It’s time to ‘lose the bap’, unless it’s a healthy one! Your idea for a healthy, nutritious lunch could win you £500!
LEADING convenience retailers, SuperValu and Centra, and public transport provider, Translink, have joined forces to launch the Healthy Lunch Off competition, challenging the whole of Northern Ireland to get creative and come up with a unique, healthy lunch idea that could win them some fantastic prizes.
Launching at the start of summer, the campaign also aims to encourage more people to be active and enjoy the great outdoors by packing a healthy picnic and hopping on board the bus or train to explore some of Northern Ireland’s top attractions and beauty spots.
The winner of the Healthy Lunch-Off competition, supported by SuperValu, Centra and Translink, will take home a cash prize of £500 and have their creation served in SuperValu and Centra delis for the whole country to sample, explained Desi Derby, Marketing Director, Musgrave.
“We already serve an extensive range of healthier food and drinks at our stores. With our Healthy Lunch Off competition, supported by SuperValu, Centra and Translink, we want to inspire young people and adults to think more about the choices they make when thinking about their lunch. Our customers love the convenience and quality that we offer them but we want them to know that we’re passionate about providing healthy food and drink alternatives.
“Part of the proceeds of the Healthy Lunch Off competition, supported by SuperValu, Centra and Translink, winning lunch creation will be donated to our charity partner, Action Cancer”, said Desi.
So what kind of healthy lunch creations do SuperValu, Centra and Translink expect to see from the public?
Desi continued: “We have no idea what the healthy lunch ideas will be but we expect to see salad bowls with a twist, a healthy sandwich or a wrap with a saucy surprise and maybe even a hot bite with a nutritious side – whatever the creation, it has to be unique, it has to be healthy and you have to be able to find the ingredients in Northern Ireland!”
There is nothing better than taking a day trip somewhere in Northern Ireland, said Ursula Henderson, PR Manager, Translink:
“We want to capture the public’s imagination and create some really ‘tasty trips’ by bus or train. Public transport is an active and healthy way to travel and we’ve a wide range of discount tickets available to encourage more people to get outside and explore Northern Ireland this summer.
“The competition is a fun way to get creative, pack the perfect picnic and enjoy a fun and healthy day out. Your entry could even be inspired by your journey and places you visit so we hope our customers enjoy getting their creative juices flowing and joining the Healthy Lunch Off!”
SuperValu and Centra have asked their experienced food ambassadors to be judges; Jane McClenaghan and Sarah Patterson, will bring their considerable experience of healthy food to the competition to decide which entries will make a delicious lunch.
Jane McClenaghan, Centra’s Nutrition Ambassador, said: “This is such an interesting challenge for those who want to eat healthier lunches and I can’t wait to see what wonderful ideas people come up with.”
Sarah Patterson, SuperValu’s Vegetarian Ambassador, said: “I would be so delighted to see some unique vegetarian and vegan inspired lunch ideas, so get your thinking caps on and send us in your ingredients for the Healthy Lunch Off.”
To enter, simply email your Healthy Lunch Off suggestion to, healthylunchoff@musgrave.ie, by the closing date which is Friday 13th July.
The prizes from SuperValu, Centra and Translink are £500 in cash for the winner, as well as having their creation available at SuperValu and Centra stores across Northern Ireland for a limited period. Translink travel ticket vouchers will also entitle winners, their family and friends, to free travel by bus and train right across Northern Ireland – perfect for relaxing summer days out.
For further information on the Healthy Lunch Off supported by SuperValu, Centra and Translink visit www.supervalu.co.uk, www.centra.co.uk and www.translink.co.uk.
