berries, which are full of vitamin C, green vegetables, which contain so many nutrients, and nuts to give you the B vitamins your immune system needs.
5. Sleep!  Make sure you’re getting enough of it! It’s been scientifically proven that lack of sleep is a huge contributor to weight gain and it’s one of the first things that suffers when we’re stressed. 

If you need a bit of extra help right now, our Chillpod is a fabulous stressbuster.  It calms everything down and people rave about it.  Here’s where to get one and use this code to get 20% off: CHILLSAVE

Let me know below if you notice that stress makes you eat more sugary stuff.

The post Keep calm and carry on is the new Xmas challenge! appeared first on Slimpod.

Keep calm and carry on is the new Xmas challenge!

WELL, the 30 day challenge is over and there’s less than four weeks to go until Christmas…the busiest and most stressful time of the year for a lot of us. Mums have enough on their plates throughout the year and then it gets 10 times busier.  So many people have been doing really well with their healthy habits during the past 30 days so don’t let it all go to the wall now!  Sustainable weight loss is about continuity and putting an end to the yo-yo dieting stuff!

However, because we’re heading into this ridiculously busy time of year, your mind and body will need a little extra help to stay on track and today I thought I’d give you some advice on how to deal with the effects that stress can have on your body.

It’s a scientific fact that the more stressed we are, the more sugary things we eat. And the more of them we eat, the more stressed we become. That’s the most vicious circle imaginable.

It’s a bit like the old riddle about the chicken and the egg: what comes first, the sugar or the stress?

Stress changes how you eat and the choices you make. It makes you reach for the comforting sugary foods and a recent study suggests this seems to affect women more than men.

Stress means our bodies are awash with  hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which makes our blood sugar level go up and down like a rollercoaster.

We’re surrounded on all sides by sugar-packed comfort food so it’s easy for us to reach for a quick fix. But the stress which makes us go for the sugar produces more cortisol and we can become resistant to the insulin which controls our blood-sugar levels.

One of the effects of excess cortisol is that far more sugar is then stored as fat than is burnt as energy. And cortisol makes us store the fat around our middles, so that it is closer to the vital organs which might need it.

Constant stress means cortisol levels are high all the time – and you put on more and more weight.

So here’s my tips for keeping calm and carrying on as Christmas approaches.

1. Avoid sugary breakfast cereals. They make your body react in such a way that the  the old cortisol/insulin battle starts up.
2. Too much caffeine raises your blood sugar level just like sugar does. So go for decaff tea and coffee. Tastes just the same, does you more good.
3. Exercise. Go for a walk, go to the gym, go swimming, talk the dog out, go for a jog. Whatever works for you will help reduce the stress hormones whizzing around inside you.
4. Things you can eat to lower stress include berries, which are full of vitamin C, green vegetables, which contain so many nutrients, and nuts to give you the B vitamins your immune system needs.
5. Sleep!  Make sure you’re getting enough of it! It’s been scientifically proven that lack of sleep is a huge contributor to weight gain and it’s one of the first things that suffers when we’re stressed. 

If you need a bit of extra help right now, our Chillpod is a fabulous stressbuster.  It calms everything down and people rave about it.  Here’s where to get one and use this code to get 20% off: CHILLSAVE

Let me know below if you notice that stress makes you eat more sugary stuff.

The post Keep calm and carry on is the new Xmas challenge! appeared first on Slimpod.

Healthy and delicious Chicken Verona recipe https://t.co/5XYRzZECIP

Healthy and delicious Chicken Verona recipe https://t.co/5XYRzZECIP

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 24, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Healthy and delicious Chicken Verona recipe

OUR hospital superchef Simon Smith brings you a delicious healthy Italian dish this week, Chicken Verona, which is packed with goodness. Simon, head chef at Tameside NHS hospital in Manchester, knows that chicken is the perfect dish for a protein boost. Please let him know how much you enjoyed his Chicken Verona by leaving a comment below. He loves reading your feedback.

Chicken Verona

SERVES: 2

PREPARATION TIME: 10mins

COOKING TIME: 15 – 20mins

 

Ingredients:

2 x 130g Chicken supremes (skinless, boneless & butterflied breasts)

30g Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese

100g Smoked Pancetta

3 Shallot Onions (fine diced)

60g Button Mushrooms (sliced)

1tsp Basil Pesto

2clv Garlic (pureed)

10g Unsalted Butter (melted)

10g Olive Oil

80ml Red Wine

100ml Chicken Stock

150ml Passata

Seasoning

 

Equipment Needed

Medium Sauté Pan

4 small bowls

Small Veg knife

Chopping Board

Deep roasting tray

 

Preparation

Prepare the garlic, mushrooms and onions and set to the side in bowls.

Place the garlic and herb cream cheese into a bowl and soften with a spoon. Lay the butterflied chicken supremes on the chopping board with the skin side down.

Spread a tablespoon of cream cheese along the middle of the chicken supreme.  Fold over the chicken on either side to encase the cream cheese. Wrap strips of pancetta around the supremes until each fillet is encased. Place on to a plate and season with cracked pepper. Place in the fridge for 5mins to rest.

In a small bowl combine the melted butter, oil and garlic. Pre heat the oven to 180C / Gas mark 4.

Pre heat the sauté pan on a medium hob setting, add the garlic infused oil to the pan. Remove the Supremes from the fridge and place in the sauté pan. Allow the chicken to sauté on each side for approx. 3 min each side.  Cover with a lid while cooking so not to burn the chicken. When the pancetta is sealed place the supremes into the roasting tray and place into the oven for an approx. 5mins.

While the supremes are cooking in the oven, to prepare the Verona sauce add the shallots to the sauté pan and cook until onions have slightly soften. Add the mushroom and cook until the mushrooms have softened. Stir the onions and mushrooms often so not to burn them.

Add the pesto and stir into the vegetables then add the red wine. Increase the heat to high and allow the wine to boil and reduce the liquid by half. To this add the chicken stock and cook until this liquid has also reduced by half. Reduce the heat and stir in the passata. Simmer for a further 5 mins.

Remove the chicken from the oven and check it is cooked thoroughly (do this by piercing the thickest part of the fillet to the middle with a sharp knife. If the juices are clear then the chicken is cooked. If not return supremes to the oven for an additional 5 mins.

Place the supreme on to a plate and coat in a layer of the Verona sauce.  Serve with garlic bread. Enjoy !!!!

The post Healthy and delicious Chicken Verona recipe appeared first on Slimpod.

