The Daily Fitness

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Writing down everything that passes your lips breaks many common habits that actually stop diets from working. Being honest with yourself and writing everything down in a journal might guarantee a weight loss success. Research suggests that we underestimate out food intake by 600 calories a day. Keeping a food journal provides you with important information about what you eat and the amount you eat. This results in you thinking twice about indulging. You have the proof in front of you in black and white. Many people really do not have a clue what they are really consuming. We food ourselves that the chip we steal from our partners plate does not count or the fact that you were good yesterday, but it’s all these small things that damage a diet.

Keeping a food journal makes you stop and think when you reach for food. If you have to write it down you will more likely not eat it. Writing a food journal boosts you self esteem, it also confronts you gently with your less angelic choices with food. If you have been honest in your food journal, then it is very easy to spot the course and effect of your diet.

Keeping a food journal helps you make better food choices. A food journal not only acts as a calorie log but also allows you to delve into your emotional make up and help identify and break bad habits.

If you put as much detail into your food journal such as time, what you ate, the calories, how you felt before and after eating emotionally and physically you can easily see the pattern.

Finally a food journal gives you space to examine your relationship with food. Many of us have damaged relationships with food as a result of yo-yo dieting. Your food journal is for your eyes only, knowing that nobody will see or judge what your eating you can explore these feelings that you spend a lot of energy covering up. Simply your journal is a letter to yourself.

Remember if you bite it…..Write it!

So has anyone had any good experiences from keeping a food journal?

What are your thoughts on keeping a food journal?

Here’s a healthy detox plan to start 2008 of to a healthier you!  With weight loss, improved complexion, improved energy levels and improved immune system.

This detox plan is only for 5 days.

DAY 1

Breakfast

• Fresh fruit salad.
• cup of hot water with a lemon slice.

Mid Morning Snack

• Carrot sticks with hummus.

Lunch

• Homemade vegetable soup made with lentils and beans.

Afternoon Snack

• Handful of unsalted seeds and nuts.

Dinner

• Steamed fish and lots of green vegetables

DAY 2

Breakfast

• Yogurt with muesli.
• Cup of hot water with a lemon slice.

Mid Morning Snack

• Slice of watermelon

Lunch

• Crudites and hummus

Afternoon Snack

• An apple

Dinner

• Bean and sweet potatoes casserole with parsnips.

DAY 3

Breakfast

• Homemade smoothie ~ Choose one from one of the recipes that I have posted on here.
• Cup of hot water and a lemon slice.

Mid Morning Snack

• Rice cakes and an apple

Lunch

• Baked sweet potato with tuna.

Afternoon Snack

• an orange and a cup of green tea.

Dinner

• Stuffed peppers with brown rice, onion, celery and pinenuts.

DAY 4

Breakfast

• Homemade juice ~ Choose one from the list of recipes that I have posted on here.

Mid Morning Snack

• Handful of mixed nuts, seeds and dried fruit.

Lunch

• Green salad with avocado and pinenuts.

Afternoon snack

• Celery sticks with hummus and a cup of herbal tea.

Dinner

• Prawn stir fry with vegetables, sesame seeds, ginger and garlic.
• Serve with a small portion of rice.

DAY 5

Breakfast

• Natural yogurt with seeds
• Cup of hot water with a lemon slice

Mid Morning Snack

• Handful of nuts and seeds

Lunch

• Mixed bean salad with tuna.

Afternoon Snack

• A pear and a cup of herbal tea

Dinner

• Wheat free noodles with peas and broccoli.

If you find that you are hungry feel free to have extra portion of:

• Nuts, seeds and dried fruit.
• Vegetables.
• Fruit.

If you would like more detox plans posted please let me know.

Photo credit: Green vision, by speedy2

As promised I have a few more juicing and smoothie recipes for you to try.

Please let me know what you thought of the recipes.

