Sunshine Coast Dietetics: Macros: Count 'em or Count Me Out?

As a sports dietitian, people often ask me about counting macronutrients or ‘macros’.

When I say macros, I am talking about the amount of carbohydrate, protein and fat consumed in a day (or sometimes a meal). To give you an example, yesterday I consumed 250g carbs, 108g protein and 76g fat. This means I received 49% energy from carbs, 20% from protein and 31% from fat (due to fat being higher in energy content). Though these numbers tell you nothing about the quality of my diet during the day. FYI I could have had 1 ¼ Cups sugar to get that carb intake (though I didn’t).

Why are Macro’s important?

Different training regimes require different macro distribution. The most important factor being the amount of endurance exercise someone is participating in. Endurance exercise requires a greater quantity of carbohydrate to perform. For example a 70kg elite Ironman triathlete during heavy training may require upwards of 560g carb/day. This is only a ballpark figure though it highlights the importance of macros. After we have that carb figure we can then provide guidance on adequate protein, with the remainder of energy being from fats.

For someone interested in muscle gains, focusing on having sufficient protein intake (without going overboard) would be the first port of call. Then ensuring they have enough carbs to get through their sessions, with the remainder being from fat. In these cases it is important to have knowledge about specific macros, more for ensuring minimum requirements of these specific macros are being met.

Why macros aren’t important

Providing someone with a set macro schedule, for example 33% Carb/33% Protein/33% Fat, without understanding their energy requirements, exercise program and personal preferences can be counterproductive. As discussed above, more important is the amounts of specific macronutrients. Sports dietitians have moved away from macro schedules and prefer a much more individualised and periodised nutrition strategy, focusing on the requirements of training. Furthermore, there is always flexibility in macros to address personal preferences.

As suggested above, macros also don’t provide an idea of diet quality. While most people are able to choose protein foods to fit into their macro requirements, fats and carbohydrates are another matter.  Sometimes focusing too much on the % macros will reduce your range of foods, which can compromise vitamin and mineral intake. Yes ‘my only veg is broccoli’ friends, I am talking about you.

What does this mean for you?

In a nutshell; having an idea on the specific macronutrients for your training/exercise/sport and how to obtain them is important. Focusing too much on numbers without consideration for the quality of your diet can be counterproductive. Finally, everyone has individual dietary preferences and it is always important to incorporate those in any meal plan.

Happy eating.

Peter Herzig, AccSD, APD

Sunshine Coast Dietetics 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SCDietetics
Snapchat: @dietitianlife 

GUEST BLOG: Health Is Your Most Precious Gift

Take a deep breath – fill your lungs with air… breathe out, wiggle your toes, your fingers.. open and close your eyes, speak, stand up, walk to the door… open it…. breathe again, take in that fresh air… take in life, take in your most precious gift – you are alive, you can move and you have your health. A fragile, precious gift that you so very often take for granted, until you don’t have it.

Every day so many less fortunate fight the daily battle to do the things that we take for granted. They battle for their breath, they fight to move their limbs, to open their eyes, to move their body, or to be able to express themselves.

Without our health we have nothing – It really is our true wealth.

You don’t think so? Then try living without it, try living with the daily battles of a terminal illness, or a life adjusting injury or disease, then tell me that it is not important.

My journey to health and fitness gave me a brief glimpse into the world of the loss of health and the threat of not being here to live this journey that I am eternally grateful to be on.

HELLP syndrome was my brush with this feeling. It is a rare complication that occurs in less than 1% of pregnancies. (so I have not given up hope on getting that winning lotto ticket). Broken down this syndrome is:

H – Haemolysis (break down of blood cells)

EL – Elevated Liver Enzymes

LP – Low Platelet count

It is the next step on from preeclampsia – a more common complication. I had a lot of fluid throughout the pregnancy, one hospital admission with a very high blood pressure reading and within 24 hours of being released I woke to pains that I tried to ignore as it was too early for my baby to be out into the world. I have never been a big fan of exaggerating pain so I quietly went about the house trying not to wake anyone.

Then the breathing became irregular and more and more difficult so I calmly suggested to my partner at the time that it may be time to ring the hospital and just check in – my bubs still needed cooking time at 34 weeks and premature lungs I was starting to get worried, and scared as a million possibilities of what was happening ran through my head.

A trip to the hospital followed, with each breath getting more and more difficult I rode the elevator up to the maternity ward and was very quickly attended to by the staff. So with a partially collapsed lung and blood pressure through the roof the whirlwind began – my drug free, natural birth, became an emergency Caesar to save my life – a malfunctioning liver, collapsed lung and extremely low blood count with very few platelets, the faces surrounding me said that things were not looking great for me at this stage. I clearly remember asking the staff to please, no matter what lay ahead for me, save my baby! This was my real first experience of unconditional mothers love and sacrifice as I was wheeled into emergency surgery.

The rest was quite a blur until I heard those lungs let out a cry… Tears of joy streaming down my face as my world was now complete. A scream meant that those tiny lungs were working. It meant life! It meant my precious one had made the very early journey into the world – and at 3 pounds 15 his battle for life had begun.

My journey had just begun too… 24 hour round the clock care, blood tests on the hour, diminished liver function, bruising from lack of platelets from chest to thighs, I lay only thinking of my tiny bubs, and having that first connection of touch. Instead I was forced to focus on building my strength while the angels of nurses in the special care unit took care of my little superhero. Both of our fights to recover had begun, one moment, one hour, one day at a time. 

