How to eat healthily lose weight and gain energy.

The beginning of the year is always a great time to think about how to eat more healthily lose weight and gain energy. In this post, Emma will give us some tips on how to achieve this.

Emma runs a 21-day detox programme, which is popular at this time of year.  Her clients always feel less bloated, lose weight and have lots more energy. You can book a free fifteen-minute consultation here.

Here are a couple of Emma’s tips that she gives to her clients about supporting their weight loss.

How to eat more healthily lose weight and gain energy.

• Eat your food slowly and chew it well. When you eat, the body releases a hormone (cholecystokinin or CCK), which indicates when you are full so you know when to stop eating. If you eat too quickly this hormone takes longer to take action, so you carry on eating. So, eating more slowly helps you to feel full more quickly and so you eat less. 

• At the end of each meal, wait 20 minutes before having second helpings or eating anything else. This gives CCK time to take action. By the end of 20 minutes, you’ll probably feel full and that second helping won’t seem so desirable.

• Drink a glass of water or hot water and apple cider vinegar before each meal. This can help to curb hunger so you eat less. 

• Don’t watch TV or sit in front of a computer when you eat! Really focus on your food, think about what you are eating – appreciate each mouthful.

• Try not to eat when you are stressed as it is difficult to focus on what you are eating and how much you are eating when your mind is on other things. 

• Examine your portion sizes. Don’t put too much on your plate – you can always come back for more if you are still hungry (remember the 20-minute rule). Even too much healthy food can lead to weight gain.

• Examine exactly what is on your plate. Do you have the right mix of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables? Around half your plate should be made up of vegetables or salad at your main meals, at least a quarter should be protein (meat, fish, pulses) and at maximum a quarter carbohydrate (brown rice, etc.). No carbs after 3 pm.  

• Drink plenty of water and cut down on alcohol as it is high in calories and also plays havoc with your blood sugar. Caffeine also interferes with blood sugar and so is best kept to a minimum. 

• Don’t eat while standing up as this will discourage you from snacking.

• Monitor your progress but not using the scales! Take your hip and waist measurements every couple of weeks (ideally first thing in the morning before eating) to monitor your progress.

One of Emma’s favourite recipes which always goes down really well is her roasted cod recipe.  She serves it with roasted cherry tomatoes and a broccoli and ginger mash.  This is such a fantastic low carb option to replace potato, white rice or pasta.  

Broccoli is a member of the brassica family of cruciferous vegetables — the same family that includes other greens like Pak Choy, cabbage, kale and Swiss chard — it’s an excellent source of phytochemicals called isothiocyanates that fight free radical damage.

It also contains sulforaphane and indoles which are two types of strong antioxidants and stimulators of detoxifying enzymes that protect cells and the structure of DNA. It’s also packed with fibre and essential vitamins and minerals so a fantastic food choice.

Low carbohydrate recipe

Roasted Cod with broccoli, ginger and basil mash 

Serves 4 – 6

2 heads of broccoli cut into florets (about 450g)
1 tsp sea salt
2 heaped tsp grated ginger
2 tbsp. coconut oil
A handful of fresh basil
½ red chilli deseeded and chopped
A splash of water from cooking the broccoli
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce (If too strong adjust to 1/2 tbsp according to preference)
6 x 200g cod loins
A squeeze of lemon juice
Serve with grilled cherry tomatoes on the vine

Add the grated ginger to the coconut oil in a small pan and gently cook through for a few minutes.  Put to one side 
Cook the broccoli in boiling water with the salt added for 4 minutes, then drain. 
In a food processor blend the broccoli with the ginger and coconut oil, the basil, chilli and the fish sauce and if you need a little splash of water.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 180c/gas mark 4

Put the cod into a large piece of foil on an oven dish, drizzle a little olive oil and salt and pepper.  Bring the foil together to make a parcel
And cook for 20 minutes.  At the same time on a baking tray lined with parchment put the cherry tomatoes in the oven.

When ready to serve reheat the broccoli, lay on the plate, top with the cod.  Lay the tomatoes to one side on the plate.

Put a squeeze of lemon on the cod and top with a sprig of basil.

More delicious recipes by Emma that are low in carbohydrates here and here