Thursday, 30 December 2021
As we begin to consider our New Year resolutions for 2022 and look back at the last year, we realise that our health has never been so important.
As a nation, our mental and physical health has become a top priority; however, it can feel like dieting is expensive or it’s difficult to know what’s right with contradictory or confusing advice. Luton’s population currently has a life expectancy below the national average, statistics show. At Total Wellbeing, we support people living in Luton who want to improve their physical and emotional health. That’s why we’ve spoken to one of our top nutritionists, Olivia Williams, an ex-bodybuilder, personal trainer, health and fitness coach, and a healthy lifestyle specialist qualified with an MSc in Physical Activity, Nutrition and Health Promotion.
“I love coaching people for a life of longevity,” she explains, “it’s my passion to help set them on a journey to better health”.
Olivia is here to help us with myth-busting tips, and she explains how we can eat healthily on a budget.
Many people assume that they will lose weight and instantly feel better if they just exercise. “Exercise definitely has great health benefits; however, it is not equal to diet,” Olivia explains, “but unfortunately you can’t outrun poor nutritional choices and expect to lose or maintain your weight simply by increasing exercise.”
In 2021, seven in ten adults were motivated to get healthier due to COVID-19; therefore, it has never been so important to understand how to reach your goals effectively and safely. Read on for Olivia’s top tips for eating healthier on a budget.
Many of us have made the same simple mistake - going to the supermarket on an empty stomach. “Never shop when you are hungry,” Olivia says, “it will keep you from buying other foods on impulse; therefore, eat before you go shopping.” Two studies conducted by Cornell's University research team suggest that people who go shopping on an empty stomach tend to purchase more high-calorie food and more junk food. Instead, Olivia suggests, “Plan your meals in advance, make a grocery list of the ingredients and buy only what you need.” If you go to the supermarket with a plan, you will less likely pick up food that you don’t need, then you can avoid buying food you don’t need or that isn’t healthy.
Do you have a sweet tooth? Whether you prefer savoury or sweet, sugar has a huge impact on all of our bodies. “Reduce your consumption of added sugars”, Olivia tells us, “it can raise your insulin levels that signal the body to store fat.”
So what should you do when you have that craving for something sweet? If your go-to sugar fix is chocolate, biscuits or sweets, try halving your intake. Instead of grabbing the whole box of your favourite sweet treats, take a small handful and put them in a bowl or on a plate to stop you from mindlessly picking up more. Also, when looking for your go-to snack, try the reduced-sugar versions, many of our favourite brands now offer sugar-free alternatives or lower sugar content, and they usually taste just as good - it’s a win-win. Swap sugary, fizzy drinks for lower-sugar ones - switching to sugar-free cola can cut out nine cubes of sugar!
Eating out, or grabbing a takeaway, can be fun and faster than cooking, but it can seriously impact your budget and nutritional intake. Olivia’s next tip is: “Cook at home, that way, you’re in control of what is going into your meal and it’s cost-effective.” By planning what you will cook for dinner, you will know exactly what goes into each meal and you can control ingredients like salt, sugar or fat. Check out these budget-friendly healthy recipes on the NHS website, with everything from healthier ‘fakeaways’ to twists on traditional favourites.
When you’re food shopping, Olivia advises, “Avoid buying highly processed and junk foods, they can be expensive and are often high in sodium or sugar, and read the labels - it will help you make informed decisions towards good nutritional foods.” You'll find traffic light labels, also called nutrition labels, on most food and drink packaging. These food labels use red, amber and green colour coding to show how much sugar, saturated fat and salt are inside. A good rule of thumb is to aim for more greens and ambers, and cut down on reds.
Olivia’s final tip? “Purchase sale items foods, by shopping near closing or at the end of the day, supermarkets often mark down and reduce items. Then freeze them so they don’t spoil.” Freezing food can be convenient and a full freezer is more economical to run as the cold air doesn't need to circulate as much, so less power is needed. Remember to label your frozen goods with dates and names.
Through Total Wellbeing, we deliver many different healthy lifestyle services across Luton and in Active Luton centres. These are accessed through self-referral or referral from a health professional, and delivered by qualified professionals with expertise in various areas. We aim to make Luton a healthier place to live.
We offer a range of weight management programmes (online and in-person) focusing on a healthier lifestyle including; adult, child and maternal weight management.
If you’re interested in creating a healthy lifestyle and want to learn about how we can help you, contact Total Wellbeing Luton to self-refer at www.totalwellbeingluton.org or for more information call us on:
Tel: 03005554152