Looking forward to Royal Ascot this week?

June 16, 2014

The Summer Social Season is upon us

It’s June, and the English Summer Season is already in full swing, with the Chelsea Flower Show done, Wimbledon and Henley Regatta coming in the next few weeks, and for the lucky ones among you, a trip to Royal Ascot this week (the fabulous picture above is taken from the official Royal Ascot website where you can get guidance on the dress code).

Are you looking forward to the social events, but worried about how you’ll look? The Duchess of Cambridge isn’t shy of ‘recycling’ her wardrobe, but have you had a look and realised that your favourite pieces are a little too snug?

Well, don’t panic; first take a look at Debrett’s for your guide to what to wear for each of the summer’s events, and then plan carefully to look your best for each social gathering.

Here are my top 4 tips for getting through the summer season:

1. It’s time to really get in shape for summer – don’t panic!

Most people make excuses about NOT getting in shape for summer – no time, it’s too late, I’m too busy, I will do it in September when everything gets back to normal. That is just panic talking. Plan to eat 3 meals a day with no snacks and a 5 hour gap between meals; on days when you know you’re going to over-indulge, have only 2 meals, so you can keep to or get back on track. The art is to encourage your body to fat-burn overnight. You are looking for a minimum of 14 to 18 hours gap between dinner and breakfast/brunch.

2. The secret ingredient to fat-burning is water!

Drink 35ml of water per kilo of body weight. So if you weigh 60kg (9 1/2 stone), you need to drink 2.1 litres of water a day. It’s about drinking the right amount so don’t drink 4 litres if you only need 2!

3. At Ladies Day this Thursday? Here are some quick fixes:

Cut out the starchy carbs (bread, pasta, root veg, rice) and load up on good quality proteins and vegetables or salads. This might look like a chicken breast or salmon fillet with broccoli, spinach and green beans or a large salad. Have an apple a day with one of your meals and cut out ALL other fruits as they are high in fructose. You can have fats such as coconut oil or olive oil in moderation for cooking.

4. Make the best choices while you’re socialising

While socialising plan ahead. If you can, get the menu in advance and plan what you’re going to choose – this will help you avoid making poor choices when you’re hungry. On that day have one meal prior to the event as described above. Avoid ‘brown’ food on the buffet!

5. Make sure you continue to drink water while drinking alcohol

Eating nuts, olive and cheese alongside alcohol will help manage your blood sugar. Focus on eating protein and vegetables first and eat half of the starchy stuff.

6. Enjoy every mouthful

Enjoy what you’re eating, and really check to see when you are full rather than finishing what’s on your plate. Then, leave 14 to 18 hours before eating again and continue to drink water.

7. The longer-term view

All of the above are really short-term solutions to help you through a busy time of year, but we all know there is a better long-term solution called Metabolic Balance. This focuses on sustained metabolic adjustments that lead to weight-loss as a side effect of your body being in balance

Give me a call to discuss short or longer-term diet and nutrition options, including Metabolic Balance. And enjoy your social season!

Laura de la Harpe is a qualified, professional nutritional therapist, and one of only a limited number of qualified Metabolic Balance® coaches in the UK. She appears regularly on BBC Radio 5 Live as a ‘Midnight Expert’ on all things about nutrition. Through the application of nutrition science, and an understanding of how the body works, Laura supports her clients through a nutritional change programme that brings improved health, weight loss and relief from a range of symptoms. Change your life… one mouthful at a time.

Contact or follow Laura ?www.nutritionalbenefits.co.uk ? 0118 946 4773 ?facebook /metb4life ?twitter @metb4life