Starting here 1 May, you'll find my short tips, stories with a point and useful links updated from time to time. For the webbies, this is my blogging page!12 May 2004 - Rating TV Dinners
I did a TV interview with Channel 7's Today Tonight yesterday for a nutrition story about TV Dinners. According to an article the Australian Consumers' Association's Choice Magazine, some TV dinners do well for nutrition but not for taste. But are they useful for weight loss?
They are, for two major reasons:
- They can be low-calorie -- Some are as low as 300 Cal / 1260 KJ (read the article for more figures) which represents only 1/8 of the current average calorie intake for an Australian male and 1/5 of the 1400 Cal / 6000 kJ that most people should aim for when losing weight. Both these ratios are much less than 1/3, which you'd expect for dinner if eating three meals per day.
- They provide small portions -- If you suffer from portion distortion, and heap too much on your plate, having a week of TV dinners may help you appreciate a more appropriate serving size.
In any case, you can add extra vegetables, a slice of bread or fruit for dessert if you need to eat more to really satisfy.7 May 2004 - Constipated with info
A client called the other day and said she was constipated. I suggested she try eating more fibre. She replied, "No, I'm mentally constipated by all the conflicting information about food and nutrition. I just don't know where to start!"
3 May 2004 - The Low Carb Frenzy
That's the title of this week's Time Magazine Australia cover story. Just check out the following figures from the article:
$30 US billion - Expected sales of low-carb products in 2004.
26 million - The number of Americans on a low-carb diet right now.
1558 - The number of low-carb products that have appeared in stores since 2002.
12% - The increase in salad orders at US fast food outlets from 2002-2003.
194 - The number of low-carb books that will be printed by end of 2004. Up from 15 in 1999.
Wow! What a wave of confusion to hit consumers. The 1990's were low-fat, the 2000's are low-carb. I wonder what the 2010's will be?
2 May 2004 - How to protect your banana
I love bananas and am always telling people in my seminars "Never leave home without a banana!" so you have fast food with you at all times.
Now you can protect your banana from those accasional but messy squishes. Check out www.bananaguard.com which was brough to my attention on marketing guru Seth Godin's site.
1 May 2004 - Counting calories in Starbuck's
If you love your daily Starbuck's Caffe Mocha Grande, but don't want to know how many calories it contains then look away now. I too claimed ignorance was bliss until I checked out Starbuck's website for their nutrition information.
This drink (with whipped cream of course) packs 400 Cal / 1680 kJ, with 22 grams of fat. And that's before the three sugars go in. Dropping the cream, downsizing to a 'tall' serve and going for non-fat (skim) milk more than halves the calories to 170 Cal / 714 kJ.
Given the energy savings here, now I don't need the big coffee, especially if I don't walk past Starbuck's on the way to work. See what's in your favourite Starbuck's coffee.
1 May 2004 - Never drink bigger than your head
In Australia, health authorities consider a standard size glass of wine to be 100ml (around 70 Cal / 300 kJ). I was told by a reliable source, this one holds a whole bottle which you can see, appears to be bigger than my head. Wine should be enjoyed in moderation but big glasses make this harder and pour more calories around your waist line.
How do your wine glasses stack up? Tip 100ml of water (or wine) from a measuring cup into your usual wine glass and see if it fills. You may be suprised just how much you've been drinking and need a reality check.
Get your clients or friends to take this little test and read more about Portion Distortion.
1 May 2004 - What does it take to get a workout?
Here's my experience as a casual gym-goer... When on my way back through London last month from a fitness conference, I went looking for a gym to have a workout. My first stop at 9.30am on a Sunday morning was a Holmes Place centre at Covent Garden.
Upon inquiry I was told I'd need to wait until 11am for an orientation session. I couldn't wait 90 minutes, told the receptionist I was a regular gym-goer, was a qualified Personal Trainer and was very happy to sign a disclaimer to say this. But no luck, no access for the 5 pound casual workout fee.
Walking around the corner, I found the Central YMCA, with a "Free One Day Pass" promotion. I had no hassles getting in, after I completed and signed the disclaimer, and the workout didn't cost me a single pence.
Legal issues about the health risks of exercise aside (I can't advise on these), these two experiences make you think about the barriers we put in front of people who want to exercise.
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