1. health and fitness
2. weight loss

Healthy living
Losing weight
the healthy way
Contents
1 Aboutthisbooklet
1 Whydoesweightmatter?
2 Whydoweputonweight?
4 Ismyweightahealthrisk?
5 IfIneedtoloseweight,whatdoIdo?
6 Step1:Setrealisticweightlossor
lifestyle goals
8 Step2:Identifywhatyoueatanddrink,
yourlevelofphysicalactivityandamount
ofsittingtime
10 Step3:Makechangestowhatyoueat
and drink
20 Step4:Increaseyourphysicalactivity
levelsandreduceyoursittingtime
30 Step5:Keepgoingwithyourweight
loss plan
33 Healthymealideas
42 Questionsandanswers
48 Moreinformation
49 HealthInformationService
Aboutthisbooklet
Thisbookletisforpeoplewhoneedtoloseweightandwould
liketoachieveahealthyweight.
Theinformationinthisbookletisintendedasaguideonly.The
HeartFoundationencouragespeopletocheckwiththeirdoctor
orotherhealthprofessionalsandseekindividualhealthadvice
see More information onpage48ofthisbooklet).
Whydoesweightmatter?
Peoplecomeinallshapesandsizesandwhatmightbea
healthyweightforonepersonisn’tnecessarilyhealthyfor
another.It’snothealthytobetoothinortocarrytoomuch
bodyfat–youneedtofindtheweightthat’sbestforyouby
checkingwithyourdoctor,andthentryingtoachieveand
maintainit.
Did you know?
In addition to the health
problemslistedhere,
overweightpeoplecan
sufferfromarangeof
psychosocialproblems,
suchasdiscrimination,
social isolation and poor
self-esteem.
Remember
Bodyweightisjustone
factorthatcanimpacton
yourhealthandneedsto
be considered along with
youroverallhealthand
wellbeing.
Theproblemwithcarryingtoomuchbodyfat(medically
referredtoasbeingoverweight)isthatitcanincreaseyourrisk
ofanumberofhealthproblems.Theseinclude:
• coronary heart disease
• diabetes
• highbloodpressure
• high blood cholesterol
• gall bladder disease
• jointproblems,e.g.gout,arthritisandjointpain
• sleepproblems,e.g.sleepapnoea
• certain types of cancer.
Yourriskofdevelopingthesehealthconditionsdependsnot
justonyourweight,butalsoonotherriskfactorsthatyoumay
have.Youcanfindoutmoreaboutotherriskfactorsforheart
diseaseinourHow to have a healthy heart brochure.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
1
Whydoweputonweight?
Bodyweightisaffectedbyanumberoffactors,but
the two key factors are:
1. theamountofenergy(kilojoules)thatweputinto
ourbodiesfromfoodanddrinks
2. theamountofenergy(kilojoules)thatweuseupthrough
physicalactivityandotherdailyactivities.
Putsimply,it’sallaboutwhatgoesinandwhatgets
usedup.
Peopleoftengetconfusedbyenergyandkilojoules–energy
andkilojoulesarethesamething.Kilojoulesarejustameasure
ofenergy,inthesamewayascentimetresorinchesarea
measureoflength.Energyislikefuelinacar–it’swhatkeeps
usmovingandabletogoaboutourdailyactivities.
Youwillgainweightif:
1. youeatanddrinkmorethanyourbodyneeds–youtakein
toomuchenergy(kilojoules)
2. youaren’tactiveenough–youdon’tuseupenoughenergy
(kilojoules)
3. ifyoudoboth–youeatanddrinktoomuchandarenot
activeenough.
2
Losing weight the healthy way
HeartFoundation
Achievingahealthyweightisarealbalancingact.
It works like this:
Physical
activity
Food &
drinks
Food &
drinks
Food &
drinks
Physical
activity
=
Physical =
activity
HeartFoundation
=
Gain
weight
Same
weight
Lose
weight
Losing weight the healthy way
Iftheamountofenergy
(kilojoules)youtakeintoyour
bodythroughfoodanddrinks
ismorethanyouareusingup
throughphysicalactivityand
dailyactivities,thenyouwill
gain weight.
Ifyoutakeinthesameamount
ofenergy(kilojoules)through
foodanddrinksthatyouare
usingupthroughphysical
activityanddailyactivities,then
yourweightwillstaythesame.
Iftheamountofenergy
(kilojoules)youtakeinthrough
foodanddrinksislessthanyou
areusingupthroughphysical
activityanddailyactivities,then
youwillloseweight.
3
Did you know?
Yourriskofdeveloping
healthproblems
increases with the
moreexcessweight
youcarry.Ifyouare
alreadyoverweight,itis
importanttotrytostop
gainingmoreweight.
Thiswillhelptoreduce
yourlevelofrisk.
Ifyoucanmanagetolose
someoftheextrakilos,
thatwillbeevenbetter
foryourhealth.However,
evenifyoudon’tmanage
to lose any weight,
what’simportantisbeing
physicallyactive,eating
healthily and looking
afteryourselfsothatyou
canachievethebest
health.
4
Ismyweightahealthrisk?
Somepeoplethinktheyareoverweightwhentheyaren’t;others
thinktheirweightisfinewhenitisn’t.Whileyoucangenerally
tellifyou’veputonweightbyyourclothesbeingtighteror
havingtoloosenyourbeltanotchortwo,thiswon’ttellyouif
youareoverweight.
Thebestwaytofindoutifyourweightisahealthriskisto
checkwithyourdoctor.Thereareafewverysimpleandpainfreemeasurementsthatyourdoctorcandotocheckyour
weight.Yourdoctorcanthenconsideryourweightandyour
overallhealthandadviseifyouneedtodosomethingabout
yourweight.
Excessweightaroundyour
middleisagreaterhealthrisk
Yourhealthcanbeaffectedbyhowmuchyouweighaswell
asbyyourbodyshape.Menoftencarrytheirexcessweight
aroundtheirmiddle,whilewomenoftencarrytheirexcess
weight on their hips and thighs.
Carryingexcessweightaroundyourmiddle(being‘apple
shaped’)ismoreofahealthriskthanifexcessweightison
yourhipsandthighs(being‘pearshaped’).Theso-called‘pear
shape’isactuallyahealthierbodyshapethanbeing‘apple
shaped’.Ifyouarecarryingyourexcessweightaroundyour
middle,theHeartFoundationencouragesyoutovisityour
doctortodiscussyourweight.
Losing weight the healthy way
HeartFoundation
IfIneedtoloseweight,whatdoIdo?
Ifyourweightisahealthriskorit’saffectingyourenjoyment
oflife,youneedtodosomethingaboutit.Toloseweight,
youneedtouseupmoreenergy(kilojoules)thanyouare
takingin.Thismeansthatyouneedtolookathowyoucan
reduceyourenergy(kilojoule)intakeandincreaseyourenergy
(kilojoule)output.Thatallcomesdowntothefoodanddrinks
youconsume–whattypesandhowmuch–andthetypeand
amountofphysicalactivityyoudo.
Remember
Ifyoureallywanttolose
weight, keep the weight
off and be healthier,
youneedtochange
youreatingpatternsand
increaseyourphysical
activitylevels.Just
doing one or the other is
usuallynotenough.
Despitewhatvariousbooksanddietsmaysay,losingweight
inahealthywayisnotquickandit’snotsimple.Fadorcrash
dietsareoftenunhealthyandarenothelpfulwithlosingweight
andkeepingitoffinthelongerterm.Peoplehavegenerallyput
theirweightonoveraperiodoftime,maybeevenyears,soit’s
notgoingtocomeoffovernight.Whatcanchangeovernight
thoughisyourcommitmenttomakesomechangestoyour
eatingpatterns,toincreaseyourphysicalactivitylevels,andto
reducetheamountoftimeyouspendsitting.
Onceyou’vedecidedtomakeachange,youneedtoworkout
yourplan.Thisplanwillhelpyoutoworkoutwhereyoucan
makechanges,whatchangesyouwillmakeandtoberealistic
aboutwhatyoucanachieve.
Myweightlossplan
Step 1 Set realistic weight loss or lifestyle goals.
Step 2 Identifywhatyoueatanddrink,yourlevelof
physicalactivityandamountofsittingtime.
Step 3 Makechangestowhatyoueatanddrink.
Step 4 Increaseyourphysicalactivitylevelsandreduce
yoursittingtime.
Step 5 Keepgoingwithyourweightlossplan.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
5
Quick tip
Writeyourgoalorgoals
down,soyouhavea
handyreminderofwhat
youaretryingtoachieve.
Step1:Setrealisticweightlossor
lifestyle goals
Setyourselfrealisticgoals.Itmayjustbeonegoaloryoumight
setacoupleatthesametime.Thekeyistochooseagoalor
goalsthatsuityou.Thiswillhelptokeepyoumotivatedand
stopyoutryingtodotoomuchtoosoon.Forexample,some
realisticgoalsmightbe:
• to stop gaining weight –ifyouhaverecentlybeengaining
weight,thisisausefulgoaltostartwith
• to lose 2 kg in the next two months –thismaynotsound
likemuchandmaysoundveryslow,butifyoucandothis
and keep this weight off, then that is a fantastic effort.
Ifyoumakeyourgoaltoodifficult,youcanendupfeelinglike
afailurewhenitreallyisn’tyourfault.Forexample:
• to lose 10 kg in 10 weeks –thisisnoteasy.Losing10kg
maytakemonthstoachieve,possibly12monthsormore,
ifyouarelosingweighthealthily.
6
Losing weight the healthy way
HeartFoundation
It’smuchbettertochoosesmallgoalsandloseweightgradually
thansetagoalthatseemsunachievable.Evenifyouonly
everloseafewkilogramsitcanmakeabigdifferencetoyour
health,andit’sbetterthancontinuingtogainweight.
Yourgoalscanfocusonachangeinweight,buttheycould
alsofocusonchangingyoureatingpatterns,increasingyour
physicalactivitylevelsandreducingyoursittingtime.For
example,somegoalsmightbe:
• tolimitthenumberoftimesyoubuytake-awayfoods
to once a week
• togofora30minutewalkonatleastthreeevenings
each week
• toreducetheamountofTVyouwatcheachday.
Trynottobecome‘ruled’bythescales.Ifyouwanttoweigh
yourself,makesureit’snomorethanonceaweek.Always
rememberthattheamountofweightyouloseisonlyoneway
ofmeasuringyourachievements.
