Eat Out, Guilt Free!

With the public holidays at hand, eating out is often one of the things on the to-do list. Eating out is synonymous with a good meal and the company of your friends, family or loved ones!

... Unfortunately eating out often leads to bad food choices ending up in weight gain!

Whether it is breakfast with the family, pizza with the boys or a romantic night out, one should be equipped with the following tips to make better food choices when eating out:

Before-The-Meal Extras 

• Avoid ordering before-the meal "extras" like cocktails, appetizers, bread and butter because these are often sources of extra fat, sodium and kilojoules. Eliminate the temptation of picking on the bread, by sending back the breadbasket.

Sauces, Salads and Salad Dressings 

• Start your meal with a salad packed with greens, to help control hunger but remember to be selective at salad bars. Choose fresh greens, raw vegetables, fresh fruits and reduced-fat, low-fat, light or fat-free dressings. Avoid cheeses, croutons, marinated salads, bacon bits, pasta salads and fruit salads with whipped cream.
• Ask that sauces and salad dressing be served on the side, so that you can control the quantity you consume. 

Opt for Healthier Choices 

• Instead of fried fish or chicken, rather opt for baked, boiled or grilled.
• Inquire about healthy substitutes. For example, if a dish comes with French fries or onion rings, ask whether you can exchange it for a baked potato with vegetables or steamed rice.

Be Beverage Wise

• Stay away from the high sugary drinks like cocktails and soft drinks, rather opt for water (with mint or lime), light wine or unsweetened ice tea.

Size Does Count

• Choose a “small" or "medium" portion. This rule relates to  main dishes, side dishes and beverages.
• Instead of heading for the "all-you-can-eat" buffet, order an item from the menu.
• Share a main dish with a friend.
• Take leftovers home in a "doggy bag” or set aside half of it before starting your meal.
• Resign from the "clean your plate club" - when you've eaten enough, leave the rest!

Remember to enjoy each taste and aroma. Do not rush the meal! 

Love 

The Dietitian's Life Xx

A healthy start to your day...

It is the start to a new week and what better way to begin than with a healthy, balanced breakfast!

A good breakfast can help you... 

• Lose weight (studies have shown that breakfast eaters weigh less than those who skip breakfast)
• Increase energy
• Boost brainpower
• Improve concentration
• Raise your metabolism 

...and ensure a healthy start to your day

While your drowsy mind craves comfort, your awakening body needs power!This means that one should eat breakfast within two hours after waking up. 

Follow these tips to help you make the most out of your morning meal and keep you satisfied until snack time:

1. Time issue 

To ensure that you have enough time for breakfast.....

• Get Organised the Night Before: prepare a breakfast plan as you clean up from supper. Set the table with bowls and spoons for cereal. 

• Keep Breakfast Simple: on busy days, get the family going with something as quick as a bowl of whole-grain cereal. 

2. Breakfast Options

• Choose a cereal high in fibre (look for a brand with at least 5 grams of fibre per serving) and add half a cup of skimmed milk or low fat milk for the necessary calcium and protein – try All-bran flakes with fat free milk and sliced banana

• Weetbix with fat free milk and a sprinkle of raisins

•  A quick and easy on the go meal - Fruit smoothie made with fresh fruit and fat free milk. Mistakes often made, however, are that smoothies are served in incorrect portion sizes. Choose two tennis ball-sized fruits and do not add any fruit juice to the smoothie, since this is too concentrated. 

• Cinnamon-oats with fat free milk and fresh strawberries or apples.  Whether you are in a hurry at home or at the office, whether you suffer from high cholesterol levels, constipation, cardiovascular disease or simply feel like having a healthy, yet fulfilling breakfast, a bowl of oats is all you need!

• One scrambled or poached egg served with one slice of wholegrain toast 

• Plain fat free yogurt with seasonal fruit salad

     

• A low GI muffin topped with fat free cottage cheese

• Choose low fat, low GI and unroasted muesli  

• Sugar free peanut butter on toast 

May you have a wonderful week and start each day with a  healthy breakfast option!

