Join the rest of Australia and get behind Healthy Weight Week!

With Healthy Weight Week fast approaching I thought I'd take a look at some of the first steps to take if you're trying to lose weight. So what is Healthy Weight Week? It's an initiative by the Dietitian's Association of Australia (DAA) to increase awareness of the importance of enjoying a healthy weight and lifestyle. Running from the 17th-23rd February, there are many events happening around the country, run by Dietitians. For more info and plenty of great tips and resources check out their website here.

But first things first: what is a Dietitian?

A Dietitian has undertaken a university degree to study nutrition science but also supervised professional practice in the areas of clinical nutrition, community programs and food service management as well as a research component. Dietetics is a specialised field of nutrition and allows us to work in hospitals or the community undertaking client-centred care to plan appropriate diets based on individual needs, wants and capabilities. 

An Accredited Practising Dietitian is recognised by the DAA and will tailor an advice and an eating plan to your goals and lifestyle. We support and motivate you to make the changes you need to make and work with you on what you feel you can realistically achieve. To find out more about Dietitians and APDs, check out the DAA website here.

So what's the big deal with being a healthy weight?

We know that nearly 2 in 3 Australian adults and 1 in 4 Australian children are overweight or obese (based on the Australian Health Service; see ABS 2012) and that unfortunately, these statistics just keep rising.

Obesity isn't just the result of how many kilojoules (or calories) you consume, or how rarely you go to the gym. There are so many causes and it could be that one or all of these have contributed to your weight gain:

• Genetics- your genes can make you more susceptible to gaining weight
• Metabolism- how well your body converts food into energy
• Nutrition- what and how much you eat. Remember, not all foods are equal when it comes to nutrients or kilojoule content, or how well your body will use or store it.
• Exercise- the energy you use when exercising comes from the food you eat. Eat more than you need and you won't be able to use it all up so it will get converted to fat as storage.
• Psychology- there is a huge behavioural influence on what and how much you eat. Think emotional eating, peer pressure, the media and strange looks when you turn down cake at a birthday party!
• Social surroundings- we live in an 'obesogenic society' meaning all around us are cues encouraging us to gain weight: fast food chains around every corner, supermarkets open 24/7, sedentary day jobs and a lack of safe bike or walking paths in your neighbourhood.
• Lifestyle- think not enough sleep, too much alcohol or eating at all hours of the day and night which alters our body clock and can affect our digestion and metabolism.

While how much you eat is a large factor in how much
you'll weigh, there are many other causes of obesity.

What's the worst thing that will happen if I keep doing what I'm doing?

Obesity is a lifestyle disease and a risk factor for many other diseases and health problems such as:

• Shorter life expectancy- overweight and obese people have a 50-100% increased risk of dying before their time.
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• Some types of cancer (such as breast, uterine, colon, etc)
• Digestive disorders (such as reflux)
• Breathing and sleep difficulties
• Problems with fertility
• Psychological issues including social isolation or depression

What about day-to-day life? Normal daily activities become difficult as you will find it hard to move and become short-of-breath and tired easily, you may have to rethink how you get places as seats on public transport become too small and you may need to hire someone to help you shower and go to the toilet and make a sandwich as it all becomes too difficult for you. Sound like a good life? I didn't think so.

You may have to rethink how you get places as seats on public transport
become too small... Sound like a good life? I didn't think so."

Convinced? Ready to change? OK here's what you do now...

Worried you'll be tempted by that cafe you always drive past on your way to work? Remove the temptation and change your route to work.

