Q: I just wanted to let you know that I have been following your Fat Around The Middle plan and have already lost weight and inches off my belly.  I am 41 years old and have had an early menopause at the age of 29 and was feeling large and uncomfortable at 11 stone.

But I can’t seem to shift any more weight and have been stuck at 10 stone for some weeks now.  I’m not doing anything differently and haven’t had any sneaky drinks or food that I shouldn’t have.

I know your book recommends ditching the scales but I can’t help having a weekly weigh-in session as it does encourage me to see those pounds going down!

 

A: You are now at the point where it is important to know what that 10 stone is made up from

i.e. what percentage is fat.  If you are 10 stone and your percentage of body fat is within the normal range then that is an acceptable weight for you.  But if you are 10 stone and your body fat is too high then you need to lose some more fat (this is the difference between having fat to lose rather than just weight to lose). 

 

To make fat loss faster, increase the amount of weight training rather than aerobic exercise.  You will then put on more muscle, which is metabolically active, which burns fat faster.  But muscle weighs more than fat, so when you get on the scales you could still weigh 10 stone but you have lost fat.  Also muscle takes up less room than fat so although you might weigh the same you would look thinner and your clothes would fit better.

 

You can buy scales, which also measure body fat, and they just look like a pair of bathroom scales.  It is really important to think in terms of losing fat rather than just losing weight.

A member of the allium family, leeks share many of the health benefits of their onion and garlic cousins, including an ability to lower levels of cholesterol, so helping to prevent atherosclerosis and heart disease. In one study, rabbits fed an extract of leek for three months had lower levels of both total fats in the blood and of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol at the end of the trial

Leeks also have potent anti-carcinogenic properties, with one study in China finding that men with the highest allium intakes, including leeks, have a significantly lower risk of prostate cancer than those with the lowest; while other studies show that eating an allium-rich diet reduces the risk of stomach and colon cancer.

 

These protective properties could be due to leeks’ high levels of antioxidant flavonols, which neutralise or inactivate unstable molecules called free radicals that attack cells in our body. Leeks are also rich in antioxidant vitamin C, with 100g – roughly one large leek – providing 30% (12mg) of your RDA. Vitamin C helps to protect against cancer and to shield ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol from the free radical damage that can cause it to stick to arterial walls, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis.

 

Folate (the food form of folic acid) is also found in high concentrations in leeks. Women who want to get pregnant are advised to take 400mcg of folic acid every day during preconception and until the 12th week of pregnancy, as it prevents neural tube defects such as spina bifida in the developing baby. This vitamin is also good for your heart – high intakes can decrease levels of the amino acid homocysteine, elevated levels of which have been linked to cardiovascular disease

 

One large leek (100g) will also provide vitamin B6, which is important for the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins, helps in the production of haemoglobin and antibodies in the immune system; iron, which prevents anaemia and fatigue, and boosts your resistance to disease; dietary fibre which prevents constipation and keeps the colon healthy; fibre-rich diets are also linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and manganese which helps to synthesise thyroxine, the principal hormone of the thyroid gland ( which controls the rate of metabolism).

 

 

Ingredients:

1 Salmon fillet per person (get either wild or organic salmon rather than farmed)

Olive Oil

One can of coconut milk

Juice of one fresh lime

Soya sauce or tamari

1 teaspoon ground ginger or chopped fresh ginger

1 teaspoon of ground coriander

A handful of fresh coriander leaves

Two cloves of chopped garlic

Selection of vegetables for stir fry as desired such as:

Sliced red peppers

Chopped white cabbage

Sliced onions or leeks

Beansprouts

Broccoli

Baby sweetcorn

Mangetout

Method

 

Lightly brush the salmon fillets with olive oil and place under a moderate grill for 20 minutes until lightly browned.

Then chop all vegetables ready for the stir fry.

Place the ginger, ground coriander and garlic in a wok with a little olive oil and heat gently then add a little water to form a paste.

Next add the vegetables and stir to coat with the paste, then add the soya sauce to taste and cook for a few minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

Next add the coconut milk and juice of the lime to the vegetables and simmer for a few minutes. Taste mixture and add more soya sauce if required.

Serve vegetable mixture in deep individual bowls and place the grilled salmon on top. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander.