GI Find It Hard to Concentrate Lately

The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking given to a carbohydrate food on a scale of 0 to 100 to represent how quickly it is broken down to its simplest form, sugar, and absorbed into your blood stream.

The longer it takes for the body to break down the carbohydrate, the slower the sugar is released into the blood stream, and the longer your energy levels can be sustained.

Foods that are high GI are those which are rapidly digested and absorbed into the blood stream and result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low GI foods, by virtue of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health.

Low GI diets have been shown to improve both glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2). They also have benefits for weight control because they help control appetite and delay hunger.

The glycemic effect of foods depends on a number of factors:

• The type of starch, physical entrapment of the starch molecules within the food
• Fat and protein content of the food and organic acids or their salts in the meal.
• Presence of fat or soluble dietary fibre can slow the gastric emptying rate, thus lowering the GI.

Large amounts of fat in foods tends to slow the rate of stomach emptying and therefore the rate at which foods are digested. The GI value of potato chips or french fries for example is lower than that of baked potatoes, yet the saturated fat in these foods will contribute to a much increased risk of heart disease. So it is therefore important to look at the type of fat in foods as well as GI values.

The glycemic index is important for weight maintenance due to the impact is has on your hunger levels through blood sugar control. As low GI foods maintain low blood sugar levels, you can easily control your hunger levels.

Low GI carbohydrate foods are often more nutritious as they can be higher in fibre, vitamins and minerals.

Healthy & Happy New Year

Christmas is over...

...So where to from here?

Research from the United States has found that the average end of year holiday weight gain is 0.5kgs and this weight increase is not reversed over the following year. Regardless of whether your festive season went to plan or could have been better, the silly season for 2010 has passed and we are faced with a new year ahead.

The New Year presents a good opportunity to re-evaluate where we are at with our health plans to set those New Year’s Resolutions. Ask yourself - what would I like to achieve in 2011? Remember, a few parties don’t make you overweight; it’s what you do the other 350 odd days of the year that matters.

Here are a couple of recommendations for getting started:

• Make sure you have a healthy environment around you - This means throw away any of those Christmas leftovers – weight loss is hard enough without having fruit mince pies, rum balls, peanuts and boxes of chocolates laying in the house. If possible, give these away to guests, neighbours or even colleagues at work.
• Set goals for what you want to achieve in 2011 - what are the greatest advantages with being healthier in 2011? It could be more energy, feeling better, looking better or improved health. Think of your resolutions as new goals for the year. Set short term goals to accompany your longer term goals.

A good way to approach this is to include goals that encompass a variety of aspects of your life:

• External goals e.g. Eating habits, food choices, exercise, shopping, reading food labels, health outcomes, etc.
• Internal goals e.g. Managing comfort eating, stress management, self-esteem, negative thought patterns, assertiveness, etc.

Write down your goals and put them somewhere noticeable (eg. office, study, fridge, back of toilet door, etc) so that you are continuously aware of your target.

Guidelines for setting goals include:

• Keep it real - Make your plans realistic and achievable. Consider your lifestyle and how reasonable your resolutions are. This may also involve starting small, for example, if you are doing less physical activity, maybe set a goal to increase this by one extra session per week and build on it weekly.
• Be specific – Set specific goals so that you know exactly what you are aiming to achieve and so you are able to measure your progress. For example, if you want to drink alcohol, how many standard drinks will you have?
• Plan – Think ahead and be prepared. This definitely applies to food and exercise – know what events or activities are coming up and re-arrange your original plan accordingly. This could be returning to work or ensuring the kids are all prepared for school.
• Anticipate setbacks - Let’s say the Christmas / New Year break didn’t go exactly to plan. Don’t worry, it’s not the end of the world! We have a new year ahead of us remember! The important thing is to remain focused. Return to your normal routine with meals and exercise as quickly as possible and keep in mind that one meal or one day is not going to make a significant difference in the overall scheme of things.
• Dealing with setbacks is part of the behaviour change process. Don't get downhearted if you experience them; see them as an opportunity to learn about yourself instead. Avoid 'all or nothing' thinking and learn to accept your mistakes and then move on. Does a musician cease playing when an incorrect note is played? Does a tennis player pack up after they serve a fault? They learn from the mistake and grow in experience so that they improve for next time.
• Reward yourself - Develop a system of non-food related rewards for behaviours that support your goals. Don't wait until the very end - set milestones and reward yourself as you go. For example, get a massage, buy a new CD or book.

Overall remember your goals and resolutions are an ongoing process, not an overnight transformation.

We hope you had an enjoyable Christmas and Happy New Year, from the staff at WWMC!

References

The Importance of Cooking with Weight Loss

Cooking – some people love it while others hate it! If you’re trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle, you’ll quickly realise that cooking is central to your success.  Too often we are tempted to take the easy option and order take away or eat meals out which will make long term weight loss or weight maintenance very difficult.

