Lose weight with a healthy diet

Lose weight with a healthy diet


I am surrounded by friends and family members who have tried all manner of diets, eating just vegetables, only consuming foods of a certain colour on specific days, avoiding carbs and eating more protein- you name it and I have heard of it.


I'm not going to tell you that these diets don't work, as I'm not qualified to tell you that. However, I can tell you that although most of the diets will probably help you shed some weight, you are very unlikely to maintain the weight loss, and could even harm your health.


To lose weight and maintain it, you have to consume less calories than you are burning each day. In other words, stop overeating and move about more. I apologise if that sounds harsh, but I have learned the hard way that this is the formula to losing weight, maintaining your shape and being healthier.


Eating a healthy diet is the obvious way to lose weight and improve health, but what is a healthy diet? In an earlier post, I mentioned a new way of eating I had come across by accident, although it is more a way of life than a diet. I tailored the new eating plan to suit my busy life. In a nutshell, you eat anything which is natural, like fruit, vegetables and eat wholemeal and brown versions of food. For instance, out goes the white sliced loaf and in comes the wholegrain version. I am a vegetarian so don't eat meat or fish, but if you want to eat them choose organic free range versions which aren't pumped full of antibiotics, growth hormones and other harmful chemicals.


To start with, go back to basics and eat only fruit, vegetables, brown rice, wholemeal pasta, wholegrain bread, herbs and spices, including garlic. Eat just these foods for around six to eight weeks. This will give your body a chance to eliminate toxins. Introduce other foods, like eggs and dairy one at a time so that you can identify any reactions, which may include bloating or other symptoms. Throughout this time, avoid alcohol and caffeine, drinking water wherever possible.


This sounds completely boring and you are probably thinking that this way of eating is impossible, but once you have tried it, I can promise most people will notice a difference in their health and well being. Personally, I used to suffer from bloating, cramps, wind and alternate constipation and diarrhoea- possibly IBS but I didn't fancy having tests. After eight weeks of basic natural foods, my symptoms had reduced significantly. For the first time in years, I attended meetings at work without fear of my stomach making awful gurgling noises and needing the loo.


I did resort back to my old eating habits at Christmas and found it hard to get back to normal after the holidays. As a result, I regained half a stone and my old stomach troubles returned. I will write further posts which include various recipes which include normal ingredients you can obtain from a supermarket, and which are quick and easy to make for all those super busy people out there.


If you decide to give it a go, please contact me. I will be happy to give advice or hear your stories.

Over 50 and hitting the gym

I have just returned from the local gym, a very pleasant and friendly place, I might add. I have a question for you; how does a woman of my age spend 45 minutes working out (at a very tame pace, I might add) and end up a sweaty, leg trembly wreck!

I recently decided to join the gym again, although I'm not creating a schedule so it is a bit hit and miss-a bit like life really. Today was my second time and I started on the treadmill. As I am very unfit, I walk at a fast pace for three or four minutes then run for two minutes. This is enough to make me sweat! I then spent some time on the bike, doing the cross country where the tension increases and decreases. While I was sat cycling, I looked around me and noticed I was the only one over the age of 30, which was a bit disconcerting. I also noticed that I was the only one with a tomato red face and sweat running down my neck and décolletage-very unsettling!

Following my observations on the bike, I decided to go downstairs to the weight machines so I can work on toning my upper arms. My legs were so trembly and weak I could hardly get down the stairs. I was trying my best to trot lightly down the stairs and ended up grabbing on to the handrail and staggering down as though I was drunk. Hardly flattering!

I drove home and as I got out of the car with my empty water bottle and towel, I hoped that anyone observing would think I had spent hours at the gym, working up a sweat on various machines instead of the 45 minutes I had managed. I am thinking of going on Monday teatime, when it may be a bit emptier and I may be joined by others who are a bit out of shape. Any tips on looking good at the gym will certainly be welcome.

An alternative to junk food dinners

I often start the week with good intentions; the fridge is full of fruit and vegetables, I take healthy salads to work for lunch and make sure there are no family size packs of crisps in the cupboard! By Friday evening, I am absolutely shattered and a walk with the dog saps the rest of my energy. This is the time when I am most likely to turn to junk food, as it is quick and easy to prepare.

