Now, it is not only overweight that need to diet, but, latest research shows that it could be as much as half of the “normal weight” people that are obese as lack of exercise, unhealthy dieting and other factors, such as smoking, stress and salt rich diet, are storing dangerously high amount of fat around their main organs!

So, you could be slim, but actually dangerously thin-obese. With overweight-obese (nearing 60% of the population) and thin-obese (50% of the remaining 40% of population) combined, this would probably put over 80% of entire UK population with body fat problem, which is the main problem, not weight itself. Solution is simple when you know your body and how it operates, but, I have very little hope we will see things improving even in the distant future. Day in and out I meet people with no interest or true commitment to change their lifestyle as it is exactly that what is needed – complete change in lifestyle and long term commitment to lead a healthy lifestyle, not a quick fix fad diets… You may say that it is the lack of knowledge and knowing the consequences, but I am not sure that even this is enough of a motivator for many. Almost like a “it does not happen to me” syndrome. Oh, yes, it does! Illness has a very clear culprit…

With the problem reaching epidemic proportions, and just getting worse by the look of it, is this the crisis of human basic survival instict? Animals do anything to adopt and fight in order to survive and save their species, whilst majority of people seem to know (or want to know) so little about their bodies and do not even acknowledge (or care enough in some cases) that their lives (or lives of their children) are in danger.

Patients visiting their family doctor may soon be able to see at a glance how altering their lifestyle could prolong their lives. Dr Chris Martin, who combines being a GP in Laindon, Essex, with research, has created a computer program that predicts how long an individual can expect to live based on simple data such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, smoking habits, age and past medical history. The output is in the form of a graph that shows how many more years could be achieved by change. The good thing is this method may bring the problem more home to people and it puts emphasis on prevention rather than treatment as it is visually obvious how, as an example, lethal smoking is and it effectively puts into perspective the importance of stopping smoking compared to treating blood pressure.

So, going back to body fat problems that is a culprit for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer and clearly provoked by bad lifestyle choices, are you “normal-weight obese” or simply overweight or “overweight-obese”? 80% chance you are! Question is, what do you want to do about it?

Research reveals that slim women may be storing very high levels of internal fat. Especially those women who have crash dieted and do not take any exercise are at the high risk of storing fat on the inside. So, being slim might make you feel good about yourself, but it does not mean that you are healthy.

Using MRI scans, doctors have discovered virtually litres of internal fat in slim people. That fat would be wrapped around our main organs such as heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas and would streak through muscles that has not been used and exercised regularly. This would remain a serious culprit for bad health in later life.

Professor Jimmy Bell, head of molecular imaging at the Medical Research Council’s Clinical Sciences Centre at the Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust, carried out extensive research and concluded that health and looks do not necessarily go together. People can look slim and healthy, but their internal organs may be completely surrounded by fat causing a metabolic time bomb.

So far Professor Bell and his team have measured the internal body composition of over 400 women and found that 40% had high internal fats. An example is a 33 year old woman with very low BMI of 19.9, weighing 9st who had three litres of internal fat packed around her main organs. A healthy average is around 1 litre, so, anything above can easily lead to coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and many cancers, including colon and breast cancer.

Women who crash diet are at more risk at storing fat because of the nature of crash dieting that, instead of fat loss, causes more of the muscle mass loss which slows the rate at which body breaks down fat and calories, causing a vicious cycle of putting the fat back on as body does not replace that muscle but stores surplus calories as fat unless you exercise, which deposits in the abdomen area first. Internal fat seems to be more dangerous as external fat as it seems to produce more hormones and proteins and it drains directly into the liver; it effects glucose levels, which can trigger type 2 diabetes and other chronic heart problems.

So, the old fashioned BMI measurement is not entirely accurate measure of someone’s health. You also can not really tell from the mirror and size of your clothes. You can be skinny as a rail, but your body fat can be very high! There is often too much emphasis on weight, rather than on body fat. But it is fat that relates to hypertension, diabetes, gallbladder diseases, cancer and lots of other health problems.

So, what needs to be looked at is body fat, where main culprit is fat stored around our waist. So, it is indeed your waist measurement that can be used as a good guide on how healthy we are. Super skinny models could be slender, but who knows what is going on inside?

