Demi Lovato Opens Up on her Destructive Eating Disorder

Shining the spotlight on the destructive and frightening world of an eating disorder, Demi Lovato has shared her experience in the damaging disorder, which started before she was a teenager. Becoming a poster child for eating disorder recovery, Demi has bravely shared the intimate secrets of her own journey and path to wellness. 

"It was always there, but then I just acted on it at around 8 or 9 years old. I started overeating, compulsively overeating. I would bake cookies and then eat the whole pan. I went from doing that to being unhappy with my body. I went to just completely starving myself and that turned into throwing up and starving myself and it was just this crazy battle going on inside of me," she said.

Lovato, who recalls always wanting to be "very thin," faced torment in school. She said words "played more of a toll on me than if I was physically abused in school. I've always said I wished that they had just hit me in the face and gotten it over with because what they said to me sticks to me to this day and it affected me, (turned) me into the person I am today. I was bullied and they called me fat and they called me horrible things."

Lovato struggled with bulimia as a young girl, which led to cutting. "It was a way of expressing my own shame, of myself, on my own body. I was matching the inside to the outside. And there were some times where my emotions were just so built up, I didn't know what to do. The only way that I could get instant gratification was through an immediate release on myself."

"It got really difficult [and] I would throw up and it would just be blood and it was something that I realised if I don’t stop this, I am going to die."

"I was performing concerts on an empty stomach," she said during the 2010 interview. "I was losing my voice from purging. I was self-medicating. I was not taking medication for depression, and I literally was so emotionally whacked out that I took it out on someone that meant a lot to me."

Receiving help to stop her downward spiral, Demi retreated to a rehabilitation centre in 2010 to work through her demons. Demi admits her path to recovery is not easy and requires constant work to stay healthy. 

"It's a daily thing; you don't get time off from it. And if I feel like myself slipping back into old patterns, I have to ask others for help, which is hard for me to learn, because I really like doing everything on my own," she told Cosmopolitan in May. "I cannot tell you that I have not thrown up since treatment. I cannot tell you that I have not cut myself since treatment. I’m not perfect," she said.

Often thought to be a hereditary mental condition, Lovato’s mum, Dianna, struggled with serious depression. 

Dianna said, "I had a terrible eating disorder that I had for many, many years and I didn’t realise it and I had to face up to the fact that I was suffering as well. And a lot of what [Demi] went through with an eating disorder had to do with what she had seen growing up and I also had severe depression and I ended up asking for help actually they did an intervention with me and said, ‘Mum, you need to get help.’"

Demi reacted to her mother's honesty by supporting her admissions. "I told you she was my hero. There aren't many parents speaking out about how they got through a time when their child was spiraling out of control and how she was able to set an example for parents everywhere by dealing with issues of her own and what she went through... I love you mom and I'm so proud of you."

Through her long journey, Demi feels she can lead others suffering from mental illness to receive the treatment they need.

"My words of encouragement to teen girls that are suffering from eating disorders, self-harm, anything is to get help," she said backstage at Couric's show. "That's the most important thing that you can do for yourself. It can change your life and potentially save your life."

5 Reasons You Are So Tired

Living life to the fullest is a challenge when you just feel so darn tired. Especially as the year comes to an end, we all are struggling to get out of bed in the morning, dream of day-time naps and fall into bed before your Nanna even hits the hay. Sufficient sleep is essential to our health and wellbeing and lack of adequate rest can cause depression, weight gain, and a lowered immune system.

Apart from staying up all night watching Real Housewives re-runs, there might be some less obvious reasons for your sleepiness. Read five reasons that might explain your zombie state:

1. Caffeine
Many of us rely on a caffeine hit to wake up in the morning but it may be the reason you are so tired. Caffeine should be consumed no closer than eight hours before bed time for optimal rest, this includes pre-workout drinks, energy drinks and some teas. Limit this stimulant to the first half of the day and to one caffeinated beverage.

2. Alcohol
A glass of wine can certainly help you unwind at the end of the day but despite it's relaxing effect, drinking can disrupt sleep. While booze may help you to fall asleep, it can cause frequent waking during the night and prevent REM sleep, which is the deep, most restful sleeping state. Without REM, you will wake exhausted even after a decent night's rest. Keep the working week alcohol free and stick to no more than two drinks (unless you can afford an uninterrupted sleep in).

3. Stress
Stress and anxiety will prevent you from falling asleep with worrying thoughts causing you to toss and turn throughout the night. If you have something on your mind, it is suggested to get up and write the thoughts down to deal with the next day. Remind yourself there is nothing you can do about the issue in that moment and go back to bed with a clear mind.

If you suffer from anxiety, your body will be too highly charged and alert to let you get sufficient rest. To shut down your body's anxiety response, try meditating for 20 - 30 minutes earlier in the day, and meditate before you get into bed. Try the headspace app if you are not sure where to start. Long walks and yoga can also help to calm your mind.

4. Tummy Troubles
A stomach ache or acid reflux issues can affect your shut eye and keep you awake. Avoid large meals before bedtime, eating at least 2.5 hours before you get into bed and keep your dinner relatively low in fat to ease digestion. Acidic tomato-based foods can trigger reflux and are best avoided if you suffer from heartburn. Skip desserts high in sugar and go for a skinny sweet recipe or small bowl of plain yoghurt. Try sipping peppermint tea to aid in digestion before sleep.

5. Light and Temperature
If you are too cold or too hot, you will wake up frequently as your body tries to adjust to changes in temperature. Keep your bedroom well ventilated and cool, as your body temperature will rise as you sleep. Make sure the lights are dim when you are getting ready for bed and if possible, wake up through natural light. Melatonin is a hormone that sends you to sleep and this increases when the brain perceives that it is night. When it’s daylight, melatonin is shut down and we wake up.

Gluten-free Breakfast: Vegan Banana Brown Rice Pudding

I follow a gluten-free diet as strictly as my willpower enables me, avoiding bread, pasta and cakes. While this task is usually not a huge ask for me, one meal I do miss is porridge. Oats are questionable for a gluten-intolerant, some people can digest them and others (like me) struggle. If I have a long morning ahead, I find something substantial like porridge will keep me satisfied right though to a late lunch, avoiding any tummy grumbling mid-meeting.

