A quick scroll on Instagram is all it takes to be reminded of how seriously we Aussies take our gym culture - but working out isn’t the only determining factor in creating a lean, toned beach bod! In fact, research shows that approximately 70% of fat-loss is actually derived from the foods we consume.
As well as this, our bodies have been shown to perform differently depending upon what we fuel them with. So, before you hit the gym - I'm here to help you work out what foods will help you get the most out of each session. Read on to find out… CARBOHYDRATES The main role that carbohydrates play in the body is to provide us with glucose – the molecule which (through a range of chemical processes) allows our muscles to work. During a workout, glucose is depleted, which eventually leads to our muscles becoming fatigued. It is important to consume some form of carbohydrates in any pre-workout meal, as this will ensure the body has the resources it needs, to release the energy our muscles use. My personal recommendation is rice cakes with your favourite topping such as avocado, peanut butter, tuna etc. PROTEINS While protein is not essential to improving exercise performance, there is evidence to suggest that consumption of protein prior to exercise may lead to an increase in protein synthesis, and therefore improve post-workout muscle repair and recovery. However, studies also show that adequate protein consumption throughout the day, regardless of when it is consumed, improves muscle recovery and growth (Schoenfeld, et al. 2013; and Cintineo, et al. 2018). FATS Consumption of fats in the meal leading up to a workout is more likely to maintain our satiety, rather than improve our performance immediately, as healthy fats reduce blood glucose spikes. This is because our bodies use glucose and glycogen (which we receive from carbohydrates) as our main source of energy for short, high-intensity exercise and activities such as sprinting, whereas fats are utilised by the body during moderate-to-low-intensity exercise such as walking, and endurance activities. Studies have shown that improvements in endurance performance have resulted from long-term high-fat diets rather than simply consuming fats immediately prior to a workout (Venkatraman, et al. 2001). While there is a multitude of research that exists, telling us what we should and shouldn’t consume to get the most out of our workouts, it is important to remember that each and every one of us is different, and will react differently to different foods. So, find what works best for you, and go do it!
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This is how it is, plain and simple. We Are Human. What does that mean you ask? It means, even if we believe otherwise, we are not perfect creatures. Not one single individual on this planet is perfect. No one has the perfect smile, the perfect hair, the perfect abs, the perfect bum, the perfect biceps, the perfect attitude, the perfect relationship; the perfect house, the perfect kids. No one’s life is perfect!
No matter which way you look at it, ‘perfection’ is all a distorted perception of society which has been shaped by media and television over decades. Now I’m not hating on the media and TV guys, they do a great job! But when we feel like we can’t keep up with what we believe to be ‘being perfect’, our reactions can often at times be detrimental to other areas of our lives, that in their own distinctive ways, actually are perfect, and suit each and every one of us as unique beings. I’m the first to admit that never in my life have I been perfect. I have been wearing glasses since I was 5; I never excelled at anything at school; I never felt like my body was good enough; my diet is balanced but still isn’t much to gloat about; I never go to the gym on all the days I say I will; I pretty much always drop or burn roughly 10 (maybe more) serves of food every day at work; I barely see my chiro; I spend too much money on coffee; I always forget to pack my lunch…should I go on or have you got the picture? My point is, we all go around with this idea in our heads that everything we do in our lives needs to have every corner crisply tucked at each end, when in actual fact we’re always going to have creases in the sheets. Our imperfections are what allows us to actually be who we are. ‘Would I be me if I had 20/20 vision?’No. ‘Would I have found my passion for food and writing if I got 100% in everything at school and uni?’Maybe, but I doubt I would have found it as quickly as I did. ‘Would I have more money if I stopped spending it all on coffee?’Yes! But I wouldn’t be greeted by the lovely people behind the counter with “Just the usual?”, as I drag my sorry hungover ass into my local cafe on a Sunday morning. I believe we need to FOCUS LESS on the things we believe we are MISSING OUT on BECAUSE of our imperfections, and FOCUS MORE on WHAT WE GAIN because of them. We need to accept that while we may try, we won’t always make the right decisions, and the next move in our lives might not always be on the right path – but we need to realise that this move is what is going to lead us to where we ultimately should be. The mistakes that we make throughout life will educate us, but only if we are willing to open up and listen to them. And that is what life is all about! After all, we develop as people through trial and error. Therefore, if we were to ever reach perfection and we never made another mistake in our lives – how would we continue to grow and learn? I hope this helps at least one person to release some of the pressure they might be feeling, and just let go of those things we cannot control. Not everything is perfect in life, and that is beautiful. See you soon! Steph In the world we live in, we are constantly bombarded with conflicting messages from every angle, telling us what is ‘healthy’ and what isn’t. So today my mission is to help clear up some of the confusion that advertising and extreme dieting, have caused us very puzzled consumers to believe! Today, we are busting myths!
