Collins - Biggest Loser Families

CHANGE YOUR LIFE TOGETHER

Over 70 delicious recipes plus weight loss advice

Published in 2010 by Hardie Grant Books

Hardie Grant Books (Australia)
85 High Street, Prahran, Victoria 3181
www.hardiegrant.com.au

Hardie Grant Books (UK)
Second Floor, North Suite, Dudley House
Southampton Street, London WC2E 7HF
www.hardiegrant.co.uk

Writers
Clare Collins, PhD, BSC, Dip Nutr&Diet, Dip Clin Epi, FDAA
Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics
School of Health Sciences, The University of Newcastle

Dr Trent Watson, BHSc(N&D) PhD
Accredited Practising Dietitian, Ethos Health

Laura Collins, BAppSc(Physiotherapy, Hons.1st Class)
Cert Pilates Rehab Physiotherapist

Designer
Annette Fitzgerald

Editor
Zoe Harpham

Recipe writer
Chrissy Freer

Photographer ( and cover recipe images)
Andre Martin

Stylist
Stephanie Souvlis

Food preparation
Peta Dent

Cataloguing-in-Publication Data is available from the National Library of Australia.

ISBN 9781742701196

Colour reproduction by Splitting Image Colour Studio
Printed in and bound in China by C&C Offset Printing

The moral right of the authors has been asserted.
Copyright text Hardie Grant Books 2010
Copyright photography (recipes) Hardie Grant Books 2010 Photography

Disclaimer
The information provided in this book is for general reference only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice or an individualised health program. See a doctor before you begin any diet and exercise program. The publisher has taken care in researching and preparing this book, but accepts no responsibility for any claims arising from the material within this book.

THE BIGGEST LOSER is a trademark of Shine (Aust) Pty Ltd.
Licensed by FremantleMedia Enterprises.

THE BIGGEST LOSER is produced by FremantleMedia Australia Pty Limited in association with Reveille LLC.
www.fremantlemedia.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanincal, photocopying or otherwise, without the mprior written permission of the publisher, copyright holders and trademark owners.

CONTENTS

This book is about family. It is for any parents who want to shape up themselves but, even more importantly, want to shape up for the sake of their families. If you want to show your children, grandchildren and partner how to develop a healthy lifestyle that means you feel better, look better and stay fit and well then this book is for you. It will help to build your knowledge and skills so that shopping, cooking and healthy eating are easier and being active feels like an opportunity, not a burden. The good news is that helping your family to make small but permanent changes in your collective lifestyle can turn a family of couch potatoes into a resilient team with energy to burn. The book will teach you how to be a role model that you and your family will be proud of. Most diet books are only about the individual and ignore that you eat, exercise and work with and around your family and friends. This book puts you all in it together. Families for life!

PhD, BSC, Dip Nutr&Diet, Dip Clin Epi, FDAA
Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences, The University of Newcastle

What is the most important thing you haveyour health, wellbeing and family?

If the answer to this question is Yes, then why is it that we struggle to find the time to do the things that keep ourselves and our families fit, healthy and together? This includes establishing important habits, such as cooking fresh healthy meals, packing healthy lunches for school and work and being active together as a family. It is rituals such as these that help us feel worthwhile and connected to one another.

It may seem like a simple step to establish routines, such as setting the dinner table, sitting together as a family to share the evening meal and being active as a family, but these easy routines are incredibly important. Early patterns such as these will not only set your children up for life but at the same time they will keep you healthy and connected to your children.

It is easy to get caught up in the merry-go-round of working hard to get ahead and before you know it you start to wonder what it is that you are working for. This section examines what has gone wrong with our society to cause so many of us to be overweight and outlines what we need to turn things around. It also examines the emotional reasons that lead some people to overeat it is important to address these reasons before attempting any kind of weight loss.

WHAT HAS GONE WRONG?

The way society is structured today seems to mean it is harder rather than easier to set a good example for your kids. Something seems to have gone terribly wrong! Today it is extremely easy to consume far more kilojoules than your body needs and even easier to get through a whole day without having to burn up very many kilojoules. All the labour-saving devices that have made our lives easier or that save us time have also harmed us by allowing us to lead a mostly sedentary lifestyle that leads to loss of strength and weight gain.

The body weight statistics for Australians are very grim. You only need to look around you to see that seven out of ten adult males and six out of ten adult females are carrying so much excess weight that their health is being adversely affected and their life expectancy will be reduced. Even more alarming is that almost one child and adolescent in every four is also overweight.

There is no doubt that being overweight or obese hurts. This includes not only the physical harm related to heart disease, diabetes, joint problems and sleep problems among others, but also the emotional pain from the bullying, discrimination and lost opportunities associated with carrying excess body weight. The most tragic fact is that carrying extra weight brings with it the stigma of being labelled fat or obese, and this can be much harder for children to cope with than their parents.