Comfort not cardboard

I very much enjoyed my lentil and sweet potato stew this evening but I know that this kind of 70s California hippy food isn’t for everyone and the real key to long-term success when it comes to sticking to a healthy diet is to make sure you are eating foods that you enjoy rather than 'health' foods that taste like cardboard. This is important regardless of whether you’re trying to lose weight or not – eating should be a pleasurable experience so finding foods that are both healthy and tasty is key.

For anyone on a diet high in salt, sugar and/or processed foods it may take some time for your taste buds to adapt, so a period of recasting where you make a disciplined effort to eat healthily may be required. However, even if you’re avoiding all the foods that I am for this two week period there is still plenty of tasty alternatives to your usual junk food. The key is to have your fridge and cupboard stocked full of healthy foods that you enjoy eating so that you don’t have to eat any bland or unpalatable food.

The first step is to go through the list of permissible foods from yesterday and stock up on any of those that you enjoy – ok so perhaps kidney beans don’t appeal to you but you enjoy hummous so keep some in the fridge for snacks, if you’re not a fan of tofu but like fish then stock your freezer with some salmon or cod.

Most people like the taste of at least a handful of different vegetables so think of your favourites and buy a supply for the week. Also think of which nuts you enjoy eating the most and buy a few bags to keep in your desk for snacks.

Next up think of your favourite meals and see how you can adapt them. You need to make sure the carbohydrates are gluten free and on the acceptable list, make sure you also have a healthy protein sauce, cut out the saturated fats and add some good fats and vegetables.

I love pasta, and thankfully with gluten free pasta I can still enjoy it – but instead of going for creamy sauces I serve mine with either a clean tomato sauce (Waitrose sells some good own brand clean tomato based sauces) or with some dairy free pesto (I use Meridian brand). I add some extra olive oil for fats (which adds moisture) or some sunflower seeds (which add crunch) and then add some kidney beans for protein (although you could equally add some tuna) and chopped up raw baby spinach for my greens. Even though it’s not macaroni cheese it’s still comforting and tasty. Another great pasta recipe is Jamie Oliver’s pasta peperonata to which you can again add pulses or fish (leave out the parmesan and crème fraiche to keep it diary free).

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/pasta-peperonata

I’m obviously a bit of a carb monster as I’m also a big fan of the potato, particularly when there’s butter involved! However you can make a delicious mash with new potatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper and if you’re craving chips chop up some sweet potatoes into wedges add a little salt and olive oil (and some herbs if you fancy some extra flavour) and bake in the oven til brown. As for the oh so yummy (but very high GI baked potato) I use a sweet potato instead which is usually smaller and I find tastier – again served with a drizzle of olive oil and a small pinch of salt. All these make lovely sides to go with grilled salmon or poached cod, just add a vegetable side – fine green beans are good – and you’ve got yourself a tasty, super healthy, comforting alternative to fish and chips.

If you’re a red meat eater going without may be a trauma but you can make hearty red meat dishes bootcamp friendly pretty easily – for spaghetti bolognaise just substitute cooked lentils for the mince and for chilli con carne just use kidney beans – my flatmate made a lovely vegan chilli con carne adapting this Gordon Ramsey recipe by cutting out the mince and replacing with extra kidney beans (also leave out the sour cream) it was hearty and full of flavour – perfect for these cold evenings.

http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/recipes/2097/gordons-chilli-con-carne

When it comes to sugary puddings I’m afraid bootcamp offers no sticky toffee pudding alternatives but after a few days off sugar your taste buds will start to adapt and you’ll enjoy the sweetness of a crisp fresh apple much more than you did before. And if you’re really in need of pud, I find some chopped up apple stewed with a little water and frozen berries and a sprinkling of cinnamon very satisfying.

For breakfast I’m quite happy with my brown rice porridge but for something more indulgent this weekend I’ll be making some French toast to feel like I’m having a treat. To do this toast some gluten free bread then blend 100g silken tofu with an equal volume of water. Dip the toasted bread into the tofu on both sides to make sure it’s covered and give it a couple of seconds to soak in some of the mix then in a medium-hot frying pan fry the bread for 3 minutes on each side (or til brown) in some coconut fat. In the meantime stew some berries (fresh or frozen) in a little water and then blend into a puree. When the French toast is ready put it on a plate, sprinkle it over with some cinnamon and then top with the berry puree.

