#nutritionaladvice

[killthebodydelusion]

How To Calculate Your Daily Caloric Need

In order to calculate your daily caloric need, you need to figure out your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which is the total amount of calories your body burns during a day, including all activity. 

The first step is to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the amount of calories your body needs to in order to function - this excludes any activity. Basically, its the amount of calories you would burn if you were to just sit in one place all day. To calculate this, I suggest using the Harris-Benedict Formula since it takes into account body weight, height, sex, and age, making it more accurate.

Men

BMR = 66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age in years)

Women 

BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age in years)

Now that you have your BMR, the next step is to calculate your TDEE. TDEE takes into account 2 factors:

Thermic Affect of Activity (TEA) - the amount of calories you burn while exercising/physically active

Thermic Effect of Eating (TEF) - calories used to assist in digestion and absorption (about 5% of your caloric need). Foods high in protein and fiber will cause a greater effect.

Based on your activity levels, you take the number associated with that level and multiply it by your BMR. **(TDEE = activity level x BMR)

Sedentary (no activity) = BMR x 1.2

Lightly active (light exercise 1-3 days/week) = BMR x 1.375

Moderately active (moderate exercise 3-5 days/week) = BMR x 1.55

Very active (hard exercise 6-7 days/week) = BMR x 1.725

Extremely active (hard exercise 2 or more times/day) = BMR x 1.9

The number you get for your TDEE is the amount of calories you need to MAINTAIN your body weight. 

If you want to lose weight, you will have to reduce your calorie intake or increase your activity. There are 3500 calories in 1lb or 0.45kg of fat. The recommendation is to decrease your caloric intake by 500 calories in order to lose 1lb or 0.45kg of fat per week. 

If you are looking to gain weight in the form of muscle mass, it is recommended that you eat a surplus of calories on your training days (anywhere from 200 - 600 calories > on the lower end for women and the higher end for men) and ingest your TDEE maintenance calories on your rest days. 

[teresaboyce]

Question: What's a good healthy snack for when you are experiencing a craving for something sweet? The first thing I recommend for sweet cravings is to have a green tea. I find green tea curbs sugar cravings, decreases hunger and distracts you long enough to get over the craving. If you really want something healthy yet sweet go for a bliss ball, trail mix, homemade muesli bar or my favourite dark chocolate. Good quality dark chocolate will not only satisfy sweet cravings it is packed with antioxidants and is incredibly good for you. Enjoy! Question: What are good food/nutrition/exercise combinations to improve bone density? If a client presented with low bone density I would absolutely supplement with a practitioner strength bone density formula. One of my favourites is Calcitite Hi-Strength by Metagenics, this supplement provides high dose hydroxyapatite (calcium, phosphorus), vitamin D, vitamin K and boron. The following explains the benefits of supplementing with hydroxyapatite… A two year study involving 60 postmenopausal women evaluated the efficacy of calcium hydroxyapatite (3.32 g/day) and calcium carbonate in the maintenance of optimal bone mineral density. Only calcium hydroxyapatite maintained bone mineral density, while calcium carbonate and the control group showed a significant reduction in bone mineral density. Similar results have also been demonstrated in a separate study of 40 postmenopausal women. Calcium hydroxyapatite significantly slowed the loss of trabecular bone in comparison to calcium carbonate over 20 months at a dose of 1.4 g calcium/day. The diet should contain lots of vegetables, oily fish with eatable bones, and calcium rich foods such as sesame seeds, almonds and green leafy vegetables. Foods to avoid are carbonated drinks, excessive red meat and excessive caffeine. As for exercise you are looking at performing weight-bearing exercises (woman will not bulk up by throwing around a few weights), jumping, skipping and running are also a good choice. For optimum bone health you need to be exercising at least 3 times a week. Organic meat? Is it the way to go? Absobloodylutely. I totally understand it can be expensive eating organic but there are a few products that are an absolute must for me, my top organic picks are organic eggs, chicken and beef. The antibiotics and ‘growth promoters’ shoved into non organic animals scare the living crap out of me. How the animal is treated plays a big part in my decision and when it comes to our health organic, grass fed animals are better for us. The fatty acid composition of a grain fed animal opposed to a grass fed animal is different, grass fed meat will have high levels of omega 3. There are many organic butchers providing organic products, even Woolworths have realized the demand for organic meats. So basically yes organic is the way to go. A home detox please? When it comes to ‘detoxing’ I want to make it very clear that there is a big difference between a gimmick detox (lemon detox diet) and a safe, healthy nourishing detox. I have written an article describing how to detox safely and effectively; here is the link… http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/weight+loss/diets/bikini+detox+diet,20613 What you need to do is pack the diet with fresh seasonal produce, organic protein and good fats. You need to provide the body with nutrients and fibre to support the body’s natural detoxing process. Have a good read of the article then you will have not only a plan to follow but an understanding of why you should detox. Why is it that after eating better, I either get bloated or don't necessarily have as many bowel movements? Hmm could be a few different things, if you are trying to drop weight you may be eating less food in total, this will decrease bowel motions. You may be bloated due to the increase of fibre and protein? You need to make sure you are drinking plenty of water, exercising daily and chewing your food really well. Any change in the diet can cause a change in bowel movements. Hang in there, your body should adjust and you will start feeling great however you shouldn’t rule out possible intolerances, speak to your nutritionist if things don’t improve ☺ The Health Whisperer xx

