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3 Basic Ways to Form Healthy Eating Habits

10th January 2017

This Tasty Tuesday its simple. Here are 3 basic healthy eating habits to try.

Are you getting slightly confused/a little overwhelmed this time of year with lists and advice on things we should do, not do, eat and not eat? 21 day detoxing, 30 day ab challenges, 14 day matcha tea drinking…..the list goes on….?!

Yep, me too. So how about remembering what we already know and actually just doing it? Taking action on our intentions to be the best we can.

A lot of us (me included) are embarking on a healthier lifestyle this January and eating well is a big part of it. That’s great, just don’t be too hard on yourself if by now – yes 10 days in – you think you have already broken all the rules/resolutions you set and you’ve totally blown it. Don’t despair if you’re bored, hungry and cant be bothered. Its ok. Its what we do, we are human.

How about trying the no nonsense way instead?

3 basic ways to form healthy eating habits we should all be able to stick to: Apart from saying NO to seconds and YES to salads, try these for a no nonsense way to bring on healthy eating habits this year:

Drink more water.

It will fill you up, aid digestion, and of course keep you hydrated. You’ve heard it before, I will say it again – the brain can easily confuse thirst and hunger signals, so a lot of the time you think you’re hungry you are actually just thirsty. Try a drink first, but remember to eat at regular intervals too.
Do not deprive yourself

Don’t stock pile for a binge. Remember healthy is about BALANCE. Storing up the junk food or only eating it at weekends is prolonging the pain as far as I’m concerned. Enjoy a little of what you fancy, do not label any foods good or bad and think about MODERATION as key. A healthy attitude to all food leads to better healthy eating habits.
Write down what you eat/drink.

Be honest and write down EVERYTHING you consume. Believe me, if you start this now at the end of the day/week when you look back over your food diary, you will either be proud or disgusted!

There you go – 3 basic, simple, no nonsense tips and tricks. Tried and tested and results seen every time. You see – they say there are no quick fixes, but there are 3. All you have to do it take action and follow them to create healthy eating habits this new year.

To find out more about how no nonsense nutrition can help you prepare and stick to your healthy eating goals, please email : info@nitakothari.com

Want to join us for further help, motivation, support and accountability?

The annual GET FIT IN FEB is starting soon! This year we are extending the community via Facebook and will include healthy eating ideas, recipes, tips and tricks alongside the exercise and activity boosts!

Please register your interest via email here: info@nitakothari.com via Facebook message or by signing up to the newsletter HERE and we will send you further details of this FREE PRIVATE group

positive steps mind in croydon charity walk image

Positive Steps Walk

20th April 2016

Positive Steps walk details……read on …..

We do nutrition – you know that, so why am I telling you again. Well we talk a lot about food and drink and what we consume on a daily basis, but what we don’t mention as much, although we think about and practice a lot, is feeding the other aspects in our lives as well as our bellies – ie our minds, our relationships, even our finances and career. You may have come across the concept of PRIMARY FOODS – its been knocking about in a few different guises so we have more details and a great exercise for you to focus on your own primary foods coming in the next blog.

In the meantime though, talking about feeding the mind, I wanted to let you now that I’m taking part in a charity walk for Mind in Croydon the mental health charity and resource. I’m bringing it back to my roots and walking, not running, Sunday 26th June. If you want to join me on the Positive Steps walk let me know by emailing me here: info@nitakothari.com and I will send over the details for entry. Rain or shine, I imagine it will be quite a laugh if we get a group together… drinks and a good feed afterwards as well anyone?

Who’s IN ??????

MORE INFO: The Positive Steps walk is a 15km WALK (no running) around Lloyd Park in Croydon to benefit the Mind in Croydon charity. Mind is a charity and resource for better mental health and positive steps is the walk we can do to help raise awareness of the charity and of mental health in the Croydon borough in general. You can register with MIND in Croydon for a minimal fee and if you want to you can fund raise for the event too. Its the taking part that counts as far as I’m concerned though, so come walk with us – I’m looking forward to seeing you there!