So what is the answer? How do you make cooking less of a chore so that the excuses not to cook stop creeping in to your head?  The answer for most people who lead very busy lives is that it must be quick. But quick is not the only answer.  You must also find the motivation to get into a routine of cooking your meals each night and avoid the temptation of picking up a take away on the way home.  Finding the motivation to cook regular meals may not be easy but here are some things to think about which will help to make cooking easier:

• Make sure your meals taste good!
• Plan meals in advance so that you know what you’re making and don’t give yourself the option of having something else
• Be organised and have all the ingredients at home so that you don’t have to go to the shops on the way home
• If there are other people at home get them involved too. This will help to reduce the amount of time it takes to prepare and cook the meal
• Cook a large enough meal so that there are leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day
• Consider the health benefits. Who really knows how much or what type of fat is going into the Thai takeaway or pizza you’ve ordered
• Food portion sizes tend to be far larger when you order takeaway or eat out, which is not desirable for weight loss

Eating take-away or dining out regularly does not allow you to control your daily food intake.  You will find that your daily saturated fat, energy and salt intake will very quickly exceed your requirements which will of course lead to weight gain and other long term health problems such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.  Like most things, eating take away and enjoying meals out is fine in moderation.  However when take away meals, which are high in calories and served in large portion sizes, become part of routine weight loss, weight maintenance and long term good health are very difficult to achieve.

Try these healthy, quick and delicious meal ideas to stop you pulling in for mid week takeaways!

Classic Chicken Stir Fry

1. Stir fry chicken breast seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic. Use a spray of canola oil for cooking.
2. Once cooked, add red capsicum, snow peas and broccoli. Add 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce and ½ tablespoon of soy sauce.
3. Remove from heat. Top with fresh basil leaves and bean shoots.

SAM: Steak, Avocado and Mushroom

1. Season steak with dried thyme salt and pepper and cook to your liking on the BBQ.
2. Spray a large field mushroom with cooking oil, cut a large red chilli in half and de- seed, then grill the vegetables on the BBQ. Trim green beans, boil the kettle and cover the beans with hot water.
3. Serve with a tablespoon of avocado, fresh coriander and a wedge of lime. 

Fish and Salsa

1. Cover fish with lemon, salt and pepper wrap in foil and bake in the oven.
2. Cut fresh basil, mint, large red chilli and spring onion and sprinkle over the fish once cooked.
3. Serve with broccolini and a side of salsa: diced tomato, cucumber, red onion + balsamic vinegar. 

Vietnamese Beef

1. In a food processor, mix one stalk of lemon grass, 2 garlic cloves, juice of 1 lime, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and ½ tablespoon of peanut oil.
2. Thinly slice strips of beef and coat in the marinade you’ve just made.
3. Mix together shredded lettuce, grated carrot, thinly sliced cucumber, fresh mint and basil leaves.
4. Cook the marinated beef strips, serve on top of salad top with fresh bean sprouts. 

Lamb with Vegies

1. Choose lamb back strap or another cut of lamb with all the fat removed, sprinkle with equal amounts of sumac, sesame seeds and thyme.
2. Cut zucchini into quarters, sprinkle with salt and pepper and grill together with chunks of red capsicum.
3. Trim green beans, boil the kettle and cover the beans with hot water. Mix all vegetables together and sprinkle with 30g low fat feta cheese.
4. Serve as vegetables with the lamb.

A salad you won’t complain about!

1. Cook chicken breast seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic + ½ a bacon round per person all fat removed in non stick pan. 
2. On a plate place lettuce leaves, snow peas, thin slices of red onion. Top with cooked chicken and bacon pieces.
3. Sprinkle with low fat ricotta cheese and crushed walnuts (3 per person) dress with balsamic vinegar.

Mexican Beef Cups

1. Cook beef strips in a frying pan using spray oil.
2. Add small pieces of broccoli and capsicum and stir in burrito mix (adding water to make it saucey).
3. Serve in lettuce leave cups with a dollop of low fat sour cream and topped with freshly diced tomato.  

Bon Appétit, send us through your favourite healthy recipes!

Small Loss in Weight, Big Difference to Health

Although it is a widely communicated fact that being overweight increases your risk of developing a number of serious health conditions, what isn’t so well known is how even small a loss in weight can make a big difference to your overall health!

Recently, there have been a number of scientific studies published that reveal a small loss in weight (5-10% of initial weight) results in significant improvements in blood cholesterol blood pressure and blood sugar control. For example, those who are considered overweight at 80kgs, will be significantly healthier just 4 to 8kgs lighter. Also, these small reductions in weight reduce the risk of osteoarthritis and risk of contracting some cancers and other chronic diseases.

 

A recent study (involving 500 men and women at risk for type 2 diabetes) showed that the onset of diabetes in this group was avoided during the study when subjects achieved these 5 outcomes:

1. Weight loss of 5-10%
2. 30-45minutes of physical activity on 4 – 5 days a week
3. Low fat diet (<30% total calories)
4. Low saturated fat intake (<10% total calories)
5. 15g fibre per 1000 calories (for example 1 medium apple = 3g fibre, 1 slice of wholemeal = 2g fibre, ½ cup of mixed vegetables = 4g fibre and 2 tablespoons of muesli = 3g fibre)

While these 5 simple actions led to an avoidance of type 2 diabetes in this study, they may look like ominous changes to some (particularly those who may have attempted this sort of lifestyle change in the past). However, with diabetes being a key contributor to death and disability around the world the benefit of these changes far outweighs the challenge of implementing them.

While it’s clear that small amounts of weight loss results in many long term health benefits, taking the first step can be difficult. Before attempting to lose weight, exercise more, decrease fat and increase fibre in your diet, consult a dietitian. Their expert advice will help to ensure you’re your on the right track. Remember it only takes 5 – 10% of your initial weight to make some dramatic health improvements.

Adapted from: LaFontaine, TP. Roitman, JL.http://www.vhct.org/case2500/benefits.htm

References