20 Super Foods You Need to Build Muscle & Lose Fat

To build muscle & lose fat, you need a variety of proteins, veggies, fruits, carbs, and healthy fats. Eating protein helps building & maintaining muscle. But it also helps fat loss: protein has a higher thermic effect than carbs/fats.

Eating fats also helps fat loss: your body holds fat if you don't eat fats. Fruits & veggies contain vitamins & minerals, necessary for recovery from your workouts. And carbs fuel your muscles so you feel full of energy at the gym. Lots of you struggle to get these foods. Sometimes because you're too busy or sometimes because you just lack information. This list will help you — 20 super foods you need to build muscle & lose fat.

1. Whole Eggs. 
Cheap & rich source of protein: 7g/egg. The yolk contains most nutrients: half the protein, vitamins A/D/E and cholesterol to naturally increase your testosterone levels. Don't worry about cholesterol in eggs. Dietary cholesterol isn't bound to blood cholesterol. If you have bad cholesterol, lower your body fat rather than throwing the yolk away.

2. Fish Oil. 
Reduces inflammation (joints/skin), lowers body fat and increases testosterone levels. You need 9000mg EPA/DHA per day. Since you'll probably struggle to get that from eating fatty fish, consider a fish oil supplement.

3. Wild Salmon. 
One of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids that also gets you 20g protein per 100g serving. Farm raised salmon is, however, omega-3 deficient: it's corn/grain fed. Go with wild salmon.

4. Berries. 
Strong antioxidants that prevent cancer, heart & eye diseases. Any kind works: cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc. Buy fresh or frozen berries and mix with oatmeal.

5. Yogurt. 
Contain bacteria that improve your gastrointestinal health. Don't buy frozen yogurt or yogurt with added sugar and fruits at the bottom. Get plain low fat yogurt. Eat it with berries & flax seeds.

6. Flax Seeds. 
Source of fiber, protein & omega-3. Grind the flax seeds to get the most out of them. Take 1 tbsp with yogurt & berries before going to bed. Stay away from flax oil: it's unstable and contains no fiber.

7. Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 
70% monounsaturated fats that protect against heart diseases and cancer. Add 1-2 tbsp olive oil to your salads. Buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil: it contains more polyphenols and tastes better.

8. Mixed Nuts. 
Contain mono- & polyunsaturated fats, proteins, fiber, vitamin E, zinc, potassium, magnesium, etc. Mixed nuts are caloric dense, great if you're a skinny guy who wants to gain weight. Anything works: almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, ... Peanut butter also works as long as you buy natural peanut butter without added salts/sugars.

9. Red Meat. 
Protein, vitamin B12, heme iron, zinc, creatine, carnosine and even omega-3 if you eat grass-fed beef. Eat steaks from top round or sirloin. Read Dr. Lonnie Lowery's article on Meat.

10. Broccoli. 
High in cancer-fighting phytochemicals and anti-estrogenicindoles. Broccoli is also high in soluble fiber and low calorie, helping fat loss. Eat other cruciferous vegetables for a change: cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower, kale, ...

11. Spinach. 
One of the most alkaline foods. Spinach prevents muscle & bone loss, but also cancer and heart diseases because of its high nutrient profile. Try one of the spinach recipes I shared a while back.

12. Turkey. 
If you don't believe saturated fat is good for you, try white turkey. The leanest beef has about 4.5g saturated fat/100g, while white turkey has close to 0g (that why it's so dry). Eat turkey with spinach & quinoa.

13. Quinoa. 
South American "king of grains". Quinoa is higher in fiber & protein than rice or oats, tastes a lot better and is gluten free. Buy the whiter grain, it's better quality. Eat it post workout with meat & spinach.

14. Oats. 
Reduce cholesterol, provide you with low-gi carbs for energy, and high in soluble fiber. Try this post workout shake of whey & oats.

15. Tomatoes. 
High in lycopene, which prevents cancer. The lycopene in tomato paste is 4 times more bioavailable than in fresh tomatoes. Have pizza or pasta with tomato sauce & olive oil post strength training.

16. Oranges. 
Vitamin C to fight diseases, magnesium to lower blood pressure, anti-oxidant beta-carotenes, etc. Quit drinking processed orange juice which often has added sugars. Eat oranges or make your own orange juice.

