Markus Andrews

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    10 Healthy Summer Recipes You Can Make In Under 20 Minutes

    Healthy summer recipes are easy enough: add fresh, crisp ingredients, toss and enjoy. But iceberg lettuce and a plain vinaigrette don’t have to be the be-all and end-all of your summer diet. When creating healthier recipes, there are so many ingredients that pack flavour but don’t add excess kilojoules to your plate.
    Right now, you want food that’s fresh and fast – and that features the season’s bounty of healthy ingredients. These recipes from creative culinary guru Mark Bittman do all that. Best of all, each one takes less than 20 minutes to make!
    Healthy Summer Recipes
    1. Feta and Watermelon Salad
    Combine watermelon balls or cubes in a bowl with crumbled feta cheese, sliced radishes, chopped fresh chives and a few drops of olive oil; toss well. Spoon over a crisp wedge of iceberg lettuce, being sure to use all the extra juice left in the bottom of the bowl.
    2. Deviled Eggs with Crab
    Hard-boil eggs; meanwhile, combine crab meat with a spoonful of Dijon mustard and mayonnaise or yoghurt, lemon juice, diced red bell or small salad pepper, paprika and cumin; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Run eggs under cold water, shell and halve them, remove and mash the yolks into the crab mixture; stuff into the whites. Sprinkle the top with chopped parsley (or caviar, for that matter).
    Mark’s Tip: Buy fresh crab meat or use chopped cooked prawns.
    3. Rocket with Balsamic Strawberries
    Hull and slice about two cups of strawberries and place them in a large salad bowl. Toss with two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and several twists of the black pepper grinder. Let it sit for five minutes. Add a bunch of rocket, some crumbled goat’s cheese and a sprinkle of salt; drizzle with olive oil and toss.
    READ MORE: You’ve Got To Try These Super Simple Summer Rolls With Asian-Style Sauce
    4. Prosciutto, Peach and Mozzarella Salad
    For each person, cut a fresh peach into eight wedges. Tear prosciutto and sliced mozzarella into bite-size pieces. Dress mixed greens with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss in the peaches, prosciutto and cheese.
    5. Wholewheat Spaghetti and Cucumber with Dipping Sauce
    Boil and salt water for pasta; meanwhile, combine a quarter cup of chicken stock or water, three tablespoons of soy sauce, two tablespoons of a little honey mixed with warm water, and a teaspoon of sugar in a bowl; mix to dissolve the sugar. Cook the noodles until al dente, then rinse under cold water. Serve a nest of the noodles along with sliced cucumbers in a bowl (set it over ice cubes if you like), with a small bowl of the dipping sauce on the side garnished with chopped spring onion.
    Mark’s Tip: Add a bit of freshly grated ginger or wasabi for more spice, and top with bits of cooked meat or tofu.
    6.Courgette and Dill Soup
    Grate a couple of courgettes. Cook a chopped onion in butter until softened, then add the courgette and stir until softened (five minutes or so). Add vegetable or chicken stock and bring to the boil; simmer for about five minutes, then purée until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and lots of fresh chopped dill.
    Mark’s Tip: For a richer texture, add fresh ricotta, sour cream or yoghurt while puréeing.
    READ MORE: These Banana Muffins Actually Alleviate PMS And Cramping
    7. Fish Tacos
    Cook a chopped red onion in olive oil for a minute or two. When it’s soft, add a big pinch of ground cumin or coriander and some salt and pepper. Keeping the heat relatively high, add about 450g of fish fillets (white fish works well here; you can also try crab or prawns) and stir to break them into chunks, cooking until they’re just opaque. Remove from the heat, squeeze lime juice over the mixture and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Warm corn tortillas and fill with the fish mixture. Top with shredded cabbage, chopped tomato, a splash of hot sauce (red Tabasco is good) and a dollop of sour cream.
    8. Honey Eggplant
    Combine half a cup each of chopped parsley and breadcrumbs with three tablespoons of olive oil, two tablespoons of honey, a minced garlic clove and a pinch of salt. Cut one large or two medium eggplants crosswise into 2.5-centimetre slices and score the top of each slice.
    Put the slices in a dish and spread the breadcrumb mixture over the tops, pressing it into the slits. Partially cover with wax paper and microwave on high for about five minutes. Remove the paper and cook for another two or three minutes, until very soft. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with yoghurt on the side.
    9. Korean Braaied Beef
    Slice a fillet steak into two-centimetre pieces. Mix together a teaspoon of sesame oil, a tablespoon of brown sugar, three tablespoons of soy sauce, a tablespoon of a little honey mixed with warm water, two minced cloves of garlic and a pinch of dried chilli flakes. Brush the meat with the sauce and braai until it begins to crisp (about two minutes per side), basting frequently. Serve the beef sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and chopped spring onions.
    READ MORE: Here’s How To Make The Viral TikTok Green Goddess Salad
    10. Spicy Braaied Pork with Peach Marmalade
    Combine a quarter cup of peach or apricot preserve with some minced garlic, a tablespoon of olive oil, a tablespoon of soy sauce, half a teaspoon of mustard powder, a pinch of cayenne pepper and salt. Coat thin, boneless pork chops with the marmalade and place on the braai, taking care not to let the marmalade burn. Slice fresh peaches or apricots in half and remove the pits; sprinkle with salt and cook flesh-side down until they start to brown and just soften. Serve the fruit with the pork. More