Click here to measure your body fat.

There is a great news that we can eliminate internal fat that we did not even know we had. With regular exercise and balanced nutrition we can reverse the effect of what internal fat has in store for our future.

What is important when dieting is to burn the fat, but to keep the muscle. As athletes can not afford to lose an ounce of muscle as muscle is the engine that drives your metabolism, the same applies to everyone else. Herbalife has a healthy solution to balanced eating and dieting though ShapeWorks – Herbalife’s Weight Management and Health and Sports Nutrition Programme.

If your health is important to you, however, you find good nutrition difficult to put into your diet and would like help to put a healthy eating plan together, call Sanela on 01225 313 218 for your FREE Wellness Evaluation with no obligation or apply for a Free Consultation online

Herbalife has already been helping millions worldwide for more than 27 years and continues to stand at the forefront of the weight-management industry with products that combine the best of the scientific community with the advances in nutrition. Our experience, combined with the expertise of scientists, doctors, and nutritionists who make up Herbalife’s Nutritional Advisory Board, has led to products that are on the leading edge of health and dietary enhancements.

ShapeWorks™ is a healthy, well-balanced programme personalised for your unique body composition and shape. The programme is really quite simple, and can be customised to match your weight-management needs.

Each ShapeWorks™ programme is based on the Herbalife foundation of Cellular Nutrition and includes nutritious shakes. These high-protein, low-fat shakes, when taken twice a day while losing fat and once a day on a maintenance programme, control hunger and keep you feeling your best by curbing your appetite and regulating your body mass by personalising the amount of protein your body needs.

In numerous research studies, these shakes offer a healthy alternative to the poor nutrition of a typical fast-food meal by providing all the vitamins, minerals, fibre and protein you need. Using ShapeWorks™ together with energy drinks made from natural energy boosters such as guarana and green tea, and a fitness programme matched to your needs so that you are physically active for at least 30 minutes a day, can provide you with the energy to lose weight and keep it off.

The ShapeWorks™ Programme allows you to enjoy two shakes and one healthy, well-balanced meal a day that includes plenty of colourful fruits and vegetables. And because the meal is customised to include the correct amount of protein for your body type, you’ll actually feel satisfied, not deprived as you lose weight and gain your desired shape. ShapeWorks is designed to not only help you lose weight, but also maintain weight management once you’ve reached your ideal goal.

ShapeWorks™ offers a viable, scientifically-proven solution to those who want to live a healthier life. Please note: we never make medical claims about our programme, but so often we see the beneficial effects from feeding your body with the best possible nutrition fuel that it can receive.

LOSING WEIGHT IS AS EASY AS 3-2-1

Whether your goal is weight loss or weight maintenance, ShapeWorks™ has a program that’s right for you! Feel satisfied, not deprived, with delicious, filling shakes and flavorful snacks. And optimize energy and health with Herbalife’s advanced herbal supplements.

At Herbalife, we understand that people like to have choices when it comes to losing weight. However, these choices must be safe, effective and healthy. Our two simple approaches start with the essential building blocks of our Cellular Nutrition® Program (nourishment at the cellular level) and combine them with the fat-burning abilities of thermogenic herbs available via our Weight Management Enhancers programme. Weight Management Enhancers are designed for optimal weight loss, powered by Cellular Nutrition® that includes heart healthy, low fat soy. Healthy. Effective. Safe.

Losing weight doesn’t get any easier! Whip up two meal-replacement shakes a day with your favorite Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix flavor. Boost your intake of essential nutrients with Formula 2 Multivitamin Complex and shed unwanted pounds and inches for good.Based on cutting-edge weight-loss science, the ShapeWorks™ Program can help you get the results you want.

3 Times a Day: Take your supplements three times daily to enhance your health and give your body the benefits of Cellular Nutrition.

2 Shakes – Personalized: Enjoy two meal replacement shakes, personalized to the protein needs of your body, plus protein snacks to keep metabolism up and hunger at bay. See some delicious Shake Recipes.

1 Colorful Meal: Eat a healthy meal including plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables!

Herbalife offers ShapeWorks™ products that can help you personalize your protein, control your hunger, and protect your cells with a proper balance of nutrition–all without counting calories!

