Tag: #weightloss

Obesity and How To Get Help.

by tigerathletic, posted in Weight Loss

If at your initial consultation your personal trainer tells you you’re obese, they’re not trying to make you feel bad. They’re using a specific medical term, ‘obesity’, to talk with you about your weight. Simply put, the word “obesity” means too much body fat. It’s usually based on your body mass index (BMI).

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement of a person’s weight with respect to his or her height. It is more of an indicator than a direct measurement of a person’s total body fat. BMI, more often than not, correlates with total body fat. This means that as the BMI score increases, so does a person’s total body fat.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), defines an adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 as overweight – an adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese – a BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight, and between 18.5 to 24.9 a healthy weight .

How does being obese affect my health?

Obesity can help explain some conditions you may have, such as:

  1. High blood pressure
  2. Heart disease and stroke
  3. Type 2 diabetes
  4. High cholesterol
  5. Joint problems caused by extra weight
  6. Trouble breathing, including sleep apnea (you briefly stop breathing while you’re asleep)
  7. Gallstones

Modest changes go a long way!

The great news is that you can take simple steps to lose extra weight. Losing even a little weight can make a big difference to your health, how you feel and your personal well-being. You really don’t have to lose a lot of weight to start seeing and feeling the health benefits.

Begin with a weight loss goal of 500 grams to 1000 grams a week. Overweight adults or obese adults should try to lose 5% to 10% of their current weight over 6 months, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of America.

If you’re ready to get started with a weight loss program, ask your personal trainer to help you set personal goals and refer you to other professionals who can give you medical advice if necessary and help you reach your goals safely. For example, a Registered Dietitian can help you with meal planning and a Chiropractor can address your muscloskeletal issues affecting your training performance and general quality of life.

You’ll want to go for steady progress over time, and to make lifestyle changes that work for you for the long run. That way you can start losing weight and feel better.

Tiger Athletic is a modern, private, appointment only gym in Sandton, Johannesburg. We use a rigorous, results-focused methodology we are passionate about helping you be the healthiest version of yourself, so you can lead a more fulfilling personal and professional life.

Our sessions are strictly 1 on 1 just you and your trainer. There is nobody else in the gym and all equipment used is sanitized at the end of each session for the safety of all our clients.

Together changes everything. Let’s work out.

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Week 2 – Get Creative To Log More Steps!

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Bodyweight Training, Walking
Your Personal Trainer

Welcome to week 2 and congratulations for making it through week 1!!! I hope you are feeling energized and pumped to work just a little bit harder this week. If you haven’t hit the 10 000 steps per day mark yet that’s perfectly fine, there are plenty of people gearing towards the same goal.

How to Join the Challenge

  1. Measure your daily steps, using a fitness tracker, a smartwatch or your smartphone.
  2. Join the challenge on the Tiger Athletic Challenge Group. We’ll be posting lots of helpful info and tips, answering all your questions and connecting you to other members of the community who are joining you for the challenge.
  3. Post your progress to the group. Keep the rest of the community updated with your daily walking by posting screenshots of your step-counting app or photos of your fitness tracker or what you saw on your daily walk. Maybe you walked through the park at lunch or took a hike over the weekend. We want to see it!

Keep posting your daily tally on the Tiger Athletic Challenge Group and get encouraged by what other people are doing. Now that you have established a baseline and know how much you walk in a day, here are a couple of fun and creative ways to get you moving more.

  1. Pace around your home while you brush your teeth.
  2. Walk around the kitchen while coffee brews or the microwave is on.
  3. Park the car at the other end of the parking lot from work or the store.
  4. If there are two bathrooms at work or wherever you happen to spend the majority of your day, use the one that’s farther away or even one on a different floor so you have to take the stairs.
  5. Take a walk on your lunch break, between meetings or errands.
  6. If you have a phone call or meeting, take a walk while you do it.
  7. Take your pet for a long walk or walk a friend’s dog.
  8. If the shop is close enough, walk there!
  9. Take your afternoon coffee break walking distance from your office.
  10. Play tag or some other game that involves a lot of movement.
  11. If possible take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
  12. Carry shopping bags from your car to the house one at a time.
  13. Pace the room while the commercials are on.
  14. Take the long way to the printer or water fountain.
  15. Pick up litter around your office or neighborhood.
  16. Pace when you’re waiting for an appointment.
  17. Instead of sending an email, walk over to your co-worker’s desk.
  18. Skip the drive-thru and dance around the kitchen while you cook.
  19. Clean your home.
  20. Do some work around the yard like mow the lawn or rake leaves.
  21. Take an extra lap around the supermarket.

Seems silly but every step adds up, you’ll be surprised how quickly you can reach 10 000 steps. Basically, if you can walk somewhere, you should walk somewhere!

Tiger Athletic Fitness & Conditioning is a private, appointment only gym in the heart of Sandton. We use an individualized approach to assess, motivate, coach and educate you regards your fitness and health needs.

Don’t let me tell you about it, fill in the form below and get a complimentary workout with us, on us!

New Year. New You.

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Bodyweight Training, Boxing, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Dance Music, Healthy Habits, Personal Trainer, Rehabilitation, Self Defence, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning, Weight Loss

There is no time like the present especially when it comes to gaining control over your health and lifestyle after an indulgant festive holiday. We’d like to make your fitness goals a reality in 2019. Become a new client and book 10 fitness sessions for January in December and get up to a 50% cash back to spend as you please!

Tiger Athletic is a private, appointment only strength and conditioning gym in the heart of Sandton. We offer a modern approach to fitness using exercise and nutrition programs based on your health assessment and goals.
We use our personal trainer and modern, state-of-the-art equipment, to provide you with a structured, action-oriented exercise and nutrition solution, improving fitness and appearance, reducing health risks and promoting healthy behavior through extraordinary 50 minute workouts that are simple, efficient and effective.
Our entire approach is designed around you as an individual, your unique physique, capabilities and goals. We assess, motivate, educate and coach you towards your personal goals in a professional and supportive environment.
Our assessment procedure and expert medical network ensure that you are looked after in the best possible way. Ensuring health first and lots of fun while you work towards your dream aesthetic.
Together changes everything. Let’s chat about your health?

Implementing a Wellness Plan Within Your Law Office.

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Bodyweight Training, Boxing, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Personal Trainer, Rehabilitation, Self Defence, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning

Your law office is only as healthy as your team members. If you find merit in this statement, you may also find merit in implementing a wellness plan within your firm. The legal profession is notorious for its prevalence of poor physical and mental health. The unique pressures of the modern legal environment leaves lawyers significantly more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety than other professionals.

A successful wellness plan establishes resources to help your attorneys and staff members maintain optimal physical, mental, and emotional wellness. A successful wellness program requires a partner skilled in thoughtful development and execution. This short paper aids that process, providing some tips on implementing a wellness program within your law office.

Why?

The mental and physical health of your team members is vital long term, aiding increased periods of peak performanc. A strategically aligned plan directly impacts the success of your legal practice in numerous ways:

  1. It takes time to build an effective team of skilled attorneys and reliable support staff. You put in the effort to attract them to the firm – why not put in the effort to keep them there? Wellness programs help bolster employee satisfaction by providing tools that employees find useful in their professional and personal lives. Health screenings empower employees to stay on top of their physical wellness. Custom personal training, nutrition programs and office exercise programs encourage physical activity. Flexible work schedules send the message that it’s okay for employees to take time for themselves. Each of these resources provides value that increases team member satisfaction and long-term productivity.
  2. It’s not necessary to beat your employees over the head with demands for healthier living. We can help your firm to develop a ‘culture of wellness’. Data from our assessment designs modern lifestyle programs that become engrained in the fabric of the law office, where attorneys and staff members are consistently exposed to healthier options and opportunities. As stated in the Harvard Business Review article How to Design a Corporate Wellness Plan that Actually Works, “It is first and foremost about creating a way of life in the workplace that integrates a total health model into every aspect of business practice, from company policies to everyday work activities.”
  3. Combine, a culture of wellness with satisfied employees and you get increased productivity. Healthy employees are happier at work and play, are more efficient and are more effective in their execution of targets. There is a large percentage reduction in illness related absenteeism and team members can think clearer and communicate better because they are not going through the day exhausted and feeling overwhelmed. We effectively implement employee wellness programs that directly result in more productive teams translating into higher profits for your firm.

How?

It’s more than just starting a weight loss program or offering an incentive to quit smoking. Our assessments provide data that highlights the areas for physiological development that would most contribute to peak mental and physical performance. A short, in depth health and lifestyle questionnaire achieves the first step. These assessments are essential for determining where your team members find challenges and concerns both in their professional and personal lives.

Data from assessments is used to create personalised wellness plans. Common issues among your team members are also identified, this data is used to create the inhouse component of the program.

  1. Smoking Cessation
  2. Strength & Conditioning
  3. On-Site Exercise Solutions
  4. Short-Term Health Challenges

Communication.

Team members need to know that you have implanted a wellness program and what it entails. The framework of the plan is laid out with the appropritae mix of short video and face to face engagement is laid out at greater lenghth via targeted email. The goal is to create a create a culture of wellness.

Opinions are split on the issue of incentives and milestones for employee participation in wellness plans. According to the Harvard Review article, financial incentives have not been proven effective for long-term behavioural changes.

In fact, they may even foster some resentment and ill-feelings among team members. Instead, use team-based incentives to build camaraderie and encourage support among employees like competitions where strategic teams work as a unit to meet specific health goals. These options are more effective for creating a community of support, which leads to long-term changes.

Personal SMART goals are next. Quartely screenings provide data that demonstrates the development of the perticipant. Quarterly surveys, evaluate their participant impressions. Our wellness plans are never static, each team and team situation are unique, so there is always room for change and enhancements.

Whether you are a mid-sized law firm, a small practice or inhouse department with only a few members, a wellness plan can be of great assistance to your employees and the firm. It takes a bit of effort, but the result is more than worth it.

Tiger Athletic Fitness & Conditioning is a modern, private, appointment only strength & conditioning gym in the heart of Sandton. Our custom exercise programs stem from personalised assessments, strength & conditioning, motivation and education.

Together Changes Everything. Let’s Get Stronger!

