Bloke`s Guide - Swap It, Don`t Stop It WA

The
Bloke’s
Guide
to
W
Swapping
hat happens when you put on a shirt or jeans which fitted you like a glove last year
but now the buttons on your shirt are busting and you can’t do up your trousers?
Hey! It’s simple. You buy a bigger shirt and trousers and the problem is solved.
No it ain’t.
There is good evidence that an increase in your waist size increases your risk of type 2
diabetes, heart and blood vessel disease as well as cancer of the bowel and the prostate.
It’s got to do with the ‘survival genes’ which let your ancestors store a little extra belly fat when
food was scarce because of war and famine. That fat gave us the energy to survive but times
have certainly changed.
Now that there’s so much food about and we have become couch potatoes, those survival
genes are working against us. Insulin allows glucose to get into our cells. But unexpected weight
gain exhausts our insulin.
Glucose builds up in the blood instead of getting into cells to become fuel. Outside the cell,
glucose becomes a villain. It upsets the even flow of our vital metabolism, destroys blood vessels
and the resulting high insulin encourages cancer cells to grow.
Sounds crook? It is, but it’s all preventable.
If you have a good look at your lifestyle and understand what’s happening to your body, you can
take control and change things.
You can turn your life around by becoming a swapper and making some simple everyday changes
to your diet and activity levels to get you on your way to a healthier lifestyle.
Dr John D’Arcy
Celebrity GP
OK blokes, if your belly is ballooning you could be in big trouble.
The fact is the bigger your belly, the bigger your chance of developing a chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes, heart
disease and some cancers.
There are two types of fat in our bodies that can result in health problems. Subcutaneous fat is the one
right below our skin, also known as ‘love handles’. The other type is intra-abdominal fat. This is the fat
that coats our organs and causes the most concern.
The good news is that you can reduce your waistline without drastic lifestyle changes. Become a
swapper and swap big for small; often for sometimes; sitting for moving; and watching for playing.
Lots of small swaps in your everyday life – at work, at home and when you’re out and about
– will add up and make a big difference to your waistline.
So if your pants are a little tight or you’ve had to let the belt out a notch or two lately,
it’s time to take action.
what to do?
when to worry?
To assess your risk rate for developing a chronic disease,
grab a tape measure and let your measurements do
the talking.
For an accurate measurement:
1
Stand up straight.
2
Place the tape measure directly over the
skin at your waist, roughly in line with
your belly button.
3
4
Breathe out normally and take your
measurement.
Check your measurement against the
table below to assess your risk.
Your Waist
Measurement**
Your Future
Disease Risk Level
Under 94cm
You’re looking good
94cm to 102cm
You have an
increased risk
102cm to 110cm
Your risk is
substantially increased
Over 110cm
You’re in the high
danger zone
** The above measurements are for a Caucasian male. Men of Chinese,
South Asian and South and Central American ethnicity should aim
for a waist circumference less than 90cm.
If you don’t have a tape measure handy, you can order
a Swap It Don’t Stop It tape measure marked with
the waist measurement risk zones online from
australia.gov.au/swapit/resources
You can lose your belly without losing out on all
the things you love, just by becoming a swapper!
breakfast swaps
boardroom swaps
When it comes to breakfast more and more working men
tend to either skip it, grab it on the way to work or even eat
it at their desk. It doesn’t matter where you have it; it’s what
you have that’s important.
Office workers have heaps of extra hurdles to overcome when
it comes to moving more and eating better. Chances are
you’ll be sitting down for much of the day, with meeting
room catering to contend with from time to time.
•
•
•
Swap fruit juice for fresh whole fruit.
Swap a low nutrition breakfast cereal for one
that’s high in grains and fibre.
Swap a bacon and egg sandwich for a
toasted multigrain sandwich with lean ham
and tomato – hold the butter.
•
Swap a filled croissant for toasted
raisin bread.
•
•
Swap a large coffee for a small one, made
with skim milk.
Avoid the biscuits – have a piece of fruit
before the meeting and you’ll be less likely to
be tempted by the shortbread creams.
