diet

Leave a comment Posted on Weight Loss

Behold wobbly dieters – Charlotte Crosby on staying fit

Charlotte Crosby dresses as an Angel and Devil as research by Hartley’s 10 Cal Jelly Pots finds that women have more willpower than men, with 3m men giving up New Year diets on 5th January, compared to women who are most likely to wobble on the 14th January. Hartley’s 10 Cal Jelly Pots contain just 10 calories each and are a great way to satisfy a sweet craving.

Charlotte Crosby dresses as an Angel and Devil as research by Hartley’s 10
Cal Jelly Pots finds that women have more willpower than men, with 3m men
giving up New Year diets on 5th January, compared to women who are most
likely to wobble on the 14th January. Hartley’s 10 Cal Jelly Pots contain
just 10 calories each and are a great way to satisfy a sweet craving.

3.26m Brits are set to ‘wobble’ from their diets on the 14th January; how can we prevent the apocalypse of the New Year health and fitness goals?

Whopping 26m Brits start a diet as a New Year’s resolution with 87% of them breaking the resolution

92% of Brits say they will break their New Year diet within one month

‘New year, new you’ is not always a happy ending with so many of us falling off the wagon within the first few days and months of starting a new diet as a New Year’s resolution.

Eight out of ten Brits are estimated to wobble from their New Year diet on the 14th January with 7-8pm marked as the time of the diet apocalypse. Cravings (52%) top the list of triggers making us fall behind our diet goals followed by boredom (37.5%) and stress (29.2%).

So what do most of the dieters crave for? 52 per cent crave for chocolate followed by crisps (34%), take-away (27%), cheese (26%) and alcoholic drinks (25%).

Research by Hartley’s 10 Cal Jelly Pots has revealed interesting gender, age and regional variances in how diets crumble to snacks and sweets’ galore. Between men and women, the former are most likely to wobble from their New Year diet on the 5th January in 2017 before the Christmas decorations have even come down. In comparison, women have more willpower with 14th January marked as the end of their new diets.

Regionally, 21 per cent of people living in Southampton and 19 per cent in Birmingham won’t break their diets in 2017 making them the most dedicated dieters in the UK. Those from Norwich, Glasgow and Cardiff are most likely to wobble. Young teens and 35+ people are considered to be fairly better than 25-to-34 year olds who are most likely to break their diet.

Joining us today is TV star Charlotte Crosby with her top tips for staying fit in 2017. Crosby has two best-selling fitness DVDs and pledges to prevent the nation from a diet wobble this January!

*Source: Censuswide of 2,010 respondents, conducted by Hartley’s 10 Cal Jelly Pots.

Top five UK regions that are most likely to give up on their diets this January:
 Norwich (95.7%)
 Glasgow (94.4%)
 Cardiff (93.1%)
 Belfast (93.1%)
 London (90.7%)

Top five UK regions that are most likely to stick to their diets this January:
 Southampton (21%)
 Birmingham (18.8%)
 Leeds (18.2%)
 Brighton (17.9%)
 Bristol, Plymouth and Sheffield (16.7%)

Leave a comment Posted on Weight Loss

Avoid winter weight gain

Avoid Winter Weight Gain

Avoid Winter Weight Gain

 

Winter weight gain isn’t just an urban myth. Research has shown most of us could gain around a pound (half a kilo) during the winter months. That may not sound like much, but over the course of a decade it can add up.

“There’s good evidence that people put on weight over the winter,” says dietitian Sian Porter. “The more overweight you are, the more you tend to put on. And the most worrying aspect of this seasonal weight gain is that the pounds tend to stay on. People don’t seem to lose the extra weight.”

The three main reasons that people put on weight in the winter are lack of physical activity, comfort eating and overindulging at Christmas.

Cold weather and shorter days make it harder to exercise outdoors, so it’s easy not to do any exercise over winter. If you’re not outside as much, there’s more time and temptation to reach into the kitchen cupboard for high-calorie sweet snacks, such as biscuits and cakes.

Then of course there are the festivities surrounding Christmas. “What used to be a couple of days of parties and overeating now seems, for some, to be six weeks of overdoing it,” says Porter.

So what’s the solution? Here are four simple ways to avoid winter weight gain.

1. Stock up your kitchen cupboards

Keep your store cupboard stocked with staples such as cans of tomatoes, spices, beans and pulses, dried wholewheat pasta, wholewheat cereals, noodles, couscous and dried fruit.