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    Just These Two Workouts Make A Killer Six-Week Workout Routine

    If you’re looking to tone up all over, look no further than this six-week workout routine.
    Our experts have taken seven moves and created two killer fitness workouts, creating a six-week workout routine that’ll sculpt all over. The moves are simple but effective, and stacking them over a few weeks means you can see the gains in each body part: thighs, hips, butt and upper body, including the core.
    Do the routines 2 to 3 days a week, alternating between the two versions, so you’re never doing the same routine on consecutive days. And choose a weight that lets you complete the set with perfect form.
    Where the reps are light, pick a heavier weight and do them until your muscles are fatigued. For more reps, pick lighter weights you can complete the set with.
    How To Do This Six-Week Workout Routine
    Workout 1 (all 7 moves)
    Reps: 4Sets: 3 to 4Rest between sets: 90 seconds
    Workout 2 (the same 7 moves)
    Reps: 8Sets: 2 to 3Rest between sets: 60 secondsDo the workout for 4 to 6 weeks. Then up the reps to 6 for Workout 1, and to 12 for Workout 2.

    Front Squat And Push Press Combo
    Grab a barbell with an overhand grip, with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width. Position your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your elbows, bringing your knuckles toward your body until they’re touching the outside of your shoulders (A). Lower your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor (B). Straighten your legs and use your momentum to press the bar overhead (you’ll need to move your chin back a bit) (C). Pause, then lower the bar. That’s 1 rep.Sets: 3 – 4Reps: 4Rest: 90 seconds
    READ MORE: Try These Exercises To Build A Stronger, Bigger Butt
    Step Up With Weights
    Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand up to 60 centimetres from a step or exercise bench, with weights at your sides and feet hip-width apart. Place your left foot on the step (A) and press up through the leg. Allow your right leg to come up and brush the bench (B), but don’t put any weight on it. Step down with your right leg, then your left. Complete all reps, then repeat, stepping up with your right leg. That’s 1 set. Go to B2.Sets: 3 – 4Reps: 4Rest: 90 seconds
    One-Point Dumbbell Row
    Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand with your feet hip-width apart, weights at your sides. Bend forward at the hips while lifting your right leg straight behind you until your body forms a T. Your left knee should be slightly bent. Let your arms hang straight down, palms facing each other (A). Squeeze your shoulder blades together and bring your elbows toward the ceiling until they pass your torso (B). Do half the reps, then switch legs and finish the set. Return to B1 after a rest.Sets: 3 – 4Reps: 4Rest: 90 seconds
    READ MORE: Beach Body Workout: Tone Up With Just These 5 Moves
    Single-Armed Overhead Squat 
    Grab two dumbbells, one twice the weight of the other. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding the lighter dumbbell in your left hand and the heavier one in your right. Raise the left dumbbell straight overhead, palm facing forward. Next, position the right weight between your legs with arm straight, palm facing you (A). Squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor (B). Return to start. Complete all reps without lowering your arms, then switch sides. That’s 1 set. Note: The light dumbbell should always be overhead. Go to C2.Sets: 3 – 4Reps: 4Rest: 90 seconds
    T Push-Ups
    Get into a push-up position with feet together and hands shoulder-width apart (A). Lower yourself until your chest is 5-10 centimetres off the floor (B). As you push back up, lift your right arm straight up and rotate your body to the right until you form a T, balancing on your left hand and the outside of your left foot (C). Return to the top of the push-up position and repeat to the opposite side. That’s 1 rep. Continue alternating to complete the set. Return to C1 after a rest.Sets: 3 – 4Reps: 4Rest: 90 seconds
