A new way of eating
Links to websites about the benefits of certain food
Links to websites about the benefits of certain food
OBESITY
REDUCTION
Eating less and eating healthier foods will not only reduce
the amount of food we waste but will also help reduce our burgeoning
waistlines. I have to confess that I am
one of the many people in wealthier countries who simply eat too much and
exercise too little. This over
indulgence is costing us our health and well-being as well as nurturing over
consumption of resources that should be shared around more equitably.
For two thirds of my life I was actually my ideal weight or underweight
(it is a pity I didn’t realise this was a blessing). My upbringing and lifestyle had a lot to do
with this. My parents, who endured the
Great Depression and the Second World War, didn’t waste anything, didn’t
overindulge in food, and thought nothing of walking to the shops or
school. As a teacher I stood up most of
the day, walked around classrooms, and rushed along corridors from one meeting
to another. I burnt up my kilojoules and
was never overweight.
It was only when I moved into an office job that the
waistline began to spread. I did no
exercise and when work was busy and stressful I turned to a high energy snack
to perk me up - eating on the run.
Treats, laden with calories, were a way of gaining some comfort in a
very demanding world. My weight soared
over the dividing line between overweight and obese. I hated being so fat, dieted and reneged,
dieted and reneged so that my weight went up and down like a yo-yo.
It is amazing how one part of the brain can come up with so
many justifications to eat too much, to indulge too much, to do so little even
as another part is weakly asserting that this is simply a recipe for an early
death. There is definitely something of
‘eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you die’ side in me. I suspect we have evolved to gobble down lots
of high kilojoule food whenever we come across it – but while that might have
been okay when we lived a frugal life with the very occasional and welcome
feast it is not okay when tempting food is available all the time.
For this reason I do think we are fighting a very difficult
battle when we give up comfort food – it goes against our natural
instincts. I have tried self-hypnosis
and it certainly helps tame that more indulgent side of me. I also find saying “yes I really want to eat
that doughnut, ice-cream, last slice of chocolate cake or whatever but I am not
going to” helps me to stay steadfast because it acknowledges the desire to eat
these wonderful foods but puts the caring, educated part of my brain in charge
of the decision-making.
I did eventually manage to drop below the obese cut off
weight but I still need to lose 20kg to my ideal weight. I need to lose this weight by eating less,
eating better and exercising more and for all the obvious reasons that every
other fat person needs to reduce their waistline:
1.
To decrease cholesterol levels and reduce the
risk of heart disease
2.
To decrease high blood pressure and reduce the
risk of heart disease
3.
To decrease the risk of diabetes
4.
To reduce the effects of sleep apnea
5.
To reduce the effects of hiatus hernia and
reflux disease
6.
To reduce the strain of carrying around all this
excess weight on the heart and other organs
7.
To have a more efficient metabolism and
therefore higher energy levels
8.
To be able to fit into clothes which are sold in
ordinary clothing stores
9.
To reduce the need for a knee replacement
operation
10.
To be able to undertake physical activities and
enjoy them
11.
To feel better about myself because my rational
part of my brain controls what I eat
12.
To be able to indulge in my passion for cooking
without endangering my health
This is a ‘no-brainer’, it is like the reasons for giving up
smoking – what sensible person wouldn’t?
But apparently losing weight and keeping it off for life is an
extraordinarily difficult thing to do.
We know what to do – just like a smoker – eat less, eat better, exercise
more - for life – but we just don’t want to give up something that makes us
feel so good. Somehow we have to learn
to enjoy a healthier approach to eating more than transient pleasure of eating
the less than healthy foods we crave.
I am going to try a different approach this time based on a
reassessment of what I want to eat and when I want to eat it. It is a way of eating rather than a diet per
se. I want to decrease the amount of
protein I eat as it is well above the daily recommended allowance, I want to
have my main meal at lunchtime instead of dinner, I want all the food I eat to
contribute to my health and firstly help me lose weight and then maintain a
healthy weight, I want to eat less red meat.
I recognise that humans are inherently omnivores and eating
red meat has been important to our evolutionary success but I am tired of great
lumps of red meat being the main focus of a meal, I would like to reduce the
number of animals that have to be killed to feed me, also I feel that resources
that go into raising lots of animals for slaughter in wealthier countries could
be more equitably spread around the world especially with our growing world
population. I have not become a vegan I
am just cutting down.
