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Showing posts with label eating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eating. Show all posts
While most of us have heard of common eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, another similar condition that has been around for decades is only just now beginning to gain recognition, and it can be as destructive as its more well-known counterparts. While it has yet to be included in the DSM-IV (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual used by mental health practitioners to diagnose mental health issues), orthorexia was coined by physician Steven Bratman back in 1979. And as the world we live in becomes one that is more and more obsessed with searching for the “right” type of diet, this type of condition becomes more commonly found amongst those who suffer.
How does orthorexia differ from anorexia and bulimia?
Unlike anorexia nervosa, where the sufferer wants to eat as little as possible, and bulimia nervosa, where the sufferer binges and purges their food in order to prevent gaining weight, with orthorexia those suffering become obsessed with what they believe to be (but what may not be) “healthy eating”.
According to Emmy Gilmour, Clinical Director at London-based eating disorder recovery clinic The Recover Clinic, “Orthorexia is when a way of eating shifts from being a choice and temporary measure to becoming part of who you are and how you live”.
In the past this condition has been confused with both anorexia nervosa and bulimia, seen as just a slightly different version of the two. But while all three are characterized by an obsession with food, it is the nuances of orthorexia that set it apart. Take for instance, a run of the mill vegan or gluten-free diet. The eater in question does need a certain amount of diligence and focus to be sure that the food they ingest is in keeping with their lifestyle diet of choice. But when it comes to orthorexia, that diligence and focus takes a dangerous turn and becomes a fixation on the purity and so-called properness of the food itself. This fixation allows them to assert authority and power in an area of their lives that they have complete control over, unlike, potentially, many other areas of life.
The line between being mindful of what you eat and being obsessed with it, to one’s own detriment, is a very thin one indeed, and one that can make recognition of orthorexia difficult. Like with other obsessive conditions, those who suffer from orthorexia often isolate themselves in order to make space for the planning and preparing of meals. They may avoid eating out or eating with others, avoiding the temptation by bringing their own food everywhere they go. Orthorexic eating has even been described as being “like a religion” where “it becomes a position and not a preference”. So while there is nothing wrong with trying to eat “clean”, the extreme side of the single-mindedness involved with healthy eating can potentially come full circle to a very dangerous place.
What is the treatment for orthorexia?
It is important to get treatment for orthorexia as one would for any other type of obsessive condition and/or eating disorder. Specialist centers can help those who can no longer help themselves but are ready to make a change.
If you’ve never been on a wellness forum, you’re missing out. When you’re a skinny guy trying to gain weight, you can feel quite lonely in reaching your goals. The truth is that not everyone out there is trying to lose weight; there are plenty of blokes like you who are trying to pile on the pounds, and getting on the forums can provide you with loads of tips, as well as a sense of wellbeing. So, here are some excerpts of conversations in forums about how to go from scrawny to brawny.
1. What About Skinny Guys? Northshore71ne wrote, ‘Look, I know that weight loss is of a major concern to most people but let’s not forget us skinny guys. We have it just as bad as other people, same coin, different side. Im 5′ 11″ and weigh about 130 pounds. My body doesn’t have an ounce of fat on it, I have a well defined body and I feel as if I could look just like some of these guys that I see in these pictures. Where is all the advice about gaining the right weight in the right places. I don’t go to a gym because I feel very out of place there. I can’t lift as much as other people and having some women watch me lift small amounts of weights makes me want to run. I don’t even wear shorts in the summer because of my twiggy legs. Where’s the advice that’s going to make a difference? Oh sure… eat more food. Do you think our stomachs can hold that much food without throwing up? It’s time for us skinny guys to stand up and say “Hey! What about us?”.’
2. The Best Book for Gaining Weight: ‘Check out the book Scrawny to Brawny for a comprehensive training/nutrition programme,’ said Ibizan. ‘Simply eating more won’t cut it. You will be eating more, but you need to be eating right.’
3. Eat, Eat, Eat: According to EdChap, ‘It is pretty simple, you need to eat more. What do you want, a get ripped quick pill? Just like the overweight people have to eat less, you need to eat more. If you can’t handle a lot of food in one sitting, eat eight times a day, every two hours. Eat calorie-dense food and you’ll gain weight. It may be tough, but it isn’t easy for overweight people to lose that weight.’
4. Feed Your Muscles: ‘I used to be 6′ 1″ and about 143 lbs,’ ILJF85 recalled. ‘I started going to the gym, but no real results came… then one of the trainers took me aside and told me possibly the most obvious and effective way of putting on mass. She said, “You have to eat, and you have to eat a lot.” So I did… At first I couldn’t stomach it. So I ate as normal and also used meal replacement powders, which didn’t fill me up as much. It eventually kick-started my previously non-existent appetite. I have since gone off that and only take pure protein powder after workouts and before bed. My appetite has increased substantially and I make sure I eat constantly throughout the day and combine this with three to four gym sessions a week. Eight months later I weigh 182 lbs. And I’m glad to say that it’s basically all been good weight. As much as “eat more” sounds like a terrible and result-free option… it’s the only way you’re going to put on mass. Just be ready to buy new shirts.’
You may be considering a detox diet, but you shouldn’t put your wellbeing on the line without first asking some important questions. With that in mind, we’re here to answer every wellness question you have about detox cleanses:
1. What is a cleanse? While cleanses vary in intensity, they generally involve eliminating all the “bad stuff” from your body. Sometimes this is done by only drinking water for a few days, while other cleanses ask you to stick to juice, whole foods and/or fruits and vegetables. The name of the game is ridding your body of processed foods filled with refined sugar, white flour, and sodium.
2. Do you need to detox? Everyone has a different approach to detoxing; some people choose to do it once in a blue moon, while others detox several times per year. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to do a detox if you’re feeling run down or lethargic, you’ve slacked off on healthy eating and/or you’ve put on added pounds.
