Health & Fitness Talk - Women VS Whey

A lot of my friends were very surprised when I told them I take whey protein, in fact I take about 4-5 scoops of whey depending on the length of my day and activity level. Do not be too alarmed, because I'm going to tell you more about whey protein and why we women should not shun away from it. Of course, do check with your doctor for any allergies or intolerances that you have (which I will be sharing later).

What is Whey Protein?

According to Wikipedia, whey, also called milk serum or milk permeate, is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a by-product of the manufacture of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Whey is then thrown away as a waste product as a usual practice in the past. Over those years, researchers found out that whey protein is actually a form of high quality, natural protein that is rich in amino acids essential for good health and muscle building.

It is naturally found in mother’s milk and also used in baby formula, and also being considered for use as a fortifier of grain products because of its considerable health benefits and bland flavor. Although protein is also found in other foods such as meat, soy and vegetables, whey protein is proven to have the highest absorption (digestion) levels in comparison to all others.

Who should take Whey Protein?

Whey protein has many health benefits including immune support, bone health, sports health, weight management and overall well being. And as women, we need all the help we can get to keep our bones strong and supportive, whether you have given birth or not. It is important for us women to maintain overall health and better nutrition will keep the immunity strong too.

Moreover, because Whey protein is very rich in amino acids which are ‘building blocks’ for the human body, it is sometimes used by patients to speed up the healing of wounds or burns. The high quality protein that comes from whey makes it a recommended choice for those who need optimal benefits from restricted diets including diabetics, those on weight management diets and even ill patients not able to consume enough protein in their diet to assist with healing.

Of course, Whey protein is very commonly known to be used by athletes and especially bodybuilders. However, for us women, we do not have sufficient testosterones (male hormones) in our bodies that will allow us to grow muscular like men so fret not!

Benefits of Whey Protein for Women

Fat Loss
I cannot stress how important a high protein diet will assist in general fat loss and more often than not, you cannot get pure and 'clean' protein from your regular meals. Therefore, the best way to make up for the daily required amount of protein in order to lose fats, is to drink Whey protein. In fact, I sometimes like to replace my meals or top up my meals with 1 scoop of whey protein, if the meal I just had lack the amount of protein I need in a meal.

Lean Muscle Gain/Maintenance
I always like to associate fat loss and muscle gain/maintenance hand-in-hand, because the more lean muscles you have in your body, the smaller the fat cells get (simplified). Whey protein helps in muscle-building, thus shrinking your fat cells in the long run. PLEASE always keep in mind, MUSCLES CANNOT BE CONVERTED INTO FATS, FATS CANNOT BE CONVERTED INTO MUSCLES! So, stop deluding yourself by not working out because you are afraid that your muscles will be converted into fats when you grow older and stop working out (why should you stop working out when you grow older anyway?).

Overall Health Benefits
Protein in general, is classified as an essential nutrient, meaning it performs tasks that are necessary for your body's daily functioning. Proteins build and repair skin, blood, bones, muscles and cartilage so it definitely is beneficial for overall health and especially for women who are expecting. Do check with your doctor/gynae first though, before you start downing scoops of protein during your pregnancy.

Limitations

Whey VS Whole foods
As much as Whey protein is beneficial for us women (and men), do take note that the commercial protein powder that are advertised and consumed by me are still merely supplements. If you are able to get enough protein from whole foods and your daily meals, go ahead and do without the Whey protein powder. I do know of some athletes who do not take Whey protein powder at all.

Lactose-Intolerance
I have also heard of friends who are lactose-intolerant so the main range of Whey protein powder is a no-no for them. You can look for alternatives like soy protein, which may cause slightly higher but still as nutritious, or simply look for whey protein that are lactose-free!

Ways to make Whey protein taste better

Well, I'm not saying all Whey protein taste bad, but if you have to take 4-5 scoops or more daily like me, I love to do quick tweaks to my protein drinks to have more variety.

Smoothies
If you are someone who likes smoothies, simply add a scoop if you like! I love it with bananas, avocados, strawberries, basically most fruits. This way, your breakfast is complete with carbs, high protein and good fats (if you use avocados).

Protein bars
If you are someone who likes to snack and munch all the time, the OhYeah! protein bars are perfect for you. This is my favorite flavor, together with the Peanut butter Strawberry flavor. It keeps me full so I use these bars as meal replacements when I have back-to-back pt sessions, don't have time to eat or don't have access to healthier choices outside.

Protein drinks
On days when I have to rush out of home without breakfast, or when I have super early sessions, I will grab a bottle of OhYeah! Nutritional shake, which contains 32 grams of protein (perfect!). I love it because it is so convenient and yummy at the same time! Most importantly, it is lactose-free!

I get all my Whey protein powder, protein bars and drinks from www.richnutrition.com! Quote 'LA774' for an additional 5% off all purchases and there is free delivery for orders above $100! Happy shopping and live healthily! :)

Fitness & Health Talk - 3 reasons why you should start working out

As much as I know many of my friends are starting to hit the gym, I know that there are many who are not, whatever the reasons may be. There are many ladies out there who only start considering to do something to their bodies when they encounter health problems, which is why I'm writing about this today. Even before we start seeing problems, shouldn't we already begin to prevent these problems from surfacing?

