Over the weekend I celebrated my engagement to my partner of three years with a garden party organised by my parents. 

It was a fantastic, crazy day where there was lots of food and everyone seemed to give me a glass of wine. By the end of the weekend I had broken out in acne, eczema and the feeling of blah and so have decided that April is going to be the start of my sugar cleanses to get my body back in balance.

As a child I liked to eat sugary treats…actually I LOVED eating sugar, in any form from lollies to sugar from the sugar bowl, I just couldn’t get enough of it.  It got to the stage where my body started fighting against the amount of sugar I was eating by making me overweight, lethargic and has lead to me now dealing with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) for the rest of my life!

Our bodies rely on sugar, in the form of glucose, to fuel our body and brain in daily activity, however it is sweetened foods that tend to make us overeat and that threatens the energy balance in our bodies.  With over 62% of Australian adults dealing with a weight issue, I can guarantee you that they are have not got these issues from eating a clean diet (fresh, non-packaged foods)!

Today’s convenience has lead to much more ready to eat, packaged foods and for many time-poor families this is a saving grace when it comes to meal time with the kids – however could these time-saving ideas be causing a whole lot of other problems in our families? While the jury is still out as to whether sugar and hidden sugars contribute to our rising obesity rate in Australia, an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise are the contributing factors.

The jury is also still out about whether we can be addicted to sugar…ultimately it’s not the sugar that is making us eat more sugar, it’s our mind.

I recently have been talking to a client about this exact issue – we are trying to ween her off soft drinks.  While most of her diet is ok, the BIG change we need to make is her love of soft drinks.  Another health professional suggested to her that it was the carbonate bubbles that she liked, however she had no time for soda or tonic water which leads us to determine it’s not the bubbles that she loves about soft drink but the sugar content in the drinks.  We are slowly weening her off the soft drink by using other ‘non’ sugar drinks like water with lemon juice or natural cordials. From flavoured water to lean cuisine, there is a huge amount of sugar hidden in foods and calories that we just don’t need in our diets.

Here are some of my top tips to taming those sugar cravings once and for all and I guarantee that you will feel happier, healthier and leaner in no time!

• Give in a little

If you have a craving for something, eat a little bit of what you are craving, like a small cookie or fun-size chocolate.  Enjoy a little of what you love so you don’t feel denied and eat an entire block.  Try to stick to 150 calorie serving size per craving.

• Combine foods

If you think that you can’t stop at a few pieces of chocolate or a single cookie, why not combine it with a healthy food option to help fill you up and still satisfy your sugar cravings.  Things like banana dipped in chocolate sauce or almonds with some choc chips will not only satisfy your cravings but will also give you the healthy nutrients your body needs.

• Go cold turkey

For some people simply cutting out all sugars and going ‘cold turkey’ works better, although the first 48-72 hours can be tough!  Depending on how determine you are at wanting sugar out of your diet, cold turkey will reduce cravings within a couple of days.

• Grab some gum

One that I really like is when you have the craving for sugar, sticking a piece of gum in your mouth and chewing works wonders.  Research has shown that chewing gum can reduce food cravings!!

• Reach for fruit

Quite often when I get a sugar craving, instead of looking for chocolate in the cupboard (very rarely is there chocolate in our house) I go straight for a piece of fruit to curb my sweet tooth.  If I don’t have fruit available I also use nuts, seeds and dried fruits.

• Get up and go

When you have a sugar craving, rather than walking to the cupboard in search of sugar – go for a walk or do something to change the scenery.  This will help you take your mind off the foods you are craving…also known as boredom eating.

• Choose quality over quantity

If you do have a sugar craving, pick something that is of good quality but small treat, such as a dark chocolate truffle instead of a king-sized crunchy and savour every bite.  Never go without completely – you’ll only come back for greater portions.  Your diet should be able being able to incorporate small amounts of sweet treats into your diet but concentrating on filling your stomach with less sugary options.

• Eat regularly

Many have heard me talking about eating regularly but this is one way of stopping those sugary cravings. By eating regularly you are keeping your blood sugar levels stable which will stop you from “irrational eating” like what happens when you have long periods of time between meals.  Choose foods that are high in protein and fibre like whole grains and fresh produce.

