A tape measure is better than a BMI

For those of you who don't follow Australian Football this is Lance 'Buddy' Franklin. One of the games better known players he moved from Hawthorn to Sydney last year for the record fee of $9,000,000 over 10 years. As you can see in this photo, he is all muscle. But not according to his BMI.

The BMI score for Buddy is 26 which means that he would be told that he is overweight. He would also be told that this extra weight could cause some health issues and that he should try and lose some weight to get his BMI below 25.

The reason that Buddy's BMI reads high is because it can only go on weight and height. It can't tell if that weight is muscle or fat. It also can't tell how old a person is, which is important because as you get older your bones become less porous and weight more. When I used to do health checks on older people they frequently had higher BMI scores even though they were of a healthy weight.

This is a photo of Dr Michael Mosely. You may have seen one of his documentaries or read one of his books. He wrote the "Fast Diet" where you have restricted calories for 2 days a week and eat what you want the other 5 days. Whilst his BMI was within normal limits a MRI scan showed that he was a 'TOFI', which stands for 'thin on the outside, fat on the inside'. In other words he had fat around his vital organs. The photos of him before and after he lost a little weight on the 5:2 (fast) diet show that he lost some weight around his abdomen and a repeat MRI scan showed that he has reduced the fat around his organs.


A BMI also doesn't tell you where the fat is, if there is any additional fat, which is very important because fat around the buttocks and thighs doesn't have the same health issues as fat around the abdomen.

Fat around the abdomen is a better indicator of possible health issues for several reasons. These include an indication of fat around the vital organs causing pressure, reduced effectiveness and poor health outcomes. It can also cause breathlessness because it impacts on the lungs.

Using a tape measure offers an indication of abdominal fat and internal fat.  For Europeans the recommended waist measurement is less than 80 cm for a woman (88 for men). This measurement changes for different geographic characteristics. This measurement allows for differing body types such as a pear or apple. You may have an hourglass figure with a smaller waist and larger hips or be almost straight up and down. Whatever your shape type your waist should still be less than 80 cm and you can measure this easily on a weekly or monthly basis.

If you are currently working towards weight loss you can measure other areas such as your hips and thighs to chart your progress. Using a tape measure for waist measurements is a simple and effective way to ensure that you are maintaining your weight.

At present there is a debate between medical professionals about using a tape measure in preference to a BMI score and it will take several years for the change to filter through, however the evidence appears to be mounting in favour of the simple tape measure.

Enjoy reaching and maintaining your healthy weight goal

Sarah

Cream and jam

Have you ever enjoyed freshly made scones with cream and jam? The scones have to have been made within the last few hours, the cream must be freshly whipped and the jam needs to be of excellent quality. Only then can you truly experience a cream tea.

Being on holiday in the UK has presented me with several opportunities to rediscover this afternoon treat but there have been some disappointments with dry scones, poor quality jam and tasteless cream. Fortunately there was also an amazing experience which restored my faith in the cream tea.

You may be asking yourself why a woman who runs workshops and coaches other women about weight management is doing even contemplating consuming a cream tea.

The answer is that one of the habits of slender women is to be able to learn how to balance their day and week. Slender women have learnt how to be mindful of checks and balances. A cream tea in the afternoon followed a very light breakfast and lunch and a light dinner. It became an alcohol free day because it fitted in with the day. I could have chosen to enjoy a cream tea and a glass of wine with dinner because I would have chosen to have a light day the next day.

Life is precious and making the most of special moments, such as being on holiday catching up with family and friends creates many such moments. It is possible to maintain your weight and still enjoy your holidays.

To help you learn how to do this I am creating an on line program which will be launched at the end of August. You will be able to learn the habits of slender women, including how to learn the mindfulness of checks and balances.

Enjoy your time with family and friends
Sarah

Eating on holiday

I am on holiday for a few weeks and it can be difficult to find the balance between enjoying all the delights of the holiday including food and drink, and maintaining a healthy weight.

It can be difficult when people around you are eating cake, ice-cream and choosing high calorie food. Being on holiday isn't just about resting, relaxing and having fun, it is also about not having to worry about many of the issues that cause us stress at home. For many people this includes having to be mindful of what they eat.

There are a few things that you can do to ensure that you don't gain too much holiday weight and can still enjoy yourself:

• Continue to drink plenty of water
• For every sugary drink have a drink of water, including alcohol and soft drinks
• Choose one meal to really enjoy and be a little more mindful for the two other meals
• Choose one small treat each day
• Eat small portions of your favourite holiday foods (this means that you don't miss out on any of your favourite foods and at the same time you don't over eat)
• Continue to eat lots of vegetables (not potatoes)
• If possible have one non-animal food meal a day
• When on holiday for more than a week have one day a week for eating less

The important thing to remember that this is YOUR choice. You can choose to forget all about eating mindfully and continue to loose weight when you return home.

Enjoy your next holiday

Sarah

Surviving airline food

Having just spent over 21 hours in the air, in coach class, I was reminded of the horrors of airline food. It is the kind of thing that I forget about until I have to fly and it doesn't take long after take-off to be presented with a range of low-fibre, high salt/fat/sugar foods.

