Lets Wrap it...

Wraps... Better than a sandwhich, easier than a heavy meal and you literally can wrap anything and everything you want to create a delicious lunch or breakfast...

You will find many wraps at the supermarket from barley wraps, taco soft wraps, pita bread wraps, Lebanese bread wraps just to name a few. Not only do they allow you to add more PLANT based greens, they are also lower in GI ( Glycemic Index) which means that its the perfect breakfast or lunch meal option for sustained energy release.

Here we have a delicious BREAKY WRAP RECIPE FOR YOU.. 

High Protein, low fat, and literally 3-4 minutes to construct! 

Ingredients: 

• 1 Cup liquid egg whites
• 1 whole egg
• 1/2 cup chopped broccoli & capsicum
• Pinch of low fat cheese
• 2 x wraps

Method: 

• Get the eggs and egg whites together in a bowl and whisk them until well combined. 
• Heat the pan and spray with coconut oil
• Pour egg mix into pan
• Add vegetables and cheese
• cook for 2-3 minutes or until it looks well cooked
• When done place the egg onto warmed up wraps and roll up. 
• Here you can put foil on them and put in sandwhich press or lighty toast

Know your Protein

So, you start the gym, than you hit up the supplement store because someone has told you, you need a protein shake for either gains or losses..

Protein supplements do just more than make you gain, lose or increase the quantity of protein in your diet. There are MANY types of protein supplements so before you go spend hundreds of dollars on a protein supplement do your research! 

Different types of protein affect your bodies recovery and growth, your capacity to absorb essential antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and most importantly hormone responses in your body. So, the TYPE of protein you chose can affect your health and body composition changes during your exercise program. 

A good quality and the right Protein supplement for YOU, can fast track your results!

Whey Protein:

Whey protein is a higher concentration of amino acids than other protein sources. It has a faster absorption as well. when Whey protein is consumed as apart of a liquid meal it provides a higher protein gain in the muscle. When utilised close to exercise it can maximise the results for training. Research shows that when whey protein is incorporated into the diet there are significant improvements in strength and body composition. 

Casein Protein:

The importance of Casein protein in your diet. This is also known as a slow release protein apposed to your Whey protein which is a FAST release into the blood with those key amino acids. Casein protein has a steady state at which is releases the amino to the muscles. Casein proteins are best consumed before or after a workout to help with muscle recovery and minimalize muscle breakdown. 

Soy Protein:

Soy protein is extracted from a legume that contains no cholesterol and provides all eight essential amino acids (rare for a plant). Additionally, soybeans are a good source of fiber, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B, making it one of the best foods for maintaining healthy bones and muscle tissues.

Drinking a soy based protein regularly will give you more benefits rather than just aid in protein consumption. 

Pea Protein:

Pea protein can help deliver the quality of protein you need to help your muscles recover after exercise. Pea protein is a dairy free complete protein, which means it contains all nine of the essential amino acids—including branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)—that you need to consume to effectively build muscle

The 3 R's...

As many people naturally do when they want to get a result is reach for the 1200 calorie diet, and cut carbs.  However, this comes down to the education and knowledge that is out there around what to eat, and the best "diet"  to follow! You want to eat in such a way that it keeps you energized,  lean, and strong for your workouts and day to day activities.

You could try rather than cutting things out dividing your meals into two major categories:

FM– Free meals - These are meals that are low in carbs, mostly based around veggies, protein, and healthy fats. You can enjoy FM (FREE MEALS) any time of the day.

WEM– Workout Earned Meals - These are meals that you have earned with a high-intensity workout and tend to be higher carbs.These are things like fast-digesting starchy carbs (such as baked potatoes, rice, legumes, white bread or pasta), certain fruit, and alcohol. You should aim to only eat these on days that you have done a high-intensity workout.

While there is now new research that shows eating carbs right after your workout is no longer as important as the number of total carbs you eat over the course of the day, you can benefit greatly when you save these carbs for the days you do a high-intensity workout.

And Here’s why…

After high-intensity exercise, our bodies are primed to accept and use nutrients (especially carbs) more effectively than on the days when we don’t work out. After an intense workout, our muscle and liver glycogen levels are running low. When you eat a WEM ( Workout Earnt Meal) or a higher carb meal, these carbs get sucked up by your muscles, and it works to repair them and deliver nutrients more efficiently. When you eat carbs without depleting your glycogen stores, you are more likely to store these carbs as body fat, since muscle and liver levels are full.

Earning your carb-heavy meals with a workout is a great way to ensure you’re burning fat instead of storing it. 

Rob Sulaver, Board of Advisors for Arnold Schwarzenegger, says, ”Eating a high carb meal when you work out will feed those hungry muscles without storing energy as fat. An influx of carbs will spike your insulin which will drive glycogen into your muscles and get you all prepped for your next intense workout. Plus, this carb/insulin spike helps with a cascade effect that returns your hormones to their happy pre-workout state, because while all those higher-stress hormones are great when you’re working out, you don’t want ‘em in your system all day.”

Earning your WEM meals with a workout will fuel your muscles, prep your body for the next workout, drive essential nutrients into your muscles, it helps prevent low blood sugar and fatigue, and help you burn fat instead of storing it. 

When it comes to post-workout recovery, always consider the three Rs:

Refuel

• Refuel your glycogen (carbohydrate) stores to avoid muscle tissue breakdown and low energy.
• Lack of glucose to fuel the brain can lead to decreased alertness and concentration, and low mood.
• Aim for high quality carbohydrates sources (think wholegrain breads and cereals).

Repair

• Repair damaged muscles with protein.
• Consuming protein post-workout will provide amino acids for the building and repair of muscle tissue. This will help you to recover more quickly.
• Aim for lean protein sources (think lean meats, eggs, nuts, legumes, tofu and reduced fat dairy).

Rehydrate

• Rehydrate with fluids.
• Most of us finish a workout at least a little dehydrated, and you will continue to lose fluids through sweating and breathing. It is essential that you replace these fluids immediately.
• Your thirst is not the best gauge of hydration. The best way to tell how hydrated you are is to look at the colour of your urine. You want to aim for straw-coloured urine. The darker it is, the more dehydrated you are.

Chicken Pizza

Ingredients 

Crust:

1-1/4 lbs. raw chicken breast

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1 tbsp Italian seasoning pinch of pepper

Toppings:

3 tbsp reduced-calorie pizza sauce

1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup chopped (thick) asparagus spears

1/2 red (or orange) capsicum

Garnish: Chilli flakes (optional)
 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Add the ingredients for the crust to a food processor or high-powered blender. Pulse blend until mixed and minced.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the chicken mixture and pat it down to form a thin circle or a large rectangle, less than 1/4-inch thick. 
4. Bake chicken crust in the oven for 13-15 minutes, or until the edges have browned and the chicken has cooked through.
5. Remove crust from oven and add the toppings in the order listed. 
6. Return pizza to the oven and bake until the cheese is brown and bubbly, about 6 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and garnish with red pepper flakes.

Allowing the pizza to cool slightly will make it much easier to cut and hold like traditional pizza

How do you build muscle?

The scientific term for building muscle or gaining muscle as most people written when they want a gains based result is HYPERTROPHY. A misconception that more people believe than not is that to grow larger muscles you need to lift heavier weights. This however will change from Trainer to Trainer and gym to gym, as everyone has an individual belief and option that they believe, which is 100% fine, however, we encourage you to do your own research, partake in your own training program and experience it for yourself first before making your decision. 

So lifting heavy over time will give you the muscle growth benefits, but with that comes the wear and tear on your body! Muscle, joint and tendon pain plus the burnout that you will experience will make it hard to sustain the heavy lifting. 

If we turn our focus on the INTENSITY rather than the HEVINESS off the weight load being lifted, you can actually use less weight AND you wont have as much wear and tear on your body.

A few reasons why the lifting heavier wont banish is because when you first start training your body responds quickly to the new muscle growth, so how exactly do you increase your intensity when training?= to get those fast muscle gains? 

