Week five

Well here we are in week five and I'm finding this healthy eating lark the easiest of all the diet and get fit schemes I've done. Don't get me wrong, the junk food cravings are still there, the need to comfort eat has not gone away, but the cravings haven't manifested into obsession like they normally do when I am dieting.

I don't want to sound like I am bashing diet plans, some are very well constructed and work well for people, I love Slimming World eating plans and did well on them, but I found I slipped back into my old eating habits and piled on the weight again, so this time round I'm trying to find a sensible approach to food that I can live with for the rest of my life. I need to find a way to live with a food addiction, or whatever is wrong inside my head. This time I am learning what foods I can eat healthily and learning to listen to my body and how it responds to the food I eat.

So this last week I got another bad carbohydrate craving, but I am happy that a couple of slices of wholemeal toast and peanut butter knocked them out pretty quickly. Usually food cravings for me, turn into an all consuming obsession as I eat mindlessly through piles of refined sugar and carbohydrates trying to satisfy an unfulfillable need. It is hard to explain, but I need to eat, I imagine this is how alcoholics feel when needing to drink. You know it is bad for you but it doesn't matter, you just feel better whilst eating, even to the point of feeling ill.

This week I had chocolate for the first time in five weeks. I thought that seeing as I have now been off the junk completely for over a month, I would try to see if I could introduce chocolate into my diet without it resulting in the total breakdown of the plan. I bought 3 mini packs of Cadbury's buttons, so that if the worst happened, and I scarfed the lot, I couldn't do too much damage. That afternoon I was working at my desk and decided to crack open the buttons. My taste buds were all a quiver at the prospect of chocolate, but surprisingly the taste of that first button wasn't as satisfying as I anticipated. I don't know if my taste has changed in the last few weeks, but the chocolate didn't give me the usual pleasure hit that it used to. The flavour and texture was nice, but a small bag that would have lasted me all but a few minutes, now sat half eaten on my desk when I went to bed.

Next weeks experiment, I plan to face my nemesis, the Biscuit. 

Dietary Fiber: The important non food

We know we should eat whole grain cereals, wholewheat bread and the magical five a day, as they are a good source of dietary fiber, but what is it and what does it do for us?

Fiber is the the part of plants our digestive system can't break down and use, so in reality it passes through us and provides no nutritional value, essentially a non food. There are two types of fiber in our diet, soluble and insoluble. Pectin and gum are water-soluble fibers found inside plant cells. Cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin are fibers found in the plant's cell walls are water insoluble. Each type of fiber serves a different purpose in our gut.

Water soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like material. It can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Soluble fiber is found in peas, beans, citrus fruits, carrots, barley, oats and apples.

Insoluble fiber helps ease the movement of material through your digestive system, a diet without enough fiber can result in diarrhea or constipation. Whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans and vegetables, such as cauliflower, green beans and potatoes, are good sources of insoluble fiber.

Current research indicates that for optimal benefits you should eat around 14g of fiber per 1000 calories, reducing this slightly if you are over 50.

	....	Under 50	Over 50
Men		38g	30g
Women		25g	21g

Tips for eating more fiber

Considering a fist sized, 250g baked potato has five and a half grams of fiber, consuming 38g a day can be quite an effort. Here are a few tips for how I try to cram in the fiber.

Whole grains, this is the obvious one, eat whole grain cereal and bread.

Add flax meal to your food, as one table spoon contains nearly two grams of fiber. I add it to baked beans on toast, soup, bolognese and chilli, by stirring in one or two tablespoons just prior to serving. You can also stir into things like yogurt and coleslaw, but I haven't tried these yet.

A glass of citrus fruit juice with your breakfast, a typical 200 ml glass of OJ gives you and extra half a gram of fiber plus counts towards one of your five a day.

Add chopped fruit to a yogurt, not only does it add fiber, but add a little extra bulk to your snack, which will keep you full longer.

Porridge is not only a good source of fiber, but add in a table spoon of sliced almonds, a table spoon of raisins and some flax meal sweetened with a little honey, gives you a filling low calorie breakfast with nearly four and a half grams of fiber.

Don't peel fruit and veg with edible skins, rather just wash and eat whole.

Lentils or split peas can be added to stews, bolognese or chilli in smallish amounts without effecting the taste, and will add a fiber boost. Or just try split pea soup, maybe with a little lean ham chopped up for added protein. 

Beans on toast is a 'classic' British dish, but this humble staple of student life, when made with wholewheat or wholemeal bread, contains over 16g of fiber. Add a spoon full of flax meal and you can get well over half your daily fiber in one meal.

One word of caution, add fiber to you diet slowly over a number of weeks. Don't just jump from a low fiber diet of burger and chips to wholegrain everything with a side salad over night. Your gut won't have time to adjust, leading to cramps, gas, diarrhea or constipation.


The Science:
The Mayo Clinic: Nutrition and healthy eating
Food and Nutrition Board: Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. September 5, 2002

5 A Day

The government have decided to promote the idea that we should all eat at least five portions of fruit and veg, every day to help keep us healthy. But where did they get the number from?

It turns out that the original five a day was started as the “National five-a-day for better health” program in the USA in 1991 as a partnership between the National Cancer Institute and the Produce for Better Health Foundation. The original program was launched with no actual science to back it up and it has been claimed to have been little more than a marketing ploy by the Institute and the Produce for Better Health Foundation members, which coincidentally turn out to represent most of the US fruit and vegetable growers, and some of the companies that produce the fungicides, insecticides and herbicides used on the crops.

Several organisations have tried to reverse engineer some science into the slogan, but opinions still vary as to how effective five portions of fruit and veggies at countering illness and obesity. This doesn't mean we shouldn't stop eating our veggies, rather we should look at what we are eating and try to make sure we are eating good food.

My theory is that if we look at our bodies and in particular our teeth, it is a safe bet that we evolved to eat a varied or omnivorous diet, just like our relatives the apes. And it is very rare to see an obese chimp in the wild, so we would do well to imitate their diet. Now even on my most enthusiastic healthy eating days I couldn't eat the same food as chimps, but making sure I eat plenty of raw fruit and veggies, lean meat, seeds, grains and natural oils and fats, I get good food my body can utilise correctly. Highly processed foods, take away, packet foods etc all contain abnormally high levels of nutritionally poor calories. What I am finding is the more food I eat that I have cooked or prepared from raw ingredients, the better I feel both physically and mentally.

