You cannot out train a bad diet…

Posted on Tuesday 16 April 2013 by juliebrealy

This morning I had a client come in for their third PT session. Let’s call her Jane.

Jane had put on 2lbs… shock, disappointment and disbelief. I could see the horror on her face, because Jane felt she’d had a good week, she had followed my exercise plan to the letter, had even added in an extra couple of walks. So before we started the PT session we took five minutes to chat about her diet this week. Firstly, Jane hadn’t been using her food diary, feeling that she would review each day on its own. Jane told me that she had been having smaller portions, and no carbs for supper, but after a little more digging Jane remembered ice cream and strawberries, hot chocolate and shortbread, finishing the kids Easter eggs to name but a few “treats” this week.

This is not uncommon. Clients very often fall into this trap at the beginning of their weight loss journey and start to think that because they have increased their activity levels that they can or should be able to treat themselves. Does that sound familiar?

At Brealy Bootcamps we promote developing a real relationship with food and do not advocate removal of any foods from your regular diet. Research has shown that total abstinence or restrictive diets fail time and time again. Once you remove a food completely you can start to develop a contrary desire for it, sometimes this feels more like a compulsion and you can find yourself binging out on the removed food and then feeling guilty and ashamed of yourself. This spiral of denial, guilt and shame is not productive and only sets you up for failure in the long term.

But, there is a but here…… in the early days of your weight loss journey you do need to exercise caution around when you include certain foods. The key is stabilising your blood sugar, so eating your three main meals and two small protein rich snacks is important. This stops you from feeling “hungry” so you are less likely to make bad choices while keeping your metabolism high. Secondly, remember a treat is exactly that a treat… not a regular occurrence, so a daily treat is not a treat, that’s becoming part of your regular diet. If you want to reward yourself for your increased activity you need to find a non food way to do that so that you don’t undo your good work.

As you grow in confidence and motivation as the lbs/Kgs start to come off and your new shape reveals itself you will find it easier to make healthy choices, but for now you need to practice and treats should become just that “occasional treats”.

Reduce the stress with a little Chocolate!

Posted on Saturday 30 March 2013 by juliebrealy

We have already advocated chocolate can be included in part of a healthy eating plan due to its antioxidant properties, but as Easter approaches you may start to feel anxious about this season of sweet treats derailing your current good efforts.

So, if you’re wondering how you can add chocolate to your weight management plan without piling on the pounds, the good news is that it could be easier than you might think

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen found that dark chocolate is far more filling, offering more of a feeling of satiety than its lighter-colored siblings. That is, dark chocolate lessens cravings for sweet, salty, and fatty foods and it also reduces the stress hormone levels.

So, indulging in a small bit of healthy dark chocolate should not only make it easy for you to stick to the small portion recommended for optimal health, but it should make it easier for you to stick to your plan in general.

No more anxiety. Give milk and white the elbow and treat yourself to the most stunning and expensive dark chocolate egg you can find and then savor every small bite you take over the holidays.

Lots of love

The Easter “Brealy” Bunny

4 top weight loss tips for women

Posted on Tuesday 5 March 2013 by Stel

Whether you have a few pounds to lose; are looking to shift that last half a stone; or have other weight loss aspirations – then we can help.

At Brealy Bootcamps, while everyone who attends our bootcamps will experience weight loss, our focus is more than that – we want to empower you, so you feel and look your best with our combination of exercise; eating nutritionally balanced meals; and changing behaviours.

Here we share some of our top weight loss tips for women …

1. Food cravings and hunger
One issue that women on a diet normally experience is feelings of hunger and cravings for food they feel are “off limits”. Eating a nutritionally balanced diet, however, that contains foods that help you feel fuller for longer as well as keeping your blood sugars stabilised (so no lapses in energy that see you reach for a chocolate bar), is the solution.

It will stop those cravings and mean you won’t feel hungry in between meals, because you are giving your body what it needs and removing the dramatic peaks and troughs in energy levels that things like caffeine and sugars give you.

All our menus are based around these principles and are tasty, nutritious and help make it easier to lose weight as well as giving you the foundation for a healthy way of eating for life.

