Category Archives: Diet And Food

Gisele Bundchens unhealthy habits as a 20-something led to panic attacks that were so intense she hit rock bottom.

The supermodel admits her diet as a young model was so poor she started every day with a coffee and four cigarettes.

I felt like I reached rock bottom, she tells Australian Vogue. It became so unbearable I couldnt breathe and I thought, I gotta change.

But adopting a healthier lifestyle was more difficult than she imagined.

My system was so used to that life it was in shock because I stopped everything, she says. We are beings of habit and I think you cant just expect to do something you have always done and stop. You have to replace bad habits with good habits.

She adds, So when I stopped having coffee, the mocha frappuccino for breakfast and four cigarettes when I woke up in the morning, I started running. I dont run anymore, but I ran then because it allowed me to feel my lungs and every time I ran for 20 minutes I was like, OK, I can feel my lungs. OK, Im not smoking.

The 39-year-old, who is now a mum of two, claims meditation helped to get her breathing back on track.

I was meditating with breathing techniques so I would not feel anxious, she shares. (Before that) I would get into the elevator and I would feel like I was going to die. So I replaced bad habits with things that were supporting me and I realized that every day I was feeling better.

The rest is here:
Gisele Bundchen thought she 'was going to die' on diet of caffeine, cigarettes - Montreal Gazette

A few weeks back Diet Cig announced a spring tour with Sad13 and Thin Lips, and that was enough to get us properly excited for the changing of the seasons. This week, theyve upped the ol ante, as the New York guitar-rock duo of Alex Luciano and Noah Bowman drop a banger new tune with a lyrical refrain that were going to start incorporating into daily conversations with pretty much everyone: Im thriving thanks for asking.

That tune is called Thriving, and it will be included on the bands forthcoming sophomore album, Do You Wonder About Me?. The LP arrives May 1 via Frenchkiss Records. And if Thriving is any indication, were in for something special.

Thriving is a cathartic, campy release of feelings. Its about the duality of absolutely thriving without someone but also desperately wanting them to notice you doing so. Inspired by the melodrama of reality TV and musical theater, we wanted the song to bounce back and forth between a lavish personal anthem and the anguish of feeling forever beholden to others opinions.

Part of that aforementioned spring tour are stops at The Met in Providence on May 18 and Cambridges The Sinclair on May 20. Get all dates after the video jump, and go out there and thrive any way you see fit.

More here:
Diet Cig are 'Thriving' but let's be honest you already knew that - Vanyaland

A dietary trend that caught wind over the last few years, veganism, is believed to be the most environment friendly among all diets. Even though the production of meat and dairy does produce a large percentage of greenhouse gases responsible for the global climate change crisis, veganism, does not pose as the most effective solution. The vegan diet, limiting the intake of all animal produced foods, leaves a large number of resources unutilized. The diet might not be as sustainable as the world thinks.Diets with meat can feed more peopleThe most pressing puzzle faced by man, today, is ensuring the production of enough food for everyone. However, the amount of agricultural land on Earth may not suffice for everyone. In such a scenario, if a majority of the population convert to veganism, agriculture might not be able to provide for everyone. Diets which have a component of meat or dairy mean more amount of food for more number of people.

Providing vegan food all year longFollowing a vegan diet is a yearlong commitment to consuming only plant based food like fruits, vegetables, nuts and soy. A privilege provided to modern man allows us to get the same produce all year round. With the rising popularity of veganism, the world need to be producing all kinds of fruits and vegetables all year-round. However, unprecedented amounts of energy is used to grow these produce when they are not in season, which when coupled with packaging and shipping waste, have the same deteriorating effects on the environment.

More here:
Is the vegan diet as sustainable as promised? - Times of India

Olive oil is the health nuts worst-kept secret: Almost everyone, it seems, has been waxing ecstatically about the health powers of this Mediterranean staple for the better part of the past few decades. But now, the Internet is full of chatter about the potential benefits of giving your diet an oil change.

Black seed oil, also called black cumin or kalonji, has a long history of culinary and medicinal use in certain regions of the world, but it is fairly new to the American market. Even so, youll come across no shortage of self-appointed health gurus who are all too happy to gush about this oil and say that you should definitely run to your closest health food store and splurge on the stuff.

But what exactly is black seed oil, is it really that good for you, and how the heck are you supposed to add this mysterious liquid into your diet? We looking into the latest research to find out.

Black seed hails from Nigella sativa, a flowering shrub that grows abundantly in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and parts of Asia. The seeds are a traditional Middle Eastern spice used in range of recipes including breads and salads. The tiny black seeds can also be pressed to extract their liquid fat.

