Women are constantly bombarded (in the press, advertisement, films and television) with images of the perfect body. The enormous pressure built up on them leads many women to go on diets to help themlose weight. Some women have developed a very unsettled relationship with food, followed by complains of chronic constipation, lack of energy or food intolerance. one thing common to all eating disorders is the love-hate relationship with food.

Try working out through following exercise to understand how your body works with food, so as to turn eating into a positive experience:-

1. Understand the nutrients your body needs:

Try to understand your nutritional needs with regards to calories, fat, protein, vitamins,minerals andwater to develop a healthy metabolism and gain energy to carry out your normal daily activities.

The body puts on excess fat only when it takes in calories it does not need. As a member, you will gain knowledge of your individual nutritional needs, so as to manage your body in a healthy manner. Here you will understand that food has far more uses than simply the negative one of “making you fat”. It is important to try to get your body to a stage where it is a little stronger, without feeling that your weight will carry on going up and up.

The nutrition content of WF fitness program deals with all essential nutrients individually along with their sources and daily requirements to help you make healthy choices of food.

2. Calculate your ideal body weight:

Use your body mass index to calculate your ideal body weight. BMI of 19-25 is considered healthy. Below 18 is considered underweight. You can check your target weight at: www.womenfitness.net/freetools.htm

3. Understand that body’s fluid levels change everyday, several times a day:

Try to get out of the habit of excessive weighing, once a week should be the maximum. This might not seem easy when you have been used to obsessive weighing, so throw the scales out, or give them to a friend or put them in a hidden place. Whenever you are tempted to weigh yourself adopt distractive therapies like, a walk etc.

4. Make a list of pastimes that make you feel good:

Write down your favorites pieces of music or books that you seem to associate with happy times. you can also list down name of friends and relatives who can offer you support in time of need. Keep your lists in prominent place so that you can take immediate action when you are feeling vulnerable.

Gentle exercise can help you feel good about your body, but punishing your body with 2 hrs. exercise is not what you need.

5. Make a food list:

Try dividing foods into four groups:

1. Foods are those that you feel safe eating-include fruits and vegetables, apart from bananas, pineapple, avocados, along with yoghurt, canned diet drinks, black coffee. Occasionally try pasta, rice, potatoes and white bread.

2. Carbohydrates foods. Other foods might include cottage or low fat cheese, fish, meat, chicken andbreakfast cereals.

3. Food consisting of  fat and sugar such as crisps, pastries, cakes, biscuits, butter, oil, cheese, sauces and full-calorie canned drinks.

4. These foods are those that you don’t like. These are genuine dislikes rather than any psychological fear of eating.

Try WF healthy recipes from: A list of choices various foods.

6. Try to reawaken the taste, temperature and sensation in your mouth:

Many anorexics and bulimics, don’t taste or feel food in their mouth. They see food as enemy and something that has to be swallowed quickly. Try to acknowledge food within your mouth, enjoy its smell and taste as you chew and swallow it down. This will help you to identify the signals of satiety and fullness, leaving you less guilty.

The ultimate goal of this exercise is to stop the guilt/panic attacks that accompany eating, not to make you take in calories. Concentrate and respect everything that goes into your mouth to feel positive about food.

7. Avoid keeping your binge foods at home:

Keeping the binge foods locked in a cupboard will make it easier for you to avoid the temptation to binge. If you have a list of binge foods (the classic ones being bread, biscuits, cookies, cake, chocolate, ice cream) try to replace them with more nutritious foods which will provide your body with essential vitamins and minerals e.g. fruits, salad etc.

8. Try to drink no more than two litres of water a day:

There is no doubt that water is essential for healthy and normal functioning of various body function. But filling up empty stomach with water is not advocated. Take small sips of water throughout the day.

Also do limit your tea and coffee intake throughout the day. Tea and coffee bind vitamins and minerals in your gut and prevent your body from using them effectively. Being diuretic, they also make your body excrete nutrients in the urine. Initially you might face withdrawal symptoms like headaches, but this will pass out with time.

