Lifespark Nutrition

Meet Rozi! Rozi is part of my Deluxe Weight n Wellbeing Programme. Im super proud of Rozi as like the many women who join this Programme, they need a transformation in their mindset, not just physically. Weightloss may be a main driver for jumping into it but it's the little habits that we change and the new habits we form and the beautiful mindset that we nourish that truly enables a transformation physically and emotionally.
Rozi has lost her first 5kgs of fat and energy levels are next level!! Self appreciation, self confidence and love 🧡🙌🙌 Well done Rozi!

Thank you to Space giving me another opportunity to speak to another beautiful set of new mums (or some on their 2nd or 3rd kids, which is even more important to take care of yourself!). We talked about the importance of nutrient deficiencies like iron and B12. The importance of protein, healthy fats, iodine, sustaining high fiber carbohydrates and easy meal and snack ideas to keep the nutrition inspiration going! You may still be sleep deprived but good nutrition will help with energy levels :)

Hello Monday! This is one of my favourite plant based high protein batch cook salads. (yay for warmer weather! ) Full of fiber, protein, antioxidants and healthy fats. Delicious and keeps you going!

Quinoa Salad (3 serves) (High Protein)

1.5 cup cooked quinoa (3/4 cup dry quinoa)
400g (1tin) cooked and drained chickpeas
1 spring onion or 1/2 red onion finely diced)
1-2 firm tomatoes or 6 cherry tomatoes diced in half. If you don't like tomatoes, swap with red capsicum.
Large handful of diced parsley
1 yellow capsicum, finely diced
1 large grated carrot
2Tb pumpkin seeds
2Tb walnut pieces
Juice of a lemon or 2 limes
Few cracks of Himalayan Rock salt and pepper
2Tb olive oil
½ tsp paprika or ground cumin
1/4 cup crumbly feta cheese (optional)

Added extras- 1/2 cucumber diced. 1 avocado diced. Sprouts for extra nutrition.

All the ingredients into a large bowl and mix through. An option is to dry toast the seeds in a pan to make them crunchy!
Will last 3 days. :)

Supermarket Sunday!
This is a shout out to our NZ products, manufacturers and regulations we have around food and ultimately shout out to our consumers too. If we keep supporting good food with low additives, low preservatives and quality, we won't end up like the USA that seem to want to put every chemical in anything. Hence why you literally have to keep to whole food and no packaged food as much as possible.
Even the "healthier' brown bread has all these extras in them.
We are grateful that bleached flour is banned in NZ. (yes avoid most bread products in the States as many are made with  bleached flour ( which is whiter than unbleached flour, and more acidic. The bleaching process uses bleaching agents like benzoyl peroxide or chlorine dioxide (a chlorine gas that's also used to treat tap water) to break down the starches and proteins in flour, making it softer and more absorbent.)
My husband was gonna drink this hot chocolate at the hotel and I was like 'have you read the ingredients? " He was shocked.
So let's just take a moment to appreciate our food regulations, while they aren't perfect, they dont let manufacturers produce products like this.
As consumers, we need to support good food products too.
food

You can feel like you are in Mexico while in Texas!
So many great Mexican restaurants. I prefer this as Mexican food always has healthy options. But yes my Tacos were enormous! 🌮🌮 Only got through one with the other delicious things to try, and had to have a margarita 🤣 🍸
Cheers to catching up with old friends 🍸🍸

Got to do something really special today!

A super happy face with Lance! Yes men need support too! I had to share as many people may think I deal just women but helping men gain back their confidence, improve blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugars, reduce visceral fat or other health issuesis so heart warming.
Lance is half way though his journey with 11kg down, 10cm off his waist, dropping 14 years off his metabolic age but very importantly, reducing blood pressure and almost eliminating his reflux.
Let's not also forget the increased energy and fitness now around the squash court. Well done Lance! Doing amazing! Glad I can support you with a health strategy, new ideas, portions and support :)
If you have men in your life that need support with their health, let them know about us.


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Supermarket Sunday!
While I'm all for making home made frozen treats like banana pops or banana and berry ice cream or frozen yoghurt, which are natural and dont have additives..sometimes bought is helpful.
These Nom bites are a fairly good option if you are dairy or gluten free as many frozen desserts are dairy free but made with thickeners made from wheat.
What I do like about them is the portion size. They are individually wrapped ice cream balls (not great for plastic waste) but you are much more likely to keep to 1 or 2 of these than a big bowl of ice cream (I am a culprit of going back for more when it comes to an ice cream tub!) So from a weightloss view, These are helpful.

These are only 50 calories and just over 1tsp sugar per serve. So also much better for the kids.
Also at least sugar is not listed first ingredient, but there is refined sugar in them.
Some may not like the rice flour around them but personal taste, I do find the chocolate flavour the best.
These can be great as alternative to ice cream tubs and better frozen treats than what else is available. I did enjoy the chocolate one. I found the berry one too sweet.