Black seed has been used medicinally in its countries of origin for eons to help treat everything from asthma to an upset stomach to sagging energy levels. Its believed that archaeologists even found black seeds in King Tuts tomb, signifying their importance. But in recent years, black seed oil has gained popularity in the North American health food sphere as awareness of its believed health benefits spreads.

Beyond the anecdotal, a handful of scientific studies, primarily conducted on animals, have shown that there is a potential for the consumption of this new oil to aid in knocking our bodies into better shape.

[Want to fly up hills? Climb! gives you the workouts and mental strategies to conquer your nearest peak.]

Some research suggests that black seed oil may help slash the risk for diabetes by improving blood sugar control, help lower blood pressure numbers, enhance liver functioning, aid in fending off certain cancers, and work to improve blood cholesterol numbersmaking it a potential champion for heart health. A daily dose may even help bring a new generation of cyclists into the world by improving semen quality in infertile men. But to date, there are no studies that have addressed any connection between daily black seed oil usage and athletic performance.

Most likely, the potential diverse health benefits of black seed oil are owing to certain chemical compounds such as thymoquinone that may have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Like other edible oils such as olive oil, black seed oil is also a source of beneficial unsaturated fats. One study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that replacing some of the saturated fat in our diets from sources such as red meat and dairy with unsaturated omega-6 fat, which can be found in seed oils, may improve heart health by reducing the production of LDL (bad) cholesterol particles.

As mentioned, though, there is a lack of long-term human studies to back up the purported benefits of black seed oil, so at the moment, its difficult to draw any definitive conclusions on its healing properties. And we dont yet know how much black seed oil you would have to take and for how long to reap the rewards. More research is needed.

When eaten, black seed oil has a slightly bitter flavor thats reminiscent of a combo of cumin and oregano. Its robust flavor and high price point, about $20 for an 8-ounce bottle, means that most people wont be using black seed oil as a go-to for dressing or stir-fry.

As with other strongly-flavored oils like hazelnut and sesame, its best reserved for light culinary use such as drizzling over finished dishes such as soups, curries, roasted vegetables, and pasta dishes. Start slow until you understand how the flavor of the oil changes the personality of your final dish.

The recommended daily dose for black seed oil is 1 to 2 teaspoons daily. For optimal freshness and to prevent rancidity, keep it in a dark, cool place away from heat and direct sunlight. The oil is also available in capsules making for a convenient option.

The bottom line: With its potential (though largely unconfirmed) health benefits, black seed oil seems like its worth the hype, but much more long-term research in humans (and athletes in particular) is necessary before we can say for sure that it should be a pantry staple.

Until then, its best to ignore the latest buzzy health trends and make sure youre following a nutritious, whole-food-based diet that includes other healthy (and more research-backed) oils like olive oil.

Read this article:
What is Black Seed Oil and Is It Better for You Than Olive Oil? - Bicycling

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Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, is one of the most iconic personalities in the world. Not just because hes filled to the brim with charm. But because he is a physical phenomenon. One look at the guy and your mind almost bends in half trying to imagine how a human body can get to that size.

So its no surprise that Dwayne Johnson has become not just one of the biggest actors in the world. But hes also something of a physical fitness guru. And it isnt just routines and diets that can help you out. Your wardrobe can also play a key role in your fitness.

How can your wardrobe affect your fitness? Simple. If you are uncomfortable when youre working out, you wont go as hard as you should. Even if its a subtle decrease in effort, it will affect your progress. You need to go hard at all times, and comfort will help you out.

For a few years now, Johnson has teamed up with Under Armour to deliver some of the best workout attire you can ask for in the Project Rock Collection. These are high-quality clothes that will keep you relaxed the entire time you work out. And they look so good, you can wear them out when youre hanging with friends.

A bunch of items have just been added to Project Rock. So much so, that we have gathered some of our favorites below to show you all that is awaiting when you head to the Under Armour store.

So check out our favorites in the new batch below.

And click here if you want to check out the entire Project Rock collection.

For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!

Original post:
The Rock Has Added Some New Items To His Under Armour Collection - Men's Journal

When Arsne Wenger arrived in England in 1996 he was alarmed at the diet or more accurately, lack of diet among his Arsenal players. Wenger banned chocolate immediately, causing senior members of the squad to bristle with resentment. He recalls the resistance en route to his first game: We were travelling to Blackburn and the players were at the back of the bus chanting: We want our Mars bars! Almost 25 years later, the landscape has changed dramatically in English football. Clubs now provide detailed nutritional advice to their players, with the richest clubs even employing full-time nutritionists.

