When it comes to weight loss, there is no single food or exercise that can help you get rid of unwanted fat from the body. The combination of the right food and exercise is the most effective way to lose weight. There are numerous small things that can speed up your weight loss process and one such ingredient is barley water. Rich in fiber, barley is counted under the category of whole grains like oats and whole wheat. Barley is quite healthy and is considered good when you are on a weight-loss mission. Nutritional value:Barley is a major cereal grain and is a nutritional powerhouse. Half a cup of cooked barley contains:

Calories: 96 Fat: 1 gSaturated Fat: 1 gCarbohydrate: 22 g Protein: 2 gDietary Fiber: 3 gSodium: 2 mgManganese: 1 mg

Barley water and weight loss It is true that barley water is high in calories, but very low in fat content. The fiber content in the barley water helps in easy digestion. It can make you fuller for a longer period and prevent you from getting indulged in unhealthy snacking, which is necessary when you are watching your weight.

Other health benefits of barley water 1. Lowers cholesterol Drinking barley water every day helps to keep your cholesterol level in control. The antioxidant properties of barley water help to get rid of free radicals from the body, which keeps you healthy.

2. Controls blood sugar level Barley water can also control your blood sugar level. This drink is quite beneficial for people suffering from diabetes.

3 Rich in vitamins and antioxidants Barley water is rich in vitamins and antioxidants that enable healthy cell growth. It is packed with folate, iron, copper, and manganese.

How to prepare barley water Ingredients:Barley pearls -1 cup Water -1.5 litres Lemon juice -2 tablespoonHoney -1 tablespoon Cinnamon stick -1

Method: Step 1: Add half cup Barley pearls in a pan. Now add 1.5 litres water and cinnamon stick in it and then let it boil.

Step 2: Let the pan be on simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Step 3: Turn the gas off and let the barley water cool for a while.

Continue reading here:
How to have barley (Jau) water for weight loss - Times of India

Losing weight is hard, but you know whats harder? Dealing with the numerous physical ailments and mental stresses that an obese body brings with itself. Being obese can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart diseases and even certain types of cancers along with developing anxiety triggers.

39-year-old Inder Joshi, who weighed 130 kgs, a couple of months ago, tells us that obesity comes with many health complications and your generic medicines can only subside these issues and not completely halt them. To get rid of them permanently, you need to take charge of your life by fixing the root causes of obesity a sedentary lifestyle with a habit of zero exercising and an excess consumption of junk food otherwise youre heading towards disaster at a very steady pace.

Inder recalls that being overweight caused him type 2 diabetes as well as depression. 24 months ago, I weighed 130 kgs and was not in the best shape of my life. So I decided to tackle my health issue head-on by changing my diet and lifestyle to lose weight. And by following the below weight loss plan and diet, I was able to lose 25 kgs in a very healthy and happy manner, and was also able to reverse my type 2 diabetes and get rid of depression.

"Weight loss is a combination of diet and exercise. However, diet plays a more important role than exercise in the weight loss process. You will see a drastic improvement in yourself if you follow this formula: 70 per cent focus on your diet + 30 per cent focus on exercise," he says.

The first thing I did in order to lose weight was get in touch with a professional nutritionist. I followed the diet they charted for me religiously and ensured that no matter what happens, I start working out for 90 minutes daily (60 mins cardio + 30 mins strength training) daily.

Inder also reveals that he is a pure vegetarian, and his diet was fairly simple yet very wholesome.

Breakfast A high-fibre smoothie made from a mix of milk, oats and almonds along with a banana, apple, and sapota (chiku)

Post-breakfast A glass of buttermilk

Lunch 2 plain wheat or ragi chapatis with one bowl of veggies and a bowl of yogurt

Evening snacks 1 cup of green tea, roasted chana

Dinner A big bowl of tomato soup

Post dinner 5 almonds + 4-5 walnuts

I started monitoring my food intake very vigilantly and also downloaded an app to help calculate calories, fats and protein percentages of any food items I was eating apart from this diet chart, he says.

QUICK READ: How many calories should you eat every day to lose weight?

