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Get fighting fit with Miss England!
Wednesday, 04 January 2012 12:46
Wishing everyone a very happy new year!
With Christmas over and everyone going back to school or work, here are some helpful words and advice to get you back into the fitness routine from current Miss England Alize Lily Mounter!
Get fighting fit - with Miss England Alize Lily Mounter
As we all know its that time of year again, everyone over indulges for most of December and its normal to increase an average of 5lbs in weight, according to the latest British statistic. I don't know about you but I feel I could of gained even more than that, I'm scared to even attempt the weighing scales let alone the gym!
I think the best advice to give anyone is to be realistic. Look back on the past and pick a time where you felt confident and good about yourself, and aim for that. Don't necessarily base everything on the scales, as some people like myself feel better with my natural curves still intact. Yes I have the inside knowledge that most men like a little more to grab, and why not we are women after all. I think it should be about finding that balance, because even when we are at our skinniest, its damn well hard to stay there, even if it feels good, sometimes it can be torture. Then the next thing you know, we can't take anymore and suddenly we go the opposite way all within a matter of a few weeks. So my best advice is to be realistic, and find that balance by mixing it up so exercise and dieting doesn't become mind-numbingly boring. As come February the old routine will gradually start sneaking back into our lifestyles.
Here I am with my personal trainer "Dario Novo" who helped me prepare for Miss World at the Nuffield Health Club in Battersea .
From past experiences, like having to train for Miss World 2011, to featuring on Britain's Next Top Model 2010. I feel by now I have a good sense of where all my wobbly bits are, how to train for my body type, and what is actually achievable. We are very much controlled by what we see in today's media, so most of us feel under pressure to fit into this image, so we therefore think we should have a six-pack like Kelly Roland, legs like Giselle or be stick-thin like all of the models on the runway. This shouldn't be the case, I think the more pressure you put on yourself to loose weight then the harder it becomes.
I remember during filming for Britain's Next Top Model before the show I was at the age where weight really wasn't an issue. I always thought I was pretty slim, I was healthy and happy and that was all that mattered. But being thrown into a house where nearly most of the girls where a small size 8 or below, it opened my eyes to the world of modelling, and for the first time in my life I felt bigger even though I was a size 8 on top and 10 on the bottom. As we all know that is not big, but standing next to girls who are much thinner, suddenly gave me a complex. I could see straight away that lots of the girls had very little to eat and were obviously conscious about their weight and their bodies being on show for the public to see. This bothered me, I was not used to this type of environment, and knew straight away I could never starve myself to loose weight, or stay slim.
So when it came to training
for Miss England and Miss World, I knew the starvation route just wasn't going to work for me, and yet I won the Miss World beach beauty award, out of 120 contestants from across the World. So I must of done something right, here are the best tips and advice I can give to those of you who want to loose weight healthily, or a starter guide to getting back into shape after that Christmas eating marathon.
- Drink plenty of water and cut out alcohol. We all know that alcohol is just jam-packed with calories. So if you want to loose weight or stay in shape, cut it out, or at least cut it right down. If I was going to have a drink I'd always have a vodka tonic as it had little calories and zero hangover ( if you just have one) . Perfect!
- Don't stop your cravings, just cut down on them. If your anything like me if I want a piece of chocolate yet substitute it with fruit, yes I will still be craving that piece of chocolate.
Have the chocolate your body is telling yourself you want it, just cut down the amount or choose a something chocolate coated, or dark chocolate that seems to work for me. - Exercise, I know most people hate the thought of it, but exercise comes in all forms of sports and activities it doesn't necessarily mean going to the gym. It can be boring and it is not everyones cup of tea. So experiment and find something that you find enjoyable that can help burn calories without that initial painful thought of it. I am lucky that I like running, and it is so great for all over weight-loss. If you hate running, find a running partner, or find some music that you love and listen to that whilst running, believe me it helps.
- This also ties in with the ‘backwards diet' something I think Beyonce initially suggested, which also works for me. Basically eat as much as you possibly can for breakfast, you can have what ever you want. A greasy fry up even, because you will burn off the calories throughout the day. Then as the day goes on reduce your meal intake and eat as healthy as possible. So by the evening all you may have is some fruit and a bowl of soup.
- If you can afford a good personal trainer, then get just a few sessions. They can tell you what you need to do for your particular body shape and size. I think the advice of a professional is key, and plus they can help motivate you and show you the correct way of doing certain exercises, and working muscles you never even knew you had before.
- Keep a balance and variation, for instance never do too much of one thing, in exercise and dieting. Mix it up as much as you can. I always used to allow myself a cheat day once a week. I never used to fill my face I just used to allow myself something a little treat.
Keep yourself updated with Alize's events and diary at www.alizelilymounter.com