Author Sanela Categories Health Coaching, Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Weight Management Posted on 0 Comments

Become the best version of yourself… Start today!

In the end, our health is usually one thing we CAN have control over and if you are someone at the start of your journey, remember that Rome has not been built in one day and our attempt to improve our physique and health should pretty much be approached with bearing the same in mind…

We need a plan, patience & vision.

Those with vision move even in darkness.

Our vision for ourselves is best when not focused on the outside appearance alone as our health and beauty are a lot more than just skin deep.

Our vision needs to be strong and inspire action every day, which will make us more patient and committed to a long term goals.

Then we need a plan that is simple, even fun and that nourishes us on our path to becoming the best version of ourselves.

Start Today

One of the biggest mistakes we all make is waiting for the “perfect storm”, that perfect moment to start something new… to start a new diet, to stop smoking, to look for a better job, start that project, make an important phone call, study for the exam…

The only perfect moment is RIGHT NOW.

Delaying action whilst waiting for that perfect opportunity is simply procrastination and the more we do it, the more we develop a habit of it that can be very costly.

Procrastination is an issue of self-regulation and, when it comes to health, it can cost us our health because we delay doing the right thing for our health and well-being over a period of time that can even go for decades. The result is a poor health, until it sometimes can be too late.

Procrastinators can change their behavior and it is said that highly structured cognitive behavioral therapy can work really well. If you have an issue with starting things – work on your psychology first.

Books are sometimes a great place to start and so are videos and podcasts to help with awareness and insights into what is stopping you and how to take an inspired action and stop procrastinating.

And remember, the path to the best version of yourself starts today and here are some basics to help you get started…

Hydration, Hydration, Hydration

First thing is to re-visit how much water you drink daily.

Coffees, teas, fizzy and other sugary drinks simply do not count and all represent problem on multitude of levels including cellular damage, dehydration, low energy, weight gain.

Our bodies function best when body is well hydrated with at least 8 glasses of water a day, which is minimum 2 litres for most adults. More water is recommended for those of a bigger frame, especially men and when exercising as body loses water rapidly through sweat.

Water is sometimes the only catalyst that makes things work. As kidneys are responsible for detox, which can not happen without water, and whilst liver is responsible for breaking/ metabolising fat – when water is scarce, liver tends to help the kidneys and breaking the fat becomes secondary; as a result fat loss will be compromised.

If you are to start with one habit, start with water.

Apart from flushing toxins, water helps digest food & circulate blood. Food contains only 20% of fluid intake, so, hydration through healthy beverages is necessary.

A couple of glasses upon waking up with some lemon and then hydrate with one glass on the hour every hour. Set your phone reminders. Use fruit as water infusion. Green tea is fantastic alternative to regular tea and coffee.

Thermojetics Instant Herbal Beverage

Our Thermojetics Herbal Beverage is great for every day hydration as well as part of the weight management plan. I love adding some lemon to it too for added nutritional benefit.

It is a combination of green tea and other botanical ingredients. It has not been treated with alcohol unlike most teas from the high street stores; process of extraction and purification happens with water and charcoal, leaving the finished product with high antioxidant/ phytonutrient value, similar to the plant when it is picked up; it is highly refreshing and catechins compounds cause thermojetics effect that help boost metabolism and energy levels as well as help burn fat.

Alcohol

Alcohol is a bad news for not only fat loss but for our general health. It is a stress to the body that body treats as a poison.

If you would like to take your body composition to the next level, the best advice I could give you is to not only limit, but completely cut out alcohol.

Not many are able to do that and I approach it with care with clients as it is one thing that causes so much resistance. I do believe in taking small steps and limiting alcohol consumption to less to what is a norm to start with, then seeing the results we get and finally decreasing it further.

One can still have results if weekly units are minimal, up to 1-2 glasses of wine, as an example, but anything more will generally hinder the results greatly.

Cutting on calories in food to accommodate alcohol is highly undesirable and results will be limited, if any. Cortisol is a fat storing hormone in our body that alcohol (together with lack of sleep, too much cardio activity and stress) seem to elevate and, as a result, body is in a state of fat storing rather than fat burning.

So, think about your alcohol consumption and how much you really want to improve your health and body composition. Every success requires some form of sacrifice.

Think Protein to avoid Hunger & Slower Metabolism

Most people need to eat more protein. Or reduce protein coming from animal sources.

Protein is a very important factor for your immunity as body needs protein so that the white blood cells can produce antibodies that seek out and destroy invading viruses and bacteria.

It helps stabilise blood sugar levels and, therefore prevents hunger and fat storing. Apart from multitude of other uses, protein is incredibly important for the prevention of muscle loss over lifetime, especially when you are on a weight management plan.

Dieting is very much linked to a muscle wastage when dieting is not done right, which is the major cause of yo-yo syndrome – losing weight, then putting it back on again.

With loss of muscle, your metabolism is slower and so is body’s ability to burn calories. You may find yourself gaining all the weight (and more) back on that you lost, although you may be consuming calories that used to maintain your weight in the past. Your body has less lean muscle to burn them off and therefore, fat gain is inevitable.

High protein foods such as fish, soya products and low-fat dairy products can help to boost your immunity as well as increase your metabolism and support your lean muscle on your weight management plan.

Protein for Vegetarians & Vegans

Whilst I am not vegetarian myself, I support vegetarianism greatly, even veganism. The only issue I find with clients who are vegetarian or vegan is that they still suffer from an inadequate amount of lean muscle due to lack of protein in their diet, sometimes low energy levels and excess body fat that they simply are unable to shift.

All of these issues are sorted with our personalised nutrition plan that targets what they might lack in their diet – protein, plant protein in particular, and micro nutrient intake.

Whilst eating wholefoods can have remarkable good effects on the body, it is a well-known fact that, according to World Health Organisation, UNICEF, UK Ministry of Agriculture and Royal Society of Chemistry – vitamin and mineral depletion of our soil is a global problem with up to 72% depletion of nutrients in fruit and vegetables in Europe alone over the past 60 years.

Supplementation with pharmaceutical graded supplements can make a massive difference in energy levels of anyone, even those who already follow a healthy diet, Vegetarians & Vegans included who would greatly benefit from more macro nutrient balance in their diet.

Protein for Meat Eaters

Whilst protein is an important macro nutrient – meat eaters should take this information with caution.

Meat and dairy can cause high acidity in the body, that leaches nutrients from your muscle and bones and therefore deplete your energy levels and immunity, therefore meat protein must be well-balanced with plant protein.

Whilst getting THAT beach body will require eating personalised amount of protein each day (around 1 gram of protein for each pound of lean muscle – more if exercising and/or building muscle) in the right balance and frequency – you will do more damage on a cellular level if trying to get it all from animal sources.

My goal with clients who are meat eaters is to increase their protein intake whilst balancing plant with animal sources as well as increase their micro nutrient intake.

Generally, once there is a better balance of proteins v carbs & macro nutrients v micro nutrients (Vitamins and Minerals) established, in the right frequency, blood sugar levels are stable, cravings diminish, energy levels increase and we are more likely to have a sustainable fat loss.

Good Carbs v Bad Carbs

We need to stop thinking that carbs are our enemy. Body relies on carbohydrates for fuel, however, they are not all equal. The least processed carbs such as fruit and vegetables are extremely beneficial as they deliver all important nutrients, vitamins & minerals, to the body, together with powerful antioxidants and fibre.

To get that beach body, if that is what you desire, now that we drink more water and include protein in each meal whilst balancing plant with animal protein – we need to combine some Good Carbohydrates with that protein.

That means having a colourful diet of fruits, vegetables, legumes each and every day.

Bad Carbohydrates will go against our efforts to slim down, feel and look healthy and reduce our body fat. Bad carbohydrates are those highly processed and refined foods such as sugars, pastries, cakes, sweets, cereals, white pasta, white bread, sugary drinks, just to name the few.

They do not boost, but rather bust your metabolism, leaving you craving for more, whilst storing excess calories as fat, depleting your energy levels as they are usually void of nutrition.

They may also compromise your digestion and therefore, absorption of nutrients which has an effect not only on energy levels and immunity, but will be a contributing factor to weight gain too.

Fibre Factor

Fibre is a type of carbohydrate and one of THE most important dietary factors for helping support healthy digestion. Fibre is found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains and plays a big part in keeping our bodies healthy.

Adults are recommended minimum 25 grams of fibre each day for healthy digestion, so including high-fibre foods and fibre supplements in your diet can greatly help improve your digestion.

Fibre rich foods are slow sugar releasing and, when combined with protein, they keep your blood sugar levels stable and fuller for longer.

Most of the clients I see struggle to get adequate amount of fibre in their diet. If not sure, MyFitnessPal is a great tool to check if you do. I use it to check my own fibre, protein, Calcium and fat levels occasionally.

I teach clients to use it, if they wish, in addition to my support which we use as part of the education process so they see how getting perfect balance of 40% carbohydrate, 30% protein and 30% fat intake within personalised calorie intake gets them results.

The moment they step out of the equation and there is less protein and more carbohydrates, the results are less visible at their weekly body composition check, or there are no results at all. Penny drops every time as they learn more how food balance and frequency affects us.

Should we count calories?

Calories are not all created equal. 100 calories of vegetables is not the same on a cellular level and on the level how body processes it and it’s affect on the body when compared to 100 calories worth of chocolate Maltesers (which, by the way, are NOT lighter than air).

I use client’s Resting Metabolic Rate to calculate the calorie ceiling they need to be under in order to lose weight, using a simple formula, however, because my personalised weight management solutions are already calorie controlled, my clients do not need to necessarily count calories.

They would just need to follow the prescribed meal plan that includes some great recipes, use their hand to determine portion sizes of macros and, sometimes, write a food diary as a great way to gauge daily food intake and those that do – have a better result.

They also learn how what they consume in any given week relates to changes in their body composition. All part of the education process and raising the awareness on how certain foods effect us. The moment they skip snacks or meals or eat unbalanced meals and snacks – they see decline in muscle, just as one of the examples.

Calories are important or rather learning about them, to help us become more conscientious about our food choices, but, balance in macro nutrients is even more important because not all calories are created equal.

Skipping dinner because we blew our calorie ceiling during the day (or any other meal or snack for whatever reason) is surely not the path to health OR healthy weight loss (or rather, fat loss) and improved body composition.

Get more active

Now that we drink more water, focus on lean and/ or plant protein and good carbohydrates with plenty of fibre, whilst banning all refined sugary carbohydrates – it is time we need to get more active if we want to see some great results! Remember, results come best from 80% nutrition and 20% exercise plan.

