New Series: Weight Loss Made Easy!

Welcome to the first chapter of my new blog series entitled Weight Loss Made Easy!

In this blog series I will be providing easy to use information that will motivate you and get you weight loss results that you never thought imaginable.

All of the weight loss results achieved from my principles are a symptom of great HEALTH. Carrying excess body fat is a symptom of ILL HEALTH. (Both physical and mental).
I believe its important for you to know that weight loss goes deeper than the circumference of your waist and hips. It impacts every part of your life, and I want you to live a life full of energy, vitality, happiness and love.

This series will cover some fundamental principles around weight loss, and the first principle is: Getting Balance In Your Body

There are two ways in which we can get a natural high - either through adrenalin, which gives you that switched on feeling for short bursts - or from serotonin, which makes you feel calm and comfortable for longer periods. The real high comes from a balance of them both.

There are five main chemicals in your body to think about:

Adrenalin: Gives you speed and confidence in busy times
Serotonin: Makes you comfortable, relaxed and happy
Cortisol: Is the back up for when you run out of adrenalin, useful for times of enormous stress
Melatonin: Is necessary for when you need to sleep deeply
Insulin: Is the key to controlling your sugar levels.

How well you sleep is one of the determinants for allowing your body to restore the chemical balance.

A poor diet will create stress in your body, so it’s forced to use emergency system chemicals to suppress appetite and give you what you need to get you through the day. Some foods elevate serotonin levels and others elevate adrenalin.

Exercise also has a trigger effect. Good fitness means you can manage pressure with less adrenalin. Some exercises increase serotonin production.

How you think influences body chemistry. If you feel fear, adrenaline will activate. Serotonin levels decrease when you are sad. Managing your thoughts is essential for balance of chemistry in your body.

Each of the five chemicals we’ve talked about create a distinct effect on your physiology. If you learn to recognise their effects, you can intervene in the process and manage your emotions.

The adrenaline high can be addictive and gets you going but it isn’t good for serotonin levels. It also dumps sugar into your system so you may suffer from an insulin overreaction.

You’re also in danger of crashing. When you slow down you may notice you get sick. This is because a high on adrenalin falsely maintains your immune system. Slow down and you have a lowered immune system.

Are you an adrenaline junkie?

Do you have a strong desire to be doing something constantly, even on holiday or on weekends?
Are you constantly thinking about what needs to be done?
Does relaxing get you feeling guilty?
Do you feel like rushing in traffic, even when you don’t need to?
Do you fidget?
Do you feel a vague sense of depression?

If you answered yes, then perhaps it’s time to re evaluate how you use the chemicals in your body to manage your life. The key is to know when to tap into the adrenalin, because of the hazards of prolonged use of it.

Caffeine, sugar, fatty foods, pressure, “pep” talks can all trigger adrenaline release. The key is to realise when you need it, it’s there without these “props”.

When you’re home, allow yourself the time to read something other than the front page of the newspaper. Learn to have the peak state when it is needed and the rest of your time go into cruise mode. You will ultimately have more energy and feel more capable.

What are three things you could do that would enable you to experience a new level of health and vitality, based on what you have just learnt?

The Psychology of weight loss

As a Personal Trainer and Peak Performance Coach, i have helped many people with weight loss. 


During this time i have found that there is a specific psychology that separates those who achieve the results, and those who don't.


In fact, i am now able to pick the ones who come to me with the mindset already embedded within them, to lose weight, compared to the ones who are not yet ready for the weight loss. 


The good news is that this mindset is a conscious choice. And it comes from gaining leverage on yourself. I call this the pain vs pleasure model of the world. As humans, we are more likely to make change by moving away from pain, rather than moving towards pleasure. 


If i work with a client who has no leverage on themselves. I work with them to create that leverage, as well as define the goals, and set the action plan, and the weight loss follows. 


 If you think to yourself, 'It would be really nice if i was able to lose 5kgs'. Do you think this is a compelling reason to drive you and motivate you to take massive action and get the job done?? No... 


But... if something happens to you like a health scare, or you see a photo of yourself and you are shocked at how much weight you have recently put on, or a family member 'sits you down, to have a word with you about how much weight you have gained'... These things create pain. This pain comes in the form of an emotion. Like sadness, anger, frustration, what ever it is for you. 
And it is these negative emotions that you can use as a powerful tool to create a shift in mindset to have the motivation and drive for any change.


This is the psychology that makes the difference in weight loss. 


So if your not quite sure how to use this information for yourself to lose weight, I have defined some simple steps to get you in the mindset to have success with weight loss. 


Step 1# 


Decide what you want. 
Do you want to lose 5kgs?, 10kgs?, 40kgs? Do you want to feel more sexy?
Do you want to be able to wear a bikini at the beach this summer? What ever it is for you, figure it out so you have a goal. Without a target in sight, how do we know where to point the bow and arrow? 


Step 2# 


Find your purpose. 
Once you have decided what you want, you now need leverage on yourself before you begin your execution.
So the question to ask yourself is why do you want this? What does losing 5kgs do for you? What purpose will it serve?... Ill give you a hint... It will always come back to an emotion. It may improve self esteem, it might make you feel more confident, maybe you are worried about your health. Is it to help you to meet the love of your life?... or is it to keep the love of your life?
Maybe you dont feel beautiful anymore?. These thoughts all create emotions that don't feel nice. Ask yourself, how much longer am i prepared to put up with this?
Purpose is power, it gives you drive. 


Step 3#


Take Action.
Now that you have completed the first two steps of defining your goal, figured out your purpose for this goal, and created leverage on yourself, its time to take action... 


You hold all of the tools and resources required within you right now, to have the body you deserve. 
So what are you waiting for? Be like Nike and just do it!




