And here we are again! Christmas parties are kicking off and the desire to wow your friends, co-workers or fellow-students is inevitable.
Over the years there have been numerous quick fix diets - cabbage soup, tapeworm (Eheww), Atkins, Fletcherism (chew-your-food-32-times diet), to name but a few.
How many of these have resulted in weight loss? Probably all of them have. How many people have stuck to the diet for more than about a week? You guessed it, not very many.
You’ll initially lose weight but be miserable because you’ve been living off carrot sticks and lettuce leaves.
Once you come off the diet you’ll be on cloud 9 back to normal eating and looking like a skinny mini.
We tell ourselves “I’ve been good for weeks, I deserve a treat now.” Before you know it you’re back to square one and feeling miserable.
In preparation for the fun and games of Christmas I suggest sensibly eating three meals and two snacks every day and avoiding as best you can all the sweets and treats that of course you’ll have during the festivities.
You won’t lose three stone in three weeks but you’ll feel better about yourself and that is what really matters. I tend not to count calories as I find it can become an obsession and takes away the pleasure of eating.
Breakfast is made up of two words (obviously) - break and fast. This comes from the fact that you literally are breaking a fast.
Give you metabolism a kick start in the morning with a hearty breakfast. I like to drink at least half a litre of water in the morning before I eat anything to waken myself up. These mornings are getting chilly so maybe opt for hot water with a slice of lemon.
Sugary cereals closer resemble a dessert than a breakfast so opt for porridge if you can. I know some people can’t stomach the gloopy look of it so if that’s you, don’t worry you’ll not have to starve.
Choose wholegrain bread and have banana on toast with peanut butter or if you really find it difficult to stomach food in the morning, opt for a fresh fruit salad with low-fat natural yogurt sprinkled with some seeds.
The gap from breakfast to lunch can be long. I like to keep mid-morning snacks light as you don’t want to fill up before lunch.
Choose fruits such as apples, oranges, berries or a banana or have some cheese and crackers or banana and rice cakes.
If you had bread for breakfast I would suggest avoiding it mid-morning in a bid to prevent the “bread bloat.”
Likewise, if the gap between lunch and dinner is long, have some healthy snacks nearby such as unsalted nuts, seeds and dried fruit.
I always suggest salads or soups for lunch.
They’re filling without leaving you feeling sleepy and heavy before you are due back at work or class.
There is a massive scope for what you do with your soups and salads.
Salads should resemble the rainbow to ensure you’re getting a wide variety of nutrients.
To make sure your salad will satisfy you include protein such as grilled chicken or salmon.
Beans and tofu are great vegetarian alternatives too. Just remember to avoid creamy dressings!
By the way, there really is no need for a recipe for soup.
Just add in whatever bits and pieces are in your fridge. Sweet potato and squash will add creaminess to your soup and lentils and beans will provide fibre. Whole chicken or turkey pieces are really yummy in soup too.
Add a pinch or chilli and a sprinkle or curry or cayenne pepper for some extra heat to bump up your metabolism.
The way I look at it, creating a dinner is like creating a painting.
You just don’t know what the end product will be but you hope for the best as you add a sprig or this, a grating of that and a mix of this, that and whatever else is in the store cupboard.
It is especially important that your main meal is balanced. Achieve this with the “Portion Plate.”
Draw imaginary lines and split your plate into quarters- a half should be veg, one quarter protein and one quarter carbs.
Typical meals that are quick and easy include stir-fries or curries with at least 3 veg and meat served with wholegrain rice, pasta, noodles or quinoa. A new one for me is turkey burgers with a wholemeal bun. So long as you stick to those general proportions you are on track.
This was a very brief overview. It would be impossible to share with you everything there is to know about good nutrition and health and sensible weight loss in one article.
Any dietary advice suggested is for healthy people with no known illness. If you have any queries regarding your diet or weight please talk to your doctor before embarking on any diet.
Amy Meegan is a final year student of Human Nutrition in UCD. She can be contacted at amy.meegan@gmail.com. You can follow her on Instagram @noblenutrition.
