Hi Emily

Thanks for your question. Have you seen a doctor to see if there are any underlying reasons for your low weight? I cannot stress how important is to check with your doctor first before making any changes to your lifestyle and diet.

You did not mention what symptoms you are experiencing at this moment that make you feel unhealthy, so I can only provide general guidance and need to refer you to see a qualified nutritional therapist to address the root cause.

Increasing the intake of vegetables to about 500g to 1kg a day would be a good start – some can be cooked (e.g. soups, stews etc.) and some fresh (smoothies, salads) to add a good variety of nutrients to the diet. Fibre is essential to clean our intestines to improve digestive health and detox hence aim to obtain at least 25g of fibre a day (using vegetables and whole grain foods). Avoid hydrogenated fats and oils (e.g. fried food, margarines, refined oils like Vegetable or Sunflower oil), fast food and processed/pre-prepared food in general, sugar and sugar containing products and processed meat (like ham, sausages etc.).

If you struggle to put on weight and not feeling well in your body, it could be due to food intolerances hence it would be useful to see a nutritionist that could help you to identify these and give you a guidance on what to eat exactly. We are all different and have different nutritional needs, so it is essential to get a personalised advice to fit you and your needs.

Good luck!

Hello Dannie

Thank you for your question, the best way to reduce belly fat or bloating is to determine the cause behind this. In respect of bloating this could indicate a food intolerance or that other things are out of sync in your digestion and in order to look at this you would need to see a nutrionist to look in more details at your symptoms and diet.

If it is just fat then this if often stored around the belly as it is in close proximity to the liver and if required for energy it can be converted quickly, unfortunately though fat stored around the middle does tend to be more metabolically active in that and stores hormones which is why it is always a good idea to ensure fat around the middle is kept in check, again the best way to tailor a diet or eating plan to work for you would be to have an appointment with a nutritionist to ensure a tailor made plan.

Merry Christmas
Maria

Hi Georgie, thanks for your question. If you're looking to lose weight 0.5kg to 1kg a week is considered healthy. Losing large amounts of weight quickly can increase your risk of putting the weight back on again, and more, so losing weight steadily is generally recommended. You can do this by cutting out refined carbohydrates such as white flour products and sugar, ensuring you have protein with every meal, healthy fats such as oily fish, avocado and olive oil and filling half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables such as greens and salad vegetables. Although you don't have much time to exercise try to go for a brisk walk for 20-30 minutes a day, which will help weight loss as well as promote good health. I hope this is helpful.

Hi Shannon

Thanks for your question! The exercise routine will very much depend on what your expectations are.

If your aim is to shed the extra pounds from your stomach and/or upper body, the best is to combine HIIT exercises with weight bearing exercises. It is important to built muscle since they burn more energy at rest. You could use treadmill or cross-trainer for doing high intensity training – you can push yourself out of breath for one minute and then slow down to a walking mode for another minute for 20-30 minutes. This challenges your body to burn more fat. You could also include some jumps to get your heart rate up during your session and tone up your legs. Alternating high intensity exercise with weight bearing exercises can kick start your metabolism so try to combine both during your work out.

If your problematic areas are buttocks and legs, HIIT exercises will suit you too but go light on weight bearing routines for your legs unless you would like them to look bulky. If you are after slim, toned legs, use only light weights for the lower part of your body and exercise them for longer – e.g. do 30 repetitions with very light weights rather than 10 repetitions with heavy weights.

I would recommend discussing your exercising needs with your personal trainer for further guidance and consult a nutritional therapist to design a diet to meet your weight and health goals.
Good luck!

