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"I just get so busy and I know I should eat...but
I just forget!" says Caroline, a business consultant.
Caroline is not anorexic or bulimic. In fact, she loves
her food. But she has disordered eating habits. At the end of the day she is too tired to do anything - even eat
a proper meal. Caroline either makes a huge meal at dinnertime, or eats a bag of crisps then goes to bed! She forgets
her body needs the fuel to actually allow her to operate...a car can't go anywhere without gas.
We need around 1200 calories per day just to function.
Naturally we need more fuel to get us through the day, so in reality you might need 1600 to 2000 calories every
day to get you through your daily routine....more if you exercise.
Nutrition adviser for The Physician and Sportsmedicine Online
Nancy Clark says: "If you are maintaining your weight even though you eat far less food than you need, your
body is likely conserving energy by slowing down its processes. You wind up with cold hands and feet, sluggishness
during daily activities, and loss of your menstrual period."
A good breakfast really is the first major fuel stop. Breakfast
literally means breaking the overnight fast. A good, hearty breakky like porridge with fruit, bran, milk and honey
will keep you going for a while. If the thought of porridge makes you hold your stomach, try a good cereal or some
whole grain toast and fruit. A squashed banana on rye bread toast with honey and pecan nuts is still my favorite!
According to the American Dietetic Association, 28 percent
of Americans either skip meals or eat on the run. Perhaps this is a sign of these busy times we live in where work
comes first, and our health a poor second.
Take time out for lunch! Don't eat in the car while you're
driving. Apart from being potentially dangerous, it's a bad habit because you tend to gulp down your food! Drag
yourself away from your desk for at least 15 minutes. The world will not stop spinning while you're on a break!
If you really do have an enormously hectic schedule and
you can't leave your desk, then perhaps you want to have a good look at what you're doing. Are you time poor because
you're not working efficiently? This will lead to stress and disordered eating habits. What's the point of doing
a job if you're too sick to perform? Being stressed can also make you skip meals. Not eating properly leaves your
immune system in disarray and you will eventually make yourself ill. It can turn into a vicious cycle.
Our friendly dietitian Lyndel Costain says: "Our bodies
need and like a regular supply of fuel for energy and nutrients. And if we go for more than 5 hours or so without
eating it's easy to feel tired and irritable as blood sugar levels drop. Planning in a lunch break or some regular
snacks helps us get through the day and function at our best. Eating regular meals also helps regulate appetite
and intake, and regular eaters find it easier to manage their weight, compared to people who don't eat all day
- then eat loads in the evening because they're tired and famished." Lyndel advises us to plan ahead by having
nourishing snacks and food at work and home. She lists some yummy and healthy treats to top up our fuel tanks across
the day:
Fresh
fruit and pure juices - as well as favorites like apples,
bananas and pears. Tantalize your tastebuds with more exotic varieties such as kiwifruit (cut in half, eat with
a spoon like a boiled egg), melon, lychees, grapes, fresh dates, cherries, strawberries. Get colorful! Generally,
the deeper the color the more antioxidant-rich the fruit.
Calcium-packed
tubs of fruit yogurt - or fromage frais, creamed rice
and custard. Choose low fat varieties. Some are long life and don't need a fridge for storage.
Low
fat soft cheese - or flavored cottage cheese, humus,
salsa, tzatziki. Perfect to spread on fresh, crusty rolls or crisp crackers, as part of lunch or a healthy snack.
Easy
to eat vegetables - cherry tomatoes, peppers, carrots,
celery, radish. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge. Have with a bought lunch, as a healthy nibble or with
dips (above).
Bread
sticks - a low fat crunch alternative to crisps. Look
for flavored varieties. Keep in a sealed container.
Dried
fruit and canned fruit in juice - mini packs or cans
of apricots, sultanas, prunes, whatever - for a fat free, nutrient-charged energy boost.
Cereal
bars, reduced fat flapjacks - lower fat alternatives
to chocolate.
Nuts
and seeds - highly nutritious and brimming with protein,
selenium, zinc, magnesium and folic acid... but also high fat. Look out for 25g bags (50g at most - contains 300
calories) or bring in a daily ration out of a big bag from home.
Unfortunately, dinnertime is where we're tempted to, as
Lyndel Costain said, make up for that skipped lunch and eat more than we should. Or we're just too tired and end
up eating nothing! This, of course, confuses our eating signals. Some people really don't feel like a huge dinner
- that's fine. But if you're hungry or you have skipped lunch, then you must eat something. You may think 'I'm
just sleeping so it doesn't matter'. Actually it does matter. As Nancy Clark said above, the body needs calories
to perform basic maintenance, and our internal repair people are very busy while we sleep. In the back of your
mind, stashed away in a dark corner, the thought 'I will lose weight' is always there. We all know this is false
logic as the body slows down when you starve yourself.
Fuel up and really seize the day!
P.S. Keep an eye out for Lyndel Costain's first book Super Nutrients,
due out in May. We will certainly tell you more about it here! Advance orders available through Amazon.
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