DIET versus EXERCISE

Let’s solve some myths right here right now. Yes exercise is very important and essential for improving your health. Exercise also has the power to boost your energy, prevent cancer, enhance your mood, reduce the risk of heart disease and potentially stop the onset of diabetes. However, when it comes to losing weight, the best and most efficient way to achieve this is to focus on your DIET. We explain why below.

The Goal: To Lose Weight

Focus: Your Diet.

Why: You may have heard of the 80% diet 20 % exercise ratio and the fact that abs are made in the kitchen, not at the gym. Whilst I do not entirely agree with this statement- in my opinion abs are made with Pilates- the ratio seems right on track. If you are falling short with your weight loss goals, the first thing to do is to look at your diet. If you are not fueling your body with healthy foods, you are never going to lose weight and keep it off. Also, never ever use exercise as a way to justify indulgent meals that you consume. It’s a terrible downwards spiral to say “I'll just eat a pizza / tub of ice cream / block of chocolate and exercise the calories away”. That would take many more hours than you realise!

The reason that diet is so crucial and directly linked with weight loss is that what you eat is much easier to modify than your exercise routine. If you want to lose weight, you plan an eating program where you ditch high calorie foods with high GI levels and little or no nutrients for low calorie foods with low GI levels and lots of nutrients. Saying no to the pizza and saying yes to a baked chicken breast takes all of a few seconds and reduces your copious hours at the gym to make up for eating that greasy pizza. Women’s Health Magazine weight loss expert Tara Diversi explains more. “A 7km walk takes a little over an hour for most people and burns around 2000 kilojoules. It takes much less time and less effort to cut 2000 to 4000 kilojoules a day with some small and consistent food changes”. Consequently a healthy balanced diet is the most direct and shortest way towards  dropping a dress size.

Without realising it, people tend to underestimate the calories they consume and overemphasise the calories they burn. Controlling your portion sizes and the food you put in your mouth is much simpler and more efficient than going for a 5 hour run every day (and who has the time to exercise 5 plus hours a day! Not I).

A nutritious diet is imperative to weight loss, as your body needs energy to function. You cannot go on a 10 km walk/run or participate in a tough Pilates class without your body functioning at its best ability.

We definitely do not mean to say that you should cease exercise and lose weight by just eating well. Exercise is vital because if you never challenge your body, you will never see results. Toning and sculpting muscles comes from regular and frequent exercise. Pilates, swimming, running, lifting weights, whatever your exercise regime is important as it assists you in increasing muscle mass, strength and endurance. Diet alone will not and cannot do this.

It appears that the old saying is true; it really does take two to tango. With a healthy and nutritious diet and frequent exercise weight loss will happen! It won’t be easy by any means, but the things we want most in life never are. One thing is for certain though; it will be worth it.

x Emily 

GLUTEN-FREE GNOCCHI with SAGE in a DAIRY-FREE sauce

Gnocchi is something that I have always aspired to make, but negative thoughts constantly persuaded me that I was not a good enough cook to try my hand at it. As summer fades away and my business becomes steady and stable, I openly admit that whilst everything in my life is trucking along wonderfully, I need to continually set audacious goals for myself so I have things to strive for and look forward to. One of these big bold goals was decided just the other night; to run 14km for the City2South Brisbane run on June 16^th, which supports several commendable charities. Whilst I am only 25 and fairly fit, my exercise regime consists of lots of Pilates, Yoga and a few walks, with the very and I stress VERY occasional 4-5km run every month or so. So, where does this fit in with homemade gnocchi? Well, I woke up super inspired on Wednesday morning, ran 12km along the Brisbane river and came home feeling exhausted, sweaty and thinking that I could achieve anything I set my mind to. So I decided it was Gnocchi cooking time at 7:30am! Also, I must admit that the scrumptious looking gnocchi made on My Kitchen Rules on Tuesday night was another motivation for me getting my ass into gear.

For the lucky dairy and/or gluten-intolerant people, this gnocchi fits the bill perfectly. You can add sheep’s pecorino grated cheese as a topping if you desire, but I found that the simple sage & dairy-free butter sauce was delicious on its own. I am still surprised that only 6 ingredients made this tasty dish. If cooking for less than 6 people, feel free to freeze the potato gnocchi mixture before making the shapes and defrost for later use.

I am so happy that I tackled this big, hairy goal that I had put on the back shelf for so long. Any goals that you have that are close to their expiration dates? Perhaps its high time to face them head on.

