I've heard that drinking ice water can make your body burn more calories. Is this true? If so, would it burn enough to help a person lose weight? thanks, Marjorie C.
Hi Marjorie,
There are all sorts of diet myths that are partially true, but have been blown out of proportion. This is one of them. The human body expends many calories during a typical day keeping the body temperature as close to 98.6 degrees F as possible. (This metabolic burn is already accounted for when you hear that the average person burns about 2000 calories.)
Drinking ice water makes the body burn calories to keep the core temperature up to normal; about 9 calories per 8-oz glass! So even if you're drinking the recommended 8 glasses per day, you aren't up to an extra hundred calories. It takes about 3500 calories to burn off a pound of fat, and drinking too much water can actually be toxic, so this route is not an option.
Likewise for hanging out in very hot or very cold weather--a bit of increase in metabolism occurs, but dangerous frostbite or heatstroke could occur long before a person lost a few pounds!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Friday, May 11, 2012
Why am I Retaining Fluid? Am I Drinking Too Much Water?
Hi,
I have recently started on a weight loss diet and it was going fine for a few weeks. I cut back from my usual intake of about 3000 calories to just 1500 and was losing. But suddenly I have gained 12 pounds. I don't think it's the scale because it's new and my husband uses it also.
Could it be possible I am retaining fluid? I am going through menopause, could that contribute?
Finally, is there such a thing as drinking too much water? I ask this water question because I notice that I retain fluid (feel a bit swollen) easily and I tend to drink A LOT of water each day. I know water is good but if I drink an excessive amount would that be a bad thing and make me retain it? I usually drink a minimum of 4-5 20 oz glasses a day. I have always drank that but never really considered I might retain it until the scale reading. Thanks again for your help. Marie R.
Dear Marie,
I have no logical explanation for a 12-pound jump, except to suspect it will come back down quickly over the next couple of days. And to assure you that it's definitely not fat gain!
It takes about 3500 calories to make a pound of body fat. So you would have had to eaten over 35,000 calories in a couple of days to make a 12-pound gain. Not likely, especially since you've been eating 1500 ;)
Retaining fluid doesn't usually come from drinking too much water. It can happen with hormones in women as their cycle fluctuates; it results from high sodium/salt intake (Chinese food, ham or lunchmeat, canned soup) in many people; and it is seen in certain conditions like congestive heart failure or liver disease.
The amount of fluid you regularly drink (up to 100 ounces) is close to 3000 milliliters. The recommended fluid intake is about 1 milliliter per calorie. So you have been drinking the exact amount suggested to support metabolism of your caloric intake. Now with the lower calorie intake you may find that you need less. It's not too much if you do keep it up, as long as it's all flushing through regularly.
If you notice actual fluid retention (like swelling around your ankles) or unusual extreme thirst, increase or decrease in urination, pay a visit to your family doctor. There are conditions that can affect fluid balance that can be serious if not treated.
I have recently started on a weight loss diet and it was going fine for a few weeks. I cut back from my usual intake of about 3000 calories to just 1500 and was losing. But suddenly I have gained 12 pounds. I don't think it's the scale because it's new and my husband uses it also.
Could it be possible I am retaining fluid? I am going through menopause, could that contribute?
Finally, is there such a thing as drinking too much water? I ask this water question because I notice that I retain fluid (feel a bit swollen) easily and I tend to drink A LOT of water each day. I know water is good but if I drink an excessive amount would that be a bad thing and make me retain it? I usually drink a minimum of 4-5 20 oz glasses a day. I have always drank that but never really considered I might retain it until the scale reading. Thanks again for your help. Marie R.
Dear Marie,
I have no logical explanation for a 12-pound jump, except to suspect it will come back down quickly over the next couple of days. And to assure you that it's definitely not fat gain!
It takes about 3500 calories to make a pound of body fat. So you would have had to eaten over 35,000 calories in a couple of days to make a 12-pound gain. Not likely, especially since you've been eating 1500 ;)
Retaining fluid doesn't usually come from drinking too much water. It can happen with hormones in women as their cycle fluctuates; it results from high sodium/salt intake (Chinese food, ham or lunchmeat, canned soup) in many people; and it is seen in certain conditions like congestive heart failure or liver disease.
