Our bodies use sleep to repair and strengthen our muscles, joints and other parts that get tired and damaged through use and exertion during waking hours.

This restorative process uses energy to rebuild lean muscle mass and to help rebuild other kinds of body tissue. That is worth repeating — this rebuilding process uses energy — and if the rebuilding process is running smoothly and efficiently, that energy comes from places in our body where energy is stored — from fat.

In other words, the body rebuilds tissue, organs, bone, and lean muscle by burning fat.

Several things about this process are worth noting. They have an important bearing on how efficiently it works.

Collagen is very important to the body repair process…

Collagen is the most common protein found in our bodies. It is the main component of our skin, nails, bones, cartilage, and connective tissue and is found in all of the body organs. Cartilage is the cushion and shock absorber between joints, and the reason we stay flexible and mobile. Healthy cartilage is constantly being regenerated by the body naturally and this process contributes to keeping us youthful and flexible.

As we age, our bodies lose the ability to produce collagen at sufficient levels needed to support the deep restorative sleep processes that our bodies are designed to perform. This can be a major contributor that leads to a premature aged appearance and can definitely affect our flexibility and mobility. It stands to reason that a collagen supplement combined with other natural ingredients can have a dramatic effect in better supporting the deep restorative sleep process. This in turn can allow the body to experience more energy, build more lean muscle, and burn more fat.

I’m not a big supplement take however, collagen is one I now take and this brand was actually recommended to me by my son!! So I’m sharing it with you if you ‘d like to explore your options and hey who doesn’t want to support there skin, hair, nails and of course gut with a natural product?

Not eating before sleeping is very important…

Since the body uses deep sleep for the restoration process, it is important when using a collagen supplement not to eat three hours before going asleep. This is because we don’t want nutrient competition between undigested food and the collagen supplement special nutrient formula itself.

If the body has to concern itself with digestion it will not absorb the collagen formula properly. Therefore your body will not be performing its natural restorative process while you sleep, but rather will be concerned with undigested foods and will actually be storing fat from the continuing digestive process rather than burning fat as the energy for the deep sleep restorative process.

This tends to put us into a “diet circle of frustration”. The less time your body spends in deep restful sleep (without competing digestion), the less time it has to restore its natural health, and the less fat that is burned in support of this natural rebuilding process. Now we understand the key connection between deep restorative sleep and weight loss many times goes hand in hand with our overall health.

Reducing or eliminating the intake of food three hours before bedtime allows the body to use its natural fat reserves for metabolic fuel during the deep restorative sleep cycle.

When you take the time to understand how your body works but also what works for you body then you are in an empowered position to make healthy choices.

Healthy choices lead to weight loss and a healthier version of you!  Bonus!

Be Healthy, Happy & Amazing!

Caroline x. 🥑💙

x

]]> https://www.carolinesilk.com/feeling-the-post-easter-covid-bloat/ Sun, 26 Apr 2020 05:43:33 +0000 http://www.carolinesilk.com/?p=2190 In life we have many occasions and reasons to celebrate and a big AMEN to that! Life would be a tad boring without celebrations, traditions, fun and festivities.🎉

A number of women have said to me that since being in #lockdown #isolation #stayingathome they are eating more often, snacking throughout the day and their food of choice is you guessed it – comfort style foods.

They’re eating because they’re stressed, feeling anxious, feeling unsure, out of sorts, lonely and often because they’re just bored and looking for a distraction….🤔

This reaction to #COVID is totally normal and there is no point beating yourself up about it. We haven’t been here before…

I know in the first couple of weeks of #stayingathome I found myself in front of the fridge on a regular basis…

All of my mindful eating tools went out the window!🤭

Now I’ve hit the RESET button and feeling so much better for it. My emotions have changed to – accepting the situation we now live in – and wanting to be as healthy as I can be. I refuse to be COVID fat!

When hitting this RESET button I realised you too may be ready to do the same? Stop the emotional eating..snacking..overeating and take back control and create a new level of ‘healthy’ just for you.

I thought to myself what is the best way I can share these tools with you that are relevant for right now.

I’m excited as I’ve created a brand new 4 week workshop series

Biohack Yourself Healthy

Biohacking is a crazy sounding term for somethings that is not crazy at all – creating the BEST version of ourselves.

