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Fasting, eating earlier in the day or eating fewer meals – what works best for weight loss?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hayley-oneill-1458016">Hayley O'Neill</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/loai-albarqouni-452476">Loai Albarqouni</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> Globally, <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight">one in eight people</a> are living with obesity. This is an issue because <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/risk-factors/risk-factors-to-health/contents/overweight-and-obesity">excess fat</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27423262/">increases the risk</a> of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33393504/">Modifying your diet</a> is important for managing obesity and preventing weight gain. This might include reducing your calorie intake, changing your <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39143663/">eating patterns</a> and prioritising healthy food. But is one formula for weight loss more likely to result in success than another? Our <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11530941/">new research</a> compared three weight-loss methods, to see if one delivered more weight loss than the others: <ul> <li>altering calorie distribution – eating more calories earlier rather than later in the day</li> <li>eating fewer meals</li> <li>intermittent fasting.</li> </ul> We analysed data from 29 clinical trials involving almost 2,500 people. We found that over 12 weeks or more, the three methods resulted in similar weight loss: 1.4–1.8kg. So if you do want to lose weight, choose a method that works best for you and your lifestyle. <h2>Eating earlier in the day</h2> When our metabolism <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/metabolic-syndrome">isn’t functioning properly</a>, our body can’t respond to the hormone insulin properly. This can lead to weight gain, fatigue and can increase the risk of a number of chronic diseases such as diabetes. Eating later in the day – with a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23512957/">heavy dinner</a> and late-night snacking – seems to lead to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33172509/">worse metabolic function</a>. This means the body becomes less efficient at converting food into energy, managing blood sugar and regulating fat storage. In contrast, consuming calories <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31151228/">earlier</a> in the day appears to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29754952/">improve</a> metabolic function. However, this might not be the case for everyone. Some people naturally have an evening “chronotype”, meaning they wake up and stay up later. People with this chronotype appear to have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36803075/">less success losing weight</a>, no matter the method. This is due to a combination of factors including genes, an increased likelihood to have a poorer diet overall and higher levels of hunger hormones. <h2>Eating fewer meals</h2> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30700403/">Skipping breakfast</a> is common, but does it hinder weight loss? Or is a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28967343/">larger breakfast and smaller dinner</a> ideal? While <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28137935/">frequent meals</a> may reduce disease risk, recent studies suggest that compared to eating one to two meals a day, eating six times a day might increase <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32437566/">weight loss success</a>. However, this doesn’t reflect the broader research, which tends to show consuming <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33485709/">fewer meals</a> can lead to greater weight loss. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39485353/">Our research</a> suggests three meals a day is better than six. The easiest way to do this is by cutting out snacks and keeping breakfast, lunch and dinner. Most studies compare three versus six meals, with limited evidence on whether <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7490164/">two meals is better than three</a>. However, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11530941/">front-loading your calories</a> (consuming most of your calories between breakfast and lunch) appears to be better for weight loss and may also help <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9605877/">reduce hunger</a> across the day. But more studies with a longer duration are needed. <h2>Fasting, or time-restricted eating</h2> Many of us eat over a period of more than <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26411343/">14 hours a day</a>. Eating late at night <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26411343/">can throw off</a> your body’s natural rhythm and alter how your organs function. Over time, this can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases, particularly among <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8617838/">shift workers</a>. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35194176/">Time-restricted eating</a>, a form of intermittent fasting, means eating all your calories within a <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7262456/">six- to ten-hour window</a> during the day when you’re most active. It’s not about changing what or how much you eat, but <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7262456/">when you eat it</a>. <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7262456/">Animal studies</a> suggest time-restricted eating can lead to weight loss and improved metabolism. But the evidence in humans is still limited, especially about the long-term benefits. It’s also unclear if the benefits of time-restricted eating are due to the timing itself or because people are eating less overall. When we looked at studies where participants ate freely (with no intentional calorie limits) but followed an eight-hour daily eating window, they naturally consumed about 200 fewer calories per day. <h2>What will work for you?</h2> In the past, clinicians have thought about weight loss and avoiding weight gain as a simile equation of calories in and out. But factors such as how we distribute our calories across the day, how often we eat and whether we eat late at night may also impact our metabolism, weight and health. There are no easy ways to lose weight. So choose a method, or combination of methods, that suits you best. You might consider <ul> <li>aiming to eat in an eight-hour window</li> <li>consuming your calories earlier, by focusing on breakfast and lunch</li> <li>opting for three meals a day, instead of six.</li> </ul> The <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13679-024-00555-2">average adult gains 0.4 to 0.7 kg per year</a>. Improving the quality of your diet is important to prevent this weight gain and the strategies above might also help. Finally, there’s still a lot we don’t know about these eating patterns. Many existing studies are short-term, with small sample sizes and varied methods, making it hard to make direct comparisons. More research is underway, including well-controlled trials with larger samples, diverse populations and consistent methods. So hopefully future research will help us better understand how altering our eating patterns can result in better health.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/242028/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hayley-oneill-1458016">Hayley O'Neill</a>, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/loai-albarqouni-452476">Loai Albarqouni</a>, Assistant Professor | NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/fasting-eating-earlier-in-the-day-or-eating-fewer-meals-what-works-best-for-weight-loss-242028">original article</a>.

Body

Man behind viral "democracy manifest" arrest dies

Jack Karlson, the man behind one of Australia's most famous viral memes, has died aged 82. Karlson shot to fame after footage of his 1991 arrest outside the China Sea Restaurant in Brisbane went viral in 2009 when someone uploaded it to the internet. "Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest," he said during the arrest. "What is the charge? Eating a meal - a succulent Chinese meal?" "Have a look at the headlock here. See that chap over there?" he went on. "Get your hand off my penis! This is the bloke who got me on the penis before." Reports at the time suggested that Karlson had been arrested on suspicion of being criminal that was high on Queensland police's wanted list. While he did have a criminal history himself as he was known for several prison escapes throughout his life, he insisted that he was the wrong man. The reporter who reported Karlson's arrest 33 years ago, Chris Reason, confirmed Karlson's death in a social media post on X, tweeting that "Mr Democracy Manifest has died". A fundraiser had been set up for Karlson by his niece in June after he was reportedly diagnosed with prostate cancer and needed surgery for cataracts. “I know Jack’s video has given a lot of people joy and he has inspired many memes, t-shirts and other things over the years but Jack himself is doing it quite tough,” his niece wrote on the fundraiser at the time. “He has never had much money but has always been generous to family and friends. He lives week to week in regional QLD with the help of a voluntary carer. “Hoping people can dig deep – I think he’s worth at least a beer, maybe even a 6-pack.” In an update last week, his niece said that he wasn't doing well. “He has been in Hospital for two weeks now,” she wrote. “He has had multiple procedures but things are not looking good. “One thing that did lift his spirits was that the GoFundMe was taking off. He has been really appreciative of the donations and the comments.” A documentary about his life is currently in production and set to be released in early 2025. Images: 7News

