See The Change
Sun Herald
Sunday March 4, 2001
Sigrid Thornton is tiny. Really, really tiny. And exercise and diet help her stay that way, as KELLY BAKER discovers.
SEACHANGE star Sigrid Thornton might appear tough on screen but in the flesh she's decidedly fragile. Being so petite somehow adds to her beauty but it's not without its downside pack even a single kilogram on to that diminutive frame and there's no way to hide it.
``I have always been very careful about my weight," Thornton said.
``I have been a performer since I was a child so I grew up with the idea I had to watch my weight and stay in good physical shape. Acting is an extremely demanding job. Even though we're just pretending, it is very physical and being fit is a real asset."
Thornton is 42 years old and well past the age of sudden weight gain or growth spurts, but she isn't taking any chances. She follows a reasonably strict diet and crams in as much exercise as her frantic schedule will allow.
Right now she's in rehearsal for her first stage play, Harold Pinter's Betrayal with the Melbourne Theatre Company, and there's barely a spare moment in her day.
Her work takes up a huge portion of her time. If she has a free, uncommitted moment it goes to her family: husband Tom Burstall and children Ben, 14, and Jaz, 8.
When they can spare her, Thornton likes to get moving. She's serious about many things and one of them is exercise. She has exercised on and off for many years, but it was Donna Aston, body builder, personal trainer and author of a new book called Body Business (Penguin, $19.95) who has made the most impact.
Thornton and Aston hooked up for a couple of months of intensive training two years ago and have remained in close touch since. Thornton, long an exercise fan, read Aston's first book Fat Or Fiction and was so impressed she tracked down the author.
They began working out together and soon Thornton's tiny frame was stripped of excess fat and rippling with muscle. Not only that, but she felt stronger and healthier than she had in some time.
``Donna greatly improved my understanding of my own body and how easily I'm able to take care of it," Thornton said.
``She imparted such a lot of knowledge to me and it's been incredibly useful."
Aston taught Thornton how to gain maximum benefit with minimum effort and she scrutinised her diet closely. She encouraged Thornton to cut back a little on complex carbohydrates and urged her to increase her protein intake. She also advised eating fresh, unprocessed foods and had her burning up fat through cardio work and gaining muscle through a light weights program. The results were staggering.
``I felt like I had a higher quality of life," Thornton said.
``I felt physically well, had great stamina and because of that everything seemed easier. It was a way of life for me and it was great."
Thornton has never really struggled with her weight but she empathises with those of us who do.
``Can I completely understand why people put on weight? Of course I can," she said adamantly.
``I think food and the sharing of it is one of the greatest pleasures of life. It is certainly not something we should be depriving ourselves of, but the fact is you do need to be somewhat sensible about it."
Aston's book Body Business advocates this commonsense approach. Several high-profile Australians, including Thornton, actor and producer Jane Kennedy and editor Linda Roach, have followed the program and were so impressed they endorsed the book.
Kennedy, who in the past had piled on the kilos, said following Aston's advice was the only way she had been able to maintain a healthy weight and body-fat ratio.
Roach, a long-term ``yo-yo" dieter who continually gained and lost the same couple of kilograms, started Aston's program and lost 6kg of fat and gained 2kg of muscle within months.
In Australia, a country where sport is an obsession and the perfect body a common goal, personal trainers abound as do competitive body builders. Diets and theories about fat loss and muscle gain are hot topics of conversation, not just in gyms and health clubs but schools, office tea rooms and, incredibly enough, the pub.
A new diet book hits the bookshops on an average of one every fortnight and magazine editors and TV producers are all too aware of the power of the diet. We're inundated with them so, you have to ask, what makes Aston's program stand out from the rest?
For starters, Aston's program is not based on kilojoule restriction, but healthier food choices.
She advises optimum nutrition through eating a wide variety of fresh, healthy foods. But the biggest point of difference is that unlike many of the most popular diets, including the phenomenally successful Carbohydrate Addicts Diet and The Zone, Aston does not promise a quick fix.
``The program is designed to last a lifetime, not just a few weeks to lose those extra kilograms," Aston said.
``It never ceases to amaze me how many years some of us spend trying to lose weight quickly. It seems to be human nature to want to see an immediate result, but that is not what my program is about."
Aston's program is about balance. It is not a high-protein or a low-carbohydrate diet, but a rounded food and exercise program which includes adequate quantities of protein, carbohydrate and fat.
It's clear it is effective, but so are many diets if you can stick to them. So how difficult is Aston's program and can normal, regular folk expect dramatic results?
``Of course, you can follow the program and be successful if you want to apply yourself to the task and be consistent. It will always be a little more difficult for some. However, I do believe that everyone gets to a stage in their life when they are ready to take on the challenge and at this point the success rate is high."
So if we want taut, trim physiques and to feel energised each and every day, it's within reach. All we need to do is take a few simple steps and we'll be on our way.
``Stick with it and you should lose a couple of kilograms within a month," Aston said.
``More importantly, you'll experience increased energy and vitality within the first two weeks. You will feel less bloated, more alert, strong, motivated and enjoy more restful sleep."
The diet
Donna Aston's program is divided into six categories. To work out which category you fall into you'll need to ascertain your body fat levels and your weight in kilograms. Once you have established your lean body weight you can choose your category.
