25 May 2007
	Fine living By Shoks Mzolo Don't wait until it's too late to get on a healthy diet. Better to sustain healthy living than to shed the extra weight

A lot has been said and written about healthy eating yet many - maybe by default - indulge in chocolate, crisps and coffee rather than following what nutritionists describe as a balanced diet. This is so probably because we are too busy (or so we think) to eat healthily and not because we don't realise the benefits thereof. Some have tried, but failure to do it in "baby steps", as dietician Louise Norman describes it, makes it impossible to sustain. WHAT IT MEANS Make time to eat Eat in moderation Variety gives you more nutrients "The main issue for ordinary working people is failure to make time to eat," Norman says and warns people not to wait until it's too late and not to try a weight loss "crash course" - this tends to backfire. "Everyone is busy but turning to coffee and sometimes snacks for a pick up' is a bad idea, and unfortunately that's what many people do when they're at work. And when they eventually find time, they tend to overeat. This could lead to problems like obesity and other lifestyle diseases." Listening to Norman's lowdown on the six food groups makes you realise that this is possible and that eating healthily is not necessarily about confining yourself to lettuce and broccoli. As many people will be pleasantly surprised, a Nando's chicken makes it to her list of recommended foods. "As long as you remove the skin, it's good for you. "I can't say don't eat anything but you need moderation in everything you eat. It's hard work to stick to a healthy diet but it just has to be done. Always bear in mind the list of food groups and make sure it's part of your daily routine and don't forget to drink water," she says. The list consists of grains; milk; vegetables; fruit; oil and fat as well as meat and beans. Out of these are macronutrients or the three essential nutrients in food (see table). The macronutrients' main role is to provide energy to the body and brains. So if you need a "pick up" why don't you try out a yoghurt or a banana from the canteen instead of a cup of coffee? "The three sources of energy are often overlooked for convenient foods like pies, crisps and pastries. The problem is that these are high in fat and calories but interestingly easy to find." The body requires only a certain amount of fat and calories and the rest gets deposited - a recipe for obesity unless you engage in physical activity. Given that not so many people go to the gym - not least this time of the year - it's easy to see why obesity and lifestyle disease are becoming a problem. "Eating a variety of foods is the healthiest way for a body to receive all the minerals it needs," according to a book on healthy lifestyles. Healthwise recommends that healthy eating doesn't work in isolation: physical activity should be part of a healthy diet. On how to prepare healthy meals for people that generally don't have time to cook, the book suggests a few tips: Buy ready-to-eat vegetables like baby carrots and cauliflower; Buy packaged pre-sliced fruits; Drink 100% fruit or vegetable juice as a snack; Find recipes with foods such as baby carrots or grapes; Blend low-fat yoghurt, fruit juice and fruit for breakfast as a snack; Make a fast fruit salad with slices of apples, bananas, blueberries and a can of mandarin oranges; and Eat fruits two to three times a day and lots of vegetables. And if you eat out a lot? Try a grilled chicken wrap or vegetable soup, but avoid cream-based sauces and cut back on butter and margarine. Who said eating healthy was difficult?