About The Author:

Nicola  is a qualified Dietitian from the UK and has many years of experience. She is a registered dietitian with the Health Professions Council (HPC) UK and a member of the Singapore Nutrition and Dietetics Association (SNDA) and the British Dietetic Association (BDA). Nicola is passionate about food and nutrition and has experience in individual consultations and group coaching. Nicola is particularly interested in the area of weight management and has worked within this area in the UK and in Singapore.

Nicola is writing a nutrition newsletter every month with lots of helpful diet tips, restaurant reviews and healthy food choices for Singapore.

Nicola can be contacted at nicola@nutri-style.com

Surviving the festive season

According to British research the average person in the UK eats in excess of 7000 calories on Christmas day. That’s over 350% more than the recommended daily requirement! If it was only one day per year it would be excusable but for many the festive season starts at the beginning of December and stretches well into the New Year.

Christmas doesn’t have to be a diet disaster for which you spend the first three months of next year regretting. There are many traditional foods which are actually very healthy and by knowing how to make savvy choices you can enjoy a happy and healthy Christmas without feeling deprived.

Parties

At this time of year it can be common to be living on party food and champagne as we go from one party to the next. Life is too short to deprive yourself at parties a tactic which will leave you feeling hungry, dissatisfied and liable to binge on inappropriate foods later on. You need to carry on eating in your usual routine, don’t skip breakfast or lunch in anticipation of a night out and never go to a party hungry. Have a healthy snack in the late afternoon or early evening prior to going out. This could be a sandwich made with wholemeal bread, a bowl of high fibre cereal with low fat milk, a fresh fruit smoothie made with yoghurt or beans on toast. Choose something that you like and is easy to fit into your schedule taking into consideration whether you will be at home, at work or even in the car. When you do arrive at the party you can minimize the damage to your waistline by making the best choices, not all party food is equal! Of course the list below is not necessarily the healthiest selection but by choosing wisely you can save a substantial number of calories and grams of fat.

Christmas foods

The traditional Christmas dinner of turkey and all the trimmings is actually very healthy. Turkey itself is high in protein and low in fat if eaten without the skin. Many people will actually eat more fruit and veg’ on Christmas day than on any other day of the year! Choose a rainbow of different coloured vegetables so that you are getting the maximum hit of vitamins and antioxidants possible. Carrots can be roasted, boiled, steamed or braised in lemon juice. And parsnips can be boiled or roasted. Brussel sprouts are a Christmas staple and are a great source of folate, iron and vitamin C. If you find the flavour too intense on it’s own they can also be served mashed with potatoes or with crispy bacon. Remember that steaming vegetables retains many more vitamins than boiling them. Traditional cranberry sauce is packed with fibre and vitamin C. More of these nutrients will be retained if you make your own sauce, it will also be much lower in sugar than the cranberry sauce that you buy in jars

Christmas pudding and trifle are traditionally heavy Christmas desserts especially when served with cream and brandy butter. Take a break between your main meal and your dessert and think how hungry you actually are, if at all! Serve smaller portions and choose lower calorie accompaniments, custard made with low fat milk is a great source of calcium.

For snacks go for a handful of unsalted nuts, dried fruits or fresh seasonal fruits such as clementines and satsumas which are rich in vitamin C and very low in kj's.

The Great Singapore Buffet

Singapore is famous for it's buffets and brunches which take place each and every day of the year. The most popular tend to be the champagne brunches which take place on a Sunday all over Singapore and now coming up to the holidays many seasonal buffets are being advertised but are buffets really such a good deal, financially or nutritionally?

A buffet style meal often leads to overindulgence for several reasons. One is the fact that there is so much choice. It has been proven that the greater the selection of foods that a person is given the more they will eat. This makes sense really as if you imagine you were allowed to eat as much as you like of just one food you will quickly become bored. The other major factor is that everybody wants to get value for money and will therefore eat and drink more than you really need in order to get your 'money's worth' Below are a few tips to help you manage buffets,

• Whenever possible sit down at a table to eat.
• Eat plenty of low calorie foods such as salads (dressings on the side) and vegetables.
• Seafood can be a great low fat, low calorie option.
• Think before you re-fill your plate, again. Are you really hungry?
• Have one plate of starters, one of main course dishes and one for desserts.
• Think before you choose, only take things that you really want.
• If you go out for brunch you do not need breakfast and lunch and probably not dinner either!
• Buffets are social occasions; relax, chat and digest between courses.
• Many places have a price option which does not include free-flow alcohol, go for this!
• Learn to recognise when you are full and stop eating even if your plate isn't empty.
• Try to plan some exercise or activity for after the brunch, if it's pre-planned you are more likely to go.
• You don't have to try everything!

