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Eating bread whilst dieting

December 8, 2011 By John Coles

Now, you may think that any strict diet would prevent you from eating too many carbohydrates, bread included, but is that really true? Most starchy carbohydrates are produced from grains such as wheat, rice or corn and come in two forms, refined or unrefined (also known as whole grain).

Refined grains have stripped away the layer of bran. This sort of grain includes white rice, white pasta, and white bread. Unrefined grains do not go through the process of stripping the bran, and can be found in many types of bread, including brown bread and granary bread.

Bran is an excellent source of fibre, providing you with protein, vitamins and minerals, and carbohydrates. Whole grains are rich in antioxidants and can help to protect against heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies show that if you eat three or more servings a day of whole grain, you are less likely to suffer from heart disease. Most people get their whole grain from wholemeal bread, cereals and porridge.

Having bread whilst dieting is not totally out of the question as long as it is whole grain. Eating white bread and other high carbohydrates means a higher amount of insulin, eventually causing a sugar crash. This then results in your body craving more carbohydrates.

Eating white bread would not be the wisest thing to do when dieting because your body will have to work harder to burn the fat. So, even if you decided to go on a low carbohydrate diet, as long as you limit the amount of carbohydrates you eat and make sure that they are whole grain, you’ll definitely be on your way to losing weight!

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How to help your family eat healthily

November 23, 2011 By John Coles

If you have a family to feed but are not a natural in the kitchen, or are living on a tight budget, then it can sometimes be difficult to think of new meal ideas. With the multitude of cookery shows and celebrity chefs on TV nowadays, you would be forgiven for thinking we live in a nation full of Gordon Ramseys, but the reality is that many of us simply lack the time, money and expertise to whip up amazing culinary creations.

There are many meals you can create easily, quickly and without spending a great deal of money, however. It is simply a case of making sure you have the basic, staple ingredients in.

An often underappreciated but fantastically useful food to always make sure you have in is bread. Whether you are a fan of wholemeal or white bread, this staple food is cheap, wholesome and can be used to make much more than just toast. Try whipping up a simple bread and butter pudding, healthy sandwiches for the kids, or toasted soldiers to make soft boiled eggs that little bit more tempting.

Because it is a good source of carbohydrates, wholemeal bread in particular will keep you feeling full for longer, leaving you less likely to snack between meals, and it is a naturally low fat food as well.

This is also true of other must-have food ingredients for reluctant cooks. Rice, pasta and potatoes are all cheap, nutritious, low fat and great sources of complex carbohydrate if you choose the wholemeal versions. Make a multitude of dishes using these foods as your starting point, from pasta bakes, to cottage pies, risottos and Spaghetti Bolognese; the list is pretty much endless.

 

If you make sure you also have a good supply of seasonings in at all times, such as pepper, mixed herbs and spices, you’ll be able to whip up an array of cheap, tasty and healthy dishes with little effort in no time.

 

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Healthy eating tips

November 8, 2011 By John Coles

As most of us know, maintaining a healthy diet is of vital importance to maintaining a healthy weight, living longer, feeling better and looking better. But it can sometimes seem daunting when looking at the sheer volume of, sometimes conflicting, healthy eating advice out there.

Should you cut out all dairy and fats? Are carbohydrates bad for you? Will drinking wine lead to all sorts of diseases?

There are so many diets out there and so much advice that it can all leave you feeling more confused than before you started looking into healthy eating.

The best advice to follow is to use common sense and eat natural foods wherever possible. You don’t need to undergo a total diet overhaul and cut out whole food groups in order to eat and feel a little bit healthier; small changes can make a big difference.

For instance, if you love sandwiches, make sure you use wholemeal bread as it will keep you feeling fuller for longer and will give you more long-lasting energy. For healthy sandwiches, try using a low-fat spread and lots of salad in the filling to bulk it out and leave you feeling satisfied, without feeling you’re missing out.

Cutting back on a popular sandwich ingredient like mayonnaise and swapping it for low-fat cream cheese for example, can transform a sandwich from fatty to healthy with ease. Choosing ingredients that are naturally lean, like wafer-thin ham and tomato, will make your snacks much healthier than if you opt for a pre-mixed sandwich filling with lots of added preservatives.

And if you are a fan of egg or bacon sandwiches in the morning, simply swap the oil for a low-calorie cooking spray, cut the fat off the bacon and choose wholemeal bread. Hey presto, healthy sandwiches in minutes!

