Nuffield Summer Healthy Weight Programme

HWP – Week 5

~ lorz83 ~ Leave a comment

We’re five weeks into the HWP and all seems to be going well, with lbs dropping left, right and center.

Last week was a recap week, discussing the food topics covered over the previous 3 weeks. The group shared views on the course so far, how we’ve found things, what’s worked for us, what hasn’t, the changes we’ve made etc.  It’s good to get input from others, we shared information about products we’ve tried and tips on meals and meal prep.

The group catch up was then followed by the weekly exercise class – 30 minutes of Helen out us through our paces. All 7 of us started the session on the exercise bikes (good luck to anyone else who wanted a go, I think there was one or two bikes what didn’t have HWP peeps on them) Helen then set up 7 work stations for us to move around (she really knows how to have fun!?!) We each took our turn, getting hotter and more knackered after each one – What’s that saying, “No pain, no gain”

There’s no food club this week, however exercise class is still on – So I might have sore aching limbs Friday morning – Eek.

We have all now been booked in for a second nutrition talk with Kim and 1-2-1s have also been booked to go over out fitness plans – We’ll all be slim gym bunnies in no time.

L x

HWP – Week 4

~ lorz83 ~ Leave a comment

Week 4

Last week we discussed how sleep and stress can impact weight management.

Our daily lives are so fast paced these days with numerous factors that can cause us stress be it traffic (hands down this gets me riled up, I have terrible road rage!) work, family / friends, even health and weight can stress us out. When we are under stress our bodies undergo something called the ‘fight or flight’ response, whereby stress hormones are released.  Our response to this serge of hormones can often be to overeat, which in turn leads to increased body fat (which in my case then makes me depressed, which relates back to last week and emotional eating – Everything’s linked)

Cortisol, the stress hormone which makes us alert in the morning and sleepy at night can be disrupted by poor food and drink choices which can cause a topsy-turvy affect whereby we are sleepy in the morning and wired at night. Try avoiding stimulants such as sugar, caffeine, alcohol and nicotine to get some undisturbed Zzzzz.

Food class was followed with a 30 minute workout (Helen was back from her jollies and ready to make us all sweat!) Six of us stayed for the exercises this week, so in pairs (like Noah’s Arch) we worked our way through three different exercises.  I was paired with my new partner in crime, and like naughty school girls we giggled and chatted whilst completing the tasks (you need to have a laugh when you’re in the gym, it has to be fun)

Following on from our workout with Helen, Charlotte and I continued our gossip and exercise with a stint on the treadmill, cross trainer and lateral machine – Needless to say I was blimin’ knackered and had a very good night’s sleep – Yay.

Remember if you’re interested in taking part in the next HWP course or simply want some more information you can contact the team at Nuffield Newbury on 01635 569944.

L x

HWP – Week’s 2 & 3

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Week 2

The Healthy Weight Programme kicked off properly on the 21st April, where fellow group members and I met with Kim and Helen for the first food club and second gym class. Due to other commitments only half of us made the session, but for those of us who did attend promising results are already being seen (on the scales at least) with a total weight loss of 11kg between 5 of us – Pretty impressive wouldn’t you say.

The first food class looked at portion control. We discussed our eating habits and portion sizes, looked at why we might eat more than we need to and what we can do to reduce the amount of food we consume. I guess it would be easy to think that simply eating smaller food portions will help with weight loss, however this isn’t necessarily the case as you need to be eating the right foods in the correct ratio. So we will all be trying to follow the 50/25/25 rule going forward – 50% of plate is for Vegetables (above ground) 25% is Protein and the other 25% Grains.

Following on from the food class, Helen set us a core muscle 30 minute workout. Now I’m not entirely sure I have any core muscles (my neck seemed to ache more than my tummy) but I did, along with the other ladies manage to complete the tasks set. As if this 30 minute session wasn’t enough for my poor old body to take, three of us foolishly followed Helen down stairs for a Spin class (what I thought would be my first and last)

Week 3

Last Thursday, Week 3, we discussed emotional eating, which affects all of us. I tend to think that emotional eating relates to feeling down, stressed perhaps; but it can of course be the complete opposite (who doesn’t enjoy going out for a slap up meal to celebrate a birthday, or another ‘happy’ event). There’s a biscuit lover amongst the group and she said that boredom is a trigger for her, so boredom leads to Bourbons – ‘Boredbons’.

Kim gave us all a sample weekly meal plan for us to use for guidance. I know that I’m still struggling with breakfasts as I faff around so much in the morning getting ready (hard to believe but some work does have to go into this youthful face of mine before I leave the house). I have been blitzing up smoothies and adding protein powder as recommended by Kim, it has been turning my smoothies a weird shade of green (looks like something Slimer’s left behind – hmmm appetising!)

