How to control your weight at Christmas https://t.co/6LcB10aawM #Slimmer

How to control your weight at Christmas https://t.co/6LcB10aawM #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) December 20, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

How to control your weight at Christmas https://t.co/6LcB10aawM

How to control your weight at Christmas https://t.co/6LcB10aawM

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) December 20, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

How to control your weight at Christmas

WELL, it’s almost Christmas and that time of year when everywhere you look is wall to wall party food, mince pies, chocolates and booze. It’s really easy to overeat and SO many people really pile on the pounds and regret it afterwards.

I bet you didn’t know that a large portion of people’s YEARLY weight gain happens in the next couple of weeks!

Watch my Vlog and find out how you can you can stop those mince pies going on your waistline and make sure your jeans still fit comfortably in January!

Please leave a comment below – I love reading them.

The post How to control your weight at Christmas appeared first on Slimpod.

How to control your weight at Christmas

WELL, it’s almost Christmas and that time of year when everywhere you look is wall to wall party food, mince pies, chocolates and booze. It’s really easy to overeat and SO many people really pile on the pounds and regret it afterwards.

I bet you didn’t know that a large portion of people’s YEARLY weight gain happens in the next couple of weeks!

Watch my Vlog and find out how you can you can stop those mince pies going on your waistline and make sure your jeans still fit comfortably in January!

Please leave a comment below – I love reading them.

The post How to control your weight at Christmas appeared first on Slimpod.

Confidence, self-esteem and weight loss https://t.co/hkJ4FinoRC

Confidence, self-esteem and weight loss https://t.co/hkJ4FinoRC

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) December 5, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Confidence, self-esteem and weight loss https://t.co/hkJ4FinoRC #Slimmer

Confidence, self-esteem and weight loss https://t.co/hkJ4FinoRC #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) December 5, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Confidence, self-esteem and weight loss

HERE at Slimpod HQ we’re often talking about empowerment, confidence and choices and in this video I discuss the importance of having that inner confidence DURING the journey to lasting weight loss  – and not just when you stand on the scales.

There’s also a special mention for a very lovely lady on her birthday – and her story is sure to inspire you! She hadn’t been to a work Christmas “do” for 12 years until Slimpod gave her the confidence to go out and enjoy herself.

PS: If you have any questions you’d like to ask me – or any happy messages for the birthday girl – please feel free to leave them below.

The post Confidence, self-esteem and weight loss appeared first on Slimpod.

Confidence, self-esteem and weight loss

HERE at Slimpod HQ we’re often talking about empowerment, confidence and choices and in this video I discuss the importance of having that inner confidence DURING the journey to lasting weight loss  – and not just when you stand on the scales.

There’s also a special mention for a very lovely lady on her birthday – and her story is sure to inspire you! She hadn’t been to a work Christmas “do” for 12 years until Slimpod gave her the confidence to go out and enjoy herself.

PS: If you have any questions you’d like to ask me – or any happy messages for the birthday girl – please feel free to leave them below.

The post Confidence, self-esteem and weight loss appeared first on Slimpod.

Food to eat for better health, great advice from the Medicinal Chef https://t.co/IlXCwUNs4i #Slimmer

Food to eat for better health, great advice from the Medicinal Chef https://t.co/IlXCwUNs4i #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 29, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Food to eat for better health, great advice from the Medicinal Chef

WHEN I asked people if they had any health-related questions for Dale Pinnock, the Medicinal Chef, I was swamped with replies – so thank you to everyone. Dale’s working with us to guide you on food to eat for better health and specifically advise on food which will help you lose weight and/or help to heal any underlying conditions which may be preventing weight loss.

This week I had an hour-long video call with Dale when he answered the first of your questions about food to eat for better health!  Here’s the video, which provides some fascinating insights into how our bodies work and what we should be eating.

Dale also has some great advice on little treats like a piece of cake every now and then!

I’ll be interviewing Dale again next week and if you want to ask any questions or add comments about food to eat for better health then please do that below the blog.  Enjoy!

The post Food to eat for better health, great advice from the Medicinal Chef appeared first on Slimpod.

Food to eat for better health, great advice from the Medicinal Chef

WHEN I asked people if they had any health-related questions for Dale Pinnock, the Medicinal Chef, I was swamped with replies – so thank you to everyone. Dale’s working with us to guide you on food to eat for better health and specifically advise on food which will help you lose weight and/or help to heal any underlying conditions which may be preventing weight loss.

This week I had an hour-long video call with Dale when he answered the first of your questions about food to eat for better health!  Here’s the video, which provides some fascinating insights into how our bodies work and what we should be eating.

Dale also has some great advice on little treats like a piece of cake every now and then!

I’ll be interviewing Dale again next week and if you want to ask any questions or add comments about food to eat for better health then please do that below the blog.  Enjoy!

The post Food to eat for better health, great advice from the Medicinal Chef appeared first on Slimpod.

Food to eat for better health, great advice from the Medicinal Chef https://t.co/IlXCwUNs4i

Food to eat for better health, great advice from the Medicinal Chef https://t.co/IlXCwUNs4i

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 29, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Healthy chicken stew is the perfect winter comfort food, says Dale

FANCY a healthy chicken stew? I do! Since I teamed up with the Medicinal Chef, Dale Pinnock, I’ve been getting lots of lovely comments and feedback about his recipes.  Several people have asked if he could share a “healthy comfort food” recipe.  So your wish is my command and this week he’s produced his fantastic chicken stew recipe just as the weather is getting a little colder here in the UK!  Perfect timing!

Dale will be recording a Q&A session with me next week which I’ll be sharing with you. We’ve had lots of questions already, which is very helpful, so if you have any further questions on specific food to eat to improve any health conditions you may have, please do let me know in the comments below and I’ll chat it through with him.  Enjoy the recipe!

Dale tells me: “This dish is winter time comfort food, done healthy, at its very best. Why not have an enjoyable culinary experience and do ourselves some good at the same time?

“There’s no reason at all why we can’t tick both boxes. This particular dish proved very popular on my TV series Eat Shop Save and if you try it, you’ll see why.

“From a nutritional point of view healthy chicken stew ticks a lot of boxes. Low glycaemic, high fibre, high protein, keeps you full for HOURS and is rich in many micronutrients like zinc and B vitamins.”

Dale’s healthy Chicken Stew recipe

Ingredients for healthy chicken stew

1 Large red onion, finely chopped

3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

Olive oil

2 X 400g cans of cannellini beans, 1 drained, 1 with liquid retained

4 Chicken breasts, diced,

200ml vegetable stock

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon mixed fresh herbs

Salt

Cooked greens or salad to serve

Method for healthy chicken stew

In a pan, sauté the onion and garlic in a little olive oil, along with a good pinch of salt, until the onion has softened.

Add the beans, including the retained liquid. Simmer for 7–8 minutes, stirring often.

