Healthy Eating On A Budget

A recent survey found that 70% of people believe that healthy eating is more expensive than the same time last year and about 50% admit to buying less healthy food because it is less expensive. Research has shown that as money gets tighter, health and good food are often the first things to go out the door. However, healthy eating need not be that expensive - we just need to shop and eat smarter.

Here are a few tips to help you eat healthy on a budget:

• Plan your meals and recipes for the week.

• Plan your food shopping - shop when you're not hungry and without your children.

• Create a shopping list and stick to it.

• Prepare your own lunch instead of buying it.

• Eat fresh fruit and vegetables that are in season - when they are at the cheapest.

• If you have a large family, buy in bulk.

Alcohol Free Days

We all know about the health benefits with drinking red wine, including a reduced risk of high blood pressure. However, if you have too much alcohol, you might be sabotaging your weight loss plans. Alcohol contains 29 kilojoules (7 calories) per gram and a glass of wine or a schooner of beer contains around 140 calories, which is equivalent to walking for about 30 minutes. As alcohol is your body's preferred immediate source of energy, your body will utilise the energy from alcohol before any other nutrient. So the potato wedges, garlic bread and cheese platter could be stored as "unused energy" when accompanied by a bottle of wine...and "unused energy" = FAT. Try and have at least 3 alcohol free days each week if you don't want to sabotage your weight loss plans. But this doesn't mean that you can "binge" drink to make up for the alcohol free days.

City To Surf

The City to Surf is now 3 months away (to be held on Sunday August 8) so it's time start training for it. Grab a few friends or work-mates and form a team. This is a great way to motivate each other to train consistently.

You should have a training plan for each week leading up to the City to Surf, which increases in intensity and distance as you get closer to the event.

Contact me if you need any help with training for the City to Surf.

Nothing contained in this newsletter is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.