Christmas Diet Dilemmas
The Christmas Diet Dilemmas. Many of us will gain unwanted extra weight this Christmas. Whether it is due to decreased exercise, attending more social occasions or an increased craving for comfort foods during the long, cold nights, weight gain is not inevitable. Here at 121 Dietitian we would like to share with you some tips for the festive season and hopefully save you making “must lose weight” resolutions as we enter the New Year. Christmas diet – Why do we gain weight during the festive period? Christmas is a time of celebration which can span from the 2 -3 weeks prior to the big day with Christmas parties followed by New Year celebrations and then continue into January with finishing the leftovers. This amounts to nearly a month of celebrating and for some of us who might normally resist temptation telling ourselves ‘it’s alright it’s a special occasion.’ These special occasions can easily mount up. Even something you consider to be a little treat can have a larger effect than you would realise. If you consume over 200 – 300 kcal ( mince pie or some buffet sausages, large glass of wine) or more each day over the course of 1 month you can expect to gain 4-8lb minimum if you are not actively exercising over and above your normal activity or having days where you keep control. Weight gain over the festive period is easy but it is not inevitable. You can be very clever with your food/kcal intake and still have fun. The right state of mind is often the major hurdle to compliance. A pre-party tip People live busy lives and are on the go the whole time. However take a little extra time to have a pre party planning stage for what you are going to wear, how you will travel and what you will eat during the day, and then at the party. This will see you through with a big smile and smaller bum, tum or hips!! Some good advice If going to a buffet eat well during the day. High fibre regular meals are good. Have a snack before you go out e.g. banana and wholemeal toast if in a rush, or some lean meat /fish and pasta/potato and vegetables. At the buffet try and fill most of your plate with raw vegetable sticks and fruit. What not to do instead of what not to eat! Avoidance is never the best long term plan. Usually it makes you want something more! It is better to teach ourselves to moderate rather than avoid. Often avoided foods will creep back into the diet and if you can’t control this then a yo-yo weight gain can occur. When out celebrating here are some don’ts. Don’t go hungry. Don’t stand near the food table as you will be tempted. Don’t get too tipsy early as this will reduce your willpower and the results could be bad! Watch the dips, go for the salad options, then you can add a few of the other items like goujons and crisps, enough variety to see you through. The worst high fat offenders are the sausage roll, vol au vents and depending on the quality deep fried chicken in breadcrumbs can be processed and fatty. Christmas diet – Being clever can save you calories! Your choice at the buffet table can mean you can make a difference of a clever 350 kcal intake for the night (not including alcohol) instead of 1200 kcal, almost a full extra days intake of junk and saturated fat. One last more sobering thought: Think ahead: how you are going to feel come January with a substantial food and drinks bill, clothes that are too tight and potential blood pressure, cholesterol, health problems. Do these treats seem so appealing? Enjoy, but have pride in resisting some temptation too! Happy Healthy Christmas, we look forward to hearing your success stories…. If you are unsure of how to change your eating habits, or need help optimising the foods you eat please do contact us. We would love to help you or your family and friends with any nutrition related queries big or small. In the meantime do please check out our 121Dietitian Shop If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed] Information checked & correct on 16th May 2018.
Irritable bowel syndrome IBS – patient’s perspective
1 year on since we commenced the Irritable bowel syndrome IBS Low FODMAP advice clinic we thought we would celebrate with some good news… This lovely lady attended clinic, miserable, frustrated and exhausted. Her Irritable bowel syndrome symptoms were severe, affecting her family, her work, going out… It had truly taken over and ruled their lives. She was worried that her symptoms meant something more sinister and really was in need of help and support. After Nutritional assessment and dietary analysis she commenced a personalised FODMAP elimination dietary programme designed by Gillian Killiner @ 121 Dietitian. Dear Gillian I am pleased to report all is going well from the IBS side of things. I appear to have it well under control from a diet point of view – I am eating well, sleeping well and bar the occasional flare up have stomach and bowels well under control. I had my scope back in June and the Consultant who did the procedure was happy that all was looking well. I wasn’t in any rush to see them as I was continuing to increase my intake of wheat and gluten without any difficulties. Gillian – I continue to steer completely clear of onions and garlic. I allow myself milk in tea and coffee but otherwise continue to enjoy the lacto free milk. Yes my diet is restricted but is healthy and varied and I am very happy with what I am eating. You have got me enjoying porridge – which is nothing short of a miracle. My Scottish father is delighted!!! Gillian I cannot thank you enough for all your advice – I continue to discuss the FODMAPS approach and your in-depth knowledge with other professional staff whenever I can…… A new beginning for this lady and for many more of our clients this year. If you suffer from IBS or know of someone who does give us a call so we can arrange to help you too. If you are unsure of how to change your eating habits, or need help optimising the foods you eat please do contact us. We would love to help you or your family and friends with any nutrition related queries big or small. In the meantime do please check out our 121Dietitian Shop If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed] Information checked & correct on 16th May 2018.
