HerHealth June 2011
first edition only ÂŁ2.50
EASY TEN MINUTE WORK OUTS
to help you get a bikini body Mums to be, learn how to stay healthy before and after having your baby
Inside: tasty recipies to help you lose weight
A snacking revolution
Weight Watchers vs Special K Diet
Contents
HerHealth Magazine. Women’s Health. Fitness. Weight Loss. Well-being.
On the front page Page 4 - 5
The importance of staying healthy during and after your pregnancy
Page 6 - 7 A snacking revolution: Nikki Mitchell tries and reviews her first Graze box
Page 8 - 9 Part 1 of Weight Watchers vs Special K: Special K diet food diary and profile
Page 10 - 11 Part 2 of Weight Watchers vs Special K: Weight Watchers food diary and profile
Page 12 - 13 Less than 400 calorie leek and mushroom risotto recipe
Page 14 - 15 A ten minute work out to help get you slimmer
A word from the Editor
Welcome to HerHealth. We are
a new monthly magazine about health and fitness for the every day woman, not atheletes. Our aim is to use real women as our models. In each edition we will be giving you advice on how to live a healthy lifestyle. There will be tips on how to keep fit and lose weight. As well as articles on general well-being. We’ll try and test new fitness products, diets and foods to help you make the right choices to living a . Nikki Mitchell, Editor.
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HerHealth Magazine. June 2011.
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The importance of being healthy during and after your pregnancy
It has been said that pregnant women should not be eating for two as always thought but they should aim to eat for about one and a half, but is this really true? I am a stone heavier than than before I was complextion.” pregnant.” Kelly said you can exercise when “Kelly said she doesn’t agree with eating for you are having a baby but not to exceed your With Britain’s obesity rate growing two or for one a half when you are expecting a level of fitness. She recommended swimming. and a debate on how much pregnant women baby. She said if you feel the need to eat you Izzy said for exercises while should eat, we spoke to three women; a should eat but make the right choices. expecting a baby, she would suggest walking, midwife, a pregnant woman and a first time “Some people think I’m going to get fat, so some swimming and in the yoga in the early mum, to see what think is best to do when I may as well enjoy it and eat what I want. stages to help strengthen bladder muscles for you are expecting But then after the baby they may have put later on in pregnancy and birth. She added, Midwife at York District Hospital, on three or four stone. An increased weight however, she was really allowed to do much Kelly Swan, said: “If you’re obese before by two stone or more is considered normal, exercise because she was bleeding until 21 to getting pregnant it can cause problems. The anything over that could be unhealthy.” 22 weeks pregnant with her daughter, Ameilia. healthier you are the better.” Emma said: “The importance of “Don’t let people help you up off Mum to be, Emma Beetham, at 20 eating healthy during the sofa, do it yourself. It really weeks pregnant, said she had a gastric band ”Don’t let people help you up off pregnancy is more helps with upper arm strength, three years ago, losing 15 stone and dropping the sofa, do it yourself. It really important for me because which you need when you are seven dress sizes. helps with upper arm strength I can’t eat much, only carrying a baby around all day,” “I know if I hadn’t lost 15 stone, I small portions, so I have Ameilia’s mum said. wouldn’t have tried to get pregnant. I would to make sure it is the right stuff. I need to eat Emma said she goes to pregnancy yoga and have had major health problems. My body in between meals, such as raisins, to keep my aqua aerobics, which she has cut down to wouldn’t have coped with it. I would have blood sugar levels up.” once every two weeks from two or three a probably been really ill during pregnancy. “You don’t think your week, before expecting her son. “If you’re overweight and “I couldn’t Izzy said: “After pregnancy keep up expecting a baby it is safe to lose going to be that tired when you’re have been the size pregnant, everyone told me I’d be with your food, don’t go over the top, just eat weight.” I was and pregnant, easily tired and I didn’t believe, it healthy. You can’t really diet. Continue to drink I wouldn’t have felt but you are. It’s important to take your rest lots of water because it helps you keep alert healthy. I wouldn’t have felt healthy after when you need it,” she added. for night feeds and to keep your breast milk having the baby either, because you need to Izzy said: I drank a lot of water, going.” run around,” she added. about six to eight pints a day. It was definitely Kelly said: “Breast feeding can help Kelly said if you are expecting a worth it because it helps with constipation, you to be healthier after birth because you can baby and overweight it is safe to lose weight clears skin and prevents headaches and actually burn 500 calories more a day when for the first few months. She added that when dizziness. It also prevented me from getting you’re breast feeding. she was pregnant she went to Slimming World cystitis, which is very common in pregnant “Most women do lose the best part for the first 30 weeks. women. of a stone after giving birth because a lot of it Emma said she has lost 9 pounds “To help me through morning isn’t actual fat.” since getting pregnant. sickness, I drank water and herbal tea but only For exercises after having a baby Kelly added doctors and nurses decaff through pregnancy, and ate Starburts, Izzy recommended pelvic floor exercises