Shortly after Jrgen Klopp moved to Liverpool in 2016, Mona Nemmer joined the club as head of nutrition from Bayern Munich, where she had worked with Pep Guardiola for three years. She quickly established individual dietary plans for every player in the first-team squad. Her sphere of influence does not stop at the clubs training ground, but extends to what players consume on the team bus, in the hotels they use for away games and even their homes. Some players like to cook for themselves, some like to take away a packed bag with food in, but here we like to react individually, she says. If the player wants a cooking lesson, or their wives or girlfriends do, we are free in the sense to help them with whatever they need. A Liverpool FC recipe book was even mooted but it has yet to see the light of day.

Some players go to the extent of hiring their own personal chefs. Harry Kane started working with his own chef a few years ago. It kind of clicked in my head that a football career is so short. It goes so quickly, you have to make every day count, he said in 2017. I have a chef at home to eat the right food, helping recovery. You cant train as hard as youd like when you have so many games, so you have to make the little gains elsewhere, like with food. Hes there every day, Monday to Saturday, and leaves it in the fridge for Sunday. I hardly ever see him because Im at training, but hell cook the food and leave it in the fridge. Weve got a good plan going.

Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gndogan, Luke Shaw, Paul Pogba and Phil Jones are among the Manchester-based players who use the services of Jonny Marsh, a private chef who was trained by Raymond Blanc before working for billionaires and on private yachts. Marsh started working in football when Manchester City contacted him to ask whether he would make Christmas dinner for De Bruyne.

De Bruyne is particularly fond of carbonara, so Marsh spent a few months developing a recipe for the dish that tastes right but has none of the usual ingredients. The players love simple food. Kevin De Bruynes favourite dish is the Kevin Carbonara - which is not bad for you at all, writes Marsh in his food column for the Mirror. The attention to detail that goes into something that looks so simple is huge. Making sure Im using natural anti-inflammatory and recovery agents from food on specific days enables players to recover quicker, making sure that players with certain deficiencies are able to eat normal food without having to ram certain foods down them. I make sure that snacks, desserts and breakfasts, fuel, recover and aid them in their days.

The way it works is, I ask what they want that week and then me and my chefs will start prep on a Monday and get everything ready for everyone. Then we deliver all over the country to players. Its mad though word gets out if someones playing well and suddenly everyone wants to eat what they had.

Marsh liaises closely with club nutritionists, such as Tom Parry at Manchester City, to ensure menus are specifically tailored towards the players requirements. Nutritional advice will differ depending on the players age, metabolism, position and even taste, says Dr Mayur Ranchordas, a nutrition consultant who currently works with Wolverhampton Wanderers. We are dealing with a variety of different cultures and different tastes. So we create diverse menus suitable for a Mediterranean diet, as well as English or South American ones. You have to make allowances for that. Wolves employ several chefs to cater for the individual tastes in their squad.

Ranchordas has worked in football for decades and has noticed how attitudes have changed over time. Nutritional support was brought in as and when it was needed, rather than being a service that is required on a day-to-day basis, Ranchordas says. Nuno [Espirito Santo] is very open to anything we can do to help players from both a performance and recovery perspective. It has become more holistic. Ten years ago players would pay attention to what you were saying, but they werent that fussed about applying the info. Whereas now players are so much more receptive and open-minded as they realise what impact good nutrition can have on their performance, recovery and injury prevention and will act upon it accordingly.

The technology available to nutritionists has also improved, with everything from heart rate and body fat percentages checked and monitored at all times. I have continuous feedback and data, Ranchordas says. For example, when we do the bloods, we know if players are deficient in certain nutrients. So, some players might need vitamin D or Omega 3, or they might be lacking iron, so you can target the nutrition intervention through adapting their diet and providing supplements.

What players eat also depends on their position on the pitch. The players who cover a lot of distance such as full-backs or box-to-box midfielders expend more energy than centre-backs or goalkeepers so will need a lot more calories. Chris Rosimus, who has worked with Leicester City as well as the England cricket teams, says: For a footballer theres a huge emphasis on ensuring that the body is loaded with fuel before a match, mainly through carbohydrates so that they can perform and delay fatigue over those 90 minutes, Rosimus says. Whereas cricketers can be in the field for a long period of time for many days in hot conditions so its not highly anaerobic work. Although they might need comparable amounts of calories, the distribution of the carbohydrates, fats and proteins would be entirely different.

Most players will eat five times a day, Ranchordas says. Theyll have breakfast then train, followed by lunch, then after more training they will have a mid-afternoon snack followed by dinner and lastly a protein meal or shake with a bit of fruit before they go to bed. With nutrition what you eat before, during and after can have huge implications on how you perform and on how you feel.

If you think about how many meals a football player eats in a typical season, how many games they play, small changes in what and when they eat plus the quality of that food has massive implications on how they feel and how quickly they can recover so that is why nutrition is no longer overlooked or viewed just as a treatment but very much as a performance enhancer.

