The cost of DIY
Author Sanela Categories Health Mindset, Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Healthy Nutrition, Weight Management Posted on 0 Comments

Be aware of the DIY trap!

I remember what feeling stuck felt. Looking back into the mirror and not recognising my body.

I was still me, but, at the same time, person looking back at me did not feel like me. Even energy about me was different.

To make things worse, my actual energy seemed to have abandoned me too, went MIA. There was none at any point of the day. How is that even possible?

For someone who never even thought of weight before and has all her life felt really comfortable in her skin, this was a new territory.

And I wasn’t loving it. Far from it.

This was me, after giving birth to my first son (Yes, the one that is leaving home this month to go to Uni). I was 30 years old at a time.

Of course, having my first child was magical, but I also wanted to feel good in myself and about myself. Extra pounds were not helping my health, my back was the first casualty, and it did nothing for my confidence. Like I had put a body suit on, and I was hot and uncomfortable and very aware of it.

My son was 18 months old when I finally had enough and felt ready to take care of the weight that I accumulated in pregnancy and post birth. It wasn’t much, but it was too much for me.

I have always had such great relationship with food and health, thanks to my mother, who, from my early age, taught me to value health. Because there was a point when I was around eight years old when we almost lost her to breast cancer.

Boy, did she fight! Yes, with chemo, but also with blenders, juicers, plants (and in the 1980s) and, above all, with an unshakable will to live and see me grow up… and beyond.

And she did.

So, having found myself at a place where many women are after giving birth – I was overwhelmed and confused and did not know where to start. However, I was a smart cookie 😉 as research took me to a nutrition coach who helped me start on my journey and, in a few months, with her help, encouragement and a solid plan, I was at my goal weight, getting really educated about nutrition and the science about metabolism, feeling amazing and even training to help others with their weight management.

Because it is hard not to get excited when something important happens and you find a solution to something that you struggled with knowing that you can make a difference.

It is a human in us all. Some recommend a movie they loved, I changed a career path 🙂

That was my apple falling from a tree and hitting me on my head. Eureka! I have found my calling!

That was 17 years ago this September. And well over 2000 happy clients in the process (“well over” as I stopped counting few years back – really no need to count any longer as I have put in my 10 000 hours).

So, this month is my 17th Anniversary and I have nothing less than an immense gratitude for everyone who was and/or still is part of my journey and allowing me to be part of theirs.

It is an honour. Truly.

And, boy, isn’t it a journey!

What I wanted to share with you this week is that the best lesson I learnt from my clients who came to me after years of trying on their own is that “I will figure it out myself!” is a path that can cost you:

  • Being even more hopeless, lost and confused
  • Gaining even more weight, putting further risk on your health
  • Having existing beliefs, patterns, habits even more ingrained & much harder to break
  • Going in circles and feeling frustrated
  • Spending more money on buying clothes in different sizes.

However, the biggest cost is a social isolation when you stay stuck and not fulfill your greater calling, miss out on the opportunities, relationships, etc. due to lack of confidence and joy of life.

Not to mention living in unnecessary pains and poor health.

There is a better way, and you deserve to be the best version of you so that your body can move, feel great, enjoy life!

I was glad I did not fall into the trap thinking I know it best and “I will figure it out!”. Well, I might have figured it out by myself eventually, some do, I have a friend who did it all by himself after suffering a heart attack, but not without trials and errors, and seriously hat off to him, but majority does not.

Because you never know what you don’t know. And staying stuck is costly.

And losing weight is not easy. Because it is so much more than just “eating less”. It is a whole science. If it wasn’t, everyone would be at their ideal weight shortly after they wish for it.

Mainly because of the food addiction that is hard to break without knowledge, help and support. More about it next time. This is the most exciting subject for me.

Going back to DIY – I have truly nothing against the DIY – like to build something you have never built before; you develop a new skill and it can truly be fun. We should do more DIY stuff! It is good for us!

But our biology is complex and DIY-ing your health without skills and sound knowledge can cost us further our health.

That is why crash diets can run havoc to our metabolism and general health.

I sometimes wonder where life would take me if I did not take that leap and got help when I needed it.

Certainly, I would miss out having all my dear clients in my life. So many friendships and connections. Meeting so many people who are so special in my life today and will be for a long time.

And, one thing is true now as it was then – most people struggle to achieve their health and weight loss goals because they do not how to do it safely so they can lose body fat, maintain their lean muscle and metabolism, and achieve energy and shape that makes them feel good about themselves. Not crash diet. Not start, stop, start again, then stop, etc. and off we go in circles, forever on.