Caring

Chinese zoo's "panda" display under fire

A zoo in China has come under fire after visitors noticed something strange about the baby panda display. Taizhou Zoo, in the eastern Jiangsu Province, advertised their baby panda enclosure, which was actually just two small Chow Chow dogs dyed black and white. The tickets to the display which are believed to have gone public late last week, read "Xiong Mao Quan" which translates to "panda dogs", Chinese newspaper The Global Times reported. Footage of the animals in the enclosure has gone viral, with many sharing their confusion over the zoo's special enclosure. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Taizhou Zoo in Jiangsu Province dyed two chow chow puppies black and white and promoted them as so-called “panda dogs.” <a href="https://t.co/Jo7q1dBzZJ">pic.twitter.com/Jo7q1dBzZJ</a> — Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) <a href="https://twitter.com/shanghaidaily/status/1786948655880290806?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2024</a></blockquote> A staff member at the zoo, Liu Qiuming, told the local publication the panda scheme was used to attract more visitors and better their experience, as the zoo does not have any pandas of its own. The display has reportedly raised concerns of fraud but another staffer has insisted the zoo has not tricked or manipulated its visitors, given the direct translation of the exhibit. "This is just a new display we offer to visitors. We are not charging extra," a ticket seller told The Global Times. "The wording featuring Chow Chow dogs is correct and exactly describes what they are, so we are not cheating our visitors." Image credits: X (Twitter)

International Travel

“Completely tacky”: Bride slammed for asking for dinner payment

A bride has caused a stir online after asking if it is appropriate to ask her wedding guests to pay for their meal when they RSVP to the big day. The woman took to a popular wedding Facebook page to ask the opinions of other brides, sharing an example of her invitation created by her wedding planner. The invitation asks guests to confirm whether or not they will be attending the nuptials, before asking if the guest intends to eat at the wedding ceremony, and which meal they would prefer. The price of each meal was also included: $20 for grilled chicken with rice, mashed potatoes and green beans and $25 for a salmon alternative. “We invite you to eat with us but ask for you to provide your own payment. Please select which meal you'd prefer,” the invite stated. “My wedding venue requires me to purchase food through them for the reception, but has said people sometimes choose this option,” the woman wrote on Facebook. “Nothing about my reception is very typical anyway, SO I'm wondering how insane or rude or cost-effective/smart this is.” “The planner set me this as an example of how to present it to guests.” But when the post was quickly criticised by others, the bride clarified the event was more of a “fun dinner party” rather than a “wedding” as she and her partner had already legally married five months prior. “Ultimately I'll do what I want BUT I did not choose this option. It was only a suggestion from the venue that I was curious about others' opinions on,” she added. “This is for the reception. I'm most definitely not asking for money or gifts and by the time they come to the reception, we will have already been married for five months.” The post was shared in another wedding shaming Facebook group and critiqued by dozens of wedding experts. “Oh hell no! This is completely tacky!” one wrote, another said, “So she asks if it is rude then gets offended when people say it's rude?” “I am a veteran pro planner and would NEVER suggest this!” another said. Someone else wrote, “I'm especially shaming the venue for suggesting that people often pawn off the cost of dinner to their guests. Encouraging rude behaviour.” Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook

Food & Wine

Bring a plate! What to take to Christmas lunch that looks impressive (but won’t break the bank)

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-ball-14718">Lauren Ball</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-kirkegaard-1401256">Amy Kirkegaard</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/breanna-lepre-1401257">Breanna Lepre</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-burch-438717">Emily Burch</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> Christmas lunch is at your friend’s house this year, and they’ve asked you to bring a plate. Money is tight. So, you find yourself wondering, “What’s cheap, healthy but also looks impressive?” While a tray of mangoes would certainly be a cheap, healthy and colourful contribution, you want to look as if you’ve put in a bit of effort. If you’re struggling for inspiration, here are some tried and tested ideas. <h2>First, choose your ingredients</h2> Check your pantry for inspiration or ingredients. Crackers, dried fruit or nuts are great ideas for a charcuterie board. You can use herbs and spices to add flavour to dishes, or you could use up packets of dried pasta to make a <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/salmon-and-pasta-salad">pasta salad</a>. This is also a great way to clean out your pantry. Focus on fruit and vegetables that are in season, so are cheaper and more readily available. Keep an eye out at your local fruit and veggie shop or market as it will usually have in-season fruit and vegetables in bulk quantities at reduced prices. Check out <a href="http://seasonalfoodguide.com/australia-general-seasonal-fresh-produce-guide-fruits-vegetables-in-season-availability.html">this seasonal food guide</a> to help you plan your Christmas menu. Ask around for deals by chatting to your local butcher, fishmonger or grocer and let them know your budget. They may suggest cheaper cuts of meat (such as, <a href="https://www.australianbutchersguild.com.au/the-blog/the-abg-blog/underrated-cuts-of-beef/">oyster</a>, <a href="https://www.australianbeef.com.au/know-your-meat/beef-cuts/">blades, rump caps</a>). Try cooking <a href="https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipes/slow-cooker-corned-beef-mustard-sauce-recipe/z47lwrbv?r=entertaining/9clz7475&h=entertaining">corned beef</a> or <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/slow-cooker-roast-chicken">roast chicken</a> in a slow cooker with lots of vegetables. Slow-cooked meals can be frozen and can come in handy for left-overs. Lean into <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4608274/">legumes</a>. These are packed with fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals. They are also budget-friendly and a great way to add texture to salads. Tinned chickpeas, or cannellini, kidney, or butter beans are quick and easy additions that can make filling dishes go further. You could even turn tinned chickpeas into homemade hommus for a healthy and delicious side dish. Check out these healthy legume <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/filter/keywords--legumes">recipes</a>. <h2>7 ways to keep food costs down this Christmas</h2> 1. Plan ahead Plan your menu by asking how many people are coming and checking for any food preferences or dietary requirements. Check for items you already have at home, and make a shopping list for only what you <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/BFJ-12-2017-0726/full/html">need</a>. 2. Use free recipes Use free online recipe collections and e-books tailored for budget cooking that can help you design your Christmas menu to meet your budget. This <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/uploads/Our-Guide-to-the-Perfect-Christmas-Feast.pdf">one</a> was created by a group of <a href="https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/working-dietetics/standards-and-scope/role-accredited-practising-dietitian">accredited practising dietitians</a> and has healthy, budget friendly recipes and ideas. You could also try this budget friendly collection of Christmas recipes from <a href="https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/collections/budget-christmas-recipes">taste</a>. 3. Involve the family Get together with other family members and make it a challenge to see who can make the cheapest, most delicious dish. Get the kids involved in fun activities, such as making a DIY gingerbread house or putting together mixed skewers for the barbecue. 4. Pool your resources Larger quantities of a single dish will be cheaper than multiple different dishes (and easier to prepare). 5. Frozen is fine Use frozen fruits and vegetables if you need to. These can have just as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25526594/">many vitamins and minerals</a> as fresh, are often cheaper than fresh produce and last longer. Try using frozen berries to decorate the pavlova or add them to your favourite cake, muffin or pie. 6. Make your own drinks You could make your own drinks, such as home-brewed iced tea. See if anyone in your family has a soda stream you can borrow to make sparkling mineral water. Add some freshly squeezed lemon or lime for extra flavour. 7. Reduce waste Use your own crockery and re-use leftovers to reduce waste. After all, washing up is cheaper than buying plastic or paper plates and better for the environment. Remember to save any leftovers and re-use them. Leftover fresh vegetables could be used to make a hearty soup or chutney. <h2>It doesn’t have to be perfect</h2> Christmas comes and goes quickly. If your cooking ideas don’t work out, it’s not the end of the world. Choosing healthy foods on a budget is important all year around, so you may like to think about trying these tips throughout the years to come. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/196565/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-ball-14718">Lauren Ball</a>, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-kirkegaard-1401256">Amy Kirkegaard</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/breanna-lepre-1401257">Breanna Lepre</a>, Research Fellow, Mater Research Institute, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-burch-438717">Emily Burch</a>, Dietitian and Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/bring-a-plate-what-to-take-to-christmas-lunch-that-looks-impressive-but-wont-break-the-bank-196565">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

