Great Health & Fitness Christmas Gifts

It's that time of year again and time to think about gifts for your friends and family members.

If you are looking for health and fitness for gifts this Christmas, some of the following might be just what you are after.

LORNA JANE DIARY 2013  

I saw this on the Lorna Jane website and went into one of the stores to take a look. This Diary is great! It offers little hints in relation to health and fitness and has a page per day for the entire year! If you have trouble staying organised, I would recommend this Diary for sure.  I even thought about buying one for myself! :)



GYMBOSS TIMER

The Gymboss Interval Timer is one of the best things I have ever bought. It's perfect for all kinds of Interval Training. I use it for Tabata Training on a regular basis (usually incorporating my speed rope). I also use it when running (it beeps at me when I need to rest and beeps again when I need a reminder to move my ass!)

It can also be used as a Stopwatch and Countdown Timer. It's great for Crossfit WOD's, HIIT and more. It's small, and can be well secured to your waistband. It only needs one AAA Battery. I've had mine for a couple of years and the battery life is incredible!

Oh, and it comes in a range of cool colours. Of course, mine is Hot Pink :)

                                                                     

    

PEDOMETER

Ok, this is not your every day Pedometer, this is the Fitbit One Wireless Activity & Sleep Tracker. It tracks calories burned, steps taken and distance walked or run! It also tracks your sleep cycle!

You can sync all of the data to your computer where you will receive an insight into your health and habits. Cool huh? I'd be interested to see how well (or badly) I sleep each night. As a shift worker, it might be incredibly insightful :)

Fitbit shows you graphs, tools and charts which provide you with information to help understand your health and fitness. OMG! The more I read about this, the more I want one! I love cute techy stuff :)



IT STARTS WITH FOOD

This Book is very informative. So many people these days suffer from food allergies in one way or another. This book assists you with learning what types of foods are bothering you and helps you to relieve those symptoms. I followed their principles religiously for over three weeks with amazing results.



I'd been suffering from digestive issues for some time. It helped me to establish what was causing these problems. As a result, I have a much better idea of the foods I should be eating and the foods I should be avoiding.

Note, this is NOT a diet book! It encourages you to eat REAL food, not the stuff that is made to LOOK like food, ie packaged, processed crap!



JAMIE'S 15 MINUTE MEALS

I don't know about you, but I LOVE watching Jamie Oliver's show on TV. I have his 30 Minute Meals Book, it's pretty awesome. And I do like to cook (I like to eat even more). Jamie's 15 Minute Meals would be a great addition to anyone's cookbook collection.

VIBRAM FIVE FINGERS

I so want to try these, they look kinda embarrassing, but everyone I've spoken to swears that they are so comfortable to wear......

DEMON BELLS KETTLEBELL

OMG! Are these the coolest Kettlebells ever? I own one Kettlebell but I so WANT one of these. Nasty in a Artsy way. Love it!

So these are my recommendations for Christmas. Ok, let's be honest here, this is MY Christmas Wish List, all except the Gymboss Timer and "It Starts With Food", I already have both.

:)

Necessary Lifestyle Changes

As you would know through my previous post I had myself assessed using BioSignature Modulation. Basically this involves taking Body Fat Measurements at 12 different sites of the body. Depending on the site, those with the highest readings are associated with certain Hormones.


BioSignature Modulation is a system based on scientific evidence that where people store their body fat is an indication of their hormonal profile. Basically, hormonal imbalances can cause fat to accumulate in certain areas of the body.


Therefor your body fat levels and corresponding hormonal imbalances can be effectively managed through a combination of diet, exercise, a targeted supplementation program, and lifestyle modifications .


My results showed I am carrying excessive amounts of Cortisol, Estrogen and Insulin.


Initially I took a Digestive Test to determine whether my digestion is working effectively. Basically what this means is that I could be eating all the right foods but if my digestion is not working correctly then my body is not absorbing the nutrients it requires. And guess what? My digestion sucks! I am not producing enough Hydrochloric Acid to metabolise my food.


