With the holiday season upon us I have been asked recently by many concerned clients, "How do I manage the holiday season excess of heavy meals, snacks and bevy's? I don't want to gain weight and lose any of my exercise results".

Here is my recommendation to manage the season of excess:

1) Plan Ahead!

The most important advice I can give is to plan ahead. You know the holiday routine commitments are heavy so preparation is key. Have an office holiday lunch? Start your day off with a protein-based breakfast and have a late morning snack to ward off any starchy cravings. Have an event in the evening? Drink lots of water in the day; pack a healthy lunch and snacks in order to keep your metabolism in check going into that holiday dinner.

2) Keep Training. Stay active!

Try and fit in a couple of training sessions right up until the holidays. Book in some standing appointments with your trainer; we'll help with the accountability. We are here to keep you on track! Can’t make it to the gym? Plan some festive activities like snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, hitting the skating rink or even just going for a brisk after-dinner walk. Every little bit helps.

3) Portion sizes.

Control your portion sizes at those holiday parties. Grab a smaller plate to curb over eating, you will trick your brain to cue think you are full sooner. And don't overload on the carbs; most holiday meals are carb heavy, but your meal doesn’t have to reflect that. Fill your plate with lean protein and all the vegetables available!

4) Alcohol Intake

Eliminate mixes with juices, pop or sugars. For spirits; stick with water, or club soda. Choose top shelf spirits and wines that have an extensive distillation or aging process. Go for quality, not quantity. It is the holidays, after all, treat yourself to a one or two really premium drinks instead of gorging on generic spiked punch or boxed wine. Always make sure to enjoy in moderation and surround your intake with proper hydration.

For those who really want to stay on track try to tighten or eliminate your alcohol intake leading up to the “holidaze” and give your body some time to rest. Of course, you can also rebound your celebratory events with a vitality workout @ Catalyst Health. We'll get you back on track... and detoxed.   :)

5) Finally... Don't Stress

Enjoy yourself, celebrate, treat yourself but be good to yourself. It's all about balance... I know, I know, we hear this all the time but its essential. Additional pressures, stress and anxiety will only compound a negative outcome over the holidays. Find the right balance of exercise, healthy choices and healthy rewards. Let go, breathe and enjoy. In the end a happy mind will result in a happy body... and vice versa.

Mark Krysko

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Working In the health and fitness industry, I’m always bombarded by questions about fruit.  Is fruit good for me?  What about the sugar? Am I eating too much??? What's the best type of fruit to eat? If you're as confused about fruit as many of my clients are, I hope this blog will help set the record straight. 

Many extreme diet books ban fruit or limit how much of it can be eaten and when it should be eaten.  The reason: too much carbohydrate from fruit can prevent weight loss, or worse, make you fat. Okay, that may be true if you eat a dozen apples every day (which would add 1140 calories to your diet). But who does that?

Surveys show that most Canadians aren't filling up on fruit. But we’re still filling up! And it’s not on nutrient dense whole foods like fruit. We more often grab a bagel or granola bar than an apple or a banana.

So let's talk about the facts: fruit is nutrient dense, a.k.a. chock-a-block full of minerals, vitamins,  flavonoids and all important FIBRE that can help reduce the risk of disease.

A diet rich in fruit (when replacing junk food) has been linked to lower rates of:

-       heart disease

-       stroke

-       high blood pressure

-       type-2 diabetes.

But along with those nutrients, you also get carbohydrates, mainly in the form of the naturally occurring sugar, fructose.  You can see why diet “gurus” will tell you to cut out fruits when they are trying to get you to drop pounds fast. Technically there’s more sugar in an apple than there is in a Twinkie!

But you’re smarter than that; you know that no one ever said “a Twinkie a day keeps the doctor away”; it’s quite the opposite in fact. When you reach for refined sugars which are quickly absorbed into the blood stream you not only feel like crap (as your blood sugar crashes), you also deprive yourself of key nutrients, leaving your body depleted yet still wanting for more!

