What Makes A Healthy Meal?

Healthy Eating Broken Down

What is a balanced and healthy meal comprised of?

Broken down, what makes a balanced meal is the incorporation of all the healthy components.  This includes:

• Lean protein
• Complex carbohydrates
• Healthy fats
• Fibre
• Vitamins
• Minerals

I suggest you aim for 400 - 600 calories per person for your healthy main meal every day, as well as approximately 300 - 400 calories for your other two meals (though this is dependent on your exercise levels, please contact me for more information about this if you are training).

What does this really mean in practical terms?

To create a meal, you can look at the different components and build it from there.

Lean Protein

The base of your meal, the lean protein. Providing your body with a quality source of protein at each meal will help you feel satisfied longer while supporting muscle growth and metabolism. The right amount is critical, as research has shown about 20 to 40 grams of protein is optimal. Select lean meat options such as 5 ounces (about the size of a smartphone) of free-range beef, cage-free chicken, wild salmon, or other fish. If interested in non-meat protein sources, consider 3 to 4  eggs or egg whites, a cup of Greek-style yogurt, or 2 to 3 ounces of mixed nuts.

Complex Carbohydrates

To obtain a steady source of energy, complex carbohydrates are required. Some healthy options are 1 cup of cooked oatmeal, organic brown rice, or whole-grain pasta. If the typical grains don’t sound appealing to you, your body can still get the same fuel from 1 cup of baked yams or sweet potatoes, beans, lentils, or a corn tortilla. Any of these choices are low-glycemic and shouldn’t cause dramatic spikes in blood sugar that could lead to a crash.

Fibre

Fibre gives you the 'full' feeling and provides a good source of food for your pro-biotics. Fibre is called a pre-biotic.

Most fruits and vegetables have so few calories and are so densely packed with nutrients, including fibre, that there’s no strict limit to portion size, so adding more can be a great way to raise volume of your meal and help fill you up without over consuming calories. Fill half your plate at each meal with 2 to 3 cups of fruits and vegetables such as apple or orange slices, berries, broccoli, kale, spinach, steamed vegetables, or a mixed green salad. To add some color to your plate, try options such as sliced tomatoes, carrots, or bell peppers. If you’re still feeling hungry after your meal, you can’t go wrong with a second helping of vegetables.

Healthy Fats

Healthy fats are often neglected when planning a meal because of the negative stigma fats carry; however, these fats are important to your body’s health and can make any meal more satisfying. Adding half an avocado or 1 tablespoon of pumpkin, sunflower, or sesame seeds to any salad or plate is an easy way to give your body an adequate source of fatty acids. Incorporating essential omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for health, is a great benefit too. These can be found in your fish and vegetable oils (ensure they are freshly milled, don't buy preground seeds such as Flaxseed, as the oil goes rancid within 72 hours and you negate the benefits).

Spices/Flavour

Lastly, remember to add flavor in the form of fresh herbs, spices, or condiments, which can provide important antioxidant vitamins and polyphenols. These can include basil, parsley, pepper, cinnamon, and other tasty varieties.

Gratitudes Keep You On Track

Daily Gratitudes

One of my commitments during my 30 days is to engage again with my Gratitudes Diary.  This diary has a special talent. That special talent is that it creates an uplifting energy to my day.

A few years ago I may have said that a Gratitude Diary was a good thing to have, but I wasn't engaging in it.  I remember thinking, "surely just thinking positive thoughts is enough"?

I don't believe it is, the thought is a great beginning, don't get me wrong, I love the power of positive thinking, however, as a stand alone, I believe an action needs to be undertaken to complete the power of the thought.

This action is writing about it. The action of writing about a positive thought, lets that thought settle into your very being, it creates a vibration within you that goes cellular - well, I believe so anyway!

Actions cement a thought. Have you ever tried to learn a new concept? Did just reading about it cement it in for you? Or did you have to actually go out and do the thing to really learn about the process?

I have always found in learning, especially when it comes to new habits, that repetition, repetition, repetition always works well!  

So, take action today, grab a piece of paper and start tonight. Write out five things you are grateful that happened to you today - it may have even been someone cutting you up in the traffic, because it led you to a different way to work, that meant you got to see some amazing graffiti that you wouldn't have seen before (now you get to see how my mind works!!).

Get writing and let me know how you feel after you've written out the five things that made you smile throughout your day today, and whether it gave you a lift or not.

Check out my video on my Facebook page too where I discuss the Gratitudes Diary!

A Quiet Day - Time For Reading & Reflecting

Ready & Reflecting

Starting on the 30 days of commitment is a challenge.  There are always going to be hurdles that the Universe will put in your way, I find they are usually hurdles that test your commitment to your desired plan.

Have you noticed that this happens? You set yourself a goal, e.g., it might be the no alcohol commitment that I have just made, and THEN, out of the BLUE, comes a party invitation. Now, the struggle is: Do I accept and be among others that are partying and having a few drinks OR do I reject it and hide so that I can keep my commitment to me?

What would you do?

