Plan your meals and snacks by creating a week meal calendar. This will help you also to plan your grocery list therefore buying exactly what you need and nothing that you don’t. I’ll show you a calendar example that you can follow.

What are Meal Replacement Shakes for Weight Loss?

Meal replacement shakes, for weight loss, are specially designed to substitute a regular meal while providing the vitamins, fiber, minerals and good fats that your body needs, with very low amounts of “bad” fats and sugar. Containing fewer calories than a whole meal, they reduce your calorie intake.

Besides being low-calorie these shakes include natural appetite blockers to leave you feeling full for hours and help fight cravings.

As nutritionally balanced as a regular healthy meal but with far fewer calories, using meal replacement shakes in place of real meals means that you will lose weight easily and relatively quickly.

You just have to mix the shake powder with water/juice/milk, blend it and it’s ready to drink. You can also add extra ingredients for flavoring or extra nutrients/energy/benefits.

Meal replacement shakes are a convenient, easy and quick way to replace your meals and lose weight.

Note: On every weight loss diet, one of the most important is to reduce sugar and bad fats.

These shakes come concentrated with all the good things your body needs and without the bad things (sugar, trans fats, artificial sweeteners, preservatives) that we usually get when eating processed foods like: French fries, Muffins, Bacon, Peanut Butter.

Our Meal Replacement Shakes Plan

First, we will create a meal planner with all the meals and snacks for a week.

Second, from those recipes, create a grocery list so we know exactly what food we have to buy when we hit the supermarket.

Meal planner

Every day we must have 3 main meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

In between main meals we have 2 or 3 Snacks: Mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and before going to bed (if you go to bed late and/or feel hungry before sleep).

How many meals should I replace by a shake?

I recommend you to replace one main meal in each day.

Note: You can replace 2 main meals (breakfast and lunch for example), but for the first week let’s start easy and allow your body to adapt to this diet plan.

Remember, in every diet the goal is to create an healthy habit instead of an extreme weight loss which will result, when you stop, in regaining the weight you have just lost.

Here is one example of a one week meal plan calendar.

Download the editable version on Excel format, or Pages format.

Also available a PDF version.

These recipes are healthy meal ideas that you can follow or replace with other healthy recipes that you enjoy.

If you are a 21 Day Fix follower, I recommend you buy FIXATE (here is my review), a recipe book by Autumn Calabrese.

Grocery List

Choose the recipes for each day of the week, print it or check them on your computer, and see exactly what ingredients you need so you can plan your grocery list.

That way, you will know exactly what you have to buy at the supermarket and so will avoid buying extra food, which most of the time, results in processed food that you’ve found while drifting with no shopping list plan. This can be an even bigger problem if you go grocery shopping while hungry. So, make a list and eat a healthy meal before you hit the stores!

Meal Replacement Shakes

Time to plan your shakes.

As you can see on the calendar, I’ve replaced breakfast with a shake.

Why? Usually, I don’t have time in the morning to prepare a complete breakfast, and as you may know breakfast, plays a very important role in our body.

So, I decided to use my only 5 minutes available in the morning to prepare and blend my shake and drink it.

What do you need?

Kitchen Blender. There are several options here, I’ve used the Ninja Blender Professional (available on amazon.com). Today I use Vitamix 1709, find why I’ve spent $484 on a kitchen blender here. Or how to Choose the Best Blender for Smoothies under $200.

Shake Storage Bottle. To safely store your shake so you can take it with you to your job, school, friend’s house or outside. I use 22-Ounce Bottle and Twist n’ Lock system (also in stock on amazon.com).

Ingredients. Depending on the recipe, you’ll need ingredients to add extra energy, change the taste or texture or increase the nutritional content of your shake.

Meal Replacement Shake Powder. This is the “magic” powder that will boost your body with all the nutrients you need but without sugar or unhealthy fats while being low in carbs.

Choosing which one is the best for you. This can be tricky and confusing with all the products available on the market, but I’ll help you on how to find the one that suits you best.

Choosing the best meal replacement shake

Since there are a lot of options on the market it, helps if we define some “must have” features for losing weight. This will help us to cut down the options and select the best products available …

Meal Replacement Shakes must have:

• Very low sugar: less than 3 grams
• Less than 200 calories per shake to force your body to use fat for fuel
• Adequate Low-Carbohydrate: to provide energy
• Protein: to boost your metabolism
• Include fiber: keeps you feeling fuller for longer
• Include Vitamins: essential for your body to function properly
• Contain Healthy Fats: mono and polyunsaturated fats for your health
• Low on Saturated fats: the “bad” fats that can make you fat
• Low on Sodium: to avoid water retention
• Probiotics: to improve your digestive and immune systems
• Natural Appetite Blockers: so you feel full for hours and fight cravings
• Optional: gluten-free, vegan, soy-free, lactose-free, Non-GMO

For diabetics:

Consider only shakes that are:

• Low on sugar, less than 3g per serving.
• Low on Sodium, preferably less than 300mg per serving
• Contain no trans fat
• Low Saturated fat, less than 2 grams per shake/serving

Learn more in detail the importance of these features and ingredients in meal replacement shakes and diet plans for weight loss in the article “How to choose meal replacement shakes for weight loss”

The shakes powders I’ve selected in the next section follow these rules making them perfect for those suffering from diabetes.

Best meal replacement shakes for weight loss

Having all the rules defined before (including for diabetics) I’ve searched for and gathered, what I considered to be, the best meal replacement shakes powder on the market. I’ve also taken into account an “acceptable” price and customer’s reviews…

My personal recommendations here.

Shakes Recipes for weight loss

After you have your shake powder you’ll need to prepare the meal shakes.

As I said before, recipes help you to organize and plan your grocery list.

Here are 5 breakfast meal replacement recipes that I use.

Get Your Own Free Copy of The Meal Shakes Book

Get all my meal replacement shakes recipes available on The Meal Shakes Book.

The book contains 15 meal shakes recipes.

All recipes are low in fat and sugar and contain unhealthy no trans-fats.

Easy recipes with simple ingredients that only take 5 minutes’ preparation.

Get ready to start your meal replacement shakes weight loss plan by following the plan inside the book.

The Meal Shakes Book is available in PDF and iBook formats, and it’s totally FREE. I only ask you to subscribe to my newsletter.

What type of emails I’ll sent you?

Exclusive tips to help you not only lose weight but to create healthier habits. I’ll motivate you to embrace the changes you need to make to feel better and healthier.

Only one email per week, no ads, only exclusive content.

Every email contains an unsubscribe link, so you can unsubscribe any time you want.

Join the other 20 000 amazing people by entering your name and email.

After that you’ll receive a confirmation email, and after you confirm you’ll receive a Welcome Email with the link to download The Meal Shakes Book.

You’ll also have access to my other free book called The Days to Fitness Recipe book. All for FREE

Questions and Answers

You recommend replacing breakfast, but can I replace lunch instead?

Answer: For me, replacing breakfast means I start each and every day with a healthy meal, even if I’m in a hurry or running late; it’s very convenient. I prefer to have a solid food lunch, usually one that I pre-prepared at the weekend.

However, replacing lunch with a meal replacement shake will work too. In many ways, it makes a lot of sense because it saves you having to pre-prepare meals or carry food with you. Just make sure your breakfast is healthy, and that you have an afternoon snack to prevent any hunger pangs.

Here are some specific meal replacement shake recipes that are ideal for lunch.

Can I use protein bars between shakes?

Answer: Protein bars are a very good option when you need a snack. Most of them are low in calories and low in carbs, but the high protein and fiber content means that they are very filling. Of course, even the best protein bar is still a type of processed food, so I’d make sure not to eat too many of them and I’d also make sure that you consume a good quality protein bar – like one of the ones I recommend in my article Best Protein Bar For You. You could also make your own protein bars so you can be sure about what ingredients they contain. You’ll find lots of recipes for homemade protein bars in this article.

Do you recommend frozen or fresh ingredients for the shakes?

Answer: In truth, I recommend both frozen and fresh ingredients for meal replacement shakes. Fresh ingredients are nice, but it’s not always possible to keep them fresh – especially if you only go grocery shopping once a week. In contrast, frozen ingredients are convenient to store for when you need them. As to their nutrient content, freezing does not diminish the benefit of the ingredients enough to worry about. Using frozen ingredients also means your shake is chilled and you won’t need to add any ice.

Make sure your blender is powerful enough to cope with frozen ingredients – I have broken one or two low-powered blenders trying to process frozen ingredients. That’s why I use a professional-type blender.

How do I download The Meal Shakes Book?

Answer: Follow this link and you’ll find a box at the end of the article. Just enter your name and email address and then follow the directions on the email you will receive. The book is free and packed with 15 great recipes that I love and I know you’ll love too!

Why should meal replacement shakes contain probiotics?

Answer: Probiotics are vital for the health of your digestive system. With a healthy digestive system, your immune system works better and, great news, you’ll burn fat and lose weight more easily too. Most people have very low levels of healthy gut bacteria which is where probiotics come in. Probiotics are loaded with “good” bacteria. Very few foods naturally contain probiotics so it makes sense to add probiotics to your meal replacement shakes for better health and weight loss.

For more on probiotics, please check out my articles “How probiotics have helped me” and “7 probiotic superfoods.”

Can I combine meal replacement shakes with a low carb diet?

Answer: Low carb diets and meal replacement shakes can go very well together. Both are a great way to lose weight and get healthy. Meal replacement shakes take the hard work out of creating healthy meals and by making sure your shake contains lot of vegetables and protein, it will automatically be low in carbs. You’ll have to avoid shakes that contain lots of fruit as that is a healthy but rich source of carbs. Small quantities of berries should be okay, however.

Almost all the meal replacement shakes I recommend are low in carbs, so make sure you check out The best meal replacement shakes for weight loss for more information.

Why do you always recommend meal shakes that are so low in sugar?

Answer: Sugar is nothing more than empty calories, and is a leading cause of weight gain and bad health. I’ve written a lot about the dangers of sugar – such as my article How sugar makes you fat. Because sugar is so fattening and unhealthy, it has no place in a weight loss diet or meal replacement shake. A meal replacement shakes that contain more than a couple of grams of sugar is no better than soda or a takeout milkshake! Sugar in weight loss meal replacement shakes? Just say NO!

Do you have any Shakeology alternatives?

Answer: Shakeology was the first ever meal replacement shake diet I tried, and it really opened my eyes to the potential of meal replacement shakes. It’s a great product and one that I still occasionally use. My main complaint with Shakeology was always the price – it can get very expensive, especially if you use two or more shakes per day. For that reason, I did some research and come up with some great Shakeology alternatives, which all taste just as good, but cost much less money to use.

Losing weight can be a challenging journey, but incorporating meal replacement shakes into your diet can be a helpful tool for reaching your weight loss goals. Meal replacement shakes are a convenient and nutritionally balanced option for those looking to lose weight by reducing their caloric intake. They provide a balanced combination of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats to help you feel full and satisfied, while also providing essential vitamins and minerals.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to lose weight with meal replacement shakes:

Step 1: Consult with a healthcare provider

Before starting any weight loss program, it is important to consult with a healthcare provider to determine if meal replacement shakes are right for you and to establish a safe and effective weight loss plan.

Step 2: Choose a meal replacement shake that meets your needs

There are many different brands and types of meal replacement shakes available, so it is important to choose one that meets your nutritional needs and dietary restrictions. Look for a shake that is low in sugar and high in protein, and make sure it contains vitamins and minerals to support your overall health.

Step 3: Determine how many meal replacement shakes to consume per day

The number of meal replacement shakes you consume per day will depend on your weight loss goals, your caloric needs, and the type of shake you are using. Most meal replacement shakes contain around 200-300 calories per serving, so incorporating one or two shakes per day can help you reduce your caloric intake and promote weight loss.

Step 4: Incorporate meal replacement shakes into your diet

Meal replacement shakes can be used as a replacement for one or two meals per day, or as a snack between meals. It is important to also include a variety of healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, in your diet to ensure you are getting all of the nutrients your body needs.

Step 5: Drink plenty of water

Staying hydrated is important for overall health, and it is also essential for weight loss. Drinking plenty of water can help you feel full and prevent overeating. Aim for at least 8 glasses of water per day.

Step 6: Get regular exercise

Exercise is an important component of a weight loss plan. Incorporating regular physical activity, such as walking, jogging, or strength training, into your routine can help increase the number of calories you burn and enhance the benefits of your meal replacement shake diet.

Step 7: Track your progress

Keeping track of your progress can help you stay motivated and on track with your weight loss goals. Consider tracking your weight, body measurements, and food intake in a journal or using a tracking app.

Step 8: Make gradual changes

Losing weight is a gradual process, and it is important to make changes gradually to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Make small changes to your diet and exercise routine each week, and be patient as you work towards your weight loss goals.

Meal replacement shakes can be a convenient and effective tool for weight loss when incorporated into a healthy diet and exercise routine. However, it is important to remember that they are not a magic solution, and weight loss success ultimately depends on a combination of diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes.

In addition, it is important to listen to your body and make adjustments as needed. If you are not feeling well or experiencing side effects, it may be necessary to adjust the number of meal replacement shakes you are consuming or to try a different brand or type.

In conclusion, incorporating meal replacement shakes into your diet can be a helpful tool for weight loss, but it is important to approach weight loss in a gradual and healthy manner.

Whatever is bothering you, don’t feel bad about it, you’re not alone, and we are here to help you out.

In the past, I have really struggled with binging on candy and high sugar food. I was addicted. But, today, I have managed to quit most of the added sugar that used to be in my diet, but my journey is not over yet.

Food temptations are always around, and every day I have to remind myself to choose the long-term happiness of eating healthily instead of the few moments of instant pleasure you get from junk food.

What we eat greatly defines our mood, weight, and energy levels.

So, if you are looking to lose some weight, improve your mood, or wake up with more energy, you’ve landed in the right place.

Invest a few minutes of your time and, by the end of this article, you’ll know exactly what, when and how much you should eat.

Note: At the end of this article I will also share my current nutrition and exercise formula. 

Let’s start!

The three most important rules to lose weight, improve your mood, and get more energy are:

• 1st – At all costs, avoid high-sugar processed foods and drinks (candy, breakfast cereals, sport energy drinks, soft drinks, packaged fruit juices)
• 2nd – Eat real food
• 3rd – Eat less than you’re currently eating

1st – Avoid Junk and Processed Food

Very high in sugar, and contains no fiber and no nutrition value, processed food is designed to give you instant pleasure and create addiction. 

Processed and junk foods are very fattening due to their high levels of added sugar. Added sugar makes you fat (I explain how in this video) and makes you addicted. I explain all of this in my video Why added sugar is everywhere.

High sugar drinks are one of the worst things that the food industry makes, delivering the biggest profits for them and the biggest problems for those who drink them every day. Avoid soft drinks, packaged fruit juices, sports drinks, and soda at all costs.

This is by far the most important step in order to lose weight, increase energy and improve your mood: avoid or greatly reduce your consumption of junk, processed, and high sugar foods and drinks. 

Before moving on to the next step, start by eliminating as much junk food as you can from your diet.

2nd – Eat Real Food

Real food is what grows on trees, in the ground, runs on the land, swims in the seas, or flies in the air. Fruit, vegetables, legumes, meat, poultry, and fish.

Buy fresh organic food whenever you can and prepare your own meals so that you know exactly what you are eating.

It’s easier and faster to buy ready-made food but you’ll feel and look much better if you invest a little extra time in making your own meals.  

I’ve shared a ton of healthy recipes in the recipes section here, but don’t worry; I’ll help you choose the best recipes to get you started.  

Avoid or reduce dairy products like cow’s milk and cheese. Trust me, you’ll feel better, lighter and you’ll lose weight too.

3rd Step – Eat Less Than You’re Currently Eating

Once you’ve achieved the other two steps, it’s time to start gradually reducing your calorie intake.

If you’re looking to lose some weight, chances are that you’re eating more calories than your body is burning.

But before we reduce our calorie intake, we first need to know how much we are eating.

If this sounds like a boring task, that’s because it is! However, technology helps make it quicker and easier.

There’s an app called MyFitnessPal that is totally free. With it, you can add up all the food you eat and it will automatically calculate, or estimate, the number of calories you’ve consumed. You can download the app here for iPhone and here for Android.

Remember: Add everything, from the few peanuts you ate to that Mars Bar or that half a glass of coke. When I first started using this app I forget to add most of my snacks as I thought “it’s just a few calories – it won’t matter” but those little snacks add up to much more than you expect. So, add everything you eat, even those small snacks. And don’t forget any calorie-containing beverages too. 

After a few days you’ll have a clear idea of how much food and how many calories you are eating. 

After that, reduce your calorie intake by just a small amount – about 100-200 per day. 

Be patient and take it slow; it takes time to train your stomach and your appetite to get used to eating 200 calories less than normal. Once you’re comfortable, reduce your intake a little bit more. It’s not easy, and it takes time and discipline, but it’s not impossible and you’ll soon start to lose weight. 

Eat Balanced Meals: Carbs, Protein and Fats

Every meal should contain the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fats.

At dinnertime, we should eat meals that are low in carbs and that contain protein for a better night sleep and less fat production and storage.

Carbs have a bad reputation, and so too do fats, and so everybody is eating crazy amounts of protein.

There are good carbs and bad carbs, protein can come from plants or from animals, and there are good and bad fats too.

That’s why it is so important to take some time and understand carbs, protein and fats.

Carbs

Carbohydrate plays a vital role in our diet, but not all carbs are good for us.

Good Carbs: Vegetables, fruits, legumes, potatoes, green noodles, salads

Bad Carbs: Potato chips, soft drinks, candy and chocolate, soda, breakfast cereals, white rice/pasta/bread 

Let’s make it simple and easy to understand:

Good carbs are those foods that come from a tree or from the ground: Vegetables, fruits, legumes, potatoes, and green noodles. 

Bad Carbs are those foods that come in a package and that have been through many different processes before arriving in your supermarket. Fiber is removed, sugar is added, and the ingredients list is longer than the product’s name.

Good Carbs Examples (with recipes)

Oatmeal: Perfect for breakfast, cheap and easy to prepare. Oatmeal recipes here

Fruit: Mixed with oatmeal or have a fruit salad for breakfast. Always have your fruit 30 minutes before your main meal. 

Broccoli: Steamed, broccoli makes a perfect side dish. Recipes here.

Quinoa: Goes great with salads or oven-baked vegetables. All my quinoa recipes here.

Zucchini: Recipes here

Spinach: Spinach recipes here

For a deeper understanding of Carbs, I recommend you to check my guide What Are Carbs? A Beginner’s Carbs Guide.

Protein

Protein is one of the primary building blocks of your body. It’s very important for repairing and building muscle.

In nature, plants produce protein from amino acids. Animals eat plants, so they store protein in their muscles. 

We can get protein both from plants or from meat.  

In the last few years, I’ve been leaning more towards plant protein as most of the meat available in supermarkets is from animals that spend all their lives stressed in small cages, having high amounts of antibiotics pumped into them, and with very bad hygiene. 

In the last decade, a number of studies have revealed problems of a high meat diet.

Plant-based protein sources: 

• Legumes (lupin, lentils, green peas, soy, red, black, and yellow beans, fava beans, chickpeas)
• Spirulina
• Chia seeds
• Broccoli
• Quinoa
• Leafy greens
• Hemp seeds
• Tofu, tempeh, and edamame
• Almonds
• Oats

Animal Protein Sources

• Eggs
• Chicken
• Milk
• Cheese
• Beef
• Fish (tuna and salmon)
• Pork
• Lamb

Fiber Alert: Remember that meat, eggs and dairy don’t contain any fiber, so you should always include vegetables in your meals to add some. In contrast, all plant-based proteins contain fiber. 

Fiber is very important for digestive health. It helps clean your gut and prevent constipation where food rots in your intestine causing bacteria and parasites to flourish. You can learn more about the important role and benefits of fiber in my article Not Enough Fiber in Modern Diets

Fats

Just like we have good and bad carbs, not all fats are created equal. 

