ASK A NUTRITIONIST

I have thyroid issues and want to lose weight. How do I go about this?

The thyroid and a sluggish metabolism go hand in hand. A thyroid condition slows down your metabolism drastically. The first thing you need to do is get on medication so you can get your hormone levels balanced out. Without medication, even the best diet will not work and you will have issues with low energy, massive mood melt-downs and not to mention excessive hair fall. A thyroid problem is an auto-immune issue so ideally you should follow a very anti-inflammatory plan that eliminates inflammatory foods such as gluten, dairy and soy. The other important change you should bring about in your lifestyle is to include exercise as a daily activity. A regimen that includes resistance training and muscle building should be incorporated into your daily schedule. Muscle is a very active tissue and the only real and sure way to increase your metabolic rate is to exercise your muscles. Compared to fat tissue, your muscle tissue uses three times more calories just to maintain itself. Weight training three times a week can dramatically help with building some lean muscle.

I am overweight and have been trying to shed some fat. To that end, I have been having fruit for breakfast for some time now. Yet, I have not been able to lose weight. What could be the problem?

One of the major reasons people struggle with weight loss issues is because of their body’s inability to handle carbohydrates. Fruit is oaded with carbohydrates and a whole lot of minerals and vitamins. Eating too much fruit and especially replacing one of your big meals of the day with a bowlful of fruit could actually be counter-productive to your plans to lose weight in a healthy manner. Breakfast is one meal where you can get nutrients such as protein and good fats from food like eggs, avocados and protein oatmeal, among others. If you replace the first meal of the day with just carbohydrates from fruit, your sugar levels will rise very quickly before dropping within an hour making you super hungry. You will notice the difference in hunger levels when you eat fruit instead of say, eggs. Eggs will keep your sugar levels stable and help you feel fuller for longer. You can have fruit as a snack or have a bowl of fruit pre- or post- workout.

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