So don't stress if you can't manage five portions of fruit and veggies every day, but do pay careful attention to what you do eat. Read the ingredients and the small print and understand what you are really eating. Try to make informed and healthy choices and your body will reward you.



The Science:
Paolo Boffetta et al, “Fruit and vegetable intake and overall cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)”, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, (April 2010).

Peri-peri chicken

The fiery taste of peri peri chicken is hard to beat. The original peri peri is said to come from Africa, when the Portuguese explorers first encountered the pili-pili, which is the Swahili name for the notorious birds eye chilli. They blended it with herbs, spices, lemon and vinegar to form what we know as peri peri.

This is not as good as my favorite Nandos peri peri, but this is a healthy option that I can cook at home.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, skinned and spatchcocked

6 fresh red chillies, more if you want it hotter
1 tbsp garlic, blanched and chopped
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp oregano
½ tbsp paprika
60 ml olive oil
50 ml red wine vinegar



How to:

1. Roast the chillies in a 180°C oven for about 10 minutes and allow to cool.
2. Chop the chillies and mix with the garlic, sea salt, oregano, paprika, olive oil and vinegar in a pan and simmer for 2 -3 minutes.
3. Let the mixture cool and then blitz to a puree.
4. Baste the chicken with half the sauce mix and place in a bowl and cover with film and let it marinade in the fridge for at least an hour.
5. Cook the chicken in a 200°C oven for 30 - 40 minutes, or until the juices run out clear. Basting occasionally with the remaining sauce mix. You can start the chicken off in a griddle pan to add that BBQ look. 
6. Serve with golden rice and a green leafy salad and a side of home made coleslaw.

Serves 4

The dreaded gym

Losing weight is basically a simple calculation, consume less calories than you expend during the day. Sounds simple but when you are over weight even normal chores can be exhausting, so the thought of trying a workout at the gym is close to impossible. Another factor that makes gyms an unattractive option is that thought that you will be watched by all the fit and skinny regulars, destroying and remaining self confidence you had.

Your body also conspires to keep you out of the gym, the stress the extra weight places on your body causes joint pain, blood pressure problems and you are already fatigued from walking across the car park. It also turns out that fat is metabolically active and secretes hormones that contribute to low grade, chronic inflammation, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The net result is your excess body fat causes you to feel like crap before you even start.

I'm recovering from a serious back injury and really don't want to aggravate it by doing something daft in the name of getting fit, so my plan is to scour the web for exercise ideas that are low impact, free and will start me on the route to conventional exercise. Here is a list of some of the things I have found and am planning to try this week.

1. Toothbrush squats, we all spend 2 minutes stood passively at the sink brushing our teeth every morning, staring vacantly into space. The idea is to do gentle knee bends or squats whilst brushing. The sink or wall will provide a bit of stability if needed at first.
2. Sinkercise, when stood at the sink, stand on one leg. This simple exercise will work your bodies core muscles improving your balance and posture. Try to do this without holding on to the sink or counter top, the slight wobble is what you are aiming to control with your abdominal muscles.
3. Deskerobics, if you find you spend a lot of your day sat at a desk, during your screen breaks, take a moment to do some stretches. Hold each stretch for a couple of seconds, then relax and repeat.
4. Become the office beverage distribution officer, be the one to walk round the office, collect the cups and mugs and make the teas and coffees. Not a huge effort, but the extra mileage on each tea break adds up. Just steer clear of the biscuit box.
5. Stand up whilst on the phone, walk around if you have a cordless phone. You could also try slowly raising yourself up on to tip toe, holding for a couple of seconds then slowing relaxing. This will help strengthen your legs and ankles, but also work your abdominal core.
6. Adverticise, whilst watching TV during each advert break, slowly raise each leg in turn, and hold for as long as you can, then slowly lower your leg, then switch legs. If you are finding this is getting easier, rest a cushion on your foot and try it with the additional weight. You can also add arm stretching and raises to your adverticise routine.
7. This one is for the guys, rather than performing the heroes walk, where you manage to get all the shopping in from the car in a single finger crippling journey, make a trip for each bag, you will increase the distance walked. To add a bit of upper body workout, carry the bag away from your body, at arms length. Mind your back with heavy bags.

One tip I think is going to be helpful is to make 3 lists, the first should be easy activities. The second list should be moderately difficult and the third list should be difficult activities. Each day plan to do three items from list one, two from the second list and one from the third list. Each week re-evaluate your lists and as activities get easier, move them to a different list. Then each month you can compare lists from previous months to monitor your progress.

One word of caution though, diving into any form of exercise when overweight can be potentially dangerous, so make sure you are careful, listen to your body for warning signs and have a chat with your doctor.


The Science:
ACS: New evidence that fat cells are not just dormant storage depots for calories 
Dr. Nicholas Perricone, MD, CNS

Omega 3

So I have heard all over the place that I should be eating oily fish each week to make sure I am getting plenty of omega-3. But I don't like fish, especially the oily kinds, so what should I be doing and what is this omega 3 stuff anyway? Is it just another 'miracle cure all' peddled by the food supplement industry, or is it something we actually need?

What is omega 3? Or to give it it's proper name, omega-3 fatty acids, are polyunsaturated fatty acids needed by the body for essential bodily functions, such as blood clotting and building cell membranes in the brain. Our bodies cannot make these fatty acids itself, so we need to get them from our diet.  

There are two types of fatty acids, one sort is found in nuts, seeds (and seed oil) and some dark green leaf vegetables, the second type is found in fatty fish. Your body needs both kinds of fatty acid, but the good news is that some of the first type of omega 3 you consume is converted to the second type. Science isn't sure how much, and if it is enough on its own, but studies of vegetarians who never consume oily fish have sufficient type 2 fatty acid when eating a diet rich in type one fatty acid.

So with a sensible diet, that contains a balanced source of nutrients, you don't need to take any supplements. If you struggle to get enough of the vegetable based omega 3, fish oil supplements are a good alternative.