Well, this is just what has happened to me!  So, I've decided to go to the party, and I'm taking along my special drinks for the evening.  This time it will be my kombucha and soda water, and I'll make sure that I have some slices of lemon and/or lime to go with it. For me, the drinking is about habit, it's not about the drink itself. Finding myself at a party with an empty glass can be awkward, it can make you feel like you're alone while others are having a ball.

What I have learnt on my travels over the years, is that planning to succeed is what will get me through the evening. First step in my plan is to have fun! That's through setting an intention to have fun, and to stick to my commitment (as it's about benefiting me and my goals, not for anyone else).  This intention is the most important step of the plan.

The second step in my plan is to make sure I'm the designated driver. This ensures I cannot fail in my commitment to myself.  I have had tougher tests, especially when the host of the party has offered to put us up for the night. There goes that incentive to not drink. However, by planning to succeed, I have managed to overcome this.

The third step is to ensure I have plenty of my swap out drink on hand. This means ensuring I have a supply of drinks, a nice bottle for them to be in, the lemon slices and a nice glass to have my drink from.  

This is the planning that is essential for succeeding in any commitment you make.

Weekly Exercise Is Complete

Exercise

After my first 6 days of my 30 days of commitment, I'm very happy to report that I have completed my goals this week. 

Those goals included:

• no weighing on scales after day 1 
• drinking more than one litre of water a day
• sticking to my healthy eating plan, this included two cleanse days
• writing in my gratitude diary every evening
• blogging daily (well, yesterday I posted my quick blog on Facebook, so I'm counting that!)
• exercising 7 hours over the week (I actually walked for 7.5 hours overall)

What I have discovered so far this week is that keeping at the forefront of my mind my 30 days of commitment has certainly helped me when rocky moments have occurred.

My next goal to achieve over the next 7 days, is no alcohol. I have been abstaining for all of last week (apart from last night when we had visitors, hence why I didn't want to start from last Tuesday) and am all set up for my first week.  It may not seem like a big goal to some of you who rarely drink, or even those that don't drink at all, but for me, I enjoy my glass of wine over the weekend, so next weekend will be my test.

I hope you enjoy my photos from today's walk along the beach, we thought it would be nice to have a beach break this weekend.

Dealing with desires

Desires

Today is a Friday. Just saying that it's a Friday brings into play habits, expectations and desires.  

The habits are that it's time to kick back, relax and put my feet up, maybe have a glass of wine, or three! Let's be honest it's the beginning of the weekend and this brings to mind many different expectations and desires as well as habits.

Friday night for about 30 years has meant the finishing of work and the beginning of play time. And for me, it usually involves friends, food, relaxation and wine.  

Tonight is going to be different!

Due to my 30 days of commitment to myself, and looking after my health, one of those commitments is to reduce my alcohol intake significantly. Okay, it is to completely cut it out (so far this week, that's been achieved) however, before I made my commitment, I knew I had a friend arriving tomorrow that I've not seen for years, and there will be a few little drinkies to be had. Sooo, my official commitment to no alcohol for 30 days begins on Sunday. However, I have been faithful to myself and my future pledge and not had any alcohol since Monday.  I began my commitment on Tuesday if you remember!

So, while I'm sitting here writing this, my hubby is upstairs with a glass of wine. I'm soon to join him, company only, and pour myself a glass of my kombucha and soda water. This is my 'swap out' if you like.  I make sure it's in a lovely glass, with a slice of lemon and looks the part. That is my way of ensuring I stick to my commitment.

When you are initially swapping out something, you need to maintain some of your habit around the initial sway, then it doesn't feel like you're doing it tough, that you're denying yourself anything.  That's my experience.

Enjoy your weekend and kick back, have one for me (or maybe two) and enjoy your time with friends and family, doing something that makes your heart sing.

Beauty Is As Beauty Sees

Beauty

This morning on my walk, I stopped to talk to a man taking a photo, he had a tripod and a good quality camera, but for the life of me, I couldn't see what it was that he was photographing. So, I had to stop and ask. It turned out he was photographing a tiny spider web, as it had grasped the tips of two different plants and made the web holding them together.

It got me thinking about what we see and how we see it. The spider web was obviously a thing of beauty to this man.  To me, it was nature doing what it does best, living.

We all see the world through our own rose tinted glasses, and I'm always reminding myself and others of that. We all see a situation differently, a scene differently and even how we see ourselves.

I was recently reading an article that discussed how we view ourselves.  In particular, how we view our body.

Did you know, there are studies that assess how you view your body, on a 'fat' day and on a 'normal' day. Now, the 'fat' and 'normal' aspects of a day are in your head. Your body has not changed from yesterday in a discernible way so that you would notice it.  

Have you noticed how you view yourself in the mirror? Some days it's with an ounce of love and joy, others that love and joy have turned into criticism and hate.

I would suggest that we start appreciating our body, that we always shower it in love and joy, and appreciate what it does for you every single day, the millions of actions that occur to make it function mean that your body is AMAZING!!! How it looks is in your head. It's not how it looks to the person next to you or even to the person next to them, both of them will view your body differently. Now, start viewing your body with love today!

