Hello Marta,
That's a great question. I always recommend people to eat 3 meals per day at regular times, this ensures your blood sugar remains stable and you don't end up with energy dips and cravings. You may find that you prefer to have a large breakfast followed by a light lunch, that's fine as long as the body is receiving a good level of nutrients at regular times then you should feel healthy and energised. In respect of snacks if you feel the need to add in snacks then again do so at regular intervals bewtween meals and make sure that these are healthy and balanced.
Maria
Elizabeth Cooper
0
votes
Hi Marta, thank you for your question. There are different views on how many times you should eat depending on whether you are just eating a normal healthy diet or you are fasting. If you are not fasting and just eating a normal healthy diet I would try to eat three times a day and avoid snacking. The reason for this is that every time we eat it has an impact on our blood sugar level and this causes insulin to be released. Whilst we need insulin we want to avoid releasing too much of it as it can lead to fat retention, inflammation and insulin resistance, where our cells stop listening to insulin, and this can increase our risk of diabetes 2. So eating between meals and eating little and often is not advisable. Research has shown that eating within an 8 hour window can also be beneficial to health and this is sometimes known as a daily fast. We eat the same number of calories as we normally would but eat within an 8 hour period. However, if you want to do this then I would recommend you seek guidance before doing so.
Hi there,
I love nuts, but my friends keep telling me that I eat too much of them (a handful per day). I have a healthy weight (even slightly skinny though). Am I eating them properly?
Hello Mark
Thank you for your question, I think a handful of nuts each day is fine, as long as you are eating a variety, so almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and so on, not just peanuts, and ensuring that they don't contain salt or added flavours then nuts are a great source of essential fatty acids. You might want to try adding in a few seeds as well for a bit of variety.
Maria
Hi,
I follow what I consider a balanced diet (plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, eggs…). Are veggies the food that has to be consumed the most?
Hello Sonal
Well done, it looks like you are following a balanced healthy diet. I would aim to ensure that all my meals contain a good balance of protein, fats, complex carbohydrates and vegetables. If you think of a food plate then try to ensure that half the plate is filled with vegetables, and the other half divided between protein, fats and carbohydrates. I would agree that vegetables are one of the most important parts of the meal as they provide us with vital nutrients required for optimum health so make sure that each meal contains at least 2-3 varieties. But remember the key to a good diet is balance and whilst vegetables are essential, good quality protein, fats and carbohydrates are also required.
Maria
Hello,
I am overweight (BMI= 27.8). I have followed so many weight-loss diets in the past couple of years. I lost quite a lot of weight with them but after a while, I put the weight back on. What could be the reason for this?
Hello Victoria
Losing weight quickly followed by putting the weight back on is often referred to as 'yo-yo' dieting. While this type of diet may initially lead to fat loss it has several negative health effects and does not provide sustained weight loss in the long term. What I would suggest is that we look to find a healthy way of eating for you that is manageable and will lead to a slow but sustained loss of weight. I am a fan of the Low GL method as it is a simple way of eating that allows people to lose weight and keep it off.
Good luck with your plan
Maria
Hi,
I have been trying to lose weight for 3 months until today. When I started, my BMI was 28.5. At the beginning, I lost almost 2 kg/week. However, now I am stuck and lose less than 0.5 kg/week. Is this normal?
First of all well done on your achievement so far.
The answer to your question is yes this is very normal. Initially the body may shed excess water leading to a higher loss on the scale which is reflected in the 2kg losses initially. 0.5kg loss is a great achievement on a weekly basis.
I see many clients who are looking to achieve long term weight loss. It can be easy to focus on the scale and look for instant results but smaller losses consistently over time may be more likely to stick in the long term. I would suggest taking measurements to also measure your success. Taking your waist to hip ratio can also be a good indicator of progress and health.
When supporting the body in shedding unwanted fat there are many things to consider as follows:
Sustainable changes - it is important to make changes that you can incorporate into your lifestyle in the long term and avoid the 'diet trap'. Small positive changes over time may add up to big changes in your health.
Eating - It is important to ensure you are eating enough kcal daily to avoid muscle loss. Muscle burns more kcal than fat and therefore where we see muscle loss we also see a reduction in the metabolism which can lead to higher fat mass in the long term and making it harder to lose weight. Known as the yo-yo dieting cycle.
Drinking - The body water content is important, keeping hydration levels optimal is key in supporting many processes within the body and to support healthy metabolic function.
Exercise - Working out is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Weight bearing exercise can support muscle tissue which can help to support weight management. Cardiovascular workouts have been linked to many potential health benefits from weight loss to supporting overall health and wellbeing.
I also advocate including an array of fresh fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. (1 fruit and 6 veg at least). Eat the rainbow to supply your body with an array of micronutrients.
I believe when it comes to our food intake there is no one size fits all and what may be healthy for one person may not be for another. An example of a high protein diet being followed by many is the Palaeolithic diet (hunter-gatherer). This advocates a diet similar to that of our ancestors during the stone age. It is believed that this may have been higher in most essential nutrients and the fibre content was believed to be in excess of 100g which is huge compared to the average fibre intake today.
