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weekly29TH NOVEMBER, 2015

WEEK 48

“I motivate others by

practising what

I preach.”

– Rebecca Pelowe,

Coach

Sweet as!hidden sugars: are some better than others?

and HOW TO cut back…

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feature

The desire for sweet tastes spans all ages, races and cultures. That’s not surprising as, over millennia, humans survived by identifying foods that provided both energy and essential nutrients. Today infants and young children, in particular, base many of their food choices on familiarity and sweet taste. In fact, the sensory preference for sweet tastes is present at birth, and this desire helps to introduce new foods.

The high sugar intake in our modern lifestyle can be dangerous to health, especially as excessive sugar is linked to obesity, heart disease and poor nutrition. Here, we look at hidden sugars, whether some sugars are better than others, and ways to cut back.

Hidden sugarsWhile the sugar we add to coffee or sprinkle on cereal makes up a fraction of total intake, about 80 per cent of the sugars we eat are well disguised in processed foods. And some of the sources of sugar might surprise you as they’re not really what you might consider ‘sugary’ – like pasta sauce, soups and even bread. While there’s nothing magical about

sugar that makes it ‘bad’, it’s surprisingly easy to consume more than you expect over a day, which means a higher energy intake. Sugar has little to offer our bodies other than energy and you could also possibly be sacrifi cing much more nutritious options.

Sugar alternatives?While a small amount of sugar here

and there, especially in the context of a balanced diet, isn’t going to do anything to you apart from providing some enjoyment, there are alternative sweeteners on the market that you could consider; especially if they’ll help you save ProPoints

values to pocket towards weight loss. One on-trend sugar alternative available is the natural sweetener stevia, sold under numerous brand names. It has only 4kJ per teaspoon compared with table sugar’s 80kJ per teaspoon so a great kilojoule saver, but it does have an aftertaste, so best to mix in foods that can disguise its earthy fl avour. Low-kilojoule sweeteners are one option for maintaining sweet taste while reducing our overall energy content, but just keep in mind that even natural ones can train your taste buds to want sweet fl avours.

Sweet as!Worldwide, a ‘sweet tooth’ starts from an early age, but while history has taught us to choose fl avours

associated with high energy content, today there are many good reasons to limit sugar intake.

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Tips for cutting back

1Check the labels. Don’t just look at the list of total sugars. Check the ingredients to

get a sense of natural (fruit or honey) versus more refi ned sugars (sucrose or glucose).

2Reduce added sugars gradually. When training your taste buds to appreciate less

sugar, expect it to take 8–12 weeks.

3Watch your drinks. Ice teas and fruit-based and sports drinks are major sources

of sugar. Drink water instead.

4Swap sweet with spice. Add sweetness using spices like cinnamon, cardamom

and nutmeg. Make recipes using 25 per cent less sugar than the recipe suggests.

5Satisfy your sweet tooth with healthy snacks. Factor in fruit, low-sugar cereals

or plain yoghurt. Limit processed foods with their inevitable hidden sugar.

Don’t panic!“Yes, research shows too much sugar can have negative effects on many aspects of health but, ultimately, weight loss and gain come down to energy consumed and expended,” says Weight Watchers Nutrition Manager Nour Nazha. “People who cut sugar from their diet tend to lose weight because of the foods they eliminate along the way – sugary drinks, cakes, sweetened yoghurts – and replace them with more nutritious foods. So, keep added sugars low and don’t worry as much about naturally occurring ones in fruits and vegetables.”

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the latest research & TIPS

What you do TODAY can improve all of your TOMORROWS.Find more inspiring quotes in the back of your Weight Watchers magazine. Grab a copy today!

sore muscles after exercise

WEIGHT WATCHERS FITNESS TRAINER NEIL RUSSELLThe soreness or stiffness you experience after exercise is called delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, and is due to a combination of mechanisms including infl ammation and

micro-injuries such as tiny muscle tears. Even though this soreness makes us want to avoid exercise, the most effective treatment is actually light-intensity exercise. So keep moving to feel better faster!

sweet and natural Honey from the bee…

WEIGHT WATCHERS NUTRITION ADVISOR EMMA STIRLINGHoney is delicious and a natural product, but you need to be a little careful of claims. It’s often described as a ‘raw’ choice in sweeteners. And there are even ‘medicinal

honeys’ such as manuka, which are said to have antibacterial properties. However, when it comes to weight management, honey has no kilojoule advantage over table sugar. So be careful to check dessert, bliss ball and granola bar recipes for total ProPoints values.

