“DID you see the new diet that came out last week?” asks local accredited practising dietitian Emma Kellond of Healthy Lifestyles Australia.
“It claims you can lose weight but not change a thing! Also, did you hear there’s a new slimming pill?
“Everywhere you look there is a promotion for weight loss, so it can get confusing trying to choose which service is the most effective.
“So what’s the secret? Let me take you through my five hot tips for this Healthy Weight Week:
1. No matter what your food beliefs, variety is the key to any diet. Choose vibrant colours, experiment with different textures and create contrasting flavours that dance on your tongue, fill your belly and leave you feeling satisfied. Just remember portion size is the key.
2. Always aim to have vegetables as the star of your meal. Hands up if you had five serves of vegetables yesterday (one serve equals one cup of salad or half a cup of cooked vegetables)? Studies show 98 per cent of us are not getting the recommended daily amount.
3. Think of food as a whole, rather than a single nutrient. How many people do you know that look at a food and ask: ‘Too much fat? Too much sugar? Too much salt’? It’s not healthy to single out individual nutrients all the time. Instead, ask yourself ‘what nutrition does this food give my body’? If the answer is not much, then don’t have it often.
4. Did you know snacks can contribute up to an additional 30 per cent of energy (kJ, kcal) intake for the day? Replace high energy snacks with fruit or vegetables. These options are lower in energy, higher in nutrition and are less processed.
5. Did you get your 30 minutes of activity today? No matter what your ability, there is always an opportunity for movement and activity to help you lose weight. If you are finding it difficult to get your 30 minutes, contact our local exercise physiologist Suzzanne Thurlow, who will be able to help you out.
Successful weight loss is a long-term commitment which involves changing your lifestyle habits
If a program, pill or shake sounds too good to be true, it more than likely is! The Healthy Lifestyles Australia dietitians and exercise physiologists are here to support and provide you with personalised meal plans or exercise programs which take into account your nutritional and exercise beliefs, goals and medical conditions. We use individualised information rather than a blanket diet or handout approach.
So when you are thinking about changing your lifestyle habits just remember: eat better, feel better and if you need some assistance we are here to help.
Call 0432 468 548 to make an appointment or visit healthylifestylesaustralia.com for more information.”