Add the chicken and the vegetable stock. Allow to simmer for around 20 minutes, stirring regularly. Add a little water if it starts to dry up.

At the point where the sauce has thickened to a delicious creamy texture and the chicken has cooked, take off the heat.

Add the grated Parmesan and mixed herbs and stir well.

Serve with cooked greens or a salad.

 

Dale’s book Healthy Every Day is packed with yummy recipes that are bursting with healthy ingredients. You might also like this recipe from Dale: Healthy whole wheat spag bol

Please let me know how much you liked Dale’s healthy chicken stew recipe by leaving a comment below. And please leave your questions for Dale here, too.

The post Healthy chicken stew is the perfect winter comfort food, says Dale appeared first on Slimpod.

Healthy chicken stew is the perfect winter ‘comfort food’

FANCY a healthy chicken stew? I do! Since I teamed up with the Medicinal Chef, Dale Pinnock, I’ve been getting lots of lovely comments and feedback about his recipes.  Several people have asked if he could share a “healthy comfort food” recipe.  So your wish is my command and this week he’s produced his fantastic chicken stew recipe just as the weather is getting a little colder here in the UK!  Perfect timing!

Dale will be recording a Q&A session with me next week which I’ll be sharing with you. We’ve had lots of questions already, which is very helpful, so if you have any further questions on specific food to eat to improve any health conditions you may have, please do let me know in the comments below and I’ll chat it through with him.  Enjoy the recipe!

Dale tells me: “This dish is winter time comfort food, done healthy, at its very best. Why not have an enjoyable culinary experience and do ourselves some good at the same time?

“There’s no reason at all why we can’t tick both boxes. This particular dish proved very popular on my TV series Eat Shop Save and if you try it, you’ll see why.

“From a nutritional point of view healthy chicken stew ticks a lot of boxes. Low glycaemic, high fibre, high protein, keeps you full for HOURS and is rich in many micronutrients like zinc and B vitamins.”

Dale’s healthy Chicken Stew recipe

Ingredients for healthy chicken stew

1 Large red onion, finely chopped

3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

Olive oil

2 X 400g cans of cannellini beans, 1 drained, 1 with liquid retained

4 Chicken breasts, diced,

200ml vegetable stock

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon mixed fresh herbs

Salt

Cooked greens or salad to serve

Method for healthy chicken stew

In a pan, sauté the onion and garlic in a little olive oil, along with a good pinch of salt, until the onion has softened.

Add the beans, including the retained liquid. Simmer for 7–8 minutes, stirring often.

Add the chicken and the vegetable stock. Allow to simmer for around 20 minutes, stirring regularly. Add a little water if it starts to dry up.

At the point where the sauce has thickened to a delicious creamy texture and the chicken has cooked, take off the heat.

Add the grated Parmesan and mixed herbs and stir well.

Serve with cooked greens or a salad.

 

Dale’s book Healthy Every Day is packed with yummy recipes that are bursting with healthy ingredients. You might also like this recipe from Dale: Healthy whole wheat spag bol

Please let me know how much you liked Dale’s healthy chicken stew recipe by leaving a comment below.

The post Healthy chicken stew is the perfect winter ‘comfort food’ appeared first on Slimpod.

Healthy chicken stew is the perfect winter ‘comfort food’ https://t.co/iIZM66FZJx

Healthy chicken stew is the perfect winter ‘comfort food’ https://t.co/iIZM66FZJx

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 21, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Healthy chicken stew is the perfect winter ‘comfort food’ https://t.co/iIZM66FZJx #Slimmer

Healthy chicken stew is the perfect winter ‘comfort food’ https://t.co/iIZM66FZJx #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 21, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Change one thing at a time for major wellness benefits, says Dale https://t.co/3R7i7bLAeW

Change one thing at a time for major wellness benefits, says Dale https://t.co/3R7i7bLAeW

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 14, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Change one thing at a time for major wellness benefits, says Dale https://t.co/3R7i7bLAeW #Slimmer

Change one thing at a time for major wellness benefits, says Dale https://t.co/3R7i7bLAeW #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 14, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Change one thing at a time for major wellness benefits, says Dale

AS I excitedly announced a couple of days ago, we’ve teamed up with the Medicinal Chef, Dale Pinnock, the leading nutritionist, author of 14 books and a TV regular. When I met Dale at a conference in the States a couple of weeks ago, it was obvious our values were aligned.

We’re both passionate about helping people live healthier lives and I knew instantly that if he agreed to partner up, it would be a match made in heaven!  He did and it is!

One of the most important things that makes lifestyle change sustainable is doing it in small steps.  This is a core principle of the Slimpod programme.  And as you’re about to see, it’s what Dale advocates on the food side of things, too.

I said a couple of days ago that Medicinal Chef Dale would be giving you a series of challenges to help you drop a size and get into your party gear for Christmas.

Here’s Dale’s first challenge – please let me know how you get on with it by leaving a comment below. And if you’re part of our Slimpod community I look forward to seeing pictures of the dish you’ve cooked up!

Over to you, Dale:

“One of the big issues so many people have when they begin to eat healthier is that they try to change everything all at once. They try to do a complete overhaul of their habits in one go and shift themselves into a whole new way of eating overnight.

“Now for 99.9 per cent of us that just isn’t the way forward at all. In fact, it’s the road to ruin. They key for real long-term change, as you know, is by changing your habits, and the way that you eat is a series of habits all built one on top of the other.

“We need to change things bit by bit to completely shift our lifestyle over time. This is why I always use the rule of ‘change one thing’.

“As the name suggests, this means finding one single thing that you can change straight away – then change just that.

“Keep this up for a few weeks until it is a habit, then make another goal and make that simple change. Keep this up and after six to 12 months your lifestyle will be drastically different.

“So where to start? Well, that’s up to you but one of the most fun things is to ‘give your favourites a facelift’. Start with what you already enjoy eating and your favourite foods.

“Learn how to give them a bit of a facelift. You like pizza? Amazing! Have a go at making one yourself.

“Use a multigrain bread mix to make the crust. Top it with loads of vibrant veggies like spinach, red onion, fresh garlic, artichokes, maybe some goat’s cheese or feta on there.

“Why this change? The multigrain bread base is much higher in fibre and will keep you feeling fuller for much longer and stabilise your blood sugar levels. which in turn will reduce your desire to snack, reduce overall calorie intake, and majorly improve gut health.

Small simple swap, major benefit

“The toppings deliver far more micronutrients, antioxidants, and beneficial phytochemicals. Small simple swap, major benefit.

“You like spag bol? Excellent, swap the pasta over to the brown variety and bulk up the ragout with red lentils to raise the fibre content.

“The wholewheat spaghetti again keeps you feeling fuller for longer, keeps you satiated, and stabilises blood sugar. You get the point.

