2011 Goals!

2011... Learn The Secret to Achieving More in the coming year!
>> Do you want to achieve more in 2011?
>> Do you want to build a better body?
>> Are you ready to make 2011 your best year yet?
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If you answered "yes" to any one of these questions, and you're ready to learn the best known secret for achieving everything you want in life...
Then continue reading to learn the most powerful "exercise" you can do TODAY that can completely transform your life...
The "secret" is the magical, potently powerful "exercise" of goal setting.

Even though it's the New Year, I'm just not that much into "resolutions." In my opinion, resolutions tend to be short-lived and are soon overshadowed by our old habits. Instead, I prefer to set specific goals.
In fact, I like to take time, each year, and reflect on what I've achieved over the past year, as well as set new goals for the coming year.
Now, before you say to yourself, "Oh, yeah. I've heard all that fluffy goal-setting stuff before." Please consider these interesting facts:
• People who set goals are TEN times more likely to achieve more in life than those who do not. (This is proven by scientific studies!)
• People who set financial and professional goals earn, on average, 80% MORE than those who do not.
• People who set physical goals (such as weight loss or muscular gain), are 400% more likely to achieve them than those who do not.
I'd say it's safe to say that those who set goals are more successful in life than those who do not. Wouldn't you agree?
So the most valuable exercise you can do all year is to perform this simple, but powerful exercise.
Please, stop everything you're doing right now, and take the time to do this. I guarantee you won't regret it! If you want to improve your life in any way, if you're ready to achieve MORE in any area of your life in 2011, then you have to DO something about it. (You can't just talk about it.)
And the simplest and easiest way to begin is to set your goals. Right now.
For those who know me, this is an "exercise" I perform—and encourage others to do the same with me—every year and throughout the year. (Personally, I have made a habit of setting personal, professional, and spiritual goals every quarter, based on the overreaching goals I set at the beginning of the year, and I've never regretted the time and mental energy it takes to do so.)
It's always worked marvelously well for me, as it has for plenty of others. And I am absolutely, positively certain the exercise of goal-setting can do the same for you too!
Here's how it works...
Simply ask yourself this question:
"If you and I were talking on the phone, or sitting together in person ONE YEAR FROM TODAY... What, specifically (think personally, professionally, and spiritually) would have had to have happened for you to feel happy with your progress?"
This very simple, yet astonishingly powerful question can yield extraordinary dividends! And every year, I'm inspired to build on what I accomplished the previous year. So each year just keeps getting better and better! I have so much to be thankful for.
So, let's get started on your goal setting for 2011.
Remember, if you're having a difficult time thinking, articulating, or writing out your goals... Try asking yourself the opening question of my message (above). This is a great mental exercise that has always worked well for me. And, I'm sure, if you use it, can work wonders for you too.
Here's to a happy, healthy, and very prosperous New Year!

Suitable foods for Diabetes.

Diabetes: Suitable Foods


Diabetes affects different people in different ways, depending on their degree of diabetic complication, but, while different amounts of carbs may be eaten for this reason, the types of foods to eat and to avoid is the same for all.
Below are lists of foods to avoid, and foods to eat. Below those are two lists of fruit and vegetables which give quantities that provide 10 grams or 5 grams of carbs. These lists are by no means exhaustive. They are here to help you to decide what and how much you can eat to eat to manage your condition.

NOTE that the lists do not mention nuts. This is because nuts generally come in packets which list their carb content. The 'nuts' to beware of are peanuts as these are not true nuts, but legumes (like peas and beans) and have a higher ratio of carbs to protein and fat.

AVOID THESE FOODS
Below is a list of foods to avoid. Some will be obvious – others less so.
• Sugar and artificial sweeteners, including honey. The only allowed sweetener is stevia. (Sugar is a problem as it is addictive. I suggest you cut down gradually until you can do without. The other option is to go 'cold turkey' and stop it altogether. This will give you withdrawal symptoms, just like stopping any other addictive drug. But this will wear off within about two weeks.)
• Sweets and chocolates, including so-called sugar-free types. (If you want a chocolate treat, say once a week, then eat Continental dark chocolate with 70% or more cocoa solids, not the British stuff where sugar is the first named ingredient.)
• Foods which contain significant proportions of things whose ingredients end in -ol or -ose as these are sugars (the only exception is cellulose, which is a form of dietary fibre)
• "Diet" and "sugar-free" foods (except sugar-free jelly)
• Grains and foods made from them: wheat, rye, barley, corn, rice, bread, pasta, pastry, cakes, biscuits, pies, tarts, breakfast cereals, et cetera.
• Starchy vegetables: potatoes and parsnips in particular; and go easy with beet, carrots, peas, beans, et cetera and packets of mixed vegetables which might contain them
• Beans with the exception of runner beans
• Milk (except in small quantities)
• Sweetened, fruit and low-fat yogurts
• Cottage cheese (except in small amounts)
• Beware of commercially packaged foods such as TV dinners, "lean" or "light" in particular, and fast foods, snack foods and "health foods".
• Fruit juices, as these are much higher in carbs than fresh fruit. (If you like fruit juices as a drink, dilute about 1 part fruit juice with 2-4 parts water.)

Now that you think there is nothing left to eat, these are foods you can eat:
• All meat – lamb, beef, pork, bacon, etc
• include the organ meats: liver, kidneys, heart, as these contain the widest range of the vitamins and minerals your body needs (weight for weight, liver has 4 times as much Vitamin C as apples and pears, for example);
• All poultry: chicken (with the skin on), goose, duck, turkey, etc. But be aware that turkey is very low in fat, so fat needs to be added.
• Continental sausage (beware of British sausage which usually has a high cereal content.)
• All animal and meat fats – without restriction – never cut the fat off meat.
• Fish and seafood of all types
• Eggs (no limit, but avoid "omega-3 eggs" as these have been artificially fed which upsets the natural fatty acid profile)
• All cheeses (except cottage cheese as this has a high carb content and very little fat)
• butter and cream (put butter on cooked veges instead of gravy; use cream in hot drinks in place of milk)
• Plain, natural full-fat yogurt
• Vegetables and fruits as allowed by carb content. (See tables below)
• Condiments: pepper, salt, mustard.

Diabetic Christmas Cake!

Sugar free Christmas Cake!
This Christmas, stay healthy by eating healthy food and if you suffer diabetes then this sugarless Christmas cake recipe can help in keeping your diabetic levels under control. This Christmas cake recipe has no sugar as the ingredient. Take a look at how to prepare the sugarless Christmas cake recipe for this Christmas.
Cake Recipe -
Ingredients:

1.2 cups raisins

2.2 tsp brandy

3.1 1/2 tsp water

4.1 cup pumpkin puree (for sweetness)

5.2 eggs (beaten)

6.1/2 cup apple sauce

7.1/2 cup skimmed milk

8.1/2 cup pecans (ground) any nuts of choice

9.1 tsp cinnamon (ground)

10.1 tsp pudding spice

11.1 cup flour (all purpose, sifted)

12.Pinch of baking soda

Method:

1.Soak raisins in brandy and water overnight.
2.Combine pumpkin puree, eggs, apple sauce and milk.
3.Mix the soaked raisins nuts and spices with sifted flour and baking soda. Also can add a teaspoon of brandy to the flour mixture if you like the bitter taste. Thoroughly mix it with spoon.
4.Grease and line the wax paper in a cake tin.
5.Preheat the oven at 250 C

6.Bake the cake for 10 minutes at 200C and then bake for another 10 minutes with reduced heat at 180C until browned. Tasty sugarless Christmas cake ready to serve.

Christmas Holiday Season!

