I love food and I especially love our local Trinibagonian cuisine. As the years progress though, so many of the traditional foods we grew up with are being replaced with quick, convenient, chemically-processed food. These are not only contributing negatively to our health, promoting lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure, but also, obesity and obesity-related illnesses are on the rise.
As a busy mom, I know how challenging it can sometimes be to prepare wholesome, nutritious home-cooked meals on a daily basis. Thankfully, there are tools that can make life easier and help to contribute to better meal preparation and weight loss. I’ve also learnt some tips along the way that greatly help to stay on track.
There are so many diets around, each claiming to be the best way to achieve weight loss and optimal health. At the end of the day, it’s about foods that are whole, a product of the Earth and as close as possible to their natural state. There should always be a good blend of vital macronutrients in meals – carbohydrates, protein and fat as well as micronutrients – vitamins and minerals.
According to the UK National Health Service (NHS), the recommended calorie intake for women is 2000 calories and for men, it is 2500.
In 2018, Trinidad and Tobago ranked 71st in the world on the list of countries by energy intake, at 2,991 average daily calories.
Weight loss occurs when the body is in a calorie deficit. This means that you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. If you are gaining weight, it means that you are eating more calories than you are burning.
Here are a few tips that may help with reducing calories.
Plan Meals and Grocery List in Advance
Meal planning is beneficial in that it can help to avoid bringing unhealthy foods into the home. It is really about being intentional about food purchases and therefore what you eat. Try to shop the aisles on the outskirts of the grocery store where the fresh products are housed. Also, it is good to support farmers in the local markets.
Another benefit is that it can help prevent food wastage when it is decided exactly what meals will be prepared during the week and purchase groceries accordingly. Meal planning saves money! Especially in this day and age where food prices are at an all-time high, you can save money by purchasing only what you need. In this way, you can keep an eye out for sales/discounts to help your dollar stretch further.
Some Foods Should Only Be Eaten as aTreat
I’m going to be a little controversial here, but I strongly believe ‘Doubles’ should be a treat if you need to achieve weight loss. You know, on the odd day when you don’t feel like making breakfast or just want to take the family to eat some hot doubles, you can indulge. I enjoy a well-prepared doubles with tasty hot channa, mango sauce and plenty pepper. My mouth waters just thinking about it. But doubles is not a friend if you want a slim waistline.
According to MyFitnessPal, one doubles has 345 calories and I hardly know anyone, including myself, who eats just one! Imagine consuming 700 to 1000 calories in a single meal, not to mention those who include their mandatory Apple J or Red Solo to wash it down. This is one such ‘meal’ that I believe should not be eaten on a daily basis, especially if losing weight is the objective. This can apply to many other foods.
It is okay to indulge in your favourite foods from time to time. It can even be encouraged to find balance, avoid feeling deprived and succumbing to binge eating. But it must be done mindfully and with intention. A good rule of thumb is to follow the 80/20 rule – eat healthy nutritious food 80% of the time and allow 20% for your favourite treats.
Decrease the Quantity of Carbs Consumed; Increase Vegetables and Salad
Most of us tend to eat a diet heavy in carbs. Roti, potato, rice, provision, bread, dumplings, and pasta, feature daily on most of our plates. A typical Sunday lunch can include three or more servings of starchy carbohydrates and can be very calorie-dense.
For weight loss, the composition of meals can include more salads and vegetables and fewer carbs. For example, instead of having rice and cornmeal coo-coo in the same meal, replace either the rice or the coo-coo with a serving of vegetables. Or, if you eat one cup of rice with your meal, add, for example, carrots and green beans to the rice, increasing the volume of vegetables, while reducing the amount of rice. This strategy can reduce calories without leaving you feeling hungry.
Eat Protein For Weight Loss
Protein digests slowly and helps with longer satiety which means it contributes to feeling fuller for a longer period of time.
A study was done on twenty healthy, young women to investigate the effect of high-protein meals on their appetite. The study showed that the women tended to snack less and subsequently ate fewer calories after consuming a high-protein meal.
Having protein with each meal can be a good way to avoid cravings and unnecessary grazing between meals. Some sources of protein are meats, seafood, dairy, legumes, nuts and beans.
Snack on Low-Calorie Foods Such as Popcorn and Cucumbers
I must admit, I never knew the benefits of plain popcorn in a weight loss journey until recently. Now, I don’t mean microwaved popcorn or popcorn cooked with butter and oil, but air-popped popcorn.
Popcorn is a whole grain that is high in fibre and low in fat and calories. Three cups of plain popcorn have only 93 calories. It is filling and healthy as it contains antioxidants, vitamins E, A, K, folate and riboflavin.