17. Apples. 
Pectin in apples helps weight loss by increasing satiety. Apples are also the strongest antioxidiant after cranberries (eat the peels). Unfortunately apples are one of the most pesticide-contaminated fruits. Go organic.

18. Carrots. 
Their huge vitamin A content improves eye-health, especially night vision. Carrots are also rich in fiber, low calorie and taste good, even raw.

19. Water. 
Your body holds water if you don't drink enough. Drinking prevents water retention, helps muscle recovery and prevents dehydration from strength training. Get a brita filter and drink 2 cups of water with each meal.

20. Green Tea. 
Strong antioxidant and natural diuretic. Green tea also speeds up fat loss, prevents cancer and improves blood sugar & circulation. Drink green tea in the morning instead of coffee. Real green tea, not the teabags.

Putting it All Together. Eat proteins, veggies, fruits & fats every 3 hours. 2 cups water with each meal. Carbs post workout only. Junk food 10% of the time. Get stronger in the meanwhile and you'll build muscle & lose fat.

Drinking More Water Burns a Few More Calories

Does drinking more water really help dieting? A small study says it may help you burn a few more calories each day. How many? About 50 calories per liter or quart of water. About 25 calories per water bottle-full of water. Mind you, that's only 5 M&Ms - plain, not peanut.


Why Drink More When Dieting?
Drinking a big glass of water whenever you feel hungry and before a meal or snack fills the stomach briefly and makes you feel fuller and stop eating sooner.
Breaking down body fat and body muscle during weight loss produces wastes that must be eliminated through the kidneys. Drinking enough water is important to keep the kidneys functioning to remove these wastes.
Popular high-protein diets produce more waste products from digestion, let alone from breaking down stored fat. Kidney function is even more important when on a high-protein diet.
Drinking more water does not "flush fat."
If the dieter is drinking plain water, he/she is less likely to be drinking something with calories in it.


Drinking Water Briefly Increases Metabolism
Drinking 500 mL of water (a half-liter or about a pint) increased the study participants' metabolism briefly - for about a half hour. In that time they burned an extra 25 calories. That's about a quarter of a piece of sliced bread, or 5 M&Ms. The researchers theorized that most of the effect comes from warming the water in the stomach. In the male participants the calories came mostly from stored fat, in the women it came from stored carbohydrates. The paper was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, December, 2003. It was conducted by researchers in Berlin.


Eight Glasses of Water a Day?
The study provides some support for the general recommendation to drink eight glasses of water a day while dieting. For most people that would add a liter or two to their regular water intake. The extra calorie-burn would be about 100 calories a day if drinking 2 liters (2 quarts or 4 water-bottles full) more than usual.


Dangers of Too Much Water
Don't start drinking an extra gallon of water a day - that can kill you, especially if you are fasting or eating very little. Water taken in must be in balance with body salt - electrolytes. The body needs to maintain salt balance or risk hyponatremia with heart attack and even death. Drinking too much water dilutes the salt in your blood and tissues - and can kill you. Healthy athletes have died from drinking too much plain water and not replacing salt. Dieters should not plunge into drinking gallons of water a day in hopes of burning a few more calories. Drink an extra few glasses, yes. But a gallon is too much.


Drinking and Walking
Exercise such as walking causes the metabolism to rise and body water to be lost through increased respiration and sweat. Walkers should drink a large glass of water an hour before walking, then drink about a cup of water every mile. When you finish walking, drink a glass of water. Guidelines for the marathon and half-marathon now say to "drink when thirsty" rather than pushing water, in order to prevent hyponatremia - drinking too much with replacing electrolytes

HEALTHY EATING PLAN

I believe I posted similar article before but i found priotised in studying about calorie intakes which plays an important task in being healthy and weight loss. It is important to choose a healthy eating program that you can stick with for life. Dieting simply produces a yo-yo effect. Yes, you may lose weight, but how long until it is back. Eat healthy, drink plenty of water, exercise daily and get plenty of rest.


