Simple Snack - Pumpkin Seeds

A while ago I heard that pumpkin seeds were a good simple snack, so last night I decided to roast them up instead of throwing them away.

After I scooped them out of the pumpkin I rinsed and dried them, added a little bit of olive oil and salt and stuck them in the oven for 10 minutes. Super simple and they looked great!

I packed them in an airtight container and brought them to work for a snack. Imagine my excitement when I finally tasted one and it tasted like POPCORN! Who doesn't love popcorn?

Pumpkin seeds are full of fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They're high in zinc which is good for your bones and they're a great source of magnesium which is great for your muscles.

Beware though - they are high in calories but the majority of the calroies come from proteins and fats so they will fill you up.

I'm pretty excited that I've found such a tasty snack that is nutritionally great, I'll definitely be roasting these up again.

Low Carb Diets, Not So Great After All

For years I have questioned the popularity of low carb diets. I get that if you want to lose weight fast, they work. Carbs are high energy. Lower your energy intake, lose weight. Simple.

The thing that I didn't like about this kind of diet was that you had to limit something that was good for you. I've seen people refuse a banana but happily chow down on a can of tuna to limit their carb intake. I couldn't understand how something that is found in natural foods, vegetables & fruits, could be bad for you. I believe that a diet should be balanced & include a variety of unprocessed foods.

It seems that my suspicions about a low carb diet being bad for you are on the money. The Australian today reported that 18 studies have indicated  that long term low carb diets increase the chance of premature death.

Although the reasons are unclear the evidence points towards fibre & wholegrains reducing the risk of illnesses like bowel cancer & heart disease. Low carb diets are generally high in protein, specifically animal proteins which are high in saturated fats which can contribute to high cholesterol  and cardiovascular disease.

These findings are not surprising to me at all. I believe that if you have a balanced diet, full of vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, fats, proteins and unprocessed foods you are ensuring that you are getting a variety of vitamins and nutrients and not depriving your body of anything it needs.



Source:
http://m.theaustralian.com.au/news/carb-cutting-a-recipe-for-disaster/story-e6frg6n6-1226600134949

Running Up That Hill

Today I incorporated some hill intervals in my workout. Damn they are hard! Your lungs burn, your sides start to stitch and your butt starts to cramp - all the indicators of a good work out! 

Hill training is a fantastic form of training. It helps improve leg muscle strength, quickens your stride, helps to develop your cardiovascular system and will make you a faster, stronger and healthier runner.

In fact, Runners World says that in just 6 weeks of regular hill training you can significantly improve your speed and muscle power - who doesn't love a training style that has fast results?

Living in a hilly area (it's a love/hate relationship on that front),  I've found that the following tips help getting to the top

• Shorten your stride
• Slow down your pace
• Keep posture upright - don't lean forward!
• Keep your head down - don't look how far there is to go!
• Run on your toes when the going gets really tough
• Most importantly - don't forget to breathe!

It's also important make sure you come down the hill in a controlled fashion. Start with a short stride and as you accelerate down the hill you can lengthen your stride in a controlled fashion.

Then, as if my hamstrings, calves & glutes hadn't had enough of a workout, I added in a few minutes of dead lifts into the strength section of my workout. What a way to strengthen my leg muscles! 

Give hill intervals a go on your next run! Start with a 5-10 minute warm up & try just 4 or 5 times up the hill. Keep it regular & see how fast you see improvements in your flat runs. 



Source:

http:www.runnnersworld.co.uk

I Want Outdoor Exercise Equipment

Last year when I was in South America I saw something that I couldn't believe I hadn't seen here in Sydney - outdoor exercise equipment.

Now that's not to say they don't exist here, but if they do then they must be very uncommon or my surrounding area hasn't got on board with them.

I first came across one (well quite a few actually) in Rio de Janeiro. You can find these all along Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. The ones here are very simple and look like similar to how a children's monkey bar set looks but is designed specifically for working out. They are accompanied by a sign showing all the different types of exercises you can do on the equipment, things like pull ups, dips etc.

In Santiago I found an even more elaborate exercise space in a public park.

