Getting & Staying Fit Together

Great Ways for Couples to Get in Shape

Changing your lifestyle is a tough thing to do but making the changes with your significant other can drastically increase your chances of success. Working out together allows you to have something in common: a goal of getting into shape and staying fit. You can change your lifestyle together. What better way to motivate yourself to get in shape than by working out with your partner? From fitness walking to weight lifting, here are some terrific activities to do together.

Just think: You and your partner working out together with mutual satisfaction. Watching your partner working hard at breaking a sweat may be one of the sexiest things you could do to spice up your relationship. Working out is good for your health, self-confidence and life.

Before you attempt a workout program or competitive sport with your lover, consider your current physical fitness levels, athletic backgrounds, competitive spirits and desired activities. Find something you can do together that both of you enjoy. Here are a few heart-rate-raising activities we recommend you do together.

Fitness Walking
Grab a good pair of running shoes, a bottle of water, comfortable clothes, and get walking! It's a great full-body workout that really gets your heart rate up. You will work every major muscle group in your legs, including your glutes.

To add some resistance to your walk, climb some hills--or if you have kids, push the baby stroller. Make sure you warm up by walking for 5 to 10 minutes with some light full-body stretching. Do a minimum 20-minute power walk followed by some stretching. Set aside some time to walk at least four days a week. Change your route to keep it interesting.

 

Weight Lifting
This is a great activity for couples because you don't have to be at the same fitness level as your partner, and you can motivate each other to push harder. You can be on your own machine pumping the iron you need in order to gain muscular strength. Do exercises for your legs, arms, chest, back and abdominals; warm up and stretch together; finally, cool down together. Both of you will be increasing your muscle strength and endurance. Lifting will also help you put on lean muscle and shed those excess pounds.

(Don't try this at home)

Cycling
Perfect for the warmer months, and you can bring it indoors to a spinning class when it gets cold and rainy. To get the most out of your cycling, make sure both of your bikes are in proper working order. You can get a tune-up for about 30 bucks at most bike stores. For a good workout, hit a paved bike path or open road. If you have a mountain bike, find some trails and do hill repeats and climbs. If you're spinning, start with a 10-minute spin to warm up, then do 1-minute intervals--1 minute spinning really fast and 1 minute of easy spinning for a rest. Do it 10 times for a total of 20 minutes. After the intervals, do 10 minutes of easy spinning to cool down. To increase the intensity of the workout, up the interval time but not the rest time. Cycling is great for your legs, butt and upper body. Don't forget your helmet and water bottle.

Dancing
Not only is it a total blast, but it's also good for you--so long as you don't have too many calorie-packed beers or coolers on the side. Dancing helps the circulatory system as it makes your heart pump blood faster. It can also be used to help weight control and overall fitness. The movement and muscle extension during dance sessions provides a fun moderate workout. If you and your partner bust a move for an hour (even in your living room to ABBA!) you can burn about 300 calories. So go boogie!

Yoga The benefits of yoga are endless: It provides increased muscle strength, flexibility, toning, and realignment of the muscles. It can be also be a wonderful cardiovascular workout. Many people experience psychological and spiritual benefits from yoga that include decreased stress and a better sense of self. Yoga can be done anywhere that the two of you have room to stretch out. You can do it in a class or in the privacy of your own home with an instructional video or yoga practice book. If you are going to practice with your partner, make sure to choose a class and to select postures that are suitable to both of your levels. Hatha, kundalini and ashtanga are the most common disciplines of yoga. Both your mind and body will benefit from the different types.

Hiking Put some effort forward while hiking with your partner, and you will burn calories, lose excess pounds and improve your health. Not only that, but you will also decrease stress and anxiety. Hiking doesn't have to be done on Mount Kilimanjaro; you can use parklands and designated hiking trails. Hiking provides benefits to the mind, body and spirit, and can improve your muscular strength, especially in the legs.

Join a Team
Running, throwing and catching are the key physical skills used in all different kinds of sports. Coed leagues are popping up all over the place (check out KSSC). Team sports will give you an awesome full-body workout since they require quick changes in your speed and direction. Don't forget to warm up with a light jog and some full-body stretching!

Boxing
Doing boxing workouts together will really knock you out! Boxing is an old sport that's become new again. Many fitness clubs offer up boxercise and kick-boxing classes. Some also have punching bags for their members to use. Boxing is a good way to relieve stress and build muscle strength and endurance. There are many types of punches (underhand or crossover jabs) and kicks, using proper stances for power, that will keep you going and give you a workout. If you prefer to box at home, you can purchase a kick-boxing video for about $15, a punching bag for about $100 and gloves for under $50.