Lessons in life to not sweat the small stuff and truly be grateful for good health were embedded! Every day I am grateful that my health returned to normal levels in my blood and liver within 6 weeks. The human body can be so amazing in it’s ability to heal and repair. I know how lucky I am to have life, both mine and my beautiful baby boy! I am so grateful to have been given a second chance, when so many others don’t get that opportunity.

Every day there are many others fighting with everything that they have just to make it through the day. I know they would give anything to have the health that so many of us take for granted. You see it in friends, family, loved ones who are currently battling, or have sadly lost their fight – they view life as we all should, with gratitude, hope, love, and courage!

So when people ask why I take on the physical challenges that I do “my why” and answer is simple – I do it for those who can’t. I do it for those that we have lost. I do it to honour them, and for those still fighting! To use every bit of my health for as long as I can to help their battles in any way that I can!

Our Health is our Wealth – so please don’t waste the precious gift that you have been given and take care of yourself, in every way. It can all be gone in an instant so always remember this is not a rehearsal, we only get one chance at this thing called life.

For those superheroes reading that are fighting the toughest of battles. The true warriors! You inspire and amaze all of us daily with your courage, strength and bravery. Although we can not help you physically battle on, please know that we are here for you, we will fight the fight for research, for treatments, for cures, for care, and to support you in any way that we can.

If you are fortunate and blessed enough to have your health, how are you choosing to use it? Comment below or Click to contact us and make the most of this precious gift that we so often take for granted.

Kirsty Levy

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mumfitnessadventure

Instagram: @mumfitnessadventure

GUEST BLOG: Why Diets Don't Work

The word ‘diet’ automatically initiates a form of restrictive eating in order to lose weight – As far as it goes YES you will lose weight when you go on a ‘diet’ but in 95% of scenarios by using this method alone you will regain back that weight plus some. WHY? Because it is a temporary fix for a long term outcome, meaning it won’t sustain you in the long term due to it usually restricting certain macronutrients which are essential for proper functioning in the body.  Here is a few key points on why diets don’t work:

·         Not only can fad diets be harmful to your wellbeing but they usually lack essential nutrients for our functioning and even worse THEY TEACH YOU NOTHING ABOUT HEALTHY EATING AS A WHOLE!

·         And then there’s the BS marketing of “diet” products, but if you read the fine print closely it usually suggests a healthy diet and exercise for best results – in other words, if you eat well and exercise regularly you don’t need this magic potion but buy it anyway! SKIP THE CRAP – STOP WASTING YOUR MONEY and just commit to a healthier lifestyle to see the results. 

·         There is nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight, but don’t go crazy in developing bad habits such as trying fad diets or skipping meals because these are just unhealthy and unmethodical to your wellbeing, both physically and emotionally.  Simply start by controlling portion sizes and perhaps cutting back on your “must haves” such as chocolate or soft drink, halve it then halve it again, this is an excellent start to developing a healthy habit to weight loss, the best thing you can do is LOSE THE DIET MINDSET!

Yes it sounds cliché and no it’s not the answer you were probably hoping for but I can guarantee you, skipping the diets and investing in your health and wellbeing will be the best thing that will yield the results you so truly desire.

Gemma is a Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach based on the Sunshine Coast.  Offering online coaching in both fitness and nutrition to suit your lifestyle or in person via arrangement. 

If you’re sick of the vicious dieting cycle there is a special offer for a limited 10 spots for my 16 week nutrition program at 40% OFF.  This will teach you how to understand nutrition, flexible dieting and it will be customized to your energy needs.  If you’re interested contact me directly via email: gemmaricept@outlook.com

If you have any further questions I’d be more than happy to answer them over on my Facebook or Instagram page – feel free to connect with me for fitness and nutrition tips and advice.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/getrealphysiques

Instagram: @getreal_physiques

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw7c_ER2rQFLgXOA1m48lQg

Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/gemmaricept  

Sunshine Coast Dietetics: Tips for Children Who Are Fussy Eaters

Feeding children can be one of the hardest tasks a parent undertakes, particularly with today’s vast range of colourful and highly-flavoured food, complete with superheroes adorning the packaging. Most children are likely to become ‘fussy’ at some stage in their development, whether it is picking at their food, pushing away their plate, eating only a few of their favourite foods, or flat out refusing meals. In these cases, GPs are likely to be one of the first ports of call for parents who are desperate to get their little ones to eat.  Accredited Practising Dietitians recommend a few tips to help parents manage children’s food fussiness.

Do not beg or push children to eat

Studies have indicated that when parents insist their children eat particular vegetables, a dislike of those foods they have been ‘forced’ to eat often continues into their adulthood. A better option is to present children with a range of vegetables on their plate (including some they like), and sit with them to enjoy dinner quietly, not interrupting or coaxing them into eating. Whether they choose to eat it is up to them, but it is important to keep offering a range of vegetables from which they can choose, including those that have been refused previously.

Do not offer dessert as a reward

Sweet foods are easy to eat and very palatable for children. This can, in turn, give the message that savoury foods are less enjoyable. It is okay to provide dessert foods as part of a family meal, but not as a mechanism for encouraging a child to eat.

Do not praise children for eating

Eating is and should be a pleasurable experience, unless there are other issues, such as food allergies or intolerances, present. Praising children for a behaviour that is natural can lead to the need for ongoing encouragement and praise for every meal and snack.

What else can parents do?