An example of a healthy daily diet is below:

Breakfast: small bowl of muesli with a sliced banana

Snack: yoghurt with handful of nuts

Lunch: pita bread filled with crunchy salad and a piece of fruit

Afternoon Tea: protein shake or 3 ryvita with low fat cheese

Dinner: Mediterranean Frittata

Snack: fruit smoothie (if necessary, or have an early dinner)

It is really important that to manage your sugar cravings that you stop them before they start.  To help you do that try:

• Skipping artificial sweeteners

While artificial sweeteners may sound like a great idea, quite often they don’t lessen the cravings for sugar and can lead to excessive sugar consumption.  If you want to use a sweetener, try for a more natural sweetener like Stevia, honey or molasses.

• Reward yourself

Why not work towards a goal for successfully taking control of your sugar cravings.  Your reward can be as large or small as you want but remember why you’re working on this goal and then reward yourself for each successful step you make.

• Slow down & plan

Rather than doing everything at once, take steps to achieving your sugar reduction.  Week one you might want to write down everything you eat, how you’re feeling before and after your food.  I have included a food journal for you to fill out here.  After the first week you will know where you are going wrong with your sugar cravings and for week two you can plan ahead so that you can combat the moments where

• Get support

Make sure you are getting support from the people you rely on most – if your husband is going to eat sugary treats in front of you then that’s not going to help you kick the sugar habit.  Sit down with your loved ones and let them know why you are doing it and how it is going to improve the whole family.

• Mix it up

Each of us is different when it comes to our approach in reducing the sugar content in our diet so try to mix up how you go about reducing it – one week you might try cold turkey but you fall off the wagon half-way through the week, so then rather than just giving up, try taking something out of your diet (like soft drink).  Don’t give up before you have even started and try, try and try again!

Ultimately when you are trying to ween yourself off something the best advice I can give each of you is go easy on yourself.  It can take some time to get your sugar cravings under control, like any changes we make in life so just keep working through it and you will know when you have reached you chi!

Yours’ in women’s health and fitness,

Katrina

Easter is just around the corner, which means lots of hot cross buns and Easter eggs. So how do we enjoy these Easter treats without going backwards with our results?

It’s never easy losing weight and Easter is a time when we make the excuse to indulge and with Easter getting closer temptation is everywhere.

Below is our guide to surviving Easter and enjoying it without putting on those unwanted kilos or missing out on fetivities.

1. Don’t buy early

It seems that easter comes early each year with supermarkets bringing out easter treats just as Christmas finishes but it’s their way of making a profit on easter treats…if you buy them now it is highly likely that you have eaten them by easter…

So if you can’t resist the urge not to buy them today, freeze your hot cross buns and hide away your Easter eggs (out of sight, out of mind) and only bring them out over the Easter weekend.

2. Bake your own buns/cakes

While it is easy to buy your hot cross buns and chocolate Easter eggs, why not this year try making your own hot cross buns or Easter eggs?

By baking your own treats, you are in complete control of what goes in and most recipes can be adapted to make them healthier!

Healthy Hot cross Bun recipe – you can substitute the wholemeal plain flour for plain flour, stevia or honey for sugar

3. Give a healthy easter gift

Why not try something different this year and give or ask to receive a non-chocolate Easter gift?

Brainstorm some ideas of what you could give/receive such as books, a healthy fruit basket, crafted eggs or something that takes your fancy.

Easter is really not about the chocolate eggs and hot cross buns, however we get swept up in the commercialism of it…try something different this year, I know I am!

4. Bigger is not better

While we may be able to manage our portion control on a normal workday, on weekends and especially over Easter it is easy to under/over eat.

A 100g egg can contain about 520 calories – that’s the amount of calories an adult should be consuming for a main meal!

Scary isn’t it?  To help you know how many calories you are eating and how much exercise you need to do I have compiled a list of the most popular eggs and buns and how to burn them off.

Whether you are receiving or giving a chocolate egg this Easter, why not ask for a smaller, and better quality chocolate?

Dark chocolate eggs are better for you with less sugar, less calories and better for your health.  They are richer as well so you will be satisfied with less.

5. Don’t eat the kids eggs

How many times have you caught yourself eating your kids Easter eggs?

This Easter instead of eating them, store them away and either use them for cooking or use them as special treats as neither you nor your kids need to eat that much chocolate!

If you still think that that means there is too much temptation in the house you have one of two options – either throw it out or not buy so many chocolates for the kids.

If grandparents or family friends like to buy them chocolate for Christmas, why not ask them to give the kids something more tangible like an Easter book or toy.  I still have a mug I was given for Easter when I was about 7 years old and every time I use it I think of the person who gave me the mug over what was in it!!