When I develop weight loss plans for clients, I usually include two to three daily fruit servings depending on calorie intake.  (Eating a serving or two of fruit won’t typically slow a client's weight loss progress as it satisfies cravings and fills you up.)

And yes, the quantity and type of fruit you eat does matter! You’ll want to reach for fruits with a low glycemic index, as they release their sugar gradually into the blood stream. I could list off what is and what isn’t low glycemic, but a really easy way to remember is that generally tropical fruit (like bananas, melon & pineapple) have a higher glycemic index, whereas fruits native to North America (like apples, pears, peaches and berries) are much lower. Also you’ll be eating local and seasonal which is better for you and the environment!! (check out our blog on that here!)

Keep in mind that dried fruit like raisins contain more sugar and calories per serving than fresh fruit.  That's because most of it's water - which gives fruit its bulk - has been removed (great for energy…not great for weight loss!) And if you are diabetic or pre-diabetic, you need to watch your fruit intake to help manage blood sugar levels.

Try to limit fruit juice (even fresh squeezed) since the removal of the fibre not only increases the glycemic index, but also decreases its overall health benefits as the nutrient molecules are no longer protected by the skin of the fruit and start to become oxidized.

If your diet lacks fruit, the following strategies will help you increase your intake:

·       Keep fruit at work: Keep apples, bananas, pears and dried fruit in your desk so you'll have a healthy snack on hand when you feel hungry.

·       Include fruit at breakfast: Make a fruit smoothie with almond milk, berries and ½ a banana. Or top a bowl of breakfast cereal with fresh or dried fruit.

·       Serve fruit for dessert. If you crave sweet after a meal, reach for fruit instead of a high calorie treat: try fruit salad or sliced apples tossed with cinnamon and lemon juice

·       Add fruit to salads: Toss dried or fresh berries, orange segments or apple slices into green and whole grain salads.

·       Go for cold! Frozen berries, grapes, sliced peaches and mango are not only delicious to snack on by themselves, but are also the ultimate convenience food, perfect for tossing into breakfast smoothies.

And remember, fruit is the Original “Fast Food”!

~ Dr. Craig McNamee

**Please consult your health care provider before following any advice on this blog.

Re-Fueling your workout with coconut water!

Coconut water, what the heck is this stuff? Unless you’ve been working out under a rock, which sounds terribly challenging, then you’ve probably seen and heard people raving about coconut water. Every Tom, Dick and Yogi at the gym or Whole Foods has their favorite and can list off its many benefits like they were counting off reps. But what’s in it for you?

Well... let me break it down.

What IS it? Coconut water is the slightly opaque liquid found inside young coconuts, once it matures it solidifies and forms the meat of mature coconuts.

What’s IN it? Coconut water has a high potassium content and contains lots of minerals and antioxidants. It also contains cytokinins, which promote plant cell division and growth. Fresh coconut water from a plant that hasn’t been damaged is sterile and because its cellular makeup so closely resembles that of human plasma (a little more potassium, but not quite enough sodium) there have been cases where it has been used intravenously as a hydration fluid when medical saline was not available, how amazing is that?! In ancient Sanskrit the coconut palm is even known as Kalpa Vriksha, meaning, “tree which gives all that is necessary for living,” which just shows how, as a species we’ve been benefiting from coconuts and their by-products for thousands of years.

Why IT’S great! Pure coconut water has no fat and has minimal calories, most of them from its natural sugars as opposed to most Sports drinks whose calories are almost always from highly refined sugars and chock-a-block with chemicals. AND it has more potassium than a banana, which is key if you want to help your body replace electrolytes and rehydrate after an intense workout. But don’t forget you need sodium too; so eat a balanced meal with dark leafy greens like Swiss chard, spinach, beet, collard and dandelion greens (or throw them in a smoothie, you seriously won’t even notice).

*Possible BONUSES: Some of the extra health benefits touted include promoting weight loss by raising metabolism, boosting the immune system, controlling diabetes, aiding the body in fighting viruses, treating kidney stones and boosting circulation. Its anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties have been proclaimed far and wide.

