Diet Free Weight Loss

Step 7 - Eat Breakfast

We are now proceeding to Step 7 of our life-changing eating plan.

We learned in Step 1 to change our attitude.

In Step 2 we started thinking about journalling our journey - if you have an online blog set up for this purpose, please let me know the address so that we can share our challenges.

Step 3 got us thinking about drinking water (or more water).

Step 4 encouraged us to get moving. Remember, baby steps...one at a time.

In Step 5 we were encouraged to make substitutions - better choices in our foods.

In Step 6 we talked about Portion Control.

In Step 7 we are going to start eating breakfast.

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Eat Your Breakfast

Our grandmothers used to say that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. And they were right - it is ! I can remember my Gran pressing me to eat a full English breakfast before I went out in the mornings. Everything was fried, deep in oil, plate piled high with eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes, fried bread - oh...when I think of it now. Gag ! And I used to eat it. Every last bit. All that oil. No wonder I had so much puppy fat (which they all continually told me I would lose as I grew...I didn't lose it). But granny had the right idea. Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day...the right kind of breakfast.

When we wake up in the morning, our blood sugar (glucose) levels are low. We've eaten nothing for at least 8 hours. Our metabolism is sluggish - we are not burning calories. We need to get things moving - speed up the metabolism and start burning calories. A perfect way to do this is to eat a healthy, low GI breakfast. A healthy, low GI breakfast will

• raise the blood sugar levels and give us energy
• keep us going through the morning without the need for snacks
• make us more alert
• kick start the metabolism which helps us to burn more calories

You may be one of those folk who have never eaten breakfast - and its easy to find an excuse not too. I know, I've used them all. I have often said to myself "I don't have the time" or "I'll feel sick to my stomach if I eat this early". Not good enough ! If we want to gain health we need to gain healthy habits, and eating breakfast is the one of the healthiest.

Breakfast Options

• Choose Low GI Foods - these will keep you going through the morning.
• Try fruit or fruit juices - these are full of vitamins and minerals
• High Fibre Cereals or Oats Porridge - great Low GI options
• Check the Recipe section for more breakfast ideas.

Eating a healthy breakfast really will benefit us on our journey to good health. It's a must in our Step by Step plan. Start today - you'll have the rest of your life to be glad you did !

The G.I. and Satisfaction

What is the Glycemic Index (GI), and how does it affect me ?

This is a question I have been asked many times. I'm going to give a fairly basic explanation here, but you can search the Internet for a more complicated analysis. Wikipedia has a good article here.

The Glycemic Index - GI - measures the effect of carbohydrates on our blood glucose (sugar) levels. For the purpose of good health, we want to release glucose slowly and steadily into our bloodstream.

Our bodies need blood glucose in the same way that a car needs fuel. As soon as our blood glucose levels are low, we will begin to feel lethargic and tired. Our brain gets a signal that it needs to stock up the store, and we get peckish. We need carbohydrate to replenish the low blood glucose.

But...not all carbohydrates act in the same way.

• Some give us an almost instant rise in our blood glucose level, and, not long after we have eaten them, an equally fast fall in the level.
• Other carbohydrates cause a low, steady rise in the blood glucose level. This gradual rise causes us to feel full for longer, and keeps our energy level fairly constant.

If we can learn to control our blood glucose level, we will have much more control over our appetite.

Think about that statement. It's really important. If we can keep the level of glucose in our blood fairly constant, we will not feel as hungry as often. This is such an important tool that we can use to our advantage.

So...how do we apply it ?

We can class carbohydrates as Low, medium and High GI foods.

A low GI food will release glucose more gradually. A high GI food causes a more rapid rise in blood glucose levels. We need to eat food with a low GI. They will make us feel fuller...and keep us full for longer.

Low GI Foods

• Fruit & Vegetables
• Wholewheat (grainy) bread
• Pasta
• Oats
• Brown Rice
• Basmati Rice
• Legumes/Pulses (beans, peas etc.)
• Milk

High GI Foods

• White breads
• White rice
• Cornflakes
• Sugar
• Chocolates & Candy
• Baked potato (surprised ?)

If we are serious about a healthy lifestyle, its time to make the switch to Low GI foods. They will fill us up - and we will feel full for longer. It really is worth it.

