How do you choose a healthy breakfast cereal?

An effective weight loss strategy starts with ensuring you do not miss breakfast; a good breakfast will provide the fuel your body needs to get you through the morning. Most people choose a cereal to start their day, but how do you go about the task of choosing a breakfast cereal that will enhance weight loss?

How do you go about choosing your breakfast cereal? Do you look at the packaging? Or the free gift promoted by the manufacturer? Or do you make your choice based on the nutritional content on the packaging?

Granted that you have to have some form of criteria to make an informed choice, what criteria is important? And how do you apply this information to make your choice? The purpose of this article is to guide your decision making, compare some cereals and analyse its contents.

The first criteria I will look at is the carbohydrate content. Carbohydrate consists of sugar and starch. I will look at the total carbohydrates expressed in grams per 100 grams, how much of it is from sugar. You can then deduce the quantity of starch, if the information is not expressed on the packaging. E.g. total carbohydrate 67 grams of which sugar 22 grams. That is how the information is expressed in majority of cases. From this information I know there is 45 grams of starch in 100 grams. The more starch there is compared to the sugar will determine on this criteria what is best. It is also useful to determine whether the sugar is from natural sources or is added.   

The next criterion which is closely related to the first is the amount of added sugar. Why is this information important? Well, some cereals that have a lot of fruit will have high sugar content.  Sugar derived from fruit is healthy, ordinary sugar is not. Check the ingredients for sugar, if it is listed then majority of the sugar could be added, especially if there are no fruits in the cereal. Look out for no added sugar that will tell you that the sugar is from the fruit. 

The next criterion is the amount of fibre present. You want a cereal with a reasonable amount of fibre. Fibre helps in the digestion and excretion process. A lot of people do not take in enough fibre. Sometimes fibre is classified into soluble and non soluble fibre. For this article the distinction is not important.

The amount of salt present is another criterion to be considered. The less salt the better, especially if you have a predisposition for hypertension.

Fat content should also be considered. There is a distinction between saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. The poly and monounsaturated fats are the healthy fats. The saturated fats you want to eat less off. The total fat content minus the saturated fat will leave you with the healthy fat.

Protein content is also important. You want your breakfast cereal to have a reasonable amount of protein in it.

There are no hard and fast rules needed when applying the above rules, judgement is needed to determine what is appropriate for you bearing in mind your overall health objective.     

So without further ado let’s apply some information I have obtained from some popular cereal boxes. (This is how the information is expressed in the UK)

Name of cereal	Total calories Per 100 gr	Carbs Grams Per 100gr	Sugar Grams Per 100gr	Fat Grams Per 100gr	Fibre Grams Per 100gr	Salt Grams Per 100gr	Protein Grams Per 100gr
Bran Flakes	326	67	22	2 Sat 0.5	15	1.3	10
All bran	280	48	17	3.5 Sat 0.7	27	1.55	14
Weetabix	358	68.6	4.4	2.0 Sat 0.6	10.0	0.26	11.5
Special K	374	75	17	1.5 Sat 0.4	2.5	1.15	15
Corn flakes	372	84	8	0.9 Sat 0.2	3	1.8	7
shreddies	351	73.7	15.5	1.9 Sat 0.4	9.8	0.99	9.9
Rice krispies	381	87	10	1 Sat 0.2	1	1.65	6
Museli jordans	321	60	15.3 No added sugar	4.7 Sat 0.8	10.4	trace	8.9
Alpen	374	64.6	16.3 No added sugar	6.2 Sat 0.9	7.8	0.12	11.1
Scotts  porrage(oats)	356	60	1.1	8 Sat 1.5	9	trace	11
Frosties	371	87	37	0.6 Sat 0.1	2	1.15	4.5

Weigh up all the criteria and make your choice, I will really like to hear what you think.

What is your favourite breakfast cereal?

You can see from the above it is hard to choose a cereal , I hope this article helps you in making your future choices .You can apply this knowledge when making decisions regarding  other foods.  

I leave you with my final thought what’s so special about special k?

   

90% of exercisers will fail to meet their weight loss goals

If you are like most, weight loss is an important issue. Considering the time of the year, you are now probably heavier than you were last year.

Assuming you have written down your objectives, the next step is to embark on your action plan. What is the most important thing to do?

Would you embark on an exercise programme or embark on a very low calorie diet? Or try a combination of both?   

If your diet is not up to scratch the gains you make from an exercise programme will be minimal. (Trust me on this). Most people because they are exercising, feel they deserve to eat more as a reward for exercising they then end up overeating. The time and effort spent for so little return will ensure they give up.