2. The importance of exercise
It’s simple – if you want to lose weight, you need to eat better and move smarter. You may have seen celebrities in glossy magazines showing off an amazing weight loss saying that they “didn’t exercise” they simply “ate less”!

While you can achieve weight loss without exercise, you may be disappointed with the end results. It’s all very well losing fat, but if your skin isn’t toned or, in the case of extreme weight loss, you are left with excess skin, you may well still be unhappy with how you look.

It is also worth bearing in mind that the more frequently you exercise, the more calories you’ll burn – meaning you will lose weight quicker. The short term benefits also don’t end once you stop exercising – you’ll burn off calories faster for a few hours after, as well as benefitting from lots of health boosting benefits such as strengthening your bones, keeping your heart healthy, etc

And if you think that exercising is all about spending hours down the gym (with a very expensive gym membership to add to the pain!) then you need to come on one our Bootcamps.

Run at venues, ranging from day to weekend courses to week long retreats, across England (and in Spain), we show you that you don’t need a gym or lots of expensive equipment in order to get fit. It’s all about eating better and moving smarter.

3. Getting on the scales
Don’t get hung up on the weighing scales. While getting on the scales once a week or so to monitor just how well your weight loss is going can be a positive experience, there will be occasions when, although you’ve exercised frequently and eaten properly, the scales will not show any weight loss.

When this happens, you may feel “what’s the point of continuing?” and decide to give up and go back to your old habits. While it is understandable to feel like this, too much emphasis shouldn’t be put on what you weigh, as it could be misleading.

There could be many reasons why the scales don’t show a weight loss. For example, you are close to your period (most women gain a few pounds – which is typically just water – before their period). Or it could be that while you have lost fat, your have actually built up muscle due to exercise. As muscle weighs more than fat, the results on the scales could be deceptive.

Focus more on how you feel and look – only you know what you weigh. Other people will see a healthier, slimmer and more toned you.

4. Our Bootcamps
Brealy Bootcamps believe in providing a holistic approach to health and weight loss, with an equal balance of exercise, nutrition and behaviour on all our events. All these combined activities will help you achieve your goals. And, rather than faddy diets where you put weight back on as soon as you have lost it, they will give you the foundation to incorporate them in to your lifestyle – meaning you will achieve and maintain the body and fitness you have always wanted – and any excess weight lost will stay off.

Learn More:

Guide to weight loss camps for women

Posted on Sunday 3 March 2013 by Stel

Anyone who has ever been on a diet will know just how difficult it often is to stick to. And then, if you do manage to reach your target weight, how equally difficult it can be to maintain it.

That is why weight loss camps are so popular. They are designed to put you in an environment conducive to successful weight loss, with people facing similar challenges.

There are many different types of weight loss camps – or bootcamps as they are often known – so making sure you choose the one that is most suitable for you will help you achieve your goals.

So, what do you need to consider?

What are you trying to achieve – a quick fix? Or weight loss and maintenance?

What is your goal? A rapid weight loss where you only consume juices for several days (which often goes straight back on as soon as you start eating normally, back home)? Or a programme which will educate you on how to lose weight successfully – and maintain that weight loss?

At Brealy Bootcamps, we offer the latter. We know that old habits are hard to break and, in some cases, there may be other obstacles to maintaining your weight loss (such as understanding why you reach for that biscuit tin when you get that 3pm slump, or that glass of wine as soon as you walk in the door after a bad day).

On our weight loss camps for women, losing weight is just one part of the programme. We have a personalised, holistic, approach consisting of an equal balance of exercise, nutrition and behaviour on all our events.

Our aim is to provide you with a new framework for your life so that you can learn how to lose and then maintain your weight through a mixture of healthy eating, exercise and new behaviours (such as dealing with stress, or foregoing pick me ups such as caffeine when you are tired).

Big groups – or one-to-one attention?

Do you want one-to-one or one-to-few attention, where you can exercise at your own fitness levels under the expert eye of a trainer? Or be part of a large group where you just throw yourself in the deep end and hope you don’t injure yourself because no one is telling you if you are doing a particular exercise correctly?

On all of our bootcamps, we have small groups so that everyone gets a personalised service. Our groups tend to be a mixture of all levels of fitness, ages, shapes and sizes, and our programmes are tailored to meet each individual so that they can meet their goals.