Food Groups

This is a basic list of Food groups.

• Liquids
• Breads & Cereals - Carbohydrates
• Vegetables & Fruits
• Meat, Fish, Eggs - Protein
• Milk & Dairy
• Fats & Sugars

These groups, and the recommended servings from each group, can be shown in a triangle, usually called the Food Pyramid. It serves as a good illustration to show sensible nutrition. I will be discussing our recommended daily intake of each of the food groups in a seperate post.

Liquids

The body loses water throughout the day and it must be replaced to prevent dehydration, particularly during the summer months. Water dilutes toxic wastes in the body and transports fuel to the working tissues. It also regulates your temperature. The normal daily liquid requirement is about two litres, and can be made up from water, tea, coffee, fruit juices etc.

Carbohydrates (Breads, Cereals, Potatoes)

All the foods in the carbohydrate group, with the exception of potatoes, start their life as a grain of some sort e.g. wheat, rice, corn & barley. The more unrefined - the healthier they are. They are divided into 2 groups - simple and complex carbohydrates. They give us energy, and are an essential part of the healthy diet.

Vegetables & Fruits

Veg & Fruit are an essential part of a healthy diet. They have been found to prevent some cancers & heart disease. They provide us with fibre which aids digestion. They provide essential vitamins and minerals.

Protein - Meat, Fish, Eggs

Protein builds and repairs the body. Proteins consist of smaller units called amino acids, which can link together in many combinations to form chains. The essential amino acids that our bodies need come from our diet.

Milk & Dairy

Calcium is an essential mineral, found in dairy products, that affects our bones and teeth. We need calcium to ensure that our bones retain their density as we age.

Fats & Sugars

Fat is an essential part of a healthy diet, in small quantities, and the right kind of fat ! (More on this later). Fat transports fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. It can contain essential fatty acids (EFAs), which are thought to have a positive effect on the health of your heart and immune system. t's a concentrated source of energy.

Sugar is a high energy food, but one which can be detrimental to our health if consumed in large quantities.

Step 6 - Portion Control

We are now proceeding to Step 6 of our life-changing eating plan.

We learned in Step 1 to change our attitude.

In Step 2 we started thinking about journalling our journey - if you have an online blog set up for this purpose, please let me know the address so that we can share our challenges.

Step 3 got us thinking about drinking water (or more water).

Step 4 encouraged us to get moving. Remember, baby steps...one at a time.

In Step 5 we were encouraged to make substitutions - better choices in our foods.

In Step 6 we are going to talk about Portion Control.

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Portion Control

The first thing we have to think about when we think "portions" - the larger the portion, the more calories we are consuming. Yes...I know that seems like I'm stating the obvious, but its something we need to remind ourselves when we dish up our food. If you're reading this blog because you need help with your eating habits - then you know what I'm talking about. We eat TOO MUCH. I've done it - and often still do it - you're probably doing it too. What can we do about it ?

I'm going to list a few tips here to help you control your portion sizes.

1. Dish up Less - sounds too easy, doesn't it ? I tried an experiment a few years ago. I dished up the amount of food that I would normally eat. Then I removed half the food, and put it on another plate. Yes...half of everything.  I ate what was on my plate, slowly...always knowing that if I was still hungry I could go back and eat the other half of my meal. Guess what ? I got full - and didn't need to eat the other half. Amazing ? No. We eat too much, and we eat too fast. We hardly give our brains time to register that we are getting full.
2. Use a smaller plate - this really does work. You can fill a smaller plate - psychologically, you'll feel as though you're getting a good-sized meal.
3. Don't nibble on the food as you're cooking ! This is something I used to do - a lot. If you're tempted, dish up some food on a plate so you can see how much you're nibbling, and adjust your meal accordingly.
4. Children's leftovers ? Don't eat them. This is another thing I used to do when my children were young. I just couldn't let good food go to waste. Now I bin leftovers immediately - unless there's enough for another meal (and I'm sure I'm going to use them). 
5. Eating out ? Order a children's portion, or a starter as a main meal. Eat slowly, and you could surprise yourself.
6. When buying food out - take the standard/regular size of anything you buy. Buying the large soda, or large chips, you are consuming more calories than you need.

