Why is child obesity so high?

Hi there!

I’m exhausted today since I was exploring a new city yesterday! Salamanca is gorgeous by the way if anyone is looking for somewhere to visit. Maybe not yet, it’s freezing. I think I’ve had a better workout shivering than an hour at the gym! But today I read a disturbing news article. It was from the Daily Mail so I looked around for better, more reliable sources to confirm the claims. Unfortunately, I didn’t struggle. Child obesity now affects 1 in 3 of Britain’s children. Whilst these levels appear to be ‘leveling off’ un under 10’s according to the BBC , it is still a shockingly high number. Obesity brings all sort of health risks including diabetes, heart disease, increased risks of cancer, high blood and more.

It’s not just children either, UK obesity rates in the UK have almost trebled (see the ‘more’ link above). This is shocking, especially with such focus now on leading healthier lifestyles! What can we do? Unfortunately, we can’t change a nation. But you can make small changes to yours and your families life to start leading a healthier lifestyle and (if required) lose weight! It requires hard work and focus but once you’ve made these little changes and turned them into habits, you’ll notice a huge difference. There’s so many little things you can do!

• Walk to work if you’re close enough.
• Get off/on at an earlier bus stop if you can.
• Walk if these trip is 20 minutes or less.
• Don’t bring temptation into the house (buy one chocolate bar if you’re craving it, not a multipack, for example).
• Never grocery shop hungry.
• Fit in at least 20 minutes of physical activity every day (a walk, for example).
• Have a salad or soup at lunch.
• Swap the crisps for an apple.
• Eat porridge for breakfast to fuel you up until lunch.

Little steps like this can make a huge difference. Obesity does not need to be such a problem. We can change and we can help others change too. If you’ve got a group of friends who always complain about feeling overweight or uncomfortable then start a group and challenge yourselves! Doing things with a friend typically helps motivation because you feel a sense of commitment and don’t want to give up before the other (a little friendly competition never hurt anyone). Make some healthier choices to change your life!

What are your thoughts on obesity?

Gym Bug

Oats!

Hi there!

Warning: I will use oats and porridge interchangeably.

I’ve already done a post on Stoats, which is a great porridge company based in Scotland. I love their oats and recommend trying their flavours to mix breakfast up! However, if you prefer making your own delicious oats, I’ve made a list of easy toppings that you can cook into the porridge (just cook the toppings with th oats) or throw on after cooking. I usually cook my oats in the microwave also a make it slightly drier.

• Banana; very simple. If you microwave your oats the banana disappears and creates a delicious and creamy mix.
• Banana and honey; bit sweeter.
• Pineapple; this becomes insanely hot in the microwave, but it’s a great sweet and sour flavour. Add some dried/fresh coconut to make a tropical breakfast.
• Dried fruit; cranberries, raisins, sultanas, apricots, dried coconut, the list goes on! Bananas and raisins are also delicious.
• Cinnamon; powdered cinnamon is brilliant, throw it in with bananas, apples, raisins for even more flavour.
• Apples; cook them with the porridge too for delicious, hot breakfast.
• Berries; strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries. Again, add these on top or cook into the porridge. Cooking them creates a lovely compote.
• Peanut butter; on its own, with cinnamon, bananas or apples.
• Jam; a bit more fruit (and a bit more sugar).
• Peanut Butter and Jam; watch the portions here, but it’s a delicious treat.
• Dark chocolate; a couple of squares, great if you’re craving some chocolate.
• Cocoa powder; not as tasty as dark chocolate but better if you’re watching your calories.
• Yoghurt; I really enjoy cooking up a nice, hot bowl of porridge and adding a tablespoon of low-fat natural or fruit flavoured yoghurt.
• Granola; top your bowl with a modest amount of granola for a lovely crunch.
• Almonds; adds a nice crunch and delicious flavour. Best add these in and cook for the final 20 seconds or crush them into your porridge.
• Protein Powder; I recommend mixing up the protein and milk in your shaker then adding that to the oats before cooking to make sure the protein dissolves well.

You can also make porridge savoury, but I’ve never tried this (yet) but here’s a list of recipes from Shape to try if sweet porridge is not your thing!

If hot porridge is not your thing then try mixing your oats (typical 40g portion) with yoghurt in an airtight container (I use Weight Watchers individual pots, one per breakfast, great flavours), throw in some toppings listed above  and leave it overnight. Next morning you’ll have delicious cold oats, they must be left overnight however to ensure the oats soften. I’ve already mentioned overnight oats before with a recipe for Bircher’s Muesli that my mum makes.

