“No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you absolutely, positively do have the power to change.” – Charles Buxton

Here are some tips to help you find your niche and stick with it!!

- SET REASONABLE GOALS. Goal setting is a great way to motivate yourself. It is essential that you set realistic goals for yourself, otherwise you may set yourself up for failure. Try and do one thing each day to get you closer to that goal. Remember that patience is a virtue.

- SCHEDULE IT into your day the same way you might an important meeting, class or appointment. Write it in your day planner to make it “official”, if that works for you. Prepare for your workout the night before by packing your gym bag or, laying out your workout clothes so when you get home or wake up, there is nothing stopping you!

- MAKE IT A PRIORITY Try and replace your daily TV time with a workout video of your choice. Make workout “dates” with friends and family, its proven that working out with a friend will help you to stick with it.

- DRINK WATER. To stay hydrated bring a reusable water canister to sip on before, after and during your workout.

- TRY TO WORKOUT AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME EVERYDAY. Morning is ideal, to get it out of the way, but it is more important to find the time that works best for you, consistently. If you chose to work out in the morning before breakfast, make sure you eat a small snack (100 calories at least), this way you can go the extra mile.

- PLAN TO EAT SOMETHING SMALL ABOUT 1 HOUR BEFORE to ensure that your blood sugar is stable enough to power you through the workout. A handful of nuts and a piece of fruit are good options for pre-workout snack. Having a balanced meal including protein and carbohydrates, 30-60 minutes post-workout is essential for building muscle. For instance, 1 cup of cottage cheese with a piece fruit and scant handful of natural nuts (almonds, pumpkin seeds, etc).

- TRY BEGINNING YOUR WORKOUT WITH WEIGHTS AND FINISH WITH CARDIO. If you begin with weights you are allowing your body time to warm up and stimulate your metabolism. By the time you get to cardio it is as if you have already run for 20 minutes, cool isn’t it?

- FOCUS ON HIGH INTENSITY, INTERVAL TRAINING WITH CARDIO. This means you can exercise for less time and get better results! Begin with 2 minutes at a low level and then quickly increase the difficulty to as high as you can manage for 3-4 minutes, then lower the challenge down again for another 2 minutes. Repeat this cycle 3-4x (for a total of 20-30 minutes) you will stimulate your metabolism in a way that is much more powerful and lasting then doing cardio at a lower level straight for 40 minutes.

- TRY A YOGA OR PILATES CLASS. If you tried a class already and were turned off by it, then I encourage you to try another or even a different studio. The teacher can make a HUGE difference, they really set the pace and feel of the class. I also find a huge difference between classes that are at gyms and classes that are at studios, I prefer studios because that is their focus and sole purpose. Yoga and pilates challenge the body in many ways to increase flexibility, abdominals and strength without using weight machines. Yoga and pilates also focus on using the breath to calm the mind which helps to reduce stress.

- KEEP A FITNESS JOURNAL. Writing down your activities throughout the day and how your felt after. This will help you to see which activities make you feel best and will help you to stay motivated day after day. Write everything down! Even going for a 10 minute walk.

Popularity: 45% [?]

In school, we have had to use the newly revised food guide in many applications, I thought it was essential that I share my experiences with you. Eating Well With Canada’s Food Guide recommends certain servings of each food group for adults:

If you really start analyzing your eating patterns and compare it to the recommended values, you will be able to see where you may fall short. Try this as a little experiment to see how you fare!

Canada’s Food Guide recommendation of five to ten servings of fruits and vegetables certainly seems unachievable until you familiarize your self with a proper serving size. Next time you are in the kitchen, keep the following portion control guidelines in mind. Following these guidelines will help you to eat a wide variety of foods and make certain you get the nutrients you need.

