Food for Yoga

10 Superfoods Your Kitchen Can't Live Without!

2012-01-05T21:26:00.000-08:00

Time and again I get asked what the best foods are to eat. The truth, of course, is that different things work for different people and it would be rather a long list if I were to try and write them in a blog post!

That being said, there are definitely some foods I continue absolute staples. Keep these in your home and you are unlikely to ever get stuck in a food emergency before class or end up tempted to hit the take away on the way home from class!

Enjoy.

Coconut oil: this saturated fat is made up of medium chain fatty acids, and great for energy as well as fat loss. A teaspoon will quell the sugar cravings right away, and it's also fab for cooking!
Organic protein powder: A great back up for a meal if need be, and also excellent post yoga. I recommend my own brand, which is all organic and grass-fed (and a great price if I do say so myself!) but if you don't want that one any good organic brand is a smart choice.
Tinned salmon or sardines: I'm not a huge tinned food fan, but great as a back up.
Frozen organic vegetables: frozen veg are snap frozen, retaining nutrition. Great as a back-up again!
Greek organic yoghurt: I recommend all dairy be organic. Greek yoghurt is fab as it is high in probiotics; good bacteria.
Dark chocolate:at least 85%: it's higher in antioxidants, and lower in sugar
Red wine: enough said :)
Avocado: a great fat that can be used as a snack on its own if need be!
Frozen berries: add them to the yoghurt or your protein shake, or enjoy with some chocolate and wine. Yummy.
A great nut and seed mix: Avoid peanuts as they are legumes not nuts. I would roast nuts yourself if possible to avoid vegetable oils, and then salt with pink or grey salt.

Keep these foods in your cupboard and enjoy being able to go home without worrying about what to eat on those days when you just can't be bothered!

Not just Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Want to get an idea of ALL the best foods for a clean and energised you? I'm actually in the process of finishing an e-book on just that! You can check it out at my blog www.womanincredible.com, where you can also subscribe for free updated on nutrition, health, training and fat loss. Grab a free copy of my Female Fat Loss book while you're there!

Coconut Raspberry Protein Muffins - Post Yoga Delight!

2011-11-18T18:58:00.001-08:00

This is my new all-time favourite recipe ... I claim I make these muffins for my daughter, but let's be honest - I eat a lot more of them than she does! The great news is you can indulge daily in these muffins if you choose, as they are gluten and sugar free and full of fabulous ingredients for post-Bikram delight.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

2/3 cup sifted coconut flour
¼ teaspoon pink or grey sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 washed and grated medium size zucchini
3 eggs
½ cup macadamia nut or extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence
1 cup frozen raspberries

Method

Mix coconut flour, zucchini salt and baking soda
In a separate bowl, combine eggs, oil and vanilla and blend well. I use a stick blender Combine all ingredients and blend further
Gently fold in frozen raspberries
Distribute into muffin tray (makes 9 large muffins)
Bake at 180° for 20-25 minutes
Try not to eat them all at once as soon as they come out of the oven!

Did you know?

Coconut flour, in my opinion, is THE healthiest flour option for baking.

It's gluten free, MUCH lower in carbs than other (usually grain-based) flours, and is high in natural fibre. It's made from the meat of the coconut after most of the fat has been removed, so it's also low in fat! These muffins taste so good that kids and big kids alike will scoff them down - and unless you prefer to tell them, they won't even notice the zucchini!

Kat Eden is Australia’s Female Fat Loss Queen, and blogs at www.womanincredible.com. Subscribe now for free email updates and receive your free copy of Kat’s latest e-book “The Truth About Female Fat Loss”!

Foods To Make You Healthy, Lean, and Strong!

2011-10-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get sick of the struggle to take control of your body and your health? Do you follow all the rules but it never quite seems to work? Are you struggling to have stable energy despite exercising regularly and eating well?

If you answered yes to any (or all!) of those questions, I can definitely relate. If you're new to this blog, let me introduce myself. My name is Kat Eden, and I’m a personal trainer and nutrition coach by trade. These days I’m known as Australia’s Female Fat Loss Queen, and my blog Woman Incredible offers driven women advice on fat loss, nutrition, and motivation. My clients and readers see the way I look and act and often assume that it’s always been easy for me to stay in shape; that I must be genetically lucky or perhaps I simply never indulge in so-called naughty foods!

The truth, of course, is that it’s not that simple. Firstly, I do indulge (how could a girl live without chocolate, cheese or wine I ask you?!), and secondly - I haven’t always looked this way. And I certainly haven’t always felt the way I do now, which is mostly very energised and passionate about life.

I learned the hard way that following conventional nutritional and health advice doesn’t work, and it was a lesson that affected me both personally and professionally. In 2005 I’d been a personal trainer for 5 years, and I was overweight and miserable. I wasn’t huge by any stretch of the imagination, but I certainly didn’t look the part. More importantly, I felt awful. I was eating really well as well! Or so I thought.

When I look back now I can barely believe that I used to think it healthy to live on a diet centred around whole-grains, lean proteins such as egg whites, chicken breast or tuna, low-fat dairy products (of course!), and minimally processed starches for energy. A typical day for me included bircher or untoasted muesli for breakfast, fruit and low-fat yoghurt for snacks, and tinned tuna with corn, kidney beans and avocado for lunch. Dinner was your fairly standard meat and veg with some kind of whole-grain starch.

These days I would never recommend that sort of diet to a fat loss client - and I wouldn’t recommend it to you either.

Time To Ditch The Conventional Nutrition Books

It was round the middle of 2005 that I noticed a colleague of mine start to noticeably become leaner. Not only that, but he was becoming annoyingly energised. To the point where he would - quite literally - bounce into morning meetings. Whatever he was doing, I sure wanted to know about it!

Of course as with anything that seems too good to be true, there was a catch. The method my colleague had taken to transform his body was one based on ‘paleo’ eating. It was all about getting back to basics with health and nutrition, and the results certainly spoke for themselves. The catch was that it was a little too back to basics for my liking! This guy was eating meat for breakfast for heavens sake! There was no WAY I was going to be walking down the street to work at 6am chowing on a lamb chop and nor did I want to have to explain weird eating habits to other trainers at work.

Besides - everything I’d been taught told me that the way I was eating was correct. Maybe there was just something wrong with how I was doing it? Perhaps I just needed to exercise more?

How To Eat For (True) Fat Loss

In the end, of course, I just couldn’t resist something that was clearly so effective. Another way to look at it was that my desire to lose weight and feel better eventually overrode my concerns about what people thought!

The best part was that within weeks - if not days - I noticed such a significant change in the way I looked and felt that I honestly stopped worrying about other’s opinions and may have even been guilty of preaching at them about my exciting new approach. My clients were somewhat bemused at first, but they trusted me and were willing to listen. I guess my results spoke for themselves as well :)

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Some of the principles I now follow and teach my fat loss clients include:

Meet your protein goal. If there’s one thing you can do to dramatically influence your body fat levels it’s to eat more (good quality) protein. You can determine your protein goal by multiplying your lean mass body weight (body weight minus your body fat) in pounds and then by 0.9-1.5g for women and approximately 2g for men. It’s important to include a variety of protein sources from animals as well as some plant protein. Wild meat in particular is excellent for fat loss as well as brain health.
The carbohydrate conundrum. Let me cut to the chase: my clinical experience has shown (and the experts I respect teach) that 75% or more of the Western world is NOT tolerant to a moderate carb diet, let alone a high one. I definitely don’t advocate cutting carbs OUT, but most people can easily lose body fat and actually increase their energy by switching the starch for more protein and good fat. A good rule of thumb is to get 80-90% of your carbs from (mostly green) veg, and just the remainder from starch and fruits.
Smart fats. One of the biggest myths still perpetuated by the health industry is that fat should be feared. Trans (processed) fats, of course, are definitely not your friend, but did you know that good quality organic saturated fats actually contribute to your cell and hormone development and even help you burn fat faster? That’s right - fat can make you lean! The way I now eat and coach my clients to eat is to include some ‘smart’ fats at each meal. Good examples include nuts and seeds, small oily fish, avocado, coconut oil/milk/cream, organic cream and butter, macadamia nut oil, and ghee. Those are just a few of my favourites!
The traps of healthy snacking. This is an area close to my heart - when you enter the paleo lifestyle you’ll find a virtual plethora of healthy and incredibly delicious snack ideas. Raw chocolate/avocado cheesecake is one of my favourites. Just a word of warning - it’s all too easy to get carried away with healthy snacking and, as a result, not consume adequate protein and green veg for fat loss. Keep the snack-type foods to 5-10% maximum, and try ‘snacking’ on leftover real meals instead! Your belly will definitely thank you.

Of course all that being said, old habits do die hard. Sometimes I still feel like I have a special ‘chocolate-time’ alarm clock that goes off in my head after dinner, and the same applies with red wine! There’s even a small part of me that looks around a crowded restaurant now and then and wonders why I can’t just be one of the blessed ignorant working my way happily through the bread basket.

Until waking up the next morning and realising how yucky I feel when I do eat that way of course :)

Is This Really What It Takes To Be Lean?

You might say that in a perfect world we should be able to eat all things in moderation and naturally select what our body most desires in the moment of hunger. But it’s not a perfect world, is it? Food quality, food choice, environmental toxins, stress … these are all things which impact your ability to feel and function your best.

The reality is that if you want to live with exceptional health and energy, and yes even create an exceptional body to do that in, then you do have to live differently to the rest. The good news is that this doesn’t have to be overly noticeable to the rest of the world if you don’t want it to be, and it also doesn’t require long-term sacrifice from you. It might seem that way at first, but I promise the motivation definitely comes from within once that image in the mirror starts changing!

At the end of the day it’s fine for you to choose to keep following the conventional rules. There is no right or wrong here. But what you do have to recognise is that you have the power. And whether you like to look at it this way or not the truth is that choosing whole foods as close to their natural state as possible gives you the power to look incredible and feel even better.

Which means a heck of a lot more to me than getting to ‘fit in’ or even ‘eat all things in moderation’ just because I ‘should’ be able to. How about you?

The Best Foods To Speed Up Your Detox!

2011-08-07T20:51:00.000-07:00

You've been hearing it your whole life, and I have to tell you - your Mum was right. If you want to be grow up to be healthy and strong then you have to eat all your veggies.

I don't know if you realise this, but eating more vegetables is one of the simplest and smartest things you can do to speed up fat loss. You think you're being so smart putting in the hard yards at the gym, saying no to breads and pasta and obediently scarfing down your protein breaky? Well, okay, you are being pretty smart with all of that, but is it possible that you're doing so many things right on your quest for health and vitality, and yet still neglecting this one very simple element?

Forgive me if I'm jumping too rapidly to conclusions, and I must admit I have met more than a few readers who eat truckloads of veg, but for the most part? Yes, yes it is possible. If not completely probable.

9 serves of vegetables per day?! is she crazy?

