Oat and date balls are a quick, on the go snack. Make them ahead of time and keep them around to pop in your mouth when you’re a little peckish!
Ingredients
1 cup dates
2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
1 tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
Method
Place dates in a pot of water and bring to the boil.
Drain the dates and put the liquid into a container and set aside for later.
Place drained dates, coconut, peanut butter, oats and cacao powder in a food processor or a blender.
Place the mixture into a bowl.
Slowly add roughly 1/4 of the date liquid to the mix (you may need a little more liquid than this, add it slowly until the mix holds its shape. If you accidentally add too much liquid add a little more of the other dry ingredients to balance).
Mix the wet and dry ingredients together.
Roll mixture into 12 balls and store in the fridge or freezer.
Roll in extra coconut if desired.
Make extra and freeze them for a last-minute snack
You’ve heard of chicken soup for the soul, well you have to try our chicken bowl for the soul! A hearty and nutritious meal, perfect for lunch or dinner!
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 bell peppers, any colour, sliced
1 large red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chicken seasoning
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 jar tomato pasta sauce
3 cups brown rice (680 g), cooked
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
1 can corn
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (100 g)
Method
Preheat oven to 200˚C.
Line a baking tray with foil.
Place the chicken, peppers, and onions onto the baking tray and drizzle with oil.
Sprinkle the chicken seasoning evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts.
Sprinkle salt and pepper on the bell peppers and onions, tossing to coat.
Top each chicken breast with a generous pour of tomato pasta sauce.
Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes.
Rest chicken for 10 minutes, before slicing into strips.
Add a base of brown rice to 4 bowls or sealed containers. Top each with a scoop of black beans, corn, additional tomato pasta sauce, cheddar cheese, cooked bell peppers, and onions, and sliced chicken.
Enjoy immediately or store in the refrigerator. Can be kept refrigerated for up to 4 days.
The trial month of 2020 is over and as we wave goodbye to January, it’s time to remember those resolutions before they become a distant memory. Now that the January excitement has died down, the gym won’t be as busy and you can now establish a fitness plan (and stick to it).
A fitness plan doesn’t mean spending 3 grueling hours at the gym every single day with one of those hours devoted to the treadmill. A fitness plan needs to be something you’re excited about and motivated to keep up with, that’s how to remain consistent.
No matter your goals or the plan you decide to use, 2020 is definitely the year for you to smash some goals!
Why you need a fitness plan
We’ve all seen the fitness fanatics on Instagram who love to sell their online fitness plans and as much as they try and force you to believe that you simply cannot workout without one – there is a little method behind the madness.
Having a plan means you’re more likely to stick to something and you’re more likely to succeed.
Firstly, I think it is amazing that you’ve made the decision to get active and well done for taking that first step but failing to have a plan when starting a new lifestyle can result in burnout from lack of results. In the end, you’re more likely to quit so it’s time to change the narrative you’ve grown used to.
How to establish a fitness plan
First things first, we are not here to tell you what to do, you need to find exactly what works for you, this is just a guide to get you started and remind you that having a plan is the key to success.
1. Be realistic with your scheduling
We would all love it if we could workout every single day for over an hour but at the end of the day, for most of us, this isn’t possible.
I remember when I was in university, I found it so easy to make it to the gym but as life goes on, we get busier and our schedules quickly fill up with meetings, deadlines, projects and commitments (social or otherwise).
Which is why it is essential to create a schedule that you can stick to so start out with fewer days and gradually increase them as you develop a new routine or simply keep it to 2-3 days a week and move it around to suit you.
It is YOUR schedule and you don’t need to feel guilty about it.
2. Find something you enjoy
Standing in the weights section at the gym isn’t for everyone – and that’s okay! If you want to master the weight section though, this could help you.
Start trying different things out and see what works for you. Go for a run, join a yoga or boxing class or sign up for the gym. If you find something you hate, move on from it, there is no correct way to exercise and if you do something you hate, you’re more likely to give it up because let’s be honest, I’d rather lay on the couch than endure an hour and a half of running.
