Easter Weight Loss

As Easter eggs and hot cross buns line the supermarket shelves, you may find yourself faced with extra challenges coming soon. 

For better or for worse, most of us have grown up with the idea that Easter is about eating – and more specifically – eating chocolate. It's enough to make all your good intentions melt away.

Naturally, chocolate eggs do not comply with my weight loss program, but the good news is there are alternatives. Sugar-free chocolate is a sensible option for an Easter treat -but heed this warning… while sugar free chocolate may contain less carbohydrates and sugars than normal chocolate – it can contain nearly as many calories as regular chocolate, and even more fat! Read the labels on the sugar-free chocolate you buy.

Speaking of eggs (the real kind) they are a terrific source of protein and can be enjoyed many different ways as part of your main meal. Treat yourself to an omelette, quiche or savoury pancake. Check out the Primal Blueprint Cookbook full of egg recipes waiting at your disposal:

This recipe book has some egg-cellent (the pun had to be done haha) ideas that are healthy and satisfying for Easter entertaining.

Have a very happy Easter!

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Top Tips to Beat the Binge this Easter

With Easter around the corner, many people trying to keep their weight in check will be starting to panic, and it's little wonder.

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Australians scoff around 110,000 tonnes of chocolate each year - translating to a whopping 5.8 kilograms per person[1] per year, along with 42 kilograms of sugar - a staggering 27 teaspoons per person per day[2].

For many people, avoiding the sweet stuff is a daily struggle, at Easter time - with Easter eggs, bilbies and bunnies tempting us at every turn - it might seem near impossible. This, says Accredited Practising Dietitian Duncan Hunter, is where most people slip up.

"With temptation all around it's all too easy to opt to ignore your healthy eating plan over the Easter break, thinking you'll get back on track the following week. And while it's not realistic to completely ignore the Easter tradition - and the chocolates that go along with it - there are a few savvy strategies you can employ to make sure you treat yourself (a little) but don't undo your hard work and set your diet back because of a few days off the wagon."

To put that in perspective, Hunter says it takes two hours of brisk walking or 60 minutes of jogging to work off a large 100 gram egg, and even a small 7 gram Easter egg will see you walking for 8 minutes or jogging for 4 minutes to get rid of the guilt. 

"If you do the math, and consider how much effort is required to work off just a few eggs you might think twice before you put too many into your mouth. To boost your ability to navigate the Easter minefield, plan ahead so you don't get caught on the hop," Mr Hunter advised.

"The evidence shows that the fastest - and simplest - way to lose weight is through a carbohydrate controlled eating plan where there's no need to count calories and you feel satisfied for longer. This is why New Atkins is so successful; it begins by restricting carbohydrates for rapid weight loss and gradually adds nutrient-rich, low-GI carbs such as wholegrains and legumes as followers move through the four phases. It also allows followers to enjoy delicious foods they'd never dream of eating on an extreme low calorie plan which will make the Easter chocfest easier to navigate."

Here are Duncan Hunter's top tips for beating the binge this Easter:

• Rather than gorging across the entire holiday, choose one day to indulge within reason - and stick to your healthy low-carb eating plan, such as the New Atkins Nutritional Approach, for the other three days

• Don't walk down the chocolate aisle. No, really. The choice to eat chocolate begins when you choose to walk down that aisle in the supermarket. If you don't bring it home (or at least not too much of it), you can't eat it. Ditto for high-carb hot cross buns

• Don't constrain yourself entirely - there are plenty of healthy, sweet tasting treats that you can indulge in over Easter. Try swapping hot cross buns (41grams of carbohydrates each) for orange and poppy seed scones (5.6g of carbs each), or a regular sized 75g chocolate eggs (46g of carbs) for a serve of (Atkins) chocolate coated macadamias and blueberries (3.7g of carbs) (see recipes below)

• If you are going to allow yourself some chocolate, decide how much in advance, purchase small (less than 30g) low-sugar dark chocolate Easter eggs (check the label) that are wrapped so you can't eat them too quickly. Once you've eaten your designated stash, that's it. Don't keep bingeing all weekend

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• Leftovers can linger so once your family meal is done or your visitors are leaving, send a takeaway container home with your guests so that you don't have temptation sitting in the fridge all week. Give away or throw out any leftover chocolate - better in the waste than around your waist
• If you're still craving chocolate, satisfy your sweet tooth with a guilt-free low-carb treat such as an Atkins Chocolate Decadence Advantage Bar (just 1g sugar) or an Atkins Milk Chocolate Advantage Shake - the go-to drink for health-conscious chocoholics
 

Post-Easter plan.