It is helpful to be a good role model and enjoy meals with children. Children are likely to eat the foods that their parents eat on a daily basis, so encouraging parents to regularly eat healthy foods in front of their children is crucial to uptake and acceptance of these foods. This approach teaches the child the food is safe and part of normal, everyday nutrition. Enjoying meals together has a positive impact on children’s health, particularly those of school age. It increases intake of vegetables, fruit and dairy foods, and decreases consumption of unhealthy foods.

While eating every meal together may not be realistic, increased benefit is seen with more meals shared. Encouraging children to play with the food, either with a utensil or with their hands, and to get messy, can be helpful. They should gradually put some in their mouth and may spit back out, but that is a step closer to eating and enjoying that food.

Some other key pointers that can be offered to parents include:

• Turning off the television and other distractions

• Leaving children to eat in peace (keeping an eye from a distance)

• Letting children make some mess

• Mixing foods they already like with some they don’t

• Making sure their feet are always supported while eating

• Focusing on weekly, rather than daily, intake (children will have days where they eat more or less)

• Serving dinner foods at lunch time – this may help if they are tired at the end of the day

• Making sure they are not drinking too much milk (no more than 600 ml per day)

Peta Adams

Sunshine Coast Dietetics
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SCDietetics
Snapchat: @dietitianlife 

Paul's Body Engineering: Balance and Consistency

Balance and Consistency. These are two keys words thrown around a lot to describe the 'ideal' when one’s life is busy between work, personal and other commitments. As a Father of three, life can get very busy at times. Trying to manage three children, work, and personal commitments can be very difficult to juggle.

So what is the answer? What’s the secret to finding that balance and consistency?

Planning & Organisation

For me, I’ve found planning out my week certainly helps. Utilising a weekly planner is a great idea to map out your week one week ahead to visually see what you are doing, what time you have committed, what time you have left and perhaps how you can better manage your time. 

With my schedule training is another key attribute to my life which ensures I maintain a strong body and mind. Again this is another thing I have to commit too each week, thus finding time for this as well.

Ill start my week by scheduling out my work commitments whether that be face to face clients, online coaching requirements, blog writing, program building etc. All require the allocated time, all require completion by a certain time and date therefore need to be schedule accordingly and managed effectively. On top of this comes personal commitments such as school drop offs and pick ups, after school activities and weekend family events.

For me again, I enter all of this into my weekly planner. Knowing my week ahead down to the hour allows me to prepare well, organise my time efficiently and co-ordinate any last minute changes effectively.

Being a Personal Trainer with many clients, changes throughout the week is very common therefore often I find myself changing times around to suit. This is exactly why I have the week planned out providing greater opportunity to manage my time and make these changes , where possible, without too much hassle.

I also utilise a scheduling app on my phone to assist with the booking and scheduling process. While it is not ideal to manage more than one schedule or calender, each schedule I maintain represents a different aspect of my life and for me, this breakdown between work and personal seems to work.

It is amazing that once a week is completed planned how many gaps in your day you will find. 30 minutes here, an hour there all add up which leads into the next section.

Exercise & Nutrition

A lot of the hurdles I hear regrading finding time to train and plan out meals is time.

Thanks to the above effort, we have gone to in the above exercise to plan out each week down to the hour, enables you to schedule in training and meal prepping as needed. If you believe training three days a week is what your body and mind needs, then schedule it into the weekly planner accordingly. Plan it so it before work, after school drop off, after work etc. What will best fit into your schedule but once its in the planner its in your week and schedule to be done.

This also applies to meal prepping. One of the biggest failures for someone trying to get fit and healthy is nutrition. Meal prepping is such a good way to avoid temptation, unplanned meals and keep yourself on track. In order to meal prep you need the time to manage this hence utilising the planner again. Schedule in an hour a week or how long you believe it will take to prep out an entire weeks worth of meals thus it is now in the planner so scheduled to be done.

Family Time

This should always be a priority. Life can get so busy our family and kids become second fiddle to everything else when they should be first. We work to live not live to work so time should be given to spend quality time with family and friends.

Again this is something that can be scheduled in. Whether it be a family meal each week, a movie night, beach time, a bike ride etc if its in the planner then should be scheduled to be done.

This is how I manage my time and by all accounts I am not perfect at this as unexpected circumstances do always present themselves which cause the weekly schedule to change however it is always managed to the best of my ability.

My take home points would be;

• Plan out each week down to the day and hour ultimately showing the free time you have that you weren’t aware of.
• Ensure the planner details work, training, meals and family time
• Stick to the weekly plan as close as possible
• Manage anomalies each week to the best of your ability to keep your structure intact

Paul Hooper

Personal Trainer/Fitness Teacher/Owner

m 0466 587 643

e paul@paulsbodyengineering.com

w www.paulsbodyengineering.com

f www.facebook.com/paulsbodyengineering

i @paulsbodyengineering

Accelerate Health and Performance: Sifting BS

Last year I worked with a trainer who pushed all his clients to take Pre-Workouts, BCAA’s and Protein – None were body builders or athletes. They were very run of the mill general population clients who all wanted to lose a bit of weight, get a bit fitter, healthier and stronger.

Why did he push them toward supplementation? So he got a discount on all the shortcut bullshit he was doing because he wasn’t actually training or looking after his nutrition properly.
 
He won’t read this but I’d say it anyway...He was being a bit of a dick.
 
Not because he wanted to make a profit and not because he recommended supplements to his clients, but because he never really assessed or met their needs and never yielded tangible results. His clients generally liked him so they stayed a while but they often got jack of not getting the results they wanted and he didn’t stretch himself further to find out why.
 
