Yes, it feels like we have just escaped from the excesses of the Christmas break and now there are two long weekends in a row for those in Auckland.

Holidays usually mean a break in routine. Who doesn’t want to indulge a bit and have fun while the sun is shining and work is on the back burner? That’s absolutely fine (in moderation of course) if you have formed a routine to fall back into after the break in routine. Let’s face it, the Monday after the holiday is always a great day for a fresh start.

I find that clients who achieve the best results are those who are organised and who know what they will be eating and keep to a fairly small range of meal ideas. This makes meal planning and grocery shopping pretty straight forward.

Have you got a goal for 2024? 

 I’m really not into NY resolutions, I gave those up a very long time ago and now tend to have one big goal in mind for the coming year, (last year it was an extended holiday). 

Have you thought about what your goal for 2024 is? It could be optimising your health through better nutrition and exercise, or making changes in your life that will bring more satisfaction. Maybe it is to work less, stress less, or perhaps it is further education.

If your goal is important enough to you, you will make it happen. Be sure to put health right up there in your list of priorities.

Lifespan vs Healthspan

There is a big difference to simply ‘being alive’ in old age, to living an active and productive life in our later years. In many cases our lifestyle has a big effect on our health, and thus options, in later life. There are no guarantees in life but there is more than enough evidence to show that inflammation in our body can lead to diabetes, heart disease, cancers and dementia. 

What might cause the inflammation?

• Obesity is a big factor, especially central obesity, e.g.the visceral fat around the organs. Ideally, your waist measurement should be no more than half of your height. For example if you are 165cm tall, then a waist measurement of no more than 82.5cm is considered ideal. Body shapes change after menopause, but keep an eye on your waist size if it is increasing.

• Excess alcohol. There is no safe level of alcohol. It is a known carcinogen, especially for breast cancer and other cancers. It can also be a factor in developing dementia. Don’t push your luck.

• High blood pressure. Have yours checked so that you know if it is in the safe range. High blood pressure can be a factor in dementia as well as strokes.

• High blood sugar. If you are over 40 and haven’t had yours checked, consider doing so next time you see your doctor.

• Processed and poor quality food.

The above are things that we can have control over and the sooner we start, the better the result. Don’t wait until something goes wrong to make effective changes in your life. Increasing the number and dose of medications may not be required with effective lifestyle changes.

Hydration

With the hot and humid weather we have been experiencing you may need to up your fluid intake. There is a little equation you might like to try, to figure out approximately how much fluid you should be having in a day. 

Multiply your weight by 0.034 and the number that pops up is a guide to how much fluid you need. (i.e. 65 kilos x 0.034 = 2.21L)

Simple foods in hot weather

Summer is great for eating simply, with salads, BBQ’s and with less food preparation required.

A very simple marinade for chicken pieces to put on the BBQ is to simply mix 2 teaspoons of Tandoori paste (usually found in the International section of the supermarket) with 1/3 cup of plain yoghurt. Marinade chicken strips or pieces in this for a couple of hours, or overnight, and then BBQ or grill for a tasty, very easy protein serve.

Eat, in moderation, the cherries, berries and stone fruit while they are in season, but try to limit fruit servings to no more than two per day if your goal is fat loss.