Posts Tagged ‘lose weight’

Tips for Food Shopping when Trying to Lose Weight

Monday, April 29th, 2013
  • Plan what you are going to eat for the forthcoming week and write a shopping list.
  • Stick to your shopping list when you are in the supermarket.
  • Take a pen and tick off the items on the list as you go, so that you buy everything you needed and so that you don’t stray from the list.Food shopping
  • Don’t be swayed by special offers on unhealthy foods.
  • Don’t go shopping when you are hungry.
  • Don’t buy foods that you know you will not be able to resist such as biscuits and chocolate.

10 Top Tips for Getting and Staying Physically Active

Monday, February 18th, 2013

                                                              1. Get Moving.

Take the stairs instead of the lift, Walk short journeys you have to make, get off the bus a stop early.

       2. Start slowly and build up.

Don’t try to do too much too soon. Instead, take a gradual approach, and build up your activity routine as you become fit.

       3. Stuck for time?

As much as 2 x 15 minutes of exercise can make the difference.

     4. Desk exercises.

       While seated, perform some exercises to help strengthen and tighten your muscles.

       5. Do things you enjoy.

      You are more likely to stick with exercises that you find fun.

       6. Find a partner.

People who exercise with a partner or group are more likely to stay on track.

  7. Drink plenty of water.

Good hydration before, during and after exercise is essential to your wellbeing.

  8. Write it down.

An exercise diary can help you chart your progress and provide motivation on those days that you just don’t feel like getting off the couch.

   9. Reward yourself.

Set yourself weekly exercise goals and reward yourself with a new book, massage etc. at the end of the week if you have achieved these.

     10. Play some music.

  Exercising to your favourite songs can helps keep you motivated.

What is Glycaemic Index?

Monday, October 1st, 2012

What is Glycaemic Index (GI)?

Glycaemic Index is a measure of how high your blood sugar gets after eating a food. It was originally designed to help people with diabetes to make better food choices but research has found that it might be useful in helping people to get to and stay at a healthy weight.

 

How does GI help with weight?

High blood sugar from high GI foods cause increases in the amount of insulin your body makes. Insulin helps to lower blood sugar levels after a meal but it also is important in helping your body to store other nutrients including fat. High levels of insulin encourage your body to store fat, rather than burn it. This means that when blood sugar increases it can encourage your body to store fat.

 

When you eat low GI foods your blood sugar level stays lower (but not too low) and so insulin stays lower and this can encourage your body to burn fat. Low GI foods are also more satisfying and help keep your metabolism running faster. This is why they are important for helping anyone to lose weight or to keep off weight they have already lost.

 

Which foods are low and which are high GI?

Only foods with carbohydrate can raise blood sugar levels. Any foods with no carbohydrate are low GI foods. Foods with no carbohydrate include meat, chicken, fish and eggs.

 

High GI Foods

Low GI Foods

 

•   Most breads – brown or white

•   Potatoes

•   Cooked fruit

•   Some root vegetables e.g. parsnips

•  Foods high in sugar e.g. soft drinks, sweets, biscuits, cakes, etc

•   Popcorn

•   Crisps

 

 

•   Porridge, high fibre breakfast cereals

•   Bread made with 50% oats or more

•   Pasta – brown or white

•   Brown rice and Basmati Rice

•   Pulses – beans, peas and lentils

•   Fresh fruit, fruit smoothies

•   Meat, poultry, fish, eggs

•   Dairy products

•   Most vegetables and salads

 

 

Strawberry and Banana Smoothie

Monday, July 2nd, 2012

Ingredients

1 banana

200ml low fat strawberry yoghurt

120ml low fat milk

120ml crushed ice

Method

  1. Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor.
  2. Blend for 30 seconds to a smooth, thick drink.
  3. Pour into a tall glass, add ice and strawberries to decorate if you wish.

 

Takeaways

Monday, May 21st, 2012

Takeaways are often cheap, convenient and satisfying but, unfortunately, they are not always very healthy. Here are some tips on foods to avoid and healthier options when ordering your favourite takeaway.

 Fish and chips

  • Try to avoid: thin-cut chips, pies such as cheese and onion pie or steak and kidney pie, jumbo sausage.
  • Healthier options: fish coated in breadcrumbs, mushy peas, thicker-cut chips without salt.

 Italian

  • Try to avoid: large deep-pan pizzas, pizzas with the crust stuffed with cheese, triple cheese with pepperoni pizzas, creamy pasta sauces, garlic bread.
  • Healthier options: small or medium pizza with a thin base and vegetable or lean meat topping, tomato-based pasta sauces, bruschetta.

 Chinese

  • Try to avoid: sweet and sour battered pork balls with special or egg fried rice, prawn toast, spring rolls.
  • Healthier options: crab and corn soup, steamed dumplings, steamed vegetables and plain boiled rice, steamed fish,      chicken chop suey, Szechuan prawns.

 Thai

  • Try to avoid: fried rice, fish cakes, spring rolls, prawn crackers, satay skewers with peanut sauce and sweet and sour dishes.
  • Healthier options: clear soups such as tom yum, salads, stir-fried meat, fish or vegetable dishes, steamed seafood      dishes, such as fish or mussels.