`’If you think eating healthy is about self-deprivation, denial and self-punishment then man alive have you missed the point! Enjoy the food you love but at the same time get educated about what healthy actually looks like and why, and bring the two worlds together so you have something that is both sustainable and thoroughly enjoyable for life!!

“Over the coming weeks I’m going to be giving you small tips and challenges so you can begin to adjust your diet and lifestyle to not only help manage your weight but improve many aspects of your health.

“It’s a complete dietary overhaul that’s simple, enjoyable, fad free and not a calorie or set of scales in site. My tips and challenges will build on each other to really step up your healthy eating game!”

Here’s Medicinal Chef Dale’s super-healthy Spag Bol recipe

Spag Bol’s a real family favourite up and down the country – and one that can be a monumental calorie bomb if we aren’t careful. This one will go down an absolute storm. The changes aren’t huge – just a couple of tweaks and this dish becomes so much better for you. By swapping white pasta for brown we up the fibre, and adding the lentils means extra protein, fibre and B vitamins.

Ingredients

180g dry red lentils

1 large red onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 red seeded, finely chopped and deseeded

Olive oil

500g lean minced beef

1 tablespoon tomato puree

2 X 400g cans of chopped tomatoes

250ml beef stock

500g wholewheat spaghetti, mixed leaf salad to serve

Method

Place the lentils in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and simmer for 15–20 mins until soft, then drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a pan sauté the onion, garlic and red pepper in a little olive oil, along with a pinch of salt, until the onion and peppers have softened.

Add the mince and gently fry for 7–8 mins, until it’s cooked through. Stir in the tomato puree. Add the lentils, chopped tomatoes and stock and simmer for 10–15 mins, until the sauce has thickened.

Finally, cook the spaghetti until al dente or according to the packet instructions.

Serve with a mixed leaf salad.

The post Change one thing at a time for major wellness benefits, says Dale appeared first on Slimpod.

Change one thing at a time for major wellness benefits, says Dale

AS I excitedly announced a couple of days ago, we’ve teamed up with the Medicinal Chef, Dale Pinnock, the leading nutritionist, author of 14 books and a TV regular. When I met Dale at a conference in the States a couple of weeks ago, it was obvious our values were aligned.

We’re both passionate about helping people live healthier lives and I knew instantly that if he agreed to partner up, it would be a match made in heaven!  He did and it is!

One of the most important things that makes lifestyle change sustainable is doing it in small steps.  This is a core principle of the Slimpod programme.  And as you’re about to see, it’s what Dale advocates on the food side of things, too.

I said a couple of days ago that Medicinal Chef Dale would be giving you a series of challenges to help you drop a size and get into your party gear for Christmas.

Here’s Dale’s first challenge – please let me know how you get on with it by leaving a comment below. And if you’re part of our Slimpod community I look forward to seeing pictures of the dish you’ve cooked up!

Over to you, Dale:

“One of the big issues so many people have when they begin to eat healthier is that they try to change everything all at once. They try to do a complete overhaul of their habits in one go and shift themselves into a whole new way of eating overnight.

“Now for 99.9 per cent of us that just isn’t the way forward at all. In fact, it’s the road to ruin. They key for real long-term change, as you know, is by changing your habits, and the way that you eat is a series of habits all built one on top of the other.

“We need to change things bit by bit to completely shift our lifestyle over time. This is why I always use the rule of ‘change one thing’.

“As the name suggests, this means finding one single thing that you can change straight away – then change just that.

“Keep this up for a few weeks until it is a habit, then make another goal and make that simple change. Keep this up and after six to 12 months your lifestyle will be drastically different.

“So where to start? Well, that’s up to you but one of the most fun things is to ‘give your favourites a facelift’. Start with what you already enjoy eating and your favourite foods.

“Learn how to give them a bit of a facelift. You like pizza? Amazing! Have a go at making one yourself.

“Use a multigrain bread mix to make the crust. Top it with loads of vibrant veggies like spinach, red onion, fresh garlic, artichokes, maybe some goat’s cheese or feta on there.

“Why this change? The multigrain bread base is much higher in fibre and will keep you feeling fuller for much longer and stabilise your blood sugar levels. which in turn will reduce your desire to snack, reduce overall calorie intake, and majorly improve gut health.

Small simple swap, major benefit

“The toppings deliver far more micronutrients, antioxidants, and beneficial phytochemicals. Small simple swap, major benefit.

“You like spag bol? Excellent, swap the pasta over to the brown variety and bulk up the ragout with red lentils to raise the fibre content.

“The wholewheat spaghetti again keeps you feeling fuller for longer, keeps you satiated, and stabilises blood sugar. You get the point.

`’If you think eating healthy is about self-deprivation, denial and self-punishment then man alive have you missed the point! Enjoy the food you love but at the same time get educated about what healthy actually looks like and why, and bring the two worlds together so you have something that is both sustainable and thoroughly enjoyable for life!!

“Over the coming weeks I’m going to be giving you small tips and challenges so you can begin to adjust your diet and lifestyle to not only help manage your weight but improve many aspects of your health.

“It’s a complete dietary overhaul that’s simple, enjoyable, fad free and not a calorie or set of scales in site. My tips and challenges will build on each other to really step up your healthy eating game!”

Here’s Medicinal Chef Dale’s super-healthy Spag Bol recipe

Spag Bol’s a real family favourite up and down the country – and one that can be a monumental calorie bomb if we aren’t careful. This one will go down an absolute storm. The changes aren’t huge – just a couple of tweaks and this dish becomes so much better for you. By swapping white pasta for brown we up the fibre, and adding the lentils means extra protein, fibre and B vitamins.

Ingredients

180g dry red lentils

1 large red onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 red seeded, finely chopped and deseeded

Olive oil

500g lean minced beef

1 tablespoon tomato puree

2 X 400g cans of chopped tomatoes

250ml beef stock

500g wholewheat spaghetti, mixed leaf salad to serve

Method

Place the lentils in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and simmer for 15–20 mins until soft, then drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a pan sauté the onion, garlic and red pepper in a little olive oil, along with a pinch of salt, until the onion and peppers have softened.

Add the mince and gently fry for 7–8 mins, until it’s cooked through. Stir in the tomato puree. Add the lentils, chopped tomatoes and stock and simmer for 10–15 mins, until the sauce has thickened.

Finally, cook the spaghetti until al dente or according to the packet instructions.

Serve with a mixed leaf salad.

The post Change one thing at a time for major wellness benefits, says Dale appeared first on Slimpod.

Medicinal Chef Dale will reveal which foods make us healthier

YOU’VE probably seen Dale Pinnock, the Medicinal Chef, on TV or read one of his 14 books. He’s been on Lorraine, the Alan Titchmarsh Show and the series Eat, Shop and Save explaining the science of how food can make us healthier. Well, here’s the exciting news: Dale is teaming up with me to give Slimpodders expert advice on how to eat for good health and what to eat to lose weight more effectively.

