More Confidence More Health More Energy
0113 812 5233 | team@more-life.co.uk www.morelife.co.uk
More Confidence More Health More Energy
Name
Welcome to the Morelife Specialist Weight Management Programme
We’re really looking forward to getting to know you and helping you make little changes that will make a big difference to your life. The Morelife programme exists to help individuals feel miles better about themselves. This is your personal handbook, each session you will recieve new information to add to it, so please bring it with you to every session.
Your Practitioner’s Name Your Practitioner’s Phone number Your Practitioner’s Email
Terms of Attendance We expect that any discussions during these sessions are kept confidential. We will only break this confidentiality if:
Inappropriate behaviour towards practitioners will not be tolerated. We are here to support you to meet your health goals - please maintain a professional relationship with us at all times. Failure to comply with these conditions may result in you being asked to leave the service. |
Contents
Getting Started
What is this programme about? 3
Our group principles 5
Personal weight loss contract 7
Why now? 8
What could hinder my weight loss journey? 9 Monitoring your progress 11
Progress tracker 12
Goal setting 13
Options to control food intake 14
Barriers to weight loss 15
Food & Calories
Eatwell guide 21
What does living healithy mean anyway? 25 Weight loss equation 26
What influences energy balance 27 Influences map 28
Values list 29
Morelife priority healthy behaviours 30 Self monitoring & Calorie awareness 31 Regular eating 32
Portion sizes 32
Mindful eating 33
Meal planning 35
Food labels 35
Eating out & Takeaways 38
Assertive communication 40
Sweetened drinks & Alcohol 41
Thoughts, Feelings & Behaviours
Hunger/Fullness scale 53
Thoughts, Feelings & Behaviours 54 Unhelpful thinking 55
Emotions 57
The three D’s 58
Stress 59
Look at your stress 60
Dietary habits & Behaviours associated
with weight management 61
Habits 62
Learning from a lapse 63
Sleep hygiene 65
Regulating sleep 67
Reflections
Reflection prompts 71
Wheel of life 72
Self care 73
Maintaining motivation 74
Useful Information
Resources to help along the way 79 Glossary 81
Your Morelife Diary 87
My Life Plan 88
Physical Activity
Physical activity 45
NEAT activity 46
Structured activity 46
Regulating sedentrary time 46
Barriers to physical activity 47
Approaching activity 49
Health benefits of nature 50
What is the programme about?
Morelife’s Philosophy
Morelife recognises how difficult it is to lose weight and that many of our clients have struggled over the years with different “diets”. Losing weight is complicated and the world we live in can make it very confusing with all the different advice out there.
The Morelife programme is based on scientific research and we review it regularly to make sure it works for you! Because of this we are happy to receive any feedback you have during the course.
We believe that YOU are the expert in your life and so, we never tell you what to do. We provide you with all the tools you will need to lose weight, but it is up to you to choose which approach suits you.
Psychological Approach
We are a psychologically informed programme and want to help you understand and improve your relationship with food.
This may mean looking at habits and triggers or how emotions from stress and sadness to boredom and happiness can impact on our eating and activity levels.
We use ideas and activities from the Acceptance and Committment Therapy, Mindfulness and Solution-Focused Therapy models during the course. These will help you recognise the connection between our thinking, how we feel and how we behave.
We also use mindful eating techniques to help you change the way you eat so that you can enjoy food without overeating.
Our key aims are for you to work on:
Your self-awareness - being mindful of not only your eating and activity levels, but your thoughts and feelings too.
Your understanding of self and others - recognise how other people (friends, family, society, media) also influence us.
Your self-regulation - learning flexible strategies to manage your eating, activity levels, thoughts and feelings.
Your self-reliance - we want you to feel in control of your life and be able to use these strategies for the rest of your life, not just the
duration of the programme.
Dietary Approach
Our aim is to provide you with the tools to empower you to make informed choices about the foods you eat, so you can enjoy your diet whilst losing weight.
We will help you:
Understand what is in the foods we eat
Learn portion control techniques
Monitor your progress and identify what works for you
Look at practical ways to make healthier food choices for you and your family
Loose weight and keep it off!
Our Group Principles
To help our group sessions run effectively we ask you to:
Keep it confidential
Respect and maintain the confidentiality of the group.
What is said in the group is not to be repeated or discussed at any other time or place. Of course you can discuss what you have learnt about weight management with others.
Arrive on time
So as not to keep others waiting.
Be supportive of eachother
Accept people just as they are, and avoid making judgements.
Equal time for all
Give everyone a chance to talk.
Implement your learning
Practice what you learn, these methods can help you control your weight only if you practice them.
Attend every session
Make a commitment to the group, if you must miss a session, please inform us
as far in advance as possible.
Be constructive
Avoid making criticism.
Keep it practical
Focus on solutions.
Tell us if you are unhappy
Let us know if you feel upset or have any concerns, we can work things out.
My Personal
Weight-Loss Contract
I hereby agree to fully commit to the Morelife programme.
I understand that Morelife will not tell me ‘what to do’ but help me learn about myself and what strategies work for me in my individual life circumstances.
I will take responsibility for my weight and make the changes necessary to lead a healthier life. I acknowledge that losing weight can be difficult and I will need to commit time and effort to achieving my goals.
In order to do this I will take the following steps:
Attend as many Morelife sessions as possible.
Monitor my eating using a food diary. This is not so that anyone can check up on me but a tool to increase my mindfulness and awareness around my eating.
Recognise that this is not a “diet”. It is a lifestyle change that I can continue to improve on for the rest of my life.
Acknowledge that I am not perfect and will sometimes go off track. I will not beat myself up but find strategies to help me refocus and continue with my new lifestyle.
I will remind myself regularly why I am making these changes and remember that I am worth the effort.
I will understand that I will need to put my own needs first sometimes and remember that my loved ones will benefit from my improved health and happiness in the long run.
Signature of Commitment:
Date:
As I sign this contract, I understand that my future is my responsibility and I recognise that I am capable of achieving my goals.
Why now?
Write down the reasons why you are making the commitment to this weight loss journey. What difference will it make to your life and why is now the right time?
What could hinder
my Weight-Loss journey?
Barriers |
What may prevent me from attending sessions? |
What may prevent me from completing additional activities outside of the group sessions? |
What may prevent me from weighing myself or monitoring my health behaviours? |
Solutions |
My strategies to overcome these barriers are: |
My strategies to overcome these barriers are: |
My strategies to overcome these barriers are: |
Barriers |
What may I think or say to myself when things aren’t progressing the way I would like? |
What may happen if I feel a bit off track? |
What may happen if there is a conflict between my eating and activity plans and what others want me to do? |
Are there any other known barriers? |
Solutions |
My strategies to overcome these barriers are: |
My strategies to overcome these barriers are: |
My strategies to overcome these barriers are: |
My strategies to overcome these barriers are: |
Monitoring your Progress
During your programme, you will be weighed each time you attend a session.
Dont Panic!
It is totally private, we don’t share weights or results with anyone else in the group.
However, you are free to talk about your results. We definitely won’t stop you from being excited about your success with other group members.
At Morelife we believe it’s really important to monitor your weight.
Tracking your progress can be really beneficial, especially when you can see the results of all your hard work.
It’s really important to be weighed at the start of the programme to find out where you are starting from.
Once you have a starting weight, we can discuss a realistic weight loss journey with you.
One of our motto’s is:
“You need to know where you’re
starting from before you can work out how you’re going to get there!
A reduction of 1-2lbs per week is a safe, healthy weight loss. Some individuals who have a lot of weight to lose will usually start by losing more than 1-2lbs per week.
“
Your practitioner will discuss with you the sort of weight loss target you should work towards over the duration of the programme.
For the majority of the group, this will be 5 – 10% of your body weight. It is important to recognise that safe and long term weight loss takes time. You should be thinking about where you would like to be in a year, rather than where you want to be in a month.
On the next page you will find space to record your weight each week.
There is also some space for you to note any ‘reflections’ you have about your weight.
This can be just a couple of words to describe how you feel about your progress for the week e.g. ‘Happy, the hard work was worth it!’ or ‘Disappointed but I know I can refocus next week’.
Progress Tracker
Date
Weight
+/-
Reflections
Goal Setting
Successful weight loss is a journey. Sometimes it is easy to get carried away and start setting goals that are very hard to achieve.
The guidelines below will help prevent you from setting unrealistic goals that will just make you feel bad when you don’t achieve them.
Setting small but manageable goals is important and celebrating when you achieve them is really important!
Are my goals SMART?
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-based
Specific
The goal should be clear and include specific information to help you achieve it.
Measurable
The goal should have information for measuring progress toward the attainment of your goal.
Achievable
Setting goals that you have a good chance of achieving.
Realistic
The goals should be flexible to fit with the challenges of everyday life.
Time-based
The goal should be given a time framein which it should be achieved.
Instead of
This week I will try to do more exercise.
This week I will eat less chocolate.
I will give up crisps for the rest of my life.
Instead of walking to work when it is raining
on thursday.
I want to lose 4lbs.
You could say
This week I will walk for 15 minutes to and from work on Tuesday and Thursday.
This week I will only eat 2 pocket size mars bars.
This week I will cut down from a packet of crisps every day to 3 packets a week.
Walk to work on friday to make up for the day you drove to work.
I want to lose 4lbs in 4 weeks.
Options to Control Food Intake
Option 1 - Healthy Eating:
Choosing low fat foods, Cutting down portions, Eating regularly, Plenty of fruit and veg, Monitor weight.
Pros
Relatively easy to do.
No strict food rules.
Not too intrusive.
Some flexibility.
Can be sustainable.
Cons
May not reduce calorie level enough to lose weight (weight monitoring can help).
No real plan to follow.
Option 2 - Planned Strategies:
Meal replacement, low carb, 5:2 diet, slimming groups and clubs, magazine diets, recommended portions from each of the food groups within the meal plan, monitor weight.