Christmas is almost here and the party season is upon us. It is a time to eat, drink and be merry! But what is you want to stay in reasonably good shape throughout the holiday period or have just started a fitness programme.
I have some tips and strategies for staying on track, or at least minimizing the effects of the indulgences at this time of year.
Firstly, remember that most holiday favourites – such as turkey, potatoes, sprouts and gravy are not necessarily bad for you. In fact, these foods are packed with nutrients. However, preparation and portion size make all the difference, as well as self-discipline.
Before The Christmas Rush.
It is a good idea to lose the mentality of dreading Christmas and New Year and it’s accompanying weight gain. You will be miserable and will not be a very jolly Santa! Remember that it is a time of year for celebration with family and friends – including parties, presents and your Nan’s home-made pie! Everywhere you look you will see studies saying you will gain ten pounds during the twelve days of Christmas and that it is an unavoidable by-product of the season. So if you don’t try to lose weight, but plan not to gain weight, it makes things a lot easier. In between the hustle and bustle of family gatherings and parties, make time to re-visit your goals, those you have accomplished and those ahead. Think about where you want to go and how you want to look.
During The Holidays.
Once you have decided to go into the holidays with the mindset to enjoy and succeed the next steps are to:
Minimize Stress.
Plan early to counteract potential sources of stress which have been linked to emotional food cravings. Work out ways to simplify your celebrations. It may sound obvious, but whether it means turning down an invitation to your Aunt’s annual holiday open house, or changing the menu for the day, many people have more trouble saying ‘no’ than they are ready to admit.
Don’t Starve Before You Leave.
Have something to eat before you go out to a party – some mixed nuts or a yogurt and fruit are good options. It will be easier to focus on the socializing aspects of the evening if you are not starving when you arrive. Also you will be less likely to overeat!
Adjust Your Training Schedule.
If you normally exercise for half an hour, exercise for forty minutes on the lead up to Christmas. Exercise for an extra ten-fifteen minutes per day. Something as simple as an extra cardio session for fifteen minutes at the end of a resistance workout, helps increase your metabolism. You don’t have to go to a gym to get a workout. Can you remember your last snowball fight? How about a game of football in the garden with nephews and nieces? Exercise can be a family event and you don’t have to stick to your routine so long as you are doing some type of activity. A little added exposure to the sun, even during the winter months can also be a great mood lifter.
Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth.
The candy cane is one of the best types of desserts to have as it is low in fat, it is sweet s and it takes ages to eat!
Manage Your Portion Size.
As for the rest of the year, it is never a good practice to stuff yourself in one sitting. In a buffet situation, first choose the healthier items, such as salads and lean meats, and sit down to enjoy these. For informal family gatherings, offer to bring a dish of your own too. That way you can control how the dish is prepared. If it is a roast, casserole or dessert, cut it into appropriate portions ahead of time. This makes it easier to control portion size.
Watch Those Carbohydrates!
Keep in mind that you will get plenty of carbohydrates throughout the holidays. So if you have a few mince pies or a piece of Christmas pudding, then it is a good idea to pass on the roast or mashed potatoes.
Stay Hydrated.
Make sure you are drinking at least ten glasses of water per day. Water flushes fats and salts from your body and helps you to feel full. Again, you will be less likely to overeat. It also helps to counteract the more damaging effects of alcohol, like dehydration.
Eat Slowly.
This will not only give your brain enough time to realize that you are eating, but will also allow you to really enjoy your food by savouring each bite.
Keep It In Perspective.
Enjoy the holidays! Thinking of yourself as being ‘on or off’ a diet only leads to unnecessary stress. You might focus so intently on the food that you actually forget to enjoy the festivities. For example, if you have an extra mince pie, don’t freak out for the rest of the night. If you are worried about those extra calories, you will not be a very good party guest!

After The New Year.
When all the presents have been unwrapped, it is time the reassess. Now it is more important than ever to avoid that negative ‘diet’ mentality. So if your mum’s home-made sherry trifle or your grandmother’s legendary apple pie proved too tempting to resist, get right back on track and re-visit your goals daily. One of the healthiest New Year’s resolutions anyone can make is not to beat themselves up. Always question yourself if you are using language like ‘I’ve been bad’ or ‘I’ve fallen off the wagon’ because that doesn’t promote sticking with anything. Remember that health and fitness is about ongoing progress, not 100% perfection.

Nutrition Myths!

Nutrition Myths!
"3-Day Diet," "Hollywood Secret Diet," "low-carb diet"... the list goes on.
Sadly, these diet fads perpetuate many of the most common myths surrounding nutrition and losing weight.
Over time, these myths have become deeply rooted in many people’s consciousness, especially for those who are desperately grasping for truths about nutrition. In fact, I'd bet it's safe to say you and I were taught long ago the supposed "right way" and "wrong way" to lose weight. Unfortunately, most of these "truths" are, in fact, wrong!
Usually, these myths were based on some haphazard, outdated approach, passed on from generation to generation, leaving little to no room for dispute. And while a few of them may work over the short term, the majority of them hardly ever work over the long term. And worse, most of them are not a healthy approach to weight loss. Today, modern science has, thankfully, uncovered some of the most destructive myths surrounding nutrition and losing weight.

"Today, modern science has, thankfully, uncovered some of the most destructive myths surrounding nutrition and losing weight."
Here are the five most easily avoidable yet highly destructive myths for how to positively affect the metabolism with food and boost your body's ability to "burn" fat:
MYTH: You should restrict calories when you want to lose weight.

FACT: You must eat wisely, not less, if you want to lose weight!
Contrary to common belief, if you severely restrict your food intake, your body quickly "panics" and goes into a fat-protection "survival mode." As a result, your metabolism slows and you start using muscle as fuel (muscle actually burns fat, so we don't want to lose this precious tissue), and restricting your food intake too much will leave you feeling irritable, hungry, and grouchy. And because your body is in "survival mode," very powerful signals are sent from your brain, telling you to eat, eat, eat! Why? Because it thinks it's starving, and it doesn't know when it will get food again.
Realistically, you can expect to hold off your uncontrollable urges for only so long before you give in. And then,- instant weight return, plus some bonus bodyfat for your efforts.
Unfortunately, millions of people every year resolve to lose fat by severely restricting their daily food intake. This is one of the reasons why westerners are in worse shape now than ever before! And resent studies have confirmed, once again, that restricting calories will decrease your metabolism and only prevent you from losing bodyfat.

MYTH: It isn't necessary to pay attention to the type of calories you consume to lose weight.

FACT: If you want long-term weight loss, you must carefully choose the type of foods you eat!
Whenever you're considering the types of food to eat, remember this: all calories are not created equal. Fat requires only two percent of your body's energy to use it up; carbohydrates require roughly 10% energy to burn them; whereas protein requires an astonishing 20% of your body's energy to use it… Thus, by consuming more protein, you're actually revving up your metabolism.
Research shows that right around .8 to one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight is adequate, and safe, for enhancing your body's metabolic rate as well as helping your body maintain fat-burning muscle tone. Consuming around 40% of your daily calories in the form of quality proteins is adequate for recovering from workouts and keeping healthy muscle tone.
It's easy to see why the common adage "fat is more fattening than carbohydrates or protein" came into being. So it's wise to take in no more than 20% dietary fat any given day whenever you're attempting to lose fat. (These fats will likely occur naturally in most whole-food proteins, so don't worry about adding any "extra" fat.)

"...protein requires an astonishing 20% of your body's energy to use it... Thus, by consuming more protein, you're actually revving up your metabolism."
So finally, carbohydrates should be consumed in the range of no more than 40% of your daily intake, avoiding simple carbs and completely eliminating the refined (sugary) types of carbs and incorporating plenty of fibrous types of carbs. In fact, scientific evidence has shown that when consuming too many carbs (especially simple-sugar carbs at one sitting), your body responds by stimulating a surge of insulin to be released. Why do you want to avoid this? Because insulin is a hormone that encourages fat stores to become larger, more easily "transporting" fat to be stored and sealing the fat stores shut, preventing fat cells from breaking down.
Fortunately, adding more protein to each meal in your diet "buffers" this insulin secretion by slowing the rate of absorption of carbohydrates. And, the addition of dietary protein also kicks up another hormone called glucagon (insulin's opposing hormone), which can offset the fat-storing ability of insulin by dragging it down and helping dispose of it before it stores more fat.
MYTH: I don't need "extra" protein to help my body lose weight.

FACT: Any person who exercises and wishes to lose weight must have more protein in his/her diet.
A fact which may surprise you, -there isn't a single decent study that indicates that healthy adults should not consume a protein-rich diet, especially if they are involved in regular exercise and are trying to drop extra bodyfat.
Research confirms that those performing any type of weight training require a greater amount of protein than sedentary individuals. What causes concern for most people is this amount is above the current Western recommended daily protein intake requirements for healthy adults.
However, from extensive research, one of the top researchers in the nutritional field, Dr. Peter Lemon states, "...data suggest that the RDA for those engaged in regular endurance exercise should be about 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body mass (that's 150% to 175% of the current recommended daily allowance)."
Other well-noted researchers and leaders in the field of nutrition have come to similar conclusions repeatedly over the years. They've found that people engaged in physical activities, yet merely adhering to the RDA standards for protein requirements, were actually losing precious muscle tissue as they worked out, simply because their bodies did not have enough protein readily available to repair and rebuild their muscles after a workout.
Plus, it's been shown that those who consume increased amounts of protein (even higher than the RDA recommendation) have denser bones than people who ate less. From the scientific evidence alone, it is clear that people engaged in regular exercise and who want to lose weight require greater than the RDA in protein to get optimal results.
MYTH: To lose weight, I can just cut down on the number of meals I eat each day.

FACT: Eating five to six evenly spaced meals per day provides the body everything it needs to starve (and reduce) bodyfat.

