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We know that when you're on a diet, you live for those cheat days. You can stuff yourself silly of all the foods you wish you could eat while dieting. While there is a well known myth that cheat days once a week can speed up your metabolism, cheat days can actually be detrimental for your weight loss progress.

Mentality

Restricting your food intake or groups can lead to you feeling exhausted, craving some sugar or fries, but most of all that satisfied feeling. Salad just doesn’t cut it when you’re eating it 24/7. A cheat day consisting of all your favourite treats will, though – it will definitely give you a kick of temporary endorphins.

Unfortunately, this emotional high is short lived - a second on the lips, forever on the hips! How will you feel when you’re lying in bed with your belly full of rubbish? You may have tricked yourself into thinking it’s good for you. But when you wake up in the morning, getting back to that diet will be tough. Once your body has a spike in blood sugar, it also experiences a sugar low – what goes up must come down! You’ve come so far in your diet plan that a cheat day will send your sugar levels soaring then crashing down because you’re not used to the sugar or sheer amount of food. With a sugar low we feel demotivated and depressed. It will be a struggle to get back on track!

Fat storage

When on a diet, we restrict the volume of food that we eat – even if the aim is to just eat healthy, wholesome foods while cutting out the bad stuff. So don’t you deserve a day off once in a while? Yes, maybe! But you might think differently if we told you that your body will turn your cheat food into higher percentages of fat than if you were to eat it before you started dieting. This is for two reasons.

First, your body isn’t used to it (depending on how long you’ve been dieting for). This means that those fries will enter your stomach and your body will immediately process it as irrelevant, expect for those kcals! i.e. it will deposit it in your fat stores. The second reason? By consuming less food, your metabolism slows down. Doing more exercise can help counteract this, but there’s only so much you can do when you’re not feeding yourself enough energy. When you suddenly inundate yourself with dense foods, your body thinks ‘Hurrah! I’ll save this energy for later when I get hungry again!’ and turns it into fat rather than passing it through. So, while cheat days might be said to increase your metabolism, one day of stuffing your chops will only counteract your weight loss and only give you extra fat to burn.

How to overcome your need for cheat days

Resistance bands: compact, light and effective. They are the most nimble piece of equipment you will ever invest in… Carry them around or use them at home, it makes working out on the go a gym on the move. But what are we talking about, who really carries resistance bands around with them in the purse, only to pull them out on the metro in the morning to work those tricep extensions? Pull the bands apart to work on your back, about the only place that this is "socially" acceptable are in the comforts (private) of your home or the gym. Well now you, you no longer need to worry about toning muscle at the drop of a dime as you can workout in plain sight...and no one will know the better.

Introducing Sweetflexx 

A new generation of clothing that frees you from your own busy schedule and turns your entire day into a workout. Seamlessly integrated resistance bands are the magic, that hide under the fabric of soft leggings. You'll be toning your core, glutes and legs all day as you move about.

Effortless Exercise

The workout you can do in 10 minutes!

Just kidding, we don't believe in shortcuts to achieve your goals. Life's simple, put in a consistent (doesn't have to be hard!) effort and typically you will reach whatever goal you set for yourself.

We, here at Sweetflexx, also believe that in today's busy world, working smarter not harder is the way to go! What's the one thing you never have enough of? Time. So why would we tell you that if you want to get the best legs you've ever had, you should spend X amount of time everyday doing high intensity/effort exercises? There's no fun in that, and you hardly will ever reach those goals because life happens. It's true we may be the most organized person on the planet, but unforeseen circumstances always arise that we can't avoid and puts a wrench in our day's schedule. Now we're playing catch up for the rest of the day and we'll usually have to cancel an item or two from our schedule. Well that typically is the workout, because after a hectic and hard day, who wants to do the thing that's often excruciating and pulls more energy out of us. All we want to do is sit down on the couch and binge watch our favorite series for a couple hours with take out. Sounds pretty good right :)?

This is where our drive comes from, we know that you can't control your day, and so we're certainly not going try and do so! We have trouble controlling ours! Sweetflexx was designed with this exact thing in mind. For you, and the unpredictable nature of your day to come.

