Health Food

Easy and Tasty Chickpea Salad

September 29, 2014

Author: Lindsay Hogg

This is one of my favorite side salads to make because it’s so easy and keeps well for at least 4-5 days. I make it often on Sunday and eat it throughout the week with grilled chicken or a wrap.

Ingredients

1 can of chickpeas (no added salt) 0r 1-1.5 cups of home soaked chickpeas

1 cup of chopped mixed peppers

1/4 cup chopped carrots

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 clove of garlic (minced)

1 tbsp fresh (or dried) parsley

dash of salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Drain and rinse chickpeas in a strainer.

2. Add peppers, carrots and chickpeas to a bowl or large tupperware container.

3. Add all other ingredients and stir well (or shake with tupperware lid on).

See? So easy, simple AND delicious. Sometimes if I’m having guests over I will add some cubes of cheese to the salad just to mix it up a bit. (Old cheddar is my favorite, but you could really add any kind of cheese to match the meal you’re making).

Gluten Free Banana Pineapple Muffins

September 22, 2014

Author/Chef: Lindsay Hogg

These muffins are so soft and dangerously delicious you won’t be able to tell they are gluten free! (I seriously had to take them to the yoga studio so I would stop eating them).

INGREDIENTS:

3 large ripe bananas
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups chopped pineapple
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Dark chocolate (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a blender, mix bananas, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla extract.

3. Slowly add blended mixture to the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together until smooth.

4. Use a non stick cupcake pan or using a napkin with some olive oil on it, grease the entire pan.

5. Pour mixture equally in each cup (should make 12 muffins). Sprinkle a few chunks of pineapple on each muffin and small piece of dark chocolate on top (if you choose to use chocolate).

6. Bake for approx 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

7. Let cool and enjoy!

How Yo-Yo Dieting Affects Your Health

August 12, 2014

AUTHOR: Shannon Boyce

It happens to a lot of us. You lose weight, you gain weight, you lose weight, and yes, you gain weight back again. This is called yo-yo dieting or weight cycling. It happens when you chase after fad diets or even when lifestyle changes don’t seem to stick long term. Going up and down on the scale isn’t just frustrating… it can also have a serious impact on your overall levels of health. How? Here are some of the ways that yo-yo dieting can affect you.

Most Yo-Yo Dieters Gain The Weight Back (And Then Some)

Did you know that yo-yo dieting is actually worse for you than being consistently overweight? One of the reasons for this is that many yo-yo dieters end up gaining all of the weight they lost back, and then some. This can happen due to stress levels and even feelings of shame. Putting the weight back on can cause severe depression and feelings of inadequacy. That in turn, causes many people to turn to food and overeat. It doesn’t take much for the yo-yo cycle to start again and again – and yes, again. It’s an unfortunate reality.

The reason the weight gain happens is usually because the weight loss was a result of lifestyle changes that only work short term. It may also be from doing a fad diet, drinking only smoothies for weeks on end, and so on. They may help you to lose the weight, but those aren’t long-term solutions.

It Can Cause Emotional Health Issues

Constantly thinking about your weight and struggling to keep it off can take a serious toll on your mental health. All day long it’s: Oh, I can’t eat that. I wish I could eat that. I can’t believe I gained weight. Next time, it will be better. I’ll never gain weight again! Yes, yo-yo dieting can leave you to deal with high emotions, distress, and even feeling unhappy with your life. It is incredibly sad, but it happens all the time. When these emotional health issues get worse, it can lead to binge eating…which only furthers the problem.

Yo-Yo Dieting Has Been Linked to Serious Health Issues

You’d be surprised at the many ways that yo-yo dieting can impact your health. It has been linked to several serious medical issues. In fact, researchers found that women who yo-yo dieted more than five times in their lifetime were more likely to develop heart diseases after menopause. Why does this happen? It is thought to be because of the cells that line the blood vessels. They are called the endothelial cells. When weight gain and loss happens over and over again, the cells become damaged. That can increase the risk for dealing with things like heart attack and stroke in the future. In addition, yo-yo dieting can make your metabolism slow down, increase your cholesterol, and decrease your energy levels.

There is nothing good about yo-yo dieting. Unfortunately, it is a pattern that many men and women fall into. To avoid the repercussions of yo-yo dieting, it is important to make realistic lifestyle changes that can be maintained long after the weight is gone.

Does Drinking Alcohol Really Impact Your Health?

July 15, 2014

Author: Shannon Boyce

Every health and fitness book has one main thing in common. What is it? They all urge you to avoid alcohol consumption at all costs. That means no cocktail at dinner and certainly none of those all-nighters! Yes, alcohol is one fitness no-no…. but why? Have you ever wondered why you’re supposed to avoid it? It’s time to find out why and answer the question: does drinking alcohol impact your health?