Someotherimportantwaystomeasurehowwellyou
aredoinginclude:
• howyoufeel
• ifyourclothesarelooser
• ifyoucandothingswithoutgettingtired.
Andifyou’vemanagedtoimproveyoureatingpatterns,increase
theamountofphysicalactivityyoudo,andreducetheamount
oftimeyouspendsittingeachday,that’spositiveforyouroverall
healthevenifyoudon’tmanagetoloseanyweight.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
7
Quick tip
Keeping a food and
drinksdiarywillhelpyou
to see what, when and
howmuchyouareeating
and drinking.
Yourdiarymayalsohelp
youtoidentify‘cues’or
‘triggers’thatpromptyou
toovereat,andidentify
areaswhereyoucan
makesomechanges.
Step2:Identifywhatyoueatand
drink,yourlevelofphysicalactivity
andamountofsittingtime
Todothis,youmightliketokeepadiaryforaweek.Keeping
adiarycanhelpyoutoseewhereyoucanmakechanges.
Ifkeepingadiaryworksforyou,herearesometipsonhow
to do it.
Tips on keeping a food and drinks diary
• Usinganotebook,notepadorcomputer,writedown
everythingyoueatanddrinkeachday.
• Ifyoucan,alsoincludetheamountoffoodordrinks
youhave.
• Don’tforgettowritedownsnacksaswell.
• Writedownthetimeofeating/drinkingandwhereyouwere
eating/drinking,suchasathomewiththefamily,onmyown
infrontoftheTVoratacafé.
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Losing weight the healthy way
HeartFoundation
Tipsonkeepingaphysicalactivityandsittingdiary
• Useyourcomputerorthesamenotebookornotepadthat
youuseforyourfooddiary,oruseaseparateone.
• Writedownallthetimesyouareactive–writewhatyou
do,whatpartofthedayyouarebeingactiveandforhow
long,including:
o anyplannedactivityyoudo,suchasgoingtothegym,
joggingorplayingsport
o activity,suchashousework,gardening,takingthe
stairs instead of a lift, walking to the local shops,
walking the dog.
• Believeitornot,it’salsoveryusefultorecordtheamount
oftimeyouspendsitting.Writedownwhatitisyouare
doingwhenyouaresitting,suchaswatchingTV,working
ordrivingthecar.
Recordingbothyouractiveandsittingtimewillhelpyouto
workouthowactiveorinactiveyouare,thetimesyouare
activeandinactive,andwhereyoucouldtrytomakechanges
toincreaseyourphysicalactivitylevelsandreduceyour
sittingtime.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
9
Step3:Makechangesto
whatyoueatanddrink
Ifyou’vekeptafoodanddrinksdiary,usetheinformationfrom
yourdiarywiththefollowinginformationtohelptoidentify
changesyoucanmake.
Healthyeatingforweightlossisaboutmakingsureyouare
stillgettingallthenutrientsyouneedforgoodhealthwhile
reducingtheamountofenergy(kilojoules)youtakein.
Thegoodnewsisthatmanyfoodsthatarelowerinenergy
(kilojoules)arealsopackedfullofnutrients–andthesearethe
typesoffoodsyouneedtoeatmost.
Choosefoodsanddrinkslowerinenergy(kilojoules)
To take in
less energy
(kilojoules)
1.Choosefoodsand
drinks lower in energy
(kilojoules)–make
thesethemainpartof
yourmealsandsnacks.
2.Limittheamountof
highenergy(kilojoule)
foodsanddrinksyou
have.
3.Watchyouroverall
food and drink intake.
Foods
Vegetables,fruitandlegumes(forexample,splitpeas,kidney
beans,bakedbeans,threebeanmix,lentilsandchickpeas)
providesomeenergy(kilojoules)buttheyarealsopackedfull
ofvitamins,mineralsandfibre.Eatingthesesortsoffoodshelps
tomakeyoufeelfull,withoutgivingyoutoomuchenergy
(kilojoules).
Otherlowerenergy(kilojoule)foodchoicesthatalsoprovidea
rangeofvitaminsandmineralsinclude:
• reduced,lowornofatmilkandyoghurt
• leanmeatandpoultry(meattrimmedofallvisiblefatand
chickenwithoutskin)andfish
• wholegrainorwholemealbreadandbreakfastcereals,plain
pasta(preferablywholemeal),plainrice(preferablybrown)
and plain noodles.
Includingallofthesetypesoffoodsinyourdailyeatingplan
willhelptoensureyouaregettingallthenutrientsyouneed
withoutalotofextraenergy(kilojoules).
10
Losing weight the healthy way
HeartFoundation
Drinks
Plainwaterisbyfarthebestoptionbecauseithasnoenergy
(kilojoules).It’salsocheapandquenchesyourthirst.
Othersuitablechoicestoincludeinmoderationareplain
mineralwater;sodawater;reduced,lowornofatmilk;herbal
tea;andteaorcoffee(ifyouhavemilk,usereduced,loworno
fatvarietiesor‘addedcalcium’soymilk).
Limithighenergy(kilojoule)foodsanddrinks
The types of foods and drinks that often contain lots of energy
(kilojoules)arelistedbelow.
Did you know?
A375mLcanofsoft
drinkhasaround10
teaspoonsofaddedsugar
andprovidesaround
600to800kilojoules,
depending on what
flavouritis.Plainwater
orplainmineralwater
contains no energy
(kilojoules).
Foods
• Chocolate,confectionery
• Potatocrispsandothersavourysnackfoods,
suchascorncrisps
• Cakes,sweetbiscuits
• Pastries–sweetandsavoury
• Take-awayfoods,suchasdeep-friedfoods,creamypasta
dishes,cheesydishesandhamburgers
Drinks
• Softdrinks,fruitjuices,fruitjuicedrinks,cordialsand
alcoholic drinks
Youcanstillhavethesetypesoffoodsanddrinksoccasionally,
buttheyreallydoprovidealotofenergy(kilojoules)without
givingyoumuchelse.Trytoonlyhavethesetypesoffoodsand
drinksasatreatorforaspecialoccasion.Eatingthemdailyor
regularlythroughouttheweekwouldleadtoweightgainfor
mostpeople.Takealookatthetablesonpages16and17to
seejusthowmuchenergy(kilojoules)youcouldsavebyhaving
alowerenergy(kilojoule)foodordrinkchoiceratherthana
highenergy(kilojoule)foodordrinkchoice.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
11
A note about
using fats and oils
Completelycutting
outfatsandoilsisnot
the answer to weight
loss. While fats and
oils are high in energy
(kilojoules),youneeda
certainamountoffats
and oils to stay healthy.
The best types of fat to
includearethehealthier
types.Thesearefound
inmargarinespreads
andcookingoilsmade
fromcanola,sunflower,
soybeanandoliveoil.
Theyarealsoinnuts,
seedsandfish.
Thetypeoffatyouneed
totrytolimitissaturated
fat. This is the type of
fat that raises blood
cholesterollevelsand
increasesyourriskof
heartdisease.Reducing
yourintakeoffoodshigh
insaturatedfatwillhelp
toreduceyouroverall
energy(kilojoule)intake
andalsohelptoreduce
yourriskofheartdisease.
Watchyouroverallfoodanddrinkintake
Itiseasytoeatmorethanyourbodyneeds,sobeawareofthe
amountoffoodanddrinks(otherthanwater)youarehaving.
Thisisn’taboutstarvingyourself,skippingmealsorgoing
thirsty.It’sabouteatingwhenyouactuallyfeelhungryrather
thaneatingbecauseoftheclockorjustbecausefoodisthere.
Ifyoufeelhungryallthetimeorfindyourselfwantingtoeatall
thetime,youprobablyneedtovisityourdoctorandseeksome
guidanceaboutwhythismaybethecase.Yourdoctormay
referyoutoanotherhealthprofessional,suchasanaccredited
practisingdietitian,forspecificadvice.
Wheneatingoutorbuyingtake-awayfood,becarefulabout
howmuchfoodyouorder.Inmanycasesyoucanbuyalarge
mealoramealpackforaroundthesamepriceasasmaller
mealoranindividualitem.Thetraphereisthatyouendup
eatingalargerservingormorefoodthanyouactuallyneed.
Trytolimityourintakeofhighenergy(kilojoule)drinks,suchas
alcohol,softdrinks,fruitjuicesandcordials.Makeplainwater
yourmaindrinkchoiceanddrinkplentyofthisthroughoutthe
daytomakesureyoudon’tgothirsty.Onlyhavehighenergy
(kilojoule)drinksoccasionallyandlimittheamount.
See Healthy meal ideas onpage33forlowerenergy(kilojoules)
mealandsnackoptions.
Saturatedfatsarefound
infattymeats,fullfat
dairyproducts,butter,
twovegetableoils
(coconutandpalmoil),
andmostdeep-fried
take-awayfoodsand
commerciallybaked
foods,suchasbiscuits,
cakes and pastries. Try to
limitthesetypesoffoods.
12
Losing weight the healthy way
HeartFoundation
CanIhavealcohol?
Alcoholishighinenergy(kilojoules).Oftenwhendrinking
alcohol,wetendtoalsosnackonhighenergy(kilojoule)foods,
suchaspotatoorcorncrisps,pastriesandnuts.
Youcanstillenjoyalcoholwhiletryingtoloseweight,you
justhavetolimithowmuchyouhave.
Tips to lower your alcohol intake
• Drinkwaterorplainmineralwaterfirsttoquench
yourthirst,thenhaveanalcoholicdrink.
• Alternateaglassofalcoholwithalowenergy
(kilojoule)drink,suchaswaterorplainmineralwater.
• Whereappropriate,mixyouralcoholicdrinkwithplain
mineralwater,sodaordietsoftdrink.
• Useonlyhalf-measuresofspirits.
• Choosealowalcoholorlightbeer.
• Choosealowalcoholwineifavailable.
• Alwayshavewateravailableatthetable,whetheryou
arediningoutorathome.
• Usedietsoftdrinksinmixeddrinks,forexamplediet
colawithrum,ordietgingeralewithbrandy.
• Takeyourtimewitheachdrink.
• Usesmallerglasses.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
13
Modifyingrecipes
Manyofyourfavouriterecipesneedonlysimplechangesto
reducetheirenergy(kilojoules)ortheirsaturatedfatcontent.
The two steps to changing a recipe are:
1.tryhealthiercookingmethods
2.changeingredientsbyreducing,removingorreplacing
withsomethingelse.