3. How do you get started? Once you’ve chosen a detox cleanse to suit you, head to your local greengrocers or supermarket and stock up on everything you need for the week. The general rule of thumb is to eat nothing but whole foods, and stick to water where possible. Fresh juices and herbal teas are also good options, but make sure these are the only things you have in your home. If you only have your detox options available to you, you’re less likely to give in to sugary temptation.
4. What size portions should you eat? Check the recipes of your detox cleanse to find out the recommended serving size, and then stick to it! We often have a warped idea of what constitutes a “serving” so it’s good to keep within official limits.
5. What foods should you avoid? When you’re shopping for detox cleanse ingredients, make sure you read the label on everything you purchase. It may seem like a lot of effort, but it’s vital that you avoid all refined sugar, white flour, fizzy drinks (including diet), and fried foods.
6. Will you be hungry? How hungry you feel during a detox cleanse depends on how much you normally eat. Since these programmes are all about clean eating and portion control – rather than starving yourself – you should feel free to add an extra snack from the options listed in your plan.
7. Will you lose weight? While weight loss will depend on how much you were eating before and how “unclean” your diet was, it’s very likely that you will lose some weight. Exercising during the week of eating clean will also rev up your weight loss results. The idea of a detox cleanse isn’t to just lose weight in a seven-day window and then stop; it’s to lose a dramatic amount of weight to kick-start a long-term weight loss plan. Seven days alone is not enough for sustainable weight loss.
8. How will you feel? It’s easy to see how switching from processed, unhealthy foods to eating clean can help you feel better all over. That said, some people do experience a not-so-great transition period as their bodies detoxify. Giving up caffeine, for example, can lead to temporary minor skin breakouts or headaches. To speed this process along, you should drink plenty of water to flush out the built-up toxins in your body.
9. Can you return to eating as you did before once the week is over? While you can return to your old diet, the likelihood is that the amount of energy you feel after eating clean will make you want to continue eating a healthier diet. It is OK to indulge in a “cheat meal” ever so often, but your goal should be to eat clean 99% of the time.
You can’t go wrong with fruit, right? No matter what you choose, it will benefit your wellness and wellbeing. That is true to an extent, but you do actually have to be careful about your choice of fruit, because they are not all created equal.
If you are on a diet, then reaching for fruit rather than baked goods, sweets or crisps is always a healthier choice. It’s just useful to be aware that there is a scale with fruit, as with anything else and that some types of fruit are best consumed in moderation
Grapes are one of the biggest culprits in the fruit world when it comes to sugar overload (this is why they make such delicious wine, of course). If you love eating grapes, try to limit your consumption to around 10 or 12 at a time, rather than eating your way through a huge bunch. Of course, raisins are the dried version of grapes and these have even more sugar than their fresh counterpart.
Dried fruits in general actually contain a lot of sugar, especially things like pineapple, banana, cherries and figs, as this helps them to retain the flavour that is lost during the process of dehydration. Dried fruit also loses a lot of its original nutritional value, too, so it’s really worth eating the fresh counterpart rather than the dried version when at all possible.
Apples and orange, on the other hand are much better. You can consume plenty of these without really having to worry about the sugar content at all. They’re packed full of vitamins and also contain lots of water that will both keep you hydrated and keep you feeling full so that you don’t overindulge on other, unhealthier foods. Apples and oranges are great for keeping your energy levels up and have a clean, sharp, refreshing taste.
If you feel like you need a fresh start with your diet, you’re not alone. Whether you’re feeling fatter and sluggish after Christmas, or you’re just having one of those weeks where you just abandon wellness in favour of convenience, it’s time to clean up your diet and take control of your wellbeing! Below, we’ve got a seven-day clean eating challenge that can help you on your journey to a healthier diet but, don’t worry, it’s not as strict as it sounds.
‘It’s easy and the payoffs include skyrocketing energy, weight loss, better control over your appetite, and even better looking skin,’ explains registered dietician Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, author of S.A.S.S! Yourself Slim: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches. ‘You don’t have to stick to a strict meal plan—we know that’s not realistic for everyone. Instead, we’ve outlined five simple rules to follow…You’re free to pick and choose your favourite recipes or create your own (as long as you stick to the rules).’ A diet plan where you have the freedom and control? Sounds like a winner to me! Try implementing the following five rules for just seven days, and see what a difference it makes to your diet and overall wellness.
1. Eat whole foods only: Rule number one of this challenge means that you need to ditch your blueberry muffin in favour of eating oats and blueberries in their whole forms. Sass instructs, ‘When you eat packaged foods, only buy brands that contain “real food” ingredients—ingredients you easily recognise, can pronounce, and would use to make a “from scratch” version in your own kitchen. If a food contains even one ingredient that makes you think “huh?” skip it, at least during the clean eating challenge.’
2. Keep meals simple: ‘Delicious, healthy food doesn’t have to contain a lot of ingredients,’ Sass asserts. ‘Keep your meal ingredients to a minimum—just be sure to include a source of whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fat at each meal. For example, veggies and shrimp stir fried in sesame oil over a bed of brown rice seems restaurant quality but can be whipped up faster than takeout.’
3. Eat more slowly: If you grew up with brothers and sisters, you might have learned to eat quickly to stop irritating siblings nicking the food off your plate. However, you’re not in survival mode anymore, and eating slowly and mindfully has been proven to help with weight loss. To help you eat more slowly, Sass advises, ‘Put your fork or spoon down between every bite, and focus on the flavours and textures of your food.’
4. Schedule your meals and stick to your routine: Not only does this mean eating your meals at regular times; you also need to schedule in your snacks so you don’t stray off the path. ‘Try not to let more than about four hours go by between meals or snacks,’ Sass recommends. ‘Steady meal timing helps regulate your digestive system, blood sugar and insulin levels, and appetite.’
