| Since having children staying fit and healthy has | | | | of nutritional content. The World Health |
| been a top priority of mine. Being able to run | | | | Organisation even considers it a 'super-food' |
| around the park, kick a ball or even just tidy up | | | | because it can grow abundantly in the most |
| their toys has left me short of breath at times. I | | | | drought-ridden parts of the world and pound for |
| have tried a number of weight loss plans, exercise | | | | pound is one of the most nutritious foods on the |
| plans and even healthy weight loss recipes but I | | | | planet. |
| just haven't been able to sustain them. Last year | | | | So how did it transform my lifestyle? I had |
| I made an appointment with a nutritionist who | | | | always assumed as part of my weight loss plan |
| introduced me to something called the glycemic | | | | that I should eat some type of starchy |
| index, and it was on that programme that I | | | | carbohydrate with every meal to keep me full (I |
| discovered a natural substitute for all the stodgy | | | | think my mum probably told me that). What I |
| carbohydrates I used to eat that has | | | | didn't realise that these so-called 'simple |
| transformed my lifestyle. I'm in good shape, have | | | | carbohydrates' like potatoes, pasta or rice |
| more energy but best of all - it's been easy to | | | | interfered with my blood sugar levels. So I would |
| follow. | | | | snack in between meals, choosing something |
| As a parent we come to realise that it's time and | | | | containing sugar because I needed a boost of |
| energy we need more of than anything else so | | | | energy. So when I thought I was following a |
| spending time shopping for healthy natural food | | | | natural weight loss plan, in fact I was putting on |
| and preparing healthy weight loss recipes just isn't | | | | weight and going through repetitive cycles of |
| practical. We want more time and more energy | | | | energy highs and lows. Since introducing Quinoa |
| but that requires time and energy, it's a perverse | | | | into my natural weight loss plan I get substantially |
| paradox and a dilemma facing most parents of | | | | more nutrients than I need, I stay full for longer |
| young children. The ingredient that transformed | | | | because Quinoa is a 'complex carbohydrate' |
| my lifestyle is such a simple one and one that | | | | meaning it releases its energy slowly. But the best |
| many people have yet to discover - Quinoa | | | | thing about it - it's quick and easy to prepare, |
| (pronounced Keen-oa). Originating from South | | | | really tasty and the kids love it so now I can |
| America, Quinoa is considered by many to be a | | | | prepare food for the family that are also healthy |
| grain but in fact it's a seed that is jam packed full | | | | weight loss recipes! |