‘Second Helpings’ is a FREE course organised by WiN. The main objective is to promote healthy lifestyles through healthy eating.
If you are obese or overweight, you have an increased risk of developing various health problems. Even a modest amount of weight loss can help to reduce your increased health risks. The best chance of losing weight and keeping the weight off, is to be committed to a change in lifestyle. This includes eating a healthy diet and doing some regular physical activity.
Most people in the UK live where tasty food can be found at almost any time of day or night. Many of the foods that people eat are those higher in calories (particularly fatty and sugary foods), so-called energy-dense foods. Although your body gives you a feeling of fullness after eating enough (satiety), you can easily ignore this feeling if you are enjoying tasty foods. Food portion sizes in general have increased. There has also been a tendency to eat out more over recent years. If you eat out, you are more likely to eat food that is more energy-dense than you would eat at home. The amount of processed foods and ready-made meals available has also increased in response to our busy lives. These are often foods that are more energy-dense as well. However, even healthy foods contain calories and can tip the energy balance if we eat too much of them.
What you drink is also important. Alcohol and sugary drinks contain a lot of calories. Even fresh fruit juices that you may think are healthy can make up a significant part of your daily calorie intake if you drink too much of them.
In short, many people are overweight or obese simply because they eat and drink more than their body needs.
Aim to eat a healthy balanced diet
Special diets which are often advertised are not usually helpful. This is because after losing weight, if your old eating habits remain, the weight often goes straight back on. It is usually not a special diet that is needed but changing to a healthy balanced diet, for good.
Briefly, a healthy diet means:
Wholegrain starch-based foods (cereal, bread, pasta) being preferable.
Eating plenty of fibre in your diet. Foods rich in fibre include wholegrain bread, brown rice and pasta, oats, peas, lentils, grain, beans, fruit, vegetables and seeds.
Having at least five portions, or ideally 7-9 portions, of a variety of fruit and vegetables per day. These should be in place of foods higher in fat and calories. For example, fruit makes a good, healthy snack if you feel hungry.
Limiting fatty food such as fatty meats, cheeses, full-cream milk, fried foods, butter, etc.
Use low-fat options where possible. Examples are:
Skimmed or semi-skimmed instead of full-cream milk.
Using low-fat, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated spreads instead of butter.
If you eat meat, eating lean meat or poultry such as chicken.
Try to grill, bake or steam rather than fry food. If you do fry food, choose a vegetable oil such as sunflower, rapeseed or olive.
Avoiding sugary drinks and sugary foods such as chocolate, sweets, biscuits, cakes, etc.
Limiting other foods likely to be high in fat or sugar, such as some takeaway or fast foods.
Eating three meals a day and not skipping meals. Always have breakfast. Eat each meal slowly. Skipping meals will just make you feel more hungry, make you think more about food and make you more likely to overeat in the evening or snack between meals.
Trying not to add salt to food and avoiding foods that are salty.
Including 2-3 portions of fish per week, at least two of which should be ‘oily’ (such as herring, mackerel, sardines, kippers, pilchards, salmon, or fresh tuna).
WiN is offering FREE HEALTHY COOKING sessions at Deane & Derby Community Centre. (T&C apply)
For more info and check whether you are eligible for free sessions, pls contact firstname.lastname@example.org