Table of contents for Volume 30 -Apr-19 in LOSE IT! The Handbook

We hope you enjoy our new-look LOSE IT as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together … and we want to thank you. It’s because of you that we’re having a re-design. When we first started LOSE IT in 2014, people said eating low-carb was just another fad diet that wouldn’t last. But we believed in it: we saw the results first-hand, not only in terms of remarkable weight loss, but also in terms of overall health – sleeping better, having more energy and feeling more positive about life in general. And in the five years we’ve been producing the magazine, we’ve just continued to feel better and better. Low-carb is not a fad: it’s the answer to a host of 20th and 21st century health problems and maladies, and…

CHARIS TORRANCE’S CREAMY PEPPERCORN CHICKEN SERVES 4 KEEP ON TRACK per serving FAT 19G CARBS 5G PROTEIN 22G 2 tbsp ghee4 chicken breast filletsHimalayan salt and black pepper2 garlic cloves, minced ½ cup dry white wine1 tbsp green peppercorns½ cup cream⅔ cup home-made chicken stock50g Parmesan cheese, grated juice of ½ a lemon10g chopped parsley40g marinated and roasted cherry tomatoes lemon slices to garnish 1. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan, season the chicken well and brown on all sides. Remove from the pan. Add the remaining ghee, toss in the garlic and sauté until golden. Add the wine, bring to a boil, then simmer until reduced by half. 2. Return the chicken to the pan along with the peppercorns, cream and stock, cover and cook over a gentle…

MAKES 1L 3 fresh bay leaves2g fresh thyme2g fresh sage1.5–2kg beef bones (such as marrow, shin etc.), roasted2–3 onions, cut into quarters3 stalks celery, chopped1 tsp black peppercorns2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1. First make a bouquet garni by placing the herbs in the centre of a small muslin cloth, which you then tie into a pouch with string. 2. Place roasted bones in a pot with vegetables, peppercorns and bouquet garni. 3. Add 2.5L water to the pot along with apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for up to 12 hours, refilling the pot with water when necessary. Remove any scum that rises to the surface by skimming it off with a ladle. 4. Drain the broth through a fine sieve set over a bowl,…

BEFORE AND AFTER ‘ I was a person who could eat a chocolate slab a day.’ For years, Nalini Naidoo’s busy schedule mostly focused on her three kids. Her days were filled by packing lunches, being an assistant teacher at her daughter’s school and running her own baking business. Her love for food, baking and her kids, however, distracted her from the health issue she was developing: over the years, she was steadily gaining weight. Nalini traces the source of her weight gain to seven years ago when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Nalini was pregnant with her youngest daughter at the time. ‘I left my job in an attorney’s office to look after my mom. Because of that, and after my littlest one, Gabriella, was born, I neglected…

A fast-growing body of research suggests that a slower, more thoughtful way of eating could help with weight issues. Mindful eating is based on the Buddhist concept of mindfulness: the process of bringing your mind to experience the present, usually done through meditation and other practices. Now, no one is suggesting that you meditate at each meal; mindful eating is merely about paying attention to the food you’re eating while you’re eating it – noticing the colours and smells, experiencing the textures and savouring the flavours of what you put in your mouth. And when you’re eating low-carb, that’s a lot. ‘When you eat, put all of your attention on the food, without judgement,’ says Klasie Wessels, a personal development logotherapist and mindfulness guide. ‘If you eat in front of…

Ever wondered what a family lunch looks like In a foodie's household, or better yet, that of a foodie power couple? Sarah (cookbook author and food stylist) and Gary Power (owner and director of Salt Catering) hosted us at a low-carb feast that had something on the menu for every member of the family, including granny Sue Doll, kids Ubby and Sophie and, of course, Izzy the dog. GREAT GO-TO FOR KIDS EGG & BACON MUFFINS MAKES 12 KEEP ON TRACK per serving FAT 10G CARBS 1G PROTEIN 11G coconut oil for greasing8 jumbo eggs200g mature cheddar cheese, grated100g mini Rosa tomatoes, halved130g streaky bacon, cooked and chopped10g fresh parsley, choppedHimalayan salt and black pepperhome-made tomato sauce 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 12-hole mini muffin tin. 2.…