1. Shorten your rest period - This would have to be the easiest way to increase the intensity. If you workout alone, time yourself and than shorten the rest period each time. This will end up in you not having enough time to get those extra reps out at the weight you want because your not fully rested. If you come to Technofunc, we got you covered! Our workouts are all set up already in our system with our short rest periods to take out the guess work for you

2. Up the tempo - When lifting shift the focus from the technique once you have the technique on, muscle activation and core activation down pat, up the tempo. Increase the speed of which you pump out the reps. In our classes on round 1 do it at normal tempo and than round 2 up the tempo and aim for 3-5more reps as an increase. 

3. Fatigue your body before your brain - on your warm up sets make sure you smash out lighter weights of a superset to the exercise you are about to do. For example, in a chest press you use your Chest muscles ( pecs) so smash out 10- 20 push ups to pump up the muscle and set that fatigue in than you wont physically be able to lift as long and heavy on the lift. 

4. Dropsets - THE BEST THING EVER for a mental and physical challenge. This BURNS and pushes you to your max effort. As you finish on your final set or final station here at Technofunc, smash out some drop sets where you drop the weight down gradually going lighter and lighter but still aiming for the same amount of reps. You can use this technique in ANY time of training! 

If you feel you are bored with your workouts come check out Technofunc. We do all of this in our classes which are already pre designed and set up! all you need to so is rock up, get your pump on and you are good to go!  

More than Protein...

Protein is important for building muscle, but other nutrients play an important role as well.

If you were to ask most people what it takes to build muscle, they’d probably say that you just need to eat protein, protein and more protein. Protein is important, to be sure. After all, your muscles are made of protein, and your body requires adequate protein in the diet in order to have the building blocks it needs to build up muscle mass. But protein alone won’t do. You need to pay attention to the rest of your diet as well.

Essential Nutrients to Build Muscle

A lot of men who are trying to bulk up are also trying to lose body fat at the same time. But sometimes the approaches they use to meet those goals are at odds with each other. They’ll take in plenty of protein, which, when coupled with a strength training routine, should lead to more lean mass. But they may also cut their total calories back too far in an effort to get “shredded.”

That can be a problem. If you cut your calories too much, some of the protein that you eat is going to be burned for fuel, rather than being used to support muscle development. So, to effectively build muscle mass, you want to ensure that you have enough calories to support your activity, and the right balance of nutrients, too.

Carbohydrates:

Many bodybuilders see carbs as the enemy, and that can be a mistake. Yes, highly refined carbohydrates and sweets hardly do the body good. But the right carbohydrates found in whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables help to fuel activity, including working muscles. Without adequate carbohydrate to fuel your exercise, some of the protein you’re eating might get burned for fuel. So, to avoid “burning the candle at both ends,” make sure to include enough high-quality carbs in your diet.

Fat:

Dietary fat is sometimes underappreciated by some athletes. Like carbs, fats may have an undeserved bad reputation. Small amounts of the right kinds of fats are really important. That’s because certain fatty acids, the building blocks of dietary fats, are essential because the body can’t make them. Fatty acids are a vital structural component of every cell membrane, including muscle cells. The body relies on fat to fuel moderate intensity, longer-term exercise. That’s just the type of exercise that might be coupled with a strength-training regimen to build mass and lose body fat. Focus on the “good” sources, like nuts, seeds, fish, olive oil and avocado.

Protein:

Eating the right amount of protein is important for stimulating muscle development, and so is the timing of protein intake. The process of muscle protein synthesis (MPS) is stimulated by strength training activity. But it’s also stimulated when you eat protein. This is one reason that strength-training athletes should aim to spread their protein intake fairly evenly over meals and snacks throughout the day. MPS is greater under these conditions than it is under a more typical pattern in which little protein is consumed in the morning, a bit more at lunch and then a large amount at dinner. And a bedtime snack containing about 25g of protein can help to stimulate MPS during the night.

Both plant and animal sources provide the necessary building blocks for MPS. “Fast-digesting” proteins are high in the amino acid leucine, found in a range of both plant and animal proteins. This includes soy, poultry, fish, nuts, seeds and beans, all of which stimulate MPS. And more slowly digested proteins, such as egg and milk proteins, may help to prolong the MPS process.

At this point, there’s nothing to suggest that “fast” proteins are better than “slow” proteins, or vice versa. What’s more important to know is that protein needs can be met from both plant and animal sources. With careful planning and attention to total intake, even vegetarians or vegans can consume enough protein to support muscle development.

Benefits of a Body Scan

People often associate body composition testing solely with establishing a body fat percentage. The truth is that there is far more information to be aware of, especially if fat loss or overall better health is your goal.

Having an understanding of these important components can often be the ‘key trigger’ to learning how your body functions individually and therefore being able to reach that goal easier.

What sets a leaner, healthier individual apart from an individual who carries excessive body fat is mostly due to the leaner individual carrying more skeletal muscle mass and protein mass.

A strong metabolism is driven by an individual carrying more skeletal muscle mass and holding a high level of protein which repairs and nourishes muscle cells as they break down (as well as assist in a host of other very important roles within the body). In very simplistic terms, high skeletal muscle mass produces more heat to burn fuel, ie. giving you a higher BMR (basal metabolic rate – the rate at which your body burns calories at complete rest).

Having a higher skeletal muscle mass & protein content will also assist with supporting immunity and provide more anti ageing effects than those individuals with less muscle mass and more body fat mass.

Many women believe that they have a slow metabolism based on their own visual critique of their body. It isn’t until they obtain a full body scan report that they can identify that they do, in fact, have a higher BMR than they assumed and therefore, their self prescribed diet of 1200 calories per day is in fact below their basic calorie requirement to do basic human function at rest. Generally, this is the reason they struggle to lose body fat, are often tired, lack any desire to do physical activity and feel unhealthy.

Establishing this baseline of your skeletal muscle mass, protein mass & BMR is crucial to ensure that you are taking in enough nutrients from your diet as well as utilising your time effectively in the gym (ie. weight resistant training).

The Evolt 360 BIA Machine is the most un-intrusive way to obtain a full body composition report. It takes less than a minute, doesn’t require you to take off your clothes and we will give you a detailed explanation of the report that will allow you to make more informed decisions on progress measures.

Exercising pregnant...

It’s an important time in a woman’s life to be conceiving/growing a child, and naturally, many of us want to stay in shape while also keeping our baby safe. A lot can happen during those nine months, so it helps to know how exercise fits into the equation.

The number one question most women ask once they get pregnant is, can I still workout?

Now, with every woman, it’s going to be different. There are a lot of factors to put in with each situation- were they active before becoming pregnant, do they have any preexisting medical conditions that could complicate things, or are there any physical complications that could put the developing child at risk? These are all very important considerations that need to be discussed and evaluated by a healthcare provider, so it’s important to get a full medical evaluation before committing to any exercise programs.

Your healthcare provider will be able to help you determine whether or not exercise is appropriate, and establish the proper guidelines tailored to your unique experience of pregnancy.

Once you’re in the clear to exercise, here are some guidelines to follow through:

• Stick to low-impact exercises that don’t involve a lot of plyometric jumps or explosive exercises.
• Other activities you can engage in include walking, swimming, stationary cycling, and prenatal yoga, pilates and strength training exercises.
• Avoid sports with a high risk of falling or contact sports
• Do not do any exercises in hot environments, like Hot Yoga, Barre, or Pilates or outside at extreme temperatures.
• Avoid exercises that require you to lie flat on your stomach and back after your first trimester.
• Be sure to practice proper recovery and relaxation after working out; avoid overtraining or taking exercise to any extremes.
• Remember to stay hydrated and take as many breaks as you can if needed

How do you know if your exercise program is working against you during pregnancy? First, listen to your body, always. This is especially important when you are pregnant, as you not only putting yourself at risk, but also your baby. Next, stop immediately and call your healthcare provider if any of these things occur:

• Headaches, dizziness, or feeling lightheaded
• A decrease or stop in fetal movement
• Pain or swelling in the calves
• Chest pain and rapid or uneven heartbeat
• Vaginal bleeding
• Uterine contractions that continue after resting
• Regular, painful contractions
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fluid leaking from the vagina
• Weakness in the muscles that affect your balance
• Pain in the lower back

Even though there are things to look out for and avoid during pregnancy, you can still enjoy the benefits of regular exercise. There are actual benefits from remaining active during this time. By choosing to maintain some level of fitness and exercise, you actually help to prepare your body for some of the physical challenges that come from being pregnant. You’ll also improve your sleep, give your mood a boost, stay energized, maintain or promote more strength, endurance and even a bit of muscle, and prevent excessive weight gain. Another possible benefit is cutting down the risk of developing gestational diabetes, which is a common complication from pregnancy.