Effects of Alcohol on Weight Loss

When it comes to drinking alcohol, there are many drawbacks. Regular consumption can actually impact how quickly you reach your weight loss goals. How does it do this exactly? Most alcoholic beverages are full of tons of empty calories, and you’ve got a problem. Believe it or not, it has actually been found that drinking alcohol regularly can affect your digestive system. It can be more difficult for your body to absorb essential nutrients. In fact, it may be much harder for you to get amino acids and B vitamins. Talk about paying for a night out!

If that wasn’t enough, alcohol consumption can also impact your diet in other ways. When you drink, your defenses are down. Even if you’ve been strict with your eating habits, a few drinks, and you are a thousand times more likely to order that plate of extra cheese fries. That can really pack on the pounds. Plus, the fact that most drinks are full of sugar, it isn’t hard to figure out how alcohol can cause you to gain weight, rather than lose it. In order to keep your weight loss goals on track, ditch the liquor. There are simply too many ways that it can ruin your progress.

Effects of Alcohol Consumption on Fitness

It isn’t just your weight that is affected by drinking often. Your fitness can also take a hit. This can happen in a couple of different ways. The first has to do with the fact that alcohol dehydrates your body. If you drink too much, you will likely be desperate for a glass of water! What does this have to do with your fitness? Say you went drinking the night before but still want to get your workout in the next day. Bad idea. Working out creates sweat, which can also dehydrate you. When you are dehydrated from drinking and then further dehydrate yourself, you’ll notice reduced performance in the gym. You are even more likely to overheat your body after you’ve been drinking, so be careful.

Another way that alcohol affects your fitness routine? Less energy. When you drink, your body’s ability to produce energy is altered, giving you low levels of blood sugar. That can make it more difficult to exercise well or have enough energy to exercise at all.

So, does drinking alcohol really impact your health? There are different views about whether a glass of wine a day is beneficial to your health or not. I guess it always comes down to moderation. But if you’re trying to lose weight, drinking regularly can impact those goals as well as your level of fitness.

How Often Should You Weigh Yourself?

March 18, 2014

When you’re starting to get in shape and are trying to drop the pounds, there is always one thing at the front of your mind: the scale. Too often, that little piece of equipment de-motivates. Maybe you didn’t lose as much as you thought or heck, perhaps you even put on a few pounds. The scale can either be your best friend or your worst enemy, depending on the day. That is why it is so important to step back. You don’t need to weigh yourself every single day…. but how often should you?

The Problem With Weighing Yourself Every Day

There are many reasons why weighing yourself every single day isn’t a good idea. For starters, weight fluctuations happen. You may be retaining more water or it may have to do with various other factors. But it happens! That means the number on the scale may not be totally accurate.

Another reason you may want to skip the scale? When you’re working out and getting fit, your fat is turning into muscle. All of those new muscles are much heavier than fat, which means the number on the scale may be increasing. You don’t want to panic when you step on the scale and stop doing what you’re doing. It may prevent you from taking your fitness routine to the next level. Plus, your weight doesn’t determine how healthy and strong you are. Often we become so consumed by the number that we totally ignore all of the positive things we are achieving. Take a step back and feel good knowing that you’re getting healthy.

Why You Should Weigh Yourself Once a Week

If you’re not weighing yourself every single day, then when should you? Many fitness instructors feel that once a week is ideal. Any longer than that and you are more likely to get off track. Any less and you may find yourself feeling depressed and unmotivated. So, choose one specific weigh in day each week and stick with it. That way, you know exactly when you’ll be stepping on the scale next. The results will be more accurate and you can spend less time stressing.

The Best Time Of Day To Step On The Scale

Now that you know how often to weigh yourself, it’s just as important to understand when to do it. If you step on the scale after downing a massive double cheeseburger, the number probably won’t be too pretty. More importantly, it won’t be too accurate, either. The same goes if you’ve had a lot of water to drink that day or you are something high in fibre or sodium.

The very best time of day to weigh yourself is first thing in the morning. On your chosen weigh in day, get out of bed and jump on the scale. Don’t grab any breakfast or water until after you’ve done it as these can skew the number. When you weigh yourself on an empty stomach you get a better understanding of where you really are. Here’s a tip: don’t weigh yourself multiple times during the day to ‘see how you’re doing.’ That number can go as high as 5 to 10 pounds more than your actual weight. Even if you’re feeling impatient, wait until morning and wait until your weigh in day.

You don’t want to live your life by the scale, so step back. Once you’ve chosen your weigh in day, focus on making healthy choices throughout the week. That way you’ll be confident when you go to weigh yourself…whatever the number may be.