3. Set goals
Your goals don’t have to be based on appearance (although they certainly can be, if that’s what you’re looking for). Exercise is wonderful for both your mental and physical health too.
Take a step back and identify what you want to gain from becoming more active and write them down. Make sure you refer back to these goals every now and then to make sure you’re staying on track and just to give yourself a little reminder of what you want to achieve.
4. Start slow
One mistake you can make is going too hard on your first day. Getting active is exciting and you might want to jump in full force but by going too hard too soon, you risk injuring yourself or making your muscles so stiff that you wouldn’t want to do it again!
5. Give yourself a break
Perfection doesn’t exist and it’s so easy to get swept up in everyday life and end up missing a day or two. It’s perfectly normal and doesn’t mean you’ve failed.
All you need to do is make up for it the next time you can fit a workout in.
6. Get an accountability buddy
You might be motivated to workout but actually doing it can be a little difficult (we know the struggle). This is when having an accountability buddy comes in handy! Find a friend or family member that you can rely on to help keep you motivated and ready to smash your goals. You both can help one another make it to the gym more often than not.
This is merely a little plan to help get you started, once you’ve figured out the above, it’s time to plan your workout routines (you can look here for some inspiration!).
Getting out of the mindset of what society deems necessary and remembering your capable of anything you set your mind to is the beginning to a successful fitness routine that you can stick to!
Oh, and by the way, if you want a 12-week training plan that really works, then have a look at our Better Body Blueprint. It’s packed with healthy and simple meals, effective workouts and tried and tested advice.
Have you heard about nutrient timing? Either from a fitness guru on Instagram or one of your friends who is always the first to try any of the latest and greatest health trends. The term sounds so legitimate and the way this term has been thrown around in the “fitness industry”, you probably feel like you need to know more about it.
So, let’s dive in shall we? What is nutrient timing? Is it necessary to eat at a certain time? And will it have an actual effect on your body?
Let’s take a look at the facts and fibs that surround this topic!
What is nutrient timing?
Simply put, nutrient timing involves eating foods at strategic times in order to achieve certain outcomes. It’s supposedly very important for muscle growth, sports performance and fat loss. If you’ve ever run for a scoop of peanut butter before a workout or panicked if you forgot to have your protein shake right after a workout – that is nutrient timing.
It surrounds the idea that your body will develop better or secure better results if you eat at certain times of the day and when it is more optimal. This way of eating has been used by bodybuilders and fitness competitors for up to 50 years now and many studies have been conducted on it.
One of the world’s leading researchers in carbohydrate timing, Dr John Ivy, has published many studies showing its potential benefits. In 2004, he published a book called Nutrient Timing: The Future of Sports Nutrition. This is just one of the many researchers who believe nutrient timing is key!
But like with anything, there are some doubts about the studies, for example:
Short-term blood markers: Many of the studies only measure short-term blood markers, which often fail to measure up with long-term benefits. Have a look at this article on the matter.
Ultra-endurance athletes: Many of the studies follow extreme endurance athletes, which do not necessarily represent the average everyday person.
For these reasons, the findings in much of the research that supports nutrient timing may not apply to everyone.
When should you be eating your meals?
We don’t mean just eating morning, noon and night.
Nutrient timing extends further than just eating before or after a workout. You probably have that one work colleague who is always going on about a new “health” trend. We guarantee that some point you’ve heard, “you shouldn’t eat carbs after 6 pm” or “you should eat more in the morning and less in the evening”.
Many people think that the reason you gain more weight if you eat late at night is that you have less opportunity to burn off those calories, but this is a very basic view. It’s often assumed that our bodies shut down when we sleep, but that’s not true. Our bodies work throughout the night while our minds rest.
BUT evidence suggests that more energy is used to process a meal when it’s eaten in the morning, compared to later in the day, so you do burn slightly more calories if you eat earlier. However, it’s still unclear how much of a difference this would make to your overall body weight.