Racquet Sports
Racquet sports are a great way for you to get some exercise while spending quality time with your partner. Tennis, badminton and squash all offer up similar benefits, including increased muscle tone, strength and flexibility. You can play singles or doubles depending on how much exercise you want to get. Racquet sports, especially at a competitive level, require some speed, strength, agility, and other specific skills. All of the games involve starts and stops with short bursts of energy and short periods of rest. To prevent injury, do a good full-body warm-up before you play, and stretch afterward.

Tips for Staying Fit Together

1.     Schedule time to workout together - Make a workout date with your spouse - write it in your planner - and don't break your appointment! You wouldn't cancel your meeting because you didn't feel like going, or because you and a co-worker weren't getting along, would you? So don't cancel a workout with your partner just because you aren't feeling up to it, or if you aren't getting along.

2.     Get creative! Staying fit doesn't have to be limited to going to a gym. Going for walks, bike rides, hikes or runs together is a perfect way to get the heart and the conversation flowing. Don't rule out home workout videos, or using equipment like stability balls and dumbbells. Find out what the two of you enjoy doing and then do it!

3.     Set a goal. My husband and I enjoy signing up for local races; he likes to run long distances and I like to do triathlons. Even though we don't train together for these specific events, it's really fun to support each other by making posters or cheering at the finish line. Signing up for races is also a great way to set a goal and train for it. Having a specific goal helps keep you accountable and on track.

4.     Plan your meals together and take time to cook for each other. Everything works better with a plan, it works even better if you plan together. Planning your meals together is a great way to talk about eating healthy.

5.     Support each other. Support each other by taking turns watching the kiddos during workouts, or cooking healthy meals for each other. Remember, you're on the same team!

Grab your partner and get moving! I hope these ideas have been helpful and stay tuned this week on how to prepare meals to meet your goals and his without making different meals!

Stay Healthy!

Andrea :)

PS If you haven't done so already please PLEASE fill out our survey! We're looking for 100 responses and we're at 25% there!

www.surveymonkey.com/s/HMFVXBX

Health & Activity Survey

Hi Everyone!

Today I have something new for you. Zach and I are doing some market research and we need your help!

Please follow the link below to fill out a quick 10 question survey about your health. All of the answers are anonymous and this will help us serve you guys that much better! We really appreciate your help.

Click here to take our survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HMFVXBX



And some Sunday Motivation for you:



Stay Healthy and Thank you so much for helping with our survey!
Andrea & Zach :)

You Can Do It!

Happy Saturday!

Here is a little picture for you to think about. You can choose to move yourself from the bottom to the top!



Have a great weekend!

Andrea :)

Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins

Its Wednesday! Just two more days and its the weekend.

Today I bring you a delicious gluten free recipe I found on line. It is almond flour blueberry muffins and it is amazing!

Try them out and see what you think!



2 cups almond flour (bulk barn)
1/2 honey
2 whole eggs
2 egg whites
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp ground flax
2 tbsp coconut oil (or other healthy oil)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Blend all of these ingredients in a food processor. Then stir in 1 cup of fresh blueberries and (if your a chocoholic like me) add a handful of dark chocolate chips.

Then you bake them in the oven at 350* for about 15 minutes depending on your oven. With a cup of coffee this is a great quick anytime snack!

Stay Healthy!
Andrea :)

Made Over Mac & Cheese

Happy Monday!

I hope everyone is gearing up for an awesome week. Zach and I had our final exam for our Nutrition & Wellness Specialist on Saturday and I'm happy to say we both passed with flying colours. So, in celebration, I bring you a delicious healthy and gluten free Mac 'N Cheese.

I really wasn't sure about this recipe when I first read it... one of the ingredients is pumpkin... but I'm so glad I did! It tastes just as good as regular mac and cheese but with a much much better nutritional profile! See for yourself:

                     Healthy Mac 'N Cheese          Traditional Mac 'N Cheese
Calories:       310                                          770
Total Fat:     6 grams                                    33 grams
Sodium:       360 mg                                     890 mg
Carbs:          48 grams                                   79 grams
Fibre:           3 grams                                     3 grams
Sugar:          2 grams                                     9 grams
Protein:        11 grams                                   33 grams

Ready in 45 Minutes
Makes 8 Servings

1lb brown rice macaroni
2 Cups canned pumpkin
2 Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
6oz Goat Cheese (I wanted a little more heat so I used a jalapeno mozarella
2 Tbsp parmesean (use the fresh stuff from Farm Boy for amazing flavour)
2 Cups of Chopped Kale - Optional (I forgot to add this in when I made it lol)
Pam

1. Preheat oven to 375* and coat a 9x13 (I used a 9x9) baking dish with pam.

2. Cook the noodles until slightly tender but still firm. Drain.

3. Cook squash pumpkin and broth in a sauce pan over low heat stir occassionally until well combined. Bring it to a simmer.

4. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the grated cheese until its melted.

5. Mix squash mixture and noodles. Stir to combine and pour in to the baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesean.

6. Bake for 20 minutes and serve!

Serve this with a delicious salad and you have yourself a delisious and nutritious meal!



I know it sounds weird with the pumpkin but give it a chance and you will love it!... And your kids won't know the difference!

Stay Healthy!
Andrea :)

A Little Joke to End Your Monday

Happy Monday!

Here is a video that makes my laugh everytime I watch it!... Don't be this 'girl' lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aosMsYWzKzs



Stay Healthy!
Andrea :)

Barefoot Bootcamp

Happy Hump Day!

We are almost through the work week! I've been getting requests to put up an at home workout that you can do with zero equipment. So here it is my Barefoot Bootcamp (so called because you do it barefoot on a yoga mat).

Your goal is to do 2 sets of 10 repetitions!

Optional Warm Up - Yoga Sun Salutations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU62rE7PzQ8

This is an option part of your home workout but something I would highly recommend trying. It will get your blood flowing, warm up your muscles and get you focused for your workout. 


Hip Bridge

Get those glutes working!



Body Weight Squats
Focus on pushing your hips back and lifting your chest to the ceiling.



Wall Sit
Challenge your thighs! Bend your knees to 90* and hold it as long as you can. Time yourself each time and you will see your progress.



Push Ups
Keep your abs pulled in tight and move nice and slow.


Lunges
Take a nice big step like your stepping over a puddle and lower your back knee to the ground. Focus on pushing through your bum muscles.



Swimmers
Lift opposite arm and leg as high as you can with out allowing yourself to twist.



Plank
Challenge your core! Focus on breathing and keeping your shoulders away from your ears!



Bicycle Crunches
Bring opposite elbow to opposite knee and do 10 each side.



After your finished your workout make sure you do some basic stretches for each muscle group. After your stretch I would also highly recommend doing 10 minutes of relaxation and deep breathing to relax and de-stress. It will help your mental and physical recovery!

I hope you enjoyed the barefoot bootcamp and as always if you have any comments or questions drop me a line!

Stay Healthy!
Andrea :)

Nutrition Labels - You Need to Read Them!

 

Happy Monday!

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. Today we are talking about nutrition labels and why you need to read them because picking out healthy foods isn't as straightforward as it seems. For instance, products labelled "whole grain" or "multigrain" aren't always as nutritious as you'd think. And foods made with "real fruit" may contain more refined sugar than actual fruit. With so many enticing labels calling out to you, how do you know if a product is actually good for you or just healthy sounding? You need to read the fine print - the nutrition facts and ingredient list - to get the whole story.

Below I've layed out how to decode the nutrition label but also remember to look on the ingredient list. Becuase the ingredients are actually listed in order of volume (how much is in the product) and the first 3 ingredients make up the bulk of that product. So if sugar or salt or anything you can't pronounce are in the first few ingredients step away! Actually if there is anything you can't pronounce in it its probably not supposed to go in your body.

Enjoy!

Decoding the Nutrition Label

As of December 2005, all major food companies introduced the new nutrition label on their packaged foods.

What’s on the label? The main part of the new label is the Nutrition Facts Table, which gives you the following information: Calories and 13 nutrients: Fat, Saturated fat, Trans fat, Cholesterol, Sodium, Carbohydrate, Fibre, Sugars, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron.

Five easy steps to help you read the label.

Step 1: Look at the serving size

Compare the serving size on the package to the amount that you eat. If you eat the serving size shown on the Nutrition Facts Table you will get the amount of calories and nutrients that are listed.

Step 2: Look at the calories
Calories tell you how much energy you get from one serving of a packaged food.

Step 3: Look at the per cent Daily Value (% Daily Value)
% Daily Value puts nutrients on a scale from 0% to 100%. This scale tells you if there is a little or a lot of a nutrient in one serving of a packaged food. Use this percentage to compare the nutrient content of different foods.

