Will I lose weight by using the Total Wellbeing Diet on it's own, or will I have to increase my fitness regime as well?
Yes, but you will lose less muscle and more fat if you exercise and you are more likely to keep it off as well. You don't have to follow a formal routine, but try to do some exercise whenever the opportunity arises, for example walking up the stairs rather than taking a lift.
Once you've lost weight you will have more energy and you will really want to start doing some exercise.
I'm a vegetarian. How can I do the Total Wellbeing Diet if it’s so protein rich?
The diet isn't really designed for vegetarians. However, the book does explain how you can exchange animal protein for vegetable protein sources. Exchanges for them are tofu, beans, low-fat cheeses, eggs, and some low fat vegetable protein substitutes which can be used instead of meat, chicken and fish. Of course you can eat more fish if you are a pescatarian (vegetarian that eats fish).
Do I need to draw up my own shopping list for the diet, or is that included in the plan?
It's all included in the plan. We also have the shopping list on our website, if you would like to download it. Many readers have commented that it’s an extremely helpful aspect of the book. You can use this link to get through to the shopping page on the CSIRO website
What benefits have Australian women found after using the diet?
Apart from losing weight and feeling great, the menu plans have provided a really easy way of organising the family’s meals. It just takes a lot of the hard work out of planning a healthy diet for the whole family. The fact that you don’t get hungry due to the high protein content and the fact that you don’t have to give up fruit and bread is a huge bonus as well.
Do you agree that there are harmful chemicals in salmon, tuna and other fish? Can eating it a few times a week really affect a woman's fertility or lead to cancer?
Certain fish may contain relatively high levels of mercury which for some can be a health risk.
Mercury is a toxin and pregnant women and women intending to become pregnant should avoid shark, marlin and swordfish. Also, no more than four medium-sized cans or two fresh tuna steaks per week should be eaten.
The Food Standards Agency also recommends that children under 16 should avoid eating shark, marlin and swordfish. Others should limit these to no more than once per week.
What would she recommend as a weekly allowance for someone like me who eats fish but doesn't eat meat? I need to get my omega 3s! You get plenty omega 3s from having 2 meals of oily fish (that's 2 dinner meals).
The Foods standards Agency suggests favourites such as cod, haddock and plaice are not affected at all by this advice. Also, mackerel, herring, pilchard, sardine, trout or salmon are oily fish that are high in omega 3 fats and have many health benefits. These are also not restricted. For more information, go to the Food Standards Agency website http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/faq/mercuryfish/
What would you say a good, varied diet should never include?
A good varied diet can always include a little bit of anything that you fancy. The key is keeping it to a small serving and enjoying it and making sure you’ve eaten the basics first.
Which 'fast-food' is good for me? I work in the centre of London and don't know how healthy sandwiches are. Can you eat sandwiches on the Total Wellbeing Diet?
Yes you can eat sandwiches. They are a really good option. It's important to choose a wholegrain bread wherever possible and to choose those with a large protein filling. The other options are things like wraps and sushi. Salads can be a good option too, but be a bit careful about the sorts of dressings that are used on them. A good example of a salad would be a chicken Caesar with a small wholegrain roll, and ask for the dressing separately so you can control the amount you use.
The Wellbeing Diet seems to allow carbs but not many – how much is allowed in terms of real food? Can I have toast for breakfast, for example?
The carbs in the TWD include 3 servings from high fibre grain foods. That can include high fibre breakfast cereals, wholegrain breads, wraps, muffins and crumpets. The other carbs are 2 servings of fruit. There are also carbs from some of the dairy options, like yoghurt and low fat milk. These are all low GI carbs and the fruit and grains provide lots of fibre to keep you regular!
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