Table of contents for Volume 29 -Jan-19 in LOSE IT! The Handbook

The start of a brand new year is always a great opportunity to wipe the slate clean and start something new in your life – whether you’re venturing into the low-carb lifestyle for the first time (keep going! It really will change everything for the better), jumping back on the bandwagon after a slightly excessive holiday or simply trying to hone your low-carb approach to better suit your personal health issues, metabolism and lifestyle, LOSE IT has your back! One of the things we like most about eating low carb is how liberating it is. There’s no measuring or weighing or counting – it really is as simple as eating real food and cutting out sugar in its various forms. But with that freedom comes responsibility: we all have to…

A way of low-carb eating that fits you perfectly does exist! You may need to apply yourself or spend some time finding it – but once you do, you’ll have a sustainable eating plan to keep you healthy for life. Here are five questions to ask yourself that will help steer you in the right direction. 1WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT EATING PLAN LIKE? If you’d like to make the switch to a low-carb lifestyle, take things slowly, especially if your current meals are carb-heavy and filled with processed junk foods. Start by changing breakfast: swap sugary cereals for eggs; then move onto lunch by substituting your sandwich for a tuna or chicken salad drizzled with olive oil; and snack on nuts and berries instead of a chocolate bar. Once this is…

WITH CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST RUTH MARCUS Q: My family is going on holiday and we’ll be driving for at least 12 hours. In the past we’ve always stopped for fast food or snacks at a garage shop. What can we eat without deviating too far from LCHF foods? A: Good question – and we’ve got you covered! Lose It Volume 28 contains fab road trip eats you can whip up yourself. You can also fill a cooler box with boiled eggs, chopped carrots and cucumber sticks. For protein, add cold meats, a block of cheese or mini cheeses such as Kiri or Babybel. And include low-sugar fruits such as berries, as well as avocado. As for non-perishable snacks, I’d recommend taking biltong or droëwors, nuts, seed crackers and 85% dark chocolate…

ON TRACK per serving fat 17g carbs 17g protein 26g ON TRACK per serving fat 52g carbs 7g protein 49g ON TRACK per serving fat 11g carbs 9g protein 20g ON TRACK per serving fat 14g carbs 13g protein 23g ON TRACK per serving fat 40g carbs 10g protein 10g ON TRACK per serving fat 0g carbs 9g protein 2g DUCK KEBABS WITH CRANBERRIES SERVES 4 FOR THE KEBABS • 4 duck breasts, cubed FOR THE MARINADE • 2 tbsp Thai 7 spice• 1 tsp white pepper• 3 tbsp tomato paste• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar• ⅓ cup chicken stock• 1 tbsp honey• 3 tbsp frozen cranberries, defrosted and lightly mashed• cucumber ribbons to serve• coriander and chopped red chilli to garnish 1. Preheat the oven grill. Thread the cubed…

SINE NCALUKA’S CHILLI & GARLIC CALAMARI SERVES 4 FOR THE COATING • 100g coconut flour• ½ tsp cayenne pepper• ½ tsp paprika• 1 tsp each salt and white pepper• 800g calamari rings• coconut oil for shallow frying FOR THE TOPPING • 1 tbsp ghee• 2 green chillies, chopped• 2 spring onions, chopped• 2 cloves garlic, chopped• coriander and spring onion to garnish• lemon wedges and low-carb mayonnaise to serve 1. In a shallow bowl, mix together the coating ingredients and season. Dust the calamari rings with the coating and set aside. 2. Heat the coconut oil in a pan. Fry the calamari in batches until golden, then drain on paper towel. 3. For the topping: Heat a small pan, add the ghee and toss in the chillies, spring onions and…