What is included in the cost?

You may see some weight loss retreats advertising themselves as cheap – while this is all well and good, do make sure you know what is included in the cost before you sign up.

Some of these so-called “cheap” camps will charge you extra for things like en-suite rooms, towels, snacks and even water!

At our camps, everything is included. Your food, snacks and drinks will have the emphasis on being healthy while still being tasty and satisfying. Three main meals and three snacks will ensure that you never go hungry, plus herbal teas and water are on tap!

And all our venues offer clean, luxurious, and (usually) en-suite rooms – no dormitories!

Activities

If their website details it, check out the sort of activities you’ll be doing to make sure that they:
• are varied, so that you get to try lots of different activities as well as work different muscle groups;
• do not require lots of equipment (meaning that when you go home, you can keep up with the new routines you’ve learnt, without having to join an expensive gym);
• appeal to you – at least a bit! For example, if running for a bus is the only running you do, suddenly being thrown into lots of 10k runs and very little else won’t make for an enjoyable time at your camp.

A varied mix of activities – such as gym and outdoor based exercise classes and workouts intermixed with sessions on nutrition, workshop activities and low impact exercise such as yoga, pilates, and Nordic walking etc – is ideal, as it meets all the points mentioned above.

Finally, whatever weight loss camp you decide to attend, don’t forget to check out the credentials of the Team – being in the care of qualified, experienced people will help you achieve your goals – as well as give you peace of mind. (You can read about our Team here).

Learn More:

What happens at a women’s weight loss retreat?

Posted on Thursday 28 February 2013 by Stel

If you are thinking about attending a women’s weight loss retreat (not just a Brealy Bootcamps one), but have a few questions as to whether it will be suitable for you, the following information may help you make your decision.

First of all, note that a women’s “weight loss retreat” will mean different things to different people, no matter whether they are running the camp or attending it! We all have different ideas and expectations, so, do your research first to ensure you find the retreat that is most suitable for you:

• what sort of events / activities will you be taking part in? Are they a mix of cardio, plus high and low impact exercise to not only burn those calories off, but shape and tone your body too? A variety of exercises and activities will help keep you engaged in what you are doing, so you (should!) enjoy them more;

• how big are the groups at each retreat? Obviously, the smaller the groups, the more personalised and individual attention you will get – helping you to achieve your goals that much quicker and prevent the likelihood of injury;

• what sort of diet will you be on? Some retreats will severely restrict your calories or put you on to a liquid only diet. Others, such as ourselves, provide tasty and nutritionally sound meals that provide the foundations to helping you lose weight – and maintain that weight loss;

• is the focus purely on losing weight, or does the retreat programme include looking at all areas of your health and well-being? For example, our weight loss retreats are designed to help you think about the relationship between your lifestyle, weight, nutrition and health – and creating a balance.

In a sense, that may sound rather old hat. It isn’t revolutionary to suggest that there may be a direct link between what you eat, your weight, your fitness and your overall health – but, you’d be surprised how many weight loss camps do not have the same ethos as we do.

What happens at a Brealy weight loss camp?

There are a few things that make our retreats different to some others – our groups are small for a personalised service and we have an online support community after the event, where you can talk to other women who have been, or are going on, the same life changing journey as you.

Ours is a holistic approach, an equal balance of exercise, nutrition and behaviour on all our events.

What is a typical day like?

Depending on the type of bootcamp you are attending, a typical day may consist of 8-9 hours of different activities – for example, a variety of toning and cardio activities such as circuits, Nordic walking, kettlebells, pilates, yoga, and boxing etc as well as health, nutrition and well- being workshops.

Many of our venues have a sauna and pool, so you can also have a leisurely swim after sweating out some toxins and warming your achy muscles in a sauna.

We try to get outdoors as much as possible (weather permitting) and show you how you can exercise and get fit without the need for lots of equipment or gym memberships.

And while the other ladies at the weight loss camp will be people just like you, you don’t have to worry about needing your own space. It is up to you as to how sociable you are during your free time. Some of our ladies will go off to their room for a hot bath and to watch the TV while others may sit together and chat over a herbal tea – it’s your choice!

