Why are eating less but getting fatter?

It was reported yesterday that we're eating less but getting fatter. Researchers are blaming our sedentary lifestyles but those who watched "The Men Who Made Us Thin" on BBC2 earlier in the year will know that when the exercise and weight theory was discovered, they got it wrong!

Whilst we're not the most active country, what we eat is also a big contributory factor in our weight. It seems that a lack of exercise is being blamed because it's the easiest thing to blame. In actual fact, we as individuals are at fault. We control what we eat and how healthy our lifestyles are. However, the advice from the government may not be helping us to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.

If the exercise theory was wrong and it is in fact slim people who do exercise rather than exercise helping with weight loss then it doesn't really matter how much exercise you do. There are dangers of recommending exercise to overweight people as the pressure it puts their joints under can cause a lot of damage. People should only start exercising after speaking to a qualified professional e.g. personal trainer. Ideally if they are wanting to lose weight, the personal trainer should have some experience of working with overweight people so they can give the best advice. This should then be combined with the advice of qualified nutritionist or dietitian.

The current Eatwell plate looks like this


You can see how much of our diet the government recommend is made up of carbohydrates and foods high in fat/sugar. Protein makes up a small portion of the plate and there is no distinction between how much fruit or veg we should have.

There is far too much carbohydrate on the plate especially of the white sugary kind and there is no direction on whether to eat low fat or full fat dairy products. Full fat are not only lower in sugar but also more filling and have less effect on blood sugar. Whilst fruit contains vitamins, it does also contain fructose which is natural sugar. Far too many people eat a lot of fruit and very little veg which also can cause blood sugars to rise. This is often the case for children too.

As far as I'm concerned, there should be no place for the purple segment. Yes, we all need a treat once in a while but certainly not the amount or frequency suggested by the plate. Sugary foods cause the body to release more insulin to deal with the rise in blood sugar which encourages the body to lay down fat stores especially around the middle.

We need to re-consider our dietary advice as it clearly isn't working if we are eating less and getting fatter. My suggestion would be to look at what happens when people eat a low carbohydrate diet with no processed food and see how much people lose then. We don't need to Calorie count or get obsessive about weight, we need to make people healthy.

Of course, another flaw with the article is that people often under or over estimate food intake. Those who underweight are more likely to over report whereas those who are overweight are most likely to over report and therefore food intake is not accurate. It also doesn't always account for what is eaten outside the home which can equate to an awful lots of food for many people!

Here's a link to the article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2486892/Couch-potato-lifestyle-means-Britons-obese-Europe.html

For more information, visit www.wisechoicenutrition.co.uk or email info@wisechoicenutrition.co.uk

Clothes shopping

On Monday, I took a couple of hours off and met my Mum for some clothes shopping. I desperately need some new clothes especially as I have two very exciting projects starting and jeans just won't do! A lovely girly day planned and some retail therapy. Sounds bliss...

I can truly say that clothes shopping has become one of my worst things ever! It was awful, depressing and if it wasn't for my Mum I would have turned round and come home. I have put some weight on and was wondering how this would affect the sizes I buy. Having always been an 8 top and 10 bottom, I prepared myself that this may no longer be the case. Clearly, I am an awkward shape because 10's looked a bit too tight and 12's hung off me. Or, clothes just didn't fit right.

Whilst I found it depressing, I know I am fit and healthy and with a little bit of work, the rest of the weight will come off. It got me thinking about how other people might find clothes shopping especially women who are bigger than me. With the average UK women now a size 16, how do they find clothes to fit? As we were walking round, I started to look more at what other people were wearing and realised there are only a few people who actually wear clothes that fir them really well and suit them. If I found it depressing at a size 10 what must some a size 14 or bigger feel like?

It also seemed that clothes were smaller in shops and cut really badly (unless that's just me). Surely, clothes sizes should be a little more generous given that we're all getting bigger. It's well known that wearing well fitting clothes is more flattering but may be it's just not possible for everyone. Of course, there are also the wonderful changing room mirrors which seem to add a dress size and show every bit of cellulite, fat and any other imperfection.