It is important to know how many calories you actually need to maintain your weight. Many of us actually do not get enough calories. Our body therefore thinks we are starving it and hard as we may try the pounds will not come off. Use this tool to Estimate Your Calorie Needs. Also see the handy Nutrition Calculator to figure how many fat grams you need in your daily diet.

STEPS FOR A HEALTHIER YOU

To lose weight eat the only minimum number of servings for each food group daily. The only exception here is the vegetable group ... you can eat all the vegetables you want. Be sure to get in the minimum servings each day. Do not leave out any food group and do not skip meals. In fact it is easier to eat healthy if you eat 3 meals daily and one or two scheduled snacks. Also be sure to keep your selections to the items that are low in fat. Try to choose items that are naturally low in fat and high in fiber. Many, commercially prepared "low fat" products are packed with sugar and unwanted chemicals.

Know what you are eating. Read labels; and learn portion control.

Remember that how you prepare food can add more fat than the food itself. Use spices, herbs, and non stick sprays. Do not fry food. Bake, broil, grill, etc.

Try new healthy recipes!

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

·         To maintain body weight in a healthy range, balance calories from foods and beverages with calories expended.

·         To prevent gradual weight gain over time, make small decreases in food and beverage calories and increase physical activity.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

·         Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight.

·         To reduce the risk of chronic disease in adulthood: Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate- intensity physical activity, above usual activity, at work or home on most days of the week.

·         For most people, greater health benefits can be obtained by engaging in physical activity of more vigorous intensity or longer duration.

·         To help manage body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy body weight gain in adulthood: Engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.

·         To sustain weight loss in adulthood: Participate in at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity while not exceeding caloric intake requirements. Some people may need to consult with a healthcare provider before participating in this level of activity.

·         Achieve physical fitness by including cardiovascular conditioning, stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises or calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance.

ADEQUATE NUTRIENTS WITHIN CALORIE NEEDS

·         Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within and among the basic food groups while choosing foods that limit the intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt, and alcohol.

·         Meet recommended intakes within energy needs by adopting a balanced eating pattern, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide or the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Eating Plan.

FOOD GROUPS TO ENCOURAGE 

·         Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables while staying within energy needs. Two cups of fruit and 21/2 cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a reference 2,000-calorie intake, with higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level.

·         Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular, select from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables) several times a week.

·         Consume 3 or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day, with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain products. In general, at least half the grains should come from whole grains.

·         Consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.

FOOD SAFETY 

To avoid microbial foodborne illness:

·         Clean hands, food contact surfaces, and fruits and vegetables. Meat and poultry should not be washed or rinsed to avoid spreading bacteria to other foods.

·         Separate raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods while shopping, preparing, or storing foods.

·         Cook foods to a safe temperature to kill microorganisms.

·         Chill (refrigerate) perishable food promptly and defrost foods properly.

·         Avoid raw (unpasteurized) milk or any products made from unpasteurized milk, raw or partially cooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs, or raw or undercooked meat and poultry, unpasteurized juices, and raw sprouts.

FATS 

·         Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible.

·         Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

·         When selecting and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat-free.

·         Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids, and choose products low in such fats and oils.

CARBOHYDRATES 

·         Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains often.

·         Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners, such as amounts suggested by the USDA Food Guide and the DASH Eating Plan.

·         Reduce the incidence of dental caries by practicing good oral hygiene and consuming sugar- and starch-containing foods and beverages less frequently.

SODIUM AND POTASSIUM 

·         Consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately 1 teaspoon of salt) of sodium per day.

·         Choose and prepare foods with little salt. At the same time, consume potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES 

Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation -- defined as the consumption of up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.

·         Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed by some individuals, including those who cannot restrict their alcohol intake, women of childbearing age who may become pregnant, pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents, individuals taking medications that can interact with alcohol, and those with specific medical conditions.

·         Alcoholic beverages should be avoided by individuals engaging in activities that require attention, skill, or coordination, such as driving or operating machinery.

Eat For Health: A Nutritarian is Different Than a Vegetarian

Source: Dr. Fuhrman’s book Eat For Health.