1. Make some nutrition and exercise goals and make sure you share them with friends or family so you'll hold yourself accountable. You'll need specific strategies to help you achieve these, such as switch to reduced-fat dairy and cut takeaway from three times a week to once a week. These should be small and simple to begin with and you can build on them once you've achieved them. For more ideas of goals see my blog post called 'small changes that can add up to a big difference to your weight'.
2. Think about some of the barriers that might make it difficult for you to achieve those goals and come up with solutions so you're ready when these problems arise. 
3. Start with a baseline of your health so you'll be able to really see the changes when they happen! Take a before photo, step on the scales, measure your waist circumference with a tape measure and visit the doctor to get your blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels checked.
4. Keep a food and exercise diary, recording what and how much you eat and when, as well as what exercise you do, for how long and when (this could also include household chores).
5. Book an appointment with a Dietitian who can give you specific weight loss advice and show you which changes will make the most impact on your weight.

Chilli-Lime Chicken with Minted Quinoa and Asian Greens

Here's another meal idea to add to the collection. The combination of chilli and lime is a great one, which I adapted from an Australian Healthy Food Guide Magazine recipe. But I think teaming it with minted quinoa definitely adds a whole other dimension! Never cooked with quinoa before? Well now's the time to start. With three times the fibre of brown rice and a complete protein source (not to mention a whole host of vitamins and minerals), this low G.I., gluten-free grain has truly earned the 'superfood' title it's been given. For this recipe I served it hot, but it is just as good cold in salads. So make extra quinoa for your lunches!

Chilli-Lime Chicken with Minted Quinoa and Asian Greens

2 long red chillies, deseeded and chopped finely, OR 3-4 tsp minced chilli

4 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp fish sauce

4 tsp grated fresh ginger (or equivalent minced)

2 tsp castor sugar

500g chicken breast, diced into large chunks

~8 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 1-2hours (so they don't burn)

1 C quinoa

1.5C water

Small handful mint leaves, finely chopped (approx. 2-3Tbsp)

4C Asian greens (I used bok choy, broccolini and green beans, but you could also use zucchini or spinach if you had those handy, or any other green veg)

Lime wedges

I used tri-coloured quinoa but any colour will do!

1. Place chilli, lime juice, fish sauce, ginger and sugar in a shallow (non-metallic) bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add marinade to the chicken, stir to coat and set aside (in the fridge) for at least 10mins (I usually leave it for around 1 hour). 
2. Meanwhile, rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under running water to remove the bitter outer coating (you can also pre-soak in hot water for 15mins before rinsing but this is optional). Add quinoa to a medium saucepan with 1.5C water. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer with the lid on for 10-15minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Let stand for 5mins before fluffing with a fork and stirring though mint. Keep hot.
3. Thread chicken onto pre-soaked wooden skewers and cook on a BBQ or grill pan on medium-high until cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, stir-fry the green veggies in a large fry-pan until just cooked (you could also steam these). Squeeze one of the lime wedges over the greens.
5. Serve skewers with quinoa, greens and extra lime wedges 

      Serves 4-5

Your guide to embarrassing tummy troubles

Do you suffer from embarrassing tummy troubles like bloating, wind and constipation? Don’t worry you’re not alone. Most people suffer some kind of gastro-intestinal (GI) issue at one point or another in their life. The problem starts when the issue lasts for more than a few days, comes back again and again and interferes with your day-to-day life. So how do you know when your tummy trouble moves out of the normal zone? I've put together a simple trouble-shooting guide for common tummy niggles.

So what’s normal?

Feeling bloating or having a full feeling after:

• You’ve just eaten a large meal or drunk a large volume of fluid
• You’ve eaten really fast and not chewed your food properly
• You subconsciously swallow air while eating, often use a straw when drinking or drink a lot of 'fizzy' drinks
• You’ve just eaten a meal high in fibre-rich legumes, fruit, vegetables or grains that your body isn’t used to

Passing wind or gas:

• Anywhere between 2-30 times a day
• More than usual when you’ve eaten lots of ‘windy’ vegetables like onions, cabbage, broccoli or beans and legumes
• Or when you’ve been eating lots of processed, fatty, sugary or spicy foods or excessive alcohol

What about bowel habits?