Stay tuned for my next blog on what specific actions to take to get the weight loss results you always wanted, FAST! 




by Jai Bazevski. 

Interesting info on how Milk leaches calcium from your bones

There are 28 amino acids in nature. The human body can manufacture 19 of them. 
The other nine are called "essential." We must get them from the foods we eat.
One of those "essential" aminos is methionine.
One needs methionine for many human metabolic functions including digestion, 
detoxification of heavy metals, and muscle metabolism. However, an excess of methionine can be toxic.


Methionine = C-5, H-11, NO, S


Methionine is a good source for sulfur. That's the problem. Eat foods containing too much methionine, and your blood will become acidic. The sulfur converts to sulfates and weak forms of sulfuric acid. In order to neutralize the acid, in its wisdom, the body leaches calcium from bones.
"Dietary protein increases production of acid in the blood which can be neutralized by calcium mobilized from the skeleton." {American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1995; 61,4}
Animal proteins contain more methionine than plant proteins. Let's compare cow's milk to soymilk:

Methionine in 100 grams of soymilk	.040 grams
Methionine in 100 grams of whole milk	.083 grams
Methionine in 100 grams of skim milk	.099 grams

Now, let's compare 100 gram portions of tofu to meat:
(All of the meat products are lean and without skin)
Silken soft tofu: .074 grams
Hamburger: .282 grams
Hard boiled egg: .392 grams
Roast ham: .535 grams
Baked codfish: .679 grams
Swiss cheese .784 grams
Roast chicken: .801 grams
In 1988, N.A. Breslau and colleagues identified the relationship between protein-rich diets and calcium metabolism, noting that protein caused calcium loss. His work was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology (1988;66:140-6).
A 1994 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Remer T, Am J Clin Nutr 1994;59:1356-61) found that animal proteins cause calcium to be leached from the bones and excreted in the urine.

Health Benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I am often asked questions about what types of Oil is best to cook with, and what should be avoided, so I thought it would be good to shed some light on the many benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the TOP GRADE Olive Oil extracted from the first traditional cold-pressing of good quality olives.

Here is just a few of the many benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Weight Loss: Extra Virgin Olive Oil is TOP of the healthy fats list and is essential to any weight loss or maintenance plan as it has many unique properties that promote weight loss and control.

Speeds Up Fat Burning: It increases the rate of FAT OXIDATION after ingestion, when consumed you will actually begin to increase your rate of fat burning. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is at the top of the list of fats for weight loss as it speeds up fat burning.

Reduces Inflammation: It acts as a potent antioxidant lowering inflammation, which aids blood sugar levels. Emerging research suggests that inflammation of the cells that line the arteries may be an underlying cause of weight gain. Inflammation of the arteries impairs blood sugar metabolism, which promotes fat storage and makes weight loss difficult.

Other Health Benefits:

Choosing Extra Virgin Olive Oil as your main source of dietary fat is good for your health, it contributes nutrients to your diet, may prolong life and reduces risk of chronic diseases.

Olive Oil is a major part of the Mediterranean diet. Research shows that people living in Mediterranean regions have a reduced risk of certain diseases and longer life expectance, despite their high dietary fat intake. Studies show lower rates of heart disease in people who consumed a Mediterranean diet.

Studies focuses on olive oil show that it may reduce risk of cardiovascular disease by decreasing plasma triglycerides, (LDL) bad cholesterol, platelet activation, inflammation and oxidative damage. Increases (HDL) good cholesterol.

Research suggests olive oil may reduce the risk of breast, colon, lung, ovarian and skin cancers.

Chemical compounds specific to olive oil, appear to stop the build-up of free radicals in the body and may be able to reduce oxidative damage to DNA.

Studies suggest it may help reduce or manage blood pressure, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis and immune function.

CHOOSE EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL AS YOUR MAIN SOURCE OF DIETARY FAT

Extra Virgin Olive Oil as part of a healthy well balanced diet will help your weight loss plan and reduce risk of diseases.

Locally produced oil is better than imported as prolonged storage can degrade some nutrients.

3 Veggies That Fight Abdominal Fat

A unique way that a few specific vegetables can actually stimulate the burning of abdominal fat...

I bet you didn't know that there is a specific class of vegetables that contain very specific phyto-nutrients that actually help to fight against stubborn belly fat.

Let me explain what these unique vegetables are and why they help to burn stomach fat...

Chemicals that force your body to hold onto belly fat

Something you may have never heard about is that certain chemicals in our food supply and our environment, such as pesticides, herbicides, and certain petro-chemicals from air and water pollution, household cleaners, cosmetics, can react with your body and make your body store excess abdominal fat!

These chemicals are know as xeno-estrogens.

Xenoestrogens are chemicals that you are exposed to (and are hard to avoid in the modern world) that have an estrogenic effect in your body. Excess exposure to these can cause hormone balance disruptions for both men and women. So these can wreak havoc in the body.

These estrogenic chemicals that we are exposed to on a daily basis can stimulate your body to store belly fat, along with many other problems (including cancer risks in the long term).

So here is where these specific type of vegetables come in handy...

Using cruciferous vegetables will help fight against stomach fat!

What the heck is a cruciferous vegetable i hear you ask?

They are vegetables that contain very specific and unique phyto-nutrients such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C) that help to fight against these estrogenic compounds...

BROCCOLI

CAULIFLOWER

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

CABBAGE

Are some common veggies that you can eat every day. And this will fight against these belly fat stimulating estrogenic chemicals, this is just 1 more step in helping you to win the battle against abdominal fat!

So give it a go... Add these veggies to your weekly eating plan and see what happens! What have you got to lose?? (besides belly fat)...

