Deli Sandwich For Lunch, Pizza For Dinner Is This Your Staple Diet?

Posted on June 1, 2010 by Tim

Nutrition for the majority of the worlds population is becoming a serious problem, not least the busy professional.

Despite the huge amount of advice that is freely available on the subject of good health eating, the dietary habits of the busy professional leave a lot to be desired.

The problem stems from those long busy days at work, where eating becomes an after thought. Breakfast, how often is this missed by you in the morning? Lunch, business lunch at the quality restaurant, over a couple of glasses of wine, OR, stuffing down a deli sandwich at your desk? Evening dinner, a pizza or other fast food fare on your way home, or a hastily eaten microwave meal before going to bed!
And then there is the snacks, the donuts and cakes for a colleagues birthday. The office snack machine always gets raided mid morning and mid afternoon, normally because of a serious blood sugar crash after your poor breakfast or lunch choice!

The nutritional value of all this stuff, equals roughly ZERO!

The problem is your body is a true reflection of what we consume, you know the phrase “You are what you eat!” is absolutely true! So if you eat junk, your whole body is junk, even when you do exercise the nutrients used to repair and grow the tissue in your body, are based on poor quality sources. This increases your chances of illness and injury!

Getting around this problem seems to be a sticking point for many people, however the solution is not as complex as people make out. By sticking to some fairly basic principles of nutrition you can make massive improvements in your overall health.

Eat only fresh and clean produce, this means

* Fresh fruit and vegetables

* Low fat fresh diary produce including eggs

* Fresh lean cuts of meat

* The best quality poultry you can buy

* Fresh water fish and seafood

That’s it

Avoid all processed foods, i.e. anything that has gone through a manufacturing process to create the “food” that appears on your plate.
Starting today, do this consistently for the next two weeks and I guarantee that you and your body will feel more alive than it has in years! The hardest part is starting, once the habit is developed you’ll be less inclined to go back to the junk.

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30 days later…..

Posted on March 10, 2010 by Samantha Goodwin

So, it’s 30 days later, you’re feeling great and you’ve lost some body fat, but what now? How do you make the transition back to ‘normal’ eating?

That all depends on what you now consider to be normal.

Remember, the key to the whole program is learning to make conscious decisions about what you eat. After 30 days of practice, this new habit should have helped you get away from automatically eating whatever is offered to you.

One of the best ways to keep this habit is to carry on with your food diary. It’s amazing how this helps many people stop and think, knowing they will have to write it down later. I personally try to stick to Nutritional Responsibility guidelines about 80% of the time. The key is to find a balance that works for you and your body. I would LOVE to eat ice cream, but dairy makes me feel rubbish. Not always straight away, but certainly over time – after 2 weeks in the US eating just a little dairy every day I felt lethargic, bloated and congested. So most of the time I avoid it.

One common question is whether it’s sensible to cut out carbs in the long-term. However, in Nutritional Responsibility you don’t cut out all carbs – just the bad ones! There are carbs in fruit, veggies as well as oats and quinoa, all of which you can eat during the first 30 days. After 30 days maybe you want to reintroduce brown rice, cous cous or other grains – go ahead and find the balance that works for you. However I would recommend staying off the white bread/pasta/rice. If you reintroduce potatoes you don’t need anyone telling you whether chips or baked is better for you……

Regarding alcohol, once again it’s up to you! Try making the glass of wine when out with friends a treat, a decision you’ve made. The same with dairy

Hopefully the program has shown you how great you can feel when you fuel your body with fresh, natural ingredients, instead of the processed ‘foods’ that have become so prevelant in our society.

So, is it ‘normal’ to eat stuff that makes us feel good, or stuff that leaves us feeling not so good?

The decision is most definately yours!

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Mindless Eating

Posted on January 31, 2010 by Samantha Goodwin

Brian Wansink’s opening line of “The best diet is the one you don’t know you’re on” had me hooked from the very start of this eye-opening book on the psycology of eating.

Most of us know that the way a food is presented can influence the ammount of it that we eat. For example, the bigger the serving we are given of something, from popcorn to lasagne, the more of it we will eat, irrespective of how hungry we are.

The danger seems to be that because we are aware of some of these ‘traps’ which may cause us to overeat, we believe that we’d never be fooled ourselves.

Through his research Wansink shows that we do fall into these traps, and that when we are faced with an average of 200 food decisions on a daily basis it’s no wonder that ‘mindless eating’ is causing us to pile on the pounds.