• Going to the toilet anywhere from 1-2 times per day to once every 3-4 days. Everyone is different and has their own ‘normal’
• Not going to the toilet quite as often as your usual amount if you’ve:    
• Not drunk enough water
• Or not eaten enough fruit, veg, legumes or grainy foods

There are many other causes of tummy troubles that may not be related to diet. Studies have shown a complicated interaction between our brain and our gut meaning emotions can impact on GI function, as well as hormones. Stress, menstruation and medications can all play a part.

 

Putting your cutlery down between mouthfuls can help
to ensure you don't rush your meal as this can lead
to pain and bloating.

Take control of your gut

Here are some tips to try if you want to do stop feeling embarrassed wearing tight clothes and take back control of your GI system!

• Eat regular meals and don’t overeat
• Eat slowly and chew your food well
• Make sure you’re drinking enough fluid each day (aim for 6-8 glasses) and limit alcohol and caffeine
• Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, lean meats, reduced fat dairy, wholegrain breads and cereals, legumes and nuts
• Increase fibre intake slowly to prevent exacerbating symptoms
• Ensure you’re getting a mix of the 3 types of fibre: soluble (found in fruit, veg, oats, legumes), insoluble (found in wholegrain bread, cereal, rice & pasta, nuts & veg) and resistant starch (found in cooked then cooled potato and rice and firm bananas)
• Exercise can also help keep your bowels moving

Experiment with beans, lentils and pulses to add extra
fibre to your day!

When to seek more advice

• Abdominal or tummy pain that is associated with a change in bowel habit
• Mucousy or bloody poos
• Significant straining, pain or urgency to go to the toilet
• You haven’t been to the toilet or have had difficulty going to the toilet for 2 weeks or more
• You have a family history of bowel cancer

 A doctor can help rule out Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and bowel cancer. A dietitian can help manage symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or food intolerances and determine your food triggers with more specific and individualised advice.

Useful Links

Find out exactly how much fibre you need, and how much you’re getting, with the Kellogg’s All-Bran fibre calculator here or the Kellogg’s All-Bran fibre tracker app available from the app store.

Find out more out bowel conditions such as IBD and IBS, how the GI system works and possible causes for your GI symptoms at the Gut Foundation website here. 

Find an Accredited Practising Dietitian near you on the Dietitian’s Association of Australia (DAA) website here. 

Baked beans are infamous for their ability to increase
wind, but don't blame the humble bean! As long as you
increase fibre in your diet slowly, along with plenty
of fluids, you shouldn't have a problem!

Makeover: Lemon Yoghurt Cake

With just a quarter of the kilojoules and fat of the original version,
without compromising on taste, I think my simple swaps make
this recipe one to try!

I love Donna Hay. Her cake recipes are always delicious (if not so great on the waistline). So I decided to have a go at altering her recipe so I didn't feel quite so guilty when I ate it. The result, with just a few small changes, was equally scrumptious but the numbers were staggering. This new version had just a quarter of the kilojoules and a quarter of the fat of the original version (plus a sizeable sugar reduction)!

Simple changes I made to the recipe:

• Swapped regular-fat Greek-style yoghurt for Yoplait Forme Greek No Added Fat or Sugar plain yoghurt
• Replaced 3/4 C vegetable oil with 1/4 C macadamia oil (for healthy monounsaturated fats), 1/4 C skim milk and an extra 1/4 C yoghurt (which rounded it out to a nice even 2 tubs!)
• Reduced 1 and 3/4 C castor sugar to 1/3 C castor sugar (believe me, with a yoghurt that already has some sweetness, you don't need all the extra sugar)
• Cut the icing out altogether
• Increased the number of serves you get out of the cake from 11 to 16 which reduced the portion size of each slice

Nutritional Information of Donna Hay's Lemon Yoghurt Cake (per slice):

Energy= 1952kJ

Total Fat= 18.1g

Saturated Fat= 3.0g

Carbohydrates (including sugars)= 69.7g

Nutritional Information of my Lemon Yoghurt Cake (per slice):

Energy= 557

Total Fat= 4.5g

Saturated Fat= 0.8g

Carbohydrates (including sugars)= 18.1g

The combination of sour citrus and sweet yoghurt makes for a
perfect afternoon tea cake. It's especially good straight out of
the oven!