    Prone Jackknife
    Grab a Swiss ball and get in push-up position with your shins resting on the ball and your palms flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart (A). Pull your knees toward your chest, allowing your hips to rise toward the ceiling and your head to tilt toward the floor. Stop when your toes are on the ball and most of your weight is on your hands (B). Straighten your legs to roll the ball back to start. That’s 1 rep. Go to D2.Sets: 3 – 4Reps: 4Rest: 90 seconds
    READ MORE: These Are The 4 Best Yoga Moves For A Toned Tummy
    Reverse Woodchop
    Grab a medicine ball and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the ball with both hands on the outside of your right hip, then perform a squat (A). Keeping your chest up and arms straight, press your feet into the ground as you “chop” the ball up and across your body until your legs are straight and the ball is above your left shoulder (B). Pause, then lower the ball back to your right knee. Complete all reps before repeating on the other side. That’s 1 set. Return to D1 after a rest.Sets: 3 – 4Reps: 4Rest: 90 seconds More

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    Try These Exercises To Build A Stronger, Bigger Butt

    From your Kim Kardashians to your Meg The Stallions, everyone wants a firmer and bigger butt. And while you’ll definitely tone up on the trails or hitting the treadmill, you’ll need to add some muscle (and weights) to really build a toned toosh. Here, build a strong backside with this bigger butt workout – you’ll be dying to show yours off.
    Build A Bigger Butt Workout
    Time: 30 minutes
    Equipment: Mat
    Good for: Butt
    Instructions: Choose two bilateral (both legs) exercises and two unilateral (single leg) exercises and pair them together for one workout. Complete four sets of five reps with heavier weights for the bilateral exercises, and complete four sets of 10 reps with lighter weights for the unilateral exercises. Once you’ve completed all sets of one move, continue to the next.

    Dumbbell Deadlift

    How to: Holding two dumbbells in your hands, stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Position the weights in front of your thighs, palms facing your body. Keeping your knees slightly bent, press your hips back as you hinge at the waist and lower the dumbbells toward the floor. Squeeze your glutes to return to standing. That’s one rep. Complete four sets of five reps.

    Goblet Squat

    How to: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a weight in front of your chest, elbows pointing toward the floor. Sit back and bend your knees to lower into a squat. Push yourself back to start. That’s one rep. Complete four sets of five reps.
    Bulgarian Split Squat

    How to: Stand about two feet in front of a step; extend your right leg back and place the top of your foot on the step. (Optional: Hold a dumbbell in each hand.) That’s your starting position. Bend your knees to lower your body as far as you can (or until your knee gently taps the ground), keeping your shoulders back, chest up, and hips facing forward. Pause, then press through your left heel to return to start. That’s one rep. Complete four sets of 10 reps on each side.

    Stability Ball Hamstring Rollout

    How to: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on top of a stability ball. Brace your core, then press into your heels and squeeze your glutes to raise your hips toward the ceiling. Lift your left leg straight up into the air. Hold the position as you straighten your right leg. Then, engage your hamstrings, bend your right knee, and bring your foot toward your butt. That’s one rep. Complete four sets of 10 reps on each side.

