Boitshepo Giyose
10 November 2008
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November appears to be a month loaded with big changes worldwide.
So why not jump on the bandwagon, catch the frenzy and vow to make a change for your health, particularly bearing in mind that with the festive season around the corner so much damage is done to our poor bodies with overeating and a little too much tipple.
Looking forward to the holidays and Christmas need not invoke panic attacks. But having said that though, I know a number of people, who literally become utterly unraveled, confused and scared even disarmed by the thought of weight gain associated with the eating season. Sometimes I jokingly say to them 'go see a shrink', a nutrition shrink that is. Oh well I guess good advice is not always easy to apply.
With a little forward planning though, it does not have to be like this. Forget diets and instead focus on a healthy and nutritious approach to save calories.
Making healthy eating choices, eating smaller portions - yes portion control does count for a lot, cutting down on junk food no matter the temptation, and replacing high sugar fizzy drinks with plain water and no doubt increasing physical activity is the only and safe way to lose weight and keep it off. Prevent the weight gain and smile and saunter all the way to the beach.
Granted the year may have been a challenging one with poor nutrition and a sluggish metabolism for many, but there is still hope to prepare for the next few weeks and beyond. Here is how; find time to do some physical activity in between those shopping sprees.
Eat foods that have a low Glycemic Index, in other words foods that release energy slowly, such as whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, sorghum, etc. Quick releasing foods generally include highly processed carbohydrates e.g. white bread, super white maize meal, etc.
Eating a diet low in fats and oils is always a standard recommendation. It is also important to not fall victim to hidden fats in processed foods.
So read your labels diligently and look at the fat content of foods - all foods must contain less 10g of fat for each 100g serving. Anything more is suicidal.
The other strategy is to check if fat or sugar is one of the first three ingredients. This would suggest that you are literally eating fat and or sugar as the case may be.
Avoid using too much oil when cooking, try herbs and spices instead. Another trick is to trim off visible fats in all meats you eat and choose only lean cuts.
Since the season tends to be extra hot, it follows natural logic to eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, and salads, and to drink plenty of water, of course. At least half of what you eat should be from the fruit and vegetable group.
When was the last time you had a hearty traditional meal? The answer may be obvious. And holidays tend to do even more shift and damage. However, the reality is that the diets of a lot of people have changed considerably over time.
The exceptions are those who have not been touched by the so-called modernity and development. We can learn a thing or two from the Eskimos, Basarwa, or the Maasai, for instance.
You may wish to know why our food was good if not excellent. So let me outline a couple of things why our cuisine was tops. First of all it was not overly processed, which means that the goodness is retained.
Further more, there were no harmful chemicals, dyes and preservatives - remember Sudan red. All the fibre or roughage, vitamins and minerals are preserved.
As a culture we actually ate more vegetables and milk products than meat and there was not much oil to fry in. Furthermore we hardly used any sugar. Sugar was a luxury, not to mention sweets and cakes. Dentist, what dentist? We had good teeth!
Therefore, a good change could be about revisiting our past, our tradition and making the best of it. So why not go traditional and reap the benefits(?)now that is change you can taste and believe in!
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