This means that it may be a better idea to consume higher quantities of food earlier in the day and focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods later in the evening. For some healthy recipe ideas, take a look at this article.
So, what do we make of this?
Here’s the bottom-line, research isn’t always perfect or conclusive. There may be some accurate points of measure in these studies but there may be a few fibs along the way too.
We’ve come to understand that nutrient timing isn’t particularly important for most people trying to look and feel better. It may be more beneficial to those whose careers are centred around working out but so many really smart and hard-working people are getting lost in the finer points of nutrient timing.
Focusing on timing your meals while consistently missing out on sleep, or vegetables or other (slightly more important) health and lifestyle factors is more of detriment to your body. The other factors will yield you far more results in a healthy lifestyle in the long run than merely focusing on the timing of your meals.
A healthy lifestyle is a holistic approach with many factors to consider, if this is something you’re concerned about or if you need more information, we’d be happy to help!
With the influx of new and trendy diets, it’s not only difficult to find one that suits you but it’s also difficult to understand the differences between them all. If you’ve researched new ways of eating, you’ve definitely stumbled across the words ‘keto’ and ‘paleo’ at one time or another. But what are these two diets and what makes them different from one another?
We’ve taken the time to discuss both of these lifestyles separately and include the pros and cons of each. This will enable you to decide for yourself which one (if any) of these diets will work for you.
Let’s dive right in!
What is Keto?
Keto is short for the ketogenic diet which is high in fat (70 – 80% of calories), moderate protein, and very low in carbs (20 – 50 grams per day). While it may seem like it’s new, it’s been used as a medical diet for over a century, it was originally used for children with epilepsy.
A keto diet shifts your body from a carb-burning one into a fat-burning one, a process called ketosis that produces ketone bodies. It’s these ketones that are thought to act on the brain to prevent seizures.
Reducing carbs low enough to hit the 20 – 50 g of carbs a day means that you’ll be getting the majority of your calories from fat (avocado, olive oil, cheese, cream, butter, nuts, seeds), some protein (eggs, meat, fish, seafood) which means you’ll need to avoid most sources of carbs, including grains, legumes, fruit, starchy vegetables (yes, some vegetables are high in carbs) and any sugar. Carbs are thus eaten in the form of nonstarchy vegetables, like broccoli, leafy greens, and zucchini.
The keto diet is not only used to aid children with epilepsy but a blog by Harvard Health points out that some people with type 2 diabetes are also using this diet to control their blood sugar levels.
What is Paleo?
Also known as the caveman diet, the paleo diet is where you’d opt for foods that are considered to have been eaten by Paleolithic-era people. Once eaten in a hunter-gatherer society, a paleo menu consists of very simple foods like meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and roots. On the other hand, you do not eat legumes, grains, most dairy products, and refined sugar.
Over time, the diet has become less strict, and some groups have expanded it to include foods like honey, maple syrup, or grass-fed butter. People who follow this diet plan focus on getting energy from animal products that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates.
The difference between the two
The ketogenic diet focuses on manipulating the three macronutrients: fat, carbs, and protein. The Paleo diet is more about food choices. You eliminate dairy, grains and processed foods, but balance the macronutrients any way you want.
Both the Keto and the paleo diet share their low-carb DNA but have been developed for vastly different purposes.
The main differences include:
The amount of fat differs. For the paleo diet, you consume a small amount of fat but fat is the main focus of the Keto diet.
Paleo doesn’t allow dairy and soy, while keto does, although certain types of dairy are better than others. For example, flavoured yoghurt is off-limits, but full-fat plain Greek yoghurt is okay occasionally. Meanwhile, you can eat as much high-fat cheese like feta and cheddar as you want.
Compared with keto, Paleo allows more veggie variety. That means you may do better on Paleo if you enjoy eating a lot of fruit and starchy vegetables.
There are many pros and cons to both diets but before you choose, think about which foods you are okay with giving up.