30 Days Of Commitment

30 Days Of Commitment

What does it take for you to be true to a commitment?  I've committed to goals in the past, and they have generally slipped away. Why you ask? Well, to be perfectly truthful, I'm a great and energetic starter, and a poor finisher. This can be seen often in my work, I am full of enthusiasm for new projects, for new ideas, and after some time, they fade, I lose interest and the completion date comes around more quickly than I realised.

Now, don't get me wrong, I do always finish! I'm a great last minute finaliser of projects in work (in fact, here I am at 6pm at night writing a blog I promised myself I'd get done today, at 8am this morning I promised this!).

So, I'm working on changing this. 

How do you do that? With a plan!

Thinking I'm strong enough to do this alone is a bit silly, I've failed at it before, and no doubt, without a mentor, a coach and self belief, I'd continue to fail at it again.

So, this time is different.

I have a coach on board, they will daily be questioning me on whether my choices fit in with my set goal and plans.

I have a mentor on board, a group of like minded individuals all cheering each other on (I believe there are over a thousand of them, but all supportive and with some great ideas). This group offer tips, hints and motivation on a daily basis, my coach will be asking me if I have looked at them every day.

I have my gratitude diary set up and ready to complete on a daily basis.

I have my blog, and a commitment to write on it every day, revealing the difficulties I encounter and how I overcome them, as well as the good times, the gratitudes I want to share.

I can see that this is different already.  For starters, I am writing this instead of closing up my clinic and heading up to the comfort of the lounge. That is a bonus for me.

So, what is my 30 day commitment? It is specifically this:

Healthy Eating on a 5:2 plan for 30 days

No alcohol for 30 days

Writing on my blog for 30 days

Exercise for a minimum of 7 hours per week (can be 2 hours in a day)

No weighing on the scales for 30 days (Day 1 and Day 30 only)

Always see my body and send it love on a daily basis

When I first began my journey, I was committed and lost 23 kg over 8 months. Consistency won the day, and for the following year, consistency allowed me to realise that I can maintain my weight. Holidays and a failure to be consistent reminded me that I do love food, and wine, and the consequences are a couple of kgs!  

I will be honest and admit that I have rebounded by 6 kg over the last 2 1/2 years (they do say that on average an adult increases in weight by 2kg/year).  However, I am still in a body I love, one that is healthy and exercised regularly. I do wish to do this for me.  I want to stop the sometimes/wishywashy/it'll be ok/oh, next week is fine attitude. For me and my self worth, I am committing to 30 days of routine!

Wanting to Snack - And Want To Know What's Tasty And Healthy?

Snacking Healthily

Being on a life journey, discovering ways to change your eating habits to create healthy, tasty, sustainable habits, that create a healthier you, can sometimes feel like an uphill battle! BUT, there is help, check out these wonderful ideas on healthy snacking, originally from IsagenixHealth.

However, we understand that you may also want to branch out and start creating other healthy snacks in the kitchen to keep yourself fueled between meals on Shake Days. This leads to one important question: How should you build your own Shake Day snacks at home?

All you need are these four tips to set yourself up for snacking success.

1)      Fill up with fiber.
The foundation of your snack should be a food that provides a good source of dietary fiber. Choosing fiber-rich foods helps you to feel more satisfied with fewer calories. Snacking on fresh fruit and vegetables between meals makes sense because these foods are generally low in calories and are a good source of fiber and other nutrients. A few other great options include whole-grain pita wedges or crackers.

2)      Add protein, good fats, or both.
Combining a source of fiber with protein and a little bit of good fat is the best recipe for snacking satisfaction. Protein and fiber are the two factors that help you feel most satisfied after a meal or snack, and adding a small amount of fat helps to slow digestion and provide a more gradual, steady source of energy. Some good picks for protein foods might be a hard-boiled egg, a quarter cup of cottage cheese, or a handful of almonds. Foods made with beans or peas like hummus offer both protein and fiber together in one package.

3)      Choose a right-sized snack.
One of the most important factors in building a better Shake Day snack is planning a portion size that will keep you within your target calorie range. For some people, a 100-calorie snack is a perfect fit. A 200-calorie snack might be a better choice for people who are more active, or on days when you have a more intense workout planned.

4)      Plan ahead.
One key to healthy snacking is to plan ahead. The best time to prepare snacks is when you are not feeling hungry. This way, you will be able to choose your snacks without a rumbling stomach overwhelming your better judgment. For example, you might want to prep your snacks in the evening to get ready for the next day, or it may work better for you to plan ahead for an entire week.

Putting it together
If you’re looking to put these Shake Day snack tips into practice, here are a few ideas to help inspire you. This list of 100- and 200-calorie snacks blend fruit, vegetables, or whole-grain foods with a source of protein and a little fat for a snack that satisfies.

