Fitness & Health Tips For 2016

Here's a recent article I wrote for The Evening Chronicle............

Stacey from Newcastle, retired from the track due to injury and is now a fully qualified sports therapist, personal trainer, nutritionist and health advisor.

In her new role she advises people on how to get fit and shift any unwanted weight.

She said: “Health and fitness advice in the past has always tended to be about going to extremes. Cutting out whole food groups, fasted cardio, not eating carbs after 6pm, and downing protein shakes after a session.

“Being fit and healthy is easy, can be fun and you don’t have to take it too seriously, you don’t have to stick to the rules which have been set before, find your own way of doing things”.

Here she gives you her top tips for a healthy 2016.

1. Don’t jump on the Fad diet bandwagon. Think that starving yourself will be a quick fire way of losing those Christmas pounds? Wrong! Fad diets such as 5:2, Atkins, low calorie, meal delivery services and points counting are only short term fixes and thats all they’ll ever be.

You need a normal human diet which your body and training can thrive on. Eat real natural foods and stay away from the packets... think vegetables, meat, grains, fish, seafood, eggs, fruit, nuts, seeds.

2. Enjoy your training! Think that being healthy and increasing your fitness levels should be a hard, miserable, painful slog? Thats the quickest way to put anyone off! Find the enjoyment level of exercise, remind yourself of how you will feel afterwards, endorphins released will give you a euphoric feeling and exercise is also recommend for people that might be suffering from the new year blues... exercise is a natural mood lifter and also gives you time out of the rat race.

3. Take it steady. Don’t be tempted into going to the gym everyday for three weeks, then find you’ve sickened yourself and can’t face going there anymore. Chose to exercise 3/4 times a week, then build it up after that.

4. Drink more water. Your body needs water to function and fills you up, so instead of reaching for snacks when you feel peckish, have a glass of water instead. Sometimes your body mistakes hunger for dehydration.

5. Drink less alcohol. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, a couple of glasses of wine can set you back 400kcal and will require a 40mins run to burn it off. Cutting your alcohol intake is one of the quickest ways to lose those pesky pounds.

6. Try something new. If your stuck in a rut and bored of training then mix it up. Try circuit training, interval/hill running, a new fitness class, a new running route or join a new club.

7. Nail your warm up and cool down. Another thing that will get in your way of your fitness journey in 2016 is injuries. Make sure you are thoroughly warmed up before exercise and don’t jump straight in the car after your session. A normal warm up I prescribe to people is 5-10mins of jogging followed by dynamic stretches, these are exercises that are performed with movement such as high knee drills, hip circles, lunges and leg swings.

For a cool down a few light static stretches are needed, but studies show that stretching is best performed a few hours later. So when you are sitting in front of the TV focus on large muscle group stretches such as hamstrings, quads, glutes and calves. A lack of... or a reduction in flexibility is one of the main causes of injuries, so its important!

8. Make a list of all your personal barriers. This is the best way to make sure you stay on track of your health and fitness goals. Write down everything that will possibly get in your way or things that you may be tempted to use as an excuse. Examples such as work, stress, tiredness, family, celebrations, lack of motivation and bad weather conditions are frequently used... especially in January.

You need to be aware of what may get in your way and you need to have a plan in place for when these situations may happen. Sounds a little bit drastic, but it works!

9. Set short term and long term goals. One of the most off putting things for my clients is that they soley focus on their long term plan, i.e. losing 40 pounds. Now if you have a big goal like that, it may seem impossible and out of reach in the short term. This is when achievable short term goals are better put in place. Focus on losing your first 5 pounds, then move your goals and after you’ve achieved that... and so on.

10. If you have a cheat meal, day or even a week then don’t fret. Forgive yourself and simply move on. Theres nothing you can do to take back the pizza, beer, brownie, ice cream binge so don’t beat yourself up about it. Move on, learn from it and get back in the gym asap... simple but true!

How To Stick To Your New Years Resolution

So another year is drawing to a close and no doubt last years New Years Resolutions are a distant memory. 

So looking ahead most people's New Years Resolution normally includes something to do with making them a healthier person...whether that is losing weight, bulking up, drinking more water, reducing alcohol intake, quitting smoking or walking more... and every New Year's Eve you hear the same old "No I really mean it this time".

So how do you do it? How do you step into the world of health and fitness and make it stick this time?

Now I don't believe in fads and that fitness is just something you do for a short period of time and then return to your old habits. Health and Fitness is something that will be apart of your life... forever. So if you're already thinking that Health and Fitness is just a temporary thing in your life then I'm afraid your wrong and you're already setting yourself up for failure.