Healthy and delicious Chicken Verona recipe https://t.co/5XYRzZECIP #Slimmer

Healthy and delicious Chicken Verona recipe https://t.co/5XYRzZECIP #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 24, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Healthy and delicious Chicken Verona recipe

OUR hospital superchef Simon Smith brings you a delicious healthy Italian dish this week, Chicken Verona, which is packed with goodness. Simon, head chef at Tameside NHS hospital in Manchester, knows that chicken is the perfect dish for a protein boost. Please let him know how much you enjoyed his Chicken Verona by leaving a comment below. He loves reading your feedback.

Chicken Verona

SERVES: 2

PREPARATION TIME: 10mins

COOKING TIME: 15 – 20mins

 

Ingredients:

2 x 130g Chicken supremes (skinless, boneless & butterflied breasts)

30g Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese

100g Smoked Pancetta

3 Shallot Onions (fine diced)

60g Button Mushrooms (sliced)

1tsp Basil Pesto

2clv Garlic (pureed)

10g Unsalted Butter (melted)

10g Olive Oil

80ml Red Wine

100ml Chicken Stock

150ml Passata

Seasoning

 

Equipment Needed

Medium Sauté Pan

4 small bowls

Small Veg knife

Chopping Board

Deep roasting tray

 

Preparation

Prepare the garlic, mushrooms and onions and set to the side in bowls.

Place the garlic and herb cream cheese into a bowl and soften with a spoon. Lay the butterflied chicken supremes on the chopping board with the skin side down.

Spread a tablespoon of cream cheese along the middle of the chicken supreme.  Fold over the chicken on either side to encase the cream cheese. Wrap strips of pancetta around the supremes until each fillet is encased. Place on to a plate and season with cracked pepper. Place in the fridge for 5mins to rest.

In a small bowl combine the melted butter, oil and garlic. Pre heat the oven to 180C / Gas mark 4.

Pre heat the sauté pan on a medium hob setting, add the garlic infused oil to the pan. Remove the Supremes from the fridge and place in the sauté pan. Allow the chicken to sauté on each side for approx. 3 min each side.  Cover with a lid while cooking so not to burn the chicken. When the pancetta is sealed place the supremes into the roasting tray and place into the oven for an approx. 5mins.

While the supremes are cooking in the oven, to prepare the Verona sauce add the shallots to the sauté pan and cook until onions have slightly soften. Add the mushroom and cook until the mushrooms have softened. Stir the onions and mushrooms often so not to burn them.

Add the pesto and stir into the vegetables then add the red wine. Increase the heat to high and allow the wine to boil and reduce the liquid by half. To this add the chicken stock and cook until this liquid has also reduced by half. Reduce the heat and stir in the passata. Simmer for a further 5 mins.

Remove the chicken from the oven and check it is cooked thoroughly (do this by piercing the thickest part of the fillet to the middle with a sharp knife. If the juices are clear then the chicken is cooked. If not return supremes to the oven for an additional 5 mins.

Place the supreme on to a plate and coat in a layer of the Verona sauce.  Serve with garlic bread. Enjoy !!!!

The post Healthy and delicious Chicken Verona recipe appeared first on Slimpod.

Turning an obstacle into a positive you can learn from https://t.co/2iMsBpglYS

Turning an obstacle into a positive you can learn from https://t.co/2iMsBpglYS

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 20, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Turning an obstacle into a positive you can learn from https://t.co/2iMsBpglYS #Slimmer

Turning an obstacle into a positive you can learn from https://t.co/2iMsBpglYS #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 20, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Turning an obstacle into a positive you can learn from

HOW did you get on with my “challenge within a challenge” last week? I asked you to be extra-vigilant about how much hidden sugar you were consuming in everyday food. I’m wondering how many positives happened as a result.

Today I’d like you to reflect back over what you’ve noted in your success log for the past week and reflect on the changes.

Look back at what you’ve achieved and congratulate yourself because your brain’s reward centre will get a buzz from your results and it will make you feel really good.

But what if you had certain expectations of what you wanted to achieve you didn’t quite get there?  What happens then?

Throwing in the towel when faced with a challenge is no good. One of the keys to sustainable weight loss is consistency and you achieve this by training yourself to turn the obstacles into something you learn from – and use the learnings to succeed.

Success truly happens when the negatives have no impact and your brain is trained to automatically think about how you can use the opportunity to succeed.

The best way for me to describe this is to give you an example – and this was recently posted in Slimpod Club.

So you can see how Pat  could quite easily have let herself be all-consumed with disappointment about the fact that she had a mini binge. She could quite easily have decided to give up.

But instead Pat saw the positive – it was only four biscuits – and if you have something going on like this right now then I encourage you to change what that means to you.

Instead of feeling disappointed and annoyed, make it something you take action on and do something positive with rather than letting it defeat you.

This is so important because it builds mental toughness and self worth. If you persevere with something you start believing, you can do it.

That’s all it is – looking at things from a different viewpoint. It’s also about keeping calm and being in control rather than allowing emotion to take over.

The real secret is in making “failure” your friend rather than something you fear and run away from.

This is going to help you get over the obstacles and move on to create and build healthy habits which will take you to your end goal…lasting weight loss.

Let me know below if you’re one of those people who stops if the results aren’t as expected?  Let me also know how you can make a positive out of a negative so you start changing interrupting the pattern.

The post Turning an obstacle into a positive you can learn from appeared first on Slimpod.

Turning an obstacle into a positive you can learn from

HOW did you get on with my “challenge within a challenge” last week? I asked you to be extra-vigilant about how much hidden sugar you were consuming in everyday food. I’m wondering how many positives happened as a result.

Today I’d like you to reflect back over what you’ve noted in your success log for the past week and reflect on the changes.

Look back at what you’ve achieved and congratulate yourself because your brain’s reward centre will get a buzz from your results and it will make you feel really good.

But what if you had certain expectations of what you wanted to achieve you didn’t quite get there?  What happens then?

Throwing in the towel when faced with a challenge is no good. One of the keys to sustainable weight loss is consistency and you achieve this by training yourself to turn the obstacles into something you learn from – and use the learnings to succeed.

Success truly happens when the negatives have no impact and your brain is trained to automatically think about how you can use the opportunity to succeed.

The best way for me to describe this is to give you an example – and this was recently posted in Slimpod Club.

So you can see how Pat  could quite easily have let herself be all-consumed with disappointment about the fact that she had a mini binge. She could quite easily have decided to give up.

But instead Pat saw the positive – it was only four biscuits – and if you have something going on like this right now then I encourage you to change what that means to you.

Instead of feeling disappointed and annoyed, make it something you take action on and do something positive with rather than letting it defeat you.

This is so important because it builds mental toughness and self worth. If you persevere with something you start believing, you can do it.

That’s all it is – looking at things from a different viewpoint. It’s also about keeping calm and being in control rather than allowing emotion to take over.