and like women when they are pregnant to have oddly they helped me.” brisk walks. a Body Mass Index (BMI) of under 30. She Izzy said tuna is excellent for the “I do weights because you need said if someone’s BMI is over 30 they are at a essential oils for babies and for growth of their to keep your arm strength up when you’re higher risk. eyes and brain. carrying over ten pounds all the time.” First time mum, Izzy Howard-Mawer, She added: “Definately take If you are expecting a baby or are said: “I think it is rubbish about eating for Pregnacare or Sanatogen. I took Pregnacare trying to get pregnant and are worried about two. I ate three meals a day, rarely snacking. from three weeks pregnant and Ameilia your weight consult your doctor before you I just increased my calorie intake by about was born with a perfectly clear, fantastic diet. two hundred a day, which was recommended.
by Nikki Mitchell
Izzy with her daughter, Ameilia, at six weeks old. Photo taken by Nikki Mitchell
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HerHealth Magazine. June 2011.
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All you little pickers, don’t need to wear big knickers There’s a new way of snacking called grazing and Nikki Mitchell reviews her first graze box. by Nikki Mitchell I try to live a healthy lifestyle, eating well and exercising often, making good choices for my breakfast, lunch and dinner but its snacks I struggle with. I need to eat little and often during the day, to keep myself going but I often find myself craving unhealthy food, such as a chocolate. I’d heard of a different healthier way of snacking called Graze. I’d even been on their website but for some reason had never bought anything from them. So when I received a voucher from a friend for a free box I decided it was time I tried one. Graze is a selection of healthy snacks you order from the Internet, that come to your door. Priced at £3.49 each, there are five different boxes to choose from to suit your needs. These are the four-box detox, the nibble box, which gives you the most selection of food from the company. For a boost pick the he energy box, which contains low glycemic index foods to keep you going for longer. Their eat well box gives you the healthiest foods, with the occasional treat or choose their strictest plan, the well-being box, where the punnets contain immunity nutrients, such as Vitamin C. For my first delivery I chose a nibble box because I wanted to have the most choice. Inside the box you get four punnets of healthy, tasty treats. On the Graze website you rate the food, whether you like it, love it, are willing to try it or want to bin it so that you will never receive that punnet. That way you will only be delivered the food you like. There is a range of snacks to choose from, including nuts, seeds, dried fruit, flapjacks, foccicia bread, crackers and olives. And best of all, no biscuits, just good nutritious food. You can request ‘sends soon’ if you want a particular punnet to appear in your next distribution from the company. I was excited for days about getting my first delivery from Graze. I love receiving packages through the post, especially when its food. The four punnets in my box were a honeycomb flapjack, cracked black pepper cashew nuts, honey bee good (honey cashews, peanuts and pecans) and Copacabana (brazil nuts with dark and milk chocolate buttons). Flapjacks and chocolate buttons didn’t sound like health food for me and they definitely didn’t taste like it. I often raid the cupboards for biscuits and chocolate because I associate eating well with dry, cardboard, tasteless food, but it isn’t always. Food that
tastes nice can be good for you. I enjoyed every single punnet from my little box of treats. The cracked black pepper cashews were particularly yummy. On the days where I ate something from my Graze box, in the morning or afternoon, I found myself being sustained until lunch or dinner. Often if I had a biscuit as a snack I would find myself wanting another or if I bought a chocolate bar, I’d want a packet of crisps after. But with the containers of healthy, tasty little snacks, my blood sugar levels evened out and I didn’t get that dip in energy, which would usually lead me to wanting and ultimately eating unhealthy food. What is great about the company is you can order as many or as little boxes you wish. You can just have a one off or set up a weekly delivery. If you want cancel them at any time there is an option for you to do so, as well as being able to push dispatch dates forwards and backwards. Although, the food in the boxes are better for you than cakes or cookies, things like nuts can be fairly high in calories. Also, dried fruit contains more sugar than fresh. However, the punnets you receive from Graze are not huge portions, like baby bear’s porridge, they’re just right. And a handful of nuts is still better for you than a handful of chocolate because they will give you a slow release of energy, whereas the candy bar will give you a quick fix and leave you wanting more later. I am hooked on the little boxes now. So far I have had three so far and my next delivery is booked. I have to say have become a bit of an addict but being addicted to healthy food is better than being addicted to chocolate. I find them really easy to stick in my bag or have in the cupboard and now instead of reaching for the biscuit tin or diving into the shop for sweets, I grab my graze box. I would recommend people try them at least once and see if they help you keep your fingers out of the cookie jar. To find out more information about Graze and the food they offer visit www.graze. com and to claim you free box enter the code 6RB77LFA at the checkout when you purchase one.
