Food is a RELATIONSHIP

Are you constantly trying to cut calories or always on a “diet”?

Do you constantly see food as a stress, burden or associated guilt?

Do you announce to your friends restrictions throughout the year – alcohol, chocolate, ice cream?

The reality is that I end up with a lot of people in my clinic that could answer YES to at least one of the questions above. It might be because they are concerned about their health, which is a good thing, however this isn't always the case. And sometimes any psychological drive can become toxic or obsessive.

I see a lot of people who are carrying more weight on their bodies than they need to be. I also see many people with eating disorders. But interestingly I have found the same thing time and time again. THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD IS BROKEN.

Many people are using this relationship as a way to de-stress, as a distraction (boredom), to reward, celebrate, punish or deal with their emotion. What happens if you were to do this in a relationship with a PERSON? Do you think they would appreciate you just using them all the time for the above? Do you think you could do all this without any CONSEQUENCE?

My most successful clients work with me to mend this disconnect. We focus on nourishment and strategies to work with food so that it can be appreciated in a positive light. To be inspired with it’s creativity and variety to enhance our experience with how this food can physiologically affect our bodies.

Many of us are in denial about a broken relationship and ignore it, simply haven’t got the knowledge to improve it or believe it’s too hard to make a change when we are so comfortable.

If you are drowning and looking for a rope. I am your rope. Let me change your life.

Ash x

Banana Crunch Cookies

This experiment happened on a very rainy and dreary Sunday afternoon after I was thinking ahead for my work week and the fact I was completely over my current snacks! Sick of super sweet muesli bars that are packaged and coat your mouth with sugar? These are quick and delicious! Get baking. The fruit naturally sweetens them, and there is lots of fibre in the oats, seeds and banana to fill you up. Nuts and seeds help balance your hormones between main meals and give these delights a crunchy fabulous texture.

Ingredients

2.5 cups oats

180g pecans (baked at roughly chopped)

1 large banana (mashed)

2 tbsp linseed/flax

1/2 cup maple

2 Tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla essence

6tbsp pepitas

1/3 cup dried raisins or cranberries

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp olive oil

Method:

1. Put pecans on baking tray with light drizzle of olive oil, mix to lightly cover with the oil and then leave to cook for 10mins or until golden on 180 degrees celcius

2. Blend 1 cup of the oats in the blender to make some oat flour. Add all oats, cinnamon, linseed, pepitas, dried fruit and vanilla to bowl and mix with spoon

3. Add maple and honey, mix

4. Lastly add baking soda and mashed banana, mix

5. Line a baking tray with baking paper

6. With a spoon spoon out a small amount that fits in your palm and round it into a ball. Continue until your tray is happily full

7. Cook for 20-25mins on 180 degrees Celsius or until lightly brown on top

8. Enjoy guilt free :) 

Life’s An Ocean: Beat your Giants & Swim with your Sharks

When I woke up early this morning at 6am to by blaring alarm it was dark, a little overcast and my sheets of sleepiness were relentless with letting me untangle from my dreams. The alarm went off a second time. Snooze… And then a third. I took a moment and then sprung out of bed like a cat. Yes, this was the day.

After successfully burning a piece of toast and quickly throwing everything into my bag and then myself out the door, I finally made it onto my impatient bike. As I rode down my street it seemed the popcorn clouds were clearing, the orange sun slowly peeking through their curtains on the horizon. With every pedal I was becoming more and more alert. But the butterflies in my stomach were also beginning to flutter a little more insistently.

As I approached the beach I was taken aback. There were volley ballers, runners, boot campers, yogis and dog walkers. Everyone enjoying the delicious morning. My tempo increased, my destination in site. As I arrived I was feeling rather awkward. I didn’t know anyone and I seemed alone in a jumble of pink lollypop swimming caps. 

A couple of minutes later however, I was approached by many people. They were all so friendly and excited. The butterflies started to disappear a little. Well, that was until I looked out at the huge sets rolling in off the shore and crumbling into the sandbanks.

However with not much more time to think, with the tide I was quickly swept into the ocean amongst the happy crowd. Let me re: phrase that. Cold Ocean. Cold ocean with sea creatures and just me and the elements. Cold ocean where I could not see the bottom. But I was off and paddling.

The first leg on the way to Shelly Beach I was looking directly into the sun. In fact to be honest, I had no idea where the hell I was going – Could have been New Zealand. I couldn’t decide how to breathe, every 2 or every 3? I needed a rhythm. The other thing I had to get used to was how deep the marvelous ocean actually was. Where did I look? There was no black line like back in the pool! Slowly it came and I became a part of the living organ of what we call the ocean.

