6 tips for portion control

December 9, 2013August 12, 2014Leave a comment

I have written a lot about the types of foods to include for improving health and well being, but if you are watching your weight, how much you eat can be just as important as what you eat. Even if you have eat the healthiest foods ever, over do portion sizes, and you may see this in an inability to lose weight, and even weight gain. Below is a diagram of ideal proportions, but this could be a tiny or a massive plate!

Ideal proportions, but how much is a ‘portion’?

So what does a portion actually look like?

Fish or meat: size of the palm of your hand, or about 5-6 meatballs

pasta, rice, potato: a clenched fist

bread: one slice

cheese: a small matchbox

vegetables: about a cup

nuts: a small handful, or about 8 almonds

Some foods come ready prepared in their portion size eg. 2 eggs, a banana, an apple, or 2 satsumas

6 tips for portion control:

Don’t cook more than you need of carbohydrate and protein foods. Even if you have been controlled with your first portion, if there are leftovers, you will be tempted by seconds. By all means, cook extra vegetables. If you are still hungry, have more veg!
Cook lots of veg!
Use whole grain carbohydrates eg. brown rice, oats, whole meal pasta – these are higher in fibre which should help you to feel full up for longer, so you will feel more satisfied with a smaller portion. They also keep your blood sugar levels steady, so a) preventing cravings for sugary snacks later on, and b) blunting insulin release (insulin promotes fat storage).
Make sure that you have a portion of protein with each meal eg. tuna, chicken, salmon, beef, eggs, lentils – protein induces a feeling of fullness, so making you less likely to feel the need to snack later on. Your body also uses up more energy processing protein foods.
Protein with each meal
Use a smaller plate – this will make the amount of food you are having appear to be more
Don’t eat straight out of a carton or packet – this makes it almost impossible to keep to one portion. Take a handful of nuts from a bag and then put the bag out of sight.
Focus on what you are eating – try not to eat in front of your computer or television. This can result in you unconsciously eating more than you intend to.

For those without weight worries, or with high calorie needs, you can stick to the same principles of proportions (1/4 carbs, 1/4 protein, 1/2 veg) but in larger portions sizes…..

For high calorie needs, bigger portions.

10 Meals for Kids

December 3, 2013April 23, 2016Leave a comment

You know how it goes, in the morning you think to yourself, “What will I give them for their tea tonight”, but ignore the situation because you’ve all day to come up with some inspiration. Before you know it, it’s 2 o’clock, the school run is in an hour, and you’ve got to get to the shops before you pick them up.

So I’m darting through Sainsbury’s mentally checking off the daily things we need……milk, fruit, veg, oats, bread etc. But what for dinner?? If I was a proper mother I would have a meal plan for the week, and order everything on line for a scheduled home delivery. It think that’s what a successful mum does? I KNOW that I should, but I just can. not. do. it.

What you feed your family doesn’t have to be exotic or exciting. I think that we convince ourselves that to be a good parent, we’ve got to produce amazing meals ‘designed’ by celebrity chefs.

You know what? I don’t have the time or the energy to play ‘hunt the ingredient’ from the local Thai supermarket, and certainly don’t have the funds to make Wholefoods my local. Chia seeds are all very well, but excruciatingly expensive (£20/kg), and wholegrain rice is almost as nutritious (£1/kg). The scientific evidence shows, that what you feed your children has a fundamental effect on their development and health. However, I can achieve this from my local supermarket, with a shopping list that I won’t have to remortgage the house for.

As long as you use the basic equation of carbohydrate, protein and veg for a meal, you can’t go far wrong. If you can tick the boxes for wholegrain carbs, calcium, iron and omega 3s you’re doing a stirling job.

Here’s my list of the meals that I give my children (9, 6 and 3). All three of them have their own quirks and ‘challenges’ when it comes to mealtimes and food preferences. I pretty much ignore them, the less drama the better (that’s a whole other post!)

