K. WOODWARD PERSONAL FINANCE
  • Start
  • Bio
  • WealthBlog
    • Books
    • Random Thoughts
    • Femail
    • GirlBanker
  • MyBooks
  • MoneySpot
  • Coach

Random Thoughts

Is whole milk better for you than semi-skimmed milk?

30/8/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Heather

If you are on a calorie-controlled diet, then one easy way to cut your calorie consumption is to switch from whole milk to a lower fat variety such as semi-skimmed milk.

If you are not counting the calories and living an active life, or if you are a growing child, then whole milk – typically around 3.5-4% fat – is a great source of nutrition.
​
What is the difference between whole milk and semi-skimmed milk in terms of processing?

Whole milk is more or less straight out of the cow in terms of fat content; all supermarket bought milk is pasteurised to kill germs and homogenised to ensure an even consistency. However, different cow breeds produce milk with slightly different fat contents. So a Jersey cow produces really creamy milk (yum!) compared to a Holstein. Even the season or type of food the farmer gives the cow can change the fat content. So to ensure a standard fat content of 4% the milk is processed. 

The processing is a way of separating all the fat (cream) from the non-fat (skim) and then returning the fat to the skim in specified amounts according to the desired milk. So less cream is returned to the skim when producing semi-skimmed milk compared to whole milk.

What is the difference between whole milk and semi-skimmed milk in terms of fat content?

The fat content of whole milk is 4%. For semi-skimmed the fat content is around 2%. You can also get 1% milk, which contains 1% fat, and skimmed milk which is virtually fat-free.

Fat Content in Different Milk:




Fat (g)
Whole
(100ml)


4.0
Semi-skimmed
(100ml)


1.8
1% Fat 
(100ml)


1.0
​Skimmed
(100ml)

0.3
Picture
Is the fat in milk bad fat?

Fat has a bad press, but milk is highly nutritious and a good source of fat. The fat in milk is made up of several different fatty acids. The majority of these are saturated fatty acids which you may have heard about. 

Much official guidance from health agencies advises limiting saturated fat intake because of the link to heart disease.  However milk also contains other fatty acids such as mono- and polyunsaturates.

All in grams

Fat
Saturates
Monounsaturated
Polyunsaturated
Transfats

Calories
Whole
(100ml)


4.0
2.6
1.0
0.1
0.1

66 kcal
Semi-skimmed
2%, (100ml)


1.8
1.1
0.4
Trace
0.1

52 kcal
1% Fat 
(100ml)


1.0
0.7
-
-
-

43 kcal
​Skimmed
(100ml)

0.3
0.1
0.1
Trace
Trace

32 kcal
Picture
​What are the advantages of whole milk?

Whole milk is a good source of energy for growing children or young adults with high energy needs. It is also energy dense, so the elderly may use whole milk to get a good portion of their calorie intake.

What are the disadvantages of whole milk?

Whole milk does have the highest fat content, and contains 21-23 more calories per 100ml than 1% semi-skimmed. So if you are on a calorie controlled diet or trying to lose weight, you may want to swap whole milk for a lower calorie milk since over time, these calories are significant.

What milk should one choose?

Your choice of milk should be guided by your individual tastes as well as your health goals.

If you cannot tell the difference in taste between the different milk and you are restricting calories, semi-skimmed or lower fat milk is a good option.

If you are living a physically active life and not drinking milk to excess, you can enjoy whole milk.

Picture




​Although your personal finances and your business success are my primary interest, I believe you only operate at peak efficiency when you're fit and healthy. If you feel good, it filters through to your work. To help you with that, click for your free ebook: The Quick Guide to Sexy
​

0 Comments

How To Read Amazon Kindle Books On Windows XP, Vista And 7

24/8/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Reading Amazon kindle books on Windows XP, Vista and 7 is easy peasy. Log into your Amazon account and download the software: Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.

This is essentially the "app" for Windows.

When you buy kindle books off the Amazon website, you can have them wirelessly delivered to this or any other device that you own. 

