Pineapple Pieces

Its interesting that Stacey mentioned pineapples in her latest article (Fresh vs Frozen veges) as I've been in to them for the past 3 weeks eversince they started appearing in my local fruit and vege shop.

I hadn't been too keen in the past as they used to give me sore lips but I thought I'll give them another go as I do enjoy their sweet/sour taste - mmm makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

Maybe it wasn't actually me making the decision to buy them but subconsiously my body was craving pineapples for its anti inflammatory properties. As you know, my body has been a little out of sync. I have sore shoulder and my joints are a little achy. Could be onset of aging or general overuse.

So I've been doing research into the Pineapple and what a wonderful fruit it is. Pineapples contain an enzyme called bromelain, which breaks down proteins and aids in digestion. And found out that its often used as a meat tenderizer, and in the leather industry to soften the hard animal hides. With the amount of protein I have in my diet, this fruit is perfect to help me break down protein, so figured if it can break down animal hide it surely could break downall the fish, steak, chicken and eggs I have throughout the week.

"Bromelain aids digestion by enhancing the effects of the digestive enzymes trypsin and pepin. It can also help to prevent heartburn by ease diarrhea, if either are caused by a deficiency of digestive enzymes. Bromelain supplements often contain a plant pigment called quercetin. The two substances are found in combination simply because they enhance each other's antiinflammatory actions, and that bromelain appears to improve quercetin absorption."

I'm a total believer in achieving good health naturally and getting your nutrition from food and pineapples provide alot of benefits:

1. It lessens risk of hypertension. Hypertension occurs when too much force is exerted on the artery walls while the blood circulates. One of the best ways to combat this is to infuse a high amount of potassium plus a small amount of sodium in your diet to lower blood pressure. Pineapples are the perfect for hypertension because a cup of pineapple contains about 1 mg of sodium and 195 mg of potassium.

2. It maintains good eye health Time and again, studies have found that pineapples protect against age-related eye problems because it is rich in antioxidants.

3. It fights a lot of diseases, being rich in Vitamin C.Pineapples are known to be a very good source of vitamin C, which protects our bodies from free radicals that attack our healthy cells. Lots of free radicals in the body can lead to major diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and various cancers. Vitamin C is considered the most important water-soluble anti-oxidant that fights against disease-inducing substances within the body. It is also an excellent fighter against flu and a great enhancer of the immune system.

4. It prevents plaque and keeps teeth healthy. Another benefit of the high amount of vitamin C in pineapples is that it prevents formation of plaque and gum diseases.

5. It cures constipation and irregular bowel movement. Pineapple is rich in fiber, making it effective in curing constipation and irregular bowel movement.

6. It keeps your skin beautiful! Pineapple contains enzymes that make skin elastic, improve skin hydration, and remove damaged and dead cells. Thus, it helps us achieve a clear and glowing complexion. The enzymes in pineapples also fight free-radical damage and can reduce age spots and fine lines.

How to have it
Personally I've never been into mixing my fruit and meat together at same time or have it with one of my main meals as it makes me feel seedy. I've proposed the question of mixing fruit and meat to Stacey, so hopefully she'll give us her opinion on mixing these in one of her updates.

Ofcoure your pineapple has to be fresh as nutrition of the pineapple could've been destroyed during the canning process. Plus canned fruit usually contains sugar and we don't need extra calories do we?

Lately I've been having a slice of pineapple about an hour after my meals to help curb that sugar craving. Its been great having it around 4pm as this is the time I'm usually wanting something sweet before dinner and pineapple seems to be hitting the spot at present.

Needless to say Pineapple Lumps don't count!!!

Now I'm hoping the price of Pineapples come down so I can enjoy them more regularly.

Bon Appetite
Lisa, Go Figure
14 Apr 10

Training around injury

Hands up who's ever had an injury. I would but my shoulder's too sore to even put my hand up. My right shoulder's been a little achy for about 3 weeks now and its really annoying me as I can't train my chest properly. Usually when this happened in the past I train through it and eventually it comes right but this time it sure is taking its time. Not only does it affect my chest training but I think it generally affects all my bodyparts and general happiness too.

