Targeted Fat Loss Blog

As you finally get rid of the Easter chocolate that you have been working through over the past couple weeks, I thought I would introduce you to a "superfood" that will help you with those sweet chocolate fixes.

My wife is addicted to chocolate.  So over the past few years she has looked for and found anyway she can to be healthy while still getting in her staple chocolate.  Her answer is… "cacao".  For those of you who think that's spelled incorrectly, it's not.  Cacao is cocoa in it's raw form.  From the cacao bean, it is processed using heat and other manufacturing techniques into cocoa.  By the time it gets to us in chocolate bars, all the yummy goodness has been processed out of it.  

in the 16th century, cacao was cherished, it was actually a form of money and only the wealthiest of people actually ate it.  People even had cacao gods that they prayed to.  

These people knew the value of the cacao wasn't just the bean itself, but because of the benefits of consuming this mouth watering food.  One of the best properties of cacao is it's high content of magnesium.  It is said that "over 80% of the US population is deficient in magnesium" (Naked Chocolate).  Magnesium supports the heart, increases brain power, helps with bowel movements, relaxes cramping during menstruation, relaxes muscles, and helps build strong bones.  

Studies have been done on rats to show that the effect of using cacao as a supplement to increase magnesium levels actually corrected the rats negative effects from the magnesium deficiency.  

Not only does it help increase your magnesium levels but it's super high in anti-oxidants.  We all know that we want anti-oxidants to make us look and feel younger, right?

The benefits of cacao go on, but really you have to try it to believe it!  Cacao tastes different to cocoa and processed chocolate bars.  It's more bitter, but still delicious.  

There are so many ways to eat cacao, you wouldn't believe me.  I suggest if you want to go out and start using this "superfood", you google it and have a look at the recipes.  We make delicious smoothies, the most divine chocolate mousse, our son has it on his oats in the morning, chocolate balls… anywhere that you could eat chocolate, you can eat cacao… And then some!

Now the even better thing about cacao, is that usually what you mix it with is also packed with nutrients.  In our "mousse" we use, cashews, cacao and bananas.  In chocolate balls, we use cacao, dates, nuts, etc… So all of our "treats" are loaded with good for you ingredients.  I can actually feel good about giving our son chocolate treats.  It doesn't have to be a "reward, but can be a daily occurrence.  

So instead of feeling guilty about having chocolate, feel good that you are feeding yourself a nutrient-dense "superfood" and enjoy every morsel.  Oh… one other thing I love about cacao is that because it's so rich, you won't want to sit down and binge on it.  Healthy for you and not making you fat!  Now that's my kind of chocolate.

Here is one of our favourite cacao ball recipes.  It's SOO easy to make!

1 cup of walnuts
1 cup of dates (pitted)
1/4 cup of cacao
a small handful of sultanas for a bit more sweetness
Desiccated or flaked Coconut

But them into a food processor and blend together.  
Roll into balls and then into coconut.
EAT!

By the way… You can get cacao at your local health food store.  Make sure you note the spelling… The store can have cacao and cocoa right next to each other.

According to an article in Sydney Morning Herald, a diet high in fat leads to inflammation and scarring in the brain.

I can only assume that the study was based on "bad fats", like trans-fats (found in junk food) for example. We know that good fats are actually healthy - sometimes they get a bad rep from studies like this. Many people jump to the conclusion that all fat is bad for you, but this simply isn't true.

 

In fact, in some individuals, a moderate to high dose of 'good fats' can actually lead to improved brain function, fat loss and a variety of other beneficial effects on the body.

 

On the flip side, eating bad fats can lead to inflammation through the brain and through the body as well as an (almost) endless list of chronic disease and dysfunction.

 

When choosing which 'diet' to follow, you will do better on one that contains good fats.These actually balance out any bad fat that you choose to eat.

 

A low/no fat diet has all sorts of problems associated with it - hormones (our body's messenger) rely on a supply of good fat to work properly. Without it, our hormones get all messed up, and we will actually hold onto fat, rather than burn it.

 

So much for all the lo/no fat marketing hype!

 

The easy way to ensure you are getting enough good fat is to regularly take a good quality fish oil supplement and (obviously) avoid eating those nasty trans-fats.

This spice has been used for hundreds of years for it's medicinal qualities.  You probably already use it, but don't even know it's helping you.