The problem with both of these approaches is sustainability. They similarly promote an almost carbohydrate-free-diet but the truth is your body needs carbohydrates to survive. Carbs provide glucose that balances the blood sugar and increases energy levels. Both the ketogenic and Paleo diets will promote weight loss, but keeping it off is a different story. Once you start eating carbs again, you run the risk of quicker weight gain.
Our final thoughts
Both lifestyles have proved effective in both men and women. Both can make you feel strong and healthy but it can be difficult concentrating on what you can’t eat and what you can. Often, a lifestyle with many restrictions can make you more obsessive and fixated on your food.
Depending on your requirements and your preferences, both of these diets can work well for you but a well-balanced meal plan that includes a variety of healthy foods and smaller portions can be just as effective and beneficial. If you’re still struggling with what will work best for you, contact us for a personal assessment.
A new year is always the promise of a fresh start. We go into every new year with the mindset that things will be different and we need to reset and make this year better than the last. Although we have all of these great intentions, we often create unrealistic and unhealthy resolutions that we’re bound to give up on.
This doesn’t put you in the right mindset to start the year on a positive note and prevents you from achieving the goals you’ve set out to.
It’s time to change the narrative of new year’s resolutions and create healthy resolutions that you can stick to!
What are New Year’s Resolutions?
A new year’s resolution is a promise to yourself and only yourself. It is something you want to change in the new year, something that will get you closer to achieving more or bigger goals and a way of bettering yourself as each year goes by.
At the end of the year, we usually sit down and compile a list of resolutions we hope to stick to in the new year that will make us feel better or help us achieve more.
More often than not, we create resolutions that end up making us feel worse about ourselves and in the back of our minds, we know we won’t stick to any of them.
Changing the resolutions narrative
It’s time to stop thinking about resolutions as something you hope to stick to but will probably get over by the time March rolls around but see them as small changes you can make to live a happier, healthier lifestyle.
How to make healthy resolutions you can stick to
1. Concentrate on quality rather than quantity
Rather focus on a few realistic resolutions that you are more likely to accomplish. It is better to focus on things you know you can change rather than trying to change every single thing you aren’t happy with. Small slow steps will create progressive changes in other aspects of your life.
2. Clearly define your goals
Have a direct indication of what you want to achieve and exactly how you want to do it. Step away from resolutions like “go to the gym more this year” and focus more on a resolution like “being physically active at least 2-3 times a week”. This resolution gives you a clearer outline of what you need to do in order to succeed and it gives you more options to be active instead of only focusing on going to the gym.
3. Write them down
Studies show that we are more likely to follow or achieve goals when they are written down. You need to have them clearly written down and in a place that you will look at and revisit often.
Hint: stick them on your fridge!
4. Plan on how you’ll overcome setbacks
Perfection doesn’t exist. As much as you try to do everything the way you want to and as much as you strive for perfection, life happens. There are setbacks that come in a variety of forms but that doesn’t mean you aren’t doing the best that you can. It merely means that you have had one set back, not that you have failed.
Identify possible setbacks that may come your way and have a plan B on how you are going to navigate your way around them so that it doesn’t impact your resolution.
5. Track your progress
Track how far you’ve come and where you’re going. This will be a motivating factor for you to keep going, constantly reminding yourself that you’ve got this and you’re doing so well.
In the same breath, you need to keep revisiting your resolutions. We tend to write them down and that’s it, as the year goes by we forget about them. Make sure that you look back at your resolutions and keep them in mind as you track your progress.
6. Consider a wellness coach
Most resolutions centre around health and fitness and while it’s easy to write that down as a resolution, achieving it is a different story.
A wellness coach may sound like an over the top thing to consider but their goal is to help you change your lifestyle and will make sure you achieve your goals.
Some healthy resolutions to consider
We have a few resolutions we consider to be healthy and will help you move forward in a positive direction as we enter the new decade.
Focus on yourself, remind yourself to love you first. There are many ways to do this, find out more here.
Be more active but more than just hitting the gym. There are many ways to get a workout in and increase your activity levels rather than torturing yourself doing something you detest.