5 cups a day, keeps the FAT away!!

GREEN TEA CAN HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT
Green Tea stimulates a process in the body which generates energy by increasing its basal metabolic rate helping you burn calories & fat more efficiently, which accelerates weight loss.

This natural weight-loss stimulant is a great slimming solution, it's rich in powerful Antioxidants called Catechins that are responsible for a myriad of other health benefits - promotes heart health, aids digestion and regulates blood sugar and body temperature.

It raises the metabolic rate and speeds up fat oxidation, thus helping people lose weight.

Drink it daily to boost your metabolism.

Research has shown that five cups a day is the magic number for fat loss.

• Increases Metabolism & Accelerates Weight Loss
• Increases Body’s Ability To Burn Fat & Calories
• Helps Suppress Your Appetite
• Rehydrates The Body
• Absorbs & Blocks Bad LDL Cholesterol
• Raises Good HDL Cholesterol
• Prevents Cardiovascular Disease
• Reduces Risk Of Strokes & Heart Attack
• Strengthens Your Immune System
• Eliminates Free Radicals & Detoxify’s The Body
• Blocks Bad & Increases Good Bacteria In The Intestines
• Helps Stabilise Blood Pressure
• Rich in Vitamin E Slowing The Aging Process
• Protects From Tooth Decay Inhibits Growth Of Plaque
• Prevents Food Poisoning Inhibits Growth Of Bacteria
• Lowers Blood Sugar Levels
• Helps to Stabilise Diabetes
• Helps To Stop Abnormal Blood Clots Forming
• Rich in Antioxidants Beneficial To Your Skin
• Theanine In Green Tea Is A Natural De-Stressor
• Prevents & Treats Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Prevents Alzheimer’s Disease - Green Tea Inhibits 3 Enzymes Linked To The Development Of Alzheimer’s.
• Green Tea Helps You Exercise Longer - Exercise is important to lose weight, it burns calories, increases your energy & builds muscle which boosts your metabolism even higher. The Catechin Polyphenols in Green Tea stimulate the use of fatty acids by the liver & muscle cells, reducing the rate carbohydrates are used & allows more endurance & longer exercise times.

The Ant Philosophy

This is an amazing Four-Part Philosophy for success!

I think everybody should study ants. They have an amazing four-part philosophy.

Here is the first part: Ants never quit. Thats a good philosophy. If

they're headed somewhere and you try to stop them, they'll look for another way.

They'll climb over, they'll climb under, they'll climb around. They keep looking for

another way. What a great philosophy, to never quit looking for a way to get where you're supposed to go.

Second, ants think winter all summer. Thats an important perspective. You cant

be so naive as to think summer will last forever. So ants are gathering their winter food in the

middle of the summer.

The third part of the ant philosophy is that ants think summer all winter.

That is so important. During the winter, ants remind themselves, "This wont last long - we'll

soon be out of here." And the first warm day, the ants are out. If it turns cold again, they'll

dive back down, but then they come out the first warm day. They cant wait to get out.

And here's the last part of the ant philosophy. How much will an ant gather during

the summer to prepare for the winter? All he possibly can. What an incredible philosophy,

the "all-you-possibly-can" philosophy.

Wow! what a great philosophy to have - the ant philosophy.

Never give up, look ahead, stay positive and do all you can.

I credit Jim Rohn for this philosophy, although he is no longer on this planet, his teachings are still moving people, an he is still a great mentor for many.

SQUARE ONE FITNESS CLIENT LOSES 10kg IN 6 MONTHS!

I would like to introduce you to one of my clients at Square One Fitness who is an absolute success story.

Errol Lim is a Director and Physiotherapist for BJC Health in Sydney.

6 Months ago, Errol set himself a target weight of 74kg. At the time he weighed 84kg.

Errol has managed to stay focused on his goal and he has succeeded in getting to his target weight in the target timeframe.

I thought It would be great to let Square One Fitness Clients in on the mindset of Errol, and what he did to get to his goal weight.

So I have asked Errol if he can share some insight on how he did it.

So here it is… Enjoy. J

JAI: Hi Errol, firstly congratulations on your great success in reaching your target weight of 74kg and losing a total of 10kg!

It is a great accomplishment, and you must feel fantastic for it!

I would like to know what were the main contributing factors to you achieving your goal? Im sure there are a number of contributing factors such as your consistent training with Square One Fitness, eating well, your mindset, and other things. Can you tell myself and the other Square One Fitness clients and friends a bit about what got you over the line?

You also mentioned how your sleeping patterns were a big contributor?

ERROL:Hi Jai,

Thank you so much for your support through the past 6 months.

You are right when you say there have been many contributing factors to achieving my goal.

The first thing was having the mindset to change and then setting a goal. Voicing my goal to my friends and family then made me accountable.

The next step was to get a team around me whom I could trust and I knew was going to help me achieve my targets.

Eating well whilst working with a dietitian has been the biggest challenge. The unfamiliarity of certain foods was the initial block but now what I eat has become habitual and I like it - amazing!

The fitness training though tough 6 months ago has been what I look forward to each week. Stepping it up to two training sessions a week has been easy with the outcomes being tremendous. I have really enjoyed being pushed and have learnt alot about how hard my body can perform safely. For this, I am very grateful.

Apart from everything I have mentioned, I attribute having the mindset as the most important. In order to achieve this, I needed to feel somewhat healthy. The defining point was the decision to sleep early each night when my kids went to sleep allowing me to get a solid 7 to 8 hours each night. This meant waking up fresh with a clear mind to start my day. As you know, I was struggling with numerous viruses over the past 2.5 years since my son was born mainly due to a lack of sleep. When this stopped, I felt confident to be able to handle the changes I needed to make. Sleep - who would have thought this was so important. We all know what we need to do, we just don't listen to our bodies often enough.