    Weighted Lateral Lunge

    How to: Holding a pair of kettlebells cleaned at your chest, stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart. Take a large step to the left, sit your hips back, and lower down until your left knee is nearly parallel with the floor. Your right leg should be straight. Return to start. That’s one rep. Complete four sets of 10 reps on each side.
    Weighted Fire Hydrant

    How to: Get on all fours on top of your mat. Tuck a two to six kilo dumbbell in the crease of your right knee. Keeping that leg bent at 90 degrees, lift it out to the side, stopping at hip height. Return to start. That’s one rep. Complete four sets of 10 reps on each side.

    Weighted Donkey Kick

    How to: Get on all fours on top of your mat. Tuck a two to six kilo dumbbell in the crease of your right leg. Keep that leg bent at 90 degrees as you lift it behind you until your knee is in line with your hip, foot flexed. Reverse the movement to return to start. That’s one rep. Complete four sets of 10 reps on each side.
    Walking Lateral Lunge

    How to: Stand up straight, with your feet together. Hold a kettlebell in your right hand, and raise your left hand so it’s parallel to the ground, and in a fist. Lift your left foot and take a big step to the left. Sit your hips back, and lower down until your dumbbell nearly touches the ground. Switch hands, and repeat on the other side. That’s one rep. Complete four sets of 10 reps on each side.
    Front Racked Reverse Deficit Lunge

    How to: Stand up straight on small riser, step, or box with a set of kettlebells cleaned in front of your chest. Lift your right knee up to hip height in front of your body, then bring it behind you until the ball of your foot reaches the ground. Slowly lower down until both knees form 90 degree angles. Return to your knee-lifted position. That’s one rep. Complete four sets of 10 reps on each side.
    Weighted Hip Thrust

    How to: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor 12 to 16 inches from your butt. Hold a dumbbell in both hands and rest it on top of your pelvis. Brace your core, then press into your heels and squeeze your glutes to raise your hips toward the ceiling. Hold the position for two seconds before lowering to start. That’s one rep. Complete four sets of five reps.
    1.5 Stance Deadlift

    How to: Hold a kettlebell in front of your thighs with both palms facing toward your body. Stagger your legs, stepping your right foot back and your left foot forward. Your right heel should be off the ground. Push your hips back as you hinge forward, lowering the kettlebell while keeping it close to your legs. Once your hips reach 90 degrees, return to start. That’s one rep. Complete four sets of 10 reps on each side.

    Cossak Squat With Overhead Press

    How to: Begin by standing up straight, with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and a kettlebell in each hand. Rack the kettlebells in front of your chest, and then raise your right arm straight into the air. Lift your left foot and take a large step to the left, then sit your hips back and lower down until your thighs are nearly parallel to the ground. Straighten your left leg and rise back up. That’s one rep. Complete four sets of 10 reps on each side. More

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    What Happens To Your Body When You Stop Working Out?