Your health is your no 1 priority in life, it comes before money, family, friends and education. It's not being selfish, self centred, vain or egotistical, it's called taking responsibly of yourself, do not feel guilty that you are putting your health before anything else. 

That may sound blunt but if you don't have health you don't have anything. HEALTH IS WEALTH.

I rely on a good old LIST and a plan, a want is just a wish until you have a plan in place. Writing your New Years Resolution down means more chance you're going to stick to it. 

Start off with a list of reasons WHY you want to do something. Do you feel uncomfortable in clothes? Want to lose weight to fit into that dress again? Want to increase your fitness? Want to be able to play with the kids, improve your golf?

Now write down HOW you are going to do it. Are you going to seek expert help? Will you do it on your own or with a friend? Will you join a gym and make a training plan? You will need support around you with family & friends who are supportive of your choice, wants and needs. You will need help with this and doing it alone can be hard, so if there's a certain 'friend' that doesn't take to this change very well and is more concerned that you will not be in the pub at 4pm on Fridays...then maybe think about a change of friends too. So having that supportive friend/loved one encouraging you to go to the gym or choosing a healthier dish will help you with goals and having that friend who will force you into a night out to drink 3 bottles of wine, eat a kebab and then miss the gym for 3 weeks is maybe not a friend after all. 

Now write down HOW will you feel if you DON'T complete your New Years Resolution. Disappointed, sad, low self esteem ect. Another year of feeling down and miserable? Do you really want to look back in 10 years time and wish you had started instead of failing yet again?

Then write down your mini goals, and WHEN you plan to complete them, so for example "By April I want to have lost 1 stone, out of the 3 stone target". Mini goals are key with long term goals. Some days you may lose motivation, and you will need something to keep you going. Huge long term goals can feel overwhelming and impossible at times. So if you feel quitting smoking all together may lead to you starting again, then perhaps experimenting at decreasing how many you have a day might be better. So for example by February I want to be down to 5 a day, by April I want to not smoke at all on Thursdays, by June I want to not smoke throughout the weekends. Eventually building yourself up towards your major goal.

Next write down the BARRIERS that may get in your way. Such as family...yes really! What is going to get in the way of your New Years Resolution and make you fail and why? Parties/celebrations/holidays/stress at work/tiredness/boredom? This is a very important part of your plan, in order for success we need to know our potential future failures. You know the saying Fail to Prepare... Prepare to Fail.

Now a lot of diets and fitness plans fail because of simple immediate satisfaction. For example you're on a role with your plan and one day you have a bad day at work, there's too much to do at home, the kids are fighting, there's financial stress and then someone offers you a slice of cake/glass of wine/pizza and you say YES. Because you need something to cheer you up right? Try and remember how you will feel after you eat that cake, or have that cigarette...guilt, sadness, a failure? We need to remember that our long term goals are far more important to us then our immediate satisfactions. So in other words do you want that slice of cake now or do you want to be 1 stone lighter in 2 months...which one will make you happier and fill you of pride and self worth in the long term?

Referring to our goals and recapping every week is something I would recommend. You can have a little private notebook to yourself. With your plans written down, write your progress, your barriers, what you did to overcome them, did you have setbacks and what you will do in the future to make sure that doesn't happen again. Im not saying that it will be easy and there maybe a couple of failed moments at times but it's key to realise the importance of what ever you're trying to do. Forgiveness is a big thing when you feel like you've failed. Simply forgiving yourself if you have had a takeaway, or missed the gym for a week, or had a cigarette, there's nothing you can do to change the past, but you can change the future. Forgive, love yourself and move on with your New Years Resolution in sight.

Pumpkin Recipes

Recently I was asked by The Evening Chronicle to create some healthy recipes around Pumpkins. Below is the finished piece, but if you want to see the online article click here. I had loads of fun in the kitchen creating these recipes, my family and friends have been inundated with so many pumpkin dishes, I asked them for feedback and criticisms, so some of these recipes have been changed up to 4 times to perfect them!

Also the photographer was a genius! He spotted some beautiful Autumn trees near by and wanted to use the various colourful leaves for the most amazing backdrop. I love this time of year!

*** Enjoy ***

Lewis Arnold/Evening Chronicle 

Born and bred in Newcastle Stacey Smith is a former GB Athlete, who competed in 800m/1500m for her Country. She has always been involved in health and fitness and has a long list of sporting qualifications to her name.

She is now a fully qualified Sports Physiotherapist, NHS Nutritional Advisor and Personal Trainer. Stacey is passionate about helping people to become healthier and her dishes on her blog are all aimed at healthy recipes and cater for various food intolerances and allergies.

