Hi Ben,

Thanks for your question.

Cravings can be linked to a blood sugar imbalance and being in a vicious cycle of eating foods high in sugar/sweetener can exasperate the problem.

When you eat a high sugar snack the pancreas releases insulin to bring the sugar levels back down often resulting in a craving for more of the food to get the sugar hit - this is like a roller coaster of highs and lows of blood sugar. The key is to chose snacks lower in sugar which may be a challenge initially but should help to balance your blood sugar and help to get in control of cravings.

The following tips may help you to support blood sugar balance and get in control of cravings.

Eating little and often leaving no longer than 3hrs between eating.

Ensure your meals and snacks include some protein (e.g. fish, chicken, eggs) and good fats (e.g. nuts, oily fish, avocado) when possible as this will help to keep you full up for longer.

Opt for slow release carbohydrates which are higher in fibre and nutrients. The fibre helps to support a slower release of sugar into the bloodstream keeping things in balance. Good options are wholegrain rice, bread, pasta and oatcakes. Avoid white carbohydrates as these will cause a sugar spike.

Certain foods are proven to support blood sugar balance, try ground cinnamon to sweeten porridge and muesli.

Try drinking soda water and fresh lime as an alternative to fizzy drinks or water.

Often eating junk food can also become a habit so you may wish to look for a new habit such as going for a walk or to the gym to help break the cycle.

Best Wishes

Sharon

Hi Mem,

Thanks for your question.

Our basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the daily minimum level of energy or calories that the body requires when at rest (which includes sleeping) in order to function effectively.

Increasing your muscle mass helps to raise your BMR, (each lb of muscle requires around 6ckal daily to sustain itself, each lb of fat only requires approx. 2ckal) which increases the number of calories you burn and helps to decrease body fat levels. Your BMR measurement can be used as a minimum baseline if you are counting Kcals, however it is important to add extra kcals to support additional requirements based on your own personal level of activity.

As people age their metabolic rate changes. A slow BMR will make it harder to lose body fat and overall weight therefore I believe the long term key is in supporting healthy muscle mass.

From a nutritional perspective staying hydrated is very important as the body requires water to carry out many metabolic functions and scientific studies have linked a more efficient metabolism to those who were hydrated. Aiming for 2ltrs of water daily is recommended as well as including at least 5 portions of vegetables and 2 fruit as they provide a good amount of water to the body.

Including caffeine in moderation is known to increase the metabolic rate and I would recommend getting this from green tea if you tolerate caffeine. Green tea also contains catechins which are powerful antioxidants that have been linked in studies with an increase in energy expenditure amongst many other potential health benefits.

Make sure you are eating enough and avoid low calorie diets as well as crash dieting or going for long periods without eating as although you will more than likely lose weight initially a lot of this can be muscle mass which in the long term would actually result in a slower metabolism and rebound weight gain of weight originally lost and potentially more!

I hope this helps.

Kind Regards

Sharon

Hi Monica, lbs refers to stones and pounds, the Imperial weight system, but you also have the option to use kilograms. You will see kg beside the lbs option when setting up your profile, hope this helps. :)

Hi Francesca

Thanks for your question.

It's great that you eat healthily and I would always concentrate more on what you are eating rather than being too worried about portion sizes. For instance, I would ensure that you are eating lots of non-starchy vegetables, some healthy fat with every meal such as avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds, oily fish (e.g. salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring) and some lean protein such as chicken, eggs, fish or plant proteins such as beans, lentils, nuts in order to keep blood sugar balanced and energy levels stable. However, if you would like to have a better idea of your portion sizes there is a guide below plus to give you a rough idea of what your plate should look like I would recommend half of it contains vegetables or salad, a quarter of it lean protein and the other quarter complex carbohydrates such as quinoa or brown rice and some healthy fat. Here's the guide I mentioned. Hope it helps.

Fruit: 1 medium piece e.g. apple or ½ cup (125ml/4 fl oz) fresh fruit or ¼ cup (63ml/2 fl oz/small handful) of dried fruit

Grains: 1 slice wholemeal bread or 2 oat cakes

Starchy vegetables: ½ sweet potato or 2 small new potatoes or 1 cup (250ml/8 fl oz) butternut squash/pumpkin

Non-starchy vegetables: 1 cup of raw vegetables or a large bowl of green salad leaves or ½ cup (125ml) of cooked vegetables

Meat/fish/chicken: 115g/4oz (size of a pack of cards)

Wholegrains: 1/3 cup (85ml/3 fl oz) cooked (small fist size)

Beans/lentils: 1/3 cup (85ml/3 fl oz) cooked

Nuts/seeds: small handful

Hi Francesca

Elizabeth has provided you with an excellent guidance on portion sizes. I would like to add that you do not need to be worried about exceeding vegetable portions in general – the more the better!

