Your dieting questions answered

Diet and nutrition expert Judith Wills is here to help with the answers you need

Is the body mass index (BMI) a good way of telling if you're overweight?
The BMI (your body weight in kilos divided by your height in metres squared) has long been used in many countries to assess whether an adult is a reasonable weight. It's said that a BMI of 18.5-25 is normal, under that you are underweight, from 25-30 you're overweight, and over 30 you're overweight and at risk. But BMI doesn't take account of muscle, so a sports person with a high percentage of muscle in the body may have a high BMI but still be very healthy. It also doesn't take shape into consideration - if you have thin arms and legs but a fat middle, your BMI may be average, but your health may be at risk. You can calculate your BMI here - and see the health risks of being overweight.

What causes sugar cravings and how can you beat them?
Many women suffer sugar cravings before a period, which is due to the reduced level of oestrogen in the body at this time. Mid-cycle, levels are at their highest and cravings tend to disappear. Low mood can also produce cravings for sweet and starchy foods, which may increase production of the ‘feelgood' neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Cravings can be reduced at any time of the month by a low-GI diet, eating little and often, and eating protein at every meal. Click here for the conquer-your-cravings diet


I hardly eat a thing - why am I putting on weight?
It could be that you have a naturally low metabolism - people do vary, even when other factors such as height, age and activity levels are equal. Or perhaps you aren't doing as much exercise as you used to. In addition, metabolism slows as we age (for every five years over 30 you need to eat 50 calories a day less). Lastly, it could be that you are mistaken about what calories you take in. Are you watching portion sizes, counting drinks and between-meal snacks? It's easy to get a bit too laid-back over time.


Do fat people have a slower metabolism than slim people?
This is a common myth - on average, fat people actually have a higher metabolic rate. Carrying extra weight is like carrying around a sack of potatoes - it takes more energy to move. More energy used means a higher  metabolic rate. When fat people slim down their metabolic rate declines accordingly.

How can I lose weight without my bust disappearing?
The sad news is that the bust, after the stomach, is the second most likely body area to show weight loss. A small percentage of women manage to keep their bust and slimline figure - but that's rather like winning the lottery! The majority don't, and that's why all those thin Hollywood women end up having breast implants. The best thing to do if your bust does shrink is to exercise the pectorals to enhance what you do have. Losing weight around your waist will also give the impression that your bust is bigger than it is. The best tip is not to lose too much weight - aim for slim, not thin. Click here for tone-up tips for problem areas


Can allergies cause weight gain?
Some food allergies, such as a wheat allergy or lactose intolerance, can cause adverse side effects, including bloating, wind and fluid retention, which may make you a little heavier or make your stomach look fatter. But it's impossible for a food to add fat to your body over and above the amount of calories it contains. The reason people lose weight when they give up foods to which they feel they are allergic is because the total calorie intake is reduced. Click here for the anti-allergy diet


Is it possible to lose weight through exercise alone, without dieting?
To lose weight you need to use up more calories than you take in via your diet. Which means that if you're to lose weight without reducing your food and drink intake, you need to increase the amount of exercise you do. As a guide, you need to burn up 3500 calories to lose one pound of body fat. That equates to ten hours fast walking, eight and a half hours cycling or seven hours swimming. So, to lose weight steadily on exercise alone you will have to be very dedicated. For good results, it's best to mix diet and exercise.

Why is weight harder to lose than to put on?
This is partly psychological - eating and drinking is fun, whereas depriving yourself on a diet isn't - but is also based in physical fact. When you lose weight, you lose muscle as well as fat (however carefully you do it, this can't be avoided). Muscle is more metabolically active than fat (it uses up more energy), so unless you work hard to regain that muscle through weight-bearing exercise, next time you try to lose weight it will be harder as you have a higher percentage of body fat to muscle than you did last time you tried. Also, if you've been dieting and
then have a binge, your body retains a lot of fluid, so the scales tell you you've put on pounds overnight even though most of this is water, not fat.


Is it possible to spot-reduce fat from my stomach?
When you reduce your calorie intake, your body can't tell where you want the fat to disappear from, however much you ask it. However, when you slim, it may seem as though your stomach is getting slimmer proportionately than the rest of you. This is because when you reduce calories you lose water from your body, which tends to be stored in the stomach area in women. There is also some research to suggest that the fat on our stomachs is more mobile than the fat in other areas - particularly the thighs and hips - and thus easier to shed. In the long-term, fat will come off other areas, too, if you continue to slim. Click here for the flat-tummy diet

What is the best way to tell if you need to diet?
Measure your middle. For women, a waist under 31.5in is fine, between 32in and 35in you need to slim down a little, and over 35in you are at increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and other problems.

Can I eat any fast foods and still lose weight?
Some experts say that if 90 per cent of your diet is based on very healthy foods, then the rest of your diet can be fast foods without causing your weight, diet or health any harm. So the answer is a cautious yes. The occasional takeaway, chocolate bar or soft drink won't do any harm to you or your diet.  As long as your total food intake is less than the amount of energy you expend, it doesn't matter what you eat, you'll still lose weight.

Which is worse for health - to be too thin or too fat?
There is a longer list of problems and diseases firmly linked with being overweight than there is with being underweight, but as we get older, there is a lot to be said for being heavier than we were in our skinny teens. A BMI of around 26-27 is associated with few problems, and the extra fat acts as a natural hormone replacement therapy. Very thin women have problems with fertility, increased risk of osteoporosis in later life, and may have nutritional deficiencies or eating disorders, which can seriously affect health.

Is there any food that will help speed up my metabolic rate?
Protein foods speed up the metabolic rate during a process called diet-induced thermogenesis. When you eat a protein (for example, lean meat), it takes more bodily energy to digest it than if you ate the same amount of calories in the form of fat or carbohydrate. This is one reason why a high-protein diet can work so well. But most experts now agree that such a diet isn't healthy - and it is perfectly possible to lose weight on a diet of mixed foods.

Any foolproof tips for keeping the weight off for good, once it's lost?
Concentrate on healthy foods that you enjoy. Take regular exercise and keep your muscle mass strong. If you have a day or two of over-indulging - birthdays, holidays, and so on - have a few days afterwards of under-indulging. Keep busy and interested in life to avoid comfort eating. 

 

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● Grapefruit dissolves fat
Sadly scientists have yet to discover a miracle food or supplement that will burn fat. Grapefruit is, however, extremely low in calories – half a grapefruit contains just 24 calories, which explains why it’s so often recommended in diet plans as a healthy breakfast idea.

 

● Calories eaten late at night are more fattening than those eaten during the day
Wrong. It’s simply that we’re more susceptible to over-eating at night. It’s what you eat and how much you eat that’s important, not when.

 

● Gaining weight is inevitable as you get older
Wrong. Love handles and double chins don’t have to be part and parcel of growing older. A much more likely explanation for middle-age spread is that our physical activity decreases rapidly with age.

 

● Low-fat foods are the key to losing weight
Wrong. Eating one thick and creamy yogurt that you really enjoy is better than eating three low-fat yogurts that leave you feeling unsatisfied. Reduced fat doesn’t mean low fat or low calorie – products are often still fundamentally high in fat and contain plenty of calories. Diets that include moderate amounts of fat (between 30-35 per cent of calories from fat) are more effective at helping people to lose weight than very low-fat diets.

 

● Skipping meals is a good way to cut calories
Wrong. Skipping meals can interfere with appetite regulation, leading to over-eating or bingeing. People who lose weight after dieting and skipping meals are more likely to regain weight than those who eat regularly.

 

 

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