Tweet
To maintain a stable weight, your energy intake needs to equal energy output. If your energy output is higher than your intake, you lose weight. Conversely, if energy intake is higher than energy expenditure, you will gain weight. The sensible answer to losing excess fat is to exercise a little more and eat a leaner diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables and cereals. Population statistics in the US show that the prevalence of obesity is rising and this coincides with less physical activity and more energy intake (men have increased calorie intake by almost 200 and women by more than 300 daily). Even though fat consumption has dropped as a percentage of calories, total fat and carbohydrate consumption has increased. Australia is showing similar trends. We are eating more for many reasons. Increased portion size, more snacks and soft drinks, and more food away from home. Being aware of your own food indulgences is one way to curb excess intake.
Protein, fat and carbohydrate diet myths: shift your thinking from macronutrients to whole foods
The Nutrition Editorial Team of the HEC are continually amazed and dismayed at how colleagues and the public are so besotted by macronutrients (i.e carbohydrate, fat and protein) which come not only in various forms and accompanied by various vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, but are also found in various culinary combinations. All of this needs to be translated into food which in turn needs to take into account all the combinations and permutations of macronutrients. It is far too simplistic for long term health to focus on macronutrients only. In the short term certain macronutrient combinations may help weight loss, but in the long term whole foods must be addressed for optimal health. We know from our studies (Food Habits in Later Life) that it is possible to achieve optimal health with a spectrum of macronutrient combinations provided the food orientation is towards plants and there is real biological variety amongst the foods and key items like legumes and fish are included. This means that the fats, proteins and carbohydrates will be consumed from relatively unrefined sources (e.g nuts, seeds, wholegrains).
You don't need to change everything you eat to lose weight
Total energy consumed is the major factor in weight gain. You can eat some fats without gaining weight, but only if they are consumed within a low energy density diet. In order to achieve a low energy density diet, you do not need to completely alter your eating habits.
Don't ignore calories and watch your portion size
A common strategy for weight loss is to eat less fat rather than fewer calories combined with exercise. Many foods advertised as low-fat are not lower in calories than those they replace. Numerous studies have shown that the most successful weight maintenance programs combine lower energy intake with increased physical activity. Fad diets that concentrate on single foods or food groups may receive media attention, but they are not recommended from a view of long-term success or safety.
Eat more low energy dense plant food
Foods which have a low energy density density like most plant foods are preferred (i.e low calories for every gram of food), but some nutritious energy-dense foods are also acceptable in small amounts, including nuts, avocados, extra virgin olive oils and olives.
Eat more reduced fat dairy foods
A new study published in Obesity Research April 2004 found that people (sample size of 32) consuming more calcium, and in particular calcium from dairy foods, lost more weight and fat than others eating the same calories. This small study suggests that a high calcium dairy-rich diet contributes to greater weight loss than does a simple reduction in calories. These findings need to be replicated. Other observational studies have also shown that people consuming more milk or yoghurt weighed less and had less body fat.
Eat less refined grain products
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2003; 78: 920-7 by Liu and colleagues concluded that weight gain in 74,091 US nurses between 1984 to 1996 was related to the intake of refined high glycaemic index grain products (like white bread, white pasta). Women who consumed more fibre and low GI whole grain products consistently weighed less than did women who consumed less wholegrains. Not all studies have found that low GI diets promote more weight loss than high GI diets. Some obesity experts believe a low GI diet is an ideal compromise between a low fat diet that is difficult to follow in the long term and very low carbohydrate diets that may be nutritionally inadequate.
Eat less foods with unhealthy 'hidden' fats but include foods with healthy fats
Evidence from nutrition surveys suggests that consumers are reducing intake of margarine and oils, often for reasons of weight control, but are inadvertently consuming 'hidden' fats in processed foods. This trend could result in inadequate intake of unsaturated fats, vitamin E and other antioxidants found in spreads/oils. In contrast to previous low fat messages, the Australian Heart Foundations recommendations in 2002 do not include reducing intake of margarine spreads and oils. At least 1-2 tablespoons of unsaturated margarine/oils a day are needed to achieve the desirable intake for omega 3 and omega 6 fats and this amount of added fat should not jeopardise weight loss if 'hidden' fats are kept to a minimum. Keep 'hidden' fats in processed foods and animal foods to a minimum, this will help keep saturated fat intake low. Use a variety of margarines and oils, especially ones high in monounsaturated fat, omega 3 fats and antioxidants such as extra virgin olive oil, canola, peanut). Choose foods containing "natural" (unrefined) fats (e.g nuts, seeds, avocado, olives, soy, fish) and limit intake of animal fat and vegetable "shortening or fat". Rather than having most of the recommended amount of added fat with bread, reserve some margarine/oil for meals to improve the palatability of vegetables, fish and legumes. Fat can also help improve the absorption of antioxidants from the vegetables.
