Australia’s Healthy Weight Week begins tomorrow. It’s hosted by the Dieticians Association of Australia. The week is a great way to start making smarter choices when it comes to your nutrition, exercise and every day habits. Weight loss isn’t about a three month plan but a lifetime journey of eating nutritious food, staying active and having energy to make the best of every day.
It’s a sad statistic but it’s true: 1 in 4 Australian’s are overweight and a growing number are obese. It’s difficult for me to fathom how this is possible. Australia is an active country with over 50% of the population taking part in physical activity. There are beaches galore and plenty of opportunities to get outside and stay active. Unfortunately, not enough people take advantage of these opportunities.
Having fast food available on every corner (slight exaggeration) doesn’t help the issue. What you put into your mouth on a daily basis is more important than that chocolate binge you might have once a month. Diets are a waste of time. They all work but none are sustainable. Even celebrities are proof that diets only breed havoc in your body and mind. One minute they’re a size six and the next a twelve. They keep yo-yoing because their choices are not sustainable. You need food. You need carbohydrate, and fat, and protein. But enough preaching from here. Instead here are a few things that you can do to improve your health this week:
- Swap the mid morning biscuit and coffee for a rice cracker spread with avocado, a pinch of salt and a squirt of lemon juice
- Rather than pop into the store for a coffee to have with your sandwich at lunch, make yourself a cup of tea
- Opt for the iced latte rather than the iced coffee. The difference: the latte is minus the cream and ice cream and still tastes great on a hot afternoon
- Forget the cola and drink water with a squeeze of lemon to quench your first
- If you normally buy your lunch, make extra for dinner the night before and take the leftovers for lunch to work the next day
- Go for a walk at lunch time instead of sitting at your desk. You’ll give your backside a break and feel more alert for the afternoon.
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| Nutritious breakfast – carbs, protein and good fat = full of flavour |
- Eat a piece of fruit mid afternoon. Apples, stone fruit, berries, bananas or melons are great choices and they satisfy your sweet tooth and keep hunger pangs at bay till dinner time
- When you get home instead of rushing through dinner, sit down and eat slowly, chew each mouthful ten or more times and put down the knife and fork between mouthfuls. Enjoy the food that you are eating. You might find that you eat a lot less.
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| Choose this to snack on… |
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| …avoid this |
- Rather than cutting out fat and carbohydrates reduce the amount of sugar you eat. This is easy if you make small changes over a longer period of time. The first couple of days swap your chocolate bar for a piece of fruit, at lunchtime opt for the chicken salad rather than the burrito, in the evening fill half your plate with veggies and the other half with a piece of grilled chicken and a bit of sweet potato or brown rice.
- If you don’t generally get active aim to spend 15 minutes each day being active whether it’s going for a swim, taking your dog for a walk or dancing around your living room.
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| Take your dog for a walk in the evenings |
- Don’t deprive yourself. If you want a treat. Have it. But stop yourself at 20g of chocolate rather than 200g. Have one biscuit not the whole packet. You’ll not only save calories but also money because your food will last longer.
- Ensure you’re drinking enough water. Your thirst may be mistaken for hunger so have a full glass of water twenty minutes before you each meal and snack.
Making healthy choices is all about you and your health. Don’t give in to the evil monster that is sitting on your shoulder telling you, “Go on, you can have it. You deserve it.”
No, you don’t deserve it. You deserve to be healthy, happy and full of energy and it’s only up to you to be that way. So make the most of Australia’s Healthy Weight Week and start making smarter and healthier choices to become a healthier, happier and fitter you.
No, you don’t deserve it. You deserve to be healthy, happy and full of energy and it’s only up to you to be that way. So make the most of Australia’s Healthy Weight Week and start making smarter and healthier choices to become a healthier, happier and fitter you.
