Diet, Health and Fitness Resources

Eat Less, Move More? Poppycock, I say! For me, the key to getting healthy is getting more informed. Here are some of the websites and resources that have helped me shape my lard-busting methods over the years. I'll keep adding to the list as I remember more!

• Healthy Eating
• Cooking
• Food & Fitness Trackers
• Number Crunchers
• Exercise Essentials
• Workout MP3s and DVDs
• Home Gym Equipment
• Books, DVDs and Gadgets 

Healthy Eating

If you're confused about what the hell constitutes a healthy food, these are the two sites I always recommend.

• World's Healthiest Foods - a goldmine of nutritional info, healthy cooking techniques and recipe ideas. I regularly take the Food Advisor quiz, which analyses the foods you eat and helps you see if you need some nutritional tweaking
• Limes & Lycopene - Australian nutritionist Kathryn Elliot writes about food and nutrition with an engaging, straightforward and informative tone. Among the gems in her archives:
  
  • the What I Eat series
  • What  is actually five serves
  • The foods that save me when I'm super-busy

Cooking

• BBC Good Food - my trusty what-the-hell-shall-I-make-for-dinner website with a great search function, virtual recipe binder and recipes from the BBC's various food magazines.
• Abel and Cole - these dudes are known for their organic produce deliveries but I like the recipe section, listed by ingredient. Perfect when you're confounded by some weird vegetable.
• Love Food, Hate Waste - thrifty tips to reduce food waste
• Green Lite Bites - Healthy recipes and groovy video posts from Roni, blogger extraordinaire
• 101 Cookbooks - Heidi Swanson is the QUEEN of healthy, delicious cooking, if you ask me :)

Food & Fitness Trackers

• SparkPeople - Brilliant FREE site that incorporates calorie counter, fitness plans, recipes, blogs and community. I'd use it myself if not for the lack of UK branded foods in the diet diary.
• Weight Loss Resources - UK-based calorie counting site that I've used since 2004. Not the sexiest looking but great tracker, tools and message boards. Does cost a few pounds per month but offers a free trial so you can try before you buy!

Number Crunchers

• Dietgirl's Amazing Weight Tracker Spreadsheet - as lovingly described in the book, this is how I kept track of my weight loss and converted the weights from kilos to pounds for my foreign readers. Originally created by the lovely Kimba of Sydney, it now also calculates into stones for UK folk.
• Target Heart Rate Calculator - figure out how hard your heart should pump during exercise
• Calories Per Hour - calculate your calorie burn during exercise
• BMR calculator - calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate, the number of calories you'd burn if you stayed in bed all day. You can then use the Harris Benedict Equation number to figure out how many calories you need to lose, gain or maintain your weight.
• Happy Weight Calculator - Self.com's HWC is somewhat more realistic than the stinking Body Mass Index. My happy weight is way higher than this though. Make of it what you will!

NB: While I do have a penchant for number crunching, it is important to keep these numbers in perspective. Try to use them as a guide only. Don't let your self-esteem be shattered by a dodgy number on the scale!

Exercise Essentials

• Up & Running e-courses for runners - I'm biased. I created these learn to run e-courses with my amazing running coach friend Julia Jones. If you've read my book you'll remember her training me and teaching me that running was not just for skinny folk with bouncy ponytails. Our eight-week 5K training program for beginners is a brilliant way to get into running with expert coaching and unlimited support. We also have a 10K training program and downloadable training plans.
• Stumptuous - the most brilliantly smart and useful website about women and weight training. I got into weight training in 2001 after reading Krista's article No Fat Chicks. A must-read.
• ExRx Exercise & Muscle Directory - straightforward descriptions of weight training exercises, featuring animated gifs circa 1999.
• MapMyWalk - track your training and use the built-in Google maps to plan your routes.
• Race For Life - Why not run your first 5k race for Cancer Research?
• High Intensity Interval Training - this Muscle Media article explains the benefits of this type of cardio with sample workouts
• MizFit's videos - lovely blogger MizFit has a Monday Facetime feature with practical tips for strength training at home with minimal time and equipment

Workout MP3 and DVDs

• Collage Video - Extensive resource with reviews of every workout DVD in the bloody universe.
• Cathe Friedrich - a legend in the workout DVD market. Cathe is famous for her fancy step choreography but I'm a huge fan of her intense weight training DVDs. My favourites include Pyramid Upper & Lower Body and Muscle Endurance. A basic understanding of weight training moves is essential - take a class like Body Pump or check out Stumptous so you're familiar with all the jargon. I also like her Kick Punch & Crunch kickboxing workout.
• Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred - 20 minute circuit training that require minimal space and equipment. You need a decent level of fitness for this DVD as it's an intense 20 minutes!
• Om Yoga - Cyndi Lee is eternally cheerful but has a great way explaining moves with a sense of humour. I have the Beginner/Intermediate DVD
• You can check out more of my favourite fitness DVDs in my Amazon shoppe.
• Cardio Coach - This is a downloadable MP3 workout where a dude called Sean O'Malley with a rather sexy voice tells you exactly what to do; suitable for any piece of cardio equipment. When to go fast, when to go slow, when to stretch; it really does make the time go faster!

Home Gym Equipment

My entry When It's Cold Outside talks more about my home gym setup, where "home gym" equals "tiny slab of bedroom floor". Here are some places I've sourced my equipment:

• PhysioLine - resistance bands and resistance tubes - perfect if you're short on space!
• Argos.co.uk - dumbbells, barbell and plates, skipping rope, stability ball
• The Yoga Shop - yoga mat
• Wiggle.co.uk - heart rate monitor. Usually my first stop for sporty equipment.

