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Portion size, calorie consumtion and food choice are probably the big 3 as far as maintaining healthy body weight.  Of the 3 it depends on your current diet as to which will have the biggest impact.  Here we will look at food choice.

How a food releases it’s energy, very simply depends on it’s composition.  Simply put, carbohydrate ased foods tend to release their energy fairly quickly, particularly the more processed sugary kinds.  A higher fibre content will slow things down here as fibre takes longer to digest.  Protein and fat take even longer to digest and release slower.

The key is to add protein to main meals to slow the release.

Simple tips for slow release (low glycaemic) eating

• Porridge is good, try not to overcook it, as it releases slower when more grainy.
• In fact, this is the case with most veggies as well, eat them raw or steamed when possible
• Apples and pears are the slowest releasing fruits to snack on.
• Try eggs for breakfast (not fried!)
• Aim to go for bread free lunches on some days, opt for fresh protein  salads instead.
• Don’t be scared off by fats.  Include good fats such as oily fish, nuts, seeds or olive oil.

Simon Lesser works as  a full time Personal Trainer and Sports Therapist in Bournemouth.  He works with a range of clients from a private  gym in Bournemouth, Dorset – for more information call 07748 914368 or visit simonlesser.co.uk

Glycaemic index or `GI` as it is commonly known measures the speed that a specific food releases it’s energy. GI has been around for many years but only more recently has it had such good coverage.

The Glycaemic Index works on a scale of 0-100 with a high score indicating a faster release of energy. Pure glucose or something like table sugar would get a score of 100. Foods are often rated high, medium or low GI depending on their rating and it’s the low GI foods that help us lose weight.

Why GI works

Slow releasing foods are more likely to be utilized as energy, keeping energy levels steady and reducing hunger levels. Conversely high GI foods release quickly, sending energy levels into a rollercoaster effect and if we don’t use these calories then they are stored as body fat.

Slowing the release of foods

There are numerous resourse that give you the GI of particular foods and these are a good guide. Adding protein to meals is one of the best ways to slow the release of the meal. Food that are high in fibre like fruit and vegetables also tend to be low GI.

Ask anyone about their eating habits and they will tell you their diet is better than it really is. We tend to have misconceptions about what we really eat, not being mindful of the amount of processed food we eat or the units of alcohol we drink. This is when a food diary is helpful as a reality check.

Reasons for keeping a food diary

The main reason is mentioned above – it’s a reality check and it’s not until you keep a food diary that this hits home. If you are totally honest then you will probably look back over a few days with your head in your hands. People often tend to change eating habits once staring a food diary and this has obvious benefits.

How to keep a food diary

This is the easy bit. You can just scribble it all down on a sheet of paper or be more organized and use a computer spreadsheet. Simply write everything you eat for a period of at least 3 days including one work day and one none work day (ie thursday, friday, saturday). There is no reason why you can’t keep a food diary for a whole month if you feel you are eating better as a result. Be sure to include all the following information;

• The day of the week
• The time of day
• The food (of course!)
• Any further details – tinned/ready meal/fresh etc
• Add all fluids including water, alcohol, tea, coffee, soft drinks..
• Be completely honest!!

Do this for a few days and it will change your perspective on food!

Simon Lesser works as  a full time Personal Trainer and Sports Therapist.  He works with a range of clients from a private  gym in Bournemouth, Dorset – for more information call 07748 914368 or visit simonlesser.co.uk

Cholesterol, a wax like substance found in human cells gets plenty of bad press, linked to fat clogged arteries, heart attacks and strokes. A certain amount is needed for good health – essential in the formation of cell membranes, to help sex hormones work properly, in digesting fats and for the production of vitamin D. As always you can have too much of a bad thing, and too much choesterol is certainly a bad thing!

Good v Evil

Special carriers made from proteins transport cholesterol around the body – when combined with cholesterol they are known as lipoproteins. There are two types of lipoproteins; Low density lipoprotein (LDLs) carry cholesterol from the liver to the cells of the body, literally dumping it in the arteries. LDLs are therefore undesirable and often referred to as bad cholesterol. High density lipoproteins (HDLs) do exactly the opposite. They carry excess cholesterol back to the liver in order to break it down and remove it from the body – they are referred to as good cholesterol.

The figures

When cholesterol is measured, the reading normally given is `total` cholesterol, the sum of HDL & LDL added together. The ratio of LDL to HDL is far more important. A high total cholesterol may not be a bad thing as long as there are high levels of good HDLs in relation to bad LDLs. A qualified hospital blood test available through your GP will show the individual cholesterol measured.

As a guide, ideal levels are – Total Cholesterol Less than 5.2, HDL Cholesterol greater than 0.9, LDL Cholesterol Less than 3.4

Ways to reduce your cholesterol

Around 75% of cholesterol is actually produced by the liver with only 25% actually coming from the diet. This figure is surprisingly low, but we can clearly have a positive impact on cholesterol through diet and lifestyle.

• Eat fruit & oats – as these foods contain pectin, one of the only substances to actually reduce cholesterol. Have a bowl of porridge for breakfast and snack on fruit during the day, particularly apples.
• Take regular exercise – as it increases HDL good cholesterol and also keeps weight in check.
• Stress, smoking and saturated fats – are well known baddies which will all have a negative effect on cholesterol so reduce them as much as possible. Saturated fats are high in many animal products including meat and dairy products. Also, cooking methods and food choices may need to be radically adapted.
• Eat plenty of fibre – as cholesterol is removed via stools!! No fibre in the diet means that up to 94% of cholesterol is reabsorbed.
• Fruit and vegetables – These foods are cholesterol beaters containing antioxidants to disarm free radicals and help prevent heart disease.
• Vitamin B3 & Lecithin – This vitamin and protein are found in many foods including eggs,or can be supplemented to increase HDL and actually break down cholesterol to be removed from the body.

