Kilojoule Intake

Question
Hi George,

I am a 31 year old female.  I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and take hormone replacement (Thyroxine) every day except when I forget.  I'm currently slim, I'm 5'1", proportionate and weigh around 105lb (that was mathematically difficult for me considering we use metric down-under).

In the past if I wanted to lose a little weight I just stopped eating for a couple of weeks..very successful but unhealthy method.  Now that I'm older and wiser I don't want to do that to myself any more. I want to know more about how much I should eat to maintain my weight (thyroid patients often complain about weight gain and I'm quite vain and not looking forward to that possibility).

How many kilojoules should a female of my stature consume in a day? (I don't exercise a huge amount, usually 30min walk 3 days a week).  Also I always put on 2-3 kgs (7-8lbs?) in winter...should I eat less kilojoules to take the weight off for summer? Or just increase exercise or both?

These may seem like really basic questions but truthfully, I've never had much success losing my winter weight and eating 3 meals a day at the same time so I'd reeeeallly like to try it!

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Answer
Hello Anne!

   Thank you for your nutrition question. You are correct that not eating is the wrong way to lose weight healthfully. Most women are able to lose weight at 1,500 calories daily.  You should never go below 1,200 calories because it is very dangerous to your health.
 I would recommend that you visit www.mypyramid.gov where you can create a healthy eating plan tailored to your calorie needs. When you get to the website simply enter your age, gender, and activity level and it will give you a complete menu plan with servings from each food group.  It also has a tracking program where you enter what you have eaten for the day. It is important to journal what you eat daily in order to stay on the right track.  
 It is also important to perform some type of physical activity into your daily routine for 30-60 minutes daily. Walking, jogging, swimming, aerobics, are all excellent forms of exercise to help you burn the 500 calories needed to lose 1lb per week.
 For more answers to your nutrition questions check out "Ask the Nutritionists" by George Rapitis at www.authorhouse.com or your favorite bookstore.

-George Rapitis, Bsc. Nutritionist
www.juiceblend.com

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