One of the big problems is that due to various regulations the food that you can take on the plane with you is very limited and the food that they can serve you is also pretty limited. The dry air and cabin pressure add to issues with trying to deliver fresh tasty food.

It can be a bit of a dilemma when presented with a tray of food. On the one hand you may be bored and/or hungry but if you eat it all you may feel even more uncomfortable. Also if you have been working towards a weight loss goal you may feel disappointed after you have eaten it all. The longer you fly the more you struggle with the food.

So here are a few tips to help you survive airline food even on the longest trips.

• Choose all the salads and fresh fruit that you are offered
• Avoid the desserts unless they are fresh fruit
• Fill up on the main course (where possible) and then choose the crackers without the cheese in preference to the sweet dessert
• If you want to drink alcohol with your meal choose red or dry white wine over spirits
• Drink water every time it is offered (you can usually fill up your own water bottle in the departure areas)
• If you are in transit use the time to walk around to help with digestion, blood flow (especially to your lower legs) and you can also get more fluids such as a cup of herbal tea
• Refuse meals if you aren't hungry and have already eaten on the flight, or if in transit you are now flying in the middle of the night and have already eaten as much as you normally would during the day

Once you reach your destination enjoy re hydrating with lots of water and herbal teas and eat something light. Your body will tell you when your digestion system has recovered and you can start to eat normally again.

Enjoy your travels

Sarah

The joys of a buffet

A few weeks ago I was staying in a hotel in Asia which had a magnificent breakfast buffet. The hotel appeared keen to cater to every cultural taste, from the Continental to the English cooked breakfast, from the Korean to the Hawaiian and a lot of other foods I didn't recognise. As with most buffets the guests could eat as much as they desired.

Once I had navigated my way round this sumptuous feast I was able to work out what was healthy and what needed to be left alone. I was able to enjoy an immense variety of healthy food, and was particularly impressed by the chefs whose sole job was to prepare eggs in every way possible for the guests. They had several ingredients they could add to omelettes in addition to cooking your eggs to your personal preference.

There was also a range of food that was less healthy including different styles of pancakes that could be accompanied by the guest's choice of melted chocolates, flavoured syrups and candied fruits. There were sweet breads and a variety of chocolate cakes and muffins.

Over the days I began to take more notice of what people chose. Within a few days I was able to predict what style of food a person would choose based on their body fat percentage, and how much food they would choose. Those guests with a lower body fat percentage would generally choose healthier foods that were more plant based and they would avoid the foods with low fibre and high sugar contents. Those guests with a bigger body percentage tended to choose foods that were higher in fat, salt and sugar, and in addition to starting with a large portion they would go back to refill their plate at least once with more of the same.

The joy of a buffet is the variety that it offers. There may be dishes that you have never eaten or rarely eat, and there are other dishes that are too complicated or expensive to cook at home.

The problem with a buffet is that it can offer foods that tempt the taste buds and it offers unhealthy food in large amounts. There is another problem with a buffet: the price is the same if the guest eats one piece of fruit or plates of foods. People want value for money and it could appear that eating more offers more value.

To keep a buffet a joy (and not an unhealthy feast) start with healthy foods and save the treats for one day a week at the end of a breakfast. Fill you plate with plant-based foods first. Enjoy new tastes and textures and the fact that you didn't have to buy, prepare and cook it.

warm regards
Sarah

Bet you didn't know this!

You may think that the main reason that people eat bigger portions is because they are really enjoying what they are eating. They are savouring the flavour and textures and so continue to eat. Whilst there is some truth in this, there is another reason that people eat more and it will surprise you.

You don't eat just to stop yourself from feeling hungry. That may be one of the reasons that you start to eat but it isn't the only reason that you eat. You also eat to satisfy your senses. If you only ate to stop yourself from feeling hungry you would be quite content to only eat food that was nutritionally good for you, and to stop as soon as you stopped feeling hungry.

You may believe that the foods classed as 'comfort foods' fulfil all the needs of your senses but they fall short. Your senses need wonderful flavours, aromas and textures, and they need to experience new ones as well as ones you know they like.

When you eat 'comfort' foods these are usually foods that are high in fat, salt and/or sugar but lack a real depth and variety of flavours. Before you start to jump up and down about all the varieties of pizza toppings and ice-cream flavours, let me assure you that unless these are fresh, burst-in-the-mouth flavours your brain will not be fully satisfied. These flavours do not come in packaged food (although there are some very rare exceptions that usually cost an appropriately large amount of money to purchase).

When you eat the same foods and 'stodgy' foods you will end up being tempted to eat more because your brain and senses are waiting to be satisfied and it takes more of this type of food for you to feel satisfied.

To satisfy your senses your food should be cooked fresh using fresh ingredients, meals packed with flavours and textures. Experiment with new flavours, try new foods, new aromas and new textures. This way you are more likely to eat less and to eat mindfully and have fun creating a whole new range of dishes to add to your repertoire.

warm regards

Sarah

Are vegetarians slimmer?