What Graze Said
We asked, Clare, a spokesperson from Graze, a few questions about the company, to give you more information about graze boxes and help you decide whether or not you would like to try one. This is what she had to say: HerHealth: What was the reason behind Graze being set up?
Graze: “The idea was to help people eat better wherever they are, the inspiration, our unwholesome lifestyles. “Stuck at our desks for long periods of time forced us to grab food when we could, we'd become disconnected with the food we ate, mindlessly inhaling food whilst reading documents and replying to emails. We often ate on the spur of the moment making unhealthy choices based on convenience.
“We’d become disconnected with the food we ate, mindlessly inhaling food” “When grabbing food on the go we always went for the quick fixes which are generally unhealthy and not fit for purpose. Eating like this gave us the energy we needed but not for long and we soon had that mid afternoon sleepy feeling all over again. “We became fed up of eating poorly and feeling rubbish, so the graze box was born. The idea of a little box of wholesome, natural food sitting on our desks that we could
“We became fed up eating poorly and feeling rubbish, so the graze box was born.” pick at keeping our blood sugar level stable and our energy levels consistent was very
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appealing. Not only would it stop us making impulse purchases like chocolate and sweets (around 3pm everyday) but it would help us perform better too. HH: Can Graze help people to lose weight? G: “It has helped many grazers. We're currently in the WeightWatchers magazine and it's been really popular with them. “The wellbeing box is particularly useful for
“We recently had an email from a bride that was using graze boxes to get to her ideal weight for the big day.” grazers looking to lose weight, and we recently had an email from a bride that was using graze boxes to get to her ideal weight for the big day. “Graze is fantastic for making healthy eating easier and therefore losing weight.” HH: Can Graze help people to eat healither? G: “All Graze foods are better than those you'd find in the average office, stuffed full of tempting biccies and choccies. So it definitely does help grazers to eat more healthily.” HH: What are the benefits for people who are eating punnets from a graze box? G: “Graze encourages people to eat healthy at home and in the office, as well as introducing them to new foods that are great for them.”
Above: Nikki’s first graze box. Photo by Nikki Mitchell.
Below: The contents of Nikki’s first graze box. Photo by Nikki Mitchell.
HerHealth Magazine. June 2011.
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Crash Diet VS Diet Club
HerHealth took two women wanting to lose weight, on two very different
diets. We asked them to write down everything they ate for two weeks, to compare weight loss and the food they were able to eat on the plan. We also asked them to rate their diet. Below, check out their food diaries for one week.
Day 1
On a Special K inspired diet is Emily Milsom. She said: “I’m trying my own version of The Special K two week diet. This means I eat a bowl of cereal for breakfast and another for lunch, with a light dinner and healthy snacks in between.”
Emily before the two week diet comparison. Photo supllied by Emily Milsom.