He’ll be joining us on Facebook for a live session in a week or so, and today in this blog he’s giving you an introductory insight into the invaluable guidance he’s going to be sharing with you. I’m SO excited!

Over the next four weeks Medicinal Chef Dale will be showing you that if you just change one thing in your diet it can make a big difference to your weight and your health.

He’ll be showing you how you can give your favourite food a facelift and also how you can eat to help underlying medical conditions, like under-active thyroids, and other health related issues that might be preventing you from losing weight so far.

He’ll even be helping you to make healthy comfort food during the winter months and sharing some great recipes! Dale and I met in October at a conference in California and I knew right away that he’d be just the man to give podders expert help with nutrition and health.

Dale has degrees in human nutrition and herbal medicine and is completing a master’s degree in nutritional medicine. Don’t worry that he’ll be baffling you with science – Dale has a remarkable knack of putting everything in a down to earth way that’s great fun.

His book The Medicinal Chef is packed with recipes that prove how easy it is to use seemingly humble ingredients which have been shown to have beneficial effects on a range of medical conditions – as well as helping you to shed pounds.

You can find out more at Dale’s website. Today the Medicinal Chef has this advice for you to set the scene for the amazing stuff he’ll be sharing:

“How many of you were on the diet hamster wheel for years and were involved counting or recording something? A lot of you, I would guess. For decades we’ve been taught the concept of diet that revolves around counting calories, counting points, or syns, or all manner of different things.

“Yet the more of us that do this, the more of us that fail. We focus on all of the things we shouldn’t do, and arbitrary numbers that in theory, if the maths add up, take us to health and fitness Utopia.

“However, the health of the nation is in crisis. That is undeniable now. Here in the UK between 2005 and 2015 the percentage of adults that were overweight or obese rose from 60.5% to 62.9%. We are WAY over the halfway mark!!

“We are in an age where we know so much about the way that our bodies work, and there is so much information at our fingertips, yet the scales keep going up. I believe there are two things responsible for this. Environment and misinformation.

“The first, we cannot easily control. The second, well that very much influences our choices. If we tackle that, we can determine how we respond to the first.

“So what is this misinformation? Well, I’m going to tease you with it here, and make a very controversial statement…

“The biggest piece of misinformation is that weight management is simply a “calories in” versus “calories out” equation. Burn more calories than you consume, and you will lose weight.

“OH IS THAT IT?? That’s all I need to do then…if only!!! Millions of people have been doing this and just continue to pile on weight or struggle to lose a pound. In my clinical practice I have worked with thousands of patients over the years and I have NEVER met ONE single patient that strictly adhered to a calorie counting diet and managed to maintain it and to successfully keep the weight off for more than two years.

The Medicinal Chef says you’re not to blame

“This is the norm. We are taught this, we put it into action, and we fail. Then, even worse we believe that it’s US that’s to blame. We feel like a failure and we beat ourselves up. We get disheartened and we give up and stop our efforts to live a healthier life.

“Our bodies are not a mechanical engine that runs at a set rate on a single standardised fuel. We are biological systems. We break down, absorb, metabolise, respond, react, adapt.

“We are an incredibly complex and beautifully orchestrated sea of interconnected biochemical processes and interactions. We are regulated by hormones, by cross-system communication and it is understanding this, our very nature that holds the key to getting free from the dieting trap for ever.

“Understand exactly how your body works, how the food that you eat influences the myriad of control systems, hormonal responses and biochemical interactions, and how to put this knowledge into action when you eat, then you will finally have the map out of the woods.”

And I’m delighted and excited that’s what Dale the Medicinal Chef is going to be showing us all! So look out for my blogs in the weeks ahead. Please leave a comment below with your food questions and to give Dale a warm welcome to the Slimpod community.

The post Medicinal Chef Dale will reveal which foods make us healthier appeared first on Slimpod.

Medicinal Chef Dale will reveal which foods make us healthier https://t.co/ZrWzUmTCEn #Slimmer

Medicinal Chef Dale will reveal which foods make us healthier https://t.co/ZrWzUmTCEn #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 12, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Medicinal Chef Dale will reveal which foods make us healthier https://t.co/ZrWzUmTCEn

Medicinal Chef Dale will reveal which foods make us healthier https://t.co/ZrWzUmTCEn

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 12, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Medicinal Chef Dale will reveal which foods make us healthier

YOU’VE probably seen Dale Pinnock, the Medicinal Chef, on TV or read one of his 14 books. He’s been on Lorraine, the Alan Titchmarsh Show and the series Eat, Shop and Save explaining the science of how food can make us healthier. Well, here’s the exciting news: Dale is teaming up with me to give Slimpodders expert advice on how to eat for good health and what to eat to lose weight more effectively.

He’ll be joining us on Facebook for a live session in a week or so, and today in this blog he’s giving you an introductory insight into the invaluable guidance he’s going to be sharing with you. I’m SO excited!

Over the next four weeks Medicinal Chef Dale will be showing you that if you just change one thing in your diet it can make a big difference to your weight and your health.

He’ll be showing you how you can give your favourite food a facelift and also how you can eat to help underlying medical conditions, like under-active thyroids, and other health related issues that might be preventing you from losing weight so far.

He’ll even be helping you to make healthy comfort food during the winter months and sharing some great recipes! Dale and I met in October at a conference in California and I knew right away that he’d be just the man to give podders expert help with nutrition and health.

Dale has degrees in human nutrition and herbal medicine and is completing a master’s degree in nutritional medicine. Don’t worry that he’ll be baffling you with science – Dale has a remarkable knack of putting everything in a down to earth way that’s great fun.

His book The Medicinal Chef is packed with recipes that prove how easy it is to use seemingly humble ingredients which have been shown to have beneficial effects on a range of medical conditions – as well as helping you to shed pounds.

You can find out more at Dale’s website. Today the Medicinal Chef has this advice for you to set the scene for the amazing stuff he’ll be sharing:

“How many of you were on the diet hamster wheel for years and were involved counting or recording something? A lot of you, I would guess. For decades we’ve been taught the concept of diet that revolves around counting calories, counting points, or syns, or all manner of different things.

“Yet the more of us that do this, the more of us that fail. We focus on all of the things we shouldn’t do, and arbitrary numbers that in theory, if the maths add up, take us to health and fitness Utopia.

“However, the health of the nation is in crisis. That is undeniable now. Here in the UK between 2005 and 2015 the percentage of adults that were overweight or obese rose from 60.5% to 62.9%. We are WAY over the halfway mark!!

“We are in an age where we know so much about the way that our bodies work, and there is so much information at our fingertips, yet the scales keep going up. I believe there are two things responsible for this. Environment and misinformation.

