Slimming Club Week 2

[EmmaG]

Hi Angie,

If you want to do a type of low carb/low fat eating plan why not just eat lean meats, chicken, turkey, fish and loads of veg, but also try and incorporate some low gi fruit blackberries, raspberries, melon.

Instead of cooking with animal fats you would use more oils i.e. olive oil.

Instead of eating normal pasta you would eat wholewheat pasta to increase your fibre intake.

It is quite easy to devise an eating plan, what food do you like?

[angieh]

Hi Emma - I like all fruits and veg (apart from parsnips!); chicken, and fish, esp tuna. I haven't used any animal fat for cooking for ages - always use Flora oil or olive oil. Good idea about wholewheat pasta and brown rice - have to work on OH about that though as he's not keen! I always use skimmed milk in tea - no sugar and semi skimmed milk for cereal. Love porridge made with apple juice.

See - I have always tried to eat sensibly and apart from the festive season, I generally do. My problem is the lack of exercise due to health problems and that's really where I need a proper medical diet.

Ho-hum - I am so annoyed that one part of my body didn't want to help another part last week and I ended up missing my appointment.

[Natalie]

I would limit the amount of carbs you have. Have a huge pile of meat and veg or salad and very small portion of potatoes if any.

Shepherds pie can be made using suede and carrot mash as the topping instead of potatoes?

I use fry light spray for cooking, laughing cow light triangles instead of butter or spread and tomato based sauces.

[EmmaG]

Natalie don't forget that carrots are quite high in carbs, a better topping could be made from butternut squash and cauliflower

For a comparison

carb content per 100g cooked

potatoes 18.21g
swede 5g
butternut squash 10g
cauliflower 1.41g

A good carb counter can be found at http://www.carb-counter.org/

Sweet potatoes are also lower carb than normal white potatoes and you can bake, fry and mash these.

[EmmaG]

Angie you also need to bear in mind that low fat can sometimes mean higher carbs. For example your lower fat milk will have higher carbs. If you are drinking a lot of milk I would suggest drinking the lower carb version as you will need some fat in your eating plan but the extra carbs could cause you to have cravings.

I would also cut out all added sugar in any form and also limit the use of sweetener.

[Kazz]

Angie can you take up swimming or does your health prevent that?

[Kazz]

Well done to all you have my admiration.

[angieh]

Thanks for the carb counter Emma - I've bookmarked that. I do think that's the way that I shall have to go - cut out all sugar, as much fat as possible and reduced carbs.

I don't actually drink any milk on its own, but do have a bit of milk in about 4 mugs of tea per day. Perhaps I need to go over to green tea or lemon tea without milk, or even herbal tea - chamomile is nice. Also have some milk on cereal, but not everyday.

I've never learned to swim properly Kazz When my classmates at school were being taught, I was forbidden to go as I was allergic to the chemicals they put in the pools in those days. Now I can't go because I have had bad ear infections from swimming in the local pool, and some other reasons too. Believe me, I have tried.

[calismum]

angieh - how about tai chi or yoga? I did a tai chi class a number of years ago and it really helped make me more supple and turned a bit of flab into muscle. Unfortunately teacher left and I now only do it at home.

I don't do yoga but have heard it is good too.

[angieh]

Yes, tai chi definitely an option - there used to be a day class in a community college not far away from where I live. I shall try and find out if it's still running.

Did yoga when I was much younger and enjoyed it, but don't think I'm up to it now, although I do still try to practice yoga breathing.