We have over the years been told that we should be limiting our intake of eggs as they contain dietary cholesterol. But, recent studies have now shown that eggs in fact contain high levels of lecithin, which can help to lower cholesterol. So we should not be limiting our intake at all.

Excessive consumption of any food, including eggs, is not a good idea. But , now you don’t have to avoid eating eggs. It is a good idea to take advantage of the high nutrient content of eggs, they can also give your diet a great variety as they can be used in a great variety of recipes, plus they are low cost. It is also advisable not to eat eggs more than once a day if you are trying to lose weight.

Eggs are extremely nutritious little things, they provide us with protein and a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Eggs are full with high quality protein, and essential vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin A, B12 and folate. Eggs have been found to the be the best whole food source of vitamin D. Vitamin D is an important vitamin as it helps the body absorb calcium.

As far as weight loss is concerned, it has been found that eating an egg or two for breakfast, could help limit your calorie intake throughout the rest of the day. The study suggests that if you eat eggs for breakfast you feel fuller for a longer period of time, so you tend to eat less for other meals during the day. Which is fantastic , because it makes it easier to eat less calories but still feel full through the day.  I suggest that these eggs should not be fried but poached, scrambled or boiled (known as a dippy egg in our house).

Try to eat organic or at least free range eggs if you can. Fresh is best.

TIP -If you are not sure if your egg is fresh or if it is past its used by date, then there is an easy way to test this. Place your egg in a large cup of cold water, if the eggs floats it is no good, if it sinks then your egg is good to go!

Glycemic Index
Start with a handful of Nuts
Choosing a Weight loss program

Many people talk about “low GI foods” but I am sure, like I was when I first heard the term, most people have no idea what Glycemic Index means.

Well lets see, when you think of a carbohydrate food you could think of it by its glycemic index (GI). This is a rating of how long it takes for the body to break the carbohydrate down, and release them into the body as glucose. It is based on their immediate effect on your blood sugar level.  Not all carbohydrates are the same, that is why a lot of people don’t do well on low carb diets, as they tend to cut out all carbohydrates, when we don’t need to, and our bodies need some carbohydrate foods. It is just knowing which ones are good and which ones are not so good.

High Glycemic Index

Carbohydrate foods that break down quickly during digestion have a high GI - after eating high GI foods you will get a burst of energy but it won’t last long before you hit a slump again, which will leave you feeling hungry and tired.  High GI foods are starchy veggies like potatoes and refined products such as breads, cakes, biscuits and sweets and other sugary foods.

Low Glycemic Index

Carbohydrate foods that break down slowly however are a much better option as they have a low GI, the low GI carbohydrate will release glucose gradually into the blood stream, which will give you a slow energy release, giving you a more sustained energy source. You will feel full for a lot longer. Legumes are a great option along with most grains and vegetables.

So really you could say that a low GI food is much better for your metabolism than a high GI food, as the low GI will get your metabolism working for a longer period of time than the high GI.

However when you are looking at low GI food during weight loss, it is also important to keep an eye on your portion sizes. You will read that pasta has a low GI but obviously if you eat too much you are not going to lose the weight. You need to make sure that you have plenty of vegetables, because remember GI ratings relate to foods that contain carbohydrates. If the food has little or no carbohydrates it will not have a GI rating, such as meat, fish, eggs, avocados and most vegetables.

Not only is low GI food great for weight loss, it can also be an influence on lowering your cholesterol and lowering blood sugar levels for a diabetic.

While doing my research I found a great web site with some further information if you want to know more. Glycemic Index

I know as I am with you, Christmas and New Year have just gone and we ate and drank way too much, so now we are thinking to ourselves, it is time to do something about it.  Well you could start with a handful of Nuts!

A study at Harvard has shown that dieters who included nuts in their daily diet, where found to have lost more weight and kept it off longer than those who avoided eating nuts. It is believed that eating nuts regularly can actually help achieve, and maintain a healthy body weight.  When you add nuts to a moderate fat, calorie controlled diet, nuts can help prevent weight gain, and help you stick to your healthy eating plan for longer.

I always thought that eating high fat foods like nuts were going to make me gain weight but actually it is the opposite, they can help us lose weight. It turns out that it is beneficial to our diet because nuts contain the healthy fat, fiber and proteins that make us feel fuller for longer, which is always an important factor when we are trying to lose weight.  No one likes to feel hungry all the time, so adding a handful of nuts to a low calorie diet can help keep those hunger pains away.