Breakfast: 2 weetabix, 1 banana, 1/3 pint semi-skimmed milk Morning Snack: 1/2 medium carrot cut into sticks, 1 celery cut into sticks Lunch: 40g bran flakes with berries, 1/3 pint semiskimmed milk Afternoon snack: 1 celery cut into sticks Dinner: Vegetable stirfry; 1 medium carrot, 1 medium pepper, 1 medium onion, 1 portion of noodles, half a pack of sweet and sour sauce Exercise: Swimming
“Today, I went swimming with a friend, as it keeps me motivated. We did 64 lengths, which is a mile. I think the hardest part is figuring out whether you’re doing enough exercise to lose weight.” Best part (of the day): Swimming a mile Hardest part (of the day): Resisting food
Day 2
Breakfast: 2 weetabix, 1 banana, 1/3 pint semi-skimmed milk Morning Snack: 1/2 medium carrot cut into sticks, 1 celery cut into sticks Lunch: 40g bran flakes with berries, 1/3 pint semiskimmed milk Afternoon snack: 1/2 medium carrot cut into sticks Dinner: 1 can Heinz chunky vegetable soup Exercise: Cycling
“I find saying “no” to everything unhealthy is easier because I need to stop saying “yes” to food that is bad for me. It’s a difficult balance. I did 10 miles on my exercise bike today. I decided to buy my own about a month ago, as I’m not really a gym goer. It means I can pop onto my bike whenever I want. Also, I realised watching TV whilst excercising makes it goes faster.” Best Part: Realising TV can be helpful not Hardest part: Not eating McDonalds after my friend insisted I take her there
Day 3
Breakfast: 2 weetabix, 1 banana, 1/3 pint semi-skimmed milk Morning Snack: 1/2 medium carrot cut into sticks 1 celery cut into sticks Lunch: 40g bran flakes with berries, 1/3 pint semiskimmed milk Afternoon Snack: 1/2 medium carrot cut into sticks Dinner: Homemade leek and potato soup; 2 leeks, 250g potato, 2 slices wholegrain bread with 4 teaspoons butter
“Today was really hard. I felt hungry a lot. I’m using the tactic of drinking water, whenever I feel especially hungry, which seems to be helping. I took the day off from exercising as I’ve been feeling quite tired, possibility due to having low energy.” Best part: Having a lovely bowl of soup for tea Hardest Part: Only buying a few essentials at the supermarket
Emily before the two week diet comparison. Photo supllied by Emily Milsom.
The Crash Diet: A Special K inspired diet
Day 4
Day 6
Breakfast: 2 weetabix, 1 banana, 1/3 pint semi-skimmed milk Morning Snack: 1 celery cut into sticks Lunch: 40g bran flakes with berries, 1/3 pint semiskimmed milk Afternoon snack: 1/2 medium carrot cut into sticks, 1 celery cut into sticks Dinner: 100g white pasta, 1/2 jar Dolmio sauce
Breakfast: 2 weetabix, 1 banana, 1/3 pint semi-skimmed milk Morning Snack: 1 medium carrot cut into sticks Lunch: 1 can Heinz minestrone soup Afternoon snack: 1/2 medium carrot cut into sticks Dinner: 2 Quorn Burgers, 2 white bread buns, 1/4 iceberg lettuce, 1 pepper cut into slices Excerise: Cycling 10 miles
“I’m surprised at how well it’s going. I suspect it’s to do with me being at work, because I can’t see anyone eating anything yummy. Took another day off exercising, it’s hard to get motivated sometimes.”
“I woke up an hour early to go on my exercise bike. It’s getting easier. Lunchtime was bad, I completely forgot I was on the diet and cooked myself some soup, but it’s the not the worst thing I could’ve eaten. I went to a barbeque in the evening, making better choices, like having plenty of salad.”
Best part: Not thinking about food very much Hardest part: Not exercising
Day 4
“I drank lots of water today to keep the hunger pains away. I’m often popping to the shops for vegetables, as I’m going through them fast. There’s much more temptation to eat unhealthily, when I’m in the supermaket. I watched a film with friends tonight, who were eating popcorn. I was a little sad but they’d bought a box of carrot sticks for me. Its great having friends show you support, it would be difficult without them.” Best part: Having supportive friends Hardest part: Not eating a handful or two of popcorn and just having carrot sticks
Start Weight: 14 stone 12.5 pounds Weight loss after one week on the diet (shown in the food diary): 3.5 pounds Weight loss after 2 weeks: 4 pounds End Weight: 14 stone five pounds Total loss after 2 weeks on the diet: 8.5lbs Emily gave her Special K inspired diet: Ease: 9/10 Flexability: 2/10 Liveability: 7/10 Enjoyment: 5/10 No hunger pangs: 2/10
Emily said: “Since coming off the diet I’ve actually put on two pounds and am now 14 stone 7 pounds, but I think it is fair considering I’ve upped my food intake. The diet was a great kickstart to shedding a few pounds.”
