How I Burn Fat Snacking and Flying

Snacking is probably the worst habit all pilots and cabin crew have to endure and it's not our fault! In this post I'll cover the reasons why flight crew snack, how we can deal with snacking and how I snack to help burn fat!

I love this quote used by Zoe Harcombe:

"You are not a cow, stop grazing"

Zoe is a leading UK obesity expert working against the worlds obesity epidemic. This quote details the "normal" life of 3 to 6 full meals a day that would be welcomed into any healthy lifestyle. However, the days of the 25 minutes turn around are here to stay, with just enough time to catch our breath, a "sit down" meal eaten slowly and enjoyably is unlikely to happen (unless you are in the long haul business then reason #1 below is more likely your snacking excuse).

So, snacking will be part of our daily lives as Flight Crew and there are several reasons for this:

1. Boredom

2. No time to eat a "sit down" meal

3. Living out of a suitcase 

4. Commuting to work

5. Unnatural body clock due to work pattern

Let's be honest, there's only so much monitoring of the instruments and the blue yonder outside we can gaze at before our tummys rumble and a subconscious hand movement leads us to the food bags! Boredom is definitely the #1 reason we snack. Even in the cabin, a quiet passenger load or not so talkative crew can lead to boredom at 30000ft!

But how can we overcome this? Or should we accept this will happen and prepare ourselves for our bodies drive to keep us entertained and supply us with nutritious foods?

I don't want to fight against my body or my subconscious mind, there's only one winner in the long term. With so many things going on around me I won't win this battle, so this is what I do....

PREPARE! PREPARE! PREPARE!

The 5 P's - Preparation Prevents P**s Poor Performance is the key!

I know the day I am about to live, my roster tells me this. I know the meals I have available to me, my roster tells me this and I know I will want to snack as my roster tells me this. Through examining your roster you will see the eating pattern that you are likely to follow that day. 

Prepare your snacks before work and you won't let your unhealthy subconscious mind choose your foods!

My top 4 foods for snacking are:

1. Nuts and Seeds

I always carry a bag of my favourite nuts and seeds : almonds, cashews and pumpkin seeds.

These are wholesome foods providing essential fats and proteins. 

I avoid peanuts as a snack, even if they are unsalted, as the way the body digests peanuts is different to other nuts and results in a less fat burning effect! 

2. Vegetables 

All vegetables apart from potatoes are good snack foods.Carrots and Celery are easily carried in ones flight bag and can be eaten raw. Vegetables provide fibre and carbohydrates to your diet without the extra sugar content of fruits, so this is my preferred choice of snack. Don't limit yourself these foods will fill you and not your fat cells!

3. Dark Chocolate 

That's right ... Chocolate! Dark chocolate with cocoa content of 70% or more will satisfy your chocolate cravings without the added sugar content of normal chocolate bars. 

4. Mackerel 

The tinned version of this healthy oily fish is ideal for snacking. However,you may find problems with airport security so please check your airport. The fish is high in omega 3 fats and high in protein. Perfect for the car or commute to work. The tinned mackerel normally has a pull ring to easily open the tin. 

Thats my top 4 snacks whilst on the move. All are low in sugar, with mackerel, nuts and seeds providing valuable nutrition to our bodies with their proteins and essential fats.
This nutrition allows our bodies to burn fat and not store it.

The daily life of pilots and cabin crew is not the "normal life". We are unable to eat 3-6 healthy meals a day with the disruption we have to endure. So, don't fight against your body, work with it. Snack on healthy foods and be happy not hungry!

Try it today:

Prepare these nutritious snacks in your flight bag and never go hungry on the move again!

G

Don't Fool Yourself With A New Year FAD Diet

Happy New Year everyone!

2016 is here and with that the everyday conversation from the flight deck and cabin is... "I have started my diet and I've joined the gym. I need to to lose .. ..... pounds by ....." ( I'll leave you to fill in the blanks).