Love 
The Dietitian's Life Xx

The Ultimate South African Braai

Even though summer is almost coming to an end, there is still no excuse for a braai! In my opinion summer in South Africa is all about the braai...

A weekend is, without a doubt, incomplete if it does not involve laughter, good company and food. Lots and lots of colourful food...

This, however, does not mean that one should pile on the kilograms!

One can still enjoy a braai. A braai with healthier options, that tastes delicious but does very little harm to the waist.

While enjoying a braai one can still lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle, while at the same time having more than enough energy to spend time with family and friends. In order to enjoy a healthy braai, I suggest one makes use of the following tips: 

Tip 1: Snack before the braai

Snacks will help to curve ones appetite and ensure that you do not overindulge during a braai. My tip is to eat a snack before attending a braai. This will ensure that one is less likely to make the wrong food choices. I indulge in the following healthy braai snacks when attending or hosting a braai: 

• Homemade popcorn which is low in fat and lower in sodium than the traditional chips often served at braai's
• Lean biltong
• Raw, unsalted nuts
• Vegetable crudites served with a delicious dip. For example: baby carrots, baby corn, cucumber served with hummus or low fat cottage cheese

Tip 2: Be on time 

Light the fire early! Having to wait ages for the meat to braai often leads to snacking on the wrong, high fat snacks. 

Tip 3: Include a variety of food

This tip applies not only to a braai but to all meals. Half of ones plate should always consist of vegetables or salad, a quarter of the plate may consist of starch and one quarter of meat. 

Vegetables:

• A great idea to ensure that vegetables are part of the braai is to serve vegetable kebabs. Make use of the following vegetables and make your own kebabs: mushrooms, peppers, baby marrows, pumpkin and brinjals. Ready made vegetable kebabs are also available from leading grocery stores. 
• Roasted vegetables drizzled with olive oil or balsamic vinegar is always a winner. 
• Add colour to the meal by including carrot salad, sweet potato salad, three bean salad or beetroot salad. 
• Tired of the usual salad dressing? Lightly drizzle a tossed green salad with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. 
• For a healthy potato salad use light mayonnaise or fat free yogurt. 
• Pre-boil mielies until just tender, then place on the braai to add a braai flavour. 

Tip 5: For the meat lovers

Boerewors and chops are often filled with unwanted fat and cholesterol. 

Rather choose lean meats to enjoy. For example:

• Fish – a great alternative to the usual chop
• Fillet
• Lean beef
• Ostrich
• Homemade chicken kebabs. Make use of skinless chicken breasts and season with your choice of herbs. 

Remember to remove the fat before placing the meat on the braai. One should thus cut away all visible fat. When using chicken one should remove the skin.  

Lemon juice, garlic and fresh herbs can go a long way in adding flavour to the meal. Use the above mentioned instead of oily marinades, butter or margarine. Make use of herbs and spices to replace salt (this will assist in managing ones blood pressure).

Tip 6: Healthy starch options

Instead of serving white bread rolls at the braai choose from the following options:
Low GI brown bread, seeded rolls, whole-wheat pita, sweet potato or baby potatoes, barley or couscous. 

Tip 7: Time for Dessert

• Fruit salad or fruit kebabs will not only add colour to the festivities but will definitely ensure that you don’t feel guilty after a second bowl of dessert.
• Drizzle the kebabs with chocolate sauce or serve with a mixture of fat free cottage cheese and vanilla essence or fat free vanilla yogurt for added flavour. 

Tip 8: Drinks

• Alcohol is loaded with kilojoules. One must therefore go easy on the beer, ciders and alcoholic beverages. Remember to alternate every alcoholic drink with a large glass of water.
• Men should limit the intake of alcohol to 2 units per day and women to 1 (1unit=120ml wine, 340ml beer, 25ml spirits). Always choose light beer, light wine and light ciders.
• Serve a jug of water with strawberries, sliced lemon or mint. A cold glass of water is always delicious on a hot summers day! 

May you enjoy the warm weather, experiment with healthy braai options and spend your braai's in great company!

Love

The Dietitian’s Life