In The 9 Habits of Healthy People, respected nutritionist and doctor, 'Dr Jonny' says this of vegetables (and it's point #1!):

Eat your vegetables. No kidding. And I’m talking at least 9 servings a day.. Unless you’re following the most stringent first stage of the Atkins Diet, you should be able to consume 60-120 grams of carbs a day (depending on your weight and exercise level), and you’d have to eat a stockyard full of spinach to get to that amount. Every major study of long-lived, healthy people shows that they eat a ton of plant foods. Nothing delivers antioxidants, fiber, flavonoids, indoles, and the entire pharmacopia of disease fighting phytochemicals like stuff that grows.

As if that's not convincing enough for you, I've also heard Dr Jonny say that the most important supplement for fat loss is fiber. More veg = more fiber, yes? And this is the key to detoxification, because when you lose body fat it's actually toxins which are being dragged out of your fat cells and into your blood. Fiber is what swooshes those toxins out of the body, which I really think is a far better option than leaving them in there.

Don't you?

but it's too hard/i don't have time/i only like spinach/it costs too much!

It's pretty simple really. Either your love yourself and your desire to lose weight and be healthy or to lose the final 5 is strong enough to do what it takes, or you care more about your convenience or 'can't quite be bothered' eating.

And seeing as how you're a Bikram yoga kind of person, I'm guessing it's the former :)

the best veggies for fat loss and health

Here is a list of especially nutritious and yummy vegetables for speeding up detoxification both in and out of the sweat room. You'll notice they are mostly green - I'm a big believer in eating predominantly seasonal and local vegetables, and I think green is best. Add some colour now and then, but do remember that when we talk about vegetables I'm talking low-starch. This does not include pumpkin, potato, sweet potato, corn (that's a grain anyway), and most root vegetables.

Enjoy!

Cruciferous veggies are great for fat loss, especially as regards your lower body. These include cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and brussel sprouts

Zucchini

Squash

Green or yellow beans

Spinach (a great source of iron, and it really does make you strong!)

Any sort of lettuce or leaf (organic please as they are sprayed
directly)

Cucumbers

Kale

Silverbeet (these two are great options in salads, and bitter vegetables such as Kale are great for digestion)

Spring onions

Any fresh herbs; fresh chilis

Celery (yummy snack with almond or cashew butter)

Green capsicums

Olives

Artichokes

Pickled foods like eggplant, green tomato (pickled stuff is great for
lowering blood sugar response!)

Onion

Mushrooms; unless you have ever had fungal issues such as
thrush or candida

If you feel so inclined, I'd love for you to comment and share either your favourite way to eat your veggies, or a question about what you struggle with most when it comes to getting all your greens.

Not just Food for Yoga - Food for Life!

Kat

If you enjoyed this post then please visit me over at my regular blog BodyIncredible.com or Woman Incredible (female specific!) for tips on nutrition, lifestyle, motivation.

Magnesium-Rich Foods For Recovery!

2011-01-31T01:28:00.000-08:00

I don't know if you're like me, and you space out most of the time in between postures (especially in the recent super-humid temps!), but if you ever do stop and listen in you'll often hear the teachers mention magnesium as an important mineral for dealing with muscle cramps and spasms. The truth is that this is just the start of what this important mineral can do - in fact, every active person needs to make sure they have an adequate supply of magnesium. Given the fact that exercise can deplete you of it, it becomes all the more important as a Bikram-enthusiast to know how you can load up on the stuff!

What Magnesium Does

Magnesium is crucial to not only recovery and repair, but to the function of your cells and certain enzymes, and even plays a role in metabolism and fat loss. It is often used to improve sleep quality as well as to promote healthy muscles and cell tissue. Other things that magnesium can improve include:

Osteoperosis
Cardiovascular disease
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Insomnia and other sleep disorders (magnesium helped me overcome 3 years of insomnia)

A typical adult needs between 300 and 400 milligrams per day, and you can visit this link to learn more, as well as which foods are high in it. Or simply look at the following table:

Beans, black	1 cup	120
Broccoli, raw	1 cup	22
Halibut	1/2 fillet	170
Nuts, peanuts	1 oz	64
Okra, frozen	1 cup	94
Oysters	3 oz	49
Plantain, raw	1 medium	66
Rockfish	1 fillet	51
Scallop	6 large	55
Seeds, pumpkin and squash	1 oz (142 seeds)	151
Soy milk	1 cup	47
Spinach, cooked	1 cup	157
Tofu	1/4 block	37
Whole grain cereal, ready-to-eat	3/4 cup	24
Whole grain cereal, cooked	1 cup	56
Whole wheat bread	1 slice	24

If you think you may be lacking magnesium then consider trying to eat one of these foods each day, or discuss a magnesium supplement with your health care practitioner. You can also add a pinch or organic unbleached sea salt to your Bikram water. It's fantastic for hydration and for replacing minerals.

So - have you had your magnesium today?

Not just Food for Yoga - Food for Life!

Kat

If you enjoyed this post then please visit me over at my regular blog BodyIncredible.com for tips on nutrition, lifestyle, motivation.

Nutrition For Yoga: The Simple Stuff That Really Works

2010-12-19T18:14:00.000-08:00

Recently I gave a couple of 'food for yoga' seminars over in Perth. It was very interesting to me to hear from participants at the start of each seminar and learn what they would most like to know more about when it comes to nutrition and optimal health. Some of the big points that came up again and again (aside from the obvious; what to eat before or after class) were how to stabilise energy, how to improve digestion, and how to deal with cravings. Energy really seemed to be the stand out point - given how busy we all seem to be, especially at this time of year, this makes a lot of sense! In my experience, when it comes to living a life full of 'va-va-voom', regular exercise like Bikram yoga is just the beginning. Choosing wholesome foods in their natural state, and being organised enough to eat them regularly (I'd suggest every 3 hours) is really the key. The best part is that by learning to fuel your body with the best foods for energy you'll also notice your energy in the yoga room will improve tremendously.

With that in mind, here are my top points for creating an ideal 'food for yoga' nutrition plan.

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants
Aim to eat 4-5 times per day, including some form of protein at each meal. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a peasant, and dinner like a pauper
Choosing a protein and good fat breakfast will fuel and energise you for the day ahead, and may prevent afternoon sweet cravings
Eat until you are seven tenths full and save the other three tenths for hunger
Include all three macronutrients at each main meal. These are protein, fats (good fats), and carbohydrates such as seasonal vegetables
If stress is an issue for you, minimise caffeine and alcohol intake
When it comes to real food there is nothing evil. While some choices of fruits or vegetables may contain more nutrients or less sugar than others you really can’t go wrong with food in its natural state
Drink roughly 1/3 a litre of water for every 10kg of body weight
Use a food diary or food tracker to keep you accountable to the realities of your food choices
Examples of good fats include organic coconut oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, raw nuts or seeds, and low-mercury fish such as salmon or sardines
A serve of protein is generally the size of the palm of your hand. Green vegetables can be eaten in up to 2 fists worth per meal.
Avoid creating strict rules around food: it’s better to occasionally eat the chocolate rather than spend the whole day obsessing about chocolate and the fact that you ‘can’t’ have it!
Quality counts: it’s better to pay the grocer than the doctor
Never eat something that is pretending to be something else – artificial sweeteners, textured protein, margerine or butter replacements, low-fat foods in general. Instead, choose and enjoy a small amount of real food as close to its natural state as possible.
Minimise foods with ingredients you can’t pronounce
Don’t buy food where you buy petrol. Eating on the run is a fast way to poor health and increased body fat. In the same way, it’s not food if it arrived through your car window
Avoid getting to the point of starvation as you’re far more likely to reach for low-nutrition convenience foods
Eat animals that have themselves eaten well
Break the rules once in a while: All things in moderation; including moderation! (My favourite rule!)

What would you add to this list?

Reference: Some of the above points (including the last one :-)) have been updated by one of my favouriet 'foodie' books: Michael Pollan's 'Food Rules'.

Healthy After-Class Car Snack!

2010-11-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

Now I know you always follow the rule about not eating 90 minutes before class, don't you? At least I hope you do! Last week I made the mistake of delaying my breakfast until 11am for a 12 o'clock class. Trust me, eggs and bacon (even without the toast) going jumpy jumpy in your belly is not so fun. And there's nothing more frustrating than not being able to do a pose you have finally started to feel that you've mastered - like camel - because you don't want the person behind you to get a technicolour image of your last meal. I'm sure I don't have to tell you I am back to heeding my own advice about keeping pre-yoga food either further away from class, or much lighter in content!

But there is a catch of course, isn't there? Whilst the last thing you feel like doing right after class is eating, the hunger can really start to hit with a vengeance about half an hour later. And if you have a little way to drive, or perhaps some errands to run, you can be left with a dizzy head or - and I'm not sure which is worse - giving in to the temptations of a nearby 7-Eleven.

Solution? Keep healthy and simple snacks in your car. Nuts or fruit are great, but if you have a spare half hour this weekend why not make something more interesting to keep in your car for Bikram days?

Healthy 'Superfood' Chocolate-Nut Balls

1-2 cups of leftover nut meal (leftover from making your own nut milk, but you can use almond or other nut meal as a store-bought substitute
1/2 cup dried berries of your choice (goji or cranberries are the most ’super’ choice). Try drying your own berries in a low-moderate oven with the door cracked – blanch in hot water for 5 minutes first and then dunk in ice cold water to preserve the color. It will take 4-12 hours to dry fruit in the oven, and the berries should be pliable when done.
A couple tablespoons raw organic tahini
Natural sweetener such as raw honey or agave syrup – to taste
A couple tablespoons cacao powder for some truly super chocolate-y goodness

Mix it all together with clean hands – the end result should be slightly sticky. If it’s too wet just add some more cacao or some shredded coconut, and if it’s too dry simply add some more tahini and sweetener. To finish, roll small balls in a mix of cacao powder and coconut. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy one or two as the perfect mid-afternoon energy boost – one that satisfied the sweet tooth and is truly healthy!

This recipe gives you just a starting point to introducing superfoods into your diet. If you’d like to take a bigger step forward in this area, check out my tasty choc-blueberry superfood smoothie, and stay tuned for more info and recipes!

Not just Food for Yoga - Food for Life!

Kat

If you enjoyed this post then please visit me over at my regular blog BodyIncredible.com for tips on nutrition, lifestyle, motivation.

How To Make Your Post-Yoga Buzz Last For Hours!

2010-08-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

There’s little doubt that a great Bikram class can boost your energy, your mood, and even your motivation for the day ahead or the day to come. Personally I love practicing first thing – it’s such a great chance to shrug off that morning fog and get me charged up for the day ahead. But at the same time I love evening classes - they're so brilliant for winding down after a busy day.

Whatever time you practice, I’m sure you’ve noticed how great you feel after class, but have you also noticed how sometimes after a few hours you either crash or simply struggle to find lasting energy? If this is happening to you even occasionally pay special attention to these few simple tips. I guarantee you really will notice more of a happy spring in your step!

1. Consider your pre-yoga hydration
It’s easy to get so caught up in your busy day that you forget to drink enough water for exercise or even for everyday health. If you just can’t seem to get on top of this try setting your phone or computer alarm to go off every hour, or at least 30 minutes before class, and drink a tall glass of the good stuff. If morning yoga is your thing, keep a glass of water by your bed and knock it back as soon as you wake.

