Eating habits
Metabolism is effectively what breaks down the food we ingest. It is naturally higher in the morning and tends to slow down around mid afternoon. Exercise will boost metabolism for approximately 6 hours upon completion. The higher the metabolism, the easier food is broken down and utilised. To optimise metabolism and increase effectiveness:
à Have breakfast everyday (this can be a bowl of cereal, a piece of toast, a piece of fruit, or even a ready-to-go breakfast bar or smoothie).
à Eat the majority of your daily food intake throughout the day and 2/3 of your daily intake before
3-4pm in the afternoon (ie. have a bigger breakfast and lunch followed by a smaller dinner).
à Eat frequent small meals to keep your metabolism active (ie. 5 small meals/day is better than 3 large meals).
à Eat morning tea and afternoon tea to prevent unhealthy snacking before lunch and dinner.
à Eat slowly to aid the digestive process and reduce the likelihood of over-eating.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel source. Foods that are high in carbohydrates are rice, pasta, bread and potato. Sugar is also a carbohydrate and can be found in various forms of fruit, dairy products, lollies, honey etc. Some carbohydrates are easily digested and cause a rapid rise and fall in blood sugar levels. These are classed as High Glycemic Index (high GI) foods. Better dietary choice are carbohydrates that stay in your system for longer therefore making you feel fuller for longer and giving you a sustained energy release. These are Low Glycemic Index (low GI) foods. Low GI foods tend to be less processed, higher fibre foods. Protein and fat can also interact with carbohydrate foods to prolong their energy release.
à The goal is to choose one low GI food at each meal.
Protein
Protein requirements are currently a hotly debated topic. The latest research indicates that the requirements are slightly higher than previously recommended and that carbohydrate requirements are slightly lower.
à A good rule of thumb is to eat 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight (eg. a 80kg man requires 80g of protein daily). One 30g serve of beef, pork, lamb, chicken or 50g of fish has approximately 9g of protein. A 250g piece of steak has about 75g of protein.
à The serving of meat should be no bigger than 1/3 of your plate, or no larger than the palm of your hand.
Fats
To limit and/or reduce saturated fat intake in the diet you should:
à Avoid eating fried or fatty foods: potato chips, fried fish, sausage rolls, pies, pizzas etc. Limit take away to no more than once a week.
à Avoid snacking on baked goods: sweet biscuits, cakes, chocolates.
à Always trim the fat off your meat and take the skin off the chicken before cooking.
à Limit the amount of margarines, butter and oils in the diet
- Use olive or canola oil in cooking
- Use avocado instead of margarine or butter.
à Use poly or mono unsaturated margarines or oils
- Poly unsaturated oils – safflower, sunflower, corn, soybean, cottonseed, grapeseed
- Mono unsaturated oils – olive, canola, rapeseed
- Mono unsaturated margarines – Golden canola, olivio
à Use low fat dairy products
- Approx 2-4 serves/day (1000-1300mg calcium/day)
- 1 serve = 1 slice of cheese, 1 cup of milk, 1 tub of yoghurt
à Aim to eat fish at least twice per week as it is a major source of poly-unsaturated oils i.e. especially canned – tuna in spring water, salmon, sardines.
Fibre
You need to have between 30 - 40g of fibre per day. To achieve this:
à Eat more wholegrains and cereals in your diet
à Eat more fruit - Minimum of 2 serves/day
à Eat more vegetables (fresh, frozen or canned) - Minimum of 2½ cups/day
à Eat more seeds and nuts - Almonds, pumpkin seeds, mixed nuts.
Fluids
à Drink more water – minimum of 8 glasses/day or 1.5-2L/day
- Place a jug/bottle of water on your desk at the start of the day and aim to finish it by the time you go home. You are more likely to drink the water if it is in your sight all day.
à Limit caffeine intake to 300mg/day. Too much caffeine can contribute to increasing your bad cholesterol. It may also lead to dehydration which can cause constipation and headaches.
- Maximum of 4 cups of instant coffee/tea or diet cola drinks per day.
à Limit your salt intake. Do not add any extra when cooking or to your meal.
Disclaimer
This Fact Sheet is provided for your information only and does not replace qualified medical advice. The information provided may not apply to every person or all situations. A medical practitioner should be consulted for all treatment and medication.
