Top tips for sticking to your health and fitness goals.

Summer is definitely on it’s way. As the sun comes out more often, so does the bod! Now is when you most want to stick with your goals; readying for the time minimal clothing is once again the norm.

That can be easier said than done when the sunshine also brings with it added temptations – ice-cream frappes over herbal teas, afterwork drinks over a gym visit, etc. Despite best intentions it can be hard to stick to whatever your goals are.

Let us help you by sharing our top tips for sticking with any health and fitness goal.

Read. Read all of the information you can get your hands on, seriously. Education is priceless and if you know the in’s and out’s of how your diet, exercise, and lifestyle are having an impact on your goals (positive or negative) you can work with that knowledge to smash those goals. With the easily accessible resources available to us in todays world, it s super easy to educate yourself on just about everything and anything you want to – ‘Google it!

Write. It is proven that scheduling workouts in to your diary means you are more likely to complete them. Plan when you are going to complete workouts and schedule this in your diary as you would a meeting or an appointment, it is just as important!

Journal. If your goal is to improve nutrition, use a diary to record your daily food consumption. Keeping a record makes you more conscious of what you putting in to your body, and if you know you have to record it you are more likely to do that mindfully. We also suggest keeping a record of your feelings around this too. It helps you to understand which foods serve your body, and which don’t. Although there are also many apps you can download to help you track your daily food intake, I suggest writing it down. It has been shown that physically writing down your daily consumption keeps you more honest (and less obsessive).

Measure. Take your starting measurements. Scales can be deceiving depending on so many factors (time of month, time of day, clothes, etc.) it is best to measure you progress by measuring your body. Ensure you always measure the same spot of each body part. Or just go by the way you feel in a certain pair of jeans. The motivation that comes from seeing progression in this way is more than enough to keep you on track.

Be prepared. This is an oldie but a goodie. The saying ‘by failing to prepare you are preparing to fail’ is something that rings true in many aspects of life, including your health and fitness. If you have a kitchen full of fresh nourishing foods, workouts scheduled in to your diary and a clear goal in mind – you cannot fail!

Adopt a ‘can do’ attitude. Negative self-talk is something that is all too common these days. If you continually feed yourself the message that you can’t do it, guess what – you will believe you can’t do it. When negative comments about yourself start popping up, stop and imagine you are speaking to a friend. Would you tell a friend she wasn’t good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, etc.? I doubt you would. Therefore, don’t let you speak to you like this.

Be gentle with yourself. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Make small progressive changes to avoid an all or nothing mentality, which isn’t healthy or sustainable. If you start cutting down on things like sugar, coffee, alcohol and processed foods week by week, you will simply adapt your lifestyle to a healthier version of itself, which is much more likely to stick than immediate, drastic change.

17 Bright Ideas to Help Busy Mums hit health goals

I was asked by the very busy mums over at 17brightideas.com to share my 17 bright ideas to help busy mums to achieve their fat loss goals. So, I did! And here they are for you:

I know just how difficult it is to achieve ‘that’ goal when children become your priority. It is part of the reason I began Her Master Plan, as a more convenient option for busy women. Taking from that experience, here are my top 17 practical tips to make exercising and eating well easier.