So yes, it is possible to keep a workout schedule and stay active during pregnancy within reason. You will have to make a few adjustments and avoid certain things for a short while, but in the end, you’ll be doing yourself and your body and baby a service by choosing to remain healthy through regular exercise.

Lymphatic System....

Do you know about the Lymphatic System? If not, it’s time to change that- here’s what you need to know about it, and why it’s essential for us to take care of it.

Our lymphatic system is made of thin tubes called lymphatic vessels that travel with the nerves, arteries, and veins. These vessels collect lymph fluid, a clear, colorless, watery fluid, from different parts of the body, and take them back to the bloodstream. Lymph fluid is rich in white blood cells (lymphocytes) that help to protect the body against infections. They are stored in bean-sized collections of cells known as lymph nodes, which are scattered throughout the entire body.
The Lymphatic System plays a vital role in regulating our immune system, in addition to maintaining fluid balance in various parts of the body. It’s also the body’s “sanitation department”, helping to clean the debris left by our cells and other systems. This is done through urine, sweat, and stool.  So think of it as one big drain!

What’s interesting about the body is that it has NO pump to move our lymph. Which is crazy, since we have 3X more lymph fluid than blood! In fact, when it starts to fail or malfunction, we’re at a high risk of developing autoimmune disease, cancer, chronic inflammation, and a host of other compromised conditions. And even if it’s still in motion, a lot of things can go wrong when it starts to become congested.

How do we know if our lymph is becoming congested? Some signs include:

• Bloating
• Chronic Skin Problems (acne, eczema, etc)
• Fatigue
• Cellulite
• Worsened Allergies
• Food Sensitivities
• Cold lumps
• Headaches and Migraines
• Joint Pain
• Arthritis
• Poor Immunity
• Dehydration
• Breast Soreness, Tenderness
• Sinusitis
• Muscle Cramps
• Lymphedema

That last in particular should be taken care of ASAP by a doctor, as it’s a sign of other diseases or conditions. Lymphedema is the swelling of arms, legs, or other areas of the body. It should not be ignored! Which is why prevention is key.

Now, our body is really clever- even though the Lymphatic System doesn’t have a pump to move things along, it doesn’t need us to do anything drastic to make sure it’s well maintained.

The solution is very simple- exercise. Yes! You read that correctly- exercising daily helps to keep our Lymphatic System running smoothly. When we exercise, we stimulate circulation in our body, which transports oxygen into our tissues and cells, as well as our lymph.

Staying inactive increases the chance of causing stagnation in our lymph. And it’s no wonder that a lack of exercise makes us feel sluggish, weak, and tired! Part of the reason this happens is because we’re not supporting our lymph. The two are connected- not exercising, and our lymph becoming stagnant. If we to be at our best- inside and out- then we have to realize that moving our body is not all about vanity. What’s the point of having a bikini body if it’s always sick, and feels like it’s made of wood? A good looking body should be a side effect of taking care of it. The better we feel, the more motivated we’ll be to stay consistent with our (healthy) habits.

So whether that’s adopting a regular exercise program (like at Technofunc), or following your own protocol, it’s important to get active everyday. Do something to get your lymph flowing! It can be gentle, intense, or somewhere in the middle. Just fit it in!

There also other things you can do to give your Lymphatic System some support. These include:

• Infrared Sauna
• Dry Skin Brushing
• Rebounding (using a mini trampoline or anything that gets you moving up and down; Jump Rope, Plyometrics)
• Deep Breathing
• Contrasting Hydrotherapy (taking a shower and alternating between hot and cold)
• Massage
• Hanging Upside Down (Inversion Therapy or using Yoga Trapeze)
• Flexibility Training

All of these little, simple things add up to a bigger whole: a healthy Lymphatic System. So the next time you workout, think about what good it’s doing for your internal health. 

Coconut oil....

Nealry 50% of the fat in coconut oil is the kind rarely found in nature called Lauric Acid, a "miracle" compound because of its unique health promoting properties. Your body converts Lauric Acid into monolaurin, which has anti viral, antibacterial and anti protozoa properties. 

Coconut oil is also natures richest source of medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs). By contrast, most common vegetable or seeds are comprised of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs). 

LCTs are large molecules so they are difficult for your body to break down and predominantly stored as fat. But MCFAs, being smaller, are easily digested and immediately burned by your liver for energy - like carbs, but without the insulin spike. 

MCFAs actually boost your metabolism and help you r body use fat for energy, as opposed to storing it, so it can actually help you become leaner!

Coconut oil has actually been shown to help optimise body weight, which can dramatically reduce your risk of developing Diabetes. Besides weight loss boosting your metabolic rate will improve your energy, accelerate healing and improve your overall immune function. 

And finally as we have already discussed coconut oil is really good for your heart! The truth is this: is is the unsaturated fats that are primarily involved in heart disease, too much sugar and processed foods, not the naturally occurring saturated fats as you have been led to believe. 

Here are 3 primary reasons to use coconut oil in the kitchen. 

1. Cooking you food with omega3 vegetable oils produces a variety of very toxic chemicals, as well as forming trans fats. frying destroys the antioxidants in oil, actually oxidizing the oil which causes even worse problems for your body than trans fats

2. Most vegetable oils are genetically modified including 90% of soy, corn and canola oils. 

3. Vegetable oil contributes to overabundance of damaged omega 6 fats in your diet, throwing off your omega 6 and 3 ratio. Nearly everyone in Western society consumes far to many omega 6 fats - about 100 times more than century ago and insufficient omega 3 fats, which contributes to numerous chronic degenerative diseases. 

There is only one oil that is stable enough to with stand the heat of cooking, and that's coconut oil. So do yourself a favour and ditch all those "healthy oil wannabes" and replace them with a large jar off fresh , organic, heart supporting coconut oil.

Below are some health and beauty uses that you may not know you can use this miracle oil for:

1. Makeup Remover: Even your “super” waterproof mascara doesn’t stand a chance against coconut oil. Carefully apply it directly to the face as an oil cleanser, or gently dab it against your skin cotton pad, the makeup will just melt away.
2. Body Lotion: This versatile oil works great as a body moisturizer or substitute for your favorite lotion. And it smells great!
3. A Lice Remedy: When used with a rinse of apple cider vinegar, this super combo makes for a great all-natural lice treatment. Apply the vinegar to the head/hair and allow to dry before applying coconut oil to the entire head. Let this sit 12 to 24 hours. Brush through hair with a fine comb and then rinse before shampooing.
4. Use as an Alternative Cuticle Oil:  Help to heal that pesky peeling skin along your nail bed with a coconut oil balm right at the base of your nails. This can also help your manicure last longer!
5. All-Natural Frizz Tamer: Split ends and fly-a-ways can sometimes be annoying and hard to tame but say goodbye to those with this smoothing treatment. Just rub a dime-size amount in your hands and smooth from the base of the roots to the ends to eliminate frizz.
6. Dandruff Treatment: Often a dry scalp means dandruff. To moisturize any dry areas, lightly apply the oil to the roots and rub in as a nighttime treatment. This will also help to stimulate hair growth. Or make yourself a hair mask by melting the oil before showering and applying to hair after shampooing. Allow the oil to sit for at least 5 minutes before rinsing to ensure moisture and shine back into limp locks.
7. Itch Relief: Fight back at burns and bug bites! Even some bruises can be soothed with a topical balm of coconut oil. Coconut oil is also a safe topical to use on your pets!
8. Body Oil: Did you know that coconut oil is a natural SPF 4? Use as an alternative body oil by applying to wet skin after your shower. Pat dry and go about your day!
9. Breath Freshener: Coconut oil has some amazing antifungal and antibacterial properties. 20 minutes of oil pulling can help to clear up any germs which may be lurking in your mouth. This, later on, leads to whiter teeth, fresher breath, and even healthier gums. Or maybe you just realized you ran out of toothpaste. Don’t worry! Take a little coconut oil and add some baking soda for a quick fix.
10. Deodorant: Make yourself an all-natural deodorant that works right at home! Mix a little arrowroot powder along with some cornstarch, baking soda, and your favorite scented essential oil along with the coconut oil for a DIY odor fix

Weigh Loss vs Body Composition

Our weight has a lot to do with how much fat and muscle mass you have in your body. Rather than getting hung up on a perfect number, let’s make sense of it all.