2. Learn how to breathe
If you’ve ever tried to hold a pose with your to-do list running through your mind and the weight of your world on your shoulders then it’s safe to say you’ve skipped out on proper breathing. Here’s a tip: breathing is not actually meant to be shallow, through the mouth, and largely into the chest cavity. Take time to breathe properly by slowing down your pace, taking deliberate breaths through the nose, and aiming to generate the first two thirds of the breath into your belly rather than your chest. Try counting to 6 on the inhale and 6 on the exhale as many of our wonderful teachers advise. You can do this both in and out of the room.

3. Adjust your posture
We all know that Bikram is definitely a great way to pump up your heart rate and get those lungs burning but it's not always automatic to think about great posture - even with all the frequent reminders! Try not to determinedly force your way through a posture. Focus instead on holding yourself tall and relaxed (with correct breathing), and take the time to truly listen to what the teachers are saying.

4. Get into nature after class - even for 10 minutes
There really is nothing that can beat a few minutes in the great outdoors. And you know I’m not talking about the smoggy outdoors of the city or even suburban streets. If you have a park or reserve nearby to where you live then make the effort to head down there pre or post class and enjoy breathing some truly crisp air. Perhaps you could consider riding or walking to class occasionally, or taking time to walk through the nearby Carlton Gardens afterwards? Time amongst nature is said to recharge our natural energy fields and rejuvenate our soul. A little over the top perhaps, but hey – if it works it works!

Do you have any questions for me about how to get more energy out of your practice? Or perhaps you have a tip to share; something I’ve missed that could help both me and other readers?

If you enjoyed this post then please visit me over at my regular blog BodyIncredible.com for tips on nutrition, lifestyle, motivation.

10 Favourite Foods For Health And Energy

2010-06-20T20:29:00.000-07:00

Definitely the most common question I hear time and time again is “what should I eat?”. Sometimes it's more specific, such as “what should I eat before or after class”, or “what should I eat to help me sleep?”. I've written about this before but I really don't think it's a topic that can be discussed too often! Today I'd like to keep it really simple, and just share with you my all-time favourite foods for health and energy. They are, for the most part, perfect any time of the day and will serve you well either before or after your practice, or both. Red wine, of course, may be the exception there :

I've chosen these foods because I consider each of them to be a superfood, either due to extremely high nutrient-density, antioxidant properties, or just for the fact that they're super-satisfying while also being really good for you!

Without further ado, here they are.

1. Eggs - nature's wonder food, and yes it is okay if you eat them daily, particularly if they're free-range or organic. Read more on that here.

2. Avocado - a starchy and fatty fruit, but good for you in so many ways! Avocado has the type of fat that will actually help you burn more stored fat, and it will keep you going for ages. I love it on salads, or just plain with real salt and pepper.

3. Coconut oil - boosts your metabolism, reduces inflammation, and may even decrease cellulite. Need we say more? This medium-chain saturated fatty acid works directly on the liver for energy and will NOT be stored as fat. As with all fats, make sure it's organic. Read more about coconut oil here.

4. Organic, grass fed beef or lamb. When it comes to choosing your protein, quality is definitely key. Organic grass-fed meats contain higher amounts of essential fatty acids, and are free of the toxifying antibiotics and pesticides that contaminate conventional meat. Protein is essential for daily detoxification, cell repair, and metabolism. A definite must for all yogis! If you choose not to eat meat, be sure to read up on alternative protein sources and healthy vegetarianism.

5. Organic red wine. Red wine is an excellent source of resveratrol, a heart-protecting antioxidant. Choose organic to avoid highly allergenic pesticides (and because it tastes so much cleaner!)

6. Raw vegie salads. There's nothing quite like eating a huge bowl of fresh, raw vegies to get you feeling crisp, clean and uplifted. Add extra zing with red wine vinegar and freshly squeezed lemon or lime, and top with some goats feta for good protein and fats.

7. Nut butters. Almond butter is a staple in my house - a teaspoon of it is the perfect 'tide me over' snack, and something I often grab if running out the door to Bikram and feeling a little hungry.

8. Raw cacao powder. Carb-free, sugar-free chocolate in it's natural state? The highest natural source of magnesium and antioxidants? Enough said! I mix some with whey protein powder (see below) or with coconut oil as a tasty and satisfying treat.

9. A quality protein shake is perfect for either before an early morning class (just have half), or afterwards when you don't want a heavy meal. This one is organic and also contains essential fats and plant-based carbs.

10. Full fat cream and berries. Organic full-fat dairy is easy to find (even in Coles), and - if you can tolerate dairy - is an excellent source of natural fats and proteins. Eating full fat cream will stave off sugar cravings, and contrary to popular belief eating (real) fat will not cause you to gain weight but will actually help you burn fat! Read more about that here.

For regular healthy food tips check out my Facebook page 'Healthy Food for Busy People'. I post pictures of meal ideas, and day to day tips on simple and healthy nutrition.

Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

Please leave a comment, or send me an email (katrina@bodyincredible.com). If you're keen to learn more about getting the most out of your body then visit me on my regular blog, BodyIncredible.com. It's all about how to feel and look amazing both inside and out through correct nutrition and lifestyle.

How To Have Your Best Class Ever - Guaranteed

2010-04-06T22:56:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed how tough it is to truly slow down? Life has made us all so busy that it’s all we can do to rush breathlessly from one appointment to the next. Constantly running a few minutes later than we’d like to be and always worriedly thinking of all the other things we could or should be doing.

Or is that just me?

Of course living our lives in that go-go-go mode is definitely something we have control over, and it’s something we choose to do. Like it or not, every behaviour or habit you have – both good and bad – is the result of a choice you’ve made. A conscious or unconscious decision to live your life a certain way, to BE a certain type of person.

Motivational speaker Anthony Robbins says that we’re all motivated by pain or pleasure and I really believe that to be true. Me, for example, I’m an expert at using pain to motivate myself. The pain of feeling like I’ve been unproductive, or haven’t ‘put enough in’ or am not living up to whatever obscure standards of exercise, work and life I’ve set for myself. It’s not the most fun way to live and so lately I’ve been trying something new. I’ve been consciously thinking about pleasure as motivation.
The pleasure of feeling calm. In control. Of challenging myself with only a realistic number of tasks each day and then doing the most important one first so that I enjoy the reward of accomplishment, however great or small it may be. I’ve noticed that as a result I’ve been naturally slowing down. And all of a sudden I’m enjoying life more. I’m present more. Not all the time, but I’m getting there.

How about you?

Have you ever really thought about the benefits of slowing down? For example. Did you know that taking the time to eat properly has more benefits than just not being caught with salad between your teeth? It results in:

• Better digestion
• Improved satiety
• A sense of calm
• The chance to enjoy a social interaction
• Weight loss (linked to improved digestion)

And how about Bikram?

Wouldn’t you like to have your best class ever – every time? I’ve discovered that when I deliberately focus on being present in class I’m able to walk out of there with more than a sweaty glow on the outside. I feel myself glowing on the inside because I know I’ve stretched myself both physically and mentally to the utmost of my ability. Taking the time to listen to the teacher’s guided meditation is something it’s all too easy to forget. Ever been guilty of running your to-do list in your head while in class? Of checking out someone else’s technique instead of focusing solely on yourself? I know I’m not the only one.

How about time with your family? Your loved ones? How often do you truly take the time to listen, to be with them, with no phones or distractions. Engaging. Finding connection.

The truth is that on a hormonal level rushing around all day is one of the worst things you can do. It causes nervous system overload, impaired digestion and breathing, poor energy, and it definitely isn’t so good for your overall happiness is it? What’s more, it’s a hard habit to break. But wouldn’t you say it’s worth it?

The pain of trying to do everything, be everything, remember everything - or the pleasure of enjoying your life? Which one is more important to you? I know which one I’d like to choose.

My recommendation? Don’t try to slow down your whole life at once. You might go crazy! But why not start with your next Bikram class. Take a few deep breaths while you’re still in the locker room. Remind yourself that it’s your time. That yes, there might be umpteen things for you still to get through that day, but that dwelling on them in the hot room will only rob you of optimal relaxation and therefore the ability to get through your list later. And when you do walk into the class, stop. Breathe. And be ready to listen. Truly listen.

I guarantee you’ll have your best class ever.

Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

Please leave a comment, or send me an email (katrina@bodyincredible.com). If you're keen to learn more about getting the most out of your body then visit me on my regular blog, BodyIncredible.com. It's all about how to feel and look amazing both inside and out through correct nutrition and lifestyle.

Build A Stronger Practice By Balancing Your Hormones

2010-01-24T15:26:00.000-08:00

One of the things that first really grabbed me about Bikram was that it extends so much beyond just the physical. I remember that even amidst the anguish of my first every class I noticed the teacher speaking about how this practice could build a stronger mind, a more determined spirit, and could even play a part in correcting hormonal imbalance - for example, the link between the compression poses and regulation of the thyroid (metabolism-governing) gland. "How could that be?", I thought. "I mean sure, all exercise (in theory) improves the metabolism, but how can a specific pose directly influence a certain hormone."

Being the anal gal that I am, I had to do some research of my own. And - as I'm sure you can guess since I'm writing about it - I found it all to be true. And then some. You see, each aspect of your hormonal system is controlled not just by internal influences (the foods you eat, for example), but by the external as well. Exposure to environmental toxins would be an example of negative influence to the hormonal system.

But the good news is that the very second you enter the hot room, you're assisting your body to correct hormonal imbalance, increase your metabolism, and even give you the building blocks for balanced emotions and improved moods. This practice really is the ultimate inside-out workout, isn't it?! And everything from the heat which works to eliminate toxins to the smallest adjustments in the way you hold each pose has the ability to powerfully influence the way your body responds. That's just one reason why it's so important to really listen to what the teacher says and avoid making your own adjustments. If you can master this you'll start to experience some of the best classes of your practice to date.

Anyway, I'm getting slightly off the topic I had in mind. The point I wanted to make today is that the practice itself already gives you such incredible transformation, but - as with anything - there are always a few simple things you can do both in and out of the room to maximise these results. And why wouldn't you? Balanced hormones will assist in every area of your health, from your weight and energy, to your sleep, your moods, your digestion, your mental focus, your libido, and - yes - definitely a stronger practice.

So with that in mind, here are my top 5 tips for balanced hormones and a stronger practice:

1. Don't undo all your good work by skipping out on proper nutrition. Visit this previous article for tips on the best pre/post Bikram foods.

2. Be sure to get good quality sleep whenever you can. As much as we all have so many things we 'should' be doing, the basis of excellent health and longevity is adequate rest. Trust me - the more you cut back on sleep, the more you shorten your lifespan. If you have to live with reduced sleep for whatever reason (which, as a new Mum, I definitely relate to), then it becomes all the more important to follow the other 4 points listed here!

3. Try supplementing your diet with the occasional superfood such as raw greens, coconut oil, or maca powder - known for it's unique ability to balance hormones, improve energy, and assist in weight management. Just add it to your pre or post yoga shake.