“The first, we cannot easily control. The second, well that very much influences our choices. If we tackle that, we can determine how we respond to the first.

“So what is this misinformation? Well, I’m going to tease you with it here, and make a very controversial statement…

“The biggest piece of misinformation is that weight management is simply a “calories in” versus “calories out” equation. Burn more calories than you consume, and you will lose weight.

“OH IS THAT IT?? That’s all I need to do then…if only!!! Millions of people have been doing this and just continue to pile on weight or struggle to lose a pound. In my clinical practice I have worked with thousands of patients over the years and I have NEVER met ONE single patient that strictly adhered to a calorie counting diet and managed to maintain it and to successfully keep the weight off for more than two years.

The Medicinal Chef says you’re not to blame

“This is the norm. We are taught this, we put it into action, and we fail. Then, even worse we believe that it’s US that’s to blame. We feel like a failure and we beat ourselves up. We get disheartened and we give up and stop our efforts to live a healthier life.

“Our bodies are not a mechanical engine that runs at a set rate on a single standardised fuel. We are biological systems. We break down, absorb, metabolise, respond, react, adapt.

“We are an incredibly complex and beautifully orchestrated sea of interconnected biochemical processes and interactions. We are regulated by hormones, by cross-system communication and it is understanding this, our very nature that holds the key to getting free from the dieting trap for ever.

“Understand exactly how your body works, how the food that you eat influences the myriad of control systems, hormonal responses and biochemical interactions, and how to put this knowledge into action when you eat, then you will finally have the map out of the woods.”

And I’m delighted and excited that’s what Dale the Medicinal Chef is going to be showing us all! So look out for my blogs in the weeks ahead. Please leave a comment below with your food questions and to give Dale a warm welcome to the Slimpod community.

The post Medicinal Chef Dale will reveal which foods make us healthier appeared first on Slimpod.

Quit sugar and this is why you’ll look younger and feel better

WANT to look younger, feel more energetic, lose some belly fat and improve your health? Of course you do! But you don’t have to buy any expensive “magic” potions or book into a swanky health farm – just give up sugar for a month and you’ll notice some great changes to the way you feel and the way you look.

As this is Sugar Awareness Week I thought you might like to find out the benefits to you if you quit sugar. I don’t just mean the spoonful you add to your tea or coffee, by the way.

I mean being totally aware of the hidden sugar in everyday food and drink and steering clear of it.

You can find out more about hidden sugar in some of my earlier blog posts.

More sugar in ready meals than in Coke

Think you’re eating healthily? Think again 

Jamie Oliver’s shock food video 

But just take a look at some of the scientifically-proven benefits of a life without sugar.

Quit sugar for younger-looking skin

Research suggests that high blood sugar hinders the repair of your skin’s collagen. So a poor diet can make your skin less elastic and bring on premature wrinkles. Studies show that if you quit it can help reduce visible signs of ageing.

Quit sugar and lose that belly fat

Cakes, biscuits and fizzy drinks pile on the pounds around your middle. This is because high blood sugar levels release a flood of insulin through your body and over time make fat build up around your belly. This is especially dangerous because these abdominal fat cells release hormones that bring on the kind of inflammation that can cause heart disease and cancer.

Quit sugar and keep diabetes at bay

For greater protection against type 2 diabetes, you should quit sugar (or at the very least cut down on it). When you eat a lot of sweet carbohydrate the pancreas releases huge amounts of sugar to cope. Repeat this day after day at every mean – and between meals with snacks – and the cells which produce insulin can get tired and stop working, eventually leading to diabetes.

Quit sugar and protect your heart

A research project shows that people who get between 17 and 21 per cent of their daily calories from food packed with sugar had a 38 per cent higher risk of dying from heart disease than those who kept their added sugar intake to below eight per cent. So stay away from ready meals, junk food, pizza, sauces and all processed food in tins and jars. Their sugar content is huge.

One man in Holland who quit sugar and alcohol for a month for a TV documentary lost 8lbs, saw his blood pressure fall from 135 to 125 and got his cholesterol level to drop by eight per cent.

But going “cold turkey” wasn’t easy. He felt “cranky” and was constantly hungry. This is because sugar is like alcohol – it makes you feel tired, dehydrates you and sucks the vitamins out of your body.

The Dutch guinea pig said he felt much fitter at the end of his month being forced to live on fruit, yoghurt and salads. But it took three weeks for the sugar cravings to finally disappear.

What really grabbed my attention was when I discovered what happened when he started eating sugar again. “I got arrhythmia [irregular heartbeat] twice,” he said. “I also had trouble sleeping. I couldn’t fall asleep before 3am or 4am. My body wasn’t used to sugar any more and it came in like a drug.”

That’s precisely the problem we face in our sugar-laden world today. Sugar is like an addictive drug – and it’s hugely powerful.

Is sugar a problem in your life? Could you challenge yourself to quit sugar for 21 days? Please leave a comment below – I read them all with great interest and they really help me to help others.

The post Quit sugar and this is why you’ll look younger and feel better appeared first on Slimpod.

Quit sugar and this is why you’ll look younger and feel better https://t.co/Bo6Lh03SH5 #Slimmer

Quit sugar and this is why you’ll look younger and feel better https://t.co/Bo6Lh03SH5 #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 11, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Quit sugar and this is why you’ll look younger and feel better https://t.co/Bo6Lh03SH5

Quit sugar and this is why you’ll look younger and feel better https://t.co/Bo6Lh03SH5

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) November 11, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Quit sugar and this is why you’ll look younger and feel better

WANT to look younger, feel more energetic, lose some belly fat and improve your health? Of course you do! But you don’t have to buy any expensive “magic” potions or book into a swanky health farm – just give up sugar for a month and you’ll notice some great changes to the way you feel and the way you look.

As this is Sugar Awareness Week I thought you might like to find out the benefits to you if you quit sugar. I don’t just mean the spoonful you add to your tea or coffee, by the way.

I mean being totally aware of the hidden sugar in everyday food and drink and steering clear of it.

You can find out more about hidden sugar in some of my earlier blog posts.

More sugar in ready meals than in Coke

Think you’re eating healthily? Think again 

Jamie Oliver’s shock food video 

But just take a look at some of the scientifically-proven benefits of a life without sugar.

Quit sugar for younger-looking skin

Research suggests that high blood sugar hinders the repair of your skin’s collagen. So a poor diet can make your skin less elastic and bring on premature wrinkles. Studies show that if you quit it can help reduce visible signs of ageing.

Quit sugar and lose that belly fat

Cakes, biscuits and fizzy drinks pile on the pounds around your middle. This is because high blood sugar levels release a flood of insulin through your body and over time make fat build up around your belly. This is especially dangerous because these abdominal fat cells release hormones that bring on the kind of inflammation that can cause heart disease and cancer.