Is Your Personal Trainer An Asset?

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Bodyweight Training, Boxing, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Dance Music, Healthy Habits, Personal Trainer, Rehabilitation, Self Defence, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning

Hiring a certified personal trainer is a sure way to ensure that you get expert knowledge and attention to guide you to your personal wellness goals, identify and develop hidden strengths, address personal weaknesses and learn from past lifestyle behaviour through individualised assessments and custom fitness programs in a modern, private appointment only gym, Tiger Athletic personal training will help you shed the extra weight.

We offer a variety of exercise programs, customisable to overcome different hurdles that you commonly face that stop you from reaching your desired aesthetic, exercise solutions that help you derive real benefit from hiring a certified personal trainer who is invested in your success.

Personalised and in-depth assessments provide you the client, with information that simplifies SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time based) goal setting and as a foundation for your trainer to design efficient and effective exercise programs by revealing a broader perspective of the client. The process and the data collected also assist in identifying potential areas of injury and reasonable starting points for recommended intensities and volumes of exercise based on desired goals and fitness outcomes.

Individualised assesssments help your Tiger Athletic trainer to bring the best possible tailormade fitness solution to our clients. Some of the key reasons for our indepth assessments:

  1. A baseline for future comparisons of improvement or rate of progress.
  2. Identification of strengths and weaknesses that may affect program emphasis on certain aspects.
  3. Assistance in establishing appropriate intensities and volumes of exercise.
  4. Clarification of short, medium and long-term goals.
  5. Identification of areas of potential injury or contraindications prior to program initiation, which may lead to referral to a physician or other health care professionals; and
  6. A record demonstrating prudent judgement and appropriate scope of practice in program design to further avert the risk of injury and ensure success.

At the very beginning, when tailoring our program for your best possible benefit, we take the most important first step with you, by figuring out what internal challenges you face in trying to lead a healthier more productive life. Our programs are flexible enough to include exercises that will be effective in helping you work through these issues by asking questions that identify the root of past failures.

  1. Are conflicts between work and your lifestyle creating divisions that undermine motivation?
  2. Do you need to get to know yourself better?
  3. Do you focus on the end goal or success instead of being mindful of the process?
  4. Does poor prioritisation of your goals in your everyday life hamper progress?
  5. Can you take instruction and advice and apply it to everyday life?
  6. Are you resistant to change? Does this affect your ability to move forward?
  7. Does your moral require a regular boost?

Self-mastery has a multiplier effect on total life performance. An effective mind – body connection can help you achieve incredible results in all spheres of your life. An individual that fails to gel work, play and personal life into a team can cause unnecessary disruption, failed delivery and strategic failure across the board.

In modern life both business and personal, it is almost impossible to avoid being a member of a team. If you’re not on an official team at work, chances are you function within one in one way or another. So, it’s important for your personal and career development to isolate and develop your working strengths and weaknesses.

Strength & conditioning helps provide you with the physical, mental and emotional strength, stability, power, mobility, endurance and flexibility that you need to thrive as you navigate life. You use basic movement patterns like pushing, pulling, hinging, squatting, rotating, carrying and gait patterns (walking and running) every day. Strength & conditioning utilizes exercises that improve movement and thinking proficiency in these primary patterns to give you an edge and enhance your physical and mental performance, so you can achieve your goals in a team setting in the workplace, playing field and home!

Life is unpredictable and unstable. So why would you develop yourself using stable and predictable diets, workouts and self-help aids. No matter what your personal or business target is, audacious your fitness goals seem or how you perceive your physical ability, we treat variety and practical application as critical components of your training to keep you winning!

Tiger Athletic custom fitness solutions challenge the entire mind and body in every plane of motion to perform exercises that improve movement and cognitive skills on the field and in life. We are an appointment only, strength & conditioning gym offering custom, personal trainer led fitness solutions in a modern, private facility in the heart of Sandton. We offer simple, efficient, effective, personal wellness solutions.

Together changes everything. Let’s workout!

Abdominal Strength & Endurance

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Bodyweight Training, Boxing, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Dance Music, Personal Trainer, Rehabilitation, Self Defence, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning

Abdominal strength and endurance means much more than carving out your six pack, it means your body is more functional in your daily life, improved sports performance and better physical health. Your abs are part of your core, which includes your pelvic muscles, hips and the muscles that support the spine. Strong, able abs contribute to a healthy core, forming a powerful axis for your whole body.

If your abs are weak, it forces the back muscles to work harder to support your middle, your abdominals act as an anchor for muscles of the mid and lower back. Abdominal strength improves the endurance of the muscles of your back slowing down your rate of fatigue leaving you less vulnerable to strain or injury. Weak abdominals cause your tummy to protrude too far forward and altering your center of gravity, especially when you are overweight, stressing your back and resulting in lower back pain.

Strong abdominals support good posture by helping prop up your spine so it feels more natural to stand tall with your arms and legs in alignment conversely when the abdominals are weak, we slouch because we will be lacking the musculature to support proper alignment. With proper posture, you will look taller, leaner and feel more confident, lessening wear and tear on your spine and avoiding complications such as disc herniation.Primal actions, such as bending down to wash yourself in the shower or to pat your pet can be downright dangerous when you have a weak abdomen. Twisting in the car to reverse, lifting your laptop and even getting up and down out of a chair when your significant other enters the room requires the strength of your core. Injuries often occur during these mundane activities when your back has to bear more than its fair share of the work to complete such tasks.

Strong abdominal muscles fascilitate the stability for action that requires you to twist and rotate whether to catch a ball, swim, jump or run, skills that are sometimes the difference between victory and defeat while also providing the necessary support during recovery and healing from injury.

Abdominal strength and endurance means that you have the added physical capacity  to outwork competition. Abdominal endurance helps you minimize wasteful movement from your arms, legs and hips, keeping you efficient and performing optimally when te competition is beginning to fatigue.

Balance is an everyday skill in ordinary life, whether you’re walking on an uneven surface, riding on a bumpy road or catching yourself when you trip, miss a step or slip. Strong abdominals help you avoid that fall that could potentially be a disastrous accident that fractures your hip or loses you key seconds in a timed activity.

Tiger Athletic is a modern, private, appointment only gym in the heart of Sandton. We use a personalised approach to assess, motivate, coach and educate you regards your health and fitness. Our personal trainer designs custom workout programs for you so that you can live life to the fullest.

Abdominal Strength & Endurance is a specialist everyday class we offer. Book your complimetary session, lets trim that waist and tummy!

Sugar Addict? Kick The Habit!

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Bodyweight Training, Boxing, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Dance Music, Healthy Habits, Personal Trainer, Self Defence, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning, Weight Loss

Fact: we love our sugar and sugary treats. Arb fact: Former US President Ronald Reagan had to have jellybeans on his desk always. Vending machines and even till points almost everywhere feed our cravings for sweets. With South African sales of sugar filled drinks and other sweets soaring and the highest percentage of fat children and adolescents on the planet, we as a nation are addicted to sugar in all its glorious forms.

While sugar is not literally addicting, (scientists long ago proved that people are born with a preference for sweets), this innate desire does not disappear as we grow older. Some people find it impossible to leave the dinner table without dessert; others can’t fathom a day without chocolate. Many women blame hormonal surges for the sweets cravings they get around the same time each month.

Sugar and other sweeteners add calories with few other nutrients and have no doubt helped contribute to our current epidemic of obesity. True, sugar is not alone in promoting obesity, a lack of exercise and excessive calories from poor nutrition habits also contribute.

Sugar has been blamed for everything from diabetes, tooth decay, obesity, and heart disease to disruptive behaviour in the classroom. But sugar by itself will not cause any of these conditions, except for cavities.

A comprehensive review of scientific research, published in the journal Nutrition Research in 1997, showed that sugar is not a direct cause of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, or hyperactivity. A more recent government report concurs that sugar is not by itself linked to any of those conditions. However, too many calories, in any form, can contribute to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Changes in our behaviour are often attributed to changes in our blood sugar levels. When you consume a meal made up of simple, refined carbohydrates – like a doughnut or a soft drink – the result is a spike in blood sugar. Your body responds to this spike by secreting large amounts of insulin to normalize your blood sugar level. In response to the insulin, your blood sugar level drops quickly, leaving you with a feeling of sluggishness and irritability. When your blood sugar gets too low, hunger reappears, and the roller-coaster ride resumes, that is, if your next meal is also mostly simple carbohydrates. These are the carbohydrates that the latest diet books denounce, not the healthy, fibrous carbohydrates that come from whole fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

At Tiger Athletic, your personal trainer will help you choose these healthy carbohydrates or give you nutritional advice that adds protein or fat to your meal, so your blood sugar will rise and fall more normally without the negative side effects.

When we say we have a sugar addiction, we may mean anything from a mild desire to intense cravings for sweet foods and drinks. Some people go so far as to equate the effects of sugar to a drug, saying it calms them and helps them deal with stress. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Guide Pyramid recommends we limit added sugars in our diet to 12 teaspoons per day, as far back as 2001, the average American ate and drank the equivalent of 31 teaspoons of sugar daily, however, even with these scary numbers, South African children still managed to overtake American kids as the fattest on the planet! We are failing the next generation!

Sugar finds its way into virtually every kind of processed food, from tomato sauce to soups and, especially, soft drinks. One 330ml can of your favourite soft drink contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar. As if that is not bad enough, some data suggest that we consume an average of 155 litres of soft drink per person annually. That’s a lot of sugar – and extra calories!

Sugars have 4 calories per gram, or 15 calories per teaspoon. If you want to shave calories, it’s a good idea to limit added sugar in your diet. Sounds simple enough, but what about those hard-to-ignore cravings? Here’s the trick: Gradually decreasing the amount of sugar you eat, and how often you eat it, will help you reduce your desire for sugars while lowering your caloric intake. Old habits are hard to break but our personal trainer will guide you into making small and gradual changes in your eating style will help you break free from your sugar addiction.

Many people, newly diagnosed with diabetes find that after they start eating fewer sweets, foods like fresh fruit taste sweeter and can satisfy their cravings for sweets. Remember, moderation is the key. If you can control the quantity, you will be able to enjoy sweets on occasion.

