What do I mean by this? We have far too many products in the supermarket that tantalise our taste buds by offering new flavours or enhancing flavours with added sugar and salt. We have products that have taken whole foods like oats or grains and processed them so that they have been popped, baked or fried in hot temperatures and although their texture and flavour is still satisfying on the tongue, many have no nutrient benefit to the body at all (other than the products that add back in the vitamins and minerals lost during manufacturing like breakfast cereals- read the ingredients list on your cereal at home… does it have listed thiamine, riboflavin, folate etc on it?).

If it wasn’t for the specially added fibre in some snack bars e.g. the muffin type bars, the food wouldn’t get to the bowel fast enough and when it does is highly likely to sit there longer than it should, giving the bad bacteria in the gut an opportunity to feed off this, multiplying their numbers and can cause gas/ wind for us.

When you are seeking great energy, go for foods that provide nutrients for the body to use. For example fruit and vegetables carry an abundance of essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals. So why don’t we eat more of them?

Why do we continually go for packaged goods when it is just as easy to pick up a bag of carrots from the supermarket and use that as snack as food. Our poor taste buds and brain are so acquainted to salty/ sweet things that we have gone off our most precious vitamin containing foods and lost the taste for these. Even nuts are now covered with salt or sugar. What happened to leaving raw nuts as is in their natural state?

So instead of wasting a lot of money on commercial made items, shop around the outside of the supermarket and keep the trolley simple with fruit, vegetables, complex carbohydrates like wholemeal wraps, breads, pastas, beans, crackers, rolled oats, quinoa, brown rice, quality meats (avoid salami, luncheon, sandwich meatloaf, precooked sausages), raw nuts, seeds, dried fruit, plain dairy products (non sweetened), honey. Then take the time to make your own breakfast cereals or snacks eg. muesli, muesli bars, bran muffins or bread.

Your health is in your hands, how much time are you willing to give?

I love the changes of season as they seem to bring a change of menu, especially with the vegetables. Get proactive and keep meals exciting by cooking the same items differently. For example, I still love salads but a nice change to keep me warm is steaming, roasting or grilling my vegetables.
The vegetables in season are currently broccoli, broccolini, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, garlic, ginger, herbs, kumara, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsnips, pumpkin, potatoes, radish, rhubarb, salad greens, silver beet, spinach, spring onions, sprouted beans and seeds, swede, tomatoes, watercress and yams. These are all great to make healthy soups, stews, roasts or casseroles and provide fantastic nutrients to keep your immune system strong.

However, this is not the time to hide your body under several layers of clothing and forget about it! Keep up the great routine that you have got into over summer.
Here are some tips to keep you looking great.

1. Keep up the exercise- Embrace the weather and if you don’t like exercising in the dark, join a gym or do your workout on your lunch break or in your home (even if you   have to get out the old aerobics videos).

2. Be aware of portion sizes, especially with heavier foods like casseroles and stews.

3. Increase your daily fruit and vegetable intake to 7-9 servings for higher Vitamin C and antioxidant levels to boost the immune system. Avoid feeling down with getting sick. For something different and warming, try steaming or stewing your fruit and if you still like your salads you can put warmed butternut, kumara or left over grilled vegetables through it. A handy tip is putting left over veges into the blender and make into soup for the next day. See new recipes on the website www.lifespark.co.nz

4. Keep up the water intake, herbal teas are a tasty warm way to keep you hydrated. This is important for the immunes system too.

Recipe: Warm fruits with lite custard or low fat yoghurt.

• 1 apple and 2 feijoas per serve.
• Skin apple and dice in 1-2cm pieces, same with feijoas.
• Put into a small dish and add sprinkle ½ tsp cinnamon over the top.
• Place plastic wrap or a side plate on top of bowl and put in microwave for 1 minute on high. (Alternatively you make a large batch on the stove and just add a little water and let the fruit simmer for around 10mins).

Once you have your steamed fruit ready to go, add a couple of tablespoons of low fat yoghurt or lite custard to serve. This recipe is great to put on your porridge, have as afternoon pick me up or an after dinner treat. Alternatively you can also sprinkle over chopped nuts and shredded coconut instead of yoghurt!

Ok so you may have indulged over the Christmas period but there is nothing more motivating than the start of a new year to kick bad habits and implement a healthy regime.  Your goals may be body fat reduction, detoxification, starting an exercise routine or just general wellbeing. If you have a goal, make sure you are serious about it, many of say for example ‘we want to lose weight’ but don’t put any real plans in place to go about it. The goal then easily gets lost or motivation dwindles. Write your goals down and ask someone else to check up with you to see how you are doing. Not only is this offering support but accountability.