Should your best-laid plans come unstuck, don't despair, Duncan Hunter has whipped up a quick post-feast fix to get you back on track in a flash.

"Since most of the weight gain from a brief episode of carbohydrate overindulgence is water, the best antidote is to reduce your carb intake. Drop back to 20 grams per day of carbohydrates and stay there until the weight you gained comes off. After that you can slowly increase your carbohydrate intake according to your individual goals and metabolism," Mr Hunter advises.

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Hunter also suggests a morning exercise session the day after Easter to reset your metabolism and get back into a routine. Alternatively, grab a friend and sign up for the New Atkins Buddy program so that you have a friend to support you - and keep you motivated on the way to your weight loss and healthy lifestyle goals.





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A guilt-free Easter

There's no need to give up chocolate eggs and hot-cross buns to stay healthy over the Easter long weekend.

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With the Easter break upon us, many Australians will be celebrating the joy of time spent with family, friends and chocolate. Others will be consoling themselves with the fact that  although they have to spend time with family and friends, at least  there will be chocolate.

Add to this picture the  carbohydrate extravaganza of  hot-cross buns, and bloating and regret become the inevitable sequel to this long weekend. It is, however, possible to enjoy the tasty traditions of Easter and still feel good about yourself the next day.

Embrace the dark side

No-one is suggesting you avoid chocolate altogether on Easter. Where is the fun in that? However, instead of opting for milk chocolate eggs, pick out the dark chocolate from that pile of eggs you received today.

In 2008, researchers from the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Copenhagen found that dark chocolate is not only more filling than milk chocolate, it also lessens our subsequent cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods.

Dark chocolate also has double the antioxidants of milk chocolate, but the good news doesn't stop there. German research has found just six grams of dark chocolate a day can help lower blood pressure. And, of course, you can always add the benefits of fruit to the mix by drizzling melted chocolate over strawberries, bananas or kiwifruit.

Stick to a handful

Many a healthy eater has learned to portion off their plates with 50 per cent vegetables, 25 per cent protein and 25 per cent carbohydrates, but did you know there is a version of this plan for wise Easter eating?

Granted, we hatched it ourselves, but it goes like this: tightly cup your hands together and fill the space you have created with eggs. Don't allow the eggs to reach a height greater than that of your thumbs.

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Make sure you restrict yourself to that amount of chocolate – or the equivalent in hot-cross buns – per day over the Easter break and you will end the holidays with both your self-esteem and your waistline intact.

Nibble on rabbit food

According to the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA), you can curb the guilt – not to mention the sugar highs and crashes that come with kids (of all ages) gorging on chocolate all day – by shifting focus from the eggs to the bunny.

In much the same way that we leave treats for Santa's reindeer, perhaps the Easter Bunny would like a snack. And what does a bunny eat? Carrots and celery sticks, of course, which he just loves sharing.

Join the hunt

The Easter egg hunt is the perfect opportunity for exercise on what can be a rather slothful day. The key to making it more energetic is to spread fewer eggs over a wider area – where children can still be supervised – and delegate the hiding task to one adult.

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This means that all the other grown-ups have to join in the fun. The longer everyone spends searching, the more calories they will burn off, and the less treats there are to be found, the lower the calorie count when the eggs are finally eaten.

Hop, skip and jump

All traditions started somewhere and since football seasons are getting into their stride nationwide, a kick around on the oval in the afternoon may be just the thing to burn off your Easter indulgences.

Should you favour something gentler or more traditional, a walk around the block en masse or a trundle to the park  with the dog can become a new Easter activity for your clan.

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The Hunt for a Healthy Easter

Indulge in all of Easter's treats with these tactics.

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Just when you thought all the holidays were behind you — and no longer threatening your weight-loss — along comes Easter. Towering displays of marshmallow chicks and chocolate bunnies fill the stores, and you or your relatives may be planning a massive feast. But you can enjoy this festive celebration without abandoning your diet. All it takes is a little planning.

"A holiday is one day," says New York-based nutritionist and chef Jackie Newgent, RD. So if you do tend to overindulge, don't fret. "It's not something to throw the towel in for," advises Newgent. There's only so much damage you can do in 24 hours.

Watch that basket

The best approach to Easter? Focus on the meaning and the nonfood traditions of the holiday rather than the meals. Then, once you're looking at the bigger picture — not just candy-filled Easter baskets — figure out how to incorporate some of your favorite low-calorie foods into the holiday for a healthy approach to weight loss. Here are some more tips:

Since you know sweets will be around, plan for them
Save calories elsewhere in the day for a small splurge. Some chocolate can be good for you, says Newgent. Try buying small, individually wrapped chocolate eggs and jelly-bean packs. Avoid the giant chocolate bunnies, no matter how cute they are.