I used to think it was impossible to cook popcorn sans oil without some fancy air popper, but I found that the typical Trini iron pot with a heavy cover works just as well. Essentially, you turn on the heat under the pot, add an even single layer of popcorn kernels without oil, and cover the pot. Once you hear the first few kernels start to pop, give the pot a shake and then reduce the flame. When the popping slows down to about one pop per second, turn off the heat.
Season and salt to your taste (without added fats), serve and enjoy!
Cucumber chow is another option for a crunchy, filling snack. Most of us love a good chow. Cucumbers are loaded with water, vitamins, minerals and fibre, especially if you enjoy them with the skin on. One medium cucumber has only 30 calories so you can have some without feeling guilty.
Don’t Drink Your Calories
As humans, we really only need water for hydration. Yes, we can obtain vitamins and minerals from fruit juices and other beverages but we can get these from the food we eat. In addition, commercial beverages tend to be packed with sugar and/or artificial sweeteners which have been shown to contribute to diabetic conditions, obesity and food addictions.
Try to avoid drinking beverages with added sugar. Many of these are mostly empty calories that do nothing to satisfy the appetite and only add to the overall calories taken in for the day, which eventually leads to weight gain.
If coffee and tea are part of your diet, try having them without added sugar or artificial creamers which are mostly made of seed oils.
An occasional glass of mauby, coconut water, or lemon juice, once from natural sources is okay and can be beneficial. Avoid the commercial versions of these beverages – read your labels.
Drink Green Tea
Green tea is one of my guilty pleasures. I’m not sure when it happened, but at some point, it became a must-have with my breakfast. I adore a cup of unsweetened green tea and some of my favourites are Green Teas by Lipton and Green Tea and Ginger from Dilmah.
In addition to caffeine which has been shown to increase metabolism and fat burning, green tea has antioxidants called catechins which have an effect on body fat reduction.
It may also act as an appetite suppressant, thereby avoiding overconsumption of calories.
Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss
Fasting has been around for thousands of years for health and religious purposes. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, recommended fasting for the health of his patients.
Intermittent fasting is abstaining from food for a period of time before eating. Not only does this help with calorie restriction but it also has been shown to contribute to health and longevity due to the effects of autophagy. According to Healthline.com, “Autophagy is the body’s way of cleaning out damaged cells, in order to regenerate newer, healthier cells”.
Japanese cell biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi in 2016 won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries in autophagy and its significance in longevity. Today, doctors like Dr. Jason Fung are big proponents of intermittent fasting and highly recommend it for health and weight loss.
No-Carb Meal
The Carnivore or meat-only diet became more widely known when psychologist Jordan Peterson and his daughter Mikhala explained that it was beneficial in helping them overcome depression, anxiety and autoimmune conditions. Although it is controversial and I am not recommending it wholly here, I see nothing wrong with consuming the occasional meal that may only consist of meat.
Locally, we have meat meals as ‘cutters‘ during a lime or an event. Some examples of these are geera chicken, pepper shrimp, souse, curried hard fowl, geera neck, curried crab, fried shark. On occasion, you can try a portion or serving of one of your favourite cutters, preferably not battered in endless flour and deep fried, but use your discretion and enjoy a carbohydrate-free meal with a glass of water. See how it makes you feel. A meal of meat has been shown to be very satiating and staves off hunger for a while.
Add Flavour – Low-Calorie Condiments, Herbs and Spices
I remember once a family member of mine went on a diet. She was miserable for days eating bland boiled vegetables. Eventually, she gave up and went back to heavy calorie-laden unhealthy foods. Based on my observation, the lack of enjoyment of her food caused her to go back to what she enjoyed and was used to. I absolutely love vegetables but I also love my veggies to have flavour.
Herbs and spices we have been blessed with in abundance. There are so many ways to add flavour to food to make it more palatable and therefore more enjoyable. Additions of onions, garlic, cilantro, pimento peppers, curry, paprika, and rosemary, for example, can add interest, and variety and make healthier meals a pleasure to consume.
Another way I found to add enjoyment to food is to have healthy condiments that you like adding to your meals. Many commercial condiments are loaded with oils, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, MSG and other ingredients that may not be desirable or healthy. There are many recipes online to make healthier versions. Local pepper sauce, chutney, garlic sauce, chow chow, homemade ketchup, mustard, mango anchar, kuchela….there are so many options that we can prepare at home. The Naparima Girls’ Cookbook has a nice selection of recipes for local condiments.
