weight loss

Question
Deb,
I have tried almost everything to lose weight and nothing seems to work. I feel that my major area for improvement is diet as I have gotten into a good exercise routine. I am 30 years old, 6 ft 3 inches tall, and I weigh 230. How many calories per day should I be taking in, and what types of food should I primarily eat? Thanks

Answer
Hi Jon,

I'm not sure I can respond without knowing more about how many times you exercise and what you do when you exercise. I also don't know how active you are in the rest of your life. With more information, I can help you more.

What I can say is that the best advice I can give you is to keep a food journal, write down (or enter into an online site) the portions of food and the foods you eat. You will need to track your calories and other nutrients, which is why I'd recommend an online site because they often will be able to track all that information automatically.

Once you track your caloric and nutrition intake for about two weeks (and you need to be honest about this -- no fudging), you will be able to see how many calories you actually consume. At that point, you will be able to find at least 300-400 calories a day that you can omit.

The basic formula is to consume fewer calories than you will use during the course of the day, but not too much otherwise you become unhealthy.

My guess is that you probably aren't training with a heart monitor. I can't recommend these things highly enough. They have completely changed the way I work out. The device monitors your heart rate, which you need to raise for at least 30 minutes a day (to the range that is correct for your size and weight). I recommend taking a session or two with a trainer who can help you put together a routine you can do on your own to drop some weight.

OK, types of foods. This is probably the same as what you already know to be healthy: plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains (like oats, barley, and brown rice), legumes (beans), and smaller sized portions of protein (whether vegetarian, fish, or other animal source). There's an old saying -- fat makes you fat. That's true if you over-do it. You also need good fats that come from flaxmeal, avocados, olive oil, walnuts, and salmon (if you eat fish). Walnuts and almonds are excellent sources of fiber and good fats. I recommend getting them in bulk from your local health food store, raw, then lightly toasting them in your oven for 5-8 minutes. Two tablespoons make an excellent snack.

It turns out that the foods that are the best for you (green leafy vegetables like kale, whole oats, and brightly colored foods like sweet potatoes and bell peppers) often taste the best.

Things to cut out, if you haven't already: sodas (including diet), anything with high-fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated anything. You really need to read labels of what you eat. Watch your added sugar intake. It's only empty calories. Drink more water.

Finally, eat out less. Making your own foods from a great cookbook or your own recipes is a fantastic way to control the fats and calories in your diet. If you want, I would be happy to recommend lots of good cookbooks for folks who want to eat well without worrying about losing flavor.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Deb

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