But 95% of people fail to lose weight AND maintain an ideal weight, so will it all be over by February for most? 

The over indulgence of food and drink at Christmas is a short term event and if you are feeling "bigger" and overweight I ask you.....do you think this happened over that 2 week period?

The crash diets of January will help everyone lose pounds, of course they will. Some diets dehydrate you and others shock the body with calorie restriction, anyone can lose weight rapidly, just think of a boxer at a weigh-in before his fight. The boxer will lose up to 10 pounds in 2 days before a weigh-in, so he can fight in a lower weight category. After weigh-in, his weight returns to normal as he over compensates with food and drink. This is a discipline and a specific event that is controlled to achieve a weight but, realistically his weight will return. 

This is NOT a healthy way to lose weight. In fact it is near impossible to maintain the weight loss from a rapid weight loss FAD diet because of human nature and ones self discipline to fight against our own feelings and desires. Let's talk about a diet I seen on TV a couple of days ago...... 

The diet was for 7 days and apparently Beyonce, the music artist, used this diet. Already note it's only for 7 days....what happens then?

There is NO food in this diet. You can drink 6 -12 drinks of their special drink. The drink was water, a drop of lemon juice and cayenne pepper (to help speed up metabolism). The figure quoted was a loss of 20 pounds in a week! But at what cost to the person and what will it achieve in the long run? 

The lady in the study subjected to this diet lasted just 2 days, she was hungry, agitated, moody and just not satisfied. In fact even a tv film about her could not maintain her will power to stick to this diet. How did this affect her friends, family and even work....let's start living in the real world guys!

Even if Beyonce did carry out this crash diet she would have health professionals around her, monitoring the situation, she would not be getting up at 4am for a 4 Sector day of flying!

This is just one of many crazy crash diets I've seen this year but really the only diet everyone should eat is one of REAL FOOD (it surprises me that someone eating real food is said to be on a diet!). The new years resolution of just cooking more will help you lose weight. A diet of meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, fruit, veg and some dairy is a sustainable way of eating to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight, if you cook the food yourself. 

Remember....you did not become overweight over Christmas so don't try to be underweight by February!

Start your real food regime today and keep yourself full, healthy and lose weight...

This year my new years resolution to flight crew health and fitness is to provide you with delicious recipes, training regimes, time saving tips and more in depth knowledge behind the science of nutrition and training. (I've also bought some interesting products for the home which I'll be reviewing over the next few weeks to share my experiences with you!).

* if you've seen or tried any new diets this year let me know in the comments below, share your experiences I'd love to know how you are doing*

Understanding Macronutrients - What Is Carbohydrate, Fat and Protein.

Becoming the expert on what our food is composed of will create understanding and better food choices for a healthier lifestyle. We see food labels containing carbohydrate, fats and protein content and these are the macronutrients.

Macronutrients are the building blocks of all food. We have all heard of them in some form or another, but do we know what they actually mean and how they affect our diet?

In this post I aim to break each macronutrient down and simplify its role within our diets, let's go.....

There are 3 Macronutrients, in no particular order:

1 . Carbohydrate

Carbohydrate is used within the body as "fuel" for energy, it has NO other role. 

It's the equivalent of Jet A1 fuel used in our aircraft engines!

When Carbohydrate is digested ALL carbohydrates are broken down to glucose (sugar) whether complex carbs or simple sugars.

Foods with the highest ratio of carbohydrates compared to the other macronutrients include starches and sweets, such as cereals, bread,  pasta, potatoes, sugar, and sweets. These carbohydrates can be used for energy, however, we typically over eat this type of food which is paramount to us GAINING weight and body fat. Also, there is very little nutrition associated with these types of carbohydrates.

Non starchy vegetables, defined as "vegetables you can eat raw", such as spinach, lettuce, onion, mushrooms and peppers (typically salad foods) are the BEST form of carbohydrates offering an abundance of nutrients for a "low calorie" intake of carbohydrates. 

