emlewis

Busting Weight Loss Myths

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 03:03:31 +0000

There is a heap of free advice on social media these days on weight loss that if it is taken seriously, can do you more harm than good. Many are unqualified people with no formal education in health, fitness or nutrition making claims to flog products, collect affiliate dollars or make a fast buck. It makes it hard for accredited and trained professionals to be heard among all the white noise. Will the real trainers and nutritionists please stand up!

That's why I am glad you landed here today because I am am about to bust some weight loss myths wide open and help you see some real results. There are no cutting corners to good health. No single pill or drink or regimine will do it. Finding your fitness groove is a full lifetime commitment and one that is constantly evolving as you age and grow, and as you evolve. Let's dive into it, shall we...

Myth: Exercise in the morning is better than night.

Let's get something straight from the get-go. Effective weight loss is the total amount of calories burned during the day, not how or when they were burned. It doesn't matter to your body if it the sun is cresting over the horizon or the stars are out. Exercise is exercise. While some argue exercise early in the day definitely revs the metabolism, others adamantly claim a fierce sesh before bed is much better.

Truthfully, there is no advantage of one over the other. What does make a huge difference is your lifestyle. If the difference between working out and not is first up, then do first up. Make it really count. If night time works better for your schedule, eat light and leap into beast mode. The takeaway here is to just do it. Make exercise fit your life and your body will delight you with results.

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Myth: More exercise is better.

Every sweat session is highly beneficial, however more is not always better. A lot depends on what you are trying to achieve; weight loss, increased endurance, muscle gain, toning etc. There is a level and frequency required to achieve specific fitness results. After this level is reached, additional exercise can have the opposite effect, not allowing the body to recuperate and adapt to the stress induced by the exercise, which can be detrimental to your results. Us trainers call this "overtraining" and its a big no-no.

Myth: After stopping exercise muscle will turn to fat.

Muscle and fat are two different types of tissues in the body and you cannot convert one into the other. This is like trying to turn water into milk. If you stop training, the muscles will shrink in size - and do not disappear. The more calories taken in that are not burned off will be deposited as fat.

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Myth: No sweat, you’re not working hard enough.

Sweating is the body's way of cooling itself down. Many factors contribute to body temperature, including room temperature, types of exercise done, body-fat levels, clothing, and exercise intensity. The intensity for exercise can't be judged by the amount you sweat. A well-trained person will often sweat a lot because their body can more efficiently regulate heat.

Myth: Sugar before exercise raises energy levels.

While the ingestion of sugar will lead to a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, this rapid rise also stimulates a flood of insulin. The insulin quickly removes the excess sugar from the blood system, often causing your blood sugar levels to drop and leading to the dreaded 'sugar dump'. It's a fast rocket but while you are working out you want to fuel your muscles to push through your PB not lead to faster exhaustion.

Eat a balanced meal or snack 2 hours prior to working out. Banana in a protein shake is one of my favourite workout fuels. Chase your workout with a fast-acting, liquid protein drink to help replenish essential nutrients and muscle recovery.

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Gaining weight is just a part of getting older.

Getting older is not an excuse for gaining weight! As we age and begin a more sedentary lifestyle we start to lose muscle mass. The efficiency of your metabolism is directly linked to how much muscle you have on your body. The most efficient way of maintaining your body's muscle mass and keeping your metabolism from dropping, is by doing a high intensity strength training workout once a week.

Myth: If it’s fat free I can have as much as I want.

Unfortunately fat free doesn't mean calorie free. The word fat free is misleading because if you overeat on anything, even fat free foods and you burn off those calories, your body will store the excess as fat.

Myth: By exercising my abs I will lose my baby belly.

Exercising your abdominals will help to tone and firm the abdominal region, but it will not reduce fat deposits that are responsible for a baby pot belly. Fat reduction comes from burning more calories than you take in. Fat is reduced uniformly throughout the body there is no such thing as spot reduction. Myth busted!

About Your Coach: It's my passion-filled mission to help you create a body and life you love. I'm a certified Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer, a Body & Lifestyle Coach and co-queen bee of our wellness tribe, . I take great pride in empowering tired, frazzled, (secretly HOT) mamas to feel and look their very best! Ready to get started? Message me on . Let's get social.. come get fit and follow me .

AM Makeover: 7 Day Challenge To Find Time In Your Busy Morning

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 02:41:00 +0000

Yesterday we talked about finding the time in the morning hustle to do the things that are important to you. Today I want you to think about what you should and what you shouldn’t be doing in those first few hours of the day. That’s an important idea to ponder.

So often we get stuck in a rut or a routine and do things because that’s what we’ve always done. We do it without really thinking about whether or not it’s the best use of our time.

It’s Not About Cramming More Things Into Less Time

Making over your morning isn’t about figuring out how to cram more tasks into fewer hours. When you read books and articles on productivity and time management, that’s often the main message and gist of it. While it can help in the short term, it isn’t a good long-term strategy for meaningful change. Very soon you’ll hit the limit of how much faster and how much more efficient you can get.

Shift your thinking and don’t try to add to what you do in the morning. If you want 15 minutes for bible study, meditation, or exercise, don’t just think about getting up 15 minutes earlier, or shaving 15 minutes off your morning routine by showering faster, getting dressed in record time, and rushing through breakfast.

In other words, don’t add to your already lengthy list of things that need to get done. You’ll only feel more rushed and stressed if you do.

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Make Smart Choices About Using Your Time

Instead, what you should be thinking about is the best use of your time in the morning. Compare your perfect morning with your current morning routine. What aren’t you doing on your ideal morning? If you can start by cutting things out, finding time to do what’s important to you becomes much easier.

There are two great ways to find things you can stop doing. The first is to look for busy work. This is something you do out of habit that doesn’t necessarily need doing every day. Maybe it’s checking your email first thing in the morning or playing around on Facebook for half an hour while you drink your coffee. If that’s how you choose to spend your time, that’s perfectly fine, but if you’re doing it out of habit it may be time to rethink it i order to be more productive.

The second way to quickly earn back time is to see if you’re doing things or others that they can do themselves. Kids are the perfect example. We start out fixing their breakfast, making their lunch, cleaning up after them, picking out their clothes, and making sure their backpack is packed and ready to do.

When our kids are very small, we have to do these things, but all too often we continue to do them long after they’re capable of doing things on their own. The same goes for things we do for our spouse.

Maybe there was a time when you had less to do in the morning and it made sense to take on the majority of morning chores. Did things change and if so, is it time to lighten your load and get help from your partner? A few small changes may be all it takes to make the time in your busy morning for what’s important to you.

Stay tuned for next week's post, Makeover Your Morning: A New Morning Game Plan

Going Vegetarian For Weight Loss

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 11:05:00 +0000

Eat your veggies. That used to be something only your mum said over the dinner table, but nowadays, going vegetarian is so mainstream it's a multi-billion dollar business. Just punch in 'vegetarian for weight loss' for example, and you'll get over 10,900,000 search results on Google and well over 14, 268, 038 hits on Instagram for the tag #vegetarian. Going plant-based is not just for hippies chewing organic dandelions and trying to save the world's animals. It has blossomed beyond saving our fur friends, exploded as a movement and has become an everyday lifestyle for millions people across the globe, myself included!

Medical Research Says

Part of the appeal of vegetarianism is the medical research and nutritional statistics popping up just about everywhere suggesting a plant-based diet is the pathway to optimum health and vitality. Giving meat the cold shoulder has also been touted as the secret to maintaining one's youthfulness and living a long, healthy life. Now, if you ask me, I believe this is to be true, but it might also be because many vegetarians also choose to go dairy and gluten-free.

By stripping the diet of animal products like meats and dairy, and eliminating gluten protein (like I have to), it's no wonder so many studies indicate that vegetarians are more likely to have a healthy BMI (body mass index). Both dairy and gluten are known allergens that often trigger or cause bloat, IBS, weight gain and many other health issues especially when regularly consumed in highly processed forms. Just walk down the middle aisles of the local grocery shop and nearly every shelf is lined with products containing a combination of milk solids and wheat. If you are a vegetarian, unless you are grabbing a tin of kidney beans, you rarely see these aisles, let alone consume processed foods.

Typically, those who choose to go vegetarian tend to be very health conscious and make nutritious food choices. So it really is no surprise that going vegetarian you might be less likely to suffer from obesity, coronary artery disease, some types of cancer, and hypertension. But how does all this aid weight loss?

Go Vegetarian, Lose Weight

Well, theory has it, because vegetarians avoid consuming meat products (the main source of saturated fat in our diets) and consume a lower amount of fat overall, their diet is more healthier compared to meat eaters. Vegetarians also tend to consume more essential vitamins such as vitamin C and E, extra dietary fibre, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and phytochemicals than those who consume animal products. This is because the typical vegetarian diet replies on the consumption of more plants, nuts, seeds and other alternative sources for nutrients.

According to the American Dietetic Association, "appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases."

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Now let's be real and drop a #truthbomb, you could easily go vegetarian and still eat crap. And in that case, I'm sorry this lifestyle isn't going to help your weight loss. Adopting a vegetarian diet, like anything, needs a plan, some common sense and consistency to work for you. It needs to be a lifestyle you choose to commit to otherwise it just becomes another calorie-restricted diet that you won't stick to long term.

If you want to make vegetarianism work for you and help manage your weight, you need to be all in and make sure every bite counts. Just dumping meat and sipping green smoothies isn't going to give you results.

What will give you results is starting to look at food as either creating health or keeping you stuck where you are right now. If that is overweight or feeling flat, bloated and frustrated, giving a plant-based diet is definitely worth a go. Here's how to get started...

The Vegetarian Diet For Weight Loss

Firstly, you don't necessarily have to go 100% vegetarian to benefit from a vegetarian weight loss diet plan. Simply cutting down on the amount of meat you eat can have a positive effect. For example, you may choose to eat only lean meat, eggs or fish three times a week and stick to a vegetarian plant-based diet the rest of the time. You can still eat similar portion sizes, but you will find that you lose weight more easily as a vegetarian because the diet generally contains fewer calories. A plate of ham and pineapple pizza versus an equal sized quinoa spinach salad have drastically different calories and nutrients.

While on a vegetarian diet, you will need to ensure your diet is well balanced. The main concern is usually that vegetarians don't get enough protein. We all need protein and the only source comes from the foods we eat. Most meat eaters take in far more protein than they need - and an unhealthy form of protein at that containing hormones, antibiotics, nitrates and other chemicals.

On a vegetarian diet as long as you're eating plenty of legumes, beans, soy, products, you should have the protein you need. The legume family, in particular, are good sources of vegetarian protein. Just one cup of peas contains 7.9 grams—about the same as a cup of milk. Pretty amazing!

Other great sources of vegetarian protein are tempeh, tofu, edamame, broccoli, chia seeds, chickpeas and quinoa. Make up a batch of homemade hummus using 1/2 cup of chickpeas and you'll get 7.3 grams of protein; are also high in fibre and low in calories. Quinoa is a seed commonly used as a grain that contains more than 8 grams of protein per cup. It includes all nine essential amino acids that the body needs for growth and repair, but cannot produce on its own. Win!

Get Results

To see results adopting a vegetarian diet, you will need to track your caloric intake and create a calorie deficit. For many, simply swapping meat out for vegetarian meals initiates weight loss. This might look like using zucchini noodles with pesto instead of traditional spaghetti bolognese. Marinating a slab of tofu in Mexican spices instead of a steak in spicy bbq sauce. The thing is when you start focusing on more veggies and plant-fibre in, many people start to gravitate away from sugary, process sauces to more fresh herbs. You start to lose the need or enjoyment of them. This in turn aids your weight loss efforts.

Trainer's Top Tips

Here are my top tips to make the shift to a vegetarian diet for weight loss.