100-Calorie Snacks

• One cup fresh, crunchy vegetables, plus two tablespoons of hummus
• Ten roasted asparagus spears with a squeeze of lemon, plus one hard-boiled egg
• Two stalks of celery, plus one tablespoon peanut butter
• Two whole-wheat crackers, plus two teaspoons herbed cheese spread and six cherry tomatoes
• Fifteen raspberries, plus a half cup low-fat, plain Greek yogurt
• One cup of strawberries, plus seven whole cashews
• One cup of cubed cantaloupe, plus two slices of ham

200-Calorie Snacks

• One large apple, plus one package of string cheese
• Six dried apricots, plus two tablespoons of shelled sunflower seeds
• One medium banana, plus one tablespoon of almond butter
• Half of a whole-wheat pita, plus one cup of sliced cucumber and two tablespoons crumbled feta
• Ten grapes, plus ten pecan halves
• Two cups air-popped popcorn sprinkled with chili powder, plus three tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• A quarter cup dried fruit, plus 10 almonds

Snacking on Shake Days can help you to manage your appetite and keep cravings under control—but only if you choose wisely. When hunger hits between meals, being prepared with the right kind of snack can mean the difference between letting excessive hunger lead to overeating and unhealthy food choices and staying on track with your health and weight-loss goals.

I have found some of the following easy and filling snacks (okay, I'm very lucky, hubby does make up the homemade hummus for me!):

• hummus and carrot sticks
• Greek yoghurt and a small handful of berries, often I'll also add a couple of almonds
• Apple

Chicken with Spinach and Feta

Chicken with Spinach and Feta

I love to share the recipes I use in my daily healthy living.  Especially when they show balance in eating.

Over the weekend, we tried out a Greek recipe. It is Chicken with Spinach and Feta.

What I loved the most about this recipe, apart from the fact that it's Greek and takes me to the Islands in an instant, is that it was simple, easy to follow and produce, and had an impact on the taste buds! Healthy living is about impact

Ingredients:

250g English Spinach (though I used local Silverbeet, much the same leafy green vege)

40g feta cheese, crumbled (I did cut it up, it does stick to the fingers!)

2 single chicken breast fillets (approximately 200g each)

1/2 tblsp olive oil

40 ml sour cream

1 tblsp chopped fresh parsley

Sauce:

30g butter

1 tblsp flour (plain)

1/2 cup (125 ml) chicken stock

1/2 cup (125 ml) white wine

Step 1: Prepare the spinach and feta filling

Wash the spinach and steam until just wilted, drain well and cool - you will be handling this and adding the cheese, so make sure it is cool when you do the next step

Combine the spinach and the feta into a bowl.  

Cut a pocket into the side of the chicken breasts. Fill with the spinach mixture, may seem like it's overfull, but when you close this pocket up with toothpicks, it works fine.

Close the pocket with toothpicks, it took about four for each chicken breast for me to feel they were secure.

Step 2: Prepare the sauce

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, take off the heat and add the flour. Whisk in until all the lumps are gone, away from the heat. Return to the heat and gently heat until the sauce is bubbling.  Remove from the heat again, and gradually stir in the stock then the wine. Replace onto the heat and stir until the sauce boils and thickens up.  It doesn't thicken to a consistency of custard, but more like a runny gravy, which is just fine.

Step 3: Cook the chicken

If you have a pan that does not require oil, then merely heat the pan, if it does need oil, then add the olive oil and heat.

Add the chicken and cook until it is browned on both sides.  Stir in the sauce, bring it to a simmer, then allow it to cook, covered, for 25 minutes.

Stir in the sour cream and parsley until heated through.

Step 4: Serve and enjoy!

Cooking and preparation took approximately 45 minutes.  

Nutrition per serve:

Calories 535

Kilojoules 2252

Protein 56g

Fats 32g

Carbs 13g

We served this with steamed cauliflower to add more fibre.  It was filling, balanced (fibre, protein, good quality fats and small carbs) and nutritious.

Healthy Mind & Body - Accountability - Completion

Weight Loss Help

After Day 60 was completed ( a couple of days late, for sure), I felt a sense of achievement.  A sense of completing what I initially set out to do.  This sense of achievement doesn't stop here though.  Now it's about completing my next 16 week challenge.

In 13 weeks and 4 days (as you may observe, I am not counting!!), I will be turning 50.  My goal for this 16 week challenge, is to achieve a trim, taught and terrific body by then.  This is not a weight loss challenge. It is a challenge about gaining muscle, more energy, clarity of mind and the love of life.  I am turning 50 with a passion, a mission and a sense of well being that I've not had for a while.

Why have I not had that?  It may be the same for you, sometimes you feel that you are just moving forward and not achieving all that you set out to do.  Life gives us obstacles, and hurdles, and curveballs and many other 'things' that steer you off course of what you set out to achieve.

When I was a child, my ambition was to help mankind to health.  This ambition has not changed. It has taken some detours along the way, for sure.  However, ultimately, the core self belief, that this is my mission in life, has remained true.  I trust that is why I support nutrition and I'm a natural therapist!

The only difference now, with completing my 60 day Healthy Mind and Healthy Body course, is that the focus on this mission is defined, it is full of passion and wisdom and it is being done already!  