Remember - baby steps. You are NOT going to change overnight. No-one expects you to. Even if you cut down your portions by a few tablespoons - you are doing a good thing. As time goes on, cut down a bit more...then more.  Eat slowly. Give your brain time to get the message that your stomach is full.

Learning to control your portions will really help you to attain and maintain a healthy lifestyle, and a healthy weight.

Start Them Young

I thought I'd share a photo of the lunch I gave my 4 year old granddaughter today. She prefers finger foods like this to anything else I could give her. In this meal, she has protein - the cheese and vienna (the sausage is not the best choice but she loves them), carbs are in the oatcake, fats are in the cheese, sausage and a small amount in the oatcake. She drank milk with this lunch.

She has breakfast at home with her parents - usually porridge, or cereal and yoghurt. During the day while she is with me, she eats about 5 portions of fruit and at least 2 yoghurts. She has supper here before she goes home, which usually consists of a protein (chicken/fish), carbs (pasta/rice/potato), occasionally vegetables, but always a salad. She can't get enough salad !

She never asks for bread - but will have a sandwich if I give her one. When she wants a snack, she will ask for cucumber, tomatoes or celery ! She drinks milk or fruit juice. She is the picture of health, not overweight at all. She very rarely gets ill, is on full of energy all day long.

Her good eating habits were encouraged while she was still in a high chair. As soon as she could chew finger foods, healthy choices were made for her, by her parents and me. She sees nothing strange in chewing a piece of cucumber, carrot, or melon for a snack. Its normal to her. She does, occasionally, have a biscuit, sweet or piece of cake - nothing wrong with that - but she honestly prefers fruit or raw veg.

A good foundation !!!

Weight Loss Surgery

I wanted to write a post here just to state my position on WLS (Weight Loss Surgery) as I've had a few queries about this.

Let me say right from the start, I am positive that - if I had been in a position where I was morbidly obese, had tried and failed to get rid of my excess weight, and was suffering the medical consequences of my obesity, I would definitely have opted for WLS. Fortunately, I have never been in that position, but I have no problems with it whatsoever.

There are many different procedures for WLS these days, and all I would advise - if you are considering this option - is that you research as much as you possibly can. Find a top surgeon - one who has proved himself in this field, over and over. Choose the procedure that you feel will be the best for you and your lifestyle.

WLS is a serious undertaking. But it is a tool that, if used properly, can change your life. It is NOT the easy way out ! Its a long, hard road after WLS.

Step 5 - Substitutions

If you are still with me, and are now proceeding to Step 5 of our life-changing eating plan - well done to you !

We learned in Step 1 to change our attitude.

In Step 2 we started thinking about journalling our journey - if you have an online blog set up for this purpose, please let me know the address so that we can share our challenges.

Step 3 got us thinking about drinking water (or more water).

Step 4 encouraged us to get moving. Remember, baby steps...one at a time.

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  Step 5 - Substitutions

If we think about it, life is all about choices - bad choices, good choices, better choices and the best choices for us. Every choice we make has a consequence. There's no getting away from that fact. If I start out in life continually making bad choices of a criminal nature, never making any effort to change my ways, I could end up in jail or worse. There is a definite consequence to my choices.

It's the same in our Nutrition. We have a lot of choices we can make - good, bad and indifferent. And each of these choices involves a consequence - one that could harm our bodies, another that could do us good, and other choices that won't affect us either way. If we can learn to recognise when we are making a bad choice in our eating, we have a wonderful opportunity to make a substitution for that choice. In other words, choose something else. Something else that will be just as satisfying, but will be doing us more good than harm.

A lot of people don't know this. They have never been educated on nutrition. There is no shame in that. I started out eating the way my parents always ate - cooking the same way my mother and grandmother cooked - using ingredients I had seen in their kitchens year after year. Cooking and eating foods the way that they did is very comfortable for me (my comfort foods) - but its not always healthy. I know this now. I have the opportunity to choose better options - substitute - make better (for me) choices.

In Step 5 - we are going to make just a few substitutions...remember, baby steps. I'm not going to ask you to turn your world (or your kitchen) upside down. Just make a few better choices.

We are concentrating on Fats/Oils for the first of our substitutions.

