Nutrition and Weight Loss

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• QHow many calories should I eat to lose weight?

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  A Dr. F. Michael Gloth, III , Geriatric Medicine, answered

  Everyone is unique. Depending on your age, weight, and -- to some extent -- your body type, you'll vary in how many calories you can consume and still lose weight.
  
  A person who weighs 100 pounds might be able to maintain that weight with roughly 1,300 calories per day. For this person, weight loss requires reducing calories to about 1,000 a day, with about 40 grams of protein required.
  
  A person weighing 150 pounds requires about 2,000 calories to maintain that weight, and a decrease to 1,500 calories might be needed to lose weight. About 60 grams of protein a day are required at this weight.
  
  If you weigh 200 pounds, eating 2,600 calories each day will produce little change in weight. A reduction to 2,000 calories a day is a good target for losing weight, and your protein requirements would be about 80 grams each day.
  
  These figures are all somewhat dependent on having a lean body mass, or "body composition," with a high amount of muscle compared to fat. The greater the amount of muscle relative to fat, the greater the resting metabolic rate and the more energy that is expended at rest. Also, the more you exercise, the greater the weight loss you can achieve, because your base metabolism requires more calories over the course of the day. Exercise has an effect throughout the day, and exercise early in the morning can produce the most benefit.

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• QWhat are some nutrition tips to help me lose weight?

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  A Dominique Adair , Fitness, answered

  

  
  
  

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• QHow can eating more frequently help me lose weight?

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  A Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answered

  

  According to RealAge's Dr. Mike Roizen, eating less -- but eating more often -- is better than gorging yourself a few times a day. Watch this video to find out why frequent eaters tend to lose more weight.
• QHow does fiber make me feel full?

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  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  Many of us may associate fiber with better health and increased toilet time, but fiber is the speed bump of your gastrointestinal interstate. It slows everything way down.
  
  Technically, it works by slowing the transit of food across the ileocecal valve (which sends signals from the small intestines to the large intestines)—keeping your stomach fuller for longer.
  
  The result: A greater feeling of satiety and increase of appetite-suppressing CCK-like signals (CCK is a peptide in the gastrointestinal tract that signals fullness).
  
  Besides controlling blood sugar levels and decreasing insulin levels, fiber also reduces calorie intake for up to 18 hours a day.
  
  This is why getting an adequate daily supply of fiber—and loading up at breakfast—can help you lose weight.

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• QWhat should be my nutrition goals for healthy living?

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  A Dr. Kelly Traver , Internal Medicine, answered

  The first question to ask yourself is whether you need to lose weight. A healthy weight is one that falls into a body mass index (BMI) range of less than 25.

  After you have chosen a weight goal, subtract this weight from your current weight to get the number of pounds you need to lose to reach this goal.

  Now you have to select your Personal Nutrition Plan. You will be given a certain number of servings from each of the food groups so that you will be sure to get all the nutrients you need.

  Personal Nutrition Plan:

  • The 1,200-calorie plan is designed for women who don't exercise, don't work in physically demanding environments, are postmenopausal and/or 55 years or older. If you are too hungry on the 1,200-calorie plan, you may want to move up to the 1,400-calorie plan and add some exercise.
  • The 1,400-calorie plan is most often used by women who lead active lives, exercise on a regular basis, and are younger than 55 years old. This plan works well for most women.
  • The 1,600-calorie plan is good for women who are over five feet, seven inches tall and exercise regularly. It also works for a sedentary man.
  • The 1,800-calorie plan is recommended for men who are active and less than six feet tall.

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• QCan taste buds adjust to a low-salt diet?

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  A Melissa Stinson, NP , Nephrology, answered on behalf of Scripps Health

  A low-sodium diet may seem difficult at first, but it can produce many positive rewards. Your taste buds may take some time to adjust to the lower salt content, but don’t worry, the flavors will come back as your palate adjusts. If you have questions about specific dietary recommendations for your condition, be sure to discuss them with your doctor or a dietitian.
• QWhat type of foods should I avoid to achieve weight loss?

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  A Dr. Michael T. Murray, ND , Naturopathic Medicine, answered

  Fast foods, junk foods, and sugary drinks are the worst kind of foods to eat if you want to achieve a sense of fullness or satiety while reducing your caloric intake. The same applies to many foods that are made with refined flour or added sugar, and to most high-fat foods. These sorts of foods taste sumptuous and are loaded with calories. Because of this, you tend to eat so quickly that you have overeaten before you even feel full. Sit down to your typical steak and potatoes, pasta, pizza, fried chicken, or burger and fries when you are really hungry and you can easily eat three or four times your caloric requirement for that meal before you even feel a sense of satiety. In terms of calories, it takes an enormous quantity of those foods to fill your stomach, and because they become low-viscosity liquids once chewed and diluted with stomach juices, they pass through the digestive tract very rapidly, making you feel ready for more food a short time later.

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• QWhy does a high-fat diet cause more weight gain than a high-protein diet?

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  A Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answered

  When it comes to converting calories, your body processes fat most efficiently—meaning that you actually keep more of it, because your body doesn't need to expend as many calories trying to store it. On the flip side, your body works hard to process protein—making it highly flammable to your body's metabolic furnace.

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• QWhat type of protein, fat, and carbohydrates should I have in my diet?

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  A Brandice Lardner , NASM Elite Trainer , Fitness, answered

  When planning a healthy diet it is important to include a balance of high quality proteins, carbohydrates and fats. For each of these macro-nutrients, choosing foods closest to their natural state will get you headed in the right direction.
  
  Protein: Lean proteins, low in saturated fat are an excellent way to provide your body with the proper building blocks for tissue regeneration and growth.
  
  Excellent protein sources include chicken breast, turkey breast, eggs, egg whites, lean cuts of beef and pork, fresh fish, seafood, tofu, beans and protein powders.
  
  Carbohydrates: Whole grains, fruits and vegetables will keep your fueled throughout the day.
  
  Excellent carbohydrate sources include whole grain pasta, whole grain breads, whole grain cereals, brown rice, potatoes, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, oats, fruits and vegetables.
  
  Fats: Healthy, unsaturated, unprocessed (steer clear of Trans Fats) are essential to body and brain functioning.
  
  Excellent sources of healthy fats include canola oil, olive oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, avocado, olives, nuts and seeds.
  
  Please note that many foods including fruits, vegetables and whole grains contain protein, carbs and fats.

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• QHow can I eat pork if I'm trying to lose weight?

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  A Keri Gans , Nutrition & Dietetics, answered

  To enjoy pork without sabotaging your waistline, follow these tips:
  

  • For the leanest cut, look for the word loin, i.e., tenderloin, loin chops, loin roasts.
  • Remove most of the external visible fat on the pork before you cook it.
  • Cook pork using a low-fat cooking method, including roasting, grilling, broiling, poaching, or braising.
  • Pass up high-fat sauces. Rather, flavor pork with herbs and spices. Coriander, cumin, curry powder, dill, garlic, rosemary, sage, savory, and thyme all go well with pork.
  • Watch your portions. Like beef, the recommended serving size is three ounces.