Life-changing eating habits that will help keep you fit

Mar 11, 2014

No matter how devoted you are to weight loss fads, the only way you can truly maintain a healthy weight is if you follow a balanced diet.

Since it isn’t always easy, here are a few ways you can make some tiny adjustments to your eating habits:

Listen to your body
Try not to eat out of boredom. Instead, listen to your body and eat when you’re hungry.

Don’t skip meals
When you skip a meal during the day, you compensate for the missed meal and this causes you to overeat. Instead, eat regularly throughout the day.

Cut down
Instead of filling your plate, cut down on your portion sizes and add some variety to your meals.

Plan ahead
When you plan your meals a week in advance, it ensures you get a good mix of different foods and nutrients in your diet.

Be patient
Make small changes as you go along and you will eventually see the changes in your body. Rome wasn’t built in a day!

Have tasty savoury pancakes this evening

Mar 5, 2014

by Amber Saunders

If you don’t fancy having sweet pancakes this evening, why not take your chances with this simple savoury pancake recipe?

This sweetcorn and potato recipe is a great way to include some pancakes into your diet today.

Ingredients:

425g leftover mashed potatoes (prepared with milk and butter)
4 tablespoons plain flour
75g sweetcorn kernels
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

Method:

Put all the ingredient except the oil in a large bowl.
Combine well.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and then put spoonfuls of the batter into a pan.
Cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden on each side.
Repeat with remaining oil and batter.
Serve with your favorite condiment.

Trying to lose weight but struggling to stay motivated?

Mar 2, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Losing weight but finding it hard to stick with your diet? These tips will keep you motivated:

Set achievable goals

Don’t try to achieve too much in a short amount of time. You will more than likely end up failing and will probably resort to snacking on something sweet to make you feel better. Think slow and steady.

Keep track of your progress

Every time you weigh yourself write it down. This way when you are having an off day you will be able to see just how far you’ve come along.

Don’t deprive yourself

Limit intake of food that you like but don’t cut it out completely. The moment you say you can’t have something you will start to crave it.

Get back up on the horse

If you do slip up make sure you get back up on the horse straight away, otherwise you will ruin all your hard work.

Helen Flanagan’s unusual diet trick

Celebrity

Feb 25, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Helen Flanagan has a gorgeous figure and we are relieved to find out she falls off the health bandwagon just like we do from time to time.

The model chose to take a light hearted and hilarious view of her indulgence, which we love.

It seems as if Helen finds her inspiration to lead a healthy lifestyle in a strange place – the movie Matilda!

Helen uploaded a picture to her Instagram account of herself enjoying a pizza with the funny hashtag #brucebogtrotter.

She later uploaded a picture of the famous cake eating scene from the movie with another hashtage reading #nobruce.

Whatever works for you Helen!

See how Kellan Lutz got fit for Hercules

Uncategorized

Jan 30, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Kellan Lutz has been chatting to Men’s Health about how he got in shape to play Hercules in the upcoming film of the same name.

Using his spare time while filming Twilight to visit the gym and having a dietician when filming Immortals seems to have done the trick for him. He said: “Every hour they’d hand you eight almonds or a plate of spinach”.

Kellan also revealed his secret to staying on track when eating out: “Just ask if they have salmon and avocado and if they would mind throwing together a salad for you. It’s being deliberately ignorant but it works”.

Well Kellan, all we have to say is, whatever you’re doing, never stop. Ever.

Is a vegan diet to thank for Beyoncé’s new figure?

Celebrity

Jan 28, 2014

by Amber Saunders

If you saw the Grammy Awards this weekend you would have noticed that Beyoncé is looking very lean and sculpted having lost a considerable amount of weight.

Don’t get us wrong, she looks incredible as always which has us wondering if it is down to the 22-day vegan challenge that she undertook with husband Jay-z at the end of last year.

Bey took to her Instagram account during the challenge, updating yummy vegan food pictures to her 9.5 million followers.

While we also love our Bootylicious Beyoncé(2000’s joke, sorry) , she also looked amazing at the weekend.

We wish we could get our hands on some of this scrumptious-looking vegan food. Well done to them for trying to lead a healthier lifestyle – it certainly paid off!

One ingredient ice-cream

Jan 15, 2014

by Amber Saunders

That’s right – one ingredient! This “ice-cream” will curb that sugar craving without ruining your healthy eating regime.

What you’ll need:

Serves one

1-2 small bananas

What you’ll need to do:

Slice the banana (s) and put into a lunchbox, freeze for 2-3hrs.
Remove, place banana into a blender and pulse until smooth.
Enjoy!

Some topping ideas:

Nuts
Chocolate chips
Marshamallows
Raw cacoa nibs (for the superfood element)
Fruit

New weight loss soup hits Irish shelves

Dec 19, 2013

by Amber Saunders

The HiLo range from Just Food is the first high protein, low fat soup to be marketed in Europe.

These soups are especially aimed at people wanting to lose or keep off weight, active people who wish to consume more protein rich natural food alternatives, and to those looking for a non-dairy protein source.

The range includes Bean and Quinoa, Supergreens and Spiced Thai Veg, offering people interested in a healthier diet an tasty variety.

Cork-based company Just Food began life in 2004 at the Middleton Farmers Market, where Deirdre Hilliard sold soups as a weekend hobby. Deirdre now supplies 100% organic handmade food to hundreds of supermarkets and restaurants.

These high-protein soups are made from a range of fresh organic ingredients, sourced as locally as possible, making them perfect for busy women trying to lead healthier lives.

Eat your way to a new you

Dec 19, 2013

by Amber Saunders

Oishii Foods have launched their new campaign for 2014, encouraging people to eat their way to ‘a new you’.

Sushi has been proven to have amazing health benefits, such as lowering cholesterol, benefiting joints, making hearts healthier and improving circulation.

Oishii Sushi use ingredients that are packed full of vitamins and minerals, meaning their food is low in fat, low in sugar and high in protein – the perfect recipe for a healthy start to the New Year.

Managing Director of Oishii Foods, Ciara Troy says: “I have had several women e-mail me to say how much weight they have lost eating our sushi whilst also buying our other products at least three times a week.”

With Ireland’s obesity levels at a staggering 24.5%, January is perfect time to make the switch and add sushi to your diet. Oishii Sushi pieces contain less than 200kcal per 100g and are packed full of the minerals and nutrients your body will be craving after the festive season.

For the budding cooks among you, Oishii also run sushi demonstrations by skilled chefs, which include hands-on sushi-making sessions.

The Oishii Noodles range is available in Dunnes Stores, Superquinn and Super Valu.

Do you really need vitamin tablets?

Dec 15, 2013

by Amber Saunders

According to experts, our fondness for popping vitamin tablets is having negative effects on our health.

Irish consumers spent a whopping €16million on vitamin supplements in 2012 and it seems that many needn’t have bothered.

Dr Mary Flynn, who works at the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, says that people who don’t have any mineral or vitamin deficiencies are harming themselves by getting in on the craze.

Now for the science bit – Richelle Flanagan, president of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute, claims: “Taking high levels of folic acid can mask an undiagnosed B12 deficiency, which is common among older people, and that it can interfere with cancer treatment. I’ve had cases where pregnant women were taking supplements with vitamin A in them, which can lead to birth defects.”

If your diet is fairly healthy and you are sticking to the trusty food pyramid you don’t need to spend a fortune on vitamin tablets.

Save your money and treat yourself to something nice. – you can never have too many shoes.