Nuts are a really important source of vitamins and minerals, we know they are high in calories but they have a higher percentage of the unsaturated “good fats“, than saturated fats. They are also a terrific source of high quality plant protein and fiber, which can be extremely helpful when you are trying to lose weight. If you are trying to just be healthy then that is a bonus as unsaturated fats are found to help keep your heart and blood vessels healthy.

Since nuts are a plant food, they naturally contain no cholesterol.

So whether you are trying to be healthy, lose weight or maintain your current weight, you should consider adding a handful (10-12 nuts) of nuts to your daily diet. It will help you feel more satisfied, and you are helping your heart to be healthy, you never know they might even help us live longer.

How about some facts about several nut varieties

- Almonds - If you are looking for a snack that will satisfy your hunger then almonds are the way to go. A small handful will help meet some of your daily vitamin E, calcium and fiber needs.

- Walnuts - these are identified as being the only nut that contains a significant amount of Omega-3’s. No other nut comes close to the amount that the walnut contains.  Walnuts are also known for their high antioxidant activity. So when trying to lose weight we are told that we should eat more antioxidant rich foods, so walnuts would be one to add to that list. Also select walnuts if you are trying to get your cholesterol levels down.

- Peanuts / Peanut Butter - Peanuts and snacking on pure Peanut Butter  has been found to suppress your hunger for longer, without gaining weight. It is thought that because of peanuts high level of good fats, protein and fiber, when eating a snack of peanuts or replacing things like butter or cream cheese with peanut butter,  it will make you feel fuller for longer. This has to be a good thing as if you are fuller for longer then you won’t need to eat more snacks which will cause you to gain weight.

In addition to the high amounts of unsaturated “good fats”, peanuts and peanut butter also contain Vitamin E, folate, potassium, magnesium, zinc and fiber, which are all thought to benefit our general health.

One small handful of peanuts contains 2 grams of fiber. This is 9% of the fiber you need each day!

All nuts are great and they all have their own benefits here are some other nuts that you could give a try:

- Macadamias: have a low level of carbohydrates

- Hazelnuts: they have the lowest amount of fat compared with other nuts. High levels of Vitamin E and K, Potassium,  and Selenium

- Pine Nuts: High in protein.

- Cashew Nuts: High levels of Magnesium

- Pistachio Nuts: High levels of Protein, Iron and Potassium.

Enjoy a handful of nuts today!

Weight Loss programs I have followed
Good Fats in our diets
Drink Water, and lots of it

Works for me Wednesday

People still get confused with the difference between a good fat and a bad fat, I know that I do. So here is an explanation that I think will clear things up for you a little.

So why good fats? What are these good fats, and why are they so good for us?. Why do we need good fats in our daily diet?.

It is not a secret that eating too much fat can make us overweight. We used to try to avoid fat, but we still gained weight. Now we know that we need some fats in our daily diet to keep ourselves healthy, avoiding all fats can be detrimental to our health. The healthy fats are know to us as the “good” fats.

So what exactly are these good fats? and why are they so important in our diet?. We know natural fats as either saturated or unsaturated, the saturated fats are mainly from animal fats like butter, cream, beef. These fats are solid fats and are not good for us in large quantities over time.

Unsaturated fats are mainly oils from vegetables like olive oils and avocados, as well as the oils that we get from seeds, nuts, eggs, oily fish and leafy green vegetables. These are all needed, as they give us the essential fatty acids that we need from the groups Omega 3 and Omega 6. It is important that you get the correct ratio of Omega 3:6 in your daily diet, it is essential for your body for good health and can protect us against certain disorders and food allergies.

These essential fatty acids are needed in the body for many reasons:
- Healthy hormone production
- Healthy immune system
- To protect our internal organs
- Will help to improve cholesterol levels
- Provides us with fuel to burn when needed
- Keep our skin & hair healthy
- Assist in maintaining our mental stability
- To assist in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A,D,E & K, which we need for healthy growth and development.

We all tend to eat too many saturated fats, it is hard to avoid them with the packaged and processed food that we find on the supermarket shelves. Experts have agreed that we should limit our total fat intake to 30 percent, with no more than 10 percent of that coming from saturated fats. Which means that we should be cutting back on our intake of meats, butter, ice-cream and commercial products. Then increasing our intake of fish, flaxseed, eggs, avocado & olive oils to ensure that you have a healthy diet.