MYTH #1: Carbs (carbohydrates) are Bad for You BUSTED! There are two types of carbohydrates, ‘simple carbohydrates’ and ‘complex carbohydrates’. Simple carbs are those foods which give you a quick blood-glucose (sugar) spike, for immediate and rapid energy eg fruit juice, lollies, sugar etc. Complex carbs are those that cause a gradual and sustained increase in blood-glucose levels, for longer lasting energy eg rolled oats, sweet potato, and lentils. In our body, carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars such as glucose. When we exercise, our rate of glucose expenditure increases (because glucose is our body’s number one source of energy), and the way we replace these stores is through our food. When we restrict carbohydrate intake, our bodies turn to burning ‘fats’ to create energy. This is sustainable for the very short term; however, the current literature is unclear of how beneficial it is for the longer term, as the rate of converting fat into useable energy is much slower than the process of using glucose for energy. While the fitness industry generally fears carbohydrates because they are believed to cause weight-gain, a large body of evidence suggests that diets including low-GI carbohydrates (eg legumes and whole-grains) not only produce greater long-term weight-loss than “high fat, low carb diets”, but also that they may positively impact diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (Brand-Miller et al. 2008). Therefore, a balanced diet including adequate carbohydrates – can lead to sustained long-term weight-loss and other health benefits! Woopie! Bye bye carb-depleted mood swings! MYTH #2: All Salads are Healthy BUSTED! While we know the classic “I’ll just get a salad”, to be the healthy persons’ lunchtime specialty, what you may not realise is that in fact, they could actually be eating far more calories than what they bargained for. Many salad dressings and toppings such as Caesar dressing, and croutons are high in calories and saturated fats (the bad guys). So, how do you know if your salad is actually healthy? It’s easy! All you have to do is look for the rainbow. The best salads out there have balance between carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. They contain a large variety of different coloured vegetables, grains (eg brown rice and quinoa), small amounts of lean protein such as chicken, fish and lamb, as well as monounsaturated fats such as avocado, nuts and extra virgin olive oil. These salads are brilliant as they are packed full of nutrients, quality proteins, low-GI carbohydrates, and healthy fats that your body is sure to love. To help you out, I’ve included my absolutely favourite salad dressing as one of this weeks’ recipes! MYTH #3: Skipping Meals Helps You Lose Weight BUSTED! Low-calorie diets have been in circulation for many years now, receiving attention from all angles on tv, social media, advertisements and so on, and unless you have had your head buried in the sand – you will have heard of the incredible transformations that seem to happen overnight, when people adopt a low-calorie diet. I am a woman of science however, and these results seem too good to be true. Years of research into low-calorie diets report amazing short-term, fast results when it comes to losing weight. This isn’t a surprise because we all know that if you eat less…you tend to lose weight pretty damn fast. However, the long-term health impacts are not as glamorous. The findings generally support that the more you reduce your calorie intake, the more likely it is that your body will do the opposite of what you are aiming for. When you severely reduce the amount of food you consume, your metabolism slows, in order to compensate for a lack of calories, making it harder to lose weight (Horne, et al. 2015). My suggestion is to do your research and speak to your dietician or GP before cutting calories, because there is definitely a right and a wrong way to do so. I think it is also important to remember that food isn’t the enemy. Food is what fuels your body to perform at its peak, so providing it with the right amount of qualityfood is more likely to produce long-term health benefits. MYTH #4: To Build Muscle, You Need Protein Within 30mins of Working Out BUSTED! Now this one is my favourite, because it’s bound to get people talking! The common theory that you must ingest protein sources within 30mins post-workout is absolutely BUSTED! For many years it has been one of the best-selling points for supplement companies to reel in their customers. These companies