If you prefer a savoury breakfast on the weekend then instead serve the French toast with a sprinkling of salt, some grilled tomatoes and mushrooms and some tofu scramble instead of eggs – even though the whole thing is gluten and dairy free and vegan it will still feel like you’re having a cooked breakfast.

http://www.thekindlife.com/user_recipe/view/10014/37/1

Everyone enjoys a good cup of tea with their hot breakfast but even with caffeine and milk off the menu you don’t have to miss out – I’m a big fan of Rooibos tea either with organic soya milk (creamier) or with rice milk (more watery but sweeter). Yogi tea makes a lovely Chai style roobios called African Spice for a bit of variety. If I fancy a coffee I make up dandelion coffee (from the root rather than instant) and have either black or with soya milk and for an occasional treat on the run I’ll grab a decaf soya latte.

Bring on the weekend!

ps I forgot to include quinoa in my allowed carbohydrates list yesterday, probably because it’s not one of my favourites taste wise but if you enjoy it it’s a super healthy gluten free food.

Bootcamp bounty

Day 3 into bootcamp and I’m feeling rather virtuous .. so far I’ve avoided all the banned foods and gone to the gym every day J

I do however imagine bootcamp is probably easier for me to stick to than most as I’m one of those rare people who enjoys going to the gym and eating healthy food!! That said I wasn’t always such a healthy eater so this is a taste that I acquired over time - therefore eating healthily for two weeks, even if it's not your usual preferred food, may turn you into a healthy eater too!

Whilst I’m avoiding the banned bootcamp foods list, here’s all the good stuff I’ll be eating during these two weeks. I’ll be blogging on a few of these foods individually over the next two weeks but I thought it was important to start with a comprehensive list to show that there is some food you can still eat!!

Carbohydrates:

Brown rice (eat a portion every day)

Sweet potatoes

Gluten free pasta

Gluten free bread (limit to one portion a day)

Millet

Buckwheat

New potatoes (limit to three portions a week)

Peas

Sweetcorn or corn meal (polenta)

Proteins:

Pulses (kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas etc. - eat a portion every day)

Tofu (limit to every other day)

Fish (oily or white – limit to every other day)

Fruits:

Lemons

Limes

Apples

Pears

Plums

All berries

(no more than two portions a day for the latter four)

Non-starchy veg

Eat liberally with lunch and dinner and for snacks.

Fats:

Flax seed (ground or milled, can be added to pretty much anything to add some essential fats)

Olive oil

Avocado

Nuts and no sugar nut butters (excluding peanuts)

Seeds

Coconut fat or milk for cooking

To build a meal you need to combine a portion of carbs with a portion of protein and then a healthy serving of veg (or a piece of fruit in the morning if you don’t fancy vegetables with your breakfast!!). Add to that a tablespoon of healthy fats and you’re good to go.

I’ve listed my typical bootcamp meals below but if this doesn’t seem that appealing I’ll be blogging on how to adapt your favourite unhealthy meals to comply with bootcamp regulations tomorrow! And remember it’s just for two weeks!

Emilie’s Bootcamp menu:

Breakfast:

Either brown rice porridge with berries or grated apple made with brown rice, sunflower seeds and rice milk (served hot)

OR

Gluten free toast spread with cashew or almond butter topped with sliced apple and a sprinkle of cinnamon

Lunch:

Either a cold salad or a hot stew (homemade then heated at work) made up of a base of brown rice or sweet potato or new potatoes, with a portion of pulses and a variety of veggies plus seeds and seasonings (if you don’t have time to make this at home Chop’d and the Salad Factory can make up a salad like this for you).

