Table of contents for Vol 41 in LOSE IT! The Handbook

THE DELUXE SOOTHING GREEN JUTE YOGA KIT BAG offers a stylish way to tote your yoga stuff around. Made with a blend of 50% jute and 50% cotton canvas, the bag is fully lined and has an inside pocket for your keys. It measures 80 cm x 27 cm x 18 cm, so it has enough space for your mat, yoga blocks, towels and toiletries. R495; billythebee.com BIO-OIL, which makes the skincare staple we’ve been using since the Eighties, has launched a new Bio-Oil Body Lotion. The brand says its ground-breaking lotion features an ultralight formulation with more than double the oil content. It’s made with the finest, ethically sourced ingredients, and contains no parabens, preservatives, palm oil, phthalates, phytoestrogens, topical steroids, folic acid or hydroquinone. R115 (175ml) and R151…

‘I’ve been diagnosed with fatty liver disease and I have to lose weight. Is it safe for me to follow alow-carb diet? Clinical nutritionist Ruth Marcus answers your questions. FROM THE EXPERT Q I‘ve heard that taking collagen has many benefits. What is it, and can I get it in my diet instead of taking it as a supplement? A Collagen is a protein that is responsible for healthy joints and skin elasticity. As we age, however, collagen starts to break down and our bodies start to produce less. As a result, many turn to collagen supplements, which are sold in powder, liquid or capsule form. Our bodies produce collagen by combining amino acids, the building blocks of proteins found in animal-based foods. The amino acids proline and lycine, as…

IF your dreams of a trim waistline or washboard abs evaporate as quickly as your sweat after a thousand crunches, you’re not alone. For many of us, the only results of our efforts are sore stomach muscles and pants that still won’t button up! The fallacy is that abs are made in the gym, when in reality they’re made in the kitchen. When it comes to losing weight, the food you eat has a far greater impact than the hours you clock up working out. WHY IT’S DANGEROUS Subcutaneous fat is the fat that sits just under the skin. It’s visible, and you can pinch it when you grab your upper arms, for example. Visceral fat is fat that surrounds your abdominal organs – one of the things that make…

GRETHE’S BACON-WRAPPED FETA-STUFFED MUSHROOMS SERVES 3–4 KEEP ON TRACK per serving FAT 12G CARBS 1G PROTEIN 11G 6 large brown mushrooms (3 cm–5 cm diameter)2 feta wheels, crumbled2 garlic cloves, sliced finely (optional)1 x 250 g packet streaky bacon 1. Preheat an air-fryer or oven to 180°C. If you’re using the oven, line a baking sheet with baking paper. 2. Remove the stems of the mushrooms so they are hollow. Fill the mushroom caps with crumbled feta. Add a few slivers of garlic if you wish. 3. Wrap bacon rashers around each mushroom, with the bacon going over the feta-filled hole and the ends overlapping at the bottom. 4. Bake stuffed mushrooms in the air-fryer for 10–15 minutes or in the oven for 15–20 minutes, until the bacon starts to turn…

CHIA AND COCONUT PUDDINGS MAKES 4 PUDDINGS; SERVES KEEP ON TRACK per serving FAT 30G CARBS 16G PROTEIN 5G These puddings are convenient to have for breakfast on the run. Keep it exciting by changing the toppings. Make a quick berry coulis by cooking 150 g berries with 10 ml erythritol until smooth. Top some of the puddings with a layer of coulis. Or stir through your favourite nut butter and top with a few berries. FOR THE PUDDINGS 100 g chia seeds60 ml (4 tbsp) desiccated coconut400ml (13 ⁄5 cups) coconut milk125ml (½ cup) unsweetened almond milk or cream10 ml (2 tsp) vanilla extract10 ml (2 tsp) erythritol pinch of salt TO SERVE a handful of berries, whole or chopped a few sprigs of mint 1. For the puddings: Combine all…

LOW-CARB STRAWBERRY JAM MAKES 3 X 250ML JARS; ABOUT 16 X 15ML SERVINGS KEEP ON TRACK per serving FAT 1G CARBS 4G PROTEIN 1G You can use three small glass jars or one large jar for this recipe. They need to be sterilised. Cover the jars (and their lids) with water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. “Cook” for 5 minutes and turn off the heat. Allow the jars to cool in the water before lifting them out with tongs. 60 ml (4 tbsp) chia seeds120 ml (½ cup) water750 g strawberries, hulled and chopped coarsely50 g erythritol grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 1. Place the chia seeds and the water in a small bowl to soak. 2. Place the strawberries, erythritol, lemon juice and lemon…

