Rules of Nutrition

1.       Eat more protein (meat, fish, eggs) and avoid breaded or coated varieties. Be wary of meat with lots of ingredients. Protein leaves you fuller for longer and will help curb hunger cravings. A source of protein should be eaten with every meal. If you are exercising, protein will help to alleviate a lot of muscle soreness and promote recovery. Soya and tofu is not healthy.

2.       Eat less refined carbohydrate (bread, pasta, potatoes, sweets, fruit juices). When you eat these foods, you raise your blood sugar quickly and when it drops again soon after, you will be hungry again. Also, when your blood sugar is high, you do not burn fat. Fruit, sweet potato and rice in moderation have adequate carbohydrate for your energy needs and are infinitely more nutritious. A small piece of fruit before training can help raise your energy levels. Eat all the green vegetables!

3.       Eat little and often and never get hungry. It is very difficult to make good food choices when hungry. Eating small amounts of good food often will ensure your metabolism is working as effectively as possible. A good guideline is three light meals and two snacks a day.

4.       Avoid foods labelled as low fat or fat free. Fat tastes good. Low fat and fat free foods typically have more sugar and salt to replace the fat and make them taste better. The full fat version is almost always healthier and if you are eating it in moderation, then it should not affect your waistline too negatively if at all.

5.       Avoid processed foods. These are foods that generally have a lot of ingredients in them. If you don’t know what it is, probably best to avoid it. This goes for low cal and heart healthy cooking oils, spreads and margarines. The fats in these are far from “heart healthy”. You are better with coconut oil (Asia market), olive oil and real butter.

6.       Drink more water, green tea and soda water. The body finds it difficult to distinguish between hunger and thirst. Food is also metabolised more efficiently when you are properly hydrated. Green tea helps you burn fat and is a great alternative to coffee and tea which both lead to dehydration. Rooibos tea is another great tea with tons of antioxidants but no caffeine so suitable at night.

7.       Prepare food in advance and bring it with you in a lunchbox. If you always have something healthy to hand, you will have no excuse to eat badly.

8.       Eat slowly and serve yourself small portions. It can take up to twenty minutes from the time the food goes in your mouth until your brain gets the signal that you have eaten. By this time, you may well have overeaten. If you have a small portion and are still hungry twenty minutes later, have another small portion until you feel satisfied.

9.       Everything in moderation. Avocado, olives and nuts (not peanuts- they are unhealthy) are a great source of healthy fats and I would recommend a small amount with every meal. More could be counterproductive. Healthy foods are only good for you in certain amounts. For this reason, try to add variety to your diet. Experiment with different combinations of meats, fish and colourful vegetables.

10.   Enjoy your food. Ask me for some delicious healthy recipes and have fun playing with different herbs and spices.