The days of the whole team eating the same meals together are long gone. When I first came into the industry there was pretty much a blanket approach, says Rosimus. But nowadays, although the food provision is roughly the same, how that is applied to individuals is very specific. So chicken and pasta will always be staples of a high-performance diet but how and when they are consumed is what makes it different.

Aside from providing guidance and healthy menus, nutritionists occasionally have to warn players off particular foods, as Ranchordas recalls. A few years ago a player came to me as he had been told by some of his fellow professionals that eating bulls testicles would increase his testosterone and he wanted to explore that. Thats probably the weirdest thing I have had to deal with during my time in the game. One imagines there were not too many protests when this particular foodstuff was taken off the menu.

Richard Fosters new book Premier League Nuggets is out now and you can follow him on Twitter.

Go here to see the original:
The evolution of football nutrition: from chocolate to 'Kevin Carbonara' - The Guardian

Is it possible to go low-carb a plant-based diet? Eating fewer carbs is indeed harder when you're plant-based since when you first give up animal products, there's a tendency to pile on processed foods and carbs, and fill up on pasta, rice, cereal and crackers or chips. People tend to go overboard on the carbs when they go vegetarian, plant-based, or even flexitarian, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, author of Read It Before You Eat It.Its easy to fill up on our favorite food group. Hereshow to avoid the carb trap, and stay fit, healthy and lean on a plant-based diet.

One of the reasons plant-based dieters are likely to overdo the carbs is that theyre really easy to make, find, and eat, says Taub-Dix. Especially for people who are on the go. Muffins, crackers, bread or rolls are the kind of the foods thatyou reach for, because they're so easy, portable, and their prep is basically nonexistent.

In some cases, the economic ease of eating carbs is a factor. A carb-heavy snack like pretzelsis less expensive thannuts, or another plant-based snack. Of course seeds and nuts or a piece of fruit (even though it has carbs is full of fiber) would be a better choice.

One of the main reasons we all love carbs is that they are the king of comfort, says Taub-Dix. When you eat carbohydrates, especially carbohydrates that are pure, like a piece of whole-grain toast, the carbohydrates get absorbed and stimulate the release of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin, which provides comfort feelings. Thats why youre more likely to reach for a carb snack when youre feeling stressed, rather than carrots and hummus. Your body is wired to crave carbs for that serotonin release that will improve your mood.

When you first decide to reduce carbs from your plant-based diet, assess how many grams youre eating daily so you know how much you need to dial it back. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans say that 45 to 65 percent of your diet should be carbohydrates (about 225 to 325 grams per day). Thats if youre following a 2,000-calorie diet, which is often used as an example. If you're eating less than 2,000 calories, dial it down accordingly.

Not everyone needs a 2,000-calorie diet, says Taub-Dix. And for some people, 325 grams is a lot of carbs each day and not necessary. If youre trying to lose weight, experiment within the lower end of the range. Download an app that will help you track carb counts to find a range you feel satisfied with while creating balanced meals. We like MyFitnessPal, Carb Manager, Senza, and Macros to name a few.

Remember that carbs arent just grains, potatoes, pasta, and rice. Sources of naturally occurring carbs include fruits, vegetables, dairy, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Choose carbs that are high in fiber, unprocessed, and filling, like carrots, broccoli, artichokes, and beets.

The most important thing to calculate when choosing carbs are "net carbs" which are the carbs absorbed by the body. To calculate your net carbs, subtract the fiber in your food from your carbs. That is the number of carbs that your body uses as fuel, or if you don't use them (walking, running, commuting or just sitting at your desk) those carbs are the ones slated to be stored as fat.

To calculate net carbsin processed foods, subtract the fiber and a portion of the sugar alcohol on the label (which also does not get absorbed the same way as carbs) from the total carbohydrates listed. In general, most processed food is lower in fiber than natural whole foods, so if you're eating carbs, eat complex carbs in the form of grains, vegetables, and fruits.

Some plant-based meal delivery services allow you to choose meals that are lower in carbs, when you sign in and choose the menu choices, such asPurple Carrots Spaghetti Bolognese with zucchini noodles and ground beef crumbles, Macro-Mediterraneans Roasted Tomato and Black Walnut burgers on their weight loss program, or one of Thrive Foods Directs meals. Learn to cook this way as you go: Those zoodles have fewer net carbs than regular pasta because the fiber content in the zucchini counts in your favor.

Cutting down on your carbs without feeling like youre eliminating them altogether is the key to success. Just by slicing your current carbohydrate consumption in half and doubling up on vegetables, you'll add the necessary fiber to lower the carb impact on your body.

For breakfast, cook 1/3-cup of dry oats with low-carb fruits, like blueberries, to round out yourmeal and give you slow-burning energy to start your day.