Meal kits are booming – but how do they stack up nutritionally?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kylie-fraser-1483094">Kylie Fraser</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alison-spence-720195">Alison Spence</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karen-campbell-224857">Karen Campbell</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/penny-love-1060241">Penny Love</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Meal kits are a <a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/online-food-delivery/meal-delivery/australia">billion dollar industry</a> selling the promise of convenience while cooking healthy meals at home. Delivering ingredients and step-by-step recipes to the doorstep, meal kits reduce the time and energy to plan, shop and prepare meals. But do they deliver on their promise of health? While people may <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666321007236">think</a> meal kits are healthy, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/heapro/article/38/6/daad155/7441372?searchresult=1">our new research</a> suggests this varies. The range and quantity of vegetables in a meal is a great indicator of how healthy it is. So we assessed the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/heapro/article/38/6/daad155/7441372?searchresult=1&login=false">vegetable content</a> of recipes from six Australian meal kit providers. We found when it comes to nutrition, whether it be budget friendly or high-end, it’s more about the meals you choose and less about what company to use. <h2>What we found</h2> For our <a href="https://academic.oup.com/heapro/article/38/6/daad155/7441372?searchresult=1&login=false">new research</a> we purchased a one-week subscription to nine Australian-based meal kit companies to access weekly recipes. Six companies provided their full week of recipes. The vegetable content of these recipes were analysed. Of the 179 meals analysed, we found recipes use a median of three different types of vegetables and provide a median of 2.5 serves of vegetables per person. At first glance, this looks promising. But on closer inspection, the number and types of vegetables vary a lot. Some recipes provide less than one serve and others more than seven serves of vegetables per person. Not surprisingly, vegetarian recipes provide more vegetables, but almost one-third of these still include less than two vegetables serves per person. The variety of vegetables included also varies, with recipes providing between one and six different types of vegetables per meal. <h2>What’s for dinner?</h2> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10200412/">Dinner</a> is the time when we’re most likely to eat vegetables, so low levels of vegetables in meal kit meals <a href="https://theconversation.com/food-as-medicine-why-do-we-need-to-eat-so-many-vegetables-and-what-does-a-serve-actually-look-like-76149">matter</a>. Eating vegetables is known to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5837313/">reduce the risk</a> of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266069/">obesity</a> and some cancers. What’s more, food preferences and eating habits are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17367571/">learned</a> in childhood. So being exposed to a wide range of vegetables from a young age is important for future health. But few Australians eat enough vegetables. According to the <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-dietary-guidelines-1-5">Australian Dietary Guidelines</a>, children should be eating 2.5 to five serves and adults at least five serves of vegetables each day. Currently children eat an average of <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4364.0.55.012main+features12011-12">less than</a> two serves and adults less than three serves of vegetables per day. So there’s room for improvement and meal kits may help. <h2>Meal kits have advantages</h2> The good news is that using meal kits can be a healthier alternative to ordering takeaway delivery or prepared ready-to-heat meals. When we cook at home, we have much more say in what’s for dinner. We can use healthier cooking methods (think grilled rather than deep-fried), healthier fats (olive or canola oil) and add in plenty of extra veg. All make for better nutrition and better health. Meal kits might also build your cooking confidence to cook more “from scratch” and to learn about new ingredients, flavour combinations and time-saving techniques. Cooking with meal kits may even <a href="https://theconversation.com/cooking-from-meal-boxes-can-cut-household-food-waste-by-38-new-research-192760">cut household food waste</a> by providing the exact amount of ingredients needed to prepare a meal. <h2>5 tips for getting the most out of meal kits</h2> 1) Select some vegetarian options This way you can have <a href="https://meatfreemondays.com/about/">meat-free</a> dinners during the week. Vegetarian recipes are more likely to help you meet daily vegetable intakes and to eat a wider variety of vegetables 2) Choose recipes with at least 3 different types of vegetables Eating a range of vegetable types and colours will help maximise nutritional benefits. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7195662/">Research</a> shows eating a variety of vegetables at dinner can increase our vegetable intakes. Exposing children to “<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-get-children-to-eat-a-rainbow-of-fruit-and-vegetables-97546">eating the rainbow</a>” can also increase their willingness to eat vegetables 3) Choose recipes with unfamiliar or new vegetables Research tells us that learning to prepare and cook vegetables can increase cooking <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20399299/#:%7E:text=Households%20bought%20a%20greater%20variety,at%20least%20one%20minor%20(difference%3A">confidence</a> and skills. This can influence our willingness to buy a wider range of vegetables. Worried about fussy eaters? Add your child’s favourite cooked or raw veg to their plate (one familiar, one new) 4) Look for ways to add more vegetables It’s OK to tweak the recipe! Adding vegetables from your fridge – maybe some lettuce on the side or chopped up carrots to a cooked sauce – to meal kit meals will help reduce household <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/waste/food-waste">food waste</a>. You can also extend meals by adding a can of lentils or beans to mince-based meals, or frozen peas or chickpeas to a curry. This adds valuable fibre to the meal and also bulks up these recipes, giving you leftovers for the next day 5) Use less While vegetables are important for health, it’s also important to consider the <a href="https://academic-oup-com.ezproxy-b.deakin.edu.au/heapro/article/36/3/660/5908259">salt</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31694291/">fat and energy</a> content of meal kit recipes. When using meal kits, you can <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/bundles/healthy-living-and-eating/salt-and-heart-health">use less</a> seasoning, spice mix or stock cubes and add more herbs instead.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218339/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kylie-fraser-1483094">Kylie Fraser</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alison-spence-720195">Alison Spence</a>, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Population Health, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/karen-campbell-224857">Karen Campbell</a>, Professor Population Nutrition, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/penny-love-1060241">Penny Love</a>, Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/meal-kits-are-booming-but-how-do-they-stack-up-nutritionally-218339">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

