Cacao Hot Chocolate

It's getting a touch chilly in the evenings isn't it? For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere down here in OZ we are a month away from winter. Traditionally I find it tougher to eat well when the weather cools down. After dinner I just want something comforting.
Hot Chocolate?
Yum...but sweet milky treats right before bed are only a good idea if you want bigger thighs.
Well at least that was the case until I came up with this humdinger of a recipe.

Ingredients:
1 x heaped tsp Cacao Powder (For the correct pronunciation of Cacao go here)
1 x tbsp of cream (choose good quality unthickened cream)
1 cup boiling water

Method:
Boil the Water.
In a mug combine cacao powder and cream.
Pour in boiling water and stir.
ENJOY!!

A Little Story About A Caterpillar Becoming A Butterfly

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a work of literary genius and as my rantings, I mean writings, are primarily about diet it would be fitting to analyse that great children’s book here: that caterpillar seemed to be down on intermittent fasting don’t ya think? But what I wanted to talk about was a little story my yoga teacher told while I was lying on ground in Shavasana pose gasping for air.

The story goes like this:

A teacher and his class of children have collected a cocoon and are waiting for the butterfly to emerge. As the process starts the group witness the tremendous fight of the butterfly as it tries to emerge from the cocoon. The children want to help the butterfly but the teacher tells them no, "We must let the butterfly do it all on his own."

The teacher leaves the room and the children, feeling so sorry for the butterfly, pull at the cocoon freeing the butterfly. But the Butterfly can not fly and dies.

When the teacher returns he explains to the children: the butterfly has to fight so he strengthens his wings for when he finally breaks free. The struggle is what makes him strong. It is what turns him from a hungry little caterpillar into a magnificent butterfly.

Pretty sure that I am the caterpillar in this story and if I go to yoga I become....a butterfly?


But it got me thinking about struggles. I can remember my mother telling me that bad stuff was ‘character building.’ But I’m not talking about hard life lessons or life throwing curve balls. The struggle we overlook is often the just-keep-going struggle that is the hardest of all to conquer. If you want to achieve anything you must keep at it, but many of us (ok me) abandon the goal long before we taste success. Many of us let external factors interfere, sabotage or lead us astray.


There is no strength, where there is no struggle.


The beauty of the butterfly didn’t come easy and neither does anything else worth having.

It's been a few days since that class and the caterpillar story keeps playing through my mind. I want to be a butterfly. So I read, seek ideas, change direction but like the caterpillar I need to focus and I need to fight and keep fighting until one day I break free and fly.

Try it.

The Caterpillar story works wonders when at 5am you are asking yourself if you want to get up and go for a run. If you don't like my yoga instructor’s story then there is one about another caterpillar who goes on a 7 day eating binge that is pretty good reading.

Some Coconut Butter For Your Toast!

Coconut Butter (which is just the solidified oil btw) is pretty darn yummy on toast but I'm guessing you are wondering why I would be suggesting you eat toast so let's address this first.


Have I lost my freak’n mind? The answer is no. Ordinarily I would suggest staying away from toast and that other thing bread because simple carbohydrates are not our best friends, or even an acquaintance who manages a vague half-smile at the sight of you. No bread and its cousin toast are more like the neighbour you haven't spoken to in 20years because your deciduous tree keeps leaving leafy messes on their side of the fence: it hates you and given any opening would sabotage all efforts you make you slender, healthy and gawgess!


But sometimes I just need some carbs damn it. So the toast pictured is Burgen rye bread. No simple carbohydrates here (Burgen is actually one of the few low GI breads). From time to time I buy myself a loaf and slather it with avocado or peanut butter or that nut spread in the health food aisle at Coles. But most recently the spread of choice has been coconut oil – it’s seriously yummy.


TRY IT!

What Do Models Really Eat? No, like, really!

Photo Courtesy of NY Magazine

Runway model Denise Mullins, 21, recently kept a food diary for New York magazine answering the age-old question, what do models really eat?
Refreshingly Mullins food diary did not debunk the myths that models don't eat. Mullins candid and honest entries included eating a chopped salad while watching her boyfriend consume the more appetising burger and milkshake and berating herself for succumbing to the temptation of 4 onion rings. For Mullins and other fashion week food diaries go here. It's an interesting read.