How will you love yourself today? ❤️
Making time for nourishing food?
Making time for movement?
Making time for breathwork?
Making time for positive mindset?
Making time for water intake?
Making time for sleep?

Maybe all of these? Maybe one of these. My motto is "how can I nourish my body today?"
Taking time to love you and support YOU is very important ❤️❤️ We only have one body, let's nurture not sabotage it.

So proud of Deborah! Got her first 5kgs down and over 15cms gone! But not only that, she is not feeling stuck in a rut anymore, feels confident with meal prepping, knows what to take and how to eat with her busy schedule and often away from home.
She has more energy, and knowledge from our 12 week Vibrant Woman Programme that focuses on key aspects about lifestyle management, not just on nutrition. Eg, Sleep, Movement, Self Love, Food and Mood, Hormones, Stress Management etc.
Well done Deborah!
PS I don't often do body beforehand and after pics because many people don't want to share their bodies to the world. But a happy, more confident face is wonderful to see :)

Happy Monday! Doesn't matter what happened last week or the weekend. Focus on the joy and happiness of nourishing yourself this week :) Positive mindset, healthy food, movement, water intake, friendships, finding joy. Integrating to support yourself :)

Supermarket Sunday!
I really like these wholemeal pita pocket from Danny's.
Unlike many wraps or other bready products, these are very natural, no additional preservatives, additives, stabilizers and unlike many breads no extra added gluten. Just wholefood products.
These are a good size for using as a piece of bread to put your spreads on or smashed avo. Or stuff with scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, baked beans or salad and cheese for a breakfast or lunch. They toast up super well too.
They meet the guidelines of less 450mg per 100g sodium. Actually quite good protein too at 4g, just unfortunate they don't list the fiber content. I'd say it's pretty good though.
So this is what we have been loving in our household from breakfast to lunches.
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Yum yum healthy pancakes for a weekend breakfast! High protein, full of fibre and no added sugar! Remember, eating healthy can be fun and delicious. Don't ever feel you need to 'miss out'. It's just about swapping certain ingredients for healthier alternatives.
My child loves them too!
For example you can use ground oats or almond meal or protein powder as a 'flour'.
You can use banana, blended blueberries, stevia or honey as a sweetener. Cinnamon is a great way to sweeten too.
Eggs are a great binder and adds protein, b vitamins, biotin, iron, to name a few. However you can use soaked chia seeds too as a binder or peanut butter (just need extra milk).

These today were literally just poped my oats in a blender, to grind up. Once pretty fine, I added the eggs, milk, cinnamon, banana, baking powder. Blend and ready to pour in the pan!
What's your fav pancakes?

Supermarket Sunday!
Just seen these from the Collective brand as a competitor to Chobani in the adults suckie space. Not as high in protein but then they are slightly smaller.
I'm impressed! A good product if you are on the go or need these for your young adults who are not likely to decanter yoghurt into a container to take to school or sports with them.
I like how they list the live cultures and got the rated live cultures amount listed. The added prebiotics of chicory root fiber is good for gut health but a satiety effect too.
It's high in calcium and contains the enzyme lactase to make it easier to digest. Plus the sugars are less 10g per 100g. Yoghurt does contain natural sugars but I'd say 50% or a tsp extra cones from the clarified pineapple juice (which is abit refined).
I know single use packaging is not great ( these can be recycled), however, I feel this is a really good product for teens who really need support during these important growing years but so often turn to quick junk food as fuel.
So if you have young adults or even pre teens then this is a good product. It tastes good too! I had one myself :)

Sometimes best things in life are free ❤️

https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/10/01/seaweed-products-recalled-due-to-elevated-arsenic-levels/
Just incase you eat these products. Thank goodness for testing!

Seaweed products recalled due to elevated arsenic levels The products affected are sold at smaller retailers nationwide, New Zealand Food Safety said.

Pie wraps! Have you tried this? An easy mid week dinner. A great one to use up leftovers from mince to roast vegetables.
Just pop in your favourite filling inside your wrap but without overfilling.
Beat an egg and brush it around the wrap edges.
Fold over the wrap and press down the edges with a fork to close it.
Brush egg over the top of each to help it go abit golden.
Bake on 180 for around 10mins. Serve with salad :)

Supermarket Sunday!
You may have seen these Chobani flips around so I thought I'd do a review. They were on special for $1 so I thought I'd take the plunge.
They are better than most commercial ice creams being Greek yoghurt. However, they are not lower in sugar. Both the yoghurt and biscuit crumbs have sugar in them with at least 4.5tsp of sugar depending on the flavour. Literally visual adding 4 tsp of sugar into your yoghurt 🤔
I'm not sure what the point of these are, either a sugary snack or a slightly healthier dessert 🤔
I'd go for a slightly healthier dessert. You would really be better off just buying the Chobani plain yoghurt or the high protein low sugar vanilla option and popping over some fruit or healthy granola or dark chocolate.
So my advice would be save your money and just DIY it.