Option 3 - Self-monitoring and Calorie Counting:
Daily self-monitoring,Record all food and drink, Count calories, Mindful eating, Regular eating, Portion control, Monitor weight
Pros
Cons
Planning done – don’t have to think especially the more restricted approaches.
Provides a framework.
Kick start weight loss.
Groups can offer weekly support.
Meal plan provides a framework.
Many strategies involve food rules and restrictions.
May not be easy to fit into lifestyle
e.g. meals out.
Long-term prospects doubtful for the very restricted approaches e.g. meal replacements.
Will it lead to permanent change?
Some are complicated and not flexible.
Pros
Cons
Learn about own eating behaviours.
No food rules.
Allowed favourite foods.
Learn how to eat favourite foods in moderation.
Enjoy eating out and learn how to compensate.
Flexible.
Learn about what is needed to lose weight.
Long-term.
Hard to begin with – but gets easier.
Weighing food initially.
Recording calories may seem hard work.
Takes time and commitment.
Barriers to Weight Loss
Below is a list of questions that may help you identify what you need to change when you find yourself demotivated. Not all will work for you or apply to you.
Are you actively avoiding foods?
Are you prone to eating high calorie foods?
Are you holding weekly review sessions?
Are you weighing yourself once a week?
Are you tracking your activity?
Are you calculating your calories?
Are you measuring your portions?
Are you recording what you eat?
The goal isn’t to answer ‘yes’ to every question but to help identify new goals to keep you on track.
Accuracy of Recording
Yes
To some extent
No
Weighing and weekly review
Yes
To some extent
No
Your choice of food and drink
Yes
To some extent
No
Your eating pattern (When you eat)
Yes
To some extent
No
Your portion sizes
Yes
To some extent
No
Do you go for long periods without eating?
Do you skip any meals?
Do you eat regular meals and snacks throughout the day?
Do your eating patterns vary greatly from day to day? or weekends to week days?
Do you have binges? (small or large)
Are there any particular times of day when you are likely to overeat?
Do you tend to nibble or pick on food?
Do you go for long periods without eating?
Do you skip any meals?
Do you eat regular meals and snacks throughout the day?
Do your eating patterns vary greatly from day to day? or weekends to week days?
How active you are?
Yes
To some extent
No
Other obstacles to weight loss
Yes
To some extent
No
Are you facing other obstacles to losing weight?
Please specify
Is your negative thinking holding you back?
Are you prone to stress related eating?
Are you liable to eat when bored or upset?
Have you lost motivation to lose weight?
Do you get 7 - 8 hours of sleep per night?
Are you taking steps to reduce your sedentary behaviour?
Are you taking every oppportunity to be active?
Eatwell Guide
The Eatwell Guide is a tool developed to help us understand how much we should be eating of each type of food. It represents the proportions of different foods that we should eat over the day.
You might be wondering why we need all of the food and drinks on the Eatwell Guide and how we can make sure we get enough. Take a look at the following to find out.
Water, low fat milk, sugar free drinks, tea and coffee all count
Limit Fruit juice and/or smoothies to a total of 150ml a day
Foods high in fat, salt and sugar
Eat less often and in small amounts
Fruits and Vegetables
Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables everyday
Why?
Vitamins, minerals and fibre help us have a healthy heart and strong bones and teeth. They even make our hair and skin look great too.
How?
Add a banana or a handful of raisins to your breakfast.
Add peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes or sweetcorn to a homemade pizza.
Take a small tub of carrot sticks to work for a mid-afternoon snack.
Grab a handful of grapes for when you are on the go.
Carbohydrates
Choose wholegrain or higher fibre versions with less added fat, salt and sugar
Why?
Starchy foods like potatoes, bread and pasta contain carbohydrates which are a great source of energy, they also contain fibre, calcium, iron and B vitamins.
Carbohydrates keep us fuller for longer especially if you choose wholegrain or high fibre alternatives.
How?
Aim to have starchy carbohydrate with each meal of the day. Using your fist as a guide for the measure is a good way to know you are getting the right portion
Try swapping your bread to wholegrain or granary.
Reduce the amount of fat you add to carbohydrate e.g. reduce the amount of butter on your toast or cheese on your sandwich.
Protein
Eat more beans and pulses, 2 portions of sustainably sourced fish per week, one of which is oily. Eat less red and processed meat.
Why?
Meat, fish, beans and legumes are rich in protein, iron and vitamins such as omega-3. Protein is essential for the growth and repair of your body.
How?
Choose lower fat alternatives such as fish, pork, chicken and turkey.
Grill or bake your fish or meat instead of frying it.
Add a tin of kidney beans to your stew to easily add protein and make it more exciting.
Milk and Dairy
Choose lower fat and lower sugar options.
Why?
We should eat 2-3 portions of dairy everyday because they are really good sources of protein and calcium. Protein helps the body grow and repair and calcium keeps our bones strong.
How?
Have low-fat dairy products such as low-fat yoghurt as a tasty treat.
Use semi-skimmed milk on your morning cereal instead of full fat milk.
Make a delicious dip with low fat creme fraiche and chives to go with your carrot sticks.
Use unsweetened calcium-fortified dairy alternatives, such as soya milk, if you do not consume milk and dairy products.
Fatty foods
Eat the right type of fat and in smaller amounts
Why?
We all need a small amount of fat within our diet for healthy skin and hair. Remember, fatty foods are high in energy.
Unsaturated fats (e.g. monosaturated and polyunsaturated) are found in foods like oily fish, nuts and seeds. These are a good nutritious part of our diet.
Saturated fats are found in foods like fatty meats, cakes, biscuits, pies and cheese. These aren’t so good for our health.
How?
To cut down on this:
Remove visible fat from meats.
Eat fewer takeaways and processed meals.
Swap meat stews for beans or pulses.
Snack on fruit instead of biscuits and cakes.
Sugary foods
Eat less often and in small amounts.
Why?
Sugar makes things taste nice and sweet however having too much can cause our diet to be unhealthy and lead to weight gain.
How?
Swap jam, marmalade, or honey on your toast for a low-fat spread or sliced banana.
Swap sugary or chocolate cereals for a whole grain cereal with your favourite fruit added on top.
Swap sugary fizzy drinks with water, unsweetened fruit juice, no added sugar squash, or a low sugar fizzy drink.
What does “Living Healthily” mean anyway?
There are so many different messages out there about what we ‘should’ and ‘shouldn’t’ eat it’s no surprise really that a lot of us are in a pickle trying to understand what being healthy actually means.
In this section we will try to make things simple so that you can make the best choices for your life!
These are the golden rules that the Morelife team will use to help you to live a healthier life.
Take every opportunity to be active.
Small changes make long-term differences.
Good things about losing a little weight
By joining a Morelife programme you have made the decision to get healthy for good! This is a brilliant first step that will not only help you feel better, but help you live healthier too. With your hard work, together with support from the Morelife team, you can become healthier, lose weight and feel great!
Losing just 5% of your body weight can give you great benefits and make you a super role model.
5% weight loss means:
Your energy levels will increase.
Moving around and being active becomes more enjoyable and easier.
You might find it easier to sleep.
Your confidence will increase.
You could find yourself being able to better manage and juggle things
at work.
You could feel a lot happier – exercise releases chemicals in our brains that are known to make us feel happy.
The science bit... 5% weight loss can also:
Reduce your cholesterol (the amount of fat in your blood).
Possibly reduce the need for regular medication.
Reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Reduce your risk of certain cancers.
Improve mental health and your ability to deal with stress and manage depression and anxiety.
The Weight-Loss Equation
During you time on your Morelife programme, we will show you how it’s possible to increase your energy out and decrease your energy in with really simple ways that you will find easy to do.
Weight gain happens when you eat more calories than you use up in a day
Energy Input
Energy output
Weight maintenance happens when you eat the same amount of calories than you use up in a day
Energy Input
Energy output
Energy Input
Energy output
Weight loss happens when you eat less calories than you use up in a day
What influences Energy Balance?
Social Influences
Uncontrollable
Government policy.
Education.
Television.
Psychological Influences
Food environment.
Uncontrollable
Parents attitude towards food.
Mental health conditions.
Stressful events.
Past experiences.
Controllable
How I allow it to affect me.
What I choose to buy.
Who I choose to spend time with.
Controllable
Habits.
Motivation.
Emotional eating.
Self care.
How my body works
Controllable
Food choices.
Sleep quality.
Exercise levels.
Uncontrollable
Genetic factors.
Health conditions.
Medications.
Biological Influences
My Energy Balance?
How society influences us How my mind works | |
Activity environment What I do | |
Food environment What I eat | |
Influences Map
Values List
Below are some example values which may reflect how you want to behave as a human being. Which values are most meaningful to you? This is by no means an exhaustive list, but can act as a starting point for you to think about your own values.
Assertiveness - To respectfully stand up for my rights and request what I want.
Balance - Living a balanced life.
Beauty - How I look.
Creativity - Being creative around food, trying new recipes.
Friendships/family - To be friendly, companionable, loved.
Fun - Create and engage in activities that are exciting or thrilling.
Health - To be healthy and to maintain or improve my fitness; to look after my physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Honesty - To be honest, truthful and sincere with myself and others.
Influence/being a role model - Influencing others with behaviours and choices.
Independence - To be self-supportive, and choose my own way of doing things.
Kindness - To be kind and compassionate towards myself, others and food.
Learning - Learning new things, recipes, food, activities.
Pleasure - To create and give pleasure to myself or others.
Responsibility - To be responsible and accountable for my actions.
Self-development - To keep growing, advancing or improving in knowledge, skills, character or life experience.
Notes
Morelife Priority Healthy Behaviours
Understanding the way you eat is the first step to making healthy changes. Below are different aspects of eating that we think are important to weight loss.
Remember, you are not aiming for perfection, just try to make steps to change the bits that are most relevant to you and your life.
Keeping a daily record (either written or electronically) of what we eat and drink alongside counting calories helps us to become aware of habits, increases our control over eating, stops automatic eating and guides our food choices. There are no forbidden foods (including chocolate and alcohol).
The only rule is that everything is recorded
To calorie count you require a reference e.g. ‘Pocket Guide of Calories’ or ‘Carbs and Calories’. Alternatively, if you are tech savvy, you may prefer to use an app or computer programme. One example of an app is My Fitness Pal – this can be used on a smart phone or computer. The energy equation that My Fitness Pal uses is different to the one we use – so please use the calorie goal we give you.
When we exercise we burn calories, but often we over-estimate the energy burned doing exercise so we advise that you do not include any calories burned to increase your daily calorie goal. Any physical activity is a bonus to help you achieve your weight loss.
Keeping records as described above can have a life changing impact on eating and it works on several levels:
It limits food intake, it gives control but freedom of choice and helps us see where the calories are coming from.
It is flexible, if we go over our goal one day we can compensate the next or plan ahead and “bank” calories for a special occasion.
Ownership - No-one is telling us what to do, this is powerful and we begin to ‘self-correct’.
Keeping records helps separate ourselves from our behaviour so we can look at it more objectively. Choose a format that suits you, whether it’s your Morelife diary, an electronic copy, using an app or putting pen to paper, consistency is key.
Weighing and measuring food helps us learn about appropriate portion sizes. To do this you need kitchen scales and a measuring jug, alongside a calculator and calorie guide.
Shifts in thinking and attitude. People who self-monitor change their beliefs about:
Labelling foods ‘good’ or ‘bad’
Their own ability, perception and awareness
It helps with internal conflict
Self-Monitoring
& Calorie Awareness
‘Self-monitoring’ means keeping a daily record (either written or electronically) of what we eat and drink. Alongside counting calories, self-monitoring helps us become aware of
habits, increasing control over our eating. This helps stop automatic eating and guides our food choices. There are no forbidden foods (including chocolate and alcohol).
To calorie count you require a reference. This can be a book, for example Carbs and Cals by Chris Cheyette and Yello Balolia. Alternatively, you may prefer to use an app or computer programme, such as MyFitnessPal. This can be used on your smart phone or on a computer.
For more information on books to read or useful websites and apps, you can download the ‘Useful Websites and Reading’ handout from the resource library.
A note about physical activity. Physical activity is important for weight management and offers all sorts of health benefits. When we exercise, we burn calories, but often we
over-estimate the energy burned doing exercise and we forget that sitting and watching TV also burns calories.
It’s hard. Losing weight involves a sustained change in eating, sometimes we follow a ‘diet’ keeping to the rules but don’t see results.
The reason for this is that we are not creating a calorie shortfall. We may be eating the ‘right’ foods but still too much of them. Self-monitoring even just for one week will teach us how this process works.
To keep our bodies working at their best throughout the day, we recommend that you spread your daily calories allowance over 3 meals and 2 snacks throughout the day.
Regular eating has many benefits; it gives structure and routine to your eating habits, it prevents you from getting very hungry which is when you may impulsively snack, it keeps your blood sugar levels stable and helps keep energy levels and mood stable.
Portion sizes of foods have increased considerably over the years, so it’s understandable that we may be eating more than we realise.
Keeping to the recommended portion sizes for food and drinks can enable you to manage your weight.
“What’s the difference between serving size and portion size?”
On labels of food and drink you will see the ‘serving size column’ - this quantity is chosen by the manufacturer. This is not the same as your portion size. Your portion size is the amount you choose to eat and it should be specific to you!
An example:
Take a carton of orange juice. On the packet it may say that the serving size is 200ml. However, you know that the recommended portion size of juice for you is 150ml.
So if you had a serving size instead of a portion size you would be having more juice than is recommended for you.
Using your hands can be a quick and easy way to portion your food.
Protein
Open palm
Carbohydrate
Closed fist
Fruit and vegetables
Two cupped hands
Dairy
Two fingers
Oils and Spreads
Finger tip
Mindful Eating
Have you ever been eating out of a packet, put your hand in and realised you had finished it all without even realising? And were you watching the television or looking at your computer at the time? Or have you ever been in a rush and eaten your lunch/dinner so quickly that you haven’t even tasted it? What about popping a piece of cheese into your mouth whilst making sandwiches?
You are not alone!
We all have done these things time and time again.
When we are distracted we tend to go into ‘autopilot’, where we do familiar tasks robotically without having to think about them.
This frees our mind up to concentrate on other problems. We do the same with tasks such as driving, brushing our teeth and getting dressed in the morning.
The problem is when we are eating automatically we are not aware of the amount we are having, are not fully enjoying the food and are not listening to our body’s hunger and fullness signals.
5. When I eat, I think about how nourishing the food is for my body.
All of the time Most of the time Occasionally Sometimes Almost never
4. I taste each bite before reaching the next.
All of the time Most of the time Occasionally Sometimes Almost never
3. I try not to “pick” at food.
All of the time Most of the time Occasionally Sometimes Almost never
2. I eat when I am hungry rather than stressed, bored, upset, etc.
All of the time Most of the time Occasionally Sometimes Almost never
1. I tend to stop eating when I am full.
All of the time Most of the time Occasionally Sometimes Almost never
To work out whether you are prone to ‘mindless’ eating, ask yourself the following questions:
10. I recognise when I slip into mindless eating (e.g. zoned out, popping food into my mouth).
All of the time Most of the time Occasionally Sometimes Almost never
9. I tend to eat slowly, chewing each bite.
All of the time Most of the time Occasionally Sometimes Almost never
8. I don’t have to eat everything on my plate, I can leave what I don’t want.
All of the time Most of the time Occasionally Sometimes Almost never
7. I don’t multi-task while I eat. When I eat, I just eat.
All of the time Most of the time Occasionally Sometimes Almost never
6. I am non-judgemental of myself and my body when I accidentally overeat.
All of the time Most of the time Occasionally Sometimes Almost never
Tips and Advice
If you think that you could benefit from mindful eating, why not try some of our top tips:
Do not eat in front of the television, computer or in the car.
Check your hunger and fullness levels before eating. Try to eat when you are hungry and know when you are full. If you have the desire to eat when not hungry, identify what the trigger is e.g. emotional, habitual. For further details on how to use the Hunger/Fullness Scale, please refer to page 53.
Make sure you keep checking your hunger and fullness levels throughout the meal. Try to stop when you are full.
Enjoy food with all senses spend some time noticing the colour and smell.
Taste the food first without chewing. Then chew slowly savouring each bite; put your fork down in-between bites and stop eating to take a drink of water allowing your body enough time to signal the brain that it is satisfied.
If you are in a rush, eat at least the first bite with complete awareness.
Acknowledge there is no right or wrong way to eat, no food is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and try not to be judgemental about the way you eat.
Finally, practice, it takes time to develop healthy eating practices but it becomes more natural as time goes on.
Planning what you are going to eat is a great way to ensure that your diet is balanced, healthy and stays within your daily calorie requirements.
You will find a meal planner template in your Morelife diary.
At Morelife, we recommend you plan your meals around The Eatwell Guide.
Make sure to check the labels of packaged foods, choose foods lower in fat, salt and sugars.
Food labels give you the nutritional information about the products that you are eating.
It is important that you know how to read them so you can make healthy, informed choices about what you are putting into your body.
Serves 2 - Half a pizza provides
Cals 495
Fat 18.3g
Sat Fat 9.2g
Sugar 9.0g
Salt 2.0g
25%
26%
46%
10% 33%
of an adult’s reference intake.
This system tells you at a glance if the food has high (RED), medium (AMBER) or low (GREEN) amounts of fat, sugar and salt.
The more green lights, the healthier the choice.
Foods with more red lights should be eaten only every now and again.
What if the traffic light panel has all 3 colours? For a healthier choice try to pick products with more greens and ambers and fewer reds.
These are an estimated amount of nutrients and energy you need for a healthy diet each day. They are not intended as targets and are based on an ‘average’ person who does an ‘average’ amount of exercise and, therefore, need to be adapted for each individual.
The reference intake referred to on food labels is for that of someone eating a 2000 calorie diet and are the following amounts:
Energy: 8,400 kJ/2,000kcal
Total fat: 70g
Saturates: 20g
Carbohydrate: 260g
Total sugars: 90g
Protein: 50g
Salt: 6g
Food Labels: What’s High and What’s Low
How much is High?
(High per 100g)
Total Sugars: 22.5g or over Total Fats: 17.5g or over Saturated Fat: 5g or over Salt: 1.5g or over
How much is low?
(low per 100g)
Total Sugars: 5g or less Total Fats: 3g or less Saturated Fat: 1.5g or less Salt: 1.3g or less
Carbohydrates
There are 2 types of carbohydrates, simple and complex.
Simple: Includes all types of added sugars and natural sugars present in foods such as honey, fruit and milk.
Complex: Also known as starch, they are present in rice, potatoes, bread, cereals, etc.
Fats
There are different types of fats:
Saturated
Monounsaturated
Polyunsaturated
Cholesterol
Trans fats
Some fats are healthier than others. The difference is mainly between hard (saturated) and soft (unsaturated) fats.
The saturated fats are harmful to our health, especially the heart and arteries, while some unsaturated fats are beneficial for our health.
Fibre
Fibre is the undigestible portion of plant food; it adds bulk to the diet and aids satiety. Good sources of fibre are fruit, vegetables and pulses. Some bread and cereal products are also a good source of fibre if they contain over 3g of fibre per 100g of food.
Light (or lite)
Remember to check the label on products that say ‘Light’ on them. There is no law saying how many fewer calories a product should have to be called ‘Light’.
Low-fat
To be considered ‘low-fat’, food must have less than 3g of fat per 100g and a drink or other liquid must have less than 1.5g of fat per 100ml.