[teresaboyce]

Ask Me Anything

What are your thoughts on 5:2 diet - fast 2 days & feast 5 days. Fad or based on good science?
 This is one of my favourite subjects. Intermitted fasting is a fantastic concept with many health benefits including body fat reduction and yes I use it in clinic with my clients. Unfortunately just like many great concepts, someone has come along turned it into the latest ‘diet’ and stuffed it up. I will explain the principles of intermitted fasting and the associated health benefits in a separate blog as it is really important for you to understand how to do it properly but for now I will say this; people like a ‘diet’ and fasting absolutely has credibility however to say you can eat what you want for 5 days and then have fasting days to make up for it is sending a dangerous message and not encouraging healthy eating habits at all. If you are trying to drop body fat you should be eating a balanced diet and smaller portions everyday! Your focus should be on meals based around fresh seasonal produce and good quality protein and here is the big secret to weight loss; you have to be prepared to literally work your arse off! Yep sorry to be the bearer of bad news but for most people weight loss does not come easy (otherwise we would all be size 10 supermodels) if you want to drop body fat put down the 5:2 book and get moving! Like I said people like a ‘diet’ but until we change our views on food and weight loss we will continue to have the newest and greatest ‘diet’ concept followed by yo yo dieting and disappointment. I will share my intermitting fasting tips later this week, stay tuned….. Berroca? Your thoughts on athletes using this for Vitamin B & magnesium (12+hours endurance per week)? Do I recommend it? Well no simply because I have better quality products with optimal dosages. In regards to supplements I always say you get what you pay for. I prescribe magnesium and B vitamins in a form that is well tolerated, well absorbed and in the correct dose for optimal results. I don’t like seeing people taking a million supplements with no idea why they are taking them or how much they should be taking. If athletes are serious about their sport they should have a tailored nutrition and supplement plan designed for them by a qualified nutritionist. Does a cheat meal really work to shock the metabolism? How much and how often?
 I think a cheat meal is needed for so many reasons. Yes I think it is good to have a higher calorie day to replenish depleted glycogen stores and prevent the body form becoming efficient on running on lower calories, however the biggest reason to have a cheat meal is to keep you sane! You should be able to look forward to dinner out with friends or a serve of your favourite dessert. A cheat meal is ONE meal and not an excuse to binge. Your goal should be to eat clean and exercise 6 days then enjoy a ‘free’ meal guilt free. Vitamin D3 . Is this good for immunity ? Have been told my a trainer at the gym that 10 tablets each day for 3 days will stop colds etc in their tracks but have also heard it's toxic in high doses what's the truth? Ok yes vitamin D is required for immunity and autoimmune conditions however more is not better. The RDI (recommended daily intake) of vitamin D is 400IU, the therapeutic dose is between 400 to 1000 IU per day and tolerable upper limit is 2000 IU per day. Vitamin D toxicity (hypervitaminosis) is mostly seen at dose of in excess of 10,000 IU per day over an extended period of time. While symptoms of toxicity are unlikely at daily intakes below 10,000 IU per day, there is emerging evidence suggesting that even lower vitamin D intakes levels might have adverse health effects over time. I usually prescribe vitamin D between 400IU to 1000 IU per day. Are there any studies that show the fat loss benefits of exercise, above those of calorie burning and improved metabolic rate due to improved muscle? Eg do the stress relief, improved sleep etc etc show measurable discernible fat loss benefits in themselves?