Not that I’m competitive or anything but I developed a strategy of picking the next swimmer and swimming them down. I think I only ran people over a couple of times whilst blinded by the sun! At one point I also almost jumped a mile when I realised that 2 scuba divers were in fact not sharks, when silver bubbles suddenly surrounded me.

And then, it got sneakily shallower and a couple of stingrays and fish later I was there! We all came up for some fresh air and to catch our breath, our chatter bouncing off the sunlit surface. The organiser announced that the beach had been closed for our return. It was at our own risk to swim back in through the breakers. Somehow, call me crazy, but this motivated me. Now I had to do it!!

My rhythm was better this time. I had a better sense of direction, more confidence and purpose. A final destination! As I came past the point the waves were rolling in in perfect mountainous sets, crystal clear aqua giants, daring us to challenge.

And we did challenge. Fighting against their clubs of white as we headed back towards the shore, a thundering behind us - roars of fury. However I managed to escape! Riding a great blue horse of a wave right into the beach, adrenalin spiking. As I clumsily stood up and swayed in the shallows, my whole body was tingling and my lungs were burning. Everything singing from my head to my toes, “THAT WAS AMAZING!” 

The rest of my day I have been stress free and inspired. I stepped out of my comfort zone and won. I did something different and I loved it. This had been on my “to do” as a 2013 resolution. Why didn’t I do it earlier?

Everyday I see clients in my clinic who are falling apart due to stress. They always have busy lives and never take time out (even 5 minutes!) or spend all their time looking after other people. Unfortunately they don’t always get to look after themselves and in the end their health suffers. Exercise can be so powerful to generate a healthy mind, positive food choices and life balance. So can reducing your stress and lifting your mood or inspiration in healthy ways rather than turning to food or alcohol.

 I encourage you:

Get out there

Swim with your sharks

Beat your giants

Reduce your stress!

New Years Health Resolutions & Aspirations for 2014

A new year is always a fantastic time to evaluate the ways in which you can improve many different areas of your life. Motivation is high and you are rested and ready to put positive energy into plans and projects.

A lot of us also tend to specifically focus on our health, and why? We realise we were too stressed the previous year and this leads to one of the following; less time for exercise, reduced sleep, eating for reward, emotional fulfilment or celebration. Consequently we ended up in the Doctor’s office sick and run down or with health complications such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Then come New Year many of us also look in the mirror and realise we’ve stacked on some extra kilos over the festive summer season or really struggled through what would be a normal gym class.

Time to regroup!

How to set your resolutions:

1) Break down your health resolutions into categories. Remember health is multifactorial:

Physical: This involves sleep, eat, drink (yes alcohol!) and exercise.

Mental: Associated with a healthy mind and thought process.

Social: Your relationships with your family, friends and work colleagues.

Spiritual: Doesn’t necessarily have to be directly linked to religion but the philosophy or morals and values by which you live your life. Make sure your actions are consistent with your beliefs.

Environmental: How your environment impacts upon your wellbeing. Does it make you happy? How can it be manipulated to do so?

All of these factors impact upon each other so it is important to assess each. If your relationships break down this will affect your mental health. If your mental health disintegrates your nutrition and exercise tends to suffer. You can’t build a house with one brick, you need many to keep it standing.

2) Almost everyone has heard of making S.M.A.R.T goals. Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Realistic. Time Framed. You’re probably sick of hearing it but it’s true. Without narrowing the focus and making it specific and finding a way to make it measurable, what is the point? So you want to reduce your % Body Fat in the gym – great! So measure to start and periodically over the year. Don’t complain when you’re not losing weight, you may be replacing it with muscle and you won’t know if you don’t measure.

Example Resolution: To eat oily fish two times a week (Tuesdays and Fridays) at dinner

Example Resolution: To reduce my waist measurement from 90cm to 84cm (-6cm) in 3 months.

3) How are you going to get there? No use setting the goal so reduce you waist measurement if there is no action plan to address it

Example Resolution: To reduce my waist measurement from 90cm to 84cm (-6cm) in 3 months

-       Attend personal training sessions 2x/week

-       Fortnightly consultations with a Dietitian

-       Complete food diary

4) Assess your barriers. For each resolution consider the barriers and how you will overcome them. If your barrier to exercising is your organisational skills, set a regular routine. If your barrier is time, plan your healthy meals and shopping for the week in advance and cook in bulk.

5) Tell someone about these resolutions, this makes your accountable and share your goals and aspirations with passion.

6) Remind yourself of these resolutions. No use setting a bunch of goals and then forgetting them a month later. Put them up somewhere you will see regularly.

