Trying to be good and still gaining weight? It’s time to check your diet for hidden saboteurs…
At The Supermarket
1. Get Shop Savvy
Supermarkets know your body IQ better than you do and use a whole host of ploys to tempt you into buying things you don’t need. So watch out for these tricks: popular brands are often placed at eye level and essentials, such as bread and milk, are located at the back of the shop, so you have to walk past other (more exciting) products before you find healthy staples. And beware of “coupling”, where you go to buy a bag of salad and some tomatoes, then spy the bottle of Caesar dressing and pack of croutons conveniently stacked on the same shelf. Suddenly, that healthy lunch you were planning has more hidden fat and kilojoules than turkey and brie on white.
2. Write A List
It may be kind of, well, mumsy, but if you’ve ever gone into the supermarket for milk and come out with chips and a Creme Egg, you need to shop with a list. It’s one of the easiest ways to up your shopping IQ and stop yourself from buying kilojoule-laden treats because they’re on special or stacked near the store, the more likely you are to purchase unnecessary item. Avoiding food shopping when you’re hungry is also an effective trick, as you’ll be more likely to grab snacks and processed foods than healthy ingredients. And use a basket, not a trolley – if you’re schlepping purchases around in a basket, you’ll be less likely to load up on bulk-buy specials.
At Home
1. Balance Your Plate
Get kilojoule- clever and learn to love carbs again. A diet featuring low-GI carbohydrates, such as pulses, brown rice, sweet potato and wholegrain bread, stabilizes blood sugars and creates a full feeling for longer after a meal, according to research by the University of Sydney. The general rule is that carbs, including fruits and vegetables, should make up about 40 per cent of your daily kilojoule count, with 30 per cent of the total kilojoule devoted to protein, and the last 30 per cent being made up of a small quantity of high-kilojoule healthy fats from olive and rapeseed oils, nuts, and oily fish. No one wants to whip out a calculator at every meal, but there is a simple, more visual way to stick to the rule. Divide your plate into two halves at lunch or dinner – one half should be equally split between low-GI carbs and lean protein, the second half of your plate should always be filled up with vegetables or salad. The fat-kilojoule content will usually be hidden in your meat, or the oil in your dressing.
2. Focus On Your Food
True or false: you often eat dinner while watching television and can be done eating before the first commercial break. If you answered “true”, it’s time to slow down and take more time over each meal. Japanese researchers found that people who eat fast miss their “feel full” signals. So chew, chew again, and concentrate on the act of eating (yes, that means turning off the television) as this will make you eat more slowly, and therefore you consume less.
Out And About
1. At A Restaurant
Heading out for dinner? These days, it’s easy to check out the menu online rather than just turn up at the restaurant and find everything is deep-fried. If you can’t give the menu the once-over in advance, Japanese or vegetarian Indian food tend to be healthier options when dining out. If you’re eating Italian, opt for fish, shellfish and vegetables instead of big plates of spaghetti, or have a starter portion of pasta for your main dish. Going out for Thai? Choose hot and sour dishes, while in Indian restaurants opt for tandoori bakes and grills, and lentil-based dhals instead of creamy curries.
2. BYO Lunch
You may be on first-name terms with the guy in your local sandwich shop, but getting out of bed 10 minutes earlier to make your own lunch will up your body IQ, and reduce your waistline. If that’s not practical, check what you’re buying hidden extras. Just because it’s salad doesn’t mean it’s healthy – it could be loaded with high-fat dressing. Consider what you’ll be eating and doing for the rest of the day, too. If you’ve a low-fat yoghurt for breakfast and are planning to have steamed salmon and vegetables for dinner, but know you’re going to be rushing around all afternoon, then you’d be better off going for that ham, cheese and salad sandwich, Yes, a tuna salad can be healthier but not if it means you’ll hit the vending machine at 3pm because you’re flagging. Tune into what your body needs and you’ll find healthy eating isn’t about depriving yourself.