• AITCHBONE: This versatile cut is from the hindquarter rump section and can be slow oven roasted or pot roasted. Aitchbone is fairly lean – it should be cooked with liquid so as not to dry it out. • BEEF SHIN: This cut is great for stews and soups, adding flavour and depth to any slow-cooked dish. It’s often used for Asian-style curries. Beef shin requires long slow-cooking to tenderise it but is full of flavour and worth the wait! • MARROW BONES: Cheap, economical and quick-cooking, but an acquired taste. Marrow bones are very rich so it is a good idea to serve them with a tart parsley topping, rocket salad or bitter greens to help cut their richness. • SHORT RIB: A full-flavoured fatty cut of beef requiring…

Marty Kendall is an Australian civil engineer – not really someone you would peg to become an expert in nutrition, but that’s what happened. His interest in food started because his wife is a type 1 diabetic, and he wanted to reverse engineer her diet. What makes his approach so compelling is his focus on science and numbers. Marty considers various degrees of low-carb living – including LCHF, Paleo and keto – and his real passion is nutrient density, which basically means getting the most bang for your buck from your food: does it give you the goods your body needs to function optimally and satisfy your appetite, at the lowest possible cost to your system? According to Marty, the biggest contributor to our increasing worldwide obesity is combining high…

Santasha Marais was never bothered by her weight. ‘I used to live off takeaways,’ she says. ‘I’d get whatever was easiest: usually McDonald’s or KFC. But beyond all of that, I also just didn’t worry about it. Everyone used to say, “You’ve got such a wonderful personality, your weight doesn’t even matter!”’ After meeting her fiancé Julian in 2016, Santasha’s weight took even more of a backseat. ‘I fell pregnant very soon after we met and threw caution to the winds! I used the pregnancy as an excuse.’ But after her daughter Lousindie was born, Santasha noticed the emotional and physical toll her weight was taking. ‘I tried crash diets, I tried 28-day challenges, I tried weight loss pills, I tried everything! Nothing stuck. I’d lose four or five kilograms…

'If I stop doing LCHF will I gain back all the weight?' and two other reader questions for our clinical nutritionist, Ruth Marcus. Q After being diagnosed as lactose intolerant I’ve gone dairyfree. I’ve tried a variety of dairyfree alternatives such as almond milk and coconut cream but I don’t enjoy the taste of any of them. Is it okay for me to have goat’s milk products or are these classified as dairy? A This is a very common question. Before answering, please note that a medical diagnosis of an allergy or intolerance is established with a blood test called an IgE (Immunoglobulin E), where antibodies that protect us against bacteria, viruses and allergens are measured. IgE antibodies are normally found in small amounts in the blood, but higher amounts…

Surprisingly, Rushda Moosajee doesn’t have a background in the fitness industry. ‘I was a graphic designer working in advertising. I did that for a few years and then I decided it wasn’t really for me – I wanted more from life. I quit my job and started freelancing, which meant I had a lot more time. I wanted to take my health seriously.’ Feeling like she’d neglected herself to focus on her career, Rushda took up yoga and running but kept getting injured as her body wasn’t conditioned for exercise. Once Rushda was introduced to a functional training style predominantly using kettlebells, she was hooked. ‘I became a lot stronger from the inside out. That made me a lot fitter, a lot faster and I built a very toned, feminine,…

CHICKEN BURGER FISH BURGER CHICKEN BURGER WITH SPICY SLAW SERVES 4 KEEP ON TRACK per servingFAT 56G CARBS 14G PROTEIN 46G FOR THE BUNS 3 jumbo eggs, separated150g cream cheese, softened2 tbsp thyme, dried1 tsp cream of tartar sesame seeds to sprinkle FOR THE CHICKEN 4 chicken thighs, deboned, skin off1 cup buttermilk2 eggs, beaten1 cup desiccated coconut40g Pecorino cheese, grated Himalayan salt and black pepper coconut oil for frying FOR THE COLESLAW 250g Brussels sprouts, shredded1 baby fennel bulb, shredded10g chives, chopped50g radish, cut into matchsticks2 tbsp home-made mayonnaise1 tsp dried chilli flakes2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil sliced tomatoes and lettuce leaves. 1. For the buns: Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease 4 x 10cm pie dishes. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cream cheese and thyme.…

