Cleansing your system

If you are anything like me - the last month or so has seen a lot of rich, great tasting food in your diet - it wouldn't be the holiday season without it! The problem is - all that rich food tends to be the same stuff that builds up in your system...

Now - when it comes time for New Year's resolutions, and to start your weight loss program for 2009, one of the first barriers is going to be clearing your system of all the junk that has accumulated - after all, you cannot expect your metabolism to run properly if it is clogged up with debris! The hard way to do this is simply to start eating right and wait for your body to cleanse itself naturally. That works - but you will have some detox to work through on the way, which can last quite some time.

A faster route to your healthy digestion is using a cleansing program - now these can be very effective, but they can also be quite dangerous as they tend to be aggressive on your system to achieve results. Make sure that you are using a reputable, established program - the one I like is the Master Cleanser - this program has been around for years in various forms, and shows great results.

Start the year clean - see those pounds roll off!

Chicken & Spring Vegetable Stir-Fry

Stir fried chicken with fresh spring vegetables cooked in Sharwood's Black Bean Sauce - served with noodles. Quick and extremely easy... Plus one serving provides a portion of your 5-a-day fruit and veg quota!

Nutrition Information Per Serving

| 400 calories
| 6.2g fat
| 27.9g protein
| 58.4g carb
| 3.8g fibre
| 1.0 fruit/veg

Ingredients

100g Broccoli
100g Baby Sweetcorn
2 Chicken Breast Fillets (approx 150g each)
1 Bunch Spring Onions
2 Medium Carrots
1 tbsp Olive Oil
34g Ginger
4 Blocks Medium Egg Noodles, Sharwood's
(65g each )
1 Jar Black Bean Stir-Fry Sauce, Sharwood's

Method

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the noodles, return to the boil and simmer for 4 minutes (or per pack instructions). Drain and keep warm.
Meanwhile :
- Slice the chicken breasts into 1" chunks;
- Cut the broccoli into florets;
- Peel the ginger and cut into matchsticks;
- Trim and diagonally slice the spring onions;
- Peel the carrots and cut into matchsticks.
Bring a second pan of water to the boil and blanch the broccoli and sweetcorn in the water for 2 minutes. Drain well.
Heat ½ tbsp oil in the wok until smoking then add the chicken and stir-fry for 7-8 minutes (or until golden. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
Heat the remaining oil in pan and add the ginger, spring onions and carrots and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the broccoli and sweetcorn and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.
Return the chicken to the pan, add the noodles and black bean sauce. Stir to coat and heat through.
Serve immediately!
Alternatives
Try other sauces from the Sharwoods Stir Fry range - such as Yellow Bean or Hoi Sin with Spring Onion - for a tasty alternative.

Reduce the preparation time by buying ready-prepared vegetables.

Equipment Required

Sharp knife
Chopping board
Colander
2 saucepans
Wok

Recipe thanks to weightlossresources.co.uk

Work out and keep warm!

So here we go into those winter months - the clocks just turned back, the nights are getting darker and colder, and we're getting all set for major feasting and general weight gain with the holiday season! But rather than just giving up on weight loss for the next few months - what about an exercise solution you can do at home, with your kids and have fun??

I am of course talking about the remarkable Wii Fit - I have heard from many people that even 2 year olds can get involved and enjoy some of the games on there, yet they are addictive and involving enough for adults too. Has the video game finally managed to start uniting families again?? I don't know - but it certainly makes working out a LOT more entertaining. And if it's fun - we're more likely to do it, right? What's even better is that, if you DO manage to get bored with this gadget, there are a whole range of other games and accessories that you can get too. This is one that will keep you losing weight and entertained right through the winter!

You can get Wii Fit and accessories here... Happy gaming!

Healthy Egg and Chips

One that Dad's will love! A fry up without the guilt, this is a great any-time meal that is perfect with a helping of baked beans

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Tip the potatoes and shallots into a large, non-stick roasting tin, drizzle with the oil, sprinkle over the oregano, then mix everything together well. Bake for 15 mins, add the mushrooms, then cook for a further 10 mins until the potatoes are browned and tender.
Make four gaps in the vegetables and crack an egg into each space. Return to the oven for 3-4 mins or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

Nutritional Info Per Serving (serves 4)
218 kcalories, protein 11g, carbohydrate 22g, fat 10 g, saturated fat 2g, fibre 2g, salt 0.24 g

Quick result!

This one shows that we are just as human as anyone - and that this system works! I've been doing a lot of travelling recently, which plays havoc with any kind of schedule. So I was having a challenge getting back into the pants I was wearing - no problem - just one week recommitted to my TurboWeightLoss regime and I'm back in those pants!

It's exciting to feel this in control of your weight!

Breakfast for 360 calories

Here's a great breakfast idea for less than 400 calories - with a picture to give an idea of portion size. This is one of the most important things to get locked in on - once you know what the "right" portion size should look like, you are much freer to visit restaurants and eat with friends!

Scrambled eggs - 360 Calories
2 scrambled eggs
2 strips of turkey bacon
1 piece whole wheat toast
1 pat of low fat butter
1 coffee or tea
8 oz water