The Body Retreat - Page 5 of 11

Charity Bootcamp Day 2014

For the second year now we were delighted to host a mixed Charity Bootcamp Day in aid of the two charities that we support Breakthrough Breast Cancer and The Eve Appeal. Both charities are very close to us at The Body Retreat and the concept of the bootcamp day was actually inspired by our friend and supporter Lulu (Louise Wisson) who is currently on her journey to beat stage 4 ovarian cancer.

Building on the success of last years event this year we wanted to create an event that was bigger and better than before. Our aim is to create a day that is filled with Fun, Fitness, Friendship & Fundraising and this year thanks to everyone who turned up on the day, donated a prize, baked a cake or donated to the Just Giving Pages we really ticked every box.

The Charity Bootcamp Day took place on Sunday 9th November at the Olympic venue Eton Dorney Rowing Centre.

Numbers might have been low but spirit and fun were high helped by the varied schedule of activities.

Our Dance instructors Irem and Martine donated their time to come along and put us through our paces in both Zumba & Fitsteps class, Julie B had developed a circuit class that contained all her favourite exercises and there was a 5k dash around the lake.

The highlight of the day has to be the Boat Race up the Olympic Lake. Despite it being November and having a dreary weather forecast the sun shone on the day itself and so we were able to actually get out on the the olympic lake itself for a dragon boat race. Divided into two teams (Team One : Deidre, Prem, Alison, Wendy, Gene, Daksha & Jeanne. Team Two: Julie B, Juls, Emma, Lulu, Mike, Carol & Amanda….Teresa stayed on solid ground to act as official photographer) we set off, one boat up the lake the other on a zig zag course that saw us clobber every buoy and worry every duck on the lake…it turned out that team number one had a secret weapon at the helm in the shape of Jeanne who had sailing experience under her belt. Needless to say team one were the winners, but we are all now honorary Olympians having raced on the lake 😉

We were amazed and delighted by the selection and variety of prizes donated for our raffle. From a 5 Day Body Retreat, a years supply of Jaffa Cakes, Microsoft Office for mac or pc, digital photo frame, bottles of wine, a baking lesson with Louise Wisson, beauty products, hair care products, Mio high intensity products, Greens Powder, frying pan…the list went on and on…the only thing missing was a cuddly toy (must get that sorted for next year!!)

After a delicious healthy two course lunch there was little chance of an afternoon slump,but just incase we ended the day with Afternoon Tea Bootcamp Style. We had asked the bakers in our community to bake us some teatime treats with a “healthy” twist. We were not disappointed. We had everything your taste buds could desire, carrot cakes, scones, paleo cookies, courgette cake, apple cake, brownies, blackbean cake and Julie’s latest creation Millionaire Jacks.

Thanks to the generosity of everyone who joined us on the day and those who donated from home we raised £870 on the day. We are going to top that up to a nice even £900 so that is £450 for each charity. In addition we raised £235 for The Eve Appeal and £65 for Breakthrough Breastcancer on the Just Giving pages.

So the final scores on the doors for the day are £1,200!! Huge, Huge Huge Thank YOU to everyone who made this possible.

If you missed this year…don’t worry. We are already planning next years charity bootcamp day and will be sending out a Save the Date sooner rather than later. Please watch out for that and support us and our two charities by booking your place.

See you there is not before xx

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie is always a winner at snack time at The Body Retreat. This tasty but deceptively healthy smoothie is a great treat when you want something chocolately. This healthy recipe takes just minutes to whizz up and it even makes a great substitute for ice cream if you transfer to the freezer for up to an hour before serving.

You can use any nut butter that you like, but crunchy peanut butter adds a little extra texture and is the favourite at The Body Retreat, but you could use almond, cashew or hazelnut.

Serves 1

1 tsp Peanut Butter (making sure its 100% Nut Butter)

½ tsp Organic Dark Coco Powder

50ml Natural Yoghurt

Splash Milk

1 Banana

1 tsp ground flaxseed

Put all the ingredients into a blender and bend until smooth and creamy.

Serve and enjoy.

Couldn’t be any simpler 🙂

If you try this recipe and enjoy it then please leave me a comment below to let me know, I’d love to hear from you.

Are You Stuck in the Sugar Trap?

Sugar Is A Devious Thing.

It’s not just found in the usual suspects of sweets, chocolates, soft drinks etc. It is naturally occurring in many food groups but it has also insidiously crept into all kinds of everyday food, including breakfast cereals, bread, pasta sauces, stock cubes, yoghurts, and many products masquerading as “healthy,” “low fat” and “natural.”

There is so much Sugar to choose from these days Granulated, Cane Sugar, Honey, Glucose, Fructose, Sucrose, Maltose, Lactose, Maize Syrup, Agave Syrup, Molasses the list of sugars goes on and on. Then of course there is the killer in the pack High Fructose Corn Syrup (often shortened to HFCS on labels).

In the long term, too much sugar in the diet can lead to weight gain and diabetes, but it can be harmful in the short term too. Even moderate regular sugar intake is linked with a host of conditions from brain fog, fungal infections, mood swings, low energy levels, mucous production, inflammation and lowered immunity.

