lots of questions about nutrition and dieting

Question
Dear Mr. Rapitis,



      My name is Tosha Ervin. I am a student that is doing a project on Nutrition and Wellness. I am specifically
trying to focus on the dieting and fitness aspect for females. I was wondering if you would be willing to do an "interview." The questions are as follows:


Interview Questions:

There are lots of questions here. I only need about 10 total so
there are a lot of extras to choose from. You do not need to answer all the
questions by any means. You don't even have to answer every part to the
question. Just whatever information you have to share, I'm happy with. Thank you very much for your time and cooperation.



1.   How many meals should be eaten in a day? Is breakfast really the most
important and why? Can skipping meals make you gain weight?

2.   How much fat should one consume? What role does fat play in the body? Why is
it important/not important?
3.   How many carbohydrates should one consume? If you consume too many or not
enough, what affect does that have on the body?
4.   How much protein should one consume? What role does protein play in the body?
Why is it important/not important?
5.   How much water does one need? How does water play a part in living a healthy
lifestyle? Can one consume too much water?
6.   How does sugar affect the body? Can it make you gain weight? Does it have any
positive affects on the body?
7.   How does salt affect the body? Can it make you gain weight? How do you know
how much you need? Can not enough salt harm you?
8.    What do you consider one of the most important nutrients for the body to
have in order to be fit and healthy?
9.   What is one of the worst dieting myths? What dieting habit can harm you the
most?
10.   What vitamins are most needed in the human body? Is there a vitamin that
affects weight loss?
11.   Can metabolism be changed at all? Is there anyway to speed it up? Why does
metabolism slow with age?
12.   Is it unhealthy to just consume fruits and vegetables?
13.   What is a healthy guideline for females on how many calories should be
consumed in a day? How many excess calories does it take to gain weight? How
many calories should be consumed to lose weight?
14.   When should you take vitamin supplements? How do you know if you need to
take these?
15.   How much exercise should you get in a week? How much of this should be
cardio and how much should be with weights?
16.   What is a technique to avoid getting "Big"? Does stretching before or after
help get leaner muscle?
17.   Do you have any specifc precautions for females who want to work out?

Feel Free to add anything else you that you think is important to include in
this topic. Once again thank you very much and I'm looking forward to
hearing from you.

Answer
Hello Tosha!

  I would be happy to help with your project. Here are the answers to your questions!


How many meals should be eaten in a day? 3 small meals and 2 snacks
Is breakfast really the most
important and why? Yes, because it provides you with the right nutrients to get you started on the right track.
Can skipping meals make you gain weight? Skipping meals can lead to weight gain becauase it often results in binge eating and craving high calorie foods.

2. How much fat should one consume? 30 percent of our calories should come from fat however, we should choose the best kinds such as olive oil and nuts such as almonds.
What role does fat play in the body? Fat is needed for the absorption of fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, K.
Why is it important/not important? Healthy fats such as olive oil can help increase your HDL(good) cholesterol. However, saturated fat can clog your arteries.
3. How many carbohydrates should one consume 50% of our calories should come from carbohydrates however, we should mostly choose the better types such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.  If you consume too many or not
enough, what affect does that have on the body? If you eat too many carbohydrates the result can lead to weight gain. One should avoid simple carbohydrates such as foods high in sugar such as sodas.
4. How much protein should one consume? 20 percent of your diet should come from protein. What role does protein play in the body? Protein helps repair your muscles and tissues.
Why is it important/not important? Protein is needed for muscle growth.  Too much can leach calcium out of your bones.
5. How much water does one need? 64 ounces. How does water play a part in living a healthy? Water helps to transport vitamins to different parts of our body.  Our body is made up of 66% water. Every system in your body uses water. For example, water makes up nearly all of your blood. And water helps keep your body temperature stable.
Can one consume too much water? Yes, you can toxify your body if you drink over the recommended amount.
6. How does sugar affect the body? Sugar can cause weight gain and spikes in your blood glucose levesl. Can it make you gain weight? Yes, sugar is stored as fat if you don[t burn it off with physical activity. Does it have any
positive affects on the body? Sugar has no nutritive value.
7. How does salt affect the body? Our bodies rely on electrolytes, most significantly sodium and potassium, to carry the electrical impulses that control our bodily functions. In order for our bodies to function properly, it is important that the electrolyte concentrations in our bodies remain constant. It is therefore important that we do not completely eliminate salt from our diet.

Can it make you gain weight?  Salt can cause weight gain because it retains water in your blood. How do you know
how much you need? the body needs 2,400mg of sodium daily. Can not enough salt harm you? It can cause high blood pressure in some people.
8. What do you consider one of the most important nutrients for the body to
have in order to be fit and healthy? Vitamins A D E K are important antioxidants which protect our cells from damage.
9. What is one of the worst dieting myths? That starving yourself will help you lose weight. What dieting habit can harm you the most?  Skipping meals frequently
10.Is there a vitamin that
affects weight loss? There are no vitamins that affect weight loss.
11. Can metabolism be changed at all? Eating small frequent meals can speed up metabolism along with exercise. Is there anyway to speed it up? Why does
metabolism slow with age? The aging process tends to slow it down.
12. Is it unhealthy to just consume fruits and vegetables? There are people called Fruitarians who live healthy lives only eating fruits and vegetables.
13. What is a healthy guideline for females on how many calories should be
consumed in a day? Woman can calculate their calorie intakes www.mypyramid.gov  It varies from person to person. How many excess calories does it take to gain weight? How
many calories should be consumed to lose weight? You should consume 500 calories less then your  daily calorie intake in order to lose 1lb per week.
14. When should you take vitamin supplements? Under the direction of your doctor.  How do you know if you need to
take these? if you have a vitamin deficiency.
15. How much exercise should you get in a week? 30 minutes daily or 60 minutes on most days.

Hope this helps. For more answers to your nutrition questions check out my book "Ask the Nutritionists" available at www.authorhouse.com !

-George Rapitis, Nutritionist
www.juiceblend.com
www.dietitian.mymagicwand.com

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