|
 Eating
a healthy, balanced
diet couldn’t be
more important given
the demands of
modern life. For
your body to
function at its
best, it requires a
large range of
nutrients. A healthy
diet will provide
these nutrients and
fuel the body so
that its vital
functions and
systems can perform
under any
circumstances.
The essential
nutrients, along
with water, are
carbohydrates, fats,
protein, fibre,
vitamins and
minerals. If a
particular nutrient
is missing in the
diet, an essential
function or system
in the body will
under-perform. Many
of you have probably
tried one of the
popular, fashionable
diets that recommend
omitting certain
food groups… and you
probably found that
after an initial
fast weight loss,
the diet could not
continue due to
unpleasant side
effects, and the
weight quickly
returned, along with
a few extra kilos
for good measure!
Below are some tips
for including these
essential nutrients
in your diet, as
well as cutting down
on some of those
things that are not
part of the healthy,
balanced diet that
will help you
successfully
complete your
program with us.
Carbohydrates
It's about time we
all get over the
idea that
carbohydrates are
bad. Good carbs do
exist, and they play
an important part in
your diet.
The main function of
carbohydrates is to
provide the body
with a source of
fuel, as the body
breaks them down
into glucose which
is used as an energy
supply.
Carbohydrates are
divided into simple
and complex
carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates
are usually sweet in
taste and come from
fruit, some
vegetables and
sucrose. Foods such
as biscuits,
chocolate, cakes,
ice cream and soft
drinks all have
added sucrose. These
carbs are known as
high glycaemic which
means they are
broken down quickly
in the body and
provide you with a
quick burst of
energy, which is
great when you’re
falling asleep at
your desk at 3 in
the afternoon...
however the energy
is short-lived and
very soon you’re
looking for another
high glycaemic
snack! Uh oh!
Complex
carbohydrates
consist of starches
and dietary fibre.
Because they have a
more complicated
structure than
simple
carbohydrates, the
body takes longer to
break them down. The
energy is released
slower and lasts
longer which means
you won’t experience
that burst of
energy, but instead
will feel satiated
for longer and will
be able to resist
the temptation to
reach for an
unhealthy snack. Aim
to have grainy
bread, wholemeal
pasta, oats and
brown rice along
with your fruits,
veggies, nuts and
pulses. Once you
have them, and
experience that
feeling of fullness,
you’ll never go
back!
Healthy Fats
Fat is an essential
part of any healthy
diet. But make sure
you know which fats
are the healthiest.
The good fats are
the unsaturated
fats:
polyunsaturated and
monounsaturated oils
and fats.
Omega-3 fats, a form
of polyunsaturated
fat named for its
multiple pairs of
double-bonded
carbons, are
unsaturated fats,
which are found
predominantly in
cold-water fish such
as salmon and
sardines, as well as
flaxseed, walnuts,
almonds, and
sunflower and
pumpkin seeds.
Good fats speed up
the metabolism and
help energy
production. They
strengthen the
immune system, help
purify the blood and
help fight against
heart disease by
keeping cholesterol
levels low, as well
as fighting against
arthritis and other
joint problems.
Omega-3’s may also
inhibit the
production of
carcinogens within
the body, thus
aiding in cancer
prevention and
treatment. Even our
brains, which are 60
percent fat, need
omega-3 to function
properly. This
wonder fat has even
been shown to
improve depression
and symptoms of
other mental
illness!
It is important to
try to include oily
fish, nuts and seeds
in your weekly diet.
Aim to have at least
a couple of oily
fish meals a week,
and carry a small
container of almonds
and seeds in your
bag for a quick
snack during the
day. The health
benefits for the
whole body are
countless!
Bad Fats
The bad fats are
saturated fats. They
offer no benefit to
the body and
contribute to high
blood pressure and
increase the risk of
heart attack. These
fats are found in
fatty meat, cheese,
and processed foods
such as biscuits,
cakes and pastries.
Avoid at all costs!
Protein
Protein continually
re-builds, repairs
and aids the growth
that goes on in the
body, and so it’s no
wonder that it’s
known as the
building block of
the body. Without
protein, the body
simply can’t look
after itself. Meat
is a great source of
protein, but for
non-meat eaters,
protein can also be
found in nuts,
seeds, eggs, tofu
and pulses.
