Ask an expert
Search expert health advice:
Browse by expert
- ADHD Expert
- Allergy expert
- Anti-ageing expert
- Asthma Expert
- Arthritis expert
- Breast cancer expert
- Cancer expert
- Cough Expert
- CyberDoc
- CyberShrink
- Oral health expert
- Depression expert
- Diabetes expert
- EnviroHealth expert
- Family law expert
- Fertility expert
- Flu expert
- GynaeDoc
- Headache expert
- Healthy Bones
Question
12 Aug 2010
Share
exercise and diet
I go to gym 3 times a week and I burn off roughly 250 calories in a 40 min work out. Not much but I''m new and it''s taking a while to increase this pace. What worries me is that on an average day I take in about 1200 calories. Do basically only less than a quarter of this gets burned off while almost a thousand calories just hangs around? How am I going to lose weight? I eat a low carb, low fat diet, gym three times a week...the maths is telling me that I will not really lose weight. I''m desperate please advise. I don''t know what else to do.
An average day for me is:
bowl of all bran with low fat milk, no sugar. 1 coffee
lunch is a protein, and salad. and a fruit for carbs/sugar.
Supper is protein, veg and no carbs like rice or pasta.
What else am I supposed to do? Skip meals?
An average day for me is:
bowl of all bran with low fat milk, no sugar. 1 coffee
lunch is a protein, and salad. and a fruit for carbs/sugar.
Supper is protein, veg and no carbs like rice or pasta.
What else am I supposed to do? Skip meals?
DietDoc
Dear Kel
It is important to understand that we require a lot of kilocalories to just keep what is called our Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) going. The RMR is the amount of energy required for body processes such as breathing, digestion, heart action, etc, even when you are at rest or asleep. Then even when you are not in the gym you will be moving around and using some additional energy. Basically the recommended energy intake for adult women who want to lose weight is 1500 kcal/day, thus you are already ingesting less than the minimum and you are expending 250 kcal every time you exercise. In addition, the exercise increases your RMR for up to 24 hours after exercise, using up even more kcal. You need, therefore, not worry that you are ingesting too much energy or not expending enough to lose weight. The diet you describe is not fully balanced (e.g. 2 are not having 3 servings of low-fat milk or dairy products a day which can lead to calcium deficiencies) and there is no reason to cut your carbs so drastically. Compare what you are eating with the energy-reduced, low-fat, high-fibre diet on this Website click on 'Diet' at the top of this page, 'Weight loss', ‘Balanced diet’ and then on 'Slimming Diet' for a copy of such a diet).
Hang in there, you are on the right track
Best regards
DietDoc
It is important to understand that we require a lot of kilocalories to just keep what is called our Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) going. The RMR is the amount of energy required for body processes such as breathing, digestion, heart action, etc, even when you are at rest or asleep. Then even when you are not in the gym you will be moving around and using some additional energy. Basically the recommended energy intake for adult women who want to lose weight is 1500 kcal/day, thus you are already ingesting less than the minimum and you are expending 250 kcal every time you exercise. In addition, the exercise increases your RMR for up to 24 hours after exercise, using up even more kcal. You need, therefore, not worry that you are ingesting too much energy or not expending enough to lose weight. The diet you describe is not fully balanced (e.g. 2 are not having 3 servings of low-fat milk or dairy products a day which can lead to calcium deficiencies) and there is no reason to cut your carbs so drastically. Compare what you are eating with the energy-reduced, low-fat, high-fibre diet on this Website click on 'Diet' at the top of this page, 'Weight loss', ‘Balanced diet’ and then on 'Slimming Diet' for a copy of such a diet).
Hang in there, you are on the right track
Best regards
DietDoc
The information provided does not constitute a diagnosis of your condition. You should consult a medical practitioner or other appropriate health care professional for a physical examination, diagnosis and formal advice. Health24 and the expert accept no responsibility or liability for any damage or personal harm you may suffer resulting from making use of this content.
