Decode your cravings!

The urge to scoff is a window into your nutritional needs and your personality!

WHEN YOU CRAVE SALTY FOOD
If nothing but the saltiest chip will do, you may have a mineral deficiency. Studies have shown that women who eat low-calcium diets want salty foods. Animal studies have found that a lack of potassium, calcium and iron causes test subjects to devour table salt. Salt lovers have an ‘external focus of control’, meaning they believe that outside forces, not their own actions, determine their fate.

WHEN YOU CRAVE CHOCOLATE
Chocolate stimulates the release of serotonin. It’s basically an antidepressant in dessert form that your body instinctively seeks when your happy chemicals are bottoming out and you need a quick lift. Dark chocolate lovers are the life of the party, a social butterfly and right in the mix of the team project at work. Milk chocolate lovers are quiet, introspective. Your idea of a perfect afternoon is a solo run or sitting quietly with a good book.

WHEN YOU CRAVE SPICY FOOD
If you’re having trouble cooling down, your body may crave a fiery taste to make you perspire, which helps explain why Mexican food is popular even when temperatures are scorching. Some research also suggests that people become addicted to the rush of spicy food – spiked blood pressure, accelerated heart rate and rapid breathing. If you like spicy food you are a perfectionist. You love order, dislike wasting time and sweat the details!

WHEN YOU CRAVE LOLLIES
This is a lot like a chocolate craving – lusting after sweets could indicate that you’re looking to boost your mood or that you are low in energy. Sugar fiends tend to walk towards the wild side. They like to stand out and feel special.

WHEN YOU CRAVE SWEET AND SALTY
Your body needs glucose and sodium to function properly, so when the cells get sluggish and you get tired, you reach for the chocolate-covered pretzels. What does it say about you? You’re a loner, but a whiz too. You tend to be creative but private, to the point where sometimes you appear standoffish.

Oxygen Magazine May 2010

Why you can’t stop at one Tim Tam!

The first one was so good, but where the heck did the empty packet come from? You’ll be happy (or dismayed) to learn that your willpower never stood a chance against those Tim Tams!
Biscuits and other fat-laden eats stimulate your brain’s reward system and set off a neural pattern that makes you want to scoff more.
Here’s how it works. The first time you ever ate a Tim Tam your brain registered the enjoyment of the unique taste sensation by flooding you with the pleasure chemicals dopamine and serotonin. That’s the reward system and it’s essential to human survival. It’s the anticipation of those feel-good chemicals that prompts you to pick up ‘just one more’, even if you are not hungry.
Our brains get the message that fats and sugars are more rewarding than vegetables – and the more we eat them the more we reinforce our attraction.
And another reason you can’t stop at just one is that human beings have what food-industry insiders call a “bliss point”; a nirvana of the tastebuds triggered by particular amounts of sugars, salt and fat. It’s the right combination of these ingredients that makes food palatable and therefore rewarding.
The trouble is, these combinations make for a taste experience so intense that it kicks the brain’s reward system into overdrive so that you’ll do almost anything to prolong it or re-live it.
If you are plagued by cravings for fatty food, you’ll know how easy it is to give in. There’s so much food everywhere and we’re endlessly bombarded with enticing images and words like ‘decadent’, ‘luxurious’ and ‘heavenly’.
FOUR WAYS TO REHAB YOUR FOOD HABITS

1. Become aware. Spend a week writing down your eating cues.
2. Break the link. If work stress makes you crave something fatty, do something different like make a cup of tea.
3. Rewrite the script. Instead of thinking “that slab of cake looks really good”, remind yourself of your goal and think “if I don’t eat that now, I’ll feel better about myself tomorrow”.
4. Get support. It helps you stay on the straight and narrow when you don’t want to let someone down!

How Exercise Eases Anxiety

Anxiety can be overwhelming and cause many physical and emotional side effects.

Studies show that exercise can help manage anxiety.

