Healthy Guide to surviving Christmas Eating

"Moderation, not self deprivation is the answer"

Christmas is coming and while the goose may be getting fat, you may want to avoid busting your healthy eating routine for the sake of one day of indulgence!

On a typical Christmas Day, the average Brit consumes a staggering 7,000 calories. A normal daily intake should be about 1,800 for women and 2,200 for men. But Christmas pudding and brandy butter alone can add up to 1,200 calories. To burn off just that pudding energy you would need to run for two hours or complete a half marathon. It’s no wonder there are so many detox diets and people rushing to join a gym in January.

But the really scary facts are that over the Christmas season, the ‘average’ person puts on between 7-9lb of fat (1/2 stone) and loses 3-5 lbs of muscle by vegging out on the sofa. The more fat your body has, the fewer calories you need, even when you are resting. So by increasing the fat in your body, the slower your resting metabolic rate will become, making it even easier to pile on the pounds.


Still, nobody wants to be a party pooper. Here’s my guide to a guilt-free Yuletide.

* Plan ahead – write a list of all the food shopping you need and buy the store cupboard essentials well in advance. Leave the fresh produce until as late as possible so it won’t go off. This way you won’t end up foraging for fatty leftovers.

* Prepare yourself – it’s more fun and you’ll then be able to control salt, sugar and fat content. Ready meals often have a lot of added extras - so try to avoid!

* Moderation not deprivation! Enjoy your treats but don’t blow out. So, a chocolate here and there is OK but eating the whole box is overdoing it!

* Water up – no doubt you’ll be drinking alcohol so avoid getting dehydrated. Water is key to sustaining energy levels; if you don’t drink enough water you’ll feel lethargic.

* Veg out – not of the sofa variety but of the fresh, seasonal type – these will power you up with antioxidants and nutrients to help boost your immune system after the partying has finished!

* Breakfast – avoid the trap of skipping this just because you think you’re having a big lunch. A light breakfast is important to stop you reaching for the biscuits and chocolate mid morning.

* Booze – Mix spirits with slimline tonic or fresh orange juice and sparkling water. Red wine contains about 85 calories per glass compared with 110 calories for sweet white wine or cider. A less calorific cocktail would be a vodka or gin pub measure, mixed with some pomegranate juice, sparkling water and slices of fruit. At least that way your body will take in some vitamin C. Alternatively, try tomato juice with vodka or white wine mixed with sparkling water, to dilute the alcohol and make your drink last longer. Mulled wine is a better option for Christmas Day, again add lots of fruit slices and avoid adding extra sugar.

* Move the body – best cure for a hangover is some fresh, crisp winter air and some quick steps. A power walk for 30 minutes mid-morning will clear the head, ready for your festive lunch.

..and if all that fails, plan your fitness plan for 2010 BEFORE the new year. Book a Beez Kneez Post Natal Fitness Course, ask for fit vouchers for Christmas, join a running club, check out Gym membership deals. New Year's resolutions are SO old hat, they usually fail by the end of January as you slip into bad habits. Break that mould and think about how you're going to rid your self of the Christmas excesses before Christmas day begins.

CHRISTMAS - A HEALTHY FEAST

A boost for Breakfast
Make up a delicious fruit platter the day before, cover it and place it in the fridge. Go for the citrus fruits that are in season. Try grapefruit, oranges, kiwis and red apples. Add figs and pomegranate (you can blend up the seeds to make a juice and pour it over the grapefruit) for more variety. Serve up with natural yoghurt, some chopped nuts and a drizzle of honey. This will then keep you going until lunch.

Serving up Lunch

* Turkey is one of the leanest meats around and a great source of protein.
* Roast the turkey on a rack so the fat can drip into a tray below and peel off the skin.
* Add fresh herbs – thyme or rosemary and some olive oil and pepper.
* Try sweet potatoes and new potatoes to make you feel fuller for longer and increase your fibre intake. Roast the sweet potatoes in small amount of oil and steam the new pots.
* Wrap ready-to-eat prunes in small strips of back bacon, stretching the strips so they go twice as far.
* If you’re having sausages, buy organic ones and grill them, don’t roast them.
* Get stuffed. Use brown breadcrumbs, finely chopped onion and fresh herbs, bind together with egg and cook in the oven.
* Gravy. Use a few tablespoons of red wine and add to the meat juices, then mix in a tbsp of flour. Add stock (made with a cube) and some lemon juice, stir until thick.
* Veg up. Steam these just before you are about to serve up. Add a small knob of butter and some fresh parsley or other herbs to Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Steamed parsnips are great with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese; you can just grill them for a couple of minutes to make them go brown.
* Pudding –try making up some Christmas Knickerbocker Glories with jelly and berries and crème fraiche. Grate dark chocolate over the top.
* Make mince pies without the pastry lid or cut off the lid if you have brought them. Add a dollop of natural yoghurt or teaspoon of crème fraiche.