If you download a book to one device it will be in the Archives on the other devices so you can simply reload it to an alternative gadget at no additional cost. Happy days.

This is how you can read kindle books on iPhone, iPad or Mac.

Picture
0 Comments

How To Read Amazon Kindle Books On IPhone, IPad, Macs And Androids

24/8/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
You don't need to own a kindle tablet in order to read kindle books! Here is how you can read kindle books on any apple device:

1. Go to the app store 
2. Search "kindle" and you can download the kindle app
3. The app allows you to read any kindle books that you've bought on the Amazon store

In the early days, you could buy the books directly through the app but as usual Apple got greedy and wanted a cut of book sales so nowadays you have to buy the books directly from the Amazon website. No worries, you can still do that using your phone.

The best bit is that you can have the Amazon kindle app on multiple platforms. I have it on three iThings. When I open any book on one gadget or the other it knows the last point to which the book was opened on another device and asks if I want to go there. Neat, huh?

When you buy kindle books off the Amazon website, you can have them wirelessly delivered to this or any other device that you own. 

If you download a book to one device it will be in the Archives on the other devices so you can simply reload it to an alternative gadget at no additional cost. Happy days.

This is how you can read kindle books on Windows XP, Vista or 7.

Picture
0 Comments

How to lose weight fast!

22/8/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Heather

Although Fat Creep™ is all about healthy eating and maintaining a regular exercise regime, I get asked questions about how to lose weight fast more frequently than one might expect! 

I have never had to lose weight fast so these tips are based on what I know about food and periods when I have just happened to lose weight rapidly. 

Okay, so let's say you have 7 to 30 days within which you need to drop a dress size or two. The following will help you get trim.

FAST WEIGHT LOSS MEAL PLAN:

a. Breakfast: 40 - 60 grams of oats cooked with water or fully skimmed milk with no sugar added, if possible. Oats are very filling and will help you to stave off cravings. 

Do you have a kitchen scale? It is not obsessive behaviour to weigh key food items like grains and other carbs because eating too much of these is a common reason for weight gain and weight retention. Get a scale.

b. mid-morning snack: a vegetable or fruit such as carrot, kiwi, tangerine or any other fruit/vegetable.

c. Lunch: if you consider an ordinary-sized plate, carbs (e.g. cous cous, corn, rice or pasta) should fit in no more than one-third of the plate; half should be vegetables, and meat should fill just under a quarter of the plate. Alternatively, just have a 12-ounce soup or a large salad with no bread or fatty salad dressings. 

Some people will advise you not to have any rice or pasta at all but in all honesty I find that having a little bit (say, 100-125 grams in one meal) stops carb-cravings from occurring. I think cutting carbs out completely does more harm than good.

d. afternoon snack: allow for more than the mid morning snack: a heftier fruit serving or a boiled egg. 

e. dinner - like lunch.

Picture
FAST WEIGHT LOSS RULES:

1. Completely remove all processed foods including (but not limited to) the following from your diet:
  • Cakes
  • Biscuits
  • Crisps
  • Chocolate  
  • Granola
  • Energy bars of any form
  • Bread 

If you are offered foods like the above at a party or any other unavoidable social gathering and cannot resist, just have a mouthful from someone else's plate and stop there. If you get your own serving you will finish it. Clear your cupboards at home of all the above foods to avoid temptation.

2. If you go to restaurants, choose fish, meat and salad options, they tend to contain fewer calories; if they come with carbs e.g. rice or mash, give half of that to someone else. 

If you can, don't eat out at all for this period of fast weight loss. Going out just opens you up to a lot of temptation.

3. Never ever get hungry, hunger pangs lead to cravings, cravings lead to overeating bad food - keep carrots and other portable veg in your handbag. You can eat as many vegetables as you like but don't overdo the fruit, too much sugar!

Picture
4. Drink water regularly: 2 glasses each first thing in the morning, before lunch, during the afternoon and before dinner. Making sure you are well hydrated will help to keep cravings at bay and is great for good skin.

