My dream is for everyone to have access to genuine, ethical, and accurate nutritional advice so they can make informed decisions about what is best for their health.
I have been fortunate to grow up with a very skilled and sought-after consultant dietitian for a mother. A life of quick questions about this or that nutrient, serving sizes, and beneficial properties has left me healthily spoilt.
I have also been fortunate not to have ever completed months of hard slogs in the gym to be "beach-ready". I have always been a sporty person of sorts, though for a time I certainly watched more than participated - there's nothing like a pizza and couch night.
I have, however, done the time, made the change, transformed for the better, and lost 13kg.
I am now in the best shape of my life - yes, even better than when I was 17.
It is because of the healthy attitude and understanding of food I have grown up with that I was able to reach this goal without using inaccurate and unrealistic diet plans and products, nor having to push past physical limits to achieve results.
It all started when I stepped on the scales one day - to be fair, this is something I regularly did once a week in the same conditions: first thing in the morning, undressed, same time each week - and the number that stared back at me might as well have punched me in the face. I was shocked. I was upset - how could I have got to this point? Looking back, there were a few life changes that each played their part but that was hardly racing through my mind as the biggest number in my life proudly announced itself from the scales.
What followed was a gradual increase in incidental activity: with a slightly less urban view of distance I would simply walk everywhere. I also preferred taking the stairs instead of lifts or escalators. Many times I would wonder: why use public transport when I can walk? It also helps that it is free to do this.
I also looked at my food intake: though my eating was never particularly poor (chocolate is a bit of a take-it-or-leave-it thing for me), I had begun to fall into less than ideal, lazy habits. I started to think about how much meat I was eating - you really don't need it for lunch and dinner every day, in fact the Dietitians Association of Australia recommends eating just 3-4 serves of lean red meat per week. With this in mind I opted for vegie dishes for lunch where possible. If I ended up not eating meat at dinner as well, then hooray for me; it also gave me the option to have meat at lunch the next day should I feel like it.
Another pivotal change was portion size: with recommended serving sizes in mind again, I realised that many of the dishes I bought for lunch were more appropriate as two platefuls. I had never been able to finish these dishes anyway as the horrible, overstuffed feeling from cleaning the plate left me feeling sick, so I merely ate a little less and was able to get two meals out of the one dish. As an added bonus, of course, this is a nice way to save money.
I know my dream is a long way from being fulfilled but if you could take the time to share this post with your friends and family, the education revolution will have begun. Thanks x
Please note what I have described was my personal situation; this does not constitute medical advice. Please see an Accredited Practising Dietitian or talk to your GP to get advice tailored to your medical situation.
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