5. Listen to your inner compass: Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight will attest to the fact that you need to pay attention to what your body is telling you. So often, we binge on unhealthy foods not because we are hungry, but because we are bored, sad or simply not paying attention. Sass urges, ‘Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full, meaning satisfied, not stuffed…get used to relying on your hunger and fullness cues to tell you when to stop and start eating.’
Keeping an eye on your nutrition is the surest route to wellness and wellbeing. There are various diets that you can try, with varying success rates, but the best kinds of diet are the non-diet diets – the ones that don’t make you feel that you are actually on a diet at all.
One such diet is called the Mediterranean diet, and it’s more of an eating plan, or even a way of life than an actual diet as such. It basically involves copying the eating habits of those who live in the Mediterranean all year round. This type of eating has been proved to reduce incidences of heart disease and prologue life.
This is most likely because the diet is rich in antioxidants, such as olive oil, almonds, broccoli and a glass of wine here and there. Long term, allowing yourself indulgences such as the occasional glass of wine is actually very sensible, as you can otherwise end up feeling very restricted and deprived, and this is when the willpower gives in and you end up chucking the diet away altogether.
There is another diet called volumetrics, and this one basically involves eating a lot without eating a lot. Confused? To simplify, when you are on this diet, you look at the size and volume of the meal as well as the actual calorie contents. One of the most difficult things about being on a diet is coping with the hunger pangs, and if you are doing volumetrics, this just doesn’t exist. If you fill yourself up with lots of high volume but lower calorie foods (such as vegetables) you will feel full and like you are eating a lot, but you will not be packing in the calories that you might expect from such a quantity of food.
When many people are going travelling, the biggest question on their minds is whether they can maintain their fitness levels and not gain weight whilst still having a good time. It’s more important than ever to look after your wellness and wellbeing whilst travelling, as you need to be in the best of health when you are in unfamiliar locations.
The best way to help you achieve this whilst on holiday is to stick to an eating schedule. It’s tempting and very easy to disregard normal mealtimes whilst you are on the move, but if you start just eating random snacks in the airport or in the car (half a scone, a bag of crisps etc.) then you will find that the calories soon add up. Instead, stop at a proper café or restaurant and buy proper food such as a sandwich or salad. As an added bonus, many of these places have calorie counts listed on the back of the packages that the food comes in, which will help you keep track of exactly what you are consuming. Taking the time to sit down and eat proper food, rather than snacking on the go, makes your body register the food better too. You’re more likely to enjoy the food and eat less if you take the time to focus on what you are eating – snacking on the go can frequently mean that your body is not aware that it is taking in calories.
If you are feeling particularly organised, you could even pack your own snacks and lunches to have along the way. Things like carrot, cucumber and almond butter sandwiches are ideal, as you don’t have to refrigerate a vegetarian option like this. When it comes to snacks, fruit is ideal and things like apples, oranges and pears are very portable. You could also try little packets of nuts or dried fruit.
A new weight loss trend has caused wellness experts to speak out about the risks and low probability of achieving such a goal. Specialists are saying that women are putting their wellbeing at risk by attempting to become so slender that their thighs don’t touch even when their feet are together. Not only is trying to achieve a so-called thigh gap dangerous, specialist say it is virtually impossible. However, this doesn’t stop Tumblr pages, blogs and other social media sites flaunting photos of exceptionally thin models who have the gap, which is upheld as a beauty achievement.
According to Claire Mysko, who oversees teen outreach and digital media for advocacy group the National Eating Disorders Association, ‘The issue of focusing on a particular body part is very common. What is new is these things have taken on a life of their own because of the Internet and social media.’ This saturation of super-thin women in the media has warped our sense of what’s normal. In actual fact, the vast majority of people’s thighs tough when they stand with their feet together, whereas those whose thighs are so slim they don’t touch makes up a tiny percentage of the population.
It’s easy to blame social media for the recent rise in eating disorders, but research has actually found that peer pressure from social sites plays a significant role in girls’ warped sense of body image. In 2011, a study from researchers at the University of Haifa showed that teenage girls who spent the most time using Facebook were more likely to develop a negative body image and an eating disorder. Nancy Albus, chief executive officer of Castlewood Treatment Center, a suburban St. Louis facility that focuses on eating disorders, points out, ‘The intrusion and presence of social media in our lives really does make it very difficult. The important distinction about thigh gap is it gives you an actual visual to achieve, this visual comparison of how your body does or doesn’t stack up.’
Dr. Vonda Wright, a Pittsburgh-based orthopedic surgeon and fitness expert, notes that the spacing between your legs mostly comes down to your genes, and you may not be able to achieve a thigh gap even if you’re extraordinarily thin. In order to have a thigh gap, you need a specific body type; both skinny and wide-hipped. That said, Wright is quick to assert that a the elusive thigh gap isn’t a goal worth chasing. If you’re fit and healthy, you won’t have a thigh gap because your thighs will be muscular enough that they touch. Wright, who works with Division I athletes, explains, ‘Skinny does not mean fit or muscular. I cannot think of one athlete I deal with’ who has a thigh gap.
While experts do admit that they cannot know whether or not the pursuit of a thigh gap has caused any deaths, nor is it known how many eating disorders are blamed on the phenomenon, that is not to say that the link is not there. Mysko comments that, if you ask most experts, they will tell you that ‘exposure to online images of extreme beauty standards and the drive to compare does increase the risk of developing eating disorders.’ Therapist, Kim Callaway says she often encourages clients to avoid social media and even delete their Facebook pages. ‘It’s not uncommon for people to be on Facebook talking about what they ate today, posting pictures of their meals or writing about how they’re 10 pounds lighter than they were a month ago,’ Callaway notes. ‘The ability to be instantly connected to everybody and see what they look like and see them blog or talk about what they are eating and what they do for exercise – this makes it a lot more difficult for those with eating disorders.’
By now, you’ve got this weight loss wellness thing down. Even if you don’t put the diet rules into practise, you know you should probably cut carbs, deny your naughty cravings and graze on healthy snacks all day, right? Wrong! Forget every weight loss trick you know, and prepare to have your mind blown by the new rules for dieting.
