Stop!! Smoothie time

SMOOTHIES

GREEN MANGO SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

·                     1 mango;

·                     300 ml of coconut water;

·                     2 handfuls of spinach;

·                     6 mint leaves;

·                     dash of cinnamon;

·                     dash of turmeric;

·                     dash of spirulina;

Instructions:

1.            Mix everything together in a blender;

2.            Enjoy :)

GREEN KALE SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

·                     1 bunch of kale

·                     1 frozen banana

·                     Handful of grapes

·                     1 cucumber

·                     1 green apple

·                     1 tbsp peanut butter

·                     1 tbsp chia seeds

·                     1 tbsp coconut water

Instructions:

3.            Mix everything together in a blender;

VERY BERRY SMOOTHIE

Ingredients

·         1 cup of mixed berries (blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, boysenberry)

·         4tbls muesli

·         3tbls plain yoghurt

·         3 tbls apple juice Dash of honey

·         Top up with milk till berries are nearly covered

Instructions

1.     Blend in a blender or bar mix and enjoy!!

go green smoothie

Ingredients:

·                     2 oranges

·                     ½ lemon

·                     1 cup spinach

·                     1 avocado

·                     1 cup of mango cubes

·                     1 tsp wheatgrass

Instructions

1.    Blend in a blender or bar mix and enjoy!!

GREEN TEA smoothie

Ingredients:

·                     3 tbsp water

·                     1 green tea bag

·                     2 tsp honey

·                     1 ½ cup frozen blueberries

·                     ½ banana

·                     ¾ cup milk

Instructions

1.     In small glass measuring cup or bowl, microwave water on high until steaming hot. Add tea bag and allow to brew 3 minutes. Remove tea bag. Stir honey into tea until it dissolves.

2.     In blender combine berries, banana, and milk.

3.     Add tea to blender. Blend ingredients on ice crush or highest setting until smooth. (Some blenders may require additional water to process the mixture.)

PINE  SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

·                     1 cup yogurt

·                     Handful of ice

·                     1 cup of diced pineapple (fresh or tinned)

Instructions:

4.            Mix everything together in a blender;

GREEN POWER  SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

·                     1 cup MILK

·                     1 cup coconut water

·                     1 tsp spirulina

·                     2 tsp flaxseed meal

·                     ¼ cup frozen berries

·                     2 tbsp yoghurt

·                     Pinch of cinnamon

Instructions:

1.     Blend in blender and enjoy.

SEEDY smoothie

Ingredients:

·                     ½ cup orange juice

·                     1 cup of strawberries

·                     1 banana

·                     1 ½ tbsp. gound flax seeds

·                     1 tsp of chia seeds

·                     1 tsp sunflower

·                     1 tsp pepitas

·                     4 tsp yogurt

Instructions:

1. Mix everything together in a blender;

Very Berry Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup of mixed berries (we use blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, boysenberry)

4tbls muesli

3tbls plain yoghurt (we use chobani)

3 tbls apple juice (we like cold pressed 100% granny smith apple)

Dash of honey

Top up with milk till berries are nearly covered

Method

- Blend in a blender or bar mix and enjoy!!

Skippy

No other animal symbolises Australia more than the kangaroo.  For those of you that have never before been down under, yes, kangaroos do inhabit almost every part of the country, and it is not uncommon to encounter them in the wild – hopefully not because you’ve narrowly swerved to avoid one from your car.  But one place where you might not be expecting to them to turn up is on your dinner plate.

 

 

 

Yes I said dinner plate!! We are one of the only countries that doesn’t have a quam with eating our most recognisable mascot and coat of arms feature.

Kangaroo, as a meat source, has actually been legal in Australia since 1993 but Aboriginal people have been hunting roos since time began. Aside from the nutritional benefits, many people are starting to rave about its environmental benefits – there isn’t the methane byproduct which farming cows produces.

It gets the thumbs up on a wide variety of nutrition fronts, with the key highlights for kangaroo meat being:

·    It has an energy (kilojoule) content that stacks up well against other lean red meats

·    It is a terrific source of high-quality protein (HBV)

·    It is low in fat, with less than 2% fat

·    It contains low levels of ‘undesirable’ saturated fats

·    It is a source of heart-friendly omega-3’s

·    It contains CLA, which has antioxidant properties and may help reduce body fat in humans

·    It is a particularly rich source of the minerals iron and zinc

·    It is an important source of several B-group vitamins, namely riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12

·    It has the Heart Foundation Tick of Approval*

Let’s take a look in a little more detail at what this versatile, tasty and nutritious game meat has to offer.

As they say, the Aussie kangaroo is a lean, mean, fighting machine. These animals are super active and graze on natural foliage which produces a lean, high quality game meat.