See our EVENTS calendar on June 26th for more info or visit: http://www.mindincroydon.org.uk/positive-steps.asp

To register or find out more about our plans for the day simply email me: info@nitakothari.com

For more details about MIND in Croydon: http://www.mindincroydon.org.uk/index.asp

You can also find details over on our Facebook page

dehydration nutrition and hydration week

Day 5 Nutrition and Hydration Week

18th March 2016

On today – Day 5 Nutrition and Hydration week we are looking further at dehydration. Its all very well to emphasize how much we should be drinking and that hydration matters, but how do we know if we are dehydrated? READ MORE HERE

The NHC say: “Water makes up to 60% of an adult’s and 75% of an infant’s body weight and performs crucial roles such as carrying nutrients and waste products between our major organs, helping regulate temperature, lubricating our joints and acting as a shock absorber.”

The NHS says: “Water makes up over two-thirds of the healthy human body. It lubricates the joints and eyes, aids digestion, flushes out waste and toxins, and keeps the skin healthy.”

(info sources are listed on the full blog here)

So hydration matters for all those things – carrying nutrients, regulating body temperature, lubricating joints, aiding digestion, flushing out toxins, keeping skin healthy….. its really important, BUT its also really understandable that keeping that level of water topped up in our system can be hard and we can easily become dehydrated. If we are exercising, in a hot climate, if we are ill or recovering, if we are simply not drinking enough we should be looking out for the early warning sign of simply – THIRST. Yep – you shouldn’t really ever feel that thirsty. Once you feel thirsty, you are probably already a little dehydrated.

After thirst comes:

Dry mouth,
Becoming light headed
Dizziness
Perhaps followed by tiredness
You will probably get a headache
You will also notice if you are dehydrated your urine will be darker in colour
And you will pee a lot less often

Severe dehydration will take on all these symptoms and more:

You may also feel unusually tired and lethargic
You may become confused
The dizziness may not pass if you are severely dehydrated
A weak and/or rapid pulse may be another symptom

These symptoms are very important to look out for in others too – if you know anyone complaining of these sorts of symptoms treat as dehydration – ie get them some water and/or cool them down. You may need to replace lost salts/electrolytes if the cause of the dehydration has been sweating (heat, exercise etc) so put a little salt and sugar into water to make up a solution for them to drink. *NOTE: Severe dehydration can become a medical emergency and require immediate attention, so please refer anyone with severe symptoms to a medical professional as soon as possible*

Day 4 Nutrition and Hydration Week

17th March 2016

Thirsty Thursday and Day 4 Nutrition and Hydration week we are sharing the full blog here with a focus on alcohol and (de)hydration: READ MORE

What about alcohol? It’s a fluid, its made of fruits and some even comes out of taps…

One of the most common questions when talking about hydration or more likely dehydration is the one of ALCOHOL. People looking for a hangover cure – if hangovers are caused by dehydration isn’t hydration the means to the end?

Not quite.

The NHC says: “Dehydration can occur as a result of drinking too much alcohol. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that it makes you urinate more. If this fluid isn’t replaced you may become dehydrated, so drinking alcohol should be balanced with drinking non-alcoholic fluids, such as water”.

Simple. But you’ve tried to drink water in between beers, or match wine with soda water, mix spirits with soda and drink long drinks to get more fluid in that’s not just alcohol too. Doing that will help. Ensuring you are fully and properly hydrated before you know you will be drinking alcohol will help. Drinking water after alcohol consumption and before you sleep will help. And yes, gulping down a glass of water on waking will help too. BUT as alcohol is a diuretic, you will use the toilet more when you drink, you will rid yourself of more fluid than you take on board and topping up before, during and/or after the event will not help 100%. Sorry to break it to you. The only way to not get a hangover = not drink. No nonsense. Not fair.

The British Nutrition Foundation says: “Alcoholic drinks contain water, but drinking alcohol increases the amount of water you lose as urine, so drinks with a high alcohol content, such as wines and spirits, are not the best choice to stay hydrated. Normal strength beers, lagers and ciders also cause an increased loss of water as urine. However, because they are more dilute, drinking them causes a net gain in water overall. It is still important to keep alcohol consumption within the recommended limits (no more than 14 units per week for both men and women)”

And they make a great point. Think about the units of alcohol you’re drinking. Its recommended (in the UK) men should drink no more than 21 units of alcohol per week, no more than four units in any one day, and have at least two alcohol-free days a week. Women should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, no more than three units in any one day, and have at least two alcohol-free days a week.

