Breakfast included home-made muesli with dried fruit
User's comments:
A typical day’s eating in my household for breakfast, lunch and dinner:
Breakfast: Home-made muesli with dried fruit but no sugar, ½ cup of fat-free milk or ½ sachet of instant oats (no sugar added), ½ cup of milk
Mid-morning snack: 2 Ryevitas, extra-light margarine (thinly spread), low-fat cottage cheese on one and salmon or anchovette spread on the other, with a fruit and black, unsweetened tea
Lunch: 2 slices of rye or low-GI bread, extra light margarine (thinly spread), tomato, lettuce, tuna or salmon or cheese
Mid-afternoon snack: anything sweet!
Dinner: Chicken (140 g skinless) or fish (grilled with lemon juice and served with 2 teaspoons of low-oil mayonnaise – Weigh Less), steamed (no fat or sugar added) vegetables (one yellow and two green vegetables). No potato, rice or pasta (in fact, we hardly ever eat these).
I know we eat fairly healthy, but my biggest problem is that I crave sweet things and will at least be naughty once a day to stop my craving for things. In the afternoon or sometimes at night I will be naughty and have either bread with jam, sweets, chocolate, biscuits, ice cream or whatever I can lay my hands on that is sweet.
I tried fruit or yogurt, but I still crave the forbidden sweet things. I know it's wrong, but can not stop my craving. I use Advantage sugar (for diabetics) on my cereal and once a day in my coffee with one teaspoon of normal sugar and fat-free milk.
I stopped smoking two years ago, which I am very glad about, but am struggling to get my weight down to between 65 kg and 68 kg (weight before I stopped smoking). I am 1,68 metres tall and weigh 74 kg.
Every morning at the gym I do the following for an hour – aerobics on Monday and Wednesday; line dancing on Tuesdays and Fridays. Every Tuesday evening, I do another hour of line dancing.
Expert's comments:
Editor's note: While the "Rate your plate" section actually works slightly differently (we generally just accept photos with a short description), we decided to send the above comments to our dietician anyway. This is what she said:
Thank you for your message and congratulations on the lifestyle changes that you have made thus far in terms of food choices, activity levels and smoking. Your body mass index (BMI) is currently 26 kg/m². This indicates that you are slightly overweight for your length.
BMI is a good guideline to assess your level of risk associated with chronic health problems. There is a direct link between a high BMI and certain conditions, such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. A drawback to BMI calculations is that every person is different in terms of their individual body composition. The BMI, although a useful index tool, does not account for these individual variations in build.
It is important to remember that muscle mass is three times heavier than fat mass, so if you are exercising more frequently and building muscle mass, your weight may in fact decrease very slightly. It is important to also look at your percentage of body fat and your waist circumference to assess any improvement in your body composition. Losing centimetres rather than kilograms is usually a better reflection of losing fat mass. Remember, losing weight sensibly will ensure maintenance of weight loss over the long term (0,5 to 1,5 kg per week is acceptable).
I am also very happy with the realistic goal weight that you wish to achieve. A healthy weight range for your current length would be 62-68 kg (BMI = 22-24.5 kg/m²), bearing in mind that your waist circumference should also be less than 88 cm to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases of lifestyle and associated complications (diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure).
Suggestions:
Now, regarding your eating plan and daily routine.
Firstly, congratulations on eating frequently throughout the day! It is essential to never miss a meal and it is ideal to eat 5-6 times a day as it helps to control blood sugar levels and limit mid-morning or mid-afternoon dips, cravings, hunger pangs, fatigue and lapses in concentration.
Eating breakfast every morning and controlling blood sugar levels have been proven to help achieve and maintain weight loss. An excellent breakfast for sustained energy through the morning until lunch should include fibre-rich carbohydrates (cereals and fruit) and protein, and it should be low in fat (low-fat milk).
Controlling portion sizes and eating a variety of foods is important. In order to maintain any healthy eating pattern, one should avoid completely removing a specific food or food group. Try to make a mental shift away from ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods and rather view every food as having a place, in varying quantities depending on its overall nutritional value within a healthy lifestyle.
Your portions, particularly of carbohydrates and fat are extremely small and your choice of food, although generally healthy, is very limited. Eating healthily should by no means be boring or meager. Be careful that your portions are not too small. Bear in mind that you are active and in order to have any energy, you have to obtain it from somewhere – healthy food!