9. Stop Using Laxatives and diuretics:

Continued use of laxatives and diuretics can lead to abnormal amount of fluid loss. The temporary loss on the scales can prove damaging to your health. A healthy diet based on cereals, fruits and vegetables will help you to achieve and maintain a healthy state. Refer to the food guide pyramid to base your everyday diet on a healthy foundation.

10. Try to build a structure into your diet pattern:

Try to follow a meal pattern of at least 3-5 meals a day at the same time everyday, this will give you a sense of being in control. Whatever pattern you choose, adopt one that you will stick to, so that some normality can start filtering into your life.

You can even start by breaking up the day into 3 units for e.g., morning, afternoon and evening. At the end of each unit, analyze yourself and goals achieved. Give yourself positive feedback, you can even write it down in your personal diary.

If you are able to achieve your goals in all the three units, reward yourself with something other than food e.g.. massage or a facial. Remember the more positive attention you give yourself, the more likely will you be able to accept your body for what it is and not struggle for an unachievable image.

The transition from an unhealthy lifestyle towards a healthy one might not seem easy or come overnight. By modifying your eating habits you might be amazed as to how good it feels to release yourself from the eating disorder “jail”.

Women Fitness is here to walk every step with you towards a healthy and enjoyable eating of food.

• Focus on whole, plant-based foods. Diets such as the Mediterranean diet that emphasize fruits and vegetables, seafood, and healthy fats can help control your weight and reduce your risk for certain diseases. Carotenoid-rich fruits and veggies, such as tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, melons, and peppers, may even reduce your risk for breast cancer. Add leafy green vegetables and a variety of whole grains, beans, and other legumes to give you filling fiber and keep you going throughout the day. Try to find organic, minimally processed, or locally grown foods whenever possible and make these foods the mainstay of your diet.
• Bone up on calcium. Women are at a greater risk than men of developing osteoporosis, so it’s important to get plenty of calcium to support your bone health. Dairy products are high in calcium and recent evidence suggests that consuming whole-fat dairy can also have beneficial effects on weight control. Consider plant-based sources of calcium like beans, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, and collard greens as well.
• Make sure you get enough iron. Many women don’t get enough iron in their diet. On top of that, women lose a lot of this important mineral during menstruation. Boost your intake by eating iron-rich foods such as red meat, dark poultry, lentils, spinach, almonds, and iron-fortified cereals.
• Cut back on alcohol and caffeine. Women who have more than two alcoholic drinks a day are at higher risk of osteoporosis and postmenopausal breast cancer. Caffeine consumption interferes with hormone levels and also increases the loss of calcium. Both alcohol and caffeine can also worsen PMS and menopause symptoms and adversely affect fertility. Try to limit alcohol consumption to one glass a day and caffeine to one cup a day.
• Cut down on sugar. Sugars that are not found naturally in foods contribute zero nutrients but lots of calories to your diet. Naturally occurring sugars are found in products containing milk (lactose) and fruit (fructose), while added sugars can be found in the most unexpected foods, often hidden in the ingredients list as agave nectar, cane crystals, corn sweetener, crystalline fructose, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, high-fructose corn syrup, invert sugar, maltose, malt syrup, and more.

Eat well, but spend less, with our penny pinching tips

If you want to fatten your purse while you whittle your waistline, you need to get creative. Healthy food doesn’t have to mean pricey food. You simply need to employ three key skills: top-notch organisation; super-shrewd shopping and culinary creativity. Check out our great diet-optimising tips to save time and money. Ker-ching!

1. Plan ahead

At the end of each week, scribble down a healthy-eating plan for the week ahead. Figuring out which meals you’re going to make during the week will save you time and won’t stretch your purse strings. ‘Only buy food that can go well with what you already have in your fridge so you are not wasting anything,’ advises Nature’s Plus nutritionist Michela Vagnin (naturesplus.com). ‘Make a weekly menu plan and buy only what you need to prepare it,’ she adds.

2. Cook in bulk

Once you’ve stocked up on key ingredients, make bigger portions for dinner that will cover you for two meals and then take any leftovers to work. When you have extra time on weekends make up batches of your favourite soups, stews and stir-fries. Then divide them into individual portions and freeze until they’re needed. 

