As promised, an article for Andrew on ‘how to get a six pack
on a beer, butter and chocolate diet’. Isolated case of fearless eating you say? You may be right, but before you think entirely
impossible, apply the principles of moderation and almost anything can be possible.
Right now, my assumption is that Andrew is regularly
sweating it out on a treadmill and completing high volumes of planks, plank
walks, toe touches, modified side planks, full extensions, v-ups, suitcases and
your old fashioned crunches.
Let’s face it; women aren’t the only ones watching their figures
these days. I blame celebrities again
(naturally), but with the high publicising of Barbie figures, it’s not
surprising that all are feeling the pressure to look good. If you are serious about ‘feeling good in
your skin’, in addition to exercising regularly, a fitness regime that
incorporates a healthy, balanced diet can be the winning combo to a lean and
beautiful body.
A Scraping Of Butter
The bad news is - if
you must have butter, be warned that this is full of saturated fats. Eat this liberally and expect your doctor to grimace
over your high total cholesterol
levels and your risk of heart disease. Team
this with regular takeaways, deep fried foods, baking and other high fat
products and you are well on your way to an early grave.
If your heart is ready
to acquiesce, then choose margarine. Based
on vegetable oils, this is the safe option.
Rich in poly and mono unsaturated fats, they work hard to combat the
damaging effects of saturated fats.
If your weight is in the healthy range, chances are that you are already eating ample fats. A switch from butter to vegetable oils may be all that is necessary to change the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fats.
But before you rush ahead to slap on the margarine, remember that how much fat you eat is equally important, regardless of type.
If your weight is in the healthy range, chances are that you are already eating ample fats. A switch from butter to vegetable oils may be all that is necessary to change the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fats.
Breakfast – don’t
skip it
Butter addicts, don’t fear.
Reduce your takeaways, cakes, biscuits and deep fried foods and trade it
for a scraping of butter. Then have it
with breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A recent article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
in March this year, indicated that men who skipped breakfast were more likely
to develop type 2 diabetes.
A study by Antonogeorgos et al, in Paediatric Obesity, also
showed that children who ate breakfast daily were more likely to prevent
overweight and obesity. It should really
come as no surprise that eating breakfast will decrease the temptation to over-indulge
in high fat & sugary foods later.
If you plan to use your quota of butter for a fry up, then
think again. An interesting article
published in ‘Nutrition Research and
Practice’, in February 2012, compared Korean and Western diets. Those
who chose ‘potatoes, fruit and nuts’ at breakfast, showed lower risks of high
blood pressure and blood glucose levels, when compared with adults who chose
‘eggs, breads and processed meat.’
These are just some of the latest findings from around the
world. As it turns out; you can be
slimmer and healthier simply by eating breakfast. Team your breakfast with smart food choices and
you’ll also help protect your heart and risk of diabetes. What’s more, if the thin scraping of butter
on your toast encourages you to eat breakfast, then this could be the saviour
from a monster munch attack later in the day.
Breakfast suggestions
- cereal with reduced fat milk
- high fibre bread with a scraping of butter (or margarine) or other spreads.
- another delicious breakfast selection is fruit salad with yoghurt.
Lunching?
Base the rest of your meals around carbohydrates, protein,
fruit and vegetables. Sandwiches packed
with salads or soups and pasta salads bursting with coloured vegetables will
help you meet your target of five fruit and vegetables a day. Choose no bigger than a palm sized portion of
meat, chicken or fish per day. Don’t
forget that lentils, beans and chick peas are a great alternative source of
protein.
Combat Chocolate Cravings
After your gym work-out, why not treat yourself to a glass
of low fat chocolate milk? What a clever
way of replacing muscle glycogen stores after exercise. If you don’t do this, you run the risk of post
work-out dives in blood sugar levels (and thus the danger of raging chocolate cravings).
In addition to restoring the much needed carbohydrates,
you’ll find that you’ve just satisfied your sweet tooth and potentially
prevented a major pig out. Have this
drink immediately after a work-out (ideally within 30 minutes) for maximal
absorption and replacement of glycogen stores.
Eat your evening meal as soon as you can.
What About Beer?
How could I forget! After
your hard work of healthy eating and commitment to exercise, I think you’ve
earned yourself a can of beer this weekend!
If you decide to give the can a miss, I found Delia's braised steak and mushroom recipe online which could also be prepared with beer. Just go easy on the butter!
Enjoy!
Please comment below, I really love and read all of your comments!
Please comment below, I really love and read all of your comments!