Personally I don't want to take fish oil pills every day, so have opted to try to include as much omega 3 rich foods into my diet. So I eat a couple of brazil nuts each day as they provide other essential nutrients. I have also started to add flax-meal to my cooking and as well as being a good source of omega 3, it is also high in fiber, 2 table spoons providing 15% of my daily requirement and 132% of omega 3 (alpha-linolenic acid, type one).

So to answer my original questions, yes we need omega 3 but we don't have to believe the food supplement merchants, a balanced diet will provide enough omega 3 for a healthy body.

The Science:
Harvard School of Public Health: Omega-3 Fatty Acids 
Muskiet FA, Fokkema MR, Schaafsma A, Boersma ER, Crawford MA. Is docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) essential? Lessons from DHA status regulation, our ancient diet, epidemiology and randomized controlled trials. J Nutr. 2004;134(1):183-186. 
Cunnane SC. Problems with essential fatty acids: time for a new paradigm? Prog Lipid Res. 2003;42(6):544-568 

Week four

Well I'm just about four weeks in to my new life style and I'm surprised as to how well I am feeling. I still suffer with cravings and the need to comfort eat, but apart from a few minor wobbles I'm doing well.

This week however I when I had to pull my belt in another notch, I decided to measure the distance between the last hole on my belt (where I started) and the 5th hole I used for the first time today. It was an amazing 11.5 centimeters, or 4 1/2 inches for the old folks out there. I admit in the great scheme of things I still have a huge way to go, but 11 and a half centimeters in just four weeks has left me with a grin a mile wide.

Another thing I noticed this week was walking around our village in the summer heat wasn't killing me. I felt like I was walking not waddling for the first time in ages and that made me feel good. This healthy living lark isn't easy, not by a long shot, but I find focusing on these small milestones or feelings of achievement really help, especially when I feel a dip coming on. All the good intentions in the world are no match for a mood dip and the need to eat to satisfy an emotional need. But remembering how I felt when I noticed a change in my body, that feeling of accomplishment, pride and well being does go some way in fighting the need for food.

I thought I had finally rid myself of the carbohydrate cravings, but they were back again this week. Luckily I had a massive computer project to complete this week, so I managed to distract myself with an awful lot of programming and only one minor wobble, but I am happy to report that the wobble only consisted of an extra 2 small slices of wholemeal bread and a soft cheese pretzel from Tesco. I'm happy that when I did falter I made a controlled choice and did not resort to mindless eating that I would have succumbed to only a month ago.

So with a smaller waist and a lighter step, we head off towards month two and August.

P.S. The numbers for the Tesco pretzel are; Calories 315 and 5g of fat (1g saturated). So for falling off the wagon, it wasn't such a bad slip.

A healthy fry up?

Is there really such a thing as a healthy fry up? Not really, but there are ways to help make it healthier by reducing the fat levels and upping the dietary fiber with extra veggies.

I love bacon and in its natural form its loaded with fat, most of which is saturated, which is the sort that gives us the bad cholesterol that your doctor loves to worry you about. If you trim ALL of the visible fat from the bacon and grill it, you can significantly reduce the fat and calorie levels to an acceptable level.

Stage two, no more fried eggs, rather scramble them, try poaching them or throw them in an omelet, to restore them to health food status. In either scrambled eggs or omelets I add a generous splash of either Tabasco or hot sauce to pep it up a little. If you want to up your veggie intake via your breakfast 'fry up' then adding chopped onion, peppers and mushrooms and 15g of grated cheddar to the omelet is a tasty way to do it.

Get a big hit of fiber from a portion of baked beans. One serving of beans can be counted as one of your five a day. For preference, choose reduced sugar and salt beans, to further lower the impact of your feast. They are high in protein which your body needs for building new muscle and keeping what muscle you have healthy. They also counter cholesterol and contain antioxidants to fight those pesky free radicals.

Add in a few grilled mushrooms and a grilled tomato on the side.

Finally I add either a slice of wholemeal toast, without butter or spread, as the bean juice is more than enough to soften it up a little. Or more recently I replace the toast with one of my wife's blueberry pancakes topped with a teaspoon of maple syrup, which goes really well with the bacon.

Overall this meal could never be classed as health food, but eaten occasionally as part of a balanced diet, it does go a long way to alleviating the craving for the full fat version.

Don't get blue, get blueberry!

Blueberries increase the production of the feel good chemical dopamine. So when you are feeling blue, reach for the happy berry.

Blueberries also contain catchins, that according to research at Tufts University, when eaten regularly can boost weight loss and increases the amount of abdominal fat lost when consumed as part of a healthy diet.

Blueberries are also reported to have beneficial effects in the brain, protecting it from some environmental toxins. Researchers have dicovered in animal studies, that compounds found in blueberries may reverse some age related memory loss and motor skills decline.

Blueberries contain significant levels of the phytonutrient quercetin, which may reduce the likelihood and severity of allergies. Good news for hay fever sufferers, like me. The little blue fruit also contains salicylic acid, commonly known as aspirin, which is proven to thin the blood. They are a good source of anti-inflammatory chemicals which can reduce age related inflammation and cell damage.

My wife found a good recipe on the web and adapted it slightly to make it a little more healthy. Please note though, these pancakes are not wonder foods, you still need to exercise restraint and only eat them sensibly.

Wholewheat blueberry buttermilk pancakes

Ingredients:

125g wholemeal flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 egg
250ml low fat buttermilk
45g of vegetable oil
85g crushed blueberries

How to:

1. Mix buttermilk, egg and oil and pour into the dry ingredients.
2. Mix lightly until the dry ingredients are all incorporated. Do not over work the mix.
3. Fold in the blueberries.
4. Spritz a heavy bottomed frying pan with Fry light, or other spray oil and set the heat to medium and allow the pan to heat up.
5. Spoon a generous dessert spoon of mixture into the pan and cook until brown on both sides.

 Makes 12 -16 pancakes.

These pancakes freeze well and can be reheated, from frozen, under a grill for a couple of minutes on each side. Serve with a teaspoon of maple syrup on each pancake (around 17 calories for a teaspoon of syrup). I like them as part of a healthier fry up breakfast.