PARMESAN-CRUSTED HAKE NUGGETS WITH YOGHURT DIP SERVES 4 KEEP ON TRACK per serving FAT 15G CARBS 9G PROTEIN 29G FOR THE HAKE NUGGETS 1 egg250 ml (1 cup) buttermilk salt and pepper125 ml (½ cup) grated Parmesan125 ml (½ cup) nutritional yeast flakes45 ml (3 tbsp) sesame seeds2.5 ml (½ tsp) garlic powder2.5 ml (½ tsp) onion powder300 g hake fillets, cut into 10–12 small pieces FOR THE DIP 200 ml (4 ⁄5 cup) double-cream plain yoghurt1 small garlic clove, chopped finely5g chives, chopped finely salt and pepper 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Prepare a baking tray, either with a rack or grid on top, or line it with baking paper. Spray the grid or the baking paper with non-stick cooking spray. 2. For the hake nuggets: Beat egg in…

These days, we consumers have a wider choice of workout gear by brands that focus on ethical and environmentally responsible manufacturing, such as the ECONYL Collection by Spiritgirl. The range comprises nonprinted leggings and tops made of ECONYL regenerated nylon yarn, which is created from ocean waste such as abandoned fishing nets. The fabric feels soft and is comfortable and breathable, and there’s no compromise on performance. With a UPF 50+ rating, the fabric also protects skin against UV rays. spiritgirl.co.za/collections/econyl-collection…

Let yourself be taken on a journey into the why of our lives: Why do we make certain decisions? Why do we hold onto things? What is behind marriages that last? The Hidden Brain podcast explores the unconscious patterns that drive human behaviour, and questions what lies at the heart of our complex and changing world. Host Shankar Vedantam is committed to science, and his storytelling will keep you as captivated as the best mystery story – only what you’re discovering is fascinatingly real. You’ll find it on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.…

FOUR WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE PRINTED MAGAZINE • Call 087 353 1300• SMS the keyword LOSEIT to 32361 (SMSs cost R1.50; free SMSs don’t apply)• WhatsApp 087 353 1333• Email subs@media24.com SUBSCRIBE TO THE DIGITAL MAGAZINE To read LOSE IT! on a device of your choice, subscribe through Zinio or Magzter: go to zinio.com or magzter.com search for LOSE IT! and follow the prompts. PRICES VALID FOR DELIVERY IN SOUTH AFRICA ONLY FOR INTERNATIONAL RATES, CALL 021 065 0033 OFFER VALID UNTIL 21 APRIL 2022…

‘The journey has now become more about my health than my actual weight; the scale is no longer part of it.’ When she was younger, 41-year-old Annelise Kleinhans from Port Elizabeth developed an unhealthy relationship with food, often turning to it for comfort in stressful times. ‘I was never a skinny girl as a teenager,’ she says. ‘I picked up some bad habits early on because I went through a difficult time: my parents divorced when I was quite young and then my father passed away when I was 14, so it was a challenging time.’ Annelise continued to struggle with her weight well into her mid-twenties, and would easily fall into old snacking habits when life became hard. ‘Both my husband and I have a stressful job and we…

Maintaining a body is no mean feat. Right now, your own system is hard at work creating powerful building blocks which are used to form everything that makes you you. Your muscles, organs, tendons, skin, hormones, neurotransmitters and enzymes all need protein to form and repair. The thing is, there is more than one source of protein. So, are all proteins considered equal? ‘All proteins are made up of amino acids, the specific number and sequence of which are unique to each protein,’ says Sabeeha Abdullah, registered dietician at Go Grow Glow in Cape Town. ‘Just like the alphabet, the amino acid “letters” can be arranged in millions of different ways to create “words” and an entire protein “language”. Depending on the number and sequence, the resulting protein folds into…

DIETS DON’T WORK– And this low-carb, healthy-fat lifestyle has the most delicious food. SIGN UP NOW AT loseit.co.za The six-week online low-carb, healthy-fat meal plan • Say goodbye to annoying extra kilos.• Say goodbye to hunger and hello to glowing skin.• Say goodbye to sleepless nights and hello to boundless energy.• Say hellotoanew YOU! 6 weeks to LOSE IT! is a specially designed online programme that will help you shed kilos – and change the way you think about food. EACH WEEK YOU GET: • Anoutline of your week ahead – as well as excellent advice and tips to get you set• Ashopping list• Ameal plan and recipes• Alist of foods to eat and foods to avoid ONLY R499! SIGN UP NOW! loseit.co.za…