This is not a diet, (though you will drop kilos)  it’s a Reset – giving your body a chance to recover and turn your health around.

I believe in order to achieve fabulous health there are 3 Pillars you need to have in place supporting you:

Caroline x 🥑💙

At our core we are nurturers. It’s kinda like it’s in our DNA.

For some the nurturing “urge” is fiercely strong, for others not so much and that’s OK too.

Including this trait as part of our overall makeup doesn’t take away any of our power.

“I believe in the power of women. As nurturers, we have a unique ability to care and share and make the world a better place.

Women Who Inspire are women who are making a difference.”

Donna Karan

What I find it does do is… it causes us to take our eye off ourselves. We expend so much of our energy nurturing all the different areas of our lives, we have no time, let alone energy, to look after the person who matters most.

I’ve said to so many of my clients …we leave ourselves, our health and our waistline on the back burner. And when left on the back burner for too long, we simmer slowly away…

In the beginning we often don’t notice. We don’t look in the mirror, or perhaps more truthfully – we avoid it. We may feel something physical, like an ache or a pain, we reach for a quick fix or we push it out of our mind. Negative emotions may surface to the top of our thoughts but we shove them down into that big black bag so that we don’t think about them and briefly hope they go away.

But they never go away… they just disappear into the dark for a while. Sometimes for days or weeks, often months and in many cases years…

Eventually we reach the bottom of the well. Our reserves run out, we’re exhausted, overwhelmed and our health suffers. That often shows up in one or multiple ways – our unwanted weight, our lack of sleep, being devoid of energy or, our bad moods – stressed rather than calm, sad rather than happy…

And we soldier on….

Sound familiar?

We know intuitively that something has to change but at first we ignore such thoughts. We don’t have time to think about ourselves and even if we do consider some self care, more often than not we feel we are being selfish.

Self care is not selfish.

Looking after you, carving out time especially and only for you is crucial. Most importantly for your health but also, it enables you to be fully present in the relationships you have with others, so that the nurturing, if you choose may continue.

8. Then choose what area/s you’d like to make changes to first ie Food, sleep, stress.

9. Then this is important – Chunk that list down, otherwise it can all seem like too much hard work and you put it and you again on to the back burner. I can’t stress enough how important this step is.

So how do you chunk it down? Choose ONLY one thing on that list you’d like to change. ie eat only when I am physically hungry, go to bed at 10 pm every night etc.  I don’t want you to overwhelm yourself with more than one. Baby steps.

10. When you feel like you have mastered that change and made it a habit, then move on to the next and then the next one after that and so on.

The beauty about doing it one step at a time is momentum will build.

When you lean in, even gently, to taking care and looking after you first, you will see and feel the benefits sooner rather than later.

I promise you, your body and mind will thank you for it.

Be Healthy, Happy & Amazing!

Caroline x

Those that advocate this style of eating/weight loss claim that when you snack frequently you don’t really feel hungry and your metabolism remains stable throughout the day, as does your blood sugar levels.  The end result is that if you eat healthy 6x/day, you’ll lose weight.

Now yes there will be those who argue this is the way to go and they’ve seen the results but…

Mmm I don’t think so….

Hear me out! (and yes disclaimer this is my own opinion based on my expertise and experience) Today,  I want to talk about the mindful concept of…

• Eat six meals /day and NEVER BE HUNGRY.

Seriously…why would you not allow your body to experience the sensation of hunger?

Hunger is not the enemy here. It’s not to be feared. Surprisingly, when you type ‘hunger” into Dr Google many of the articles that appear talk about hunger negatively…

• “10 Ways To Deal With Hunger”
• “How To Control It And Fight Cravings”
• “Always Hungry …5 Foods To Fill You Up?”

Our bodies are designed in such a way that we have physiological tools in place to ensure we function normally with the end goal of sustaining our fun, fabulous lives! (well I want your and my life to be that way…you and I deserve it!)

When thirsty…drink.

When tired…sleep.

When Hungry…eat.

You get the picture!

Hunger is a great thing. It is an amazing physiological tool that we possess to let us know our body needs to be refuelled.

So if you choose to eat 6x/day you are never allowing your body to operate as it was designed to do. You’re turning off various hormones ie hunger hormones, that are designed specifically to regulate your food intake.