    Even when you have the best of intentions, life sometimes gets in the way of a fitness routine. And whatever the reason behind it, the absence of workouts will cause your body to lose some of the progress it had made. Here’s what happens when you stop working out – in difference scenarios.
    #1 You stop working out because…
    You had a crazy month at work and stopped your usual four-day-a-week gym habit cold turkey.
    The effect on your body
    Doing a mix of strength training and cardio is optimal for weight loss or control, muscle building, and aerobic health. Stop for a month, and you may notice that some areas get softer, that you’re not able to lug as many heavy groceries, and that you get winded a little faster from taking the stairs.
    “In a study of beginners who exercised for two months, their strength increased by 46 percent, and when they stopped training for two months, they lost 23 percent – half the gains they’d made,” says exercise scientist Wayne Westcott, who points out that they were still ahead of where they’d be had they never trained at all.
    READ MORE: 5 Genius Treadmill Hacks That Shave Off More Kilos
    Further, the more fit you were to start, the slower the loss; a triathlete on a break may only drop five to 10 percent of her fitness level in a month or two. Still, when getting back into it, go easy. For strength training, start with about 75 percent of the resistance you’d been using – and increase as you feel you can. You’ll be back to where you were in probably half the length of time that you took off.
    #2 You stop working out because…
    You used to weight train like crazy, but for the past several months, all you’ve fit in is a few sessions a week on the treadmill.
    The effect on your body
    In this case, your aerobic health should be in good shape, though you may notice that your strength and muscle tone have diminished some. Without weight training, you’ve likely lost muscle mass and gained some fat, even if the number on the scale stays the same.
    READ MORE: 10 Ways To Motivate Yourself To Hit the Gym After Work
    “Surprisingly, research shows that longtime endurance runners lose muscle mass at the same rate – two kilograms per decade – as everyone else, including the sedentary,” says Westcott. “Running and other cardio activities don’t build or maintain muscle mass.” Add some strength back to your bod, and into your routine, to remedy that in short order by following that 75 percent guideline mentioned above.
    #3 You stop working out because…
    You ran a half-marathon, then gave yourself a few weeks to recover.
    The effect on your body
    A break like this isn’t a major problem aerobically for someone who was in really good cardio shape. “You’ll be down from your competitive edge, but it won’t take long to come back,” says Westcott. “Just don’t expect to come back at full-speed right away.”
    He recommends easing back in using your heart rate (the zones may have changed from when you were at your peak) and perceived exertion – a seven on a scale of one to 10. He also recommends strength training as a muscle-building complement to your cardio workouts.
    READ MORE: Here’s Exactly How To Start Working Out Again, After A Winter Hibernating
    #4 You stop working out because… 
    You’ve been really into yoga but now miss the CrossFit you stopped a few months ago.
    The effect on your body
    Swapping one workout for another isn’t a bad thing, necessarily. Just know that if you go back to program “A” after doing program “B,” you may not be able to bring your A-game to “A” as you once could. “Unfortunately, training is very, very specific,” says Westcott.
    He points out that at the peak of his cycling career, Lance Armstrong was (very arguably) the best athlete in the world, yet when he took up marathon running, his first race was a respectable-but-not-remarkable three hours.
    In the case of bodyweight training (yoga) versus weight training (CrossFit), expect your strength to be down when you first return to the gym. Which isn’t to say you should stop your Oming – no reason you shouldn’t have both in your repertoire.
    READ MORE: 3 New Functional And Fashionable HUAWEI Wearables You Need RN
    #5 You stop working out because…
    You got injured and haven’t been able (or wanted) to work out at all for six months.
    The effect on your body
    In this case, you’ve definitely lost muscle and gained fat (as if getting hurt wasn’t bad enough!), especially if your everyday activity level was affected in addition to the lack of workouts.
    “Once you’re cleared to exercise, you need to return very slowly, very light,” says Westcott. “Half or less of what you once lifted may be too much; go way down and find a resistance you can do with good form and without pain for 10 to 15 reps.”
    If you know you’re going to be sidelined (or currently are), he recommends upping your protein intake in your diet to help reduce loss of muscle mass during your time off.
    This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com More

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    You’ve Got To Try These Super Simple Summer Rolls With Asian-Style Sauce

