Coffee and a muffin top anyone?

OK, not the most self explanatory title in the world but once you get reading you will understand why...trust me I am not a doctor :-)

It's been a while since I have blogged. Life has had its challenges recently and it has resulted in some interesting but not so favourable changes to both my mind and body.

Since the summer work has been underway on the family home. We have been house sitting and now staying with parents. Not ideal! Quite frankly family life has been thrown into chaos. Our daily routines have disappeared. We have all had to make adjustments and live without our usual comforts and familiarity.

The biggest change I have experienced is the alteration of eating habits. It is vastly different from before and as a result my body is not firing on all cylinders. I am not working out as consistently, not sleeping well and as a result have noticed some negative changes within not only my body but my mind too!

The most obvious change is the extra pounds sitting around my belly and hips! My favourite clothes feel tighter.

I hate to admit it but I dislike not feeling or looking so svelte and trim. But worse than that, as I dig deeper I realise that my health is not the same either!

Let's look at the range of symptoms and changes first. Then we can examine the reasons why :-

• Stress! huge changes to personal circumstances result in excessive and prolonged exposure to stress.
• Low mood:-( Not feeling in control or positive about the future. Wanting to stay in doors and hide away. Reaching for high carbohydrate comfort foods.
• Insomnia. Tired all the time. No energy and general apathy about everything.
  Pimples and blemishes where my clear skin used to be.
• Dry and flaky skin.
• Dark circles around my eyes and spots on my chin.
• Feeling bloated and swollen all over my body.
• Heartburn and frequent tummy aches.
• Less frequent toilet habits (I had to mention it.....sorry!).
• Not being in walking distance of the local shops and school means more driving and less walking.

So how can a few extra pounds and a change in my diet cause so much change within the body? What do I need to do to turn it back round and break the vicious cycle? The vicious cycle of feeling low thus craving high carb foods, feeling a temporary high before crashing back down again even worse than before :-(

In no particular order :

• Small amounts of stress can be beneficial, however, prolonged exaggerated stress can causes alterations in levels of adrenaline and cortisol. Affecting your sleep, fat deposition, blood pressure and long term can be harmful to the body.

The continual cycle of stress is disrupting my sleep. This in turn is disrupting my appetite mechanisms. Excessive amounts of cortisol and adrenaline mean I am in danger of storing more belly fat, blood sugar imbalance, suppressed thyroid function and lowered immune function. POSSIBLE SOLUTION:Using methods to relax such as deep breathing and meditation. Try to follow a set bedtime regime. Avoid stimulants such as coffee and alcohol.

• Extra carbs have slowly crept into my daily eating regime. Instead of my usual brightly coloured fibre filled salads full of variety and flavour, I have had to make do with the odd sandwhich or toast. Eating on the run without preparing means I am eating more quickly and portions have got larger.

The extra carbs have settled nicely around my middle and a muffin top is in danger of appearing! Because of the effect excess carbs have on my blood sugar, more insulin is released into my blood stream turning me from lean mean fat burning machine to a fat storing flux capacitor! (who remembers that film???) POSSIBLE SOLUTION:Begin measuring portions and counting calories for a few days to realign myself to correct portion sizes. Be more watchful for hidden or excess carbs. When consuming carbs make sure they are the whole variety and not refined in anyway.

• More alcohol has founds it's way into my diet. I have been desperately trying to find ways to relax and get away from the stressful situation. Thus it becomes a habit and difficult to break.

For a start the extra calories have contributed to the extra inches. It has also effected my sleep and again the alcohol is basically sugar and this simple form causes massive alterations in blood sugar levels.

This also has a profound effect on my moods as my body is over sensitive to carbs and sugars and this changes my brain chemistry (serotonin and beta-endorphins). Because my brain chemistry is out of kilter I experience wildly fluctuating moods and emotions. From despair to elation in the space of 5 mins! Using carbs and sugar as a way of self-medicating to make myself feel better (sound familiar) and so the cycle continues:-( POSSIBLE SOLUTION:Limit alcohol to special occasions. When drinking it stick to measures make sure it is consumed along side food to slow absorption down.

• Eating more meat, in particular red, such as spaghetti bolognaise, roast dinners, bacon, sausages, venison to name but a few.

Red meat from time to time is fine, as is any meat. However, when eating red meat it is usually a lot higher in fat, therefore lots of calories. Fat has the highest amount of calories per gram and can easily push caloric intakes up. Also along side coffee and alcohol can exacerbate symptoms of heartburn. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS: Limit red meat to once a week and substitute protein for beans and pulses, eggs and vegetables. Try and eat vegetarian a couple of times a week and eat plenty of fish. Limit coffee and eat smaller portions.

• More salt in my diet through sauces and stocks, breads and cereals.

Relying on more ready meals and sauces means not only extra fats and sugars, but also additives, preservatives and salt! Excess salt can cause bloating. Extra chemicals from the processed foods may bury themselves deep in body fat in the form of toxins - could this explain the extra orange peel? POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:Avoid all processed foods, including shop bought bread. Plan meals and shopping well in advance and cook from scratch as much as possible. Drink plenty of water to help flush out excess salts and toxins.

• Eating late and not being in control of menu planning to allow sensible late night meals.

Not planning means you will react to hunger! When you are starving hungry and exhausted preparing a nutritious meal late at night is the last thing on your mind. I will eat whatever I can lay my hands on! Good or bad. POSSIBLE SOLUTION:Cook extra the night before or at weekends and freeze perfect portion sizes. Eat a main meal earlier in the day so only a snack is required. Plan the week and have healthy quick options ready. For example an omelette is quick and easy.

• Not having my usual stock cupboards to enable quick healthy meal.

When at home in my normal kitchen and surroundings I know exactly what herbs and ingredients I have to make a super healthy meal. My enormous American fridge freezer is

normally jam packed with fresh fruit and veg, eggs, natural yoghurt's etc. Without this you need to plan and shop daily! POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:Shop when you need to if space is limited. Again look at your meal plans and make sure you have what you need to hand. Use herbs for flavouring and make extra to freeze for later. Freeze fresh herbs and buy ready prepared frozen veg and fruits. Stock up on tinned pulses and beans. Pick a few fail safe recipes as bases for main dishes.

This has been very insightful for me. Even as a personal trainer with lots of knowledge of nutrition I too can be caught out by circumstances. I am also falling victim to the voice of justification! I can hear myself making excuses for my bad food choices and blaming my circumstances.

But I feel rotten and I know it is ALL MY OWN fault. I can do something about it and I will. Watch this space and join me in my journey back to super health and vitality!