Beat New Year bulge the healthy way
It’s all very well to eat, drink and be merry over Christmas – but then you have a heavy price to pay in the New Year.
It’s estimated that the average person consumes an extra 500 calories per day over the festive period, equating to a possible 5lb weight gain.
To shift these unwanted pounds and keep them off longer than a week or two, it makes way more sense to go around weight loss the boring, but sensible way.
A more balanced approach to dieting is more achievable – and usually far better for us – than many of the more extreme fad diets doing the rounds.
Dr Daniel McCartney – lecturer in human nutrition and dietetics at Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) – says we should steer clear of some of the new trendy diets as they may do little to improve your shape and could in fact be dangerous.
Here are four ‘on trend’ diets that Dr Mc Cartney says people should avoid:
Miley Cyrus and Matthew McConaughey have reportedly tried the paleo plan, also known as the Palaeolithic, Caveman and Stone Age Diet. Only foods thought to be available to Neanderthals in the prehistoric era are allowed, and all other foods – like dairy products, grains, sugar, legumes, processed oils, salt, and drinks like coffee and alcohol – are excluded.
But Dr McCartney says while eating fewer processed foods and less sugar and salt is a good idea, there’s no need to cut any food group out of your diet entirely, unless advised to do so for medical reasons. In fact, cutting dairy completely without very careful substitution, the experts warn, could compromise bone health.
“This is an unbalanced diet and the exclusion of grains and dairy could cause health problems such as the risk of osteoporosis and high blood pressure,” he says. “Some calcium may be found in fruit and vegetables but it would be difficult to get the significant amount needed to maintain a healthy body.”
As well as banishing the white stuff from the menu, sugar-free diets - reportedly tried by the likes of Tom Hanks and Alec Baldwin - often ban carbohydrates too, as these are turned into glucose in the body.
But while reducing added sugar and sugar-loaded processed foods, some versions of this diet demand followers cut out all sugar, which is extremely limiting and, potentially, unhealthy.“Cutting out refined sugar completely is not a problem as the majority of the population don’t need it,” says McCartney.
“But trying to give up all natural sugars would not only be difficult but would also be unnecessary as it would mean cutting out fruit, vegetables and dairy - which are essential for minerals, antioxidants, calcium and folate.
“Some people substitute with palm sugar, agave or honey but these are still forms of sugar so really it is a bit of a nonsense.”
Beyoncé has reportedly tried this diet, so-named because it’s about being vegan before 6pm. But after 6pm, nothing, within reason, is off limits. The nutrition expert says that while it’s good that VB6 dieters eat less processed food, being vegan doesn’t automatically translate into eating healthily and eating without restriction after 6pm is not a good idea.
”I don’t believe this is sane rationale and I am not aware of any research backing a diet of this kind,” says McCartney. “Vegan diets are often lacking in micro nutrients such as iron, calcium and vitamin D and the body needs calcium at regular intervals in order to improve the metabolism so to try and make up the shortfall after 6pm would not work.
“Also it is not beneficial for weight loss to consume the most amounts of calories after 6pm so I can’t see how this diet would work at all.”
This diet claims a spoon of clay a day will remove toxins and negative isotopes from the body, helping you cleanse and stay in shape. Actress Zoe Kravitz has reportedly tried it.
But Dr McCartney says there is no evidence of any kind that this practice is beneficial and in fact it could be highly dangerous.
“This really seems nonsensical to me,” he says. “Firstly there is nothing to suggest that eating clay will do anything for your digestive system. And secondly there is a risk of being poisoned from microbes in the clay.”
Eat a high fibre breakfast such as porridge or a cereal like Weetabix.
Have at least five servings of fruit and vegetables every day.
Eat 3-4 servings of low fat dairy such as a glass of low fat milk or low fat yoghurt.
Cut down on alcohol.
Reduce portion size particularly meat - don’t eat more than a palm-sized portion of meat or fish and when it comes to carbohydrate limit yourself to two to three egg-sized portions of potato, pasta or rice.
Take moderately intense exercise on a daily basis such as a brisk walk for 40- 50 minutes. If you are new to exercise, make sure to consult a doctor.
For more diet advice or to embark on a health and dietary course visit www.dietandhealthsolutions.com
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