1. Don’t cut carbs: Reducing your carb intake is a staple diet technique, made popular by the Atkins craze. However, this is one classic weight loss rule you need to break, as this way of dieting simply isn’t sustainable, and you’re going to fall off the wagon and onto a massive pile of bread. In fact, a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that eating carbs in moderation helped dieters to lose about five pounds more than carb-avoiders. For your new rule, lead author of the study Dr. Marion Vetter, medical director at the Centre for Weight and Eating Disorders at the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine, recommends eating five servings of grains daily, especially whole ones like oatmeal and brown rice. ‘Carbs provide great energy and fibre,’ she explains. ‘Avoiding them isn’t realistic.’
2. Don’t avoid egg yolks: Egg yolks get a bad rap in the world of health and wellbeing, but this disdain is misguided. At the University of Surrey, researchers found no difference in terms of weight loss and cholesterol reduction between dieters who ate two eggs daily for 12 weeks and those who didn’t. Bruce Griffin, lead author of the study and professor of nutritional metabolism, asserts, ‘The cholesterol in eggs is small compared with grams of saturated fat in processed meats.’ Do you know what else is in egg yolks? Plenty of protein, calcium, and iron. This means you can enjoy them as part of a balanced diet, and avoid the real cholesterol culprits like processed foods.
3. Don’t graze throughout the day: In the 90s, studies showed that snacking helps to curb your appetite. However, according to a new Canadian study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, there was no weight loss difference between women who did and didn’t snack. Study author Eric Doucet, associate professor in the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa, says you should eat as many meals as you want – as long as you tally your calories. It’s ‘energy in versus energy out,’ Doucet notes, so speak to your GP about the amount of calories you need to consume to lose weight. Generally, this should be about 1,200 a day for women.
4. Eat midnight snacks: Eating late at night is often cited as a big dieting “no-no” but a recent study in the International Journal of Obesity has concluded that it’s what you eat, rather than when, that affects your waistline. Your metabolism will happily chug along regardless of what time you eat. Basically, eating a healthy dinner at 10pm means you won’t inhale Doritos in front of Strictly Come Dancing. As long as you don’t exceed your calorie count, eat as late as you like. Susan Roberts, study author and professor of nutrition and of psychiatry at Tufts University, argues that eating at a certain time isn’t important, and there’s no rule about how long to wait between meals, but as getting too hungry leads to overeating you need to ‘pace calories in a way that works for you.’
5. Cave in to cravings: Researchers at St. George’s University of London assert that abstaining from treats causes you to overindulge in the long-run, while University of Toronto researchers found that depriving people of specific foods led to binges. Author of the second study Janet Polivy, psychology professor at the University of Toronto, advises, ‘Eat small portions of the things you like. Decide how much you’ll eat — say, two chocolate squares.’ Put the rest back in the cupboard, and dig in.
Taking care of your diet wellness is not without its challenges when you just stick to the confines of your own house, but you might as well say goodbye to your wellbeing once you start eating out. Between the supersizes and the high-calorie dishes, restaurants are often a factor involved in weight gain, even if you just eat out once or twice a week. According to Gayle Timmerman, PhD, a nursing professor at The University of Texas at Austin who studies eating patterns, ‘The restaurant is a high-risk food environment; there’s a pretty good chance if you eat out frequently you’re likely to gain weight over time.’ Luckily, Timmerman’s new study looks at how mindful eating can help you eat out, guilt-free.
The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition and Education Behaviour, included 35 middle-aged women who ate out at least three times per week and ranged in body size from slim to morbidly obese. These women were divvied up into a control group, and another group that followed a mindful eating programme. This involved a series of dining techniques that focused on close attention to the enjoyment of eating and feelings of hunger and fullness. Even though the women in the mindfulness group didn’t change their eating out or ordering in habits – and were doing so nearly six times a week, on average – they’d lost an average of 3.75 pounds and were eating about 300 fewer calories per day.
However, the mindful eating benefits didn’t just apply to dinners out or takeaways; these habits also translated into healthier home behaviours. ‘Once you’ve learned mindful eating skills, you tend to use them whether you are eating at your own kitchen table or at a five-star restaurant,’ comments Susan Albers, Psy.D., a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic and the author of Eating Mindfully. ‘In general, we’ve lost the art of savouring food. We can eat an entire plate of food and not taste one bite. Mindful eating skills teach you how to eat less but enjoy it more.’ She adds that mindful eating involves ‘breaking those autopilot habits that we have around eating.’ So, how do you do it?
1. Think again before you order: When you go to the same restaurants all the time, you can end up falling into a rut of ordering the same dishes. You can also say yes without thinking when a waiter suggests an appetiser, so try to approach each dinner out with new eyes and ears.
2. Make each calorie count: What do you really love to eat? Wouldn’t you rather save your calorie budget and spend it on an eating experience that’s worth it? Timmerman asks, ‘Does that cheese on the burger really make it for you? If not, that’s about a hundred calories.’
3. Get saucy on the side: Whatever you can say “on the side” to – gravy, salad dressing, butter — do it. ‘Then you have control of how much…you really need or want on there,’ notes Timmerman.
4. Think about a doggy bag before you eat: When the plate appears in front of you, don’t tuck in straightaway without thinking. Take a moment and ask yourself how hungry you are on a scale of one to 10, and how that number relates to the food on your plate. If you’re only a “six” on the scale of one to ravenous, work out how much of your dinner will fill that gap, and plan to take the rest home in a doggy bag.
5. Really pay attention: Timmerman urges, ‘When you’re eating, really be aware of…the sight and the texture and the taste of food. We go out to eat because it’s enjoyable, it’s pleasurable, it tastes good—all of that. If you’re really paying attention, maybe you don’t have to eat the whole basket of fries; you can eat just a handful.’