Snacks:

an apple and some almonds

Crudites and hummous

Miso soup

Half an avocado with Newman’s Italian dressing

A palmful of non-roasted nuts

Dinner:

Cooked tofu or fish with either brown rice, baked sweet potato or gluten free pasta – either plain or with a non-sugar tomato sauce or dairy free pesto (tastes very much like regular pesto). Served with a side of green veggies (cabbage, broccoli, spinach, green beans etc) with some olive oil drizzled over the veg.

I also have a tasty drink of diluted CherryActive Cherry Active Concentrate 473ml combined with the juice of a lime every day for extra vitamin C and antioxidants.

Treadmill traffic

If any of you went to the gym today you’ll most likely have seen some interesting gym kit and work out styles (who knew some people didn’t know how to run!) which mark the invasion of the new years revolutioners! Whilst I will be secretly cursing all the novices who will make my gym overcrowded and unusable for the whole of January it is definitely worth harnessing new years enthusiasm to get you back to the gym which is why as part of my bootcamp I’ll be doing something physically active for 20-40 minutes every day.

If you think this is excessive just remember it’s only for 14 days and for any of the exercise uninitiated it can just start with going for a 20 minute brisk walk everyday. The key is to exercise at a level that you can repeat everyday. I’m no personal trainer so I’m including the regime I’ll be following at the end of this blog just fyi, but it’s important to pick something you will enjoy so if the idea of going to the gym turns your stomach then go for a jog outside, get some dumbbells to use at home or invest in some exercise dvds. My sister waxes lyrical about the Davina fitness dvds and I have a random selection myself for days when I really can’t face leaving the house!!

Whilst I say two weeks ‘straight’ I will be having a rest day each week where I will still do something active but something very low impact and something that is restorative and relaxing. In my case this will be 20-60mins of yoga (depending on how much time I have) but this could equally be going for a gentle walk on your way to pick up the Sunday papers.

For any of you who have no interest in exercise then read no further as I’m afraid today’s blog is a bit of a long one!

Other than weight loss there are lots of other benefits of exercising everyday:

- By making time to be active everyday for two weeks you will get into the habit of daily exercise – once you’ve done two weeks straight it will actually feel odd not doing something active each day making you more likely to keep it up.

- Every time you exercise it gives your metabolism a boost so by exercising daily you will upregulate it, increasing your rate of fat burning.

- The lymph fluid that carries your white blood cells around the body is moved through the lymphatic system by muscle contractions so daily exercise will improve lymphatic drainage (helping eliminate toxins and dead blood cells) and keep your immune system functioning well. This is why those who exercise a moderate amount get sick less often that those who are sedentary.

- Muscles act as ‘sugar sinks’ helping regulate blood sugar levels so if you build muscle you help even out your energy levels reducing those low blood sugar moments that have you reaching for a biscuit.

A word of caution: if you are exercising 6 days a week, as I will be for these two weeks, it is very important not to workout intensely for more than 40 minutes a day. This is because above 40minutes a day the exercise becomes stressful for the body provoking the production of stress hormones that can lead to both fatigue and increased fat storage, counteracting all the benefits of bootcamp. If you’re an athlete who sleeps 12 hours a day and doesn’t have a stressful day job to deal with then feel free to train like a maniac, but I doubt that applies to any NITC readers!! Also if you are ill or feeling very fatigued then please don’t exercise as you can make your condition worse and slow recovery time. If you’re not bed ridden go for a 20 minute gentle walk to get some fresh air and get your lymph fluid flowing.

Also please note that the 40 minutes doesn’t include stretching and cool down though so you can add these on, having a good stretch and relaxation session at the end of your workout is very beneficial for mind and body so spend at least 10minutes on it and enjoy taking time to relax!

My bootcamp regime:

20 minutes interval training (rotating between bike, treadmill and cross trainer)

followed by a 5 minute ergo (rowing machine) – please don’t do this if you haven’t been shown how to use a rowing machine properly or if you have any injuries

15 minutes weight training alternating between:

day 1: upper body (chest, shoulders, arms, back)

day 2: lower body and abs

I’m repeating this for 6 days a week for the next two weeks with one day off for yoga, although if I’m having a really busy day then I’ll do either the interval training or the weights, which will take only 20 minutes.