IMPORTANT; porridge doesn’t need to be just for breakfast. Porridge can be a brilliant recovery food. Over the Christmas holidays I enjoyed cold, overnight oats post-run. You can get a great balance of carbohydrates and proteins and some sugars to help your body recover.

I’m a huge fan of porridge in case no one noticed.

Gym Bug

Breakfast; The Most Important Meal of the Day

Hi there!

Today I shall be discussing the most important meal of the day; BREAKFAST. Studies have repeatedly shown breakfast is vital if you’re looking to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle. Literally, Google the importance of breakfast and see what happens!

The whole idea behind ‘breakfast is the important meal of the day’ relates to the fact that you haven’t eaten for a considerable amount of time whilst you’ve been sleeping. It’s roughly an average of 5-7 hours. That’s a long time for your body not to receive fuel. Yes, your metabolism is not running at such a high rate when you’re sleeping but you are still burning calories to breath and function, right? Eating breakfast gives you the energy to perform better, concentrate, exercise and generally tackle the day better. It may also reduce hunger throughout the day, leading to weight loss or management. Overall, breakfast is a must-have if you’re looking to make healthier lifestyle choices. Plus, it’s absolutely delicious and it can be quick if you need it to be!

Here are some excellent breakfast options;

• Porridge
  A huge favourite of mine. I usually have this for breakfast every day and I never get sick of it. The best part about porridge is that you can change it up all the time. Try it with sliced banana, apple, berries, pineapples and more fruit! I love cooking the fruit in with the porridge to soften the fruit and get the juices mixed with the oats. You can also add honey, agave syrup, seeds, cacoa powder, dark chocolate drops, nut butter and cinnamon! Also if you’ve made it rather thick, a good spoonful of yoghurt is delicious too. Porridge is a low glycaemic index food which means it’s slow releasing, keeping you fuelled and focused until lunch (or maybe snack time).
• Pancakes
  I’ve done two different pancakes posts; Protein Power Pancakes and 2-Ingredient Pancakes. There are literally hundreds of recipes out there though and you can make variations on both these recipes. The best and most versatile thing about pancakes though is the toppings. Go for fruit, syrup (watch the quantities), nut butters, yoghurt, some cinnamon to make them sweet. If you’re wanting something a bit more savoury pancakes are great with eggs (maybe not the two recipes listed above, but a more neutral pancake mix), bacon, sausage (not the healthiest options), even have them with some ham and tomato or avocado.
• Overnight oats
  I have had Bircher’s Muesli that my mum made once and it’s phenomenal, I’ll post the recipe below for you to try but overnight oats are becoming insanely popular. These are great if you need a grab’n’go breakfast.
• Eggs
  Have them scrambled, boiled, poached, in an omelette, however you like them! These are a great source of protein which will keep you going until lunch. Have a veggie omelette, veggie scramble, boiled eggs with whole wheat toast, scrambled eggs and avocado, again the possibilities are endless!
• Muffins
  You’re probably thinking I’m crazy, it sounds strange but you can create some delicious and healthy breakfast muffins for another grab’n’go breakfast. It’s all about preparing the night before and making sure you’re not buying your breakfast muffin! Here’s a recipe below I found for delicious Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins.
• Smoothies
  Another grab’n’go one here. Through in your favourite fruit, some low-fat yoghurt, oats and blitz it! You can also make vegetable juices or through in some spinach, kale etc to make different combinations of smoothies. Freeze the fruit for an ice-cold serving of breakfast. Also, if you’re taking protein feel free to through in a scoop of your powder to really get a packed breakfast.

These are but a few options. Here’s a link to my Breakfast board on Pinterest for more inspiration  I’m constantly updating it with new finds and I’ll post on here when I use new recipes and let you know the verdict!

Now for the Bircher’s Muesli (for 6, overnight recipe)

Ingredients;
1 cup rolled oats
1 ¾ cups water or milk
1 green apple
1-2 tablespoons honey
1 ½ cups plain yoghurt/non-fat greek yoghurt/ low-fat fruit yoghurt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Method;
1. Combine the water or milk and oats, cover and leave overnight.
2. The next morning make sure your oats are nice and soft.
3. Core and grate the apple into the oats.
4. Add the honey, yoghurt and (if using) the cinnamon to the oats and apple.
5. Stir until all is well combined.
6. Serve as it is or with your favourite breakfast toppings.

Some favourite toppings; banana, dark chocolate drops, berries, raisins, nuts.

This is a delicious breakfast and one I’m sneakily hoping will be prepared at some stage when I’m home, I may even make it myself!

With all these amazing recipes why would you want to skip breakfast!?

Gym Bug

Recovery Foods

Hi there!

