The University of South Australia did a study with 137 participants that entailed consuming almonds (43 g/day) with breakfast (BF) or lunch (LN), alone as a morning (MS) or afternoon (AS) snack or no almonds (CL). Each of the participants had an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
The nutritional breakdown of 43 grams of almonds is:
257 Calories
23.5 grams of fat
2.1 grams of carbohydrates
8.4 grams of protein
Nutritional breakdown of 43 grams of almonds – as per www.calorieking.com
RESULTS:
Almonds lowered blood glucose responses after a meal. Effects were most prominent in the snack groups. Almonds, consumed as snacks, also reduced hunger and desire to eat during the acute-feeding session. After 4 weeks, measurements and proportions of the body and fasting blood biochemistries did not differ from the control group or across intervention groups. Without specific guidance, daily energy intake was reduced to compensate for energy from the provided almonds. Dietary monounsaturated fat and α-tocopherol intakes were significantly increased in all almond groups.
CONCLUSION:
In summary, consumption of 43 g of almonds modulated blood glucose levels during or after a meal and suppressed hunger and desire to eat sensations especially after being consumed as snacks. Over a 4-week period, almond consumption helped meet recommended dietary intake of Vitamin E and did not affect body weight (due largely to strong dietary compensation) or postprandial lipid profiles in healthy adults at risk for type 2 diabetes.
These findings suggest that almonds may be a healthy snack option.
🍧🍨I LOVE DESSERTS & ICE CREAM, they are my kryptonite. But what options are out there that are going to allow me to stay within my calorie allowance, and not be packed full of sugar? Well, fortunately, there are many products available now which fit the bill.
👉👉At the supermarket now there are many brands advertising low-fat options. Caution must be taken to check the nutritional information as they may bump up the sugar contents to compensate for the absence of fats. This means some ‘low-fat’ options don’t equate to a healthier overall option because they’re full of sugar.😥⠀
😎For healthier ice cream, look for low intakes of both fats and carbs, while a decent serving of protein wouldn’t go amiss either. While you might be distracted by how many calories some brands advertise, some ice creams still have high sugar intakes, meaning all your calories will be coming from unhealthy carbohydrates and sugars.😝⠀
My new favorite weekend treat – Halo Top Ice-cream
👌In my second picture, there is an analysis done by Choice of the following brands:
Ben & Jerry’s Moo-phoria Chocolate Cookie Affair
FroPro Chocolate
Halo Top Chocolate
Over the Moo Choc Choc
Skinny Cow Triple Choc Sundae
The Protein Pantry Dark Choc
Tilly’s Chewy Gooey Choc Brownie
WheyWhip Chocolate Protein
Comparison of healthier Ice Creams options done by Choice February 2019
😊Another good option is just making sorbet out of 🍓frozen berries. And by blending a frozen banana, cocoa and a little honey or rice malt syrup you have a low-cost chocolate ice cream. It is amazing, you can’t even taste the banana.
edited from Medical News Today 29 March 2019, written by Aaron Kandola
Our bodies require a certain number of calories to function. Any excess calories will be converted to fat, increasing overall weight. The body can only lose weight when it is burning more calories than it takes in.
Are you making these common mistakes?
RELYING ON EXERCISE WITHOUT ADDRESSING THE DIET – exercise is an effective way to burn calories, but to experience any significant weight loss, a person needs to combine exercise with consuming fewer calories. Research suggests that without sufficient changes to the diet, exercise alone is unlikely to lead to substantial weight loss for most people.
FOLLOWING A FAD DIET – many fad diets are based on no scientific evidence, & they can be counterproductive for weight loss. Most of these diets are hard to maintain & most people will regain any weight loss shortly after stopping the diet. The most effective & healthful diets have significant variety & are balanced.
ENOUGH EXERCISE – A study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise suggests at least 225 to 420 minutes of physical activity per week for effective weight loss. The Australian government recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity most or all days of the week.
SUGARY DRINKS – consuming too many sugary drinks can prevent weight loss. Calories from these drinks do not satisfy hunger & research suggests they could play a role in obesity, type 2 diabetes & heart disease.