  1. Take part in an online health and fitness program. This means you can exercise when it suits you – no paying for missed Personal Training sessions or missing classes at the gym because of an unexpected babysitter / snotty nose / food vs clothes situation. The support that comes from these types of programs is also great motivation to keep going, having a little online community and knowing you are not alone is priceless.
  2. Make the children part of your exercise plan. Head out of the door and walk, play tag, race. The kids will love it just as much as your waistline will.
  3. Cook with the kids. Healthy recipes can be fun and rewarding for both parties.
  4. Give yourself rewards. For every little weight loss give yourself to a little treat! A nice candle lit bath when the kids are in bed, a DIY beauty treatment. Just make sure it isn’t a food treat!
  5. Don’t dwell on bad days. Beating yourself up for bad days will only make you feel worse and cause you to go in to that ‘all or nothing’ spiral. Brush bad days under the carpet and get on with being good again the next.
  6. Be kind to yourself. If you are exhausted and the thought of exercise fills you with dread – don’t exercise! It will only cause you to resent exercise. Just relax while you are exhausted, recharge and get straight back in to it the next day.
  7. Enjoy it. Don’t look at exercise and eating well as a chore. Enjoy learning new recipes and learning about your body.
  8. Involve the kids in the shopping. Send them on a little chore in the supermarket to find the ‘greenest apple’ etc. fun for them, healthy food in your basket = win!
  9. Learn with the children. Read about why you are changing your (and their) habits. Kids are like sponges and will take it in, as will you!
  10. Be prepared. Dedicate one evening / day per week to batch cook several of your favourite healthy meals and snacks. This means no excuses to cheat because of being ‘too busy’.
  11. Get a friend on board. Ideally one who has children your age – healthy play dates!
  12. Change your view of housework and use it as exercise. Pick up one item at a time meaning you are back and forth more times, consciously squat rather than bend when picking things off the floor, run up the stairs rather than walk – it all adds up.
  13. Find new activities that you enjoy. This is proven to keep you more motivated. Try a dance class, a long adventure walk, anything that will keep you engaged.
  14. Make small, easy swaps – potato chips for pumpkin chips, spaghetti for zucchini spaghetti. The possibilities are endless.
  15. Keep a diary. Keeping track of how you are doing will not only help to keep you motivated on those hard days but it means you can look back and see what worked for you and the kids, and what didn’t.
  16. Get the kids involved in a meal rating game. Every time you try a new healthy meal, get them to rate it – keep a chart on the fridge. You will continue to add to your arsenal of meals that won’t be snubbed by the kids.
  17. Measure the kid’s height as you measure your waist. You can make this in to a fun weekly activity and something you all look forward to. It will keep you on track because you will be accountable to your kids!

Stay Fit When Pregnant – 3 Training Tips For 3 Trimesters

Knowing how to train a pregnant woman at every stage of her pregnancy is like second nature to me. But I often forget that this stuff isn’t common knowledge to most pregnant women, so I thought I’d answer a few of your burning questions.

Most women have every intention of continuing with their regular exercise routines throughout pregnancy but in reality, for some women this can actually be really hard to do. Often you are so tired in the first few months that it’s a wonder you can even make it to the bathroom (which is a regular requirement thanks to your new pea sized bladder) let alone get your butt out of bed to train.

And fluctuating body temperatures can make the thought of stepping into a hot yoga studio about as appetising as giving up chocolate.

The good news is, this is all completely normal. And depending on your level of activity prior to falling pregnant, you can definitely expect to slow down a bit over the next 9 months – phew.

So, what should you be doing? Get the most out of exercise during your pregnancy with my three tips for each of your three trimesters.

But first…

The official word

The American college of obstetrics and gynaecology (ACOG) exercise recommendations 2002 guidelines state: moderate intensity, low-impact, aerobic exercise at least three times per week (ACOG 2009). Newer guidelines propose increasing weekly physical-activity expenditure incorporating vigorous exercise and adding light strength training to the exercise routine of a healthy pregnant woman. Overall a combination of both aerobic and resistance based exercise is recommended in healthy pregnant women who experience no complications (Downs, Symons et al 2012).

My 2 cents

  • Be kind to your body and do what feels good for you (if it has been approved by a professional).
  • If you weren’t exercising before you fell pregnant, and have decided pregnancy is the kick you need to get fit – great! But don’t jump in to a cross fit class or start training for a marathon. Start very slowly and never overdo it.
  • If you are a regular exerciser who wants to continue with exercise – amazing! But listen to what your body is telling you and make sure you are aware of the relevant modifications. Now is not the time to be aiming for any PB’s.
  • In either case, make sure you have your doctor’s clearance and enlist the help of a professional in the form of a specialised PT who can show you modifications, at the least.