Recommended Links:
Herbalife Success Stories
ShapeWorks’s Weight Management Core Programmes
Weight Management Enhancers – help with dieting challenges
Herbalife’s Targeted Nutrition Programmes – help with specific health issues.

If your health is important to you, however, you find good nutrition difficult to put into your diet and would like help to put a healthy eating plan together, call Sanela on 01225 313 218 for your FREE Wellness Evaluation with no obligation or apply for a Free Consultation online

Mothers-to-be who gorge on junk food may be more likely to give birth to a child with a sweet tooth, research shows. The study, one of the first of its kind, suggests that a mother’s diet during pregnancy, and even when breastfeeding, can affect her unborn child’s taste for foods.Researchers warned that women who use pregnancy as an excuse to indulge in fatty foods when “eating for two” may be inadvertently putting their children at risk of obesity in later life.

The finding comes as Britain fights the worst weight problem in Europe with almost a quarter of adults classed as obese. Child obesity rates have trebled over the last 20 years, with 10 per cent of six-year-olds and 17 per cent of 15-year-olds now obese.

By 2050, half of all primary school-age boys and a fifth of girls could be so overweight that their health is at serious risk.

Experts have warned that unless the Government acts now, an entire generation faces an old age blighted by heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other diseases brought on by obesity, with today’s children dying at a younger age than their parents.

The latest research suggests that some of the roots of obesity can be traced back to the first days of life, with exposure to fatty and salty foods in the womb and through breastmilk having long-lasting effects on the development of those parts of the brain that control appetite.

Read full story at Daily Mail Online

Read about Latest Wellness Trends

Read Herbalife & Pregnancy: My Story

Read full story at Daily Mail Online

We all try and stick to choosing healthy items when grocery shopping or eating out, but how well do we really know our foods? Discover what to look out for in labels and how to dine out healthily.

When shopping in your local supermarket, it is very easy to be attracted to colourful aisles filled with crisps and chocolates. It can sometimes take a lot of willpower to resist grabbing a few treats, especially if you are food shopping on an empty stomach! So the logical idea is to head for aisles that sell “healthy” food. But how genuinely healthy is the food that you are buying? It looks healthy, it sounds healthy but you may actually find that it contains “hidden” fats, sugars and salt.

Fat Free? Sugar Free? Calorie-free?
Phrases such as “fat-free” and “sugar-free” sound great in theory, but a closer inspection may be needed. A claim such as “fat-free” usually means that in order for it to be “fat-free”, something else has to be added to make it taste edible. So, check the label at the back to see what has been added to make up for the lack of fat. The product could be significantly high in sugar and so, even if the product is fat free, it will probably be packed-full of calories.

Today, supermarket shelves are packed with foods that call to dieters with the words “FAT-FREE.” But as conscientious weight watchers load up their shopping carts with fat-free foods week after week, many discover this alarming fact: their weight is going up! Read an article dedicated to “Escape the Fat Free Diet Trap”.

The same goes for products boasting a low number of calories or no sugar at all – check the back label because the fat content may be very high. Also check to see whether the nutritional information relates back to the portion size or if it is per 100g. When cooking a meal, think in terms of portion size to get better idea of how much fat and calories each person will really be consuming.

Your at-a-glance guide to labels
Sodium – seek out foods that contain low levels.
Fibre – higher quantity is healthier
Carbohydrates – be aware that food low in carbs is equally bad as food that is high in carbs.
Protein – the higher protein quota, the better.
Energy – look for foods that give you low energy (low calorie).

Watch out for foods high in salt
Also keep an eye out for foods which can have high levels of salt, such as: baked beans, biscuits (sweet and savoury), breakfast cereals, cooking sauces, hot chocolate, pizza, ready meals, soup, tinned spaghetti.

Learn more about optimum salt intake in your diet and dangers of high salt consumption.

Lastly, what to look out for when dining out at a restaurant:
Look for foods that are baked, broiled, steamed, roasted or grilled. Ask the waiter to hold the sauce but if you can’t do without it, ask to have it on the side so you can see how much there is and can use a little bit, as opposed to having it everywhere on your meal.

Buy smaller portions if you can – even if the larger sizes don’t cost much more.

If you can’t give up a dessert, then share with a friend!