Look at vegetarianism as your new lifestyle (complete with better health), not a quick fix.Cut out all processed foods, sugar and alcohol when you start to really kick start weight loss.Every meal or snack is either nourishing you or causing inflammation and weight gain; you choose!Focus on healthy plant-based protein sources at every main meal and build your plate around that.Have fun and try to recreate your favourite meat-based foods with vegetarian alternatives.

Shake it up! Protein shakes made into healthy smoothies are a great way to get more nutrients.

Remember, a vegetarian weight loss diet plan alone will not cause the weight to fall off. You'll have to eat clean, keeping track of calories and engaging in regular exercise if you're really serious about getting your weight down. If you can do that, the rest will follow.

Would you like a little help getting started? I've been vegetarian on and off since my childhood and as an adult passionately maintain a plant-based diet. I know it can feel challenging to get started, and sticking to it. But the health benefits are so great, I'd love to support you on the path to healthier. Click here to contact me for support.

AM Makeover 7 Day Challenge: Define Your Perfect Morning

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 07:46:00 +0000

How're you enjoying the challenge so far? After reading today's post, be sure to skip down to the comments and share your experiences with everyone. I am sure there will be some pretty amazing shifts happening for many of you.

So, here is my question for you this morning. What’s most important to you? What is the one thing you really want to do on a daily basis that would make a big HUGE difference, but you just can’t seem to find the time for? Take a deep breathe and really ponder this one.

Ask yourself, what good habit do you want to cultivate that would make a real impact on your life? Think about this for a moment; a daily habit. Something you routinely do each day. It could be in any area of your life such as a workout or self-improvement or getting the jump in business at your job. It could be working on your relationship with your kids, finding time for creative pursuits, or getting in the habit of reading every morning. Stay with it for a moment and jot down what comes to mind.

Once you’ve figured out what you want to work on, what you want to improve, and what’s important to you, we’ll think about how you can make it part of your morning routine.

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Define Your Perfect Morning

Sit back and imagine this, the perfect morning. It isn’t stressed or rushed. There are no disasters, the kids actually slept in for once! It is a morning when you have time for everything on your "must do" list. Maybe it means having time for a long shower so you can enjoy some essential oils. Maybe it’s going for that run before breakfast. Maybe it’s having a few minutes to connect with your spouse over coffee, watch the sun rise or perhaps, it’s taking twenty minutes in the morning to work on your side-business.

Ok, ok...that’s A LOT of “maybes” but the key here is to start with what’s most important to you and plan how you could fit it into your morning routine.

Remember, you’re just dreaming and imagining at this point. We’ll work on figuring out where to find the time to fit it in and how to make it all work out later on. For now I simply want you to paint a vivid picture in your mind of what your new morning could look like. Envision it. Sketch it and jot it down.

I want you to become very clear on what you want that perfect morning to look like. Imagine it in as much detail as you possibly can. Write it down in a journal or on a piece of paper that you can refer back to as needed. In short, define your perfect morning in great detail. Dare to dream...a lot!!

Why is this so important?

You cannot start to make any meaningful changes in life until you know what your actual goals are. You need to know your destination before you can start to pick a route and figure out how you’ll get there. That’s what today’s task is all about. It’s figuring out where you want to get to in your life.

If you don't yet know, here's a quick and easy side exercise to try... write down everything you hate about your morning right now. Everything! Don't be shy. Now review your list and jot down the opposite. That's right. If you hate rushing to do lunchboxes in the morning, write down no more rushing to make lunches. Ask yourself how you can make that happen (make them the night before, order tuck shop, get the kids to make them etc). Go through the list until you now have a list of solutions. Review this list and prioritise the items. Now you have your perfect morning!

Don’t stop until you have it all figured out and the perfect morning firmly pictured in your mind.

Stay tuned for next week's post, AM Makeover 7 Day Challenge: Finding Time In Your Busy Morning

AM Makeover: 7 Day Morning Makeover Mini Challenge

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 07:10:00 +0000

Are you ready to makeover your mornings? Join me in this totally FREE challenge to help you get the most out of every day and the time you have available. Each day you’ll find a new tip or a strategy posted to the blog designed to help you on your journey towards making over your morning and using those precious first few hours of the day to get closer to the goals you want to reach. We’re not talking airy-fairy stuff here either. These are hands-on, actionable tips and strategies you can use every day to make the most of your mornings.

Ready? Let's dive right in...

The Impact of a Morning Routine

I love mornings. Each new day brings with it incredible, new opportunities. I always feel like it’s an exciting chance to start fresh and do better. How you start your day, or more specifically how you spend those first few morning hours has a big impact on the rest of it. Think of your first waking moments as setting the tone for your entire day. That’s why making over your morning is so important if you have big goals or want positive change to happen in your life.

I’m sure you’ve experienced this yourself. You set an early alarm to make sure you have time for that 5am bikini body bootcamp, sunrise meditation, or simply some much needed “me time”. You have every intention of getting up and doing whatever you’re setting out to do when you set the alarm the night before. Like you are so motivated and determined; you are totally doing it! It's happening!!

Some mornings - hopefully most mornings - you get up when the alarm chimes and go for that walk, do your meditation session, or read a motivational book for twenty minutes. Then there are those days when you just can’t make yourself get up. It's like aliens robbed you of your mojo overnight, oh pooh! You hit the snooze button multiple times, or turn the alarm off altogether and go back to dreamland.

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Pushing Through The Resistence Think about how the rest of those days went though...the days you DID get up and stick your new morning routine. Did you notice a difference in how you felt? How much did you got done on those mornings when you got up with your first alarm? Were you able to do all the things you set out to do? How did those days compare to the ones when you hit the snooze button over and over again?

Hmm, I bet know!

If I had to take a guess, I’d say that the mornings when you got up as soon as the alarm went off went a lot smoother. A helluva lot smoother.

I bet you accomplished more of what you had planned to do, too. Chances are that sleeping through the snooze button didn’t just affect your morning, but the entire rest of your day. That lazy, oooh-feels-to-good-I-must-just-roll-over snooze set the tone for how your day is going to go. That’s what the old saying about getting up on the wrong side of the bed is about.

Let’s make sure we get up on the right side and start our day off in a positive and productive way.

The 7 Day Challenge Over the course of the next seven days, I want to guide you through the process of totally making over your morning. I want you to leap out of bed with all kinds of spackle dust and totally seize the day!

By following this freebie challenge, not only will you enjoy your mornings more (even if the alarm goes off much earlier than you’d like) it will make the entire rest of your day go much more productive and smoother too!

Stay tuned for next week's post, AM Makeover 7 Day Challenge:Define Your Perfect Morning

Intuitive Eating & Why You Should Do It

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 04:24:25 +0000

Who has been there? You know, snacking and eating even when we're even not hungry? Maybe it's the daily juggle of motherhood, an unhealthy love relationship, boredom at work load or family dramas that have you nibbling mindlessly. It can happen for a variety of reasons where you find yourself stress eating, comfort eating and unnecessarily snacking from the dulldroms. Sadly, you may not even realise that you are eating for these reasons, it's an automatic response. And it takes practice to learn when you really need to eat.

Intuitive eating

Fear not, lovely. I've got this totally unlocked for you. When you're not hungry and you eat, it's a bit like giving your body energy and calories that it neither wants nor needs. As a result, it's much easier to pile on the kilos, especially if you gain weight more easily than others to begin with. Opps!

Intuitive eating is a concept whereby you only eat when your body actually truly needs food. When you feel genuinely hungry, you eat. But for most people, recognising true hunger is harder than it sounds. I mean, what does real hunger feel like? Is it that peckish feeling? Or do you have to wait until your tummy is growling like a fierce lioness before you stab an avocado?

In most people, feeling genuinely hungry begins around 3-4 hours after your last meal. This sensation can be royally skewed if you lack sleep as your hunger hormones begin to interfere with your natural hunger cues like two nightmare toddler twins. Ghrelin and leptin help to balance appetite. Leptin is a hormone, made by fat cells, that decreases your appetite. Ghrelin is a hormone that increases appetite, and also plays a role in body weight. You can learn more here.

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The benefits of intuitive eating

With intuitive eating you're not going to eat more calories than you body actually needs. It does and will take practice to recognise your own body's cues. When you do eat, you should eat cleanly prepared, vitamin-rich foods in an amount that is comfortable for you. It is interesting to note that your stomach is as big as your fist, so to start off, use your own hand as a guide. I always tell my clients to eat only enough so they could manage seconds. That is where you STOP! Eat a fist-sized portion for main meals and half your palm for snacks.

There is myth that feeling "hangry" is good for your body as it must be burning fat. But this isn't necessarily true. Your body needs to burn fat in healthy ways, not by starving yourself. When that "hangry" feeling hits like a tidal wave, you have missed your body's first cues. This can actually trigger you to consume more food than necessary to satisfy that monster hunger. Not a healthy habit!

How to start intuitive eating

Firstly, listen to your body. Are you even feeling hungry? When was your last meal? Are you thirsty? Are you bored or upset? Emotional eating can be a big problem for some people and the "good feelings" experienced when sneaking a half tub of Ben & Jerry's Rocky Road ice cream or a bar of chocolate are short lived.

Many times, if you're not feeling emotional, ill-perceived hunger can be the result of dehydration, lack of sleep or other stress. Drink 500ml of lemon water and wait 10-15 minutes before you have a snack. For many, this practise alone will squash the hunger within seconds. If lack of sleep is problematic, just know you are fighting a losing battle with the "hunger twins" and will almost always misread cues. Stick to healthy eating habits during these times and eat regular and well-balanced meals, healthy protein-based snacks and have plenty of water.

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What does real hunger feel like?

Hunger feels different for everyone. For some it is a growly tummy, thoughts of food and salivating.As hunger progresses it can include feeling irritable, lightheaded or unable to focus. When it has gone too far, you may experience tummy pains, nausea or fainting. Here's a guide to help you determine hunger cues (1).

Full

10 = Stuffed to the point of feeling sick

9 = Very uncomfortably full, need to loosen your belt

8 = Uncomfortably full, feel stuffed

7 = Very full, feel as if you have overeaten, sleepy

Ideal

6 = Comfortably full, satisfied Neutral

5 = Comfortable, neither hungry nor full

Hungry

4 = Beginning signs and symptoms of hunger

3 = Hungry with several hunger symptoms, ready to eat

2 = Very hungry, unable to concentrate

1 = Starving, dizzy, irritable and feeling faint

If your feelings of hunger are so strong that they are starting to interfere with your activities, it's a good indicator you might be truly hungry. Be warned, don't let ever your body get to the point where you feel like you're going to faint from hunger.

When you do eat, be careful not to binge. If you leave it too long between meals/snacks, it can be too easy to over do it to satisfy such ravenous sensations. Remember, keep portions to fist-size and base your meal on clean protein sources to replenish your body and provide lasting energy. Take it slowly as well; be mindful of every bite, flavour and chew, chew, chew. I always tell my kids to put down the fork between bites and have a sip of water here and there.

Are you aware of how you eat? If you would like further coaching on healthy eating habits, click here.

About Your Coach: It's my passion-filled mission to help you create a body and life you love. I'm a certified Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer, a Body & Lifestyle Coach and co-queen bee of our wellness tribe, #ohmamaglows. I take great pride in empowering tired, frazzled, (secretly HOT) mamas to feel and look their very best! Ready to get started? Message me on Facebook. Let's get social.. come get fit and follow me @nourish.train.transform.

The Fountain Of Youth Is Liquid Sunshine

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 09:13:15 +0000

In a world-first study, Australian researchers have discovered what many of us have long known—sunscreen really does prevent ageing. In a country with harsh sun-beaten summers like Australia, we all know that sun protection is important. Even so, we aren't always so diligent and can forget to slip-slap-slop! every time we walk out the door. Which, if aging gracefully is important to you, ought be one of your non-negotiables.

