Lose Weight in your Lunch Hour

Is your job causing you to put on weight? Use your lunch hour to shape up and get healthy.

Are you stuck inside for the majority of your day? Tied to the desk? Does your lunch hour (or half hour!) usually involve a fast food fix from the local takeaway shop? Follow these steps to a new body and more energy.

Walk to work

If you can’t walk all the way to work, park your car or get off the bus six blocks away. Put on your sneakers and walk the rest of the way briskly. This will stimulate your circulation, boost your metabolism and make you feel brighter. Walking back at the end of the day will help strengthen your muscles and clear your head.

Workout at work

Get up from your desk and do a good stretch every half hour. Firstly add ten squats. Then do ten upper body pushups on the edge of your desk. This will help tone your arms. March on the spot for three minutes to get the blood pumping before you sit back at the computer.

Low-Calorie snacks

Don’t even contemplate eating that large-sized chocolate donut on the office food trolley. Pack some fruit or dried apricots and nuts from home for a

mid-morning snack. Researchers say that crispy foods like apples, carrots or celery that need to be chewed and take longer to eat, fool the body into thinking you have eaten more. Prepare these the night before while dinner is cooking and you will always have them on hand.

Take a Midday Walk

Briskly walking for 20 minutes at lunchtime can burn up to 300 calories. Researchers at the University of Ulster found that exercising in three short sessions is more effective for burning fat than longer, less frequent exercising. Grab a friend and pound the pavement! Try some hills or a park for enjoyment.

Bring your own lunch

Don’t skip lunch. Fasting encourages your body to hold on to extra fat. Most nutritionists recommend frequent, light snacks that keep up your energy levels and prevent you from getting so hungry that you dive into high-fat, high-calorie foods. Diet foods are not always the best choice. “Low-fat” and “reduced fat” foods may still be high in fat.

If you make your own lunch, you can be sure you’re having healthy, fresh, low-fat food. Low-fat salads with olive oil and lemon dressing, steamed vegetables, basmati or jasmine rice salad with vegetables, cold pasta salad with vegetables or mutigrain sandwiches with chicken, turkey, egg, tuna or cottage cheese are tasty and satisfying choices. And add at least one piece of fruit.

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What are Good Fats and Bad Fats?

So which fats are good, and which are bad?

Saturated Fats

Saturated fats originate from animal sources and are typically solid at room temperature. They have all been given a bad wrap recently because they have been known to increase LDL cholesterol levels (bad cholesterol) thereby increasing the risk of coronary heart disease. However, not all Saturated fats are bad for you. For example, coconut oil is 90% saturated, but is not bad for you! Most vegetable based oils are low in saturated fats however, be aware of palm oil (50% saturated) and coconut oil (90% saturated).

Sources of Saturated Fats:

Fatty meat and chicken (especially skin)

High fat processed meats and sausages

Deep fried food

Full fat dairy products, milk, cream, butter and cheese

Solid frying fats

Cakes, biscuits, pastries, pies

Chocolate

Of course, there is a huge difference between the healthiness of chocolate and the healthiness of meat! Meat and its fat including chicken skin is not bad for you! It may include saturated fat, but that’s not automatically a problem because it is natural!

Chocolate and cakes etc are of course an unhealthy version of saturated fat, although everything in moderation right?

Polyunsaturated Fats

Polyunsaturated fats are found in a variety of plant and animal-based foods, and are generally liquids at room temperature. They tend to lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but may also lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol. These fats are further classified into two groups: omega three (?-linolenic acid) and omega six (linoleic acid) polyunsaturated fatty acids. Omega three and omega six fatty acids are classified as essential fatty acids because they are required by the body to maintain good health.

Omega three fatty acids are found mainly in fish and seafood, and can decrease the stickiness of blood, reducing the risk of clots. Omega three fatty acids have also been found to assist in prevention and treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, arthritis and cancer. Foods rich in omega six fatty acids include safflower, sunflower, corn, soyabean and cottonseed oil. Omega six is also found in meat, so most people usually consume adequate amounts. Most Australians however, do not consume enough omega three fatty acids, hence if you eat two fish meals per week, this may reduce the risk of suffering heart disease. When using polyunsaturated fats in the diet, use them instead of saturated fats. The following table shows some of the main sources.

