The not so sweet pitfalls of consuming artificial sweetener

Time and time again I see people “enjoying” their artificially sweetened beverages/products (Diet Coke, Non-fat yoghurt, sugar-free Red Bull and other diet paraphernalia). And time and time again, my reaction is the same…Morons! Why anyone wants to fill their body with that junk, ill never know! If you are reading this with any form of artificial sweetener near your person, get rid of it! Go on….ill wait….in the bin…..good, thanks.

What is artificial sweetener?

 “A sugar substitute is a food additive that duplicates the effect of sugar in taste, usually with less food energy. Some sugar substitutes are natural and some are synthetic. Those that are not natural are, in general, called artificial sweeteners.”

Equal, Splenda, Sweet N Low are all artificial. Natural forms are 100% Stevia. Artificial sweeteners are found in most “Diet” products: yoghurts, all low carb products; protein shakes and bars, diabetic products, sugar-free products, fizzy drinks/soda and toothpastes.

What are the dangers of using sweetener:

- Cancer causing properties (studies have shown positive results in lab rats when they consumed saccharin)

- Digestive disruption (irritable bowel syndrome, vomiting, bloating, nausea, diarrhea)

- Linked to neurological disorders, including depression

- Impedes weight loss and fat loss (You are sending mixed messages to your brain. The sweetener only masks the sugar craving; many tests have shown people will consume excess at a later stage) Read this recent news

I don’t know about you but do I need to keep going? I’m done, I absolutely hate the stuff. It serves no nutritional purpose whatsoever in a person’s diet.

What do I use instead? Good question! We need to stop fearing natural occurring sugar. In low amounts, you can still lead a very healthy life. Try to get it in the form of  fruit- no more than 2 low sugars fruits per day and glucose (glucose syrup or gluodin if you need a pre workout or run mixture to fuel you) other forms available are stevia (available from health food shops), make sure it's 100% with no added nasties.

Avoid adding table sugar it to everything. Have mineral water with fresh fruit juice instead of fizzy drinks. Have a punnet of blueberries or strawberries with a handful of nuts or try increasing your protein intake to reduce the sugar cravings. The longer you go without sugar the lesser the cravings, it's simple. If you can’t deal without sugar in coffee than don’t drink it (NEWSFLASH!!! Coffee is meant to taste like…coffee, not sugar!)

As the driver of our body, we have a choice on what we put in it. Food companies are only trying to save dollars (sweetener is cheaper than sugar!), they rarely think about consumers health. Please wise up to this and realise that the last thing you need to consume is crappy products.

How long has it been since you had artificial sweetener? Days, months, years? Are you prepared to give it up?

Give up sugar and sweeteners with this plan: www.50daysnosugar.com.au

Goodness Gracious Ghee!

Arriving home one evening, my partner greets me at the door with a giant sized tub of.... Ghee! Yes Ghee. Not flowers, not a kiss but Ghee. A huge 1 kg tub of the stuff!

What the heck is Ghee? Ghee is Clarified butter. Basically, butter cooked down and then the milk solids/lactose is removed from the top. You are then left with the butter oil. It is used predominantly, in Indian cooking. It has a very high smoke point (this means you don’t destroy the properties of the oil when you cook with it. Now I was always under the assumption that Ghee was like lard- old fashioned fat that my granny cooked and baked with. So I jumped on the fantabulous Internet and did some research. Boy was I wrong! I was shocked to find several health properties of Ghee:

• Contains high amounts of Vitamins: A, K, D and E. All essential for reducing pre-mature ageing and great for providing you with your daily dose of good fats.

• Ayurvedic medicine experts swear by Ghee and say its great for reducing excess stomach acid (which leads to ulcers) and helps repair the mucus lining of the stomach.

• Although it contains satured fat (10g/15g which is less than normal butter) it is a healthier fat than margarine (which is filled with hydronated oils, trans fats and other synthetic products- which are terrible for your body) read further info here.

• Those who are lactose intolerant can try Ghee because the milk solids are removed. I would recommend trying a small amount ie 1 tsp first and see if you have any reactions.