The study published in the June issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, showed that regular daily use of sunscreen appeared to significantly slow the process of skin aging among middle-aged men and women. This finding stems from 4.5 years spent tracking sunscreen use and the impact of sunscreens on skin quality among more than 900 men and women under the age of 55.

"This has been one of those beauty tips you often hear quoted, but for the first time we can back it with science," said study co-author Adele Green, lab head and senior research fellow with the Queensland Institute of Medical Research at Royal Brisbane Hospital. "Protecting yourself from skin cancer by using sunscreen regularly has the added bonus of keeping you looking younger." (1)

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Choosing Sunscreens Ok, let's protect ourselves and look younger! There are two different kinds of sunscreen filters – chemical and mineral. Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing the sun's rays, and mineral sunscreens work to protect your skin by deflecting or totally blocking the sun's rays. Zinc is a good example of this.

Chemical sunscreens should ideally be applied 30 minutes prior to sun exposure, while mineral sunscreens are quickly effective right after application. Mineral sunscreens are best when applied 15 minutes before you go outside and expose yourself skin to the sun. My favourite sunscreen is Liquid Sunshine which is formulated with a mineral sunscreen and efficacious blend of botanicals for safe, effective protection for the entire family. Order yours here.

Apply Often To make the most of which ever sunscreen you use, be sure to apply it liberally within 15-30 minutes before sun exposure. A thick coat is best. And don't forget to reapply when you're having fun in the sun! If you venture into the water, and let's be real, that's what the beach is all about, make sure you apply another coat after swimming. When you towel dry off, slip-slap-slop immediately.

Sweating can also diminish your sun protection coverage, so if you are at one of my bootcamps or WalkFit sessions --hint hint, you should come-- be sure to reapply your sunscreen often. The last thing you want is a burn! Perspiration can act as a prism when the beads of sweat accumulate on your skin. I'm sure you've seen a plant's leaf get scorched from an early morning rain shower on sizzling hot summer's day. That type of burn is also possible on human skin and very dangerous. Protect yourself always.

Glow Gorgeous

Oh you know who you are, addicted to the fake tan? Yeah me too! It's a fabulous way to get that gorgeous glow without aging your skin or increasing your risk of skin damage.

A gorgeous bronzer like this all natural Tinted Self Tanner is a safe way to get the sun-kissed look. For best results, be sure to exfoliate and dry your skin completely before application. Apply by rubbing in small circles, starting from your feet and moving upward. Usually a natural-looking tan develops within 2-6 hours depending on the product you use.

Some self-tanners now offer instant tans and are perfect for a special night out when you want that fresh summer glow. They are not as naturally sourced as

<< Get this look

Protect Yourself In Style

When the sun's rays get too intense, it is always handy to have a shawl or beach cover up to toss over your shoulders. And luckily there are so many beautiful styles to choose from like this bold Boho print cover up. The cool thing is that you can mix and match a piece like this by swapping out the bikini or one-piece underneath for a contrasting colour, or an entire different outfit altogether.

Cover ups like this print cover up can offer some protect and look fabulous over a sleek body-hugging tube dress or a just as stylish when thrown over a pair of well loved jean shorts. But be warned, if you are going to use a cover up for the beach, just be sure it isn't too sheer. A solid cotton in reflective colours works best. Lightweight cover ups aren't going to protect your skin for a day at the beach. You can still get burned through the thin fabric, so still apply your sunscreen before you work on your beach style!

Get the look>>

The Fountain Of Youth

So, if keeping your skin as wrinkle-free as possible is important to you as you age, a good sunscreen is a must! Caring for your skin, not just when you hit 40 but well before is the secret to maintaining that youthfulness you desire.

Every day, add a daily coat of sunscreen under your make and to your neck, shoulders and any exposed skin. You never know when you will get caught out in the summer heat, and when you burn, it is too late. The damage is already done.

About Your Coach: It's my passion-filled mission to help you create a body and life you love. I'm a certified Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer, a Body & Lifestyle Coach and co-queen bee of our wellness tribe, #ohmamaglows. I take great pride in empowering tired, frazzled, (secretly HOT) mamas to feel and look their very best! Ready to get started? Message me on Facebook. Let's get social.. come get fit and follow me @nourish.train.transform.

What Happens If You Aren't Eating Enough Vegetables

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 07:59:52 +0000

Food is medicine, or at least it is one way to look at it if you want to live a long and youthful, healthy life. Fruits and vegetables are the secret to attaining vitality and defying your age. Along with a diet rich in other wholesome foods and fruits, veggies deliver a powerful punch of the essential vitamins, nutrients and minerals needed to maintain good overall health.

Unfortunately, today's modern Western diet skimps on the consumption of enough healthy vegetables with all the readily available processed and sugar-filled options stocking shelves. This wouldn't be a problem if processed and fast foods delivered nutrition. However, they are lacking in most of the natural components and compounds your body needs to function properly. If you are enjoying too much of these and not eating enough vegetables on a day-to-day basis, this could happen...

Heart Problems

Sure this could be due to a family history and heredity, but heart disease, stroke and heart attacks are directly tied to consuming overly processed, fatty foods and not enough fresh vegetables. If you are at risk or have been recently diagnosed with a heart condition, a eating a nutrient rainbow every day and taking closer look at your diet is a must!

Body Weight Issues

If you are eating more processed foods than vegetables, it can lead to issues with being underweight, overweight or worse, obese. These troublesome conditions can morph into more serious health problems, but luckily, can often be alleviated by eating more vegetables. When you begin to replace fried Macca chips with nutrient dense sweet potato, or greasy pizza with the cauliflower crust variety, you'd be surprised what illness and ailments ease!

Digestive Issues

Gut health is vital to living a happy, healthy life. Vegetables are high in fiber. Because of this, they help to regulate your digestive system. Chronic bloating, upset stomach, gas, hemorrhoids, constipation and pains in your midsection can all be corrected with a healthy and steady dose of vegetables. Yes, it is that simple!

Chronic Fatigue

Eat more veggies for a better sleep. If your body does not get the wonderfully healthy phytonutrients, minerals and vitamins vegetables provide, your sleep cycle can be thrown off. This means you have a problem sleeping at night, and in turn, staying awake during the day. One simple remedy is up your veggie intake by adding in more leafy greens, raw beans, broccoli, carrots and vitamin rich fruits like tomato (yes, its actually a fruit) to your diet. Works wonders!

Sickness & Colds

Do you often get sick? A healthy immune system, your body's natural defense system against infection and sickness, depends on a steady diet of the nutrients found in vegetables. If you aren't getting enough, it can leave you vulnerable to every virus or bug going around. If you seem to come down with everything, reassess your dietary intake of fruits and veggies particularly those high in vitamin C, the natural immune booster!

Skin, Hair and Teeth Deteriorate

Want mermaid hair, sleek nails and a pearly smile? Yeah, not going to happen on Taco Bell, beer and pizza, lovely. A vegetable-rich diet leads to overall body health. Outward signs of a diet devoid of enough vegetables can include dry and damaged skin and hair, hair loss, scurvy and a multitude of dental problems. Be sure every meal and snack has a good heaping portion of veggies and colourful fruits.

Depression & Mental Disorders

Hormones regulate your moods and emotions. These hormones start acting up when you don't eat right. A diet rich in vegetables gives your body all of the hormone-healthy nutrition it needs to help you handle stressful and high-anxiety situations correctly. You will also find you suffer fewer erratic mood swings when your diet includes a lot of vegetables.

Have you noticed a direct correlation between your diet and how you feel? Share your experiences in the comments. What helped you most?

Trainer Eats: 10 Power Packed Foods

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 04:34:00 +0000

What is the secret sauce to a living a long and healthy life? Well, I'll tell you right now that it does NOT come in a pretty, magic bottle, from a French factory or state-of-the-art laboratory. The real fountain of youth is actually found in the food that we eat every day. Luckily, it is accessible to almost all of us and provides everything we need to maintain health and vitality from infancy right through to old age. Yes, that's right, everything! No supplements needed!!

That's the good news. As you well know, all foods are not created equal. Choosing and eating the right foods may help increase your life expectancy as well as the quality of your life.

Here are ten of the top power packed foods designed to give you energy, vitality and all around good health!

Beans

If they give you gas, take precautions before you eat them. Soaking them first can help. Beans of all kinds (kidney, navy, lentils, chickpeas, Northern) are high in protein. This is plant protein so it contains very little fat, carbs and calories. If fiber is a problem in your diet, eating a healthy portion of beans each day can keep your digestive system healthy.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is coming into popularity as a food that lowers blood cholesterol. You can make it yourself with rolled oats or eat the instant kind if you are in a hurry. Oatmeal is a filling grain that also provides much needed fiber to keep hunger at bay and your blood sugar constant.

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Fruits

Fruits are filled with antioxidants such as Vitamin C and A. Antioxidants fight free radical damage in the body and reduce the risk of cancer. Berries such as blueberries and grapes have the highest amount of antioxidants. But choose an array of fruits in a wide variety of colors for maximum health. The antioxidants in fruit boost the immune system to fight the effects of aging in the body.

Allium Foods

This class of foods includes garlic, onions, leeks and shallots. Garlic is known for lowering cholesterol. Allium vegetables help guard the body against the risk of cancer and many other ailments. They also help lower blood pressure and prevent blood clots. Eating these power packed vegetables in their natural state especially garlic increases their health benefits.

Salmon

Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids reduces the risk of heart disease and other conditions like atherosclerosis. Wild salmon is a fatty fish but it contains good fats that has been proven to improve health in children and adults. Salmon is rich in protein which is of great use after an exercise session to build muscle tissue.

Flax Seed

Like salmon it contains omega-3 fatty acids. These seeds also contain omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids. You get a lot of power to fight high cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes with this seed. Ground flax seed can be added to fruit smoothies, sprinkled in yogurt, eaten with cereal or added to pancake mix to name a few.

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Capsicums

Capsicums or peppers come a bright, vibrant colours, think red, orange, yellow and green, and contain essential antioxidants like beta-carotene and Vitamin C. Caps range from mild and sweet to so smoking hot you’ll be calling triple 0 for the fireries. All capsicums contain a substance called "capsaicin" which has anti-inflammatory properties. This can act as a pain reliever, as well as lower cancer risk and heart disease. Add capsicums to your salads, salsa, stir fry and all sorts of vegan dishes.

Nuts & Seeds

Nuts are high in fat but those fats are the good kind. Peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts and pistachios are all providers of good fats and protein. Crush them into a fine powder and use as a coating instead of higher carb bread crumbs. Nuts help to lower cholesterol. Eat them right out of the shell with no additives.

Açai

This berry has been in the news lately. It is rich in antioxidants and increases energy. You can get more done and look better while doing it. You can get Acai juice and supplements in your health food store.

Yogurt

Dairy-based yogurts contain calcium, vitamin B, and protein, and provide an excellent source of calcium to build strong bones and teeth. Live yogurt also contains friendly bacteria to help promote a healthy digestive system. If you are like me and are completely dairy-free, there are other options such as soy and coconut yogurt, however they do not have the natural occurring probiotics as the dairy blends. Supplementation may be required.

Building a better healthier body begins with what you eat. It is where I start every client off before we ever hit the gym together. If your body in well nourished, the rest comes far more naturally! Try these superfoods to get started on the right foot!

How "Natural" on Food Labels Is Duping You

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 03:49:16 +0000

Hey Health Seekers! I am about to burst some labeling myths with this post. It still boggles my mind that people struggle with this, but reading food labels has become a hot topic and a confusing one at that. I'm often sent quick snaps of nutrition and food labels by clients who ask, "...can I eat this?" The answer is often, not recommended.