    These summer rolls are a great way to slip some fresh veggies into the mix! We’ve swapped out rice paper rolls for baby spinach leaves – more nutrients – and the pickle gives this dish a zingy, juicy crunch. These summer rolls are low-carb, healthy, low-kilojoule and pack a flavour punch. You’ll be having thirds and fourths before you know it.
    Here’s how to make leafy summer rolls with an Asian-style dipping sauce…
    Asian summer rolls
    Ingredients 
    – 12 large baby spinach leaves– 2 baby/Mediterranean cucumbers, julienned– Crispy onion sprinkle– Beetroot microgreens– 12 long chives, blanched
    For the pickle
    – ½ cup lime juice– 2 tsp sugar– 2 medium-sized carrots, julienned– 2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger, julienned– 2 long green chillies, seeded and julienned
    READ MORE: 9 Breakfast Ideas That’ll Give You A Better Boost Than Coffee
    For the dipping sauce
    – 2 tbsp soy sauce– 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar– 3 tbsp water– 1 tsp red spring onions, sliced
    Summer Rolls With Sauce: Method
    1/ Make the pickle by mixing the lime juice and sugar in a bowl, then add the carrot, ginger and chillies and toss well. Leave for 10 minutes.2/ Mix together all ingredients for dipping sauce and set aside.3/ Place some of the carrot pickle on a spinach leaf, add some cucumber, a little of the onion sprinkle and one or two micro greens. Roll up and tie with a blanched chive.
    SERVES 12. Per 71g serving or bundle: 85kJ, 0g fat (0g sat), 5g carbs, 210mg sodium, 1g fibre, 1g protein
    READ MORE: 24 High-Fibre Foods That Should Be On Your Plate Every Day, According To Nutritionists
    Cook’s note
    These need to be made fresh just before serving. If you can’t be bothered with the finicky task of wrapping and tying each roll, spoon the filling into individual baby gem lettuce leaves and serve the dipping sauce with a spoon, so guests can spoon it over the filling just before eating. More

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    The Softest Fabric For Your Toughest Workouts

    With workout gear acceptable and comfortable in all day activities way beyond the gym, it’s become a focus of active people to seek out the best gear that feels as good after your exertions as it does while working up a sweat.
    Like Suede On Your Skin
    The secret to success in this crossover of comfort comes down to how the gear feels on your skin. Under Armour has created Meridian fabric with that precise goal – to feel soft on your skin during and after a workout. A technical quick-dry hybrid fabric that lets you go hard without losing that super-soft feel.
    It’s a sensation to the skin you never knew you needed but can’t imagine wearing anything else once your feel it. This specially engineered fabric delivers a unique type of softness that can still wick sweat like a champ. 
    All Day Comfort
    With the realisation that soft just for the sake of comfort is not good enough, numerous rounds of research and development were used make sure comfort and workout versatility are priorities. The result is the  softest performance gear to date from Under Armour.  The impressive collection is ideal to wear to any fitness class, from spin to yoga to pilates, but is  also so flexible, lightweight and soft, that you  won’t want to take them off once you get home. 
    “The Under Armour Meridien legging is absolutely phenomenal. Moving in them feels  like they weren’t even there. Even while sweating, they still just felt really comfortable.”, says Rachel Garcia, Pro Softball Player.
    The ‘SOFT YOU CAN SWEAT IN’ collection’s notable promises include:
    SERIOUSLY SOFT Under Armour brushed the surface of the fabric to an ultra-soft finish for our softest feel yet.
    LASTING COMFORT Wicks sweat and stays comfortable, especially in those high-friction zones.
    FLEXIBLE PERFORMANCE Super-breathable, lightweight stretch goes everywhere you do.

    The ‘SOFT YOU CAN SWEAT IN’ collection includes a wide range of gear and also features the new UA Smartform Evolution Bra. The new ‘must have’ bra delivers strategic support, tailored for medium-support activities like cycling, weight training & boxing. Bending, jumping, and squatting can make your clothing shift or slip as you move, The UA Smartform fabric can help your clothes adapt to your movement moulding to the shape of your body which may help keep them from slipping or shifting during workouts.              
    The new ‘SOFT YOU CAN SWEAT IN’ collection will be available at Under Armour Brand House stores nationwide as well as online: www.underarmour.co.za More

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    Beach Body Workout: Tone Up With Just These 5 Moves