Hard, intense workouts of the cardio or strength training variety should leave you feeling pretty drained and eventually hungry. If you’re like me, you’re not hungry immediately after a workout, but give it 20-30minutes and the hunger kicks in and it’s intense! It’s necessary to fuel your body up 1-2 hours after working out in order to help muscles repair and your body to maintain function. It’s best to get a good mix of protein, carbs and healthy fats.

After most of my workouts I’ll eat a bowl of porridge (I prefer exercising first thing in the morning) and on occassion I’ll have a salad packed with rommaine lettuce, white beans/lentils, cucumber and olives. I also have MyProtein Chocolate Smooth Whey Protein after strength training days. However, this isn’t foreveryone, so below I’ve listed some great recovery foods to have after the gym.

• Chocolate milk (especially handy for people on the go) with a banana
• Cottage cheese on rye bread (cottage cheese is good for protein)
• Scrambled eggs (protein, protein, protein) pair it with some wholemeal bread or rye bread!
• Peanut butter on wholemeal toast or rye bread
• Coconut water and a banana (great for restoring electrolytes)
• Avocado stuffed with cottage cheese and tomato
• Avocado on wholemeal toast/rye bread
• Spinach salad with chicken
• Sliced apple with peanut butter and raisins
• Tuna salad or sandwich
• Smoothie with oats and greek yoghurt
• Greek yoghurt, chopped banana, topped with some nuts

These are just a couple of great ideas that combine carbs, fats and proteins to help your body recover and make sure you’re ready to tackle the next workout! Remember to try keep carbs as wholegrains and DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. Rehydrating is vital and consistently drinking water through the day is an excellent habit to develop. Always try keep a water bottle to hand.

Hope you had a great weekend!

Gym Bug

Stoats; Fuelling you with Scottish greatness

Hi there!

Now, I’m a huge fan of porridge. I think it’s a super kick start to your day; excellent source of energy, filling, warm and low GI. For me, porridge ticks all the boxes and it’s NOT BORING. You can add fruit, sauces, chocolate, peanut butter; the list is endless with a good old bowl of oats! I eat a variety of brands of porridge but my all-time favourite has to be good old Stoats. It was my dad that picked up a box a while ago because it was on special in the supermarket. He came home with Apricot and Sultana, and the box didn’t last the week (my dad and I especially partial to this flavour).
The oats are Scottish (waving the flag here, you go Stoats) and they use all natural ingredients like fruits and seeds (always a huge bonus).
Here’s a run-down of what they’ve got;

• Apricot & Sultana Porridge;
  Stoats get their proportion of fruit to oats spot on here. Juicy sultanas and dried apricots bring the occasional bite of sweetness without it being too much. You don’t even need to add anything; it’s delicious on its own.
• Sunflower & Poppy Seed Porridge;
  My twin loves this one. I definitely prefer the apricot one but this always made a nice break. The subtle crunch of the seeds gave a nice, subtle flavour. I’ll admit, my sister adds peanut butter, but it’s a very good porridge with or without it (given my obsession with peanut butter, it’s very good with it).
• Apple & Cinnamon;
  A tummy hug. Best way to describe it. I am not a huge fan of cinnamon, but they’ve again got the balance spot on. The apples compliment the cinnamon perfectly so rather than being overwhelmed and feeling like you’ve done the Cinnamon Challenge you’re left with a warm, fuzzy feeling in your tummy. This is excellent on a cold morning.
• Original Oats;
  We usually have a box in the house as back-up in case we run out of the others. I chop through banana, blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, apple, raisins etc (maybe some peanut butter) to give it a bit more flavour. But these oats are very filling and perfect to get you up and going.
• Quick Pots;
  These are one portioned sized boxes of porridge for on the go dining. As a snack or as a breakfast these are great for chucking in your bag and going. Like most oats, you can make it with hot water, so you don’t even need to worry about heating up milk. They come in 3 flavours; Apple & Cinnamon, Original and Cranberry & Blueberry. They DON’T offer the Cranberry & Blueberry in large boxes only in porridge pot form, but I recommend giving it a try, nice tangy berries always make a great start to the morning.
• Porridge Bars;
  Energy packed bars for snacking or a quick breakfast. They come in 6 flavours; Apple & Cinnamon, Apricot & Sultana, Blueberry & Honey, Fig & Date, Raspberry & Honey and White Choc & Hazelnut. I’m a fan of Apple & Cinnamon as well as their Raspberry & Honey. But I can tell you, they’re all delicious and filling.
• Oatcakes;
  I didn’t actually know they produced these. I learned this by checking out their website. I’m a fan of oatcakes (and cheese, anybody?), so I’m sure their amazing.

Taken from their Pinterest page, look at that range!

