Swap it, Don't stop it

So I haven't been writing a post in a long time because I have been super busy with uni. I'm in the third year of my degree now and it is full on! So this is just going to be a brief post.

Many of you have probably seen the advertising campaign on TV called "Swap it, Don't Stop It" which was run by the Australian Government to promote healthier habits. The main point of this campaign was to show that to make healthier lifestyle changes, you don't have to stop everything that you are currently doing! You simply just have to swap things for a healthier or better alternative.
This is just going to be a break down on the key messages:

Swap Big for Small 

This is talking about portion sizes. When you are eating a meal, try to decrease your portion size; don't overcrowd your plate and think twice before getting up to get that second serving! This table below is a helpful guidance to show you what constitutes a serving size, as you can see it varies depending on the food group.

Swap Often for Sometimes

This is referring to the "unhealthy" foods that many people may consume regularly such as fried foods, take away and soft drinks. Ask yourself, do you really need to have that chocolate bar every day? Should you really drink that fizzy drink when you're feeling thirsty? Why not opt for water instead? Also, perhaps try bring your lunch from home when you are heading to work, school or uni, rather than choosing take-away or canteen foods that are usually high in saturated fats, salt and sugar. You can have a treat every now and then, but remember to only have it sometimes, not often. It's all about moderation!

Water > Soft drinks

Nuts > Hot Chips

Swap sitting for moving

Whenever you're not doing much, try to move around rather than sitting down. For example, when you're waiting for a friend in a shopping centre, stand up or walk rather than sit down. If you live near a bus stop or train station, walk rather than drive. Use the stairs, rather than the lifts or escalators. By making these small changes, you can burn more calories in a day. Although it may not seem like a lot, it all adds up! 

Swap watching for playing

Use your spare time to go outside and get active! These days with so much technology advances, most people use their leisure time to just sit in front of a TV or a computer for long periods of time. So, next time you find yourself watching 'Judge Judy' in the afternoon, why not go out for a stroll instead. Head out to the park, take your brothers or sisters and make it a family activity. Perhaps go for a bike ride around the neighbourhood? I know these days everyone is always busy, but if you can make a regular habit every few days or every weekend, then it's one step forward towards a healthier lifestyle.

If you want to know more about the "Swap it, Don't stop it" campaign, here is the link: http://swapit.gov.au/

They have listed many wonderful ideas on more ways to swap. 

Feel free to leave a comment with any questions or feedback :)

Until next time,

Fitria :)

For the Love of Carbs

With so many deceiving and misleading nutrition messages nowadays, I wanted to write a post specifically about carbohydrates because there are so many controversial messages surrounding this. It is a popular and common belief that carbs are fattening and, often, I find that the first thing most people (who are attempting to lose weight) tend to do is cut out carbs almost, if not, completely, out of their diet. By carbs, I am referring mainly to breads, rice, pasta and cereals as these are the main food sources which we receive our carbohydrates from. However, what most people DON'T know is that carbs is actually present in a LOT of plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains with the exception of dairy being animal-based.

So is carbs good or bad for you?

Well, that depends on the TYPE of carbohydrate you are having. Having a diet which consist of carbs does NOT necessarily cause weight gain, but, eating too much of the wrong type can. There are two different types: simple and complex, and this is based on their chemical structure.

Simple Carbs

Simple carbohydrates are made up of smaller molecules of sugar which is broken down and digested quickly and easily in our body. So our body does not have to work hard to break these down and they can cause a rapid increase in our blood sugar levels. This is usually in a lot of JUNK foods like confectionery, chips and soft drinks.

Fruits are an exception in regards to the simple carbs, because although they contain fructose (which is a simple sugar), it is GOOD for you and worthy to eat because they contain many vitamins, minerals and fibre. Whereas processed foods are basically empty calories that do not have much nutritional value. However, as with everything, moderation is key hence the Australian Dietary Guidelines have recommended that Australians should eat 2 serves of fruit a day.

Source: Australian Dietary Guidelines

Complex Carbs

On the other hand, complex carbs are made up of many simple sugars joined together and because of their more complex structure, they take longer to digest and our body has to work harder to break these down. Foods that contain complex carbs include wholegrain bread, pasta, oats, green leafy vegetables, corn and legumes. Basically, these foods have undergone less processing so they still contain most of their natural nutrient contents which is why they are 'good' carbs and should be included as part of our everyday diet.