Make your lunch sandwich open-faced and chooseabread that has at least 3 grams of fiber per slice.Portion out a -cup of brown rice at dinner since brown rice has more than four times the fiber of white rice.

Youre patting yourself on the back for following a plant-based diet, but if most of your veggie intake is potatoes, corn, and peas, you could be making smarter choices. Pile your plate with leafy greens, peppers, zucchini, asparagus, tomatoes, and green beans. Lose thestarchy vegetables (potatoes) and instead opt for cauliflower, broccoli and brussels sprouts. Choose avocadoes and berries as low-carb fruits instead of bananas which have 27 grams of carbs each.

In order for you to feel satisfied and full while reducing carbs, you may want to increase the amount of fat and plant protein youre eating. A study published in The Lancet found that study subjects who ate low carb diets and replaced their calories withcalories from animal-derived fat had a higher mortality rate. Those who replaced the calories with plant-based fats had a lower mortality rate.

To quote the study:

"Low carbohydrate dietary patterns favoring animal-derived protein and fat sources from sources such as lamb, beef, pork, and chicken, were associated with higher mortality, whereas those that favored plant-derived protein and fat intake, from sources such as vegetables, nuts, peanut butter, and whole-grain bread, were associated with lower mortality, suggesting that the source of food notably modifies the association between carbohydrate intake and mortality."

So the bottom line is: choose carbs that have high fiber content. And round out your dietwith low-carb sources like nuts, seeds, tofu, nut oils, nut butter, chia seeds, and hemp seeds.

Read the original:
How to Lower Your Carbs on a Plant-Based Diet - The Beet

To most of us, bombarded by the diet and wellness culture, the idea that the healthiest way of eating is to follow your instincts and scoff exactly what you want, when you want it, sounds, frankly, too good to be true.

In an era of superfoods, carb restriction and endless finger-wagging over dairy, sugar and meat, ditching the forbidden list and instead embracing it all mashed potatoes, biscuits, pasta, bread, whatever you fancy feels positively sacrilegious. And mildly terrifying.

But thats the basis of Intuitive Eating, the craze hailed for its body-positive message, currently sweeping the smartest kitchens and most fashionable Instagram accounts from California to Chelsea.

Described last month by U.S. Vogue as a countermovement to the restrictive diets, fasting trends and other dubious self-improvement strategies so many of us are committed to, Intuitive Eating has exploded in popularity over the past 12 months. London even has its own Centre for Intuitive Eating to train nutritionists and clients.

In fact, its not a new movement. This year, it celebrates its 25th birthday. The term was first coined in the book Intuitive Eating, A Revolutionary Program That Works, by dietitian Evelyn Tribole, now 60, and nutritional therapist Elyse Resch, 74, who describes her Beverly Hills practice as overrun with new patients.

A new edition of the book is being published in June to coincide with the wave of fresh interest.

But why the revival now? Both women cite a backlash against the idea of the perfect female body.

I think the #MeToo movement has had a huge impact, says Elyse. Women are tired of being told their value is based on their size or shape, and theyre tired of not enjoying their food.

One of the greatest pleasures in life is to feel satisfied after eating something wonderful. If youre constantly worried about your health or your body, you just cant experience that.

A former teacher, Elyse struggled with endless dieting and binge-eating in her 20s and 30s it was probably a fully-fledged eating disorder before retraining as a nutritionist and learning to love food.

Meanwhile, Evelyn was a distance runner, on the fringes of the U.S. Olympic team in the mid-1980s when women were first allowed to run the marathon. I was never a chronic dieter, she says. I hung out with the boys.

But her mother was a diet obsessive. When she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 64, I remember her telling me how much she regretted wasting all those years dieting, worried about her size, says Evelyn.

Their favourite foods now are chocolate (Evelyn) and pasta (Elyse), but because they are in tune with their hunger the cornerstone of Intuitive Eating theyre very much a normal weight, or the weight theyre genetically disposed to be, as they describe it.

Since the original book was published, 125 studies have been done on our methods, and they all conclude its really something that works, says Evelyn.

Now we have this social upheaval among women who want to eat for energy and health. Its an incredibly exciting moment.

Here, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch reveal the secrets to Intuitive Eating in an extract from their life-changing book

In a world of ever-multiplying and often contradictory dietary rules, Intuitive Eating seems like such a radical message. Ditching those rules can feel scary. Most of the clients we see at our nutritional practices are weary of endless dieting and yet terrified of eating the wrong thing.

But Intuitive Eating changes that mindset completely.

All those fad diets lead only to weight stigma, deprivation, rebellion and rebound weight gain.

When you eat according to your inner hunger and satiety signals and make peace with food, you let go of guilt. You eat in a way that ceases to be a struggle and boosts the health of mind and body. Intuitive Eating teaches you how to trust yourself again.