And here come those tips…

Trimester 1

  • Lower the impact a little from day 1. This isn’t for the baby but for you and your future bathroom habits. Trust me. It might feel fine now, and soon after pregnancy. But high impact exercise during pregnancy can cause all sorts of future issues, including incontinence later in life. An easy way to do this is simply to take the ‘jump’ element out of most exercises. For example: swap jump squats for regular squats, jump lunges for reverse lunges and just ease off the pace or distance a little with your run work.
  • Avoid super heavy weights, or anything that will cause significant outward abdominal stress.
  • Avoid rapid position changes; this can impact your blood pressure and make you dizzy/breathless. You’ll also need to leave time for a longer warm up and cool down period than usual, again to look after your blood pressure.

BONUS POINT: It’s very important you don’t overheat in your first trimester. If you feel your body temperature rising significantly, you get flushed or your heart rate rises significantly – slow down, take a break and sip on some cool water until your body temperature is back to normal.

Trimester 2

  • This is when position modification needs to come in. It’s best to work with a trainer here to make sure you are doing things right. If you don’t have access to a trainer, a few things to be aware of are not lying on your back for long periods of time and (perhaps this one’s obvious) not lying on your stomach at all. Steer clear of exercises that require you to raise a heavy weight over your head and be more aware of your posture as your belly grows – think about tucking your tailbone under and pulling your belly in and up as you move.
  • Avoid all isometric exercises. Isometric exercises can increase the heart rate of your baby (true from trimester 1 but even more important now).
  • Relaxin (the hormone that relaxes your muscles ready for growth and birth) is released from week 2 of your pregnancy onward and in larger quantities from the second trimester. Because of this it’s really important to avoid over-stretching. Over-stretching at this time can cause joint instability and problems further down the track.

Trimester 3

  • At this stage you are preparing for the big arrival (exciting)! I work with my clients during the third trimester specifically to prepare for a smooth delivery. There are several positions you can practice as part of an exercise program to help get the body ready for birth. This needs to be done with a qualified professional and is possibly one of the best gifts you can give yourself as a mummy-to-be.
  • This is also the time to start really winding down. You will start to feel a lot more tired as your pregnancy draws to a close as your body is reserving energy. Reduce the intensity of your exercise but definitely keep moving.
  • Treat yourself. Several of the sessions I complete with my clients toward the end of their pregnancy are half exercise and half gentle massage. Your body will be sore from carrying around that extra weight and a light exercise session followed by specific prenatal massage is perfect for you right now. Just make sure the person massaging you is prenatal qualified because there are some trigger spots that need to be avoided.

Why not just take a break from exercise altogether?

If you are wondering why you shouldn’t use your pregnancy as an excuse to stay on the couch for 9 months, check out the long list of benefits those who exercise during pregnancy are rewarded with:

  • Higher cardiorespiratory fitness
  • Less urinary incontinence
  • Less back pain
  • Better weight gain control
  • More straight forward delivery
  • Reduced depression risk
  • Reduced risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia

Want to find out more?

To find out more about pre and postnatal exercise, contact us to book a session.

WHOLE FOOD FOR THE WHOLE BODY

We know foods impact on the body is huge. During the wholefood for the whole body journey, we continue to prove how powerful many foods can be when used on both the inside and outside of the body. This week it is all about every woman’s favourite food – chocolate! The raw, unprocessed form of chocolate is raw cacao. It is a true superfood offering a long list of wonderfully beneficial properties for the body, and mind.

Nourish from within:

  • Maintain a healthy heart with the essential heart healthy monosaturated fats contained in raw cacao.
  • Aid muscle recovery and restful sleep by benefiting from the magnesium packed chocolate hit.
  • Reduce the signs of aging with the antioxidants found in raw cacao.

How to:

  • Get romantic. They say the way to his heart is through his stomach. My taste explosion red hot chocolate love bites will certainly spice things up.
  • Knock that craving on the head. What woman doesn’t suffer with the occasional overwhelming chocolate craving? These cravings are often our body telling us that we are in need of some of the many nourishing vitamins and minerals in the raw version of chocolate – raw cacao. Don’t ignore your body; grab a handful of raw cacao nibs as a satisfying chocolate hit that will put those cravings to rest.
  • Celebrate a holiday. When you are doing your best to smash those heath goals, special occasions can be tough. With Easter just around the corner there is no reason for you to feel as if you are missing out with our Extraordinary Easter egg!