Here are some tips to help you break the sugar habit:

  • Book an assessment with a personal trainer at Tiger Athletic and get professional help.
  • Read the label on all processed foods. Check the amount of sugars and choose products with the least sugar per serving.
  • Become familiar with sugar terminology. Recognize that all of these are sweeteners: corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, honey, molasses, turbinado, and brown sugar.
  • Keep up with your journal, and use the notes section to document your mood, setting, and activity whenever you feel the urge to eat sweets. Review your notes and look for patterns or triggers that you can alter to help control your sugar intake.
  • Select one behaviour to change each week. Try satisfying your sweet tooth with a snack-sized chocolate bar instead of a full-sized one. Next week, trade in a soft drink for sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice.
  • Satisfy your desire for sweets with the natural sweetness of whole fruits or no-sugar-added juices.
  • Buy unsweetened food and beverages and add small amounts of sweeteners if you need them. Enjoy whole-grain cereal with one teaspoon of sugar instead of presweetened cereals, which contain much more sugar per serving.
  • Try using less sugar in your coffee or tea. Gradually decrease the amount you use to let your taste buds adapt.
  • Don’t substitute artificial sweeteners for sugar; this will do little to alter your desire for sweets. Moderate amounts of artificial sweeteners are not unhealthy, but they won’t help you retrain your taste buds.
  • Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder — and it also intensifies cravings. Allow yourself small portions of sweets on occasion. Try to satisfy your cravings with a piece of sugarless gum. If you totally deny yourself, it will be hard to think about anything else. On the other hand, if you know you are allowed one small treat per day, you will savour every bite.
  • Quench your thirst with flavoured waters that are calorie-free. Jazz up plain or sparkling water with fresh mint, a slice of lemon, lime, or orange, or a splash of fruit juice.

If you’re a sugar “addict,” kicking the habit will do your body good. Doctors newest nutritional recommendations suggest a balanced diet, low in fat, with a reduced sugar intake, along with regular exercise, as the best way to lose weight and keep it off.

Your Tiger Athletic Weight Loss Program of exercise and good nutritional advice supports these recommendations. It is designed to promote a weight loss of ½ to 1 kilogram per week and to encourage the eating of healthy foods while weaning you from excessive sugar. So, book a trial session, sign up, stick with the plan, follow our tips, and find out just how sweet better health can be!

Tiger Athletic Fitness & Conditioning is a modern, private, appointment only gym in the heart of Sandton. Our personal trainer is a fitness professional who uses a personalised approach to assess, motivate, educate and coach clients regards their health and fitness needs.

Together changes everything. Let’s get you healthy!

SOURCES: Nutrition Research, 1997; vol 17(9). Family Economics and Nutrition Review, Jan. 10, 2002. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, May 1998. Food Review, Winter 2002; vol 25(3). USDA Economic Research Service. USDA Economic Research Service, 1990-1997 Food Consumption Data, April 1999. Clinician Reviews, 2001; vol 13(11). WebMD

Start

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Boxing, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Dance Music, own your body, Personal Trainer, Self Defence, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning

Start is a combination of custom, personal training and smart nutrition. 12 weeks of hard work and dedication to devlop the physical literacy and capacities to move your body from unhealthy to healthy and have you feeling stronger, healthier and leaner through gaining control over your weight, reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease, your risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, strengthening your bones and muscles.

The exercise component of Start comprises resistance training and boxing to boost your metabolism causing your body to burn fat while building muscle. Coupled with smart nutrition advice to reduce the risk of lifestyle illnesses, stroke, some cancers, and osteoporosis, you can use Start to safely and effectively lose body fat, get stronger and be leaner, firmer and more functional.

Strength & conditioning and smart nutrition – eating the right food in the right quantities at the right times results in single digit weight week on week weight loss for 12 weeks. We keep track of your p\rogress with body fat percentage and girth measurements.

Tiger Athletic personal training sessions are sport science based, using insight from your health assessment and your goals in the program design. You never do the same workout twice and get to train privately in a modern, appointment only strength and conditioning gym with our personal trainer in the heart of Sandton.

Your personal trainer is a health and fitness professional using an individualised approach to assess, motivate, educate and run your training sessions. Our pre-participation health appraisal screening process ensures that we design and deliver comprehensive exercise programs that safely and effectively meet your fitness and health objectives.

Book your Session #01, let’s discuss your goals and Start!

Tiger Athletic. Advanced Strength & Conditioning.

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Bodyweight Training, Boxing, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Dance Music, Personal Trainer, Rehabilitation, Self Defence, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning, Weight Loss

Transforming your body from fat to fit, or unhealthy to healthy, and to start feeling great about your health and looks, you need a smart combination of nutrition and exercise. Like you need the air you breathe in order to live, your body needs physical exercise to help control your weight, reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, strengthen your bones and muscles and to improve your mental health and mood so you have a better quality of life.

Tiger Athletic Personal Training offers benefits and results that dieting and supplements alone just can’t give you. The exercise component of our programs boosts your metabolism and turns your body into a fat blasting furnace, while the benefits of our ‘smart nutrition’ go beyond weight. Good nutrition can help reduce the risk of some diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, some cancers, and osteoporosis. Our programs build muscle in the places you want and improves body shape to give you a firm, toned body, which when coupled with smart nutrition safely speeds up the weight loss and strength gain.

Our programs consist of strength & conditioning, healthy eating and portion control – eating the right food in the right quantities at the right times with a weekly weight loss target of half to one and a half kilograms. We keep track of your progress with monthly body fat percentage and girth measurements to show progress and motivate performance.

Tiger Athletic workout plans are largely based on your health assessment and goals, with a lot of variety and progressively harder sessions. Why? Not just to make you stronger and more fit, but to make sure you keep burning fat and toning muscle. When you do a workout over and over again, it eventually gets easier, which means your body doesn’t have to work as hard and therefore burns fewer calories. Our motto is “We train the hardest”, therefore each week the workouts evolve to a higher intensity, keeping your body interested and guessing by never doing the same workout twice.

Tiger Athletic Fitness & Conditioning is a modern, appointment only, strength & conditioning gym offering custom, personal trainer led fitness solutions. Our workouts are based on your health screening and goals. This initial process is instrumental in screening participants for risk factors and symptoms of chronic cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic and orthopedic diseases in order to optimise safety and benefit during exercise testing and participation.

Your personal trainer is a health and fitness professional who uses an individualised approach to assess, motivate, educate and train you regards your health and fitness needs. Our rigorous pre-participation health appraisal screening process ensures that we design and deliver comprehensive exercise programs that safely and effectively meet your individual fitness and health objectives.

You can start your own Tiger Athletic fitness program by booking your initial interview. This is a scheduled appointment intended as a mutual sharing of information with the expected outcomes of assessing client – trainer compatability, discussing goals and developing a a client – trainer agreement.

We stand by the quality of our work. We have no joining or cancellation fees. We let the quality of our assessments, fitness programs, coaching and results be the only reason you keep coming back for more.

Together changes everything. Let’s workout!

 

Kick-Lift-Box.

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Bodyweight Training, Boxing, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Dance Music, Healthy Habits, own your body, Personal Trainer, Rehabilitation, Self Defence, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning

If you’re stuck in a workout rut or looking for a motivating fitness routine, you might consider adding a high-energy Kick-Lift-Box workout to the schedule. A Kick-Lift-Box workout is made up of karate kicks and boxing routines and punches for heart-pumping cardio with weight lifting for strength and endurance set to high energy music with a personal trainer in a private, appointment only strength & conditioning gym in Sandton. You get a total body workout, self-defence skills and whip yourself into shape safely and quickly.

Whether you’re a fitness newbie or long-time gym aficionado Kick-Lift-Box twice per week will get you to your fitness goals in no time. You can kick, punch and lift your way to a stress-free zone within minutes of your high-energy Kick-Lift-Box routine with movements that stimulate every muscle group in a simple, effective 50 min workout.

You release endorphins which will give your mood a boost and help you feel more confident. Endorphins will also make you feel happier and more positive for several hours after the workout.

If you’re suffering from posture problems and have poor coordination, you can strengthen your ‘core’ and improve your reflexes and coordination skills with the swift punches, kicks and resistance routines in a Kick-Lift-Box session.

Muscle and Fitness Magazine reports that fitness kickboxing can burn over 800 calories per hour, and you’ll be toning up your entire body as you rev up your metabolism. It’s a high-power cardio routine that’s great for weight loss and getting you in shape, fast. (Source: CKO Kickboxing.com), couple this with the anti-ageing and fat burning benefits of resistance training and you have one of the most complete , varied and fun workouts available today.

If you’ve been pounding on the treadmill for several weeks and need a break from your usual cardio routine, Kick-Lift-Box is the perfect cross-training workout. Just two sessions a week can help you break out of a fitness rut, fast.

Kick-Lift-Box is a high-energy strength, cardio, endurance and flexibility workout that will give your body and mind a boost and increase your energy levels. You’ll be breathing hard and sweating out toxins; this process will give your energy levels a much-needed boost.

If you’re hunched over a computer all day, Kick-Lift-Box workouts will challenge many muscle groups that don’t get enough attention throughout the day, and you’ll start to build up your core as core muscles are targeted with Kick-Lift-Box routines that use your waist and abs for balance and stability to execute each carefully coordinated and loaded movement.

Kick-Lift-Box workouts offer several benefits for your body and mind, and are a great choice for getting out of a fitness rut whether you’re a fitness fanatic or just getting started with a workout routine.

Tiger Athletic Fitness & Conditioning motivates, assesses, trains and educates clients in a private, appointment only, personal trainer led facility providing an extraordinary simple, efficient and effective 50-minute workout in the heart of Sandton!

 

Your Body. Your Rules.

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Bodyweight Training, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Corporate Wellness, Dance Music, Healthy Habits, own your body, Personal Trainer, Rehabilitation, Self Defence, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning

Tiger Athletic offers custom fitness solutions based on your health assessment and goals in our private, modern, appointment only strength and conditioning gym in Sandton. We offer a structured, action-oriented exercise and nutrition programs to improve fitness and aesthetic appearance, reduce health risks and promote healthy behavior through extraordinary 45 minute workouts that are simple, efficient and effective.

