No shortcuts

No shortcuts

Posted on 29. Jan, 2010 by Claire in Health, News, People

As usual for this time of year, I am trying to lose weight. I don’t like to call it a New Year’s resolution but something about a new year makes me want to start working on my new, healthier lifestyle. I’ll admit I have found it difficult this month. My stomach might feel empty but I’m full of excuses. First I was on holiday, surrounded by lovely food. Then I got back and it’s cold so eating is comforting. It’s easy to get tables at great restaurants in January. Work has been busy. This last one is the biggest and most ever-present excuse and one which I realise I must overcome if I am ever to succeed.

There is no side stepping the issue: The best way to a healthier diet is to prepare everything you eat yourself. That’s the only way you can be sure of what’s in it. But it takes time, organisation and effort.  Oh, and desire, which I definitely don’t have for cooking. I wish there was a way you could lose weight by eating fast food as put forward in The New York Times yesterday. Reading the comments to Drive-Thru Dieting, I have to agree that there are no short cuts to eating healthily.

It is so much easier to grab a sandwich, or even a wholesome soup, from Pret or Eat at lunchtime than to prepare lunch before I’ve even had my breakfast. But even the ‘healthy options’ with ‘less than 5% fat’ are not good for those wishing to shed the pounds. As this article explains, fast-food companies are now marketing ‘low-calorie’ options, but you can never be sure what that means. Even if it is low in calories, it may contain high levels of salt. According to a paper in the NEJM this month, cutting back on salt even by a small amount can reduce cases of heart disease and stroke as much as losing weight, lowering cholesterol or even stopping smoking.

So there’s only one thing for it. As well as cycling and joining a tennis league (help), I am going to have to make all my meals from scratch. That’ll be the day.

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4 Comments

Bily

29. Jan, 2010

Hi Claire
I would probably add that is is also how you eat, and how often, Since I moved here, I am astonished by the food including cookies, crisps and sweets that you can find everywhere, at any time, and people actually buying and eating it at anytime of the day! Some people also tend to eat fast - they consume, fill themselves but do not always seem to care about quality/taste. To me, all fast foods taste the same. We need to be re-educated on good food,
So what was on your menu today?
Cheers
Bily

Claire

29. Jan, 2010

Welcome to Britain Bily! We try to keep up with America when it comes to eating. You hit the nail on the head when you say ‘menu’. That’s the planning part - knowing what you are going to eat in advance and having it handy so you don’t slip. I’m not a snacker but I like to feel full so I’m eating lots of fruit and drinking water, and having proper meals that don’t leave me hungry.

chiantichiara

25. Feb, 2010

You’re exactly right Claire, unless you make the food yourself you can never be 100% sure of what’s in any type convenience food, despite what’s on the label. I was very upset to learn today that the ‘wholesome, 5% fat, lactose free, gluten free, nut free’ soups from Eat which I indulge in almost daily as part of my ‘healthy eating’ regime are actually loaded in salt. The Consensus Action on Salt and Health have done a comprehensive survey of high street soups http://www.actiononsalt.org.uk/ so it looks like no more Toulouse sausage and butter bean for me….sob!

Claire

25. Feb, 2010

I was so upset by this news Chiara. I checked and my favourites - Laksa and Chicken and Vegetable Broth - are both in the green zone. Phew!

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