I use raw cacao in the form of powder and nibs in many of my sweet recipes. See more of them, here.

Treating the outside:

With its antioxidant powers, cacao is not just the perfect choice for nourishing the body from within. It is also a great natural choice to work magic from the outside, too.

How to:

Raw cacao scrub.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup raw cacao nibs
  • 1 cup coconut oil

Method:

Mix the ingredients together, well. Apply liberally to the skin using upward circular, motions, always in the direction of the heart. Work with the mixture for as long as you feel you need to (longer for a dryer skin). Rinse well and follow with your usual moisturiser for glowing, smooth skin and a feeling of revitalization.

Final thought:

Raw cacao is a true powerhouse! Too much of a good thing can cause side effects and cause an adverse reaction in some people.

Wholefood for the whole body

We know foods impact on the body is huge. During the wholefood for the whole body journey, we continue to prove how powerful many foods can be when used on both the inside and outside of the body. This week it is all about the fruit believed by the ancient Egyptians to offer protection against poison – lemons.

Nourish from within:

Think clearly by reaping the benefits of the potassium contained in lemon, it is listed as one of the top seven natural sources for potassium.

Keep digestion in check with the natural citric acid content of the fruit.

Support the immune system by including the phytochemicals from lemon in a balanced diet.

How to:

Quench: Unfortunately most commercial lemonades are more sugar than lemon. To get the nutritional benefits as well as the yummy taste, try this simple, delicious recipe from the clever peeps over at I quit sugar: https://iquitsugar.com/recipe/sugar-free-lemonade/

Be sweet: This recipe provides a perfect, healthy, refined sugar free alternative for those with a sweet tooth: https://www.thehealthychef.com/2012/06/lemon-yoghurt-cupcakes/

Savour(y) it: I haven’t always been a keen cook. When I first began experimenting with recipes, this was one of my first. It is one that I have returned to time and time again because it is just simply divine, give it a go: http://fitterlondon.co.uk/food/lemon-and-olive-chicken-tagine/

lemonade

Treat the outside:

Lemon is well known for having anti-bacterial properties and containing vitamin C. These things combined make it the perfect, natural treatment for an oily skin.

How to:

Face scrub:

Ingredients:

Method:

Combine all of the ingredients in a clean bowl and mix well until mixture becomes coarse. Apply to the face and neck massaging with circular, upward movements for 2-3 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with cool water and follow with your usual toner and moisturiser.

lemon 1

Wholefood for the whole body

We know foods impact on the body is huge – inside and out. Since the beginning of the wholefood for the whole body journey, we have proven the brilliance of the avocado, discovered why Extra Virgin Olive Oil is referred to as liquid gold; explored nature’s very own multivitamin – the egg, we’ve found out how to cure-all with chamomile, benefited from ‘the fruit of the Angels’ – papaya, and enjoyed nature’s ultimate energy snack of bananas.

Several weeks ago we asked the question – what wholefood would you like to see featured as our wholefood for the whole body? And at your request, we got spicy with the powerful properties of turmeric, and went nuts with almonds. Next on the list is a food referred to in Tibet as ‘the key to eternal youth’. Traditionally used in both Chinese and Tibetan medicine, the uses of the goji berry are surprisingly broad.

Nourish from within:

Reduce the signs of ageing with the antioxidant properties goji berries are so well-known for.

Promote healthy glowing skin by benefiting from the betacarotine goji berries contain.

Keep a weight-loss program on track by incorporating fat-free, low-calorie, fibre rich goji berries in a healthy diet plan.

How to:

Add them: This week I discovered that you can add goji berries to just about anything! Here is what I made them an addition to:

Rice – adding a handful of berries to my rice gave it a great sweetness.

Trail mix – I added a handful to my usual homemade trail mix; the chewy texture seemed to make it last longer than usual – winner!