When you are next thinking about cutting the fat out on your diet to lose weight, don’t include the “good” ones as you need them for a healthy diet.

Choosing a Weight Loss Program - Programs that I have followed.

Works for Me Wednesday - Get Better Sleep

As you may know already I like to read and write about Weight Loss, so here is another post to help you on your way to losing some weight if you want to.

I think choosing the actual program to lose the weight is the hardest thing any of us can do, we always have so many questions

- which one is good value?

- am I going to be able to follow it easily?

-  and of course, am I going to lose the weight?, which is probably the most asked question.

Well here are a few programs that I have followed and lost weight with.

Strip That Fat

This is the most recent program that I have followed and I found it worked really well. I have more will power these days and I also had the will to lose the weight, I was sick of not fitting into my clothes after having children. The picture is of me after I lost the weight, I felt fantastic.

This diet has easy food options and a diet generator with foods that you can make for the whole family, without them complaining too much. It can also generate your shopping list, so that you know exactly what you need to buy that week.

You are allowed to eat 5 smaller meals and of course drink lots of water, while on this diet I didn’t really feel hungry for anything else. Of course we all have our off days and need a treat.

Its documentation is easy to read and follow. It is not a monthly subscription you just pay a one off $57 and you have all the documentation and a log in for the internet, to use if you need to later on.

Best of all I reached my goal weight in 11 weeks losing 12 kilos/ 26 pounds using this program. My Mum also lost 5 kilos following this diet, I highly recommend it.

Weight Watchers

I am sure that most of you have heard of Weight Watchers, as they have been around for a long time. They have a point system that you have to follow.

Unfortunately at the time when I followed this program I didn’t have the will power. I remember driving home from a gym session eating a bar of chocolate, I think that I would have gone way over the points for that day.

I did follow it for a couple of weeks and it really did work, it is just a matter of working out how many points you are allowed each day and sticking to it.

This will set you back about $17 per month.

Sure Slim (Only Available in Australia)

This diet worked really well and the kilos just dropped off me, I wouldn’t however recommend this for anyone with children or a family to feed, as it is very limited to what you are allowed to eat. It is also quite expensive to join, I can’t recall exactly how much but I remember it wasn’t cheap.

This diet is worked out for your very own metabolism, you have to give a blood sample and they work your diet out using this, however my mother in-law followed  sure slim and her diet wasn’t that much different to mine.

I didn’t feel hungry but at the same time I didn’t really feel satisfied.  I think evenings after dinner were the hardest as you are not allowed to eat after 9pm, only drink water, which is of course important in any diet, we need to drink lots of water.

I don’t like to call it a diet, it is a healthy eating plan, a change of lifestyle. As I have followed all of these programs please do not hesitate to ask any questions that you may have.

Works for me Wednesday - Christmas Gift Tip

Under the Golden Apple Tree - Link Round Up

Apples can dramatically improve your nutritional intake and provide great health benefits. Apples are rich in pectin, which is a natural soluble fiber found in many fruits, but apples have the highest source of pectin of all fruits. Pectin can assist with the digestion of food and helps to reduce cholesterol. It can also assist with the reduction of high blood pressure.  Did you know that one apple contains as much fiber as a bowl of bran cereal.

Apples are great, and so convenient, you can eat them anytime, anywhere, they are so good for you and they taste great.

Apples contain Quercetin which is thought to be the main reason why the saying “an apple a day” is associated with good health. Quercetin is mainly found in apples, onions & black tea it helps to combat the destructive free radical molecules in many diseases, such as reducing heart attacks and cancer risks, it can control asthma and diabetes and ward away eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

Apples are rich in antioxidants, which can help prevent many diseases, they also contain a mineral called boron, which can help to keep your bones strong and healthy. They can provide you with a quarter of your daily Vitamin C needs.

Eating an apple a day can help dieters lose weight, they are low on the G.I meaning that the sugars are released slowly. This can help to maintain a steady blood sugar level and control the hunger pains. If eaten before a meal it can help fill you up so you don’t eat so much.

Studies have shown that overweight women who ate apples lost more weight on a calorie controlled diet than those that ate no fruit at all. The fruit eaters ate fewer calories overall. Apples contain zero fat or cholesterol and have only 80 calories.