Here is the diet for Category C, which is the middle of the road category that applies to most people. Some of the foods require recipes, which are available in Aston's book Body Business.
Day One
Breakfast
60g protein porridge
Snack
60g raw almonds
Lunch
175g lean, skinless chicken, salad (includes flaxseed oil, reduced fat fetta)
Snack
1 apple
Dinner
200g swordfish or tuna steak, vegetable stir-fry
Day Two
Breakfast
Omelette (1 whole egg, 4 egg whites, 50g cheese, unlimited vegetables)
Snack
300g yogurt, punnet of strawberries
Lunch
Tuna salad (including flaxseed oil)
Snack
60g raw mixed nuts
Dinner
160g lean eye fillet steak, vegetables, snow peas
Day Three
Breakfast
Protein shake (milkshake with protein powder, raspberries and flaxseed oil)
Snack
60g raw cashews
Lunch
Spaghetti bolognaise
Snack
1 apple
Dinner
140g skinless roast chicken, vegie-slaw
Day Four
Breakfast
75g raspberries, 1 cup strawberries and 200g yogurt, plus protein powder
Snack
50g cheese, 35g raw almonds
Lunch
Tuna and cottage dip
Snack
Fudge (raw almonds)
Dinner
Warm lamb and avocado salad
Day Five
Breakfast
150g low-fat cottage cheese, fresh fruit salad, 10g almonds, flaxseed oil
Snack
2 medium hard-boiled eggs, 1 tomato, 60g cheddar cheese
Lunch
Roast beef, mixed salad/vegetables
Snack
1 medium piece of fruit, low-fat yogurt
Dinner
Pork stir-fry
Day Six
Breakfast
Vanilla smoothie (protein powder, low-fat yogurt, flaxseed oil)
Snack
40g raw mixed nuts
Lunch
Salmon-slaw (drained, tinned salmon, cabbage, carrot, onion, capsicum)
Snack
1 punnet of strawberries, 11/2 cups of rockmelon, 60g full-cream cheese
Dinner
Burger melts (with flaxseed oil), large green salad, salad dressing
Day Seven
Breakfast
Scrambled eggs, grilled tomato, 30g grated light cheese, 50g thinly sliced smoked salmon
Snack
1 piece of fruit, 350g low-fat yogurt
Lunch
Chicken and avocado salad, unlimited salad vegetables, avocado, flaxseed oil
Snack
60g mixed raw nuts
Dinner
Seafood combination
Recipes
Protein porridge
Ingredients: 50g rolled oats, 50g vanilla protein powder, water, ground cinnamon, approved sweetener.
Method: Combine the oats and protein powder in a small, non-stick saucepan. Pour in enough cold water to cover dry ingredients. Stir continuously over heat until smooth. When the porridge is cooked to your liking (3-4 minutes), pour into bowl, sprinkle with cinnamon and/or sweetener.
Burger melts
Ingredients: 200g extra-lean beef mince, 1 small brown onion, finely diced, 1/2 cup of grated carrot, 1 tbsp hot taco sauce (no added sugar), 1/2 tsp all spice, 1 medium tomato, sliced, 2 tbsp grated parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
Method: In a large bowl combine mince, onion, carrot, sauce and seasoning. Mix until well combined then form into two equal patties. Refrigerate for two hours. Grill the burgers until thoroughly cooked. Place a slice of tomato and half of the cheese on each burger and return to the grill until the cheese has melted. Serve with a green salad.
Seafood combination
Ingredients: 8 shelled, uncooked prawns, heads removed, 100g firm, boneless fish fillet, cut into 3cm cubes, freshly ground black pepper, 4 cups assorted chopped vegetables, 1 tbsp unrefined olive oil, juice of 1 freshly squeezed lime, juice of 1 freshly squeezed lemon, 1 lemon cut into wedges for serving.
Method: Place prawns and fish in a shallow bowl with oil and lemon and lime juice. Marinate for 1-2 hours. Heat a non-stick wok or frying pan. Add prawns and fish with any excess marinade. Cook on high heat for about two minutes, or until prawns begin to change colour. Add vegetables and stir-fry until just tender. Spoon on to serving plates and garnish with freshly ground black pepper and lemon wedges.
Fudge
Ingredients: 50g protein powder, 25g almond meal, 25g approved sweetener, 25g plain cocoa powder, 25g desiccated coconut, 1 rounded tbsp hulled tahini or nut paste, cold water.
Method: Place all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the tahini/nut paste. Rub the paste into the dry ingredients until it is evenly distributed. Gradually add water in very small amounts. Continue to knead the mixture until it becomes a stiff dough. Be sure not to add too much water as the mixture will become sticky and hard to handle. Place mixture on a clean, dry surface and mould with your hands until it forms a log. Cover it completely with foil and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. To serve, cut into 10cm x 2cm rounds from the end.
Vegie smash
Ingredients: Half a small white or brown onion, finely diced, 120g pumpkin diced, 100g cauliflower florets, 1/2 cup cabbage, finely shredded, 15g almond meal, all spice and/or a dash of tabasco sauce.
Method: Steam or microwave the combined vegetables until soft. Drain off any excess liquid. Transfer the vegetables to a mixing bowl. Add almond meal, seasoning and tabasco. Mash together with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined. Form mixture into small, burger-like patties and place on a greased piece of foil. Lightly brown under a preheated grill and serve immediately.
© 2001 Sun Herald