    If you’re looking to tone up and get in tip-top shape before hitting the beach or bar, look no further than this beach body workout. Top trainer Chris Powell and weight-loss expert Christine Gerbstadt came up with this genius workout that’ll target your butt, hips abs and arms in just five moves.
    How To Use This Beach Body Workout
    Do as many reps of exercise 1 as you can, in one minute. Immediately move on to exercise 2 for one minute. Rest for 15 seconds, then repeat both moves. Rest for 15 seconds, then proceed to exercises 3 and 4. Rest for 15 seconds, then finish with one minute of the turbocharger.
    1. Goblet squat
    Hold a dumbbell vertically at chest height, both hands cupping the dumbbell head (A). Keeping your chest up and core tight, sit your hips back and bend your knees to lower your body as far as you can towards the floor (B). Pause, then press through your heels to quickly return to start.
    READ MORE: Try This 7-Minute Fat-Blasting Workout
    2. Walking lunges
    Stand with feet hip-width apart and hands on your hips (A). Step forward with your left leg and slowly lower your body until your left knee is bent at least 90 degrees (B). Pause, then push back up, walk your back foot forward and drop into a lunge. Continue lunging on every step.
    3. Leg levers
    Lie face-up, arms extended in line with your shoulders and palms facing up. Raise your legs until they’re perpendicular to the floor, knees slightly bent (A). Brace your core, then take three to five seconds to lower your feet as close to the floor as you can (B). Reverse the move to return to start. That’s one rep.
    READ MORE: 5 Genius Treadmill Hacks That Shave Off More Kilos
    4. Hamstring bridge
    Lie face-up with knees bent and arms at your sides. Next, place your heels on a chair or step (or use a stability ball to make it harder) (A). Squeeze your glutes to raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees (B). Return to start.
    READ MORE: These Are The 4 Best Yoga Moves For A Toned Tummy
    Turbocharger: Thruster
    Hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing each other, and stand with your feet shoulderwidth apart (A). Sit your hips back to lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor (B). In one explosive motion, press through your heels to stand, pushing the weights up directly overhead (C). Then reverse the movement to lower into the next rep. More

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    28 Easy Food Swaps That’ll Help You Lose Weight