How to make coloured Easter eggs

6. Join the hunt

Make this Easter more about quality family time, get out and about at the park (where you can do a playground workout while the kids play), or go for a family bike ride and on Easter Sunday while don’t you hold a real Easter egg hunt.

Get the kids to create their own handmade eggs to hide for another family member…great way to burn calories and spend time with the kids!

So this Easter remember you can enjoy a treat or two without blowing your daily calorie intake in one sitting, keep exercising and you will avoid the spread this Easter!

Yours’ in women’s health and fitness,

Katrina

Around Christmas time, our main worries are – have we got all the presents we need to get, can we afford them and what’s happening Christmas day…but we also need to add one more thought – “How am I NOT going to gain weight over Christmas?”

3kg is the average weight that a person gains over the Christmas/New Year period and having done some calculations you would need to consume an additional 18000 calories for the month of December or 600 extra calories per day!

An average female should be eating about 1400cal per day to stay fit and healthy (obviously this differs if you are aiming to lose/gain weight) so to add an extra 600cal, you would be consuming 2000 calories per day.  That is even above what an average male should be consuming daily (1800 cal)!

Scary isn’t it?  So what does 600 Christmas calories look like?

• 1 bottle + 1 glass of champagne
• 5 full strength beers
• 3 mince pies
• 2 large slices (200g) fruit cake
• 300g turkey with skin
• 7-8 small roast potatoes (cooked in fat)
• 7 rum balls (my personal favourite)
• 1 ham & cheese croissant
• 130g chocolate covered sultanas

WOW, it’s not hard to realise how easy it is to put those extra 3kg on!  So how do you stop gaining those extra kilos during December?

Now to be realistic, you are not going to put on 3kg over 1-2 days of above average eating, this is more likely to happen if you are eating the extra 600cal per day for 30 days.  So here is your guide to keeping those 3kgs off this Christmas season.

Pre-Christmas Parties

In last month’s newsletter I talked about attending parties and how to stay fit and healthy.  If you can’t remember the tips or didn’t get a chance to read it, here it is again:

Surviving Party Season

So now we have to figure out how to survive the BIG 3 Days Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Did you know that research has found that on average we consume our first Christmas chocolate at 8.30am!

I thought that I would share with you a little about what my family does for Christmas.  Long before I became a PT, I remember Christmas Lunches where I would have to change my clothes because I had eaten so much I felt like I was going to explode.  Now days our Christmas Lunches are much simpler and quite healthy and I much prefer this sort of Christmas.

While this doesn’t mean I don’t have any of the “treat” foods, it just means that we are mindful of what we are serving and eating. So here are my top tips for surviving Christmas Day:

• Serve a lean roast and cook your vegies separately with olive oil spray.
• Try an “Aussie” Christmas – think seafood, BBQ and salads
• Once you have finished your meal, put food away so people don’t get the chance to pick – I know if there is food left out I will pick at it until it’s all gone!
• If you are hosting Christmas, serve food that you want to eat!  If others want treats, they need to have them in their own time.
• If you know your guests will bring that pesky box of chocolates as thanks, suggest that they maybe bring a fruit platter or healthy alternative instead.  Who really needs 15 boxes of chocolates in the cupboard??
• Limit the amount of ‘nibbles’ on offer – you don’t need to continuously nibble (even if the kids are) as the calories will creep up on you.
• Offer non-alcoholic and/or low-cal drinks such as lime and soda, or water.  Try to stay clear of diet drinks (especially soft drinks) as this can cause problems with your metabolism.
• Try not to serve alcoholic beverages too early, while “it’s 12pm somewhere in the world” is funny, just think the earlier you start consuming alcohol the more you are going to consume!
• After Christmas Lunch/Dinner instead of sitting around chatting, why not get outside with the kids and play with their toys or get a group together and go for a walk. Your energy levels will increase and you will help aid digestion.

Remember, you are not going to gain 3kg over a couple of days but these are great tips to keeping yourself on track over Christmas celebrations.

But what about New Year’s?  I swear that I drink more on New Year’s Eve than I do at any other time of the year but as you can see from above a bottle and 1 glass of champagne can lead to a 3kg gain.  Here are my tips for welcoming in 2012 without those pesky 3kg:

• Drink plenty of water – don’t wait until you are parched before drinking water, it means you are already dehydrated.
• Make your first drink for the night a glass of water.  Also try to have a glass of water for every 2 glasses of alcohol you consume.  Your liver (and head) will thank you later!
• Eat a meal before you arrive at your party (obviously this is if you are going for drinks.) If you are attending a NYE Dinner, start the night off with a glass of water and make sure it is filled up just as often as your wine glass.
• If you are thinking of taking something to a party, choose a healthier option.
• Put your dancing shoes on and boogie the night away.  Dancing is great exercise and the more you are dancing the less chance you are eating and drinking!
• Take a glass of water to bed with you at the end of the night, if you have drunk enough alcohol you will need the water to rehydrate you and reduce the chances of the fuzzy tongue in the morning.