Is it true that vegetarians are slender or find it easier to loose weight? There is no easy answer and it depends on what the vegetarian diet comprises. If the vegetarian diet comprises of chips and cola the answer is 'No'. Being vegetarian does not make a difference.

However, if the vegetarian diet comprises of plant-based proteins and healthy foods then the answer is 'Yes'. It is easier to be slender on a vegetarian fare.

The main reasons for this are that the body metabolises plant-based protein differently to animal-based protein.

Animal-based protein that is not used is stored as fat. Plant-based protein that is not used is used as body heat. You would have to eat a lot of it to have it become stored as fat.

There have been some major studies done on the metabolism and effects of an animal-based protein diet (and in this case the term 'diet' is used to describe a person's food and drink consumption) compared to a plant-based protein diet. This does not mean that you need to throw out all your meat, cheese, eggs and milk and stock up on tofu and legumes.

What it does mean is that you might like to consider eating less animal-based protein and have alternative meals several days a week that are plant-based protein. When you do eat animal-based protein you could choose to have a smaller portion and then fill up on colourful vegetables. Potatoes (especially white potatoes) are carbohydrate condensed which means that a little goes a long way.

You can eat more green vegetables because they have less calories and require more energy to metabolise. There is the added benefit of fibre, which helps to keep you feeling satisfied and is very good for your immune system and large intestine health.

Enjoy experimenting with some plant-based protein

warmest wishes
Sarah

Super snack me

Until the 1970s we did not snack between meals. There were official morning tea and afternoon tea breaks that usually consisted of a drink and maybe a plain biscuit or two. Afternoon tea may have involved something a little more exciting like one slice of bread and jam or on special occasions one sweet biscuit or even a slice of cake. Mostly you had to wait for the evening meal by which point you were pretty hungry and ate what you were given.

It was considered poor manners to eat in the street and if it wasn't on a plate whilst sitting at a table you probably didn't eat, unless it was a picnic or a trek through the local woods.

Snacking, as we know it today, did not exist. But that didn't suit the profit margins of certain companies who helped the developed world to feel guilt free and even good about snacking between meals. They didn't suggest fruit or chopped vegetables but instead offered tempting food laden with sugar and fat and salt. Food that our brains and taste buds found irresistible.

There are two main problems with this style of eating: your body doesn't compensate at meal time and want less food because you had a large snack a few hours ago and your body doesn't correctly calculate the amount of calories it has taken in for your fuel and nutritional requirements.

What this means in reality is that you will snack on calorie laden food and still eat the same amount of calories for each meal, which means that you will be eating far more than you need to eat, which of course your body will store for you in the form of fat until you do need it. But you won't need it because there is more excess than you need to get you through your next bought of flu or gastro virus.

And there's more. Your body will quickly learn to expect this new amount of food and you will be able to continue to increase your calorie intake by approximately 400 - 500 cals a day without noticing it when you eat. The only thing you will notice will be your tighter clothes.

To reduce the amount you eat as snacks there are a few simple rules that will help you curb your snacking and could even lead to some weight management:

• Eat mindfully: put the food on a plate (or in a bowl) and sit down to enjoy the food and do not go back for more
• If you have a snack work out how much less you need to eat at your next meal to compensate for your snack
• Choose snacks that have little or no sugar or salt and only a little fat such as whole fruit, unsalted nuts, one slice of toast with a little butter and yeast spread
• To really find out how much of your daily intake is from snacks keep a food diary for a week. This diary must include every mouthful from the chocolate bar you bought whilst shopping to the cube of cheese you ate whilst cooking

Choose one day to enjoy your favourite morning or tea time snacks like a slice of cake or a muffin.

warmest wishes
Sarah

Multitasking is bad for you

Most women cite multitasking as one of their skills. Women are known for their ability to multitask. Somehow a woman appears able to think about and carry out tasks simultaneously. However this is a myth.

It is not possible to 'multitask'; to think about and carry out several tasks at the same time. The reality is that women quickly change thinking about and performing different tasks in a short span of time. Women do this because they are rushed, busy and attempting to complete all their tasks. They believe it saves time, but the science shows that it takes longer than if each task were completed before commencing the next one.

Each time you 'multitask' your brain takes a second to change gear. A second might not sound like much time until you add up all the seconds as you switch between tasks all day. Instead of saving minutes you are increasing the number it takes in the long run.

There are more negative effects to multitasking. In addition to taking more time it also takes more energy, you are less likely to perform the task as well as if you had concentrated on one task at a time and it can lead to exhaustion, overwhelm and depression.

Society expects women to multitask including in their careers. Employers believe that this will be more cost effective but it is not cost effective and leads to employee stress and dissatisfaction. There are also the family expectations that the woman of the home will juggle all the domestic tasks, and in many cases this is done whilst working outside the home.

Stress can lead to weight gain as it causes your body to produce cortisol which helps your body store fat, especially around the abdomen. Stress also leads to a reduced immune system leading to more illnesses.

Next time you start to multitask it would be beneficial to your physical and emotional health to stop, reconsider how you are going to complete your tasks and then undertake each one individually.

warmest wishes
Sarah