Here are some tips for controlling portions:

* One serving of meat, fish or poultry should be about the size of your palm of your hand or a deck of cards.
* An apple or one cup or orange juice counts as one serving of fruit.
* One serving of grain products should be about the size of a small fist or a tennis ball, this is equivalent to about 3/4 cup or one slice of bread.
* Avoid fast food and eating at restaurants when possible, these foods are packed with hidden fats and salt ( thats why it tastes SO good).
* Eat frequent smaller meals, this way you never get so hungry that you binge and regret it later.
* Eating isn’t a race to finish! Try putting your fork down in between bites to help pace yourself. Chew your food thoroughly and try to keep your eating patterns in mind. Eating quickly can give you tummy troubles and gas. Pace yourself and you may find that you start to feel full before finishing your plate .
* Choose healthy snacks during the day. This may help to prevent overeating, see my entry on Mindful Snacking for more helpful hints.
* Drinking a glass of water before and with your meal can help to prevent overeating, give it a try!
* If you have to venture in to desert following a meal, try splitting it with a friend or just have a bite ! Try and pick something with fresh fruits if possible.

A recipe for your thoughts…

Mexicali Fish Dish

-1 1/2 pounds of white fish ( the lower fat options are perch, pike, carp, trout, sole or cod)

-1 cup Allegro cheddar cheese, shredded

-1/2 cup baked corn chips, coarsely crushed

-1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

-1/4 cup low fat sour cream

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Lightly spray an 8 x 12″ baking dish.
3. Rinse fish filets under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
4. Lay filets side by side in the dish.
5. Pour salsa over the fish and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
6. Top with crushed corn chips.
7. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes OR until fish is opaque and flakes are crispy.
8. Serve topped with sliced avocado and sour cream.

Popularity: 66% [?]

Dancers Pose

Besides nutrition, yoga is another one of my passions. It has amplitudes of health benefits and I think that everyone should give it a fair chance!

There is a stigma surrounding yoga, most men have it classified as a female sport, but this is far from the truth! Yoga has become the new cross training for men and women who are looking to increase their flexibility and condition their ENTIRE body. It will provide that extra little edge in your golf swing or hockey game, and makes you feel amazing all around!

It improves skeletal and muscular strength. While practicing yoga, pilates and weight training your body develops fast twitch muscle fibres, which help to boost your metabolism. Activities like running hockey help your body to develop slow twitch muscle fibres, these promote endurance during activities but they are less beneficial to your metabolism. A great marriage of activities is yoga and running, as you will develop a balance of both types of muscle fibres and both activities will balance each other out. Running is fantastic for your cardiovascular fitness, but like any activity, it can cause wear and tear on your joints and muscles, that’s where yoga comes in, stretching releases tension and tightness in your muscles that lead to soreness.

Yoga is a full body workout. 
In most sports such as hockey or soccer, you tend to utilize only 10 to 15 per cent of the muscle groups, whereas yoga provides movements that include every muscle, joint and organ. You use muscles you would never know you even have.  The movements oxygenate the blood, creating more energy when you finish the exercise as opposed to depleting the body of it. When I first started practicing yoga, what kept me going back to classes was the rush I felt  after a class, my teacher described it to me as a “yoga buzz”, its remarkable.  Cardiovascular, skeletal, muscular and endocrine systems are all exercised during practice, as the organs are massaged and cleansed during a class.

Stay tuned for part 2 ….

Pumpkin Curry

1 ½ tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, diced

2 tbsp garlic, minced

½ large can pumpkin

1 can chickpeas or mix beans, rinsed

1 cup broccoli

¾ cup cauliflower

2 large carrots grated

1  green zucchini, cubed

1 ½ cups green beans

1 cup baby spinach

2 tbsp marsala seasoning-Club House brand

2 tsp hot red pepper flakes ( or more if you prefer)

Season to taste. (salt and pepper)

PREPARATION:

1- Soften onions, garlic  in the hot oiled wok or pan until fragrant. Add red pepper flakes.

2-Add vegetables starting with the green beans and broccoli. Stir for 5 minutes.

3-Add pumpkin, chickpeas and seasoning and baby spinach.

4- Simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Try this delicious dish with quinoa and a toasted piece of whole wheat pita for dipping! Halved Brussel sprouts are a nice addition to the variety of vegetables in this dish!