Keep some extra bread in the freezer if there’s space. That way, you’ll be able to create a quick and nutritious evening meal, such as a lentil or vegetable soup or stew, at short notice. You’ll save money and avoid the temptation to order a high-calorie takeaway.

Here are 10 healthy hot meals for winter.

2. Exercise more in winter

When the outside temperature drops, it’s easy to give up on outdoor exercise. In winter, we stop doing calorie-burning outdoor activities such as short walks and gardening. But reducing the amount of physical activity you do is one of the biggest contributors to winter weight gain.

Cold weather and shorter days don’t mean you have to abandon exercise completely. Instead, rearrange your schedule to fit in what you can. You don’t need formal exercise to burn calories.

A brisk walk can be revitalising after being indoors with the central heating on, and it’ll also help boost your circulation. Put on some warm clothes and jog around the neighbourhood, or start a snowball fight with the kids.

Most leisure centres have heated swimming pools and indoor tennis and badminton courts. If you’d rather stay at home, buy some dance or workout DVDs, and always walk up the stairs at work rather than using the lift. “These little things can make all the difference when it comes to avoiding that pound of weight gain over winter,” says Porter.

Get more tips for exercising in winter.

3. Watch out for high-calorie drinks

It’s important to consume hot drinks throughout winter because it will help you keep warm. But some hot drinks are high in calories.

Milky, syrupy coffee shop drinks and hot chocolate with whipped cream can add a lot of calories to your diet. A Starbucks medium caffe mocha, for instance, contains more than 360 calories.

Stick to regular coffee or tea, or ask for your drink to be “skinny” (made with skimmed milk). Also, limit your alcohol intake as much as possible.

4. Get your winter greens

Eating a wide variety of foods ensures you get a range of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. Don’t get stuck eating the same food every day.

Look out for root vegetables, such as swedes, parsnips and turnips, and winter veggies such as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale and artichokes. They’re filling as well as nutritious, so they will help you resist a second helping of trifle.

This recipe for a hearty vegetable soup is a great way to get more winter vegetables into your diet.

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Reduce your cancer risk – check out these top tips

I hate cancer

I hate cancer

There are no proven ways to prevent cancer, but you can reduce your risk of getting it.

According to Cancer Research UK, 4 in 10 cancer cases can be prevented, largely through lifestyle changes. It will help to lower your risk of cancer if you:

Eat a healthy, balanced diet

Stories about various foods and diets linked to preventing cancer are often in the news. This is because a lot of research is going on into diet and cancer. However, it isn’t easy to study the link between diet and cancer, because there are so many different factors involved, and cancer can take years to develop.

No single food or supplement can prevent cancer from developing. Overall, research shows a link between eating certain groups of foods (rather than any specific foods, vitamins or nutrients) and a reduction in cancer risk.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet may lower your risk of developing cancer. Try to consume a diet containing:

at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day

plenty of bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods: choose wholegrain foods where possible, as these contain more fibre

some meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein

some milk and dairy foods

just a small amount of foods and drinks high in fat or sugars, such as cakes, crisps and biscuits

Eating a healthy, balanced diet will help your body get all the nutrients it needs.

Fibre and cancer

Evidence consistently suggests that eating plenty of fibre can reduce the risk of bowel cancer. Diets high in fibre can help keep your bowel healthy and prevent constipation.

Fibre-rich foods include wholegrain pasta, bread, breakfast cereals and rice. Pulses, fruit and vegetables are also good sources of fibre.

Red and processed meat

Meat is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals, such as iron and zinc. However, evidence shows there is probably a link between eating red and processed meat, and the risk of bowel cancer. People who eat a lot of these meats have a higher risk of getting bowel cancer than people who eat small amounts.

Beef, pork and lamb are all red meat. Processed meats include bacon, sausages, salami and ham.

If you eat more than 90 grams of red or processed meat a day (the equivalent of about three thin-cut slices of roast beef, lamb or pork, where each slice is about the size of half a piece of sliced bread), it is recommended that you cut down to 70 grams.

Read more about eating red and processed meat.

Beta-carotene supplements

Beta-carotene, often found in antioxidant supplements, has been found to increase the risk of lung cancer developing in smokers and people who have been heavily exposed to asbestos at work. It is possible that taking large amounts of beta-carotene supplements would also increase the risk of cancer in other people.

Maintain a healthy weight

In England, over 60% of the population is overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of some cancers, such as:

bowel cancer

pancreatic cancer

oesophageal cancer

breast cancer if you are a woman who has been through the menopause

cancer of the womb (uterus)

kidney cancer

Being a healthy weight can reduce your risk of developing cancer. You can find out whether you are a healthy weight by using the BMI healthy weight calculator.

