Weight Loss

        Being a mother of two and a full-time student, making time for fitness wasn’t easy for Rebecca Malone. But with the support of her family and a rekindled love of the weights room, she’s celebrating the new year with some amazing results. When I started this challenge I weighed the most I have ever weighed at any point in my lifetime – including both times when I was pregnant! But losing weight wasn’t my main goal; it was to increase energy and vitality and improve my overall health. My kids were the biggest motivation for me; I wanted to be a positive role model to them and show them that, even if you have setbacks or make mistakes, it is still possible to turn things around with focus, time and effort. I have always liked eating healthy meals and being physically active but in recent years I have often lacked the energy and motivation to prepare the meals or make it to the gym. My ‘inner voice’ would say, “It’s not worth the effort”, so my new motto is “I am...

  We chat to our January cover model, Emily Skye about what she loves about exercising, how she relaxes and a day in her shoes.   MOVE I love how exercising makes me feel – mentally and physically. When you reach a point where you’re happy with your fitness level, you can just maintain it, which is a lot easier than when you’re starting. I encourage people to think of this when they feel like giving up. I love training my legs and glutes because it’s always challenging and has me almost crawling out of the gym – I love that feeling! My favourite exercises are squats, deadlifts, lunges, glute lunges, step-ups, glute bridges, hip thrusts, glute kickbacks and crab walks with an exercise band. Listening to Bullet for My Valentine, Three Days Grace, Alter Bridge, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé motivates me.   EAT I’ve learned that my body is incredible, smart and strong – provided I eat nutritious food and exercise. I eat food that provides my body with enough protein, fats and car...

  Looking for drool-worthy recovery snacks? Try this smores protein cup recipe for a healthy treat.   What you'll need (makes 1) 1 ½ scoops chocolate protein powder 1 tbsp cacao 2 tbsp melted marshmallow (or marshmallow fluff) ½ digestive biscuit Water What you'll do Combine protein and cacao with one to two tablespoons of water to create a thick pudding. Lightly grease a small, round plastic container with coconut oil (this will be your serving dish). Place half the mixture into the cup and place the biscuit on top. Freeze for 10 to 20 minutes. Remove from freezer and top with melted marshmallow before pouring remaining protein pudding on top. Freeze for another 20 to 30 minutes. Macros are for the entire portion but you can also divide the mixture into two or three using a mini muffin tin.   Recipe by Kyla Gagnon of Insideout Fitness Victoria . Check out our recipes section for more healthy treats. {nomultithumb}   Read more ...

  They're 'good fats' but how healthy are the various nut butters? Dietitian Melanie McGrice debunks the spreads.   “Nut butters are a good source of protein and good fats, some better than others! Try and pick a nut butter without too much oil, salt or sugar added,” says McGrice. “Many people use nut butter and butter together; it’s better to use one or the other.” Raw vs roasted Roasting nuts changes their flavour, but apparently not their nutrition. Raw nuts tend to have slightly less rich and toasty flavours than roasted nuts, so many commercial nut butters use a roasted product. “Roasting doesn’t affect the nuts themselves, but when they roast the nuts, they are often roasted in oil, increasing the fat content,” says McGrice. According to Nutrition Australia, nuts are capable of absorbing two to five per cent of the oil they are cooked in. Roasting nuts also takes out some moisture content, concentrating the nutrients. ‘No added’ vs natural While both ‘no added’ and n...

Make your vegetarian lifestyle easy with these foods ideas. Eating out At a vego buffet, add more tofu, beans and nuts into meals like stir-fries, salads and soups for extra protein. The alternatives Look for modified versions of your favourite meals. In the era of mainstream meat-freeism, resorts and retreats are responding with vego takes on meaty faves – think sushi hand rolls made with water chestnuts, lasagne made with chopped mushrooms and eggplant strips in lieu of antipasto meats. Non-vegan options Assuming you’re not vegan, seek out vego options with animal products – quiches and frittatas loaded with vegies are well balanced with ample protein and fibre for fullness and muscle retention. Lentil burgers are good too. Spice up your life Seek out options seasoned with spices; flavoured food will provide interest and stop you thinking about the meat you’re missing. Try cuisines from different cultures – Greek, Indian, Turkish, and Moroccan. NEXT: Follow our 10 step guide to clean...

  Ditch the sugary treats for this decadent homemade protein bar.   What you'll need (makes 10 bars) 165 g (2⁄3 cup) roasted beetroot puree* (see instructions below) 128 g (½ cup) raw almond butter 135 g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) unsweetened vanilla almond milk 1 tbsp natural butter flavour 1½ tsp vanilla crème-flavoured liquid stevia extract 210 g (12⁄3 cups, lightly packed) chocolate brown rice protein powder 80 g (2⁄3 cup) oat flour ¼ tsp salt Chocolate Coating: 170 g bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), melted What you'll do For the roasted beetroot puree: Preheat your oven to 180°C. Rinse and gently scrub two fist-sized beets, then wrap them completely in foil. Place the beets in a 22 x 22 cm brownie pan and bake for about 1½ hours, or until a fork pierces the beets with ease. Remove the beets from the oven, carefully unwrap the foil and let sit until it’s cool enough to handle. Use a knife to scrape off the beet skins (they will fall off easily). Chop the beetroots into chunks and ...