FITNESS, FOOD & FAME!

I'm off to London on Thursday for a photo shoot for the Daily Mirror! They are doing an article on women who are fitter in their 50's than they were in their 20's - and I definately fit the bill!
This prompted me to share some information on eating & exercise.....
All of my clients do some form of exercise - it's a well known fact that a healthy diet combined with regular exercise is the best way to get fitter, have more energy, lose weight and generally feel fantastic!
Whatever time of day you exercise you should eat something before hand, and always drink plenty of water during and after to stay hydrated.
Mornings? Try to eat 20-30 mins before you start, even if it's simple food like a banana or a yoghurt when you wake up.
During the day? If it's a few hours since your last meal have a snack like a handful of dried fruit & unsalted nuts for energy.
Evenings? Aim to have your last meal 1-2 hours before you workout. Include wholegrains (brown rice or pasta), protein (lean meat, chicken, fish or eggs) and plenty of vegetables.
Whatever time you choose, and whatever you do, ensure you eat something afterwards, ideally within an hour. Your body will replenish used up energy stores, so give it something really healthy back, like a fresh fruit or vegetable smoothie.

Happy exercising!

Bev

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WEATHER?

Hi again, I've just come back from hot 'n' sunny Madrid - what's going on here? My birthday is in July and it's always been a lovely day - must be something in this global warming!
Anyway, back to Madrid. It's a beautiful city, and if you stay central, the main attractions are within walking distance. We visited the Royal Palace, the Prado Museum & Retiro Park, and because it was so hot I had to go into loads of clothes & shoe shops - just to cool off in the air conditioning of course! We also went to see a flamenco version of Carmen - absolutely brilliant!
Eating healthily in Spain is pretty easy. Many coffee shops make freshly squeezed orange juice at breakfast, and there were wonderful stalls selling all varieties of roasted nuts. Tapas is as healthy as you make it. There are many vegetable dishes available, olives, Spanish omelette & paella. I think sharing small dishes is always more fun than one large meal. A great favourite that I've not had before was spicey fried green peppers - absolutely delicious!
As it was so hot it was imporatnt to drink plenty of water, but then in the evening it was time for sangria. We found a lovely restaurant that served organic sangria, which was really good. Madrid also seemed to specialise in Mojitos, so I had to try just 1 or 2!
So if you're off to the sun soon, remember drink lots of water and if you want to eat well, you can - look for fresh food!

Happy eating!

Bev

I'M OFF TO SUNNY SPAIN!

I've just seen the weather forecast for the next 5 days & it's rain! But do I care? No, because I'm off to Madrid for a few days & it's 35 degrees there.
I'm looking forward to sampling the gaspacho (chilled tomato soup), a great selection of tapas dishes & of course, paella. All washed down with a glass or 2 of Sangria - well, I am on holiday!

Wherever you may be off to here are my general tips on healthy eating when you're away:
- If you want to avoid the excess baggage on your return then stick to foods that are grilled, boiled, baked, roasted, steamed, poached or stir fried.
- Eat plenty of vegetables with your meals & enjoy local fresh fruit instead of desserts.
- Watch for creamy dressings & croutons on salads, and try to avoid dishes with the words deep fried, battered, breaded, pastry, cream, butter, rich, coated, dressed or au gratin (with cheese).
- Don't overdo the alcohol or your resolve will weaken, which will lead to poor food choices.
- I'm not saying be good all of the time, but don't indulge every day. Make sensible choices when you can and you will have more chance of maintaining your current weight.

Y viva Espana!

Bev