Rice pudding, especially made with brown rice, is as comforting as porridge and very filling. It will require more preparation (no one minute microwave options here) but you can make portions in advance to have on the ready. As always you can experiment with flavours and add ins. It's summer in Australia so I had fresh mango and banana to add in mine.

Other flavour combinations suggested are:

• peeled diced apple and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of sultanas and grated orange rind
• 1/2 cup of dried sliced apricots and substitute the almond milk for coconut milk
• plain vanilla made with 1 fresh vanilla bean, seeds removed and cooked with pod in

To cut a few corners, I actually used my trusty rice cooker, which makes things really simple because you add your ingredients in, push start and leave it to do its thing. Rice cookers are super cheap and you can usually find them in your grocery store or Kmart/Target for $20. If you have lots of mouths to feed, a rice cooker can be a big help. These days you can also find lots of different healthy rice varieties with add ins like quinoa, barley, chia seeds and wild rice. To boost the rice flavour for savoury dishes, try adding frozen peas or shredded spinach for some added greenery or a low-salt organic stock cube as the rice will absorb those flavors while cooking.


Vegan Banana Brown Rice Pudding

Serves 3/4 depending on serving sizes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of brown rice
• 3 cups of unsweetened vanilla almond milk + extra for topping up if needed (you can use whatever milk you prefer but check it is unsweetened, rice/oat/almond milk often has a heap of added sugar)
• 1 tablespoon of stevia sweetener (optional depending on how sweet you like it)
• 1 chopped banana
• 1/2 mango, diced

Method:

1. Add the uncooked rice, stevia and 2 1/2 cups of almond milk into your rice cooker and turn onto cook.
2. Let the rice cook for 35 - 40 minutes, in which time you may need to top up with almond milk if it starts to dry out. Check after the 25 minute mark in 5 minute intervals or so, just to make sure the rice isn't catching to the bottom of the pan.
3. If you are using a saucepan, do the same process but just bring to the boil and leave to simmer with the lid on.
4. When the rice is tender and absorbed most of the almond milk turn onto keep warm or turn the heat off your saucepan.
5. Stir through the fruit and 1/2 cup of almond milk to make the sauce creamy. Let sit for 10 minutes for the fruit to cook through.
6. Transfer to bowls to serve or store in containers for a few days. Enjoy!

Skinny Red Velvet Cupcakes

This recipe is inspired by secretly healthy red velvet cupcakes recipe on 'Chocolate Covered Katie', which is this amazing blog dedicated to healthy desserts. Red velvet cupcakes are a family favourite and I wanted to make some that were as delicious as the original cakes without the gluten or sugar.

Skinny Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup spelt flour or gluten-free flour plus 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 3 tbsp of cacao powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup of stevia 
• 1/4 cup of cashew cream (see recipe below)
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup beetroot juice 
• 2 tbsp water 

Cashew Cream

• 1 cup of raw cashews (soaked in water for at least 2 hours)
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of water

Directions:

1. To make the cashew cream, drain the cashews and blend with lemon juice and water until smooth and creamy. 
2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line a muffin tin with patty cake wrappers. 
3. In a large bowl, sift and combine flour, cacao powder, baking soda and stevia. 
4. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients and whisk until combined. 
5. Pour wet into dry and stir until just combined. 
6. Put batter into each cupcake wrapper (about 2/3 full) and bake for 15 minutes, until risen. Let sit for 10 minutes to cool before removing from the mufin tin.

Left over cashew cream can be used as a delicious dressing for salads.

To ice the cupcakes, use vegan cream cheese or low-fat cream cheese whisked with some stevia to make a tangy icing.

Geordie Shore's Vicky Loses the Party Girl Weight

Following another six-week stint of filming the MTV's Geordie Shore, reality star Vicky Pattison had reached up to 70 kilos after indulging in takeaway and alcohol every night. Admitting she could gain up to 7 kilos each season taping, Vicky had lost her self confidence

"When I am at my heaviest I just don’t feel confident at all. I have all these sexy clothes and I don’t feel like wearing any of them at all."

After a series of unflattering photos were published, Vicky decided to change her unhealthy lifestyle. Dropping from a size 16 to a size 8 in just two months, Vicky cut out alcohol and saturated fat to reshape her body.

Feeling energetic and positive, Vicky is proud of herself and find exercise quite therapeutic. Despite her weight loss triumph, Vicki admits the lifestyle change has been a struggle. ‘It’s a struggle maintaining this body, let alone thinking about losing more weight. It’s a nightmare.’ A confessed carb-lover, she does miss bread and pasta but knows that no one is perfect. She stays motivated by keeping her goal weight as her incentive.

"All I remember is how badly I felt when I couldn't fit in to any of my clothes. I just remember that when I feel like giving up."

The party lifestyle had taken its toll on the 25-year-old

Booze binges have now been swapped for peppermint tea and outdoor workouts. For breakfast, the newly-fit star will have porridge and fresh fruit, spinach and eggwhite omlette or protein pancakes. Lunch will be a salad with lean meat, followed by grilled fish and vegetables for dinner.

Vicky is adamant this lifestyle change will be permanent, saying 'I am a healthy, strong young girl, and I still have a bit more to lose.'

Taking to Twitter, Vicky thanked her fans for the support.

"Can't believe how sweet everyone is being about my weight loss! Thank you - still got work to do but I'm getting there!"

Fitness For All Seasons, contributed by Emily Stone

With readers from all over the globe, myself and reader turned guest contributor, Emily Stone (fellow fitness freak and health food addict) teamed up to offer fitness tips for every season. Different environments and climates bring their own set of challenges to our healthy mindsets and our ability to reach set fitness goals. Read our tips for exercising no matter the weather, giving you no excuses, only motivation to dodge those Christmas pounds.

Fitness in Spring and Summer 

In great juxtaposition to the Northern Hemisphere, an Australian Christmas is usually spent outdoors at the beach or by the pool, and this year is going to be a hot holiday!

Sweltering weather can challenge your fitness routine; your workout can last five minutes when you are sweating before you start, with outdoor walks and runs swapped for movie days indoors, air-conditioning blasting. But holidays also bring parties and special occasions where champagne is guzzled, mince pies are gobbled down and cheese platters replace your usual healthy dinner options. Exercise is more important than ever during this time, which means you must have a plan in place.