Carbohydrates: Pasta, rice, potatoes, fajita wraps, bread

Protein: chicken, beef mince, cheese, eggs, fish fingers, sausages, lentils, baked beans, turkey

Veg: carrots, peppers, onions, peas, broccoli, baked beans. I also use my basic tomato sauce/soup recipe about 3 times a week for bolognaise, in shepherds pie and with meatballs.

meatballs & pasta
spaghetti bolognaise
Meatballs
shepherd’s pie
fish fingers, mash potato, carrots
sausages, jacket potato, baked beans
jacket potato, beans, cheese
jacket potato, tuna & sweetcorn mayo, red pepper slices
rice, broccoli, chicken (slow cooked), gravy
Pasta & sausage bake: pasta, tomato sauce, chopped up sausages
Chicken Fajitas – chicken breasts, onion, red peppers, fajita mix and wraps

Sometimes I will literally throw together anything from the basic equation of carbs, protein and veg, eg. left over rice from the fridge, a tin of baked beans and grated cheese (I was a little surprised that they ate this quite happily, they must have been VERY hungry!) If ‘incentives’ are required for making a good effort to eat the meal, stickers may be offered. If one of them claims to be full up when I know that they probably aren’t, I just say, “oh well, you’ll have no room for custard then.” That usually does the trick (that or a little dollop of tomato ketchup).

If I’m feeling like Top Mom, we’ll chat about how runner beans make you run fast, carrots help you to see in the dark, and cheese gives you strong bones and healthy teeth for the tooth fairy. And the Incredible Hulk just LOVES broccoli, don’t you know? I never make them clear their plate, I’m happy if they have made a decent effort, and aren’t messing about at the table.

Pudding is usually natural yogurt or custard with stewed apple/frozen berries, or frozen
banana whizzed up in the blender with yogurt.

I’m not saying this will work for every family and child. It is what works for me, and hopefully for them.

Tummy trouble?

November 18, 2013November 18, 2013Leave a comment

It’s known that about 1 in 6 people suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, with symptoms of bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, pain and wind. These are things that you may just put up with, but can be distressing and have an effect on your quality of life. You may have some vague ideas to connections with some foods, and maybe stress, but it can be very hard to pinpoint particular causes.

For those who have been diagnosed with IBS, until now, NHS treatment has been vague, with only a 30% success rate. Advice has been to increase fibre (often making things worse!), cut out alcohol, high fat foods, and to eat regular meals.

NEW IBS TREATMENT FROM MONASH UNIVERSITY, PERTH & GUY’S & ST THOMAS’ HOSPITAL, LONDON

There is now a new dietary treatment called the ‘low FODMAP diet’ which results in an impressive reduction in symptoms. FODMAP is an acronym for a group of carbohydrates that are rapidly fermented in the gut causing the symptoms. High FODMAP foods are varied and range from wheat & dairy, to apples, onions and garlic, some sweeteners, and lentils to name a few.

Not everyone with IBS has an intolerance to all of the high FODMAP foods, which is why it is very helpful to have the input of a dietitian to guide you through the elimination and reintroduction of FODMAP foods.

The success rate is impressive, with up to 86% of people having a significant improvement of their symptoms. For some, the improvement in quality of life is staggering.

Sasha Watkins, a spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association, explains: ‘Treatment for IBS sufferers is often limited, which is why the emerging success of the low-FODMAP diet – an approach that helps patients discover the precise foods that trigger their symptoms – is excellent news.’

Peter Irving, consultant gastroenterologist at Guys and St Thomas’, says: ‘I can now refer IBS patients for dietetic advice with a greater degree of confidence that their quality of life will improve.’

As a dietitian experienced in the low FODMAP diet, I have seen wonderful improvements in my IBS patients. Most don’t have to restrict their diet of all FODMAP foods in the long term, as together, we have identified their particular problem FODMAP foods.

For more information or a low FODMAP diet consultation, contact me with the form below.

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Game Day – food & family logistics

November 4, 2013November 4, 2013Leave a comment

For an 80 minute game of rugby, there is an awful lot of palaver that goes on before and after (also during, with all that throwing a ball around and wot not)

Yesterday’s kick off was 2pm, but from 10am until we return home at 6.30pm we are rugby, rugby, rugby. We live in Kingston (London suburban heaven/hell), so Sunday traffic to the stadium in Reading along the M3 and M4 can be horrendous. Particularly if there are roadworks, especially enraging when there is nobody actually working on them. Thousands of cones on a perfectly good road, thousands of cars, and no PEOPLE WORKING!!

