Shift some weight and spring into summer
Nutritional therapist Delyth Johnson
With summer approaching, it’s that time again when our focus shifts to thinking about losing some pounds, feeling light, energetic and getting our bodies ready for less clothing and more exposure! So how do you go about shedding some of the excess weight? Read on for first in four articles providing some helpful tips on long term weight management while ensuring nourishment for overall health.
Sugar
Traditionally, fat has been accused as the devil in weight gain but sugar is a powerful culprit. Fat contains the calories but sugar does a lot of damage to the body. When you eat or drink sugar from sweets, fizzy drinks and processed foods your pancreas releases the hormone insulin. Insulin maintains the balance of sugar in your blood to remain at safe levels without it going too low (hypoglycaemic) or too high (hyperglycaemic).
Insulin maintains balance by signalling to the cells in the body to let the sugar in, therefore taking it out of the blood. Insulin’s job is like someone knocking on a cell’s door to ask for sugar to be allowed in. A diet that is high in sugar means cells have to take in more and more, so they get bigger and bigger. These cells are liver and fat cells (think the fat around the belly), resulting in weight gain.
The body finds high amounts of refined sugar stressful, so the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol also become raised. Reducing sugar is crucial for weight loss but could also lower inflammation and rebalance hormones.
Eat more: two or three portions of fruit and 5+ servings of vegetables per day (see below for ideas), 1 portion (a handful) of dense traditional breads e.g. rye, spelt and 1 portion of wholemeal rice and/or pasta per day
Reduce: fruit juice, bananas, grapes and potatoes (high in sugar or starch)
Avoid: all refined sugar products; all white foods (bread, rice, pasta); processed foods; fizzy drinks; chocolate; cakes; sweets; ready-made meals etc. Anything found in a wrapper generally.
Rainbow coloured fruits and vegetables: aim for two or three different fruits, and five or more different vegetable portions per day, ensuring variety (try eating five different colours per day) and therefore plenty of vitamins, minerals and powerful phytochemicals (chemicals found in plant foods). Eat at breakfast, lunch and dinner:
Red peppers
Radishes
Tomatoes
Cherries
Strawberries
Red Currants
Raspberries
Red apples
Red pears
Cranberries
Ruby grapefruit
Red grapes
Watermelon
Pomegranate
Plum
Broccoli
Cabbage
Spring greens
Spring cabbage
Summer cabbage
Kale
Brussels sprouts
Leeks
Spinach
Swiss chard
Artichokes
Asparagus
Green beans
Broad beans
French beans
Green peppers
Peas
Mangetout
Watercress
Courgettes
Marrows
Bok choy
Cauliflower
Turnips
Swede
Celeriac
Lettuce
Chinese leaves
Cucumber
Avocado
Fennel
Celery
Yellow peppers
Sweetcorn
Shallots
Kiwi fruit
Gooseberries
Apples
Pears
Green grapes
Honeydew melon
Banana
Lemons
Limes
Grapefruit
Pineapple
Carrots
Butternut squash
Squash
Pumpkins
Sweet potatoes
Yams
Orange peppers
Oranges
Clementines
Satsumas
Apricots
Mangoes
Cantaloupe melon
Papaya
Purple sprouting broccoli
Red cabbage
Aubergine
Beetroot
Red onions
Blackcurrants
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cherries
Logan berries
Damsons
Plums
Figs
Purple grapes
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Delyth Johnson is a qualified nutritional therapist.
For more information about nutritional therapy, visit Delyth Johnson’s website, email info@delythjohnson.co.uk or call 07525 715008.
Related:
Eat right for summer: facts about fats