Why is protein an important part of a healthy diet:
Protein provides us with a source of energy. Digestion of protein begins in the stomach to be broken down into amino acids which are utilised to support muscle growth, bones, blood vessels, DNA, RNA, enzymes, antibodies and some hormones.
Proteins are made up from 20 different amino acids, 9 of which are deemed essential and cannot be synthesized by the body so must be consumed within the diet.
Good sources of protein including all of the 9 essential amino acids are meat, fish, poultry, dairy, eggs, tempeh, tofu, beans/lentils and quinoa.
I recommend including a good source of protein at each meal and each snack throughout the day. This can support in optimising blood sugar balance which may support a healthy weight as well as energy levels.
For those of us who are trying to shed a few excess lbs it may serve us well to increase our protein intake slightly and reduce carbohydrate content slightly. Protein supports satiety keeping us fuller for longer.
And for anyone working out completing muscle bearing exercise there will be an increase in the need for protein to build and repair muscles.
Too little protein which is uncommon in our society and is seen commonly in third world countries may lead to malnutrition and ill health. Too much protein on the other hand has been linked to a higher acidity within the body. Specifically cysteine and methionine when metabolised may lead to an increase in acidity. I believe its all about balance and including a good variety of proteins as part of a healthy balanced diet including unrefined carbohydrates and a source of good fats may be the key for many of us.
Firstly I would ask if you have consulted with your GP regarding your daughter's lack of appetite. There can be many reasons behind this and it is important to rule out any medical cause in the first instance.
I would not advise appetite stimulants but would focus on offering her tasty and appealing foods in small quantities perhaps. It is important to ensure a good array of nutrients as this may support appetite.
Things to consider once you have consulted with your GP:
Current weight/height
Is this a new development?
Food intake on a daily basis
Psychological issues around food
Exercise which may support in appetite
Multivitamin - may support any nutrient deficiencies that could be contributing to low appetite
It can be difficult in todays world to obtain all of the nutrients from our food and in adding supplements to our child's daily regime we may support overall nutrient intake.
Supplements to consider:
Multi vitamin - I would opt for a multi containing vitamin D (especially through the winter months where sunlight is reduced as vitamin D is produced on the skin in sunlight and only a minimal amount can be obtained from the diet.) I recommend that all of my clients should have their Vitamin D levels tested annually to avoid toxicity (high levels) as well as address any deficiencies.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids - especially if the diet lacks oily fish 2-3 times a week. Seeds and walnuts are also good sources. It is important to obtain a supplement from a trusted source to ensure purity is optimal. Given that every cell in our body contains fat it is important to ensure a good intake. Omega 3 intake has been linked to support cognitive health in children.
If your child is taking any medication or has a health condition it is important to check that supplements are safe to take and that there are no contraindications to consider.
Hello,
My 7 years old son has a BMI of 28. He eats sweets and industrial snacks very often and I would like to know which healthy snacks could I give him instead in order to reduce his calorie intake.
Thanks for your question. It can be quite challenging with so many snacks on offer to our children. I believe it is important to make food fun for our kids and it is important to ensure they don't feel deprived, there are so many fantastic alternatives we can offer and be safe in the knowledge that we are providing our children with nutrient dense foods to support them while they grow and flourish.
There are an number of ways we can support this.
Offering new healthy alternatives as you have requested. Balancing snacks with a source of protein and carbohydrate should offer support in keeping you son fuller for longer and reducing the urge to reach for more sugar based foods. Eating a sugary snack or drink will create a spike in blood sugar levels, and what goes up must come down, which may lead to reaching for more sugar - this is known as the 'blood sugar rollercoaster'.
To get off the blood sugar rollercoaster we want to support balancing those blood sugar levels all day long.
A few ideas for healthy snacks are, hummus and oatcakes, fresh fruit salad and yogurt (Greek is a great option), mixed fruit and nuts, darker chocolate tends to be lower in sugar and if your son enjoys it a couple of squares along with some protein such as nuts can be a healthier alternative. You can get creative in the kitchen and try making a nut and seed dark chocolate bar. Opting for wholemeal pitta pockets with a protein based filling such as tuna and cucumber, egg and cress or cheese and tomato may also provide a healthy alternative to sugar laden snacks.
Other factors to consider:
Keeping hydrated. Water is a great option and you can get your son involved and add fresh fruits such as melon balls, cucumber chunks or watermelon slices to add some flavour and goodness without the sugar hit.
Ensuring meals are balanced with a good source of protein and carbohydrate as well as good fats to support blood sugar balance and eating frequently (every 2.5-3hrs).
This is a difficult question to answer. Protein is the main building blocks of our muscles, skin, organs, tendons and is needed to serve some important functions. There are also differences between animal proteins and plant proteins. Protein is made up of amino acids and animal produce tends to give us all the essential amino acids, where as plant-based protein tends to give us only some amino acids and therefore foods need to be eaten in combination. If you only eat plant-based proteins it may be necessary to eat more protein per day.
The reference intakes provide the lowest intake required to avoid deficiency and not the amounts needed for optimal health. Your daily requirement is individual to you. Factors that affect this include: age, health, type of activity (plus the intensity, frequency, duration etc.), muscle mass etc. If you are trying to lose weight is may be beneficial to eat a higher percentage of protein (25-30% of calories) to help boost your metabolism and reduce your appetite.
