In week five of her series on health and weight, Paula Mee kick-starts her low calorie eating plan
There are many laborious equations which take into account your age, sex, metabolism, activity level and body size to estimate how many calories your body needs. But you can make a very rough calculation yourself to gauge the number of calories necessary to maintain your weight. Simply multiply your current weight in pounds by 15 if you're moderately active (that is if you spend three-four hours exercising a week) or by 13 if you're not.
To lose weight you need to be eating fewer calories than this sum. It takes an excess of 5,250 calories to put on 1½lbs of body fat and given there are seven days in one week, to lose 1 ½ lbs of body fat in a week, you need an average deficit of 750 calories each day.
That's a big challenge if you're only eating 1,500 calories and making little progress losing weight. You could try starving your body on a miserably restrictive 750 calorie diet and not bother about exercise. But a far more effective and infinitely more palatable approach would be to consume 375 fewer calories and burn off an additional 375 calories exercising, to reach your deficit. Markedly safer too.
If you're trimming down with your partner, just a word of warning. A man's body has less fat deposits and up to 20 per cent more muscle than a woman the same age. Because muscle burns more calories than fat deposits, a man needs about 10 per cent more calories than a woman his age. A little attention to the detail can help you shave off those extra calories that make all the difference:
• Limit your alcohol intake.
• Fill up on plant foods containing fibre and protective phytonutrients. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains take time to chew and fill you up, leaving less space for higher calorie foods.
• There's no need to cut out calcium-containing milk, cheese and yoghurt. Choose small amounts of bone-friendly low-fat versions instead. Recent studies indicate that low-fat dairy products are particularly effective in boosting the metabolism and burning fat in the abdominal area.
• You don't have to compromise on taste either. Instead of rich creamy sauces and salad dressing, make up low-calorie, infinitely more tasty versions, using garlic, herbs, spices, citrus juices or natural yoghurt.
• Eat one portion of white and one portion of oily fish a week instead of fatty meat products like sausages, burgers, puddings and pates. White fish is very low in calories and an excellent source of protein. Oily fish contains heart protective omega 3 fats.
• Down size, don't super size. Watch your portion sizes when you're eating out in particular. Have a main course only. Switch to smaller plates at home.
• Don't eat in your car, at your desk or while you're doing something else. You can quite unintentionally passively consume hundreds of unwanted calories.
• Learn to read food labels and calculate the calories in the portion you are about to eat.
If you're going to eat fewer calories to lose weight, you want at least some of those calories to come from foods you enjoy, rather than foods you would feed your pet budgie. That way you don't necessarily feel deprived of familiar foods you relish. However, know your limits.
If you feel you can't enjoy smaller amounts of your favourite foods starting off, it's probably best to cut them out for the first eight weeks, until you feel more in control. Next week we look at strategies to cope with food cravings.
[ paula@dnc.ie ]