If you are a pregnant or lactating woman, my advice would be to avoid alcohol entirely. In my opinion it’s simply not worth the risk.

If you want to look into alcohol consumption / limits / risks etc further on Day 4 Nutrition and Hydration Week:

Drinkaware – https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/check-the-facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/effects-on-the-body/why-does-alcohol-make-you-pee-more

And here is a simple breakdown from NHS change for life: http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/Pages/alcohol-lower-risk-guidelines-units.aspx

For more on day 4 Nutrition and Hydration week please see their website here: www.nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk

8 glasses of water nutrition and hydration week

Day 3 Nutrition and Hydration Week 2016

16th March 2016

Here we go – its Day 3 Nutrition and Hydration Week and today we raise the question: Do you think you drink enough every day? Do you know how much enough is? And perhaps: Do you know someone else that may need their fluid intake monitoring or encouragement to drink more?

Lets think about that for a minute – there are lots of factors that can influence how much you should be drinking for optimum hydration – your age, gender, activity levels for a start. What about the weather, illness/recovery, the foods you’re eating, are you training/exercising regularly…..? Taking these factors on board, here are recommendations for average fluid intake (UK):

The European Food Safety Authority recommend: 2.5 litres of water for men and 2.0 litres of water for women per day, via food and drink consumption

The British Nutrition Foundation recommend: 1.6L of fluid per day for women (about 8 200ml glasses) and 2L of fluid per day for men (about 10 200ml glasses) This is in fluid alone, so using the 80/20 rule we talked about yesterday (ie 80% fluid intake from drinks and 20% from foods) this works out the same as the EFSA.

Here at no nonsense, we like the following recommendation from the UK NHS best: “Studies have tried to establish a recommended daily fluid intake, but it can vary depending on the individual and factors such as age, climate and physical activity. A good rule is to drink enough fluid so that you’re not thirsty for long periods, and to steadily increase your fluid intake when exercising and during hot weather. Passing clear urine (wee) is a good sign that you’re well hydrated”.

So – Day 3 Nutrition and Hydration Week check yourself, check your family, check your friends your colleagues, your class and anyone else you know is getting enough. And do me a favour – if you find anyone who’s not getting enough, GRADUALLY increase fluid intake. I don’t want the blame for the inconvenience of too many trips to the loo!

Remember to check out Nutrition and Hydration Week here: www.nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk
Remember to follow @NHWeek on Twitter and Tweet us @nononsensenita with any tips, info, events you are taking part in.
Remember to sign up on the right for our newsletter so all this info and more can find its way conveniently to your inbox without you having to do anything further…..
And contact me on info@nitakothari.com for further details or consultation on personal nutrition and hydration. This week we are offering discounts on all consultations booked when mentioning Nutrition and Hydration Week 2016.
And finally remember we are also on Facebook / Instagram / Google+ sharing news, info, pics on Nutrition and Hydration all this week so come and share too

(sources for info as above will all be in this weeks blog to be published tomorrow – Thursday 17.03.16 – please sign up for the newsletter on the right for sources and for the blog – you can of course unsubscribe at any time and its all free)

regrowing celery hydrating foods nutrition and hydration week

Day 2 Nutrition and Hydration Week 2016

15th March 2016

‬Its Tasty Tuesday and Day 2 Nutrition and Hydration Week 2016!

Our focus on hydration continues today as promised and as its Tasty Tuesday – today we are looking at hydrating foods.

Did you know 80% of your hydration and fluid intake usually comes from water (and drinks) but 20% can in fact come from hydrating foods?

Well which foods I hear you ask? The top 3 foods with the highest water content are:

CELERY = over 95% water

LETTUCE (especially the lighter green ones eg iceburg) at again over 95% water

CUCUMBER at over 96% water!

Did you see the Sunday Science article we shared via Facebook? Check it out for more info as the 2nd best thing about celery and lettuce is you can buy it once and grow it again yourself! You can also check out this how to video: How to grow a garden from kitchen scraps to find out more about growing your own in the simplest way possible. I have no allotment, garden, balcony or even window box, but reckon I could give this a go – if I can, you can I’m sure, so as spring approaches why not take a stab at growing your own hydrating foods – its free!