Rather than running around with your calorie-counter book, you must instead pay attention to the "types" of food you eat, the respective "proportions" of each type, and "how often" you eat. I like to call this meal patterning.
As indicated in a resent study in, by spreading your meals more evenly throughout the day, in five or six smaller meals, rather than two or three large meals (or an overindulgence in snacks whenever you're hungry), you can maximize the absorption of nutrients (so your body can use more of the food you eat) and supply your body with more stable (non-spiking) levels of insulin—levels your body can adequately manage—to keep your body from storing and trapping fat and steadily increase your metabolism throughout the day. So, never go more than a few hours while you're awake without eating a balanced, high-quality, carbohydrate-rich, low-fat meal.



MYTH: All calories are created equal, so to lose weight, all I need to do is reduce the number of calories I eat every day.

FACT: You must focus on the types of calories you put into your body, in addition to the number of calories you consume.
Sadly, many so-called “experts” today continue to preach the outdated theory that "all calories are created equal." Thankfully, for those of us who pay careful attention to the most recent scientific
findings (as well as carefully watch what's going on in the real world!), this old-school theory is being replaced by the newer, more accurate theory about calories when it comes to gaining or losing weight.
Before today, you too may have thought that weight loss or weight gain was strictly a matter of "calories in versus calories out." In other words, if you "burn" more calories than you consume, you would in effect lose weight—regardless of the calorie source. On the other hand, if you were to consume more calories than you burn off each day, you would then gain weight—again, regardless of the calorie source.
The truth is, however, the "calories in versus calories out" philosophy fails to take into account modern research that finds that proteins, carbohydrates, and fats have very different physiological effects on the body's metabolism through countless pathways. For instance, hormones such as insulin and glucagons, as well as thermic effects (the way the body internally regulates "heat" production), and literally thousands of other effects foods have on the body are all uniquely caused by different macronutrients.
As I will point out, not only is the mantra "all calories are created equal" proven to be false, "protein is protein" and "all fats are created equal" is also incorrect. For example, we now know different fats, such as healthy omega/fish oils versus unhealthy saturated fats, have vastly different effects on the body's metabolism and overall health. We also now know that different carbohydrate sources have their own unique effects on the body's ability to use, or store, fat (such as high glycemic index carbohydrates versus low glycemic index foods). And surprisingly, we now know that different proteins can have unique effects in the body too.
Recent studies have concluded that two groups of people who are put on the same number of calories per day but given different ratios of protein, carbohydrates, and fats will lose different amounts of bodyfat and/or lean body mass.

"You simply can't go wrong with a sound, intelligent, science-based plan like this for eating."
Other evidence shows that even though people on these diets may lose the same amount of weight, one group loses more bodyfat and retains more muscle tissue than the other group, which loses only weight, which could be comprised mostly of water and muscle mass and very little fat weight.
It is for these reasons, in addition to the number of calories I consume, I pay careful attention to the types of foods I put into my body and, most importantly, the ratio of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats I consume them in.

Golden Recipes!

PROTEIN PEANUT BUTTER BALLS
Makes 8 balls. Per ball:
Per serving: 223 calories, 10g protein, 35g carbs, 12g fat
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and roll into 8 balls.
Place in the fridge for a few hours and enjoy.
• 185g peanut butter
• 60g honey
• 1 scoop chocolate or vanilla Promax
• 115g raw oats

PROTEIN BANANA AND GOJI BERRIES SHAKE
Makes 1 shake:
Per serving: 357 calories, 32g protein, 52g carbs, 2g fat
Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.
Serve immediately.
• 1 scoop Promax Natural
• 180ml orange and banana juice
• 5/6 ice cubes
• 1 banana cut into chunks
• A pinch of nutmeg
• A handful of dried goji berries





PROTEIN PARFAIT
Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 172 calories, 22g protein, 17g carbs, 1.5g fat
Mix Promax Natural in with yogurt. Layer fruit and yogurt in a tall parfait glass. Top with chocolate shavings or a dab of fat free whipped cream.
• 2 cups chopped mixed fruit
• 2 cups of sugar free yogurt
• 1 scoop Promax Natural

FRUIT SMOOTHIE
(High protein - Serves 1)
Makes a great breakfast or snack. Add thicker yoghurt if you require more of a pudding. Put all ingredients in a blender and whisk together.
• 125g of flavoured yoghurt
• 100-200ml of water, depending on how thick you want it
• 100g of frozen berries
• 1 x medium sized banana (118g)
• 1 x scoop of Promax Natural
• 2/3 cubes of ice (not needed if using frozen fruit)






PROTEIN PORRIDGE
(Serves 1)
In a small saucepan mix the oats and 1 cupof milk. Gently bring to the boil, stirringoccasionally until thick. Remove from heatand stir in Maximuscle's Promax Natural. Drizzle a little honey on top and cover withremaining milk.
• Half a cup of oats
• 1 and half cups skim milk/soya milk
• 1 scoop Promax Natural
• 1 teaspoon honey
Top off your protein treat with these topping ideas:
• Apple and cinnamon: Cook 1 apple sliced withthe oats and milk. Before serving, sprinkle withhalf a teaspoon of cinnamon.
• Chunky oats: As with the apple and cinnamon,but sprinkle with half a cup of sunflower seedsand cinnamon.
• Banana and maple syrup: Serve topped withchopped banana and maple syrup.
• Sultanas (raisins): Add when cooked.
• Mixed Berries: Add when cooked.

PROTEIN OATMEAL PANCAKES
Makes 4 pancakes.
Per pancake: 210 calories, 17g protein, 440 carbs, 3g fat
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 30 seconds. Then pour onto a hot grill and cook like a normal pancake. An optional addition is to add some frozen fruit after the batter is blended
• 1 cup raw oats
• 1 scoop Promax Natural
• 3 egg whites
• ¼ cup water
• 1½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 packets sweetener
• 1½ tsp baking powder
STRAWBERRY & BANANA PROTEIN BARS
Ingredients
• 1 cup raw oatmeal
• 90g Strawberry Promax
• ¼ cup fat free cream cheese
• ½ cup non fat dry powder milk
• 2 egg whites
• ¼ cup water
• 1 ½ bananas, mashed
• 2 tsp Rapeseed oil
Method
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9"x9" square baking tray. Combine oatmeal, Promax, and dry milk. Set aside. In another bowl beat together with an electric hand mixer; cream cheese, egg whites, bananas, water and oil. Add the oat mixture and continue to beat until the two are combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
Information
Makes 6 bars.
Per bar: 203kcal, 22g protein, 22g carbs, 3g fat.

RASPBERRY & BLUEBERRY SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
• 150ml apple juice
• 30g Promax Natural
• 2 tbsp low fat natural yoghurt
• Handful of raspberries
• Handful of blueberries
• ½ tsp honey (optional)
Method
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Information
Makes 1 smoothie.
Per smoothie: 240kcal, 31g protein, 26.8g carbs, 1.9g fat, 1.4 fibre.

OAT COOKIES
Ingredients
• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 scoop vanilla Promax
• 2 egg whites
• ½ mixed crushed nuts
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1 tbsp honey or sugar free maple syrup
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a cookie tray.
Mix all dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Then combine. Form approximately 24 cookies and bake on the tray for 10-15 minutes until slightly browned.
Information
Makes 24 cookies.
Per cookie: 238kcal, 15g protein, 43g carbs, 2g fat, 8g fibre.

CAFFE LATTE SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
• 200-300ml milk or soya milk
• 4-5 ice cubes
• 1 tsp instant coffee
• ½ tsp cocoa powder
• 1 scoop caffe latte Promax
Method
Blend in a quick stop start fashion to let the ice-cubes sink to the bottom and get easily crushed, otherwise you will get a very frothy shake.
Information
Serves 1.
Per serving: 234kcal, 30g protein, 15g carbs, 6g fat, 2g fibre.

ORANGANA SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
• 1 banana
• 1 scoop Promax orange
• 250ml water or skim milk
• 3-4 ice cubes
• 2 strawberries (if available)
Method
Blend in a quick stop start fashion to let the ice-cubes sink to the bottom and get easily crushed, otherwise you will get a very frothy shake. Serve in a big pint glass (with a cocktail umbrella and sliced fruit if it's a nice hot weekend)
Information
Serves 1.
Per serving (water) 238kcal, 24g protein, 31g carbs, 2g fat, 4g fibre.
Per Serving (semi skimmed milk): 354kcal, 32gpro, 43g carbs, 6g fat, 4g fibre.

BANANA BREAD
Ingredients
• 350g low fat cream cheese
• 10 egg whites (or 5 whole eggs)
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 1 scoop Promax vanilla or natural
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ cup sugar substitute
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• zest of one lemon
• 1 cup bran
• 1 cup ground almonds
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line with grease proof paper a bread baking tin. In a bowl blend together the cream cheese and 3 egg whites (or 2 eggs if using whole) until smooth. Gradually add all the egg whites mixing until smooth. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well. Spoon into the baking tin. Cook for 25 minutes until the bread is browned on top and a knife inserted in the centre of the read comes out clean. Cool before slicing into 10 slices.
Information
Makes 10 slices.
Per slice: 225kcal, 19g protein, 17g carbs, 12g fat, 4g fibre.