Stacey also focuses on nutritional education, and say's "There's not enough information out there about nutrition and food awareness and there is a lot of mixed messages so people are often confused."

" I like to explain why I am using certain ingredients and what they can do for your health."

Her blog also focuses on fitness, giving tips, advice and reviews and you can visit her blog at www.staceyssay.blogspot.co.uk

So with halloween coming up what better excuse and time to start experimenting with 'Pumpkin'. "The Pumpkin is an under rated veg its very versatile, cheap, easy to cook with, low in calories, high in fibre and full of nutrients such Vitamin A,C, Potassium, Zinc and Magnesium."

Here she's  going to show you some lovely healthy pumpkin recipes.

Pumpkin Soup

This is a great quick recipe, so easy to make and really cheap and healthy too! Perfect for on a budget, students or beginners.


Ingredients 

• 1 kg Pumpkin, peeled, de-seeded, and chopped into chunks.
• 1 large Leek, 1 inch slices
• 1 large Red Onion sliced
• Dried Thyme & Sage
• Olive Oil
• 1 Pint Vegetable Stock
• Black Pepper& Salt

Put 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil in a large pan, gently fry off the sliced Onions for 5mins on a low/med heat, add the chopped Leeks and cook for another 10mins, stirring occasionally. Add in the Pumpkin and Herbs then cook for another 10mins, stirring to make sure all ingredients are being evenly cooked. Add the Stock, Black Pepper and Salt, cook for 20min on a simmer then blend for your preference. I prefer my soup chunky so I only blend it a little bit.

Pumpkin&Sweet Potato Fritters 

Makes around 10-12

Lewis Arnold/Evening Chronicle 

Pumpkin and Sweet Potato go great together, serve this for lunch with some salad or as an alternative to your normal breakfast. The use of Coconut Oil instead of traditional Olive Oil for frying is because Olive Oil becomes toxic as it is heated very high, whereas Coconut Oil doesn't. Use Olive Oil for cooking at lower temperatures or in salad dressings. 

Lewis Arnold/Evening Chronicle

• 350g Grated Pumpkin
• 160g Grated Sweet Potato
• 1/2  Red Onion- finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons Rice Flour 
• 3 eggs
• Paprika
• ChillI Powder
• Black Pepper & Salt
• 2 Stalks Fresh Coriander 
• Coconut Oil for frying

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well together, making sure all the ingredients are coated in egg and that there's no clumps of flour. Using a tablespoon scoop out the mixture and use your hands to mould into a disc like shape...this will get messy! Don't make them too big otherwise they won't cook in the middle. Fry with some coconut oil on a low-to-med heat, these can burn so be careful and take your time, once golden (this should take around 5mins), flip the fritters onto the other side and fry for a futher 2mins. 

Pumpkin & Coconut Cake Loaf

Lewis Arnold/Evening Chronicle

No fat and very low sugar. The use of banana and maple syrup provides sweetness but from a more natural source, this is better for us then the use of processed sugars. Ive tried a tested this recipe out a few times on my friends and family and they all wolf it down. You can buy pumpkin puree in specialist shops or make it yourself, simply dry roast pumpkin chunks in the oven for half an hour or steam it, then puree the pumpkin in a food processor or with a blender.

Lewis Arnold/Evening Chronicle 

• 300g Pumpkin Puree
• 25g Maple Syrup
• 1 Banana
• 40g Coconut Flour
• 30g Desiccated Coconut
• 50g Ground Almonds
• 30g Oats
• 1 Tablespoon Flaxseeds
• 1 Tablespoon Chia Seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 20g Mixed Seeds
• 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon, 1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Ginger, Nutmeg,All Spice

First make your Flaxseed/Chia Egg, this is a replacement for egg in the recipe. If you don't mind using eggs and are not intolerant/allergic/vegan then use 1 free range egg instead. Otherwise place the flaxseeds and Chia Seeds in a bowl with 6 tablespoons of water and leave for 10mins for the seeds to soak and expand.

Place all the ingredients in a food processor (apart from the Oats, Seeds and Flaxseed/Chia Mix if using them). Whizz up all the ingredients until fully mixed then stir in the Oats, Seeds and Flaxseed/Chia Mix. 

Place in a loaf tin (fully lined) 20cm by 10cm for 35-40mins at 210.

Pumpkin Hummus

Serve this with pitta bread, or if you are being a bit healthier try my beetroot crisps on my blog or vegetable sticks. 