So there you have it, my top tips for keeping those 3kg at bay over December so you can welcome in 2012, fit and fabulous!

Merry Fitness and a Healthy New Year,

Katrina

Most of us don’t drink enough water on a daily basis, so don’t feel like you are the only one.  What you need to know is why drinking more water will help you lose weight faster and for life.

To see what we are doing to our bodies by not drinking enough water, we need to bypass the dry skin, cracked lips, dull skin and hair and go inside down to our liver and kidneys.

Our liver is designed to convert stored fat into energy (also known as metabolism) and while the liver has many other functions, this would be one of its main jobs.

So if we are not drinking enough water our kidneys are unable to work 100% as they require water to flush them out.  This means that our liver needs to pick up the slack and function for the kidneys to flush all the toxins out, which means it has less time to work on converting stored fat into energy.

Our body requires roughly about 2L per day to flush out the toxins and for most of us, when we increase our water intake, we tend to need to come and go from the bathroom all day long.  However this only lasts for a couple of days, but for most of us the inconvenience of those toilet trips makes us stop at this point, when really what our body is doing at every toilet trip is flushing out all the toxins that we have been storing in our bodies from antibiotics, sugars, fats, caffeine etc.  You body is designed to get rid of any excess toxins that it doesn’t need to store.  This can also help to get rid of excess water or ‘water retention’ in ankles, hips, tummy and thighs. 

Water is our natural detox and when it has got rid of all the stored toxins our body starts to function normally (a new normal for most of us).

Water and Beauty
Water and beauty comes hand in hand as drinking plenty of water will flush out impurities in your skin, which will leave a clear and glowing complexion, it will look younger and water helps improve muscle tone so to get rid of sad saggy skin, just keep drinking water!

I know when I haven’t drunk enough water myself because I start having breakouts on my face and body and it is only when my body has completely detoxed (normally takes 2-3 days of 2L water or more) that my skin starts to look healthy again.
I have to drink how much?

It is suggested that we drink about 2L per day for the average adult, however if you are overweight you will need to add an extra 240ml for every 11.4kg of excess weight.  This number is taken from the weight you should be for your height (BMR).

You should also increase your water intake if you live in a hot climate or do intensive exercise.

The problem with needing 2L of water every day is that we panic towards the end of the day that we haven’t drunk enough and so we try to fit the 2L within the space of a few short hours…this can lead to bloating and a sloshy tummy.

We should be regularly sipping at water throughout the day, making sure that at break times breakfast/morning tea/lunch/afternoon tea/dinner we drink at least 1 full glass of water (about 250ml). 

DON’T GO THIRSTY – it’s too late by this stage; if you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated!

But I don’t like the taste of water

While water is not always the tastiest, you can try a couple of different options:

• Lemon or lime slices in a water jug with ice (some people find it easier to drink ice cold water than room temperature)
• Flavoured water – check your labels to make sure you are not ingesting sugars or other ingredients that are toxic to our bodies

Everyday Hydration hints:

 
• Look for light to clear coloured urine – this will show you how hydrated you are!
• If you are hungry when you shouldn’t be (like straight after a meal), try drinking a couple of glasses of water.  Sometimes we confuse thirst for hunger.  If you are still hungry 15 minutes later, try eating a piece of fruit to keep you going until your next meal.
• Eating fresh fruit and vegies are a great way to hydrate your body
• Keep a bottle of water handy at all times, also keep a bottle in your car but make sure it is refillable bottle not a disposable bottle as toxins are released when the bottles heat up.
• Make sure you have a drink of water first thing in the morning…8 hours is a long time to go without water.
• For every coffee/tea or alcoholic drink you need to drink a glass of water.  These can have diuretic effects and can make you lose more water from your body.

Hydration & Exercise hints:

 
• Drink one to two glasses of water at least an hour before you start exercising
• Drink another glass 20-30 minutes before exercising
• Drink 125ml – 250ml of fluid every 15 minutes or so during exercising
• Drink an additional 250ml of fluid within 30 minutes of exercising
• And ALWAYS bring your drink bottle to exercise class!!