• 5% Daily Value or less is a little
• 15% Daily Value or more is a lot

Step 4: Try to get more of these nutrients

• Fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium (15% or more)

Step 5 : Try to get less of these nutrients

• Fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, cholesterol (5% or less)

You can use the Nutrition Facts to:

• Compare products more easily
• Find out the nutritional value of foods
• Better manage special diets, such as one that is low in sodium
• Increase or decrease your intake of a particular nutrient (for example, increase fibre, decrease saturated fat)

Here's an example...

Beef Burgers	Chicken Burgers

Step 1: Serving size: The information on both packages refers to one burger.

Step 2: Calories: Each beef burger has 340 calories, each chicken burger had 200 calories.

Step 3: Look at the % Daily Value: Scan the numbers, and compare which burger is higher or lower in a particular nutrient.

Step 4: Nutrients you want more of: At 30%, the beef burger contains a lot of iron.

Step 5: Nutrients you want less of: The fat and saturated fat content are higher in the beef burger. However, the chicken burger has more than double the amount of sodium as the beef burger.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking for an iron-rich food or lower sodium food, the beef burger is your best bet. However, if you’re looking for a lower fat option (but much higher in sodium), then the chicken burger is the one to choose.

 

What about nutrition claims?

Nutrition claims provide a snapshot about the amount of one specific nutrient in a food, such as fibre or fat. While nutrition claims are optional, they must meet government regulations before appearing on a package.
Here are some examples of common claims:

Source of Fibre

"Source of fibre" means the food contains at least 2 grams of fibre in the amount of food specified in the Nutrition Facts table. "High source of fibre" means at least 4 grams of fibre, and "Very high source of fibre" is at least 6 grams of fibre.

Low Fat

"Low fat" means that the food contains no more than 3 grams of fat in the amount of food specified in the Nutrition Facts table.

Cholesterol-free

The claim "Cholesterol-free" means that the product has a very small amount (less than 2 mg of cholesterol in the amount of food specified in the Nutrition Facts table) and it is also low in saturated fat and trans fat.

Sodium-free

A "sodium-free" claim means the amount of food specified in the Nutrition Facts table contains less than 5 mg of sodium.

Reduced in Calories

"Reduced in Calories" has at least 25% less energy (Calories) than the food it is being compared to ? most of the time, it’s being compared to the regular version of that food

Light

The term "light" is allowed only on foods that are either "reduced in fat" or "reduced in energy" (Calories). "Light" can also be used to describe sensory characteristics of a food, for example light tasting or light coloured.

Want to know more?

To test your know-how, try out Health Canada’s Interactive Nutrition Label Quiz.

Easy to Use (and Printable Tool)



Health Canada has a fantastic interactive tool that you can use to get even more in depth on your nutrition label reading: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet/nutrition/index-eng.php

 Stay Helathy!
Andrea :)

"I Can't Afford to Eat Healthy"

Happy Saturday!

As a trainer time and time again I have heard "I have to eat junk healthy food is way to expensive". Well here is a great article by a lady who did the math on eating junk and fast food versus eating organic wholesome foods. Have a read and never again say you can't afford healthy foods.

Take that McDonalds! A peek into our food budget.

http://theelliotthomestead.com/2012/03/take-that-mcdonalds-a-peek-into-our-food-budget/

Stuart and I sat around the kitchen table the other night talking about fast food.

What? What a surprise! We were talking about food!

My point I was trying to make was this: so many of us eat fast food because it’s cheap

But is it really?

First, it’s important to take into account that the government subsidizes wheat and corn farmers, which all fast food is based off of. Basically, this means that the government pays farmers to grow wheat and corn for less than the cost of production. If wheat and corn were grown without government subsidies (which I believe they should be) this ‘cheap’ food production would halt. Without cheap corn and wheat, well, goodbye McDonalds.

I could really get goin’ on government subsidies, but alas, that is not my point. And as much as I would like to bring up the environmental impact of modern farming, I shant.

Back to ‘cheap’ fast food.

So, say you have a family of three (our current size). A meal at McDonalds for a family of three would cost….what?…about $10? $15? $12.50?

I’m guessing here, so just run with me.

So, say a family of three ate at McDonalds for ‘cheap’ once a day. For dinner, let’s say. And it doesn’t have to be McDonalds – it could be Jack In The Box, Dairy Queen, Wendys, whatever your little heart desires.

So, 30 days a month….$12.50 a meal…..$375 a month.

Let’s say they order off the dollar menu for a total of $8 a meal, we’re still looking at $240 a month.

Mind you, they still need to eat breakfast, lunch, and snacks. So maybe, a couple hundred more for their other groceries? We’re somewhere in the range of $400-$600 now.