The real secret is in making “failure” your friend rather than something you fear and run away from.

This is going to help you get over the obstacles and move on to create and build healthy habits which will take you to your end goal…lasting weight loss.

Let me know below if you’re one of those people who stops if the results aren’t as expected?  Let me also know how you can make a positive out of a negative so you start changing interrupting the pattern.

The post Turning an obstacle into a positive you can learn from appeared first on Slimpod.

Think you’re eating healthily? Read this and think again https://t.co/3Rol4IWr7i

Think you’re eating healthily? Read this and think again https://t.co/3Rol4IWr7i

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 13, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Think you’re eating healthily? Read this and think again https://t.co/3Rol4IWr7i #Slimmer

Think you’re eating healthily? Read this and think again https://t.co/3Rol4IWr7i #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 13, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Think you’re eating healthily? Read this and think again

TWO weeks ago we started the Drop A Size For Christmas challenge. So – how are you doing so far? Have you been practising your small habits every day? If you have been diligent about your baby steps then go to the top of the class. If life has got in the way and you haven’t quite managed it every day, then look at it as a learning experience rather than giving up.

Think about how you can learn from what’s not gone so well and rather than getting emotional about it and thinking you’re a failure – do it differently.

One of the things you can do over the next few weeks to really move yourself forward both in terms of health and your weight loss is to be aware of your sugar consumption – and I mean the added sugar and hidden sugar that’s in our everyday food.

I know I keep on about this but it’s really really important.  Last Friday at the Sugar Summit in London, it was revealed that people’s concern about the dangers of sugar is very high.

Here’s one of the slides with the statistics, photographed off the screen at the summit.

A lot of the reason we consume so much sugar is that hidden in everything!

Look at the different names sugar goes under in everyday food…

So my challenge to you for the next week is to be vigilant and if you think you eat healthy food, think again.  Look for the sugar content in what you’re buying then limit your consumption to the recommended healthy amount…

Which is 25g a day (6tsp) for a woman and 38g (9tsp) a day for a man. If you’re anything like me, you were conditioned to look for the fat content in food.

Years ago I used to swear by Rosemary Conley’s Hip and Thigh diet and followed it religiously – limiting my fat consumption to only a few grams a day.

But things have moved on and several years ago I discovered a lot of the fat I was excluding from my daily nutrition was in fact important to have IN my body for essential health reasons.

However, refined, added sugar is NOT needed by our bodies at all and we consume too much of it.  So even if you think you’re eating healthy food, please spend a week checking your labels.

I spoke to a lady recently who said she eats healthy food all the time and couldn’t understand why she wasn’t shifting fat. Yet on closer investigation I discovered most of her food is convenience food from a very well-known “healthy” brand and there was huge amounts of sugar in the savoury food.

This is because sugar acts as a preservative to make shelf life longer and helps the freezing process to be more effective, too.  So today I’m issuing you with a challenge within a challenge!

My new challenge for you is about making sure the food you’re eating is healthy and not riddled with sugar – because so much of it is.

If you’re listening to a Slimpod this should be easy peasy to do!

Let me know in the comments below if you’re up for that and I’ll check in with you next week to see how it’s going!

The post Think you’re eating healthily? Read this and think again appeared first on Slimpod.

Think you’re eating healthily? Read this and think again

TWO weeks ago we started the Drop A Size For Christmas challenge. So – how are you doing so far? Have you been practising your small habits every day? If you have been diligent about your baby steps then go to the top of the class. If life has got in the way and you haven’t quite managed it every day, then look at it as a learning experience rather than giving up.

Think about how you can learn from what’s not gone so well and rather than getting emotional about it and thinking you’re a failure – do it differently.

One of the things you can do over the next few weeks to really move yourself forward both in terms of health and your weight loss is to be aware of your sugar consumption – and I mean the added sugar and hidden sugar that’s in our everyday food.

I know I keep on about this but it’s really really important.  Last Friday at the Sugar Summit in London, it was revealed that people’s concern about the dangers of sugar is very high.

Here’s one of the slides with the statistics, photographed off the screen at the summit.

A lot of the reason we consume so much sugar is that hidden in everything!

Look at the different names sugar goes under in everyday food…

So my challenge to you for the next week is to be vigilant and if you think you eat healthy food, think again.  Look for the sugar content in what you’re buying then limit your consumption to the recommended healthy amount…

Which is 25g a day (6tsp) for a woman and 38g (9tsp) a day for a man. If you’re anything like me, you were conditioned to look for the fat content in food.

Years ago I used to swear by Rosemary Conley’s Hip and Thigh diet and followed it religiously – limiting my fat consumption to only a few grams a day.

But things have moved on and several years ago I discovered a lot of the fat I was excluding from my daily nutrition was in fact important to have IN my body for essential health reasons.

However, refined, added sugar is NOT needed by our bodies at all and we consume too much of it.  So even if you think you’re eating healthy food, please spend a week checking your labels.

I spoke to a lady recently who said she eats healthy food all the time and couldn’t understand why she wasn’t shifting fat. Yet on closer investigation I discovered most of her food is convenience food from a very well-known “healthy” brand and there was huge amounts of sugar in the savoury food.

This is because sugar acts as a preservative to make shelf life longer and helps the freezing process to be more effective, too.  So today I’m issuing you with a challenge within a challenge!

My new challenge for you is about making sure the food you’re eating is healthy and not riddled with sugar – because so much of it is.

If you’re listening to a Slimpod this should be easy peasy to do!

Let me know in the comments below if you’re up for that and I’ll check in with you next week to see how it’s going!

The post Think you’re eating healthily? Read this and think again appeared first on Slimpod.

Honey and Mustard Glazed Pork Chops https://t.co/NEjWpyVMqj #Slimmer

Honey and Mustard Glazed Pork Chops https://t.co/NEjWpyVMqj #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 10, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Honey and Mustard Glazed Pork Chops

Hospital superchef Simon Smith has a really healthy recipe for you – it’s filling, nutritious and very tasty. Make sure you don’t overcook the vegetables so you keep as much of the goodness in them as possible. The chop is delicious with a baked potato. Please leave your comments below because Simon loves your feedback!

Honey and Mustard Glazed Pork Chops

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME: 10mins

COOKING TIME 15mins

Ingredients

4 x 200g – 225g Pork Chops

2 Sweet Peppers (de-seeded & sliced)

1 medium Onion (Sliced)

½ Red Onion (sliced)

100ml Sunflower Oil

30ml Olive Oil

20ml Sesame Oil

2clvs Garlic (pureed)

1½ tsp. Dijon Mustard

2tbsp Honey

½ Lemons

20g Fresh Chives (chopped)

10g Fresh Sage (chopped)

250ml Chicken Stock

Seasoning

Equipment required:

Griddle / sauté pan

Deep roasting tray

Large cooking spoons

Mixing bowls

Vegetable Knife

Chopping Board

Preparation

Pre heat the oven to gas mark 6 / 200C, with a deep tray in it pre heating also.