No added sugar
This usually means that the food has not had sugar or sweetener added to it as an ingredient, although the food may have sugar naturally occurring in it, e.g. fruit juice.
Low-calorie
This indicates that the food you are looking at has 40 kcal or less for every 100 grams.
How can I use the ingredients list?
Most products have an ingredients list which can help you work out how healthy a product is.
Ingredients are listed in order of weight, so if there are high fat or high sugar ingredients at the top of the list e.g. cream, butter or sugar, then you know it is not such a healthy choice!
Food/Drink (Name)
Calories
Total fat (per 100g)
3g or less = Low
3.1g - 17.5g = Medium More than 17.5g = High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Saturated Fat (per 100g/100ml)
1.5g or less = Low
1.6g - 5g = Medium More than 5g = High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Carbohydrates of which sugar (per 100g/100ml) 5g or less = Low
5.1g - 22.5g = Medium More than 22.5g = High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Salt/Sodium (per 100g/100ml) 0.3g or less = Low
0.31g - 1.5g = Medium More than 1.5g = High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Low / Medium / High
Eating out should be fun; it is about spending time with your family or friends, not a stressful situation where you are worried about overeating. Preparation and planning are the key to healthily eating out wherever you go!
Restaurants
|
Buffets
|
Pressures to Eat
|
Social Eating
|
Takeaways
There are so many different takeaways to choose from and they are often open on the way home from work when you are feeling hungry for your evening meal.
Having a healthy snack before you leave work can help you resist calling in for a takeaway in the evening.
Chinese Food
Choose:
A lower fat option such as steamed fish, chicken chop suey or Szechuan prawns.
Foods without batter, as batter is very high in saturated fat.
Steamed or boiled rice.
Avoid:
Sugary sauces such as lemon, sweet and sour and curry.
High fat starters such as prawn crackers, dim sum or spring rolls.
Egg fried rice.
Eating the full serving – why not share a main meal with a friend?
When we have takeaways it is very easy to eat more fat, sugar and salt than we realise, so here are a few tips to help you make a healthy choice when you do get a takeaway.
Pizza
Choose:
Low-fat toppings such as ham or veg – peppers give pizzas a great crunch.
A thin base pizza with a tomato sauce.
A pizza you can share.
Salad on the side.
Avoid:
Garlic bread as it often contains a lot of butter.
Salad dressings that are high in fat or sugar, such as mayonnaise.
Burgers and Kebabs
Choose:
Regular sized burgers and kebabs.
A small portion of chips.
Grilled burgers, chicken or fish instead of deep fried.
Shish kebab with pitta and salad.
Water or a low-sugar drink.
To downsize instead of supersize!
Avoid:
Large donner kebabs or supersize burgers.
High fat/sugar sauces such as ketchup, BBQ sauce or mayonnaise.
High sugar puddings like donuts or ice-creams.
Cheese crust pizzas or the offer of extra cheese on top!
Indian Food
Choose:
Lower fat options such as tandoori or madras with chicken, prawns or veg.
Plain rice and a chapati.
A mixed vegetable side dish.
Avoid:
Creamy curries such as korma, pasanda and masala.
Pakoras, poppadoms and pickle trays.
Pilau rice and naan bread.
Deep-fried side dishes like onion bhajis.
Assertive Communication
Communicating assertively means clearly and calmly expressing what you want without being either too passive or too aggressive.
Learning to communicate assertively doesn’t guarantee you will have your needs met but it does make it more likely, and it can improve your relationships with other people.
Passive
Thinking your needs don’t matter at all.
Give in.
Not talking, not being heard.
Trying to keep the peace.
Allowing yourself to be bullied.
Not saying what you think or not saying anything.
Damages relationships, other people respect you less.
Damages your self-esteem.
Assertive
Recognising that your needs matter as much as
anyone else’s. Compromise.
Talking and listening.
Making sure things are fair for you and others.
Standing up for yourself.
Express your point clearly and confidently.
Enhances relationships, other people know where they stand.
Builds your self-esteem.
Aggressive
Thinking that only your needs matter.
Take.
Talking over people.
Looking out for yourself.
Bullying others.
Can lead to shouting, aggression and violence.
Damages relationships, other people don’t like aggression.
Damages your self-esteem.
Use ‘I’ statements.
Be clear and direct: “I would like you to help me plan the meals this week”, “It was really helpful when you asked how my food diary was going, I’d like you to do this each week.”
Describe how the other person’s behaviour makes you feel.
This makes other people aware of the consequences of their actions: “I feel like giving up when you criticise what I eat.”
This involves thinking about what you want, preparing what you might say, then repeating it as necessary: “I have had enough thank you, I don’t want seconds...yes, but I still don’t want seconds...I’ve heard what you have said but I still don’t want seconds.”
Drinks can easily add to the number of calories we put in our bodies without us even realising!
Managing your daily consumption of sweetened drinks (soft drinks, fruit drinks, soda, energy drinks, sweetened milk or milk alternatives, and sugar added to tea and coffee) and/or alcohol (wine, beer, cider, and spirits) will have a significant impact on your weight.
To stay healthy, it’s important to replace the fluid we lose throughout the day. The calories in drinks don’t tend to fill us up as much as the calories in food. Therefore, it can be quite easy to have extra calories from drinks and still not feel very full.
Milk and fruit juices are good choices in moderation because they are full of nutrients and bursting with health benefits. However, nothing is better than water!
We love water! We hope you do too.
Drinking water gives you great skin.
Makes you better at concentrating.
Helps you feel fuller, so you don’t snack.
Contains zero calories.
Helps your body get rid of toxins.
Helps you when you exercise.
If you like fizzy drinks why not choose sparkling water for that lovely bubbly feeling.
Freeze juice to make ice-cubes – a quick and cold blast of flavour for your water.
Make a hot blackcurrant squash at night for a soothing drink before bed.
Keep a glass of water by your bedside, make sure you have a drink as soon as you wake up.
Add some fruit like berries, sliced lemon or orange pieces, fresh or frozen, to add some colour to your glass.
What’s in my drink?
What about milk?
Whole milk contains a lot of fat, so choose semi-skimmed or skimmed milk instead.
How about fruit juice and smoothies?
Remember that fruit has a lot of natural sugar so stick to one 150ml glass per day.
Try and make smoothies at home then you know what fruit and juice has gone into them.
Everyone drinks fizzy drinks, are they really that bad?
Whilst sugar-free drinks are a better option than the full-sugar versions they can still be bad for your teeth and some will contain caffeine.
Why not try adding fruit to water for flavour or using sparkling water and sugar-free cordial!
Below are some examples of the sugar content in some popular drinks*
330ml Can of Coke has about 7 teaspoons of sugar 500ml bottle of Ribena has 4.3 teaspoons of sugar
500ml bottle of Lucozade Sport has 3.5 teaspoons of sugar 200ml bottle of Yop has 3.6 teaspoons of sugar
*Correct as of Jan 2023
Alcohol
Alcohol
Portion Size
Units
Calories Provided
Lager (4%)
Lager (5%) Ale
Stout
Cider (4.5%)
Wine (13%) White/Red/Rose
Wine (13%) White/Red/Rose
Wine (13%) White/Red/Rose
Bottle of Wine (13%) Champagne (12%)
Spirits (40%)
Spirits (50%-60%)
Alcopops (4%) Gin or Vodka and
Slimline or Diet Coke Dark Rum and Coke
Cream Liquer (17%)
25ml spirit 150ml mixer
25ml spirit 150ml mixer
50ml
1
70-95
1
140
0.9
175
With a pint of bitter containing the same calories as a medium slice of pizza, and a standard size ‘ready to drink’ bottle ‘alcopop’ is the same as two chocolate covered biscuits, so the calories in alcohol soon add up.
Half pint | 1 | 95 |
Pint | 2.3 | 189 |
Half pint | 1.4 | 128 |
Pint | 2.8 | 256 |
Half pint | 1 | 86 |
Pint | 2.3 | 172 |
Half pint | 1 | 86 |
Pint | 2.3 | 172 |
Pint | 2.6 | 215 |
175ml | 2.6 | 160 |
125ml | 1.5 | 90 |
85ml | 1 | 71 |
750ml | 9.8 | 626 |
125ml | 1.5 | 89 |
25ml Single | 1 | 62 |
50ml Double | 2.3 | 110 |
275ml bottle | 1.1 | 170 |
Choose diet soft drinks and slimline options for mixers rather than juice-based drinks. You can use this website to calculate the number of alcohol units and calories you have consumed: www.drinkaware.co.uk/tools/unit-and-calorie-calculator
You should limit your alcohol intake to a maximum of 14 units, spread over three or more days, rather than consuming large amounts at once. You should also include some alcohol-free days.
Alcopops are also very high in sugar, so watch your calorie coun when consuming them.
Physical Activity
Physical activity has a huge number of benefits to your health and wellbeing. Some people think of exercise as something they ‘should’ or ‘must’ do.
At Morelife we think of activity as something nice to do for your body and mind and we want you to find a form of activity that you can actually enjoy!
So what are the recommendations?
The Department of Health recommends that adults participate in 150 minutes of moderate exercise/physical activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise/physical activity
per week (or a combination of both).
Physical activity differs from exercise by being less structured or formal and covers a huge range of possibilities.
Why?
Improved self-esteem, moods and emotions.
A sense of achievement.
Reduced stress.
Improved sleep.
Contributes to positive wellbeing.
Psychological Benefits
Meeting new people with similar interests.
Improved quality of relationships through improved self-esteem.
Less time spent alone.
Social Benefits
Physical Benefits
Improved cardiovascular health.
Increased muscle mass and efficiency.
Fat loss or weight maintenance and an overall “fitter-healthier” appearance.
Increased energy levels.
