Almonds are the perfect healthy snack.
They can help curb your appetite and prevent you from eating too much at mealtimes.
So add a stash to your handbag for hunger emergencies!
Author Archives: Leanne Rose
PORTION SIZES: EXPLAINED.
Many of my clients tell me that they are confused about how much they should (or shouldn’t) be eating.
It can be very misleading when reading food packaging to gauge exactly how much is a recommended portion size.
More often than not, restaurants and supermarkets lead us to believe that what they are selling is the correct portion size for one person. When, in reality, it’s likely to be about one and a half to two times as much!
So how do we control the amount of food that we eat? The best way is to educate ourselves on what is the right portion size for all foods from the various food groups. This way we can be armed with the knowledge before we are presented with more than we need.
However, this doesn’t mean complaining to the restaurant manager next time we eat out, or stopping ourselves from enjoying the odd take away. It means that by being aware of the recommended portions sizes we can help to ensure that both ourselves and our families eat the right amount of food for the majority of the time.
I found Bupa’s guidelines on portion sizes to be the most clear and easy to understand. Below is a summary of their recommendations:
STARCHY FOODS: Eight to 10 portions per day (to maintain weight for an average adult, depending on your activity level)
Some typical amounts for one meal may include the following:
- Cereal – nine tablespoons (three portions)
- Bread – two slices (two portions)
- Baked potato – one medium baked potato (two portions)
- Boiled potatoes – four small potatoes (two portions)
- Pasta – nine tablespoons (three portions)
- Rice – six tablespoons (three portions)
- Noodles – one block of dried noodles (one portion)
- Pitta bread – a filled pitta bread (two portions)
Meat, fish and other proteins: Two to three portions per day (with at least one portion of oily fish a week)
One portion counts as the following:
- Lean meat – 100g raw / 75g cooked
- Fish – 75g oily fish or 150g white fish
- Eggs – two medium sized eggs
- Baked beans – five tablespoons (half a tin)
- Pulses – four tablespoons
- Nuts – two tablespoons
DAIRY: 3 portions per day
A portion includes the following:
- Milk – 200ml (a small glass)
- Yoghurt – 150ml (a small pot)
- Hard cheese – 30g (size of a small matchbox)
- Cottage cheese – 90g or about two tablespoons
FRUIT & VEGETABLES: At least 5 portions per day
One portion is 80g of any fruit or vegetable. Examples include:
- Large fruit – one or two slices of large fruit (such as mango, pineapple or papaya)
- Medium sized fruit – one medium sized fruit (such as an apple, orange, banana or peach)
- Small fruit – two small fruits (such as kiwis, plums, satsumas or clementines)
- Grapes and berries – one to two handfuls of grapes or berries
- Fruit juice and smoothies – 150ml (a small glass)
- Mixed veg – three heaped tablespoons (such as peas, carrots and sweetcorn)
- Salad leaves –one dessert bowl
- Beans – three heaped tablespoons
FAT & SUGAR: limit your intake of these foods
Foods high in fat include butter, cream, chocolate and cakes. Foods and drinks high in sugar include soft drinks, sweets and biscuits. You should only eat foods from this group sparingly.
5 GOOD FOOD VOWS.
1. Fill up on plenty of wholesome, fresh food
2. Try to cook meals from scratch as often as possible
3. Savour food, be mindful of every mouthful that you eat
4. Eat a balance of all food groups instead of cutting one out
5. Avoid eating in front of the TV or at the desk, as distractions can lead to overeating.
I’M LIKING…
Check out the Joseph Joseph TriScale.
The clever and compact scale opens out into a stable surface for bowls and plates, and keeps the screen and controls protected when folded down.
As well as a great example of product design, it is a must-have kitchen gadget. Top marks all round!
5 HEALTHY PLEDGES FOR 2014.
Make 2014 both a happy and healthy new year, with these 5 pledges to help you to look and feel greater than ever.
1. Get enough shut-eye
It is recommended that you get at least seven to nine hours sleep a night. This gives your body enough rest to repair, burn fat and ward off stress.
The main three factors causing lack of sleep are caffeine, stress and alcohol. As well as reducing these, try the following foods to help you get a goodnights sleep:
- Eggs – provide tryptophan, which our bodies convert to serotonin, then store as the sleep chemical melatonin. Start your day with eggs to reap the benefits at night.
- Kiwi – research shows that eating 2 kiwis an hour before bed increases the average nightly kip and boosts sleep quality.
2. Eat a healthy, balanced diet
A balanced diet starts with eating lots of fresh vegetables, protein, good fats and carbohydrates (yes some carbohydrates are actually good for you!).