"To burn the excess fat in my body, I ensured that I worked out for 90 minutes daily. This 90-minute timeframe was broken down in two sessions. The first one session was a 60-minute window dedicated to only cardio and the second one was a 30-minute window for strength training and ab workouts."

CARDIO 60 mins

-30 mins on the treadmill

-20 mins on the cross trainer

-10 mins on the spin cycle

QUICK READ: Best cardio exercises for fat loss

Inders strength training routine comprised 3 sets of light weight exercises. But if youre looking to really break a sweat with a killer strength training routine, you can follow this 3-exercise set made up of 5-10 reps, each:

-Kettlebell goblet squat

-Deadlift

-Bench Press

Inder followed 3 sets of new ab workouts on a rotation basis. But if youre looking for a sure shot way to get ripped, check out the best core exercises for six-pack abs, here.

I also hit a weight loss plateau in the middle of this journey. To get over it, I changed my exercise patterns and focused on my protein and fibre intake. I also upped my consumption of green tea and water in this phase.

QUICK READ: Here's how drinking water at regular intervals can help you lose weight and increase your metabolism

I have been able to maintain my current weight by not deterring from my diet and workout routine, he reveals.

Focus on your diet to a T, exercise regularly and dont indulge in any cheat days. Your body is the only place you have to live, keep it healthy. There is no life without fit body.

Disclaimer: The diet and workout routines shared by the respondents may or may not be approved by diet and fitness experts. GQ India doesn't encourage or endorse the weight loss tips & tricks shared by the person in the article. Please consult an authorised medical professional before following any specific diet or workout routine mentioned above.

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This is how many dates you can eat in a day to lose weight without feeling guilty

Continued here:
How to lose weight like this guy who lost 25 kgs on a pure vegetarian Indian diet plan - GQ India - What a man's got to do

Today, people have become more worried about their health and goto considerable lengths to stay fit and active. One of the essential thingapart from eating nutritional food is exercising regularly whether on your ownor by taking classes in fitness and well-being centers. The balanced diet thatyou take provides the required nutrients to your body, but you need toparticipate in some exercises even for a little while in a day to ensure yourhealth and reduce the chances of getting ill.

One of the best ways to control your body weight is by doing a physical workout, which also helps to build the muscles, provide strength, improve stamina and help a person sleep comfortably at night. There are numerous types of exercises, physical workouts, and weight training that a person can easily perform such as walking, jogging, indoor cycling, treadmill, push-ups, Squat, planks, dumbbell presses, skipping rope, aerobics, Pilates, and yoga. The many reasons why a person should exercise are

There are many different fitness centers and gyms where you can easily take up admission and make use of the facilities which includes exercising on machines, doing weight training, or taking yoga classes. If you are too busy with personal life with family or office work, then you can easily set up a small workout space in your home and purchase various fitness equipment and accessories. The common fitness products that most people buy includes weight training equipment, cardio equipment, resistance bands, dumbbells, and exercise machines such as treadmills and indoor cycling. There is simply much exercising equipment, and you have to decide what type of equipment or accessory would fulfill your fitness goals.

One of the tough things would be to decide between buying something new which you have never tried before. But it does not mean that you should not buy the things that interest you. Your budget also depends on the exercising equipment you wish to buy. If you want to spend moderately then, you can easily buy an exercise ball, a set of dumbbells, resistance bands, elliptical trainer or a treadmill. If you want follow a low impact physical workout then it is better if you get an elliptical trainer, a stationary bike or a treadmill. Some of the latest fitness products that you need to buy and which will help you fulfill the fitness goals are

The resistance bands have become quite popular and one of thebest solution if you are looking for strength training. The bands come in a varietyof sizes, lengths, and strengths. The best thing is that the bands are lightand can easily be stored and carried in your gym bag. The bands have variablestretch resistance and even heavy-duty ones. When you stretch the band, yourmuscle will have to work against the force; this helps to improve muscle andbone growth.

The balance boards are one of the favorites among many passionate fitness personnel and athletes. The boards come in different designs, and the most common one is a round dome with a domed side. The boards are compact and can easily be kept in your home. A balance board helps to keep the muscles align, improve the orientation of your body, and make you aware of the shifts and equilibrium of the body.

