Kim: Do we need to detox our bodies? Generally speaking, no, as your liver detoxes your body daily. But there are some foods that can aid the system – these are fruit and vegetables. And eating less junk food will definitely help too!

Here are some of the highlights from yesterdays chat.

Q: (Mindi) I would like to know if you need to count calories or just follow an eating plan. What can I eat as treats when I give some to my children ( I usually end up eating 2 mini chocolates).

Kim Answers: It doesn’t matter how you control your eating – you can either follow a (balanced) eating plan or count calories (as long as you know how many you need and how to divide it up into the different nutrients!). So the eating plan may be much easier…
For treats, as long as you have them only about 3 times a week and have a small portion, any treat is fine. Lower fat ones like sweets, marshmallows, liquorice, jelly may be better if you eat treat quite as often. Always remember portion size though!

Q: (Linda) I would like to know if I am using the right way to detox. I’m using green smoothies for 3 days. I’ve started today for breakfast, lunch and supper. Should I eat something else…? And which one is best juicing or smoothies for detoxing.

Kim Answers: Helping the body to detox is never wrong, but the most important thing is not to undereat as you will in fact be causing more toxins to be formed in the body. So 3 smoothies is not enough for the day. Depending on how they are made you may or may not need more energy for the B,L and D meals, and you should definitely have some snacks inbetween too – fruit is best and you could have 1-2 with some nuts or seeds as snacks.

Q: (Muzna) How do I include veggie soup in my diet , can it be as a meal/snack and how many cups can I have?

Kim Answers: Veggie soups are a great food to have. If it is made from starchy veg (potatoes, mealies, peas, butternut or pumpkin) and it is a thick soup, then 1 cup is equivalent to 1 slice of bread. This type of soup should be eaten moderately.  If the soup is made from any other veggies it is pretty much ‘free’ and can be eaten as a snack, meal etc and you could have it with a slice or two of bread as your meal.

Q: (Lezal) I’ve been training hard, eat healthy its part of my lifestyle I run 5 to 6 km in my lunch break and 10 km after work different days but I don’t loose weight like I use to is it because my still breastfeeding. What am I doing wrong? I’m more active than I’ve ever been please help.

Kim Answers: You have definitely got a good exercise routine going! Well done and keep it up. With respect to eating, choosing healthy foods is not the only thing to concentrate on. You also need to check that you have the right pattern going – this means starting early (have breakfast within an hour of getting up), eat regularly (every 3-4 hours) and make sure that you eat a food that converts into glucose every time you eat (foods such as starches, fruit or dairy). Also remember that you need to sleep enough to lose weight, drink plenty of water (1 1/2 – 2 litres) and take time out for yourself regularly!

Q: (Mindi) What can I do to prevent cravings. I usually follow an eating plan during the day and just after supper it starts. I feel like having bread with cheese and jam, or chocolate or something that looks nice in the fridge.

Kim Answers: The cravings that you are having are not true stomach hunger cravings – they are mouth hunger cravings. What this means is that you are not really hungry, but want to ‘reward’ yourself for the day coming to an end. You need to find some other ways to fulfil that craving and learn to nurture yourself through non-food events. Examples include reading, watching a movie, chatting to your partner, doing a hobby. Make a list for yourself and stick it on the fridge for when you want to ‘just eat’. If you distract yourself with something else that carving for food will go away!

Q: (Lebza) Does warm water help 4 belly stomach if i mix wit lemon juice?

Kim Answers: That is a myth unfortunately. Not that you will do any damage to your body if you drink warm water with some lemon juice. The water is great as it will hydrate you and the lemon juice is a great source of vitamin C!

Hope you enjoyed some of the highlights from Kims’ session on yesterday. Be sure to check in again on Facebook next week Tuesday between 1-2pm. See you then.