In living the Eat For Health plan, you will become a nutritarian and learn to include more nutrient rich foods in your diet. A vegetarian or vegan diet that is plant-based also contains a portfolio of natural substances that have various health advantages, including protection against cancer. I am taking the liberty here to use the words vegan and vegetarian interchangeably, but a vegan diet is one that contains no foods of animal product origin whereas a vegetarian diet may contain some dairy. The advantages of a vegetarian (or vegan) diet are mostly because vegetarians are more likely to consume more vegetables, beans, fruit, nuts, and seeds compared to those eating more conventionally, not simply because they are refraining from meat products. Vegans who live on processed cereals, white flour products, rice, white potato, and processed soy products should not be expected to significantly extend their lifespan because their diet cannot be considered nutrient-rich.


Being a nutritarian differs from being a typical vegetarian because the focus on high-nutrient vegetation improves health dramatically, and one can reduce the level of animal products to a safe level without having to exclude them completely. Without considering nutrient density, a vegetarian diet could be just as bad as one that includes a lot of animal products. A vegan diet is an option for excellent health as long as care is taken to eat healthy, nutrient-rich foods. Making animal products the disease-causation villain while filling up on low-nutrient plant foods or processed soy foods will not suffice to achieve health excellence. The reduction in consumption of animal products is only one important feature of this eating-style, not the focal point. Even though you could consider yourself a nutritarian and vegan, the critical issue for disease reduction is not whether one is a strict vegan or not; the issue is the nutrients per calorie of a given diet.


People advocating a meat-based diet may be able to critique a grain and flour-heavy vegan diet as having metabolic deficiencies, but not a diet that is low in animal products and based on nutrient-dense plant foods. This program contains the health benefits of a vegetarian diet, gleaned from the reduction of animal products, without the risks from all those lower-nutrient, higher-glycemic foods such as sugar, French fries and processed grains.


In addition, you do not have to exclude all animal products from your diet to follow this plan and to receive profound benefits to the health of your blood vessels and the rest of your body. You just have to reduce them to safe levels. Humans are primates, and all other primates eat a diet of predominantly natural vegetation. When the great apes eat animal products, it is a very small percentage of their total caloric intake. Likewise, modern medical studies confirm that in order for humans to maximize their potential for a long, disease-free life, they have to keep animal products to a relatively small percentage as well. Animal products are low in micronutrients, contain almost no antioxidants and phytochemicals, and are rich in calories. Thus, they should be limited for health excellence. We want to thrive in our later years, not just survive long enough to reproduce and then deteriorate.


The main point here that I want to emphasize, as always, is the benefit of nutritional excellence. In the Standard American Diet, less than five percent of the total caloric intake comes from nutrient-rich foods. This dangerously low intake of unrefined plant foods guarantees a weakened immunity to disease, leading to frequent illnesses, and a shorter lifespan. When you eat a truly health-supporting diet, you can expect not only a drop in blood pressure and cholesterol and a reversal of heart disease, but your headaches, constipation, indigestion, and bad breath should all resolve. To achieve this means eating less animal products, processed foods, sugar, and flour, and eating more high-nutrient plant foods and exercising. This lifestyle shift is the key to disease protection in general.

A Muscle Building Workout You Can Do Without Weights

Literally, I have been thinking about posting this for a whilst. Now I finally got some time to do it.
If you want to build muscle, barbell exercises are the easiest way. The problem: you need weights. Not everyone can afford expensive gym memberships or buy a home gym. Maybe you don’t feel the need to get huge, but would still like to gain a little muscle and tone what you already have. Fortunately, there are some simple yet effective exercises you can use to sculpt your body.Here’s a muscle building workout you can do without weights:

Body-weight Exercises
Your body needs a reason to build muscle. That reason is stress. Exercising will stress your body & force it to build muscle. You don’t have access to weights, so you’ll use body-weight exercises:
Pull-ups. Build back & arms muscles. Doorway pull-up bars or any surface where you can hang from work. If you can’t do one rep with correct pull-up technique: use momentum, ask someone to help you or use a resistance band to assist you on the way up.
Push-ups. Build chest, shoulders & arm muscles. Use a full range of motion: arms locked on the way up, nose against the floor on the way down. Put your knees on the floor if you can’t do one push-up. Switch to regular push-ups when this gets easy.
Squats. Build leg muscles. Put your hands behind your head & bend through your knees. Keep your heels on the floor, push your knees out, look forward & squeeze your glutes on the way up. Stretch your hamstrings 3 times a week if you can’t squat lower than parallel.