Embrace the warmer weather

While you may be on holidays, far away from your gym membership, you can always find a way to incorporate exercise in your daily routine. Do laps in the hotel pool to burn tones of calories, try soft sand running to tone up your legs, attempt surfing or boogie boarding to work that core or try water skiing if you are feeling adventurous. You can even set up a volleyball net in your backyard pool. Whatever the activity, you can make your workouts fun and effective. If all else fails, be sure to check out the hotel gym or get a temporary pass to one near your getaway. 

Create a comfortable workout zone

I cannot workout in hot weather. I loathe it. After 15 minutes I feel I have run a two-day marathon and collapse in a heap (I am not cut-out for the heat). If you also need a cool environment to exercise in, make sure you go to a gym with an efficient air conditioning system, allowing you to go-go-go on those cardio machines without losing half your body weight in sweat. If your gym is in a warehouse or loft, you may want to reconsider; these facilities are impossible to cool.

If you are lucky enough to have an air-conditioning system at home, pop that on about 10 minutes before you start your at-home routine. Whether this is doing an exercise DVD, or following your own routine, it will be that much easier to complete if you are comfortable.

Make sure your workout attire is made of breathable fabrics, like cotton, and replace thick tights with shorts. If you are braving the outdoors, a hat and plenty of sunscreen is a must. If you are hitting the water, make sure to reapply suncream and take cover at the hottest times of the day. 

Eat smart!

Spring and Summer is when you can embrace eating lots of fresh fruits (mangoes, peaches and cherries - yes please!) and live off big salads. Make sure to drink lots of water to stay hydrated and try fresh coconut water for a hit of electrolytes to combat the heat. 

Freeze fruit for a delicious snack (grapes and kiwi fruit are my favorites) and make sure to BBQ lean chicken skewers instead of sausages. Instead of the calorie laden cheese platters are family gatherings, cut up carrot, celery and zucchini to snack on with hummus or avocado dips. 

Fitness in Fall (Autumn) and Winter by Emily Stone

If you are in the currently chilly Norther Hemisphere, you will be feeling the chill of the impeding winter. While colder weather brings with it sledding, snowball fights, ice skating and too many cups of hot cocoa, for those who are easily discouraged by the cold, the approach of winter could also mean the demise of your workout routine.

Fear not hibernators, the winter weather doesn’t have to mean your health & fitness has to go into hiding too. With a little preparation, and a few helpful tips, you can keep up a routine that will carry you through to spring.

Dress smart

If you choose to continue with outdoor workouts (kudos to you) be sure to dress smart. While you may want to wear every sweatshirt in your closet to stay warm, it is actually a better idea to only wear one or two layers of clothing. Yes, you may be a bit chilly at first, but as soon as you start moving, you will warm up rather quickly, and you don’t want your body to overheat. 

A good idea is to wear lighter layers, so you can remove them as needed throughout your workout. Fitness magazine has great ideas for winter workout clothes if you’re in need.

Plan ahead

One of the best ways to stick to your workout schedule is to plan in advance. Check the weather for the week ahead. If some days are going to be little warmer than others, perhaps on those days you will plan to run outside. If you know on a specific day that you will have to work later than normal, try to get your workout done in the morning before you head out. With the busy holiday season, schedules can get a bit crazy. I find it helpful to keep workout clothes in my car or office, that way I can squeeze in a quick workout when the time permits. 

Take your workouts indoors

There are plenty of workouts that are effective AND can be done in the comfort of our own, warm home. If you don’t have any workout machines, improvise! A stability ball and a set of weights are enough to get a full body workout. I recently purchased both from Beachbody. You can also try out an at-home workout video. Nowadays, there are videos for all types of workouts - dance, kickboxing, martial arts, yoga – you name it, there is most likely a video for it. Find one that interests you and give it a go. Try YouTube to test some out for free.

The winter is a cozy time a year, filled with family, friends, hot drinks, and sweet treats. It’s easy to hide under big sweaters and coats, but if you let your fitness routine take the backseat for too long, you will emerge from your winter slumber a few pounds heavier, and a serious fear of trying on your neglected bathing suit. If you don't let your fitness slip, you will be that much more excited for the warmer months to come. 

Vegan Birthday Cake: Guest Post by Stefanie Moir

First of all thank you Amy for featuring my birthday cake on your blog!

I became a vegan at the start of this year and I am passionate about health and fitness, I try to eat wholefood every day and limit processed food and sugar.

I bought a book by Chloe Cascarelli, a vegan chef who is well known in the UK for her successful winning of a popular television show “Cupcake wars.”  Her book “Vegan Desserts by Chloe” is amazing and has several of dif
ferent sweet treats for everyone, not just vegans.

I decided to take on the mixed berry shortcake as my birthday cake; I should let you in on a secret that this was risky as I have never made a full cake from scratch never mind a vegan cake! I also set myself a challenge to make a cake that was sugar and gluten free. With my track record of failed attempts looming in the background I went at it … for about 3 hours!

Not only was I nervous about this cake and how it would turn out, taste, look, but also what all my family would think of it too (they are not too big on the idea of desserts being healthy).  I will tell you this, not only was this cake vegan, gluten free, and free from added sugar, it was delicious and a huge hit with all my family! My gran even snuck an extra piece home in her purse.


Vegan Mixed Berry Shortcake

Ingredients

Dry

• 400 grams plain white gluten and wheat free flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 30 tsp of stevia or xylitol
• ¼ tsp xanthum gum

Wet

• 360 ml almond milk
• 200 grams of coconut oil melted
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract

Filling and topping

Homemade Berry Jam

• 400 grams of fresh or frozen berries
• Juice of 1 lemon

Coconut Cream

• 2 tins full fat coconut milk refrigerated over night

Method:

1. Mix all your dry ingredients in one bowl and mix all your wet together in a separate bowl
2. Transfer wet mixture into dry and whilst together until just combined nicely
3. Separate the mixture into two 9 inch cake tins and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes at 175 degrees
4. Whilst this cooks make your jam filling by placing your mixed berries and lemon juice in a saucepan and simmering until all melted down together, you will need to stir continuously for about 15 minutes
5. Set the jam aside once its ready and prepare your coconut cream
6. The coconut cream requires the hard part of the coconut milk which forms overnight in the fridge. This is probably only about half of each can DO NOT USE THE WET MILK UNDERNEATH this will ruin your cream, even just a little moisture will affect your whipped cream consistency.
7. Using this hard milk hand whisk it with a tsp or two of stevia/xylitol.  It will become creamy and peak a little, keep in a sealed container overnight in the fridge to increase fluffiness
8. To assemble the cake, WAIT UNTIL THE SPONGE COOLS and layer one cake with the jam and half of your cream mixture. Put the other cake on top and top with the rest of the cream and some fresh berries. 
9. Hope you enjoy! I know I sure did! 