Method
Healthier cooking method
Deep-fry
Roastintheovenonalinedtrayorgrilltray.Foodcanbelightlysteamed
ormicrowavedfirst,thenbrushedwithoilsuchascanola,sunflower,
soybeanoroliveoilforcrispness.Crumbedfish,chickenandovenfries
canbecookedintheovenratherthandeep-fried.
Shallow-fry/Sauté Stir-fryusingreducedsaltstockand/oroil,suchascanola,sunflower,
soybean,oliveorpeanutoil.Tryusinganon-stickfrypan.
14
Roast
Chooseleancutsofmeatortrimallvisiblefatandthenplacethemeat
onarackinabakingdishwith1to2cmwater.Forextraflavour,add
herbstothewater.Trybrushingwithamarinadetopreventthemeat
dryingout,orcoverthefoodwithalidoraluminiumfoilforpartofthe
cookingtime.Roastingonaspitorrotisseriewillallowfattodripaway.
Brushorsprayvegetableswithoilsuchascanola,sunflower,soybean,
oliveorpeanutoil,andbakeinaseparatepan.
Casserole/Stew
Trimfatoffmeatbeforecooking.Addlegumes,suchaskidneybeans,
chickpeas,soybeansorlentils,forextrafibreandflavour.Aftercooking,
chillthefoodsoanyfatsolidifiesonthesurface.Skimthefatoffthe
surfacebeforereheatingandthickening(ifnecessary).
Losing weight the healthy way
HeartFoundation
Ingredient
Healthier alternative
Milk/Yoghurt/ Cream
Usereduced,lowornofatvarieties.Usericottacheesewhippedwitha
littleicingsugar,fruitorreduced,lowornofatmilkasasubstituteforcream.
Sour cream Blendcottagecheeseandreduced,lowornofatmilk(addalittlelemon
juiceorvinegarifdesired).Usereduced,lowornofatnaturalyoghurt. Useevaporatedreducedfatmilkandlemonjuice.
Cheese
Usesmalleramountsofreducedfatvarieties.Usealittlegrated
parmesancheeseinsteadofgratedcheddar–itgivesmoreflavourand
lessisneeded.Mixgratedreducedfatcheesewithoats,breadcrumbs
orwheatgermfortoppingsoncasseroles,gratinsandbakeddishes.
Butter/Margarine
spreads
Usemargarinespreadsmadefromcanola,sunfloweroroliveoil,and
dairyblendsthathaveearnedtheHeartFoundationTickinsteadof
butter,otherdairyblends,lard,cophaorcookingfats.Note:reducedfat
or‘lite’spreadsaregenerallynotgoodforcooking.
Oil
Useavarietyofoilsforcooking.Somesuitablechoicesincludecanola,
sunflower,soybean,oliveandpeanutoil.
Mayonnaise/
Dressing
Usesaladdressingsandmayonnaisemadefromoilssuchascanola,
sunflower,soybeanandoliveoil.Makeyourownusingingredients
suchasreduced,lowornofatyoghurt,buttermilk,tomatopaste,
balsamicorothervinegars,lemonjuice,ricottacheese,mustardandfruitpulp.
Meat/Poultry
Chooseleanmeatsandpoultry.Removeallvisiblefatfrommeatand
skinfrompoultrybeforecooking.Marinateoraddflavourwith
ingredientssuchaswinevinegars.Searmeatquicklytokeepinjuices.
Cakes/Biscuits
Usemargarinespreadsmadefromcanola,sunfloweroroliveoil,ordairy
blendsthathaveearnedtheHeartFoundationTickinsteadofbutter.Useoils
suchascanola,sunfloweroroliveoil.Theminimumfatrequiredforbiscuits
isabout2tablespoonspercupofflour–thiswillretaincrispness.Make
plainsponges,yeastcakes,breads,muffinsandsconesastheygenerallyuse
lessfat.Usewholegrainorwholemealflourtoaddsomeextrafibre.
Pastry/Savoury
Usefilopastry,brushingeverythreetofourlayerswithoilsuchascanola,
sunflower,soybeanoroliveoil,eggwhiteorreduced,lowornofat
yoghurt.Usepastrymadewithoilsuchascanola,sunfloweroroliveoil.
Coconut cream/
Coconut milk
Useevaporatedreducedfatmilkwithalittlecoconutessence.
Alternatively,ifyouhavetime,soakdesiccatedcoconutinwarmreduced, lowornofatmilkfor30minutes,thenstrain,discardthecoconutanduse themilk.Foroccasionaluse,tryareducedfatcoconutmilk.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
15
Comparisonofenergy(kilojoule)contentoffoodsanddrinks
Herearesomeexamplesofhowyoucanmakesmallbutimportantchangestoyoureating
habits.Rememberit’sthesmallchangesthatcanmakeabigdifference!
Alsorememberthatthesearejustexamples.Thekeyistothinkaboutwhatchangesyou
couldmakeinyourfoodchoicesandthewayyouprepareandcookfoodsthatwillhelpto
lowerenergy(kilojoules).
Less healthy food choices
1plainlargecroissant(70g)
with2tspbutterand2tspjam
2breakfastwheatbiscuits(30g)
+2/3cupfullfatmilk
kJ content Healthier food choices
kJ content
1600 2pieceswholemealplaintoast
(30geach)with1tspmargarine
spreadand1tspjamperslice
970
887 2breakfastwheatbiscuits(30g)
+2/3cupskimmilk
756
1plaindonut(70g)
1045 1mediumbanana(150g)
365
1packetpotatocrisps(50g)
1045 1mediumapple (150g)
270
2choc-coatedcreambiscuits
743 2plainsweetbiscuits
1chocolatebar(50g)
1110 Smallhandfulofalmonds
(~20)20g
1meatpie(175g)
1880 Hamandsaladsandwich
(madewith2tspmargarine)
277
473
1105
Hungariansalami(30g)
535 Ham,plainfresh(30g)
174
1cappuccino(1cup)
withfullcreammilk
375 1cappuccino(1cup)
withskimmilk
210
1glasscolasoftdrink(250mL)
440 1glasslowsugaror
diet cola soft drink
4
Orangejuice(sweetened)(250mL)
400 1glasswater
0
1glassdrywhitewine(100mL)
263 1glassdrywhitewine–
reducedalcohol(100mL)
167
1stubbie/canfullstrengthbeer
585 1stubbie/canlightbeer
260
16
Losing weight the healthy way
HeartFoundation
kJ content Healthier food choices
Less healthy food choices
kJ content
Pan-friedchickenparmigiana
2050 Pan-friedchickenbreast,
noskin(100g)
795
1mediumT-bonesteak
with fat, grilled
1255 1mediumT-bonesteak,
trimmedofvisiblefat,grilled
960
Hamburgermince,25%fat
(100g)
1230 Leanmince,10%fat(100g)
710
920 Chickenbreast,withoutskin,
roastedwithoutaddedfat(100g)
605
1filletwhitefish,e.g.whiting,
friedinbatter(150g)
1725 1filletwhitefish,e.g.whiting,
steamed,poachedorgrilled(150g)
630
Pastacarbonara(1cuppastawith
cream,bacon,cheeseandegg)
1990 Pastamarinara(1cuppastawith
seafoodandtomatosauce)
1358
1largecobsweetcornwith
2tspbutter
820 1largecobsweetcorn(nobutter)
520
½cupgreenbeans(60g)
plus1tspbutter
200 ½cupgreenbeans(60g)
1mediumbakedpotatowith
1tbspsourcream
720 1mediumbakedpotatowith
1tbspnon-fatplainyoghurt
490
SmallserveFrenchfries(90g)
1089 Smallserveoven-bakedpotato
wedges–about6wedges(90g)
284
Lemonmeringuepie(140g)
1590 1cupstewedfruitwithout
sugar,with1scoopofreduced
fatice-cream
855
Chickenbreastwithskin,roasted
withoutaddedfat(100g)
Fullfatfruityoghurt
(200gcarton)
Fullfatice-cream
(2scoops–100g)
50
965 Diet/Non-fat(nosugar)fruit
yoghurt(200gcarton)
380
750 Lowfatice-cream
(2scoops–100g)
590
Note:Allfiguresareapproximatevalues.Sourcematerial:BorushekA,Allan Borushek’s
Pocket Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter,33rdedition,2006.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
17
Whattolookforonafoodlabeltofind
energy(kilojoules)
J
Nutrition information
panel
J
Bylaw,allfoodlabelsinAustraliamustcontainanutrition
informationpanelandaningredientslist.Theonlyexceptions
tothisarefoodsthataresoldinverysmallpackages,herbs,
spices,tea,coffeeandfoodmadeandpackagedatthepointof
sale,althoughsomefoodoutletsdoprovidethisinformation.
Thenutritioninformationpaneliswhereyouwillfindinformation
abouthowmuchenergy(kilojoules)thefoodordrinkcontains.
Thiswilltellyouhowmuchenergy(kilojoules)thereisin100gor
100mLandineachservingofthefoodordrink.Youcanusethis
whencomparingsimilarproductstohelpyoutochoosetheone
lowerinenergy(kilojoules).Forexample,ifyouwerecomparing
twotypesofsweetbiscuits,youwouldchoosetheonethat
providedtheleastamountofenergy(kilojoules)in100g.
Theingredientlistingonthelabelcanalsohelpyouto
identifywhetherornotthefoodishighinenergy(kilojoules).
Ingredientsarelistedinorderbyweight.Themainingredient
byweightwillbelistedfirstandthesmallestlistedlast.Ifthe
firstfewingredientsintheingredientslistarehighinfatand/
orsugar,thenthefood/drinkislikelytobehighinenergy
(kilojoules).Someexamplesofingredientsthatarehighinfat
andsugararelistedinthetablebelow.
High fat, high sugar ingredients
Fat
Vegetableoil
Vegetablefat
Animalfat
Animaloil
Shortening
Copha
Lard
Tallow
Sugar
Coconutoil
Palmoil
Chocolatechips
Milksolids
Monoglycerides
Diglycerides
Chocolate
Butter
Note:thewords‘creamed’or‘toasted’mayalsoindicateaddedfat.
18
Sucrose
Maltose
Lactose
Dextrose
Fructose
Glucose
Molasses
Maltextract
Raw/Brownsugar
Losing weight the healthy way
Glucosesyrup
Cornsyrup
Goldensyrup
Disaccharides
Monosaccharides
Polysaccharides
Honey
Invertsugar
HeartFoundation
TheimportantTick
Since1989,shoppingwiththeHeartFoundationTickhasbeen
theeasiestwaytogiveyourshoppingtrolleyahealthmakeover.