Fats have a bad reputation because, in the past, fats were thought to be stored as body fat. That’s not true. In fact, that’s what happens with sugar. All the excess sugar we eat is stored as fat in our body.

Fats are just as important as carbs and protein for our body, but we need to know what fats we should eat and which ones we should avoid.

We can get fats from plants or from animals and again, plant-based fat is more heathy than fat from animal sources

These are my simple Five Rules about Fats:

• No milk, cheese, butter or any dairy (I do have free range eggs)
• Have seeds and nuts
• Use extra-virgin olive oil for salads and for cooking instead of margarine, cooking oils, or butter
• Have wild fish and free-range meat
• Don’t abuse red meats (lamb, beef and pork)

You can learn in detail how to choose healthy fats in my article How to Choose Healthy Fats

You can also learn why Not All Fats Are Created Equally here

How Much to Eat

We all have different energy needs. Some of us work in front of a computer every day but do intense workouts. Others spend their days walking and constantly exercising. It’s impossible to have a set number of calories that is right for everyone. 

But we all know how much food we should have in one meal. We know the difference between being full and binging.

Eat slowly, use your teeth to chew the food into small pieces to help digestion, and remember to breathe. If you eat too fast, you will probably eat more than you should.

Preparing your meals in advance, when you’re not hungry, also helps to set the amount you know that’s enough for your lunch or dinner.

When you finish eating, if you still feel hungry, wait five minutes. In most cases, you are just tempted to binge and, after five minutes, that feeling should disappear. 

It’s also important to remember that your stomach can take a few minutes to tell your brain it’s full. Waiting a few minutes before eating more gives your stomach chance to let your brain know it doesn’t really need any more food. 

The Real Foods

Vegetables: High in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, vegetables help to make you feel full and cleanses your gut. Steam your vegetables to preserve the vitamins.

Fruit: High in sugar and fiber, these are the healthiest carbs you can eat so I have some fruit every morning. Fruit contains sugar, but it’s also very high in fiber which makes sugar absorption slower and causes a smaller insulin spike. This is the big difference from processed foods with added sugar. Learn more about the different of natural vs added sugar here.

Red Meat: An important source of protein and fat but remember that meat, eggs, dairy and fish, do not contain any fiber. Always have your veggies. These days most of the meat we eat is produced using high amounts of hormones and antibiotics, fed with corn, and very little is produced free-range. For that reason I never eat red meat more than once a week.

Eggs and Fish: Free range eggs are a good source of protein, and wild fish provides good source of fat and omega-3 fatty acids. 

Dairy, Butter and Milk: Avoid as much as you can. 

Healthy Fats, Nuts and Seeds: Extra-virgin olive oil, avocados, coconuts, nuts, and seeds are a very good sources of healthy fats in your diet.

What We Should Avoid Eating:

Processed food: Everything that comes in a package, a bottle, or any kind of plastic wrap.

Junk and Fast Food: Everything that comes from a drive-through. 

Refined Carbs: Highly processed food with high amounts of added sugar, including breakfast cereals, commercial granola, ice-cream, liquid carbs (soda, soft drinks), chocolates, candy bars, energy bars…all the crazy high sugar stuff that is so easy to binge on over and over again.

Why Junk Food Makes You Fat?

Most junk/processed food is very high in sugar. You don’t have to trust my word; just check the food label (learn how to read food labels). When we eat too much sugar, our body converts the excess into fat.

Watch this quick animation video where I explain how this happens

Avoid Snacking

When we eat, the beta cells in the pancreas produce insulin. As we have seen in the video before (you’ve watched the video, right?) insulin removes the excess sugar from our blood. 

Now, some foods raise insulin more than others. That’s because some foods are “sweeter” than others (learn more about the Glycemic Index here). A Mars candy bar contains much more added sugar than one mango, even though a mango is pretty sweet. 

Mangos contains fiber which makes sugar absorption much slower, so the sugar goes into the blood stream more slowly and steadily. A chocolate bar contains much more sugar and no fiber, so the sugar floods our blood stream very fast. The pancreas has to start producing as much insulin as it can to remove the excess sugar as quickly as possible.

After we eat, insulin is produced, and while we have insulin in our blood, we are always storing fat. 

That’s why if you take insulin in the form of pills you will gain weight. It’s as simple as that.

The natural way to keep insulin production to zero is not to eat. That’s why it’s very important to allow four hours between meals.

This means no snacking between meals, otherwise your pancreas will be constantly producing insulin, and that insulin will be producing and storing fat all the time. You don’t want to be a fat producing and storing machine.

Allow your body to digest all the food you have eaten and let insulin levels drop to start burning stored fat for energy.

Carbs timing: Before or After Workout

If you exercise, have your carbs an hour or so before or after the your workout. This way the carbs are used for energy and are not stored as fat.

You can learn more about when to eat carbs in my article Carb Timing and Exercise

Ways to reduce calories

• More veggie noodles (how to make veggie noodles here) instead of white pasta or white rice

• Light dinners: soups (recipes here) or salads (recipes here)

• Oatmeal for breakfast: It makes you feel fuller for longer due to the fiber and protein. Oatmeal Recipes here

• Whole foods instead of fast/processed foods

My Nutrition & Exercise Formula

This is my personal nutrition and exercise formula. It’s probably not the best formula out there as there’s always room for improvement, but this is by far the one that’s given me the best results in terms of energy, mood and mental focus. 

• No processed junk or fast food: If it has more than four ingredients on the package I don’t eat it
• No dairy, cow’s milk or cheese: I have almond milk instead
• Try to avoid white bread and white pasta (I have it around twice a week)
• Most of my meals are prepared at home from fresh ingredients 
• I do my best (as my budget allows) to buy organic fruit and vegetables
• No more than two meals a week of red meat
• Only cage-free meat and eggs
• Only wild fish
• No alcohol abuse. I don’t go for spirits, but I love an occasional glass of white wine in the summer and red wine in the winter
• Exercise at least twice a week, and I do my best to walk at least 15 minutes per day

Just as we don’t gain belly fat overnight, we also cannot get rid of it overnight either.

By the end of this article, you’ll have all the tools you need to lose belly fat once and for all! 

You’ll need to choose your long-term health and happiness over instant food pleasures that, in the long run, will only make you feel miserable.

It’s up to you. Only you can make these decisions. I can only show you the way.

But first, there’s some quick information. 

“Knowledge is the key to success” by Marie F. (Thanks to Marie for your inspiring email – one of our Days to Fitness family subscribers). 

1. Why Do We Get Fat?

When we eat more food (energy) than we use, all the excess is converted into and stored as fat. This process is made possible by a famous hormone and key player called insulin.

As we continue to eat more energy than we use, insulin continues to convert the excess into fat. 

It’s hard to overeat whole foods, but it’s quite easy to binge on junk “food”. Big food companies design “food” (it’s not really food) to give you pleasure, get you addicted and make you always want to eat more.

I’ve shared a quick video explaining why sugar makes us fat, and why added sugar is everywhere. You can watch it here.

Yes, some “foods” (it’s processed food) are more fattening than others. Avoiding high sugar foods and drinks it’s THE most important step you can take to lose belly fat. I will cover that soon.

2. Why We Get Belly Fat

Women accumulate more fat on their thighs and butt, while men tend to accumulate fat on their stomachs.

The reason behind this is due to hormones (testosterone and estrogen). 

It’s not possible to burn fat only from your belly. Those 100 abs crunches a day-type workouts do not work. We have to lose fat from our entire bodies, and gradually we will start to get a flatter stomach.

We all have fat around our body, but the fat is not equally distributed. Instead, it accumulates on the butt, thighs and belly.

To reduce our body fat percentage, we have to lose weight, so our fat layer gets thinner.

Sorry, I have to say it again: In the same way, we don’t gain weight overnight, we can’t lose weight overnight either. Crash diets do not work, and nor do intense but unsuitable workouts. 

But, don’t give up yet; there’s a way and a solution.

The steps you need to take to lose belly fat 

I recommend that you start with easy, sustainable actions as only you know how much effort and sacrifice you can handle to maintain consistency. Consistency is the most important skill here. 

It doesn’t matter if you drastically reduce calories and do a lot of exercises today, but then eat 10,000 calories of ice-cream tomorrow. That will not work. Instead, do a little bit every day and you’ll find your journey much more enjoyable.

The following steps are ordered by importance, but you can do several steps at the same time. You can eat less to reduce the number of calories and meditate to reduce your stress. 

What I find hard is to go all-in in the beginning. For example, reducing calories, changing diet and doing a lot of exercise from the very beginning. The result is usually the same: frustration, quit, and all hope is lost.

Instead, go easy on yourself, embrace small changes, and get motivated by the benefits.  

1. Get to know how much you eat daily
2. Avoid or reduce high sugar foods and drinks 
3. Reduce or, even better, quit processed, junk, and fast food
4. Diet – prepare your own food
5. Avoid food binging
6. Reduce your calorie intake
7. Easy but effective exercise
8. Reduce stress
9. Improve sleep quality time

1. Get to know how much you eat daily

Do you have any idea how many calories do you eat per day? I thought I did but, oh boy, I was wrong…

You probably have a very clear idea of how much you eat per day, but do you really know? When I started to track my daily calorie intake, I was shocked. I thought that I was under 2000 calories per day, but I was in fact eating around 3000.

I’m not really in favor of counting calories, because not all calories are created equal, and focusing only on calories is not a solution for weight loss. I’ve in fact written two articles explaining that: Stop Counting Calories and The Calorie Fallacy. 

But today, I’m asking you to do exactly the opposite: Track your calories. Why? So, you have an idea of how much you’re eating in terms of food and how many calories.

The reason: The chances are that, if you have belly fat to lose, you’re eating more calories than you burn.

When we eat more than we need, our body stores the excess as fat, and this fat accumulates on the belly. 

Continually snacking (even if they are healthy snacks) will turn your body into a fat producing and storing machine.

Use the app MyFitnessPal (free to download and free to use) to discover how much you are really eating per day.

Use the app on your phone and record every single food you eat. It’s a little bit tedious, but it doesn’t take much time, and by the end of the day you’ll have a good idea of how many calories you eat in one day.

MyFitnessPal will ask you to create an account (it’s free and no credit card is needed). It will also ask you what your weight goal is; go ahead do it. Don’t focus on your calorie limit for the day. The idea here is to simply learn how much you’re eating per day. 

MyFitnessPal already has most of the foods we eat on its huge database which makes using the app quick and easy.

Once you know how many calories you eat per day, you can do one more thing: start reducing your intake just a little bit. Define your limits and don’t go crazy, otherwise, you will find it too hard to maintain. Just reduce your calorie intake a little bit. 

Just one less beer, soda, chocolate bar, or candy per day will make a difference.

Here we are just tackling food quantity by eating less. What about food quality? That’s our next step.

2. Avoid High Sugar foods/drinks

When we eat too much sugar, our body converts the excess into fat. We should not eat more than nine teaspoons per day but, in America, we eat around 25 teaspoons. That’s a lot of added-sugar being converted into fat. 

If you’re not familiar with the BIG FAT problem of added-sugar, I recommend you watch my quick animated video Why Added Sugar Makes You Fat (there’s also a text version) and Why Added Sugar is Everywhere (there’s also a text version). 

High sugar foods and drinks to avoid, or at least reduce, include: 

• Breakfast cereals
• Packaged fruit juices and soda
• Soft drinks (there is nothing soft about them; they’re all high in sugar)
• Sports energy drinks
• Candies
• Ice cream, cakes, cookies, and other sweet treats 
• Sweetened yogurt
• Flavored milk
• Salad dressings
• Commercial sauces (ketchup, barbecue, tomato)
• Vitamin Water
• Flavored green tea and coffee
• Ready to eat soups
• Granola bars
• Commercial granola
• Iced tea

Alternatives

Drink water instead of soda and high sugar beverages. Flavor it with lemon juice if you want to. 

Drink coffee and tea, but don’t add sugar (white, brown, agave…it’s all the same).

Enjoy the occasional glass of wine or beer instead drinking beer or wine every day.

Avoid commercial fruit juices and smoothies as they are loaded with sugar. 

There is no magic here: There is no substitute for high sugar foods and beverages. The solution here is to avoid them, or at least reduce your intake.

3. Reduce or Quit Processed, Junk, and Fast Food

Because they are high in sugar and fat, you should avoid fast, processed and packaged “food” like your life depends of it. These “foods” are by far the most fattening thing you can eat. 

Today, in America, and in most of the rest of the world too, people eat a high sugar diet. That’s because the big food companies have found that adding sugar and removing fiber makes you eat more without feeling full. In return, you gain weight and become addicted to junk food.

Note: If you’d prefer to watch a quick animation video, click here to open a new window and watch Why Added Sugar is Everywhere.

Sounds too crazy? It is, but it’s also the truth. Fiber plays a very important role in cleaning your gut and it takes a lot of time to digest. Because of this, fiber quickly makes you feel full. But, if you remove the fiber, digestion is quicker, and you don’t feel full. This soon leads to overeating. This is good news for the food companies, but a terrible deal for you because you constantly feel hungry.

On top of that, there’s sugar. Sugar makes you feel so good that your brain loves it. Once you get used to eating a lot of sugar, you’ll start to feel unhappy and depressed if you don’t get it regularly. Sugar is very addictive, especially as we’ve been eating it since we were toddlers.

Food companies purposely make food to comfort you, that gives instant pleasures that pass quickly, and that makes you crave for more.

Whole Foods provide all the energy you need while filling you up. Packaged foods give you instant pleasure, too many calories, no real energy, and a ton of problems for your future health.

Alternatives

Make-your-own is the solution: 

• Make your own dips & spreads: Ketchup (recipe here), mayonnaise (recipe here), hummus (recipe here), tapenade (recipe here), guacamole (recipe here)
• Prepare your own cookies (Cinnamon star cookies recipe here)
• Prepare your own treats (recipes here) and sweets (recipe here). These recipes still contain sugar, but they are all much better than any commercial dessert or treat
• Even better, prepare your own low-sugar desserts (a lot of recipes here), or go a step further and try this no-added-sugar but still tasty vegan, milk-free, sugar-free, no-bake treats (2 video recipes here and here)
• Prepare your own breakfast, instead of breakfast cereals and granola
• Prepare and take your own meals to work instead of buying from junk/fast food restaurants 
• Prepare your own dinner (recipes here)
• Or have a light and filling soup for dinner (soup recipes here)

Have you ever wondered why, as teenagers, we could eat lots of high sugar and junk food and yet most of us never had much belly fat? 

I’ve shared an article explaining why, after our 30s, we start slowly putting on weight especially on our belly, and why is so hard to get rid of it. You can find the article here.

4. Balanced Diet – Prepare your own food

It doesn’t matter how much you exercise if your diet contains lots of high sugar food, junk food, liquid carbs (soda, spirits, wine, beer, and soft drinks) and you’re constantly eating snacks.

Contrary to what a lot of people say, snacking between meals will not help you to lose weight. 

Snacking between meals makes easier to gain more weight, especially when you eat processed junk food. There are efficient ways to reduce calories, which I will talk about in the Reduce your calorie intake section, but first, let’s look at the most important step of all – diet.

Diet is 70% of the weight loss and burning belly fat equation. 

Balanced Diet

Meals should contain protein, vegetables, good carbs, and good fats. But most people have stopped preparing their own food, and have forgotten how we should balance our meals.

Important things to remember:

• Add (more) vegetables to your diet

Vegetables are high in fiber, and that makes you feel fuller for longer. They are also high in nutrients and low in calories.

If you don’t have many veggies in your diet, today is a good day to start. A big salad for lunch (but avoid commercial dressings) is a nice and fresh way to begin.

Veggies are boring? I thought the same a few years ago. Easy and delicious recipes with veggies are available here.

• Better breakfast

I don’t know what you had for breakfast today, but most people have commercial cereals, granola, white bread, pancakes, flavored yogurts, and/or packaged fruit juices. These are all refined carbs that are also high sugar foods. Most of the refined carbs we eat are converted into fat, and that fat sits on our belly. Because of this, avoiding refined carbs is a priority.

• Choose Good Carbs over Bad Carbs

Avoid refined carbs and go for good carbs such as fruit, oatmeal, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and veggie noodles instead. Check the article 

Good carbs vs. Bad carbs for Weight Loss to discover some alternatives to bad carbs.

When you exercise or workout, you want to have your high carb meals right before and right after your intense activity. More about carb timing explained at Carb Timing and Exercise.

• Get your protein: Meat, fish or from veggies. Don’t abuse red meats (lamb, beef, pork) and make sure you also eat white meats (chicken, turkey). 

Make sure all your meals contain some type of protein. This will help to satiate your hunger and fill you up for longer, reducing the chances of snacking between meals. 

• Healthy Fats: We need fats, but not all fats are equal. Go for extra virgin olive oil, avocados, and nuts. I especially like to use these on my salads to make them tastier and more filling without using commercial salad dressings which are high in added sugar. Learn more about How to Choose Healthy Fats and why Not All Fats Are Created Equally

Prepare your own meals 

There are good restaurants out there, but most of the food we eat should come from our kitchen, where we know exactly what ingredients are used. 

I’ve organized all our recipes here  into 

• Types (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

• Occasions (Christmas, Thanksgiving)
• Dish Types (Smoothies, Meal Replacement Shakes, Soups, Dips & Spreads, Protein Bars)
• Diets and choices (Sugar-free, 21 Day Fix, Slow Cooker, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, Paleo, Superfoods, Low-carb, Raw)
• By Kitchen Tools (Food Processor, Immersion Blender, Blender, Slow Cooker)

5. Avoid Food Binging

Binging is when you eat more than you know you should – often because of things like sadness, boredom, or anger. We also call this emotional eating. Binging usually involves eating a huge number of calories in one sitting, and those extra calories usually come from sugar and unhealthy fat. 

To prevent binging:

• Don’t look for comfort in food: Think about when you binge and what emotions are you trying to hide or to deal with. Fix the problem and you won’t want to binge
• Processed food is designed to be consumed in large quantities, so avoid it like the plague to reduce the chances of binging
• When you feel like binging, journal your feelings, listen to some music, or go for a walk. Let that binging moment pass without getting attached to it
• Get rid of processed/junk food from your home: Reduce temptation at home and make it a healthy eating sanctuary
• Have 2 or 3 complete meals per day with no snacks in-between: constant eating will make you continually think about food
• When cravings strike, do some meditation, exercise or drink some water (how to deal with sugar cravings)

6. Reduce your calorie intake

After avoiding high sugar foods and junk/fast food, it’s time to start to eat a little less. 

I don’t know how much you are eating per day, but you do since you started tracking your calorie intake.

To make things easy and sustainable, I suggest you reduce your calorie intake by only 100 or 200 calories per day. It’s not much but it’s a start. We are looking for consistency. Once you’re comfortable, you can reduce your intake a little bit more.

Ways to reduce your calorie intake

• Intermittent Fasting: I’ve been skipping breakfast for more than a year and it helped me lose weight (my one-year intermittent fasting story here and how to lose weight with intermittent fasting here). 
• Smaller meals: Yes, you will not feel as full as before, but give it time and your stomach will get used to the idea. Lighter meals are easier to digest and leave more energy available to perform other tasks like concentration, mental focus, and memory.
• Eat just 2 or 3 meals a day: No snacking in between, and don’t have extra portions or desserts. Forget about food and focus on other things instead. 

Try these steps, experiment, and find out which ones work best for you. Come up with your own formula but go easy on yourself to ensure whatever you do is sustainable. 

As you reduce your calorie intake, your cravings and food temptations will be more amplified than ever. 

Allow yourself time to deal with your cravings. Let the cravings pass and understand that “ feeling hungry” is usually nothing more than a passing craving.

Cravings can be very unsettling because food is directly connected to our emotions. Because of this, when we change our food habits and give up or cut down on high sugar and process/junk food, we get cravings that try to convince us to go on a food binge. 

Give yourself time to get used to your new diet, and only then slowly reduce your food intake.

7. Exercise

All those crunches and sit-ups will make your abs stronger but are not the key to a flatter, thinner stomach. 

