What is NOT part of a balanced diet?

Although there is some debate about the proportions and exact ingredients, there is a general consensus that certain foods are NOT part of a balanced diet.  Almost everyone knows the core culprits – candy, cakes and biscuits, fast foods, fried foods, meats high in saturated fats…..

BUT, we would like to point out a few items that may not strike everyone as obviously bad for you, but they WILL SABOTAGE YOUR DIET AND YOUR HEALTH OVER TIME:

-       Too much protein:  It damages your kidneys, makes your body too acidic, and trains your taste buds to crave sugar;

-       Aspartame and other ‘sugar substitutes’ – these actually cause your body to prepare in excitement for a dose of sugar – and when you don’t get it, your body actually craves sugar more, setting you up for failure later.  If you eat or drink something that tastes sweet but is low calories and sugar, then you are probably going to fall victim to this trick.

-       Protein bars: for the above reasons, you should basically think of these as candy.  Have one now and then when you truly can’t resist a candy bar.

-       Low fat ice cream or cookies: The problem is that you feel so good about resisting the full fat version that you often end up eating too much or buying something else indulgent later– more calories than if you just enjoyed a small full fat version! Same with low fat crackers or baked chips.

-       Gluten free, raw or sugar free – This by no means = healthy, low fat, good for you!  There are many high calorie, high fat and natural sugars which are great as an indulgent small treat once in a while – as long as you recognize them for what they are.

-       High protein bacon or cheeses – We have seen atkins people downing rashers of bacon and cheese while rejecting salads.  These foods are so full of saturated fats – they will clog your arteries.  And they contain hardly no fiber – making bowel movements difficult.

-       Java Juice and Jamba Juice – these juices are often made with sorbets which is basically pure sugar.  Even the fruit only ones typically have enough fruit and calories in them to feed a small army – again this is something for a rare treat, not a dieter’s best friend!

-       Frozen yoghurt – It’s ice cream really. Enough said.

-       Any coffee drink with frappe or chocolate sauce or anything other than coffee beans and milk – this is like a whole meal or two in a drink.  Pass it by!

What is a balanced diet?

Thanks to the media and commercial weight loss companies many people are totally confused about what is a ‘balanced diet’.  This is one of the main reasons why we started Homemade.

The bulk of medical evidence and research supports a simple common sense notion of a balanced diet.  We do not subscribe to a particular school of thought, but the simplest model promotes a diet, which roughly includes:

-       ½ - About half of everything that goes into your mouth: Fresh and cooked fruit and vegetables;

-       ¼ - Whole grains like whole wheat, brown rice, sweet potato

-       ¼ - Proteins like meat, fish, dairy, tofu, beans, nuts and seeds.

At Homemade, we make it really easy for you to eat a balanced diet for optimum health because we cook up a week's worth of nutritionally balanced meals at each session for you to take home and enjoy during the week - so you don't have to think, measure and calculate any more.  You just open the fridge, choose a meal and know that you are eating for optimum health and sustainable weight loss.

For more information about our programs, see Homemade-cooking.com.  For some examples of the incredible array of meals we prepare, check out out facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/HealthyCookingCommunity

Recap: What have we learnt so far?

The Homemade program sets you up for sustainable weight loss and healthy lifestyle changes through 3 simple principles:

1.    Cook your own food – we make this easy because we do it together!

2.    Eat a balanced diet of whole foods as close as possible to the natural source – more on this in this issue!

3.    Practice the Homemade eating philosophy by learning to listen to your hunger.

In our previous issues:

-       We taught you the first steps towards adopting the Homemade eating philosophy, by asking yourself every time you feel like eating:

o   Am I really hungry?

o   What is the most healthy way to nourish my hunger?

-       We also explained why it is so important to cook your own food – because

cooking and sharing food should be a joyful, social activity and this helps prevent overeating and emotional eating. Also, it is the only way to really know what you are putting into your body – with so many unhealthy choices, processed ingredients and huge portions in the restaurants and stores!   