It can actually help you burn belly fat.

It also has been used to

•    reduce blood sugar levels
•    help relieve nausea, vomiting, and flatulence
•    can be used for it's anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties
•    improve circulation

So what is this miracle herb?

Cinnamon!

Honestly, for years this has been one of my favourite herbs to cook with and it's great knowing the fantastic benefits of cinnamon.

One of the first human studies was published in 2003 in a medical journal called Diabetes Care. Sixty people with type 2 diabetes took 1, 3, or 6 grams of cinnamon in pill form daily, an amount roughly equivalent to one quarter of a teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.  After 40 days, all 3 amounts of cinnamon reduced fasting blood glucose levels by 18-29%.

What does this mean to you?

By controlling your blood sugar levels, you are allowing your body to produce less insulin.  One of the biggest factors in packing on the fat is high insulin levels.  So… Reduce your insulin levels and you can reduce your fat!

How do you use cinnamon to reduce your fat?  Eat it!

Buy cinnamon powder (without sugar) and use it as often as possible in your cooking.  You can put it on your oats, smoothies, yoghurt, etc.  I LOVE cinnamon when I make a beef mince dish.  I also tend to sprinkle it on beef that I roast.  The smell of it cooking all day long is mouth watering.

Yesterday, we started experimenting with a cinnamon drink.  It's delicious.  Boil 3 tbsp of cinnamon and 1Tbsp of baking soda in 1L of water.  Drink throughout the day.  Sounds funny, but it's yummy.  Give it a try, especially if you are craving sweets.

Cinnamon has some very great benefits for you and is so easy to add into your diet.  You don't need much to get the benefits of it.  The study here showed that even 1/4 of a teaspoon made a difference.

If you are on medications (especially for diabetes) please consult your doctor before any major changes to your diet or supplementation.  Blood glucose levels can dip too low, so be safe.

Where are you going to eat your cinnamon today?

To your fat loss,

Hugh and Keri Norley

Do you ever wonder what is a healthy breakfast to eat when losing fat?

You may be shocked when I tell you what we are eating...

When you walk into the supermarket, it can be very overwhelming with the amount of breakfast cereal choices there are. I do wonder who ever thought up the fact that we should eat cereal for breakfast? I mean honestly, why should breakfast be different than any other meal? Why not meat and potatoes, fish, sandwich, etc?

Getting serious... Breakfast should consist of whole foods, like every other meal. Whether it's smoked salmon and eggs or veggies, eggs and bacon, leftovers from dinner (assuming it was made with whole foods) etc...

Also, breakfast should be one of your biggest meals of the day. You need the most energy in the morning to help sustain you throughout the day. Many people get this backwards and eat big dinners. Think about that... eating lots of food when you are about to rest. Your body doesn't need the energy and it takes lots of energy to break it down, so while it's meant to be resting overnight, it's now got to work to break down the food. So... start your day with a big meal and end it with a smaller one.

Now... what do we eat in the mornings that keeps us losing fat? On our plates you will find some fresh greens like kale, chards, collard greens, spinach, and sometimes we have this thing called tatsoi. Our 11 month young loves mushrooms, so we usually have those with zucchini and avocado as well. We also have bacon, eggs and sometimes sausage and/or steak or kangaroo.

The reason why we eat this is because it has whole foods, lots of really fantastic nutrients for us. It’s real food. Plus it’s good to have protein in the morning. It helps sustains our energy throughout the whole day. Some people might need more veggie than what we have on our plate. Overall though, it’s really good to start digging it in the morning actually eating real food. If it were up to me, I’d be skipping the cereals in a box that you can buy in the grocery store and go with something that’s "real".

Some people say that eating breakfast like these that are actually quite high in protein and fat would say that you can’t lose weight eating breakfast like that. Let me just tell you both of us are down quite a lot of fat on our bodies. So far I’m up to 12 and a half centimeters gone from my waist and about 11 centimeters from my hips. Hugh’s down 14% body fat in the last few months and this is the type of food we eat every single morning. So, yes, it is possible.

Please remember though that we are all built differently. So what works for us, may not work for you. We have a great way of being able to help you discover what foods in what proportions will help fuel your body best. Please feel free to email us at info@targetedfatloss.com.au or call 02 8006 1256 if you want to learn more about this today.