The science:
Tufts Journal: catechins effect on abdominal fat.

Shift that ass

So its about time I faced that dirty word, 'exercise'. We all know how it is supposed to be good for us, but when you are morbidly obese just the thought of a planned exercise session is enough to tire you out.

Now that I have lost some weight, I am starting to feel lighter and a lot of the every day aches and pains are less noticeable. I am also feeling less head fug. When combined the thought of exercise isn't that bad. However I'm in no fit state to start preparing for a half marathon. So how to get more active without ending up in A&E? Well my first ploy was to not park as close to the place I was going, I parked on the far side of the supermarket car park, whilst in town I used the out of town park and ride, which drops you on the main street in town, which means walking around town, rather than hopping into the car between shops.

This might not seem like a huge effort to fit people, but try giving a piggyback to another person for a couple of hundred yards, then you know what it feels like. I'm not looking for sympathy, I accept that I ate those pizzas and burgers and scarfed down those sweets, for whatever reasons I had at the time. But when faced with exercise, obese people really struggle to even get started and sometimes a small fail early on can deter further efforts. So small steps and easily achievable goals is a positive step forward, no matter how small.

So back to my active plan; I have also made a conscious effort to make sure when I need something from upstairs, I go get it, rather than think that it is too much effort and do without. I also make a point of getting up from the computer, whilst working at least once an hour and walking about a bit. It helps with concentration as well as burning a few more calories.

If the thought of an exercise DVD fills you with dread, then pick up your mp3 player, crank up your favorite dance music and have fun. With the curtains closed and the door firmly shut, enjoying a personal boogie can burn off a few extra calories. You might feel a little self conscious at first, but just feel the music and shake your butt in time to the beat.

Love a spud

Start a diet, cut out potatoes, that's what all the diet gurus seem to say, but lets hold on a moment before we bash the humble spud.

Potatoes are a very good source of complex carbohydrates, the wonderful stuff that gives you that full feeling, and makes sure you feel fuller longer. It is also a very good source of fiber, your average baked 'tater will provide between 10-15% of your daily recommended amount of dietary fiber.

Now we get on to the host of vitamins and essential minerals contained in this humble vegetable. Vitamin B1 or thiamine is used in the body to help digest food and is also used by the brain. B6 next and this is a hard working vitamin, it is used all over the body from digestion, to the nervous system and the blood amongst other uses.

I was surprised to discover the spud provides nearly half as much vitamin C as a fresh orange and almost a quarter more potassium than the banana.

Spuds are good source of Magnesium, Zinc and copper which are all used along with calcium to build strong bones and teeth. They also contain iron, which is needed for healthy blood. Folic acid is needed by the blood and again the potato is a good source.

Our dumpy little friend is one of the ultimate low fat foods, it has about 0.01% fat per 100g, so next time you fancy a nutritious and low fat meal, love a spud.

Low fat wedges

Ingredients:

Potatoes
Fry light
seasoning


How to:

1. Cut the potatoes into wedges, leaving the skin on.
2. Par boil the wedges for about 5 - 10 minutes or until they are just tender.
3. Drain the potatoes and spritz with 3 to 5 squirts of Fry light, or other spray oil.
4. Arrange on a single layer on a baking sheet and spritz the wedges again.
5. Bake in a hot oven (200 degrees) for around 20 or 25 minutes, turning once.

You can add different seasonings before baking, I like adding a dry BBQ seasoning myself, but they work well with all sorts of dry seasoning.

These wedges are low in fat, but just be wary low fat doesn't mean low calorie, so just as with any carbohydrate, they shouldn't take up more that a quarter of your plate.

They are very nice when dipped in cool Tzatziki along with a crisp Greek salad and a good feta cheese.

Week three

Well I am now three weeks in to this attempt at getting healthy and despite a couple of wobbles I'm still feeling positive about it all. My clothes are no longer tight and my belt needs to be done up another hole tighter. More good news my blood pressure is now back in the normal range, so I won't be needing to start blood pressure medication.

I am pleasantly surprised on how much better I am feeling after only three weeks of eating a healthy balanced diet and starting to increase my activity level. I am starting to lose my short attention span and regain a clear head when faced with challenging mental tasks. I didn't realise how much diet can effect cognitive skills, but my own experience is proving the fact for me.

Cool as a cucumber

This unusual British summer weather has awakened a passion for salad this week, which is strange as I have always seen salad as a side dish to ignore as best as possible whilst enjoying the BBQ meat. But my sister has given me a really simple Greek Tzatziki recipe which is really nice in the hot weather and goes well with salad.

Tzatziki is made primarily from Greek yogurt and cucumber and whilst researching this blog article I was surprised by a few of the facts I discovered about the unassuming cucumber.

Cucumbers are almost all water, around 95%, which makes it a great food to help keep you hydrated. In hot weather to avoid health problems you should make sure you consume more fluids or eat more hydrating fruit and veggies, such as cucumber, melon etc.

Cucumbers are known to contain lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol – three natural antioxidants that may reduce the risk of some forms of cancer. They are also a rich source of potassium, magnesium and dietary fiber which all help to regulate blood pressure.

They are an aid to digestion and can help alleviate heartburn and other digestive disorders by helping to flush toxins out of the body. Cucumbers are also a good source of vitamins A, B1, B6, C & D, Folic acid, Calcium as well as Magnesium and Potassium mentioned earlier.

Cucumber juice has been found to be beneficial for the diabetic patients. This vegetable contains a hormone needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin.

Finally it tastes really nice in Tzatziki...

Ingredients:

160g pot of Total 0% Greek yogurt
1/2 cucumber
2 tsp good olive oil
1 clove of crushed garlic

How to:

1. Grate the cucumber, then squeeze out as much water as possible and set aside. (Save the cucumber water in a small clean bowl)
2. Measure out the oil and add to the yogurt along with the crushed garlic.
3. Stir in the squeezed cucumber and once well mixed, set aside for at least an hour, longer if possible.
4. Dip a couple of cotton wool pads in the cucumber juice and lay back and place gently over your closed eyes. Enjoy the soothing feeling as your Tzatziki chills in the fridge.