SLEEP – poor quality or insufficient sleep may affect weight loss. Lack of sleep can disrupt the body’s ability to regulate hunger, so can stress.
ALCOHOL – Alcohol is a high-calorie drink. Drinking four beers in an evening can increase you daily calorie intake by 612 calories.
There are no real shortcuts to loosing weight, it requires hard work and patience to see results.
The key to losing weight is to maintain a calorie deficit through healthful dieting, a mixture of aerobic & anaerobic exercise, & a good sleep pattern.
Meet Jeremy, this is his story, in his words. He wrote this testimoniel back in December 2015. He is still training with me now (February 2019), 4 days a week and has lost nearly 30kg (fluctuating a little over Christmas)
“I was fat. Now I’m not so fat, and well on my way to being not fat, if 12 kgs in as many weeks is anything to go by. I think it is. Perhaps I’m easily pleased, but I think it’s a fair measure. And I dig the idea of ‘not fat’. ‘Not fat’ sounds great.
But it’s no solo flight. Not for me, at least. I’m not sure about you, but I need motivation, and something to keep me honest.
I’ve tried the cattle class gym thing numerous times, saddling up in the same paddock as all those well-kept, well shorn, finely sculpted folk. You know the type. There when you arrive, there when you leave — do they even sleep? — never swaggering too far from their own reflection, and bellowing like a heifer in heat. The only thing larger than their guns is a phone full of selfies.
So, what to do?
I needed something — or someone — to keep me accountable and comfortable at the same time. And confident. That’s crucial as well.
Cue Lea. She does that for me (and her private gym — yay!). Thanks, Lea. You’re very welcome, Jezza. See? Lea’s good like that. She’s an honest broker.
I confess I struggled at first, putting in the hard yards with little result. It was all a bit of a head scratch. But then I happened upon a radical idea. When Lea said “try this… get your bloods looked at, check your levels, eat less of this, more of that… definitely none of that, what were you thinking?” — I took her advice. And with a wave of a not-so-magical-scientific-wand, I shifted from rotund-puffin-mode to Wicked-Witch-of-the-East-I’m-melting-mode. P.S. Despite what the story might suggest, water’s your friend.
Seems like the ‘P’ in Professional Trainer actually means something. It’s not window dressing, after all. Well, certainly not in Lea’s case.
You obviously have to put the effort in. There’s no secret sauce on offer here, but Lea will definitely help you get your particular recipe right. Sure, she trains well shorn set as well, but happily took on a shlob like me with a smile on her dial. She’s loves a challenge. 😉 Just listen, apply, and the results will come.
So, if you’re like me, and you need someone there to push you, keep you motivated, keep things fresh, and you’re not a fan of cattle class, then I can’t recommend Lea strongly enough; though I suspect she’ll fix that too — the strength bit, that is.”
How did he do it?
Wow impressed with Jeremy’s nice arms while he was doing bent over extensions
Love that shoulder and tricep definition.
Simple, he started fasting. Using the Dr Michael Mosely method of 5:2. Two days a week, he eats only 600 calories. The other days are fairly free, but still healthy. He only consumes alcohol on rare special occasions.
4 Days a week he trains with me. We do a combination of traditional weights, circuit training, super sets, push / pull days. All sorts of exciting things. I mix up the repetition protocols to always shock his body. You need to be uncomfortable to create change.
Jeremy has found a healthy weight loss and fitness regime that suits his lifestyle. This is not a diet, exercise is not a chore. This is his life. He also plays sports twice a week.
I am so very proud of Jeremy and am honored to have been a part of his transformation into a fit and slimmer version of himself.
By William Cole, D.C., IFMCPFunctional Medicine Practitioner
Weight loss is a struggle that many people deal with their whole lives, often with little to no success. The problem is getting more serious by the day.
We can see evidence of this rising epidemic through the ever-increasing amount of fad diets claiming to be the magic solution for all our weight loss troubles. Unfortunately, contrary to what conventional medicine may tell you, weight loss is more than just a matter of “calories in, calories out,” and restricting your food intake is not necessarily the key to losing weight. For the majority of people, sustainable weight loss is anything but a simple formula.
Weight gain is way more complex than we think.
