The importance of sleep, with regards to creating a healthy balanced body, is often overlooked and underrated. A good night’s rest is essential for muscles to recover, the body to detoxify, and to replenish your mental state for the forthcoming day.

 Often getting 8-10 hours of sleep is a great step in the right direction but here are 5 quick tips to improve the quality of your rest.

1. Remove electronics – By removing all electronics from the room you sleep in, even when a device is charging or on standby, you can improve the quality of sleep. Electronics emit a frequency that disrupts the deep stage sleep which either wakes you up during the night, or doesn’t allow you to get into a deep stage sleep.
2. Reduce the light – 2 hours prior to sleep, begin to dim the main room lights and/or use bedside lamps. Our bodies have a natural sleep rhythm known as the circadian system that matches the daylight hours. Darkening the room with blackout curtains will drastically improve the quality of sleep. The rule of thumb is that you shouldn’t be able to see your hand approximately 20cm away from your face.
3. Eat more Protein during the day & prioritise Carbohydrates at night – Studies have shown high protein diets promote longer and more sustained energy levels, whilst the fast absorption of carbohydrates spike our energy levels and taper off suddenly, therefore prioritise whole food carbohydrate meals in the evening. In it’s most basic form, eating carbohydrates activates the orexin pathway which makes us feel sleepy.
4. Use Chamomile and Ginseng before sleep – These are both known in forms of teas as they have a relaxing and calming influence on the brain. Try to opt for the supplementation in the form of extracts or capsule for a specific concentrated dosage.
5. Make a note of your thoughts – There is nothing worse than trying to get to sleep with a million important, and less than important issues on your mind. Write down the issues that make you anxious, the ideas that you may forget, and the tasks you need to do the next day. Another holistic approach is to list something your thankful for.

Sleep is an important and difficult part of the day to balance. The usage of various supplementation such as Magnesium, Taurine, Thiamine or Inositol will promote healthier sleep patterns. Visit your local pharmacy, health store or talk to me about further options to improve your sleep and sustain a healthier body.

For more information, contact me on max.barrow.27@gmail.com or for more training tips follow me on Instagram at maxfit_pt.

Welcome to our Beginners Guide to Meal Prep

There are no excuses, we have 168 hours in the week.

4-5 workouts a week would take 4-5 hours out of that 168 hours, leaving you 163 hours. Subtracting 40 hours for work gives you 123 hours left. Deducting a minimum of 56 hours a week for sleep and you have 67 hours left. Surely can you take one hour out of whats left of your week to do some meal prep?

Want to get healthier? Want to lose weight? – Try prepping at least your lunches. It is so easy and takes so little time to prep some chicken and veges for your lunches. Try these simple ideas for a healthier lifestyle.

Bake 5-6 chicken breasts for 20-30mins in the oven with some garlic and spices, no oil needed and there you have 5-6 lunch or dinner staples that you can mix up with different vegetable and carb sources.

To prepare vegetables, do the same. Dice some different veggies and bake for 20 mins at 180C. We recommend trying pumpkin, kumara, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, onions and any other hearty vegetables. Try mixing it up by eating them cold in a vege salad or heating them up for a warm meal with your chicken.

Meal prep doesn’t have to be complicated. You can just have a lunch box of veggies and a lunch box of chicken in your fridge for quick lunches or dinners. This great tip saves you resorting to an unhealthy option and is also an inexpensive way to stay on top of your diet.

We challenge you to replace your morning latte with this energising green juice.

This recipe, courtesy of Urban Remedy, is low in sugar and rich in nutrients. It also delivers a boost of energy when you need it the most. It is a low-glycaemic juice, which means it is the best option to maintain energy. Although Lattes can be a saviour at times, the added sugars can cause a spike in energy levels, leaving you crashed by lunchtime. These Green Juice ingredients will sustain you throughout the day, here’s why:

Cucumber: It contains phytonutrients that provide valuable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer benefits; it also contains B vitamins, which help support energy levels.

Spinach: This dark, leafy green is a nutritional powerhouse! Spinach is high in iron, and a lack of iron equals a lack of energy.

Celery: the juice from celery rapidly alkalinizes the body and is rich in vitamins and minerals. It is also very high in water, helping flush out toxins.

Parsley: Rich in energy-producing chlorophyll, parsley helps to build red blood cells, which equates to higher energy levels. Added bonus: parsley also freshens breath and increases oxygenation of cells, which supports detoxification.

Ingredients – choose Organic when possible

• 1 cucumber, peeled or non-peeled
• 3 cups spinach
• 5 stalks celery
• 1/2 bunch parsley

If you find this recipe is not sweet enough for you, add 1/2 an apple and a small piece of ginger for a sweet-spicy juice. You can also add two small beetroots with the greens; the beetroot will provide added sweetness and extra energy.

