Women all over Ireland are starting to get in shape for the Flora Women’s Mini Marathon. Flora believes that this event is a fantastic opportunity for you to kick start a fitness regime that will have an extremely positive impact on your health and wellbeing. It’s also a great opportunity to get the entire family involved, as your new lifestyle can incorporate ways to get the whole family eating and living a healthier lifestyle.
Now that you are starting to train for the Flora Women’s Mini Marathon, it is a great time to look at your diet and give it a good dusting down. Eating a healthy balanced diet can help you achieve your best whether you plan to walk, jog or run the marathon.
For this first week, take some time to think about your diet at the moment. Below are some small changes that you can make today to improve your eating habits.
1. Aim to be a healthy weight
It's not a good idea to be either underweight or overweight. Being overweight can lead to health conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes. Being underweight could also affect your health. Making changes to your diet and becoming more active are essential for weight loss. Training for the Flora Women’s Mini Marathon is a great place to start!
2. Don’t skip breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It gives us the energy we need to get us going in the mornings, as well as some of the vitamins and minerals we need for good health. Some people skip breakfast because they think it will help them lose weight but research shows that people who eat breakfast are less likely to be hungry during the rest of the day and are, therefore, less likely to overeat. Porridge or fortified cereals are a good choice. Some lovely whole wheat toast spread with new tastier Flora is also a great way to start the day and it will also be a winner with the entire family.
3. Include starchy foods in all your meals
The type of carbohydrate we eat has a big impact on our energy levels. Try to avoid too many sugary foods and eat more complex carbohydrates like potatoes, wholemeal bread, wholegrain cereals, brown rice and pasta. These types of foods release energy slowly and keep you going for longer. Tasty wholemeal bread sandwiches spread with Flora are a great lunch option for you and also for the kiddies lunch boxes. We will be posting some new inspiring sandwich ideas here in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out for them!
4. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables
Try to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables of as many different colours as possible; red and yellow peppers, carrots, broccoli etc. This adds loads of different tastes and textures to your meals and may protect your health in the long-term. All types of fresh, frozen and canned vegetables can be included in your five a day. Different options for fruit include fresh, canned in own juices, stewed and dried fruits. Don’t forget to add satsuma’s, a banana or a bunch of grapes to the kids lunch boxes either as it’s a great way to ensure they are getting their five a day.
5. Watch your fats
Saturated fats from animal foods like whole milk dairy products and fatty meats can raise your cholesterol levels. Instead, use small amounts of polyunsaturated spreads and oils like sunflower oil, or monounsaturated fats like olive oil. Replacing butter with new tastier Flora is one way to ensure you are cutting down on your saturated fats. Flora is 78% lower in saturated fats than butter and is rich in polyunsaturated oils, including Omega 3.
6. Drink plenty of water
During the day try to drink as much water as you can. Dehydration can leave you feeling tired and can also often be mistaken as hunger. We should be aiming to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day and this can also come from squash, fruit juices, tea and coffee.
7. Plan ahead
Take a few minutes at the weekend to plan what you will eat throughout the week. Then, each day try to remember to take meat or fish out of the freezer in advance and make sure you have fresh vegetables to accompany it. Avoid coming home to empty cupboards, which may leave you running out for an unhealthy quick fix.
