Chocolate, cauliflower & body-sculpting

Coping with Easter!

There are many reasons why Easter is tricky for those of us trying to lead a healthy lifestyle.  1. Easter eggs – masses of chocolate which you feel obliged to eat in one day.  2. Mini eggs (definitely need their own category) which appear not long after Christmas until the start of May – and often form a ‘token’ gift from husband/boyfriend on a Friday night (usually in a large share size bag … which never seems to get shared).  3. The large family meal (which is basically Christmas dinner minus the turkey) followed by desserts and more chocolate.

So … how do we cope?  Well, here are a few ideas:

·         Melt your Easter eggs down and use them to decorate a cake/cup cakes and share around generously.  Use mini eggs in similar way.

·         Give your Easter eggs away to friends’ kids (at the same time this will make you the favorite ‘aunt’) or hand in to a collection point for Easter eggs for children from poor backgrounds.

·         PLAN your meals over Easter. Meats like chicken and lean ham are great with some veggies (just avoid all the gravy, stuffing, yorkshire puds etc). Make a starter of lentil or black bean soup – so that you don’t over-eat the main course.  And as for dessert … there should be no room left!

·         After lunch and you’ve started thinking about having just a little bit of Easter egg?  How about having a glass of water first?  By the time you have drunk this – and your stomach has expanded – you’ll be less likely to eat as much chocolate as you would have!

What’s in season?

The main veggies in season this month are kale, cabbage, cucumber and cauliflower!

Cauliflower

With only 29 calories per portion don’t be tempted to cover it in cheese sauce!  Instead try this healthier, but very tasty, way of cooking cauliflower!

Makes: 4
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 cups of bite-size cauliflower florets, or you can use broccoli florets in the same way (about 1 head of cauliflower)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Lemon wedges (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.  Place florets in a large bowl with the oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread out on a baking sheet. Roast the vegetables, turning once, until tender, crisp and browned in spots, 15 to 25 minutes.
2. Serve hot or warm, with lemon wedges if desired.

Nutrition per serving of cauliflower: 113 calories; 7g fat ( 1g sat , 5g mono ); 0mg cholesterol; 7g carbohydrates; 4g protein; 4g fibre; 327mg sodium; 433mg potassium.

Body sculpting for the beach

So summer holidays are already looming and everyone is thinking the same …. I wish my tummy was just a little bit flatter.  Well, it’s very achievable, but what would this really involve?

1. Lose body fat

2. Tone up muscles

Lose Body Fat

The only way that this is going to happen is by losing body fat in general – just because you do 300 sits up does not mean that you are going to lose fat around your middle!  Going out walking at a good steady pace will burn fat as this puts your heart rate in the fat burning zone – so get out there this EASTER WEEKEND and walk off some calories!  This works brilliantly for many people, however, recent studies have shown that high intensity interval training (HIIT) including methods such as Tabata can produce the same outcome or even better.  Similarly, by doing some resistance training (eg. body weight exercises – dips and press-ups, or free weight exercises like bicep curls and weighted squats) you can increase your metabolic rate – thereby burning more calories throughout the day!  As Tabata training only takes 16 minutes (plus a warm-up and cool-down) this type of training is ideal for people with little time to spare … no excuses!

Tone Up Your Abs

Doing proper sits ups (i.e. do not have your feet held) and doing back strengthening exercises will help with core stability – especially if you can engage your core muscle (you learn how to do this on boot camp).  However, if you want to get definition on your abs then you need to add more resistance to your training (i.e. weights) and work at lower repetitions (hypertrophy training).  For example, hold on to a weight whilst doing twist sits, use a kettlebell to do high reaches, or hold a swiss ball between your legs to do reverse crunches!  You won’t be able to do as many as you would without the weight but you will start to build those abdominal muscles (rec abs) underneath which are the muscles of the elusive six pack!

