As we engage in our lifestyle upgrade and continue to train for the “Woolworths Move for your Health 6km walk/run in proud association with SANParks” on Sunday 4 November in Cape Town, we would do well to consider our daily diet and how healthy it is. How do your nutritional choices shape up?

With the launch of the Healthy Active Kids South Africa (HAKSA) 2018 Report Card– with which the Sports Science Institute of SA (SSISA) partners – just weeks away – it’s worthwhile remembering the not so pretty picture painted in the 2016 report card! South African teens consumed more than 1 soft drink per day, and 3 times the recommended amount of sugar weekly- which could lead to a host of chronic diseases. Most children were eating less than one portion of fruit or vegetables per day, severely short of reaching the 5 a day recommendation. There were 30 million consumers of fast food in South Africa (up by 10 million in the last 5 years); one can only imagine what the 2018 figure will reveal.

We are probably all acutely aware that the South African economy slipped into recession during the second quarter of 2018- so we are having to tighten our belts when out grocery shopping. This doesn’t mean that healthy eating needs to go out the window. I chatted to dietitian Shelly Meltzer of the Sports Science Institute of SA, to get some cost-saving ideas. Here is her advice.

1. Be creative. It’s great to have a menu plan but be adaptable so as to accommodate unexpected special offers that fit your nutritional needs for example if you were planning to have a roast chicken but chicken portions are on special, put on your creative cap.
2. Don’t get caught up in “Sales frenzies”. It’s only a bargain if you actually need it.
3. Leftovers and offcuts can be used and reinvented –green tops from beetroot and carrot can be stir-fried, used to make vegetable stock, or added to smoothies. Leftover meat or chicken can be added to pastas, risottos, salads or even sandwiches. Leftover fruit can be stewed or puréed.
4. Homemade coffee, tea and soups in flasks can save you a lot of money every month.
5. Adding legumes (dried beans, lentils, chickpeas etc.) to a meal, makes it more cost-effective and increases its protein value and the meal volume. Tinned fish (pilchards and sardines), offer good quality protein that is quick and easy to prepare.
6. When buying meat as a protein source, look at the relative amount of protein to fat. 100g boerewors provides 14g protein and 36g fat compared to 100g beef steak which has 28g protein and only 9g fat!
7. Rather jazz up a jug of cold tap water with fresh cucumber/strawberries or apple slices than buying unhealthy, sweetened cooldrinks.
8. Make your own healthy between meal snacks – hummus or bean dips and vegetables; cut up fresh fruit and yoghurt; pickled vegetables and cheese.

Nourished with healthy, revitalising food – exercise training is bound to feel a whole lot easier. Inpartnership with the Community newspapers, Western Province Cricket Club Running Section (WPCC), Woolworths, FUTURELIFE, SANParks and Claremont Rotary Club, we are here to get you moving and making healthier choices.A reminder that we want schools, teachers, organisations and corporates to take on the challenge and train together for the 6km event on 4 November. Schools – ensure you sign up as a group for the Woolworths 6km School’s Mass Participation Competitionwhere there are cash prizes for both large and small schools claiming the title of the highest percentage of learners completing the event. Contact us on move4health@ssisa.com and we will make sure your school gets the information. Back to the 6 week training programme which kicked off Monday 24 September 2018. Taking the form of both a running and walking programme and we are now onto week 2.

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By: Kathleen Mc Quaide Sports Science Institute of South Africa, Strategic, Media & Sponsorship Manager

Previous article in the Move for Health 2018 Series:

• Week 1: Schools on the Move… for their Health!
• Week 2: Lifestyle upgrade in process