Over the years we’ve thought about weight gain as the cause of health problems, but an inability to lose weight is often a symptom of an underlying health problem that has yet to be addressed. In other words, a person’s inability to lose weight could be a side effect of poor health instead of the cause. To put it simply: We must get healthy to lose weight, not lose weight to get healthy.
When it comes to stubborn weight loss, one of the biggest complaints I hear about is the extra fat that shows up quickly around the midsection—and then never wants to leave. This type of fat is known as visceral fat. Unlike subcutaneous fat, which is stored just under the skin and can be found in other areas of the body, visceral fat is located around your midsection all the way inside the abdominal cavity.
Due to its location closer to vital organs of your body, this type of fat greatly increases your risk for serious health problems. Since visceral fat cells are released directly into your blood, they end up making their way into your liver, pancreas, heart, and other vital organs—which is a problem considering these fat cells contain excess triglycerides that end up pumping harmful free fatty acids into cells that are not designed to store fat. It’s vitally important to reduce this type of fat as much as possible.
So how do we go about this? As I mentioned before, losing this type of fat takes more than just eating like a rabbit and restricting how much food you consume. There are a few key things that, when out of whack, can greatly affect how well your body burns fat, specifically visceral fat. One of them is your hormone health.
Why your stress hormone is causing belly fat.
Your hormones are the messengers of your body, sending instructions from one area to the next so your organs can properly perform their necessary functions. Needless to say, when one hormone goes awry, it can inhibit your fat-burning ability. After years of studying and clinical experience, I have seen one hormone imbalance correlated time and time again with a person’s amount of visceral fat: cortisol.
Cortisol is your body’s main stress hormone. It’s released by your adrenal glands and starts out high in the morning to help wake you up and slowly tapers off throughout the day. Your “sleepy time” hormone, melatonin, is inversely proportional to cortisol, starting off low in the morning and increasing in the evening to help you get to sleep. Cortisol imbalances are a common hormone problem that throws off this natural daily rhythm, causing cortisol to be high when it should be low, low when it should be high, or always low, or always high.
Studies have looked at this relationship between cortisol and weight extensively and have found a significant link between cortisol levels and increased weight, specifically that stubborn visceral fat in both men and women. In fact, one study looked at the cortisol levels of 41 women and found that those with high levels of visceral fat had significantly greater cortisol spikes during times of stress as well as for a full hour after the stressful event had passed. Yikes.
🙂Ladies are you menopausal? or post-menopausal? Research suggests that you should be hitting the weights, not the treadmill. This is great news for me to hear. As ONE (1) I am 50 & currently going through menopause & TWO (2), I am a Personal Trainer who loves strength training.
👩Janet Viljoen, a Research Fellow in Physical Activity & Health at Rhodes University found that Women over the age of 50 should try lifting weights and doing other strength training exercises if they want to kick menopause symptoms. – weight gain around the belly, knee, back & hip pain, inability to climb stairs or get up from the ground with ease, less confident, unhappy, loss of muscle mass, osteoporosis & mood swings. Happy days 😫
🏋️Their study looked at how 30 minutes of strength training, five times a week, could benefit a group of women aged 55 to 65. Performed at a moderate to high intensity. – 👍The women exercised in small groups with a personal trainer doing exercises that targeted their upper bodies, torsos and legs. The programme got progressively harder as the two months went by. 💪
😜The women in the study were more confident, happier – and even received compliments from their partners. 😘And after 3 months on the programme, they had lost significant centimetres from their waists.
A paper published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information by Nalini Mishra, V. N. Mishra, and Devanshi stated that “women can enjoy a good quality of life after menopause even without hormones. Research indicates that postmenopausal women who engage in the comprehensive exercise program, benefit by maintaining a healthy body, bone density levels, and good mental health. Osteoporosis, the greatest ailment in older women, can be kept under control with exercise. Even a moderate exercise schedule can not only keep the weight in check, but it also lowers the risk of stress, anxiety, and depression, all of which tend to show up liberally during and beyond menopause. Exercise works by improving muscle mass, strength, balance, and coordination. Therefore, unlike treatment with medicine, exercises work simultaneously on various aspects of one’s health.”
