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As the summer draws to a close, a local nutritionist has shared her top tips for getting your foodie habits and health back on track.
Jessica Pinel is an Associate Registered Nutritionist with a MSc in Nutrition and the founder of Humankynd Nutrition.
Here's what she had to say...
I think it’s about building the small habits over time. If you go in all guns blazing, it’s more likely to fall apart.
Do something this week that is good for you and then add to that routine next week to build it up.
One small thing to start with is to get back into a routine of when you are eating.
Pictured: Jessica Pinel is an Associate Registered Nutritionist.
When eating happens is so important as our body has a natural rhythm. In the summer, we are usually out and about all the time, so our natural eating patterns are thrown off, so it’s important to get back not a breakfast/lunch/dinner routine and to keep the same times.
Breakfast is the most important meal, the name literally means ‘breaking the fast’ and I think a lot of people forget that.
Pictured: "We want to create a breakfast that is indicative of the ‘eat well’ plate."
A lot of studies have shown that breakfast is so important to the cognitive performance of children and their academic achievements, which highlights why it’s so important to give our children breakfast, but we also know its link to concentration, alertness, memory and learning. If you are giving children a balanced breakfast, you are boosting all those things. It’s really important for adults as well.
We sometimes make the mistake of having this very British, carb-heavy, breakfast. We will have a slice of toast or a bowl of cereal but we do not realise we are missing all these things that are important.
We want to create a breakfast that is indicative of the ‘eat well’ plate with four elements: complex carbohydrates, healthy fat, a substantial amount of protein and fibrous foods, which are our fruit and veggies.
When I discuss tips with clients regarding lunches, the first thing I say is to make sure you do a weekly shop. The common mistake I see people make is going back and forth to the shop every day, which is quite a big waste of time.
Pictured: "The best advice I give is to make more for a meal."
The other thing I discuss is meal prepping. The best advice I give is to make more for a meal. You are not actually using anymore of your time and you are eating leftovers the following day.
It’s also really important to prioritise mealtime and mindful eating. If you don’t have time out of your day for lunch, you really need to speak to your manager!
Quite often, I hear from clients that they snack a lot as there is chocolate or cakes in the office or at school.
Pictured: Mixed nuts and dark chocolate make for a nutrient dense snack that will make you feel more satisfied.
I recommend getting a supply of high protein, more nutrient dense snacks such as lentil cakes, kefir, mixed nuts and dark chocolate, fruits and nut butters, homemade protein smoothies or hummus with vegetable sticks and nachos. You can still have treats, it’s about making the snack more complete.
If you are eating these carb-rich snacks, you are not going to feel full because you are missing the protein that is going to make you feel satisfied.
I get a lot of people come to me with digestive issues such as IBS or gastric reflux. If someone is struggling with this, I ask ‘are you sitting down to eat?’, ‘are you actually focusing on what you are eating?’, ‘are you chewing your food properly?’ - these small habits can have a big impact on gut health.
Pictured: It's important to schedule time out for lunch rather than being distracted.
It’s important to take time out to eat so we should schedule time out, take 20 mins to 30 mins to make sure we have that time, because we have all those distractions, and I am guilty of it myself. Sitting and eating in front of the TV is not mindful eating!
Bringing back the idea of eating being a social event, having lunch with colleagues or your friends, taking that time, it’s also a form of self-care.
Prioritising meal times and doing the weekly shop, these things have a massive impact on your habits overall, they are the most important things along with creating a nutritious plate and making sure you have three balanced meals every day!
The first thing is to make sure you are getting your vitamin D. Everyone over the age of 1 should take a 10 micrograms supplement of vitamin D every day. This is because we cannot get enough vitamin D from our food alone and the sun is obviously dropping off.
Getting some extra vitamin D will help support your immune function, your mood and your bone health.
Pictured: "Getting some extra vitamin D will help support your immune function, your mood and your bone health."
Eating seasonal is also really important. Try and buy local produce that reflect the season, such as root veggies for example. These seasonal veggies are there for a reason, they thrive in a particular climate and they provide nutrients for us to thrive in that climate as well.
Eating hearty, warm lunches at that time can also help. I always suggest making big batches of soup but you have to make sure it’s also high in protein and with some complex carbs on the side.
This article first featured on Bailiwick Wellbeing, your free weekly guide to wellness in work and island life. Sign up now here so you don't miss the next edition.
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