Are you working really hard in the gym, but not getting the results you desire?
Are you time-poor, and find it a struggle to take full care of your nutrition?
Would you like a coach to provide you with 3 simple steps to help get you started on the path to losing weight, building muscle or boosting your energy?
If you answered yes to any of these, then check out this very short video below:
Nutrition celebrities draw us in with fancy blogs, colourful cook books, stylised food photography and inspirational stories. jhard/flickr, CC BY-NC-SA
Celebrities of nutrition evoke feelings of awe, envy and adulation in many of us. While the Gwyneth Paltrows of the group first achieve celebrity status in other fields, others first make a name for themselves in food and nutrition, despite not having formal nutrition qualifications. Think Pete Evans, Sarah Wilson and Belle Gibson, whose nutrition empire has crumbled over the past week.
Nutrition celebrities often promote “fad diets”, which are strict diets that often eliminate entire food groups and don’t have a solid scientific basis. In fact, they often demonstrate a misunderstanding of biochemistry and other basic nutrition science.
The Paleo Way by Pete Evans forbids grains, legumes, dairy and coffee, among other things. Evans' website claims “Paleo is all about balance”, but in reality, is anything but balanced.
Before Belle Gibson’s cancer diagnosis was questioned, she touted “clean eating”, discouraging the consumption of gluten, dairy and genetically modified foods, among other things. She promoted “detoxing”, which involved “alkalising your system” by drinking lemon water, and recalibrating “your digestive and immune system” by cutting out fruits such as bananas and apples.
Sarah Wilson “quit sugar” and recommends cutting out fruit for the first few weeks of her eight-week I Quit Sugar program because it “allows you to break your sugar addiction and for your body to recalibrate”.
It’s no surprise that the British Dietetic Association listed the paleo diet and the sugar-free diet as two of their top five worst celebrity diets.
When it comes to healthy eating, we know what works. The Australian Dietary Guidelines may not sound as sexy as these fad diets, but they’re the result of painstaking work to summarise the best scientific evidence on what constitutes a healthy diet and how diet can promote health.
So why do nutrition celebrities have so much pull? And what impact might it have?
The good
Nutrition celebrities have done some good in the world. They have undoubtedly changed the nutrition habits of some of their followers for the better. This might include increasing their intake of fruits and vegetables, abandoning added sugar- and salt-laden foods such as some breakfast cereals, and helping followers who are overweight or obese to lose weight.
These changes are of particular importance when you consider the high rate of excess weight and obesity and the low intake of good foods like vegetables in the Australian population.
The bad
The negative effects of celebrity nutrition range from public confusion about what is good to eat and drink, to death.
A trusting, vulnerable and adoring member of the public might just decide that Belle Gibson is right – who needs modern medicine for cancer? Gibson claimed she cured her multiple cancers through alternative means. Jessica Ainscough, founder of the Wellness Warrior, died prematurely last month after choosing alternative cancer therapy that included endless juices and coffee enemas.
Belle Gibson’s book, The Whole Pantry, has been pulled from circulation in Australia and the US launch of the book next month has been cancelled. Her “health, wellness and lifestyle” app has also been pulled from Australian and US app stores.
Also this week, Pete Evans' Bubba Yum Yum DIY baby milk, which is composed of blended liver and bone, has attracted criticism that it could risk the health of babies. This broth provides toxic levels of micronutrients such as vitamin A. This can cause permanent damage and even death.
While Evans' publisher Pan McMillan has announced it will not be releasing the book, Evans plans to release it as an e-book.
Followers of celebrity nutrition advice may become unnecessarily strict with their eating and drinking (think awkward dinner parties), develop an eating disorder, or become malnourished.
A paleo diet can compromise bone health by reducing calcium intake. A gluten-free diet can be associated with reduced fibre and vitamin intakes.
A sugar-free diet that suggests reducing fruit intake is just plain unhealthy. And sugar-free eating isn’t actually sugar-free. Many recipes contain rice malt syrup, which is chemically defined as a sugar and increases blood sugar levels much more so than an apple would.
The marketing
So, why do nutrition celebrities have so many followers when what they are selling isn’t usually evidence-based, reliable or healthy for most?
So many of us are stressed and tired, and looking for quick fixes. We associate celebrity with happiness and wealth. We’re sold a whole lifestyle and the idea that food can be a magical elixir that can cure all ails.
We are drawn in by fancy blogs, colourful cook books, Instagram feeds of stylised food photography shoots, the Twitter hashtags #paleo #cleaneating #rawfood #sugarfree #glutenfree #detox #juice, and Facebook stories of struggling lives turned around in an instant.