“An effective exercise prescription may be resistance and weight bearing exercise three days a week (on alternate days). Care should be taken to do the exercise for all the muscle groups by rotation preferably with a trainer. Brisk walking at the speed of five to six kilometres per hour, cycling, treadmill, gardening or dancing may be done on the remaining days of the week.”
“Warming up beforehand can help to reduce exercise related injuries and pain following exercise. One should aim for two hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. Other deep breathing, yoga, and stretching exercises can help to manage the stress of life and menopause-related symptoms.”
Firstly, have you noticed a goopy, cobweb-like substance floating near the bottom of the bottle of your Apple Cider Vinegar? This is called “the mother.”
The mother is essentially a ball of acetic acid, cellulose (fiber), enzymes, and bacteria. In other words, it’s where all of the “good stuff” is concentrated. The mother is what gives ACV its murky, cloudy appearance. If you want all the benefits from your Apple Cider Vinegar, than you want the unfiltered type, containing the mother.
1. Powerful Antibacterial Properties Acetic acid is powerful enough to kill off the mycobacteria that can cause tuberculosis. And mycobacteria are one of the most difficult types of bacteria to destroy. They are often referred to as the most disinfectant-resistant bacteria.
Based on these findings, studies suggest that acetic acid is powerful enough to kill other types of bacteria, which makes it useful as a non-toxic disinfectant for produce, as well as a good household cleaning agent to disinfect toilets, countertops, and other surfaces.
2. Promotes Natural Weight Loss One of the biggest “hypes” about drinking apple cider vinegar is that it’s a metabolism-boosting, fat-burning weight loss tonic. And we won’t lie: It’d be nice if ACV alone was enough to melt off those unwanted pounds, especially after the holidays.
Unfortunately, the apple cider vinegar weight loss myth is very much a myth. However, the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar can help balance high blood sugar, which may promote slow, gradual body weight loss.
One study showed that acetic acid could help reduce the body’s insulin response to refined carbohydrates (read: less of a spike and crash), which is a primary mechanism that triggers fat storage. The people who participated in this particular study also said they felt more satisfied after meals when they consumed vinegar with white bread, compared to those who ate the bread alone.
This may also explain why vinegar tea is one of the oldest folk remedies for controlling diabetes, as insulin resistance is considered a precursor to Type 2 diabetes.
3. Reduces Sugar Cravings One of the reasons we get intense sugar cravings is because of blood sugar spikes and crashes. Those crashes are often the result of eating refined carbohydrates, which cause a rapid fluctuation in blood sugar levels. Since the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar is shown to help balance blood sugar levels, if you drink apple cider vinegar with or before meals you may prevent sugar cravings throughout the day.
4. Helps With Nutrient Absorption Tossing your greens in apple cider vinegar, or drizzling it over your veggies may help you absorb their essential vitamins and minerals in those foods easier. It’s said that acetic acid can help improve nutrient uptake, especially iron . This is a major health benefit for those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, as plant iron (non-heme iron) is more difficult for the body to absorb than heme iron, which comes from animal products.
5. Boosts Immunity Some research shows that apple cider vinegar has antiviral, anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it a good natural remedy to have around during cold and flu season — both as a preventative measure and as a food to eat when you’re sick or have a sore throat .
6. Acts as a Natural Food Preservative If you’re looking for an effective way to make your food last longer, adding apple cider vinegar may do the trick. One study found that acetic acid was effective for preventing the growth of food-borne pathogenic bacteria, such as E. coli and salmonella .
7. Makes Bone Broth More Nutritious While apple cider vinegar is considered a superfood itself, it can also help make other superfoods more nutritious — especially bone broth. This is because the acid in apple cider vinegar has the ability to draw out minerals from the bones, such as calcium and magnesium .
If you’ve ever made bone broth before, you know that the 10 or more hours of simmering time for the bones and connective tissue is essential for extracting nutrients, such as collagen.
It’s these essential minerals that make bone broth one of the best foods to eat for energy, which is why we use apple cider vinegar as a key ingredient in our Kettle & Fire Bone Broth.
