Preparing for my Lifestyle Camp and things have been crazy busy. Even though I haven't had time to train as hard or as much as I would have liked, I have been on point with my diet. All I need now is a sun tan... and that is what I am going to get at the beach in St Augustine, Florida.
Vegetables provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body! The list of benefits Veggies provide is ongoing but below are a few of the important ones!
• Can help you lose weight
• Are high in important nutrients including potassium, folate, vitamin A, vitamin C and the list goes on…
• Can reduce your risk of certain cancers, chronic diseases (such as diabetes) etc.
• Help to keep you immune system strong, heart & skin healthy
•Keep your gut, digestion and brain healthy
HOW MUCH?
Adults need to be eating a minimum of 5 serves of veggies! For kids 4 - 7 years they need at least 4 serves and 8 -18 years at least 5 serves of vegetables.
WHAT IS A SERVE?
A serve of vegetables or legumes (yes legumes such as lentils & beans count as veggies!!)
1 serve =
1/2 cup of cooked veggies
1/2 cup of dried beans, peas or lentils
1 cup of salad veggies
If you are struggle to include your 5 serves of veggies into your diet, My Nutrition E Book & 7 Meal Plan E Book are jam packed with veggie inspired recipes! And you can still receive 30% OFF my 7 Day Meal Plan Ebook! You can add your details here or shoot me a message for the discount code!
In my recent article of Whole Life Challenge, 6 Healthy Ways to Feel Awesome in Time for Spring Break, I touch on a few things that you can do to reset your body and your habits so spring and summer find you out in the world, feeling active, happy, confident, and healthy.
These include:
- Drinking Lots of Water
- Limit Fatty Meat and Dairy Products
- Avoid Breads and Processed Carbs
- Move Your Body
Hopefully you find the tips in this article really helpful to reset!
Eggs, which have been a usual part of many people’s breakfast, definitely have a place on SophiaFIT’s Superfoods list. They are loaded with nutrients and as they can take up to four hours to digest, this protein can actually help you lose weight!!
Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet, containing a little bit of almost every nutrient our bodies require! They truly are the perfect food to be added into our diet!
One Eggs contains the following:
* Vitamin A
* Folate
* Vitamin B5
* Vitamin B12
* Vitamin B2
* Phosphorus
* Selenium
Eggs also contain decent amounts of Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium and Zinc!
Along with containing all of the above, they are a great source of inexpensive, high quality protein with more than half the protein of an egg is found in the egg white!
Instead of loading you up with a plethora of facts about Eggs, I thought I’d just choose one!
Did you know that eating eggs can help you lose weight? I know this may come as a surprise to those who thought eggs were fattening or unhealthy, but a study carried out by the Rochester Center for Obesity Research found that eating eggs for breakfast helps limit your calorie intake all day, by more than 400 calories. That means you could lose three pounds or more per month.
The high level of protein in which eggs contain help keep you fuller for longer therefore decreasing the chances of you reaching for that mid-morning snack or over eating at lunch!
Don’t have time in the morning to cook your eggs?? Cook them the night before or meal prep on Sunday! Boiled eggs last for safely up to a week in the refrigerator after they were cooked or prep your omelette the night before whilst cooking your dinner!
It doesn’t stop there!! The use of eggs extends past the kitchen! Egg whites can be used for face masks to help tighten your pores and cure acne problems. For a quick and easy Hydrating Egg Facemasks all you need to do is combine 1 egg white , ¼ ripe avocado and 1 teaspoon yogurt!
Hopefully this weeks Superfood Series Blog has helped provide you some insight into how amazing eggs are! If you are stuck for ideas on how to incorporate eggs into your diet, both my Nutrition E Book & 7 Day Meal Plan Ebook contain plenty of recipes showing the versatility of eggs! Alternatively send me an email at sophia@sophiafit.com as we can work on meal plan together!
Before I leave you to delve into this blog I’d like add that I am not here to tell you or condone calorie counting, as it can become very destructive and turn into a obsession rather than listening to your body! I am providing you with a brief understanding on what a calorie is and how tracking your intake can make a impact on your health, both positively and negatively.
To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn. In theory, this sounds simple. However learning and understanding how to manage your intake of food can prove to be a tricky task! As we are constantly bombarded with information whether it be from friends, TV, magazines or social networks about calories it can makes it hard to know what’s right and what’s wrong!