Best Part: Actually waking up to do exercise. Hardest part: Not eating loads of unhealthy food at the barbeque
Day 7
Breakfast: 2 weetabix, 1 banana, 1/3 pint semi-skimmed milk Lunch: 40g bran flakes with berries, 1/3 pint semiskimmed milk Afternoon snack: 1/2 medium carrot cut into sticks, 1 celery cut into sticks Dinner: 230g jacket potato (weighed when raw), 3 tablespoons cottage cheese, 1/4 lettuce, 1 green pepper sliced Exercise: Cycling 10 miles
Emily now after coming off the diet. Photo by Nikki Miitchell.
Breakfast: 2 Weetabix, 1 banana, 1/3 pint semi-skimmed milk Morning Snack: 1 celery cut into sticks Lunch: 40g bran flakes with berries, 1/3 pint semiskimmed milk Afternoon snack: 1/2 medium carrot cut into sticks, 1 celery cut into sticks Dinner: 250g jacket potato (weighed when raw), 3 tablespoons cottage cheese Evening Snack: Carrot sticks
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“Lying in definately affects my diet, as I end up eating breakfast a lot later and therefore eating tea later. So, I missed out my morning snack. I cycled another 10 miles, 30 in total this week. I turned up the resistance another point, which felt great. A little burn on Q & A of a crash dieter the thighs but nothing I couldn’t handle. I What made you want to go on a diet? Was it health or appearance reasons? went to the cinema and I decided to go on a diet because I recently put quite a bit of weight on and started to feel very uncomfortable with my size. So, mainly it was had carrot sticks as my an appearance reason but now that I’ve started being healthy I’ve come to snack. It was exciting appreciate the health factor as well. What made you choose a crash diet over a diet club? having the strength to I chose a crash diet because I really needed to lose some weight quickly to help me get eat carrot sticks, whilst started on losing more weight. I feel wuite unmotivated when it comes off slowly and then am more likely to quit or lose inspiration. everyone around me What made you choose the Special K diet? I chose this diet, as I’d seen the advert and its very easy to follow. which make my life easier. was gorging on sweets, Have you ever been on a crash diet before? Yes, I’ve been on The Special K diet before. popcorn, pizza and Did it work for you? Were you able to maintain your weight loss after coming off it? chocolate.” Yes, The Special K diet helped me lose a certain amount of weight before an important event. I Best Part: Turning up my resistance and completing 30 miles on my excerise bike Hardest part: Not eating any unhealthy food at cinema, and having carrot sticks instead.
managed to keep the weight off for a good few months. However, over the Christmas period and winter months, I put weight back on because I wasn’t keeping check of what I was eating. Have you ever been to a diet club before? I have never been to a diet club, as I don’t feel as though I could afford them. Also, because I want to change my life around and make this as something I will do for the rest of my life. Whereas, I think if I went to a club then I’d have to go to it for the rest of my life. Is being on the crash diet the only thing you are doing to improve your health ad weight loss? No, I’ve dramatically increased my exercise. I have started to go swimming every week. I also purchased an exercise bike, so that I can exercise at home. Weight loss is different for everybody but I think exercising is the best way to lose weight. Then you can still eat because exercising makes you healthy and lose weight.
HerHealth Magazine. June 2011.
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Crash Diet VS Diet Club
The Diet Club: Weight Watchers Day 1
Nikki Mitchell is a member of Weight Watchers and said: “As a part of the diet club I get a daily food allowance, based on my height, weight and age. As well as, a weekly allowance, which is the same for every Weight Watchers member. Food is calculated into a points system called ProPoints. I’m allowed to eat anything I want as long as I don’t exceed my daily or weekly points. However, I can gain extra activity ProPoints from undertaking exercise. “Once you get your head around working out the ProPoints, it’s great. I love it. Especially as fruit and veg have a zero ProPoints value. Therefore, I can eat as much as I feel the need to.”