By helping others achieve their sense of wellness and health, I am already achieving this mission.  My ability to see it in a bigger format has been clarified. I now know more about the depth that I wish to carry this forward.  The people I want to help, the communities that are looking for the particular help I'm offering and the ability for me to complete this mission is growing.

I seem to have gone off on a tangent - do you do that too?  It's the passion I'm feeling, I'm sure.

In order to complete my initial 16 week challenge, I have started my nutritional program again, I have set myself goals and I have initiated an exercise routine.

When are you setting your goals so that they are achieveable?  When are you starting on your Life Journey?

Contact me now to begin your Life Journey and make 2016 your year!

http://bit.ly/weightlossdetoxnaturally

Lose Fat While You Sleep

The Perfect Weight Loss Idea!

How many times have you wondered how you could possibly lose weight while you're sleeping?  Wouldn't that be the easiest, best and quickest way to lose weight?

Well, your luck is in!  It has now been shown scientifically that there are ways you can support your body, to increase the fat burn (especially of that stubborn few pounds/kgs that won't shift from around your waist) overnight.  

Essentially, you need a good nights sleep, there are other ingredients too, read on in the article below

Fat Loss While You Sleep

 

By Michael Colgan, Ph.D.

“Sticky fat” is a great name for the last ten pounds of fat that refuse to leave the building. Often they stick out from the belly or atop the hip bones. But, in many folk who hit a plateau in weight loss, there’s a lot more fat deep inside plumping them up like a goose… You can’t see it, because it`s visceral fat distributed around the liver and kidneys, intestines and reproductive system. Visceral fat is even stickier. Working with top modeling agencies to solve this problem, we know that starvation diets are never the answer. Starvation strips your facial fat before touching sticky or visceral fat. Starvation creates that gaunt, pale, vampire face, the face that likely started the Goth craze.

So starving is useless for models who depend on their looks for a living. We had to develop some special techniques to remove the fat while saving the face. Together with decent proteins, such as IsaLean® Shake or IsaLean® PRO Shake, and a full complement of micro-nutrients everyday, they have boosted many a modeling career.

The most important strategy is thermogenesis, the creation of heat. It occurs mainly through a mechanism called brown-adipose-tissue (BAT), which permits production of heat directly from bodyfat without going through the energy cycle or being burned in muscular activity (1). That is, you can lose body fat without moving a muscle, even while you sleep.

Usual weight loss programs do not activate BAT. Just the opposite. If you go on sudden food restriction, the body automatically turns down heat production, and energy, as a defense mechanism to conserve its fat. That’s why strict dieters generally feel cold and tired.

Scientists used to think that thermogenesis would not work for everyone, because, unlike bears and some other mammals, humans cannot hibernate. A hibernating bear for example, can lose 300 pounds of fat while it sleeps, as its body converts fat directly to BAT, which then creates the heat required to keep it from freezing over the winter.

We`re not as efficient as bears at activating BAT. Nevertheless, recent technology has allowed us to measure human BAT. The body of a 40-year-old man or woman can make sufficient BAT to provide 15 percent of their total energy, and get it all from body fat (2).

There are four steps to activating BAT and thermogenesis, and you need follow all of them carefully to succeed.

1. Melatonin
The first and most important is melatonin, the hormone that turns on in the brain for your sleep cycle.
Melatonin has long proven beneficial in treatment of the metabolic syndrome and diabetes, but until recently we didn’t know exactly why. Now we do. No accident that the bear turns on copious melatonin to activate BAT during the sleep of hibernation. In bears and humans, melatonin acts to convert white body fat to BAT and heat (3).


After about age 20, melatonin declines the human body. By age 40, it has declined by half. You can get some melatonin from almonds, sunflower seeds, coriander, cardamom, and mustard greens. Unless you eat a lot of them, however, it is insufficient to activate BAT (4). The alternative is supplementary melatonin. But most melatonin pills are deactivated by digestive acids in the gut and first pass through the liver. A liquid melatonin spray such as Sleep Support & Renewal™ spray is much better. It is quickly absorbed in the mouth and easily passes through the blood/brain barrier to targets in the brain.


For stubborn fat loss we have used up to 10 milligrams (mg) of liquid melatonin taken last thing every night. Some folk sleep too soundly on that much and wake groggy. So, if you use it, start with one to three mgs and work up. Don’t miss a day or the body will strongly turn off BAT. Then you are two days behind.

2. Sleeping
Here are essential sleeping criteria for melatonin use for fat loss. Inadequate sleep disrupts BAT activity. So get sufficient sleep, seven to eight hours. Sleep cool, which encourages heat production. And sleep dark which optimizes melatonin release.


Using you cell phone or computer in bed is a special no-no as the wavelength of light used to backlight these devices effectively turns off your melatonin rhythm (5). Now, however, you can get an app called “f-lux,” which changes the backlight so it does not affect melatonin.

3. Morning Thermogenesis

It is essential to continue the thermogenesis and fat loss when you wake up in the morning. A strong cup of Arabica coffee on an empty stomach continues thermogenesis and burns body fat through the BAT mechanism for up to four hours afterwards (6).