The amount of fluid you regularly drink (up to 100 ounces) is close to 3000 milliliters. The recommended fluid intake is about 1 milliliter per calorie. So you have been drinking the exact amount suggested to support metabolism of your caloric intake. Now with the lower calorie intake you may find that you need less. It's not too much if you do keep it up, as long as it's all flushing through regularly.
If you notice actual fluid retention (like swelling around your ankles) or unusual extreme thirst, increase or decrease in urination, pay a visit to your family doctor. There are conditions that can affect fluid balance that can be serious if not treated.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Tell Me About the K-E Diet!
I just heard about this new K-E diet in Miami that lets you lose 10 or 20 pounds in 10 days. It's a special fat-burning formula, but where can I get it if I don't live in Miami? Or if I don't have $1500 to spend. Is there something else that I could substitute?
Rebecca J.
Hi Rebecca,
The K-E diet stands for "ketogenic enteral diet". Ketogenic means your body burns fat because you give it no source of carbohydrates. With this chemical imbalance, the body races to flush ketones out in the urine, and a significant weight loss is seen because of fluid loss. Enteral means the formula is given via your gastrointestinal tract--the way we usually feed ourselves.
This is the most horrible "diet plan" I've seen in my three decades as a registered dietitian. The "diet" formula consists of the basic liquid protein diet that was popular in the 1970's (until several people died from electrolyte imbalance). The way it works is, you only get 800 calories a day for the entire 10-day period. The fact is, if you only eat 800 calories a day (especially if it's just chicken and vegetables) you'll lose the same amount of weight. Take note, I am NOT recommending this chicken-and-vegetable strategy either! A lot of the weight loss is fluid (because you increase your urine output to flush out the ketones that build up as a back-up form of energy when you eat no carbohydrates). This means, once you go back to a regular diet you'll gain back several pounds of lost fluid weight. In a short time people usually gain back the rest of the fat weight they lost as well.
And there certainly are risks with inserting a naso-gastric tube. In the hospital, these naso-gastric tubes are only used for patients who are unable to eat enough; people who are in a coma, have had a stroke, or have a serious illness that keeps them from being able to get enough nutrition by chewing and swallowing their food. There can be issues from tube irritation in the esophagus, and in some cases the tube can be accidentally placed (or accidentally moved after being placed properly) and end up in the lung. When the feeding formula goes into the lung it usually results in pneumonia.
My advice? Run as far and as fast as you can from this extreme new fad diet. Naso-gastric feeding tubes have no place in the healthy functioning population outside of health-care facilities. And liquid protein diets will give no long-lasting weight loss results. This is why they go out of style as quickly as they come in.
Rebecca J.
Hi Rebecca,
The K-E diet stands for "ketogenic enteral diet". Ketogenic means your body burns fat because you give it no source of carbohydrates. With this chemical imbalance, the body races to flush ketones out in the urine, and a significant weight loss is seen because of fluid loss. Enteral means the formula is given via your gastrointestinal tract--the way we usually feed ourselves.
This is the most horrible "diet plan" I've seen in my three decades as a registered dietitian. The "diet" formula consists of the basic liquid protein diet that was popular in the 1970's (until several people died from electrolyte imbalance). The way it works is, you only get 800 calories a day for the entire 10-day period. The fact is, if you only eat 800 calories a day (especially if it's just chicken and vegetables) you'll lose the same amount of weight. Take note, I am NOT recommending this chicken-and-vegetable strategy either! A lot of the weight loss is fluid (because you increase your urine output to flush out the ketones that build up as a back-up form of energy when you eat no carbohydrates). This means, once you go back to a regular diet you'll gain back several pounds of lost fluid weight. In a short time people usually gain back the rest of the fat weight they lost as well.
And there certainly are risks with inserting a naso-gastric tube. In the hospital, these naso-gastric tubes are only used for patients who are unable to eat enough; people who are in a coma, have had a stroke, or have a serious illness that keeps them from being able to get enough nutrition by chewing and swallowing their food. There can be issues from tube irritation in the esophagus, and in some cases the tube can be accidentally placed (or accidentally moved after being placed properly) and end up in the lung. When the feeding formula goes into the lung it usually results in pneumonia.
My advice? Run as far and as fast as you can from this extreme new fad diet. Naso-gastric feeding tubes have no place in the healthy functioning population outside of health-care facilities. And liquid protein diets will give no long-lasting weight loss results. This is why they go out of style as quickly as they come in.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
How Many Grams of Sugar Should I Eat?