What is the OMAD diet? Is one meal a day actually good for weight loss? And is it safe?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-fuller-219993">Nick Fuller</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> What do British Prime Minister <a href="https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/one-meal-a-day-diet-omad">Rishi Sunak</a> and singer <a href="https://theconversation.com/one-meal-a-day-diet-popular-with-celebrities-could-do-more-harm-than-good-heres-why-203086">Bruce Springsteen</a> have in common? They’re among an ever-growing group of public figures touting the benefits of eating just one meal a day. As a result, the one meal a day (OMAD) diet is the latest attention-grabbing weight loss trend. Advocates claim it leads to fast, long-term weight loss success and better health, including delaying the ageing process. Like most weight-loss programs, the OMAD diet makes big and bold promises. Here’s what you need to know about eating one meal a day and what it means for weight loss. <h2>The OMAD diet explained</h2> Essentially, the OMAD diet is a type of intermittent fasting, where you fast for 23 hours and consume all your daily calories in one meal eaten within one hour. The OMAD diet rules are presented as simple and easy to follow: <ol> <li> You can eat whatever you want, provided it fits on a standard dinner plate, with no calorie restrictions or nutritional guidelines to follow. </li> <li> You can drink calorie-free drinks throughout the day (water, black tea and coffee). </li> <li> You must follow a consistent meal schedule, eating your one meal around the same time each day. </li> </ol> Along with creating a calorie deficit, resulting in weight loss, advocates believe the OMAD diet’s extended fasting period <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.771944/full">leads to physiological changes</a> in the body that promote better health, including boosting your metabolism by triggering a process called ketosis, where your body burns stored fat for energy instead of glucose. <h2>What does the evidence say?</h2> Unfortunately, research into the OMAD diet is limited. Most studies have examined its impact on <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/pdf/S1550-4131(18)30512-6.pdf">animals</a>, and the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35087416/">primary study</a> with humans involved 11 lean, young people following the OMAD diet for a mere 11 days. Claims about the OMAD diet typically rely on research into intermittent fasting, rather than on the OMAD diet itself. There is <a href="https://www.cfp.ca/content/66/2/117.short">evidence</a> backing the efficacy of intermittent fasting to achieve weight loss. However, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41574-022-00638-x">most studies</a> have focused on short-term results only, typically considering the results achieved across 12 weeks or less. One <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2114833">longer-term study from 2022</a> randomly assigned 139 patients with obesity to either a calorie-restricted diet with time-restricted eating between 8am and 4pm daily, or to a diet with daily calorie restriction alone for 12 months. After 12 months, both groups had lost around the same weight and experienced similar changes in body fat, blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure. This indicates long-term weight loss achieved with intermittent fasting is not superior and on a par with that achieved by traditional dieting approaches (daily calorie restriction). <h2>So what are the problems with the OMAD diet?</h2> 1. It can cause nutritional deficiencies and health issues. The OMAD diet’s lack of nutritional guidance on what to eat for that one meal a day raises many red flags. The meals we eat every day should include a source of protein balanced with wholegrain carbs, vegetables, fruits, protein and good fats to support <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071223/">optimum health, disease prevention and weight management</a>. Not eating a balanced diet will result in nutritional deficiencies that can result in poor immune function, fatigue and a decrease in bone density, leading to osteoporosis. Fasting for 23 hours a day is also likely to lead to extreme feelings of hunger and uncontrollable cravings, which may mean you consistently eat foods that are not good for you when it’s time to eat. 2. It’s unlikely to be sustainable. You might be able to stick with the OMAD diet initially, but it will wear thin over time. Extreme diets – especially ones prescribing extended periods of fasting – aren’t enjoyable, leading to feelings of deprivation and social isolation during meal times. It’s hard enough to refuse a piece of office birthday cake at the best of times, imagine how this would feel when you haven’t eaten for 23 hours! Restrictive eating can also lead to an unhealthy relationship with food, making it even harder to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. 3. Quick fixes don’t work. Like other popular intermittent fasting methods, the OMAD diet appeals because it’s easy to digest, and the results appear fast. But the OMAD diet is just another fancy way of cutting calories to achieve a quick drop on the scales. As your weight falls, things will quickly go downhill when your <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4766925/">body activates its defence mechanisms</a> to defend your weight loss. In fact, it will regain weight – a response that stems from our hunter-gatherer ancestors’ need to survive periods of deprivation when food was scarce. <h2>The bottom line</h2> Despite the hype, the OMAD diet is unsustainable, and it doesn’t result in better weight-loss outcomes than its predecessors. Our old habits creep back in and we find ourselves fighting a cascade of physiological changes to ensure we regain the weight we lost. Successfully losing weight long-term comes down to: <ul> <li> losing weight in small manageable chunks you can sustain, specifically periods of weight loss, followed by periods of weight maintenance, and so on, until you achieve your goal weight </li> <li> making gradual changes to your lifestyle to ensure you form habits that last a lifetime. </li> </ul> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-fuller-219993">Nick Fuller</a>, Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-omad-diet-is-one-meal-a-day-actually-good-for-weight-loss-and-is-it-safe-207723">original article</a>.

Body

How to have success with succulents

Sensational succulents Succulents have long been recognised as pot-plant superstars. They look good throughout the year, feature an enormous variety of leaf shapes and sizes and are low maintenance. Some even have beautiful flowers. Perfect for time-poor gardeners, they won’t die if you are occasionally too busy to water them. And when released from the confines of containers, succulents can be used to create fantastic contemporary garden beds. Succulents live naturally in dry and arid parts of the world so they are very waterwise and perfect for those hot, dry sunny areas in gardens where little else will grow. Known as xerophytes, they have developed storage structures in their leaves, stems or roots that hoard enough water to survive periods of drought. Succulents are very hard to kill but give them some TLC and you will be rewarded. Position your succulent in a sunny spot. Lack of light will cause it to become elongated and turn the leaves pale, and eventually it will collapse. Plant in a potting mix especially formulated for cacti and succulents. Feed in spring with a six-month slow-release fertiliser such as Osmocote. Or use a soluble fertiliser in early spring, summer and autumn. Water when the potting mix is nearly dry and do not overwater, as succulents dislike wet feet. Once established, a weekly watering is sufficient for most potted succulents. Grow in garden beds Create a stunning contemporary garden bed with a mix of succulents. Use different heights and shapes to create interesting foliage forms and combine them with waterwise perennials and shrubs for a low-maintenance bed. Mulch around the succulents with black, greyor white pebbles for a stylish look and to prevent weeds from growing. Prepare well-draining soil – a sloping bank is ideal. If drainage is a problem, use a raised bed. Do not overwater, as most succulents can survive on rainwater only. Feed in spring and summer with an all-purpose plant fo Design ideas Group various types together with different leaf shapes and colours to create interesting displays in pots and garden beds. Use any container that has drainage holes. It doesn’t have to be a garden pot – old shoes, baskets, teapots, tins, even old benches can all make interesting receptacles for succulents. Plant flat, rosette-shaped succulents such as echeveria and sempervivums in low bowls. Grow tall sculptural plants such as agave in large pots to make a statement. Position low-growing succulents such as sedums, echeveria, Cotyledon orbiculata, sempervivum and Senecio serpens as groundcovers. Establish succulents in hot, dry, sunny areas where it is difficult to get other plants to grow. Arrange large succulents in a minimalist style with just a few sculptural plants set in areas of gravel or stone. Display trailing succulents like rhipsalis, jelly bean plant and burro’s tail in tall urns or hanging baskets. Grow succulents under eaves on hot, west-facing sunny walls. Increase supply Succulents are easy to propagate in spring and summer. Pot some for Christmas presents and swap extra cuttings with gardening friends. We show you how to increase your supply. Offsets and suckers Offsets are small plantlets that develop from the parent plant and are simply detached and replanted. Suitable succulents: Some echeveria, aloes, agaves and sempervivums. How to: Remove the parent plant and offsets from the pot or ground. Gently pull the offsets from the parent plant or cut them off with secateurs. Remove any old leaves around the bases and replant into new potting mix. Stem cuttings Succulents are one of the easiest plants to grow from stem cuttings. Suitable succulents: Aeoniums, cotyledons and kalanchoes. How to: Cleanly cut the stem from the parent plant to the length you want and place it in a dry, shady spot for about one week to callus. Then plant the cutting directly where you want it to grow. Read on for 8 of the best succulents to grow. Agaves Agaves, especially the popular greyish green-leaved Agave attenuata, have a great architectural shape. Most have spines on their leaves so take care where they are placed. Echeverias Echeverias are great for pots or rock beds. There is a good choice of leaf colours, sizes and their bell-shaped flowers look good in a vase. They can withstand the cold if the soil is dry and they’re not exposed to too much rain. Sempervivums Sempervivums are commonly called ‘hen and chickens’ because of the way they multiply. The ‘chickens’ grow from the base of the ‘hen’ and are attached by a thin stem which can be detached and replanted. They revel in cool climates and don’t need much soil to survive. Aeoniums Aeoniums range from groundcovers to branching plants up to 1.5m high. The bronze and green-leaved Aeonium atropurpureum and its dark maroon-leaved cultivar ‘Schwartkop’ look stunning in pots. Aeonium undulatum has large rosettes, 15-30cm in diameter, and green leaves. Cotyledons Cotyledons are loved for their showy thick grey or green leaves and pretty bell-shaped flowers. They don’t mind winter rainfall and they can tolerate frost. Yuccas Yuccas have great architectural shape but many grow leaves with a terminal spine, so take care where you place them in the garden. Look for Yucca elephantipes that is spineless and will grow in sun, shade and even indoors. Kalanchoes Kalanchoes are grown for their interesting leaves and pretty flowers and range in size from groundcovers to large shrubs. Foliage colours vary from silver, grey, green and pink to red, and they can be flecked or variegated. Sedums Sedums range from groundcovering plants to the autumn-flowering Sedum spectabile, which reaches a height around 60cm. Most are evergreen but some die down during winter and reappear in spring. Jelly bean plant (Sedum rubrotinctum) and burro’s tail (Sedum morganianum) have a trailing habit perfect for hanging baskets. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/gardening-how-to-grow/how-to-have-success-with-succulents?pages=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

