Tips and tricks to try today
Kilojoule count
Build a winning weight-loss salad with our top five list of
low-kilojoule choices
Leafy greens
Why? Skip nutrient-poor, boring iceberg and load up on
tastier and healthier lettuces, spinash and mixed greens
How much? The sky’s the limit.
Leafy greens
Legumes
Why? Loaded with protein, fibre and nutrients, legumes like
chickpeas make you feel fuller faster and stay fuller longer.
How much? About two tablespoons (165kJ).
Legumes
Fresh vegetables
Why? They’re low in kilojoules but high in nutrition and
fibre. Go for unprocessed picks (broccoli, tomatoes, green beans, carrots) with
lots of colour and diversity. Steer clear of kilojoule-laden dressed vegetable
salads such as coleslaw and potato salad.
How much? Keep starchy vegetables (like corn and potatoes)
to about ¼ cup (125kJ), otherwise there’s no limit.
Tomatoes
Cheese
Why? To increase salad satisfaction, choose a full-fat
cheese with more flavour (such as grated Parmesan, crumbled feta or blue
cheese), but use it sparingly.
How much? About 1 tablespoon (105kJ).
Cheese
Olives
Why? They’ve rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and
flavour.
How much? A little goes a long way, so limit this
kilojoule-dense pick to about 2 tablespoons sliced or 3 or 4 whole olives
(125kJ).
Olives
Do the Maths
1 Jungle Berries Energy Bar (749kJ each) = 4 Jungle
Cranberry Lite Energy Bars (179,5kJ each)
Get together to Slim down
You’re more likely to lose weight if you join a commercial slimming
programme than if you follow your doctor’s advice, according to a recent UK
study. Of the 740 slimmers researchers tracked, those who went to a slimming
group for three months lost up to three times as much weight as those given
diet advice by their doctor or pharmacist. This could be because programme
provide a bigger morale boost and diet leaders are inspiring, having lost
weight themselves.
Get together to Slim down
Take a nap…to resist temptation
Researchers from McLean Hospital in Massachusetts in the US
hooked people up to functional-MRI machines and showed them pictures of
high-kilojoule goodies (like chocolate cake). Those who had earlier reported
daytime sleepiness had lower activity in ‘willpower-regulating’ areas of the
brain than when they viewed photos of salad or fruit. If your sleep gets cut
short, a siesta may help strengthen your resolve, says lead author Dr William
Killgore.