Yes, you can eat anything! When you allow yourself to eat all foods, a choice for chocolate becomes emotionally equal to a choice for a peach. It means your food choices do not reflect your character or morality. Intuitive Eating will not only change your relationship with food; it may change your life.

We do, of course, understand that initial sense of fear. Often it comes from an overpowering anxiety that, if youre allowed to eat anything, you wont stop eating a favourite forbidden food. Perhaps you are afraid that if chips and chocolate arent on the bad-for-you list, youll eat them all day long.

But, trust us, when you know that previously forbidden foods are unconditionally allowed, the urgency to have large quantities of them eventually dissipates. At first people often eat larger amounts of foods theyve previously restricted and they may eat them more often, but that phase doesnt last long.

Ironically, once you truly know you can eat whatever you want, the intensity to eat greatly diminishes.

Intuitive Eating means ditching the tyranny of the diet. Forget about will-power or obedience or rules! Ditch the scales, too. When you march in tune to your body, youll be relying on your internal signals rather than on external factors and authority figures, whom youre bound to defy.

Were nutritionists, but in the beginning we dont focus on nutrition, because it interferes with the process of learning how to become an Intuitive Eater. Or re-learning it the majority of us are born with an instinctive connection to the sense of hunger and fullness; we just lose it as a result of our endless obsession with diet and food.

Is this nutrition heresy? No. In case after case, once clients have made their peace with food, we find they end up balancing their intake to include mostly nutritious foods.

The last thing we want is for nutrition to become another mechanism to make you feel bad about the way you eat; instead, once you embrace Intuitive Eating, it becomes a path to feeling as physically good as you can.

Many people use BMI (Body Mass Index) to determine weight categories, but that is a profoundly flawed metric, not least because muscle weighs more than fat.

Instead we use the concept of genetically-determined weight. This is the weight your body will maintain with normal/intuitive eating and normal exercise.

The problem with most of the people we see is that their eating relationship is not normal, due to years of dieting. But remember this is not a diet. Start by taking the quiz, above, to see what areas you need to work on first.

Throw out the diet books that offer you the false hope of losing weight quickly, easily and permanently. If you allow even one small hope to linger that a new and better diet might be lurking around the corner, it will prevent you from being free to discover Intuitive Eating.

Keep your body fed with adequate energy and carbohydrates. Otherwise you can trigger a primal drive to overeat. (Once you reach the moment of excessive hunger, all intentions of moderate, conscious eating fly out the window.) Learning to follow this rst biological signal sets the stage for rebuilding trust in yourself and in food.

Give yourself unconditional permission to eat. If you tell yourself that you cant or shouldnt have a particular food, it can lead to intense feelings of deprivation that lead to bingeing.

Scream a loud no to thoughts that declare youre good for eating minimal calories or bad because you ate a piece of chocolate cake. Chasing the Food Police away is a critical step.

In our compulsion to comply with diet culture, we often overlook one of the most basic gifts of existence: the pleasure and satisfaction that can be found in the eating experience. When you eat what you really want, in an environment that is inviting, the pleasure you derive will be a powerful force in helping you feel satised and content.

Listen for the body signals that tell you youre no longer hungry. Observe the signs that show youre comfortably full. Pause in the middle of eating and ask yourself how the food tastes, and what your current hunger level is.

Anxiety, loneliness, boredom and anger are emotions we all experience. Each has its own trigger and each has its own appeasement. Food wont x any of these feelings. It may comfort in the short term. But food wont solve the problem.

Accept your genetic blueprint. Just as a person with a size 8 shoe would not expect to squeeze into a size 6, it is equally futile (and uncomfortable) to have a similar expectation about body size. Respect your body, so you can feel better about who you are.

Forget militant exercise. Just get active and feel the difference. Shift your focus to how it feels to move your body, rather than the calorie-burning effect of exercise. One of the reasons women dont enjoy exercise is that theyre often doing it while underfeeding their body as part of a diet.

Make food choices that work for your health and tastebuds while making you feel good. Remember, you dont have to eat perfectly to be healthy. You wont suddenly get a nutrient deciency from one snack, or one meal. Its what you eat consistently over time that matters. Progress, not perfection, is what counts.

adapted by Alison Roberts from Intuitive Eating, by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch (St Martins Griffin, 12.99) Evelyn Resch & Elyse Resch 2012. To order a copy for 10.40, visit http://www.mailshop.co.uk or call 01603 648155. Offer valid until April 30, 2020. P&P free. A new, updated edition will be published in June.

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Eat what you want and get the body you love - Brinkwire

Image Credit: iStock

Should women be eating differently from men? How do the ideal diets for men and women compare? The answer is, to use the very common phase, same-same but different. The nutritional requirements for men and women are very similar, but there are significant differences in dietary details that women need to pay attention to, experts say.