 Wow Hannah trust you to throw me a curling one. This is a serious research question and to be honest it can be difficult and time-consuming finding research papers for such specific questions however I can tell you this…. ➢ The fat loss benefits from exercise are not merely the result of calories burnt at the time of exercise. Exercise has beneficial effects on hormones such as insulin and human growth hormone (HGH) just to name a few. HGH and insulin are instrumental in weight loss. What you are after is high HGH and low insulin for optimum body fat reduction. ➢ The more muscle you have the higher your resting metabolic rate. Exercise, particularly resistant exercise will increase muscle mass and resting metabolic rate enabling you to utilize calories more efficiently, this in turn can result in lower body fat. ➢ Sleep is also required for optimal weight loss. Sleep regulates hunger hormones and promotes HGH. If you would like to research actual papers I suggest you check out PubMed.. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed Pine nuts - good, bad, ugly, in moderation?
 I recommend we all enjoy a variety of nuts and seeds including pine nuts! Yes like anything it is all about moderation. Interesting fat: pine nuts are a source of protein, vitamin E, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese and B vitamins. I personally love a mix of pine nuts and pumpkin seeds on salads. Delicious! Hi THW, everyone is talking about Garcinia Cambogia, is this just another diet fad? 
 From my limited research Garcinia is a plant extract supplement used to suppress appetite, inhibit the synthesis of fats and burn fat. Look, it sounds great BUT unless you have your nutrition right no supplement is going to help. As Ive mentioned previously people like a ‘diet’ and a quick fix but there is no cheating fat loss. Fat loss will occur through discipline, hard work, small portions and optimum nutrition. Here is a tip, if you are trying to suppress your appetite try caffeine! I recommend all my weight loss clients to drink green tea when they feel hungry. It works a treat PLUS offers antioxidants and health benefits. I love baking, what's a substitute for sugar that will give the same consistency?
 Honestly I don’t bake and I don’t really eat baked goods or sweet foods so I am not the best person for this question but I can point you in the right direction of healthy sweet recipes. The Healthy Chef has many healthy sweet options and from what I can see she opts for honey, maple syrup or stevia in her recipes. Here is a link to The Healthy Chef… http://www.thehealthychef.com/2011/01/the-worlds-healthiest-chocolate-chip-cookie/ Kilometers running as opposed to kilometers swimming same or ones better than the other?
 I cant say one is better than another I think as long as you are exercising it doesn’t matter which one you do. You tend to cover more distance running but that doesn’t mean it is a better sport. You will cover even more kilometers on the bike again kilometers don’t matter as long as you are out there and enjoying your chosen sport. I can run a fair distance but look like a drowning giraffe in the pool; I take my hat off to anyone that can swim. If you exercise in the evening, is it better to do your workout before of after dinner? I always recommend eating dinner after late workouts. Your post training meal is key to recover and progress. You could have a small afternoon snack if you need it but definatly eat after your session. I find protein smoothies are a great option post evening session. Smoothies are easily digested, provide optimal nutrients and wont impact your sleep. I hope this helps The Health Whisperer xx

[teresaboyce]

Ask Me Anything

QUESTION: Can you overdose on healthy smoothies (almond milk, berries, cacao, ABC spread, coconut)?!


Hmm I don’t think you can overdose but like everything you should be consuming them in moderation (i.e. not every meal). I don’t see an issue with enjoying a smoothie everyday as either a meal or snack; in fact I highly recommend them! I think smoothies are an easy way of including raw foods and superfoods in the diet. Get creative and add things like maca, goji berry powder, acai berry powder, seasonal fruit and vegetables. I am happy to hear you are enjoying them so much.

QUESTION: How soft/hard should quinoa be when you cook it and is undercooked quinoa gastric challenging?


Quinoa should be cooked until soft, light, fluffy and slightly translucent. Under cooked quinoa can be challenging on the digestive system resulting in pain and discomfort. My tip is to wash quinoa well before use and cook for around 20 minutes or until soft.