• 400g Pumpkin, peeled, de-seeded and chopped
• 1 Tin Chickpeas
• 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 Springs Fresh Rosemary
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 Tablespoon Tahini
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 2-4 Garlic Cloves, 

Put the Oven on 210. Roast the pumpkin in the oven with the olive oil, garlic and fresh rosemary for 45mins. Once done, add to a food processor (without the fresh rosemary) chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, salt and pepper for seasoning and blitz until a smooth paste forms. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a extra sprinkle of dried rosemary if you have some.

Pumpkin Protein Balls

Lewis Arnold/Evening Chronicle

For all my fitness buffs out there, I knew I had to incorporate pumpkin into a protein ball recipe. I get asked all the time for various protein recipes so the use of pumpkin means this is lower in fat and sugar then some of my other protein balls. Super healthy and perfect for a snack.

Makes 20

• 30g Vanilla Protein Powder (I use Sunwarrior Vegan Blend)
• 3 tablespoons Pumpkin Puree
• 3 Medjool Dates
• 3 Tablespoons Desiccated Coconut
• 2 Tablespoons Flaxseeds

Simply put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend together, roll into balls (size of a teaspoon)

Warm Autumn Salad

Serves 4

I made this for a recent dinner party and everybody loved it, I served this salad with Smoked Mackerel and Blackberry Chutney (recipe on my blog), perfect for a cosy Autumn evening.

Ingredients 

• 500g Pumpkin- peeled, deseeded and cut into square chucks not too small as they will mush.
• 250g Brussel Sprouts
• 100g Tricolour Quinoa
• 1 Red Onion
• 4 Cloves Garlic with skin still on
• 2 Stalks Celery
• 2 Handfuls Kale
• 1 Tablespoon Honey (Maple syrup if vegan)
• 1 Apple
• 2 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil- plus more for roasted vegetables
• Hazelnuts

Method

Put the oven on 210. Throughly wash the brussel sprouts, chop into halves then place on a tray with a drizzle of olive oil, plenty of black pepper and 2 cloves of garlic (slightly crush them a bit to release the flavour but leave them whole). Do the same with the prepared Pumpkin. Leave in the oven for 30mins.

Make the Quinoa, this takes around 15mins, place in a saucepan with 500ml water, boil them simmer, once cooked, drain. 

Chop up the Onion, Celery and Apple, place in large Salad serving bowl with the Kale. 

Once the quinoa, pumpkin and brussel sprouts are cooked place them into the same salad bowl genetally stiring so all ingredients are evenly mixed. Mix together the Apple Cider Vinegar, Olive Oil and Honey, drizzle over the salad and place on top a handful of Hazelnuts. 

Pumpkin Brownies

Lewis Arnold/Evening Chronicle

For when you're trying to be good but still want a bit of a dessert. If you want more a chocolatey hit, a handful of chopped 85% dark chocolate will do it! Raw Cocoa has a much richer taste then normal Cocoa Powder which has been heated and processed... zapping it's nutrients, so if you're using normal Cocoa Powder you'll need to double this amount.

• 80g Oats
• 180g Black Beans (cooked)
• 200g Pumpkin Puree
• 2 Teaspoons Dried Coffee mixed with 2 tablespoons boiled water.
• 90g Maple Syrup
• 50g Coconut Oil
• 2 Teaspoons Madagascan Vanilla
• 6 Tablespoon Raw Cocoa 

Method

In a food processor place the Oats and blend until a fine powder/flour forms. To the Oat Flour add the Black Beans. Make sure you rinse the beans very well, sometimes if there is any residue left the brownies can have a bean after taste ...and we don't want that! As well as the beans, add the rest of the ingredients. Mix until combined, you may have to scrape down some of the mixture on the sides a few times. 

Place the mixture in a tin (6" by 6") and into to oven at 220 for 30mins. 

Pumpkin Granola (No Sugar and No Fat)

Lewis Arnold/Evening Chronicle

Thanks to clever marketing people assume that Granola is a health food, now most Granolas (even homemade ones) are full of extremely high amounts of sugar and fat. This granola has no sugar at all and tastes amazing, there is some good fats in here from a few Pecans and Almonds but it's a very limited amount. Make a big batch and it lasts for weeks.

Ingredients 

• 150g Pumpkin Puree
• 200g Oats
• 50g Desiccated Coconut
• 2 Teaspoon Pumpkin Spice Mix 
• 1/2 Tablespoon Cinnamon
• 20g Pecan Halves
• 20g Slivered Almonds

Oven 130.

First make the Pumpkin Spice mix. I make a big batch of this and store it in a glass jar to use it in other recipes to...the Pumpkin Spice Latte (see below) also uses this mix.