Believe it or not, we all have the six-pack muscles, but most people have it all hidden under the layer of abdominal fat. It is time to unwrap it! If you are not used to exercise, start with walking more and then find the local class that you enjoy, perhaps build it to a couple of classes a week.

The science shows that the best form of fitness that help you get into shape in less time is any form of High Intensity Interval Resistance Training. It is a combination of a little bit of cardio with resistance and weight training, all in one single workout. It not only burns a lot of calories during exercise, but it has the highest after-burn with up to 1000 calories burnt in 38 hour window post-exercise.

Try to find your own HIIRT or HIIT class near you or create a program that you can do at home.

Now that we have most of it covered and you are more aware what is needed to get you started on the journey of becoming the best version of yourself, I would like to remind you of the first point I made – start today!

Get the picture of yourself when you were at your best and get emotionally connected to that vision of yourself. Let it be your guide, your North Star.

If not sure how to start or if anything inspired you in this article, do get in touch, drop me a line. I would love to help. Free Evaluation offer stands, it can be slightly daunting starting on your own and you, whilst will need to do it by yourself, you do not need to be alone in the process. As many as 75% have better success when having the right support.

Until then, life is colourful, make your diet colourful too and feel the difference! Afterall, life is much more fun lived in colour!

Genes v lifestyle
Author Sanela Categories Genetics, Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice Posted on 0 Comments

Genes v Lifestyle – Is DNA your destiny?

When I was studying Nutritional Therapy, one of the most fascinating subjects was the one about Genes and Epigenetics.

Why? Because, as a daughter of a mother who had breast cancer and father who died of lung cancer and stroke – it gives me hope and piece of mind that health, for most part, is in our hands.

We will all pass on one day, however, I want to serve as long as possible in this body and create & discover as much as I can in a pain-free body. I aspire to live a healthy lifestyle for my children too as we all are our children’s teachers. My mother was mine.

All children deserve the best start in life and part of that is being the best role model we can be.

So, that is my motivation and this fabulous quote was one of the most profound thoughts I came across that explains role our lifestyle plays in best influencing the state of our health:

“Your genetics load the gun. Your environment pulls the trigger.”, Francis Collins 

While we used to believe that 30% of what happens to us are our GENES, that figure is now more close to 10% and many scientists believe it is even as little as 2%, thanks to the breakthroughs in Epigenetics, “above the gene” science. 

Foods that we eat have power to switch genes on and off (think of cancer genes as well as hundreds of other degenerative diseases). 

Science shows that expression of our genes is modifiable. And the way that we change gene expression is by changing the chemical environment the genes bathe in… from foods and supplements we take, air we breathe, stress we experience to the environment where we live. But the effects of food on our genes and disease development is the one that is most researched!

HOW DO WE DEVELOP HEALTH ISSUES?

As our current state of health is a result of the interaction between our genes and environment, if our environment is a problem – if we eat poorly and not nourish our body properly, live in a very polluted location that is exposing us to toxins and viruses, if we do not exercise or suffer from high stress levels – what is likely to happen is that we are highly likely to exceed our genetic capacity to ADOPT to the environment, which can then switch the disease gene ON.

Good health is a sign of a successful genetic adaptation to our environment.

Going back to our genetic expression, one cause of activating disease genes is damage caused by free radicals or oxidants such as toxins, radiation, fried food, processed food, poor diet in general, smoking, alcohol, pesticides in food, pollution, etc.

As an antidote to this radical damage, body created antioxidants in order to neutralise the free radicals. Antioxidants from our food – vitamins A, C and E in particular, we consume through food and supplements.

When there is an imbalance between cell damage (our exposure to free radicals) and our antioxidants supply that provides the protection for our cells is when our genes, like cancer genes, are switched on.

Our environment has always been toxic, however, our bodies have an incredible ability to adopt and heal in order to keep us alive. 

They key to preventing degenerative diseases such as cancer is to enrich our DNA protective mechanism with antioxidants foods and exercise such as yoga  that promotes relaxation response, proven to reduce oxidative stress.

Very first study that demonstrated a consumer product of a green tea can help prevent cancer was back in 2003 as it stops faulty gene expression and reactivates cancer fighting genes. (Cancer Research, AACR Journal, Nov 2003, Volume 63, Issue 22)

It is also empowering us to understand that most of our health is in our own hands, with nutrition being a large part of it. 

Many studies on identical twins prove time and time again that, despite an identical genetic code, their susceptibility to diseases is hugely different dependent on the lifestyle that each decides to lead.

There is a rather complicated science behind genetics studies, however, point of this article is not to dwell too deep into it, but just plant a seed that, while genes play some part, what truly shapes us is our lifestyle.

We can take responsibility for our health and our future because, for most part – we truly are in the driving seat!

According to the latest research – only 25% of the population considers nutrition when making food choices, so, we have a lot more work to do to raise the awareness of this and increase the percentage of those who look at nutrition when making their food choices. 

So, DNA is not your destiny if you eat, breathe, do and think well!

Give your body the best chance to stay healthy for a long time!

And if you are not sure where to start, please feel free to reach out!

Until then, yours in health,

Sanela

will smiths family health intervention
Author Sanela Categories Digestive Health, Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice Posted on 0 Comments

Have you watched Will Smith’s family health intervention talk? I really recommend you do…

One of my clients recommended me to watch the show and I am so glad I did.

You can watch it here: S2:E11 Will Smith’s Emergency Family Meeting

This was the first time I watched their Red Table Talk, as they call it, and I thought it was a brilliant concept, and, on the other hand, issues brought up regarding their family’s health could not be more relevant to many people…

Will Smith called a family emergency meeting last week to talk about their general health. He called it “Smith’s family health intervention” and it was quite an incredible viewing. It certainly inspired me to share it.

I have been thinking about “health consciousness” for some time, especially these past couple of weeks. In particular about the difference between LOOKING healthy & truly BEING & FEELING healthy as they can mean two completely different things.

Many watching the show will be very much surprised that even one of the wealthiest with all the resources available to them can struggle with understanding of what makes them healthy or achieving wellness.

They too need education and support like everyone else.

“I know how to eat to look good, but I do not know how to eat healthily“, says Will Smith.

His whole family struggles to understand nutrition, some are emotional eaters, some eat anything and deal with stomach upset because they do not know what to eat to avoid it, some skip meals to avoid dealing with painful digestion, some eat the same thing each day to avoid digestive issues.

Read More
Free Wellness Evaluation
Author Sanela Categories Health Coaching, Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice Posted on 0 Comments

Do you have a clear vision for your health?

As a Health Coach of over 15 years, I absolutely love helping people understand how, in order to reach your health goals, it is not just what you eat, but also how you feel & think that it translates into your daily actions and, ultimately, results.

Most people come to me for help because they need more energy and to control their weight believing that a nutrition plan I give them will get them to their goal.

The truth is, whether it is me or one of the million other coaches available – what everyone seems to be searching for is a tool that will solve their health problems, help them lose weight and … happy days. So, they search and search and select one plan that appeals to them the most, that fits their vision of health.

And some end up with me and I am honoured each time it happens.

Many truly believe they want a lifestyle change and what they soon discover over the coming weeks & months of coaching, support and education is that building new habits is not as easy as they thought and that having a long term view requires more than just a plan to follow.

Meal plan is just a tool, an external point of reference to what we should be doing and it only works while we do. Even the most nutritionally optimal & balanced meal plan is just a tool.

In order to develop sustainable healthy, active lifestyle – it becomes about something far greater than just a plan that we follow. It becomes more about developing a vision for our long, term health into which we can THEN incorporate the plan. Tool has its great purpose, but, without investing our whole mindset into it, it will not work. Not long term.

Having a vision also helps us ride the storms and handle better the curve balls that life will throw at us and so that we can give up the notion that circumstances and conditions need to be perfect for us to be & keep healthy.

Life long health quest can seem as a long journey, especially when we are young… To a 30-year old – it is preparing for the next 50 years and beyond. We are just not taught to invest in our health in each decade of our life for the next decades to come. Not in the same way as we are taught to invest ourselves in our education and career.

When we have a vision for our health & fitness, something deeper within us that inspires us each day to live the best version of ourselves – that is where the real transformation happens and it touches all aspects of our health – physical & mental health.

We plan holidays, we plan our finances & career, we plan our social life, education, etc. however, we are falling short of developing a vision and strategy for our long term health – how we want to show up not only now, but when we are 60, 70, 80 and beyond.

What we do is once or twice (or more) a year we attempt to diet so we can look better for a holiday or some other occasion. Or we have “detox” once a year believing it is enough to reset our health to some kind of a starting point. Or we get ourselves to the point of developing health conditions and only then look for remedies.

All short term fixes and tactics. However, I applaud anyone even doing the above as it shows we want to feel good and that we came to realise that health matters.

How about going deeper in order to go further?

How about learning to look after our health and planning for it in the same way we look after our homes and gardens or our cars? Or how we plan holidays and our future, in general?

How about, once we start feeling better, instead of abandoning the plan that was clearly working for us and making us feel better, instead of allowing complacency to set in (because we now feel better) – we develop a different strategy that will keep us inspired to keep going and investing in our health?

How about developing internal dialogue about what we want for our health about a month, a year or even a decade from now and use that vision to fuel us?

I see often clients losing traction exactly at this sweet point, after weeks, months or even years of creating this lifestyle and going through so much effort – because they reached their goal… and are unable to see beyond.

We tell ourselves stories that we worked so hard so we deserve a break… and then we find it hard to get off that same break.

Without a clear vision ahead – how we want to come up in the world when it comes to health & fitness – it is way too easy to lose the grip on what is best for our physical & mental health.

Could it be that we simply lack the understanding that, to feel good every day – we need a daily health strategy… for the rest of our lives.

Or could it also be that to develop and stick to a long term strategy, we first really need to be inspired to do so by digging deeper and creating a vision for ourselves when it comes to our health & fitness and why it is important to us to become the best version of ourselves.

It all comes, it seems, to an inner work again. Our mindset.

The truth is, the relationship we have with our bodies and ourselves in general will directly impact the thoughts and relationship with food & exercise that we have and those are the catalysts for our health… or lack of it.

Our thoughts about ourselves, our beliefs, will fuel our daily choices and this relationship will either set us free or make our life very difficult.

Furthermore, state of our health will have an impact on energy we bring into any other category of life – our work & career, relationships, etc.

“Health brings freedom very few realise… until they no longer have it!”,

Anonymous

Many set financial & career goals, only to lose health in pursuit of wealth. Sometimes to the point of no return. Many times same pursuit undermines our relationships with most loved ones and cause relationships to break. We feel lonely, isolated, hurt, guilty, etc. How long before it starts effecting our work too?