• Fats contain more calories per gram than protein or carbohydrates (will cause us to gain weight)
• Focus on substituting foods high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, and select more foods made with unsaturated fats. We'll be going into these different fats in more detail soon.

These choices will affect our bodies - remember...consequences. We will start feeling better, and we will see weight reduction...Gains ! Victories!

	Substitute with
Full cream milk	Semi-skimmed milk
Semi-skimmed milk	Skimmed milk
Butter	Low Fat spread (Diet marge)
Vegetable Oils	Olive oil

That's it for Step 5. Not too bad ? You don't have to change everything all at once. maybe it took you years to get into the condition you are in now. Its not going to change overnight, but with each small Step we make, the changes will come.

Serotonin

What exactly is Serotonin, and what part does it play in our Nutrition ?

Wikipedia has a long thorough explanation here for those who want all the intricate details. But basically, serotonin is a neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, that plays a vital role in regulating our daily rhythms - regulating anger, aggression, body temperature, mood, sleep, sexuality and appetite. For our purposes, we need to know the following vital facts -

• When brain serotonin levels are high - the desire to eat is lessened
• When brain serotonin levels are high - we are filled with "feel good" hormones

Anyone want to guess what chocolate contains ?? Yes...serotonin. That's why we feel good when we eat it.  Any foods that contain serotonin give us the "feel good" factor.

For most of us, our moods control what we put in our mouths. Feeling miserable - we usually reach for comfort foods - foods high in serotonin. We have learned, subconsciously, that these foods make us feel better. And they do.  Nothing wrong with that.

But we can make choices here. When we need a boost, we can continue to reach for high calorie foods such as chocolate to do the trick, or we can make more sensible choices, and get exactly the same effect. I know you're thinking "The same effect as chocolate ? No way." But it's true. Any foods that increase the brain serotonin levels will help to make us feel good.

So...what choices do we have ?

Foods rich in carbohydrate

• cereals
• wholewheat or rye breads
• pastas
• potatoes
• couscous

By eating these foods, we will boost our serotonin levels. Don't saturate them in oils or fats though. Keep them simple and "feel good" without the need for the cookie jar or a large slab of chocolate.

Life is all about choices - and so is good nutrition. YOU decide.

Step 4 - Start Moving

You should, by now, be working on Step 1 - your attitude, Step 2 - Journalling your journey, and Step 3 - introducing water into your lifestyle. It's time to move on to Step 4 - get Moving !

Health Benefits of Exercise & Physical Activity - as listed at http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwfit/benefits.html

• Reduce the risk of premature death
• Reduce the risk of developing and/or dying from heart disease
• Reduce high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure
• Reduce high cholesterol or the risk of developing high cholesterol
• Reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and breast cancer
• Reduce the risk of developing diabetes
• Reduce or maintain body weight or body fat
• Build and maintain healthy muscles, bones, and joints
• Reduce depression and anxiety
• Improve psychological well-being
• Enhanced work, recreation, and sport performance 

We all know that an exercise programme is an essential part of our journey to a new lifestyle. But...we have to keep things real here ! If you have spent the last five years sitting in a chair watching TV - there is no way you are going to get up tomorrow and start jogging. You probably wouldn't even be able to. And that's okay. You don't have to. But you have to start somewhere.

If you are really in bad shape, the first thing you need to do is visit your Doctor or medical practitioner. Discuss with them the changes you are ready to make. Get the Doctor's advice. He may discover something that will prevent you from undertaking any exercise. Get checked out first. If you are given the all clear - start off slowly. Remember - baby steps. You are NOT going to deprive yourself of anything - you are going to add value to your life.

Start Walking

• If you drive a car to work and back - park a little bit further away than you usually do. Not miles away !! Just a little further. Allow yourself the time to take a few more steps than usual. Take a deep breath as you get out the car - enjoy the fresh air.
• If you are driving a journey that is less than a mile (yes...I've done it...often), make up your mind to walk. Allow enough time to get to your destination. Take your time. Take the camera and look for interesting things to photograph. If you have started an online blog (as advised in Step 2), upload the photos to your blog. Talk about your journey. Learn to appreciate your surroundings.
• If you are near enough, walk to school with the kids instead of driving. They will love it, and you will benefit from the exercise. Turn the trip into a nature project, look for interesting insects, or animals to discuss along the way.
• If you haven't walked in a long, long time, and find it very difficult - walk to your gate !! That's all. Just a few steps. You can do it. Then walk back and collapse into a chair if you have to. Just a few steps more than you did yesterday. What an accomplishment. What a victory - a GAIN !!