Our skin is truly amazing. It is the largest organ comprising of approximately 16% of body weight and one of the most complex organs in the body. It is also our body’s protective armour.

Human skin comprises an outer layer known as the epidermis, a middle layer of tissue called the dermis and underlying these is the subcutaneous layer that includes sebaceous and sweat glands, blood vessels, sense organs and nerves.

Skin is predominantly made up of collagen. Collagen, important for maintaining healthy skin, is a natural protein that provides “building blocks” supporting the growth of new cells by binding the together within the skin.

Skin texture and natural moisture content are different around the eyes, lips, neck and cleavage or chest.

Skin Aging: The Facts
It is a fact that everyone, women and men alike, want to remain as young and fresh looking for as long as possible. People in their 20s tend to be more cautious in their skincare regime and by the late 30s and beyond it is all about maintenance.

As we age the natural cellular activity of the skin slows gradually causing skin to lose its ability to retain moisture and protein resulting in loss of tautness and tone. This causes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

From the age of 25 onwards, levels of collagen, naturally diminish over time approximately by as much as 1.5% per year.

Helping the skin to replace this lost collagen can help to improve the elasticity of the skin and naturally help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

The eyes, mouth, neck, cleavage or chest are more vulnerable to skin ageing and have a tendency to be overlooked in the daily skincare routine.

Daily cleansing a toning, as well as eating healthy, nutrient-packed diet, keeping yourself well hydrated and getting sufficient exercise and sleep are important to help maintain skin health.

AGE YOUNG. LOOK YOUNGER.
So, what if your skin could behave as it did when you were younger? Allowing you to pause time and skin refine – today, tomorrow. That would be ingenious!

Skin Activator™ is an ingenious skincare range in more ways than one. Formulated with the advanced collagen-building glucosamine complex, Skin Activator technology takes a gentle approach to skin renewal. This intelligent complex encourages the skin to rejuvenate by helping to increase skin’s natural collagen production. It also works to re-hydrate, nourish, firm and protect your skin. Fine lines and wrinkles, smoothness, clarity and luminosity may simply improve in just a matter of weeks.

What’s more, as skin differs in texture, thickness and fragility, some areas of the skin need extra special attention. The Skin Activator™ range clearly targets those annoying age-prone areas of the skin by giving you 5 time-delaying products to choose from. Each is designed to be skin area specific and active where it is needed most.

… read more about Skin Activator™, time-delaying, skin collagen rejuvenating range

ADVICE & TIPS:
It is still important to continue the daily regime of cleansing and toning e.g. with NouriFusion® or Radiant C® ranges. However, for moisturising, and if premature signs of aging are a concern, upgrade to Skin Activator™.
Outer Nutrition is supported by Inner Nutrition; if already using Formula 1 or any supplements rich in antioxidants, you will be attracted to the many benefits of Skin Activator™. Remain healthy on the inside whilst looking great on the outside!

Skin Activator™ is an ingenious skincare range of 5 time-delaying products to help target skin areas prone to ageing. Formulated with the advanced collagen-building glucosamine complex, this intelligent complex encourages the skin to rejuvenate by helping to increase skin’s natural collagen production.

Skin Activator™ Day Lotion SPF 15
Skin Activator™ Night Time Replenishing Cream
Skin Activator™ Neck and Decolletage Cream
Skin Activator™ Eye Cream
Skin Activator™ Lip Refiner SPF 15

Collagen is one of the main building blocks of the skin and is important for mainaining healthy skin. From the age 25 onwards, the body’s natural collagen typically diminishes at a rate of approximately 1.5% per year, causing the skin to lose its elasticity and begin to show wrinkles and other signs of aging.

Results from clinical testing on the glucosamine complex ingredients shows Skin Activator™:
Produces outstanding noticeable results in a matter of weeks!
Targets skin areas prone to ageing: face, eyes, mouth, neck or cleavage
Targets first signs of ageing [25 +]
Targets existing wrinkles [40 +]
Takes the gentle approach to advanced skin care with no harsh skin irritants like peptides.