Business class traveller “shocked” at meal

A traveller flying business class has slammed the on-flight meal he received which left him “shocked”. The passenger was flying back to Korea from Hawaii on a Korean Air flight and had ordered a steak dish for the trip. A flight attendant arrived and placed the steak with a side of gravy, potatoes and vegetables on his table. The man shared a photo of the meal, comparing the steak to the size of his credit card. "This is a business class steak meal. Looking back at it again, I'm still shocked," the man wrote. He also revealed that no passengers were offered any blankets or alcoholic drinks during the flight. Despite this, he still commended the efforts of the flight attendants who did their best to ensure everything ran smoothly. "I don't want any misunderstandings as the service of the flight attendants was still the best," he wrote. A Korean Air spokesperson addressed several issues in a statement, saying the staff and service shortages were due to Covid. "On some overseas routes, it is inevitable that the supply of in-flight meals will be limited only on flights departing from foreign destinations due to local quarantine policies such as border closures due to COVID-19," the statement read. Image: Naver Cafe

Travel Trouble

"An Australian through and through": Shane Warne’s last meal revealed

Shane Warne’s final meal before his tragic death is exactly what you would expect from the legendary cricketer. The 52-year-old was with a few mates on the Thailand holiday island of Koh Samui when he died of a suspected heart attack on March 4. One of those included life-long friend and colleague Tom Hall, CEO and one of the owners of Sporting News, who wrote about Warney’s last day with them. Tom had just woken up and helped his youngest with their online schooling before wandering off to meet up with "Warney, Neo, Gaz and Fred in the late-morning sunshine". “Anybody that knew Shane knew his warmth, his caring, his incredible sense of humour, his laugh, the twinkle in his eye and that glare from those glowing, unnaturally white teeth. After a big hug and a ‘G'day’, we settle in around the outdoor dining table and the banter begins," he wrote on <a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/au/cricket/news/letter-sporting-news-shane-warne-you-dont-know/av67eucjcvy9ktn4y1wacs7q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sporting News</a>. The group messed around before trying to figure out how to watch the Australia v Pakistan Test in Thailand. They managed to hook it up and it was only a few balls into the Test when the ever-so-cheeky Warney jumped up and said he had a present for Tom. Bringing back with him an “armful of clothes”, Warney gifted Tom a series of shirts to give to the Sporting News team, including a 2005 Ashes Test shirt, his 2008 IPL shirt and a one-day international shirt. The group stumbled down memory lane and exchanged stories about their respective careers before deciding to grab some dinner. “I have dined with Shane in many fine establishments, but rather than sample some of the local Thai fare, we tuck into a plate of Vegemite on toast,” Tom wrote. “Shane chomping away: ‘Geez, you can’t beat Vegemite with some butter, always great wherever you are in the world’. “An Australian through and through - this was to turn out to be his last meal. “Ever the caring father, as I was leaving, he headed up to his bedroom to call his kids. “What a player. What a man. The word legend is used too lightly these days, but he is and always will be a legend. He was simply the best.” Image: Instagram

Caring

Success with succulents

Succulents have long been recognised as pot-plant superstars. They look good throughout the year, feature an enormous variety of leaf shapes and sizes and are low maintenance. Some even have beautiful flowers.Perfect for time-poor gardeners, they won’t die if you are occasionally too busy to water them. And when released from the confines of containers, succulents can be used to create fantastic contemporary garden beds.Succulents live naturally in dry and arid parts of the world so they are very waterwise and perfect for those hot, dry sunny areas in gardens where little else will grow. Known as xerophytes, they have developed storage structures in their leaves, stems or roots that hoard enough water to survive periods of drought.Grown them in potsSucculents are very hard to kill but give them some TLC and you will be rewarded.Position your succulent in a sunny spot. Lack of light will cause it to become elongated and turn the leaves pale, and eventually it will collapse.Plant in a potting mix especially formulated for cacti and succulents.Feed in spring with a six-month slow-release fertiliser such as Osmocote. Or use a soluble fertiliser in early spring, summer and autumn.Water when the potting mix is nearly dry and do not overwater, as succulents dislike wet feet. Once established, a weekly watering is sufficient for most potted succulents.Grow them in garden bedsCreate a stunning contemporary garden bed with a mix of succulents.Use different heights and shapes to create interesting foliage forms and combine them with waterwise perennials and shrubs for a low-maintenance bed.Mulch around the succulents with black, greyor white pebbles for a stylish look and to prevent weeds from growing.Prepare well-draining soil – a sloping bank is ideal. If drainage is a problem, use a raised bed. Do not overwater, as most succulents can survive on rainwater only.Feed in spring and summer with an all-purpose plant food.Design ideasGroup various types together with different leaf shapes and colours to create interesting displays in pots and garden beds.Use any container that has drainage holes. It doesn’t have to be a garden pot – old shoes, baskets, teapots, tins, even old benches can all make interesting receptacles for succulents.Plant flat, rosette-shaped succulents such as echeveria and sempervivums in low bowls.Grow tall sculptural plants such as agave in large pots to make a statement.Position low-growing succulents such as sedums, echeveria, Cotyledon orbiculata, sempervivum and Senecio serpens as groundcovers.Establish succulents in hot, dry, sunny areas where it is difficult to get other plants to grow.Arrange large succulents in a minimalist style with just a few sculptural plants set in areas of gravel or stone.Display trailing succulents like rhipsalis, jelly bean plant and burro’s tail in tall urns or hanging baskets.Grow succulents under eaves on hot, west-facing sunny walls.Increase supplySucculents are easy to propagate in spring and summer. Pot some for Christmas presents and swap extra cuttings with gardening friends. We show you how to increase your supply.Offsets and suckersOffsets are small plantlets that develop from the parent plant and are simply detached and replanted.Suitable succulents: Some echeveria, aloes, agaves and sempervivums.How to: Remove the parent plant and offsets from the pot or ground. Gently pull the offsets from the parent plant or cut them off with secateurs. Remove any old leaves around the bases and replant into new potting mix.Stem cuttingsSucculents are one of the easiest plants to grow from stem cuttings.Suitable succulents: Aeoniums, cotyledons and kalanchoes.How to: Cleanly cut the stem from the parent plant to the length you want and place it in a dry, shady spot for about one week to callus. Then plant the cutting directly where you want it to grow.Read on for 8 of the best succulents to grow.AgavesAgaves, especially the popular greyish green-leaved Agave attenuata, have a great architectural shape. Most have spines on their leaves so take care where they are placed.EcheveriasEcheverias are great for pots or rock beds. There is a good choice of leaf colours, sizes and their bell-shaped flowers look good in a vase. They can withstand the cold if the soil is dry and they’re not exposed to too much rain.Aeoniums Aeoniums range from groundcovers to branching plants up to 1.5m high. The bronze and green-leaved Aeonium atropurpureum and its dark maroon-leaved cultivar ‘Schwartkop’ look stunning in pots. Aeonium undulatum has large rosettes, 15-30cm in diameter, and green leaves.Cotyledons Cotyledons are loved for their showy thick grey or green leaves and pretty bell-shaped flowers. They don’t mind winter rainfall and they can tolerate frost.Yuccas Yuccas have great architectural shape but many grow leaves with a terminal spine, so take care where you place them in the garden. Look for Yucca elephantipes that is spineless and will grow in sun, shade and even indoors.KalanchoesKalanchoes are grown for their interesting leaves and pretty flowers and range in size from groundcovers to large shrubs. Foliage colours vary from silver, grey, green and pink to red, and they can be flecked or variegated.SedumsSedums range from groundcovering plants to the autumn-flowering Sedum spectabile, which reaches a height around 60cm. Most are evergreen but some die down during winter and reappear in spring. Jelly bean plant (Sedum rubrotinctum) and burro’s tail (Sedum morganianum) have a trailing habit perfect for hanging baskets.This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/gardening-how-to-grow/how-to-have-success-with-succulents?pages=1">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