In South Africa at least 62% of the population is overweight, raising the risk of morbidity from hypertension; hyperlipidemia; type 2 diabetes; coronary heart disease (CHD); stroke; gallbladder disease; osteoarthritis; sleep apnea and respiratory problems; and endometrial, breast, prostate and colon cancers. Obesity and being overweight is the second leading cause of preventable deaths globally. Let’s get you healthy.

All sessions in our state-of-the-art strength and conditioning gym are personal trainer led. We have a private shower and change room,  premium coffee, tea and cold refreshments are available as well as audio and visual entertainment in a de-stress area. You can pop in, workout and return to your everyday grind refreshed and refocused in under an hour.

Your personal trainer Aubrey, is a Coaching Science graduate and holds a 6th degree black belt in Karate with 25 years experience as a high performance athlete and coach. He designs safe and effective exercise programs and provides the guidance to help clients achieve their personal goals through one on one’ or small group training.

Physical exercise is the most effective way of actively preventing and fighting diseases which are associated with a sedentary lifestyle, bad eating habits, stress and an ageing population. Across the globe annually, millions of people die each year because of physical inactivity.

Start your journey to a healthier self, by booking an initial consultation below.

Barre

by tigerathletic, posted in Bodyweight Training, Dance Music, Personal Trainer, Rehabilitation, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning, weight management

Ever wonder how dancers get their long, lean legs? Genetics plays a part, sure, but ballet is a serious workout. To bust the boredom and take you a little out of your comfort zone with loads of fun of course, your personal trainer takes you through a 30-minute ballet-inspired workout which focuses on your lower half and jiggly bits!

Want to lose the jiggle for good? Ballet-inspired workouts blast fat, focusing on your lower-half resulting in toned abs, bums, and legs. Getting you slim and trim with a 30-minute routine. Here’s the secret: Most exercises involve “micro-movements,” in which you move just an inch or two. “They take out the momentum, forcing you to stay in the contraction, which tires muscles faster, giving you faster results”.

Hundreds – Warm up first with 2 minutes of standing knee lifts. Next, lie on your back, draw knees up, lift head and shoulders, and bring chin to chest, coming into a tight ball. Keeping your upper body lifted, extend legs toward ceiling, or, for more of a challenge, at a diagonal; extend arms (as shown). Pump arms up and down 4 times, then hold arms still and curl torso a tiny bit up and down twice. Repeat series 10 times.

Push ups – Get on hands and knees, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. Bring feet toward your seat and tuck tailbone under. Bend elbows out to sides, lowering chest toward floor, then push back up; repeat 15 times. Next, lower halfway down and hold; do 15 little pulses (pushing up and lowering down an inch) before coming all the way back up.

Triceps dips – Sit with knees bent and feet hip-width on floor, hands behind you on either side of hips, fingers forward. Lift hips off floor and shift weight back. Bend and straighten elbows 20 times, leaving feet flat, then come onto heels and repeat. Staying on heels, walk feet forward (keep weight shifted back) and do 20 more dips.

Extension parallel – Stand with back at fist’s distance away from barre, feet hip-distance apart, knees slightly bent; reach back with wide arms and grab barre. Extend left leg (knee toward ceiling) and flex foot. Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Lift and lower leg a couple of inches; make small circles as if tracing a dime in the air with heel. Repeat circles in other direction, and point toes and do small leg lifts. Repeat series on opposite side.

Plie & releve – Stand with one hand on barre, the other on hip. Bring feet wider than hip-distance; turn toes out slightly and bend knees (keep knees behind toes), pushing hips back to sink seat to knee level. Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Bend knees a bit more, lowering then raising an inch; lower again and hold, slightly pressing knees back then releasing (as if pulsing). Rise on toes, then lower and raise an inch; lower an inch and hold, pressing knees back, then releasing them.

Standing straight leg – Stand with right hand forward on barre, knees slightly bent, heels together, toes apart. Wrap left arm around waist and grab barre. Extend left leg diagonally back with toes pointed; tuck tailbone. Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Lift and lower left leg a couple inches; hold left foot a few inches off floor and make dime-size circles with leg. Circle leg in opposite direction; flex foot, then lift and lower a couple inches. Make dime-size circles; reverse direction. Repeat series on opposite side.

Semi-fold over – Face barre, feet hip-width, knees slightly bent; stack bent forearms on barre. Walk feet back until body is folded 90 degrees at waist; rest head on arms. Keeping hips level, extend right leg straight back with foot flexed (as shown). Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Raise and lower leg a couple inches; make dime-size circles with leg. Reverse circle direction; point toes, then lift and lower a couple of inches. Make tiny circles with leg; reverse circle direction.

Tap & curl – Sit with knees bent, feet hip-width on the floor. Grab beneath thighs with elbows wide, then round back, bringing lower back toward mat; tuck tailbone. Do the following moves for 30 seconds each: Extend arms straight by hips, tap fists twice against mat, then lift fists. With arms still, lower and raise upper body an inch; with upper body still, tap fists twice against thighs, then open arms out. Lower and raise upper body an inch; extend arms up and tap fists toward each other twice, then open. Hold arms still and lower and lift body an inch.

Tiger Athletic is a private, appointment only strength & conditioning gym in the heart of Sandton. We offer tailor made, goal oriented  fitness programs based on an individualised approach to health and fitness assessment, motivation and goal setting, coaching science and client education.

Your personal trainer Aubrey, is a Coaching Science graduate and holds a 6th degree black belt in Karate with 25 years experience as a high performance athlete and coach. He designs safe and effective exercise programs and provides the guidance to help clients achieve their personal goals through one on one’ or small group training.

Your Gut Can Make You Slim!

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Healthy Habits, Personal Trainer, Smart Nutrition, Weight Loss, weight loss transformation, weight management

Your digestive tract contains about 1,000 species of bacteria. Why should you care? It turns out that having a healthy balance of those bugs can help you lose weight and bust cravings for fattening foods. Consider this: Right now, as you’re sitting there, there’s a battle raging in your belly. Some 1,000 species of bacteria are duking it out, trying to establish dominance.

Why should you care? Because whether the good bacteria in your gut or the bad triumph doesn’t just decide how well you digest your dinner, respond to allergens and fend off diseases, it also helps determine how much weight you’re likely to gain or lose.

Simply put, if you get the microbiome, that collection of bacteria inside you healthy, you will lose weight. It’s less about eating a certain percentage of carbohydrates, protein and fat than about correcting the overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria, which is making you crave the wrong foods, triggering inflammation.

A flurry of ground-breaking findings is helping to connect the dots about how our gut bacteria may shape our shape. In a study in the British Journal of Nutrition, obese women who took a probiotic supplement (of the bacteria Lactobacillus rhamnosus) lost twice as much weight and fat over about six months and were better at keeping it off as those who took a placebo. Probiotics may have helped by controlling the women’s appetites, which seem to have waned as their microbiomes changed.

Unhealthy gut bacteria also produce food cravings: A study published in BioEssays suggests that some microbes may drive us to eat doughnuts or another tempting treat. These gut bugs send chemical messages to the brain that sway our appetite and mood, perhaps making us feel anxious until we gobble a square of dark chocolate or a T-bone steak.

Fortunately, we can begin to take control by feeding our microbiome the right foods. “I tell my patients, ‘The bacteria follow the food,'” says gastroenterologist Robynne Chutkan, MD, founder of the Digestive Center for Women in Chevy Chase, Md., and author of Gutbliss. “What we eat dictates the kind of bacteria we grow in our gut garden.”

This is big news: There are trillions of microbes in your belly that will, if you feed them well, help you fight flab and win.

Get Your Two P’s – Basically, it all begins with probiotics and prebiotics, components of food believed to play an important role in improving gut health. Probiotics are a type of good bacteria, like the ones that already reside in your gut. Ingesting these organism’s aids digestion and helps change and repopulate intestinal bacteria to balance what doctors refer to as “gut flora.” Prebiotics are plant-fibre compounds, also found in food, that pass undigested through the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract and help stimulate the growth of good bacteria. When pre- and probiotics are combined, they become an intestinal power couple.

Fermented foods deliver probiotics directly to the gut. A cup of yogurt a day? It’s a nice start. Look for products that say, “live and active cultures” on the label, and be careful when it comes to fruit-infused flavours: Some are loaded with sugar, which can feed bad bugs, so be sure to check the ingredients and aim for fewer than 15 grams per serving. For even more probiotics, try Greek yogurt or kefir, a tangy dairy drink that’s packed with good bugs.

A 2011 Harvard study found that yogurt was more strongly linked to weight loss than any other health food. In fact, people who ate an extra serving a day lost nearly half a kilogram every four years.Research shows that foods that are high in fibre help promote the growth of friendly bacteria. Case in point: In a University of Illinois study, people who ate high-fibre snack bars experienced a growth of anti-inflammatory bacteria in their bellies.

  1. What you don’t eat is every bit as crucial as what you do add to your diet. Keep your gut flora fit by cutting back on these offenders.
  2. Refined carbs – Fatty and sugary foods not only tend to lack fibre, which is ideal food for the microbiome, but can also cause bad bacteria to thrive. And let’s face it: If you’re pounding that bag of potato chips, chances are you’re not munching on celery sticks, blueberries and other gut-friendly eats.
  3. Animal protein – A diet heavy in fat and protein (such as meat and cheese) feeds a type of bacterium, Bilophilia, that has been linked to inflammation. Lawrence David, PhD, assistant professor at Duke University’s Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, saw the levels of this bacteria shoot up in study participants scarfing ribs and brisket, but not in those eating squash and lentils. Dr. Kellman suggests limiting red meat to once a week. It’s smart for your heart and hips!

Tiger Athletic is a private, appointment only strength & conditioning gym in the heart of Sandton. We offer tailor made, goal oriented  fitness programs based on an individualised approach to health and fitness assessment, motivation and goal setting, coaching science and client education.

Your personal trainer Aubrey, is a Coaching Science graduate and holds a 6th degree black belt in Karate with 25 years experience as a high performance athlete and coach. He designs safe and effective exercise programs and provides the guidance to help clients achieve their personal goals through one on one’ or small group training.