A 150g serve of kangaroo fillet or steak typically provides 643 kilojoules (that’s 153 calories) compared with a beef fillet and lamb steak at 608 and 552 kilojoules respectively.

It’s a fact – with less than 2% fat, kangaroo meat is a champion lean meat. Even when stacked up against lean beef, trim lamb and lean, skinless chicken breast, kangaroo meat comes out trumps (see the table below).

	Fat content per 100g of raw meat
	Kangaroo fillet or steak 1	Lean beef fillet 2	Lean beef rump 2	Trim lamb steak 2	Lean, chicken breast2
Total fat (g)	1.3	6.3	4.6	5.8	1.6
Saturated fats (g)	0.3	2.4	1.7	2.0	0.5
Trans fats (g)	0.1	0.3	0.2	0.3	n/a
Polyunsaturated fats (g)	0.4	0.6	0.4	0.6	0.3
Monounsaturated fats (g)	0.5	2.5	1.9	2.3	0.7

^{Table: http://www.macromeats.com.au}

Other nutritional properties..

Kangaroo meat is a particularly rich source of iron. In fact, a 150g serve of kangaroo steak or fillet provides 41% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) for iron.

A 150g serve of kangaroo meat provides over a quarter (28%) of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) for zinc.

36% of the Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) for riboflavin. Riboflavin is primarily involved in energy production and supports vision and skin.

63% of the RDI for niacin. Niacin helps to release energy from carbohydrates and fat and also supports the digestive and nervous systems.

80% of the RDI for Vitamin B6. This vitamin is needed for protein and carbohydrate metabolism. It also helps to manufacture red blood cells and regulate certain hormones.

Over 100% of the RDI for Vitamin B12. It helps to break down fats and proteins to produce energy. Vitamin B12 also plays a role to produce red blood cells and helps to maintain normal nervous system functions.

So now you know how good our skippy (Aussies like to refer to kangaroos as “Skippy”, a name which comes from a popular old television show) is, how can you expect to eat it in Australia?

1. Kanga Bangas

Probably one of my favorite food names, the kanga banga is simply a kangaroo sausage.  You can get these pre-packaged at the shops on your way to a barbie with friends.  There’s really no fuss when preparing these guys; just pop it in a bun with some sauce, and you’re good to go.

2. Kangaroo Steaks

In place of beef, kangaroo steaks are tasty when marinated and cooked on the barbie.  But, you’ll need to definitely watch how long this one gets cooked; there is very little fat on this meat, and overcooking can leave it chewy, dry and not as juicy.  Almost everyone I have talked to about kangaroo meat has stressed that it must be a medium-rare finish in order to enjoy.

3. Kangaroo Pies

A stereotypical food, other than Vegemite of course, that defines the Australia people, is the meat pie.  Fill a meat pie with roo meat, and it doesn’t get any more Australian than that (unless you’re knocking it back with an icy VB).  Not many places sell the roo pie, but if you’re lucky enough to come across a quality pie shop, like Freddo’s outside of Port Macquarie, then it just might be on the menu. Keep your eyes peeled.

4. Skippy Burgers

“Skippy burgers” are simply roo burgers that have been prepared from kangaroo mince, slightly undercooked, and then stacked with your typical burger toppings.  For those who throw the humble gherkin out of their usual burger, be warned, in Australia you tend to find beetroot is the topping of choice.

5. Roo Tail Stew

In Sydney’s Chinatown, roo tail is sold at the butcher shop alongside all the other meats that might fancy for your dinner that night.  Some Chinese restaurants will even serve you up some delicious roo tail stew, made from that part of the kangaroo that helps them to keep their balance when hopping about.

6. Kangaroo Pizza

You can get just about any type of meat on a pizza, and in Australia, heck why not pop some kangarooo top!  The Australian Hotel in Sydney is one of the few places to dish up kangaroo pizza.  If you are going to dabble in kangaroo meat, a roo pizza is one of the more subtle ways to ease yourself into this new ingredient.

7. Kangaroo Jerky

For a salty snack that can go just about anywhere, kangaroo jerky is another option.  This dried meat treat is made from roo meat that has been cured with a number of other spices.  It’s great for shoving in your backpack and or for long car journeys round Australia when your lacking refrigeration.

Teatox: a dietitians view

So I get asked very frequently what are your thoughts on teatox’s more specifically SkinnyMe Tea. “Isn’t all so bad yada yada yada”. Well infact no. Now this is my opinion which will differ from other health professionals but keep in mind I’ve read the ingredients, tried the product and compared it to others.  