You see, as a Personal Trainer, over time you develop a great bullshit detector. You also talk to a lot of different people and learn a lot about those people - Their heritage, their culture, their personality traits, their habits...whether they’re a folder or a scruncher.

But this guy didn’t talk to his clients and engage them...he never learned about them as people and never retained the knowledge that would join the dots and shed some light on the people he would meet in months and years to come.
 
One of his clients was a big English bloke. I’d estimate 120-140kg and 50% body fat plus...and he had him knocking back pre, intra and post workout amino acids at 5:30am.
 
Mitch: “Why have you got him on so many aminos? He isn’t lifting that much weight and that’s a lot of calories to take in before he even gets to breakfast.”
Trainer: “Nah, there’s no calories in aminos. The label says so.”
Dear oh, dear oh, dear.

Amino Acids make up protein molecules...1g of Protein yields four calories of energy...but what makes up protein molecules has no energy?

Layne Norton explains it very well here: https://www.biolayne.com/coaching/faq/part-e-bcaa/
 
So clearly there were some holes in this guy’s education. He was young and naive, and credit where credit is due, he took that on the chin and accepted the knowledge.
 
What else was there about that one client though that really, really stood out straight away, for me? He was English. A Pom. He was from the Mother Country, Guv’nah... And what do we know about the English diet? It’s pretty horrible.
 

* This actually looks delicious even if it gives me seven simultaneous heart attacks

Chips with every meal, even breakfast cereal. Sweet drinks on the regular. Highly processed bullshit as far as the eye can see. And I can say this...I married a pom.
When I met my wife her diet was shiiiit. My diet is by no means perfect but with a few simple changes my wife lost over 10kg in six months with a little bit of exercise and a shitload less Yorkshire Puddings.
 
Now I admit, I never actually analysed this guy’s diet but I’m willing to put a pineapple on it being pretty whack – a significant calorie surplus, a large amount of deep fried food and whole lot of processed sugar. That, plus a shit ton of calorie filled supplements...he didn’t lose weight. He gained weight. Fast.

When there’s no interaction and no engagement there is no bullshit detector. No little voice in the back of your head saying “This bloke isn’t telling pork pies, he is eating them!” and that is a HUGE pitfall for new, inexperienced trainers. Most trainers won’t become older, experienced trainers without this ability.
 
But it’s not just up to us...sure, you pay us to help you achieve your goals but we aren’t magicians. You see us maybe three or four hours per week tops...what are you doing in the other 160+ hours?
Are you actually eating really well or have you had salads with your Big Mac instead of fries? Are you really doing your hill sprints or are you doing a hill sprint and then taking selfies? #fitspo
Before you even try your bullshit with your trainer, be your own bullshit filter. Be your own bullshit filter every day!
 
Are you training as hard as you need to or as hard as you’re supposed to be? Are you keeping your macros and calories in check or are you mismeasuring to allow yourself some extra Ben & Jerry’s? Did you really eat pretty well this week or did the bottle of vodka, late night kebab and Large Popcorn Chicken Meal kind of fuck that up?
 
Trust me, the first answer that comes to mind is ALWAYS the right one and if it is second guessing yourself the answer to the questions above is “no”.
 
Not every has to be bodybuilder strict. The successful ones are disciplined as hell. Those guys and girls are freaks. But if you can become a lot more honest with yourself and a lot more honest with your trainer your results will go through the roof in a matter of weeks.
 
Trainers: Get to know your clients in detail. They may up and leave one day but you will be so much more prepared for the next one that comes along. Sift their bullshit!
Trainees: Sift your bullshit. Cut your bullshit. Be real with yourself and be real with your trainer. If you need someone to be your bullshit filter call me. I’ve got many bullshit filters that tell me to shut the fuck up constantly. It’s great – It helps – It is important.
 
Life is way easier and way more fun when we keep it real and own our choices and actions.
 
Please direct all hate mail to the owner of this website. 
She's the one to blame for me continuing to be published.

Mitchell Knight
Accelerate Health and Performance
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acceleratehealthandperformance/
Instagram: @mitchellknightpt @acceleratehealthandperformance

Sunshine Coast Dietetics (SCD): Carbs

Carbs get a bad wrap – pun intended.

This is the sad truth because the world we live in would be a far happier place if we could all embrace glorious carbohydrates as they are. In all their hearty, doughy, grainy glory.

Carbs are one of the main three macro-nutrients that provide us with energy to sustain life. Some would argue that carbs are the most important macro as they are the preferred energy source for our bodies over proteins and fats. They are so important that we recommend that 45-60% of your total energy intake comes from carbs.

Before we all go celebrate the good news with pasta and garlic bread, let’s first understand that not all carbs are created equal.

You may have heard of the scale ‘the glycaemic index’.

To put it simply – carbohydrate rich foods with a low glycaemic index, or GI, will be released into the blood stream as energy at a slower and more sustained rate than foods with a higher GI. Foods that have a higher GI are typically foods that give that sugar spike and crash that we are all familiar with.

Some examples of low GI foods include: beans, lentils, some fruits (pears, berries, grape fruit) and wholemeal pastas and breads. High GI foods include: some fruits (dried fruit in particular), some white breads and some white potatoes.

It’s not recommended to exclude high GI foods, rather enjoy them in moderation with a focus on an intake of low and moderate GI foods.