Eat smart and move more!

At Brealy Bootcamps, we believe that the idea that dieting alone won’t deal with weight loss and weight maintenance. It is perfectly possible, for example, to have a near ideal weight, yet still be substantially unfit and as a result, be putting your health at risk.

Our workshops will help you identify just what aspects of your life are influencing your weight and fitness choices. Lifestyle is a generic concept that encompasses a range of factors, all of which are important to understand and take control of if you are to start to improve your body and the way you feel about it.

So, a weight loss camp is more than simply doing exercises and learning about eating the right sort of foodstuffs. It is about establishing mechanisms to empower you to start having more self-confidence and to do things differently in terms of your overall lifestyle.

If this all sounds a little theoretical, then be reassured that at our camps there’s lots of emphasis on fun and practicality! This is about groups of women coming together to participate in sessions that have been designed by women and for women, with the ultimate objective of helping you achieve your goals.

Whatever your age or fitness level, you are likely to find the approach here to be radical, enjoyable and above all beneficial!

Learn More:

7 great benefits of weight loss retreats for women

Posted on Monday 25 February 2013 by Stel

At Brealy Bootcamps, we are often asked what the benefits of weight loss retreats for women are. Everyone is unique and will notice differences particular to themselves – which we love to hear about! – but in the meantime, here are 7 great reasons to attend one of our women’s only weight loss camps!

1. identifying the causes of failure. It is not unusual for some of our clients to have previously tried to better manage their weight and improve their fitness levels but perhaps with less than outstanding success. Sharing those experiences with others and learning from expert tuition, may help identify and deal with those inhibitors in future;

2. understanding your body better. It’s sometimes surprising just how many of us have picked up serious misconceptions about weight, health, nutrition and fitness, over the years. That might lead to serious errors in lifestyle approach but fortunately ones which can perhaps be relatively easily dealt with;

3. focusing on yourself. Many women today have phenomenally busy lifestyles and it can be difficult to find time to concentrate on yourself and your own personal needs. A retreat may seem a little indulgent but the investment of time is designed to help you find solutions to not only manage and maintain weight loss, but is about changing behaviours and achieving balance. All these things will help you feel and function better, meaning you’ll be more able to cope with a hectic lifestyle;

4. forming a support network. When trying to change aspects of your lifestyle, it can be very difficult to get started when you are working in isolation. Sharing your experiences with others while also getting one-to-one tuition from one of the team, will kick-start you into a new regime more easily than if you were trying to do it entirely on your own;

5. learning new techniques. Some exercise regimes are arguably far less effective than others. Learning about the right sorts of exercise is important and the same thing can be said about foodstuffs. For example, you can learn some practical tips relating to managing blood sugar levels and thereby avoid feeling hungry in between meals during the day as well as avoiding those awful 3pm slumps;

6. enjoyment. Brealy Bootcamps are bootcamps in name only and not by nature. These aren’t endurance tests designed to push your powers of physical or mental persistence to breaking point. They are practical and fun-filled sessions where the objective is not only for you to lose weight and feel more informed about your lifestyle choices, but also relaxed and in a stronger frame of mind.

7. finally, let’s not forget the health boosting benefits of a combined programme of frequent exercise, nutrition and balance. Exercise not only tones you up and increases your fitness, but, on the inside, it makes amazing, positive changes. For example, stronger bones, so you are at less risk of osteoporosis: stronger muscles that help you burn calories more efficiently and support your internal organs by helping them function more optimally; and glowing skin. Throw in great nutrition and a framework of how to cope with emotional and mental concerns such as stress and sleep disorders – and you will be in great shape.

While these are obvious advantages that everyone should benefit from, some of our past “campers” have also shared some of the things they have noticed since their weight loss camp.

They include having whiter teeth (no coffee or red wine stains!): having the confidence to change careers; going from hating running to competing in 10k marathons; to stopping being on anti-depressants (with the blessing of her doctor of course).

As you can see, while you may be coming to one of our weight loss retreats to lose weight, you will gain so much more!