SkinnyMe tea isn’t a meal replacement program nor is it marketed this way. It is designed to work autonomously with your existing lifestyle however, they do suggest beginning a more healthy lifestyle (which is never a bad thing).  The ingredients are natural and preservative free also; which I would much prefer my clients to be having then highly artificial products marketed to weightloss consumers. No one seems to mind when people are guzzling down $100+ pre and post workouts supps that have little to no effect on the general population (if not introduced in line with training regimens, diet and timing) yet a tea can cause some much controversy.

I frequently suggest to my clients introducing tea into their diet whether it be green tea to reduce sweet cravings or Chinese blends for complexion. SkinnyMe tea is exactly this. They are pre blended for you. Now I’m not suggesting everyone should go out and purchase it if you prefer to go to the local shops and mix your own save 10 bucks than that’s fine but if you can’t be bothered then there is no harm in purchasing a pre-prepared product.

Another good aspect is beginning the program itself. A lot of clients struggle progressing through the trans-theoretical stages of change ie. Yes I want to get fit > actually changing their diet and lifestyle. So beginning a teatox program often gives them that extra boost in beginning, committing and acting on the lifestyle changes. It doesn’t require intense gym sessions or calorie restriction just a simple tea morning and night (and I like the taste). Usually when people commit to a particular short term specific program (such as teatox, soup diet, pre made meals) they become more mindful of the choices they are making (i.e. less maccas, treats or fast food) which is great because it’s often hard to break the negative habits in the initial stages. By investing money people are also usually more committed.

I feel a lot of the negative publicity surrounds the name its self “skinny me”. I guess it all comes down to context. For some reason it has now become acceptable to criticize the use of previously normal words such as skinny, diet, thin, lean and associate them with pro-ana choices. For instance, I use the word ‘diet’ everyday but it relates to the food I eat at every meal not a calorie/carb restricted choice. The media is somewhat responsible for this; Just because the average Australian women is a 12-14 doesn’t mean that size is healthy. Everybody’s healthy weight range is different and dependant on a lot of factors but it is not okay to increasingly encourage people to except being unhealthy and pass it off as being ‘big boned’ (and yes I’m doing air quotes).  Being thin should be just as acceptable as being curvy. Both words represent a large percentage of women that are often criticised for a body shape they can’t control. We should be encouraging people to embrace a healthy lifestyle and accept whatever body shape comes with that. 50-60% of the adult population in Australia is overweight and obese, if people created initiatives and focused media resources at decreasing this statistic (and the multi-billion dollar, yes I said Billion, medical strain on the government) and less on the choice of a small percent of the population drinking tea twice a day then Australia would definitely be in better shape (rant over).

Lastly, I’ve tried the product myself. I was coming back from an injury and was feeling really lethargic, bloated and downright gross getting back to my previous lifestyle (clean diet, 1-2 gym session/day). I didn’t achieve any weight loss (however that wasn’t my goal) however I did find an increase in my energy levels, a decrease in bloating (which I think every girl wants), decrease in appetite (I’m a massive snacker), my body was more responsive to my diet (digestion) and I was able to sleep better which means I woke better.

For me personally, and for my clients these types of changes are the most important to me. The emphasis should never primarily be on the scales. It should come down to how nourished you are, how you feel, your energy levels and mentality.

If teatox’s are a step in this direction then who are you to criticise. 

Cellu-scream

Cellulite:

Also known as also known as adiposis edematosa, dermopanniculosis deformans, status protrusus cutis, gynoid lipodystrophy, orange peel skin nd hail damage. There’s a reason why people cringe at the word cellulite and its other so delicate descriptors – because the vast majority of adult woman have it and all of them don’t want it. At the same time, there is no need to talk down to yourself because you do have a few pockets and dimples to spare. Cellulite is thought to occur in 80-90% of post-adolescent females so don’t worry you’re not alone.

Why does it happen?

In technical terms the causes of cellulite include changes in metabolism, physiology, dieting too hard or too much, sex-specific dimorphic skin architecture, alteration of connective tissue structure, hormonal factors, genetic factors, the microcirculatory system, the extracellular matrix, and subtle inflammatory alterations.

What you need to know is?

When the mesh of connective tissue gets loose due to poor diet, lack of muscle tone (think skinny fat people) and other factors (see above) the fat cells can come up and poke through. This is particularly obvious when the cells are large.

How do I minimise it?

Molly Wanner, an instructor in dermatology at Harvard Medical School and an author of a 2008 evidence-based review of existing treatments, asserted: "At this point, there is no outstanding treatment for cellulite." Michael F. McGuire, a clinical associate professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, confirmed that, "realistically, there is no cure for cellulite."

Cellulite is not a skin problem. It’s an underlying structural issue, that can only be targeted by reversing the cause of atrophied muscle fibers directly beneath our cellulite trouble spots (think  buns, legs, hips and thighs).

However we can minimise it!

Improve diet in the areas of..

