Keen To Be Lean - Durban North, KZN

28/06/2022

23/09/2019

Happy Heritage Day
What better way to celebrate than with a traditional South African braai. However, if you are counting calories be aware that you could eat more than you daily points in this one meal.
Garlic bread is 3 and a half points per slice and is so yummy you may be tempted to eat more than one slice. Boerewors is 4 and a half points per piece and steak is 3 points. Not to mention the pap which is 2 points without the gravy.
So how can you enjoy the day without blowing your points budget. Limit yourself to one type of meat, preferably chicken and stay away from the boerewors which could be laden with fat. Grilled mielies are delicious and are 0 points as is salad, so load your plate with these. A baked potato is 2 and a half points and is a far better carbs option than garlic bread.
Of course we always need a pudding to end off the braai - why not go for old fashioned melktart at 4 and half points which is better than Peppermint Crisp Tart which would really blow the budget.
Remember to drink plenty of water and limit your alcohol intake which is empty calories.
So enjoy the day and make it more about spending time with family and friends than about eating too much.

13/09/2019

How much sugar should you be having per day?
According to the World Health Organisation they recommend limiting sugar to 25 g = 5 teaspoons per day.
The problem is that although you may have replaced regular sugar with sugar free replacements in your tea and coffee there is plenty of hidden sugar that is in other foods you regularly consume.
Check food labels - a low sugar content would be 5g or less per 100g.
Be smart about reading food labels as there are more than 60 names for sugar e.g. Syrup, frutose, sucrose, dextrose, cane sugar, corn syrup and so on.
Beware that seemingly healthy foods have hidden sugar.
Fat Free Salad dressing
Fat Free Fruit Yoghurt 130ml contains approximately 4 teaspoons of sugar. Rather have full cream plain yoghurt
Cereal and protein bars add sugar to make them more appealing. Some protein bars have up to 3 teaspoons of sugar.
Your favourite Cappuccino sachet has 9.5g of sugar per serving. Rather look for the ünsweetened"variety.
South Africa introduced sugar tax in 2017 in an effort to reduce the rising rate of obesity. The goal is to reduce the rate by 10% in 2020. I wonder has this really made any difference??

03/09/2019

Chicken and lentil salad

Here is a low point salad that is perfect for the warmer weather that is on it's way. Approximately 7 points per serving
Serves 4
4 chicken breast fillets, cut into strips
2 tins brown lentils, rinsed and drained
4 medium carrots, cut into thin strips
4-6 radishes, sliced thinly
125ml fresh parsley, chopped
15ml olive oil
4 soft boiled eggs, peeled and halved
SALAD DRESSING
15ml oil
1 onion, chopped
20ml curry powder (optional)
30ml fresh lemon juice
10ml apricot jam
45ml Mrs Balls Lite Chutney
125ml Light Mayonnaise
125ml plain yoghurt

1. Saute onion in hot oil until soft. Add curry powder, tomato paste, lemon juice and apricot jam. Stir until jam has melted. Stir in chutney and remove from the heat . Spoon a third out and leave rest to cool. Stir in the mayonnaise and yoghurt and season with salt and pepper.
2. Mix the reserved onion chutney mixture with the chicken strips. Heat a pan until hot and fry chicken until golden brown.
3. To serve Mix the lentils, carrots, celery ribbons, radishes, parsley together and moisten with olive oil. Spoon onto a bed of lettuce. Mix the cooked chicken with the dressing and spoon on top. Garnish with egg and serve immediately.

02/09/2019

Spring is officially here! With summer just around the corner, this is the best time to lose weight and keep it off.
Of course the challenges remain the same whatever the seasons but longer days and sunny skies prompt changes to your mind and body.
Did you know that on average, people consume 86 extra calories per day in winter compared to summer? Your appetite decreases in summer because your body is trying to keep itself cool. You automatically feel less hungry, which means you consume less calories.
Your body works harder when it is hot to regulate your temperature therefore burning more calories.
Another bonus is warm weather promotes a happier mood which could reduce comfort eating. Those cravings for heavy, fatty foods that usually occurs in winter should disappear.
There appears to be a connection between lack of Vitamin D, insulin resistance and obesity. Research has shown that some people especially those living in colder climates could improve their weight loss if they take a Vitamin D supplement.
Spring meals are often cold and light, we are drawn to fruit salads, cold meats and we tend to make healthier food choices.
So next time we have temperatures over 30 degrees in Durban just think how hard your body is working to keep cool and how many calories it is burning!

07/08/2019

🤣😂

12/06/2019

Too true 🤣🤣

30/05/2019

Some tips and tricks to try to help you with your weight loss.
Cut the fat - replace oil with broth when you stir fry - KJ saved 498 per tbsp.
Substitute fat-free yoghurt for mayo in salads - KJ saved - 343.
Substitute fat-free yoghurt for cream in soups, curries and sauces.
Cut 1 egg from your omelette and add half a cup of onions and peppers - KJ saved 266 (per egg)
Can't resist keeping some sweets in the house? Make sure they are individually wrapped. In a Swiss study, people ate 30% less sweets when they had to unwrap each one. Every little bit of effort helps you to eat less, stash treats on a high shelf, way at the back.
Hope this helps 😀

30/05/2019

Must say I did try jogging once but my upper chest area was not happy🤣

😂👍😂

28/05/2019

It was such a privilege to present talk at Mothers and Daughters Tea at my old high school, Northlands Girls on healthy eating and weight loss.

25/05/2019

Happy Africa Day! We are so different from our European cousins; so embrace your uniqueness and be joyful😀

16/05/2019

WHY YOUR BRAIN GOES INTO SABOTAGE MODE WHEN YOU ARE MAKING HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES
You have been tracking your eating religiously and making healthy food choices so you are sure you will reach your weight loss goal soon. So why does your brain tell you to slow down in the bakery aisle or in my case the chocolate aisle ?? Is this normal?

Apparently, yes it is. Researchers looked at people who had lost 10% of their body weight, and found they had less leptin than before the weight loss. Leptin is the hormone that signals fullness to prompt you to stop eating and is released by .... wait for it ... fat cells. When you have lower overall fat, the body responds by reducing leptin release to signal energy deficiency to the brain. Even worse, the brain responds by trying to ramp up the calorie intake, making you crave fatty high calorie foods that cause leptin levels to surge.

When this happens, try and get more sleep. Sleep deprivation throws your leptin levels out of whack. Eat apples, the pectin found in apples has been found to fight back leptin resistance. Learn ways to reduce stress and anxiety and eat more healthy fat e.g. avocado.

16/05/2019

I have been saying for awhile now that we need to learn to find joy in eating. For many of us with weight issues this is not easy. Watch how this gorgeous kitty enjoys eating without any worries🤣