Remember; the goal is to accumulate less fat and make your existing fat layer thinner. 

Changing your diet and slightly reducing your calorie intake will help you accumulate less fat, and exercise will help us to burn stored energy (glycogen and fat) to make our existing fat layer thinner.

Add some exercise to your routine. I don’t know how much exercise you currently do, and how much you are able to fit in depends on your routine. However, adding exercise to your lifestyle will make losing belly fat much easier. 

What Exercise can I do?

• Walking: Start with a walking around your neighborhood or go to a park. A walking plan will help you to integrate walking into your routine and achieve the best results. Find the plan in our article Walking Guide for Beginners here.
• Home Workout Routines, No Equipment Needed: Try this effective 5-minute home exercise routine. Check our video 5 Minutes Home Workout Routine to Lose Belly Fat
• Running: Running will help you to burn a lot of energy in a short amount of time. We have created a plan on how to start and increase your running. Check our Running Guide for Beginners here.

Exercise is not just good for burning fat, it can also help us in many other ways. Regular exercise will reduce stress and improve our sleep quality time which are two very important factors that will lower your chances of overeating and accumulating fat. I will explain this more in the next sections. 

8. Reduce Stress

As we enter adult life, our days become more complicated and stressful. Having a job, dealing with our boss and colleagues, relationships, paying the mortgage, having kids – all of these responsibilities are accompanied by lots of emotions and daily challenges that we didn’t have when we were younger. That being said, studies show that even teenagers are getting more and more stressed.

When we are stressed, a hormone called cortisol is released and long-term cortisol produces increased levels of insulin which makes our bodies produce and store more fat. More about that in the article Why Stress Make Us Fat. 

These are the most common ways that Americans try to manage their stress: 

• Listen to music
• Exercise: Walk, run or workout
• Meditation
• Yoga

I would like to add some other strategies that I personally use to lower my stress levels…

• Sports: Running (running guide here), home workout routines ( check our youtube channel), walking (walking guide here). 
• Reading: I prefer non-fiction books. 
• Meditation: During the last month I’ve been using an app called Headspace. It’s free and very easy to use. Use it to help you meditate anywhere. 
• Listen to books: When my eyes are tired, listening to a fiction book while lying in bed helps to forget my tasks and problems, allowing me to lose myself in the book’s story.
• Journaling: Writing down my problems, worries, tasks and my in-the-moment thoughts helps to reduce my brain activity and improves my sleep time. 

None of these “tools” are better than any other. What matters is what works best for you. The only way to find out is to experiment for several days, see which options reduce your stress levels the most, and then keep using the ones that were most effective.  

None of the above “tools” will work immediately. We have been living with constant stress for years, or even decades, so don’t expect to get rid of it on the first day. 

That being said, I was happily surprised by how quickly I started to see results. It’s all about the mindset, and changing the way we look at tasks, problems, worries, frustration, hunger, and life in general. It’s all about how we deal with life.

Try one of the above “tools”. Take action, be patient and allow yourself to “look” at all the thoughts that go on in your head without getting tangled. Be a watcher of your thoughts and emotions and not a participant. Don’t try to solve or avoid them; just “look” at them like you watch people walking in the streets.

9. Improve Sleep Quality Time

When we sleep well, our morning energy levels are higher, our mood is better, and we can face problems and daily tasks in a much more positive and efficient way. 

When we sleep badly, we are easily irritated, more tired, more negative, we are easily depressed, and tend to collapse – mentally and physically. This situation makes us more prone to seeking comfort in food, alcohol, sex, or other kinds of addictions.

Sleep tips:

1. Stick to a sleep routine: Pick a bedtime and wake-up time and, whatever happens, be consistent. No excuses; go to bed and wake up at the same time and no hitting the snooze button! Try to maintain your sleep routine during the weekends as well as the working week.
2. Relaxing bedtime ritual: There was a time when I used to suffer from insomnia. To fix this problem I developed a bedtime ritual. When I go to bed, I spend a few minutes counting my breaths. I count “one” when I breathe in, and “two” when I breathe out.  If a thought pops into my mind and I forget to count, I just start again. This ritual “forces” my mind to focus on counting instead of the different thoughts that would otherwise keep me awake.
3. Avoid naps: If you have problems falling asleep, afternoon naps can be a trap that creates a vicious and never-ending cycle.
4. Exercise: Working out is a very helpful way to reduce stress, get you tired, and get you ready to sleep like a baby. Running, walking or home workout routines are all good options.
5. A good mattress and pillow: Comfort makes a huge difference to how well you will sleep. If you’re not comfortable, you’ll have a hard time falling asleep. Yes, good mattresses are expensive. but it’s a health investment that lasts for years. This was one of the biggest and best steps in my fight against insomnia. It’s a very worthwhile investment.
6. Avoid using your smartphone in bed: The lights and colors will wake you up. Media pictures, text conversations, and newsfeeds can trigger curiosity and stimulate your brain which is the last thing you want if you are trying to go to sleep. 

My Daily Formula

I don’t like to “sell” or recommend formulas because there is no single solution that will work for everyone. This is my formula and a like it because it works for me and, most importantly, I do it because I enjoy it. I love all the following steps. 

They are not sacrifices, but they are not also “amazing” moments. Life can’t be amazing all the time. They are just simple but consistent steps that have been giving me good results in terms of weight control, boosting concentration and energy, and have helped me to reduce junk food binging.

Wake up around 7 a.m. – Do a set of exercises (push-ups or sometimes complete set of exercises like in this video, this and also this) to help me wake up and shake off any sleepiness. 

Have a shower – While showering, I remind and repeat to myself all the good things I have in my life (more about that in this post).

Recently added to my morning routine: Meditate for 10 Minutes – I started using an app called Headspace about a month ago; it’s free to download and to use. I sit comfortably, plug my headphones and start my daily 10-minute meditation session. I only do ten minutes to make it sure it’s a habit I can do every day.

I skip breakfast: I do intermittent fasting almost every day (more about that here and how Intermittent Fasting helps me to burn fat here). I’ve been doing it for more than a year and it’s really helped me to lose fat and weight very easily. (I cheat once in a while but never more than twice a week).

I prepare breakfast for my girlfriend – As she wakes up, I really enjoy making her a healthy breakfast. I usually blend unsweetened almond milk and fruit to make a refreshing, delicious smoothie. (My smoothie recipes here and the blender I use and why here). I don’t eat breakfast, but I really enjoy preparing breakfast for my girlfriend.

I start work: I usually work at home.

12 p.m. My “breakfast”: This is when I break my fast. I have ripe seasonal fruit (local if possible) chopped into pieces, or sometimes I make a green juice using a slow vertical cold juicer. 

1 p.m. Lunch-time: I love to have a simple raw salad for lunch, seasoned with a nice dose (30 ml) of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and vinegar. Sometimes I prepare a simple miso soup (barley miso, chive springs, and a small piece of kombu seaweed). My lunch is always very light, so I don’t feel sleepy in the afternoon. 

3 p.m. Sugar cravings after lunch: If those kick in, a couple of dried figs usually do the trick (dried figs are very common in Portugal). Or I might eat some nuts and pumpkin seeds. Other times I prepare raw vegan carrot cake with no added sugar (video recipe here) or a raw vegan no added sugar brownie (video recipe here).  

7 p.m. Running, walking or badminton time: I play badminton three times a week, and on the other days I go running or walking. They are nice ways to burn some energy and free my mind from troubles, emotions, and problems.

8 or 9 p.m. Dinner: Sometimes I go out with my girlfriend or friends and have dinner out. Sometimes I eat more than I know I should but that’s why Intermittent fasting helps so I can burn any extra energy from the dinner the day before. If I stay at home (like I did today) I normally have soup and some fruit. 

11 p.m. Time for bed: I grab a book (right now I’m reading Deep Work by Cal Newport. You can find out more about this book at Amazon.com). I usually fall asleep by about 11.50 p.m.

These are the steps you will need to take if you want to lose that extra layer of belly fat. It’s not a one-size-fits-all formula, but a set of actions that I suggest you try so you can come up with your own personalized formula. Experimenting is the key. Good luck for your journey.

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments.

Running isn’t for everyone, and walking (my walking guide here) is a good choice if you prefer a slower-paced workout. But, if you are looking for a simple but more demanding way to get fit and control your weight, walking is a very good option. 

In this guide I want to introduce you to the joys of running! 

3 Basic Rules Before You Start Running 

Running is very simple, and you don’t need any special skills or athletic ability to get a lot from it. But, if you are a non-runner, it’s important you don’t make too many mistakes early on or you might put yourself off running forever. You might even hurt yourself. Here are three basic rules every new runner needs to follow. 

1. Take it slow

Running too fast when you aren’t used to it will leave you very tired and out of breath. If you run too fast, you’ll soon have to stop (that’s why I started slow, my running story here). For that reason, it’s very important that you set your own pace – what I call comfortable pace. 

A comfortable pace is just like it sounds. You’ll be slightly out of breath and you’ll feel warm, but you should be able to keep going for quite a long time. You can run faster as you get fitter, but you should always feel comfortable. 

2. The 10% rule

The 10% rule stops you from running too far, too soon. If you increase the distance that you run too soon, you’ll end up sore and tired, and possibly injured. Running is quite stressful to your joints so it’s important that you increase that stress gradually. This is best done by applying the 10% rule to your workouts, which has two parts. 

A) Never increase the length of any single run by more than 10%. So, if you run two miles today, you should not run more than 2.2 miles next time. 

B) Never increase your weekly running distance by more than 10%. If your running total for the week is ten miles, next week you should run no more than 11 miles. 

3. Respect the need for rest

In our walking guide, I explained what walking is a gentle type of exercise that you can do almost every day without getting tired or hurt. Running is more demanding and takes a lot more out of your body. Subsequently, unless you are very experienced, you should only run 3-4 times per week. This will give your body chance to recover from your workouts. 

If you want to do more exercise, do some walking on the days in between runs, and never be afraid to take an extra day off if you feel like you need it. 

Remember, the best type of exercise is the one that’s sustainable for months and years at a time. If you run seven days in a row for a week, but then have to take the next two weeks off to recovery, you’ll lose more benefits than you’ll gain. 

How to Start Running 

Despite being a simple activity, it can be hard to know where to start running. Follow these tips to help make your first few runs as easy and enjoyable as possible. 

1. Slow and short – your first few runs should be really easy. Make sure that they are slow enough and short enough that you finish them feeling like you could have done more. If your first run leaves to regretting starting, you won’t want to go again. 

2. Walk and run – one easy way to get into running is to alternate it with walking. For example, walk for two minutes and then run for one. Keep doing this until 20 minutes or so has elapsed. As you get fitter, try to walk less and run more. After a few sessions, you’ll be running the entire way but without doing too much, too soon. 

3. Follow a variety of routes – doing the same run route over and over will soon get boring. Try and plan a few different routes and use them in rotation. That way, you can choose the route that suits your mood. Keep things interesting by jumping in your car and driving to new places so you can run a different route, such as a nearby park. 

4. Run a day, rest a day – you’ll enjoy your runs a lot more if you aren’t tired from your last one. Because of this, most new runners should follow a day on/day off running plan. This will give you time to recover from your last run and make sure you have plenty of energy for next one. 

5. Run with a friend – if you have a friend who is the same level of fitness as you, why not start running together. They’ll be good company and you can help keep each other motivated. Also, you should be able to chat to them while you run – albeit haltingly. If you can’t talk at all, you are going too fast. On the other hand, if you can talk constantly, you aren’t going fast enough!

Use these tips to make your first few runs as safe, effective, and enjoyable as possible. 

Beginners Running Plan 

How far and how often should you run? That’s a good question! Do too much too soon and you could end up tired, injured, and sore. But, take things too easy and you won’t get any fitter. To help you make the transition to regular running, I’ve created a four-week running plan that will make your first month of running enjoyable and rewarding. 

Warming up

Before you start running, it’s important you warm up your muscles and joints. Otherwise you could injure yourself. It also takes a few moments for your heart and lungs to get in synch with your legs, making running initially uncomfortable. A warm up will help make the transition from sedentary to exercising much easier. 

For your warm up, I suggest: 

• Walk briskly for five minutes to warm up your heart, lunges, joints, and muscles. 

• Gently stretch your calves, quadriceps (front thigh muscles), hamstrings (rear thigh muscles), and hip flexors (front hip muscles) for about 30 seconds each. 

Once you have done this, you should feel ready to run. 

Your 4-week plan 

Feel free to do some extra walking, stretching, or yoga on your rest days. This will help keep your muscles loose and limber and may even boost your recovery and running performance. 

As with the beginners walking plan I produced for our walking guide, this plan focuses more on time than it does distance. That’s because your comfortable running speed may differ depending on your fitness and your stride length. Some runners can do a mile in ten minutes, but someone else might take 20. 

Prescribing workouts by time means this isn’t an issue. Just run as far as you comfortably can in the time stated. Out and back runs work best. For example, if the plan says you need to run for 14 minutes, run out for seven minutes, and then run back again. Simple!  

Update: Looking for a workout plan for weight loss ? Check out our Beginners Running Plan for Weight Loss here.

Cooling down 

Once your workout is finished, you may be tempted to collapse on the sofa or head straight to the shower – big mistake. Instead, finish your run with another five-minute walk so your heart and breathing rate slows down gradually. Once you have finished walking, repeat the stretches you did at the start, spending extra time on any muscles that feel tight or sore. 

Once you have cooled off, make sure you drink some water to replace lost fluids. That’s especially important if you didn’t use a hydration pack so you could drink while you are running. 

Best Running Shoes 

I’ve owned lots of pairs of running shoes over the years. Some I’ve loved instantly, others have grown on me, and others I’ve hated. But, with every pair I have owned, I’ve learned a little more about choosing the best running shoes. 

For example, I soon discovered that very expensive shoes are not always better than more modestly-priced shoes, and that whatever the manufacturers tell you, the design of a running shoe won’t make you run further or faster! I also soon learned that the most important thing to look for in running shoes is comfort. If your running shoes hurt your feet, you won’t want to wear them. 

Here are three of the best men’s and women’s running shoes.  Find more running shoes and reviews in more detail on my article Best Running Shoes for Women and men.

Women’s 

1. New Balance Women’s 490V5 Running Shoe

These New Balance Running Shoes have a lightweight mesh upper, with a reinforced toe box to reduce wear. Like all New Balance shoes, they are available in a range of widths, so you will have no problem finding the perfect shoe for your feet.  Available at Amazon.com.

These shoes look like professional athletic shoes and that’s why a lot of top runners wear them. This pedigree comes at a price which is why New Balance running shoes are some of the most expensive on review. 

2. Skechers Performance Women’s Go Run 400 Obstruct running shoes 

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The Skechers running shoes are made from lightweight mesh and have good shock absorbency making them ideal for heavier runners, and those who tend to do all their running on pavements. 

These shoes have no reinforcement on the stress points, so they may wear out relatively quickly, but that means they are very light and soft, so they should be super-comfortable. They are not really suitable for off-road use so make sure you consider where you will be running before buying. If you want to run off-road, you’ll need something more rugged. 

3. ASICS Women’s Gel-Nimbus 19 Running Shoe

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ASICS Gel-Nimbus 19 Women's Running Shoe

• FlyteFoam Midsole Technology - Our FlyteFoam technology provides exceptional bounce back and responsiveness no matter the distance, utilizing organic super fibers to help reduce packing out that traditionally happens with softer, low density foams.
• FluidRide Midsole - ASICS FluidRide midsole provides the ultimate combination of bounce back and cushioning properties with reduced weight and exceptional durability.
• Rearfoot and Forefoot GEL Technology Cushioning System - Attenuates shock during impact and toe-off phases, and allows movement in multiple planes as the foot transitions through the gait cycle.
• FluidFit Upper - ASICS FluidFit upper technology combines multi-directional stretch mesh with stretch reinforcements that adapt to the athlete's foot, creating a truly customized glove-like fit.
• Heel Clutching System Technology - Exoskeletal heel counter provides improved support and creates improved heel fitting environment.

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Asics use a special gel in their soles to maximize shock absorbency. Shock absorbing shoes are often heavy but that’s not the case with their ASICS Women’s Gel-Nimbus 19 Running Shoes. The gel isn’t just in the heel either but in the forefoot too. This makes them extra comfortable if, like me, you run more on your toes than your heels. 

Made to withstand serious use, these shoes have a rugged sole, so you can wear them for light off-roading although they are better suited to road running. Light and well-cushioned, these are good shoes if you want to run longer distances. 

Men’s

1. ASICS Men’s Gel-Vanisher Ankle-High Running Shoe

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ASICS Mens Gel Vanisher Running Shoes

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Asics shoes have the reputation of being hardwearing which is good as they aren’t that cheap. These shoes have a mesh upper that is reinforced in all the right places to reduce wear and tear. The soles are rugged enough for light off-road running but are best suited to pavement pounding. They use gel technology in their soles to provide great cushioning but with minimal weight.

The high level of cushioning makes these shoes ideal for heavier runners, or runners who tend to be pronounced heel strikers. If your running shoes show more wear on the heel than anywhere else, that’s you.

2. Tesla Men’s Knit Pattern Sports Running Shoes 

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Tesla Men's Knit Pattern Sports Running Shoes L570/X573/X574 (True To Size)

• Alert : True to size ! Recommend ordering usual shoe size
• ex: usual size MEN 7 (D) > MEN 7(D)
• 0.5 size up for Customer's with very wide feet
• ex: usual size MEN 7(4E) > MEN 7.5(D)
• 12th October, 2017 Updated size guide based on customer's comments*

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Tesla sports shoes are a very budget-friendly alternative to the more expensive well-known brands. Available in a wide range of colors, these lightweight mesh-upper shoes are breathable, have a grooved outer sole for flexibility, and have good cushioning.

While the mesh upper is light and breathable, it is prone to wear and tear, so these shoes will not be as long lasting as some other models and brands. That’s not an issue for a few short runs per week, but if you run a lot, you’ll wear your shoes out pretty quickly.

3. New Balance Men’s Hierro V3 Fresh Foam Trail Running Shoe

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New Balance Men's Hierro V3 Fresh Foam Trail Running Shoe

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New Balance Men’s Hierro V3 Fresh Foam Trail Running Shoe are made for off-road use. That means they are tougher and heavier than the average road running shoe. They have a booty-type construction which means they’ll fit you like a glove, or should that be sock?

They are very hardwearing, and suitable for more adventurous running. Don’t worry though, they’ll be right at home on the pavement too. If you want a pair of running shoes that you can wear almost anywhere, and don’t mind the hefty price tag, these New Balance Men’s Hierro V3 Fresh Foam Trail Running Shoes will be ideal.

Running Tips for Beginners

You want running tips? I’ve got them! Here are my top three tips for beginners…

1. Run lightly and quietly – running is a simple activity but a lot of runners I see don’t do it very well. They pound the pavement like it just insulted them, wasting a huge amount of effort in the process. Not only that, all the pounding is not good for your feet, ankles, knees, hips, of lower back. Running is hard enough on your joints without making it worse. 

Instead, when you run, try and land as lightly as you can so you make next to no noise. If you can hear your feet slapping on the floor you aren’t running economically or efficiently, and you are wasting a lot of energy. 

2. Dress in layers – on cold days it can be tempting to wrap up warm. However, after just a few minutes of running, you’ll soon start to feel hot and uncomfortable. For this reason, make sure you dress in layers so that you can vent as you get warmer. A running top with a zip is perfect so you can undo it and take it off easily if necessary. A light hat and gloves can also be useful on really cold days but be prepared to take them off and put them in your pockets as you heat up. 

3. Relax! – a lot of runners I see are way too tense. Their arms are tight, their hands are clenched, and the shoulders are hunched. What a lot of wasted energy! Don’t be like them. Instead make sure your arms, shoulders, and hands are loose and relaxed. Focus on breathing slowly, deeply, and regularly, timing your breaths to your footfalls. The more relaxed you are, the less energy you’ll use, and the easier your runs will become. 

