Griffen Fitness - Newsletter

July newsletter

Greetings!

Greetings healthy people,

As the longest day of the year approaches this weekend, make the most of it! Following is a newsletter packed with loads of healthy ideas to get you moving. This month's article is on one of my favourite foods, the humble oatcake.

What's in Season for June / July

It's good to eat seasonal fruit and vegetables, so here's a list of what's in season locally:
carrots, gooseberries, strawberries, spinach, tomatoes, watercress, loganberries, sage, cauliflower, aubergine, fennel, asparagus, cabbage, celery, cherries, lettuce, mangetout, nectarines, new potatoes, oyster mushrooms, cherries, peas, peaches, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, tomatoes

Easy Recipe: Quick and Easy Spanish Salad

Combine the chickpeas in this recipe with wholegrain pita bread and you have a complete protein. It's tasty, really easy and keeps in the fridge well for the day after.

Serves 4 as a side salad

1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
½ - 1 red onion, finely chopped
Couple handfuls of rocket
Handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped (you can also use fresh mint)
½ lemon, juiced
Drizzle olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine everything in a salad bowl. Serve with toasted wholemeal pita bread, falafel, or at a BBQ, in fact with pretty much anything.
You can also add finely chopped peppers, chilli, cucumber, feta cheese, or anything along those lines.

Resisting Temptation Hint of the month

A food diary is a very effective way for clients to trace what they're eating and how much – writing it down means the individual is accountable for what they put in their mouth. I have seen many online calorie counters, but none have impressed me as www.foodfocus.co.uk has. This is a free website that Sharon from Bite Magazine pointed out to me, and I have been obsessively tracking everything I ingest on it since.

If you like charts and fancy details, then you'll love this, as it has a 'Dashboard' that tracks your balance of protein, carbs and fat, an exercise log, an easy to use search facility for food, and lots of graphics. The down side is that it can be a bit time consuming, obsessive and it's easy to miss a day, and then difficult to remember exactly what was eaten. My solution, whilst trying to remember every little morsel nibbled is to assume a 10% variance to the total calories… Also, if you have 'extra' calories left at the end of the day, don't be tempted to eat them just because you 'can'.

I noticed in the Terms and Conditions that the website reserves the right to start charging for the facility at any time, so it wouldn't surprise me if this turns into a subscription based website sometime soon.

Fad or Fab: Powerbreathe

I had heard brilliant things about the Powerbreathe device before recommending it to my clients. It looks like an oversize asthma inhaler (see picture) and it works by training the muscles that assist inspiration (intercostal muscles that expand the rib cage to increase the lung volume and cause a pressure difference causing air to rush in). It can also apparently help asthma.

I was impressed when one client stopped wheezing and cut about 10% from her run time – impressive, as her run was only 13 minutes long, so a decent improvement. And then another client cut 10% off her run time. And so I bought one for myself. And yes, it does work. Check out their website for more information and testimonials from Iron Men and Women. The easiest place in Edinburgh to purchase your own is from Argos or John Lewis. As I said to one client, it's an easy way you can train to run faster whilst lazing on the sofa. Fab!

Try Something Different: Hire a Bike

Cycling is a fab way to burn calories, tone your legs and get about. According to a reliable Government source, the health benefits far outweigh the dangers of falling off, and in Edinburgh at the moment, it's a lot quicker to go by bike than bus or car (cheaper too!). Regular cycling can provide the 'fat burning' cardiovascular training that is an integral part of any fitness programme.

If you've never cycled or don't own a bike, why not try bike hire? I am lucky enough to have a wonderful bike shop, Leith Cycle Co underneath my flat, which has been under new management for the last year. Richard, the new owner is a very helpful chap, who not only sells, but also hires bikes. The novice cyclist need not be afraid of cycling on the roads, as it's easy to reach part of Edinburgh's cycle path network from his shop (which is on the corner of Balfour Street and Leith Walk). Richard will also ensure you are confident and happy with your bike before setting off. Prices start from £7 for half day hire and include a helmet, puncture repair kit, map and lock. If you're a complete beginner, drop me a line and I'll help you onto two wheels.

Spotlight on Aloe: Aloe Gelly (£10.59 for a 118mL tube)

Aloe vera gel has many uses, it soothes sunburn like nothing on earth (no peeling or soreness!), speeds up healing of cuts and grazes, conditions the skin… and now a new use – to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy. No, dear reader, not for myself, but for a satisfied customer who bought three tubes at the beginning of her pregnancy. Nine months and one baby later, she has no stretch marks. Truly a wondrous substance! I have some free samples of Aloe Gelly for readers to try – let me know if you are genuinely interested.

Tracy is an Independent Distributor of Forever Living Products, quality aloe vera products for your health. Please contact her if you wish to purchase any aloe products or would like a catalogue.

Article of the Month: Oatcakes are better than OK. OK?

I often recommend my clients indulge in Scotland's food of champions, oatcakes. As a mid-morning snack they can't be beat. I love oatcakes as they are (fairly obviously) a portable source of oats. I personally believe oats to be a very valuable cereal.

According to the ever-reliable Wikipedia:

"Scottish soldiers in the 14th Century carried a metal plate and a sack of oatmeal. According to contemporary accounts, one would heat the plate over fire, moisten a bit of oatmeal and make a cake to "comfort his stomach. Hence it is no marvel that the Scots should be able to make longer marches than other men." "

However, oatcakes were originally baked by Romans who carried oats to plant wherever they went. Oats are only cereal to flourish in northern Scotland and so consequently oatcakes became a staple of the Highlanders' diet (along with porridge). And a darn fine diet too…

Oatcakes are low on the Glycaemic Index, which means that they are 'slow burning' and will give you energy for longer. They keep you feeling fuller for longer, and so if you have a snack on oatcakes in the morning, come lunch time you won't be so likely to eat junk food. Personally I keep a packet of oatcakes in my bicycle pannier bag so I can have a nibble in between clients. They're brilliant for sustaining your energy levels and keeping your blood sugar level steady.

Add to this, oats are a good source of vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium, and also thought to help lower cholesterol. Oats are also a good source of protein. What more could you ask for from Scotland's national cereal?

When considering which oatcakes to purchase, and it really does boil down to taste. However, beware some oatcakes are surprisingly high in fat. I enjoyed some rather pricey Village Bakery organic savoury seed Oatcakes from Real Foods (£1.99 per box) and noticed that they have 4.5g of fat per oatcake – that's the same as a chocolate digestive! Nairn's rough oatcakes are a good buy and are available everywhere, they're about 85p per box and clock in at a more reasonable 1.5g fat. And they come in nifty little packets that fit in a handbag or briefcase easily.

The only problem with oatcakes is the crumbs they leave in your keyboard if you eat them as you type!

And Finally...This is a really good excuse to reprint my All Time Top Ten Oatcake Toppings

1. Hommus, on its own or with chopped tomato
2. Crowdie cheese – a Highland tradition
3. Tartex vegetarian pate
4. Good ol' banana, either mashed on it's own, or sliced with honey. mmm
5. Avocado, solo or with harissa
6. Kidney bean pate (see January 2007 newsletter for recipe)
7. Olive tapenade and feta cheese
8. Quince paste (membrillo) with strong cheese
9. Sliced pear with blue cheese
10. Cream cheese and fresh herbs (parsley is good)

Have a happy and healthy month,

:)
Tracy

Tracy

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July newsletter