New Year Nutrition Workshop

Thursday 22nd January

9am -  12pm

We are what we eat so why not make 2009 the year to improve your health and well being and reach your optimal nutritional status?

The ideal diet varies from person to person and will change throughout your life. Nutri-Style has a brand new dietary analysis package which will show you, in detail, if you are meeting your daily requirements not only for energy but also for vitamins and minerals.

You will receive a personalised report which will highlight any deficiencies or areas for concern and provide you with tips on how you can modify your diet to correct them. Please follow the link below to see an example of a report.

PersonalisedDietaryReport

For more details on the workshop, please contact Nicola@nutri-style.com

Think about Drink!

Eat, drink and be merry! A saying that many of us will take too literally over the coming weeks. Drinking in moderation is fine but we need to think what is a recommended intake and are we meeting it. The recommended intake is 3-4 units in one day for a man and 2-3 units per day for a woman. Each week should include 2 or 3 alcohol free days. But units are no longer easy to calculate and drinks are typically getting larger and stronger.

250ml (ABV 12%) glass of wine = 3 units

330ml can or bottle of 5% beer = 1.7 units

125ml of champagne = 1.5 units

25ml of spirit = 1 unit

And in addition to the effects of the alcohol itself there is also the number of calories that it contains to think about and the fact that when you have had a few drinks your will power to eat disappears. But there are ways to cut down your intake discreetly:

• Don't arrive at a party thirsty.
• Finish one drink completely before being topped up so you can keep track of what you are drinking.
• Alternate soft and alcoholic drinks.
• Always have water as well as wine with a meal.
• Choose low calorie mixers.
• Avoid cocktails containing cream and coconut milk.
• If there is an option for free-flow alcohol, opt out!
• Try to stick to one type of drink.

If you feel you would like to change your eating habits for good and find a new healthier and more energised you Nutri-Style offers nutritional analysis and weight management programs.

http://www.nutri-style.com

Gift Idea : Still haven't thought of a gift for that someone special?

Click to view Nutri-Style Gift Vouchers

 Healthy eating in Singapore

Many of us enjoy eating out but it is not always easy to find somewhere that serves healthy food. Each month we will review a café or restaurant which serves a range of healthier options.

Toast is a cafe run by The Marmelade Group who also run the Marmalade Pantry restaurants and The Pierside bar at One Fullerton. Additionally, they also provide home catering services via Marmalade at Home.

Toast has two outlets; one in Ngee Ann City Unit 02-11 and the other in OUB Centre Unit 01-09, near to Raffles Place MRT. The Ngee Ann City branch is difficult to locate (the easiest way to find it is by turning right at the Takashimaya taxi stand and keep walking) It is next to Tower B Office Lift Lobby. But the fact that it is hard to find means that it is generally quiet and offers the perfect escape from Christmas shopping on Orchard Road.

The decor is simple, funky and mostly pink. You select your choices from the counter, where you can see everything being freshly made, find a seat and they will bring it over to you. They serve a range of sandwiches, soups and salads made with gourmet ingredients. Options for sandwiches include ciabatta bread, mulitgrain bread, panninis, bagels and white or wholemeal tortilla wraps. Fillings include grilled vegetables ($6.80), avocado chicken caesar ($8.50), warm pastrami ($8.70), and greek feta and olive ($8.80)

And if you have any room left Toast also does a range of delicious homemade cakes such as limonata cupcakes ($3.70) passionfruit cake ($5.00) and chocolate brownie cheesecake ($5.00) They are currently running an afternoon tea deal where you can have a cup of tea or coffee with a cake for a discounted price between 3pm and 6pm every day.

Ngee Ann City Unit 02-11

Monday to Friday 8am-7pm

Saturday 9am-3pm

Sunday 10am-6pm

If you were thinking about a New Year Detox.........

.......think again! Unfortunately detox and fad diets are not a quick fix for overindulgence. Follow the link below to see an article recently published in Her World magazine where I comment on various weird and wonderful diets!

http://www.nutri-style.com/Dothenewsuperdietsreallwork.php

Nutrition services at Nutri-Style

2009 New Year Diet Blitz!

In addition to Nutri-Style's range of nutrition services, for a limited period only we are offering a New Year Diet Blitz to kick start your 2009. This program is suited for individuals or for couples and will comprise of 4 sessions over 4 weeks:

• A nutritional assessment will calculate your dietary requirements
• You will learn how to lose weight sensibly and sustainably
• Individual dietary concerns are highlighted and addressed
• Discover what to eat and what not to eat!

This offer will run for a limited time during January and February 2009.

The cost will be $500 which includes a printed assessment and support between appointments.

To receive a 10% discount book before the end of December 2008!

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