How to Start Running 

The hardest thing about starting running is getting off your couch and heading out the door! Once you’ve achieved this feat, the rest is relatively easy – at least until the next time you are due to run that is! 

Running itself is straight forward. After all, if you follow my advice and only run at a comfortable pace, it should never be too hard or painful. Combine comfortable pace with running one day and resting the next and you have the perfect beginner workout plan. Just increase the distance of each run by a minute or two per workout and within a month you could be ready for your first 5k!

All that being said, there are certain groups who need to take extra precautions to make sure running is as safe and effective as possible.  

Beginners:

If you have never really done much running, or it’s been a long time since you ran last, you are a beginner – even if you do other types of exercise. Beginners MUST start slowly, increasing speed and distance very gradually. Doing too much too soon could make you tired or sore and could even cause an injury. I want you to finish each of your runs feeling like you could have done more. That way you’ll never do more than your body can handle. 

40+

Being older means you won’t recover so well from strenuous exercise. Also, your joints are more likely to be a little worn, and your muscles may be tight. Because of this, you MUST listen to your body and adjust your workouts based on how you feel. If you need an extra day of rest or feel like you want to do a little less, that’s okay. If you force it, you might end up injured. 

Also, because health risks increase with age, if you are new to running, it’s worth speaking to your doctor before you start to make sure he’s happy with your new exercise plan. He probably will be but it’s always worth checking. 

Out of shape

If your last workout is a distant memory and you are really out of shape, running may not be the best type of exercise for you right now. It could be too much, too soon. In this instance, I suggest you try walking instead. Once you have graduated from our beginner walking plan you should be ready to give running a try. 

Of course, you could just jump into running but I don’t recommend it. It’s better to take it easy, walk for a few weeks, and then try running once you have developed a bit more fitness. A walk-run program would be another good way to ease into running if you are out of shape. 

Very overweight

When you run, your feet hit the floor with something like eight-times your bodyweight.  That’s a lot of force if you weigh 120 lb. but even more if you weigh 200+. Because of this, running might not be a good idea if you are very overweight. It’s going to put too much stress on your joints. If you are heavy, lose weight through walking, intermittent fasting, and eating healthily. Once you’ve dropped those extra pounds, running will be much easier and loads more comfortable. 

Running Exercises 

Running is a great form of exercise and it’s great for your heart, lungs, and legs. However, there are exercises you can do that will make you a better runner. Running is a simple but complex activity. It’s simple because it’s straightforward to do, but it’s complex because it involves almost your entire body working at the same time. 

Here are three exercises that will help make you a better runner. Do them 2-3 times a week on your rest days to boost running performance. 

Booty band squat

Kknee and hip instability can cause real problems for runners. If your knees or hips drop in or out of proper alignment, your joints will take a hammering. Squats with a booty band will help strengthen your glutes, making your hips and knees stronger and more stable. 

Put your booty band around your knees and step out so your feet are shoulder-width apart. Push your knees out against the band. Bend your legs and squat down until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor. Stand up and repeat. Do 2-4 sets of 12-20 reps. 

Quadruped

Surprisingly, your abs have to work quite hard when you run. They help keep your midsection rigid and your spine properly aligned while you run. Because of this, strengthening your abs is a good idea, but not with crunches! Instead, do the quadruped exercise for running-fit abs. 

Knee on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Extend one arm and your opposite leg while keeping your hips and shoulders level. You should feel your abs contract hard. Lower your arm and leg, change side, and repeat. Do 2-4 sets of 8-12 reps per side. 

Calf raise

Your calves are important muscles for running, but they are also muscles that we seldom exercise. That’s why calf strains are very common in runners. Strengthening your calves will improve your running performance while reducing your risk of injury. 

To do this exercise, stand on the edge of a step so that your heels are free to move. Keeping your legs straight, lower your heels as far as possible and then rise up onto your toes. Do 2-4 sets of 12-20 repetitions. Too easy? Do one leg at a time. 

Burn Fat When Running 

Most people who exercise do so for weight control. If you go to any gym, you’ll see people who are overweight working out to burn fat. 

Running is just one of many exercises that burn fat. When you exercise aerobically, which means with oxygen, your body mostly burns fat. Cycling, swimming, walking, and group exercise classes like Zumba are other examples of aerobic exercise. 

Aerobic exercise is REALLY good for your heart and lungs, as well as your other muscles. Most experts agree that you should work up to doing at least 20 minutes three-times a week for best results. This amount of exercise has been shown to be a very successful way to not only build fitness, but also lower the risk of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. 

But, what if fat loss is your main goal? What can you do to make sure you burn as much fat as possible? Here are a few tips that may help. 

1. Fasted running – running in a fasted state may lead to faster fat loss. Why? When you are fasted i.e. first thing in the morning and 8-12 hours after your last meal, muscle and liver glycogen levels are depleted. Without this source of energy available, your body has no choice but to use more fat for fuel. Some people find that fasted exercise is much harder than exercising after a snack or meal. If you are one of them this tip is not for you. But, if you are okay exercising on an empty stomach, doing so could mean you lose fat faster. Try it and see if it works for you. 

2. Pre-running caffeine – studies show that consuming caffeine before exercise may increase fat burning. Caffeine is a lipotropic agent which means it makes fat cells more mobile and easier to use for energy. A cup of strong coffee 15-30 minutes before you exercise is all you need to unleash the power of caffeine. As an added benefit, coffee and caffeine have also been shown to boost exercise performance. Skip the sugar and cream though! 

3. Drink water – water is crucial for just about everything that happens in your body. Just a few days without water will lead to death. Water makes up about 95% of your blood, and when you exercise, sweating and exhalation can lead to some of this water being used up. This makes your blood thicker and harder to pump around your body. This is called cardiac drift and is one of the reasons you get tired during a long workout. 

If you become dehydrated, your workout performance will suffer, you’ll have to stop sooner, and that means you’ll burn less fat. Avoid this problem by drinking plenty of water before your run, and preferably during you run too. I use a hydration pack which is a wearable water bag that allows you to carry water and drink without having to use your hands. It’s the best way to stay hydrated while exercising. You can read more about hydration packs in my recent review article. 

Reference: The effects of caffeine and exercise on body weight, fat-pad weight, and fat-cell size

Personally, I really enjoy running and I also like yoga and home bodyweight exercises. But, more often than not, my workout of choice involves slipping on my walking shoes and heading out into my neighborhood for a refreshing, energizing stroll.  

So, what makes walking such a great workout – for your fitness, health, and weight loss? Let’s take a look!

Why walking? 

Walking is arguably the most natural form of exercise. After all, before you could run, swim, jump, or ride a bike, you could walk. In fact, you’ve probably been walking for all-but about one of your years alive. 

Because walking is such a natural activity, it’s accessible to almost everyone. You don’t need to be athletic, sporty, or have any special skills. You already know how to walk and so you don’t have to waste valuable time learning a new skill. In fact, if you wanted to, you could get up and go for a walk right now! 

Also, you don’t need special equipment to enjoy walking, although a good pair of shoes will help. You can wear snazzy workout gear or a scruffy pair of jeans and a t-shirt. It really doesn’t matter. Because you don’t need to spend much (if any!) money to enjoy walking, it’s the perfect workout for exercisers on a budget. 

Another advantage of walking for exercise is that you can do it anywhere, and anytime. You could walk your dog before going to work, walk with your kids to school, walk to work, take a walk during your lunch break, walk to the grocery store, walk around your neighborhood, go for a walk in the country, walk after your dinner, take a walk before you go to bed…the opportunities for walking are endless. 

All these advantages mean that dropout rates for walking are much lower than for other forms of exercise and sports. Exercise experts often argue about what type of exercise is best but, the truth is, the best workout is the one you will do and can stick to. Not just for a week or a month, but for years to come. 

Walking benefits 

Walking offers a great many benefits. Of course, to experience these benefits you need to walk regularly but I’ll talk more about that a little later. Let’s assume you are walking at least three-times a week, clocking up 30 or more minutes per session. 

Regular walking workouts will: 

1. Increase your cardiovascular fitness

Cardiovascular means your heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Walking makes your muscles work harder and they, in turn, demand more oxygen. To meet this demand, your breathing rate and your heart rate must increase. Elevating your breathing and heart rate does you good, and the fitter your heart and lungs are, the healthier you’ll be. Being fitter also makes strenuous activities easier so you’ll get less out of breath when doing things like gardening, playing with your kids, or walking up stairs. 

2. Increased muscle strength 

Walking, especially if you walk briskly and uphill, gives your leg muscles a good workout. This will also help shape and tone your leg muscles. Stronger leg muscles are important – especially as you get older. Weak leg muscles increase your chances of falling over and could even mean you are unable to stand or walk unaided. 

3. Stronger Bones 

When you walk, your muscles and bones must support your entire bodyweight. This is good news. Bones, like muscles, get weaker when they are not used. Weak bones can, if left untreated, become osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a serious medical condition characterized by porous bones that are very brittle and prone to fracture. 

Weight-bearing activities such as walking strengthen your bones – especially your hips. That’s good to know as hip fractures are very serious and can even be fatal for older people. 

4. Improved balance 

Walking involves using one leg at a time. You’ll also have to overcome curbstones, steps, and other obstacles while you walk. This will improve your balance. Balance is important for preventing falls. Even if you have strong bones, falls can still result in serious injury and are best avoided. 

5. Fat loss and weight control 

Walking burns fat and calories. If you eat healthily and are avoiding sugar, this should mean you either loss fat or prevent weight gain. Walking a mile uses only a few less calories than running a mile – it just takes longer. A lot of people who run for weight control may find walking is just as effective. I know I do! 

6. Improved health 

Increased cardiovascular fitness is inextricably linked to improved health. Regular walking could reduce your chances of suffering from: 

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes 
• Stroke
• Heart attack 
• Gout
• Cancer 
• Osteoporosis 
• Osteoarthritis 
• Stress

I know I started walking to help me lose weight and get fit, but I can honestly say that it’s also helped my health too. I’m hardly ever sick, and when I am it’s only very mild and short-lived. That’s why doctors often prescribe walking for exercise. 

7. Mental benefits 

Walking doesn’t just affect your body, it effects your brain too. Walking is good for every aspect of mental function – from memory to imagination. It’s also a very good way to reduce stress. Stress causes weight gain, and is a leading cause of disease and something most of us must deal with daily. 

Walking is also a great way to free your mind and boost creativity. I know that I’ve had some of my best ideas when I was out walking.

So, as you can see, walking can be hugely beneficial. Of course, you need to walk far enough and often enough for it to work its magic but, if you put the information in this article into practice, that’ll be no problem at all! 

Exercise workout tips 

Whether you are already a regular walker or want to get started on a walking fitness program, these tips will make everything much easier and more enjoyable. I made lots of mistakes when I started walking for fitness. Allow me to help you to steer clear of them, so you don’t make the same mistakes that I did. 

1. The right shoes – I’ll talk more about shoes for walking later and in the section Walking Shoes but, for now, understand that a good pair of shoes will make your walking workouts much more comfortable and if you are comfortable you’ll be able to walk further and faster. Consider getting a dedicated pair of shoes for walking – you won’t regret it! 

2. Dress in layers – walking is not a very strenuous activity, but you’ll still warm up after a few minutes. Make sure you dress in layers so that, as you heat up, you can take off your outer layer and avoid overheating. 

3. Build up gradually – walking can seem easy but walking too far or too often could leave you sore and tired. It’s good to be enthusiastic but don’t let that enthusiasm lead you to doing too much too soon. To help ease you into regular walking workouts, I’ve written a nice four-week walking program for you to follow, designed especially for beginners. 

4. Avoid traffic – nothing will undo the benefits of walking more than contending with heavy traffic. Cars and trucks spew out noxious fumes, and the noise can be deafening. If possible, walk away from main roads; it’ll be more relaxing and much safer. If you must walk near traffic, make sure you face oncoming cars and trucks, so that you can see any hazards as they approach. 

5. Enjoy some walking entertainment – I love to listen to music and audiobooks while I walk. I find that music and audiobooks distract me, so I can walk further without getting bored. Music helps lift my mood, so I walk faster. Of course, make sure it’s safe to walk while your ears are being entertained and that whatever you are listening too won’t block out the sound of oncoming hazards. 

6. Carry a cellphone – I enjoy my walks because they are a break from emails, text messages, and ringing phones. However, I still carry my phone with me in case of emergencies. I turn it to silent, so it doesn’t ring and disturb me, but I’m always glad to know I’ve got it in case I need to call for help, as I did once when I tripped and sprained my ankle. 

7. Watch where you are going – trips and falls could turn a wonderful walk into a nightmare. Make sure you watch where you are going and place your feet carefully. If you walk at night, stick to well-lit pathways to avoid accidents. Consider carrying a flashlight too. If you are heading off-road and into the country, a pair of supportive walking boots may be a good idea. 

8. Use an activity tracker – while you could just time the duration of your walks, you find it much more motivating of you use an activity tracker to record your walking distance or the number of steps you have taken. More on that topic later. 

9. Walk briskly – for walking to count as exercise, you need to walk briskly. I can’t give you an exact pace to walk at because it varies from person to person. I have a tall friend who comfortably walks at 4.5 miles an hour – he was also in the marines, so he’s used to walking fast. I prefer to walk at about 3.5 miles per hour. Just make sure your walking pace is brisk which means you are slightly out of breath but are still able to talk comfortably. 

10. Stand tall – don’t hunch over when you walk. Instead, lift your head, pull your shoulders down and back, look straight ahead, relax your arms, shoulders and hands, and stride our purposefully. If you notice you are hunching over, maybe while going uphill, just remind yourself to stand tall. Imagine your head is a balloon and it’s floating at the end of your neck!   

Walking workout 

The thing I like best about walking for exercise is that all you need to do is put on your shoes and head out the door. Unlike going to the gym or playing sports, you don’t need any special preparation or equipment, and you can slot walking into almost anywhere in your daily schedule. Simple!

But, saying that, you’ll get a lot more from walking for exercise if you follow a structured working plan. Why? Because that will help you get fitter, faster. 

One of the underlying principles of successful exercise is the principle of specificity. Specificity describes how the benefits you get from exercise are specific to the type and duration of exercise you do. 

For example, if you only ever walk for 20 minutes at a time, your body will get really good at walking for 20 minutes, but it won’t get much fitter than this. If you want to improve your fitness, you need to walk further. 

Because of this, it makes sense to follow a progressive workout plan that increases workout duration over several weeks. 

The best workout plans start off easy and get gradually harder so that you never do more than your body is ready for. That will stop you getting overly tired, sore, or injured – all of which could put you off exercising for good. 

To help you go from walking zero to walking hero, I have devised a four-week plan for you to follow. Don’t worry that it starts off easy – that’s the idea. It gets more demanding as you get fitter. 

Please note: If you are currently sedentary or have any illnesses, make sure you speak to your doctor before starting this or any other exercise program. Your doctor will probably be very happy to hear you are starting an exercise program, but it’s still best to let them know in case they need to change your treatment.

Warming up 

Before you start walking fast, make sure you spend a few minutes warming up. March on the spot or walk gently for 3-5 minutes to warm up your muscles and get your heart and lungs working efficiently and then do some gentle stretches. If you set off too fast, you may pull a muscle or, at the very least, find yourself out of breath very quickly. The main muscles to stretch are: 

• Your calves at the back of your lower leg
• Your hamstrings at the back of your upper leg
• Your quadriceps at the front of your upper leg 
• Your hip flexors at the front of your pelvis
• Your lower back

Once you are warmed up, you should be ready to start walking! 

Your 4-Week Beginner Walking Program

Remember to walk briskly. That means you should be slightly out of breath but still able to hold a conversation. If you feel that the walks are too long, just repeat the next shortest workout a few times until you are ready to move up a level. 

Remember, this is just a guide and you should always listen to your body. During the rest days, it’s a good idea to do some stretching or yoga to keep your muscles feeling loose and limber. 

Cooling down 

You may feel tempted to collapse into a chair once your walking workout is over – don’t! That’s a great way to leave your muscles feeling tired and stiff. Instead, walk slowly for another 3-5 minutes and then repeat the stretches you did at the start. 

Best walking shoes 

When I first started walking for fitness, I made one very big mistake – I wore regular shoes. That was okay for short walks, but as my walks got longer, my feet began to suffer. I started getting blisters and then my heels and the arches of my feet got really sore. 

It turned out that my regular shoes didn’t have the support or cushioning I needed for walking regularly. Also, they didn’t fit correctly so that my feet moved inside my shoes and that gave me blisters. Blisters are very painful and make walking much less enjoyable than it should be. 

I did some research on foot problems caused by walking and discovered that most can be avoided if you wear good walking shoes. 

Walking shoes are designed to cushion and support your feet so that your feet are protected. They are light and tough too which means they’ll protect your feet from the rough ground without weighing you down. 

I’ve tried a few different pairs of walking shoes and now have a couple of pairs that I use in rotation. One pair is perfect for walking on sidewalks while the other pair is more rugged and best for when I walk in the countryside. 

You don’t need two pairs of walking shoes, but I do recommend you buy one pair so that you can avoid any foot problems. After all, the more comfortable you are, the further you’ll be able to walk and the fitter you’ll get! 

To help you choose a pair of walking shoes I’ve reviewed some of the best walking shoes on the market. Please check out my article The Best Walking Shoes here.  

Track your steps 

So far in this article, I’ve mainly talked about walking distance in terms of time and there is a very good reason for this – we all walk at different speeds. If I told you to go out and walk four miles, that could be one hour of walking for some people but closer to two hours for others. That’s a big difference! That’s why I’ve told you to walk for 20 minutes or 30 minutes. That way you’ll get a good workout no matter how fast you walk. 

Another way to track the length of your walks is to count steps. You don’t need to try and do this in your head though – you can use an activity tracker or a pedometer. 

Activity trackers are wearable devices that, often using GPS (global positioning systems), measure how far you’ve walked, how fast you’ve walked, how many calories you’ve burned, and how many steps you’ve taken. There are also apps you can download onto your phone or MP3 player that do the exact same thing. 

I like the Health app that’s built into the latest Apple phones and iPods. It’s easy to use and works automatically whenever you walk anywhere carrying your device.

Alternatively, you can use a dedicated pedometer. This is a good choice if you prefer to leave your phone at home or don’t have a smartphone. Pedometers are cheap, very easy to use, and are small and light enough that you won’t even know you are carrying it. They tend to be simple devices that only count steps and calories but that’s alright for a lot of users. 

Once you know how many steps you are taking per day, you can get to work gradually increasing your daily total. 

For example, if at the end of my walking plan you are walking 6000 steps per day, why not set yourself the goal of walking 7000? This might mean you need to walk more than once per day – one “real” walking workout plus a quick stroll after dinner perhaps. 

Then, when 7000 steps become easy, you could up your goal to 8000 steps. If you use your step tracker all day long, you’ll also be less likely to use the elevator or drive for short distances as every extra step you take will increase your daily step total. Counting steps can soon become a fun game and you’ll go to bed feeling happy that you reached your step total for the day. 

Experts suggest that most people should walk around 10,000 steps per day. That might sound like a lot but if you build up gradually and break your walks down into several manageable chunks throughout the day, it’s quite manageable. 

I wear my activity tracker all the time so that every step I take is counted. That way I can see if I’ve not walked enough and can then make up my numbers by walking a little further at the end of the day. I find my activity tracker really motivating and I expect you would too! 

What studies say about walking 

So far in this article, I’ve talked a lot about how walking has helped me, and about the general benefits of walking for exercise. Most of this has been anecdotal – based on my personal experience. 

For a lot of people, that’s all the evidence they need to try a new workout. However, it’s not just me that thinks walking is good for you – science agrees. 

Here are some studies that confirm that walking is one of the best forms of exercise around! 

Harvard Medical School, the premier medical school in the USA reports that walking has several awesome benefits. They train doctors, so they really should know! The benefits reported by Harvard are: 

1. Walking counteracts the effects of weight-promoting genes – in a study of 12,000 people, participants who walked for an hour a day were 50% less likely to be overweight. 