❛This dish is sometimes called Japanese pizza or as-you-like-it pancake.❜ SUSHI BOWLS SERVES 4 KEEP ON TRACK per serving FAT 39G CARBS 8G PROTEIN 27G FOR THE BROCCOLI RICE 15ml (1 tbsp) coconut oil1 small head of broccoli (about300g), processed in a food processor until it resembles rice2 spring onions, sliced thinly30ml (2 tbsp) soya sauce15 ml (1 tbsp) unsweetened rice wine vinegar5ml (1 tsp) erythritol30ml (2 tbsp) sesame seeds FOR THE SALMON 4 x 100 g thick skinless salmon fillets30ml (2 tbsp) sesame seeds, toasted15ml (1 tbsp) coconut oil TO SERVE 4 small sheets of nori2 small snacking cucumbers, sliced in the length2 avocados, sliced4 radishes, trimmed and sliced thinly a small handful of sprouts30ml (2 tbsp) soya sauce30ml (2 tbsp) sesame seeds, toasted about 8 pieces of pickled ginger1…

Pharmaceutical validation officer Lindiwe Sonji Mazondwa had been chubby ever since she was a child. The Port Elizabeth mom of two boys and a baby girl had a weakness for chocolates, chips and takeaways, and saw her weight go from 90kg to 116 kg during her third pregnancy. ‘That was too much for someone of my height,’ she says. ‘I had a goody bag in which I kept all my chips, chocolates, biscuits, cakes and sweets – so every night, my boys and I would indulge while watching TV. My routine involved eating five times a day: three big meals and snacks in between. I would have a glass of Coke or juice with dinner every night, not realising that I was ingesting lots of carbs to keep me full.’…

Hempseed has become quite the it ingredient on the health food scene. Technically a nut, the seed has been around through the ages, but has only recently become popular. And – just in case you’re concerned about the fact that it’s from the cannabis plant – the seed does not contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in cannabis, so it won’t have any effect on your mind. When hempseeds are shelled, they’re known as hemp hearts, and there are a number of ways to enjoy them: You can eat them raw, toast them or cook them. The seeds are also used to make non-dairy hemp milk and cheese. Add them to salads, soups, protein shakes and smoothies, and sprinkle some over grilled fish. The gastronomic options are endless. High in…

Maria van Zyl grew up on a farm in Jonkershoek, Stellenbosch, where her family owned a few cows and her mother made yoghurt. It was on a Grade 3 camp that she first made butter. Twenty-odd years later, she has made a business out of it. After completing a degree at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy in 2019, she spent time on a farm in the Alps making butter and cheese. She planned to make cheese once she was back in South Africa, but she wanted to do it with natural cultures that came from the environment and from the cows – not commercial ones. She then decided that butter would be an easier way to start and set out to produce cultured butter, as opposed to the…

Rebound exercise involves a combination of jumping and other forms of strength and conditioning moves on a rebounder, explains fitness and health specialist Lisa Raleigh, who is the founder of bounti rebounding. ‘I’ve tried just about every exercise modality out there, with varying success,’ Lisa says. ‘When I had my daughter, Bella, five years ago, I found the sleeplessness, lack of time and complete change in physicality really difficult to overcome as I tried to return to my former, fitter self. Rebounding became my go-to workout. I could do it for just 15 or 20 minutes at a time, which soon became a habit that I was happy to keep. It’s simply incredible for post-partum recovery because it gently – without impact – strengthens your core, pelvic floor and every…

Mexican frittata SERVES 6 KEEP ON TRACK per serving FAT 24G CARBS 7G PROTEIN 16G 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil½ onion, peeled and chopped½ green sweet pepper, chopped1 jalapeño pepper, chopped finely250 g beef mince10 ml (2 tsp) smoked paprika good pinch of salt125 ml (½ cup) Mexican-style tinned tomatoes (or whole peeled tomatoes)6 eggs250 ml (1 cup) buttermilk50 g Cheddar, grated TO SERVE 60 ml (¼ cup) crème fraiche fresh coriander leaves1 jalapeño pepper, sliced thinly 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. 2. Heat the oil in a medium ovenproof non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper, chilli and smoked paprika. Cook for 6–7 minutes, until soft and fragrant. 3. Add the mince in batches and cook well between each addition. Stir with a wooden spoon…

O mega-3s are essential fatty acids that play a vital role in your body. They’re called ‘essential’ because our bodies can’t produce them, so we need to obtain them from food sources. The three most significant types are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). ALA is mainly found in plants, whereas DHA and EPA are found in oily fish and shellfish. Whydoweneedomega-3s? • The long-chain fatty acids DHA and EPA are known to reduce inflammation in the body. They significantly reduce heart disease risks such as blood clotting and plaque formation in the arteries. They also decrease insulin resistance, and are also thought to reduce the risk of dementia. • Omega-3s lower anxiety and depression levels. They help to improve concentration, and studies have shown that…

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