Training Program
Myhealthyhopes.blogspot.com has a 3 day a week routine based on the above exercises. It takes less than 90mins a week. Easy to mix with your work, business, relationship & hobbies.
Progression
You must get stronger to build muscle. Doing 100 reps of an exercise builds endurance, not strength. Switch to more challenging exercises once you can do more than 20 pull-ups, push-ups or squats.


Rings. Push-ups & pull-ups using rings are harder: you need to stabilize the rings while doing the exercises.
One Arm Push-ups. Start with Incline One Arm Push-ups: one hand on a high box. Decrease the height as you get stronger until you can do them on the floor. Then switch to feet elevated One Arm Push-ups: feet on a box, gradually increasing the height.
One Arm Pull-ups. Pull-ups with one arm. Tricky to master. Check the article on Beast Skills for their technique.
One Leg Squats. Start with One Leg Box Squats: lower yourself on a box. Start with a high box & gradually decrease the height. Switch to One Leg Squats once you can do them from a very low box.
External Resistance.You could consider this as weights but I’m adding it anyway. Wear a rucksack filled with water bottles or books while doing the exercises. Wear a weighted vest. Wrap some chains around your upper-body while doing the exercises. Use adjustable ankle/wrist weights. Use a belt, chain, carabiner & weights.


Nutrition
You need solid nutrition to build strength & muscle. Eat at least your body-weight in lbs x 18 kcal. Go for these foods:


Protein. 1g/lbs daily. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, whey, etc.
Fat. Balance your omega 3, 6 & 9 intake.
Veggies. All kinds, especially green fibrous veggies.
Fruit. Also all kinds. Eat veggies and/or fruits with every meal.
Water. 1 liter per 1000 calories you expend.
Whole Grain Carbs. Oats, rice, pasta, breads.


Want to feel great every single week? NOW YOU CAN!

How to Build Muscle and Lose Fat at the same time?

After my previous post 7 Ways to Build the Exercise Habit, Leo asked me to write an 8-week program to build muscle and lose fat.

However, I believe that to have long-term success, the plan must become your lifestyle. It must become a habit.

Therefore this article is not an 8-week program. It’s a list of simple ways to build muscle and lose fat. Tips that worked for me and my readers. And guess what: you will be able to build muscle and lose fat in 8 weeks using these tips.

Build Muscle. The fastest way to build muscle is to get stronger. The stronger you are, the stronger you’ll look. Get into strength training. Do barbell exercises that hit several muscles at the same time: Squats,Deadlifts, Overhead Press, etc.

Start with an empty barbell. Learn the exercise technique. Increase the weight gradually. If you don’t know where to start, check out theBeginner Strength Training Program: it takes 3 times 30 minutes a week.

Nutrition. You need solid nutrition to get stronger and build muscle. Keep the nutrition healthy and you’ll lose fat. Some tips:

Protein. 1g/lbs daily. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, etc.

Fat. Balance omega 3, 6 & 9 intake: fish oil, saturated fat & olive oil.

Veggies. All kinds, especially green fibrous veggies.

Fruit. Also all kinds. Eat veggies and/or fruits with every meal.

Water. 1 liter per 1000 calories you expend.

Whole grain food. Oats, rice, pasta, breads, …

Eat foods that come in their natural state. Avoid anything that comes out of a box. Avoid trans-fats. Limit junk food consumption to once a week. Quit drinking soda. These simple tips will make a big difference in a very short time.

Lose Fat. Strength training will build muscle while decreasing your body fat. Eating healthy will further decrease your body fat. If you need to lose a lot of fat or if you’re impatient, these tips are for you:

Cardio. Do 30 minutes of cardio after your strength training. Three times a week at moderate intensity will do. The goal of cardio is to burn fat, not to exhaust yourself. You should breathe heavier than when at rest, but not gasping.

Cut calories. Track your food intake using Fitday. Start eating 18x your current body-weight in lbs. One week later: cut 500kcal. Check the balance one week later again. Did you lose weight? If you did, keep eating the same amount of calories. If not: cut another 500kcal.