2. Walking helps curb your sweet tooth – walking reduces chocolate cravings so, if like a lot of people, you have a sugar addiction, that’s good news! 

3. Walking reduces the risk of breast cancer – women who walk for an hour a day are significantly less likely to develop breast cancer. 

4. Walking eases joint pain – a lot of people suffer from joint pain, but contrary to what you might expect, walkers experience less. That’s good news if you have knee pain or hip pain. 

5. Walking boosts immune function – a study of 1,000 men and women revealed that those who walking regularly had 43% fewer sick days. Those who did get sick were ill for less time and their symptoms were milder. 

Source 5 Surprising benefits of walking.

An article on Medium.com list another seven interesting science-backed benefits of walking… 

1. Walking could add 3-7 years to your life – according to a study by the European Society of Cardiology Congress, 20-25 minutes of walking per day could add years to your lifespan. It seems like walking could be the next best thing to the fountain of youth! 

2. Walking increases creativity – many creative geniuses have had their best ideas while walking. I know I find I’m at my most creative when I’m walking, and often come up with my ideas for articles when I’m out walking. 

3. Walking helps with problem-solving – got a problem to figure out? Go for a walk! Walking is a lot like moving meditation and helps free up your mind for clearer thinking. 

4. Walking improves learning – studies done by the University of Columbia have revealed that walking increases brain power, making you better at learning. Make the most of this by listening to informative audiobooks while you walk. 

5. Walk your way to easier fat loss – because walking is not as stressful as other forms of exercise, it’s easier to do and easier to stick to. It won’t cause injuries and you should have no problem walking most days of the week. Because of this, it’s the perfect weight loss workout. 

6. Walking is a good way to develop relationships – while walking can be a solitary activity, it’s also a good opportunity to spend time with family and friends. Most of us spend way too much time watching TV or on the internet and not talking much. Walking provides a great time for quality conversation and bonding – even if it’s with your dog! 

7. Walking can be meditative – meditation is linked to a host of benefits including better health, lower blood pressure, and greater creativity. Walking provides you with the opportunity to meditate and exercise at the same time. 

You only have to Google “studies on the benefits of walking” to discover just how beneficial walking can be so you don’t have to take my word for it – you can see for yourself that walking could be the very best form of exercise around.  

Walking versus running 

If walking is good for you, running must be better, right? After all, running means going faster and further. 

Before you trade in your walking shoes for some running shoes, it’s important to understand that, when it comes to exercise, more or harder is not always better. 

I am a regular runner but, even then, I can only run 3-4 times a week. If I do more than that, my joints hurt, and I start to feel tired and sore all the time. I used to run six days a week but instead of feeling healthier or fitter, I felt terrible! 

In contrast, I can walk every day without aching or feeling tired. In fact, I often walk further per week than I run, and some weeks I don’t run at all. 

This all means that most people will walk more consistently than they run. When it comes to exercise, consistency is the key. The best type of exercise is the one you can do the most often without burning out and getting tired or injured. Running might get you fitter, but only if you do it! 

It’s also important to note that running is a high impact activity while walking is a low impact activity. When you run, both feet leave the ground at the same time. That’s okay if you only weigh 120 lbs. but if you weigh 200 or more your feet, ankles, knees, and hips will take a pounding. For this reason, if you are overweight, walking is much safer than running. 

And what about fat burning? That’s a good question!

Running is harder than walking and therefore burns more fat and calories per minute than walking. However, unless you are super-fit, you can probably walk for longer than you can run. I can walk for two hours quite easily, but a 40-minute run leaves me feeling tired. 

The number of calories or amount of fat you burn depends on a variety of things including how fit you are, how much you weigh, and how long you exercise for. This means it’s very hard to compare different types of exercise. However, an article in Runner’s World suggests that a 156 lbs. person will burn about 89 calories per mile when walking and 122 calories per mile when running. 

Because you’ll be able to clock up more walking miles per week compared to running miles, walking could be more effective for fat loss and weight control. 

If I was only allowed to do one type of exercise, I’d choose walking. I love to run but I know I can walk farther and more often which makes it the best form of exercise for me. Of course, you don’t have to choose either/or – you can do both and I am going to write an article about running soon, so you can learn all about another great form of exercise. 

Questions and Answers 

I hope I’ve answered all your questions about walking in this guide but, in case I haven’t, here are my answers to the most common questions I get about walking. 

1. When is the best time to go walking? 

I like to walk early in the morning when the weather is cool, and the world is quiet and peaceful. It helps me get my mind ready for the day ahead. I also like to take a quick walk at lunchtime to get away from my desk. I like evening and weekend walks too! In fact, the best time to walk is the time that you have available. It doesn’t matter when you walk so long as you do it. 

2. What should I eat before I go for a walk?

I prefer to walk in a fasted state as you’ll burn more fat that way. You can read more about fasting in this article. Because walking doesn’t involve any bouncing up and down, it’s okay to eat before you walk. In fact, an after-eating walk can help with digestion. All I would say is that if you have a long, fast walk planned, don’t eat so much you feel full. Instead, have a light snack of fruit or a homemade smoothie for energy. I also suggest drinking water before and during your walk to avoid dehydration. Consider carrying a water bottle with you – especially if you intend to walk for 30 minutes or more. 

3. How fast should I walk? 

That’s hard to say because I don’t know how tall you are, how fit you are, or how long your legs are! All I can say is try walking as fast as you can without getting too out of breath. You should be able to chat to a friend while you are walking but still need to take pauses to breathe every sentence or two. 

4. How far should I walk? 

I suggest you start out walking for 10-15 minutes, and then add five minutes or so per week until you can comfortably walk for 60 minutes in one go. Once you can walk for 60 minutes without stopping, you should start to work on walking faster and not further, otherwise you’ll end up spending your entire day walking! 

5. What shoes should I wear for walking?

At first, a pair of running sneakers will be okay but, as you walk further and more often, a pair of dedicated walking shoes will make you feel more comfortable. You can read about choosing the best walking shoes in this article. 

6. Can I walk on a treadmill?

You could but I don’t recommend it. Walking outdoors is much more natural and healthy than walking on a treadmill. The view will be better and so too will the atmosphere and air. If the weather is bad, walking on a treadmill might be safer – especially if the pavements are icy. But, if you can, I recommend doing more of your walks outside.  

7. Is it okay to run and walk? 

Yes! Alternating walking and running is a good way to make your walks more demanding, burn more calories, and get fitter. For example, you could walk for two minutes and run for one minute. Repeat that ten times for a great 30-minute workout. If running non-stop is too much for you, this is a good choice. 

8. Will walking help me lose weight?

Walking can help you lose weight, but only if your diet supports weight loss. You’ll need to eat a little less, eat healthily, and walk to lose weight. Walking on its own, will help you get fit, but won’t lead to weight loss unless you eat a little less. Try Intermittent Fasting for an easy weight loss solution.  

9. Will walking tone up my legs?

Definitely! Especially if you walk fast or walk uphill. Concentrate on taking long, positive strides to fully engage your leg muscles. Walking on uneven surfaces also seems to be the best way to tome up your leg muscles as you’ll have to work a little harder to keep your balance. 

10. How can I make my walking workouts more demanding?

If I want a harder walking workout, and I can’t walk further or faster, I’ll pop on a backpack loaded with a few heavy books or bottles of water. This increases the weight my legs have to carry and makes walking a little more challenging. Be careful though, too much weight too soon could lead to sore muscles or injury. Start off with about 5% of your bodyweight in your pack so if you weigh 140 lbs. just carry about 7 lbs. of extra weight.  

11. Are walking shoes different from running shoes? 

Yes, they are. Walking and running involve different movements and your feet work differently during these activities. Running tends to involve more weight on the front of your foot while walking puts more weight on your heels. Walking shoes also tend to be a little heavier and more rugged so you can go off-road more easily. You can walk in running shoes, but you’ll be more comfortable if you wear dedicated walking shoes. 

12. What should you know before buying walking shoes? 

There are lots of different types of walking shoes available to it’s important to get shoes that are right for you. Weight, width, stiffness, and support all vary from one shoe to another, and the fit varies from manufacturer to manufacturer too. Because of all this, you should choose your walking shoes with care as the wrong shoes could be uncomfortable. To help you buy the best walking shoes for you, I have created this handy walking shoe guide and review. 

In short, inversion therapy allows you to decompress and stretch your body by reversing the effects of gravity, especially on your spine.

The equipment I use is called an inverting table. It’s a robust table that allows you to go from a horizontal position to full inversion. In between, there are different positions that produce different degrees of decompressions along your muscles, spine, and vertebra.

Why I tried Inversion Therapy?

I’ve been suffering from lower back pain for the last three years, and some neck pain too. The pain varied from one day to the next and could be a mild ache or really sharp and intense.

I’ve been doing stretches and workouts to help the muscles relax and get stronger. This helped me a lot, and I’ll share those with you later.

One day, my friend Paul told me about how an inversion table might help me with my back pain. I had some doubts, but a natural way to treat my back pain was definitely worth trying. He owned an inversion table and, because he was happy to let me use it, I decided to give it a go.

My first impressions

My first five sessions were at my friend Paul’s house. He owns a Innova ITX9600 inversion Table (I review this model here) and he introduced to the first exercises.

At first it was strange being inverted, but afterward I felt such a release in my lower back muscles. My muscles got a full stretch, and the pressure on my lower back was massively reduced, allowing the muscles to relax. And, best of all, the pain was almost totally gone.

He suggested a few additional exercises which I tried slowly and gently. I went back to his house another five times. Finally, I decided to get a table for myself.

I didn’t buy the same model as Paul but, instead, got another brand and model.

One year ago I sold my original inversion table and bought a new one. I explain the differences, and why these three models are my favorites, in my article The Best Inversion Tables, click here to read it.

Having my own inversion table at home allowed me to experiment with different exercises. With patience and time, I’ve found the exercises that best relieved my back and neck pain.

I put together the exercises and created specific routines for back, neck and sciatica pain. I’ll cover these routines later this article. You can click here to scroll directly to that section.

My Benefits of Inversion Therapy

For the last six months, I’ve been doing three inversion sessions per week and each session is around 15 minutes long.

I get a complete body stretch, and I try to unplug my brain from tasks, problems, and any other thoughts. I keep my focus on releasing all the tension and stiffness accumulated in my muscles.

After the first month of three regular sessions per week, I felt much better. I had less pain, and my mood improved.

In my experience, it’s been a very effective way to treat my back pain.

If you have never tried inversion therapy, I recommend that you continue reading to understand what the benefits are, what you can expect, and how inversion therapy helps to release tension and stiffness, helping to heal back, neck, shoulder, and sciatica nerve pain.

Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, and I’m not here pretending to be one. I’m here to share my personal experience and tell you how inversion table therapy has helped to relieve my back and neck pain.

In my personal experience, inversion therapy has reduced my back pain and, combined with stretching and core exercises has worked as a healthy and natural treatment for my back pain

Who should not try Inversion Therapy?

Inversion table therapy works for me, and for many other people, but we are all different. I recommend you talk to your physician before starting inversion therapy.

Situations where Inversion Therapy is not recommended include:

• You are pregnant
• You have high blood pressure
• Any heart-related diseases
• Glaucoma
• Retinal detachment
• Osteoporosis

How it works 

Long hours in the same working position, stress, and not enough sleep, can lead to muscle tension and contractions in the neck, shoulder, and back, causing back, neck and shoulder pain.

Emotions like frustration, anxiety, anger, and sadness produce tension and stiffness in our muscles, which are a defense response in our bodies.

Tense and contracted muscles can put pressure on nerves, leading to something called a “pinched nerve,” causing sciatica, radial, and lumbar nerve pain.

Inversion table therapy provides your back with a good stretch, allowing the muscles to relax and loosen.

When your body is inverted, the effect of gravity on your back, neck, and spine is also inverted. Your spine gets decompressed, and that allows your body to release accumulated tension, reducing pain.

Relax Muscles – An upright fully inverted position gives your body a full, decompressing, stretch. The stretching allows your tense back muscles to relax. As your back relaxes, your level of pain is reduced and relieved.

Spinal Decompression – When you hang upside down on an inversion table, you slowly start to stretch and decompress your spine. This is also known as spinal traction. Spinal traction relieves the constant pressure on your spine, and takes the pressure off compressed discs. Learn more on my article What is Spinal Decompression here.

Reduce Nerve Pressure: Inverting to a 60-degree or greater angle provides a complete back stretch, decompressing the tense muscles that normally support your spine. Relaxing the tight and tense muscles around the nerves, this reduces the pressure and increases the chances of healing a pinched nerve.

Naturally Realign the Spine: Hanging upside down provides your back with the kind of stretch it needs. Gravity pulls your spine in the opposite direction, reducing the pressure on each intervertebral disc. This allows the discs to rehydrate and to naturally realigns your spine.

Increases Blood Flow: Decreasing painful muscle spasms and cramps

Stress and emotions play also an important role in muscle stiffness. Reduce stress, ease your emotions, and try to create more constructive and positive thinking.

How to start?

The first time I tried inversion therapy was at my friend Paul’s house. He has the Innova ITX9600. He helped me with some simple tips and supervised my first few exercises to be sure I was doing everything properly.

The first time you try inversion therapy, I recommend that you to have somebody with you, preferably who has some experience, to make sure you don’t do anything wrong.

If you’re looking for a high-quality inversion table, I recommend that you check my article The Best Inversion Tables. In this article, I go through three different models and explain the differences between them, and how you can find the best one for your needs and budget. Click here.

After assembly, the setup is the most important part of successful inversion therapy. Adjusting the height, the ankle locking system, adjusting responsiveness, and how to fold the table. I’ve covered all this, in very simple steps, in my article How to set up your inversion table.

After, I recommend you start with a simple routine so your body can get used to different levels of inversion. Click here for my beginner’s inversion table exercise routine.

My Routines for Treating my Back Pain

I’ve been doing inversion exercises for the last six months and, combined with simple stretching exercises, it’s been a very effective and natural way to heal my back and neck pain.

I usually do my inversion table routine three times per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). You can find it here.

Sometimes, I change it for a neck routine, also available here.

Early, first thing in the morning, I do a 5-minute Stretching Routine for Back Pain Relief. A video and details of each exercise are available here.

Right before dinner (Tuesday and Thursday), I do a 5-minute core exercise workout. Video and details for this routine are available here.

What is an Inversion Table?

It’s a table that allows a person to invert in different angles: 30, 45, 60 and 80 degrees, or full inversion. Inversion tables are used for Inverting therapy, to provide a complete spine decompression.

When you’re hanging upside down, securely and comfortably, from your ankles, your spine is stretched and decompressed. This is also known as Spine Decompression.

This stretch creates a space between the discs and the vertebrae in the spine. Among other benefits, it re-hydrates the discs to reduce the pain caused by pinched nerves that can happen because of sciatica pain, for example.

In the past, inversion tables were very expensive and only available in clinics or hospitals. Today, you can buy your own inversion table and do frequent sessions at home to help you reduce pain by relaxing and releasing the tension accumulated in your muscles.

I’ve shared my three favorite inversion tables, along with the one I use. The reasons and my opinion are all explained here.

Best Inversion Tables

There are different tables available on the market, and I’ve picked my three favorites and written about my experience using these models. I talk about the inversion table I currently use, and the models I have owned and used in the past.

Find which model is the best for your needs and budget. Click here to discover the best inversion tables.

Inversion Table Exercises

Using all the exercises I’ve learned, I’ve created five exercise routines for specific muscles and areas to help reduce back, neck and sciatica nerve pain.

I’ve also created a routine for beginners to get used to the inversion table, feeling the first stretch and benefits of inversion therapy in a simple session.

Hopefully, these routines will help motivate you to regularly use an inversion table to stretch tight muscles and release the tension and stiffness that causes back and neck pain.

All the exercises have three levels of intensity: Light, Moderate and High. If it’s your first time, start with the light level.

Routines are an easy way to:

Memorize exercises, so you don’t have to keep looking at a website, book, or a sheet of paper.

Save time, automate the exercises and do it in a sequence and straight way.

Progress, repeating the same exercises helps to produce progression, giving you confidence and results.

Exercises for Beginners

When I first got my inversion table, I started with these exercises to get comfortable and start feeling the benefits of these relaxing inversion sessions.

Click here for Five Simple and Easy exercises for beginners.

Exercises for Back Pain Relief

These exercises provide a complete back stretch that reduces muscle tension and stiffness. Traction and decompression reduces the pressure on the spinal discs, relieving the pain caused by any bulges.

Due to my line of work, I spent long hours sat at a desk working on my computer and I developed lower back pain. Busy and stressful days quickly reflected on my lower back, causing intense pain.

Besides a stretching routine (that I do early in the morning) I also use inversion table therapy for instant back pain relief and prevention.

I’ve selected and created an inversion table exercise routine, specific to the back muscles. This way, I don’t have to keep learning new exercises. I just lay on my inversion table, knowing exactly what I’m going to do. In just a few minutes, my session is over, my pain is relieved, and I can continue with my day.

I usually do sessions on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I do two sessions per day, one before lunchtime and another one before dinner. If I have to work at the weekend, I do an extra session to prevent any pain.

This way, my lower back pain has almost disappeared. I say “almost” because those 14 hours days of work are very hard on my back. That’s why I have been starting to work standing up, but I will leave subject that for another article, hopefully, to publish soon.

I’ve created a routine of five exercises to help stretch and decompress the muscles of the back.

All the exercises have three levels of intensity: Light, Moderate and High. If it’s your first time, start with the light level.

Click here to see the routine I use for back pain relief.

Exercises for Neck Pain Relief

Stretching your back, shoulders, and the muscles of your neck will help to relax you. Get in a comfortable position, relax your mind and emotions, and focus on the tension. Quiet your mind, letting the tension melt away.

Inverting changes the effect of gravity on your body.  Combined with stretching, it allows your body to eliminate all the stiffness, and unlock your muscles.

I’ve selected five specific exercises to stretch the upper back muscles, shoulders, and neck.

If it’s your first time, go light and slow. I have provided all the instructions, images or videos, along with relaxing tips to help you get the most from these exercises.

Click here for the Five Exercise Routine for Neck Pain Relief.

Exercises for Sciatica Nerve Pain Relief

The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body, and runs from your lower back, down your leg, and all the way to your feet. If the pressure is placed on this nerve, it causes pain to radiate through your back and down one or both your legs. This pain can range from a mild throbbing, to excruciatingly sharp, and may or may not be accompanied by muscle weakness.

The cause of sciatica nerve pain is usually associated with problems with the lower back, most probably due to a bulging disc in your lower spine. If a disc bulges outward, it can put pressure on the sciatic nerve, triggering pain, weakness, numbness, or be tingling in the lower back, buttocks, and rear of the upper leg.

Stretching exercises are an effective way to relax muscles, and allow your back to align naturally while easing tight and stiff muscles.

Inversion table therapy helps by providing an ideal backstretch. Relaxing the muscles, it creates more space between the discs in your low spine. This relieves the pain caused by the sciatic nerve being pinched.

I’ve selected some very specific exercises to help you stretch your lower back muscles and to decompress your spine.

The duration of each exercise is from one to five minutes, depending on the time you have available, and your experience with inversion table therapy.

Click here to find the exercises along with video/images, and instructions for each exercise.

Do this routine twice a week. After, a month, increase to three times per week.

Once you start doing the routine three times per week, repeat the exercises one more time later in the day.

Common Benefits of Inversion Therapy 

Inversion therapy offers several noteworthy benefits, the most common being:

1) Reduced back pain

Back pain is very common, affecting a large percentage of the population. It can vary from mild, occasional, and annoying, to severe and debilitating. As a back-pain sufferer myself, I can tell you that any natural back pain treatment is always very welcome.

The pain is often caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve, sometimes called sciatica. Other causes of back pain include too much sitting, poor posture, tight muscles, injuries, and weak core muscles.

Inversion therapy addresses many of these problems and helps to reduce back pain by easing muscle tension, decompressing your intervertebral discs, rehydrating those discs, and improving posture. All of these factors combine to relieve back pain.