BecausetheTickisonmorethan1200foodsinthe
supermarket,there’sprobablyaTickalternativetothefoods
you’realreadybuyingforyouandyourfamily–frombread,
breakfastcereals,margarinespreads,frozenvegetablesand
yoghurttofreshfoods,suchasmilk,leanmeat,nuts,avocados
and eggs.
Andbecauseweunderstandthatmakingchangestoyour
eatingpatternsisnoteasy,wehaveTickchoicesavailableon
some‘occasional’foodstoo,tohelpyoutomakehealthier
choices.
BeforebeingpermittedtousetheTick,foodsmustmeetstrict
nutritionandlabellingstandards–noexceptions!Wetest
fordifferentcombinationsofsaturatedfat,transfat,salt,fibre
andkilojoules,andregularrandomtestingensuresthatfoods
continuetomeetthestrictstandards.
Tomakehealthiereatingforthefamilyeasy,justreachforthe
Tick.Peoplewithspecificdietaryneedsshouldalwaysfollow
theadviceoftheirdoctororaccreditedpractisingdietitian.
Remember,thereisonlyoneHeartFoundationTickanditwill
onlyeverlooklikethis.
Visitwww.heartfoundation.org.au/Tick.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
19
Remember
Allphysicalactivity–
whether it be playing
agameofsport,going
tothegym,goingfora
walk,movingaround
atworkorevendoing
housework–usesup
energy(kilojoules).
Step4:Increaseyourphysicalactivity
levelsandreduceyoursittingtime
Ifyou’vekeptaphysicalactivityandsittingdiary,usethe
informationfromyourdiarytogetherwiththefollowing
informationtohelptoidentifyhowyoucanbemorephysically
activeandreducethetimeyouspendsitting.
Beingphysicallyactiveusesupenergy(kilojoules).Themore
youmove,themoreenergy(kilojoules)youwillburn.Sothink
aboutmovementasanopportunitytoimproveyourhealth,
ratherthanatime-wastinginconvenience.
HowmuchactivitydoIneedtodo?
Thirtyminutesofphysicalactivityonmostoralldaysofthe
weekisgreatforyourgeneralhealthandwell-being,regardless
ofyourbodyweightorshape.Forsomepeople,thismayeven
beenoughtopreventweightgain.
Ifyouneedtoloseweightoraregainingweight,thenyouwill
needtodomorethanthe30minutesofphysicalactivityeach
dayrecommendedforgeneralhealth.
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Losing weight the healthy way
HeartFoundation
Thebottomlineisthatyouneedtoincreaseyourphysical
activitylevelsandreducetheamountoftimethatyouspend
sitting,sofocusonthesethingsfirst.Graduallytrytobuild
uptheamountoftimeyouarephysicallyactiveandreduce
theamountoftimeyouspendsitting.Don’tworryabouthow
activeotherpeopleare,justfocusontryingtoincreaseyour
ownactivitylevel.
Ifyoucanenjoysomevigorousactivityaswell,thenthat’s
evenbetter.Vigorousactivity,suchasdoingagymclass,
playingsportorjogging,givesadditionalhealth,fitnessand
weightlossbenefits.
It’sallaboutyou–theamountofactivitythatwillworkforyou
islikelytobedifferenttowhatwillworkforsomeoneelse.
A note about
vigorous activity
Ifyouarenotcurrently
active,haveheart
disease,haveclose
relativeswithheart
disease,orifyouhave
othermajorhealth
problems,checkwith
yourdoctorfirstbefore
takingpartinvigorous
physicalactivity.
Justassomepeopleseemtobeabletoeatanddrinkwhatever
theylikewithoutputtingonweight,somepeoplemayalso
seemtobeabletogetawaywithdoinglittle,ifany,activityto
keeptheirweightdown.Thatdoesn’tmatter.Whatmattersis
whatisrightandcomfortableforyou.Sogetactivetoday!
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
21
Gettingphysicallyactive
Therearereallythreewaystogetactive.
1. Fit it into your day
Theeasiestwayistothinkabouthowtomakephysicalactivity
apartofyourday–thatis,howcanyoubeactivewhiledoing
somethingelsethathastobedoneanyway?Thinkabouthow
youcanbephysicallyactiveinasmanywaysasyoucan.Even
thoughourlivesareverybusy,therearelotsofwaystofit
physicalactivityintoourdailyroutine.Someofthefollowing
ideasmayhelptogetyoustarted.
At home
• GetoffthecouchandchangetheTVchannelsinsteadof
usingtheremote.
• Getoffthecouchoroffthechair–themoreyousitonit,
thelessactiveyouwillbe.
• Walkintothenextroomtospeaktoafamilymemberrather
thanshoutingthroughwalls.
• WatchonelessTVprogrameachweekandinsteaddo
somethingactiveduringthattime–gowalking,dosome
houseworkorgardening,playgameswiththekids.
• Ifyouhaveagarden,tendtoityourself–weeding,planting,
digging,mowingthelawnwillallhelptoburnoffextrakilos
anditcanbefunatthesametime.
• Housework–ironing,vacuuming,dusting,handwashing
clothes,polishingfurniture–maynotseemlikefun,butit
burnsupenergyandsomebodyhastodoit.
• Washthecarbyhand–it’sgoodforyouandforsavingwater.
• Walkthedogifyouhaveone–it’sgreatforbothofyou.
• Cleanoutthecupboards,storageareas,garageorshed.
• Washthewindows–insideandout.
• Walktotheletterboxtopostlettersratherthanwaitinguntil
thenexttimeyou’reoutinthecar.
• Getacordlessphoneandwalkaroundwhileusingit,rather
than sitting down.
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HeartFoundation
At work
• Visityourcolleagueintheirworkspaceinsteadofphoning
orsendinganemail.
• Takeabreakoruseyourlunchbreaktogoforawalk–
even10to15minutesisagoodeffort.Asksomeothers
togowithyou.
• Iftherearestairs,usethem.
• Ifyousitatadeskalldayinfrontofacomputer,dosome
stretchingexercisesatleastonceaday.
• Trytogetawayfromyourdeskthroughouttheday.
• Dosomefiling.
Going places
• Walk,rideyourbikeorrollerbladeinsteadofdriving.
Ifyoucan’tdoitalltheway,atleastdoitpartoftheway.
• Forgetaboutfindingtheclosestparkingspace–park
furtherawayandjustwalktheextradistance.
• Getoffthebus/tram/trainoneortwostopsearlierand
then walk.
• Countto10beforejumpinginthecar–justthinkabout
whetheryoureallyneedtodriveornot.Thelessyoudrive
thecar,thebetteritisforyouandfortheenvironment.
Social
• Catchupwithfriendsforawalk.
• Goonoutingsthatencourageyoutowalkaround,suchas
visitingthezoo,gardens,funparks,exposorhistoricsites.
• Visitthelocalparkandtakeapicnic.
Quick tip
Askafriend,work
colleagueorfamily
membertojoinyou.
Havinganotherperson
along can be a great
motivator–ithelpsyou
tokeepyourcommitment
tobeingphysicallyactive
andit’sgoodfortheir
healthtoo!
• Arrangetodoactivethingswithfriends,suchasbowling
(tenpinorlawn),sailing,bikeriding,tennis,rockclimbing,
dancing(alltypes),swimmingorbushwalking.
• Joinalocalcommunitywalkinggrouportrysomething
new,suchasbellydancing,taichioryoga.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
23
2. Do some planned physical activity
Thesecondwaytogetmoreactiveandburnoffextrakilosis
totrytosetasidesometimeeachdayforplannedphysical
activity.
Manypeoplestrugglewiththis,sayingthattheydon’thavetime
tobephysicallyactive.Anditishardtofindtimewhenyou
havelotsofotherpriorities,suchaswork,familycommitments
andsocialfunctions.It’sreallyaboutmakingphysicalactivitya
priorityforyou.Trytogetsomeplannedactivityintoyourlife
atleastthreetimesaweek.Thentrytobuildthatupovertime.
What are some examples of planned physical activity?
Doinganyofthefollowingsortsofactivitiesonaregularbasis
forasetamountoftimeisplannedphysicalactivity:
• goforawalkorajog
• gotoagymclass–weights,aerobics,spinorpump
Remember
Everybitofextra
movementwillhelpto
burnenergy(kilojoules)
and it all helps towards
losingweight.Evenif
youdon’tneedtolose
weight, being physically
activeforatleast30
minuteseachdayisgreat
foryourhealth!
24
• playasport–cricket,netball,football,volleyball,rugby,
soccer,badminton,squash,tennisorvolleyball
• goforaswim
• do yoga, tai chi or Pilates.
Ifsomeofyourplannedphysicalactivityisvigorousactivity–
thatis,itmakesyoureallybreathehardandsweat–thenitwill
bringextrahealth,fitnessandweightlossbenefits.
Usingapedometerisagreatmotivatorforhelpingtoincrease
yourphysicalactivitylevels.
Pedometersaresmallinstrumentsthatclipontoyourclothing
andmeasurehowmuchwalkingorrunningyouaredoing.
Somewillalsotellyouhowmuchenergy(kilojoules)you
haveburned.Ifyouneedsomeextramotivation,thenconsider
purchasingapedometer(theHeartFoundationhasapedometer
–call1300362787toorderone–oryoucanpurchasethem
fromsportsstores).
Losing weight the healthy way
HeartFoundation
3. Sit less
Ifyouaresittingdownthenyouaregenerallynotbeing
active–chairactivityclassesareanexceptiontothis.
Ifyou’vebeenrecordinginadiaryhowmuchtimeinaday
youspendsittingdown,you’llhaveagoodideaofwhereyou
couldmakesomechanges.Alwaysthinkaboutwhetherthere
isawaythatyoucanbephysicallyactiveratherthansitting
down–thendoit!
Quick tip
Oneoftheadvantagesof
planningyourphysical
activityisthatyoucan
markitinyourdiaryor
onyourcalendarand
you’remorelikelyto
do it.
I’malreadyactive–whatcanIdo?
Ifyouarealreadyactive,butareputtingonweightorare
overweight,thenyoustillneedtothinkabouthowyoucanbe
moreactive.Youalsoneedtolookatyoureatinghabits(Step3,
page10)andseeifthereareanychangesyouneedtomake.
