Take 9: Daily Nutrition Tips

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Should someone have several small meals or 3 big meals a day? What is the significance of each?

It is important to first know your energy needs before settling on the distribution of meals within the day. It is best to have the traditional 3 big meals and perhaps small snacks in between if there are no major goals like weight loss or complications such as diabetes. At the end of the day, a person who took several small meals may end up attaining similar energy requirements as the person who took 3 big meals all dependent on the components of the meals. The difference in most cases is satiety. Having small meals allows you to avoid feeling too hungry all the time therefore having not to overcompensate during the big meals and feeling “too full” all the time which is a recipe for weight gain.

What is the Healthiest food that should be eaten daily? Why?

If we lived in the Palaeolithic age, I would probably say that there are lots of healthy foods around. With the age of processed foods, it is best to sift through and choose food mostly from plants on a daily basis. Try and ensure that in all portions whether breakfast lunch or supper there are food components from plants at least on one half side of the plate. Plants are healthy whole foods that provide with Proteins, vital vitamins for example B complexes and Carbohydrates and minerals that are essential to the body.

When you want to lose weight should you adopt a Low fat or low carb diet?

A weight loss journey does not really call for restriction, rather moderation. When you look closely in the market for example, some yoghurt products that are labelled “low fat” may have additional sugars just because the manufacturer needs to maintain the consistency or flavour of some sort. Consequently, restricting yourself may seem as the best way, but may not be the healthiest way. The body still needs essential fats and carbohydrates for its normal functioning. Instead, choose the whole carbohydrates from less processed sources or the essential oils for example, omega 3 from fish. Portion sizes is key to any weight loss journey.

Give us your Best Nutritional advice

Form a habit of reading food labels when buying your food. As a rule of the thumb, avoid packaged foods that have more than 5 ingredients, and some components that your grandmother cannot term as food or even pronounce. Remember, the more the ingredients, the more processed the food item.

What food should we stop eating for weight loss and Healthy eating? Why?

On a weight loss journey, it is important to first evaluate your habit or rather where the weight gain story all began. Most stories are either sedentary, hereditary or clinical. Depending on the cause, don’t just stop eating one kind of food. It is advisable for a dietician to help you in understanding your energy input and output and thereby advise on the foods to moderate in most cases. The moderation allows for the body to use more than it is taking which helps in the beginning of weight loss.

How can one get enough nutrients without consuming too many calories?

By first understanding their energy requirements. Everyone has a unique requirement that depends on age, height and weight and sometimes stress from clinical or other factors. As well, always check whether you have a balanced plate. Divide it into three parts. One quarter should have carbohydrates, the other quarter proteins and the other half vegetables

When on a diet to lose weight, does one still need to exercise? Why?

Yes. Remember the diet accounts for only 80% of the weight loss. Exercise, even if for a short while is the 20% of weight loss. The body requires the exercise to especially accelerate the process of fat loss which is a culprit that energizes the leptin hormone that causes a person to want more food and thus gathering more fat.

As a breastfeeding mother what is the best way to loose weigh? Is it allowed to go on a diet?

Breastfeeding is in itself a weight loss therapy. As some mothers would attest to, breastfeeding accounts for the loss of “baby fat” accumulated during pregnancy. The best time to begin weight loss however, is after 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding and must be directed by a dietician or doctor depending on other complications during birth. It is not allowed to go on a diet. In fact, the nursing mother requires an additional 500 calories in her diet to help build back her tissues after the birth process.

What is your number one tip for healthy eating?

All things in moderation even moderation itself.

 

As Published on True Love East Africa