-       Finally, we challenged you to set yourself up for success – not failure -  by blitzing your cupboard of all junk foods and throwing them out!

How are you doing so far?!

Each of these core ideas should remain central to your eating and thinking in the coming months – make sure you keep coming back to our newsletters (or ask us!) if you need a reminder.

For more info about our sustainable weight loss and health transformation programs, see our website at homemade-cooking.com

What to eat for lunch?

In case you can’t take home cooked meals to work every day, here are some of the best options that might be available in your local deli or canteen:

-       Soup – go for one that is full of veggies and light on cream

-       Sandwich – go for whole grain bread and limit to 1-2 slice of cheese or processed meat.  Lots of salad!

-       Salad is wonderful – but beware of adding a pile of processed meat, candied nuts, cheeses and oily / creamy dressing.  Best to focus on as many veggies as possible + 1-2 ‘indulgences’ like dressing and a small amount of cheese

-       Mexican food – A burrito is full of nutrition – but the portion size and calories is generally enough to feed 2-3 people- consider this an indulgence and try to stick to ½ burrito – and skip the corn chips!

-       Japanese – sushi and miso soup is great

For more info, or details about our sustainable weight loss programs, please see our website at Homemade-cooking.com.  Also check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/HealthyCookingCommunity

Week 2 Challenge: Blitz the cupboard and fridge of junk!

If you are really serious about trying to lose weight and get healthy, you need to stack the odds in your favor. 

To do this get rid of unhealthy temptations at home!  Simply blitz your fridge, freezer and cupboard of all foods that don’t serve you and your health anymore – don’t hesitate - just bring in the garbage can and dump them all.  You will be SO glad you did!  

Go from this:

To this:

For more info. see homemade-cooking.com or check out our pics on https://www.facebook.com/HealthyCookingCommunity

Why is it important to cook my own food?

Eating is – and should be – a joyful and pleasant activity!  By cooking your own food you develop a better relationship with food. Instead of focusing on resisting certain ‘bad’ foods, you become bewitched by the smorgasbord of colors, scents and delights that are delicious and so good for you!

As Julia Child put it:

“I started cooking when I was 32. Before that I just ate.”

Cooking with Homemade is also a fun, social activity which is also important for developing a positive relationship with food.  As one of our members said:

“In many cultures cooking and eating is not simply a way to feed your self but it is a social activity and thus food for the soul….We are losing this and the result is that our soul is never satisfied and eating disorders appear”.

Another critical benefit of cooking your own food is that you take control over what you take into your body.  We all know that it is in the interests of the people who make restaurant meals, fast foods, snacks, and meals for supermarket chains to make the foods as tasty as possible and to reduce costs.

Unfortunately, the consequence is that these meals are loaded with fats, sugars (including corn syrup), refined carbohydrates and salt that our bodies are evolved to crave.  The problem is that these foods are not only high in calories but they train your body to crave more of these foods – breaking down your body’s systems of insulin regulation (leading to diabetes over time) and hunger regulation through particular hormones.

Furthermore, the portion sizes served in many US restaurants, fast food chains and supermarkets completely distort our sense of a normal serving size, leading to overeating – even if you leave half the food on your plate in many cases!

For more info see homemade-cooking.com or check out our Facebook page of the many delicious healthy foods we cook: 

https://www.facebook.com/HealthyCookingCommunity

Homemade Weight Loss & Healthy Lifestyle – 3 simple principles

Last week we introduced you to the 3 simple principles that underlie the Homemade program for sustainable weight loss and optimum health:

1.    Cook your own food and know what goes into it!

2.    Eat a balanced diet of natural, whole foods, as close as possible to the natural state.

3.    Practice the Homemade eating philosophy based on intuitive eating – which means learning to listen to your body and letting it guide you in what and how much to eat. 

For more info see homemade-cooking.com