Here is an easy and helpful guide to a few portion sizes that won’t require any measuring of food:
CARBOHYDRATES/ STARCH: Approximately the size of your fist; a tennis ball; 1 slice of bread
PROTEIN: The palm to length of your hand (no thicker than the ‘pinky joint’); 1-2 packs of cards
FRUIT: Size of your fist; a tennis ball
VEGETABLES: Unlimited
DAIRY: 1 cup of low-fat milk; 1 small tub of low-fat/ fat-free yoghurt; matchbox block of cheese; 250-300 ml drinking yoghurt
A basic meal plan for someone with your levels of activity should include:
Breakfast
Morning snack
Lunch
Afternoon snack
Supper
TOTAL
2 starches
1 starch
2 starches
1 starch
2-3 starches
8-9 starches
1 protein
1 protein
2 protein
1/2 dairy
1 dairy
1/2 dairy
2 dairy
1 fruit
1 fruit
1 fruit
3 fruit
2 vegetables
2-3 vegetables
4 vegetables
* these are suggestions and can be changed to suit your preferences, e.g. you may prefer more starches with breakfast and lunch rather than at the snacktime.
People generally have the perception that some foods, e.g. carbohydrates, are more ‘fattening’ than others. Labelling foods in a bad light and denying them a place in your eating pattern can often lead to over-consumption of other foods as compensation.
Ultimately, the question whether something is fattening depends on a person’s total energy intake and the energy used (physical activity). Carbohydrates (starchy foods) contain almost no fat. The portion sizes and the other foods eaten with starches are important.
In your case, removing most of the fat and limiting carbohydrates in your diet means that you are ‘craving’ the energy from other, usually unhealthy options such as sweets, chocolates, biscuits etc. – the foods laden with the stuff that reeks havoc with your blood sugar levels.
Be very careful to cut carbohydrates and starches completely from your eating plan. The foods in this group are the body’s first and most important source of fuel for everyday living and especially during exercise.
A low-carbohydrate diet will result in a general lack of energy and fatigue as well as a lack of concentration and irritability. It is also associated with water loss and muscle protein breakdown as the body will first seek energy from its protein stores (muscle), not fat stores, when insufficient energy is obtained from food (also occurs when meals are missed or during starvation).
Ultimately, there will be very little fat loss. Your body is able to utilise carbohydrates very efficiently, particularly when you are active, and will only store it as fat if consumed in excess.
Ideally, fibre-rich carbohydrates (wholegrain cereals and breads, pasta, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, legumes and pulses, fruit and vegetables) should be eaten as they are more filling. Combined with moderate protein and low-fat additions, these carbs will provide the best building blocks to build and maintain muscle.
The following terms are often used to describe the "correct" carbohydrates: “complex”, "unrefined", "low-glycemic index" (GI), "high-fibre" or "slow-release". These are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre and help ensure a gradual and slow increase in blood glucose, hopefully making those mid-morning and mid-afternoon highs and lows a thing of the past.
The lowdown on GI
Carbohydrates (starches), proteins and fat are digested in the intestines and absorbed into the bloodstream as glucose. Glucose in the blood stimulates the release of the hormone insulin from the pancreas which, like a key unlocking a door, allows glucose to enter the body’s cells from the bloodstream for normal functioning.
Not all carbohydrates are digested and absorbed at the same rate. The GI is an index used by dieticians to measure how long foods take to be absorbed into the blood stream once eaten.
Quite simply, the GI of a food is a measure of how fast a carbohydrate-containing food is digested and absorbed. It gives an indication of the rate at which the food affects blood glucose levels after ingestion. Foods are compared, on a scale of 0-100, to glucose which is absorbed almost immediately into the bloodstream and has a GI value of 100.
High GI foods (> 70) are digested and absorbed faster than intermediate GI (56-69) and low GI foods (0-55), leading to a steep rise and subsequent fall in blood glucose.
Low GI foods produce a more gradual rise in blood glucose levels over a longer period of time.
It is not necessary to avoid high GI foods completely, but rather eat these foods in combination with or as part of a meal which contains foods with a lower or intermediate GI, moderate protein and low fat.
So what about sugar? Believe it or not, the GI of sucrose is quite low (68). Some sugar is in fact acceptable, even for diabetics. Several studies have shown that ingestion of up to 30 g sucrose per day does not compromise carbohydrate or fat metabolism, hence the liberalisation of sugar intake – even in diabetic diets. For diabetics, sugar may constitute 10% of daily energy, which is equal to 1,5 - 2,5 teaspoons per day.
We all love treats, but make sure they remain just that. A good rule of thumb is to keep the portions of your sweet treats small and not to eat sugar or sugary foods, including fruit, on their own.