Put Your Hands Together For.....Slim Pasta

Slim pasta?
Oxymoron?
I was just a bit psyched when I saw this product – just 11 calories per 100g.
Too good to be true?
Sadly yes.
But hang on Golightly, this is the part of your site where you bring us fab products?
Sorry for the confusion but you see, slim pasta cannot receive applause for being PASTA because it isn’t like pasta in taste or texture. So as a pasta substitute I feel it is a bit of a failure. HOWEVER, it is a lot like a noodle and it is for this reason I felt compelled to tell you about it (insert applause here).
So this Slim Pasta stuff has the following benefits and works terrifically to bulk out a salad or soup and lends itself perfectly to Asian flavours.

It is:
Gluten free
Sugar free
Soy free
Wheat free
AND the packaging is BPA free.

So applause loudly all the way to the supermarket and get yourself some Slim Pasta.

Fun Facts: You Do You Know How Many Calories You Must Burn To Lose 1kg?

This used to sit on my ass but now I use it in demonstrations.

Yep do you know how many of those pesky calories you would need to run, skip and jump off to lose one whole kilo of fat from your frame?

Is it:

a) 0. I don’t run, skip or jump and you can’t make me!

b) a shit tonne

c) 7700

d) however many are in a kilo of butter

An the answer is:

c) 7700 calories

So just to be clear you must create a 7700 deficit between the energy you consume and the energy you burn to drop 1kg. Think about this the next time some weight loss guru tells you you can drop 5 kgs in a week! Its hard work…sigh.

Don't you love fun facts?

The Hormone That May Be Sabotaging Your Weight Loss Efforts!

Because I am world renowned illustrator I have quickly drawn this materpiece to demonstrate Cortisol

ME: Let’s talk about Cortisol!


YOU: What is Cortisol?

ME: Hey, I’m really glad you asked! Cortisol is known as the stress hormone. It is made by the adrenal glands in the kidneys and primarily helps to maintain blood pressure, immune function and the body’s anti-inflammatory response. When you get stressed Cortisol shows up to increase your blood sugar levels so you can deal with the situation. If a big bear tried to eat you then Cortisol would ensure you had the energy to either fight the big bear or run away: the fight or flight response.

YOU: That sounds interesting but why do I need to know about it?

ME: Well do you have many incidences with large bears? You see most of our stresses are from problems at home, the boss from hell or if we are going to get that assignment submitted on time. None of these things really require much in the way of extra energy. I’m really sure dudes like Superman benefit from Cortisol’s quick action but the rest of us just receive a blood sugar spike when we are not doing anything but sitting around feeling anxious. Cortisol also shows up when our body is under physical stress.
Cortisol rises when we have aggressive swings in blood sugar levels, go too long without food, lack of sleep or long bouts of exercise. If any of these situations occur for a long period of time then Cortisol is still hard at work raising your blood sugar and possibly sending hunger messages. So if you don’t burn off the extra energy what happens to it? It gets redeposited and usually around your tummy! I don’t know about you but none of this sounds very good to me.

YOU: Hmmm are you saying I’m fat Golightly? AND if you are are you saying I got like this because of stress?

ME: Whoa steady on. Not saying your fat girlfriend. But, let’s say for instance, you wanted to drop a few KGS so you look more like Jessica Alba then you already do, then it is important consideration. Of course if you just added the Domino’s delivery boy as a friend on Facebook then there are probably other reasons…but I have brought Cortisol to your attention because long-term stress is a well-known saboteur of the girl who wants to look shit hot and feel all kinds of awesome. I’m assuming this is you? If you think you are under stress then talk to your doctor. There are loads of activities and techniques you can use to deal with stress so it doesn’t end up as a spare tyre around your middle: meditation, exercise, counselling. Also when you aren’t stressed large portions of KFC chips are less likely to make it in to your little hands so go see about your stress levels hey?


YOU: Ok! Thanks this has been very informative and can I just say that picture is genius.

ME: Awww thanks.

Let's Calculate Your BMR....You Might Be Spectacularly Suprised By The Results!

While Base Metabolic Rate (BMR) is not a perfect measurement is a the closest one you can do at home with your calculator and is at the very least a yardstick to keep you in check if your wanting to shed a few or a shittonne of pesky kilos.

If you are lazy you could just google BMR calculator and plug in some numbers and while I fully understand this is more tempting than impromptu maths, I really urge you to actually use your noggin and do the calculations below.

NOTE: many of the free calculators don’t give you the basic rate but a rate slightly higher to allow for activity levels.

Fun huh?