As we said, there are huge numbers of benefits to, just a few are listed below:
1. Tracking Activity
Just like keeping a food diary can improve your eating habits, tracking your activity levels can help you monitor and improve on the amount you are doing in your day to day life.
You can do this in a number of ways; buying a step counter (many smart phones come with a step counting app now), using a wearable device or just jotting down any structured activity in your Morelife diary, you don’t need to be high tech!
A word of warning: Some electronic food diaries will give you extra calories for any exercise you have done, do NOT eat these extra calories. They are often inaccurate and may stop you losing weight.
Instead, look at exercise as a bonus and a way of improving your overall health.
Another easy way to increase your activity levels is to incorporate NEAT activity into your lifestyle.
NEAT stands for ‘Non-Exercise Activity Time’, and incorporates any activity you do that isn’t a structured activity. This is great for people who find it difficult to exercise.
NEAT could include:
Walking about whilst you are on the phone, rather than just sitting still.
Getting off the bus a stop earlier and walking the extra distance.
Walking to work a few times a week.
Walking to the shop and running some errands.
Do housework like dusting, hoovering or washing the car.
3. Structured Activity
You can also increase your activity levels through structured activity.
Structured activities tend to be a bit more intense than our NEAT activities but don’t have to be done in a gym!
Going for a walk, swimming, chair-based exercises, dancing etc. all count! Try to find something that you actually enjoy as this will mean you will keep doing it long term.
For more help with physical activity available in your local area please talk to your practitioner.
Sometimes people do not realise how much of a difference they can make to their activity levels by just focusing on reducing the time they spend being sedentary.
Think about how much time you spend in front of a screen either watching TV, time on the computer, texting and emailing etc. It all adds up.
Reducing sedentary time doesn’t necessarily mean stopping doing some activities you enjoy but rather thinking about how you can make these pursuits more active or build activity around them.
For example, if you know you are going to the cinema, arrange to meet a friend early for a walk around town first.
If you have a desk-job, set an alarm to go off every hour so you get up and stretch your legs for a couple of minutes.
Barriers to Physical Activity
Below is a list of questions that may help you identify if you have any personal barriers to Physical Activity.
Once you’ve answered all the questions, mark the two of these that you think pose the biggest obstacle to you becoming active. Write down some steps you can take to overcome these barriers.
Your experience with exercise
Yes
Which is a priority (Choose 2)
What is your plan to overcome these barriers?
No
Was exercise ever used as a punishment?
Were you ever teased for being uncoordinated?
No
Were you ever picked last for teams?
Your attitude to exercise
Yes
Which is a priority (Choose 2)
What is your plan to overcome these barriers?
Do you use exercise | ||
to compensate for | ||
eating certain | ||
foods? | ||
Do you believe that | ||
physical activity | ||
only counts when | ||
you sweat and burn | ||
a lot of calories? | ||
Is losing weight the | ||
main purpose | ||
of exercise for you? | ||
Do you set yourself | ||
unrealistic | ||
goals, only to give | ||
up completely? | ||
you feel that you do | ||
not have enough | ||
time to exercise? | ||
Is your working | ||
pattern | ||
unpredictable? (e.g. | ||
shift work, lots | ||
of travel for work | ||
Does looking after | ||
your family leave | ||
you with little time | ||
for yourself? | ||
Your time management
Your self belief
Do you lack the confidence in your ability to become more active?
Do you think you need to lose weight before you can start to exercise?
Do you have an injury or condition that means you cannot do the activities you used to enjoy?
Do you feel too tired to exercise?
Do you want to become more active but just don’t know where to start?
Yes
Yes
Which is a priority (Choose 2)
No
No
Which is a priority (Choose 2)
What is your plan to overcome these barriers?
What is your plan to overcome these barriers?
Other barriers
What is your plan to overcome these barriers?
Write down any other barrier you think may pose an obstacle to becoming more active here:
How might I benefit from increased activity?
What stops me being more active?
Commiting to something new...
Identify a new activity to reduce sedentary behaviour:
Identify a way to increase lifestyle activity:
Approaching Activity
Health Benefits of Nature
We are often told to spend more time outdoors but why is this important? Is it just the exercise that’s good for us? There are many benefits to being outside beyond exercise.
Having time outside can break up your day.
Being in “green spaces”: areas where there are trees, grass, or plants, such as a park, has been shown to reduce stress and improve mood. Spending time in green spaces has even been linked to improvements in physical health.
These benefits may be enhanced when we are also able to walk or sit by “blue spaces” for example rivers, the sea, or lakes. These have also been shown to enhance wellbeing.
Why is this?
We aren’t totally sure! It may be that spending time outdoors is a basic human need, often called nature-connectedness. This need is one that can be easily neglected in our busy lives.
Nature-connectedness covers a lot of things, including the time we spend outside, with animals, and even the time we spend appreciating where our food comes from.
Another reason being outside helps our wellbeing is due to the health benefits of small amounts of sun exposure.
Sun exposure has many health benefits these include:
Helps our brains differentiate day and night.
Improved mood.
Increased levels of Vitamin D.
Improves sleep.
Improves brain function.
Stronger bones.
Hunger/Fullness Scale
1 Starving and feeling weak or dizzy. 2 Very hungry, low energy, stomach growling. 3 Pretty hungry, stomach beginning to growl. | |
4 Beginning to feel hungry. 5 Satisfied, neither hungry nor full. | |
6 Slightly full or pleasantly full. 7 Slightly uncomfortable. 8 Feeling stuffed. 9 Very uncomfortable and stomach aches. 10 So full you feel sick. | |
The Hunger/Fullness Scale can be used to check how hungry or full you are at any given time. Familiarise your self with the scale and assess your hunger before, during, and after meals or snacks. Recording your scores in the My Life Plan diary can help you spot when you might be eating due to emotions, boredom or out of habit.
Thoughts, Feelings & Behaviours
We take a cognitive behavioural approach when trying to improve our thoughts and feelings around eating and exercise.
Lose a pound at weigh in.
Situation
Lose a pound at weigh in.
Situation
“Only a pound, I’ve got four stone to lose.”
Thought
“If I keep this up for a year I will lose almost 4 stone!”
Thought
Cognitive behavioural therapy is based on the idea that the way we think about situations can affect the way we feel and behave. For example:
Give up, stop keeping a food diary, comfort eat.
Behaviour
Accept congratulations, encourage others, keep up eating and exercise behaviours.
Behaviour
Sadness, de-motivation, anger, frustration.
Feelings
Joy, motivation, euphoria, pride.
Feelings
Do you see how different ways of thinking might affect how you feel? And how that, in turn, impacts upon your emotions and behaviour. So why do we have these ‘unhelpful’ thoughts? Often they are learned, like habits. They often fall into different categories...
Unhelpful Thinking
There is no middle ground.
For example, “either I do it perfectly, or it’s a complete waste of time.
For example, “I didn’t complete my food diary,
I’m such a failure.”
Attributing shortcomings or failures with your
character.
Labelling
For example, “I feel it,
therefore it must be true.”
Assuming that negative
emotions reflect the way things really are,
Emotional Reasoning
All or Nothing Thinking
For example,
“He doesn’t like me” or “They think I’m stupid.”
Assuming to know others’ thoughts, intentions or
motives.
Mind Reading
Anticipating things will turn out badly and feel your prediction is fact.
For example,
“What is the point in trying? It won’t work out.”
For example, “People are only nice to me because they feel sorry for me”; or devaluing your abilities,
“anyone could do that.”
Rejecting positive
experiences.
Rejecting the Positive
Predicting the Future
Believing that discomfort or painful feelings are ‘unbearable’ or that you ‘can’t stand’ difficult situations or difficult behaviours from others.
Frustration Tolerance
Focusing on and exaggerating the severity of a situation and its possible consequences making a mountain out of a molehill.
Catastrophising
Focusing on the negative prevents you from noticing the positive.
Mental Filter
Demands
Unrealistic/unhelpful expectations placed upon yourself and others. For example, “I should be able to do this”, “I must not make mistakes”, “He needs to listen to me.”
For example, “I didn’t lose weight last week. I’ll never
succeed at anything!”
Evidence is drawn from one experience or a small set of experiences and applied to
all future experiences.
Overgeneralisation
Blaming yourself for a negative event for which you were not responsible.
For example, “The boss is quiet today because I am incompetent.”
Blame/Personalisation
So now we’ve identified our ‘unhelpful’ thoughts, how do we deal with them? Try asking yourself the following questions:
What evidence is there that my thoughts are true?
How do I know they are true?
What evidence is there that they are not true?
Are there any other facts I’ve overlooked?
What would I say to a friend having these thoughts?
Would acting on these thoughts bring me closer to or further away from my goals/values?
Does it really matter if these thoughts are true or am I wasting energy on things I cannot change?
Sometimes emotions themselves can act as a trigger for eating.
In fact, eating for any reason other than hunger can be called emotional eating, and how often do we really eat for hunger?
Probably not all that often if we’re honest! Other reasons for eating include habit, boredom, stress, sadness, celebration or even just because it’s there!
So what is the difference between emotional and physical hunger? Here are some clues:
Comes on slowly.
Is for any food.
Will go away if you eat.
Can usually be ignored (e.g. if you are busy you can forget you’re hungry).
Is annoying.
Physical hunger
Comes on quickly.
Is usually for a specific food.
Often persists even after you have eaten (e.g. you want to continue).
It is very difficult to ignore a craving.
It is distressing.
Emotional hunger
Bold Technique
Be BOLD! BOLD stands for:
Breath
Take a couple of breaths, slow down!
Observe
Observe what you are feeling, are you tired or tense perhaps? Angry or bored?
Listen
Listen to your values, why do you want to make a change?
Decide
Make decisions in line with your values!
The Three D’s
Things you could do, and how long you will do them for:
Distract
Do something that will occupy your thoughts and grab your attention.
Perhaps do something physical to use the energy of the craving.