Men’s Health The Movember Movement – a great achievement
Men’s health – Movember already! Here at 121 Dietitian we can hardly believe how fast this Olympic year has raced by. The games are over but men now have something else to compete/chat about; moustaches! Pictures of sprouting moustaches are gracing the pages of social networking sites everywhere, a sure sign of a public health campaign gone right. It really is great to see a campaign which captures the imagination of so many, particularly since it is inspiring men to think about their health. On average men visit the GP half as often as women and there is a 4 year difference in life expectancy between men & women -with women living longer. This is why Movember aims to raise awareness of men’s health issues, in particular prostate and testicular cancers. Getting to know your body & looking after your health is important whether you are male or female and early detection of cancer can mean treatment is easier and more successful. More details on Movember can be found on their website uk.movember.com. Men’s health Regular exercise and a balanced diet are crucial for looking after your health. You probably already know you should include plenty of fruit and vegetables in your diet along with plenty of whole grains and water. But do you know why?? Well every year increasing research shows a clear association to health benefits, Cancer protection being one. To assist you further, foods which are high in saturated fat, sugars and salt should be kept to a minimum. So now you know that including plenty of plant foods in our diet may help to lower cancer risk, did you know they also contain many vitamins and minerals which help to strengthen immunity and keep the body healthy from inflammation, heart disease, diabetes and gut health …. They are also a great source of phytochemicals which can help to protect cells in the body from damage that may later cause cancer. Plant foods are also often low in energy/kcals, choosing these over high kcal/energy foods & snacks can help you to maintain a healthy weight. This is important since there is strong evidence to suggest being overweight can increase our risk of getting certain cancers. If you are struggling with your energy check out this blog on energy boosting foods. Top tip for the men out there….. Tomatoes are a plant food which you may wish to consider including in their diet. Research has shown that frequent consumption of tomato products is associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer. A compound called lycopenes which is found in tomatoes is thought to be the reason for this. Interestingly lycopenes are more available to us if we cook or process the tomatoes. Why not try a nice bowl of tomato soup if you fancy a lycopene rich dish? It’s a perfect for this colder weather too. If this Movember has inspired you to improve your diet 121 Dietitian is here to help. Please feel free to contact us for a consultation. If you are unsure of how to change your eating habits, or need help optimising the foods you eat please do contact us. We would love to help you or your family and friends with any nutrition related queries big or small. In the meantime do please check out our 121Dietitian Shop If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed] Information checked & correct on 16th May 2018.
Gluten and Dairy free chocolate cake recipe-low FODMAP
Gluten and Dairy free chocolate cake recipe – low FODMAP Well today my eldest daughter sat the 1st of her 3 transfer exams to senior school. She came out happy in the knowledge that we had a fun day ahead planned! So all was good. It started with concocting some yummy home-made; tuna, chilli, spring onion greens, pepper, caper, cheese on corn tortilla pizza’s for lunch followed by a trip in the winter sunshine to the park for some monkeying around. We returned with a hunger for chocolate cake so we experimented with this simple recipe and I thought it was so good I should share it with you, especially as it is made with a healthy fat choice; olive oil, and it is also low FODMAP and gluten free, dairy free too…. 80g cocoa 130ml boiling water 150g ground almonds 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda pinch of salt 200g brown/caster sugar 150ml olive oil Eggs x 3 whisked Blend thoroughly together the sugar, olive oil and 3 whisked eggs to create a creamy ‘mayo’ Mix the boiling water with the cocoa to a paste Weigh the almonds, bicarb of soda, and salt in a bowl, add the cocoa paste and the dry ingredients to the ‘mayo’ mix and blend. Pour into a cake tin. Depending on the size of the tin cook for 30 – 45 minutes till the cake is soft and squidgy on the top. dust with icing sugar. Voila. We got a photo of the last slice!! Enjoy! How we can help you…. Need help optimising the foods you eat or unsure of how to change your eating habits? We are experts in making “bad food” into healthy delicious tasty everyday alternatives. If this is what you need, please do contact us. We would love to help you or your family and friends with any nutrition related queries big or small. In the meantime do please check out our 121Dietitian Shop for specially selected choices for you. If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. We are on Instgram and Facebook. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed] Information checked & correct on 16th May 2024.
Make October YOUR New Year!