Hi Mishaal, thank you for your question. There can be a number of reasons for cravings, which include feeling deprived whilst you're dieting which makes you want the food you enjoy even more than usual; having a blood glucose imbalance. This can occur when we're eating a high amount of carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, bread, sugars. Carbohydrates are absorbed more quickly than fats and protein so they can cause a fast spike in blood glucose. This leads to the glucose being quickly removed from the bloodstream causing low blood glucose and cravings. So, the main thing I would recommend is do not diet, as it can be demotivating and can also slow down your metabolism, making it harder to lose weight in the long run. Rather, try to reduce your carbohydrates to no more than 20% of your plate, fill half your plate with leafy vegetables and quarter of your plate with protein (lean meat, fish, egg, lentils, beans, chickpeas, nuts, seeds). Also try to include some healthy fat in your meal such as avocado, olive oil, oily fish (which would also be your protein). Also, try to follow this guidance for 80% of the time and allow yourself time off 20% of the time as trying to adhere to something 100% of the time can be discouraging. I hope this is helpful.

Hi Lavinia
As Maria has already mentioned the best approach would be to see a Nutritional Therapist that could provide a personalised advice. As a general recommendation, increasing your intake of vitamin A, E, Zinc and Selenium could help to nourish the skin and support its repair. You could obtain these nutrients from orange coloured vegetables and fruits (oranges, apricots, carrots, sweet potato, tomatoes etc.), dark green vegetables (kale, spinach, broccoli), seeds and nuts, eggs and high quality meat like organic chicken and oily fish (mackerel, sardines, trout).

It is also important to check if you are reacting to household cleaning products, washing powders, shampoos and other personal care products and cosmetics. Break outs of dry skin, especially when accompanied with itching, could suggest environmental allergy/intolerance.

Dry skin in winter is quite common so try to hydrate more often (especially due to heating and wind) – you can use natural pure aloe vera to soothe the skin and choose oils that are naturally high in antioxidants like cold-pressed pomegranate and rosehip oil. It is good to avoid synthetic preparations with many additives and preservatives – creams usually need many due to the high-water content. Natural oils preserve themselves well due to high antioxidant content so you can find these oils in the shop without the additives that you may react to if your skin is sensitive. Always do a patch test to make sure the product is not too concentrated for your skin.

I would also recommend seeing your GP to check if your thyroid is working properly – low thyroid hormone can also cause dry skin or eczema.

Good luck!

Hello Lavinia
Although eczema and dry skin is a condition that affects the external skin layers. It is something that can be helped by diet. I often say to clients look at it with an inside out approach as what we put into our bodies does have an impact on the external layers such as our skin and hair.

I would certainly advise you to see a nutritionist and get a diet that is tailored specifically to you as in my experience many clients with eczema or dry skin will also experience digestive issues and or food intolerances and these require specialist help. I wouldn't advise cutting anything out of your diet though until you have seen a specialist.

This aside there are general principles that can be applied, ensure that you are drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day as this will help to hydrate the skin. Also ensure that you are consuming plenty of good quality fats as these can help calm inflammation in the body so think coconut oil, olive oil, avocados and oily fish. Aim for one portion daily. Also ensure you are eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, try to get a rainbow of colours in and aim for at least 5 portions of vegetables and 2 fruits daily as this will give your body the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants required to keep you in optimum health.

To give your digestive system a boost I would also recommend adding in some fermented foods, sauerkraut, live yogurt, or kefir, these are all widely available now in supermarkets and health food shops and 2/3 portions per week will help boost the good bacteria in your gut which in turn can help with overall health.

I hope that gives you a few tips to begin with.

Maria

Hi Julius,

Thanks for your question.

Excess fat in the middle region can be linked in some cases to high levels of cortisol - the stress hormone. I would suggest a healthy eating plan including protein, good fats and carbs from root veg and wholegrains. I would also look at lifestyle habits that support stress reduction in the first instance.

Some suggestions that may offer support are as follows:

Ensure you are getting adequate sleep, between 7-9hrs is recommended, when sleep deprived this can impact hormone balance as well as increase the production of the hunger hormone ghrelin and reduce the production of leptin - the hormone that is linked to satiety. Lack of sleep is linked to excess body fat.

Try to take time out to eat sitting at a table, avoiding eating on the go or under stressful circumstances. Take time to chew eat mouthful 40-50 times to support the digestive process.

Include exercise in your day such as walking to support overall health and wellbeing. Explore the possibility of HIIT training with a qualified professional as this has been linked to an increase in metabolism not only during the workout but for several hours afterwards - this has shown to support fat loss.