I'm sure most of you have been through the same thing as an injury in one bodypart affects the total sum of all parts. I know I've been feeling bit flat and unenthused about training just because I haven't been able to give it my all. Luckily I have a training partner who puts up with my grumps and tries to get me ‘over it' during training.

Instead of feeling sorry for myself and not train at all, I've had to work around the injury because as you know we can't just give up! We can't not go to gym as its part of our lifestyle. So I've had to cut back the amount of weight I can do and do different angels for my chest workout.

Instead of having my hands out wide for dumbbell press, I've had to bring it closer to the body and stop the dumbbell just before parallel to my shoulders before it becomes sore and unstable. Dumbell flyes are definitely out but I can do cable cross overs if I don't have my hands to wide. I end up doing more of a ‘dip' movement with the cables rather the flyes. Once again I can't go too heavy and rather work on squeezing my pecs to bring the cable down. Instead of the barbell bench press, I use the ezy bar with my hands in the closer position to do bench press. I can't do that many exercises for chest so I compensate but doing a few more sets and reps and stop when it hurts too much.

If there is a good thing that comes out of this injury, its that I can still do shoulders - a bodypart which has also been a stubborn one for me to grow. Pretty much all pressing movement upwards are out but there are still plenty of lateral exercises that I can do.

Exercises I can do are: Front plate raises, Alternate dumbell front raises, Cable front raises with rope, Bentover front raises, Rear cable lateral raises or rear pec dec.

I also give myselfa rest day before and after my shoulder training days so that it can recover...and hopefully grow!

Training with an injury is a real pain. But you can train round your injury if you train within your boundaries. Sure, its not the same as doing the big weights you're used to or not getting that great pump you usually would but it certainly beats staying home and feel sorry for yourself.

Whatever injury you're dealing with at the moment, try not to push that part too hard and train to feel it rather than forcing it till it hurts. If the injury doesn't get any better then its time to visit your physio or other health professional, which is what I might have to do!! or probably all I need is a good massage.

Train hard - but safely!

Lisa, Go Figure
5 Apr 10

week 5, Lisa's Melbourne Meltdown


1. Trained at Fitness247 Gym but where was everybody on a Sat morning? 2. Johnsons' sizzling sausages to celebrate their open day 3. That's what I call a torturous workout

1 week to go before I get to ogle some big muscly men in their sexy posing trunks! As for me, thankfully I've dropped weight this week and sitting just on 58kg. Took a while but think my body is finally succumbing to what I want it to do. Some people can lose weight quickly but others, ie me, take a little time but I prefer the gradual process.

left: me and Maureen at the Fitness247 open day. She's looking fab as always.

I did work hard for it this week. Started off the week with early morning Zumba class at Environment. Felt and looked totally unco-ordinated but as long as I kept moving I was fine. The following mornings were spent either on the bike or walking, some days bike and walked to get Trixie's daily ritual out of the way too.

This week didn't do any weight training as my right felt delt is sore, probably from overtraining and overtrying! ha ha. But this week has been good to focus on cardio.

My goal is 57kg but not sure if I'll get there as a kg is alot for my body. I know that I'm definitely looking different, and feeling different too so won't feel so paranoid if those muscly guys want to give me a hug next week.

Lisa
5 Mar 10

Week 4

eek! I can't believe its only 2 weeks to go till the IFBB Melbourne Grand Prix. Since I wasn't pleased with my last weigh in, I have made some changes to my plan, especially in the cardio area. To help me psychologically get into it I've gone back into my Balance Thermo Ripped.

Figure if I'm getting into the mindset that if I want to burn fat then if I know I'm taking something that'll help me, then I'll more likely do it. I take 2 before morning cardio and 2 before lunch. I feel its helping me with energy and curbing my appetite. Felt a little hyped up the first couple of days but I've settled into it now.