• Some studies have shown consumption of ghee reduces plasma LDLCholesterol (which high LDL levels leads to artery blocking Cardiovascular Disease, so this my friends is a very good thing!)

So before you turn your nose up at this little life saver, give Ghee a go!

I'd love you to share your Ghee experience and while you're at it, lets share some recipes using Ghee.

Even awesome people don't feel awesome everyday

You know those days? The Blah days, the 'whatever' days, the Why-the-$%&-are you asking me that question days? Well I'm having one and you know what I'm going to embrace it! Yes. I. am! Well, for a little bit then I'll shake myself to of it!

Truthfully, I feel like this at least 20-30 days out of 365. Which compared to the average person, I think 20-30 is good. It generally happens when I'm hormonal (because I don't have a continuous stream of synthetic hormones going through my body aka the pill, I get like this every now and then. It's totally normal ) or even when the weather is shitty (No, I don't really have SAD but I could! No way I live in Sydney and go to the beach every other day) and I definitely feel blah when I'm a little stressed with work. Now rather than feeling sorry for myself, wallowing or crying (pfft! I DON'T cry!!) I embrace it. It may mean taking my dog for a walk, going on a mini-holiday, reassessing my workload, having a facial or a massage, eating out at a nice restaurant, cleaning,  or flicking on the TV for a little guilty pleasure (Housewives of New York, Kardashians or the Hills- to name a few).

My top tips for beating the blah:

1. Motion is lotion! Go and exercise. Preferably outdoors and for at least 30 minutes. Get those happy hormones firing. Exercise has been proven countless times to improve mood and well being

2. Eat some brain food. Put down the chocolate and chow down on some healthy fats instead (nuts, seeds, avocados, oily fish and olives). Boost your brain power and get happy. If yo don't have enough fat in your diet this could be hindering your weight loss but more importantly your mood. Try to consume 40g-60 of good fats (that's roughly a 200g piece of salmon, a small handful of nuts and a good drizzle of olive oil per day)

3. Put some music on. Studies have shown music increases mood and decreases depression.

4. Get creative. Paint, draw, write, sew, play guitar, glue. Whatever you need to do to shake the blah

5. Take time out regularly. You should aim to have a break from work every 12 weeks (a weekend away, camping and surfing or if you've got the cash why not go to Hawaii for a getaway) or at the very least yearly. You really don't have to spend lots of money just schedule in regular time away from the daily grind. You will be happier, healthier and more relaxed

Remember all of us have bad days, don't try to be a super hero. Get your head out of the ice-cream bucket and aim to reduce your bad days for more AWESOME days    

How do you beat the blah?

Is it worth giving up carbs?

What are Carbohydrates? Basically Sugar and Starches in two forms: Simple (fruits,diary, processed foods like sugar and white flour. they are quickly digested) and Complex (harder to break down found in whole grains and legumes. Slow energy releasing)
Carbohydrates provide energy for your body to perform daily activities and exercise. We all need a minimum to function, roughly 100g/day. Unlike protein, which isn't stored, Carbohydrates are stored and   kept  for "that rainy day". This is why people who over-consume Carbs tend to be overweight. They have a full tank of gas (Carbohydrate) all the time and because of their lack of exercise that tank is filled to the max and continues to be topped up daily. This is NOT a good situation. Now to the next question: Is it worth removing them from your diet?

I have been on the old atkins diet before, in my younger days, and although the intital results were great maintenance is hard. Carbs will naturally filter back into your diet. My eating and views on diets have changed drastically over the past 10 years and as the years do roll on I'm just not prepared to go without my carbs. Honestly, I would rather have a less than prefect tummy and enjoy a nice slice of grainy bread with my eggs in the morning or a summery nutritious fruit salad when I feel like it. What I am in favour of is removing all the processed junk people tend to consume in favour of fresh, raw vegetables, fruit, lean proteins, nuts, diary and whole grains such as quinoa and brown rice. The key, my friends, is moderation. If you are currently battling with reducing your body fat levels the last thing your body needs is extra carbohydrate (sugar); that will store in your body waiting to be utilised for activity. So while someone who is of a average build/low body fat and is active may enjoy lots of carbalicious meals and not gain any weight, a person with a higher body fat percentage who is  inactive, really doesn't need to keep fuelling their bodies with carbs, they need to burn the stored carbs up.
Removing carbs from your diet can cause mood swings, fatigue, muscle cramps,constipation (from lack of fibre). Reducing overall carb in take is a good thing, going carb-free is not. Try these simple tips:

