https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/07/the-sugar-conspiracy-robert-lustig-john-yudkin
Flat stomachs and 6 packs are made in the kitchen…….
Performing hundreds of crunches is not going suddenly reveal a glorious 6-pack! In fact, it’s more likely to cause spine and neck problems since this exercise is often performed incorrectly.
PALEO CHOCOLATE PUDDING
- 1 avocado
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Peel the avocado and remove the pit
- Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and no avocado clumps remain
EXERCISE – Exercise is the spark, good food is the fuel, without both there can be no flame and thus no results. Ideally we should be doing a moderate amount of exercise 3-5 times a week MINIMUM, however people normally manage to find an excuse to only use the gym twice a week………A healthy lifestyle is not just about turning up at the gym twice a week though, at WhiteWay Fitness we treat our clients as individuals and offer bespoke programmes suited to their needs and desired goals, achieving realistic results in minimal time.
NUTRITION – One of the most important things to keep in mind when your aiming to achieve your ‘weight loss’ goal is not to spike your insulin levels. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas which regulates the amount of glucose in the blood, your body uses sugar (glucose) from carbohydrates in the food that you eat for energy or to store glucose for future use. Meaning more carbohydrates = more sugar = more insulin (more glucose stored for future use, normally as fat). Note: carbohydrates are not the only source of food that creates this effect.
GOAL SETTING – This is massively important in weight loss as we need to make sure we are getting closer to our desired goal. Our target should be set before changing our diet and lifestyle, making sure we set monthly goals so we can start to see results. With goal setting we need to make sure our goals are ‘SMART‘ Specific – target a specific area for improvement. Measurable –suggest an indicator of progress. Assignable – specify who will do it. Realistic – state what results can realistically be achieved. Time-related – specify when the result(s) can be achieved.
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups (280 grams) diced onion (1 medium/large)
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 (15-ounce/398 mL) can diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 (15-ounce/398 mL) can full-fat coconut milk*
- 3/4 cup (140 grams) uncooked red lentils, rinsed and drained
- 3 1/2 cups (875 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste (for a kick of heat!)
- 1 (5-ounce/140-gram) package baby spinach
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, or more to taste
- In a large pot, add the oil, onion, and garlic. Add a pinch of salt, stir, and sauté over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion softens.
- Stir in the turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom until combined. Continue cooking for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), entire can of coconut milk, red lentils, broth, salt, and plenty of pepper. Add red pepper flakes or cayenne, if desired, to taste. Stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring to a low boil.
- Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium-high, and simmer, uncovered, for about 18 to 22 minutes, until the lentils are fluffy and tender.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach until wilted. Add the lime juice to taste. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve with toasted bread and lime wedges.
OATS & PUMPKIN BREAKFAST COOKIES
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not the pumpkin pie filling)
- ¼ cup honey (use maple syrup for vegan or other sweetener of your choice)
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon peanut butter (or use any other nut butter of your choice)
- ½ cup flax seeds (use other seeds of your choice)
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- pinch of salt
- Pre heat the oven to 350F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine all of the above ingredients and mix them well.
- Take about ¼ cup of the mixture and form them into a cookie and place them on a parchment paper.
- Bake for 10 – 12 minutes and allow it to cool in the oven for additional 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and enjoy.