Quote of the week

Tasty TofuWEIGHT WATCHERS MAGAZINE FOOD EDITOR LUCY KELLYTofu doesn’t have the best reputation, but you just need to get to know it better. I like to think of tofu as being a trusty vehicle for carrying amazing tastes, fl avours and goodness.

Tofu is often thought to be Asian, but works well in any style of cooking, especially Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Mexican.

have antibacterial properties. However, whenit comes to weight management, honey has no kilojoule advantage over table sugar. So bcareful to check dessert, bliss ball and granolabar recipes for total ProPoints values.

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PROFILE

Rebecca PelloweHer life felt grey before Group Coaching, but former party planner Rebecca now has her passion back.All the weight I’ve lost with Weight Watchers over the years adds up to more than 70kg. The fi rst time I joined, I wanted to lose 10kg for my wedding. The following times were after the birth of each of my sons – Caleb, now 13, Ethan, now 12, and Jake, now 10. After Jake, I got pregnant again, but sadly miscarried. I gained 10kg during that time and another 15kg while I was pregnant with my fourth child, Abbie, in 2007. That left me with 25kg to lose. Back then, I hated the scales. I didn’t enjoy clothes either. I had nothing that fi t me, so one day I put on a pair of my husband Craig’s track pants and went shopping for clothes. Standing in the change room in nothing but my undies in front of the all-angle, full-length mirror was a shock. The following week I signed up to Weight Watchers.

When I joined, I was living a ‘grey’ life. I felt blah. I’d lost my spark. I felt like an alien in my body. I couldn’t even bring myself to go back to my business of being a kids’ party entertainer and organiser, which I used to love. My motivation was at an all-time low. I simply didn’t care about what I was eating – even though I knew it wasn’t good for me. Weight Watchers helped me through that period, reignited my love of mindful eating, and as the weight came off I rediscovered my vivacious self a little bit more each week.

I never entertained the idea of becoming a Weight Watchers Coach. It was other members who said I’d be good at it due to my passion and enthusiasm. After a while, I

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couldn’t ignore their suggestions anymore, so I tested the waters. That was in 2009 and I’ve never looked back.

Being a Coach has allowed me to work with people, and give back to them. I feel privileged to be part of my members’ lives and journeys, and to watch them transform and reach their goals no matter what obstacles they face. I feel like a proud mother– even if some of them are a bit older than me! I stay on my game and motivate them by practising what I preach and believingin what I do – which all comes pretty easily to me simply because Weight Watchers, my Group Coaching sessions and members make me come alive.

LOST25kg

IN 1 YEAR5 months

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Banana caramel crunch ice-cream

¾ cup (185ml) thickened cream▲ 300g bananas, chopped, frozen (see tip) 1 tbs brown sugar▲ 1 tbs lemon juice 40g chocolate honeycomb

bar, chopped 2 tbs thick caramel topping

1 Using electric beaters, beat cream until soft peaks form.

2 Process bananas, sugar and juice in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to

a large bowl and fold in honeycomb bar, then cream.

ProPoints VALUES PER SERVE | SERVES: 8

PREP: 20 MINS + OVERNIGHT FREEZING

3 Spread half the banana mixture into an 11cm x 21cm (base measurement)

loaf pan. Drizzle with half the topping. Using a skewer, swirl topping into banana mixture to create a marbled effect. Repeat with remaining banana mixture and topping.

4 Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight or until fi rm. Serve.

TIP: You will need about 3 large bananas for this recipe.

Filling & Healthy foods are marked with a green triangle. These foods help fi ll you up and keep you healthy.

RECIPE

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social grab of the weekFind this tasty recipe we shared on Instagram on the WW website.Sometimes it’s the odd fl avour combinations that create the best dishes! Have you tried our Carrot, Pineapple and Zucchini cake yet?

#weightwatchers #wwfood #fl avour

#fruit#cake #healthy #delicious

NEXTWEEKIt’s time to get festive! We talk being savvy with your favourite Christmas drinks.

Choc Crisp OriginalThis is one of our best-selling bars and it’s no surprise why! Cocoa, malt and puffed rice cereal smothered in chocolate coating to create a portion-controlled treat that can be enjoyed at any time.