The one meal Victoria Beckham has eaten every day for 25 years

David Beckham has exposed his wife Victoria Beckham’s eating habits, revealing she eats the same meal every day for the last 25 years.The famous footballer recalled one of his “favourite evenings” when Victoria deviated from her strict diet, eating something off his plate when she was pregnant with their fourth child.David spoke on the River Cafe Table 4 podcast about the food his family eats, telling the host: “I get quite emotional about food and wine. When I’m eating something great I want everyone to try it.“Unfortunately I’m married to someone that has eaten the same thing for the last 25 years,” he went on to say.“Since I met her she only eats grilled fish, steamed vegetables, she will very rarely deviate from that,” he said.David looked back fondly on one particular evening when his wife ate something off his plate, back when she was pregnant with their youngest child Harper, now 10 years old.“The only time she’s probably ever shared something that’s been on my plate was actually when she was pregnant with Harper and it was the most amazing thing.“It was one of my favourite evenings. I can’t remember what it was but I know she’s not eaten it since,” David said.Victoria has previously admitted that she won’t eat any food cooked in oil, butter, or sauces, and she doesn’t eat red meat or dairy.The former Spice Girls singer also shared that her comfort food is a piece of wholegrain toast with salt on it and on her birthday she celebrates with a cake made from fruit.David told the podcast that when he has the house to himself he loves cooking whatever he fancies.Pretty recently I was in isolation for five days because I’d just been to Italy so I came back and on one of the last days Victoria’s parents had a party and I couldn’t actually go to it, so everyone was out of the house and I secretly loved it."“I literally had two most amazing cuts of meat. One was a T-bone and I had some English wagyu."“I poured one glass of the most amazing red wine that I treated myself to because I was on my own looking forward to watching the football in the afternoon on my own. So I set the barbecue up,” David told the podcast host.David shows off his love of cooking on his Instagram, sharing a video of himself preparing a meal in Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen.He captioned the clip: “Learnt a new dish to celebrate Lunar New Year… Sweet and sour Mandarin Fish.“Must say I’m quite proud of how it turned out. Thanks for letting me use your kitchen @gordongram #LunarNewYear,” David wrote.Image: Getty

Food & Wine

Vegan meal option at wedding sparks outrage

A photo of the lacklustre vegan meal option at a wedding reception has gone viral online, sparking outrage. The image, initially posted to the wedding guest’s social media account, shows a plate on which rests a handful of wilted rocket leaves, three pieces of rockmelon and honeydew melon, and a few drops of balsamic dressing. Her caption reads, “Vegan option at a wedding”, along with an eye-roll emoji. The post has since been shared to Reddit, prompting hundreds of responses, both from vegans and non-vegans alike. One commenter wrote, “What the fudge is this supposed to be? This is so insulting,” while another said, “This is literally so rude to your guest. I’d be so pissed.” A third person wrote, “It’s a couple mouthfuls of pure arugula and like half a bite of fruit. I’d send this back & get my own food if necessary. This is straight up disrespectful.” Another commenter said, “In these scenarios, you’re more than justified in drinking 3x your normal alcohol consumption and going on an angry vegan rant.” One commenter summarised popular opinion well, writing, “I’m not a vegan, but this lack of planning would infuriate me. Your life choices should be heard and accepted, regardless of anyone else’s feelings. To provide that as a meat-free alternative is frankly poor.” Many assumed that the couple were responsible for the bland meal, with one commenter writing, “Please be considerate about people’s choices at your wedding.” However, others argued that the caterers were responsible, with one commenter sharing their own experiences, writing, “I’m trying to plan a wedding right now and most caterers won’t even provide a vegan option unless at least two people will be eating it and I’m pretty sure I’m gonna be the only vegan there. It’s very difficult for me.” A chef shared their perspective, writing, “As a chef - that’s not the couple, that’s a poorly-run kitchen. No self-respecting chef would serve this.” Fellow vegans agreed that meals like this were a depressingly regular occurrence, with one writing, “I’ve got relatives that would pull something like this. My whole life they ****ed with me because I’m a veggie.” Other commenters failed to see the problem, with one person commenting, “It’s vegan, isn’t it?”

