Q: What can I eat when I get really bad sugar cravings? A: Ahh, cravings, those nasty little buggers that ruin any good fat-loss regime. Before we satisfy our cravings (with either good or bad food) we should ask ourselves WHY we are having them in the first place. More often than not, sugar cravings are simply symptoms that you are dehydrated or sleep deprived or stressed or hormonal or bored or … [Read more...]

Q: I  haven’t had much energy or motivation to get through my  day lately. What can I do? A: Obviously adequate water intake, sleep and nutritious foods are key factors that influence your energy levels and zest for life. But if you are working hard on those already, I recommend you try adding more zinc to your diet. Zinc deficiency is becoming more common in Western cultures and can result … [Read more...]

Q: What do you think of those ‘toning’ shoes that claim to tighten your bum and legs more as you walk? A: Toning shoes have certainly grown in popularity lately, but mostly due to clever marketing. Reebok (one of the companies that makes Toning Shoes) was recently ordered by the Federal Trade Commission to repay $25,000,000 in customer refunds because of falsely advertising that it’s toning … [Read more...]

Q: Can I drink coffee before I exercise? A: Absolutely. Recent research from California State University confirms that consuming coffee prior to strength and cardio training improves energy, mental focus, intensity, post-exercise energy expenditure (by 15%!) and also promotes fat stores being burned for energy rather than carbohydrate stores. Caffeine is also a potent antioxidant with numerous … [Read more...]

Q: How much protein do I really need to eat to help me shed fat and improve muscle tone?A: I would have to say that protein is the most important macronutrient for anyone who is trying to shed fat, build muscle and improve their overall health and wellness. The amino acids found in protein foods are used by the body to repair and restore all different types of tissues and cells, some of which help … [Read more...]

Q:  Should I exercise on an empty stomach in the morning so I burn more fat? A: Conventional wisdom would suggest that exercising on an empty stomach would promote fat burning and weight loss due the your muscle glycogen (sugar) stores being depleted in the night as you slept. However, a study at the University of Padua in Italy found the opposite: physical activity after a light meal was best … [Read more...]

Q: I find it difficult to fall asleep at night, often tossing and turning for a couple of hours. What can I do to stop this? A: It can be tempting to resort to sleeping pills in these situations but before you do, try this tip. Rather than lying in bed tossing, turning and getting stressed, just give in and stay up later than you usually would. So, if you usually go to bed at 10pm but don’t … [Read more...]

Q: I’ve been told that I have insulin resistance. What can I do about it? A: Insulin resistance is usually the result of a poor lifestyle - i.e. too many high GI foods and a lack of exercise. If you eat high GI foods frequently, your pancreas is constantly releasing large amounts of insulin to try to bring your blood sugar levels back down to normal. Unfortunately though, your body’s cells … [Read more...]

Q:  Should I hold some hand-weights when doing cardio to burn more fat? A:  This is something I commonly see people do when they are walking or jogging. Unfortunately it does not provide any additional fat burning benefits. When you burden your body with extra weight, you add stress to your knees, hips and ankles. It also alters your gait (the way you walk and run), which can lead to poor … [Read more...]

Q:  Is it ok if I do cardio first to try to burn fat and then do weights? A:  NO! After a warm-up of no longer than 10 mins at the very most, make weights training your main focus first as this will help burn up glycogen (sugar) stores, build metabolism boosting muscle tissue and also stimulate those wonderful fat burning hormones. Then you could do 10-20mins of cardio to help burn some extra … [Read more...]