Many women who are holding down jobs and looking after families eat extra snacks because they feel so tired. Eating a sweet or drinking caffeine can give you a temporary boost of energy, but it is better to make a few changes in your diet that will give you the energy you need — and make you feel more in control and more vibrant.
Following a healthy diet is essential if you lead such a busy life. It will also help stabilize your mood and your concentration. Always start your day with some exercise, as this pumps the blood around the body and prepares you for the day ahead. Give your body a power breakfast; otherwise it is lacking in fuel.
Take a bag of fruit with you to work and don’t buy food when you are there. Don’t forget that carbohydrates give you energy, so do not cut down on them too much. If you want to lose weight, pack a good, healthy lunchbox with a wholemeal sandwich, low-fat yoghurt and fresh fruit. Have a banana mid-afternoon. Those who don’t have a proper breakfast or lunch are the ones who eat biscuits and cakes mid-afternoon.
Drink plenty of pure water as lack of water makes you feel lethargic.
Join Me in My Weekly Task
Have a daily snack of cashew nuts.
Why? Cashews boast double the iron of most other nuts and also contain zinc, essential for a robust immune system and good skin.
How? Enjoy a handful of nuts each evening as an early evening snack.
Low Fat Recipe of the Week
Mexican Chicken Tortillas
Serves 6
Ingredients
6 large flour tortillas
1 tsp. olive oil
600 g boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1.3 cm cubes
340 g onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
500 g crushed tomatoes
130 g green chillies, drained and chopped
3 g parsley, minced
3/4 tsp. salt optional
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. chopped oregano
360 ml water
1-1/2 tbsp lime juice
45 g pine nuts
180 ml salsa
Method
Preheat oven to 90°C. Wrap tortillas in aluminium foil and warm in oven 10-15 minutes. Heat oil in a heavy non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Sauté chicken 8-10 minutes or until browned. Add onion and garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes. Stir in next 7 ingredients. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low. Simmer 20 minutes or until chicken is tender. Stir in lime juice. Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with pine nuts and keep warm. Serve chicken wrapped in warm tortillas with salsa.
Get Active
If you get a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week you’ll help prevent chronic disease and promote your general health. There are many things that you can do to increase your activity level. Even such choices as walking and playing with the children, are enjoyable and beneficial for your overall health. Your best bet is to build as much exercise as possible into your daily routine. If you do, you’ll soon change from out-of-shape to average to fit. One way to ensure that you do get some daily exercise is to do my Mini-Morning Workout — Just e-mail to [email protected].
Ask Alva
I am a very busy guy and my daily program running my business doesn’t give me time to exercise. I know I’m overweight and I think that if I could get some exercise it would help me lose some. Ali Mohammed
This week’s exercise tip could have been written for you! You know a lot of people make the excuse of being too busy to take exercise, but that’s all it is — an excuse! If you feel able to go to the gym, then put it in your diary and make time. The best time to exercise is first thing in the morning before you eat. It will set you up for the day and make you feel more vital. So the time you take off to go to the gym will be rewarded by making you more efficient when you do get to work. Alva
For all your weight concerns and questions e-mail Alva Carpenter at:
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