5. Nuts are good but for a rapid weight loss, I would consider not eating them at all as it can be hard to eat the right-size portion. If you love nuts then have no more than a handful within any seven day period; nuts are high-ish in calories although they are healthy.

6. Do at least 45 minutes of cardio at least twice a week e.g. an intense jog, cycle or rowing session.

7. Do resistance training at least twice a week. I've actually put this as a separate thing 'to do' because combining this with the cardio would lead to people doing just the type of exercise they prefer, cardio in my case. Combining different exercises actually helps more with weight loss than doing just one type.

8. Adjust your daily routine to include more activity e.g. walk to work or part of the way to work, take the stairs instead of the lift, walk up escalators, do sit-ups and weights as you watch TV, put a cycle bike in front of the TV. Substitute sedentary activities e.g. watching TV with active ones e.g. going to a museum.

Overall, the less you eat and the more you exercise the faster you will lose weight. 

You might also like: 
What's a balanced diet? A healthy eating plan: slow-carb diet, Low-GI diet
The 'life' stuff that unexpectedly makes you fat. Be aware. ​

Picture




​Although your personal finances and your business success are my primary interest, I believe you only operate at peak efficiency when you're fit and healthy. If you feel good, it filters through to your work. To help you with that, click for your free ebook: The Quick Guide to Sexy
​

0 Comments

And Crocodiles Are Hungry At Night

17/8/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
I had no idea that dramatic arts in Malawi had reached this quality.

This play was astoundingly awesome. It was extremely well acted, it had great sound effects and they dealt with the tough subject matter in a humorous fashion. 

If you ever have the opportunity to see this production, grab it with both hands!


Description of play from Africa Centre website:

Malawi in the 1980s was a dangerous place. People disappeared. Even President Banda’s cabinet were not safe. Banda ordered his Young Pioneers to act against anyone who opposed the president.

And Crocodiles Are Hungry At Night is an adaptation of award-winning poet Jack Mapanje’s prison memoir of the same name. In 1987, Jack Mapanje, then a little-known academic, linguist and poet, was imprisoned without charge at Mikuyu prison in Malawi. Despite an international outcry led by Amnesty International and supported by many writers and artists including Wole Soyinka, Harold Pinter and Ronald Harwood, he remained there for 3 years, 7 months, 16 days and more than 12 hours. He was never told why. This is his story. It is a story bursting with hope and humour, and the extraordinary people who survived President Hastings Kamuzu Banda’s attempts to silence his opponents. Living with the threat of death by a ‘car accident’ or being thrown into the crocodile-infested Shire River, Jack Mapanje and his fellow prisoners of conscience survived the dreadful conditions with a spirit of optimism and humanity, which is both uplifting and extraordinary.

Everything in this play is true.
Picture
And Crocodiles Are Hungry At Night the prison memoir was published last year by Ayebia Clarke publishing, and launched at an event hosted by Amnesty International. The book has created a lot of interest both in Malawi and the UK; Jack Mapanje was recently interviewed alongside Nadine Gordimer on BBC Radio 4’s Start the Week, and the play has been booked for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s poetry festival in July.

The play runs for 105 minutes, and plays without an interval.

Picture
0 Comments

The 'life' stuff that unexpectedly makes you fat. Be aware. 

15/8/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Heather

I've had three episodes of weight gain in the last 10 years and each time have had to change my lifestyle to accommodate a healthier way of living. 

That's yo-yo dieting, some might say, no it isn't. Looking back, I can identify exactly what led to the weight gain and it's taken a lot of learning on my part to discover what works.

Moving country
The first time I gained weight was due to a move from Malawi (Africa) to England. Going to a new country means a new diet and exposure to a new attitude to food. 

In Malawi, I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted but I was usually surrounded by healthy natural foods so it wasn't a problem. To eat foods like cakes and chocolates, I really had to go out of my way. In addition, I wasn't bombarded with the Ad Man's images of what I should be eating. 

England on the other hand was the opposite: relatively cheap junk food combined with the constant advertising of confectionery. The same I'll eat what I want, when I want attitude led to weight gain.