Instructions

Run everything through a juicer and serve over ice. If you don’t have a juicer, you can use a blender just add a little of your favourite organic juice and give it a whirl. This recipe will make enough for 2 servings, and will keep for up to 3 days!

With the amount of time we spend at work, it’s important to make the day as healthy as possible. Here are four easy ways to make sure that work is one of the healthiest parts of your day.

Make Time For a Workout

Exercise is a simple way to combat work-related stress, and it will give you more energy! Even if you only have a 30 minute lunch break, you can still get in a quick blast. Chat with one of our PT’s about how to get the most out of a short session.

Take Desk Breaks

To fight the effects of a sedentary lifestyle, take small desk breaks to walk around, either inside or out. Fill up your water bottle and spend a few minutes each day stretching.

Keep a Stash of Healthy Snacks

To keep energy levels up throughout the workday, resist the temptation of chips and chocolate. After the initial sugar rush wears off, you’ll be feeling worse than you did originally! Instead, keep a stash of healthy snacks at your desk. Nuts, yoghurt, and fruit are always good options.

Brown-Bag a Healthy Lunch

Even when you buy a seemingly healthy take away, there’s usually no way of knowing everything that went into the recipe. Save money, calories and temptation by packing a healthy lunch! Need some inspiration? Chat with our Fitness Team or register for our online diet plan, Nutrition Complete.

Spring – the ideal time to try new recipes using fresh and healthy ingredients from the vegie garden and market. This superfood salad combines raw broccoli and crunchy red onion with a creamy yogurt and feta dressing. Try this tasty number today, guaranteed to surprise!

Salad

• 3 cups Broccoli florets (approx 1 medium size head of Broccoli)
• ½ cup Diced Red Onion
• ½ cup Raisins
• ½ cup Feta Cheese (crumbled)
• ¼ cup Sunflower Seeds

Dressing

• ½ cup Organic Yogurt
• ¼ cup reduced Mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

In a large salad bowl, simply combine chopped broccoli with diced red onion. Add the sunflower seeds, raisins, and crumbled feta cheese.

In a separate bowl throughly mix organic yogurt, mayonnaise with lemon juice and sugar to make the dressing.

Finally add the dressing to the dry salad mixture and toss to mix. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

		Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Overnight Oats PREP TIME 5 mins TOTAL TIME 5 mins Nutrition Info for the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Overnight Oats: 360 calories | 10g fat | 54g carbs | 6g fiber | 23g sugar | 18g protein Serves: 2  Ingredients 1 cup rolled oats 1 teaspoon vanilla ¼ cup peanut flour ¼ cup Greek yogurt, vanilla 1 cup almond milk, (I used 60-Calorie Almond Breeze 60) 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup* 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, semi-sweet
		Maple French Toast Overnight Oatmeal PREP TIME 5 mins TOTAL TIME 5 mins   Nutrition Info 254 calories | 5g fat | 44g carb | 7g fiber | 10g sugar | 9g protein Serves: 2  Ingredients 1 cup rolled oats ½ banana, mashed ½ teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon 100% Pure Canadian Maple Syrup 1 teaspoon flax seed meal ¾ cup milk, unsweetened dash of cinnamon Instructions In a medium-sized container, mash ½ banana. Then, mix in the rest of ingredients and let soak for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve with coconut whipped cream, sliced banana, and a dash of cinnamon!
		Coconut Latte Overnight Oats PREP TIME 5 mins TOTAL TIME 5 mins   207 calories | 5g fat | 37g carbs | 4g fiber | 10g sugar | 5g protein Serves: 2    Ingredients 1 cup rolled oats ¼ cup coconut water ¼ cup + 1T brewed coffee ¼ cup + 1 T almond milk  1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey 1 tablespoon coconut cream* dash of cinnamon Instructions Place all ingredients in a medium size tupperware and mix. Then, transfer the tupperware into the fridge for 2 hours or overnight. The next morning, add a few more tablespoons of almond milk (f need be).
		Chocolate Covered Strawberries PREP TIME 10 mins TOTAL TIME 10 mins   Nutrition Info 272 calories | 5g fat | 45g carb | 7g fiber | 12g sugar | 15g protein Serves: 2 Ingredients 1 cup rolled oats ½ scoop (2 tablespoons) chocolate protein powder (I used Designer Whey Soy) 1.5 tablespoons cocoa powder ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt 1 cup almond milk (I used 60-Calorie Almond Breeze) ½ tablespoon honey* 4 large strawberries, sliced Instructions Place all ingredients (minus the fresh strawberries) in a medium-size tupperware and mix. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. The next morning, add a few more tablespoons of almond milk (if need be Serve with a few chocolate chips on top!

These recipes were sourced from Fit Foodie Finds. Check it out for more variations of the Overnight Oats recipes.