Weight Loss

  Tired of starting a diet every summer of every other Monday? We chat to blogger Cassey Ho about how she stays fit and healthy all year round. Take note. Aim for balance with food: I allow myself a YOLO (you only live once) meal once or twice a week. But the rest of the time I eat clean, enjoying lots of plant foods, fresh produce, grass-fed meats, wholegrains and unsweetened beverages. I try to eat carbs, protein and healthy fats at every meal to keep me full and energised. The one thing I minimise is dairy – it makes my skin break out. I also avoid foods high in sodium, saturated or unhealthy fats, chemicals and preservatives, additives and colours. Lose the rules: Going on diets or strict meal plans just doesn’t work for me. I always crave the foods I’m missing out on, and once that ‘diet’ is over, I want to binge on the foods I was restricting. Over time, I’ve learned to eat in a balanced way – that way I no longer have crazy cravings for junk food that cause me to binge...

  Shakes and smoothies have become synonymous with weight loss , but there's a fine line between detox and dessert. Nutritionist Lucinda Zammit helps us uncover 5 liquid meal myths. 1. L iquid meals contain fewer calories than solid food It’s surprisingly easy to ‘overeat’ when you’re liquefying your food. While you’d struggle to scarf six bananas, the same quantity of fruit blends to a deceptively small smoothie. Rather than throwing ingredients in a blender ad libitum, measure ingredients beforehand in accordance with what you’d reasonably eat if you sat down to a solid meal. Tip: mix you choice of milk 50:50 with some chilled water, you won’t taste the difference but it will help with your calorie intake. 2.  They are better for you The health credentials of liquid meals ranges from uber-healthy to little better than a burger. Without added flavour, wholefood smoothies can be bland, so they often get a kick along from additives such as honey or nut butter. While a small a...

  Is fitspo preoccupied with the appearance of health rather than health itself? We put these fitspos through their paces and boy, were we inspired.    Girls Gone Strong girlsgonestrong.com “Hot body secret.” It’s the holy grail of fitness – work hard enough to lose fat without getting bulky. GGS bloggers Neghar Fonooni, Molly Galbraith, and Alli McKee have distilled the science into a lean-out formula and paired it with precision workouts. They also jot the latest science news and have a free recipe book to download.    Neghar Fonooni negharfonooni.com “You’ll want to work out.” For fitness expert Neghar Fonooni, fitness equals happiness. Framed within principles of motivation, infused with her infectious energy, her counsel makes even hardcore kettlebell workouts sound doable (and fun).    Mobility WOD mobilitywod.com “Find balance in going hard.” Don’t know when to return to gym after an injury or trying to find the tricky balance between working ou...

  Are you in need of a hair revamp? Before you jump on the boxed hair dyes, here are eight things to keep in mind before you dye your hair at home. 1. Check the ingredients Filling your car with the wrong type of petrol can cause serious damage to your vehicle, so it’s important for you the read the signs. The same concept can be applied to dying your hair. According to Vince Sferlazza, owner of Vince and John New Image Salon  in Melbourne, it’s crucial to check how many chemicals are in the hair dye to avoid damaging your locks. “The fewer chemicals there are, the better it will be for your hair, so always be sure to check,” says Sferlazza. “Strong chemicals like ammonia shock the hair shaft open, leaving it looking dry and dull after a colour. Herbatint hair colours gently open the shaft of the hair to deposit colour while maintaining the shine and health of your hair.” 2. Opt for natural botanicals Hair dyes that contain natural botanical ingredients help to resto...

  PMS is no fun. Here, we share six ways to help and manage your PMS. 1. Food Stabilising blood sugar will favour consistent energy levels and moods according to dietitian Melanie McGrice (melaniemcgrice.com.au). “Grains that have a low glycaemic index, which means that they provide longer-lasting energy, can also help to increase the hormone serotonin in the brain, so try some chickpeas, brown rice or quinoa,” says McGrice. 2. Diet According to accredited practising dietitian Lisa Yates, some studies show that PMS may be exacerbated by too much caffeine, sugar and alcohol. To minimise symptoms, she suggests that you reduce your alcohol, caffeine and salt intake, and follow a low-GI diet. 3. Supplements Professor Kulkarni says supplements such as evening primrose oil can be effective for relieving PMS symptoms and favours these as a primary intervention before resorting to the contraceptive pill. “The two supplements I suggest are vitamin B6 and evening primrose oil, which has heal...

  We chat to September cover model, Alexa Towersey about all things fitness, health, career and self-love. Check out the exclusive cover story interview below!   ON CAREER I’ve been in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years. I’ve played pretty much every sport known to man including American football, boxing, soccer, skiing and horse-riding. I completed a Bachelor of Science in biology and psychology and went on to do a post-graduate diploma in sports management and kinesiology, and then I interned with an All Blacks-endorsed Pilates studio. ON EXPERIENCES When I was 27 I moved to Hong Kong, where I was the senior strength and conditioning coach at a mixed martial arts (MMA) gym. I decided to get into half-Ironman events and I took two years to qualify for the world champs. Living in Asia gave me the opportunity to travel and learn; I spent five years commuting between HK and the United States, learning from the legendary Gym Jones (the outfit responsible for train...