JAI: Thanks Errol. I really appreciate and respect your dedication to improving your health and well being. And I am very happy that you have been able to achieve your goals.

Errol's great success has come from setting specific goals. There was a goal weight, and a goal date. This is very important in your goal setting.

So the key thing I recommend for a weight loss program is work out what weight you want to be, and when you want to be at that weight.

Be sure that you are SMART about your goals.

Follow the SMART Model when setting goals for a higher chance of success!

S - SPECIFIC

M - MEASURABLE

A - ATTAINABLE

R - REALISTIC

T - TIMEFRAME

Make sure your goals fit in with this model. Your goals need to be specific – that is, state exactly what you want to achieve.

They need to be measurable – how will you know you’ve achieved your goal? What will be your evidence?

Your goals need to be attainable – Achievable by you and something you along can control and influence.

They need to be realistic – within reach yet still a stretch, with an incremental plan for getting there.

Your goals need to have a timeframe – when will you achieve this goal by and how will you celebrate?

There’s one more letter that needs to be added, and without it all of this is just talk…

A – ACTION

We must, must, must, must be prepared to take action. If we don’t take action we are simply filling time with an interesting philosophical exercise.

Nothing beats action.

Personal Trainer Misconceptions

Regardless of your training level a Personal Trainer can be your fitness program's most valuable asset and ally. Don't let the common misconceptions about Personal Trainers stand in the way of achieving your goals.

Misconceptions:

Trainers are for athletes

A trainer can provide a great benefit for any person interested in fitness, regardless of your fitness level, athletic ability or age. Exercising correctly and with a plan is what many lack and what a trainer can provide. By selecting the right trainer you will be able to achieve the type of result you desire.

Trainers are expensive

This is one of the most common misconceptions about personal trainers. Although like any other service there is a wide range of prices, finding a trainer in your price range should not be difficult. In fact a session with a Personal Trainer is a great, relatively inexpensive, gift for anyone who is into fitness.

Trainers are for weightlifters and bodybuilders

Just as strength training is just one aspect of physical fitness, strength training is just one area of expertise for trainers. Personal trainers can assist in cardiorespiratory fitness, flexibility and nutrition.

Trainers are only useful for "general" training

Working with a trainer can benefit not only overall fitness, but also can be geared toward a specific sport or activity. Whether you are an up and coming youth athlete, or an adult looking to obtain a competitive edge in your game - tennis, skiing, golf or whatever - personal training can be your "secret weapon".

Personal Training requires a major commitment to be useful

While the benefit from personal training increases with each session, even a single session can make a great difference to someone who doesn't work with a trainer regularly. The only commitment that is necessary is to yourself and to your fitness goals.

NUTRITION NEWS

Protein-rich brekkie prevents wasted calories later
In the movie Pulp Fiction, Samuel L Jackson’s character interrupts a couple of ‘associates’ as they tuck into some early morning Big Kahuna Burgers, and sardonically declares ‘Hamburgers! The cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast.’

While the nutritional benefits of a Big Kahuna may be negligible, research from the University of Missouri has found that a protein-rich healthy breakfast does increase satiety and reduce hunger. Functional MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) also showed that higher protein meals reduced brain signals which control food motivation and reward-driven eating behaviour.

Heather Leidy, assistant professor in the MU Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, said ‘Everyone knows that eating breakfast is important, but many people still don't make it a priority. This research provides additional evidence that breakfast is a valuable strategy to control appetite and regulate food intake.’

A subject group of teenagers – a group most likely to forego breakfast – was studied for a three-week period, during which they either continued skipping breakfast, consumed 500-calorie breakfast meals of cereal and milk (containing normal levels of protein) or high protein meals of Belgium waffles, syrup and yoghurt. Appetite and satiety questionnaires were filled in at the conclusion of each week. Directly prior to lunch, functional MRI scans were used to identify brain activation responses.

Both breakfast meals resulted in greater feelings of fullness and reduced hunger compared with those who skipped breakfast. The functional MRI results showed reduced brain activity in regions controlling food motivation and reward in those who ate breakfast. Those who consumed the higher protein breakfast exhibited even greater positive changes in these areas.

Leidy said, ‘Incorporating a healthy breakfast containing protein-rich foods can be a simple strategy for people to stay satisfied longer, and therefore, be less prone to snacking. People reach for convenient snack foods to satisfy their hunger between meals, but these foods are almost always high in sugar and fat and add a substantial amount of calories to the diet. These findings suggest that a protein-rich breakfast might be an effective strategy to improve appetite control and prevent overeating in young people.’

Source: Obesity

Kerry's Veggie Patties

Thanks to my great friend Kerry, I have an amazing recipe to share with you.

About 500g sweet potato, pealed chopped and boiled until tender. Mash and set aside to cool down.

Mash 400g can of chickpeas, cut one brown onion into very small pieces and mix with chickpeas and sweet potato. Add half cup chopped coriander leaves and 2 tablespoons of plain flour and two tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan cheese.

Once all mixed up, make into about 10 patties.

Line an oven tray with baking paper and spray patties with olive oil and bake for about 20-30 minutes on 180 degrees.

Delicious!!! :)

Try it out and let me know how it goes!

Jai.

My Veggie restaurant review!

Last night we tried a great vegetarian restaurant for dinner called Bodhi!

Using locally grown organic produce, everything is freshly prepared daily and hand crafted by some of sydney’s best asian chefs.

Check out the link below.

http://www.bodhi.id.au/

My rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Kate's lunch!

Hey Veggie Challengers!