With the world ever evolving and a fast pace in technology, clothing seems to be lacking behind. With Tesla, Apple and so many other brands pushing the boundaries of innovation, why not clothing? Sure, you're heart rate is great, but how does that really help you? Why not wear something that isn't a passive technology such as FitBit, but is active in actually helping you.

The industry has been plagued with gimmicks for decades, who can you trust anymore? Even the biggest brands have gotten caught up in this promise no one can seem to keep and lost people's trust. Are we accepting of this lie we want to be told? We know the power of claims that promise you change, so we wanted to back ours up, and by the best. Our testing at Yale is done independently, the results don't effect them, only us and you as a customer. We put Sweetflexx on the line every time to either fail or succeed and for us, there's only one outcome, to succeed. For if we don't we go back to the drawing board and work until we do succeed!

New town, new bed, new food, new routine – life on the road can be stressful. When everything is upsy-turvy, it’s important to find a way to bring you back to you. What better way to do this than some meditation? No equipment needed and it can be done anywhere, at any time. We discuss ways that might help you meditate while travelling – whether it’s for work or pleasure.

The benefits

To convince you that mediation can be the best accompaniment to life on the road, first you need to know its benefits – mind, body and soul.

Mind: when you enter the relaxed state through meditation, your mind has a much calmer response to more difficult situations. And experience says traveling can be hectic! By practicing meditation daily, you’ll feel more relaxed for a longer amount of time, allowing you to handle the business of the day ahead.

Body: many people find that meditation also relaxes the body. Their heart rate slows, their breathing deepens and even their muscles relax. You might also find that by continuing on your meditative journey whilst traveling, that you have more energy. Traveling into a different timezone brings about it's own challenges.

Soul: having that time, even if just 5-10 minutes per day, to yourself and your thoughts can really help you understand yourself. You can become more aware of your mind and body together – both of which help to make up your soul!

Mindful driving

Driving can be monotonous. From driving the kids to school, to being on your 5th hour of a road trip. Use this time to bring your awareness back to you. Of course, it is not recommended that you close your eyes when behind the wheel, or take your awareness off of the traffic around you. A meditation coach once reminded me that meditation isn’t centered around shutting off the outside to understand yourself. Instead, consider how you are feeling – think about what is around you and how it impacts you. By accepting the world around you rather than pushing it away will help you bring your mind to body more coherently. Another tip on how to meditate while driving is to play some relaxing music to help you enter the meditative mindset.

Meditate when you’re a passenger

In the passenger seat of a car, plane or train is one of the most effective times to meditate. You don’t have to concentrate on driving, you can close your eyes or even let your mind wonder through the window. Just simply relax. Try focussing on your breathing or the hum of the vehicle to ease you into your meditation. A word of advice: find a seat with a good ambience. Whether it’s in the sun or on the side of the car with the great views – bask in it to be at one with yourself.

Meditation whilst being active

To get us on the straight and narrow, we’re talking about refined sugar. Chances are that if you’re taking a break from sugar, you’re doing it to lose weight or cut the mood swings. Natural sugar (when not overeaten) can still help you achieve these goals! But what are those delicious natural foods that feel like a tasty treat and isn’t just good old fruit?

Dates

Dates are such a great snack. They’re a health freak’s toffees. Sayer or medjool dates are really the stuff. The chewy texture, sweet caramel flavor…yum! While they’re high in natural sugars, they have a good fiber content to aid digestion. Slab on some peanut butter for the ultimate healthy-indulgent snack.

Banana & almond butter

If you haven’t tried almond butter before, you’re missing out. If you've yet to try almond butter on banana, well, I feel sorry for you. The dish is nutty, sweet and full of healthy fats, fiber, potassium, magnesium and protein. It’s truly a winner. Almond butter on its own is also pretty delicious – you’ll need 1 spoon and 1 jar of almond butter!

Cashews

A lot of people avoid cashews because of their high fat content. This fat is so good for you, though. Amazing for your digestion and skin! I wouldn’t recommend eating them in huge quantities , but 10-15 large cashews at a time can curb the rumbles in a nutty, creamy way.

Nice cream

Almost as delicious and a gajillion times better for you than ice cream: meet ‘nice cream’. It will revolutionise healthy eating. There’s 1 essential ingredient: frozen banana. Blend or mash and ta-da! you’ve made some ice-cream tasting fruit. Add in a splash of nut milk, cacao nibs and a sprinkle or two of raw cacao and you’ve got yourself some chocolate nice cream.