ON TRACK per serving fat 19g carbs 7g protein 3g ON TRACK per serving fat 21g carbs 10g protein 5g ON TRACK per serving fat 0g carbs 4g protein 0g ON TRACK per serving fat 34g carbs 8g protein 1g ON TRACK per serving fat 20g carbs 8g protein 4g SAFFRON & CARDAMOM ICE CREAM SERVES 10 • 1 big pinch saffron• 2 x 400g tins coconut cream• ½ tsp cardamom powder• ¼ cup xylitol• 2 tsp turmeric, dissolved in a little warm water• 50g blueberries• 30g pistachio nuts 1. Place the saffron in a small bowl, add 3 tbsp hot water and allow to stand for 10 minutes. 2. Pour the coconut cream into a pot, add the cardamom and xylitol. Strain the saffron mixture then add the saffron…

Yes MEAT As far as possible, choose grass-fed or organic meat. Enjoy the fat and the skin! • Bacon (Try to find charcuterie bacon, without nitrates and nitrites, and with the lowest carb content – which means the least sugar.)• Beef• Biltong (for powdered, grind your own)• Chicken• Duck• Game• Home-cured meat (If buying cured meat, avoid those with sugar and strange chemicals.)• Lamb• Offal• Pork• Sausages containing only meat and spices (no MSG or fillers such as gluten, rusk, soy, sugar, etc.)• Turkey FRUIT* • Avocado• Berries• Coconut SWEET THINGS • Erythritol• Stevia• Xylitol (good quality) SEAFOOD The oilier the better! (To check the sustainability status of the seafood you choose, SMS the species name – e.g. mackerel – to FishMS 079 499 8795.) • Anchovies• Angelfish• Calamari (squid)•…

CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST RUTH MARCUS has a master’s degree in obesity and weight management. ‘Eating low-carb is the best way to find food freedom!’ she says. Call 083 307 8036 or email your questions to ruthmmarcus@gmail.com BLOG AUTHOR NICKY PERKS (www.primalperks.com) is the cofounder of Banting Buddies, which offers personalised coaching to those wanting to lose weight and get healthy. Please share your low-carb success stories, recipes, restaurant reviews, tips, questions and concerns with us via info@loseit.co.za, @loseitmag (Twitter and Instagram) and facebook.com/Loseitmag. We look forward to hearing your insights and experiences!…

Before you shiver at the thought of munching on a bit of algae, know that there are various types of seaweed that are widely consumed. Think sushi. People living in coastal villages and in many Asian countries also regularly incorporate seaweed into soups and salads. It can be eaten dried, fried or soaked, and ranges in colour from red and green to blackish-brown. Called ‘the new kale’, seaweed is packed with nutrients, just like its cruciferous namesake – maybe even more so than vegetables found above water. Here are a few of its top benefits. 1 It’s high in iodine By eating just a gram of seaweed, your daily iodine intake will be met. Seaweed granules can be added to table salt to help increase the quantity of iodine. The…

٭ Pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, people over 70, children and those with eating disorders, adrenal fatigue, liver and/or kidney disease should not fast. Fasting is on trend at the moment: it’s cheap, no special meal preparation is required and there’s ample evidence of its benefits for anti-ageing, weight loss and combatting chronic disease. But you’d be forgiven if the idea of going without food for a few days leaves you in a cold sweat. Being ravenous for any length of time can be rather unpleasant. And while proponents of fasting claim that feeling hungry isn’t as big a deal as people might think, the bottom line is that we like to eat! Having said that, if you’re following a ketogenic or low-carb lifestyle and are fat-adapted, fasting may be easier…

The motivation and method that Felicia needed to drop the kilos for good had eluded her for years. ‘Every day I’d think, “Okay, I need to do something!” Then I’d just fall off the wagon.’ The 30-year-old graphic designer from Tzaneen, Limpopo says all the miracle pills and various workout fads she tried never seemed to stick. ‘I just wanted to be able to buy clothes – it really was a mission to get clothes in my size – and to do things with my partner’s young niece and nephew: run around, play and not always be tired.’ Her weight was even affecting her work. ‘I was constantly hungry and I couldn’t concentrate. My body felt beaten down; I was always tired and my creative juices were blocked.’ Eventually, her…