Food & Wine

Tennis world reacts to disappearance of Chinese player

Serena Williams has added her voice to the chorus of tennis stars concerned for the wellbeing of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, who has been unreachable since accusing a powerful Chinese politician of assault. Two weeks ago, Shuai took to Weibo to accuse former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli of forcing her into sex during their long-term relationship. The post was quickly deleted, and her social media profiles have been silent since. A <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis/pressure-is-mounting-on-china-to-confirm-the-safety-of-star-player-peng-shuai-amid-fears-she-is-missing/news-story/7b23a3a14256165a82f41506af669f0f" target="_blank">bizarre email</a> claiming to be from the star did little to quell fears, with many feeling it wasn’t actually from Shuai. The email reads, “Hello everyone this is Peng Shuai. Regarding the recent news released on the official website of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), the content has not been confirmed or verified by myself and it was released without my consent. “I’m not missing, nor am I unsafe. I’ve just been resting at home and everything is fine. Thank you for caring about me. I hope to promote Chinese tennis with you all if I have the chance in the future. I hope Chinese tennis will become better and better.” Soon after, Tennis superstar Serena Williams posted her concerns about Shuai on Twitter. She wrote, “I am devastated and shocked to hear about the news of my peer, Peng Shuai. I hope she is safe and found as soon as possible. This must be investigated and we must not stay silent. Sending love to her and her family during this incredibly difficult time. #whereispengshuai”. The tweet was accompanied by a photo of the star with the hashtag #whereispengshuai over the top. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I am devastated and shocked to hear about the news of my peer, Peng Shuai. I hope she is safe and found as soon as possible. This must be investigated and we must not stay silent. Sending love to her and her family during this incredibly difficult time. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/whereispengshuai?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#whereispengshuai</a> <a href="https://t.co/GZG3zLTSC6">pic.twitter.com/GZG3zLTSC6</a> — Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) <a href="https://twitter.com/serenawilliams/status/1461408866697105413?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2021</a></blockquote> Others have shared the image, including the Women’s Tennis Association, coach Patrick Mouratoglou and stars including Benoit Paire, Julia Goerges and Maria Sakkari. On Friday, the International Tennis Writers’ Association released a statement in support of Peng. “Peng Shuai’s allegations are very serious, and she is very brave to have made them. “We fully support the efforts of the WTA and other tennis bodies in calling for meaningful assurances that Peng Shuai is safe, and for the allegations she has made to be properly investigated, without censorship. “In the meantime, we wish Peng Shuai and her family and friends all the strength they need to get through this very stressful time.” Naomi Osaka posted a brief statement on Twitter, where she said she was in “shock” at the current situation. “Censorship is never OK at any cost, I hope Peng Shuai and her family are safe and OK. I’m in shock of the current situation and I’m sending love and light her way.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> . <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhereIsPengShuai?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhereIsPengShuai</a> <a href="https://t.co/51qcyDtzLq">pic.twitter.com/51qcyDtzLq</a> — NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) <a href="https://twitter.com/naomiosaka/status/1460723353174433793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2021</a></blockquote> Novak Djokovic spoke to the press about Shuai’s disappearance following his ATP Tour Finals match against Casper Rudd, describing the situation as “terrible”. “Honestly it’s shocking that she’s missing. More so that it’s someone that I’ve seen on the tour in previous years quite a few times. “There’s not much more to say than to hope that she’s OK and it’s just terrible … I can imagine how her family feels, you know, that she’s missing.” Image: Zhong Zhi/Getty Images

News

Chinese defector has new theory on COVID origins

A Chinese defector has suggested the COVID-19 pandemic began after the virus was potentially leaked amongst participants of the military games in Wuhan in October 2019, months before the deadly outbreak was confirmed by China. Defector and democracy campaigner Wei Jingsheng was speaking with Sky News journalist Sharri Markson for her new book What Really Happened in Wuhan. He said thousands of athletes from around the world came to Wuhan for the Military World Games in October and this was likely the first superspreader event. Jingsheng said: “I thought that the Chinese government would take this opportunity to spread the virus during the Military Games, as many foreigners would show up there,” he said. He claims he was aware of Chinese authorities experimenting with "strange biological weapons", a tip off from a government source, and tried to warn the US but was unsuccessful. Many athletes from different countries reported sickness <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8fddf3839bed4bb6be443112db24b245" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.2971342383107px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844291/wei-military-games-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8fddf3839bed4bb6be443112db24b245" /> Multiple athletes from around the world later reported sickness and symptoms consistent with COVID-19. Last month the US's Republican Foreign Affairs Committee released a report claiming Beijing was rushing to cover up the virus's spread around the time of the military games. Republican Representative Michael McCaul said: "When they realised what happened, Chinese Communist Party officials and scientists at the WIV began frantically covering up the leak.” "But their coverup was too late — the virus was already spreading throughout the megacity of Wuhan," he added. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4f8f86d22ea94363be718fe6352928ca" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.1804008908686px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844293/wei-jingshang-lab-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4f8f86d22ea94363be718fe6352928ca" /> China suggests other countries are responsible for COVID China has pointed to overseas, including Italy, France and the US, where it says the virus was detected long before it reported its first official cases in December 2019 but Jingsheng’s theory provides an explanation for such cases. The Communist Party of China has become angry over what it claims is a concerted effort from the West to smear China when it comes to the investigation of the origins of COVID. Beijing has suggested it was the US who imported the virus to Wuhan during the military games, calling for investigations into its Fort Detrick facility. Former US president Donald Trump suggest the evidence points to a lab leak <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/687e3da31a264cff9642b3b46f5b8426" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.2018489984592px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844292/wei-trump-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/687e3da31a264cff9642b3b46f5b8426" /> Former US president Donald Trump also spoke with Markson for her book and he claimed it’s “obvious” the virus had been leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Trump made a point of saying he didn’t think the virus was “intentionally” spread but that it escaped via an accidental leak. “I don’t know if they had bad thoughts or whether it was gross incompetence, but one way or the other, it came out of Wuhan, and it came from the Wuhan lab,” Trump said. Trump added one indication was the early emergence of stories filtering into his office about body bags being piled up outside the lab. Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also talked with Markson and he said there was “enormous, albeit indirect, evidence that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was the centrepoint for this.” “The cumulative evidence that one can see points singularly to the Wuhan Institute of Virology,” he said. Pompeo added the US has intelligence three scientists at the lab fell ill two months before the first cases of COVID were officially reported in December 2019. Former US director of national intelligence John Ratcliffe says these scientists are now missing. Another claim that was delivered to Trump was that a lab worker left for lunch and met his girlfriend, infecting her with the virus. WHO chief calls for more investigation of the lab leak theory Initially criticised for his soft approach with China, World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus surprisingly questioned the findings of a joint mission into the origins of COVID earlier this year, calling for more to be done to investigate the lab leak theory. Image: Getty Images and Sky News

Travel Trouble

China re-jigs Olympic medal tally to place itself first

Sections of the Chinese media have been caught out changing the 2021 Olympics medal tally by placing China at the top of the list, ahead of the USA. This year's Olympics in Tokyo saw the USA finish first with 39 gold medals with China coming in a close second with 38 gold medals and the host nation, Japan, finished third with 27 golds. But China Central Television (CCTV), which is a state-controlled broadcaster run by the Chinese Communist Party, has been caught out listing China as having won 42 gold medals and winning the overall medal tally. This re-jigged tally came to light after it was seen on the Chinese social media platform - Weibo. From this platform, the graphic appeared all over mainstream social media with people on Twitter seeing the rejigged tally. Some have said the new tally is because the CCTV found a way to boost their medals by including Taiwan and Hong Kong in their overall tally. But even with these two nations’ medals, this only adds three gold medals to China’s overall tally, so it’s unclear where the 42 gold medals comes from. Hong Kong earned just one gold medal at the Games, while Taiwan, which competes as 'Chinese Taipei', earned two gold medals. Image: Getty and Twitter

