Sam O’Dwyer PT

We all know 'eat less, move more'. But there is more to it!

This advice has led to many people crashing and burning with their weight loss goals far too early in their journey.🔥

Don't get me wrong, the concept is correct however it can be misunderstood.

I've had clients tell me they've tried skipping meals or fasting for hours whilst doing everything they can to move more. And whilst that can lead to weight loss, it is not sustainable. ❌

I'm sure you've tried skipping breakfast and going out for a morning run or gym session only to be met with an uncontrollable hunger.
Lunch comes around, hunger hormones are in full swing and your ability to focus slips.

Your brain conjures up an image of that new burger you saw in an advert last night... Target acquired.

Calories burnt: 300
Calories consumed: 1,500

You beat yourself up and throw in the towel, 'I'll never do this'.

So 'eat less, move more' doesn't quite explain it, allow me to reword it.

'Consume fewer calories and/or burn more calories'

"Ah... So it's about calories, not about the quantity of food?" Correct. ✅

You could eat 10 meals a day and lose weight if the calories were controlled.
Now don't go doing that! I'm simply making my point here! 😁

The best way to set yourself up for success is to have a consistent supply of calories coming in throughout the day. That way the hunger won't get the better of you and you'll be in a better mental position to make better choices that support your goals!

If you found this helpful be sure to like it! And if you know someone who's been skipping meals tag them below!

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'You are the sum of your habits' - Our habits are the small decisions we make and actions we perform every day. Good or bad your habits got you to where you are now.

To reach your goals you will need to form a few healthy habits that you can sustain long-term.

Here are 3 tips to help make your habits more sustainable:

1. Start small and be consistent:
Starting small reduces the friction of beginning a new habit.

2. Attach the new habit to an existing one:
Use "habit stacking" by linking the new habit to an established one.

3. Use positive reinforcement:
Reward yourself immediately after completing the habit to reinforce the behaviour.

We're looking at ways to help make the habit easier!

For example, if I wanted to get into the habit of taking walks I could:
- Tell myself I’ll go for a 5-minute walk, starting small.
- Listen to my favourite podcast whilst walking, habit stacking.
- Reward myself by watching an episode of a show I like after my walk, positive reinforcement.

Think of the habit you want to form and try to find ways to make it more obvious, attractive, easier, and satisfying! 🙏

You could then track your habits with a habit tracker to maintain motivation, and accountability, and see your progress over time.

Small steps every day lead to big changes in the long term!
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In just 12 weeks, my client lost 17 pounds and came out the other side with newly formed habits that will last him a lifetime.

How did we achieve this? Well, we worked together to come up with a plan that suited him. Every person has their own journey with different goals that are achieved at different stages.

At the start, my client was:
✖️Anxious
✖️Unconfident in himself
✖️And would cover his body as much as possible.

I shared my knowledge and gave compassion and patience as we took the steps to form healthy habits that slowly integrated into his everyday life.
Week by week the wins were stacking up!

12 weeks is all it takes to start changing your mindset, to build long-lasting sustainable habits and to start seeing results!

If you’re interested in learning more about my methods and how you too can have similar results, comment ‘12 weeks’ below for a no-obligation chat about your goals and how you can achieve them.

In the meantime, why not have a browse at my services!
https://www.sjodwyer-pt.com/services

Hi everyone! Summer is just around the corner and I'm looking to help you feel your best!

If you're interested in losing weight, building muscle, or improving your health and fitness feel free to contact me via a direct message or an enquiry through my website! I'd love to help you meet your goals!
https://www.sjodwyer-pt.com/

I currently run my Personal Training sessions at BodyTek Gym PTF in Ellington. But my Online Coaching is available wherever you are!

‘Do I have to run?’ 🤔 is what I commonly hear when chatting with new clients and my answer is always no! Running is not necessary for losing weight!

To lose weight we need to burn more calories than we consume.
'Running burns calories right? So why not run to lose weight?'

Well, running isn't the only way to burn more calories!

My clients don’t run for weight loss.
They run because they enjoy it!
And if they don’t enjoy it, they won't need to run!

So if you don't enjoy running, give a sport a go, take a long walk, try cycling, and move whenever you can.
Any additional movement you can add to your day (however small!) will get you burning more calories!

Finding activities that make exercise enjoyable for you is key when trying to stick to your weight loss goals long-term.

Weight loss doesn’t have to mean running!🏊‍♀️🚴‍♂️🤸‍♀️🏋️‍♂️
What activities do you enjoy?

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Here are just some of my client's weekly wins!🏆

1: ‘Managed to get the family out for a walk and ended up going way over my step goal. Everyone said they felt good for moving and it didn’t feel like a chore for a change!'

2: ‘I tried taking your advice about adding more protein into my meals and I’ve noticed I’m snacking less throughout the day. I find I’m just feeling more full In general!’

3: ‘This weeks squats moved really well! I can tell my lower back pain is easing up and I’m feeling more flexible so thank you!’

As you can see it doesn't always have to be based on numbers, it's can be about how you feel as well! Getting out and moving without feeling forced, feeling less hunger while dieting, and reduction in pains are huge wins, and I like to help my clients celebrate them all!🎉

What are some of your wins this week?

Looks can be deceiving!👀
This small cheeseburger and fries are around the same calories as a whole bowl of chilli chicken ramen with noodles. Despite the obvious size difference!

So what does this mean?🤷
You could eat either meal as your dinner and still lose weight so long as you ate in a calorie deficit.

What I’m really saying is that if you balance the numbers, you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight. ✅

BUT, should you?

Short answer, No! ❌ You would be more miserable than you’d think!
The cheeseburger and fries might taste better, but the size of this meal is frighteningly small for 631 calories.

The ramen on the other hand is a full-portion meal. It’s in the ‘big plates’ section of the Wagamama’s menu, and I can personally attest to the size of it!

Not to mention the nutrients. The ramen wins hands down. Double the protein and full of vegetables.
This is a high-volume meal that will fill you up, and that high amount of protein will keep you feeling fuller for longer.

To get the best of both you should try to implement the 80:20 rule:
80% of your diet should be focused on eating whole, non-processed, nutritious foods, and the other 20% is for the foods you crave!

If you can follow that and consume fewer calories than your body needs, you won’t only lose weight, you’ll have a much more enjoyable diet that you’ll be more likely to stick to long term!

And that’s the secret! Keep it to yourselves…🤫
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Something caught my eye in the news! 👀

Katie Price's advert for The Skinny Food Co showing off a diet of 755 calories was banned!
This advertisement had been up since August last year and had only recently been removed for 'irresponsibly promoting a diet that fell below 800 kcal a day'.

There are only a handful of cases where diets as low as these are used and they will be prescribed and monitored by a medical professional.

I worry when those in a position of influence start touching on dieting and weight loss. Often they show drastic dieting methods and low-quality, cash-grabbing products which can influence thousands.

As somebody who helps and educates people to lose weight sustainably and healthily, I can promise you do not need to eat 755 calories to lose weight!

In fact, most won't need to go below 1,500 calories to start seeing weight loss.

So be careful with what you see online!

Read the article below:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-68713464
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