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Product review: Formulite
Formulite is a new brand of meal replacement products designed for low energy (LED) and very low energy (VLED) diets. How does it compare to other brands in the market? Formulite Formulite meal replacement products include both shakes and lupin-based soups. You can use the products within the following programs based on your goals: Weight loss Rapid weight loss Pre-bariatric surgery If you have ever worked with me, you know I normally don’t recommend LED or VLED diets to patients with overweight or obesity concerns. However, Formulite is different. Their meal replacement products are high in protein, low in carbs and sugar, contain prebiotics and probiotics, do not have any…
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Intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is a dietary pattern that involves voluntary energy intake restriction. In this article we explore the different types of intermittent fasting, potential benefits and more. What is fasting? Fasting is not eating. It is common in normal life, for example: we don’t eat between bedtime and breakfast and prior to blood tests or some procedures (e.g. colonoscopy, surgery). What is not fasting? Technically, any form or food or drink intake breaks a fast. In practice, however, water and potentially some energy-free (i.e. non-caloric) beverages such as unsweetened black coffee do not seem to make an impact in fasting status. Below are some examples of what some people do…
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Product review: YoPRO Perform yoghurt
YoPRO Perform yoghurt is a great high protein, low fat, no added sugar post-workout snack for active individuals. With 20 grams of protein per serve, it is possibly the highest protein per serve option in the market. YoPRO Perform As their name imply, YoPRO Perform yoghurt is specifically formulated as a post-workout snack. The Perform range also includes nut protein bars, not included in this review. Like the original YoPRO line of yoghurt, all Perform products are high in protein (20 grams per serve), low in fat and have no added sugars. In addition, YoPRO Perform yoghurts have branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and probiotics. These yoghurts are currently available at…
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Inflammation and diet
Chronic low-level inflammation is a feature of most chronic health conditions. The link between inflammation and diet is multi-factored and can’t be reduced to individual foods or nutrients. What is inflammation? Inflammation is an important mechanism of the immune response. Under normal circumstances, it acts as a local response to cellular injury. The characteristics of inflammation are increased blood flow, capillary dilatation, leukocyte infiltration, and localised production of chemicals (1). The signs and symptoms of inflammation include heat, redness, swelling, pain, and loss of function (2). Types of inflammation Broadly speaking, there are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic. Acute: This is the “good” kind of inflammation, which happens in…
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Why do we keep breaking World and Olympic records?
If you watched the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games you would have noticed there were many records broken, often by the same athlete. Why do we keep breaking World and Olympic records? Of course there is no one answer to this question and this is not meant to be a prescriptive article, but more of a thought process around the fact that records are broken all the time. The great and humble Georges St Pierre said that MMA fighters of today are better than fighters of his generation and future fighters will be better than current ones. It is a fact of sports because all the disciplines that support athletic performance…
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Low calorie flavour boosters
If you are currently in lockdown, chances are you are not as physically active as usual. If you are concerned about gaining unnecessary weight but find healthy eating “bland”, the solution is to use low calorie flavour boosters. As discussed in a previous article, one way of lowering your energy intake is to cook your meals at home instead of buying takeaway. We have also seen that homemade salad dressings are likely healthier than store-bought ones, however they are not necessarily lower in energy. Balancing flavour and energy density is not difficult to achieve if you are familiar with certain ingredients and willing to experiment. Low calorie flavour boosters for…
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Exercise, gut health and gastrointestinal issues
Exercise is generally regarded as beneficial for health. Gut health is not an exception, athletes tend to have microbiomes with increased composition and/or function. However, too much exercise can be detrimental. This is an overview on exercise, gut health and gastrointestinal issues. Exercise and gut health Most people will agree that exercising is beneficial for health. When comparing the microbiomes of exercising individuals (including athletes) with those of sedentary individuals, scientists have found: More bacterial diversity and/or richness, generally regarded as beneficial to health More short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) metabolic pathways, important for intestinal integrity and other aspects of health Increased metabolic pathways of amino acids (including branched-chain amino acid,…
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Product review: Dineamic ready meals
Dineamic ready meals is a Melbourne-based service delivering across the country. Meals are fresh, balanced, nutritious, and quite tasty. Dineamic ready meals I first heard about Dineamic because one of its founders, Karen Inge, is a well-known and respected sports dietitian based in Melbourne. She founded Dineamic in 2008 with former AFL player Jason Johnson. The company’s tagline, “healthy meals for busy people” highlights the purpose of the company: to provide nourishing convenient meals to people who don’t have the time to shop, prep and cook. Having a dietitian in charge means that the meals are healthy and balanced. It also means that you can be sure any dietary and…
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How to add more protein to your breakfast
As we’ve seen before, eating adequate protein at breakfast is a great strategy for improving body composition and maintaining muscle mass. In this article we explore how to add more protein to your breakfast. Protein for breakfast As discussed in a previous article, higher protein breakfasts can help with satiety and weight management. Moreover, sports nutrition science points at an ideal dose of 0.25-0.30g of protein per kg of body weight per meal (including breakfast!) for building muscle. High protein breakfasts Breakfasts that can be naturally high in protein include: Leftovers from dinner Egg-based breakfasts (boiled/poached/fried/scrambled eggs, omelette, frittata) Smoothie with milk, yoghurt and/or protein powder However, if your breakfast…
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Product review: Seedlip drinks
Seedlip drinks are an alcohol-free alternative for those people who enjoy botanical-based spirits. They are great simply paired with tonic or soda water or incorporated in more elaborate cocktails. Seedlip drinks Seedlip makes alcohol-free sugar-free distilled spirits based on a variety of botanicals. They can be considered a zero-alcohol alternative to gin (although the manufacturer informs they don’t use juniper in their production process so technically it cannot be called “gin”). These drinks have been produced in London since 2015 and are now available in several countries, including Australia. The currently available flavours include: Grove 42 (citrus): with Mediterranean orange, lemon peel, lemongrass and ginger Spice 94 (aromatics): with allspice,…