Crank Up Your Metabolism

by tigerathletic, posted in Bodyweight Training, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Corporate Wellness, Dance Music, Personal Trainer, Rehabilitation, Self Defence, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning, Weight Loss, weight management, Women's Self Defence

How fast your body burns calories is dependent on many things, among them; genetics, your sex, and your age. Resistance training is the best thing you can do to reverse the inevitable age-related slowdown. If you have signed up for a Tiger Athletic Strength & Conditioning Program, then you’re already heading in the right direction!

Whey protein increases calorie burn and fat utilization, helps the body maintain muscle, and triggers the brain to feel full, protein has a thermogenic effect, meaning it makes your body produce more heat and, in turn, burn more calories, but whey may be the most effective non-animal protein. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that fat oxidation and the thermic effect was greater with whey than with soy or casein.

Drinking two glasses of water before every meal helped dieters lose an average of 7 kilograms (2.2kilograms more than the non-water drinkers) over three months in a study presented at the American Chemical Society’s annual conference. Taking quick hydration breaks throughout the day also boosts your metabolic machinery and research shows staying properly hydrated keeps you feeling energized.

When your annoyed co-worker tells you you’re bouncing your leg, perhaps you can explain that you’re just doing some non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)—the expert term for fidgeting. Research shows that NEAT may help you burn an additional 350 calories a day. Small bursts of activity, like running upstairs, pacing while you’re on the phone, or shifting around in your seat all count. It adds up quickly, so take advantage of any chance to move more throughout your day.

Caffeine’s ability to speed up the central nervous system makes it a powerful metabolism booster; coffee beans provide antioxidants and real health value. Provided your cup is not laden with cream and syrup, coffee can be a great way to give you energy as well as some antioxidants. Coffee has been shown to improve energy levels during exercise, especially endurance activity, and help people work harder longer, which therefore burns more calories. Drinking coffee after a workout can also be beneficial. Consuming caffeine after exercise increased muscle glycogen by 66% in endurance athletes, enabling them to more quickly replenish energy stores used through exercise, according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

If you drink three cups of coffee a day, consider swapping in green tea for one of them. In addition to giving you the metabolism-boosting caffeine jolt you crave, green tea is a rich source of antioxidants called catechins. And, in a study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, drinking green tea combined with a total of three hours of moderate exercise a week reduced abdominal fat in subjects over a three-month period. Unsweetened, brewed green tea was shown to increase calorie burn by about 100 calories per day brew your own and avoid added sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Probiotics, the healthy bacteria found in yogurt, pickles, and other fermented foods like sauerkraut, may help you lose weight, if you’re a woman, shows a new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition. Overweight men and women followed a 12-week weight loss diet; half of the volunteers also took a probiotic pill every day. Women in the probiotic group lost more weight than those in the placebo group and continued to lose weight during the 12-week maintenance period afterward (the probiotic didn’t make any difference for men). Consuming probiotics in food form has other waist-friendly benefits: Yogurt, like other full-fat dairy, also has a fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) that studies show can improve fat burning. Avoid fruit-on-the-bottom varieties, which can have as much sugar as a candy bar.

Taking a quick break to look at funny cat videos on YouTube or take a Buzzfeed quiz doesn’t just feel good, you’re also burning calories in the process. A study from the International Journal of Obesity showed a 10 to 20% increase in energy expenditure (calories burned) and heart rate during genuine laughter. This translated to an increase of 10 to 40 calories burned within 10 to 15 minutes of laughter.

When you want to add flavour to your food, reach for hot sauce or chilli powder. Chilli peppers contain the chemical capsaicin. The capsaicin in the chili peppers has a thermogenic effect, causing the body to burn up to an additional 90 calories immediately following a meal. One study shows capsaicin activates brown fat, which increases calorie burning.

Eating a small mid-afternoon meal will prevent over eating at dinner time and it will also keep your metabolism stoked. Eating small meals raises your metabolism every time you eat. The key is to include a lean protein and complex carb each time, not processed or junk food. A few no-effort options: cottage cheese and fruit, peanut butter and an apple, or Greek yogurt with berries.

Having a salad for lunch or dinner fills you up with belly-flattening fibre and nutrients, and adding one more ingredient will really stoke your metabolism: salmon. You already learned the metabolism-boosting effects of protein, but with salmon you’ll also get a dose of omega-3 fatty acids. In a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, supplementing diets with fish oil for six weeks increased lean muscle and decreased fat. Other studies have shown similar effects. Scientists speculate this reaction may be due to fish oil’s ability to reduce levels of fat-storage enzymes in the body.

Do you really need to stay seated while you listen in on a conference call or wait on hold with the internet company? This super-easy tweak nearly doubles the number of calories your body will burn. A 68 kilogram person, for example, burns 72 calories an hour sitting and 129 calories an hour standing. Walking around an office slowly increases the burn to 143 calories an hour. You recruit more muscle fibres and must use your postural muscles to stabilize yourself, which burns more calories. Make it a habit to stand and walk around each time the phone rings and get up out of your chair at least once every hour.

Pick organic produce. Pesticides found on conventionally grown produce, called “obesogens,” are blamed for slowing metabolism and predisposing some people to gain weight. One of the biggest hidden causes of weight loss resistance is toxicity. Buy organic whenever possible and choose the cleanest, highest-quality cuts of meat.

Take one bite at a time. Wolfing down your food makes it more likely you’ll eat more, says a study published by the American Dietetic Association. Another study found even among women who didn’t diet, reducing stress and practicing mindfulness can prevent fat gain. It takes about 20 minutes before a hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK) tells your brain to stop eating. When you engulf a burger and fries, you don’t give CCK enough time to relay the message to your brain, and you eat too much, speed eating also raises fat-storing insulin levels. Just as important as eating the right diet is slowing down and becoming mindful when you eat.

Exposure to the type of blue light emitted by smartphones, computers, and tablets immediately before and after dinner increased hunger and impacted glucose metabolism in people who participated in a small North-western University study. The study authors aren’t sure of the reasons for the link, and say more research is needed—but even if the link between blue light and appetite doesn’t hold up in later studies, other research shows that limiting mealtime distractions helps control portions.

Tiger Athletic is a private, appointment only strength & conditioning gym in the heart of Sandton. We offer tailor made, goal oriented  fitness programs based on an individualised approach to health and fitness assessment, motivation and goal setting, coaching science and client education.

Your personal trainer Aubrey, is a Coaching Science graduate and holds a 6th degree black belt in Karate with 25 years experience as a high performance athlete and coach. He designs safe and effective exercise programs and provides the guidance to help clients achieve their personal goals through one on one’ or small group training.

Let’s chat about your health.

Preadolescent Fitness

by tigerathletic, posted in calistenics, Cardio Boxing, Dance Music, Family Fitness, Healthy Habits, kids fitness, Personal Trainer, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning, Weight Loss, weight loss transformation

Preadolescent refers to a period before the development of secondary sex characteristics (e.g. pubic hair and reproductive organs) and corresponds roughly to the ages 6-11 in girls and 6-13 in boys.

Preadolescent youth should be encouraged to participate regularly in physical activities that promote cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal health. Regular physical activity can improve aerobic fitness, muscle strength, bone mineral density, motor performance skills, body skills and psychosocial well-being.

Childhood obesity and overweight figures continue to increase and the physical activity levels of most preadolescent boys and girls are down. The percentage of overweight boys and girls has more than doubled during the past two decades, and many children who are overweight have one or more cardiovascular disease risk factors. Daily participation in physical activity/education classes continues to decline with the average child/teenager spending 3-4 hours per day using electronic media) e.g. television, gaming or computer).

The negative health consequences of childhood obesity and physical inactivity include hypertension and the appearance of atherosclerosis and type 2 “adult-onset” diabetes in children and teenagers. Since positive and negative behaviours established at a young age appear to track into adulthood, it is likely that inactive children will become inactive adults. The key is to value physical activity and help children develop healthy habits and behaviour patterns that persist into childhood.

At Tiger Athletic we model and support participation in developmentally appropriate fitness activities that are fun and supported by cultural norms, which have a powerful influence on a child’s health and activity habits. We offer well organised personal training sessions that give boys and girls the opportunity to experience the mere enjoyment of physical activity which will have long lasting effects on their health and well-being.

Our programs realise that youth have different compared to adults, hence adult exercise guidelines and training philosophies are not imposed on children. We provide developmentally appropriate physical activity programs for preadolescents that demonstrate our understanding of age specific needs and concerns.

While the absolute level of activity required to achieve and maintain fitness in youth has not been determined, the Children’s Lifetime Physical Activity (C-LPAM) is a child specific model that addresses the amount of physical activity necessary to produce health benefits associated with reduced morbidity and mortality.  This model highlights the minimum activity recommendations and optimal functioning standards for children and is thus the backbone of all Tiger Athletic youth fitness programs.

With our qualified instruction, enthusiastic leadership, and adherence to safety issues, children can safely enhance their fundamental movement abilities and be better prepared for successful and enjoyable participation in recreational activities and sport.

Tiger Athletic is a private, appointment only strength & conditioning gym in the heart of Sandton. We offer tailor made, goal oriented fitness programs based on an individualised approach to health and fitness assessment, motivation and goal setting, coaching science and client education.

You can start your journey to a healthier family by booking an initial consultation below. This first step, is a vital screening mechanism, instrumental in appraising health status and developing comprehensive programs of exercise to safely and effectively meet your goals.

Let’s chat about your family’s health!

 

 

 

A modern approach.

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Bodyweight Training, Boxing, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Dance Music, Healthy Habits, Personal Trainer, Rehabilitation, Self Defence, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning

Tiger Athletic Fitness & Conditioning is a private, appointment only strength & conditioning gym in the heart of Sandton. Our personal trainers are health and fitness professionals who use an individualized approach to assess, motivate, educate, and train clients. We design safe, effective, fun exercise solutions for the individual who is accustomed to personalized attention and a modern approach.

Your initial interview’ or first session, is to assess client – trainer compatibility, discuss goals, and a client – trainer agreement. This includes the preparticipation health appraisal, essentially a questioneer to identify known diseases and “red flag” positive risk factors associated with heart disease, assess lifestyle factors that may require special considerations, and identify individuals who may require a medical referral before starting an exercise program.