•
Meeting over lunch? Put in your request for
sandwiches early: swap butter for low fat
mayonnaise or avocado; white bread for
wholegrain; processed meats for fresh chicken,
tuna or boiled egg; creamy dressings for
wholegrain mustard; and load up on the
salad and vegetables.
Move it tip:
Move it tip:
Start your day with some movement,
especially if you’re likely to spend
hours sitting at a desk. Get off the bus
or tram a stop early and walk the rest
of the way; pick a car park that’s
further away; swap the lift for the
stairs; or swap four wheels for two
by cycling to work.
Swap a sitting meeting for a
walking meeting; during the day
use the printer or bathroom
that’s further away; or take a
brisk walk around the block
between meetings and get your
heart pumping.
on the road swaps
If you spend most of your day behind the wheel, keeping
your waistline under 94cm can be a real challenge. Not only
is most of your day spent sitting, but the available food at
roadside pit stops is often fatty and unhealthy.
•
•
•
•
•
Swap a piece of battered fish for grilled fish
with lemon wedges.
Swap a meat pie for a steak wholegrain
sandwich with salad.
Swap fizzy drink or flavoured milk for water.
Swap potato chips for rice crackers.
Swap buying lunch for BYO – you’ll save
dollars and your waistline!
pub swaps
For some blokes, a drink at the pub with your mates is a
good way to end the working week. It can also undo a
week’s worth of successful swapping! Try these swaps to
help you stay ahead in the swapping stakes.
•
•
•
•
Swap full strength beer for light beer.
Swap sugary mixers for diet soft drinks or
soda water.
Try a half strength mixed drink.
Swap the over the counter chicken parmigiana
and chips for grilled steak, fish or chicken with
a fresh salad on the side.
bbq swaps
When the weekend comes, if you’re wielding the BBQ tongs
there are plenty of simple swaps you can make to dish up a
great swapper-friendly feast.
•
•
•
•
Swap high fat chips and dips for vegetable
sticks or water crackers with salsa.
Swap sausages for lean steak, fish or chicken
skewers threaded with chunks of skinless
chicken and vegetables.
Remove all visible fat and skin from meat
and chicken before grilling.
Check out the Pub Swaps for simple swaps to
make your BBQ beverages measure up too.
Move it tip:
Move it tip:
Move it tip:
If you spend a lot of time behind the wheel, take
regular breaks. Get out of your vehicle to stretch
and jog on the spot. Aim to get 30 minutes of
exercise each day.
Think about swapping Friday night
drinks for a game of indoor cricket
or 10 pin bowling. Kick it up a bit
and get your dancing shoes on.
For a true blue Aussie BBQ you simply have to throw
in a game of cricket, football or soccer. If unleashing
your inner sportsman isn’t for you, build in a family
walk around the block between courses.
the serious stuff
Did you know?
looking
for some more inspiration?
Try these man-sized meals that won’t supersize your waist.
chicken and veggie pie
n Australia, men are more likely to have serious health
•Iproblems
than women.
average, Australian men can expect to live to
•O79nyears
of age, compared to women who can expect
what you need:
to live to 84 years of age.
en die in greater numbers than women from almost
•Mevery
health problem.
he leading causes of death for Australian men are:
•Theart
disease; trachea and lung cancer; stroke; chronic
lower respiratory diseases; prostate cancer; dementia
and Alzheimer’s disease; colon and rectum cancer;
blood and lymph cancer, including leukemia;
and, diabetes.
ompared to women, men visit the doctor less
•Cfrequently
and, when they do, have shorter visits and
only attend when their illness is in its later stages.
educing your waistline to less than 94cm can reduce
•Ryour
risk of future disease.
how long it will take
20 minutes preparation
+ 30 minutes cooking
4 small chicken breasts, skin removed
2 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
700g mixed vegetables of choice (carrots,
cauliflower, leeks, cabbage, asparagus,
baby corn, peas)
2 teaspoons cornflour
2 tablespoons low-fat milk
2 tablespoons chopped mixed herbs
(parsley, thyme, oregano, marjoram)
or 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
Freshly ground or cracked black pepper
6 sheets filo pastry
Olive or canola oil spray
how to cook it:
Preheat oven to 200˚C. In a large covered pan, slowly poach chicken breasts in chicken stock
and bay leaf for 15-20 minutes depending on size. Cut vegetables into bite-sized pieces and
add to the pan. Cover and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and place
chicken and vegetables into a deep pie dish, leaving behind the juices.
