Weight Loss Challenge

Welcome! Mobile phones turned off Write down all your questions

Who has lost weight this week? Congratulations!

How are you feeling? How are your energy levels? Are you sleeping differently? How are your bowel movements? Are you craving sweet foods? How do your clothes feel on you?

Recap: Last week Who has kept a record during the last week of: Daily food and drinks intake? How much protein you consumed each day? Are you consuming enough healthy protein? Are you having a healthy breakfast each day?

Food labels, Fats and Portion Size T H I S W E E K Food labels, Fats and Portion Size One of the most important skills to learn is being able to read a food label in order to be able to work out exactly what you are getting from your food

Nutrition labels Guideline Daily Amounts Many products in Europe carry Guideline Daily Amount labelling. It allows you to see in summary the number of calories, and grams of sugars, fat and saturated fat and salt per portion and it expresses this as a proportion of your daily guideline amount. GDA's help you to compare similar foods, such as ready meals, to see how the nutrient content of similar products differs and also to encourage you to try to stay roughly within your GDA every day. Of course everyone is different and these values are based on an ‘average’ person, but they’ll still give you a good idea of what’s in the food you’re buying and what you are eating. And remember the GDA values for sugars, fat, saturated fat and salt are all maximum levels, not ideal amounts. You can eat less than the GDA and still have a healthy diet.

Is Fat necessary? Reserve of energy Transport and storage of substances soluble in fat (e.g. vitamins, A, D, E, K) Heat insulation and protection of tissues and organs Limit saturated fats and avoid trans fats Choose unsaturated fats instead which are found mainly in vegetable oils and products made with these

Saturated and Trans Fats Less of these.. Saturated fats - hard fats are mainly found in animal products such as red meat, butter and full-fat cheeses. A high saturated fat intake is a key contributor to heart problems. You can try to limit your intake of saturated fat by choosing lower fat versions of dairy products and trimming visible fat on meat Trans fats - are predominately found in fats which have been chemically altered by a process which turns liquid oils into solid fat. Like saturated fats, a high intake of trans fats can increase the risk of high cholesterol levels and heart disease, so watch your intake of processed foods containing trans fats. The best way to avoid these is to avoid products with 'hydrogenated fat' in the ingredients list. Many manufacturers in Europe have now eliminated trans fats from their products

Unsaturated Fats and Omega-3 fatty acids More of these.. Unsaturated fats - also known as ‘good’ fats, are found in foods such as olive oils, avocado, oily fish, nuts and seeds. These fats have a positive impact of cholesterol levels and are considered healthy in moderation There are two types of polyunsaturated fats -the Omega-3 (found in oily fish and vegetable oils like rapeseed) and Omega-6 found predominantly in vegetable oils like sunflower, soy. Both have many benefits, they are important for brain function, healthy blood pressure, heart function and maintaining healthy cholesterol levels

Tips to help with portion size Use smaller plates Always serve your meals on plates Eat slowly – when you eat quickly your brain doesn’t get the signal that you are full until too late and you have likely already over-eaten Avoid distractions while eating Always eat at the table

Healthy nutrition… Start every day with a nutritious breakfast Eat plenty of good proteins every day Eat 5-6 small meals per day Aim to drink 2 litres of water each day Eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables (5 + a day) Ensure sufficient physical exercise Limit saturated fats, avoid trans fats and opt for unsaturated fats

Next Week Fibre

Don’t forget To bring pen and paper Keep a log of everything you eat and drink over the next week and bring it with you to the next meeting Bring along a friend!