While it is recommended that you drink a glass of water before going to bed (as 8 hours is a long time to go without water), if you are a night-time pee-er then keep a glass by your bed and take small sips during the night should you wake up a little thirsty.

So next time you look at your empty glass, fill it up and keep sipping and reap the rewards.

What are your tricks to keeping up your water intake?

Katrina

Party season is almost upon us and that means more food, more alcohol and a chance of gaining weight…but what if I told you I know some secrets to staying in shape and maybe even losing weight over the party season?

Here are my top tips for sticking to your fitness goals this party season:

1. NEVER arrive at a party hungry!

This leads to you “picking” at food – and not the good kind.  Chips, party pies, deep fried foods, lollies – these small nibbles can turn into a LARGE problem when too much is eaten.  Instead eat a protein rick snack an hour before your party.  This will keep you full so you won’t eat those nibbles.

Suggestions:

• Yoghurt with fresh berries
• Protein shake with soy milk (or low fat milk)
• small tin of tuna on crisp bread
• 1 scrambled egg

2. Balance your calories in = calories out

To keep your weight steady throughout the party season, you must consume the same amount of calories that you would burn.

If you want to keep losing weight during the party season, then you must burn more calories than you consume.

So if you are eating that extra piece of cheesecake or consuming that extra glass of wine at your next party – just know that you need to burn more calories THAT same day to keep it from reaching your hips.

3. DON’T ditch exercise

We always seem to have never enough time and during party season this “time” seems to disappear completely!  Your regular exercise routine could just be the difference between enjoying your summer at the beach or staying at home!

While you may not think you are able to fit in your full program, why not make it your priority and work all your other events around your exercise routine?  OR if that is not possible, just tweak your program making sure you get 30 minutes of “huffy-puffy” exercise a day – your body will thank you for it.

Calories burnt per hour:

• Cleaning House (light duties) 240 calories
• Walking briskly (moderate) 370 calories
• Dancing (moderate) 370 calories
• Jogging (strenuous) 580 calories
• Swimming (strenuous) 580 calories
• Running (very strenuous) 740 calories

What calories did you burn today?

4. Choose Quality over Quantity

Have you ever heard the little poem about the Pelican?

“What a wonderful bird is the pelican, his bill will hold more than his belican.  He can take in his beak, food enough for a week but I’m damned if I can see how the helican”  Dixon Lanire Merrith 1910

Much of my childhood was spent with my father telling me this poem everytime I went for the “quantity” not the quality – needless to say I enjoy the quality now days.

It is better to go for the good quality food items in smaller portions and enjoy eating the quality foods then to eat large amounts of crap and feel awful afterwards.

Next time you are eating out, just have a look at what you are eating and remind yourself how you feel before and after – I can guarantee that you will feel so much better eating the quality foods!

5. Extending Party Season throughout Summer

Ok, so we have all been here before – party season starts on Cup long weekend and tends to extend until school goes back in Feburary.  So what if this year you shortened that by a month?  Not only will you insides be loving you but so will your outsides as you will be ready for the beach and loving summer.

My theory has always been, if I know I am going to over-indulge (whether it be alcohol, sweets or nibbles) I make sure that I plan the rest of my week so that I get straight back on the healthy wagon the following meal.  This means even in I have a HUGE lunch and don’t feel like eating dinner, I will still force myself to have a healthy meal such as a chicken salad (light) or fish so that my body doesn’t go into starvation mode and store my next meal.

So start planning your calendar so that you know exactly when you will be ‘breaking the cycle’ and when you are going to get back on it.

6. DON’T overindulge in alcohol

Our party culture in Australia is all about alcohol, which is not all a bad thing but again like anything else it needs to be done in moderation.  Like I mentioned in above, you need to know when you are going to be indulging in alcohol and adjust your habits around it.

While we may start with a glass of wine at this party, a few at the next, before you know it you are having a few glasses of wine each night even if you are not going out.  The scariest part about that is not so much the alcoholic tendancies but the fact you are putting in at least 300 calories into your body with each glass of alcohol!

Just have a think about how much wine you drank over the weekend – for every glass of alcohol I want you to write down 300.  Now total up your intake over the two days and divide by two.  How many calories did you consume on average over the weekend?

If it was below 600 that’s good as chances are you have burnt those calories off.

If it was above 600 calories, you’re in a bit of strife as those calories over 600 have all started to make their way to your hips!

Keep an eye on your alcohol intake and your body will thank you later.

