Did someone say diet?

In the last post we looked at Lisa's motivation for change.  Today we will look at the 'diet' side of the equation.  Now lets get one thing straight before we start. This will not be a restrictive diet regime or one of high protein, no fat, or some other catchy fad. Lisa was not making changes for competition or a sporting event so what was needed was a long term change in eating habits that will last and last.  If you want to give it a name then we can call it, 'The Mark 1 Plan - The Wisdom of Solomons'.

Part of the weight increase over time had come from eating almost the same food portions as the rest of the family.  So, the first thing to do was to reduce the portion size.  Not rocket science!  If you find it difficult to reduce your portion size, just use a smaller plate, bowl, etc.

The next step was to look at what was going on the plate.  It was decided to cut down on the portion sizes of potatoes and pasta whilst increasing the amount of lean meat and vegetables.  This was done to match Lisa's carbohydrate needs to her activity levels.

There was one complete change and this surrounded lunchtime.  Lisa was used to having a sandwich for lunch, two slices of brown bread, spread with butter, and often filled with cheese or cream cheese.  This was followed by a piece of fruit and a packet of crisps.  This routine was swapped for soup, a crispbread (Lisa now has one slice of brown bread), a piece of fruit and a low fat yogurt.

Lisa still allowed herself some treats such as a bar of chocolate or a small cake.  If she cut these out altogether then she would have only wanted them more!  You always tend to want what you can't have.

By subtle changes in diet Lisa has naturally reduced her intake of fat.  There has not been an obsession to cut out fat as it is required for the absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.  Saturated fat has been lowered as an aide to reduce potential long term health effects such as high blood pressure and heart disease.

As a bye product of dietary change Lisa has found she has more energy and does not feel lethargic.  In the early days, Lisa did find that she was feeling hungry at times.  This was probably her body readjusting to the changes that were occurring.  During these times, Lisa focused on her long term goal to help her resist the temptation of a snack and opted for a glass of water instead.

As you have seen, there have been no major changes, no fancy fad diet or starving on a very low calorie diet.  Weight loss has occurred and has been maintained by a simple regime of:

• Reducing food portion sizes
• Balancing carbohydrates to activity levels
• Swapping some refined carbohydrates for unrefined 
• Being realistic in approach
• Balancing her eating habits with the end goal - weight loss 

You can see that I have not highlighted foods eaten or advised on menu choices.  There are plenty of ideas out there and you have to find what works for you.

I will leave you with a couple of of ideas;

1. Look at food labels for fat content. Low fat is 3 grams or less per 100 grams.  Medium fat is 3 to 30 grams and high fat is more than 20 grams.  Aim for low or medium fat levels.
2. Always prepare a food shopping list and stick to it.  Never go food shopping when you are hungry.

Next time will will look at Lisa's exercise schedule and how this progressed.  Also, we will see if Lisa reached her goal and look at current statistics.

Lisa's story...in the beginning

We have to start somewhere and the beginning is a very good place to start.

Lisa had reached her early 40's and started to notice that her jeans were feeling a little tighter!  Lisa decided to weigh herself and calculate her Body Mass Index (BMI).  Her BMI was just over 25 and this put her in the overweight bracket.  A moment of truth had arisen. Was Lisa to carry on as she was and see her weight creep up year on year or was she going to take control of the situation and do something about it?

Lisa was determined she wanted to do something about it.  It would take willpower but the end result would be worth it.  Lisa made a list of all the things she could gain by taking control.

• Reduced risk of heart disease
• Reduced risk of stroke
• Reduced risk of hypertension - high blood pressure
• Increased cardiovascular ability
• Increased bone density
• Improved health and wellbeing

Lisa set herself a target to get her BMI down to around 22.

Lisa planned to lose around 0.5 to 1 kilogram a week and she would have a weekly weigh to see if she was on track to reach her goal.  But how was the goal to be realised?  Lisa had not participated in regular structured exercise for over 20 years and her meal choices and portion sizes had become in line with the rest of the family.  Crisps were the snack of choice and if truth be told, cake featured on a regular basis.  Does any of this sound familiar?