As always, be aware of what you are putting into your body, read the label, avoid products with any additives, they aren’t necessary, they never are!

Catalyst Health carries Cocos Pure brand coconut water.

Mind-blowing Coconut Lime Granita - (so easy a highly trained monkey could do it, but don’t let a monkey show you up!)

~granita is a refreshing classic italian dessert, half-way between a sorbet and a slushie.

Ingredients:

1 Stalk of Lemongrass, chopped

1 Tbsp of agave, honey or other sweetener

½ cup of water

3 cans of plain coconut water (One, Cocos Pure, Blue Monkey or whatever your favourite)

or 2 young coconuts if you are feeling really industrious!

2 limes (one zested a.k.a. very finely grated, one peeled into curls and the juice of both

Simmer lemongrass and agave in water until it reduces to about ¼ cup of liquid (15mins or less), let cool. Meanwhile use one of these lemon zesters and make little curls of rind with one of the limes and zest the entire peel of the other. Juice the naked limes. Keep the lime curls in a glass of water in the fridge; they will curl up even more (adorable). Remove lemongrass stalks and combine remaining syrup with lime juice, zest and coconut water in a 8x8 (or thereabouts) casserole/baking dish. Freeze for 2 hours, (here comes the trained monkey part...) every 15-30mins rake it with a fork so that it breaks up into little grainy ice crystals. Once the entire mixture is frozen, but grainy and separated, spoon into bowls and top with the remaining lime rind curls.

If you’re feeling particularly fancy add slices of pineapple, mango or star fruit, but really, less is more.

The Skinny on Nutrition Bars

In our fast paced, on-the-go lives it’s tough to find the time to get in those three balanced meals as well as a few healthy snacks. If you are trying to “eat clean” while you “train dirty”, by avoiding processed foods, hidden sugar, salt and trans fats the challenge becomes more daunting, even more so for all the vegetarians, vegans, gluten or dairy-free folks out there.

Often our answer to our post-workout growling bellies is a pre-packaged nutrition bar, sometimes referred to as a power bar or 
protein bar. These can be meal replacements when we just don’t
have the time or energy to make something from scratch or they can be supplements for those who want to ensure they are getting enough nutrients to support their workout.

Nutritional bars have come a long way from the introduction of the PowerBar in 1986, when Mike McCollum and Canadian athlete Brian Maxwell whipped up the recipe in the kitchen with his Nutritionist girlfriend (later wife). It was a very different beast from the varieties we see today on our grocers shelves. Now there’s organic and raw and all-natural, even supernatural, with every flavour you can imagine from key-lime to cookies & cream to s’mores!

While every bar contains different amounts of protein based on type and manufacturer, they usually strike a balance between protein, carbohydrates and fats. But not all nutrition bars are created equal; taste, ingredients and ratios of protein to carbs all vary and are subject to personal preference and goals.

The Builder:
Since proteins are the “building blocks” of muscles, if you are trying to build muscle... well you know! Eating lean protein is a necessity for building and repairing muscles, tissue, red blood cells, and healthy hair and nails. Unfortunately the rule for protein bars seems to be that the better they taste the more sugar, glucose/fructose, corn syrup and glycerin they have holding them together, that’s where you get flavours like Toffee Choc-Chip and Peanut Caramel Explosion. Delish, but high in sugar alcohols, chemical sweeteners and artificial flavours. Go for something simple and stay away from anything that looks like dessert, chances are it is. Don’t go overboard either, be wary of getting too much protein, your body can only handle so much at a time; more than 20-30g in one sitting will not build muscle, it will be filtered out and all that excess nitrogen (protein is an amino acid after all) can put stress on your kidneys, so be nice to your kidneys! All in all these guys are great if you need to get your protein in quick and easy, definitely easier than eating a filet of sole with a side of kale and quinoa while driving to/from work.  
Our Favorite pump-you up bars:   most delicious Oh Yeah Bars, Detour Bars most nutritious - Edge Bars, Clif Builder’s Bar