In a bowl combine the oils, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, chives, sage and a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir or whisk until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Into the bowl add the pork chops, sliced onions and sliced peppers. Stir into the marinate until all the pork chops and the vegetables are coated. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for 5 mins

Heat the griddle pan on medium for the last 2min of the chops’ time in the fridge. Remove the chops from the bowl and drain excess oil and place on a clean tray. Season the chops with salt and cracked pepper and then carefully lay the chops into the hot griddle pan.

Allow the chops to cook in the hot oil for approx 2min on each side to seal off the meat. When chops start to colour in the griddle pan, remove to the clean pre-heated deep oven tray. Add a tablespoon of the marinate mix over the chops and place in the hot oven. Allow to bake in the hot oven for approx. 10min occasionally turning the chops.

Drain the sliced onions and peppers from the remaining marinate. Reduce the heat on the griddle pan and add the vegetables to the pan, allow them to quick fry stirring frequently. When the veg starts to colour in the pan remove and place in a clean bowl.

Increase the pan to high and add the stock to the pan.  Deglaze all the flavours cooked into the pan and reduce the stock until half the liquid remains in the pan.

Remove the chops from the oven and pour any juices in the tray into the jus in the griddle pan. Check the core of the chops with a knife to confirm they are cooked; the chops should have a chargrilled look and should be served on a bed of the fried vegetables with the glaze poured over.

 

The post Honey and Mustard Glazed Pork Chops appeared first on Slimpod.

Honey and Mustard Glazed Pork Chops https://t.co/NEjWpyVMqj

Honey and Mustard Glazed Pork Chops https://t.co/NEjWpyVMqj

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 10, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Honey and Mustard Glazed Pork Chops

Hospital superchef Simon Smith has a really healthy recipe for you – it’s filling, nutritious and very tasty. Make sure you don’t overcook the vegetables so you keep as much of the goodness in them as possible. The chop is delicious with a baked potato. Please leave your comments below because Simon loves your feedback!

Honey and Mustard Glazed Pork Chops

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME: 10mins

COOKING TIME 15mins

Ingredients

4 x 200g – 225g Pork Chops

2 Sweet Peppers (de-seeded & sliced)

1 medium Onion (Sliced)

½ Red Onion (sliced)

100ml Sunflower Oil

30ml Olive Oil

20ml Sesame Oil

2clvs Garlic (pureed)

1½ tsp. Dijon Mustard

2tbsp Honey

½ Lemons

20g Fresh Chives (chopped)

10g Fresh Sage (chopped)

250ml Chicken Stock

Seasoning

Equipment required:

Griddle / sauté pan

Deep roasting tray

Large cooking spoons

Mixing bowls

Vegetable Knife

Chopping Board

Preparation

Pre heat the oven to gas mark 6 / 200C, with a deep tray in it pre heating also.

In a bowl combine the oils, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, chives, sage and a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir or whisk until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Into the bowl add the pork chops, sliced onions and sliced peppers. Stir into the marinate until all the pork chops and the vegetables are coated. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for 5 mins

Heat the griddle pan on medium for the last 2min of the chops’ time in the fridge. Remove the chops from the bowl and drain excess oil and place on a clean tray. Season the chops with salt and cracked pepper and then carefully lay the chops into the hot griddle pan.

Allow the chops to cook in the hot oil for approx 2min on each side to seal off the meat. When chops start to colour in the griddle pan, remove to the clean pre-heated deep oven tray. Add a tablespoon of the marinate mix over the chops and place in the hot oven. Allow to bake in the hot oven for approx. 10min occasionally turning the chops.

Drain the sliced onions and peppers from the remaining marinate. Reduce the heat on the griddle pan and add the vegetables to the pan, allow them to quick fry stirring frequently. When the veg starts to colour in the pan remove and place in a clean bowl.

Increase the pan to high and add the stock to the pan.  Deglaze all the flavours cooked into the pan and reduce the stock until half the liquid remains in the pan.

Remove the chops from the oven and pour any juices in the tray into the jus in the griddle pan. Check the core of the chops with a knife to confirm they are cooked; the chops should have a chargrilled look and should be served on a bed of the fried vegetables with the glaze poured over.

 

The post Honey and Mustard Glazed Pork Chops appeared first on Slimpod.

Moira’s inspiring story of 70lbs lost and happiness gained https://t.co/ebfSHfLxtM #Slimmer

Moira’s inspiring story of 70lbs lost and happiness gained https://t.co/ebfSHfLxtM #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 6, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Moira’s inspiring story of 70lbs lost and happiness gained https://t.co/ebfSHfLxtM

Moira’s inspiring story of 70lbs lost and happiness gained https://t.co/ebfSHfLxtM

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 6, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Moira’s inspiring story of 70lbs lost and happiness gained

WE all love an inspiring story and if you’re anything like me, they give you motivation and make you feel really warm inside.  Every week I get stories from people whose lives are being transformed by their Slimpod programmes and Moira Mackenzie is one of them.  Moira was keen to inspire like-minded people to live a life without dieting and I’m  so grateful to her for agreeing to share her story with the media.

Here’s one of the quotes from Moira which appeared on the health pages of the Daily Express last week.

“My mindset around food has changed. I don’t have to restrict myself at all in what I eat, nothing is off limits. I just make healthy choices all the time. If I want chocolate I’ll have it, but only a couple of pieces. And I have smaller portions but I know they’ll fill me up.”

Moira went from a size 24 to a size 16 in her first year of listening to a Slimpod and is now down to a size 12, having lost an amazing 70lbs.

One quote from Moira struck a particular  chord with me, because as I’ve told you all before I was a fat teenager who was too embarrassed to go into dress shops. This is what Moira told the Express: “Before I could barely find anything to fit. Now I can go to any shop – and I do.  I always bought everything in navy blue or black so I didn’t draw attention to my size. But I love bright colours now. One of the greatest things is that my daughter, who’s a size 12 too, keeps borrowing my clothes – that is such a boost to me.”

The Daily Express headline

Something else Moira said brought a big smile to my face: “I’ve got so much more energy and I can keep up with my wonderful grandchildren. I’ve always been a happy person, seeing the good things in life. But I’m even happier now.”

Moira’s wonderful success proves that a Slimpod is not just about losing weight – it’s also about regaining long-lost confidence and becoming happy about life. Very happy!