Use a Spray Bottle to Disperse Cooking oil
This is a simple tip, but it has made life and cooking so much easier. Instead of risking pouring too much oil into your pot, get a food-grade spray bottle, fill it with your cooking oil and use the sprayer to disperse oil in a manageable way. I recently got this one from Amazon and I have no regrets.
Sometimes just a little film of oil is needed to prevent sticking and this does a great job. This is another great way to save on calories.
Drink More Water
Water is necessary for life – without it, we would die! It has no calories, quenches our thirst (which we sometimes mistake for hunger) and can be served with meals instead of juices and soft drinks. Water may also help to suppress the appetite and contribute to a feeling of fullness.
Occasionally, sparkling water or club soda can be infused with flavour from lime/lemons or even a splash of apple cider vinegar for a refreshing, bubbly, pick-me-up.
Snack on Low Sugar Fruit
Here in the Caribbean, we have access to an abundance of tropical fruit. We also have imported fruit such as apples, strawberries, blueberries etc.
If you like slightly tart fruit, have them as an occasional snack. Plums, pommecythere, portugal, chennette, pommerac, half-ripe mangoes, and cherries are a few options. You can have them plain or whip up a chow and call a friend over. These tend to be lower in calories than a ripe banana, for example.
When you’re in the mood for a little more sweetness, watermelon or pawpaw is a good choice. They have high water content, are lower in calories and can leave you feeling satisfied.
Track Your Calories
One of the most impactful things I have done along my journey is to track my calories. I think every health-conscious person should do it for at least a one-month period just to get an idea of just how calorie-dense everyday foods can be. Also, food trackers, give a macronutrient breakdown so you can have an idea if food is carbohydrate-heavy, low in protein, high in fat etc.
In one study, calorie counting was shown to contribute to ‘significant and sustained weight loss over time‘.
You will not need to count calories forever, but it sure helps to have an idea of what foods you are putting into your body and which may be contributing to weight gain.
Eat High Volume, Low-Calorie Foods
This also falls in line with the popcorn and cucumber tip above, as well as tracking calories. We are not born automatically knowing the calorie content of foods, but when we start tracking foods in a calorie counter we may discover foods that are very low calorie that we can incorporate more of into our daily nutrition.
For example, chorai bhagi, (Amaranthus dubius) also known as local spinach, after being cooked on its own and boiled down like, well bhagi, has approximately 28 calories per cup (this is without cooking oil and coconut milk). So if you were to eat dhal, rice and chorai bhagi, you could afford to have less rice and more bhagi and feel full and satisfied.
Salads rich in greens, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes can be a filling and satisfying addition to any meal to add volume and leave you feeling fuller for longer. Just do not add calorie-dense dressings to your salad.
If man made it, don’t eat it! ~ Jack Lalanne
Avoid Sugar
There is added sugar in many processed foods, not just in juices and soft drinks.
As mentioned earlier, a diet high in sugar can lead to many harmful physical conditions, but it has also been shown to contribute to mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and mood swings.
Dr. Hu in a Harvard.edu article on the danger of sugar states, “The effects of added sugar intake — higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver disease — are all linked to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke,”
Stick to foods found in nature and avoid processed foods as much as possible.
Stop Unnecessary Eating
Sometimes we eat out of boredom or habit. An example is at the movies, buttered popcorn or cheesy nachos are staples for some people while watching a film, whether hungry or not. Or, maybe if at home with nothing to do we may find ourselves rummaging through the fridge or cupboard looking for something to eat. Again, this comes down to being mindful. Is it a genuine hunger or just a craving or impulse based on emotions at the moment?
Tracking your food in an app like MyFitnessPal is a good way to observe your eating patterns. Then you can make a conscious effort to change any bad habits that you may have.
Eat Low Carbohydrate Broths and Soups
Soups and broths are mostly water and require relatively simple preparation. Soups with low to no oils can be satisfying and filling – especially when made with low-carbohydrate, high-fibre vegetables like cabbage, patchoi, pumpkin, carrots, and okra. Add a few pieces of your favourite lean meats or soup bones for added protein, flavour and texture.
For the purpose of losing weight, avoid adding starchy foods such as dumplings, pasta, macaroni, rice, potatoes and provisions to soups. Of course, you can still enjoy these items in your soups on occasion, but for calorie management, leave them out. An example of a good soup for weight loss is Trini fish broth, minus the carbs.
Studies have shown that soup consumption can improve satiety and reduce calorie intake.
So there we have some options that may assist in mindfully eating fewer calories while still maintaining flavour, satiety and enjoyment.
Let me know if you have any weight loss tips to share that work for you.
Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only. Readers of this blog should seek medical advice before making any decisions related to nutrition and health.
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