The chemicals called catechins in green tea, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), are likely more effective than caffeine (6,7). Isagenix Coffee contains Arabica beans and green tea and is available in organic or premium grind. The Brain Boost & Renewal™ supplement, designed for use in the morning, is a good source of EGCG. For sticky fat loss, we supplement with EGCG every day. An e+™ Shot, which contains caffeine extracted from green tea and yerba mate is about equivalent to the caffeine in a strong cup of coffee. The e+ Shot can be used during the day with no side-effects.


In a recent controlled study, two groups of, healthy men used a moderate reduced calorie diet, plus tea for 12 weeks. One group had green tea extract added to the tea to yield high levels of EGCG. The group consuming this tea lost an average of 5.4 pounds of body fat, approximately twice the loss of the control group. Much of the loss was visceral fat from the belly (7).

4. Omega-3s for All-Day Thermogenesis

To turn on thermogenesis, the body has to produce proteins called Uncoupling-Proteins (UCPs) which uncouple the use of oxygen from the production of ATP (our energy molecule). The oxygen can then go direct to production of heat by mixing with and burning the BAT you have activated. But, whenever it’s visceral fat it is under threat, the body turns UCPs way down.


Recent research shows that high levels of the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, from marine sources, strongly turn up the UCPs again (8). We use up to four grams daily. IsaOmega^™ is a great source. As with every nutritional supplement, start low and slow. Spread out use with each meal during the day to aid digestion.

Summary
1. Melatonin. Up to three sprays of Sleep Support and Renewal every night.
2. Sleeping. Cool, dark, and seven to eight hours.
3. Caffeine. Or EGCG each morning, or both.
4. EPA and DHA. Four grams of each spread throughout the day.

Thermogenesis for life and a lot more health benefits besides. If you can look from the front and see your spine, you’ve gone a bit too far.

About Dr. Colgan
Dr. Michael Colgan is a world-renowned research scientist, leading expert in the inhibition of aging, and a member of the Isagenix Science Advisory Board. Dr. Colgan has provided nutrition, training and anti-aging programs to more than 11,000 athletes, including many Olympians. He is director of his eponymous Colgan Institute, a consulting, educational and research facility concerned with the effects of nutrition and exercise on athletic performance, along with prevention of chronic degenerative disease, and prevention of degeneration of the brain. Dr Colgan’s sports articles are published on his blog www.drmichaelcolgan.com.  

From: http://www.isagenixhealth.net/fat-loss-sleep/

For more information on how you can source these products, check out my website

Healthy Mind & Body - Days 33 - 41

How Accountable Are You?

When you begin any new journey in life, do you take the time to allocate a person you are accountable to?  Should you do this?  What are the benefits of being accountable?

From my journey over this last month, and previously when I was losing a set amount of weight, I have found that having an accountability partner of great benefit.

Accountability partners:

• encourage
• ensure you complete that last task
• ask you how you are going, without judgement
• motivate you to take one more step
• allow you to speak your truth about where you are at
• pick you up when you stumble

My blogging journey for my healthy mind and body program has not been as consistent as I would like it to be, however, what I am happy with, is that I always complete it eventually.

In reality, this is a pattern in most of the things that I undertake.  I go in 'fits and starts', but I do complete it!  So, whatever your journey, do take the time to grab yourself an accountability partner to be your cheer leader, and to support you and give you positive feedback whenever you feel you are stumbling.

"Regardless of who you are or what you have been,

you can be what you want to be"

 - W. Clement Stone

When you embark on a life journey, plateaus or blockages can occur (this feels like a blockage for me, being consistent). So how do you break through them?

Blockage Breakthrough

Focus

Where do you place your focus?  On what you don't want? Or on what you do want?

You get to choose what you focus on - your thoughts influence what you get.

Communication

How do you communicate with yourself?

Body language is 55% of your communication tools with yourself.  If, e.g., you are sitting on the couch, slumped, lying down, what is this saying about yourself?  If you're at like I was, it's basically saying that you're not worthy to be noticed, that you're not good enough to complete the task, that you're heavy and insignificant where you're sitting...............

Change your sitting posture, change your self speak and change how you talk to others.

Bad Habits

So, you're sitting on the couch, watching TV, slumped, feeling low, heavy, out of sorts - you catch your posture, knowing that this is influencing you, how do you change it?

JUMP UP!!!

YELL - I CAN DO THIS!!!

A sudden, and dramatic, posture change and body language change, will stimulate your change of physcial habits

"Every choice you make has an end result"

 - Zig Ziglar

When you are creating a new habit, it must be repeated and practiced over and over and over before it becomes second nature.  Did you learn to drive overnight? No, you practiced and practiced and practiced, before it started to become second nature to you - I'm sure you now drive without even thinking about how you change lanes, change gears, overtake, drive at 100km/h and all the other small actions you do without conscious thought to drive home every day.

Focus : Memory : Worry

Focus: live in the moment, make a conscious choice

Memory: live in the past

Worry: live in the future

Always keep to FOCUS. This is a conscious choice, and one that will allow you to continue to step forward, one step at a time, on your new life journey.