BANANA SPLIT SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 scoop Promax chocolate
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 250ml water or skim milk
• 1 tbsp crushed peanuts
Method
In a blender, blend all ingredients except crushed peanuts. Pour into a large tumbler and serve topped with crushed nuts.
Information
Serves 1. Per serving: 346kcal, 35g protein, 32g carbs, 12g fat, 4g fibre.

Autumn/Winter Recipes.

Top Quality Nutritious Recipes.
Autumn/Winter 2010.
Baked Sweet Potato with Tuna
Serves 1-2
2 medium sweet potatoes
½ cup reduced fat sour cream
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper to taste
1 5 oz. can chunk light tuna, drained
Pierce sweet potato several times with a fork. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 400°F or 8 to 10 minutes in microwave, until tender to the touch. Slice each yam lengthwise to nearly split. In a bowl, combine sour cream, chives, salt and pepper. Divide sour cream mixture among potatoes and top with tuna.
Nutrition Facts (per serving): calories, g protein, g carbs, g fat, g fiber, g sugar, mg sodium.

Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves 2-3
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 5 oz. cans chicken
½ lb. soba noodles
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
¼ cup chopped chives
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion and carrot and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Add broth, chicken, noodles, peas, corn, chives, salt and pepper to pot and simmer for 10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts (per serving): calories, g protein, g carbs, g fat, g fiber, g sugar, mg sodium.

Scrambled Egg & Sardine Wrap
Serves 2
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
I red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 eggs
2 3.5-oz. cans sardines, drained
¼ cup milk
2 green onions, sliced
1 tsp. curry powder (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado, diced
½ cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
4 large whole-wheat or corn wraps
1 cup salsa
In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Cook red pepper and garlic four minutes. IN a large bow, combine eggs, sardines, milk, onions, curry, and salt and pepper. Add sardine mixture to the skillet and cook five minutes, or until the eggs set, stirring often. Add avocado and cheese, and cook for one more minute. Top wraps with sardine scramble and salsa, then fold.
Nutrition Facts (per serving): 641 calories, 29 g protein, 56 g carbs, 35 g fat (7 g saturated), 11 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 1,506 mg sodium

Penne with Salmon & Asparagus
Serves 2-3
½ lb. whole-grain penne
1 bunch (about 1 lb.) asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 5 oz. cans salmon, drained Juice of ½ lemon
½ cup sun dried tomato, sliced
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
In a large saucepan, cook penne according to package directions. Add asparagus to the cooking pasta with about 3 minutes remaining. Drain pasta and asparagus, and mix with salmon, lemon juice, sun dried tomato, cilantro, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Top with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Nutrition Facts (per serving): calories, g protein, g carbs, g fat, g fiber, g sugar, mg sodium.

Building Rugby Bulk.

Rugby Bulk!


Rugby players are renowned for being some of the fittest and most powerful of all athletes. But, they don't all start out that way. Many players often need to gain 10 to 20 kilograms (22-44 pounds) in order to play at the highest levels. Read on and I'll explain the process they go through and how you can do it too...
What nutrition do players have to consider when wishing to increase their muscle mass?
Consume more calories
For a player to gain mass, he needs to consume sufficient energy. To grow, the player must consume more calories than he burns each day. If he's training heavily six days a week, he'll need a lot of calories simply to replace those he requires for the training. This doesn't take into account the calories required to build new muscle.
A 90 kilo player (198 pounds) will often require 4,000-5,000 calories per day during the pre-season. That's a lot of food, especially if you don't have a big appetite. In fact, many players find it simply impossible to get this many calories from whole food alone. We suggest players use a high-quality weight-gainer, two or three times a day in addition to their regular diet. It's a quick and easy way for players to get the extra calories they need to grow post-exercise and to help with muscle repair and recovery.

Use proper hydration
Research has clearly demonstrated that training sessions can be prolonged and conducted at a greater intensity if athletes consume a balanced carbohydrate energy drink during the session. This gives them the carbohydrate and hydration they need to keep their energy levels high, allowing them to give 100 percent right up until the end of the session.
Power up with protein
Once your overall calorie intake, carbohydrate and hydration are taken care of, the next step is to ensure you consume enough protein. Most people, rugby players included, simply don't get enough of it. If you want to build your muscle mass as fast as possible you need to give your body the correct building blocks. Muscles are made from protein and proteins are built from long chains of amino acids. I usually recommend that players lift their protein intake to consume one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Good protein sources include, chicken, fish, lean red meat, cottage cheese and whey protein. Players will use products which contain a unique blend of high quality whey protein.
Include good fats
Last but not least, you should consider your fat intake. Fat is one of the most important nutrients in your diet, especially if you want to gain weight. Studies show a strong link between dietary fat intake and testosterone levels. Eating enough of the right fat is one of the best ways to allow your body to maximize its own natural testosterone production. But we're talking good fats here, not the fats from junk food - you should actively avoid saturated fats and trans and hydrogenated fats that are found in many processed and fast foods (read the labels). Healthy sources of fat include extra virgin olive oil, and the fats found in peanuts, avocado, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, flaxseed or macadamia nuts. The essential long-chain omega-3s fats are vital to maintain the levels of muscle-building hormones in the body and are primarily found in high-fat, cold-water fish such as salmon or mackerel, some nuts and seeds. To ensure the players aren't missing out on these good fats, I suggest they use a supplementary source of EFA’s. This provides long-chain omega-3s, which are far superior to the short-chain omega-3s found in flaxseed oil and other oil blends.
And relax
Finally, if you want to grow you must ensure you get sufficient rest. You will need a good eight hours of sleep each night. So there you have it; these are the nutritional principles we use to support a successful muscle-building training programme. It works for some of Britain's top rugby players. Chances are it'll work for you too!

POWER PROTEIN RECIPES.
PROTEIN PEANUT BUTTER BALLS
Makes 8 balls. Per ball:
Per serving: 223 calories, 10g protein, 35g carbs, 12g fat
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and roll into 8 balls.
Place in the fridge for a few hours and enjoy.
• 185g peanut butter
• 60g honey
• 1 scoop chocolate or vanilla protein
• 115g raw oats



PROTEIN BANANA AND GOJI BERRIES SHAKE
Makes 1 shake:
Per serving: 357 calories, 32g protein, 52g carbs, 2g fat
Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.
Serve immediately.
• 1 scoop plain protein powder
• 180ml orange and banana juice
• 5/6 ice cubes
• 1 banana cut into chunks
• A pinch of nutmeg
• A handful of dried goji berries


PROTEIN PARFAIT
Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 172 calories, 22g protein, 17g carbs, 1.5g fat
Mix plain protein powder in with yogurt. Layer fruit and yogurt in a tall parfait glass. Top with chocolate shavings or a dab of fat free whipped cream.
• 2 cups chopped mixed fruit
• 2 cups of sugar free yogurt
• 1 scoop natural protein






FRUIT SMOOTHIE
(High protein - Serves 1)
Makes a great breakfast or snack. Add thicker yoghurt if you require more of a pudding. Put all ingredients in a blender and whisk together.
• 125g of flavoured yoghurt
• 100-200ml of water, depending on how thick you want it
• 100g of frozen berries
• 1 x medium sized banana (118g)
• 1 x scoop of plain protein
• 2/3 cubes of ice (not needed if using frozen fruit)

Nut Feast.

NUT FEAST!

In 1993 a study found that eating walnuts reduced bad (LDL) cholesterol and improved the ratio of good (HDL) to bad cholesterol. This was ground -breaking research at that time. Now nuts and seeds are well known for their super -food health benefits. Full of heart friendly omega-3 fats, they are also rich in protein and high in fibre, which is missing from other protein-rich foods such as eggs, meat, fish and dairy foods. They have a low GI (glycemic index) ranking, meaning they slow carbohydrate digestion and prevent blood sugar highs and lows, leaving you energized for longer. They are also a great source of vitamins, minerals and phytoestrogens. They also taste great! Here is a guide of my personal favourites:

ALMONDS
These contain more fibre and more vitamin E than any other nut. They are also rich in magnesium – essential for the smooth working of the nervous system. About twenty almonds contain as much fibre as an orange or an apple so they are great for digestion.

WALNUTS
These are the king of all nuts when it comes to omega-3 content. They also have one of the highest ratios of polyunsaturated (good) to saturated (bad) fats (7:1) of any natural food. Plus they have a high content of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 that has the ability to thin the blood, helping prevent clots and heart attacks.

