Yes, you can eat
all these and more in the new diet regime that’s taking America by storm
“No thank you.” “No, I’m on a diet.” “No,
I can’t eat that.” No. No. No. It’s all we seem to say; like some kind of
twisted Diet Tourette’s, it’s our in-built, immediate response to anything
remotely indulgent or sinful. But, according to new research, this martyred
deprivation could be what sets us up for an inevitable bingeing fall… and
weight gain. “If you look at cultures that maintain healthy weights, like the
French or Italians, they have no guilt about eating desserts and full-fat
cheeses,” says nutritional expert Michael Zemel. “The difference is, they’re
not eating bowlfuls at a time. They have a sense of enjoyment about their food,
so a little bit is enough.” And who isn’t in awe of Nigella Lawson: the
Domestic Goddess indulges in the sights, smells and tastes of eating whatever
she wants (even Twitpicing her meals to her 126,000 followers), yet she’s
slimmed down apparently without deprivation. Now, you can have your cake and
eat it with the Hedonist Diet – it’s what we’ve all been waiting for.
“If
you look at cultures that maintain healthy weights, like the French or
Italians, they have no guilt about eating desserts and full-fat cheeses,”
Eat a ‘fatty’ breakfast
Bacon and eggs for breakfast has become to
represent a heart attack on a plate. But prepared correctly, that meals can be
the smartest way to kick off your day. According to a study published in the International
Journal Of Obesity, mice who eat a fat-rich meal at the end of the day. A
three-egg-whites-and-one-yolk omelette is preferred by nutritionists for its
lack of saturated fats. And with 42 calories and 3g of fat, “one strip of bacon
at breakfast isn’t going to make anyone overweight”, says weight-loss expect
(and self-confessed bacon lover) Jana Klauer. Just avoid the toast, since carbs
are converted to glucose, which gets used by the body first for fuel rather
than the protein-rich eggs.
Power up with coffee
“Caffeine
enhances physical performance and endurance,”
Opt foe a skimmed latte with your breakfast
omelette (see Eat A ‘Fatty’ Breakfast, above) and before you exercise
and it could help to extend your workout time. “Caffeine enhances physical
performance and endurance,” says Zemel. It not only mobilized fat to fuel you
as you work up a sweat, but it also improves endurance, allowing you to work
out longer. And there’s more good news: “Coffee is the number-one way people
get antioxidants,” says nutritionist Keri Glassman. “It’s also not as
dehydrating as previously thought, so it will count towards your daily fluid
intake.”
Be a dairy queen
Dairy consumption seems to go hand in hand
with weight loss. A study in Obesity, the official journal of The
Obesity Society, showed that obese adults who ate a diet high in dairy lost
significantly more weight and body fat than those who ate the same number of
calories minus it. “Without enough calcium, your body releases a hormone that
causes fat storage. Leucine (milk protein) helps burn fat and protect lean
muscle,” says Zemel, who compiled part of the study. To keep fat levels to a minimum,
replace cream with low-fat Greek yoghurt or crème fraiche in your cooking, and
graze on crumbles of low-fat feta instead of cheddar or brie.
Eat what you actually like
Do you make your sandwiches with
gluten-free spelt bread when what you really want is a crusty French baguette?
Learn to relax: your dedication to healthy eating may make you feel like you
need to ‘reward’ yourself with a treat or sugar binge. A recent study in the Journal
Of Consumer Research found that people who ate a chocolate and raspberry
protein bar described as “a new health bar” reported being hungrier afterwards
than those who ate the same bar when it was described as “tasty and yummy.” The
“heath bar” eaters were also hungrier than a third group of subject who didn’t
eat the bar at all. It seems that when you are busy congratulating yourself on
your virtuous eating, you may be neglecting your satisfaction – and end up
elbow-deep in a bag of something that is ‘healthy’ but fattening – such as
organic crisps, by bedtime. “Just because something says it’s organic, or
low-fat, or anything else, doesn’t mean that you don’t have to account for it,”
says Lisa R Young, author of The Portion Teller Plan (Broadway, $14.34)
“Pick a food you like so that you will feel satisfied and won’t go looking for
something more. If that happens to be peanuts, it’s obviously better to get a
snack-size packet than a giant sharing pack, which contains much more than you
need.”
Eat
what you actually like