Tiger Athletic’s health first approach helps you reach your goals safely and effectively through health and fitness assessment, personalized coaching, modern resistance and cardio equipment, calisthenics, and boxing to provide a pragmatic, extraordinary 50-minute workout that is simple, efficient and effective.

Together changes everything. Lets workout.

Quinoa

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Bodyweight Training, Boxing, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Dance Music, Personal Trainer, Rehabilitation, Self Defence, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning

Quinoa is a dieter’s dream food. Each 1-cup cooked serving packs 8 grams of boep reducing protein and 5 grams of fibre. The pseudo cereal (it’s a seed) is also extremely versatile: in addition to swapping it in as a replacement for rice, you can use it to top a salad, mix it into a smoothie, or even eat it as a hot cereal for breakfast.

Toss into a smoothie You’ve probably heard of people sprinkling chia or flax seeds into their – smoothies to boost protein content. Add quinoa to the list—you can blend cooked quinoa into any smoothie recipe. The dose of protein will transform your fruit smoothie into a legitimate morning meal that will keep you full until lunch. Use ½ cup of cooked quinoa per 1 cup of smoothie.

Use instead of oatmeal – Not up for making time-intensive steel-cut oatmeal? Sub in quinoa. The grains cook a lot faster because they’re so small. Plus, you can still season your cereal with all your favourite toppings, like cinnamon, fresh fruit, and nuts. You’ll get more nutritional value too as a cup of cooked quinoa packs double the protein than the same serving of oatmeal. That’s good for staying full and keeping your blood pressure in check.

Make your own energy bars – It’s easy to make your own version of your favourite breakfast bar that you buy at the store. Combine about two cups of cooked quinoa with a cup of whole-wheat flour and add nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or chocolate chips. Then stir in two cups of cooked oats to enhance the whole-grain count, eggs or flax seed meal to help bind the mixture, and a teaspoon of baking soda so the bars will rise as they cook. You could also add a touch of honey or maple syrup for extra sweetness or nut butter for more protein. Prepare a pan with cooking spray, add your mix, and bake at 190° for 20 minutes.

Quiche might be the perfect breakfast. All you need are eggs, a few handfuls of your favourite veggies, a crust, and maybe some meat and cheese. And yes, you can also throw in some quinoa. Adding quinoa to the egg filling of your favourite quiche recipe gives the dish an extra dose of protein and antioxidants. The amount of quinoa used may vary depending on the recipe, but generally you can stick with one cup of cooked quinoa for every eight eggs. Bake per the recipe instructions.

Mixing cooked quinoa with your favourite greens is one of the easiest ways to boost your whole-grain intake. When it comes to salads, quinoa is extremely versatile. Whether you go for a Mediterranean salad with cucumbers and garbanzo beans or spice things up with cilantro, roasted corn, and jalapenos for a Mexican twist, quinoa pairs well with just about anything and is more nutritious than high-calorie croutons. Here’s a tip to make things even more tasty. If you use quinoa at the bottom of your salad as a base, it will absorb even more flavour from the veggies and dressing.

A good chili is all about the variety of textures and stirring in cooked quinoa adds a bit more. Plus, quinoa adds even more fibre and protein to a dish that’s already chockfull of nutrients from traditional ingredients like lentils, beans, carrots, onion, and corn. For one batch of chili, about two cups of cooked quinoa should work. Just be mindful you don’t overdo it in proportion to the other ingredients. Add quinoa in the last 15 minutes of cooking so it doesn’t get overdone.

Replace rice with cooked quinoa in the filling of any “stuffed” veggie recipe—think bell peppers or butternut squash—for a nutrient boost. Not only does quinoa provide almost 16% of your daily iron value compared to brown rice, but it also has more phosphorous, potassium, folate, and zinc. And since the grain is packed with protein, you could cut down on the meat in your favourite recipe without losing the nutrient’s satiating and belly-flattening effects.

A burrito is another no-brainer way to add quinoa to your diet by using it to replace rice. After cooking about a cup of quinoa, sauté the rest of the veggies you want to wrap up (spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes). When they’re cooked through, stir them into the quinoa and then roll the mixture up in three to four whole-wheat tortillas with salsa and beans and bake for about 15 minutes. Before you know it, you’ll have enough protein- and vitamin-packed burritos to eat for lunch for most of the week.

For a more filling burger, all you need is some cooked quinoa. Add 1 cup of quinoa per 500g of ground meat to make four servings. And if you’re a vegetarian, then you can use quinoa to make patties. In this case, you would use ½ cup of cooked quinoa with 1 cup of beans to get the same serving size. While whole quinoa in addition to an egg substitute can be a great binder, you may still have issues getting things to hold. Luckily, there’s a trick to ensure you never must see your patties crumble on your spatula. “You need something that will add moisture and has a sticky consistency. Using sweet potato as a paste will help keep the patty together.

Use as a binder for meatloaf – In most meatloaf recipes, breadcrumbs are added to help bind the ingredients together, but breadcrumbs can be high in fat and sodium, not to mention simple carbohydrates that spike your blood sugar. A better option would be to use cooked quinoa in their place. Swap out the breadcrumbs in any meatloaf recipe for the same amount of cooked quinoa. That will give the bread a nutty flavour and texture.

Make healthier breaded chicken – Breading chicken breasts with quinoa instead of breadcrumbs provides the same crispy goodness you’re used to—and you might like this healthier version even more. Cooked quinoa is ideal as breading because when it’s toasted it gets super crunch. Dip the chicken breasts in whisked eggs, coat the breasts in cooked quinoa, season with salt and pepper, and then bake in the oven at 220° for 20 to 25 minutes.

Love rice pudding? Then you should try quinoa pudding. Quinoa pudding is prepped just like any other pudding recipe, except swap in cooked quinoa for the rice or tapioca to mix with the usual ingredients like milk, sugar, and eggs. Top with cinnamon, berries, or chopped nuts. In any case, you’ll end up with a delicious treat that packs extra protein and can be stored in the fridge.

Got quinoa left over after dinner? Use the rest in a parfait. Layer the grain with non-fat Greek yogurt and top with berries, nuts, and honey for an easy sweet treat that’s sure to satisfy. Bonus: quinoa is a much healthier choice than granola, which is typically loaded with fat, sugar, and calories.

Quinoa complements the other ingredients you’d normally find in a fritter, like cheese, onion, and pepper. “When you’re eating, texture is important. Quinoa will give a fritter a nutty texture to help balance out the creaminess of ingredients like sweet potato. In addition to spices like black pepper and paprika, fill your fritter with nutritious and satisfying veggies such as broccoli, scallions, zucchini, and corn.

At Tiger Athletic, we are passionate about helping you be the healthiest version of yourself, so you can lead a more fulfilling personal and professional life, in your home with your loved ones and in your profession maximising your earning ability from your passion. We use an individualise approach to assess, motivate, coach and educate our clients regards their wellness needs and goals.

Let’s chat about your health.

Hidden Sugar In Your Diet!

by tigerathletic, posted in diabetes, Family Fitness, healthy fun, Healthy Habits, life skills, lifestyle illness management, obesity, overweight, Personal Trainer, Smart Nutrition, Weight Loss, weight loss transformation, weight management

You can cut up to 200 calories per day by slashing your ‘hidden’ sugar intake. You’re likely eating sugar throughout the day without even realizing it, sugar is added to foods that don’t even taste sweet, like breads, condiments and sauces. Most of us are taking more than double the recommended amount of added sugar per day despite ‘watching’ what we eat.

You’ll quickly realize just how often sugar is added to foods when you look for it on ingredients lists. Even things that you don’t think are sweet, like tomato sauce, crackers, condiments, and salad dressings can be packed with sugar. Ingredients are listed in order of how much exists in the product. If it’s in the top three ingredients, it’s high.

When you read food labels, you need to look for more than just the word “sugar.” Sugar hides under several aliases, including high fructose corn syrup, dried cane syrup, invert sugar, molasses, sucrose (or any word ending in “-ose”), brown rice syrup, honey, and maple syrup. These can be listed separately on ingredients lists, so many foods, even seemingly healthy ones like yogurt and cereal, may contain three or four different types of sweetener. If several sugars appear on the label, it’s an indication that the food is less healthy than you may think.

Buy foods labelled “no added sugar” or “unsweetened.” You’ll find unsweetened versions of these common foods in most grocery stories: non-dairy milk like almond and soy, nut butters (look for those made with only nuts and salt), applesauce, oatmeal, and canned fruit (they should be packed in juice—not syrup).

Going cold turkey on sugar isn’t realistic for most people, cut back slowly. If you normally put two sachets of sugar in your coffee, for instance, try one for a week, then half, and finally add only a splash of milk. For your yogurt, mix half a serving of sweetened yogurt with half a serving of plain, and eventually move on to adding natural sweetness with fresh fruit.

Unhealthy carbs loaded with sugar can cause blood sugar to rise rapidly (and dive just as quickly, leaving you hungry again). To minimize this rapid rise and fall, pair protein, healthy fats, and fibre with your meal, all of which can slow down the release of blood sugar in your body and keep you full for longer. (At breakfast, that means adding almonds to your usual oatmeal or pairing eggs with your morning toast, and for your midday snack, a slice of turkey/chicken breast or cheese along with your apple.)

Fats are a key player because they help keep you fuller for longer, thus helping to decrease your desire for sugar. Focus on fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, and heart-healthy oils like olive oil, walnut oil, and coconut oil.

When you’re reducing your sugar intake, you may be tempted to switch to artificial sugars for your sweet fix. But resist reaching for the diet soda, sugar-free candy, and packets of fake sugar in your latte. When you eat something sweet, your body expects calories and nutrition, but artificial sugars don’t give your body those things, that may be why fake sugars are associated with weight gain, not loss, according to a 2010 review in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.

Using vanilla bean and vanilla extract, spices, and citrus zests to add sweetness to foods without having to use sugar and for zero calories. Order an unsweetened latte and add flavour with cocoa or vanilla powder. Skip flavoured oatmeal and add a sweet kick with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. One bonus for sprinkling on the cinnamon: according to a meta-analysis in the Journal of Medicinal Food, the spice has been shown to naturally regulate blood sugar, which helps control your appetite.