Protein balls

These are usually eaten before or exercise because of their energy density and protein content. But if you want a sweet snack, they’ll nail it on the head. You can buy raw protein balls, but they’re also super easy to make. Here’s a recipe for Chocolate Coconut Energy Balls:

1/2 cup of peanut or almond butter 1/4 cup of honey 2 scoops of chocolate coconut protein powder 1/3 crushed flaxseeds 1/3 shredded desiccated coconut 1/2 rolled oats 1 tbsp of chia seeds In a large bowl, mix together the nut butter and honey. Then add everything else and using hands roll into small balls.

Raw chocolate

If you’re craving some late night chocolate, this should be your go-to. Made from natural raw ingredients to satisfy that sweet tooth that just wants something naughty. It’s also super quick to make.

1/2 cup cocoa butter 1/2 cup coconut oil 1/2 cup raw cacao powder 1/4 – 1/2 cup maple syrup syrup for sweetening (you can also use honey or stevia, or no sweetener at all!) Grate the cocoa butter and place in a small bowl with the coconut oil. Melt using a hot water bath. Add the cacao powder and stir until smooth. Next, add the maple syrup and stir – check if the mixture is sweet enough, if not add some more sweetener. Pour the mixture onto some baking paper, moulds, ice cube tray or a plate, and put in the fridge to cool for 30-60 minutes. Finally, when solid, cut chocolate into bars and enjoy!

Cinnamon and honey popcorn

You might be surprised to learn that popcorn is actually healthy. It’s all the flavouring they add at the movies which makes it unhealthy. Add raw flavouring though and it’s a indulgent, healthy treat. Here’s how to do it.

Dieting can be stressful and difficult. Here are 5 reasons why your diet has probably failed and why you should focus on having a healthy lifestyle rather than cutting the cals!

You focus on calories

Of course, if you consume more calories than you use up then you put on weight – and vice versa if you eat too little calories. The trouble with this mindset is that you forget about the quality of food. Without fueling yourself correctly, you lose fat, but you also lose muscle. To stay toned and burn fat, make sure you eat a balanced, healthy diet – not just less calories. By restricting calories you also force your body into starvation mode, which means it does everything it can to cling onto your weight. To overcome this, eat wholesome foods that will fuel your body for its functions: i.e. protein, complex carbs, good fat and fiber.

You eat a low fat diet

A common mistake is that when you’re trying to lose weight you should cut out all fat. Well, cutting the MacDonald’s is probably essential, but cutting out good fatty acids? Don’t do it! Studies show that by eating less carbs and more good fats, you could burn up to 300 extra calories a day. Good fats are essential for your digestive system and even your cholesterol – the more good fat that is in your blood, the less bad cholesterol there will be. If you’re really serious about losing body fat and keeping it off, cut out the chocolate, fast food and other bad fatty, sugary foods. Replace this with avocado, salmon, nuts and other foods rich in good fatty acids. This might also help with energy levels.

You starve yourself into low energy levels

Most people think that low energy goes hand in hand with dieting – well, they’re right. If you starve yourself, you’ll be exhausted. Think of it like a car, when the car runs out of gas, it can't go anywhere. You're the exact same. No food, no energy! There’s only a certain length of time one can go living like this! Not only will starving yourself into exhaustion slow your metabolism down, but eventually you’ll crack. After all that hard work you’ll struggle to stick to your diet and most likely binge eat on a ‘cheat day’ or ‘days’… This will only reverse the progress you have made. By focussing on wholesome foods that will keep your energy levels high and the hunger at a minimum, you can avoid this issue. You just have to stick at it to reap the most benefits, but this shouldn’t be an issue, should it? We can do anything when we put our minds to it, especially when it comes to health. A happy body = a happy mind!

You don’t have a balanced diet

We’ve all been on a diet where you can eat whatever you want, as long as it’s under a certain amount of calories… or salad. Well we have news for you, filling your calories intake with chocolate or munching on leaves all day isn’t going to be fulfilling. Exhaustion, unclear skin, greasy hair, dark circles under your eyes and aching limbs are all signs that you’re not providing your body with the right nutrients. To overcome this, make sure you are eating fresh, healthy food as part of a balanced diet. That means veg, protein, healthy fat and some complex carbs. Without these elements, you’ll find it hard to stick to your diet and revert back to your former habits to make you feel better. Well, if you eat a balanced diet, you’ll feel even better than this!