Scrumptious Supper

Serve up cold meats with loads of colourful salads, peppers, avocado, tomato salsa, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil. Wholemeal pitta bread with hummus is light and tasty.

Chomping on chocolate

It’s tricky to not eat chocolate at Christmas – so treat yourself to dark chocolate or a small bar of chocolate that contains a high percentage of cocoa solids, like Green & Blacks. The less room there is for sugar and fat and the greater the chocolate taste to get your chocolate fix. Or dip some strawberries in melted dark chocolate - then you have some fruit and less chocolate!

Nice but not as naughty nibbles

Yes to: pistachios, mixed nuts and raisins, mini oatcakes, mini wholemeal pittas with pesto, pretzels and plain popcorn; soft cheese wrapped in salmon, salsa dips with carrots and crudités or sushi.

No to: fatty crisps, salted peanuts and all pre-prepared dishes like mini samosas, prawn toasts and cocktail sausages.

Fit Fun

In the afternoon, get outdoors for a burst of fresh air, even if it’s just a bracing walk or a bike ride.

Last, remember Christmas is supposed to be fun! If you do overdo it and feel guilty afterwards, just look forward to the New Year, get back on track with your eating and take some exercise!

For more articles and free resources, www.beez-kneez.co.uk

Have more energy in pregnancy in 5 easy ways

1. Have protein and Low GI foods for breakfast

Protein sustains the appetite meaning you are unlikely to snack mid morning and your energy levels remain stable until lunch. Many people grab some cereal or quick slice of white toast as they rush out of the door in the mornings. Big mistake.

An egg – boiled, poached or scrambled with a slice of wholegrain toast and piece of fruit may sound like a lot for breakfast but your energy levels will stay up all morning – you won’t need a ‘pick me up’ come mid morning and the savings you make by not needing to snack later means that during the course of the day you are likely to eat less.

2. Up your Iron

Low Iron level is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies during pregnancy and post baby. Iron is needed as your body needs to make more blood when you are pregnant to carry the oxygen around the body. Therefore you need more iron. Without the body’s tissues and organs will not get the oxygen needed to function properly. Your body needs more during the last trimester to maintain placenta and fetus stores. You need 30mg per day in pregnancy and after childbirth. Best food sources are: Red Meat, dark poultry meat (the dark bits of the chicken and turkey), fish, eggs (well cooked) and molasses.

Ensure you have foods rich in vitamin C (50mg a day) when you are eating the iron rich foods, otherwise your body will not be able to absorb the iron. Broccoli, Blackcurrants, red peppers, green peppers, Watercress, Curly Kale and Savoy cabbage, Brussel sprouts (steamed). Kiwis are your best snack option. Spinach actually doesn’t have has much viatmin C as Watercress (26mg versus 62mg per 100g).

Steaming vegetables is best as it will retain all the nutrients (plus it’s quicker!)

3. Improve your Sleep

When you sleep your body re-generates and repairs to bring it back into balance (known as homeostasis). Sleep is also very important for hormone regulation. Hormones have certain jobs to do such as how much fat you store in your body, your heart rate and blood pressure and have a vital role in how or when you get pregnant. Melatonin is key sleep hormone to it regulates when you sleep and quantity of sleep you need. Low levels in your body will result in restlessness, poor sleep and night or early morning waking. It’s produced by the pineal gland and increases during dark or reduced light. Melatonin production is optimum between 10pm and 2am. By dimming the lights an hour before you go to bed you are giving your body the sign to increase production of melatonin. Then make sure you sleep in a pitch black room for great sleep – blackout blinds will help you achieve this.

4. Boost Mood with Selenium

Selenium is a powerful nutrient vital for helping boost immune system, warding off disease and boosting mood. Sickness makes us feel low and lethargic and in pregnancy illness can be make you feel terrible! So snack on foods rich in selenium - brazil nuts are right on top of the list. Chop them and add to muesli or natural yoghurt. Five brazil nuts provides you with your daily recommended amount.

5. Rewire your body

It’s important to learn to relax properly – with today’s ‘racy’ society with everyone on the ‘go’, it’s difficult to ‘switch off’. These two exercises will release tension and boost you.

Shoulder release.

* Lift your shoulders to your ears and place one hand on your chest.

* Does your chest rise as you breathe? Note: This means it is short and shallow and will leave you feeling anxious and low on energy.

* Bring your shoulders half way down, but still in a held position, then imagine they are softening and melting like ice cubes.