Reviewwhatyouaredoingandseeifyoucanincludemore
plannedphysicalactivitysessionsorifthereareotherways
thatyoucouldbuildmoreactivityintoyourdailyroutine.
Also,thinkabouthowyoucanspendlesstimesittingand
beinginactive.
Ifyoufeelthatyouarealreadydoingallthatyoucan,speak
withyourdoctoraboutwhatelseyoucando.Heorshemay
alsoreferyoutoaphysicalactivityhealthprofessionalfor
advice.
Somenotesaboutbeingphysicallyactivesafely
• Ifyoubecomebreathlessoruncomfortablewhiledoing
anyphysicalactivity,slowdownorstop.Discussthis
withyourdoctorassoonasyoucan.
• Ifyouhavebeenprescribedangina-relievingmedicine,
carryitwithyouwhenyouarebeingphysicallyactive
andfollowyourdoctor’sadviceforitsuse.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
25
• Know the warning signs of heart attack. The warning signs
varyandusuallylastforatleast10minutes.Youmay
experiencemorethanoneofthese:
o tightness,fullness,pressure,heavinessorpaininoneor
moreofyourchest,shoulders,neck,arms,backorjaw
o youmayalsofeelshortofbreath,nauseous,acold
sweat,dizzyorlight-headed.
Ifyouexperiencetheseheartattackwarningsigns,immediately
stopwhatyouaredoingandrest.Ifyouarewithsomeone,tell
themwhatyouareexperiencing.
Ifyoursymptomsaresevere,getworsequicklyorlastfor10
minutes,thisisanemergency.Gethelpfast.Call Triple Zero
(000)* and ask for an ambulance. Don’thangup.Waitforthe
operator’sinstructions.
*Ifcalling000doesnotworkonyourmobile,try112.
• Alwayswearcomfortable,loose-fittingclothingorclothing
appropriatetotheactivity.
• Whenbeingactiveoutdoors,wearahatandputon
sunscreen.
• Drinkplentyofwaterbefore,duringandafterphysical
activity,especiallyinhotweather.
Toomanyreasonsnottobephysicallyactive?
Apartfromlackoftime,otherfactorsthatcanimpact
onyourphysicalactivitylevelsare:
• yourweight
• feelingshyorembarrassed
• notfeeling‘sporty’
• poor health
• havingsomeformofinjuryordisability.
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Losing weight the healthy way
HeartFoundation
Ifyourhealthispoororyouhavesomeformofinjuryor
disability,seekadvicefromyourdoctoraboutsuitableways
foryoutobephysicallyactive.Yourdoctormayreferyouto
aphysicalactivityhealthprofessionaltogiveyoumore
specificadvice.
Ifyourreasonsfornotbeingactivearebecauseyouare
embarrassedtobeactive,oryourweightmakesitdifficultor
youjustdon’tfeelsportyenough,alwaysrememberthatagreat
formofphysicalactivityiswalking.Mostpeoplecanwalkand
youcandothisanywhere–evenaroundyourhome.
Remember
Itdoesn’tmatterif
walkingisyouronlyform
ofphysicalactivity–
whatmattersisthatyou
arebeingactiveinsome
wayandthatyouare
enjoyingit.
Beingphysicallyactivedoesn’tmeanthatyouhavetojoina
gymorplaysomeformofsport.Doingthesethingsisgreat,
butiftheydon’tsuityou,youdon’thavetodothem.It’smost
importantthatyoufindtypesofphysicalactivitythatyouare
comfortabletodo.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
27
Comparisonofenergy(kilojoules)usedthroughdifferentphysicalactivities
Herearesomeexamplesofhowyoucanmakesmallbutimportantchangestoincreaseyour
physicalactivitylevels.Rememberit’sthesmallchangestogetherthatcanmakeabigdifference.
Alsorememberthatthesearejustexamples.Thekeyistothinkaboutwhatactivitiesyoudo
andhowyoucanmakeimprovements.
Sedentary
kJ burned
Waitingfor30minutesfor
homedeliveryoffood
4 Cookingfor30minutes
Usingalawnservice
0 Gardeningandmowingeach
for30minutesaweek
Lettingthedogoutthebackdoor
8 Walkingthedogfor30minutes
Driving40minutes,walking
fiveminutes(parking)
105
1505
92 Walking15minutesto
busstoptwiceaday
523
500
Hiringsomeonetoclean
and iron
0 Ironingandvacuumingeach
for30minutes
Takingelevatororliftup
three flights
1 Walkingupthreeflightsofstairs
63
Parking as close as possible,
10secondwalk
1 Parkingslightlyfurtheraway,
walkingtwominutes
33
635
Playingacomputergame
for30minutes
80 Playingaballgamefor
30minutes
546
Usingtheremotecontrol
tochangeTVchannel
<4 Gettingupandchanging
theTVchannel
13
Drivingtothecornershop
to get the paper
Gettingoffthebusand
walkingfiveminutestowork
28
kJ burned Active
8 Walking to the corner shop
for10minutes
167
84 Gettingoffthebusonestop
earlierandwalking15minutes
to work
Losing weight the healthy way
252
HeartFoundation
kJ burned Active
Sedentary
Shoppingonlineforonehour
Drivingtolocalshopsforlunch
125 Shoppingatamall,walking
onehour
kJ burned
606–1003
8 Meetingafriendandwalking
20minutestoalocalcafé
334
Reclining while talking on
thephonefor30minutes
16 Standing while talking on
thephonefor30minutes
84
Sendinganemailtoa
colleague(fourminutes)
10 Walkingoneminuteand
standingtalkingtoacolleague
forthreeminutes
25
Sourcematerial:AmendedtableadaptedfromMayoClinicProceedingsTable2002,
based on Beil L. What is proper weight? Shake it up or go figure.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
29
Step5:Keepgoingwith
yourweightlossplan
Decidingwhatchangesyoucanmake
Afteryou’veworkedoutwhereyouthinkyoucouldmakesome
changestowhatyoueatanddrink,yourphysicalactivitylevels
andsittingtime,thinkaboutwhereyouwillstart.
Althoughyoumightbekeentodoitallatonce,it’sbesttodo
thingsgradually.Whatyouaretryingtodomaynotbeeasy
–youneedtochangeyourwayoflifeandthat’sgoingtotake
sometime,sogiveyourselftime.Startwithachangeyouthink
youcanmakefairlyeasilyandgiveyourselfarealisticamount
oftimetoachieveit.Onceyou’vemanagedonechange,trythe
nextoneonyourlist.
Someexamplesofchangesyoumightchooseare:
• inthenextfortnight,Iwillchangetoreducedfatmilk
insteadoffullcreammilk
• Iamgoingtogofora15minutewalkontwoevenings
eachweekforthenextmonth
• I’mgoingtoeattwopiecesoffruiteachdaythisweek
• ratherthanusetheescalator,I’mgoingtotakethestairs
instead
• I’mgoingtocutmyTVviewingtoonehouronthreedays
this week.
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Losing weight the healthy way
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Reviewyourgoalandyourchanges
It’simportanttostopandreflectonhowyouaregoingwith
things.Haveyouachievedwhatyousetouttodo?Ifso,
thengiveyourselfapatonthebackandrewardyourself.
Ifyouhaven’tquiteachievedwhatyouwantedto,don’tbe
discouraged.Nowisthetimetoreflectonwhatyousetout
todo.Thinkaboutifyouhave:
• triedtodotoomuchtoosoon–remember,smallchanges
overtimearebest
• givenyourselfenoughtime–maybeyoujustneedanother
monthortwotomakeithappen
Remember
Takesometimetothink
abouthowyouare
feelingaboutthechanges
youaremaking.These
changes need to be for
therestofyourlife,soit’s
reallyimportantthatyou
areenjoyingyourlifeand
feeling well and happy
aboutthechanges.
• triedtodosomethingthatjustisn’trightforyou–
istheresomethingelsethatyoushouldtry?
Rewardyourself
Don’tforgettospoilyourselfeverynowandthen.Changing
youreatingpatterns,increasingyourphysicalactivitylevels
andlosingweightisnotthateasy.Sowhenyouachievea
change,makesureyougiveyourselfsomesortofreward.
Someexamplesare:
• gotoamovie
• buyyourselfsomethingthatyouwant,ratherthanneed
• gotoatheatreshow,aconcertorasportingevent
• goouttoanicerestaurantfordinner
• buysomenewclothes
• goonaniceoutingwithfamilyorfriends
• buyyourselfanewbooktoread
• buyyourfavouritemagazine
• getsomefreshflowersforyourhome
• buyanicepotplantatthemarketorlocalnursery
• phoneafriendoverseaswhoyouhaven’tspokenwith
for a while
• buysomenewsportingattireorequipment
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
31
• buyapedometer–agreatmotivationaltooltotrackyour
physicalactivity
• visitaplaceyouenjoy–thebeach,aparkoramuseum
• visitfriends
• enjoyaweekendaway
• haveamassage.
Keepgoingwithyourchanges
Don’tworryifyouhaveadaywhereyoufeelthatit’salltoo
hardoryouhaven’tbeenabletokeepupwithyourchanges.
Weallhavedayslikethat.Justmakesurethatthechanges
you’vesetyourselfsuityouandthenkeepgoingwiththem.
Onceyouarecomfortablymakingthefirstchangesyou’ve
decidedupon,oryou’vereachedaparticulargoal,keepgoing
withthosefirstchangesandsetyourselfsomenewchangesor
newgoalstoachieve.
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Losing weight the healthy way
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Healthymealideas
Followingaresomeideasforhealthier,lowerenergy(kilojoule)
mealsandsnackoptions.
Foodathome
Breakfast
Toast
• Usewholegrainorwholemealbread.
• Trytoppingssuchasasmallserveofbakedbeans,tomatoes,
creamedcorn,mushroomsorcottagecheese.
• Spreadtoastthinlywithjam,honeyorpeanutbutter–these
areallhighinenergy(kilojoules)sotrytolimittheamount
youuse.
• Usemargarinespreadsmadefromcanola,sunflower
oroliveoil,ordairyblendsthathaveearnedtheHeart
FoundationTickinsteadofbutter.
Breakfast cereals
• Chooseanuntoasted,highfibre,wholegraincereal,such
asrolledoats,wheatbiscuitsorbrancereals.
• Usereduced,lowornofatmilk,or‘addedcalcium’soy
beverages.
• Addfruit–fresh,stewedorcannedfruit(choosefruitcannedin
naturaljuiceorunsweetened,ordraintheliquidfromthefruit).