7) Remember this is also about forming new healthy habits. The more your repeat your resolutions the better chance and confidence you have in assuming it as a part of your lifestyle.

My Resolutions

Some of my health resolutions this year have been to work on my strength and flexibility as well as reducing my stress levels by practising yoga. After visiting my Aunt’s amazing farm over the past couple of years I have also been greatly inspired to start cooking more from scratch and more from the earth. Yesterday I started making my own probiotic yoghurt and this weekend I am going to try and make my own healthy grainy bread. I’d also like to make my own sauces, pickles, jams, tabouli and salad dressings. I have shared these resolutions with a good friend and we are going to keep each other accountable. They are also stuck on the inside of my pantry.

Have a healthy happy journey in 2014 everyone. GOOD LUCK!! Ash xx

Top Tips for Surviving the Holiday Season

It’s the end of the year. We are all tired, if not exhausted.

My teachers are coming in pulling their hair out after being slammed with reports, candy cane and chocolate presents. Corporates are struggling to meet deadlines with a string of boozy client lunches and parties following. Parents have been up late for one too many school ballet or presentation night. And the university students are about ready to check in to detox programs after all their nights out!

To accompany all this it seems that EVERY person you have ever known in your whole life has decided to catch up… all at once, right now, before Christmas! Your Facebook inbox is flooded with group conversations and you feel like you need a PA to remind you what’s on which night.

DO NOT PANIC. I am here to give you some practical advice to keep you on the straight and narrow just when you thought everything was getting a little overwhelming and pear shaped.

If you are serious about your health, now is not the time to discredit all the hard work you have put in all year. A couple of weeks damage can take you back a couple of months. So not worth packing back on that 6kg!!

This is all is comes down to:

Organisation and Planning

Mindful Eating

Portion Distortion

Organisation

An army doesn’t go into battle without a plan, and neither should you. You need a plan and strategy to navigate your social calendar. Write a list of each social event, potential barriers to you eating well and some ways to attack these barriers. For example:

Event: Work Christmas Party

Barriers: At a Thai restaurant, portions hard as sharing, unlimited alcohol provided, range of desserts available

Strategies: Small snack before dinner so not ravenous when I arrive. Research menu before attending and choosing healthier dish. Get waiter to take plate away when I have finished meal so I can’t eat anymore. Drink vodka lime and soda (less calories) or offer to drive, have a sensible portion of my most favourite dessert and don’t feel guilty about it.

Will you be hosting a party? Why not make it easier and organise a healthy meal?

Smart swaps. Just as delicious!

 Mindful Eating

 Mindfulness includes noticing the colours, smells, flavours, and textures of your food. Studies have shown that people overeat when they neglect to pay attention to what they are eating. Imagine what happens when you introduce a couple of glass of champagne or beer to the mix? Where did those mince pies go? How many did I even have? You should be able to recite exactly what you had for Christmas lunch, this means even if you are being a little more indulgent at least you ARE paying attention.

Some other mindful tips:

Always eat when you are sitting down with minimal distraction

Slow it down: Eat with your fork in your non dominant hand

Use smaller plates and bowls

Use taller glasses, people perceive they are drinking more

 Portion Distortion

Ever heard the expression “French women never get fat?” Don’t worry I am impressed too. For a country that specialises in croissants, pastries, baguettes and cheese I think they are doing well! Want to know their secret? Portion control. They look for QUALITY and control their QUANTITY. This applies at Christmas time even more so when we are surrounded by temptation.

Remember when you have a greater amount of options available; more of those options are going to walk their way happily onto your plate. After they’ve had their own Christmas party in your mouth there is no escape and it’s straight down to the stomach.

With your portions I offer these tidbits of advice. Be reasonable about how much you should have on your plate. At least half should be salads. And if it’s too much don’t feel obligated to finish it! Remove your plate from your reach or clear it from the table. Studies have proven that leaving dishes on the table in group situations leads to men eating 29% more and women 10% more.

 With your desserts. Choose the one you want MOST (your favourite), and have that only without guilt. Savour, savour, savour.

Reality is if you do eat a bit more over Christmas and Boxing Day it won’t have a huge influence on your weight. It’s when you continue to eat huge portions of leftover food and alcohol consistently for the whole month surround Christmas that this becomes a problem. Offload leftovers to guests and try and get back to your usual healthy routine as quickly as you can.

Enjoy your Christmas everyone!

Morroccan Stuffed Baby Butternut's

This recipe was inspired by a wonderful young client of mine who has successfully changed her relationship with food back to a positive one. Alot of us need stop looking at food in a negative light, as "calories" or the "bad guy". We all need to focus on food's ability to nourish. How does the nourishing food make you feel? Does it give you increased energy and a improved mood? Do you notice your mind seems clearer and more focussed after a healthy meal? Get back to working together with food to create a healthy mind and body. This will result in a nutrient dense diet in which you listen to your hunger, feel fuller/more content with the food you do eat and refrain from overeating.

