Dieting after easter?

Are you still stuck in Easter mode? Is that box of chocolate eggs still hanging around waiting for you to eat it?

After a major holiday such as easter we tend to overeat and getting back on track can be quite a challenge. Most of us want to do some dieting after easter, but going into a strict and depriving diet is not necessary (or healthy!). We just need to eat healthier foods and be mindful of how our body feels.

Why is it so difficult to just go back to eating healthy foods?

1. ‘I’ll start eating healthier tomorrow’: This is a typical one that we say to ourselves on monday. The week passes by and we are still eating a lot of processed foods that are not helping to clean our bodies and get healthier. Then the weekend arrives and, yup its the weekend… So nothing to be done until next Monday!
2. Shame eating: “I feel bad about all the food I ate, so I might as well punish myself and keep on eating.” Who hasn’t gone through this one? You remember all the cakes, pastries and chocolates you ate during the bank holiday and feel absolutely mortified. And because you feel mortified, you just keep on eating. First of all, stop beating yourself up and just enjoy the fact that you spent time with your family, had a good rest and enjoyed your mum’s cooking. Now it’s time to reset and feed your body some healthy food.
3. No time: “I don’t have time to shop and cook, so i’ll just order some fast food.” Getting home from a trip can be tiring and does not allow us to prepare for the upcoming week. This all means we might still be eating unhealthy foods that takes us further away from our health goals. A great way to avoid this is to freeze a few vegetables such as cauliflower, peas and broccoli before going on holidays. When you come home just cook them up and make a thick and delicious soup. This can help you out while you organise yourself again, do some shopping and get the cooking going.

Furthermore, after a long weekend of eating unhealthy foods, your body might not be feeling as strong as usual.

1. I crave for sweet foods: Since you have been eating more sweets than usual,\ there is a possibility that your blood sugar levels are out of balance. This means that you feel tired, moody and hungry more often. To balance your blood sugar you must eat healthy fats, good sources of protein and fibre containing foods.
2. I feel tired right after eating: Eating a meal that is filled with simple carbohydrates might leave you feeling hungry and tired. What happens is that your blood sugar levels spike up and then they come down very dramatically. This will drain your energy and make you feel hungry faster. Eating more complex carbohydrates, fibre and healthy fats will help to avoid your sugar levels to plummet and take all that energy away.
3. My stomach is feeling weak and my digestion is off: After eating heavily processed foods, our bodies lose lots of the microorganisms that help our immune and digestive system to work well. Add a few probiotic foods that will help replenish your body of this so needed helpful bacteria.

Get yourself organised and get back on track. Your body needs to be in balance in order for you to function properly, have energy and become healthier. Eat more home cooked meals, include more whole foods and be aware of the food you are eating when you are away from home.

This chart is an easy way to understand the difference between complex carbohydrates (good carbs) and simple carbohydrates (bad carbs). They are partly responsible of helping with your blood sugar levels, weight loss and good digestion.

What are carbohydrates?

What is the GI in food and how does it affect us?

Benefits of eating fermented foods

Fermented foods have been part of the human diet for thousands of years, there have even been findings that date this process back to 9,000 years ago in China and Georgia. In ancient times it was used to preserve food during the long seasons and between harvests. This would allow for people to have access to different foods all year round, without really knowing why. It wasn’t until the 1850’s that Louis Pasteur discovered that fermentation was caused by living organisms, causing food to change taste and appearance. 

In more strict terms, fermentation is the chemical transformation of organic substances into simpler compounds by the action of enzymes, complex organic catalysts, which are produced by microorganisms such as molds, yeasts, or bacteria. The process is made by breaking down sugar to alcohol, gases and acids with the help yeast or bacteria.

Fermentation is a practice that is still popular in many cultures around the world. These include countries in Asia, North, Central and South America and Europe. It can be made with dairy, vegetables, fruits, wheat and even meat produce. For example, real chocolate is made by fermenting the cocoa beans under certain atmospheric conditions that will help the process.

Even though fermentation has been present throughout time and in various cultures, people were not aware of the great benefits it can have in the human body. until fairly recent. Among the main benefits of fermented foods I can include:

• Improved digestion: Since the fermentation process acts as a predigestion to food, it makes it more bioavailable and your body will have an easier time digesting.
• Increased nutrients of food: Since fermentation makes food more bioavailable, you will get more nutrients from your food, comparing to when you eat certain foods raw or cooked. This includes dairy, fruits, vegetables, beans and grains.
• Reduced anti nutrients: Fermentation will break down anti nutrients such as phytic acid, oxalates, phenols and tannins. This will help increase the amount of nutrients you get from your food and will help the process of digestion.
• Great source of probiotic: Fermented foods contain many strains of probiotics that rebalance the bacteria in the gut.
• Supports immune system: Your gut needs to be strong in order to support your immune and digestive system, this is why including them in your diet is so important. Since probiotics help to feed the gut, this will in return reduce any negative reactions to foods and gastrointestinal discomforts.
• Save a buck: If you are in a tight budget, it can be a much cheaper alternative to supplements if they are consumed regularly.

In all, fermented foods are very important to include in your diet. Foods such as kefir, natural yogurt, kimchee, sauerkraut, tempeh, miso paste and kombucha are great alternatives and are easy to find in stores. Most of them you could even make them at home.

Now, it’s recipe time!

GLUTEN FREE KEFIR MUFFINS from Cultures for Health 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 To 1 Baking flour (or gluten-free flour of choice)
• 2 cups milk kefir
• 2/3 cups honey or maple syrup
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 4 Tbsp. melted butter or melted coconut oil
• 1 handful of add-ins of your choice (diced apple, chocolate chips, raisins, orange zest, etc.)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Mix together gluten-free baking flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. Add milk kefir, lightly beaten eggs, honey and melted butter or oil and mix.
4. Add any additional desired ingredients such as raisins, chocolate chips, diced apples, etc.
5. Spoon batter into a muffin tray that has been buttered or lined with paper liners. (Silicone muffin trays are especially handy!)
6. Place in preheated oven and bake 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a muffin.
7. Enjoy your delicious, gluten-free kefir muffins!