Welcome To Week Five
Welcome to week five of the Minding Me Gluten Free course. This week our theme is on Building Stronger Bones
When we think about coeliac disease and gluten intolerance, we automatically think gut. So many of us have had all the fun of bloating, tummy upsets, going too often or not often enough, and everything in between. Although not everyone gets the tummy symptoms, coeliac disease and gluten intolerance are is really seen as a disease of digestion. But although it may start in your gut, it doesn’t end there. Long-term problems of coeliac disease can include issues with fertility, anaemia and, most importantly, bone health. This section of the course is relevant to everyone living gluten free and want to reduce risks of Osteoporosis.
This week’s mindfulness lesson covers Night-time Mindfulness Meditation. You will learn about routines to help with switching off after a busy day.
The workout regime will be enhanced for those that are ready to move on at this stage and there will also be additional recipes for you to try.
Add Fibre
One of the great secrets of managing weight is fibre. Fibre helps with weight in so many ways – it is no surprise that almost every fad “diet plan” has fibre at the centre.
What makes fibre so special when it comes to weight? There three main reasons:
- When you eat fibre, the food stays for longer in your stomach. This means it takes longer for you to start feeling hungry again.
- High fibre foods slow digestion and slow the release of glucose into your blood. This helps balance energy levels and help keep hunger at bay for longer.
- High fibre foods feed your healthy gut bacteria. These bacteria then make substances that help to regulate your appetite. It becomes a really nice loop that helps you to eat the right amount of food for you.
It’s always great to be told to eat something to lose weight, but when it comes to high fibre foods and weight, this is the way to go. People on gluten free diets often think that they can’t get fibre because they are limited when it comes to wholegrain bread. Luckily there are lots of places to find gluten free fibre. You need 25-35g of fibre a day to really get the benefits but any fibre is better than none. Do start slowly though. Going straight to 25g of fibre in one day will leave you bloated and uncomfortable. Gradually add fibre over 2-3 weeks to get to your target.
Try some of the ideas below:
- Whole grains: Choose wholegrain or whole meal gluten-free bread as much as possible. Check out the fibre on labels. A food with 6g of fibre per 100g is “high fibre” and is a great choice to make. A slice of high fibre gluten free bread should have around 2-3g of fibre per slice – although some have up to 9g!
- Add seeds: Seeds like pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and chia seeds are all very high in fibre. Add a dessertspoon or two of seeds to your breakfast, stir them into yoghurt or sprinkle them over salads. This is an easy way to top up your fibre and ground seeds are just as good as whole. 1 dessertspoon of most seeds will give you around 3g of fibre.
- Get your 5 (or more!) a day: Fruit and vegetables are also good places to get fibre. Aim to have 2-3 pieces of fruit every day and add vegetables or salad to lunch and dinner. A piece of fruit or a serving of vegetables will give you 2-3g of fibre.
- Beans and lentils: These are very rich in fibre. A tin of baked beans has 14g of fibre. A small tin of chickpeas has around 10g. Adding beans to soups is a great way to add more fibre. You can also add lentils to stews, soups and casseroles or try some vegetarian dishes based on lentils. Note: Recently lots of lentils are now contaminated with gluten – check the Food List for gluten free options.
- Snack on nuts and dried fruit. Raisins, apricots and dates are all great places to add fibre and they make a very handy snack. You can eat them alone or mixed with some walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds to add some extra fibre.
Remember to drink some water
Fibre works by getting into your gut and soaking up lots of water. This makes everything in your gut soft and easy to move. Water is just as important as fibre when it comes to having a healthy digestion. Aim to have 6-8 glasses of water every day. If you’re not a big water-drinker try some herbal teas or you can add mint leaves, cucumber or orange slices to cold water for a little extra flavour.
Ready To Go?
Check out our recipes for this week. This is not a menu plan but a collection of ideas that you can try as you go. We will add some new recipes each week along with more tips and a focus on a different aspect of nutrition from immunity to heart health.
Pilates Week 5
Exercise
Welcome to week 5 of our exercise program. The weeks are flying by!
You can now progress to week 5 of the couch to 5km or if you feel the pace is too quick for you then you can repeat week 1, 2, 3 or 4. Keep it going. You will reap the benefits of your hard work.
Good habits are forming. Each week adds that little bit of extra difficulty and of course more exercises. Don’t let the weather be a factor in getting out there.
Layer up, lace up and you’re good to go.
In week 5 – sessions 1 and 2 – there are now 7 exercises per session.
Each exercise is performed 12 times (12 reps). Take a 15 seconds rest between each exercise as well as the 30 seconds rest after each set. Complete 3 sets to finish.
Feel free to substitute exercises from any of the previous weeks 1 or 2 in if you feel you are not yet ready for the progressions or if you just prefer them.
For the ‘step ups’ you can use the bottom step of your stairs or even a chair. If you do use a chair it will most likely be higher than a step (more of a challenge) but more to the point you need to be sure it’s stable. Have someone hold the chair for you if need be or you can do this exercise just marching on the spot if you prefer.
There are some exercises with weights in this week. Don’t worry if you don’t have weights at home. You can use a tin of beans, a heavy book or even a ball.
Make sure to stay hydrated throughout your day. You should be drinking 2 litres of water a day. It is worth saying that this is on top of the water you drink when you are exercising. The water you drink while exercising is replenishing the sweat you are losing through your skin and through breathing.
Enjoy your fifth week.
As always, feel free to contact me on suzanneclarkept@gmail.com with any questions or queries.
Week Five Workout Plan
Night-time Mindfulness Meditation
Join Aideen Burke, Mindfulness and Yoga teacher from Eat.Create.Be for the week 5 of your mindfulness course. Today we will be looking at a night time routine as our task. We will be trying to harness in a mindful ritual for your evenings.
In this weeks sessions we will focus on self-care rituals for your winding down routine in the evening.