Don't sit down to dinner on an empty stomachYou'll be more likely to overeat, Newgent says. Try snacking on those colorful hard-boiled eggs — one large egg has around 76 calories. It's a filling, nutritious choice, and a Weight Watchers Power Food.

Be activeGo for a walk before church or coordinate a street-wide Easter egg hunt or parade.

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Rethink that Easter basketSometimes nontraditional gifts (books, costume jewelry, gift certificates) are even more appreciated than the usual candy, says Newgent, who loves the surprise of finding a new outfit in her basket every year.

Consider making healthy meal substitutionsFor example, try the Apricot Citrus Stuffed Ham and Ginger-Sesame Asparagus.

Easter advice

Here are more suggestions for keeping this holiday low in calories, courtesy of Community users on the WeightWatchers.com message boards:

Shift your focus"Remind yourself that holidays are not about a whole season, a whole weekend or even a whole day," says Jen. "They're a time to be shared with loved ones. They're not about dinner!"

"Un"-Chocolate Eggs"Instead of buying lots of candy, buy plastic eggs and fill them with stickers, money or small toys," suggests Karlene. "Kids love them because they can hide them over and over again!"

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Spread the wealth"'Share' is the key word," says Caridad. "Don't buy a big bag of candy. But if it ends up that you have one: Share, share, share!"

Smart requests Jennifer suggests: "Ask the Easter Bunny for some nonfood rewards, or ask for things that will help with your weight loss: individual-size puddings, granola/cereal bars, dried fruit."

The main thing to remember is Easter is a time to ENJOY yourself and not to be too fanatic about food. Just don't go too crazy and be prepared to work a little harder in the gym after Easter's over.

Happy Easter! xx

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Avoid the Easter weight trap

If you are hoping to survive the long holiday weekend without gaining a couple of Easter kilos you need to take control immediately. 

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First of all, try not to indulge until Easter weekend which means that that bag of tiny eggs you have in your desk drawer needs to go in the bin, right now! Considering a single small milk chocolate bunny has the equivalent number of calories that it would take an hour of treadmill running to burn off, the little bunny may suddenly seem far less attractive. 

Unfortunately those little eggs are not much better either – just three mini Easter eggs contain more than 500kJ. And let's be honest, who can stop at three? Generally speaking, once we open a packet, we eat the packet. The same can be said for hot cross buns – a traditional bun contains just 600kJ compared to the mega chocolate chip varieties which contain more than 1000kJ – and that's without the butter. More importantly, trying to hold off these tempting treats until Good Friday is an even better idea.

Where possible, look for portion controlled treats: small individual eggs rather than an entire bag of minis and a packet of buns to share. When it comes to food, especially sweet treats, if they are there you'll be tempted to eat them. The fewer Easter treats you keep at home, the better. 

Finally, go for quality over quantity. Enjoy a social Easter feast with plenty of good food and a small amount of good quality chocolate. And use the extra holiday days to embrace your training program to make sure that you survive Easter without a couple of extra kilos to boot. 

Still looking for chocolate? Once you translate your Easter calories into workout unit the treats may no longer seem so appealing.

Comment below any questions or tips you've found helpful along the way.







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10 Benefits of Personal Training

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With summer right around the corner I begin thinking shorts, tank tops, sun dresses and bathing suits!  These thoughts are often enough to get someone stepping back into the gym.  But, how many times have you set new fitness goals for yourself only to lose interest in a couple of weeks?  We all need a little help sometimes.  As a trainer, I sometimes struggle through the same flux of motivation and feelings of unfulfilled fruitless efforts as the average gym goer.  And it is for this reason that I capitalize on the tremendous benefits of working with a personal trainer.  Personal trainers are not just for stars and athletes.  Every single person can benefit from working with a trainer.  Personal training is truly an investment in one’s own health and well-being. Let’s take a look at the reasons why all people, including myself, achieve more working with a personal trainer.

ACCOUNTABILITY & MOTIVATION- Trainers are experts at holding you accountable. You have a set, paid appointment. Your trainer will be there waiting for you with a smile on his/her face each and every time you show up. They help you to not only develop your own personalized goals but to also develop a realistic and achievable plan to attain these goals. Trainers have the ability to believe in you even when you are feeling at your lowest and don’t believe in yourself. “CAN’T” is not in a trainer’s vocabulary.

