OH! Magazine - Australian Version March 2018 | Page 9

( Nutrition )
NUTRITION Q&A
ASHLEIGH
FELTHAM
Ashleigh Feltham answers your nutrition and health questions.
UESTION: I’m getting back into
exercise after an extended break.
And I’ve done two gym classes at 6:30pm
this week, but both times I’ve found it so
hard to get to sleep. I eat when we get
home, which is quite late compared to my
usual schedule. monitor your caffeine intake throughout
the day; half the caffeine you consume
will remain in your body up to as many as
after five hours after you’ve consumed it.
Alcohol also doesn’t help the quality of
your sleep, so avoid that where possible if
you want to have a good night’s rest.
I’ve thought tonight about eating dinner at
lunch and then something light for tea,
but also figure that as a vegetarian these
days, I don’t have a heap of meat in me to
digest anyway! I’ve also cut out my nightly
chai latte, which I used to have religiously,
so I don’t have that sugar to process at
night either. Going to the gym regularly is a great
choice for weight loss and overall health,
so well done on getting back into an
exercise routine. Make sure you include
bodyweight/resistance training; ideally
around two to three times a week, as this
will activate your metabolism, which can
also help with weight loss. Remember, if
you are standing on the scales, muscle
does weigh three times as much as fat –
gram per gram – so as a better way to
gauge your results is to monitor how you
feel in the clothes you wear, and how
they’re fitting on your body (i.e., when you
lose weight, you’ll notice they become
looser than they used to be).
Q
What advice do you have to help me find
my groove and get some results? My goal
is to lose weight.
Thank you for your advice,
Adeline, South Australia.
A good night’s sleep is more likely if you
create a regular bedtime routine; ideally
one that does not involve screen time at
least an hour before you want to go to
sleep. A bath with lavender oil can also
help prepare your body for sleep, as can a
lovely cup of herbal tea. Try also, to go to
sleep at the same time every night as the
key to success is to stick with your wind-
down routine.
Adeline, I hope this information helps. If
you require any further details, head to
feedyourfuturedietetics.com and request
a one-to-one consultation over the net.
YOU CAN CONTACT ASHLEIGH VIA:
Web: feedyourfuturedietetics.com
Facebook: FeedYourFutureDietetics
Instagram: @feedyourfuturedietetics
ANSWER: Thanks for your question,
Adeline.
Research is still building on when is the
best time to eat, but recent studies have
shown that eating earlier and creating a
larger break between dinner and
breakfast, may assist in weight loss.
Saying this, there is no magic time to
ensure weight loss, and the amount of
energy or calories you eat in an entire day
will impact the success of your overall
weight management.
A balanced diet is key and removing
added sugar found in sometimes foods
and drinks like a chai latte (depending
how it is made) will also assist in your
weight loss goal, so well done on removing
that from your routine. I definitely
recommend avoiding refined sugar and
fatty foods before bed. Also be sure to
OH! MAGAZINE ( MARCH 2018 )
9