Nutrition tips from Zoe Bingley-Pullin
With the New Year fast approaching, Zoe Bingley-Pullin has put together a list of sustainable nutrition tips to maintain or improve your health this year.
Most people will start a diet to improve there health or lose the extra kilogram gained, but with most diets having a 95% failure rate finding a healthy “lifestyle” is the most successful approach.
- If you use olive oil in your cooking don’t overheat it beyond 180C otherwise you will burn the oil and change the wonderful nutritional properties
- Baste the protein (fish, chicken, beef, tofu, pork) with a little olive oil, sear on either side and turn the pan to a low temperature. This will keep the oil stable and keep the food moist.
- Buy healthy, high protein snacks for the week as this will stop you grabbing the last minute unhealthy snack for the vending machine. Activia yoghurt, nuts, hummus, cottage cheese, tinned fish, boiled eggs, miso soup.
- Make a shopping list on Sunday or Monday morning, and buy the food you will require for your lunches and snacks for the week.
- Drink 1-2L of liquid per day; water, herbal teas and/or freshly squeezed juice. Buy a 1.5L bottle of water and keep it at your desk.
- Aim to eat small healthy meals regularly; this will help maintain stable blood glucose levels, decrease your hunger and not overwhelm your digestive system.
- Include a good source of animal or vegetarian protein with each meal. 1g of meat protein per kg of body weight e.g. 75kg = 75g of protein. Foods that contain protein: all animal products, diary such as Activia Yoghurt, legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds, to name of few.
- Eat a diet high in low GI carbohydrates (whole grains, most fruit, most vegetables) and low in high GI carbohydrates (white bread, jasmine rice, sugar).
- Exercising at anytime of the day will help kick start your metabolic rate therefore burning more calories throughout the day.
- Limit your caffeine as too much can over stimulate the adrenal glands and it is dehydrating.
- Reduce alcohol. 10 units of alcohol for the week. 1 unit = 100ml of wine, 30ml nip of spirits, middy of beer
- Take the time to stop and enjoy the food you are eating as this will assist digestion and enjoyment
To see some of Zoe's delicious and healthy recipes, head to our Christmas recipes page.