The world we live in is very advanced, and there are so many innovative products that can even help a person know about his physical fitness. The fitness trackers are one such modern devices which can be worn on the wrist and provide a range of information which includes walking or running distance, the steps you have taken, heart rate, swimming laps and even sleep patterns. There are many smart watches that have many fitness functions however you should buy dedicated trackers on which you can easily set and know about your fitness goals

The TRX trainer is a type of suspension training that is composed of yellow and black straps. The key thing of TRX trainer is that it this workout utilizes the own weight of the person instead of a person relying on different weights or machines. The TRX trainer can easily be used by people just starting their physical routines and even heavy powerlifters. The straps are easy to use and can be attached anywhere in the house

Weight training is incomplete without dumbbells, and it is also the best equipment that promotes the strength of muscles without any impact or stress. The modern dumbbells come in variety of colors, and weights. The heavyweights can be tough on your body which is why it is better to train on lightweights.

The kettlebells may sound similar to most people, but the dumbbells help in building muscle while the kettlebell helps you during aerobic activity. There are usually three weight categories to choose from (5, 10, or 15 pounds). The handles are quite comfortable and easy to hold

One of the physical activity which is quite common, andpeople love to do is pull-ups and push-ups. The multi-grip bar easily fits intothe door frame and can be used for different exercises, and it would not damagethe door frame.

One of the most popular and common exercising equipment is none other than a treadmill. Most of the houses have a treadmill because of it one of the only equipment on which people of every age can fulfill their fitness goals. The latest treadmills have digital screens which tell you the distance, speed and the calories you have burnt.

Excerpt from:
The Type of Latest Fitness Products That Can Help You Stay Fit and Active - Thrive Global

Category: Health Matters

27Sep2019

MOTIVATION and purpose have always been my response to clients and anyone else who want to achieve their dream of having a beach body, said Golds Gym personal trainer Jerry Diaz in an interview with Marianas Variety.

He said ones dreams should also match our daily actions.

If you decide to eat and train properly, you are more likely to have a healthy lifestyle and will be less prone to diseases that come with obesity or muscle atrophy. An average male or female would make great progress with at least 2 to 3 hours of exercise per week. You never really need more than 5 to 6 hours per week, unless you are preparing to compete or will participate in a specific sporting event.

Just about anybody can figure out how to squeeze in 2 to 5 hours per week for the sake of ones health.

Fitting in cardio workouts is especially easy because you dont need a gym or more than 20-30 minutes of time, 2-4 days per week. Dancing, jogging, Tabata, yoga, Pilates or primal movements can burn fat fast and get us in shape.

Weight training is a little bit tougher if you have a busy schedule. If you want to lift weights and are really crunched for time, Diaz recommends at least two strength training days paired with two cardio days.

Planning your workout schedule and sticking to them will bring you closer to your fitness goals.

I prefer to train first thing in the morning before work because I have more energy for training and nothing can interfere with my plans at 5 a.m., Diaz said.

As for planning healthy nutrition when your life is always on the go, its essentially easier than many might think. During my off days, I go shopping with my family and stack my fridge with local foods I prefer to eat, Diaz said.

For those who are single, there are no excuses. For those with families, it is a little tougher, especially if family members have different food interests.

But start by logging your daily food intake. If you consume more food than you need (calories in), the excess calories turn into extra weight. But if you burn more calories than you consume (calories out), you burn stored body fat for energy and you lose weight.

References:

https://breakingmuscle.com/fitness/too-busy-to-train-6-pieces-of-advice-for-the-average-joe

How to Train When You Have No Time

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/how-exercise-when-you-really-dont-have-time.html

Continued here:
BBJ Fitness Corner | Health and Wellness Fitness Myth: 'I don't have the time to diet and exercise' - Marianas Variety

THERE is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to losing weight.

Every body is different, and so what works for one may not agree with another.

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However, there are some general rules that everyone needs to know before setting off on a mission to shed the pounds and blitz body fat.

And with so much info out there and plenty of misconceptions - from the keto diet to weight loss calculators - weve rounded up some dos and donts to help you reach your weight loss goals.

Here Marvin Burton, Head of Fitness at Anytime Fitness, talks The Sun Online through his key "dos and don'ts" when it comes to losing weight.

Don't be deflated by BMI scores - this is only a generic guideline and doesnt factor in muscle.

For example, the majority of the England Rugby team would be considered obese if they were to focus on this.

It is a reference point for non-active people and if you are regularly exercising, you are no longer the "average person".

Find ways to exercise that you enjoy and vary them.

Try bringing friends to exercise with or involve others around you - exercise is fun and motivating if you can include your family or spend time with friends.

It becomes a social part of your life.

Extreme diets/tablets/methods can create weight loss by causing to you to lose weight from vital areas and off-set your hormonal balance.

Therefore, once you stop these methods, you will be susceptible to putting on all of the weight, possibly more and find it much harder to lose body fat in the future.

Focus solely on weight. You also must factor the transfer from body fat to muscle and the improvement of visceral fat (around your organs) which are far more important to health.

Weight loss calculators help you find out exactly how many calories you need to be cutting out.

Losing weight involves many variables that can change from person to person, which means that everyone requires a different calorie intake.

Weight loss calculators, like the one fromBMI Calculator, help you calculate exactly what you should be eating.

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While this may not work for everyone and doesnt need to be stuck to strictly (this can limit enjoyment of food/diet), it is a useful guide to recommended calories and macros.

For example, we all enjoy a lavish cheat meal/day at the weekend and knowing your recommended weekly calorie target means youre aware if you need to scale back slightly during the week to account for your indulgent weekend.

Hundreds of celebrities may claim that the keto diet, which involves swapping out carbs for fats and proteins, have made them slim.

However, it limits carbs to the extreme while encouraging high fat intake in order to obtain the 'magical state' of ketosis where you burn more fat.

Instead, vary your food selections - healthy eating is only boring if you dont explore and search.

Learn new skills - cooking, baking and different food cultures will expand your knowledge of healthy eating and you will love finding new flavours.

Dramatic reductions in calories are not healthy and will leave you feeling tired, having mood swings, increase your stress levels and contribute to muscle loss (which isnt a good look).

Remember, you need a baseline level of calories for your organs and vital functions.

Also, muscle burns fat! The aim of every fat loss plan is to increase muscle.

Garmin's head of marketing and product Theo Axford told The Sun Online: "Using a fitness tracker, usually a wrist based one that monitors your heart rate and exercise, can be a great way of staying motivated.

"Seeing your progress can act as a huge motivator, helping you to stay on track on the tougher days by seeing how far youve come.

"Exercise usually comes as a part of a persons weight loss journey, whether this is a few hundred extra steps a day or taking up something a bit more vigorous like running."

Trying too hard is also the wrong thing to do.

If you are overreaching for your goal you will not allow time for your body to develop, your muscles to adapt and your body to repair.

Make sure you are having rest days and have recovery.

Spend time reflecting on your lifestyle and work towards removing the things that are holding you back.

Also, look at passive health - most people focus on the active part of health but your mental health and self-confidence will become a bigger influence towards your goals.

We see our reflection hundreds of times each day.

Changes to your body shape will always be occurring but you wont necessarily be the person who notices first.

So dont beat yourself up trying to see a difference after day one.

Instead, you could take front / side profile photos on week 1 and every 2-3 weeks later.

Or judge your body shape change by your clothes - are they getting easier to fasten? Do you have more room to manoeuvre?

Theo, from Garmin, added: "Sleep is incredibly beneficial for giving you the energy to exercise and to make better decisions, and has a huge impact on how charged your Body Battery is.

"While you dont necessarily need to get 12 hours, ensuring youre well rested can help keep you motivated.

"Fitness trackers again can help you stay on top of this, with the best trackers showing how restful your sleep is, how many hours youre getting, and providing advice on how to get better rest."

Being healthy and losing body fat is your ultimate goal.