Does fasting work?

More and more scientists are looking into fasting and intermittent fasting (IF) as an aid to control obesity and its potential health benefits. However research is still in its infancy and there are as yet no hard facts as to the long term benefits to fasting in humans.

After reading much of the science on this topic and experimenting myself with intermittent fasting I am surprised at the ease that I have adapted to this kind of eating. Whilst the diet books suggest either the 5:2 plan, where you cut your calorie intake to 500/600 calories  (women/men intake levels) for two days of the week and eat whatever you want on the remaining five days. Or the alternate day fasting where you reduce the times you can eat to between 11am and 7pm, every other day. I found that listening to my own body provided me with natural times where I wasn't hungry and so didn't eat. From an early age we have been taught to eat at set times of the day and so most of us are habitual eaters. Combine this trend with the availability of easily accessible, highly refined foods, we end up with an obesity problem.

Look back to our ancestors or our primate cousins and we find that they are opportunistic eaters. They spend a lot of time being physically active finding their food, and they don't eat processed foods and as a result don't get fat. We have evolved to eat when food is available and to efficiently store excess calories for lean times. I have found that by ignoring the clock when it comes to eating and listening to my body, fasting comes naturally. Frequently I wake and don't feel hungry till mid morning or sometimes mid afternoon, at that point I eat a healthy balanced meal.

The hard part is learning to distinguish actual hunger from the cravings I get for sweet and fatty foods. The cravings are difficult and in my opinion akin to the overwhelming need alcoholics express for another drink. They are however beatable and every day it gets a little easier to ignore the sugar beast.

The problem I see with the 5:2 or IF plans is that people assume that on the feast days they can do just that, feast, but they feast on all the foods that our body finds easiest to store as fat. Put simply our bodies burn food as fuel, you need some fuel for your body to tick over and some to provide energy for your daily activities, plus essential nutrients and vitamins to keep your body healthy. If you put less calories in to your body, your body is programmed to release the fuel it stored as fat to keep you alive.

The reason fasting seems to work well and has additional health benefits beyond weight loss and the factors associated with weight loss, is that during fast periods reduced levels of the insulin like growth hormone somatomedin C (IGF-1) causes our bodies to switch from growth mode to repair mode. This switch in cell function has shown in various animal studies that the effects of aging and some forms of cancer are reduced.

We are however in the early days of fasting science, so don't believe the hype from the people selling you this new miracle diet. Getting healthy is going to involve work and a lot of common sense. Fasting as part of a balanced diet can work for some people but not everyone. Whilst a 900 calorie meal of burger and fries is not off the menu in any balanced diet, common sense should tell you there might be a slightly healthier compromise and that this type of food should be a monthly occurrence, not daily.

The Science:
V. D. Longo - Evidence for Programmed Aging
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition July 2007: 86(1); 7-13
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 1991:74(4); 757-765 (PDF)

Asian salmon soup bowl

This is a quick and simple lunch time soup. We have all heard that we should eat oily fish every week as it is high in Omega-3 fatty acids, but do you actually know what this does for you?

Omega-3 fatty acids help to lower your LDL cholesterol and raise your HDL cholesterol. It also helps to repair heart damage and strengthen the heart muscles whilst aiding in lowering blood pressure, which all reduces the risk of heart disease.

Salmon also contains vitamins A, B and D as well as the minerals calcium, iron, phosphorus and selenium, all of which form part of a balanced healthy diet. These vitamins and minerals combined with the Omga-3 fatty acids work to protect your nervous system from the effects of aging. Some studies have shown that regular consumption of salmon could lower your risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson disease.

The omega-3 and selenium in salmon helps in reducing depression and lifting mood. A review of five studies published in "Nutritional Neuroscience" found a clear relationship between poorer mood and low dietary selenium.

The fresh ginger in the recipe also has numerous health benefits ranging from anti-inflammatory properties to anti viral, anti toxic, and anti fungal properties, and is used for the prevention of and treatment against the common cold. 


Ingredients:

625 ml chicken stock
1 tbsp lime or lemon juice
2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
60 g medium or fine egg noodles
1 medium carrot, very thinly sliced
150 g salmon, cooked, skinless and boneless
30g mange tout halved diagonally or asparagus chopped in small pieces
2 spring onions, sliced


How to:

1. In saucepan, bring to boil the stock, lime juice, ginger root and chilli flakes. 
2. Stir in the noodles and carrot; simmer 4 minutes.
3. Add salmon, mange tout and spring onions; continue simmering for 2 minutes or until heated through.
4. Serve in bowls.

If you don't like salmon you could substitute fresh tuna fish and still reap all the benefits of the Omega-3 fatty acids. For those of you that are not keen on fish, then you could also try this with finely diced leftover cooked chicken or pork.

The science:
http://umm.edu Alzheimer's disease

Hunters chicken

This is an indulgent BBQ chicken dish that has all the taste of the restaurant staple but a healthier option with less fat and calories. I did a rough calculation that each portion works out at around 380 calories and if you leave out the cheese, you can save a further 60 calories.

I have to point out this is not diet food, this is a healthier option than going out to a restaurant. For me getting fit and losing weight is trying to find a better way of eating and living. I could go on a very strict diet and cut out all fat, sugar and reduce my carbohydrate intake, but in the the long run I fall back into my old eating habits as the eating plans for most diets are not easily sustainable. This dish along with others I will post are to help me learn to eat better, less processed food.

Ingredients:

4 small boneless chicken breasts
4 rashers of lean bacon with all the fat removed
4 slices of strong cheddar, 3mm thick (optional)

1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
100g malt vinegar
100g tomato puree
75g honey or golden syrup
100ml beef stock

How to:

1. Sweat the onions and garlic in a small pan until just transparent. You don't need oil, just a non stick pan and frequent stirring.
2. Add the vinegar, tomato puree, honey or syrup and stock to the pan and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes till the sauce thickens.
3. Place the chicken in an oven proof dish, place a slice of cheese on the chicken and then cover with a rasher of bacon. Place in the middle of your oven and set it to 190°C (I don't like wasting electricity waiting for the oven to heat up, so I have added an extra 5-10 minutes to allow for this)
4. After the chicken has been cooking for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and spoon the BBQ sauce over the chicken and return it to the oven for 20 - 25 minutes depending on your own oven
5. Once the chicken is cooked all the way through, serve with either rice and some green veggies.