To help motivate me maintain my new way of eating I am
awarding myself points for each healthy food I eat, taking points off for each
food that is not included in the diet, likewise giving myself points for every
100 grams I lose and taking points away for each 100 grams I gain. Also I am
giving myself points for each type of exercise I do and I am keeping a daily
diary of my progress. I am going to
convert the points I earn into dollars to indulge myself in the non-necessities
of life such as outings, books, magazines, special clothes and indulgences (not
food of course) as well as giving a lot more to good causes. I can’t spend it if I haven’t earned it so
this is where the motivation to be good will come from. I could live without doing all these things
just as I can live without ever eating another cream bun but it is going to be
great to be able to indulge in things that make me feel good without putting
inches on the waistline.
A NEW WAY OF EATING
based on eating
foods that contribute to health and longevity and on sitting down to eat three
meals a day with no snacking in between in order to develop a healthy appetite
and improve digestion
Breakfast
Muesli
made from: 40g oats which provide carbohydrate and soluble fibre which reduces
cholesterol, 20g nuts which are a source of short chained omega 3fatty acids, and
30g dried fruit such as prunes, raisins, dried sour cherries, cranberries and
served with 100g low-fat yoghurt which is a good source of calcium and protein,
Followed
by1 boiled egg which contains protein, zinc, iron and over 20 essential
vitamins and minerals. Depending on what
the hens have been fed they can also be a functional food containing long chain
Omega 3 fatty acids.
A
little idolised salt which contains iodine for thyroid health
Lunch
100g
of oily fish such as tuna, salmon and sardines which contain long chain Omega 3
fatty acids which help protect against heart disease, may help with Alzheimer’s
and mood and cognitive functions.
2
slices wholegrain bread with flaxseed and quinoa or soy and linseeds. Flaxseeds
(linseed) contain short chain omega 3 fatty acids. Quinoa has is a low GI carbohydrate, high in
fibre, protein and essential fats.
4
teaspoons of pro-activ margarine which is a functional food that competes with
cholesterol for absorption.
Salad
of tomato, radishes, cucumber, beetroot and salad greens such as rocket. Rocket
is rich in Vitamin C, fibre, iron and beta-carotene. Beetroot contains antioxidants and high levels
of nitric oxide which apparently improves blood flow.
Pickles,
balsamic vinegar, lemon or lime juice, chillies.
150g
red fruit such as sour cherries which may increase melatonin and low joule
jelly to satisfy sweet cravings
Dinner weekdays
Large
bowl of vegetable soup including:
carbohydrates
such as 150g potato or sweet potato, 80g cooked pasta, rice, noodles, or 100g
cooked legumes. They provide starchy
carbohydrates. Legumes provide low GI carbohydrates, soluble dietary fibre
which helps lower cholesterol, high levels of protein as well as B-group
vitamins, iron, calcium, phosphorous, zinc and magnesium and folate.
As
well as two cups of vegetables. Fibre in
vegetables may help lower cholesterol and help digestion
3
teaspoons olive oil. Extra virgin olive
oil seems to help protect against some diseases.
Dinner weekend
100g
red meat vegetables. Lean red meat is a
nutrient dense food and an excellent source of iron, and is good for you if all
visible Fat has been removed
Drinks
3
cups of weak coffee. Coffee contains a high amount of anti-oxidants
325
ml of Anlene milk a fuunctional food, Vit D, calcium, zinc, magnesium
3
tsp cocoa not
heat treated – antioxidants could increase serotonin
1
cup of green tea contains lots of antioxidants may help with reducing fat
levels
1
cup of herbal tea
Glass
of diet tonic water for muscle health
Glass
or two of soda water for kidney health
Indulgence 4 x week
70% dark chocolate. High levels of
antioxidant (more that tea or red wine), flavonoids and phenolic phytochemical.
It may increase serotonin levels
CSIRO CLIP Diet Level 1- 6000KJ/day ½ unit salad, 2 units vegetables, 1 ½
units protein, 1 unit carbohydrates, 1 unit cereal, 2 units bread, 2 ½ units
dairy, 5 units fat and oils, 2 units fruit, 1 unit nuts, 1 unit indulgence.
LINKS TO WEBSITES WITH INFORMATION ON
SUGGESTED HEALTH BENEFITS OF DIFFERENT FOODS
Note
some websites provide information from food producers however usually
references to the research is given for follow up
http://amwayhealtheclub.com.au/optimal-health/healthy-diet/Colour-yourself-healthy/Pages/Health-benefits-of-eating-red-.aspx
SOUR
CHERRIES
http://www.all-melatonin.com/news/20-Cherries-Emerge-as-the-New-Antioxidant-Superfruit.html
http://www.all-melatonin.com/news/20-Cherries-Emerge-as-the-New-Antioxidant-Superfruit.html
RED
MEAT
No comments:
Post a Comment