Archive for August 2010
Combat Cellulite
23/08/2010 by admin.
Cellulite is the topic of many conversations amongst women. We can help to combat cellulite, which is the result of immobile fat cells due to excess saturated fat or fat based toxins.
Massage is one way to help reduce cellulite as is exercise and generally keeping active. Diet is another key area that will reduce cellulite. Limit your intake of saturated fats dramatically, this would mean dairy and meats, especially red meats. You do need your essential fatty acids which can be obtained from nuts, seeds, avocados and oily fish for example.
Eat lots of organic fruit and vegetables and drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to moisturise the skin and flush out toxins. After all we are 66% water so we need to replace what we lose by sweating and other bodily processes.
Kick Your Chocolate Habit
21/08/2010 by admin.
I consider myself a reformed chocoholic. I used to eat up to 4 bars of chocolate a day. I decided once to give it up for lent. 6 whole weeks with no chocolate. This broke my habit. I can now eat the occasional bar of chocolate without the need to eat more and more. Although, be warned, chocolate is addictive so it would be easy to fall back into the habit.
Chocolate is packed with sugar and contains a stimulant called ‘theobromine’ which has similar effects to caffeine. So if you want to kick your habit, the best way is to rule it out altogether. Take a trip to your health food shop and check out the alternatives, preferrably something which contains no chocolate and contains only natural sugars.
Tuesday’s boot camp
21/08/2010 by admin.
Tuesday’s boot camp will be held at Le Guet - meeting at 6.45 pm
How to look after your heart
20/08/2010 by admin.
You only have one heart so look after it! Here are some simple tips to prolong a healthy life:-
- Exercise - your heart is a muscle so if you exercise you will help to keep it strong. mNot to mention the other benefits of exercise such as reducing your cholesterol levels and weight management. If you have not exercised for some period, have a check up with your GP prior to commencing an exercise programme.
- Eat red meat a maximum of once a week.
- Consume oily fish 2- 3 times per week.
- Keep consumption of processed and refined foods to a minimum.
- Reduce your salt consumption to a maximum of 6g per day. Don’t add salt to foods and check food labels for added salt/sodium.
- Eat fresh fruit and vegetables - with lots of colours to provide a mix of vitamins and minerals.
- Don’t smoke.
- Avoid stress for long periods of time. Listen to your body and take time out when you need to.
- Have your cholesterol checked every 5 years.
- Ensure your blood pressure is checked on visits to your GP.
Understanding Simple Carbohydrates
19/08/2010 by admin.
Simple sugars are contained in various foods. For example fructose is a sugar found predominantly in fruit, sucrose is table sugar, glucose is found in fruits, grains and vegetables, galactose in milk and lactose in diary foods.
In total there are 7 types of simple sugars. As a rule, we need to be careful with our intake of simple sugars because they cause our insulin levels to rise, therefore giving us an energy peak, followed by a lull in energy. It is far better to have a steady flow of energy. This is why it is recommended to eat simple sugars with protein. An example of this would be to have grapes (fructose) with nuts (protein) or banana (fructose) with yoghurt (protein). The protein reduces the sugar peak thereby giving a steadier flow of energy.
There is a good time for simple sugars though and this is either during exercise, such as during a long bike ride, in order to maintain glycogen levels and be able to continue exercising at a certain pace or just after exercise when our glycogen stores are depleted. Eating simple sugars at this time will actually help us benefit more from our training and recover quicker.
You should still look at the nutrients provided by your sugary food choice, for example fruit will provide more of a nutritional benefit than chocolate due to the vitamins and minerals provided.
Are you eating empty foods?
18/08/2010 by admin.
Many of the calories we consume provide us with no nutritional value. These are the calories from processed foods and comprise calories from fats, sugars and refined flours. Of course this means the more “empty foods” we consume, the less room we leave available for foods containing nutrients.
Consider the foods you consume. Are they fresh or packaged/processed? The more in its natural state food is, the more nutrients will be available. It is always best to get as many nutrients from food as possible rather than supplementing as there is always debate about just how much we absorb from supplements.
When you select your meals, ask yourself “what is this food doing for me?”. Consider the fat and sugar content and fresh the food is. Does it have a long shelf life and is it refined?
Saturday’s Boot Camp
18/08/2010 by admin.
As chosen by participants, Saturday’s boot camp will be at the Reservoir at 10 am.
Allergy to cow’s milk
17/08/2010 by admin.
Allergy to cow’s milk and therefore dairy is more common than you might expect.
Cow’s milk is designed for the early months of a calf’s life - not for putting into desserts and coffees. The protein (aka “casein”) in cow’s milk causes a reaction. If you find that you are getting a reaction to dairy foods, eliminate them from your diet for 3 months. Ensure you check labels of packaged foods for ‘casein’ which will be contained in a number of foods.
Oils for Healthy Heart
16/08/2010 by admin.
Some oils are good for you. Omega 3 fish oils, which contain EPA and DHA can help to reduce the risk of heart disease, as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Omega 3 oils can be taken as supplements and some nutrition advisers would suggest that you consume these along with one portion of organic salmon per week. Others suggest that we consume we portions of oily fish per week.
Examples of oily fish include mackerel, salmon, trout, herring, sardines and pilchards.
Omega 3 oils help to thin the blood when combined with Vitamin E. It is also recognised that the anti-inflammatory properties of omega 3 fats can combat artery damage.
Tough Camp
14/08/2010 by admin.
Today saw the toughest boot camp participants turn out in the wind and rain, weather more akin to autumn boot camp. As I was told by my first cycling coach….. “when it rains…..you get wet”.
So well done to those that toughed it out.
There will be no boot camp on Tuesday as it’s our summer social in Herm.