Running is a great workout, especially if you love exercising outside, and eating a vegetarian diet is a fantastic way to lessen your impact on the planet and stay healthy. But combining the two can mean you run into problems before you reach the finish line. Whether you’re running a 5K or a marathon, you need to be fuelling your body in the best way possible to ensure you don’t put your body under any strain. Runners need more protein than the average person, as this nutrient helps to preserve lean mass and helps to build new muscle tissue. Studies show that runners who consume the right amount of protein cause less injuries to their body, have a stronger immune system and can enable their muscles to heal faster. If you’re trying to lose weight, a good level of protein is vital as it takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, so you’ll feel fuller for longer. Every day, runners need around 0.5g to 0.8g of protein per pound of weight. So if you weigh around 150lbs, you’ll need 75g of protein each day. If you’re following a vegetarian diet, that can be tricky to find. Here are some ideas for high protein ingredients that maintain your dietary restrictions and ensure that your diet is as healthy as possible.
Tofu
Tofu is both rich in protein, containing 10g in every cup, as well as isoflavones which protect your heart. The best choice is always organic varieties which don’t contain genetically modified soy.
Soymilk
Tofu has an odd texture that puts many people off, so if that’s the case with you then you may want to try soymilk. It has the most protein of any milk alternative, and also provides you with calcium and vitamin D. As before, opt for the organic variety.
Beans
If you want to up your protein intake, beans are a great source that contain around 12 to 14g per cup, depending on the type. They are also a great source of iron, which is great for boosting your endurance when you’re running.
Greek yogurt
An ideal cereal topper or snack, Greek yoghurt has twice the protein of a traditional portion of yoghurt. It’s also brilliant for healthy bones thanks to the calcium.
Seeds and nuts
Protein-filled and a fantastic source of vitamin E, seeds and nuts are perfect snacks for runners. They’re filled with the antioxidant vitamin E that helps to protect your lungs when you’re running in polluted air along the roadways. They’re also rich in fibre and heart-healthy unsaturated fats.
Ricotta cheese
Ricotta is a naturally low-fat cheese, but it’s also a great source of whey protein, which is particularly useful for runners after a run.
Eggs
Boasting 6g of protein in a single egg, the yolks are also a great source of choline which helps to keep the brain healthy, as well as lutein for your eye health.
Spinach
It may not be a fantastic source of protein, but spinach is one of the best sources of iron in the vegetable world. Runners need to keep their iron levels high to ensure they’ve got the energy to keep up with long workouts. Pairing spinach with vitamin C is the best way to get the most from each nutrient, so eat spinach with peppers or couple your meal with a glass of orange juice.
Whole grains
Quinoa and farro are surprisingly high in protein, as well as being healthy sources of carbohydrates for your run.
In order to diet effectively, you need to understand the importance of eating smaller portions. Often, we can gorge ourselves on more food than we actually need, which has a negative impact on our overall health and wellness. However, it’s not just eating smaller portions that’s vital to weight loss, but to actually enjoy eating smaller portions as you would enjoy a buffet of your favourite foods. If you are satisfied with what you ate during this meal, you’ll be better able to control your cravings for the next one, and mindful eating can help you achieve this. So, how can you get your diet wellness in shape and adopt a mindful eating strategy?
1. Recognise signs of hunger: Eating for reasons other that hunger – such as stress or boredom – means you’ll never learn to be satisfied. So, if you aren’t truly hungry try and divert your attention by talking on the phone or going for a walk. You should plan on what to eat as soon as you start to feel hungry, as leaving it until you’re famished means you’ll automatically crave for foods that are readily available, such as junk foods and packaged foods.
2. Eat without any guilt: You need to understand the difference between hunger and cravings: hunger is your stomach’s way of telling you it needs fuel; cravings come from your brain wanting to indulge in something. The two are very different. However, depriving your body of your favourite foods can lead to more cravings, so eating everything is not a bad idea as long as you practise portion control. Mindful eating is all about eating foods you like – after all, you’re not going to want to pay attention to what you’re eating if you think it’s disgusting! Enjoy your food without guilt, but plan it carefully.
3. Feed all your senses: Savouring food means making sure all your senses are satisfied, as this will enable you to feel fuller. Create a good ambiance by setting the table in a pleasant way, and remove all distractions like TV and your phone. Make sure the meal has your complete attention, and that you enjoy it with someone you like. Sitting in front of the TV on your bed while eating out of a Tupperware box will only make you eat more and enjoy the food less. When it comes to the food, everything should be visually appetising. You should notice the texture of your food when you eat, as well as the smells and flavours coming from various spices. Making the effort to heat up your food – instead of eating cold, pre cooked food stashed away in the fridge – can enhance taste and aroma.
4. Don’t save the best for last: When you’re eating an elaborate meal made up of many dishes, saving the best for last means you will end up finishing up the whole dish even if you are full. The best thing to do is to start with your favourite part of the meal, so that you’re not tempted to overeat when you’re left with the mediocre dishes at the end. After helping number one, put down your spoon and don’t pick it up again for a full two minutes. This will give you the time and space you need to decide whether that seconding helping is really necessary. Because you programme your brain to expect a certain size of rice or number of bread slices, you eat this amount even if you’re not really that hungry. But hunger is a variable….so why should portions be fixed? Don’t go for seconds until you have established that you want to eat more.
Intermittent dieting is a popular weight loss tool these days, but wellness experts are a bit sceptical about just how beneficial this way of losing weight is to your wellbeing. Joanne Chen, author of The Taste of Sweet: Our Complicated Love Affair With Our Favourite Treats, details, ‘As a health writer, I’ve always been smug in my nutrition knowledge—and not shy about sharing it. “You need breakfast,” I’d scold my friends. “Consistency is key!” Admittedly, I was a little patronising. So of course I rolled my eyes a few months ago when my friend Emily, visiting from London, told me about 5:2—aka The Fast Diet—developed by health journalists Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer. I listened incredulously as Emily described friends shedding weight like crazy by eating what they wanted all week, save for two non-consecutive 500-calorie “fast” days.’