The space here had equipment that could be used as cross-trainers and rowing machines. It looked fantastic. One of the things I miss about my old gym is the rowing machine, it'd be great if there was something like this I could use.

Sydney Councils should be jumping on board with these types of ideas. I for one would be using them all the time. It'd be great to see the government supporting this and encouraging Aussies to get outside in the fresh air and moving.

Would you use equipment like this? Have you seen them in your local area?

All Exercise Counts

Word on the street is Australia is the fattest nation in the world. Apparently even we're even bigger than Americans!

Everywhere you turn you hear the words 'obesity epidemic' and everywhere you look you see muffin tops spilling out over jeans so I was pretty surprised to read that one of Australia's leading fitness experts thinks that outdoor fitness groups are "embarrassing".

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Dr Gary Egger, the guy who wrote Australia's fitness guidelines, believes that these 'bootcamp' type outdoor group exercise classes are a "middle class indulgence" that the participants use as "a form of exhibitionism". He also describes personal training as "an elitist approach to fitness".  Dr Egger's comments show he believes that they are an inferior form of exercise.

Call me crazy, but I thought that people exercising in any way could only be a good thing. What difference does it make if a person is in the gym, out in the park with a group, jogging through the streets on their own or in their lounge room with a pilates DVD? So what if they need someone there to motivate and help them?

My love affair with working out actually came from an outdoor fitness group. I'd decided to get fit, saw these guys in the park and joined them. I had a hatred of exercise that went back to my early teens. I never thought I would learn to love it, but the group environment was exactly what I needed. The group provided support, encouragement and was alot of fun.  I also learnt correct techniques and new workout ideas. That's something you don't get in a gym. Besides, working out in the fresh air is great when you're stuck in a stuffy office all day like me.

Having fitness professionals go on record and criticise any form of exercise is a bad thing. There shouldn't be one way of working out that is superior to another. All exercise counts. The point is that people are moving, getting their heart rate up and working up a bit of a sweat. If they've found something that works for them, just be happy they're doing it.

Source:

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/exercise-guru-labels-outdoor-fitness-groups-embarrassing-20130312-2fyg7.html

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/redesign-sydneys-public-areas-to-cater-for-exercise-fitness-industry-urges-20130313-2fzpm.html

Simple Green Smoothie

I'm always looking for ways to add more vegies in my life and a smoothie is such a simple solution.

I found this simple recipe from food.com that doesn't require much from your fridge at all. I generally don't use measurements, I just add enough to make a big smoothie for myself.

1 banana
1 serve of yoghurt
Water
Handful or 2 of baby spinach leaves

Stick in the blender & press go!

Bananas are a healthy, low GI carbohydrate and a great source of antioxidants, vitamins & potassium (great for muscles!)

I personally use Farmers Union Greek Style Yoghurt. It's thick, it's creamy, it tastes fantastic and is a great source of calcium & protein.

The combination of the banana & yoghurt make this an ideal drink for after a big workout.

A little word of warning with this smoothie, it tastes delicious, but the combination of the spinach and banana left me with bad breath. So best drink this one at home where you have easy access to your toothbrush (a simple trade off for an extra serve of veg!)


Sources:
http://www.food.com/recipe/spinach-banana-smoothie-356040

http://www.australianbananas.com.au/nutrition

Finding Your Motivation

One of the most thought changing ideas I heard about motivation came from PT extraordinaire, Michelle Bridges. When it comes to working out & training, Michelle says that motivation is crap. There are days you'll be motivated & others when you won't. Training is not optional. Just like you get up each day & brush your teeth, you get up & you train. So if you sat around waiting for motivation, you might only work out twice a year (and have really bad breath)!

Hearing this from Michelle was a turning point for me. What drives me are my goals. My goal is to be fit and healthy. If I wait around for the motivation to be fit and healthy, I'll never get there. So I get up everyday and I put in the effort. 

And while I like a good motivational quote or poster, instead of using it to drive me,  I use it to remind me my goals are worthwhile and to keep on keeping on. 

What drives you?