Other than potatoes, all vegetables will form the majority proportion of your meals to ensure nutrient dense fullness with carbohydrates.

2 . Fat

The breakdown of fats in the digestive system results in fatty acids.

Fats are "essential" to a healthy body, that is why they are called ESSENTIAL FATS. The term essential is used because the body requires these fats to function. However, the body cannot produce these fats for itself and therefore we need to consume essential fats within our diet from food. 

Fats play a vital role in cell repair and recovery, for example our nails and skin are made up of millions of cells that fats help to maintain them looking healthy and feeling strong.

Without fats, the body is UNABLE to accept some micronutrients, vitamins A D E & K are just some of the "fat soluble vitamins" we need for optimum health. That is why your vitamin tablets state you should consume vitamin supplements "with food".

However, not all fats are created equal. To keep it simple, fats found in natural, real food such as avocado, red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds provide us with an abundance of nutrients and essential fats.

Oils are 100% fat. Olive oil and coconut oil are used as part of the healthy way of living.  Use coconut oil to cook foods and use olive oil as a dressing.  An easy way to remember this is that coconut oil is solid at room temperature so heating it while cooking breaks it down. 

Dairy products such as milk and cheese, also provide fats in the diet, whilst butter can be used for cooking as an alternative to coconut oil.

Low quality fats found in fast food and processed foods will not provide you with the nutritional advantages of real food! 


3. Protein

Proteins are the building blocks of our living tissue, such as muscle. As carbohydrates are digested down to glucose, proteins are digested into amino acids. The body cannot produce all amino acids required for optimum health, therefore it is VITAL we consume high quality, complete proteins within our diet.

Protein is found in most foods, as with all the macronutrients. However, the highest quality proteins and most proteins per calorie can be found in foods such as the non starchy vegetables (spinach and broccoli), meat, fish and eggs....real food!

Some dairy products have a higher ratio of protein too, such as cottage cheese.

We all need to increase protein intake for improved health. Increased protein intake is key to weight loss with a real food diet. This is because protein makes you feel "fuller" for longer and this helps to avoid overeating wasteful calories that are otherwise stored as body fat!

The 3 Macronutrients.....

Thats the breakdown of the 3 Macronutrients within our foods, carbohydrate, fat and protein. They all form different ratios in all our food with a couple of exceptions:

1. Sugar = 100% carbohydrate
2. Oil = 100% fat

Understanding what the different macronutrients provide for us and what happens when we digest the food we eat is key to healthy choices and fuelling our body.  For example . If you have just undertaken a 60km bike ride that is now the time to fuel your body with carbohydrates and protein rich food to replace the energy used and rebuild muscle tissue.

Another example is one of a 4 hour flight sat on your backside. Minimal carbohydrates are needed as you are not using much energy. Protein and fat rich food (not processed) will help you feel full and no sugar spikes will help your concentration.

The common theme throughout the macronutrients is one of real food. The real food provides all the macronutrients in correct ratios and provides all essential nutrition for us....we just have to eat it!

Through greater understanding and armed with this basic knowledge of what makes up our food, you can make better decisions and food choices.

In further posts I'll dig a little deeper into each macronutrient and the science behind them...

All interesting stuff...don't miss out by adding your email address to my news feed newsletter on the top right of the screen and I'll send you my latest post straight to you.

Keep flying and live healthy,

G

How To Avoid Injury Through Warming Up Correctly

The definition of a warm up:

to prepare body and mind for physical exertion or a performance.

Everytime your body is about to exercise to an increased intensity it is extremely important that you perform a good warm up for 2 very important reasons:

1. Avoid Injury 

2. Maximise your performance

You will never see a professional athlete just perform one or two stretches before setting off on a 100m sprint, their muscles will probably tear not long after the starting blocks!

I always perform every warm up with a full body warm up to prepare the major muscles and joints that provide the majority of my movements and balance. Also, the increase in heart rate and lung capacity will prepare your cardiovascular system for increased intensity. I want to give you the basics of designing your warm up plan here.