When working with my clients who want to end their struggle with food and dieting once and for all, I explain that hunger should be your friend not your foe. It isn’t something that sends you into a tailspin. It is something you’re aware of and once you determine that is physical hunger not emotional hunger then…guess what?

You eat… healthily and mindfully.

When you discover how to eat mindfully, it has the beautiful benefit of reframing your relationship with food for the better… and yes you do eat less. And yes, if you’d like more evidence, research has shown when you eat mindfully, you begin to drop the kilos/pounds.

Another thing to contemplate is this…are you going to eat 6x/day forever?

Like nearly 99% of all diets, they don’t work! Because what happens when you go off this style of eating and resume your ‘normal’ way? It is more than likely the unwanted weight will return…sorry! Best you know that now before you attempt yet another diet…

And if you’d like scientific research to help convince you…

• There was a study done at the University of Ottawa and they found that when the recipients ate a low-calorie diet, there was no actually no difference found between the two groups – those that ate 6x/day Vs those that ate 3x/day.
• Another study found that eating 6x/day did not in fact end in boosted fat loss of calorie burning!
• And then Med.md explained a research review was done and they couldn’t come to any  conclusions about whether meal frequency helps or hurts with weight loss.

So if you’re considering eating 6x /day to drop the weight maybe just maybe, it’s time to reconsider…mindfully?

And what I do know is that nutrition is not an exact science and results vary due to every person’s unique bio-blueprint. Therefore, if  you’ve had a great experience with eating this way and getting the weight loss results please speak up  share it below…

Be Healthy, Happy & Amazing

Caroline x

💙

Sleep is the best meditation for your mind and your body.

We now know from research that when you sleep waste is cleared from your brain, your body’s cells are reenergised, your learning and memories are supported and your libido, mood and appetite are all regulated.

When we sleep, the momentum of our thousands of daily thoughts subsides, Negative Nancy and all her negative comments shuts up for a while, allowing your mind rest…

We can’t underestimate the importance of a good nights sleep.

A night of peaceful, deep and quality sleep is a blessing that only the sleep deprived and insomniacs can truly appreciate. To have not just one, but plenty of your nights filled with rest and sleep, try adding following foods to your diet, especially if you find yourself tossing and turning in your bed at night instead of sleeping.

Let’s Take A Look At Foods to Help You Sleep…

1. Chamomile:

Chamomile tea is a popular sleep-inducing tea that helps eliminate stress and anxiety. Before you go to bed, take a moment to sip a warm cup of chamomile herbal tea to relax, unwind and de-stress. Practice some deep breathing while you’re at it, to help bring you into a more rested state. A minimum of 6 breaths pulls you across for stress to rest!

2. Pistachios:

Pistachios are not only tasty, but they are a jackpot for sleep. They are jam packed with magnesium, protein, and vitamin B6, which have a major role in inducing sleep. You can eat them raw, a small handful is perfect. However, if you over indulge pistachios will have a reverse effect on your body; eat in moderation to avoid exacerbating your sleep issues.

3. Tart cherry juice:

This juice contains high levels of melatonin, which is responsible for inducing sleep in your body. It can improve the quality of your sleep by regulating your body’s sleep cycles. A study conducted by Louisiana State University found that by insomniacs who drank tart cherry juice increased their sleep time by 90 minutes!

4. Bananas:

This fruit is a powerhouse of magnesium and potassium, which serve as natural sleep aids for your body. If you are feeling wide awake late into the night, try a banana to get yourself to sleep. You can even whip yourself up a thick sugar-free banana shake before you go to bed. If weight loss is on your agenda then I would rethink the banana!

5. Walnuts:

Walnuts contain an amino acid called tryptophan that helps induce and enhance sleep. This amino acid is responsible for the production of melatonin and serotonin, which improve the quality of our sleep by regulating the sleep cycles. The best part about walnuts is that they contain melatonin, so they are not only helping in the production of melatonin, but they add a little more to help you fall asleep even faster.

6. Pumpkin seeds:

A cup of pumpkin seeds contains around 420 mg of magnesium, which is around the daily recommendation . Magnesium is also a sleep-inducing agent for your body. If you cannot find any, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds or sunflower seeds are great substitutions.

The search for the elusive “good night’s sleep” can be frustrating and exhausting, particularly if your hormones are out of whack!