Lifespark has the expertise to help you set realistic goals and teach how to achieve these goals with dietary and exercise advice.  At Lifespark you receive motivation, support and a personalized food plan tailored to your needs and likes to make your goals easier to achieve.

So if you know of someone who is looking for something more than Weight Watches or Jenny Craig, get them come see Lifespark Nutrition.

Product corner:

Some great products that I have tried over the holidays is the Mother Nature’s Golden Roasted Chickpeas. They  are found in the health specialty section of the supermarket or boutique food stores like Farros, Nosh, Huckberries or some fruit n vegetable stores. These are great to have as a snack or add crunch to any salad. Chickpeas are high in fibre and protein and complex carbohydrates so will keep you fuller for longer and blood sugar levels stable.

A recipe to try yourself:

How to roast your own chickpeas and add to a salad

Ingredients

Mix chickpeas with olive oil and as an optional sprinkle over chili powder enough to coat. Spread onto cookie sheet or line baking tray with baking paper and bake at 180 degrees for 30 minutes. Do turn the chickpeas over every 10mins.
Roast pine nuts in oven for last 10-15 minutes, remembering to stir and turn once halfway, until browned.
Chop and mix feta, avocado, cucumber, raisins, red peppers and green beans (optional to blanch quickly in hot water).
Let roasted chickpeas and pine nuts cool for around 10mins before adding them to veggies; mix, possibly add lemon juice, or salt and pepper. This salad makes enough for around 5 serves.

How to enjoy yourself without looking like a snowman afterwards

It is really important to have a game plan for every function and to be thinking about how you should prepare during the week. Here are a few things to consider:

1. How many functions to do you have? Pop them all in your diary so you know what to expect (less excuses to say ‘they just crept up on me).
2. If you have a few functions then embrace the attitude of ‘I have a few functions to try different nibbles and have drinks so I don’t need to binge out at one’. This means you shouldn’t over eat or over drink.
3. Have a GAME PLAN for each function. For example think to yourself ‘I will be designated driver for this occasion (which means limiting the calories on the alcohol) but someone else can drive on the next one. Or ‘I won’t have the starters or pre- drink canapés as I would like to have dessert’. Then at following function you can skip on dessert and have the starters. Having a Game Plan saves you from overeating/ over drinking at every function which can contribute to weight gain.
4. If you think you might splurge at the function, then have light meals leading up to it throughout the day and day before or after. This will compensate for those extra calories.
5. Watch portion sizes! If Christmas desserts are your thing then have a light dinner. Or vice versa.

Tips on how to make Christmas Treats healthier

1. Try swapping your ceam-based items with yoghurt (Yoplait Vanilla Delight is nice) or at least go 50/50 with yoghurt and cream. For example on pavlova or merigue-type desserts.

2. Make your own choc dipping sauce with cocoa powder. Add a little water to the cocoa powder to make into thick paste and add honey to sweeten. Fantastic to add to fruit. This has less sugar and fat than chocolate and easier/ less messy than melting chocolate.

3.Instead of buying mince pies or making them with standard pastry, try making little open christmas pies or tartlets using filo pastry (low in fat and calories). Prepare Filo sheets as normal (stacking them with a little brush or spray of oil in between), cut the sheets into four equal squares and place in a muffin try to form little baskets. Put in oven on 180 degrees for around 10mins or until crispy. Take out and add your Christmas mince to the baskets and serve with dollop of lite custard on top.

4. For triffle, instead of laying it with cream. Increase the fruit layers and inbetween add sponge with layers of vanilla yoghurt or lite custard. Or as seen in picture, just keep cream to the top for decoration.

5. Brandy Snaps. A fun to be different is to make a chocolate mousse type filling for these. There are a number of different ways to make healthy mousse. An easy way is simply mixing vanilla yoghurt with cocoa powder together. The sweetness of the brandy snap will compensate for not needing more sugar in the mixture.

Product Review
Thank you to everyone for sending in your products for me to review. I have chosen the Sealord Simply Crumbed^TM Hoki Fillets which are frozen fish fillets.