Changing your diet. Now we don’t mean finding a new, trending diet where you can have a grape for breakfast and smell an apple for dinner. We mean finding a way to change your lifestyle that suits you, your goals and won’t damage your mental health. Consider this article for more intel into how to do this.
Resolutions shouldn’t be these annoying little things that you’ll never achieve or you’ll just forget about. They should be goals that will enable you to better yourself and your lifestyle as each year passes by.
Intermittent fasting is not about starving yourself or eating as little as possible, there is far more to it than that. This new lifestyle has quickly become increasingly popular as celebs, competitors and ordinary people embark on this new way of eating. The only struggle is perfecting this way of eating to ensure you feel your best while reaping all of the benefits.
A little bit about intermittent fasting…
Our article on intermittent fasting has the whole story on exactly how it all works but in short, intermittent fasting is famous for promoting good health and weight loss. It involves timing your meals and eating at certain times of the day. Just like the name suggests, you’ll fast for some part of the day and eat at a specific time. It is one of the few diet (for lack of a better word) plans that actually allows you to eat what you like (well, to a certain extent).
By lowering appetite and aiding burning of more calories, intermittent fasting can actually help you with weight loss, some research has found. A number of people have also reported having more energy.
The timing of meals can affect your 24-hour energy metabolism. Coordinating your meals with circadian rhythms can work as a powerful strategy for reducing appetite and improving metabolic health.
Now you know what it is, how do you make it work?
Tips to make intermittent fasting work for you
1. Plan plan plan
As the saying goes, “failing to plan is planning to fail”. Ideas come and go but until we plan exactly how we’re going to implement these ideas into action, it’s not going to happen.
Take a look at the various types of intermittent fasting and choose a time period that suits you best. From there you should plan when you’re going to eat and exactly what you’ll be eating too. By having a detailed plan and by meal prepping some meals, you will be more inclined to follow the plan and remain consistent.
2. Stay hydrated
Drink lots of water and calorie-free drinks, such as herbal teas, throughout the day. This will curb any feelings of hunger and will keep you from snacking or breaking your fast.
3. Don’t obsess about your food
Plan plenty of distractions on fasting days to avoid thinking about food, such as catching up on some work, working out or going to see a movie. This will ensure you don’t sit around thinking about food and how you ‘can’t’ have it. This is something that requires some getting used to because we are programmed to want to eat any time we experience a bit of hunger.
You need to be able to fight past the feelings of hunger!
4. Try not to overindulge – strive to eat clean
‘Strive to eat clean’ – we don’t mean that your first meal should be a salad and a glass of water (then what’s the point in fasting?). What we mean is you should try to make every calorie count by selecting nutrient-dense foods that are rich in protein, fibre, and healthy fats. Examples include beans, lentils, eggs, fish, nuts, and avocado. By doing this, you will feel full and satisfied for longer. You can see some examples of these meals here.
5. Be consistent
It takes a while to establish a new routine and get used to doing something different. Every new diet or lifestyle will take time to reflect changes on your body. You have to follow it religiously and consistently for at least a few weeks for it to work and for you to become accustomed to eating that way.
6. Exercise regularly
Exercise is a great way to increase endorphins and make you feel great. Now we don’t mean spending countless hours at the gym torturing yourself on the treadmill.
Intermittent fasting comes with the added benefit of making you feel healthier (as it involves syncing your mealtimes with your body’s circadian rhythm). Combining it with exercising is going to be all the more beneficial in terms of making you feel healthy and burning calories. Regular exercise can include going for walks, hiking, working out with a friend (etc), you can make it something you’re excited about rather than something you hate.
Intermittent fasting is just like any other new thing you try, you need to remain consistent with it and fight through some of the uncomfortable feelings you may experience. When your body is used to a certain lifestyle, it takes a while for it to adjust and feel good again. But remember, every diet is different and the outcome is unique to each individual so be sure to do what’s best for you!
The holidays are a time for spending time with loved ones and friends, eating some delicious food and more importantly, relaxing.
