Healthy Drinks & Snacks

Guacamole

Originating in Mexico, this fantastic recipe has become a worldwide favourite. The primary ingredient is the rich in protein avocado; in fact it has the highest protein and oil content of any fruit. This fruit has been popular for some time and was in fact favoured by the Aztecs due to its high fat content.

Read more…

Recovery smoothie

Relax and enjoy this mix of fruit, fantastic for getting a great amount of your vitamins in one sitting. This juicy combination is not only packed with vitamin A and C but dietary fiber, niacin and potassium too.

Read more…

Avocado and cucumber lassi

A ‘lassi' is an Indian yogurt drink — the Indian version of a smoothie, really. It tends to be made with thick creamy yogurt, but I find that the avocado makes it creamy enough, so I use a mix of low-fat yogurt and skimmed milk. A fantastic way to drink your veggies, this is a high-energy power drink, yet the addition of the mint and the cucumber makes it taste light and fresh.

Read more…

Beetroot, apple, carrot and watercress iron boost

This juice gives you a real boost of iron, folic acid, essential minerals and anti-oxidants. What is more, the vitamin C in the vegetables and the apple juice help your body to absorb the iron. The watercress adds a lovely spicy, peppery taste and balances really well with the sweetness of the carrot and beetroot.

Read more…

Pear and watercress wake-up juice

This juice is perfect to wake you up first thing in the morning and goes down very well with a date and walnut breakfast muffin. Rich in vitamin C, B1, B6, K, E, beta-carotene, anti-oxidants and essential minerals such as zinc, magnesium, manganese, calcium and potassium, this juice is really a 'superdrink'.

Read more…

Banana, mango and pineapple power smoothie

The marriage of mango, banana, pineapple and lime is one which really is made in heaven. Not only does it conjure up images of tropical beaches, it also provides a hefty portion of beta-carotene, folic acid, fibre, vitamins B, C and E and essential minerals. The skimmed milk also adds protein and calcium. 

Read more…

Tomato and chilli zinger

This drink will give you a real boost. It is absolutely packed with vitamins and minerals and the little added spice is perfect if you need to give yourself a kick-start. Tomatoes are absolutely brimming with vitamin C and anti-oxidants and it is now widely accepted that a diet high in tomatoes will help reduce cholesterol levels and the risk of cancer, especially colon and prostate cancer.

Read more…

Strawberry mint vitamin rush

Just the color of this vivid red juice should wake you up and put a smile on your face! Rich in beta-carotene, folic acid, biotin, vitamin C, minerals and small amounts of B vitamins, this juice not only tastes fantastic but will make you feel alert and ready to take on the world. With high levels of potassium and anti-oxidants and more vitamin C than citrus fruit by weight, strawberries may even help prevent cancer and heart disease.

Read more…

Ginger-melon runners' rescue remedy

Melon has a higher G.I. than most fruit; it has a high water content and it is particularly refreshing. Athletes will often eat melon to recover and rehydrate straight after a long exercise session for this reason. Ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities, so make up this juice in advance and let it work on your tired muscles as soon as you get back from your hot and sweaty workout ... or just enjoy it as a delicious and refreshing drink the next time you are thirsty.

Read more…

Malty fruit bars

These are great energy bars; soft, chewy and full of goodness. They make a superb body fuel for both before and after sport, but are equally good as a healthy afternoon snack. My version includes malt extract, a fantastic high-carb sugar, which really adds to the flavor and the texture. You can get it in health food shops and big supermarkets. If you cannot find it, you could use molasses instead.

Read more…

Blueberry and banana recovery smoothie

Quite often after a long run or a lengthy bike ride, my appetite isn’t that great. But it is critical for your recovery that you eat and or drink as soon as possible. It is well documented that the 10 minutes post exercise window is the optimum time to re-fuel.  For me there is nothing I love more than smoothies because they are cheap, easy and convenient to make. My blueberry and banana smoothie is the perfect balance of carbohydrate and protein and it’s also very easy to digest. I suggest you use soya milk or brown rice milk as opposed to cows’ milk, but cows’ milk is fine if you prefer.