If you recognise yourself in this, I encourage you to give yourself a permission to show up for yourself. If you don’t, nobody else will.

Think about reasons why you should start (or continue with your efforts).

It could be so you are able to stay active around your children or grandchildren, or because it is a time you start loving yourself again in the photos (You are beautiful already, but why not also loving who you desire to be?), perhaps because you need a confidence to get back dating or looking for a dream job. All you need is one great reason to start and keep going.

Perhaps you just want to feel good in your skin!

Because now more than ever it is essential to invest in a healthy mind and body.

That includes foods you eat, wellness daily practices, how you feel and talk to yourself and practice self-care – isn’t it a time you look and feel your absolute best?

Because you are worth it.

I would like to invite you to take a leap and book a Discovery Call with me and we can take it from there. It may be just the best thing you did, and I cannot wait to accelerate your success so you can stop going in circles and finally get you losing weight in a healthy, sustainable way.

See you at the other end or, until next time,

Stay safe, healthy and nourished!

Yours in health,

Sanela

P.S. Choose yourself, always!

Herbalife Nutrition Independent Herbalife Member, Bath UK
Author Sanela Categories Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Healthy Nutrition Posted on 0 Comments

Nourishing Foods in Hot Weather

I believe this topic is long overdue as the Hot British Summer just keeps on giving, however, who knew! I do hope it is not too late for the advice and that we keep being blessed with this glorious weather (that we are so not used to). When we prayed for summer in the winter months (for the past few decades at least), I do not think anyone expected our wish to be granted in such abundance this year.

My husband would say – be careful what you wish for. Now, many complain that it is too hot, however, let’s all admit – there is something rather refreshing waking up to a warm, sunny morning; it makes you want to wake up early and seize the day. I have been watering the plants at 7AM most mornings and that, in itself, has been refreshing and wonderful. Connection with nature from the word Go.

Back to our subject, when weather is hot, there are few things we need to bear in mind in order to keep our body well nourished and energised.

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Free Wellness Evaluation
Author Sanela Categories Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Healthy Breakfast, Healthy Nutrition Posted on 0 Comments

From 5-A-Day to Breakfast Everyday: Why You Should Make Time For a Healthy Breakfast

I am a firm believer in making breakfasts the most essential part of our daily routine and where we make a start when trying to change our lifestyle.

And once we have this healthy habit sorted – of not just having A breakfast as part of our daily routine, but THE breakfast – the right kind of breakfast – then we build the rest of the good habits on top of it, one by one.

With chronic diseases on the rise, the United Nations, the World Health Organisation and Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have finally recognised the importance of breakfast as a healthy behaviour that is one of the key factors in reducing health diseases across Europe.

“As a former teacher, I can spot straight away who’s awake and alert and who’s tired and distracted. And in my experience, one of the biggest factors that determines success in the classroom is so simple and so often overlooked: having breakfast every morning.”, says Jean-Claude Gonon, Secretary-General of the European Association of Teachers (AEDE).

World Health Organization (WHO) stated:

“A regular breakfast is part of a healthy diet, which in turn has traditionally been considered an important factor in a healthy lifestyle. Breakfast contributes to the quality and quantity of a person’s daily dietary intake, and breakfast-skipping has been linked to inadequate dietary nutrition in several studies. Breakfast-skipping also influences cognition and learning and consequently may impact on adolescents’ capacity to take advantage of learning opportunities provided by schools and families.”

But breakfast isn’t just important for children and young people. Making sure we eat breakfast in the morning is just as important for adults too.

“Missing breakfast has been associated with several other health-compromising behaviours, such as higher levels of smoking, alcohol and drug use and more sedentary lifestyles. Breakfast skipping has also been linked with the increased consumption of snacks low in fibre and high in fat later in the day and an increased risk of obesity.”, World Health Organisation.

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Herbalife Nutrition Independent Herbalife Member, Bath UK Healthy Meals
Author Sanela Categories Exercise, Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Healthy Nutrition Posted on 0 Comments

Keep Fit with Fit Foods

Your body is yearning to get lively as it is designed for movement, but, if allowed, it will begin to seize up, fatten up and generally degenerate. So, whatever your age, moderate exercise can help with your wellness as it builds and strengthens your muscles, improves skeletal density & keeps osteoporosis at bay, gets your heart pumping, helps shift plaque from your arteries, helps mobilise toxins trapped in fat cells, uses up stored fat reducing stored weight, reduces feelings of depression, lessens fatigue, improves skin tone and colour and there are so many more amazing benefits, both physical and psychological.