And remember – this is for the cheap food. If they eat out at a nicer restaurant, well, you can do the math.

So the very, very least they could get away with is about $8 a meal, or $240 a month, for one meal. And truthfully, I think it’s more towards the $375 end (as fries and sodas are must!). PLUS they still need their other two meals from somewhere.

Here’s the kicker.

We spent $400 a month on groceries total. Full disclaimer: We do eat at my parents each Friday for one meal. Thanks Mom and Dad!

We drink raw milk, eat organic meats and cheeses, and have tons of fresh produce each day. $400 a month for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. For three of us. And yes, Georgia eats her share.

So for not much more than eating at McDonalds only one meal per day, it is possible to eat 3 meals of a balanced, vitamin rich, organic diet.

I’m talking about nutrient dense food people. I’m talking about food that nourishes and strengthens your body. I’m talking about food that can aid in boosting your immune system and keeping your healthy. I’m talking about food that benefits you.

How is that possible?

I’ll be honest, it’s not nearly as easy as running through the drive through. Cooking quality food from scratch takes time and dedication. However, I assure you it can be done. Even when I was working full time, I was still able to swing whole-food based cooking. It just takes some creativity and prep work.

Here’s a very rough breakdown of our food budget and costs:

- Grass-fed, local beef, $3.30/lb. This usually lasts us for 10-ish months, or about $45 per month.

- Organic, whole chickens, $3.25/lb. I make these stretch for a least three meals, leftovers, and stock. We eat one chicken every other week. $30 per month. I can hardly wait to raise our own chickens this year! We will be raising 25 total, which will provide us with about 2 per month.

- Wild-caught fish, $4.50/lb. I only get it when the price is good (rarely). $4.50 per month.

- Raw, organic cheddar cheese. I order a 5 lb. block from Azure Standard for around $30. We can usually make this stretch for almost two months. $15 a month.

- Goat cheese and Feta cheese, $8 a month.

- Bulk grains, wheat berries, beans, rice, coconut, lentils, oats, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, sour cream, almonds, dates, cocoa powder, honey, rapadura, baking soda, baking powder, arrowroot flour, etc. ordered from Azure Standard. On average, about $50 a month.

- Fresh produce (this varies greatly). During the summer, we eat primarily from our garden and local orchards. We also put up a ton of frozen goodies to eat on through the winter. However, I still make weekly trips to the store to buy produce, such as: bananas, citrus fruit, carrots, celery, lettuce, avocados, potatoes and onions. These are my inexpensive staples – sure, I love pineapple. But that ain’t in the budget, baby. $75 a month. Kale, green beans, corn, tomatoes, and herbs are frozen from the garden each year – so I don’t count those. We also eat a lot of produce that has been preserved from the summer, such as canned, frozen, and dehydrated fruits. Purchasing items like blueberries in season from a local farm is (usually) much cheaper than buying them from the grocery store. Hit up that farmer’s market, baby.

- Raw milk, $10 a gallon. Ya, it’s expensive. But it’s worth it. Instead of downing 64 ounces of milk, we enjoy small glasses. We also water Georgia’s down slightly, since it’s super rich. $30 a month.

- Pastured organic eggs, $3/dozen. We get these from our milk lady (Hey Jennifer!) or my parents. They’re so good! $21 a month.

- Olive Oil, ordered from Chaffin Family Ranch in California. My Mom and I split the order and each end up with a gallon of olive oil for about $45. This lasts us for 2-3 months. $15 a month.

- Coconut oil, ordered from Mountain Rose Herbs. This is hard to figure out, since I use it for hair conditioner, deodorant, face lotion, and diaper cream! But a $60 gallon tub usually lasts us about 6 months, including all the cosmetic uses. I’ll deduct a bit for this. $8 a month.

- Coffee. What? A girl has weaknesses. We buy whole bean in bulk from a local roaster and grind it ourselves. $25 a month. That may sound like a lot, but really, that’s only like 6 drinks from Starbucks!

- Grocery store extras, including: toilet paper, feminine products, light bulbs, dog food, etc. $75 a month.

Some months are a little bit more, such as when we need to restock on a bunch of grains, and some months are less (such as in the summer when we get to eat our wonderful garden bounty!). It’s a give and take.

I would say $400 is just about spot on though. And just think of all the wonderful food we’re putting into our systems.

That being said, this budget does involve some work.

- I soak all my beans and buy them dried, instead of canned.

- I stock up on inexpensive, seasonal produce when I can, which includes dehydrating, canning, and freezing.