3. Go meat-free

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine revealed that vegetarians have lower blood pressure than meat eaters. Further research shows, on the whole, those following a plant-based diet have a lower risk of diseases like cancer and type 2 diabetes. Remember, meat doesn’t have to be the centrepiece. You can bulk up dishes with quinoa or eggs, beans or lentils and they’ll still pack a protein punch. ‘High-fibre food like legumes are good for constipation and weight loss. They’re also nutrient dense, so great for your skin and immune system,’ says Michela. 

4. Be restaurant savvy 

When you’re watching your wallet, dining out is usually a big no-no. But if you’re clever about it, you can still enjoy the luxury of eating out. Skip starters and order a vegetarian meal instead of a meat-based dish, as these usually tend to be cheaper (and often healthier). ‘Also remember that alcohol in restaurants is quite expensive, so stick to water or choose restaurants where you can bring your own (BYO),’ suggests Michela. ‘If you feel like a drink, maybe have an aperitif at home with friends before heading off to the restaurant. Alcohol-free nights will make a big difference to your weekly budget and will also be a good detox,’ she adds. 

5. Eat in season

Sick of splashing out £4 on a punnet of blueberries? If you don’t want to miss out on getting your five-a-day, simply eat fruit and veg in season when it’s cheaper. And if you don’t want to forgo organic food, head to your local farmers’ market at the end of the day to get the best prices on organic produce. Alternatively, you could sign up to an organic veg box scheme where you can order weekly groceries online – pick the cheapest box of the week and you’ll get fresh fruit and veg delivered straight to your doorstep. ‘Cauliflower, celeriac, leeks, parsnips and swede are all in season now. These can all be made into stews or toasted in the oven with herbs or spices to give them an extra kick,’ recommends Michela. 

6. Be inspired

Love browsing the shelves of your local health store, but hate the knock-on effect it has on your bank balance? Make your own versions of foods like smoothies, houmous, granola and ‘fruit and nut’ bars and you’ll save money (and calories) in the long run. ‘Remember, cooking your own food is usually cheaper than buying pre-made pre-packed food,’ says Michela. 

7. Don’t always look at best-before dates

British households end up throwing away a whopping 7 million tonnes of food every year. And, while nobody wants to eat food that’s gone off, best-before dates aren’t always the best indicator of whether food is still safe to eat. There’s a big difference between best-before dates and use-by dates. ‘Best-by dates refer to foods that are best before that date – after that date they might not be as fresh, but will still be edible – whereas use-by dates refer to foods that expire before a specific date. Always choose food with longer expiry dates, especially for weekly shopping,’ advises Michela. 

8. Outsmart your supermarket

Supermarkets are designed to squeeze as much money out of you as they can, so you have to shop smart in order to sidestep the overspending traps. First up, don’t feel the need to fill up your trolley; if you’re not doing a weekly shop, pick up a basket instead. You won’t want to carry a heavy basket!  ‘And buy loose fruit and veg rather than pre-packed, as this will save you the packaging money,’ adds Michela. 

9. Take a multivitamin

A balanced diet is a good place to start if you want to improve your health, but if you really want to give your body a boost, taking a daily multivitamin can be a helpful aid. ‘When you buy supplements, buy them in larger sizes. Although you have to shell out more cash initially, they’ll last you longer and you’ll save more money overall,’ says Michela. 

10. Use your freezer

Fed up of having to toss away veggies week after week? Use your freezer’s ice cube trays to freeze fresh vegetables. Purée greens like spinach and broccoli, spoon into the trays, and then use them whenever you want to make a homemade smoothie or juice. You’ll find it’s much cheaper (and healthier) than buying shop-bought versions. 

If scanning the yoga timetable leaves you lost and confused, don’t panic. Just check out our simple guide to yoga styles old and new

From Ashtanga to Bikram – and beyond – the variety of yoga styles on offer in gyms and studios across the country is amazing. ‘It’s awesome that there are so many different types of yoga,’ says yoga instructor and key leader at Lululemon Katy Bateman (redpandayoga.com). ‘There’s a style for everyone!’ So how do you work out which class ticks your fitness boxes? ‘We all demand, want and need different things for our bodies. Whether you want to flow, sweat, invert, rejuvenate, recover or relax, there’s a practice out there for you,’ says Katy. ‘But our bodies (and minds) don’t necessarily need the same type of practice all the time – sometimes you want to stretch and strengthen, sometimes you just want to chill – there’s a whole menu of yoga out there to feed our bodies with what we need.’ So, whatever you fancy, check out the WF guide to some of the most popular yoga styles out there – plus some of the very latest classes to hit the mat – to find the perfect class for your mood!