It is all interconnected. Because our life is made up of many components and it is about learning to balance them all. We somehow need them all within our view point. And that takes real effort.

Where do we start?

I say – health & fitness! Because how we feel about ourselves, energy we have, confidence we feel – has a direct impact on how we show up in most other spheres of our lives.

If you start winning here, it will show up elsewhere too.

I have been recently inspired by one of the online masterclasses to create vision and strategy for myself for all important categories in my life.

This is where this breakthrough came from for me. From a simple awareness what is required to have an exceptional life – to look at the life as a whole, not just one aspect of it disregarding others, which then creates an imbalance in another area.

What a concept, I thought!

To create a set of daily intentions that truly helps us play our best game – that nourishes our relationships with loved ones, makes us a better parent as well as a more caring & romantic partner, allows us to work smarter rather than harder by doing our life’s work with purpose, have a social life that creates meaningful connections with like minded people, etc.

To understand that lack of vision, purpose & strategy in any one single category will cause one or more to eventually break down.

I don’t know about you, but I aspire to this. I aspire to showing up in the world better than I am right now. And I am enough and worthy of this. My life is. My children are. It is a worthy legacy. Who knows where it could lead and to what impact on the world it could have.

It all starts from a believing that all this can be achieved!

And it all starts from your health & fitness vision

Because, when you have your health & fitness under control and are operating at the highest level – you will have more energy, you will think more clearly and will be more attractive, I am not necessarily talking about being physically attractive, but your vibrancy & energy will be attractive to people and that will open new opportunities and bring power and efficiency to your daily work…

Let me guide you through the process as I understand it and as I have done it for myself:

BELIEFS: Start from asking yourself what your current beliefs are about health & fitness. Where are you right now? What are the beliefs that are driving your current behaviors? What behaviors are serving you and what are not serving you? Who do you spend time with? How influenced are you by the behaviours of the people you spend most time with? What have they got you doing, thinking, believing?

Do you even believe you can reach the health of your 20s or 30s even when you are 60, 70 or beyond?

So, we start from figuring out where we are right now and what our beliefs are. All the good stuff that we can keep and and all that does not serve us and that has to go!

VISION: Imagine your life & health in the next 3-5 years. How do you ideally see yourself. This is your vision of your best YOU! How does it feel? This is the place to get very clear what you truly want, even if it feels impossible right now.

We sometimes set goals that are way too achievable and, therefore, goals that do not inspire us either.

So, dream big!

PURPOSE: “Motivation pales in comparison to purpose!” – because when we know our WHYs – we are self-fueled and do not need motivation or blame the lack of motivation for the lack of progress. No one needs to push us either!

We only have a lack of motivation because we lack purpose!

Ask yourself why your vision is the way it is. How your life would be different if you were at your very best health & fitness? Who would it impact? Go within and then some further more. Until you get to your why that makes you cry!

STRATEGY: It is only when we know what we want and why we want it – we can then develop a strategy that we can follow – set of daily actions – that will essentially make all the difference and help us reach the transformation! This is the point where meal plan becomes a useful tool.

Once you invest time & effort to put the framework in place – this will help steady the course and help you develop long term habits until they are automatic, like brushing teeth is.

I don’t know about you, but I got so excited about this.

This sort of exercise makes us take full responsibility for our life and, whilst some might find this difficult as it is easier to blame others or circumstances – think about it differently – it puts us in control and in a driving seat of our life.

And do not worry about HOW you will achieve it – when your WHY is strong enough, how will come to you in a form of inspiration or even certain people and coaches that will suddenly drop into your life when you start paying attention.

When the student is ready – teacher appears.

Now the only thing left to do is to get excited and start setting your vision around your health & fitness!

Let me know how you do and if you would like me to facilitate the process and help you on your journey, give me a shout!

Until next time, yours in health,

Sanela

“Health is never owned, it is rented and the rent is due every day!”

Get excited about losing weight again
Author Sanela Categories Health Coaching, Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Weight Management Posted on 0 Comments

How to get excited about losing weight again…

Most of us are programmed to think about what we will be missing out on when we have a big task ahead to complete rather than what we will gain in the process. So, we talk ourselves out of it!

Weight loss is one of these things we struggle seeing through!

It is one gigantic mission for many! Mission that many start and not complete or are on a roller coaster throughout life of completing and re-completing over and over again.

We know we should because it cuts down the health risks. But, it takes too much effort, too much time and, quite frankly, you might not even know where to start!

Most do not realise that if they perceive weight loss as hard – maintenance is even harder as it requires a whole new mindset shift.

I know, I have just made this whole thing rather depressing. LOL.

But, I encourage you to read on.

We come up with all the possible excuses why now is not the right time, how we have not found the plan that works for us, etc. Like most of it is not just common sense – drop added sugar and processed foods, increase water and exercise, make portions smaller and you are half way there already.

Yes, only half way as there is more to it and everyone’s understanding of what this really implies can vary. But, half way is always good enough place to start.

Beats not starting any time, right?

I know! It is all easier said than done!

Partly because food industry has made us addicted to sugar, flour and salt and we are just digging the hole even deeper and unable to get ourselves out of it.

Did you know that the food industry invest billions on research linking their products to happiness?

They bring in special experts who make combinations of salt, sugar and flour so perfect that we are addicted to the high it gives us from the first “hello”! And then we are so hooked that we keep seeking that same high… Which is why we sometimes eat even without thinking!

So, they play with our minds and body chemistry making us addicted to consuming way beyond our energy requirements. And way below our nutrition requirements.

This also means that it is time to stop blaming yourself for having a few pounds extra… or a lot more… System is clearly rigged and designed to keep us addicted and sick.

And I really believe this. There are forces out there who profit on our addictions and sickness. And are allowed to do so.

However, knowing this does not diminish our personal responsibility and the power I believe we have!

I believe when human mind is open to receive the knowledge it also has the power to make different decisions for themselves. And one decision at a time can have a compound effect on our future life.

Did you know, that if you have a smart phone these days – you have access to more information and knowledge than what President of the United States had 20 years ago?

I heard this over the weekend and I believe it. And I love it.

So, no excuses!

When eyes see things and ears hear new information – you can never undo it! When your mind expands with knowledge, it can never be retracted.

There is nothing that we can not do!

We just need to be willing to learn and seek knowledge!

And, how to be excited again about losing weight?

First, do not make it about weight loss! That is the first rule!

Because it truly is not about losing weight!

Second rule is figuring out what drives you to be HEALTHY instead?

How would your life be different? What could you do that you are unable to do now? What would you be able to wear? How would that make you feel?

What do you worry about when it comes to your health? You know weight is big part of those worries. Because you understand the risks. So, figure out how good would it feel not to have those worries.

If you come from a family that is overweight or obese, let me tell you… It is NOT in your genes! We can live to be 100 and have six pack well into our 60s or 70s or even 80s with the right lifestyle practices.

That is a fact!

OK, you don’t want a six pack! And that is more than cool!

Good news is – six pack is not a requirement for a long and happy and healthy life!

But right lifestyle practices and routines are!

Get excited because of how amazing it would feel to have the energy to face all the life’s challenges!

Without nourishing and looking after our bodies – it simply will not serve us well or to our full potential.

With health – we can achieve anything! That is why our health is our biggest wealth!

And if you think that it is easier to be healthy when you are wealthy… well, maybe you are right, but how about turning this on its head and think:

… if I achieve my best health, it is way easier to achieve wealth I desire!

If that is what you desire, of course!

Anyway, does the idea of being at the best shape and energy excite you?

Seeing and feeling how your life would be different is a good place to start because you must find what excites you about achieving (and keeping) great health in order to ever be able to achieve weight loss and keep your weight off!

Weight loss is just a by product!

Can you see that to be the case?

Mindset shift on getting excited about having a healthy, active lifestyle that will inspire you as well as the others around you is the key!

Then you just get through the motions of creating a brand new YOU and, you’ve guessed it – leaner figure just happens.

You can not solve the problem with the same mind that created it. And I am not the smart cookie that said this. But, I use it often as it is one of the fundamental truths around!

Stop worrying about weight as that will just keep you chained to a weight loss prison!

Get excited about health and let the vision of your NEW YOU make you take an inspired action!

Then, you need to get consistent and develop resilience, but that is another topic.

For now, just get excited and take some steps. Because when you are excited, truly excited and able to hold that vision – even if you do not see the whole road ahead – you will be less likely to give up.

So, drink more water.

Stop skipping breakfast.

Have a nourishing breakfast that is low in sugar and high in protein.

Eat regularly.

Exercise more.

Start somewhere. One healthy habit at a time and solutions will present themselves.

Because, if you change nothing – nothing will change!

We all had to start somewhere!

I believe in you!

Yours in health,

Sanela

Nutritional Therapist and a Herbalife Nutrition Health Coach

Herbalife Nutrition Independent Herbalife Member, Bath UK
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Vitamins & Minerals – tiny, but mighty!

My health education started when I was a teenager. I have always enjoyed reading about health, especially vitamins & minerals and their impact on our health.

I used to make smoothies with any edible plant that was available in and around the house, together with fresh raw eggs from a local lady and soya milk I would drive for hours on my bike until I found the store that stocked it.

Some teenagers smoked, I instead blended, juiced, shaked. This was not a norm in society at a time and neither is today. Certainly not for a teenager.

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Trying to lose weight? It may be time to reconsider your drinking habit

While many of us can happily give up our fatty or sugary favourites, I find that certainly many of my clients find more difficult to give up alcohol, especially at weekends. It is built into our culture and it is a large part in how we enjoy time with friends and loved ones.

Apart from an obvious case where a person may be an addict, for vast amount of people alcohol has become a lot more than just an activity to partake when we are in social environment in order to perhaps celebrate something. Many use it to take an edge off a rough day, some do it almost on a daily basis. It has become a way of life. There is possibly even an emotion attached to it.

Coming home from a hard day, pouring a large glass of Pinot Noir (or whatever your poison is) to sip whilst you are cooking your healthy dinner for your family or your partner, then another one over dinner and perhaps even one more as you snuggle up on the sofa to wind down. It s almost like a scene from a movie that glorifies this lifestyle. It may help you relax and you rely on alcohol to achieve that state.

This is only one of million other scenarios, however, one thing that strikes me regularly when starting a client on their nutrition plan is their excitement to change their diet and start their plan and then their equal reluctance to give up their drink.

Sometimes the decision whether to go ahead with my coaching or not depends solely on how much their alcohol habit will be affected if they were to embark on a healthier & fitter self-betterment journey. It can easily sound like an addiction. And sometimes giving up alcohol is just one change too many they are not prepared to make.