Where did all this confusion start? Well, we have been led to believe by health organizations, and even food manufacturers, that the word "natural" means a particular food item is healthy and good for us. You probably believe this yourself, am I right? However, viruses and other debilitating, even deadly, microorganisms are natural. But that does not make them good for us. So what does "natural" on a food packet really mean anyway?

Natural Is Good Marketing

If you see the word natural on a food label, is that good news? Well, it got that box or packet off the shelf and into your hand. And this is just it, if we see natural splashed across the box, we are more likely to pick it up, aren't we? There are not too many food manufacturers that would put the term "unnatural" on their foods. So, natural is good marketing and comes in many forms such as:

all naturalmade with real juiceprotein fortified, calcium fortified etcno added sugarsmultigrain or made with whole grainsorganic

If Labeling Seems Confusing, You Are Not Alone

These are a few of the common claims we all often look for when buying food. We want all the good stuff, but many times we are being duped. A recent survey of 1,000 shoppers conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center (USA) revealed that 60% of the survey takers actively searched out the term "natural" on food labels. Of those polled, 66% expressed a belief that the term natural means food with no artificial ingredients, GMO (genetically modified organisms) or pesticides. But surprisingly, none of those requirements are mandatory for a food to carry the natural designation.

With no hard and fast rules as to exactly what "natural" means, this adjective can be trusted too much as it applies to food. So what is a health conscious mama supposed to do to find out if the food you are considering buying is actually "natural" or not?

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Well, your first move should be to drop that "all natural" box of cereal and run, not walk to the produce aisle. But I realise not everyone is a raw foodie like me, nor do they want to be. So when in doubt, I recommend that you contact the manufacturer. It may take some time, but get someone on the phone. Ask some hard questions. If a representative for a food manufacturer or processor tells you that information is "proprietary" and cannot be revealed, alarm bells should go off. Record the name of the individual you are talking to, and ask for any and all relevant information to be sent to you via snail mail or e-mail. In this day and digital age, you'd be surprised how far your questions will get you. Take back your consumer power!

When it comes to pre-packaged foods, you really almost always have to assume there has been some kind of fillers, additives, emulsifiers, preservatives or other alterations made to make that food stuff withstand time on the shelf. If it has been processed, even if it says "all natural", I'd be cautious.

Think about it for a moment. If you baked muffins from scratch like your grandmother did, they would not last a week on the shelf. Sweet and savory homemade sauces would go rancid, biscuits would go stale. These products while they are massive time savers for us, require sugar, sodium and other preservatives to give them a long shelf life. An apple has a shelf life too, but it requires very little tampering to get it from farm to shelf. In fact, when was the last time you saw an apple with a nutrition label?

Unless you count the coat of polish, most produce is picked, transported and sold. There is no processing. No sugar added. No vitamin fortified ingredients. No additives. No label required. This doesn't mean you should just only eat fruit and veggies (although your body will love you for it), it just means you need to get smarter with foods that have labels.

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Here's my best tips to keep it simple:

In case you weren't aware, all ingredients are typically listed in decreasing order by weight. This means that the one first listed is the major ingredient and the last ingredient is the least. So if sugars, salt or fat are one of the first three ingredients on the list, the product may not be a healthy choice. By the way, watch out for these no-no's under sneaky different names:

Sugar: agave nectar, barley malt, brown rice syrup, caramel, corn syrup, dextrin, dextrose sucrose, ethyl maltol, fructose, juice concentrate, glucose, lactose, malt extract, maltodextrin, maltose, molasses, raw cane sugar, sucrose.

Salt: sodium, rock salt, onion salt, celery or garlic salt, vegetable salt, MSG, yeast extracts, booster, stock, baking soda, sodium bicarbonate.

Fat: canola, corn oil, diglycerides, grapeseed, partially hydrogenated oil, margarine, milk solids, monoglycerides, palm oil, rice bran oil, safflower, sunflower, shortening, vegetable oil.

If the package has ingredients you cannot pronounce, avoid it. Always look for ingredients you recognise and as few a possible. A cake your grandmother made really on contained flour, butter, eggs, milk, sugar, baking powder and a drop of vanilla. If there is huge list of emulsifiers, thickeners, or additives listed as numbers such as E401, E402, E403 etc, consider making your own from scratch.

Look at the fibre content versus carbohydrate. If you are trying to lose weight, this is a biggie. Fibre is the indigestible parts of plants and is essential to good gut health. If you have ever counted carbs, you will remember that to get the net carb count of a food item, you subtract the grams of fibre from the carbohydrates. A wholemeal wrap for instance that says 30g carbs on the label, yet contains 6g of fibre would actually be closer to 24g of net carbs. The lower the carbs and higher the fibre the better. This is helpful when shopping for wraps, bread, biscuits and other grain products.

Make your own. I know for busy mums, the last thing you have time for is a bake-a-thon, but if your health is important, find time. With chef Google you can find so many health recipes sites within seconds and make your own version of your family's store favourites. Here, visit my bestie's foodie blog and start here.

The bottom line when to comes to food labels? Natural isn't always what it seems. And until the industry ups the regulations, it is best to avoid packaged foods wherever possible. Instead, eat whole foods, and more fruits and vegetables than processed food items. That way will automatically enjoy more truly natural and healthy foods.

Have you been struggling with your weight? Confused with all the conflicting information out there?.

How Do You Know If You Are Getting Enough Water?

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 01:13:30 +0000

If you have been following me for any period of time, you know I am all silly buggers about keeping the body hydrated. Its one of the key pillars to good health that I coach all my weight loss clients. I even run regular free water challenges on my Facebook profile to spread awareness and promote healthy this habit. I totally encourage you to check them out!

Being such a smart cookie, you already know that 65% to 75% of your body is totally made up of water. That is why it is so important to stay hydrated. Your body needs to continually take on water (and a lot of it) to function properly. That glowing complexion, smooth cellulite-free skin and slender waist all begins by avoiding dehydration. Hydration affects not just your physical health and youthfulness, but your cognitive function as well.

Symptoms To Watch

Unnaturally dry skinFew tears when you cryFeverMuscle crampsYou are tired all the timeBags under your eyesHeadachesDizzinessRapid breathing or heartbeatDry, sticky mouthYou are thirsty all the time

Those are some common signs of mild to severe dehydration. They might sound a bit extreme, I mean no tears and fever, come on! But yes, when the body is lacking in water, an essential nutrient, these are the most common complaints that flare up. If left untreated, dehydration can go on to trigger dangerous health conditions such as cholesterol levels, liver and joint damage, weak muscles, kidney stones and constipation. Yikes!

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What Causes Dehydration?

Some causes of dehydration make a lot of sense, like hot weather or intense physical activity. You sweat out a lot of the water in your body during a summer scorcher or bootcamp session, and if you do not replace fluids lost, you can quickly become dehydrated. Illness can also be a cause of dehydration. When you have the flu or diarrhea, your body does not properly absorb water from the foods you eat. This is the most common cause of dehydration and happens fast.

How to Stay Properly Hydrated

You may drink plenty of water every day, and still find yourself with several of the dehydration symptoms mentioned above. This could be a case of adrenal fatigue. If you sip plenty of water throughout the day and are still thirsty, with cravings for salt and sugar, you may want consider having an adrenal checkup.

Another all too common issue with not getting enough water, is overeating. Yep, that's right. As humans, we have a hard time disguising between hunger and thirst. All too often that peckish feeling is not actually calling for a snack but a much needed drink.

I always encourage my clients to make a cup of herbal tea or sip on a 500ml cup of warm water with lemon before giving into snacking or cravings. If you are still hungry 15 minutes later, have a light and healthy snack such as 10 almonds and a few slices of a green apple. More often than not, after consuming the tea or water, the cravings diminish.

Most of the time we can combat dehydration simply by drinking water frequently throughout the day. For example, the average 75 kilo woman would require approximately 3 or more litres per day. This boils down to roughly 1 litre of water per 25 kilos of body weight. To keep adequately hydrated, sip from a tumbler or water bottle throughout the day, but do not chug! Too much all at once has dangerous health consciences. Slow, steady and consistent is key.

This means carrying bottled water with you as you go through your busy daily routine. And by the way, sports drinks, energy drinks and sodas do not count! They are filled with sugars, artificial flavourings and a heap of other chemical rubbish. Consuming these drinks almost always leaves you feeling even more hungry a short while later. Always drink water.

Water is so important to normal bodily functions, I can't stress that enough. From head to toe, inside and out, and even mentally, your body benefits from a healthy supply of water. Any excess water consumed will simply be passed through your system, so make sure you are sipping plenty of this simple but essential nutrient every day.

Hey, Do You Fizz?

One way to help you get more water in your day is to pimp it up with nutrients.I love to do this and am always posting my infused water recipes across my social media. It is so simple to do and makes ordinary water more palatable. A few of my favourite additions are lemon wedges, organic mint leaves, green apple slices, strawberries and grapefruit. This DIY vitamin water is so yummy and good for you!

Another healthy option if plain water just doesn't do it for you, is to try a fizz stick. These power sticks of nutrition can be used as a replacement for your morning coffee or for when you start to feel the afternoon slump. You just pour a fizz stick into your water bottle and shake to create a refreshing bubbly drink. And BAM--nourishment that helps to temporarily promote alertness and enhance cognitive performance, as well as help promote endurance and enhance motor performance while naturally boosting energy.

A few packets are always in the purse and baby bag of many of my clients and a key part of our Mummy Survival Kit!! I love them before a workout. Get yours here.

Have you been struggling with your weight? Need a customised fitness plan to fit your busy lifestyle?.

5 Easy Toning Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 03:28:00 +0000

Daily exercise is an essential part of living a happy, healthy life. In fact, staying in shape has so many health benefits and has been proven to increase your life expectancy. Think of it as the fountain of youth. And yet, many of us are not as active as we could be. I know as mamas we're all crazy busy, but you don't need to be a powerlifter, have a gym membership or spend hours on the weights to keep health and look your best. A simple circuit of bodyweight exercises (like the one below) performed three times a week is all any Mum needs to keep her body toned and her fitness up.

Here are five easy toning exercises that you can do just about anywhere and whenever you have time. So while baby naps this afternoon, give this circuit a run through and see how you go.

If you find it hard, good! Keep at it over 4 weeks and I guarantee you it'll be easy by then, and you'll have to add a round or increase the intensity with some cardio to get the same benefits. The fabulous thing about this circuit is that you can do it at home, at the office, or on vacation! No excuses, mamas!!

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Bodyweight Circuit

The Bridge Butt Lift – Sounds like a plastic surgery technique but it is an easy way to tone your booty. Lay down with feet flat on the floor, legs shoulder width apart. Place your hands, palm side down, on either side of your body. Pushing with your feet, squeeze your gluteal muscles and lift your butt off the floor. Hold the position for a count of five to ten and release down to the floor.

Squats – Squats work the booty, the hamstring muscles and the quadriceps. If you aren’t sure of proper form, you can use a chair. Stand with feet shoulder width apart and feet firmly planted. Push your butt back as if you were preparing to sit in a chair. Keep your abs tight and your upper body straight. Once you reach chair level stop and hold the position for a count of two to five and release. At the lowest point, place all of your weight on your heels for balance and maximum toning.

Reverse Lunges – Lunges work the quadriceps muscles. They can be hard for people with knee problems. A reverse lunge still tones the right muscle groups but with less pressure on the knee. Stand with feet together and arms at your sides. Take one leg and move it backwards until you are in lunge position: front leg bent at a 90 degree angle and back leg extended until you are on the ball of your foot. From this position lower yourself down until the back knee almost touches the floor. Hold for a count of two and return to starting position.