Quit sugar and keep diabetes at bay

For greater protection against type 2 diabetes, you should quit sugar (or at the very least cut down on it). When you eat a lot of sweet carbohydrate the pancreas releases huge amounts of sugar to cope. Repeat this day after day at every mean – and between meals with snacks – and the cells which produce insulin can get tired and stop working, eventually leading to diabetes.

Quit sugar and protect your heart

A research project shows that people who get between 17 and 21 per cent of their daily calories from food packed with sugar had a 38 per cent higher risk of dying from heart disease than those who kept their added sugar intake to below eight per cent. So stay away from ready meals, junk food, pizza, sauces and all processed food in tins and jars. Their sugar content is huge.

One man in Holland who quit sugar and alcohol for a month for a TV documentary lost 8lbs, saw his blood pressure fall from 135 to 125 and got his cholesterol level to drop by eight per cent.

But going “cold turkey” wasn’t easy. He felt “cranky” and was constantly hungry. This is because sugar is like alcohol – it makes you feel tired, dehydrates you and sucks the vitamins out of your body.

The Dutch guinea pig said he felt much fitter at the end of his month being forced to live on fruit, yoghurt and salads. But it took three weeks for the sugar cravings to finally disappear.

What really grabbed my attention was when I discovered what happened when he started eating sugar again. “I got arrhythmia [irregular heartbeat] twice,” he said. “I also had trouble sleeping. I couldn’t fall asleep before 3am or 4am. My body wasn’t used to sugar any more and it came in like a drug.”

That’s precisely the problem we face in our sugar-laden world today. Sugar is like an addictive drug – and it’s hugely powerful.

Is sugar a problem in your life? Could you challenge yourself to quit sugar for 21 days? Please leave a comment below – I read them all with great interest and they really help me to help others.

The post Quit sugar and this is why you’ll look younger and feel better appeared first on Slimpod.

How daily small wins magically lead on to achieving a big goal https://t.co/JmcITpRq7q #Slimmer

How daily small wins magically lead on to achieving a big goal https://t.co/JmcITpRq7q #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 15, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

How daily small wins magically lead on to achieving a big goal https://t.co/JmcITpRq7q

How daily small wins magically lead on to achieving a big goal https://t.co/JmcITpRq7q

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) October 15, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

How daily small wins magically lead on to achieving a big goal

HABITS give us the results we want but the real reason habits matter is that each action you take is like a vote for the person you want to become. And we become what we repeatedly do. Small daily actions and small wins take you towards your goal, enabling and empowering you to form good eating and lifestyle habits which will result in sustainable weight loss.

And this is where the importance of small wins comes in. Small wins help you feel like you’re accomplishing something. Focus too much on the big goal and you’ll feel like you’ll never get there. Small wins motivate you to keep on going – and eventually that big goal is reached.

I always tell people on my Slimpod programme to jot down three small wins at the end of the day that stand out as being a bit different and could be attributed to their Slimpod.

I call this a Success Log and I’ve made mine out of a lovely journal I’ve kept over the years. The differences can be improvements about your eating, your movement or the way you’re feeling. How you’re feeling is fundamentally important to your weight loss journey because that’s what’s going to give you the fuel to keep going!

An inspiring Success Log

The Success Log is based on a psychological principle called priming and this is about letting your brain know you have something important for it to notice.  So by writing down the good things that are happening in your day, this encourages your brain to notice more of them.

It’s one of the golden rules of the brain.  The more you notice, the more you will.  Think about this for a moment.  If you’re thinking about changing your car and getting a new one in red, suddenly all you see every day is red cars.

What’s on your mind is brought to mind.  Same with food.  If you’re spending your day thinking about your next meal, food is what occupies every waking moment.

So you have to retrain your brain to notice things that will move your focus of attention to things that are healthier for you and the Success Log is part of that process.

We all lead such busy lives and unless you stop and think about your wins and positives they’re likely to go unnoticed.  Seeing is believing!

Do let me know about your small wins by leaving a comment below. I love reading about all your successes!

 

The post How daily small wins magically lead on to achieving a big goal appeared first on Slimpod.

How daily small wins magically lead on to achieving a big goal

HABITS give us the results we want but the real reason habits matter is that each action you take is like a vote for the person you want to become. And we become what we repeatedly do. Small daily actions and small wins take you towards your goal, enabling and empowering you to form good eating and lifestyle habits which will result in sustainable weight loss.

And this is where the importance of small wins comes in. Small wins help you feel like you’re accomplishing something. Focus too much on the big goal and you’ll feel like you’ll never get there. Small wins motivate you to keep on going – and eventually that big goal is reached.

I always tell people on my Slimpod programme to jot down three small wins at the end of the day that stand out as being a bit different and could be attributed to their Slimpod.

I call this a Success Log and I’ve made mine out of a lovely journal I’ve kept over the years. The differences can be improvements about your eating, your movement or the way you’re feeling. How you’re feeling is fundamentally important to your weight loss journey because that’s what’s going to give you the fuel to keep going!

An inspiring Success Log

The Success Log is based on a psychological principle called priming and this is about letting your brain know you have something important for it to notice.  So by writing down the good things that are happening in your day, this encourages your brain to notice more of them.

It’s one of the golden rules of the brain.  The more you notice, the more you will.  Think about this for a moment.  If you’re thinking about changing your car and getting a new one in red, suddenly all you see every day is red cars.

What’s on your mind is brought to mind.  Same with food.  If you’re spending your day thinking about your next meal, food is what occupies every waking moment.

So you have to retrain your brain to notice things that will move your focus of attention to things that are healthier for you and the Success Log is part of that process.

We all lead such busy lives and unless you stop and think about your wins and positives they’re likely to go unnoticed.  Seeing is believing!

Do let me know about your small wins by leaving a comment below. I love reading about all your successes!

 

The post How daily small wins magically lead on to achieving a big goal appeared first on Slimpod.

Join my new 30-day challenge for a fitter, healthier and happier you https://t.co/BUpP4wAS44 #Slimmer

Join my new 30-day challenge for a fitter, healthier and happier you https://t.co/BUpP4wAS44 #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) September 26, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Join my new 30-day challenge for a fitter, healthier and happier you

TODAY, Wednesday September 26, we celebrate National Fitness Day!  Its aim is to inspire the UK to move for one day because exercise has so many health and wellness benefits that extend far beyond just weight loss. That’s me in the picture, by the way, doing my morning workout on my uncle’s farm in Ireland during the summer

The benefits of regular exercise are fabulous: As well as controlling your weight, it cuts your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. It also strengthens your bones and muscles and improves your mental health, confidence and mood.

However at Slimpod HQ we’re going one step further than a fitness day and I want to inspire you to move consistently for a month!

Today I’m launching a new 30-day fitness challenge and I’d love you to be part of it!  If you’re in our Slimpod Club private group on Facebook you’ll know we’re in the last week of a 70-day fitness challenge and there’s been some amazing transformations from people who have simply been consistent with their exercise.