When your hormones are not ‘in flow’ then your sleep, your moods, your hunger  turn into your own personal battle ground.

Sound familiar?

Before you reach for any man made synthetic over-the-counter sleep aid, try some of these natural remedies, yes REAL food,  to get your body on the right path to sound sleep!

Sleep is a hugely important tool in your weight loss tool box. If you would like to learn more about dropping the kilos, don’t hesitate to connect with me!

Be Healthy, Happy & Amazing!

Caroline xx

I had a follow up consult with one of my clients this week who has begun her 12 week Renew You Intensive Journey with me.

I am thrilled to report she is feeling so much better about herself and has a new found mental clarity and happily her weight is moving in the direction she wants it to go – which is south!  We know this because despite my reassurance to trust how she feels in her clothes everyday as an indicator for what is happening with her body – she still jumped on the scales..often!

She explained she just had to do it and has been jumping on and off regularly for years!

I advise my clients not to be perpetual scale jumpers! What you may ask is a scale jumper?

Well scale jumpers come in all shapes and sizes. Let me describe a few of them – I suspect you just might know one of them – intimately!!

THE AM JUMPER!

…jumps on their scales every morning, usually around the same time. First they have their obligatory loo stop, and then standing naked (because my god you don’t want to have your PJ’s on – they could add an extra 346 gms!)  they look expectantly, with eyes half closed down at the numbers…

THE Tentative AM JUMPER!

…does exactly the same as the AM Jumper but once they step off their scales, the Tentative AM Jumper is not quite sure if what they saw was absolutely correct, so they wait till the dial resets again at zero, then they hop on again……….mmmmmm…………note their weight, hop off again and just to be really sure what they saw is what they saw ……they hop on one last time.

THE AM/PM JUMPER

… will not only jump on the scales in the morning as per their friends above, but they are more than likely to jump on the scales one more time, either later in the day or before bed. The loo stop is again obligatory, and the purpose of this particular behaviour is to witness how their body weight has fluctuated throughout the day!

NOTE THIS IS MY WARNING:

SCALE JUMPING OF ANY OF THE ABOVE KIND CAN BE DETRIMENTAL TO YOUR MENTAL HEALTH!!!

So what to do instead…?

I’ll tell you next week why measurement is important to your weight loss success…

However it is all about making sure you do it the right way. So you dont look like Angry Annie above!

Be Healthy, Happy & Amazing!

Caroline x

Balanced blood sugar levels are crucial to a healthy and prosperous life, not to mention dropping your unwanted kilos/pounds! Balanced blood sugar levels prevent disruption of your body’s functions and help your overall health.

Here are a few foods to add to your diet to help balance your blood sugar:

1. Greens:

You can never eat too many greens. For the best blood sugar benefits, go for nutrient-dense,  greens like spinach, kale, and broccoli. These greens are also very rich in protein and calcium, which help your body in multiple areas. You can toss these greens in salads with olive oil and chunks of salmon or tuna, a boiled egg, some avocado and yum! Studies have shown that these three vegetables contribute to dramatic improvement in patients who are constantly battling with their blood sugar.

2.Low fructose fruits:

Fruit is always a must, but for blood sugar-specific management, choose fruits that are low fructose, such as cantaloupe, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, and blackberries. You can snack on them throughout the day, or toss them in your salad, smoothies, or acai bowls.

3. Protein:

Protein is essential for slowing down glucose absorption in your body, which helps regulate your blood sugar levels. Add foods to your diet that are packed with protein, like wild salmon and other types of fish, beef and other types of lean meat, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and eggs. Make your diet interesting; try snack ideas like celery sticks dipped in all-natural peanut butter. This snack is rich in protein and only contains the good kind of fat. Remember everything in moderation, however. Too much protein actually can become sugar in your blood, creating a condition called gluconeogenesis; Love that word! Guess what? We don’t want that because more sugar, higher blood sugars! Believe it or not 40 to 70 grams of protein a day is enough.

4. Herbs and Spices:

Herbs and spices are natural supplements for balancing your blood sugar levels. They not only add flavour to your dishes but they may also help your hormone’s lower your blood sugar. Some spices, like turmeric, contain anti-inflammatory properties, which help in balancing out your sugar.

