A Sweet Addiction. Fighting sugar cravings!

Everyone has a weakness. Without a doubt, mine is chocolate and lollies.... anything sweet really!
I have found munching on sugary snacks just makes me crave more sugary snacks and I know I am not alone on this ;)
That afternoon chocolate bar to cope with my afternoon slump just leaves me craving another treat in the short term after and then reach for a biscuit in the lunch room at work.
Fact is eating lots of simple carbohydrates, without the backuo of protein or fat, can satidfy hunger quickly and give your body a short term boost, but just as quickly leave you feeling famished again and craving more.
The taste of sugar also releases feel good endorphins and creates a natural high, which is why it is so addictive and people often use it to cope with stress and anxiety.

How to Stop Sugar Cravings!!

• Give in a little to avoid a binge. Eat a bit of what you’re craving, but keep it small try not to exceed 150 calories. Having a small amount of what you love can help you feel less deprived
• Eat something wholesome with the treat. To fill yourself up and avoid eating more sugary treats, for example have some almonds with chocolate chips. You will satisfy a craving and get healthy nutrients from foods that fill you up.
• Go cold turkey.  Going cold turkey helps diminish after a few days, but the initial period quitting is tough. In time you are able to train their taste buds to crave less.
• Chewies! Research has shown that chewing gum can reduce cravings, especially peppermint flavours.
• Eat fruit instead. Get some sweetness from a piece of fruit, you'll also get some nutrients and fibre out of it too!
• Walk it off. A change of scenery can help you fight off the craving, take a 10 minute walk.
• Eat regularly. Eat every 3-5 hours can help keep blood sugar stable and help you to avoid binging on unhealty snacks.

Source: www.webmd.com WebMD Feature By Wendy C Fries, reviewed by Louise Chang, MD.

 

Pumpkin, Zucchini & Quinoa Muffins

On a wintery cold weekend, there's nothing I like better than keeping warm baking healthy treats! Seeing how I had a container of left over cooked quinoa that was just sitting in my fridge I found a recipe to put it to good use. 

I baked some delicious Pumpkin, zucchini & quinoa muffins... No added sugar and so filling. Perfect for a snack :)

Ingredients: 

Dry:

2 cups oats flour (i blend rolled oats into a powder)

1/2 tspn baking soda

1/2 tspn salt

3 tspn cinnamon 

Wet:

1 zucchini grated 

1 cup cooked quinoa 

1 cup pumpkin purée (boil and mash pumpkin)

1 banana ripe

4 egg whites

1 egg 

1/2 cup almond milk 

Other:

1/2 cup sultanas 

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

2-3 tblspn stevia sugar 

Instructions:

Preheat over to 180C and place patty pans in muffin tray.

Combine the dry ingredients and set aside 

Blend the wet ingredients in the blender and then combine the wet and dry in a large bowl, stir until smooth. Add water if needed.

Stir in the sultanas, pumpkin seeds and stevia. 

Spoon mixture into patty pan cases and bake for approx 20 minutes or until golden.

Keep checking if cooked through with a fork.

Enjoy with your mid morning tea/coffee or perfect for a pre-workout snack!

Eating like a Cavewoman... Thoughts on Paleo living

Although not an expert, I have been doing a bit of reading up on the ever growing popular paleo diet / lifestyle.

I have found there to be mixed opinions on whether the paleo diet is beneficial for weight loss purposes, health and sustainability.

I have friends who swear by it and I must say some of their recipes are simply delicious- think paleo chocolate brownies, cookies, avocado mousse, granola, coconut oils and honey YUM! (Can you tell I am a sweet tooth)

Then I have friends on the other side of the fence who claim it is just another 'fad' diet and not sustainable with health impacts, such as high cholesterol and a lack of nutrients from excluding certain food groups.

 

So what is this paleo diet I speak of? (Also known as the primal, caveman or stone age diet)

 

In short, the paleo diet is drawn from our ancestral lifestyle back in our hunter-gatherer days. Eating whole and unprocessed foods as close to their natural state as possible. The diet includes red meats, free range poultry, fish, vegetables. fruits, berries, some nuts and seeds. Foods avoided include grains, legumes, refined sugar and dairy.

See image below of the Paleo food pyramid.

 

 

 

Pro's of the Paleo Diet?

1) No processed foods with low micronutrients/ Elimination of 'empty calories' encouraging weight loss

2) Encourages more vegetables high in fibre

3) Eating small amounts of lean meats is good for satiety (feeling full) and will help develop muscle. However, too much is associated with heart disease, increased cholesterol and oxidative stress.

Con's of the Paleo Diet?

1) It avoids foods groups like dairy and grains. There food groups provide essential micronutrients like calcium, vitamin D, magnesium & phosphrus is dair and B vitamine, fibre & antioxidants in your grainy foods.