I need to use only BPA free products (especially when storing foods in plastics) as they can leech nasty chemicals. Xenoestrogens are environmental Estrogens and they can end up entering your blood stream. Also, I MUST avoid using the microwave to reheat my food.


I am now drinking filtered water. I am also eating breakfast high in Protein eg chicken and nuts, aka The Cavewoman Diet!


Reducing Cortisol will be even harder. I need to stop stressing and get at least 7 hours uninterrupted sleep.


There will be some challenges involved in making these changes but I am determined to persevere.

February - Cutting Out Sugar

My Challenge for the month of February is to reduce my Sugar intake. I know how Sugar can be bad for you health. And, it's time I took my health seriously!


Fact: Sugar tastes great and sweetened foods tend to make us overeat.


Fact: Simple Sugars can contribute to and aggravate numerous health problems; eg nervous disorders, diabetes, heart disease, gallstones, hypertension, and arthritis.


Fact: Sugar raises Insulin Levels. This inhibits the release of growth hormones, which in turn depresses the immune system. 


Fact: Sugar can contribute to weight gain and obesity. 


Fact: Sugar can contribute to hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, and the list goes on.


I have been concerned about the chance that I may end up with Type 2 Diabetes. My brother was diagnosed a few years ago. I eat well most of the time, but I find that shift work can really throw a spanner into any healthy eating plans I have. 


Thankfully I am not a massive sweets or dessert person. I do love chocolate so I will have to cut down or eliminate that :( Ignoring the sweets, lollies etc that others I work with constantly consume makes this a real challenge. I will say NO from now on!

January H2O - The Results Are In!

Well, it's finally the end of January and the end of January H2O. How did I go, you may ask?

Well, I passed with flying colours by not drinking Coffee for the entire month! As a result, I'm sleeping better and feel marginally less stressed.

I failed miserably in regards to Alcohol :( The first two weeks were good, but then the one day where we all agreed that an alcoholic drink was allowed, set me back for the rest of the month. A sneaky drink here, a sneaky drink there ........ Big Fat FAIL!

Today was my first Coffee in a month. I was SO looking forward to it this morning. That mouth watering Coffee aroma said "Good Morning" when my fella served up a wonderful cup of dark liquid to me. And you know what? I really didn't enjoy it as much as I thought! I was gob-smacked!

Don't get me wrong. I will still enjoy my Coffee but in much smaller amounts. No Coffee at work is now my rule.

Hmm, an Iced-Coffee right now would be lovely :)

January H2O - The Half Way Mark!

So where am I at with my January H2O Challenge? Not bad, Not bad!

Let me just say that my resolve is much stronger than I expected. Out of the 8 or so people involved, only 3 of us remain. The first one dropped out after 4 days! He couldn't handle the head-ouches he was getting from the lack of caffeine from his coffee and diet coke!

I honestly thought I would cave and have coffee within the first week, but 20 days in, I can walk past a coffee chop and smell that yummy coffee and not think about grabbing one. I had head-ouches after a few days, but not as severe as I expected.

Last week I attended the cricket (Australia vs England) with the group I am doing the challenge with. Needless to say, all the guys decided it was a boozing day. (It was generally agreed that the cricket was one day where we COULD have a drink) I know, I could have refused, but I did end up having a few drinks that day. And you know what? I felt sooo bad. I felt guilty, I also ended up with the worst head-ouch I've had in a while. The next 2 days were hugely difficult to get any kind of motivation.

But I am back on track and determined to make it to the end of January with nothing but H2O coursing through my veins (along with that necessary red stuff of course!)

January H2O

It's nearly 2011, a New Year and a new attitude is required! I am looking forward to setting new monthly challenges and January's challenge has already been set!

Challenge number one! The challenge for the month of January is to drink nothing but water! This idea came about after a conversation with my workmates. I returned from a few days off and they informed me of this challenge. But they also said that they didn't expect anyone to complete it successfully. But I plan to prove them wrong!

December was a disaster in regards to eating and drinking the wrong foods. The fact that there were multiple Christmas parties to attend is no excuse. Exercise took a back seat as I spent days recovering from one big night out after another.