Kate just sent through her lunch menu for today!

Pumpkin salad, rocket, walnuts and parmesan... YUM!

(Save some for me Kate) :)

Veggie Challenge Starts Tomorrow people!

Make sure you jump on the scales tonight, and make a note of your weight and send it to me.

Also if you have a tape measure, check your waist measurements too and send it over.

Measurement point is just above the bellybutton.

Whats on the menu for me?

Well, here is whats on the plate for me tomorrow if you are looking for ideas...

I assume you guys dont normally eat meat for breakfast... (unless you go the old saussage and egg McMuffin on the way to work!)... but ill give you my full eating plan for tomorrow anyway, including brekkie! :)

Note: This is not for everyone to follow... I am just sharing what i have planned, incase you are struggling for ideas... Also, I burn ALOT of calories throughout a normal day, so my intake is quite high. I would not recommend this for someone spending the majority of their day sedentary. (Sitting at a desk for example).

5am - 1 cup of coffee (skim milk, no sugar), and 4x week-bix (skim milk) with honey & milo (yum)!

Between 6 and 7 i will drink 650ml water.

7:30am - 2x pieces of light rye toast w/ butter & vegemite & water or apple juice.

10am - 1 or 2 mandarin's and 1 banana. And water

12:30pm - Left overs from tonights dinner (mixed pan fried veggies in olive oil w/ brown rice), and water.

3pm - Toasted egg, cheese and tomato sandwich on light rye with a side of steamed broccoli and a protein shake (on skim milk). Followed by water. (im getting hungry thinking about it).

6pm - steamed broccoli, diced red capsicum, zucchini, green beans, peas and corn with brown rice. (may throw a can of diced no salt tomato's in there for added flavour).

between 6:30pm and 7:30pm will drink 650ml water.

8pm - 1 small oven baked sweet potato w/ butter and cinnamon with water.

9pm - Chamomile tea

So that should just about cover it for me tomorrow... Normally i would sit for dinner at around 7pm. However, if i am training during those hours, i will have something light before and after.

Have a great night Challengers! And get that last steak in tonight before the clock ticks over to midnight!! :)

Take care people!

Jai.

LOOK OUT FOR JUNE 01, 2011!

No, its not the end of the world...

Its the very first ANNUAL VEGGIE CHALLENGE 2011!

The Veggie challenge begins on JUNE 01!

Yes, thats just 1 week away!

The challenge goes for the month of June and the rules are...

DONT DO

Eat Meat Eat STACKS of Veggies!!!

So, if you are wondering what you are gonna eat for the 4 weeks, and dont usually cook vegetarian food, I have great news for you!

I have teamed up with "Master Chef Kate" and we will be blogging every meal we eat during the challenge.

Expect full recipe's with all ingredients and photos (so you know what it should look like) :)

The challenger with the highest weight loss percentage wins the below great prize worth $160

A Body Composition Scan from BJC Health (nth Parramatta)

&

1 Personal Training session with Square One Fitness (Homebush Bay)

Entry: $10

To enter challenge, email: jai@squareonefitness.com.au

Square One Fitness CHALLENGE!

5 Powerful Fat-Fighting Spices

5 Powerful Fat-Fighting Spices

Parsley: Improves digestion so you can use
the foods you eat. The more food you "use"
the less you store as bodyfat.

Basil: Known to us pros as the "secret"
appetite-suppressing herb. Yep... it makes
you feel more full. Fantastic for killing those
late-night carbohydrate cravings.

Oregano: Reduces bloating! I love that.
When you are cutting body fat, you often get
tricked into believing belly bloat is belly
"fat"... but it's not. It's water pulled in from
cells during fat loss processes. Oregano
helps reduce it.

Rosemary: Helps keep you calm and lowers
the bellyfat-storing hormone "cortisol". It's
nature's best cortisol-lowering spice.

Black Pepper: Known fatburner, and it just
tastes really good. Plus a really powerful anti-
oxidant!

Salt, Blood Pressure and Your Health

Salt is essential to our body’s fluids. That’s likely why we evolved to enjoy its taste. On the other hand, anyone who’s gotten a mouth full of seawater knows that too much salt tastes terrible. Maybe your body’s trying to tell you something. It turns out that too much salt can lead to a host of health problems.

The chemical name for dietary salt, or table salt, is sodium chloride. Since 90% of the sodium we ingest is from salt, it’s difficult to separate the effects of salt and sodium in many studies. However, it’s the sodium part most doctors focus on.

“The best known effect of sodium on health is the relationship between sodium and blood pressure,” explains Dr. Catherine Loria of NIH’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Dozens of studies, in both animals and people, have shown that a higher salt intake raises blood pressure. Reducing salt intake, on the other hand, lowers blood pressure.

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as the heart pumps out blood. When this pressure rises—a condition called high blood pressure, or hypertension—it can damage the body in many ways over time. High blood pressure has been linked to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and other health problems.

There are 2 blood pressure numbers, and they’re usually written with one above or before the other. Systolic, the first, is the pressure when the heart beats, pumping blood through the arteries. Diastolic is the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats. The numbers 120/80 mmHg are the ones you should aim to keep your blood pressure below.

Some research also suggests that excessive salt intake might increase the risk of stomach cancer. Scientists continue to investigate this possible connection.

Researchers do know that not everyone is equally sensitive to salt. “From our experiments, we know there’s lots of variation in the blood pressure response,” Loria says. Certain groups of people see greater reductions in blood pressure when they lower their salt intake: African-Americans, older people and people with blood pressure above normal.

