With 2015 well and truly here, it’s time to get back into the swing of a healthy eating and fitness routine to shed some of those extra party kilos that crept on during this festive season.
1) Liver cleansing:
Our liver is the main organ that metabolizes and breaks down fats, pollutants and toxins that enter our body. It can become sluggish and dysfunctional if we over do it with junk food or alcohol; so give it a helping hand to break down fats faster by starting your day with half a freshly squeezed lemon in some room temperature water before breakfast.
2) Quick Paleo Cleanse:
You may or may not have heard about the paleo diet, but short term, it can be very successful for weight loss. For one week switch out all grain based and processed carbohydrates, such wheat, rice, barley, oats, sugar, alcohol, breads, pasta, sweets, cereals and replace them with wholefood fruit and vegetable based carbohydrates, such as banana, apple, pear, watermelon, papaya, mango, broccoli, lettuce, spinach, bok choy, and any other vegetable of your liking.
3) Thermogenic foods:
Ever wondered which foods could speed up weight loss? There are certain foods that can, and most of them are those super high in particular antioxidants or good fats. Cayenne pepper is a great addition to the diet; it contains the active ingredient capsicum. Turmeric is another newly discovered super food, which can trigger weight loss, as are chia seeds, chia seed oil, flax seeds, purple carrots, and purple plums.
4) High Fibre Foods:
Eating foods high in fibre make us feel full and more satiated, so we eat less. Recent scientific discoveries from The University of Queensland have also found that a diet high in fibre feeds our good gut bacteria. Good gut bacteria are responsible for better digestion, improved general health, less disease and many more health benefits. So use whole foods raw nuts, vegetables, cooked legumes, brown rice, Synergy Supergreens, wheatgrass, barley grass and chlorella to your diet for the boost to your good gut bacteria.
5) New Fitness Regime:
The foods we choose to eat have a 70-80% of an effect on the weight we gain or lose, but exercise is still a very valuable contributing factor to health too. Research has shown that choosing an exercise that you enjoy is vital to long-term success, while slow and steady seems to win the weight loss race. Newer research is confirming that while intense exercise can be great for muscle building and increases in cardiovascular fitness, weight loss is best achieved through longer periods of low intensity exercise, such as walking for 40-60 minutes four to seven times a week.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Honor Tremain - Nutritionist and health writer
She has been working in the field of health for the last 20 years.
Honor is the Nutrition Journalist for the global Fitness First Magazine, and columnist for the APN newspapers in Queensland, with her own “Ask Honor” column. She is a corporate health speaker and additionally treats clients in her busy private practice.
She is a director and recipe designer for the new food company Neo Bella Health Foods.
Honor is passionate about education people in the truth about food, nutrition and health, so stays abreast with the latest scientific research, regularly interviewing experts in the field and marrying it with traditional philosophy and wisdom.
You can follow her and many of her articles on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/HonorTremain
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