Getting Back on Track
With the start of each new year, many people will set themselves New Year’s resolutions – some more realistic than others! The most popular of these tends to be losing weight and getting in shape. However, despite best intentions, many people will find discouragement after only a few days or weeks. In the end, it often means yet another year of resolutions are made and broken. So, how can you break this cycle? The key is to start your new year with specific goals that you know you can achieve. For example, if you aim to lose half a kilo each week, that’s two kilos by the end of the month. Then, once you’ve reached that milestone, celebrate your success [...]
Nutrient in the Spotlight: B-vitamin Complex
Vitamins are a type of micronutrient – essential nutrients your body needs in very small amounts, but that are still important in a healthy, balanced diet. There are eight different B vitamins and each has a slightly different function and benefit to the body. B vitamins are water-soluble vitamins, which means they cannot be stored by the body and so need to be consumed every day. Because of these reasons, it’s important to include a variety of sources of each of the different B vitamins in your diet each day to ensure you’re giving your body what it needs. Let’s have a look at some of the key functions of B vitamins, and where you can find them in Isagenix [...]
Staying Healthy Over the Holidays
The holidays are a time for celebration, family, and fun but can also be a time for overindulgences that often lead to weight gain. In fact, many of us find it challenging to maintain our healthy habits over the festive season, and research shows average weight gain to be around 1-2lbs at this time of year. Whilst this may sound insignificant, this is a major contributor to annual excess weight gain and can be extremely discouraging for someone who has been working hard to keep the pounds off. It can also make getting back on track more difficult — anyone who’s ever tried to lose weight in the New Year will know how challenging it can be to shed those [...]
Ingredient spotlight: Stevia
Stevia rebaudiana, more commonly known as the stevia plant, naturally produces sweet-tasting compounds. The plant is indigenous to Paraguay, where ‘Caá hê-é’ (or sweet herb) has been used by the Guarani people to sweeten drinks for over a century. Today, stevia is grown in Paraguay, Kenya, China and the US, and its non-caloric and sweetening properties are being used to sweeten many everyday products around the world (1). The sweet taste of stevia Stevia’s unique sweet tasting compounds, steviol glycosides, are produced in the leaves of the stevia plant (1). The structure of these compounds resembles the shape of a glucose molecule and activates the same receptor on our tongue that detects sweetness. Unlike sugar, stevia extracts provide no calories. [...]
Myth: Eating at Night Will Make You Fat.
Many people think eating before bed will result in weight gain, but is there any truth behind this? We reviewed the scientific research looking at the effects of a late-night snack and whether it can help or hinder you in reaching your goals. What foods tend to be eaten in the evening? The problem many people face is the type of foods eaten in the evening tend to be high in calories and lower in positive nutrients such as fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals. These calories also often aren’t accounted for in a daily calorie target and can lead a person to consuming more calories than they need. If a person is regularly overconsuming calories this can lead to weight [...]
Maximise Performance with Protein Pacing
It’s well known that protein is an essential part of our diet, but how much thought do you give to the timing of your protein intake? Recent research has shown the benefit of consuming several servings of protein-rich foods spread evenly throughout the day to maximise muscle building and athletic performance, a concept referred to as protein pacing. Many people are aware of the benefits of consuming protein post-workout, but what do you know about when to consume protein throughout the day? Dr Paul Arciero, a key figure in this research, defines protein pacing as the scientifically proven combination of eating healthy, lean protein-rich foods at the right time of day to maximise health and performance. Typical eating patterns A [...]