When you can’t stop worrying, you can’t sleep and you may even feel sick to your stomach. While an anxiety disorder should be monitored and treated by a qualified professional, exercise can be part of an effective treatment plan to help manage your anxiety symptoms.

EXERCISE AND ANXIETY: WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS

“Exercise won’t cure anxiety or depression, but the physical and psychological benefits can improve the symptoms,” explains Sally R. Connolly, LCSW, a therapist at the Couples Clinic of Louisville in Kentucky. “Research shows that at least 30 minutes of exercise three to five days a week can significantly make a difference.” Some studies have suggested that regular exercise can help alleviate anxiety as much as medications and the anxiety-relieving effects of exercise may last longer than those of drugs.

EXERCISE AND ANXIETY: WHO BENEFITS

While everyone can reap psychological benefits from exercise, research suggests that people who may see the biggest improvements in anxiety symptoms are those who:

• Exercise consistently for at least several weeks
• Are not already physically active
• Have severe anxiety
• Do aerobic exercise, such as jogging, swimming, or dancing

Exercise has also been shown to be effective in managing symptoms of depression, which frequently affects people with anxiety disorders.

EXERCISE AND ANXIETY: HOW EXERCISE HELPS

“Anxiety is usually linked to an increased heart rate,” notes Connolly. “Exercise can be very helpful with calming people’s heart rates.”

During exercise, your heart rate shoots up, but over time, as your fitness level improves, your heart begins to work more efficiently. As a result, your resting heart rate between exercise sessions eventually becomes slower. Improved heart and lung function due to regular aerobic activity are often associated with a greater sense of overall well-being, which can help offset feelings of anxiety.

Even short bursts of exercise (just 10 to 15 minutes at a time) can improve your fitness and your mood. Connolly recommends that her patients get a total of 30 minutes of exercise a day, which can be broken into 10-minute blocks if necessary, between six and seven days a week.
Exercise can even help prevent anxiety disorders from beginning in the first place. One study showed that regular exercisers were at a 25 percent reduced risk of depression and anxiety disorders over a five-year period. Not surprisingly, exercise has also been found to improve mental clarity and concentration, both of which may be negatively affected by anxiety. Chemicals released in the brain during exercise may help improve the ability to focus and deal with stressful situations, thereby lessening the risk of anxiety and depression.

EXERCISE AND ANXIETY: ANTI-ANXIETY WORKOUTS

Any exercise can help diminish anxiety, but Connolly says aerobic exercise that really gets your heart rate up will be the most beneficial. Some good aerobic exercises that can help manage anxiety are:

• Swimming
• Biking
• Running
• Brisk walking
• Tennis
• Dancing

“Dancing is a great exercise, and it has a lot of other side benefits. And it’s great when you dance with other people,” notes Connolly, since socializing can also boost your mood.
Though not aerobic, yoga can help offset anxiety symptoms. Yoga combines physical movement with meditation and deep breathing to help calm the mind and alleviate worry.

While weight training and other strengthening exercises are important for your overall health, they don’t seem to offer as much anxiety relief as activities that get your heart rate going.

We all know that exercise is good for the body, and now research shows that it’s also good for the mind. In addition to managing your anxiety with a doctor’s help, exercise is a powerful tool you can use to enhance your physical and mental health.

Diana Rodriguez Mar 10

Can Alcohol Derail Your Diet?

It doesn’t have to. Learn how a little moderation and a few simple tricks can allow you to enjoy alcohol without adding too many calories.

Medically reviewed by Niya Jones, MD, MPH. A glass of wine with a weekend dinner or a beer at the family barbecue doesn’t spell disaster for your weight-loss plan unless you overdo it.
Reaching for another drink of alcohol on a regular basis can pile on the pounds, just as bingeing on cookies or chocolate might. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), nearly two-thirds of all adults drink some amount of alcohol. The percentage of calories from alcohol in the typical daily diet ranges between 3 percent and 6 percent for men and 1 percent to 4 percent for women. That may not sound like a lot, but when you are watching your weight, every calorie counts.