As a vegetarian, takeaways aren't the convenient solution they once were, as most of the dishes contain meat or fish. I would usually end up with a chip buttie with loads of garlic mayonnaise and something sweet to follow-and I'm not talking oranges or apples! My daughter came up with the following as a healthier alternative to chips or burgers, and it is surprisingly satisfying, quick and easy to prepare.

Alternative chicken burger and fries

A wholemeal bread roll or pitta bread
Quorn fillets (the ones which are shaped like chicken breasts)
lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes
garlic mayonnaise
sweet potatoes

1. Peel and slice sweet potatoes to make chunky chips. Place on a greased oven tray and brush lightly with extra virgin olive oil. Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes until crispy. When they are almost cooked, shallow fry a couple of Quorn fillets until tender and lightly golden.
2. If you are using pitta bread, shred the cooked fillet and place in the pitta, along with chopped lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes. If you are using bread rolls, either shred the fillet or leave whole, adding the lettuce, tomato and cucumber.
   
3. Add garlic mayonnaise to taste and serve with the sweet potato fries. 

This can be made healthier by leaving out the garlic mayonnaise, but as an alternative to a takeaway, this is a satisfying and healthy option.

Please let me know if you have any healthy swaps for junk food.

Becoming vegetarian

Around five years ago, I became a vegetarian, eating no meat or fish and only free range organic eggs and milk. Almost immediately, I noticed that my stomach troubles became easier- I lost the bloated feeling and was able to eat a meal without having to rush off and find the nearest loo!

I became a vegetarian for ethical and moral reasons, I realised that I don't have to eat animals to remain healthy and in some cases, I would probably be better off not eating animals. I have done a lot of reading over the last few years and realise that animals are often routinely given antibiotics and other chemicals to promote rapid growth and development, while keeping disease at bay. When we eat an animal, we ingest some of those chemicals. After reading a number of books on the subject, I have to wonder whether eating meat and animal products can make the use of antibiotics less effective and whether some cancers can be caused by eating meat which contains traces of drugs. I don't pretend to be an expert on the subject and have only read the same books as others, but the content certainly makes you wonder.

Although I don't know whether meat will have an impact on your health, I do know that in the last five years, I have had only two colds and rarely get sick at all. This could be down to the increased amount of fruit and vegetables which I have eaten, or it could be due to the healthier diet I now eat.

For anyone who is toying with the idea of becoming vegetarian, I am hoping to include some recipes in this blog during the coming weeks which may tempt you. It can be daunting initially, especially if you don't know anyone else who is vegetarian ( I found that people would question me and give me strange looks at first-almost as though I belonged in a freak show!). There's more vegetarian products available in the main supermarkets and you certainly save money by not eating meat and fish.

For those of you who are wondering whether I miss meat and fish, I can definitely say I don't miss any meat, but I do miss some fresh tuna, salmon or swordfish. Sadly, these are also farmed intensively, so I don't eat them.

If you are a vegetarian, please leave me a comment to let me know what your favourite dish is or whether you have noticed any benefits to not eating meat and fish.

An introduction to losing weight and finding good health

This is a blog about my journey losing weight and finding a healthy way of life without dieting and depriving myself. I will share details of my weight and how I piled on the pounds, before letting you know how I lost the weight. This is my introduction, but first I would like to share a little information about myself. I am a single mom of two grown up children, work full time and also work part time to boost my income. I enjoy walking our dog everyday, and socialising with friends when I have the time.


As I have got older, I have realised that I don't want to spend my time dieting and worrying about what I eat, or not having a glass of wine with friends because of the calories. However, I do want to remain healthy and don't want to develop conditions and health problems associated with being overweight.


I am 50 years old and until the age of about 42 had always weighed around nine stone and been a size 10. I could eat what I liked within reason and did minimal exercise. A few years ago, I started to put on weight and eventually ended up at 11 stone 13 pounds at my heaviest- I was overweight, couldn't be bothered to exercise and became fairly depressed. I couldn't fit into any of my clothes and felt unattractive. To cap it all, I was fairly sure I was going through the menopause (we women have it all to look forward to!)



I tried a conventional diet, where I counted calories and joined the gym. I lost some weight and promptly put it all back on! While looking for a solution to a problem my daughter was suffering with, I came across information which helped me to shed two stone in about six months, without giving up my Friday night tipple or being hungry. I will tell you how I did it in my next post, coming soon.