Nikki after the two week diet comparison. Photo by Nikki Mitchell.
Breakfast: 2 Weetabix, 1/4 pint skimmed milk, 1 pot Asda Double Trouble strawberry and vanilla yogurt Lunch: West Cornwall Pasty Company Cheese, Tomato and Basil Pasty, 500ml bottle Diet Coke Afternoon snack: Watchers Mini Victoria Sponge Cake, 1 mug Cadbury’s Highlights hot chocolate Dinner: Stirfry; 120g Quorn Chicken Style Pieces, 1 nest Sharwood’s fine egg noodles, 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 green pepper, 2 small carrots, 1 medium onion, 1 medium courgette. Weight Watchers Beligan Chocolate and Vanilla Mouse Evening Snack: 2 Slices Hovis Wholemeal Bread (25g each), 40g Cathedral City Grated Mature Lighter Cheddar Cheese, 1 tablespoon Heinz Ketchup, 1 pint Strongbow Cider with blackcurrant, 25ml vodka with 250ml Diet Coke, 25ml Tequila shot, 25ml Sambuca Shot, 1 bottle Smirnoff Ice, 1 glass of Peach Daiquriri cocktail
“Tonight, I went out drinking and played pub golf with friends. It was great to have my weekly ProPoints to use on alcohol beacuse it meant I could still drink and not ruin my diet.” Nikki before the two week diet comparison. Photo by Nikki Mitchell.
Best part (of the day): Being able to go out drinking with my friends Hardest part (of the day): Feeling guilty about it
Day 2
Breakfast: 1 Slice Hovis Wholemeal Bread (25g), 1 teaspoon Flora Light Lunch: 1/2 130g tin tuna in brine, 2 Weight Watchers Thick Sliced Wholemeal Bread (27g each), 1 tablespoon extra light mayonnaise, 25g bag Walkers Sour Cream and Cracked Black Pepper Sunbites Afternoon snack: Weight Watchers Mini Victoria Sponge Cake Dinner: 100g Quorn Chicken Style Pieces, 1/3 jar Patak’s Balti Sauce, 200g sweet potato, 1 red pepper, 2 medium carrots, 1 medium courgette, 1 medium onion. Evening Snack: 37g bag Maltesers, 1/4 pint skimmed milk Exercise: 4 mile walk
“It was hard to diet after drinking the night before because all I wanted to do was eat. I saved a few ProPoints to have chocolate in the evening. I find if I treat myself little and often it stops me from binge eating.” Best part: Eating Maltesers Hardest part: Sticking to my daylies
Day 3
Breakfast: 2 Weetabix, 1/4 pint skimmed milk Lunch: 1/2 130g tin tuna in brine, 1 tablespoon extra light mayonnaise, 1 tiger bread roll, Mullerlight cherry yogurt Afternoon snack: 1/2 400g pack melons and grapes Dinner: 2 tortilla wraps, 100g steak style strips, 1/2 red pepper, 1 small carrot, 2 small tomatoes, 1/2 medium onion, teaspoon lime juice mixed with tablespoon extra light mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon reduced fat humous Evening Snack: 150g strawberries, 2 slices Weight Watchers Thick Wholemeal Bread, teaspoon Flora Light, 1 banana Exercise: 4 mile walk
“Today was a pretty good day, I didn’t feel too hungry because I used the remaining three weekly ProPoints I had left, to have a little extra at dinner time.” Best part: Eating lots of fruit, which made me feel healthy Hardest part: Deciding whether to use my remaining weekly ProPoints or not
Breakfast: 2 Weetabix, 1/4 pint skimmed milk Lunch: 1/2 130g tin tuna in brine, 1 tablespoon extra light mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sweetcorn, 1 tiger bread roll, Weight Watchers Double Chocolate Brownie Frozen Dessert Afternoon snack: 150g Strawberries, 1 banana Dinner: Stirfry; 100g Quorn Steak Style Strips, 1 Onion, 1 medium carrot, 1 red pepper, 1 nest Sharwood’s Fine Egg Noodles, 1/4 jar Sharwood’s Sweet and Sour Sauce Evening Snack: 1/2 170g bag Galaxy Minstrels Excerise: 5.5 mile walk
“I went for a long walk in a country park in Wales with my boyfriend. Even thought it was rainy, it was really good to get out and do something active together and not sit around watching TV all day long. Plus it meant I earnt activity ProPoints, which I used on some chocolate.” Best part: Earning activity points to eat chocolate Hardest part: My legs hurting when walking up a steep flight of stairs when in Wales