Sound nutrition is the foundation of any weight loss regime, it is probably 60% of the work, and if you ignore nutrition you are setting yourself up for failure. By nutrition I am not talking about fad diets or very low calorie diets, rather I am referring to healthy eating.  You need to how to identify your carbs (Carbohydrate) from your protein, and fats. Contrary to most people’s beliefs “carbs “are a very important and necessary constituent of your daily diet. Yet when people are faced with the task of losing weight their first inclination is to cut out the “carbs”.   

To lose weight successfully you need to have an idea of how many calories you need to eat daily, and where the calories are obtained, you also need to know how much calories to expend daily. With simple tests and assessments these figures can be easily determined.

From my experience as a trainer I am emphasising the common mistakes made by most people starting a weight loss programme. Most people start the New Year with so much vigour, yet get disappointed when they do not see any improvement, it is a fact that many people will give up the attempt to lose weight by mid February.  If you eat more calories than you require you will not see any results, if you eat too little you will not have enough energy to exercise. How do you determine the appropriate amount of calories to eat?  What about the timing of your meals? Most people do not see this as an important consideration.   

In order not to be among the 90% of people failing to achieve their weight loss goal you need to have an understanding of the issues raised above. If you do not understand the questions poised then you are guessing in your approach. If you are guessing you will not be able to change your behaviour. The only way to sustain weight loss is to embark on an exercise regime backed by sound nutrition.

Let's talk about "fats"

Quick question  are fats in our food bad for us ?

Do you spend your time looking at food labels working out which foods have no fat or considerable low amounts of fat?

Do you know the differences between the fats? Are all fats the same?

Lets face it any one that is health conscience  will have to address the issue of Fats in their diet. Do you fall prey to the slogan 80% fat free? (meaning there is 20% fat). The purpose of this article is to shed some light on fat.

To start  with there are good and bad fats. Yes, not all fats are bad. Lets start with the bad guys.

Bad fats

One classification of fats is saturated fats . They are  solid at room temperature  and come mainly from animal sources ( Beef fat, Butter fat ) and tropical oils(palm oil, coconut oil, palm kernal oil). Saturated fats in general are found in processed foods. A high intake of saturated fats has been linked to heart disease.

Trans- fatty acids(trans fats)  are another  source of bad fat. These fats come from plant sources. (nuts,vegetable and seed sources) these fats have had hydrogen added to them (hydrogenation)  they are also known as hyrogenated fats. Margarines are a common source of these fats . These fats are considered dangerous and are worse than saturated fats . These fats should be avoided at all costs they are linked to an increased risk of heart disease. Processed foods can have trans fats added, read food labels carefully.

Good Fats   

There are two categories of good fats, Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.

Monounsaturated fats  they are normally liquid at room temperature and come from nut,vegetable and seed sources examples include olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, and other nut oils. These fats help to lower the bad cholesterol in the blood.

Polyunsaturated fats these are essential fatty acids. They are commonly refered to as  omega 6 and omega 3 . These fats keep your skin smooth, lubricate  and protect your joints,maintenance of cell membranes, healthy arteries and nerves.They also assist in the breakdown and metabolism of cholesterol. They also boost the immune system.

Common source of omega 6 fats are from seeds and their oils.( hemp, walnut oils,  pumpkin, sunflower, saflower, corn, soya bean, wheat germ oil. )

Common sources of omega 3 fats are fish oils. Wild salmon, mackeral, cod, halibut, shell fish  rainbow trout, sardines, herring, and tuna.

What quantities should we take in

In order to derive the benefits of fats it is essential that we stick to these limitations:

We should not consume more than 30% of our total food calories from fat.

We should limit saturated fat to no more than 10%

The remaining 20% of fat should come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, in about equal measures.

Reading and understanding food labels are important to ensure you do not consume too much fat.

Why is fat intake important

For the reasons given above it is essential to have monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in our diets.

Also certain vitamins can only be absorbed by the body in the presence of fat (fat soluble) these are the vitamins A D E and K.

So it follows if one eliminates fat from the diet a vitamin deficiency will occur.

Research has emerged that increasing omega 3 results in enhancing the fat burning process. If the proportion of omega 6 to omega 3 is not right, the brain releases hormones and neurotransmitters that tell it to hold on to fat and not burn it. (this could be the reason why alot of overweight people do not lose weight when they exercise)

 Questions for you to reflect on .