Another way of consuming quinoa is via sprouting. Raw foodies suggest sprouting quinoa to help release some of the living enzymes and break down the proteins and carbohydrates to make digestion easier. To sprout quinoa, soak it overnight in water. Drain and rinse it in a fine colander. Leave it to sit in the colander over a bowl for at least six hours, recommends Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis in “Raw Food Real World.”

I personally like to cook my quinoa in a rice cooker 1:2 quinoa to water. I simply rinse, pop it in the cooker, press go and walk away. I come back 20 minutes later to perfect quinoa every time.

                    QUESTION: What are your thoughts on coconut water?

I think a lot of the hype around coconut water is marketing BUT I do agree there are vitamin and minerals provided in this yummy beverage alternative. Why don’t you try cracking open a fresh young coconut yourself and enjoy not only the water but also the delicious flesh contained within the coconut.

Coconut water will not provide the healthy fats of coconut oil. My tip is to enjoy all components of the coconut including the water, flesh, milk and oil. This way you will benefit from all the coconut has to offer.

                        QUESTION: I have just been diagnosed with arthritis everywhere. Can diet improve inflammatory symptoms?

Yes you should be looking to reduce all foods that have an inflammatory effect on the body these include things like sugar, wheat, dairy, red meat and night shade vegetables (potatoes (especially green), tomatoes, capsicum, red and green peppers, silver beet, beets, eggplant, ground cherries, tobacco, chili).

Ensure you are consuming lots of raw fresh vegetables and ant inflammatory foods such as turmeric, ginger, omega 3 rich oily fish and berries.

I also highly recommend you take a high dose fish oil supplement and a practitioner only joint supplement with glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin and bioflavonoids. A high dose turmeric supplement may also be used to reduce acute pain.

                    QUESTION: What are quinoa flakes - they are in your pancake recipe
.

These are just like rolled oats but made from quinoa. They are a great gluten free option providing protein and carbohydrates. They are readily available in the health food section of most supermarkets. Give them a go and let me know what you think?

       QUESTION: Can you eat too many kale chips and what's the deal with air fryers?

“I ate too many kale chips”… said no one ever.

Just joking, yes you can eat too many but I tell you what, if you made them yourself and used a limited amount of good quality oil you could give it a good nudge without feeling too guilty. Its more about the oil that the kale (obviously). I personally love baking mine with a sesame seed seasoning. I think homemade kale chips are a great way of increasing your greens.

Now about the air fryers, Im no expert on them (as I don’t personally own one) but from what I have seen they cook food using circulating, superheated air resulting in crispy foods without the fat. I think they are a good option for those with a poor diet looking to make improvements but for an already healthy person I don’t think you need one, unless you are thinking of mass producing kale chips, now there’s an idea……

I hope this helps

The Health Whisperer xx

[teresaboyce]

Ask Me Anything

Question: I go to the gym around 4-5 times a week and my trainer has told me that I should really only be eating protein and veggies/salad for lunch and dinner. My question is, what are the best forms of protein and what should I be eating with it. Any suggestions would be great! She has suggested Turkey mince and eggs and I am getting a bit bored!

I train at 5:30-6:30/7pm Monday to Friday and Sat morning 8:15-9:15. I do a cardio class once a week, a pump class, a Pilates class and my own program which involves 30-minutes of cardio and 40-minutes of weights training. Breakfast is either my own home-made Bircher muesli with blueberries and LSA or a boiled egg with a piece of healthy toast.

During the day, I am trying to eat 5 or 6 times... small meals. Sorry for the life story!

Ok there is a bit to cover but I want to keep it simple and give you easy tips to focus on…

My top protein recommendations are: organic eggs, organic chicken, fish, good quality protein powder, turkey, grass feed beef and lamb and lean pork. It comes down to the quantity and quality of the protein. I don’t advise on eating only 1 or 2 sources, variety is key to good health.

I agree the diet should be based on quality protein, vegetables and salad BUT you must eat your carbs post training to replenish glycogen stores, especially considering you do a fair amount of cardio. I suggest adding ½ cup sweet potato to your evening meals on the days you are training in the afternoon.

How many meals and snacks to eat throughout the day is up to the individual and their goals.  I personally don’t think everybody needs to eat 5 to 6 times a day. Eat when you are hungry and limit snacking is my tip. Getting your post training meal right, balanced with carbs, protein and fats is more important than eating 6 times a day.

