Tag: cut calories

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

Healthy alternative….

Dr Nancy P

Healthy alternative…. 🍇 🍬

When trying to lose weight people will often go out of their way to force themselves to choose a “healthy” alternative. So if you’re craving a sweet snack, and really just want some haribo you may instead think you’re better of choosing dried fruit instead.

The key to being in control of your weight management is really understanding that there is no such thing as a “bad” or “good” snack – they’re just different. There are nutritional differences between the two options of course. The dried fruit has increased fibre and micronutrients than the haribo, but we don’t just choose food on the basis of its nutritional breakdown.

Both these snacks contain high levels of sugar and when it comes down to it the source of those sugars makes very little difference to how your body processes it – especially in the context of this example. Both taste good, but if you are really craving sweets and instead force yourself to have the dried fruit you’re still taking in almost identical calories. Now that’s fine if that’s where it ends, but often that craving will still be there. The sweets may also give you an emotional boost as well as an energy one.

Overall the calorie difference between the two is pretty marginal. So if you’re choosing the dried fruit in an effort to lose weight, then think again. If you’re choosing them because you like them then brilliant – keep having them. If you fancy some sweets then have them!

There are no good or bad foods – all foods can be accommodated within a balanced diet. Being aware of the calories in different foods empowers you to make that choice.

🤗

Xx

Recipes

Cherry Tomato Soup

Dr Nancy P

We had a massive glut of cherry tomatoes in the garden this year, so I thought I’d use them for a nice, light soup! You can actually use any tomatoes you like but cherry ones do lend a lovely sweetness.

I used almost all of ours – which was around 1.5kg but you can use fewer – just reduce the other ingredients to compensate. This makes at least 6-8 bowls and it’s ridiculously low calorie – under 100 cals per bowl!

You will need:

1.5kg Cherry Tomatoes

1 large onion

2 Carrots

2 Sticks of Celery

3 tbsp Tomato Purée

1 litre vegetable stock (2 stock cubes)

1 tsp oregano or mixed herbs (to taste)

1/2 tsp Celery Salt

Dash of Worcestershire sauce (or vegetarian alternative)

I/2 tsp sugar

Salt and Pepper

Chop the onion, carrot and celery into small pieces. Depending on the size of the tomatoes cut them into halves or quarters.

Add some oil or oil spray to a large saucepan and once hot add the onions, celery and carrots. Sauté them for around ten minutes until soft and slightly coloured.

Add the tomato purée and stir well

Add the tomatoes, together with the sugar and herbs and spices. Stir to mix everything, then put the lid on the pan and let the tomatoes cook on a low heat for around ten mins. Check occasionally and stir to prevent sticking.

Once the tomatoes have started to release their juices after around ten mins, add the stock and Worcestershire sauce if using. Turn up the heat as high as it will go and wait until everything is bubbling, then turn the heat down to low again and put the lid back on the pan. Cook gently for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Depending how much liquid the tomatoes produced you may want to keep boiling a little longer to reduce it down – you can decide how thick you want your soup. (You can also add a little cornflour – mix a couple of tbsp in a bowl with cold water and then whisk that into the soup to thicken it).

You can leave it as it is if you want but I prefer to blend it. Wait for it to cool a little and then using a stick blender blend to the desired consistency. At this point you can also boil again to reduce it down if it’s still too thin for your taste.

You can freeze this for quick lunches or dinners. Serve as it is with a crusty loaf, or you can add a dollop of greek yoghurt for added creaminess!

Enjoy 🙂

Xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

Why diets work…

Dr Nancy P

Why diets work… 🥗

There are lots of diets out there that claim to be better than any other. But what do ALL these diets have in common? And why do they work?

It’s nothing to do with any special properties of specific diets. For ANY diet to work it has to result in a calorie deficit. For some people certain diets will enable them to achieve this more easily and therefore that diet will work for them. But behind these diets are the simple maths of calories in vs out. However the issue with many diets is that they don’t educate you on the mechanism behind them and are therefore short term fixes.

Keto / low carb : omits or reduces carbs, which may reduce calories.

5:2 : limits calorie intake for 2 days a week, which may create a calorie deficit on average.