7. DON’T skip meals

I hear this all the time and it boils my blood – Oh i’m going to a party and I know I am going to consume lots of food and alcohol so i’m not going to eat for the day.

I’m going to tell you that that is one of the stupidest things I have every heard as you have just added another kilo to your body.  By not eating before a party you have a HUGE chance of over indulging in everything and the sad thing is that because your body has not eaten all day it thinks its in starvation mode and will store everything you are eating – all the cakes, chocolates, fried foods and alcohol will be instantly stored in your body (for a rainy day) as your body doesn’t know when it’s next meal is.

Be kind to your body and stick to your eating routine, your bum, hips and thighs will thank you for it later!

Surviving Party Season doesn’t need to be hard, it’s just about pre-planning and staying determined to each your fitness goals this season.

Let us know what helps you survive party season below.

Katrina

Would you like to know how you can make it healthy?

I used my slow cooker for the first time this week and decided to make a Thai Chicken Curry.  While the original recipe had chicken, curry paste and coconut milk there was not much else to the recipe…so I adjusted the recipe to suit what I had in the cupboard and fridge, and to my likings.

What an amazing dish it turned out to be and it has lasted me for 8-10 meals – not bad for a simple recipe.  This got me thinking about recipes and how it is possible to change a not so healthy recipe into a healthy one just by tweaking the recipe a bit.

With 12 years experience in the hospitality industry (including in kitchens) plus having a partner in the industry, I find adjustments to recipes easy to do but for most of us this does not come naturally. So today, I thought I would go through the process I used in turning a high calorie curry into a healthier, lighter meal.

Thai Red Chicken Curry

Curry Paste
2 shallots, coarsely chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and chopped
3 red chillies, seeded and chopped
1 piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tbs fish sauce (or soy sauce)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp paprika

For Curry Dish
1 tbs vegetable oil
6 skinless and boneless chicken breasts
500ml coconut milk (not light)
To make curry paste, put all ingredients in a food processor.  Process until you have a smooth paste.
In a large frying pan, heat the vegetable oil, add the chicken, and fry for a few minutes until the pieces are browned all over.  Lift out with a slotted spoon and transfer to the slow cooker.  Add the curry paste to the frying pan and fry for 2 minutes.  Slowly add the coconut milk, stirring continually and scraping the bottom of the frying pan to deglaze.  Transfer the sauce to the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.  Serve over rice.

Recipe from 50 slow-cooker dishes by Carol Beckerman, pg 121
————————————————————————————

So how do you make this recipe a little healthier? 

Firstly you notice that the recipe uses a lot of coconut cream – 500ml totals about 945 calories to the recipe.

I would change the amount of coconut cream in the recipe and add 1 cup stock, plus 140ml coconut milk instead of the cream – you have just reduced the calorie intake to 239, which is 706 calories less in this dish!

With already a slight adjustment in this dish, you are still keeping flavour but losing those extra centimetres on your hips!  Now comes the easy bit – start adding your vegies.

Slow cooker recipes require sturdy vegetable to be added to dishes, so things like potatoes, sweet potatoes, eggplant, carrot and zucchini are great additions.  I also added some mushrooms as an extra towards the end of the cooking process.

This may require you to adjust the amount of liquid in the recipe; however it’s a better option to add chicken stock rather than the coconut milk.

By adding the vegies, I was able to take a recipe that served 4-6 to now cater for about 8-10 meals and it can be frozen so no need to eat curry for every meal!!

There you have it, a very simple way to adjust your favourite recipes to become a healthy alternative!

If you have any recipes you want to share with us or need some help adjusting, please post below and we will see what we can come up with.

Yours’ in women’s health and fitness,

Katrina

I know when I was younger, mum would try to have the school holidays planned weeks in advance, knowing when she would be working or not and how to keep us entertained during that time.

Over the years I have been to many school holiday programs but with the current economic climate this is not always the easiest option for families.

