Lightly Fried Tofu with Thai Style Dressing

The following recipe comes from "Nutrition Complete Program" - Exclusive to the Coffs Coast Health Club.

Details Serves :4 On The Table In :Up to 10 minutes. Region : Australian   Nutritional details per serve Calories:390 Fat:14.4 Protein:25.8 Carbohydrates:39.5 Fibre:7           Instructions : 1. Thinly slice the spring onions and chilli, then toss together in a bowl with the sprouts, mint leaves and coriander leaves. 2. Heat a medium sized non-stick pan over medium-high heat, spray 3 times with the cooking oil spray and then cook the tofu until slightly golden, turn and cook the other side. 3. Meanwhile, crush the palm sugar and place in jar with the lime juice and oyster sauce; place the lid on and shake to combine ingredients. 4. Transfer the cooked tofu onto a serving plate, top with the salad and drizzle the dressing over the top. Chef's suggestions: - For gluten free, ensure the brand of oyster sauce is gluten free.        Quantity Recipe Name    6 sprigs fresh mint leaves    4 sprigs fresh coriander    200 grams tofu, hard    2 spring onions (approx 15g each)    20 grams palm sugar    40 grams snow pea sprouts    10 grams oyster sauce    4 pump cooking oil spray    40 mls lime juice, bottled    1 fresh red chillies (approx 45g each)

23 Ways to Lose Weight Without Dieting

Time Your Meals

Set a timer for 20 minutes and reinvent yourself as a slow eater. This is one of the top habits for slimming down without a complicated diet plan. Savor each bite and make it last until the bell chimes. Paced meals offer great pleasure from smaller portions and trigger the body’s fullness hormones. Wolfing your food down in a hurry blocks those signals and causes overeating.

Sleep More, Weigh Less

Sleeping an extra hour a night could help a person drop 14 pounds in a year, according to a University of Michigan researcher who ran the numbers for a 2,500 calorie per day intake. His scenario shows that when sleep replaces idle activities – and the usual mindless snacking – you can effortlessly cut calories by 6%. Results would vary for each person, but sleep may help in another way, too. There’s evidence that getting too little sleep revs up your appetite, making you uncommonly hungry.

 

 

Serve More, Eat More Veggies

Serve three vegetables with dinner tonight, instead of just one, and you’ll eat more without really trying. Greater variety tricks people into eating more food – and eating more fruits and vegetables is a great way to lose weight. The high fiber and water content fills you up with fewer calories. Cook them without added fat. And season with lemon juice and herbs rather than drowning their goodness in high-fat sauces or dressings.

 

When Soup’s On, Weight Comes Off

Add a broth-based soup to your day and you’ll fill up on fewer calories. Think minestrone, tortilla soup, or Chinese won-ton. Soup's especially handy at the beginning of a meal because it slows your eating and curbs your appetite. Start with a low-sodium broth or canned soup, add fresh or frozen vegetables and simmer. Beware of creamy soups, which can be high in fat and calories.

Go for Whole Grains

Whole grains such as brown rice, barley, oats, buckwheat, and whole wheat also belong in your stealthy weight loss strategy. They help fill you up with fewer calories and may improve your cholesterol profile, too. Whole grains are now in many products including waffles, pizza crust, English muffins, pasta, and soft "white" whole-wheat bread.

Eyeball Your Skinny Clothes

Hang an old favorite dress, skirt, or a smokin' pair of jeans where you’ll see them every day. This keeps your eyes on the prize. Choose an item that's just a little too snug, so you reach this reward in a relatively short time. Then pull out last year's cocktail dress for your next small, attainable goals.

Build a Better Slice of Pizza

Choose vegetable toppings for pizza instead of meat and you'll shave 100 calories from your meal. Other skinny pizza tricks: go light on the cheese or use reduced-fat cheese and choose a thin, bread-like crust made with just a touch of olive oil.

Sip Smart: Cut Back on Sugar

Replace one sugary drink like regular soda with water or a zero-calorie seltzer and you'll avoid 10 teaspoons of sugar. Add lemon, mint or frozen strawberries for flavor and fun.