My interval training is based on that used in the Body for Life programme . You might think 20 minutes isn’t that long but if you do it properly you’ll really be working and it really improves cardiovascular fitness so is great for winter training for aspiring athletes.

http://bodyforlife.com/library/exercise/cardio

My weight training exercises are pretty close to those in the Bodydoctor book (I just don’t do them all in one go). The book has good instructions although if you haven’t done free weights before I’d recommend you book some personal training sessions to learn the proper technique.

Bodydoctor: Trust Me, I'm the BodyDoctor.

Welcome to Bootcamp!

Happy New Year NITC readers! I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

 

Having given you all a break from my blog and given myself a break from the usual healthy diet (a houseful of cheese and chocolate is too much for even me to resist!!) I have a feeling I'm not alone in needing a bit of a health kickstart to 2011!

 

So I'm going to be putting myself through a two week bootcamp and you're all welcome to join me!!

 

You see I don't make new years health resolutions – trying to do anything for a whole year is pretty tough – it's tiring just thinking about it!!! But choosing to do something for just 14 days is a psychologically acceptable time frame, if half way through you're really struggling you know there's only seven days left of it to stick to it and once you get to the end you'll probably think 'that wasn't so bad'.  It's also totally worth sticking to a health regime for two weeks as it can take that long for the benefits to show up in the same way that  there also seems to be a 7-14 day time lag on weight gain occurring after over-indulging – so don't be discouraged if results don't appear in the first week.

 

So what will I be doing? Well first up I'll be cutting alot of unhealthy foods out of my diet. I'm not going to go into the explanation as to the downsides of these foods (which I have covered before in my blog) but suffice to say you'll be doing yourself a big favour by avoiding these foods for two weeks.  These aren't all foods you'd necessarily want to avoid forever either - I don't always avoid eggs and meat but I've definitely eaten too many animal products over the last few weeks so for a two week kick start I'm going for a clean sweep.

 

Foods I'm avoiding:

Dairy

Gluten 

Meat

Eggs

Sugar and artificial sweeteners

Alcohol

Caffeine

 

If that seems to cut out most of your regular food don't worry I'll be blogging over the next two weeks with the rest of the details on my bootcamp including details of what I will be eating over the next two weeks.

 

I'll also be blogging on the exercise I'll be doing for bootcamp, but as an overview I'll be doing 20-40 minutes exercise a day for the two weeks, with one day a week "off" where I'll do 20-40 minutes of yoga to chill out. Again a 14 day time frame is pretty much manageable for most people – I certainly thinking resolving to exercise 5-6 days a week for the whole year is a pretty tough one to stick to.  But while it's quiet and no one feels like going it's not that difficult to fit it in.  More on exercise tomorrow but If you're not a gym bunny and this all seems a bit much just get off your tube or bus a few stops early and have a brisk half hour walk home everyday … not only will you have done some exercise you'll also very likely feel better for it !

 

Naughty but nice

NITC will be taking a well earned break over Christmas to eat, drink and be merry and I'm sure most of you will be doing the same. This will undoubtedly be much more enjoyable for all of us without being interrupted with blogs on how we should all be eating our greens and avoiding coffee!! So this is ... somewhat unbelievably ... my last blog for the year! (where did it go ... I feel like it's still March!?)

I'm sure I'm not the only one looking forward to relaxing my usual healthy regime in favour of some Christmas indulgence, and whilst I won't be going on a chocolate/alcohol bender I am looking forward to some Christmas treats such as my mum's pork and apple stuffing (I eat more of that than of the turkey!), a nice big slice of stollen and a healthy dose of champagne!!

So my final thoughts for the year are treat-related, inspired by a friend's question ... why are the foods that are bad for you also the tastiest. My first thought was that this is also true for men ... but that's for another blog! When it comes to food there are some simple answers:

Firstly most tasty treat food contains either sugar or fat or both, why?

- Sugar is addictive and so eating it makes us want to eat more of that food. It is a strong taste on the taste buds and has a drug like effect when eaten producing feelings of euphoria and energy highs ... which are sadly followed by sugar lows.