A full list of hydrating foods will be included on the Thursday Blog, so be sure to come back and check that out. In the meantime we suggest you sign up to the newsletter by completing the panel on the right and the info will automatically drop straight to your inbox – no nonsense! And do share your own nutrition and hydration tips by Tweeting us @nononsensenita or posting to Facebook

More info on Nutrition and Hydration week can be found here: www.nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk

Nutrition and Hydration Week 2016

14th March 2016

Hi all – just wanted to draw your attention to Nutrition and Hydration week 2016 – starting today – Monday 14th March and lasts the full week. Whats it all about? Take a look here: www.nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk and pledge your support by emailing info@nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk

For the 2nd year running, we are proud to support Nutrition & Hydration Week in raising awareness of not only good nutrition as we usually do, but the importance of good hydration too.

Do you know just how much water you should be drinking every day? Do you think you drink enough? Do you know what percentage of your body is made up of water and what happens when you become dehydrated? Do you know what causes dehydration? Did you know foods can hydrate too? Do you know someone that requires extra monitoring of their hydration – someone who may may be older/recovering from illness/sick/in hospital/requiring care? Someone involved in a sports/exercise/activity/training program? Do you know the importance of hydration on weight management? What about the effects of alcohol (dehydration)? We will be addressing these questions though the week via Facebook / Twitter @nononsensenita and Google + so for the answers please go like/follow/tweet/share/comment etc and let us know your thoughts on Nutrition and Hydration this week. You can also follow the @NHWeek Twitter feed for ongoing events and info this week.

Biggest Breakfast!

11th March 2016

Its TODAY. Friday 11th March. Its finally here – Britains Biggest Breakfast in aid of Cancer Research UK.

Many thanks for your donations so far – the online ones and the cold hard cash! There is still time to give – just hit the justgiving link here: http://www.justgiving.com/nononsensenita and let your credit/debit cards give too! Remember as we cant physically host a biggest breakfast event, in return for your donation you can get your hands on our smoothie recipes to try for breakfast yourselves. If you want the recipes, just let us know your email address once you’ve donated and we can send them over! (email it to me info@nitakothari.com / sign up to the newsletter via the panel on the right, or facebook message us here)

Go on – give – do it – and enjoy your breakfast!

For further details on the work of Cancer Research UK please see: Cancer Research UK

If you want further details on Britains Biggest Breakfast please see: Britains Biggest Breakfast

Britains Biggest Breakfast

9th March 2016

This Friday – 11th March 2016 is Britains Biggest Breakfast ‪ in aid of Cancer Research UK and we are in!

FOOD, MONEY, CANCER. 3 of the most serious words we know. But if you put them together you get Britains Biggest Breakfast! People all over the country will be hosting a big breakfast, others will be donating to CRUK via their host, while scoffing down their breakfast delights. As much as we would love to, we cant host a breakfast for you all, so instead we are fundraising to help beat cancer sooner, by offering our no nonsense breakfast smoothie recipes, in exchange for your donation. The booklet has our 3 fave breakfast smoothies for you try!

How do you get this and how do you donate?
1) Donate here http://www.justgiving.com/nononsensenita
2) Send me your email address (via facebook message / email info@nitakothari.com / sign up at nitakothari.com)
3) Receive your smoothie recipes to make on Friday 11th March

And remember to share your creations too – you can do so by tweeting us @nononsensenita / tagging your photos via Instagram with #nononsensenita / posting them on our Facebook page / or simply sending me an email with your efforts. You can also tag all your creations and comments with #BritainsBiggestBreakfast

We love to share and to know what you’re doing too so make sure you share your efforts this Friday 11th March.

Positive Steps

2nd March 2016

Anyone fancy joining me in taking some positive steps for charity? Walking (for health) and for Mind in Croydon?

There’s no fundraising required (unless you want to too), just a small entry fee to pay to get involved. It’s 15kms – just walking, so I imagine may take a couple hours. I’m in, so would anyone like to join me for snacks and gossip on the way round?

I would love your company and its all for a good cause. Its not until the end of June, so fingers crossed the weather has improved by then too! Email me info@nitakothari.com to let me know if you’re up for it! Then register via this link: http://www.mindincroydon.org.uk/positive-steps.asp

Positive steps. Positive energy. Positive attitude. No nonsense.

Category: event