Working out doesn't mean you have to get your butt to the gym. Instead, you can always start something simple by moving around more than usual. For example, the cliche examples like getting household chores done, getting down one stop earlier or parking your car further away from your destination so you can walk to your destination, taking the stairs instead of the lift up. But well, if you can, just get to the gym, get a personal trainer if you can afford, and learn the basics well and after about 20 sessions, you should be good on your own unless you need the additional motivation.

SO, why should you do yourself a favour and start moving that lazy bum?

1. As mentioned, working out makes you look YOUNGER!

Studies have shown that exercise reduces stress and releases endorphins, also known as happy hormones. And by indulging in a workout/exercise, research has been shown to alleviate most mild to moderate cases of anxiety, and can very quickly improve mood. Try it for yourself! It has worked for me, especially when I go for combat classes!

Also, sweating out during a good workout not only reduces bodyside inflammation and helps regulate skin-significant hormones, but also prevents free-radical damage. When you workout, the tiny arteries in your skin open up, allowing more blood to reach the skin’s surface and deliver nutrients that repair damage from the sun and environmental pollutants. How awesome is that!! It's like a facial session! :D

2. Stand taller!

This is where you would hear me nag "Very very important to stretch pre and post workout because it will lengthen your muscles!". My clients would have been sick and tired of hearing me say this but STILL, I have to emphasise and emphasise the importance and sometimes this happens to me, especially when I don't even have enough time for my actual workout.

Well, nobody has proven by research that working out and stretching makes one taller, but activities that stretch and strengthen muscles at the same time, like yoga or Pilates, can correct bad posture and therefore add height! Oh you will be surprised!

3. Less Visceral fats!

You may then ask, what are visceral fats?
Our body contains 2 main types of fats, Subcutaneous and Visceral fats. Subcutaneous fat is the one you can pinch and is relatively benign. Visceral fats are fats that surround your vital abdominal organs and can be a killer.

Then comes the next question, why is less good?

How about, why are more visceral fats bad? Excess visceral fat fuels low-grade inflammation in the body and is tied to a chain of killer-diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, colon cancer, breast cancer and dementia. It can also upset the balance of important hormones that affect your skin, hair and general appearance.

So when you workout regularly, your body makes more mitochondria, the cellular engines where aerobic metabolism takes place and it also produces more proteins to speed up the transportation of fatty acids into cells to be burned as energy, and then makes more enzymes that break fats down. So the more enzymes you have in your body, the faster visceral fat can be burned, which will ultimately not only make your body look better, but healthier!

Take courage ladies and gentlemen alike, and stop deluding yourself! It's never too late to start a fitness regime and embark on your fitness journey. If you ever need help or personal training, feel free to email me (limaran@gmail.com) or my husband (jasonjuliuslim@gmail.com if you are too shy to approach me). We will try our best to help you!

Good night everyone! 

Health & Fitness - The Operation Thigh Gap

I have been requested to write about this new trend among female teenagers worldwide, and this is something that bothers me much. As I was googling to find out more, I discovered that there is even a pinterest topic called 'Operation Thigh Gap'! I briefly browsed through the photos and realised there are like-minded people like me who commented to say that this obsession is not healthy. Well, so what is this obsession over thigh gaps about?

Firstly, girls out there, please do not obsess over not being able to achieve a thigh gap, in other words, this should NOT be in your list of fitness goals. Why so?
1. Everybody's legs are shaped differently.

A. Straight - You are lucky to get this leg shape, straight and non-bandy.

B. O-shaped curvature - This is a congenital bone deformation where only your ankles touch in standing position, making your legs form a letter O.

C. X-shaped curvature - Another congenital bone deformation where your knees touch in standing position, making your legs form a letter X.

Looking at this, I'm sure you can identify what kind of leg shape you have. Very often when your legs are slightly O-shaped, your thigh gaps are larger. Vice versa for A. Straight and C. X-shaped. I'm no osteologist so I'm nobody to judge on the different types of leg shapes but I do have a slight X-shaped curvature (a little bothered!).

2. Whether you have thigh gaps or not will also be dependable on the size of your hips (of course and the leg shapes will then come into picture). You will only be able to reduce the fats around your hips, but unfortunately, unless you can cut the hip bones at the sides (sounds really silly), your hip size is rather fixed genetically.

Conclusion, do not think that just by losing weight (healthily or not), you will be able to achieve this because we are made differently! Instead, try focusing on your fitness goals to live healthily, exercising/working out regularly, eat well, having ample rest; having a healthy lifestyle will lead to longevity, which is much more worth it than obsessing over getting thigh gaps. 

If you have been following me on FB and Instagram, I think you might have already heard of Brandnewstart SG. Do check it out if you are looking for a personal trainer to kickstart a fitness regime, OR, if you know of somebody who needs such help! Our team of trainers are ever-ready to help! 

These are the 4 main programmes that Brandnewstart offers:

For ladies who are looking to burn fats and tone up!

For men out there who are looking to shed some flabs and that beer belly!

For men and women who are looking to gain some quality muscles!

Lastly, for men and women who are athletes or are looking to train up to be one!

Take your pick and simply email enquiry@brandnewstart.sg if you are already sure of what programme you are interested to sign up for, otherwise, feel free to look up www.brandnewstart.sg for more information!

I know I promised HEALTH TIPS! Coming up next! Have a great weekend ahead!