It is important to understand that one’s weight alone is not the most accurate way of determining whether one’s body is a normal size. This is because muscle weighs more than fat and it is essential to eat in such a way that we preserve lean muscle tissue while promoting fat loss. Indeed a higher muscle-to-fat ratio can increase the body’s metabolic rate meaning more calories are expended on a daily basis.

 

The key to eating in this way is to keep blood sugar levels in balance. There are two main ways of doing this. Firstly, eat protein with every meal. Secondly, reduce or preferably eliminate sugar and refined carbohydrates. As protein has a grounding effect on blood sugar levels, when it is consumed in a meal containing carbohydrate it prevents the carbs being broken down too quickly avoiding a spike in blood sugar. Another benefit of adding protein to the meal is feeling fuller for longer. In addition, protein contains amino acids which are the building blocks of the body. They are required for all our body’s cells, muscles, bones, hair, skin and even hormones. So in order to maintain a healthy muscle mass, boost metabolism and encourage fat loss, it is essential that you get the right amount of protein in your food.

 

Just as too little protein can have a detrimental effect on your health, so can too much. The current fad for super-high protein diets can cause a state of ketosis in which ketones collect in the blood and may damage the kidneys through dehydration. Excessive protein consumption also increases the risk of osteoporosis due to reduced uptake of calcium. An acidic body can pave the way for many more serious illnesses.

 

These type of diets see protein as ‘good’ because they encourage weight loss and carbohydrates as ‘bad’ because they are seen as standing in the way of fat reduction. The truth of the matter is that both food groups are essential to healthy weight management – we just need to choose the most appropriate type of food for what it is we are wanting to achieve and consume it in the correct quantity.

 

Carbohydrates form the largest part of our diet and they encompass everything from white sugar to vegetables. A simplistic scale might look something like this:

 

• White sugar
• Sweet foods made from white flour
• Savoury foods made white flour
• Sweet foods made from unrefined (brown) flour
• Savoury foods made from unrefined flour
• Plain refined grains eg. white rice
• Plain unrefined grains eg. brown rice
• Starchy root vegetables
• Fruit
• All other vegetables eg. green & leafy, orange, red etc.

 

 

The key is to eat from the lower half of the scale increasing the items as we get closer to no. 10. All fresh fruit and vegetables are loaded with essential nutrients that our body needs on a daily basis as well as being high in fibre and low in calories. It is practically impossible to eat too many vegetables as we would get full long before we could overdose on their nutrients. Served with protein and a small serving of a starchy carbohydrate or grain, a high vegetable lunch and dinner could be said to be the ideal type of meal to both achieve and maintain a slim, toned and energetic body.