Easy tips for healthy living!

Easy breakfast meal ideas

Are you finding it difficult to have something to eat in the mornings? Do you then find yourself snacking on chocolate bars, biscuits, pastries or meat pies at morning tea? The solution to change these unhealthy snacking habits is to have a good nutritious breakfast. Here are some quick and easy breakfast ideas:

· Keep a box of cereal at work and have a bowl with reduced fat milk (Trim, Physical, Lite White). Serve with fresh fruit.

· Most workplaces have basic kitchen equipment. Sultana or fruit bread can be toasted and spread lightly with jam. Alternatively wholegrain toast or English muffins can be served with savoury toppings such as Vegemite and reduced fat cheese, baked beans or spaghetti purchased in small cans, or a small can of tuna in brine.

· Blend fruit, reduced fat yoghurt and milk with honey to make smoothies. These can be blended before leaving home and then drunk on the way to work.

Increasing water intake

The easiest way to increase the amount of water you drink is to keep a plastic water bottle at your desk. Every 15 minutes take a few sips and before you know it, the whole bottle has been drunk.

An important tip: When you first notice thirst, you are already dehydrated. To prevent this sip on water throughout the day.

Fruits and vegetables

It may seem hard to acquire the 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables as recommended by the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. But it can be effortlessly achieved.

· Have a serve of fruit (fresh, dried, or canned in natural juice) at breakfast and then some at morning or afternoon tea.

· Base the evening meal on vegetables, whether they are in a stir-fry, steamed and served with grilled lean meat or in a pasta dish. Try to have at least 3 vegetable serves.

· Incorporate vegetables into your lunch. Lean ham and salad sandwiches on wholegrain bread, vegetable soups or leftovers from the previous evening meal.

 

Low fat cooking and eating

· Trim the fat off meat prior to cooking, or purchase lean cuts of meat from the butcher.

· Use low fat cooking methods such as stir-fry, BBQ or grilling.

· Use an oil spray instead of a liquid oil when cooking.

· There are a number of grill pans available on the market which allow the fat to drain from food whilst cooking or alternatively use a non-stick fry pan.

· Chose reduced fat dairy options. Taste changes can take 3 - 4 weeks, so allow yourself a good month for your taste buds to get used to the new flavours.

· Limit take away to no more than once per week.

Healthy Body Fat Levels

The main focus of exercise is to maintain body fat levels within a ‘healthy’ range. Being ‘overfat’ increases the risk of heart disease. Having a high proportion of your fat stored around your belly increases the risk of heart disease even further. It appears that abdominal fat, termed visceral fat (as opposed to the fat just under the skin such as the ‘love handles’ or ‘pinch-able fat’), greatly affects glucose and cholesterol metabolism, leading to higher risk of diabetes and an assortment of defects known as Metabolic Syndrome.

It is better to have a ‘pear’ (with fat stores mainly on the hips and thighs) than an ‘apple’ (fat stored around the middle).  Common-sense can often be used to tell if you are gaining weight, such as when you move up a pant size or notice an increase in fat around the stomach or hips.

Australian waist circumference guidelines:

 

Healthy snack ideas

· Celery or carrot sticks are great for when you are not really hungry but need a pick up.

· Toasted crumpets or pikelets served with jam or honey.

· Pre-packaged fruit in natural juice.

· Dry biscuits (Vita-Weets, Ryvitas or rice/corn thins) served with sliced tomato, reduced fat cheese and cracked black pepper.

· In summer, grapes and bananas are a delicious frozen snack.

Enjoy activity every day

The National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians refer to the minimum levels of physical activity required for good health. They are not intended for high levels of fitness or sports training.

The physical activity guidelines were developed through extensive consultation with a wide range of experts in physical activity. Guidelines 1 to 3 stress the importance of all forms of movement, including moderate to intense  physical activity, particularly for those who are currently inactive. Guideline 4 illustrates the added health and fitness benefits which can be gained from higher levels of physical activity or exercise.

Try to carry out all guidelines and for best results combine with an active lifestyle and healthy eating.

1. Think of movement as an opportunity, not an inconvenience

Recent technology has reduced the need for human movement. Cars now reduce the need for walking, machines carry out heavy work for us and home entertainment such as TVs, videos and computers keep us inactive for long periods of time.

2. Be active every day in as many ways as you can

Small increases in daily activity can come from small changes carried out throughout the day. For example: making a habit of walking or cycling instead of driving; doing some gardening; walking up stairs instead of using the lift or an escalator. All of these ideas can add to the level of daily activity. It is important to remember that some activity is better than none, and more is better than a little.

3. Put together at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all days

Moderate intensity activity includes things such as a brisk walk or cycle. Combine short sessions of different activities of around 10 to 15 minutes each for a total of 30 minutes or more. The 30 minute total does not need to be continuous and can be a part of work, family, community or social life.

 4. If you can, also enjoy some regular vigorous exercise for extra health and fitness

Vigorous exercise makes you ‘huff and puff’. For best results, this should be added to the above guidelines on 3 to 4 days a week for 30 minutes or more each time.
Vigorous exercise can come from active sports such as football, squash, netball and basketball, and activities such as aerobics, circuit training, speed walking, jogging or fast cycling.

References

Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians.

www.health.gov.au

For more information

Wesley Corporate Health

Level 2 / 46 Edward Street

Brisbane  Qld  4000

Phone:  07 3234 2600

Email: info@weshealth.com.au

· Nutrition Australia
www.nutritionaustralia.org

· Dietitians Association of Australia
www.daa.asn.au

· National Physical Activity Guidelines
1800 020 103

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.