Protein Truffles

These protein truffles are filled with essential fats and are low in sugar, making them the perfect snack in between meals.

Protein Truffles

Ingredients:

• 2 scoops of protein powder in chocolate or vanilla (I use Sunwarrior Vanilla)
• 1/4 cup of sultanas or chopped dates
• 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup of chia seeds (I used a mix of black and white)
• 1/4 cup of LSA
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 5 - 6 tablespoons of hot water 
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil or coconut oil
• To coat: 2 tablespoons of cacao powder mixed with 1 tablespoon of stevia/extra chia seeds

Method:

1. Mix together all the dry ingredients. Add the oil and a few tablespoons of water. Combine until the mixture starts to come together to form a dough. Keep adding water until the mixture is firm but not too sticky. 
2. Roll the mixture into bite-sizes balls and coat with cacao mix and/or chia seeds.
3. Let set in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Kim Kardashian's Weight Loss 'The Biggest Challenge Of My Life'

That Twitter pic

After a highly publicized and scrutinized pregnancy, Kim Kardashian has worked hard to regain her fitness and body confidence. Following a strict Atkins Diet program, Kim lost 43 of the 50 pounds she gained while pregnant with baby North. Regular exercise and breast feeding has also helped the reality star to downsize within a few months.

The Akins Diet focuses on consuming a high protein diet with limited carbohydrates, which shifts your body into fat burning mode and revs up your metabolism. Popular 10 years ago, the Atkins Diet has been criticized for its high in fat and cholesterol meal plans, which could negatively affect heart health.

A rep for Atkins told US Magazine, "She is eating lots of lean proteins, healthy fats like nuts and avocado, carbs, fruits, veggies and cheese. She wanted to be a healthy, nursing mom and not toxify her milk with her diet or lose weight too quickly. She's been doing Atkins since her doctor approved it at the end of June."

Just engaged

Newly engaged Kim has even more motivation to reach her goal with glamourous wedding in the works and a fiancé to keep on his toes, saying "you want your guy to think you're really hot." After posting a picture of herself on Twitter wearing a white one-piece, her man Kayne West tweeted 'HEADING HOME NOW.' Sounds like he is already convinced of his wife-to-be's beauty.

It wasn't the pregnancy Kim expected, suffering from many complications carrying baby North, who was born several weeks premature. Experiencing intense scrutiny and criticism during her pregnancy, especially of her weight gain, Kim admitted the bullying wore her down.

“Little by little it would chip away at my soul. I wanted to tune out the media and my public life and ignore it all. This was the biggest challenge of my life, and I still have some to go. Every day I would hear people criticize me, and it would affect me.”

Pregnant Kim Kardashian

Now Kim has lost the weight, she finally feels like herself again, reclaiming her enviable curves. Following an Atkins type diet is a great way to see results immediately. I would recommend eating lean protein at every meal time and limiting carbs to a small serve of brown rice and quinoa. Find out more at The Atkins Website.

Kristen Bell Talks Body After Baby

Kristen Bell has ticked off two major milestones this year; giving birth to her daughter, Lincoln and marrying her baby daddy, Dax Shepard. During such an exciting time in Kristen's life, including returning to movie making, the actress has put returning to her pre-baby body on the back burner. Recognising the mental stress and pressure on women to bounce back into shape, Kristen is filtering out negativity and keeping her focus on her new family.

"The secret to body after baby is flushing down the toilet every notion of body after baby. Honestly!...I made a commitment to not allow my narrative for the year after having a baby to be about my weight. And I think that freed me up and it made me less concerned with all the pressures that revolve around body image. I was like, 'I have a baby. Do you know how awesome that is? It's so radical! Why on earth am I going to be so concerned with my pants size?'"

Pre-baby with now husband Dax Shepard

She is in no rush to return back to the toned figure that caught lots of attention, especially when she flaunted her abs in 'Forgiving Sarah Marshall' and everyone took notice. As a vegetarian of almost two decades, Kristen tries to avoid dairy but isn't jumping onto a restrictive diet plan to lose weight.

"It's like, by the way, don't you want to look like you've had a baby? I'm sitting here with you, I'm crunched over, I have a huge muffin top—who cares?"

Getting back to work post-baby

"Devouring a whole cheesecake with my girlfriends can feel incredible! I'm always going to be the kind of person who treats myself," Kristen has said. To combat her serious sweet tooth, she tries to stay active. "If I can burn 10 calories by avoiding the elevator, I'm all for it," she says. "More flights of stairs means I can eat more candy!"

Busy working, being a mummy and wife, Kristen isn't spending hours in the gym to lose weight but she hasn't opted out of exercising. Three times a week she does a short run (saying over 20 minutes is something to be celebrated!) and adds Pilates and the occasional spin class to the mix. To slim down fast for stepping out, Spanx or "post-surgical compression outfits" have become Kristen's trick.

Three New Apps You Need in Your Life

Most of us would be lost without our precious smart phone, which has become the ultimate gadget. Much more than a 'phone', our tech sidekicks let us play music, Facebook, Google, Instagram and FaceTime. Oh and take lots of obligatory selfies and snapshots of our food. All this technology also means it's easier than ever to get access to health and wellness information. I've recently downloaded three apps that I love, helping me to keep my fitness and wellbeing goals in check. Read on to find out which apps I am loving right now.



1. Headspace App

Mediation is an amazing technique to relax the body, reliving tension in your muscles and quieting stressful and negative thoughts. The relaxation technique can be difficult to master, particularly when your mind is racing and you can't fathom grabbing five minutes to yourself. Headspace is an app that teaches you to meditate in a 'no pressure' fashion, letting you familiarize yourself with meditation over 30 days, building your skills over time.