4. Make up your mind that you will, in fact, view your yoga as a 90-minute meditation. Not a chance to revise your to-do list, not an opportunity to play-back at-home arguments or even joyful activities, but just a time to focus on you. The greatest gift you can give yourself is to be present.

5. Supplement your practice with the occasional functional weight training workout. While Bikram does help to build strength, variety in exercise is important, and building some lean muscle is one of the simplest methods of increasing your metabolism and providing your body with the building blocks to healthy hormones.

And if it all sounds like a bit too much, then why not try focusing on just one of these points each week for the next five weeks? I'd love to hear how you go as well as if you have anything to add. Either leave a comment below, or contact me here. Good luck!

Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

Please leave a comment, or send me an email (katrina@bodyincredible.com). If you're keen to learn more about getting the most out of your body then visit me on my regular blog, BodyIncredible.com. It's all about how to feel and look amazing both inside and out through correct nutrition and lifestyle.

Building Willpower And Determination

2009-11-29T15:23:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I had possibly one of my best classes all year. Nothing so special about that of course, except that I had absolutely no, actually make that I had negative desire to practice before leaving home. Having averaged 5-6 hours sleep per night since my daughter was born 2 1/2 weeks ago (and that’s 5-6 hours broken sleep), my willpower to workout is at an all time low. And in theory, what does it matter? Nobody expects me to be in perfect shape anytime so soon after having a baby.

Of course there’s just a couple of teensie problems with those theories. Firstly, nobody else might expect me to whip myself back into shape at warp speed, but I certainly would like to! And physical stuff aside I definitely feel better equipped to handle the day once I’ve revved up that dusty old thing I used to call my metabolism and done some decent breathing. What’s more, there’s nothing so effective at boosting confidence than getting the day’s exercise done first thing. Especially when afternoon or evening sessions are nearly impossible after a day of being on-call to a 4 kilo person who has already figured out I’m her slave for at least the foreseeable future.

Willpower’s a funny thing, isn’t it? If you’re anything like me you will have noticed that once you get on a roll with something, even if it’s a task you were studiously avoiding for some time, it seems to become increasingly easier to carry said task out with each passing day. They say it takes 21 days to form a new habit, but maybe it’s more of a case of 21 days to build enough mental strength to fight even the most convincing case of the ‘can’t be bothered’s. And it stands to reason that once you’ve forced yourself through those first painful steps toward change, it can only get easier to persuade yourself to do so again.

The truth is that building mental strength needs to be approached in much the same way as you’d go about training any muscle. It takes dedication, it takes variety, and it takes at least some basic knowledge of how best to achieve great results and what sort of pitfalls you need to avoid along the way.

A while back I read a great article which explains a little of the science behind willpower and also gives you a basic rundown of how best to build it. According to the authors you only have a limited amount of willpower each day, so once you’ve used some of it up you’ll have less left over for the next hurdle you have to face. With that in mind, in stands to reason that the more tasks you set for yourself to achieve each day, the more you’ll drain your mental resources. And let’s face it – how often do you force yourself to overcome the smaller and less important tasks before you tackle the big ones? Like any muscle in your body, your mental strength will be at it’s best when you focus on quality of exertion rather than quantity. And whether or not you take the time to read the full article, at least take a moment now to stop and be honest with yourself about those areas of your life you’d like to be able to face with at least a little more oomph. If you don’t start now, when will you?

Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

Please leave a comment, or send me an email (katrina@bodyincredible.com). If you're keen to learn more about getting the most out of your body then visit me on my regular blog, BodyIncredible.com. It's all about how to feel and look amazing both inside and out through correct nutrition and lifestyle.

10 Great Post-Bikram Breaky Or Lunch Ideas

2009-10-19T00:29:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like me then food is probably the last thing on your mind as you leave the sweat box. It's enough to make it into the showers and clean clothes and maybe knock back a good half litre or so of water. But come 30 minutes later your body is telling a different tell. It wants food. It needs sustenance. And it better be now! If not sooner. Of course the last thing you want to do is be swayed by that urgent hunger and end up undoing all your good work with a pit-stop at 7-Eleven.

Here are 10 simple meals that you can whip up in no-time (or prepare earlier) to satisfy the growling beast that is your belly. These are perfect for breaky or lunch, but there's no reason why you can't eat them anytime!

Organic or biodynamic yogurt with LSA (linseed, almond, sunflower mix; buy it at your health food store) and fresh berries
Soft-boiled egg with spelt toast, avocado and extra-virgin olive oil
Home-made bircher muesli with almond flakes, cinnamon and organic apple juice - get it soaking before you head off to class
Banana or berry smoothie
Freshly-squeezed veg-fruit juice with soft-boiled egg
Rocket and orange salad with marinated lamb - I use balsamic, oil, lemon, sea salt, and any spices that I feel like on the day
Spinach, tomato and almond salad with balsamic and grilled chicken
Isagenix IsaLean Shake: organic protein, fats and carbohydrate
Goats feta and spinach omelette with grilled leg ham
Thai beef salad with fresh lime - keep it simple, just use beef, fresh coriander, spinach leaves, bean shoots and cucumber.

Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

Please leave a comment, or send me an email (katrina@bodyincredible.com). If you're keen to learn more about getting the most out of your body then visit me on my regular blog, BodyIncredible.com. It's all about how to feel and look amazing both inside and out through correct nutrition and lifestyle.

2009-10-04T23:06:00.000-07:00

This is very much an out of the ordinary post for me. But given the worldwide fear of swine flu, the recent initiation of no-cost swine flu vaccinations in many countries, and the important nature of this information for your and your family's health, I thought this was well worth sharing. Most of us Bikram devotees are very health alert, and (regardless of your personal persuasions towards vaccinations) I trust that this is an issue at least worth your consideration.

H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccine Insert Admits It Causes Guillain-Barre Syndrome,
Vasculitis, Paralysis, Anaphylactic Shock And Death

Flu Pandemic
Tuesday, Sept 29th, 2009

The package insert for the Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine manufactured by Novartis has been leaked on the Internet. According to that package insert, the vaccine (based on an earlier vaccine product known as Fluvirin) is known to cause a whole host of very nasty side effects such as guillain-barre syndrome, vasculitis, anaphylactic shock and even death.

Of course anyone who has been studying vaccine side effects already knows that it causes all of these things, but the story here is that the insert for the swine flu vaccine itself is admitting all of these things. The insert says that it was updated during September 2009, so it reflects the very latest information -

You can read the package insert for this vaccine for yourself right here.

The following is a list of some of the very nasty side effects that the vaccine package insert admits to.

* Local injection site reactions (including pain, pain limiting limb
* movement, redness, swelling, warmth, ecchymosis, induration)
* Hot flashes/flushes
* Chills
* Fever
* Malaise
* Shivering
* Fatigue
* Asthenia
* Facial edema.
* Immune system disorders
* Hypersensitivity reactions (including throat and/or mouth edema)
* In rare cases, hypersensitivity reactions have lead to anaphylactic shock and death
* Cardiovascular disorders
* Vasculitis (in rare cases with transient renal involvement)
* Syncope shortly after vaccination
* Digestive disorders
* Diarrhea
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Abdominal pain.
* Blood and lymphatic disorders
* Local lymphadenopathy
* Transient thrombocytopenia.
* Metabolic and nutritional disorders
* Loss of appetite.
* Arthralgia
* Myalgia
* Myasthenia
* Nervous system disorders
* Headache
* Dizziness
* Neuralgia
* Paraesthesia
* Febrile convulsions
* Guillain-Barré Syndrome
* Myelitis (including encephalomyelitis and transverse myelitis)
* Neuropathy (including neuritis)
* Paralysis (including Bell’s Palsy)
* Respiratory disorders
* Dyspnea
* Chest pain
* Cough
* Pharyngitis
* Rhinitis
* Stevens-Johnson syndrome
* Pruritus
* Urticaria
* Rash (including non-specific, maculopapular, and vesiculobulbous

So What Should You Do If You Do Decide To Take The Vaccine?

As wonderful as all of the above sounds, you may still decide to take the vaccine, or be forced to. At the end of the day it's up to you to decide which way you feel most safe, or most comfortable. Personally, I'm completely against vaccinations of any kind. And trust me, given my current condition I really do understand what a controversial issue this is. Which is why I've gone to great lengths to research the history of vaccinations and their true effects on the incidences of serious illness and disease. A great resource for this is the following website - http://www.vaccination.inoz.com

So is there anything that you can do to protect yourself if you are forced to take the swine flu vaccine? Yes, there most certainly is. Dr. Russell Blaylock is an expert on vaccines and their side effects, and he has distributed a list of things that you can do to reduce the nasty side effects of the swine flu vaccine. Check it out here. Apologies to any who view this post as fear-mongering. As I said, it's outside the norm for this blog but is nonetheless (I thought) information that should be at least shared and considered.

Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

What are your thoughts on vaccinations in general, and on the swine flu vaccination in particular? Have you personally ‘gone against the system’ and refused immunizations for yourself or your children? I’d love to hear your concerns, feedback, and experiences.

*This post has been reproduced from BodyIncredible.com. I thought it was that important!

Please leave a comment, or send me an email (katrina@bodyincredible.com). If you're keen to learn more about getting the most out of your body then visit me on my regular blog, BodyIncredible.com. It's all about how to feel and look amazing both inside and out through correct nutrition and lifestyle.

A Great Post-Yoga Dinner - Healthy Chilli Con Carne!

2009-09-21T01:57:00.000-07:00

Is it just me, or is chili con carne one of those childhood favorites that just gets better with time? I became a ‘tex-mex’ addict during a teenage stint living in Germany. Surrounded by Americans, my entire family soon learned to appreciate the delight of this people-pleaser. I remember going on church camps and being served big bowls of chili out of massive and seemingly never-ending vats. And certainly never saying no to seconds.

These days I still don’t say no to seconds, but I’m happy to say the overall quality of my chili con carne is far superior to that of the ‘we can stretch it to serve 100 people’ stuff. Mind you, I had no complaints at the time!

When it comes to post-yoga food, there's a few very important points you need to keep in mind. Firstly, you really must eat something within an hour or so of finishing class, or you risk burning muscle for energy and slowing your metabolism. Secondly, it really should include protein. Isagenix organic shakes are great for this if you're in a rush, but real food sure doesn't hurt now and then. Thirdly (and perhaps most importantly!) - make sure whatever you eat tastes pretty darn good. If you're well prepared, this recipe can meet all three points easily.

The recipe was kindly shared by a client of mine – and has already found it’s way onto the most popular list in my kitchen. It’s a little more detailed than most of the recipes I post, but well worth the added effort – particularly when it means leftovers for the next night or for a healthy and satisfying lunch. If you're planning to eat this one a post evening class then I'd definitely suggest cooking in advance - there's nothing better than coming home to a proper meal that's already been prepared after 90 minutes of hard-working sweat!