Looking for a protein boost? Add some chicken or tofu!

Popularity: 70% [?]

Now here is a hot topic, the many benefits of green tea (Camellia sinensis). As you read through this keep an open mind, all of these benefits are not going to happen over night, aswell they are still being investigated.

Since ancient times green tea has been considered a health-promoting beverage. In recent years, researchers worldwide have investigated the potential benefits of green tea and its most abundant catechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). This very powerful antioxidant has been plastered all over health products recently and is labeled as green tea extract.

Unlike black tea, green tea production involves very little processing and fermentation and therefore, green tea brews are rich in catechins. Green tea has been rumored to have a number of potential health benefits in areas such as cardiovascular disease, cancer prevention, glucose homeostasis (blood sugar spikes and dips), bone and dental health. In addition to serving as antioxidant, green tea polyphenols may increase the activity of andioxidant enzymes in the small intestine, liver and lungs. While doing my research for this entry most studies concluded that although there is some promising evidence in all of these areas, more research and clinical trials are needed.

Due to the dramatic rise of obesity, metabolic syndrome (see definition below) and type 2 diabetes, green tea is now being looked into for its connections in these areas more than ever. Diet and exercise have been proven to be particularly important for prevention and early management of metabolic syndrome. It has been shown that green tea, when consumed on a daily basis, combined with a healthy active lifestyle supports health.

Finally, green tea may also boost you metabolism and fat oxidation and in particular during physical activity. Small and collective effects on digestion and metabolism could be responsible for the longer-tem effects of green tea on the body, and these long-term effects especially with moderate physical activity.

The September 2009 edition of Oxygen Magazine had an article that really caught my eye, called “Lose fat with green tea”. They suggest that ‘the more you drink, the more fat you can shed’. Now, I agree that there have been connections made between green tea and health benefits, but I feel that is a little early to be making statements like ‘loose 11 pounds’. Now don’t get me wrong, I love reading Oxygen for motivation but I just have a hard time believe such strong statements,  there is more to the story.

Even though there green tea lacks the scientific backing, I still give it a thumbs up, this is because it is packed full of antioxidants and with all the environmental stressors that we encounter each day it is essential that we fight back. I look forward to the results of future studies on green tea, I really do hope all of the potential benefits are true!

If you are a coffee drinker, green tea everyday may seem unreasonable. What I did was try substituting green tea where I would normally have coffee. This was hard at first but once you get into the green tea groove, you’ll find that you have completely forgotten about that wonderful taste of coffee.

What is metabolic syndrome?

It is a group of conditions that put you at risk for heart disease and diabetes. These conditions are:

-High blood pressure

-High blood sugar levels

-High levels of triglycerides, a type of fat, in your blood

-Low levels of HDL, the ‘good’ fat, in your blood

-Too much fat around your waist (visceral fat)

There is much debate over the definition or cause of metabolic syndrome. The cause might be insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone your body produces to help you turn sugar from food into energy for your body. If you are insulin resistant, too much sugar builds up in your blood, setting the stage for disease.

MEDLINE PLUS

Tips for preparation:

-For green tea, heat the water to just below a boil, all other teas bring to a boil.

-steep for 3-5 minutes, if you are using a tea bag, dunk it a few times.

-try adding honey or lemon, it can help increase the absorption of all the green tea goodies.

-try it cold! It will keep for up to 3 days if refrigerated.

Turkey Burgers:

1 package of extra lean ground turkey

1 tsp dry mustard

1/2 diced sauted onion

Pinch of salt of pepper

1 egg- try the Omega 3 variety

1/2 cup bran ( a sneaky way of adding fibre)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 pinch of chili flakes (optional)

Preparation:

1- place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

2- Form 4-5 patties. Preheat grill.

3- Spray grill with cooking spray and place patties on the grill.

4-Cook until they are no longer pink inside.

Popularity: 99% [?]