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EYE SORE I fear my diet is sending me blind but I can only eat nuggets, pizza and chips

NUTS CUT GUTS Swapping crisps for a handful of nuts every day will 'ward off the weight'

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But along every journey there are lots of micro points and barriers you will overcome.

Celebrate these and be happy that you are becoming accountable and achieving.

Anytime Fitness has over 160 gyms across the UK and is the UKs second largest private gym operator, with over 160,000 members. Visit http://www.anytimefitness.co.uk/2019 to claim a free day pass.

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.

More here:
The dos and donts of weight loss from diet pills to calculators and keto - The Sun

LIVING in agony, Lizzy Owen was exhausted and barely able to walk up a flight of stairs.

She'd ballooned to a size 18 and as she piled on the pounds she was becoming more and more unhappy.

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However, the mum-of-four's reality check came when a family member pointed out just how big she was getting.

Determined to do something about her size, she signed up to her local Slimming World group and has since lose an impressive four stone in just nine months.

And she even managed to shed the pounds without giving up her favourite treats including chocolate and G&T.

Lizzy, 33, from Lincoln, said: "Before joining Slimming World I was very unhappy.

"I was tired, my joints hurts and my confidence was at an all-time low.

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"I got out of breath when walking up the stairs let alone doing any form of exercise.

"My turning point came when a family member pointed out how big I had got."You can't avoid that kind of mirror.

"So with a gentle nudge in the Slimming World direction from my auntie, I took the plunge and walked through those doors.

"I owe so much to my auntie for encouraging me to take control of my life."

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Since then Lizzy hasn't looked back and has slimmed down from a size 18 to a size 10/12 - despite at first having reservations about joining the slimming group.

Speaking to Lincolnshire Live, she added: "Before I plucked up the courage to walk through the doors to my local group I was super nervous, what if people laughed at me, what if people stared at me, what if I couldnt do it?

"All these questions were firing round my mind.

"But I neednt have worried as within five minutes of walking in I was plonked down with a cup of tea and truly welcomed.

"Like a lot of other people out there I had previously tried to lose weight by following a number of diets but they were never sustainable because I always felt restricted and I ended up having a really bad relationship with food.

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"I had resigned myself to being the size and weight I was for the rest of my life."

But, after overhauling her lifestyle, Lizzy said she feels like a new person.

She said: "It was like a light bulb went on in my head. It isnt a diet.

"Food optimising is wonderful. It is so easy to follow and nothing is completely off limits.

"You can have a cheeky gin and tonic or you can have that bit of chocolate you have been craving. One of my favourite meals is a veggie sausage casserole.

"A dish made completely out of free food and speed free food. Best of all my whole family loves it too! They are food optimising without even realising it."

The Slimming World diet is run by a Derbyshire-based weight loss company created by Margaret Miles-Bramwell in 1969.

It focuses on a diet of Food Optimising, where members are given a list of Syn Free food, that can be eaten in unlimited amounts.

Syns are short for synergy as the Free Foods, Healthy Extras and Syns all add up to effective weight loss.

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The programme encourages dieters to swap high-fat foods for low-fat foods that are naturally filling.

You can get support from fellow slimmers at weekly group meetings and follow an exercise plan to become gradually more active through their Body Magic initiative.

It's designed to help you lose about 1-2 pounds a week and currently has around 900,000 members attending each week.

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We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.

Original post:
Mums incredible 4st weight loss in just nine months on a diet of chocolate and G&Ts - The Sun

Heart health: Regular physical activity is important to maintain your heart health

Diet plays an important role in terms of determining your heart health and risk of heart attack. According to the American Heart Association, a healthy diet and lifestyle are the best weapons to fight cardiovascular disease. It is no rocket science. You just have to start making healthier food choices and give up sedentary lifestyle habits like regular drinking or binge drinking, smoking, sitting more and moving less, not exercising and regularly eating deep fried and junk food. In this article, we are going to talk about diet and lifestyle recommendations that can help prevent heart disease and heart attack.