Of course, it is OK not to be ready, it is our call when we are going to decide to change. And I am not in any way saying that alcohol should be avoided by absolutely everyone and at every circumstance. However, alcohol addiction is a reality for many. And obesity can be accelerated or even caused by alcohol, including many diseases. So, having any alcohol in a diet is a problem for many.

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Change your habits, change your life… How do we create new habits?

Thank you for clicking on this article as its title is everything but original. But, that does not make it less true. Actually, it is a huge deal!

Our life is truly a reflection of our habits at every level of our existence. We become what we think about because what we think about is what we will focus on and that will influence what action we take, which, ultimately, leads to a particular outcome (or outcomes for different areas of our life). Results, in one word.

Einstein’s famous definition of insanity is repeating the same actions over and over again and expecting different result. And, yet, that is exactly what majority of us do.

We have around 60 000 thoughts every single day, take or add a few, and research suggests that 98% of those thoughts are exactly the same thoughts we have every single day.

So, anyone wanting to change their life – what we need to change are habits and behaviours, which will influence our actions and the end result – our life.

Sounds simple, but we all know it is easier said that done. But at least we know that we got to change something. Because…

Change nothing – nothing changes.
Change a little – little changes.
Change a lot – a lot changes.

Habits come to mind as a logical one thing that we need to focus on changing. When it comes to health – habits are absolutely everything.

It is being said that it takes 21 days to change habits. But, science shows that this is a myth. Psychologists may agree that while it perhaps takes 21 days of consistent and conscientious effort to create a new habit, it takes far longer to break an existing habit.

More recently, study of 96 people was published in The European Journal of Social Philosophy and it states that it took an average 66 days to form a habit, such as eating a healthy snack or exercising regularly. That is to reach the point of Automaticity. When we develop a new behaviour that we do automatically, like brushing teeth is. The point of unconscious competence.

They found that creating a new habit depends on type of behaviour we are trying to change, the person and the circumstances. It can also take anywhere from 18 days to 254 days for people to form a new habit, which is an average of 66 days, but this highlights why it takes longer for some to adopt new habits.

I always talk to my client that after weight loss comes maintenance and research shows that maintenance is actually harder. Why? Because they have not yet reached the state of automaticity. They lost weight with my support, but those that take it for granted and have not fully committed to living a healthy, active lifestyle for life are the ones that will struggle to keep the weight off.

So, how do we create new habits?

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World Diabetes Day

14th November is World Diabetes Day. As more and more people have diabetes and increasing amount of people are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, and the fact that lifestyle plays a big part in disease development – while it is important to raise the awareness of the disease, it is also very important to talk about its prevention.

Personally, I have diabetes in the family. I grew up with both of my aunties, my mum’s two only sisters, being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. One died from it and the other died of cancer before diabetes could claim her too. In my opinion, based on what I recall, apart from following the treatment – neither of them really took necessary care when it came to changing their lifestyle.

My mother, on the other hand, one that has always been more health conscious compared to her sisters, lived to her 79th birthday and has never developed the disease. She had a balanced diet and healthy weight. Still, this topic feels like it is very close to home as I love and miss my aunties very much.

So, what is causing Diabetes and how can we prevent it?

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4 Pillars of True Health – Path to being Healthy AND Fit

Ever thought if it is possible to be very fit and yet to be very unhealthy at the same time? I think it is very common…

It is usually demonstrated in regular exercise and feeling strong and fit, however, having low energy levels, possibly suffering from an impaired digestion or skin problems or frequent colds or some other form of ailment or even disease, even having excess weight!

You might be that person yourself or you might know someone who you even admire for being an example when it comes to their dedication to fitness, however, you can see they might not be eating great and are “getting away with a murder” when it comes to eating.

Some people I know are exercising so they CAN “eat what they want”. Or can they, really? That is the question.

It is also a possibility to be very healthy with great energy levels and youthfulness because of an attention to a healthy diet, however, to struggle to run for three minutes or get up a few flights of stairs.

I used to be this person after I had children and know the feeling very well. Exercise does burn extra calories, however, its role in weight management is actually minimal compared to its extraordinary role in our overall health, ageing process and general strength and stamina.

So, I think many will agree when I say that our aim, ideally, might be to be both – healthy AND fit.

The question is – are You? And, if not, how do we achieve both?

I can tell you that there is a lot more to it than just diet and exercise, but they seem to be good places to start!

NUTRITION

First pillar is Nutrition, of course. It is because, 80% of our health IS nutrition – what you eat and drink throughout the day because it does not matter how hard you work in the gym if you do not control what you put on your plate.

Your level of nutrition body gets will impact your mood as well as how your body functions. Ideally, we need to start seeing food as medicine. Because food CAN have that effect.

We ourselves are powerful beyond measure and it is equally incredible what our bodies can do when we give them the right nourishment and fuel that helps our cells thrive. Your nutrition is the first key to your healthy lifestyle and all the exercise in the world can not help you if you are not fuelling your cells right, in the right balance and frequency.

The latest research confirms that only 1 in 4 people, that is 25% of the population, across 15 European countries, considers nutrition when making their health choices.

Malnutrition (poor diet that results in micro-nutrient deficiencies that lead to disease) is estimated to cost £19.6 billion in the UK annually where malnourished adults account for about 30% of hospital admissions. No wonder we have such shocking figures if only a few consider nutrition in the first place.

I think there is a lot more to it and certainly education plays a huge part.

We are all different and different diets work for different people (where by diet I mean – a way of life, what works the best for you), however, at least 80% are absolute fundamentals that work for all of us because, simply put, we are all members of the human race and body is the engine that is pretty standard for everyone – same rules apply for majority of us:

To function optimally, body needs protein, fibre, healthy fats, micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, etc) and water delivered each day in the right balance and frequency!

On top of all that, we need to eliminate foods that drain our cells, lower immunity, cause inflammation, make us age faster and, ultimately, cause the disease.

EXERCISE

Second pillar is EXERCISE. It might be only 20% of your weight management efforts, however, benefits of exercise far exceed its benefits just for managing weight.

We are wired to move our bodies and what exercise does is quite astonishing. Exercise gives us energy, it releases dopamine which makes us feel better, happier, stronger; it releases serotonin which helps us feel more relaxed and it relieves stress, it helps neurogenesis or body to grow more brain cells; it accelerates learning and processing of information, makes us more alert, have more will power, makes us more motivated…

We are wired to move, all we lack is a habit of doing so intentionally, so, building exercise into our DAILY routine is an absolute game changer.

Best time to do it is in the morning, very first thing! Why? Because of all of the above that I mentioned that happens almost instantly after exercise. Also, because if you don’t, you know it – the day takes over and you are less likely to find time for it later on. How difficult is it to make time for it by just getting up 30 minutes earlier. You are worth it!

If you can go out and exercise in the nature, in the fresh air, it is even more impactful as it can be almost as a form of meditation, but even if you exercise at home, you will be awake, feel strong and ready to face the day.

Also, when you build exercise into your routine and learn about nutrition and start making the right food choices – then you are setting yourself up for success.

Remember, you can be fit, but unhealthy… and you can be healthy, but unfit… The ultimate goal to a long-term overall health is being FIT & HEALTHY!

And we are not done, not yet.

REST

Third pillar is REST.

Rest probably should have been first because it is after rest that we exercise and then feed our bodies. Body that is not rested is body that is not ready for anything. Good rest during the night regenerates our cells, repairs our muscle tissue, deep sleep rejuvenates our whole body.

If you have ever woken up not feeling rested enough, you know the feeling and can appreciate the importance of great rest.

If you have ever woken up feeling rested – you know that feeling too and how phenomenally it feels.

Sleep is a whole different topic, but best advice is to try to get 8 hours of sleep, avoid technology and LED lights 1-2 hours before bed time, as well as caffeine. Sleep in a dark and cool room.

All of those, and many more, help us rest during the night, however, there is another form of rest – relaxation during the day.

Allowing yourself time, even if it is 10-20 minutes to switch off, meditate, have a walk in the nature, clear your mind or even have a power nap that many successful people build into their daily schedule in order to freshen up and it helps them refocus.

There is a huge amount of evidence on the benefits of daily meditation on our well-being as well as productivity.

So, make sure you are not in your head and in all frenzy and activity all day long.

MINDSET

Forth pillar you might think is an unusual one, but it impacts our health massively – working on our HEALTH MINDSET. I am sure you have heard “80% nutrition, 20% exercise, 100% mindset!” Because we are creatures of habit and building healthy habits is built in the mind first!

Everything starts with a thought and healthy starts from making a CHOICE to be healthy, every single day. And this, in my opinion, is indeed the pillar worth mentioning because it is exactly with mindset itself that most struggle with before they can achieve health or reach their health, wellness, fitness goals.

Once we choose to be healthy, we need to start working on building habits that support our healthy, active lifestyle so we can continue taking action and feeding our bodies with the right nutrition, exercising our body daily and giving it rest and relaxation it needs.

To build those habits, we need to invest time in surrounding ourselves with people, influences, education, support that will help us achieve that.

We need to keep feeding our healthy mindset with healthy thoughts so our healthy active lifestyle continues to manifest itself.

So, how do YOU support your mindset?

Remember that if people around you are unhealthy, there is a nearly 50% chance you will be too. So, you must surround yourself also with positive examples. Find a coach, find a running buddy, enroll yourself on to a health programme that fits your lifestyle and gets you the support and education you need, etc.

So, think about this for a moment:

  • Who are the people around you?
  • What have they got you thinking? Reading? Doing?
  • Who are you following on social media? I am serious here. Who are your influencers?
  • What are you reading, listening to, watching?
  • Where is all that leading you?

If you want to be healthy, but are following, as an example – deep-fried pizza recipes on social media, or slogans how life is too short and should be enjoyed without limit so you can eat what you want and when you want it… you get the picture… Well, clearly none of that is really helpful.

If you have higher health goals, then you need to set clear goals, design a plan, surround yourself with the right support, positive affirmations and, ultimately, take action.

Most importantly, keep educating yourself what healthy is and what it is not because, life is a lot more fun when we are not sick and when we have energy to face the day.

Investment in our health is arguably the best investment you can make because life IS too short and it is worth and much easier living it in a healthy and fit body. Not because fit & healthy defines you and so does not the lack of it. But, because we are all worth living our best versions of ourselves – physically, mentally, spiritually.

I hope my four pillars gave you an insight into areas where you need to focus into making your health more balanced and health goals achievable. If you liked it, please share, because – sharing is caring. 🙂

I believe that health is our greatest wealth and state where happiness resides, so wishing you to be healthy and happy, always!

