Winter Weight & Sleep Apnoea

Hello dear Reader

I trust this newsletter finds you well and healthy, and enjoying life.  I got a touch of food poisoning Saturday (fortunately I have a cast iron stomach so I didn’t get to the heaving stage), found that the little freezer’s plug had been dislodged and had to greet rotten meat Sunday, (oh yes, that was a command to stomach contents to STAY DOWN, GET DOWN, STAY DOWN!) and caught up with friends Sunday afternoon who have just taken delivery of their dream boat. 

 

It’s now docked at Dockside, and is a 40ft catamaran and is simply divine.  They have worked so hard for it, it is wonderful to see them on board.

 

So, an interesting weekend and also got to catch up with my beautiful granddaughter who’s now 3!  And in May, both my grandsons had birthdays, turning 3 and 1, so it has been a wonderful happy time for all.

 

This means that with the birthday parties, going out, the weather turning cold, that we (okay, I will take responsiblity here, sigh,) I, have not been as keen to leap out of bed and go off to my classes. 

 

Of course, when I do, I love it, and feel full of confidence and self-control and energy!! And when I don’t, I am certainly capable of being a misery-guts who’s developed a bigger …. like everyone else.  Hence, this month’s timely topic on winter weight loss tips.

 

Let me know what you think, and if you are in my area, and would like a buddy for classes or a gym session at Fitness First in Lutwyche, do make contact with me.

Until next time,

Warm regards

Narelle

I think we would all agree, that everyone is different and at the same time there are some basic elements of human beings which are all the same.  Take a look at these 6 tried and true ideas for weight loss, and begin putting them into your daily life.  Of course, this is only looking at things from the physical perspective, so look out for a future article.

Weight Loss Idea 1

No matter who you are, every personal trainer or fitness coach will tell you that in order to successfully lose weight it is a fundamental strategy to burn more kilojoules than you consume.

What does this mean?  Simply that if you eat and drink more than your body needs, that is, that it can burn up in one day, you will put on weight. For some strange reason, bodies play tricks on us – just joking - however it seems that it is incredibly easy for many people to put on weight, and not so easy to lose weight!

Have a go at applying this strategy in your life and here are a few thoughts to help you achieve this change:

Cut down on sugars (even too much fruit can be bad for you), carbohydrates, alcohol, dairy products, biscuits, breads, cakes and chocolates, coffee or chocolate made on milk and fruit or dairy smoothies.

Adjust your diet by cutting down on high fat foods such as those that are deep fried, crumbed, over-buttered and over-battered foods.

BURN OFF KILOJOULES with some simple exercise for twenty minutes, not just three times a week, but EVERY SINGLE DAY. Going for a brisk walk instead of driving everywhere will have the desired effect, as will dancing or swimming.  Park the car a couple of blocks from the train or bus stop too.

Burn those Calories Idea 2

Gym membership is becoming increasingly popular, and, as long the exercise you do is well planned, it can be extremely beneficial. Aerobic exercise has to be the focal point of your plan, otherwise you could do more harm than good, because muscle weighs heavier than fat. 

Provided you adhere to this basic rule, some anaerobic weight or resistance training can help tone up your body. This will give you more strength and vitality, and should increase your confidence.

Get Professional Help Idea 3

Go and see a professional nutritionist or dietician because they can assess your nutritional intake and draw up a balanced, healthy eating plan for you. I recommend Jenny Byrne and you can phone for an appointment on:  Mob: 0418 753 314.

There are plenty of different healthy meals which help you lose weight. Getting the advice of a professional can make the task of losing weight much more enjoyable!  Plus you have the added benefit of feeling supported and someone to cheer you on as well.

Training Idea 4

Find a friend to train with.  If you and a friend are both regularly free at the same time of day, it can make sense to train together.  Having someone to help you through the times when you don’t seem to be getting anywhere can keep you in the game until the improvement suddenly appears. 

Having a social aspect to your exercise will help you look forward to it, and make you more likely to stick to it!  This has worked well for me in the past, as I know I will be letting my buddy down if I don’t turn up.

Easy Weight Loss Idea 5

Eat less food more often.  Many medical practitioners now recommend eating more meals a day, with less food at each one. This is a more balanced way to take food into the body, spreading the load on the body over a far wider period of time.

Plus, you don’t get hungry when you do this, and what’s more, you’ll be less likely to be tempted towards junk food or fast food fillers.  And better still, it makes your metabolism work when you eat regularly.  By learning and practising moderation in all things, it may be easier to be a more balanced person. 