Dear Laurie,
I have been reading articles on sugar and I know it should come from natural sources like fruit, veg and oats etc. but would like to know the exact percentage of sugar (of all kinds) recommended for weight loss. I will be following a 1400 calorie diet for weight loss, so how many grams a day of sugar should I eat? Anne M.
Hi Anne,
First of all there is a difference between "sugar" and "carbohydrates", the latter of which turn to sugar after you eat them. The benefit of getting sugar from fruit instead of from candy, is that fruit also gives you valuable nutrients like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Gram for gram, you get the same calories from table sugar or an orange, as carbohydrates in potatoes or bread.
There isn't really sugar in oats or vegetables, but the starchy vegetables (like peas and corn) and grains contain carbohydrates which break down to sugar after digestion.
The recommendations for carbohydrates are to contribute about 45-55% of your calories. This means about 700 calories of your 1400 calorie diet should be from carbs (700 calories/4 calories per gram = 175 grams per day).
Refined and added sugars are not necessary (for instance, jelly, sweetened cereals, soft drinks, pies and cakes) and will add calories to your diet without nutrition. These foods all have a place in the diet (in moderation) but are best to be avoided when you're trying to lose weight.
Check out www.choosemyplate.gov for recommendations and tools to help you follow a balanced diet. If you choose the right number of servings from all the food groups, you won't have to bother calculating every gram you eat--which will make eating healthy a whole lot easier!
I have been reading articles on sugar and I know it should come from natural sources like fruit, veg and oats etc. but would like to know the exact percentage of sugar (of all kinds) recommended for weight loss. I will be following a 1400 calorie diet for weight loss, so how many grams a day of sugar should I eat? Anne M.
Hi Anne,
First of all there is a difference between "sugar" and "carbohydrates", the latter of which turn to sugar after you eat them. The benefit of getting sugar from fruit instead of from candy, is that fruit also gives you valuable nutrients like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Gram for gram, you get the same calories from table sugar or an orange, as carbohydrates in potatoes or bread.
There isn't really sugar in oats or vegetables, but the starchy vegetables (like peas and corn) and grains contain carbohydrates which break down to sugar after digestion.
The recommendations for carbohydrates are to contribute about 45-55% of your calories. This means about 700 calories of your 1400 calorie diet should be from carbs (700 calories/4 calories per gram = 175 grams per day).
Refined and added sugars are not necessary (for instance, jelly, sweetened cereals, soft drinks, pies and cakes) and will add calories to your diet without nutrition. These foods all have a place in the diet (in moderation) but are best to be avoided when you're trying to lose weight.
Check out www.choosemyplate.gov for recommendations and tools to help you follow a balanced diet. If you choose the right number of servings from all the food groups, you won't have to bother calculating every gram you eat--which will make eating healthy a whole lot easier!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
How Long Will It Take me to Lose 50 Pounds?
I'm a 32 year old female and I've been overweight for the past seven years, since I had my daughter and decided to be a stay-at-home Mom. I think I was just more active in my job, and had regular eating habits instead of snacking so much during the day. Now I realize I'm not feeling as young as I think I should and it's even getting uncomfortable to try to keep up with my daughter. I want to try to lose 50 pounds, but I don't know if I'll be able to stay on a diet if it's going to take more than 3 months. I get so discouraged easily when the weight comes off slowly. Can I lose all this weight in 3 months? I'm hoping you can give me an answer that I will like! Gina S.
Hi Gina,
While it's possible to lose 50 pounds in three months (for 12-13 weeks time this equals about 4 pounds per week), it's not likely unless you are extremely overweight. The general rule of thumb is to reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories a day (or burn 500 more calories per day--which means exercising hard for nearly an hour--or some combination of both diet and exercise) to lose one pound per week.
Using this math, in order to lose 4 pounds per week, a person would have to burn 2000 more calories per day than usual, or eat 2000 calories less per day. For the average person, 2000 calories IS the total daily intake, so you can hardly cut it down to zero!
The good news is, it sounds like you may have several daily opportunities to both cut calories, and to burn more. The best way to go about losing weight is to start keeping a food diary. There are numerous free websites that help you log your food while the calorie-tracking is done for you. A few my clients like are FitDay.com, SparkPeople.com, LoseIt.com and TheDailyPlate.com.