Yours in Health,

Sanela

Herbalife Nutrition Independent Herbalife Member, Bath UK
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10 Item “Healthy Diet” Checklist

Back in 2004, a year after my first pregnancy, I took what I can only describe as a leap of faith, by embarking on my very first, and luckily last, weight loss journey. Since then, my focus has shifted on long-term health and becoming a better version of myself over the years. Healthier and happier version of me.

However, I did not understand at a time that weight loss is such a big thing for so many people and that choices are so vast that can truly leave a person lost in confusion as well as despair. It is because I never thought of weight before as I never had issues with it myself before my pregnancy.

These days, I imagine it to be even harder for those looking to improve their health or better manage their weight. The moment you open up your email or social media account – you are overwhelmed with health messages, recipes, different diets being promoted from all kinds of experts and influencers in health industry.

I am one of them, right?

Well, who knew that out of my first and very positive weight loss experience, passion was born and so was my calling. Because one thing I knew was that I felt better, not just for the weight I lost, but for the energy & confidence I gained as well as incredible satisfaction from helping others has given me.

With all that, there is also a constant need to remain a student myself as well as educate others on the latest in nutrition and health as, not only through solutions that we offer, but through the education – we can make this world a better, healthier place. Because knowledge is power. Always.

If you are one of those looking for help and not sure where to start, let me give you a few pointers what to look for, so you can make the right choice, the one that is sustainable long-term, rather than go astray or run around in circles.

If you are no stranger to dieting, I am sure you have, at some point perhaps, started a diet or an exercise regime but never got the shape and result you wanted, felt hungry or deprived, lonely, lacked energy or motivation to keep going?

It could be that what you were trying has not been something that is sustainable or lacked support or real science to make a long-term result. Here is my list of what to look for…

1.Focus should always be on body composition rather than weight loss alone as a measure of your progress. Traditional diets focus on a number on the scales rather than on what that weight loss consists of. Any time you go to the slimming class and step on those scales – you actually have no idea what is going on internally and whether that weight loss consists of fat or muscle.

Why is that important? Well, if you are losing muscle, you are also slowing your metabolism which is the quickest way to hit the plateau as well as gain all weight back, and more. And then you diet again and that is how we end up becoming a Yo-Yo dieters.

Diets like this are also a cause of premature ageing, reduced immunity, low energy, poor performance and declined strength. Only when we lose fat and fat alone, our shape starts changing and we are reducing the health risks that fat is causing.

Keeping or even increasing our muscle mass means that we have greater strength, faster metabolism and we only then run a chance of a sustained weight loss. Losing weight AND keeping it off.

2. Focus on balance of macro nutrients, not calories alone! Because if your diet is not balanced – it is not healthy. Full Stop. You may be eating foods generally considered healthy, but only when they are eaten in the right balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates – you will achieve more than weight loss – healthy body composition!

Commit to getting nutrition wise! Protein, whether you are a vegan, vegetarian or meat-eater, should be around 30% of your daily calorie consumption and so should be healthy fats.

So, salad alone for lunch or “everything low-fat” is not good for your body and diets promoting that are not great long-term! It is a sure way to lose muscle instead of body fat and that is not the right way to lose AND keep the weight off, to say the least!

Vegetarian and vegans in particular may struggle with this and if their diet is unbalanced in this respect – it may be the reason for unexplained weight gain or lack of energy and stamina despite eating “healthy”.

3.Focus on calorie quality to optimise metabolism, not just calorie quantity. Traditional diets allow you to eat within your calorie allowance and you are good as long as you do not go over! We need to move away from this outdated thinking because it is a calorie quality that counts far more. 200 calories worth of broccoli will have a completely different impact on the body than 200 calories of chocolate.

So,” calories in-calories out” approach is outdated and we know better now thanks to the science. Your body requires a certain amount of micro nutrients every single day to provide your body with health and vitality, so, the key is, even if you are eating to lose weight, to still hit your nutrient levels.

Nutrition can not be compromised. Otherwise, you WILL see lower energy levels, loss of muscle, and more. Research shows that only 25% of adults consider nutrition when eating. We obviously need more education on why nutrition always needs to be on our minds when eating, not just for an effective weight management, but for general health and longevity.

4.Think about your hormones. Traditional diets completely ignore the role of hormones. Because they focus on just calories alone. We need to know better, so we can do better. Most people do not realise that how we feel, look and even act is regulated by our hormones and we are not just talking menopause.

Everyone is effected by their hormonal activity every second of every day. They also control our body composition. Low quality food, even if it is low-calorie food, will compromise our hormonal activity and our biochemistry.

In particular we are talking about fat burning hormones that completely get out of balance when we eat unbalanced diet and it stops us from burning fat. Remember, it is fat we want to burn? However, when we eat clean, high quality food in the right balance, together with the right kind of exercise – fat burn is ON, baby! This really is the KEY!

5.Focus on meal frequency! The science now shows us that your body can only function optimally if it gets the right nutrients in the right amounts and – in the right frequency. So, the right plan would be the one that allows you to eat more high-quality foods, more frequently.

This would stabilise your blood sugar and satisfy hunger rather than spike it! So, skipping meals, especially breakfast and snacks is a big no-no for most people! Those are also the opportunities to fit in more nutrition.

6.Focus on exercising smarter, not necessarily exercising more. We are almost pre-conditioned to think that when we are trying to lose weight we need to get to gym more, like every day. Science shows us that doing small amount of exercise, but effective exercise that stimulates your metabolism is a lot smarter way.

So, instead of running for hours on treadmill, you are far better off adopting exercising at intervals so you get a varied heart rate. When you combine that with some resistance training – you will far better support your precious lean muscle and burn body fat. Remember that nutrition is 80% of your efforts, so make your workouts effective and no more than 30 minutes per day, on average, is needed.

And, more important than anything – find exercise that you enjoy doing as you are more likely to continue…

7.Focus on eating that promote stable blood sugar levels. Many diets promote low-calorie meals or snacks, however, whilst they are low-calorie, they could be completely unbalanced and messing up your blood sugar levels (calorie quality and balance, remember). The result is – storing more fat, even if weight loss is registering on the scales (loss of muscle due to lack of protein).

Another way we can cause blood sugar roller coaster is by skipping meals or snacks, usually in hope that we will lose more weight. It almost always backfires as research shows – all it does is causes us to over-eat on the next meal. If you truly want to do it the right way and achieve fat loss, avoid any diets that promote meal skipping. Meal frequency matters.

8.Avoid fads, eating plans that have a “fashion” element attached to them… so, high protein diet, low carb diet, high fat diet that is popular right now, etc, or basically, any diet that excludes whole food groups.

It takes years before we can see true evidence and clinical data on those diets and there is already plenty of evidence on some. But, just the sheer fact that they are excluding whole food groups means they will cause imbalance.

It may work short-term, but the imbalance generally means that people can not stick to it long-term. And if it is not a lifestyle thing, it is not right. Only balanced diet is a healthy diet, remember. We must understand that. That means – balanced amount of protein, fibre, healthy fats and vitamins and minerals and trace elements in diet will ensure our bodies get all they need so they can function properly and have strong immunity, slow down the ageing process and help us manage our weight for a long time after losing it.

9.Start with an end in mind – so, if your goal is to be healthy – focus on your long-term health, not on your looks alone and short-term weight loss. It is about long-term health strategy rather than short-term tactics.

For that to happen, your diet and diet of your family, needs to be … you’ve got it – balanced and nutrient dense. It does not matter how hard you work in the gym if you do not control what goes on your plate.

10. Focus on developing healthy mindset, knowledge and insights so you can achieve the shift within. Education on nutrition is so important so that you can understand and make right food decisions, however, working on developing long-term healthy mindset is far more important as it will help you get out of the dieting prison and ensure you can live your life free of negative body image, limiting self beliefs, stay in control of your emotions and a lot more.

So, instead of just focusing on your physical body, the key is to understand your emotions – where they come from, how to accept and process them; your psychology – beliefs and how to change them if they are limiting you in any way; your language – what you say about yourself, food and world around you and how you say it and if you are making any assumptions… etc. Only healthy mindset helps you stay healthy for life and I am sure that is what everyone hopes for.

I hope this was helpful, although it just gives you some pointers rather than in-depth solutions into each. Each of the points is a subject in their own right, but being aware of each can be a step into the right direction..

I am a Nutritional Therapist & Herbalife Nutrition Health Coach and if you would like help with your own weight management, or have any questions, please do reach out, I would love to help.

If you have been inspired by this article or wish to connect or place a comment, please do so further below and, please do share, because, remember, sharing is caring. 🙂

I believe that health is our greatest wealth, health is happiness, so wishing you to be healthy and happy, always

Sanela

Herbalife Nutrition Independent Herbalife Member, Bath UK Healthy Meals
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Health, like happiness, is an inside job: Healthy and Happy can only coexist

Achievement of any goals in our lives come down to our mindset. Health goals included. I have been working on this article a while, bit by bit, until it came together. It is a message to those who perhaps struggle at this point in time with their health and choices they make. I have seen a lot of struggle and I wish to tell you that you are not alone and there is hope.

If it was enough to just be told to “eat healthy”, advice we are given all the time (ambiguous as it is as it means different things to different people), everyone would be at their ideal weight and peak health. No, it is not easy, because it is a science and we are only human, so, try to feel less frustration and let’s focus on what we can do.

We all know we should choose, buy, eat healthier foods, however, unhealthy options can have such huge grip on us, until unhealthy habits are all we have. No wonder food gives us such anxiety.

Part of it, to a certain extent, is not necessarily even our fault. Do you know that the food companies employ food scientists who design foods with the exact ratio of fat, sugar and salt that gets us to the so-called “bliss point”? It is a point at which foods have such an appeal that we are begging for more. Foods with too much salt will cause us crave foods with sugar as body is seeking balance. And vice versa. Simple carbohydrates will make us crave just more of the same.

So, that is one issue and “easily” taken care of when we just decide not to touch foods we know are not good for us. Think cakes, biscuits, chocolate, sweets, crisps, ice cream, etc… Easy peasy, right? Well, it is not. It is much easier said than done because foods with a “bliss point” can make a food addict out of us. Sugar addiction is real. But so is smoking and there are people who decide to stop, smoke their final cigarette and never smoke again.

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Bulletproof your Digestive Health: how to keep your Second Brain happy

You may have heard already that our digestive health is our second brain and what goes on in the gut is responsible for 80% of our immunity. Small Intestine is where the majority of digestion and absorption of nutrients takes place.

As our body is exposed to toxins in everyday life, such as smoking, alcohol, medications, stress, pollution, chlorine and many more, maintaining healthy digestion helps body eliminate them from the body. Without gut’s ability to neutralise and eliminate toxins from the body – weight loss is impaired and, as a result, we can experience a weight gain, as just one of the “side effects”.