I've been doing alot more morning cardio while keeping my night time biking. By the end of the week my joints were aching but I knew something had to give so that my weight would budge. And it did, just. Shaved another 200g off. OK not huge but a loss is a loss but the main thing is my clothes are fitting looser and think my chipmunk cheeks are going down too.

My leg, thigh butt area looks like they are bulging less in my skins so it makes me more wanting to get into them. I know the hard part for me is losing around the mid section but that's always the last place to go for me. I know I'm not going to be super dooper in 6 weeks but at least I'm getting started and getting into routine.

Had a wee treat meal in the weekend at the Chinese Lantern Festival. Didn't go too crazy, had a couple of vietnamese prawn rice rolls, some wontons and a serve of grilled octopus.

Here's to more early cardios!
Lisa
27 Feb 2010

Glimpse @ Top Gear!

Week 3

This week I've noticed some little changes on my body. Less bulge here, more tone there, clothes fit a little differently but unfortunately the scales have decided to not reflect that and I'm still 59kg. Then again, its not about the weight but how you look isn't it. I know I can still drop another kg without sacrificing muscle so hopefully I can do that in 3 weeks without my body resisting too much.

left: trained over at harbour fitness for a day for change of scene

To rev things up I think I'll give myself a high cal day over the weekend to shock the system. I've been good on the diet and probably due for a break. I'll probably have to get a little more serious with my cardio too and do a few mornings, that'll definitely shock the system. Its not so much that I really hate morning cardio, its just I'm so darn sore from the previous day's workout. If I wasn't so sore then I might enjoy it more. I know I can hear you all say ‘harden up Lisa!'. So will try just for you.

Have lots of updates to work on so sorry for the short report. Hopefully I will have better results next time.

Lisa
19 Feb

week 2 Lisa's Melbourne Meltdown

This past week has basically been pretty much a repeat of last week but with more tiredness and hunger setting in. Being a little hungry is a good sign that the diet is working. I certainly don't let myself get to the famished state where I go and eat anything. Like yesterday morning I was awake at 5.30am with a strong hunger pang but instead of having brekky or rolling back to bed, I just had a protein shake and then went back to sleep for another hour sleep. I've also had boiled eggs handy in the fridge too so I have something to snack on at night time.

Have been keeping up my evening cardio as I'm finding I'm not a morning person and evening suits me better. Plus cardio helps stave off the hunger pangs after dinner. But my latest cardio accessory is the new Black Skins.

I haven't used had any type of compression garment before so didn't know what I was in for. The first time I wore it it certainly felt tight and you can see every curve (and er bulge) in all those places I'm trying to lose from. So eventhough I can see every flaw, the Skins have been a good motivation to keep on the diet and cardio so I can shave off the curves more. I'll write more about Skins in New Stuff soon.

Coupled of course with the diet is supplements and I'm taking the basics ie Balance protein powder, recovery stack, glutamine, chromium, multivitamin, CLA, flax oil.

I think I must be the last person in NZ to try the Gaspari SuperPump. I was given a sample and have been giving it a go this week. I had the grape flavour which was quite nice and sour with a little sweetness, about 30min before training. I also threw in some extra Balance Beta Alanine to give me that extra boost.

So far I've had good energy for training and enjoying the better pumps during and after training. With the superpump I didn't feel too hyped up like some of the other pre workout formulas have given me like, instead I feel energized but mellow at the same time.

All the above combination has resulted in another 600gms shaved off my buns and cheeks, so now down to 59kg now. Lets hope the melting continues as its only 4 weeks to Melbourne!

Closest I'll get to a handbag!
Balance just sent me this aqua/blue bag. Pretty eh. Nice pressie for my fat loss but they didn't know that!

Lisa
12 Feb 10

Pineapple Pieces

Training around injury

week 5, Lisa's Melbourne Meltdown

week 2 Lisa's Melbourne Meltdown

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