FACTS: With regular use, the Skin Activator product range creates noticeable results of up to:
57% improvement in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles*
55% reduction in wrinkle depths*
51% improvement in skin moisture content*
45% increase in skin luminosity and clarity*
40% increase in skin smoothness**
23% increase in skin firmness**
Results of testing performed on active glucosamine ingredient.
* After just 3 months of regular usage
** After just 4 weeks of regular usage

SKIN ACTIVATOR™ DAY LOTION SPF 15
Skin Activator™ Day Lotion SPF 15 is a light, quickly absorbed moisturising lotion. Contains Algae Extract, Yeast Extract, Erea, Duboisia Leichardtii Leaf Extract, Geranium Maculatum Extract, Arnica Montana Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinesis Leaf Extract.

To get the very best out of this product, it is recommended to always use a skin cleanser and toner first.

In the morning, gently massage the lotion into the skin using small circular movements; this helps to stimulate the blood supply. Finish with upward strokes.

It helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Nourish the skin to help it appear smoother, more tones and firm.
Improve the clarity and luminorisy of skin.
Provide SPF 15 protection.
Enhance skin-moisture content and support skin’s natural structure and balance.

SKIN ACTIVATOR™ NIGHT TIME REPLENISHING CREAM
Skin Activator™ Night Time Replenishing Cream is a luxurious, ultra-rich night cream. Contains Sweet Almond Oil, Algae Extract, Yeast Extract, Camellia Sinesis Leaf Extract. To get the very best results, always use a skin cleanser and toner first. At night, massage gently the cream into the skin using small circular movements, which also helps to stimulate the blood supply. Finish with light upward strokes.

Rejuvenates the skin whilst you sleep at time when cell renewal is at its most active.
Reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
Nourish the skin to help it appear smoother, more toned and firm.
Improve the clarity and luminosity of skin.
Enhance skin-moisture content and support skin’s natural structure and balance.

SKIN ACTIVATOR™ DECOLLETAGE CREAM
Skin Activator™ Neck and Decolletage Cream is a luxurious, hydrating cream. Contains Algae Extract, Yeast Extract, Erea, Eleuthero Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Fennel Fruit Extract, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Extract, Boswellia Carterii Extract, Hops Extract, Ginko Biloba Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sage Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinesis Leaf Extract, Bitter Orange Flower Wax.

The neck and decollletage area is often overlooked in skin care regimes; use the cream daily on this delicate area to really start to feel the silky smooth difference. To get the very best out of this product, use morning and night; gently smooth the cream over the skin using upward strokes from the cleavage or chest to the neck.

Minimises the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on this delicate skin area which becomes thinner as we age.
Hydrates and nourishes the skin to help it appear smoother, more tones and firm.
Improves the clarity and luminosity of skin.
Enhances skin-moisture content and support skin’s natural structure and balance.

SKIN ACTIVATOR™ EYE CREAM
Skin Activator™ Eye Cream is a lightweight cream. Contains Algae Extract, Yeast Extract, Urea, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Epolibum Angustifolium Extract, Cucumber Fruit Extract, Sandalwoor Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Barley Extract, Soya Seed Extract, Geranium Maculatum Extract, Camellia Sinesis Leaf Extract.

As skin under and around the eyes is more fragile, it is important to provide as much protection as possible. Try to get at least 8 hours sleep every day and ensure you wear sunglasses or perscriptive glasses to help avoiding squinting and frowing; which can cause even deeper fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes. To get the very best results out of this product, it is recommended to always use a skin cleanser and toner first. The skin around the eye area is very delicate, so, in the morning and at night, gently pat the eye cream under and around the eyes.

Hydrates and nourishes the skin creating a youthful looking “lift”.
Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Soothes the skin under eye as it contains cucumber extract.
Enhances skin-moisture content and support skin’s natural structure and balance.

SKIN ACTIVATOR™ LIP REFINER SPF 15
Skin Activator™ Lip Refiner SPF 15 is a super softening lip cream. The Lip Refiner helps to naturally exfoliate upon first application allowing skin to reap the full product benefits. Contains Beeswax, Shea Butter, Algae Extract, Yeast Extract, Camellia Sinesis Leaf Extract, Peppermint Oil. This product can be applied straight to your lips. Use it anytime as needed by gently patting it on the lips.

Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth.
Keep lips soft, moisturised and protected.
Lips feel smoother and look fuller.
Provides SPF 15 protection.
Enhances skin-moisture content and supports skin’s natural structure and balance.

