Weight loss Challenge

[Tasty]

I don't think I have heard of the Health Food Guide magazine but would love to read some snippets of information from it Amy.

I'm hanging out for a snippet tonight even

[Amy :-)]

Okay Tasty, give me 10 minutes to put something together

[Tasty]

I'll check back later in the night. Off to do some dishes and make some soup for hubby's lunch tomorrow.

[Amy :-)]

Okay guys, I will try to post at least 1 of these every day to give you some ideas/motivation. Some things you may know already, or some things may not really apply to you specifically. If there is something in particular you want to know, just shout it out and I'll see if there is something about it in these magazines.

HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE SNIPPET #1

These weight loss tips were taken from the Get Healthy Action Plan in the January 2010 issue

1. Change your large plates and bowls for smaller sized ones. This will help you serve yourself smaller portions.
2. Drink water before every meal.
3. Add extra vegetables to your lunch and dinner.
4. Use stairs whenever they are an option.
5. Halve the amount of meat on your plate and replace it with legumes.
6. Write down everything you eat. If you don't want to write it down, don't eat it!
7. Stay on your feet while you're on the phone.
8. Share regular meals with your family.
9. Eat fish at least twice a week.
10. Always have a piece of fruit in your bag for a healthy snack.
11. Remove just a few spoonfuls from each meal.
12. Switch to low-fat dairy and wholegrain/wholemeal products. Making simple switches to healthier versions of products can reduce cholesterol levels and improve heart health.
13. Try a new food each month.
14. Don't leave the cereal box on the table in front of you while eating breakfast.
15. Eat 400 kilojoules less each day. If you shave little bits off each day, you don't need to go on a diet.
16. Downsize your portions. Don't give up your favourite foods, but don't binge on them either.
17. Walk to and from work as often as you can.
18. Downsize your latte - milky coffee has the equivalent kilojoules of a snack.
19. Don't skip meals - its easier to control your weight this way.
20. Eat breakfast!!!
21. Use cooking oil spray instead of bottled oil.
22. Choose the unprocessed versions of foods. Foods without labels are the healthiest you can have.
23. Stop adding salt to your food.
24. Swap kilojoule laden drinks such as soda, sports drinks, juice, cordial, full fat milk and alcohol for water, skim milk, soda water, diet cordial, diet soft drink and herbal, green or black tea.

[Amy :-)]

HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE SNIPPET #2

This is a summary of the article "How to Feel Full Without Gaining Weight" from the May 2009 issue

Appetite is about more than just physiological hunger. Research shows that people will eat their meals based on time rather than hunger signals (people with short-term memory loss will eat two meals consecutively if told its lunch time). We eat more when there is a greater choice of foods and if we are served large portions. Boredom, stress and grief also affect our appetite in different ways.
We don't have an internal gauge to tell us exactly when we are full or when we have eaten enough calories. What we experience is something called satiety: that feeling between not being hungry any more but not being uncomfortably full. To achieve satiety without overeating takes practice. We need to train ourselves to choose foods that are more satisfying and keep us feeling full for longer, and we also need to recognise when we become satisfied.

Eat Sweet Things and Cleanse the Palate
Many people crave sweet things after a meal. Usually a small amount can satisfy a craving, and the sweet taste signals to your body that the meal is finished. Fruit is a healthy option with no refined sugars, and can be chopped up into a fruit salad to make it more appealing. Drinking green tea is another effective way to cleanse the palate, and it is not associated with cakes or biscuits in the same way as black tea or coffee.

Get a Good Night's Sleep
Research is showing strong links between how long we sleep and our "hunger hormones", leptin (which supresses appetite) and ghrelin (which stimulates appetite). One study showed that sleeping for fewer than 7 hours and 45 minutes was associated with reduced leptin levels, elevated ghrelin levels and a higher BMI (Body Mass Index), which can all lead to overeating. Other studies on the effects of one or two days sleep deprivation have found similar changes in these hormones. The clear message emerging from these studies is to get a good night's sleep and your body will self-regulate its levels of hunger.

Eat Nuts
Studies have shown that there is a link between increasing nut consumption and decreasing BMI. It's believed that some of the fat contained in nuts is trapped within the nut's fibrous structure, so the body can't actually absorb it. Try replacing unhealthy, high-fat snacks for a small handful of mixed nuts.