But, before you lose hope, Wansink’s theory is that just as we can overeat without realising it, through small changes to our habits and environment we can begin to ‘mindlessly’ eat less, without ever feeling deprived or hungry, and start to lose weight as a result.

This is an excellent read for anyone who is interested in ways to make better choices regarding the foods they eat. It has a light-hearted annecdotal approach making an entertaining as well as informative read.

No dull science here, just great insight and tips we can all put to use.

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Kick Start Your New Years Resolution

Posted on January 4, 2010 by Samantha Goodwin

So you’ve decided you want to make changes to your diet, and maybe lose some weight?

But how do you know which guru’s diet to follow this January? All of them claim to work miracles with our waistline, but at what cost?

The perfect diet, if it existed, would let us eat what we want, when we want it, and still help us to fit back into our favourite pair of jeans. But the majority of diets out there are just too restrictive for most of us to follow. They are often very effective in the short term, but they rarely offer a solution to balancing good nutrition and tasty food with our busy lives.

However, it is possible to change the way you eat, enabling you to have freedom of choice while also achieving your weight loss goals. There are plenty of people who are able to make conscious decisions everyday about what they eat, and through this alone they are able to free themselves forever from restrictive, complicated dieting.

And you don’t need a dietitian to tell you what’s good for you. The simplest way to get started is to get back to basics.

Our bodies, and what they are designed to eat, have changed very little over a very long time. Yet many of the ‘foods’ we are eating wouldn’t be recognised by our great-grandmothers, let alone our Stone Age ancestors. Our bodies just aren’t designed to cope with the high percentage of heavily processed foods that have become the staple of today’s society.

So it’s time to get back to basics, and start eating real food again!

But real food doesn’t have to be boring, costly or complicated. In fact, it can be quicker to cook a steak and fresh veg than it is to cook pasta. Not sure which is better for you? Just ask yourself what your Stone Age relatives would have been eating.

By getting back to basics first, and then learning about they way your own body reacts to different foods, you can start to make your own conscious decisions about what you eat. You can then move towards achieving your desired shape without ever counting calories, drinking potions or, even worse, popping pills.

For many of our clients, the weight loss turns out to be a bonus, while the main benefit is how much better they feel. They are able to change the outlook they have on food, essentially getting back to a state of mind where they are in control. By freeing themselves of the cravings and habits they are able to enjoy a much healthier diet without ever feeling deprived. And when they decide to have a glass of wine or a bar of chocolate they do so free of guilt.

But while the theory is great, if you want results you must take action!

You can start right now by downloading the free program guide by entering your name and email address in the right hand column.

I am also hosting a special teleseminar on Thursday, January 14th at 7:00pm GMT. (You’ll receive details after you download your guide)

During this call I’ll be covering some frequently asked questions regarding the program, and I’ll talk about the best way’s to put it into action immediately so you can start achieving the results you are after.

If you have any questions about the Nutritional Responsibility program that you would like me to cover during the call, please send them to me by email or submit them on the community site over at http://timgoodwin.ning.com/

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The Last Soup Recipe You’ll Ever Need

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Samantha Goodwin

On a cold winters day there is nothing more satisfying than a bowl of hot soup.

(Well, maybe chocolate brownies but that’s a story for a different website!)

If you’re following the Nutritional Responsibility program then tinned soups are out due to their processed nature and all the additives they contain. However, the good news is that it’s easy to make your own soups that will taste better than the tinned varieties! Soup is also something you can make while you cook your dinner, so you don’t need to worry about it taking too much time.  And you can freeze individual portions so you will have a great Nutritionally Responsible meal on hand for emergencies.

Before you start, you need just 3 key items:

  1. A large heavy based saucepan, with a lid. Make sure you use something big enough so you don’t have your ingredients bubbling over and making a mess.
  2. A hand blender or food processor. I’ve used both and my personal preference is the hand blender as I feel it gives me better control over the consistency.
  3. The willingness to experiment! Once you’ve mastered the basics you can make any soup you like!

So, let’s get you started!

For all my soups I start with 2 leeks and an onion.

Slice and saute gently in a little butter or olive oil over a low heat. Season with sea salt & freshly ground pepper. You want the leeks and onion to be wilted and turning translucent, but not browned since this will affect the colour of your soup. Adding a splash of water will keep this from happening.