2) Little science to back up claims

3) Today’s meats are much higher in saturated fat and lower in omega-3 than they were in the Paleolithic era.

   4) Due to the exclusion of certain food groups can be unsustainable for some and result in binge    eating behaviour

 

In conclusion, I am impartial on the Paleo diet, I'll let you form your own opinion and whether is suits your needs/lifetsyle.

On one hand the foods included are all very wholesome and natural, on the other there simply isn't enough scientific evidence to back up the claims and another point I might add is evolution... Mankind has the ability to adapt to his environment, surely we have well evolved since Caveman days? Just a thought :)

 

 

 Check out the Eat Drink Paleo website for some yummy recipes like this breakfast granola (left):

 http://eatdrinkpaleo.com.au/our-favourite-paleo-muesli-granola-recipe/

 

21 Day Sugar Detox Experiment!

One week on after winning the U30's fitness model division last week at ANB Fitness & Muscle Mania; I have consumed more chocolate and sugar than anyone should ever!
For almost a week, continually gorging into chocolate eating frenzy's involving blocks of Cadbury chocolate, bars, jars of Nutella, Tim Tams, lollies, bowls of melted chocolate with almonds mixed in (yes this happened) I felt my energy levels decreasing, my mood dropping and my need for more chocolate raising.... All within 7 days!! It became apparent that this stuff was quickly becoming dangerous, abusing chocolate like a drug user would for my fixes I realised sugar really is a drug. Get stressed = eat chocolate, hating work = eat chocolate, lonely or bored = eat chocolate.
I decided to go cold turkey and they say it takes 21 days to break a habit! This is my new goal... After speaking with a friend who also competed last weekend, said she was going through something similiar eating a lot of sugary foods and carbohydrates- She put me onto something she believed in and was going to be starting herself- The 21- Day Sugar Detox!!

The program is designed to rid your body of cravings for sugar and carbs! Exactly what I need.
The program also speaks about some of the dangers and ill effects of sugar such as links to cancer, diabetes, obesity, food allergies, depression, interference with your absoprtion of protein, dizziness and even clouds your mind to even think properly!

After dietting so strict for so long leading up to the comp, the sudden sugar over load had a huge impact of my sleeping, waking in cold sweats, heart racing, dizzy and my mind racing, not able to think calmly!

The 21 days has started from this morning finishing on the 30th June 2013!!
I will keep you posted on my progress and how I am handling this little experiment.

:)

Jenna Bleakley Fitness
www.facebook.com/Jennableakleyfitness

My Dream of Winning... I did it!

Wow, I cannot to begin to describe how ecstatic I am right now!
Yesterday afternoon I competed in my first ever Fitness Model Competition and I took first place... My heart stopped when the judges called number 36 and I could not wipe the smile off my face! Something I had worked so hard on, put so much sweat and tears into and I took it out.

https://www.facebook.com/Jennableakleyfitness

Left: Backstage in my bikini, practicing my poses, nervous as all hell.
Special Thank you to my best friend Jesse Karnaitis for her backstage support, Housemate/Training partner Arek Bak, my coach Gabe Hihira from Fit Pharm, Dayni Baker from Shape Up for my comp diet, Sarah Davis Online Personal Trainer for my diet, posing & advice, Theresa Makings from Sphere Cosmetics, Peta from After Glow Tanning, Elias Arcondoulis for being a great friend and support and last my by far least my boyfriend Anthony Yelland for being my backbone!

My coach Gabe from Fit Pharm and I after winning the U30's

I still remember the day I decided I wanted to compete, it was the INBA show back in 2011. I thought to myself I can do that, I want to be up there.
By January 2nd 2012 (I still have it in my diary) I wrote down the goal to compete in the May 2012 comp, however due to unforseen circumstances I simply was not mentally ready to go on stage.
2013- what is different? Number 1: I removed the negativity from my life and only surround myself with positive people, who inspire and motivate me to be the best I can be.
I approached Gabe from Fit Pharm and so the journey bagan! Telling the world that I was competing made me hold myself accountable, I had to live up to it now.
It did not come without many of tears and doubts, but having such an amazing support network saw me through and everyday I thought about it, wrote about it, dreamt about it... Utterly consumed to do well.

So what's next for me!?
I am going to study and get qualified as a Personal Trainer- my passion for the industry is undeniable and I know it's what I want to do. I'd love to train other's to achieve their fitness goals and I have a unique training style from a lot of girls.... Train like a man and lift heavy! And yes it has paid off (Below: My first place trophy)

I am also looking forward to next season's comps here in SA:
21st September ANB
29th September INBA
Watch out for me at these shows, I will be training for these in the upcoming months.

Keep following me on Facebook and Twitter:
Search Jenna Bleakley Fitness and Like my page, I appreciate every bit of support I get.





Much love, keep training hard everyone

xxx