Serves 4

I usually make this for two people and make the sauce up as above and freeze half for next time. To save more calories you could swap the honey or syrup with some low calorie sweetener, but personally I think the calories in this dish are worth it for the taste, and I just forgo a dessert.

Healthy Chilli

As I mentioned in a previous post I like Mexican food and our chilli is no exception. It is a hearty meal and packed full of spicy flavour. Like my recipe for spaghetti bolognaise, its a great choice for emergency food as it freezes well and can be defrosted and reheated in the microwave really quickly. It can also be used to make a variety of other Mexican dishes with a few extra ingredients, such as chilli burritos and chimichangas.


Ingredients:

500g Lean minced beef
3 finely chopped, large onions
3 finely chopped peppers (I find red, yellow and orange taste best)
1 grated cougette
3 grated carrots
3 stalks of finely chopped celery
500g passata
2 tins chopped tomatoes
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 400g tin of beans (kidney or haricot beans, drained)
5 beef Oxo cubes

1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
1/2 tsp cumin
 2 tsp hot chilli powder
1 tsp chilli flakes
(Add the spices to your own taste and preference for heat)


How to:

1. In a large non stick pot over a medium high heat, sweat off the onion, garlic carrot and celery. Once the onions have turned translucent throw in the peppers and courgette and turn the heat down to medium.
2. In a non stick frying pan cook the mince over a medium high heat. You really don't need any oil to fry food. The secret is to keep the heat a bit lower than when you cook with oil and pay attention to the food, stirring it frequently. Once the meat is almost cooked crumble in the Oxo cubes, turn the heat down to medium and finish cooking the mince.
3. Add the cooked mince to the big veggie pot and pour in the passata, chopped tomatoes, beans and spices. Bring the pot back to the boil and then turn the heat down to low and simmer for at least two hours. We cook ours for 2-3 hours when we have the time. Stir occasionally and after an hour check the taste. We like a medium hot chilli, but feel free to add more heat if you feel the need.
4. Serve with rice.
5. Divide the remaining sauce into portions and freeze. 

Serves 6-8

Stuffing your face

Have you ever sat watching TV whilst mindlessly piling food into your face? If the answer is yes, and in my case, frequently, read on.

No matter how well you think you can multitask, the human brain can only truly focus on a single task at any one time. So in reality whilst we are concentrating on the TV, we are not paying attention to our food or what our body is telling us about that food.

It can take up to 20 minutes for our stomach to report back to us that we have eaten enough, whilst eating on autopilot we tend to eat more quickly. This allows us to eat more before our stomach reports in that we are full. This probably worked well for our hunter-gatherer ancestors, but our bodies have not evolved to live in times of permanent plenty. When food was scarce we needed to fill up with as much as we could and as fast as we could to out consume the competition. Nowadays we have all the food that we need on hand. We need to evolve our eating habits.

There are many different ways we can slow down our food consumption and learn to listen to our bodies own regulation systems.

Don't eat whilst doing anything else. Sit at a table, away from the TV, your computer or any other distraction. Focus on your food, enjoy the taste and texture of your meal. It can help if you make a little extra effort when dishing up your food. Rather than just dumping it on a plate, take some time to present it as if you were going to serve the dish to friends at a dinner party. Top chefs understand that presentation is just as important as taste, you will enjoy your food more if it looks nice too.

Put your knife and fork down between bites. This might sound a bit childish but it works by letting you concentrate on the food in your mouth, rather than concentrating on loading up your next mouthful. It slows down your eating and lets your stomach tell your brain it's full before you have a chance to over eat.

Make time for your meal. In today's busy world it seems like a lot of us never get a chance to stop, this is particularly true at meal times. I frequently eat at my desk whilst working through lunch.
I try now to get out of the office, sit outside and enjoy my food. This has two benefits, firstly I can really enjoy my food, I can focus on the flavour of my food. Secondly the time away from my desk allows me to have a mental break and return, refreshed, nourished and relaxed.

Variety is the spice of life. When dieting or eating on any health regime, it is very easy to get stuck in a rut of easy to prepare meals. Eating the same foods every day will soon get us switching off our minds during dinner. Whip out the recipe books or fire up the computer, there are thousands of low fat, healthy menu ideas out there. Even your favorites can usually be made without the fat and sugar the recipe normally asks for. You just need to fire up your imagination.

So the message is simple, make time for your meal, focus on what you eat and make sure you choose interesting food.

Chicken fajita

I love Mexican food, there is something about the distinct flavours and spicy chillies that really appeals to me. One of my favourites is fajitas, but the restaurant style dish is loaded with fat. Here is my take on the Mexican classic with almost no fat.

Researchers from Purdue University, in America have conducted a study on the effects of red chilli peppers on metabolism and appetite. The results show that adding a sprinkling of chilli to your meal helps reduce the craving for salty, sweet and fatty foods. The study's results also indicate that the chillies also increased energy expenditure. It has to be said that the researcher only used a small group of test subjects for their study, and that further work needs to be done to further verify the findings. However it does give you another reason to indulge in a hot and spicy, healthy meal.  

Ingredients:

200g skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into strips
2 onions, sliced into strips
2 peppers of various colours, sliced into strips
15g Discovery Fajita Seasoning (half of the 30g packet)

4 Healthy flour tortillas
Salsa
Quark low fat cheese (to replace sour cream)

How to:

1. Mix the chicken with the fajita seasoning and put to one side
2. Dry fry the onions and pepper strips in a good non stick pan until they are soft and just starting to pick up a bit of colour, then put to one side
3. In the same pan, throw in the chicken and dry fry until the chicken is cooked through
4. Return the veggies to the pan to bring the veggies back up to heat them through.
5. Serve in a tortilla wrap with salsa and Quark

Serves 2

Although the Quark cheese isn't a perfect replacement for sour cream, it does reduce the calorie count of the meal.

