Well Balanced Diet
- Vol.03
Diet Q&A - Vol.02
Drink yourself healthy - Vol.01
Eat yourself healthy
Eating Sensibly : A Well-Balanced Eating
Balancing Energy Requirements
A calorie is a measure of the amount of energy food provides to the body. In order to maintain your current weight, the number of calories you consume each day should equal the number of calories your body burns. If you do not use all the calories you consume then over time, you will put on weight and body fat. Consuming fewer calories than your body needs leads to eventual weight loss.
But how do you know how many calories you need?
The number of calories you need each day in order to maintain your current weight depends on many factors, such as gender, body composition, weight and physical activity level.
Muscle burns more calories than fat, even at rest. This is why men, who are designed to hold more muscle tissue than women, tend to need more calories each day. By eating sensibly and exercising regularly you can increase the muscle in your body and lower the proportion of fat. You will automatically increase the amount of energy your body needs, just to carry out everyday functions such as breathing and regulating body temperature.
Your body also needs energy to move around, whether you're walking upstairs or running a marathon! The more active you are, the more energy your body will burn off. Try to include at least 20 minutes of aerobic activity each day; anything from going to the gym to walking to work or the bus stop.
Through increasing the amount of muscle tissue in your body, increasing the amount of exercise you take and eating less of the high-calorie, high-fat foods, you can soon take a step toward a healthier and fitter life.
You must be honest with yourself though! Remember to include snacks and drinks in your daily calorie count. You don't need to stop eating all the foods you love - such as chocolates and crisps - just be sensible.
With selected models from the Tanita Body Fat Monitor range it is now possible to obtain an estimate of your daily calorie requirement. The Daily Calorie Intake (DCI) feature performs an instant calculation each time you step on.
Eating Out
No one wants to stop you enjoying yourself, but don't allow eating out to become an excuse to stop following your healthy diet. Just apply the same rules as you would at home.
Most fast foods are extremely high in fat, so try to be aware of the types of food you are eating and the way they are cooked. Think about having just two courses and take your time - it takes about 20 minutes for the brain to register you are full. You may not need that dessert after all!
And remember to watch the alcohol as well - those extra calories soon add up.
More Tips on Healthy Eating
- Plan three meals a day. Don't skip breakfast - you're more likely to snack later.
- Plan any healthy, low-fat snacks like fruit and low-fat yoghurt in advance and reduce the amount you eat at meals accordingly. Try to save dessert as a snack for later.
- At each meal, try to fill half your plate with vegetables, a quarter with bread, potatoes, pasta, rice or other starchy foods and the remainder with lean meat, fish or poultry or alternative types of protein.
- Choose low fat foods wherever possible. For example, skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, low fat spreads, extra lean meat, tomato rather than creamy pasta sauces, salad dressings such as lemon juice or balsamic vinegar instead of mayonnaise.
- Eat baked, steamed or grilled foods rather than fried or sauteed.
- Don't add extra fat during cooking or serving food. Avoid buttering vegetables and have low-fat cheese with baked potatoes, not butter.
- Eat high fat/high sugar calorie-rich foods only occasionally and in small quantities.
- Watch out for products labelled as low fat but which are still packed with calories, especially cakes, biscuits and desserts.
- If you're not losing weight or reducing your body fat level, stick with the types of food described above, but reduce the portions. Yes, you really can eat too much of even the healthiest foods!
- Doctors recommend that you should aim to lose no more than 1kg (2lbs) per week and reduce your body fat by 1-2% per month. Your weight and fat loss may fluctuate weekly, but as long as they decrease overall, don't worry.
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