• Addreduced,lowornofatyoghurt.
Other ideas
• Poach,boilorscrambleeggs(usereduced,loworno
fatmilk).Servewithtomatoes,spinach,mushroomsand
salmonorlean,reducedsaltham.Serveonwholegrainor
wholemealbread.
• Makepancakesusingreduced,lowornofatmilkor
buttermilk,wholemealflourandmargarinespreadmade
fromcanola,sunfloweroroliveoil,ordairyblendsthathave
earnedtheHeartFoundationTickinsteadofbutter.
• Chopfreshfruitandtopwithreduced,lowornofatyoghurt.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
33
Snacks
• Snackonfruit–fresh,stewedorcanned(choosefruit
cannedinnaturaljuiceorunsweetened,ordraintheliquid
fromthefruit).
• Choosereduced,lowornofatyoghurt(plainorflavoured).
• Crunchonasmallhandfulofplain,unsaltednuts.*
• Snackonwholegrainorwholemealcrispbreadwithsliced
tomatoandpepper.
• ChoosemueslibarswiththeHeartFoundationTick.
• Enjoyacupofvegetablesoup(choosereducedsalt).
*Nutscancontributetoanexcessenergy(kilojoule)intakesolimitthequantity
andfrequencyofeatingthem.
Lunch
Sandwiches
• Fillsandwicheswithlotsofsaladvegetablesandasmall
servingofleanmeat,skinlesschicken,cannedfish,hommus
oralowfatcheese,suchascottagecheese.
• Maketoastedsandwiches.Tryfillingssuchasbakedbeans,
leanmeats,pineapple,tomatoesandvegetables,suchas
corn,spinach,asparagusandcapsicum.
• Usewholemealorwholegrainbreadorrollsandmargarine
spreadsmadefromcanola,sunfloweroroliveoil,ordairy
blendsthathaveearnedtheHeartFoundationTickinsteadof
butter.
• Trydifferentvarietiesofbread,e.g.focaccia,pita,bagelsand
mountainbread.
Salads
• Includelotsofdifferentvegetables.
• Tryaddingfreshfruitorplain,unsaltednuts.
• Addlegumes,suchasfourbeanmixorchickpeas.
• Trypasta(preferablywholemeal),rice(preferablybrown),
couscousornoodlesalads.
• Addleanmeats,skinlesspoultryorfish.
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Losing weight the healthy way
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• Usesaladdressingsandmayonnaisemadefromoilssuch
ascanola,sunflower,soybeanandoliveoil.Servedressings
andmayonnaiseonthesidesothatpeoplecanaddtheir
own if they wish.
Soups
• Tryvegetable-orlegume-basedsoups.Servewithcrusty
breadtomakeameal.
• Useevaporatedskimmilkinsteadofcreamorfullfatmilk
for‘creamysoups’.
Other ideas
• Makehomemadepizzausingasmallpitabread(preferably
wholemeal)asthebase.Addreducedsalttomatopaste,
asmallamountofreducedfatcheese,pineappleand
vegetables,suchasmushrooms,onionandcapsicum.
• Ryecrackerswithtomato,basilandblackpepper.
• Ricepaperrollsorsushi.
• Tuboffruitsaladwithreduced,lowornofatyoghurt.
Evening meal
Stir-fry dishes
• Includelotsofvegetablesanduseleanmeat,skinless
chickenorfish.
• Servewithpasta(preferablywholemeal),rice(preferably
brown),couscousornoodles.
• Useoilssuchascanola,sunflower,soybean,olive,sesame
andpeanutoil.
• Addlegumes,suchaschickpeas,orsomechoppedplain,
unsaltednuts,suchascashewsorpeanuts.*
• Flavourwithherbsandspices,e.g.garlic,onion,chilli
or ginger.
*Nutscancontributetoanexcessenergy(kilojoule)intakesolimitthequantity
andfrequencyofeatingthem.
HeartFoundation
Losing weight the healthy way
35
Pasta dishes
• Trywholemealpastavarieties.
• Makeavegetable-basedsauce,suchastomatoorpumpkin.
• Addleanmeatsorfishandlotsofvegetables.
• Usericottacheeseorlightevaporatedskimmilktomakea
‘creamy’sauceinsteadofusingcream.
• Useasmallamountofreducedfatcheeseorparmesan
cheese.
• Servewithagardensalad.
Meat and vegetables
• Useleancutsofmeat,skinlesspoultryorfish.
• Servemeatwithvegetablesorsaladandagrain-based
food,suchaspasta(preferablywholemeal),rice(preferably
brown),couscousorpolenta.
• Useoilssuchascanola,sunflower,soybean,oliveorpeanut
oiltocookmeatandvegetables.
• Useherbs,spicesandgarlictoaddflavour.
• Addreduced,lowornofatnaturalyoghurttojacket
potatoesinsteadofusingsourcream.
• Roastmeatonarackinaroastingpanwithalittlewater,
wineorreducedsaltstock.
• Brushorsprayroastvegetableswithoilsuchascanola,
sunflower,soybeanoroliveoilandbakeinaseparatedish.
Rice or noodle dishes
• Try brown rice.
• Addlotsofvegetables.
• Useleanmeats,skinlesspoultryorfish.
• Useoilssuchascanola,sunflower,soybean,
oliveorpeanutoil.
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Other ideas
• Makeburritos,tacosortortillawrapsusingleanmeat,
skinlesschickenorredkidneybeans.Addplentyof
vegetablestothemixtureandusereduced,lowornofat
naturalyoghurtinsteadofsourcream.
• Vegetablefrittataorquiche.Usereduced,lowornofat
milkandmargarinespreadsmadefromcanola,sunflower
oroliveoil,ordairyblendsthathaveearnedtheHeart
FoundationTickinsteadofbuttertomakethequiche.
Servewithagardensalad.
• Makeapieusingfilopastryforthetopandbottomoronly
haveapastrylid.Useleanmeat,skinlesschickenorfishand
lotsofvegetablesforthefilling.
Barbecues
• Trimallvisiblefatfrommeatbeforecooking.
• Marinateskinlesschickenbreastfillets,fish,seafoodorlean
meatinfruitjuiceorwineandherbsbeforecookingonthe
barbecue.
• Bakefishfilletsinfoilwithseasoningsandlemonjuice.
• Makekebabsusingleanmeatand/orvegetablechunks.
• Slicevegetables,suchasmushrooms,eggplant,sweetpotato
andzucchini,andcookonthebarbecue.
• Usemargarinespreadsmadefromcanola,sunflower
oroliveoil,ordairyblendsthathaveearnedtheHeart
FoundationTickinsteadofbutter.Useoilssuchascanola,
sunflower,soybean,oliveorpeanutoil.
• Servewholegrainorwholemealbread.
• Serveavarietyofsalads.Usesaladdressingsand
mayonnaisemadefromoilssuchascanola,sunflower,
soybeanandoliveoils.Servedressingsandmayonnaiseon
the side so that people can add their own if they wish.
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Desserts
• Freshfruitsalad,stewed,poachedorcannedfruitserved
withreduced,lowornofatyoghurt.Choosefruitcannedin
naturaljuiceorunsweetened,ordraintheliquidfromthe
fruit.
• Fruit-basedpuddingsorcrumblesmadewithmargarine
spread,wholemealflour,oatsandreduced,lowornofat
milk.Usemargarinespreadsmadefromcanola,sunflower
oroliveoil,ordairyblendsthathaveearnedtheHeart
FoundationTickinsteadofbutter.
• Fruitpieorstrudelmadewithfilopastry.Servewith
reduced,lowornofatyoghurt.
• Cheesecakemadeusingreducedfatcreamcheeseorricotta
cheese,margarinespreadandplainsweetbiscuits.Use
margarinespreadsmadefromcanola,sunfloweroroliveoil,
ordairyblendsthathaveearnedtheHeartFoundationTick
insteadofbutter.Addlotsoffruitontoporaddfruitintothe
cheesemixture.
• Lowfatice-creamordietjelly.Servewithfruit.
Take-away foods
Take-awayfoodisquickandconvenient,butitcanbeareal
trapifyou’retryingtoloseweight.Manytake-awayfoodsare
highinenergy(kilojoules),sochoosecarefully.
• Trytolimitpastries(suchaspiesorpasties),pizza,
hamburgers,hotchips,friedfish,friedchickenandcreamy
pastadishestonomorethanonceaweek.Insteadchoose
take-awayfoodsthatcontainlotsofvegetables.Some
suggestionsfollow.
Asian meals
• Healthierchoicesincludesteamedrice,mixedvegetable
dishes,leanmeats(beef,lamb,porkorchicken),fish,
seafoodandstir-fries.
• Trytolimitdeep-friedmenuoptions.
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Italian meals
• Choosepastadisheswithvegetable-basedsauces.
• Choosethincrustpizzawithpineapple,tomatoandlotsof
vegetables,suchasonion,capsicum,mushrooms,artichoke,
eggplantandpumpkin.Trytoavoidpizzaswithsalamior
sausagemeats.Instead,askforleanmeats,suchasfishor
leanreducedsaltham.Askforasmallamountofcheeseor
forreducedfatcheese.
Greek/Lebanese meals
• Choosesouvlaki/shishkebabsinpitabreadwithtaboulior
Lebanese bread with salad.
• Choosestuffedvegetabledishes.
• Limitpastries.
Barbecue chicken
• Choosethebreastmeat–chickenbreasthasalowerfat
content.Removetheskinandfatandlimitgravyandstuffing.
Thebreadcrumbsandflourinthestuffingtendtosoakupa
lotoffatandthegravyisgenerallyhighinfatandsalt.
• Grabsomesaladorvegetabledishestohavewiththe
chicken rather than chips.
Hamburgers/Steak sandwiches
• Ifthey’remadewithleangrilledmeatandlotsofsalad,
hamburgers/steaksandwichescanmakeanutritiousmeal
withouttoomuchenergy(kilojoules).Wherepossible,ask
forextrasaladandawholegrainorwholemealbunorbread.
Sandwiches and bread rolls
• Askforsandwichesandbreadrollstobemadewith
margarinespreadsmadefromcanola,sunflowerorolive
oil,ordairyblendsthathaveearnedtheHeartFoundation
Tickinsteadofbutter,andfillingssuchasleanmeat,low
orreducedfatcheese,skinlesschicken,salmon,tunaor
felafel,andplentyofsaladvegetables.Askforwholegrainor
wholemealbread.