Exercise, however, is just one part of the equation. You may have heard this before, or you may hear it for the first time, in which case you may well be surprised, but the fact is – your health as well as the success of your weight management effort is 80% down to your nutrition and only 20% down to exercise. Therefore, poor fuel will equal poor performance and athletes know this all too well.

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Herbalife Nutrition Independent Herbalife Member, Bath UK Healthy Hydration
Author Sanela Categories Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Healthy Nutrition Posted on 0 Comments

Water, glorious water: The remarkable effects of drinking (enough) water each day

Brits can not believe their luck with the current hot weather spell and it is a topic of every single conversation. Now more than ever is important to keep our body well hydrated. And there is no better way to do it but with water. Apart from body’s need for air and breathing, water is possibly the second most important catalyst in keeping us alive.

We all know stories of how, in extreme circumstances, some people have survived for weeks without food as long as they had water. It feels almost strange to be compelled to write about water in the first place as it is such basic human need, so what more could I add?

So many clients I work with struggle with fitting enough water in, even when temperatures increase. There are many reasons why we are not fulfilling this basic need. Sometimes, it falls down to the lack of a habit, so there is no natural thirst present.

It could also be down to the fact that many are addicted to caffeine and sugar, so they keep hydrating with coffees and teas, which are slight diuretics – and they have an opposite effect – instead of hydrating, they can slightly aid to dehydration as they are diuretics. Some simply insist that they do not like water.

I once had a client texting me on her very first day of starting her nutrition plan saying that she was gagging on water I suggested she drinks first thing in the morning (just to set the record straight, I only asked her to start with a one single glass of water, not litres at once) So, basic need and yet many issues about it.

There are so many strategies that can help us develop a habit of drinking enough and if I tell you WHY you need to drink water, HOW may, perhaps, sort itself out. And, to those of you who simply love water, hope this inspires you to keep up a great habit!

So, let’s not underestimate the benefits of water:

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Herbalife Nutrition Healthy Hydration
Author Sanela Categories Health Mindset, Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Healthy Nutrition Posted on 0 Comments

11 Tips on Generating Health in Your Life!

Being healthy could be incredibly easy, if one possesses the right knowledge and is ready to make the necessary changes in their diet and habits without resorting to fad diets and quick fixes as they clearly do not work.

Here a few tips that I have learnt over a decade from the leading doctors and nutritional experts in their field and that is a basis of how hundreds of people that came to me for help and advice got great results:

1. FREQUENCY. Start eating 5-6 SMALLER meals per day! Frequency is one of the keys to stable blood sugar levels! So, do not eat like a Sumo Wrestler! Breakfast Skipper (Or  Any-Meal/Snack-Skipper) – this is for you!

2. PROTEIN. Every meal and snack MUST contain Protein OR Protein + Complex Carbohydrate (Think FIBRE) for a stable blood sugar level that, remember, is THE KEY to a fast metabolism. 1 gram of protein per 1 lbs of lean muscle is about right (1.2-1.5 grams if exercising, up to 2gr if building muscle)! I measure muscle mass for my clients.

3. PLANT PROTEIN. We do not have enough of it in a diet! I get it through my Herbalife Formula 1 Shake. The best meal on the planet. How are YOU going to get it? I don’t know if you are ready for solutions that are already available. You can go my way, I would be the happiest to oblige, or you can figure out your way, it is your choice, just REDUCE the amount of animal protein in your diet. Eggs/ bacon for breakfast, chicken for lunch and beef for dinner and perhaps fish in between is a sure way to weaker bones and kidney problems due to the acid nature of animal produce that leaches Calcium out of your bones, not to mention links of animal protein to cancer.

4. FIBRE. Most of you don’t have enough, research shows around 15 grams per day, so no wonder so many suffer from digestion related problems! Minimum 25 grams per day for women and 35 grams for men and you will not have as much digestive issues. Can help with eliminating fat too.

5. SUPPLEMENTATION. It is a general knowledge now, so please also don’t believe your so called expert friend that we can get everything from food. We can not and there is a growing (and sufficient) body of evidence to support it. Also, don’t just go for your cheap local store supplement. Unless it is a Pharmaceutical Grade, you indeed are wasting a few pennies you are spending on them! Naturally, I take Herbalife’s Formula 2 Multivitamin, XtraCAL and RoseGuard, our powerful antioxidant. You get what you pay for!