WHITE bread and NON-wholegrain cereals also fit under the complex carbs category. BUT, these carbs have undergone processing which removes the bran and germ - which is where all the healthy fats and most of the vitamins and minerals are stored (refer to diagram on the right). After processing, we are left with the endosperm which lacks those great nutrients. So it is best to avoid or at least minimise your intake of processed white breads and sugary cereals because they are like empty calories and have less nutritional value.


Overall, carbohydrates are the main source of energy for our body and thus, cutting it out of our diet completely can lead to a lack of energy and fatigue. Our body can derive some energy from fats and protein as a back-up source, but carbs is the preferred source of energy especially for the brain. Our brain receives its energy only from carbohydrates which is why it is important to include carbs in our diet in order for our brain to function properly. The Australian Dietary Guidelines suggests that men and women between the ages 19-50 should have 5 servings of breads and cereals per day and most of this should be mainly from wholegrain sources.

Source: Australian Dietary Guidelines

I know this is a LOT of information to take in, but, my main point is that not all carbs are bad. Don't believe everything you hear and read on the internet and jump on the carb-hating bandwagon. Because, in the end, the key is to eat the right type in the right amounts! And, as I've mentioned before, balance and moderation is everything.


If there is anything unclear or if you have any questions, feel free to comment :)
Until next time..
- Fitria

80% Diet 20% exercise

I would like to proudly announce that my lovely friend Fitria Sari and I Sarah Sevidal decided to combine forces! in tackling the importance of healthy & active living for everyone.

As you can read from the title 80%diet 20%  exercise is a very common general statistic on how you will be able to achieve that healthy goal, whether it is to get lean or to just improve your overall health, this is the way to go! 

Now, me being the fitness student & Fitria being Miss Nutritionist , we would like to start and write blogs that combine the two , so you can benefit more from these weekly blogs , she will cover all you need to know about what foods to stay away from and what foods you should stock up on!

I'll be here to share some extra tips and additional exercise moves to add to your daily routine & much more!

Let's talk about this quote 80/20... what does it mean? 

You may have heard the term ''Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym'' , well that is basically a short description of the 80/20 concept! you just can't crunch your way to a six pack! you will need to go back to basics! your eating habits,drinking habits!,and daily habits.

I will briefly go over the (diet) part of it:

Not necessarily start counting your calories, or mls of juice or water you drink, nothing complicated like that! not unless you are a diabetic or have a medical issue that needs to follow a strict diet.

Keep your meals clean!

Eating clean is based on the fundamental principles of eating healthy and nutritious whole foods that have been unprocessed, unrefined & contain none of the artificial chemicals that slow down our bodies’ natural functions,remember the longer the shelf life the more preservatives,additives and all those nasty unhealthy chemicals that won't do any good for your body at all! 

I'll add a couple of useful tips:

• Aim to drink 3L of water per day, no less. Add one more litres on top of that for every hour you exercise. If you struggle to drink plain water, try adding freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice to add flavour. This will keep you hydrated, aid in clear beautiful skin and help to gush out toxins and nasties in our bodies.

• Eating is GOOD for you, it just has to be the right foods (clean whole foods) and the right amount of foods.

• Breakfast should be your biggest meal of the day. Stay right away from cereals as they are almost all full of processed sugar, despite clever marketing slogans such as “full of protein” trying to convince us otherwise. Read the label on the back and you will see the truth about their ingredients. Oats are your best

option otherwise I encourage you to refer back to Fitria's breakfast options for further ideas.

• Make sure you eat every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolism going throughout the day. If you do not eat, your body will go into starvation mode & will store fat. Ensure you are sticking to clean, healthy selections throughout the week.

• Before a high intensity workout you should always have something in your tummy. I suggest a banana or scoop of protein.

Hopefully you understand the concept of the 80% diet ... now to talk about the more exciting part! exercise!

So, how long should you workout for? how many times a week? what types of workouts should you do? WHY should I EVEN get out of my cozy bed at 6:00am in the morning!?

I know these questions are most likely popping into your mind , i'm here to hopefully help you with my opinions from personal experience and from what I've studied within my course.

Once you've began eating clean you should notice yourself feeling more energized! and this is a great ''side-effect'' of eating healthy your body is getting so many nutrients that it has helped it gain energy! so don't waste it! GET moving!