Sources of polyunsaturated fats:

Vegetable oils

Soy products

Polyunsaturated margarine

Nuts (e.g. walnuts, hazelnuts, brazil nuts)

Seeds (e.g. pumpkin, safflower, sunflower, sesame)

Fish and seafood (e.g. salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, herring)

Monounsaturated Fats

Monounsaturated fats can assist to lower cholesterol levels without reducing HDL cholesterol levels as well. Studies have found that people who cook with olive oil have a reduced risk of heart disease, and the most well known group of people are those in Mediterranean countries. Olive oil is also rich in natural antioxidants, which may further reduce the risk of heart disease. Beware however, that clever marketing may be confusing when shopping; you may see some oils labelled as “light olive oil”. The “light” may not refer to calories or fat levels, but to texture, colour or taste!

Sources of Monounsaturated Fat:

Olives and olive oil

Canola oil, macadamia nut oil

Avocado

Nuts (e.g. peanuts, almonds, cashews)

Peanut butter

Do I need to Reduce Fat Intake in the Diet?

Good wholesome fats are not troublesome in the diet, for example, nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil are actually beneficial to your health. Reducing processed or takeaway type fats will certainly benefit your life.

Avoid “low fat” options of dairy and snack bars because you will find they have a higher concentration of sugar which is more harmful. Wholesome fats increase satiety which ultimately reduces unnecessary snacking.

Remember, we still need the good fats in our diet, so don’t cut out fat altogether! Just be sure to eat the good fats in moderation and reduce the unhealthy saturated fats.

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Double your Weight Loss

There is a proven way to increase your weight loss results by an incredible 200%. One of the largest and longest running weight-loss trials ever conducted has confirmed these amazing results.
I bet you’re asking, how do I get hold of this information, magic remedy or miracle pill.

Well let me shed some light on the subject. Good long term weight loss is not about magic cures, it’s about the daily habits that lead to success.

It’s simply keeping a food diary.

Kaiser Permanente’s Centre for Health Research has conducted a study that

has shown that recording what you eat throughout the day can double a person’s weight loss efforts.
“The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost,” said Kaiser Permanente lead author Jack Hollis Ph.D. “Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume better food choices.”
People who took part in the study who used their daily food journals doubled their results. As we all know you are going to re-think sneaking in that sweet or chocolate if you are going to write it down. Seeing it in writing actually prevents you from doing it in the first place.

It really is that easy. Turn on the computer, grab a notepad and get ready to track everything you eat. If it goes in your mouth, write it down.

According to the study participants, food diaries increase accountability and demonstrate where issues are coming from. Dr. Keith Bachman said in the press release that keeping a food diary doesn’t have to be a formal thing.

This study proves that most people can lose weight if they have the right tools and support. A food diary in conjunction with a weight management program is the ideal combination of tools and support.

What have you eaten today? Are you still filling out your food diary?

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Motivation and Perserverance

As many of you would agree, we generally set out to do something new with great enthusiasm and energy, only to find in a short amount of time the novelty has worn off and the motivation level has dropped considerably. Pretty soon, we quit because it seems all too hard.

So how can we overcome this on-again-off-again problem with motivation to exercise? (Or anything else for that matter.)

Firstly we need to think about our goals. What is it we really want to achieve?

How are we going to achieve it? Are we being realistic? If our goal is realistic, but we really don’t know how we are going to go about achieving it, then the best thing we can do is break the goal down into small manageable parts.

Let me explain…. Let’s say your goal is to be able to do a 5km fun run. Yet, at the moment you puff out after 200m. The best thing to do is set out a realistic schedule. How often can I commit to training? Twice a week? Three times? Ok, let’s go with that. So rather than dwelling on the fact that you can’t make it to 5km, you should work on the fact that you can run 200m and work on building that.

Basically you are trying to focus on the positives, not the negatives. Your goal is still 5km, but your abilities are 200m. So today is your first allocated training session….. You are going to run 200m, then you are going to rest for 2 minutes and you are going to run again. You may only make 100m this second time, but you will do it and rest another 2 minutes and run again. This time you can make the 100m without too much trouble and you rest again. Then you run again, rest, run, rest, run until you find that you have managed 30 minutes. Today’s session is complete and you may have only run 1km in total, but you DID it!!