2) Reduced stress

To get the most out of inversion therapy, you have to relax. If your muscles are tense, they will not stretch, and you won’t experience much in the way of pain relief. However, if you feel stressed, you won’t be able to relax, and your muscles will stay tight. Stress makes your muscles contract – especially on your neck, shoulders, and back.

As you get used to being inverted, you’ll gradually learn that the more relaxed your mind is, the more relaxed your muscles will be too. This teaches you to gently close your mind to stressful thoughts, and focus on how the exercise feels, your breathing, and any music you might be listening to during your inversion session. This provides a great way to escape from stress.

Stress is a leading cause of illness, so anything that helps you to relax for a few minutes per day will be very beneficial – and not just for relieving back pain.

3) Improved circulation 

When you sit or stand, blood tends to cool down in your lower extremities. If you are active, exercising or walking regularly, this is not too much of a problem, as the blood won’t linger for long.

However, if you spend a lot of time sat down at a desk or driving, this blood pooling can cause circulatory problems such as varicose veins. Varicose veins are painful and unsightly and happen when the valves in the veins become damaged. This causes them to bulge outward.

Inversion therapy helps restore proper circulation, keeping the blood vessels and valves healthy. Varicose veins are often removed during surgery, but using an inversion table regularly may prevent them in the first place.

4) Improved flexibility 

Because of sitting too much, and not enough physical activity in general, muscles often become short and tight. This creates tension throughout your body. Tight muscles restrict healthy blood flow, blocking out oxygenated blood, and trapping deoxygenated blood in your muscles. This can lead to pain. For example, tight shoulder and neck muscles are a leading cause of headaches.

Stretching can help, but there is only so long you can hold a stretch before you get tired or bored, or run out of time. Inversion therapy stretches all your muscles passively and at the same time, which means all you need to do is elevate your feet, lower your head, and let gravity to the work. In fact, the more you relax, the better the stretch you’ll experience.

Regular inversion helps reduce muscle tension, restore flexibility, and ease pain all around your body.

5) Improved lymphatic system drainage 

Your body has two circulatory systems; one that circulates blood, and another, the lymphatic system, that circulates lymph. Your body uses the lymphatic system to remove and filter unwanted fluid from cells, and fight infection.

Too little physical activity can make lymph circulation sluggish, as it is reliant on compression from muscles to keep it moving. However, inversion can help speed up the flow of lymph around your body, especially when you alternate between horizontal and 30-60 degrees of inversion.

A properly functioning lymphatic system means fewer illnesses, and less edema, which leads to water retention and swelling, especially in the legs.

Common Beginner Inversion Mistakes 

Inversion therapy is very effective for reducing back pain, improving flexibility, fighting stress, and improving circulation. However, beginners often make mistakes which mean they don’t enjoy inversion therapy or fail to get all the benefits they should.

If you are new to inversion therapy, avoid making these common beginner mistakes.

1. Exercising for too long

With your new inversion table waiting to be used, you are probably tempted to use it for a long time straight away. Don’t! Inverting your beginner’s body for longer than a couple of minutes could soon lead to soreness and dizziness. Instead, start off with just a minute or two, and increase gradually from there.

2. Going too steep, too soon

The steeper the angle, the better, right? Not so fast! While going past 60 degrees does increase decompression, jumping straight in at that level of intensity will probably be uncomfortable. Instead, start out at around 15-30 degrees, and then increase gradually over several sessions. Take your time to get used to being inverted so that it’s a pleasant experience and not a big shock to your body.

3. Doing too much in one session

To get the most from inversion therapy, it’s important that you do regular, short sessions, and not long, infrequent sessions. Think of inversion therapy like medicine; you don’t take all the pills in the bottle one day, and then take none the next. Instead, you take just one or two every day. The same is true for inversion therapy; lots of short but frequent sessions are better than the occasional marathon.

4. Moving too quickly into and out of inversion

Even if you are used to inversion therapy, it’s very important you move slowly and gradually from position to position. Moving too quickly can leave you feeling dizzy and even sick, not what you want when you are hanging upside down from your ankles! Move slowly and gradually from one incline angle to the next to avoid feeling uncomfortable, dizzy, or unwell.

5. Doing your exercises too soon after eating

While you might have more free time after eating, it’s a very bad time to try inversion therapy. Instead, make sure you do your inversion exercises before you eat, and on an empty stomach. This will not only be more comfortable, it will prevent many of the instances of nausea and dizziness that beginners often report. A small glass of water before inversion is fine.

6. Exercising alone

If you are new to inversion therapy, you should always exercise with someone else nearby. Because you are unfamiliar with both the exercises and the equipment, it is all too easy to get stuck, feel dizzy, or feel unwell.

If you are on your own, you may find it difficult to rescue yourself from inversion, leading to panic. Having someone nearby who can help if necessary means you can just relax and concentrate on your exercises without worrying about getting into difficulties. Once you are happy with inversion therapy and your inversion table, there is no reason you can’t exercise alone.

What is Spinal Decompression?

Inversion offers a wide range of health benefits, including less stress, better circulation, and back pain relief. But, one of the biggest benefits of decompression therapy is spinal decompression.

Your spine is an amazing structure. It’s essentially a tower of 33 bones called vertebrae, in between each is sandwiched a cartilaginous pad called an intervertebral disk. These discs act as shock absorbers between the bones of your spine and limit how far you can bend, extend, and rotate your spine.

Each disc is crucial to the health and function of your spine, but they are under constant load, both from gravity and from the weight of your upper body pushing downward. This can cause your discs to become compressed.

If you think of your discs are tires on a car, imagine how much thinner and less effective they’ll become if you put lots of weight into your car. That weight will squash them down to a much-reduced thickness. This means they won’t be able to work the way they should, providing less cushioning for your car.

Also, compressed discs tend to become dehydrated, further reducing their functionality and health.

Inversion therapy reverses the effect of gravity, so your spine and discs are decompressed. This helps restore the natural shape and thickness of the discs, relieves any bulges that might be pressing on nerves and causing pain, and also allows them to rehydrate; as the pressure comes off your discs, they draw in fluid just like a sponge.

You can read more about the fascinating subject of spinal decompression in this article.

Studies about Inversion Therapy  

When I first heard about inversion therapy, I thought it sounded like a lot of nonsense! Honestly, how could hanging upside-down help to relieve back pain? So, for many years, I ignored inversion therapy, and just smiled to myself when any of my friends mentioned they’d bought an inversion table.

Then, one day, I was at my friend Paul’s house, complaining about the pain I had in my back. “You should try my inversion table” he said. At first, I was resistant to the idea, but then I figured that I’d tried almost everything else and that hadn’t worked, so what did I have to lose?

Under Paul’s supervision, I carefully (and skeptically!) climbed onto the inversion table. Amazingly, and after only a couple of minutes at a very mild 30-degree angle, I started to feel my muscles relax, and much less back pain.

Shocked, I headed home to do some reading and find out more about inversion therapy. It turns out that inversion therapy has been around for a very long time, and has been extensively studied.

In this article, I review a few of these studies so you too can learn about the medically-proven benefits of inversion therapy.

Questions and Answers

1) How to avoid getting dizzy?

Some beginners to inversion table users report feeling dizzy – either during their inversion session or immediately after. In most cases, this can be avoided by moving slowly from horizontal to inverted, gradually increasing the angle of inversion over a few sessions, and then slowly returning from inversion to horizontal.

Other things to avoid include eating too soon before your inversion session, and drinking a glass of water 10-15 minutes before you start. This should stop dizziness, but, if it persists, please speak to your doctor.

2) How much space do I need to use inversion table?

One of the things I love about inversion tables is that they don’t take up most space. All you need is about 2-3 yards of clear space around your table so it won’t touch anything and your head and feet are away from any objects. I set my inversion table up in my lounge, but you could equally well put one in your bedroom, spare room, garage, or anywhere you have a little bit of free space. You could even use it outdoors on warm days.

Some models are collapsible and foldable, so you can put them away between sessions. This is a good feature if you have limited space, and can’t or don’t want to leave your table up when it’s not in use. I discuss foldability and portability in my article Best inversion tables.

3) Is inversion table therapy suitable for everybody?

While inversion therapy is safe and effective for most people, it’s not suitable for everyone. If you have very severe back pain, are pregnant, have very high blood pressure, suffer from cardiovascular or heart disease, or have glaucoma or other eye diseases, inversion therapy may not be for you.

If you are in any doubt, make sure you speak to your doctor before you start inversion therapy. You should also start with a very mild level of inversion, around 30 degrees, to introduce inversion gradually, and avoid giving your body too much of a shock too soon.

4) Why is warranty such an important feature?

A long warranty provides consumers with peace of mind and helps give confidence in whatever you are buying. A company that only offers a three-month warranty is basically saying that they don’t expect their product to last very long. In contrast, a warranty of five years means they expect their product to still be working long into the future.

In my article, Best Inversion Tables, I included long warranties as one of the important features to look for. To me, a long warranty means you are buying a good quality product, and while it might cost a little more, you know you are covered in case it breaks during that time.

5) How easy is it to set up an inversion table?

Inversion table set up varies from model to model, and manufacturer to manufacturer. Some are very easy to set up, taking as little as 15 minutes, while others often take longer – maybe an hour or more. I’m talking about the first time you ever use your inversion table after unpacking it.

Once you have put your table together, some are foldable and take just a few seconds to collapse and put away. Others cannot be folded, and you’d have to take it apart to put it away between uses.

You don’t need any kind of engineering degree to assemble an inversion table, but some are definitely fiddlier then others, and the instructions vary a lot. Clear instructions or a demonstration video are always beneficial. I have discussed ease of assembly in my article Best Inversion Tables

6) What are the benefits of inversion table therapy?

Inversion therapy offers so many benefits, it’s not practical to list them all here so please check out my article Inversion Therapy to learn more. But, in summary, inversion table therapy will:

• Decompress your spine
• Stretch and relax your muscles
• Rehydrate your intervertebral discs
• Realign your spine
• Relieve back pain
• Increase circulation
• Increase lymphatic drainage
• Reduce stress

7) How long do you stay on an inversion table?

When it comes to inversion therapy, longer sessions are not necessarily better. In fact, most experts suggest that short but frequent sessions, and not long, irregular sessions, are best. The first time you use your inversion table, just a few minutes is all you need. As you get used to being inverted, you’ll probably feel like increasing that to up to 5-7 minutes.

On average, the programs I use for back pain and sciatica relief last about 15-20 minutes, but half of that is spent either horizontal or only slightly inverted.

Find my routine of inversion table exercises for beginners here.

8) Do inversion tables help with lower back pain?

Lower back pain can be horrible! I should know, because of spending a long time sat at my computer working, I had back pain for many years. It was this chronic back pain that made me first try and learn more about inversion therapy, and inversion tables. The very first time I tried inversion, it instantly reduced my lower back pain.

More and more people are discovering that inversion is a safe and natural way to reduce back pain. It decreases the pressure on your intervertebral discs, decompresses your spine, and relaxes tight muscles – all of which can cause back pain.

So yes, to answer your question, inversion tables can help you with your back pain, as they have for mine. In fact, I have almost no back pain at all after becoming a regular user of inversion tables.

My routine for back pain relief available here.

9) What does an inversion table do for you?

Being inverted reverses the effect of gravity on your body, and especially on your spine. This has a number of important effects on your body. If you use an inversion table regularly, you will experience:

1. Relaxed, more flexible muscles
2. Spinal decompression
3. Less pressure on intervertebral discs
4. A longer, more relaxed spine
5. Rehydrated intervertebral discs
6. Less back pain
7. General relaxation, less stress, and better sleep
8. Improved circulation
9. Increased lymphatic drainage
10. Better general health

10) What is the best inversion table on the market?

There are lots of different inversion therapy tables on the market, and making the right choice can be hard. Some are expensive and loaded with lots of features, while others are more basic and considerably cheaper. I’ve tried a few different models and, using that experience as well as researching reviews from around the internet, have written a table buying guide called Best Inversion Tables.

In this guide, I discuss essential features that a good inversion table must have, what to look for when comparing models, and which tables I recommend. If you want to know which table is right for you, my buying guide will help you decide.

11) How often should you use an inversion table?

While you could use an inversion table every day, I suggest you use it every other day, or three times a week e.g. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This means you not only exercise frequently, you also give your spine and muscles a day of rest between sessions to recover and heal.

Inversion table therapy is not strenuous, but still, has a big impact on your body, and doing it every day could be too much, leaving you tired and sore.

Experiment to find the ideal frequency for you. If your back is tight, try doing it a little more often, but if you feel okay, fewer sessions may work too. The one thing we all agree on is that short, frequent sessions are better than long, infrequent sessions for controlling back pain.

12) Is inversion therapy dangerous?

Inversion therapy is considered to be safe for most people. That being said, if you are pregnant, have high blood pressure, suffer from glaucoma or any other eye diseases, or have serious back, knee, neck, or hip problems, it might not be for you. If in doubt, make sure you check with your doctor before trying inversion therapy.

Assuming you are okay to try inversion therapy, make sure you make your sessions as safe as possible by:

• Make sure your inversion table is properly assembled
• Ensure there is enough space around your inversion table
• Adjust the height and the ankle supports before using
• Increasing the angle of inversion gradually over several sessions
• Having someone nearby as you get used to using your table
• Do not invert for more than 5-10 minutes at a time
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using your table
• Stop if you feel dizzy, sick, or unwell

13) What does inversion therapy do?

Inversion therapy inverts your body, hanging you upside down by your ankles, to reverse the effect of gravity on your body. This unloads your spine, decompresses your intervertebral discs, stretches and relaxes your muscles, and realigns your spine. After long hours of sitting, this can help alleviate lower back pain, as well as increasing circulation and lymphatic drainage.

14) Do you have to hang fully upside down for inversion therapy to work? 

Hanging completely upside down can be a bit disconcerting. After all, it’s a very unnatural thing to do! Some users of inversion tables are worried about full inversion, and that makes them tense up. Being tense means inversion is not as effective as it should be.

Luckily, there is no real need to completely invert yourself, unless you really want to. Studies show that an inversion of 60 degrees is enough to decompress the spine and intervertebral discs, and most people find that comfortable, and not in the least scary.

I always recommend new users increase the angle of inversion gradually, taking time to get used to the different angles. This means starting at around 20-30 degrees and increasing gradually from there. Find what angle feels comfortable, and don’t feel you need to go beyond that point. Even mild inversion will do you good.

So, to answer your question, no – you don’t have to hang fully upside down for inversion to work. It’s more important to be comfortable than fully inverted.

Find all my exericises and routines here.

15) What does science say about inversion therapy? 

When I first heard about inversion therapy, I was very skeptical. How could hanging upside down help relieve my back pain?! However, after I tried it for myself and found that it really DID work, I did some reading and research, discovering that inversion therapy has been researched and studied a fair bit.

In my article, What studies say about inversion therapy, I reveal five of the studies I read that confirm the benefits of inversion therapy. For example, in one study, of 175 back pain sufferers who had to take time off work, after inversion therapy, 155 of them were able to return to their jobs.

It’s good to know that science and anecdotal evidence both support the use of inversion tables for back pain.

16) Do I have to use an inversion table to decompress my spine? 

The short answer is no, you don’t, but it’s definitely the easiest and safest way to do it. You could hang from an overhead bar, but you’d only be able to hang for a minute or so before your hands weakened and you had to let go. You would also be limited to hanging vertically, and wouldn’t be able to do many of the exercises that can help relieve back pain.

Also, you could use anti-gravity boots, which have hooks on them that allow you to hang upside down from a beam or bar. This is not an easy thing to do as you’ll need to be able to lift your feet up to the bar, and you can’t graduate your angle of inversion – it’s upside down or nothing. It’s also really easy to get stuck!

For these reasons, inversion tables are the safest, easiest, and most convenient way to invert your body and decompress your spine. Ideal for home use, inversion tables can help relieve back pain. Find the best inversion table for your needs and budget in my article Best inversion tables.

Beef and Vegetables Stew

I like this recipe for lots of reasons. First, it’s very easy and takes next to no time to throw together. It’s also high in protein, low in fat, provides lots of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and is loaded with tasty vegetables. I also like the fact that you can cook is slow, or cook it a little faster if you like. However, the prep is quick and straightforward making it ideal for slow cooker beginners!

This recipe makes four servings.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 8-10 hours on low, 4-5 hours on high.

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 3 medium carrots, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
• 2 small potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup loose-pack frozen peas
• Fresh parsley sprigs for serving (optional)

Directions

In a 4-quart slow cooker, combine the beef chuck pieces, sliced carrots, cubed potatoes, and chopped onion. Sprinkle with salt and thyme. Add the bay leaf, canned tomatoes with their juices, the peas, and the water. Stir until all ingredients are combined.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours, or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Do not stir during cooking as you’ll just let the heat out. Instead, leave your slow cooker to work its magic.

Remove and discard bay leaf and garnish with parsley if desired.

For this recipe I’ve used a 4 Quart Size Manual  . You can find my favorite slow cookers here and how to find the best slow cooker in terms of size, price and feature for your needs, all in detail in my article My Favorite Slow Cookers. Or you can go directly to the conclusion where I recommend the best slow cookers in terms of size and type – click here to go to my recommendations.

If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can use an dutch oven and place it in an oven for 2 hours at 325° temperature (more about conversations from slow cooker to the oven at Converting slow cooker recipes to the oven)

Nutrition per serving

• 269 calories
• 28g protein
• 29g carbohydrate
• 4g fiber
• 4g fat

More Slow Cooker Recipes

I have shared many delicious slow cooker recipes, but if you are just starting with a slow cooker, I recommend you check the easy slow cooker recipes here. There are also, beef, chicken, vegetarian, weight loss and recipes for two. All recipes are here.

Slow Cooker Tips

Always fill a slow cooker between one-half and two-thirds full – any extra servings can always be stored in the fridge or frozen for another day

Keep the lid closed – avoid opening the lid as it will let some of the heat and steam escape. If you do open the lid, add an extra 10-15 minutes to the cooking time so the slow cooker can heat back up again. Most recipes do not require stirring.

Brown the meat – browning boosts the flavors of beef and pork. To do this, get a pan, add some olive oil, and heat over a medium-high flame until the oil takes on a watery consistency. Then add the meat. Brown the meat until it no longer sticks to the pan. Once unstuck, turn the meat over and cook the other side. Remember, you are just browning the meat and not trying to cook it all the way through.

Choose dried herbs over fresh – fresh herbs will go brown and limp in the long, slow cooking process. Dried herbs and spices will release their flavor more slowly and are much better for slow cooking.

For more slow cooking tips, check out my article 7 Slow Cooker Practical Tips

Simple Slow Cooker Rules 

1. Always fill your slow cooker half to three-quarters of the way up. If you have a large slow cooker, you may need to increase the amount of ingredients. Don’t worry though – you save the leftovers for tomorrow or even freeze them.

2. Always brown any meat. Browning the meat gives it a better flavor, makes it look more attractive and helps it hold its shape better. Simply pour some oil in a pan, heat it up until it takes on a watery consistency, and then lightly brown both sides of the meat. Then, when it’s browned, put it in your slow cooker with your other ingredients.

3. Never add cold liquids to a hot slow cooker. If you do this, the glaze or even the ceramic pot may crack.

4. Spray the inside of the slow cooker pot with oil to make it easier to clean. Cooked food is much less likely to stick to a greased cooking surface.

5. Do not remove the lid during cooking as you’ll allow heat to escape. Heat builds slowly in a slow cooker, so if you DO remove the lid, you’ll need to add 15-30 minutes to the cooking time.

6. Don’t use expensive cuts of meat. Cheap cuts cook better in a slow cooker and taste better too. Best cheap beef cuts and cheap pork cuts to use on your slow cooker and save money.

7. Add dairy products like milk, cream, yogurt, and cheese toward the end of the cooking process, say with an hour or so to go. Adding them earlier could lead to curdling or souring.