The Runner:

Those bars touted as “energy bars” will best suit the runners, marathoners and cardio-aholics who don’t want to carry a ziplock bag of trail mix in their pocket. The purpose of energy bars is to remedy fatigue and improve concentration at vital times, just like any food really, they provide calories for your body to process into fuel. The most effective energy bars however need to provide easily digested carbs that are relatively low on the glycemic index, to keep you fueled at a steady pace. The trick with energy bars is to make sure your calories are from healthy sources, not high fructose corn syrup or saturated fat. Read the label, the less ingredients the better, a third grader should be able to pronounce them (hold the Butylated Hydroxyanisole please!) and the farther down the sweetener is on the list the better (beware, sugar has many disguises if it ends in “ose” it’s probably a sweetener of some sort). The ideal energy bar is really just ground up trail mix formed into a bar that you can hold in one hand. Our Favorite long distance bars: Elevate Me!, Vega Bars
                                      

The Working Mom:

Generally speaking women need less calories than men when doing the same activities, (generally speaking of course) more proof we are just more efficient at everything, including calorie intake! Women also tend to be more conscious of what they eat, and they know that if it looks like candy and tastes like candy, it should be treated like candy, i.e. a treat for special occasions and to be enjoyed in moderation. And if they are anything like me they’d rather sit down to real meal, with flowers on the table, a glass of wine and some good conversation than eat something at their desk/in the car/at the gym. However sometimes that’s all you got, so... bring in the mini bars! There are nutrition bars out there that taste great, have healthy, whole ingredients and are in smaller portions so that keep you going to the next destination by supplementing as opposed to replacing your regularly balanced meal.

Our Favorite Snack-Size bars: Clif Z-Bar, Luna Minis or any other bar cut in half.


The Study Buddy:

Your brain needs fuel just as your muscles do, and when it’s crunch time, sometimes we get in the zone, poring over the books for hours until it all melts into word stew. Don’t lose focus just because you can’t sacrifice the time to eat a real meal. Make sure you are getting a balanced bar with adequate protein, clean sources of carbs and sugar and some healthy fats. When protein foods release the amino acid tyrosine into the brain it increases the production of chemicals such as dopamine and epinephrine to boost mental alertness and energy; fruit and veg based carbs contain flavonoids and antioxidants to improve brain power and memory retention; if nuts and seeds are bringing the healthy fats to the party they will bring with them vitamins, folic acid and omega 3 fatty acids; whole grains will stimulate the brain by improving blood flow and when those carbs release tryptophan it increases serotonin, chilling you out and helping you sleep... when you finally close the books at 2am.

Our Favorite balanced bars: Luna Bars, Clif Bars, Proteins+ Express Bar

The Veggie:

It’s actually quite easy to find a veggie/vegan nutrition bar these days, it’s just a little harder to find one with a good amount of protein, and the real difficulty is soy, duhn duhn DUHNN. Now don’t get me wrong soy can be great! I heart soy, as long as it isn’t GMO and overly processed, which sadly, it often is. Here’s a great vegan protein bar rating chart from vegan yogi Heidi Kristoffer. Always read the labels, and if you don’t know what it is then don’t eat it! The smartest thing you could do is make your own so you know exactly what is going into it. Our favorite lean green bars:  The Simply Bar, these Luna Bars & Clif Bars, MBar, Edge Bars, Vegan Proteins+ Bar

And while these foods will do in a pinch, they should not take the place of a nutritious and varied meal that includes minimally processed sources of lean protein, healthy fats, nutrient-dense carbohydrates and vitamins and minerals. The more natural the bar the better, if they are “fortified” with vitamins and minerals that means the manufacturer recognizes that the product is inherently lacking, also they will not contain any of the phytochemicals, bioflavonoids, natural fibre, vitamins and minerals found in fresh fruits and veg.

