Mega Omega 3...

Do you know that eating foods that contain good fats like Omega 3 essential fatty acids like EPA and DHA, can activate the efficiency of your fat-burning enzymes? 

You can obtain EPA and DHA by eating oily fish such as, salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines or cod fish, twice a week. You can also snack on raw nuts and seeds like walnuts, almonds, flax seeds or sprinkle them over your salads. Alternatively, you can consume fish oil supplements for convenience and ease.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who consumed fish oil supplements daily and exercise 3 times a week, lost an average of 1.5kg over 12 weeks. Those who only exercised, did not see much difference in their weight.

If you are eating fish oil supplements as part of your weight management plan, choose high quality fish oil supplements with pharmaceutical grade instead of food grade, and uses double distillation/filtration methods – to give you a dosage of 500mg EPA and 310mg DHA per soft gel, and free of contaminants like heavy metals.

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Protein Up!

Do you know that our bodies are constantly burning calories even when we are at rest?
Do you know that people who have more muscle mass, have higher metabolism to burn fats?

Besides doing cardio exercises like aerobics, brisk walking, cycling, swimming etc., you can also alternate or compliment with resistance or strength exercises like using stretch bands, dumb-bells, or simply, doing push ups or abdominal crunches - to build and tone up your body with more lean muscles.

According to a study done by The Journal of Nutrition, eating more proteins was found to retain greater muscle mass and established a higher metabolism rate which also helped to keep the lost weight from returning!

You can obtain proteins from soy bean milk, soy beans, tofu, tempeh, edamame (Japanese soy beans), red kidney beans, chick peas, almonds, walnuts, lean meats like chicken breast, turkey, fish, and dairy products such as low-fat cheese and natural yoghurt.

Ideally, eat your proteins with lots of vegetables and a half a bowl of complex carbohydrates like brown rice, whole-meal bread, or whole-grain pasta instead of a huge portion of simple carbohydrates like white rice or white bread.

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Breakfast of champions!

Do you often miss your breakfast?
Or, is your breakfast just a cup of black coffee and some mints? 

One of the simple ways to kick-start your metabolism in the morning after sleeping for 6 – 8 hours, is to have a hearty, healthy breakfast!

Try to have a combination of proteins and complex carbohydrates like:
-> Soft-boiled or hard-boiled eggs with whole-meal bread, spread with almond or sesame/tahini paste and some lettuce;

-> Natural yogurt with a mixture of raw nuts and seeds, and sprinkle with dried fruits like cranberries, raisins and apricots;

-> Whole grains like cooked, rolled oats with pine seeds, almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds with soy bean milk, and top with your favourite fruit; or,

-> Soba wheat noodles with tofu and beans in miso soup, top with shredded carrots, cucumbers and radish for an Asian twist!

According to a study by the American Journal of Epidemiology, people who did not have breakfast, put on twice as much weight over a period of four years as compared to people who ate breakfast daily.

Now, surely this makes sense to have your breakfast daily!

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Food journal habbit

A simple pen and paper can dramatically boost and help your weight management progress! 

According to American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the art of writing down the types of food and drinks, duration and amount that you have consumed – has helped people to develop higher self-awareness and self-control which ultimately, leads to fewer calories being consumed.

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Spice up!

Foods that contain capsaicin, like cayenne and other red and green chili peppers, serve as metabolism boosters as these foods help to raise your body temperatures and stimulate your body to “work” to cool down after consuming them. 

According to a study done by Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, eating spicy foods that makes us sweat gives a temporary boost of about 23% - that’s about a tablespoon of chopped red or green chili pepper with your meals.

Although the effect is likely to be temporary, but if you consume spicy foods often, you can also enjoy the following health benefits from fresh, spicy ingredients:
- Promotes warming effect on the body
- Promotes circulation of blood, qi (energy)
- Reliefs our bodies of toxins that are stuck in the digestive and circulatory system
- Assists to reduce excessive mucus production.
For a quick boost, spice up your dishes with fresh chilies, garlic and ginger or dried red-pepper flakes for the added punch!

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Thirsty?

Do you know that our kidneys can filter off 1.5L of fluids daily which is discharged as urine? 

Do you know that your metabolism begins to decline when your body is slightly dehydrated? 

To stay in the pink of health and achieve healthy weight, we need our metabolism to be in tip-top condition. Hence, it will be ideal to drink at least 2L of water daily to replenish our loss of body fluids especially during hot weathers, after our workout or if you are going through a detoxification programme, etc.

Remember to drink filtered or alkaline water as this is the best form of fluids to hydrate your body cells and assist in weight management!

Tip: For proper hydration - drink water throughout the day, in small sips instead of flushing down your throat.

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Burn those fats!

Do you exercise but find it difficult to press on after your muscles begin to ache after 10 minutes?

Do you know that it takes about 20 minutes of continuous exercise to activate your body to start burning fats?

Now, you have a reason to hang on! 

Just allocate at least 20 minutes for a daily workout - be it aerobics, brisk walking, ballroom dancing, cycling, yoga, resistance exercise with your favourite stretch band, or gym ball, or simply, jogging-on-the-spot!

So start your daily workout today! Get your family and friends to join in too! Let's all be on our way to be happier and healthier!

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