Avoiding soda is a good idea, but that’s not the only sugar-packed drink out there. Even drinks that are considered healthy can contain more sugar than you’re supposed to have in an entire day. Case in point: “enhanced” waters (eight teaspoons per bottle), bottled iced teas (more than nine teaspoons per bottle), energy drinks (almost seven teaspoons per can), bottled coffee drinks (eight teaspoons per bottle), and store-bought smoothies (more than a dozen teaspoons—for a small).

You can still indulge in an occasional sweet treat after you resolve to slash sugar. The idea is to avoid wasting your daily sugar quota on non-dessert foods like cereals, ketchup, and bread. To avoid overdoing it, set specific rules about when you may enjoy dessert: only after dinner on the weekends or at restaurants as a special treat.

At first, cutting down on sugar can feel like an impossible task. Eventually, though, your taste buds will adjust. Super-sweet foods like ice cream and candy will start to taste too sweet. When you could have a whole slice of cake before, now a couple bites will be enough. You’ll notice the natural sweetness in fruits and vegetables and they’ll taste better, too.

An individualised approach to assessment and health appraisal, motivation, coaching science and fitness education for our clients focused on their health and fitness goals is our passion at Tiger Athletic.

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Cut Out “Low Fat Foods”

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Bodyweight Training, Boxing, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Dance Music, Personal Trainer, Rehabilitation, Self Defence, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning, Weight Loss

“Low fat,” “fat free,” or “reduced fat,” while these labels are fine for dairy products like milk, you shouldn’t automatically assume other types of foods are any better for your diet than the full-fat versions as more sugar, salt, and additives are added to make them taste good. The result is foods that are lower in fat, sure, but contain more sugar and more calories.

Many low-fat, reduced fat, and fat-free foods give you more than you bargained for: A recent UK study found that 10% of diet foods contain the same or more calories than the regular stuff, and that 40% had more sugar. When companies remove fat, they must use more sugar, salt, and additives to make the food taste better. Plus, research shows that a “low-fat” nutrition label leads all consumers, especially those who are overweight, to overeat.

Rindless bacon with the fat trimmed is lower in fat and calories than regular bacon—but not by much. One popular brand “fatless” bacon contains 35 calories and 3 grams of fat per serving, while center cut bacon (the leanest type of pork bacon) has 60 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. Both are processed meat products that are high in sodium and nitrites, which are linked to heart problems. The slimmer option: Either type of bacon can be a part of a healthy diet—as long as you enjoy it just once in a while, and in small portions. Use it more as a garnish than a main event by sprinkling crumbled strips over Brussels sprouts or atop a veggie-filled salad.

Low-fat bakery items like muffins and pastries aren’t any better for you than the full-fat varieties. A packaged low-fat blueberry muffin from one popular brand, for instance, packs 280 calories—that’s less than the regular muffin with 370 calories. But the low-fat one has more sugar (36 versus 29 grams), and just like the regular version, contains high fructose corn syrup. Another example: a reduced-fat blueberry muffin from a fast food chain contains 170 milligrams more sodium compared to the full-fat one. If you love baked goods, enjoy them on occasion. More often, do your own low-fat baking at home with clever ingredient swaps, like fruit purees or yogurt for some of the oil. You can also usually reduce the sugar in any recipe by one-third without changing the taste.

You should eat salad, but noshing on a fat-free salad coated with fat-free dressing will leave you super hungry in an hour. Food manufacturers add sugar or artificial sweetener to fat-free salad dressings to make them taste good, which can lead to blood sugar spikes that drive appetite. Another bonus of fat: it helps your body absorb beta-carotene and lycopene (both powerful antioxidants found in tomatoes, carrots, and red peppers), bottled dressings contain a laundry list of additives and preservatives. Your salad should have some fat in it, be it from full-fat salad dressing (make your own dressing at home with balsamic vinegar and oil), nuts, or seeds. Or you could slice some avocado on top of your greens: avocados are especially good for helping your body absorb the nutrients from your salad.

Two tablespoons of regular peanut butter contain 210 calories. The same amount of the reduced fat version? About 200 calories. When companies reduce fat, they add more sugar like corn syrup and additives to improve the taste and texture. Buy the real-deal full-fat peanut butter, choose one that has just two ingredients listed: peanuts and salt. Since peanut butter is calorie dense, it’s easy to overeat. Stick with a two-tablespoon serving.

You can buy egg substitutes in cartons in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, and they’re often used in omelettes at hotel buffets. They’re made from egg whites, stabilizers like guaran and colourings to give them that egg-y feel and taste for fewer calories and no fat. The problem is, the yolk—which has five grams of fat—is where all the good stuff is. The yolk contains choline, an essential nutrient that helps make a neurotransmitter involved in muscle function and memory, as well as immune-boosting vitamins A and D. Unless you have heart problems and your doctor has instructed you to limit your egg intake, eat the whole thing. In recent years, conventional wisdom on eggs has shifted from total avoidance too good to eat. Yes, they contain cholesterol, but a 2013 study in BMJ found that eating one egg a day didn’t increase risk for heart disease or stroke in healthy people.

Low-fat potato chips – one serving is 140 calories; the regular chips have 160 calories (and less sodium). The risk is thinking the reduced fat version is a healthier chip alternative and eating more than you would have otherwise. In fact, a Cornell study shows that we serve ourselves 25% more when foods are labelled low-fat compared to those without the label. Same goes for other popular low-fat salty snacks like pretzels (they’re just refined flour with a whole lot of salt), baked veggie straws (they contain very little actual veggies), and rice cakes, which are mostly air and carbs. Get your salty snack fix with roasted chickpeas or roasted edamame, which are packed with protein, or kale chips, which give you a huge dose of vitamin A, vitamin C, and antioxidants along with that satisfying crunch.

Oats and dried fruit sound healthy, most types of granola—”low fat” or not—sneak in sugar with names like brown rice syrup and evaporated cane juice. In fact, a serving of granola (just half to two-thirds of a cup) can have 17 grams of sugar. The super sweet start to your day will leave you with a blood sugar crash that has you reaching for snacks long before lunch. Top plain Greek yogurt—which contains up to 20 grams of satiating protein per serving—with a few tablespoons of whole grain cereal, nuts, and seeds.

Low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with fro-yo, but it’s easy to trick yourself into thinking that you can eat a large portion and pile it high with high-calorie candies. Frozen yogurt contains 17 grams of sugar per half-cup serving—same as ice cream. Have an infrequent (not daily) half-cup portion of something that you truly enjoy, even if it’s more decadent.

Fat-free yogurt often contains artificial color, added flavours and stabilizers, and more sugar to make it more palatable and eye-pleasing. What’s more, your body also needs some fat to absorb the vitamin D, and the added fat helps keep you satisfied. Depending on your calorie budget, opt for low-, reduced-, or even full-fat yogurt. A 2013 study found that eating high fat dairy was associated with having less body fat and lower odds obesity without increasing heart disease risk. If you do have fat-free yogurt, be sure to include some form of healthy fat with it, like almonds or pistachios.

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High Protein Breakfasts

by tigerathletic, posted in Assessment, Bodyweight Training, Boxing, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Kickboxing, Dance Music, Healthy Habits, Personal Trainer, Rehabilitation, Self Defence, Smart Nutrition, Strength & Conditioning, weight loss transformation, weight management

Hunger is one of the biggest obstacles to any weight-loss plan, a protein-packed breakfast slows digestion and keeps blood sugar steady, meaning you’ll feel more satisfied and energized for the rest of the day. Eggs are an easy way to get this belly-flattening nutrient in your morning meal. Eggs and veggies in the morning are a delicious way to jumpstart your metabolism and fuel your whole day.

Cheesy Cast-Iron Skillet Scrambled Eggs

Cheese and eggs taste great together and may help combat osteoporosis. The reason: calcium in cheese is more easily absorbed into the body with the addition of vitamin D-rich eggs.
 This recipe calls for fresh goat cheese and a few chives snipped on top. Have it ready in under 15 minutes! 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small red onion, finely diced

1 jalapeño, cut into thin rounds, seeds included

12 large eggs, lightly beaten

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

120g goat cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives 

Preparation

In a large cast-iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeño and cook until soft (5–7 minutes). Stir in eggs, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft curds form (about 3 minutes).

Remove skillet from heat and mix in the goat cheese and chives. Serve immediately with whole-grain toast or English muffin, if desired.

Frittata with Ricotta and Mixed Greens

Next time you have guests over wow them with this. Protein, healthy fats, and greens make this delicious, low-calorie frittata as healthy as it is delicious. Dark, leafy greens like kale, Swiss chard, or mustard greens are about 30 calories a serving and among the healthiest foods you can put on your plate, with loads of vitamins A, C, and K, plus fibre. Don’t skimp on the fresh herbs called for in this recipe; they deliver a healthy dose of antioxidants along with flavour. 

Ingredients

1 third cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium red onion, finely diced

Pinch of red pepper flakes

500g chopped mixed greens (such as kale, Swiss chard, or mustard greens)

10 large eggs

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon salt, divided

½ plus ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

225g part-skim ricotta

1 cup fresh basil leaves

¾ cup fresh parsley leaves

¼ cup fresh mint leaves

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon pine nuts 

Preparation

15 minutes; Cook: 40 minutes; Total time: 55 minutes. This recipe gets extra flavour from fresh pesto, so you won’t want to skimp on the basil.

Makes 8 servings. Serving size: 1 wedge frittata with 1 ½ tablespoons pesto

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 280

Fat per serving: 22g

Saturated fat per serving: 5.4g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 12.3g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 3.1g

Protein per serving: 14g

Carbohydrate per serving: 8g

Fibre per serving: 2g

Cholesterol per serving: 242mg

Iron per serving: 3mg

Sodium per serving: 347mg

Calcium per serving: 209mg

Scrambled Eggs with Chilies

These spicy eggs are like sunshine on a plate. They cook up in 4 minutes, pack nearly 20 grams of protein and a measly 6 grams of carbs, and the hot chillies are natural fat-burners and mood boosters. This recipe calls for using two large eggs plus egg whites, but you can swap that ratio if you are watching your saturated fat and cholesterol.