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Corn on the cob
• Chooseplaincornonthecob,ratherthanwithbutter.
Jacket potatoes
• Choosebeansandsaladsasthemaintoppingsandsome
margarinespreadsmadefromcanola,sunflowerorolive
oil,ordairyblendsthathaveearnedtheHeartFoundation
Tickinsteadofbutter.Askforasmallamountofcheeseor
areducedfatcheese,andforreduced,lowornofatnatural
yoghurtinsteadofsourcream.
Salad bars
• Theseusuallyofferarangeofchoices.Sometypesofsalad,
suchasbeansaladandpastasalad,canmakeacomplete
mealontheirown.Themainthingtowatchforisthe
dressingsandmayonnaiseused–theseareoftenhighin
saturatedfat.Wherepossible,choosesaladswithadressing
ormayonnaisemadefromoilssuchascanola,sunflower,
soybeanoroliveoil,orchoosesaladswithoutdressingsor
with the dressing on the side.
Eating out
• Alwaysreadthemenucarefullyanddon’tbeafraidtoask
questionsofthestafftohelpyoutomakeyourdecision.
Mostcafésandrestaurantswillbemorethanhappytohelp
andwilldotheirbesttoprovideyouwithasuitablemeal.
Somefoodoutletsevenprovidenutritionalinformation
abouttheirdishes.
Some tips
• Chooseamealwithvegetables,legumesorsaladincluded,
or order these as a side dish.
• Askforyourvegetablestobeservedlightlysteamedor
microwaved,withoutaddedsauceorbutter.
• Askforyourmealtobeservedwithoutchips.
• Askforsaladdressingandmayonnaisemadefromoilssuch
ascanola,sunflower,soybeanandoliveoil,andaskforthis
onthesidesoyoucanaddityourself.
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• Askaboutingredientsorsauces–iftheycontainbutteror
cream,askforthemnottobeaddedtoyourmeal.
• Chooseseafooddishesthataren’tcrumbedorfried.
• Choosepastadisheswithavegetable-basedsauceinsteadof
acreamyone.Alsotrytolimitsauceswithfattymeats,such
asbaconandsausage.
• Choosedishescontainingleanmeats.Ifyouareservedmeat
withfat,thenremoveitbeforeeating.Forexample,remove
theskinandfatfrompoultry,andtrimfatfrommeat.
• Askforsmallermeals–perhapsahalfserveifit’sanoption,
orchooseanentrée-sizeddish.
• Ifyou’reeatinginanoutletthatofferslargerservesata
cheaperprice,trynottochoosethisoption.Itmaybevalue
formoney,butit’snotvalueforyourhealth.
• ‘Allyoucaneat’andsmorgasbordscanencourageyouto
eatmuchmorethanyouneed.Trynottopilefoodontoyour
plateorgobackforseconds.Iftherearelotsofdishesyou’d
lovetotry,justhaveasmallservingofthemostappealing
ones.Youcanalwaysvisitanothertimeandtrythedishes
you’vemissedoutonthistime.Ifyoureallywanttolimitthe
amountoffoodyou’reeating,thenuseasmallerplate.
• Askforplain,freshbread(preferablywholegrainor
wholemeal)insteadofgarlicandherbbreads.Garlicand
herbbreadsarehighinenergy(kilojoules).
Desserts
• Choosefruit-basedoptions,suchasbakedfruit,poached
fruitorfreshfruitsalad.Askforsomereduced,lowornofat
yoghurtorasmallserveofloworreducedfatice-cream.
• Suggestsharingadessertwithsomeoneelseatyourtable–
thatwayyougettoenjoyatreat,buttheenergy(kilojoules)
is shared.
• Choosesorbets.
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Losing weight the healthy way
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Questionsandanswers
WhatifI’mpregnant?
Pregnancyisnotthetimetotrytoloseweight.Gainingweightduringpregnancyisnecessary
toensurethehealthygrowthofyourbaby.Speaktoyourobstetricianabouthowmuchweight
youarelikelytogainduringpregnancy.Yourmostimportantpriorityisyourhealthandthat
ofyourbaby.Makinghealthyfoodchoicesandbeingphysicallyactivewillhelpwithyour
weightandwithkeepingbothyouandyourbabyhealthy.
Whatifmychildrenareoverweight?
Healthyeatingandphysicalactivityareimportantforkidstoo.Youngchildrenand
adolescentsareinimportantgrowthstagessotheyneedadequatenutritionforgrowth
anddevelopment.Ifyouhavechildren,encouragethemtobephysicallyactiveandtoeat
healthily.Ifyouareconcernedaboutyourchild’sweight,discussthiswithyourdoctor.
Whataboutquick-fixdietsandweightlossproducts?
TheHeartFoundationdoesnotcurrentlyendorseanyweightlossdiet,productorprogram.
Don’tbetrickedintotryingdiets,productsorprogramsthatguaranteeweightloss.Theymay
provideresultsintheshortterm,butgenerallywillnothelpyoutokeepweightoffinthelong
term.Somemayevenbeharmfultoyourhealth.
Whataboutweightlosscentres?
Thesecanbeusefultohelptogetyoustarted.Likemostthings,somearebetterthanothers.
Checkoutwhatthecentreoffers,thecostsinvolvedandthequalificationsofstaff,andalways
readthefineprintonanydocumentation.Don’tbepressuredintosigninguptosomething
youaren’tsureabout.
Howmuchenergy(kilojoules)doIneedeachday?
Thisvariesdependingonwhetheryouaremaleorfemale,yourage,andhowactiveyouare.
Forexample,amanaged45whoweighsaround80kg(~12stone,9lb)andismoderately
activeneedsaround12,700kJperday.Awomanaged45whoweighs60kg(~9stone,
5lb)andismoderatelyactiveneedsaround9,000kJperday.Thesearejust‘average’figures
andaseachofusisunique,thiscouldbetoomuchornotenough.Itismostimportantthat
youdon’treduceyourenergy(kilojoule)intaketoodrastically–evenifyoudoneedtolose
weight,yourbodystillneedsenergy(kilojoules)andadequatenutrients.
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Howmuchenergy(kilojoules)doIneedtocutdowntoloseweight?
Onekilogram(2.2lb)ofbodyfathasanenergyvalueofaround32,000kJ.Sotolose1kgof
bodyfat,youneedtoreduceyourenergyintakeby32,000kJ.Thatmaysoundimpossible,
butthinkaboutitlikethis:ifyoureducedyourenergy(kilojoule)intakebyaround350kJper
day(2,450kJperweek),thatcouldleadtoaweightlossofaround4kgoverayear(350kJ
perdayisequaltoaboutthreesmallsquaresofchocolate).Soyoucanseeitispossibleto
reduceyourenergy(kilojoule)intakeandthatevensmallchangesdomakeabigdifference–
solongasyoucanmaintainthatchange.Takealookatthetablesonpages16and17tosee
justhowyoucanreduceyourenergy(kilojoule)intake.
Howmuchenergy(kilojoules)doIneedtouseuptoloseweight?
Onekilogram(2.2lb)ofbodyfathasanenergyvalueofaround32,000kJ.Sotolose
1kgofbodyfat,youneedtoincreaseyourenergyoutputby32,000kJ.Thatmaysound
impossible,butthinkaboutitlikethis:ifyouincreasedyourenergy(kilojoule)output
byaround350kJperday(2,450kJperweek),thatcouldleadtoaweightlossofaround
4kgoverayear(350kJperdayisequaltoabout20minutesofwalking).Soasyoucansee,
evenasmallincreaseinenergy(kilojoule)outputwillmakeabigdifference–solongasyou
canmaintainthatchange.Takealookatthetableson pages28and29toseejusthowyou
canincreaseyourenergy(kilojoule)output.
ShouldIbecountingkilojoules?
Themainpointsforhealthyweightlossaretoincreaseyourphysicalactivitylevels,reduce
theamountoftimeyouspendsittingandtolookatyourfoodchoicesoverall–choosing
mainlyfoodsanddrinkslowerinenergy(kilojoules)andonlyhavinghighenergy(kilojoule)
foods and drinks occasionally. Being aware of which foods and drinks are high in energy
(kilojoules)willhelpyoutomakehealthierchoices.
Ifcountingkilojoulesworksforyouthendoit,butdon’tletthenumberofkilojoulesyou
consumeruleyourlife.Worryingonlyaboutthenumberofkilojouleseatencausessome
peopletoendupstarvingthemselvesandprobablydoingmoredamagetotheirhealththanif
theystayedabitoverweight.Sothebottomlineis,beawareofwheretheenergy(kilojoules)
inyourfoodanddrinksiscomingfromandmakefoodanddrinkchoicesthataremainly
lowerinenergy(kilojoules).
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Whataboutnuts?
Mostnutvarietiesarehighinfat,buttheymainlycontainthehealthiertypesoffats.Including
plain,unsaltednutsaspartofhealthyeatingisokay.However,nutsareeasytoeattoomuchof,
soifyouaretryingtoloseweight,beawareoftheamountyoueatandhowoftenyoueatthem.
Whataboutavocado?
Avocadosarehighinfat,butit’sthehealthiertypeoffat.Whileavocadosdoprovidemore
energy(kilojoules)thanmostotherfruitandvegetables,theyalsoprovidenutrientsandfibre.
Ifyouaretryingtoloseweight,youcanstillenjoyavocado.
Arefruitjuicesfattening?
Theycanbe–itdependshowmuchyoudrink.Fruitjuicesandfruitjuicedrinksdon’t
containfatbuttheycontainsugar–andsugarprovidesenergy(kilojoules).Fruitjuiceisbetter
thanfruitjuicedrinksbecausefruitjuicedrinkscontainaddedsugaraswell.Oneglassof
fruitjuiceprovidesaroundthesameamountofenergy(kilojoules)asaglassofsoftdrink.So
whilefruitjuicemaysoundhealthierthansoftdrinkanditdoeshavesomenutrientsinit,itis
notalowenergy(kilojoule)option.
Ifyoufeellikefruitjuice,onlyhaveasmallglassoruseitlikecordialanddilutewithwater.
Arekilojoulesthesameascalories?
Kilojoulesandcaloriesarebothameasureofenergy.Kilojoulesisthemoderntermfora
measureofenergyandcaloriesistheolderterm–muchthesameaskilometresisthemodern
termandmilesistheoldertermfordistance.Onecalorieequals4.2kilojoules.Whenyou
lookatthenutritioninformationpanelonafoodlabel,youwillseethatenergyislistedaskJ
–kJisshortforkilojoules.