You can read Moira’s interview with the Express here

Moira is an active member of our Slimpod community on Facebook and we all love her to bits!

The post Moira’s inspiring story of 70lbs lost and happiness gained appeared first on Slimpod.

Moira’s inspiring story of 70lbs lost and happiness gained

WE all love an inspiring story and if you’re anything like me, they give you motivation and make you feel really warm inside.  Every week I get stories from people whose lives are being transformed by their Slimpod programmes and Moira Mackenzie is one of them.  Moira was keen to inspire like-minded people to live a life without dieting and I’m  so grateful to her for agreeing to share her story with the media.

Here’s one of the quotes from Moira which appeared on the health pages of the Daily Express last week.

“My mindset around food has changed. I don’t have to restrict myself at all in what I eat, nothing is off limits. I just make healthy choices all the time. If I want chocolate I’ll have it, but only a couple of pieces. And I have smaller portions but I know they’ll fill me up.”

Moira went from a size 24 to a size 16 in her first year of listening to a Slimpod and is now down to a size 12, having lost an amazing 70lbs.

One quote from Moira struck a particular  chord with me, because as I’ve told you all before I was a fat teenager who was too embarrassed to go into dress shops. This is what Moira told the Express: “Before I could barely find anything to fit. Now I can go to any shop – and I do.  I always bought everything in navy blue or black so I didn’t draw attention to my size. But I love bright colours now. One of the greatest things is that my daughter, who’s a size 12 too, keeps borrowing my clothes – that is such a boost to me.”

The Daily Express headline

Something else Moira said brought a big smile to my face: “I’ve got so much more energy and I can keep up with my wonderful grandchildren. I’ve always been a happy person, seeing the good things in life. But I’m even happier now.”

Moira’s wonderful success proves that a Slimpod is not just about losing weight – it’s also about regaining long-lost confidence and becoming happy about life. Very happy!

You can read Moira’s interview with the Express here

Moira is an active member of our Slimpod community on Facebook and we all love her to bits!

The post Moira’s inspiring story of 70lbs lost and happiness gained appeared first on Slimpod.

Starts today! Join my Drop A Size For Christmas challenge https://t.co/slWyZ1xdSv #Slimmer

Starts today! Join my Drop A Size For Christmas challenge https://t.co/slWyZ1xdSv #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 30, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Starts today! Join my Drop A Size For Christmas challenge https://t.co/slWyZ1xdSv

Starts today! Join my Drop A Size For Christmas challenge https://t.co/slWyZ1xdSv

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 30, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Starts today! Join my Drop A Size For Christmas challenge

WOW! I can’t believe we’re on the run-up to Christmas – how did that happen? It’s always a great opportunity to have the last push of the year to release some of that excess weight.

So let me help you to drop a size for Christmas! Because it just couldn’t be easier!

In this new video which launches my 30-day challenge, I’m going to let you in on the secret of how to achieve your goal.

It’s the best early Christmas present you could give yourself – and please feel free to share this blog post with your family, friends and colleagues if you think it would help them.

 

 

If you’re a member of the Slimpod Club community on Facebook there’ll be various activities going on there over the next 30 days. If you’re not, then just join the challenge by commenting below.

I’d love to know what steps you’re going to be taking over the next few weeks to drop a size for Christmas – so let me know. Your comments will inspire so many others.

The post Starts today! Join my Drop A Size For Christmas challenge appeared first on Slimpod.

Starts today! Join my Drop A Size For Christmas challenge

WOW! I can’t believe we’re on the run-up to Christmas – how did that happen? It’s always a great opportunity to have the last push of the year to release some of that excess weight.

So let me help you to drop a size for Christmas! Because it just couldn’t be easier!

In this new video which launches my 30-day challenge, I’m going to let you in on the secret of how to achieve your goal.

It’s the best early Christmas present you could give yourself – and please feel free to share this blog post with your family, friends and colleagues if you think it would help them.

 

 

If you’re a member of the Slimpod Club community on Facebook there’ll be various activities going on there over the next 30 days. If you’re not, then just join the challenge by commenting below.

I’d love to know what steps you’re going to be taking over the next few weeks to drop a size for Christmas – so let me know. Your comments will inspire so many others.

The post Starts today! Join my Drop A Size For Christmas challenge appeared first on Slimpod.

Chicken in Tarragon Sauce – another great healthy recipe

WHAT’S the recipe we’re all looking for? Something that’s quick, simple, delicious and healthy! This week as usual our superchef Simon Smith has got just the thing. His Chicken in Tarragon Sauce looks amazing – and I bet it tastes amazing, too.

Simon rates chicken very highly because it’s packed with protein that not only does you good but helps you feel full so you find it easier to go for smaller portion sizes.

Let him know how much you like his recipe by leaving a comment below.

Chicken in Tarragon Sauce

Preparation time: 15mins

Cooking time: 15mins

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2  130g Chicken breasts (skinless, boneless & butterflied)

3 Shallots Onions (fine diced)

60g Button Mushrooms (quartered)

15g Fresh Tarragon (chopped)

2clv Garlic (pureed)

10g Unsalted Butter (melted)

10g Olive Oil

80ml White Wine

100ml Chicken Stock

100ml Whipping Cream

Seasoning

Equipment Needed:

Skillet / griddle pan

4 Mixing Bowls

Small Vegetable Knife

Chopping board

Preparation:

Prepare the vegetables and set aside in separate bowls. Butterfly the chicken breast, place on to a plate and season.

Heat the skillet on a low heat. Add the olive oil, melted butter and the garlic. Sauté the garlic for a couple of seconds. Add the chicken breasts and cover the pan with a tight fitted lid. Allow to sauté on low for 4mins and turn over chicken fillets and replace the lid and cook for an additional 2mins.

Remove the lid and add the shallots and the button mushrooms. Allow to sauté the vegetables until they soften. Next add ½ the tarragon herb and allow to cook for an additional minute.

Add to the white wine and increase the heat to high, allow the wine to boil and reduce till only ½ the liquid is left in the pan. At this stage add the chicken stock and allow the stock to also reduce till only a light jus id left.

Pour in the whipping cream and add the last of the tarragon. Allow the cream to cook and reduce on a high heat until it has reached a consistence that coats the back of a spoon.

Give the sauce a final seasoning and serve….

 

The post Chicken in Tarragon Sauce – another great healthy recipe appeared first on Slimpod.