* Let them drop naturally to where they should be.

* Feel the back of your neck lengthen and try to breath from your stomach, rather than chest.

Neck release

* Place the palm of your hand against your forehead.

* Press your forehead against the palm of your hand so your head comes forward.

* Keep breathing and avoid pushing your hand or head too much.

* Feel the muscles in the side and front of your neck stand out. Release and let your neck soften.

Pregnancy Fitness: Top exercises to lift and sculpt your bottom

The bottom is the largest muscle group of the body and it's important to strengthen it during pregnancy. The pregnant body is undergoing HUGE postural changes due to the increasing weight of the baby you are carrying in front of you. A strong bottom will help your posture and minimise the risk of developing muscular imbalances that result from these posture changes. Plus a strong bottom is a toned bottom, meaning you don't look pregnant from behind! These two exercises will help strengthen your bottom and a strong bottom is a toned bottom.

Plus - having a strong bottom means you are less likely to experience back ache which is common during pregnancy.

Mini Band Ankle Walks (all Trimesters)

How to:
1. Start by placing a mini band around your ankles or tie a resistance band around your ankles (with so that your feet are just less than shoulder width apart with the band stretched). Stand with your feet parallel.
2. Keeping your hips level throughout the movement slide your left foot to the left about 6-12 inches or until the resistance is too great and then slide your right foot to a parallel stance again.
3. Repeat this movement for the desired reps or distance.
4. Repeat with the other leg.
5. Make sure you keep your hips level and do not hike your hip to left the lead leg. This will defeat the purpose of the exercise.
It does take some time to master the subtle lifting of the lead foot and abducting it out to the side. Start with a light band until you have mastered the technique. Your foot should only raise just enough to slide it to the side which is like 1/4in.

Dosage: 2 sets of 10-12

Supine hip extension with resistance band (Trimesters 1 and 2 only)

How to:
1. Lie on the floor and place a resistance band across your waist and pin it to the floor with your hands.
2. Extend your hips up towards the ceiling keeping your feet and back on the ground.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Dosage: 2 sets of 10-12

So what do you think? I’d love to hear your comments or answer your questions - post feedback or leave your comments, or feel free to forward this blogpost to your Mummy friends.

Why Bread WON'T make you put on weight

I hear a lot of clients say to me “Bread makes me put on weight” or “I’ve eaten too much bread this week”. Here’s the deal with bread.

It’s what you put on or serve with your bread that can make you pile on the pounds.
Plus it’s the type of bread you eat that counts.

The butter, margarine, jams, cheese you put on your bread is fattening, not the bread itself.
Fat is fattening – fact you cannot argue with! Here’s why - Carbohydrate (bread, cereals, rice, pasta) has four calories per gram. Protein (fish, meat, eggs) contains four calories per gram. Fat has more than double at NINE calories per gram.

So, you can see which food group is really fattening!

Bread is a source of fibre and complex carbohydrates, it is low in fat. This means it will fill you up, without lots of calories - so you are less likely to snack too often. Plus it aids digestion and reduces sweet cravings.

Norwegian scientist Dr. Bjarne Jacobsen found that people who eat less than two slices of bread daily weigh about 11 pounds more that those who eat a lot of bread.

Certain research from Michigan State University shows that certain types of bread actually reduce the appetite. The research compared white bread to dark bread and wholegrain, high fibre breads (with small nuts and seeds). The students who ate daily slices of dark high fibre bread felt less hungry on a daily basis and lost five pounds in 8 weeks. The others who ate white bread were hungrier, ate more fattening foods and lost no weight.

As well as not sustaining the appetite, white bread will give you just a very short term energy ‘buzz’ but you’ll actually feel lethargic pretty quickly and want another ‘pick me up’.

So you’d want to choose to eat dark, rich high fibre breads – pumpernickel, wholegrain, mixed or multi-grain or granary. The average slice of wholegrain contains only 60-70 calories and will provide you with a steady release of energy and combat any lethargy for the day.

Swimming for the 'feel good' factor

Being pregnant should be one of the most exciting and healthiest times in a women’s life! After all that’s why you are often called ‘Blooming’ and ‘Glowing’.

So exercises which keep you in shape, avoid any bumps appearing on any other parts of the body and are safe for pregnancy are worth a go!

I’ve put together a series of key exercises worth considering not only for a fit pregnancy but also for all the other HUGE benefits they can provide you with - energy, less aches and pains, increased self-esteem, de-stressing.

This week, my one big tip to help with your cardio (benefits: strengthening lungs, heart, keeping weight in check) is swimming.