Salad – I made a super simple summer salad and threw in the berries to enhance the apple slices in the mix, it worked!

Juice – Throwing a handful in with my usual veggie juice mix was a great way to jazz up the other green ingredients.

Spread them: Jams are delicious, and usually full of refined sugars and other nasties. This recipe from http://gojiberry.com/ keeps it clean without losing any yum factor. Give it a go:

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup Tibetan Goji berries, soaked, keep and use soak water
  • 1/2 tsp orange zest
  • 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 pitted date or 1 tsp raw honey

Method:

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blend until pureed, spread on sprouted bread – perfection.

Roll them: Truffles are usually a decadent treat the health conscious choose to avoid. With this recipe from www.sungodssuperfoods.com.au you can now indulge with a clear conscious.

Makes 16 one inch truffles

Ingredients:

For truffles:

  • ¼ cup tahini
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons carob powder
  • 2 tablespoons raw honey
  • 2 tablespoons cacao nibs, ground fine
  • 2 tablespoons goji berries, ground fine
  • 1 teaspoon maca powder
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • About ¼ cup pine nuts
  • Whole goji berries

Method:

Combine all ingredients , except pine nuts and whole goji berries, in a small bowl. Mixture should be shiny and smooth, pulling away from the sides of the bowl. You can add a little more carob if it seems sticky. You may chill the mixture to firm it up a little before shaping.

Roll into 16 one inch balls

Roll each ball into pine nuts

Press one goji berry into truffle

May be stored covered in fridge for about 1 week or so, if you hide them!

goji salad

Treating the outside:

With its proven anti-aging powers, why wouldn’t goji berries be just as good on the outside as they are on the inside? The enzymatic action of these berries is quite intense so a little goes a long way.

How to:

Goji peel.

This was the first time I have used goji’s as a DIY treatment; this is what I did:

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup goji berries ground down
  • 1 cup almond oil

Method:

Mix the ingredients together, well. Apply liberally to the skin (I used in the shower) using circular motions, rinse well and follow with your usual moisturiser. The result of this experiment was healthy glowing skin.

Final thought: Prior to the request for them to be featured as a wholefood for the whole body, goji berries were something that had been a rare inclusion in my diet. Researching their uses and benefits proved that they are indeed a great addition to a balanced, healthy diet. It also lead me to learn that when eaten in excess, goji berries can have some negative side effects. As with all things, moderation is key.

goji shower

 

 

Wholefood for the whole body

3 Comments

We know foods impact on the body is huge – inside and out. Since the beginning of the wholefood for the whole body journey, we have proven the brilliance of the avocado, discovered why Extra Virgin Olive Oil is referred to as liquid gold; explored nature’s very own multivitamin – the egg, we’ve found out how to cure-all with chamomile, benefited from ‘the fruit of the Angels’ – papaya, and enjoyed nature’s ultimate energy snack of bananas. Last week we asked the question – what wholefood would you like to see featured as our wholefood for the whole body? We covered off the first of those last week, eating and beautifying with a spice that has been used to treat a variety of ailments for more than 4000 years – turmeric. This week has had us going nuts as we fulfil your second request.

Nuts

Although all nuts are different when it comes to the nutrition credentials and the health benefits they offer. One thing that they all have in common is that they are packed full of protein, fibre and essential fats, making them the perfect power snack.

This week we focused on the almighty almond:

The versatile almond nut is technically a seed, the seed of the fruit that grows from the almond tree. The almond tree produces fruits called drupes; a seed is encased in the fruit and this is what we refer to as the almond nut.

Nourish from within:

Maintain strong, healthy bones with the calcium contained in this yummy nut.

Improve the condition of your skin by benefiting from the high vitamin E content of almonds.

Keep your heart healthy and consume the whole almond, including skin. The skin of the almond is full of flavonoids; flavonoids are compounds that help protect the heart.