Serves 2 (and if you're lucky some left over for lunch the next day!) 

Time: 30mins

Ingredients: 

2 baby butternut halves (each one the size of your two hands cupped together) 

1 cup long grain brown rice

200g raw chicken breast

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 bunch fresh coriander chopped

2 spring onions sliced finely

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili flakes

1 tsp olive oil

1 small 200g tub plain greek yoghurt

1 lemon squeezed

Method

Put brown rice on to cook. Scoop out the insides of both baby pumpkins leaving about 1.5cm of the shell. Lightly spray with oil and put in the oven on a baking tray at 180 degrees for 15mins. In the meantime, dice up chicken breast finely and add with oil and spring onion to pan. Cook over medium heat until brown. When both chicken and rice are complete add all other ingredients and mix together in a large bowl. Take out pumpkin from the oven. Scoop in mixture until full. Put back in the oven for another 5-10 mins. Take out and let it cool a little (I learnt this the hard way!) Top with a tablespoon on greek yoghurt. ENJOY! :)

Note: I ended up steaming the scooped pumpkin up & adding to leftover mix. Then I used this in a salad with iceburge lettuce the next day for lunch.  Delicious. 

Nutrition:  Pumpkin is high in Vitamin A, a nutrient essential for growth but also the maintenance of skin and mucus membranes. It also contains an antioxidant called zeaxanthin that protects the eye retina from UV damage and is beneficial for vision.  The long grain brown rice is of a low GI which with the protein in the chicken, keeps you fuller for longer but also provides a good source of dietary fibre to promote a healthy digestive system. Cinnamon has anticlotting and antimicrobial properties. Cumin is a good source of iron, important for immune function. And the yoghurt contains some calcium to help you get a little closer to your daily goal of sustaining strong bones! Why wouldn't you make this meal when it's both nutritious and delicious?

Healthy Sausage Rolls

Sounds naughty but tastes delicious! The best way to go about a healthy eating plan is to enjoy new ways to nourish your body. Last week I found myself at home with limited ingredients yet wanting to be creative! This is what I was able to rustle up in a matter of minutes and it turned out delicious.  Choose one or the other, both good!

Ingredients:

Chicken Sausage Rolls

400g lean chicken mince, 1 egg, 1 x grated carrot, 1/2 onion chopped, 2 cloves garlic chopped, 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil/parsley/coriander, 1 tsp garam masala/curry powder, 1 pack mountain bread (8 sheets)

Serve with sweet chili sauce

Beef Sausage Rolls

400g lean beef mince, 1 egg, 1 large can red kidney beans (drained), 8-10 medium mushrooms, 1/2 onion chopped, 2 cloves garlic chopped, 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil/parsley/coriander, 4 tbsp. pasta sauce, 1 pack mountain bread (8 sheets)

Serve with tomato sauce

Method:

1. Heat up onion and garlic over medium heat in saucepan.

2. Add in meat and brown. 

3. Add in the rest of the ingredients, mix and cook for a further couple of minutes

4. Cut mountain bread lengthways into 3 strips  

5. Spoon mixture along length of each mountain bread and roll into a cylinder(not too much! and make sure you drain otherwise will be too much water which could make it go soggy)  

6. Give it a light spray or brush with oil

7. Bake on 180 degrees for 15-20mins  

8. Enjoy with your choice of dipping sauce and a beautiful side salad

Speed Eating, How To Slow It Down!

Growing up a competitive swimmer and heavily training at least 8 times a week (With lovely 430am rises! ) I was blessed with a ferocious appetite. When I finished training I would scrounge around for the closest morsel of food to replenish my last training session. Not only did I learn (and need!) large quantities of food, but I could also woof down my meal quicker than a commercial break.

Many of my clients often mention to me that they have a problem with their speed of eating. One the other day mentioned he finished his meal and was greeted with the noise of crickets as he patiently waited for everyone else to finish. What is the problem with this? Often it will lead to overeating because you will go back for more…

And then it hits you. Time to cuddle up on the lounge and have a nap. Or feelings of guilt settle in. And for some, with feelings of guilt come brilliant ideas like “I can just skip the next meal or snack” or “I will deprive myself of carbs next meal” and that’s when we really start to put a spanner in our metabolism and weight loss/maintenance efforts.

Slow it down:

Don’t skip meals or hold out for hours on end for your meal so that you are starving and ready to demolish the meal when it is put infront of you.