Our aim is to get Dec to the game on time and in a calm state, so we always leave a lot of extra time to get there. Yesterday we left at 11am, and got to the Mad Stad at 12.15. The London Irish squad had a team meeting at 12.30, followed by their warm up on the pitch. Myself, Beth (6), Evie (4) and Conor (1), have to find entertainment for the 2 hours until kick off, so thank goodness for the Digger Club……..there is face painting (amazing!), bouncy castling, and hugs from Digger, the club mascot. Digger is an 8 foot hairy dog dressed in London Irish kit, who kids either love or are completely freaked out by. Conor is of the latter. There’s also live diddly dee music, and when I can avoid the ~~moans~~ children’s requests for food no longer, we head upstairs to the room reserved for players’ families. This is brilliant as the children are ‘confined’ and can tear about the place and eat their packed lunch with out bothering other supporters.

I’ve learnt that I should always go prepared with plenty of food and snacks for the afternoon. It’s a long day from leaving the house, to getting home at 6.30pm, so I seem to spend most of the morning on food preparation. Rather than depending on McDonalds on the way home, I made lentil & tomato sauce (the soup recipe with less stock) and added it to some pasta tubes with some cheese sprinkled on top. I’ll fire that in the microwave for two minutes for dinner when we get through the door after the game.

For Dec, match day food before a game should focus on easily digestible carbohydrate which will fuel the muscles. He starts the morning with a bowl of porridge with banana puree, milk and sugar, a few hours later it’s a bagel with peanut butter and jam, and just before we leave he has a bowl of pasta with a smidge of carbonara sauce. As the game gets closer, high fibre and high fat foods should be kept to a minimum as theses take longer to digest. White foods (pasta, bread, bagels etc.) are perfect for loading up the muscles with carbohydrate to fuel the warm up and game ahead. Here’s some more info on pre-match food

For me and the kids, food for during the game is typical packed lunch fodder.

sandwiches: wholemeal bread, tuna & sweetcorn or peanut butter & jam
bananas, apples, pears
homemade Seriously Healthy Flapjacks
yogurts (and spoons, remember the spoons!!)
mini packs of Smarties from the Trick or Treat sweetie stash

For the children, the actual rugby game is pretty dull, so they are more than happy to play with their friends and hide under the tables stuffing biscuits from the tea and coffee table in to their gobs (they think I don’t notice, but I do….Mummy sees EVERYTHING). I’m delighted if I can have a cup of coffee with Conor quietly sitting on my lap, but he’s usually intent on trying to fling himself over the seating boundary on to the concrete below. This is probably why I am not the person to ask for any sort of match analysis as I rarely get the chance to focus on the game (that’s my excuse for still being clueless).

Conor: England, Ireland or Arsenal????

We have a fair bit of waiting around after the game. A major part of the recovery process is refuelling and repairing the muscles within an hour of finishing, so the boys sit down to a good balanced meal. Here’s more info on why and how nutrition is used for recovery of the body, ready for the next week of training.

Unfortunately, we lost the game against Northampton 14-19, but it is always fab to catch up with friends and family (2 engagements, 2 pregnancies, and 1 new baby). Bob and Shauna Casey’s little man Ollie came to his first game…….will he be declaring for England or Ireland in twenty years time I wonder? Dec is having this very dilemma with our wee Conor: England, Ireland or the Mighty Arsenal????

10 essential weight loss tips

October 27, 20131 Comment

Healthy Snacks – eat more!

October 26, 2013June 2, 20151 Comment

Research shows that people who eat healthy snacks between meals consume fewer calories overall. This may be because they prevent themselves becoming ravenously hungry, therefore are less likely to overeat. When you feel like you are starving, you are also more likely to go for the unhealthy stuff.

Choosing snacks wisely helps you to nourish your body, maintain concentration, mood & energy levels, keep your metabolic rate up, and eliminate sugar cravings. The key is to be prepared. Have the ingredients in your cupboard or fridge, and if you are out and about, whether at work, shopping or at the park, prepare before hand and bring with you! Don’t be caught out with nothing but chocolate bars, sweets and crisps to choose from at the corner shop.