Day 5
Breakfast: 2 medium eggs scrambled, 2 slices Weight Watchers Thick Wholemeal Bread, teaspoon Flora Light, 1/2 teaspoon salt Lunch: Youngs Cod Steak in Butter Sauce, 120g potatoes (weighed when raw), 1/4 lettuce, 1 red pepper, 2 medium carrots, 1 medium onion, 8 cherry tomatoes Afternoon snack: Mullerlight Cherry Yogurt, 1 banana, 1 apple, 1 pear Dinner: 75g white pasta (weighed when dried), 1/2 130g tin tuna, 1/2 tin chopped tomatoes, 1/2 medium onion, 30g Cathedral City Grated Mature Lighter Cheese Evening Snack: Weight Watchers Double Chocolate Brownie Frozen Dessert
“It was fairly easy to stick to my daily ProPointa allowance because didn’t have too many hunger pangs today. My friends came round for dinner and I made a nice healthy tuna pasta bake.” Best part: Having friends around for tea and making healthy food we could all eat Hardest part: Resiting the urge to top the pasta bake with lots of cheese
Start Weight: 10 stone 10.5 pounds Weight loss after one week on the diet (shown in the food diary): 3 pounds Weight loss after two weeks: 2.5 pounds End Weight: 10 stone 5 pounds Total loss after two weeks on the diet: 5.5 pounds
Day 6
Breakfast: 2 Weetabix, 1/4 pint skimmed milk Lunch: 2 slices Weight Watchers Thick Wholemeal Bread, 1 medium egg scrambled, 200g Heinz Beans Snap Pot, 1 banana Afternoon snack: Weight Watchers Mini Victoria Sponge Cake Dinner: 150g Quorn Mince, 1 tin chopped tomatoes, 6 mushrooms, 1 medium carrot, 80g green beans, 1 medium onion, 200g potatoes (weighed when raw) Evening Snack: Weight Watchers Belgian Chocolate and Vanilla Mouse, 1 mug Cadbury’s Highlights Hot Chocolate, 1 pear, 1 banana
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Nikki said: “In almost a year, I’ve lost 25 pounds with Weight Watchers. I’m maintaing my weight now, as I have a healthy body mass index.”
“I went for a walk today, making the choice not to use my activity ProPoints and stick to my daylies, to make the extra effort to lose weight.” Best part: Having the will to resist using my activty ProPoints Hardest part: Wanting to use my activity ProPoints
Day 7
Breakfast: 2 Weetabix, 1/4 pint skimmed milk Lunch: 1 slice Warburton’s Crusty White Loaf, 1 tablespoon sweetcorn, 1 nest Sharwood’s Fine Egg Noodles, 1/4 jar Sharwood’s Sweet and Sour Sauce, 400g pineapple, Afternoon snack: Weight Watchers Double Chocolate Brownie Frozen Dessert Dinner: Weight Watchers Salmon and Brocolli Wedge Melt, Weight Watchers Double Chocolate Brownie Frozen Dessert Excerise: 1 hour spin class
Right: Nikki after losing about 25 pounds on Weight Watchers
Day 4
“I went to a spin class for the first time this evening. It was hard but I enjoyed it. The instructor said she didn’t feel the need to ask me how I was because I was do so well. Plus, a woman at the Q & A of a diet class said she clubber wished she’d What made you want to go on a diet? Was it health or been as good appearance reasons? Initially I wanted to lose weight before I went on holiday, so I would look good in as me on her a bikini. But, the longer I have been on Weight Watchers, the more I have considered first class.” the health aspects. I wanted to get my BMI (Body Mass Index) under 25, to be considered Best part: Surviving my first spin class Hardest part: Not eating all my activity points
Nikki Gave Weight Watchers: Ease: 8/10 Flexability: 9/10 Liveability: 9/10 Enjoyment: 9/10 No hunger pangs: 8/10
Below: Nikki before joining the diet club