Books, DVDs and other gadgets

You can check out all my favourites in my Amazon shoppe - USA or UK version. There's good stuff there for beginners as well as more jaded experienced lard busters :)

Disclosure: The Amazon, Cathe and Cardio Coach links are affiliate links. I make a small commission from any sales which helps offset hosting costs for this website. Thank you for your support!

Comments

[1 · Posted by Jenny]

Hi There,
I am from Louisiana & I have been reading your archives for a while now & just finished reading them all. I have really enjoyed them. I myself have battled the bulge my whole life. I joined WW in 2001 starting out @ 197. It took me a year to get down to 145 & I kept it off for 3 yrs. But when I moved to a new location, I gained 20-25 lbs. I went back a few times to WW, but my heart & head were not in it. Lately I have been doing SparkPeople.com for the last month & I feel rejuvenated, like I did when I first started WW. I have also ordered P90X ... what a workout! I think you would love that.
You have such an awesome sense of humor & are a wonderful writer. I am looking forward to reading your book.
Here is a recipe for a "Bible Sandwich" which I love:
Whole wheat pita, cut in half. Toast it. Spread a little guacamoule into each of the pita halves, put in some cheese (any kind you like), tomatoes & sprouts. ENJOY! Hope you like it.

[2 · Posted by Tracy]

You know, I've been saying to myself all along, "I keep saying I'd look good at 160[lbs]!" but the Happy Weight thing says 153.5lbs would probably be better."

Odd.

Anyway, just to let you know that I think this is a great resource post, and I love your blog (AND YOUR BOOK.) and keep it up! :D

[3 · Posted by The Lard Arms]

OMG!!! Gorgeous Lovely DG, do you know what? I just asked my husband to help with an excel spreadsheet and while he was number crunching and I was feeling very ill at the thought, I decided to catch up. And lo and behold, this!!!!

It's too good to keep to myself (this resources section) so I hope you don't mind but more pimping will be occuring over at the LA.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Big kiss

Mrs L (down a big fat hole right now) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[4 · Posted by Merry]

Cool! More interesting sites to check out!
I've loved Limes & Lycopene for some time, but it's exciting to find new sites. Thank you!

[5 · Posted by karen]

OMG! I've just finished reading your book, and it's wonderful! Do you realise how amazing you are? I've only managed to lose 10kg (never mind your almost 80kg) and I'd lost the motivation! 'Thank you' just doesn't cover it! You are a wonderful, sexy, and inspiring lady who deserves the (frankly gorgeous) husband and a happy and heathy life for all the inspiration you have given people all over the globe.

[6 · Posted by Michelle Thomas]

Hi Shauna,

Love your site and the book - you are an inspiration to us all.

Just discovered a site that might be useful for your readers - www.iamsuperchick.com - they offer London based exercise classes but also a free online exercise and food diary, gym programmes, advice etc. And its all lovely and pink!

Have a look!

Michelle

[7 · Posted by Girl...x]

Thanks DG for all your help in noting down these resources. I have saved a few of the links ready for when my motivation button kicks in!!!

[8 · Posted by Rosie smith]

Hi Shauna,

I have just finished reading your book, it has made laugh, smile and have a couple of teary moments. You have helped me to reignite my want to exercise and realise what an vital role it plays in weight loss and management and this has subsequently been the most active Christmas I've had. Thanks again for the inspiration!

Rosie

[9 · Posted by Shauna]

No worries! Thanks very much for reading everyone :)

[10 · Posted by Jadey]

What an awesome and comprehensive list of resources you have published here!

[11 · Posted by Amused not alarmed!]

Hello there, Dietgirl!

Long time reader, etc etc.

Thanks so much for posting this. It's good to see the resources of someone who has been so humble and honest with her weight loss journey. Someone who has done the hard yards, and given us all hope in that time of need...

I write this because I can't help but say that I have noticed there is another blogger which has lifted a lot of your ideas and put them out there as their own. I am sure some of her loyal followers log on here regulary, and it must be quite embarrassing for them to see so much of her blog reflects the ideas and even your image - hello? The Superwoman image on the UK version of your book? Popping up on her website header? Sorry, you're right - her picture does have massive boobs! I wonder how she can convince herself that she is being in any way original? My friends and I have spent many a minute in mirth at that site...and I hope you can see the funny side of it.

Of course, your website is not HOLIER THAN THOU, which is why we keep coming back.

Love ya work! :)

[12 · Posted by julie M]

Hi Diet girl, I would love it if you replied (even more than a chocolate bar!) It is the things in life I have missed out on and am missing out on because of my suffacting weight and associate guilt, disgust and triple chins!. I am also a type1 insulin dependant diabetic with a insulin pump attached to me! It is the emotional freedom as well as physical freedom I want. I have been dieting on and off and agonising about my weight for over 20 years and just manage to get fatter, ever time I lose the weight seems to find me in a hurry again! I pray I will not be making the same New Years Resolutions as I have been for the last 20 years at the beginning of 2012, to off course lose weight and hide so it never finds me again!!!!
Look forward to hearing from you. Ausie girl from Wagga Wagga NSW Australia

[13 · Posted by Shauna]

Thanks for your comment Julie and thank you for reading the book! Just take it one step at a time, that's the best thing anyone can do. Small changes add up to HUGE results over time. You can do it!

Here's a few wee tips that might help
http://www.dietgirl.org/dietgirl/weight-loss-tips.html

Best of luck to you and thanks for stopping by!