Links to the science

Ludy MJ, Mattes RD. The effects of hedonically acceptable red pepper doses on thermogenesis and appetite. Physiology & Behavior 2011 102; 251-258

Sticky chicken

I'm trying to broaden my choice of carbohydrates away from potatoes for my evening meals. I'm not a fan of plain rice and really don't like the flavour of brown rice. I've been trying Batchelors Super rice instead, so far I have tried and enjoyed the golden and beef flavours, both are really nice. I have also tried the chicken flavour, which is ok but not my favorite. Half a pack is only 216 calories with 1.3 grams of fat, so its a good healthy choice.

Rice is an important staple of any healthy diet. This food is an exceptional source of complex carbohydrates. Rice is one reason why Asian diets are so low in saturated fat. While we tend to view rice as a side dish to our meat, Asians view rice as the focus of the meal. Increasing the amount of rice and reducing the quantity of meat in a meal helps reduce your saturated fat intake.

I like this sticky chicken served with golden rice and broccoli with a little finely chopped spring onion to garnish the rice.


Ingredients:

1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
240g (Approx 2) chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped


How to:

1. Mix together the honey, vinegar and soy sauce. 
2. Toss the chicken cubes, onion and pepper in the marinade mix to coat thoroughly, and leave to stand for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
3. Heat a frying pan, add the chicken cubes and marinade. Cook on a high heat for about 20 minutes, until all the liquid has turned into a sticky sauce. Stir regularly to prevent burning.
4. When the chicken is thoroughly cooked, serve immediately.    

Serves 2

This also works well for barbecues. Smother lean chicken drumsticks or thighs (with all the skin removed) or cubed chicken on skewers with the marinade and leave in the fridge for at least an hour, then barbecue. Check that the chicken's cooked all the way through before eating.

8 Glasses a day?

Do I really need to drink eight glasses of water a day?

The short answer no.

The myth we need to drink eight glasses of water a day has been around for a long time now and is actually based on part of a report by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council in 1945, where it recommended 2.5 litres of water as a “suitable allowance” of water for most adults. They, however, pointed out that “most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods,” but it seems that people interpreted this to mean that 2.5 litres of water is the right amount to drink each day. The advice was repeated again in 1948, without a scientific backing. The upshot is that we are now told to drink eight glasses of water.

The human body is very good at regulating itself and will let you know when it needs more fluids by making you thirsty or hungry. The best way to gauge if you are drinking enough is to pay attention to the colour of your pee. If you are dehydrated then your urine is darker.

Do I have to drink water?  

The short answer no. 

Water is a good thing to drink, but so is fruit juice, fruit squash, tea, coffee, pop, wine and beer. The thing to bear in mind that everything except water contains calories. Some research indicates that caffeine and alcohol can make some individuals urinate more frequently. This has led to claims that we can't include tea, coffee, pop and booze as part of our daily fluid intake. What this really means is that you should be aware that this may effect you and to drink more as a result. If you pee regularly and its pale then keep up the good work.

The reason this myth is still so prevalent, might have something to do with the bottled water industry. In a recent study by the university of Nottingham, it is estimated that the UK bottled water industry is worth over 2 billion pounds.

In conclusion, drink whatever satisfies your thirst, whilst being aware of the calories you are drinking and pay attention to your pee. 

The Science:
Food and Nutrition Board, National Academy of Sciences. Recommended Dietary Allowances, revised 1945. National Research Council, Reprint and Circular Series, No. 122, 1945 (Aug), p. 3-18
3
Refuting the Aqua-Dogma: An Interview with Dr. Heinz Valtin 

Food cravings

Last night was the first time I experienced really serious food cravings. What was strange is that it wasn't for junk food or sweets, it was for a thick juicy steak and crisp fluffy chips. What makes this craving more unusual is that although I like steak, it's not a favourite. But at 10 pm last night I was ready to get in the car and head out to hunt down the steak. I managed to survive the cravings and luckily this morning they have passed.

What a lot of people don't understand about food cravings is that they are all consuming. The thoughts are not just 'oh I fancy a bit of food now', they are constant, distracting and at times debilitating. You don't want the food you need it, you know you will feel better after eating the food you are craving. The problem come from the fact that you know once you succumb, you will over eat, you will probably eat blindly too. By that I mean you will eat quickly and not take the time to savour the taste and texture of the food, you won't appreciate the food you are eating. You probably won't stop eating until you feel ill. All of this then usually leads to feelings of shame or guilt after your binge, this in turn lowers your mood, counteracting the brain's feel good chemicals such as dopamine, which were released while you were indulging. It becomes a vicious cycle.

As I mentioned in a previous post food addiction has not been taken seriously by scientists until recently and there are unfortunately, as far as I am aware, no magical fixes for this yet. I am always on the look out for different ways to try to fight the cravings, listed below are the few that sometimes work for me.

Distraction
For me this method works about 50% of the time. Cravings and the obsessive thoughts they provoke are difficult to shake off. Watching TV, playing on the computer going for a walk are all mentally quite passive activities. To distract yourself successfully you need to find something that will involve both physical and mental activity.  

Drink
Get up off your bum and go make yourself a drink. This is partly distraction and partly biology, the act of changing your location, getting active will sometimes provide enough of a distraction to get over minor cravings. From the biology point of view the human body cannot always distinguish thirst from hunger, and when you are dehydrated your body demands water. One way the body knows it can obtain moisture is through food, so it sends out hunger signals. Diet gurus will tell you to go drink a glass of water to beat the cravings, but who wants to be chugging 2 litres of water a day.
The 2 litres or 8 glasses a day myth, is just that, a myth stemming from a piece of information that was wrongly quoted and has now become something of a staple in the world of misinformed diet gurus based on the 1945 recommendation by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council. The report goes on to mention that we get most of our water from our food. 
If you are craving foods, have a drink of what you like (not full fat pop / soda though).

Exercise
Ok, I admit this is not a favourite of mine, but I'm the first to admit I need to haul my ass off the sofa more often. Exercise has been proven to release endorphins and dopamine into your system the during and after exercise. The same feel good chemicals you get from your addiction. So you get your fix of feel good and it is also a good distraction technique.

