You are what you don't eat

As a personal trainer working closely with new Mums and women generally, I'm often asked: "what should I eat". But real gains in health are achieved if you follow some simple guidelines and look at what you DON'T eat. here's a quick check to see how you score in the "don't eat" category.

1. Do you have a different breakfast most mornings? Yes or No
2. Are you aware of the 5 food groups outlined by the Australian Dietary Guidelines (or remember them from school)? Yes or No
3. Do you have at least 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables per day (on average)? Yes or No
4. Are you aware of how much water you need for your body size? Yes or No
5. Should you eat more bread, cereals and pasta OR dairy, milk and cheese? Yes more dairy/milk/cheese; Yes more bread and cereals
6. Do you simply eat when hungry or do you follow a guideline to eating? (understanding that diets rarely work) Yes or No

And the answers?

1. Breakfast - include variety. We often eat the same thing for breakfast as a habit day after day, but does your breakfast really measure up? Is your cereal high in sugar? Do you include protein (eggs, yogurt or milk) to keep you feeling fuller for longer (and help with maintaining lean muscle mass)?
2. The five food groups are: grains (mostly whole grains/those of the high fibre variety); vegetables & legumes/beans; leans meats, poultry, fish, eggs; reduced fat milk, yogurt, cheese (or alternatives); and fruit.
3. It's a myth that everyone needs "8 glasses of water a day". Your daily needs depend on what you eat, your size, and what type/how much exercise you do each day. Drink to thirst, don't drink for the sake of drinking. You can also try weighing yourself each morning, three to four days in a row. Pick a time other than your period to rule out hormone-induced water retention. If you lose more than about 450g a day, that means you've probably come up short on the liquids the day before.
4. More grains than dairy (or suitable dairy alternative). But choose whole grains and foods such as rolled oats, wholegrain pasta, brown rice, and quinoa over the less nutritious variety such as white bread and white rice. 
5. Do you eat for comfort or because you feel happy, sad, stressed or bored? Recognise the signs of emotional eating vs eating because you are hungry. As a guide for healthier eating, you can also download a free summary of the latest Australian Dietary Guidelines (54 pages). This is good place to start in terms of planning and preparing food, and there's lots of information on breastfeeding and food patterns for children. 

And of course, if you need an extra hand - particularly in the lead-up to Easter - check out our website, including the Nutrition Complete service.