However, the 5:2 isn’t the only intermittent diet around. Many Brits have found themselves turning to another on-off diet known as the two-day diet, which was outlined in a book by dietician Michelle Harvie, PhD, and oncologist Dr. Tony Howell. This diet bans you from eating any carbs apart from fruits and vegetables two days a week. There’s another variation to be published next year, entitled The Every Other Day Diet by Krista Varady, PhD. So the question is; Could yo-yo dieting, fasting, and skipping meals actually work? Intermittent fasting is different than regular dieting, making your metabolism improve with short spurts of feast and famine. Valter Longo, PhD, director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California, explains that this is the way our ancestors had to eat and so returning to this old way of eating can help reverse the modern obesity epidemic.
‘Fasting is hard, though,’ notes Chen. ‘And in some sense, non-fast days are harder. Following the rules outlined in The Fast Diet, I eat yogurt and berries, an arugula salad, and a chicken drumstick on my first fast day. The next day, I stuff my face with cake and mac ‘n’ cheese and feel sick. Apparently, there’s a thin line between yo-yo and intermittent dieting. It’s called control—and I don’t have it.’ Susan Roberts, PhD, professor of psychiatry at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, points out that, for this reason, intermittent dieting ‘may not be sustainable.’ However, while those opposed to intermittent dieting argue that it leads to nutrient deficiency, Roberts takes a less critical view: ‘Our bodies are designed to retain vitamins we take in over time, on days we do eat.’
This means that, as long as you pay close attention to nutrition on your “good days,” the bad days won’t be too harmful to your wellness. Chen comments, ‘It’s no wonder, then, that after two weeks of very little good food and a lot of very bad food, I shed no weight. Emily, however, fares better. “Really? You lost nothing?” she asks incredulously on our transatlantic call. By doing 5:2 for a month—eating egg whites, smoked salmon, and “lots of cucumber” on fast days and healthy portions of salads, fruits, and protein on non-fast days—she’s lost about six pounds…While I can’t say I’ve become more alert with this new way of eating, I have become more aware of my food. I’ve acquired a deep appreciation for good coffee. I crave chickpeas as if they are a treat. I’ve also gained some humility, and I’m no longer condescending about diet mantras. It seems—at least for some people, like Emily—so-called healthy rules are best broken.’
When you’re trying to maintain a diet and workout regime it can be very difficult as there are a lot of different temptations to make you stray from the path. Once we have been doing a certain regime for a long time, it can make us feel not only very hungry (because we are eating less than we were in the past) but also it can cause a lot of emotional damage. This can lead to the very serious problem of binge eating. Binge eating is overeating, usually due to a number of emotional factors that make you want to eat more to feel better rather than as a way to sate your hunger.
Clearly it is a much better idea to only eat until you are full and satisfied, rather than to give in to your cravings and just eat to make yourself feel better. Binge eating often happens are a long day of doing really well and it can make us feel like the diet is not worth it if we simply binge at the end of the day and undo all the good work we did as a part of the plan. So we have prepared some excellent tips to help you avoid binge eating and stick to your diet plan as part of a healthy lifestyle.
The first and most important step in the ways to avoid binge eating is to identify situations in which you know you are more likely to find yourself binge eating. For everyone this will be different so it is very much down to you and your personal habits. Once you have identified the occasions where you are more likely to binge eat it means that you are better equipped to do something about it. For example if you know that you regularly binge eat right after going to the gym then you can ensure that you have a plan in place such as always finding something to do to take your mind off eating instead of just going to the fridge and binging on the food that is available to you.
Another great idea if you want to avoid binge eating is to create a food diary so that you can record every single thing that you eat. This is a smart move as it forces you to acknowledge exactly how much you’re eating on a daily basis. This means that if you feel tempted to binge you remember that the details of what you’ve eaten have to go in the diary. Make sure that you also include snacks and drinks and altogether this will give you a great idea of how much you usually eat so that you can stay in control.
It’s also a useful idea to find ways of socialising that don’t involve food. For many people, socialising might include going out for a meal or even just going out for a drink, which inevitably involves getting snacks along the way. Try a range of different activities that don’t involve food and you’ll find that there are loads of way to have fun that don’t involve you having to eat all of the time.
Finally, it’s a great plan to keep yourself away from temptation. This is simple; if you know there are certain foods that can trigger you to binge eat, just don’t buy them. While it might seem like an obvious trick, so many people go shopping and pick out their favourite foods without thinking about the fact that it might be better for them to avoid these things altogether.
You don’t need me to tell you what you do to take care of your weight and wellness; cut back on all the crap you’re eating! If you’re yearning after Jessica Alba’s abs, all the exercise in the world won’t get you there unless you stop wasting your time and finally reduce your intake of sugar, high frequency cheat meals and processed foods. Abs are not made in the gym; they’re made in the kitchen. You may think you’re already taking care of your wellbeing by “eating clean” – but, let’s be honest, are you? What do you think eating clean means? It’s not about cutting back on the odd treat or only letting yourself indulge at weekends (although that is better than nothing), eating clean means that if you can’t kill it or grow it, you shouldn’t eat it. That may hurt, so ask yourself how badly you want those abs. If you’re still up for the challenge, then read on!
1. Read the label: Most people think that the key to losing body fat is cutting calories, and burning off more calories than they consume. While this is indeed a vital aspect of anyone’s weight loss programme, it goes hand-in-hand with good nutrition, or avoiding processed foods. If you’re not sure what’s processed and what’s good for you, a good general rule of thumb is: If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it. The fewer processes an item of food goes through, the better it is for you. When you read the label – which is a must if you want to know what you’re putting into your body – you want to see as few ingredients as possible. Two important products to avoid are canned foods and deli meats, as both are very much processed and full of nitrates.
