COUNTING CALORIES MADE SIMPLE! 

by Philip Nation, CPT

The bottom line when trying to lose body fat is simple: burn more calories than you take in. So it comes as no surprise most people simply drastically cut their calories in their quest to get their sexy back. This gets lots of people into trouble due to the fact that this throws your body into “survival mode” where it stores  every ounce of fat it can because you have tricked it into thinking there is not enough food to survive. Good mechanism for our ancestors- pain in the butt for us. Another simple fact of calorie restriction is you    take in far fewer nutrients while eating fewer calories. Fewer calories and fewer nutrients results in a   lower metabolic rate and assures your six-pack will remain in your cooler of flab aka midsection. Fewer calories and fewer nutrients is not an optimal way to alter your body composition.

So, how do we get around this? The best method is to STOP COUNTING CALORIES and pick nutrient dense foods in place of calorie dense foods that are currently in your diet if you want to lose fat fast. Fruits and vegetables are the foods lowest in calories and highest in nutrients. Simply replace your potatoes, breads, pastas, and fries with green veggies at every meal. This will skyrocket your nutrient intake    resulting in better recovery from the gym and a higher metabolism. Best of all, this eating method is impossible to screw up because you can literally eat as many veggies as you want with each of your main meals and  you will still have taken in fewer calories than a “regular” lunch!

Put this LIFESTYLE change into place for a few weeks, I guarantee you will love the results!!

Homemade Crunchy Granola!

60 gr hazelnuts
40 gr brazil nuts
40 gr walnuts
60 gr flaked almonds
60 gr sunflower seeds (unsalted)
60 gr dried cranberries
300 gr rolled oats

For the Syrup
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp water
4 tbsp sunflower oil
120 ml maple syrup
120 ml honey

Preheat the oven to 140 degrees. Roughly chop the nuts and put in a large bowl with the seeds and oats. Mix well.

Mix the syrup ingredients together in a small pan and stir over a low heat until warmed through. Pour this over the seeds, nuts and oats and stir well with a wooden spoon until evenly coated.

Next, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the granola over it evenly. It should be in a layer no more than 1cm thick. Use two baking sheets if necessary.

Bake for 40 minutes, turning and mixing the granola 2 or 3 times. It should be a dark honey colour when it’s ready. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly. Don’t worry if it’s soft it will be crunchy when it cools.

Stir the dried cranberries through the granola while it is still warm (not hot). Leave the mix to cool completely on the tray and then transfer to an airtight container. Try not to eat it all off of the tray. It should keep well for up to 2 weeks.   

Makes a lot , gluten-free, and vegetarian                                                            

soup

Barley-Vegetable Chicken Soup

Fresh, healthy vegetables pair with hearty barley, chicken breasts, and touch of sage for a warm-you-up winter meal.

2. Add barley. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
 

3. Add chicken, celery, carrots, onion, dried parsley (if using), snipped fresh or dried sage, and black pepper. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Stir in sweet pepper and fresh parsley (if using).

4. Cool and serve! 

Nutrition Information  8 Servings, Calories 137, Protein 18g, Carbohydrate 14g, Fat, total 1g, Cholesterol 33mg, Dietary Fiber, total 3g, Sodium 631mg