DEVELOP A ROUTINE- Sure, it’s easy to get to the gym and hop on the elliptical, but then what? Trainers are educated on the most effective ways to help you get to your fitness goals. They will work with you to develop a routine that makes since and is realistic for you. If you haven’t worked out in months and are just returning to the gym, a trainer will not expect you to begin a fitness regimen consisting of 60 minute routines 5 days a week. A trainer will help you to figure out what makes since in your life that will maximize your time in the gym but not overwhelm you. They will work with you to develop an exercise routine that takes you on the path to achieving your personal goals. All along the way holding you accountable and providing motivation!

FRESH NEW PERSPECTIVES & IDEAS ON HEALTH, NUTRITION, AND FITNESS- There is an overwhelming amount of fitness, nutrition, and health information available. It is impossible for the average person to have time to sift through this information for what is most valid, accurate and up to date. It is the job of the trainer to stay on top of health trends and continue their education in order to provide you with the safest and most accurate information in the industry. Is that new fad diet really effective? Will I really get a bikini body by doing that popular workout? Is it true what I read in this 

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fitness magazine? These are just some of the questions trainers deal with on a daily basis. Trainers are able to use their education, knowledge and experience to provide you with tips and tricks to help you develop a healthier lifestyle. We are constantly sharing recipes and ways to contend with obstacles in your nutrition such as “candy in the office”, or how to manage menu’s when dining out with friends. Often trainers are the first to say, “Hey, you’ve been complaining about this for a little bit. Maybe you should go see a doctor, massage therapist, nutritionist, etc.” We see you on a regular basis and are able to recognize if something is different or just not right and are happy to point it out and refer you to the appropriate expert. We care about your health and well-being! And we will hold you accountable to taking care of yourself nutritionally, physically, and with your overall health!

SOLID, CONSISTENT, NON-JUDGMENTAL SUPPORT- Not everyone has your best interest in mind. Your trainer, though, only cares about you and your success. Your trainer will be there. Each hour you spend with your trainer is an hour to focus on you and only you! They will provide consistent feedback to help you better yourself and achieve your goals. Most importantly, the trainer is able to do this without making you feel inadequate or judged. We have all gone into the gym and worried about what we look like doing an exercise or compared ourselves to someone else. Trainers don’t judge or derogate. They help you to see all of your successes, big and small, even when you can’t see them yourself. Through this support, trainers will hold you accountable and motivate you, despite your feelings about yourself!

PROPER TECHNIQUE & FORM- Watching all the you tube videos in the world and reading all the fitness magazines, does not substitute having a person by your side providing you immediate feedback on form and technique. It is very easy to hurt yourself in the gym. Trainers pay attention, cue both your mind and your body and help you achieve your goals more quickly by making sure you are doing each exercise correctly. They can help you develop better running form, improve your posture, and increase your strength by teaching you to recruit the proper muscles and making a mind body connection. With each exercise trainers will hold you accountable to proper form and technique preventing injury!

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INJURY PREVENTION and/or INJURY REHAB- Often people shy away from equipment in the gym because they are afraid of hurting themselves. Likewise, one may stop attending the gym due to an injury. Trainers will teach you how to use equipment properly so that you do not injure yourself. Trainers will also work with you to prevent injuries in everyday life by helping you increase your balance, flexibility, and core strength. They are able to focus on specific exercises that will benefit you based on your activities of daily living. And in the chance that you have suffered an injury, trainers are able to work with you to safely exercise, keep your range of motion, and get your strength back. Just recently, I broke my leg. My trainer did not let me stop working out. After communicating with my physical therapist, we were able to develop a plan for me to keep up my upper body strength and begin rehab on my leg. A personal trainer will not let you use an injury as an excuse to not workout!!

SPORTS SPECIFIC TRAINING- Are you an athlete? Even a recreational athlete can get better at their sport. Trainers have studied body patterns and movements. They know the best exercises to help you develop strength, endurance, speed, and agility for your sport. A trainer will know if you have been keeping up your routine through your performance and will hold you accountable to the sports specific exercises in your program!

MAXIMIZE WORKOUT/MINIMIZE TIME- You will burn more calories in less time when working with a trainer. A trainer develops a program that is efficient and allows you to get the most in, in the shortest amount of time. Time does not need to be lost at the gym. If you are finding it hard to find time to workout, not only will a trainer help you to get the most out of your work out, but they will teach you how you can do that on your own. Each week trainers will follow up to see if you achieved our workout goals for the week, holding you accountable to exercise on your own time and make tweaks to the program to help you be successful!