Firstly, what is a calorie?
A calorie is a measure of energy. In science, it's defined as the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius. We use calories that we eat and drink for essential functions such as breathing and thinking, as well as day-to-day activities such as walking, talking and eating! Excess intake of calories causes what you eat to be stored as fat therefore consistently eating more than you burn will cause weight gain overtime.
The United States government states that the average man needs 2,700 kcal per day and the average woman needs 2,200 kcal per day.
Keep in mind not everybody needs the same number of calories each day! People have different metabolisms that burn energy at different rates, and some people have more active lifestyles than others.
The recommended intake of calories per day depends on several factors, including:
• overall general health
• physical activity demands
• sex
• weight
• height
• body shape
Your body needs calories to survive! Without energy the cells within your body would begin to die, the function of your heart and lungs would stop and your organs would not be able to carry out the basic processes needed for living!
Now, not all calories are equal! The number of calories in food tell us how much potential energy the contain but not only calories that are important, the substance from which the calories is taken from is vital! These so called “empty” calories are those that provide energy but very little nutritional value. The elements of food that provide empty calories contain next to no dietary fiber, amino acids, antioxidants, minerals or vitamins! Empty calories can be made up of solid fats and added sugars. Solid fats are either naturally found in foods or can be added when foods are processed. Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added then food or beverages are processed!
• Cakes, cookies, pastries, and donuts (contain both solid fat and added sugars)
• Sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, and fruit drinks (contain added sugars)
• Cheese (contains solid fat)
• Pizza (contains solid fat)
• Ice cream (contains both solid fat and added sugars)
• Sausages, hot dogs, bacon, and ribs (contain solid fat)
The foods and beverages above are the main sources of empty calories but many can be found in no solid fat or added sugar products such as low-fat yogurt, no fat cheese or sugar free soft drink.
Choosing unsweetened applesauce or extra lean ground beef, can help keep your intake of added sugars and solid fats low but remember a small amount of empty calories is okay and won’t kill you! It is important to limit empty calories to the amount that fits your calorie and nutrient needs.
The main thing I would like you to take away from this blog is to ensure your diet is filled with whole, nutrient dense foods which will help you limit your intake of empty calorie foods!
Ditch counting calories and ....
• Opt for nutrient-dense options that our great-grandparents would recognise as food
• Go for a wide variety of in-season produce and ingredients
• Cook, which really is the key to it all
• Cut out processed foods
• Focus on regaining our natural appetite and cutting the cravings
Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day as it breaks your overnight fast and kick starts your metabolism! So starting your day with a nourishing meal with set the tone for your day ahead. Here are my favourite brekky options that are super quick, easy and healthy!
Protein Smoothie
I love my Banana & Strawberry smoothie to kick start my day! Add a scoop of protein powder and top with crushed nuts, seeds for an extra boost! Check out my recipe HERE
Granola Parfait
Combine 1/2 cup of organic unsweetened greek yogurt with 1 cup of berries, a 1/3 cup of granola and a tbsp of chia seeds.
Easy Peasy Scrambled Eggs
All you need is 2 eggs 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms and 2 handfuls of spinach. Whisk together and add to a pan lightly coated in coconut oil. Stir the eggs intermittently until they are light and fluffy!
Egg Bowl
Saute your favourite greens (such as spinach, kale) in olive oil or coconut oil with a sprinkle of chilli flakes until slightly wilted. Add sautéed greens to bowl with two eggs (poached, fried or boiled), 1/4 of an avocado and a sprinkle of slivered almonds.
Only a few more days until my 50% Special on my New Year Bundle ends! Enter the discount code “NEWYEAR50” at checkout! Offer ends Wednesday 31st of Jan at midnight!!
It is always a juggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle when there is so much going on. I am a single mother who is constantly working but I have found a way to make my lifestyle as holistically healthy as possible. This includes, the right amount of sleep, clean eating, moving my body, connecting with nature, getting sunlight and meditating. They are all important for creating that overall balanced, healthy lifestyle. If you eat right and workout but don't get enough sleep or if you sleep enough but have a highly stressful job and have trouble finding time to eat your meals... then your life needs a bit of an overhaul. Finding balance is the key.