• Limit saturated fat in the diet and ensure high amounts of poly and monounsaturated fats
• Lower salt
• Less processed food
• Increased fruit and vegetables.
• Increased antioxidants and vitamin C.

Physiologically...

• Weight within the healthy weight range
• More exercise including resistance and weight training  to develop lean muscle mass

 The female lower-body has over 90 muscles. Picture those 90 functional muscles BENEATH your skin’s surface in your legs, buns, hips and thigh zones. That’s where the magic happens in regards to true targeting of mushy dimples and saggy shadows in the trouble spots and problem areas.

• Decrease sun exposure
• Massaging ( anchors fat back down under the connective tissue)

Products...

• Frank (one of our favourites) is a coffee scrub that “smooths your lumps and bumps with brown sugar & sea salt, moisturise and tone your skin with cold pressed sweet almond oil, and uses vitamins & minerals to work wonders from the outside in.”
• Limit the use of skin thinning creams: If you are currently using any chemicals or pharmaceuticals on your cellulite areas which thin your skin (such as steroids), your cellulite is going to be more obvious.
• Elixia BodyShaper Cellulite Contour Crème. In tandem with an impressive dermal-delivery system, it uses three tried-and-true cellulite actives, says Dr Esra Ogru, molecular biologist and co-founder of Phosphagenics (the pharmaceutical-based owner of Elixia).

New Years Resolutions

New year New you!

What I’d like you to do right now is think about your response to this question..

If I could lose 2kg each month, that would be

a.       Fantastic                      b. Achievable                 c. Not enough               d. Why bother                 

Now if you circled c or d then hopefully we can change that attitude in the next 400 words.

As we welcome in the new year it usually followed by regrets of all the Christmas feasting and grandeur ideas of what the year will behold.

20kg’s lighter?? Pre children body back?? Fitter for football??

This is usually followed by a clean out of the pantry, a whole week of back to back runs but within 3 weeks with not much weight lost, legs that feel like lead and a hankering for a greasy burger we’re usually back to our old habits and before we know it Santa’s is here and it’s another year gone.

SO let’s rewind and look at the one step you missed. PLANNING.

Now I’m not recommending you sit done with pen and paper and log every food item eaten, calorie burned and micromanage every second of your day but you do need to sit down and goal set. For instance setting the goal of saving for a holiday doesn’t = $5000 saved;  we need to budget then plan how much each week, fortnight or month we can save.

You also need to keep goals realistic. Although we would all love to look like Jennifer Hawkins or be as fit as Chris Judd unfortunately genetics plays a big role so set goals that are S.M A.R.T.

Specific                Measurable                       Achievable                         Realistic               Time bound

Health changes require the same process.

First you need to decide

1.       what you want

2.       what do you already have that can help

3.       What changes you feel you can maintain

4.       How often you can do it.

i.e.

1.       lose weight and tone up

2.       I have an exercise bike and Chester (your Labrador that hasn’t been walked in weeks).

3.       Skip the beers every night; get up 30minutes earlier; plan my snacks; drink more water

4.       I can set aside 30 minutes a day.

Next comes putting this all to practice. Calenders are really helpful for this..

Seeing what we want on paper is usually the best way to stay on top of what we’re doing (yes that why iPhones have a notes section)

Break into days, week and months.

Daily:

Drink 2.0L water

Have a fruit/vegetable/salad with every meal

Weekly:

3x bike rides; 5x dog walks; 3x core/weight sessions

4 alcohol free nights

Takeaway once

Monthly:

2 kgs loss of weight.

Increase average speed on bike.

Decrease time over distance during walk with Chester.

It’s important to tick them off as you go. Mentally doing this doesn’t really work. When you see it on paper  you can’t cheat yourself into thinking you’ve done more or less therefore you’ll be more likely to follow through.

Weight loss is usually the hardest milestone for clients. Not the loosing bit but the accepting the amount. If you think about it, it most likely took you about 10 years (or 3 pregnancies) to gain the weight. Our bodies are just millions of atoms and physiological processes, a machine have you, so losing the weight is also going to take time. So we need to slow down and accept smaller amounts of weight loss as these will be maintainable, long term and keep you in a good mental state. If you can consistently lose 2 kg a month that’s 24kg’s in the year. 4 dress sizes.

2kgs a month also means you won’t be limiting yourself to a carrot stick each meal. If you don’t feel like you’re missing out every meal you will also be able to integrate these changes into you lifestyle and before you know it you’re the better version of yourself you’ve been planning.

Last but not least make it fun!!

·         Plan to do a fun event in 6 months (mother’s day classic, tough mudder, mini triathlon)

·         Piggy bank the money you’d usually spend on beer or chocolate and buy yourself some new runners

·         Plant a veggie or herb garden

·         Get the kids to choose 1 new recipe each week.