promote the idea that unless we consume protein rich sources straight after our workouts, we reduce our body’s ability to build muscle. Well, I’m here to tell you otherwise! Evidence suggests that the timing of protein refuelling makes absolutely no difference to muscle hypertrophy (muscle building), and little to no difference in rates of recovery. Research shows that so long as you are consuming an adequate amount of protein to allow the body to repair itself each day, you will gain the same amount of muscle as you would if you consumed protein immediately following exercise (Schoenfeld, et al. 2013). I do however want to acknowledge that there is absolutely no harm in having a protein shake or snack before or after a workout. It is incredibly important to refuel the body post-workout, BUT if you’re someone who gets your knickers in a knot when you forget your protein shaker, don’t stress! You won’t miss out on those crucial gains! MYTH #5: Supplements are the Same as Real Food BUSTED! If you know me, you know how passionate I am about eating foods that are rich in the nutrients our bodies need to not only survive, but thrive! And personally, I feel that in today’s society, we overlook and underestimate the power that the food we consume, has on our health. Food is an incredibly complex mix of macronutrients, micronutrients, and many other substances. The nutrients we require, are most potent and beneficial in their natural state. As well as this, many non-essential but beneficial nutrients are found in the foods we consume, but not in supplements. Supplements are extremely beneficial when used as treatment for dietary deficiencies that have been identified and recommended by healthcare professionals. Today however, the supplements industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry, and there doesn’t seem to be a ceiling anywhere in sight. So, remember not to believe everything you hear or read about ‘what YOU need’ and what is ‘most beneficial for YOU’. Everyone is different, and the term ‘YOU’ in both these cases is incredibly generalised. If you have any concerns, or wish to know more about the foods you should be eating, and potential supplements that could help you – see your local dietician. So there you have it! 5 Myths you can now go impressing your friends with, AND some of the science that backs them up too. See you again in a couple of weeks! Steph If you’re reading this, then congratulations…you made it through yet another monster festive season! Give yourself a pat on the back.
For me, this season was not only full of jolly holy, fireworks, ham, and champagne, but I also moved into my new apartment a couple of weeks before the fat man in red came marching back into our lives. To be fair, this wasn’t my brightest move, however as I mentioned above, we’re all still here to tell the tale… Moving meant I got to set up shop in a brand-new kitchen with a completely different configuration of draws, cupboards and bench space – so I thought I would dedicate this week’s post to the top 4 ways I organise my kitchen for optimal health! Ditch the ‘Messy Draw’ My number one pet peeve in any area of the house is what my mum used to call the “messy draw”. Growing up, our ‘messy draw’ was in our kitchen, and the only way to describe it was, ‘open house’. Everything was welcome in this draw from pens, scissors, sticky tape, glue, string, notepads, my yoyo collection, mum’s sunnies, and I’m pretty sure my barbie lived for a week or two. Everything was in a big tangled mess. Once we moved out though, the ‘messy draw’ was put to rest, never to be seen or heard of again, and structure was restored. My point is that everything HAS a place, and everything should be IN its place. I know so many people who have their own version of the infamous ‘messy draw’, and the excuse is always “but I know where everything is” …come on, stop kidding yourself. In reality you open up that draw, sigh because it’s too overwhelming, and shut it again without retrieving what you needed. The trick I suggest to organising the chaos, is utilising draw dividers or plastic trays. Using dividers to section off different parts of the draw allow you to allocate a set place for each item that lives in it. Have a section for pens, another for sticky tape etc. If you want to ditch the ‘messy draw’ all together, find other places for the items that are currently in it eg the office, and then immediately use the draw for storing something else such as placemats, so the temptation to chuck stuff back in there is removed! Tupperware is