EAT THIN & AGE WELL

It's a sensitive subject (getting fat). I've never been overweight though I noticed as I hit my 30s that I had developed a slight pouch under my naval. Us skinny folk can get a little cocky sometimes it's true. My immediate reaction was to lose the pouch and so I did. Oooh I make it sound so easy but in reality it wasn't difficult. But then I would never prove to my Mother and many others right by getting fat in my "old age". So why do I and other skinny folk stay thin easier than most?

Oh dear, poor girl needs a hot meal. Ok so this is a bad example.

In order to understand keeping thin (and healthy-looking) we need to insert a little science I'm afraid.

Rapid weight accumulation to the hips, thighs and vital organs such as the liver and our heart occurs when our body can’t handle processing sugars and starches.

When our blood sugar levels rise the hormone INSULIN comes along and converts that excess sugar into stored FAT. The more sugar we consume, the more FAT you’re gonna store. Especially if we’re not metabolizing it fast enough as a fuel source. Eeeek!  But INSULIN stops another amazing hormone called GLUCAGON from doing its job and you’re gonna like what it does; GLUCAGON stimulates a fat burning enzyme called HLS which “shrinks” fat cells. It breaks them down so that it can be burned off as energy.

How do I produce more of this magical hormone?!

Your body will naturally do all the work as long as you keep your sugar levels in check!

By cutting back your consumption of sugars and starches, we enable GLUCAGON to be secreted.

If you couple that with exercise and a healthier diet, the fat’s going to come off and stay off.

Don't Punish yourself!

Quitting bad habits/foods cold turkey for most is too hard. Trying to lose weight through will-power alone is not fun, but eating well doesn’t mean your diet has to be bland. If you’re not keen on vegetables taking over your plate for dinner...remember there are hundreds of vegetables out there. You’re bound to like one. I personally hate mixed salad leaves. They are a chore to eat and they’re on every dish as garnish because even the Chef understands their low worth and there’s a reason why we throw dressing all over it. It’s BORING. Also increase your protein intake to help you feel full. Carbs help us feel good after we eat. Hence the term comfort food...so you need to feel full. Starving yourself will just force you to snack on BAD THINGS.

 Well I figured if I inserted a pic of a doughnut you'd just want a doughnut.

Take some time to sample what nature has to offer. There is literally a shed load of things I’m betting you’ve never tried. For example you might hate mushrooms but do you hate EVERY mushroom? Do you even know how many edible varieties there are and the different ways to prepare them? Probably not and even if you did, can you say that you’ve tried every one? Probably not so open your minds to healthy and delicious foods.

 

THE SIMPLE RULE IS:

If you can HUNT IT, PLUCK IT, FISH IT or PICK IT...it deserves a place on your plate, prepared with consideration. Just don’t deep-fat-fry it or pour syrup all over it ... as tempting as it may seem and avoid processed foods! Remember we are not cutting out, we are cutting back.

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AGE WELL

So what we consume can sometimes produce nasty free radicals which do our cells damage in the long term and lead to a variety of degenerative diseases etc, however certain chemicals behave as antioxidants which mop up these free radical.

 Carol Vorderman embraces aging well and is famous for consuming ingredients that keep her feeling good inside and looking good outside. Carol however, doesn't mind if it tastes a bit naff.

Where can we find antioxidants?

Well there are many sources but I’ll mention just a few (the tastier, more attractive ones):

Look for Blue/Purple Pigments...

Blue/Purple fruits and veg get their colour from pigments or phytochemicals called Anthocyanins (don't worry about how to pronounce it) which are powerful antioxidants! Generally speaking, the darker the blue or purple the hue, the higher the phytochemical concentration. Anthocyanins promote healthy aging! They support healthy blood pressure, reduce risk of heart disease by preventing unnatural clot formations, improve memory function and lower risk of cancer.

Examples: Blackberries, blueberries, eggplant, figs, juneberries, plums, prunes, purple grapes, raisins.

Red/Pink fruits and veg...

 

These contain the phytochemical Lycopene, which is also a powerful antioxidant. Red fruits and veg contain certain flavonoids, which can reduce inflammation. Cranberries, an often-overlooked red fruit that contains anthocyanins, are also a good source of tannins, which protect cells from bacteria.

Examples: Red apples, beets, red cabbage, cherries, cranberries, pink grapefruit, red grapes, red peppers, pomegranates, red potatoes, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelon, guava.

 

Do what I do, blitz the fuckers in a base juice (e.g. orange) and have a smoothie! Too easy, too delicious and as long as you have a little common sense, hard to screw up!

I'll not provide a recipe...consider this an exercise in creativity. Enjoy.