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Across Ireland and the UK, the average number of snacks consumed per day is 2.5. Snacking gets a bit of a bad rap, but snacks can be beneficial in that they can increase nutrient intake and sustain energy levels. They can also be a great way of working more healthy foods into the diet and prevent overeating at mealtimes. However, a lot of grab-and-go snacks are high in saturated fat, sugar, and salt, offering little nutritional value. Lower-carb, higher-fibre snacks have shown to have a better effect on blood sugar and insulin levels than high-carb snacks. The ideal snack will...

Originating in India, around 5000 years ago, yoga is a form of exercise that focuses on flexibility, strength and breathing. According to a national survey conducted in the Yoga Journal and the Yoga Alliance, the number of people practicing yoga in the US alone grew by over 50% from 2012 to 2016. If you’re debating taking up yoga, here are a few of the benefits. It’s a great way to improve flexibility Yoga can improve flexibility as holding yoga stretches and poses for a period of time allows muscles to go deeper into the stretch. Yin Yoga tends to hold...

When it comes to weight loss there’s a lot of conflicting information flying about. There really is no quick fix if you want to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way. Here we bust some of the most common weight loss myths. Myth: All calories are equal Focusing solely on calories ignores the metabolic effects of each calorie, although all calories have the same energy content, different foods go through different metabolic pathways, which means they have different effects on hunger. A protein calorie is not the same as a carb calorie. The way in which you digest calories...

Most simply put, protein shakes are a combination of protein powder and liquid. Protein shakes contain amino acids that are easily absorbed by your body and were first consumed by athletes to increase their muscle mass. They are a quick and easy way to increase your protein intake. Protein shakes can be considered a dietary supplement, as according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), dietary supplements include any products that contain a dietary ingredient, such as vitamins, minerals, or amino acids. Some shakes are designed to supplement protein, while others can be used as a meal replacement. The two...

So, you’ve spent months getting in shape, possibly in preparation for an upcoming holiday, but with all the excitement of a trip abroad comes the prospect of time off from your training regime. When you’ve been keeping to a controlled workout plan it can be pretty daunting taking time away from the gym, especially as this seems much more of a likely possibility with lockdown restrictions easing. Understandably you don’t want to undo all of your hard work, but just as your gains didn’t appear overnight, they won’t disappear within a week or two either. However, if we’ve learnt anything...