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Foods to reduce cholesterol

September 1, 2011 By John Coles

If your cholesterol levels are high your doctor is likely to prescribe statins but if it’s border-line high there are various foods that you can introduce into your diet in order to bring it down to a healthier level.

Oatmeal and oat bran both reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream and are both excellent foods to have for breakfast. If you are not a porridge eater try a few spoonfuls mixed into a bowl of yogurt topped with a chopped banana.

Nuts are not generally recommended for the health conscious since they are pretty high in calories but the good news for nut lovers is that they can reduce your cholesterol levels. Walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pecans and pistachios are particularly good and can be added to salads or stir fries and can substitute meat in vegetarian recipes.

Olive oil is another food that is high in calories but a little does us good in terms of our cholesterol. Two tablespoons a day provide great health benefits and can be used in cooking pasta recipes or as a dip with bread. Extra-virgin olive oil is the best for reducing cholesterol.

Food with added plant sterols is widely available in supermarkets and if you substitute your usual spread with one containing plant sterols it can have a good impact on your cholesterol levels. Orange juice is also available with added sterols.

People in countries such as Norway have already discovered the cholesterol benefits of eating plenty of oily fish in their diet. Sardines, herring and mackerel are all excellent sources of the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which do such an excellent job in reducing cholesterol levels.

Research into the effect on cholesterol of blueberries, the new super-food, is ongoing but scientists are optimistic that a compound found in the fruit may be as effective as drugs in fighting cholesterol. Although the effect has not yet been proved it could be well worth adding a few to your fruit salad or having some on your desk at work to snack on.

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Eating out for dieters

September 1, 2011 By John Coles

When we are trying to lose weight and are invited out for a meal we often face a dilemma. Will we decline the invitation in the knowledge that our will power will be thrown to the wind and we will be unable to resist the temptation of all that lovely food? Alternatively, do we grit our teeth and chomp our way through a salad with steely determination whilst looking longingly at the food everyone else has ordered? Let’s face it, neither solution is ideal. However, by making sensible choices it is possible to have a good night out and not pile the pounds back on.

If you are going for an Italian meal choose pasta recipes with a tomato-based sauce or grilled fish or chicken. If you can’t resist a pizza then opt for a thin based one with not too much cheese. Quattro formaggio (four cheeses) is definitely a no-no!

If you are heading to the local curry house then steer clear of creamy curries such as korma, masala and pasandas they are all loaded with cream. Beef and lamb curries are higher in calories than chicken and prawn so bear that in mind when ordering. Good choices include tandoori dishes and less saucy curries such as bhuna.

Thai restaurants are becoming increasingly popular in the UK and, so long as you are careful, you can eat healthily. Coconut and peanuts are both used in Thai cookery so give satay and Thai curries a wide berth. Instead try light vegetarian recipes with plenty of fresh vegetables.

No matter where you eat, timing is of the essence. Try to eat at 7 rather than 9. If you eat too late you will be so hungry that you are far more likely to eat too much.

If you know that you are going to be unable to resist a pudding and can’t face the healthy option of fresh fruit try to work some exercise into your day. Go for a swim or a brisk walk and enjoy a treat with a clear conscience.

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Fighting stress through diet

August 31, 2011 By John Coles

We all live in an increasingly stressful age. We are under pressure to have a successful career, be a super-mum or dad, often care for aging parents and do it all looking well groomed and with a smile on our face. It is little wonder therefore that stress is taking its toll on our health, manifesting itself in low mood, anxiety, lack of energy and physical ailments.
Many of the things that cause us stress cannot be changed but one thing that is within our control is our diet. By making adjustments to our diet we can reduce the negative impacts of stress and start feeling happier and healthier.
First of all start the day with a healthy breakfast to give yourself an energy boost which will help you handle stress. Oatmeal is a great stress buster and porridge can be made quickly and easily in the microwave. If you really can’t face anything cooked or just don’t have the time then fruit and yogurt or a fruit smoothie are good alternatives. By introducing more fruit (and vegetables too) into your diet you will increase your Vit B levels which help the body cope with stress. Stress can reduce the calcium in your body so the yogurt will help tackle this problem too.
Fatigue is a common side effect of stress so make sure your iron levels are kept up with a sensible intake of red meat.  Make sure, however, that it is lean meat. No-one is saying you can’t still enjoy a spaghetti bolognaise; just make sure that you opt for the leanest mince you can find. Many of the supermarkets now stock 5% fat mince.
Eating fish at least twice a week can also combat stress; the Omega 3 fatty acids have a beneficial effect on the brain helping you to cope with the anxiety produced by high stress levels. If you’re not too keen on the taste of fish, serve it with a sauce. Manufacturers such as Schwartz produce a good range, making it easy to serve up a tasty fish dish with minimum fuss.
Finally cut out caffeine from your diet. You may feel that it helps but it does in fact raise the levels of stress hormones in your body.

