Atkins, Paleo, Zone, Raw Food, Grapefruit, Cabbage Soup, Juice… the list of diets goes on and on and on.
Sure, they might shift the pounds, but as soon as you sniff a Digestive biscuit, you’re back to square one.
That’s why we say phooey to these diets and high-five to food. It may sound like it’s too good to be true, but sometimes the best way to lose weight is to actually eat more. Not convinced? Well, if you want to slim down, read on to find out why you need to eat up.
Linginue load up
Love pasta, but hate your pasta paunch? What if we told you that you could eat exactly the same amount of pasta as you do already, but lose weight? You’d love us forever, right? Well, new scientific research has discovered that cooled pasta is less fattening than just-cooked pasta. And reheated pasta is less fattening still. The structure of the pasta changes with reheating and it gets converted to ‘resistant starch’, which the body treats more like fibre than a carbohydrate. ‘Resistant starch can’t be broken down by the body to be absorbed as food passes through the gut,’ explains Sarah Coe, a nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation (nutrition.org.uk). ‘This means that less starch from the pasta is released, causing your blood sugar levels to remain more stable.’ So you’ll not only absorb fewer calories, you also won’t experience the rise and fall in blood glucose that occurs with carbs (which can make you feel hungry again soon after you’ve eaten). Leftovers that are better for you than the original meal? Who’d have thunk it?
For a simple healthy recipe nutritionist Helen Money (helenmoneynutrition.com) suggests the following:
‘Mix equal amounts of pasta and tuna, add lots of sweetcorn and serve with
a large handful of dark green salad leaves. To lower calories, if you are adding mayonnaise, mix 1tsp of mayonnaise with 1tsp of plain yoghurt.’
Let them eat cake
A study has shown that eating cake or cookies as part of your brekkie can help you lose weight. Sweet! The logic behind this wonderful news takes into consideration the fact that the body’s metabolism is most active
in the morning, so it stands to reason that this is the best time to eat sweet things. Plus we have the rest of the day to work off the cals! The study also states eating treats first thing will curb cravings throughout the day.
Fill up on fat
Fat is bad for you, right? Wrong! ‘Fat is an essential nutrient that we can’t live without,’ says Helen. ‘It’s used in a number of ways in our body.’ It gives us energy; it provides insulation, keeping us warm; it protects our organs; it allows our body to absorb and process nutrients properly; it maintains cell membranes, and fat can help you lose weight. Yes, really!
The key is to eat the right kind of fat – go for unsaturated fat, or ‘good fat’. This can come from avocados, fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil and leafy veg.
‘Eating a lot of saturated fat can increase cholesterol, which means a higher risk of heart disease,’ warns Sarah. But, unsaturated fat encourages a healthy heart and can help you stay trim. How? It boosts metabolic health, keeps you fuller for longer and builds muscle. If this isn’t reason enough to steer clear of low-fat imposters, consider this: fat makes you smile. Research has shown fatty acids can boost serotonin in the brain, improving your mood and boosting motivation. Right, someone pass the guacamole!
Melt in the mouth
Chocolate can trim you down. Hurrah! It must be dark chocolate, though. A study found that when people ate dark chocolate two hours before a meal, they took in 17 per cent fewer calories than those who ate milk chocolate. This is because dark chocolate contains pure cocoa butter, which is a source of digestion-slowing stearic acid. Conversely, milk chocolate’s cocoa butter content has increased butterfat, so passes more quickly through the gastrointestinal tract. As dark chocolate takes longer to be processed, it’ll keep hunger at bay and help you lose weight.
Wake up to breakfast
Does your morning routine go something like this: shower, dress, watch Good Morning Britain as you apply your make-up, rush out the door? What’s missing? Breakfast! ‘Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day,’ says Helen. She likens it to putting petrol in the car before a long journey – ‘if you don’t, the car is going to cough and splutter or stop altogether,’ she says. Research has shown that skipping breakfast means you’re four-and-a-half times more likely to become obese. ‘People who eat breakfast are more likely to have a healthy body weight and a nutritionally balanced diet,’ says Sarah. And we should be eating 20 per cent of our daily calories at breakfast. Sarah suggests wholegrain cereal and bread, low-fat yoghurt, fruit, porridge or eggs. ‘Breakfast is particularly important if you’re planning on taking part in sport or exercise, as it’ll provide you with the fuel you need after having not eaten anything overnight,’ she states. Helen also adds: ‘People who don’t eat breakfast will probably consume a higher amount of calories over the day and are more likely to be overweight.’
Top of the pops
Many people don’t realise popcorn is actually good for us. ‘Popcorn is a wholegrain, and it’s recommended we eat three servings of wholegrains a day for good gut health,’ says Helen. Sarah agrees: ‘Because popcorn is made from 100 per cent wholegrain (i.e. contains the entire grain kernel), it can contribute to our dietary wholegrain intake.’ While air-popped corn is a low-cal snack, it obviously becomes less healthy if you add salt, sugar or butter. ‘Instead, sprinkle cinnamon over the popcorn, or try paprika,’ says Sarah.
Spice things up
Adding chilli to food can increase your heart rate, which can boost your metabolism by up to 50 per cent for up
to three hours after eating. ‘Chilli increases metabolism because it has a greater thermic effect,’ says Helen. ‘Research has shown that capsaicin, the main compound that gives chilli peppers their heat, may cause an increase in the amount of calories burned by the body,’ says Sarah. Who’s for a curry, then?
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