A lovely lady recently came to me in August 2012 looking for help with her main 2011 New Year’s resolutions! She wont mind me sharing this as the progress she has made has been outstanding since she started! Her main problem was her disappointment that she had not come near to achieving her personal goal of “being as healthy as possible.” Despite her good intentions she had made disappointing progress and it was 8 months into the year. She was panicking. Many of us can relate to this. We have expectations for great changes and we feel motivated at the start, but events and responsibilities seem to work against us and we are left feeling frustrated and sometimes discouraged that the changes we want to see will never be accomplished. With this lady, and others, a few simple strategies can help make significant changes promoting health, fitness, and control. I advised this client that September through to October would be the perfect time to make her changes. The kids are back in school, the home routine is in place, and it is a long time till the Christmas rush! My Client was raring to get started, she focused, made the time and energy to commit to her new plan. The following are some of the goals we decided to focus on: Step 1: Start small. In the case of my client, instead of encouraging her to become a slave to the gym, we started with two 30-minute walks per week. Over the past three weeks, these have lengthened and she now looks forward to her evening walks most nights of the week. This simple change may add years to her life. Step 2: Be ‘SMART’ Identify specific, measurable goals. They must be realistic and linked to a period of time so you can assess your achievements. These goals are “SMART” goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.) My client’s goals were similar to many; ‘eat better and be more active’, but how do we measure success with a goal like this? As a starting point, we broke down her goals into three straightforward, but significant, changes: 1) Begin to eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking five out of seven days per week. 2) Eat a portion of vegetables with both lunch and dinner six out of seven days per week. 3) Keep records of your food intake and exercise for five days to promote self-awareness of your eating and activity patterns. Step 3: Get Support Obtain support from a friend, spouse or family member. In this case of this client, her husband has been a great supporter. He reminds her to sit down and eat breakfast with him instead of running around after the kids and he provides the motivation for her to be fit by walking with her in the evenings. He and the kids are enjoying the health changes too, they are eating better and their mum is happier and healthier. In addition to her family support, my client has benefited from professional support. In working with a dietitian it has had help her make appropriate goals, identify obstacles and help overcome challenges. Professionals are trained to help provide creative ideas to make it a fun and interactive experience. My client laughs with pleasure as she informs others of her fears of making that initial contact. She expected I would whip her into shape and she would be mortified, but now instead she admits she enjoys the one to one webcam consultations, coming to the clinic weight session and the programme she is following. She says she does not feel deprived or different to anyone else only that she is already feeling much healthier and fitter. Step 4: Get accurate information As a Dietitian I spend a lot of time correcting people’s myths. Most of my clients come in expecting they will be told to eat salads, cut carbohydrates, and slave away on a treadmill seven days a week. We know from countless studies, that healthy eating does not mean dieting. While there are specific dietary requirements for many conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol problems, most people do not have to cut anything out, they just need assistance in finding the right balance. Obtaining professional guidance ensures you learn which strategies are appropriate for you. If you have struggled with getting healthy this year, why not click on the contacts page and get your diet assessed by the professionals! Information checked & correct on 16th May 2018.
World Heart Day
This Saturday 29th September 2012 is World Heart Day. World Heart Day is dedicated to raising awareness of the world’s biggest killer, Cardio Vascular Diseases (CVD). CVD is a name given to disorders of the heart & blood vessels which include Heart Disease, Stroke & hypertension. In Northern Ireland 2010 there were 4476 deaths caused by CVD, a high figure given that 80% of CVD is behaviour related. Behavioural risks include smoking, increased blood pressure & being overweight and something we can do something about. Exercising regularly. Maintaining a healthy weight. Eating a healthy balanced diet. Not smoking. Eating for Heart Health Aim for 2 portions of fish per week, one of which should be oily e.g. salmon, trout & mackerel. Oily fish is a great source of omega 3, a fatty acid which helps to protect your heart. Eat whole grains & high fibre foods. Foods such as wholegrain bread, breakfast cereals, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, beans, oats, & lentils contain soluble fibre which can help to lower cholesterol. Limit your salt intake aim for no more than 6g salt per day. Remember most of the salt we eat is already in the foods we buy so check the labels. High intake of salt is linked to high blood pressure. Don’t drink alcohol excessively. This has been linked to increased formation of blood clots & increased blood pressure. Limit your total fat intake in particular saturated fats & trans fats. This will help to keep blood cholesterol down. Shopping tips for Heart Health Use traffic light labels to help you identify foods which are moderate (amber) & high (red) in salt, saturated fats & total fats. These foods should be eaten in moderate amounts. Aim for foods with more green lights. Go for wholegrain varieties of breakfast cereals, bread & past. Choose brown rice instead of white. Remember your 2 portions of fish. Include lots of fruit and vegetables in your shopping. These are a great source of fibre as well as vitamins and minerals. Never go shopping on an empty stomach or you are likely to be drawn to high fat/calorie foods. If it is an area you want to learn more about or need assistance in making those permanent changes then please get in touch, follow us on facebook and twitter. If you are unsure of how to change your eating habits, or need help optimising the foods you eat please do contact us. We would love to help you or your family and friends with any nutrition related queries big or small. In the meantime do please check out our 121Dietitian Shop If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed] Information checked & correct on 16th May 2018.