BRAZIL NUTS
These large nuts are especially high in selenium, an important mineral that is not always easy to find in the typical western diet. Selenium works as an anti-oxidant with vitamin E and it is often used by athletes to mop up ‘free radicals’ produced after intensive exercise. A recent study in New Zealand found that Brazil nuts are nearly as effective as selenium supplements in raising selenium levels. Just two Brazil nuts a day provide 53 mcg of selenium and raise blood selenium levels by about 60%. These nuts are also the richest in phytoestrogens, which can help protect against osteoporosis.

PISTACHIOS
These are a good ‘all rounder’ – high in potassium (good for blood pressure), calcium (for healthy bones and teeth) and vitamin E (for good skin). They also contain more plant sterols, (which help protect heart health) than any other nut. Plant sterols are similar in structure to cholesterol, and they compete with it during digestion getting taken up into the blood stream instead of cholesterol – as a result they prevent atherosclerosis, a condition in which cholesterol deposits narrow and harden artery walls, which increases the risk of heart disease.

On the Plate!

Don’t Under Estimate What You Put On Your Plate

Diet might be a word people don’t like to hear. But, the word diet doesn’t mean starvation or boring foods. A diet is anything you eat. It can be a healthy diet; lean meats and complex carbohydrates, or an unhealthy diet, fatty foods and sugars. Understanding what your body needs and what it does with what’s left over, is the starting point to making good decisions about what you put on your plate. Here are some simple steps and information to help you make good choices when it comes to your diet.
All foods basically break down to proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Your body needs all of these to function properly. If you are not use to looking at the nutrition labels on the back of your food, and think it’s unnecessary that might be the first thing you’ll need to change. Finding out what you’re eating is the first habit that you should develop.
Next, a good rule to remember when choosing a meal or idea to eat would be proteins 40%, carbohydrates 40%, and fats 20% of your total caloric intake. What that means is if you are looking at a hamburger which has 300 calories and 50 calories from fat, just simply divide 50 into 300 and you get .16 or 16% fat. That means this hamburger is a good choice to eat, because it is under the 20% guide line.
When choosing sweets, remember sweets are high in sugars, and sugars are a carbohydrate. Usually items high in sugar do not have very much protein; therefore you will need to supplement protein with that meal. Protein’s slow down the process of breaking down carbohydrates in the digestive system. Carbohydrates get broken down to glycogen and stored in the form of glucose inside the muscle cells. If too much glycogen is in the blood stream and the body doesn’t have room to put it into the muscle cells, your blood sugar levels will raise and your body will then release insulin to convert glycogen to fatty acid. Then the body stores it into fat cells, and that is how you put on excess weight.
To manage this from happening, replace simple carbohydrates with complex ones. Such as, brown rice, oatmeal, or yams. Complex carbohydrates take longer to break down and therefore slowing the amount of glycogen into the blood stream.
If this sounds a little too much to take in, seeing a nutritionist is a step in the right direction. They have the knowledge and tools to help anyone enjoy their favorite foods and optimism their personal health. By making just a few changes to the way you look at what’s on your plate will result in a healthier and more enjoyable life.

On the Plate!

Don’t Under Estimate What You Put On Your Plate

Diet might be a word people don’t like to hear. But, the word diet doesn’t mean starvation or boring foods. A diet is anything you eat. It can be a healthy diet; lean meats and complex carbohydrates, or an unhealthy diet, fatty foods and sugars. Understanding what your body needs and what it does with what’s left over, is the starting point to making good decisions about what you put on your plate. Here are some simple steps and information to help you make good choices when it comes to your diet.
All foods basically break down to proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Your body needs all of these to function properly. If you are not use to looking at the nutrition labels on the back of your food, and think it’s unnecessary that might be the first thing you’ll need to change. Finding out what you’re eating is the first habit that you should develop.
Next, a good rule to remember when choosing a meal or idea to eat would be proteins 40%, carbohydrates 40%, and fats 20% of your total caloric intake. What that means is if you are looking at a hamburger which has 300 calories and 50 calories from fat, just simply divide 50 into 300 and you get .16 or 16% fat. That means this hamburger is a good choice to eat, because it is under the 20% guide line.
When choosing sweets, remember sweets are high in sugars, and sugars are a carbohydrate. Usually items high in sugar do not have very much protein; therefore you will need to supplement protein with that meal. Protein’s slow down the process of breaking down carbohydrates in the digestive system. Carbohydrates get broken down to glycogen and stored in the form of glucose inside the muscle cells. If too much glycogen is in the blood stream and the body doesn’t have room to put it into the muscle cells, your blood sugar levels will raise and your body will then release insulin to convert glycogen to fatty acid. Then the body stores it into fat cells, and that is how you put on excess weight.
To manage this from happening, replace simple carbohydrates with complex ones. Such as, brown rice, oatmeal, or yams. Complex carbohydrates take longer to break down and therefore slowing the amount of glycogen into the blood stream.
If this sounds a little too much to take in, seeing a nutritionist is a step in the right direction. They have the knowledge and tools to help anyone enjoy their favorite foods and optimism their personal health. By making just a few changes to the way you look at what’s on your plate will result in a healthier and more enjoyable life.

The Vegetarian Athlete

THE VEGETARIAN ATHLETE.

“Vegetarian” encompasses a wide range of dietary practices, including eating vegetables & no animal products (vegans), eating vegetables & dairy products with eggs (ovo-lacto vegetarians) or without eggs (lacto vegetarians, & eating vegetables & fish or poultry.

Vegetarian diets are associated with a lower risk for several chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, & high blood pressure when compared to the typical western diet, which is high in fat, saturated fats, sugar & cholesterol. However, they have not been shown to be any better than non-vegetarian nutrition plans that are low in fat, sugar & cholesterol.

In fact, many strict vegetarian diets (vegans) are dangerously low in energy creating nutrients, protein, essential amino acids, iron, vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D & zinc. The risk of these nutritional deficiencies is even greater during periods of growth such as infancy, pregnancy, childhood, adolescence & periods of growth caused by a muscle-strengthening program.

I would strongly recommend that vegetarians, especially vegans, take great care in selecting, planning, & preparing nutritious meals to ensure they are getting adequate amounts of essential nutrients.

Not only is it important to include the essential micronutrients (vitamins & minerals) & macronutrients (carbohydrates & proteins) in your nutrition plan, it is also helpful if each meal consists of one portion of carbohydrates & one portion of protein. If you attempt to increase your protein content for a meal by mixing two high-carbohydrate, moderate-protein sources (such as beans & rice), you will be getting a meal that has one portion of carbohydrates & less than one portion of protein. This results in fluctuating blood sugar levels which can increase fat storage, decrease fat burning & increase hunger. I would suggest adding a protein supplement to the nutrition plan. For example, a soy-protein-isolate powder which can be purchased at most health shops. By doing this, you will ensure that you are getting enough protein to support muscle growth while keeping calorie intake low enough to lose fat. It’s difficult enough for hard-training meat eaters to consume enough protein from whole foods alone, but for vegans it’s very difficult without consuming excess fats & carbohydrates.

In addition, I’d recommend taking a daily multivitamin as it is hard to get the essential micronutrients,- especially vitamin B12 which occurs naturally only in animal foods.

Understanding the Glycemic Index

UNDERSTANDING THE GLYCEMIC INDEX & GLYCEMIC LOAD.

Introduction.

In relation to physique enhancement & weight loss, the scientific community has focused on counting calories for many years. Then, it focused on fat, & the “low-fat diet” movement was born. For the past few years, however, the focus has moved onto carbohydrate ingestion/restriction. Because of advances in nutritional biochemistry, many physiologists (as well as people wanting leaner physiques) have learned that various types of carbohydrates affect the body differently.

Interestingly, some types of carbohydrates are preferentially converted to fat, raise blood glucose levels into the danger zone, & are linked to many health problems like diabetes, cancer, obesity etc. Other types of carbohydrates are not converted to fat easily & are not considered harmful to good health.

To understand the differences between the various types of carbohydrates, it’s good to have a knowledge of the “glycemic index” & the “glycemic load”, & how they are related.

THE GLYCEMIC INDEX.

The glycemic index was developed by Dr. David Jenkins in 1981 & was primarily used as a tool for diabetics looking to control their blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. Today, many other non-diabetic individuals are also using this index as a way to choose foods to eat for health, weight loss & performance.

On the index, carbohydrates that are listed below 55 are more slowly absorbed & subsequently cause a small increase in blood sugar & insulin. Quite simply, the glycemic index is a numeric ranking of carbohydrate-containing foods based on their potential to raise blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates that are high on the index (above 70), are quickly digested & absorbed. These carbohydrates tend to cause a rapid rise in blood glucose &, in most cases, a quick rise in insulin.

On the other side, carbohydrates that are low on the glycemic index (55 & below) are more slowly absorbed & therefore cause a relatively small increase in blood sugar & insulin. Hence, the GI index allows an individual to indirectly estimate both blood glucose & insulin levels. This is important for diabetics & anyone looking to help control their weight. It’s also good to determine what types of carbohydrates to eat around exercise workouts for improved performance.