The other problem with Sugar and its various understudies is that it gives you an endorphin rush, which over time becomes very addictive. Also your brain runs on Glycogen and if you don’t give your brain the right fuel then guess what? Your brain actually sends you straight to eat some carbs to replenish its energy levels… but of course you don’t go for a plate of healthy slow release carbs like whole grains or veggies…. Not when you are habituated by Sugar…. You hit the vending machine!

Swapping to Artificial Sweeteners.

You might think that you are ok because you have substituted artificial sweeteners for many sugars in your diet.

Artificial sweeteners were designed to be sugar substitutes as a calorie cutting alternative. These artificial additives mimic the flavor of sugar but with virtually no useful energy. Cancer concerns aside there are numerous reasons why artificial sweeteners are bad for your overall health (I will blog about that one another time) but also very often these sweeteners have a little added sugar for taste.

There Is An Answer.

If your diet has been sugar rich lately, or if you have been feeling tired and run down, chances are you could benefit from a sugar detox. It’s not as hard as it sounds. The trick is to eat the right foods in the first place in order to avoid sugar cravings, balance your blood sugar and then if you would like something sweet, to surround yourself with healthy options.

Below are 3 Steps To Combat Sugar Reliance Now.

Eat more protein with each meal. This balances your blood glucose and creates a slower release of energy to reduce sugar cravings.
Eliminate processed carbohydrates. White carbs turn into glucose far too quickly in the body, resulting in a release of insulin by the pancreas. This leads to blood sugar fluctuations and sugar cravings. Avoid these types of carbs and replace them with whole grains like whole rolled oats, wholegrain basmati rice and quinoa.
Avoid processed foods. These often contain hidden sugars, so if you are really stuck during your detox period and you must use them, make sure you read the labels carefully. Look for anything which ends in “-ose” (such as fructose, glucose, maltose etc etc) as these are just other types of sugar.

Quitting Sugar Can Be Tough

When giving up sugar, the first few days are often the hardest, but gradually your blood sugar will become more balanced, your skin will start to glow, and you will begin to shed a couple of those stubborn pounds. Best of all, your mind will feel clearer and you will discover an abundance of energy you had forgotten was possible.

Need Help Overcoming Your Sugar Habit?

Join us at our Sugar Detox Retreat where our carefully designed programme balances your blood sugar levels, resets your hormones and supports your body and mind to beat this vicious cycle and put you back in control of your health permanently.

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Is Dieting Adding to Your Stress Levels?

Stress and food & drink have always been linked.

Wether that be comfort eating, drinking to forget or even feeling so sick with worry that you can’t stomach a thing.

We now know that certain foods and drinks can aggravate stress. Coffee, sugar and processed foods all interfere with our bodies natural ability to deal with stress.

Did you know that how you eat can aggravate your stress levels too?

Most people think of “stress” as emotional stress like anger or anxiety, but really stress has a much broader definition. Anything that raises stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol can be thought of as stress.

The body loves to be in balance, in fact it is always trying to regain this balance at all times, you shiver when you are cold telling you to put a sweater on, your mouth feels dry when you are dehydrated telling you to drink water and when your body needs energy it sends you a clear message through your hunger pangs to eat.

The body needs fuel to perform its basic metabolic functions. When there is no answer to its call for energy the brain starts to reduce the energy you expend, so you start to feel a bit tired and weary. While at the same time it is looking for back up energy sources and can start to release stress hormones to give the “Umph” you need to go out there and score some calories.

The brain really doesn’t like diets. It views restrictive diets, those that recommend the regular intake of less than 1200 calls for a woman, as being the signs of imminent famine. Survival mechanism kicks and and slows down your metabolism so that you do not use all the energy you take in, then when it detects a feast, for example when someone falls off the diet cycle and has a blow out, the body in its infinite wisdom lays down these extra calories as fat for your future survival.

At the same time being on a diet can be an emotional roller coaster, lots of Must Do’s, Should Nots and Can’t Haves to cope with. The guilt and the shame of what’s allowed and what isn’t and the pressure of breaking the diet add yet another negative emotion for your brain to process.

This is why diets fail.

Going on a diet changes how your body responds to the fuel it receives, how the hormones responsible for all your basic metabolic functions work and may even change the way that your brain reacts to stress, changing both how you express stress and whether you start eating more because of it.

Signs of Being Caught in The Vicious Diet Stress Cycle

Here are a few common warning signs that your stress hormone levels are out of balance:

Tired all the time.
Digestive Problems, like IBS, yeast infections, food intolerance etc
Little aches and pains that have no real source
Constant colds and bugs.
Low sex drive
Brain Fog.
Poor Sleep
Craving carbs and high sugar foods
A tyre of fat around your middle that never seems to shift

If you have more than one of these symptoms for any length of time its your body’s way of telling you something isn’t working for you.

Breaking Free from The Diet Stress Cycle

Ditch The Diet!