INGREDIENTS

• 600g floury potatoes (I used pontiac potatoes), peeled & cut into small cubes
• 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
• 175g ( 1 1/2 cups) gluten-free plain flour
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 80-90g Nuttelex (dairy-free & gluten-free butter)
• 3 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped

COOKING 

1. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. When boiled, add potato cubes and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain well. Return the potatoes to the pan for thirty seconds over a low heat to dry them out. Remove from the pan and mash well in a large mixing bowl so that no lumps are visible. Add the egg, flour, oil and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and mix well to form a sticky dough. (The dough should not be so gooey that it sticks to your hands, if this is the case, add slightly more flour. If you are having trouble forming the dough as there is too much flour, add water very sparingly, one splash at a time). 

2. With your hands, make very small oval (egg-like) shapes with the dough and lightly imprint the four tines of the fork into the dough. Repeat until no more dough remains. 

3. Gradually bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil (you can start gently warming up the water when you are close to finishing the rolling of your gnocchi) and add the gnocchi to the water. Cook for 3 minutes or until all gnocchi pieces have risen to the surface of the water. Drain the gnocchi under water and transfer to six serving bowls. 

4. To make the sage butter sauce - melt the nuttelex in a small to medium frying pan over medium heat. When the nuttelex ceases to foam, add the sage and stir for 2 minutes or until sage is crisp and the nuttelex is golden in colour. Drizzle evenly over each of the 6 servings of gnocchi and add more chopped sage as well if desired. 

Serves / 6

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 30 minutes plus time to shape the gnocchi - if it is your first time allow 30 minutes for this. 

x Emily 

EMILY VANCAMP OWES HER REVENGEFUL BODY TO PILATES

The hottest TV actress around right now is undoubtedly Emily VanCamp. Her sultry eyes, her perfect pout, her epic wardrobe and that rocking BODY; we can’t help but be rather jealous of the new kid on the block. The 26-year-old actress reveals how she keeps her body looking amazing and red-hot in the latest edition of US Shape magazine. Below are some of her fitness and health secrets!

Emily, a former ballet dancer, reveals that she owes her envious figure to a ‘love affair’ with Pilates. VanCamp admits that her young years of tough ballet training made her no stranger to pushing her body to achieve her goals. “The amount of rigour [ballet] required was exhausting but rewarding. I still have that competitiveness from being so entrenched in it at such a young age.” It appears that Emily has now channelled that competiveness and dedication to regular Pilates classes!

“Pilates is my favourite core strengthener. I do it three or four times a week. With all the strengthening and lengthening, it's like ballet. Plus, you get to exercise lying down!”

Vancamp also dishes about one very memorable Pilates exercise; “The Hundreds abdominal move is a killer. I can't say it's my favourite, because it's not easy, but it works!"

Emily is becoming known for her super flat abs, as well as her acting ability. As you can see from the photos above, Vancamp cuts a fine figure on magazine covers, at photo shoots and holidaying with her man and Revenge co-star, Josh Bowman. And we haven’t even gotten into the actress’s stunning red carpet figure! Emily informs that she keeps her commitment to Pilates so that she can wear all those glamorous cocktail dresses whilst sporting a toned stomach.

The beauty also talks eating with Shape magazine and how she stays away from bad food. "I'm on-set 12 to 15 hours a day, and I make sure to eat every couple of hours to stay high-energy. I love my carbs, but I try to balance them with protein, like fish or chicken, and plenty of vegetables—and not nibble too many doughnuts. My chicken souvlaki is easy, healthy and great with a Greek salad."

Want to get super-toned abs like emily? or interested in a really tough core workout? Give Pilates a try today! Call Premium pilates studio on 0402 68-0 724 or visit us online at premiumpilatesstudio.com 

x Emily 

SWEET POTATO & COCONUT SOUP

Another hearty and nourishing vegetarian soup recipe as we head into slightly cooler weather for Brisbane town. The kumara (sweet potato) and lime work beautifully together, creating a sweetness and a tartness to this soup that the coconut milk softens. Choose light coconut milk to save a huge amount of calories! The baby spinach adds more nutrients and a welcoming splash of green, but you can omit them if you want. A simple but filling soup. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• Finely grated rind & juice of one medium lime
• 750g sweet potato, peeled & cut into even cubes
• 500ml vegetable stock, preferably Massel brand 
• 1 cup water
• 400ml light coconut milk
• a large handful of baby spinach leaves, washed & drained 

COOKING

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat and add onion, garlic and lime rind. Cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until onion is soft. Add the sweet potatoes to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. 

2. Pour in the stock, water, coconut milk, lime juice and a generous pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover, cooking for 15 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender.

