Staying Fit All Year, Every Year

Learning to love your body is key, as Carly Yue reveals... [caption id="attachment_984" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Carly's Clients at the Girls Who Lift Workshop[/caption] [caption id="attachment_982" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Carly's Clients at the Girls Who Lift Workshop[/caption] [caption id="attachment_983" align="aligncenter" width="600"] One of Carly's Clients[/caption] Often I am asked by clients, potential clients and even strangers “how do you stay so lean? How does your weight not fluctuate as the years pass? How did you not start packing on the pounds after you turned thirty? How do you do this and how can I do this too?” When I was in my twenties I used to hear horror stories about what happens to your body and your metabolism after you turn thirty. I'd hear things like “After you turn thirty, it’s all over! Your metabolism starts to slow down, you can’t eat the things you used to eat, and after you turn thirty-five – forget it!  You won’t have the abs you once had when you were in your twenties. There’s no stopping the ageing process and your slowing metabolism!”. I hear women talk about how they used to look when they were younger and how it's just not possible to look good now. Women blame celebratory times like Christmas for their fitness shortcomings and expanding waistlines. How many times have you said "there are just so many parties to go to. I'll start the diet in January"? The fact is that you do not give up and just roll down the hill with your turkey wings after you hit thirty, get married and have children. You should not use special times like the festive period to throw in the towel. Instead, you should love yourself, your body, your health – and learn how (if you do not already) to follow a sustainable fitness and nutrition routine that becomes your lifestyle and part of who you are. This is not to say that you never enjoy a good meal and a glass of wine, it is almost Christmas after all! Instead, you enjoy it, savour it, have zero guilt and then get back on track the following day. The ‘secret’ to this is so simple, yet it is so difficult for many people to believe. You simply just need to eat MORE of the right things and add weight training in to your fitness regime, along with ditching the guilt when it comes to eating foods that are traditionally considered 'naughty'. Many people struggle to eat clean because it takes time, preparation and can be tricky to maintain – so here are my top tips to eat well when eating out over the festive period... When you’re trying to eat “clean”, opt for foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Going to restaurants can be a bit of a minefield, but despite it being easier to see what ingredients go into your food when you’re making it yourself – sometimes a girl just wants to go out to eat, especially around this time of year! Look for buzzwords.  “Organic,” “locally sourced,” “grass-fed,” “antibiotic/hormone-free” and “sustainably raised” are, yes, terms that are a bit trendy – but they can also serve as indicators that the restaurant is concerned and conscientious about their food and ingredients. Is the restaurant transparent?  Specifically, is it up front about who its vendors, farmers, and purveyors are? Does it explain where the produce comes from, or what the origin of its meat might be? If so, thumbs-up. Check out the veggie ratio.  Are there veggie options on the menu, or will the bulk of your meal just be meat, bread, rice and/or pasta? Clean eating means plenty of vegetables, lean meat, fish, healthy fats and carbs. Look for multiple menus. Just because a restaurant offers a gluten-free or vegan menu doesn’t automatically mean it’s clean, but it does often mean that it would be more accommodating to your specific dietary requests. Know your chains. Across the board, more national restaurants are incorporating clean options into their repertoire. Nandos and Pret a Manger are two of my favourites! Always get some veggie sides… If you’re in a clean-eating zone and find yourself with an unhealthy dish, adding a side of greens to your meal will give you a little nutrient boost. …but ask about cooking oils. Veggies are excellent, so long as they’re not drenched in low-quality, high-fat vegetable oils. Instead, ask for them to be sautéed in olive oil – which most restaurants should be able to do. "Wine taste" your food.  Meaning? Take your time! Thoroughly chew your food and appreciate the flavours, it will make your meal taste far better. You don’t need to count your chews before swallowing, that’s just silly, but really tasting your food will help you slow down, enjoy your company more and feel fuller quicker. Be inquisitive. Ask to see your steak's credentials! Just kidding. But you should use your waiter or waitress as a resource. You may feel awkward, but restaurants that employ clean eating practices are usually pretty keen to talk about it. If you have a question about where something is sourced from or if it can be prepared a certain way… ask! You're the one paying the bill and after all, it’s YOUR body. Finally, it's a complete myth that lifting weights will make women’s bodies big and bulky! Lifting weights will make women’s bodies strong, fit and beautiful. Not only that, but it will also increase a woman’s lean body mass (muscle) to fat ratio, thereby increasing metabolism, and thereby making a woman’s body leaner, more muscular, and giving it shape. In other words, you'll look and feel even more gorgeous under the mistletoe this year! [caption id="attachment_641" align="aligncenter" width="150"] Guest post by PT & Media Fitness Expert Carly Yue.[/caption]