Next session, you can try it again and you will find that you can run 200m each running burst without having to stop. So you can continue with this run, rest, run theory until you find that you can either run further, or you can reduce your rest period. In simple terms, your fitness will improve and your motivation will increase because you are managing to do what you have set out to do. If you had just tried to run 5km in the first place, you would have surely failed and then given up completely.

So instead, you

will be keen to keep training 3 days a week until you can run further and rest less. Over time, you will feel great, be much fitter and you will be able to adjust your goals to spur you on to bigger and better things. 5km will eventually be possible and you will be totally motivated to continue because you will have achieved what you set out to achieve!

The simple solution to EVERY problem and to EVERY goal is to break it down. Don’t ever just look at the tallest mountain and say to yourself “there is no way I can climb that”. You should look at the mountain and say to yourself “if I climb to that spot, then wind round to that peak, I should be able to reach the summit”. Don’t ever give up before you have even started just because the finish line looks so far away.

The same theory applies to anything in life. Diet, exercise, work promotion…. you name it, if you break a big goal into small manageable bits, you will be able to achieve whatever it is you like. And let’s face it, achieving goals is the biggest motivating factor to keep you going. Without a goal to achieve, there will not be any motivation to achieve it. Persevere, even when the going gets tough and you will ultimately achieve whatever it is you set out to achieve.

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Hidden Weight Gain Traps

You’ll

be surprised!

So you’ve been eating well, hitting the gym and watching what you put in the grocery basket — but either the scales are lying or you’re still piling on the kilos. How can that be?

While it’s easy to spot the calories in fried foods and soft drinks, many of us don’t pay nearly as much attention to the less obvious culprits. Here are a few unusual suspects that might be sabotaging your weight loss goal…

Fruit juice

Fruit juice may seem like a healthier alternative to soft drink, but it’s still packed full of sugar. A glass of OJ contains about 4.5 teaspoons of sugar, which is almost the equivalent amount in four Tim Tam biscuits. There is also very little dietary fibre in the juice, so you are much better off eating fresh fruit and quenching your thirst with water.

Tofu

Sure, tofu may be the poster child of health food, but how often do you actually eat the stuff in its plain form? Most tofu dishes served in restaurants are deep-fried, which means the once-healthy morsels are coated with saturated fat, sodium and other flavouring agents — making them delicious, but fattening at the same time.

Lack of sleep

Many people overlook sleep as a factor that affects their weight, but the truth is, inadequate rest can mess with our appetite-regulating hormones and slow down our metabolism, making us susceptible to weight gain.

Too much stress

Stress puts your body into a fight-or-flight mode, causing the release of a hormone known as cortisol, which affects your blood sugar level. Excess cortisol in the bloodstream has been linked to increased abdominal fat. Studies also show that long-term chronic stress can trigger comfort-eating.

Diet drinks

Soft drinks are fine as long as they are “diet” ones, right? Well, recent research has found that artificial sweeteners found in these zero calorie drinks may in fact lower your metabolism — indirectly causing weight gain. They also inhibit the hormone leptin, which is responsible for regulating your appetite.

Sushi rolls

While healthy at first glance, white rice sushi rolls are full of simple carbohydrates and could contain kilojoule-packed ingredients such as mayo and fried or tempura-battered filling. For example, a tempura prawn roll can have up to 2130 kilojoules (508 calories) and 20g of fat. Next time, opt for brown rice sushi with a fresh fish or vegie filling for a healthier lunch.

Your morning coffee

We are not suggesting you have to give up your caffeine fix, but it’s worth cutting back on the milk and sugar you have with it. A Starbucks Grande Latte contains 925 kilojoules (220 calories) and 11g of fat, which adds up if you have more than a cuppa a day. Even a skim milk large Latte from Gloria Jeans will add 127 calories to your day, and that’s without any sugar!

Low-fat salad dressing

It’s sad but true: most things marketed as “low fat” are full of sugar or artificial sweeteners. And in the case of “lite” salad dressings, it also means fewer fat-soluble nutrients from the vegies will be absorbed by the body. Solution? Swap the pre-packaged dressing with olive oil (a source of good fat) in combination with your favourite vinegar instead.

Dried fruit

Turns out not all fruits are equal when it comes to the calorie stakes. Dried fruit may sound harmless enough, but because it is much denser and often contains added sugar in its dehydrated form, they often contain more calories per cup than their fresh counterparts. Best to eat the actual fruit and get all the nutritional value in the way Mother Nature intended it to be eaten.