Lets get this clear being active doesn't have to be ONLY when you are at the gym or on your treadmill, for example when you pick something up squat! yes you may look ridiculous but its a great booty work-out! and believe me, if you start squatting every time you need to pick something up, in a couple of weeks, you should see your lower body tone up!

 Speaking of,  squats work practically every single muscle in your body.  Okay that’s an exaggeration, but it’s not far from the truth.  If you’re looking to burn fat, you want to do exercises that trigger as much of your body as possible so it’s all getting worked and exercised.  On the other side of the coin, if you’re looking to build muscle, your legs and back can put on the most muscle in the shortest amount of time.

If you are serious about getting in shape and losing weight, or if you’re a beanpole and looking to gain muscle, you absolutely need to include squats in your routine.

''Pee-squats?'' well, yes funny name but, very effective so after every trip to the loo, do 10-20 squats! make it a habit and you will surely see changes! anyway, back to the point... apart from squatting , walk to wherever you need to go instead of driving or stand when you're waiting. See? being active can be done anywhere and everywhere you don't need a gym membership to get fit!

This will conclude my blog for tonight, I will answer those fitness questions soon in depth in my next blog so keep on following! hopefully this blog has motivated you to change some unhealthy habits and start squatting! 

Please refer to the following link to learn how to squat properly! form is everything!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6ZE3O6svwc 

Have You Had Your Breakfast Today?

I hope your answer to that is a YES.

Breakfast is the MOST important meal of the day and I can not stress enough of how important it is because there are so many health benefits you can get by eating breakfast everyday. The term 'breakfast' itself means to break the fast, literally. At night time when you are asleep, your body is under a fasting state because for 8 hours or more, you are not consuming any foods or drink. During this fasting state, your metabolism slows down so your food is being digested at a slower rate and your body is conserving energy rather than burning it off. So when you eat breakfast, you are breaking this fasting period which will help to kick start your metabolism again.

If that's not enough to convince you... the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) has confirmed that eating breakfast can have all these awesome benefits:

• It can assist you in maintaining a healthy weight - breakfast skippers are more likely to binge at lunch and, as most of us are aware, a habit of binge eating can lead to an unhealthy weight gain over time. So, eat breakfast if you want to keep at a healthy weight.
• It improves your alertness, concentration, mental performance and memory - definitely useful for all you school kids and uni students!
• It provides energy and important nutrients so you won't feel so tired and lethargic in the morning
• Reduces your tendency to snack on unhealthy food during the day
• Improves your mood - for those of you who are not a 'morning person' like myself, eating breakfast can help us to feel less irritated and grumpy in the mornings (which I'm sure our family will appreciate... haha)
• Leads to a higher intake of nutrients for our body such as carbohydrate, calcium, fibre and some vitamins and minerals - of course, this is only if you choose a nutritious and healthy breakfast.

So... What is considered as a healthy breakfast?

Well, DAA has defined it as one which is low in saturated fats, high in fibre and packed with lots of vitamins and minerals. Saturated fats are 'bad' fats which increase your 'bad' cholesterol levels and these are usually found in animals or animal-made products such as milk, cheese, butter etc. So if you are having milk or other dairy products with your breakfast, try to choose the low fat variety. Fibre can be found in some fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds and wholegrain foods. It is beneficial for your digestive health and research has shown that it lowers your risk of obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes and coronary heart disease. Therefore, choose breakfast cereals with a high fibre content or choose wholegrain foods (e.g. wholemeal bread, oats, muesli) which are naturally rich in fibre.

Here are some suggestions of easy, quick and healthy breakfast ideas:

A fresh fruit smoothie made with skim milk and yoghurt - sometimes I would add a tablespoon of wheat germ to make it more filling

My Blueberry and Green Apple Smoothie  :)

A bowl of wholegrain cereal with low fat milk and fruit

Muesli with a variety of fruits and nuts - can be topped with low fat yoghurt

This is me trying to be creative with my food (muesli, yoghurt & kiwi fruit)

Pancakes with fruit and yoghurt - not cream (maybe only on occasions and try to minimise the portion)

Scrambled eggs with wholegrain toast - my personal favourite is having it with fresh baby spinach and mushrooms (Yumm!!)

Excuse my half eaten food, but you get the idea...