ALCOHOL AND WEIGHT GAIN: DO THE MATH

“Alcohol does add up in calories,” says Donna L. Weihofen, RD, MS, health nutritionist at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. “When I am trying to really watch my weight, I watch what I drink.”

Weihofen recalls giving up her signature drink, a Southern Comfort Old-Fashioned, for wine to cut calories, and then moving toward wine spritzers, a mix of wine and club soda, to cut the calories in half. Now she says she is often happy with a club soda and a twist of lime.

If you’re wondering how your favourite alcohol stacks up, check out the approximate numbers:

• Light beer, 355ml, 90 to 110 calories
• Regular beer, 355ml, 150 calories
• Red wine, 148ml, 120 to 150 calories
• Rum or whiskey, 44ml, 98 calories
• Gin, 44ml, 120 calories
• Vodka, 44ml, 98 calories

Stopping with just one drink keeps the calorie count down, but if you are drinking alcohol every night, you could easily put on at least a pound over the course of a month. It’s also important to remember that the total calories in your drink include any additions to the alcohol, the fruit juice, mix, or soda in your cocktail counts too!

ALCOHOL AND WEIGHT GAIN: HOW TO CUT BACK ON CALORIES

National dietary guidelines recommend women drink no more than one alcoholic drink a day and men no more than two. While some studies suggest that a glass of alcohol, such as red wine, may help your heart, recent data shows that the benefit may actually be reversed when you reach for a second glass, yet another reason to drink only in moderation.

One way to cut back on your alcohol intake may be to change the shape of the glasses you use. An interesting study of 198 college students and 86 bartenders demonstrated that, even when they had previously been shown the exact measure of a serving of alcohol, both groups tended to pour more into short, wide glasses than tall, thin glasses (even bartenders with more than six years of experience). So when you are planning to make yourself a special cocktail treat, you can maintain your diet by reaching for a tall, thin glass.

HERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR ENJOYING ALCOHOL WITHOUT THE WEIGHT GAIN:

• Drink water or another no-calorie drink between alcoholic beverages.
• Cut calories where you can. A wine spritzer instead of wine, light beer instead of regular.
• Save alcohol for special occasions.
• Budget the calories into your diet and limit your alcohol servings.
• Do your research before eating out. If you know the calorie count of that monster margarita at your favourite restaurant before you order, you might think twice.

Source: EveryDay Health - Madeline Vann

Pesto and Tomato Bruschetta

Makes 12 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

Bruschetta

• 24 slice(s) baguette
• 1 ounce parmesan cheese
• 1 cup cherry tomato
• Fresh basil
• Pine nuts
  

Pesto Ingredients

• 1 cup arugula lettuce or spinach
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fresh basil
• 1/4 cup pine nuts

METHOD

Bruschetta

Spread Pine Nut Pesto onto baguette slices. Top with shaved parmesan and tomatoes. If desired,
top with basil and nuts. Makes 12 (2-slice) servings.

Pesto
In a small food processor, combine 1 cup firmly packed fresh basil; 1 cup torn fresh arugula or spinach; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese; 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, chopped walnuts, or chopped almonds; 1 quartered clove garlic; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar; and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Cover and process with several on-off turns until a paste forms, stop several times to scrape the side.

Add in enough water, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, until pesto reaches the consistency of soft butter.

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS (PER SERVE)

• Calories: 89
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Sodium: 246mg
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Total Fat: 3g
• Carbs: 11g
• Cholesterol: 3mg
• Protein: 4g

To Count Calories or Carbs

Question?

I’ve always had problems with my weight and have tried many diets. I’d like to know whether counting calories or carbs is better as far as losing weight and keeping it off.

Answer!

Well, the answer is that counting both is important — but counting calories is more important! To lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than you expend in any given day. You can actually reduce the amount of carbs you eat, but if you’re still taking in more calories than you’re expending, you’ll gain weight.