Granola

It may appear wholesome but few of us realise granola is loaded with things that are bad for our waistline. The dried fruit, sugar, and oil that makes it crisp and yummy can add up to 1680 kilojoules (401 calories) and 15g of fat per cup — not so healthy after all.

So What’s the overall Solution?

Keep it Natural! Where possible, stick to freshly grown, raw and unprocessed foods. Avoid artificial sweeteners and “low fat” foods. Read labels and be aware of what you are actually eating. Don’t believe the marketing hype surrounding a product that is so-called “diet” food. It has probably been overly processed and will generally offer very little nutritional value.

Remember, marshmallows are 99% fat free! Would you call them healthy?!?

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Holiday Eating Tips

How do you cope with Holiday Seasons? Whether it is a long weekend, or a few weeks’ holiday, breaks from your normal routine can spell disaster for your healthy eating and exercise regime. How do you resist the temptation of the sweet goodness, cocktails, and endless days of entertaining with friends? Well there are a few important things that you need to be considering so that you can have a

holiday and keep your body intact! Far too many people indulge just a little too hard at this time and end up suffering strong repercussions because of it.

This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the holiday, however. There are plenty of ways that you can satisfy your cravings for holiday food and maintain your diet.

Let’s go over a few things that you should consider.

Swap Your Mother’s Recipes For Healthier Ones

The very first quick tip to remember this holiday season is to consider swapping out your mother’s recipes for healthier alternatives.

For example, rather than preparing mashed potatoes with loads of butter, consider mashed sweet potatoes made with a little chicken broth. It’ll be far lower in calories and fats and actually support a healthy body.

Likewise, rather than making your stuffing inside the turkey where all the fat can be absorbed by the bread, prepare a quinoa stuffing with fresh vegetables separately. This will provide wholesome carbohydrates that will encourage a lean body composition.

Chocalates and alcohol can also have alternatives that can reduce unnecessary calorie intake.

Remember that little alterations to your recipes will add up in a major way over the course of the meal, so don’t overlook this.

Watch Your Portion Sizes

Second, also make sure that you are watching your portion sizes. Keep your serving size realistic, remembering that if anything, you should take less than you normally would because there are so many dishes being served.

It is the calories that you consume, at the end of the day that determines whether or not you gain body fat, so serving sizes play a key part in your weight maintenance.

Use a smaller than normal serving size if you know it is a higher calorie item that you’re eating.

Treat Yourself Once Per Week

The next quick tip to remember over the holidays is to allow yourself to indulge once per week. If you restrict yourself entirely, it’s going to come back to haunt you, likely in the form of an all-out binge.

Instead, eat healthy 90% of the time and allow for some ‘fun’ 10% of the time. Choose what it is you’re really craving and then give in and enjoy it. If you do this once per week, it really won’t have that large of an impact on your overall goals.

Limit Alcohol

Finally, make sure that you keep tabs on how much alcohol you’re drinking. Alcohol will provide empty calories to the body that will only increase your chances of fat gain, so for best results, keep alcohol to a minimum. You can’t have both alcohol and sweets at once and expect to maintain your weight, so if you are going to indulge in your diet, you should not be serving up alcoholic beverages at the same time. Also keep in mind that alcohol reduces your inhibitions, so when you are drinking, you tend to nibble on unhealthy snacks. It is easy to lose track of how much you are eating the more you drink. And over drinking often leads to the “munchies” where only unhealthy snacks are consumed – more unnecessary calories!

So keep these quick tips in mind when the holiday season hits and you can walk back to work with your great looking body in place.

What is your biggest temptation during the holidays?

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9 Easy Tips to Look after your Liver

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Train your Brain!

According to new research, aerobic exercise increases your brain power and helps improve your memory. The University of Western Australia revealed walking for 50 minutes three times a week will make you smarter.

The study:

The study took a group that had exercised an average of 20 minutes extra a day and found they performed better on cognitive tasks and had improved delayed recall compared to a control group.
People who are physically fitter are less likely to experience high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease and strokes, all of which are risk factors for dementia.
Physical exercise also maintains good blood flow to the brain and may encourage new brain cells.
A study from the University of Illinois found that people that exercised had sharper brains and those that are out of shape and become fit become sharper.