BMR FORMULA

Note: do the calculations inside the brackets first. See maths does come in handy later in life? Your Maths teacher was telling the truth!


Note: 1 inch = 2.54cm, 1 kilogram = 2.2lbs


For Women
BMR = 655 + (9.6 x wt in kg) + (1.8x ht in cm) – (4.7 x age in years)

For Men
BMR = 66+ (13.7 x wt in kg) + (5 x ht in cm) – (6.8 x age in years)


Ok so now you have a base figure you can go forth and multiply by the appropriate activity levels below.


Activity LevelSedentary = BMR x 1.2
Lightly Active = BMR x 1.375
Moderately Active = BMR x 1.55
Very Active = BMR x 1.725Extremely Active = BMR x 1.9

SO how did you go? Interesting stuff isn't it.

To really understand this test and also so you will think to yourself - wow, I’m so grateful for stumbling onto this terrific blog that has, in just a few short minutes, markedly changed the way I see the world - I would like you to also look up the calorie/kilojoule content of a few of the foods you regularly eat. This will help you understand, so it is all nice and crystal-like, how the energy (calories) you need and the energy (calories) you consume might just be a touch out of wack!

I remember when I did this test, it changed how I saw weight loss forever. For the first time I realised that it wasn't my hormones, genetics or a slow metabolism that was keeping me from my goals -  I ate too much food for my energy needs.

How about you? Are you going over and  above your energy needs?

Consistency: A Gosh-Darn-Why-Didn't-I-Think-Of-It Formula For Success!

If I had a dollar for every book I have read about the fool-proof, easy peasy, lightening-fast track to success, I would have $66.50: Oh come on, did you finish A place of Yes by Bethenny Frankel?
The point of course (and I definately have one), is that said books are everywhere.  AND look, I can say, with conviction, I've learned many special little formulas that have helped me over the years.

Dr Phil, Eckhart Tolle, Morgan Scott Peck and that guy from the infommercials who walks across fire and was in Shallow Hal.

Seriously thanks guys.

BUT, I have a beef with all of you.

You failed to mention what I have since discovered to be the most important piece of the success puzzle: consistency. Or maybe you did mention it quickly, somewhere on page 170 but there were no italics, bold type, flashing neon lights! I'm a slow learner! EMPHASISE damn it!

Whichever formula you use, whatever rule book you have in play, regardless of the self-help guru you worship the only way to get anywhere is to do something and do that something consistently.

So why is that for some of us (me included) a new plan or activity fills us with excitement and will to succeed only to have it replaced with boredom and a lack of enthusiasm just a few short weeks or days later. Why does standing in the self-help aisle at the bookstore dizzy us with possibility and hope and catapult us towards the counter only to see that book purchase wind up under your bed with last months favourite nail polish colour (coral pink? What were you thinking?) gathering dust?
Why does the plan for success we know is so right for us quickly get forgotten when that cute guy walks past, it rains, Stacey from payroll shows up with donuts or someone says, “happy hour!”

WHY?

So often we blame the plan. It didn’t work so it must have been flawed, right? Better get a new plan.

But let’s sit with this for just a sec. Let’s say the plan, is in fact, perfect. Let’s say just for kicks, that there has never been a better plan in the history of the entire world and the only reason it didn’t work is because you weren’t consistent in exercising it?

OMG! Imagine someone suggesting you, and not the plan are to blame for your complete lack of success. Preposterous!!

Remember Cher Horwitz lecturing her "clueless" friend Tai? "Exercise must be done everyday, not just sporadically!"
And like so many great things we can take from the movie, Clueless, we should add this to the list. Because while the concept seems glaringly obvious, consistency is where so many of our plans fall down.
So whether it is your diet, exercise regime or beauty routine remember that you have to do it everyday – not just sporadically.

A Vanilla Solution To Your Chocolate Problem

I don't really know how this picture of a Vanilla Slice ended up here. I was writing about vanilla and then I got to thinking about vanilla lipsmackers (you remember them right?) and then I was all like, "how scrumptious and delightful is Vanilla Slice?" Weird! But don't go worrying about that because I have discovered something very interesting about vanilla - the scent, not so much the slice.

Dr Oz says the scent of vanilla has been proven to cut down on your cravings for sweet things such as chocolate or vanilla slice.