When it comes to the holiday period, we seem to spend a lot more time with our feet up than we do hitting the gym or working out. And who can blame us? We’ve worked incredibly hard throughout the year and we deserve a break.
But getting in a workout doesn’t have to require the gym, equipment or even a lot of effort. In fact, all it takes is a little dedication and just 30 minutes of your time. That’s it. And afterwards, you will be left feeling a little less guilty about eating three helpings of pudding last night and a little more energised and happy!
How this guide works
All of these exercises can be done in the comfort of your own home. We’ll take you through the various exercises and how they are done, then we will apply them to a sweat-creating, muscle-making, heavy-breathing kind of workout (seriously, it’s a great one!).
Start in a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart. Then, extending your arms in front of you, lower your body into a seated position. You can do this against a wall with your back straight up against the wall. Basically, you get into a seated position, but without the chair.
Hold this for one minute.
2. Standing side-leg raises
Target muscles: Core and hips
Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart. Start by lifting your right leg out toward the side, keep your core tight as you slowly lift your leg. Then return it back to the starting position. Make sure this is a slow and controlled movement, extending your leg to just over 45 degrees (if you can).
Repeat with each side for 10 to 15 reps per side.
3. Oblique side bends
Target muscles: Obliques
Starting in the standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands behind your head (clasping the back of your head with your fingers intertwined). Engage your core and bend at your waist to the right toward the floor – in a slow and controlled motion. Then repeat on the other side.
Do this for 15 to 20 reps per side.
4. Sumo squat
Target muscles: Inner thighs
Start by standing with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outwards. With your hands clasped together at your chest (this will help with balance), push your hips back and then squat down – make sure you keep your back straight and your upper body lifted.
Repeat this 10 to 15 times.
5. Push-ups
Target muscles: Triceps, chest, core and shoulders
This is a great upper body exercise!
Start with your stomach and chest on the floor. Your legs should be straight out behind you and your palms should be in line with your chest. Push from your heels and hands as you bring your chest, torso and thighs off the floor. Then slowly lower yourself back down and repeat.
An easier pushup version: It makes it a little easier if, instead of your feet being on the mat, you bring your heels towards your butt and then, press slowly through your hands to fully extend the elbows. Then slowly return to the starting position (flat on the floor).
Repeat 5 to 10 times.
6. Glute raises
Target muscles: Glutes
Start by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Keep your arms down at your side with palms facing down.
Slowly lift your hips off the ground until they form a straight line with your knees and shoulders. Hold this for a few seconds before easing back down.
Repeat 10 to 20 times.
7. Side plank
Target muscles: Obliques
Start by lying on your side with your feet together and stacked on top of one another. Then raise yourself onto your elbow and lift your hips off the mat – raise your hips until your body is in a straight line from head to fee. Keep your core tight.
Hold this position for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Full body workout example
Now that you know how to do these simple at-home exercises, let’s discuss how you can apply these to a workout…
Don’t let mince pies, mashed potatoes and stuffing be the death of a year of working hard in the gym and eating healthy foods.
With decadent meals, braais, parties and other food-filled affairs coming up in December, it can be pretty tough to maintain a healthy eating plan and fitness routine. And we get it. Not everyone can turn down the Christmas pudding or that second cocktail at the pool on a sunny day. And why should you? You deserve it, right?
We aren’t here to tell you to say no to every delicious temptation you are faced with these holidays, because in our honest opinion, a holiday of dieting doesn’t sound like any fun at all. And yeah, you do deserve the dessert!
The trick is to learn how to indulge the right way, and more importantly when to say no. It’s planning your days a little better so that you don’t feel like you want to eat half the turkey come dinner time. When it comes to exercising, there are expert hacks you can learn that will help you fit in some quick workouts.
So, fret not our fine fitness and health-living friends, we are here to help you (and your body) survive the festive season and avoid having to set unrealistic New Year’s resolutions centred around weight loss and hours on the treadmill.