Lisa was not keen on a crash diet or meal replacement products.  She wanted to eat her meals with the rest of the family and still enjoy her food.  On the exercise front, Lisa had been walking a couple of miles a day for the past 3 to 4 years but that was about it . A too drastic change may put her off exercising and she would never reap all the benefits that a healthy body can bring.

A plan of action was drawn up to include simple dietary changes and an increasing exercise intensity over the coming months.

In the next post we will look at what dietary changes Lisa made.

Note:  After the age of 40 the body looses around 0.5 kilograms of muscle year on year. Now muscle cannot turn to fact anymore than lead can be turned into gold but muscle does burn more calories than fat even when our body is at rest.  The end result is a creeping weight gain over the years at a time when most people are not as active as they used to be.

Eat your colours

Do you want to reduce inflammation, combat free radicals, lower cholesterol, reduce risk of heart disease and fight harmful bacteria and viruses?  You can do this by eating your colours and get the benefit of Phytochemicals.

Orange, red and yellow:- Carrots and apricots get their colour from beta-carotene and other carotonoids. Tomatoes, including sauce and paste, are rich in lycopene - a type of carotonoid.  Carotonoids are antioxidants that can help to provide protection from the damaging effects of free radicals. They can also help you keep looking young.

Green:- Brocoli, cabbage and spinach are rich in iron which is indispensable for production of haemoglobin. Iron promotes energy, relieves fatigue, prevents anaemia and increases resistance to disease.

Red and purple:- Plums (and prunes), cherries, red grapes, strawberries and blackberries get their colour from antbocyanins which are more powerful at fighting free radicals compared to antioxidants.

White:- Apples, pears and cauliflower contain flavanols which protect against heart disease and cancer. Between them they provide fibre, calcium, vitamins C, B1 and B2 among others. Apples can help to reduce cholesterol

These are just some examples, be inventive and experiment with your colours.  Why not work you way through the rainbow!

What's Scrooge got to do with it

Over the Christmas period there were many versions of the Christmas Carol. How many did you see?  Poor old Scrooge, visited by three spirits. All well and good but you may be asking, 'What has this got to do with me?'

New Year is the time for resolutions, the time when you are gung ho and can't wait to get started on your new...(insert your own goal).

Now if your goal is to get fitter and lose a bit of weight then you are about to be visited by three spirits.

The Spirit of the present
The present, or the here and now, is gone as soon as you have said it. The present is where life chugs along and all is comfortable. You may be a little out of breath when you climb a flight of stairs or your clothes may feel a little tighter. No problem, that's why they make XL, right! How did it get to be like this, what brought you to the here and now? You are about to be visited by the Spirit of what has been - the past.

The Spirit of what has been - the past
Every one of us is a creature of habit. Some habits are good and some are bad. You need to go back and see how your habits have evolved.  When you were a child were you always told, 'Eat up, there are people starving in ...'.  Or, 'You can't have dessert until you finish what is on your plate'.  When things got too much did you reach for the ice cream, chocolates, crisps, something comfortable.
At school were you perceived as being clumsy or no good at sport. Were you the last one picked in team games. I know I was.
Habits are not given, they are formed. It's not easy, remember you are comfortable, to change habits. It takes effort and work to change but it is not impossible. It is achievable. You have choices, it is up to you to make them. Watch out, here comes the Spirit of what is to come - the future

The spirit of what is to come - the future
This is where choice comes in. Look into the future. In fact, there are two futures.  Lets look at the first, the comfortable no change future. How far have you gone?  Five, ten years.  You are now out of breath after climbing a flight of stairs. XL was a long time ago, you can't even remember XXL.  Your knees and hips ache because they have to deal with your excess weight.  Your heart is working harder for that very same reason. You have just started a new course of blood pressure tablets, your doctors says...stop! Rewind it doesn't have to be like this.
How about the second future?  You took steps to learn from your past.  You have taken responsibility for your actions and made some lifestyle changes.  You have found a way to exercise, weight bearing and cardiovascular, that you enjoy .  You don't get breathless after running up a flight of stairs. You are at a weight that is right for your body frame. Your heart and lungs feel ten years younger at least.  You look and feel fantastic.
Be like Scrooge, learn from your past and embrace change.  Achieve the future you want.  It will take a bit of work but it is worth it.

What ever your resolution is I wish you success.  I also wish you a Happy New Year.