Each day you log in, you will practice meditating for ten minutes, which you can do anywhere and at any time. When you wake up, before you go to sleep or during your lunch break, set aside ten minutes for this app. I have really noticed the benefits of meditation in reducing tension in my body and being more in-tuned with my physical health. Get some headspace!

2. The Lorna Jane App

If you haven't already downloaded this cute pink app, do it right now! The Lorna Jane app is a way to log your walks, runs or cycles by tracking your movement. Taking your phone with you on your journey, you simply log into the app and start your activity. When you finish, Lorna Jane herself will give you a quick congratulations and you can see how far you travelled. Over time, you can reflect on the log you have built and be impressed with your efforts.

3. Pocket Yoga

Yoga is a fantastic way to tone and strengthen your body while connecting to your breath. Practicing yoga also greatly increases flexibility and helps to stretch out your muscles, particularly relieving when the body is sore or tense. Finding time to fit yoga into your schedule can be tricky with many opting for calorie-burning workouts instead. Yet the benefits of yoga are undeniable and I have noticed a big shift in my muscle tone since I've started.

Pocket Yoga is an app that instructs you on yoga routines ranging from beginning to advanced over 30 to 60 minutes. You simply select your preferences and soundtrack (ocean, desert, mountain) and the app will guide you through a routine. Set yourself an attainable goal of trying this once a week and I guarantee you will look forward to your pocket yoga time.

Clean Chocolate Tarts

I've been seeing lots of vegan recipes calling for avocado in replacement of the usual creamy ingredients we reach for when making a mousse or cheesecake. I just couldn't quite wrap my head around the thought of avocado as a sweet treat, despite all the raving reviews of its dessert potential.

Getting creative one afternoon, I was raiding my fridge and pantry to see what skinny sweet I could whip up. I had some walnuts, cream cheese and an avocado, and using my beloved Vitamix I decided to give avocado a chance! What I came up with tasted EXACTLY like chocolate mousse and I put that in a shell of toasted walnut and cinnamon. The hype about avocado in desserts is warranted, it works beautifully! Not avocado-tasting, the fruit just adds a rich and creamy texture. To make this dessert vegan, replace the cream cheese with firm coconut cream.


Clean Chocolate Tarts

Ingredients:

Crust

• 1 cup of walnut, hazelnuts or almonds
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Filling

• 150 grams of low-fat cream cheese, vegan cream cheese or chilled coconut cream 
• 1 ripe avocado - one that is not too avocadoey tasting.. if you know what I mean!
• 3 - 4 tablespoons of cacao powder 
• 2 teaspoons of stevia powder
• 2 tablespoons of real maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of sea salt

Method:

1. In a food processor or high-speed blender, pulse the raw nuts until it begins to form a dough. Add in the coconut oil and cinnamon to combine.
2. Line a muffin tin with foil patty cases. Press a tablespoon of mixture into each and press down to make a crust.
3. Bake in a moderate oven for 10 minutes or until toasted. Be careful not to burn.
4. To make the filling, process or blend together the cream cheese, avocado, cacao powder, stevia powder, maple strip, vanilla and salt until creamy. 
5. When the tart shells are cool, spoon in the chocolate mixture. 
6. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Healing Your Food Relationship

Gabrielle Bernstein is a motivational speaker and New York Times best-selling author of May Cause Miracles. She believes that simple, consistent shifts in our thinking and actions can lead to miracles across all aspects of our lives, including relationships, finances, bodies, and self-image.

In her inspiring guide, Gabrielle offers an exciting plan for releasing fear and allowing gratitude, forgiveness, and love to flow leading to appreciation, acceptance and happiness! Doesn't that sound lovely?!
Recently, Gabrielle wrote about eating and I knew my readers would benefit from her words of wisdom. I get many friends, family and readers asking me what to do about overeating or binge habits. Everyone has overindulged at some point, whether it be Christmas or at a special night out, but there are other times when you are mindlessly snacking or reaching to food for comfort. Bingeing can create disordered eating patterns, leading to a host of mental illnesses and anxiety conditions.

Support and positive words help you to stay on track and motivate you to heal yourself. I have posted below Gabrielle's take on her relationship with food.

From her website

Do you suffer from the BBQ binge? Holiday weekends can sometimes be a trigger for our worst eating habits. Obsessing over food like many other addictive behaviors is just another way of numbing out and avoiding un-felt pain, blocked emotions, or a true experience of life.

Everyone faces their relationship to food in unique ways. Some people obsess over every calorie, whereas others have no boundaries whatsoever. Whether you overeat out of boredom or you don’t eat out of fear, there is a spiritual condition that needs to be addressed.

Admittedly, I still struggle with my relationship to food and in this vlog I share some of my tips for recovery. Outing your ego is the first step in the healing process.

Watch the video >>>

Are We Becoming Professional Dieters?

When I read this open letter from a weight loss consultant to her clients, I had to agree with many of her observations. Everywhere you turn, there is CONSTANT pressure to feel you should be thin, toned and fit. You should have the apparent willpower to resist any 'bad' foods and exercise like some sort of army troop, bouncing out of bed every morning straight on schedule.

To transform yourself into your fitness inspiration, you may start falling prey to obsessive diet and exercise patterns, where you are ruled by what you should and shouldn't be doing. You might start to cancel social events to avoid the party food and drink or to get an extra workout in.

While a healthy attitude to balancing food and exercise is key to a healthy body, I don't recommend trying to change the way you look at the expense of your sanity! Let's face it, unless you are Miranda Kerr, you won't see her body looking back at you in the mirror. What we ultimately need to work towards is acceptance and self love. Anything extreme and gruelling can't last forever and a healthy lifestyle with balance is most achievable.

We are smart enough to know all that you really need to do is eat real food, move your body and whatever comes with that is about acceptance. A healthy lifestyle will lead to a healthy body, and each person is different in terms of what will work best for you.

Having the perfect body would be fun but it wouldn't dramatically change your life. Making peace with yourself and learning self-acceptance is what will make the real difference to your overall happiness.

Read this post to see the open letter.
The Open Letter:

I WORKED at a popular weight loss company for three years. I loved my job there. I LOVED my clients. I loved making a connection and sharing my knowledge. And I learned a lot about nutrition, about dieting and weight loss and what works and what doesn't.