When I’m cooking something I’ll always look at the recipe and try and think of ways that I can improve the nutritional value, whether that means leaving out something or adding something in. You want the most bang for your buck!!! I have come to love adding ground flax seed and bran powder to almost anything I bake. This adds both fibre and essential fatty acids! It is great, there is so much out there to learn in regards to cooking and nutrition! For example:  I’ve learned to substitute oil products in recipes with either apple sauce or zucchini shreds, both of which take over the role of fat on a chemical level in baking.  I have made my own variation on several different recipes, and tested until perfection! Here is an example, give it a try!

Festive Pumpkin Spice Muffins:

1 cup old fashion oats (not instant)

½ cup wheat bran

¼ cup ground flax seed

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 grated carrot (large)

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 large egg whites + one yolk

1 tbsp safflower oil

1 tbsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1.5 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

½ cup skim milk

½ cup quinoa flour

¼ cup whole-wheat flour

1 tbsp liquid Stevia extract or which

ever sweetening agent you would prefer.

Preparation:

1-Preheat oven to 375 C. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.

2-Mix pumpkin, oatmeal, applesauce, milk, eggs and oil until blended.

3-Mix dry ingredients separately then fold into when ingredients.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until tops are browned.

Popularity: 100% [?]

Depending on your daily schedule, you can be out and about all day long, you need to think ahead as best you can to avoid making poor snack choices between meals.  On your way out the door pack at least one or two snacks, just incase you find yourself sluggish and starving at 11 am.  I recommend packing a few pieces of fruit or a baggie of cut up vegetables, something easy on the go so you won’t be tempted by that fresh pastry at the coffee shop . Even better yet, steam up some Edamame (soy beans in a green pod) the night before and keep them for the next day. Edamame is the perfect mid-day snack, good source of protein and fibre that will tide you over until your next meal.  I am also a fan of low fat popcorn as a snack, they make these 100 calorie packages of Smart pop popcorn that are great because they are portioned perfectly! Popcorn is great because it is whole grain and a good source of fibre.

On the run? Grab a small handful of raw unsalted almonds!

Popularity: 18% [?]

Some of you may not know that there are two different types of fibre, both of which have ample benefits for our bodies including aiding digestion, and preventing diseases. To ensure that you get enough fiber, eat a variety of foods, including:

.        Dried beans and peas

.        Fruits

.        Vegetables

.        Whole grains

The two different types of fibre are:

Soluble fibre attracts water and turns to gel during digestion. This slows digestion. Soluble fiber is found in oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and some fruits and vegetables. Soluble fiber has been scientifically proven to lower cholesterol, which can help prevent heart disease.

Insoluble fibre is found in foods such as wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains. It adds bulk to the stool and appears to help food pass more quickly through the stomach and intestines.

A few words of caution:

When you start to try and eat more fibrous foods, you are going to want to start slowly, your body will adjust to your new fibre intake, but it may take some time.

Add fibre gradually over a period of a few weeks to avoid abdominal discomfort. Water aids the passage of fibre through the digestive system. Drink plenty of fluids.

Peeling the skin off the fruit of vegetable can reduce the fibre content. The good part is eating fibre rich foods can be beneficial, whether it they are cooked or raw.

If you are going to use dry legumes (beans and peas) , you may want to soak them overnight, before you use them. This will help to reduce the gaseous symptoms commonly associated with “the magical fruit”.

Try this recipe that I have come up with, its fibre and protein packed!

Chickpea “pasta” Dish

-1 large can diced tomatoes ( drain off some of the extra liquids)

-1 can on drained and rinsed chickpeas

-1 can of corn

-1 half diced onion

- 1 half red or green pepper diced

-minced garlic (as much or as little as you like)

-1 tsp oregano

-pinch of red pepper chili flakes

-pinch of salt.. lots of pepper

Preparation:

First put a half a tablespoon of olive oil into a skillet or wok and cook garlic until golden brown, then add tomatoes. Simmer for a few mintues then start adding other ingredients. Season until you like the taste. Remember the less salt you use the healthier. I recommend drinking this with a glass of Skim milk to complete the meal!

This makes for an amazing meal!

Source: MEDLINE PLUS

Popularity: 40% [?]