General Practitioner Dr Penny Adams joined the show this morning, and she reminds everybody that exercise can also help improve our memories.

How your memory works

The brain is made up of over 100 billion neurons that are interconnected. With age, the connections (synapses) start to die. The synapses allow for information to move between neurons and other brain cells, allowing the absorption and retention of information.

How to protect the brain and memory function

Not only should you get active, as stated above, but you should strive to reduce stress levels.

Prolonged levels of stress can lead to the build up of a neurotransmitter called glutamate in the synapses. It becomes toxic, killing the synapses (connector between the cells). Stress can also cause neurons to shrink in the brain. So, stress less by adjusting your schedule, ensuring you have enough relaxation/down time. Exercise regularly and adopt relaxation techniques such as meditation.

Feed your brain

Antioxidants help to neutralise free radicals that break down the neurons in our brains. Colourful fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and spices contain antioxidants. Fish and fish oil products are also beneficial for cell growth.

Stimulate the brain

The less the brain is stimulated, the less the synapses will function – use it or lose it! This is a good excuse to start playing games, take up a new hobby, do crosswords, read more often, play a musical instrument and partake in stimulating conversation.

Brain training games and exercises will also improve your mental agility and increase the longevity of cells – essential for keeping dementia at bay. The power really is yours… so take an active role in improving your mental wellbeing.

(Information sourced from University of Western Australia)

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What is a Carbohydrate?

What is a carbohydrate? Carbohydrates,

as the name suggests, are compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The common abbreviation for carbohydrates is therefore CHO. CHOs contribute a substantial proportion of energy to the daily diet – the brain relies almost exclusively on CHO to function, and the other tissues, nerves, and muscles use CHOs for a significant proportion of their energy.

CHOs are broken down to monosaccharides in the mouth to a small degree, but digestion is mainly in the small intestine. Monosaccharides are the basic units, or building blocks of CHOs; glucose being the most well known of the three. The other two monosaccharides are fructose (commonly found in fruit) and galactose (occurring as part of the disaccharide lactose).

Disaccharides are made when two monosaccharides join together:

Maltose = glucose + glucose
Sucrose = glucose + fructose
Lactose = glucose + galactose

Polysaccharides are linked branched chains of monosaccharides (e.g. starch).

It is from the above chemical explanations that the well-known definitions of simple and complex CHOs came about. Monosaccharides and disaccharides were classified as simple sugars and were thought to be non-nutritious, very sweet and could cause a fast rise and fall in blood glucose and insulin levels, and be a large contributor to dental issues. Complex carbohydrates (starches) were thought to be far more nutritious, and would create a more sustained rise and fall in blood glucose and insulin levels.

Foods defined as Complex Carbohydrate-rich:

Bread (e.g. multigrain, wholemeal)
Breakfast cereals
Rice, pasta, noodles
Potato, sweet corn
Dry biscuits
Legumes (e.g. red kidney beans, soy beans, baked beans)
Grains including cous cous, barley and oats

Foods defined as Simple Carbohydrate-rich:

All types of sugar
Honey, golden syrup
Jam, marmalade
Fruit (e.g. canned, fresh, dried)
Jelly
Soft drinks and cordials
Sugar-based confectionery
Dairy products

GI Index – The Glycaemic Index

The GI index (glycaemic index) came about because nutritionists needed a different method to classify carbohydrates (CHOs). This is because blood glucose and insulin responses are not predicted accurately with only the classifications of simple and complex carbohydrates.

Two classic examples of those inaccuracies are dairy products and white bread. Dairy products would be classed as a simple CHO as they contain lactose. But dairy products only produce a small gradual rise in blood glucose and insulin. White bread causes a large blood glucose response but is classed as a complex CHO due to its starch component.

The Glycaemic index was discovered because of these discrepencies. The index ranks CHO-rich foods based on immediate effects on blood glucose levels, compared to a reference food (glucose or white bread).

Most of the research to date in this area has been undertaken in New South Wales (Australia) by Associate Professor Jennie Brand Miller, Kaye Foster-Powell, and Dr Stephen Colagiuri. An excellent publication on this topic is “The GI factor: The Glycaemic Index Solutions”, written by the above researchers.

The theory of the GI index states that “CHO foods that break down quickly during digestion have the highest GI factors. Their blood sugar response is fast and high. CHOs which break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood stream, have low GI factors” (Brand Miller, Foster-Powell, and Colagiuri).

