This page contains answers to many frequently asked questions. If you have a query please feel free to contact us, as the answer to your question is sure to help others too.
46 frequently asked questions found
I’ve been on lots of diets in the past. I can be “good” for a while and then I relapse. Any ideas on what I should do?
Stop “dieting” and look at what you eat and when? Try to eat healthy meals regularly.
When you label food as being “good” or “bad” then you tend to do the same with labeling your self. You are not a “good” or “bad” person based on the food that you eat but on who you are.
All food is “good”. A packet of crisps would be a meal to those who are starving. At the moment the crisps may be less appropriate for you because you are carrying more fat than your system is able to process. Put simply you need to stop eating high fat foods for a while so that your body can catch up.
In the meantime keep a diary of your fluid and food intake and exercise each day. Make sure that you honestly record everything including the extra foods that you pick at and you will soon see a pattern of behaviour emerge. Are you skipping main meals in favour of higher energy in-between meal snacks? For personal assistance contact us or your local dietitian.
What is a dietitian?
A registered professional, trained in the science of nutrition and diet therapy, qualified to work in areas that require nutritional assessment and counselling. A dietitian may work in a variety of settings ranging from clinical, community nutrition and sports or medical representatives to the food industry, research and education. Effective nutritional management strategies, based upon current scientific evidence, are used to help individuals or groups to improve their health through nutrition.
We have fish and chips for tea most Friday nights. All the family loves it. But I’ve heard this may not be a good idea if someone is trying to lose weight. So what else should I try?
A meal comprised of 2 pieces of battered fish and a handful of chips contains around 95g of fat (most of which is saturated fat), compared to a hamburger (a burger bun, meat patty, onion rings and salad) which contains around 15g. Most takeaways are fried in meat talo (saturated fat) rather than in oil (unsaturated). While oil is better for heart health the kilojoule content of both fats are the same. Healthier takeaways with less fat and energy would include: sushi; Asian meals using boiled rather than fried rice; souvlaki; Pizza’s (not meat lovers); Hamburgers and Subway®.
Every time I go onto a diet I end up eating more biscuits and lollies than ever. I just can’t help it. It’s so unfair!
It is time to stop looking at weight loss as “dieting” (going without) and instead recognize that you have a health problem that only you can fix. No one else can swallow for you.
You are carrying more fat than you can process at anyone time. Think of the excess fat you have collected around your abdomen as being rather like a “blocked sink. Once you have off loaded some of it the organs that help you to digest fat and sugar (i.e. your gall bladder, liver and pancreas) will be able to do their job more efficiently than they are able to now. So in time you will be able to eat the odd biscuit and lolly without weight gain. (However don’t be surprised if by then they no longer appeal as a snack).
Lollies and biscuits are high GI foods which only satisfy hunger for around 30minutes compared to foods with a low GI such as a piece of fruit or bread that would take at least 2 hours to digest. Also the higher fibre content of the low GI foods help you to absorb less fat thereby aiding weight loss.
So come on, aim to loose a realistic 10kg in 3 months (100g off per day), eat sensibly, start recording your food and fluid intake and daily exercise and notice how much better you will feel in a matter of days.
Is it true that it is harder for overweight people to lose weight as they gets older?
Generally yes. This is because as organs such as the liver, gall bladder and pancreas age they tend to secrete less pancreatic enzymes, bile acids and salts than they did when they were younger. Therefore dietary sugar and fat are digested less efficiently by these secretions leading to weight gain. As people age they may exercise less and drink less water. If these factors are associated with lifestyles that encourage more travel, social eating and drinking away from home (where there is less control over meal preparation) then the likelihood of weight gain (particularly around the abdomen) increases.
I’m convinced that skipping meals and eating late at night is why I am overweight. But I get so busy at work that it is 3pm before I even notice lunch has gone by. What can I do?
These are certainly common reasons for weight gain. Begin with a substantial breakfast of cereal, fruit and yoghurt. Add toast if you are unable to have something to eat mid morning.
Try to take a packed lunch that includes some protein rich food e.g. a roll filled with tuna, cheese or egg and salad and some fruit. You may need to set your watch or computer to 12.30 or 1pm to remind you to grab that bite to eat. Be sure to take some fruit for afternoon tea and if possible have a milk drink as well. Keep a drink bottle handy and remember to refill this throughout the day. If you take the trouble to eat well throughout the day then you will accomplish your tasks in half the time, more accurately and with time and energy spare to fit in a good walk or gym session on the way home.
Why is it that after a very good meal at night I’m still hungry and picking after tea? What can be done?
This is quite a common concern. When people are rushing around all day their mind is focused on their work and so they take less time over their meals and often don’t recognize that they are hungry until they get home. Try having a berry or banana milkshake (using calcium enriched low fat milk, vanilla fruit and some sweetener) before dinner.
Make sure that your evening meal contains plenty of vegetables, pasta, rice or potato and a small piece of lean meat. An hour or two after dinner plan to have a supper such as a piece of fruit or thin toast with a milk drink before bedtime. You will not only sleep well but be less tempted to pick at high fat snacks throughout the night.
My 10mth old daughter seems to gag on lumpy foods and I’m afraid she may never stop eating purees. What can I do?
Children need to chew in order to develop strong teeth, gums and jaw. Introduce lumpy food around 9mths of age. Start with stewed apple as when cooked this can be taken from a puree/sauce consistency through to mashed and sliced/translucent stage.
When at the final sliced / translucent stage place a piece of this apple about the size of a pea onto a spoon with some of the apple juice. It may pass in and out of your baby’s mouth back onto the spoon a couple of times (rather like posting a letter) before they finally swallow. After that it becomes a lot easier. Moving from the puree to the mashed stage is easy using vegetables such as potato, carrot, parsnip and spinach. Adding gravy to solid foods can also help. To introduce cooked meat flake it and stir into mashed potato. By 12 months most children can hold onto a small sausage or crust and feed themselves.
My 4yr old boy refuses to try new foods. I worry that he isn’t eating all the nutrients that he needs to grow with. What can I do?
Keep a diary for a week and you will soon see where he is getting his kilojoules from. Try mixing new foods in with those that are already familiar. For instance, if he will eat a cheese toasted sandwich try adding crushed pineapple to it. If he eats mashed potato try adding parsley or cheese or carrot to this. If he will eat ice cream try buying frozen yoghurt instead. If he won’t eat vegetables cooked try them raw in a salad, as coleslaw or as part of a small homemade burger. Try brown toast before brown bread. Work out which class of foods (i.e. food group) that he won’t eat. Is it meat- dairy- bread and cereals-fruit and vegetables? Also look at some of his snacks. If he will eat chips but not potato it may be time to run out of chips. If you keep a food record you will have more to talk over with us or your local dietitian.
How can I get my child to eat more vegetables?
Look first at how much you serve them. The 5+ NZ Vegetable Federation (Vegefed®) promotion encourages us all to eat 3 servings of vegetables and 2 fruits each day the size of the recipient’s hand, i.e. the size of your child’s hand not yours. Children can become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of food offered. Also try to interest your child in vegetable growth and preparation. Can you start growing a small garden or garden pot? Radishes and herbs grow very quickly. Get them to help count fruit and vegetables into bags at the supermarket or as they get older get them to help make a simple salad. Over the holidays you could also try making men and animals using vegetables and toothpicks for sticking on the arms and legs. Its loads of fun and you never know some bits might get eaten along the way.