A recent study released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare rated Australians as one of the highest consumers of food on the planet.
Not only was this a poor report for us but it also showed that the majority of the foods we are consuming are processed foods and our consumption of fresh foods such as lean meat, fruit and vegetables has decreased and is currently below world average.
It’s a dismal view of us as a nation and is very indicative of our current state of Obesity, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer. We seemed to have lost our way when it comes to Eating for Health vs Eating for Pleasure. There is nothing wrong with indulging in a few occasional treats but we seemed to have created a national of mindless eating patterns due to busy lives and the availability of processed foods. So what is the answer? Well it’s not just about losing weight these days, we also have to implement a change in our attitude to how we eat and why we eat. For most of you who have seen me you will know that I spend quite a lot of time reviewing my client’s diets and explaining the basic list of foods you need to eat on a daily basis.
I don’t like telling people they cannot eat this or that, though it is sometimes necessary, especially is someone is sitting on the edge of diabetes or has a chronic health disorder. Its vitally important that you focus on including lots of fresh fruit and vegies in your diet and aim for lots of color. Avoid the common mistake of using vegies such as potatoes, pumpkin and carrots! Focus more on a variety of leafy greens, reds, orange and purple fruits and vegies. A few years ago I spent some time travelling around China and noticed many people munching on red capsicums like we would eat an apple. Try one, they are crunchy, sweet and pleasant to eat. Give them to your kids when they want something sweet, you may be pleasantly surprised.
If you struggling to lose weight then speak to us about our very successful Optimal Fat Loss Program that we run in our clinic. The University of Sydney is currently running a study on VLCD based on new research that suggests VLCD (very low calorie diets) work best as a weight loss program.
Researchers have found that diets based on very low calorie intake (below 800calories per day) help with rapid fat loss and result in better control of weight gain.
