HYDERABAD: As a dietitian, I am often questioned by my clients to name a few foods that aid weight loss. However, facts are totally different than what the general public has been led to believe. There are no short cuts to weight loss. There are also no superfoods that aid weight loss. Weight loss, as the general term is used, is not a difficult process but is definitely a technical one. It requires certain knowledge and awareness of what one needs to consume and in what quantities. So how can a person actually lose weight, increase their metabolism and burn all that extra fat?
What is a calorie?
A calorie is the measure of the energy that a food or drink carries. Every consumable food or drink carries a certain amount of calorie. These calories are the main source of energy for our body. This energy is used by our body to perform our daily task. We require energy to perform even the most minute task like sitting and reading a newspaper too! How cool is that?
What is the average adult intake?
An average active healthy adult must eat around 1,800 to 2,000 calories. A sedentary individual should consume between 1,500 to 1,800 calories per day.
How do we put on weight?
We are now aware of both of what a calorie is and what the average adult intake is. When we ingest more calories than we can use or expend, we create an energy surplus. This surplus energy when not put to use gets stored in our body as fat. Our body creates special sites called adipocytes to store this surplus energy in the form of fat.
How to manage calorie intake?
A body’s calorie requirement should be based on its day-to-day schedule of physical activity. When this is deduced to perfection, we can achieve our goal of either losing, gaining or maintaining our weight. You can balance your meals by adding foods from all three major macronutrient groups – Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats. You can take care of your microminerals and vitamins by adding in fruits to your diet.
I am sharing a chart here for you to compare different foods with there calorie per 100gms of their weight. You can see how close they are to each other and how over the years we have been falling prey to the gimmicks of low calorie, low fat, and so-called healthy choice.
(The writer is a Hyderabad-based dietitian and fitness expert. To know more about healthy eating, visit her website www.eatrrite.com)