One-third of the UK population regularly suffers from digestive illnesses such as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), constipation, diarrhoea, stomach-aches, nausea and sickness and cancers of the digestive tract are the largest cancer killer, actually 23% of all UK cancer mortalities. So, with that in mind, our Digestive System does deserve special attention as it must be one of the most important parts of our entire body. Hippocrates famous quote still very much rings true today: “

“Death sits in the bowels. Bad digestion is the root of all evil!” (400 BC)

So, taking care of our digestion becomes an essential part of a healthy body and efficient weight management and here is why and how…

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Day in a life of a Health Coach

Being a great Health Coach is more than just possessing the knowledge to help others improve their health and sharing health quotes and pretty looking plates of food.

Those looking to make changes in their lifestyle are looking up to our profession for inspiration, so, our work needs to be “true love made visible” so it can have the power to make an impact on others, to touch them and inspire them to self-betterment and becoming better versions of themselves.

For me, Health Coaching is a calling.

People are looking up to us not just for our knowledge, but how authentic we are in our message. We need to be relatable, honest, real, with compassion and kindness for those who are struggling and yet have strength to tell them the truth, the way things are and reality of the journey ahead, not just give a lip service.

And we also need to have integrity to show up every day and be first in line who take inspired action in our own lifestyle to show what is possible, commit to our own self-betterment so we indeed can be great in our profession. Integrity is when we do the right thing when no one is watching. People can spot a fraud. We give it away in our energy or lack of it.

You can not fake authenticity. Authenticity is beautiful. There are people I follow because they are honest and authentic. It also takes skill to be able to communicate it right, but energy is always there and can not be faked.

This article is not just about to show what I do on a daily basis, something I am asked about all the time. Following Get.Healthy.With.Sanela on Instagram would pretty much answer that. I also wish to communicate something much deeper than my “dear diary”while I also give those who asked me what they were looking for.

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

We all have a personal story. Here is mine on how to cultivate a health mindset and why…

I am inspired to write something rather different today. Something personal. And yet, something that concerns those who desire, sometimes desperately, to get healthy. I hope it gives hope.

I have been healthy most of my life.

I started being conscious about food when my mother’s breast cancer and her pure will to survive has inspired her to seek alternative ways of beating it on top of cancer treatment she received.

Based on what I now know, she choose foods that reduce inflammation in her body naturally through seeking answers in plant-based diet and that gave her body a fighting chance to heal itself.

I don’t even think she knew why she did what she did, she just knew instinctively by being open to natural healing she picked up from books and advice from people who had knowledge about the natural healing of plants… Fast forward 40+ years, she is a healthy 78-year-old still inspiring with her attitude to health and taking care of herself.

I was only an eight year old girl at the time when she had breast cancer. I remember waking up every day with a fear that I would lose her to cancer. I was fully aware what was going on.

She made close friendships with nine other ladies in Zagreb clinic where they were all treated and all shared one room. Over the next 12 months, I remember phone calls she received being notified of their passing on, one by one.

My father was my rock at the time. Hers too. I remember overhearing her crying to him saying that she feels lesser than a woman after the operation. He replied: “You at least have one. Look at me, I have none!” She laughed. And retold that story many times after that. We still remember it.

Support is everything sometimes. When you feel you are at your lowest point, it can mean the difference between you giving up and picking yourself up again. Support is love. And I felt it. I still feel it. And I am better person for it. I am so grateful for this experience early on. It shaped who I am today.

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30 Day Reboot
Author Sanela Categories Health Mindset, Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Personal Growth Posted on 0 Comments

What Influences our Eating Habits: Are we (or not) fully in control of our choices?

Having spent over a decade helping clients improve their eating habits, it fascinates me how everyone has different eating patterns and behaviours and motivations as well as how different they all respond to even the same eating plan.

Because we are all wired differently, which is part of the issue as, according to the research (Wansink/ Sobal, 2007), we make, on average, close to 230 food decisions every single day and close to 95% of those decisions are completely unconscious, believe it or not.

This means, we may not be in control of our food choices as we would like to believe. The point of this article is to bring to your awareness what those factors are as, once you have an awareness of them, it may be slightly easier to be more mindful about food choices you make and make alterations to your lifestyle in order to accommodate healthier eating patterns.

And once you practice mindfulness for a certain amount of time – new patterns start appearing with new eating behaviours. So, we feel more in control as a result. And results follow too.

Influences on our eating behaviours can be due to social factors, our own physiology, psychology, hormones, visual factors such as food marketing, olfactory (influenced by the sense of smell), etc. It gets even more complicated when it is not just the single factor as, most of the time, it is more factors at once influencing our decisions and food choices. Here are some of the factors and I have left the most fascinated one for the end, so, stay tuned.

Take SLEEP as a one single massive influencer. There are numerous studies linking sleep deprivation with weight gain. University of California, Berkeley study concluded that lack of sleep made us desire food more and, at the same time, made our brain incapable of evaluating our appetite, whether we were hungry or not. Sleep deprivation has also been shown to increase stress hormone CORTISOL and higher cortisol levels – higher the fat and sugary food consumption, as another study at University of California concluded.

It is all linked to STRESS, which leads to an increased appetite and brain’s inability to make right decisions and controlling our emotions. So, managing stress and improving our sleeping pattern could mean improving the amount we eat and choice of food we eat. Aim for 7-8 hours of good quality sleep.

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Dangers of sugar addiction and how to kick it
Author Sanela Categories Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Sugar Addiction Posted on 0 Comments

Dangers of Sugar Addiction & how to kick it

Almost every single day, more and more studies are proving that sugar is addictive and it plays a major role in the development of many major diseases from heart disease, diabetes, cancers, Alzheimer’s, just to name a few.

So, everyone knows it is bad for us and yet we still indulge in it daily, some perhaps even unaware of its addictive properties.

So, what can we do about it? More importantly, dear reader, could you, perhaps, be one of many who is eating too much sugar?

Some obvious signs that you may be addicted to sugar are:

  • You constantly crave sugar and simple carbohydrate foods like bread, pastries, cakes, biscuits, coffee with sugar, etc…

  • You crave meat and salty foods (as a way for body to seek balance as you are eating too much sweet foods – and it works vice versa too),

  • You can not stop eating simple carbohydrates and “will power” simply does not work

  • You eat them so much and can get to the point of being sick from the quantity you have eaten?

If any of the above is YOU – yes, you indeed may be eating way too much sugar or simple carbohydrates, in general.

But, do not worry as you are not the only one and it can be changed.

I used to be the same. For years. Because I ate healthily the rest of the time, I convinced myself that it was OK. Everything in balance, right?

Well, wrong!

Feeling that I was not in control and could not stop was driving me crazy.

Nutella was the poison of my choice… I would sneak into the kitchen just to have “one little teaspoon”. And then I kept going for more, until I felt I was going to be sick or realising that in the space of two to three days it was all gone. Guilt galore!

The truth is, with that action, I was undoing all the great work I was doing the rest of the day. Because of the way I felt emotionally (guilty, frustrated, disappointed) as well as physically (possible diarrhea, stomach pain, occasional spots on my face), I decided to take action…

Most people have their poison. What is yours?

Whatever it is, I can assure you that it can be kicked.

The truth is, we all need a small amount of sugar to function.

Government has set daily adult sugar intake to a limit of 90 grams for adults (it includes natural and added sugars), whilst there is no guidance on children’s upper overall sugar limit intake.

There is, however, guidance on the amount of free sugars or added sugar. That limit for adults is 25 grams for women and 37 grams for men, whilst it is, on average, 25 grams for children (depending on the age, it ranges from 19 grams for 4-6 year olds, to 30 grams for children aged 11 and above.)

To put it all in perspective, one can of fizzy drink or a fruit juice is around 40 grams of sugar. So, just this puts us over the limit and you can imagine how much more we could be having if we have a cake or biscuit on top, start our day with cereals or pastries, put dressing on our salads or sauces over our food (that are high in both sugar as well as salt), etc. No wonder we are addicted.

On average, research shows that children, in particular, have three times more sugar than they should on a daily basis. Adults are right there too. It has been estimated that an average Brit is eating sugar by pounds, over 100 lbs of sugar per year.

Have a look what the health implications are for sugar over consumption:

  • Cycle of sugar highs and lows, which effect our energy levels throughout the day, focus and concentration as well as our moods.

  • Same cycle causes us to over eat and store excess weight, which, in turn, can lead to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, just to name a few major conditions that have all been linked to sugar.

  • It lowers our immunity making us more susceptible to immunity related conditions.

  • It causes tooth decay that has become more and more common in children

So, given health implications, we must kick the sugar habit, like our life depended on it – because it does!

The science shows that eating sugar emits the same signals in our brain that drugs, such as cocaine, activate. It is easy to give a solution to a healthy, active lifestyle, but, given the nature of sugar, my experience tells me that it is easier said than done.

However, it CAN be done and you CAN do it, you must believe in this!

Here are some tips how you can start kicking the sugar addiction:

  1. Eat three meals and two to three snacks OR five to six small meals a day. For most people, if you don’t eat regularly, your blood sugar level will drop – hunger sets in and so does the craving for sugary/ carby snacks.

  2. Eating a good, balanced breakfast is essential to prevent sugar cravings. I recommend a very special Healthy Breakfast to all my clients that my whole family use that is easy, quick and nutritious and gives body all it needs in a perfect balance. The typical breakfast full of carbs and sugary or starchy foods is the worst option since you’ll have cravings all day (cereals/ bread etc.).

  3. Try to incorporate protein, fibre & fat with each meal. This helps control blood sugar levels. Make sure they are healthy sources of each. Example: Tofu or oily Fish combined with large salad made out of courgettes, carrots, tomato & pepper in a little olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

  4. Take a Pharmaceutical Grade multivitamin and mineral supplement, Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin D3. Nutrient deficiencies can make cravings worse and the fewer nutrient deficiencies, the fewer cravings. Certain nutrients seem to improve blood sugar control including Chromium, Vitamin B3 and Magnesium. Rather than buying them separately, Good quality Multivitamin & Mineral is preferable.

  5. Add naturally sweet foods to your meal: Use a little bit of raw honey rather than sugar is far better alternative. Squash & sweet potato instead of potatoes. In the evenings have plain yoghurt with some berries or some warm honey water. Have a piece of fruit instead of a cake!

  6. Cleanse Your Colon. There are parasites that live in the colon and feed on sugar, making us crave refined sugars and carbs even more. I recommend an amazing programme that helps cleanse colon –  Your skin will clear up, you’ll have more energy and retain less water, and pretty much everything in your body will feel and look better than ever, not to mention your sugar cravings disappearing.

