Health and Wellbeing

Shaping up for Summer - Adding sunshine to your lifestyle

The summer months have finally arrived and what better way to greet those brighter evenings and milder days than with a healthy, energetic and positive you!

Balancing Act

Weight gain results if, over time, the energy we consume is greater than the energy we expend, which can lead to becoming overweight and subsequently obesity. There may be a number of factors that can influence this equation e.g. genetics, culture, economics, nonetheless, the balance between energy expenditure and energy intake determines body weight. Overweight and obesity are significant risk factors for the development of many chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Therefore, obtaining a healthy body weight will not only provide you with Summer confidence but is also vital for your overall health and wellbeing. Both a healthy dietary pattern and physical activity participation need to be applied for effective weight loss and weight
maintenance.

Body mass index (BMI) is commonly used to assess body weight status which is calculated by dividing your body weight (kg) by your height squared (m²).

Controlling those Calories

A healthy, balanced diet with moderate portion sizes is advised for effective body weight management. Remember, if trying to lose weight, cutting back on calories does not mean you need to compromise on the enjoym ent of your food.

Some tips include:

  • Use garlic, herbs, spices, lemon/lime juice, relishes, wholegrain mustard or natural yogurt to flavour food and avoid sauces and dressings that are high in fat.
  • Select fruits and vegetables that are in season which provide the best flavour – avoiding the urge to use excessive seasoning with salt or sauces.
  • Choose snacks that are high in nutrients and low in calories such as a salad sandwich, scone, yogurt, smoothie, fresh fruit salad.
  • Boil, grill, steam or bake foods as opposed to frying them.
  • Control your portion sizes.
  • Adopt a regular meal pattern and avoid skipping meals as this can provide the temptation to fill up on unhealthy snacks.
  • Remember healthy eating options when dining out.
  • Reduce alcohol intake as it can significantly contribute to overall calorie intake as well as impacting negatively on overall health if over consumed. A weekly limit of 14 standard drinks for women and 21 standard drinks for men is advised. This should be spread out over the week, ensuring to include alcohol-free days. One standard drink corresponds to a half pint of beer, small glass of wine, a glass of sherry or a pub measure of spirits.

Moving those Muscles

When modifying our lifestyle in order to achieve and maintain weight loss, we should not only focus on our eating habits but also on our activity levels.
General guidelines recommend that adults engage in at least 30 minutes moderate intensity physical activity most days, if not every day, with up to 60 minutes every day advised for children and young people. However, these recommendations need to be adjusted to avoid excess weight gain or achieve weight loss/maintenance of weight loss. For example, the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend that adults aim for 45-
60 minutes per day to prevent the transition to overweight or obesity and 60-90 minutes per day for the prevention of weight regain in formally obese individuals. A necessity for any physical activity engagement is to participate in exercise that you enjoy be it swimming, a team sport or a fitness or dance class with friends. If you enjoy the form of physical activity, it will retain your interest and serve as more of a past-time than a struggle or a chore.

Summer salad with yogurt and garlic dressing

During the summer months, certain fruits and vegetables come into season adding both colour and flavour to our diet. Below is the perfect summer salad to do just that!

  • Choose a range of vegetables to make up a nutritious salad - just add your favourite salad vegetables to a bowl and ensure a wide variety.
  • Add a little extra flavour by drizzling over your own home-made yogurt and garlic dressing.

Simply mix the following ingredients together and spoon over your salad:

150 mls natural yogurt
1 garlic clove crushed
1-2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
Seasoning if desired

Did you know?

When participating in physical exercise, it is vital to replace the water that is lost through sweat. Recent research highlights that skimmed milk may be an
effective post-exercise re-hydration drink.

NutriMyth of the month

Myth: Cutting out food groups from the diet will achieve effective weight loss.

Truth: It is important not to cut out any of the four main food groups as this may deprive you of the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy.

 

Don't miss our June page The Perfect Picnic – available online from Monday 15th June 2009