healthy, which I have now done. What made you choose a diet club over a crash diet? I chose a diet club over a crash diet because I need structure. I need a regimented plan that I can stick to, otherwise I won’t stick to losing weight and will eat whatever I can get my hands on. I like that on Weight Watchers I can treat myself occasionally, with nice foods, such as chocolate or going for dinner, and know that if I stick to my ProPoints I will still lose weight. What made you choose Weight Watchers? I chose to go to Weight Watchers because its flexiable and liveable. I can still go out for a meal or a few drinks or even have a takeaway and know that I am still going to see a loss when I step on the scales. Have you ever been to a diet club before? Yes, I went to Weight Watchers when I was fifteen and lost around two stone. Did it work for you? Were you able to maintain your weight loss after coming off it? It did work for me yes, and I kept the weight off for a number of years until I was eighteen, when I got glandular fever. My health took a turn for the worst and after recovering from glandular fever, I had a large allergic reaction and ended up with eczema head to toe. Subseqently, I was required by the doctors to take three doses of oral steriods, which made me put on a lot of weight. Also, I became depressed during this period and comfort ate. Have you ever been on a crash diet? I’ve tried many crash diets. I’ve cut out carbs, I did a soup and salad diet, where I’d only eat soup or salad for lunch and dinner. I’ve done the Special K diet, but only lasted a couple of days, because cereal for lunch wouldn’t sustain me. I’d eat a bowl and then an hour later, would be hungry again and ended up making something else, like soup. Ultimately I got bored with crash diets I tried and old bad habits crept back in. Is going to a diet club the only thing you are doing to improve your health and weight loss? I strive to do at least one hours good workout a week. Whether that be going to the gym, for a jog or for a swim or doing an exercise class, like pilates or spin.
HerHealth Magazine. June 2011.
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Leek and chestnut mushroom risotto
A quick and easy fourty minute recipe that’s made in the microwave, for women who want to eat healthy but don’t have the time to spend hours slaving over an oven cooking. This recipe serves four people.
Ingredients 25g/1oz butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 leek, cut into thin slices 1/2 onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 300g/10oz risotto rice 850ml/1 1/2 pints hot vegetable stock 250g/9oz chestnut mushrooms, sliced 50g/2oz parmesan, grated Green salad, to serve
Method
Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories: 397 Protein: 13g Carbohydrate: 60g Fat: 13g Saturated Fat: 6g Fibre: 3g Added Sugar: None Salt: 1.2g Tip: Why not try adding a grilled fillet of salmon or a chicken breat to the risotto to make a bigger meal?
1) Put the butter, oil, leek and garlic into a large bowl. 2) Cover the bowl with cling film and cook in microwave on High for five minutes. 3) Stir the rice into the hot leeks, then stir in the stock and season. 4) Cook, uncovered on High for 15 minutes. 5) Mix in half the parmesan and leave the risotto to stand for five minutes. 6) Sprinkle the remaining parmesean on top of the risotto and serve with a green salad.
Leek and chestnut mushroom risotto. Photo by Nikki Mitchell.
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HerHealth Magazine. June 2011.
Page 14
Ten Minute Work Out ...at the gym
Personal Trainer for Fitness Two reps of 12 sit ups with First gyms, Martin Fell, said: a fitness ball “My thinking is that the cooler and more comfortable you feel Sit Up Step 1 when working out the harder you will work and therefore the better results will be. I encourage people to wear the minimum amount of clothing possible when working out. “If you are limited to a ten minute workout it is best to concentrate on the larger muscle groups, so the energy expenditure is at a maximum. I would go for the following.”
Sit Up Step 2
Two reps of 12 squats with a fitness ball
Squat Step 1
Squat Step 2
Two reps of 12 dumbbell flies
Dumb-Bell Fly Step 1
Two reps of 12 lunges with dumbbells on both legs
Lunge Step 1
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Two reps of 12 pull downs on a latpulldown machine
Lunge Step 2
Pull Down Step 1
Pull Down Step 2
Dumb-Bell Fly Step 2