Being overweight is a serious threat to the health of many people. We live in a society of plenty and it has never been easier to over eat. Levels of obesity have tripled since the 1980s and if obesity continues to rise, half the population of the developed world will be obese. On a recent holiday in Europe I noticed that almost all the middle-aged tourists were overweight. Excess weight puts strain on all the organs that have to process the excess food through the body and it can be the cause of cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and stress on the joints, especially the knees. It is worth measuring your BMI (Body Mass Index) and doctors recommend that anyone with a BMI of over 30 should make sorting out their weight a priority. If your BMI is 40 or over, then your health is seriously at risk. Take the right approach because losing weight is never about starving or going on a strict diet. It is about eating normally and gradually changing habits. For some people it will be eating smaller portions — for others it will be about being more active — and for others it will be cutting down on junk food. Cutting out snacks, eating simpler food with less fat, salt and cream are also routes towards developing more healthy habits. You can obtain details of your BMI by sending details of your height and weight to [email protected].
Those who want to adopt a healthy eating plan should try to follow this guide:
Breakfast: 1 glass orange juice — 1 slice toasted bread, or 1 bowl of breakfast cereal
Mid-morning:1 banana, or 1 slice fruit loaf
Lunch: 1 sandwich of tuna or chicken salad (if tuna, drain off any oil) and 1 small low fat yogurt
Mid-afternoon: 1 bowl of fresh fruit salad
Dinner: Grilled chicken, fish, or lean meat with rice and green salad. Fresh fruit salad with low fat ice cream
NEVER SKIP MEALS.
Getting active
Regular Workout
Aim to train two to five times a week. Each session should last between 20 minutes to an hour. Remember it is the quality (not the quantity) of the time you spend training that leads to progression. Your weekly exercise program should include elements of cardiovascular (aerobics, running, brisk walking, stepping, skipping rope, rowing), resistance training (weights or own body exercises such as press-ups) and, finally, flexibility (stretching). You should always warm up and cool down before each session.
Recipe of the week
Low-Fat Coffee Cake
Serves 10
Ingredients
75 g brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
210 g reduced fat buttermilk baking mix
180 ml skim milk
50 g sugar
14 g unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
Method
Preheat oven to 190°C. Prepare streusel topping by combining first 2 ingredients in a bowl until crumbly. Set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in another bowl and stir until blended. Spread in a greased 23 cm round pan. Sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake 18-23 minutes or until golden brown.
Ask Alva
I recently bought an exercise bike and I’m enjoying its workout. I don’t get bored as I have in the past with exercise videos. I want to lose half a stone and tone up my tummy, bum and thighs, can I achieve that using the bike?
— Geetha
Here’s what using the exercise bike will do: Burn calories, increase circulation, improve heart health and increase endurance. The same goes for any other cardiovascular activity such as running, walking, stair climbing, dancing and so on. What it won’t do, at least in any significant way, is build muscle. Despite its calorie-burning and heart-protecting benefits, its effect on weight loss is limited for most people, especially if it’s not coupled with dietary change. A very few people may be able to continue to eat as they always have and lose a few pounds just by adding daily exercise. Maybe you are one of those lucky few. The people for whom that works tend to have the least weight to lose and are usually eating healthily to begin with. As far as toning muscles, the exercise bike may help a little, especially if you do it at a higher resistance, but I wouldn’t expect too much, particularly with the abdominal areas.