All in all, a depressing experience. I would love to hear how you find clothes shopping. Are there certain shops you know you can rely on for good clothes or is it a nightmare? I left with a top and a skirt which don't match but at least I have things at home they go with. I also have renewed determination to get back into a size 10 and look good in it through healthy eating and exercise.

Tell me how you find clothes shopping by emailing info@wisechoicenutrition.co.uk or visit the website www.wisechoicenutrition.co.uk

No pasta lasagne

There's an argument that this is no longer lasagne as it has no pasta and doesn't have the traditional bechemal sauce but for anyone who can't eat pasta and prefers a healthier option, it tastes fab! It's really easy to make and can be frozen

500g minced beef
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, peeled and finely sliced
150g mushrooms, chopped
1/2 leek (use the other half as pasta sheets- do not chop)
2 tins tomatoes
4 tbsp tomato puree
Fresh basil
Fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce

350g cottage cheese
250g natural yoghurt
2 eggs

1. Peel and slice all the vegetables then fry the onion, garlic and mince until browned. Add the remaining vegetables ensuring you keep back half the leek to use later. Leave to simmer for 30 minutes then season
2. Preheat the oven to 180OC. Slice the leek in half lengthways. Blend the cottage cheese, yoghurt and eggs together then season with black pepper.
3. Once the lasagne is cooked, layer the lasagne mix and leeks. For the final layer, use the cheese and yoghurt mix. Then place in the oven to cook for 35-40 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

Hannah on Radio Sheffield

This week I have had the privilege of being on Radio Sheffield twice in 3 days talking about different aspects of nutrition. On Monday, I was on Paulette Edwards' show as an expert nutritionist. I then got called in to Rony's show on Wednesday morning to give my comments on the new traffic light labelling system.

I love being on radio and have decided I want my own nutrition show. For now though, I'll be on Paulette's show once a month talking about the latest nutrition news and answering your questions. There were some great stories coming in. One that particularly stood out was a man who lost 7 stone by cutting out beer, bread and butter. Whilst I recommended he put butter back in but spread thinly, that's a fantastic achievement!

We focussed a lot on retraining your brain and what that means. I argue that it isn't just the food we eat but our attitude towards it. food should be seen as fuel for our body but also more than that. There is the social enjoyment and the fulfilment of eating good quality food you enjoy. You wouldn't put substandard fuel in the car yet we quite happily fill our bodies up and expect them to work.They won't! We need to view food and our relationship with it as a much more important part of life.

I also went on Rony's show to talk about the new food labelling system coming into force. I'll blog more about that in a separate post but personally, I can't see it working. It comes back to the point I make above, our attitudes need to change. We need to change the amount of convenience food we eat and the reasons why. 

If you would like to listen to my chat with Paulette, you can listen here from 1:07 http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p019b0rp/Paulette_Edwards_Walking_Festival/

To listen to Ron'y show click here and listen from 17:30 http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p019fn36/Rony_Robinson_Hendersons_Relish_art/

A rant

Today, it's been highlighted that WeightWatchers have a major contract with the NHS to deal with weight loss patients. This is also going to be on the Dispatches programme tonight on Channel 4 at 8pm. 

When I read this, I was furious. I had seen that south Lincolnshire were sending people to Weight Watchers groups but wasn't aware it was now nation wide. There two things I have an issue with here:

• Firstly, WeightWatchers meetings are not run by qualified nutritionists or dietitians. They are run by former members who have lost weight using the WeightWatchers program. So why does the NHS bother to employ dietitians and nutritionists if they are then not going to use them??
• Secondly, WeightWatchers is a diet which teaches you to count points. It doesn't teach you healthy eating and the importance of exercise. Most people know the importance of them both but we should promoting that not Calorie and point counting. We need to encourage people to make healthy lifestyle choices which will continue for the rest of their life and be something the whole family can partake in to encourage healthy eating habits in children.

I'm very much looking forward to watching the Dispatchers programme although it will have to be on catch up as I have food club and hope to be able to find out the reasons why the NHS feels WeightWatchers is appropriate. I will also be taking my food club leaflets to doctors surgeries and promoting a healthier way of losing weight and eating which doesn't involve Calorie and point counting.

Incidentally does anybody else think Greg Wallace looks ill now on all the WeightWatchers adverts?

Hannah