Legal

Top tips for delicious winter meals using a slow cooker

It’s now mid-winter so there’s no better way of warming yourself up than with a delicious, slow-cooked meal. Here are our five top tips for creating delicious meals with a slow cooker. With a high number of people in lockdown across the country, there’s probably never been a better time to start learning new slow cooker recipes to make warming, winter meals. Bettina Jenkins, Culinary Expert at <a href="https://www.appliancesonline.com.au/">Appliances Online</a>, has shared her top five tips for making slow cookers a part of your everyday cooking experience. Top slow cooker tips from Bettina Jenkins, Appliances Online Culinary Expert “Imagine getting home from work and your dinner is ready? Gently simmering, all day, tenderising those inexpensive cuts of meat and turning them into melt in the mouth morsels - that's slow cooking for you! If you’re time poor in the morning, try the night-before technique - throw everything in the slow cooker the night before, pop it in the fridge, then start cooking it all the next morning and dinner will be ready later on in the day! Tip No. 1) You don't have to use expensive meats for slow cooking to produce quality culinary results. You can use inexpensive cuts of meat and because they’re slowly simmering all day, this turns them into melt-in-your-mouth morsels - that's slow cooking for you! Tip No. 2) You can cook just about anything in a slow cooker. Slow cookers are so versatile, that you can cook soups, casseroles, lasagna, desserts and even cakes and yoghurt! You’ll love the results from these time and energy saving appliances! Tip No. 3) Try the night-before technique. If you have other things to do in the morning, throw everything in the slow cooker the night before, pop it in the fridge, then start cooking when you get up and dinner will be ready later on. Tip No. 4) Try overnight oats. You can cook oats, milk, sultanas and grated apple and carrots - cook on low for 8 hours and wake up to a warm and nourishing breakfast! Tip No. 5) Cleaning is a breeze too! Just one removable pot at the end of the night – simply give it a quick clean or pop it in the dishwasher! As well, Bettina gave us a list of five slow cookers suitable for all different budgets: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.appliancesonline.com.au/product/tefal-rk732-18l-easy-rice-slow-cooker?sli_sku_jump=1">Tefal RK732 1.8L Easy Rice & Slow Cooker</a>- RRP $130</li> <li><a href="https://www.appliancesonline.com.au/product/breville-lsc650bss-searing-slow-cooker?sli_sku_jump=1">Breville LSC650BSS the Searing 6L Slow Cooker</a>- RRP $219</li> <li><a href="https://www.appliancesonline.com.au/product/westinghouse-3-x-25l-slow-cooker-whsc07ks?sli_sku_jump=1">Westinghouse 3 x 2.5L Slow Cooker WHSC07KS</a>- RRP $149.95</li> <li><a href="https://www.appliancesonline.com.au/product/kitchenaid-artisan-slow-cooker-92395?sli_sku_jump=1">KitchenAid 5KSC6222ASS Artisan 5.7L Slow Cooker</a>RRP $259</li> <li><a href="https://www.appliancesonline.com.au/product/crock-pot-chp600-choose-a-crock-one-pot-slow-cooker?sli_sku_jump=1">Crock-Pot CHP600 Choose-a-Crock One Pot Slow Cooker</a>- RRP $129</li> </ul> Image: Getty Images

Home & Garden

Unbelievable: Man's messy response to in-flight meal

Clearly not happy with the inflight meal he'd been served, this "entitled" passenger provoked widespread disbelief as to how he dealt with it. While most of us can’t even think of when we’ll be able to take a plane trip next, a man has behaved so badly on a plane trip there are calls on social media for him to be banned from flying. The man had just been served his inflight meal and he wasn’t happy with it so he dumped most of the food, the tray, utensils and rubbish in the aisle. A <a rel="noopener" href="mailto:https://www.reddit.com/" target="_blank">Reddit</a> user was sitting right behind the messy man on the flight so they took photos of the mess and then posted them on the social media site under the heading: “Man dumps his food into the aisle after he ate what he wants.” <img style="width: 24px; height: 24px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/620bbca921de44c1b2610625d1b077fe" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843060/plane-passenger-rubbish-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/620bbca921de44c1b2610625d1b077fe" /> Many readers were appalled by the man’s actions, with one saying it would have been a hazard if there’s been an emergency. “That’s literally an emergency hazard!” they wrote. “As someone who flies a lot, this makes me feel so angry. How can he be so entitled!?” Others thought he should be banned from flying, with one posting: “That should be an automatic add to the no-fly list.” Another added: “Unbelievable. That’s when you tap him on the shoulder and say, ‘Sir, I believe you dropped something’, or go with the nose-rub method.” In another post, the writer described the man as “trashy” and thought he must be a “nightmare” to deal with daily. They wrote: “Let’s forget for one moment how trashy this piece of s*** is and focus on his personality. Imagine working with him, imagine being the wife, imagine being a neighbour, or anybody who has to deal with him on a daily basis. What a f***ing nightmare of a f***ing attitude.” Image: Reddit

Travel Trouble

Couple blasted for “horrific” tiered meals for guests

A couple has been slammed online for their unusual method of selecting meals for the guests at their wedding. The wedding invitation was shared on <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingshaming/comments/itnewu/bigger_cash_gift_better_dinner/" target="_blank">Reddit</a> with the caption “Bigger cash gift = better dinner?”, and shows the food guests can choose - depending on how much they plan to spend on the wedding gift. “So that we may prepare your preferred dinner, please circle your gift level and indicate a meal of choice for each person in your party,” the invitation read. The note included four tiers: “Loving Gift”, “Silver Gift”, “Golden Gift”, and “Platinum Gift”. The “Loving Gift” includes gifts worth up to $250, with guests being served roast chicken or swordfish. The next tier up, the “Silver Gift”, would see guests giving presents worth between $251 and $500 being served sliced steak or poached salmon. For guests spending between $501 and $1000 on the gift, they can choose between any of the choices for the lower tiers, filet mignon, or lobster tails. The final tier, for presents worth between $1001 and $2500 plus, allows guests to choose any of the other options or a two-pound lobster. As well, they receive a souvenir champagne goblet. Additionally, vegetarian and kosher options are only available at the platinum level. <img style="width: 500px; height:373.4375px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842676/89xd5zz0dfn51.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b628df38a8444fe481acbc818cf80ae0" /> Image: Reddit The post sparked outrage, with some calling it a “tacky” decision. “That is horrific. My response would be zero and I will bring McDonald’s,” one person wrote. “Who doesn’t want a souvenir champagne glass from someone else’s wedding? For $2500, I can fly to Ireland, stay a week, and buy a Waterford flute …” another commented. “This seems more like something you would encounter at a charity dinner than at a wedding. It’s still tacky and horrific …” a third said.

Relationships

Mum bombarded with criticism for prepping meals for son

A mum has been roasted online after sharing how she prepares a full freezer of homemade meals for her 30-year-old son. The woman shared a photo of her freezer, chock full of frozen meals including pasta, curries, and beef casserole, on Facebook. She wrote that her son could “always let himself in for a feed” despite not living at home. “He knows there’s always a selection in the freezer. If I can, you can,” she wrote. But, she reportedly had to turn off comments on her post after receiving an “overwhelming” amount of negative comments. In a later update on the post, she explained she’d been bombarded and was forced to take action, according to Daily Mail Australia. “This post was meant to inspire, not judge,” she said. “I am turning off comments as this is becoming very overwhelming, love to you all, life can be wonderful no matter what.” Amidst the negativity, others came through and praised the extent of her meal prep, saying she was a “wonderful mumma”. “I hope I do the same for my son because I love cooking,” one person wrote. “My mum is exactly like you; she feeds me when I am there and I am over 30,” another commented. Image: Facebook

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Top tips for delicious winter meals using a slow cooker

Unbelievable: Man's messy response to in-flight meal

Couple blasted for “horrific” tiered meals for guests

Mum bombarded with criticism for prepping meals for son