I’veheardthewords‘overweight’,‘obese’and‘obesity’–whatdotheymean?
Apersonisclassifiedasbeingoverweightwhentheyarecarryinganexcessofbodyfat.
Theword‘obese’isusedtodescribeapersonwhoiscarryingalargeamountofexcess
bodyfatandisveryoverweight–tothepointthattheirhealthisimpaired.Obesityisthe
conditionassociatedwithbeingobese.Obesityisassociatedwitharangeofhealthand
socialproblems.
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DoesthetypeofoilorfatIusemakeadifferencetomyenergy
(kilojoule)intake?
Allfats(suchasbutter,lardandmargarinespreads)andoilsarehighinenergy(kilojoules)
andprovideaboutthesameamountofenergy(kilojoules).Theonlyrealdifferenceoccurs
withareducedfatmargarinespreadorreducedfatdairyspread.Theenergy(kilojoule)
contentofthesevaries,butcanbeaslowashalfthatofthenormalvariety.
Anumberofreducedfatspreadsarenotsuitableforbaking,soit’salwaysagoodideato
checkthelabel.Notethatit’snotpossibletobuyreducedfatoils.
Thekeyissuetoconsiderwhenchoosingoilsandfatsisthemaintypeoffattheycontain.
It’salwaysbesttochoosemargarinespreadsmadefromcanola,sunfloweroroliveoil,or
dairyblendsthathaveearnedtheHeartFoundationTickinsteadofbutter.Useoilssuchas
canola,sunflower,soybean,oliveorpeanutoil.
Whataboutmedicinesorsurgery–willtheyhelp?
Ifyouareextremelyoverweight,youmayneedsomeextrahelptoloseweight.Yourdoctor
mayrecommendmedicinesand/orsurgerytohelpyou.
Thereisarangeofweightlossmedicinesavailable–yourdoctorcandiscussthesewithyou
sothattogetheryoucanmakeadecisionaboutwhat’srightforyou.Forfurtherinformation
aboutmedicines,youcancallMedicinesLine on 1300 888 763 tospeakconfidentiallywith
apharmacist.MedicinesLine isopenMondaytoFridayfrom9amto6pmEasternStandard
Time,forthecostofalocalcall.Itisnotanemergencyserviceanddoesnotreplaceadvice
fromyourdoctororpharmacist.
Weightlosssurgery,whileoftensuccessful,isreallyonlyasuitableoptionforpeoplewho
areextremelyoverweightandonlywhenothermethodshavenotworked.Yourdoctorwill
beabletoadviseifsurgeryisappropriateforyou.
Alwaysrememberthatchangingyoureatingpatternsandincreasingyourphysicalactivity
levelsareabsolutelynecessaryforhealthyweightloss–evenifyouaretakingmedicines
orhavesurgery.
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Arethereanycomplementaryoralternativetherapiesthatcanhelp
metoloseweight?
Therearemanypills,supplementsandtonicspromotedasbeinghelpfulforweightlossthatare
availableoverthecounterfromthechemistorfromvarioushealthshops.Alwaysbecautious
beforetryingthese–theymaysoundgood,buttheymightnotworkorworsestill,theymaybe
harmfultoyourhealth.
TheHeartFoundationencouragesyoutospeakwithyourdoctorabouttheseoptionsbefore
decidingtousethem.Thisisveryimportant,particularlyifyouareonanykindofmedicine
foranyhealthissue.Youneedtobecarefulthattheweightlosspill,supplementortonic
won’taffecthowyourmedicineworksorreactwithitinawaythatmaybeharmfulto
yourhealth.
Ifyoudecidetouseoneofthesetypesofproductseventhoughyourdoctorhasadvised
againstit,makesureyouletyourdoctorknow.Yourdoctorneedstobefullyawareofevery
typeofmedicineortherapyyouareusingtogiveyouthebestpossiblecare.
MydoctorhastalkedaboutmyBMI–whatisit?
BMIstandsforbodymassindex.Thebodymassindexisameasureofyourweightinrelationto
yourheight,andisusedtoassesswhetheryouareunderweight,ahealthyweightoroverweight.
Bodymassindex=weight(kg)/height(m)2.Abodymassindexof18.5to24.9indicatesa
healthybodyweight.Abodymassindexof25andaboveindicatesoverweight.Bodymass
indexisjustonemeasureyourdoctorcanusetoassessyourweightandwhetherornotitmight
beahealthriskforyou.
Whydidmydoctormeasuremywaist?
Measuringyourwaistor‘waistcircumference’givesanindicationofwhetherornotyouare
carryingyourexcessweightaroundyourmiddle.Carryingexcessweightaroundyourmiddle
greatlyincreasesyourhealthrisk.Awaistmeasurementof94cmormoreformenand80cm
ormoreforwomenindicatesincreasedhealthrisks.Waistmeasurementsof102cmormore
formenand88cmormoreforwomenindicateevengreaterhealthrisks.Yourdoctorwill
adviseifyourwaistmeasurementisaproblemandifyouneedtotrytolosesomeweight.
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Shouldn’tIbefollowingalowcarbohydratediettoloseweight?
Whileanumberofpeoplepromoteverylowcarbohydratedietsforweightloss,theHeart
Foundationdoesnotrecommendverylowcarbohydratedietsforlong-termweightloss.The
HeartFoundationdoesnotrecommendthesetypesofdietsbecausetheirlong-termhealth
consequencesarenotknown,theyoftenincludefoodshighinsaturatedfat,andtheycan
lackadequateamountsofvitaminsandmineralsneededforgoodhealth.Toachievehealthy
weightloss,theHeartFoundationrecommendsenjoyinghealthyeating,increasingyour
physicalactivityandreducingyoursittingtime.
Whataboutglycaemicindex–isthatimportantforweightloss?
Theglycaemicindex,orGI,isawayofcomparingtheeffectofdifferentcarbohydratefoodson
thelevelsofglucose(asugar)inourblood.LowGIfoodsraisebloodglucoselevelsslowlyand
provideasteadyenergy(kilojoule)source.HighGIfoodsraisebloodglucoselevelsquickly.
ResearchshowsthateatinglowerGIfoods,suchaswholegraincereals,fruit,vegetablesand
legumes,mayhelpyoutofeelfullerforlonger,soyouarelesslikelytoeatmorefoodthan
youneed.Whenitcomestohealthyeatingforweightloss,thekeyistochoosefoodslowerin
energy(kilojoules)andbemindfulofhowmuchfoodyoueat.
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Moreinformation
Formoreinformationonhealthyeatinganddrinking,andincreasingyourphysicalactivity
levels,callourHealthInformationServiceon1300362787(forthecostofalocalcall)or
emailhealth@heartfoundation.org.au.
Youmayalsoliketoseektheadviceofanaccreditedpractisingdietitianorphysicalactivity
healthprofessional.Ideally,discussthiswithyourdoctorfirstandseekareferral.However,
ifyouwouldliketocontactanaccreditedpractisingdietitianoraphysicalactivityhealth
professionalyourself,seethefollowingcontactdetails.
To find an accredited practising dietitian:
• contacttheDietitiansAssociationofAustraliaon1800812942orvisitwww.daa.asn.au
• check the Yellow Pages.
To find a physical activity health professional:
• check the Yellow Pagesunder:
o exercisephysiologists
o physiotherapists
o healthandfitnesscentresandservices
o personalfitnesstrainers
• on the internet:
o tofindanexercisephysiologist,usetheAustralianAssociationforExerciseandSports
Sciencewebsitesearchfacilityatwww.aaess.com.au
o tofindaphysiotherapist,visittheAustralianPhysiotherapyAssociationwebsite
www.physiotherapy.asn.au.
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HealthInformationService
TheHealthInformationServiceisournationaltelephone
informationservice.Forthecostofalocalcallfromanywhere
inAustralia,youcanobtaininformationonissuessuchasheart
diseaseandstroke,healthyeating,controllingbloodpressure,
bloodcholesterol,smokingcessation,physicalactivityand
heartsurgery.*
OurHealthInformationServiceisopenduringbusinesshours,
Australiawide.Tospeaktoatrainedhearthealthprofessional,
callourHealthInformationServiceon1300362787oremail
health@heartfoundation.org.au.
*PleasenotethatourHealthInformationServiceisnotanemergency,diagnostic
orcounsellingservice.Wesupportgivingfreehearthealthinformationtothe
Australianpublic—manyofourbrochuresarefreeofchargeforsinglecopies.If
youhaveanyquestions,callourHealthInformationServiceon1300362787.
Forhearthealthinformation
www.heartfoundation.org.au
1300362787
Keypointstoremember
abouthealthyweightloss
Two key factors that affect body weight are:
• theamountofenergy(kilojoules)thatwe
putintoourbodiesfromfoodanddrinks
Tohelpyoutomakelifestylechanges,set
yourselfrealisticgoals.Chooseagoalor
goalsthatsuityoutokeepyoumotivated.
• theamountofenergy(kilojoules)thatwe
useupthroughphysicalactivityandother
dailyactivities
Whenyouachieveachange,reward
yourself,thensetyourselfnewgoals
toachieve.
To lose weight, keep the weight off and be
healthier,youneedtochangeyoureating
patterns,increaseyourphysicalactivity
levelsanddecreasetheamountoftimeyou
spend sitting each day.
Bodyweightisjustonefactorthatcan
impactonyourhealthandneedstobe
consideredalongwithyouroverallhealth
and wellbeing.
©2009NationalHeartFoundationofAustraliaABN98008419761
CON-073
ISBN978-1-921226-54-0
Termsofuse:Thismaterialhasbeendevelopedforgeneralinformationandeducationalpurposesonly.Itdoesnotconstitutemedicaladvice.
Pleaseconsultyourhealthcareproviderifyouhave,orsuspectyouhave,ahealthproblem.
TheinformationcontainedinthismaterialhasbeenindependentlyresearchedanddevelopedbytheNationalHeartFoundationofAustralia
andisbasedontheavailablescientificevidenceatthetimeofwriting.Itisnotanendorsementofanyorganisation,productorservice.
Whilecarehasbeentakeninpreparingthecontentofthismaterial,theNationalHeartFoundationofAustraliaanditsemployeescannotaccept
anyliability,includingforanylossordamage,resultingfromtherelianceonthecontent,orforitsaccuracy,currencyandcompleteness.
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