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PERSONALIZED PROGRAM- Personal training is just that, PERSONAL! A trainer will develop a program that is specific to you and your goals. If you have an injury, if you want to climb a mountain, if you want lose weight to become pregnant, have lower back pain… The program will be specific to you and only you! A program your trainer takes the time to develop and teach to you. You know they are going to hold you accountable to achieving the goals of that program!

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING- Some of my favorite time during the week is with my clients. You develop a relationship with your trainer like no other. Your relationship is very personal. There are not very many people whom you share your goals so specifically, who in turn will work so diligently to help you achieve them. Often that hour (or two, or three) a week you spend with your trainer, is the only time in your week that is truly devoted to you, your goals, and your successes. I have had sessions in which my client is angry and just wants to workout. There is no talking for the hour. I have had sessions with clients who have recently lost a loved one and their hour with me is their time to escape. I also have sessions with clients where they are so excited to share with me their personal successes and how what we are doing in training is translating into their life outside the gym. Often times intimate details of life are shared in sessions and I am so grateful that people trust me enough to allow me these details. It is these personal relationships and the intimate knowledge of who you are that helps the trainer work specifically with you and to hold you accountable to your goals!

Although this post is titled 10 Benefits of Personal Training I thought it was important to emphasize the eleventh. The one that is reoccurring through each bullet point. The benefit that above all is most important.

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RESULTS- Working with a trainer will allow you to achieve the results that you cannot achieve on your own. Each person’s goals are extremely personal. Whether it be weight loss, injury rehab, or companionship. A trainer is going to develop goals that will lead you down a path to success. As a trainer, I work diligently with each of my clients to help them recognize their results, tangible and intangible, as well as results they never anticipated having. It is these results that not only hold you accountable to me, but they hold me, your trainer, accountable to you!

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Tips for losing weight healthily

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommends that we all achieve and maintain a healthy weight. More than half of all Australian adults are above their healthiest weight.

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How do you know if you are carrying extra weight?

Most adults can use the following graph as a guide to the healthiest weight for their height.  Draw a line across from your height without shoes in centimetres and a line straight up from your weight in kg with light clothes but no shoes. The point where these two lines cross will land in a BMI range. Your weight will be classified as ‘underweight’ (less than your healthiest weight), ‘normal’ (healthiest weight), ‘overweight’ (above your healthiest weight and at greater risk of some health problems) or ‘obese’ (significantly above your healthiest weight and at greatest risk of health problems).

You can also use the graph to work out what is the healthiest weight for your height. The graph cannot be used for children or people under eighteen years of age because they are still growing and developing.

If you are carrying extra weight losing even 5kg can make you feel better and lower your risk factors for health problems.

Everyday there are new ideas, diets, programs and books telling us how to lose weight. It can be very confusing and hard to know what to try.

It’s easier than ever before to gain weight and harder to take it off. Discretionary foods are cheaper and tastier, portion sizes are larger and we are less active at work and in our spare time.

So to lose weight that stays off we need to make small changes that turn back the clock. We need to limit discretionary foods, down size our portions, and find ways to be more active in our everyday lives.

To lose weight, we need to eat and drink fewer kilojoules that we use. Choosing foods from the Australian Dietary Guidelines will help us choose foods that provide the most nutrients, without the extra kilojoules. For example eating more coloured vegetables and salad will keep us feeling fuller for fewer kilojoules. In fact making half our meals coloured vegetables or salad and having smaller portions of the other foods, we can reduce the kilojoules by up to half.

There recommended number of serves can be used to plan meals and snacks for weight loss. Following the serves from the Five Food Groups and avoiding discretionary foods will help most people lose weight while staying healthy. Younger men, people who are taller than average or more active may find they need to include the ‘additional serves’.

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Planning is the secret to successful weight loss. By thinking ahead about meals and snacks we can spread the number of serves from the five foods groups over interesting meals and snacks and avoid unplanned eating of extra serves or discretionary foods.

Making a plan for meals and snacks will also make food shopping easier and quicker and cheaper and avoid unplanned extra kilojoules, because then we can buy exactly what we need. Also, knowing a few tips for getting the most out of food labels when shopping can help avoid extra kilojoules.

Eating away from home can be a challenge when wanting to lose weight, but again, thinking ahead and knowing some useful strategies can make it work.

If we eat more ‘mindfully’, turning off the TV, slowing down and savouring food, we can enjoy food more, be more in touch with how hungry or satisfied we are and eat less.

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