Simple Human Living

Many great humans develop simple meal plans/guides and workout programs to help create healthier eating habits, be more active, and get on track to becoming a better you. With the right information and effort, you have the power to change your life.

Research shows that it takes about 12 weeks on average to form new habits. Let’s get straight into the basics. First things first. Fat is not a swear word. If you find it offensive, you’ve issues deeper than just being over weight and this means change is a must. We all have and need body fat. If you’ve more than you should have, it’s not a problem. The problem is not facing it as happy being ‘big’ or not, i’m not interested in your appearance. I DO however, care about your health. So please, don’t be offended by the 'f' word.  Overweight or underweight, it’s usually because we eat and drink more calories than they need/are not getting the nutrients we need. This plus a non active lifestyle, or, training without the right knowledge means we will never be who we could/should be. Here’s some basic guidelines for you to start thinking about now to prepare you for a positive change. 

Calories are not a bad thing. They're a measurement of energy. We need energy to function. If you have a car full of fuel, adding more would mean it spilling all over the body. Same goes for the fuel we consume. Use what you eat. It's not rocket science. Drink food/eat water Nope, that's not a typo. Chew your food. Loads this is something we all are guilty of not doing enough. And keep hydrated by eating a load of fruits and vegetables throughout the day. Still drink water. But sip it. Don't gulp. Fibre Eating food with lots of fibre helps you feel full for longer, so you’re more likely to stick to your calorific needs. So many think protein, carbs and one veg is ‘clean’ eating. I think it’s boring. You NEED fibre and good fats. Portions No matter how healthily you eat, you can still put on body fat if you’re eating too much. I purposely don't put '137g of' on my material as we are all different sizes and shapes and i feel we need to all learn responsibility for our portion size. 

Activity Evidence shows that people who combine regular physical activity with calorie-counting are more successful at losing body fat and keeping it off. Makes sense in black and white doesn't it? Many people still get this wrong 8 easy ways to raise your physical activity: Take the stairs - i lived on the 33rd, i did it once. i mean in subways, malls, etc Take up running - my pet hate but it works and is available always Exercise in your local park - or street! Use the car less - going to the store? a block away? don’t Exercise at work - depending on your job (to all my brain surgeons supporters, just don’t) Family fun - standard. get out with the kids, cousins, nephews/nieces. Play a sport - find something you love or loved and get to it Exercise motivation Motivation is a tough one. I find it real difficult if i’m honest. Knowing i’m inspiring others keeps me driving harder daily. Feel free to insta message me anytime you’re not feeling it. i chat to hundreds daily and am always here for everyone. @shl145 Workplace/University traps We spend on average about a third of our day working, so it makes sense to give what we eat during working hours some careful consideration. If you can, food prep. One day a week of making up meals means you keep to them and save so much time. It becomes addictive also. You’ll be proud of yourself! 

Food cravings However good our intentions, when a food craving strikes it can be a real test of our willpower. I don’t use the term ‘cheat day’. It pshycologically creates a subliminal thought that the healthy meals are our worst enemy. Instead, we have TREAT days. Comfort eating It’s easy to turn to food when you’re stressed, upset, or simply bored. Find something that raises your happy vibes instead of reaching for the junk. you feel crap, you eat crap, you feel crap…. and so on. DO NOT eat a dog (or any animal actually). Think before you drink Alcohol - lots of empty calories, sugar and poison (alcohol is a poison, we don’t give that enough thought). And, it’s not just alcohol, non- alcoholic drinks from lattes to colas can also cause your calorie count to rise. So much sugar in soft drinks too.  Pitfalls

Skipping breakfast Skipping breakfast can lead to unplanned and unhealthy mid-morning snacking or bingeing at lunch so start your day big. With foods containing fibre, such as wholegrain bread or porridge. Skipping meals Skipping any meal is a bad idea. It may reduce your calorie intake for a bit, but you’ll be hungrier later and more likely to eat a s**t load so eat regular meals and don’t starve between. Have some healthy snacks about in case. Calories count Although i don’t give calories counts as numbers create more stress than needed (unless you’re a serious bodybuilder, then I'd pass you on to someone more passionate about body building).  We’re all adults here, a latte, some crisps, chocolate, biscuit, entire cake and family bucket... mindless munching can easily sabotage a well-planned diet so man up, take responsibility for your actions and just say NO.  