- I bake our weekly bread and grind our flours.

- Oatmeal is made from scratch, not packets.

- I make our own fish, chicken, beef, and vegetable stocks.

- I make our own snack bars.

- I brew our kombucha.

- I ferment our kefir and yogurt (both made with our raw milk).

- I make all our salad dressings (which takes 5 seconds).

- Berries (for kefir smoothies) are frozen in the summer and usually gleaned, as are apricots, grapes, peaches, plums, and apples. I make applesauce, grape juice, and jellies from them.

All of these tasks cost you time. And save you money.

I think the most important thing about food budgeting is finding a balance in what works for you. You might be in a busy season of your life where baking bread is out of the question. That’s okay! Figuring out what works for your family is the most important.

That being said, don’t be deterred by a little bit of extra time spent in the kitchen. The more you do things like bake bread, the easier it gets. Soon, it becomes a quick and painless process. I literally don’t spend more than 15 minutes each week baking our bread.

All that to say…

It is totally possible to eat a high-quality, whole-food, organic based diet for less than it costs to eat fast food.

Take that McDonalds.

Booya.

Addictive Foods

TGIF!

Happy Friday everyone! I hope we all have a fun filled and relaxing weekend planned.

Reading the news today I found a great article on 10 Addictive Foods and since a group of us were just talking about this last night I thought it would be the perfect post for today.

So here is the article from Fitbe.com have a read and see if your addicted to any of these foods.

10 Most Addictive Foods

http://fitbie.ca.msn.com/slideshow/10-most-addictive-foods

Constant Cravings

Talk about the worst words to hear from your waiter. Oh, you know you shouldn't, but you're no match for the smell of those fresh-baked cookies wafting from the kitchen. Why is every super-palatable food of today damn near impossible to resist?

"Nobody's binging on spinach or broccoli," says Ashley Gearhardt, PhD, assistant professor in the psychology department at the University of Michigan. As co-creator of Yale University's Food Addiction Scale, she's contributing to a growing body of research that puts "food"—or the processed chemicals that pass for food these days—in the same category as drugs of abuse.

How can a bag of chips and a sweet little snack cake turn you into an addict? Blame sugar, salt, and fat. Our bodies have not evolved to handle this over-stimulating trifecta, says Gearhardt. Long before Mrs. Fields was peddling cookies in shopping malls, sugar was a rare treat, found in fruit and guarded by stinging bees; salt was a simple garnish; and fat was a nutrient that had to be hunted or foraged.  Now, processed foods often contain all three (remember the bacon ice cream sundae?)—minus the protein, fibre, and water that help your body handle them.

And women are more likely than men to get addicted. "Women tend to restrict and then binge," says Gearhardt. "That seems to sensitize the brain's developing an addictive process and for you to have a psychologically unhealthy relationship with the substance."

10. White Bread

You may already know that white bread was one of the worst things you have in your fridge.It's made with refined flour, which has been stripped of the bran, the germ, and all of the nutrients normally present in bread. What a shame that restaurants tempt you with an entire basket before every meal out! Opt for substantial breads that you can't squish into the size of a marble. That way, you know the grains are truly "whole".

9. Donuts

Shocker, right? Experts think sugar might be the most addicting of the three. (Ask any sugarholic who's tried to kick the habit, and they'll surely agree.) Science has proven the crazy-addictive potential of sugar. Studies have shown that every time rats eat large amounts, dopamine is released. That's not normal, says study author Dr. Nicole Avena, PhD, a research neuroscientist and expert in food addiction. "The dopamine release becomes more what you'd expect to see with a drug of abuse," she says.

8. Pasta

We eat way too much of this starchy childhood favourite—and then we drench it in butter, salt, and cheese. The typical Italian portion can fit in a teacup; American portions are closer to plate size. But it's not all bad news: buy high-quality spelt pasta, cook it al dente (which lowers its glycemic load), and use olive oil to greatly increase pasta's nutritional profile, says Andrew Weil, MD, founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona in his new cookbook True Food.

7. Cake

There's something irresistible about the spongy buoyancy of a sugary cake—and don't even get us started on frosting. (Frosting!) If you eat too much of it, though, you might not accumulate as many candles on that cake as you'd like. Sugar—in its many guises—has been linked to obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

6. Chips

Chips are ridiculously high in fat and salt, but that doesn't stop with the notoriously greasy brands. Even baked veggie chips are packed with fat and many mainstream chip brands list sugar on their ingredients lists. Whip up a batch of homemade kale chips with a touch of sea salt to satisfy your craving for crunch, instead.