ON TRACK per serving fat 15g carbs 21g protein 25g ON TRACK per serving fat 76g carbs 7g protein 26g ON TRACK per serving fat 67g carbs 11g protein 52g MARINATED PORK CHOPS WITH MANGO & CUCUMBER SERVES 4 FOR THE MARINADE • 1½ tbsp coconut oil• 2 mild green chillies, chopped• 2 garlic cloves, minced• 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced• ⅓ cup tomato paste• 1 tbsp honey• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar• Himalayan salt and black pepper FOR THE PORK • 4 pork loin chops• ½ mango, peeled and cubed• ⅓ cucumber, cut into strips• 2 red salad onions, chopped• 1 mild red chilli, chopped, and fresh coriander to garnish 1. For the marinade: Heat the coconut oil, toss in the chilli, garlic and ginger, and cook for 2…

ON TRACK per serving fat 50g carbs 20g protein 43g ON TRACK per serving fat 46g carbs 8g protein 29g ON TRACK per serving fat 22g carbs 17g protein 26g ON TRACK per serving fat 68g carbs 28g protein 11g ON TRACK per serving fat 35g carbs 14g protein 19g PORK RASHERS WITH CUCUMBER & MINT MAKES 2 LUNCHES • 2 pork rashers, thick cut• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted• 1 tsp paprika• 2 tsp sea salt flakes• 2 tsp cinnamon, ground• 1 tsp white pepper FOR THE SALAD • ½ cucumber, deseeded and sliced• ½ red pepper, sliced• 2 carrots, finely sliced• ¼ cup kimchi• 2g mint leaves 1. Preheat the oven grill. Cut pork rashers into thirds then place in a bowl and drizzle with coconut oil. Mix…

ON TRACK per serving fat 13g carbs 4g protein 12g ON TRACK per serving fat 28g carbs 13g protein 32g ON TRACK per serving fat 34g carbs 14g protein 34g ON TRACK per serving fat 46g carbs 18g protein 24g ON TRACK per serving fat 35g carbs 15g protein 61g SERRANO HAM & MIXED TOMATO PIZZA SERVES 4 FOR THE BABY MARROW BASE • 400g baby marrow, grated and cooked• 2 eggs, beaten• 2 tbsp coconut flour• 60g Parmesan cheese, grated• 110g mozzarella cheese, grated• 50g feta, crumbled• Himalayan salt and black pepper FOR THE TOPPING • ½ cup tomato purée• 150g fresh mozzarella ball, torn• 150g vine tomatoes• 150g exotic mixed tomatoes• 2 small salad tomatoes, quartered• 70g Serrano ham slices• 1 tbsp basil, dried• 3 tbsp olive oil•…

ON TRACK per serving fat 23g carbs 16g protein 13g ON TRACK per serving fat 8g carbs 16g protein 6g ON TRACK per serving fat 31g carbs 14g protein 4g WARM TURMERIC & COCONUT MILK DRINK SERVES 3 • 1 tsp allspice, ground• 1 tsp cardamom, ground• 1 tsp ginger, ground• 1 tsp star anise powder• 2 tsp fresh turmeric, finely chopped• pinch of stevia• 3 cups coconut milk• cinnamon for sprinkling 1. In a small bowl, stir together all the ground spices, add the turmeric and stevia, and stir well to combine. 2. Pour the coconut milk in a small pot, add the spice mix and stir well. Bring to a slow simmer, whisking constantly. Drain the mixture. 3. To serve: Pour the hot mixture into 3 cups and…

ON TRACK per serving fat 1g carbs 2g protein 0g CINNAMON, LEMONGRASS & LEMON ICED TEA SERVES 2 • 2 cinnamon sticks• peel of 1 lemon• 2 stalks lemongrass• 1 chai tea bag• ice cubes• sliced limes to serve 1. Place the cinnamon sticks, lemon peel and lemongrass in a medium size pot. 2. Add 1L water and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the teabag and remove the pot from the heat. 3. Allow to steep for 5 minutes, then drain and leave the liquid to cool completely before chilling. 4. To serve: Pour the tea into a large jug, add ice cubes and lime slices, and serve immediately.…