However, if you are watching your weight or trying to maintain it, it would be wise if you watch out your portion sizes especially for carbs (pasta, bread, rice and other grains) and stick to the recommended small fist size serving of these. Also, when you cook, try to use spoons to measure the exact amount of oil you are using so you can control your portions well.

The most important part is probably watching portion sizes of your snacks - stick to the guidance on the packaging using a scale or avoid buying large packs and stick to small ones.

Interestingly, our plates have gone bigger over the 100 years hence we can eat unwillingly more that we need. If you are worried about overeating or overindulging, use smaller plates and make sure you fill them up with the healthy carbs, protein and fats. After you finish eating, wait about 20 minutes and if you feel hungry, go and have some more. It takes about 20-30 minutes for your body to signal that it is full and no more food is needed.

Furthermore, some studies found that bright coloured plates increase appetite and we tend to eat more than we need to so you might find it helpful to use plain coloured plates.

Hope this helps!

Dear Franny,

Thanks for your email.

I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis.
Fibromyalgia is associated with abnormalities in multiple body systems, support that addresses each of these systems may be of benefit. It may be useful for you to consult with an expert to support the areas you currently require specific support with.

In general, I would recommend an approach to reduce exposure to toxins and support liver health which in turn may support in the elimination of toxins. Keeping alcohol to a minimum as well as opting for organic foods to avoid exposure to chemicals. Avoid plastics and opt for glass when possible.

I would also look to an anti-inflammatory approach including foods such as ginger and curcumin (turmeric) as these are linked to supporting a reduction in inflammation.

A good probiotic to support healthy digestion and immune health.

Muscular health – look into massage to support pain management and eat foods rich in magnesium to support relaxation of muscles such as leafy greens, nuts and seeds.

Mitochondria are found in all cells of the body, especially muscle cells. They are our energy power houses. CoQ10 has been linked to support mitochondria production and energy levels. This can be taken in supplement form.

As mitochondrial dysfunction is thought to be a primary cause of fibromyalgia supporting the cell membranes that surround the mitochondria by increasing omega 3 fatty acids within your diet may also prove beneficial.

I hope this offers a starting point.

Best Wishes

Sharon

Hello Shalom

Thank you for your question, it would be helpful to know the reasons why you would like to gain weight as this would help us to provide a more specific answer which is more suited to your situation.

There are however certain key things required to gain weight in any circumstances. Firstly you will need to increase your calorie intake over and above what you are normally eating. So it's is important to track your calorie intake for a while, there are many apps and tools that can help with this, this will also give you a good indication of what foods you are eating on a regular basis and any areas where you may be lacking.

In order to gain weight you will need to eat foods that are calorie and nutrient dense as well as eating more meals. Eating little and often is an easier way of increasing your food intake. Think about foods that are high in good fats so nuts, avocados, coconut oil and salmon. You will also need to increase carbohydrates but again you need to ensure these are good quality complex carbohydrates so brown rice and whole wheat pasta, starchy vegetables and whole fruits.

Rice cakes spread with nut butters or avocado, milkshakes made with nut milks, avocados and bananas with added coconut oil are all foods that are calorie dense and will help to give you the additional calories required to increase weight.

You should also ensure you have good levels of protein so good quality meats, fish and pulses. If you struggle to eat adequate amounts of protein then an easy way to boost your diet and calorie intake is with a protein shake, here you can add in fats and fruits to boost these and shakes are a good way to increase overall calorie intake.

I hope that gives you a few ideas to start with.

Maria

Hi Shalom,

Thanks for your question.

Where the body fat is lower than optimal I would recommend that you ensure you are incorporating as many of the following habits as possible:

Eating regularly throughout the day every 2-3hrs.
Including protein, carbs and good fats at each meal.
Wholegrain carbs may help to support increase in weight if enough are eaten. Aim to include some wholegrain rice, bread or pasta regularly alongside a good source of protein and fats.
Snacks such as nuts, seeds and avocado provide high energy and will offer an array of nutrients. There are many energy bars available in health food shops - check that the sugars are below 10g per 100g, you could also search for a recipe and make your own.

If you have been struggling with weight loss recently it is best to consult with your GP to rule out any medical causes. If your weight has been lower than you would like for some time addressing the underlying cause is key. This could be as simple as increasing the amount and energy rich foods in your diet as above. Thyroid health could be an area to talk to your GP about as an overactive thyroid can lead to weight loss. Food allergy and intolerance could also be a factor depending upon symptoms present.