People who skip breakfast or lunch and eat large later, end up large later.

The system of eating three meals a day is designed far more to fit in with the working day than it is to fit in with the needs of the human body. When you eat less and do that more often, the body absorbs more of the nutrients in the food, so your body craves fewer calories.

Alcohol Free Idea 6

Drink 2 to 3 litres of water (only water) every day, and you have to get up and go to the loo more often!  So, an extra benefit becomes apparent here.  Not only do you clean up your body and get rid of toxic build-up which improves skin, hair, and eyes, you increase your body’s movements (um, yes bowel and physical movements) to cleanse your bowel, and increase your energy from the extra exercise. 

Alcohol puts on weight, fogs the mind, and if you consume it heavily, leaves you exposed to the possiblity of early onset of dementia around the age of 50.

About Bowels

Many years ago, I remember a story that a naturopath told me.  She owned a health food shop and had a female, middle-aged customer who came in to get something to help her bowels to work.  “Although really,” she said, “I don’t see why the doctor is so fussed about this, as I am very regular.” She had also been suffering from headaches she explained. 

Upon inquiring as to just how regular she was, the woman said, “I go like clockwork every Monday!”  On hearing this, the Naturopath suggested she take a fairly strong herbal formula to help her to clean out her bowel.  The dosage was explained and after 4 days the woman returned, unhappy because her bowel still hadn’t moved.  She was sent off again and told to stay very close to those all-important facilities.

When she left the health food shop, the woman did suddenly feel that urgent call of nature and raced to the nearest facilities and as she told the Naturopath, “I emerged an hour later!!  An hour, can you believe it?  And I felt so much lighter I went and weighed myself, and I was a stone lighter.” (14lb = 1 stone, so that is approximately 6.something kgs!)

I am not recommending the use of laxatives.  This is an anecdotal story to indicate just how much weight can be carried around internally.  That clogged up bowel creates an auto-toxicity which can make you sick , for instance with headaches, and much worse things than that.

An irregular diet, not much water, coffee as a diuretic to dry the body even more, not much fruit or vegies, no exercise and you have the recipe for being stressed, depressed and over-weight.  Your best recipe is to do the opposite of all those things, and do them every day of your life with love and gratitude for your body.

The best and most effective method for weight loss does depend on the individual, but follow these time tested principles and you should see results.  Let me know, won’t you?

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Master’s Wisdom

 

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away! But I don’t like apples, so would you eat one for me please, thank you.”

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Sleep Apnoea Health Tip

People who experience obesity may also suffer from sleep apnea, without realising it.  The symptoms of sleep apnoea may include snoring, waking up frequently because you actually stop breathing, high blood pressure and stroke.  The more tired you become from the lack of sleep, the more difficult it is to focus and concentrate.  As well, it can trigger depression, and loss of motivation. 

So, if someone has sleep apnoea it often means they don’t have the energy to exercise, nor the motivation.  So the weight goes on, which makes the sleep apnoea worse.  If you have been accused of snoring, or making choking sounds in your sleep, or suddenly going quiet, please go and see your doctor who can organise a sleep test for you.  Help is available and that may make life lots more enjoyable.

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Recipe: Pumpkin Soup

Heat frypan with a tablespoon of grapeseed oil until hot, then add 2 finely chopped onions, 4 cloves garlic, 2 hot chillies, a tablespoon of ground cumin, a large handful fresh coriander and brown until lightly brown and the onions have caramelised (gotta love Masterchef for all the words I’ve learnt.)

Transfer all of that from the frypan to your crockpot, and add 500gr or more chopped chunks of skinned Japanese pumpkin.  You want the pot about 3/4 full of the pumpkin / onion mix, then enough water to come about a third of the way up the side of the pot, and cook on low for up to 8 hrs until the pumpkin is soft. 

The crockpot makes it’s own juice and if you use too much water, the soup will be watery.  If you are like me, and the skin doesn’t worry you, then leave the skin on, just make sure you have scrubbed it clean first.  Give a stir if you are home, but otherwise leave to cook.  It might only need 6 hours, but if away all day, that will be fine.

About a half an hour before serving time, add 1 can light coconut milk and stir through, putting the heat on high, so that your soup doesn’t cool down, but doesn’t boil and can regain the lost heat.

Just pop the lid back on and then right before serving, use a stainless steel stick-blender to blend to a smooth texture in the crockpot and serve garnished with a sprig of coriander, and warm garlic bread.  Delicious!