Read more…

 

http://www.realbuzz.com/healthy-drinks-snacks/

Top 10 post workout treats

Rewards for completing exercise

Be it a heavy training session, a race or just an exercise class at the gym, we all deserve a little bit of pampering after our workout. Not only will a few relaxing rituals serve to calm your mind and recuperate your body after exercise, the prospect of a comforting treat to look forward to is a great way to keep you motivated during a workout. Try some of the pampering ideas below, and remember to drink plenty of water to replenish what you've lost through exercise.

Take an invigourating shower

Take an invigorating shower using shower gels made with ginger, lemon or grapefruit.Ginger is thought to have properties that can stimulate our will and motivation, and the essential oils found in citrus fruits like lemon and grapefruit are great for relieving sore or aching muscles. So shower to condition your body and mind for the next bout of exercise.

Recline in the sauna or jacuzzi

If you are a member of a gym, find out if they have a sauna or Jacuzzi. These facilities should be all a part of your monthly fee so make sure you find time to use them! As using a sauna brings about body responses similar to those of exercise (increase in pulse rate and circulation), it is a good to have a cool shower before entering the sauna.

Have a relaxing massage

Treat yourself to an occasional post-workout massage – especially if you're doing resistance training – to knead out any stress and tightness. In addition to feeling great, massages improve circulation and help rid the body of waste products that can accumulate when muscles are overworked. If you're at home, ask a friend or partner to give you a massage after exercise.

Stretch out

Indulge your muscles with a thorough stretching session; take ample time to really stretch from head to toe. This will relax and calm you after your workout, will help to reduce any soreness you might feel the following day, as well as bringing long-term benefits to your posture and overall flexibility.

Go on a shopping spree

Reward yourself with a new exercise kit. Hitting the shops and investing is a great treat. Try and find something you really love, something you can’t wait to put on. This will not only serve as a great post-workout pleasure but will spur you on to complete all your future exercise sessions.

A tasty, healthy treat

After a workout it is a good idea to replenish your energy stores with a healthy snack. Why not make yourself a smoothie? Toss equal handfuls of blackberries, strawberries and blueberries into a blender along with 250ml of soya milk and a pinch of cinnamon (great for maintaining healthy joints). Wizz the whole lot together with three ice cubes. Delicious. And only 140 calories with just three grams of fat!

Give your feet a break

Treat your feet after exercise. If you have been undergoing frequent workout training, your feet will be baring the brunt of it, especially if you are doing repetitive activities like running. Try soaking your feet in some warm water, great for relaxing tired feet and drawing out toxins. However, try not to soak for too long – you don’t want to soften your feet too much and leave yourself prone to blisters.

Find your inner zen

Meditation is the perfect way to unwind and relax after any workout. Yoga practitioners always conclude sessions with periods of meditation as it’s a great way to totally relax the body and mind. Meditation involves consciously focusing your attention – be it on your breathing, sounds or ideas – to alter your state of consciousness. If you have not meditated before, just find a quiet place to sit and maybe listen to some relaxing music, or alternatively why not try taking a class?

Imbibe a delicious herbal infusion

Have a cup of tea after exercise. Herbal tea is a great tonic after exercise and with so many to choose from, each with different medicinal effects, you can pick one just for you. Go for teas such as peppermint which is a strong muscle relaxant, nettle which provides iron and is great for the circulatory system, or go for the calming affects of chamomile. If you like it sweet, avoid using sugar – honey is the far better option and is thought to also reduce fatigue after a workout.

Take a relaxing bath

A soak in the tub is probably the most obvious post-workout pleasure but there is nothing like a long hot bath to relieve aching tired muscles after a workout. A great idea is to drop in some essential oils. Try ylang ylang; not only has it uplifting qualities but it's also been found to slow down too rapid breathing or heartbeat, perfect after a strenuous workout.

http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/top-10-post-workout-treats/

5 small diet tweaks that maximize results

The little diet changes that go a long way

The prospect of having a diet overhaul is understandably rather daunting. Often, you want results but you don’t want to have to sacrifice everything in the process. Take note of these five small diet tweaks for maximum results. It doesn’t always have to be all or nothing.