The liquid sugar in soda appears to bypass the body's normal fullness cues. One study compared an extra 450 calories per day from jelly beans vs. soda. The candy eaters unconsciously ate fewer calories overall, but not so the soda drinkers. They gained 2.5 pounds in four weeks.

Sip Smart: Use a Tall, Thin Glass

Use a tall, skinny glass instead of a short, wide tumbler to cut liquid calories — and your weight — without dieting. You’ll drink 25-30% less juice, soda, wine, or any other beverage.

How can this work? Brian Wansink, PhD, says visual cues can trick us into consuming more or less. His tests at Cornell University found all kinds of people poured more into a short, wide glass — even experienced bartenders.

Sip Smart: Limit Alcohol

When an occasion includes alcohol, follow the first drink with a nonalcoholic, low-calorie beverage like sparkling water instead of moving directly to another cocktail, beer, or glass of wine. Alcohol has more calories per gram (7) than carbohydrates (4) or protein (4). It can also loosen your resolve, leading you to mindlessly inhale chips, nuts, and other foods you’d normally limit.

Sip Smart: Go for Green Tea

Drinking green tea may also be a good weight loss strategy. Some studies suggest that it can rev up the body's calorie-burning engine temporarily, possibly through the action of phytochemicals called catechins. At the very least, you’ll get a refreshing drink without tons of calories

Slip Into a Yoga State of Mind

Women who do yoga tend to weigh less than others, according to a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. What’s the connection? The yoga regulars reported a more "mindful" approach to eating. For example, they tend to notice the large portions in restaurants but eat only enough to feel full. Researchers think the calm self-awareness developed through yoga may help people resist overeating.

Eat at Home

Eat home-cooked meals at least five days a week to live like a thin person. A Consumer Reports survey found this was a top habit of "successful losers." Sound daunting? Cooking may be easier than you think. Shortcut foods can make for quick meals, such as pre-chopped lean beef for fajitas, washed lettuce, pre-cut veggies, canned beans, cooked chicken strips, or grilled deli salmon.

Catch the "Eating Pause"

Most people have a natural "eating pause," when they drop the fork for a couple of minutes. Watch for this moment and don't take another bite. Clear your plate and enjoy the conversation. This is the quiet signal that you're full, but not stuffed. Most people miss it.

Chew Strong Mint Gum

Chew sugarless gum with a strong flavor when you're at risk for a snack attack. Making dinner after work, at a party, watching TV, or surfing the Internet are a few dangerous scenarios for mindless snacking. Gum with a big flavor punch overpowers other foods so they don’t taste good.

Shrink Your Dishes

Chose a 10" lunch plate instead of a 12" dinner plate to automatically eat less. Cornell's Brian Wansink, PhD, found in test after test that people serve more and eat more food with larger dishes. Shrink your plate or bowl to cut out 100-200 calories a day – and 10-20 pounds in a year. In Wansink’s tests, no one felt hungry or even noticed when tricks of the eye shaved 200 calories off their daily intake.

Get Food Portions Right

The top habit of slim people is to stick with modest food portions at every meal, five days a week or more. "Always slim" people do it and successful losers do it, too, according to a Consumer Reports survey. After measuring portions a few times, it can become automatic. Make it easier with small "snack" packs and by keeping serving dishes off the table at meal time.

Get Food Portions Right

The top habit of slim people is to stick with modest food portions at every meal, five days a week or more. "Always slim" people do it and successful losers do it, too, according to a Consumer Reports survey. After measuring portions a few times, it can become automatic. Make it easier with small "snack" packs and by keeping serving dishes off the table at meal time.

Eat Out Your Way

Restaurant meals are notoriously fattening, so consider these special orders that keep portions under control:

• Split an main with a friend.
• Order an entrée as a meal.
• Choose the child's plate.
• Get half the meal in a doggie bag before it's brought to the table.

Complement a smaller entrée with extra salad for the right balance: half the plate filled with veggies.

Reach for the Red Sauce

Choose marinara sauce for pasta instead of Alfredo sauce. The tomato-based sauces tend to have fewer calories and much less fat than cream-based sauces. But remember, portion size still counts. A serving of pasta is one cup or roughly the size of a tennis ball.