“Within those groups, there’s a lot of variation between people.” Loria says. But about 1 in 3 adults nationwide has high blood pressure right now. Another third have “prehypertension,” meaning their blood pressure numbers are high enough to put them at risk to develop high blood pressure. In light of this, she says, “it’s really important for the majority of the population to reduce their blood pressure.”

Experts recommend that people take in less than 2,400 milligrams of sodium a day—that’s what’s in about 6 grams of salt, or about a teaspoon. People with high blood pressure should shoot for 1,500 milligrams or less—about 3.7 grams of salt. But right now, the average man in the United States takes in over 10 grams of salt per day and the average woman over 7.

Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo at the University of California, San Francisco, recently led a study that used computer modeling to explore the effects of a modest reduction in salt intake in the United States. The researchers found that reducing salt intake by 3 grams per day could cut the number of new cases of heart disease each year by as many as 120,000, stroke by 66,000 and heart attack by nearly 100,000. It could also prevent up to 92,000 deaths each year. All segments of the population would benefit, with African-Americans having the greatest improvements overall. Women would particularly benefit from reductions in stroke, older adults from a decline in heart disease and younger adults from fewer deaths.

Some countries have already begun to tackle this problem using various strategies, such as working with industry to reduce the salt content in processed foods, requiring labels on ready-to-eat foods and educating the public. The UK has achieved a 10% reduction in salt consumption over the past 4 years.

But wouldn’t we all miss the taste? “Several studies have shown that as you gradually reduce sodium intake, you lessen your desire for salty food,” Loria says. And surveys of people across the UK have found that most people didn’t notice any difference in the taste of their food.

“A very modest decrease in the amount of salt, hardly detectable in the taste of food, can have dramatic health benefits for the U.S.,” Bibbins-Domingo stresses.

The salt we sprinkle on our food actually accounts for less than 10% of our salt consumption. Most of the salt we eat salt comes in processed foods from stores, restaurants and dining halls. You may already know that fast food, cold cuts and canned foods tend to have a lot of salt.

“Many people don’t realize that a lot of our salt is from breads and cereals,” Bibbins-Domingo says. Studies have found that over 20% of the salt in the average American’s diet comes from grain products, such as breads, cereals, crackers and chips.

“In terms of advice, I think the best guidance we have is for people to pay attention to nutrition facts on the labels,” Loria says. “The percent daily value is a better guide than the language that’s used on food labels like ‘low-salt.’ These labels can be confusing because they have very defined technical meanings.” Try to select foods, she advises, with less than 5% of the daily value of salt per serving.

Even small reductions can have an effect on your blood pressure. If you can’t find a low-salt alternative to a particular food, it still helps to pick something that’s lower than what you’re already consuming. “You can find remarkable variation in the amount of salt across major brands of food,” Bibbins-Domingo says. “Even without choosing something labeled ‘low sodium,’ you can often find a lower sodium alternative.”

Beyond salt, a healthy eating plan can help keep your blood pressure under control. Other lifestyle measures can help you keep your blood pressure down, too. Lose weight if you’re overweight or obese. Get regular physical activity. Quit smoking. And manage your stress. The more of these steps you take, the more likely you’ll be to avoid related health problems.

Why not start now? Make small changes at first, and then keep working to gradually lower your family’s salt intake

How butter can make you leaner and improve your health

What They NEVER Want You To Find Out About Real Butter

By Brian St. Pierre, CSCS, CISSN

If you want to talk about much-maligned foods, butter is right up there at the top of the list.

Health authorities have been telling us for years that foods like butter, rich in saturated fat, are clogging our arteries and causing heart disease. So they told us to replace them with trans-fat laden margarine, and how did that turn out? Then came polyunsaturated vegetable oils, and new research is linking these omega-6 rich fats to all sorts of health problems, including potentially increased risk of cancer.

The real question is, was there ever a problem

with butter in the first place? The answer just might surprise you.

There is actually a good amount of research, in several populations, that shows that full-fat dairy consumption is associated with lower BMI, lower waist circumference, and lower risk of cardiovascular disease (especially stroke). Low-fat or fat-free dairy is actually often associated with increased BMI and waist circumference.

In fact Dr. Ronald Krauss, one the world’s leading lipid researchers, directly showed that while saturated fat from dairy does raise LDL, it is an increase in large, fluffy and benign LDL – not the small, dense and atherogenic LDL. This actually decreases your risk of cardiovascular disease!

Now there is a clear difference between butter and dairy from grain and corn fed cows on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations that are milked nearly year-round, given growth hormones and antiobiotics and live in their own waste compared to cows on small farms that eat grass, get exercise, fresh air and sunshine and are only milked based on their seasonal reproductive cycle. The quality of life, and therefore quality of milk and dairy products is vastly different.

Butter from grass-fed cows contains a boatload of powerful vitamins and healthful fatty acids. These vitamins are fat-soluble, and they are bonded to the fatty acids in the dairy, and are therefore nearly non-existent in fat-free dairy. The fat is where vitamins A, D, E and K2 are, as well as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), butyric acid, omega-3 fatty acids, and medium chain triglycerides.

CLA is present in human body fat in proportion to dietary intake, and has been shown to be a powerful ally in the fight against cancer. Meat and dairy from grass-fed animals provide the richest source of CLA on the planet, containing three to five times more CLA than feedlot-raised animals. CLA has been found to greatly reduce tumor growth in animals, and possibly in humans as well.

In a Finnish study, women who had the highest levels of CLA in their diet had a 60% lower risk of breast cancer than those with the lowest levels. Simply switching from conventionally-raised grain-fed meat and dairy to pasture-raised grass-fed versions would have placed all the women in the lowest risk category. A good grass-fed butter will contain about 110mg of CLA per tbsp.
Vitamin D is pretty much the best thing since sliced bread and any time you can get some from food is always a good thing. Low blood levels of vitamin D are associated with lowered immunity, increased risk of 17 cancers and counting, increased risk of heart disease, psychological and neurological disorders including ADD and depression, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, bone loss, loss of muscle mass and strength as we age and more.