HIGH GI FOODS.

Generally speaking, foods that rank high on the glycemic index include products made from finely ground flours like bread & baked goods, processed breakfast cereals, baked, mashed & French fried potatoes, snack foods like chips & pretzels, & sticky rice. Foods that rank lower on the glycemic index include most fruit & vegetables, sweet potatoes, minimally processed foods like oatmeal, oat bran, barley, bulgur wheat, long-grain brown rice, pasta & dairy products. What follows is a list of some common carbohydrate foods & their glycemic index:

HIGH GI (70+) :

Boiled potato – 101

Baked potato -85

Pretzels – 83

Corn flakes – 80

Shredded wheat – 75

Cheerios – 74

Bagels – 72

Watermelon – 72

White rice – 72

MODERATE GI (70-56):

Croissant - 67

Brown rice – 66

Wholemeal bread -65

Raisins – 64

Ice-cream – 61

Bran flakes – 61

Sucrose – 59

Coke – 58

Fruit cocktail -55

LOW GI (55-):

Wheat bread – 53

Potato chips – 51

Peas – 51

White pasta -50

Apple Juice – 40

Oranges – 40

Skimmed milk – 32

Whole milk – 27

Fructose – 20

Peanuts – 13

HOW DO NUTRITION RESEARCH SCIENTISTS WORK OUT THE GI OF A FOOD?

Researchers measure out a portion of food that contains 50 grams of carbohydrate. For example, 4 ½ slices of bread, 1 ¼ cups of rice, 1 ½ pounds of carrots, & 3 medium apples contain about 50 grams of available carbohydrate. A food is fed to a group of test subjects & their blood sugar responses are measured. – The test subjects’ blood sugar response to the food is then compared to their response to eating 50 grams (about 3 tablespoons of glucose) of pure glucose.

To illustrate this point, I’ll look at oatmeal. Oatmeal on average, is approximately 49 on the GI index. This means that when plain oatmeal that contains 50 grams of carbohydrate is eaten, it will produce an increase in blood sugar approximately 49% of that obtained when the same amount (eg 50 grams) of pure glucose is consumed.

There are, however, some flaws with the glycemic index. So whenever you consider using the glycemic index as a guide, the glycemic load should also be considered:

GLYCEMIC INDEX Vs GLYCEMIC LOAD.

The glycemic load uses the glycemic index as well as the actual amount of carbohydrate (eg the serving size) to determine the overall effect of a carbohydrate-containing food in relation to blood sugar & insulin levels.

As mentioned previously, the glycemic index compares different food sources that contain carbohydrates of the same quantity (eg 50 grams of glucose is compared to 50 grams of carbohydrate in oatmeal). However, this is not always practical or realistic because many foods are not consumed in 50 gram portions.

So, the glycemic load is calculated by multiplying the amount of carbohydrate in a given serving of food by the glycemic index of the same food & then dividing that number by 100.

How about a ‘real-life’ example. – A boiled potato has a glycemic index of around 101. A Mars chocolate bar has a glycemic index of around 65. Just looking at the glycemic index, you might assume that the Mars bar is the ‘better’ choice of the two options. However, the average serving of a baked potato is about 150 grams, which contains 17 grams of carbohydrate. – A mars bar serving size is only 60 grams but contains 40 grams of carbohydrate. – Therefore, the Mars Bar has the greatest glycemic load & has a larger effect on blood glucose & insulin. The boiled potato has a glycemic load of 17, while the mars bar is 26. So even though the potato has a higher glycemic index, the mars bar has more effect on blood glucose despite being half the size!

So, in conclusion, both the glycemic index & the glycemic load provide information relative to the impact that carbohydrate has on the blood sugar & insulin response. However, the glycemic load is a much more practical scale. It’s also important to remember that the glycemic index & glycemic load only refer to the food when it is eaten alone. When you add some fat or protein to a meal containing carbohydrates, the total impact of either score goes down. So it’s wise to take glycemic load into account, but don’t be a slave to it! It’s just one of the many factors to consider when planning an effective diet.

Carbohydrate Cycling

CARB CYCLING.

At the most basic level, carbohydrates are ‘sugar’. This may sound confusing, but the end result of eating either a bowl of rice or a spoon of sugar are the same – glucose. When both are processed in the body, the final result is the same – they’re both broken into glucose, which is the body’s best source of energy.

The only energy source for the brain & nervous system is glucose, unlike the muscular & skeletal systems. Also, carbohydrates (glucose) are the body’s most immediate energy source & have a 30-50% faster rate of breakdown compared to fat. Anaerobic exercise relies exclusively on carbohydrates through glycosis. Carbohydrates also have a protein sparing effect, which keeps the body from breaking down protein for energy.

Essentially, carbohydrates come in two forms, simple & complex. Simple carbs are mono & disaccharides or “sugars”. Fructose, the naturally occurring sugar in fruit, sulcrose (table sugar), & lactose (the naturally occurring sugar in dairy products) are some examples of simple forms. Complex carbs are things like rice, potatoes, pasta & bread. These carbohydrates are polysaccharides or “starch”. They contain long chains of more than 3,000 glucose molecules linked together.

Regardless of the form (except for fibre), the body converts carbohydrates into energy, - glucose. The main difference between simple & complex carbs is the amount of time it takes the body to convert them into glucose. Complex carbs tend to give a more gradual & sustained energy release. Simple carbs give an immediate energy release usually accompanied by a sharp decline in energy as well. For this reason, it would be best to have more complex carbohydrates earlier in the day to provide a more prolonged energy supply. Have simple carbs after your workouts & exercise sessions for quick glycogen replenishment. Remember to keep in mind the glycemic index & load of the food sources.

One thing to realize is that once the carbohydrates you have eaten have been converted to glucose, what is not used to fuel body functions & replenish muscle glycogen is shuttled into fat stores. Usused carbohydrates will make you fat! Your main goal with carbohydrates is to provide enough energy to fuel body functions& muscle activity each day - & ‘no more’. Therefore the variable is carbohydrates, if protein & fat intake remain the same each day.

The Carb- Cycling Process.

Carbohydrate cycling is a diet strategy that many fitness competitors & bodybuilders use in order to prepare for a show. This tactic can also be used by anyone wanting to shed bodyfat. When your intake of carbohydrate is low, your body is forced to use stored bodyfat for energy. Also, when your body has been given plenty of carbs, it uses them rather than fat as the energy source.

The body does require a certain amount of carbohydrates to carry out basic processes – such as brain function & the nervous system. I wouldn’t recommend going much lower than 120 grams of carbohydrates per day for this reason. If your diet is too low in carbohydrates, your workouts & training are going to suffer. Anaerobic activity is fueled by carbohydrates. Also, you can fall into a state of ‘ketosis.’

Ketosis is a state of carbohydrate deprivation & should be avoided. Ketone bodies are the product of incomplete burning of fats. When these are present in the blood, your body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates available in order to properly metabolize bodyfat. In other words, you need carbs to burn bodyfat! The body can use ketone bodies instead of glycogen for energy production, but they are no where near as efficient in fueling exercise.

When you are in a state of ketosis, you become irritable, sluggish & may become dehydrated. Without carbohydrates available in the body, your body breaks down protein for additional energy ( a catabolic state). Your body will actually metabolize muscle tissue for energy at about the same rate as fat if you don’t have enough protein intake. Your hard earned muscle will be metabolized. – This is obviously counterproductive for someone trying to build or maintain lean muscle mass.

The correct way to carb cycle is to make sure you are taking an adequate amount of protein & not limiting your carbohydrates to the point of ketosis. Ketosis can be monitored for by using ketosis strips. These strips can be found at many pharmacies & chemists & contain a special chemical that will change colour in the presence of ketones in the urine. The container will have a scale on the label, with blocks of colour to compare to the strip. You check for ketosis by passing the strip through your urine. The ketosis strip will turn a certain colour after about 15-20 seconds.

I’ve found the best way to do this is to follow a plan that consists of three low-carb days & one high-carb day. You continue to cycle the days until you reach your desired goal. The high-carb days are important for a few reasons. Firstly, it throws your metabolism off & tricks your body into thinking it has come off the diet. If you continue to have low-carb days, your body will eventually adapt to this & slow its metabolism down to compensate for the lower caloric intake. This is known as’ homeostasis’, - your body trying to maintain a balance. Having a high-carb day ‘fools’ the body. But, after a longer period of time, your body will adapt to the three low-carb days & one high-carb day as well.

Another reason to have high-carb days is to replenish glycogen stores. Glycogen is the body’s storage form of carbohydrates found in the liver & muscles. Since glycogen is combined together with water, the extra volume in the muscle cells causes the muscles to appear larger. Muscles deprived of glycogen are small & flat whereas muscles full of glycogen are big & full. I’m sure most people would prefer the latter!