Remember - BABY Steps.

Start Moving

If, like I did, you have got to a point where your joints are stiff and your muscles are weak - life can be very uncomfortable. You creak out of bed in the morning. I've been there. At one time, my knees were so bad I was wondering how much longer they'd support me ! I started off slowly - sitting in a chair watching TV - but doing lower leg raises at the same time. Just ten, up and down - until it felt comfortable, and wasn't too sore. I did it often, and very soon I could do twenty without any trouble, and my legs felt better.

To get my arms moving, I started off raising them to the ceiling every time I boiled the kettle. I was alone, in the kitchen, and thought "Why not ?" Now it's become a habit - kettle goes on and my arms go up and down in the air. It gives the family a laugh too.

It doesn't have to be hard work - not to start with. Slow and sure wins the race. Of course, there may come a time when you are ready to join a gym, hire a personal trainer, run a marathon, whatever ! But you don't have to think that far ahead. Just think TODAY. What can you do TODAY that will make a difference - a small change - to your life ? Then do it. You CAN do it - however small a change it may seem to you.

In months to come, when you add up all the small changes you make to your lifestyle, you will realise that you really are going somewhere. And it will feel good. Each small change becomes a victory - a GAIN ! Go for it.

Step 3 - Water

Remember - Always follow the advice of your doctor or medical practitioner if you have a medical condition that limits your fluid intake.

 

In this third step on our journey to a new lifestyle we introduce water. There are so may benefits (gains!) of drinking water.

Water is the elixir of life. It really is. Without it we just cannot survive. If you were lost in the desert without food, you could survive weeks on fluid alone. But without water, you wouldn't last a few days.

• The body is composed of 60-70% water
• The blood is 80-90% water
• Lack of water causes dehydration
• It removes toxins and waste from the body
• It regulates body temperature
• It aids digestion

Water Retention & Survival Mode

When we don't drink enough water, our body goes into survival mode, and hangs on to every drop it gets. This is water retention. It causes swelling - feet, hands et.c etc. As soon as we start drinking water regularly, our body releases the stored water, and realises that it doesn't have to hold on to water. Its getting a regular supply. 

Benefits to Skin

The skin needs water to help it to remain hydrated and elastic. When we are getting enough water regularly, we'll notice a marked improvement in our skin tone.

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Water in the Step by Step Plan

Now remember, we are only taking baby steps in our Step by Step Plan, but we are making choices that will affect the rest of our lives. We have to be realistic. If you have never been a water drinker, or don't even like the taste of water, it is unrealistic to expect you to start off drinking 6 - 8 glasses of water a day. It just isn't going to happen. We all know that. Start out slowly if you have to. Say to yourself "Right, I am going to drink ONE glass of water today - just one". And then do it. One glass of water isn't that hard to get down, is it ? You could choose to drink it at a certain time each day (use your journal to schedule a time if you have to), or you could sip at it till its gone. Try it with a slice of lemon.

After a few days of having one glass, decide to have two glasses a day. Try drinking them a half an hour before your meals - one before lunch, and then one before supper. You are making a choice, a good choice. Its all about YOU and what you feel comfortable with. You are not being deprived of anything, you are adding to the value of your life.

I find drinking water a great challenge. I never drink as much as I should. I started out not even liking the taste of it, and always forgetting to drink enough. I find it easier to fill a 2 litre plastic bottle with water first thing in the morning. I know I have to finish it before I go to bed. This works well. I pour a glass and carry it with me throughout the day - constantly refilling it. The first few days of this, and I was up and down to the bathroom every five minutes - but that eventually sorted itself out, and I find I don't have to "go" any more than I used to.

An amazing thing that I found happening when I started to drink water - the numbers on my bathroom scale began to go down....WITHOUT me reducing my food intake at all. This really happens. It has happened to me and many others. Without reducing food intake - just increasing water - weight can be reduced. Try it. You have everything to gain !