Here are my 20 Sanity Saving Activities both FREE and $$$:

1. Plant some veggies or herbs together. Nothing better than getting dirty with the kids in the garden and best of all they are learning about how plants grow…just don’t forget to water! Cost $10 approx

2. Day at the beach. This obviously depends on the weather but a day at the beach is not just fun but will wear the kids out so you get a peaceful drive home. Cost $0

3. Bike Ride at Westerfolds Park.  Lots of hills and lots of places to stop and play, plus it’s great exercise for both you and the kids  Cost $0

4. Camp out in the garden (or livingroom if weather is iffy). I used to love this as a kid, pretend camping outside and if I got too scared of the dark I could come back inside to my comfy bed! Cost $0

5. Invite a playdate around.   Don’t forget there is always the chance of the playdate being reciprocated…free time! Cost $0

6. Kids bedroom makeover. This can cost you as little or as much as you want.  Whether you just move the bed, rotate some toys, clean out the clothes that no longer fit or completely transform their room the choice is yours. Cost $0 – what you want to spend

7. Explore-a-saurus at Scienceworks.  My cousins went to this last school holidays and had a ball – you can even dig for a dinosaur fossil!  Cost $18 Adults Concession $9 Children (3-5) $5 Includes general entry into Scienceworks

8. Melbourne Show. Who doesn’t like the Melbourne Show, lots to see and do and this year that have a section for the adults with the Tastes of Victoria stage.  Cost $70 for family (2A + 2C) and don’t forget the extra for the showbags!

9. Get the kids to put on a fashion show. What kid doesn’t enjoy dressing up either in costumes or your old clothes, I know I did!  This will keep them busy for hours and make you laugh at their creations. COST $0

10. Picnic in the Park. Whether it be the park around the corner from your house or the Botanical Gardens, a picnic in the garden is a great way to spend your day.  Cost $0 (except food)

11. Fairs and Markets. There are heaps of fairs and markets happing throughout September/October.  Check out What’s On Melbourne for the markets about town.  Cost $0

12. Library Visit. Most libraries throughout Victoria run activities throughout the school holidays.  Check with your local library for times and activities.

13. FREE screening of Barbie’s The Island Princess @ the Zoo. Keepers talk about Barbie’s animal friends – the elephant, monkey, peacock and red panda – and kids can follow trails to collect free swap cards.  Cost Adults $23 Children $11.50 Families $52.40.  Call 9285 9300 for more info

14. Collingwood Children’s Farm.  With spring comes baby animals and Collingwood Children’s Farm is full of lots of cute, cuddly baby animals waiting for a cuddle from you.  Cost $16 Families $8 Adults $4 Kids

15. Sovereign Hill. Lots of fun activities running at Sovereign Hill these school holidays both for kids and adults.  Cost $107.50 Families (2 A + up to 4 K)

16. Puffing Billy. Who doesn’t remember as a child riding on Puffing Billy?  Let your kids experience the old world charm of a steam train with a great day out to Emerald. Cost $81 return for Families

17. Creative with Craft.  Make your own muscial instrument or paint a picture, you and your kids imaginations are only the limits. Cost $whatever you want to spend on supplies

18. Masterchef @ home. With Junior Masterchef starting this Sunday, why not get your kids involved in bake and creating some yummy things.  Don’t forget you will need to supervise this activity. Cost $whatever you want to spend on supplies

19. Build a Cubby (inside or out). I used to love building a cubby house in my bedroom with my sister.  We would use our beds, the kitchen chairs, elastic bands, sheets, pillows and blankets to create our castle, cave or lair and would be happy playing for hours! Cost $only your kids imagination and some help from mum to construct

20. Come to Fit Mummies!! During school holidays we will be running some extra day classes on Monday’s and Thursday’s 2-2.50pm and don’t forget to invite your friends to come and join in…the more the merrier.  Bookings Essential and don’t forget to ask us for a 2 week pass for your friends. Cost $nothing extra as covered by your weekly rate

So there you have my 20 Sanity Saving School Holiday Activities to help you through the school holiday.

Share your Sanity Saving School Holiday Activities so you can help save the sanity of other mums!

Yours’ in women’s health and fitness,

Katrina

What a long winter we had, almost four months of grey skies, cold weather, rain and lots of comfort food!

We have finally arrived at spring (thank goodness) and now we need to start spring cleaning our lives including the house and our body.

While we always make a list of what needs to be spring cleaned in the house (my shower is my number 1 on the to-do list) we also need to start spring cleaning our body to get rid of all the winter toxins and get it ready and raring to go into the warmer months.

Below is my list of what you should be doing to spring clean your body ready for your health and fitness journey ahead.

1. Set yourself spring cleaning goals
Before you can even think about spring cleaning your body, you need to set yourself some goals as to why you are spring cleaning – do you want to lose weight, regain energy or get rid of the fuzzy head space?

Spend 30 quiet minutes (once the kids are asleep or at a play date) reflecting on what you would like to achieve with your body spring clean so that you can work on the steps required to get you there.

2. Throw out the rubbish
This means everything that is not going to help you achieve your body spring cleaning goals that you have already set.  Whether it be the food you are eating or the emotional rubbish you are holding onto you need to get rid of it NOW!