Mindfulness

The name is rather apt in this instance; ‘mind’ and ‘full’ are useful terms in helping you remember to pay attention to your levels of fullness when eating. But more specifically, mindfulness teaches individuals to be more aware of their mind and body and to focus on the present moment. This practice can come in handy when you’re tucking into a meal, as mindfulness techniques will help you to relax in order to aid digestion; to take your time to enjoy your food; and most importantly to recognize when you have had a sufficient amount. Being mindful could help you identify when you’re actually hungry too, rather than simply bored, upset or thirsty. Likewise, Michael Pollan, author of Food Rules, points out that "If you're not hungry enough to eat an apple, you're not hungry." Blunt but true, don’t you think?

Ditch the drink

According to drinkaware.co.uk, a 250ml glass of wine can contain as many calories as four cookies, which is why the average wine drinker can consume around 2000 extra calories each month. With these stats in mind it makes sense to curb your alcohol consumption if you want to trim down. And it’s not just the alcohol itself that’s the problem (even though it does contain 7 calories per gram); alcohol has a knack of heightening temptation for fattening snacks, not forgetting that hangovers don’t exactly inspire exercise. Make a small tweak by finding new ways to relax and unwind aside from alcohol, such as taking a bath, going for a brisk walk or keeping alcohol for weekends only (but don’t binge drink to make up for the past five days!).

Hide the treats

A study conducted by Cornell University found that participants ate 70 per cent more sugary treats when they were stored in a transparent container rather than an opaque one.  They do say ‘out of sight, out of mind’, so it’s probably a good idea to go one step further and keep containers of treats out of sight completely. Making small tweaks to your weekly shop could also help you avoid excess calories and fat; it may sound obvious, but if you haven’t got temptations lurking in your cupboards then you can’t eat them! Simply leave the chocolate and pizzas in the shops so that the next time you’re watching a DVD and are struck with a craving, you will have to make do with fruit or a cup of tea.

Prepare your own food

Are you a sucker for eating out or buying your lunch for work? According to a 2012 study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, those who eat out for lunch even once a week lose 5 pounds less on average than those who don’t. A separate study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre studied the eating habits of 123 overweight women for one year. Researcher Anne McTiernan and the team behind the study explained that ‘eating in restaurants usually means less individual control over ingredients and cooking methods, as well as larger portion sizes.’ Make the small change of preparing your own lunch for work – even if it’s only for two or three out of the five days – and limit restaurant dining to once a week to avoid those extra large portion sizes.

Dear diary

Keep a food journal to help you spot hidden calorie consumption and poor diet choices. According to a 2012 study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, women who keep a food journal lose six pounds more on average than if they were ignorant of their eating habits. Be honest in your diary – there’s not point cheating yourself – and try to take note of portion sizes, food labels, hunger levels and moods. Include all of your ‘slipups’ as well as your healthy choices; this will help paint a picture of your diet as a whole and your tendencies.  Ellie Kreiger, author of Small Changes, Big Results, advises to write a letter to yourself detailing the reasons you want to make positive changes to act as a reminder to “keep you on track when you’re tempted to stray”.

https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/5-small-diet-tweaks-that-maximise-results/

Cardiovascular Training

What is cardiovascular training?

A beginner's guide to CV training

'Cardio', 'CV session' and 'cardiovascular workouts', are all common expressions referring to a specific type of exercise – namely cardiovascular training. But what exactly is cardiovascular training? How much exercise should you be doing and for how long?

Our CV exercise guide includes information on:

• Different types of cardiovascular exercise
• Health and fitness benefits of CV exercise
• Cardio training precautions

Cardiovascular (CV) training

The dictionary definition for CV training is: ‘physical conditioning that exercises the heart, lungs and associated blood vessels’. In other words, when you do a CV session, you’re giving your heart, lungs and circulatory system – in addition to any other muscle groups that you use – a good workout. CV exercise is extremely important because your CV system is effectively your body’s engine – and without a strong engine you’ll be going nowhere, no matter how good your bodywork is!

