Healthy Tips For a Nutritious New Year In 2010

Did you over do it with the festive season and are now wearing your festivities around your middle? Don’t despair and don’t head for the detox pills or diets; they will have you eating virtually nothing and leaving out essential food groups and nutrients leaving you feeling listless, suffering headaches, possibly nausea and a low mood. They will also achieve only a small reduction in body fluid rather than fat.

Depriving yourself of food can disturb your metabolism, as your body will think it is in famine and will store fat for its own preservation. You run the risk of losing precious muscle mass - this can lead to lowered muscle strength and an increased risk of falls.

The most effective way to manage your added festive season weight is to give away all of your left overs to loved ones and friends, and visit the supermarket to stock up on some fresh fruit, vegetables, salads, fresh seafood (like salmon, barramundi), lean meat, multigrain breads and cereals. Make sure you stay away from the inner aisles of the supermarket where all the highly processed foods are and remember that portion control is the key.

Include wholly fresh foods in your diet, and you will soon return to your pre-Christmas elf, I mean, self. Should I hit the shops? Even if you aren’t looking for anything specific, go along for some healthy incidental exercise. Walking up and down shopping centres and using stairs instead of escalators is an excellent way to walk off the Christmas pudding. Catch public transport or park further away than usual to improve your walking distances.

To supplement or not to supplement?

If you’ve had a big party month and have savoured many a delectable drop, or two, you may benefit from replenishing your B-Vitamin levels. These vitamins are called upon to help digest alcohol, so they may be depleted after the holidays. They are also essential for supporting metabolism. You can obtain B-Vitamins from whole grains, fish, lean meat and poultry, eggs, milk, yoghurt, dark green leafy vegetables, beans and peas, so make sure you include a range of these foods as part of your healthy eating plan.

A multi-B-Vitamin supplement may also be useful for replenishing your levels after the holiday period. Should I make New Year diet resolutions? The chances of resolutions made at New Year actually coming to fruition are very low.

This is because they are made in association with a date; a special occasion that will quickly pass.

Think of why you would really like to change your eating patterns – to improve your strength? To relieve joint pain? Remember, if you are over the age of 65, weight loss is not necessarily best and you may benefit more from improving your physical activity levels.

If you lose weight without exercising, you will lose precious muscle mass, with poor consequences for your health and wellbeing. Contact an Accredited Practising Dietician or an Accredited Exercise Physiologist if you would like some assistance in 2010 – have a look at www.daa.asn.au

References
1. Cook, Z., Kirk, S., Lawrenson, S., Sandford, S. Use of BMI in the assessment of undernutrition in older subjects: reflecting on practice. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2005; 64: 313-317.