I am dedicated to helping women all over the world to achieve their fitness goals. I found that it's very difficult for busy women to fit exercise into their hectic schedules. My method targets women's trouble areas like glutes, legs, abs, and arms with precise exercises and specific equipment that will chisel the muscles to perfection. The best part is that it only takes 30 to 45 minutes. It is the perfect workout: precise, efficient and time-saving!

Tuesday 24 January 2012

NEVER COUNT CALORIES!!!

I think that counting calories is so last year!

The word ‘calorie’ comes from the Latin ‘calor’, which means heat. A calorie is a measure of heat. We should think of our bodies as furnaces that require fuel to continue burning.  Just as a car will not run without the right petrol, so the body can not function properly without the right food.

With good food you feed the body's natural furnace and keep your metabolism running fast, like a Ferrari!  When you eat and what you eat makes all the difference.

Perhaps a low fat chocolate cake has fewer calories than a steak with sweet potatoes and salad, but the two meals definitely do not have the same nutritional values: the cake will give you an initial buzz before a crash that will increase your sugar craving.

Whereas the steak will feed your muscles, and will not reappear on your hips, thighs and tummy. Have you ever tried to put petrol in a car that runs on diesel? If you do, I bet that it will not take you far and will definitely ruin your engine....

Also I beg you to never to starve yourself or go on a low calorie diet.  The only result will be that you compromise your energy levels and deplete your body of vitamins and essential nutrients. You will also lose muscle tone, and by doing so, you will decrease your metabolic rate and end up fatigued and prone to rapid weight gain. Instead, eat 5 to 6 small meals per day with the right ratio of protein, fat and healthy carbs and thus, not only will you feed your body, but also your soul and your mind.

Another mistake is to spend too much time in the gym.  This may lead to over training, resulting in muscle injury, stress,  and from there to an increase in cortisol levels, well known for increasing body weight and fat storage.  Instead, train every day for 30 to 45 minutes, be intense, but steady and focused.

Make sure you take 1 day off per week: train hard and rest hard. You could also take an active rest day, go for a walk, play with your kids, and go for a bicycle ride in the park.... move your body, move your soul!

SOME TRICKS FOR YOUR WAIST LINE:

Eat Italian style by using OLIVE OIL rather than butter. Cut the saturated fat and replace it with healthy fat. Italians are known for their skills in the kitchen as well as on the cat walk.  Why shouldn’t you follow suit?

Go carb free when you eat in a restaurant: move away the bread basket and reach for the crudités: bring sunshine onto your plate and vitamins into your body.

Skip your full fat latte and go black. Have you ever seen a sommelier putting sugar or milk into their wine?  The true coffee lover never adds to her coffee: drink your espresso like a PRO and show the world what it takes!

Go solo and keep the stress away by meditating for 10minutes per day.  Only by taking a short time out to think in peace will you be able to take care of yourself and so care too for the important people in your life.

Focus on positive thinking.  Remind yourself how good it feels to stay lean and clear headed, and how good you look in your LBD.  Most of all REWARD YOURSELF once in a while, because you deserve it! Anybody fancy some shopping? It’s still cardio isn’t it?

I’m always listening because you are my priority!
Beautiful Body, Sharp Mind, Clear Soul.
In health and fitness,
FG

If you have any further questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact me: fg@fgpilates.me
(Please make sure you consult your doctor prior to making any changes in your diet or exercise plan... better to be safe than sorry...)

PS. (If you are curious about the differences between Yoga and Pilates, please check out my interview for the Sunday Times STYLE Magazine on Sunday 29th of January.... at your nearest newsagent.... don't miss it!)

No comments:

Post a Comment

About Francesca

Followers