Any questions about losing fat and toning abs – feel free to drop us an email at BODYsculpt@enhancebodybootcamp.co.uk

Have a great Easter weekend!

www.enhancebodybootcamp.co.uk  

The Low-down on Carb Loading

Carb loading is an important part of preparing for any serious running event (such as a half marathon) lasting 90 minutes or longer and can significantly improve performance.  However, eating as much bread, pasta and potatoes as you can is not good enough.  It is important to eat carbohydrates that provide the long-lasting, slow-releasing energy you need to get through the race, and ideally you should be eating carbs which will deliver optimum nutritional value as well as energy. 

Some tips on planning your training and pre-race diet:

·         Carb load every day whilst training, not just before a big event. Aim for around 60% of your daily calorie intake to come from carbohydrates.  

·         Reduce your training 2 weeks before the event but continue to eat the same – this can double your glycogen stores and so you will last longer before hitting the wall.

·         Ensure you do eat protein (0.6-0.9 grams per lb of body weight is recommended for a sports diet) as well as carbohydrates. Sources of good quality protein include chicken, fish, turkey, quinoa, nuts & seeds, lean beef and pulses.

·         Do not fat load – only 20-25% of your daily calorie intake should come from fat when on a sports diet. Replace fats with carbs where possible – i.e. have fruit jam instead of butter on your toast.

·         Have wholegrain, wholewheat, wholemeal – fibre rich wholesome foods will release energy more slowly than refined foods and are more dense in nutrients. 

·         Plan ahead: make sure that you know what you are going to have for breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper and to drink the day before a race.

·         Hydrate – drink extra water the night before a race, and avoid dehydrating fluids like alcohol, tea and coffee, or at least limit them.

·         Always eat breakfast!

·         Use common sense – choose healthy carbs to load on. Try porridge with stewed apples, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds for breakfast, potassium rich baked potato with baked beans or tuna for lunch, wholemeal pasta with vegetables and chicken for dinner, and snack on oatcakes with cottage cheese or low-fat cream cheese, watermelon and low fat yoghurt. 

The Battle with New Year Resolutions

Struggling to keep your resolutions going? No wonder, most people set themselves massive challenges – and then beat themselves up for failing to achieve them!

“I am going to lose 3 stone by March.”

Really?  This means losing 4lbs a week – which means burning 12,000 calories a week (equivalent to walking 120 miles) – is this really going to happen?

Only in a controlled environment can this work. Boot camp works on a model of reduced calorie intake of about 800 calories per day and an average burn of 2,500 calories per day – resulting in at least 1lb of weight loss per day. Therefore the average weight loss is 8-10lbs on a 7 day boot camp.  But to recreate this in your own environment, with the pressures and temptations of everyday life, and the dark evenings meaning less time than ever for exercise, would be close to impossible.

So let’s set better resolutions… ones that will make you proud when you do actually achieve them!  The way to do this is to make them SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely).

1. Specific
– I want to lose 1-2lbs every week for 8 weeks until I next review my results and programme, and I’ll do this by eating healthily (especially avoiding chocolate and crisps) and walking my dog around the park (1 ½ miles) 5 days a week.  It says it all in one sentence.
2. Measurable – Does it have a number? You can then say whether or not you achieved it – i.e. did you manage 5 times? Did you avoid chocolate and crisps – did you have any?
3. Achievable – You’re not going to walk the 120 miles a week described above, so make it achievable – you don’t want to fail before you start. So start lower, and if you achieve your target easily then increase it next week.
4. Realistic – is it? If not then change it!
5. Timely – do you have a check point? For example, in 8 weeks I will review my results and programme.  But I will keep on track before then by weighing myself to see if I am losing the 1-2lbs per week that I set myself. You need a time-frame – otherwise you risk going off track.

Time to make new SMART goals rather than resolutions which usually fail within a couple of weeks!  Keep it going – it is ultimately down to you!

If you do need extra guidance or motivation then Enhance is here to help. We offer:

• Personal training (in a variety of locations) – some of the best instructors in the industry
• Nutrition consultation (in person, or on the phone) – by Caroline Forster (BSc Human Nutrition)
• 7 day boot camps – to kick start weight loss (lose 8-10lbs in 7 days) or improve fitness
• Detox retreat – for those who want more relaxed weight loss and to detox their system
• Bespoke boot camp – if you’ve got a group of friends who want to join in let us organise it for you

www.enhancebodybootcamp.co.uk

Getting Your Healthy Eating & Exercise Habits Back On Track

Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for 2012 from everyone at Enhance Body Boot Camp!