5. Cookies

There's a reason the cookie jar is never full. According to a research review, merely seeing tempting food releases dopamine. Indulge and your brain gets a boost from that happy hormone, priming you to want more (and more, and more.) Cookies, too, typically contain the three temptresses in one place. It would take an iron will to resist that.

4. Chocolate

Handle this potent stuff with care: A bite will do you. One study published in a 1997 issue of International Journal of Psychophysiology found that self-identified chocoholics had physical, behavioural, and emotional responses to chocolate that closely resembled those of drug addicts to their drugs. Sure, dark chocolate with a high concentration of cocoa imparts some health benefits, but most commercial chocolate—packed with milk solids, oil, fat, and sugar—would not make the cut.

3. French Fries

Forever beckoning from its hot-oil baths, French fries are a dieter's nightmare and a food industry's dream. They're the apex of the sugar-fat-salt triumvirate: salted, fatty, and with a touch of natural sugar. Besides being insanely addicting, commercial French fries also contain high levels of the carcinogen acrylamide.

2. Candy

Mark Gold, MD, Chair of Psychiatry at the University of Florida, has been researching food addiction for 30 years. He found that the sugary foods you're exposed to in utero and throughout childhood make kids love—and crave—more sugar. "We need to pay attention to what we feed our children," he says. "We may be setting them up to become food addicts."

1. Ice Cream

Ladies and gents, say hello to your biggest food addiction. It's no wonder: Ice cream is the go-to breakup binge, the creamiest celebration treat the perfect hot-summer-day refresher, the more comforting cold-winter-night snack (under the covers? Anybody?) What's the big deal? Animal studies have shown that high consumption of processed treats like ice cream may reduce the appeal of foods that were once considered rewarding, like watermelon. That's because it shifts our brain's hedonic set point. Once that happens, the only way to get your fix is, well, more ice cream.

Well... now that I've writen this... I need a snack..

Have a great weekend & Stay healthy!

Andrea :)

I Need to Eat How Much?

Happy Hump Day!

As promised today we are going over just how many servings of each of the food groups you need everyday.

The following chart from Health Canada does a great job of outlining the number of servings you need and even gives an example below!

Recommended Number of Food Guide Servings per Day

	Children			Teens		Adults
	2-3	4-8	9-13	14-18 Years		19-50 Years		51+ Years
	Girls and Boys			Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male
Vegetables and Fruit	4	5	6	7	8	7-8	8-10	7	7
Grain Products	3	4	6	6	7	4-6	8	4-6	7
Milk and Alternatives	2	2	3-4	3-4	3-4	2	2	3	3
Meat and Alternatives	1	1	1-2	2	3	2	3	2	3

 

For example:

 

If you are a 35 year old woman you should aim to have:

• 7-8 vegetables and fruit
• 4-6 grain products
• 2 milk and alternatives
• 2 meat and alternatives
• 30 - 45 ml (2 to 3 Tbsp) of unsaturated oils and fats

If you are very active and need more food, choose extra Food Guide Servings from the four food groups.

To get a sense of the number of Calories you need each day depending on your activity level, check out the estimated energy requirements chart. This chart will tell you exactly how many servings you will need based on your age and gender.

I hope the last few posts have been helpful and as always if you have any questions feel free to drop me a line!

Stay Healthy!
Andrea :)

Portion Distortion

Happy Tuesday!

Today we are going to discuss portion control. Why you ask? Because portion control is one of, if not the biggest challenge when it comes to getting lean and healthy. Over the past 20 years Canadians waist lines have been expanding and, guess what? So have our portions. Lets take a look at the charts below which show the average portion size and calorie count of a food today, and 20 years ago.






Wholly cow! Most of these portions have more than doubled! Its easy to see now why Canadians are having are harder time with weight management now than they did in the past.

So now. What do we do about? 1. We learn what proper portion sizes are and 2. We commit to ourselves to watch not only what we eat but how much. And I'm hear to help with step 1! The two charts below outline proper portion sizes and use your hand as a measuring tool so you'll never be without it.





Now these are proper portions! Stay tuned tomorrow and I'll tell you how many portions of each food you should be having each day!

Stay Healthy!
Andrea

Pumpkin Spice Protein Muffins

Hello and Happy Sunday!

Today I tried another fantastic gluten free recipe from Terra and Trevor of O.N.E. Its a delicious mix of pumpkin and dark chocolate and hides healthy pumpkin seeds and carrots inside. Give these a try and see what you think!