Men and women are 98.5 per cent identical in their DNA, and their nutritional needs are more similar than different. Thats true for carbohydrates and proteins but not for fats, vitamins and minerals, says Dr Wafaa Ayesh, Director, Clinical Nutrition at Dubai Health Authority.

It comes down to biology, explains UK-qualified nutritionist, wellbeing expert and author Laura Holland. Women have monthly menstrual cycles and go through pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause. For these reasons their requirements for minerals and vitamins are higher than for men, she says.

Iron and calcium are crucial for womens health, she suggests that women at any stage of their lives will benefit from the improved hormonal balance and better energy levels that come with iron- and calcium-rich foods such as seaweeds, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, avocados and dried fruits. We dont need more endless lists of what we should be eating, rather better guidance in becoming more aware of our bodys signals of imbalance and how to address this relative to our unique biology and biography!

- Dr Wafaa Ayesh, Director, Clinical Nutrition, DHA

Its important that women focus on themselves, Holland adds. Women are carers, usually of everyone else before themselves, this is the real challenge that we need to address to really help women to feel good whilst accomplishing all the amazing things that are being witnessed today. Their success should not be at the cost of their health and wellbeing, nutrition is a wonderful way to begin re-prioritising.

An age -related approach

With that in mind, Better Health asked the nutritionists to recommend the correct nutrition approaches for adult women across different age groups, from young adults to women in their golden years. Heres what they had to say:

Young adults

Women aged 19-30 need about 1,800 to 2,200 calories a day with 3 hours of physical activity per week, says Alaa Takidin, Clinical Dietitian, Canadian Specialist Hospital. She recommends a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and low-fat dairy, nuts and seeds. Young adults should focus on important vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron and vitamins A, C, D and B complex. This is when you need to make sure youre drinking enough water and taking in enough sodium and fibre.

Consider eating more sweet potatoes, whole grains, oats, quinoa, beans and lentils, rather than sugary white bread and pasta, adds Holland. [Look for] complex carbohydrates to feed the brain for studying and to encourage sustainable energy and balanced blood sugar, which will help the mood too!

Child-bearing years

While its hard to delineate the best age to become a mother, women who are readying for motherhood, pregnant or breastfeeding, require a varied and balanced diet. A varied and balanced diet from the preconception period is essential for maternal well-being and favourable outcomes of pregnancy, Dr Wafaa says, adding that women in even the most industrialised societies have unsatisfactory diets in pregnancy and lactation.

Ensure youre getting enough Omega-3 fatty acid, iron, iodine, calcium, folic acid and Vitamin D. That means adding oily fish such as sardines or salmon, meat, beans, leafy vegetables, citrus fruits and dairy products to your plate, as well as making sure you get enough sunlight. At this stage, think about your body mass index, she adds. Very high or low BMI over 35 or under 20, respectively is associated with difficulties in conceiving, complications during pregnancy, labour and delivery, and increased risk to the baby. Any disordered eating present must be addressed before weight gain or loss is encouraged.

Besides the recommendations for young adults, Takidin adds a few recommendations: Stay hydrated, dont skip meals especially breakfast, ensure regular physical activity, eat in moderation, and snack on healthy foods.

Pre-menopause

A woman in her 40s generally begins to think more carefully about her health. At such a time, women need 1,800 to 2,000 calories a day with three hours of physical activity per week, Takidin says. She recommends eating a diet high in whole foods and fibre, with plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, high-quality protein and dairy products, as well as foods rich in phytoestrogen (plant-based compounds that mimic the effect of estrogen in the body), and calcium to support bone health.

Think flaxseeds, chia seeds, organic tempeh, organic soya milk, broccoli, seeds, oily fish, almonds, organic live yoghurt, explains Holland. This is also when you need to think about limiting saturated fats, highly refined carbs, sugar and caffeine, Dr Wafaa says. And quit smoking if you smoke cigarettes, she adds.

Menopause

The transition into your post-reproductive years occurs on average between the ages of 45 and 55, but theres no fixed age range. The hormonal changes that your body faces at this point may force you to think about keeping the weight off while getting more exercise. With menopause come metabolic changes, reduced bone density and an increased risk of heart disease, Dr Wafaa says. Many women also face unpleasant symptoms, such as hot flashes and poor sleep. She recommends turning your attention to whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, high-quality protein and dairy products, and says phytoestrogens and healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids from fish, may also help.

You should be thinking about nutrient-rich foods that are low in calories to stay within your 1800-2,000 calorie daily limit. A varied, whole-food diet that you enjoy and find easy for you to digest, making sure to minimise sugar and anything that you know doesnt work for your body, Holland says. Think of a good selection of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, lentils, beans and whatever protein sources feel good for your body.