1. Banana and Mango Smoothie

• 1 Banana
• 1 Mango
• 1 Teaspoon Honey
• 1/2 medium Pineapple

All you have to do is put the banana, mango and honey into the blender and blend.

Pour over ice cubes.

2. Kiwi Smoothie

• 4 Kiwi
• 1 small Banana
• Juice of 1 whole Lemon
• Small pot of Natural Yogurt

all you have to do is place Kiwi and banana into a blender with the juice of 1 whole lemon, add the yogurt and blend.

Pour over ice cubes.

3. Mango and Strawberry Smoothie

• 1 Mango
• 200g of Strawberries
• 150ml of Natural Yogurt
• 75ml of Semi Skimmed Milk

All you have to do is  put the mango into the blender along with the strawberries, yogurt and milk blend until smooth.

Pour over ice cubes.

4. Banana Oat and Honey Smoothie

• 4 tbsp of rolled Oats
• 2 tbsp Jordan Natural Wheatgerm
• 300ml of Natural Yogurt
• 2 Bananas
• 2 tbsp of Honey

All you have to do is put the oats, wheatgerm, yogurt, milk, bananas and honey into a blender and blend until smooth.

5.  Blueberry Hippie Smoothie

• 2 Passion fruits
• 1 Banana
• 150g Blueberries
• 1 very ripe Pear
• 150 Apple Juice

all you have to do is put the passion fruit seeds, bananas, blueberries, pear and apple juice into the blender and blend.

Pour over ice cubes.

6. Lemon Essence

• 8 Carrots
• 1 Apple
• 1 whole Lemon
• 1 inch Fresh Ginger

All you have to do is juice the carrots, apple and lemon in the juicer and pour over ice cubes.

7. Grape galore

• 20 Green Grapes
• 10 Strawberries
• 1 Apple
• 2 Sprigs of Fresh Mint

All you have to do is juice the grapes, strawberries apple and fresh mint in the juicer and pour over ice cubes

8. Carrot Mania

• 6 Carrots
• 2 Celery Sticks
• 1 Apple

All you have to do is juice the carrots, celery stick and apple in a juicer and pour over ice cubes.

I have some very easy juicing and smoothie recipes that I thought that you might like to try out.  These juices and smoothies are ideal for when on a detox.

All you need is a juicer and a blender for these recipes and you are on your way!

If there are recipes that you would like to know or if you have any of your own recipes that you would like to see on The Daily Fitness please let me know and I would be very happy to post them on here for you.

1. Lemon and Ginger Zinger Juice

2 Carrots

2 Apples

1 inch slice of Lemon (wax free) with rind on

1/4 Fresh Ginger

2 Ice cubes

All you have to do is juice the carrots, apples lemon slice and fresh ginger and pour over ice cubes.

2. Sherbert Lemonade Juice

2 Golden Delicious apples

1/3 Leon (wax free) with rind on

2 Ice cubes

All you have to do is juice the apples, and lemon slice and pour over ice cubes.

3. Hot Apple and Spicy Cinnamon

3 Apples

1 pinch of Cinnamon

All you have to do is juice the apples and pout the apple juice into a saucepan.

Slowly heat the apple juice but do not let it boil.

When the apple juice is hot pour into a mug and add a pinch of cinnamon.

4. Fruit Salad Juice

1/4 Pineapple

1/2 inch Lemon slice (wax free) with rind on

3 Strawberries

1 small handful of Raspberries

1/2 Banana

All you have to do is juice the pineapple and lemon slice.

Put the strawberries, raspberries and banana into a blender add the pineapple and lemon juice and blend until smooth.

5. Muesli Smoothie

1/2 Pineapple

2 Apples

3 Strawberries

1/2 Banana

2 Tablespoons of Live Natural Yogurt

1 small handful of Organic Muesli

3 Ice cubes

All you have to do is juice the pineapple and apples.

Place the strawberries, banana, natural yogurt, ice cubes and muesli into the blender add the pineapple  and apple juice and blend until smooth.

