Make this a healthy Summer
‘Healthy Chef’ Teresa Cutter bases her latest ‘80/20’ diet on the philosophy that if you eat well 80 per cent of the time, around 20 per cent of the time you can enjoy a little indulgence!
Teresa’s rules for her 80/20 diet are:
- Shop wisely – plan menus for the week, including healthy snacks. Don’t go shopping without a shopping list.
- Cook simply and lightly – the healthiest cooking methods are steaming, poaching, baking, roasting, grilling and stir-frying. Sauté meats and vegetables in a non-stick pan with a teaspoon of a healthy monounsaturated oil such as olive, adding a little stock during cooking.
- Eat the right way – about 80 per cent of the time you should be eating lots of fruit, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, raw nuts and seeds.
- Drink eight glasses of water daily – vital for life, water is an excellent anti-ageing tonic and keeps hunger pangs at bay.
- Do strength training – weight training increases your metabolic rate, encouraging your body to use more fat for fuel, and keeps you lean and toned.
- Keep moving – make time to exercise at least five days a week. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you just move!
- Work on your flexibility – stretching increases mobility helps to decrease muscle soreness and reduces the rate of injury.
- Set realistic goals – don’t expect to change eating habits overnight or start running marathons without gradually building up an exercise program.
- Stay positive – a positive approach is the best way to tackle anything.
- Put yourself first – to enjoy everyday life, you need to look after yourself and prioritise your needs.
- Make time for relaxation – adequate sleep and relaxation are essential for your body and mind to revive, repair and recharge. Learning to relax can also help reduce stress and anxiety.
Teresa Cutter shares a low-cost, sumptuous summer recipe, as well as her top tips for losing weight this summer.
Chicken burgers with macadamia nut and lemon
Ingredients
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 1 small handful coriander leaves, chopped
• Zest from 2 lemons
• 3 egg whites
• 500 g minced lean chicken breast
• 50 g roughly chopped macadamia nuts
• 100 g tinned water chestnuts, drained and chopped
Method
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Add freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Mix together well, then with wet hands, form into small patties. Heat a non-stick frying pan and spray with a little olive oil. Cook over medium heat until burgers are golden and cooked through. This should take 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve hot or cold with vegetables or salad.
The 80/20 Diet, is available in leading book shops and The Healthy Chef Café (17 Avalon Parade, Avalon Beach, NSW). Before changing your diet and starting any fi tness regime, we strongly recommend you get a full check-up by your healthcare professional.
Article thanks to Herbs and Health Magazine Australia