- Fats are extremely effective flavour carriers making flavours richer and deeper. This is why the fatty cuts of meat, including steak, taste better and why the full-fat muffin will always taste better than the skinny one.

Combine fats and sugar together (ice cream, donuts, chocolate, cake etc.) and you get a super taste hit for your taste buds. This is why sugar is often found in savoury foods you wouldn't expect it to be in (pizza, gravy, soup, crisps) - to provide that super combo to make the food even more moorish.

So the sad truth is the 'tasty' food is often the 'naughty' food, but it is possible to adjust your taste buds to enjoy much healthier foods. However it's Christmas so let's leave that for the New Year and enjoy in a little naughtiness!

I hope you all have a fabulous Christmas and New Year and I look forward to blogging to you all again in 2011.
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Powering through

Apologies again for a lack of blog yesterday - I was totally out of it with flu but I'm thankfully pretty much over it now.

Hopefully the rest of you have all been well and making merry! But if you're halfway through the party season and starting to feel a bit sluggish here are some ideas to help you power through to Christmas:

- juice it up: a vegetable juice is a great pick me up to start the day with especially if you're hungover. If you feel the need for a coffee, first have a juice and a big cup of water and then have your coffee. If caffeine is the only way you'll get through the day match it cup for cup with water.

- have a light lunch: stick to soup, sushi or salad at lunchtime to compensate for any evening indulgence and stop you falling asleep at your desk in the afternoon.

- seek out fruit and vegetables: Party buffets aren't exactly waistline friendly but look closely and you'll often find crudites and fruit hidden between the chicken wings and cheese board. The antioxidants will keep the colds at bay and fruit and veg are at least 60 per cent water so they'll help keep you hydrated whilst the salted nuts will do the opposite.

- love your B's: b vitamins are the energy vitamins so you need a lot more of them when you're low on sleep whether it's due to partying hard, working hard or baby induced. They're also leached out the body by alcohol and caffeine so it's super easy to run low in party season. I take a B complex with breakfast everyday (but away from caffeine) to get me going.

- don't abandon the gym ... just yet: you might want a break over christmas but getting your heart pumping for even just 20 minutes a day these last few days will keep your energy levels up and help sweat out a few of the toxins you're taking in.

- don't knock disco naps: there's really no substitute for a good night's sleep but if you're partying all night and working all day, a 20-40 minute cat nap before you go out can be a much needed pick me up. If you work for one of the trendier employers and are lucky enough to have a chill out zone grabbing, forty winks and lunchtime can also be a godsend. Just remember to set an alarm!

- give yourself a break! If you've been running around buying everyone's gifts, getting your work done and being a social butterfly make sure you get at least a ten minute time out each day to sit down and chill on your own. Stop thinking about your to do list or what you're going to wear that evening and just zone out.

- pace yourself: this is Christmas not an endurance event so know when to quit - if you're struggling just slip away from drinks a bit early to give yourself a proper nights sleep, or have a couple of nights out booze free - it's really not as painful as you'd think, you might even enjoy yourself more watching your colleagues disgrace themselves whilst you keep it together!
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Here's one I made earlier

First up apologies for the lack of blog yesterday ... I was brought down by a bad case of flu on Sunday and was in no state to string together coherent sentences! After a day in bed I'm not much better placed ... but do have one I prepared earlier ... enjoy!

If your digestion isn't working properly you won't be able to digest and absorb the nutrients form your food, so you won't get the full benefits of improving your diet.  

Digestion starts in the mouth where your food should be broken down into a puree so it's vital to make you sure chew all your food properly until there are no more solid lumps in it, before swallowing.  This may feel strange at first if you are used to eating quickly, but it is essential for proper digestion.  Also put your knife and fork down between mouthfuls, only loading up your fork when you have swallowed your last mouthful. This will give you time to chew properly and also slow down the rate at which you take on your food.

Eating too quickly often leads to over-eating as it takes 15 to 20 minutes for your stomach to register that you are full, so if you have eaten a large meal in that time you may not feel full immediately.  It is also important to be relaxed when you eat as stress or anxiety can prevent proper digestion, so make sure you aren't working, watching tv, reading or multi-tasking whilst you are eating.