New Year’s Resolutions Part II

Last week in part one of this article we spoke of making realistic goals regarding exercise.

As we start out the New Year filled with good intentions to lose weight and get in shape, I want to encourage you to not go on a diet to get rid of those unwanted pounds, but rather seek ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

As we know, most diets don’t really work. As soon as you come off the diet and return to your normal eating habits the pounds creep back on. Having a healthy diet and regular exercise will see you getting the desired results.

To keep you on track to your healthy lifestyle, I suggest you keep a daily food dairy or journal of exactly what you eat and drink each day. You will probably be surprised about what you actually consume every day. It has been said recently on the news that New York is proposing an “obesity tax” on some sugary drinks to discourage consumption. For us here, it is easy – just have coconut water instead.

Start a healthy lifestyle by making small changes each day to your diet, not only at mealtimes but on what you may be tempted to eat as a snack between meals. Before leaving home, grab a piece of fruit or raw veggies in a zip lock bag rather than stopping to buy chips or cookies.

At main meals portion control and the quality of the food you consume are important. Pay attention to the fat and calorie content of what you are eating. Begin to put a little less food on your plate each day and make sure you chew your food well so that the brain can send a message to your stomach indicating that you are full. The slower you eat the better.

Chris Freytag writing in Prevention Magazine emphasises that losing weight is about regulating our food portions and not about exclusion of food groups. Begin by dividing your plate into two sections. Fill a quarter with healthy protein like lean meat, fish, poultry or lentils. The second quarter with simple carbohydrates such as brown rice, yam, green banana or sweet potato and use the other two quarters for vegetables, salad or fruit. If you still feel hungry don’t reach for the rice and peas, have more veggies or salad as they are high in fibre and will help you feel full.

Stress often plays a part in what and how much we eat. When life is stressful we tend to reach for comfort foods often as a reward after a bad day. Think of those donuts you find yourself buying from vendors at the roadside on your way home; are they really worth it?

Carl Dawkins who runs the café at Fern Tree suggests you try the following creative and delicious healthy recipes.

Brown Rice and Bulgur Porridge

1/4 brown rice

1/4 cup Bulgur

7 cups lightly salted water

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 cup coconut milk and soy milk

Instructions

Soak rice and bulgur overnight in salted water. Cook for 20-30 minutes according to desired texture, add spices. Add coconut and soy milk approximately 4-5 minutes before cooking finishes. Stir porridge occasionally.

Grilled Herbal Vegetable Salad

3 1/2 wedges of pumpkin

1 yellow squash

1 zucchini

1 red and one yellow bell pepper

1 cho cho

1/4 cup coconut oil, preferably cold pressed

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh parsley and basil

Instructions

Slice pumpkin into 1/2 pieces, slice remaining vegetables into desired shapes. Blend parsley and basil in oil in blender until they are well combined. Marinate vegetable slices in herbs, blend and grill 4-6 minutes over charcoal or in a non-stick pan.

Serve with either steamed fish or grilled chicken

Sweet and Sour Salad Dressing

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup raw honey

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup grapefruit juice

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in either a food processor or blender. Refrigerate for one hour. Pour dressing on pre-grilled chicken breast.

Spa Elder Tip

If you are a “grazer” who eats on and off all day, try eating several small meals often rather than picking as the day goes on. This will help you resist the temptation of eating the wrong things.

Stella Gray is the Spa Elder at Fern Tree, the Spa at Half Moon, with over 35 years in the spa industry. She can be reached at ferntree@halfmoon.com.