If you’re a keener here’s one you can make yourself:

ON THE GO! Gluten-free Protein bar

Makes about 10 bars

Ingredients:

1 cup gluten-free rolled oats

1 cup gluten-free cereal (I like Arrowhead Mills Organic Maple Buckwheat Flakes)

3 scoops protein powder (I like New Zealand Whey Pro-Series, vanilla) 

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 

pinch of salt

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup raw organic agave

1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce

3/4 cup almond butter (or almond-hazlenut, mmm tastes like nutella)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup dark choc chips for melting on top

Pre-heat oven to 350 F, grease a med square or rectangular baking dish with olive oil, set aside. Mix together the dry ingredients (oats, cereal, protein powder, spices and salt). In a medium bowl, mix together the syrup, almond butter, applesauce and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix very well with a spoon or your hands. Press into a pan (with lightly wet fingers). Bake for 12 mins, let cool. Meanwhile melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler, spread on top in a very thin layer. When cool, cut into bars and keep refrigerated.

This recipe adapted from Eat, Drink and Be Aware (awesome blog btw), who adapted it from Oh She Glows (some more awesome).

BONUS: Oooh and who wants some low-fat, refined-sugar-free, moist and chocolatey protein brownies? Well, me of course!

THE SUPER BROWNIE (able to leap tall lattes in a single bound)

Ingredients
¼ cup of instant oats (or whole oats ground up fine in the food processor)
3 Tbsp raw Cacao finely grated (or Cacao nibs ground up fine in the food processor)
1 14-15oz can organic black beans (rinsed thoroughly)
3 Tbsp of Cocoa powder
2 Scoops choc or vanilla protein powder
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup of dates (soaked in hot water for 5 mins or until soft)
2 whole bananas
¼ cup of agave syrup
2 eggs (or ½ cup of apple sauce)

Optional 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven 350 F. Grease an 8x8 pan with olive oil, set aside . In a food processor grind up oats and cacao until fine, set aside. Puree beans, bananas, softened dates and eggs in food processor. Add all remaining ingredients (including oat flour, but not choc chips) and pulse to combine. Should be thick and shiny, just like regular brownie batter. Pour into baking dish, top with dark chocolate chips if you like (I like) and bake for 30-35 mins, inserted toothpick should come out clean. That's it, pretty easy; blend, pour, bake, eat brownies!


Some people have been known to do wild and crazy things to their brownies, such as add walnuts, fresh raspberries or espresso. Who am I to judge.


-Ariane Clark

I have just completed my first charity walk and know one thing for sure. This will not be my last. 

Recently, a member of my family had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a very complex neurological disease. After the initial reaction of confusion and anger, we as a family decided to take this diagnosis head on.  We did our research, decided on the appropriate course of action (to which exercise and dietary modifications are major factor), and proceeded with life as usual. Until this weekend that is.

Today 9 members of my family and I walked in support of MS research. The MS walk took place in over 160 communities today, bringing a sense of community, belongingness, and awareness. Participation in these events helps fund innovative programs and services in our community – and supports research dedicated to finding a cure. You can register as an individual, be part of a team, or even volunteer.

Did you know?

• Canadians have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis rates in the world.
• MS is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in Canada.
• Every day, three more people in Canada are diagnosed with MS.
• Women are more than three times as likely to develop MS as men.
• We don’t know what causes MS but researchers are closer to finding the answer.

Please visit mssociety.ca to learn more.  

Now multiple sclerosis is just one of many diseases/conditions that are affecting our society. Diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke in one-way or another have impacted us all. So please, take the time to show that no one is immune, and that no one walks alone.  Take part in a charity walk or run this summer for yourself, your family, or just simply…for the cause.

Here are a some charity events that you may consider supporting:

  

The Weekend to End Women's Cancers

Walk of Life - Cardiac Health

Walk for Muscular Dystrophy 

Diabetes Walk For Hope

Parkinson Super Walk

Run or Walk to Conquer Cancer

Thank you,

Dr. Craig McNamee

**Please consult your health care provider before following any advice on this blog.