A study published in the December 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Diabetes on 54 overweight, postmenopausal women showed that they were able to lose weight by simply limiting fatty ingredients and foods from their diet without overly restricting other foods. This approach resulted in their diets becoming low in energy density. That means eating a large amount of food that is relatively low in calories - this tends to fill people up so they don't overeat.
Eat less 'junk' food i.e energy dense nutrient poor foods
The growth in the take away food industry and the size of food portions have often been blamed for the obesity epidemic. A study from the United States in 2003 published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has confirmed the belief. It took food survey information on tens of thousands of people aged over two years of age across a time span of about 20 years. The study found that: the percentage of calories consumed at home declined, suggesting people were eating out more; total calorie intake went up; and food portion sizes increased significantly. The average salty snack went up by 93 calories, soft drinks by nearly 50 calories and hamburgers by nearly 100 calories. Most of the increases were in fast food establishments except for hamburgers, cheese burgers and desserts where the increases were greater at home than outside. The only takeaway food which didn't change was pizza. This study highlighted that it is not enough to recommend which foods to eat - information on portion size is also needed.
Changing when you eat will help
- Some of the factors that can lead to weight gain include:
- Night eating
- Social eating
- Habitual eating
- Eating food while drinking alcohol.
If you can avoid eating at these times, and keep to regular meals, it will help you to lose weight. You could also try to eat less food at each meal and increase the number of high fibre, high carbohydrate, low saturated fat meals and snacks throughout the day. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1996) reported that stomach capacity can increase if large individual meals are eaten. This may then increase the amount of food a person needs at each meal before they feel 'full'. This is not a reason to starve yourself if you're trying to lose weight. Skipping meals is not recommended. In fact, if you skip meals, you may eat more when you do eat, and this may lead to a larger stomach capacity.
'Crash' diets make you gain weight in the long run
Most people who need to lose weight try dieting, which is a short term solution that only increases your body fat levels in the long run. The body responds to periods of deprivation or semi-starvation by lowering the metabolism. When dieting ceases and normal eating is resumed, the body burns even fewer calories than before because the metabolism is less efficient. Also, most of the weight lost during a crash diet is water and muscle tissue, not body fat. We need muscle tissue to burn kilojoules. Every time you crash diet, you lose a percentage of muscle tissue, which means your body can't burn as many kilojoules as it could before dieting.
Protein, fat and carbohydrate diet myths: shift your thinking from macronutrients to whole foods
The Nutrition Editorial Team of the HEC are continually amazed and dismayed at how colleagues and the public are so besotted by macronutrients (i.e carbohydrate, fat and protein) which come not only in various forms and accompanied by various vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, but are also found in various culinary combinations. All of this needs to be translated into food which in turn needs to take into account all the combinations and permutations of macronutrients. It is far too simplistic for long term health to focus on macronutrients only. In the short term certain macronutrient combinations may help weight loss, but in the long term whole foods must be addressed for optimal health. We know from our studies (Food Habits in Later Life) that it is possible to achieve optimal health with a spectrum of macronutrient combinations provided the food orientation is towards plants and there is real biological variety amongst the foods and key items like legumes and fish are included. This means that the fats, proteins and carbohydrates will be consumed from relatively unrefined sources (e.g nuts, seeds, wholegrains).
You don't need to change everything you eat to lose weight
Total energy consumed is the major factor in weight gain. You can eat some fats without gaining weight, but only if they are consumed within a low energy density diet. In order to achieve a low energy density diet, you do not need to completely alter your eating habits.
Don't ignore calories and watch your portion size
A common strategy for weight loss is to eat less fat rather than fewer calories combined with exercise. Many foods advertised as low-fat are not lower in calories than those they replace. Numerous studies have shown that the most successful weight maintenance programs combine lower energy intake with increased physical activity. Fad diets that concentrate on single foods or food groups may receive media attention, but they are not recommended from a view of long-term success or safety.
Eat more low energy dense plant food
Foods which have a low energy density density like most plant foods are preferred (i.e low calories for every gram of food), but some nutritious energy-dense foods are also acceptable in small amounts, including nuts, avocados, extra virgin olive oils and olives.