So after Part 1 of What your poo is tell you, you came back for a bit more fun and heaps more insight.

Here are 5 more poo descriptions to contemplate...

Floaters Vs. Sinkers

It can be so embarrassing when you are at a friend’s place or a public toilet and you turn around to see your poo floating. You flush the toilet and it doesn’t go down. You think to yourself, “Oh No! Please go down!” You flush again and start to run out of water and flushes. Luckily this time it goes down. Don’t you hate it when it doesn’t and you leave it floating there for the next person to find?

Why does that happen? It’s most likely due to gas and fat in your diet. You may have noticed at the same time that you are also farting a bit more than usual. Next time you go to eat the 3rd burger from McDonald’s you may want to think again!

A little something you can try if this does happen to you… Put extra water in the toilet. This should give it a bit more force to flush the floater down.

Beer Bog

Need we say more? If you have had a big night out and have woken up with a hangover, this is most likely the result of your drinking. It will often be semi-solid, have stomach pains as you pass it and will have the smell of the bar that you left at 4am.

This occurs because your body wants to eliminate the toxins quickly. The process of creating the poo is sped up and not all the liquid is absorbed, resulting in runny poos.

Pebble Poo

These are frustrating. You have just sat down and worked to get out your poo only to see little pebbles in the toilet when you have finished. It is so anti-climatic.

The very simple solution to this is to eat more fibre. The lack of fibre in your diet is allowing for a lack of production of a sticky substance that holds your poo together.

Log Jam

Otherwise known as constipation. You sit on the toilet with pains in your stomach and gas and a desire to poo, but nothing comes out! How unrewarding and unpleasant.

Up your intake of water and fibre. If this persists, you may need to get a colonic to flush out your system and unblock what you have been building up. Look for a well-trained practitioner in your local area. And check out my article on cleansing if you want more information about colonics.

Ring Of Fire

As you sit down to have your comfortable poo, you are unpleasantly surprised by a burning sensation that makes you think your bum is on fire. The likely cause for this is chilli or other spicy foods. Think about it, it probably felt the same way going in as it did coming out!
________________________________________________

See… Poo can be fun! My husband and I talk about our poos most days. (No, I’m not lying!) We definitely celebrate the majority of the days that we have those perfect poos that come out nice and easy, leave no smell and are clean to wipe. I love those ones!

We are also aware that if we go a couple days without perfect poos, we have to adjust something in our diet. It’s just that simple.

If you have a desire for perfect poos daily, then it’s time to pick up the phone now and call us at Targeted Fat Loss on 02 8006 1256 or email us at info@targetedfatloss.com.au. We will teach you how to eat the right foods for you and create a healthy lifestyle so that you can have more of those perfect poos!

The information in this article is taken from a book called What's Your Poo Telling You? By Josh Richman and Anish Sheth, MD. I have left most of the names of the poos in the article the same as the book. They are just too funny to change!

So you have just woken up and gone to the toilet to take care of business. When you turn around and flush, do you look at the poo that you have just produced?

Most people that I have asked this question to eventually say, “Yes!”

I’m sure that you have noticed by now that some days it’s a bit mushier, some more solid, some even have chunks in it.

What does all that mean?

Did You Know Your Poo Is Talking To You?

Have you ever put any thought into the fact that your poo could actually be telling you something about the state of your body?

Poo deserves the respect that society has failed to give it. The size, shape, smell, and colour are all a window into the inner workings of your body.

It’s time to put on your laughing caps because we are going on a journey to the dark side of poo! This is sure to get you thinking about what you put into your body and have you laughing at the same time.

I have a 2 part series on different types of poo and what they mean. This is the start of cheek aching laughter and insight into your body. You will definitely want to to check in tomorrow to see the rest...

Deja Poo

Ever looked into the toilet to see the food you just ate come out in the same form it went in?

This is often the case with insoluble fibre's such as corn. Your body lacks certain enzymes that break down some components of plant cell walls. Consequently, you have the pleasure of seeing it again on the way out!

Monster Poo

You have worked hard to get this one out and you turn around to see this trophy and wonder how such an immense sized poo managed its way out of your body. You bask in the glory of the poo and as you flush, hope it will make it down the toilet.