  7. Spice It Up. Spices such as cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, cloves & cardamom will naturally sweeten your foods and reduce cravings.

  8. Analyse. Write down when and why you are craving sugar to help you come up with what triggers are and a plan to break the cycle.

  9. Explore the emotional issues around your sugar addiction. We could be substituting an emotional need that isn’t being met with sugar.

  10. Get enough sleep. When tired, we often turn to sugar for energy. Also, it triggers cortisol, fat storing hormone that encourages weight gain.

  11. Break habits that involve sugar. Watching late TV, going for a coffee with a friend or to a party almost always involve some sugary food. Read a book instead, occupy yourself, plan your outing and commit before going out to what you will eat and drink and, of course, make a healthy choice.

  12. Practice Distraction. If it works with children, it works for adults too. It is said that cravings usually last for 10-20 minutes maximum. If you can distract yourself with something else, like going for a walk, it often passes. The more you do this, the easier it gets and the cravings get easier to deal with and you will develop habit how to deal with them.

  13. Get Active. Whatever form of exercise you do, be it yoga, walking, dance swimming – it will boost your energy & mood, relieve tension and decrease your need for a sugar high. Exercise has been found to have a positive effect on our blood sugar levels.

  14. No sugary snacks in the house or office. Out of sight – out of mind! Go cold turkey! Sometimes, this is the only way.

  15. Get Educated on food labels. Educate yourself about what you’re putting into your body. Learn to read labels. Food can be very cleverly marketed and that yoghurt that is portrayed as healthy could be loaded with sugar.

  16. Watch Hidden Sugars. Sauces, dips, soups, baked beans, etc… are all loaded with sugar (and salt).

  17. Watch Sugars in Disguise. Most of the complex carbohydrates we consume like bread, including whole wheat, cereals, bagels and pasta aren’t really complex at all – they are highly refined & act just like sugars in the body. Same with fruit juices. It is not a substitute for fruit. 330ml of fruit juice contain over 40 grams of sugar – like eating several bananas in one go! The same sugar content as in one can of coke.

  18. Drink lots of Water. Sometimes we are thirsty rather than hungry. Drinking water can help with the sugar cravings.

  19. Eliminate added Salt – as mentioned above, in the same way as too much sugar makes us crave salty foods and meats – also is true that too many salty foods and animal products, especially processed meats, will make us crave sugar as a body’s way of seeing balance.

  20. Work on your Mindset. This may be the final point, but do not underestimate it. It could be the one that makes all the difference. Your mind is powerful beyond measure. You can only achieve an idea if it is clearly planted in your mind and remains a daily focus. Where focus goes, energy flows. Focus on being healthy with vibrant energy and at your goal weight. Why? Because life is a lot more beautiful when you are not sick or lack energy or when can move effortlessly because you are not carrying excess weight. You already know what to choose in order to have that kind of health. It is not easy, but it is worth it! That is how you truly honour the gift you were given that is your body.

Here is to kicking the sugar habit! Because you are worth it!

You are sweet & beautiful already!

Thank you for reading!

Your Partner in Health,

Sanela

Free Wellness Evaluation

If you are not getting the weight management and health results that you are after, Wellness Evaluation can help analyse your diet and find areas where you may be falling short and recommend solutions.

It will help you understand what changes need to happen and why in order to take your health to the next level in a healthy and balanced way…

Local clients can also enjoy the benefit of a Full Body Composition Analysis…

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Sanela Mujakovic nutritionl Journey with Herbalife Nutrition
Author Sanela Categories Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Weight Management Posted on 1 Comment on Here is what happened in 12 weeks when I reduced sugar & salt intake and eliminated wheat & processed foods…

Here is what happened in 12 weeks when I reduced sugar & salt intake and eliminated wheat & processed foods…

I am in Week 12 of my 90 Day Challenge and now I can really see the end of it in sight. It is the next week!

Saying that, my husband and I have already agreed that we wish to continue in as similar manner as we have learnt to live and eat over the past three months time. We are asked often when our diet finishes and the question does create a little bit of resistance in both of us.

While it was restrictive in many ways, I have not seen it as anything that was depriving my body of anything. The only thing that body was deprived of was added sugar, unnecessary empty calories, processed food, alcohol, unhealthy fats, added salt and everything else in between.

So, when you “deprive” your body of empty calories of cakes, biscuits, chocolate, candies, ice cream, crisps, alcohol, and then also white rice, white potato, pasta, bread, processed meats, sauces and other processed foods, etc., I can guarantee you your body will notice.

If you add, on top, home-made cooked meals with lean protein, healthy fats and vegetables as well as nutritional supplements that further enhance overall nutrient intake – your body will truly be able to get to Optimum Nutrition level. That is how it felt, almost for the first time in a long time.

You see, I have always been healthy, I had an interest in health & wellness since I was a teenager, but I have also “sinned”. A lot. When I think about it – most probably, on a  daily basis. Because I could.

Overall healthy eating and supplementation helped me to stay on top of my weight most of the time, with respectable energy levels, and very low amount of illnesses over the past decade, certainly a lot less than an average person. Some may even call this balanced. I used to. Not any more. And I used the word “sin” for a reason. The feeling we get when we do or say something we know we shouldn’t.

After starting my 90 Day Plan, it became clear that this challenge was going to challenge us. Physically and mentally. It was the cleanest plan we could have chosen, science based, balanced, safe and solid. This was important to us. Because of what we believed in personally and it also meant I was not doing all that much different from what I was advising clients to do.

But, starting in January also meant that we would need to go through family’s five birthday events and a few other dinner/ lunch engagements. And we did. Successfully. Without breaking the “diet”. Looking back, here are the changes that took place over the past three months:

  • My husband lost 10 lbs of body fat, with body fat going down from 19% to 14%. Visceral Fat went down from 8 to 5.
  • He used to suffer from digestive issues and flatulence. No more.
  • I lost just over 12 lbs. Muscle mass intact. Body fat went from 29% to 23%. Visceral fat from 4.5 to 3. I am 44-year-old mum with two children… I am very happy with those results. And I can tick off the list getting a six pack, although this has never been part of my list. I now know how to get it myself and how to help others get it too.
  • My skin has never been problematic, but every month, around my period, I would get a spot or two, I always thought they were hormonal. Well, there is no sign of them, I have had clear skin for weeks now without any breakages. I used to use a face concealer, now less and less, most days not at all. I am happy how my skin feels naturally.
  • I used to get painful period cramps and mood swings. This has disappeared too. They say there is no Japanese word for “menopause” as Japanese women do not suffer from it. This is, of course, all diet related. I am hoping, being at the age when menopause is not that far away, that the same can happen to a Western Woman when diet is right. Stabilising my PMS or, rather, eliminating it, gives me that kind of hope.
  • I have a generally sweet tooth, however, after three months of not touching any sweets, cakes or chocolates – those can be in front of me and would not bother me. We have a cupboard with biscuits for the boys if they wish to have something sweet – I have not been tempted to raid it in any shape or form. Craving has disappeared. I truly am free from temptation. I am not saying I will never touch chocolate, but, being in control and doing it when it is my choice, rather than craving, feels liberating.
  • I have more energy, not that it has been lacking, but there is even more of it. Getting up at 5:30AM and doing my exercise routine before boys get up has become a habit and something I truly look forward to each morning.
  • My children took notice of our plan and we are showing them the way, they are asking questions and, with that, learning at the same time. This all is a way of us, as parents, setting up the example.
  • My mental strength has increased. I am tempted each day to go back to old habits or break our 90 Day Challenge rules because of some foods being all around us that are not on the plan or do not serve me, but are incredibly yummy and satisfying. Instead of giving in, I am mindful, I pause, think about it and opt out. And then feel good about it. Really good feeling. This has got to do with more than just no longer being addicted to sugar. This is a CHOICE. And, from whichever angle you look at it – it is liberating.

I used to think my diet was balanced, but forcing myself initially into clean eating, I have grown to like it because my body is thanking me so much each day after following it for almost three months now. I think word “balance” will mean a different thing to different people, but, my approach to “balance” has shifted.

For my body to feel and stay in full balance, diet needs to be clean. Full stop.

Any time when it is not, my body will be pushed OUT OF Balance. Balance for me these days is feeling well and in top form every single day. This is how I want to live. And this is why our plan has never been a DIET.

Word DIET comes from a Greek word DIETA, which means WAY OF LIFE. So, if I have been on a diet, it is a WAY OF LIFE kind of diet.

And, I think, this is the only one that counts and that gives sustainable results over long period of time, so you stay healthy and vibrant for a long period of time.

I focus a lot on eating as it is 80% of your health, but, rest assured, I also think that to change your health, one needs to change their habits in relation to exercise, rest and hydration too. Those, together with clean eating, will give you the best chance to truly live a disease-free, healthy life for a long period of time.

Thank you for reading to the end, hope it has inspired you to live cleaner, healthier lifestyle. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions.

Yours in Health,

Sanela

Anna's herbalife nutrition story
Author Sanela Categories Client's Testimonials, Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Weight Management Posted on 0 Comments

Anna & Phil’s Story

Anna & Phil’s Inspiring Health & Nutrition Testimonial

One of the highlights of 2017 has been meeting Anna, who then also introduced me to her husband Phil. I was very interested in Anna’s work as a Pranic Healer and we soon both realised we needed what the other one offered in order to increase our well-being to the next level.

Anna is a wonderful, gentle soul and I am proud to call her my friend too. Anna and her husband have been coming to see me for about 6 months now and they have remained open-minded, keen students of improving their general health & nutrition, eager to apply what I suggested, so no wonder they had such great results. Here are their stories…

Anna’s Story:

“I will always remember the day I met Sanela at a Well Being Retreat Day run by World Health Heroes, I had a Pranic Healing stand and Sanela a Herbalife stand.

We soon got talking and realised that each of us had just exactly what the other needed! I was overweight and my eating habits although full of goodness was also full of comfort and binge eating tendencies!

Feeling quite low in my self-esteem as far as my weight was concerned. Sanela caught my attention as she was clearly passionate about her subject but knew exactly how to approach a delicate subject when it came to standing on the scales and discussing the rather negative results!

I became avidly interested with a bio age of 68, yikes I needed help! Sanela has been a wonderful support and coach. I have felt nurtured and respected all the way, no pressure to buy the products, an all round positive and encouraging experience.

Myself and my husband continue our monthly visits for our assessments, a trip we always look forward to. I am now feeling wonderful about my body, feeling confident and so positive that you feel like shouting from the rooftops! Yeah we did it!

I have lost over 2 stone and my hydration, muscle mass, visceral and body fat our improving month by month, I am now in the healthy sector (unlike before!) and my metabolic age is 27 years lower.

