Slow down your food
Share:
Our waistlines, bums and thighs might be expanding, but our taste buds appear to be shrinking. The lack of variety in our diets means we are eating more fat, sugar and refined carbohydrates - like white bread and white pasta than ever before. Unfortunately this love of all things stodgy and sweet means our life expectancies are getting shorter and the variety of chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease higher. But, guess what, you don’t need to guzzle a magic potion to get healthier; you just have to slow down and put some thought into what you are eating instead of scoffing the easy stuff. We’ll get to that in a moment, first the facts!
You’ve probably heard of the Eatwell plate, it is a graphical representation of the foods we should all be eating. But, shockingly only 1% of the population in the UK are achieving the full recommendations. Just 12% of the UK population are managing to achieve healthy eating targets set for total fat, saturated fat and 5-a-day, by choosing more lean meats, lower fat dairy and more fruit and veg. Now many of us know the essentials, we need to eat 5 fruit and veg per day, plenty of wholegrains and 3 dairy per day, but excuses stop us – I’m too busy, I’m too tired, I don’t have enough money. Well guess what, healthy eating isn’t exhausting or expensive if you are just a bit savvy about your choices.
A lot of the food we are eating is fast food, it’s easy and convenient. It fits in with our careers and busier lives. Unlike the French we aren’t putting thought into our foods and meals. We simply eat for convenience – we don’t think about getting fruit and vegetables are choosing brown rice over white. Instead we focus on convenience. Our priorities when it comes to eating are haywire.
Everything about food has gotten lazier. Family meals are few and far between. We are more likely to scoff a take away in front of the TV than sit down for an hour with the rest of the family. We will munch on a bar of choc at our break in work rather than taking a five minute break to make some toast.
Slow food sounds like some type of mad movement and in some parts of the world it has taken on a life of its own; however it can also just stand for taking your time with food! Don’t gulp your food; spend time choosing your ingredients. No eating in front of the television or computer…sit at the table. Enjoy your food, take your time with meals and try preparing some new recipes. Focus on including new ingredients into your recipes. It doesn’t matter whether you are a great cook or not exactly an aspiring Jamie Oliver – some of the simplest recipes are the best...stir-fries, casseroles and salads spring to mind.
If we think more about our food and actually make an effort to eat more fruit and veggies we will see improvements to our health and weight.
Let’s start our own personal Slow Food movements in the home – choose to prepare your foods from scratch and you will reap the benefits.
Join my facebook page for more tips
https://www.facebook.com/healthyeatingforlife
Kind regards,
Catherine Matthews
My Page
I have looked at all the diets and they are very good, but, I am retired and we go out nearly everyday, so I can't possibly make those lunches, in other words I can't eat all that food, I live a very sedentary life and can't do strenuous excersize, but I'm doing the best I can.and I'm eating and enjoying food I have'nt tried before.
Comment by LITTLEME122 -
well sometimes yes sometimes no. My son has a sparse diet and is fit and healthy. I had a diabetic family member who lived to 92 and had a pint n chaser several times a day. She also smoked had 8 of a family and well was way off the 5 a day. she hated anything fresh and green. She never saw the Gp apart from her diabetis and even then had that under control with her mars bars at the ready., So I wonder sometimes if all this 5 aday helps. She was happy I am not. Thats the biggest diffrence
Comment by NAYSHIFTIN -
I'm not sure I have the willpower to do this
Comment by SPIKERICARDO -
It's all in the planning I think. As the saying goes If you fail to plan you plan to fail
Taking a few minutes the night before and knowing what you're bringing into work for your lunch, avoiding the deli counter in your local sandwich bar and tracking everything you eat on the plan will get you the results you want.
Sometimes there are a few glitches at the weekend, but if you are sensible all week a treat at the weekend is not going to undo all your efforts.
Thanks,
Debbie
Comment by DEBBIEMORRISSEY1963 -
Great advice, I have found that the microwave bags of veg are a saviour as I can throw a dinner together in 10 minutes - that way I don't opt for a take- away when I am tired after a long day at work. But I do take my time to sit down and focus on what I am eating when I can rather than just wolfing it down.
Comment by JULESDUB -
yeah we are what we eat as the saying goes
Comment by KATEMACLEAN -