It’s easy to see why this is more appealing that listening to government guidelines and advice from doctors, nutritionists and dietitians that scientific evidence doesn’t support the elimination of entire food groups or elements such as dairy, gluten, legumes, grains and fruit from the diets of most people.
Perhaps we need to strategically market evidence-based nutrition information to have broader appeal.
Screen shot of Eat for Health – Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
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To counter the fads, we need to consider innovative ways of communicating to Australians about what constitutes a eat a healthy, balanced diet that is based on evidence. Nutrition celebrities' marketing strategies might teach us a thing or two about how to sell this message. Article Source:http://theconversation.com/quit-sugar-go-paleo-embrace-clean-food-the-power-of-celebrity-nutrition-38822#oldest ‘Celebrity
Nutrition Seems To Be Consumed With Paleo These Days. What Are Your Thoughts?'
Losing weight takes a lot of sweat and discipline, but even when you're not powering through atreadmill interval workout or counting calories, there are a lot of simpler ways to see those kilos drop on the scale. Employing these 10 little tricks daily will help you lose weight, no gym or diet required.
Always start a meal with a glass of water:You'll stay hydrated and feel fuller instantly, which can help you from overeating.
Make a few simple swaps at every meal:Going for a vinaigrette dressing instead of a Green Goddess dressing at lunch can save you 80 calories, while opting for fresh fruit instead of dried can save you dozens as well. Get a list ofsimple swaps to save calories here.
Have a piece of dark chocolate for dessert:Instead of opting for the cookies in the break room, quiet your sugar cravings with a piece of dark chocolate. It may not feel quite as satisfying the first few times, but as you wean yourself off your sugar addiction, you'll be glad you're saving calories while having a healthy yet decadent treat.
Be diligent with portion control:If you want to lose weight, sticking to the right portions at every meal is important. Measure out snacks beforehand instead of eating from the bag, use smaller plates to visually signal that your meal will satisfy, and put away leftovers, so you're not tempted to go back for seconds.
Move more:Even if you're not dedicating an entire chunk of time to a workout, you can burn a few extra calories by making an effort to move a little more during the day. Taking breaks to walk around the office, opting for the stairs instead of the escalator, and parking a little farther from the office entrance are all simple ways to up your calorie burn.
Don't drink your calories:It's a common reason why you're not seeing results — those empty calories from a daily soda, morning juice, or large glass of wine at dinner can really add up. Stick to water flavored with a fresh ingredients likecucumber, lemon, or mintin order to save on important calories.
Don't go hungry too long:A little hunger can be good for you, but starving yourself all day in order to "splurge" on dessert at night is both unhealthy and diet sabotage. Eatwell-timed meals and snacksin order to avoid low blood sugar levels that cause you to crash.
Snack on high-protein, high-fiber foods:When it's time to snack, make your food work for you. Steer clear of the empty, high-calorie options like chips and crackers, and go for protein and fiber-rich foods that taste good and fill you up too. You'll be able to eat fewer calories while still feeling satisfied. One of these150-calorie snackswill surely hit the spot.
Eat a light, early dinner.Try to keep your dinner to about 25 percent of your daily calories, and have it at least two to three hours before going to bed. Eating too much too late can cause digestion and sleep issues that make it hard to stick to a healthy routine.
Get more sleep.Lack of sleep can cause you to eat more throughout the day and not have enough energy for your workouts, so aim for seven to nine hours of sleep every night. It's an easy and effective way to keep your weight-loss goals on the right track.
Whether you are pushing the snooze button frequently or ready to go first thing your alarm goes off, everyone can gain from boosting your metabolism first thing in the morning.
The following tips can help you burn some extra calories, help keep your metabolism high through the day and could just help you feel more energized.
While none of these tips may not magically make you lose 15 pounds, they can help you get on track to a healthy lifestyle that over time could help with your weight goals.
Step 1 – Exercise in the morning
The benefits of exercise are many, and exercise is a key component of weight loss and weight maintenance. Not only does exercise give you a calorie burn, but it can also improve your calorie burn for the rest of the day.
A 2011 study found that a 45 minute vigorous exercise session increased calorie burn up to 14 hours after the exercise session. Researchers found that when test subjects exercised, they burned an additional 200 calories later that day.
Even short bursts of exercise in the morning can give your metabolism a boost. High intensity intermittent exercise has been shown in increase over all fitness and stimulates muscles to increase fat breakdown. High intensity intermittent exercise can be done in a shorter time period than traditional moderate exercise and goes between high intensity and resting intervals.
Both types of exercise, moderate and high intensity, can be beneficial for boosting metabolism. If you normally do moderate exercise in the morning, try adding in some interval training to boost metabolism. However, before switching your exercise regimen, it is recommended to check with your medical provider because high intensity exercise may be contraindicated in some instances.