The GI index of a food can be influenced by several factors:

1. How much cooking or processing of the food has been done. Both can disrupt the cell structure within the food and can increase the GI index. For example, a hot potato has a higher GI than a cold potato, due to cell breakdown when hot, and subsequent reformation of the cell structure when cold. Also, in the case of grains, if their fibrous coat is intact, this coat acts as a physical barrier and slows down digestion (the enzymes which break down the starch cannot get into the starch as easily).
2. Content and interactions of fructose, lactose, protein or fat. All slow down the blood glucose response.

3. Food absorption blocked by “antinutrients”: e.g. phytates in wholegrain foods slow down the blood glucose response.

CHO-rich foods are given a GI index value up to 100:

High GI: >70
Moderate GI: 55 – 70
Low GI: <55

Low Glycaemic Index Foods Slow release CHOs (GI <55):

All Bran, rice bran, rolled oats, barley bran
Pumpernickel, rye, fruit loaf, mixed grain bread and crispbreads, oat based breads
Spaghetti, pasta, Basmati rice
Apples, pears, firm bananas, grapefruit, peaches, oranges, plums, cherries
Sweet potato, sweet corn
Lentils, kidney beans, chick peas, butter beans, haricot beans, black-eye peas, baked beans
Milk, yoghurt, custard, low fat ice cream, chocolate

Moderate Glycaemic Index Foods Medium release CHOs (GI 55-70):

Crumpets, pita bread, Nutrigrain, arrowroot biscuits, Ryvita, Mini-Wheats, Vita-Brits, one minute oats
Ripe bananas, mangoes, pineapple, sultanas, new potatoes, orange juice, beetroot, broad beans
Pastry, cous cous, taco shells
Regular ice cream

High Glycaemic Index Foods Fast release CHOs (GI >70):

White bread, wholemeal bread, bagels, scones, pre-split muffins, rice cakes
Coco Pops, Cornflakes, Rice Bubbles, Weet-Bix
White rice, brown rice
Parsnip, potatoes, watermelon
Pretzels, potato chips, morning coffee biscuits, jelly beans
Glucose, sports drinks

The longer it takes to be digested and absorbed, the lower the GI of a food. This information is particularly relevant for both weight management and sporting activity.

The GI and Sports Performance

Sports performance can be assisted with knowledge of the GI. It is advisable to consume low GI foods as part of the pre-event meal, as CHO are released slowly into the blood stream.

Unfortunately not all athletes can tolerate low GI foods right before exercise. This is because the fibre, fructose or lactose can slow digestion too much. Combine this with a little nerves and it can cause abdominal issues including diarrhoea and cramps.

An athlete would need to consume some foods and fluids with a high GI during exercise to help boost energy levels. This would also help delay fatigue. After exercise, consuming high GI foods help to quickly refuel glycogen stores. There is no point consuming a low GI food with half an hour of competition remaining!!

Rebound Hypoglycaemia If blood glucose drops below normal baseline levels after consuming CHO, then Rebound Hypoglycaemia occurs. Some athletes who consume glucose 30 minutes before exercise seem to have trouble maintaining a high intensity of exercise. This is because when CHO is consumed, insulin levels increase. Some athletes more than others.

Once insulin increases, fat oxidation decreases, so there is an increased dependance on CHO. The increased use of CHO causes a slight drop in blood glucose levels.

This drop is generally rectified within 30 minutes of exercise and is rarely noticed by the athlete. The benefit of the extra CHO outweighs this blood decrease.

All studies since the discovery of Rebound Hypoglycaemia have found that CHO before exercise helps performance, or has little effect.

Yes, there are some athletes that react negatively to CHO before exercise. In these athletes, blood glucose leves reduces quickly. Symptoms including feeling shaky, clammy and light-headed can be felt. To avoid this, these athletes should try low GI foods before exercise to avoid a large hike in blood glucose levels. They should also do a few high intensity sprints to prompt the liver to release glucose into the blood.

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50 Ways to Lose your Love Handles

Simple tricks for cutting (or burning) 100 calories a day can help you trim 10 pounds (4.5kg) in a year.

Weight loss really can be as simple as shaving 100 calories per day. Weight loss experts agree that the best way to win the battle of the bulge is not through strict diets but by making small changes you can sustain for a lifetime. All it takes is making small changes in your daily routine.

