User's comments:
I am so tired of always being out of breath. I don't eat right so I don't have the proper vitamins in my body and that worries me. I don't like taking supplements.
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Breakfast:
I have All-Bran Hi Fibre with slices of banana, strawberries and PhysiCal full cream milk, high in calcium for breakfast. I find that the Bran doesn't make my bowel system regular if anything I feel constipated. What am I doing wrong because Fibre should loosen my bowel?
Snack:
I carry dried fruit, some bananas and strawberries to eat during the day.
Lunch:
I have two pieces of chicken. I already feel like this meal is getting boring what else can I eat?
I also started aerobics classes every Tuesday, and am trying to go jogging as well.
I tend to crave pap/rice a lot with chicken stew and I don't always have vegetables with it, my stomach has stretched because when I do eat it I can’t stop.
I generally do not like bread.
I drink at least 1.5 litres of warm water Monday to Friday, and add some lemon slices in it.
I am 33 years old and I feel like my body is getting heavier. I weigh 60kg and my height is 1.57 m. I need to loose centimetres. Please help with a diet plan.
Expert's comments:
Currently, your body mass index is 24 kg/m2 which is considered on the upper range of acceptable (normal BMI range is 20-24.5 kg/m²).
A useful tool, but BMI should not be used in isolation as it does not account for individual variations in build and body composition.
A healthy, realistic goal weight for you to aim for would be 54 - 55 kg. Remember losing weight sensibly, i.e. maximum 0.5 to 1.5 kg per week, will ensure maintenance of weight loss over the long term.
As you mentioned, losing centimetres is important and in fact usually a better reflection of losing fat mass. To do this, it is necessary to exercise regularly (combination of cardio and weight-building exercise) in combination with a healthy eating plan.
Try to measure percentage body fat and your waist circumference (less than 88 cm), to assess any improvement in your body composition.
You are correct in keeping an eye on your weight although this should not be your only focus and measure of health.
Muscle is three times heavier than fat mass so if you are exercising more frequently and building muscle mass, your weight may in fact decrease very slightly. Remember that ultimately, you should be striving to obtain optimal health rather than a specific weight as such.
Getting into a sustainable exercise routine can be easier said than done. Many people find the gym quite daunting, intimidating and often off-putting resulting in less frequent physical activity.
I would like to recommend that the physical activity you choose to do is something that you enjoy as this will be kept up over time.
Brisk walking is still considered one of the best forms of exercise. To achieve weight loss and then ensure weight maintenance, you need to be active for at least 4 - 5 days a week for 45 - 60 minutes a day.
Try to also be more active on a day-to-day basis; e.g. climb the stairs instead of taking the lifts, walk to the shops, do chores around the house, gardening etc.
If you struggle to find a whole hour in a day, the same benefit can be obtained by dividing your allocated exercise time up throughout the day; e.g. three sessions of 20 minutes instead of one session of 60 minutes.
Eating balanced meals throughout the day should improve your energy levels and minimise fatigue or concentration lapses.
It is essential that you do not skip a meal. In fact eating small frequent meals or three meals and 1 - 2 snacks in between will alleviate the risk of a dip in blood sugar levels.
The content of each meal and/ or snack is essential in achieving sustainable energy. Looking at your current eating plan, your breakfast is perfect but lunch is lacking in various important food groups.
Removing food groups usually results in nutrient deficiencies and your body attempts to obtain these nutrients from other, often unhealthy sources.
Try to ensure that a meal contains a lean protein (e.g. lean beef, mince, chicken, fish, baked beans, lentils or beans or egg), a fibre-rich carbohydrate/ starch (e.g. low GI, whole-wheat bread, baked potato, brown rice, brown basmati rice, oats, fibre-rich cereal, sweet potato, polenta), a small amount of healthy fat (e.g. canola or olive oil), and plenty of vegetables and/ or fruit.
Snack ideas
Some ideas for snacks that will help keep energy levels constant without creating an energy surge and dramatic dip include:
Fresh fruit or fruit salad. Low fat/ fat free yoghurt and mixed seeds can be added over the fruit;
Dried fruit rolls, sticks and bars, e.g. SAD mebos sticks/ bars;
Health bars, such as Woolworths cranberry and almond bar, apricot and sesame seed bar, yoghurt and nut bar, mixed seed bars, Jungle oats berry/ yoghurt bars;
1 small muffin (banana, carrot, date & nut or bran) and a fruit;
175 ml yoghurt or 300ml drinking yoghurt (low fat/ fat free) and a fruit;
Peanuts and raisins or dried fruit and nut mix with a fruit;
A slice of wholegrain bread, Rice cakes, Corn thins, Provitas, Rye Crackerbreads or Digestive biscuits with peanut butter and / or honey. Other toppings could include low fat cottage cheese, cheese, Oxo, Marmite, avocado pear, fish paste, jam (obviously adding tomato, lettuce and cucumber to the topping will increase the nutritional value);
Vegetable bites such as tomato wedges, cucumber or carrot sticks, celery sticks, baby tomatoes (fat free or low fat cottage cheese will add some taste variety);
Popcorn (made with minimal canola or olive oil);
Biltong (no fat - ostrich, game meat, lean beef).
