New year, new you? Is it more difficult than you hoped?

Do you remember your New Year resolutions? Did you promise yourself that you would be healthier this year?

Well, it’s been 6 weeks since the new year started. Were you able to make some changes that have you feeling better? Are you full of energy? Are you feeling fitter than ever before? Congratulations to those you have made some changes and are reaping the benefits. However, some of us might be wondering why it seems so difficult to change when we promise ourselves, year after year, that this time we really will make an effort to be healthier.

Many people have difficulty changing because their goals are too vague, as in ‘I want to be healthy’…where would you start with such a broad goal? Some other people are overly ambitious, as in ‘I want to run a marathon in April’…when they haven’t owned a pair of running shoes for 10 years.

The secret to making permanent changes is to make very small, specific changes that you can easily maintain over time.

Set SMART goals
SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time specific

Set Specific goals
Your goal must be clear and well defined. Vague or generalized goals are not achievable because they don’t provide sufficient direction. For example, instead of ‘I will be more active’ you could decide to ‘walk for 20 minutes every day’ or ‘go swimming once a week’.

 Set Measurable goals

Decide on precise amounts or times so that you can measure your degree of success. For example, rather than ‘eat more fruit’ you could ‘eat 2 portions of fruit a day’. If you have a way to measure your success then you can celebrate your achievements.

 Set Attainable goals

Make sure it is possible to meet the goals you set. If you set a goal that you have no hope of achieving (like ‘I’ll run a marathon this year’) you will only demoralize yourself and erode your confidence. However, resist the urge to set goals that are too easy. By setting realistic yet challenging goals you hit the balance you need. These are the types of goals that need you to “raise the bar” and they bring the greatest personal satisfaction.

Set Relevant goals

Goals should be relevant to you. If you want to lower your cholesterol you might have different goals to someone who wants to lower their blood pressure. Also, choose goals that are suitable for you – eg: don’t promise to give up chocolate if you know you rarely eat chocolate, or don’t set a goal to ‘cycle more’ if you don’t have a bicycle

Set Time Specific goals

Goals must have a deadline. When you are working to a deadline, your sense of urgency increases and achievement will come that much quicker, plus you will know when to review your goal and when to celebrate your success – eg: I’ll walk for 20 mins a day for the rest of this month, then consider increasing the time spent walking for next month

Steps to success…

Making a few relatively small changes at a time will make it easier to maintain those changes. Change does take time, so don’t be over-ambitious. It is important that you continue to make small changes which will add up to a larger benefit to your health.

 Some people like to have something to work towards, so think about rewarding yourself for all your effort when you reach your goal (perhaps a book, CD, DVD or a day out).

 

Food Myth: Eat meat for protein

True or false? You need to eat meat to get protein

False – There’s plenty of protein in plant foods. It’s a popular view that you need to eat meat to obtain protein, however this is far from the truth. Protein exists in many plant-based foods and in appreciable quantities. While you may not want to eat a vegetarian diet 24/7, some meat-free days may help your health and your finances.

The UK recommendations for protein are about 40g a day for women (weighing about 65kg and between 19-50 years old) and 50g a day for men (80kg and 19-50 years old). Most people get plenty of protein from eating a balanced diet, even when the diet does not contain meat everyday (see further details below).

Eggs contain perfect quality protein against which all other proteins are measured. Protein quality is a reflection of the number and balance of essential amino acids (protein building blocks) present.

• One 50g egg ~ 6g protein

Dairy foods are great sources of protein.

• 1 cup of reduced fat milk ~ 9g protein
• 200g/7oz of low fat yoghurt ~ 13g protein
• 40g/1½oz of cheese (hard variety such as cheddar) ~ 9g protein

Fish & seafood are excellent sources of protein (pesco-vegetarians eat fish, but not meat)

• 100g/3½oz white fish (cooked) ~ 25g of protein
• 100g/3½oz prawns/shrimp (cooked) ~ 24g protein
• 100g/3½oz squid/octopus (cooked) ~ 21g protein

Legumes (pulses) are great sources of protein.

• ½ cup baked beans in tomato sauce ~ 7g protein
• ½ cup canned, drained cannellini beans ~ 8g protein
• 2/3 cup cooked red lentils ~ 9g protein
• 1 cup cooked split peas ~ 12g protein
• 1 cup cooked soy beans ~ 23g protein
• 100g (3 1/2 oz) tofu (raw) ~ 12g protein
• 1 cup light soy milk ~ 5g protein

Breakfast cereals, breads and grains are surprisingly high in protein, and the relatively high protein content of wheat is one of the reasons it has become such a widely grown staple food crop.

