The importance of a good breakfast

Part of the service I offer to clients involves an analysis of their eating habits and one of the biggest concerns I have is when people miss breakfast. Put simply going from your evening meal to lunchtime is too long without food and your body will go into starvation mode meaning your metabolism slows right down making it more likely to store fat.

Other reasons not to skip breakfast include:

·      Missing breakfast will lead to low blood sugar levels causing headaches, shakiness, weakness and lack of concentration.

·      Breakfast is an ideal opportunity to get nutrients into your diet.

·      Missing breakfast means you would feel very hungry around mid or late-morning. You could probably crave for a sugary snack, such as a biscuit, which is high in fat and has less nutrients.

A healthy breakfast should provide some protein, a reasonable amount of complex carbohydrate, a little fat and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Good breakfast choices include:

·      40g Porridge and blueberries

·      2 Weetabix with skimmed milk and fruit

·      2 slices of wholegrain toast with 200g tinned tomatoes

·      Bowl of fresh fruit, handful of unsalted nuts and 100g low fat yogurt

·      3tbsp of oats (soaked in apple juice over night) mix with 3tbsp of bran flakes/ and blueberries

·      Homemade muesli: 2 tbsp bran flakes, 1 tbsp oats, 3 dried apricots, 1tbsp raisins, 1tbsp sunflower seeds with milk or 2tbsp low fat yogurt

·      2 slices of toasted wholegrain bread with 1tsp peanut butter (opt for Whole Foods – no added sugar). Plus medium apple, 200ml unsweetened orange juice.

·      Porridge oats, cooked, swirl of runny honey and 1tsp toasted hazelnuts.

·      Breakfast bruschetta - brush a slice of granary bread with olive oil and top with a sliced tomato, slice of low-fat bacon/turkey rasher. Drizzle with 1tsp more olive oil and grill. Top bruschetta with a poached egg. (limit to once per week)

·      1 poached or dry-fried egg served with 1 grilled low-fat beef/pork sausage (max. 5% fat) or 1 Quorn sausage, 3 grilled tomatoes  (limit to once per week)

·      1 medium boiled egg with two toast

·      2 scrambled eggs with 1 toast and tomatoes

·      Homemade smoothie: handful of strawberries, ½ banana,  1tbsp natural yogurt, handful of blueberries, handful of almonds, 1tsp honey

Don’t diet – eat healthy for life…..

At this time of year I am asked by most clients for advice on losing weight. There is no quick fix and the people who lose weight and keep it off are the ones who change their eating habits for good.

It’s no good following a particular diet for a few months then going back to your old ways again, you will only end up back on that diet next January! Instead you need to take the time to learn, plan and think about healthy eating. Those clients that read labels, research healthy eating alternatives and plan their weekly meals are the ones who have the most success with weight loss.

I try to get my clients to change their eating habits so once the weight loss is achieved they can maintain it and reap other benefits such as better skin, hair, nails, more energy and live longer!

To help you get started here are some tips:

·    Do not SKIP MEALS - Eat regularly e.g. 3 meals a day with a couple of healthy snacks in between

·    Opt for wholemeal/wholegrain where possible e.g. rice, pasta, bread

·    Eat plenty of different fruit and vegetables – 5 portions per day

·    Include dairy in your diet but opt for low fat versions

·    Eat fish 2-3 times per week

·    Have sensible meal sizes

·    Opt for low fat/light versions of salad cream , butter, margarine, mayonnaise or dressing and use sparingly

·    Stock up on healthy foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meat, fish, wholegrain bread along with low fat dairy.

·    Avoid processed foods e.g. pre packed sandwiches, ready meals. Where possible make your own following low fat recipes.Try and learn a new low fat recipe each week

·    Use spices and dried herbs in your cooking, this will make your meals tastier

·    Aim to eat plenty of fibre rich foods

·    Eat low GI foods throughout the day e.g. brown rice, bread and potato. These foods fill you up and stop you snacking.

·    High fat/sugar foods such as fried food, biscuits, cakes and chocolate should be seen as a treat and eaten in moderation.

·    Replace snacks such as chocolate and biscuits with yogurt, chopped vegetables, rice cakes, fruit or handful of nuts.

·    Start the day with a high carbohydrate breakfast such as wholegrain or oat based cereal with skimmed milk and slice of wholegrain bread.

·    When cooking grill, steam or stir fry food, this will help retain nutritive value and avoids adding fat. Do not fry.

·    Opt for lean meat and trim fat where present. Look for lower fat alternatives when choosing meat e.g. swap bacon to turkey rashers.

·    Look at labels and start to keep totals of your calories/carbohydrate/fat/protein. Research online how much you should have.

·    If eating out: Avoid fried food and creamy sauces, choose lean meat or fish options, have a large side salad with meal, opt for boiled/baked potato over chips and where possible plan in advance what you are going to have to avoid making the decision when you are hungry.

·    Have diet versions of fizzy drinks or diluted fruit juice, these have less sugar and calories e.g. reduced sugar squash.

·    Drink plenty of water

·    If you drink alcohol this should be limited and an occasional treat when trying to lose weight

·    Exercise – even if this is just a brisk walk 3 times a week