Trans Fats

More food advice – this time on trans fats

Trans fats are harmful substances added to foodstuffs to enhance their taste and extend self-life (check out some of the ‘use by’ dates on ‘fresh foods’) – according to the Guardian last week

A study in the BMJ says that cutting out the toxic fats found in cakes, biscuits and other products could save people from dying of heart disease and save the NHS millions.  Others have gone onto dispute this, saying nearly all industrial trans fats have been eliminated.  So, once again, what should we believe?

My take would be to be sure of what you are eating, cook from scratch as often as you can and avoid processed foods, ‘ready meals’ and shop bought cakes and biscuits.  I am particularly wary of foods like mince pies with sell by dates that are weeks ahead – keep it fresh is my advice.

Healthy Eating Plan

I am often asked for some meal ideas so when I saw this plan, from the British Dietetic Association for 2,000 calories a day, I thought you would like it

 Monday

Breakfast:

Yoghurt with berries, nuts and seeds  (100g yog, handful mixed berries, tpsp mixed seeds and 2 sliced brazil nuts)

Lunch:

Smoked salmon, low fat cream cheese and spinach sandwich on soya and linseed bread with cherry tomatoes

Dinner:

Sweet potato, spinach and lentil dahl  (100g red lentils and large sweet potato – enough left for tomorrow)

 

Tuesday

Breakfast:

Banana porridge (3 tbsp oats, semi skimmed milk, half a sliced banana and 2 sliced brazil nuts)

Lunch:

Dahl left overs from Monday

Dinner:

Parma ham wrapped salmon (one small fillet, 2 slices ham) with asparagus and 4 tbsps pesto sauce, 80 ml crème fraiche and handful of new pots

 

Wednesday

Breakfast:

Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and avocado on soya and linseed toast

 Lunch

Shop bought on homemade tomato soup (add handful of lentils or black eyed beans and a handful of spinach to boost)

 Dinner:

Wagamama Cha han (2 small chicken thighs, 4 large prawns, an egg, rice; makes double for tomorrow as well)

 

Thursday

Breakfast:

Bircher muesli ( 3 tbsps oats, 1 tbsp raisins, grated apple, apple juice, 2 tbsps natural yoghurt

Lunch:

Wagamama Cha Han

Dinner:

Roasted veg frittata (1 onion, 300gm cherry toms, 100g spinach, basl, 100g ricotta 6 eggs; enough for lunch tomorrow) with spinach and rocket salad

 

Friday

Breakfast:

Yoghurt with berries, nuts and seeds

 Lunch:

Roasted veg frittata with spinach and rocket salad

 Dinner:

Spicy tilapia with green beans and sweet potato mash

 

And have fun at the weekends! 

Just A Quickie

The gym was empty and I asked Steve for a quickie.

Here’s the video that showed what we did.

Now, before you get all hot and bothered, what I meant was, ‘can you show me a quick workout because I have been doing the same thing for weeks’.

You know, when every time you go into the gym you do the same thing because its easy and you can kid yourself that you are doing some good?  Well, it happens to me too, so I have to challenge myself every now and again.

So Steve did this mini programme for me (we have written it down and laminated it – its in the programme box in the gyms) – and here’s the video – why not give it a go?

Just A Quickie!

Stand Up !

Did you know that just standing up instead of sitting down can help you get fitter?  A report published in 2012, which had analysed 18 research studies involving 800,000 people showed that standing more, watching less TV slouched on the sofa, walking in your lunch hour can all cut down the rate of death from serious illness. 

 

Take a challenge – see if you can do 10,000 steps every day this week.  Use a pedometer or your phone app and note what happens.  If you get home from work and you haven’t made it to 10k,how about a brisk walk round the block?  You will feel more awake and less like crashing and snacking – try it – let us know how you get on.

Are you getting enough sleep?

Those that know me well will know that sleep isn’t always high on my agenda.  If I get 5 hours a night I have done well.  This means that ‘double sleep Friday’ is important to me.