An estimated 30% of people have a blood sugar imbalance – highs and lows in blood glucose causing a wide range of symptoms including low energy levels and weight gain. Blood sugar imbalance affects a staggering 80% of people who are overweight (the other 20% simply eat too much!!).

Not all carbohydrates are equal.

When we eat any type of carbohydrate, the body digests it into smaller units eventually breaking it down into glucose (energy). Complex carbohydrates take longer to break down and therefore release their energy slowly – conversely simple carbohydrates release energy quickly. A sudden surge of glucose following an intake of sugary food causes a hormone called insulin to be released, taking energy to the rest of body. However, insulin can overcompensate as it scrambles to rebalance high blood sugar, which explains why we get a slump after eating high sugar foods.

Continual peaks and troughs in energy means a rollercoaster effect can develop, causing low energy, constant hunger and many other symptoms. Although many people may only experience mild symptoms, if allowed to develop to an advanced stage, insulin finally gives up causing Type II Diabetes which brings with it further complications and a risk of heart disease. Despite popular fad diets and marketing, the body actually needs carbohydrates – all the major health and nutrition organizations still recommend 50-60% of the diet comes from complex carbohydrates. It’s the simple carbohydrates that cause weight gain, blood sugar problems and ill health.

Weight Problems

Quite simply, unused blood glucose is stored for later as body fat and a rush of sugar is far less likely to be burned than a slow release one. It becomes obvious why the number of people overweight who have a blood sugar imbalance is so high and still rising. In addition, the level of blood glucose determines our hunger levels or appetite. In fact many of the symptoms associated with fluctuating blood sugar are likely to cause us to eat more, particularly low energy and fatigue.

We all know alcohol is bad

Many people enjoy an occasional beer or glass of wine, maybe more than that. Alcohol is a part of social life but needs to be consumed with caution. From a weight loss perspective alcohol is high in calories, low in nutrients and usually ends up around the mid section. Here’s why.

Alcohol is high in calories

The best way to illustrate this is comparing the food groups gram for gram.

We can clearly see that gram for gram alcohol has nearly double the calories of carbohydrates and proteins and almost as many calories as fat, yet we wouldn’t dream of going out with friends downing glass after glass of fat!! The calories in alcohol are often overlooked but may need seriously addressing to see changes in weight loss and health.

Current recommended maximum alcohol intake is 28 units for men and 21 untis for women.

Alcohol statistic

A small glass of wine of bottle af beer every day with a meal doesn’t seem like much. Over 1 year this amounts to thousands of calories, the equivalent to 1 stone in weight.

The body burns calories from alcohol first

When we drink alcohol it is broken down differently from normal food. The liver releases enzymes to break alcohol down into energy but this only happens at a slow constant rate. This energy is used first before the energy from food (especially that greasy burger you had on the way home!) and you can guess where the excess calories end up being stored. As body fat.

The bottom line with alcohol is the same as any other treat – consume in moderation. Be aware of the calorie content and if you drink regularly consider at least one or two alcohol free days each week.

Short on time? Here are the 25 top tips for weight loss in about 2 minutes

1. Eat larger meals earlier in the day and smaller meals later in the day.
2. Don’t overeat. Whatever you don’t burn is stored as fat.
3. Get active on most or all days of the week.
4. Stay away from simple sugars like sweets, chocolate and cakes.
5. Ensure you are well hydrated as poor hydration can limit fat burning potential.
6. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, high in fibre and water.
7. Exercise regularly. It boosts metabolism and fat burning potential.
8. Stop kidding yourself!
9. Avoid saturated fats. Essential fats found in oily fish, nuts and seeds are much better.
10. Dieting doesn’t work. The results are short term with negative long term effects.
11. Have a qualified body fat test done or use clothes sizes. The scales never tell the full story.
12. Limit alcohol due to its high calorie content.
13. Exercise, but make sure you’re at the right level.
14. Eat 5-6 smaller meals every day. (graze as opposed to binge!)
15. Train with weights to boost metabolism.
16. Fight fat with fibre. It keeps you full, keeping hunger at bay and also helps to control blood sugar levels.
17. Never miss breakfast. We need to boost metabolism and energy levels for the day.
18. Watch what you consume when eating out. Go for the healthier options as far as possible and look out for alcohol and desserts.
19. Drink plenty of water, particularly with meals.
20. You are looking to lose weight not muscle so eat plenty of protein rich foods.
21. Eat slowly. It takes 20 minutes for the brain to realize you are full. Eating quickly causes overeating and is a strain on the digestive system.
22. Ensure you get plenty of vitamins and minerals. Eating a well balanced diet will help massively and you may want to consider a decent multivitamin.
23. Eat less calories than you burn!
24. Set realistic goals and aim to lose no more than 2lb / 0.8kg a week.
25. If you want something badly enough it’s as good as yours – go get it!!

Breakfast is probably the most neglected meal of the day, yet it still remains the most important. We need to look closely at what we eat first thing as it kick starts the rest of the day.

How do we get it so wrong

Many people eat the wrong type of breakfast or even skip it altogether. A poor or non existent breakfast can play havoc with energy levels and concentration during the mornings work. By mid morning the body will go into starvation mode and this is where high sugar or processed snacks are eaten. From a calorie perspctive, studies have shown that a high sugar breakfast can lead to 40% extra calories being consumed during the remainder of the day. That’s a lot of calories.

Start the day right

Aim for a breakfast low in sugar. This is harder than it sounds as many of the convenient breakfast cereals available are high in sugar. This is true of some of the cereals considered to be healthy, often as much as 25% sugar – read the ingredients for more info! Low GI meals are best and if you aim for these prepare for better energy, weight loss and concentration.