So here is the short list on why we love carbs and shouldn’t be afraid of them:
1.    They are our body’s main source of energy – for literally everything. Our muscles, our brain and everything in between.
2.    They don’t make you gain weight – this myth has been busted by several studies. Enjoy your carbs as part of a balanced diet and you will be sweet (pun).
3.    They can even help you lose weight – enjoy high fibre, low GI carbs that will help you feeling fuller for longer. Legumes, beans and whole grains should be your new besties.
4.    They are full of essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients – iron, B vitamins and dietary fibre. Win.

The Sunshine Coast Dietetics Team
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SCDietetics
Snapchat: @dietitianlife

Sunshine Coast Dietetics (Hannah): Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and FODMAPS

Accredited Practicing Dietitians are one of the most successful practitioners at relieving symptoms from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). IBS is a chronic disease which can cause lower abdominal pain or discomfort, bloating, wind, alternating bowel habits (diarrhoea to constipation) and distention. The diagnosis of IBS if given by a medical practitioner once other investigations have revealed no abnormal pathologies. IBS affects one in seven Australians, and it can greatly impact your quality of life.

Some sufferers will state that they are anxious about travelling or going to new places where they can’t guarantee they know where the bathroom is, or that the pain is so debilitating that they need to take time off. To make it more difficult, there isn’t a clear cause of IBS, it is very individual as to what the triggers are. The main two candidates are usually stress/anxiety, a dietary intolerance, or a combination of these factors. The combination of dietary management and counselling offered by dietitians helps a lot of sufferers every day to get their lives back.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a cure or specific medication that helps to alleviate the condition. But this is where dietitians shine. Treatment options include increasing dietary fibre, reducing common gas producing foods, and establishing eating routines. However, a group of carbohydrates called FODMAPs are also strongly linked to symptoms of IBS, and a reduction in FODMAPs under the supervision of a dietitian has yielded many fantastic results.

FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. They are a large group of dietary sugars that are found in lots of common foods such as dairy foods, fruits, vegetables, wheat containing products and sweetened products. The low FODMAP diet aims to reduce the total load of FODMAPs for a short period of time (2-6 weeks) at which point each FODMAP is reintroduced slowly to monitor your tolerance. This is best done with your dietitian so you get clear results. You may react to only one FODMAP, or a couple, or find that no one FODMAP is the cause, but rather too much is the issue.

Importantly, the low FODMAP diet is never meant to be followed long term as this can cause nutritional deficiencies. With your dietitian, you can find a balance that enables you to eliminate your symptoms, but still meet your nutrition requirements. Meaning you can live a healthier and happier life.


Hannah Roberton – Accredited Pracitising Dietitian
Sunshine Coast Dietitains
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SCDietetics
Snapchat: @dietitianlife

Paul's Body Engineering: Sugar & Snacking

In simple terms, sugar is a part of everyday life. Sugar can be found in nearly everything we eat and drink, and is a major contributor to the current obesity epidemic. Sugar can impact our lives in so many ways, especially when consumed in excess.

 

So how do we reduce our sugar intake?
It is harder than one would think. A simple diet with the reduction of sugar is not that easy to maintain. For years and years, without as much knowledge as we have now, we have consumed copious amounts of processed sugar in our foods and drinks. Through years of this consumption, we have developed, over time, a primal addiction to sugar. Trying to simply cut it out of one’s diet completely is very difficult to do and even more difficult to maintain over a longer period of time. Therefore, simple reductions and changes in one’s diet is the best approach to reducing your sugar intake.

 

For example, cutting down on soft drinks, chosing clean cereal options over packet cereal, including more fruits and vegetables in your diet and less canned produce.
Another example, if you are a coffee drinker and have two cups on average per day with one teaspoon of sugar per cup, that equates to 14 teaspoons of sugar per week. Swap each teaspoon of sugar for a natural sweetener and you have immediately reduced your sugar intake by 56 teaspoons per month. It is the simple changes that you can make in your diet that will inevitably create a healthy and more energetic lifestyle.

 

We all fall victim to searching for those late night or mid-morning sugar hits (i.e snacks) and it is these snacks that cause our sugar intake for each day to exceed any limitation we may have intentionally set for ourselves. Therefore, in order to avoid these temptations follow some simple rules;

• When you have finished dinner and any desert brush your teeth.
• If you feel the need to snack and don’t have a healthy option available have a big drink of water, cup of tea or coffee and go for a walk.
• Always distract yourself with chores, tasks etc when you feel the need to snack.
• Always swap chocolate, chips etc for healthier options such as rice cakes, greek yoghurt, homemade protein balls etc.
• Support a healthy diet with regular exercise. If you should indulge do an extra session to make up for it.

 

Education is key when it comes to sugar.

 

Sugar is a carbohydrate. On all packaged groceries bought from a supermarket is a nutritional chart that identifies how many carbohydrates are in each product. To ensure you buy the healthiest version of the product you desire, look over each of the nutritional charts to see which one has the lowest carbohydrate content. Obviously quality products should supersede the ‘cheap and nasty’ however once you have done this a few times with your regular shopping you will start to learn what products are cleaner than others thus removing excess sugar from your weekly diet.

Again it is the simple changes that can be made that will make a huge long term difference in your diet and your family’s diet. The less sugar in your diet now, the better your health long term.