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Pushups – This is a classic toning exercise that works all areas of the arms plus the chest muscles. If you aren’t comfortable or strong enough to perform a pushup on your toes, lower your body to your knees, or alternatively, push off the wall. Be sure your arms are at right angles, joint over joint and that your back straight as you lower and lift your body. If you can balance a stick from head to toe, you're holding proper form.

Crunches – Abdominal muscles can be worked every day to build strength and muscle tone, and are a fabulous exercise for mamas once thy have clearance from their doctor. Lying on the floor in a classic sit up position, touch your fingertips to your ears. (Do not lace fingers behind your neck as this can cause strain and lead you to lean in rather than perform the full crunch). Squeezing your abdominal muscles, lift your upper body until your lower back is about to come off the floor. Hold for two to five counts and return to starting position. Slow and controlled. If you speed this up, you lose the deep muscle toning benefit.

These five exercise moves can be just about anywhere and the effects are cumulative. Even five or ten minutes a day will give you noticeable results if you stick with it.

Free Fitness Challenge:

Wanna join in my challenge? Post in the comments a start date, then complete this routine every day for 14 days. Post below when you have completed the 2 weeks and report how you feel. Ready? Go!

Need a customised fitness plan to fit your busy lifestyle?Click here.

How Toxic Is Your Shampoo?

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 01:50:00 +0000

Have you ever considered how toxic your shampoo and conditioner might be? Do you really know what is in your hair spray or mousse? I mean, if you think about it, we all strive to eat well, clean and organic whenever possible, to keep our body healthy and functioning its best. But many of us, never really pay as much diligence and attention to the purity and safety of our personal hygiene products as we do the food we eat. And that is a scary thought.

Did you know? There are over 20 blood vessels, 650 sweat glands, and 1,000 nerve endings that absorb the hair products, shampoo or conditioner that you massage onto your scalp every day. Within as little as 26 seconds, these absorbent vessels, glands and nerve endings soak in the toxins present in hair products where it's then a lightning fast trek to the bloodstream and to the cells of your body.

According to natural health advocate Dr. Joseph Mercola, slathering chemicals on your skin may be:

“...worse than eating them. When you eat something, the enzymes in your saliva and stomach help to break it down and flush it out of your body. However, when you put these chemicals on your skin, they are absorbed straight into your bloodstream without filtering of any kind, going directly to your delicate organs.”

You might be surprised to learn that hair care, cosmetics and their ingredients do not have to undergo any type of approval process before hitting store shelves, and the terms "natural" and "organic" have no definitions. In other words, when it comes to cosmetics labeling, it's a free for all. While some products do include a few organic ingredients along with several chemical ones, they can still claim to be "natural" or "organic" on the label. Shocker!

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How Toxic Is Your Shampoo?

According to EcoWatch, the leading environmental news reporting on green living, sustainable business, science and politics, there are five toxic ingredients commonly found in shampoo and conditioner that should be avoided. Go grab your bottles and have a look to see if any of these nasties are listed.

Sulfates

You’ve probably heard of sulfates by now; pretty much every natural hair care brand states proudly on its packaging that a product is sulfate-free. But what are sulfates and why should you avoid them?

The main thing to keep in mind when thinking about sulfates is that they are chemical detergents. That in itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it means that sulfates are extremely effective at removing dirt and oil … in fact, they’re a little too effective. Sulfates are harsh on the hair and scalp, so they can strip away that natural moisture that keeps your hair shiny and soft.

On a deeper level, they may carry some hormone-disrupting agents along with them. According to Natural Society, many sulfates contain traces of dioxane, a known carcinogen. Dioxane is also thought to disrupt kidney function.

Parabens

Parabens are another widely hated group of chemicals that you’ve probably been told to avoid in your beauty and personal care products. Parabens are xenoestrogens, which means that they have a similar composition to hormones found in the human body. Xenoestrogens are thought to disrupt hormones and could even pose a cancer risk.

Real Simple even noted that British scientists found evidence of parabens in samples of breast cancer tissue. Though this doesn’t necessarily mean the parabens caused the cancer, most natural-minded folks try to avoid parabens completely.

Fragrance

Fragrances are bad, bad, bad. If the fragrance in your product comes from a natural essential oil, it will say so on the packaging. If all the manufacturers have chosen to tell you about the ingredient is that it’s a “fragrance,” that’s generally bad news.

The term “fragrance” allows manufacturers to opt out of including a list of the ingredients used to create that fragrance, as the term is not regulated. So really, if “fragrance” is listed on an ingredient list, there’s no telling what’s in there. Natural Society even notes that there are more than 3,100 chemicals used by the fragrance industry to concoct these suspicious-sounding additions to your shampoos and conditioners.

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Triclosan

Triclosan is an antibacterial agent that’s often added to personal care products as a preservative. This chemical agent is thought to be an endocrine disruptor, which means it can be harmful in the same fashion as xenoestrogens. It’s also been linked to immune system problems, weight loss and uncontrolled cellular reproduction.

Polyethylene Glycol

Polyethylene glycol or PEG, is also thought to interfere with the body. According to Natural Society, the state of California has classified the chemical as a “developmental toxicant,” which means that it may interfere with human development. It’s also known to be contaminated by the aforementioned cancer-causer dioxane.

So What Do I Use?

One of the simplest remedies to avoid toxic hair products and cosmetics is to make your own. There are heaps of DIY tutorials on YouTube and Google, but who really has time for all that? For many of us, life is just too busy and we really just want good, pure, safe products that are super convenient to use. The good news is that if you are after shampoos and conditioners that are made with safe, reliable, natural ingredients, Arbonne has you totally covered.

You can still prevent colour from fading and enhance shine, softness and manageability without toxic ingredients by trying the ColorLast Technology of Arbonne Pure Vibrance. This amazing range is 100% sulfate and paraben-free, contains no artiﬁcial or synthetic fragrance.

Unlike cheap imitations, the Lustre Fortifying Shampoo, Fortifying Crème Conditioner and Hair Revitalizing Masque by Arbonne are all botanically sourced. The nourishing ingredients include rice extract which protects and enhances hair color, while providing ﬂexibility and strength to hair to help reduce breakage. Artichoke leaf extract helps to preserve the integrity of the hair ﬁber and maintains shine. Hawaiian white ginger root extract conditions, repairs and strengthens damaged hair while white tea leaf extract protects hair against environmental stresses. .

With Arbonne (and why I love it so much) you can shop certified vegan products made from botanical green chemistry AND have the hair you always wanted!

View Ingredient Philosophy>>here.

Have you considered what toxins might be lurking in your shampoo and personal hygiene products? It might be time to round up all those bottles and skim through the listed ingredeints. Use this post as a guide to see if perhpas some of the produycts you are currently using could be doing more damage than good.

Guiltless Gluten-free Vegan Brownies

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 04:19:00 +0000

What mama doesn't love a little chochy now and again? On those days when everything has gone totally pear-shaped, the kids are running wild and the house looks like a Tasmanian devil has spun through it three times, thank goodness there is chocolate!

The sweet stuff you find on the grocery shelf contains very small amounts of copper, iron, zinc, and protein, but not enough to be considered a good source of these nutrients. Most commercial chocolate has been overly processed, stripping the nutrients and requiring a big injection of refined sugars and other additives to help it taste good. Raw chocolate on the other hand, contains more than 300 phytochemicals and nearly four times the antioxidant power of regular dark chocolate, and contains protein, calcium, carotene, thiamin, riboflavin, magnesium, and sulfur. [1] This means it's a healthier and more nutritious choice over regular chochy. Gotta love that!

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In my search to share all kinds of healthy with clients, I stumbled across the mouth-watering facebook page of Jana, a recipe developer, food photographer, wine enthusiast and fellow healthy foodie. She runs a fantastic blog called Nutrionicity which is absolutely bursting with delightful gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and plant-based recipes. You can read more about this passionate foodie here.

As I browsed Jana's recipes, I found heaps of fabulous, healthy alternatives to naughty sweets and treats. This divinely delicious Gluten-free Vegan Brownie recipe (pictured above) was top of my list. It bakes up into a crisp brownie on the outside with a fudgy chewy inside. You'll love the rich chocolate flavor from crust to centre. And best of all, it's super easy, oozing with goodness, and takes only 10 minutes of prep to make a batch!

Have you tried it? Post your review in the comments below. If you have a fabulous healthy brownie recipe, share a little healthy and happiness by posting it in the comments!

About Your Coach: It's my passion-filled mission to help you create a body and life you love. I'm a certified Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer, a Body & Lifestyle Coach and queen bee of the wellness tribe, #Nourish&GlowWellness. I take great pride in empowering tired, frazzled, (secretly HOT) mamas to feel and look their very best! Ready to get started? Message me on . Let's get social.. come get fit and follow me .

Juicing Your Way To Healthy

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 02:10:00 +0000

Shhh, there’s been a health craze going on that is still sizzling hot! It’s not a fad diet that goes against all common sense, though. This trend fits right in with what we already know about nutrition, that eating more fruit and vegetables helps us get the nutrients we need. It fuels our bodies, nourishes every cell and aids in rejuvenation like nothing else. Yep, you guessed it, this trend is juicing.

Do you juice? I sure do and have for years. I love knowing I am getting easily absorbable essential vitamins and trace minerals all in one hit. The main idea behind juicing is that it allows you to consume a vast amount of nutrient dense fruit and vegetables in one serving than you could ever eat whole. But aside from the liquid nutrients, why is juicing still all the rage? Let's explore..

Weight Loss & Weight Management

Juicing is widely used by those who want to lose weight. There are countless juice diets and cleanses out there that start off with a detoxifying juice cleanse to get rid of unhealthy toxins and break bad diet habits like consuming too much sugar or overly processed foods. After the cleanse or initial juice diet phase, many juice diets prescribe that you continue to make juice a regular part of your diet afterwards. These diets or cleanses can be used periodically to rest your body or become part of your everyday lifestyle. The focus is always on consuming healthy foods and eliminating simple carbohydrates and fast food from from your diet to make it a lot easier to shed those excess kilos.

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Increased Energy Levels

Want energy faster than a fizz stick? Juice! When you juice, large amounts of nutrients can be consumed and easily digested by the body quickly throughout the bloodstream, and as a result that can increase your energy levels. This is a great alternative for the use of stimulants like coffee or colas first thing in the morning. You really do have to experience it to believe it – an increase in energy levels is one of the main reasons people quickly become addicted to juicing!

Improved Skin Tone

Get your glow on! The pure nutrients found in both fruits and vegetables can, over time, transform your face into a smooth and radiant vision and help prevent the signs of aging. That is definitely a plus with the amount of lotions and treatments we purchase to keep our skin youthful – plus juicing is cheaper! Juicing will also help to reduce dry skin by keeping you hydrated. Win!

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Prevent Disease

Prevent disease with loading the body with essential nutrients. As long as you juice the right vegetables and fruits, did you know you can help prevent the chances of certain diseases? It's true! When I had breast cancer in 2013 I was all over juicing and it made such a difference in my recovery. This was in part to the antioxidant content that can help fight cancer-causing cells. Juicing typically, also sets people back on the pathway to happy and healthy which can help prevent conditions associated with being overweight. Many people choose to use organic fruit and vegetables to reduce the number of pesticides they ingest through food. This in turn, also goes a long way in preventing disease.

Are you salivating and eyeing your fruit bowl on the kitchen bench? Juicing might be a lasting health craze, but it’s one that actually has the science to back it up. Yes, juicing can be expensive, given that you need new equipment, and you will spend more on fruit and veggies, but most people agree that the benefits are well worth it.

5 Healthiest Fruits & Vegetables

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 12:52:34 +0000

“We are what we eat”, or so the saying goes. Different foods help our bodies to grow, to heal, and to keep the immune system running properly. More than that, food can stop our body from falling apart: the absence of many different nutrients can lead to various physical ailments. So, it’s really important to nourish with every bite and always eat healthily. Let’s look at five of the best fruits and vegetables to include in your diet and why they are so benefical.