Best Regards

Sharon

Hi Tony, thanks for your question. As most of what we eat is absorbed in the small intestine, damage to the lining of the small intestine, as in Crohn's, can lead to malabsorption of nutrients and hence cause weight loss or make weight gain difficult. Therefore, it's really important to look at healing the gut lining and a nutrition professional would be able to go through a protocol with you. For example, removing any inflammatory foods, particularly foods which may be inflammatory to you such as dairy and gluten, eating anti-inflammatory foods like oily fish, and including bone broth in your diet, which is full of nutrients which help heal your gut. I would also ensure your levels of vitamin D are within range, as vitamin D deficiency has been shown to negatively impact gut barrier function in Crohn's. Your GP would be able to do a simple blood test to check you haven't got a vitamin D deficiency. Once gut healing is underway it will make the process of gaining weight easier, and then the following will help: eating at least 2000 calories a day; eating healthy fats such as avocado, oily fish, coconut oil; eat more food, more often; find and eat more tolerated wholegrains such as millet, quinoa and oats, and make sure digestion and absorption is optimised with digestive enzymes and a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in water before meals. These are just a few ideas and a consultation with a nutrition professional would be of great benefit, as they would be able to devise a bespoke diet for you and recommend appropriate digestive enzymes and a gut healing regimen. I hope this helps Tony, and good luck.

Hi Tony,
As mentioned by Elizabeth, the most important factor in weight gain is the health of your digestive system.
The most common irritants causing damage to the gut lining, which can result in Crohn’s disease, are dairy and gluten, but also other food intolerances. Nuts, eggs, soy, corn and nightshade family of vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, courgettes, aubergine) and other foods could often cause inflammation in the gut and should be tested via elimination diet carried out by a nutritional therapist.

It has been suspected that the toxic burden from pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics eaten in meat or taken via mouth, plastic bottles or canned food, food additives, colours, and preservatives could also contribute to the damage and inflammation in the intestine.

Try to avoid anything that is refined or processed in anyway and eat only natural whole foods. You might benefit from probiotic-rich foods like sauerkraut and kombucha tea and aloe vera drinks to soothe the inflammation. Nutritional therapist would be able to advise you on the best way for you to heal your gut and consequently, gain weight in a healthy way.

Good luck!

Hi Stacey
Thanks for your question. I don't advise that anyone eats a lot of protein, as too much can have negative health benefits such as kidney damage. We should be eating enough but unless you're doing lots of exercise I would stick to about 1g of protein per kg of body weight. If you're doing lots of exercise then you could increase this but unless you're an elite athlete I wouldn't go above 1.4g per kg of body weight. The diet you mention also seems to avoid healthy fats such as oily fish, avocado, olive oil, nuts and seeds, and actually these are very important for our overall, long-term health and can actually help weight loss as fat doesn't cause a blood sugar or insulin spike like protein and more so carbohydrates. When insulin spikes it removes blood sugar either into cells for energy or is stored as fat. Also, eating little and often as your friend has suggested is not a healthy way to eat, as it causes frequent spikes of insulin, which is inflammatory as well as fat storing. In terms of the shakes you mention, quite often they are full of sugar or sweeteners and also possibly other additives. There are so many ways to lose weight but eating a healthy diet, three meals a day, is a more sustainable healthier way to lose weight. It would be a good idea for you to work out what your Basal Metabolic Rate is, and then multiply it by the rate of exercise you do using the Harris Benedict equation. This will give you an idea of how many calories you should be consuming and you can subtract 500 calories from this figure to lose 1-2lbs a week. Also, the 5:2 diet or daily fast, where you eat for 8 hours a day and fast for 16, has been shown to help with weight loss and also overall health. It also been shown to maintain muscle mass whilst losing weight. These are just some of the ways to lose weight but there really are so many ways and it is an individual thing where every aspect of your health and overall goals should be taken into account before embarking on weight loss. I would recommend you speak to a nutrition professional beforehand to get some further advice but certainly avoid 'diets', which could negatively impact your health in the long-term.
Good luck

Hi Marta,

Thanks for your question.

There may be many reasons that make it difficult for us to lose weight. I would ask the following questions and also have a look at if the diet you are eating is the right one for you.

Are you eating enough - eating to few calories can lead to muscle loss in the long term which can impact the metabolism and make it more difficult to lose weight.

Is there any stress currently affecting you - stress can produce cortisol which may lead to fat storage.

Are you sleeping enough - lack of sleep may contribute to weight gain and make it harder to shed unwanted lbs.

Are you including exercise (aerobic and weight bearing) - exercise can play a huge role in weight management alongside a healthy diet and lifestyle.

If none of these apply I would check the following to begin but you may wish to consult a professional to have a full health history taken and support you towards your ultimate goal.