Your Friend If you’re on Instagram these days, you will most likely have seen one, two, maybe 50 million posts of people’s pantries FULL of clear reusable containers storing all their foodie goods. Let me tell you now…ditching the open packets of half used rice, protein powder, crackers, whatever it may be – and transferring them into clean, clear containers is LIFE CHANGING. Using this method of storage makes it so much easier to see exactly what you’ve got, how much of it you have, and it saves so much space! My pro tips if you are going to adopt this strategy are, a) buy containers that have a vacuum seal/lip on them to keep your products fresh, and free of unwanted invaders; and b) label your containers. After all, there’s nothing worse than getting the salt and sugar mixed up! Out of sight, Out of Mind This tip is for those people (like myself), who have cupboards that are just plain awkward. You know the ones. I’m talking about that bizarre corner cupboard with the double hinged door; and all those shelves that you can’t reach, even when you’re standing on a stool. For hard to reach areas, once food goes there, it is only going to get pushed further and further back, until you decide to do an annual spring clean and rediscover it all again. For areas such as these I recommend using a Lazy Susan (Disclaimer: I’m not referring to a lazy woman named Susan). A Lazy Susan allows you to more easily rotate the products you have within your pantry, making them visible, accessible, and therefore less likely to go off – reducing wastage! Create Kitchen Work Zones Coming up with this idea definitely made me realise I’ve been spending far too much time at work, and should probably dial it back to reality – however it might be useful to some of you out there that are as pedantic about their cooking as me! Thinking of your kitchen in terms of work zones is extremely useful no matter what sized kitchen you have. Zones dedicated to food prep, cooking, cleaning, and storage are what I use. This not only helps me organise where to store everything, but also reduces the mess I make (…kinda), as well as preventing any cross-contamination when I am cooking. Using these zones helps with the flow of cooking and cleaning, making the whole process easier, more efficient, and more fun! Once again, I hope you find some, if not all of these tips useful, and at the very least – entertaining :) Happy cooking! S xo 4 months. 16 countries. 7 currencies. Hundreds of memories. Countless new friends! That pretty much sums up where I have been and what I have been up to since my last post! Never fear though! I am back! Fresh, and ready as ever to kick back into gear, developing some new, delicious recipes and content for your all.
To start it all off, here is the recipe to my current OBSESSION... it's actually pretty sad how much I love these little guys... These Coffee Protein Balls are the perfect addition to your day, particularly around a workout as they provide you with the much needed energy to perform at your peak, as well as protein which aids in your recovery. What's not the love right?! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Much love, S xo Coffee Protein Balls Ingredients
Normally I would write a little life update, or something inspirational that I have recently learnt - however today I really can't think of anything much to write other than I LEAVE FOR EUROPE IN 1 WEEK! YEWWWWWW! (That's an 11/10 excited on the Steph Scale for those of you who don't know me).
These muffins seriously live up to their name even if it makes me cringe EVERY time I read it lol. My top tip with these is to 100% use 3 very ripe bananas as they are naturally sweet and are the star of the show in this recipe (even over my favourite spice, cinnamon). Much love, S xo Recipe (serves 12) Ingredients
I've never been a fan of cheesecake...until now! This recipe by @the_smallseed_ (check out her insta and prepare to drool) - is absolutely divine! Dairy free, gluten free and vegan - yet so creamy and flavoursome. I made it over the weekend for a couple of family events I was attending and it's safe to say that other people were lucky to get a slab because I ate just about all of it. No regrets!
Recipe is below as always! Much love, S xo Recipe (serves - 1 Steph) Ingredients For the Base
For the Base
What a chaotic week it has been so far and it is only Tuesday! I've got just 3 more days until I'm moving back out of my gorgeous apartment in Wollongong, and heading back to Sydney - ready to start a new adventure just before heading off to Europe!