You try something unachievable

Hunger while trying to lose weight, what's worse?! Here are 5 simple tricks to help curve that hunger pain.

Drink sparkling water

Food actually contains more water than you would think, so it’s no wonder your stomach tells you it wants something to munch on! If you drink water instead, you’ll be quenching your thirst and stopping some of those dreaded hunger sensations. It’s a no brainer! The added carbonation will further trick the mind into thinking you've eaten something. This might be one of the simplest of ways to satisfy your cravings without adding to the calories!

Eat protein

Protein is complex for our bodies to break down. This means it takes longer to digest and you won't feel as hungry afterwards. Eat protein for breakfast and you’ll feel fuller for longer throughout the day. One study has also showed that eating protein actually reduces neural signals for hunger (1). It lessens the hunger hormone, ghrelin – talk about a diet winner!

Cut out sugar

Did you know, that if you cut out sugar for a whole month, your body won't crave it?! Sugar highs and lows are a thing. If you eat a sugary food, it gives you a spike of energy. When you’ve used up this energy, you leave your body wanting more. The cycle starts over again and the desire is hunger. By eating wholesome foods such a complex carbs and protein, your blood sugar will be kept at a steady level. This way you won’t crave energy, and will have more energy in the morning.

Energy (more of it)

Alright, we know this article is focused on food, but we thought we'd throw in a different trick. Relating to the sugar above, particularly in the interest of energy, working out in the morning can remove the grogginess we typically associate with coffee and many sugar packets. Workouts can vary from intense to simple. A nice morning walk enjoying the sunrise is a great way to get started.

Fibrous foods

Probiotics have become forefront for talking points in health recently. Lately, we've become so conscious of allergies and most foods you buy are sterilized. This is good for the most part, except that it kills off good bacteria that your gut actually needs. This can lead to an imbalance of bacteria in your gut which is a condition known as symbiosis and affects the body in a negative way. Probiotics work in your gut to replace the good bacteria and restore a balanced levels of bacteria. Here are five reasons why you should include probiotics in your diet:

Immune system

80% of your immune system resides in the gut. You’ll always have good and bad bacteria in your gut. If you don’t have enough of the good guys then the bad bacteria can ‘taker over’ and colonize. This can lead to diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome. When you eat sugary food, you’ll be feeding the bad bacteria but if you have enough good bacteria you’ll be able to fight off the bad and maintain good levels for optimum nutrient absorption!

Enhance nutrient absorption

You can fill your stomach with superfoods and all kinds of healthy supplements, but without a balanced bacteria level in your gut, you won’t absorb nearly as many nutrients. This is because digestive bacteria and enzymes help break down your food in the gut – without enough good bacterias, your body will struggle to get all the goodness out of the food you eat. By ensuring that probiotics are in your diet, you’ll be getting the most out of your food!

Improve your mood

Ever get that gut feeling? As it happens, it’s more than just psychological… having a healthy gut can improve your emotions and your cognitive function. In fact, the bacteria in your gut helps produce most of the chemicals in your nervous system. This means it is responsible for creating serotonin (the chemical which creates the happiness emotion). By adding probiotics to your diet, you can make sure that your gut is in the best position to create chemicals that are essential to a positive mind-set and a good mood.

Reduce fatigue

Have you ever eaten so much that you felt tired and lethargic after? That’s because fatigue is linked with digestion – it also happens if you have the wrong sort of bacteria in your gut. When your digestive tract is unbalanced, your body has to work twice as hard to extract the nutrients out of the food you eat. Studies have shown that the intake of probiotics for 6 weeks improves your strength, muscle weight and decreases fatigue!

Balance Blood Sugar

Several studies have shown that obtaining probiotics from fortified yoghurt can balance glucose levels. Although this is generally beneficial to human health, it is especially useful for people with type 2 diabetes.

By adding probiotics to your diet, you can improve your gut’s response to the food you eat and allow it to absorb sugar into the blood at the rate it requires.

How can you add probiotics to your diet?