Apples are great to eat in their natural state or you could try steaming one for dessert or make it into a great apple salad.

Apple Salad
Wash, core and roughly chop the apples. Drizzle with lemon juice to prevent browning.
Place in a bowl with sliced celery, lettuce , pecan nuts and then toss adding your favorite salad dressing.

Besides the fact that they taste terrific, apples are available all year round, provide us with great health benefits and are great to help lose that extra weight. Why not eat one today!

Other articles you might like:
Drink Water, and lots of it
Parents are less likely to exercise - Why?

Why Drink Water?

I know that it has happened to me, you want to get rid of some extra weight but you just can’t seem to get rid of  it, but it could just be that you are not drinking enough water. Most people around you don’t drink enough water, but you guessed it you are not alone with this one. Many people decide to increase their water intake, but very few stick to it over time.

Reasons why you should drink water, and lots of it.

You need to keep hydrated. It is especially important to keep our bodies hydrated, if you don’t then you will not feel well. You will start to get a headache or stomachache and feel very tired and your skin will start to feel dry.

In the warmer weather it is important to make sure that your body gets enough fluids, and is well hydrated.  Being hydrated can help with your concentration and can help us burn calories. The best fluid to keep our bodies hydrated is none other than Water. It should be a habit that we all should get into no matter what age.

This is an important one for our children, they need to be kept hydrated, they tend not to think of it themselves, so they need us to keep reminding them. I read the other day that sometimes when a child is cranky or upset, it could just mean that they are thirsty. They get to carried away with playing, and they forget to have a drink.

Drinking water can suppress your appetite

Drinking water can help with digestion and help to flush the toxins from your body. It suppresses your appetite naturally and many people mistake thirst for a food craving.  You might think that you are hungry but in fact you are thirsty, you need to think to yourself, when did I last eat or have something to drink? If it was less than four hours ago, have a glass of water. Wait several minutes to see if you are still hungry. A lot of the time this will curb the hunger.

Drinking Water to get rid of water weight

Drinking water, and lots of it can definitely help with getting rid of that extra weight. If you don’t drink enough water then your body will retain what water it can, causing you to gain water weight.  This can become very frustrating when you are trying so hard to lose that extra weight.  To help with this problem you really need t

o consume a generous amount of water daily.  There is no magical amount of water that your body needs. Of course the more athletic you are the more water you are going to need. But the more that you can drink the better.

In the first few days of drinking more water than your body is used to, you feel like all you are doing is going to the bathroom, this can be discouraging, but just hang in there it will be worth it. After several days your body will realize that it is getting enough water, and will not retain so much and this will cause you to lose that extra water weight.

Suggestions for drinking the extra water:

-Carry a bottle for you and your children with you where ever you go. Taking a sip of it every now and then, and offering it to your child at least every hour or more. ( I got some small bottles, so they are not to heavy in my bag, one for each of us)
-Start drinking the water first thing in the morning, and drink it through the day. Then you won’t get to the end of the day and find you haven’t drunk enough.
-You could try a slice of lemon, lime or orange, or even a mint leaf to add a bit of flavor
-People forget that you can get water from some of the foods we eat. You could eat some watermelon, cucumber, celery or lettuce to get some extra water.
-Every time you visit the bathroom, drink another glass of water. This can help keep the cycle going.

Have you drunk enough water today?

Other Articles you might like:
Parents are Less Likely to Exercise - Why?

There is a lot of talk about how some foods can change a childs behavior, our naturopath often mentions this, but when they are so young, you are unable to fully explain to them why they can’t eat or drink something, it becomes very difficult on both of you.

The naturopath often gives me a list of things that he should and shouldn’t eat, but I find it really difficult to stick to it.  Some times the list consists of all the foods that he will only eat, what is he suppose to eat then.

I have however noticed a difference with sugary foods, so this week I have the poor Little Man on a Sugar free (well almost) diet, he has been following it for about 7 days now, and I have noticed a difference in his behavior, for the better.  So this is definitely one that I am going to have to stick to.

I have always been very strick with what I feed my children, in the way of junk food. I am sorry but I really don’t think I child needs all the sugary sweets and chocolates at such a young age, they will have plenty of time in the future to eat all of those things.  So the Little Man hasn’t had too much trouble cutting it out as it has always just been a treat anyway. A little now and then won’t hurt.

