Portion size is something that a lot of us struggle with. This is mainly because we’ve never really been told what an actual portion size should look like. The massive portions of rice, potato and pasta or huge bread rolls that we get made for us has probably distorted our idea of what we should be eating. To keep it really simple, a standard sized plate should not have a heaped amount of food on it. Ideally, divide your plate into thirds. One third for salads, one third for meats and one third for rice. Drain oil out of main dishes as this really pushes up your calorie intake, and where possible eat more salad then you normally would as it will help lower your calorie intake overall.

So what are carbohydrates and why do we need them. Carbohydrates are our main source of energy. We need energy to keep our body running, similar to how a car needs petrol. But, like a car, we can only store a certain amount of energy or petrol at a time. Once the tank is full, petrol starts to leak out. Once our carbohydrate storage centres (muscle and liver) are full, any extra carbohydrate is converted to fat and stored in our fat tissue (our bodies are very resourceful and know that energy is a valuable resource. It doesn’t want to just dump it so it stores it where we have the most storage space – our fat tissue). However, like a car uses up petrol pretty fast, we used up our carbohydrate reserves (scientifically called glycogen) pretty fast which is why it is recommended we have a portion of carbohydrates at each meal.

So basically, you need enough energy from carbohydrates to keep your body running but you don’t want too much. But I like carbohydrates you say? I want to eat more you say? Well, thankfully there is a way you can do this…

Exercise!! Yes, just like a car uses up petrol and has to be refilled after a journey, your muscles use up carbohydrate when you exercise meaning that in order to refill them you need to eat more carbohydrates! If you aren’t very active then you’re carbohydrate needs are lower. If you eat more than you need then you will put on weight.

Yet another reason to get out and get active!

Personal trainers have received success over time due to being affiliated with celebrities and their perfectly toned bodies. So why should you consider hiring a personal trainer?

1. Reduce the risk of injury:

Ignorance and poor execution are common catalysts for injury. A knowledgeable personal trainer will improve your exercise execution and skill so that you reduce your risk for injury and get the most out of each activity. This is particularly the case for lifting weights. The number one cause for injury during weightlifting is due to incorrect form.

2. Long-term guidance and motivation:

As we age, it gets harder to stay motivated towards exercise, so having a trainer guide and motivate you can keep you going. Certified personal trainers can provide structure and do the thinking for you so you can focus on the “doing” rather than the planning. Initially, you may need to see your trainer more often to get on the right track; however, once you have learned what to do and how to do it, you can spread your sessions out to every 3-4 weeks. Consider these sessions your “review, revise and revitalize” check-ins

3. Lose stubborn fat:

It can become increasingly challenging to lose fat as we age. Weeks and weeks on treadmills won’t help in the way a personal trainer can. A trainer can help you build and maintain muscle mass, increase caloric expenditure and get you to where you want to be by educating you on making good nutrition choices.

4. Economical:

The most common complaint about hiring personal trainers is cost. However a good trainer is not something you should need long-term because they will teach you about your own physical fitness, nutrition, and how to manage your overall fitness levels long into the future.  A really good trainer will like nothing more than to see a client in control of their fitness, and at ease amongst the gym machinery.

Hands up ladies who have kids, a full-time job, a house to run and severely depleted energy bank? Well, we hear ya. There is no doubt that trying to manage everything leaves most women unable to prioritize their health. Regardless of where you are in the world, women have a tough time trying to balance home, health, work and children and Pakistan is no different.

 
The common theme when we talk to potential female members is time. “I don’t have time”. So rather then tell you “You need to make time”, I’m going to tell the exact time to workout….and that’s early morning. Right after you kiss your kids goodbye at the school gate you head to the gym. If you think you will talk yourself out of going; then go to school with your gym gear on already. If you dread the idea of weight-loss because it’s such an epic, long-drawn out battle then just focus on your workout as being “Me time”. If you feel intimidated because you have no clue what to do in the gym apart from the treadmill, then just do the treadmill. If your coffee addiction is calling you, bring your coffee in a flask. The key to working out is get to it BEFORE your head talks you out of it. And KNOWING that your head will throw everything at you to convince you it’s a bad idea is also key to success.

I remember a few years ago I used set the alarm and place it half way across the room so I had no choice but to get out of bed when it went off. Sometimes I used hide it under clothes because I knew in the dark I’d have to frantically find it to avoid waking the entire house. I also used pile my gym gear directly where my feet would be, in the exact order of putting it on so in my bleary eyed state at 5:45am I had no excuse but to get up. And never once was I delighted about hearing that alarm go off. But the difference is I didn’t let my head talk me out of it. I grumbled the whole time not wanting to get up or get dressed, but my head grumbled while my body ignored it and got ready.

So let your brain do the talking as you do the walking, because you will be on the treadmill maybe 5 minutes and that nagging voice will go quiet. And that peace is everything.

Giving yourself even half an hour will do wonders not only for your body but for your mind.  You literally cannot help but feel happier, more confident and proud after even the smallest amount of exercise. The body releases the chemical serotonin during physical exercise which is responsible for feelings of happiness, relaxation and clarity. Getting exercise shouldn’t be about weight loss if it discourages you, it should be about mental health and giving yourself some much needed TLC.

At Structure Gym all our staff are trained professionals. So when you feel ready, you can ask at reception to talk to one of our trainers about expanding your fitness program to something that suits you and your body. There’s a massive amount of misinformation regarding fitness leading to many members feeling intimidated about asking how to change their routine.  You don’t need a complicated workout routine to lose weight or get fitter, but you do need the right information. And that’s our passion.