Summer Health Kick
Summer time – think summer frocks, swimmers, shorts.
If these words leave you filled with dread, read on.
Before you go rushing off to start some radical new fad diet, stop and consider this:
All diets work…. if you stick to them!!
Unless you have a medical condition, allergies or other reason that you can / cannot eat certain foods, the good old eat less, move more rule applies.
I realise this is a very general statement, but in my opinion it’s the best place to start if you’re needing to loose weight.
Let’s face it, the main reason most of us gain weight is – eat more, move less, so the reverse should help remedy the situation…
That said, where to start, what to do, what to eat?
As anyone who knows me will tell you, I won’t tell you to cut out any food or drinks.
I WILL however suggest cutting back on:
- alcohol
- sugar
- cakes, biscuits etc
- processed food
- cheese & biscuits
I WILL also recommend eating and drinking more:
- fresh food (the more it looks like it did when it was harvested, the better)
- fruit (maybe stick to 2 pieces a day)
- water / herbal tea
- unprocessed food (i.e. you’re going to do a bit of work in the kitchen)
- nuts & proteins
Now it all comes down to quantity. I can’t begin to tell you the number of people who tell me they “eat healthy food” , but when you look at quantity, a lady measuring 1.6m is eating the same quantity as her husband of 1.8m…
So here are some guidelines to get you started:
You may notice a bit of a theme in these meals… read on and all will be revealed.
Breakfast
Bircher style oats:
1/4 cup oats + 125ml low fat milk; 1/3 cup yoghurt, 1/2 grated apple, pinch of cinnamon – mix and leave overnight. In the morning, top with a few berries or banana
Breakfast smoothie:
process 1 cup of berries (frozen variety are great to have on hand); 1/2 banana (I like to use frozen bananas); 125ml low fat milk and 1/3 cup yoghurt; 1/4 cup oats
Protein hit:
1 poached egg on wholegrain toast
Lunch:
Tuna and salad sandwich:
2 slices multigrain / wholemeal / rye bread; small tin of tuna, 1 cup of mixed veggies. Try using hummus or avocado instead of butter
Chicken salad:
50 g lean roast chicken (avoid the skin and stuffing for now); 1 cup mixed salad; tbs olive oil, juice of half a lemon. Feel the need for some carbs? Try two multigrain rice cakes or some ryvita
Egg wrap:
mash a hard boiled egg onto a wrap (use a tsp mayo if you like, or hummus); 1 cup mixed veg and fold into a wholegrain wrap. Pop it into a sandwich press if you want it toasted.
Smoked salmon / trout sandwich:
2 slices multigrain/wholegrain/rye bread; 1 tsp hummus or cream cheese; 50g smoked salmon or trout; tsp capers; lettuce and cucumber. Squeeze of lemon juice Yum!
Dinner
Grilled beef and salad:
grill a 200g steak on the bbq and serve with 2 cups of mixed salad (lettuce, tomatoes, carrot, cucumber, capsicum – think colour!). Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Steamed fish:
200g fish of your choice, wrapped in baking paper with a squeeze of lemon juice. Pop in a medium oven for 15 min. Steam 2 cups veggies or prepare 2 cups salad while your fish is cooking.
Chicken and veg stir fry:
200g chicken, diced; ginger, garlic and mixed veggies. Cook with soy sauce and oyster sauce – avoid using sweet chilli, ketchup manis or any of the pre-made sauces as they often have heaps of hidden sugars. You’ll get loads of flavour from the garlic and ginger.
So, did you pick up on the themes?
1 – eat protein with every meal
2 – eat your carbs during the day and avoid them around dinner time
3 – fresh, variety, colour, flavour4 – I use full fat yoghurt – tastes sooo much better and is actually low in fat already
Need a snack?
some of my favs include:
- small handfull (30g) nuts
- one piece fresh fruit
- 175g yoghurt
- 1 cup veggie sticks with 2 tbsp hummus
- tbsp peanut butter (I buy the sugar and salt reduced variety)
Fancy some dessert?
This is a lifestyle option after all, so every girl needs a sweet treat occasionally (note – not every day!)
try:
- 2 scoops low fat icecream (or try yummy fruit gelato)
- 175g yoghurt sprinkled with some toasted almond flakes
- 3 squares dark choc
- 1/2 cup custard made with low fat milk
What about the drinks?
I’m a red wine kinda girl – a glass or two a couple of nights a week is OK. Aim for 4 alcohol free nights (think of the great example you set for your kids when you drink water with them at dinner)