Fran’s Chili Con Carne – The Mix

1-2 tablespoons refined coconut oil (refined so it doesn’t taste like coconut, but make sure it’s organic)
1 brown onion, halved and finely chopped
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 medium carrots
1 capsicum
3 celery sticks
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional)
600-700 grams organic beef mince
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
400 gram can Italian diced tomatoes (or dice your own fresh tomatoes)
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup tinned red lentils or kidney beans
2-3 small red chillies
Organic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons fresh coriander (leaves and stems)

Putting It Together

Heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Try to avoid using a non-stick pan as the teflon will invade and toxify your food. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until onion is soft. Next, add the ground herbs, pepper and chili. Stir for about a minute. Throw in the mince meat and continue to stir with a wooden spoon. Be sure to break up any lumps. Pour in the wine, add the worcestershire, and cover for around 5 minutes. Sneak a little wine for yourself -especially if it’s Spanish red wine; renowned for its extremely high levels of resveratrol, which is a wonderful anti-aging antioxidant and is also helpful for detoxifying fat stores around your legs and butt.

Uncover, and add the tomatoes, the cinnamon stick, the fresh coriander, and the red lentils. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for around 20-25 minutes – enough time for your chili con carne to thicken. Stir occasionally, in between finely chopping the carrots, celery, and capsicum. Remove from heat and stir through the veg, before tasting and adding sea salt and pepper to enhance.

Return to heat for a further 10-15 minutes, keeping on a low simmer. Serve with a fresh green salad – and don’t forget to take out the cinnamon stick! This dish should serve 2-4 people (depending on whether you’re as greedy for seconds as I am!), so keep that in mind and adjust accordingly if you’d like leftovers. I say if you’re going to go to the trouble of cooking, you might as well make enough to tide you over for a day or so. Besides which, I find that this sort of dish really reaches its peak on the second day – enough time for all those yummy flavors to well and truly blend.

Fran’s Tip:

You can freeze this dish for up to one month – just place in an airtight container or glad bags (be sure to allow to fully cool in the pot before transferring to plastic, which will release harmful toxins and cause hormonal imbalance). After packaging, label, date, and freeze. To thaw, simply leave in fridge overnight. This makes the best quick and easy dinners on a Monday when you don’t want to think – could it get any easier than heat and serve after having done all the hard work on another day?!

Enjoy!

Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

Do you have any natural food tips or questions you'd like answered? Please leave a comment, or send me an email (katrina@bodyincredible.com). If you're keen to learn more about getting the most out of your body then visit me on my regular blog, BodyIncredible.com. It's all about how to feel and look amazing both inside and out through correct nutrition and lifestyle.

Healthy Smoothie Recipe

2009-07-26T17:16:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have one of those mornings when you're in such a gigantic rush that you can barely even THINK about throwing something together to eat? When you pat yourself on the back just for taking the time to make a quick coffee before you hit the ground running? I don't have to tell you that skipping breakfast is a very, very bad idea when it comes to health, to energy, and certainly when it comes to weight management.

And if you're planning a Bikram session later in the day then you're just setting yourself up for disaster - you know what a difference there can be in your practice when you're adequately energized!

When I'm really pushed for time a quick smoothie is one of my favorite pick-me-ups. And you know I'm not talking about just any old juice-bar smoothie (usually chock full of sugar in the form of excess fruit and add-ins). I'm talking about a real power smoothie - a complete meal with all the nutrition you need for a truly healthy start to the day. Not to mention an exceptionally yummy taste.

Here's my tried'n'tested recipe for a truly delicious and healthy breaky to go. The key to making it a super-quick option is to prepare the dry ingredients the night before and have the fridge/liquid ingredients ready to go first thing.

The Base

100ml of raw, full-fat milk. If you can't access raw dairy (ask your local organic store - especially at the market), go for organic and preferably non-homogenized full-fat milk. Always buy dairy products as close to their natural state as possible.
100 ml filtered water.
1 scoop of quality organic whey protein powder. If you're lactose intolerant, have 2 scoops instead, and use water instead of milk for step one (this particular brand of protein powder contains only 0.6% lactose and is also soy and gluten free). If you choose not to use the protein powder, use 200ml of milk and no water for your base - but remember that protein is the key to a truly healthy meal and is particularly important first thing in the morning. Please don't add raw eggs as they can create food intolerance. Boil an egg the night before to have on the side if you like!
1 tablespoon coconut oil (this will give you long-lasting energy and is a FANTASTIC metabolism kick-start)
1 teaspoon Stevia (or more depending on your preference). Stevia is a naturally sweet herb up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, and with no adverse effects on your blood sugar levels. It truly is a guilt-free sweet treat! Find Stevia in your health food or organic store.
2-3 tablespoons raw or organic full-fat plain yogurt
4-6 ice cubes

Make it interesting

Being the choc-loving gal that I am, I love to add 1-2 flat tablespoons of raw or dark cacao powder. Good quality chocolate is a fantastic source of minerals and antioxidants, and has wonderful weight loss benefits.
EITHER: A handful of fresh seasonal berries - again, a wonderful source of antioxidants and pretty much the only truly healthy fruit option in my opinion. Frozen berries (preferably organic) are an okay back-up.
OR: 1-2 tablespoons of nut butter. A variety of tasty nut butters are available in most health food and organic stores.
1-2 tablespoons organic flaxseeds (whole, preferably unhulled) for an Omega-3 and fiber boost.
A couple teaspoons organic ground coffee for an added pick-me-up and antioxidant boost (it's your call whether you'd combine this with a nut butter smoothie, or stick to a choc-coffee mix!)

Of course you're going to need to invest in a good blender - this baby won't come out too smooth if you try to put it together in a hand-held shaker! I make this shake once or twice a week when I really need to move fast. I wouldn't recommend a liquid breaky everyday as there is some evidence that this can elevate cortisol (stress hormone) levels over time. Keep in mind also that this recipe is more of a post-class than pre-class meal option if you're practising in the morning. For before class, just blend up half an Isagenix shake with water - this will keep you going without filling you up. But it's certainly a great back-up for a busy morning or post-workout meal, and is a far better option than that coffee and low-fat muffin!

Do you have any smoothie recipes of your own that you can share? Or any ideas for variations?

Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

This article has been reproduced from my blog BodyIncredible.com

Joint Pain: How To Fast-Track Your Healing

2009-07-05T17:26:00.000-07:00

Back pain, neck pain, knee pain, ankle pain, sometimes it seems you're just one big ache from top to toe, doesn't it? And small wonder, when most of your day is spent seated. Probably, dare I say, not with optimal posture. When you keep your knees and elbows bent for most of the day the stiffen up in no time. When you sit with your legs crossed, your hips aren't going to thank you for it. And when you slouch over the computer or in front of the TV, you'll soon pay the price with a grumpy back and neck.

Fortunately Bikram Yoga goes a long way toward healing and soothing joint pain. Not only can regular Bikram fight off the day-to-day damage we inflict upon our poor bodies, it can actually start to break down old calcium deposits and heal long-term injuries. In fact, most people have noticed a loosening of their joints couple with some welcome pain relief after as little as two or three classes.

If joint pain is an issue for you then there are two very important things I'd encourage you to do on a weekly basis.

1. Continue to practice Bikram as often as possible in order to ensure the progressive loosening of your joints.

2. Give those creaky joints a helping hand with optimal joint nutrition.

So what sort of foods are good for your joints? The short answer is anything that's a whole, unprocessed food. But we can get a little more detailed than that. Firstly, it's crucial that you minimise sugar or sugar-enhanced foods in your diet. Your body has what we call a Totem Pole of priority when it comes to where to send good nutrition and how to deal with sugar and other toxins. Your joints aren't critical to your survival, so they're at the bottom of the pole. Not only does this mean that good nutrition heads there last (all the more reason to eat well at least 80% of the time), but it means that any sugar or junk you do eat is likely to hit your joints long before it gets anywhere near your vital organs. I've had clients who eat extremely well notice creakiness in their knees almost immediately after indulging in a piece of cake. Imagine the effects of daily sugar intake on your joints.

If cutting something out is the first step, then adding something in is definitely the second. Foods high in Omega-3 are not only crucial for a healthy metabolism and immune system, they actually reduce all inflammation in your body, and can therefore have an immediate and positive effect on reducing joint pain. Fish, of course, is well known for it's Omega-3 properties, but did you know that it's mainly the fattier, oilier fish which have this quality? Choose salmon, herring, sardines, mackeral, and any other fatty fish. Don't worry about your weight - this is the good fat, it helps you to burn stored body fat. There is a catch - most fish these days is quite toxic with mercury and is often genetically modified. For this reason I'd suggest a good supplement such as Melrose Omega-3 from fish oil (mercury free). Omega-3 is also found in flaxseeds and in walnuts, as well as in grass-fed organic beef (yes, it has to be grass-fed and organic for the good fats to be present).

If you're allergic to fish and you can't stand beef, then you still have a few options. All smart fats will assist toward joint repair and recovery, along with a plethora of other great health benefits. The smart fats (aside from Omega-3), are organic saturated fat from animals, eggs - especially the yolk, avocados, extra virgin olive oil, and coconut oil.

Back pain, neck pain, knee pain, ankle pain - you'll be amazed at just how quickly they fade when you're sweating it out regularly and fueling your body with the right foods. Of course supplements have their place, but you can sure have a massive impact with the medicine that Mother Nature provides you.

Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

Do you have any natural food tips for keeping your joint pain in check? Please leave a comment, or send me an email (katrina@bodyincredible.com). If you're keen to learn more about getting the most out of your body then visit me on my regular blog, BodyIncredible.com. It's all about how to feel and look amazing both inside and out through correct nutrition and lifestyle.

Stay Healthy And Energized With This Warming Winter Soup

2009-06-15T01:36:00.000-07:00

Today I'd like to share with you an important follow up to my last post - how to prevent flu attacks with Bikram and smart winter foods. I say this is an important follow-up because it's all about the food part!

One of my favorite smart winter foods is my spicy vegetable and chicken soup. It's yummy, it's totally healthy, and it definitely fills me and keeps me charged for my next Bikram class. Best of all, it takes less than 10-minutes to make. Now that's what I'd call the perfect food, wouldn't you?!

Kat's Spicy Vegetable And Chicken Soup

Moredough Kitchens vegetable stock (I like this brand as it has no added rubbish, but you can subsitute your own)
500grams chicken thighs (use breast if you prefer but the richer darker meat is actually much better for health, immunity, and weight management)
1/2 a celery, including the leaves
Large handful fresh green beans
1/2 a cauliflower
1 carrot, peeled
1 tin organic lentils (purists can soak dry lentils overnight, but this is where I'm a little lazy!
Organic chilli flakes (1-2 teaspoons, depending on taste)
Plenty of certified organic sea salt
Pepper
3-4 glasses of purified water
30 grams feta per person
Fresh basil or coriander (optional)

Putting it together is pretty simple. Quick-chop the vegies (I like to use organic vegetables for the added taste and nutrition), and throw them into a pot with the stock and 3 glasses of water. Use a medium heat. Add the whole chicken thighs to the mix, and the recommended spices. Add the lentils as well.