How good is my CV system?

There are two useful ways to measure the efficiency of your CV system:

1. Resting heart rate (RHR)

Your RHR is the number of times your heart beats in 60 seconds – with each beat being a single contraction of your heart as it pumps blood around your body. The lower your RHR is, the more blood your heart can pump in a single contraction and effectively the stronger it is. The average value for an adult’s RHR is 72 beats per minute, but with cardiovascular training that figure will reduce, providing you with a measure of your improvement. Elite athletes can have extremely low RHR values – for example the former double Olympic gold medallist Sebastian Coe reputedly had a RHR of 29!

2. Blood pressure (BP)

Blood pressure has two values, which are usually displayed as two figures, one above the other – for example 120/70. The upper figure is the systolic pressure and is the pressure when the heart contracts or pumps blood out, while the lower figure is the diastolic pressure and is the pressure when the heart is relaxed. Your target figure for your BP should be no higher than approximately 140/85 – and, similarly to RHR, CV exercise will lower your BP, which will provide you with a measure of your CV health.

Different types of CV exercise

There are many different types of CV exercise, but the most effective CV exercises are those that use the largest muscle groups in the body and require you to support your own bodyweight while exercising. So, walking, jogging and running, while excellent fat burning exercise, are excellent for your CV workout because they fulfil both criteria: they use the large muscles of the legs and you have to stand up throughout your workout. On the other hand, a hand-cycling machine – which you could find in a gym – is far less effective for CV exercise, because you will be using the smaller muscles of the arms and will be seated throughout your workout. The following list will give you some ideas for your CV workout:
Swimming; cycling; rowing; aerobics; circuit training; walking; jogging; running; dancing; using gym machines such as a stepper, treadmill, rower, or cross-trainer; and team sports such as football.

CV training benefits

In addition to keeping your heart and lungs in shape, CV training burns calories and is your primary tool for weight management. For example, walking, jogging and running burn approximately 100 calories per mile covered – so walking two miles each way to and from work will burn off the equivalent of a half a kilogram of body fat in a fortnight! Also, you will tone up the muscles employed – usually the legs – and release endorphins during exercise. Endorphins are the ‘feel-good’ hormones that give you that buzz after a workout.

How much CV exercise should I do?

To get health and fitness benefits, you should aim to do at least 30 minutes of continuous CV exercise five times per week. Although this may seem like a lot, if you factor in activities such as walking as well as specific exercise sessions, it is easily achievable. Statistics show that 17 per cent of car journeys are less than one mile – which include trips to drop the kids off at school or going to the local shops – whereas a mile can easily be covered in 15 minutes on foot and will give you numerous health and fitness benefits.

CV exercise precautions

If you are at all unsure about starting a CV exercise programme or have not exercised for some time, then get the all clear from your doctor before you begin. There are also certain forms of CV training that are unsuitable for some people – for example, if you suffer from arthritis or joint problems then impact activities such as jogging and running will not be good for you. Also, asthmatics will find CV exercise easier to do in moist, warm conditions – so swimming in a heated, indoor pool is ideal for people who suffer from asthma.
To fully exercise your CV system you need to carry out at least five sessions per week, but you should always factor in one complete rest day each week to avoid excessive fatigue and over-training, and to allow your body to recover and rebuild stronger.

Your cardiovascular workout

Keeping your heart and lungs in good shape has to be a priority for your fitness programme, because CV training is essential for long-term health and fitness. In addition to the whole host of health and fitness benefits that you can gain from regular CV exercise, CV workouts can be fun and enjoyable, leaving you feeling great for hours afterwards! The ‘runner’s high’ is a well known phenomenon that runners often experience after a session – but this can equally be experienced through any of the different forms of CV activity.

https://www.realbuzz.com/articles/what-is-cardiovascular-training/#pagination-top