• ¾ cup Special K Original ~ 6g protein
• ¾ cup All-Bran ~ 7g protein
• ¼ cup raw traditional rolled oats ~ 3g protein
• 1 slice soy and linseed bread ~ 6g protein
• 1 cup cooked brown rice ~ 5g protein
• 1 cup cooked pasta ~ 7g protein
• 1 cup cooked soba/buckwheat noodles ~ 9g protein
• 1 cup cooked pearl barley ~ 6g protein
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa ~ 4g protein

Nuts and seeds are super nutritious foods that also contain protein.

• A small handful (30g/1oz) of most nuts or seeds ~ 5g protein

Example meat-free menu

• ½ cup oats 6g
• 1 cup milk 9g
• 2 slices soy and linseed bread 12g
• 20g cheese 5g
• 1 cup soba noodles 9g
• 100g tofu 12g
• 1 tub yoghurt 13g
• 30g mixed nuts 5g

TOTAL 69g

So, you don’t need to eat meat to get enough protein because it is easily available from plant foods. Meat does provide other important nutrients (including iron, zinc and vitamin B12) more efficiently than plant foods, which is why our health benefits from eating a variety of foods during the week.

Start the NEW YEAR with a promise to eat a wider variety of foods and enjoy meat-free mondays this year.

Adpated from article – http://ginews.blogspot.com/#mmon

Food myth: A traditional cooked breakfast is healthy

True or false? Having a traditional cooked breakfast in the morning can be a healthy choice

True – If you are partial to a cooked breakfast on a wintery morning you can enjoy a healthy meal by grilling lean bacon and poaching the eggs. Don’t forget the baked beans, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms cooked without fat. Serve it all up with thick crusty bread (wholemeal or wholegrain if possible). Enjoy a delicious cooked breakfast that is also a healthy and balanced meal.

The economic burden of ill health due to diet…

The economic burden of ill health due to diet, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and obesity in the UK

See http://jpubhealth.oxfordjournals.org/content/33/4/527.abstract

 

No time to cook?

While some cooking enthusiasts might like to spend hours in the kitchen, many of us have commitments that do not allow us to spend so much time cooking up a storm for our families every day. This week a survey said that just a quarter of meals (one meal in every four) is  home-made (cooked from scratch) and we learned that British women are the most overweight in Europe, with British men the second most overweight in Europe. I can’t help but feel that these results are inter-connected and that a greater reliance on home-made meals would have a beneficial effect on British health.

I like to make our food myself because I want to be sure that we are eating a good range of nutrients. Yesterday I cooked up a 500g bag of chickpeas (about 80p from the supermarket) and then looked on-line for some chick pea recipes. I decided on chickpea and cabbage curry, because I had some cabbage left from my vegetable box delivery, and home-made homous. I had some of the required ingredients to hand (spices, tahini) but just missed out or substituted the ingredients that I didn’t have available.  I didn’t have dried mango powder for my curry so I just did without – I don’t suppose that many people do have dried mango powder. I learned long ago that having all the ‘required’ ingredients is not always necessary and usually find that meals taste great even if I do miss out or substitute an ingredient or two. There are times when my changes or omissions don’t work very well, but the food is still edible and I try to remember what went wrong for next time. The important thing is to practice, to learn what will or won’t work if you make changes to a recipe.

I really believe that the only way to eat well most of the time is to think ahead. Prepare a menu for the week and stock up on the ingredients you will need. Use frozen or tinned vegetables to save on preparation time (washing, peeling, chopping). Invest in a slow-cooker so that hearty meals can be prepared in the morning and be ready to eat when you get home after a long day at work. Forgo your favourite TV show one night (catch-up later) to cook up a few meals for the week, storing them in the refrigerator or freezer. Keep a big pot of home-made soup fresh by reheating it daily. Don’t forget the quick and simple things, like an omelette or a steak or chop or fish with salad. I often bake six or more jacket potatoes at a time, then keep them in the fridge and heat one in the microwave when I get home late at night, serving it with my favourite topping.  This afternoon I will make a start on a soup for tomorrow – I will be boiling up the stock for the soup and soaking the pulses (green and yellow split peas) – then tomorrow I just add the pulses and a few chopped vegetables to the stock and simmer all day. Easy! And nutritious!

Most importantly, love your leftovers. Tonight we will be having leftover curry with fresh, chopped cantaloupe melon for dessert (preparation time about 10 mins). Lovely!

Food Myth: Vegetarian meals are the healthiest meals

True or false? If you want to have the healthier option it’s best to choose a vegetarian dish

False – Some vegetarians like to think that their diet is healthier than that of meat-eaters. However, veggie dishes are likely to be just as high in fat if they contain alternatives such as cheese, cream or have been deep-fried. Some meat options, such as fish and chicken, are often a healthy option.  Always consider the ingredients and cooking methods before deciding on the healthiest and most nutritious choice.

Myth: Taking vitamin supplements make you healthier

Fact: Supplements are only helpful to cover deficiencies and only paper over the cracks of a poor diet. There are some health risks attached to popping nutrient pills.

For more information see http://ginews.blogspot.com/#JBM