My Lemon Yoghurt Cake

¼ C oil (e.g. macadamia)

¼ C skim milk

2 eggs

Zest of 2 lemons

~1/4 C lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)

300g (1 ¼ C) Yoplait Forme Greek plain yoghurt (or other reduced fat & sugar Greek style yoghurt)

1/3 C castor sugar

2 C self-raising flour

      1.     Preheat oven to 160°C.

      2.     Place oil, milk, eggs, lemon zest and juice, yoghurt and sugar in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

      3.     Sift in flour and stir until smooth. Pour into a greased 24cm bundt tin.

      4.     Bake for 50-55mins or until lightly golden and a skewer comes out clean.

      TIP: Still fill like you're missing out without the icing? Serve with a dollop of extra yoghurt mixed with a teaspoon of lemon juice for that extra sweet and creamy taste.

      

Have a go at altering your favourite cake recipe, it may take a bit of trial and error, but you'll be surprised how much of a difference you can make to the nutritional content with such little change in taste! For more ideas on simple swaps to make in the kitchen, click here.

What reality cooking shows are really teaching us

It's nearly that time of year again: back to the TV ratings period. And you know what that means? Our screens will once again be bombarded with reality shows. As a Dietitian I welcomed the rise of food-based reality shows such as Masterchef and My Kitchen Rules- anything to get people more interested in learning the skill of cooking... But are these shows really teaching people the best way to eat wholesome food at home?

"Food-based reality shows such as Masterchef ... are these shows really teaching people?" 

Eating healthily becomes a lot more difficult (and expensive!) if you don't have that basic cooking knowledge. Many of us were lucky, we learnt our cooking know-how from our mothers (or fathers, or aunts and uncles, or grandparents) just by watching them in the kitchen and getting to do some stirring or chopping occasionally, then eventually testing out our own flavour creations. But many more were brought up in households where the closest thing to cooking was whacking some frozen chips in the oven. These days, far too many meals are eaten outside the home- some at fancy restaurants (thanks to the rise of self-proclaimed Masterchef connoisseurs) but most at takeaway chains.

"Eating healthily becomes a lot more difficult (and expensive!) if you don't have that basic cooking knowledge."

If these shows teach you a little of the skill you lack and give you inspiration to get in the kitchen then that's a great thing! The problem comes when people start adding Gary Mehigan amounts of butter, cream and salt to cooking, using fatty cuts of meat (because the fat apparently melts in your mouth) and topping their 'dish' with multiple sauces and lashings of oil. Social media hasn't helped in this regard, with Instagram meaning people now feel the need to whip out their smart phones and get a filtered shot of their amazing looking meal. Our news feeds are flooded with pictures of stuffed chicken roulades with potato tuiles, micro herbs and tomato foam. Is it really necessary?

Healthy food doesn't have to be fancy. It's about eating a variety of WHOLE FOODS: Steak with a jacket potato, roast tomato and steamed veggies; chicken breast, rice and greens stir-fried with a little garlic, ginger and chilli; good ol' spag bol with hidden veg and a fresh garden salad on the side.

"Australians need to learn how to cook before they learn to become chefs!"

I'd love to see a new format of Masterchef hit our screens- healthy Masterchef- where a Dietitian joins the panel and you get judged on the health of dish as well as its taste. You're with me right? I'm sure it will catch on. Come on reality TV, do some good with that huge audience of yours and influence our nation for the better- Australians need to learn how to cook before they learn to become chefs!

The bottom line: By all means experiment with herbs and spices to flavour your foods, and adopt a top restaurant approach to portion sizes (smaller, not larger), but do away with the extravagant extras and get back to basics.