Eat more reduced fat dairy foods
A new study published in Obesity Research April 2004 found that people (sample size of 32) consuming more calcium, and in particular calcium from dairy foods, lost more weight and fat than others eating the same calories. This small study suggests that a high calcium dairy-rich diet contributes to greater weight loss than does a simple reduction in calories. These findings need to be replicated. Other observational studies have also shown that people consuming more milk or yoghurt weighed less and had less body fat.
Eat less refined grain products
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2003; 78: 920-7 by Liu and colleagues concluded that weight gain in 74,091 US nurses between 1984 to 1996 was related to the intake of refined high glycaemic index grain products (like white bread, white pasta). Women who consumed more fibre and low GI whole grain products consistently weighed less than did women who consumed less wholegrains. Not all studies have found that low GI diets promote more weight loss than high GI diets. Some obesity experts believe a low GI diet is an ideal compromise between a low fat diet that is difficult to follow in the long term and very low carbohydrate diets that may be nutritionally inadequate.
Eat less foods with unhealthy 'hidden' fats but include foods with healthy fats
Evidence from nutrition surveys suggests that consumers are reducing intake of margarine and oils, often for reasons of weight control, but are inadvertently consuming 'hidden' fats in processed foods. This trend could result in inadequate intake of unsaturated fats, vitamin E and other antioxidants found in spreads/oils. In contrast to previous low fat messages, the Australian Heart Foundations recommendations in 2002 do not include reducing intake of margarine spreads and oils. At least 1-2 tablespoons of unsaturated margarine/oils a day are needed to achieve the desirable intake for omega 3 and omega 6 fats and this amount of added fat should not jeopardise weight loss if 'hidden' fats are kept to a minimum. Keep 'hidden' fats in processed foods and animal foods to a minimum, this will help keep saturated fat intake low. Use a variety of margarines and oils, especially ones high in monounsaturated fat, omega 3 fats and antioxidants such as extra virgin olive oil, canola, peanut). Choose foods containing "natural" (unrefined) fats (e.g nuts, seeds, avocado, olives, soy, fish) and limit intake of animal fat and vegetable "shortening or fat". Rather than having most of the recommended amount of added fat with bread, reserve some margarine/oil for meals to improve the palatability of vegetables, fish and legumes. Fat can also help improve the absorption of antioxidants from the vegetables.
A study published in the December 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Diabetes on 54 overweight, postmenopausal women showed that they were able to lose weight by simply limiting fatty ingredients and foods from their diet without overly restricting other foods. This approach resulted in their diets becoming low in energy density. That means eating a large amount of food that is relatively low in calories - this tends to fill people up so they don't overeat.
Eat less 'junk' food i.e energy dense nutrient poor foods
The growth in the take away food industry and the size of food portions have often been blamed for the obesity epidemic. A study from the United States in 2003 published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has confirmed the belief. It took food survey information on tens of thousands of people aged over two years of age across a time span of about 20 years. The study found that: the percentage of calories consumed at home declined, suggesting people were eating out more; total calorie intake went up; and food portion sizes increased significantly. The average salty snack went up by 93 calories, soft drinks by nearly 50 calories and hamburgers by nearly 100 calories. Most of the increases were in fast food establishments except for hamburgers, cheese burgers and desserts where the increases were greater at home than outside. The only takeaway food which didn't change was pizza. This study highlighted that it is not enough to recommend which foods to eat - information on portion size is also needed.
Changing when you eat will help
- Some of the factors that can lead to weight gain include:
- Night eating
- Social eating
- Habitual eating
- Eating food while drinking alcohol.
If you can avoid eating at these times, and keep to regular meals, it will help you to lose weight. You could also try to eat less food at each meal and increase the number of high fibre, high carbohydrate, low saturated fat meals and snacks throughout the day. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1996) reported that stomach capacity can increase if large individual meals are eaten. This may then increase the amount of food a person needs at each meal before they feel 'full'. This is not a reason to starve yourself if you're trying to lose weight. Skipping meals is not recommended. In fact, if you skip meals, you may eat more when you do eat, and this may lead to a larger stomach capacity.
'Crash' diets make you gain weight in the long run
Most people who need to lose weight try dieting, which is a short term solution that only increases your body fat levels in the long run. The body responds to periods of deprivation or semi-starvation by lowering the metabolism. When dieting ceases and normal eating is resumed, the body burns even fewer calories than before because the metabolism is less efficient. Also, most of the weight lost during a crash diet is water and muscle tissue, not body fat. We need muscle tissue to burn kilojoules. Every time you crash diet, you lose a percentage of muscle tissue, which means your body can't burn as many kilojoules as it could before dieting.
![APEX-TX5](t/images/thumbnails/lne/thumb_282_1839@2x.jpg")
Comment