Pumpkin Spice Protein Muffins
http://fitgirlontop.com/

Wondering what to do with pumpkin after Halloween is over? Why not turn it into a healthy snack. Try baking up a batch of these healthy Pumpkin Spice Protein Muffins that are sure to be one of your favorite fall recipes. Pumpkin and pumpkin seeds are loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that will make you feel great this fall! This is also a high protein and GLUTEN FREE recipe.
This recipe has also been featured in ONE Weight Loss Meal Plan!

Pumpkin Spice Protein Muffins

INGREDIENTS
Dry Ingredients:
• 1 ¼ cups brown rice flour
• 2 scoops (~60g) whey protein (vanilla)
• 2 tbsp. ground flaxseed
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. ground ginger
• ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Wet Ingredients:
• 1 cup canned pure pumpkin (unsweetened)
• 1 cup finely grated carrot
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 egg

Fold In:
• ¼ cup chopped dark chocolate
• ¼ cup chopped pumpkin seeds

DIRECTIONS
1. Pre heat oven to 375°F and place 12 paper liners in a muffin pan. Spray all paper liners with a low calorie cooking oil.

2. In a large bowl combine the wet ingredients; pure pumpkin, grated carrot, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla extract, egg and coconut oil.

*Tip: Liquefy coconut oil by placing your 2 tbsp. measure over hot water for ~45 seconds or microwave 10 seconds.

3. In a medium bowl combine rice flour, whey protein, flaxseed, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Mix well with a spoon the dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold in pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate.

5. Scoop batter evenly into 12 muffin cups and bake for 18-20 minutes. Test by placing a tooth pick into the centre of one muffin, if it comes out clean with no wetness detected they are done.

6. Remove muffins from pan immediately after cooking and place on a wire rack for 5 minutes to cool.

Nutritional Summery
Total calories: 182, Protein, 8g, Carbs, 23g, Fat 6.4g

Stay Healthy!
Andrea :)

Hello!

I've been getting a lot of requests for the recipe for the coconut banana bread I've been talking non-stop about for the last few weeks. So here it is! This recipe comes from Trevor & Terra of Olympic Nutrition and Exercise so try it out and enjoy!

Chocolate Coconut Banana Bread

http://fitgirlontop.com/

This banana bread recipe is loaded with many nutritious and flavourful ingredients that are healthier and taste better than the original traditional banana bread recipe. The higher amount of protein will leave you feeling full for longer and will help cut cravings. The dark chocolate will satisfy those chocolate lovers with a sweet tooth. Cut a mini loaf in half and eat it alongside Greek yogurt or cottage cheese for a balanced snack option or cut a small piece for dessert after dinner! This recipe is also GLUTEN FREE.

Mini Loaf Tin

Ingredients
1 ¼ cups brown rice flour (I've also made this recipe with whole wheat flour and it works well)
2 scoops of your favorite vanilla protein powder
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. ground sea salt
5 bananas

1/3 cup apple sauce

¼ cup coconut palm sugar

2 whole eggs
1 tps. Vanilla extract
1 tbsp. coconut oil
¼ cup shaved coconut
¼ cup chopped 80% dark chocolate.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a mini loaf (or a muffin) tin and set aside. Combine dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Mash your 5 bananas in a medium mixing bowl. Add in coconut palm sugar, 2 eggs, vanilla extract and coconut oil.

Tip: heat your coconut oil to liquid form before mixing it into your wet ingredients.

Once bowls are mixed, combine your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon. Toss in shaved coconut and dark chocolate into your already mixed batter and lightly fold until coconut and chocolate are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Spoon the batter into each individual mini loaf tin molds. Place tin on the middle rack in the oven. Cook for approximately 30 minutes. Test bread to be sure that it is fully cooked by taking a toothpick and inserting it into the center of the bread. If you pull the toothpick out and no batter is left stuck to the toothpick then the banana bread is done. Once cooked, remove from oven and allow time to cool down. Remove from tin and enjoy!

Tip: since this bread is cooked with all natural ingredients, it can only be left out on the counter for approximately 3 days before it starts to spoil. To increase the shelf life of this banana bread, place it in the fridge for up to a week or freeze each individual mini loaf.

Baking Temperature – 350 degrees
Cooking time – approximately 30 minutes
Prep time – approximately 15 minutes
Yields 8 mini bread loafs

Nutritional Summary
Total calories 308 / Protein 12.5g / Carbs 46g / Fat 9g (5g Saturated) / Sugar 24g (mostly from fruit) / Sodium 204mg / Fibre 3.8g

Stay healthy!
Andrea