Moving from university to a full-time job
This was the cause of my next round of weight gain. 

Moving from a relatively active university or school life to a sedentary desk job usually cannot be helped. My mode of transport in university was a bike. With my first job came sitting for prolonged periods of time and a much more limited ability to exercise. I tried to eat well so the weight gain was very gradual but ultimately, I lost track.

Picture
​Changing Jobs
The third and final time that I ever gained weight and that I will ever gain weight (fingers crossed) involved a job change. I went from a sedentary job to an even more sedentary job. I sat for such long periods of time that I even started getting back problems.

An injury
No longer being able to exercise for instance because of an injury will lead to weight gain. There are two solutions: either eat less or do the types of exercise that your injury will allow. If you can't run, try cycling or fast walking; do more resistance training.

Increasing availability of food – both junk and healthy food. 
Nowadays every corner shop and supermarket has a tasty little delight that they are trying to get you consuming. If you go back even a couple of decades this ubiquitousness of food simply wasn’t there. 

This becomes a bigger problem every year. It’s especially a problem in the developed world where consumption and more consumption has become a way of life. Resist it

Picture
Moving from a low portion country to a high portion country
I did a 6-week stint in New York a few years back and I was flabbergasted by the portion sizes. The food was delish but every meal was 3 to 4 times a standard London portion AND half the price or less! 

At first, I resisted but by the end of 6-weeks I found myself adapting so much so that I was annoyed by the stingy London portions when I got back. Had I stayed in New York, fat would surely have become me. 

Most of us were brought up not to waste and to finish our food so leaving food on one's plate doesn’t come naturally. I say, ignore this advice, if you're given a portion that's too large get a doggy back for the excess or just leave it.

Moving house
The stress of moving makes you eat more but in addition, it takes time to find the local gyms and parks in a new area so it’s quite natural to pile on a few pounds leading up to a house move.

Having a baby
I don't have one of these but many women gain weight during pregnancy and have trouble shifting it afterwards. They also have less incentive as this is a time when they have other more important priorities.

You actually don't need to eat that much extra when you're pregnant. Most of us overeat so in reality most of us shouldn't be eating extra at all! How much extra should you eat if you're pregnant? The equivalent of an extra slice of toast per day - only. That's only 100 - 200 kcal extra per day. 

What is the solution?
  1. Each time you encounter any one of these major life changes, know that you will need to adapt your diet and exercise routine. Think about how you'll manage your health in such a situation before or as soon as it happens. 
  2. Using the  Fat Creep™ weight tracker will help you to be more aware of bodily changes. It's very easy to set it with a weekly weigh-in reminder so there's really no reason to ever lose track again. The charts give you a visual incentive to maintain a healthy and stable weight.

Picture




​Although your personal finances and your business success are my primary interest, I believe you only operate at peak efficiency when you're fit and healthy. If you feel good, it filters through to your work. To help you with that, click for your free ebook: The Quick Guide to Sexy
​

0 Comments

The Uffizi (The Offices), Florence, Italy

10/8/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
As one of the main attractions in Florence this is a very busy museum. We were fortunate enough to get a booking through our hotel. The building housed magistrate offices from the late 1500s. It was opened as a public museum in 1765.

The Uffizi costs Eur15 (like Gallerie dell'Accademia) and three hours is about the right amount of time to see everything. There is a lot more to see here.

Broadly speaking, you will see: Religious art, sculptures and non-religious art. Having just seen religious art at Accademia, I found the non-religious section more interesting.

Navigation is very easy as most of the art is set along three main corridors with side rooms followed by an apparently new area with all the non-religious art.

I regret not getting a guide because I could overhear a guide telling lost of interesting stories. For instance, I didn't know that Leonardo da Vinci was actually a scientist and only did 40 paintings. Of those 40 we only hold 20 today. 