Broccoli

Green vegetables are widely considered among the healthiest foods we can eat, and broccoli is definitely one of the most nutrient-rich green vegetables. It’s a great source of vitamins C and K, as well as folate, vitamin B and fiber. In addition, it contains potassium, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6, protein and calcium.

Broccoli can assist in lowering cholesterol levels which improves cardiovascular health. It supports the body’s detoxification system, aids vitamin D uptake and may also reduce our susceptibility to certain allergies.

Blueberries

Blueberries have a low glycemic index (GI) which means they have a low impact on our blood sugar levels., so you won’t get a sugar rush from eating blueberries. Eating foods with a low glycemic index is also believed to reduce the risk of developing type-II diabetes as well as coronary heart disease.

Blueberries are also a very rich source of antioxidants, which are thought to help reduce the risk of developing cancer. They are a good source of vitamin K, manganese and vitamin C too, placing them high on the nutrient-density scale.

Spinach

Spinach is one of the best green vegetables for your health. It contains a huge quantity of nutrients, and offers several specific health benefits. Among the most concentrated nutrients are magnesium, folate, iron, potassium, calcium, vitamin E, protein and zinc.

Spinach may help reduce the risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer. It’s also an anti-inflammatory, meaning it may help reduce our susceptibility to allergies. The vitamin K, magnesium and calcium content of spinach is good for maintaining healthy bones and there are also antioxidants in spinach that help remove harmful free radicals from the body.

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Peas

Green peas are another fantastic source of nutrients. They contain a huge range of nutrients in high quantities, including manganese, fiber, vitamin K and C, phosphorus, protein, copper, iron and zinc.

Peas can help to regulate blood sugar levels thanks to their fiber and protein content. Fiber and protein slow down the pace of digestion, which also means that carbohydrates are digested more slowly too. Peas are also known to reduce the chance of developing cardiovascular disease and to help protect against stomach cancer.

Apples

Apples are a fantastic source of fiber which helps promote a healthy digestive system. This also aids in the regulation of blood sugar levels. They are also a great source of vitamin C. Although apples aren’t as nutrient-rich as some other fruits and vegetables, they are thought to have both anti-cancer and anti-asthma properties. In addition, they’re good for cardiovascular health.

Did any of these surprise you? How many of these healthy fruits and veggies are you consuming a day?

8 Best Plant-Based Sources of Protein

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 12:45:13 +0000

Protein makes up the the building blocks of the body and is necessary for good health. Most people get their daily protein from animal sources in the form of meat, dairy or eggs. However, if you are like me and prefer to cuddle our furry or feathered friends rather than eat them, there are still a number of excellent sources of protein that are totally plant-based. Here is a list of my go-to sources. Enjoy!

Lentils and Beans

One of the starchy proteins, these two are good sources of not only protein, but also carbohydrates and fiber. They are great when added as a topping on a salad, as taco filling or to make vegetarian meatballs or burgers. One cup of cooked lentils contains about 18 grams of protein; about 15 grams in the same size serving of beans.

Hemp Seeds

Known as a complete protein, because it contains all nine essential amino acids, it is also a great source for Omega-3 fatty acid. Boost the protein by adding them to soups, stews, salads, baked goods, or to smoothies. Three tablespoons of hemp seeds contain about 10 grams of protein.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are one of the ancient grains different than most other types of plant protein in that they turn into a type of gel when added to water. Add them to oatmeal, cold cereals, or in muffins to bump up the protein content and add soluble fiber to your diet. Two tablespoons contain about 4 grams of protein.

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Quinoa

This is another starchy protein that is great when served like a bed of rice or as part of a stir-fry. It can also be served as a hot cereal or as a topping on a salad. One-half cup of quinoa has about 7 to 9 grams of protein.

Spirulina

This one is entirely different than other plant-based protein in that it is blue-green in color comes from algae. Note, it will impart a greenish tint to whatever it is mixed with. It blends great as part of a smoothie or in desserts and snacks. It does have a great sweet taste with hints of vanilla and chocolate and has about 8 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons.

Nutritional Yeast

This is not a yeast at all, but a staple food item among plant-based food enthusiasts. It comes in either powder or flaked form and can be mixed in sauces, dips and dressings to kick up the flavor with its cheesy taste. Nutritional yeast has about 12 grams of protein per 3 tablespoons.

Seeds and Nuts

Beside the seeds already mentioned, sunflower, flax and pumpkin are also all good sources of protein and minerals as well as almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios on the nut side. Most have a taste varying from sweet to earthy. They work good ground into a flour and used in baked goods or left whole as a topping on oatmeal, cereals, sprinkled on a salad or as a snack. One-fourth cup of either seeds or nuts has about 7 to 9 grams of protein.

Soy

No list of plant protein would be complete without soy. Tempeh, tofu and edamame are all types of soy that have around 20 grams of protein per 2.5 tablespoon serving. Use is similar to beans and lentils and can be added to stir-fry or as the “meat” for spaghetti sauce and filling for tacos.

With these sources of plant-based protein, vegans and some vegetarians do not have to worry about getting enough protein in their diet. Just be sure to cycle through all of the sources to ensure getting enough of the essential amino acids found in protein.

Have you tried substituting with any these? Post your review in the comments below. If you have a fabulous healthy plant-based recipe, share a little healthy and happiness by posting it in the comments!

Want To Lose Weight? Drink This Not That

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 09:14:00 +0000

Hey Health Seekers, want to lose weight? Then here's a quick read of the do's and don't to make those kilos melt and it starts with what you drink. I mean, everyone knows that losing weight means cutting down on your calorie intake and burning more calories through exercise. However, most people fail to consider the impact that their drinks have on their weight loss goals. Drinks contain empty calories just like food, but some drinks can even hinder your weight loss efforts in other ways! Here's a guide to the main drink categories you need to watch while losing weight.

Avoid Alcohol

I bet you are getting pretty good at looking at your diet and knowing what you should and shouldn't eat, but are you also looking at your alcohol consumption in the same way? Alcohol should always be accounted for as part of your daily calorie allowance. Not very many people enjoy alcoholic beverages straight up, they usually consume them as a cocktail, beer or pre-mixed drink so a couple for drinks. And with mixed drinks, whether homemade or store bought, the calories quickly start to add up!

They don't call it a "beer belly" for nothing: research has shown that alcohol can actually reduce the rate at which your body burns calories! Yikes, talk about peddling backwards!! A few drinks can also lead to some pretty unhealthy cravings, can you say pizza? And it the effects can stick around the next day in the form of a hangover (that's dehydration and never a good thing) which often leads to more poor eating habits and the need for grease!! If you do choose to drink, pace yourself and have a glass of water in between each alcoholic beverage.

Avoid Coffee & Teas

Do you love a cuppa every day? Yeah, many of do a coffee in the morning and enjoy latte or black tea mid afternoon. But are these helping or hindering your weight loss efforts? Studies have shown that any drinks containing caffeine can interfere with weight loss. The caffeine stimulation that occurs after you drink coffee, tea or even soda, really isn't good for cravings! Add to that, the sugar needed to make all three taste good. Its a recipe for cravings and an inevitable energy slump.

But wait!! What about green tea, isn't green tea good for weight loss?

Green Tea: The Exception To The Rule

There's been a lot of hype over this drink in recent years, and studies have shown that in fact, yes, green tea extract may help you to lose weight. When green tea is consumed, it increases thermogenesis or the rate at which your body burns calories.This means that you can do the same level of activity but burn more kilojoules or calories throughout the day.

In one study, participants were given green tea on a daily basis, but made no changes to the food they ate or exercise they did. At the end of 90 days, participants lost an average of 2.64pounds, ¾ inch from their waistline and reduced their body mass index—not bad considering that no dietary or exercise changes were part of the study.

In another 12-week study, participants were placed on a diet where they were provided three meals per day. All the food was prepared for the participants. Half of the group consumed green tea. Those in the green tea group lost significantly more weight—10 kilos (or24 pounds)—over the 12-week period.Aside from weight loss, there are many health benefits to drinking green tea, including preventing cancer, reducing inflammation, and overall heart health.

Selecting green tea can be confusing because there are several different forms, including matcha, tea bags, and tea leaves. Your best option is to use matcha, which is a more concentrated, powdered form of green tea. You’ll also want to be sure to choose matcha with caffeine, as studies show that green tea containing caffeine is more effective at supporting weight loss.

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Juice

Many people switch their unhealthy sodas for juice when trying to lose weight, on the assumption that this is "healthy". While it's true that fruit juice does come with more health benefits than sugary drinks, you still have to be careful about how much you're drinking. Make sure you choose juice without added sugar and include the calories within your daily allowance. Try not to have huge amounts in one go, as you'll want to keep your blood sugar levels stable.

Water

When you're trying to lose weight, it's vital that you drink enough water. Not only will you need this to keep you hydrated while you're working out, you'll also want to use it as a way to make losing weight easier. There's no miracle cure for losing weight, but water comes pretty close.

Did you know that what you think is hunger is often thirst? Drinking more water as standard every day can reduce those cravings that force you to overeat. And drinking a couple of glasses of water before each meal can help fill you up to prevent overeating. This makes it a lot easier to reduce your portion sizes!

The truth is that water is always best. If you're used to drinking coffee, sugary drinks, alcohol and soda, then gradually replacing them with water will help your weight loss efforts, even if you do nothing else!

Another way to flavour your water naturally, is one I am totally mad for--fizz sticks!! If you have not tried one, don't knock it until you try it!

These power sticks of nutrition can be used as a replacement for your morning coffee or for when you start to feel the afternoon slump. You just pour a fizz stick into your water bottle and shake to create a refreshing bubbly drink. And BAM--nourishment that helps to temporarily promote alertness and enhance cognitive performance, as well as help promote endurance and enhance motor performance while naturally boosting energy.

A few packets are always in the purse and baby bag of many of my clients and a key part of our Mummy Survival Kit!! I love them before a workout. Get yours here.

So there you go, lovelies. Five simple ways to help you keep hydrated and feel great. If you come up with a fabulous infused water recipe or idea that has worked for you, share the health and happiness by posting in the comments. Bottoms up!

Have you been struggling with your weight? Need a customised fitness plan to fit your busy lifestyle?.

8 Loaded Superfood Buddha Bowls

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 07:16:28 +0000

The Buddha Bowl is a trend with staying power and for good reason. A quick search under the hashtag #buddhabowl on Instagram yields over 107K results, Google, well over 630,000, and an equally impressive number on Pinterest. Among the many mouth-watering bowls you'll discover beauties like this one by Nutritionist and Wellness Coach, Vanessa Vickeryof Becomingness. You can find her recipe here.

According to folklore, the name "Buddha Bowl" stems from the small bowl Buddha reportedly carried on his mystical travels. Locals would "donate" odd food items along the way, mainly rice and whatever they had spare. This created a mixed bowl of fresh, wholesome foods in those days, and so the "Buddha Bowl" was born. At some point in recent history, foodies quickly adopted the name, creating mouth-watering tapas-style bowls filled with a mixed variety of delicious superfoods. And aren't we ever so grateful!!

What I love about these bowls is that you can get totally creative and stuff a wide variety of whole foods into one meal. There really are no rules, however, most bowls you'll find are based on a rough ratio of 35% raw or roasted vegetables, 25% whole grains like brown rice or quinoa, 15% lean protein (usually vegan), a dressing or sauce, and 30% toppings like activated nuts, high protein seeds, or fresh herbs and sprouts. Below I've gathered up some amazing bowls from several healthy foodies I know. Take your pick and work your way through the list for a tasty, different bowl all week.