Clean out your cupboards of any of the foods that you know will not help you lose weight, feel energised or clear-headed – there is no space for them in your cupboard this spring.

Try mediation, hypnotherapy or a good cardio session for clearing the emotional rubbish out of your head.

3. If you can’t pronounce it…don’t eat it!
This comes hand in hand with step 2.  Have a look at the foods you are currently eating and read the labels carefully – can you pronounce and understand what EVERY ingredient is in what you are eating?  If not throw it out, it’s not good for you.

The best foods are those that don’t need a nutritional panel at all – fresh fruit, vegetables and lean meats.

4. Install a watering system
…For your body.  This is something I regularly talk about but is quite often hard to put into place.  I carry a drink bottle wherever I go, so that I can sip when I need it throughout the day.

It is important that you get 8-10 glasses of pure water every day – this will stop dehydration, dry skin, clear up pimples/acne and help you have a clear head. Tea, cordial and flavoured waters can be drunk but this would be on top of the 8-10 glasses of pure water you should be having.

5. Re-energise your mind
You can spring clean your body all you like but if you are not looking after your mind and re-energising it then the rest won’t work.  Try to spend 30 quite minutes a day to meditate, take up yoga or just do something for yourself that you always wanted to do but never had time for.

This is not an invitation for a sleep; this is a way of clearing the mind and restocking your energy levels.

6. Plan ahead
Being a busy mum is not an excuse for not eating healthy; fitting in exercise or having time for you…it’s all about the planning process.  Spend 30 minutes on a Sunday afternoon planning your week ahead with the family so that you know when you need to plan your meals to take with you, plan for exercise and/or time for yourself.

If you would like some help with planning meals/exercise programs etc, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Planning takes out the excuses we come up with when we don’t have time!

7. Give it a go
Now that spring has sprung, it’s time to start increasing your fitness levels.  While you having training throughout the week, the way to exceptional results it to do something extra every day.  From healthy eating to incidental exercise the more you do every day the better your results will be!

There is now no excuse that it’s too wet, too cold, and too dark – our days are getting longer, the rain is every second day and it is much warmer.

So there you have it my top 7 tips to spring cleaning your body from the inside out ready to help you reach your health and fitness goals this spring.

What are your body spring cleaning goals?

Yours’ in women’s health and fitness,

Katrina

As some of you may know, Pink Ribbon Day and the Breast Cancer Network Australia are close to my chest…

Just over a year ago a dear friend of mine, Teresa was diagnosed with breast cancer – she was on 48.  Over the past 12 months, Teresa has fought a good battle and on her way towards victory.  The thought of possibly losing this dear friend of mine (or anyone else close to me) to this disease terrifies me, so I have made it my mission to help raise funds for the BCNA and help find a cure.

This year I am supporting the Pink Ribbon Awareness Fundraiser run by the Veneto Club Women’s Auxiliary Club and would love for all of you to take part as well.

When: Friday 21 October 2011

Where: Veneto Club Bulleen

Time: TBA

Cost: $100 per person

By purchasing the ticket you are making at $50 tax deductible donation to BCNA, recieving all food, drink, DJ a $20 Perle Lingerie voucher and chocolate.

There will be guest speakers on the night and my sources tell me that Shane Crawford may be one of them! Silent auctions will also be
happening on the night.

So if you want to leave the kids at home, let your hair down and do something for a good cause then come join me on my table by calling  0413 861 118 or katrina@playballfitness.com.au

I opened up the newspaper this morning…

only to find a picture of Rebecca Judd taking the catwalk by storm six weeks after giving birth to her beautiful baby boy Oscar…listening to all my mum’s at Fit Mummies I can see that there is a lot of jealousy surrounding these beautiful “super” mums.  Like the comic image above there is a lot of behind the scenes work done to get them this way.

Let’s face it their bodies are their job!

It was interesting to see in the article about Rebecca Judd this morning there was mention of pre-pregnancy exercise, during pregnancy exercise, post pregancy exercise, good nutrition and GOOD Genes…start to notice the pattern?

While it may be too late to fix your body before children, now is the time to put some time and effort into your body after children with regular exercise, healthy eating and positive thinking.

While most of us will never look like Miranda Kerr or Rebecca Judd, we can at least start feeling happy and excited about our new post-children bodies and start loving ourselves again.

How much do you love your body?  If not what are you doing to fix it?

Until next time,

Yours’ in women’s health and fitness,

Katrina