Author Archives: Patience Lister

PGX FitBit Flex Giveaway!

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There’s no falling away from your 2015 health and fitness goals when you have a FitBit® Flex tracking your progress throughout the day and night. Activity level, distance travelled, calories burned, sleep patterns, and goals are all monitored and synced to your smartphone or tablet where your stats are easy to see and hard to ignore.

Why track your goals?

Studies show that setting a fitness goal and then receiving feedback on how close you are to that goal makes you more likely to achieve it.[1]

Why track sleep patterns?

Lack of sleep is linked to weight gain. A recent study found that people who sleep fewer than 7 hours per night have a significantly higher body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference than people who sleep 7-9 hours per night.[2]

To make your 2015 health and fitness goals easier to meet (or exceed), we’re giving away over 100 FitBit Flex wristbands – one every day. You can enter daily to boost your odds of winning. Fill out your name and email address on the contest entry form for a chance to win.

Good luck!

 

References:

[1] Wack, S. R., Kimberly A. Crosland and Raymond G. Miltenberger. “Using Goal Setting and Feedback to Increase Weekly Running Distance.” Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 47.1 (2014): 181-185. Web. 21 December 2014.
[2] Ford, E.S. et al. “Sleep Duration and Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference among US Adults.” Journal of Obesity 22.2 (2014): 598-607. Print.

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Don’t Hibernate: Stay Active This Winter

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The human body is designed to move. But what if it’s too cold and dark for your usual run or bike ride? Don’t stress, there are many superb options for staying active in this winter!

  • The Gym: No matter what your level of fitness is, the gym is a one-stop-shop for fitting your cardio, strength training, stretching, and abs workouts into one outing. The key is finding a gym with a comfortable, upbeat atmosphere that motivates you to keep coming back.
  • Indoor Pool: Freestyle swimming at a slow pace burns approximately 510 calories per hour.[1] But that’s not all you can do at the pool. Mix it up with aquatic aerobics classes, water jogging or fast-pace intervals using a kickboard. And once you’re done, treat yourself to a warm-up in the hot tub.
  • home_exercise_equipment-20141211Yoga: The poses and deep breathing exercises of yoga not only improve posture, flexibility and muscle tone, but can also boost your mood and mental focus.[2] On those extra cold winter days, try heating-up with a session hot yoga.
  • Home: When you’re too busy to get out, keep active at home. A few simple items, such as a jump rope, free weights, yoga mat, or exercise ball, can go a long way to keeping your heart rate up and muscles toned. Or get outside and build a snowman if you have snow on the ground!

What’s your favorite way to exercise? Let us know.

 

References:

[1] CDC. “Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2011. Web. 23 November 2014.

[2] Agarwal, Shashi. “Evidence Based Medical Benefits of Yoga.” Indian Journal of Science 2.3 (2013): 1-4. Print.

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5 Tips to Avoid Winter Weight Gain

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Is winter the downfall of your weight management strategy? The cold, damp, short days topped with the pressures of high-calorie party foods is enough to throw even the most disciplined health guru off her game. But with the right plan, you can eliminate the anxiety of weight gain this winter. Here are 5 tips to get you started:

  1. Load-up on fibre. Fibre keeps you full, blood sugar steady and cravings curbed. Include beans, seeds, fruits, and vegetables in your meals and add PGX® to your favourite healthy snacks to boost their fibre content.*
  2. Get your vitamin D. During the winter it may help reduce occasional winter blues, making it easier to stick to your goals – whether they are healthy eating, exercise or just getting off the couch.
  3. Partner-up. Recruit an energetic friend, family member or colleague for working out. They will boost your motivation, accountability and enjoyment.
  4. Get your ZZZs. According to research, sleep deprivation causes people to eat more and to crave high calorie foods[1].
  5. Treat yourself! Feeling deprived can lead to binge eating[2]. Treat yourself to high quality whole foods, such as coconut water, raw nuts, kale chips, roasted seaweed, and organic teas.

Stay tuned for more great tips!

Patience Lister

*Drink additional water (8 fl. oz.) after ingesting PGX. If you are taking medications, take one hour prior to or two hours after taking PGX.

References:

[1] Greer, Stephanie, Andrea Goldstein, and Matthew Walker. “The impact of sleep deprivation on food desire in the human brain.” Nature Communications 4 (2013): 2259.

[2] Michaels, Samantha. Overeating?: How to stop binge eating, overeating & get the natural slim body you deserve. Speedy Publishing LLC, 2013.

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Tips for cooking with PGX

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There are many quick and easy ways to incorporate PGX® granules into your favourite healthy snacks. Fluid and creamy foods are the most compatible choices because they blend well with the extra liquid that is added to make up for the water PGX absorbs. Once you get a sense of how PGX can change a food’s consistency and how much extra liquid to add, PGX granules may become your new ‘go-to’ ingredient for smart snacking recipes.

Here are three superb snacks you can rev-up with PGX granules.

Creamy almond butter spread: Using a small food processor or hand held blender, process 1/4 cup of almond butter with 3 tbsp. of soy milk until the consistency is smooth. Stir in 2.5 g of PGX* and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Enjoy spread on apple slices or plain rice cakes.

Kefir dill dip: Combine 2/3 cups of kefir, 1 tbsp. of minced dill, ½ tbsp. of lemon juice, a pinch of sea salt, and 5 g of PGX* granules in a bowl. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Eat as a dip with fresh-cut veggies.

Blueberry oatmeal sauce: Using a small food processor, process 1 cup of blueberries with ½ cup of water until smooth. Stir in 2.5 g of PGX* granules and allow to sit for 5 – 10 minutes. Drizzle over warm steel cut oats.

Once you feel ready to kick the fibre content of your own recipes up a notch, use the PGX chart for guidance on how much PGX and liquid to use.

* Drink additional water (8 fl. oz.) after ingesting PGX. If you are taking medications, take one hour prior to or two hours after taking PGX.

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