My life this year really has not stopped surprising me. Every day I seem to wake up and have the completely unexpected occur! One minute I'm a full-time student, the next a full-time employee, the next I'm moving back to Sydney to no real set location...who knows what is around the corner! Remembering to stay calm and enjoy every moment as it passes is something I'm really trying to focus on, and being present so that I don't miss any of these awesome experiences I get to have in my life. If you're one to forget to pause every now and then, then try it out - you'll be surprised at what you notice around you and what you learn about yourself. Much love, S xo Recipe (serves 3-4) Ingredients
From the moment we are born, we are subject to expectations. We’re expected to cry, sleep, feed and poop. These expectations are basic human instincts, and they are indicators of healthy development – but as we mature, these expectations become more complex and we also learn to expect things from ourselves.
Growing up, we learn to “expect” to finish a university degree, attain a job, own a car, purchase a house, earn enough money to live a life that exceeds that of those around us – so we flog ourselves at work – telling ourselves that “it’s worth it for the money”. What would happen if we decided to expect happiness? If we expected to live a life of health – one that didn’t require medications for the smallest of deficiencies? How would our lives change if we expected to wake up with a smile on our faces, and do in life exactly what it is that we have a true passion for every day, rather than waking up and cringing at the idea an 8hr work day? Perhaps a better question would be – how would your mindset change if happiness and health became one of the main focuses in your life? Now some of you may be sitting there thinking ‘well I do expect to be happy and free of illness – why would I expect to be sick and mopey?’ – but do the actions in your life reflect this? When you think of going to work, do you expect you’ll be smiling all day? When you wake up at 5am in the middle of winter, do you expect to be excited to rip into your day? Or are you just wishing for the weekend when you can relax because you don’t have to see that annoying co-worker who sits across from you? Personally, I’m someone who struggles to stick with something that I don’t find enjoyable, and I’ll admit, I’ve dropped out of a lot of things that I have tried, and jobs that I’ve started purely because I absolutely hated them. However, I have stuck to many things as well – and when I was thinking about this topic, I realised that those things were the things in life that I had a real passion for and was completely enthused with. These include dance, my degree (despite my Major selection being slightly rocky in the beginning), my first real job in the health industry, and recipe development/photography. Moving forward I’m taking note of what I really enjoy about these things:
If you’re feeling stuck in what you’re doing, unfulfilled, and as though you’re just going through the motions of life – take a moment to jot down the few activities that you REALLY enjoy. Then take a look back at them and draw out a couple of common themes amongst them (as I have above). These themes should truly reflect with you and what you enjoy most. From here, don’t just dismiss what you have done. Create a new expectation for yourself. Expect to implement more of what you love in your life, and most of all – EXPECT A CHANGE. Much love, S xo 'Date Me' Peanut Butter Slice Recipe Ingredients
I think that everyone along the east coast of NSW would agree with me when I say that winter has arrived, and it has taken no prisoners! Man! It is COLD! But hey, my lack of motivation to go the gym lead me to think up a new recipe for an old classic that I have loved my entire life - BANANA BREAD!
We all seem to have those dishes that we grew up with that bring back such fond memories when we eat or think about them, for me, banana bread is definitely one of those dishes. I remember mum driving me home from school one day and chatting about what I wanted to do when I was older - my response - "I want to do what you do, because you get to eat banana bread every day". Legit! That was my reason for wanting the job that mum had! (Mum used to be in HR and each day someone would go out to grab coffees and pastries etc, and mum would order banana bread). Now my current self would never dream of being in HR, but my love of banana bread still remains. For that reason, here is my healthy variation on this old gem. I hope you enjoy! S xo PS. There's a big ass fork mark right in the centre of my pic and I didn't realise until I'd taken all my shots and cut into/eaten half of it - so I'm just going with it! I'm only human! Hahaha :D Recipe Ingredients
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AuthorI'm Steph - a Health Sciences graduate, qualified Personal Trainer and Health Blogger. Here you will not find any quick fix, or diet tips. I'm here to share my love of life, fitness, mindset, and the lessons I learn as a journey through life. Archives
March 2020
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