A Dietitians Advice

Taryn is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian with a Bachelor of Health Science and Masters of Nutrition and Dietetics. She has a wealth of clinical experience and interest in the prevention and management of lifestyle-related diseases. She consult at one of Australia’s leading bariatric clinics, WeightLoss Solutions Australia, managing patients under both surgical and non surgical weight management programs. Here she provides some valuable nutrition information.

Nutrition Information - Taryn Swift Accredited Practicing Dietitian

Balancing Energy

Energy balance is the difference between the energy used and the energy consumed each day. The energy used and consumed does not need to balance exactly each day however a bit too much every day will lead to weight gain over time.

The same amount of energy in and energy out over time = weight maintenance
More energy in than out over time = weight gain
More out than in over time = weight loss

Energy is used by the body for metabolism, physical activity and a small amount is used to process food. For most people, metabolism makes the largest contribution to energy output (60-70%). Here are some basic facts about metabolism;

Controlled by the hormonal and nervous system
Muscle is more metabolically active than fat
Extremely restrictive diets reduce the rate of metabolism

Energy intake is the total kilojoules consumed from food and drink. The only energy providing nutrients are fat, carbohydrates and protein; alcohol also contains energy but does not provide any nutrients. Each provides a varying amount of energy as described below

Carbohydrates	16Kj/gram
Protein	17Kj/gram
Fat	37Kj/gram
Alcohol	27kj/gram

The Energy-Providing Nutrients

Carbohydrates

GI Symbol Carbohydrates provide the body with glucose which is an important fuel for the body. Foods that contain carbohydrates include bread, breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, legumes, corn, potato, fruit, milk, yoghurt, sugar, biscuits, cakes, lollies and sweet drinks.
Foods containing carbohydrate can be ranked on a scale called the Glycemic Index (GI). Foods are given a value based on the rate they release their glucose into the blood stream. A carbohydrate food with a high GI is broken down quickly giving a fast and high blood glucose response and low GI foods are broken down more slowly giving a slower, sustained blood glucose response. Choosing mostly low GI foods can help to control blood sugars and appetite. Look for the low GI symbol on food packages.

Fats

Fat have several important roles in the body , they are a very concentrated source of energy and the trick is to include enough to provide health benefits without having too much which may slow down weight loss. It doesn’t take much to get the fats you need for good health, people trying to lose weight should aim for approximately 30-55g of fat per day. Foods contain a combination of three major types of fats, saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated
Saturated fat contributes to the risk of heart disease by raising blood cholesterol levels. These fats are commonly found in many animal products and include the fat in meats, full fat dairy products, cheese, cream, butter and many biscuits and pastries.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated are healthy fats and should make up the majority of dietary fat, they come from foods such as: vegetable oils such as olive, canola and peanut, avocado, nuts, seeds, fish, seafood, vegetable oils

Protein

Protein is an essential nutrient with multiple functions in the body. When carbohydrates and fats are unable to meet the body's energy needs, proteins can be broken down and used as a source of emergency energy.

Protein requirements are approximately 0.75-1g/kg of weight. So a 70kg person would need 52-70g protein per day. Dietary sources of protein include meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, nuts and seeds, legumes, soy products.

The challenge when choosing protein foods is to avoid those that are also high in fat, particularly saturated fat. For example, a sausage may have almost the same amount of fat as protein and peanut butter has almost twice the amount of fat as protein. Remember to choose low fat dairy products and lean meats to keep a low intake of saturated fats.

Alcohol

Cutting down or eliminating alcohol can significantly reduce your total energy intake. Alcohol contains approximately 27 Kilojoules per gram and offers very few nutrients. A standard drink contains 10g of pure alcohol; the Australian alcohol guidelines recommend 1 standard drink per day for women and 2 standard drinks for men. Serving sizes are commonly larger than one standard drink with 1 glass of wine often equating to 1.5 standard drinks and a stubbie of beer 1.4 standard drinks. A bottle of wine can contain more than 2000Kj. Check the label to monitor how many standard drinks you are having or measure your wine glasses to make sure you are not having too much.
Alcohol can also increase your hunger, slow down the rate at which you burn fat; and too much acts as a depressant. Alcohol can also leave you feeling hung over and unmotivated to exercise.
To cut down alcohol try the following:

Reduce the amount of alcohol and top up with mineral water
Increase your alcohol free days
Try low alcohol alternatives
Drink slowly, sip instead of gulping
Don’t allow your drink to be topped up

If you cannot stop or reduce alcohol intake by yourself, your GP may be able to help with medications or referral to a counseling service.

Finding the Balance

The Diet Plate allows you to include the correct proportion of each of the above groups allowing you to lose or maintain your weight while providing your body with the vitamins, minerals and energy to function properly. Remember, very restrictive diets that completely eliminate any of the above groups or over restrict energy intake, can slow down your metabolism and be very difficult to sustain, often leading to weight regain. The Diet Plate is an easy way to help you get the nutrition you need to lose weight and stay healthy.

For more information from Taryn Swift, please go to the contact us page to email her.

The Diet Plate