It is beneficial to have fish or seafood a couple of times per week to boost the body’s stores of omega 3 essential oils and frozen fish is a good way to do this. However, there are definately some better than others. You do need to be careful of crumbed seafood, these normally add on alot more calories and additives to the body than needed. I like the way Sealord has made an effort to make their cumbing mixtures healthier. They have developed 3 variations; Simply Crumbed Hoki Fillets with Linseed, Sunflower & Pumpkin Seeds, Simply Crumbed Hoki Fillets with Toasted Oats and Simply Crumbed Hoki Fillets with Wholemeal. However, when looking at the ingredients, the majority of the crumbing is still wheat flour (the rolled oats only came out at 3.5% of total product) and there are many thickeners to make sure the fish stays plump and binds together.

Further looking at the ingredients list there is added sugar, manufactured mineral salts, raising agents (450, 500) and stabilisers (415, 412). In addition, if you are trying to watch your calorie intake, the serves (120g) are quite high in calories with the seed version coming in at 858kJ, the Toasted oats at 983kJ and the Wholemeal at 940kJs. A better variety would be to go for the Sealord Hoki lite Fillets which come out at 454kJs. In my opinion, instead of going for convenience, best to buy some fresh hoki and pan fry it or grill with a bit of lemon juice and rock salt. You will taste the real flavour without the additives. Per serve this will also be lower in calories too. Otherwise make your own crumbing with wholemeal flour, bran flakes, salt and pepper. Keep it simple.

I really like this calendar Spark People have developed. Great to print out and just use a reminder…..

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivation_articles.asp?id=971

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/calendar_2007-12.pdf

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We all have our times of ‘weakness’ when we are watching our weight, on a diet or trying to eat healthy. However many of us feel that after a little ’splurge’ on foods such as alcohol, desserts, junk food etc when tend to become unmotivated and discouraged from carrying on the good work. You MUST be STRONG! Just because you have let the gremlin out of the bag doesn’t mean you can’t put him back inside (even if he’s running around for a few days). Here are few tips to remotivate yourself, get back on the band wagon and regain the self control;

1) Ask yourself what went wrong to cause a moment of weakness? Fatigue, lack of planning with food, emotions, boredom etc. This way you know the signs next time it comes round and are able to realise this before they turn into actions.

2) Put up a little sign either on the pantry or fridge door, this can help turn the light bulb on when you are not all there (subconscious eating), it can be a great trigger to bring you back to realisation of what’s about to happen. For example ‘ I will avoid picking on food when I am bored’.

3) If you do splurge then use it as a motivator to do really well for the next few days or week- ‘ok I had the extra piece of chocolate cake, it tasted great, I enjoyed it and now I feel I don’t need anything for the next few weeks’ as an example.

4) EXERCISE- one of the best ways to feel better about yourself and to maintain weight is to exercise after a splurge, this then helps reduces the calorie intake and won’t have you gaining the weight you have tried to hard to lose.

If you want to feel great and full of energy then you need to eat foods that are lively and full of goodness. There are many foods on the market that may not necessarily be ‘unhealthy’ for you but they aren’t healthy either. If you think you eat pretty well then take step back and analyze how much packaged foods are in your pantry of fridge. Again, you may think you are doing well with not having chocolate biscuits in the house but do you live on other dead foods such as rice crackers, corn flakes, 2 min noodles, white flour crackers, some muesli bars etc. The reason I call them ‘dead food’ is that they have been under heating processes which kills off many food enzymes and nutrients (just like what happens if you leave vegetables in a boiling pot of water for too long). Dead foods usually lack the vitamins and minerals our body needs per day thus, many of us are falling short of meeting our Daily Recommended Intakes. Everyday your body needs a certain amount of nutrients coming in to support metabolic processes in the body; we get this from our food. If we don’t get this from our food our body retrieves it from our stores and thus slowly deficiencies can occur. For example if you don’t have enough calcium in the blood stream, your body will take it from the bones therefore deteriorating your bone health.
Moral of the story….eat foods that are full of nutrients and life, everything you eat has a consequence, make it a positive one.

It’s that time of year again when the weather is getting warmer, the clothing layers are decreasing and the end of year functions are on the rise. Lifespark has a few tips on how to get yourself looking great for these occasions and a guide on how to prevent throwing your ‘Get ready for Summer’ routine out the window!

Firstly, start early if you have an event coming up, don’t leave getting in shape to the last minute. Depending on your goals, give yourself at least 8 weeks to get into a healthy exercise and eating routine, last minute diets are not good for the body and you are likely to put that weight back on after the event.
Write your goals down and how you will achieve them. Have it somewhere visible like on the kitchen door, pantry cupboard, on your dressing mirror or anywhere you will see it often so it is always in the front of your mind. Too often we say we will do things but without the constant reminder, motivation can go astray- make it a reality!