However if you have Grandparents in the mix you need to be careful, they seem to have this thing about treating the children left, right and centre. They don’t seem to be able to help themselves, they were strick with us, but when it comes to the Grand Children that is a different story all together.  They go all soft in their old age and they do mean well.  Funny, but it makes it difficult for the parents sometimes.

The Little Man has been funny with cutting it out though, he will go through all the foods and ask me if they have sugar in them. We were cooking dinner the other night and he asked me carrots had sugar in them. “Do carrots have sugar in them Mummy? I like carrots” ” No they don’t, so you can still eat them” “Oh good”. Then next came “What about ice-cream, can I have ice-cream?” “Sorry, but ice-cream has sugar in it”, followed with a big sigh “ohhh noooo”, But then I said that he could still have yogurt and he was ok with that, as he loves yogurt.

Then the other day he said to one of our friends who was eating a cookie, “you shouldn’t eat that, it has sugar in it, mummy says that it isn’t good for your tummy”. Children are priceless.

What I have found the easiest to do, is to swap the sweet treats with savory treats, like giving cheese biscuits instead of a cookie. He doesn’t seem to mind to much. He really likes the dried fruit bars (can find them in the health section of the supermarket or with the childrens food).  I give him one sweet treat a day, only if he has been a good boy though.

A tip that I have found is to check the back and just see how much sugar is in everything, you will be surprised, obviously the smaller the amount the better, unless it is natural sugar, the body can cope better with the natural sugar (fruit or honey).

I haven’t had to worry about Little Miss yet, I don’t give her sweet treats yet, but we will find out if her behavior changes soon enough, certainly if the grandparents have anything to do with it.

Do you notice a behavior change in your children with certain foods?

If you are a parent, you will more than likely think that you know the answer to this.  You are always running around after the children day in day out, so you feel like you are getting enough exercise, but unfortunately you probably are not.  Parents are less likely to exercise because they are so exhausted from running around after the children, the last thing you want to do exercise.

Parents can find that they are so busy looking after the children that they forget to look after themselves, which is not good for your own health and well being. Your health is just as important as your childrens, in fact I would say that it is more important, because if the parent is sick, who is going to look after you?. So it is extremely important to look after yourself.

Exercise to give you energy

There are some things that you can do while you are looking after the children, you need to get exercise to give you energy. When you do get a minute to yourself all you feel like you want to do is have a sit down and just veg out, when really you should go for a walk, because if you exercise you will actually increase your energy levels, which in turn will make you healthier and happier.

- walk to your local park

- When you get to the park, play with your children, hit or kick the ball around, throw a frisbee. Don’t just sit (I know that is all you feel like doing)

- Go swimming at the indoor swimming pool, that way you can swim all year round.

- Take the children for a bike ride as a family

Make some time for yourself

This is much easier when your children have gone to school, but you will still find that your day is full of things that you have to do. But you really have to find at least 30 mins to do something that YOU want to do.

- Go for a walk around the block, just get some fresh air

- Reading is good for you mind, so read a good novel.

- Make your house work fun, put on some music and dance around the house.

A Balanced Diet is important

One of the most important things for parents, is to make sure that we are getting a balanced diet. You really shouldn’t be missing meals because you think that you are too busy.

- Grab a handful of nuts on the run if you really don’t have time.

- Carry a bottle of water with you throughout the day, as keeping hydrated is also very important.

- When making the kids lunch boxes, make one for your self at the same time, that will save you time at lunch time.

- DON’T skip breakfast, it really is the most important meal of the day.

- Sitting down to have dinner with your children, and having a chat about what they have been doing during the day. We do this, even though they are small and can’t really chat, it is still important for them to realise that this is what we do. Sometimes it is difficult with times if the husband doesn’t come home till a bit later.

Spend some quality time with your family

Everyone these days are so busy, they forget what it is like to spend quality time together. Quality time with your family is extremely important, you should make sure that you have at least one or two weekend days a month where you just spend the day together as a family. Not with other family’s or friends, just your family - Mum, Dad and children.

You could just go to the park and have a picnic or go on a road trip, stopping along the way. I know my children love a day in the park with us. They don’t have to compete with any others for the attention, as they will have your full attention all to themselves.

Enjoy your time with your children, as they grow so fast, before you know it they are adults.

How do you get your exercise, how do you include your children?