Mix together 3 tablespoons Cinnamon, 2 teaspoons Ginger, 2 teaspoons Nutmeg and 1 teaspoon of All Spice. Remember once this is made you only need 2 teaspoons of the mix in this recipe.

Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl, making sure everything is coated with the Pumpkin Puree. Scatter the mix over the tray, you may get clusters of mixture sticking together, I leave it like that as it adds a bit more crunch to the granola. This will take around 2 or 3 trays to bake, so spread the mixture evenly. Place on oven for 90 mins, taking the trays out to turn over the mixture every 15mins, keep an eye on the Granola as it can burn if the oven is too hot. 

Black Pepper and Sea Salt Pumpkin Seeds

When preparing pumpkin, most people throw out the seeds...don't! It's such a waste, these seeds are a bundle of vital nutrients and can be made into delicious snacks. Store in sealed plastic container and they can last for weeks. These seeds are high in protein and plant based fatty acids, which help regulate cholesterol levels and improve brain function.

Lewis Arnold/Evening Chronicle

Ingredients

• Fresh Pumpkin Seeds
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper
• Coconut Oil

Oven 220. 

Rinse the seeds thoroughly and discard of any pulp. Place in a pan with 1 pint of water and teaspoon of sea salt, boil then simmer for 10mins. Drain, place on heated tray with 1 tablespoon of melted Coconut Oil. Toss the seeds onto the tray coating all of them, then generously coat the seeds in lots Black Pepper and Salt, roast in oven for 10-20 min depending on the seed size. If you notice any seeds browning quicker then the others pick them out and continue to roast all the seeds till golden. 

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Makes 1

The famous Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is a favourite among coffee lovers in Autumn. However it actually contains no real pumpkin, but a heap load of sugar and artificial ingredients instead plus it  can set you back 400kcal. So if you are still wanting your PSL hit without the hefty calorie intake try this recipe. I made this with a coffee machine which has a steamer on the side to make cappuccinos and lattes. If you don't have one, use a Cafetiere to make your coffee and an electric whisk to froth your milk in a heated saucepan.

• 1 tablespoon of Pumpkin Puree
• 200ml Unsweetened Almond Milk
• 1 tablespoon of Pumpkin Spice Mix (see recipe above)
• 100ml freshly brewed coffee (depends on how strong you want your coffee)
• 1/2 tablespoon Maple Syrup if you need it. 

Mix together the pumpkin puree, almond milk, spice mix and maple syrup if you're using it. Either heat this in a pan and use an electric whisk to froth it or use a coffee steamer to gently build the heat and thickness up.

Prepare the Coffee and gently pour over the milk. Sprinkle over some cinnamon if you like, but hold off on the whipped cream. 

Healthy Homemade Tricolour Beetroot Crisps

One of my recent blog posts discussed why we should be eating with the seasons and which Autumn/Winter foods have now come into season... you can read it here if you missed it.

Now one of the foods which comes into season is the beautiful beetroot. Beetroot is packed full of health and it also fab for sports performance too.

Recent studies show that beetroot is a little bit of a wonder food! It's rich in folate, manganese, thiamine, riboflavin, selenium, copper, zinc, potassium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, betaine, choline, Vitamin; A, B6, C, K plus pantothenic acid and nitrate.

Studies in the consumption of beetroot shows improvement of muscle oxygenation during exercise, it lowers blood pressure, fights inflammation, it contains anti-cancer properties, increases white blood cell production and shows it can increase heart health. 

Now I've been on the hunt for different types of beetroot...how beautiful does the candy stripe look?


We had these on Sunday night, I also made Kale Crisps, Black Pepper&Sea Salt Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, Hummus and Salsa.


 A standard Sunday night with the X Factor on calls for nibbles! 

Beetroot Crisps

• 6 Beetroot Bulbs (2 red, 2 candy stripe,2 golden) 
• Himalayan Salt 1 teaspoon
• Black Pepper
• Rosemary- Dried.
• Apple Cider Vinegar, 3 tablespoons
• Olive Oil, 2 tablespoons 
• Paprika

Method

Wash and scrub the beetroot removing any dirt and stringy bits. Thinly slice and place in a bowl with the  olive oil, apple cider vinegar and salt. Leave for 10mins, occasionally turning them so they are all coated. 

Place the beetroot flat out on a tray and sprinkle over black pepper, paprika, and rosemary and little more salt. Bake at 140 for 60mins. If you want crisper crips then lower the temperature to about 100 and leave for another 2 hours. I still like mine to have a little softness in the middle as I feel like I'm getting more nutrients from them... so I take them out after 45mins.

Stace x