The reason for this poo is likely due to what you ate and drank the night before. Imagine putting oats into water and letting them soak overnight and seeing how much bigger they are by the water that they absorbed. It’s quite similar in your belly. If you eat a lot of fibre and water, it will tend to expand in your belly creating a bulging poo for the morning after.

Soft Serve

Not quite as liquidy as diarrhea, you turn around happy to see that there is actually some solid matter in the toilet, possibly looking like a soft serve ice cream.

If this is short lived, it is most likely due to a poor digestion of food. If the problem persists, it may be due to lactose or gluten intolerance. Please consult with a doctor for appropriate tests to be done to diagnose this.

Check in tomorrow for more on the not so talked about topic... Poo! We have 5 more "types of poo" for you to read about... Ever wondered about your pebble or floating poo? They are just 2 of them. :)

The information in this article is taken from a book called What's Your Poo Telling You? By Josh Richman and Anish Sheth, MD. I have left most of the names of the poos in the article the same as the book. They are just too funny to change!

Wow... what a powerful day!

Over the weekend, I went to a workshop for the company I work with, Chris Howard Training. We do this workshop in multiple cities around the world every year. It's called Breakthrough to Success. It's a 3 day workshop that is designed to help you make massive leaps forward in your life.

I only had a chance to stop in for about an hour today and while I was there we were going through a process that is designed to help you look at decisions that you made in the past and get different learnings from them so that you can move forward feeling empowered rather than letting that decision hold you back. It's an incredibly powerful process to help you overcome your "stuff". In any case, I decided that while I was there, I would get rid of the decision that "I don't want to give up chocolate". It only takes a few minutes to do this.

I had made brownies for my friends running the event and they were in my lap. When I finished with the process, looking at them, I felt nauseous. Pretty powerful stuff! I will see how this process goes long term, but so far, so good. I'm not wanting to eat chocolate yet. And for a chocoholic, that is surely a breakthrough! (BTW... If you can relate to this and want someone to help you out by doing the same type of work to easily overcome eating chocolate (or your other food "addictions") please feel free to email me at keri@evolveyourhealth.com. I'd love to help you, no matter where you are in the world!)

All of this brings me to a point for you... No matter what area of your life you are working on improving, you absolutely must look at your own limitations first. It's all about developing yourself personally. Don't look outside yourself for the answers because they are all within you. Getting guidance from someone to help you uncover them is a great idea, but ultimately, the person who knows what's best for you, is you! If you want to move forward in your life, you must do some sort of personal development. It can be through reading books, going to seminars, listening to webinars or teleseminars, taking classes, getting a coach, having mastermind groups... There are plenty of options out there ranging in price from free to thousands of dollars.

If you want a great place to start, please feel free to check out Breakthrough to Success in a city near you by signing up here... http://tinyurl.com/yhewkwg If you use this link, you will be able to go to a 3 day workshop, valued at $895 for free. Trust me when I say... it's worth every moment to be there!

Just about every week, I head up to the organic markets to get some fresh fruit, veggies and meat. I love going to the markets for not only the produce, but the atmosphere as well. There is a real community presence and I love knowing that I'm helping local farmers.

One of the reasons I come here is to get kangaroo. Hugh loves his roo. He eats it nearly every morning for breakfast. He thinks the roo we get here is the best around, so I keep coming back for more.

If you are an Aussie and you've never had kangaroo, try it. It's a fantastic meat for you. It has a bit of an acquired taste. Actually to me, it's the smell that catches me off guard. It took me a long time to be able to actually cook it, because the smell would put me off. Now, I am ok with it and eating it.

One of the common problems people have with kangaroo, is that they don't know how to cook it. If you overdo it, you've ruined it! The less you cook kangaroo, the better. I don't usually like meat blood dripping rare, but that's truly how you want to eat the kangaroo. We cook ours in a skillet. We put butter in the pan a bit of salt, pepper and sometimes garlic on the kangaroo. Put it in the pan for a min, flip sides and take it out.

This is truly a no fuss meal. If you are in a hurry to cook something, kangaroo is quick and easy to make and loaded with great nutrients for you. Again, if you've never tried this before, go give it a try. I suggest you eat it a few times before you decide, because like I said, it can be a bit of an acquired taste. We like variety in the meat we eat, so this is just one more animal to add to our diet. Yum...