Paul Hooper
Paul's Body Engineering

Email: paul@paulsbodyengineering.com

Phone: 0466 587 643

Facebook: www.facebook.com/paulsbodyengineering

Website: www.paulsbodyengineering.com

Instagram: @paulsbodyengineering

Amso Fit and Healthy (Danica): Why ‘Clean-Eating’ Should be Considered a Swear Word

What is "clean-eating"? To this day, there is still no clear definition of what clean eating is. General consensus however suggests that clean-eating is following a diet that contains no or only minimally processed foods with no harmful chemicals. Sounds good? If the focus of the term "clean-eating" was just on eating healthy, then yes, it would be perfect and everyone could stick with it. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. What the term does however, is instil a sense of fear surrounding food and what’s being eaten. It develops a mentality of restrictive eating in its’ followers, delivering false hope by overlooking the inevitable "slip-ups" and lacking the ability to be sustained long-term. As a result, people develop a poor relationship with food, one that can see clean-eaters becoming consumed by eating clean, becoming "too healthy".

You’re sitting there, reading this, wondering how eating "too healthy" could be a problem, right? Sounds a little too strange to be true I’m sure. What has happened though is that with the rise of such trends as the clean eating movement, so too has the increased recognition of a condition known as "orthorexia".

The term literally translates to a "fixation on righteous eating". What starts off as a seemingly harm-free attempt at healthy eating quickly turns to an unhealthy fixation on the purity, quality and quantity of foods eaten and how to deal with inevitable ‘slip-ups’. This truly dedicated style of eating is difficult to persevere with, becoming incredibly restrictive in regards to the variety of foods eaten and calories consumed, too restrictive in a lot of instances. Ironically, the health of someone with orthorexia suffers, considering they were completely dedicated to healthy eating.

While this is an extreme example of what can, and does, happen when clean-eating goes wrong, it does further highlight that this dieting mentality is unrealistic, unsustainable and in some cases unhealthy.

So what’s AmSo Fit & Healthy’s answer to healthy eating? Following a more holistic approach, one that encompasses all things that lead to a healthy relationship with food.
ä Don’t fear food
Food is not something to be afraid of. It’s what we need to fuel our body to do all of the amazing things it does. Food anxiety and restrictive eating is not good for the body or the mind. Fad diets try to suck you in and make you scared to eat, check out our previous blog post "" for tips on how to avoid these scams.
ä Simple meal-prep
Do you find that you’re reaching for chocolate bar, cakes or biscuits when you’re hungry because you don’t have the time to make or sit down to eat something healthy? Meal-prep is a wonderful thing, not to just be used by gym junkies and body builders but something that us mere mortals can take up. Compile your favourite and some new recipes to try for the week, write yourself a grocery list, allowing yourself a treat, and get prepping. It may just mean that you chop up your vegies and have them ready to be used throughout the week, or you cook up some meals and put them in the freezer, ready to grab on the go. Whatever you can do to make your life a little easier and entice you to grab something healthier for lunch or the 3pm snack.
ä Maintain a healthy balance of food
Aim for your 5 serves of vegetables (1 serve = 1 cup of salad or ½ cup cooked) and 2 serves of fruit (1 serve = 1 medium piece). Enjoy these in a wide variety of colour – the more colour the better. Don’t be afraid of carbs – go for wholegrain options that fill you up and fuel your body for longer. Eat lean meats, the size of your palm. Have oily fish 2-3 times per week – salmon, mackerel or sardines. Try a meat-free night by swapping the steak for lentils – delicious in a curry. Go for reduced-fat dairy – stick with milk in your coffee, not butter. And have a piece of cake. Don’t punish yourself for having a "naughty" treat, but keep in mind that it is a treat – enjoy every mouthful.
ä Create a healthy eating environment
This doesn’t mean throwing out all of the treats in the house. It means to make your eating experiences positive ones by control the environment around you, incorporating ideas from mindful eating, as discussed below. Switch off the T.V, let some fresh air in and eat with friends or loved ones. Take time between mouthfuls to catch up, talk about you day, chat about the foods you are eating and the flavours of each dish. When cooking dinner, pay attention to all of the ingredients your putting in. Smell the herbs and spices, taste the veggies before you put them into the dish and see if you can find those flavours when you’re eating the finished dish.
ä Practice a bit of mindful eating
I know it may sound a little "wanky" but there is some pretty strong evidence that suggests that paying attention to the food that goes into your mouth has positive impacts on your physical and mental health. Mindfully eating requires you to focus on the colours, smells, textures, flavours, temperatures and sounds of the foods you eat, developing a true appreciation for the experience of eating food both inside and outside of the body. The opposite, "mindless eating", is shown to have connections with overeating, stress and increased anxiety according to growing research. You can practice a little mindful eating/drinking each day with your first cup of tea or coffee. Take time during your first 4 sips to really understand the flavours, the smells, the warmth and effects of caffeine. By being more aware you will come to understand and recognise physical hunger and fullness cues which will help you decide when you really need to begin and finish eating. For more information, check out: https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/docman/fact-sheets/234-fact-sheet-mindful-eating

Enjoy your food and enjoy the company of others and you will develop a happy and healthy relationship with your food. If you find that you’re struggling with your relationship with food, reach out for help. While orthorexia is not yet considered an eating disorder like anorexia nervosa or bulimia, it is still a health concern and one that needs to be addressed. If you would like to learn more about mindful eating or how to develop a healthy food relationship, I’m here to help, just send me a message or give me a call and we’ll have you and your food becoming best friends!
- Danica

AmSo Fit & Healthy
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ben@amsofitandhealthy.com.au | 0405 268 619
danica@amsofitandhealthy.com.au | 0458 001 848

AmSo Fit and Healthy (Danica): The Scam That is Fad Diets

“For 5 easy payments of $54.99, you can experience the weight loss benefits of this newly discovered berry found only in the depths of the Amazonian forest!” - Danica

How many people have fallen for the infomercials or the ads online promoting outlandish claims for crazy results…? Too many people have fallen for it. In today’s society, the majority of people are looking for the quick and easy fix, getting the results they want in the shortest amount of time with as little effort as possible. The outrageous promises of quick and easy results force the popularity of celebrity endorsed diets, powders, pills, liquids and “superfoods”. This is the sad reality within the health and fitness industry.