Question: Can I live on smoothies? i.e. Never chew again?

I absolutely love including protein smoothies with berries and greens in my daily diet however just like everything moderation is key, besides we are given teeth for a reason :-)

Here are a few reasons why we need to chew…

Digestion begins in the mouth with salivary enzymes, chewing activates these digestive enzymes.

Mixing saliva and enzymes in the mouth with food makes it more recognizable to our digestive tract.

Chewing slowly allows the brain time to realize you are full therefore preventing you from overeating.

Paying attention to chewing food properly brings attention to the process of eating. Being mindful of what you are putting in your mouth is an important part of nourishment and self control.

I hope this helps

The Health Whisperer xx

[teresaboyce]

Snack or Attack: Bottled v's Tap Water

Staying well hydrated is one of the most important things you can do for your health. The question is should you choose bottled or tap water?

Bottled water has received a bad wrap due to plastic bottles leaching undesirable environmental estrogens into the contained water. 

Plastic water bottles are designed for a one use only. Plastic leaching increases the more you reuse a plastic bottle, especially if the bottle is stored in the sun i.e. in a hot car.

Tap water may seem like the obvious choice but don’t fool yourself that tap water doesn’t contain harmful chemicals. Heavy metals, pollutants (volatile organic compounds), pesticides, residues from the medications we take, environmental estrogens and chlorine can all be measured in our tap water. Yes Australian water is disinfected with chlorine to protect us against bacteria however this process and all the other chemicals found in tap water makes it far from pure.

My recommendation is to drink filtered water wherever possible. Aim to use and refill glass bottles and take your water with you. It may take a little more effort but is absolutely worth it.

The Health Whisperer xx

[teresaboyce]

Ask Me Anything: sugar substitutes, friend or foe?

Q: I have noticed apparently 100% natural sugar substitute products on the market like Steevia. These seem ok as are lower calorie than cane sugar and not as artificial as the old fake sugar like equal. I have not heard much about these and would be interested in your views on the health benefits as compared to cane sugar. - Mel

A: Ok Mel this is a tricky one, there are so many types of sugar substitutes with pros and cons, I’m going to keep it basic and give you my personal opinion. Yes the amount of sugar the average person consumes is too high but I don’t necessarily believe we need to replace sugar with a sugar free substitute; we just need to reduce total sugar intake. Unless you’re having 5 cups of tea with 2 sugars every day, I don’t think table sugar is the problem. I think the real problem is with processed foods that contain sugar, take a look at the following list:

 Just Right cereal has 4 teaspoons of sugar per 1 cup

Uncle Toby’s Oat Crisp and Honey cereal has around 2.5 teaspoons of sugar per cup

Diet Yogurt has 7 teaspoons of sugar per 200g/ small tub

Go Natural snack bar (actually found in the health food section) has 3 teaspoons of sugar per bar

Weigh Watchers 99% fat free bar has 3 teaspoons of sugar per bar

500ml Lipton Ice tea contains 8.5 teaspoons of sugar

575ml of Nutrient Water contains 7 teaspoon of sugar

50g bar of milk chocolate contains 7 teaspoons of sugar

See what I mean! It’s the sugars in everyday food products that will hike up your total daily sugar levels NOT the occasional teaspoon of sugar in your cup of tea. If you really want to replace table sugar for health benefits then use raw honey, yes it still contains sugar and calories but it also contains lots of vitamins and minerals and it actually considered a super food. Honey is sweeter than sugar so you tend to need less of it to satisfy a sweet craving.

Now with regards to stevia, basically it is the common name for extracts from the plant Stevia rebaudiana. Stevia has no calories or carbohydrates and therefore does not raise blood sugar levels, this makes it an ideal sweetener for diabetics. The Stevia Resource Center reports that stevia is at least 10 times sweeter than sugar, which will significantly alter the amount you need to add to recipes and hot beverages. This may sound well and good but remember that even stevia products go through a refining process. My take on nutrition is you cant go wrong if you eat foods closest to nature, that’s why when I get a sweet craving I use raw honey, in small doses naturally.

For a detailed break down on all sugar substitutes go to http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073

The Health Whisperer xx