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Quick & Easy Poke Bowl

While technically not an official buddha bowl, Rani Hansen of You Totally Got This

, makes such a scrumptious "poke bowl", I had to include it. She layers in rice, shredded carrot, cucumber slices, avocado and sushi salmon to create a deconstructed sushi bowl that is sure to please those looking for a healthy feed. Why is it so good? Well, sashimi salmon (not to be confused with the regular variety) provides a rich protein source with a hefty dose of natural fatty omega-3. If you swap white for rice brown, you'd be adding a generous serving of fibre to this meal and all its goodness. Fibre is the indigestible parts of plant-based foods (think veggies, fruits, grains, beans and legumes), and is a type of a carbohydrate that helps keep our digestive tract healthy. Rani's bowl also contains the phytochemicals, antioxidants, nutrients, vitamins, and minerals found in purple cabbage. Carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, a natural chemical that the body changes into vitamin A. The deeper orange the carrot, the more beta-carotene you're getting, yay! Get creative and pile on your favourite fillings. Think radishes, edamame, nori, kimchi, pineapple or mango! Delish!!

Coconut Chicken Quinoa Bowl

Naturopath Jess Donovan, shares this bowl of quinoa goodness on her blog, Energetic Mama

, along with many other super healthy recipes for the whole family. What I like about her recipe is that it perfectly demonstrates the versatility of the Buddha Bowl. Here Jess has used coconut marinated chicken as the protein for her bowl and stuffed the dish with fresh, nutrient dense veggies. To be fully plant-based, you could easily adapt her delicious recipe and marinate seitan (gluten), textured soy or firm tofu for a vegan protein source or omit the protein and use Jackfruit, eggplant, cauliflower, or Portobello mushrooms. Here is a list of 10 totally vegan meat substitutes to try.

Warm Chicken & Avocado Salad

Oh my yum, this fresh bowl of deliciousness comes to us from Irena Macri, internationally published cookbook author and creator of the hugely popular blog of Eat Drink Paleo

. It’s a super quick and healthy meal rich in vitamin C, E, K, folate and B6, nicely balanced with lean protein, healthy fats and fibre. If you are plant-based like me, you can easily swap the chicken breast Irena uses for tempeh, eggplant or tofu for an equally tasty bowl. I've also made this recipe up and used cilantro (coriander) instead of parsley and it's created a brilliant whole new flavour on what is otherwise a lovely, nourishing meal. Definitely one to try!

Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl

I found this delicious hearty bowl on Taste.com.au

and I have to say, it is just the thing to nourish the body during an aussie winter. It is absolutely stuffed with vitamin-rich sweet potato, nourishing kale, mushrooms, freekeh (a superfood cereal food made from green durum wheat), snow peas and nutrient-dense sprouts. With a tangy blob of roasted capsicum dressing, even the fussiest kale eater is going to thoroughly enjoy this buddha bowl. Recipe can be found

here.

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Barbecued Cauliflower Salad

Cauliflower is a highly versatile veggie if you are on a plant-based diet. Just one one serving of cauliflower contains 77 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C. It is also a good source of vitamin K, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber, vitamin B6, folate, pantothenic acid, potassium, and manganese making it a fabulous vegan substitute for everything from rice, pizza crusts to meat. Case in point it this

BeachBody superfood salad is chock-full of greens, fiber and protein with barbecued cauliflower as a stand in for chicken or other BBQ'd meat. Definitely one to try this week!Jamie Oliver's Superfood Salad

Oh yes please! Who hasn't heard of the loveable British chef, international author, and restaurateur, Jamie Oliver, best known for for campaigning for healthier diets in school children, is now. He has also set up several foundations including Ministry of Food, The Food Revolution and The Kitchen Garden Project. With his latest book Every Day Superfood

, he is known for this healthy meals and recipes and this salad is no exception. A powerhouse of all plant-based ingredients, this bowl overflowing with goodness and makes the perfect winter salad. Unlike many buddha bowls, Jamie's bowl is based on a quinoa, an ancient Aztec grain that is naturally gluten-free and full of essential nutrients such as iron, B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, vitamin E, and fibre. Quinoa is one of only a few plant foods that are considered a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids.

So Vegan Buddha Bowl

This is my own recipe and 100% vegan (plant-based) using superfoods like turmeric, garlic, organic tofu, mushrooms, capsicums and fresh, organic greens. It is low carb, high in protein and bursting with alkaline goodness. So Vegan Buddha BowlServes 2 | Ingredients

1 cup of fresh spinach or baby bok choy leaves, organic if possible 1 cup large, brown mushrooms, chopped 250g organic firm tofu, my favourite brand is Macro 1 medium sized red and green capsicum, chopped into strips 2 tsp sunflower seeds 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp hummus 1 tsp ground turmeric powder 1 tsp crushed garlic salt & pepper to taste

In an oiled and heated skillet, stir in the turmeric and garlic. Let simmer in the olive oil for a minute until the spices release their flavour. Add in your cubed tofu, chopped mushrooms and a few sunflower seeds (if you like them toasted like I do). Stir fry until golden, then set aside.

In two small bowls, arrange the strips of capsicums, greens and then finally, spoon in the tofu mushroom mix. Sprinkle with a few sunflower seeds and extra splash of olive oil (if needed). Dab a blob of hummus or your favourite dip on top.So there you have it, eight fabulous variations on the superfood buddha bowl to try this week! Do you have a favourite healthy salad bowl recipe? Spread health and happiness by popping your recipe in the comments.

About Your Coach: It's my passion-filled mission to help you create a body and life you love. I'm a certified Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer, a Body & Lifestyle Coach and co-queen bee of our wellness tribe, #ohmamaglows. I take great pride in empowering tired, frazzled, (secretly HOT) mamas to feel and look their very best! Ready to get started? Message me on Facebook. Let's get social.. come get fit and follow me @nourish.train.transform.

Fire Up Your Metabolism With This Drink

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 06:40:08 +0000

If you want to get your motor revving naturally this winter while you work on your summer body, this Metabolism Boosting Tonic by my fellow #healthspo friend, Naomi Judge is a hard recipe to beat. Not only will this deeply nourishing warm drink boost your metabolism, it will also aid your weight loss efforts and keep you regular over to cooler months. All good things as we work towards getting beach ready!!

As a certified Naturopath and Nutritionist, Naomi lists the health benefits of the key ingredients of her tonic recipe on her blog, go here but I love her recipe for the combo or lemon, ginger and cayenne, three of my go to foods to nourish my own body.

Capsaicin, the active ingredient in cayenne capsicums (peppers), gives the powder its spiciness and is used to treat aches and pains of the muscles and joints. Cayenne has been used in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicines to help treat circulatory problems and increase appetite. [1]

Ginger root has many health benefits and is a highly potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. The fresh tart taste of lemon juice is a great liver detoxifier. The citric acid in lemon juice can help to dissolve gallstones, calcium deposits, and kidney stones, as well as reduce cellulite. It's a key ingredient in my daily water!

So if you want to reap the benefits of this tonic, feel and look your best this summer down under, start tomorrow and make this nutricious tonic part of your new winter routine!

Why Essential Oils Should Be Your New Best Friend

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 04:53:00 +0000

The use of aromatherapies with Essential Oils has been popular for centuries in numerous ancient civilizations. Healers from China, India, and Egypt to Greece, and Rome applied therapeutic, spiritual, hygienic and ritualistic therapies using the powerful properties of essential oils. Historically, EOs were also commonly used in cosmetics, perfumes and drugs. Today, with the global trend and popularity of going back to basics, choosing organic or plant-based products, essential oils are becoming wildly popular with those in the know.

My bestie, a Holistic Nutritionist and Wellness Coach, and the healthy foodie behind the popular blog, Becomingness, first introduced me to essential oils by dropping a few drops of Lime oil into my mineral water. Now, if you have known me for a millisecond, you know I am an advocate of keeping well hydrated and all things natural. The lime and mineral water was absolutely delicious and I was hooked! Ness explained that the Lime essence gently boosts the immune system and works as an internal cleanser. It was just what I needed that day, perks of having a bestie who specialised in Natural Medicine!

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What Are Essential Oils?

Nearly everyone has heard of essence oils, but not everyone knows how to use them. Maybe you've seen oils used in pretty room diffusers or dabbed a drop of lavender oil on your temples at bedtime or a drop of Tea Tree oils on a mossie bite, but that is the extent of it. Well, prepare to be amazed. Essential oils have hundreds of uses but before we explore all those uses, what exactly is an essential oil?

I asked Ness to help me explain and she put it to me like this...

"...essential oils are the aromatic compounds found in the stems, leaves, seeds, and bark of plants. Using these oils in their pure form gives us a powerful, therapeutic tools that act as nature’s medicine cabinet."

The extracted oils are traditionally used in perfumes, cosmetics, soaps and other products, for flavoring food and beverages, and for adding scents to incense and household cleaning products.

Over on her blog, Becomingness, Vanessa has compiled a comprehensive list of 100 natural healing uses for essential oils. I was blown away that there are so many incredible ways to heal and nourish the body just by using essential oils.

But by far the biggest surprise for me was how you can easily replace so many chemical-laden household cleaning products with a few drops of oil. I love using nature's gifts to live a healthy, pure lifestyle wherever I can, and I like the idea of a few drops of oils rather than harsh chemicals in my kids' bath tub or on our benches.

Hop over to her blog,Becomingness, to browse more uses and some incredible recipes using essential oils. You'll be amazed!!

California Dreamin' Summer Essentials

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 09:00:00 +0000

It might be the middle of winter in Australia but our stateside health seekers are beginning to enjoy the taste of summer. School's out, lazy days spent at the beach lie ahead; it's baseball season and the great North American outdoors await. Takes me back to my childhood spent exploring the West Coast's ferny forest or pure water lakes to escape the summer heat. Beautiful memories.

After a soggy winter, I always felt refreshed and looked forward to warmer months. And to help my Canuck and Yankee friends look and feel their best, here's roundup of summer essentials you can't go without this summer!

Get Beach Ready

Beach bodies are made in winter, but if you were too comfortable in hibernation mode and are emerging from the winter months a few kilos (pounds) heavier than you'd like to be, there are a few ultra slimming hacks you can try to slim down and look your best on the beach.

Drink Infused Lemon Water

Lemon water boasts many health benefits, helps keep the body alkaline, and is bursting with vitamin C, citric acid, flavonoids, B-complex vitamins, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and fibre. Consuming lemon in warm water boosts the body's metabolism rate and regulates the stomach acids. It keeps the body hydrated, aids digestion, flushes out toxins and suppresses unnecessary snacking.

To get the most benefits from it, slice and use the entire lemon, flesh, rind, peel and all. Steep the wedges in boiled water until cooled enough to drink. Enjoy this upon waking to kickstart the metabolism and digestive system. I like to blend it with my Fizz Sticks and Detox Tea for an extra boost.

If you want more detoxifying water recipes, c.

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Consider A 30 Day Detox

Sometimes it's worthwhile to give your body a thorough detox. I've seen truly marvellous results when clients follow a healthy eating detox plan. Detoxing from common allergens such as dairy, soy and sugar can do wonders for the body. In addition to weight loss, it can help reduce bloating, acne, IBS, cellulite, irritability, mood swings and an overactive appetite.

You can do a super gentle detox by using your lemon water daily and reducing the amount of processed foods, sugar, dairy and meat you consume for a thirty day period. Some people also choose to limit or eliminate coffee, chocolate and alcohol as well. I won't go into all the details here but I do coach a 30 Day Program that teaches all these principles and provides you with a proven meal plan for success. You can get all the juicy details by clicking here.

Now that you are working on getting your body feeling good and slimming down, you'll want to show off what you've got in the most flattering way with these all natural summer essentials.