5. Low-calorie drinks:

Cut out sugary, high-calorie drinks from your diet. Add drinks like cinnamon tea, lemon water, and cucumber juice and water, water, water in your daily routine.

6. Whole grain foods:

Whole grain foods that are also rich in protein, like millet and quinoa, provide and store energy without causing spikes in your blood sugar levels. However, if weightloss is on your agenda, keep the grains to a minimum until you reach maintenance mode!

7. Beans:

Beans are a good source of protein, low carb, and rich in fiber, all important factors in balancing your blood sugar. For example, hummus, lentils and garbanzo beans are great dietary choices. Remember to soak them the night before to promote easier digestion. Or if from a can I usually rinse before using.

8. Nuts:

Nuts like almonds and walnuts contain healthy amounts of fiber, protein, and healthy fats, and are a low carb snack idea.

To sum up try balancing your blood sugar the natural way by changing the way you eat. You’ll be amazed at the difference!

If dropping your unwanted weight is important to you and you’re ready to take massive action, learn more about my 12 Week Easy Weight Loss Protocol just click here.  I’d love to connect.

Be Healthy, Happy & Amazing…

Caroline xx

You may consider me a little rude asking that question? Or feel affronted?

My intention is not to do that at all. Let me explain…

I see it all the time with my new clients. They tell me they know what they should be eating, they know they should get off their toosh/backside and move their bodies but they just can’t get their heads in the right place to make it happen.

They know what to do, so why are they not doing it?

These women are smart, intelligent women. They have successful careers, they’re on committees, they parent children fabulously, they’re a partner, a wife, a mother, a sister a friend…

BUT, they’re also looking after everyone and everything else but themselves. They put their desire to change in the too hard basket.

Sound familiar?

Change does not have to be hard, it can be easy.

If however,  you continue to wait for it to happen, if you continue to wait for all your ducks to be lined up in a little row, if you continue to wait for it to be the perfect time….

If you continue to wait….

It won’t happen!

You are smart enough to change but I need to let you know that burst of motivation you might be waiting for is not coming, or if it does come, it may only be fleeting.

What I’ve discovered time and time again with my clients every time they went on yet another diet, it follows the same pattern.

They’re is a beginning where they commit to a new diet, then a period of success (though marred by feelings of restriction and deprivation), then there is the end where it all gets too hard, the results just aren’ t happening and they decide what’s the use or if they do have success which is wonderful, and they drop their unwanted kilos, it is fleeting because slowly and surely the weight creeps back on and sometimes just to add insult to injury,  more kilos than what they lost!

Not fair! But guess what’?

It’s not they’re fault…

And if this story rings true with you, it’s not your fault either.

Unless you know how to change successfully, unless you have the tools you need to support you, your mind is going to keep you stuck. It’s number one job is to keep you safe, to keep you doing exactly what you always do.

So what do you to change?

Next time you feel the impulse to make a positive change in your life, like dropping those unwanted kilos/pounds, do not hesitate, take one action towards achieving it. It doesn’t matter how small that step is, you may google something, you may ring a friend, you may call a coach, you may visit your doctor, you might clean all that crappy food out of your pantry and fridge…

Then take the next step again… with out hesitation.

The moment you hesitate you lose. You’ve heard the saying you snooze you lose? When you hesitate your mind will jump in and say ‘whoa…hold on there honey, let’s not be too crazy about this…’

• It’s all to hard
• You’ve done it before and look where that got you
• You’re stuck with this body
• You’re destined to have this menopausal muffin top
• Why is this time going to be different?

And then your moment for change is gone….

You, amazing one, reading my blog right here right now, are smart enought to make the changes in your life that you want. If dropping those unwanted kilos is on your agenda, then click here to discover the simplest way how but do me and more importantly yourself a big favour…

Just don’t hesitate!

Be Healthy, Happy & Amazing

Caroline xx

p.s  Discover how to drop those unwanted kilos and pounds here… we start September 3 🙂

Two years ago my answer would have been an absolute yes. No argument. End of discussion. And this is exactly what I told my clients to ensure they started the day ‘correctly’… turned on their metabolism, avoided brain fog and broke the fast their body was in overnight.

This is what I believed…

Now?

No breakfast is not a must for weight loss!

And furthermore, breakfast is not a must. Period.

Why the dramatic 180 degree turn?