When I get into the swimming pool, I forget my 'to do' lists and the day's hassles melt away! I feel like I am escaping into another private wet world, with just a deep blue line and gentle ripple of soothing water to focus on! Plus I know I'm getting fit at the same time. In pregnancy it was the exercise which didn't make me feel cumbersome, heavy or too hot.

You’re supported by the water so it's comfortable and you dont' notice your bump. As you are floating, there's less impact stress on your joints – knees, hips, back - which have more laxity due to the production of ‘relaxin’ hormones.

Plus you can still swim as you progress through the trimesters – there’s not so much pressure on the pelvic floor as there is with jogging and you’re not in danger from cars or falling off your bike, like with cycling!

Swimming is great for all over body toning and you can do it up to the last week of pregnancy.
Id recommend a mix of strokes - front crawl, back stroke and breaststroke. Holding a float in front of you whilst on your front and kicking your legs, under the surface, is great for toning your bottom. Front crawl is excellent for getting great, shapely arms and toning the upper body.

Just make sure the water temperature is not over 32 degrees C (not usually likely in swimming pools!). As tempting as they are you'll have to save the jacuzzi’s, saunas or hydrotherapy pools for when you've had the baby – you musn’t overheat when you’re pregnant, a warm bath is better way to relax without overheating as most of your upper body is more likely to be out of the water.

Caffeine - Black or White in pregnancy?

A question from Sian, whose 12 weeks pregnant:

"I wanted to know more about what is and isn’t safe to drink pre and during and post pregnancy and why it is advised to avoid caffeine?

I also wanted to know whether decaffeinated products are safe to drink as substitutes and how the caffeine is removed from tea/coffee?"

I wanted to know more about what is and isn’t safe to drink pre and during and post pregnancy and why it is advised to avoid caffeine?

Great question as caffeine seems to cause much confusion in pregnancy due to the fact that there have been loads of studies and research about the effects of drinking caffeine and it’s risks to the growing baby during pregnancy. There doesn’t not seem to be a conclusive evidence although results from one particular research in Denmark seemed to show an increased risk of foetal death from increased coffee consumption in pregnancy. These women were drinking eight or more cups of coffee a day and had more than twice the risk of stillbirth compared with women who did not drink coffee during pregnancy. However the women who were involved in the study were more likely to also smoke and drink higher levels of alcohol - both factors which are suspected to increase miscarriage risk.

For health reasons there are some considerations for the Mum as well as the growing baby. Caffeine is a stimulant, as it increases adrenaline levels (the wake-up hormone), so it can effect mum to be’s sleep at a time when you really need it.

It can also dehydrate you.

For a mum to be sleep and re-hydration are key to preserve energy and to aid digestion respectively. Half of the caffeine content in a coffee stays in your body’s system for 5 to 6 hours, so drinking it after say 3pm could affect your ability to ‘wind down’ in the evening and thus be able to sleep.

Staying rehydrated whilst you are pregnant is important – during pregnancy your blood volume expands by nearly 50%, so you need to keep your fluid intake up. Choose: Herbal Teas, Water, Fresh Juice. Decaffeinated does still contain some caffeine so you may want to consider avoiding too much of this too.

With regards to your growing baby, one particular study concluded that pregnant women who drank. I’d consider eight cups of coffee a lot in one day and in my opinion what’s important is moderation!

If you want to err on the side of caution, but would still like to drink some coffee - limit it to a few cups a week. Remember caffeine is also found in carbonated drinks and chocolate so keep these in moderation too.

Which Teas to drink in pregnancy

This is a great question, which I received via Teapigs, the Tea company I do consultancy for and as there can be a lot of confusion over which to eat or drink when you're pregnant, I thought I'd share it with you.

"Was just wondering if you could recommend to me which of your teas are safe for pregnancy? I'm a big tea fan, but there are so many herbs you aren't allowed during pregnancy! I'm drinking super fruits at the moment, but any other ideas would be much appreciated!"

Herbal remedies are usually considered to be natural alternatives to medicines and drugs - but there are some which are unsafe for pregnancy so this is a very good question. Some herbs contain chemicals as such which can get into the placenta and thus into your baby, which may cause complications.

Your safest Teapigs or Herbal Tea options are;

• Camomile - this will help you sleep too. (dried or fresh herb is safe in moderation but avoid camomile oil)

• Chai Tea (contains cinnamon but quite safe as a culinary herb; avoid the essential oil completely.)
• Spiced Winter Red Tea - will help boost your immune system
• Summer Flowers
• Super Fruit
• Pure Lemongrass
• Peppermint (low doses of the dried herb can be used but avoid the oil).

With the black teas, limit to two cups a day, as excess can lead to palpitations and increased heart rate.

If you are using herbs to treat an ailment or symptoms, I'd recommend you
see a herbalist.