Healthy Lunch-off competition (Competition) Terms and Conditions:
If you think of your body as an engine it makes logical sense to make sure that you are putting top quality fuel into the engine. For exercise the fuel you need to pay attention to is the food and liquid that you consume. Make sure you’re getting 40% carbs, 40% protein and 20% fats in your diet, as well as some good, nutritious food to keep you strong. Make sure you eat well in the days leading up to the Half Marathon and work out your nutrition plan for the morning of the event, for during the event and of course post event to replace the energy you have expended
It is very important to keep yourself hydrated before, during and after your Half Marathon. Drinking little and often during the event is the best advice. Water is the safest and easiest drink to take but if you are drinking other drinks only consume those that you are used to. Do not try new products for the first time during the event in case they cause you problems and discomfort .Avoid fizzy drinks totally.
Having a good pair of running shoes which you have already worn in during training is important for your Half Marathon. Running in shoes which aren’t broken in can cause injury and pain. Wearing a comfortable tight fitting pair of socks is also advisable.
Running in comfortable clothing that doesn’t rub or chaff on your skin as well as being suitable for the weather conditions on the day of the event is important and once again it is worth seeking professional advice when buying any clothing.
Hopefully you are feeling enthusiastic and excited about the Half Marathon but it is important to begin cautiously, no matter what your current level of fitness. Don’t set off too fast and find you are struggling by the time you get to half way.
It is advisable to decide upon a pace that you will run per kilometre or mile in your Half Marathon . Work out a comfortable pace that you can use to get you to half way and if you are feeling good at that stage you can increase the pace slightly for the second half of the run. Running in this fashion, which is known as running a negative split, will help you to avoid “hitting the wall” and having a negative physical and psychological experience from your Half Marathon.
It is essential to include a warm up, cool down and stretch before and after the event. This will only add about 10 minutes to your preparation / recovery but is invaluable in preparing your body for the event and for aiding recovery.
It is important to taper – ie reduce your training load – in the 10 days or week leading up to your Half Marathon. Rather than having long runs in your legs once you get to the start line try to be well prepared but feeling fresh and ready for the run.
It is important to plan your travel and parking plans for the Half Marathon. One sure way to undo all of your training and effort is to arrive at the start line in a flustered state of panic. Check to confirm the best place to park which allows you easy access to the start line and an easy exit postrace or if travelling by public transport the most convenient bus stop or station.
How many people have you seen at the start of races asking the organisers where they can leave their car keys and/or their mobile phones only to be told that the organisers , understandably , won’t accept or take responsibility for them? Pre plan to work out where you are going to leave them or who you are going to leave them with and how you will get them back after the event.
You are most likely going to have some time standing around waiting for the event to start once you have warmed up. In order to keep warm and dry bring old clothes which you are happy to leave behind once you have started your run or bring a large bin bag and simply make some holes for your arms and head. This will keep you warm and dry.
Whatever training you have completed by the time the week of the event is what you have got to work with. Suddenly putting in extra training / different training in the last few days before the event won’t be of any benefit and in fact may be detrimental to you performance . Trust yourself and follow the advice re pace, nutrition and hydration and relax and enjoy the experience.
Are you in control of your sugar cravings, or is your urge for sugar so strong you’d do anything for the next chocolate fix?
Too much sugar will leave you feeling fat, flat and fed up! It can affect your mood, waistline and energy levels.
Here are my top 10 tips to help you reduce your sugar intake…
1. Instead of cutting sugar out of your diet completely, start by reducing your intake.
2. Keep a food diary for a week to find out when you are eating sugar, and how much.
3. Check food labels for a maximum sugar content of 12g per 100g.
4. Try swapping biscuits for oatcakes and sugar-free nut butter.
5. Swap sweets for fresh fruit, or trail mix.
6. Swap sugary drinks for pure, fresh, clean water.
7. Fruit juice contains as much sugar as fizzy drinks, so eat fruit instead of drinking fruit juice.
8. Check the sugar content of your breakfast cereal. Low sugar options like Weetabix, Shredded wheat or porridge are ideal.
9. You can calculate the amount in your favourite snack simply by dividing the total grams of sugar in one portion by 4, to see how many teaspoonfuls it contains.
10. Allow yourself an occasional treat once or twice a week, but instead of munching mindlessly, sit down and enjoy every mouthful.