Mix cornflour with milk and add to juices, bringing to the boil to thicken. Add herbs and
season with pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and vegetables. Prepare pastry crust by
spraying every second sheet of filo with a little oil and layering sheets on top of each other.
Place over top of dish, scrunching up slightly. Spray with a little oil and bake until crisp and
brown. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
what you need:
how long it will take
25 minutes preparation
+ 2-2½ hours cooking
how to cook it:
red beef curry
what you need:
Sometimes the easiest way to set yourself up for swapping
success is to recruit supporters. Get your family, colleagues
and mates on board and check out the following places for
extra support and resources to help you take control of
your waistline and your health.
how long it will take
1kg chuck or blade steak, cubed
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons paprika
425g can crushed tomatoes
2 medium onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 sticks celery, sliced
2 large carrots, thickly sliced
1 turnip, cut into large chunks
3 medium potatoes, cut into large chunks
1 cup red wine or stock
15 minutes preparation
+ 2 hours cooking
how to cook it:
Preheat oven to 180˚C. Toss meat, flour and paprika in a plastic bag, tip into a heavy casserole
dish. Add all remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Press a piece of baking paper over
the ingredients and cover closely with a lid. Cook for 2 hours without lifting the lid.
Check for seasoning and tenderness, returning to oven if more cooking time is
required. Serves 6.
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 lamb shanks, tipped
Freshly ground or cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large onion, sliced
2 turnips, peeled and cut into chunks
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
2 sticks celery, sliced
150g mushrooms, sliced
400g can whole tomatoes
12/3 cup (400ml) water
½ cup red wine (optional)
A few fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, marjoram,
oregano) or ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs
Preheat oven to 160˚C. Heat oil in a fry pan. Toss lamb with flour and pepper in a plastic bag.
Remove lamb, pan-fry until brown on all sides and place in a large casserole dish.
Add all vegetables except tomatoes to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, turning constantly
until they begin to colour slightly. Tip in remaining seasoned flour from the plastic bag. Add
tomatoes and water and stir into vegetables. Add red wine and herbs. Bring to the boil and
pour over lamb. Cover closely with a lid and bake in oven for 2-2½ hours until meat is falling
off the bones. Serves 4.
easy beef hotpot
Need a helping hand?
•Your doctor
•A men’s health clinic
•An accredited practising dietitian
•Australian Men’s Shed Association
•australia.gov.au/swapit
lamb shank casserole
what you need:
how long it will take
25 minutes preparation
+ 2-2½ hours cooking
how to cook it:
2 cups rice
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
400g lean blade steak, sliced into strips
2 medium onions, sliced
3 teaspoons red curry paste
½ cup chicken stock
500g pumpkin, finely diced
2 red capsicums, seeded and finely sliced
Rind of 1 lemon, grated
250 ml reduced-fat coconut milk
1 bunch English spinach leaves, washed and
roughly chopped
Cook rice following packet directions. Heat half the oil in a large pan, pan-fry beef for 5
minutes until brown, set aside. Heat remaining oil and pan-fry onion until tender. Stir
through the curry paste, stock, beef, pumpkin, capsicum and lemon. Simmer for 10 minutes
until pumpkin is soft, adding a little water if necessary. Pour in coconut milk, stir through
spinach and cook until wilted. Do not boil. Serve over rice. Serves 4.
Recipes from Healthy Food Fast Cookbook ©, State of Western Australia, 2010. Reproduced with permission.
For more tips and healthy ideas visit www.australia.gov.au/swapit