Iyengar

Overview: Developed by BKS Iyengar, this is a technique-focused style of yoga. It concentrates on getting the correct alignment, and yoga blocks and straps are often used to assist with this.
Benefits: You’ll really nail every pose. And it’s perfect for injury rehab as it’s slower paced, but technically focused.
Expert tip: ‘The use of props (blankets, bolsters, belts, bricks) help to move students deeper into poses, and has influenced many schools of yoga,’ explains Katy. ‘It’s great for newbies.'

Bikram

Overview: Developed by Bikram Choudhury around 40 years ago, Bikram yoga classes are a sweaty affair.
They are held in heated rooms (around 40°C) to aid detoxing and help muscles lengthen, and follow a set sequence of poses. It doesn’t move quickly in the same way that a flow class does, as poses are held for longer. Bikram is very popular and classes are held nationwide.
Benefits: The heat is said to help the body detox and can help to boost your flexibility.
Expert tip: ‘The heat is used to aid sweating, detoxing, sweating, strengthening, sweating and… Did I mention sweating?! Suitable for all levels, but remember to drink lots of water the day before your class – and after the class!’ says Katy.

Ashtanga

Overview: Ashtanga is a lively style of yoga that follows a set sequence of postures. It’s flowing in nature and is a physically challenging style of yoga.
Benefits: The sequence is always the same so you’ll master it after a few sessions and be able to relax into the class.
Expert tip: ‘This demanding practice is not for the faint-hearted and will see you sweat,’ says Katy. ‘I’d recommend beginners take a few slower-paced Hatha classes before embarking on an Ashtanga session, to get used to the postures.’

Anusara

Overview: This style is all about reaping the mental and spiritual benefits of yoga.
The idea is that the physical practice can help to let your inner goodness shine through.
Benefits: It’s a great way to clear your head and refocus on the things that are important to you. Perfect if you’ve got a lot on your mind.
Expert tip: ‘This practice encourages you to move from the heart, focusing on how you feel in a pose, and helping you move your body into its optimum alignment, which can be very therapeutic,’ says Katy. ‘It’s great for all levels, and creates a great foundation for a solid yoga practice.’

Hatha

Overview: Hatha yoga covers any type of yoga that teaches physical poses, but these classes tend to be quite slow-paced and gentle. Classes advertised as Hatha usually provide a good grounding in the basics of yoga.
Benefits: You’ll feel more relaxed and give your body a good stretch out, without the intensity of some of the other classes.
Expert tip: ‘If a class is labelled “Hatha” it will probably be a bit slower, focusing on the alignment of your body and playing with some classic sun salutations,’ Katy says. ‘It’s perfect for all levels – beginners, intermediate and advanced all benefit.’

Vinyasa

Overview: This is a very fluid practice, which enables you to get your heart rate up. It’s a very similar style to Ashtanga, but doesn’t follow the set sequence of Ashtanga, so every class will vary.
Benefits: You’ll never get bored, as each class is different from the next.
Expert tip: ‘It’s a dynamic style, but suitable for all levels. As with many styles of yoga, teachers often give variations on poses for different levels as you move through the sequences,’ Katy explains.

Don’t let your fitness goals fall by the wayside this Christmas. There's always time for a quick workout - no matter the season.

Every year the holiday season sneaks up on us and before we can get a handle on the chaos, fitness has dropped way down the priority list. It can be tempting to postpone any workout plans until further notice.

Staying fit throughout the holidays not only helps to keep you in shape, but exercising will make you more productive and give you an energy boost. Here are 8 fast workout ideas for even the busiest schedule.

Fast classes

Health clubs and gyms know what we’re going through balancing a million things at once and barely having time for a lunch break some days. That’s why Virgin Active (virginactive.co.uk) runs fast classes: group exercises classes that last no longer than half an hour while promising to give you a workout that feels way longer. Check out twentyfour – a fat-burning session that gets you twisting, pushing and pulling in every direction while boosting metabolism and raising the heart rate.