Always eat them as part of a meal or snack which contains fibre-rich starch, protein and low fat. This will help moderate (slow) the increase in your blood sugar. Remember, dried fruit and fruit juice are more concentrated than fresh fruit and should ideally be taken as part of a healthy, balanced meal or snack.
Fat is an essential component in our cell membranes and the brain and is necessary for fat-soluble vitamin absorption and essential fatty acids, which the body is unable to produce. Regarding your fat intake, try to aim for ‘lower-fat eating’ rather than no fat.
Overall fat intake should be limited, not eliminated. Limit especially those fats obtained from animal products (saturated fat) and trans-fatty acids (hard margarine, coffee creamers, coconut).
Include more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats from plant oils (canola oil, olive oil, avocado pear, peanut butter). One of the ways to achieve this is by choosing low-fat dairy options. You are already choosing low-fat mayonnaise and margarine and using these sparingly as well as using low-fat cooking methods with limited oil and added fat, e.g. grill, braai, steam, bake, microwave and casseroles.
A product is low fat if it contains < 3g fat/100 g and fat free if it has < 0,5g fat/100 g. Practically, choose foods that contain fat between 3-10% and try to stick to about 10-13 g fat/meal. This can be achieved by adding only one fat to a meal and following the above-mentioned cooking methods.
Fish is an excellent source of the omega-3 fats, which is an essential fat and must be obtained from external sources (food and supplements). Omega-3 fats have been shown to be linked to protection against heart disease, maintenance of a healthy blood cholesterol profile, improved brain power and concentration, management of ADHD and potentially minimising the effects of eczema and food allergies.
Well done for eating the recommended amount of fish (at least twice a week)! Other sources of omega 3 include avocado pears, olive and canola oil, omega-3-enriched eggs and walnuts.
You don’t seem to eat a lot of red meat. Lean red meat is rich in highly absorbable iron (necessary for transporting oxygen throughout the body) and low in saturated fat. Lean red meat options (ostrich, game and venison, lean beef mince, meat with visible fat removed) can be eaten 2-3 times a week.
You are eating an excellent variety of vegetables. However, your fruit intake seems to be limited. Fruit and vegetables are fantastic fillers with incredible health properties. We should all be eating at least five fruit and vegetables daily (2-3 fruits and 3-4 vegetables).
Remember that colour is cool – always include a variety of different vegetables and fruit in your day to provide the maximum amounts of vitamins and minerals. They are also excellent sources of fibre which is necessary to keep your bowels regular and has the effect of keeping you satisfied for longer as well as moderating (slowing) glucose release into the blood stream.
Try to always dilute fruit juice with water and, as mentioned earlier, eat raw and dried fruit as part of a meal.
Examples of healthy snacks:
Fresh fruit or fruit salad. Low-fat/fat-free yoghurt and mixed seeds can be added over the fruit.
Dried fruit rolls, sticks and bars – e.g. SAD mebos sticks/bars, Woolworths cranberry & almond bar, apricot & sesame seed bar
1 small muffin (banana, carrot, date and nut or bran) and a fruit
175 ml yoghurt or 300 ml drinking yoghurt (low fat/ fat free) and a fruit
Peanuts and raisins or dried fruit and nut mix with a fruit
A slice of wholegrain bread, rice cakes, Corn thins, Provitas or digestive biscuits with peanut butter and/or honey. Other toppings could include cottage cheese, cheese, Bovril, Marmite, avocado pear, fish paste, jam (obviously adding tomato, lettuce and cucumber to the topping will increase the nutritional value)
Vegetable bites, e.g. tomato wedges, cucumber or carrot sticks, celery sticks, baby tomatoes (fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese will add some taste variety)
Popcorn (made with minimal oil)
Biltong (no fat - ostrich, game meat, lean beef)
The combination of dietary changes as well as exercise has been shown to be the most effective way to achieve and maintain weight loss. Exercising at least 4-5 times a week is necessary to ensure you are burning adequate energy compared to intake, to increase your metabolism, increase your muscle mass (metabolically active tissue) and reduce fat.
Try to add some weight training to your daily physical activity. This in, combination with aerobic exercises, will help achieve the maximum effect.
To summarise, a balanced eating pattern should:
Be consistent and help develop permanent healthy eating habits, including three meals spread throughout the day with small snacks between meals
Should consist of 50-55% carbohydrate (fibre rich), 15-20% protein and 30% or less fat
Include a wide variety of foods from all food groups (dairy, meat, fish, poultry and eggs, starches, fruit and vegetables, and fats)
Be practical and implementable for your individual situation and needs
Involved increased physical activity and behavioural changes where necessary
Practice moderation and set the tone for permanent lifestyle changes
Well done and good luck in maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle!
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