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N is for Nutrition
Recent research is putting new meaning to the old statement ‘you are what you eat’. In a study looking at the effects of different diets on weight gain, researchers place normal-weight volunteers on controlled diets in order to force a weight gain of 10 kilograms.
Two groups were set, one eating a high fat diet, the other group eating a low fat, high carbohydrate diet. The researchers carefully monitored all food intake and exercise for those in the project and found that it took 66% more calories in the carbohydrate diet to induce the same weight gain as in the high fat diet!
This research is more evidence supporting the need for a low-fat diet in the maintenance of healthy weight. In general, foods that come from animals (milk and meat groups) are naturally higher in fat than foods that come from plants. But there are many low fat dairy and lean meat choices available, and these foods can be prepared in ways that lower fat.
Of course reducing overall calories and the amount of calories we eat from fatty foods is only one step to achieving healthy weight. Regular physical activity is also important. People who lose weight simply by reducing food intake can change their body composition in an unintended way.
On a calorie-restricted diet alone, only 75% of the weight lost can be fat, with the rest of the loss being much needed muscle. Your goal should be to reduce body fat (bad weight), but retain muscle mass (good weight). In a weight loss program that combines exercise and calorie reduction, you can achieve over 90% fat loss while maintaining muscle.
The take-home message is clear, eat a low fat diet and be sure to maintain a physically activity lifestyle. Don’t wait. Start today.
Written by Professor Kerry Mummery
College of Health and Human Services
CQUniversity