Let’s spin William Shakespeare a little… “A fad diet by any other name would still be a fad diet”.

Look at all of the fad diets and superfoods that popped up throughout 2015, most bringing with them their fair share of controversy… Gluten free*, low carb-high fat, grain free, dairy free, coconut water, coconut oil, acai bowls, lemon water, just to name a few. The common theme shared by all of these fad diets is that there is little to no accurate scientific evidence to back their ridiculous claims.

*Coeliac disease and diagnosed non-coeliac gluten sensitivity are serious conditions and gluten must be avoided. What I elude to is the current trend of eating gluten free for no real reason other than jumping on the bandwagon, potentially causing adverse health effects by doing so.

As we pointed out in our earlier blog post “Where your nutrition information comes from is important”, anyone can publish anything. It goes the same for these fad diets. Celebrity endorsers or fad diet gurus make crazy claims and no one stands up and asks them for proof. No one says that they have to provide it. They are clever to explain the theory of the diet using scientific language so that people think that their claims must be accurate because, science. These so called “experts” more often than not have no formal nutrition or dietetic qualifications. They grab the attention of unsuspecting customers by offering quick and easy results for long term problems and issues, with “evidence” only from unreliable research, theories and testimonials from people paid enough.

Now, I’m not saying that some fad diets don’t work. Some of them do… in the short-term. They work because they are simply just low energy diets covered up by colourful gimmicks and fancy “new discoveries”. They make you lose weight by providing less energy than you require, putting you into what’s called a negative energy balance: Energy In < Energy Out. This really is the only way to lose weight. There are no bizarre food combinations, tea concoctions or “superfoods” that will change this metabolic fact. The simple notion of eating less and moving more is often lost to the general public as there is far too much conflicting information and advice from pop-up health and fitness celebrities that people can look to. Sensible eating and regular physical activity is something people forget about when they’re caught up in the whirlwind of fad diets. True, accurate and official scientific evidence indicates that persisting with dietary changes and actively participating in a physical training regimen will produce effective weight loss that can be sustained into long-term changes.

It is hard looking past the inviting promises of some of these fads and coming to understand that the vast majority of them are just too good to be true. My tips to spot a dodgy diet are:

ä  Fad diets will provide guidance that disputes widely accepted nutrition and health recommendations
A lot of time and hard work goes into reviewing a wide range of scientific evidence and putting together the Australian Dietary Guidelines. The latest guidelines, released in 2013, were a continuation and review of the previous 2003 edition. It took 10 years to make sure that the new information, used by health practitioners, organisations, nutritionists, dietitians and  more, was up to scratch with the latest research.
As a result, the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines are considered to be a dietitian’s ‘bible’. Any dietary advice that dramatically opposes the ‘bible’ generally has no scientific evidence to back it and should raise red flags.

ä  A diet designed to cut out or dramatically restrict one or more food groups with no medical need to do so

Each of the Five Food Groups (grains, vegetables/legumes, fruit, dairy and lean meat/alternatives) contain a variety of main distinguishing nutrients, some only found in one or two groups. Cutting out or restricting an entire food group will put you at risk of developing a nutrient deficiency, one that may have lasting health effects. Always be sceptical if asked to stop eating an entire food group. If you don’t have a medical condition that requires you stop eating something, don’t – you could end up doing more harm than good to your health.

ä  A diet that focusses on one or a few specific foods or beverages that have “super powers”
Superfoods. All foods in a healthy, well balanced diet are super. They provide your body with the energy and nutrients it needs to function, repair and let you live a great life. I could really go on and on about just this topic, but I won’t, so remember this: don’t miss out on eating a wide variety of delicious and healthy foods just to eat some weird new berry at every meal or drown everything you eat in coconut oil just because some attractive looking “nutritionist” on Instagram told you to. You’ll be missing out on a whole heap of key nutrients if you’re obsessive over a specific food.

ä  Attractive images of results are the focus of promoting the diet as opposed to facts of the product or practice
Some ridiculously attractive girl on Instagram boasts “Before I came across these berries, I was 320kg. Since following the meal plan, eating 2 berries and 3 sheets of cardboard each day, I’ve been able to get myself down to 30kg in just 2 weeks!”… That was a little exaggerated, and stupidly unsafe and unrealistic, but a lot of the testimonials for these fad diets and products aren’t much better. And that is merely all they use to promote their business, testimonials that are more often than not just well paid girls that have actually lost weight the right way, with hard work and healthy eating. Remember to look past the glamour shots, that are usually heavily photo-shopped, and “evidence” of just a cleverly written caption on an Instagram post. 

You deserve so much better. Forget the fads. Our food philosophy at AmSo Fit & Healthy is all about eating real food. If you need help achieving your goals through healthy eating and are struggling to understand where to being, send me a message. Your body, health and sanity will thank you for it.

-          Danica

AmSo Fit & Healthy                                                                
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ben@amsofitandhealthy.com.au | 0405 268 619
danica@amsofitandhealthy.com.au | 0458 001 848 

Jamie Milne Training: The Precision Effect

The Precision Effect: NOUN- A spreading effect or series of benefits or consequences caused by a single action or event.