By adding apple cider vinegar to our broth as we simmer organic chicken or grass-fed cattle bones, we can provide you with a bone broth that’s bursting with nutrition.
ACV for Digestion: a Popular (But Unsupported) Claim There are many acclaimed health benefits of apple cider vinegar consumption you’ll find online, but unfortunately, there’s limited research to back some of them up. One of the most discussed health benefits of ACV is that it improves digestion, especially when it comes to bloating, acid reflux, and chronic digestive conditions like candida .
What we do know, is that apple cider vinegar does contain pectin, which is a type of fiber that acts as a prebiotic and helps keep your digestive system healthy. Some people also swear by using apple cider vinegar to help soothe acid reflux and to aid with protein digestion before heavy meals.
If you’re looking to use apple cider vinegar to improve your digestion, the best way to find out if it works is to give it a try yourself. After all, apple cider vinegar is a nutritious food that’s considered safe in small amounts (up to 1 to 2 tablespoons per day) with little side effects, so you don’t have anything to lose by giving it a try.
Cautions With Apple Cider Vinegar We have one word of advice when it comes to apple cider vinegar: Don’t drink it straight. Add it to some water. The acid in undiluted apple cider vinegar is extremely strong and can weaken your tooth enamel, leaving you more prone to cavities.
“The fundamental principles of a Paleo lifestyle are pretty simple,” says Pete Evans. “Take out of your diet all grains and legumes, refined sugar and dairy, and celebrate fats and proteins from animals from land or sea that have had a natural diet. The Paleo way also embraces organic fruit, veg, nuts and seeds (no chemicals or pesticides). Makes sense? Sure does, as proteins and fats are essential for the body and the macro and micronutrients of fruit and veg are astounding. This is a Paleo version of a shepherd’s pie; you can play around with different proteins and I would suggest using either sweet potato or cauliflower as your crust on top instead of potatoes, as they’re very starchy.”
This shepherds pie recipe can be doubled in size then perhaps portion out into airtight containers and freeze so you have meals in advance. Bam! Prep like a boss.
This is a Paleo version of a shepherd’s pie; you can play around with different proteins and I would suggest using either sweet potato or cauliflower as your crust on top instead of potatoes, as they’re very starchy.
If you are hardcore traditional, the meat portion of this meal is delicious, so pop your mashed potatoes on top if you just can’t go without.
Course Main Course
Keyword beef, carrot, cauliflower, main meal, modern australian, paleo, shephards pie, spices, winter
Prep Time30minutes
Cook Time40minutes
Total Time1hour10minutes
AuthorPete Evans
Ingredients
80 grams Olive or Coconut Oil
2 Celery stalks, finely diced
2 Carrots, finely diced
1 Onion, finely diced
4 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon Ground cumin
600 grams Minced grass fed beef
2.5 tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 teaspoon Chopped thyme
375 mls Beef stock (or 1.5 cups)
80 ml Dry red wine
800 grams Cauliflower, broken into florets, stalk coarsely chopped
1/3 cup Flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan or saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic & cumin and stir occasionally until vegetables soften and begin to brown. (5 minutes).
Add beef, increase heat to high and stir occasionally until browned (8-12 minutes).
Add tomato paste and thyme and cook until paste darkens (1 minute), then add stock and wine, reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
Meanwhile, cook cauliflower in a saucepan of boiling water until tender (8-10 minutes). Drain in a colander, then process in a food processor until smooth, add remaining fat, blend to combine and season to taste.
Spread meat mixture in a shallow ovenproof dish. Top with the cauliflower purée and smooth top. Bake until top is light golden and bubbling (30-40 minutes). Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot with a homemade relish and salad.
Last reviewed Tue 7 August 2018 By Lana Barhum Reviewed by Katherine Marengo LDN, RD
The importance of the post-workout snack Eating a snack post-workout will help the body replenish lost energy. During exercise, the muscles use up stored glucose, called glycogen, and levels become depleted.
Endurance sports, such as running, use up more glycogen than resistance activities, such as weightlifting. Another effect of exercise is that the muscles develop small tears. Getting the right nutritional balance after exercise restores energy levels and reduces fatigue, helping the body to build strength for future workouts.