Here are some top snacks. The ideal combination is some carbs, protein and healthy fats. These are also good for post workout recovery:

Apple & handful almond, not a whole bag
2 Rice cakes with hummus
High protein fruit yoghurt eg. Danio (Danone), Total (Fage)
Homemade Cocoa Bars
Hummus with carrot sticks
Skinny latte
½ wholemeal pitta with ham and tomato
Homemade cocoa bar
small bar of chocolate e.g. Green & Black and cup of milky coffee
4 apricots, spread with peanut butter, dunked in to toasted pumpkin seeds
slices of apple spread with low fat cream cheese/peanut butter & raisins
piece of fruit with cheese strings
Homemade Seriously Healthy Flapjack

Can what you eat cure your acne?

October 22, 2013January 25, 2021Leave a comment

Something I see occasionally in my clinic is clients with spots. And it’s not usually teenagers, it’s more likely to be women in their 30s and 40s. I’ve even had one lady in her 60s who suffered from cystic acne on her chin, not bad enough for a dermatology referral, but none the less, unpleasant to put up with. My clients have usually been suffering for years, and while their GP or dermatologist may be sympathetic, the prescribed treatments offered have not provided a long term solution.

As an acne suffer myself from the age of 14, I spent 20 years wondering when I’d ‘grow out’ of it. Every medication in the BNF (the doctor’s prescribing bible) has been given to me, from benzyl peroxide cream to the liver toxic Roaccutane. Each would help for a while, but the spots always returned. It was evident that the root cause was not being treated. I was always told by GPs, dermatologists and even dietitian colleagues that there was no relationship between acne and diet.

What does the research show? The outdated opinion that acne is not related to diet comes from a 1969 study looking at the effect of chocolate on acne, in which the inappropriate conclusion was drawn that, as chocolate did not appear to affect acne, neither did any dietary factor. However, there is growing evidence from more recent studies supporting the relationship between diet and acne. In particular a high glycaemic index diet and dairy have been implicated. There is also emerging medical evidence and a growing number of clinicians acknowledging that up to 10% of the population may have a gluten intolerance, despite testing negative for coeliac disease. Gluten intolerance can manifest in skin conditions. There is also interesting new research looking at gut bacteria, and it’s role in inflammation and immunity.

What causes acne? Acne is caused by a combination of hormones and inflammation. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome are particularly susceptible. A diet high in refined carbohydrates (sugar, white bread, white rice, biscuits, sweets, pastries etc.), low in fruit and vegetables, and low in essential fatty acids may have a negative effect on hormones, and may also contribute to inflammation. This is where the role of good/bad bacteria in the gut becomes interesting. A poor diet affects the complex flora in the digestive tract resulting in an overgrowth of the bad, which may ultimately have many effects outside of the gut, including spotty skin.

For years, I have followed a very healthy diet including lots of veg, fruit, whole grains, healthy fats, low sugar etc. however, still suffered with acne. In desperation, 2 years ago I thought I would have nothing to lose by trying a gluten free diet. With in a few weeks the spots had cleared. The ‘gold standard’ way to challenge the intolerance is to reintroduce the food. I have done this twice, once on holiday in Morocco where breakfast was almost completely bread products, and in Ireland where I wasn’t going to offend my husband’s Granny by turning down her scones! The result? With in about 3 days I had horrible spots which took about a month each time to clear up.

Everyone is different and there is no magical ‘one diet fits all’. For me, gluten is my trigger, however, this will not be the case for all. For some of my clients, just cutting out the refined carbs and increasing the good fats is enough to see improvements. A change in diet can take time to show in the skin. Some people see a difference in a few days, for some it may take a few months.

My recommendations:

avoid refined carbohydrates, change to wholegrains
have a good intake of vegetables and fruit (at least 5 portions a day)
take a daily fish oil supplement containing 500mg DHA & EPA
include healthy fats e.g. nuts and seeds, olive oil, avocados
consider a trial exclusion of dairy
consider a trial exclusion of gluten
consider a probiotic supplement

If you don’t feel confident with changing your diet or choosing a probiotic, seek the advice of a dietitian to guide you. Cutting out food groups such as dairy, can leave you lacking in important nutrients. A dietitian can also help you with the practical aspects of applying the recommendations to your current diet and lifestyle. For example, what to buy in Pret a Manger or Starbucks, how to incorporate more veg, how to go gluten free.