Leave until it comes to the boil, and then drop to a simmer. After about 20-30 minutes, use some tongs to pull the chicken out. Allow to cool, and then loosely shred, before mixing back in. Add salt and pepper again if needed. Leave for about 30 minutes (although you can serve earlier if you're getting hungry!)

Serve with fresh torn basil or coriander, and some feta.

Finally, sit back smug in the knowledge that you had a yummy dinner at a low-cost and that it was extremely good for you! Oh - and to save a bit of extra time after work, pre-chop your veg in the morning.

Do you have any tips for smart winter recipes? Leave a comment below. Alternatively, contact me with your queries on this or other food and yoga related topics, and I'll try to answer your question as a post.

Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

Please leave a comment, send me an email (katrina@bodyincredible.com), or visit me on my regular blog, BodyIncredible.com. It's all about how to feel and look amazing both inside and out through correct nutrition and lifestyle.

Prevent Flu Attacks With Bikram And Smart Winter Foods

2009-05-30T19:14:00.000-07:00

I've been practising Bikram for a little over 2 years now, and so this is my third winter with the sweat box to get me through. It's around this time each year that I've noticed numbers dip and sway a little. And why wouldn't they? The mornings are fast becoming icy and most of us have either been sick or are fighting hard not to sick. Even if that's not you, the warmth of bed in the morning or the couch and some comfort food at night is hard to avoid. It's all too easy to tell yourself that it would be smarter to stay home in the warmth, to preserve your winter health with some extra sleep.

Well sleep and rest is sure important, but let me tell you this. I've never before come across an exercise form as effective as Bikram for staving off flus and colds. We all know that prevention is the best cure, and in this case we've got the ultimate example. Next time you consider staying home, letting another day pass with no healthy movement, or maybe even indulging in that extra big comfort dinner, make the smart choice, and get your butt down to class before the winter blues turn well and truly into the winter flu.

Of course exercise alone isn't enough to complete any aspect of health. If you're not nurturing your body with some smart winter foods then you'll be fighting hard all flu season. Here's how to cruise through winter with nutrition choices to warm your body and soul, toughen your immune system, and fight off those ever-present pesky diseases.

As my Chinese Medicine Practitioner used to say to me, "keep your kidneys happy". This means not only should you keep your lower back warmly covered from the cold (and your head, especially post-class!), but you should choose warm winter foods to nourish your organs and your health.

With that in mind, now is definitely the time to re-heat everything (stove is better than microwave), choose warm breakfast foods like a healthy cooked breaky rather than cold cereal, and indulge in plenty of soups and stews.

Teas are a fantastic way of staying warm and building health through winter. Ginger and lemongrass is great for immune system health, but if you don't like tea then one of my favourite anti-flu brews is a simple mix of hot water, lemon, and a dash of honey. Add a little ginger for flavour and warmth.

Use spices liberally. If you're a chilli-lover, then go nuts. If not, all warm spices such as pepper, lemongrass, coriander and ginger are a great addition to a standard meal and a wonderful way to boost your health.

Try not to go too hungry. A little hunger is a good thing, but allowing near-starvation to set in - particularly after class - is nothing but a fast-track to illness. You need to regularly provide your body with the nutritional tools it needs to get through each day. Aim for 3-5 mid-size meals each day, and try to keep even your snacks on the warmer side. Poached fruit with full-fat organic yogurt is one of my favourites.

Avoid extreme temperature changes. Okay, so this last one's not about nutrition, but it's just common sense. One of the greatest benefits of Bikram is the heat and the detoxification of potential illness. But the absolute worst thing you can do is run straight out into the cold with inadequate covering. Even if it's just for a minute or two, and espeically if your hair is wet. The same principle goes at home - keep the heater on low and try to get moving a little every hour or so. When you do venture outdoors, don't kid yourself that a jumper, jacket, scarf and hat is overkill.

We're all exposed to germs every day. We each come into contact with people who are sick or about to be sick. You can't avoid that - but with Bikram and some smart winter foods you can sure do your best to fight off the flu for the rest of the season.

Do you have any tips for fighting off sickness during winter? Leave a comment below. Alternatively, contact me with your queries and I'll try to answer it as a post.

Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

Please leave a comment, send me an email (katrina@bodyincredible.com), or visit me on my regular blog, BodyIncredible.com. It's all about how to feel and look amazing both inside and out through correct nutrition and lifestyle.

10 Tried And Tested Rules For A Healthy Breakfast

2009-05-16T00:05:00.000-07:00

"There are sooooooo many rights and wrongs when it comes to what to have for breakfast that is filling and isn't going to chew up the quote of calories per day. I've heard fruit is best, then I heard oats are best and some say protein only is the way forward! Help!"

Amy

I'd say this question or something very similar is easily amongst the top five wonderments of my clients, readers and even my family - and it's long overdue for a post!

But where do I start? I'm quite certain you'd already know that the skipping breaky approach, or the muffin/croissant on the way to work is not ideal, but do you really know what's good for you when it comes to a healthy breaky? As Amy points out, there really is an overload of information out there. Here's what I've learned when it comes to the truth about that first morning fuel.

1. Fanning The Fire

You simply must eat something for breakfast. No ifs, no buts, no exceptions. This is a sure case of simple but powerful truth. The food that you eat at the start of the day fans the fire of your metabolism. When we talk about breaky 'getting you up and going' it means so much more than actually getting you out the door. Without that fuel, your metabolic furnace is doing squat, and your energy will be limited all day as a result. The lack of nutrition that comes with not eating till lunchtime or later means you're also more likely to binge out on junk food as the day progresses. Double whammy.

2. Calories Don't Count

Calories really don't count, not in the morning, and not at any time of day. So don't count 'em. Simple, really. You see it's not really about how many calories or kilojoules you eat, but what they're made up of. Even more importantly, what your body actually does with them. It's obvious that anything natural has to be better for you than anything processed, and yet the avid calorie counter easily deludes themselves into thinking they're doing the right thing by sticking with low-cal foods like skim yoghurt and salads. Fat-free snacks such as rice cakes and wheat crackers are also popular. Never mind the fact that these foods put your body into fat storing mode by releasing the hormone insulin and causing cravings. Follow the other steps in this post both for breaky and the rest of the day and you'll have a fail-safe recipe for weight loss and optimal wellbeing.

3. Protein Power

According to Charles Poliquin the first 50 grams of protein you consume each day sparks off Phase I and II detoxification, which is your body's natural daily cleanse function. Until you've gone through this process you can bet your body won't be burning much fat and your energy will be poor. Why would you leave it till lunch? No morning meal is complete without protein. Animal protein. And I'm not just talking eggs. But variety is the spice of a healthy metabolism and although you might think it sounds strange to eat steak or chicken or lamb for breakfast, have you ever considered why? Are we really that sucked in by cereal marketing? Do you think a caveman woke up and reached for the cornflakes? Trust me - once you try this, you won't go back.

4. The Carb Conundrum

If you think you need carbs for energy you need to think again. In fact, if you're serious about health and weight loss you really should be extremely careful with carbs. I'm not talking about all carbohydrates, you understand, just the starchy ones that come to most people's mind when they hear the C word. All grains (yes, even organic), including pasta, rice, noodles, as well as potatos and pumpkins fit into this category. As does fruit with the exception of berries. Fruit aside (which is just a no-no due to the high sugar content) these are all processed foods and should be avoided if optimal digestion, lasting energy, and a lean body are your goals. If you're not convinced, simply take the no-starch challenge for 2 weeks. You'll be a convert! Instead of grain-based foods load up on green vegetables and mushies for breaky. Now that really is the stuff of champions!

5. Be Smart About Fat

Fat is a classic example of a high-calorie food that actually helps your body to release stored fat. Sounds strange, I know, but it's true. The 'catch' is that this rule only works with the smart fats. Sorry, no hash browns or greasy sausages. Smart fats include avocado, raw nuts and seeds, organic coconut oil, organic extra virgin olive oil, and the absolutely vital omega 3's. Use coconut oil for your cooking and then liberally add olive oil or avocado for taste. You can eat up to an entire avocado each day as a great supplement to health and metabolism. Quality cheeses including goats or sheeps feta are also perfect smart fats for breaky.

6. 'Breaky Like A King'?

Don't be fooled into thinking that protein for breaky means fill up on the heavy stuff and load up on the extras. We're talking about a healthy breaky for fuel and function, not a big hangover breaky. The main differences are quantity and quality. Quantity's obvious. By quality I'm talking two main things - oils, and processed foods. The typical big breaky, particularly from a cafe, is chock-full of cheap and fattening vegetable oils, and - whilst it might include eggs and the like - is usually at least 50% processed grains. With some trans fats thrown in for good measure. Stay clear!

7. Caffeine - Good News!

For years I beat myself up on being hooked on my morning coffee. And why? Sure, there are over 200 chemicals in coffee, but you can solve that problem by going organic. Tastes better anyway. And yes, it does stimulate your nervous system into a state of 'fight or flight', falsely charging you with adrenaline and cortisol, but there's nothing wrong with a little boost if it fits in with your body's natural rhythms. Especially when you lead a fit and healthy lifestyle. What's more, and what's certainly most important, I just plain love the smell, the taste, and the experience. Reasoning aside, good quality coffee is chock-full of polyphenols, which are cancer-fighting antioxidants. In fact, one study I read indicated that those who don't drink coffee die five years earlier!

8. What If You're Not Hungry?

If you're not hungry in the morning it means your natural rhythms are out of whack. This could be from poor sleep quality, chronic stress, caffeine, alcohol or sugar late at night, poor nutrition, a lack of exercise or digestive dysfunction. If you listen to your body in this case and choose to skip breaky, you're perpetuating a cycle of poor health, low energy, and a slow metabolism. Sometimes you need to force change in order to bring about results. I understand that you may find the idea of eating first thing nauseating, but this is just another sign that your system is not right. When you're healthy you'll wake with great energy and a raging appetite. Starting to eat a small breaky as well as addressing any of the above-mentioned factors is the first step to getting to that point. Initially you may need to hold off for an hour (I wouldn't suggest much longer than that, and it may mean you have to take a pre-prepared breaky to work), and consume just a few bites of the required foods.You simply will not meet your health and fitness goals without fanning that fire every morning.

9. Something Extra

You're only human and there's sure to be times when you'll skip breaky, chow it down at top speed, or end up with a not-quite-right mix. It's basically impossible to consistently eat well enough to get all your nutrients from food. Especially when you consider that non-organic food has up to 56% less nutrients. And the unfortunate truth is that even if you were to eat an 100% all-organic diet, the quality of our soils coupled with the nutrient-zapping effects of stress and a busy lifestyle mean that you'd still be missing out. Quality supplements are a crucial part of any serious health and fitness junkie. The everyday basics include a good multi, omega 3's, zinc, B vitamins, magnesium and digestive enzymes. Tough though I might make this sound, I do have to stress that off the shelf is rubbish. It doesn't break down and typically does not contain the crucial active ingredients. I import all my supplements from a trusted source in the States. Contact me to find out more about choosing quality supplements, or consider having your BioSignature assessment done sometime soon to truly find out where you're deficient and exactly what your hormones are up to.

