Weight Maintenance Tips Part 2 - Cooking and Eating Food
11/6/2012
al Covo offer Nutritional Therapy and also Weight Loss Programmes
Here is part 2 of my set of tips to maintain weight once you have reached your target and to stop you yo-yoing back.
2. Cooking food
- Follow the Cambridge guide in the Steps programme or the much bigger range of options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts, in the Meals in Minutes Recipe book.
- Grill, cook en papillote (wrap in foil/greaseproof paper and steam or bake), griddle, poach, steam, bake, microwave, stir fry and dry fry - rather than oil-pan fry.
- Use fry sprays rather than oils.
- If you nibble while preparing food, have a piece of fruit , glass of water, celery or carrots nearby to munch on.
- Trim off visible fat from meat.
- Remove skin from poultry.
- Make your own oil-free dressings and marinades with herbs, lemon, vinegar, honey, garlic, mustard, and keep it in a jar in the fridge.
- Be honest when you measure – 30g of grated cheese is 30g!
- Make your own big healthy food plate portions and freeze the rest for convenience.
- Keep a good supply of herbs and spices to add interest and nutrtional therapy value (they’re great for the heart, circulation, immune system, skin, kidneys etc).
3. Eating food
- Try not to skip meals – you’ll eat more the next meal you have! In fact, try to eat a little more often, so go for 3 healthy nibbles (eg celery, carrots, fruit, veg) and 3 mini meals. Breakfast is particularly important.
- Keep healthy foods available to see (eg put them on work desk) – so they’re in sight and reach - and you’re more likely to eat them.
- Chew – poor digestion and nutrition starts in the mouth.
- Eat slower (eg put a knife and fork down between mouthfuls) and enjoy your eating taste!
- Drink plenty of water before meals to fill you up, and with a meal too. Food Agency Standard guidance is to drink a minimum of 1.25 litres per day, with 2 litres of water consumed in your food (eg lettuce, steak, potato).
- Use a smaller plate for main meals.
- Don’t leave extra food on the table when you are eating.
- Don’t have food or munchies in front of you when you’re disctracted by the TV, phone, computer, film etc – you won’t realise how much you’re eating.
- Use My Cambridge to keep a check on food and drink diary.
- Watch out for alcoholic calories.
- Put leftovers in the bin or freezer – avoid temptation.