I’ve read, researched and read some more.  Nutrition science is advancing incredibly fast each and everyday. We are learning so much more about our bodies, our brains, the effect of food, metabolism etc etc. New findings are being announced often because there is so much to discover and we now have the tools and the people to do so.

What I have been saying for quite some time however – definitely more than 2, more like the last 10 years – is that we ALL eat too much. Yes I appreciate this is a generalisation, but I am talking about the general population, not those at the pointy end of the spectrum.

Everything has been super-sized,  but our bodies simply do not need that much food.

You will discover this if you eat mindfully. When you truly eat mindfully you only eat when you’re actually physically hungry, not because the clock tells you its time to eat, or you’re bored, or you’re satisfying a craving or if you’re stuck in the habit rut.

And breakfast is my case in point.

This morning I woke, had a glass of water, went for a long walk and talk with a girlfriend, then by the time I got home and whipped myself up a yummy brunch it was 11am. Yes this is a photo of today’s breakfast.

I was genuinely hungry.  My tummy was rumbling and my combination of vegetables, healthy fats – avocado, egg and sesame, and healthy proteins – egg and avocado, ensure I’m satisfied and keep me going until late arvo. Then I’ll eat again – depending on what I feel like – probably a small greek yoghurt with some nuts as a snack…or not. I may just wait for dinner.

I will wait and listen to my body and it will happily tell me when I need to refuel…

Do you see how when you choose to eat mindfully you actually end up eating less?

Now I appreciate I’m working from home today so I have the luxury of prepping and eating food when I want to, and you don’t necessarily have this freedom in your workplace. But the rules and regulations in the work environment have changed considerably over the past few years, most are much more relaxed and can accommodate  people eating at times that suit them. Try it you may be pleasantly surprised.

If you want to discover how to eat mindfully you can grab my free Mindful Eating Guide here. And be excited because if you’ve only been eating breakfast because someone like the ‘old’ me had been telling you to…. ignore!  And may your first meal of the day be when you are actually hungry.

Be Healthy, Happy & Amazing!

Caroline x

We are fatter and sicker than ever.

Harsh words I know but true.

Unfortunately there is not a simple solution to this growing health crisis, as there are so many players and layers involved. Sadly,  as much as I wish I did, I dont have the all answers for you.

There is however, one thing I can share with you to help end the confusion that surrounds all things weight loss. Actually as I type this I realise there is more that one, but today I’ll stick with one.

A client said to me this week…”it is just all so confusing, you think you’re doing the right thing with what you eat and then you find out all that so call ‘healthy’  food is working against you!”

Yes there is so much confusion out there surrounding food, the right types of food and what you should be eating to drop the weight.  Maybe you’re happy with your weight and you just want  to make healthy choices, eat well, be well…

And you think you are.

If you’re buying low fat thinking that your choice will

1. Help you drop the kilos/pounds
2. It’s the healthier choice.

I’m sorry to inform you, you’ve been making the wrong choice, and you need to know it’s not your fault.

We have been living in a low fat world for the last fifty years, (how we arrived here is a whole other story!) and as a result we are constantly bombarded with everything low fat, no fat, 2% fat or 0 fat! If we eat low fat, they tell us, we will lose weight, be healthier and avoid the risk of high cholesterol and heart disease. It is not true.

When you take the fat out of food, you take away both taste and texture. If you take the taste out, then the food is bland, and if the food is bland no one will buy it. So to avoid the problem of no one buying the food, food manufacturers replace the fat with sugar.

Sugar comes in many guises – there are over 60 different names for sugar used in the food industry. The nastiest of the them all is high fructose corn syrup, which is now used freely in our food chain as a cheap alternative to white sugar.

When it comes to taking out the fat and replacing it with high levels of sugar, your body upon consumption responds to the high levels of sugar in your bloodstream by telling your fat stores they are in shut down and it needs to burn off the sugar.

If our body  cannot burn all the extra sugar…it converts it to fat.

Boom!

So our so called healthy low fat foods, they do not promote weight loss, they are  high sugar and they make you put on weight…

Simple!

Eat FULL Fat healthy foods like, nuts , seeds, olives, olive oil coconut oil, and greek style yoghurts, real butter and quality dairy.

Healthy fats do not make you fat.

Unlike sugar!

Be Healthy, Happy & Amazing

Caroline x