Whatever you do: don’t starve yourself. Fat is emergency storage for your body. If you don’t eat your body will hold the fat and burn muscles. That’s the opposite of what you’re after. Only cut calories if you don’t progress.

Women. Building muscle, losing fat and strength training for women is same as for men. The only difference is women have other hormonal profiles than men. Meaning women will always have less muscle mass and more body fat than men.

But the approach is the same. Follow these tips and you’ll get results. You won’t get bulky if you don’t overeat and stay away from steroids.

Vegan & Vegetarian. Leo is a vegan, and other readers of Zen Habits are also vegans or vegetarians. You’ll find plenty of examples of vegans and vegetarians who built muscle. It can be done. But you might have less results than meat-eaters.

Red meat contains saturated fat and cholesterol which raises your testosterone levels. Testosterone is needed for muscle. Ask your doctor for a blood-test. Eat red meat for 2 months. Do another blood-test. Compare testosterone levels.

Eat lots of dairy products: milk, eggs and cheese if you’re vegetarian. Don’t let the fact that you’re vegan or vegetarian serve as excuse. You can build muscle.

Motivation. The best way to keep yourself motivated is to set goals & track your progress. The classic scale is not your best tool. Here are better ways.

Fat measurements. Measure your body fat weekly using a fat caliper.

Pictures. Take pictures every 4 weeks.

Blood test. Check health improvements.

Strength stats. Keep a training journal. More strength is more muscles.

Weigh scale. Only use it once a week. Each Friday for example.

I advise you to keep an online journal. Put it on Zen Habits Forums or onStrongLifts.com Forum. You’ll get feedback & you won’t feel alone anymore in what you’re trying to achieve.

Expectations. Don’t believe the hype in the magazines. You won’t get ripped in 8 weeks. However you can build muscle and lose fat in 8 weeks.

As I wrote in the leading: 8 weeks is a start. It learns you that you can transform your body if you want to. One of my readers lost 40lbs fat & built 20lbs muscle in 10 months at age 55. You can do it. If you want to. Persist and you’ll get there.

Recommended daily calorie intake

Daily calorie intake for men and women


Now that you know what calories are and you know how to figure out how many are in your food … you just need to know how many you should be eating.


The average recommendations vary a little. In England, the government suggests these figures for people maintaining their weight:

2500 calories a day for men
2000 calories a day for women (2,500 in third trimester of pregnancy)
1800 calories a day for children aged 5-10
However, the government are reviewing their advice – especially because most of us have sedentary jobs – as they suspect the daily caloric requirement for the average person is actually lower than this.


What’s my personal daily calorie recommendation?


To be certain that you’re eating the right amount, you should calculate your personal recommended calorie intake. We all have different energy needs, and your daily calorie requirement is determined by three main factors:

• Your weight
• The amount of muscle you have
• Your activity levels

Your weight matters because you burn up calories just to keep your body going. The heavier you are, the more calories you need. And your muscle mass is also important: a pound of muscle may burn up to an extra 50 calories per day, compared with a pound of fat.


Finally, your activity levels need to be taken into account: someone working on a building site and hitting the gym for hours at the weekend will be burning off many more calories than those of us with desk jobs…


So, if you want to come up with your personal calorie requirement, there’s a formula used by nutritionists and sports professionals. You might want to grab a calculator at this point… I’ve given the formula for both imperial and metric units.


Adult women:
655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) – (4.7 x age in years)
OR
655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) – (4.7 x age in yrs)


Adult men:
66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) – (6.8 x age in years)
OR
66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5.0 x height in cm) – (6.8 x age in yrs)


This formula gives your BMR – your Basal Metabolic Rate (this is how many calories you’d use if you spent the whole day lying in bed…)


You now need to multiply your result by a percentage to reflect your activity level. Some people prefer to use the lowest level and then use a Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) or the readout from machines at the gym to work out more accurately how many calories they’re burning from exercise. Note that all levels include daily activities like gentle walking and light housework – when “exercise” is mentioned, it is in addition to this, eg. a workout, gym class, or jog.