The final reason to have high-carb days comes from a health standpoint. After following a strict low-carb diet for three days in a row, you can become mentally & physically drained. For this reason, you should give your body a break from the routine every fourth day. After the high-carb day, you will again feel full of energy, more alert & ready to go into the next three days.

After doing the carb cycling for 4-6 weeks, you should reevaluate what progress you have made. If you’re getting close to your desired bodyfat, you may want to cut back to two low-carb days & one high-carb day. This will prevent your body from adapting & slowing down its metabolism. You could even cycle low, moderate & high carbohydrate days to ‘throw’ your body off. When you have reached your desired bodyfat level, you can alternate low-carb & high-carb days, or even have ‘moderate’ carb days all week long. The best measure of progress is how you look in the mirror & how you are feeling. The scales, tape measure & bodyfat percentage can only say so much.

I have outlined a sample low & high carb day that can be used. The high-carb day also incorporates higher glycemic index carb sources. If you get hungry in the middle of the night on the low-carb days, I’d recommend having a scoop of protein to keep you going until the morning. When it comes to fat loss, carbohydrates are the variable. After you have reached your desired goal, you can follow more general guidelines that will become a part of your everyday lifestyle.

LOW-CARB DAY.

Meal 1: 5 egg whites, 2 yolks. 4oz. turkey burger, 8 strawberries or a pear.

Meal 2: 6oz. chicken breast, half cup of oatmeal.

Meal 3: (Post-workout) 2 scoops of whey protein, half tbsp lecithin granules.

Meal 4: 6oz. chicken breast, 2-3 cups of mixed green salad, 1tbsp olive oil & vinegar.

Meal 5: 6oz. chicken breast, 1 cup of broccoli or green beans.

Meal 6: 4oz. turkey burger, 5 egg whites, 1 cup of vegetables for the omelet.

Meal 7: 1-2 scoops of casein protein, 1 tbsp flaxseed oil.

HIGH-CARB DAY.

Meal 1: 9 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, half cup of raisins.

Meal 2: 6oz. chicken breast, 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 banana.

Meal 3: (post-workout) 2 scoops of whey protein, half tbsp lecithin granules.

Meal 4: 6oz. chicken breast, 1 cup of brown rice, 1 cup of broccoli or green beans.

Meal 5: 6oz. chicken breast,6oz. baked potato, 1 cup of mixed green salad, 1 tbsp olive oil & vinegar.

Meal 6: 4oz. turkey burger, 5 egg whites, 1 apple or pear.

Meal 7: 1-2 scoops of casein protein, 1 tbsp flaxseed oil.

WEEKLY CARB-CYCLING PLAN SAMPLE.

Sunday: Low

Monday: Moderate

Tuesday: Low

Wednesday: High

Thursday: Low

Friday: Low

Saturday: High

When used correctly, I believe that carb-cyling can be a very effective way of losing bodyfat while preserving your muscle mass.

The Rise & rise of Green Tea.

THE RISE AND RISE OF GREEN TEA!

Based on continued research, Green Tea has increasingly been given the ‘green light’.

To be totally honest, Green Tea does not work miracles. It will not make you ten years younger, lose two stone or help you to run the next London Marathon. But, dig beneath the media hype and you will discover that there really is some truth in the good news about this everyday beverage. Although Green Tea will not cure all your ills, based on recent evidence you may consider adding it as a weapon in your arsenal of fitness techniques, fat loss and healthy living choices.

GREEN TEA BENEFITS

What are some of these promising, positive results? The list is long! Some sound and tested literature claims that it lowers the risk of heart disease and improves resistance to some cancers. It is also believed to help in fat-burning.

IMPROVED GLUCOSE TOLERANCE

In March 2008, the University of Birmingham claimed that ingesting an acute dose of Green Tea extract can lead to improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in healthy young men. Glucose tolerance reflects how quickly and effectively your body clears sugars, and a glucose tolerance test is routinely used to check for diabetes and insulin resistance.

A HEALTHY SMILE

Studies in Japan and New York have shown that Green Tea may provide benefits in fighting tooth decay and cavities. As you may know oral problems are closely linked to heart disease.

A BELLY FAT BLASTER

A recent article in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that Green Tea catechin – (an antioxidant) – consumption enhances exercise-induced changes in abdominal fat and fasting serum triglycerides – in other words, it has fat-blasting benefits.

IMPROVED BLOOD FLOW

Green Tea can help in sports performance and training by improving blood flow to working muscles. This would also help the clearance of by-products from training and improved recovery. As a post workout beverage, Green Tea would certainly assist in helping prevent catabolism.

A SUMMARY OF THE BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA

The source of the magic of Green Tea seems to come from the content of catechins. Catechins are antioxidants that are thought to fight heart disease, cancer, stroke diabetes and numerous other health problems.

HEART DISEASE

Green Tea has been shown to reverse endothelial dysfunction. A recent study showed that just thirty minutes after drinking at least two cups, the endothelia cells that line your circulatory system dilate. This relaxes your veins and arteries which allows blood and nutrients to flow through properly.

FOCUS

Theanine, the amino acid found in Green Tea, has been shownto increase alertness, just like caffine, but without the jitters! Theanine can also increase the levels of dopamine and serotonin-neurotramsmitters in the brain that help to keep the mind focused. Try replacing the odd black coffee with a cup of Green Tea.

STRONGER BONES

The caffine, fluroride and phytoestrogen found in Green Tea help to increase bone mineral density in regular drinkers.

IMPROVED INSULIN CONTROL

Improving your glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. A cup if Green Tea with at least three days of activity has been shown to help stabilize high blood sugar levels. This also helps to keep you lean because your body uses energy more efficiently.

LESS BODYFAT

Three days of exercise combined with at least three cups of Green Tea per day can reduce abdominal fat! This was shown to be the case in a study in the Journal of Nutrition after only three months.

In conclusion, it seems that you have nothing to lose and everything to gain from making this powerful herb part of your daily ritual.

Photoshoot preparations.

PHOTOSHOOT PREPARATIONS AND TIPS

Many of my clients have asked me recently how I prepare for a magazine photoshoot, and if I have any suggestions for the last few days before the shoot.

Firstly, I would like to say that it is useless to leave preparing for a photoshoot to the last minute – it really is a lifestyle that should be followed. However, I have seen many models work hard for months preparing for a competition/shoot, only to blow it in the last few days and end up looking either ‘flat’ or ‘bloated’. Here are a few strategies I use myself to optimize a lean, vascular muscular look on the day:

HYDRATION

Proper hydration (or controlled dehydration) is the key. In order to look as pumped, lean, ripped and vascular as possible, you need to pull as much water out from under the skin as possible. To do this you must:

(1) CONTROL WATER INTAKE

Contrary to some popular belief, you ‘do not’ want to cut back on water intake for days on end before your shoot. If you do this your body will simply adjust by slowing renal clearance from the body. So I keep drinking plenty of water right up to 26 – 36 hours before the shoot. At that time, I drop my water intake to about 1 -2 quarts on the day before, then only take sips of water on the day.

(2) SODIUM LOADING AND DEPLETION

This helps to trick the body into releasing subcutaneous water in the days preceding the shoot. Ten days before I double my usual sodium intake. After four days I cut sodium to 2 grams a day or less. This is from ‘all’ food sources, not just table salt.

(3) RED WINE

Interestingly and quite surprisingly, red wine is a strong vasodilator and can help improve short term vascularity. 4 – 6 ounces of good red wine 30 – 45 minutes before the shoot works well.

(4) GLYCEROL

Glycerol is a water ‘sponge’ that tends to pull water from elsewhere and hold it in the vascular system. So I take about 30 grams of glycerol (2tablespoons) about 45 – 60 minutes before the shoot. I mix it in 4 ounces of water.

(5) CARB DEPLETING AND CARB LOADING

I use this strategy to increase the amount of glycerol stores in the muscles. The more glycerol in the muscles, the fuller and more pumped they look. To achieve this, I cut the carbs in my diet back by 50% six days before the shoot. I make sure to replace the missing carb calories with fat and protein. Then, two days before, I hit the carbs hard! They make up to 65 – 70% of my diet in these days. I also add 300 milligrams of alpha – lipoic acid with each high carb meal. This helps to ‘super load’ muscle glycogen.

(6) PROTEIN

During the last few days I do not eat over 100 grams of protein per day. This is because as you intentionally dehydrate the body, high protein loads may be hard on the kidneys.

Finally, bodies differ and so do their reactions to these methods. Therefore, I suggest that anyone wanting to try them should do a ‘trial run’ beforehand to see how they affect their own body. They can be tweaked to suit each individual.

I hope these tips help to shed some light on what may seem a very complicated process!

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Mini Motivations

MINI MOTIVATIONS

TIPS TO KEEP YOU ON TRACK WITH YOUR FITNESS GOALS THIS AUTUMN

STICKY NOTES – EVERWHERE!