Avoid Over-Stimulation
Too many different flavours in one meal stimulate the senses so much that we often end up eating more food. It's good to eat a variety of foods, but keep each meal relatively simple. One study found that when people were offered 3 different flavours of yoghurt, they ate 23% more than if they were only offered one.

Eat Soup as an Entree
Several studies have found that eating soup as an entree decreases hunger, increases fullness and reduces kilojoule intake at the subsequent meal. One studied showed that eating soup 30 minutes before eating lunch lead to a 20% decrease in the amount of kilojoules eaten at lunch.

No Skimpy Meals
It's a good idea to reduce portion size - most of us need to. But there is no point underfeeding yourself because it will only backfire later on. Start the day with high fibre cereal or toast, some protein such as eggs or yoghurt, and a piece of fruit. This will get your metabolism going and your brain functioning. And don't skip the carbohydrates at lunch and dinner - your body needs them for energy. Instead, have a balanced meal of carbs, protein and non-starchy vegetables.

Rate Your Hunger
To help get in touch with your body's hunger signals, ask yourself how hungry you are, both before and after a meal. Rating your hunger helps you recognise whether you're eating because you're truly hungry or whether you're bored or stressed. Lack of hunger at dinner time may mean you ate too much at lunch or your afternoon snack. Rating your hunger after eating helps you learn that you don't have to stuff yourself full to survive until your next meal. And remember that it the brain takes around 20 minutes to register that the stomach is full, so eat slowly!

Example Hunger Rating:
1. I could eat a horse.
2. I'm starving.
3. I'm hungry.
4. I'm a bit peckish.
5. I don't feel any hunger.
6. I'm satisfied.
7. I'm full and a bit uncomfortable.
8. I'm so full I can't move.

Ideally, hunger levels should always be between 3 (pre-meal) and 6 (post-meal).

[Tasty]

Thanks so much for typing all this out Amy. I love it and feel inspired. How much does that magazine cost and how often does it come out? And where do you get it as I haven't seen it around?

We have recently been discussing a lot of those topics in your healthy food guide summary #2 with friends and have to agree with them.

I'm also going to write out some of your points from your first snippet that I think would benefit me.

Thanks again

[Amy :-)]

No worries at all Tasty! Glad I can be of some help, and there's plenty more to come if you want it

The Healthy Food Guide Magazine comes out monthly and it costs $4.95. I'm just looking in the latest issue and it says a 12 month subscription is $49.90 (save 16%) and a 24 month subscription is $89.90 (save 33%). I used to buy mine from my local newsagency, but now I have a subscription so it gets delivered to my door

Their website is http://www.healthyfoodguide.com.au and there's heaps more info on there too.

[Delightful Den]

I had a bad day today. Started off good with an early morning start in the gym and a single slice of toast with baked beans. banana for morning tea, veges, 2 hard boiled eggs and an apple for lunch. Then I "accidentally" ate 3 biscuits while working late and that is when the wheels fell off.

After I got home from work my eating just escalated.  Pretty bad falling off the wagon after one day. Oh well I better jump back on for tomorrow.

[dede]

Oops Dash, oh well at least you recognized your bad day and tomorrow is a new day. I had a bad day on my second day for DHs birthday. But I have been good for the rest of the week.
Weigh day today for me. Will report back later once I have jumped on those dreaded scales

[dede]

Ok drum roll please.................…................I have lost 1.5kg
Down from 78 -76.5kg
Very happy with my first week. Bring on week 2.

[Amy :-)]

Ok drum roll please.................…................I have lost 1.5kg
Down from 78 -76.5kg
Very happy with my first week. Bring on week 2.

WELL DONE MANDI!!!

That's a good amount to be losing each week for healthy weight loss. Don't try and lose more than that each week though otherwise you will shock your body too much

Thats a great effort for your first week! Well done again!

[Halex]

Fantastic 1.5kgs is huge

Keep the exercise up

[dede]

Thanks Amy, I'm pretty happy with that. I don't expect to loose that amount or more each week. Any loss I will be happy with.
I'm heading towards that penguin

[Amy :-)]

Thanks Amy, I'm pretty happy with that. I don't expect to loose that amount or more each week. Any loss I will be happy with.
I'm heading towards that penguin

LOL that penguin better watch out!

[Delightful Den]

Well done Mandi.  Keep up the good work.