SUN-DRIED TOMATO LAMB CHOPS WITH BRUSSELS SPROUT MASH SERVES 4 KEEP ON TRACK per serving FAT 22G CARBS 8G PROTEIN 23G YOUR 5 KEY ingredients 1. 400g Brussels sprouts2. 1 cup coconut cream3. 1 red onion, sliced into wedges4. 4–6 lamb loin chops5. 40g sun-dried tomato in a vinaigrette, blitzed until smooth 1 tbsp coconut oil 1. Put the Brussels sprouts in a pot, cover with water and cook until soft. Drain very well. Place in a food processor with coconut cream and blitz until smooth then season well. Set aside and keep warm. 2. Heat a frying pan and add the coconut oil. Add the onion and sauté until softened then remove from the pan and set aside. 3. Heat a griddle pan, season the lamb chops and cook…

SPINACH & APRICOT STUFFED PORK FILLET SERVES 8 KEEP ON TRACK per serving FAT 11G CARBS 11G PROTEIN 28G 2 tbsp ghee2 shallots, chopped200g spinach, finely chopped50g dried apricots, chopped50g macadamia nuts, toasted and chopped5g sage, chopped1 tsp Dijon mustard1 egg white, whisked until very foamy2 tbsp harissa pasteHimalayan salt and black pepper2 pork fillets approx. 900g2 tbsp honeys1 tbsp Dijon mustard roasted apple to serve rocket to garnish 1. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan, toss in the shallots and cook until softened. Add the spinach and cook until wilted and all the water has evaporated. Remove and drain well in a colander. 2. Place the chopped spinach, apricots, nuts, sage, mustard, egg white and harissa paste into a bowl. Season and stir well to combine. 3. Preheat…

‘Eat five small meals a day and run. Also, eat only breakfast and dinner, and walk. Also, eat lots of protein and lift, and don’t even do any cardio, it’s bad for your joints. Also, don’t eat too much protein and make sure you’re sleeping a lot. But don’t be sedentary. But don’t be too active, it’s bad for your blood pressure. Make sure you replace all your lost salt, but never eat too much sodium. It’s easy, just eat vegetables. Don’t eat potatoes though, or corn. Fruit is obviously good for you, and also all sugar and bad for you. Sugar, I forgot to mention, is a vital source of quick burning carbs your brain needs to survive, and you should avoid it at all costs. Protein is hurting…

SERVES 2 BEST GO-TO RECIPE KEEP ON TRACK per serving FAT 9G CARBS 6G PROTEIN 17G 1 tbsp butter1 onion, finely chopped1 tbsp garlic, chopped2 tbsp Carb Smart Peri Peri sauce2 tbsp Carb Smart Lemon and Herb250g prawns, peeled, with tails intactsea salt and black pepper2 tbsp lemon juice½ cup creamlemon wedges to serve 1. Add the butter to a pan and allow to melt. Add the chopped onion, garlic and Carb Smart sauces, then add the prawns and fry for a few minutes. 2. Season to taste and stir through the lemon juice. 3. Cook the prawns until the flesh is opaque, then pour in the cream and simmer gently until thickened. 4. To serve: Serve the prawns with lemon wedges.…

According to advocates of intermittent fasting (IF), strategically skipping a meal or two has a host of health benefits: it lowers your diabetes risk by decreasing insulin resistance; enhances growth hormone production (good for anti-ageing); and improves cognition through the release of dopamine. In short, IF is a way of eating that focuses on when you eat instead of what you eat, and involves going without food for a determined period of time. One popular approach is the 16:8 fast, where you fast for 16 hours (say between the hours of 7pm and 11am), and eat within an eight-hour window. Then there is the 5:2 method, where you restrict your food intake to about 500 calories for two days a week and eat normally the other five days. Others prefer…

