©Alva Carpenter
We live in a climate of abundance and the only answer to remaining slim and healthy is to say no to more!
So much has changed for adults today since childhood. Looking in my pantry, I see that I have six different brands of breakfast cereal. How different from my mother’s pantry that had only porridge oats or a loaf of bread. Times have changed radically; mothers work and we are now money rich, but time poor. No wonder that at times we reach for convenience foods to feed our families. The 1970s signalled a change in family life with the advent of the dual income family, followed by the rise in availability of convenience food. The more food we eat away from the home, the more we lose control of what we are eating and the calorie content.
Being fat can be related to income: long ago the poor people were thin, but nowadays it is often the poor who eat cheap junk food and are overweight, and the wealthy who have the time and the means to look after themselves. Those of us who have a memory of scarcity in the past and now live in an environment of abundance have to strive extra hard to learn to hold back and not over-indulge. The only way to prevent putting on weight is to develop self-control. Parents are responsible for teaching their children to eat healthy food and avoid a constant stream of carbonated drinks and snacks. It can be hard for mothers to tell their family not to eat as women are programmed to feed the family: even our bodies are designed to feed.
Fathers also are programmed to be providers: so set limits on food shopping. Teach healthy eating and but remember that children are like little sponges and pick up on whatever is going on around them. Organise a healthy eating routine in your home by emailing guidewg@naturalhealthlines.com for a free copy of my healthy eating guide. Try these self-control tips –
- Say no to second helpings.
- Only eat regular sized meals.
- Only have two small sized treats a day.
- Feed your baby what it needs for health – not what is convenient.
- Don’t eat more at a meal than you could hold in two hands.
- Eat together as a family and discourage snacking in front of the television.
Low Fat Recipe of the Week
Greek Frittata with Spinach, Oregano and Feta Cheese
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 tsp. olive oil
2 cups spinach, washed, tough stems removed
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
6 large egg whites
1 cup finely crumbled feta cheese
2 tsp. fresh, chopped oregano
½ cup chopped onions
6 small potatoes, cooked and halved
Method
Heat 2 tsp. of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and season with salt and pepper. Toss quickly until leaves are barely wilted, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat, drain and set aside. Whisk the eggs, egg whites, cheese, oregano, salt and pepper together until thoroughly combined. In an 8" or 10" ovenproof, non-stick skillet, heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low, and add the spinach and halved potatoes (cut side down). Add the egg mixture (do not stir) and cook over low heat until the eggs are set, about 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Place the skillet under the broiler for 30 to 45 seconds to finish cooking the top of the frittata.
Weight Watch
You don't have to clean your plate!
If you're old enough you've probably noticed a big difference between the size of food portions served to you as a child and the ones served to you now. In my day, people patted me on the back when I cleaned my plate. These days, though, such a pat on the back may not seem wise especially when some meals leave me feeling so full that I can't move. Many of us get used to eating tons of food when we're teenagers because our metabolisms are racing enough to carry us right through the day. The problem is we may take years to break that habit. By then our metabolisms aren't racing anymore and we face weight problems. Men are four times more likely than women to finish all of the food on their plate. With obesity being an obvious problem these days, we need to pay attention to portion sizes in our meals and get back to three smaller meals a day.
Ask Alva
Q:
I would like to know some exercise for reducing my thighs because I have big thighs and a very thin waist. Since I am a working woman, I am very busy in the morning and cannot do my mini-morning exercises. I go brisk walking for 45 minutes in the evening but still I am not able to reduce. I have also started taking Actrim for weight loss but I am very addicted to coffee. Neha
A:
It is lovely to hear that you have a nice slim waist. For your thighs, which are where you seem to store fat, taking Actrim and reducing your food intake will help. The leg exercises in my mini-morning workout are very good - try to fit them in on a daily basis. To get nice, toned legs, the quickest way is to run for 10 minutes three times a week, for 6 - 8 weeks. If you don't want to do that, buy a skipping rope. Start by skipping for 1 minute each day and add an extra minute each week. Up to 6 cups of coffee a day is not harmful to most people but coffee is a diuretic. Water is essential to flush toxins and waste through the kidneys. If you don’t drink enough water you can suffer from the consequences of dehydration, which are loss of energy and tiredness and your metabolism will slow, which will not help you to lose weight. So make sure you consume 2 to 3 litres of water a day. Alva