No alcohol, no coffee, no soda's, just water! I do believe that my work colleagues will have a harder time with this challenge than I will as most of them consume at least 3 x cans of Coke or Diet Coke throughout the day!

I don't drink soda's at all so that's not going to be a problem. BUT I am a coffee addict. I LOVE my coffee in the morning. And I also love a latte mid morning when at work.

I know I will feel better after the initial shock of weaning myself of coffee. I gave up coffee a few years ago (I drank 7 - 8 cups a day then) I experienced the worst headaches for about a week then felt great. Why did I start drinking coffee again? I'm not really sure, but I do really enjoy it! At this stage I drink 2 x cups per day, sometimes 3 - 4 cups per day. Each day is different.

Alcohol may be a problem. My fella and I like nothing more than to go out for dinner and share a bottle of wine on our days off........

I already drink a lot of water so the taste of H2O is no problem for me. Does anyone have any suggestions for challenges for the rest of 2011?

I'm looking forward to a healthier, fitter and stronger 2011!

How Do You Beat Your Cravings?

Well, I am finally back into the rhythm of working out and exercising almost daily. The only obstacle I have now is FOOD!

My eating habits leave a lot to be desired. They were pretty good until I fell ill. During my illness I basically ate anything I could tolerate, and most of the time it was comfort food, not clean eating as I had been doing. Needless to say, the other week whilst being weighed at the Blood Bank I discovered I had put on 5 KILO'S!!! Not happy!

Now I have the problem where I am constantly craving bad foods. My fella and I do like to go out for dinner a couple of times a week, that's our time for us (Date night so to speak) so I try to be somewhat sensible on those days. But the remainder of the week is so hard!

I'm a shift worker, so eating at regular intervals when on night shift is not something I usually think too hard about. I am in the habit of taking healthy meals and snacks to work, but they often get left in the lunch box in favour of all the naughty snacks my workmates bring in! And, let me tell you, at 4 am I am NOT craving healthy foods!

So, what do you do to beat cravings? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

How Much Water Is Enough?

I'm a big water drinker. I don't drink soda's (Coke, Sprite etc) unless it's as a mixer with Vodka (which I probably drink too much of as it is..... call me crazy, but I love to have my vodka on hand at the end of a hard working week). Generally I drink Water, Coffee and Peppermint Tea and that's about it!

But how much water is enough? Some report 2 litres, some say 3 litres. I know that it is possible to drink too much water. Drinking too much water can cause a condition known as Hyponatremia. This is an extremely dangerous condition. Basically, too much water can alter your Salt balances.

If water is accumulated in the body at a higher instance than it can be excreted, Hyponatremia can occur. Generally you will find athletes who consume too much fluids during an event can be affected by this. (ie marathon runners)

Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and headaches. Also fatigue, muscle weakness, cramps and most seriously, coma.

So how much water is too much? The medical field recommends 2 - 2.5 litres per day. I used to drink 3 - 3.5 litres per day until my doctor suggested I ease off! I now aim for 2 - 2.5 litres per day.

And another thing. There is really no need to buy bottled water. Australia has the cleanest water in the world. Fill a reusable bottle straight from the tap! And don't use a plastic bottle you've used in the past. Buy a reusable bottle that can be washed properly with hot water.

I remember as a kid, we used to drink water straight from the garden taps! Do people even do that anymore or have we become paranoid of poisoning etc? Personally, I probably wouldn't help myself to a neighbours tap water anymore, I would rather carry my own bottle or look for a drinking fountain. But sometimes it's a necessity when on a long run etc. Nobody wants to carry a bottle of water out on a long run.

Water is also what I reach for before a snack. Often I find when I feel hungry, I am actually thirsty! A glass of the clean stuff can curb the nasty junk food cravings!

So, I say, go the H2O. It has to be better than that other "Crap" out there!

Sugar: Is It Really The Enemy?

In a word, YES. Sugar is the enemy. Sugar is the enemy to my health and also to yours!

The reason for this? Sugar increases our blood sugar levels rapidly. This causes the hormone Insulin to be released which then lowers the blood sugar again. The rise and fall of our blood sugar levels cause us to experience mood swings, cravings and is also responsible for our energy levels.

