Nurse Mary: Clever Calorie Counting
Every month, Nurse Mary offers her advice on how you can do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Spring is officially here and with it comes warmer weather. This means we can no longer hide behind our bulky winter sweaters and multiple layers of clothing.
Unfortunately, cold weather can be our enemy sometimes as our hibernating instincts tell us to move less and eat more. In fact, winter weight gain isn’t just an urban myth; according to scientists, it’s driven by biology and fuelled by mood. Some doctors even believe that we’re genetically programmed to gain weight when it gets cold, holding on to extra weight to keep us warm! Many moons ago our ancestors depended on extra weight because it was vital for survival, with scientists arguing that the extra weight/fat provided not only protection from the cold but also sustained life in the late winter and early spring when food supplies were historically very low. Today of course, winter weight gain is more likely due to freezing temperatures forcing us inside where we find solace in the warmth, and bulk or comfort foods!
Don’t dwell on it though; winter weight gain gets the best of us. In fact, according to a lot of current literature, most of us gain between three and four pounds during the winter months (sometimes more), despite our best efforts. So spring is the time many of us set out to combat winter weight gain. According to the yearly trend reported by doctors and health experts, many people will begin spring exercise regimes this time of year in a quest to get fit for the summer. Yet, the other trend that they report is that many people do not stick with the program: the fact is that the many who do not see immediate results from their workout efforts, slowly stop partaking and simply… give up!
Doctors state there is a very good reason that there are no immediate results from exercising; because many people don’t do one very important thing: change their eating habits too!
Weight loss studies carried out by health scientists have proven that exercise alone does not shed pounds off the average overweight person. Exercise alone will not burn off the results of excess calorie intake (= over eating and eating unhealthy fat and high calorie foods).
Scientific research has continually proven over the years that greater weight loss results are seen with dietary and nutrition changes; not exercise alone. Additionally there is a myth that if you exercise, you can eat whatever you want because your body ‘needs it’ and will burn it off.
This is not the case at all! Your body needs to burn the basic needed calories you intake everyday to keep you balanced, but if you keep consuming more calories than your body burns off it will simply keep storing them, resulting in your maintaining that excess weight or gaining a few pounds.
So, what can be done about this? Losing extra weight needs to begin with monitoring what goes in. We need to decrease unnecessary calories as well as replace fatty calories with low-calorie, healthy foods if we want to see results. When extra calories are decreased your body stops ‘storing’ them as extra pounds and your body is able to start turning excess weight into energy for you to use and lose. Unfortunately, even more healthy foods add up when we overindulge in them (think portions)! So start by consciously subtracting unnecessary calories every day. You know what they are - the chocolate bar that you “had to have”, a second helping you didn’t need and that 600+ calorie Mocha Frappuccino you could have done without. Many people also forget to account for liquid calories found in natural fruit juices, milkshakes and alcohol! By switching to water, which has no calories and is a great tummy filler, you can equally enjoy an appealing drink by adding mint, lemon or lime!
Bottom line: If you want to lose that excess winter weight faster, start by decreasing your excess calorie intake, make healthier food choices and then start a basic and simple exercise regime that will complement it and result in visible weight loss. Combining good dietary habits with exercise is the fastest and healthiest way to see the results you desire! Just remember exercise alone is not the answer. Eat smart and stay fit!
A few tips on counting calories…
Most people don’t know the first thing about how many calories are in the foods they eat. However, a necessary evil is that you take responsibility for what goes into your body. On average the maximum recommended daily calorie intake for women is 2000 calories and 2500 calories for men, however the general recommended daily calorie intake will depend on age, weight, height and activity level.
There are a plethora of reputable internet sites that will help you gauge what your recommended calorie intake is for a day given your height, weight, age and activity level. Alternatively, seek assistance from a nutritionist, doctor or trainer. The Internet is also a great resource for learning what foods are fat burning (proteins) and what foods simply pack on the pounds.
Remember, we retain and gain weight because our body is unable to burn as much as we consume. By understanding what our body is able to burn daily and not over consume, you should take steps towards finding out your ideal calorie intake and take reasonable measures to stay within its limits.
Send Nurse Mary your health questions and concerns at [email protected]