Chicken in Tarragon Sauce – another great healthy recipe https://t.co/7MriLLta2J #Slimmer

Chicken in Tarragon Sauce – another great healthy recipe https://t.co/7MriLLta2J #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 26, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Chicken in Tarragon Sauce – another great healthy recipe https://t.co/7MriLLta2J

Chicken in Tarragon Sauce – another great healthy recipe https://t.co/7MriLLta2J

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 26, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Chicken in Tarragon Sauce – another great healthy recipe

WHAT’S the recipe we’re all looking for? Something that’s quick, simple, delicious and healthy! This week as usual our superchef Simon Smith has got just the thing. His Chicken in Tarragon Sauce looks amazing – and I bet it tastes amazing, too.

Simon rates chicken very highly because it’s packed with protein that not only does you good but helps you feel full so you find it easier to go for smaller portion sizes.

Let him know how much you like his recipe by leaving a comment below.

Chicken in Tarragon Sauce

Preparation time: 15mins

Cooking time: 15mins

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2  130g Chicken breasts (skinless, boneless & butterflied)

3 Shallots Onions (fine diced)

60g Button Mushrooms (quartered)

15g Fresh Tarragon (chopped)

2clv Garlic (pureed)

10g Unsalted Butter (melted)

10g Olive Oil

80ml White Wine

100ml Chicken Stock

100ml Whipping Cream

Seasoning

Equipment Needed:

Skillet / griddle pan

4 Mixing Bowls

Small Vegetable Knife

Chopping board

Preparation:

Prepare the vegetables and set aside in separate bowls. Butterfly the chicken breast, place on to a plate and season.

Heat the skillet on a low heat. Add the olive oil, melted butter and the garlic. Sauté the garlic for a couple of seconds. Add the chicken breasts and cover the pan with a tight fitted lid. Allow to sauté on low for 4mins and turn over chicken fillets and replace the lid and cook for an additional 2mins.

Remove the lid and add the shallots and the button mushrooms. Allow to sauté the vegetables until they soften. Next add ½ the tarragon herb and allow to cook for an additional minute.

Add to the white wine and increase the heat to high, allow the wine to boil and reduce till only ½ the liquid is left in the pan. At this stage add the chicken stock and allow the stock to also reduce till only a light jus id left.

Pour in the whipping cream and add the last of the tarragon. Allow the cream to cook and reduce on a high heat until it has reached a consistence that coats the back of a spoon.

Give the sauce a final seasoning and serve….

 

The post Chicken in Tarragon Sauce – another great healthy recipe appeared first on Slimpod.

Be honest: Are the scales your friend or your foe? https://t.co/03GqukcJnx

Be honest: Are the scales your friend or your foe? https://t.co/03GqukcJnx

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 23, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Be honest: Are the scales your friend or your foe? https://t.co/03GqukcJnx #Slimmer

Be honest: Are the scales your friend or your foe? https://t.co/03GqukcJnx #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 23, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Be honest: Are the scales your friend or your foe?

ONE of the most common things people in our Slimpod Community on Facebook raise with me is their relationship with the weighing scales. One lady asked if I could help her to understand more about the effect the scales have on her emotions because she thinks they’re partly to blame for her self-sabotage. As this is one of my favourite subjects, I’m more than happy to oblige!

In this video I explain how that piece of metal in the bathroom can actually control your emotions, making you feel happy or sad, and I discuss how a lot of people are obsessed with weighing themselves.

So after you’ve watched the video, here’s your task for this week. Take some time out to think about your relationship with the scales.  Does it have a positive impact on your daily life? When you hop on and off does it always empower you to keep your weight in control?  If so, then that’s absolutely wonderful and continue to do what you’re doing!

However, if as a result of hopping on the scales you eat to make yourself feel better or give up your healthy eating because you think there’s no hope and you’re a failure, then this is no good and it needs to stop because your relationship with the scales is destructive emotionally and it’s helping you to self-sabotage.

Drop me a comment below and tell me about your relationship with the scales. Does it make you feel good or bad?

The post Be honest: Are the scales your friend or your foe? appeared first on Slimpod.

Be honest: Are the scales your friend or your foe?

ONE of the most common things people in our Slimpod Community on Facebook raise with me is their relationship with the weighing scales. One lady asked if I could help her to understand more about the effect the scales have on her emotions because she thinks they’re partly to blame for her self-sabotage. As this is one of my favourite subjects, I’m more than happy to oblige!

In this video I explain how that piece of metal in the bathroom can actually control your emotions, making you feel happy or sad, and I discuss how a lot of people are obsessed with weighing themselves.

So after you’ve watched the video, here’s your task for this week. Take some time out to think about your relationship with the scales.  Does it have a positive impact on your daily life? When you hop on and off does it always empower you to keep your weight in control?  If so, then that’s absolutely wonderful and continue to do what you’re doing!

However, if as a result of hopping on the scales you eat to make yourself feel better or give up your healthy eating because you think there’s no hope and you’re a failure, then this is no good and it needs to stop because your relationship with the scales is destructive emotionally and it’s helping you to self-sabotage.

Drop me a comment below and tell me about your relationship with the scales. Does it make you feel good or bad?

The post Be honest: Are the scales your friend or your foe? appeared first on Slimpod.

Drop a size in time for the Christmas partying!!

YOU ask, we listen! Following a great discussion in our Facebook Slimpod Club community last week, we’ll be launching on October 30th a 30-day drive to Drop a Size In Time For The Christmas Partying!

In Slimpod Club between now and October 30th I’ll be suggesting several new healthy habits on which you can focus for just 30 days. Easy!

The 30-day challenge is for men and women and will be really simple. All you need to do is choose just two things to focus on and then commit to doing them every day during November. We will run special groups to enable you to hold each other accountable.

Here are some thoughts, but please add your suggestions to the comments below, too, because this is all about your journey and implementing small changes in your life.

With your Slimpod helping you, committing to a couple of the suggestions below will be very easy!

* Reduce the sugar and refined carbs in your daily diet.

Reduce alcohol.

* Do a certain number of steps every day.

* Do squats every day.

* If you suffer from stress, practise mindfulness or meditation every day.

* Do the Pioppi or Blood Sugar diet for 30 days (and before you scream at me – they’re not really diets, they’re recipes based on proper food with no sugar or refined carbs and re really, really good for you!)

* Drink more water each day.

Naturally we will also be asking you to listen to your pods every day. I’ll be pitching in with a video here and there giving you support and advice.

So let’s get this moving and be all set for October 30th! I’m thinking it would be a great idea for you to identify an outfit you’d like to feel comfortable in for Christmas and have that as a goal.  What do you think?!

Weight loss is not a one size fits all – we can all choose our individual path and then work together to achieve it!

The post Drop a size in time for the Christmas partying!! appeared first on Slimpod.