1.       Are you better off  having butter or margarine on you toast? (assuming that they both had the same amount of fat content)

2.       Would your answer be different if the margarine had less fat content?

Copyright  @ fat2fitness all rights reserved.

Back to basics

In my previous blog I highlighted how setting S.M.A.R.T goals and the use of your mind will enable you to achieve your goals. Today and in subsequent blogs I am going to reveal the secrets of weight loss. 

Where do you start in your quest for weight loss? After setting out your plan what is the next step? 

Take Stock: 

You know what weight you want to be at the end of the period you set yourself.  Many clients tell me they intend to lose say one stone in time for their holidays or wedding yet they do not know their present weight.  Or in some extreme cases they are afraid to get weighed, when I offer to weigh them.  

The taking of measurements is very important, why? Because it helps you plan. It helps you realise the task you have ahead and it incorporates the mind in ensuring you achieve your goal.

The key question then is what are the most important measurements to collate? 

The most important measurement is your fat weight. I spoke briefly about this in my previous blog, now I am going to tell you why it is important. If I know your fat weight I can work out how many calories you need to eat per day. Each person’s journey to weight loss is different and requires an individual approach. “The one size fits all approach” to weight loss is not good enough.  Why is this important? Suffice to say if you do not eat a sufficient amount of calories you are actually harming yourself in the long run. So what is a sufficient amount of calories? Each person will differ according to size, build, muscle mass etc. By knowing what your fat weight is you can individualise your approach.

You can obtain your fat weight by the use of a fat loss monitor; you will obtain this information by the fat loss monitor reading your % of fat.  When you know your % of fat and your total body weight you can then work out your fat weight. On establishing your fat weight you can work out your lean weight (Muscle).          

It is your lean weight that is important in establishing how many calories you need to eat. If you eat a very low calorie diet it has an effect on your metabolism.  Metabolism is the body’s ability to burn calories. You hear people say they have a high metabolism or a low metabolism all the time. But did you know that by extreme dieting you are contributing to your body’s low metabolism? That is why dieters end up putting on more weight than when they started.

Taking readings around certain areas of your body using a tape measure will show you where the weight is coming off. There are key areas that you can take measurements they are the stomach, buttocks,   thighs, chest and arms. You will need someone to assist you in taking these measurements. 

The equipment mentioned above are easily obtainable, in my mind they are minimum requirement.  You may also choose to weigh yourself using scales, but you have to be mindful of what the information is telling you. Also be mindful that weight loss and fat loss is not necessarily the same thing. (More on that in another blog)  

You need to gather information regarding your diet.  Are you eating the right quantity, quality and type of foods? In order to do this you need to keep a food diary. From the food diary you can establish the changes that you need to make. 

I suggest for a week or two you note down exactly what you eat, after that you analyse the data.  Suggested areas for analysis are the calorie content, types of food eaten, time food eaten, reason why food eaten, mood when eating.

When carrying out this exercise you need to carry your diary around, and record the intake immediately. If you wait to the end of the day you may not capture everything that you have eaten. What you are trying to achieve is to work out how much food you normally eat. When you can quantify it you are then in a good position to take steps to start reducing your calorie intake.  Note drinks count towards calories consumed, they can also have a high calorific value, especially alcoholic drinks. Most people do not have a clue of how many calories they are eating.  

Also use this period to obtain as much information as possible regarding nutrition. Your success depends largely on your ability to apply sound nutritional principles. We can safely assume that if you are overweight and if there is no medical reason for you to put on weight it follows you must be eating more calories than your body needs.       

 Certain foods increase metabolism, and help in fat loss, increasing your knowledge in this area will ensure the weight stays off. 

It’s all about calories:

Once you have gathered the relevant information your next step is to apply the basic principles. The basic principle to losing weight is to eat less and move more. You will need an action plan for your nutrition as well as your exercise. 

 Your nutrition plan is to enable you to eat less. If you know how to measure the calories in food your task is to gradually reduce your calories. There are many books on counting calories; you may want to read up on it. I know there is also a lot of bad press about calorie counting, but if you can apply the basic principles you will achieve lasting results. 

 If you don’t have the appetite (excuse the pun) to count calories the next alternative is to work out a way of gradually reducing your food intake by manipulating portion sizes. For example how many spoons of pasta did you eat? How many slices of toast? If you have been consistently eating ten spoons of pasta and two slices of toast you can reduce your food intake by eating eight spoons of pasta and one slice of toast.  This approach is trial and error; it will take a little bit longer for you to achieve your goal. 