Late-night affair

There’s nothing worse than rushing to the gym for a quick in-and-out session and being faced with a crowded gym floor, shower queue or sparse equipment. This kind of session involves weaving through people, wasting time trying to find a decent spot and waiting around for the dumbbells you want or the squat rack to free up. So, if your schedule allows for it, choose the absolute least busiest times, like late at night. You’ll get your pick of the kit, shower cubicle and mat space. No dilly-dallying. No fuss. No wasted time.

Cardio, meet strength

For the next few weeks, forget about separating cardio and strength days. Spin Mondays, leg Wednesdays and circuit Fridays can wait – over the party season there’s no reason why you can’t get your cardio and strength fix in one swift session. Creating a cardio workout using resistance exercises with little rest between sets means you’ll tick both boxes, so get moving with box jumps, mountain climbers and jumping lunges for now. Check out our tips in our ‘Make cardio your strength’ box.

More, but less

However many times you usually exercise, cut it. Switch from five to three sessions a week without sacrificing any of the effects by taking it up a couple gears when you are working out. Thinking quality over quantity could save you precious hours, and is as easy as modifying your moves. Turn squats into squat jumps, press-ups into press-up renegade rows and runs into sprint sessions. Cut rest periods, opt for supersets and incorporate warm-ups into sets, too.

Make your commute count

Currently taking the bus, train or car to work? Get yourself a decent backpack, a good pair of trainers and run or cycle instead. Not only will you be getting your workout done and dusted before you even start the day, but you’ll also be unleashing that eco warrior within. The environment, as well as your schedule, will thank you for it.

Keep it in the bedroom

No, not that! We’re talking, wake up, work out, get ready and go. Sounds too easy, doesn’t it? Well, why shouldn’t it be? There are plenty of ways to work out at home and if you complete a quick and intense bodyweight workout in your bedroom before you even take your morning shower, you’ll barely notice the dent in your day. Burpees by the bed, anyone?

Social affair

Around Christmas time, when everyone’s struggling to keep up with their schedule, for some reason we all think it’s a great idea to make loads of social plans, too. Not just with our best mates and families but with old friends for reunions. It doesn’t make sense, but we’re all guilty of it. So why not make your social events exercise-related? You could all go for run together, try a new class (great for a talking point afterwards, too) or hit the gym. Double whammy or what?

Make life harder

Yep, you read that right. Do exactly what you normally do every day but make it more difficult. The lift should become a stranger, while the stairs an acquaintance, shopping trolleys should be abandoned for your new best friend, the basket, and don’t you even think about driving a walkable distance. All of these switch-ups will get you burning calories while barely affecting your time.

Recover on-the-go

Refuelling and replenishing your muscles after a tough workout is essential. Not only does muscle growth encourage a boosted metabolic rate and in turn fat burn, but you also need your hard-working muscles to repair in time for your next session. Getting post-workout nutrition isn’t rocket science, but making it quick and convenient can be tricky. 

Make cardio your strength

Fat loss expert Dave Fletcher (theodysseyway.co.uk) explains how to make your cardio and strength workouts a match made in heaven.

1. Try a circuit of low-rep exercises with little rest to keep the heart rate up. This is the best way to maximise fat burn within a single workout.

2. Perform big, compound movements like squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses and press-ups. Now is not the time for bicep curls.

3. Do heavy reps to stimulate your fat-twitch muscle fibres, which will help to boost metabolism.

Want to make your workouts easier and get more out of every session? Follow these top tips and tricks to boost your results

When you first started working out, you were probably up to your eyeballs in exercise rules: engage the core, don’t strain your neck, don’t let the knees go past the toes and so on. 

Newcomers to exercise tend to make the extra effort to stay on the straight and narrow when it comes to following these guidelines, but those who are incredibly well-versed in working out often forget these all-important rules – and sometimes going back to basics is just what you need to make your workout as efficient as possible. Here are the 10 commandments of training and why you should never (ever!) forget them.