There is one hitch: You need to keep up the changes to be successful. If you miss a day, no problem; just make up for it the next day. Just keep plugging away, and before long, the small changes will become automatic.

A Simple Formula

If you trim 100 calories per day, either by eating fewer calories or burning more, it should add up to a 10-pound (4.5kg) loss at the end of a year. It’s a simple mathematical formula; if you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight.

Let’s do the maths. A pound (0.45kg) of fat equals 3,500 calories. Shaving 100 calories each day for 365 days is roughly 36,500 calories, equivalent to 10 pounds (4.5kg) of pure fat. You could double your weight loss to 20 pounds (9kg) in a year by trimming 100 calories from your diet and burning 100 extra calories each day.

A nutritious diet that is lower in calories will help you look and feel better, and can improve your health, too. Choosing the right foods — think fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy products — will give you energy all day long and help satisfy your hunger so you eat less. That’s another step toward helping you lose weight once and for all.

Easy Ways to Burn 100 Calories

Here are some quick and simple ways to burn an extra 100 calories:

Buy a pedometer and walk an extra 2,000 steps, roughly equivalent to 1 mile (1.60km) and 100 calories.
Walk the dog for an extra 20 minutes.
Jog for 10 minutes.
Do 30 extra minutes of housekeeping.
Pull weeds or plant flowers in the garden for 20 minutes.
Pedal an exercise bike for 13 minutes.
Climb up and down stairs for 18 minutes.
Jump rope for 15 minutes.
Swim for 15 minutes.
Dance for 20 minutes.
Mow the lawn for 20 minutes.
Wash the car.
Work out in your living

room with an exercise DVD for 15 minutes.
Golfers, carry your clubs for 15 minutes.

How to Cut 100 Calories From Your Diet

And here are some tips from the calorie-cutting side of the equation:

15. Eat a high-fibre, whole-grain breakfast cereal instead of granola or sugary cereals

16. Use mustard or low-fat mayonnaise on your sandwich instead of regular mayonnaise.

17. Have a piece of fresh fruit in place of cookies or chips.

18. Drink diet soft drink instead of regular soft drink (water is better still!!)

19. Choose sherbet, sorbet, or low-fat ice cream over super-premium ice cream.

20. Use 2 tablespoons of light whipped butter or margarine instead of regular butter.

21. Top your favorite pasta with a red sauce instead of a cream sauce. Lose more by choosing rice noodles instead of regular pasta.

22. Skip the blue cheese topping on your salad.

23. Order a small drink instead of a super-sized drink.

24. Hold the bacon on your sandwich or at breakfast.

25. Use water-packed tuna instead of oil-packed.

26. Eat a snack-sized chocolate bar instead of a whole candy or chocolate bar.

27. Order your pizza with veggies instead of high-fat meat toppings. Better still, choose a thin crust base instead of thick crust.

28. Eat an appetizer as your main meal instead of an entrée.

29. Skip the extra butter shot on your movie inema popcorn.

30. Order your sandwich on whole-grain bread instead of a croissant or bagel.

31. Leave the crust on the pie and enjoy the filling.

32. Leave 3 to 4 bites of food on your plate.

33. Pass on the gravy on your mashed potatoes.

34. Try an open-faced sandwich.

35. Leave the cheese off your sandwich or burger.

36. Switch to low-fat salad dressing instead of regular.

37. Use only half the packet of salad dressing when ordering salads on the go.

38. Eat 2 slices of whole-grain bread instead of a bagel. Avoid white bread completely.

39. Spread your bread with jam instead of butter or margarine.

40. Have a side salad instead of French fries as a side dish.

41. Savor 5 Hershey kisses or 1 share pack Freddo frog instead of a chocolate bar.

42. Choose skim milk instead of whole milk.

43. Eat 1/2 cup less of pasta or rice.

44. Remove the skin from poultry before eating.

45. Choose ground sirloin instead of ground beef.

46. Share a dessert.

47. Enjoy hummus with baby carrots instead of cheese and crackers for a snack.

48. Drink 1 less pot light beer or glass of wine.

49. Choose fruit canned in natural juice instead of heavy syrup.

50. Skip the butter or margarine in the pan when grilling sandwiches or eggs.

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