After having a check up with my midwife for my 18-20 week progress, i was asked how much i weighed. I haven't weighed myself since my first appointment where weighed 63.5kgs. The most I have ever weighed in my whole life. I was shocked, and even more shocked when the midwife told me that I could gain 16kgs with my current body composition and BMI. To me this was outrageous and I automatically freaked out. 

A KG of muscle weighs exactly the same as a KG of fat, however muscle takes up less space in your body compared to fat. Meaning that although you can look small, you may weigh much more than she expected. Body composition is such that you are made up of a lot of lean muscle mass and a relatively low body fat percentage.

I had to ask myself why I suddenly got so sensitive about the number on the scale when asked about it because I have never been like this. Remembering that I am growing a baby inside, so I am trying to change the mindset that the weight gain will happen and be a normal part of pregnancy.  It seems to me that we’re heavily influenced by what others think, including the media. They seem to convince us that weighing less is somehow better for us. This implies that the less you weigh, the healthier you are. But it’s just not true. Health and well-being can’t be measured simply by looking at a number on the scale.

Muscle Mass, Weight Scale and Well-Being

This prompted me to ask some of my our clients about their relationship with the scale. My hunch was correct—women tend to feel happier when the number on the scale is lower. Several women also admitted that even when they are at their “healthy goal weight,” they’re happy to continue losing. Men on the other hand seemed less concerned with their weight and more concerned with how they felt. Many admitted that they used how tight their belt was as a gauge to determine if a weight loss plan was working.

Asking people about their weight and how they felt about it especially women who are trying to lose baby weight,  prompted me to set the record straight. Weight is simply a number and, alone, it doesn’t mean much.

Concentrating on building your muscle mass actually can be incredibly helpful for a number of reasons. Working towards a good muscle mass ratio reduces the power of the scale, helps you build your strength and means you’re likely to be fit rather than simply slim. For many people, realizing their objective is feeling healthy and looking good helps them embrace exercise in their lives. And I always think it’s better for people to have fun with fitness than to deny themselves with a restrictive diet.

Your Healthy, Active Life Goal

Avoid the weight scale blues

Getting discouraged is something we all want avoid on our journey to a healthy, active life. Negative thoughts can be very discouraging. I’ve also learned that when someone constantly checks the number on the scale, it can prompt them to keep changing their approach before their body has even had a chance to respond or adapt to their new healthy habits.

Don’t quit on your health journey

Quitting because you don’t like the number you see on the scale should never be an option. It’s a matter of knowing your body. It’s important to take a positive approach to learning your body. If you monitor your results and don’t solely rely on the weight scale, it’ll boost your motivation to keep going.

Make lifestyle changes, not quick fixes

Maintaining a healthy body composition requires a total lifestyle focus. This includes balanced nutrition, regular physical activity (endurance, strength, flexibility), and stress management. Keep all three in mind as you choose your health goals. It’s important to understand that exercise can’t be used as a substitute for a poor diet. It takes a lot of physical activity to burn enough calories to make a difference with weight loss. And cookies are not a good choice for stress management. Find time to balance your life, as it’s essential to help keep you on track.

The goal of exercising when you’re trying to change your body composition is to decrease the loss of muscle that’s often associated with weight loss. You don’t want to lose healthy muscle mass. Performing muscle-building exercises and consuming a balanced protein-rich diet can help you accomplish this task.

Striving to reduce your body fat, improve your muscle density, trim your waist and improve your overall appearance and sense of well-being is a much better goal than aiming for a number on the scale. Try my fun muscle-building exercise routine that you can do while your kids are at the playground.

If you are interested in tracking your Body Compositon, pop into the club and get a scan done! 

First one for members is FREE and $20 per scan after that. Non members is $30 per scan! 

Are you a STRESS eater?

Stress eating doesn't normally take away the stress, and if it’s done too often, it can also add pounds. Here are some tips to beat this habit.”

Emotional Eating: It Happens.

Emotional eating happens to many of us from time to time. Maybe you’ve cheered yourself up with a bowl of ice cream after an unusually tough day, or sneaked a few French fries from your best friend’s plate while recapping a disastrous date. But when emotional eating gets out of hand—when eating is the first and most common response to negative thoughts and feelings—it’s time to get a grip.

What is stress eating?

Stress eating, or emotional eating, is when you eat in order to escape whatever bad feelings you’re experiencing, in the hope that food will make you feel better. Sometimes it’s a conscious decision, but more often it’s just a mindless response to a vague, negative emotion. You may not know what’s bothering you, but you’re pretty sure that food is the one thing that will cure whatever ails you.

Is it emotional or physical hunger?

There are few tell-tale signs that can help you distinguish emotional hunger/stress eating from true, physical hunger.

• Emotional stress eating usually comes on suddenly. You start feeling stressed or tense, and wham! You’re craving nachos. On the other hand, physical hunger tends to come on gradually. You’re starting to feel hungry but you can wait to eat, which gives you some time to choose wisely and satisfy that hunger with something that’s good for you.
• Stress eating usually causes a craving for a food that’s sugary, fatty and high calorie—and often very specific (not simply “chocolate,” but “a slice of triple layer fudge cake from Fred’s Diner on 6th Street”). But when you’re physically hungry, food in general sounds good to you. You’re willing to consider several options that will satisfy your physical hunger, which means you’re more likely to make a better choice.
• Once your physical hunger is satisfied and your stomach is comfortably full, it’s a signal that you’ve had enough and you tend to stop eating. But when emotions are the driver, it’s easy to ignore what your stomach is telling you—and you wind up eating way too much while attempting to make yourself feel better.
• Stress eating might lift your mood momentarily – then, just as quickly, shame and guilt often move in. On the other hand, when you finish a meal that’s satisfied your physical hunger, you don’t usually feel guilty afterwards for having eaten.

Tips for dealing with stress eating behaviors

• Keep a food journal – A food journal can really help you see what triggers your stress eating. Whenever you feel the need to eat, make a note of how hungry you are on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 = I’m faint with hunger; 10 = I’m so stuffed I have to loosen my clothing). Then write down how you’re feeling at the moment.
• Own up to your feelings – You know that emotions are the trigger for your stress eating, so why not acknowledge them? It’s okay to be mad or lonely or bored sometimes. The feelings may be unpleasant but they’re not dangerous, and you don’t always need to ‘fix’ them.
• Work on your coping skills – Every time you eat in response to stress, it’s just a reminder that you can’t cope with your emotions. When stress strikes, try asking yourself, “What’s the worst thing that will happen if I don’t eat?” Yes, your stress level might rise a bit, but the feeling will pass. Practice tolerating your emotions, or finding other ways to deal with your stress.
• Find alternatives to eating – Take a few moments to reflect on your feelings and think of ways you can solve your problem. Make a list of things you can do instead of eating, like walking, listening to music or meditating.
• Unlearn your bad habits – Emotional eaters continually reinforce the idea that the best way to treat negative emotions is with food. And like other bad habits, stress eating happens before you’ve even had a chance to think about it. So, you need to “un-learn” your bad habits and practice doing something other than eating when a bad day strikes.
• Wait it out – Stress eaters often are afraid that if they don’t satisfy the urge to eat, the craving will just get worse. But when they practice delaying tactics, they’re often surprised that the urge simply passes. Rather than immediately giving in to your urges, promise yourself you’ll wait a few minutes and let the craving pass.