Learn More:

What to expect at a female only fitness weekend

Posted on Friday 22 February 2013 by Stel

You may sometimes wonder on a Monday morning, following a relaxing weekend where the most energetic thing you managed was a bit of retail therapy, just why you feel so tired and washed out and whether there’s anything you can do to change things round a bit.

Or, perhaps, you feel that your existing fitness regime needs a shake-up or that you want to kick start some weight loss?

Whatever the reason you are considering attending a fitness bootcamp, then the good news is that there are a number of options available to you.

Firstly, don’t let the word “bootcamp” put you off! There are many different types of bootcamps. For example…

• there are military-style fitness camps, typically where you are shouted at by instructors and the focus is purely on hard core exercise. Most of these do not focus on the other things that affect your physical and mental shape such as nutrition and balance. So while you may get an extreme workout, you typically will not learn anything about eating smarter or changing your behaviours when it comes to food or dealing with stress after the camp;

• there is also the other extreme – these are classed as fitness breaks, but, are in fact, more like spa breaks. These are where you can get beauty treatments a-plenty and there are activities you can take part in – if you want to. Given the choice between laying next to a pool reading a magazine or actually being in the pool and doing some serious laps requires a lot of motivation to actually get up and move.

There is certainly nothing wrong with spa breaks – nurturing yourself is good for you and we all love a bit of pampering! But if the main reason for you attending a bootcamp is to get fitter and lose weight etc, then going on a spa break may leave you feeling refreshed – but not much else!

The good news is that at Brealy Bootcamps, our ladies only fitness breaks offer the perfect combination of exercise, plus healthy food (and nutrition workshops) and holistic treatments such as NLP and hypnotherapy to help give you overall balance.

At many of our venues, we do have spa and beauty facilities as well – which you will enjoy even more knowing that you’ve “earnt” it, having exercised during the day!

What we offer is a weekend of exercise and relaxation, where the emphasis is on having fun in the company of other like-minded women.

What happens at our fitness weekends?

We understand that there are major differences between men and women when it comes to exercise and everything about our weekends is designed specifically with the needs of women in mind. (Though we do offer mixed day bootcamps too, if you want to bring a man along).

We provide a structure of support and encouragement to help you to change your ways of thinking about yourself, your body, your approach to life and your eating.

You’ll have an expert fitness assessment before you start, so there’s no risk of you being asked to do more that you are capable of and don’t worry – you’ll find all levels of ability here so you won’t feel out of place.

Alongside our fitness weekends, we also offer weekends focusing on walking, dancing and toning. Traditional exercise and workout sessions including pilates and kettlebells can be combined with Latin and Bollywood dancing on a Dance and Tone weekend or with Nordic walks and power hikes on the Walk and Tone option.

Throughout the weekend, in conjunction with the fitness sessions, you’ll learn how to better manage all aspects of your diet and nutrition with the emphasis placed on eating smarter, so that you never feel hungry and tempted to snack.

On your way home, even after just a couple of days, you may feel a difference in the way that your clothes fit you.

Our aim with these weekends though is not just about weight loss. Our ethos is to help you change your lifestyle through exercise, nutrition and balance, so you take away what you learn from us and use that to develop new habits and a whole new way of looking at your life.

You should find that your energy levels rise and that come Monday mornings in future, you are raring to go!

Learn More:

Tips To Stay Motivated – Make 2013 The Year You Succeed

Posted on Monday 4 February 2013 by BB

What do you want to make happen in 2013?

You may have already found that you had set yourself some new year resolutions and now as we approach the end of January it is not uncommon for people to feel overwhelmed and start to give up.

Sticking to goals requires motivation, dedication and commitment! Most people commit to a goal, work toward it for a few weeks and then start to tail off. The question is, what you can do to make this the year of change?

Motivation can come from a variety of sources. Keeping your motivation up through any weight loss or training program can be a challenge. The key to success is to get really excited about what you are about to do. You are making the decision to change your life, and although that may seem scary at first, in the end the pay-off will be well worth the results!

Use these 10 motivational tips provided here to plan and keep moving forward in 2013!

• Keep visuals around that make you want to be healthy. For example, a picture of someone who inspires you, fitness magazines lying around to remind you to exercise, display pictures of healthy foods.