Go Meatless More Often

Eating vegetarian meals more often is a slimming habit, according to WebMD's "recipe doctor," Elaine Magee, MPH, RD. Vegetarians weigh up to 20% less than meat eaters. While there are several reasons for this, legumes play an important role. Bean burgers, lentil soup, and other tasty legume-based foods are simply packed with fiber. Most Americans get only half of this important nutrient, which fills you up with fewer calories.

Burn 100 Calories More

Lose 10 pounds in a year without dieting by burning an extra 100 calories every day. Try one of these activities:

• Walk 1 mile, about 20 minutes.
• Pull weeds or plant flowers for 20 minutes.
• Mow the lawn for 20 minutes.
• Clean house for 30 minutes.
• Jog for 10 minutes.

Celebrate

When you’ve kicked the soda habit or simply made it through the day without overeating, pat yourself on the back. You’ve moved closer to a slimming lifestyle that helps people lose weight without crazy or complicated diet plans. Phone a friend, get a pedicure, buy new clothes -- or on occasion, indulge in a small slice of cheesecake.

Information sourced for Web MD

Core Strength & Stability

 

With all workouts it is important to switch your core on and keep it switched on.  Classes such as Body Balance, Boxing, & PUMP  are great for building core strength.   When visiting the Coffs Coast Health Club just ask a staff member to advise on core exercises.  Remember you can strengthen your core anytime, anywhere...when doing your day to day tasks  "keep your core switched on!"  Your body will thank you.

Right now whatever you are doing, draw your naval to your spine, and keep it there!

It's Chilly Outside...try some Lentil, Chilli and Coconut Soup to warm you up!

Lentil, Chilli and Coconut Soup

from Coffs Coast Nutrition Complete Program

Per Serve   Calories:   355 Fat:   4.4 Protein:   26.9 Carbohydrates:   50.2 Fibre:   9.9     Serves :   4 On The Table In: 20 Minutes   Region :   Thai Gluten Free:   Yes Vegetarian:   Yes Dairy Free:   No White Meat Only:   Yes No Seafood:   Yes Instructions : 1. Place the garlic, lentils, vegetable stock and Thai spice mix into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat; put the lid on and cook for 15 minutes or until the lentils are soft and mushy. 2. Stir in the coconut milk and protein powder, mix thoroughly and bring back to a simmer. If the soup seems a little thick, stir in a little boiling water. 3. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve garnished with a sprig of flat-leaf parsley.    Quantity Recipe Name     10 grams natural whey protein powder (wpi)     1 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley     1 tsp thai spice mix     300 mls vegetable stock, liquid     1 tsp garlic, minced     75 grams red split lentils, dried     50 mls coconut milk, reduced fat

