No one wants more belly fat, an uncontrollable appetite and cardiovascular disease!

​High fructose corn syrup makes us gain weight, store belly fat and even lead to a food addiction in some cases!

Too much sugar isn’t great either, but getting off the HFCS roller coaster makes it easier to cut down on the purer forms of sugar.

How HFCS Affects Hunger
HFCS is such an intense form of sweetness that it actually desensitizes our brain and increases appetite. It’s like sugar on steroids. The hunger hormone leptin can no longer tell our body it’s had enough food so we can’t stop eating and gaining weight.

The Negative Health Effects of HFCS
HFCS is converted primarily into fat and triglycerides. People who consume HFCS have 200% higher levels of triglycerides than those who consume glucose and are likely to gain belly fat which puts them at risk of cardiovascular disease - not to mention insulin resistance.

Why HFCS is Addictive?
Our bodies aren’t designed for such intense sweetness so we get a dopamine boost when we consume it. Like all addictive substances (or behaviors) we need more and more, to get the high. Along with caffeine, it’s probably the reason so many people get addicted to soda.

“Just like alcohol, the more HFCS you consume, the more likely you are to develop an addiction—a craving for more food, an inability to stop eating, a preoccupation with the next meal, and withdrawal symptoms when you stop.” By James Greenblatt, MD

So there’s that!
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How to Give up HFCS
Try going without HFCS and see if your mood drops, and if you find yourself turning to something else as a pick-me-up, like caffeine, fast food, or other types of sugar. If you need HFCS to help regulate emotions or energy, you may need to swap over to a more natural form of sugar first, and take it from there.

HFCS is replacing sugar in processed foods, even ones that aren’t traditionally sweet, because it’s cheaper, more concentrated, and works as a preservative. So read your ingredient labels. It is also called maize syrup, glucose syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, tapioca, syrup fruit fructose, crystalline fructose, isoglucose.

The High Fructose Corn Syrup roller coaster of uncontrollable hunger, fat gain and addictive behavior can easily be avoided by not buying food that contains HFCS and even swapping to ‘ordinary’ sugar.

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Clara xx
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Reference

Giving Into Temptation?

It's time to talk about those sneaky short-term pleasures that mess up our weight loss and fitness goals. You know the ones - someone left donuts in the break room, going home to Netflix feels more appealing then hitting the gym or grabbing take out is more tempting than eating what’s in the fridge.

These, in the moment, urges are like shiny objects leading us away from our long term goals. They make us feel good right now at the expense of reaching our long term goals. We know this, so why do we keep falling into this trap?

In short, it's pesky negative thoughts and feelings that make us vulnerable to falling off track. Simple feelings like stress, boredom, or feeling down can trap us into doing things we know we shouldn't.

But we do have the power to take control of these cravings. We can turn around negative thoughts and we can choose to explore different practical solutions to in-the-moment-urges which I'll talk about here. 

Trust me, it's not easy but it's worth it. Have a healthy snack on hand to help you resist the donuts in the break room. Book a class or 1:1 session at the gym so you HAVE to go after work instead of straight home to Netflix. Or pre-prepare food you enjoy so you have something TASTY to look forward to when you get home. And do these things consistently.

Once you’re willing, really willing, to acknowledge, what you're doing, you can more clearly associate daily actions with negative outcomes. And this can be a great motivator (if a little depressing)! How many cookies are you eating? How much of your diet is sugar or refined carbs? How will you feel in 10 years if you keep this up?

With some serious commitment and self-love, you can kick those short-term pleasures to the curb and stride confidently towards your fitness and health goals!!!

You got this!

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Clara xx

​If you're not currently exercising, it can feel intimidating to take the first step, especially if you’re being told repeatedly that you HAVE to join a gym to get fit.

Luckily you can get started in a simple, non intimidating way (without the gym).

First 7 Days
During week one, there's no need to change anything. You can simply observe where you're at so you can set a good goal at the end of the week. Count steps if you have a tracker or just make a note of movement and active hobbies like gardening, cleaning or taking the grandkids to the park.

After 7 Days
After 7 days it’s time to set a small goal. Choose an activity that would be REALLY easy to stick to for the next 30 days, whether it’s something you do daily or 3 times a week. The aim here is to create a small project you can FINISH so you can build up a habit and your confidence. Avoid going from zero to a hundred in the first week and getting burnt out or injured.
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Some people do really well with starting a daily habit like committing to 5 minutes of Pilates each day or a brisk 10-minute walk around your block every morning. Others prefer to commit to something like a weekly exercise class or classes.

The Next 30 days
Now that you are moving more, consume more protein so that your muscles can 'reform' after a workout to begin creating a gorgeous toned body!

An ideal protein intake is 0.68 times your body weight in pounds. For example, if you weigh 180 lbs, aim for around 122 grams of protein per day. 

​Moving more plus a higher protein intake, makes your body need more water. Water aids protein digestion, helps post-exercise soreness, and makes exercise easier by lubricating joints and regulating temperature and energy levels. Aim to drink at least half a gallon (64 fl oz) of water per day.

After 30 days
After the initial 30 days you’ll have transformed into someone who exercises! GO YOU! Now it’s time to keep up the momentum by choosing your next goal that excites you and takes into account how this month went.

Summary of Steps

1. Spend 7 days observing how much you move (without changing anything).
2. Set a 30 day goal
3. Complete your goal over 30 days while increasing protein & water
4. Set a new exciting goal

These steps aren't about making drastic changes or instantly transforming your whole body. They're designed to help you form a solid foundation of small wins to build confidence. 

Would you like help to create a personalized plan that starts with small, achievable goals and gradually builds into a routine that fits your lifestyle and mood? Check out my Lose 5 lbs This month (& any month) program. 

Want Motivations to Exercise?
Sometimes, finding motivation is as simple as asking yourself a few basic questions and choosing to act.
Here are some of the main inside my free Get Motivated to Move workbook:

#1: Why do you want to exercise?
What is important to you in life, and how does exercise help you achieve your goals in these areas?

#2: What's stopping you?
What are your reasons for not working out, and what fears are holding you back?

#3: What will you do about these obstacles?
Are there ways to overcome your reasons and fears? What steps are you willing to take to finally get moving?
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Want to go deeper with these questions?
Download the short workbook ​HERE