When did being overweight become the norm!?

Hope you have all had a good bank holiday and enjoyed the gorgeous weather!

Mine was pretty chilled catching up with friends and relaxing. On Monday I visited Ilkley Lido (outdoor swimming pool). I have never been before and the lovely weather meant it was very busy.

I went with my friend and her niece, we pitched up with our towels and bikinis and relaxed on the grassed area and went in the pool a couple of times...... it was bloody freezing - it was a jump in kinda of cold,  the unbearable feeling of the cold water hitting your waist was too much to handle lol.

My friend and I were very surprised that we were actually in the minority - I am not talking men v women, or people over a certain age, or people of a certain culture, we were in a very tiny handful of people who were thin, shockingly this included children too!

Now I know as a nation obesity is on the increase and the stats are pretty scary, however, when I saw it in person it was pretty shocking! We were a minority in what was a very busy, highly populated place.



For me being physically active & eating healthy is something I have done growing up so it is the norm to me. The health benefits and looking half decent when I get in my bikini is a by product of all the hard work and consistency which I put in.

I could write down a list of benefits of being physically active and eating healthy, however, I think the experience is so much better than reading about it! So if you do one activity today, make it click of the button on one of the links below!

Click here to start making the minority the majority

Click here to make a majority of difference to your diet

Andrea (glad to be in the minority) Springthorpe

07949 959 547
info@fit4force.co.uk
www.fit4force.co.uk

 

The right kind of 'twin set'

Well this weeks blog is less holiday orientated and more 'back to reality'!

I was in Morrisons earlier today and saw a lady wearing a 'twin set'......it brought a smile to my face as I can remember buying one for my first office job, many years ago. I didn't know that they were still in fashion! For those who do not know what a twin set is, it is a matching cardigan and knitted top, the duo was made chic when Hollywood stars such as Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly were spotted wearing them, they are obviously now a timeless classic!

Over the years I have probably had some major fashion disasters, however, one latest fashion trend which I can't seem to get my head round is sliders and socks!!!! I mean you never let your Dad out of the house in sandals and socks so why is it now acceptable!!? Not sure if it is an age thing or just that fact I have taste lol.



When it comes to health and fitness for me there is one 'twin set' principle that should always be followed.....and no it is not heading to the gym in your sliders and socks, instead it is diet and exercise. For me these should always go hand in hand when it comes to making a change to your lifestyle, your health and your body!

Now one on its own will give you some results/benefits however, to make maximum change then you should embark on the fitness 'twin set'. Yes you can lose weight with diet alone, however, do you want to lose weight or burn fat? Do you want to be skinny or be slim with shape? Same goes for exercise, you will see some changes, however, if you fuel your training properly and eat healthy as well as train then you get the best results, feel more energised and look great.

So if you want the right kind of 'twin set' click one of the links below......

Click here for 20% of the fitness 'twin set'

Click here for 80% of the fitness 'twin set'

Andrea (no sliders and socks on my watch) Springthorpe

07949 959 547
info@fit4force.co.uk
www.fit4force.co.uk

Sun, Sea & Squats

Hola!

This time last week I was laid on a sun lounger reading my book in 30+ degree heat.......roll on a week, I am sat at home debating whether or not to put the light on as it is grey, miserable and raining boooo!

Amazing how much different your life can be from one week to the next! I know which option I would prefer right now - even if I was a little sweaty!

Last week I was on my annual trip to Spain with my fab friend Sarah. We have been out to her apartment for the last five years and I have to say it is always such a laugh and often eventful! We both say how we are the perfect holiday buddies - we sunbathe, sleep, read and not say much during the day (unless it is time for a calippo or to mention when we have noticed a nice looking guy lol), then on an evening we like to go out for a meal and few drinks, our 'one more drink' often turn into quite a few more but hey that's what going on holiday is about!

For the first couple of years I used to take my trainers and go for a run whilst Sarah hit the golf course, I soon came to realise that it was far too hot to run over there and also I train so much the rest of the time, I now use my holidays as a time to have a complete rest and let my body recover.

However, I did find the energy for a random press-up and squat challenge - which after a couple of sambuca shots is not the easiest ;)



I am probably one of the worst culprits of keeping going even when my body is showing signs that it needs a rest. If you start to get niggles, feel tired or run down more often than usual then its is normally an indicator that you need a break. There is no harm in taking a week off exercise, regardless if you are going away on holiday or staying at home. You normally come back more energised and stronger.

Before I went away I started feeling really tired, everything ached, old niggles I had when I ran started flaring up and I just felt mentally exhausted. It is amazing what a week in the sun, switching off and catching up on sleep does for you. I know I promote exercise, however, if you are someone who exercises on a regular basis then you need to pencil in some rest time too. Ideally you should have one full rest day a week and every so often have a full week off. You don't see professional athletes hammering their bodies 52 weeks of the year, so those who do it for fitness and work full time shouldn't either.

So if you have any of the signs which I mentioned above, take a break!

If you want to start something new, then click on one of the links below.

Click here to be able to challenge someone to squats ;)

Click here to eat for energy

Andrea (love a random squat challenge) Springthorpe

07949 959 547
info@fit4force.co.uk
www.fit4force.co.uk