My job was to be a weight loss consultant, and I learned that job very well. I can design a 1200 calorie meal plan, tell you which activities are most likely to make the number on the scale go down, and how many carbs are in a cup of rice. I can talk the diet game like it's my business...because it was. Volumise with vegetables. Don't go too long in between meals. Start with a bowl of broth-based soup. Are you drinking enough water? Did you exercise enough? Did you exercise too much? Let's look at your food journal...

This is not an anti-weight loss company post (although I could write that too). It's a letter to each and every woman that I unknowingly wronged. My heart is beating a little bit faster as I write this, and so I know this needs to be said. The words have been playing in my head for months. Sometimes it just takes time for me to get up the courage to say the right thing.

So here goes:

"Dear Former Weight Loss Clients (you know who you are):

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry because I put you on a 1200 calorie diet and told you that was healthy. I'm sorry because when you were running 5x a week, I encouraged you to switch from a 1200 calorie diet to a 1500 calorie diet, instead of telling you that you should be eating a hell of a lot more than that. I'm sorry because you were breastfeeding and there's no way eating those 1700 calories a day could have been enough for both you and your baby. I'm sorry because you were gluten intolerant and so desperate to lose weight that you didn't put that on your intake form. But you mentioned it to me later, and I had no idea the damage you were doing to your body. I'm sorry because I think I should have known. I think I should have been educated better before I began to tell all of you what was right or wrong for your body.

I'm sorry because I made you feel like a failure and so you deliberately left a message after the center had closed, telling me you were quitting. I thought you were awesome and gorgeous, and I'm sorry because I never told you that. I'm sorry because you came in telling me you liked to eat organic and weren't sure about all the chemicals in the food, and I made up some BS about how it was a "stepping stone." I'm sorry because many of you had thyroid issues and the LAST thing you should have been doing was eating a gluten-filled, chemically-laden starvation diet. I'm sorry because by the time I stopped working there, I wouldn't touch that food, yet I still sold it to you.

I'm sorry because it's only years later that I realise just how unhealthy a 1200 calorie diet was. I stayed on a 1200-1500 calorie diet for years, so I have the proof in myself. Thyroid issues, mood swings, depression, headaches ... oh and gluten intolerance that seemed to "kick in" after about a month of eating the pre-packaged food. Was it a coincidence? Maybe.

I'm sorry because you had body dysmorphic disorder, and it was so painful to hear the things you said about yourself. You looked like a model, and all of my other clients were intimidated by you, asked me why you were there because clearly you didn't need to lose weight. And yet you would sit in my office and cry, appalled that a man might see you naked and be disturbed by the fat that didn't actually exist. I'm sorry because you should have been seeing a therapist, not a weight loss consultant.

I'm sorry because you were young and so beautiful and only there because your mother thought you needed to lose weight. And because there were too many of you like that. Girls who knew you were fine, but whose mothers pushed that belief out of you until you thought like she did. Until you thought there was something wrong with you. And the one time I confronted your mother, you simply got switched to a different consultant. I think I should have made more of a stink, but I didn't. I'm sorry because you were in high school and an athlete, and I pray that you weren't screwed up by that 1500 calorie diet. Seriously, world? Seriously? A teenage girl walks in with no visible body fat and lots of muscle tone, tells you she's a runner and is happy with her weight ... but her mother says she's fat and has to lose weight and so we help her do just that. As an individual, as women, as a company, hell, as a nation, we don't stand up for that girl? What is wrong with us? There ain't nothing right about that. Nothing.

I'm sorry because every time you ate something you "shouldn't" or ate more than you "should," I talked about "getting back on the bandwagon." I cringe now every time someone uses that phrase. When did the way we eat become a bandwagon? When did everyone stop eating and become professional dieters? I'm sorry because I get it now. If you're trying to starve your body by eating fewer calories than it needs, of course it's going to fight back. I used to tell you that then, when you wanted to eat less than 1200 calories a day. The problem was, I thought 1200 was enough. I thought that was plenty to support a healthy body. Why did I believe that for so long? I'm sorry because I wasn't trying to trick you or play games to get your money. I believed the lies we were fed as much as you did.

And it wasn't just the company feeding them to me. It was the doctors and registered dietitians on the medical advisory board. It was the media and magazines confirming what I was telling my clients. A palm-sized portion of lean chicken with half a sweet potato and a salad was PLENTY. No matter that you had "cravings" afterwards. Cravings are a sign of underlying emotional issues. Yeah, sure they are. I'm a hypnotherapist with a past history of binge eating disorder. I KNOW cravings are a sign of underlying emotional issues. Except when they're not. Except when they're a sign that your body needs more food and you're ignoring it. Then they're a sign that your 1200 calorie diet is horseshit. Then they're a sign that you've been played.

And that's mostly why I'm sorry. Because I've been played for years, and so have you, and inadvertently, I fed into the lies you've been told your whole life. The lies that say that being healthy means nothing unless you are also thin. The lies that say that you are never enough, that your body is not a beautiful work of art, but rather a piece of clay to be moulded by society's norms until it becomes a certain type of sculpture. And even then, it is still a work in progress.

I owe you an apology, my former client and now friend, who I helped to lose too much weight. Who I watched gain the weight back, plus some. Because that's what happens when you put someone on a 1200 calorie diet. But I didn't know. If you're reading this, then I want you to know that you have always been beautiful. And that all these fad diets are crap meant to screw with your metabolism so that you have to keep buying into them. I think now that I was a really good weight loss consultant. Because I did exactly what the company wanted (but would never dare say). I helped you lose weight and then gain it back, so that you thought we were the solution and you were the failure. You became a repeat client and we kept you in the game. I guess I did my job really well.

And now I wonder, did I do more harm than good? When I left, you all wrote me cards and sent me flowers. I still have those cards, the ones that tell me how much I helped you, how much I cared. But I'm friends with some of you on Facebook now, and I look at your photos and you look happy. And beautiful. And not because you lost weight since I saw you last. But because I see YOU now. You. Not a client sitting in my chair, asking for my assistance in becoming what society wants. But you, a smart and lovely woman, who really doesn't need some random company telling her there's something wrong with her.

So I'm sorry because when you walked in to get your meal plan, I should have told you that you were beautiful. I should have asked you how you FELT. Were you happy? Did you feel physically fit? Were you able to play with your kids? There were so many of you who never needed to lose a pound, and some of you who could have gained some. And maybe sometimes I told you that. But not enough. Not emphatically. Because it was my job to let you believe that making the scale go down was your top priority. And I did my job well.