While the leeks and onions are cooking you can prepare the rest of your ingredients. At this stage you can basically add whatever you like! As an example I’m going to talk through my cauliflower and chickpea soup.

Chop half a cauliflower into florets. (The quantity is up to you, the beauty of making soup, and will determine the final flavour. This is where the willingness to experiment comes in!)

Mix the cauliflower florets with the leek and onion, then add enough water or stock to only just cover the ingredients. This is very important since too much liquid will result in a watery soup. Blah! It’s best to err on the side of caution as you can always add more to the finished soup if needed.

At this stage I also add half a tin of chickpeas. (You can add chickpeas to almost any soup, resulting in a deeper, creamy texture. Go on, experiment!)

Now season, pop the lid on and simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until the cauliflower is well cooked.

When cooked, just blend to your desired consistency, et voila!

Now either dive straight in or put in individual containers for freezing.

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Delicious December

Posted on December 1, 2009 by Samantha Goodwin

It’s the 1st December and the Christmas celebrations already seem to be in full swing, especially where there is food involved! Restaurants have their enticing festive menus, the bakeries are full of chocolate covered goodies and the gluwein is starting to flow at the Christmas markets.

The celebrations at this time of year revolve around food and drink, so when it comes to nutrition it’s no surprise that many people decide to throw their good intentions out the window and worry about the fall-out in January. However, you can still have a fun filled month without neglecting your nutrition entirely, and a few simple steps could mean you wake up on the 1st Jan feeling ahead of the game.

So here’s our top 5 tips to enjoying December while minimising the damage!

  1. ‘Be Good’ at home. Chances are you are going to be eating out a lot this month, whether at parties, meals with friends or after work drinks to name just a few. So if you can make a conscious effort to eat well at home, you will be able to enjoy these meals out without feeling quite so guilty! Home is where you are in control, where you can make conscious choices about the foods you eat.
  2. ‘Out of sight, out of mind.’ If you are stocking up on food and snacks for your own celebrations, try to keep it out of sight till the big day. You know you’re going to eat it at some point, but there’s no need to start straight away. And if you are celebrating at home, you control the menu so you can even sneak in some healthy treats. How about cinnamon apple chips and crunchy roast chickpeas as pre-dinner nibbles? (See our party nibble post for details)
  3. Eat first. If you are going to the Christmas markets, or out for drinks, it’s always a good idea to eat first. Not only will you be less likely to go straight for the snacks, but it will also help you deal with that first gluwein (how does that stuff get me tipsy so fast?!)
  4. Say no! Now, I’m not suggesting you say no to everything and get constantly hassled for dieting in December, but you also don’t have to eat absolutely everything that comes your way.  A good place to start is with all the sweets and treats you may be offered in the office. Make a conscious decision as to whether you want them or not.
  5. Get some Exercise! I know, I know, it’s cold outside and you are busier than ever! But do try and stick with your exercise program. You’ll feel much better for getting off your backside, and you can feel virtuous while having that glass of wine later!

And finally, remember to keep up your water intake throughout the month. Have a drink or two by all means, just make sure you are drinking plenty of water as well. It will help the hangover if nothing else!

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Party Nibbles

Posted on December 1, 2009 by Samantha Goodwin

If you are having friends over to celebrate this month, remember that you control the food so it doesn’t have to be just peanuts and crisps.

Here’s just a couple of ideas for some Nutritionally Responsible party nibbles. These are both easy to prepare ahead of time. Don’t be put off by the long cooking time, there’s very little you need to do once you get these started.

Crunchy Chickpeas

Pre-heat oven to 150°C. Rinse canned chickpeas and dry using a clean tea towel. I normally do two tins at a time. Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for approx 2 hours, giving them a shake occasionally. When cooked they should be crunchy.

You can now store these in an airtight container until your party.

Just before serving, while still in the container, add a dash of olive oil, freshly ground salt and pepper, and chili and/or garlic to taste. Give them a good shake to coat fully.


Cinnamon Apple Chips

Pre-heat oven to 120°C. Use a mandolin (or veg peeler) to finely slice 2-3 apples. Lay the apple pieces on a baking tray and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for approx 2 hours til crisp.

You can now store these in an airtight container until your party.

Enjoy!

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Craving Potatoes?

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Samantha Goodwin

Craving potatoes and these dark, cold evenings? Try this Nutritionally Responsible version instead!