8. When using herbs, dried is best. Fresh herbs can go soggy and brown and lose much of their taste. Dried herbs improve in flavor in a slow cooker. They’re usually cheaper too. If you do use fresh herbs, add them near the end of cooking.

Frequent Questions & Answers

In the beginning of my slow cooking journey I got a lot of questions so I searched and did my best to clear all my doubts to be sure I was using my slow cooker in the right and best possible way. I share these questions here, as you probably have the same doubts.

Q1. How does a slow cooker work?

Slowly! Just kidding. Slow cookers have a heating element which gently heats a ceramic crockpot that rests above it. This low level of heat cooks your food gently (and slowly) as the heat is retained within the pot and held in by the lid. Slow cooking takes much longer than oven cooking because slow cookers work at around 25-50% of usual oven temperatures.

2. Can you put raw meat in a crock pot?

You certainly can! In fact, raw meat is best as the slow cooker is going to be working for a long time and you don’t want tough, overcooked meat. But, most meats cook best if they are slightly browned first. This gives the meat a better flavor and helps it keep its shape. Did you know that some slow cookers even have a browning function? This is a very useful feature.

3. When can I open the lid?

Do your best to leave the lid on the pot for the entire duration of the cooking. Only remove the lid when you want to serve your food. The heat in a slow cooker builds up gradually, and removing the lid lets that precious heat escape. If you DO have to remove the lid early, for stirring or adding extra ingredients, add an extra 15 minutes to the total cooking time to allow the slow cooker to heat back up.

4. Do you have to brown the meat for a slow cooker?

You don’t HAVE to brown the meat and, if you are in a hurry, you can just toss the raw meat into your slow cooker with all the other ingredients. It’ll taste fine, and your meal will be nice enough. But, if you have a couple of extra minutes, I highly recommend you brown beef, lamb, and pork but you don’t need to brown chicken unless you really want to. Browning the meat seals in the juices, makes the meat look attractive and boosts the flavor.

5. How long does it take to cook a roast in a slow cooker?

It really depends on the size and how “done” you like your meat but, on average, it takes 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. You can take the guesswork out of cooking a roast by using a slow cooker with a built-in meat probe that will adjust the time or temperature to ensure your roast comes out perfectly done.

6. How long do you cook beef in the slow cooker?

The answer to this question depends on the recipe you are cooking. Some recipes are done using the high setting while others use the low setting. Cooking times range between 4 to 8 hours. If you are unsure if your beef is ready, remove a piece, cut it in half, and see if the inside is cooked. Also, note that smaller cuts of beef and ground beef will cook faster than large pieces and joints. Beef Chilli for Slow Cooker recipe here.

7. Do you have to put water in a crock pot?

Most recipes use some sort of fluid as slow cooker meals are usually cooked by simmering and heating your slow cooker when it contains nothing but dry ingredients could cause the ceramic crock pot to crack. If your recipe does call for water, add it at the beginning and before the cooker heats up to avoid pouring cold water into a hot cooker. Some recipes may include milk or stock so make sure you read the recipe carefully to see what liquid you need.

8. What’s the difference between a slow cooker and an instant pot?

An instant pot, also called a pressure cooker, is the opposite of a slow cooker. Where a slow cooker uses a low temperature, instant pots use much higher temperatures and high pressure to speed up the cooking process. Instant cookers are often able to take on a wide variety of cooking processes including steaming, roasting, and cooking rice. However, in my experience, the taste of food cooked in a slow cooker is better than food cooked in an instant pot.

9. Can you put rice in a slow cooker?

Yes, you can, but I recommend that you use par-boiled rice as it is less likely to clump together. The other thing to consider is quantities; unless you have a very small slow cooker, you will need to make a lot of rice if you are going to fill your pot up to the recommended halfway point.

10. What is the difference between a slow cooker and a crock pot?

Where a slow cooker is an electrically heated, self-contained cooking appliance, a crock pot is just a pot with a lid you can place on the stovetop or in the oven. However, you can use a crock pot for a host of cooking duties including browning, braising, stewing, and roasting. Crock pots can be made of ceramic and stoneware, but some are made from cast-iron. Many slow cooker recipes can be made in a crock pot but the cooking time is usually much less.

11. Can you put frozen chicken in a slow cooker?

It’s a very bad idea to put frozen chicken in a slow cooker. Slow cookers heat food gradually and don’t get that hot which means any bacteria, and chicken often contains lots of bacteria, can grow and reproduce which could lead to food poisoning. It’s perfectly safe to cook fresh or defrosted chicken in a slow cooker but never use frozen chicken.

12. Can you cook a roast that is frozen?

According to the FDA, you should not cook meat from frozen in a slow cooker – and that includes pork, lamb, or beef. Frozen meat may contain bacteria that is not destroyed during the slow cooking process. The meat stays warm for quite a long time, and warm meat can harbor potentially harmful bacteria such as e-coli. For best food safety, always cook your meat from thawed or fresh.

13. Can you add frozen ingredients?

In theory, there is nothing to stop you adding frozen vegetables, frozen herbs, frozen beans, or any other frozen ingredient other than meat, chicken or fish but, personally, I wouldn’t do it. Frozen food will slow the cooking time right down, and there is still a small risk of harmful bacteria. Instead, thaw your ingredients the night before or in a microwave. Otherwise, run them under warm water until they are defrosted.

14. Why can’t you reheat leftovers?

When you cook a meal and then allow it to cool down, any bacteria that was present can grow and reproduce. Then, when you put your meal into a slow cooker, the gentle heat provides the perfect breeding ground for even more bacteria to grow. In short, you could end up with a very dangerous meal that could make you seriously sick. If you have leftovers, reheat them in a microwave or on the stovetop so that the higher level of heat can kill all those harmful bacteria.

15. Are slow cookers economical? 

Slow cookers are VERY economical. The heating element is small, and the heat it produces is held within the insulated pot. Also, slow cookers have thermostats, so the cooker turns off when the pot is warm enough and only works intermittently to keep the cooker at the right temperature. Slow cookers are definitely more economical than putting a crock pot in an oven. For a start, think about how much bigger an oven is compared to the size of a crock pot. You’ll need to use a lot more energy to heat the whole oven AND the crock pot compared to a smaller and more compact slow cooker.

16. Does it matter if I leave my slow cooker working for longer than the recipe calls for? 

Contrary to popular opinion, even though slow cookers cook slowly, it’s still possible to overcook your food. However, you do have more leeway than with oven cooking or stovetop cooking. You can probably overcook your meal by 30-60 minutes with no real problem but, after that, you may find your meal dries out and begins to stick. Your best option would be to buy a programmable slow cooker that will switch to “warm” at the end of the cooking time and make sure your meal turns out just right.

Ask me your question

Got a burning question about slow cookers? Please let me know, and I’ll do my best to answer it for you. Remember, it’s only by asking questions that we learn! Write your questions on the comment section bellow or send me an email using the contact page. Thanks

Second of all, free yourself of any big expectations toward yourself and toward big results from your first few practices.

You will notice effects for sure but stay realistic and humble; you won’t be super-flexible after one session when you haven’t been before and maybe it will take quite a while before you achieve a proper headstand. But fair enough because that’s already part of the game.

The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word Yuj, which means to connect, to unite or to unify. So, from a philosophical perspective, Yoga refers to the connection of the individual and the universal consciousness. From a more fleshly, practical point of view, Yoga means the balance between body, mind and emotions.

When we first look at the physical aspects, Yoga is not about how flexible you are or how you appear on the mat. It is about your interest to work patiently on your flexibility and strength in the same time and therefore being honest to yourself. Do it, but do not overdo it, accept where you are without judging yourself. Instead, focus where you want to go one day within each asana, which is the Sanskrit name for the poses in Yoga.

Yoga is all about letting go; physically letting go of tensions and tightness and mentally letting go of fears, unhealthy memories or habits or whatever you need to let go of.

In the long run, Yoga is about letting go of negative patterns and maybe changing some ways of behaving and acting in the everyday life. For example, maybe not getting too angry so fast anymore because of having learned to be more accepting or maybe being more thankful having learned to value every little progress within your practice.

Our bodies are constantly dealing with lots of patterns and tensions, sometimes for years and years, so don’t expect to change this within a few sessions. The same is true of your mind by the way. If you can do this, you have successfully completed the first step already and regular Yoga practices will get you moving forward – physically and mentally.

And don’t take things too seriously! Practice with fun and enjoy all the things you can explore including falling out of a pose and trying it again – just like children do. And allow yourself to see Yoga as a playground!

There are different styles of Yoga, so take your time to give them all a try and find out which style fits you best. Go to classes or choose online platforms and tutorials and explore the broad variety of styles and teachers.

Like children go to a playground to do different things, Yoga is also a very personal thing regarding what you like and what you maybe don’t like. There is no right or wrong, no good or bad. It’s all about finding what suits and is beneficial for you.

And also, just like a playground, you don’t lots need fancy equipment to get started! While there is stuff you can buy, all you really need for your first practice is not-too-stretchy mat (my favorites mats explained here), an open mind, and some non-restrictive clothes.

Note Before Starting: I’ve recently reviewed a service that allows you to assist yoga classes from the comfort of your home. Yoga videos, expert help, students community and much more like cooking classes and workout videos. You can find more about this service on my Grokker review here.

Yoga Breathing 

When it comes to Yoga, proper breathing is essential and is a big part of all yoga practice. In Yoga we use the word of pranayama which basically means the control of the breath. Prana describes the vital force which the life energy circulating in all things and beings. Ayama means to control and also means a kind of extension of all things.

To be very precise, pranayama is about extending the dimension of the life energy prana. So, in general, the pranayama techniques help us to activate and to regulate our life energy and thereby gain a higher energy level. You’ll soon learn that breathing is a very powerful part of Yoga.

As Yoga is about the balance between body, mind and emotions, the breath is the most important thing to connect your body and mind. So, don’t get mad in your first few sessions when you mix up your breathing and the movements, for forget to breathe while you focus on a new pose. Instead, take your time to explore your breathing and enjoy getting used to controlling your breath.

Changing the way you breath can really help you to calm down when stressed or even cool down with when you get too hot. You’ll learn these useful techniques in time.

So let’s start getting a feeling for breathing!

Sit in an upright position, lengthen your spine, relax your shoulders away from your ears, gently close your eyes and just breath. Focus on the way the air moves while you inhale – nose, throat, chest and lungs and all the way down to the belly.

And then do the same as it goes back the other way – exhale all the air out from the belly, the rib-cage, the throat and the nostrils.

Do it a couple of times and try to exhale for as long as you inhale.

This is the basic breathing method that you’ll use in your Yoga sessions to connect or re-connect your body and your mind. Take another breath? More yoga breathing tips here.

Start your meditation

What does Meditation mean? Meditation is not about sitting high up on a mountain for ages to find enlightenment, although that is a very nice goal to reach! Who wouldn’t want to be able to sit for hours in mediation and find deep insights?

In more simple terms, meditation a state of awareness. Anything you do with full attention and full awareness, whenever you can focus your mind 100 percent of your focus and are free from mental distraction is kind of mediation. So focusing on your breath can be your meditation, or watching the ocean, or dancing with complete abandon can be your perfect state of mediation.

Many people think they cannot meditate because they can’t stop thinking. But our minds are made to think so thinking is the natural state of mind. Meditation is not really about stopping thinking. It is more about calming the mind in terms of observing the habitual patterns of our thoughts.

By making the commitment to sit still for a certain period, we make the most important step regarding meditation. Imagine stepping back a little and watching your thoughts, your breath and the sensations in your body. Be an observer of yourself and watch what is there to be observed. No more, no less.

Learn more about Meditation and give it a try to meditate here

Start with a beginner’s pose

As in any field of physical movement, you need to warm up your body at the beginning of every Yoga session to avoid injuries. This is true for beginners as well as experts.

The Yogis say that the spine is the place where our prana, our life energy flows. As most of us sit or stand a lot (or too much!) during the day, the spine always is more than happy to get some mobilizing as such movements are like a gentle wakeup call for the life energy as well as for the bones, joints and muscles.

The most famous yoga sequence is called sun salutation which is a dynamic flow of some basic asanas – yoga poses. In Sanskrit, the sun salutations are called Surya Namaskara. A few sun salutations each morning help you shed tiredness as well as stiffness and increase your flexibility as they ease, stretch, and activate the joints, the muscles and the organs.

With all the different schools and styles of Yoga, there several different variations of sun salutations and so I invite you to find your own personal Surya Namaskara. And I won’t stop repeating this – take your time and help yourself. Find your own pace, go with your breathing, and when you need to use a hand to help place your foot in the right position because it is not yet ready to make it in one movement, do so and just accept it.

Here is one suggested variation of sun salutation.

End with a relaxation pose 

Yoga sessions always end with a relaxing cooldown. Depending on the flow of the session, there are special asanas to cool down. What you should always have at the end is a proper Shavasana.

For Shavasana, you simply lie down for a couple of minutes and relax your whole body.

Some say this is he most important pose in every practice as the body now can fully absorb and balance the special effects of all the poses done before. They say that, if the body is completely relaxed, awareness can extend throughout the body first and then also on more subtle levels which leads to so-called Pratyahara – the drawing back of the senses from the sensations. Anyway, Shavasana is very nice pose and you should never miss it!

Yoga for weight loss

Yoga is a way to a better health because Yoga teaches body awareness and conscious movement and therefore can support people that are aiming for weight loss.

Yoga does not work like a crash diet by saving calories and nor is it a sport that burns thousands of calories off. Instead, Yoga is a holistic way of living.

When you start practicing Yoga you will experience a new awareness of your own body as Yoga teaches us to feel and to listen to the body and its needs. On a mental level, Yoga teaches self-respect and self-love. Because of this, many people quickly acquire a stronger longing for healthy, nutritious food and become consciously more aware of the importance of taking care of themselves.

On the physical level, Yoga helps to mobilize the whole body and the spine and so activates the whole metabolism. As the Yoga practice has a both a strengthening and stretching effect, your muscles get toned and subsequently you will gain a better posture.

As Yoga is about doing everything very consciously, to lose weight, I invite you to start watching your eating habits very honestly. Try to find out if there are situations that trigger cravings for foods with high amounts of sugar, fat and calories but that are low in nutritional value containing few vitamins and minerals.

Then try to find out what you are longing for in these situations. Are you really hungry? Or is it just a pattern you have cultivated over a long time? Don’t get me wrong, having some rituals and a cheat-day now and then is very logical but you should also decide actively when you if you need it or want only really want it. Needing and wanting are two very different things!

There is nothing wrong with the occasional treat. Just make it something special and celebrate it. Maybe allow yourself one conscious cheat-day a week and for the other days try to change the habit. Instead of going for a muffin, go for fresh fruits or a hand full of nuts. Enjoy this fully aware you are doing yourself some good.

And of course, there are some asanas supposed to be especially helpful in terms of weight loss, find here practical examples.

Regular Yoga Practice at Home

As we all must balance work and home life, it is not always possible to go to a studio several times a week. However, you can practice Yoga at home of course. You can choose from many of the online courses now available or work from a book to create your own step-by-step sequence. Any Yoga is better than doing no Yoga!

If you do your Yoga at home, it isn’t necessary to do a 90-minute session whenever you practice. You’ll get a lot of great benefits from doing a few asanas to mobilize your body and spine or practicing some sun salutations a few times a week. Short, regular practices will always a good start into the day.

There are many options for online courses, most of which you can test for free for a couple of days to see if they suit you. Check out the different styles and teachers available until you find one you like. I highly recommend that you schedule your online classes so you are more likely to stick to them. Set realistic goals such as 30-minutes, twice a week but if you can manage more then please do so!

Update: I’ve just reviewed an online service that allows you to have your yoga classes at home. Designed by experts and with an active community to help you to find the answer to your questions and share your goals and struggles. Check my review here.

And remember; no matter when and where you do your yoga, you should practice with a nearly empty stomach. More tips about how to do your yoga practice at home here.

Yoga classes

I highly recommend that you take some classes in a yoga studio when you start practicing Yoga. Why? Because it’s the best way to learn the all-important basics regarding the correct alignment of the poses.

Also, it is very helpful to receive some assistance from a Yoga teacher to learn and feel the sometimes very subtle movements that make a pose effective.

Assistance can also give you an idea where the pose could go one day and in general, it is always nice and motivating to practice together with others.

When you go to classes, remember that Yoga is all about your own practice. Try to resist comparing yourself to others or becoming envious of your mat neighbor who is maybe more flexible than you. Always remember that each one of us is different and you are on the mat for you and no one else.

Following this guideline means you will only go as far as is good for you – and that can differ from day to day. And when you need a rest, take a rest. You’ll soon discover the subtle point between challenging but not overburdening yourself. It is about what is possible today, not what you want to be possible today. And this includes resisting the temptation to be lazy not challenging yourself at all.

Find your studio at home or on travel. More about yoga classes here.

Your First Yoga Class at Your Home for Free

I’ve recently published my review of Grokker. Grokker, official site here,  is an online platform where yoga, workouts, and cooking are widely covered with video, programs, and courses. More than 100 experts, you can find yoga experts, workout experts, and cooking experts. There are different programs for different goals. You can start your yoga beginners program and learn how to prepare a healthy and easy recipe to enjoy after your yoga practice.

I use this service and have shared my experience, thoughts, price, features, and examples on my review so you can find if it works for you. Although I highly recommend you to try the 14 days free trial and experience the platform by yourself. Get in contact with the active Grokker community and share your thoughts, struggles, and goals.

You can easily follow different programs and organize your yoga practices to go with your time. Ask the community and experts all the questions you have, and find the questions other students are asking.

From the comfort of your house, follow a video performed and designed by a yoga expert. If you have any question, you can easily get an answer within the Grokker community.

The best way to find if this service is for you is to give it a try. Grokker is offering a 2 weeks trial so you can test and experience the benefits of using their service. Click here to have your free trial.

If you know that this service is what you’ve been looking for, you can click here to ask for a 20% discount on the 1-year subscription plan.

Find more about Grokker on my review here.

Don’t delay – start today! 

My Superfoods

For a very long time felt like something was missing from my diet. I was eating healthily, avoiding too much sugar, getting plenty of fruit and vegetables, and doing all those other important healthy eating things that I tell you guys to do. And yet, I felt a bit, well, a bit “bleh.”

I wasn’t ill exactly, not even a little bit, but I felt that I ought to feel better than I did. It’s very hard to describe. I suppose it’s a bit like having a mild pain in your neck for months or even years and then, one day, waking up and the pain is gone. You’d had it so long that the pain felt normal and it was only when it went you felt different. Better. Healthier!

Well I went from feeling “bleh” to brilliant when I made a conscious effort to eat more superfoods and because they helped me so much, I decided I really ought to share these awesome foods with the readers of Days to Fitness. I’ve written more about this topic in my article “Why I’ve Got Superfoods in My Diet”.

Before I tried superfoods, I was skeptical – I’m already eating healthily and exercising so how can a few different foods make me feel any better? Well, the proof is in the pudding or so they say and within a few short weeks of adding superfoods to my diet, I felt like a whole, new and improved Sarah!

So, welcome to my Superfoods Super Guide and I hope you benefit from superfoods as much as I have.

Best Superfoods 

So what are the best superfoods? That’s a good question but one that’s really hard to answer in just a few hundred words. Why? Because, every week, more and more superfoods are discovered.

Initially, superfoods were things like berries, dark leafy green vegetables, and other quite common but under-consumed natural foods. But, as interest and research into superfoods increased, so too have the number and variety of superfoods available.

Because different superfoods do different things in your body, the best superfood for you depends on what you want to improve. For example, if you want a superfood that makes your joints feel better, fish oils are probably what you need. However, if you need a superfood that helps you deal better with stress, dark chocolate has been shown to be effective.

With all this in mind, I have written an article titled 10 Superfoods Good for You in which I list ten of the best superfoods around and explain how they can be beneficial to you. They’re my favorites and I’m sure when you try then they’ll become your favorites too!