You can also find information and tips on how to start losing weight.

Stay physically active

There’s evidence that being physically active can reduce your risk of bowel and breast cancer, and also endometrial cancer (cancer of the lining of the uterus). It’s not known exactly how physical activity reduces the risk of these cancers, but research shows that regular exercise helps to keep your hormone levels healthy. Having high levels of some hormones can increase your cancer risk.

Physical activity also helps you to maintain a healthy weight, which in turn reduces the risk of cancer.

See physical activity guidelines for adults.

Drink less alcohol

Drinking alcohol is known to increase your risk of some cancers, including:

mouth cancer

pharynx and larynx cancer

oesophageal cancer

colorectal cancer in men (cancer of the colon or rectum)

breast cancer

It is probably a cause of other cancers as well, such as colorectal cancer in women and liver cancer.

To reduce the risk of harming your health if you drink most weeks:

men and women are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units a week

spread your drinking over three days or more if you drink as much as 14 units a week.

Use the drinks checker to find out how many units are in different alcoholic drinks.

Stop smoking

Lung cancer is responsible for around a quarter of cancer deaths in the UK, and 90% of lung cancer cases are related to smoking.

“Stopping smoking greatly cuts the risk of developing cancer,” says Hazel Nunn, Cancer Research UK’s health information officer. “The earlier you stop, the greater the impact. But it’s never too late to quit. People who quit smoking at 30 live nearly as long as non-smokers, and those who quit at 50 can still undo half the damage.”

There is support to help you stop smoking.

Protect your skin from sun damage

Taking care in the sun so that you don’t get burned is important for preventing skin cancer. Follow Cancer Research UK’s SunSmart plan to protect yourself:

Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm.

Make sure you never burn.

Cover yourself up with a T-shirt, hat and sunglasses.

Take care not to let children get burned.

Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.

Keep an eye on any moles or freckles you have. If they change at all (for example, get bigger or begin bleeding), see your GP, as this can be an early sign of cancer. The earlier skin cancer is caught, the easier it is to treat, so see your GP as soon as possible.

We need sunlight on our skin so that our bodies can produce vitamin D, which is essential for healthy bones. Read about sunlight and vitamin D to find out how much sunlight you need.

Know your body

It’s important to know your body and recognise any potential symptoms of cancer, such as lumps or unexplained bleeding, and to get advice about whether they might be serious.

Leave a comment Posted on Diet

The Energy Diet – Top Tips for Feeling Great Through Diet

The Energy Diet

The Energy Diet

The best way to eat if you want to banish tiredness is to have a healthy, balanced diet that contains foods from the four main food groups in the right proportions.

The four food groups are:

fruit and vegetables

potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy foods

milk and dairy foods

beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other non-dairy sources of protein

Eat at regular intervals

If you eat at regular times, your body knows when your next meal is coming and learns to manage feelings of hunger and sustain your energy levels.

Try to eat three meals a day and limit snacks – especially high-fat ones – between meals.

Breakfast boosts your energy

Breakfast gives you the energy you need to face the day. Despite this, up to one-third of us regularly skip breakfast, according to the British Dietetic Association (BDA).

Go for healthier options, such as porridge with fruit, vegetable omelette, or wholemeal toast with a scraping of low-fat spread or jam.

If you can’t face eating as soon as you get up, take a high-fibre snack to eat on the run, rather than snacking on high-sugar or high-fat foods.

Here are five healthy breakfasts, plus how to choose healthy breakfast cereals.

Aim for at least 5 A DAY for more vitality

Most people in the UK eat too much fat, sugar and salt, and not enough fruit and vegetables.

Fruit and vegetables are good sources of vitamins, minerals and fibre – essential nutrients that your body needs to work properly.

Try to incorporate at least five portions of a variety of fruit and veg into your daily diet. They can be fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or juiced.

Find tips on how to boost your fruit and veg intake.

Read more about how to get your 5 A DAY.

Slow-burning starches give sustained energy

Starchy foods – also called carbohydrates – such as potatoes, bread, cereals and pasta are an important part of a healthy diet. They’re a good source of energy and the main source of a range of nutrients.

Starchy foods should make up just over a third of everything you eat. There are different types of starch. Where possible, go for slow-burning wholegrain or wholemeal varieties, as they release energy gradually.

Read more about healthy starchy foods.