I am sorry because many of you walked in healthy and walked out with disordered eating, disordered body image, and the feeling that you were a "failure." None of you ever failed. Ever. I failed you. The weight loss company failed you. Our society is failing you.

Just eat food. Eat real food, be active, and live your life. Forget all the diet and weight loss nonsense. It's really just that. Nonsense.

And I can't stop it. But I can stop my part in it. I won't play the weight loss game anymore. I won't do it to my body, and I won't help you do it to yours. That's it. End game.

- Iris

This post originally appeared on yourfairyangel.com

Ten Activewear Online Stores To Keep You Motivated

Just this week a friend at the gym asked me where she could get some stylish new gym threads, apart from at the one and only queen of fitness fashion (you know who!). If you aren't from Australia, you might not know our active wear choices are dominated by one main label (google Australian fitness clothing) and while this brand's clothes are well-made, flattering, functional and pretty, sometimes you need to mix it up.

It got me thinking, where else can you find cute gym gear? I have posted fashion finds which I think offer a little something for everyone. A few new gym treats will get you wanting to spring into action and hit the road running (or at least power walking...!). 

Adidas by Stella McCartney

Well-made and sporty, Stella's range of active wear gets you straight in the mood for a gym sesh. Bright colours and prints cover a range of shorts, tights, crop tops, singlets and hoodies to suit every type of workout. She has also designed a super stylish range of Adidas running shoes to complete your look. Pieces range from an average of $60 - $150. 

Shop at: http://www.adidas.com.au/adidas_by_stella_mccartney 

Price: $$$

The Upside

I just recently posted about this label designed by former Tigerlily owner Jodhi Meares. Solving the dilemma of training to out-about-about, these clothes are so stylish you can wear them confidently in and out of the gym. Jen Hawkins is a fan of their leopard print tights and chic black palette. This stuff is fairly pricey (average $100 per piece), but the items are so versatile and worth the investment. 

Shop at: theupsidesport.com/‎

Price: $$$

Vie Activewear (pictured above)

This brand, designed in Bondi (Sydney), is bright and fun with a dash of animal print (of which I just can't get enough of!!!). Fitness favourite Sheryidan Fisher is the face of this activewear label, inspiring us to follow her lead and get out running in some gorgeous new threads. I particularly love the leopard print hoodie and grey tights. 

Shop at: http://www.vieactivewear.com

Price: $$$

LuluLemon Fans Megan Fox, Reese Witherspoon, Gisele Bündchen and Eva Longoria

LuluLemon Athletica 

Canadian-born fitness wear LuluLemon has got a huge range of tights, bras, singlets and hoodies to complement any workout. This brand makes classic activewear in styles, cuts and colours suitable to all age groups. You won't find any mantra-emblazoned singlets at this store. Perfect for yoga lovers. 

Shop at: http://www.lululemon.com.au

Price: $$$

Blockout Fitness 

Compression tights and fitted singlets are a plenty in this well-known activewear brand. Shop for long-lasting tights and crop tops that will become staples in your workout wardrobe. Not to mention, this activewear range is fairly inexpensive with crop tops averaging at $35.00 instead of $85. 

Shop at: http://blockoutclothing.com.au 

Price: $$

Sportsgirl Activewear - Work It Out Wear

Sportsgirl has just launched a new range of activewear for trend setters' workout wardrobes. While the range is currently limited, watch this space for cute leather-look shorts, neon crop tops and yoga mats to tote. 

Shop at: https://shop.sportsgirl.com.au/

Price: $$

Running Bare

This label has been seen on the likes of Jen Hawkins and Jesinta Campbell in a mid-workout selfie. Bright and fun, the colour and print range of these clothes inspire you to keep that pilates date. 

Shop at: www.runningbare.com.au/‎
Price: $$

All About Eve

While not an activewear brand, I love picking up a few muscle tees and baggy singlets from this fresh and young label. Mix fun tees with your fitness tights, throw over a cute denim jacket and stuff your headphones into one of their printed back packs for post-gym acai bowls with the girls. Also a fab site for gorgeous bikinis and beach attire staples. 

Shop at: http://www.allabouteveclothing.com/
Price: $$

Cotton On Active

Basic pieces in light material are perfect for walks on hot summer days. Super cute prints adorn comfy shorts, supportive sports bras and breathable singlets. These clothes are so inexpensive, giving you no excuse to cancel that gym membership. Make sure to check out Ricki-Lee's new range of dance gear for Cotton On Body, featuring cute undie and bra sets and sports sequined jackets. 

Shop at: http://shop.cottonon.com/shop/women/active/ 

Price: $

Supre Sporte

Great for basics, Supre offers t-shirts, crop tops and tights ranging from as a little as $5! Add these pieces with more expensive exercise gear to complete the look. A little tip: thin and inexpensive tights are often transparent which is not a good look while doing squats in the gym if you know what I mean! These pieces are best layered with longer t-shirts to prevent any see-through moments. Crop tops or sports bras from here also have limited support but are handy for yoga or pilates as they are super comfy. 

Shop at: http://www.supre.com.au/Sporté.aspx?s6

Price: $

Also check out www.stylerunner.com/‎ for all your fitness wear needs. They have a massive range of active wear, with some seriously chic get-up inspired straight from the runway.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free)

These cookies contain no refined sugar, animal products or gluten, but that doesn't mean they aren't filled with lots of flavour. Not to mention, this cookie recipe is so much simpler than traditional types and takes mere minutes to prepare. You will one this recipe and I promise you will be making these cookies all the time, and everyone will thank you for it!


Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of almond meal
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup 
• 1/4 cup of vegan chocolate chips

Method:

1. Mix together the almond meal and baking powder, then add the rest of the ingredients. 
2. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees and line a baking tray with greased proofed paper. 
3. Shape tablespoons of mixture into balls and place onto the tray, slightly flattening each down.
4. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until golden.
5. Take out the cookies and leave them to cool on the tray, then store in an airtight container. 

Jessica Alba's Healthy Meatballs Recipe

These versatile meatballs are a favourite in the Alba household. You can use lean turkey mince, organic free-range chicken mince or extra-lean beef mince in the recipe and make your own breadcrumbs if you prefer (or use gluten-free breadcrumbs if required). Serve these meatballs on their own with fresh salad or incorporate in a tomato sauce to serve with quinoa or brown rice.