Remember, it's okay to restart your change, your life journey, as often as it's required. Each time you do, you are growing stronger and stronger.

Having an accountability partner, who remembers to keep you focused, and encourages you to actively restart whenever you need to, helps you grow stronger on your journey.  Contact me now to get your accountability partner and to begin your life journey with me today!

To find out more, go to my website, www.SandraVenablesHealth.com or follow me on Facebook

Healthy Mind & Body - Day 21 & 22

Weight Loss Help

Thankfully I follow the Four Agreements, and know that I have done the best I can!

Yesterday, I set out to achieve a goal. And I achieved it!

The goal was to climb Mt Warning in 3 hours or less. It was a struggle, it was a very hot day, and my hubby was getting affected by the heat. 

On the climb, an interesting thing happened. Just before the summit, the last 0.4km is almost a vertical rock climb, my hubby was struggling, and he said to me to go on ahead. It reminded me of our life in business. Every day my husband supports me in my business goals, always there for me, always pushing me to complete my goals.

I believe everyone needs a champion in their corner, who is your champion? 

On a Life Journey, everyone needs someone who supports them and keeps them accountable.

www.SandraVenablesHealth.com 

Where Does The Time Go?

Time Ticks - Weight Tocks!

I can hardly believe it's been over a month since I last blogged! Wow!!

During this time I have been busy increasing my walking regime again - over the Winter it became a little less regular, hosting visitors from overseas (and yes, that does mean eating and possibly drinking more than usual!!), reading self development books and taking some time to be ME!

AND during this time, I've been keeping my discoveries to myself - so with my heartfelt apologies, here are some of my learnings over the last month:-

• there is no try, only do (thank you Yoda)
• excuses don't change the outcome
• change comes from within
• feeling the gratitudes and the goals as you state them make them more meaningful
• happiness comes from within
• emotional eating hurts physically

Of all of these gains, the emotional eating journey over the last month has been the hardest journey in my Life Journey that I've undertake for some time.  Do you emotionally eat?  Does it actually hurt you physically? 

I found that the emotional eating resulted in overeating, and since I've been at my goal weight for over 18 months, the physical pain came from a couple of areas:

1. a sore tummy from overeating - this never occurred to me when I was overweight
2. seeing the scales creep upwards by a couple of kilograms (about 4 pounds) - ouch!!

I've now been on a journey of learning to choose my response to the emotions that caused the eating.  This choice is only made by me, noone outside of me can make that choice for me. It is only ME that can change this reaction to the emotions.

How do you overcome your emotional eating habits?

How Much Sugar?

500 Calories A Day = Sugar!

How much sugar are you consuming a day, and how many calories does that equate to in your daily eating habits?

According to a recent market research result, the average American is now consuming 126 grams of sugar a day - that equates to an extra 500 calories a day!

That is almost 32 teaspoons of sugar a day!

If those figures don't make you stop and think - WOW - then I'm unsure what will!

There is a lot of information within the media now about too much sugar in our diets, and the links between that and diabetes and weight gain is relatively common knowledge.

So how do you cut that sugar back? 

Firstly, you must accept that not all sugar is bad for us.  We need sugar within our daily diet, but it's the type of sugars that we incorporate that leads us to healthy choices. Sugar helps our brain and immune systems function, as it's the carbohydrates that are useful to us.

The issue becomes, how do you get the best bang for your buck!  That is, how do you get the most nutrient dense calories for the same amount of sugar.

For example, if you had a choice between a sweet/candy and a piece of fruit. The piece of fruit is going to be considered more nutrient dense, as you not only get the sugar, but also minerals, vitamins and fibre.  Whereas with the sweet/candy, you only get calories from the sugar.  Not so beneficial for your body.

By making some nutrient dense choices, you can still provide your body with the sugar it needs, while removing the sugar it doesn't need.

Where is the most sugar in the American diet?  Soda!!

Also considered processed foods as having a lot of added and hidden sugars.  These are placed into the foods to enhance the taste, and it also plays a role in preservation of the food (that is, it helps to keep the shelf life of the food intact).

So, where to start?

• remove sugary soda drinks, swap with water, herbal teas
• reduce/remove processed foods from  your diet, replace with a nutrient dense choice, such as the Isagenix Isalean shakes that I use, these provide 240 calories for a meal, with about 1/2 the sugar content of a piece of fruit.
• replace sugary energy drinks, with a healthy sports drink that doesn't have the sugar content
• replace your sugary snacks with a protein rich, nutrient dense snack, such as an Isalean bar

For more information on how to source these products, contact me now!

Image courtesy of Tuomas_Lehtinen at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Rise And Shine: Energise Your Body In The Morning

One of the hardest things, I'm told, is dragging that body out of the bed first thing in the morning!

Do you struggle with being energised in the mornings?  Usually getting up refreshed and excited about the day involves some planning, some routines, and something exciting to look forward too.