Don’t let yourself forget the commitment you have made. Remind yourself constantly by having motivational words on sticky notes placed where you will see them throughout the day. For example, put a note on your fridge saying: ‘Nothing tastes as good as being in great shape feels!’ Or put a note on your car dashboard saying: ‘Forever forward towards my goal.’

POSITIVE SELF TALK

Telling yourself you have the power to grow, change and improve yourself will help you to believe in it. Start every day with a positive affirmation such as ‘Today I will lose weight by eating healthy and living an active lifestyle.’ Repeat these words several times in your head even before you get out of bed. This is the best way to start your day. Before you know it, there will be no goal you cannot conquer!

PICTURE PERFECT

Find an old photo of yourself (maybe from years ago), when you felt confident and happy with your body. It should be a time when you were healthy and in good shape. Place the photo where you will see it several times a day, such as your diary, wallet or use it as a bookmark. This ‘visual’ will help motivate you when you may feel like giving up on dedication.

HUNT FOR YOUR ‘SKINNY JEANS.’

Are you still holding on to some old clothing that you love and are hoping that one day you will be able to wear again? Well, dust it off and put it on display! Hang it where you can see it every day as you get dressed to remind you of your goal. Old outfits tend to carry memories of good times shared while wearing them. The strong sense of memory can create a huge boost in your motivation.

TREAT YOURSELF

If you have been consistent with your workouts and have eaten healthily for 4-5 days , allow yourself a chocolate bar, ice cream or pizza which you have been craving. This will not only help you to stay on track, but it will also keep you sane along the way. Our bodies may not ‘need’ the little treats to function properly, but often it feels as if our minds do! So pat yourself on the back and enjoy a small indulgence.

Always remember, being healthy and living an active lifestyle should be fun and entertaining. Be creative with ways to help motivate yourself and enjoy the journey to better well being!

Autumn Motivation

AUTUMN MOTIVATION

During the spring and summer months, it is not too difficult to get motivated to exercise. The hot weather and long evenings often mean we will be wearing less and want to look our best. When autumn arrives, however, inspiration to work out is harder to find. Here are some tried and tested principles to help improve your strength, fitness and physique as autumn approaches:

Variety is not only the spice of life, but also the secret weapon that helps blast through training barriers.

ATTACK YOUR WEAKNESSES – it is easy to slip into a pattern where you emphasize working muscle groups you have had most success in training and ignore groups that lag behind. Why? Because we like to do things that we know we do well and we know we get results from. By the same token, we hobble through parts of our workouts where we have been less successful, using poor form with low energy. We can use the new autumn season as an opportunity to look at our weaknesses as challenges to be undertaken. Take an honest look at your present condition, and think about the parts of your training programme and body development that you feel are weaknesses. Plan a set of goals and prepare to vigorously transform weaknesses into strengths. Here are a few ideas on how you might approach this:

(1) STUDY UP!

Read up on how to master training and nutrition techniques and strategies that target your weakness. Consult a personal trainer or nutritionist who is an expert in the area you wish to target. Attack your goal with the confidence that preparation provides.

(2) Identify the body parts you wish to improve- for example, if you are unhappy with the way your abdominals have developed take a photo of them (before) and make a programme of say 10 – 12 weeks to turn things around. Then take another photo (after).

(3) ATTACK WITH A SENSE OF PURPOSE AND FUN

Think of the targeted area, not as a weakness, but as an opportunity to have some fun by taking on a new challenge. Make it a positive experience from the first workout to the last.

(4) FOLLOW THROUGH

Be careful not to let up on your intensity after you reach the halfway point of your training programme. Instead of letting your energy wane in the middle or latter half of the project, make a commitment to maintain a good, solid pace to the end.

(5) ESTABLISH SPORT SPECIFIC GOALS

When was the last time you enjoyed an athletic competition? It is a great way to burn away any boredom that has crept into your overall fitness regime, which can happen if you have been at it for a while. Having a competition goal at the end of a multi week or month training programme can work wonders. Here are a few activities that are fun to participate in and add extra purpose to your strength and cardio training:

Ten Kilometer running race.

A short distance triathlon.

Rock climbing.

Mountain bike competition.

Martial arts classes.

Swimming competition.

Sunday football team.

(6) GET A CHANGE OF SCENERY

Have a look around other gyms and fitness centres and look for one that has a fresh appeal – perhaps one with a more high energy atmosphere to help fire up your training.

(7) TAKE SOME TIME OFF

While this may sound like the worst thing to do, if you are stuck on a plateau, a week or two away from the gym might be just what your body needs. Take some time to do those recreational activities that you have been sacrificing for your training, such as reading a good book, taking up a new hobby, going for long hikes in the woods or spending more time with your family and friends. After your well-deserved break you can return to your training with a vengeance!

CREATINE MONOHYDRATE

I know that within the sports and fitness industry creatine monohydrate or creatine, has, for some time, been known as a powerful supplement that ‘works’. It has probably helped more athletes and weight trainers gain more size and strength faster than anything else in history, with the one exception of anabolic steroids. This might sound like hype, but it really has been proven to be extremely effective. I will not waste time reviewing age-old information about creatine. I would like to share with you some fascinating things I have learned recently from some top scientific experts about how to maximize the effects of creatine.

Firstly, creatine ‘plus carbohydrate’ may be one of, if not the best athlete supplement on the market. That is because solid scientific research now points out the fact that creatine works better when it is consumed with a potent insulin-releasing carbohydrate source like dextrose (glucose) – much better!

A recent study in the United States found that athletes who consumed creatine ‘plus carbohydrates’ gained more lean mass, jumped higher , ran faster and gained more strength than athletes who used regular creatine. In fact, the ‘creatine plus carbohydrates’ athletes boosted their anaerobic performance 30% more than the athletes who used regular creatine. This is quite amazing when you consider how powerful regular creatine is! Athletes and serious weight trainers who do not use or at least know of creatine are rare and at a serious disadvantage to those who do.

I have done much research on this powerful, natural supplement and I have learned some interesting facts. For example, creatine was discovered in 1832 by a French scientist named Chevreal, who named it after the Greek word for flesh!

In 1923, scientists discovered the average human body contains over 100 grams of creatine and that over 95% of that is stored n muscle tissue. A pound of beef contains 2 grams of creatine and so does a pound of salmon. A pound of tuna contains 1.8 grams and herring is the king when it comes to creatine-providing foods – containing 3 grams of creatine per pound!

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS CREATINE AND HOW DOES IT ENHANCE MUSCLE SIZE AND STRENGTH GAINS?

Creatine is a compound that is naturally made in our bodies to supply energy to our muscles. Chemically, it is called ‘methylguanido – acetic acid’. Creatine is formed from the amino acids arginine, methionine and glycine. It is manufactured in the liver and may also be produced in the pancreas and kidneys. It is transported in the blood and taken up by muscle cells, where it is converted to creatine phosphate (CP). This reaction involves the enzyme creatine kinase which helps bond creatine to a high energy phosphate group.

The average person metabolizes about 2 grams of creatine per day, and that same amount is normally synthesized by the body – so you generally maintain a creatine balance. Once it is bound to a phosphate group, it is permanently stored in a cell as phosphocreatine until it is used to produce chemical energy called ATP. When this takes place, creatine can be released to instantly form creatinine, which is then removed from the blood via the kidneys and excreted in the urine.

Although creatine supplementation can raise blood creatinine, it has never been shown to be harmful to the kidneys. The richest source of creatine in food is in animal muscle – for example, meats and fish. However, to increase athletic performance and boost lean body mass, creatine must be taken in concentrations which are not found in whole foods alone, for example, you would have to consume ten pounds of raw steak each day for five days to load your body with creatine!

The goal of a weight trainer is to use progressive resistance exercise to force the muscles to adapt and grow. This increased work load can be achieved in many ways: by increasing the force of contraction through increased resistance such as when lifting heavier weights, by increasing the duration of the time that the muscle is under tension, and by increasing the frequency of exercise.

Creatine helps in three ways, it helps build lean body mass, which allows still greater force to be used, it provides energy so the duration of exercise can be lengthened and the speed of recovery to exercise frequency can be increased.

SUGGESTION FOR INTAKE

The amount of new body bulding/fitness supplements is growing all the time and it can be confusing knowing what is best for you. However, this one has been tested over and over again and you can’t really go wrong! Use a creatine supplement with a high glycemic carbohydrate source to load your muscles. Use 20-30 grams of creatine a day and then cut back to 5-15 grams a day for a maintenance dose. If you are like many people (including me) you will notice a dramatic increase in size and strength. You will get better pumps in the gym, you will notice that your muscles are stronger and ‘fuller’. It is the closest thing to date to have the effect of an illegal anabolic steroid but it is natural.