How to:

Drink them. Almond milk is an incredibly delicious alternative to other milk options. If you are intolerant to dairy, have read up on the potential ill effects of soy, or you just fancy a change to your usual, give almond milk a go! It is so simple; this is how I do it:

Ingredients:

½ Cup of almonds soaked in filtered water overnight

2 Cups filtered water

Pinch nutmeg

Pinch Himalayan sea salt

Cheesecloth or a nut milk bag

Method:

After draining and rinsing the nuts, place them in to a blender with the water and other ingredients; blend for 2 – 3 mins. You may have to stop and start this process if your blender gets too warm. Pour the mixture in to the cheesecloth/nut milk bag and squeeze the liquid in to a clean, glass bottle. You can discard the left over pulp, or get savvy and use it in other recipes. One of my fave ways is to use the left over pulp as the ground almond component in my choc malt protein balls – two treats for the price of one! You can find the recipe here

Tip: Keep your milk in the fridge and it will last for 3-5 days.

Enjoy them with friends: Bring a little something new to the traditional share plate with this super-duper healthy recipe that never fails to impress: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mediterranean-almonds

Tip: When preparing any nuts be sure to soak them over night beforehand, or purchase them activated. This will make them far easier to digest and ensure you enjoy both the taste and nutritional benefits.

Morning/afternoon tea with them: What is better than a scone for morning or afternoon tea? An almond scone packed full of nutritional benefits and no nasties, that’s what! And here is how: https://www.thehealthychef.com/2012/05/paleo-scones/

scones

Treating the outside:

Vitamin E is renowned for its exceptional effects on the skin. Being one of the main ingredients in almonds it is a no wonder that almonds are great for skin too.

How to:

Treat pigmentation and dark circles.

Ingredients:

3-4 almonds

¼ cup whole milk

Method:

Soak almonds overnight. After soaking, remove the skin from the almonds and then crush in a pestle and mortar. Gradually add the milk to the almonds to form a paste (you may not need the entire ¼ cup). Once you have a thick paste work the mixture in to the areas of concern, or the entire face and neck, relax with the mask on the face for 15 minutes before rinsing thoroughly and following with your usual moisturiser.

Final thought: As you can see from the above, nuts are a great addition to any balanced diet and skincare routine. However, they are a calorie dense food and can cause digestive issues for some. Aim to keep servings to a handful (30g) to ensure you don’t turn this food friend in to food foe.

almond

Wholefood for the whole body

2 Comments

We know foods impact on the body is huge – inside and out. Since the beginning of the wholefood for the whole body journey, we have proven the brilliance of the avocado, discovered why Extra Virgin Olive Oil is referred to as liquid gold; explored natures very own multivitamin – the egg, we’ve found out how to cure-all with chamomile, benefited from ‘the fruit of the Angels’ – papaya, and enjoyed nature’s ultimate energy snack of bananas. This week we asked the question – what wholefood would you like to see featured as our wholefood for the whole body? And you responded with some great suggestions. So, this week has seen us eating and beautifying with a spice that has been used to treat a variety of ailments for more than 4000 years – turmeric.

Nourish from within:

Protect your body from free radicals with turmeric’s ability to increase the antioxidant capacity of the body.

Keep your brain healthy with the curcumin contained in turmeric. Curcumin is said to increase the brains level of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a main driver for the formation of new neuron connections in the brain.

Improve liver function and detoxification with the effects of turmeric on the liver’s ability to detoxify xenobiotic (toxic) chemicals.

How to:

Be traditional with it: Turmeric is traditionally used in a lot of Indian cooking. This recipe is super yum as a soup, or you can add meat / extra veggies to make it in to a hearty curry http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Indian-Mulligatawny-Soup-I-Adore-Food_-200817?columns=3&position=20%2F56

Tip: Use sweet potato for the potato component of the recipe. If you are watching your weight, replace potato all together and use pumpkin instead.

Marinade with it: Turmeric is so flavoursome, it is the perfect marinade for just about anything. Make this mixture to quickly and easily transform any dish:

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp grated turmeric root
  • 1 tsp grated ginger root
  • A good squeeze of lemon juice
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • Pinch ground chilli
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • Pinch salt and pepper

Method:

In a clean bowl, mix all of the ingredients well until they form a paste. Rub in to meat or fish as required.