Ingredients

2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg white

Pinch of kosher salt and fresh pepper

Cooking spray

1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 scallion, thinly sliced

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 4 min

The bigger the real burn, the bigger the fat burn when it comes to chilies. Go as fiery as you can stand. Makes 1 serving

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 194

Fat per serving: 11.2g

Saturated fat per serving: 3.4g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 4.7g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 2.2g

Protein per serving:17g

Carbohydrate per serving: 6g

Fibre per serving: 1g

Cholesterol per serving: 372mg

Iron per serving: 2mg

Sodium per serving:        319mg

Calcium per serving:       77mg

Bacon and Jalapeno Egg Sandwich

This crispy, meaty breakfast sandwich was inspired by the classic McMuffin, but it’s so much better for you! This version calls for organic eggs, a whole-grain English muffin, reduced-fat cheese, and a metabolism-boosting jalapeno pepper. Low-fat, high-protein bacon makes it hearty enough to keep you full and satisfied all day. 

Ingredients

1-piece bacon

1 whole-grain English muffin, split

Cooking spray

1 large organic egg

10g reduced-fat cheddar

Pepper

½ small jalapeño, thinly sliced

2 thin slices red onion

1 thick slice tomato

4-5 sprigs fresh cilantro

Preparation

Warm a skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon until crisp. Set aside.

Place muffin, cut-side down, in skillet. Press to toast (2 minutes). Set aside.

Coat skillet with cooking spray. Cook egg about 30 seconds. Sprinkle with pepper and cheese. Cook until set. Transfer egg to muffin half. Top with the bacon, jalapeño, onion, tomato, cilantro, and second muffin half.

This healthy breakfast egg sandwich, featuring bacon and jalapeño peppers, is a tasty and nutritious way to fuel up in the morning Build a better-than-ever egg sandwich using organic eggs, a whole-grain English muffin, reduced-fat cheese, and a few other exciting extras like jalapeno that will give your metabolism a spicy boost. Makes 1 sandwich.

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 313

Fat per serving: 11g

Saturated fat per serving: 2.9g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 3.7g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 1.9g

Protein per serving: 21g

Carbohydrate per serving: 35g

Fibre per serving: 7g

Cholesterol per serving: 215mg

Iron per serving: 3mg

Sodium per serving: 565mg

Calcium per serving: 277mg

Braised Kale Frittata

Instead of your usual omelette, try this antioxidant-packed baked frittata that uses kale and tomatoes. This delicious recipe is a good source of iron as well as protein, with only 7 grams of carbs. 

Ingredients

6 large eggs

4 large egg whites

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

20g Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped oregano

Cooking spray

2 cups

¾ cup chopped cherry tomatoes

Prep Time: 12 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Makes: 4 servings

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 204

Fat per serving: 12.6g

Saturated fat per serving: 3.6g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 6g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 2.1g

Protein per serving: 16g

Carbohydrate per serving: 7g

Fibre per serving: 2g

Cholesterol per serving: 283mg

Iron per serving: 3mg

Sodium per serving: 511mg

Calcium per serving: 155mg

Mini Smoked-Salmon Frittatas

Possibly the healthiest and most delicious brunch recipe ever created, these mini frittatas pack 17 grams of protein each, almost no carbs, and loads of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, thanks to the smoked salmon. They cook up in less than 30 minutes, so why not make them this weekend?

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup diced onion

½ teaspoon salt

Pinch of pepper

120g smoked salmon, diced

6 large eggs

8 large egg whites

1 tablespoon half-and-half

3 tablespoons 1% milk

90g less-fat cream cheese, cubed

2 tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Preparation

Preheat oven to 160°. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet. Sauté onion 2–3 minutes or until soft; add salt, pepper, and salmon. Remove from stove top; let cool.

Combine the next 4 ingredients (through milk) in a bowl. Stir in the cream cheese. Lightly coat 6 (225g) ramekins with cooking spray. Add 2 tablespoons of salmon mixture to each ramekin. Pour ¾ cup egg mixture into each ramekin.

Place ramekins on baking sheet; bake 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Garnish, if desired.

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 30 min

A perfect brunch dish, these smoked salmon frittatas are as impressive as they are tasty. Bake and serve in mini ramekins with a side of fresh fruit and juice. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 179

Fat per serving: 11g

Saturated fat per serving: 4g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 5g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 1g

Protein per serving: 17g

Carbohydrate per serving: 3g

Fibre per serving: 0.0g

Cholesterol per serving: 226mg

Iron per serving: 1mg

Sodium per serving: 665mg

Calcium per serving: 63mg

Sun-Dried Tomato, Goat Cheese, and Fresh Basil Frittata

Savour the Mediterranean flavours of this veggie-filled frittata, packed with protein, antioxidants, and calcium. For a lower-cholesterol version, use egg substitute and fat-free cheese. 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup minced onion

4 large eggs

2 egg whites

¼ teaspoon pepper

90g sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil

¼ cup goat cheese

¼ cup basil chiffonade

Preparation

Sauté vegetables. Preheat the oven to broil. Use a well-seasoned, iron skillet or a non-stick skillet with a heatproof handle. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, and add 1 cup minced onion. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add the egg mixture to pan. Whisk together 4 large eggs and 2 egg whites, and season with ¼ teaspoon pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the onions, patting down any lumps with a wooden spoon. Scatter 3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil evenly over the pan surface.

Add cheese and put in broiler. Distribute ¼ cup goat cheese over the top of the frittata, then place the skillet under the broiler for 2 minutes, until the frittata rises slightly and becomes light and settled. Remove from broiler and top with ¼ cup basil chiffonade. (Stack basil, then roll the stack, and slice it into feathery, 1/4-inch pieces.)

Plate and serve. To remove the frittata from the iron skillet, place a large plate over the top of the pan, invert the frittata onto the plate, and cut it into wedges. With a non-stick skillet, slide the frittata onto a serving plate, then cut into wedges.

Prep Time: 7 min

Cook Time: 8 min

This Sun-Dried Tomato, Goat Cheese, and Fresh Basil Frittata is a quick and easy breakfast or brunch dish that your entire family will love. Plus, it’s a healthy meal option and ready in less than 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 146

Fat per serving: 8g

Saturated fat per serving: 3g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 3g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 1g

Protein per serving: 9g

Carbohydrate per serving: 11g

Fibre per serving: 2g

Cholesterol per serving: 145mg

Iron per serving: 2mg

Sodium per serving: 398mg

Calcium per serving: 55mg

Asparagus with Poached Eggs and Parmesan

Poached eggs, asparagus, and Parmesan make this the ultimate brunch recipe, but it’s light enough to enjoy any time. Asparagus, a seasonal spring veggie, is full of vitamin K and folic acid, which keeps your cardiovascular system healthy. Plus, with 18 grams of protein, you’ll have plenty of energy for the rest of the day.

Ingredients

8 large eggs

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon salt, divided

2 bunches asparagus spears, trimmed (about 40)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 tablespoons coarsely grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Try this dish for breakfast or brunch. It features a simple poached egg served over asparagus spears cooked in a lemon-butter sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 256

Fat per serving: 18g

Saturated fat per serving: 6g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 7g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 2g

Protein per serving: 18g

Carbohydrate per serving: 8g

Fibre per serving: 3g

Cholesterol per serving: 435mg

Iron per serving: 3mg

Sodium per serving: 518mg

Calcium per serving: 147mg

Crostini with Spinach, Poached Egg, and Creamy Mustard Sauce

Low heat is the key to making perfect poached eggs, and low-fat sour cream and mustard transforms rich Hollandaise sauce into a flavourful, low-fat version. Tip: Use whole grain bread for the crostini to kick up the fibre. 

Ingredients

¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons water

4 (1.5cm thick) slices crusty whole-grain bread, toasted

2 cups baby spinach

1 teaspoon white vinegar

4 large eggs

Preparation

Stir together sour cream and next 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl with water. Place 1 slice toast on each of 4 serving plates and top each with spinach.

In a large saucepan, bring 6cm of water to a simmer; add vinegar. Working one at a time, crack eggs into a cup and gently slip into water. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, place a poached egg on top of spinach. Spoon about 1 TBSP sauce over each crostino before serving.

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 8 min

Low heat is the key to perfect poaching and silken eggs in this one-dish meal of Crostini with Spinach, Poached Egg, and Creamy Mustard Sauce. Try this protein powerhouse a different way. Makes 4 servings (serving size: 1 slice bread, 1 egg, 1/2 cup spinach, 1 tbsp. sauce)

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 215

Fat per serving: 8.2g

Saturated fat per serving: 3g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 2.6g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 1.8g

Protein per serving: 13g

Carbohydrate per serving: 22g

Fibre per serving: 4g

Cholesterol per serving: 191mg

Iron per serving: 2mg

Sodium per serving: 490mg

Calcium per serving: 104mg

Spinach and Egg Breakfast Wrap with Avocado and Parmesan Cheese

This wrap packs 22 grams of protein as well as heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which can help you lose belly fat. Avocados also pack high amounts of potassium, magnesium, folate, protein, and vitamins B6, E, and K. Add to that fibre and cholesterol-lowering plant sterols. 

Ingredients

Non-stick cooking spray

150g baby spinach, chopped

4 eggs

4 egg whites

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

110g Parmesan cheese

1 avocado, sliced

4 whole-wheat tortillas

Hot sauce 

Preparation

Spray a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, 2 minutes.

Whisk together eggs and egg whites in a small bowl. Add eggs to skillet and cook, stirring, until cooked through, 3–4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Place ¼ of egg mixture in the center of each tortilla, and sprinkle with 30g cheese.

Top with 4 slices avocado and fold, burrito-style.  Slice in half and serve.

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 5 min

4 servings (serving size: 1 wrap)

Nutritional Information

Calories per serving: 366

Fat per serving: 2g

Saturated fat per serving: 8g

Monounsaturated fat per serving: 7g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving: 2g

Cholesterol per serving: 242mg

Protein per serving: 22g

Carbohydrate per serving: 30g

Sugars per serving: 1g

Fibre per serving: 7g

Sodium per serving: 666mg

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