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Do you feel your stress levels heighten when staring at a computer screen all day? It could be down to many things – including the blue light from the device, changes in our posture (we often find ourselves hunching over as we get engrossed in a task) and going into foveal vision.
Foveal vision is when you are focused only on what is right in front of you and tend to ‘block out’ other things going on around you. This increases stress levels – whereas peripheral vision, such as taking in all of our surroundings (when going for a walk, for example), leaves us feeling more relaxed and grounded.
To counteract this make sure you take regular breaks from the screen, even if that is just gazing out of the window for a few moments. It will help boost your concentration levels and leave you feeling calmer.
Things have been quite busy for us here at Wellness Lincs over the last few weeks. We’ve moved our base! We’re now located in the lovely village of Billinghay, near Sleaford. We’re still covering the Spalding area but are also now setting up in Sleaford, Tattershall, Coningsby and surrounding areas. Watch this space for more!
I recently met up with Vanessa Browning and Emma Rose (pictured) who run the Community Mind Matters Running Group every Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6-7pm at the Castle Sports running track in Spalding.
The group was set up to help support people to get out, meet others and boost mental health.
What a brilliant idea! You can find the running group on Facebook here
We often read in magazines or online that eating this or that food will help us to lose weight. But can eating a certain food really help us shed pounds?
I am not a fan of cutting out certain food groups, such as proteins, or fats or carbs (as I believe the body needs each group to function correctly). However, it is true that eating certain foods need more energy than others to digest.
TEF
It’s due to what we call the ‘Thermic effect of food’ or ‘TEF’ – the energy your body needs to digest, absorb and process nutrients. While this in itself is a small amount of total energy expenditure – about 10 to 15 percent – some foods have a higher thermic effect than others.
Protein
TEF from protein is said to potentially increase your metabolic rate by 15-30%. That’s from foods such as lean animal proteins, seafood and plant-based proteins (such as lentils, beans, tofu and nuts). The bonus with protein is it also keeps you fuller for longer, reducing the temptation to ‘pick.’ Protein is also, of course, essential for the growth and repair of our bodies – for our hair, nails, bones and muscles.
Fibre
Eating high fibre foods such as avocados, pears, almonds, pistachios, mangoes, artichokes and plain popcorn have also been found to have a benefit on our metabolism and energy regulation.
Coffee
A small study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has suggested drinking caffeine, such as coffee, can give the metabolism a lift. But due to the effect of caffeine on our hormones (particularly in triggering stress hormones) you want to go easy on caffeine.
Green tea
If you like a cup of green tea, it may offer some metabolism-boosting benefits, due to the role of antioxidants called catechin. These are said to help break down fat.
Spices
Capsaicin, found in paprika and chili peppers has also been shown to help increase energy expenditure and promote fat burning in a PLoS One study.
Hydration
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that your metabolism needs water to function properly. Aiming to drink around 2 litres of water a day will keep you feeling fuller and help your metabolism.
By Zoe Myall. Zoe is also a Weight Loss Specialist with the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
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2/6/21 ~ Summer goodness
Summer is here! Fruits such as these strawberries and cherries are a great choice if you are looking to lose weight or simply to eat more healthily. Packed with fibre but low in calories they’ll help you feel fuller for longer – and with natural sweetness, vitamins and minerals they’re a much better choice than processed sweets or chocolate that have limited nutritional value. If you can find organic varieties then even better!
We’ve got lots of knowledge and tips to help you eat as healthily as possible. Follow our social media for regular updates, hints, and advice.
Our mental health and physical health goes hand in hand. We are huge supporters of helping people with their mental health as well as exercising the body. I was so honoured to be asked to take part in a podcast for #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek with Emma from Inspired to Change in Spalding and Vanessa from Community Mind Matters. Here’s the podcast we recorded.
If you’ve made a start to change your lifestyle then well done – you’ve made the first step. It’s all about making small changes and try not to expect everything to happen overnight. We know it can be hard to avoid temptations in the cupboard so we’ve compiled a few tips in this infographic to try to help keep you on track. Reward yourself for your hard work but try to think of rewards that you could choose that aren’t food. Here are a few ideas and more tips to keep you on track!
When you’re hungry it’s all too easy to grab something quick from the vending machine or office canteen. But if you plan ahead you can make much better and more fulfilling choices.
Here’s a quick, easy and very delicious lunch recipe which can be prepared in under ten minutes, thanks to our friends at Fitpro Recipes.
It’s also high in protein to help keep your appetite satisfied.
Asian Inspired Fish Salad
120g white fish, eg coley
half a red pepper, diced
half a yellow pepper diced
half a green pepper, diced
few handfuls of lettuce (optional), torn up into small pieces
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
salt and pepper to season
Serves 1
Per serving: 198 calories, 12 carbs, 6g fat, 24g protein
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil (just a few inches deep or enough to cover the fish).
Reduce to a gentle simmer and place the fish in the water. Cook for 2-3 minutes, turning halfway. When cooked through, remove from heat, drain and set aside.
In a salad bowl, mix together the peppers, lettuce (if using) rice vinegar and sesame oil.
Break the fish into small pieces, and mix into the salad.
Season well with salt and pepper.
Enjoy!
Reports say that many of us have been having trouble with our sleep during the COVID pandemic and lockdown.
Sleep Awareness Week, run by the National Sleep Foundation, is from March 14-20 and aims to promote better ways of sleeping.
The Federation of Holistic Therapists also has lots of useful information to help you get a better night’s sleep here.
It covers the importance of sticking to a routine, exercise, keeping a journal to help sort your thoughts and many other tips.