Sex
Whether you have a an accommodating partner or spend a little time alone, sex is a great distraction and if performed with a partner, also qualifies as exercise. It takes you out of the situation where you were consumed with thoughts of food and makes you focus your attention elsewhere. You also get the feel good brain chemical hit at the end.

Eat an alternative
This is somewhat of a last resort for me, as it can be hazardous to enter the kitchen with the aim of eating. I also feel that you are reinforcing the bad habit you are trying to break by submitting to a food reward. So if I am genuinely hungry after having a drink 15-20 minutes ago, then I'll go and eat something. We always have healthy snacks to hand so its easier to grab them than cook up food that isn't such a good option.

There are other methods you can employ, but these work for me. Good luck with your own cravings and try to remember that if alcoholics, drug addicts and smokers can beat their addiction, then with hard work and dedication we can beat ours too.

BLT wrap

We will be cooking chicken fajitas tomorrow, and we always have too many wraps left over, so for lunch today I decided to try a BLT wrap. 

I don't know if you are like me, but quite a few fussy eaters that I've talked to, claim to not like fresh tomatoes. Well after a suggestion from my lovely wife, we tried removing all the pulp and seeds, leaving only the tomato flesh. I although I wouldn't want to eat one on its own, it turned out to improve the flavour and texture quite significantly. (tip: keep the discarded pulp in a small pot in the freezer, and add it to the next bolognaise with the tinned tomatoes) There is also the benefit that your sandwiches don't go soggy from the tomatoes.


Ingredients:

2 healthy / low fat wraps ( I like these Tesco Light Choices Tortilla Wraps)
4 rashers of grilled bacon (remove all visible fat prior to cooking)
5/6 shredded romaine lettuce leaves
2 chopped and de-pulped tomatoes
1 chopped spring onion
1cm shredded cucumber 
1 tbsp light mayo
50g crumbled light feta cheese


How to: 

1. Spread 1 tbsp of mayo in a line down the center of each wrap
2. Arrange half of the ingredients in a line on each wrap
3. Roll up the wrap
4. Eat
5. Pick up the bits that fall out of the end of the wrap

Serves 1

This is a quick and easy lunch and by changing the bread from a traditional BLT makes it a little more interesting. Also if wrapped carefully, it can be taken to work or out and about if you are traveling. I would suggest that you take a napkin or paper towel with you as if the wrap is a little over stuffed, if can get messy.   

Out and about

I'm having to do quite a bit of driving today, this means possibly missing safe meals at home. So here are a few tips that help me avoid temptation of restaurants, take aways and the pie shop .

Don't carry cash or coins. If I find myself craving sweets or pop, it's embarrassing trying to pay for a chocolate bar or a sausage roll with a credit card, so I don't. 

Eat a good meal before leaving the house. I find that going out feel satisfied after a nice meal, I fixate less on the junk food opportunities out there.

Take healthy snacks and plenty to drink with me. That way if the munchies strike, I don't have to go to the shops, avoiding the temptation of junk.

Petrol, I always us the Pay at pump facility, it's too easy to grab some junk when stood in the queue, whilst waiting to pay inside the garage.

Prepare your next meal in advance. After a long day the last thing I want to be doing is cooking. I prepare as much of the meal as possible in advance, so when I get home there is food waiting for me. This means I'm less likely to pick up take out on the way home.

Parking, I try to pick a parking spot a fair distance from the shop, this gives me a little bit extra workout, rather than spending time trying to get as close to the shop as possible. It only adds a couple of minutes to each stop, but the extra effort all adds up.

Take a drink with you. A good way to take a drink with you that stays cold longer is to get an empty water bottle, half fill it with water and lay it flat in the freezer overnight. Then just before you set out, top up the bottle with cold water. The frozen water will melt slowly, keeping your drink cool longer and because the ice only fills one side of the bottle, you can still drink water from the bottle easily. Taking a drink with you keeps you away from the shops and extra temptation.

I'm sure over the coming months I'll find more ways to avoid the bad stuff and I will post more tips soon.

Maxx 

 

Emergency food

The traditional 'spag bol' is a great meal and can be made even more healthy with a little effort. It also freezes well and can be defrosted quickly when you can't be bothered to cook a proper meal after a long day at work.

My healthy spaghetti bolognaise has one simple secret, 'stealthed veggies'. Like many people I'm not a fan of veggies and when given the choice, I'd say no thanks. So here is a simple way to help get your five a day on to your plate. Grate your veggies, when cooked in a dish like spag bol, they all but disappear.   

Ingredients:

500g Lean minced beef
3 finely chopped, large onions
3 grated peppers (I find red, yellow and orange taste best)
1 grated cougette
3 grated carrots
3 stalks of finely chopped celery
500g passata
2 tins chopped tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
5 beef Oxo cubes

1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
1 tbsp dried marjoram
3 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp dried oregano
(Add the herbs to your own taste)

Pasta (whole wheat for preference)  

How to:

1. In a large non stick pan over a medium high heat, sweat off the onion, garlic carrot and celery. Once the onions have turned translucent add the peppers and courgette and turn the heat down to medium.
2. In a non stick frying pan cook the mince over a medium high heat. Despite what your mum told you, you really don't need any oil to fry food. The secret is to keep the heat a bit lower and pay attention to the food. Once the meat is almost cooked crumble in the Oxo cubes, turn the heat down to medium and finish cooking the meat.
3. Add the cooked mince to the big veggie pot and add the passata, chopped tomatoes and herbs. Bring the pot back to the boil and then turn the heat down to low and simmer for at least an hour. We cook ours for 2-3 hours when we have the time. Stir occasionally and after an hour check the taste. We like the flavour the herbs give this dish, you might have to adjust the amount of herbs you use. Don't skimp on the basil though, as it really works well with tomatoes.
4. Boil up your pasta as per the directions on the packet. Note: You don't need to add salt or oil to pasta water.
5. Serve with Parmesan cheese and a twist of ground black pepper.
6. Divide the remaining sauce into portions and freeze. 

Serves 6-8

You may notice that we don't add any salt to the dish, personally I don't think it needs any. 

As to serving size, we normally get 6-8 portions out of one pot.