    There’s a simple hack that can boost your weight loss, leave you feeling fuller for longer and have you feeling more regular. It’s called fibre and this often-overlooked food can deliver major benefits to your body. Not only does it keep your system nice and clean, fibre has a genius move in its arsenal: the ability to keep you feeling fuller for longer, boosting satiety. That feeling of fullness is a major key in weight loss, prompting you to eat less instead of more. These genius food swaps find the high-fibre substitutes of other foods, which are often healthier, too.
    Why you need to switch up your food
    We all know our bodies need calcium for bones, vitamin C to fend off colds and chocolate to save relationships. But when it comes to losing weight, the nutritional information is a little more confusing. The mighty trilogy of nutrients – protein, carbohydrates and fat – garners most of the food industry’s attention, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that fibre needs to be the fourth leg of the dietary table.
    Study after study shows that not only does fibre help lower your risk of cancer, heart attack and high blood pressure, it also keeps you full and helps you decrease the total amount of kilojoules you consume every day. Trouble is, most of us think that getting the recommended 30g of fibre a day means eating cereal that tastes like the box it comes in. But that isn’t the case. You can sneak fibre into your diet anywhere…
    Food Swaps At Breakfast
    1. Spice up your eggs: A third of a cup of chopped onion and one clove of garlic will add one gram of fibre to scrambled eggs.
    2. Drop a whole orange into the blender to flavour your morning smoothie. One peeled orange has nearly three grams more fibre than even the pulpiest orange juice.
    3. Make your own fruit juice. Blend peeled, sliced and cored or pitted fresh fruit with a little cold water in a food processor. Drink immediately for the best nutritional value. A 250ml glass has more than one gram of fibre.
    4. Cook a bowl of oat bran instead of oats; it has nearly two grams more fibre. Add even more flavour and fibre by stirring in a quarter of a cup of raisins or chopped dates before popping it into the microwave.
    5. Sprinkle ground flaxseeds over your favourite cold cereal or stir a few spoonfuls into a cup of yoghurt. Two tablespoons of ground flaxseeds deliver almost an extra two grams of fibre.
    6. Grab an Asian pear. Similar in taste to other pears, the red-coloured Asian variety has an apple-like crispness and shape and, at four grams a pear, it delivers significantly more fibre.
    7. Buy spreadable fibre, like peanut butter, for your wholewheat toast. Two level tablespoons add three grams of fibre, along with a healthy dose of heart-protecting fats and nutrients like vitamin E.
    8. Make a smoothie using fruit or oats, as these contain at least two grams more fibre than blends that aren’t fruit-based or don’t include oats.
    READ MORE: 5 Ways To Measure Healthy Portion Sizes Without A Scale
    At lunch
    9. Try rye bread if you don’t like wholewheat for your sandwich. One slice has almost two grams of fibre – twice the amount found in white bread.
    10. Opt for quinoa instead of white rice and you’ll get six times more fibre per serving. Mixing in half a cup of lentils with the quinoa will add a nutty flavour, another six grams of fibre and a boost of folate and manganese.
    11. Stow a tin of microwavable soup in your desk for when you need to work through lunch. Woolworths’ Chunky Vegetable Soup packs as much as five grams of fibre per 400g portion.
    12. Shower your pasta with origanum or basil. A teaspoon of either chopped herb adds one gram of fibre. Order it with mushrooms and you’ll get an extra gram.
    13. Build your burger with a sesame-seed roll instead of the plain variety. Sesame seeds add half a gram of fibre per roll.
    14. Order your boerie roll with tomato-and-onion relish Every quarter-cup of the relish you pile on adds up to two grams of fibre to your meal, and having a wholewheat roll tops that up with another three grams.
    READ MORE: 3 Meal Prep Hacks That Will Make It Way Easier To Eat Healthily
    In the afternoon
    15. Drink chocolate milk, not plain milk. The combination of chocolate and the compounds needed to keep it suspended in the milk provides a gram of fibre in every 250ml serving.
    16. Pop a pack of reduced-oil popcorn instead of popping open a bag of potato chips. There are eight grams of fibre in every bag of popcorn.
    17. Enjoy a tomato juice and its two grams of fibre per 200ml tin. Go with the plain juice and avoid the cocktail version, which is high in sodium from the added salt and Worcester sauce.
    18. Graze on trail mix instead of a granola bar. Most granola bars have only one gram of fibre, while trail mix with dried fruit has nearly three grams.
    READ MORE: ‘Keto Crotch’ Might Be A Surprising Side Effect Of A Low-Carb Diet
    At dinner
    19. Toss half a cup of chickpeas into a pot of your favourite soup. They’ll absorb the flavour of the soup and tack six grams of fibre onto your bottom line.
    20. Swap a sweet potato for your standard spud. Sweet potatoes have two grams more fibre per tuber than the typical variety. Not a fan? At least eat the skin of the regular potato – that alone contains one gram of fibre.
    21. Go wild when you make rice. Cup for cup, wild rice has three times more fibre than white.
    22. Add some green to your red sauce. Doctor your favourite pasta sauce with half a cup of chopped spinach. The spinach will take on the flavour of the sauce and pad your fibre count by more than two grams.
    23. Cook wholewheat or spinach pasta instead of the usual semolina kind. A cup of either contains five grams of fibre.
    24. Cook broccoli, cauliflower and carrots and you’ll take in three to five grams of fibre per serving – nearly twice what you’ll get out of them if you eat them raw, as heat makes fibre more available.
    25. Add beans to give your bolognese a fibre boost. Substitute one part chopped, cooked beans for one part lean-beef mince. Cook both together to allow the beans to absorb the juices and seasoning. For every 100g of cooked beans, you get seven grams of fibre.
    READ MORE: Calories Vs Nutrients: What You Need To Know About Losing Weight
    For dessert
    26. Say nuts to chocolate bars. Bars with nuts, like Cadbury’s Whole Nut chocolate bar and Lunch Bars, have up to two grams of fibre – almost twice the fibre content of bars without nuts.
    27. Top a bowl of ice cream with sliced fresh berries in lieu of a chocolate topping. Half a cup of raspberries provides four grams of fibre; strawberries and blueberries pack half that amount.
    28. Try a slice of apple tart or a bowl of fresh fruit salad and you’ll add at least an extra three to five grams of fibre. Cake doesn’t have nearly as much. More