TheGo asks our local, qualified and respected nutritionists a question that has been puzzling you. We can’t deny that most of us over-indulge over the festive season, so what is the best way to become a leaner, more streamlined version of you in 2015? If you have a food query for our expert panel to answer, please email [email protected].
Mitch Smith – Health Management
Do you have a dream to sprint up hills like Rafal Majka? It all starts with a dream, so why not set a long term goal this year to shed some unwanted kilos and increase your power-to-weight ratio on the bike? Chances are, unless you are 62kg, you are not going to win the climber classification in the Tour de France, but you will probably be able to destroy your best mate when you jump up out of the saddle carrying 5kg-7kg less, especially when your best mate is still chowing down on a cream bun… It can be a balancing act, because you don’t want to starve yourself and have nothing in the tank, but on the other hand, if you are not strict enough, you won’t see results. Use your training as the driver for fat loss and think about your diet as the facilitator. It’s all about: ‘How can I get the most out of my training, without putting too many unwanted calories in?’
Here are five hot tips to shredding for 2015:
- Think about reducing your ‘excess’ carbohydrates when you are not training; i.e. go for a homemade salad with lean meat at lunch and a piece of fruit rather than a sandwich or a wrap.
- It isn’t about cutting out carbohydrates, but they are generally where your excess calories come from.
- Go for small hits of protein throughout the day – a boiled egg, 95g tin fish or 170g tub Greek yoghurt – this will help to maintain lean muscle
- Drink plenty of water – thirst is often confused with hunger
- Cut out liquid calories when NOT training – soft drink, juice, cordial, sports drinks
And remember: DON’T RESTRICT YOUR CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE AROUND TRAINING!
About Mitch Smith
Health Management
As an accredited dietitian and accredited sports dietitian; it’s Mitch’s mission to debunk as many nutrition myths as possible. He works with elite professional athletes from a range of sports such as triathlon, body building and football, as well as the Cairns Taipans NBL team (don’t hold that against him!). Mitch has a passion for helping men lose weight and get fit and healthy. He practises what he preaches and translates complicated nutritional jargon into easy-to-understand advice. Mitch has just completed his first Half Ironman in Cairns.
Brie Salagaras – Compleat Nutrition
Often I hear, ‘I’m too tired, too busy, too stressed, or I don’t have enough time to lose weight.’ To successfully lose weight we need to address the barriers that stop us from achieving our goals.
Here are five tips for busy people wanting to trim up:
- Get organised – Plan what meals you are going to have for the week, write a shopping list and set a day/time to go grocery shopping.
- Make goals – At the end of each week write down one thing you did well and one thing you did poorly in relation to your eating habits and the following week make that your next goal.
- Schedule appointments with yourself – If you often find you lack time or are too busy, schedule in times to eat, exercise or prepare your meals. These are just as important as your normal meetings.
- Make smart calorie choices – We don’t need to upgrade meal sizes every time we are asked; we can get the grilled option instead of the deep fried, or swap calorie dense drinks like soft drink to soda water.
- Eat small frequent meals – By having small frequent meals anywhere from 6-8 times a day you will find your body is better fuelled, allowing you to better in control of what goes in your mouth. And remember to slow down and chew!
Do you have a barrier to weight loss? We need to ask ourselves why these things are occurring and address these issues first otherwise we won’t succeed at achieving our goals. So make a change and start setting your goals now.
About Brie Salagaras
Compleat Nutrition
Brie has studied a Bachelor of Health and Exercise Science, Masters of Nutrition and Dietetics and a Certificate of Diabetes Education. She is currently completing another masters degree in Exercise Physiology Chronic Disease Rehabilitation. Brie is a strong advocate for a holistic approach to a healthy living and incorporating both a healthy diet and exercise into each and every day.
The information provided is general in nature and should not substitute any health or medical advice. Please consult a qualified professional to assist with any specific conditions or queries. The opinions expressed as those of the individual columnists. You know the drill…