Sedentary (no exercise, sit at a desk most of the day): BMR x 120 percent (ie. an extra 20% on top of the BMR)
Light Activity (no exercise, on feet during the day, eg. shop work): BMR x 130 percent
Moderately Active (exercise 3 or more days a week for 30 minutes or more): BMR x 140 percent
Highly Active (exercise 5 or more days a week for 30 minutes or more): BMR x 150 percent


The result now gives you how many calories you need to maintain your current weight.


Note that to multiply the BMR by 100%, you multiply it by 1; so to multiply by 140% you multiply by 1.4.





Here’s an example: John is a technical writer, 35 years old, 5’ 11” tall and weighs 200lbs (about 40lbs overweight). He cycles to work most days.


66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) – (6.8 x age in years)


= 66 + (6.3 x 200) + (12.9 x 71) – (6.8 x 35)


= 66 + 1200 + 915.9 – 238


= 1943.9 (BMR)


Now multiply by 1.4 = 2721.46


So, to maintain his current weight, John should eat about 2700 calories per day.


But I want to lose weight – how many calories should I eat for weight loss?


To lose 1 lb (0.45kg) of body weight, you need to under-eat by 3,500 calories. Obviously you can’t do that in a day, but over the course of a week, it means cutting your daily intake by 500 calories – an achievable amount for most of us. If you have a lot of weight to lose (especially if you’re currently over-eating and gaining weight), you could cut back by 1,000 calories per day and lose 2 lbs (0.9kg) a week.


So, taking the example of John above, he would need to cut down from his maintenance calories of 2700 per day to a “diet” level of 2200 per day if he wants to lose a pound a week. That would mean losing those extra 40lbs in under a year. If John wanted to lose weight more quickly, he could cut calories to 1700 per day.


Note that you should not drop below 1,000 calories per day (and many nutritionists recommend not going beneath 1,100 or 1,200 calories). It can be tempting, especially if you’re small or don’t have much weight to lose, to eat as little as possible – but this will have negative effects on your body and your metabolism, making it harder for you to stay slim in the future.

Are you underweight?

If you’re underweight, you could be damaging your health. Weighing too little can contribute to a weakened immune system, fragile bones and a lack of energy.


If you're concerned that you're underweight, check your weight using our Healthy weight calculator.


If diet is the cause of your low weight, changing to a healthy, balanced diet can help you achieve a healthy weight. 

The questions like: 


Why are you underweight?
If our healthy weight calculator has told you that you may be underweight, think about why this might be:


Have you been unwell?
Have you been eating healthily, or have you been skipping breakfast or lunch and just eating snacks on the go?
Have you lost your appetite, perhaps because you’re stressed or worried?
Have you been trying to lose weight? Are you more focused on being 'thin' or looking a certain way than on being a healthy weight?
Are you not eating because it gives you a feeling of control or power?


Talk to someone
There may be emotional issues that are stopping you from eating a healthy diet.
If you feel anxious or worried when you think about food, or feel you may be using control over food to help you cope with stress or low self-esteem, you may have an eating disorder.
If you think you may have an eating disorder, help is available. Find out more about eating disorders.
Why it matters
Being underweight is bad news for your health now and in the future:

• Lack of energy. Being underweight can leave you feeling drained and tired. You may have anemia (a lack of red blood cells) because you’re not consuming enough iron.
• Nutritional deficiencies. If you’re underweight, you may be lacking vital nutrients that your body needs to grow and work properly. Calcium, for example, is important for the maintenance of strong and healthy bones. Being underweight increases the risk of osteoporosis (fragile bone disease) later in life.
• Weakened immune system. Your immune system is not 100% when you’re underweight, making you more likely to catch a cold, the flu or other infections.

For women, interrupted periods and difficulty becoming pregnant in the future. Women who are underweight can find that their periods stop. This increases the risk of future problems with fertility.




Healthy high-energy foods
If you’re trying to gain weight, eat foods that are not only healthy but are also packed with energy. Try the following:

• for breakfast, porridge with chopped fruit or raisins sprinkled on top, or eggs on toast
• fruit smoothies or milkshakes for a great snack (make them at home and take them to work or college)
• for a healthy lunch, a jacket potato with baked beans or tuna on top, which contains energy-giving carbohydrate and protein
• peanut butter on toast for a high-energy snack
• yogurts and milky puddings, such as rice puddings
• nuts, which are high in 'good' unsaturated fats (choose unsalted varieties).