Minimise all distractions: Don’t eat infront of the television, whilst madly chop stick typing out a university assessment or replying to a long list of work emails. You need to pay attention to what you are eating.

Don’t shovel in the next mouthful until you have completely chewed and swallowed the last. Put your fork down on the table between mouthfuls.

Always sit down to your meal with a big glass of cold refreshing water. Use this to moderate your eating speed by taking a break to slow down and have a sip at intervals throughout the meal.

Taste the flavour, see, smell and appreciate the texture (mouthfeel) of your food.

Try eating using your knife and fork in the opposite hands (fork in right, knife in left… now that’s co-ordination!)

Dedicate at least 20 minutes to finish your meal

When you are finished… WAIT. It takes 20 minutes for the brain to register that you are full. Put that food on layby and see how hungry you feel 30 minutes post meal.

So there you go, have a happy meal time!

Crumbed Quinoa Schnitzel

As well as being Australian I am a proud Austrian citizen with a father named Wolfgang and a heritage of growing up with the popular veal/chicken schnitzel at Oma and Opa’s place as a child. Hence the other day when reading over an extremely diligent client’s food diary I almost jumped in excitement when I saw quinoa schnitzel recorded! What a great way to make this staple and loved dish healthier. Quinoa being low GI was a great alternative to the typical breadcrumb experience. From there I also had another great client who mentioned instead of dipping the chicken in egg and milk mixture she used low fat greek yoghurt instead and it tasted delicious! 

So here we go. Inspired by the people who make my day enjoyable, satisfying and a positive journey towards healthier living. Thank you.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

½ cup uncooked quinoa 
600g chicken breast
1 egg¼ cup milk
½ cup flour/almond meal**
Dash of parmesan cheese
Cracked black pepper
Olive or coconut oil**

** For the clients of mine who have a bit of an alternate healthy outlook and like to experiment with their cooking. You know who you are! :)

Method:

1. Cook quinoa, leave to cool
2. Tenderise chicken with mallet until thin
3. Beat egg and milk in a bowl, add a couple of shakes of parmesan
4. Cover one large plate entirely with flour. Cover another large plate entirely with cooked quinoa
5. Lie chicken onto plate of flour and cover both sides. Dust off any excess
6. Dip into egg and milk mixture 
7. Press into quinoa (both sides)
8. Lie into pan of either olive or coconut oil and cook over medium heat until brown (flip/cook both sides)
9. Rest chicken on plate lined with kitchen towel to soak off any extra oil

10. Serve with Steamed or baked veggies or a scrumptious salad!

Help: I'm RAVENOUS after work in the afternoon!

Many of my clients tend to tell me that their problematic time with their eating comes in the afternoon. Although some of my other clients are just generally hungry, often they also arrive home from work stressed, tired or wanting to switch off from a busy day.  So what do they do? They reach for some food (sometimes wine!) to make themselves feel better and fill that void. This grazing can often lead to a lot of extra calories. It is also often mindless or a bad habit or association that has been gradually engrained into their busy lifestyle.

My top tips:

*Do not eat in the kitchen, standing up and browsing through the cupboards or fridge like a mouse smelling out cheese.

*Never eat out of open packets. Time and time again studies have proven that we are more likely to eat MORE out of big packets, containers or even from bigger plates, bowls and cups.

*Remove all temptation from the kitchen. If you have delicious looking pastry treats sitting on your bench you may as well give up to begin. Don’t make it hard for yourself at a time you are vulnerable!

*Eat a small piece of fruit upon leaving work so you don’t arrive home ravenous and ready to gulp down the first food that you see.

*Ask yourself as your moving onto that third biscuit, “Am I really hungry?” Or am I eating just because…

*Find an outlet for your tiredness or stress. Don’t justify overeating because of these reasons.

Smart snacks to fill the void

Snacks that are of a high nutritional content, particularly high in protein and fibre are going to be a great choice. Protein with fibre has proven to be one of the most satiating combinations.

Examples:

Healthy fruit smoothie: e.g 1 cup low fat milk, 1 tbsp. low fat yoghurt, 2/3 cup raspberries, tsp. honey, 2 tsp. LSA mix, ice

1 mountain bread wrap with 50g ham/roast beef/turkey/egg with baby spinach and grated carrot/tomato

30g unsalted nuts & a piece of fruit

40g of cottage cheese on 2 multigrain corn thins with tomato and cracked pepper and a big cup of tea

200g low fat yoghurt with a piece of fruit & sprinkle of seeds (chia/sunflower/flax)

**Make sure you are hydrated. Often dehydration can be mistaken for hunger!**

There. Problem addressed!