2. Choose the right milk: When products lists added minerals and vitamins, this means the food is processed and not a good choice. This “added vitamin” rule applies with 2% and low-fat milk, so unfortunately you need to avoid these staple diet products. While the rule does not apply to soya milk, that is not to say that this is a decent alternative if you want to lose weight. Soy produces oestrogen, which causes your body to produce more fat, so it should also be avoided as part of a weight loss diet. However, this doesn’t mean you have to forgo your morning bowl of cereal or cup of tea; almond, goat or rice milk are all good choices.
3. Stay away from simple sugar: Another thing you need to clear out of your clean eating diet is simple sugar. Your body can process a maximum of three to six grams of sugar at one time, depending on your physical makeup. If you exceed your maximum intake of sugar, it simply turns into fat. Still, cutting out simple sugar is no mean feat, as it takes three weeks for your body to withdraw from them. Sugar is a chemical and, as such, does cause withdrawal. You might be tempted to replace sugar with Sweet-n-low or Splenda, but these are chemicals too. To satisfy your sweet tooth, you’re better off with Stevia or honey.
4. Steer clear of simple carbohydrates: Finally, you need to clean up your act with carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates, such as white rice, white bread and white bagels, should be avoided at all costs. Rather, you need to choose a grain with at least three grams of fibre – but the more the merrier. Good choices include brown rice, old fashioned oatmeal and sweet potatoes.
You don’t need me to tell you what you do to take care of your weight and wellness; cut back on all the crap you’re eating! If you’re yearning after Jessica Alba’s abs, all the exercise in the world won’t get you there unless you stop wasting your time and finally reduce your intake of sugar, high frequency cheat meals and processed foods. Abs are not made in the gym; they’re made in the kitchen. You may think you’re already taking care of your wellbeing by “eating clean” – but, let’s be honest, are you? What do you think eating clean means? It’s not about cutting back on the odd treat or only letting yourself indulge at weekends (although that is better than nothing), eating clean means that if you can’t kill it or grow it, you shouldn’t eat it. That may hurt, so ask yourself how badly you want those abs. If you’re still up for the challenge, then read on!
1. Read the label: Most people think that the key to losing body fat is cutting calories, and burning off more calories than they consume. While this is indeed a vital aspect of anyone’s weight loss programme, it goes hand-in-hand with good nutrition, or avoiding processed foods. If you’re not sure what’s processed and what’s good for you, a good general rule of thumb is: If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it. The fewer processes an item of food goes through, the better it is for you. When you read the label – which is a must if you want to know what you’re putting into your body – you want to see as few ingredients as possible. Two important products to avoid are canned foods and deli meats, as both are very much processed and full of nitrates.
2. Choose the right milk: When products lists added minerals and vitamins, this means the food is processed and not a good choice. This “added vitamin” rule applies with 2% and low-fat milk, so unfortunately you need to avoid these staple diet products. While the rule does not apply to soya milk, that is not to say that this is a decent alternative if you want to lose weight. Soy produces oestrogen, which causes your body to produce more fat, so it should also be avoided as part of a weight loss diet. However, this doesn’t mean you have to forgo your morning bowl of cereal or cup of tea; almond, goat or rice milk are all good choices.
3. Stay away from simple sugar: Another thing you need to clear out of your clean eating diet is simple sugar. Your body can process a maximum of three to six grams of sugar at one time, depending on your physical makeup. If you exceed your maximum intake of sugar, it simply turns into fat. Still, cutting out simple sugar is no mean feat, as it takes three weeks for your body to withdraw from them. Sugar is a chemical and, as such, does cause withdrawal. You might be tempted to replace sugar with Sweet-n-low or Splenda, but these are chemicals too. To satisfy your sweet tooth, you’re better off with Stevia or honey.
4. Steer clear of simple carbohydrates: Finally, you need to clean up your act with carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates, such as white rice, white bread and white bagels, should be avoided at all costs. Rather, you need to choose a grain with at least three grams of fibre – but the more the merrier. Good choices include brown rice, old fashioned oatmeal and sweet potatoes.
Many people struggle constantly with eating disorders. Perhaps the most famous of them are anorexia and bulimia, which get a lot of media coverage thanks to the propensity of teenage girls to have difficulties with them. The reality of eating disorders is that they are a mental health issue that tells people that their bodies don’t look the way that they should and so they need to eat nothing or throw up their food in order to achieve the look that they want. For many people, trying to overcome these eating disorders is very difficult and they don’t really know how to do it, because facing mental challenges is not something most people have a lot of experience doing.
It may seem like suffering from an eating disorder will consume your life and that there is no way for you to fight against it. But the truth is that the disorder is in your mind and you have the power to control it. Happiness and levels of self-esteem are important factors in the fight against eating disorders – once you are happy with the person that you are, that is the time that you will be able to battle back against the conditions and lead a normal life again.
In an effort to help you to fight against your eating disorder (or disorders) we have come up with a great list of important steps and tips that you can rely on. Everyone is different and must face their condition in different ways but most people feel troubled by the same issues and therefore you can take this advice on board and really use it to help combat the problems. Once you have gained self-confidence and self-belief you’ll be able to fight off your eating disorder for good.
The first step in fighting off your eating disorder is admitting that you have a problem. For many people this can be extremely hard as they have preconceived notions about eating disorders holding them back. Remember that eating disorders can affect anyone – regardless of age, sex and any other factor. For many people, they just believe that weight loss is the only way that they’ll be able to achieve happiness, and it’s important to free yourself from this notion. If you are unhappy about yourself, it’s likely that your actually more worried about something else and you’re just using weight as a way to take out your frustrations.
There is good news – just as you have learned to believe certain things about your body, you can unlearn them as well. But it’s also important you to remember that getting rid of your eating disorder is more than about getting rid of the bad eating habits you have been going through. It is more about understand about you, your size and shape and learning about the person that you are underneath.