Check thyroid function - underactive thyroid will impact the BMR which governs the rate at which the body burns energy and have an impact on weight loss.

Are there any food intolerances - this may hinder weight loss efforts and removing the offending foods and working on gut healing can offer benefit.

Don't worry though eating a healthy diet will bring benefits that go above and beyond weight loss alone. Visceral fat which is the fat stored deep in the abdominal core surrounding the internal organs and is linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart, attack and stroke may be reduced when making healthier choices. The nutrients that healthy foods provide your body with will offer many additional benefits as well as weight loss.

Thanks and good luck.

Sharon

Hi Marta
Thanks for your question. Most ideas have been already covered however there are few bits I would like to add.

You might find it useful to download a calorie-counting app on your mobile that tracks your physical activity, food you eat (most apps also offer to scan barcodes of products to ease the work on you) and can calculate your basic metabolic rate (the number of calories you need to maintain the function of your body) and energy expenditure to calculate how many calories you should eat to lose weight. Please note, that you should never go below 1200 kcal per day. This will bring better awareness about what you have been eating and some apps also offer nutritional break down of minerals, vitamins, protein, carbohydrate and fat consumed.

Knowing you are getting enough nutrients like vitamins and minerals is essential – if your intake is low, your body could go into starvation mode and you can put on weight even when you restrict calories. Therefore, make sure you eat at least 5-7 portions of vegetables a day and 1-2 portion of non-sugary fruit like berries.

Another important thing is to avoid sugar that you might miss in your diet like smoothies, juices and sugary drinks. Alcohol consumption could also contribute to weight gain.

Even if your diet is healthy, you could overeat on healthy foods like dark chocolate and nuts – excessive consumption could contribute to your inability to lose weight since it contributes significantly to your calorie intake. Make sure that you eat high-caloric, healthy foods like this, in moderation.

You might also think about the addition of protein sources like lean meat and fish – the consumption of carbohydrates could increase your metabolic rate by 4%, fat by 6% but protein by up to 30%! Its thermic effect means that your body needs to utilize more energy to break it down so you burn more calories!

Please also note that age is relevant – the older you get the less calories your body will need hence it could lead to difficulty maintain the same diet and weight with increased aged.

The best would be for you to seek help of a nutritionist to guide you through a balanced and healthy weight-loss plan tailored just for you.

Take care and good luck!

Hello Marta
As we now know weight loss is much more than just calories in and calories out. As my colleague Sharon has explained there can be several other underlying factors which can contribute to weight gain and loss.
It sounds like you have been following a healthy diet but seem to have reached a plateau in your weight loss and there can be many reasons for this.
In their first instance I would keep a detailed food diary for 1 week, list everything you eat and drink and also try to write down portion sizes. Having an overview of what you are actually eating can be helpful and it may well be that you are consuming certain foods and drinks which could be hindering any weight loss. This can also be useful in looking at what you many not be eating, our bodies require lots of healthy fats as well as good hydration to assist in weight loss and it may well be that these are areas that need addressing.
If you find that you diet is well balanced but still you dont seem to be losing weight then you may well need to see a nutritionist so underlying factors such as hormonal issues or food intolerances can be ruled out.
Good Luck
Maria

Dear Helena,

Thanks for your question.

It is important to support your energy requirements to support a healthy body composition - great to hear you are training more.

I recommend eating 3 meals and 2 healthy snacks daily to support energy requirements. Carbohydrates to provide energy from wholegrain rice, pasta, breads and quinoa are good options. Protein from lean meat, fish, eggs and pulses to support muscle growth. A source of omega 3 fats to support a healthy inflammatory response such as walnuts, oily fish, chia seeds, grass fed meat and butter as well as eggs rich in omega 3s (the body cannot make these fats therefore they are considered essential).

It is recommended to get anywhere from 1-1.5g of protein per kg of body weight. (a 70kg person could aim for between 70g - 105g) Any more than this may not provide benefits. You may wish to try up to 105g during exercise days to support muscle mass.

I would also recommend including at least 5 portions of vegetables and 2 fruits. Especially those rich in vitamin C such as red/orange peppers, kiwi fruit and oranges. During exercise the body produces more free radicals which can contribute to DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) increasing antioxidants in your diet such as vitamin C may offer support. Vitamin C is also essential in collagen formation which may provide benefit during exercise.

Staying hydrated may offer support in endurance levels. Aim for at least 2ltrs of water daily and more if required.

Nuts are a good option to snack on after a workout to support energy levels. Add a handful of berries or you could look at adding a protein shake within 15-30minutes of your workout.

I hope this helps.

Kind Regards

Sharon