 Indian

  • Try to avoid: any creamy curries such as korma, passanda or masala with pilau rice, naan, bhajis, pakoras and      poppadoms.
  • Healthier options: tandoori or madras with chicken, prawns or vegetables, plain rice and chapatti.

 Kebab and burgers

  • Try to avoid: large doner kebab with mayonnaise and no salad, burgers with cheese and mayonnaise, thin-cut chips, chicken or fish patties deep fried in batter.
  • Healthier options: shish kebab with pitta bread and salad, grilled burgers made from lean fish or meat (beef or whole chicken breast) and without cheese and mayonnaise.

Easter Eggstravaganza

Monday, April 9th, 2012

So it’s Easter time again! As I researched the content for this blog I came across this article on the Daily Mail website and decided to share it with you all. It’s definitely an interesting read. I hope this helps to keep you all on the right track. Enjoy!

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-382232/Easter-Eggstravaganza-Surviving-Easter-diet.html

Starting to Exercise

Monday, March 26th, 2012

As we reported previously, being physically active can reduce risk of heart disease. It can also help to keep the lungs healthy, tone muscles, keep bones strong and help to burn calories so that you lose weight.

Health experts recommend 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity five times a week. It might sound like hard work but fast walking counts as a ‘moderate intensity’ exercise.

Better still, you don’t have to do 30 minutes in one go – it’s fine to do two blocks of 15 minutes or even three blocks of 10 minutes if you prefer. If you’ve never exercised or you haven’t been physically active for a long time, it’s worth getting the once over from your GP before starting out.

Then, follow these tips….

No matter what your age, level of fitness, ability, size or shape, there’s an exercise out there that’s right for you so start doing some research to find some activities that will suit you and your lifestyle.

Investigate what’s on offer in your local area – phone around the leisure centres, gyms and pools and find out about times, availability and prices.

Don’t narrow your choices down to the gym or class based activities. Explore other ideas.

Always warm up properly before taking part in exercise. You’re far more likely to injure yourself if your muscles haven’t been warmed up. Remember to cool down, too.

Start gradually and slowly increase the amount and intensity of the activity you’re doing. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll see an improvement.

Good Nutrition when Planning a Pregnancy

Monday, January 16th, 2012

Good nutrition is important all through life and particularly so when trying to become pregnant.

 

It is a good idea to make any changes to your diet and fitness in plenty of time before you become pregnant (at least 3-4 months beforehand). This helps to boost your fertility and makes sure that your stores of key nutrients are at their best and that your weight is stable.

 

Lifestyle changes are just as important for men as for women. Obesity, alcohol intake and nutritional deficiencies can have a negative effect on both male and female fertility- so look at taking these positive steps together.

 

So here are some tips to achieve that healthy lifestyle and help you on your journey to become pregnant -

 

  • Try to get to a healthy weight – follow healthy eating guidelines and exercise routines.

 

  • Take a folic acid supplement every day – Folic acid is a B vitamin that plays a crucial role in the formation of the spinal cord and brain by helping the neural tube to close over properly. Simply start taking a 400mcg folic acid tablet every day at least 10-12 weeks before you plan to get pregnant. Continue to take it until week 12-14 of your pregnancy.

 

  • Eat more iron rich foods – Most women in Ireland don’t eat enough iron rich foods. Including rich sources like lean red meat, chicken, turkey and oily fish several times a week will help to boost your stores. Including plenty of vitamin C from fruits and vegetables and cutting down on your tannin (tea, red wine) boosts your iron absorption.

 

  • Calcium & Vitamin D – Good stores are needed for baby’s development and to protect mother’s bones. Be sure to eat at least 3 servings of dairy foods (milk, cheese, yoghurt) every day to meet your calcium needs. Vitamin D is found in foods like oily fish, margarines, cheese and eggs. It is also made in the skin through the action of sunlight. Just 20 minutes daylight on hands and face everyday will help to boost your stores.

 

  • Alcohol- cut it down or cut it out – Alcohol intakes higher than the guideline of 14 units a week for women and 21units a week for men may have a negative effect on fertility for both men and women. Excessive alcohol is harmful to your baby’s development, and the early days and weeks of life (when you may not know that you are pregnant) are most sensitive to even moderate amounts of alcohol.

 

  • Smoking- quit now – Smoking cigarettes reduces your fertility. Smoking when pregnant is harmful to your baby and is linked with low birth weight and premature birth.

Psychological Tricks to Keep you on your New Year Diet

Monday, January 2nd, 2012

So it’s the time for New Year Resolutions again! As I researched the content for the first blog of 2012 I came across this video on the BBC website and decided to share it with you all.

It gives us an insight into the psychological impact of sticking to New Year Resolutions. I hope this helps to keep you all on the right track. Enjoy!

 

< http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/news/health-12068595 >

 

Leek and Potato Soup

Monday, September 26th, 2011

Serves 6

 

Ingredients –

1 tbsp low fat spread

1 large onion, finely chopped

500g leeks, finely chopped

500g floury potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 litre of hot vegetable stock

300ml skimmed milk

Salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Method –

  1. Melt the low fat spread in a large, lidded, non stick saucepan and gently sauté the onion and leeks until soft, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the potatoes, parsley and hot stock and bring to the boil. Cover and reduce the heat. Simmer gently for about 20 minutes.
  3. Add the milk to the saucepan and reheat gently. Season to taste and serve garnished with parsley sprigs.