Author: Dr Nancy P

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

Some days vs most days..

Dr Nancy P

Some days vs most days.. 🍟🍗

I talk about this a lot but losing weight really is all about balance. You don’t need to demonise or shun your favourite foods to hit your goals. If you use a flexible approach then any food is fine in moderation. Yes even a take away McDonalds. Obviously that’s not healthy food in terms of nutritient content but it doesn’t exist in isolation. You’re not ONLY eating that McDonald’s. You can fulfil your emotional needs with the take away and fulfil your nutritional needs in the rest of your diet. Calorie wise it’s not even that bad!

So you can have that take away – just be aware of the calories and account for it. Then make sure you’re getting a range of nutrients in your other meals and that you’re still within your calories on average over the week.

So balance occasional indulgences with more nutritious daily decisions: enjoy McDonald’s every once in a while, but make your mainstay chicken breast and oven roasted potatoes.

Enjoy 🤗
Xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: How to Stop Late Night Snacking

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: How to Stop Late Night Snacking 🍪

Late-night snacking is a tricky habit many struggle with, often derailing weight loss efforts. So why do we do it, and how can we break the cycle?

There are several reasons for after-dinner snacking, and it’s key to figure out the cause. Identifying the cause is the first step in finding a solution.

#1 Skipping Meals

If you’re not eating enough during the day, your body craves energy at night. Try meal prepping or keeping easy options on hand (ready meals etc). If you’re too busy, schedule meals like meetings to create a routine.

#2 Grazing All Day

Snacking throughout the day can leave you unsatisfied, leading to overeating at night. Have balanced meals every 3-5 hours instead of grazing, helping to regulate hunger and reduce cravings.

#3 Not Enough Protein

Protein is the most filling macronutrient. Without enough, you might feel unsatisfied, leading to late-night cravings. Include protein in each meal or snack, but not at the expense of carbs too.

#4 Unbalanced Meals

Meals lacking fibre or healthy fats can leave you reaching for snacks later. Use the balanced plate method; combine protein, carbs, healthy fats, and fibre-rich fruits or veggies to stay full longer.

#5 Uneven Calorie Distribution

Not spreading your calories evenly throughout the day can cause hunger at night. Spread your calorie intake across meals to avoid nighttime cravings.

#6 Mindless Eating

Boredom, stress, or emotions can trigger overeating. Practice mindful eating by focusing on the taste and texture of your food, and stop when you’re satisfied, not stuffed.

Late night snacking doesn’t have to derail you. By identifying the cause and making simple adjustments like consistent meals, balanced plates, and mindful eating, you can take charge of your habits.

Happy Tuesday! 🤗

Xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

‘Weight loss’ meals vs ‘normal’ meals….

Dr Nancy P

‘Weight loss’ meals vs ‘normal’ meals….🥘

Once again this highlights a really important issue – marketing! Ready meals can be a really useful thing to have in your freezer/fridge for quick meals when you’re busy. They’re also handy if you’re trying to stick to your calories and want something with pre calculated calories too. Most people would assume that the slimming world or weight watchers (or other weight loss brand foods) are automatically a more virtuous choice of ready meal . Whilst the ‘normal’ supermarket ones may be assumed to be higher calories.

In reality the Slimming world and the weight watchers ones are actually significantly higher in calories at 440 and 424 cals vs 372 and 363 cals for supermarket examples. That’s quite a large difference! The weight loss branded ones are also more expensive – up to £4.40 vs £1.85.

So don’t automatically assume these weight loss branded foods are always the better option. Sometimes they’re the same or worse than other brands. And very often pricier! If you enjoy them then definitely have them, but if you’re only having them because you think they’re better and lower calorie then think again.

Read the labels and look at the calories and then make your choice. If you’re trying to lose weight then go for the lowest calorie option, that you actually want to eat!

🤗xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Should You Skip Breakfast?

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Should You Skip Breakfast? 🍳

Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about skipping breakfast for longevity. Some social media and celebrity ‘experts’ claim you should eating around 12-2 PM every day if you want to live longer. Sounds simple, right? But does the science agree?

Well… not quite.

A recent large-scale study followed 62,746 people over and found that those who skipped breakfast, or only ate breakfast 1-2 times per week, had a higher risk of developing gastrointestinal cancers (including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and gallbladder cancer) compared to those who ate breakfast daily.

And no, this wasn’t just about weight, lifestyle, or socioeconomic factors. The link between skipping breakfast and cancer risk remained even when adjusting for other variables. In fact, multiple previous studies have supported these findings.

Why might this be happening? There are a few possible explanations:

– Inflammation: Skipping breakfast is linked to higher levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation. Chronic low-grade inflammation plays a role in tumor growth by promoting oxidation, mutation, and DNA changes.

– Circadian Rhythm Disruption:Eating late may mess with your body’s internal clock, affecting metabolism and cellular function.

So, should you be eating breakfast?

The evidence suggests yes, not just for energy and satiety, but for long-term health. This doesn’t mean breakfast is magical, but skipping it could have unintended consequences beyond just hunger. It also raises general concerns about fasting for periods of time and the impact that can have on gastrointestinal health.

Moral of the story? Don’t believe every health trend you see on social media. Always question the claims and check what the science actually says.

Happy Tuesday! 🤗

Xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

A snack or loads of snacks…

Dr Nancy P

A snack or loads of snacks… 🍫

There are lots of strategies you can use when trying to stick to your calorie deficit to lose weight/fat. Being aware of the calories in the foods you choose to consume and swapping to lower calorie foods which you also enjoy is an obvious option. As well as the calories though it’s worth considering the quantity and volume of the food you’re choosing.

Snacking is a common problem and an easy way to extra calories to sneak in. If you were to snack on a banana and chocolate muffin you’re looking at a substantial 377 calories of food. That’s quite a lot for a snack, and it will be gone in a few bites. However for only 259 calories you could have a curly wurly, a light babybel, some raspberries and a packet of popchips. This combination not only has the advantage of fewer calories overall, but also higher protein overall which will help to keep you fuller for longer, and they contain more fibre (mainly from the raspberries) and other micronutrients which will also help. But an often overlooked aspect is that there is also a greater volume of food in the lower calorie option. It will take you longer to eat the 4 snacks than the muffin, which will also increase feelings of satisfaction. You may also even find you don’t even need to eat all 4 snacks.

Obviously if you fancy the muffin and can fit it into your calories then go for it but this is just another strategy to add to your toolkit to help you stick to those calories.

Enjoy 🤗

Xx