Do I Need to Maintain the Same Calorie Intake Every Day?

Hi,
I am a 6'1" 225 pound male, trying to lose some weight. I am keeping a food record and I notice that on certain days I take in more calories than others. My schedule is affected by work hours, which are sometimes 10 hours a day, and school because I am in classes 3 days a week. Does it matter if I eat more some days than others, as long as I always have a low number of calories?  Dave S.

Dear Dave,

It is not essential to eat the same number of calories each day. However, it is wise to eat a reasonable number of calories each day! For instance, if you notice that you've only eaten 1100 one day and that another day you took in 3000, I would suggest you try to plan your meals and snacks in advance to make sure you are getting in the optimal nutrition each day.


Research shows that skipping meals does not help with weight loss. On the days you are busy try to find time to fit in a healthy snack, even if it's something like a granola bar or a slimfast-type meal replacement drink or bar. This will keep a steady flow of nutrients for your body to use consistently, and increase your chances for continued steady weight loss.

Likewise, take a look at days when your caloric intake is high to figure out where a large number of calories are coming from. Often people tend to make up for missed meals with higher calorie foods later in the day.

If you are talking about a fluctuation of 200 or 300 calories, it's not important. I would estimate a range between 1800 and 2200 calories will be a good daily goal for your weight loss plan.

How Can My Husband Safely Gain Weight?

Hi Ms. Beebe,
My husband has always had high cholesterol and recently high blood pressure. So to combat this, he's been watching what he eats, but now he is losing weight. It's a double-edged sword. He does need to gain weight. I've tried to help by giving him extra pasta, potatoes and rice.
He weighs 153 (his lowest point recently being 148#, and he should be 170.
We would like to know with the two situations in mind, are there any foods that you might recommend that could help him gain the weight he needs and not wreak havoc on his cholesterol?
Thank You!  Kimberly H.

Dear Kimberly,

You have the right idea going! Pastas, potatoes and rice are both low in fat and sodium, so they won't be interfering with his cholesterol or blood pressure!
Other foods to add that are low in both sodium and cholesterol:
1.  Fruits (dried fruits and juices can add quite a few calories)
2. Cereals (both hot or cold) with skim milk
3. "Good" fats like nuts and sunflower seeds
4. Dry peas and beans
5. Lean meats like chicken breasts and fish

Sometimes people do tend to go a bit overboard when they have decided to eat better for their health, and they avoid foods they don't need to be avoiding or take amounts that aren't enough to support their energy needs. Perhaps your husband can eat larger portions of some foods, or start incorporating snacks.

If he is not able to gain weight because his appetite isn't big enough to eat more of these healthy foods, he can try a supplement (like Carnation Instant Breakfast or Ensure). These do not have cholesterol and are quite low in sodium. If he drinks 2 a day (about 250 calories in each serving) he can expect to put on about one pound each week.

If weight loss continues, be sure to visit the doctor with this information and check out any other possibilities that could be causing weight loss.

Is Food Combining Real Science?

Laurie

Have you heard of "food combining"? The basic concept is not to mix carbohydrates with proteins or fats as they interfere with each other during digestion.
I have always had digestive issues in spite of the fact I am a light eater and stay clear of big fatty meals.  Even as a kid, a burger or plate of meat and potatoes left my belly bloated for hours.
I have tried all kinds of digestive supplements to see if I was intolerant, but nothing helped.
Then it dawned on me that maybe it wasnt the food it was the mixture of foods I was eating. I for example I can eat a bagel no problem but ad bacon and egg and I bloat. Chicken ceasar salads are no problem but add croutons-you get it.  I google this and its called food combining.  I mentioned this to my doctor and he thinks its quackery. It also doesnt seem to be as mainstream as the other food fads. Your thoughts appreciated! -- Tony G.

Dear Tony,
Yes, I agree with your doctor. This bogus myth has been around for a hundred years, yet people have been eating sandwiches for decades! There is nothing in our physiology that prevents combining any foods together. The hormones and enzymes in our stomach and small intestine respond to each type of food (carbohydrates, fats, or protein) regardless of other types entering the digestive system at the same time.
There is a chance you have some type of digestive intolerance and it may be to gluten or it may be to fats... or it may just be that adding another food results in too much volume for you to comfortably digest at one time.
Try eating whatever you like in smaller portions (like 1/2 bagel with bacon and egg) and see if this helps!

Does it Matter What Time You Eat?

I am writing to find out if eating late may be affecting my weight. I have heard it's just "calories in calories out" and not specifically what you eat or when. What's your take on this? --Gina F.