I tried to tag along with the group that had the guide but it was very large and hearing was tough around the fringes. It obviously would have been ultra strange for me to force my way to the front!
Picture
0 Comments

Brancacci Chapel,  Santa Maria Del Carmine, Florence, Italy

9/8/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Frescoes on Brancacci chapel
We didn't go into the church but went to the chapel to see the famous frescoes by Masaccio and Masolino. The audio guide is presented on a tablet so that the narrator can zoom into the sections that are being described. 
​
I believe this is the first time that I've seen this done before. It's totally awesome because the frescoes are up high and you wouldn't get to see the level of detail present on the tablet. 

Entrance fee is Eur6. In addition to the chapel you get to see the gardens and they had a couple of rooms with a few art pieces. The chapel is the main attraction. One hour is about the right amount of time for this attraction.
Picture
0 Comments

Galleria Dell'Accademia, Florence, Italy

9/8/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
David
Picture
Copy of the "David". Situated in the garden at Galleria dell'Academia
The last time I came to Italy, 2006, my trip was documented in a little travel book. This time, I decided to get it down on my blog because a) I am more likely to read it again and b) I forgot my travel book at home. This is day 3 and I've started forgetting stuff from day one so I think it's an appropriate time to start.

Galleria dell'Accademia is smaller than I anticipated which is good because you are more likely to see all the rooms in a little more depth before you feel you've had enough.

It took 2.5 hours to get through all the art. It's 100% Christian art with the focal point being Michaelangelo's "David". This statue was done from a piece of marble that two other sculptors had rejected but that Michaelangelo was still able to work with - a fact I found rather interesting as it highlights the skill of the man.

Some of the art dated as far back as the 1300s.

My personal favourite was a room full of old statues. I have a slight preference for sculptures and 3D art form over paintings.

Fact of note: in the old days restoration of art pieces sometimes involved acids like hydrogen peroxide. This meant that although the colours were bright once restored, the art itself began to deteriorate rather quickly.

It costs Eur15 and takes 2 to 2.5 hours to see the full collection. The audio guide isn't worth it (Eur6 for 1 and Eur10 for a shared one). A guided tour might be interesting because there are probably many back stories to the art pieces. Book in advance because the queue is massive.
Picture
0 Comments

Museo Nazionale Del Bargello, Florence, Italy

8/8/2012

0 Comments

 
PictureDavid by Donatello
Set on three levels, this museum took us about 1.5 - 2 hours to get through. In 37 degree (celsius) heat it was challenging to keep walking.

I sat down and fell asleep! I was very lethargic.

I was only there three days ago but I've mostly forgotten what I saw - I blame the heat.

Picture
0 Comments
<<Previous

    RSS Feed

    By Heather
    ​Katsonga-Woodward

    I'm always thinking, debating, considering and revising my views - some of those deliberations will be shared right here.

    Categories

    All
    6 Figure+ Business Course
    Baby
    Baby Shower
    Celebrity Lives
    Culture
    Days Out & Holidays
    Diy
    Economic Development
    Education
    Entrepreneurship
    Fashion
    Films
    Food
    Getting To Wealthy
    Healthy Weight
    I Just...
    Life Is...
    Malawi
    Moral Hazard
    Parenting
    Personal Finance
    Politics
    Productivity
    Property
    Psychology
    Retirement
    Social Progress
    Spirituality
    Technology
    Weight Issues
    Women Issues

    Archives

    June 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    July 2016
    November 2015
    June 2015
    February 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    November 2010
    October 2007
    January 2007

Picture

Podcast Links

Wealth Blog 

  • Children
  • Financial Independence / FIRE
  • Pensions
  • Retirement
  • Saving
Buy me a coffeeBuy me a coffee
Picture

© 2007 - 2021, The Money Spot™ ~ Make Money, Change Lives!
Heather Katsonga-Woodward, a massive personal finance fanatic.
** All views expressed are my own and not those of my employer ** Please get professional advice before re-arranging your personal finances.
  • Start
  • Bio
  • WealthBlog
    • Books
    • Random Thoughts
    • Femail
    • GirlBanker
  • MyBooks
  • MoneySpot
  • Coach