Here are some quick tips to get you moving

1. Exercise during the day. Exercise and sleep work well together
2. Early to bed, early to rise. Getting 7 - 8 hours sleep a night is a must!
3. Change your late night snack to protein. Whey protein allows the body to recover while you sleep
4. Turn down the heat in the bedroom.  Keep the room temperature around 60 F or 15 C overnight, too hot or too cold disturbs your sleep pattern
5. Ditch the electronics. Turn all electronics off at least an hour before bedtime, allows you to fall asleep easier
6. Stimulate on waking. Having a drink in the morning that stimulates your system can get you energised!

I always find that by waking with gratitude in my heart, makes me see the day in a different light and allows for positivity and energy to come pouring into my day.

I do this by ensuring I go to sleep at night, giving my gratitudes for all that has happened in my day, focusing on positiveness, and ensuring my brain goes to sleep to a good mood.  This allows my brain to work on these positives for the next 7 - 8 hours - result!

No Shirt, No Problem - Or Is It?

When you're hot and uncomfortable in the gym, do you wish you could remove your shirt?

This question was posed by a gym in Chiang Mai, and they are pro-shirt off!  So long as you're feeling comfortable, the blog states.

Well, some of the questions then posed are:

1. Is that just for the men?
2. Can you take off your shoes for training?
3. What about your shorts??

As you can imagine, the idea of the shirt off for some bodies can create a few pictures in your mind you'd rather not have, BUT, then again, there are a few pictures in your mind that may just be fine!!

Have a read of the blog here and let me know your thoughts!!

Want to know more about working out and building muscle based on your nutrition? Ask me how

Addicted to Food

Hello, my name's Sandra, and I'm addicted to food!

Making the first admission of addiction is difficult, as most addicts will tell us.

I was reading a great book this week, Bryce Courtney's Matthew Flinders Cat. It's essentially a book about a homeless man, his journey there and while there, as well as his journey away from there. All surrounded by addiction to alcohol.

There were several passages that made me reflect on how I see food.

I've mentioned before about how emotions can be tied up to what you eat, when you eat and how you eat.  All, for me, are a way to 'stuff down' the feelings that are threatening to surface.

This can become an addiction. A way of dealing with unpleasant feelings or thoughts.

How to break that addiction?

The first step is to admit that you use food as a crutch, or as a replacement to your emotions, that you stuff them down.

After that, it's finding out more about those emotions, and establishing a healthy eating regime to manage your choices.  We can do that together.

I know I'm not 'over' my addiction, you can never be over something like that. BUT I do know the triggers, and how to manage those feelings now. A big step forward, and because of that I've maintained my goal weight for nearly 2 years. AWESOME!!

For more information, or to contact me, check out my website, www.sandravenables.com

Is Your Workout Affecting Your Sleeping?

Answer: If you're NOT training, then YES!

Athletes tend to sleep better than non-athletes.  Why? Because they are doing running and weights training daily.

Lack of sleep is also linked to weight gain, lack of cardiovascular fitness and poor management of blood sugar and blood pressure.

Did you know that doing your exercise early in the morning shows the greatest improvement in your sleep quality?

Did you know that resistance training improves your duration and quality of sleep also, regardless of the time you do this training?

So - when do you exercise? And what type of exercise do you do?

Suggestion:

• cardiovascular workout first thing in the morning
• resistance training, preferably then also, but if you can't, after work instead!

This may improve your quality and length of sleep.  Oh, by the way, if you do this daily, you may also notice a change in your body shape and size, and the speed of your metabolism! www.sandravenables.com

Cleansing Days - Not Eating For A Day!

Is It Safe To Rest Your Digestive System Regularly?

My method of choice for looking after my body in such a way that I've lost weight, and maintained that weight loss for over 18 months, is that I rest my digestive system regularly.

When I first began my journey, my digestive system took this rest every week, for two days at a time.  Initially I dreaded the idea, I LOVE MY FOOD!!  

However, I was very surprised to see my body accept this rest period easily and without any issues. 

Normally, I was the type of person (you may know of them) that becomes very, very grumpy when their sugar levels are low, or they are saying they're hungry. Do you know the type??

It seems there was enough in reserve (in fact over 20kg of fat that was weighting to be used up!) to cover those days of rest.

Now that I've been maintaining my ideal weight for the last 18months or so, I don't rest my digestive system quite so regularly (as there's now less extra reserves!!), so I now rest it 2 - 3 times a month.  This seems to be working for me.

The question that is often asked though is:  "Is this safe, and is it a healthy way to lose weight?"

 There are many people advocating the nature of this method of weight loss, and, yes, I'm a firm advocate too.  We all do so, because it has "worked for me".  That is one way of looking at it.

However, the other way of looking at this question is by turning to the science of the process.  There are currently limited studies that have been undertaken using this methodology, in fact three.  All three have given positive outcomes for weight loss and health benefits from this method of eating.  A systematic review was undertaken and published this year, read about it here

If you wish to know more about the method I utilise, that includes having a botanical beverage regularly on the cleanse days, that provides your body with support in key antioxidant and detoxification processes, then feel free to contact me on the form at the side of this blog.  www.sandravenables.com