What’s also great is how much they care about customer feedback. My dad e-mailed them to let them know we’re huge fans and to ask a question about production. They responded with a really kind e-mail and then SENT US STOATS GOODIES. Now, I’m a sucker for freebies so that sends them from 0 to hero in my book. It shows a different level of customer commitment.  They were also incredibly helpful in making sure I got all my information correct for you readers out there!
I would like to point out the box of goodies event occurred months ago and Stoats is not sponsoring this post, the onset of winter and the finishing of my only box of Stoats here in Madrid prompted this post.

Something that’s also great is that they’re not necessarily for breakfast. My dad enjoys a bowl of Stoats to fuel him for his long-distance runs.

You can purchase their products on their online store or keep an eye for their oats, bars and pots in Asda, Tesco’s, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and lots of independent deli’s, cafes and farm shops! They’re also on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest (some great recipes).

Stoats of Scotland, woot woot! If you’re looking for a great meal (breakfast is the most important meals of the day) then go for Stoats. You won’t regret it.

Gym Bug

Graze; Jump on this bandwagon

Hi there!

So I’d to share a great snacking company that has managed to create an ingenious way of ensuring your snacks are not only healthy but delicious. Say hello to Graze!

I got my first box from them as part of  deal, when you sign up you get your FIRST BOX FREE! You get to try a box, no obligation, and if you wish to cancel then you can anytime. It gets better because new customers get their fifth box free too! They have a whole range of snacks and as you try more of their snacks you can customise your account so they only send you what you want!
You can go to their website for a full list of what they provide in their snacks boxes, but here’s an idea;

• Flapjacks (brownie, vanilla & cocoa protein, 3 seed, lemon curd…)
• Little puds (coconut crumble cake, stocky toffee pudding…)
• Brownies
• Pop corn (I got a delicious salty pack in one of my boxes, perfect amount of salt)
• Olives (marinated varieties)
• Savoury snacks (mixes of nuts, corns, breadsticks etc with excellent flavourings e.g Graze’s Smokey Hot Dog)
  I can recommend their Cracking Black Peppercorn rice crackers
• Touch of chocolate
• Nuts
• Fruits
• Seeds
• British jerky

I could go on for ever with these. You can also choose the frequency with which the order comes every two weeks, once a week or twice a week. These are £3.99 a box but the snacks are healthy, very easy to carry with you and delicious! The snacks are constantly being reinvented which means there’s always something new to try!

Graze also offer breakfast boxes with 4 breakfasts per box. I’ve tried these a couple of times and they’re porridges are delicious. Here’s a look at their range;

• Scandanavian forest fruits granola
• Orange & macademia granola
• Banoffee porridge
• Apple & cinnamon porridge
• Cherry & almond porridge (a personal favourite)

Plus many more! These are only £3.99 a box, and for 4 cereals per box (which are delicious) it’s definetly worth it.

Graze (keeping with the focus of variety) also offer the following boxes;

• Nibble Box (my usual box)
• Goody Box (for kids)
• Light Box (lowest calorie snacks)
• Boost Box (most nutritionally dense snacks)
• Sustain Box (packed with protein and fibre)
• Chocolate Box
• Savoury Box
• Big Box (must join a waiting list, 5 of your favourite snacks in large re-sealable bags)

The food Graze provides are not only healthy but represents international cuisine and is completely customisable. If you have dietary requirements or allergies unfortunately it can be difficult to purchase ‘safe to eat’ snacks as they package everything in the same area, however, they will accomodate things such as gluten free and coeliacs, check out their websites for more informatin regarding allergies and ditetary requirements. The boxes also fit through letter boxes and are recyclable!

I love Graze not only because of the excellent food but also because of who they are as a company. They’re promoting healthy snacking whilst encouraging treats here and there. It’s a great way to keep your focus on the primary goal; keeping fit and healthy. A “none of that” diet will most likely lead to failure because by telling yourself “no” you’re creating a stronger desire. Everything in moderation, which is something Graze delivers straight to your door!

If you’re not part of Graze and want to try it, excellent! You’ll get your first box free. Also, use the following code R4NMR74NP,  this means you get not only your first and fifth box free but your tenth too! I then receive £1 which I will donate to Graze’s school of farming, which is an excellent initiative set up by Graze that teaches locals in Kabbubu, Uganda how to farm so they are able to “grow themselves out of poverty”. I promise every £1 I earn will go straight to this school (it’s even in writing). Follow the link above to learn more about their school.

So, a rather long post but I hope you’ll find it worthwhile!

I would like to make it clear that Graze have no sponsored this post. I believe this is an excellent company for a variety of reasons and wanted to share it with you all.

Gym Bug