So how do we cope with an urge or craving to eat when we are not hungry? We recommend the three D’s, these are:
Delay
Delay the decision to give in to the craving for a set time – 5, 10, 30 or 60 minutes. The craving will pass!
I will delay for:
(Write down the number of minutes)
Decide
After the set time, decide not to do whatever the craving wants you to do
(the unhealthy or addictive habit you want to stop doing). Remind yourself of all the…
Advantages of not doing it:
Disadvantages of doing it:
Reasons I want to stop:
Stress can have a negative impact on your health, even without you realising it.
You may think illness is to blame for that nagging headache, your frequent insomnia or your decreased productivity at work. But stress may actually be the culprit.
What happens when we are stressed?
Headache.
Muscle tension or pain.
Tiredness.
Digestive problems.
Difficulty sleeping.
Common effects of stress on your body
Anxiety.
Inability to concentrate.
Feeling overwhelmed.
Irritability or anger.
Sadness or depression.
Common effects of stress of your mood
Disordered eating.
Aggression.
Use of alcohol/drugs and/or tobacco.
Social withdrawal.
Change in sex drive.
Common effects of stress on your behaviour
You might find that your first clues about being stressed are physical signs, like tiredness, headaches or an upset stomach. This can be because when we feel stressed emotionally, our bodies release hormones called cortisol and adrenaline. This is the body’s automatic way of preparing to respond to a threat (sometimes called the ‘fight or flight’ response) and is a good thing if we are actually in danger. However, if we stay in the ‘fight or flight’ state for an extended period of time it can damage our health. Stress has been linked to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
Managing stress
If you have stress symptoms, taking steps to manage your stress can have many health benefits. Explore stress management strategies, such as:
Regular physical activity.
Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, tai chi or getting a massage.
Keeping a sense of humour.
Socialising with family and friends.
Developing your interests and hobbies.
Keeping a work-life balance.
Setting aside time for yourself, such as reading a book or listening to music.
Prioritising sleep.
Eating healthily.
Practicing assertive communication with others.
Learning to say ‘no’ to unreasonable demands.
Rewarding yourself for achievements and not beating yourself up if you make mistakes, no one is perfect!
Avoiding tobacco use, excess caffeine and alcohol intake, they may seem to help but make stress worse in the long term.
When to seek help:
If you’re not sure if stress is the cause or if you’ve taken steps to control your stress but your symptoms continue, contact your GP or local services.
Look at your Stress
Make a list of stressful events that happened to you over the last 12 to 18 months.
Please think about both negative and positive (such as retirement, moving to a new house) events that can be stressful.
Where do you feel your stress? Look at the physical stress symptoms and assess where in your body you feel stress. Add anything extra that occurs to you.
Flushing.
Tense Muscles.
Fidgeting.
Sweating.
Indigestion/Acid reflux.
Dry mouth.
Nausea.
List the behavioural responses and your thoughts you experienced with this stressful event.
Behavioural Responses Thoughts/Beliefs
Now think about these responses. Are they adding to your stress level or helping you deal with the source of stress?
Dietary habits & Behaviours associated with Weight Management
Weight loss journeys can be divided into two very distinct parts: weight loss and weight maintenance. Both phases are equally significant. Whether you are currently losing or maintaining your weight the following tips will help you with your goal.
Top 10 Tips
Establish a Regular Meal Pattern – This gives structure and routine to eating habits, helping prevent impulsive snacking when hungry and keeping blood sugar levels steady. This minimizes tiredness and irritability.
Reduce the fat and sugar in your diet – keep an eye on the fat and sugar levels in food and drink you consume regularly, particularly dairy products, sauces, spreads and fizzy drinks.
Increase walking – aim for 10,000 steps per day.
Pack healthy snacks – such as fruit or yoghurt, instead of going for chocolate or crisps.
Use food labels – to help you choose products that support your goals. Even small changes can make a big difference.
Portion awareness is key – knowing your portion sizes can be really helpful when it comes to losing and maintaining weight.
All movement counts – just moving more during the day can have many health benefits.
Stay hydrated – Drink lots of water, moderate milk and fruit juice and limit sweetened drinks and alcohol.
Mindful Eating – This is a great way to help you both enjoy and control your intakes.
Get your 5-a-Day – Incorporate fruit and veg into meals and as snacks.
Breaking bad habits
To break the cycle, we must constantly remind ourselves to get out of the backseat and sit behind the wheel.
We are often the victims of a lazy brain that is relying too heavily on mental shortcuts. The trick is to be mindful of our behaviors, no matter how trivial they may seem.
Ask yourself questions like: Why do I want that cookie? Why do I want to say such a cruel thing? I am yawning, so why am I staying up to watch another episode? Why am I looking at my phone instead of enjoying my meal?
Changing habits
The best way to change your unhelpful habits is to directly replace them with new ones. When you create a habit, your brain creates new neurological pathways allowing you to more easily use those habits, with time and exercise, they become easier to complete and sometimes even automatic.
But why do people return to their old habits so often? It is because our brains are familiar with those old habits, and it is a time and energy saver for our brain to return to old habits. It is like walking on a grassy field, our brains use the well-trodden apthway instead of creating a new one.
Of course, this helps us in the many simple and automatic daily tasks we carry out such as walking, talking, running, and eating. We don’t need to stop and think about how to walk before we get up and do it!
Since those existing pathways never get erased, the best way to change existing habits is to replace them with new ones.
How to form habits
Habits are rituals and behaviors that we perform automatically, allowing us to carry out essential activities such as brushing our teeth, taking a shower, getting dressed for work, and following the same routes every day without thinking about them. Our unconscious habits free up resources for our brains to carry out other more complex tasks like solving problems or deciding what to make for dinner.
We all have habits and we activate hundreds every day. These habits can be divided into three groups.
The first group are the habits that we simply don’t notice because they have been part of our lives forever, like tying shoelaces or brushing teeth.
The second are helpful habits that are good for us and which we work hard on establishing like exercising, eating well or getting enough sleep.
The final group are the habits that are not helpful for us like smoking, procrastinating or overspending.
Habits
Learning from a Lapse
Everyone will lapse from time to time and when this does happen it can be helpful to make a record.
This works best if you do it as soon as possible after the lapse occurred, while it is still fresh in your mind.
Describing thoughts, feelings and experiences is a lot more accurate if done straight away. The idea is to understand your cravings and explore them with openness and curiosity.
Exploring any cravings can be beneficial.
Be kind to yourself, and not judgemental.
Remember, learning is a process, and you can learn a lot from your experiences. These questions can also be filled out for a near-miss, as well as a lapse.
What were you doing when the craving arose? Where? Who with?
What were you feeling when the craving arose?
Think back to when you last had a lapse and answer the questions below:
What will you do differently next time?
What were you thinking at the point that the decision was made?
How did you feel whilst eating?
E.g. Exercise, Meditation, Call a friend, take a bath.
What self-care activity can you do now to help feel better?
Sleep Hygiene
What is Sleep Hygiene?
‘Sleep hygiene’ is the term used to describe good sleep habits. Considerable research has gone into developing a set of guidelines and tips which are designed to enhance good sleeping There is lots of evidence to suggest that the strategies below can provide long-term solutions to sleep difficulties.
There are many medications which are used to treat insomnia, but these tend to be only effective in the short-term. Continuous use of sleeping pills may lead to dependence and interfere with the development of good sleeping habits, independent of medication. This may ultimately prolong sleep difficulties. Talk to your health professional about what is right for you. However, we recommend good sleep hygiene as an important part of treating insomnia – either alone or paired with other strategies, such as medication or cognitive therapy.
Sleep hygiene tips
Get regular. One of the best ways to train your body to sleep well is going to bed and getting up at the same time every day – even on weekends and days off! Having a regular rhythm will make you feel better by giving your body something to work from.
Sleep when sleepy. Only try to sleep when you actually feel tired or sleepy, rather than spending too much time awake in bed.
Get up & try again. If you haven’t been able to get to sleep after 20 minutes or more, get up and do something calming until you feel sleepy. Then, return to bed and try again. You could try sitting quietly on the couch with the lights off, as bright light will tell your brain it is time to wake up. You could also try something boring, like reading the phone book.
Avoid anything too stimulating, as this will wake your body up even more.
Avoid caffeine & nicotine. It is best to avoid consuming any caffeine (in coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate, and some medications) or nicotine (cigarettes) for at least 4-6 hours before going to bed. These substances act as stimulants and interfere with the ability to fall asleep.
Bed is for sleeping. Try not to use your bed for anything other than sleeping and sex. This will help your body associate your bed with sleep. If you use bed as a place to watch TV, eat, read, work on your laptop, or pay your bills, your body will not learn this connection.
Avoid alcohol. It is also best to avoid alcohol for at least 4-6 hours before going to bed. Many people believe that alcohol is relaxing and helps them sleep. However, alcohol interrupts the quality of your sleep.
Sleep hygiene tips
No naps. It is best to avoid taking naps during the day to make sure that you are tired at bedtime. If you can’t make it through the day without a nap, make sure it is for less than an hour and before 3pm.
Sleep rituals. You can develop your own rituals of things to inform your body it is time to sleep. Some people find it helpful to do relaxing stretches, or breathing exercises, for 15 minutes before bed. You could also try sitting calmly with a cup of caffeine-free tea.
Bath time. Having a hot bath 1-2 hours before bedtime can be useful, as it will raise your body temperature. As your body cools you may begin to feel sleepy, as research has shown sleepiness is associated with a fall in body temperature.
No clock-watching. Many people who struggle with sleep tend to watch the clock too much. Frequently checking the clock during the night can wake you up, especially if you turn on the light to read the time. It can also reinforce negative thoughts such as “Oh no, look how late it is. I’ll never get to sleep...” or “it’s so early - I’ve only slept for 5 hours, this is terrible!”