Not all carbohydrates are an enemy. Many of us fear the consequences of this food group and their associations with weight gain have stuck with many dieters. It’s the refined carbohydrates (like white bread, white sugar, and sweets) that you need to avoid.
Complex carbohydrates, like whole grains, help to maintain well-controlled blood sugar levels. Keeping you energized, slim, and healthy.
And if you need another reason not to curb the carbs, this macronutrient is in fact the only fuel that our brains can utilise, so without this our brain health and memory deteriorate.
3. Get active
Hit the gym, take a walk or go for a bike ride. Whatever you do, just get moving!
Regular exercise is not only good for your physical health (helping to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and strokes, as well as maintaining bodyweight), but it can boost your mental health too.
When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins, which trigger a positive mood making you feel happier and increasing your self-esteem.
4. Drink more water
Staying hydrated is one of the easiest things you can do for energy. When you skimp on water, the cells in your body shrink, so they can’t function as efficiently. This triggers feelings of fatigue.
The signs of mild dehydration, such as low energy and sleepiness, can dupe your brain into craving food. Many people confuse that empty-pit feeling in your belly as hunger, but in fact it’s quite often triggered by thirst.
Water is the perfect hydrator and drinking plenty of it helps flush away toxins that build up in our cells. You should aim to drink at least 1.2 litres of fluid (six to eight 250ml glasses) a day.
5. Stand Tall
Good posture is probably the world’s simplest beauty secret. It makes you instantly look taller and slimmer. You take in more oxygen, improving your skin and creating a wealth of new energy.
The perfect poise will help you look and feel more confident. To improve your posture, just follow these simple steps:
- Look in a full-length mirror, from the front and the sides.
- Firstly, observe and get to know your natural stance. Check if you have slipped into bad habits (i.e. is your pelvis sticking out?, is your back arched?, are your shoulders rounded?, etc)
- Correct any deviations so that your feet are slightly apart, with toes pointing forward. Imagine pulling your body upwards, starting at your neck and pulling up through your chest to your waist and hips. Feel the gap between your shoulders and ears lengthening, and each vertebra spreading out from its neighbours.
- Now focus on engaging your abdominal muscles. Pull your navel back towards your spine, whilst continuing to breath normally and tucking your bottom in.
- Correct your posture every time you think of it. Soon your body will retrain and good posture will become automatic.
DON’T JUST RELY ON WILLPOWER THIS JANUARY.
Last year 67% of people surveyed by The Gym Group made a New Year’s resolution to do more exercise.
However, despite good intentions, a third of people who joined a gym last January quit after just three months.
It’s not easy relying just on willpower and focus to form good habits. Once your behaviour becomes automatic, you wont even need to worry about it.
Make sure you get into a regular fitness regime that best fits around your lifestyle. That way you are more likely to stick with it and soon it will become routine.
SUPPORT YOUR SYSTEM.
Prevent the sniffling cold this winter by stocking up on essential nutrients to support your immune system.
Vitamins A, C, D , E, iron and zinc, found in foods such as leafy green vegetables, oranges, nuts and seeds should help keep you fighting fit.
Incorporate hearty soups too, with beans and lentils. As these are packed with B vitamins, iron and magnesium, which are great for boosting energy!
CARB OUT THE RIGHT DIET.
Many people increase their carbohydrate intake in the winter, but make sure you choose the right ones.
Avoid fast-release carbs such as bread and cereal, because they cause a sharp fall in blood glucose levels, creating cravings for sugary foods.
Instead, go for slow-release carbs with a low GI, such as wholegrains, seeds, nuts, peas and legumes. These will keep blood glucose levels even and make it easy to snack healthfully.
EQUATION # 3: WEIGHTS + PROTEIN = STRENGTH.
Kettlebell exercises, such as swings and deadlifts, tone your entire body because your stabiliser muscles have to work extra hard to keep you upright as you move.
As well as strengthening your bones and making you look leaner, evidence suggests it can also help to prevent everything from heart disease to Alzheimer’s.
To replenish muscle tissue after your session, go for protein-rich foods, such as almonds, natural yoghurt, turkey slices and eggs.
EQUATION # 2: DYNAMIC STRETCH + CARB SNACK = SAFE WARM UP.
Stretching out before a workout is a must to starve off injury and prime your muscles for the workload ahead.
Dynamic moves, such as arm circles and leg swings loosen up any tight muscles. They also get your blood pumping and loosen your joints.
Factor in a carb snack like oatcakes and houmous and you’re well on your way to a winning workout.