A calorie the body does not utilise is stored in the body as fat. Your aim should be to ensure you do not take in more calories than you need. Exercise comes in the picture by burning the stored calories. Every time you move you are burning calories. Exercise takes many forms from walking, running, cycling, swimming, to lifting weights. The different exercises modes, resistance and aerobics has a different function in weight loss, both are important when used appropriately, more on that in another blog. 

Your long term success depends on your ability to manipulate diet and exercise. If you solely took the diet route you will lose weight but you will not be able to sustain the approach. The question to ask yourself before you embark on a “diet”, can you eat like that for the rest of your life? Remember embarking on a very low calorie diet, in the long run can be detrimental to your health. 

Taking the exercise route on its own is no guarantee to success, any exercise programme that incorporates both diet and exercise will guarantee success. The action plans you set out is a work in progress, and should be used periodically to review your progress. If you are not achieving your goals then you are either not eating less or moving more, something has to be changed.  “If you continue to do the same things day in day out, you will get the same results” If you want a different result something has to change. 

I hope you have enjoyed this article. I will be writing more in the future on basic nutrition, and exercise. Ensure you look out for my subsequent blogs. If you have any comment or query regarding this feel free to contact me.     

       

 Copy right 2012@ Fat2fitness

Achieving your weight loss goal

Happy new year to you all and welcome to my new blog. As a fitness professional I have clients ask me how they can go about losing weight. If the truth be told there is no easy way to weight loss. In fact the two major approaches of dieting and exercise are quite difficult to sustain.

I have been asked quite frequently on the most effective approach to weight loss, as a fitness professional, I must confess to my bias, I will always advocate exercise over diet, by diet I mean fad diets like the Atkins, Dukan, cabbage soup etc. However, I do understand that a sensible nutritional practice is essential if you want to achieve meaningful and sustainable results.

The first step in my view will be to set SMART objectives I am sure you are all familiar with this acronym. Most people do not do so and is the biggest reason for peoples failure to achieve weight loss. You have to be specific, know exactly what you want to achieve and when you want to achieve it, saying you want to lose weight is not specific. You need to include figures like one stone in three months.
Next you have to focus on how you will measure your progress. Using a fat loss monitor or calipers is the most effective way of monitoring your progress. A fat loss monitor or calipers will tell you your percentage of fat in relation to your total body weight. From the percentage of fat we can easily work out what your total fat weight is, and also your lean weight. The aim of any effective weight loss or fitness programme is to reduce your percentage of fat and increase or maintain your lean weight. Using bathroom scales on its own will not give you a true picture of what is going on. Using a tape measure is very useful in capturing the inches lost.

How will you go about achieving your goal? Nutrition will play an important role, by some people's estimation nutrition is 60% of the work, so it follows that you can not achieve weight loss without a knowledge and application of sound nutritional principles. But this is not the same as embarking on fad diets. Exercise will also feature prominently in your programme, the right type of exercise must be employed. What is the right type of exercise? Exercise will differ according to an individuals fitness level and medical disposition. If you concentrated on only exercise paying no attention to nutrition, you may not lose weight. In a nut shell sound nutrition coupled with appropriate exercise is the way to achieving your weight loss goal.( I have not gone into detail regarding nutrition and types of exercise as it is beyond the scope of this article)

How realistic are your goals? I have had some one tell me that they intended to lose two stones in a month. Does that sound realistic?That is a classic example of setting yourself up for failure. Losing a pound of fat a week is challenging and also realistic. It is advisable not to aim to lose too much too soon.

The next step in tackling your weight loss goal is to focus on your mind. Your mind and body work together.
You can not achieve any goal if you are not tuned in. Your sub conscience mind will assist you in achieving any goal you set. When you set out your goal as illustrated above, it is not a dream. It is reality. If you have a desire to achieve your weight loss goal your sub conscience mind will kick in.

You will need to use imagery, and picture yourself the weight you want to be. Can you see yourself being slimmer? If you can see yourself in your minds eye then you can achieve that goal. You also have to believe in yourself that you can do it. The power of the mind should not be neglected, we all have it within us to achieve weight loss, when your plan is not going well it is will power that enables you to continue. You do not give up on minor set backs, you engage your mind, mentally regroup, review your plan and then continue.

Learning how to break your goals into smaller units may make a big task seem easier to achieve It is easier to exercise three times a week than every day. It is easier to gradually cut out unhealthy foods than cutting it out all at once. Successfully losing weight is all about gradually acquiring good habits and dropping your bad habits. There are many approaches to weight loss, you have to find a strategy that works for you and stick with it. You also have to believe that it will work.