As the sun finally begins to shine, a sense of panic washes over those of us who chose to self indulge a little too much during the winter months.
Chocolate may have comforted us in the cold dark nights of January, but now as the dreaded bikini season begins many of us are wishing that we had practised a little more self control.
Feeling guilty it’s time to rectify our mistakes; this doesn’t mean try and starve ourselves skinny though. It’s time to get healthy both physically and mentally and realise that a strict low fat diet will not guarantee us beach body perfection.
Fats are bad for you, or so the story goes, but is this really true?
Jonathan Buckley, a personal trainer and founder of the health, fitness, and nutrition website “Peak Performance” says “People fear fats like the plague, this is simply put down to the fact that there is little education into the fact that fats are beneficial to our very existence. Fats are an extremely important energy source and can contribute to as much as three quarters of the energy demanded by physical exercise.”
Unfortunately this doesn’t mean that you can stuff your face with sausages rolls before hitting the gym. Processed foods, red meats and dairy products are packed with saturated fats which are bad for you. These types of fats are associated with high levels of cholesterol and heart disease, so if you are looking to loose weight try cutting back on these; but be warned cutting them out completely could lead to cravings which could lead to you over indulging.
If Saturated fats are out, then what fats are in?
Healthier fats that are essential to you’re well being are Monounsaturated Fats, these are typically found in cooking oils and nuts. Jonathan says that these also help to lower your LDL cholesterol.
Polyunsaturated Fats are also one of the healthier forms of fats if eaten in the right foods. These can be found in fish, seeds and nuts, and are best consumed in whole foods. However, and it’s a big however if these food type is subjected to types of processing, then the Polyunsaturated gems can be turned into nasty, harmful Trans fats.
This type of fat is the most complicated form, but it is not essential to your diet like other forms. Jonathan says “They can increase the risk of Heart Disease significantly, and also raise your LDL levels, whilst lowering HDL levels (the good cholesterol!).”
So there are the basics on fats. Hopefully you are a little more educated on which ones to avoid and which ones to welcome in your must get slim for summer diet.
Still struggling? Here is Poise’s favorite low saturated fat diet.
It’s called the ‘Glucose Revolution’ and was originally constructed to aid people with Diabetes. The unrefined food types, useful carbohydrates, low saturated fat foods, and plentiful fresh fruit and vegetables in it aid in healthy weight loss for a wide range of people. As a result of this, this program is said to promote a “sensible, well-balanced, healthy weight loss.”
‘The Glucose Revolution’
Breakfast:
Bran flakes with skimmed or semi-skimmed milk
Whole grain bread with low-sugar jam
Lunch:
Chicken, turkey or ham sandwich on whole-grain or whole meal bread
Green salad
Dinner:
Roast chicken with baked sweet potato and grilled green and red pepper strips
Low-fat ice cream with sliced fresh pears or canned pears in fruit juice
Snacks:
Fresh fruit and vegetables (Carrot batons, celery etc)
Check out the peak performance website for more diet tips !