10 easy ways to cut down on your Carbohydrate intake (The healthy way)

1. Choose whole grains (quinoa, millet, oats) over processed grains (pasta, bread sugar)

2. Cut out all soft drinks, instead have water or even try the Strawberry Splash

3. On the days you tend to be less active try decreasing your portion size of carbohydrate (bread, rice, pasta, fruit, veg)

4. Flavour tea/coffees with honey, better still go without the added sugar

5. Snack on vegies (crudites) with cottage cheese or salsa over several pieces of fruit. Nuts are great snacks also.

6. Try to consume your Carbohydrate in the morning (i.e breakfast an lunch) then avoid them late afternoon and night, where you tend to be less active)

7. Challenge yourself to not buy items in boxes and packages. Fresh is always best

8. Increase your daily dose of healthy fat (avocados, nuts, seeds, fish, meat) By doing this you keep your hunger satisfied and your body will be nourished and satisfied. Fat is not the enemy people!

9. Exercise. Burn off those extra carbs in your fuel tank

10. Write a food diary. this will help you monitor how much you eat. Then you can plan your meals and start seeing results.

What has been your experience with reducing your Carbohydrate intake? Was it effective for your body?

Pimp your Water: Strawberry Splash

Do you get bored of drinking copious amounts of plain old water? I do!

Water is brilliant for hydration and keeps your body performing its bodily functions. You should aim to drink 1.5 litres to 2 litres per day and more if you are physically active or do a lot of exercise.

They say variety is the spice of life so why not try this next time for a little lift to your day:
Grab your favourite fruit, just a few small pieces (i used strawberries), muddle them in a glass or your water bottle and pour water (filtered is best) over the top. Its like a fancy cocktail, without the hangover! You'll be the envy of all those around you when you pull out your fancy, pimped out water.

Sometimes its the little things that make you feel awesome. How do you pretty-up boring, everyday healthy food or beverage items?

Spring Salad Deliciousness

It's salad season folks! Spring is the time to ditch the rich, dense winter foods and swap them for salads, light proteins and wholesome grains. I've selected Fennel, Carrot, Fetta and Almonds to adorn my lunch plate.

Ingredients:

Butter Lettuce

Carrot

Fennel

Fetta cheese (low fat)

Handful of almonds

Balsamic vinegar and Extra virgin olive oil

Assemble the frst 5 ingredients in any which way you like. I lay down a bed of lettuce and add everything else on top. I love peeling my carrot and fennel with a grater/mandolin. The fetta and almonds I just crumble into little pieces. Dress with some oil and vinegar (or even lemon if you prefer)

Goodness on a plate: muscle building protein, freshness, good healthy fats and lots of colour. Try it today

What's your favourite salad for Spring?

Speedy Breakfast (pre-training)

Before you set out the door for your morning workout try this and fuel yourself for that tough workout! This is a great Breakfast if you are training for performance and need some energy. I generally recommend going without a meal before training, if you are aiming to lose body fat. This is because we want to burn all those excess fat stores in the body before we re-fuel. I have gotten really great results with this method and that's why I recommend it. If you need energy, say for a long run, then definitely eat this before you train or if you are aiming to build muscle, also try this before you train.

Here's the low down to prepare this easy, light, pre-workout meal:

Pop your grainy, seedy bread in the toaster.  Once toasted, Slap on some ricotta or fetta cheese and sliced tomato. Such as easy, quick breakfast to grab before training. I recommend waiting at least 1 hr after eating till you exercise. This is a great source of Carbohydrate and Protein. It's low in fat and will fuel you for a weights workout or long run.

What's your favourite, quick pre-training breakfast?