How much to eat?

OK so what follows is more about how often rather than portion control…I’ll deal with that in another post.  You’ll also need to use your power of imagination in this post as well, you’ll find out why in a moment.

So, getting started…

• Eat three main meals a day – breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Eat three snack a day – mid-morning, mid-afternoon and before bed
• NEVER (notice the capitals) miss a meal or a snack.  If you do, you could be without food for too long and will run the risk of eating/craving entirely the wrong foods.
• Make sure breakfast contains low GI carbohydrates and low fat protein.  Porridge is a great source of this so go ahead and reaquaint yourself.

And now for your imagination…

• for lunch and dinner visualise your plate divided into three sections.  Devote half the plate for at least two vegetable, one of the remaining quarters for potato or rice or pasta; the remaining quarter for your protein, lean meat, fish.  To go that extra yard why not have a side plate with some fresh crispy salad – the raw fibre slows the digestion.

A days eating part 5

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs on granary toast – an ideal mix of low GI carbohydrate and protein.  The eggs are rich in iron which helps boost your energy levels.  Swapping from wholemeal to granary reduces the GI score and slows your digestion process, helping you feel fuller for longer.

Mid-morning snack

An oatcake – it may be humble and at first glance your tummy way very well grumble at the thought of only one, but the oak cake is an efficient way to quell your mid-morning craving to blow out on naughty stuff like chocolate and sweets.

Lunch

Chicken and vegetable curry with basmati rice and fresh mango – salivating just thinking about this one.  This dish will require pre-planning if you want to take this to work.  The rice, unlike standard boiled, long grain or brown rice, basmati will keep you feeling full for longer for the afternoon ahead.  The meal will also slow down that dreaded just after lunch snoozy feeling.  The mango has a naturally sweet flavour tempting you away from a sugary intense pudding.

more after the jump…

A few more smart facts…

• Fresh fish, lean meat, poultry and eggs are all good for you but never eat then breaded or battered.

• Fructose is a fruit sugar that comes in granulated forms. You can use it instead of regular sugar. It has a GI score of 23 compared to sugar’s 65. It’s als0 1/3rd sweeter so you need much less of it.

• Lower the GI impact of a meal by adding a squeeze of lemon juice or vinegar to the dish.

• A baked potato has a high GI score so to balance that high score eat it with a protein rich, high fibre filling. For example, chilli con carne made with lean lamb mince.

Remember, a meal containing a high GI food and a low GI food = a medium GI meal.

And finally for now…

NEVER go food shopping whilst you’re hungry. ALWAYS have a snack before you go – food shopping isn’t the time to be distracted by an empty stomach and lured by the smell of freshly baked cakes.