Back to school (or back to work!): Lunchbox Inspiration Guide

Wholemeal egg and lettuce sandwich, apple, reduced fat
yoghurt, cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, reduced fat cheese
cubes and water make a healthy lunchbox.

It's that time of year again! Back to school or work means back to packed lunches. Did you end the school year in 2013 with half eaten soggy sandwiches and bruised fruit making their way back home? Does it seem like your child will only eat things in packages (I'm talking packets of chips, biscuits, fruit straps, juice poppers)? Or maybe you got so sick of boring lunches yourself that you ended the work year with a few too many bought lunches? I've put together what I like to call a 'lunchbox inspiration guide' to give you a few ideas on what a healthy lunchbox should look like, but also to remind you that packed lunches don't have to be boring!

First, for the healthy part...

Every lunchbox should contain:

• 2 serve wholegrain (cereal) foods for energy and fibre e.g. bread, wrap, pasta, brown rice, quinoa, cous cous, bread roll, crumpet, breakfast cereal

• 1 serve lean meats or alternatives for protein e.g. chicken breast, tinned tuna, egg, four bean mix, nuts, tofu, leftover dinner meats

• 1 serve reduced fat dairy for calcium e.g. milk, cheese, yoghurt

• 1 serve fruit for vitamins and minerals e.g. fresh whole fruit, fruit salad, dried fruit, tinned fruit, fruit juice only very occasionally

• 2 serves vegetables for vitamins and minerals e.g. raw vegetables in a salad or on a sandwich, stirfry or steamed vegetables from dinner leftovers, raw vegetable sticks, four bean mix

• At least 500mL water to keep well hydrated     

'Sushi rolls' made with wholemeal bread, vita-weats with reduced fat
cheese slices, grape tomatoes, dried apricots and apple, a whole
apple and of course, water, make another healthy lunchbox.

      

     Now for a quick lesson in food safety...

  

      It’s important that the food in the lunchbox stays cool, especially on hot Summer days. Not only will kids (and you) be more likely to eat and drink foods tha are nice and cold, but it will prevent bacteria growing that could cause food poisoning.

      Foods that must be kept cold:

      - meat, eggs or meals containing these
- milk, yoghurt, cheese

       -  dips such as hommus or tzatziki

     

      Tips to keep food cold:

         - Fill the drink bottle half way with water and freeze overnight. Fill completely in the morning and store next to the lunchbox (don’t freeze the entire drink bottle or it may not melt in time to drink from it!)
- Use an insulated lunch box or freezable lunch box

      - Add small freezer blocks to the lunch box
- Freeze items like yoghurt or grapes, they'll stay cool and keep everything else cool in the process

      Ready for some lunch ideas?

      

      Sandwiches

      Mix it up with wholegrain or sourdough bread, a wholemeal pita pocket, rye mountain bread or a grainy roll. Try fillings such as;

      - egg mashed with a little reduced fat mayo, grated carrot and lettuce 

      - avocado, chicken breast, tomato and rocket 

      - roast beef, wholegrain mustard, tomato and lettuce 

      - reduced fat ricotta cheese and banana (mashed or sliced)

      - can flavoured tuna, carrot, sprouts and lettuce 

      - leftover falafel or rissole, reduced fat hommus, and tabbouleh 

      Tip: Help prevent the sandwich from going soggy by patting washed salad items dry with paper towel before putting them on the sandwiches

      Salads

      Make sure there is a carbohydrate base such as pasta, rice, quinoa, cous cous, chickpeas or other beans and a protein source, such as cheese, egg, lean meat or tofu and of course plenty of salad veg! 

      Tip: Experiment with herbs and spices and olive-oil based dressings for plenty of flavour.

      Leftovers 

      Some great next-day lunch ideas that work well hot or cold are frittata, quiche, fritters, rissoles, meatballs, kebabs, rice paper rolls, sushi and homemade pizza.