Proteins, carbohydrates, and healthful fats are all essential for the body’s recovery.
Protein Exercise supports muscle growth, but the body can only build upon existing muscles if they recover after each workout.
Consuming protein after exercise helps the muscles to heal and prevents the loss of lean mass. Lean mass contributes to a muscular and toned appearance.
Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are micronutrients that help the body to recharge and restore its fuel supply.
Anyone who exercises more than seven times a week should consume plenty of carbohydrates, as they quickly replenish glycogen levels.
What about fat? Many people believe that consuming fat after exercising slows digestion and the absorption of nutrients. For some types of fat, this may be true.
However, there is little information about the post-workout effects of fat calories. It may be a good idea to limit fat intake after exercise, but low levels of fat are unlikely to inhibit recovery.
The following are examples of foods and compounds that help the body to absorb nutrients quickly and speed recovery.
Dairy protein According to research published in 2017, as few as 9 grams (g) of milk protein may be enough to stimulate protein synthesis in the muscles, aiding in recovery after exercise.
Other than milk, dairy products rich in protein include: Greek yogurt, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese
kefir In fact, a single cup of low-fat kefir contains 9.2 g of complete protein. Complete proteins can repair new cells, especially those in the muscles. Complete proteins also contain all the essential amino acids, which are only available through the diet.
In 2007, some researchers found that milk-based proteins are more effective than soy-based proteins at promoting the growth of muscle proteins after resistance exercise.
The researchers concluded that while both milk and soy proteins help a person to maintain and build muscle mass, milk proteins were more effective at supporting the quick growth of lean muscle mass.
Eggs Results of a study from 2017 suggested that consuming whole eggs after resistance exercise resulted in more protein synthesis than consuming egg whites with the same protein content.
The researchers concluded that the nutrients in the yolk helped to stimulate the muscles more effectively.
Omega-3 fatty acids Research from the Washington University School of Medicine suggests that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids helps to boost the synthesis of muscle proteins and increase the size of muscle cells in healthy young and middle-aged adults.
Fatty fish, including salmon, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Tuna also contains high levels of the fatty acids, and about 6 ounces (oz) of tuna packed in water contains 41.6 g of protein and 5.4 g of fat.
Other evidence shows that oil drawn from fatty fish may help to reduce muscle soreness after resistance training. A study from 2016 found that consuming 6 g of fish oil every day for 1 week before beginning resistance exercise resulted in reduced muscle soreness.
Carbohydrates young woman drinking water whilst out running Staying hydrated is essential when exercising. Consuming carbohydrate-rich foods may be the best way to reduce the decreases in immunity that can occur after exercise.
Consuming carbohydrates as part of a post-workout snack also helps to promote glycogen storage.
Sweet potatoes, grains, and fruits can contain high levels of healthful carbohydrates, as can quinoa.
Quinoa is gluten-free, classified as a pseudocereal, and usually consumed as a grain. It is high in fiber and rich in protein, with 1 cup providing 8.14 g.
Also, quinoa has a low glycemic index, making it an excellent choice for people who regulate their blood sugar.
Herbal tea The nutrients and chemical compounds in herbal teas, especially yerba mate, may help the body process carbohydrates and protein effectively.
Authors of a study from 2016 compared the effects of yerba mate to water after exercise. The participants who drank yerba mate recovered strength faster in the 24 hours that followed a workout.
In 2012, researchers found that mice administered yerba mate extract were able to metabolize more quickly and expend more energy than those who did not.
Water It is essential to drink plenty of water before, during, and after a workout. Staying hydrated ensures that the body gets the most benefit from exercise.
The body loses water and electrolytes while sweating, so drinking water during and after a workout promotes performance and recovery.
Everybody varies in the amount of water they need, depending on the type of exercise, how much they sweat, how thirsty they are, as well as other factors.
In summary Consuming carbohydrates, proteins, and some fats post-workout helps to encourage muscle protein production, and promote recovery with the best results. Arrange to eat a snack as soon as possible after a workout. Also, remember to replace fluids and electrolytes by drinking water before, during, and after exercise.
Do you want to find out more? Or start training with me? Contact me now