Another important thing to consider when losing weight is to listen to your body’s queues for hunger and satiety.
Control your food portions and dish up only enough to satisfy you. Avoid going for ‘seconds’. Try to eat similarly on week days to weekend days to ensure consistency.
Portion sizes
Consider the following portion sizes when dishing up your plate of food:
Carbohydrates/ starch:Approximately the size of your fist; a tennis ball; 1 slice bread; ½ - 1 cup;
Protein: The palm to length of your hand (no thicker than the ‘pinky joint’); 1-2 packs of cards;
Fruit: Size of your fist; a tennis ball;
Vegetables:Unlimited;
Dairy:1 cup low fat milk; 1 small tub low fat/ fat free yoghurt; matchbox block of cheese; 250-300 ml drinking yoghurt;
Fat:1-2 level teaspoons oil (canola/ olive), ‘lite’ margarine, butter, peanut butter, regular mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon reduced oil/ ‘lite’ mayonnaise and salad dressing; ¼ medium avocado; any spreads ‘thinly’ on breads/ crackers; 1 small handful of nuts or seeds.
Vitamins and minerals
Including a variety of foods in your daily intake as well as plenty of fruit and vegetables (try to eat 5-a-day) will provide you with the necessary vitamins and minerals that you require.
Vitamins and minerals are always best obtained from food. A supplement should never replace a food to provide nutrients but should rather compliment your food intake.
If you are concerned, a general multivitamin and mineral supplement which provides 50-100% of the daily recommended intake for all vitamins can be taken but first priority should be to improve the variety of foods in your diet.
Please consider the following before you just start popping pills:
Make sure you are consuming an adequate diet which includes a variety of foods including sufficient fruits and vegetables. Consult an expert on the adequacy of your diet if unsure;
Avoid supplements with glamorous multi-claims which cannot be substantiated when scrutinized. Avoid single nutrient supplements;
Check the composition of the supplement you plan to take or you are taking. Choose a multi-vitamin, multi-mineral supplement that contains up to 2-3 times the recommended intake for your age;
Reassess your need to take such supplements regularly particularly for prolonged periods;
Should you experience any adverse effects possibly linked to the supplements, consult your doctor.
I am relieved to see that you are taking PhysiCal milk with your breakfast although your overall calcium intake remains very low.
Calcium, as you are aware, I’m sure, is an essential nutrient for bone mineralisation and metabolism, preventing osteoporosis and recently, has been implicated as playing a role in weight maintenance.
The average adult woman needs around 1000-1200 mg of calcium every day. We absorb calcium optimally only until the age of about 35 years so the best time to build strong bones is in your teens and twenties.
It is however possible to help maintain bone mass throughout your life by keeping up your calcium intake and exercising (weight-bearing exercise).
Women should ensure that they are consuming adequate amounts either from the diet or a combination of diet and a calcium supplement.
The supplement should provide at least 600-800 mg elemental calcium, vitamin D and magnesium for absorption.
Low fat dairy products are still considered excellent sources of calcium. PhysiCal provides 40% more calcium per glass than regular milk (approximately 350 mg calcium) and is enriched with vitamin D to improve calcium absorption.
Other foods considered rich in calcium are pilchards, sardines, and canned salmon with the bones, tofu, fortified soya products, broccoli, carrots, green beans and oranges.
In addition to assisting regular bowel function, fibre has various other benefits for your wellbeing.
Foods that are rich in fibre tend to be more filling and in most cases, are less energy dense and contain more vitamins and minerals than lower fibre products; it plays a role in reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, controlling blood sugar levels and in prevention of modern disease of lifestyle.
The recommended daily intake of fibre for an adult is 25 - 30g. Just looking at your daily menu, you fall short of this. Assuming you are eating average portions, your fibre intake is currently an estimated 10-12 g per day.
A product which provides approximately 5g fibre or more per serving is considered a good source of fibre.
Good sources of fibre in the diet include vegetables (raw, frozen or cooked), fruit (fresh, canned or dried), legumes (peas, beans, lentils, baked beans, and chickpeas), split peas, whole grain breads, cereals, porridges (oats, oat bran) and seeds.
Fibre absorbs a lot of fluid from the body so it is essential to drink at least 6 - 8 glasses of water a day, depending on the heat and your activity levels.
Adequate fibre in the diet but insufficient fluid can also contribute to constipation. In addition to optimal intakes of fibre and fluid, exercise and physical activity can also help improve sluggish bowels.
Remember to prepare you food using low fat methods of cooking. Avoid frying food in oil and use herbs and spices, olive oil and lemon juice to flavour food. Baking, boiling, braaiing, steaming, roasting, poaching and stir-frying with a little canola or olive oil are all great ways to prepare your food.
Ultimately, variety is key in achieving and maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
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