ADVICE & TIPS:
It is still important to continue the daily regime of cleansing and toning e.g. with NouriFusion® or Radiant C® ranges. However, for moisturising, and if premature signs of aging are a concern, upgrade to Skin Activator™.
Outer Nutrition is supported by Inner Nutrition; if already using Formula 1 or any supplements rich in antioxidants, you will be attracted to the many benefits of Skin Activator™. Remain healthy on the inside whilst looking great on the outside!

For more details about each of the product or to order, please call Sanela on 01225 313 218!

Fad diets have been around forever and vast majority of the people that I have spoken to and who have a weight problem, have tried one or more of these fad diets that promise miracles at one time or another. However, all fad diets have one thing in common – they don’t work and most of them aren’t even safe.

Many of these fad diets advocate eating only one food for several days followed by eating only another food for several days etc. or completely eliminating either carbohydrates or protein. What they all lack to offer is the balance of nutrients needed for healthy weight management and general nutrition.

Your body won’t stand for it, so don’t buy into it! Sure you will lose 1 stone, however, when you abandon this fad diet, you will promptly gain the stone that you lost plus another three pounds at least. It happens every time… you lose the weight but also your muscle mass. This type of unhealthy diet not only impacts badly on your health by destroying good, healthy tissue (crash diets result mostly in the loss of water from burned off muscle rather than calories lost from burned off body fat), but also causes you to look bad (typically your skin loses elasticity and your body loses firmness). When you return to normal eating patterns the weight goes immediately back on as your muscles try to replace the lost water.

Our body is a science and you need to know how it works to get into the healthy weight loss balance. Fad diets try to cheat the body’s natural rhythm, but the result is always the damage caused to the body that can extend to a long term problem and can develop conditions such as osteoporosis, etc. because of the nutritional deficiencies that body gets exposed to.

When you are serious about losing those extra pounds and FINALLY learning to keep them off for the rest of your life, what you need is a well-balanced diet that you can stick to for the rest of your life as what is needed is a complete change of a lifestyle. There just aren’t any quick fixes to a weight problem; quick fixes can only put your body’s health at danger. Once you learn what foods make you feel good and give you energy and help you to manage your weight, you will choose those foods naturally.

That is where Herbalife comes in. It offers healthy solution to weight management that is unprecedented. There are over 40 million people in the world who have lost weight with Herbalife, which is more happy dieters than on any other program. This really is a fact and not a hype. Herbalife healthy meals, which are safe to be consumed even by children from the age of 1, put that balance back into your eating offering to feed your body with optimum nutrition and body, in return, responds with more health, energy and vitality as well as, most importantly, healthy weight loss that stays off forever once the person adopts the healthy way of life. There simply is no diet out there with more focus than Herbalife on healthy eating and optimum nutrition.

Have a look at our Basic Wellness Programmes for healthy Weight Management.

If you need help to put a healthy eating plan together, contact me for your FREE no-obligation Wellness Evaluation, or apply online!

Start losing weight straight away for as little as £20 per week. Lose the weight, not the lifestyle. Learn more about how our program fits your life. You will look great. You will feel healthier. You’ll be more confident. And you’ll have more energy.30 Days Money Back Guarantee! You have nothing to lose but weight!

Call Sanela Today on 01225 313 218

Try this simple quiz to determine the state of your wellness. Answer Yes and No style questions by giving 1 point to every Yes and 0 point to every No answer. Results are on the end! Question is followed by an advice. Good Luck!

1. Do you eat more meals with poultry, lean meat, fish and plant (soy) proteins rather than steaks, roasts and other red meats?

White meat of chicken or turkey and ocean-caught fish provide less fat and saturated fatthan most cuts of red meat or pork. It is important to eat more of these “better-for-you” meats rather than high-fat meats such as hot dogs, steaks and roasts and to balance your proteins by eating some plant protein such as soy every day.

2. Do you eat a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables and do you eat at least five servings of these daily?

It is important to eat at least five servings per day of fruits and vegetables to get the fibre, vitamins and minerals these foods contain. Eat a wide range of different coloured fruits and vegetables to get a variety of the thousands of substances only found in plants that keep you healthy.

