Monday 19 November 2007

Boost your Metabolism!

Here are 5 ways to increase your metabolism.

Eat Breakfast. You’re metabolism slows down during the night, having breakfast ends your fast from the night before and gets your metabolism going. Eating breakfast will not only increase your metabolism, but people who eat breakfast are more likely to consume fewer calories throughout the day. Eating breakfast also leaves you feeling energetic rather than lethargic first thing in the morning.

Drink Water. Being dehydrated can cause your metabolism to slow down. Drinking water will help to increase your metabolism and it will also increase the feeling of being full, you’re therefore likely to consume fewer calories at each meal. Adults should be drinking 1 litre for every 50lbs of body weight.

Exercise daily. Increasing your lean muscle mass reduces fat and increases your metabolism. Studies have shown that your metabolism not only increases during exercise but that it stays elevated for a period of time afterwards. Try doing thing you enjoy so that you’re likely to commit to exercising regularly.

Eat protein with every meal. Eating protein increases your metabolism as your body uses more energy to digest protein in comparison to carbohydrates. Eating protein also keeps you feeling full for longer and decreases you’re cravings for unhealthy snacks. Try sources of protein such as: eggs, salmon, chicken, tuna, beef, mackerel, sardines and/ or turkey,

Eat smaller meals more often. Eating smaller meals more often ensures that your body keeps working and using energy to digest the food. If you want to lose weight, you need to eat! Try snacking on a handful of mixed nuts, natural organic bio-live yoghurt or an avocado on wheat free rye brea

Saturday 10 November 2007

Healthy Eating At Your Desk!

Eating at your desk is not ideal. In an ideal world we'd all be working fewer hours, fewer days and taking more vacations. Unfortunately for many of us our jobs keep us in front of a computer for more hours than are natural. It's not recommended that you eat at your desk through your workday; however there are times when deadlines must be met and every hour in the day is accounted for.

During these times don't let the lack of time become an excuse for a poor diet. A poor diet can affect our mood, lead to weight-gain, a lack of energy, dehydration – the list goes on. If you must eat at your desk make the right choices. Start now by changing some of the foods you currently have for foods that will give you energy and leave you feeling good. Try the following:

CHANGE coffee, FOR water and herbal tea. Dehydration can cause headaches, make you feel weak, dizzy and make you feel tired. Drinking enough water will also force you out of the desk even if it's just a short walk to the lieu

CHANGE sandwiches, FOR rye bread (wheat free, gluten free) with peanut butter. Wheat can make many people feel bloated and lethargic. Peanut butter is a good source of protein and ‘good' fat, choose organic no sugar added peanut butter.

CHANGE crisps, FOR mixed nuts. Nuts are an excellent source of protein and are high in essential amino acids. Try a mix of brazil nuts, cashews and walnuts.

CHANGE cakes, FOR avocado. Avocados are rich in protein and also contain monounsaturated fats, which may help to lower cholesterol. They don't need to be messy. Cut the avocado around the long way and twist the two halves. Remove the pit and eat using a small spoon.

CHANGE fruit yoghurts, FOR natural bio live yoghurt and muesli (wheat free and gluten free). Muesli is high in fibre, which can help to lower cholesterol levels, and complex carbohydrates that are important for sustained energy. Eating bio live yoghurt can help in maintaining a healthy digestive system as well as boost your immune system.

All of these suggestions do not need to be refrigerated, with the exception of the yoghurt; therefore, you can store them in your desk! Yoghurt can be kept for a couple of hours at room temperature, try having it as an early morning snack.

If you're are really pressed for time all major food stores now have on line shopping. The first time you sign up will take the longest, once you're set up then you can save your favourites and save time in the future. You could always have someone order it for you!

Shopping List: peppermint chamomile or nettle tea, wheat free gluten free rye bread, sugar free peanut butter, mixed nuts, avocados, bio live organic yoghurt, wheat free gluten free muesli.

When shopping purchase as much organic as possible to ensure the maxium nutrients possible.It has also been well document that the residues from pesticides and fertilisers are stored in our fatty tissues.

All of the suggested snacks are excellent at any time, not just when you are eating at your desk. Remember improving you're diet does not replace the need to move you're body. Do you're best to eat away from you're desk and get out and MOVE.

Sunday 4 November 2007

Don't wait for the New Year to improve your health!

We all know that exercise is important. We know that it improves our mood, helps us to either lose or maintain weight, increases our energy levels, helps prevent diseases - the list goes on. It’s so important that the government has gone as far as to set guidelines for exercise

The government recommends that people exercise five times per week for 30 minutes at a moderate intensity for general health; however, studies have proven that vigorous activity 3-5 times a week for at least 20 minutes is what you need to attain maximum health benefits and increase longevity.

In today’s busy world where people are juggling work life, home life and a social life, there is little time left for any kind of exercise regardless of it being moderate or vigorous. Or is this lack of time just an EXCUSE to be lazy? After all 20-30 minutes really isn’t that long. It’s the amount of time we spend hitting the snooze button, waste watching T.V. or waiting while dinner is in the oven.

Here are some techniques to helping you find the time to becoming a healthier you!

Make the decision. The first step is deciding that your health comes before everything else. Think of exercise as the medicine that keeps you well. If you were ill and your doctor prescribed a medication you wouldn’t think of not taking it. Think of exercise in the same way. Don't miss taking it!

Start today. It takes 21 days to create a new habit. The sooner you start the easier it will become. If you can stick to it for 21 days straight, you’ll be pleasantly surprised when it no longer feels like a lot of effort, but rather a regular part of your daily routine.

Find the time
. Not having time is a nothing more than an excuse. If you were to become ill, I guarantee you’d find the time to recover. You’re body wouldn't allow you to continue with daily activities until you were well. Take the time now to write down what you do every day over a week. Once you've done this look at your timetable and see where you have pockets of time where you could exercise.

Schedule it. Once you’ve found that time, schedule it! Book an appointment with yourself and don’t let anyone break it. You’re health is just as important as a scheduled meeting at work. You’re boss wouldn’t accept you missing a meeting, and neither should you. Be your own boss.

Work hard. Once you’ve made the decision and found the time, the next step is to make the most of it. Work hard! As previously mentioned vigorous activity has far more health benefits than moderate intensity workouts. Examples of vigorous activities are running, circuit training, team sports, tennis, jumping rope, boxing and aerobics, basically anything that makes you sweat and increases your breathing.

Enjoy it. Find an activity you enjoy doing. Whether it’s running or a gym class use the time to have fun. Enjoying what you do will set you up for success. Don’t think of exercise as a chore, rather as a way of life.


Remember it takes 21 days to create a new habit. Start yours today! Don’t be lazy. Don’t put it off. This is your health, your life. Don’t wait for the New Year to start. New Year’s resolutions are another EXCUSE to putting things off. Feel and look great by the time the New Year comes around!