Weight Loss the Smart Way

Oh the madness! The insanity that is Crash Diets. It is that time of year again when every second advert on TV is about a diet company or meal delivery company or a fat loss series or the latest 'miracle weight loss product' oioioi. What is it about summer that turns logical, intelligent people into the kind of people who try and negotiate with the laws of physics, try to fight biochemistry and try to laugh in the face of commonsense? Note: any time now commonsense will laugh back, for the 351 remaining days of year!

So how do we turn unrealistic weight loss methods into achievable, smart ones? Keep it simple and have a plan. These simple, sustainable goals help work towards long lasting, healthful, easy weight loss -

Include 3 or more vegetables at both lunch and dinner
Endeavour to eat only 1 item a day that is a processed food
Aim to drink only water, herbal tea and up to 1 coffee a day
Make healthy snacks every week to enjoy when you feel like a sweet

Start simple, gain momentum, make more changes.

The most important thing about weight loss is to get your brain in the right frame. Being overweight or eating a very processed, nutrient deprived diet is a way of disrespecting yourself and your body. A big slice of cake that tastes great initially but then makes you feel sick and disheartened that you are moving further from your health goals is not a 'treat' - its a punishment. 'Treating' your body is giving it foods and drinks that make it feel good, which absolutely means eating food in moderation. Having fresh healthy foods all day and then having a little chocolate or two if you really feel like it is fine. That is balance and body respect and SUSTAINABLE.

So lets recap. Keep it simple, respect your body, make it sustainable.

And then make this delicious Kale, Kumera & Chickpea pie.

This pie is high protein, high fibre and brilliant to make and eat for light lunches.

Kale, Kumera & Chickpea Pie

Serves 6 for lunch

1.5c Chickpea Flour
1/4c Coconut oil
3-4T Water
1/2 bunch Kale
1-2 Garlic Cloves
1/2 medium Sweet Potato
2 Eggs
2 Eggwhites
100ml Soymilk

Preheat oven to 180C. Peel and cut sweet potato in to 2-3mm thick discs. Place on to baking tray lined with baking paper and spray very lightly with oil. Place in oven for approximately 10 minutes or until cooked through.

Cut the garlic finely and shred the kale. Place in a pan and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

To make the base combine coconut oil, chickpea flour and water with your hands. You may need to add a little more water or flour depending on consistency. It will be quite crumbly but should easily be patted and pushed into a pie dish. It should be like cheesecake base mixture. Lightly spray with oil a 23cm pie dish and evenly press chickpea mixture onto base and sides. Prick base with a skewer a few times and place on bottom rack of oven. Cook for approximately 20 minutes or it just starts to brown.

In a bowl combine egg, eggwhites and soymilk with a fork.

Now - time to assemble the pie. Place sweet potato so that it covers the base of the pie and then scatter kale mixture over the top. Pour egg mixture slowly on top of vegetables. Press down any kale that may be uncovered by the egg and place in the oven. Cook for approx 25 minutes or until egg is cooked through.

This recipe is a little bit more labor intensive, but the processes are all really simple and the taste makes it well worth it.

A new addition to your simple, sustainable, respectful lifestyle. Enjoy!