1. Plan your days
Meal plans and exercise routines tend to fall away in the holidays and are taken over by unplanned and over catered dinners and lazy afternoons.
But there is a way you can stop yourself from falling victim to the endless late-night dinners and lack of exercise. And how you do this is by planning ahead.
For example, if you know you have a big family dinner coming up tomorrow night. Make sure you stick to wholesome and healthy meals for breakfast and lunch so that you don’t overindulge yourself at dinner. Don’t skip lunch because you know dinner will be a big meal, this is a recipe for an overeating disaster.
Our exercising hack is to wake up early while everyone is still sleeping to get in a quick morning jog, yoga session or workout. This will free up your day for any unexpected plans and leave you feeling energised and stress-free for the rest of the day!
Exercising during the holidays is a productive way to stay healthy and burn off those extra calories from the Christmas pudding. Plus, you start the new year on a healthy and fit note!
2. Don’t forget to drink water
This might seem like an obvious one, but it is something many of us forget to do.
Drinking water is important for a number of reasons. For one, our brains tend to confuse thirst with hunger. So, before you dish up seconds, try drinking a big glass of water.
In fact, you should aim to drink at least 2 glasses of water before each meal. This will leave you feeling fuller.
With sugary drinks and cocktails flowing (here’s a great read on cocktail choices for your health), it’s also particularly important that you drink loads of water to compensate for the alcohol intake and to try and incorporate fibre rich snacks such as nuts and avos to also keep you fuller for longer.
We get that your aunt or grandma might be incredibly pushy when it comes to everyone having a second slice of her homemade apple pie. But you need to learn to say no.
Now, we aren’t saying you should restrict yourself or feel guilty over eating some dessert. Not at all. Have that slice of pie, eat it and enjoy every bite of it! But you don’t need that second slice.
4. Try to fit in quick exercises
If you can’t make it to your gym, then you can try to incorporate HIIT (high-intensity interval training) or bodyweight exercises at home. There is a wide range of workout videos on YouTube that will help you get in a quick workout of 10 to 30 minutes. Remember, every little bit counts.
5. Keep burning calories as much as you can
One of the simplest holiday health hacks is to keep moving. Go for a walk with your family on the beach, play fetch with your dog, go for a hike, take the stairs at the shopping mall or pop 10 squats the next time you are in the bathroom.
6. Research some healthier recipes for holiday classics
If you have to bring a meal for the festive feast, why not make it a healthy one? There are a ton of healthy takes on classic holiday meals that are just as delicious and much better for your health.
With all the shopping, socialising and parties, it can be hard to find some time to kick back and relax. You need to do your best to limit your stress. You can do this by saying ‘no’ to a few parties or just taking some time out for yourself. You deserve it.
8. Be kind to yourself
It’s been a long year and you have worked really hard to get where you are now. Take a step back and spend some time writing down everything you accomplished this year. It can be as simple as running a 5km or as big as a promotion. Reward yourself for a job well done.
This is also a great time to set your goals for the new year.
Intermittent fasting is quickly gaining popularity as celebs and ordinary folk alike are jumping on the bandwagon of this method of dieting. Whilst the word ‘diet’ is not in our vocabulary at WellBe, it can be said that this form of restrictive eating does seem to have some benefits, as well as some adverse effects, which is why we decided to dive into the topic.
Truth be told, anything that doesn’t involve spending excessive amounts of time on the stair master or hundreds of rands on paleo and banting bars and trail mixes is worthy of our attention.
So, what is intermittent fasting all about? Let’s find out.
An expert explanation of intermittent fasting
According to an educational article published in Hackensack Merdian Health, “Intermittent fasting is a pattern of eating where you withhold food for a certain amount of time and allow your body to use energy more efficiently.” Basically, instead of your body using energy from food such as carbs, it will break down fats instead.
Sounds too good to be true, right? We thought so too. So we did a little digging…
The different methods of fasting
The 5:2 method
This is where you consume your normal caloric intake for 5 days a week and then on two non-consecutive days, you limit your consumption to less than 500 to 600 calories a day.