Step 2 – Drink green tea
Tea is full of powerful antioxidants that can help protect the body from damage caused by free radicals. A diet high in antioxidants is associated with lowering risk for certain cancers and cardiovascular disease. Can drinking tea help boost your metabolism?
Some research studies suggest drinking tea, specifically green tea, may increase metabolism, although very slightly. Caffeine, catechins and ECGC found in green tea may all play a synergistic effect on the positive association between green tea and weight loss.
The role of green tea on body weight appears to somewhat genetic in that some populations, like Asian ethnicities, may experience a higher impact on green tea and metabolism than other ethnicities. Some people can also be sensitive to caffeine, and drinking too much green tea may not be beneficial.
Step 3 – Eat some protein with breakfast
There are a few reasons why eating some protein in the morning may give your metabolism a boost. Some studies have shown that eating protein in the morning may inhibit food intake later in the day. Protein has the highest satiety value among macronutrients. This means when you eat protein, it leaves you the most satisfied.
Protein also takes the most energy to break down, so you could burn a few extra calories when you eat protein in a meal. Eating equal amounts of protein through the day could stimulate protein synthesis more than eating small amount of protein during the day and over loading on protein at dinner.
Getting protein for breakfast can be easy. Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, nut butters, hemp seeds or other dairy or soymilk products can be palatable, easy protein sources in the morning. Pair with a healthy fat source and a high fiber carbohydrate, like fruits and vegetables for a complete meal.
Step 4 – Get a few extra steps
Even if you exercise, try getting more movement in the morning and throughout the day. The more you sit, the worse for disease risk. Taking little breaks through out your work day can help you boost metabolism by burning a few extra calories.
It can be as easy as walking around your work floor, go up and down a few flights of stairs, or if you’re feeling really brave try some tricep dips off your work chair.
Step 5- Cut the sugar
Cutting extra sugar anytime is beneficial, as it can help lower blood sugar and insulin levels. High peaks of blood sugar and insulin will signal your body to store more energy as fat.
Skip the sweetener in your morning hot tea or coffee and buy plain instead of a sweetened flavor for yogurts, oatmeal or other products. Add in fruit for a healthier sweet option that won’t spike blood sugar levels.
Conclusion
There are some shifts you can make in the morning that could help or hinder your weight loss efforts. Exercising is not only a great calorie burn, but it can help increase metabolic rate hours after exercising. Drinking green tea may offer an additional boost in metabolism as well as eating a protein source for breakfast.
Anytime you can get extra movement, do it. These small additions could help your body nudge off some extra energy. Cutting out sugar can boost metabolism by not promoting a high insulin and glucose spike in the morning, which will promote fat storage and leave you hungry soon after.
6 Foods That Promote Weight Loss AND Boost Your Immune System
You know you need to wash your hands and stay far away from that sneezing co-worker. But what about the healthy foods you need to combat the sniffiest time of the year? We asked Laura Manning, R.D., of Mount Sinai Medical Centre, to help sift through the old wives’ tales and home remedies and give you the straight advice that'll keep you away from the doc—and help you lose a few pounds while you're at it.
1. Oranges
There is really no ailment that oranges can’t help with: They fight viruses, give you electrolytes, and help repair tissue and bone strength. That said, oranges have not been proven to prevent a cold from happening. They can help you when you’re already on the couch, though. Plus, the juicy flavor can satisfy your sweet tooth for way fewer calories than baked goods or candies pack.
It's not just a low-Cal breakfast food. The probiotics in your morning meal help keep you in balance, especially on your digestive tract, says Manning. "It acts like a lock and key to keep the good stuff in and the bad stuff out."
4. Garlic
You don't need to be told how much flavor garlic brings to a dish. But it's also a cancer fighter that's full of antioxidant compounds. "Garlic belongs to the allium family, which includes onions, leeks, and shallots," says Manning. They're all good for you, and they all make your food more delicious without adding tons of fat.
5. Tea and Honey
Tea is very comforting when you're miserable on the couch, but that's not all it has to offer. "Hot foods help congestion and loosen mucus," says Manning. Honey can also soothe throats that are sore from coughing, so add a dollop to your favorite brew. You don't have to worry about the sugar in that honey, either—green tea has been proven to increase metabolism.
6. Chicken Soup
Yep, you can give grandma the credit she deserves for this one. The hot broth breaks up congestion, the chicken’s protein helps repair your cells, and the veggies are packed with antioxidants. The catch? “The compounds have to come from making it yourself,” says Manning. “A can isn’t helping you.” The pre-made kind is filled with preservatives and sodium, so DIY in your kitchen to save calories and have a well-balanced meal.