Substituting healthier choices for your snacks, realizing the times you snack out of boredom and not hunger, limiting portions, and eating regular meals can all help you eat a lower daily calorie level. Remember, for every 500 calories you can eliminate, you'll lose about a pound at the end of the week.
As far as exercise goes, it doesn't have to be an hour in the gym. Going for walks, playing ball in the yard, or going for a bike ride all contribute to burning more calories on a daily basis.
If you make small and reasonable changes in both diet and exercise, you can realistically lose 2 pounds a week easily. I know it sounds slow to take nearly 6 months to lose 50 pounds, but it will be a lot easier when you do it by making permanent habit changes instead of going on a diet that leaves you hungry and ready to go back "off" the diet!
Hi Gina,
While it's possible to lose 50 pounds in three months (for 12-13 weeks time this equals about 4 pounds per week), it's not likely unless you are extremely overweight. The general rule of thumb is to reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories a day (or burn 500 more calories per day--which means exercising hard for nearly an hour--or some combination of both diet and exercise) to lose one pound per week.
Using this math, in order to lose 4 pounds per week, a person would have to burn 2000 more calories per day than usual, or eat 2000 calories less per day. For the average person, 2000 calories IS the total daily intake, so you can hardly cut it down to zero!
The good news is, it sounds like you may have several daily opportunities to both cut calories, and to burn more. The best way to go about losing weight is to start keeping a food diary. There are numerous free websites that help you log your food while the calorie-tracking is done for you. A few my clients like are FitDay.com, SparkPeople.com, LoseIt.com and TheDailyPlate.com.
Substituting healthier choices for your snacks, realizing the times you snack out of boredom and not hunger, limiting portions, and eating regular meals can all help you eat a lower daily calorie level. Remember, for every 500 calories you can eliminate, you'll lose about a pound at the end of the week.
As far as exercise goes, it doesn't have to be an hour in the gym. Going for walks, playing ball in the yard, or going for a bike ride all contribute to burning more calories on a daily basis.
If you make small and reasonable changes in both diet and exercise, you can realistically lose 2 pounds a week easily. I know it sounds slow to take nearly 6 months to lose 50 pounds, but it will be a lot easier when you do it by making permanent habit changes instead of going on a diet that leaves you hungry and ready to go back "off" the diet!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
When to eat Watermelon
Hi Laurie, I'm a 24 year old male. I've read all about the advantages of watermelon. However due to short lunch hour I'm unable to keep a gap between watermelon and main course. I would like to know whether this reduces the health benefits of watermelon in anyway. Or would you suggest me a better way to squeeze watermelon as well main course in a short time. Thanks, Joseph B.
Hi Joseph,
I'm not sure where these ideas about the nutritional value of watermelon come from--there really isn't anything magical about this particular fruit--as a matter of fact, it is one fruit that is not a very good concentrated source of anything but water!
The idea of not eating anything else with fruit comes from an email circulating that was based on recommendations back in the early 1900's: A physician saw frequent cases of food poisoning because adequate refrigeration was uncommon so it was difficult to keep food cold and fresh. He noted that lots of times people would blame their nausea and diarrhea on the fruit they ate, but that in fact it was probably due to spoilage from some other food they ate, such as meat or fish. He recommended people eat fruit alone (not with a meal containing meat) so if they became sick with food poisoning at another time of day, the fruit wasn't wasted as well. If fruit was eaten alone there was little chance they would get sick (foodborne illness rarely comes from fruit).
Other than that recommendation (which doesn't apply nowadays) there's no scientific reason to eat fruit alone, and no reason not to vary your fruits from day to day to get a nice mix of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to keep yourself healthy!
Hi Joseph,
I'm not sure where these ideas about the nutritional value of watermelon come from--there really isn't anything magical about this particular fruit--as a matter of fact, it is one fruit that is not a very good concentrated source of anything but water!
The idea of not eating anything else with fruit comes from an email circulating that was based on recommendations back in the early 1900's: A physician saw frequent cases of food poisoning because adequate refrigeration was uncommon so it was difficult to keep food cold and fresh. He noted that lots of times people would blame their nausea and diarrhea on the fruit they ate, but that in fact it was probably due to spoilage from some other food they ate, such as meat or fish. He recommended people eat fruit alone (not with a meal containing meat) so if they became sick with food poisoning at another time of day, the fruit wasn't wasted as well. If fruit was eaten alone there was little chance they would get sick (foodborne illness rarely comes from fruit).
