What's the difference between....?

Ever wondered what the difference between Coke and Diet Coke really is? Green peppers and red peppers? Read on to find out!

Diet Coke or Coke Zero?

Nutrionally, there's no different between the two. The difference is in taste. Both are sugar and (virtually) calorie-free, but Diet Coke contains Aspartame - an artificial flavouring that's 200 times sweeter than sugar - while Coke Zero has aspartame and a sweetener called Acesulfame K.

Wholewheat or Wholegrain bread?

This can be a bit confusing. Wholegrain is higher in nutrients and fibre as it contains the entire grain kernel, and often has a mix of other grains (eg rye, barley & oats). Wholewheat only includes part of the grain. Today's diets are quite wheat-dominated, so it's good to vary your diet from time to time.

White sugar or Brown sugar?

Both are made from sugar beet or sugar cane, but white sugar is more heavily processed, so that the natural dark brown colour from the plant is removed. This means that brown sugar contains more minerals, like calcium, phosphorous and iron, and is slightly lower in calories. Any health benefits from brown are too small to make a real difference.

Green peppers or Red peppers?

This is down to ripeness - green peppers are picked before they're ripe (that's why they're bitter). If the pepper stays on the plant for longer, it turns yellow, and further still it turns red. The red ones are both sweeter and have beauty benefits - they're a great antioxidant to help fight the signs of ageing.

Cow's milk or Soya milk?

Both contain the same amount of calcium - it occurs naturally in cow's milk and is added to soya milk. Soya milk is made from pressing cooked soya beans and is lower in calories and saturated fat, and it tastes sweeter. Cow's milk has much higher levels of iodine, which is important for thyroid function. This one is more a question of taste.

So there you have it. Hope this helps!

Happy Eating!

*content courtesy of Glamour Magazine, August edition

NEW CLASS LAUNCH! Kickbox Cardio

KICKBOX CARDIO - LAUNCHING SAT 4th AUGUST!

Every Saturday, 11am - 12noon

Thornhill Community Centre, Falkirk

Only £3!

If you want an amazing full-body cardio workout, Kickbox Cardio is the place to be. Execute punches, kicks and blocks to music and feel those calories burn away!! Men and women of all shapes and sizes get something from this class as you can take it as high or low as you like! Non contact.

Happy Exercising!

Calf cramps - the causes and remedies

Have you ever been woken up by a severe cramp in your calf, or it's come on when you're stretching in the morning? What causes this? and what can we do about it?

Common causes

- Tightness after exercise the day before
- Dehydration
- Stretching as soon as you wake up
- Lack of potassium

Remedies

- Make sure to stretch after exercising. Muscles get leaner and stronger in the repair of the muscle fibres - so give them the best chance of getting stronger without injury by stretching after exercise.

- Keep hydrated throughout the day. Keep a water bottle with you at all times, especially at work. Government guidelines suggest that we should consume 6-8 glasses of water every day, so get drinking!

- If you must stretch, dorsiflex at the the ankles. Stretches where you raise your toes instead of lowering them will be best for avoiding calf cramps. Excessive plantarflexion of the foot in the morning just constricts your calf muscles. So, bring your toes towards you instead of pointing them.


- Eat a banana every day. They're a great source of potassium. Avocados, apricots and fish are some alternatives for you to try and get in regularly.

Happy stretching and eating!

Short Circuit! ...you can do at home

Here's a great workout to try at home:

Warm Up
- March on the spot
- Jog on the spot
- Jog with high knees, then kick-back heel to bottom

Main work-out
- Jumping jacks (1 min)
- Squats (3 sets of 8, up to 1min rest in between)
- Lunges (3 sets of 8, up to 1min rest in between)
- Press-ups (3 sets of 8, up to 1min rest in between) Try an alternative
- Crunches (3 sets of 8, up to 1min rest in between)
- Criss-cross crunches (3 sets of 8, up to 1min rest in between) This works the love handles!

Cool Down

- Jog on the spot, reduce into a march
- Stretches: hamstring, quads, glutes, shoulder, tricep, abs.

This workout can take anything from 30mins to 1 hr depending on your rest times.

Happy Exercising!

Why breakfast is so important

 

It's not uncommon not to feel hungry for breakfast, or to even have time. But there are real facts behind the saying, "eat breakfast like a king". The body relies on glucose as its primary fuel, vital for brain function and providing energy for the physical activities of the day. Skipping breakfast can result in lack of concentration, low blood sugar levels, energy dips and decreased productivity.

First of all, eating breakfast kick-starts your metabolism. If breakfast is not eaten, your metabolism will remain low, and you will not be burning off the calories that you should be burning. Who wants that? Surely you want your body burning as many calories as possible?

If you're not hungry for breakfast, have a think to what you had for dinner the night before. Did you have a big meal? Chances are your body is still digesting from the night before and it's not quite ready for a meal yet. Your digestion slows down as you sleep, which is a reason why eating late isn't a great idea in the first place.

If you must eat something as your tummy's rumbling at night keeping you from sleeping, try something protein-rich like yoghurt. A common reason for being hungry at night is actually dehydration, so water or a cup of hot milk may do the trick. Check-out some healthy late-night snacks.

Back to breakfast. The whole saying is "breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper." Think of an upside down pyramid - that's the ideal way to eat. Here's some suggestions for breakfast:

- 2 boiled or poached eggs with a slice of wholegrain bread
- Muesli with seeds, nuts and fresh fruit
- A fruit smoothie with ground seeds

You'll notice that 2 of those options are pretty quick - you could have them when you get into work if you don't have time at home. Generally speaking though, the earlier the better.

For lunch eat a substantial meal to energise you for the afternoon, but don't choose heavy foods and don't over-eat as this will just make you feel sluggish. A big salad with fish or chicken or a hearty soup would be good choices, or you could even bring in last night's leftover's from dinner!

For dinner - if you're used to big meals late at night, try to switch to something a little lighter by just reducing the portion size. You may feel very hungry in the morning, but what an incentive to get out of bed!

Happy Eating!