Helen was of on her hollibobs so Emma looked after us and put us through our paces for the workout. I foolishly said that the kettlebell we were using to squat with was light so Emma kindly got me (just me – I’m Special) a heavier weight to use.

There was no change for me at weigh-in this week, but I really wasn’t expecting there to be as I’d been out the Friday before and I ate and drank lots (massive oops) so to stay the same I was actually really pleased. Lets see what Week 4 has install for us all – Eek!

L x

HWP – Week 1

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Welcome to my first HWP post!

For those of you who are new to reading my blog – Welcome! At the end of last year I decided that 2016 is going to be the year I learn to love myself ‘Mission Love Me’ and to aid with said mission I have upped my dates with gym and suffer weekly torture (he assures me it will get easier) PT sessions with Phil.

So ‘Mission Love Me’ I guess has a few levels to it, however my starting point is to lose weight and tone up my jiggly belly, thighs and bingo wings in the hope that I’ll actually be able to look in the mirror and love the reflection I see and in turn love me.

About a month ago now whilst at Nuffield Newbury, I was approached by Helen and asked if I would like to take part in the Summer Healthy Weight Programme. A 12 week journey to a fitter healthier me – 12 weeks closer to perhaps completing my own mission, and so HWP has commenced.

The course officially started Thursday evening, however prior to this I had a meeting and consultation with Kim (the lovely also a little barmy Kiwi) nutritionist to discuss my goals and also my current eating habits. Part of the HWP is to work out what does and what doesn’t work for each individual. For me I know that one of my big downfalls is not having time for breakfast in the morning (make-up, hair straightening and outfit co-ordination takes up all my time) so Kim has suggested smoothies could be the answer for me (welcome Nutribullet stage right – my new best friend). We will also be working on balancing my blood sugar levels along with hormone balance.

As part of the programme we have a meeting with one of the Personal Trainers at the gym who again ask what our goals are and they devise a work out plan for us to follow with the aim of helping us achieve said goals. My session was with Steve. Now as I already have weekly PT sessions with Phil, Steve decided to put me through my paces with a cardio workout which consisted of a work out on a Wattbike and Lateral Trainer – Both pieces of equipment that I’ve used only a few times as quite frankly they look a little scary! This was ideal for me as when I visit the gym on my own I don’t tend to use the free weights or machines, I tend to stick with the exercise bikes or cross trainers. It can often be a little daunting going into the gym and using new equipment so these sessions with the PTs are really helpful and beneficial.

So Thursday evening, myself and 7 others attended the first of 12 ‘classes’. This was more of an introduction to the programme and a chance for us all to meet each other and share our goals and reasons for attending. It would seem that following on from our individual meetings with Kim that we all thought we ate relatively healthily, but according to Kim not as well as we all thought! Oops! Given that the programme is called “Healthy Weight Programme” it does somewhat go with out saying that we all want to shed a few pounds and become healthier, but like me I think many of the others are looking for a little more and they want to feel better about themselves overall, the whole package.

If you think about it food and what we eat (and drink) makes us what we are. What we put in comes out and in many different forms. We need food to fuel us, to give us both mental and physical energy. It also affects how we look, in both our cosmetic appearance and our physique. And at the end of the day its our life line. Eat well and we’ll live well, eat badly and that life line shortens.

Over the course of 12 weeks Kim will be covering topics such as portion control, emotional eating and exploring weight loss myths. Helen (she may look innocent and sweet, but don’t be fooled) will be putting us through our paces with 30 minute workout gym classes – These started Thursday evening – Ouch!

Warm-up consisted of 3 of us on the rowers and the others on the bikes for 5 minutes. This was then followed by a circuit of 7 exercises including Kettlebell Russian Twists, Medicine Ball Slams and Sit Jump Squats! First round we did 30 secs before moving onto the next exercise, this was followed by a short break (which I extended slightly as all the jumping around left me needing a wee); Second round was for 45 seconds with another minute or so break before finally round three we had to do each task for a whole minute! Now when you say a minute or even 30 seconds it seems like no time at all, but I’m telling you in the gym these short measures of time seem to last a life time. By the end of it I was very red faced and a bit of a sweaty betty, but I was feeling good (if not a little dead).

My experience so far has been great, Helen and Kim are fab, very relaxed with the aim of helping us all achieve our goals (they have 100% success rate so far – No pressure) and I’ve made a new friend who like me doesn’t really like using the weights on her own so we plan to workout together every now and then, after all Team Work = Dream Work.

Week 1 – Complete!

Please follow my progression over the next 11 weeks and if you’re interested in taking part in the next programme get in touch with the either Helen (helen.moisley@nuffieldhealth.com) or Kim (kim.chandler@nuffieldhealth.com) who will be happy to speak with you.

L x