What Can I Eat? The Paleo Diet

Robbie Garratt

When you follow a new diet plan, it is important that you understand the nutritional needs of the diet.  Here is a guide as to what you can expect to eat on the Paleo diet…

Meat, Fish and Eggs

These are a great source of protein which is needed for healthy muscles, immune function and bone health.  Grass fed meat is better, however if you can only find grain fed, this is also acceptable!

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

The bulk of your meals will be filled out with vegetables and fruit.  These provide a high level of vitamins, minerals and essential fibre which helps the digestive system.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are a good source of healthy fats which can be good for the skin, hair and nails!

Healthy Fats and Oils

Olive oil, nut oils, avocado oils and coconut oil are all great sources of healthy fat, which provide omega-3 fatty acids which are good for the heart and brain.

 

On the Paleo plan, you should avoid eating:

  1. Cereal grains
  2. Legumes
  3. Dairy
  4. Sugar
  5. Potatoes
  6. Processed junk food
  7. Refined vegetable oils
  8. Salt

Unexpected weight loss…what may have caused it

Fitness

Weight reduction problems associated with particular illnesses include:

As chronic obstructive pulmonary infection (COPD) improvements, about 35% of individuals encounter serious weight reduction named pulmonary cachexia, including reduced muscle tissue. To serious weight loss encounter reasonable around 25%, & most others possess some weight loss. Higher weight reduction is related to worse prognosis.Theories about adding elements include hunger loss-related to decreased exercise, extra power necessary for breathing, and also the trouble of consuming with dyspnea (difficult breathing).

Cancer, an extremely typical and occasionally deadly reason for inexplicable (idiopathic) weight reduction. About one third of unintended weight reduction instances are extra to malignancy.

Weight reduction is frequently experienced by individuals with HIV, which is related to worse results. Losing problem is definitely an AIDS-determining situation.

Disease. Weight reduction can be caused by some contagious illnesses. Helps, endocarditis parasitic conditions, fungal ailments, plus some additional subacute or could cause weight reduction.

Disease. Individuals who’ve uremia usually have sickness and missing or bad hunger. Weight reduction can be caused by this.

Disease. Inexplicable weight reduction may be, caused by cardiovascular disease, especially heart failure.

Disease, including dementia

Dental, flavor or dental issues (including attacks) may decrease vitamin consumption resulting in weight reduction

Getting Fit On Your Daily Commute

Fitness

Fitting in times to exercise during a busy working week can be tough – why not look at squeezing in opportunities to get fit during your journey to work? Here are some options to help you find a fun and effective way to get more fitness time in your week.

The first easy way to add more activity to your day is to simply walk to work if possible! Lots of people get buses, drive or taxi to work when they could easily add in a little more exercise by walking at least part of the way. A 30 minute brisk walk is thought to be as effective as jogging, yet it has a lower impact on your joints. If you live too far away to walk the whole way, why not walk to a futher bus stop and get the bus for the rest of the journey?

Another cool way to get to work is an alternative to cycling – try riding an adult scooter! Yes, they look like toys for children, but a foot powered scooter is a good way to speed up your journey and still use body power to get going.

Spinning as a Great Fat Burner

Robbie Garratt

You’ve probably heard of spinning.  It is an exciting and high energy indoor cycling class, featuring loud booming music and often flashing lights (a bit like a sweaty disco!).  Spin classes usually last between 45 minutes and 1 hour, although some gyms offer shorter 30 minute classes for when people are in a hurry.

You begin by setting up the bike to fit your body.  It is important that the bike seat is at the right height, and the handlebars are the right distance away, as if you have these incorrectly set up, you can easily injure yourself.

The first part of the workout class is often a warm up, where you get to know the controls of the bike.  There is often a handle which adjusts the resistance.  You normally start on a low resistance, and build up the resistance as you work through the class.

There is often a section for squats where you work your legs hard, and sometimes an upper body section.  Spinning is a whole body workout which burns a huge number of calories!

When is the Best Time to Exercise

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Different people like to exercise at different times of the day, and there are benefits for both! The main thing is that we are doing some exercise at all, as this is always going to be better than none.  The main reasons people like to exercise in the morning are:

  • increase metabolism
  • burn more fat
  • wake up quickly
  • get it DONE

The benefits of exercising during the evening are:

  • can spend longer
  • wind down before bed
  • better sleep
  • no need to rush

As you can see, there will be different reasons to choose either morning or evening.  Personally, we like to get it done in the morning, as this means we can say we have done it before we start work.  No making excuses and chickening out when we are tired after work!

Fitness Classes as a Motivating Factor

Robbie Garratt

Once we get past the New year, where we all have that immediate rush of motivation to get fit, lose weight and eat healthier, we often get into February and March and see our resolve dwindle out.  The way we have found to get around this is to book into a number of exercise classes at our local gym.

The great thing about attending classes is that you cannot really slacken off – the trainer is there, other people are there and they can all see you!  No way are you going to quit with them watching you!  The classes are often a great chance for you to push yourself, with the safety of having a trainer right there to help you if you get into problems.

We love spin classes as a great way to increase our cardio fitness as well as powering up those legs.  For those who prefer a slightly less intense class, why not try some light aerobics, aqua fit or yoga classes?

Using Cardio and Weight Training to Lose Weight

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By creating a well put together fitness schedule involving regular cardio and weight training exercises, you can maximise your chances of losing weight, burning fat and feeling great.

Cardio

Cardio stands for cardiovascular exercise.  It is any form of exercise which gets your heart rate pumping faster, your breathing faster and you getting a sweat on!  Examples of cardio include running, cycling, HIIT, and even walking.  We are advised to get at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise per day for good health.  When looking to lose weight or burn fat, it can be beneficial to do more than 30 minutes, but not more than 1 hour – you do not want to over work yourself!

Weight Training

Weight training/resistance exercise is used to build muscle, burn extra fat and raise your metabolism.  You can use body weight exercises such as squats, press ups and sit ups, or you can add extra weight through using dumbbells or resistance bands for example.