Lose your weight by changing eating habits
Lose your weight by changing eating habits
Question:
Dear Madam,
I am a regular reader of The Jakarta Post and your new column
on weight reduction is good. Please enlighten me about the
following points.
1. Is spot reduction possible? i.e. as exercising only the
specific muscles of tummy or legs?
2. Please guide us by an age vs height/weight chart so we can
decide how much weight we should shed.
3. How much carbohydrate, fat and protein should we include in
our diet to achieve a minimum of 1,200 calories?
4. As Indonesia is famous for its traditional jamus - how
effective are they in weight reduction? For that matter, how
effective are these commercial slimming products?
Hoping to get your clarification.
Thanks and regards,
XYZ
Answer:
Dear XYZ,
1) Unfortunately, spot reduction is not possible in the
strictest sense.
In other words, if you are generally overweight, exercising
only tummy and leg muscles may make those areas more toned but
you would still have a layer of fatty tissue on top. Reducing
your overall weight will remove cms from everywhere, including
those areas which particularly concern you.
However, strength training can help shape your body and
generally raise your metabolic rate. So while you are losing
weight, or if you are not overweight to begin with, specific
abdominal and leg exercises will tighten and firm those areas.
2) The Body Mass Index (BMI) is considered the best guide for
calculating a healthy weight range. BMI is easy to work out with
the formula: BMI = Weight (kg) divided by height (metres)
squared.
The result is then interpreted as follows: Below 19 --
underweight. 20 - 24 healthy. 25 - 29 clinically overweight. 30 -
40 clinically obese. Over 40 -- morbidly obese.
So, a 20 year old female, height 1.65 metres can weigh between
57 - 68 Kg.
Please remember that this is a fairly broad "average" range
only. Because the bands are so "wide", the BMI is limited for
establishing your ideal weight. There really is too much
variability in age and body type for this to work for everyone.
3) The average diet is approximately 15 percent protein, 45
percent carbohydrate and 40 percent fat. For weight reduction try
25 percent protein, 50 percent carbohydrate and 25 percent fat.
With long term maintenance I suggest 15-20 percent protein, 50-55
percent carbohydrate and 25-30 percent fat.
4) As far as I am aware, there has been no controlled studies
to show if the traditional jamus are effective or ineffective in
weight reduction. However, please be warned that the herbal
marketplace is unregulated!
Commercial slimming products don't work in the long term.
(That's why the diet food industry makes so much money!) The way
to lose weight permanently is to change your eating and exercise
habits into healthy enjoyable ones that you can live with for the
rest of your life.
--Clare E. Urwin
Question:
Dear Madam,
I am a regular reader of The Jakarta Post and your new column
on weight reduction is good. Please enlighten me about the
following points.
1. Is spot reduction possible? i.e. as exercising only the
specific muscles of tummy or legs?
2. Please guide us by an age vs height/weight chart so we can
decide how much weight we should shed.
3. How much carbohydrate, fat and protein should we include in
our diet to achieve a minimum of 1,200 calories?
4. As Indonesia is famous for its traditional jamus - how
effective are they in weight reduction? For that matter, how
effective are these commercial slimming products?
Hoping to get your clarification.
Thanks and regards,
XYZ
Answer:
Dear XYZ,
1) Unfortunately, spot reduction is not possible in the
strictest sense.
In other words, if you are generally overweight, exercising
only tummy and leg muscles may make those areas more toned but
you would still have a layer of fatty tissue on top. Reducing
your overall weight will remove cms from everywhere, including
those areas which particularly concern you.
However, strength training can help shape your body and
generally raise your metabolic rate. So while you are losing
weight, or if you are not overweight to begin with, specific
abdominal and leg exercises will tighten and firm those areas.
2) The Body Mass Index (BMI) is considered the best guide for
calculating a healthy weight range. BMI is easy to work out with
the formula: BMI = Weight (kg) divided by height (metres)
squared.
The result is then interpreted as follows: Below 19 --
underweight. 20 - 24 healthy. 25 - 29 clinically overweight. 30 -
40 clinically obese. Over 40 -- morbidly obese.
So, a 20 year old female, height 1.65 metres can weigh between
57 - 68 Kg.
Please remember that this is a fairly broad "average" range
only. Because the bands are so "wide", the BMI is limited for
establishing your ideal weight. There really is too much
variability in age and body type for this to work for everyone.
3) The average diet is approximately 15 percent protein, 45
percent carbohydrate and 40 percent fat. For weight reduction try
25 percent protein, 50 percent carbohydrate and 25 percent fat.
With long term maintenance I suggest 15-20 percent protein, 50-55
percent carbohydrate and 25-30 percent fat.
4) As far as I am aware, there has been no controlled studies
to show if the traditional jamus are effective or ineffective in
weight reduction. However, please be warned that the herbal
marketplace is unregulated!
Commercial slimming products don't work in the long term.
(That's why the diet food industry makes so much money!) The way
to lose weight permanently is to change your eating and exercise
habits into healthy enjoyable ones that you can live with for the
rest of your life.
--Clare E. Urwin