1 Don’t lock out

Keeping your elbows and knees slightly soft, even during full extension, is in your interest not only in terms of joint health, but also in making your workout more effective. ‘Not locking out when lifting weights will prevent joint deterioration and reduce your chances of joint-related niggles and injuries,’ explains personal trainer Dave Fletcher (theodysseyway.co.uk). Keeping your joints soft also calls for muscle recruitment throughout the entire move, as it doesn’t allow them to catch a break at the top of the motion. More work equals better results, right?

2 Eat wise

You don’t need us to tell you not to eat heavy meals too close to a workout – you’ll soon feel it if you do. The reason you might feel a little worse for wear when taking on a gruelling session after a big eat is because, when you exercise, the blood flow is directed to the muscles that are working. This means there’s limited flow to the digestive system – something’s got to give.

3 Give yourself a lift

Squats are a big deal now – it’s a fact. While serious lifters have seen the squat as the holy grail of exercise for years, initiatives like the squat challenge have really popularised the move. But a lot of people struggle to perfect the technique and are, as a result, missing out on maximum results. ‘For most people, squatting with your heels raised will dramatically improve your range of motion,’ Dave explains. ‘If you have tight calves, you tend to lean forwards during a squat and unnecessarily load the lower back, so by raising the heels (on a plank or weight discs, for example) you allow a greater activation of the glutes, quads and hamstrings (bottom and thigh muscles), increasing the effectiveness of the move while reducing the risk of strain to the lower back.’

4 Practise your turn-out

We’re not talking ballerina-worthy turn-out, but pointing your toes out just slightly while performing resistance exercises gives you an extra bit of stability that could make all the difference. Keeping your toes pointing forwards might seem like the safest option, but, according to Dave, the stance can feel unbalanced and unnatural since the hips tend
to rotate outwards a little.

5 Have a break

The jury always seems to be out on rest days, with different people recommending different things. Should you skip the gym if you feel rubbish, or just power through like a trooper? And how many rest days should you have per week? Either way, one thing’s for sure: you do need rest days, especially between strength sessions or sessions that target the same muscles again. You’re seriously compromising your safety by overdoing it. Even if you feel okay, your muscles will still be recovering, and won’t be able to perform to the maximum until they’ve been rebuilt.

6 Perfect your posture

It’s not as simple as standing up straight when performing your exercises, although this is pretty important, too. Having good body alignment can boost your progress by helping you perform exercises with better form, so working on your postural alignment outside of the gym is crucial. ‘Make sure you put the time in away from your workouts, too, by stretching, foam rolling and stopping yourself from slouching when you sit down,’ advises Dave.

7 Engage your core

This is probably one of the first rules you learn when you start exercising. Engaging the core almost goes without saying these days, right? But it really is at the centre of everything and ensures your upper and lower body work in synergy, taking the strain away from the lower back and enabling you to lift heavier weights. And you know what that means? Better results.

8 Refuel post-workout

Eating healthily in general is pretty important, but for those who go hard at it in the gym, you need to pay extra attention to mealtimes, too. You’ve probably seen those hardcore gym-goers glugging their protein shakes before they’ve even left the changing rooms, and here’s why: after a workout, the muscles are primed to absorb protein, so you want to take advantage of this. We’re not saying everyone should be on the shakes, but make sure you go for a protein-heavy meal like chicken or fish after you’ve exercised.

9 Prepare and recover properly

Let’s be honest, we can all be a little guilty of skipping warm-ups and cool-downs, even though we know we shouldn’t. And while we know stretching after exercise helps to reduce injury and aches, did you know that warming up efficiently before a workout actually makes the workout easier. How? Stretching dynamically pre-workout, in similar movement patterns to those you’re about to perform, means your muscles will be more elastic and the blood will already be flowing. ‘Stick to dynamic stretches before a workout and static ones after,’ Dave adds.

10 Stay hydrated

Drinking enough water is important, regardless of how often you exercise – the body is primarily made up of fluid, after all. If you start to feel thirsty at any point, then you’re actually already dehydrated. And, while rehydrating is easy enough, taking preventative measures
by ensuring you never reach the point of thirst is even better. Even minor dehydration can affect your endurance and blood flow. The rule? The more you tend to sweat, the more you should drink throughout the day. So keep a bottle of water on you at all times.