Let’s be honest: life is stressful enough without us worrying over every bite we eat. Yes it is prudent to watch what you eat, to choose clean healthy foods most of the time to provide your body with the energy and nutrition it needs and yes if you are looking to shed some unnecessary weight then you will want to look at what you have been eating and may need to make some changes to support your goal. But following a rigid and restrictive diet is not the answer, listening to your body and looking at your current behaviours from a holistic health and wellbeing approach is key.

relaxation

Take time to Relax.

When was the last time you really relaxed? I don’t just meant sat and mindless watched TV. I mean really took time out, slowed down and had some time when you were able to switch off and allow your body and your brain to rest. Many women we see at The Body Retreat have become very good at putting their own needs to the bottom of the To Do List. There is always something or someone with a prior claim on their time. But you can be stretched too thin, just like pulling an elastic band… there may seem like a lot of give but eventually there will be a snap! So commit to yourself that you will no long wait to find the time to relax but that you will make the time to relax. It really doesn’t take long, we recommend you start with a simple 3 minute mindfulness exercise…. 3 short minutes out of 24 hours really can make a huge differnece.

The Body Retreat Answer

Stress can be a major trigger for weight gain, emotional eating and ill health.

The answer to breaking this vicious diet stress cycle is a very personal one.

At The Body Retreat we discuss each guests personal situation and their requirements to make sure that they get the result they want and need. For some that might be attending our Weight Loss Retreat but for many others we are now recommending that they join us at the Stress Reset Retreat in order to balance their mind and body before beginning their weight loss journey.

While the Stress Reset Retreat is aimed at rebalancing body and mind and providing you with new resources to support you in your day to day life as a bonus on this retreat , you can lose up to 7 lbs in just 5 days as well see your mood, skin and muscle tone improve.

If you would like to discover more about how your diet may be contributing to your stress levels and feel that it may be time to take some action, then give us a call.

What to eat when you are sick?

Eating healthily can be difficult at the best of times, but when you are sick or recovering from illness or injury it can seem almost impossible. It can be difficult to know what to eat when you are sick.

Last week after my shoulder operation I had a yearning for soup… it goes back to when I was little and being ill was synonymous with a can of cream of tomato soup eaten from your lap as you rested on the sofa watching cartoons. These days I tend to watch less cartoons but there is still something satisfying and comforting about having soup when you aren’t feeling too well.

Comfort Food = Crap

Back in the day a couple of weeks off work and major surgery would have meant one thing…COMFORT FOOD….. by which I really mean CRAP!!! I would have stocked up the fridge and freezer with ready meals and treats. After the two weeks of sofa eating I can almost guarantee that I would have gained more than a few pounds, but perhaps more importantly I would also have inadvertently slowed down my bodies recovery. Its difficult for your body to put all its energy into recovery and rebuilding when its also being tasked with detoxing a load of CRAP into the bargain.

So this two weeks have been different… I have focussed on actively nourishing my recovering body, doing what I can help myself get back to health as quickly as possible.

Practice What You Preach

So, I practised what I preach at The Body Retreat … I planned & prepared before the operation. So before my operation my fridge and freezer were full…but this time round they were filled with wholesome dishes…and a whole lot of thai influenced dishes as I was also very keen to eat as much garlic, ginger, lemon grass as possible due to their fantastic anti-viral and anti-inflammatory qualities.

Yes it is better to prepare food from scratch to retain the maximum nutritional value…. but in the real world we are often faced with times when that is just not practical or possible. So planing and preparing in advance can help you to fulfil your commitment to your health and weight loss goals.

Soup is one of the most effective ways of getting lots of good ingredients into your system quickly. Through my planning and preparing I created a healthy alternative to my childhood staple of cream of tomato soup. One that ticked all the boxes, comforting and wholesome, but also full of amazing ingredients which actively promote health. Oh and it tastes FANTASTIC…if i do say so myself. So why not give this soup a try… it takes only minutes to prepare and once you have tried it Im sure you will never be tempted by the canned version ever again. Did I mention that healthy recipie freezes well too…making it a perfect freezer back up for when real life takes over or you just can’t be bothered to cook 🙂

Thai Cream of Tomato Soup

Ingredients

1tsp coconut oil

1 large red onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled & grated

1 stick lemon grass, chopped

1 tsp veg bullion (marigold)

1tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp chopped chillies

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 tcp tomato puree

1 can coconut milk

lots black pepper

Squeeze fresh lime

Method

Place a heavy bottom pan on a medium high heat and melt coconut oil, add the onion, garlic, ginger, lemon grass and sweat for 2/3 minutes until the onions begin to soften but not brown.

Add the bullion powder, spices, tomato puree and chopped tomatoes, reduce the heat and simmer for a 2/3 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and allow to bentley simmer for about 10 minutes.

Blend using a stick blender or carefully transfer to a table blender and blend until smooth.

Return to the pan and check seasoning and add black pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Serve topped with a drizzle of organic rapeseed oil & a few dried chilli flakes.

ENJOY

I’d love to hear how you get on if you try out this recipe, so please leave me a comment in the comments box all the way down at the bottom of the page. And feel free to share this recipe with anyone you think might enjoy it too. Just use the share buttons on the side of the page. Thank You.

Tag: The Body Retreat