- As soon as they are in the stomach, they are quickly digested. <br><br>- The blood sugar level rises and the body turns this excess sugar into fat.
By Paul Semugoma
BEING fat is no joke. There are medical problems to deal with; flat feet, hearnias, diabetes and heart disease, breathing problems and lack of mobility among others. It is uncomfortable. Yet not easy to be ‘cured’.
The basics: l Fat accumulates over years. l It is caused by eating more food energy than you use. l If one eats energy food, but does not use it, it turns into fat. l If one uses more energy than he or she eats, he or she loses weight. l It is a lot easier to avoid putting on weight than losing extra kilos. l Be conscious of what you eat, and drink, and burn off excess food energy in exercise.
And to lose... l When one is overweight, it is of benefit to lose some of the weight. l It does not have to be all of it. l Any weight loss that you make makes you reap the benefits of better health. l But do not be discouraged. Motivation is everything and this will carry the day. l Set targets that are realistic. Half a kilo a week is good. l Do it over months. l You need to assess how much you eat daily, including snacks and alcohol. l Note how much you exercise. - You can then plan a diet, (preferably with a dietician) that should lower your intake without stress.
Why go hungry? l You do not have to eat less. You just have to eat smart. l You have to know the foods that you are eating. l Sugars like the type we put in tea give great energy. - As soon as they are in the stomach, they are quickly digested.
- The blood sugar level rises and the body turns this excess sugar into fat. - When the blood sugar level falls and there is nothing in the stomach, so you feel hungry. - Starchy sugars are good. They are tough. - They digest slowly, and the sugar in them is released slowly. - They stay longer in the stomach and you do not feel hungry so quickly. - It is less likely to be turned into fat. l They include traditional root foods; cassava, yams and sweet potatoes. l Fats and oils are a problem. They add to the fat on our body. l We need just enough fat to make the food tasty. l You can boil your food instead of frying, avoid oily snacks, fat in cakes and full cream milk. - Proteins are great. They build and repair the body. - They also ‘kill’ appetite. Do not take too much of them. - They include meats, beans and groundnuts. - Fruits and vegetables are necessary. The vegetables can act as a filler in the stomach, so you will feel hungry less often.
Burn the fat: - When you increase the energy expenditure in activity, you are burning off the fat. - A weight loss plan has to include exercises. - Start off slowly with 10 minutes a day. Increase gradually.
Behavioural change: - It is always important to notice and change the habits that contribute to your gaining weight. - Like snacking between meals, long boozing sessions, the excuses, which occur at exercise time, or the nice comfy sofa by the TV with food within reach.
The benefits are real: - You will feel better. The medical benefits, even to a partial weight loss are undoubted. -0 Blood pressure, diabetes, breathing and heart functioning all improve. - You not only look and feel good, you are in fact actually quite good! - So, go ahead and plan to lose that weight.
The writer is a medical doctor A contestant in the recent Miss fat contest