Sugar steals your stamina

Adults and children in the UK eat too much sugar. Sugar is not only bad for your teeth, it can also be bad for your waistline. It gives you a rush of energy, but one that wears off quickly.

Cutting out all sugar is virtually impossible. There are natural sugars in lots of foods, including fruit and veg, and you don’t need to avoid these.

However, it’s a good idea to cut down on foods with lots of added sugar, such as sweets, cakes, biscuits, non-diet fizzy drinks and chocolates.

Read the facts about sugar.

Iron-rich foods prevent fatigue

Four in 10 (40%) girls and women aged 16-24 and almost half (44%) of girls aged 11-15 have low iron stores, according to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey.

Being low on iron can make you feel tired and faint, and look pale.

While red meats, green vegetables and fortified foods such as breakfast cereals are good sources of iron, the important thing is to eat a range of foods to get enough iron.

Here’s more advice on good sources of iron.

Non-alcoholic drinks boost zest levels

Watch your alcohol intake. It can dehydrate you, which will make you feel tired.

Make sure you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids – the government recommends 6-8 glasses every day. This is in addition to the fluid we get from the food we eat. All non-alcoholic drinks count, but water and lower-fat milk are healthier choices.

Read more about healthy drinks.

Eat enough to pack a punch

Make sure you eat the right amount for your activity level. The average man needs around 2,500 calories a day, and the average woman needs 2,000 calories. Remember, we all overestimate how active we are.

Learn how to understand calories.

Leave a comment Posted on Fatigue

Self-help tips to fight fatigue

Self-help tips to fight fatiguee

Self-help tips to fight fatigue

Many cases of unexplained tiredness are due to stress, not enough sleep, poor diet and other lifestyle factors. Use these self-help tips to restore your energy levels.

Eat often to beat tiredness

A good way to keep up your energy through the day is to eat regular meals and healthy snacks every three to four hours, rather than a large meal less often.

Read more about healthy eating.

Perk up with exercise

You might feel too tired to exercise, but regular exercise will make you feel less tired in the long run, and you’ll have more energy. Even a single 15-minute walk can give you an energy boost, and the benefits increase with more frequent physical activity.

Start with a small amount of exercise. Build up your physical activity gradually over weeks and months until you reach the recommended goal of two-and-a-half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as cycling or fast walking, every week.

Read more about starting exercise.

Find out the physical activity guidelines for adults.

Lose weight to gain energy

If your body is carrying excess weight, it can be exhausting. It also puts extra strain on your heart, which can make you tired. Lose weight and you’ll feel much more energetic. Apart from eating healthily, the best way to lose weight is to be more active and do more exercise.

Read more about how to lose weight.

Sleep well

It sounds obvious, but two-thirds of us suffer from sleep problems, and many people don’t get the sleep they need to stay alert through the day. The Royal College of Psychiatrists advises going to bed and getting up in the morning at the same time every day; avoid naps through the day, and have a hot bath before bed (as hot as you can bear without scalding you) for at least 20 minutes.

Read more about how to get a good night’s sleep.

Try these NHS-approved sleep apps to help you sleep well.

Reduce stress to boost energy

Stress uses up a lot of energy. Try to introduce relaxing activities into your day. This could be working out at the gym, or a gentler option, such as listening to music, reading or spending time with friends. Whatever relaxes you will improve your energy.

Read more about how to relieve stress.

Talking therapy beats fatigue

There’s some evidence that talking therapies such as counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) might help to fight fatigue. See your GP for a referral for talking treatment on the NHS or for advice on seeing a private therapist.

Read more about counselling.

Cut out caffeine

The Royal College of Psychiatrists recommends that anyone feeling tired should cut out caffeine. It says the best way to do this is to gradually stop having all caffeine drinks (this includes coffee, tea and cola drinks) over a three-week period. Try to stay off caffeine completely for a month to see if you feel less tired without it.

You may find that not consuming caffeine gives you headaches. If this happens, cut down more slowly on the amount of caffeine that you drink.

Drink less alcohol

Although a few glasses of wine in the evening helps you fall asleep, you sleep less deeply after drinking alcohol. The next day you’ll be tired, even if you sleep a full eight hours.

Cut down on alcohol before bedtime. You’ll get a better night’s rest and have more energy. The NHS recommends that men and women should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week, which is equivalent to six pints of average strength beer or 10 small glasses of low strength wine.

Read more about how to cut down on alcohol.

Drink more water for better energy

Sometimes you feel tired simply because you’re mildly dehydrated. A glass of water will do the trick, especially after exercise.

Read about healthy drinks.