Getting Back To Basics

Nutrition is the science of nutrients and how they are digested, absorbed, transported, metabolized, stored, and eliminated by the body. This means what you eat will affect your health, how much fat you lose, how much muscle you can gain, how energetic you feel and so much more.

Here are Naed Nutrition’s top tips to improving your health & wellbeing

Keep hydrated: water is important for

Boosting energy & Aiding the absorption of water soluble nutrients

Elimination of toxins which is needed for  WEIGHT LOSS and for fat metabolism,

Joint mobility & Improving cognitive function

You need to eat fat to burn fat. When you are wanting to burn body fat and lose weight you want to focus on the unsaturated fats such as monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA’s) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA’s). 

MUFA’s : olive oils, avocado’s nuts & seeds

PUFA’s (Omega 3’s): fish, nuts, seeds & algae

Eat High protein foods as they allow the body to burn fat by satiety. It allows you to limit excessive carbohydrate intake by keeping you full, controlling appetite, levelling blood sugar levels and increasing metabolism. Protein is found in:

Red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes

Eat Carbohydrates in moderation. Carbohydrates are important for burning fat. Good carbohydrate sources are

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, rice, seeds, legumes and sweet potato

Removed Refine Sugars: white breads, pasta, sugar, lollies (adding to coffee, tea, cereal); these highly refined sugars spike insulin levels and eventually feel you leaving low on energy, depletes essential nutrients from your body, affects your liver and promotes weight gain.

1 x treat per week: If you’re 100% focused on clean eating & weight loss, don’t convince yourself that a ‘treat’ more than once a week is ok. A treat can be anything from chocolate, to alcohol, to a big pasta meal. Once a week until you get to your goal is enough to keep you focused on your goal without depriving yourself, your goal is bigger than that block of chocolate!

Increase your veg: for most people this is the most difficult and here are some helpful hints

Cut up carrot and celery to snack munch on during the day

Make a fruit salad or have a piece of fruit as a snack

Make a stir fry with veggies you don’t normally eat

Try a Green smoothie

Add an extra cup of salad to lunch & an extra cup of vegetables to dinner

Plan & Organise your food:

Plan you meals AND snacks AND include the weekend: Write it down from Monday to Sunday, breakfast through to Supper, every meal & you want to eat. A common mistake people make is forgetting to plan their food for the weekend as well as during the week

Prep what you like with lots of variety: If you don’t like cooking & freezing meals you don’t have to, your prep can be portioning out your meats & protein, cutting & washing & separating all your veggies for the week. You will be amazed at how much time you will save during the week

Portion control: Just because you have cooked up 1kg of chicken that is to die for doesn’t mean you eat it all in a day: portion out the correct portion and spread it out to get the best variety

If you need more help with your nutrition contact sinead@naednutrition.com.au

New Year, New Start, New You!

It's that time of year again where you have a fresh slate, a fresh start.....so what's stopping you from getting started?? Here are some tips to kick start you to achieving your goals in 2014

• Get rid of the baggage: whatever was holding back from achieving your goals – throw it out, dispose of it whatever it is remove it. If this means writing down on a piece of paper and throwing it out to symbolise that your done so be it

• Avoid the fads: Do it right from the start – don’t commit to a fad diet that will have you yo-yoing all year with your weight – seek a health professional’s advice on the best way to achieve your goals.

• Move: exercise will not only tone and sculpt your body, if you are feeling stressed and depressed from the holidays – hit the gym/ the path/a class whatever it takes to boost those endorphins. Not only will you look better you will feel better

• Set your big goal work back: Start with you big goal you want to achieve and by when (make sure this is realistic), then set monthly, weekly and even daily goals from there. You can’t achieve the big one without having some motivations from achieving the little ones along the way.

• Believe it and you will achieve: If you set yourself this big goal and are already doubting yourself that you won’t get there, you probably won’t. You have to believe you can do it that is half the battle. Find motivating pictures, quotes, videos whatever it takes to put you in the right frame of mind

• Plan you week: Not of work and household chores, plan your food and your exercise. What day you are going to eat what and how much, what you are going to train and for how long. If you have no idea where to start – contact your health professional to get you on the right track

• Keep track: food, exercise diaries, journals, photos, apps whatever works for you to keep track of your intake, output and progress. One of my favourites is Doc’s Diet Diary

• Stick to it: You won’t know what works for you unless you stick to it. 2 days, 1 week or 2 weeks is not enough. At least 4-6 weeks to really see some changes

If you are struggling with motivation, or have no idea where to start with your food to achieve your goal simply email naednutrition@gmail.com to find out more about a personalised meal plan