Here is a collection of the best advice on losing weight, healthy cooking and snacking.
1. Keep a food journal. Writing down what you eat as well as when you eat can clue you into patterns (emotional eating and late-night snacking).
2. Opt for preserves instead of high-fat spreads like butter or margarine. You’ll consume fewer kilojoules and fat.
3. Eat breakfast to maximize your weight loss. Research shows that skipping this important meal may cause you to overeat later in the day.
4. Don’t allow your daily kilojoule intake to drop below 5000 kilojoules. This is the minimum your body needs simply to function. Severe kilojoule restriction won’t help you sustain weight loss, because it actually slows down your metabolism, sending your body into starvation mode as it tries to conserve energy.
5. Eat plenty of good-for-you whole grains. Despite misconceptions that carbohydrates are evil and fattening, not all carbs are bad for you. Whole grains and breads are satisfying, heart-healthy choices that keep you full so you don’t overeat and put on pounds.
The best advice on preventing disease
6. Get plenty of calcium to lower your risk of osteoporosis, which decreases bone mass and makes bones more fragile.
7. Eat fish for a stronger heart. Fatty, cold-water fish like salmon and sardines is a great source of cholesterol-lowering omega-3 fatty acids. Fats that are polyunsaturated also found in soybeans, canola, walnut and flaxseed are being investigated for their ability to fight cancer.
8. Rethink bad food myths. Rumour has it you should avoid avocado due to its fat content. However, the fat is primarily monounsaturated, which helps lower your risk for developing heart disease.
9. Choose foods with a fibre content of at least 2 grams per serving. This nutritional superstar protects you from heart disease, and it’s your No. 1 ally in weight loss. High-fibre foods are bulkier, making you feel fuller on fewer kilojoules.
The best advice on food shopping
10. Be a label detective. Listing sugar in several different forms (dextrose and honey, to name just two) is a trick that manufacturers use to push it down the ingredients list. Beware of new pseudonyms for the sweet stuff, such as xylitol and mannitol.
11. At the supermarket, stick to the outer aisles, where you usually find produce and other fresh, healthy goods. Sweets, chips, biscuits and fizzy drinks lurk in the middle aisles.
12. Watch out for added sugars in yoghurt. Some varieties contain more sugar than a chocolate bar and full cream milk yoghurts are high in fat. Buy fat-free yoghurt flavoured with fresh fruit.
13. Check labels for partially hydrogenated oils. This signifies the presence of trans fat, a man-made fat that boosts cholesterol and heart-disease risk.
The best advice on eating out
14. Beware of salad extras. Request the dressing on the side, say no to croutons, and ask your server to go easy on the cheese. A fully loaded salad can use up your kilojoule allotment for an entire day!
15. Don’t drink kilojoules. That fruity cocktail you order at the bar might contain more kilojoule than your entree
16. Eat slowly. It takes your stomach up to 20 minutes to register fullness, so if you slow down you’ll likely eat less. Focus on the dining experience instead, and enjoy the company of your dinner companions.
17. Order soup. Start your meal with a broth-based soup. It will fill you up and keep you from overindulging on the main course.
The best advice on cooking healthy
18. Steam vegetables. Boiling them breaks down the vitamins, which then leach into the water.
19. Top a baked potato with fat-free yoghurt instead of sour cream. You’ll get a fraction of the kilojoules, fat and saturated fat.
20. Pump up healthful dishes with exotic flavour boosters that have low or no fat. Try cooking with wasabi, pomegranate molasses or tandoori paste.
21. Don’t toss citrus peels. They’re potent sources of vitamins and phytochemicals. Grate orange or lemon peel on grilled fish, and add them to muffin and cookie recipes.
The best advice on snacking
22. Go nuts! Although they’ve been given a bad rap for being kilojoule-dense and high in fat, nuts are a healthy snack. Most of the fat is the healthy unsaturated kind, lots of fibre and a dose of the disease-fighting antioxidant vitamin E.
23. Got a yen for potato chips? Try another crunchy, salty and lower-kilojoules alternative like pretzels.
24. Every Monday, bring five pieces of fresh fruit to work. You’ll brighten up your desk and add more fibre to your diet with a daily apple, orange or banana.
Thank you Shape for the advices. Keep on informing us.
What a great little article. I’m always trying to be healthy, and can get very confused with all the conflicting advice out there. This is nice and simple, thanks!
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