Other than that recommendation (which doesn't apply nowadays) there's no scientific reason to eat fruit alone, and no reason not to vary your fruits from day to day to get a nice mix of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to keep yourself healthy!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Is Orange Juice Fattening?
I'm dieting and exercising on a daily basis, but I was wondering, besides water, what other liquids can I drink that are healthy? I love orange juice, but which juices are healthy? April K.
Hi April,
That's a good question. People are aware of the fact that sodas and sweetened teas contain lots of sugar that just adds needless calories. And many people are also wary of drinking several diet beverages a day. After all, these artificial sweeteners were initially intended to supply just one or two servings a day, and if you're drinking 8 cans you're venturing into some other territory.
So, what can you drink that adds very few, if any, calories and also has a flavor in case the water gets boring? The answer is flavored water. Not the kind you buy for $2 a bottle that adds vitamins and sugar and more artificial sweeteners! The kind you make yourself.
What flavors do you like? If you like orange juice, it's a great source of vitamin C. But the serving size used to be 4 ounces and provided about 40 calories. Now there are tremendously large-sized glasses and people easily pour a 12-ounce glass of juice to the tune of 120 calories.
The solution? Pour 2 ounces of orange juice into 6 ounces of water! Now you have the light flavor of orange juice, the hydration of an 8-ounce glass of water, and some vitamin C--all for only 20 calories. And you can do this twice and still contribute only 40 calories to your energy intake for the day. This works well with all juices. Another great idea is slicing up some fresh fruit (apples, kiwi, oranges, etc) and putting them into a pitcher of water. Keep the pitcher in the refrigerator and reach for some yummy fruit essence water whenever your thirsty. This probably doesn't contribute any calories until you eat the fruit!
One more way to flavor your water is with a teabag. I steep the tea in a small amount of hot water, then add ice and more cool water for a refreshing glass of iced tea (be sure to place a metal knife or spoon in the glass so it doesn't break from the fast temperature change). If you haven't browsed through the tea aisle lately, you'll be amazed to see all the flavors: mints, flowers like jasmine and rose, fruits like blueberry and strawberry, spiced apple and even sugar cookie. I add just a touch of honey to sweeten a bit. If you like to sweeten it keep in mind that a teaspoon of sugar contributes about 16 calories. Many teas are a healthful source of antioxidants too!
Now you can drink all the tasty water you like, and still keep from overdoing your calorie intake.
Hi April,
That's a good question. People are aware of the fact that sodas and sweetened teas contain lots of sugar that just adds needless calories. And many people are also wary of drinking several diet beverages a day. After all, these artificial sweeteners were initially intended to supply just one or two servings a day, and if you're drinking 8 cans you're venturing into some other territory.
So, what can you drink that adds very few, if any, calories and also has a flavor in case the water gets boring? The answer is flavored water. Not the kind you buy for $2 a bottle that adds vitamins and sugar and more artificial sweeteners! The kind you make yourself.
What flavors do you like? If you like orange juice, it's a great source of vitamin C. But the serving size used to be 4 ounces and provided about 40 calories. Now there are tremendously large-sized glasses and people easily pour a 12-ounce glass of juice to the tune of 120 calories.
The solution? Pour 2 ounces of orange juice into 6 ounces of water! Now you have the light flavor of orange juice, the hydration of an 8-ounce glass of water, and some vitamin C--all for only 20 calories. And you can do this twice and still contribute only 40 calories to your energy intake for the day. This works well with all juices. Another great idea is slicing up some fresh fruit (apples, kiwi, oranges, etc) and putting them into a pitcher of water. Keep the pitcher in the refrigerator and reach for some yummy fruit essence water whenever your thirsty. This probably doesn't contribute any calories until you eat the fruit!
One more way to flavor your water is with a teabag. I steep the tea in a small amount of hot water, then add ice and more cool water for a refreshing glass of iced tea (be sure to place a metal knife or spoon in the glass so it doesn't break from the fast temperature change). If you haven't browsed through the tea aisle lately, you'll be amazed to see all the flavors: mints, flowers like jasmine and rose, fruits like blueberry and strawberry, spiced apple and even sugar cookie. I add just a touch of honey to sweeten a bit. If you like to sweeten it keep in mind that a teaspoon of sugar contributes about 16 calories. Many teas are a healthful source of antioxidants too!
Now you can drink all the tasty water you like, and still keep from overdoing your calorie intake.
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