Crap snacks High-calorie snacks aren’t gonna do you any favors Healthy snacks can help you control hunger and keep energy levels up. Think fibre. Fruit (sugars too), veg and wholegrain food. Low fat…..? ‘Low-fat’ or ‘fat-free’ doesn’t always mean low calorie. Aways check labels for fat, sugar and calorie content. So much crap is in our foods and due to greed, money means pretty much anything can hit our shelves these days. 

Does it have an advert? Simple one here, if you’ve seen an advert for it, someone’s trying to sell it. When was the last time you saw an ad for an apple?

Drinks We all ‘go for coffee’. Next time, think before you order your frothy-creamy-milky-choccy-mocha. If you drink fizzy drinks, we’re not in the 80’s now, theres a world of info saying they’re killing you. Be aware of smoothies also. Limit them. Juices are also one to watch (at least the smoothie has the fibre). Alcoholic drinks (although fun, sometimes) are full of empty calories. Go for water (still or if you’re determined to stay 80’s, sparkling) with a slice of lemon, tea or coffee with milk alternatives, or herbal tea. Scales Your weight can fluctuate from day to day, so weighing yourself daily is not a good idea. Muscle weighs more than fat so training hard will leave you thinking you’re not progressing. Go by how your clothes fit and how you feel It’s friends/relatives you don’t see often who will notice the biggest difference. Daly, who actually notices a change in their life? Now think back a year ago. Proof progress takes time right there. Be realistic Thinking you’ll lose half a stone (3kg) in a week is probably setting yourself up for failure. Keep s**t real. Goals are vital for success so small ones are the building blocks to work at. GAIIINZZZZ Don’t cancel out the energy you just burned during being a badass by eating tons of crap after. Unless you’re mission is to bulk. then eat away! Post-workout snack or a protein shake are enough for those wanting to lose some fat. 

Oversized portions This is a HUGE reason people struggle to stay in shape. Use smaller plates, don't stuff yourself til you can’t move, or the ultimate portion control method - chop off your hands. Sound extreme? People get bands surgically implanted in them or take a load well-marketed chemical crap (at great expense) in an attempt to make a quick fix. No one questions that though. Resisting (peer pressure) In a perfect world, family and friends would do nothing but encourage you. We all know this world isn’t perfect so being strong minded is essential… Eating a plant based diet you are gonna get SO much stick. Trust me, i had it for a year and still to this day get ripped. ‘Go on, just once’. ‘Err, ok. Sleep with Dave’. ‘I’M NOT GAY’. ‘Cool. i AM vegan!’ (note, this is an example. Any Daves out there, i am not sending my mates to you) Use their negativity as fuel to prove them wrong. Or just get new friends. Dining out Going out for a meal? I got you. Enjoy! Here’s how.  

Italian Go for thin pizzas with veg toppings, tomato-based sauces, vegetable-based soups, grilled dishes. Avoid cheese and cream-based pasta sauces, cheesy and meaty pizzas, salami, creamy sauces, garlic bread, lasagne. Chinese Go for stir-fries, steamed dumplings, steamed veg, plain boiled rice, tofu. Avoid sweet sauces and anything fried or deep-fried or sweet and sour, spring rolls, egg fried rice. Thai Go for lots of steamed or stir-fried vegetables, salads, stir-fries, steamed rice, broth soups. Avoid coconut milk dishes, fried rice, peanut sauce, crispy noodles. Indian Go for tomato-based sauces, tandoori dishes, plain or basmati rice. Avoid bhajis, poppadoms, creamy curries, pilau rice, naan bread. 5 a day? 5 A MEAL! 

Go green! Getting into the habit of eating more veg can help you lose body fat. And keep it off! There are so many ways to pack more veg into your favourite meals. Eat a rainbow of color at least once a day. Salads can be your best friend when trying to lose weight but beware of dressings and toppings. Cravings Sometimes all you can think about is chocolate, biscuits or crisps. We are human. It’s ok! My thing is fries or cookies. I know when i crave them it’s my body telling me to get the fastest source of carbs into me. I’m low on fuel. We are so complex and incredible yet simplifying food can be done easily. Learning why we crave certain things and what we can eat instead is a basic survival skill needed for anyone serious about weight management.

Plateau Eating healthier food and exercising will change your life. You won’t notice a day to day change but will be a complete new you from when we started. Never give up. It’s a lifestyle choice to live healthy. You have one body and it’ll be around for a long time so look after it. With muscles, if you don’t use them, you lose them. With food, you re what you eat. Eat s**t and you’l feel and live it.

Here's the first of many of my which Simple Human Living meals. Minimal mess, cost effective and easy to make. 

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https://youtu.be/bDXKaoxXiW4