Get Your Glow On

Nothing shows off a body (imperfections and all) better than a deep, bronze tan. But the use of tanning beds is so 1980s and comes with many unpleasant health risks, so the next best thing is a spray tan or fake tanning lotion. Thing is, both of these products are filled with highly toxic chemicals that are used to tint the top layers of skin. This seeps very quickly, in as little as 26 seconds, into your bloodstream and circulates to every cell in your body. Yikes! I don't know about you, but I'd rather not ingest more chemicals and toxins, there's enough in our environment that we can't control. I'd rather lovingly nourish my body than pollute it. So what's a health conscious gal to do?

Use a botanical bronzer. Capture the warm glow of summer with a botanically-based self-tanner that adds touch of bronze instantly while developing an even, natural-looking tan within 2 hours. My favourite brand leaves my skin feeling healthy and hydrated with a refreshing scent and quick-drying formula. No yuckies, just a gorgeous natural glow every time. Combine this with a warm makeup palette of copper, coral, peach, fawn and bronze to complete the look. It's amazing how much can be done with a little makeup!

Protect Your Skin From The Sun

Get this look>>

If you grew up in Australia, you'd be familiar with the "slip-slap-slop" SunSmart campaign that started in the 1980s. It was one of the most successful health campaigns in Australia’s history by Cancer Council with Sid the seagull (wearing board shorts, t-shirt and a hat) tap-dancing his way across our TV screens singing a catchy jingle to remind us of three easy ways of protecting against skin cancer.

In America, it was the Coppertone ads that reminded us to slap on a layer of sunscreen. Cheri Brand was "officially" the first Coppertone Girl and for 65 years, Coppertone products have helped American families stay well protected in the sun.

Today, with skin cancers on the rise, we're all a little more aware of the dangers of overexposure to the sun's harmful UV rays. In Australia, wide brim hats are the fashion and norm for both men and women. Hats and sunscreen are just part of everyday life down under.

For our North American friends, after the cold winter everyone wants to soak up the rays, get a dose of vitamin D and work on their tan. Unless you live in the warmer states, think Florida or Southern California, spring and summer is all about shedding the layers, road trips, lazy BBQs and sunshine!

Get this look>>

No matter where you call home, before you hit the beach, dab on a coat of SPF 30+ to protect your skin. In many cases, you can find sun protection built right into your makeup or moisturizer. Too easy! Whenever possible, choose a mineral based lotion with a minimum 30 SPF to ensure adequate sun protection.

So there you have it, my summer roundup to look and feel your best on the beach this summer!

10 Nutritiously Skinny Detox Water Recipes

Em Lewis Body & Lifestyle — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 09:00:00 +0000

Water is such a simple way to keep hydrated, nourish the body with essential nutrients and flush toxins from the body naturally. On average, an adult woman (who is not breast-feeding) needs between 2.5 - 3.5 litres of water per day. If you live in a typically hot climate like Australia, or you are travelling, you may need to replace fluids lost from perspiring or being cooped in dry, recycled air for lengthy periods.

For those Virgos and left-brained goddesses out there, 3 litres works out to approximately 1 litre of water per 25kg. So, for example, a 75 kg woman would need on average 3 litres of water a day. If she were working up a good sweat session, she may need an extra litre to rehydrate afterwards and replace lost nutrients.

What Is Detox Water?

For many, drinking enough water is a real challenge. If that is you, . Detox water is a nourishing way to make drinking enough water easier while also cleansing the body. You can easily turn plain water into a nourishing detox with the addition of vitamin-rich fruits, vegetables, herbs and other naturally cleansing ingredients to flush the body of toxins. Think of it as an all natural, sugar-free, preservative-free, calorie-free cleanse that provides your body with heaps of extra nutrients. Gotta love that, right?

Here are 10 nutritiously skinny detox water recipes to try this week.

Strawberry Mint Cherry

Who doesn't love strawberries, right? These juicy heart-shaped berries are among the top 20 fruits in antioxidant capacity and are a good source of manganese and potassium. They provide an excellent hit of vitamin C to flavour your DIY detox water. They also make a great snack when you have finished your water!!

In this recipe (top) I also added a few sprigs of organic peppermint to the berries and cherries. Mint is a fabulous natural cleanser, and promotes digestion to help your body breakdown food stuff. It also soothes the stomach and helps to reduce indigestion and inflammation. But I like it for the refreshing flavour it adds my water bottle.

When in season, I add cherries which are also high in vitamin C. The body needs vitamin C to support the growth and supply of bones, blood, muscle and blood vessels; it also helps the body readily absorb iron. The small stone fruit also contains beta carotene and provides low amounts of vitamin K, vitamin B6 and vitamin A making this a deeply nourishing water recipe.

To make, add a few ripe, organic cherries to a 500ml mason jar. Fill the jar with filtered water and add a handful of fresh peppermint (roll in your hands before adding to the jar) and top it all off with fresh a small handful strawberries. Simply delicious!

Skinny Strawberry Lemon

This is my all time favourite detoxifying recipe and one I make often as you can see. Packed with vitamins, (plus dietary fibre if you end up nibbling on them), strawberries are bursting with high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols. They are also a sodium-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free, low-calorie food.

When you combine this with the powerhouse of vitamin C found in fresh lemon, you've got a fabulous and nutritious diet-friendly drink. I just cut a small, organic lemon into wheels and add a few sliced berries to my jar. Bam! Sip the food cravings away!! Lemon is an excellent detox ingredient if you want to gently clean out the liver and kidneys and rid your cells of toxic build up. I use it daily.

Cellulite Blaster Detox Water

This recipe calls for only 3 ingredients, fat blasting grapefruit, raw organic honey and ground turmeric. Like other citrus fruit, grapefruit has a high vitamin C content and is highly nourishing. But it also contains nootkatones, chemical compounds that animal studies have shown may boost metabolism and promote weight loss. Even the scent of grapefruit has been proven an effective weight loss aid. Researchers speculate that sniffing grapefruit oil has an effect on liver enzymes, which can help to nix cravings and spur weight loss. Fascinating I know!

When you add turmeric, a golden yellow spice often used in curries, you are creating a powerful detoxifing cocktail. Turmeric is often touted as a fat-burning food additive. It contains curcumin, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In addition to working as as an anti-inflammatory agent, the curcumin found in turmeric can assist your body in metabolising fat, potentially promoting weight loss. I love that!!

Since grapefruit has a bitter citrus flavour, and tumeric, very little flavour, I like to add a drizzle of raw organic honey to sweeten this recipe and make it more palatable. To make, just add the juice of one grapefruit to a litre water bottle and tip in 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric powder. Stir well, or use a tumbler to shake well. Add a drizzle of raw honey to taste. Drink this before meals if you are trying to lose weight. So good for your waistline!

Orange & Rosemary Refresher

The combination of rosemary and tangy citrus is just amazing. I first saw this combo on Taste.com.au, gave it a go, and now I am hooked! The aroma of rosemary alone has been linked to improving mood, clearing the mind, and relieving stress in those with chronic anxiety or stress hormone imbalances. Hmm, isn't that a daily struggle for most mamas? When the leaves are consumed as well, rosemary can help your relieve daily stress and offers a soothing tonic. Winning!

Rosemary is a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, which are thought to help boost the immune system and improve blood circulation. Oranges are bursting with vitamin C, which you need to produce the white blood cells that destroy viruses, bacteria and other foreign invaders. Deliciously nutritious, oranges contain vitamin A, folate and copper, nutrients that assist vitamin C in keeping your immune system boosted. Citrus should be in every mamas toolkit!

To make this recipe, just add a few sprigs of organic rosemary and 3 wheels of a ripe orange to your water bottle. I like to squeeze a little excess juice of the orange into the mix for extra flavour. So good!

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Borage Cucumber Lemon

Borage is often found as a women's supplement and is packed with healthy nutrients such as calcium and iron, two main nutrients many women are deficient in. Potassium, Zinc, B and C vitamins, and beta carotene are found in fresh borage making it highly nutritional. Combining a few leaves of the refreshing taste of borage with hydrating cucumber and a tang of lemon provides a fabulous post-workout drink. Full recipe here.

Nourish Me Lavender Lemonade

You might be familiar with lavender as an oil and use the healing properties to help you sleep but did you know you can also consume lavender? Yes, that's right, this fragrant, feathery herb is 100% edible, and has many health benefits. You can use all parts from the tiny leaves, buds to the pretty flowers.

This dreamy jug of deliciousness is an adapted recipe by Kelly of Eat Yourself Skinny, which combines a sugar reduced lemonade recipe with dried lavender to create a totally refreshing drink that soothes and heals the body. I like lavender water as it makes a nutritious drink to help reduce the 'bad' bacteria in your gut, it also provides a healthy dose of phytonutrients. When seeped as tea, lavender blossoms can help alleviate stress, anxiety attacks, rheumatism, distension, and insomnia. All good reasons for a tired, worn-out mama to give this recipe of infused delicious a go. Full recipe here.

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Fat Melt Watermelon Mint Water

Wanna melt fat in a hurry? The secret is more water! A hydrated body is a well functioning one which will leave you with less food cravings, less cellulite and a slimmer looking bod. This fat melting recipe is one I often share with my Personal Training clients after sessions because it's just so darn hydrating.

Watermelons are mostly water, nearly 92%, but the refreshing pink-red fruit is also loaded with vital nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin A and other healthy plant compounds known as phytonutrients. The delicious sweet flesh is fat-free, very low in sodium and has only 40 calories per cup. Love it!

In my recipe, I add a few sprigs of organic mint to the mix to make a fabulous detox water that helps stimulate the digestion of fat. Mint leaves also contain vitamins E and D both of which are very good for maintaining healthy skin.

To make, add 1/2 cup of chopped watermelon to a 1 litre bottle. Give a good stir, then add in 1/4 finely chopped fresh mint. Chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours before serving.

Stress Reducer Detox Water

Reduce stress? Oh, yes please!! I just had to include this one from Sara of the Budget Savvy Diva, (check her out, you won't be disappointed!) in my round up. The savvy Sara combines cucumber, lime, mint and strawberries in her Stress Reducer Detox recipe. And oh em gee, it's so fab-o-ciously so good!!

I love using cucumbers in my water after the gym because they contain silica. As women when age our bones become less dense. One of the key nutrients our bodies need to prevent this is silicon, often referred to as silica. Silica aids in bone health, collagen formation, and the assimilation of calcium. Cucumbers are the perfect addition to your water bottle to help support healthy bones and nourish during sports recovery.

In addition to vitamin C and their diverse polyphenol content, strawberries provide antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Strawberries are also an excellent source of manganese. The lime used in Sara's recipe, provides phytonutrients and an excellent source of vitamin C, one of the most important antioxidants in nature. All of these vital nutrients work in synergy to give you a nutritional boost while flushing toxins from your body. Full recipe here.

Chia Citrus Flush

This recipe calls for a powerhouse of nutrition, the humble chia seed. These ancient seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help to raise HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol. Chia seeds are also rich in antioxidants, provide fibre, iron, and calcium.

The fibre content is what makes these tiny seeds so amazing if you want to detox. Once in water, the seeds form a gel-like substance that is similar to tapioca in texture. This will gently expand in your tummy, giving you the sensation of fullness while clearing out your intestines with indigestible plant-based fibre. I love combining this clear out effect with the alkaline properties of citrus like lemon and lime. Both naturally and gently help to flush the kidneys and stimulate the elimination of toxic build up in the body. A sprig of peppermint offers a soothing effect.

To make, fill a 500ml glass with water and add a heaping teaspoon of chia seeds (can be black or white variety). Give this a good stir to avoid clumping. Cut 1/2 a small lemon, and 1/2 a lime into quartered wheels and add to the glass. Garnish with fresh mint and enjoy!

Do you have a favourite recipe for infused detox water?

Did you try one of these recipes and can't stop raving about it? Spread some health and happiness in the comments by sharing your feedback and your own recipes.