Have Your Cake and Eat It

Friday, January 3rd 2003

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By Maria Deveson Crabbe, CEO Aussie Bodies and Author of Your Body Your Life

From Belgian chocolates to grandma's Christmas pudding, the sweet temptations of the holiday season are about as difficult to resist as those designer shoes at the stocktake sales you never really needed.

When it comes to food, I think it's great to give in to temptation once in a while. You've had a big year, and you don't have to start fulfilling those resolutions just yet, so why not indulge? You've earned it. But you sure don't deserve those extra kilos you may be lugging around as a consequence, especially not in the middle of our glorious summer!

How in heaven's name did the weight get there in the first place, you ask? You did your level best to avoid fatty foods, but when the bathroom scales level with you, the truth hurts. Is it water? Is it hormones? The stress of Christmas gatherings, maybe?

Fact is, it could be any of these reasons but the solution is by no means to jump into a restrictive low-kilojoule or detox diet in an attempt to claw back to your pre-Christmas body. It helps to know your body more intimately and understand exactly who the real "enemy" is before going on the attack.

Many of us have a high-GI Christmas. Foods with a high glycemic index (GI) are those which elevate our blood sugar rapidly and trigger excess insulin. This keeps us in weight-gaining mode. Foods high in sugar and flour which, let's face it, is half the Christmas dinner table will do it to you every time. White bread, cakes, pastries, chocolates, lollies and soft drink are examples.

There was once a time when complex carbohydrates were considered the "healthy" carbohydrates. But nutrition experts are now agreed that GI is a better measure of the effects of carbs, particularly for heart disease, diabetes and obesity prevention. Major food corporations are beginning to brand their products with a GI rating.

But high GI foods are not necessarily unhealthy. The trick around the festive season is to keep the GI of your overall meal low by taking advantage of mother nature's own sumptuous fare: like the rich variety of nuts and berries currently in season. It's also essential to take in some protein to offset the weight gaining effects of carbohydrates as this lowers the GI of your meal. Seafood is ideal because some varieties ( salmon for example) contain extra nutrients such as omega-3 essential fatty acids, but chicken, beef and lamb also make excellent sources of protein.

Don't take radical measures after Christmas and confuse your metabolism. As frequent dieters will already know, your body is "hard-wired" to store fat when it senses a famine or period of kilojoule deprivation. Slowing down your metabolism will make it harder for you to lose weight or maintain your figure in the long run.

Get out there and enjoy the sun take some long strolls, have a play in the park and leave the car at home. Reward yourself on your hard earned holiday but balance your indulgence with plenty of exercise and protein your key weapons in recovering from Christmas and getting back into shape.

To check out the glycemic index of your favourite foods visit www.glycemicindex.com .

ASK MARIA

Q
After years of restrictive dieting, I'm worried I'll never get my metabolism back on track. What can I do?
Kerryn, Christchurch

A
Even though your metabolism has slowed down, you can bring it back to optimum levels again by eating smaller, more regular protein-rich meals, and by enjoying some physical activity each day. Take it one step at a time, and your metabolism will heal steadily but surely. There are some great diets on my website life.aussiebodies.com.au which will give you an excellent nutritional head start.

Q
I want to add avocado to my summer salads but I'm always in two minds over the fat content. Is it ok to eat? Jemma, Wellington

A
Avocados are widely misunderstood. Don't be afraid of the fat content it's largely monounsaturated which is excellent for stabilising cholesterol levels and assisting body fat reduction. By adding an avocado to your meal you will thwart any unhealthy damaged fats and lower the overall glycemic index of your meal which means decreased blood insulin levels and weight gain prevention. This humble fruit is also rich in the important antioxidants glutathione and vitamin E, powerful rejuvenators which zap "free radicals" in the body. Free radicals accelerate ageing and chronic diseases such as cancer. Glutathione specifically blocks intestinal absorption of certain fats that create free radicals.

Q
I want to use evening primrose oil to offset the symptoms of PMS, but I've heard some conflicting reports about the health benefits. What is your opinion?
Eliza, Palmerston North

A
Not all women benefit greatly from evening primrose oil, but many do, particularly when it is taken with vitamin B6 and balanced with Omega 3 fatty acids as in flaxseed oil or Maxepa capsules. As with many health supplements, a person's own experience is the best evidence.

Reproduced unabridged from an article originally published in New Idea magazine, with the kind permission of Ebody.

The following products are all useful for Fat Metabolism & Energy Production:

CarbRite - Cookie Dough
GlucoAssist
TummyTone - CLA
Fat Blocker 500
Slim Hoodia
Hoodia PowerSlim
IsoWhey - Vanilla
L-Carnitine Plus
Trim FX Caralluma & Hoodia
Whey Protein - Vanilla

Related health information can be found here:

Bitter Orange as an appetite suppresssant and to aid fat loss
Fish oils, garlic and antioxidants for the prevention & treatment of cardiovascular disease
Foods to help detoxification
Glutathione - the master antioxidant involved in disease prevention
Good nutrition for positive weight control
Levels of protein, carbohydrate and fat in Food
Protein - a macronutrient so often overlooked
Stressed and fatigued? Your adrenals may be the cause
Water, the elixir of life
Weight loss naturally

Related articles can be found here:

Chromium Essential for sugar metabolism

Cinnamon Promotes Healthy Sugar Metabolism

CLA - Conjugated Linoleic Acid - vital spark for a lean body

Don't Forget Your Liver

First, Reduce Stress then...Soothe & Stabilise Mood

Get moving gym-free!

Gymnema Sylvestre - traditional herb to help control blood sugar

Hoodia - A Natural Supplement that kills the appetite and attacks obesity!

Find out more about the Aussie Bodies range of health products here.

 

If you need help or advice, you are welcome to email our naturopathic team with your health question.

Disclaimer: The health information presented here has been written for the New Zealand health consumer. It is of a general nature and is only intended to provide a summary of the subjects covered. The information is not intended to be comprehensive or to provide medical advice to you. While all care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, no responsibility or liability is accepted, and no person should act in reliance on any statement contained in the information provided. All health ailments should be treated by a qualified health professional.

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