     

Wholegrain chicken and salad wrap, plain popcorn,
strawberries, a banana, reduced fat milk drink and
water- just another good lunchbox idea.

     And some snack ideas...

      - Cut up fruit salad in a small container- often more interesting than whole fruit and won’t get squashed in a hard container

      - Yoghurt tub

      - Plain popcorn in a snap lock bag
- Cherry tomatoes, carrot and celery sticks and a small tub of reduced fat hommus, tzatziki or cream cheese to dip into
- Trail mix of dried fruit such as sultanas, raw unsalted nuts, sunflower seeds and pepitas
- Homemade fruit muffin made with wholemeal flour
- Wholegrain crackers (such as vita-weats or ryvitas) with slices of reduced fat cheese, peanut butter or vegemite
- Muesli bar (such as my recipe here)
- Dry wholegrain breakfast cereal in a snap lock bag, e.g. special K, sultana bran buds
- Berry pikelets (such as my recipe here)
- Homemade pita bread ‘chips’ (sprinkle with herbs, garlic or parmesan and bake in the oven)
- Hard-boiled egg
- Slice raisin bread- try Burgen fruit and muesli bread
- Small carton of reduced fat plain milk with a couple of teaspoons of milo, or a Sippah straw to make it flavoured

     

      For more snack ideas see another one of my posts on healthy snacks here.

Double decker salad sandwich, plain popcorn, blueberries,
dry cereal, yoghurt, a pear and water make a healthy
lunchbox.

      Time-saver tips:

      - Make lunch the night before so it’s not such a rush in the morning.

      - Use the weekend to ‘prepare’ for the week by putting portions of popcorn, wholegrain crackers, cereal and trail mix in small snap lock bags and store in the cupboard so they’re easy to grab.
- Make a large batch of grainy fruit or savoury muffins, peel off the muffin cases, wrap in cling wrap and freeze individually. They will last for months and you can just pull them out the night before to defrost in the fridge.
- Make use of leftovers. For those with a microwave and/or sandwich press at work- the lunch world is your oyster! (so to speak). Any dinner leftovers will work- make extra so you’re covered for lunch the next day, or make double matches of meals, freeze in individual portions and pull out of the freezer the night before.
     

      Some of my favourite lunch boxes to start the new year with!

Nude Food Movers- stop food package rubbish (see
here for details)

ScrunchBox- never waste space with an empty
lunchbox again! (see here for details)

PackIt- pop in the freezer the night
before for the perfect cooler bag
(see here for details)

Wholegrain berry pancakes

I love pancakes as much as anyone, but smothered in maple syrup and ice cream and made with white flour and plenty of butter they aren't such a healthy choice. But pancakes can be healthy! Make them with wholemeal flour and skim milk, add plenty of fruit and top with reduced fat, low sugar natural yoghurt and extra seeds, my version makes a healthy and filling breakfast sure to keep you going. (They make a great snack in pikelet form too!)

Wholegrain berry pancakes

1C SR wholemeal flour

1C skim milk

1 egg

2 Tbsp chia seeds

1 heaped Tbsp honey

1C frozen berries

To serve:

Extra berries

Sliced banana

Dollop plain reduced fat, low sugar yoghurt

Sprinkle sunflower, pepita and linseeds

1. Combine flour, milk, egg and chia seeds in a bowl until just combined.

2. Cook one at a time in a small frypan over medium heat with a teaspoon of margarine or spray oil.

3. Immediately press berries onto the surface of the pancake.

4. When the pancake starts to bubble and holes appear, flip.

5. Repeat to make the remaining pancakes

6. Serve 1-2 pancakes per person topped with extra berries, sliced banana, a dollop of yoghurt and a sprinkle of seeds.

Makes 4 large pancakes or ~8-10 pikelets.

This recipe is also great as pikelets! Have them plain,
topped with yoghurt and extra fruit like the pancakes
or reduced fat ricotta and a drizzle of honey.