Post-menopause

By now somewhere in your 50s on average youll have begun to eat much more in line with your bodys needs, and its important to stay with a low-sugar diet thats rich in calcium, vitamin D, fibre, phytoestrogens and omega-3 fatty acids, Takidin says. She suggests aiming for 1,600 to 2,000 calories per day, depending on how active you are.

Other lifestyle factors become important at this point in your life, Dr Wafaa says, adding that theres always room to improve your health habits. This may mean being extra diligent about following a healthy diet and getting more physical activity. You may need to focus on weight loss but avoid fad diets and while any movement is better than none, energetic workouts can help keep your weight in check. Poor sleep quality may be an issue, and this can compound problems with weight gain so practice good sleep habits, she says. Thats advice that should stand you in good stead throughout your life.

Continued here:
The definitive guide to women's nutrition | Health - Gulf News

As a fitness trainer Sam Wood is no stranger to a pep talk, but before his first foray into television as the 2015 Australian Bachelor it was his dad dishing out the inspirational speech.

The advice that my dad gave me before going on that show was to be yourself and Im sure everything will pan out fine and he was quite right, that was the best thing Ive ever done, Wood says.

And as he returns to Australian television, Wood says he is calming any nerves with the same wise words.

The best parallel to draw between the two experiences is about being yourself, Ive been in fitness for 20 years now so Im confident at being in front of the camera talking about stuff I talk about every day, he says.

As you may have guessed, Wood is not trying his luck at round two on a reality TV show. He had his fairytale ending with Snezana Wood (then Markoski) on The Bachelor; the couple have since married and share a jam-packed life with their two daughters, Willow and Charlie, as well as Eve, from Snezanas previous relationship.

Instead Wood will be gracing our screens on Better Homes and Gardens as the long-running lifestyle series new fitness expert.

It is one of those iconic shows that was always playing in the lounge room on a Friday night, he says. Willow, being 21/2, is very excited but she doesnt quite grasp how I can be in two places at one time.

There will be no get-fit quick plans or fad diets being spruiked by Wood. The trainer says his goal is to break down the facts and myths about health in an uncomplicated and simple way.

The world of fitness and nutrition in particular can be a bit of a minefield and people dont know what to believe, there is so much information out there, he says.

I want to bring it to people in laymans terms so that they can understand and I guess most importantly at the end of the show have three to five things they can take away and begin implementing into their life straight away.

Over the past 20 years Wood who also runs online fitness and nutrition program 28 By Sam Wood says he has seen clients dabble in every diet out there, which typically ends in disappointment.

Im a big advocate for avoiding these extreme, unsustainable diets or fads, even intense workout regimes. Yes, it is fantastic and youll probably get into shape but youll also be so sore after your first workout that you wont want to do it again, he laughs.

You need to be realistic to what you enjoy, what fits in with your life situation whether it be kids or work or time restrictions and find something that works for you, because going hell for leather for four, five or seven days then doing nothing for the next 51 weeks is the worst thing you can do.

He says with a growing family he has readjusted what is realistic for his own fitness routine, which often includes getting active with the whole brood.

We try and do as much as we can as a family whether its having Willow on her scooter while were walking around the park then the rest is incidental activity chasing them around the house, he says. I cant believe how non-stop that is.

I do home workouts that are half an hour ... or Ill go for a quick run with the dog or duck to the gym twice a week but the days of heading to gym for a 60-minute gym session six days a week, I dont really do that anymore. And to be honest its fine, it is quality not quantity.

I couldnt speak more highly of it Im sleep deprived and exhausted and cant wipe the smile off my face.

I think it is really important that people dont look too far ahead with their goal setting. To say this is where Ill be by Christmas is good but it is a long, long way away and there is a lot of water under the bridge between now and then. It is difficult to maintain goals over such a long period of time, I work to a four or eight week block at a time.

My concern now is not about being in the best shape of my life, it is about being healthy, feeling strong, being a good role model to my kids from a health perspective, and having the energy to be able to keep up with them. It is very different to the goals I had when I was in my early 20s, it is much more now about perspective, lifestyle and family.

Snez is the best mum, the girls are so cute and change literally by the day ... I love coming home at the end of each day and spending all weekend with them, and taking as much time off work as I can.

We tend to be pretty hard on ourselves if we stuff up and put too much pressure on ourselves because we feel these programs or expectations that we put on ourselves are all or nothing, and they dont have to be. The key is to not dwell on the past, just reset.

I think it is so important to have good communication with your partner to work out how you can support each other.

Excerpt from:
Former Bachelor Sam Wood on exercising as a parent, fad diets and his second TV stint - The West Australian