Intermittent fasting/ 16:8 : restricts the window of time you can eat in, which MAY reduce calories.

Diet clubs : assign points or values to certain foods and restrict food types, so MAY reduce calories

Shakes / Supplements : replaces meals or promotes excessive bowel movements etc which result in water loss, and a possible calorie deficit from meal replacement.

Juice cleanse/ detox : replaces whole foods with juices, resulting in fewer calories and rapid initial water loss.

Body type/blood type diet : restricts foods based on blood or body type, which may result in a calorie deficit

Spot the similarities? Many involve omitting food groups which will result in a calorie deficit. Calories can’t tell the time so methods involving not eating on certain days/times only work if you don’t overeat on others. Diet clubs help with accountability (regular weigh ins and rewards) but hide calories behind points or labels which lock you in to their method.

All of these diets can result in fat loss, but how many of them are sustainable long term, educate you on managing energy intake or build new habits? Some are actually damaging; laxative supplements and fasting can cause bowel damage, kidney damage and development of silent acid reflux etc, as well as promoting disordered eating.

So it doesn’t matter which ‘diet’ you choose, as long as it works for you – but make sure you understand WHY it works 🙂

xx

Tuesday Tip

Tuesday Tip: Collagen – worth the hype?

Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Collagen – worth the hype? 💊

Collagen supplements are a common topic, in relation to skin, joint health and fitness but does it actually work and do you really need the supplements?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. It provides structure and elasticity in muscles, tendons, ligaments, skin, blood vessels, and connective tissues. As we age, collagen levels drop, resulting in wrinkles, saggy skin, joint pain, stiffer tendons and ligaments, and weaker muscles. A diet high in sugar, excessive sun exposure, and smoking also diminish collagen levels. As a protein source, collagen is an excellent one, with more protein per calorie than other sources and less sodium and sugar.

Social media is full of endorsements from celebrities for collagen products. They’re certainly no miracle product but there is a growing body of evidence suggesting it can improve skin, joint health, promote wound healing, and fend off muscle wasting. Studies show improvements in skin elasticity, blood circulation to the skin and less dryness. Interestingly a small study of men with age related muscle loss showed that collagen combined with weight lifting led to more muscle gain than just lifting weights alone. While research is mixed, a few studies have also shown that collagen can help with arthritis pain and sports-related joint pain.

Although research is limited it is promising and it’s certainly worth considering including more collagen in your diet but you really don’t need to spend money on supplements or fancy drinks etc. As with anything it’s always best to get your nutrients from a healthy, balanced diet.

If you’re a meat eater the easiest option is bone broth, chicken, pork or salmon skin. Egg yolk is also a great source as are any foods with gelatin in (haribo included lol!). For vegans or vegetarians it’s more challenging but foods like soybeans and other legumes, spirulina and agar, both derived from algae can help. In addition eat plenty of leafy green vegetables, citrus, eggs, berries, tomatoes, cabbage, pumpkin seeds, avocados, and garlic, which can provide your body with nutrients to support it’s own collagen growth.

Happy Tuesday 🤗

Xx

Nutrition and Calorie Tips

‘Just a savoury snack…’ 😬

Dr Nancy P

‘Just a savoury snack…’ 😬

Sometimes you just can’t beat a savoury snack and crisps often fit the bill. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. People often wrongly assume that to lose weight they need to stop snacking completely. Trying to completely cut out snacks is usually totally counter productive and unsustainable long term.

Snacks are no different to your main meals – they’re just a label for smaller portions of food. It doesn’t matter if you have 3 meals and no snacks, 4 meals and 3 snacks, 1 meal and 6 snacks a day… as long as the total calories are below your daily expenditure (and therefore you are in a calorie deficit). The problem arises though when those snacks aren’t smaller portions at all.

Crisps are a great example of a savoury snack that often becomes more than a snack. It’s very easy to eat well over 700 cals in one sitting without even realising it. However a smaller portion of 40g which is still a decent amount of crisps is much more manageable within your daily calories.

So rather than trying to ‘cut all snacks’ instead work on moderation – try to keep those ‘snacks’ as actual snack-sized portions and most importantly be aware of the actual quantities you’re eating and fit them into your diet accordingly.

Enjoy 🤗 xx