Watch out for the new Slimpod Club accountability thread for the 30-day challenge.

If you’re not in Slimpod Club then please use this blog post as your accountability thread. Post a comment every day to share your progress with others – and I’ll monitor how you’re getting on and hold you accountable.

It’s easy – just set yourself a daily goal. It could a be distance to walk or run. It could be a number of strength exercises to achieve, such as squats, press-ups or sit-ups.

Set an alarm on your phone every 50 mins to remind you to get up and move for the next 10 mins, even if it’s walking round the kitchen or your office desk.

Remember the Slimpod message – all movement is exercise!

To give you motivation, here’s a video from Caroline, one of our lovely ladies.  She’s got a very inspirational message for you.

And here’s some inspiring words and pictures from Slimpodder Janet: “Eighteen months ago I wasn’t very active, just a bit of Zumba for a wiggle and a giggle. Then I started Slimpod…

“Straight away it encouraged me to move more. I started walking, doing two to three miles a couple of times a week – plus the Zumba.

“This summer I took up the Slimpod 70-day Challenge and with a friend from Zumba I started hill walking. What an amazing change!

“We do up to 15 miles a day and it challenges my legs, heart and breathing. I love it! I’m fitter, healthier, stronger and happier.

“I’ve dropped two dress sizes and my body is more toned, flexible and supple. When I’m out on the hills I feel good, happy and relaxed all at the same time.

“I have loved every challenge I’ve set myself. So do take up the new 30-day challenge, even if you only start by walking to the end of the road. Gradually build things up from there. Come on – let’s do it!”

Let me know with a comment below that you’re getting involved in the new 30-day challenge. Let’s smash this together

The post Join my new 30-day challenge for a fitter, healthier and happier you appeared first on Slimpod.

Join my new 30-day challenge for a fitter, healthier and happier you

TODAY, Wednesday September 26, we celebrate National Fitness Day!  Its aim is to inspire the UK to move for one day because exercise has so many health and wellness benefits that extend far beyond just weight loss. That’s me in the picture, by the way, doing my morning workout on my uncle’s farm in Ireland during the summer

The benefits of regular exercise are fabulous: As well as controlling your weight, it cuts your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. It also strengthens your bones and muscles and improves your mental health, confidence and mood.

However at Slimpod HQ we’re going one step further than a fitness day and I want to inspire you to move consistently for a month!

Today I’m launching a new 30-day fitness challenge and I’d love you to be part of it!  If you’re in our Slimpod Club private group on Facebook you’ll know we’re in the last week of a 70-day fitness challenge and there’s been some amazing transformations from people who have simply been consistent with their exercise.

Watch out for the new Slimpod Club accountability thread for the 30-day challenge.

If you’re not in Slimpod Club then please use this blog post as your accountability thread. Post a comment every day to share your progress with others – and I’ll monitor how you’re getting on and hold you accountable.

It’s easy – just set yourself a daily goal. It could a be distance to walk or run. It could be a number of strength exercises to achieve, such as squats, press-ups or sit-ups.

Set an alarm on your phone every 50 mins to remind you to get up and move for the next 10 mins, even if it’s walking round the kitchen or your office desk.

Remember the Slimpod message – all movement is exercise!

To give you motivation, here’s a video from Caroline, one of our lovely ladies.  She’s got a very inspirational message for you.

And here’s some inspiring words and pictures from Slimpodder Janet: “Eighteen months ago I wasn’t very active, just a bit of Zumba for a wiggle and a giggle. Then I started Slimpod…

“Straight away it encouraged me to move more. I started walking, doing two to three miles a couple of times a week – plus the Zumba.

“This summer I took up the Slimpod 70-day Challenge and with a friend from Zumba I started hill walking. What an amazing change!

“We do up to 15 miles a day and it challenges my legs, heart and breathing. I love it! I’m fitter, healthier, stronger and happier.

“I’ve dropped two dress sizes and my body is more toned, flexible and supple. When I’m out on the hills I feel good, happy and relaxed all at the same time.

“I have loved every challenge I’ve set myself. So do take up the new 30-day challenge, even if you only start by walking to the end of the road. Gradually build things up from there. Come on – let’s do it!”

Let me know with a comment below that you’re getting involved in the new 30-day challenge. Let’s smash this together

The post Join my new 30-day challenge for a fitter, healthier and happier you appeared first on Slimpod.

Join my new 30-day challenge for a fitter, healthier and happier you https://t.co/BUpP4wAS44

Join my new 30-day challenge for a fitter, healthier and happier you https://t.co/BUpP4wAS44

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) September 26, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

You just gotta have faith if you’re going to achieve your goals

Do you believe in your weight loss goals? Do you believe you’ll achieve them? How often do you set off wanting to drop a size or two but deep down inside you feel it’s a lost cause?

In this video I explain why so many people have no faith in their goals and how that limiting belief may be preventing you from losing the weight you’re so desperate to shift.

The post You just gotta have faith if you’re going to achieve your goals appeared first on Slimpod.

You just gotta have faith if you’re going to achieve your goals https://t.co/vmI6gN21UK #Slimmer

You just gotta have faith if you’re going to achieve your goals https://t.co/vmI6gN21UK #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) September 9, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

You just gotta have faith if you’re going to achieve your goals https://t.co/vmI6gN21UK

You just gotta have faith if you’re going to achieve your goals https://t.co/vmI6gN21UK

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) September 9, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

You just gotta have faith if you’re going to achieve your goals

Do you believe in your weight loss goals? Do you believe you’ll achieve them? How often do you set off wanting to drop a size or two but deep down inside you feel it’s a lost cause?

In this video I explain why so many people have no faith in their goals and how that limiting belief may be preventing you from losing the weight you’re so desperate to shift.

The post You just gotta have faith if you’re going to achieve your goals appeared first on Slimpod.

Don’t panic! Keep calm and carry on losing that weight

WE’RE approaching the end of the Summer in the UK and I know it’s probably been one of the worst times of year to stay on track with weight loss goals – apart from Christmas!  I’ll bet anything that routine has gone out the window and you’ll be panicking because you think you’ve lost the plot yet again!

But hold on!  Don’t panic, as Corporal Jones used to say in Dad’s Army.

This is TOTALLY normal and you need to know that you’re not alone.  I’ve had a ridiculously busy August too and I know exactly how you feel. I seriously do!

I’ve had so much going on during the holiday season and August is also full of birthdays, anniversaries, cake and alcohol! I’ve let normal routine and habits go a bit and my trousers are probably a little tighter than when the Summer began.

BUT the difference is – I don’t panic.  I know I can get back to my normal eating habits quite easily when I set my mind to it – and more to the point, for me August is just an obstacle that gets built into my life.