Drop a size in time for the Christmas partying!! https://t.co/t4kHW2vTdJ #Slimmer

Drop a size in time for the Christmas partying!! https://t.co/t4kHW2vTdJ #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 18, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Drop a size in time for the Christmas partying!! https://t.co/t4kHW2vTdJ

Drop a size in time for the Christmas partying!! https://t.co/t4kHW2vTdJ

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 18, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Drop a size in time for the Christmas partying!!

YOU ask, we listen! Following a great discussion in our Facebook Slimpod Club community last week, we’ll be launching on October 30th a 30-day drive to Drop a Size In Time For The Christmas Partying!

In Slimpod Club between now and October 30th I’ll be suggesting several new healthy habits on which you can focus for just 30 days. Easy!

The 30-day challenge is for men and women and will be really simple. All you need to do is choose just two things to focus on and then commit to doing them every day during November. We will run special groups to enable you to hold each other accountable.

Here are some thoughts, but please add your suggestions to the comments below, too, because this is all about your journey and implementing small changes in your life.

With your Slimpod helping you, committing to a couple of the suggestions below will be very easy!

* Reduce the sugar and refined carbs in your daily diet.

Reduce alcohol.

* Do a certain number of steps every day.

* Do squats every day.

* If you suffer from stress, practise mindfulness or meditation every day.

* Do the Pioppi or Blood Sugar diet for 30 days (and before you scream at me – they’re not really diets, they’re recipes based on proper food with no sugar or refined carbs and re really, really good for you!)

* Drink more water each day.

Naturally we will also be asking you to listen to your pods every day. I’ll be pitching in with a video here and there giving you support and advice.

So let’s get this moving and be all set for October 30th! I’m thinking it would be a great idea for you to identify an outfit you’d like to feel comfortable in for Christmas and have that as a goal.  What do you think?!

Weight loss is not a one size fits all – we can all choose our individual path and then work together to achieve it!

The post Drop a size in time for the Christmas partying!! appeared first on Slimpod.

Butternut squash and mushroom risotto – great healthy recipe https://t.co/3Mi1tDLkCS

Butternut squash and mushroom risotto – great healthy recipe https://t.co/3Mi1tDLkCS

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 13, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Butternut squash and mushroom risotto – great healthy recipe

AS you know, I’m a passionate believer in the old saying “Eat healthy to live healthy.” So I’m really excited that our superchef Simon Smith has produced a recipe for you this week which features one of Nature’s superfoods – butternut squash. As head chef at Tameside NHS hospital in Manchester, Simon knows the importance of serving meals which are packed with all the good things our bodies need.

Butternut squash is low in fat and high in fibre, so it is an exceptionally heart-friendly vegetable. The fibre content is an aid to weight loss because just like a Slimpod it gives you a feeling of fullness.

It is also a good source of vitamins C, E and B6 plus a whole load of other important nutrients, so it helps protect skin, improves eyesight and boosts the immune system. One last amazing fact: a cup of cubed butternut squash contains more potassium than a large banana. Potassium is essential for bone health.

Let me know how much you like Simon’s recipe by leaving a comment below – he loves reading all your feedback.

Butternut squash and mushroom rissoto

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME: 15mins

COOKING TIME: approx. 40mins

Ingredients:

200g Butternut Squash (Diced)

360g Arborio Rice

1 Medium Onion (Diced)

150g Chestnut Mushrooms (sliced)

2clv Garlic (pureed)

1 Spring Onion (chopped)

750ml Vegetable Stock (hot)

100ml White Wine

15g Butter

10g Olive Oil

10g Fresh Basil

10g Fresh Parsley

Equipment Needed:

2inch deep Sauté Pan

Mixing Bowl

Small Vegetable Knife

Chopping board

 

Method:

Place the risotto pan on a low heat on the cooker and add the olive oil, butter and garlic. Stir continuously until all the butter has melted. Add the butternut squash, onion and mushrooms and stir until coated in the garlic butter, allow to sauté for approx. 5 min or till vegetables have slightly softened

Reduce the heat to a low setting and add the rice.  Stir the rice, spring onion and basil into the butter and veg mix and allow to sauté in the pan until the rice becomes semi-transparent. The continuous stirring of this dish is a factor in creating a creamy texture.

Increase the heat and add the wine allow the wine to simmer and absorb into the rice mix while continuing to stir.

Add a cup of veg stock into the pan stir the stock into the mix and allow simmering then continually stirring the rice mixture through the stock until it is all absorbed.

Repeat the last step one cup of stock at a time until all the stock is absorbed. The rice should have a soft texture with a slight crunch in the bite. Season and allow to rest for 5mins.

Then serve with a small helping of fresh parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

The post Butternut squash and mushroom risotto – great healthy recipe appeared first on Slimpod.

Butternut squash and mushroom risotto – great healthy recipe

AS you know, I’m a passionate believer in the old saying “Eat healthy to live healthy.” So I’m really excited that our superchef Simon Smith has produced a recipe for you this week which features one of Nature’s superfoods – butternut squash. As head chef at Tameside NHS hospital in Manchester, Simon knows the importance of serving meals which are packed with all the good things our bodies need.

Butternut squash is low in fat and high in fibre, so it is an exceptionally heart-friendly vegetable. The fibre content is an aid to weight loss because just like a Slimpod it gives you a feeling of fullness.

It is also a good source of vitamins C, E and B6 plus a whole load of other important nutrients, so it helps protect skin, improves eyesight and boosts the immune system. One last amazing fact: a cup of cubed butternut squash contains more potassium than a large banana. Potassium is essential for bone health.

Let me know how much you like Simon’s recipe by leaving a comment below – he loves reading all your feedback.

Butternut squash and mushroom rissoto

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME: 15mins

COOKING TIME: approx. 40mins

Ingredients:

200g Butternut Squash (Diced)

360g Arborio Rice

1 Medium Onion (Diced)

150g Chestnut Mushrooms (sliced)

2clv Garlic (pureed)

1 Spring Onion (chopped)

750ml Vegetable Stock (hot)

100ml White Wine

15g Butter

10g Olive Oil

10g Fresh Basil

10g Fresh Parsley

Equipment Needed:

2inch deep Sauté Pan

Mixing Bowl

Small Vegetable Knife

Chopping board

 

Method:

Place the risotto pan on a low heat on the cooker and add the olive oil, butter and garlic. Stir continuously until all the butter has melted. Add the butternut squash, onion and mushrooms and stir until coated in the garlic butter, allow to sauté for approx. 5 min or till vegetables have slightly softened

Reduce the heat to a low setting and add the rice.  Stir the rice, spring onion and basil into the butter and veg mix and allow to sauté in the pan until the rice becomes semi-transparent. The continuous stirring of this dish is a factor in creating a creamy texture.