Superfood Powder

While things like seaweed, acai berries, chia seeds, raw honey, and bee pollen are all classed as superfoods, unless you are going to give up “real” food, at some point you will have to make a decision and choose a handful of superfoods to add to your diet – you simply cannot eat all of them!

Some superfoods are expensive too and eating all the ones you want might mean you have no money left for groceries.

One very effective way around this problem is to use a superfood powder. This is a type of supplement that contains dozens of different superfoods all condensed into one easy to take powder that you can mix with water or juice or add to a smoothie.

There are several different products available, which I discuss in my article “Superfood Powder Guide” but it’s safe to say that if you don’t know which superfoods to eat, can’t find the ones you want, or want to include as many superfoods in your diet as you can, a superfood powder could be exactly what you need. Check out the Superfood Powder Guide for more information, or my recommendations for “The Best Superfood Powder”.

My favorite Superfood Powder

I compare three of the best superfood powders and rate them using several different criteria so you can find out which one will be right for you.

I don’t just read other peoples’ reviews and copy what they say; I buy and test these products myself. I also read the reviews on Amazon.com to see what other people are saying. After all that, and it’s a long process, I pass the information on to the readers of Days to Fitness so that you can make the right choice for you.

Don’t worry – I haven’t just selected the most expensive superfood powder but considered budget as well as quality. At the end of the article, you’ll read which ones are bets and why so you can find which product best suits your needs. My recommendations for The Best Superfood Powder.

Superfood Smoothies 

One of my favorite ways to get more superfoods into my diet is to add them to smoothies or make specific superfood smoothies. As you know if you read my other posts, I LOVE smoothies and use them a lot in my diet. I’ve written lots and lots of articles all about smoothies, and recently published “Why Superfood Smoothies ?“.

Smoothies make it easy for me to get a good breakfast even when I’m in a hurry, I use them as meal replacements to help me control my weight, and I also recommend them to my family and friends so they can eat more fruits and vegetables even if they do not like the taste – kids love smoothies too.

You can also make a smoothie even more healthy by adding superfoods. Not sure where to start? Don’t worry – I’ve written an article called “Superfood Smoothies”, that has got my favorite superfood recipes so you can make your own healthy, tasty, refreshing super-smoothie in just a few seconds.

Superfoods for Weight Loss 

Many of you reading this right now are probably on a diet or are thinking about going on a diet to lose weight. You might need to lose a little or a lot of weight but many people go on a diet at some point in their lives.

Diets can be hard – especially if you go really strict. And even then, some people fail to lose weight or regain it soon after. I’ve experienced this myself and it’s REALLY frustrating!

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that superfoods have been shown to help weight loss. That diet you’ve been following but not losing weight on may well start working if you add superfoods into your eating plan.

Why? Because superfoods boost your health and the healthier you are, the more fat you can burn and the faster and easier you’ll lose weight. For many dieters, superfoods are the missing weight loss ingredient.

I’ve written an entire article all about this awesome subject called Superfoods and Weight Loss so make sure you check it out.

Why Are Superfoods So Popular? 

If you go back a few years and take a look at what was popular in nutrition, superfoods didn’t even exist. Most of us were eating low fat foods like rice cakes, using lots of artificial sweeteners, eating margarine and not butter, and probably drinking orange juice by the bucket; how things have changed!

As we learn more and more about nutrition, what used to be popular disappears and is replaced by new, exciting ways to make your diet healthier and superfoods are the most recent nutrition trend.

The media LOVES superfoods and hardly a week goes by without them reporting that another superfood has been discovered. And because we all care about our health, we love to hear about these new superfoods.

What makes superfoods so popular is the fact that they can boost your health without the need to go to the doctor for a prescription; they are just foods – albeit something more exotic than the standard fruit and vegetables we’re used to.

They’ve been studied and researched and shown to work and that’s why we consumers love them. There are other reasons why superfoods are growing in popularity and I’ve written about those reasons in my article “Why Superfoods Are So Popular” so make sure you read it.

5 Superfoods Kids Will Love

A lot of nutrition advice is aimed at adults rather than kids and that’s a shame. If you read my article “Why Nutrition is Important for Kids” you’ll know I am very passionate about getting kids to eat better and be healthier. After all, an unhealthy and overweight kid will soon be an unhealthy and overweight adult. In contrast, healthy kids who are the right weight for their age and height are much less likely to become overweight as they get older.

With that subject in mind, I’ve written an article called “5 Superfoods kids will love” so you can share the superfood message with your family too. These five foods taste so great your kids won’t even know they are eating healthy foods!

We know kids like unhealthy foods like ice cream, candy, cookies, and soda but these foods are really not good for them except as occasional treats. Superfoods, however, are super-healthy and they can eat them anytime. I’m sure that once your children try a few of these kid-friendly superfoods, they’ll soon be asking for more!

5 Meal Recipes Using Superfoods 

So far, I’ve told you about superfoods in smoothies and also superfood powder supplements but, did you know, you can easily add many superfoods to your regular meals and some superfoods are available right in your grocery store?

A lot of people think that superfoods are all exotic or expensive but that’s not always the case. Some superfoods are just regular foods that many of us don’t eat enough of.

For example, avocado and ginger – two pretty common foods are also very potent superfoods. Cool, no?!

To help make it even easier for you to include plenty of superfoods in your diet, I’ve written and article containing Five Meal Recipes Using Superfoods. I love them all and I’m pretty sure you are going to love them too.

I know some people are unsure how and when to eat superfoods and, to be honest, I was to when I first started looking into this fascinating subject. That’s why I wrote my short article, How to Include Superfoods in your Diet to try and make the whole process easier. With my recipes and the suggestions in this article, I’m sure you’ll find lots of opportunities for getting more superfood each and every day.

Are Superfoods Just Hype? 

A lot of information about nutrition is often just hype and designed to get you to buy things you don’t need. Many people think that superfoods fall into that same hype category and, I must admit, I was skeptical too.

But, if you delve a little deeper and do some research, you’ll quickly discover that superfoods live up to the hype and really do deliver health-boosting results.

Superfoods are loaded with densely-packed nutrition and contain things that are often missing from the modern diet. They contain the things your body needs but doesn’t always get enough of. That’s what makes them super.

Most superfoods have been studied and researched and shown to work – not by food manufacturers and marketers but by scientists and doctors.

I’ve got a lot more to say on this subject in my article “Are Superfoods Just Hype” but for now, I’ll leave you with this thought; some superfoods are used specifically to fight serious diseases such as cancer. Does that sound like just hype to you?

Who Are Superfoods Good For? 

You might be thinking “I don’t need superfoods, I’m already healthy and fit” and you might be right but did you know many superfoods have a preventative action? In other words, you might not need them now but taking them may avoid health problems in the future.

In my article “Who Are Superfoods Good For” I lift the lid on some of the more unusual benefits of superfoods and who they are going to benefit. For example, some superfoods are ideal for athletes while others are great for older people. Some are better for men while others are more beneficial for women.

All superfoods will do you good but there is no denying that some may be better than others depending on your gender, age, and personal circumstances. Find out more by checking out my article.

What Are the Best Times to Take Superfoods? 

Timing is everything when it comes to nutrition – there is a best time to eat protein and a best time to eat carbs. Your body’s need for nutrients vary throughout the day and so you need to give it what it wants, when it needs it.

Superfoods are no different. While you could consume them at whatever time fits your schedule and enjoy some benefits, some superfoods are best taken at more specific times if you want to get the best possible results.

In my article “What Are the Best Times to Take Superfoods?” I discuss the best times to take certain superfoods so that you can get the greatest results from them.

Don’t worry – if you can’t take your superfoods at specific times, you’ll still get lots of benefits from them. However, timing your intake around things like sleep, exercise, work, and stress might offer a few additional advantages. Read the article and see!

Superfoods with Super Heroes

Superfoods really do live up to their name and are nutritionally super foods. They are loaded with important nutrients that will do your body nothing but good. Different superfoods have different properties which is why it’s important to get a wide variety of superfoods in your diet. It’s only by consuming a broad spectrum of superfoods that you’ll enjoy all the benefits they have to offer. To help you make more sense of superfoods, I’ve written several different articles about each of the main types.

Some superfoods have a strong probiotic benefit and can help restore the healthy bacteria that lives in your digestive system. These bacteria are important for good intestinal health and the health and function of your immune system. Examples of probiotic superfoods include natural yogurt, pickles, and kefir. You’ll find details of the best 7 Probiotic Superfoods in this article.

Other superfoods are powerful antioxidants and help fight the damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that cause aging, age-related eyesight deterioration and many serious diseases such as cancer. Antioxidant superfoods defuse free radicals so you can relax and be healthy. You can discover 5 Antioxidant Superfoods here.

Superfoods can also boost your energy levels – good news if you often find yourself feeling tired. Many people turn to caffeine and sugar when they need an energy boost but that isn’t the best way to cure tiredness. In contrast, energy-boosting superfoods can give you a lift while being good for your health too. Learn about 5 Superfoods to Boost your Energy in this article.

If those benefits weren’t impressive enough, some superfoods can make you healthier by boosting your immunity to common diseases and illnesses. In my article 5 Superfoods to Boost Immunity, you’ll learn about some of the best superfoods for keeping you feeling healthy and fighting disease.

Finally, some superfoods can help keep your digestive system healthy while making weight loss easier. How? Fiber! High fiber superfoods are extremely useful because most people do not eat enough fiber. Learn which superfoods are the best for fiber in my article 5 Fiber Superfoods.

Why this Nutrition Guide ?

Days To Fitness is my website and I started it a year ago. It was around that time that I decided I really needed to get fit and healthy but wasn’t really sure where to start. The more I read, the more confused I got because many of the expert opinions were contradictory! There were days I didn’t know whether I was coming or going…

So, I decided to just jump in feet first and start doing something – even if that something wasn’t 100% right. As it turns out, I made a lot of good decisions based on my research and, 12-months later, I’m fitter, slimmer, and healthier than I ever thought possible.

It’s not been an easy journey – I made a few mistakes along the way – but during my quest for health and fitness I discovered a passion for helping other people and that’s what Days To Fitness is all about. More about my story at my “About” page.

No matter what your goal, nutrition is going to play a big part in your success but I soon realized that many people (me included) know very much about nutrition at all so in this article I want to direct you to some basic information that will make eating healthily and losing weight so much easier!

So why don’t people generally know much about nutrition? The main reason is that it is not a compulsory subject in schools. Why this life essential isn’t part of each and every kids’ lessons I don’t know and is something I discuss in my article “The Importance of Teaching Nutrition in Schools”.

What is nutrition? 

Nutrition is the study of how food affects your body. This can be simply explained by the saying “you are what you eat”. Everything you eat eventually becomes part of you or, at the very least, passes through and affects you. If you eat healthily, you too will be healthy. But, if you eat unhealthily, you will probably end up the same way.

Knowing how food effects your body makes it easier to make good food choices. If, for example, you know how sugar can wreck your health and cause weight gain, you are more likely to want to avoid it. I talk about this a lot in my, article “How learning the nutrition basics can help you lose weight”.

That leads on to the term diet. Diet means different things to different people. In technical terms, your diet is the sum total of all the food you eat. Your diet can be healthy or unhealthy. However, some people think of diets as something they go on for a short time just to lose weight.

The trouble is, when they finish their weight loss diet and go back to their regular diet, the gain weight back again. It’s like a yoyo – up and down, up and down…

That’s why learning about nutrition is important – it helps you to develop long term habits so you not only lose weight but keep it off too.

Why is nutrition important for kids? 

Knowing about nutrition is important for everyone but it’s especially important for kids. Why? Good question! I explain my thought on this subject in my article “Why is nutrition important for kids?” but here are a few highlights…

• Kids who learn to eat healthily become healthier, slimmer adults
• Habits learned as kids can be hard to break – and that includes good and bad habits
• Unhealthy, overweight kids often become unhealthy, overweight adults
• Unhealthy food is marketed at kids so it’s important they learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy food
• What kids learn, they’ll teach to others and help spread the importance of good nutrition
• Todays’ kids are tomorrows’ adults – they are the people who will need to fix the current obesity crisis

Nutrition is super-important for kids. I can’t understate how passionate I am about this subject. It upsets me to see overweight kids or kids who eat nothing but junk food. These kids will soon become unhealthy adults. Teaching kids to eat healthily will “stop the rot” and create healthy adults. That, to me, is a very worthwhile thing to do.

Nutrition tips

Over the last year or so I’ve learned so much about nutrition it’s made my head spin. I’ve got so much information crammed in my brain I’m amazed my ears don’t pop off! But, I also understand that some people don’t want to know how their car works – they just want to get in and drive.

For that very reason, I have gathered a lot of quick and easy tips that I want to share with you that will make healthy eating and weight loss so much simpler. I’ve left out all the technical science stuff – you don’t need to know about things like gluconeogenesis, the first law of thermodynamics, or nutrient partitioning. Instead, I’ve got a whole bunch of simple “do this and do that” tips for you that are easy to follow and are effective too.

Now, I know they work and I also know why but you don’t have to concern yourself with all that technical mumbo jumbo; just pick a few tips and do them and you will lose weight, boost your energy, or feel healthier – I guarantee it!

Check out my  article “Nutrition tips I’ve learned”.

10 Nutrition Myths

There are food and nutrition myths everywhere. Many myths are so strong that even diet and nutrition experts believe them. It doesn’t help that the popular media perpetuate many of these myths when they report on the latest celebrity diet, super food, or alleged cause of cancer or obesity.

The thing is, if you fall for any of these myths, you run the risk of wasting a lot of time, effort, and money and potentially derailing your weight loss and even harming your health.

It’s not that myths are meant to be malicious and many of them sound like they ought to be true. It’s just they are often based on old science or popular opinion rather than fact.

I’ve fallen for plenty of food myths myself and, as a result, struggled with my weight and also sugar cravings. So much of what I thought I knew about nutrition turned out to be wrong.

That’s why I wrote my article “10 Nutrition Myths”. I wanted to share some of the myths that I mistakenly believed to be true but, after doing some research, discovered to be the opposite.

So, read the article and learn by my mistakes and don’t forget to share your own nutrition and diet myths in the comment section at the end of the article!

You are What you Eat

“You are what you eat” is one of the most important truisms in nutrition; everything you eat ultimately becomes part of you or, at the very least, passes through you in the most intimate way.

We don’t know who said “you are what you eat” first, maybe the Greek philosopher Hippocrates, but whoever it was, they were really on to something!

Knowing that the food you eat ultimately becomes part of you is an important part of nutrition and remembering that saying can make it easier to choose healthy food to eat. If you eat junk food, your body will turn to junk but if you eat healthily, you too will be healthy – it’s logical.

However, you don’t have to eat healthily all the time – most of the time will get the job done.

In my article “You Are What you Eat” I discuss the importance of the 10% rule which says if you eat healthily 90% of the time, you earn the right to treat yourself to some unhealthy food 10% of the time without derailing your diet or risking your health.

The 10% rule makes it much easier to stick to any long term healthy eating plan by making sure that no food is ever banned.

If you want to learn more about the expression “you are what you eat” or find out how the 10% rule can help you stick to your diet, make sure you check out the article!

The Power of Protein

Of all the food groups, protein is arguably the most important. It doesn’t matter if you want to lose weight, gain muscle, or just be healthy, you need to eat adequate amounts of protein.

The trouble is, while most people understand the importance of fat and carbs, far fewer people understand the importance of protein and that’s something I want to change which is why I’ve written an article called “The Power of Protein” which is all about this misunderstood nutrient.

Did you know, for example, that protein can help you lose fat and prevent cravings or that there are different types of protein in your body – structural and homeostatic?

Do you know how much protein you need per day and how that amount varies depending on your exercise goals?

Don’t worry – not many other people do either!

In The power of protein, I provide all the information you need to understand not only the importance of protein but how to make sure you are getting enough of this powerful nutrient. Easy to read and full of important information, if you have a question about protein, I’m sure you’ll find the answer in this article.

The Importance of Fiber

What food contains no calories, vitamins, or minerals but is still important for weight loss and health? The answer is fiber!

Fiber is like a hidden nutrient – you can’t use it for energy but a diet that is low in fiber is very likely going to be unhealthy.

Most people only eat 50% or less of the recommended daily allowance of fiber and it’s no wonder; almost all highly processed foods have had most of their fiber content removed. Too little fiber can have an adverse effect on many aspects of your health, not least your intestinal and digestive health.

Fiber can also help you lose and control your weight. High fiber foods are often lower in calories than low fiber foods and they also take longer to eat and are more filling. All in all, you need plenty of fiber in your diet.

But do you know how much fiber you should be eating? No? Don’t worry – nor do many other people. Needless to say, you probably aren’t eating enough.

Fiber is probably the most important thing you are not eating enough of right now so find out why fiber is so important and how to get enough in my article “The Importance of fiber”. 

Best Nutrition Books

I’m no nutrition expert but I am an avid reader and study nutrition all the time. It’s very rare that I’m not reading a book about nutrition so I can learn even more and then pass what I have discovered on to you. I’ve read dozens of nutrition books over the last few years and people often ask me which one is the best. That is a hard question to answer! So, with that in mind, here are THREE of my favorite nutrition books which I have reviewed so you can discover which book is best for you.

Eating for Weight Gain

While most of the visitors to Days to Fitness are interested in healthy eating and weight loss, a few people have contacted me about weight gain or, more specifically, gaining muscle. This is not my area of expertise but I have some good friends who know all about this sort of thing and they shared their secrets with me over dinner one night.

From all their useful information I wrote an article called Eating for Weight Gain in which I lay out four important things you need to do if you want to gain muscle rather than lose fat.

I know it’s mainly men who want to gain weight but a few women do too. In some cases, it’s because they feel they are too skinny and in others they just want more curves. Whatever the reason, I fully support them in trying to shape their bodies but also know that there is a healthy way to gain weight and an unhealthy way. Needless to say, the healthy way is best.

If you are interested in gaining muscle or adding curves to your body, make sure you check out Eating for Weight Gain so you can learn how to do it right. Don’t try and gain weight too fast though; when it comes to successful weight gain, slow and steady is always best!

How to Eat Healthily in Restaurants

Eating out in restaurants is one of my favorite things to do but my friends often ask how I do it when they know I always try to eat healthily. My secrets can be found in my article How to Eat Healthily in Restaurants in which I reveal my seven top tips for sticking to your diet even when you eat out.

Of course, the easiest way to stick to your diet is to cook your own food but almost everyone I know likes to eat out from time to time. Maybe it’s a friend’s birthday or an anniversary – or a hot date! Whatever the reason you should be able to eat in a restaurant without breaking your diet or making the whole experience stressful or unenjoyable.

Knowing a little about nutrition means that you should be able to alter your meals to make them suitable for weight loss. Yes, you may need to ask for veggies instead of fries or choose grilled fish over deep-fried chicken but if that’s what it takes to avoid gaining weight, the effort will be worth it.

Follow my tips in How to Eat Healthily in Restaurants and I know you’ll enjoy your next meal out so much more!  

Healthy recipes 

The easier and more enjoyable good nutrition is, the more likely you are to eat healthily. As soon as something gets hard or unpleasant, most of us will up and quit.

One of the hardest aspects of eating healthily is knowing what to eat and finding things that aren’t boring, overly expensive, too fussy or time-consuming, or that use weird ingredients that you simply cannot find in your local grocery store.

To help you with this all-too-common problem, I have collected, collated and even invented a lot of awesome recipes for you to try.

Each one is tried and tested and has the Sarah seal of approval. If it wasn’t easy to make and didn’t taste nice, it didn’t make the cut. Just for you, I have got…

• Sugar-free recipes 
• Healthy smoothie recipes 
• Low carb recipes 
• Meal replacement shake recipes 
• Protein bar recipes 
• Breakfast, lunch dinner, dessert, and snack recipes
• 21-Day Fix Approved Recipes 
• And lots more

Each recipe is detailed, easy to follow, and includes nutrition information and a nice picture so you can see what it is you’re making.

Sugar Free Recipes

Healthy Smoothie Recipes

Healthy Homemade Protein Bars

Homemade Meal Replacement Shakes