The shakes and protein bars are our favourite, yummy treats and still loosing weight! I have recommended Sanela to many friends who are now going through the same process and having a wonderful experience.

Sanela has a zest for good health and a positive lifestyle, this is reflected in her ever dedicated work with Herbalife. I am so privileged to be working with such a wonderful person. I would recommend Sanela to anybody who would like to make some life changes concerning their diet, you will be transformed!

Anna.”

Phil’s Story:

“Having been to various gyms, pop out for a run once or twice a week I felt quite comfortable in the knowledge that my 14.5 stone 6 foot frame was ok, and although there was a slowly increasing waist line from 34 inch ( first married, playing rugby ) to current 40 inch 33 years married there was no problem as my runs would enable me to eat and drink what I like with no worries. Or maybe not…

Anna my wife came back from a Well Being Retreat Day run by World Health Heroes one Saturday and began to tell me about this remarkable lady she met namely Sanela who though her work helps and advises people with nutrition via a product called Herbalife.

My wife starts to explain her findings ( I quietly sit and listen, which I have learnt it’s best to do through married life ! ! ) and to be fair she was quite shocked with the initial tests and results. would I be interested ? well maybe and so went along to meet Sanela.

Sanela has proven over time since we first met to be a totally enthusiastic, happy and very professional fountain of knowledge regarding nutrition and the Herbalife program, guiding you through the best approach to help you achieve a more healthy lifestyle without any pressure being applied.

My initial results were not too bad really ( he says smugly ) apart from my Visceral fat which was high and this being the main focus for reduction. Now I am skillfully guided via a monthly visit to Sanela who alongside my wife produce a more healthy eating way forward. I now eat more than I used too… a balanced shake for breakfast instead of a large bowl of salt and sugar cereal, a midmorning protein bar, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, second shake if I go for a run.

So the net change over several months is I am now a 36 inch waist 12 stone 12 pounds, still the same height 🙂 my runs are 10 minutes quicker, and feel so much lighter.

Without doubt I have been educated (never too old) to a different way of thinking, along with the positive results and encouragement it’s a huge thank you to Sanela.

Phil.”

I have personally always been open to alternative health practices and Pranic Healing and meditation have found me at the point in my life when I was seeking more spiritual connection with the world around me and within myself.

Pranic Healing is an energy medicine system that manipulates body’s vital prana or force in order to facilitate neccessary healing. It has also made me realise the greater role we all play in increasing the health and energy of the world in which we work and live.

I believe we are all energy, spiritual beings having a human existence and what we think, eat, do will have an impact on our own energy as well as an effect on the world around us.

Pranic Healing helps me balance and cleanse my energies, while I work daily on my physical well-being regarding choices I make on how I treat and nourish my body as well as my spiritual and mental well-being regarding what thoughts and experiences I choose to feed my mind with and what feelings I choose to cultivate.

Together they work to achieve energy balance, vital for our well-being. Anna is a great Pranic Healing therapist and I recommend her highly. She can be contacted on 0751 650 0569 or visit www.ukpranichealing.co.uk for more information.

For help with nutrition and general health, please do not hesitate to contact me and see ways in which we could work together.

Ann's herbalife nutrition success story
Author Sanela Categories Client's Testimonials, Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Weight Management Posted on 0 Comments

Ann’s Story

Ann’s Story: Delighted with the results in time before 71st birthday

It was my local client who introduced me to Ann, her dear friend who lives in Liverpool. I have not yet met Ann, but, distance is not a challenge when client is ready to make changes as wonders of technology enable us to communicate despite the distance.

Eight months later, Ann continues to make great progress and here is her story to date she was happy to share hoping to inspire more people who wish to lose weight and improve their health… and I am very grateful to her for that…

“I am a 70-year old woman and have been gradually putting on weight for some years. At my annual check-up at the doctors last summer, I measured 5 foot 6 and weighed 13 stone 4 pounds. A photograph taken at the same time brought me up short! I honestly had not thought that was what I looked like.

At that time I was also suffering swollen ankles, not only as a result of long journeys. I did go for walks on a regular basis and I have never been one for eating sweets, preferring starters to deserts but I did like bread and potatoes, pasta and cheeses and I drank alcohol in moderation.

In October, a friend recommended Herbalife as she had started to follow the regime and found it successful. After a telephone consultation with Sanela, I was given a personalised nutrition plan to follow…

Breakfast/ lunch: I am fortunate in that I have always liked milk drinks and have found Formula 1 shakes very tasty. Over the months I have mixed the Soya milk and the Vanilla Formula with half a banana and the semi-skimmed and Vanilla Formula with steamed broccoli spears or spinach.

I have mixed the Red Berry Formula with strawberries or stewed rhubarb. (I found raspberries left pips and blueberries tough skin, when blended). This breakfast is very quick to prepare. When on holiday, I substituted a Formula 1 meal bar for breakfast (yoghurt and acai berry). These bars can normally be used for lunch, too.

Mid-morning/ midafternoon: There were a number of options, I have chosen between Herbalife protein bars, Herbalife tomato soup (delicious!), Herbalife Soya beans, cottage cheese and walnuts and poached egg and half an avocado on small piece of wholemeal bread.

Dinner: I followed the advice and had a small portion of potato or brown rice, lean meat or fish and vegetables or salad. I have cheated on occasions and had an Indian takeaway but with my own rice. Supper is not on programme but I have Ovaltine with skimmed milk.

At each of the main meals, I also have 1 x Formula 2 Multivitamin & Mineral tablet and 2 x Fibre and Herb tablets with a glass of water. I have also tried to drink as much water and/or herbal tea as possible to reach the 3 litres a day recommendation. I start the day with hot water and lemon.

When on holiday, I tried to be careful, especially in the size of portions and found that I did not regress or only by a small amount which I shed once I went back on the programme. I try to do 50 minutes exercise 4 times a week (unless it rains) and I walk a lot. I still drink alcohol in moderation.

Results: My swollen ankles disappeared immediately. I have lost 33 pounds, 6 inches off my waist, 5 and half inches off my hips, 1 and half inches off top of arms and 2 inches off the top of my legs. I don’t feel hungry and I feel so much better in myself. People are very complimentary (I do wonder what they thought before!) It is now a pleasure to shop for clothes as a new wardrobe has been needed! 

Sanela, my Herbalife coach, has rung me every week. I have appreciated her advice and encouragement.  She has helped me to keep following the regime and to refocus on the occasions when there has seemed to be a lack of progress. I have been delighted with the results so far and would recommend it to anyone in need of support and personalised nutrition plan.”,

Ann Hughes

Herbalife Nutrition Healthy Snacking
Author Sanela Categories Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Herbalife Nutrition, Recipes Posted on 2 Comments on Snack on this… Try these 20 Healthy Protein Snacks

Snack on this… Try these 20 Healthy Protein Snacks

Healthy snacking is an important part of our diet and lifestyle for many reasons:

  • It prevents us from being too hungry and over-eating for lunch or dinner by helping keep blood sugar levels stable;
  • It is an opportunity to sneak in some veggies or fruit to increase our nutrient intake of vitamins, minerals and fibre;
  • Keeping our lean muscle on throughout life depends, apart from exercising, also on eating enough protein, therefore, balanced, protein snacks are a great way to help us reach our daily protein requirements.

When creating meal plans for clients, snacks play an important part for all the reasons mentioned above.

For a snack to be considered healthy, we need to take into consideration both energy it gives us (we want just enough calories to keep hunger at bay until next main meal) and balance (low in carbs and high in protein, healthy fats and fibre, which all nourishes, but combined, also keeps blood sugar levels stable).

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Author Sanela Categories Health Mindset, Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Weight Management Posted on 0 Comments

No need to diet… EVER AGAIN!

The four main factors that influence our weight and how we feel are*: Nutrition: 75%, Environment: 11%, Hereditary: 8%, Stress: 6%. (*Source: www.euro.who.int), so, good news is – we can change a lot through a change in lifestyle!

Through science, we have learnt that Nutrition plays a major role when it comes to not just Weight Management, but also our Heart Health, Energy Levels, Immunity & Aging process, Skin Health and so on.

Losing weight does not always equal health if balanced nutrition is missing!

Most diets you may hear about will usually restrict calorie intake or types of food you can consume. This means, your body may still not be receiving the nutrients it needs – not just for a healthy weight, but for a healthy life – strong immune system, healthy bones, healthy digestion, healthy heart, healthy skin and so on…

Losing weight can be hard. Right? It is a FACT, actually!

Statistics show that among those who succeed in losing weight, two-thirds return to their original weight within a year.

Within 3-5 years only 3% of those who have lost weight maintain this weight loss. Of the remaining 97%, 15% return to their original weight and the majority (82%) put on even more weight.

These statistics may alarm you. Furthermore, contributing factors to these statistics are:

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Author Sanela Categories Health Mindset, Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Weight Management Posted on 2 Comments on The Power of Accountability for Weight Loss and Fitness Goals: one key missing ingredient

The Power of Accountability for Weight Loss and Fitness Goals: one key missing ingredient

After 13 years of working with clients on their personal journeys to a better health, weight loss, as well as fitness in the last few years, one thing is for sure – it can be a bumpy ride for majority and hardly ever a straight line.

Many times, despite having the best mechanics for weight loss, it is the psychology that fails us, which makes me believe that 80% is the psychology and having the right mindset to reach our goals. This is probably true for everything in life, not just our health efforts.

Once we have a great plan and a strategy, it is our mindset that needs the most support.

20% of Your Success – Having A Great Plan

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Hrbalife Nutrition Formula 1 Healthy Breakfast Independent Herbalife Nutrition Member Bath UK
Author Sanela Categories Health, Nutrition and Fitness Tips & Advice, Personal Growth Posted on 0 Comments

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2017

I really wanted to do a little video to address and extend gratitude to all the people who made 2016 really special for me. Here it is…

I also hope you do not mind me adding some thoughts that did not make it into the video message…

I feel I should start by acknowledging that year 2016 has been a difficult year for many and my thoughts are with the people of Syria and the people who are suffering right now in various pockets of the world.

As a Bosnian, I feel tremendous pain that tragedy like this is allowed to happen again and feel powerless to do anything about it, as I am sure many feel right now too.

World is watching, still. I can not help wondering what can we do individually. There is almost a sense of guilt for continuing each day to live the life I do, we all do, whilst so many people are dying and have died. I turn to great thinkers of our time Dr Wayne Dyer, Ekhart Tolle and more for a perspective that I know will be different to the feelings of anger and desperation we are all currently exposed to in the media, especially social media, because I do not think those feelings will solve anything and they surely do not lead to peace.

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