Regular physical activity is important for a healthy heartPhoto Credit: iStock

Also read:Simple Lifestyle Modifications To Lower Your Heart Disease Risk

Eating the right kind of nutritious food is required to keep your heart healthy. Your daily diet should include carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fibre to provide you with complete nutrition. If you want to lose weight, you try intermittent fasting and portion control.

Apart from including these foods in your diet, you need to cut down on saturated fats - which is in abundance in deep fried foods, packaged foods, red meat, diet soda and sugar-sweetened beverages - to reduce risk of heart disease. For keeping your blood pressure under control, you need to also cut down on sodium intake. Reducing intake of salty foods is important to reduce risk of heart attack.

Avoid intake of junk food for a healthy heartPhoto Credit: iStock

Also read:Alarming Signs And Symptoms Of Clogged Arteries; Know Prevention Steps

1. Make sure that majority of your diet includes home-cooked, naturally available food. Rujuta believes that anything that comes in a packet is not healthy for you.

2. Fibre-rich whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat, graham flour, whole oats, whole grain barley and oats, should be a part of your diet.

3. Include foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids in your diet for heart health. These include fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines. Walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, kidney beans and soya bean oil are also rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Also read:Vitamin E: Good For The Heart And Many Other Health Benefits; Know The Best Sources And Ways To Consume It

4. Avoid foods that give you trans fats and saturated fat.

5. Practice moderation when drinking alcohol, preferably quit it. The sooner you quit, the better it is for your heart health.

6. Quit smoking. It can increase risk of cancer and also elevate blood pressure - which directly impacts blood pressure.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

Get Breaking news, live coverage, and Latest News from India and around the world on NDTV.com. Catch all the Live TV action on NDTV 24x7 and NDTV India. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram for latest news and live news updates.

More here:
Heart Health: Follow These Diet And Lifestyle Tips To Reduce Risk Of Heart Attack - NDTV News

Nick King had been overweight since his teens. As he grew into adulthood, the extra pounds came with himespecially once he was out of school and working. Now a 46-year-old lawyer living in London, United Kingdom, he drank a lot socially because of his work. Though he stayed active through swimming, he made bad choices in his diet, and work travel killed any chance at consistent, healthy eating.

Over the past twenty years, he never really weighed himself. He just felt unhealthy. At my heaviest I was lethargic, depressed, pretty unhappy, he says. I had no energy for my kids. Then he cracked some ribs during a business trip, which left him even more inactive. I had limited energy and was pretty depressed, he says. It was affecting my family life in a pretty serious wayIm not sure how they put up with me.

His heaviest, it turned out, was 275 pounds. His body fat was over 45 percent and he had a 51-inch waist. I want to be a positive role model for my kids, he says, and I wasnt. So I knew I had to act.

He started training with UP Fitness. Three days a week, scheduled around his job, he worked out with weights and resistance, along with high intensity interval training (HIIT). They started with moving the large muscle groupsleg presses, chest presses, lat pull downsand then worked into hitting less prominent muscles. But he also targeted his daily routines: he started walking more, aiming to hit 10,000 steps a day. Working in some long-distance swimming events (10 to 14 kilometers) two or three times a week helped increase his calorie deficit.

King also completely cut out drinkingwell, other than some special occasions and work events, where he kept his alcohol consumption in check. He had a high-protein, low carb diet, mixing meat and fish with fresh vegetables and salad. (Lunch, for example, might be chicken salad and a king prawn stir fry.)

In 44 weeks he lost 115 pounds. I have never felt or looked better, he says. Physically I am a different person. I just completed a swim in a relay across the English Channel, and I regularly run and work out or exercise. His family is happy not just that hes dropped the weight, but that, as he puts it, his outlook as changed. I suspect I am a happier person to be around, he says. He feels more balanced, happy to trade being inside at a bar for outdoor activities. Work colleagues whove always known him as overweight are still adjusting to his new shape.

His step is to build some more muscle mass. Hes still swimming, having just done an English Channel relay, and hes looking forward to an upcoming 40-kilometer event. He credits his trainer with holding him accountable for his progress and getting him to this place. It was the best decision I made, he says. I feel great and the results are more than I could have hoped for.