Increase the heat and add the wine allow the wine to simmer and absorb into the rice mix while continuing to stir.

Add a cup of veg stock into the pan stir the stock into the mix and allow simmering then continually stirring the rice mixture through the stock until it is all absorbed.

Repeat the last step one cup of stock at a time until all the stock is absorbed. The rice should have a soft texture with a slight crunch in the bite. Season and allow to rest for 5mins.

Then serve with a small helping of fresh parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

The post Butternut squash and mushroom risotto – great healthy recipe appeared first on Slimpod.

Butternut squash and mushroom risotto – great healthy recipe https://t.co/3Mi1tDLkCS #Slimmer

Butternut squash and mushroom risotto – great healthy recipe https://t.co/3Mi1tDLkCS #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 13, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Consistent small weight losses are the key to long-term success https://t.co/LmnCP3Q28U

Consistent small weight losses are the key to long-term success https://t.co/LmnCP3Q28U

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 9, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Consistent small weight losses are the key to long-term success https://t.co/LmnCP3Q28U #Slimmer

Consistent small weight losses are the key to long-term success https://t.co/LmnCP3Q28U #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 9, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Consistent small weight losses are the key to long-term success

DAY IN and day out I come across so many people who get really upset if they’re not consistently losing lots of weight each week. Some people then stop doing whatever they’re doing because they think the weight loss plan has stopped working, or it gets too hard to sustain.

They then blame themselves for “falling off the wagon” which leads to comfort eating to make themselves feel good. This, of course, then becomes a vicious cycle, inevitably leading to regaining any weight they’ve lost.

We live in an “instant” world where people can get most things almost immediately.  However, this just doesn’t happen with weight loss because your body won’t let it.

I’m constantly saying “steady wins the race” and a study has been published in the journal Obesity which proves this is the best way of losing weight long term.

It found that “hares” who crash dieted their way to slimness lost less weight over two years than “tortoises” who shed a consistent number of pounds over time.

The research shows that it seems that developing stable, repeatable behaviours related to food intake and weight loss early on in a weight control programme is really important for maintaining changes over the long term.

Which is precisely what my Slimpod weight loss programmes do, of course!

Professor Michael Lowe, from Drexel University in the US, said his research showed that sticking to weight-loss goals was important even if progress was slow.

He said: “Settle on a weight-loss plan that you can maintain week in and week out, even if that means consistently losing three quarters of a pound each week.”

Such good advice!

Here’s a link to the study:

Consistent Pounds Shed Leads To Weight Loss

 

The post Consistent small weight losses are the key to long-term success appeared first on Slimpod.

Consistent small weight losses are the key to long-term success

DAY IN and day out I come across so many people who get really upset if they’re not consistently losing lots of weight each week. Some people then stop doing whatever they’re doing because they think the weight loss plan has stopped working, or it gets too hard to sustain.

They then blame themselves for “falling off the wagon” which leads to comfort eating to make themselves feel good. This, of course, then becomes a vicious cycle, inevitably leading to regaining any weight they’ve lost.

We live in an “instant” world where people can get most things almost immediately.  However, this just doesn’t happen with weight loss because your body won’t let it.

I’m constantly saying “steady wins the race” and a study has been published in the journal Obesity which proves this is the best way of losing weight long term.

It found that “hares” who crash dieted their way to slimness lost less weight over two years than “tortoises” who shed a consistent number of pounds over time.

The research shows that it seems that developing stable, repeatable behaviours related to food intake and weight loss early on in a weight control programme is really important for maintaining changes over the long term.

Which is precisely what my Slimpod weight loss programmes do, of course!

Professor Michael Lowe, from Drexel University in the US, said his research showed that sticking to weight-loss goals was important even if progress was slow.

He said: “Settle on a weight-loss plan that you can maintain week in and week out, even if that means consistently losing three quarters of a pound each week.”

Such good advice!

Here’s a link to the study:

Consistent Pounds Shed Leads To Weight Loss

 

The post Consistent small weight losses are the key to long-term success appeared first on Slimpod.

More great healthy habit building strategies https://t.co/m5RRZmLPcu

More great healthy habit building strategies https://t.co/m5RRZmLPcu

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 2, 2017

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

More great healthy habit building strategies

LAST week I gave you three strategies for building new habits.   Make sure you let me know below how you’re doing with them! I also said last week that I’d be building on those and giving you  some more – so here goes!

One thing that most people forget about when they’re trying to lose weight is their environment and how that influences and determines what they eat each day and their behaviour towards food.

Our home or work environment is not something that we think about very often but it’s really important for achieving goals because if your environment is stacked against you then it just makes it really really hard to get to where you want to be.

If for example you work in an office and somebody is consistently bringing in cakes or chocolate then it’s very very hard to resist temptation.  Or if you’re in the habit of including treats and snacks in your weekly shop so that these things are constantly in the house then of course it’s going to be so easy to just munching away through them during the day.

People often say “oh it’s for my son” or “it’s for my husband” when actually I think that’s a big excuse and it’s really for themselves!  Hands up – who does this?!

Yes it’s true that we respond to the environment around us but we can turn this round and actually use the environment to help us rather than hinder us.

Things in our environment become visual triggers for us to eat or drink and very quickly develop into a bad habit!

But we can use visual triggers to turn things around and create good habits.  Here are some ideas:

1. Switch things around a bit at home.  If you want to break a habit then put the thing that’s causing the issue in a place that’s a bit more difficult to get to. Out of sight helps it to be out of mind.
   2.  Make the healthy things far more visible to you. e.g  put the fruit in a place that you can easily see it every day.  Have a bottle of water on your desk and challenge yourself to drink it all in the day.
2. This next one is a fab strategy and I’d love you to do this as a task for the week ahead.  Put up a calendar in a visible place and every day that you perform your new habit, put a big cross on the calendar.  It will soon make a “success chain” and psychology proves that when you have consistently marked crosses on the calendar you won’t want to break the chain.

This simple strategy has been proven to help with procrastination and motivation.

Most people get demotivated and off–track after a bad day, which could include a bad workout, eating badly or simply a bad day at work, but this encourages you to get right back on track again because your focus is on the process of not breaking the chain and you forget about everything else.  Again, the task needs to be meaningful and simple enough to get it done easily!

If you slip up, then get back on track quickly.  None of us is superhuman.  We all slip up and to ride the blips we need to be kind to ourselves, understand it’s going to happen and be self compassionate. Build it into life!  That’s what the successful people do and you can do it too!

Let me know below which strategy you choose to implement into your life.  I love hearing about your progress.

 

 

The post More great healthy habit building strategies appeared first on Slimpod.