Reaching the end goal quickly and sustainably
WHEN LARRAINE RISSMAN FROM GEMLIFE MAROOCHY QUAYS DECIDED TO LOSE WEIGHT TO AVOID HAVING SERIOUS SURGERY, ACCREDITED PRACTICING DIETITIAN CARLY BARLOW MADE A HOUSECALL.
This month’s Living Proof Health Check segment sees Carly help Larraine with her weight loss goals. Larraine has been advised by her gastroenterologist to lose weight to help with her gastro oesophageal reflux disease.
“My specialist advised me to lose ten kilograms, so Carly provided some food ideas that would help me achieve my diet goals while remaining satisfied with what I eat,” Larraine says.
Carly says one of the best ways to feel fuller and satisfied for longer is to make sure you eat enough protein-rich foods such as lean meats, eggs, fish or chicken.
“A great weight loss tip is to increase fibre in the diet by adding in non-starchy vegetables and replacing highly refined carbs,” Carly says. “Try replacing refined white crackers with denser, grainier crackers and white English muffins or white toast with low-carb breads and wraps and aim for each meal to have a serving size around the palm of your hand.”
She informs us the secret key to weight loss is to eat more protein and less carbohydrates.
“Many people eat enough protein at dinner, but breakfast and lunches are often higher in carbohydrates and lower in protein, so to get increased fibre and protein into breakfast, try having Greek or high-protein yoghurt with nuts, seeds or eggs with low-carb bread and some sliced tomato and rocket.”
Larraine said she appreciated Carly’s advice as life gets busy and sometimes a little push is needed.
“Carly is very knowledgeable because she works with a lot of people with health problems, so it was great to get her expert advice,” she says. “I know that working on my reflux issues will benefit my heart and I’m incorporating her food advice with snacks too, like hummus dip with carrot and celery sticks instead of sweet biscuits.”
“The last couple of weeks have been hectic but I’m incorporating Carly’s advice as much as I can and am having several fish meals with vegetables every week now.”
Carly also talks fitness with Larraine and says increasing resistance exercise to build healthy muscle can help with insulin sensitivity and lead to a healthier metabolism and weight loss. That, together with the right food information, will give Larraine the tools to succeed.
“Low impact cardio such as walking is very good for your health but doing strength training can really help with weight loss, alongside a higher protein, low refined carbohydrate diet,” she says.
“Try to avoid eating until you are overly full by eating more slowly and mindfully. Always check with your doctor or physio first if you have any injuries to start a safe weights program.
“The body has nerves and hormones that send messages from the stomach to the brain that tells us we are full. These messages can take at least 20 minutes to be received, hence why slowing down eating allows you to feel fuller faster and then eat less.”
Thanks to Carly, Larraine is on her way to achieving her goals.
“It was good to talk about things with somebody, so I appreciated the opportunity to meet Carly and ask a lot of questions because dieticians are very expensive. And although it was a bit bewildering being in a show, it was a great experience.”