Excessive sugar can ruin your health in a number of ways:

Sugar suppresses your immune system, it contributes to obesity, it can cause headaches and migraines, it can also cause high blood pressure in obese people, and the list goes on!

To make things even more complicated, sugar is not always listed as "Sugar" on food labels. It seems that people these days require a Chemistry Degree to decipher the wording on food labels. Sugar can be listed as any of the following:

Sucrose, Glucose, Fructose, Dextrose, Mannitol, Xylitol, Corn Sweeteners, Corn Syrup, Cane Sugar, Beet Sugar, Fruit Juice Concentrate, Rice Syrup, Molasses, Date Sugar, HFCS, Malt, Maple Syrup and more........


I have learnt that is any of these are listed in the first 3 ingredients of a product, that I should avoid it!

Sugar is a Carbohydrate and carbohydrates are necessary for our bodies to function. But there are better choices of carbohydrates out there. For example, choose complex carbs such as Oats, Sweet Potato, Brown Rice rather than simple carbs like Honey, Sugar and Dried Fruit.

Some carbohydrates raise our blood sugar faster (high Glycemic Index, also known as GI) than others (low Glycemic Index), so choose low GI (ie sweet potato) over high GI carbohydrates (white potato) where possible.

I can understand why society these days is plagued with obesity problems. There are so many fast food options out there. Plus, many of these fast food places claim to have "healthier options". This I don't believe, most of these so called healthier options may have taken out the excess fat but have replaced this with loads of added sugar, whether it be in the dressings or the processed meat!

Sugar is like a drug, people can't say no. When they do try to wean themselves off the sugar they suffer withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, moodiness and irritability. So, of course what is the first thing they do? They reach for a can of Coke or bar of Chocolate!


Trust me, I've been there. I am still there. But I am trying to cut down on my sugar intake. I don't drink soft drinks/sodas (unless it's a mixer with alcohol, another thing I am trying to cut down on) I love chocolate but try to keep it to a minimum. So it's a daily struggle for me too!

Being Accountable For Your Own Health

It would be so easy to blame someone else for all the chocolate and booze I've consumed recently (yes, Sparkles, I blame you!) But ultimately I have no one but myself to blame!

I am struggling with a lack of self control. If I lived alone, I would probably be more accountable, I would have no one to blame. But I now live with my fella, and I find myself in a predicament. I love chocolate, Sparkles loves chocolate, I love to have a drink, as does Sparkles.

I know that eating too much junk, drinking too much and not excercising enough is always going to be my downfall. I am the sort of person that can go days without any exercise but suddenly, I will lose it and get the grumps. And I know I need to go for a run or punch something really hard! Why can't I get into the exercise habit? It will be so much harder now that Winter is nipping at my heels, I HATE the cold and would rather rug up in front of the computer or TV with a Chicken Pie followed by Scones with Jam and Cream for Dessert. Accompanied of course by a Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream (and perhaps a bit of a Frangelico hot tottie! It is Winter you know, need to keep the bugs at bay :))


Woops, I seem to have lost my train of thought!

Oh yeah, I am well aware that when I have too much "bad" stuff (sugar, fat, takeout, alcohol) I feel like crap. I am less inclined to workout and will start eating crap at work. When I sit for 12 hours on my arse, that is something I cannot afford to do! Arse expansion is not on my list of to do's this year!

Today was exceptionally bad. Cold, rainy. I had to go out in thongs! (Still recovering from blisters) My toes froze! So of course, upon our return from Costco we had Ravioli Carbonara (two serves I might add) followed by too much chocolate. This, of course was washed down with some vodka! Sparkles was in bed by 7pm (To his defence, he does need to be up for work at 5am ish) Me? I am still swigging on my Mojito as I write this. I need to finish my supply of booze so I can start with a clean slate!!!

So, the first of the month is my start date. I WILL GET FIT AND HEALTHY..... besides, I will have no more excuses by then. My blisters should have well and truly healed. I should be able to put on those trainers and go for a run without drawing blood!

Sparkles? Can I depend on you for some support? Do you need to buy that filing cabinet to hide the junk food from me? Just be sure to place a strong padlock on it!