Read the original post:
How Swimming and HIIT Training Helped This Guy Lose 115 Pounds and Get Fit - menshealth.com

The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends

The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends

It's pouring down andgetting dark at 6am. Meaning only onething:winter is coming.

Want to know how London's top trainers keep themselvesstrong and healthy throughthe gloom?

Preparation is key, as is hot yoga, a sprinkling ofboxingclasses, power walking, batch-cooked chunky veg soup, bowls of morning porridge and a good wake-up light alarm clock.

In a final salute to summer, here's howhow to eat, train and be well as the nights draw in.

The key for both of us is prepping gym kit the night before. If I'msuper organised Ill put it on the radiator the night before so its toasty when you wake up.

Add more warm meals in. Porridge for breakfast is always a winner. Magnesium, vitamin D and cod liver oil supplements are really helpful to feel more energised and alert.

I use it as an opportunityto do sprints on the treadmill in a gym, as I tend to do longer endurance runs in the summer. Its easy to want to hibernate and curl up in the warm. Fight against it and do a work out that will get you warm. Anything high intensity is great for this but I also love a hot yoga class in the winter.

Also wrap up warm and get outside whilst its still light! It doesnt have to be a full blown work out or run - even a long power walk will do - just something to get you some fresh air and some natural vitamin D.

In winter I tend to focus on getting strong, with less cardiovascular work. Then as spring arrives, I decrease the strength workand start the cardio and metabolic conditioning work ready for long hikes and mountaineering.

This is what most athletes will do, they'll spend the winter building strength, doing non specific training to their sport, then as competition season approaches they start to get more specific.

In terms of diet, I try to eat seasonally and locally. So, in autumn/winter in the UK I eat more apples, beetroot, brusselssprouts, carrots, celeriac, celery, chestnuts, chicory, kale, leeks, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, pears, potatoes, pumpkin, red cabbage, swede, swiss chard, turnips, watercress, winter squash.

In the colder months I tend to do most of my exercise indoors so I reduce any sessions such asHIITworkouts and running outside. My indoor sessions will then mostly consist of weight training and boxing. As a result, I want to make sure I also get outside as and when I can to ensure I get fresh air so I'll wrap up and try and walk whenever possible.

I love using the winter months to batch cook warming dishes such as homemade soups and stews. I love a homemade root veggie soup with chunky veg and will cook big pots and freeze it for a yummy post workout warming meal.

Just becausethe seasons change doesn't mean your workout has to.My training remains consistent even when the days get colder and darker, but I tend to bring my workouts indoors, my style of training (TheFramptonMethod) fortunately doesn't require any equipment - just objects around the house - so I'm not restricted.I domake myself train earlier on, as soon as I start to feel the slump, a few minutes into my routine and I'm wide awake again.

When it's really cold I'll get my body moving to warm up my limbs properly before starting my workout, even before doing stretches. I'll stand on one leg with my eyes closed for 60 seconds on each side, sit in squat position for two minutes and side lunges (getting the butt as low to the ground as I can).

I love a couple of high intensity workouts a week but whats more important to me is the low intensity workouts that are kind on the body whilst strengthening and lengthening the body from head-to-toe, my method, Kind by KG, is therefore my go-to. But I do love some hot yoga, when Im as cold as ice.

Warm food is all my body craves when its cold outside. Bye-bye smoothies and salads, and hello to oats, soups and stews. My digestion thanks me for it too as I do tend to work better with warm foods (as I learnt through Ayurveda).

My Lumie alarm clock is my saviour.Waking up when its pitch black outside to the sound of your iPhone alarm is horrid. Itslowly starts to light up 20 minutes before my alarm is set to go off. Which means by the time itmakes its gentle bird tweeting alarm I feel ready to wake up and jump out of bed. Its a game changer!

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Simple swaps to make to your diet and fitness routine as the weather gets colder - Evening Standard

It has been a good summer with holidays, eating out at restaurants, overindulging here and there, relaxing and nights out.

I dont regret any of it, and thankfully have stepped away from the times I would be harsh on myself and feel guilt for how much Ive eaten or exercised, but Ive noticed my physical strength drop from what it was and my fitness levels decrease so Im ready to get back to my regular fitness routine.