So what are the best things to do when fighting against eating disorders? Well, firstly you have to get ready to ask for help. This might be hard for many people, but facing eating disorders is not something that is easy to do on your own. Whether you are enlisting the help of your family and friends, or going to the doctor for professional help on the issue, the fact remains that you’ll need to get help from somewhere it order to combat the conditions properly. It’s worth getting in contact with a specialist who’ll be able to put you on the right path to recovery. This is the best way forward in order to get over your problems.
Most wellness experts will tell you that you should avoid eating shortly before exercise, as this can harm your performance. The logic goes that eating just before you work out leads to a spike and drop in blood sugar, but is this really as damaging to your wellbeing as people believe? Not according to the New York Times, who recently featured an article busting this fitness dogma as a myth.
The New York Times noted that newer research shows that eating before a workout doesn’t necessarily impact your performance. One study, in particular, has shown that cyclists who drank sugary drinks prior to a workout were able to complete a strenuous 20-minute ride with no problems. In fact, other research has demonstrated that if you eat easily-digested carbohydrates before exercise, you may even be able to work out for longer. Still, even with that in mind, there remains a whole wealth of research and logic that strongly dictates you should skip eating before exercise, especially if you’re interested in maximizing your fat-burning potential.
When you exercise while fasting, it, in essences, forces your body to shed fat. This is because the fat-burning processes in your body are controlled by your sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which you activate through exercise and lack of food. When you combine the two, therefore, you maximise the efforts of cyclic AMP and AMP Kinases, which are cellular factors and catalysts that force the breakdown of fat and glycogen for energy. For example, one study found that fasting before you do aerobic activity helps you to reduce your body weight and body fat, but eating before a workout only helps you to lose weight, and not fat.
Another reason why you should exercise and fast at the same time is that this also yields acute oxidative stress, which, in turn, benefits your muscle. According to fitness expert Ori Hofmekler, acute states of oxidative stress are ‘essential for keeping your muscle machinery tuned. Technically, acute oxidative stress makes your muscle increasingly resilient to oxidative stress; it stimulates glutathione and SOD [superoxide dismutase, the first antioxidant mobilized by your cells for defence] production in your mitochondria along with increased muscular capacity to utilize energy, generate force and resist fatigue. Hence, exercise and fasting help counteract all the main determinants of muscle ageing. But there is something else about exercise and fasting. When combined, they trigger a mechanism that recycles and rejuvenates your brain and muscle tissues.’
The mechanism Hofmekler is referring to here is triggering genes and growth factors, which includes brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and muscle regulatory factors (MRFs). These factors signal your brain’s stem cells and your muscle satellite cells to convert into new neurons and new muscle cells, respectively. Why is that important? Because this means that exercising without eating beforehand may actually help you to keep your brain, neuro-motors and muscle fibres biologically young. More than this, the combined effect of both intermittent fasting and short intense exercise could help you to boost your growth hormones, raise your testosterone level, enhance your cognitive function and even prevent depression.
The best way to begin using this technique is to start by exercising before you eat breakfast. When we talk about intermittent fasting, we’re not talking about a cycle of binge eating or starvation, nor are we advising any other extreme form of dieting. Rather, what you’re after here is to time your meals to allow for regular periods of fasting. Some people prefer daily intermittent fasting, while others like to fast a couple of days a week or every other day. However, if you want to do daily intermittent fasting, the length of your fast should be targeted to 16 to 18 hours, or only eating between the hours of 11 am and 7 pm, for example. Basically, this means you can skip breakfast and make lunch your first meal of the day instead.
It seems that almost everyone wants to lose some weight. It’s one of those goals that seem to be a part of everyone’s lives, always hanging around even if they have not achieved it yet. Part of the problem is that sometimes people are able to lose weight, but they aren’t able to do it in a way that is sustainable as part of their lifestyle. In fact, many people find that they can only lose weight if they do it in an unhealthy way, and this is never a good thing. If you want to drop a few pounds you need to do in a way that you’ll be able to continue to do for a number of years, otherwise you’ll find yourself slipping into old habits and putting back on the weight that you worked so hard to lose.
That would be a very demoralising thing to happen, so it’s important you don’t try to follow this path and instead choose a way of losing weight that is both good for your body and that you’ll be able to carry on even when the going gets tough (as it naturally does when you’re trying to do something as difficult as losing weight). Here are some of our top tips for losing weight in a manner that you’ll be able to keep up and won’t negatively affect your health.
The first good idea is to tightly control your portion sizes. Too many people focus on what they are eating when really you also need to think about how much you’re eating. All foods are fine to eat as long as they are eaten in moderation – there’s no trouble having the occasional pizza, as long as the majority of the time you’re eating healthy nutritious meals with balanced minerals and vitamins. But when you have that pizza, instead of eating, for example, six slices, have three instead and fill yourself up with some healthy goods such as salads.
Another great idea is to regularly buy fat-free food instead of relying on the traditional stuff that you generally eat. This is a great way for you to continue eating the foods that you love while still reducing your intake of fat and calories. Eating fat free means you can have more of the things that you like while still being able to stay healthy.
Let’s also think about the changes you’ll need to make in your lifestyle if you’re going to lose weight. Obviously everyone knows that exercise is good for you, but beyond that do we really think about the specifics of what we need to do if we’re going to lose weight? Well, one of the best ideas is definitely to do some exercise in the morning. In the morning we can boost our metabolism more easily and therefore it is a better time to burn the calories off. Alongside this, it’s important that you get some cardio exercise involved in this routine. That’s always going to be the best way to drop the weight.
Another great tip is that when you feel hungry, instead of eating something, you should drink some water. This is a very smart move as the water fills your stomach up and helps you go longer in between meals. But perhaps the most important tip in terms of losing weight healthily is that you should always eat a healthy breakfast. Many people try to avoid eating breakfast, hoping it will ensure they lose weight more quickly, but this actually has the opposite effect and it has been shown you’re more likely to lose weight if you eat a healthy breakfast every day.
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