Start the day with it: Try replacing your regular morning ‘pick me up’ with an alternative in the form of a turmeric latte, you won’t regret it. Here’s what to do: http://theforgivingbody.com/turmeric-chai-latte-golden-coconut-milk/

turmeric latte

 

 

Treating the outside:

The wide range of antioxidants; antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic and anti-inflammatory properties, combined with the nutrients; protein, dietary fiber, niacin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, sodium, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and zinc in turmeric means the advantages for the outside of the body are as incredible as for the inside.

How to:

Whiten teeth

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoons of organic turmeric root powder
  • ½ tablespoons of baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon of organic coconut oil

Method:

Mix all of the dry ingredients in a  clean bowl. Add the coconut oil and stir through until the mixture forms a thick orange paste.

Put a generous amount of the mixture on to your toothbrush and brush teeth with this for around 2 minutes. Spit and rinse well with plain water until the water becomes clear.

Tip: The paste will stain your toothbrush. Buy an inexpensive one you can use especially for this purpose only.

Brighten skin

Ingredients:

Turmeric and your usual foundation or tinted moisturiser.

Method:

Place your usual amount of foundation/tinted moisturiser on to a clean spatula or in to a small bowl. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and mix well with a clean foundation brush, apply foundation/tinted moisturiser as normal. This leaves the skin with a beautifully natural glow.

Tip: Start with a very small pinch of turmeric powder, blend with foundation/tinted moisturiser and test on the jaw line before applying to the entire face. Remember, you can always add but you can not take away!

T1

Wholefood for the whole body

1 Comment

We know foods impact on the body is huge – inside and out. Since the beginning of the wholefood for the whole body journey, we have proven the brilliance of the avocado, discovered why Extra Virgin Olive Oil is referred to as liquid gold; explored natures very own multivitamin – the egg, we’ve found out how to cure-all with chamomile and have benefited from ‘the fruit of the Angels’ – papaya. This week I found out how nature’s ultimate energy snack can do more for you than you might think.

Nourish from within:

Beat depression with bananas high levels of tryptophan.Tryptophan is an amino acid which converts to serotonin; serotonin is the neurotransmitter responsible for balancing mood.

Sleep better with the combination of serotonin production and the magnesium contained in this fruit. It is the perfect before bed snack.

Make quitting easier with the high levels of B-vitamins, potassium and magnesium bananas contain. This vitamin and mineral combo speeds up recovery from the effects of withdrawal.

How to: 

Banana Bread – this convenient comfort food has endless, healthy variations. Don’t be fooled by the shop brought banana breads that are likely to be laden with refined sugar, give this recipe a go instead: http://trainerluke.com/recipes

Banana Brekkie – who doesn’t love pancakes for brekkie? The experts at Bottoms Up! Fitness show you how to excite your taste buds and nourish your body with this brilliant recipe:

Easy-Peasy Protein Pancakes:

Ingredients

  • 1 Banana (the larger sugar bananas work best, or 2 small lady fingers)
  • 2 eggs
  • Pinch of nutmeg and a teaspoon of cinnamon
  • A little organic butter, or coconut oil (for frying)
  • Toppings of choice. BUF loves frozen berries and CoYo coconut yoghurt. We’re also partial to a little almond butter, or a drizzle of organic maple syrup.

Method:

  • Pop bananas, eggs, a pinch of nutmeg and generous serve of cinnamon in your blender and mix well.
  • Pour your batter into a slightly oiled or buttered pan and cook as you would regular pancakes. Recipe makes one large, or two small cakes.
  • Serve with your topping/s of choice.

BUF Tip: Best eaten on a sunny balcony, with the Jack Johnson song, ‘Banana Pancakes’ playing in the background. Sigh…

For more marvelous recipes, a wealth of knowledge on all things health and fitness, or to train with a bunch of inspirational women, visit www.bottomsupfitness.co.au

Banana Break – of course, a simple banana alone is a great, easy, old-fashioned snack. Try freezing one for instant healthy ice cream – perfect!

banana recipe

Treating the outside:

Packed with all the essential vitamins and minerals needed for healthy, glowing skin, the benefits of a banana don’t stop at eating them. Available all year round the banana is the perfect addition to anyone’s beauty regime.