Yummy Recipe, Vegetable Frittata

I've been doing a bit more cooking of late. Mainly because I am very lazy and will basically eat anything that's available when I'm hungry, regardless of whether it's healthy or not. So, I've realised that if I want to continue being healthy, I need to spend a bit of time preparing meals in advance.

I am a shift worker and the temptation to eat chips, lollies and chocolate is an ongoing drama. All of my workmates bring junk food into work. It is so hard to say "NO", but I have to keep thinking that I don't want my arse to expand and take up what's left of my seat!

And I have to say that bringing my own healthy snacks to work has made a huge difference. The days that I have succumbed to my own cravings and eaten junk, I found myself feeling like crap and struggling to get through my 12 hour shift! So I've gotten into the habit of bringing snacks such as:

Almonds mixed with some Dried Cranberries
Apples
Cottage Cheese with Rice Cakes
Protein Bar (I have even found a recipe for home-made Protein Bars)

Of course I will have more substantial meals as well. An example is this yummy Vegetable Frittata. It's ao easy to make and reasonably healthy, I think (certainly better than Chips, Burgers, McDonalds etc)

VEGETABLE FRITTATA

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 5 minutes, plus 10 minutes cooling time
Cooking: 30 minutes

Olive Oil Spray
500g Frozen or Fresh Stir Fry Vegetables
(I've used a combination of Broccoli, Mushrooms, Carrots, Tomato's, Red Capsicum and more)
6 Eggs (Or a combination of Eggs and Egg Whites)
1/2 Cup of Milk
Salt & Pepper

Preheat Oven to 180C
Spray a 20cm (Base Measurement) Cake Pan with Oil
Line Base and sides with Baking Paper

Heat a little Olive Oil Spray in a Frying Pan and stir fry vegetables until they are soft. Transfer to the Cake Pan.
Whisk eggs and milk in a bowl until combined. Season with Salt and Pepper if desired. Pour over the vegetables. Bake for 25 -30 minutes until set or a light golden colour. Set aside for 10 minutes to coll slightly.

This is lovely served with some salad greens.

This is one of the easiest things to make and very yummy. You can change it up by varying your vegetables.

Clean Eating

I am just like you, I love my food, I HATE the idea of giving up my favourite treats. But I've come to realise that I simply can't continue to eat the crap I have been eating in recent years, without it catching up with me in some form.

I have become more concerned about Diabetes, Cholesterol, Weight Gain (until recently this was a major concern). So I decided it was time to change a few things within my diet.

I'm a shift worker so learning what to eat and when has been a challenge. But I feel as though I have finally made some headway. I've decided to make a conscious effort to eat food straight from the ground or the tree or the animal. I've cut back on processed "foods" and packaged "foods" and am beginning to learn how to cook and prepare meals from scratch.

Believe me, it's been a challenge. I've never been much of a cook. Mainly because I found no satisfaction or enjoyment cooking just for me and having so many left overs in the fridge. I despise eating the same thing for days on end. But, soon I will be moving in with my fella and the cooking of healthy, nutritious and tasty meals is high on my list of priorities. We don't lead the healthiest lifestyle when we are together and that is something I hope will change! (Sorry hun!)

In my current location I have access to some wonderful grocery stores. You know, the little independently owned stores that used to be everywhere before the major Supermarkets took over?! I love shopping in these stores. The food seems fresher, tastes better and was probably grown nearby, NOT miles away...... And I'm sure it hasn't been kept in storage for months on end before hitting the shelves.

Have you noticed? The fruit and veges in the Supermarkets look great, but have very little taste? No wonder people have come to depend on pre packaged foods. Besides the fact, people are so busy these days, that they rarely have time to spend preparing and cooking meals from scratch. I am one of those people, but I hope that I can find the time to prepare healthy, nutritious meals. I certainly plan to try!

So the plan is to find good, tasty and nutritious recipes to play with. Wish me luck!

This doesn't mean that I'm giving up my chocolate for good. Oh no! I will still enjoy my chocolate, but in moderation! (But I might have to hide it from my boyfriend)