It isn’t a normal month! So my brain knows how to deal with it and I don’t panic about gaining a few lbs because I know they will go as quickly as they came.

But this attitude and mindset has come with time, consistency and practice.  It’s not because I’m any different to anyone else, or I’m superhuman.

My eating habits are not perfect, but most of the time I eat healthily and I don’t panic if I overdo it for a few weeks.  I certainly don’t think I’ve blown it and all is lost!

I look to the future and work out my next goal.

That goal for me happens to be to fit comfortably in my size 10 trousers by the end of September and I know I will.

So how do you feel about joining me?

Start with re-setting your goal.  Make it a small one – say 21 days or max 30 days.  Set a goal that’s totally achievable – like feeling more comfortable in something that’s become a bit tight.

You know what you have to do but If you need help, ask below or if you’re a member of Slimpod Club take part in the community challenge that will begin on Monday September 10.

Now read Wendy’s inspiring story

To help with your motivation and to give you a boost, I thought I’d share a lovely story with you that really made me smile.

I’d like to introduce you to Wendy who sent me a little note with her progress after seven weeks on her Slimpod Programme. This is what she wrote:

“I was hooked on day one and from the very next day I have not eaten any snacks or sugary foods, I have not weighed myself and never will.

“I have eaten healthy and not dieted. I have exercised about four times a week at the gym and when on holiday I walked or had a little run. 

“I have stayed away from anyone who I think will try and sabotage me (drains) and stayed close to my radiator friends who encourage me.

“The first 10 days were not so much hard with willpower but more about the voices of Angel and the Devil getting along with each other and helping me.

“These chats would be quite frequent as I started to retrain, but after 10 days I seemed to settle and not be reliant on listening to them.   

“Now all three of us are getting to used to this new life of mine of thinking slimmer, eating healthy and moving about. 

“I have sent a photo from July 3 when I started and a photo from six weeks (half way). The difference is profound.

Above: Wendy’s selfie on Day One

Wendy on Day 42 – “profound difference”

“I know it’s only week seven but I feel so grateful , this is a life saver for me and next week I go back to the doctors to see if my blood pressure has reduced.

“I could write a huge list of this journey so far like the help, videos, pods and programme –  it’s so clever. My only downfall is the success log, which I will pick up again as it is useful.

“My advice to people is you have to WANT to lose weight and you have to be READY, if you don’t have this then the pods get blocked in the brain.   

“If you follow the rules it really works but you must WANT to and not expect a magic wand

“Thank you, thank you. I am looking forward to the next five weeks ”

How wonderful is that?  If you’ve got a similar story that would help motivate others in our community please do let me know below.  Would love to hear from you.

And let Wendy know how proud you are of what she’s achieved already!

The post Don’t panic! Keep calm and carry on losing that weight appeared first on Slimpod.

Don’t panic! Keep calm and carry on losing weight https://t.co/f4akFZHDLY

Don’t panic! Keep calm and carry on losing weight https://t.co/f4akFZHDLY

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) August 31, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Don’t panic! Keep calm and carry on losing weight https://t.co/f4akFZHDLY #Slimmer

Don’t panic! Keep calm and carry on losing weight https://t.co/f4akFZHDLY #Slimmer

— Cathy Fernie (@Cracenduch39) August 31, 2018

from Twitter https://twitter.com/Cracenduch39

Don’t panic! Keep calm and carry on losing that weight

WE’RE approaching the end of the Summer in the UK and I know it’s probably been one of the worst times of year to stay on track with weight loss goals – apart from Christmas!  I’ll bet anything that routine has gone out the window and you’ll be panicking because you think you’ve lost the plot yet again!

But hold on!  Don’t panic, as Corporal Jones used to say in Dad’s Army.

This is TOTALLY normal and you need to know that you’re not alone.  I’ve had a ridiculously busy August too and I know exactly how you feel. I seriously do!

I’ve had so much going on during the holiday season and August is also full of birthdays, anniversaries, cake and alcohol! I’ve let normal routine and habits go a bit and my trousers are probably a little tighter than when the Summer began.

BUT the difference is – I don’t panic.  I know I can get back to my normal eating habits quite easily when I set my mind to it – and more to the point, for me August is just an obstacle that gets built into my life.

It isn’t a normal month! So my brain knows how to deal with it and I don’t panic about gaining a few lbs because I know they will go as quickly as they came.

But this attitude and mindset has come with time, consistency and practice.  It’s not because I’m any different to anyone else, or I’m superhuman.

My eating habits are not perfect, but most of the time I eat healthily and I don’t panic if I overdo it for a few weeks.  I certainly don’t think I’ve blown it and all is lost!

I look to the future and work out my next goal.

That goal for me happens to be to fit comfortably in my size 10 trousers by the end of September and I know I will.

So how do you feel about joining me?

Start with re-setting your goal.  Make it a small one – say 21 days or max 30 days.  Set a goal that’s totally achievable – like feeling more comfortable in something that’s become a bit tight.

You know what you have to do but If you need help, ask below or if you’re a member of Slimpod Club take part in the community challenge that will begin on Monday September 10.

Now read Wendy’s inspiring story

To help with your motivation and to give you a boost, I thought I’d share a lovely story with you that really made me smile.

I’d like to introduce you to Wendy who sent me a little note with her progress after seven weeks on her Slimpod Programme. This is what she wrote:

“I was hooked on day one and from the very next day I have not eaten any snacks or sugary foods, I have not weighed myself and never will.

“I have eaten healthy and not dieted. I have exercised about four times a week at the gym and when on holiday I walked or had a little run. 

“I have stayed away from anyone who I think will try and sabotage me (drains) and stayed close to my radiator friends who encourage me.

“The first 10 days were not so much hard with willpower but more about the voices of Angel and the Devil getting along with each other and helping me.

“These chats would be quite frequent as I started to retrain, but after 10 days I seemed to settle and not be reliant on listening to them.   

“Now all three of us are getting to used to this new life of mine of thinking slimmer, eating healthy and moving about. 

“I have sent a photo from July 3 when I started and a photo from six weeks (half way). The difference is profound.

Above: Wendy’s selfie on Day One

Wendy on Day 42 – “profound difference”

“I know it’s only week seven but I feel so grateful , this is a life saver for me and next week I go back to the doctors to see if my blood pressure has reduced.

“I could write a huge list of this journey so far like the help, videos, pods and programme –  it’s so clever. My only downfall is the success log, which I will pick up again as it is useful.

“My advice to people is you have to WANT to lose weight and you have to be READY, if you don’t have this then the pods get blocked in the brain.   

“If you follow the rules it really works but you must WANT to and not expect a magic wand

“Thank you, thank you. I am looking forward to the next five weeks ”

How wonderful is that?  If you’ve got a similar story that would help motivate others in our community please do let me know below.  Would love to hear from you.

And let Wendy know how proud you are of what she’s achieved already!

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