6. WATER. Minimum 2 litres a day! Many need a lot more! Around 350ml for every 10kg of body weight is a good guide! Know how much you drink! Tea and coffee do not count! Water on it’s own or with some fresh lemon juice! If you do not like water – start liking it! It is a BASIC human need after AIR itself! We are creatures of habit – you CAN do it!

7. FRUIT. Limit to 2-3 servings per day and try not to have it on its own, add a few nuts, seeds or some natural yoghurt, especially if you are overweight as insulin will be sensitive and you need to offset sugar from fruit with some protein. Ideally 10 grams of protein per snack and 20-25 grams or protein per main meal, without blowing your calorie ceiling.

8. 5 A DAY MYTH. You need MORE, basically! Japanese believe they need 17 a day (although their servings of fruit and veg are 60 grams per serving, not 80 grams – that makes it 13 A Day here in the UK). They supplement on top too! Can you beat that? I personally would trust Japanese. They are one of a few nations that have their health figured out!

9. BREAKFAST. THE most important meal of the day, as your mother must have told you! Each time you skip it or have toast or cereals – you contribute to FAT STORING or, even worse in my opinion – causing nutritional deficiency! My family and I have Formula 1 shake instead. 20+ grams of plant protein and all the nutrients our bodies need. If this is not your cup of tea – happy for you to go and figure! Just DITCH your Cereal (Killer).

10. EXERCISE. Last for a reason, but not THE LEAST! Your weight loss results will be result down to 80% above mentioned nutrition (following every single tip from above, not just one or two) and only 20% exercise. Of course, benefits of exercise outweigh its benefits just for weight management, but as long as you don’t think you can out smart your body by eating junk and exercising! Because – you won’t! Nutritional needs of your body for Protein and Fibre as well as Vitamins and Minerals increase when you exercise, so, you need a great support from above! Stick to 30 Minutes per day, 5 Days a Week. Mix of Cardio, Resistance and Weight Training.

11. 100% MENTAL ATTITUDE. Yes, there is 11 and THIS is a magic ingredient. It is a First AND Last ingredient. A bad attitude is like a flat tire. You can’t go anywhere until you change it. Work on yours daily.

There is a lot more I could have mentioned, like serving sizes, Omega Fats, importance of keeping your Cortisol levels in control, taking rest, talking about the importance of keeping your body in an alkaline or PH Balance state for weight management/ health, alcohol, coffee, foods for heart health etc… But, I think the above does take care of it.

See how great you feel with “just” the above and you will want more!

Hope it was simple enough and, if in any doubt, just ASK!

In the mean time, be happy and healthy.

Generate happiness and health through making a daily decision that you will be exactly those two things!

That is a healthy attitude to start you off!

Salut!

Vegan Nutrition
Author Sanela Categories Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Healthy Nutrition Posted on 0 Comments

How to make diseases disappear, TED Talk by Dr Rangan Chatterjee

I am always excited when I hear medical professionals stepping out of the usual “disease treatment” into “disease prevention” and acknowledging the fact that nutrition plays key part in not only treating but eradicating certain, if not most, diseases.

Even doctors in the 1940s knew this and somehow mainstream medicine nowadays still decided to choose a path of treating diseases with medications without enough emphasis or effort on the prevention side.

Dr Rangan Chatterjee talks very passionately about it in this video in his TED Talk in Liverpool.

What excites me personally is that it is also very much aligned with my beliefs in nutrition on a cellular level and the fact that in order to be healthy we need to focus not on body just meeting recommended daily amount of nutrients that merely perhaps just prevent some diseases, but the fact that we need to take it to the next level and achieve optimum nutrition to build our immunity and give body enough ammunition to be healthy and immune to most lifestyle diseases.

Optimum nutrition consists of giving the body what it needs in the right quantity and balance too.

We are already, and by we I mean Herbalife Nutrition, and have been for some time, personalizing protein levels and there is also drive to innovate and customize all the nutrient levels in the future.

Much of our scientific endeavour is focused on areas like the micro-biome, Dr Chatterjee mentions it in this video.

You give your health a true fighting chance when nutritional levels are balanced and optimised.

I am excited to see even more mainstream doctors aligned with this message as times move on… Enjoy the video!