Omega-3s are absolutely amazing, as they may improve nerve, brain, eye, heart and cardiovascular function as well as decreasing inflammation, joint pain, arthritis, psychological disorders, and risk of breast cancer and heart disease, all while improving mood and body composition! Unfortunately grain-fed butter contains only about 40mg, but a good grass-fed butter will contain about 120mg per tbsp!

Medium chain triglycerides are unique fatty acids that are more readily utilized as fuel rather than stored as energy. Particular ones like lauric acid contain anti-viral and anti-microbial properties. Vitamins A and E are powerful antioxidants. Butryric acid may help with bodyweight regulation, and is a primary fuel source for our intestinal flora.

Notice that I didn’t mention vitamin K2 yet? That is because I was saving what might be the best for last. Several studies have found that a higher vitamin K2 (mostly from vitamin K2-MK4) intake is associated with a lower risk of heart attack, ischemic stroke, cancer incidence, cancer mortality and overall mortality. Men with the highest vitamin K2 consumption had a 51% lower risk of heart attack mortality and a 26% lower risk of all cause mortality compared to men consuming the lowest amount!

One of the ways vitamin K2 improves cardiovascular health is its ability to decrease arterial calcification by 30-40%. And, this only speaks to vitamin K2’s effects of cardiovascular health; it is also crucially important for proper fetal development and bone health, to name a few additional benefits.

Vitamin K2-MK4 is only found in animal products and the best known sources are grass-fed butter and foie gras (fatty goose liver).

Butter Might Prevent Diabetes?

Yes, it is true. Recently Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian and colleagues at Harvard found that blood content of trans-palmitoleate was associated with a smaller waist circumference, higher HDL cholesterol, lower serum triglycerides, lower C-reactive protein, lower fasting insulin and lower calculated insulin resistance.

In fact people with the highest trans-palmitoleate levels had 1/3 the risk of developing diabetes over the three years of the study!

Want to know what the dietary sources of trans-palmitoleate are? Dairy fat and red meat are virtually the only source of this fatty acid. In this study most of the trans-palmitoleate came specifically from dairy fat.

Conclusion

Well, it seems that consuming butter from grass-fed cows will make your LDL larger, fluffier and less likely to cause heart disease. It will also provide you with cancer-fighting CLA, as well as artery clearing vitamin K2-MK4. To top it all off it might also decrease your risk of diabetes. Sounds like a pretty good food to me!

References
German JB, Gibson RA, Krauss RM, et al. A reappraisal of the impact of dairy foods and milk fat on cardiovascular disease risk. Eur J Nutr. 2009 Jun;48(4):191-203.
Bonthuis M, Hughes MCB, IbiebeleTI, Green AC, and van der Pols JC. Dairy consumption and patterns of mortality of Australian adults. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010;64:569–577.
Elwood PC, Strain JJ, Robson PJ, et al. Milk consumption, stroke, and heart attack risk: evidence from the Caerphilly cohort of older men. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2005;59:502-505
Elwood PC, Pickering JE, Hughes J, Fehily AM, Ness AR. Milk drinking, ischaemic heart disease and ischaemic stroke II. Evidence from cohort studies. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2004 May;58(5):718-24.
Berkey CS, Rockett HR, Willett WC, Colditz GA. Milk, dairy fat, dietary calcium, and weight gain: a longitudinal study of adolescents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2005 Jun;159(6):543-50.
Rosell M, Håkansson NN, Wolk A. Association between dairy food consumption and weight change over 9 y in 19 352 perimenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Dec;84(6):1481-1488.
University of Gothenburg (2009, November 4). Children Who Often Drink Full-fat Milk Weigh Less, Swedish Research Finds. ScienceDaily.
Dhiman TR, Anand GR, et al. Conjugated linoleic acid content of milk from cows fed different diets. J Dairy Sci. 1999;82(10):2146-56.
Smit LA, Baylin A, Campos H. Conjugated linoleic acid in adipose tissue and risk of myocardial infarction. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Jul;92(1):34-40.
Geleijnse JM, Vermeer C, Grobbee DE, et al. Dietary Intake of Menaquinone Is Associated with a Reduced Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: The Rotterdam Study. J Nutr. 2004 Nov;134:3100-3105.
Gast GC, de Roos NM, Sluijs I, et al. A high menaquinone intake reduces the incidence of coronary heart disease. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2009 Sep;19(7):504-10.
Nimptsch K, Rohrmann S, Kaaks R, Linseisen J. Dietary vitamin K intake in relation to cancer incidence and mortality: results from the Heidelberg cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Heidelberg). Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 May;91(5):1348-58.
Spronk HM, Soute BA, Schurgers LJ, et al. Tissue-specific utilization of menaquinone-4 results in the prevention of arterial calcification in warfarin-treated rats. J Vasc Res. 2003 Nov-Dec;40(6):531-7.
Mozaffarian et al. Trans-palmitoleic Acid, Metabolic Risk Factors, and New-Onset Diabetes in US Adults. Ann Internal Med. 2010

Foods to charge your libido

Some quick nutrition tips to bring some heat into your bedroom! ;)

1. Avocado is full of healthy essential fatty acids.
2. Pomegranate contains energy-giving antioxidants. Research from Sussex University found that pomegranate boosted libido in both men and women.
3. Superfoods such as acai berry, maca and raw cacao. These are loaded with antioxidants which increase blood flow as well as energy levels.
4. Quinoa is high in the relaxing mineral magnesium. Quinoa also contains all nine essential amino acids making it the perfect protein hit.
5. Asparagus: one cup contains 65 per cent of your daily folate requirements.