Just looking at these pictures makes me want to eat breakfast... :)

Personally, my usual breakfast is a bowl of cereal consisting of 2 weet-bix with a cup of skim milk, and a piece of fruit. Usually, I would have one nectarine or a banana or a handful of grapes - it just depends on what we have available at home. I know it is common for a lot of people to be rushing for time in the mornings, so some tips would be to always have good, wholegrain cereals in your pantry (this is a quick and easy option). You can also prepare something the night before (this works well for smoothies or pancake batter which you can cover and keep in the fridge overnight) or buy small snack-size cereal boxes to take to work or uni. I always make sure that I eat breakfast even when I am short of time - for me, when I'm in a hurry, I would grab a banana, or a breakfast drink (like Up&Go) and something small like a muesli bar to eat on the go. If you wake up not feeling hungry, you can delay the time of eating breakfast for another half hour or so, but the most important thing is to not skip the meal completely.

Make a habit to ensure that you always start your day off with a healthy breakfast :)

Until next time...

- Fitria

Skip the diet. Just eat healthy.

As a young female, I understand that there are so many unrealistic expectations in today's society for us young girls. The media tells us that we need to dress a certain way, look a certain way and even eat a certain way. If you look through any magazine, I am 100% certain that almost every single one of them will have some raving new articles with titles like "How to Lose Fat Fast", "Kim Kardashian's New Diet (or insert other celebrity name)" or "Tips on Getting That Summer Body".  All of these expectations and 'standards' create so many body image problems and it is so sad to see that it affects negatively in so many young girls. (To be fair, I will also mention that some young men can also be affected by the stereotypical expectations to be built and 'muscley', although majority of the time, girls are more likely to experience body image problems). 

As a result, many young people go through unhealthy eating cycles and habits in order to try and achieve the ultimate ‘ideal’ body and feel good about themselves. 

This is WRONG.

Fad diets come and they go. How many of you have ever tried crash dieting where you starve yourself? Or cut out having every type of food except a salad or something along that line? And how long did that last? Not very long right? People binge. People vomit their food. People starve. People over-obsess about their body. They diet in such an unhealthy way that they don't realise that it's not helping them at all, physically or mentally. 

This is where nutrition comes in. As a nutrition student (and future dietitian hehe), I believe that the most important thing is to be  H E A L T H Y. It is not about being skinny or being the most built or 'muscley' person. Everyone is unique and we all have different body types, so it is not always possible for everyone to be six feet tall and a size six. I believe in counting nutrition, not counting calories or kilojoules. Although it is important to an extent, however, in reality, we as humans eat food. We don't just eat one protein, or carbohydrate or fat. We eat breads and meat, fruits and vegetables. Foods can and should be eaten in moderation. We are supposed to ENJOY food. Food bring people together and they can define cultures and backgrounds. Most importantly, they are essential for our lives, our health and well-being. That is why I believe that being healthy is a lifestyle and it is all about balance! 

Yes. ONE meal will not make a difference

However, by putting in consistent effort to have a balanced lifestyle by staying active and eating healthy meals everyday WILL. As they say, "Old Habits Die Hard" - which is why it is a lot easier to make small and gradual lifestyle changes instead of just jumping on the bandwagon and then relapse one week later.

Overall, this is just a general introduction into what I believe nutrition is all about. My future posts, hopefully, will focus on controversial nutrition and health topics and will include some advice along with some motivational quotes/pictures to encourage you guys to make small changes to your own lifestyle for a healthier, new you :) 

Until next time..

- Fitria

Welcome to my blog!

I am a Nutrition and Dietetics university student from Brisbane, Australia, and I am currently on a roller-coaster journey to becoming an accredited dietitian. This blog will be dedicated to my love of food and my passion for nutrition, health and wellbeing. I am so incredibly nervous but excited at the same time about starting this but I appreciate those of you who have taken a few minutes out of your time to read :)

I know that nowadays there is such an overwhelming amount of information you can find about food and nutrition, whether it be on the internet, books or magazines. However, what I find really unfortunate is that many of these sources portray such terrible, false, non-evidence based information which can mislead a lot of people into having the wrong ideas about dieting and nutrition in general. This is why I have decided to make this blog in order to share my knowledge, opinions and advice on what I know and have learnt so far about food and nutrition. I will try to keep updating this page as often as I can and, hopefully, I will be sharing  my future experiences and new knowledge that I gain throughout my journey of becoming a dietitian.

Feel free to post any comments or feedbacks!

- Fitria