Be kind to yourself, and give yourself time to work on your stress eating. If you find that these tactics aren’t working for you, ask your health care provider if counseling or group support might be helpful for you.

Frozen meals.....

Frozen meals are convenient, but if you don’t choose carefully, they can be diet-busters. Here are some tips for choosing a healthy, frozen meal. Frozen meals have sure come a long way.

The very first ones produced in the US – in the 1940s – were designed primarily for airline passengers, and it would be at least another decade before frozen meals came into more widespread use at home. And, since it would be another 30 years before most homes had a microwave oven, the foil-wrapped “TV dinners” of the 1950s couldn’t supply instant gratification – they required a 30-minute stopover in a hot oven before making it to the plate (or the TV tray*).

By the mid-1980s, though, home microwave ovens were fairly common, and the invention of the microwavable food tray was a game-changer. Finally, dinner could be on the table, literally, in minutes.

Now, consumers want both convenience and good nutrition from their frozen meals – and it’s getting easier to do. Consumers are demanding better ingredients, more protein, less salt and healthier fats than they used to – and food manufacturers are stepping up to meet the demand. That means that you can find a convenient frozen meal that is also good for you – but you need to know what to look for.

The Good and Bad of Frozen Meals

One of the main advantages of a frozen meal is that it’s portion- and calorie-controlled. When you’re counting calories and watching your weight, this can be a huge plus; it eliminates the uncertainty that’s associated with weighing and measuring (or simply estimating) your own portion and, therefore, your calories.

Convenience is obviously an advantage – most frozen meals take only a few minutes to heat up, and you can have a healthy frozen meal without having to shop and prep. And, since there’s plenty of variety available, using frozen meals might keep you from getting bored on your diet.

On the downside, many frozen meals are really high in sodium, and they may contain ingredients (like preservatives, for example) that you wouldn’t be adding to foods you cook yourself; and the better quality frozen meals can be pricey.

What to Look For in a Frozen Meal

When shopping for healthy frozen meals, you’ll want to check the nutrition facts carefully. Here are some guidelines to help you make the best choices:

• Calories: This number will vary depending on your personal needs, but 350-500 calories for a meal is a pretty good target for most people. If you’re trying to lose weight, you might be tempted to choose the lowest calorie meal you can find, but if the calories are too low (I’ve seen some “meals” with less than 200 calories) the meal isn’t likely to keep you full for long – and that could set you up for some unhealthy snacking later on.
• Protein: Protein helps to keep you full, so the more protein you can find, the better. Look for meals that provide at least 15 grams of protein (ideally, more).
• Sodium: Finding lower sodium frozen meals is easier than it used to be, so look for meals with 750 milligrams of sodium or less.
• Fiber: Frozen meals don’t generally have large portions of high-fiber whole grains or vegetables, but it doesn’t hurt to look for it. If you can find four to five grams of fiber in your meal, it would be a plus.
• Fat: Total calories from fat in your meal should be 30% or less. To figure this out, look for meals that have no more than three grams of fat per 100 calories.
• Serving size: Make sure you know what the serving size is. Most meals are designed for one person, but it doesn’t hurt to double check. Remember that the nutrition facts apply only to one serving.
• Label Claims: When you see words like “vegetarian” or “organic” or “gluten-free” you might assume they’re healthy and low in calories. They might be, but there’s no guarantee. Really read the entire nutrition facts panel and the ingredients so you know exactly what you’re getting.

How to Make a Frozen Meal Even Better

• Most frozen meals have pretty skimpy vegetable portions, so it helps to add a side salad, some extra veggies, or a cup of vegetable soup to your meal.
• If you do add soup or a salad, you can eat your meal in courses, which will help you to slow down.
• It does add to cleanup, but consider putting your hot meal on a regular dinner plate. It will make it feel more like home-cooked, and you’re likely to enjoy it more.
• Save the trays – they can be useful for putting together your own quick, portion-controlled meals from leftovers you make at home.

IMMUNE SYSTEM...

A strong immune system relies on a healthy diet for support. Here are some nutrition tips to help you keep your immune system in tip-top shape.

When you stop to think about how hard your immune system works for you, it’s nothing short of amazing. It’s an incredibly complex system that works nonstop to protect and defend you. And it’s a system that depends on good nutrition in order to function properly.

We tend to focus on immunity more in the colder months. It seems that colder weather and illness go hand-in-hand. Part of the reason is that when the weather turns chilly, we spend more time indoors. That means we’re in closer contact with more people, and there’s less air circulating so we’ve got more exposure to the germs that can make us sick.

But that doesn’t mean our immune system isn’t on alert the rest of the year. Your built-in defense system works 24/7. In essence, your immune system is your own personal army of ‘soldiers.’ They protect your body by identifying anything foreign, from a virus to a bacteria to a parasite, and then seeking it out and destroying it.

And your body depends on the proper nutrients and a healthy lifestyle to keep your defenses up.

Good Nutrition and Your Immune System

Your immune system has some ‘special forces’ in the form of white blood cells. These cells produce specialized proteins called antibodies that seek out and destroy invading viruses and bacteria. Since antibodies are proteins, you need adequate protein in the diet to ensure you’ll be able to manufacture the antibodies your body needs. Healthy protein foods, like fish, poultry, lean meats, soy foods and low-fat dairy products, provide the building blocks that your body needs to make these specialized proteins.

Fruits and vegetables are key players in immune system health, because they’re great sources of vitamins A and C, as well as phytonutrients. Vitamin C encourages your body to produce antibodies, and vitamin A supports the health of your skin and tissues of your digestive tract and respiratory system. All of these act as first lines of defense against foreign invaders. Many of the phytonutrients found in fruits and veggies act as antioxidants, which can help to reduce oxidative stress on the body that may weaken your body’s ability to fight of illness.

Keeping your digestive system healthy is also important in supporting immune function. Your digestive tract is home to trillions of bacteria that have numerous functions in promoting health. Some strains of bacteria help you digest the fiber in your foods, others consume intestinal gas, while others produce vitamins like vitamin K and vitamin B12.

When your system is populated with these “good” bacteria, they also serve to crowd out the potentially harmful bacteria that might enter your digestive tract. Some of the best sources of these friendly bacteria are cultured dairy products, like yogurt and kefir. As you know, whenever you’re trying something new, make sure to check with your doctor or other professional about the amount to take that’s right for you.

Some people suffer medical conditions that affect the operation of their immune systems. Diet alone won’t improve the function of a compromised immune system. But for healthy people, eating well can help keep your immune system healthy and strong. To help your body in the fight against foreign invaders, your internal ‘army’ needs the best nutrition possible. So call in the troops!

APPETITE CONTROL...

Various factors determine how satisfying foods are, and you can use them to help you control your appetite.

What makes a food or a meal filling? You might assume that satisfying your appetite depends, more or less, on how much food you eat. That might also explain why so many people feel that in order to maintain appetite control, they simply have to get used to eating less food.

Don’t get me wrong, portion control is definitely an important factor in controlling your food intake. But there are other factors at play, too. The composition of the food, such as the amount of fat, carbohydrate and protein it has, partly determines how satiating a food is. Texture plays a role, too. Even before a food passes your lips or enters your stomach, the sight, smell and any of your past experiences with that food, sends signals to your brain that can influence how much you eat.

Appetite Control and Influencing Factors

Anticipating that the food will fill you up
When you’re about to eat something, the sight and smell of the food signals the body that nutrients are on the way. These cues, sent from your senses to your brain, prepare your body for the process of digestion and absorption. But something else happens: your brain anticipates that the food is going to satisfy you, too.

The influences of your senses of sight and smell really do matter. It’s been shown, for instance, that a bowl of soup is perceived as more filling when it’s consumed normally than if the same volume of soup is delivered in a way that bypasses your sensory organs (say, through a tube going directly into the stomach). So, before you take a bite, take a moment to appreciate the color and aroma of your food, and remind yourself of how satisfying your meal is going to be.

The power of protein
Protein is more satiating than carbohydrate, which tends to be more satiating than fat. These satiating effects of protein are primarily physiologic—through influences, among other things, on hormones in your digestive tract that signal fullness. But there are sensory influences: the taste and texture of protein-rich foods tend to promote a feeling of fullness, too.

Fiber is filling
Fiber helps with appetite control in a number of ways. First, fiber makes foods more bulky. High-fiber foods like vegetables and fruits take up a fair amount of room in your stomach, so they fill you up but at a relatively low calorie cost. Fiber also takes a while to digest, so it slows the rate at which foods leave your stomach. Soluble fibers—found in foods like apples, barley, beans and oats—thicken up once they hit your stomach. And that can also contribute to a feeling of fullness.

Texture matters, too
In general, liquids that are thick and viscous are perceived as being more filling than watery fluids, even if the calorie counts are the same. This is another example of how the sensory property of a food affects expectations of quenching hunger. Thicker liquids tend to signal more nutrients than watery fluids, which are more likely associated with quenching your thirst.

There are studies to support this. Smoothies that are thickened with a bit of calorie-free cellulose, for example, are rated as more filling than thinner ones. And that’s even though both contain the same amount of protein and other nutrients, as well as calories. Another study found that simply whipping more air into a smoothie, which doubled the volume, led study subjects to report less hunger at their next meal. This resulted in the intake of 12% fewer calories at their next meal. (Hence why we like our smoothies fluffy at Technofunc) 

The hungrier you are, the more you’re likely to eat
Most people are aware of this. If you wait until you’re ravenous, you’re probably going to overeat once you get the chance. One reason for this is that as your hunger level rises, you become much more sensitive to salty and sweet tastes. That’s probably because these two flavors tend to signal that a food is edible—compared to say, a bitter taste. Food manufacturers must know this. Is it any wonder that so many of our snack foods—the ones we dive into when we’re famished—are loaded down with salt and sugar?

RECEIPE SHARE _P R O T E I N S N A C K_

Vanilla Lemon Protein Balls 🍋
R E C I P E_
1 Cup Almonds
1/3 Cup Walnuts
1 Cup pitted Dates
3 scoops Vanilla Protein
1/2 Cup Coconut
4-5 Drops Doterra Citrus Lemon Oil

Method:
1. Put dates, nuts and coconut in thermionic ( or food processor) and blitz until fine crumbly texture

2. Add in coconut oil, Protein powder and Doterra oil

3. Blitz until well combined than roll mixture into little balls, rolling again in coconut

Taste like lemon cheesecake 😍
We make ours with Herbalife Soy based Protein, you can substitute for any however I only know what these taste like using that particular protein.. give them a go!

Cash on Calories

Spending your calories is a lot like spending your money. You want to get the most nutritional value. So, why not think of your calories as cash?

Counting calories is a tried-and-true method for keeping track of where your calories go every day. But if you simply count calories and don’t pay much attention to what you’re spending them on, you might not be getting the most nutritional “bang for your buck.” So, here’s a thought: Why not handle your daily calorie allowance the same way you handle your money?

Your Calorie Wallet

Imagine that you carry with you a calorie wallet. One that holds all the calories you can spend for the day. How you choose to spend those calories is entirely up to you. And it’s not unlike the way you choose to spend your money.

When you’re watching your finances, you probably do your best to take care of the necessities first. And if there’s any left over, you might decide to put it away or spend it on something special. When you do part with your money, you’re probably hoping to get the best value for your it as well.

The same thing applies with those calories in your wallet. Most of the time, you’ll want to spend wisely in order to get the best nutritional value for your calories. So, you’ll take care of the necessities first and spend your calories on the healthy foods your body needs. If you have any calories left over at the end of the day, you might decide to spend them on a little treat.

There also might be those times when you spend your calorie bucks on something you want but don’t really need. It’s just like you might splurge on a really expensive pair of shoes. But if you want to keep your weight in check, you’ll need to make up for it somehow. Just as it might make sense to save up for those great shoes, you could hold back a few calories in your wallet every day so you can spend a little extra on the weekend. So, you can treat your calorie wallet more like a savings account.

Everyone has a daily calorie budget. That’s the number of calories they should eat every day to keep their weight in check. Some people’s calorie wallets are a little thicker than others. But no calorie wallet has a credit card. If you spend more calories on food than you have in your wallet, you’ll pay for it another way—like with some extra padding around your waist, hips or thighs.

Spending Your Breakfast Calories

When you’re walking around with a wallet stuffed with cash, it can be pretty easy to spend it. Then all of a sudden you look inside and you can’t imagine where the money went. Now you have to be a lot more careful with the bucks you have left.

Well, the same thing is true when you look at your calorie wallet first thing in the morning. Your wallet’s got all your day’s calories in it. It looks like you’ve got plenty, so you might be tempted to overspend on breakfast calories. But when dinnertime rolls around and you realize you don’t have many calories left in your wallet, you’ll be wondering where they all went. So, the choices you make in the morning can have a big impact on how well you budget those calories for the rest of the day.

Here’s a look at the nutritional value of some typical breakfasts. And how much “cash” you’ll have to pull out of your wallet to buy those breakfast calories…

• Getting your morning meal from a coffee house or a drive-through might seem like a quick option, but it can also be one of the quickest ways to empty your calorie wallet. Get a large latte and a healthy-sounding bran muffin from your local coffee store and you’ll have to pull 650 breakfast calories out of your wallet. And what do you get in return? Two tablespoons of fat and as much saturated fat as two cheeseburgers.

• A typical breakfast sandwich from the drive-through isn’t much better at 550 calories or so. And some places offer a full breakfast with more than 1000 calories, and more fat than 4 slices of pepperoni pizza. At that rate, your wallet will be empty in no time.

• What if you stay home and have some cereal with milk? A cup of granola with reduced fat milk could have more than 450 calories. By the time you top it with fruit, you could be pulling close to 500 breakfast calories out of your wallet. Sure, you can find some lower calorie cereals, but most don’t offer up much protein. So, you may not getting the best nutritional bang for your calorie bucks.

When I pull out my calorie wallet in the morning, I want to spend my calories on some healthy protein to keep me satisfied until lunch. Then I round out the meal with some fruits or veggies. A cup of nonfat yogurt or cottage cheese with some fruit on top or a veggie omelet both fill the bill. And I only need to pull about 300 breakfast calories out of my wallet. Same goes for a protein shake made with protein powder, nonfat milk and fruit. For less than 300 calories, I get a balanced meal with about 20 grams of protein, a third of my day’s calcium and a serving of fruit. For me, that’s right on the money.

Smoothie Life

Drinking smoothies is the easiest adaption for even the busiest person, the benefits are amazing!

Weight loss, increased energy, clearer skin, improved digestion and immunity to name a few benefits...

Being health should be enjoyable and smoothies are simple, affordable and taste amazing! 

All you need is a blender a knife to chop your fruit and veg and a glass or shaker to drink your smoothie out of. 

When creating your own smoothie you can choose your calorie option there for it falls under the weight management category as YOU control the calories you are putting in it!

When creating the smoothie recipe from scratch try to aim for a mix of fruit and veg. Mix up your greens so that you are giving your body the added nutritional benefits of the green leafy plant based foods and try to rotate them.

Drink your smoothie straight away before it sits for a bit so it is fresh. If you know you cant drink it straight away pop the left overs or half the smoothie in and ice cube tray and pop in the freezer to use later in another smoothie! 