10. Best Way To Brunch

I totally get that you can't be expected to live the straight and narrow all the time. And why would you want to?! Weekends in particular can sometimes be all about the indulgent brunch, and sometimes you just have to go for the gooey sweetness of a big pancake breaky. This morning I went for french toast with mascarpone, bacon and maple syrup. Poached eggs on the side. I like to think of this as a 'smart' cheat. It certainly wasn't ideal, I won't try to argue there! But at least I still got some quality fuel from the eggs at the same time as fulfilling my protein needs. If you're out for a lazy cafe brunch every once in a while I'd encourage you to indulge. But you really will feel better about it if you include an element of nutrition alongside the carbs and sugar. And go easy on the fruit juice - one regular glass max ... even the freshly-squeezed stuff is a killer for waistlines!

Do you have any questions about breaky that weren't answered her? How about other meals? How about general nutrition, health and weight loss advice? Anything you're not sure of or anything that's frustrating you? Contact me with your queries and I'll try to answer it as a post.

Not just Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

Please leave a comment, send me an email (katrina@bodyincredible.com), or visit me on my regular blog, BodyIncredible.com. It's all about how to feel and look amazing both inside and out.

4 Guilt-Free Sweet Treats That Actually Improve Your Health

2009-03-20T04:32:00.000-07:00

I've noticed that there's a few common themes in the change-rooms post Bikram Yoga classes. Aside from the normal chit-chat as to what lies ahead or behind us for the day, and aside from the obvious 'look how red my face is!' or 'wasn't that a fantastic class' comments, there seems to be a lot of discussion about food.

I guess it stands to reason - after 90 minutes of twisting, holding, bending and stretching, not to mention sweating does tend to lend itself to a certain must-be-satisfied-soon sort of ravenous hunger. And even though most of us take a good 30 minutes or so after class before we can really stomach the idea of food, that doesn't mean we're not already thinking about what we might get stuck into, does it?!

So with that in mind, and given that I know you're wanting to keep a strong focus on health but at the same time, well, live a little, I thought I'd give you my favourite sweet treats that actually improve your health. You may be surprised by one or two of them ..

1. Stevia - a lifesaver for those who love to bake or (admit it!) sprinkle sugar on their food from time to time, this South American herb is actually 30 times sweeter than sugar, and, in it’s liquid format, can be up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. The really great news here is that not only is Stevia calorie free, but unlike most artificial sweeteners - which are so effective at tricking your body that they cause insulin to be released and fat to be stored - Stevia actually has no effect on your blood sugar. You can purchase Stevia at any organic store or most health food stores.

2. 70% Dark Organic Chocolate. Okay so dark chocolate sure isn’t as sweet as milk, but hey, it’s still chocolate. According to olympic-level Strength and Conditioning Coach and creator of Biosignature Modulation Charles Poliquin, eating up to 90 grams of lead-free organic dark chocolate each day can actually assist in weight loss! Not to mention a helluva lot of ‘feel-good’ factor I might add! Cocoa is rich in polyphonol antioxidants - particularly important for females to support a healthy uterus. Remember - no more than 90grams, and it should be at least 70% dark. To release flavor and reduce pigging out, shave the chocolate with a grater before eating it.

3. Organic white wine or champagne. Those who love their sweet white wine will be thrilled to find out that white wine and even champagne is just as beneficial for its antioxidant properties as what red wine is. Wine contains the before-mentioned polyphonol antioxidant but also has the antioxidant resveratrol - not only does it have stress-building properties, but it improves immune and heart health, and even aids in the release of certain stored body fats.

4. Berries. Regular readers will know I’m not a huge advocate of daily fruit intake. Not if you want to be lean and living in great health, anyway. After all - fruit’s not available all year round in nature so why should we imagine we know better? There is one exception to this rule though, and that’s berries. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, any old berries, just eat ‘em. There’s something ever so luxurious about a bowl of berries with your post meal, isn’t there? One word of warning on berries - conventionally they are quite toxic, so always choose organic. If toxins don’t bother you just compare the taste - it’s like eating water compared to incredible sweetness and flavour.

Do you have any other favourite sweet treats for post yoga that still fit into the healthy category? Please let me know if I've missed anything!

Not just Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

Please leave a comment, send me an email (katrina@bodyincredible.com), or visit me on my regular blog, BodyIncredible.com. It's all about how to feel and look amazing both inside and out.

Five Reasons To Practice Bikram More In Summer

2008-12-30T20:12:00.000-08:00

Summer's here, the heat is up, and we're all feeling ready to sweat. In fact I'm feeling sweaty already, and I'm not even in the yoga room yet (give me 47 minutes and I'll be there!)

Now you might be thinking that summertime means less Bikram-ing (yes, that's a word. I checked). That because it's starting to warm up outdoors you're best off avoiding the hot yoga room. After all, why would you want to go into a deliberately heated environment when you're already sweltering?

Five Reasons Why Summer Bikram-ing Is Amazing

Your muscles are already warm. Not only this, your joints are more flexible and your ligaments are nice and juicy. I've had some of my best classes on over 40 degree Celsius days.
Worried that the outdoor-heat has zapped you of your yogi energy? We've all had days when the heat makes us feel super-sleep and we can't be bothered exercising. Guess what? This is one of the BEST reasons for practicing yoga during Summer. That relaxed 'can't-be-bothered' attitude can transform into a relaxed and therefore enhanced practice. I'll bet you can remember a class when you came in expecting very little and walked out feeling amazing, can't you? Same sort of thing applies here.
On super-hot Aussie Summer days, it can actually be slightly cooler in the Bikram room! I remember walking in to practice on NY day last year (oh, actually it was this year - just!) and thinking what a relief it was to get into the room and out of the heat!
You will release toxins faster. Your body is warmer, you start sweating sooner, and you lose more of the stuff. 'Nuff said. (Just don't forget to be super-hydrated before and after class, and add some replacement minerals to your during-class water).
It's holidays for most of us, and that means a little more time to relax, to play, and to look after our health. It can also means a little more drinking and merry-making. I know you want to head into the New Year feeling amazing and proud of how you look after your health. Now if that's not a great reason to practice all Summer long, then I don't know what is!

I'll have to leave it there, I'm afraid. It's NYE and I've 29 minutes to get to Fitzroy Bikram before the re-tox begins tonight (hey, we're all allowed to let our hair down on NYE!)

See you next year -

Not just Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

*I hope you're okay with me deviating from the 'Food for Yoga' theme. Next post I'll be sharing my 5 favourite Summer post-Bikram breakies. Try saying that 5 times fast!

Please leave a comment, send me an email (katrina@bodyincredible.com), or visit me on my regular blog, BodyIncredible.com. It's all about how to feel and look amazing both inside and out.

Five Ways To Curb Your Sweet Tooth

2008-12-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

There’s nothing like determination, willpower and focus to keep you on target. Couple that with a smart nutrition and exercise plan and you’ll be unstoppable! When it comes to determination, one of the greatest benefits of regular Bikram is the crossover to the rest of your life. If you're anything like me then I'll bet you've learned to:

* Manage stress more effectively
* Stay calm(er!) when you'd usually be frantic
* Delay gratification when times are tough

If you think about it, reaching continually for the water bottle in class is no different to reaching for that Freddo Frog, glass of wine, creamy pasta (insert your own indulgence) during or after a stressful day.

Despite all this, for me there's one temptation I still struggle with. And I'm guessing I'm not the only one. It's hard to tell if it's years of habit, the ready availability of this drug of my choice (chocolate!), or a genuine demand from my brain, but come mid-afternoon I automatically think of one thing. I want it, I need it, I must have it. And I do. Or at least, I used to. You might not be a chocoholic, but I'll bet you've experienced cravings before, and - whether it's a regular urge or not - when those feelings of desire overwhelm you it's hard to resist giving in.

But here's the good news - just as you can learn how to still your mind and wait just one, two, three, even ten seconds longer before breaking out of that pose, you can also learn how to overcome those sweet craving and wait those extra minutes or hours until the urgent need has passed.

Five Ways To Curb Your Sweet Tooth

1. Stop the cravings before they show up

I’ve found that many of my clients – even the ‘healthy’ eaters – rely heavily on carbohydrates over proteins and fats. Protein and fat are a crucial part of your diet. They form the building blocks of your hormonal system, and without them your body cannot perform all it’s metabolic duties.

When you don’t include (natural, whole sources of) protein and fat in your main meals, or only do so from time to time, your body starts sending distress signals telling your brain to get nutrition immediately! Sugar is what you’ll crave because it provides that quick fix .. followed by a quick dump leading to further cravings. If you lay the foundations by including protein and fat at breakfast and lunch, the sugar cravings will gradually stop.

2. Remove temptation or remove yourself

It’s just too easy to dip into the biscuit jar or sweets bag when everyone else is doing it. If you can’t clear your office space of sweet devils (try suggesting a healthy snack plan for the entire workplace!) then remove yourself.

At mid-afternoon munchie time, just make your excuses and get out of there – fast! Even if it means you sit in the toilet cubicle for 15 minutes. If you work from home, keep a rule of no sweets in the house. That way you’ll have to make the effort to go out, and this is easier to talk yourself out of. Sounds simple, but it works.

3. Brush your teeth

We’re conditioned to understand that freshly brushed teeth mean food is behind us. Try this simple distraction technique as soon as the sweet urge hits you, and then …

4. Get busy

Ever noticed you always seem to eat more junk when you’re having a slow day? Make mid-afternoon (or whenever your cravings hit) your ‘super-productive’ time. Schedule meetings for this time, run errands, do housework – just do something that requires you keep moving and let the temptation time go by that little bit faster.

5. Get (true) satisfaction

Once the cravings set in, they’re only going to get worse until your body gets what it needs. Guess what? True satisfaction means real food, in all its glorious richness.

Try indulging with a small piece of quality cheese, some avocado with sea salt on thinly sliced sourdough, or some natural nut butter with celery sticks. The key here is to go for fat or protein based snacks, not sugar based – even fruit. Once sweet cravings have set in, carbs will only make it worse.

Eating and living well doesn’t need to be a constant battle – if you follow these points you’ll find it easier and easier to push away the demand for instant gratification, and you may even find your newfound will-power crossing back over into the Bikram room.

Next time the urge hits you - whether it's in or out of the sweat box - you'll be well equipped to hold out, and you know that the true gratification which follows such willpower is well worth waiting for. Isn't it?

Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

*Yes I do still go for the chocolate from time to time - but I ensure it is a conscious choice not a daily habit!

If you enjoyed this article then please forward it to a friend. I'd love to hear your feedback as well as any more specific queries you may have, so get involved in the comments section of this blog (it's at the end of each article), or contact me here.

To read more of my writing on this and other topics, visit my main blog:
www.bodyincredible.com

Food For Your 30-Day Challenge

2008-11-03T20:18:00.000-08:00

The Bikram Fitzroy November 30-day challenge (now that's a mouthful!) is now four days in and I think that after yesterday's efforts we all have to say - wow! For those who don't know, four lovely ladies yesterday completed their own challenge which was to complete five classes in one day. That's 7.5 hours of sweaty yoga! And I thought I was doing well to do the occasional two classes in one day! Before you shake your head at their craziness, they had a very good reason.