Having a rise in the social life shouldn’t be blamed for any weight gain. Yes it can make losing weight a little harder but at the end of the day you are in control of your OWN ACTIONS! Having the right action plan can help.

Tips for the jolly season:
1.       Free alcohol at functions does not mean drink excessively.  Alcohol is high in calories and is usually the main culprit for weight gain over this season. 1 glass of wine equates to around 130 calories- about a 30min walk per glass.
a.       Drive to the functions. If you do want to have a few, make an effort to count the drinks, have water in between them , exercise the day of and the next day to burn off excess calories.
2.       Watch your food intake; you will eat again. You do not need to scoff everything just because it is free or available.  If you do over eat, make an effort with exercise and food the next day. McDonalds will not help the situation.
3.       Have a plan of attack- think about what could possible jeopardize your weight loss routine and have a plan for it. For example if you are foodie, then avoid standing next to the nibbles table. Involve yourself in conversation and don’t think about it. Have some healthy snacks before you go so you are not hungry.

Meal ideas for the day after:
Breakfast:
Mixed fruit salad with low fat yoghurt sprinkled with bran flakes and mixed seeds.  Or a vegetable packed omlette.
Lunch:
Large mixed green salad with a variety of your favourite raw veges, piece of wholegrain toast and a protein source such as a boiled egg, lite cottage cheese, tin of tuna/ salmon, chicken, etc.
Dinner:
Keep it light with half your plate being low starch vegetables, watch your portion size with carbohydrates and meat. Go for something like grilled salmon with a rocket and pear salad and small kumara or potato. See more recipes on the website.
PLAN, PLAN, PLAN

If you need help with accountability or motivation give Lifespark a call today and we can help with a tailored food plan to suit your goals and timeframe so that you can look great and maintain it.

1.   Write down the goals you want to achieve and stick them somewhere that is always in your sight like in the bathroom or on the fridge. Having your goals always in front of you keeps you motivated; it also means your friends/family will be more supportive in helping you achieve your goals. Failing to plan is planning to fail.

2.      List your strengths or things you do well already and congratulate yourself on that. Then list your weaknesses or aspects that are or may be a barrier to achieving your goals. Then come up with strategies to overcome these barriers. Identifying these will help you have a clearer path to achieving your goals.

3.      If you haven’t already- start an exercise routine and keep to it. Write it in your diary when you can schedule it in during your day and week, that way you have a plan and plans help you succeed.  If you haven’t exercised in a while, don’t panic, just start small with something you enjoy like walking, then build up the intensity or duration.

• If you are doing regular exercise maybe just change up the routine and try new pieces of equipment or increase the intensity or duration of your workouts to get desired goals.

4.      Get your 5-7+ per day! Healthy eating starts with fruit and vegetables. Make this your core focus if you don’t do this consistently already. 2-3 pieces of fruit and 3-4 serves of a variety of vegetables. Remember ½ cup steamed veges = one serve or 1 cup salad= one serve.

5.      Drink at least 2L of water, more if you are exercising. If you don’t drink enough water to flush the toxins out of your system, your body will use the water from the colon (lower bowel) to reuse around the body (this just re-circulates the toxins the body has tried to extract).

6.      Watch your portion size and make sure you are getting balance of nutrients. ½ plate vegetables, ¼ plate protein source and ¼ plate carbohydrate source.

7.      Watch your saturated fat intake- reduce takeaways and start cooking! Use trim milk, cut fat off meat and skin off chicken and watch cheese intake.

8.      Get enough sleep! Very important for rejuvenation of the body- let it rest and repair and you will see the benefits. Try for 8 hours of quality sleep.

9.      Watch the alcohol or little ‘extras’. Every glass of wine is 15mins extra on the treadmill running. Or a chocolate muffin is 12mins intense boxing/ uphill cycling.

10.  Make healthy living easy and fun! Time to look after yourself.

The CLM Health&Fitness 8 week challenge kicked off on the 2nd August with the challengers getting the Brett Elliot’s Herbal Slim kit which is a compilation of specific herbs to increase metabolic rate and detoxify the body. The challengers also listened to myself on how we need to irradicate processed or ‘dead’ foods and get back to our dietary basics. Good fats, complex carbohydrates and quality proteins. This will be the hardest aspect for the challengers, no diet just good food. Make the effort and plan your quality meals and you will feel fantastic!

Stay up to date on how the challengers are going.        CLM 8 Week Challenge Mt Wellington