Do you eat too fast?

Before we get into the article there is something I have noticed lately, and that is how fast some of my friends eat. This could be the general fast pace of life these days, but it’s not a good practice. The problem with eating fast is we can easily miss the signals telling us we are full. I used to eat quickly but I try to put my knife and fork down between bites, and when I do I tend to eat less. This is something that costs nothing to try, it can help you eat less, and you do enjoy your food more.

 The unwanted weight gain,

 Now that autumn is with us again, when it only seems like five minutes ago that we were looking forward to spring, it’s that time of year that we all tend to put on a little weight. It would appear that this weight gain is in our makeup from a time when there was always plenty of food in the summer months, but it became more difficult in the winter, so our bodies were programmed to store fat. Rather than look at this as a negative, we should use it to make us even more determined in our weight loss challenge

 Cold weather food choices,

 Just because the weather is getting colder doesn’t mean we have to stop making healthy food choices, and as such we have put together our list of the top ten for autumn and winter.

• Turkey Breast, the days when turkey was only for thanksgiving or Christmas are long gone. Turkey is a very healthy meat option, as long as you avoid the skin and go easy on the dark meat, its very low fat, and a good source of protein.
• Sweet Potato, this is the perfect replacement for normal potatoes, as it is a very good source of fibre, and low-glycemic, which means it take longer for our bodies to convert it to glucose, giving a longer steady supply of energy. I have been eating sweet potato for a long time, and cooked it many different ways, but I got a tip recently, to just wash and place it on a baking tray, gas mk.5 for 45 minutes, its really good.
• Broccoli, this has to be as a super vegetable, as it supplies, fibre, protein, vitamin C, and even calcium. This is a vegetable you should include every day in your winter diet for health and weight loss.
• Brussels Sprouts, this is one of my all time favorite vegetables, it is a source of fibre, but they take longer to digest so help stabilize your blood sugar. This vegetable also contains protein, 1 cup of sprouts gives around 3 grams of protein, which helps make you feel full longer. A lot of people say sprout are bitter and horrible, but this is not the sprout, it’s the way they are prepared. Firstly you must remove the lose outer dark green leaves, and remove ALL the stem and putt a cross cut in the bottom of the sprout, and I add them to boiling water for 7 to 10 minutes, if you like them firm cook for 6 to 7 minutes.
• Cauliflower, Low carb, no fat, high fibre, and a good source of vitamin C, this is another vegetable that is a must for your autumn and winter weight loss diet. One word of caution, do not overcook cauliflower as it destroys the vitamin C, and folic acid content.
• Kale, not one of the most popular vegetables which is surprising when you look at the benefits, good source of fibre, and just 1 cup will give you a lot more vitamin K than we need each day, which also helps to regulate our insulin levels, and balance our blood sugar for longer.
• Avocado, supplier of healthy fats, also low in sugar but it is high in monounsaturated fat, which is a fat easily converted into energy, a great source of fibre, and it,s also a really tasty snack.
• Apples, another good source of fibre, but apples have a much bigger benefit for anyone trying to lose weight, or someone with poor digestion. Apples also contain antioxidants which aid in fighting disease, and amino acids which help in muscle growth. Because of their fibre content if you eat one up to an hour before a meal it can help surpress your appitite meaning that you eat less. This is a fruit you could write pages about its benefits, but it is one of the best fruits you can eat. I must say I don’t like all apples, but I have three favourites that I really enjoy, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Golden Delicious and Cripps Pink, often called Pink Lady.
• Pomegranate, are a true super fruit, high in antioxidants and fibre. Becausae of its contents it has been used by several companies to produce a pill to aid in weight loss. As they are in season from the end of September right through to the end of Febuary, you are much better off eating the real thing, as they help to keep you healthy in many ways.
• Figs, fresh figs are in season from July to October, there a good source of calcium and they are also rich in potassium and also magnesium. The good news is that dried figs have most of the goodness of fresh, but dried have a higher calorie content.