Parents Who Exercise: Staying Active with Kids

Parents and exercise are not usually words you see in the same sentence. From the moment you step on the physical and emotional roller coaster known as parenthood, your needs often must come second to the needs of your children. Exercising, as a parent, becomes a much more difficult task.
This is true whether you're in the throes of sleep-deprivation with a newborn or stay busy driving your children from school to soccer practice, tennis matches, and piano lessons. Even people who had a strong commitment to exercise before having children will struggle to find consistent time to stay fit once they become parents.
Being a parent "wreaks havoc with your schedule," says Betsy Keller, PhD, professor of exercise and sports sciences at Ithaca College.
Indeed, a recent study from the University of Pittsburgh confirmed that new parents really are more sedentary than singles or married couples without children. The study tracked physical activity levels of more than 800 young adults for more than two years. It found that while physical activity declined among all participants during that span, it took the biggest hit among new parents.
That's despite the fact that new parents often feel like they are always on the go, says researcher Ethan E. Hull, MEd, an exercise physiologist candidate at the University of Pittsburgh.
"The priorities of a family just change," says Hull. "The focus isn't with your friends, it isn't with yourself, it isn't with your spouse; it's with that child. Your own physical activity just isn't as important as the attention you're giving that child."
But when it comes to abandoning physical activity, you're not just hurting yourself, say experts.
"Now that you have kids, you want to be around for the kids," says Jon Chipko, a certified strength and conditioning coach from Montclair, N.J. "You want to be healthy, to be able to play with them, to be around when they get older."
Time constraints, lack of sleep, and selflessness are all perfectly valid excuses for the short term, says Hull. But, he warns, be careful how much time you let go by.
"It's easy to sit on the couch," Hull says. "It's not easy to get out and exercise. [But] down the road, if parents have lost all this physical activity for years, they're not going to snap back."
Whether you are a mom or a dad, a parent of a newborn or a teenager, here are some effective ways to incorporate exercise back into your life and fight the tendency to become more sedentary.
Exercise Tip for Parents No. 1: Be Active All Day
You don't have to be athletic to be physically active, says Keller.
Move around, walk to your neighbor's house instead of calling, take the stairs, park farther away from your destination. All these things help burn calories and keep you moving -- and they all add up.
"You are tied to the child. You can't leave them, but you can get up and move around," Keller says.
"There are lots of ways parents can incorporate physical activity into their day, or just as importantly, as a family activity," says Hull. "It may take more preparation for parents, but physical activity can and should be balanced back in."
Exercise Tip for Parents No. 2: Defy the Myth of Time
Granted, children take up a lot of time you previously had for yourself.
But here's the great part, says Brad Schoenfeld, a fitness trainer in Scarsdale, N.Y.: "It does not take a lot of time to achieve a basic level of fitness.

"People tend to think they need to spend hours on end at the gym. It's the quality, not the quantity. With a 15- to 20-minute weight workout, you can achieve great benefits."

Schoenfeld, author of two fitness books, says that even the advanced athletes he trains complete their workouts in about 3 to 3 1/2 hours a week.
"You don't need 30 to 45 minutes of exercise a day in one continuous bout," says Hull. Shoot for 10 to 15 minutes a couple times throughout the day, he recommends.
Exercising in small chunks will help you avoid burnout and may also keep you motivated, experts say.
Exercise Tip for Parents No. 3: Define Your Priorities
Many athletes, celebrities, and those who just exercise for fitness and health have kids, says Chipko.
"It's a matter of priorities," he says. "I have a 44-year-old mother of four who still finds time to exercise five days a week for 45 minutes."
When you're stretched for time or crave a little time to yourself, Chipko says, it's easy to go for the quick fix, like going shopping, stopping for a latte, or watching TV.
"Somewhere along the line you're substituting a long-term goal for something short term," says Chipko. "In the long run, quick fixes are not going to benefit you."
Exercise Tip for Parents No. 4: Cultivate Social Support
Having a parent, a friend, or a neighbor to whom you can entrust the care of your children will pay dividends.
"A lot [of what happens with an exercise routine] depends on the opportunity [a parent] has to leave the child and do exercise outside the home," says Keller.
If you don't have family nearby, says Hull, "establish a network of friends that you trust and can trade off child care with."
Exercise Tip for Parents No. 5: Establish Family Fitness
If you want your children to know the value of fitness, exercise with them.
With infants and toddlers, go for brisk walks with the baby in the stroller, says Chipko. While they nap during the day, fit in some fitness --- doing basic lunges, squats, push-ups, and crunches.
"These are all things that don't require any equipment or space and don't take a lot of time," Schoenfeld says.
With preschool to school-aged children, strive for family fitness. Go to the park, ride bikes, hike, and swim while the weather's nice. In the winter, ice-skate, snowshoe, cross-country ski, or go sledding.
"Physical activity time also provides a great opportunity to talk with your kids," adds Keller. "But sometimes, just doing something with them is worth more than we realize."
Bottom line?
"Your desire to be physically active with your child will usually force a creative solution to do so," says Keller. "You may be the only parent who is jogging around your kid's soccer practice field, but your kid will get used to it."
Exercise Tip for Parents No. 6: Set Goals
The very first step to staying fit or regaining fitness is to want it, say experts.
"Motivation comes from within," says Schoenfeld. "I can't motivate someone if they don't have a reason to do something."
Set short-term goals, says Schoenfeld, so as not to overwhelm yourself. If it's four sizes you need to lose, start with one. If it's 20 pounds, set a more manageable goal of 1-2 pounds per week.
Most people go too far and say, 'I want to run a marathon,'" says Chipko. "That's too big."
Goals have to be realistic, says Chipko: "If your goal is to look like Kelly Ripa or Angelina Jolie, your determination is going to be crushed if you work out and eat yogurt for a week and you don't look like them."
Exercise Tip for Parents No. 7: Put In the Effort
Don't expect to get fit overnight, warns Chipko. "It's a matter of putting time in. Anything worth having is hard. There is work involved."
But, you say, fitting in work and everything needed to run a household is hard enough. Who needs the added pressure of squeezing in a workout?
The truth, Keller says, is that exercise will actually give you more energy to tackle the tasks always hanging over your head.
And somewhere along the line, says Chipko, exercise will become a habit.
"People always ask me how long it's going to take," he says. "Everybody wants that quick fix."
It may take a month, it may take a year, he says, but when you reach a goal you set on your own, it's much more rewarding.
Exercise Tip for Parents No. 8: Be a Role Model
Whether they admit it or not, kids look to their parents as role models.
"What you do has a huge effect on what they do," says Chipko, who works with youth from 9 to 18.
If you're a couch potato, you may pass that trait on to your children. On the other hand, if kids grow up in a family where they walk the dog, hike, or go for bike rides, they will emulate that behavior, says Keller.
"When trying to teach kids discipline," says Chipko, "you as a parent should have some as well."

