Weight Loss Challenge

1. Weight Loss Challenge

2. Welcome! • Mobile phones turned off • Write down all your questions

3. Who has lost weight this week? Congratulations!

4. How are you feeling? • How are your energy levels? • Are you sleeping differently? • How are your bowel movements? • Are you craving sweet foods? • How do your clothes feel on you?

5. Recap: Last week Who has kept a record during the last week of: • Daily food and drinks intake? • How much protein you consumed each day? Are you consuming enough healthy protein? Are you having a healthy breakfast each day?

6. Carbohydrates, Shopping, Cooking and Core Nutrition T H I S W E E K Complex carbohydrates Simple carbohydrates Food sources are fruit juice, yoghurt, honey, muffins and cakes Food sources fruits, vegetables, wholegrain breads, cereals and pasta

7. Carbohydrates T H I S W E E K • Carbohydrate is the macronutrient that we need in the largest amount and provides the body’s main source of energy. There are two types: • The most simple carbohydrates are sugars such as glucose, sucrose (table sugar) and lactose (milk sugar). Foods high in simple sugars tend to be refined and to generally contain fewer essential vitamins and minerals. They are digested and absorbed quickly by the body and so provide a fast acting source of energy. Dairy products contain naturally occurring lactose and do not need to be avoided. Fruits contain naturally occurring fructose and also do not need to be avoided. However, watch out for added sugar(sucrose) which you can find by reading the label. Foods high in fibre and complex carbohydrates tend to be absorbed more gradually.

8. Carbohydrates • Complex carbohydrates are digested more slowly than simple sugars. They are broken down during the digestion process to simple sugars. The time taken to break them down means they are digested and absorbed into the body more slowly • So carbohydrates are converted into glucose which provides you with energy! Surplus glucose can be stored in the muscles and live for supply of direct fuel - any further surplus is converted into fat

9. Glycemic Index (GI) • The Glycaemic Index (GI) is a ranking of foods based on their overall effect on blood glucose levels. Slowly absorbed foods have a low GI rating, whilst foods that are more quickly absorbed will have a higher rating. • Fibre lowers the GI in your food • Try to choose more foods from the low GI range. -Tip:Remember that some lower GI foods (such as chocolate) may be high in fat or calories and so they are not a healthy choice.

10. Shopping • Never go shopping on an empty stomach • Make a list before you go and stick to it • Choose ‘whole’ foods such as brightly coloured fruit and vegetables, lean cuts of meat and plenty of wholegrains, rather than ‘processed’ foods that are often highly refined and contain less nutrient value

11. Cooking • Replace white flour products with wholemeal • Add cut vegetables • No butter or sauce on cooked vegetables • Use oil instead of butter • Thicken soup without flour and butter • Freeze leftovers

12. Healthy nutrition… • Start every day with a nutritious breakfast • Eat plenty of good proteins every day • Eat 5-6 small meals per day • Aim to drink 2 litres of water each day • Eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables (5 + a day) • Ensure sufficient physical exercise • Limit sugar intake and aim for higher fibre varieties of cereals

13. Next Week • Food labels • Fats • Portion size

14. Don’t forget • To bring pen and paper • Keep a log of everything you eat and drink over the next week and bring it with you to the next meeting • Bring along a friend!