Welcome to part 2 of my 'Q & A with a dietitian'... A few more lovely (genuine) questions that I have tried to answer as succinctly as possible. Enjoy! - and keep the questions coming as I love to answer them! For part 1 [click here].
6. What foods should you eat to increase muscle growth?
Protein foods, such as meat, fish, eggs, yoghurt, milk, nuts, quorn, tofu, chickpeas and beans, are needed in moderate amounts for muscle growth and repair, but the main form of energy used during exercise is carbohydrates - and adults need to exercise (in the right way) in order to increase muscle growth. Resistance training in particular is key to promoting muscle growth - resistance training can be done using your own body weight, free weights or static weights. I would recommend speaking to a personal trainer regarding the correct types of resistance training for your specific body type and goals and to always include a warm-up and cool-down to prevent muscle injury.
Aim to have a meal within 1-2 hours after working out, that consists of both low-medium GI carbohydrates (see my *Q & A with a Dietitian Part 1* post for ideas) and protein to help to replenish energy stores and maximise muscle uptake of amino-acids (what protein is broken down into). See my recipes page for balanced dinner time ideas.
 |
| Chicken and Potatoes.. A perfect protein & carb meal post work-out! |
7. What is a 'good' daily calorie intake?
There isn't really such a thing as a 'good' daily calorie intake - your body requires different amounts of calories depending on your body weight, gender, age and activity levels. The government recommends an average of 2,500 calories a day for men and 2,000 calories a day for women, however if you would like to know more about your specific requirements I would encourage you to speak to a dietitian 1 on 1 - ask your GP for a referral or go private. For weight loss, typically a 500 calorie DAILY deficit is needed, however this figure can range from 400-1000 calories and is dependent on the amount of exercise you do.
Calorie counting can be difficult and although I don't recommend it per-se, what is useful is to have a rough idea of how many calories are in the foods which you typically eat.. e.g. calories of a chocolate bar vs. an apple .. I'm sure you can guess which is higher and so can guess which you can afford to eat more regularly and which you should perhaps limit.. ! It's all about making simple swaps [click here for more info] in your diet which you can keep for life!
8. Is it possible to eat cheese and still lose weight?
The simple answer to this question is YES! Losing weight isn't about stopping eating your favourite foods, it's about eating them in the right quantities. Unfortunately, most cheese is indeed high in fat, but it is also a high in protein and calcium.
If you love to eat cheese and you’re trying to lose weight then you should choose to eat it less frequently (a portion at a time.. which is a 30g piece, the same size as a small matchbox) and choose the lower fat varieties .. these include: light cream cheese, mozzarella, Camembert, cottage cheese, Edam and feta cheese. With the exception of cottage cheese, you should aim to keep your portion sizes small, as even these cheeses will make a significant contribution to your total calorie intake. To make your cheese go further you can grate it or buy a stronger cheese so you use less.
Have a lovely weekend
Nic x
0 comments:
Post a Comment