BALANCED DIET FOR OPTIMAL NUTRITION

Guidelines for a naturally balanced and nutritional eating plan:

*Eat within 1 hour of getting up of bed... this kickstarts your metabolism. Remember you’ve just been fasting for the past 6-8 hours of sleep. *Don't go more than 5 hours without a meal or Snack... We don’t want to teach the body to store food (as fat) because it can’t depend on you to feed it when it needs fuel.

*Always drink about 200mls of good quality water 20-30 minutes before a meal or snack. This decreases your hunger and makes sure you drink enough water.

*Remember the basic Rule of Thumb: every time you put food in your mouth it must be in the correct ratio of Protein to Carbohydrate to Fat... The most favorable balance for overall health, satiety and lifestyle based on years of research old and new is the 40-30-30 ratio diet. 40% Carbohydrate, 30% Protein, 30% Fat. Of course quality of the food matters here and that’s where most people get in trouble. (As you learn to pay attention to what you’re putting into your mouth, when one of your meals is not in balance you can adjust in your next meals throughout the day) That Ratio can easily be thought about in portions on a round plate. The Carbohydrate (fruit, grains, veggies) should make up approximately two thirds of your plate, the Protein (lean meat, fish, nuts, tofu) should make up approximately one third of the plate and Fat should be thought of as a sprinkle. Fat is usually a component in proteins and therefore a sprinkling of mono or polyunsaturated fats (olive, canola, sunflower oils, nuts) on a salad or during cooking is usually enough to satisfy nutrition as well as flavor and satiety.

*Have some quality proteins "ready to use" in the fridge; e.g.: sliced turkey, or chicken, tins of Tuna, Salmon, Sardines, soft boiled eggs, low fat cottage cheese, firm Tofu-dip, reduced fat cheese.

*Eat 5-9 portions of vegetables and fruits everyday *Eat every 3-4 hours on the average.

*Always have a Snack 30 minutes before you exercise. Every time you eat a meal that leaves you satisfied and with a good mental focus for the next 4 hours - write it down, it works for you, use it again...

If you like desserts , spare 1 part of your Carbohydrates to include some fruit. If you like Wine , do the same as above... 1glass of wine 120ml. = 1 Carbo. 30ml. distilled spirits = 1 Carbo. 180ml of beer = 1 Carbo. If you want to add more protein to your meal, simply subtract carbohydrate and fat to keep everything in balance.

The aim is to achieve a precise ratio, keeping the total calories at any one meal to about 500 or less, and 100 or less for snacks. Remember, within 2-3days you will feel a reduction in food cravings, increased mental focus and energy. Increase your exercise level. As you become less heavy and feel more energy, you will naturally want to be more active.

This is an eating plan you can stick with for life. Following the guidelines above, and eat quality foods. If you get hungry, eat. For best maintenance, plan your meals and snacks ahead of time! Take a few moments of preparation before bed or upon waking.