Garlic Cauliflower Mash

Boil some cauliflower for about 12 minutes. Drain, and put back in the pan. Add a knob of butter, 1 clove of garlic (crushed) and a pinch of salt. Use a hand blender to blend to a smooth paste.

Yum!

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Real Food?

Posted on November 11, 2009 by Samantha Goodwin

Have you ever noticed how a lot of food no longer seems to contain, well, real food? If you look at the ingredients list on any pre-packaged food it’s likely that you may not recognise any of the ingredients as being naturally occuring food items.

This probably won’t come as a suprise when you look at heavily processed food items, for example ready meals and sugar coated snacks. However, it’s important to get used to reading the labels on all food items if you want to really understand what you are consuming.

What do you think the following list of ingredients is from?

Water, soybean oil, palm oil, palm kernal oil, butter (cream, salt), buttermilk, distilled monoglycerides, soy lecithin, natural & artificial flavours, sodium benzdate, potassium sorbate, vitamin A palminate, beta carotene.

Quite a list of ingredients, right? Can you guess what it is yet?

It’s the ingredients for a ‘Buttery Spread’ that appeared with my toast while on a recent trip to America. Butter does at least appear on the ingredients list, but what is all the other stuff? Would you feel comfortable eating this product if you read the ingredients?

Now, anyone who believes butter is bad for you, take note! Butter normally contains just butter (made from cream) and salt, and yes, it’s pasturized which does have an impact on the raw ingredients. But you can still identify the raw ingredients, right?

So, which is healthier? It’s not a trick question. What does your basic common sense tell you? You don’t need to be a nutritionist to make a decision on this for yourself.

If you take a little time to understand what is in the food in front of you, you can start to make conscious decisions about what you are consuming. You may well decide that you are happy to eat certain products no matter what they contain, but you may also find you prefer to seek alternatives which have less ingredients, or at least ingredients that you recognise.

It doesn’t have to be complicated, it’s all about making conscious, informed choices

Following a nutrition plan which is focussed on sensible choices rather than complex rules can give freedom and flexibility, both with regard to food choices and how you incorporate those choices into your busy life.

Freedom and flexibility – isn’t that something we’d all like more of?

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Nutritional Responsibility at 30,000ft?

Posted on November 5, 2009 by Samantha Goodwin

So, we flew out to Atlanta yesterday and I was determined not to eat the so-called food you get on planes. No matter how fancy they make the packaging, there is nothing appetizing about the food on offer at 30,000ft. And it certainly doesn’t represent good nutritional value. So why do we eat it?

I guess there are several reasons for peeling back the tinfoil cover and digging in.

First is that you don’t have a lot of options. I mean, really, you can’t go to a different restaurant or store. They truely do have a captive audience.

Secondly is habit – someone offers you food, you eat it! But you don’t have to eat it just because it’s free. I actually think the airlines where you have to pay extra for food is a good thing. Most people won’t pay €5 for a soggy sandwich on Ryanair, because they know it’s not woth it. But they would eat it if it was free, even though it’s still poor quality & unappetizing.

Third is boredom. Long-haul flights are boring, especially if you can’t sleep. Normally I’m sleeping like a baby even before take-off, but on yesterdays flight I just couldn’t sleep. Even if you can sleep for a while, long-haul flights are boring! And what do a lot of us do when we’re bored? Yep, we eat.

So is there a way out of eating the bad plane food?

Yes, and it’s simple! Remember, you have a choice….. just say No! It can be tough. I struggled to turn down the chocolate ice cream, but it is possible.

But you’re gonna get hungy, right?

So, remember one of the cornerstones of the Nutritional responsibility program – Be Prepared!

For yesterdays flight I prepared some snacks the night before, which fitted easily into my hand bag, in individual zip-loc bags. I had a bag of dried mango, a bag of mixed nuts, one with spicy roast chick peas, and a roast chicken breast cut into pieces. Oh, and some home made apple chips. Plenty to keep me going through the flight, as well as check in, transfers and waiting for baggage.

So, my 5 tips to being Nutritionally Responsible on long haul flights…..

1. Be prepared and take snacks!
2. Get an aisle seat. (why?)
3. Drink water. All through the flight, drink water. (Reason for #2 since you are going to need to pee!)
4. Don’t get bored! Take a book or whatever you need. It may be better to avoid the in-flight movie (which you will probably have seen anyway) if it’s gonna make you crave popcorn!
5. Just say no! You are responsible for the decisions you make. It’s all up to you!

Happy flying!

Sam

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