PLANK CHALLENGE RESULTS ARE IN!

CONGRATULATIONS to Claudio Ventura!

For winning the challenge with an outstanding

plank time of 7 minutes and 6 seconds!

Claudio has won 3x PT sessions valued at $225

Should Claudio decide to take the second part

of the challenge he can win an additional 3x sessions.

Will keep you posted! :)

PLANK CHALLENGE!

Ok, so some of my clients have been asking me how long i can hold the plank position for...

And up until today's workout, i have not challenged myself.

So i put forward a friendly plank challenge to all those reading this blog.

The winner gets 3x 1hr PT sessions with me in my gym over 3 weeks (Valued at $225)

RULES:

*Time your plank (where on an honor system here people)

*Submit your best time to the Square One Fitness facebook fan page by Feb 28.

(you have the rest of the month to work on a good time)...

*The best time wins the prize. (You have to prove to me that you can do the time you say)

And to add to that...

If i cannot beat your plank time, you will receive an ADDITIONAL 3x 1rh PT sessions over the following 3 weeks!

Good luck contestants! Lets step up and challenge ourselves!!

P.S - If you want to know what my plank time was today.... Go to the Square One Fitness Facebook page, and post on my wall the following...

"I am ready to step up and take the plank challenge!" - And i'll inbox you my time! :)

Could your food be making you infertile?...

A certain food related disease may be the cause of infertility according to a new study. The culprit: celiac disease.

Celiac disease is a disease that prevents your body from properly digesting gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.

Celiac Disease Becoming More Common

Unfortunately, celiac disease can manifest in so many ways, its frequently misdiagnosed and/or mistreated. One study showed it takes an average of 11 years for patients to receive a correct diagnosis!

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease, much like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. To get the disease, you must have both a genetic predisposition plus an environmental factor that triggers the disease.

Symptoms of Celiac Disease are Not Always Obvious

The symptoms of celiac disease are not always obvious. It may be years before symptoms worsen and the disease is diagnosed. Health research experts estimate that some 97 per cent of those affected by celiac disease remain undiagnosed.

Celiac Disease Can Affect Your Fertility

Celiac disease, a hereditary condition that often goes undiagnosed, can lead to infertility. Experts acknowledge that without treatment, celiac disease can cause repeated miscarriages and early menopause.

Celiac Disease can affect infertility in both men and women

Studies from various countries indicate that fertility problems are indeed more common in women with untreated celiac disease. The risk if suffering other gynecological and obstetrical problems like miscarriage or preterm birth is also higher for those with celiac disease.

Later onset of menstruation, early menopause and secondary amenorrhea are other common menstrual disorders that frequently affect women with celiac disease. These menstrual abnormalities, along with other hormonal disruptions they cause, can lead to few ovulations, which in turn results in a reduced chance of pregnancy.

Men with the disease, especially if its undiagnosed, can also face fertility problems due to: abnormal sperm and reduced testosterone levels.

Celiac Disease and Infertility Link

Over the last 10 years, several studies have examined the link between celiac disease and infertility found that women suffering from unexplained infertility may have clinically silent celiac disease.

• One study found the rate of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSAB) and infertility in celiac disease patients is at least four times higher than the general population.
• Another study showed the rate of celiac disease among women reporting infertility was 4.1%. Although the exact reason for the increased risk remains unknown, the researchers suggested that female celiac patients who are not adhering to a gluten free diet have a shortened reproductive period and early menopause. Males with celiac disease have shown gonadal dysfunction, whish could also contribute to fertility complications.
• The link between celiac disease and infertility is currently being evaluated. Early reports from the research suggests that the prevalence of celiac disease among women with unexplained infertility is 2.5% to 3.5% higher than the control population. They suggest that celiac disease represents a risk for abortion, low birth weight babies and short breast feeding periods, all of which can be corrected with a gluten free diet.

Testing for Celiac Disease

Get tested for celiac disease if you suffer from repeated miscarriages or are unable to conceive for unknown reasons. Symptoms can vary widely, and symptoms are easily confused with those of other diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome, iron-deficiency anemia, or even chronic fatigue syndrome.

There are reliable blood tests that can screen for the disease. People with celiac disease have higher than normal levels of certain auto antibodies in their blood. To diagnose celiac disease, your doctor will need to test your blood for high levels of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTGA) or anti-endomysium antibodies (EMA).

To get an accurate blood test result you need to continue eating a diet containing gluten, such as breads and pastas! If you go on a gluten-free diet prior to being tested, the results may come up negative for celiac even though you might in fact have the disease.

If the blood test is positive for celiac disease, a biopsy of your small intestine may be performed to confirm your diagnosis. The biopsy checks for damage to the villi, which is a sign that celiac disease is damaging your intestines.

Treating Celiac Disease

Celiac disease can be easily treated by eliminating gluten and most grain from your daily diet. Gluten can be hidden in many foods including soups, soy sauce, lollies, cold cut meat, and various low and no fat products, so check the labels before you eat it. Also watch out for malt, starches, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), texturized vegetable protein (TVP) and natural flavoring. Some pharmaceuticals, vinegars and alcohol can also contain gluten.

Low Grain Diet May be the Best Diet for Everyone

Whether you have celiac disease or not contemporary humans simply aren’t equipped to consume mass quantities of starch and sugar rich foods. Most people consume far too much bread, cereal, pasta, corn (a grain), rice, potatoes, snacks and junk foods, with grave consequences to their health. A diet high in grains is also a leading factor of obesity.