How to:

Face mask

Ingredients:

  • 1 ripe banana
  • ¼ cup plain yogurt
  • 2 Table spoons honey

Method:

Mash all the ingredients together in a clean bowl, apply to the face and neck avoiding the eye area. Lay back and relax for 15-20 minutes then rinse thoroughly. Follow with your favourite moisturiser.

Tips:

  • If your skin is on the oily side add a teaspoon of lemon juice.
  • For a dryer skin add a couple of drops of almond oil.
  • If you are looking to reduce those wrinkles, replace the yogurt with ½ an avocado.

Final thought:

Bananas are a great source of energy. It has been proven here that they really are a great addition to any grocery list, in more ways than one. However, as with all foods moderation is the key. Too much of any food can lead to an increase in weight and poor nutrition. Although there is no set rule for how many bananas to eat per day, if the amount you eat affects your nutritional balance, then you’re eating too many.

banana pic 2

Wholefood for the whole body

We know foods impact on the body is huge – inside and out. Over the past month we have proven the brilliance of the avocado, discovered why Extra Virgin Olive Oil is referred to as liquid gold; explored natures very own multivitamin – the egg and we’ve found out how to cure-all with chamomile. Christopher Columbus called this week’s wholefood ‘the fruit of the Angels’. Let’s put that statement to the test this week by using papaya as our wholefood for the whole body.

Nourish from within:

Improve digestion with Papain, an enzyme contained in papaya that helps to digest proteins. This enzyme is often extracted from the fruit for use in digestive enzyme supplements.

Fight colon and prostate cancer with the vitamin and mineral profile of papaya, namely: carotenes, vitamin C and flavonoids; the B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid; potassium, copper, magnesium and fibre.

Protect against Macular Degeneration with the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; and carotenoids found in papaya.

How to:

Salad – I became addicted to papaya salad whilst on holiday in Thailand. Traditional recipes contain a lot of sugar and when I arrived home I got to work creating my own, reduced sugar version. Give it a go:

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

  • 75 grams green beans
  • 1 large unripe papaya, peeled, seeded and julienned
  • 150 grams carrot, julienned
  • 2-3 tomatoes, diced
  • 2 tbsp good quality fish sauce (check the ingredients to make sure it isn’t full of nasties)
  • 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
  • 2 tbsp rice malt syrup
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • Pinch of chilli flakes (or more if you like it spicy)
  • 1 tbsp cashew pieces
  • Spring onion, finely sliced

Method:

Combine the raw, washed green beans, papaya, carrots and tomatoes in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the lime juice, rice malt syrup, crushed garlic, chilli, fish sauce and coriander. Then pour this mixture over the green beans, papaya, carrot and tomatoes and mix well, toss through ½ of the cashews and the spring onion. Use the remaining cashews and spring onion to top the salad and serve.

Dessert – Make tropical fruit kebabs with papaya, pineapple and mango. Simply cube the fruits and slide them on to a wooden kebab stick – delish!

Tip: soak the kebab sticks on water before hand to prevent splinters.

Snack – Most people discard papaya seeds, but they are actually edible. Their flavour is quite peppery and an acquired taste, try it!

Pap seeds

 

Treating the outside:

The enzymes contained in papaya make it the perfect natural exfoliator.

How to:

Peel

Ingredients:

The skin from one green papaya

Method:

The easiest of DIY beauty treatments; this miracle of nature treatment can be used on the face and neck for younger looking skin, the back of the hands to correct age spots or anywhere else on the body you need a peel. Simply work the fleshy part of the papaya skin over the area of the body you wish to treat, leave the residue from the flesh on the skin for 10-15 minutes and rinse well and follow with your preferred moisturiser for perfect peeling.     

pap shop