Jessica Alba's Healthy Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 600 grams of lean ground turkey/chicken/beef
• 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) or gluten-free breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
• 1/4 cup finely chopped zucchini
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the meat, breadcrumbs, vegetables, eggs, and seasonings until combined. You may want to use your hands to help all the ingredients bind together.
2. Roll the mixture into small meatballs (slightly larger than a golf ball size) and place on a dish until finished.
3. Heat a large pan and add the oil. Pan fry the meatballs until golden brown on all sides. Cook for 7 or so minutes.
4. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth; cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is almost completely absorbed, about another 7 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup broth and increase heat to medium; cook, uncovered, until liquid is absorbed. 
5. You can either serve the meatballs now or add in a jar of tomato pasta sauce to serve with rice. 

Jessica Alba and her two daughters

Healthy Peanut Crunch Chocolates... sugar free, paleo AND vegan!

Lovers of peanut butter will delight in the crunchy peanut butter centre of these coconutty chocolates. To make these delicious and creamy chocolate treats, you only need a a few ingredients and a silicone ice cube tray or chocolate mould (these are flexible and make it easier to pop out the set chocolates).

If you prefer, you can substitute the peanut butter with a preferred nut butter with the same result. Yummy additions to these chocolates could include goji berries, shredded coconut, chia seeds, cinnamon or orange zest.
Healthy Peanut Crunch Chocolates

Makes 1 tray of chocolates (6 - 8 serves)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
• 2 scoops of chocolate or vanilla flavored protein powder (any type with no added sugar - however to be vegan this must be rice or pea protein)
• 1 scoop (use protein scooper) of coconut flour
• 1 tablespoon of organic crunchy peanut butter with no added sugar or salt + 1 tablespoon for filling
• 2 tablespoons of 100% cacao powder 
• 1 teaspoons of maca powder* optional
• 1 - 2 tablespoons of powdered stevia, depending on sweetness preferences 

Method:

1. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until combined and smooth. The mix should be thick and creamy, but at a pourable consistency, much like pancake batter. If the mixture seems to thick, add a teaspoon of coconut oil at a time until the desired consistency is reached. If it is too runny, add a little more protein powder or coconut flour.
2. Spray your silicone tray with coconut oil or macadamia nut oil. Using a tablespoon, fill each mould half way. 
3. Using a teaspoon, put a small amount of peanut butter into each mould. Using the remaining chocolate mix, top each mould until full, covering the peanut butter centre. 
4. Freeze for a few hours, until set. Pop out on the moulds and transfer into a container to keep in the freezer. These chocolates will melt quickly at room temperature. Take them out shortly before eating! 

* Maca powder is made from a root that grows in the Andes mountains of Peru. It is associated with improved vitality, energy, libido and anti-ageing benefits. 

Not Losing Weight But You're Doing Everything Right? Three Weight Loss Road Blocks

You think you are doing everything right... You are going for daily runs, eating salads and steamed vegetables and saying no to sabotages and temptations. The problem is you aren't losing weight. You are stuck and you are pretty frustrated. I hear so many confused dieters say they've hit a wall in losing weight and can't figure out why. Here are three main reasons why you might not be reaching your goal weight. Read about these road blocks and how to turn your weight loss around in the right direction by making a few simple tweaks to your routine.


1. Not Enough Protein

Many women do simply not eat enough protein. The word 'protein' is synonymous with 'muscle' as it is a crucial component in creating a lean figure. Despite how many weights you may be lifting or pilates and yoga you are performing, without protein your body will struggle to support its own muscles. Protein actually triggers muscle growth alone; every time you eat protein (10 - 15 grams, which is a small serve of yoghurt or tinned tuna), you fire up your body's protein synthesis. When you increase your protein intake to 30 grams (one large chicken breast or a few eggs), this protein synthesis will continue for over three hours. 

Make sure you are eating protein at every meal, especially breakfast. Eat the amount of protein relative to your goal body weight. There are several different methods to calculate your protein needs, but as a guide, multiply your body weight in kilograms (to convert pounds to kilograms divide by 2.2) by 1.8 for a moderately active lifestyle. For example, if your goal weight is 55 kilograms, your average daily protein intake is 80 - 110 grams. Just adjust this based on your gym routine, as in if you are doing a heavier weights day, eat at the upper range, if it is a rest day, eat at the lower end of the spectrum. 

2. Skipping Breakfast

I've blogged about this one before, but I can't reiterate enough how important it is to eat breakfast! Skipping breakfast is a sure-fire way to slow down your metabolism and stop weight loss in its tracks. When you wake up in the morning, your body is fuel deprived, your protein stores are running on empty and your insulin levels are low. Your muscles will be desperate for nutrition in the morning and it is important to restore your energy levels to get the most out of your day and to prevent any morning tea sugar binges or late night grease feasts. 

The key to eating a good breakfast is making sure you get a good balance of protein and healthy fats. Think poached eggs and avocado with rye bread, oats with Greek yoghurt and raw nuts, or a protein shake made with almond milk, a tablespoon of peanut butter and a scoop of protein powder. Many people shed kilos from making this lifestyle change alone.

3. Not Eating Before or After Exercise

So you are about to slog it out at boot camp or race into a body pump class but you haven't had time to eat. Maybe you have just finished a 5k run or a session on the cross trainer and figure if you don't eat now, you will burn more fat. Wrong... these times are the most crucial to fuel up. 

Timing is everything when it comes to food and exercise. If you eat protein (yes you will notice protein is a key theme here!) before and after working out, you block the negative effects of cortisol, which is a hormone that tells your body to store fat. This way, your body can sculpt muscles more effectively and burn fat. You will also have more energy to perform your workout and to get on with your day afterwards, and you will have a shorter recovery time. 

Just watch your portion size. Eat a small tub of low-fat Greek yoghurt with berries and a few raw nuts before your workout and to refuel afterwards, have a protein shaker with you on the go, with 1 scoop of good quality protein powder (try Sunwarrior vegan protein powder or whey protein isolate) with cold water or coconut water. Carbs are good for energy before a workout (wholegrain rice or banana) but avoid it after working out, and focus more on protein to restore muscle growth.