3. Do you consume primarily whole grains (100% whole wheat bread and past, brown rice) rather than regular pasta, white rice and white bread?

Processed and refined grains provide mainly starch as empty calories. It is important to get whole grain baked goods so that you get all the goodness from whole grains including the vitamins, fibre and protein found in these important foods.

4. Do you eat ocean caught fish at least three times a week?

Ocean-caught fish have healthy fish oils that may help to maintain a healthy heart when eaten as part of a healthy diet. They are also generally lower in fat than other meats and can help you maintain a healthy body weight.

5. Do you avoid intake of fried foods, dressings, sauces, gravies, butter and margarine?

Fried foods, dressings, gravies, sauces, butter and margarine add lots of calories and saturated fat to your diet even when eaten in small amounts. Since it is difficult to control the portions that you eat, it is best to avoid these foods as much as possible.

6. Do you get a minimum of 30 minutes of excercise 5 days a week?

Being regular is important in order to eliminate toxins from your body and healthy elimination can maintain a normal balance of cholesterol and other blood fats. Indigestion or irregularity can be avoided by eating 25 grams of fibre per day from fruits, vegetables and whole grains, drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water per day and reducing stress through mild exercise or meditation.

7. Is your digestive system free of indigestion or irregularity?

Getting exercise that stimulates your heart at least three to five times per week for a least 30 minutes will help keep your cardiovascular system healthy, help maintain a healthy body weight and can help reduce stress.

8. Do you maintain a stable and appropriate weight?

Maintaining a healthy and appropriate weight can be achieved with regular exercise and following a diet that is based on low-fat proteins, fruits, vegetables and controlled portions of whole grain foods. Many people go through cycles of weight gain followed by quick weight loss, which can lead to loss of lean tissue and reduced metabolic rate.

9. Do you usually have time to prepare balanced meals rather than take-aways or eating on the run?

With our busy lives, it is tempting to pick up prepared foods or fast foods, and often we eat while we are doing other activities. There are many convenience items, such as prewashed salad greens, frozen vegetables, pre-cut fruits and quick-cooking poultry portions that make healthy meals quick to put together.

10. Do you stay away from fizzy drinks and typical snack foods throughout the day and after dinner?

Snacking on healthy fruits and vegetables is one thing, but high-fat, high sugar treats are foods people may turn to out of stress, boredom or habit. Try replacing these foods with healthier snacks, or enjoy a hot cup of tea to help you relieve stress.

11. Are you free of water retention and bloating?

Excess weight can sometimes simply be retained water. Bloating and swollen ring fingers are clues that this may be happening, and it is important to maintain normal water balance.

12. Do you have the energy and focus you need to meet your daily challenges?

We all want to perform at our best during the day. Regular excercise and stress management can help you sleep better and feel rested and energised for the day.

13. Do you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day?

If you wait until you are thirsty before you drink water, you may already be slightly dehydrated. Your body requires water for many functions, and being well-hydrated helps keep your skin and other tissues healthy.

14. Are you getting your daily recommended allowance of Calcium (min 800mg per day)?

Calcium is important for bone health, and also helps to keep blood pressure in check. The best dietary sources are non-fat dairy products and calcium-fortified foods. Since most people don’t eat enough servings of dairy products daily, a combination of foods and supplements is often needed.

Wellness Evaluation Score:
0-5 – Low
6-10 – Medium
11 -14 – High
A higher score signifies an awareness of wellness practice

Test your Body Fat for FREE
Test your Body Mass Index for FREE

Now that you have completed your Personal Wellness Evaluation, you are closer to achieving your desired wellness goals. The key is putting what you learned into action and making steady progress.

Steps for Achieving Optimum Wellness:
Define your Wellness Goals,
Have an evaluation of your personal wellness,
Identify key areas you need to impact to reach your wellness goals,
Get recommendations from your Personal Wellness Coach,
Make a plan of action that you can commit to,
Get the ongoing support you need to stay on your wellness track for a healthier future.

If your health is important to you, however, you find good nutrition difficult to put into your diet on a daily basis and would like help to put a healthy eating plan together, call Sanela on 01225 313 218 for your FREE Wellness Evaluation with no obligation. (Evaluation valued at min. £30) or apply for a Free Consultation online