Vitamin C is arguably the most famous nutrient and the majority of people know which foods contain this immune boosting vitamin. Even though we know where to find it, a lot of us still don’t take on enough Vitamin C in our diets.

An estimated 25% of men and 16% of women in the UK have vitamin C deficiency.

So, how can you avoid becoming a statistic? Here are 5 ways that you can enjoy vitamin C this weekend.

1, Vodka and orange.

It is Friday after all, so how about a vodka and orange instead of vodka and coke tonight?

2, Pumpkin soup.

Add a couple of chillies and a cooling splash of crème fraiche for a delicious starter or snack.

3, Cantaloupe melon with Parma Ham/Prosciutto.

A mouth-watering starter that delivers both nutrients and taste.

4, Saag Gosht.

In other words a lamb and spinach curry. Replace the lamb with a lean meat if you are counting the calories. 

5, Roast turkey.

Complement with veg such as sweet potato and cranberry sauce to maximise the amount of Vitamin C. But don’t scrimp on the trimmings; simply have a smaller portion if required 

Turkey and chicken can be used pretty much interchangeably. You can keep the calorie count of both turkey and chicken breast low if you cook with minimal or no oil. 

But which one is best? 

Chicken has more calories, fat and cholesterol.  As a result, chicken is tastier and is a better source of nutrients such as Vitamin B6, phosphorous and protein, whilst remaining low in sodium. I think alternating between the two allows you to make the most of both. However, turkey is better for weight loss because of its lower calorie content. 

What do you think? 

Do you sometimes get home really late and wonder what to snack on? Many people come home from work, eat, and then head out again to the gym or a fitness class. But, after their session they feel hungry again. 

There is no reason why you can’t eat both before and after your workout, just follow our advice to ensure you aren’t taking on unnecessary calories.

Why should I eat before a workout?

The main reason is to increase blood sugar levels. If blood sugar is not there, your body will begin converting muscle tissue into energy, this is often when people begin to feel faint or dizzy. Not good! Your body is like a car, if it isn’t fuelled it isn’t going to work.  You can have a more intense workout and burn more calories in the long run if you eat. We suggest eating foods high in carbs and protein around 1 hour before a workout. Here are some examples:

Grilled chicken and Couscous

Salmon and sweet potato

Omelette and avocado


It is getting late, what can I snack on?

After a workout your body may feel dehydrated, or deprived of salt, sugar or protein. These are just some of the reasons your body craves food. Start off by drinking some water, this may satisfy you and if not you can grab a healthy snack. We say snack as anything too big, say over 300 calories counts as a meal. Go for foods that are low calorie but high in nutrients.  Here are some of our favourites:

Crackers with cheese

Cereal with skimmed milk

Dark chocolate 




If you are considering an exercise and diet plan you get more information here

Today Thursday the 27th Feb, 2014 is Strawberry Day and it was created to celebrate those little red fruits. In Asia the Strawberry is known as the queen of fruits, simply because it is packed with health benefits.

Here are the top 5 reasons for eating strawberries – if you need convincing of course!

 


1.       Lose weight

These little red gems contain anthocyanins, which conveniently stimulates the production of a hormone called adiponectin. This little beauty boosts your metabolism meaning you burn off stored fat and it also supresses your appetite. Try adding a few chopped strawberries to your muesli or porridge and see if it helps stop morning snacking!

2.       Look younger

Strawberries are packed with biotin otherwise known as vitamin B7. It helps convert food into energy and is renowned for aiding hair and nail growth.  The antioxidant ellagic acid is also present and this is key for keeping our skin looking younger. It protects the elastic fibres in our skin, stopping them from sagging and wrinkling.  

3.       Win the pub quiz

The anthocyanins in strawberries are a memory-boosting photochemicals. They can boost short term memory and are also known to delay memory loss that naturally occurs as we get older. So if you are a fan of the local pub quiz, do some swatting with a big bowl of strawberries and see if you can claim the cash prize!

4.        Live longer

Strawberries lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and oesophageal cancer.  Flavonoids protect blood vessels and blood cells and as a result they also make you more resistant to bruising, nose bleeds and excessive swelling after injury. They can also help to protect you from picking up common colds and infections.

5.       They taste good!

Most people think healthy things are not yummy, but that really doesn’t have to be the case.

Their sweetness complements a whole host of things. Why not try goats’ cheese and chopped strawberries on toast? Strawberry and avocado guacamole? Or just blitz with some low fat yoghurt for a nutritious smoothie. They also complement nuts, salads and of course chocolate beautifully!


Yum!

One of the most common occurrences in the gym is seeing people doing lots of abdominal work. We have all been in and seen people doing sit-ups, variations of the plank and using fit balls (most of the time incorrectly). When asked as to why they are doing all this abdominal work, the answer is always the same: I want a flat stomach. So will sit-ups give you a flat tummy? NO is the answer. Sit-ups will help strengthen the abdominals, but if your feet are being held, then the hip flexors are also working. Does planking give you a flat tummy? No, planking works the transverse abdominals and will aid in core stability, but does not work the superficial muscles.

So how does one get a flat stomach? Well to answer that I will ask a question, what is on top of the abdominal muscles? Have a pinch. For most people it will be a layer of body fat. In order to get that flat stomach this layer of fat needs to be reduced. So the next question is how? Well in answer, hard work and correct diet! You cannot out train a bad diet! Cardio and gym classes will aid in getting your heart rate up, and increase the body’s breakdown of fat. If you are not sure what to do, ask a trainer, as they will not only show you what to do, but how to do it.

Correct diet will aid in losing the fat. Imagine the body like a car. To drive, you need fuel (food), as you drive you use the fuel up and need more. Therefore you put more fuel in. With humans if you put too much fuel in, it is stored as fat. In order to remove the fat and lose weight, you need to increase the expenditure of energy. To maintain weight you need to eat the same as you expend, and to gain weight you need to eat more than you expend (clean and lean). Both diet and exercise together will help to get that nice flat tummy. Abdominal exercise can then be used to help tone and shape the muscles.