Using frozen ingredients are best as they are colder, it cuts down the smoothing making process and you can cut down fruit and veg wastage also!

Adding protein powder will add extra protein to the smoothie plus also help thicken it up! 

Keep in mind that Technofunc have 5 delicious protein flavours that we recommend so for more info on that see us at reception! If you are new to the smoothie gam e - our advice keep it simple! 

Over the next few weeks we will be sharing some smoothie recipes with you that are our favourite. This will give you guys ideas on how to make your smoothie more exciting and tasty so that you don't get sick of the same one! 

New ways to have it equals new results! 

Suitable Eating...

Before trying any new diet, please consult with your doctor or healthcare provider.

It seems like every few months; there is some new way of eating that is all the craze. Some of these diets have become so popular and celebrity-praised, that you may be curious to try them. In this post, I’ll be sharing with you information about the most popular diets out there, tips for trying them out, and what cautionary side effects to look out for.

A few things to consider before starting any new diet…

Consider Your Personal Needs

Make sure you take your lifestyle, goals, and individual needs into consideration when looking over new diet options. It’s time to be honest with yourself: what diets have you tried in the past? What did you like or dislike about them? Were you able to stick to the guidelines? What worked or didn’t work for you? How did it make you feel physically and emotionally? Keeping these factors in mind, will help you when determining if a diet is right for you.

Are You Ready To Commit With Time And Money?

Dieting takes work; it takes commitment.  Most diets mean taking the time to plan out meals and spending a little extra time planning out that week’s grocery list. Some of these diets require very specific foods and supplements. Are you ready to take on the added expenses? Some of these diets exclude entire food groups. You’ll have to keep these exclusions in mind as you meal prep, or whenever you go out to eat.

Research, Research, Research!

The first step to starting any diet is to do your homework! No matter what eating style you choose, before you begin you’ll want to know as much as possible. Go on google and do some further research. Read blogs and books. Check out some cookbooks to see if the kinds of food allowed, are things that agree with you. Do your research! The more you know, the more success you’ll have, and the better you will be able to gauge if this eating style is for you.

Give Your Body Some Time To Adjust

Whenever you try something new, you have to give your body a chance to adjust. With each eating style, you want to give yourself at least 30 days before evaluating if eating this way is working and right for you.

Consult With Your Doctor

It’s highly recommended that you have blood work drawn before beginning a new diet. By having these numbers, after 30 days, you’ll be able to gauge any improvements and see how your new eating style is contributing to your health.

Think you’re ready to ‘meet’ some possible diets? Let’s do this!

Paleo: The Paleo Diet is primarily a “lifestyle choice” of eating certain foods based on the notion that for optimal health, we should go back to eating real, whole, unprocessed foods the way our ancestors did. In a nutshell: Cut out processed foods, legumes, dairy and grains. Load up on veggies, meat, fish, eggs, fruits and nuts.  This diet can be traced back to the 1970’s where a gastroenterologist Walter Voegtlin, first started gathering his research. The diet was later developed further by Stanley-Boyd Eaton and Melvin Konner and was popularized by Loren Cordain in his 2002 book, The Paleo Diet.

A Typical Paleo Day

Breakfast: omelet with avocado

Lunch: big salad with your favorite protein (chicken, steak, etc.)

Snack: apple slices with almond butter

Dinner: slow cooker pulled pork

Why Go Paleo: According to Dr. Loren Cordain Founder of the Paleo movement, when you cut out wheat, dairy, gluten, grains and sugar, you significantly reduce inflammation and improve your focus, memory, and energy levels.

When To Stop: It’s common to experience some digestive issues when you change up the way you eat…to a certain extent. If you experience painful gastrointestinal discomfort, constipation, or diarrhea, you may not be tolerating some of the Paleo foods. Other things to look out for: extreme loss of energy, anxiety, and depression.

Low Carb Diet: A low carb diet means increasing your fat intake, and having a moderate protein intake. Specifically, a low-carb diet restricts carbohydrates, such as those found in sugary foods, pasta, and bread. It tends to be high in protein, fat and healthy vegetables.  A 2014 study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, found that low-carb diets were more effective for weight loss, and, as demonstrated by 148 participants, also reduced their risk for cardiovascular diseases. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, most low-carb diets limit carbohydrate intake to between 50 to 150 grams per day, depending on the diet.

Replacing your carb-heavy foods with low starch vegetables, and your sugary foods with healthy fats is a great first step for beginning a low carb diet. On a low-carb diet, you’ll want to emphasize meats, healthy fats, and low starch vegetables…and cut out your typical sugary foods, pasta, and bread. There are many different types of low-carb diets out there, and studies show that they can cause weight loss and improve your health.

A Typical Low Carb Day

Breakfast: two scrambled eggs with 1/2 red bell pepper

Lunch: 3 ounces grilled chicken with 1 cup asparagus

Snack: 1/3 cup oatmeal with ten almonds

Dinner: 3 ounces steak with 2 cups steamed broccoli and cauliflower

Why Go Low Carb: According to researchers from the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension at SUNY University of Brooklyn, and a 2014 study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, going low carb helps manage blood sugar levels effectively, improve blood lipid profile – increase good cholesterol, decrease harmful and lower triglycerides, and reduce inflammation in arteries and veins which are a contributing factor to cardiovascular disease and dementia.

When To Stop: If you experience any systems of hypothyroidism, such as thinning hair, muscle weakness, dry skin, puffy face, impaired memory, pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints, to name a few, you may want to get your thyroid tested and experiment with upping your carbs. If you live a stressful life, low carb may not be for you. In a study in Life Sciences, those who live a stressful life, end up overproducing cortisol and potentially taxing out their adrenal glands. We get adrenal fatigue when our adrenals burn out due to chronically elevated stress levels. Combine low carb dieting, with a stressful job, inadequate sleep, relationship problems, money issues, and over exercising, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for adrenal burnout.

Vegan: A Vegan diet is one that consists of only plant-derived foods. Vegans don’t use or consume any animals or animal products including land or sea animals, milk, eggs, or honey.  According to a recent study conducted by experts at the prestigious Oxford University’s Oxford Martin School, “well-planned plant-based diets are rich in protein, iron, calcium and other essential vitamins and minerals. The plant-based sources of these nutrients tend to be low in saturated fat, high in fiber and packed with antioxidants, helping mitigate some of the modern world’s biggest health issues like obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.” 

According to an American Dietetic Association, depending on your lifestyle, on a Vegan diet you want to aim for generally, six servings of grains, five servings of legumes, nuts and other types of protein, such as peanut butter, chickpeas, tofu, potatoes and soy milk; and four daily servings of veggies, two servings of fruit and two servings of fats, such as sesame oil, avocado and coconut.

A Typical Vegan Day

Breakfast: green smoothie

Lunch: tofu, spinach and avocado sandwich

Snack: celery and peanut butter

Dinner: quinoa with veggies, tempeh, and an avocado salad

When To Stop: Vitamin B12 occurs naturally only in animal foods.  A B12 deficiency can lead to tiredness, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite), nerve problems, and depression. If you try this diet, you’ll want to make sure you eat plenty of b12 fortified foods and a high quality B12 supplement.

The same goes with iron. According to nutritionist Christian Henderson, RD. “ Iron comes in two forms: heme and non-heme. Heme, which makes up about 40% of the iron in animal foods, is quickly absorbed by the body. Vegan diets contain only non-heme, which is less readily absorbed, so you may need to ingest more iron if you want to get the same benefit.” Good vegan iron sources include legumes, sunflower seeds, dried raisins, and dark, leafy greens.

Mediterranean: The Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional foods that people used to eat in countries like Italy and Greece back in the year 1960. According to a 2013 study in The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that these people were exceptionally healthy compared to Americans and had a low risk of many killer diseases. On a Mediterranean diet, you eat lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, potatoes, whole grains, bread, herbs, spices, fish, seafood and extra virgin olive oil. You keep in moderation poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt, and you rarely eat any red meat. On a Mediterranean diet, you don’t eat sugar-sweetened beverages, added sugars, processed meat, refined grains, refined oils and other highly processed foods.