The 16:8 method
This is one of the easiest ones to follow, basically, this involves skipping breakfast. You don’t eat for 16 hours of the day and then eat during the other 8 hours. You can choose which hours you would want to spend eating and which ones you will fast for depending on your lifestyle. For example, you can choose to fast between 10 am to 6 pm or 11 am to 7 pm. Whatever suits you!
The 24 hour fast
Also known as the eat-stop-method, this is pretty much as straight forward as the name suggests. A 24 hour fast is when you do not eat for one full day, either once or twice a week. You then stick to your usual caloric intake for the other days of the week.
The warrior diet
This one seems a little extreme to us. How it works is that you divide your days in 20 hours of fasting and then 4 hours of eating as much as you like. During the fasting period, you are allowed to have small amounts of eggs and nuts to prevent low sugar levels causing you to pass out.
Is there any science behind fasting and weight loss?
In order to lose weight, our bodies will need to increase the amount of time spent burning calories from the food we eat. When you do not eat (fasting), then this allows your body to burn stored energy. When your body digests and absorbs food it is in what is known as a ‘fed state’, this starts the moment you start eating and lasts roughly 3 to 5 hours after.
During this ‘fed state’, it is difficult for your body to burn any fat as your insulin levels are high.
On the other hand, your body’s post-absorptive state will last between 8 and 12 hours after the last meal you ate. This is when your body has entered a fasted state, during this time your body will burn fat as insulin levels are low.
FYI: Insulin works to decrease your blood sugar levels by moving glucose out of your blood and into surrounding cells. When we have higher levels of insulin, this prevents fat from being broken down for energy.
Essentially what fasting does is put your body in a fat-burning state that it rarely reaches during your normal schedule of eating.
Can I drink during periods of fasting?
As long as you’re only drinking zero-calorie beverages such as water, coffee, and tea, then you’re in the clear. Drinking water whilst fasting is encouraged.
I thought breakfast was the most important meal of the day?
Experts suggest that it’s better to eat more earlier in the day to avoid overeating at night. If you want to start fasting, it’s advised that you start eating at a time that gives you a 5 to 6-hour time gap before you sleep. For example, if you typically go to sleep at 10 pm, then your last meal should be at 5 pm.
Apart from weight loss, are there any other health benefits to fasting?
Studies suggest that those who have followed a diet of fasting compared to a calorie-restrictive eating plan have experienced more health benefits and sustainable weight loss. Some of which include decreased inflammation, increased energy and even an increased immune response (perhaps this is because our bodies are not working overtime to digest food all the time and can focus on immunity efforts).
However, you need to keep in mind intermittent fasting is a relatively new trend, meaning that current studies lack in control group numbers and findings are somewhat limited.
Are there any foods I should avoid when I’m not fasting?
There is no rule about what you can and can’t eat when following an intermittent fasting plan. However, it is encouraged that you eat unprocessed wholefoods and be mindful of what you put in your body. Experts suggest sticking to a healthy diet and foods that are high in fibre will boost effects felt from fasting.
After a few weeks of intermittent fasting, your body will start to adapt and adjust to your new eating cycle. But we must warn you the first few days and weeks can be incredibly challenging. You might experience bouts of lightheadedness, headaches, low energy, constipation, and irritability.
You need to ensure you are drinking enough water (6 to 8 glasses a day) and avoid any strenuous exercise when fasting.
Who should not fast?
If you are someone who suffers from an eating disorder, or you are pregnant, have diabetes, are underweight, trying to conceive or have issues with your blood sugar regulation, then fasting is not for you.
The final word
Before starting any new eating plan, it’s always advised that you chat with a professional such as your doctor or wellness coach. They will be able to assist you and give you sound advice on what kind of healthy lifestyle choices you need to make.
Remember, different diet and lifestyle choices work for different people. We always suggest that you make conscious and mindful decisions to lead a healthy and happy life, and your diet and exercise plan are two very big determining factors in your physical and mental wellbeing.