This is how I break it down:

Overall Body Warm Up and Joint Mobility

Start the warm up with 5 minutes of continuous movement such as  light jogging or cycling on a stationary bike. 

Your warm up should use "Dynamic Stretching", this is where the muscles are not held in a static position but continually moving, helping increased blood flow through the muscle and triggering nerves to operate the muscles efficiently. Also, all ligaments and tendons around your joints will free up and movement becomes easier with less stress on the joints.

DON'T just bend over and touch your toes!

This is an example of a dynamic stretching routine,there are many other exercise that can can be incorporated but this simplified routine from "head to toe" works great:

Start with your neck muscles, roll your head in a circular motion, changing direction after 5 rotations.

Now work down your body, Shoulders next. Rotate your arms in circles, both forward and backward directions, at least 10 movements each direction.

Wrist Rotation. Rotate your wrists in a circular motion, 10 times in each direction.

Hands on hips to make a circular motion with your hips. Keep your knees slightly bent throughout and change direction after 10 rotations.

High knee lifts. Whilst standing lift one leg as high as you can in front of you as if you are climbing a high step. Keep balanced on the other foot. This is like marching on the spot, alternate each leg and keep the movement slow, controlled and stay balanced. 10 each leg.

Butt Kicks. Whilst standing bend your leg at the knee by taking your heel to your butt. Stay balanced on the other foot.10 each leg.

Ankle rotations. Raising your foot onto its big toe will allow you to rotate the ankle in a circular motion. Rotate 10 times in each direction.

There are many more dynamic stretching exercises you can complete. However, the above movements are a great start to ANY form of exercise.

Before you move into more intense exercise perform your specific movements at low weight or pace before advancing to the main form of exercise. For example:

If you are about to perform a set of press ups, start with a low number of reps in a slow and controlled manner. This will specifically warm up the muscles and joints used for this exercise and without fatiguing the muscles you WILL perform more reps or more weight during the higher intensity workout!

Try this today and measure your increased performance, it may surprise you, you'll feel stronger and ready to complete you exercise. If you can avoid injury you will continue to improve in every aspect of your exercise, sport or pastime. A structured warm up will help you achieve this.

Just before you go, why not sign up to my emails on the right of this page and receive all my new posts straight to your inbox, there is a lot more information to come your way!

For more ideas on dynamic stretching check out this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztN66R_hgOs

Diet Myths Revealed #2

Eating less will make you weigh less

Will eating less make you weigh less? The simple answer is NO.

It is a widespread belief that people who are overweight just need to eat less and exercise more. The idea that eating less will make you weigh less is based on so many assumptions. This idea leads to the thought that if you eat 500 fewer calories the body will give up 500 calories of fat, to make up the difference.This is the naivety and over simplified information used in the world of dieting today! The body does not exchange calories for fat.

For example, if an average person has a basal metabolic rate (BMR) requirement for 2000 calories a day (this is the number of calories the person would need if they were ill in bed all day just to survive), and say that they have a requirement for 500 additional calories if they are up and about.

This idea that a reduction of 500 calories will result in the body giving up 500 calories of fat assumes that neither the BMR requirement (2000 calories) nor the additional requirement (500 calories) change. 

However, both BMR and the additional requirement of calories will change. The person who eats less has less energy and they will likely do less additional activity that day, so they won’t go to the gym or walk to the shop,  they will be too tired. 

More importantly the body will reduce its maintenance for the day, it will save cell repair and building bone density for another day as there is not enough nutrition and food available, so it has cut back its functions. Cell repair is important for the maintenance of hair, skin and nails.

Look at it this way, if you stop flying tomorrow or you lose your job, you don’t automatically dip into savings, you cut your spending and the body does exactly the same. 

Eating less will not necessarily mean you will weigh less and in the meantime the health of your body is being damaged.