This month the entire studio is banding together to raise money for a little girl with cerebral palsy. She is the daughter of one of our teachers and the money raised can enable the family to take a trip to Germany for some advanced stem cell treatment. To show their support and at the same time meet a personal challenge, many Bikram Fitzroy students have committed to 30 straight days of Yoga, and are raising sponsorship money by meeting their commitment each day. Some people have chosen their own personal challenge, and the 'day-of-five-classes' was just one such challenge. So whether you're spending dusk till dawn in the yoga studio, or whether you're committing to one extra class each week, or if you are indeed going the whole hog and doing the 30-day challenge, congratulations! Your efforts are certainly appreciated and I'm pretty sure your body will thank you as well.

Part of completing a 30-day challenge is knowing that you have put steps in place to get the most out of your yoga journey. Although 30 days of yoga is definitely a positive journey, it is also a stressful one in many ways. Remember that stress can be good or bad. In this case we hope it's a good stress, but if you neglect to adequately fuel and hydrate your body then you could find that you end up with feelings of lethargy, moodiness, and frustration at your body's inability to function at its best. 90 minutes a day in a 38 degree heated room is certainly great for your body and soul, but only if you give that body the nutritional tools it needs to manage the process.

What To Eat During Your 30-Day Challenge

You can get more out of each class by choosing appropriate foods to fuel you rather than weigh you down. I've written an entire article on 'What To Eat Before Class' and you can view it here.

Directly after you finish each class of your 30-day challenge is not really the best time to eat. For an hour or so after class you should be focusing on enjoying that sensation of calm as well as the personal satisfaction of checking another 'x' on the white board. But sooner or later, hunger will kick in. There are four things to keep in mind when choosing post-class foods:

You have worked hard, your muscles and liver have been depleted of ready energy, and they need to be refueled. Muscles (and indeed every cell in your body) demand protein in order to aid recovery and optimise your metabolic function. Now is a really great time to eat some protein that can be easily digested and shuttled speedily into your poor tired muscle cells. Anything 'soft' is easy to digest. Scrambled or poached eggs are one of my favourite post-class options, as is a good quality meal replacement shake. Myself along with Michael, Jo Harvey (studio teacher) and many of my clients are all fans of the Isagenix IsaLean shakes. They're organically based, contain essential fats, vegetable based carbs, and easy-to-digest whey protein. They are ideal for after class, and will fill you up without making you feel nauseous or heavy. The IsaLean shakes are actually part of a fantastic 30-day detox program. You can read my personal journal of the detox here. Or contact me here to find out more.
If you are hoping to shed some stored body fat during your 30-day challenge then keeping starchy carbohydrate to a minimum is recommended. This includes pasta, bread, cereals and grains (even wholegrain), as well as rice and indeed any sugar-based food like sweets or fruit-juices. The reason for this is that these foods spike blood sugar levels, promoting excessive insulin release and a fat-storing reaction. You can read all about what insulin does here in a recent article I wrote. Having said that, your first meal after class is the best time to enjoy these sort of foods if you particularly enjoy them. This is because of those depleted muscle and liver cells. In your post-class state, eating starchy or sugary foods will still cause a blood glucose climb, but the resulting insulin release will shuttle blood sugar and other nutrients straight to where they're needed for energy rather than storing them in your fat cells.
This does not mean you MUST eat these sort of foods, but your body does need a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in order to adequately refuel and ensure lasting energy after class. We've already talked about protein, and indeed the IsaLean shakes (which, within the 30-day program contain 242 different nutrients) I mentioned do contain everything you need, but other (non-starchy) carbohydrate options include fresh vegetables, salads or legumes. Try to vary the vegetables and salads you eat in order to optimise nutritional variety. Eating the same meal day in day out could mean that you are limiting your vitamin and mineral intake and therefore slowing your energy and performance. Fruit is also okay straight after class but be wary of eating it on its own as it could cause an energy crash later in the day.
Fats: This deserves an entire section of it's own, and indeed I've written an earlier post within this blog that you can refer to for more knowledge on good vs bad fats. A balanced post-yoga meal needs to include some good fats - anywhere form 15 to 30% of that meal should be fat based. My favourite options are avocado, extra virgin olive oil, organic coconut oil, milk or cream. Flaxseed oil is also a nice oil that can be used as a salad or vegie dressing. Fish oil capsules are okay as long as they are mercury free, but a couple of capsules each day will definitely not meet your fat needs.

How about the rest of the day? The advice I've just given you in points 1-4 is an excellent basis for creating a balanced meal for anytime of day that is not directly before or after class. As mentioned, a meal to optimise your overall wellbeing and energy throughout the 30-day challenge should ideally include proteins, fats and carbs. The main difference if it's not post class is that you don't have a need for readily digestible energy. Therefore these meals are a good time to enjoy a nice steak once or twice each week, some chicken thigh or breast (thigh is better for more complete nutrition and energy), some fresh fish, or even some game meat if you're feeling, well, game. The same rules as above apply for fats and carbohydrates, although I'd recommend minimising starchy and sugary carbs if weight management is a concern. Vegetarians can enjoy legumes, fermented soy products such as tempeh or miso (organic please!), and even the whey protein shakes mentioned above (these have been proven fine for those with gluten, soy and lactose intolerance also).
Another major concern for those on the 30-day challenge is electrolytes, and wouldn't you know it, I already have an article there for you as well! It's in the August files of this blog and you can read it here.

I hope I've answered your questions (even for those who maybe did not have them!) on what to eat during your 30-day challenge, and I'd love to hear your feedback as well as any more specific queries you may have. Please get involved in the comments section of this blog (it's at the end of each article), or contact me here.

To read more of my writing on this and other topics, visit my main blog:
www.bodyincredible.com

Here is the link for the Isagenix 30-day detox
(Or talk to me about it directly)

One more important thing! Those who are sticking to their 30-day challenge today must be given an extra pat on the back! It is, after all, Melbourne Cup Day, and I don't think there are many melbournites who aren't out there drinking it up, so an extra well done to those who continue to pursue their personal journey on this day.

Not just Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

How To Make Your Health Dollar Go Further

2008-10-21T04:52:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who regularly reminds me that if you jump off the top of an 80-story building, for 79 storys you can actually think you’re flying. It’s the sudden stop at the end that gets you. When I think of the financial boom, bubble and bust the US has just gone through, I often think about that image. We thought we were flying. Well, we just met the sudden stop at the end. The law of gravity, it turns out, still applies.

This was actually an introduction to an article in last week’s Age, written by journalist Thomas Friedman, but I just had to use it - quite the vivid picture, I thought!. If you live in the civilised world, the chances are high that the financial crisis has affected you. Maybe you’re lucky and it hasn’t hit you in the wallet, but it has to have made some impact, if just that you’ve been forced to listen to every armchair expert pontificate on reasons and outcomes for the situation at hand.

Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones and your career, finances and plans are not dependent on current financial climate, and the only impact for you is a drop to your mortgage payments. But for many people, things are suddenly looking tight. Scary, even. And – regardless of promises that Australia will not enter a recession – it’s no surprise that many of us are suddenly paying closer attention to our outgoings.

So I thought now would be a good time to look at ways to flip things. To find the positive side of being forced to tighten the purse-strings. And to just share with you some great tips for making your health dollar go further regardless of what’s going on in the world. I think we can all agree that it’s always nice to save money, whether or not you actually need to. And if you want the 79-story-drop rush then you could even go ahead and re-invest the dollars you saved back into the share market! (No, that’s not part of my advice!)

Four Ways To Make Your Health Dollar Go Further

1. Buy Better Quality, And Cheaper
Did you know that the average fresh grocery spend at a market is between 30 and 40% lower than what you’d shell out at your suburban supermarket and is often half the price of shopping at express stores within the CBD? Plus, market food is fresher and there’s lots of interesting things you’d never find on the tired old shelves of the supermarket. Kind of a no-brainer, isn’t it? Going to the market can be more time consuming than running into the city IGA (mind you, how many times each week do you have to run out for last-minute groceries?), so why not turn it into a planned weekly excursion and have some fun with it. I’d suggest doing your weekly shop in one big hit, but if you’re up for a challenge then grab a friend, a sibling, or a handy neighbourhood kid (good for bag-carrying!) and set yourself a $15 budget each. The goal is to buy enough food for a delicious and tasty meal for two – see who can come up with the most interesting mix. Remember to arrive early for the freshest produce and greater selection, or at least check on the internet for closing time – most markets start winding down around 2pm.

2. Hit The Factory Outlets For The Latest Gym Gear
When it comes to non-Yoga exercise, even if it's just a simple walk down the street, costs can add up. The average retail cost of a pair of sneakers is around $180, but you’re paying top dollar to walk into that conveniently located city store. Find the factory outlets in your area (google it) and you can save up to 70% on your sports shoes. Same goes for gym gear. And I’m not talking about dodgy 80’s lycra jobs, factory outlets carry quality brand-name gear that is usually only one season out of fashion. Fact is, it doesn’t really matter what you clothe your bod in whilst exercising – Target leggings and your Dad’s old t-shirt are fine, but a good pair of sneakers is hard to beat. So why not shop smart – head down to Foot Locker or Rebel for a fitting, note down your preferred brand and style and then make the effort to hit the outlets on the weekend. Definitely worth the effort!

3. Invest In Wellness Not Sickness
Did you know that in 1998 Americans spent one trillion dollars on doctor and hospital care? And a further one point three trillion dollars on prescription medicine?! It’s fair to say that countries like Australia and the UK are proportionally similar to this. So how much of this horrifying expenditure is coming out of your pocket? And – more scary still – how much could you have prevented by taking preventative measures to preserve your wellness and quality of life? I’ve always thought that if you don’t spend the money on your health now, you will be forced to spend it on your sickness later. I know which I’d rather do. Especially when the reality is that sickness can cost a heck of a lot more than wellness. Don’t gamble with your health – in this case the obvious bet really is the best bet.

4. Challenge Yourself To Achieve Exceptional Stress-Handling Fitness
We all know that increased fitness helps us to handle stress. But how often do you truly think about and apply that information? Avoid the temptation to throw it all in and hide in the jungle with your hands over your eyes by actually making use of the dollars you are already spending on your health. Hit the Bikram studio three times a week (or more) – regardless of whether your work/financial world is falling down around you. Commit to maintaining your healthy eating plan despite the fact that colleagues are drowning their sorrows in creamy bowls of pasta. Get up early, focus on the positive, dance around in your living-room while singing into the vacuum head (okay, that’s just me) but basically do whatever it takes to remind yourself that this is your life, and that despite what’s going on in the world, in fact in spite of it, that the choice to be healthy, fit and vibrant is yours. And that now is definitely not the time to waste that Yoga membership or single-handedly fund your local pastry store’s Christmas party.

Remember –

Not just Food for Yoga. Food for Life.

Kat

*Do you have any tips for making your health dollar go further? Please share in the comments section!