• If you want to fit into a certain article of clothing, hang it on the outside of the wardrobe so you see it every day! One of my clients used a new dress she was desperate to wear to a party to keep her motivated. She even took pictures of herself trying the dress on each month as charting how close she was to it zipping up without effort.

• Write down your goals. Try signing a contract with yourself. Include why you are deciding to make these changes. Have a witness be there and make it formal! Make sure to review your contract often.

• Chart your progress. Keeping track of how much you lose each week or how much further you can run will help you see improvement and want to see more! Perhaps enter a fun run or a cycle ride and publicly commit to doing this so you have additional support to not quit.

• Make an appointment to exercise and treat it like a work interview or hair appointment. Write it down in your planner. Don’t schedule anything else during this time. Tell your friends, work colleagues and family that you plan to exercise at that time. If you talk about it you are more likely to keep to it.

• Keep a journal about how good you feel after you exercise session and how tasty new healthy recipes were. Make sure to include words like “I can do it!” and “I feel great!” If you are feeling lazy, low energy levels or craving Junk food, write it down or let your journal remind you how great you have done in your journey to a healthier lifestyle so far.

• Set SPECIFIC short term goals as well as long term goals. Long term goals keep you on track overall, but your short term goals can be very motivating when you reach them. Work towards both fitness and weight loss goals, break them down into achievable milestones that you can visualises.

• Exercise with others, like minded people support and encourage each other to do well they never judge or put each other down because they feel and know what you are going through.

At Brealy Bootcamps we believe in empowering our clients to take control and to choose the healthy behaviours they want to achieve. For some people the first step is the hardest,once you have made that step Brealy Bootcamps will be with you all of the way until you reach your goal.

Learn More:

[Blog] Top Ten Foods To Be Eating In 2013

[Blog] – Stress… It’s Everywhere. We’re All Subject To It, Aren’t We?

[Video]- Kettlebell HIIT Workout

Stress… It’s Everywhere. We Are All Subject To It, Aren’t We?

Posted on Monday 21 January 2013 by BB

Stress is a word that gets bandied about a lot, but what is stress and how do you know if you are affected and if you are…so what?

The problem with stress is that we all think we know what it is and what it does and so assume that it applies equally to everyone in the same manner… and that is where the difficulties start.

Lets start with what stress isnt… it isn’t Pressure. Pressure is a generally positive force, whether internal or external, pressure drives you to achieve a target, it motivates to you to push on, it engages you with a task. Some people love pressure and can only be productive when the pressure is really peaking, others feel that pressure is unnecessary and does not add to achievement. Also, Stress isn’t Burnout. Burnout is where an individual can no longer cope with stuff and can hit the wall, physically , emotionally and mentally. Burnout can result in chronic illness.

Stress is on a continuum with Pressure to one side and Burnout on the other. Where it sits on that continuum will vary from person to persona d situation to situation. Stress is generally regarded as prolonged periods of pressure when you feel you have little control of the situation. It is often when pressure is high in more that one area of your life, you know the feeling when you are moving house and the deadline for a project gets pulled forward. That feeling of “trying” to cope is a sure sign that stress is starting to build, feeling things are slipping out of your control is often the key.

So, what are the signs to watch out for that you might be adversely affected by Stress?

The first sign is feeling tired and worn out, pretty much all the time. So tired in fact that you need to drink an extra shot of espresso or couple of cans of coke to get you through the day. You start to use stimulants to give you the energy you need to get though the day. But of course this means you’re prone to mood swings…flying high start after that coffee and snappy 90 minutes later when its worn off. After a while of “propping yourself up” with stimulants in the day you find you cant get a good night sleep…which is annoying as you are so very tired by this point. You start to wake up feeling tired, so rather than cereal for breakfast you grab a donut, to go with your big coffee.

Sugar…. how wonderful is sugar to help you cope with stress, just a few treats to pick yourself up…until you start to put on a few pounds…especially around the middle. How quickly those few pounds can become a half stone or even a stone. If only you had the energy to go to the gym and work it off. But you have also noticed that you are picking up every cold and flu virus and bug there is going, always seem to have some ailment you are trying to shake off. But there is a lot on at the moment and you must solider on. A double espresso and chocolate should do the trick to help you feel better until bedtime. Speaking of which, its all a no fly zone right now in the sack, even if you had the energy you don’t have the motivation and besides which you have a face full of spots and that’s not a good look!!