6. Orange and Strawberry Juice

8 Fresh Strawberries

2 Oranges peeled

1/4 Lemon without rind

4 Ice cubes

all you have to do is juice the orange and lemon.

Place the strawberries and ice cubes into the blender and add the orange and lemon juice into the blender and blend until smooth.

7. Cool Cucumber

1/2 small Cucumber

1 stick of celery

1/4 medium Pineapple

2 Ice cubes

All you have to do is juice the cucumber, celery stick and pineapple and pour over ice cubes.

8. Apple and Cucumber Juice

1/4 small Cucumber

1 stick of Celery

2 Apples

Ice

All you have to do is juice the cucumber, celery and apples and pour over ice.

I will be adding more recipes soon.

Don’t forget if you have a juicing or smoothie recipe of your own that you would like to see here or if you would like to know a recipe please let me know.

A week already into the new year and many of us will be going on a detox of some kind.

Have you already started your journey to a new you?

To start the journey to a new you why not start it off with a detox programme?

A healthy detox will allow your body to detoxify and give you a good start to your diet.

What is Detoxing?

Detoxing encourages your body to function correctly.  It boosts the body’s natural self cleansing system.  Detoxing helps the organs such as liver, kidneys, lymphatic System and the skin to function correctly.  It also reduces the stress out of the digestive system.

The aim of a detox is to help your body get rid of toxins that accumulate inside the body as a consequence of stress, poor diet, pollution, drugs, alcohol, lack of exercise, cigarettes and too many late nights.

Detoxing gives results such as more energy, clear skin, improved sleep, greater mental clarity and improving the immune system.  And as an added bonus weight loss, although it’s main purpose is not weight loss.

A detox can also act as a starting point for discovering any intolerance or allergies that you may have.

What Does Detoxing Involve?

A detox can last as little as 24 hours to as long as 28 days.

A detox mainly consists of fruit and vegetables.

Foods to Avoid while Detoxing

Sugar

Fried foods

Dairy

Alcohol

Caffeine

Wheat

All types of meat

Foods to Enjoy While Detoxing

Fruit juices

Vegetable juices

Water

Raw foods

Whole fruit

Vegetables

Legumes

Seeds

Oats

Brown rice

Quinoa

Buckwheat

It is important that you drink at least 2 liters of water a  day.

It is also important that you support your body during a detox by taking supplements

Supplements to Take

Multivitamins and Minerals

Vitamin C

Omega 3 & 6

To stimulate the elimination of toxins through the skin in perspiration it is advised to do some light exercises such as walking, yoga or t’ai chi

Side Effects of a Detox?

Side effects of a detox diet can include:

Lethargy

Headaches

Nausea

Mood swings

Spots

Bad breath

Coated tongue

These symptoms usually go after a few days once the body had had a chance to adjust to the detox.

Who Should Not Detox?

You should not detox if you are:

Pregnant

Breast feeding

A child

Elderly

Underweight

Debilitated

Anaemic

Diabetes

Heart Disease

Kidney disease

Liver Disease

Other chronic health problems

Before you start a detox I would advise you to go and see your own doctor first.

The benefits of a detox is a result of eating a better diet, establishing a healthier lifestyle and eliminating toxins from the body.

Hello and welcome to The Daily Fitness.

The Daily Fitness is my blog about fitness, exercise and diet.

I would like to thank Antonio Marques for all his help on setting this blog up for me, without his help and advise I would never have started this blog.

Since I was diagnosed with Endometriosis and Fibromyalgia I have been taking great interest in fitness, exercise and diet.  I found by adapting my diet and eating the right foods for my body and doing the right exercises for my body my symptoms to my illnesses are kept to a minimal.

I will posting articles and advise on fitness, exercise and diet and I will do my best to give as much as possible information on these subjects that I am focusing on.

I hope that you my readers will enjoy reading The Daily Fitness as much as I will enjoy writing it.

Please feel free to leave your comments.

Enjoy!

Louise