Starting a sentence with “Dr Oz Says” makes me feel a little smug as though I can just end things here and we can all go out and get ourselves a vanilla candle and start moisturising with some vanilla-scented body cream and our lives will be so much better because let’s face it Oz is some kind of magical doctor with wizardry powers far beyond the scope of many imagination. Or is that the Wizard of OZ? Anyways,  even though we have this on good authority I think we should look into this a bit further. So lucky for you I have done just that.  (Thoughtful aren’t I?)

Apparently using vanilla creates a calming sensation in the body. Vanilla fills your senses so you no longer have the desire to fill those senses with food.  You can use vanilla to reduce stress, depression and anxiety too and let’s face it stress is a pretty big contributor to wolfing down half a block of chocolate so maybe there is something in this.

I tried it and I don’t know. I can’t report that I gave into any food cravings while the vanilla scent wafted through the house but can I say I felt immediately relaxed? Not really. Although I was watching a fairly juicy episode of the Walking Dead; perhaps that counteracted vanilla’s calming properties?

Vanilla is a deliciously lovely scent and if there is even a small chance that its inclusion in my life will have me forgetting about vanilla slice (or chocolate) then I think I should go with it….

Put Your Hands Together For......Coconut Oil (For Your Hair!)

Health circles are abuzz with the sensational benefits of Coconut Oil. If you haven't heard of all the great things it will do for your crowning glory then allow moi to fill you in! Coconut oil unlike many other oils promoted as hair treatments, is made up of Medium Chain Tryglycerides (MCT), so it nourishes cells without stripping them of  natural proteins (awesome).
I'm not suggesting you run out to the shops and drop a tonne of cash on special products either. Just saturate wet hair with coconut oil (the kind you find on the supermarket shelf and cook your steak in!)and leave in, under a warm towel for around an hour. Shampoo and condition as normal. Coconut oil doesn't leave an oil slick like other oils; just silky, stronger, manageable hair. I can't recommend it highly enough!

Goodbye and Good Luck.....Cacao Nibs

Dear Cacao Nibs,

As you are a seriously hip, modern-day super food, with an artillery of cancer-fighting anti-oxidents, insulin stabilising properties and just general health goodness, I have given you due consideration and tried genuinely to like you.
Remember when I added you to my Cannellini Bean Biscuit recipe? Remember the dozens of smoothies you were included in because of your powerhouse of health awesomeness? But alas it is with much sadness that I inform you our relationship, while short, proved beyond any doubt that you do not satisfy my need for yumminess.
I do wish you well Cacao Nibs. Its not you, it’s me. Actually it’s you. I hope you make some other gal spectacularly happy.

Yours,

Holly Golightly

The Importance Of Your Omega Balance

From all reports the Omegas, 3 & 6 are pretty darn important to our health. These guys are essential fatty acids which means the body can't make them - they need to come from our diet.
But there is a big problem. Our diets are handing us Omega 6 in abundance: seeds, nuts, vegetable oils and a range of pre-packaged foods using refined vegetable oils. On the other hand many of us are not consuming enough Omega 3's.
Because Omega 6 functions increase inflammation in the body and Omega 3's job is to decrease it the two need to work together to ensure adequate but not extreme levels. But our diet is failing us and inflammation is escalating. It has been suggested by experts and a range of studies that there is a link between this imbalance and cardivascular auto-immune diseases.
Recently the researchers from Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Washington found that older adults could decrease their overall moraltiy risk by up to 27% by upping the levels of Omega 3 in their diet. Upping your dose of Omega 3 has also been attributed to helping weight loss efforts. This stuff sounds like the shizz diz. So how do we get more of the 3 and less of the 6?
Fishy supplements like Krill oil will sort you out with your daily dosage of Omega 3 but it is important to understand what is passing through your lips too.
If you have a bit of a squizz at the list below it isn't hard to see why you might have an imbalance. If you are regularly snacking on stuff from the baked good section of the supermarket or rolling up to drive-thrus you might have an even bigger problem.
I was suprised to find tuna didn't have as much of the 3's as I thought and have now switched to Mackeral.
If you suffer from inflammation based diseases or you are on the weight-loss bandwagon have a think about the balance in your body!


Sources Of Omega 6
avocado
eggs
nuts
evening primrose oil
flax/linseed oil
most vegetable oils
sunflower oil
pumpkin seeds
spirulina
coconut

Sources Of Omega 3
cold water fish - salmon, herring, mackeral, anchovies, sardines, lesser degree tuna
eggs
flaxseed
grass-fed red meat or wild meat