3. Pour the soup into a food processor or blender and process/blend on high for just a few seconds until smooth (or almost smooth if you like a little more texture in your soup). Return the soup to the pan, add the spinach and stir until heated through. Add more salt & pepper if needed and serve into four bowls. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 20 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 35 minutes 

x Emily 

PUMPKIN SOUP with WALNUT PESTO

One of the reasons that I welcome Autumn with open arms into my life is that it brings with it such pleasant food. Hearty meats, jam-packed salads and steaming hot soups come to mind when I think of the beautiful fall breezes and the trees delicately shedding their leaves. I may be a strange person in that I have been eaten soup all through February and some of January. Miso and rice noodle soup have been the convenient choice over these summery months, as I did not desire slaving over a hot stove to make homemade soup. With this recent deluge of rain I found myself cooking two soups last week. This is the first one, a simple pumpkin soup with sage and cannellini beans, adapted from ‘200 Veggie Feasts’ by Louise Pickford.

INGREDIENTS

Pumpkin Soup

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 large brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 kilogram kent pumpkin, seeds and skin removed & chopped into small pieces
• 400g tin cannellini beans, washed & drained
• 1 litre vegetable stock, preferably Massel 

Walnut Pesto

• 40g walnuts, chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped & trimmed
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• a large handful of rocket leaves, washed 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 

COOKING 

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan over low heat, adding onion, garlic and sage. Stir often for 4-5 minutes or until onion is soft. Add the pumpkin pieces and beans and continue to stir for 1 minute. Add stock and a pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft. 

2. Meanwhile, make pesto by combining the walnuts, spring onions, garlic and rocket in a food processor. Process on high for just a few seconds, until ingredients are finely chopped. With the motor running, add in the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove pesto from processor and season with sea salt & ground black pepper. Set pesto aside and wash food processor for step 3, unless you have a spare food processor or blender on hand. 

3. Once pumpkin is tender, pour the soup into a clean food processor or blender and process/blend until smooth. Return soup to the saucepan, season again if need be and heat through. 

Serve the soup in warmed bowls, topped with a spoonful or two of the walnut pesto. 

Serves / 6

Total Preparation time / 20 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 45 minutes 

x Emily 

WHY ALL MEN SHOULD PRACTISE PILATES

Gentleman, there is a very good reason why your girlfriends are spending their disposable income on frequent Pilates classes - because they really and truly WORK. Perhaps the idea of losing weight, wearing cute exercise gear and toning up your inner thighs does not appeal to you, but does a stronger core and a better sex life? If it does, read on. 

As co-owner of Premium Pilates Studio, a Pilates reformer studio in Brisbane, I see more and more men coming in to try out this once women dominated form of exercise. More often than not, male clients are surprised by how tough the exercises are and how much of a workout they get from a 50 minute class. Pilates offers a wealth of benefits that men will specifically be interested in, such as the five listed below. 

1. Pilates improves your core strength. 

 Pilates focuses on strengthening your deep transverse abdominals, which are the muscles underneath your six-pack, given you a super strong, toned and ripped stomach. 

2. Pilates increases flexibility. 

Athletic men are generally quite inflexible, due to the large amount of muscle mass they have. Pilates focuses on stretching and leaning the muscles of the body, which reduces the chance of injury and muscle strains. In addition, Pilates increases your range of motion, which is very important for fit men as it enhances their sport and exercise. 

3. Pilates develops overlooked and neglected muscles. 

Certain muscles are utilised during almost every move we make, which results in overactivity, tightness and sometimes pain in these muscles. Pilates focuses on strengthening the smaller, often unused muscles which results in a more proportional body, balanced muscle mass and lessens the risk of injury.  

4. Pilates helps your attention span.  

If you have been in a Pilates class before, you will know that you have to pay attention to every single exercise; you need to focus on your breath, your technique, your speed and the muscles you should be working. Its a lot to take in, but it results in you expanding your awareness, your focus and your consciousness (which is probably something that your girlfriend often tells you to do!). 

5. Pilates enhances your sex life. 

We saved the best for last...Pilates strengthens the core of the body and the pelvic floor, which results in greater control in this part of the anatomy for men in the bedroom. 

Hopefully these benefits have increased your knowledge of and interest in Pilates guys! If you are intrigued by this form of exercise, come give Pilates a go! Call Premium Pilates Studio on 0402 680 724 or visit us online at premiumpilatesstudio.com. One of the co-owners, Chris Boult, is a male who swears by Pilates for the above five reasons and many more. Come try Pilates with him today!