Published September 5, 2007.

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SOURCES: WebMD News: "Parenthood Squashes Workout Time." Betsy Keller, PhD, professor of exercise and sports sciences, Ithaca College, Ithaca, N.Y. Ethan E. Hull, MEd, PhD candidate in exercise physiology, University of Pittsburgh. Jon J. Chipko, CSCS, sports performance nutritionist and medical exercise specialist; owner, BodyGoals, Montclair, N.J. Brad Schoenfeld, CSCS, CPT, ACE personal trainer; president, Global Fitness Services, Scarsdale, N.Y.

Banana Orange Strawberry Shake - dairy free

Do you find that some mornings it's just too busy to fit breakfast in?  We
know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but sometimes it just gets skipped.  This can spell disaster and leave you running for foods that are high in fat & sugar later in the morning.

The following recipe is from Coffs Coast Health Club's "Nutrition Complete" program.  Fast and easy, so now there is no excuse for skipping breakfast  instead grab a fast and healthy Banana Orange Strawberry Shake.

Banana Orange Strawberry Shake

Per Serve   Calories:   414 Fat:   2.4 Protein:   41.3 Carbohydrates:   56.2 Fibre:   3.3     Serves :   1 On The Table In :   3 minutes. Region :   Western Gluten Free:   Yes Vegetarian:   Yes Dairy Free:   No

Instructions :

1. In a blender, process all the ingredients until thoroughly mixed and serve. Chef's suggestion: - for a thicker texture, keep sliced bananas in the freezer and use straight from the freezer.

Quantity Recipe Name     75 grams frozen strawberries     0.75 - banana's, small (approx 130g each)     45 grams natural soy protein powder     375 mls orange juice, unsweetened

A DAY ALL ABOUT YOU!

 WIN a VIP DAY! 

Thanks to Coffs Coast Health Club

• Simply collect a promo card from reception
• Attend 6 classes in May
• Get your card stamped & place it in the barrel
• Enter unlimited times to WIN!  

For Her

Breakfast at Zest Café

 Rejuvenating  Facial at Sabai

 Lunch at Buddha’s Bounty Cafe

Manicure & Pedicure at Kaboodle

Wash & style at Kaboodle Hair

                2 movie tickets to Sawtell Cinema             

Value $260.00

For Him

 Starts with breakfast at Zest Café,

 4 rounds of Golf-bring your mates 
@

Coffs Harbour Golf Club includes Golf Carts 

Lunch at Buddha's Bounty Cafe, Sawtell Nursery 

Value $260.00