Usually, women on a diet should eat about 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day; men approximately 1,500 to 1,800 calories per day. This will allow for a weight loss of one to two kilos per week, which is considered a safe rate of loss. Staying within that calorie range, you might be able to decrease hunger pains too by reducing carbs and eating more protein, which can help you feel fuller longer as well as reduce cravings.

For more information please feel free to speak to any one of our personal trainers who can assist you.

Unknown Jan 2010

How to achieve Weight Loss in 2010

HOW TO ACHIEVE WEIGHT LOSS IN 2010

Without doubt, the number one New Year’s resolution is to lose weight. Whether you are looking to lose fat, or get a little leaner, you probably want to show more of the muscle you’ve worked so hard to build after they’ve become hidden by the holiday overindulgence. For many the problem is not a small recent increase in bodyweight, but the continued accumulation of body fat over an extended period. Now that you’ve made the decision to lose this weight, don’t let excuses creep in. Now is the time to act.

1. Define Your Goal: Instead of saying “I want to lose weight,” set a Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic and Time-based (SMART) goal. An example would be “By March 30th, I will lose 8kgs.” Without a time constraint, you will not be accountable for your goal.
2. Write down your goal daily: Try doing it at the same time & place daily to develop the habit. This will continually reinforce & remind you of your goals plus help you act daily to see this through to completion. The fact that there is a deadline will mean that you have to work daily to achieve your goal.
3. Keep a food and training diary; there’s no better way to track your progress with respect to your diet and training. This can be a simple record, there’s no need to complicate it. Just note the food, size of portion, and the calories plus record your training. This may discourage you from having the extra servings of desert or push your exercise to new records if it’s all documented. This is a proven method of helping people lose weight.
4. Eat more fruit and vegetables: Fruit and vegies not only give you nutrients, antioxidants, phytochemicals, they also help fill you up more than many other foods. As a bonus, they are less dense with respect to energy, so they give you a good proportion of volume for relatively fewer calories.
5. Consume more protein and less starchy carbs: protein is a great macronutrient which has not only been shown to assist in repairing or building lean muscle in trained athletes, but also has fantastic fat loss benefits. Staying away from starchy carbs like white rice, potatoes, pasta and breads, particularly in the evening shall be most beneficial in reaching your goals.
6. Train hard and train regularly: map out your days and allocate time to exercise. This way you can’t let it get crowded out by other activities. Make regular training a priority.
7. Lifting: Whether you are male or female, lift weights with a purpose to fatigue your muscles. This increases (or maintains) your "lean body mass" which will mean that you burn more energy & calories at rest. Ladies, don't be afraid that weight training will bulk you up. The goal and result for most of you here shall be to increase strength, tone up and reduce body fat levels.
8. Cardio: Include some steady state cardio into your program. If you are pressed for time, break this up throughout the day. Interval training (i.e. higher intensity training mixed with lower intensity training) on a bike, treadmill, outdoors, on a rowing machine, etc are effective for fat loss and cardiovascular health. Use this technique with caution, however, especially if you have not exercised for a while or have a medical condition.
9. Supplementation: Fat loss supplements shall assist even a sedentary person, however best results are achieved when they are combined with training for enhanced fat loss. Options include a fat loss protein powder, Thermogenic supplements, Acetyl l-Carnatine, Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Fat Metabolisers to help you achieve your fat loss goals.
   

To reiterate, once you’ve decided on your goal, write it down using a constrained approach such as “I will lose 8 kgs by March 30.” This way, you will be accountable for your efforts to achieve this. Write this down every day to remind yourself of your goal. Keep a food journal to discourage unwelcome foods. Improve your consumption of fruit and vegies, as they offer relatively better satience compared to their more energy dense counterparts.

Increase protein consumption whilst reducing starchy carbohydrates. Train regularly with weights and cardio and you’re almost there. Supplementation with fat loss supplements can help you achieve better results, faster. Keep re-evaluating your results and be consistent, before you know it you’ll be on your way to a leaner and a healthier body.