Fibre
Fibre, both soluble
and insoluble,
increases the bulk
of foods that you
eat, which aids in
the smooth passage
through the
gastrointestinal
tract. Because fibre
increases the bulk
of your poo, you
need to increase
your intake of water
to prevent
constipation… ouch!
Therefore, drink at
least 8 glasses of
water per day. This
bulking effect also
assists in your
weight loss as it
increases your
feeling of fullness.
So, aim to eat loads
of wholegrain breads
and cereals, rice,
pasta, fruit, oats,
vegies, legumes and
lentils, and drink
plenty of water, to
prevent constipation
and feel full for
longer. Beautiful!
Vitamins & Minerals
The vitamins and
minerals your body
requires for good
health are easily
obtained from a
healthy, balanced
diet. In essence,
introduce as much
variety into your
diet as possible to
ensure that your
body is receiving
all the nutrients it
needs. Be
adventurous and try
something new
whenever you can…
you never know, you
might even like it!
Portions
We all know that
portion sizes have
increased over the
years. You only have
to eat out at an
Italian restaurant
and order a pasta
dish to realize
this. How can anyone
eat that much pasta?
Or what about the
people who supersize
their meals at
McDonald’s simply
because they think
they’re getting a
bargain, and then
proceed to eat the
entire meal. After
all, we were all
taught to not leave
anything on our
plates. Sure, they
got a bargain, but
their hips pay the
price!
There are a few
tricks that you can
use to keep your
portions under
control.
-
If you’re dining
at home, use a
smaller plate as
this will create
the illusion of
eating a bigger
meal.
-
If you’re dining
at a restaurant,
ask the waiter
for a half serve
or perhaps place
half of a main
course in a
‘doggie bag’ to
take home.
-
Leave something
on your plate.
Take it from us
and experience
the feeling of
empowerment that
this brings… you
are in control
of your food,
not the other
way around!
-
If you
desperately need
a dessert,
choose the
healthiest
option and share
with your
partner.
Dining Out
Don’t be afraid to
ask your waiter to
help you meet your
needs. Ask lots of
questions of your
waiter in order to
make the healthiest
choice. Most chefs
are happy to provide
grilled fish instead
of battered, put
dressing on the
side, provide
steamed vegies
instead of fries, or
simply use the
smallest amount of
olive oil in the
preparation of the
meal… and if the
waiter rolls his
eyes, roll yours
back. It’s your body
and you have every
right to make these
simple requests. If
they make it
difficult, it’s
simple… don’t go
back!
Skipping Meals
This is one of the
biggest mistakes
that people make
when trying to lose
weight. You might
think that by
skipping breakfast
you’re saving
yourself calories,
but you’ll end up
hungry by
mid-morning and
won’t be able to
resist that bun or
muffin. Ultimately,
you’ll end up
consuming more
calories than if you
had eaten a healthy
breakfast.
In addition,
skipping meals plays
havoc with your
metabolism by
putting it into
survival mode. In
other words, it will
store energy as fat.
Not a good thing!
So, be sensible
about what and when
you eat, and reap
the rewards.
Moderation Is The
Key
One glass of wine,
not the whole
bottle; a snack size
chocolate bar, not
the family size
block; one choc chip
biscuit, not the
whole packet… you
get the picture -
anything in
moderation is fine.
After all, everyone
needs an indulgence
every now and again.
The secret is
moderation, not
deprivation.
Mindless Eating
There are tactics
that you can use to
curb the habit of
picking at food
throughout the day.
Many people eat
constantly,
especially when
they’re focused on
another task, such
as watching TV or
talking on the
telephone. If you
eat when you’re
distracted or bored,
rather than when
you’re hungry, you
could try the
following to break
the habit:
-
Eat only when
you’re sitting
down at the
table. If you
take your time
and pay
attention to
every mouthful
you’ll feel more
satisfied, which
will curb the
urge to overeat.
Chances are that
you’ll enjoy
your food so
much more than
when eating
mindlessly.
-
Take up a hobby
to keep occupied
after dinner if
this is a time
when you want to
pick. Knitting,
crossword
puzzles…
anything to keep
your mind off
food and keep
your brain busy.
-
Have a cup of
tea. The warm
liquid will help
you feel
satisfied.
-
Have a big glass
of water. Thirst
is often
mistaken for
hunger.
-
Clean your
teeth. This
really works.
That high fat,
calorie laden
snack will be
much less
appealing once
you’ve cleaned
and flossed!
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