FALAFEL MAKES 20 KEEP ON TRACK per ball FAT 3G CARBS 3G PROTEIN 2G 200g sweet potato,cooked and mashed10g coriander, chopped1 egg white, whisked½ tsp baking powder60g pistachio, toasted and choppedHimalayan salt and black pepper200g cauliflower rice1 tbsp cumin, ground1 tbsp coriander, ground coconut oil for frying FOR THE SAUCE 1 tbsp tahini½ cup double cream yoghurtjuice of ½ a lemon chopped red onion, pomegranate rubies and fresh herbs to serve 1. Place sweet potato, coriander, egg white, baking powder and pistachio into the bowl of a food processor and season well. 2. Heat a pan, toss in cauliflower rice and spices and cook, stirring, until dry and slightly crispy. Allow to cool slightly then add to the bowl of the food processor and blitz to combine. 3. Roll the…

It’s only 11.30am but you’ve already started counting down the minutes until lunchtime, which is at 1pm. Today you’ll be lucky if you make it to noon. You can feel yourself becoming irritable and impatient, and the smell of fresh coffee and croissants wafting over from your neighbour’s desk isn’t helping either. To take your mind off food, you pop a piece of gum and start scrolling mindlessly through social media. But then there it is on Pinterest: a slice of moist chocolate cake, dripping in caramel. And before you know it, you’re in the canteen ordering a brownie and a large latte. It feels as if you haven’t eaten in days, but in reality you had a bowl of oats and a banana at 8am, rice cakes with Marmite…

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ON THE MENU • Breakfast spaghetti squash • Rustic tomato RUSTIC TOMATO sauce BREAKFAST SPAGHETTI SQUASH SERVES 4 KEEP ON TRACK per serving FAT 38G CARBS 10G PROTEIN 20G 2 spaghetti squash, halved2 tbsp coconut oilHimalayan salt and black pepper FOR THE FILLING 80g feta cheese, crumbled120g cream cheese2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil4 plum tomatoes, lightly grilled150g streaky bacon, cooked until crispy4 eggs, poached herbs to garnish STEP ONE Preheat the oven to 180°C. Remove the seeds from the halved spaghetti squash. STEP TWO Place the halved squash onto a lined baking tray, drizzle with coconut oil and season. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until soft. STEP THREE Place the feta into a food processor with the cream cheese and olive oil and blitz until smooth. STEP…

BEEF SHIN IN RED WINE WITH ZOODLES SERVES 4–6 KEEP ON TRACK per serving FAT 16G CARBS 20G PROTEIN 47G 2 tbsp coconut oil Himalayan salt and black pepper 1kg beef shins, sliced 2 red onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 250g bacon, chopped 250g brown mushrooms, sliced 1 x 400g tin cherry tomatoes ½ cup red wine ½ cup beef stock 3 bay leaves 400g zoodles, blanched green beans to serve 1. Heat the coconut oil in a large heavy-based pan, season the beef shins well and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside. 2. Add the onions, garlic and celery, sauté for 2 minutes then add the bacon and sauté until golden and crispy. 3. Add the mushrooms and sauté until all the…

CYCLING Hands-free hydration Whether you’re taking part in a cycle tour or going mountain biking, a hydration backpack is essential, especially if it’s going to be a long race. The Thule Vital collection is lightweight and convenient, with smart solutions such as a hands-free ReTrakt magnetic hose return system and convenient jersey-style pockets for quick access to nutrition bars, clothing or tools without having to remove the pack. The packs range from 2L–8L capacity and prices start from R1 999 at thulestore.co.za. ECO-FRIENDLY Clean and pure KURO-Bo lets you purify water at home. KURO-Bo activated charcoal lasts for at least three months of daily use and comes in hand-cut sticks and koins that are quickly activated through 10-minute boiling. The sticks are intended for up to 3L at a time…

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)•…

MEAT • Free range, grass-fed, organic meat No processed meats EGGS • Free range organic eggs SEAFOOD • Most fish No processed or crumbed fish DAIRY • Ghee No other dairy such as milk, cream or cheese SWEET THINGS • Raw honey• Maple syrup• Dark chocolate No sugar or artificial sweeteners FRUIT • Most fresh (preferably organic) fruit in moderation FATS • Coconut oil• Olive oil• Avocado oil• Macadamia nut oil No refined vegetable oil such as sunflower or canola NUTS • Most nuts except peanuts No legumes or dried beans FLOURS • Almond flour• Macadamia nut flour• Coconut flour No wheat flours, grain, cereals, rice or oats VEGGIES • Most fresh vegetables – preferably organic Starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes and beetroot should be eaten in moderation. No…