A Typical Mediterranean Day

Breakfast: Greek yogurt with strawberries and oats.

Lunch: whole grain sandwich with vegetables.

Snack: chickpeas roasted with olive oil, salt, and paprika

Dinner: a tuna salad, dressed in olive oil. A piece of fruit for dessert.

Why Go Mediterranean: Research suggests that the benefits of following a Mediterranean-style eating pattern may be many: improved weight loss, better control of blood glucose (sugar) levels and reduced risk of depression, to name a few. According to 2007 JAMA Internal Medicine, eating like a Mediterranean has also been associated with reduced levels of inflammation, a risk factor for heart attack, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.

When To Stop: The Mediterranean diet allows for dairy. Many people have problems processing the proteins and sugars in dairy. You will want to stop if you experience bloating, diarrhea, fat in stool, indigestion, flatulence, or stomach cramps. This diet also contains large amounts of seafood. Today, fish is one of the most toxic foods, containing high levels of mercury and other contaminants. When eating the Mediterranean diet, you’ll want to choose as low mercury, and wild caught seafood’s as often as possible.

Bone Broth

Bone broth is quickly becoming a very popular trend in the health and fitness world. People are drinking it to lose weight, improve their skin and even help nourish their joints.

But what exactly is bone broth?

In short, bone broth is a nutritious stock made from simmering animal bones and its connective tissues. Using an acid, like vinegar or even lemon juice, the acid helps to break down the collagen and tissue, leaving you with a quite tasty and nutritious liquid commonly used in sauces and soups.

Bone broth is full of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur, and others, in the best form that your body can easily absorb.  Bone broth also contains chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine, the very same compounds sold as pricey supplements to reduce inflammation, arthritis and joint pain. Bone broth helps heal and seal your gut, inhibits inflammation, fights infection and as a bonus, bone broth is full of collagen. As we age, we lose collagen. Collagen is a super functional ingredient for beautiful skin, fewer wrinkles, and healthy joints. Sounds like the perfect protein drink!

Bone broth can be made from any animal bones, but the most popular sources are chicken, turkey, lamb, pig, beef, wild game like deer, and even fish. Any marrow or connective tissue can be used to make the broth; this includes beaks, feet, gizzards, spines, hooves and legs, hocks, whole carcasses or fins.

Reasons to Start Drinking Bone Broth: Aside from promoting weight loss, bone broth has several other amazing benefits. As explained by Health and Wellness writer, Sally Fallon: “Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily—not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons–stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.”

Heal/Seal That Gut: According to holistic nutrition coach/founder of Healthful Elements, Jill Grunewald; just a cup of bone broth a day works miracles for leaky gut syndrome. The gelatin in the bone broth helps to seal up any holes that may be in your intestines. This can help cure chronic diarrhea, constipation, and even some of those annoying food intolerances.

Protect Your Joints: It turns out that bone broth contains glucosamine. Unlike your typical glucosamine pills that you may pick up from your local pharmacy, this broth also includes a lot of other nutrients that will help to keep your joints pain free and healthy. The chondroitin sulfate in bone broth has been shown to even help prevent osteoarthritis.

Immune Support: Thanks to its high concentration of minerals, bone broth is considered to be a superfood. The amino acids in bone broth such as arginine, glutamine, and cysteine, have been shown to boost immunity in humans and even animals! A study conducted at Harvard University showed that individuals who dealt with auto-immune disorders experienced a relief of their symptoms when drinking bone broth, some even achieving a complete remission.

Stronger Bones: The phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium seeps out from the bones and into the broth leaving you with the essentials perfect for healthy bones.

Bottom Line: In addition to these benefits, Bone broth contains a number of healthy and beneficial nutrients, and the gelatin the broth contains has additional side-effects, such as stronger and healthier nails, joint-pain relief, lowers blood sugar levels, improves your sleep, and can even normalize stomach acid.

This is our personal bone broth recipe. Try making your bone broth at the beginning of the week and cook it overnight in the slow cooker. Then you can store it in airtight containers in the fridge. It’s also a good idea to freeze a cup or two so that you always have a reserve when you need it. This recipe calls for beef bones but you can also make a broth out of chicken, fish or pork bones.

Ingredients:

1 lb of beef  bones – strong healthy bones from grass-fed animals!

2 large carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

small handful of fresh parsley or rosemary, chopped

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1  1/2 liter or more water

1 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Place bones into a slow cooker and drizzle with apple cider vinegar. This step is very important because the vinegar bring all the nutrients and minerals out of the bones and into the broth.
2. Add the chopped veggies and then add enough water to cover the bones and also to make enough bone broth.
3. Cook for 12 hours.
4. Discard the bones, veggies and keep the liquid. Let it cool down,  adjust the taste with salt and pepper. Store in containers in the refrigerator or in the freezer.
5. When you store the bone broth in refrigerator, you will notice that there’s a thick layer of fat at the very top of the jar. Discard it.

Eating to control your body fat...

Here’s why keeping your weight in check is so important for heart health, and how a heart-healthy diet can help you control your weight.

February is Heart Month, which is why we’re focusing this month on heart health. A “heart-healthy” diet can help you to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. That’s important, because carrying too much body fat—especially around your midsection—may increase your risk for heart disease.

Why Excess Body Fat Affects Heart Health

The larger and heavier you are, the harder your heart has to work. As you gain body fat, your body has to develop additional tiny blood vessels in order to supply oxygen and nutrients to the fat cells. But more blood vessels means an increased workload for your heart, because—in order for the blood to reach all of your cells—your heart has to work harder, and it takes more blood pressure, too.

Where you carry your fat also makes a difference. The fat that lies around the abdomen (often referred to as “belly fat”) is different from the fat deposits you have in other parts of your body. An excess of body fat that collects around your midsection and internal organs is associated with an increased risk for heart disease—in part, because of influences on blood pressure and levels of fats in the bloodstream.

Carrying extra weight can also affect your heart health in another important yet less direct way. Many people complain that excess weight makes it difficult or uncomfortable to exercise—which, of course, is so important to heart health, weight management and overall health and well-being.

Enjoy a healthy, well-balanced diet.

It’s no secret that a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle is important to good health. But it bears repeating that eating the right foods—and not eating too much —is key to weight
management, which in turn helps promote heart health.

• o Low-fat proteins from a combination of plant and animal sources will help keep saturated fat intake down, while satisfying hunger at the same time. They’re also going to be the lowest calorie choices, too. Plant-proteins are naturally cholesterol-free, and seafood provides heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids known as EPA and DHA.

  o Colorful fruits and vegetables, and whole grains, should be your go-to carbohydrates. They’re nutrient-rich, yet relatively low in calories, which makes them the best choices for meeting your carbohydrate needs. Their fiber and water content help to fill you up, and adequate intake of certain fibers—such as the soluble fiber found in foods like apples, oats and beans—are associated with lower levels of cholesterol in the blood, as long as you stick to a low-fat diet. And when you focus on these “good” carb sources, you’ll wind up eating fewer foods that have a lot of sugar and refined carbs, which can rack up calories quickly.

  o Small amounts of healthy fats, such as a sprinkle of nuts, a drizzle of olive oil or a few slices of avocado, can boost flavor and nutrition in calorie-controlled meals. Using fats thoughtfully and sparingly will help you with calorie-control, since fats are more calorie-dense than either proteins or carbohydrates.

Exercise regularly.

Cardiovascular exercise—exercise that boosts your breathing and heart rate— promotes heart health in a number of ways. Like any other muscle, your heart responds positively to exercise, becoming more efficient at pumping blood and delivering oxygen to your tissues. You also burn calories while you exercise, which can help in your weight-loss efforts, as well as to maintain a healthy body weight. Regular exercise also helps keep blood pressure under control and is a great stress-reliever. Keeping both blood pressure and stress levels in check is important to the health of your heart.