Use a sleep diary. A diary can be useful in making sure you have the right facts about your sleep, rather than making assumptions. Because keeping a diary involves clock-watching (see above) it is a good idea to only use it for two weeks. This will give you an idea of what’s going on. Then repeat the diary two months later to see how you are progressing.
Exercise. Regular exercise is a good idea to help with good sleep but try not to do strenuous exercise in the 4 hours before bedtime. Morning walks are a great way to start the day feeling refreshed!
Eat right. A healthy, balanced diet will help you to sleep well but timing is important! Some people find that a very empty stomach at bedtime is distracting, so it can be useful to
have a light snack. A heavy meal right before bed can also interrupt sleep. Some people recommend a warm glass of milk, as milk contains tryptophan which is a natural sleep inducer.
The right space. It is very important that your bed and bedroom are quiet and comfortable for sleeping. A cooler room with enough blankets to stay warm is best. Make sure you have curtains or an eye mask to block out early morning light and earplugs if there is noise outside your room.
Keep daytime routine the same. Even if you have a bad night sleep and are tired it is important that you try to keep your daytime activities the same as you had planned. Don’t avoid activities because you feel tired. This can reinforce the insomnia.
Regulating Sleep
Not many people make the association between insufficient sleep and weight gain but this is a connection that has been studied in recent years. While the exact link between sleep and weight gain is not yet clear, studies have found that not getting enough sleep can result in increased appetite and eating.
In the longer term, too little sleep has been linked with obesity and even conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Individuals are recommended to get 7-8 hours of good quality sleep per night.Getting more sleep can be difficult, especially with continuously lit indoor environments and the glow of screens confusing our body’s natural rhythms.
A busy lifestyle, too much time in front of computer and television screens and shift work among other factors, can result in partial sleep deprivation.
Tips for a good night’s sleep:
Go to bed and get up at the same time each night and morning, even at weekends. Having a couple of late nights and lie-ins can disrupt your pattern for the whole week.
Try to get out into natural light for at least 30 minutes every day.
Turn off all screens at least 30 minutes before you go to bed- this helps to boost our sleep hormones.
Cut back on caffeine, especially in the afternoon.
Get at least 30 minutes exercise during the day.
Avoid alcohol - it can help us get to sleep but you may find yourself waking during the night.
Make your bedroom as relaxing a place as possible; tidy, cool, quiet and dark.
Practice a relaxation technique before going to bed. This can be anything from deep breathing and meditation to taking a bath and reading a book.
How well do you sleep?
1. Do you have trouble falling asleep? | ||
Not at all | Just a little | Somewhat |
A good bit of the time | Most of the time | All of the time |
2. Do you have trouble staying awake during the day? | ||
Not at all | Just a little | Somewhat |
A good bit of the time | Most of the time | All of the time |
3. Do you get enough sleep to feel rested when you first wake in the morning? | ||
Not at all | Just a little | Somewhat |
A good bit of the time | Most of the time | All of the time |
4. Do you get the amount of sleep you think you need? | ||
Not at all | Just a little | Somewhat |
A good bit of the time | Most of the time | All of the time |
5. Do you snore when you sleep? | ||
Not at all | Just a little | Somewhat |
A good bit of the time | Most of the time | All of the time |
6. Do you feel drowsy or sleepy during the day? | ||
Not at all | Just a little | Somewhat |
A good bit of the time | Most of the time | All of the time |
7. Do you unintentionally fall asleep during the day? | ||
Not at all | Just a little | Somewhat |
A good bit of the time | Most of the time | All of the time |
8. Do you feel that your sleep was not restful
(e.g. feeling tense, moving restlessly, can’t get comfortable)?
9.Do you awaken short of breath with a headache first thing in the morning? | ||
Not at all | Just a little | Somewhat |
A good bit of the time | Most of the time | All of the time |
10. Do you awaken in the middle of the night and have trouble falling asleep again? | ||
Not at all | Just a little | Somewhat |
A good bit of the time | Most of the time | All of the time |
11. How long does it usually take you to fall asleep during the past 4 weeks?
Now look at your answers.
If you answered mostly a’s and b’s then you are sleeping fairly well.
Mostly c’s and d’s: your sleeping patterns might be affecting your day to day life.
Mostly e’s and f’s : your sleeping patterns are likely to have a significant impact on your life and wellbeing. For any concerns regarding sleep patters, contact your GP for advice.
Not at all
A good bit of the time
Just a little
Most of the time
Somewhat
All of the time
Not at all
A good bit of the time
Just a little
Most of the time
Somewhat
All of the time
Reflection Prompts
Below are some questions intended to prompt your reflection on your progress and journey with Morelife so far.
What parts of my journey with Morelife have I enjoyed so far?
What were my initial goals when starting this journey?
Have I been achieving my weekly goals?
When I don’t achieve a short-term goal I set out to, what went wrong?
What hasn’t been going so well for me?
What areas and challenges am I still struggling with?
Have I progressed in losing weight since the beginning of the programme and am I happy with this progress?
What parts of the programme have I not enjoyed?
What has been the most useful thing I have learnt so far?
What does losing weight mean to me?
Do I feel like I have fully committed to the programme?
What behaviours help me stay on track?
What can I do when I feel I am going off track?
Do I have tools to help me cope with stress, anxiety and emotional distress?
How has reflecting been beneficial to me?
Is this type of reflection something I might keep up with to support my journey?
Wheel of life
It is important to be aware of what aspects of your life need attention.
This wheel will enable you to consider how your life appears at the moment.
To help you find which areas of your life would benefit from being changed, use this wheel.
The centre of the wheel is 0 – Totally dissatisfied.
The outer ring is 10 – Totally satisfied.
Mark each of the sectors below from 0-10 to indicate how satisfied you are with those aspects.
This will indicate to you where to make adjustments and how balanced your life is.
What do you do to take care of yourself?
Which barriers make it more difficult?
What would you like to focus on?
Self-care
What would you like to do more of?
Maintaining Motivation
What does losing weight mean to you?
Current weight =
10% Weight loss goal =
5% Weight loss goal =
Starting weight =
Weight Loss Goals.
How do you feel about your progress so far?
Do you feel that you fully committed to the programme?
Which eating behaviours help you to stay on track?
It is always good to reflect on your progress to date and to think about where you are going. Let’s start by jotting down why you are doing this.
Which activity behaviours help you to stay on track?
Are there any other behaviours that help you stay on track?
Are there any areas that you still find difficult?
How do you overcome these?
How are you going to continue monitoring yourself when the weekly sessions finish?
How will you know that you are going off track? What are the signs?
What can you do if you notice that you are going off track?
Resources to help along the way
Below are a number of websites, apps and books that we would recommend as additional reading along your journey.
They are all trusted sources and, like Morelife, their information is based on actual research and evidence.
CHANGE 4 LIFE
Lots of healthy eating tips, recipes & fun ways to exercise. Also try downloading the free apps.
ONEYOU
To help you get healthier and feel better with free tips, tools and support. Whether it’s moving more, eating more healthily or checking yourself, OneYou can help you make small, practical changes that fit in with your life.
BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION
UK’s number one heart charity offering information about heart disease and advice on how you can help prevent it.
PARKRUN
Parkrun organise free, weekly, 5km timed runs around the world. They are open to everyone and are safe and easy to take part in.
MIND
Advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem.
NHS CHOICES
Click on the Live Well tab for free information appropriate for the family.
DIABETES UK
To support everyone affected by Diabetes.
MYFITNESSPAL APP
Comprehensive database of foods-both brand names and average portions provided. Syncs with website. User friendly and recipes/ingredient lists can be added for analysis. User can scan the barcode of foods for accurate input. Also has an exercise tracker but due to over estimation of calories burned, we advise that you do not include any calories burned from exercise to increase your daily calorie allowance. Any physical activity is a bonus to help to achieve your weight loss. We also advise you to manually change the settings so
that your calorie allowance is the same as the EER we give you (MyFitnessPal uses different calorie calculations to MoreLife).
CARBS AND CALS APP
Credible information as it has been analysed by a Registered Dietitian. User friendly. Has some brand names. Also has web support.
SLEEP STATION APP
An app to support with sleep which you can get free with a GP referral
SLEEPIO APP
Another sleep app, which is free in certain areas
MENTAL HEALTH APPS
www.england.nhs.uk/supporting-our-nhs-people/support-now/wellbeing-apps A range of apps for stress and mental health
AUDIO GUIDES
www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/moodzone-mental-wellbeing-audio-guides
Audio guides to help with stress and anxiety
Carbs & Cals: Count your Carbs & Calories with over 1,800 Food & Drink Photos! By Chris Cheyette & Yello Balolia
Paperback: 332 pages
Publisher: Chello Publishing Limited; 5th edition (March 2013) ISBN-13: 978-1-908261-06-9
Link: www.amazon.co.uk/Carbs-Cals-Count-Calories-Photos/dp/1908261064
Glossary
Word
Assertive Communication
Behaviour change
Binge eating
Description
Assertive communication is the ability to express and communicate your beliefs, needs and emotions in an open, honest, and direct way. It recognises our own rights whilst respecting the rights of others.
Any efforts put in place to change the way we live our lives with the goal of being healthier can be thought of as a ‘behaviour change’.
This means something different to different people but usually involves regularly eating a lot of food over a short period of time until feeling uncomfortably full. Most people also feel out of control during a binge.
Biopsychological Model
The biopsychosocial model is a model used in health psychology which looks at how our biology (e.g., genetics), psychology and social factors all influence our health.
Blood pressure
Blood pressure is a measure of the force that your heart uses to pump blood around your body. Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg). The ideal blood pressure is considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg.
Body-fat distribution
Is the areas in which fat is found in the body.
Calorie
A calorie is a unit of energy, it is how we measure how much energy we get from food or drink items.
Calorie awareness
Understanding how many calories are being taken in or are present in foods/drinks.
Calorie deficit When you burn more calories than you take in.
Carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are one of the major food groups and are important to a balanced diet. They include starchy carbohydrates, dietary fibre and simple sugars.
Cardiovascular
Means relating to the heart and blood vessels. E.g. cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a condition that affects the heart or blood vessels.
Circuit training
Circuit training is a style of workout where you do several exercises (usually five to 10) targeting different muscle groups with minimal rest in between.
Confidence
The feeling or belief that one can have faith in or rely on someone or something.
Concious processing
When we are aware of what we are doing and why rather than acting out of habit or on ‘autopilot’.
Cortisol
Cortisol is often referred to as our “fight or flight” or “stress hormone” as it has a key role in helping us deal with stressful situations. Cortisol also helps to control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, helps reduce inflammation, and aids memory.
Deficiency Not having enough of something that is needed.
Diet The kinds of food that a person habitually eats.
Emotion
An emotion is a feeling such as happiness, love, fear, anger, or sadness, which can be caused by the situation that you are in or the people you are with.
Emotional Eating
Emotional hunger
Endorphins
Emotional eating is using food to make yourself feel better—to fill emotional needs, rather than your stomach. Many of us also turn to food for comfort, stress relief, or to reward ourselves. And when we do, we tend to reach for foods high in fat and sugar rather than healthier options.
Emotional hunger comes on suddenly. It hits you in an instant and feels overwhelming. Emotional hunger often craves specific comfort foods for example high sugar and fat foods that provide an instant rush. You may feel like you need cheesecake or pizza, and nothing else will do.
Endorphins are ‘feel good’ chemicals that account for feelings of pleasure. Endorphins are hormones, which are released in the brain to reduce pain. In large amounts they can make you feel relaxed or
full of energy.
Energy balance When you take in the same amount of calories as you burn.
Exercise
Any activity requiring physical effort and is carried out to sustain or improve health and fitness, it is a form of planned, structured, and repetitive activity.
Fat
Fats are an essential nutrient that provide the body with energy, important vitamins (vitamins A and D) and essential fatty acids which the body is unable to make for itself such as Omega 3 and 6.
Fibre
Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that is found in fruit, vegetables, pulses and grains. There are 2 types - Soluble that gets broken down and can help improve cholesterol levels and Insoluble - that doesn’t get broken down and helps support digestion and bowel health.
Fitness The condition of being physically fit and healthy.
Food diary
A detailed daily record of the food and drink taken in over a certain period of time, often used to help track calorie intakes, eating patterns and thoughts/feelings when eating.
Glucose
Glucose is the main source of energy used in the body.
It is a simple sugar that people get from food and drinks when they get broken down in the body.
Goal setting
Deciding on a specific goal that you want to achieve and planning on how to do this. e.g. drinking more water every day, eating more veg, walking for longer.
Habit
A habit is a routine of behaviour that is familiar to you because it has repeated regularly. It’s like the behaviours that learnt once, such as brushing teeth or making a cup of coffee; do not need much effort now.
Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is a way of living that means your mental, physical, and social needs are all met. This will mean that your chances of getting certain diseases are lowered and your general wellbeing
will be protected.
Heart rate
Heart rate is the number of times the heart beats per minute (bpm). A normal heart rate is between 60 and 100 bpm while a person is resting, sitting still.
Higher fibre carbohydrates
These are carbohydrates that have a large amount of dietary fibre within them. They include high fibre breakfast cereals, wholegrain breads and oats, fruits and vegetables and potatoes with skin amongst others.
Hormones
Hormones are molecules that act as chemical messengers in the body and regulate various biological activities including growth, development, reproduction, energy use and storage, and water and electrolyte balance.
Hunger/fullness rating
Is a tool that’s used to understand different levels of hunger and fullness, and how to appropriately respond to those levels. It’s a scale of 1-10, where each number links to a different level of hunger or fullness.
Hydrated/ dehydrated
‘Hydrated’ means having enough fluid to help the body to function properly. ‘Dehydrated’ is not having the right amount of fluid to allow the body to carry out its normal functions.
Insulin
Insulin resistance occurs when your body’s cells do not respond effectively to the insulin produced by your body or when taken as medication, resulting in higher blood sugar levels because the insulin cannot be used properly.
Insulin resistance
Glucose is the main source of energy used in the body. It is a simple sugar that people get from food and drinks when they get broken down in the body.
Lapse A brief or temporary failure of concentration, memory, or judgement.
Lipid A lipid is another name for fats.
Maintenance When weight stays stable.
Mental health
A state of wellbeing where someone recognises their own strengths, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to make a contribution to their community.
Metabolism
Describes processes that go on continuously inside your body to keep you alive and your organs functioning normally, such as breathing, repairing cells and digesting food.
Mindfulness
A mental state where you are focussed on the present moment rather than thinking about the future or past. You can practise mindfulness by meditating or by focussing your attention on daily tasks, like eating or walking.
Nutrients
Compounds in foods that provide us with energy and other important substances that are required for health.
Nutrition
Is the study of nutrients and other substances in food, how the body uses them, and the relationship between diet, health, and disease.
Passive communication
This is the opposite of assertive communication and is where you may avoid expressing your needs, opinions, and feelings because you do not like confrontation. This can also make you feel like you are not being listened to.
Physical activity
All movement including during leisure time, for transport to get to and from places, or as part of a person’s work. Both moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity improve health.
Physical hunger
Physical hunger comes on gradually. It is when your stomach is empty and your brain signals that it is hungry such as stomach growling, thoughts about food, and feelings of irritability, tiredness, and poor concentration. When you are physically hungry, any food will satisfy you.
Portion size
Is the amount of a food you choose to eat — which may be more or less than a serving.
Protein
Is a macronutrient that is essential for growth and building muscle mass. Protein is found in a wide range of animal products such as meat, fish and eggs and plant-based products such as Tofu, lentils, beans, soybeans amongst others.
Reflection
The habit of deliberately paying attention to your own thoughts, emotions, decisions, and behaviours.
Restrictive behaviour
In weight management terms this means reducing or removing food items or food groups from your diet.
Saturated fat
A fat found in butter, lard, ghee, fatty meats, and cheese.
High intakes of saturated fats can lead to ‘bad’ cholesterol levels which has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
Seated exercise Exercises carried out in a seated position.
Sedentary time The time spent seated or inactive
Self - awareness
Self-awareness is the ability to focus on yourself and your actions, thoughts, or emotions. It is about learning to better understand why you feel what you feel and why you behave in a particular way.
Self - esteem
Self-esteem is an individual’s subjective evaluation of their own worth. In other words, how much you appreciate and like yourself.
Self - monitor
SMART goal
Social network
This is a way of tracking our own behaviour that then helps us to change. For example, counting daily steps or keeping a food diary. It makes us more aware of what we are doing and why, which then tells us what we need to change.
A SMART goal is used to help guide goal setting. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. Therefore, a SMART goal incorporates all of these criteria to help focus your efforts and increase the chances of achieving your goal.
These are the relationships we have with other people and groups in our lives (e.g. friends and family). This includes who we talk to and socialise with, who we ask for support from or provide support to and the people we work with.
Starch
Is a type of carbohydrate and is a source of energy for the body. Can also be called ‘starchy carbohydrates’ or ‘complex carbs’ and are found in rice, bread, pasta, potatoes etc.
Strenous activity Movement that requires a large amount of effort.
Stress
Stress is usually a reaction to mental or emotional pressure.
It’s often related to feeling like you’re losing control over something, but sometimes there’s no obvious cause.
Sub-concious processing
Is the opposite of conscious processing and involves thoughts and actions that occur out of habit and without awareness.
Thinking patterns
A manner of thinking that can be either helpful or unhelpful for achieving goals and feeling desired emotions. Unhelpful thinking pattern examples are all or nothing thinking, overgeneralizing and mental filtering.
Thought
An idea or opinion produced by thinking, or occurring suddenly in the mind.
Traffic light system
A type of food labelling system that shows if a product is high (red), medium (amber) or low (green) in fat, saturated fat, salt and sugars, and how much energy (calories).
Unhelpful/negative thoughts
A thought that causes undesired emotions and feelings.
Values
A person’s deepest desires for how they want to live their lives.
Values are not about achievement; they are about how you, as a person want to behave or act on an ongoing basis; how to treat yourself, others, the world around you.
Weight training
Is a type of strength exercise in which weighted objects, dumbbells or weighted machines are used to help build strength and size of skeletal muscles.
Is when you temporarily stop losing weight.
Weight plateau
A process or service that is aimed at improving body weight.
Weight management
Is the repeated loss and regain of body weight. It is often termed ‘Yo-yo dieting’
Weight cycling
Your Morelife Diary
Get your Morelife Diary on our website, to help you keep track of your progress.
Inside you can find a place to monitor your weight, set journey goals, track your habits, a weekly meal planner and a food and activity tracker.
Morelife Club
Free Morelife Club membership!
By Joining a Morelife programme you gain automatic membership to My Life Plan, a free service that offers several advantages, including:
Social Connections and community:
Joining My Life Plan provides an opportunity to meet new people who share similar interests. You will be given access to closed Facebook groups and opportunities to join free online maintenance with others that may share similar experiences.
Access to Resources:
My Life Plan has resources that are bespoke to support you with your journey to becoming healthier including recipes, podcasts, online exercise programmes and lots more.
Health and Wellness:
My Life Plan focused on health and fitness can offer opportunities to improve physical health and wellbeing. Joining the club can help individuals stay active, improve their physical fitness, and achieve personal goals.
Club Benefits:
Morelife also partner with other products and services which can be available exclusively to club members.
Join our community groups to stay inspired and motivated!
More Confidence More Health More Energy
0113 812 5233 | team@more-life.co.uk www.morelife.co.uk
MoreLife (UK) Ltd, Churchwood Hall, Leeds Beckett University, Headingley Campus Leeds LS6 3QJ
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