It’s the time of year that you are likely to be feeling a little guilty from an over indulgent Christmas – don’t worry, everyone feels like this, so we’ve put together some top tips to get your healthy eating and exercise habits back on track.

The first thing is – don’t dwell on it too much. Just get going with a healthy regime and you will beat the winter blues! It’s in your hands – so take control and start today!

Top ten tips for achieving your New Year resolutions:

1. Make them realistic... ‘I want to lose 1-2lbs a week for x weeks’ is far more realistic than ‘I am going to lose 6 lbs this week!’
2. Exercise early in the day – then you can feel satisfied and good about yourself all day, rather than feeling guilty.
3. Plan, plan and plan – it’s all about organising your meals and snacks.
4. Never let your blood sugar levels get low … eat every couple of hours – breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, supper. It is if your blood sugars get low that you are most likely to eat something unhealthy.
5. Always carry a banana or some oatcakes with you – great as a snack on the go if you haven’t had time to stop.
6. When eating out plan ahead and give yourself an allowance. For example, ‘I will order a steak and salad. I will not have any dessert, but I am going to enjoy a glass of wine.’
7. If you are having a night out and expect to be drinking a lot, do a decent gym session beforehand and you won’t feel as guilty – you will probably enjoy yourself more and are actually less likely to eat and drink too much!
8. Don’t feel bad for enjoying the occasional indulgence! If you want to have a treat – have it and enjoy it! Just bear in mind that it is a treat and should only be once in a while.
9. Don’t want to brave the cold, dark nights going out for a run? Ok, but try to do something! Sit-ups and press-ups in front of Coronation Street is perfect for when you’re feeling like this! How many press-ups (box press up if you need to) can you do without stopping? Try the same the next night and you will see improvements.
10. Get support – from friends, family, a personal trainer or plan ahead for your next boot camp! People work best when they feel motivated and have something to work towards.

You may be interested in our Luxury Detox and Weight Loss Retreat which has been designed for people wanting to feel better after festive indulgence and winter neglect! It runs for one week in March and is set in a beautiful venue just outside Edinburgh. A 3 day juice detox begins the week – this allows your body to rid itself of the toxins from alcohol and refined sugars that may have accumulated over the holiday season, whilst also aiding weight loss. Exercise in these 3 days will be light and gentle – definitely a retreat and not a boot camp! You will undergo therapies, coastal walks, yoga, pilates, all the while enjoying the 5 star comfort and gorgeous views of Gosford Bay. The next 4 days consist of a much fuller exercise programme, and a carefully planned diet. You will receive expert advice from our inspirational and experienced personal trainers (REPS registered) and qualified nutritionist, and you can expect to lose 8-10lbs (if weight loss is one of your goals) and completely detoxify. Our luxury retreat could be just what you need to kick-start good habits and a healthy attitude towards nutrition and exercise for the New Year!  Look us up on www.enhancebodybootcamp.co.uk  

Tip of the day! Three important factors to eating healthy:

1. Variety!!! You get lots of a vitamin for one type of food for example Vit C from oranges but you won't get essential fat soluble vitamins like A,D,K, or iron and protein that you would get from eating beef. The trick is eat a VARIETY of foods, there is no one magic superfood!!!

2. Moderation - Like chocolate? Crisps? Thats fine - enjoy these as treat...s! Fit it into a well balanced diet, if you have had a meal based on processed refined sugars, saturated fats and wine (sounds familiar?) - then balanced it out with a NUTRIENT DENSE next meal - such as wholegrain carbs, replacing pale foods for bright vitamin packed veggies, and having a omega 3 rich piece of fish or lean piece of beef. Allow yourself to have some naughties...just BALANCE it with the good stuff!!

3.Wholesomeness - Stay away from processed foods as much as possible - and you will be eating more wholesome foods naturally! Apples rather than apple juice, wholemeal bread rather than processed white bread, boiled or mashed potatoes rather than oven chips etc. These natural whole foods have loads more nutrients, and less added rubbish!