Somehow it has become a bit ‘cissy’ to want lots of sleep – but it’s actually absolutely crucial to get  a decent night’s sleep most nights.  What is the right amount?  Most studies suggest 7 hours a night.  Without that we function less well physically, emotionally and mentally and it’s really hard to lose weight. 

Sleep begins with a good routine (bath, quiet time, no caffeine and no electronic devices) , a cool bedroom and a note book and pen so that if you have a sudden ‘great idea’ at 3 a.m. you can jot it down and leave it till the morning. 

Try it for a week, see how much better you feel.  Yes, I know, I will try too!

Do you think that sugar content should be a legislative issue?

We are (rightly ) being urged to eat less sugar.  But do you think that taxing sugary drinks is a way of tackling this problem?

The British Medical Association (BMA) recent report tells us that 70, deaths a year are down to poor diet and ‘something needs to be done’.  We know (because I have said it lots of times!) that sugar is an empty calorie and doesn’t sustain us – so we need to keep our intake to a minimum.  But will increasing the price of sugary drinks necessarily stop our consumption of these blood sugar swinging drinks?

The BMA also wants fruit and veg to be subsidised to make them more affordable to lower income households.

It is reported that such taxes have improved health outcomes in other countries so perhaps it could work here. 

This is a political hot potato and more to it than meets the eye.  The big food giants hold some power in this country – can we risk upsetting them?

More to the point – will we stop our sugar filled drinks if they cost more?  Or could you just cut them out, cut the empty calories, stop the blood sugar swings, just because you know it makes sense? Think of your waist line!

So, you’re fat: does it really matter?

With so much emphasis on ‘body beautiful’ it’s all too easy to decide that being slim is just a celebrity driven fad.  Here are a few facts about body fat and our health that might encourage those of us with a few pounds to lose to make today the day to start work on our body!

So, what effect does being fat have on our body?

Sleep;  being overweight can mean that fatty deposits in the neck can interrupt breathing at night – this in turn leads to poor quality sleep and therefore feeling really tired during the day.

Gallstones; overweight people have increased amounts of cholesterol in bile, which can cause the formation of gallstones.  Gallstones give rise to inflammation, infection and pain, often resulting in the need for surgery.

Gastric reflux; did you know that there can be increased pressure around the stomach from excess body fat which can weaken the opening into the oesophagus which will cause food and stomach acid to leak out causing heart burn and discomfort

Fatty Liver disease; being overweight can lead to build up of fat in the liver and can progress to more serious liver problems

Joint and Back pain; carrying extra weight puts a strain on joints such as knees and hips, leading to osteoarthritis and pain.  Back pain also occurs when the spine is forced to carry to much weight around

Stroke; obesity is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, giving rise to heart attacks and stroke

High blood pressure; people who are overweight are much more likely to have high blood pressure.  High blood pressure can damage blood vessels and cause heart attack and stroke. 

High cholesterol; being overweight leads to raised cholesterol levels which can lead to build up of plaque in the arteries which can increase blood pressure and lead to heart attacks and stroke

Metabolic Syndrome; a combination of health issues –

1, being overweight,

2, a large waist circumference,

3, having a high blood pressure,

4, insulin resistance,

5, unhealthy level of body fats

So,  ‘Metabolic Syndrome’  is a cluster of risk factors that can cause serious health problems such as heart attack, stroke & diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes; people who are overweight are more likely to be insulin resistant – which can lead to diabetes as the body has difficulty controlling blood sugars.  Diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, nerve damage and vision loss.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) ; because being overweight can lead to insulin resistance, the body will try to produce more.  This can lead to the ovaries producing too much testosterone which interferes with ovulation problems, menstrual problems and fertility issues.   The presence of high male hormones in women can cause increased body hair, acne and irregular periods.

Cancer; being overweight increases the risk of getting some types of cancer, particularly breast, colon and oesophagus

Infertility and Miscarriage ;    being overweight can cause hormonal imbalances which can lead to ovulation and fertility problems.  Being obese when pregnant may increase the risk of miscarriage, high blood pressure, pre – eclampsia, gestational diabetes, complications during childbirth and stillbirth.

Fatigue; you carry a lot of extra weight around – you’re going to be tired!