Historically over my 12 year journey as a fitness professional, I can confidently claim, as humans we are a direct reflection of our daily habits or rituals. This is the common thread. These habits we repeatedly perform over time can be either good healthy rituals promoting wellness or poor bad choices repeated to our detriment.

Consider an overweight individual who is hungry for change. Claims that the mostly "clean" eating lifestyle he promotes isn't really working for him, his 129kg frame is unfortunately due to poor genetics, big bones, and the dash of milk in his English Breakfast tea (apprently). It has zero to do with the repeated poor food choices, unfortunate lack of education with nutrition, and the inability to stay active for more then 2-3 days.

On the polar opposite side of the scale, we have an immensely toned "Strong is the new sexy", active-wear loving, tanned brunette bombshell basking in the sun down at Buddina beach. She reflects daily habits of clean eating, low stress levels, adequate sleep and regular training.

For the record, both these people are make believe.

The very short of the long is, we are what we repeatedly do.

As we know, the benefits of exercise and mindful, balanced eating are very well-known and diverse. Google any type of training plan, diet, super food, or running program and you've got a mass of self-appointed gurus patting themselves on the back and promoting their wears. There is so much out there, it truly is consumers market. The choices are unlimited, cutting violently at our lame excuses.

The magnitude of benefits from repeated healthy choices are, in my opinion, not given the justice they deserve. The profound and beautiful way in which health transfers in to everyday life is powerful, massive and unsurpassed.

Consider a pebble. If we cast this simple, uncomplicated pebble into a deep, calm, and inviting pond we get ripples. This one pebble causes momentum, driven waves rushing from the exact point of "sploosh" to the extremity of the pond. Just like in life.

This is an example of the value and power of The Precision Effect.

A little bit of something is better then a whole lot of nothing. Cast small pebbles to start. Things like ditching bread, lessening your diary intake, walking more, driving less, resting frequently, drinking water (and lots of it), joining a gym or meditating and getting your 'zen' on are great pebbles to cast into your own personal pond... A fit and healthy life is a very happy life.

The spreading effect of these actions have benefits that transfer into all aspects and facets of your life. Can you imagine actually being in control of your weight? No more trouser squeezes, sweaty dinner moments, awkward bedtime sleeping noises, and the important issue of adverse health conditions and diseases.

You would have more sound and restful sleep, increased energy levels with an ability to perform at a high level well into the afternoon without the aid of a sugar free V drink, or quarter strength soy decaf latte with a gluten free blueberry and white chocolate muffin. SEX!!! Now that i have your attention, if you want to put some fire back into your sex life, pour some petrol on intimacy by making health a priority.

These are just some of the positive by-products of the precision effect, instantly accessible to YOU just by making small and subtle shifts in your daily habits or rituals.

The take home learning from "The Precision Effect" is that we are what we repeatedly do. Make your health a priority! If we don't have our health we have absolutely NOTHING!!!!

Jamie
Jamie Milne Training
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Lift Academy/Glamafit: Macros Made Easy

There is a pretty good chance you have heard of "macros" or the term IIFYM (if it fits your macros). But most people are left wondering "what on earth is a macro"?

Macro's or macronutrients are those that we need in large amounts. The three macronutrients that humans need are fats, protein & carbohydrates. Each of these provide energy to the body in the form of calories. The calorie break-down for these macronutrients are not all the same.

1gm of carbohydrate equals 4 calories. 1gm of Protein equals 4 calories & 1gm of fat equals 9 calories. (Ohhh and for those who don't mind a drop, alcohol is 7 calories per gram).

Calculating macronutrients will vary greatly from person to person & what their goals are. For example a person consuming 2000 calories per day & has a macronutrient breakdown of 45% carbs 30% protein & 25% fat. This would mean they would consume 225gm carbs for the day, 150gm protein & 55gm of fat.

So why do we need carbohydrates, protein and fats?

Carbohydrates are the bodies main source of fuel as they are easily used by the body for energy. All of the tissues & cells in our body can use glucose for energy. Carbohydrates are needed for the central nervous system, the kidneys, the brain & muscles (including the heart) to function properly. They can be stored in the muscles & liver & later used for energy. Carbs are mainly found in starchy foods like grains & potatoes, fruit, milk & yoghurt. Other foods like vegetables, nuts, seeds & cottage cheese contain carbs but in lesser amounts.

Fibre are a certain type of carbohydrates that our body can not digest. These carbohydrates pass through the intestinal tract intact & help to remove the waste out of the body. Foods high in fibre include fruit, vegetables & whole grain products.

Protein is found in meats, poultry, fish, meat substitutes, cheese, milk, nuts, legumes & in smaller quantities in starchy foods & vegetables. We need protein for growth - especially important for children, teens & pregnant women. For tissue repair, immune function, making essential hormones & enzymes, energy when carbs aren't available & for preserving lean muscle mass.

And finally fat! Fats have had a bad rap over the years for causing weight gain, but some fat is actually essential for survival! Generally speaking 20-35% of calories should come from fats. But good fats like coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, salmon, nuts, organic butter, poultry & milk products. We need fats for normal growth & development, energy, absorbing certain vitamins, provide cushioning for the organs & maintaining cell membranes.

Sound nutritional planning involves a mix of all three of these macronutrients. This method of can prove to be a really effective way of measuring food intake to reach health and fitness goals. For custom guidance with calculating macros in order to lose weight contact Nicole on 0431421202