Pumping Marvellous

Whether you’re looking to lose weight or maintain your current size, it all comes down to calories. Calories in must equal calories out to keep your weight steady;

1. Measure Portions to Prevent Overeating
2. Count Every Snack
3. Limit Nibbling on Food While You Cook
4. Put It on a Plate – Put all your food on a plate, make sure the plate size is the same all the time. Don’t eat out of bags etc
5. Choose Filling Foods – Lean proteins like fish and chicken as well as wholegrains are very good
6. Don’t Put Extra Food on the Table – Make sure you use the put it on a plate method
7. Cut Your Meal in Half – Dining out prodcues huge portions – take a doggie bag home with you
8. Slow Down and Enjoy – Concentrate on healthy eating by taking small bites, chewing thoroughly, and enjoying your food
9. Don’t Forget to Drink Water
10. Listen to Your Body – Don’t use food as a way of managing issues or opening a bag of crisps because you are watching TV or popcorn when watching a DVD
11. Cue Your Taste Buds: The Meal Is Over – Many of us don’t feel a meal is complete without dessert. Try retraining your taste buds. Healthy eating means knowing when to stop.
12. Do Your Homework  – Do you know what a portion looks like – click here
13. Don’t give up – stay focussed and your body and attitude will train themselves

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Don’t forget your Carer – Their replenishment

We will be running a twelve part programme of web articles on making your carer aware that they are important as well. We will publish 12 articles during the twelve days of Christmas as per the traditional twelve days of Christmas.

I am sure as Heart Failure Patients we sometimes forget about our Carers needs and now is the time to focus in on their needs not yours. Get them to read Pumping Marvellous between now and Christmas.

Stress can affect eating habits in different ways. Some people will eat anything they can get their hands on, particularly carbohydrates. Others tend to go into a “starvation” mode and not eat much at all. These are both normal reactions, as our bodies behave differently when we are chronically stressed. However, neither of these responses will help relieve stress or contribute to a healthy body and mind.

Maintaining good eating habits is tough for anyone, but it’s especially difficult for a caregiver. Often your loved one is on a special diet or has a particularly selective appetite. There may be other family members to feed, and your time and energy are certainly limited. But you’ve still got to eat right. Good eating is a habit that you have to consciously cultivate. It begins at the shops. Learn to read labels. Start buying foods that benefist your body and mind. If you don’t bring it home, you can’t eat it.

You can train yourself to eat right, one food at a time. Your goals should include foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium (salt), and lots of fruit and vegetables every day, whole-grain/high-fiber foods, lean meats, poultry, fish (at least twice per week), and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. You should also use monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Also, cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars and salt. If you’re not going to eat much, at least eat smart. Foods that have a lot of “bang-for-the-buck” include deeply colored fruits and veggies (e.g., spinach, broccoli, carrots, berries and peaches), whole-grain/high-fiber foods (e.g., whole-wheat, oats/oatmeal and brown rice), oily fish (e.g., salmon, trout and herring).

Vegetables and fruits are high in vitamins, minerals and fibre — and they’re low in calories. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables may help you control your weight and reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease by lowering your blood pressure. Eat deeply colored vegetables and fruits because they tend to be higher in vitamins and minerals than others, such as potatoes and corn.