Nutrition is a mine field
We get a lot of information regarding nutrition and it can be conflicting at times, confusing and advertising certainly doesn't help. I will try to help in this section as we go through some of the main areas which we struggle with
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In this section you will find some recipe ideas for all meal times, there will be a good variety of meals and it will constantly be updated. I have included the main areas of macro nutrients... Fat, Protein, Carbs and Fibre. This is where you can start to see if your diet is 'balanced'
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There are traditional meals with vegetarian and vegan alternatives. We all have our favourite dishes but its important to include a good variety into your diet and I'm hoping that you will try something new from the recipes that I have included... I recommend the Vegan Nut Roast to try one Sunday dinner. I promise you will not be disappointed!
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I will post up some information in the coming weeks about Calorie intake vs Calorie expenditure. A weight loss program should be quite a simple equation. Consume less than you are burning off in your daily routine. There are elements to preparing a food plan that we need to consider and that is where I can help either through posts or on a one to one basis.
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Many of us like to unwind with a drink and I'm no different. I will post some information regarding Alcohol and how it can impact your week's diet or exercise regime. We know it is utilised as a source of energy and because of this we need to include it as one of macro-nutrients like protein, carbohydrate or fat. This can easily ramp up your calorie intake for the week in a single night. This being said, we need to enjoy ourselves and if we deprive ourselves of everything we are going to fail. Contact me and I will show you how you can include certain things into your plan so you don't have to go without.
After a consultation I can quite easily figure out how many calories you should be including on a normal day and how many calories you burn when adding exercise into your day. This will benefit you massively in a weight loss journey. You will have direction and a target which is the key to success.
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Click the link below and start taking control, you'll learn more about calorie intake, energy sources and healthy alternatives with the feedback provided.
Alcohol
Alcohol is a macro nutrient like fat, protein or carbs, so its important to treat it as an energy source when planning a food diary. It takes 4kc to burn 1g of protein or carbohydrate. It takes 9kc to burn 1g of fat and alcohol sits right in the middle with the body taking 7kc to burn 1g of alcohol! Alcohol calories take priority as fuel in the body over other fuel sources. This is because the by-product of alcohol metabolism, acetate, is toxic. So when you drink, fat burning stops until you burn those calories off.
If we are serious about a weight loss program, we usually try to avoid things like chocolate bars, cakes or a packet of crisps... Yet we find ourselves a little more likely to indulge in a glass of wine or two?
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Lets put this into context by comparing some drinks to some food sources that you would avoid at all costs when on a diet.
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Walkers Ready Salted 32.5g 168kc
Mars Bar 54g 242kc
Cheesecake 80g 257kc
Donut 60g 242kc
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Beer - Lager, Ale, Stout & Cidre
The calorie content will vary in each style or brand of beer or cider. So I have chosen a popular drink from each type, the stronger the volume the more calories the drink will contain, you will also find that some ciders contain more sugar so will have a higher calorie content
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Bud Bottled 330ml 128kc
John Smiths Pint 170kc
Strongbow Pint Cider 187kc
Fosters Pint Lager 193kc
Guiness Pint 210kc
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To burn 180kc you would need to walk for approx 40mins or jog for 18mins
Wine
Red wine, in moderation, has long been thought of as heart healthy because of the anti oxidants it contains. This is in no way a reason to go out and drink a bottle of Red with every evening meal. Moderation is key. The calorie content in Wines vary and I've listed them by a single brand, Barefoot, to give you more of an idea based on 150ml serving of each wine type
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White Pinot Grigio 114kc
Red Merlot 125kc
Rose White Zinfendal 100kc
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To burn 110 Calories you would need to swim or box for 10-15mins
Spirits
With many spirits they are often accompanied by a mixer. For the purpose of this exercise I have taken mixers out of the equation, otherwise there are too many drinks for comparison and this page would become too confusing. Just be aware if you add a mixer you are adding even more calories to every drink you have (100ml of coke is another 42kc)
I have broken it down into the most popular spirit types and in single shots, if you drink at home, we all know home measures tend to be more generous so I would suggest investing in a shot measure to track more accurately.
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Smirnoff Vodka 55kc
Bombay Sapphire Gin 59kc
Bacardi Dark Rum 58kc
Courvoisier Brandy 56kc
Jack Daniels Whisky 64kc
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To burn off one vodka and coke (110kc) You would need to play football for 10-12mins or do roughly 40mins housework
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