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How To Shed Some Pounds Fast.

April 17, 2011 By admin
dieting

dieting

Are you disenchanted with your body? Not managed to shed pounds, drop inches or stick to a diet at all irrespective of what you have tried? In this post we’re going to take a fast glance at the Medifast diet, and see how you can lose all of the weight you would like using meal replacement, but also, the simple way to cause it to happen in a rush, and far less complicated than you could otherwise believe! Okay….so how does Medifast work? Give me the details. Medifast is a meal replacement diet that concentrates on a six meal a day approach to fast weight reduction. Extremely simple. The diet is really low calorie ( approximately one thousand or less each day ) and is specified as a protein-rich, locarb plan that concentrates on shakes, nutritive bars and other pre-packed selections. Fruits, nuts, dried fruits, veggies and greens are important.

Whole-grained foods are superior over processed flour. Fundamentally a diet should be balanced and the quantity light. The servings too should be little and just satisfactory to keep us satisfied. The supposed between meals should ideally include fruits and nuts or light nibbles. Leptin is a variety of protein that aids in handling fat storage. Inversely , in lower levels, leptin could lower appetite.

The polyphenols in green tea-more especially the ECGG type-helps in minimizing leptin levels in the body leading to natural weight reduction. Thermogenic properties-Thermogenesis is a method in the body where heat is generated. When making an attempt to shed weight fast and naturally, it always boils down to diet. As such, it leads to higher rates of metabolism. It’s legends like this that are dispelled by the Strip That Fat programme. Plenty of folk fail to provide their metabolism with the correct starting point for quicker digestion. If you are interested concerning how to shed weight fast and naturally then this programme is unquestionably a lungful of unpolluted air.

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Diet Planning

March 2, 2011 By admin

Selecting a good diet plan means finding a plan that works alongside one’s private diet wants and health goals. It also needs working with a professional medic to ratify that your diet plan is safe and has an excellent chance of being effective. This is especially so for folks who’ve special dietary wants are in frail health, or have just recently experienced health issues. There are a considerable number of sorts of dieting plans available. Some dieting plans need buying and cooking particular sorts of foods. Other dieting plans provide prepared foods.

Some common healthful diet plans include the meat-free diet plan, the macrobiotic diet plan, and the raw-foods diet plan.

A few people hoping to lose weight use the protein-laden diet plan. This sort of plan can be tricky if the proteins that are consumed are fat-rich and cholesterol. Most doctors agree the best sensible diet plan that will work for the the majority is a straightforward plan that embodies the consumption of a range of foods from all the food groups with stress on whole grains, fruits, plants, and lean proteins. Foods should be eaten in reasonable quantities. Also, eating 5 small meals throughout the day rather than 3 giant meals is commonly part of a good diet plan.

This sort of healthful diet plan can be modified to meet the wants of folks who’ve nutritional limitations. As an example, a vegetarian can follow this sensible diet plan by following all the instructions and simply using alternative protein sources for the lean protein facet of the diet. Foods like tofu may be employed as lean proteins. Also, numerous plants, especially legumes, can offer a superb source of protein. This sensible diet plan is also OK for folks who are gluten intolerant. Rather than consuming bread or any products that include wheat, whole grains like a rice and quinoa can be consumed.

It’s very important to recollect that the most useful healthful diet plan is the kind that meets all of one’s nutritive desires and is joined with repeated exercise. As well as shedding pounds by cutting back on calories and eating more healthy foods, it is vital to exercise. Cardio exercises and muscle-toning exercises are good additions to a good diet plan that can cause a leaner, thinner, healthier body. Again, before to consult an expert medic before commencing a diet plan or exercise routine.

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