Hi Gina,
Yes, I believe it does not matter what time you eat. Case in point: people in Europe eat dinner very very late (10 pm, at which time I am ready for bed!) yet Americans have a higher rate of obesity. I think we eat the wrong foods in the wrong amounts, such as a bag of chips in front of the TV and then some milk and cookies before bed.... time is not necessarily the factor.  It is a matter of consuming too many calories after probably having eaten enough in our breakfast, lunch, dinner, and other snacks! I can tell you plenty of people have a healthy evening snack like a piece of fruit, a bowl of cereal, or even a small serving of milk and cookies, and are of perfectly normal weight.

Is Skim Milk Good for You?

Ms. Beebe,
I have heard that fat free foods may just not be good for you because they replace the fat with something else. My question is about skim milk, which is also called fat free milk. Is there something they add to this to replace the fat being skimmed out, should I stay away from this skim/fat free milk? Is it missing any nutrients that you should be getting from milk? I am interested in all you have to say about skim/fat free milk. Thanks, Bob.

Dear Bob,

That's a great question because lots of products do replace the fat with some other substance. Usually it's either artificial or it's something with sugars in it. I know I used to buy low fat peanut butter until I looked at the label and saw I wasn't saving too many calories (170 versus 180 in the regular) and it just had added sugars!
Milk is a different story. As a matter of fact, many dairy products (including yogurt, ice cream, sour cream) can be purchased "low fat" and you'll be getting the same product minus the fat. Period.

It's always a good idea to read the ingredient label to see what you're getting. It's especially helpful to compare the low-fat product to the standard product (like I eventually did with the peanut butter).

Furthermore, with the fat removed, a glass of skim milk actually has a slightly higher content of vitamins and minerals because there is about an extra ounce of milk replacing the fat that's in a glass of whole milk.
Drink up and enjoy!

How Do I Use My Pedometer?

As part of a spring exercise incentive program at my job they just gave us all a pedometer and encouraged us to start walking 5000 steps. I'm not clear on this: How far is it, how long it will take, and are we supposed to do 5000 steps every single day?  Do I wear the pedometer all the time or just while taking this one walk?  Millie W.

Dear Millie,

Most public health and wellness agencies agree that 10,000 steps per day is the number to aim for. This is about 5 miles per day. It does not necessarily mean a five mile walk (although that is perfectly acceptable) but means you should be moving around all day long as much as possible.

Put the pedometer on as soon as you dress in the morning, and wear it until you go to bed at night. Keep a record of your daily steps for a few weeks, and remember to reset the instrument each morning before you put it back on.

You may find initially that you walk 1000 steps a day if you do not exercise and/or if your workday is sedentary. Others may find they easily get in thousands of steps per day with a daily 2 mile walk, moving around on the job, running after their small children, and walking up and down the aisles of the grocery store. There are dozens of ways to get in steps and the good news is, they all count!

Get an idea what your average number is after a few days of recording, and then decide how much you can ramp it up. Try getting in 50 percent more steps than you have been (such as increasing from 4000 per day to 6000 per day) and see how that goes for a few weeks. If you can do it, shoot for another 2000 per day and keep it up for a few more weeks.

It's fun to see how many more steps you can get in each day just by parking a bit farther away or taking a flight of stairs instead of the elevator. For more fun, consider having contests with others, either at work or online.  And the biggest benefit for most people? Track the weight you lose as you increase your activity just by getting in more steps! As a guideline, you can lose a pound each month from every 2000 steps you add per day. A 2000 step walk is about a mile and should take most people just about 20 minutes or less. This simple strategy can leave you 10 pounds lighter by this time next year, so give it a try!

Is a Juicer or a Blender Better for Increasing my Fruit and Vegetable Intake?

I am trying to consume more fruits and vegetables in order to lose weight and get more soluble fiber to lower my LDL cholesterol. I'm trying to figure out if it's better to use a juicer (because I've heard this leaves out some of the fiber) or a blender (which I understand makes the food more difficult to digest).  Thanks, Joe. S.

Dear Joe,
It seems to me, chewing your fruits and vegetables naturally blenderizes them. When the chewed food gets to your stomach and the acid starts to break it down you are naturally juicing them! You can get enough soluble fiber from eating most fruits and vegetables with the skin on, such as apples, plums, cucumbers, etc.

Aim for 9-12 fruits and vegetables (combined) per day to get all the vitamins and fiber you need from this food group. You might want to start out slowly (increase by 2-3 servings a day) if you aren't used to all that fiber to give your gastrointestinal tract time to adjust. Bloating and stomach aches can be signs of taking in too much fiber too fast.