Do the Maths

Because 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound of fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound. So, in general, if you cut 500 calories from your typical diet each day, you'd lose about 1 pound a week (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories). Similarly if you burned 500 calories through exercise, but didn’t reduce your food intake (my preferred method – I love my food!) then you will still lose weight.

Quality vs Quantity

Ok, so to lose weight we know we need to drop around 500 calories a day. So does that mean we get to eat whatever we want, as long as we stay within the calorie allowance? In theory, yes! BUT us health chicks have come up with some simple nutritional guidelines that’ll help you get the results you want quicker, as well as give your body the nutrition it needs in order to function at it’s best.

Our Nutritional Guidelines

 

1. Always follow exercise with a protein based meal or snack. This will aid your muscle recovery and growth following training sessions, as well as satisfy any post-exercise hunger cravings!

 

2. For women I would recommend 2-3 100-calorie snacks per day alongside 3 x 300-400 calorie healthy meals. On non-training days you should usually be consuming around 1200-1400 calories, depending on your BMR. On training days you can increase your calorie intake (yay!)

What is BMR?

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories required to keep your body functioning at rest i.e. the amount of calories you burn doing absolutely nothing! Anything that results in an increase to your metabolic rate will increase your BMR. This includes EXERCISE!

 

Click here for the BMR calculator:
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator

 

Once you know your ‘magic number’ then weight loss becomes a breeze – all you need to do is make sure you finish your day on a calorie deficit, based on your daily calorie needs, and the magic will happen for you!

The Bad Guys

• Processed foods such as ready meals, takeaways, processed meat (sorry guys, there’s no such thing as a ‘healthy’ takeaway!)
• High salt, hydrogenated fats and junk food (crisps, crackers, salted nuts etc.) all of these are full of salt, chemicals and other things which affect your appetite, immune system, bloating etc. – not a good look for a health conscious chick!
• Refined sugars such as sweets, chocolate, cake (kind of obvious that one!)
• Refined carbohydrates (bread, cereal, pasta, white rice). Although you do need carbohydrates with each meal to regulate your blood sugar levels, these can cause a blood sugar spike and unless they are wholegrain, do not contain many nutrients!
• Refined cooking oils- margarines, vegetable, corn, sunflower oil these are linked to heart and blood pressure problems and should be avoided at all costs!
• Fizzy drinks and concentrated fruit juices high in sugar and chemicals
• Alcohol (booooo!)

The Good Guys 

• Your meals should consist of the following - the more natural and unprocessed the better, organic if you can get it:
• Lean protein sources such as chicken/turkey/fish (especially oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna) as these contain the essential fatty acids. Organic grass fed red meat and free-range eggs are also a great source of protein. Beans and lentils are a great addition as they have a very small effect on blood sugar so can be added to meals, soups and salads to fill you up
• Carbohydrates from fresh fruit and vegetables such as blueberries, raspberries, kiwis, bananas, spinach, kale, peppers and squash. If you’re short on time then throw it all in a blender, add a scoop of protein powder and you’re good to go!
• Organic grains- brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato, rolled oats.
• Getting your healthy fats in from sources like nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds) as well as avocado which is a great source of vitamin E. Coconut oil is also a great fat to cook with as it can heat up to high temperatures.
• Although these are essential fats that are needed for normal functioning of the body, they do still contain a high caloric content, which is why you should just have a handful of nuts rather than the whole bag!

Stay Hydrated

You should also be drinking around 2-3 litres of water per day. Liquids - green tea, peppermint tea, protein shakes, almond milk, coconut milk, water, freshly squeezed juice.

Snack Attack

Some good snack ideas include:

• 1tsp of peanut butter/almond butter with sliced apple
• Hummus with vegetables - carrots/celery/peppers/cucumber
• Greek yoghurt with berries and honey
• Turkey/chicken breast
• Boiled egg
• Handful of nuts (almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts)
• Corn or rice cakes with avocado and smoked salmon.
• Fresh fruits (berries are great) but no more than 2 portions of fruit a day due to the sugar content

You can also check out the link below for more delicious and healthy recipes
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Lean-Minute-Meals-Workouts-Keep-You-Healthy/1509800662

Final Thoughts

Good luck and remember Celebrity Circuits is here for you! So if you have any questions relating to your nutrition or simply need a bit of diet support, Contact Us or head over to our Facebook page