Sound familiar?

If so then you may be suffering the affects of stress , fatigue, insomnia, skin problems, mood swings, weight gain, aches and pains, vulnerability to illness and low sex drive are just some of the common effects of stress. Not everybody reacts to stress in the same way. But if this is you, then now would be time take some action to redress some of the stressors in your life. While the scenario above might sound unappealing in the short term its annoyingly inconvenient, in the long term it can lead to burnout, depression, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue, adrenal failure and even heart disease.

So what can you do?

Talk about it, keeping feelings bottle up or pretending everything is ok is not helping.

Take the time to assess what is causing the stress, you may figure out on your own how you are going to tackle things, but you may need to involve others to support you.

Be kind to yourself, now is not the time to pile on the guilt. If you are feeling that stress is taking its toll it is no reflection of you as a person or how strong you are, if anything facing up to the situation and acting upon it take more courage that to continue on and simply hope it gets better on its own.

Review your diet, is it supporting you or working against you, remember stress impacts physically as well as mentally and emotionally. Your body needs the right foods to ensure it can repair and rejuvenate.

Get outside, even if its only for ten minutes, everyday if not every day then as often as you can. Leave the mobile phone behind and just allow you system to refresh itself. Enjoy a few moments of fresh air and calmness.

Get more active, activity breeds energy, and while it may be the last thing you feel like it will help, but choose wisely… a punishing spin class or a 10 mile run may actually be counterproductive as it produces cortisol.

Learn More:

[Blog] Are you Done With the drinking For A While?

[Blog] – Concious Christmas Eating

[Video]- Kettlebell HIIT Workout

Tips For The Christmas Party Season

Posted on Monday 17 December 2012 by BB

The Christmas party season is fast approaching, and with it the endless canapés, buffet tables and three course meals, not to mention the booze.

So how to best navigate the parties without piling on the extra pounds? The first and most important rule is to never go to a party on an empty stomach. You will not be able to make any sensible decisions about what and how much to eat when your tummy is rumbling and your nose is fine tuned to notice all the tantalising smells wafting from the trays of canapés being offered to you.

Having a little snack should therefore be part of your getting ready routine. The snack should include some protein to keep the hunger at bay for longer. If you are in a hurry, have some natural yoghurt with muesli. Or if you have more time, go for a boiled egg with rye toast soldiers.

At the party, don’t stand next to the buffet table, you will be tempted to pick at bits, instead take a plate full of the items you really want to eat and enjoy them back at your table. Avoid any deep fried canapés such as mini spring rolls and samosas, and go for the ones that include some protein. Look out for chicken satay sticks or prawns. They are simple, but will fill you up more quickly and keep you going for longer. If you can’t help picking on something see if there are some olives being offered. The fat they contain is actually good for you.

And just a gentle warning on the alcohol side. On the day of a big party keep a two litre bottle of water on your desk at work and look to finish by the end of work This way you are fully hydrated before you begin to drink alcohol. Avoid punches and pre mixed cocktails, they will be loaded with sugar instead stick to champagne … only 90 cals per glass. If you are drinking wine look to match each glass of wine with a glass of water and you’ll feel much better the next day.

And if you do end up over indulging a bit, don’t panic – there’s always the New Year to get back on track!

Learn More:

[Blog] Introducing The Burnout Bootcamp – Rebalancing Your Body and Mind

[Blog] – Concious Christmas Eating

[Video]- Kettlebell HIIT Workout

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Brealy Bootcamps

Bootcamp by name, not by nature

Category Archives: Bootcamps

You cannot out train a bad diet…

Reduce the stress with a little Chocolate!

4 top weight loss tips for women

Guide to weight loss camps for women

What happens at a women’s weight loss retreat?

7 great benefits of weight loss retreats for women

What to expect at a female only fitness weekend

Tips To Stay Motivated – Make 2013 The Year You Succeed

Stress… It’s Everywhere. We Are All Subject To It, Aren’t We?

Tips For The Christmas Party Season