But Ive been procrastinating about returning to the gym as it feels daunting after a break. The question that has been occupying my mind in recent weeks is: what is the best way to get my fitness back on track after the summer?

I dont want to fall back into my old ways of fad diets, detoxes or looking at exercise as a punishment to balance the holiday time. In previous years around this time of year I would feel very motivated to follow an extreme programme with an all or nothing attitude for a few weeks, I wouldnt be happy with a workout unless I had doms (delayed onset muscle soreness) with a constant feeling of deprivation from following a quick fix diet with a big drop in calories then give up after a few weeks and go the other extreme to the diet leading to weight gain and feeling horrible.

Im more than 60 per cent of the way there in my weight-loss goal of 5st 6lb (34.5kg) goal and Im enjoying doing it (mostly) and giving myself time to adapt to new habits. Overall, my fitness and strength has been steadily growing over the last year, and the weight-loss goal has drifted into the background as Ive felt healthier and stronger, replacing my destructive habits step by step.

The more success Ive had with making new habits part of my daily life, the less effort Ive had to make to be healthier as it becomes part of my normal routine and lifestyle. As I keep being reminded that Christmas is about three months away, which will be another break, now is good time to learn ways to make it easier to get back to my regular fitness routines after holidays, and make some new fitness and health goals.

Thinking of starting from the beginning with my fitness after a break is demoralising and demotivating, and I want to be realistic about where I can start and realistically what progress I can aim for.

I turn to strength and condition coach Cill OConnor, who helped me previously keep training through a minor injury, for advice on the best way to get restarted.

The first few workouts back should be light so that you can develop good lifting technique and not cause any unnecessary soreness, he says. You will have lost a lot of your strength and fitness. Dont expect to be able to lift the same amount of weight you could when you were training consistently.

However, our bodies can regain prior strength and fitness levels much faster than it took to build them initially. If you train intelligently, it wont take long to get back to where you were.

OConnor explains I am not alone is abandoning much of my normal fitness habits during the summer but says even one workout a week can maintain strength.

Fitness takes quite a while to build, but it also degrades very quickly if you dont keep it up. Its not worth taking a whole summer off when you could just do one workout a week and maintain most of your fitness, he says. You definitely dont have to put in a huge amount of effort to regain your fitness. Whats most important is consistency and training at an intensity that allows you to do a little more each session.

OConnor says one of his tips would be to set realistic goals and making them more performance-oriented, such like getting a first pull-up or proper push up before the end of the year, can help with motivation.

Be honest with yourself if last time didnt work out perhaps you were either doing something you dont enjoy, or you did too much too soon, he says.

People could save themselves a huge amount of frustration and effort in trying to regain lost fitness if they just implemented maintenance sessions into their holidays. Just once per week can be enough to keep most of your strength and fitness and save you from going back to square one.

Its a good reminder for me that even one session a week can make a difference and make my life easier in the long run. Step one for getting back on track for me was getting my weekly food shopping done to return to the habit of making my own meals. Step two was to end my procrastination and get back to working out. I sheepishly walked back into the gym but after a few minutes into the class Id forgotten about being self-conscious and any worries I had about working out disappeared.

I took OConnors advice and started with light weights, which was a bit frustrating to not be where I was with my fitness, but it felt great to be back and it reminded me how much I enjoy training.

It was my decision to take a break and now I needed to be patient and more compassionate to my body and mind to build myself back up and improve. I need to make regular workouts a priority as they make me feel good and healthier. In just a week back, it had reignited an excitement to push myself out of my comfort zone again in terms of fitness.

Ive decided to stay away from the weight scales for now. Im confident weight loss will happen but its not my focus. Ive finally signed up for a 5km run, made new strength and weight-training goals, and will give more focus on flexibility and stretching exercises.

Rachel Flahertys column is about getting fitter and healthier

Contact Rachel on Twitter@rachelfl,Instagramor emailrflaherty@irishtimes.com

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My weight loss goal has drifted into the background as Ive felt healthier and stronger - The Irish Times