A low Glycemic Load diet could be a good option as this focuses on eating foods that keep the blood sugar stable which is a key to healthy weight loss. You would avoid/limit white carbs and opt for wholegrains and vegetables to provide the required carbohydrates for energy. Adequate protein from meat, poultry, eggs and nuts and seeds can help to keep hunger at bay and goods fats (e.g. nuts, seeds, avocado, oily fish) will provide an excellent source of energy.

Keeping hydrated is also important to support the metabolism.

Small steps can make a really big difference in the long term so it is worth picking one change and sticking with it. Setting yourself an achievable goal such as 'I will drink 2 litres of water a day' to begin with and building on this.

Best Wishes and Good luck

Sharon

Hi Emma
Thanks for your question. There could be several reasons why you are craving snacks like this.
Firstly, it could be caused by a fluctuation of sugar levels in your blood. When you eat foods that quickly release its sugars into your bloodstream (like white bread, white pasta, white rice, sugar & sweets), your sugar levels will drop shortly after eating these foods causing cravings, drop in energy levels and headaches. In this case, swap these foods for those high in fibre like oats, whole grain bread and pasta, brown rice and increase your vegetable intake. Fibre will release its sugars more slowly which can stabilise your sugar levels in the blood.

Secondly, you could be too busy and skip meals which can lead to cravings for high-sugar snacks since you might experience fatigue and lack of concentration. Try to eat every 3 hours fibre-rich foods in small portions so to keep your stomach full and sugar levels stabilised.

If you still find it difficult to give up these treats, you might be an emotional eater and eat purely for pleasure. In this case, I would recommend that you address the cause – do you snack when you are upset/stressed? You might want to learn how to deal with these situations in a different way – maybe calling a friend, going to a dancing class or gym, or reading a book.

If you feel like you need to treat yourself after a hard-working day, that is fine! Just go for the healthier options like dark chocolate with some nuts, pistachios, yogurt, home-made popcorn, dried fruits with nuts, and fresh fruits like grapes or berries etc.

If you still struggle, please contact a nutritionist to prepare tailored-made advice just for you and your circumstances. Good luck!

Hello Nicole

Being very active will mean that you require a diet that is nutrient dense as this will enable you to sustain your energy over the day. I would recommend meal planning to ensure that you are having enough quality proteins and fats to help you maintain your active lifestyle. Aim for three meals as well as high quality snacks, Think avocados, lean meats, complex carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes and brown rice as well as plenty of fruits and vegetables and this will provide you with a good baseline to keep you going through the day.

In respect of a diet to improve your performance in judo well that might require a more personalised approach depending on how you wanting to improve your performance, are you looking to gain weight or to train for specific events. To tailor a diet specific to you would probably require a personalised session with a nutritionist as we will then be able to look more at what your goals are and how best to help you achieve these.

Good luck
Maria

Hi Carmine, thanks for your question and sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with azotemia. It is not a condition I have had any experience with, although I have had clients with chronic kidney disease so am familiar with the importance of following a low protein diet, as well as ensuring low amounts of potassium. I'm assuming you have been given some guidelines about how much protein to eat but guidelines for kidney disease are 0.6g to 0.8g per kg of body weight and potassium should be limited to two portions of low potassium fruit and two portions of low potassium vegetables a day, not exceeding a total daily potassium intake of 1500mg. Of course, sufficient water should also be consumed, according to thirst. In terms of protein, meat tends to have the highest amount of protein with approximately 32g of protein in 100g of chicken breast, 31g of protein in 100g of beef steak, 29g of protein in 100g of lamb, 23.5g of protein in 100g tuna (canned), 22.6g of protein in 100g of prawns and 12.5g of protein in 100g of chicken eggs. When it comes to plant proteins such as beans, lentils and chickpeas, these tend to be much lower in protein, for example 100g of lentils contains 9g of protein, so providing you stay within the guidelines mentioned above regarding total amounts of protein a day you should be fine sticking to plant proteins; however, do consider potassium content too, as lentils for instance do contain quite high amounts of potassium. I hope this helps. Good luck, Elizabeth