Surviving the Buffet

Healthy tips to get you through that frighteningly tempting buffet line, or just the massive amount of options in the dining hall!

1) Walk by the entire buffet BEFORE grabbing your plate. Look at all the things offered, and decide what it is you want MOST of everything. Make a mental priority list.


2) Use the smaller plate. It’s a lot harder to cram large portions of every food onto a smaller plate. Plus studies have proven, eating off a smaller plate might make you feel more full later. At the buffet, your eyes may be bigger than your stomach, but don’t worry. Cause that plate? It’s not.


3) Load up on veggies and salad, filling AT LEAST half your plate (hell, if you want to get a half plate of cooked veggies and a half plate of salad greens, and get a second plate for your other goodies, that’s great too!) And when I say veggies, I mean VEGGIES. Not starch-based, like mashed potatos or corn. You’re welcome to get those too, but get more of the non-starchy, less-calorie-more-fiber-dense veggies.


4) When you get veggies, pick the ones that aren’t cooked with lots of oils or creamed. Go for the steamed spinach over creamed spinach. Get the baked zucchini/squash blend over the squash casserole. Basically, the closer the vegetable is to a fresh-from-the farm veggie, the better.


5) Remember that mental priority list? Take it out! Chances are you don’t have that much space left on your plate, so remember what you wanted most and go straight too it, adding some of that goodness to your plate. Basically,


6) DON’T walk through the buffet line like some dazed, wide-eyed animal. At buffets, your eyes ALWAYS seem to be bigger than your stomach, and more than that your curiosity can MAJORLY take over. [I know, I’m one of those people that wants to try everything.


7) Keep going down your priority list, adding a little here and there to your plate, until the plate is FULL. As far as what you should definitely have on your priority list:
7a) Lots of veggies (of course, we’ve been over this.)
7b) Some sort of protein.
7c) Some sort of grain (whole grains, like brown rice, or a good starch like a 4oz sweet potato, are much better than a white dinner roll. Not only will that roll make you less full, but it might also be secretly smothered in butter.)
7d) NO dessert. (Hold up, I’m not saying you can’t have any. Just wait.)


8) Once your plate is full, go back to your table and enjoy it. Don’t scarf it down to eat more. Once you’re finished, ask yourself if you are still hungry. If you are, by all means, go back and get more (ON A SMALL PLATE), but keep in mind how hungry you still feel. You might want to get less this time. 


9) FINALLY, if you get to the point that you are full, but not so full you can’t have a dessert, go back to the buffet, and get the SMALLEST plate, and get the dessert that’s HIGHEST on your priority list. Or get half of that (people won’t be annoyed if you cut that already-sliced cake slice in half), and half of the thing next on your priority list.


10) OR, you may not want dessert, because you just enjoyed that second portion-controlled helping of mac and cheese, and you are so full! That’s fine. You don’t need dessert. Just sit, pat your happy yummy, and keep up the fun conversation with those around you. 

Clean-Your-Plate Syndrome: Causes and Solutions

Some of you are all too familiar with this (unofficial) mental disorder. It’s that one that developed over time. From your parents reminding you to “Clean your plate, because there are starving kids in China!” or your friends saying, “I can’t eat another bite of this dessert! But someone has to finish it! It’s so good!” or you saying “These cookies my friend made are delicious! AND WHO KNOWS WHEN SHE’LL MAKE THEM AGAIN?” or your pockets saying “Hey, you spent money on that stuff that I’m not getting back! You better enjoy ALL of that shit!”

Yup. You have a problem. And it’s that you feel guilty whenever your plate is, well, unfinished.
I had this too. But you know what? It’s something you’ll have to learn to get over if you, 
1) Want to lose that weight faster 
2) Want to develop a more positive relationship with food 
3) Want to avoid another food-baby pregnancy—you know, when your belly is so tight and full you just want to lie down, rub it, and possibly get a C section? Anyways.


I suffered with this syndrome for as long as I can remember. I’d worry that I’d be missing out if I didn’t try a bite (or ten) of everything at the buffet, or that I’d offend someone at the party if I didn’t try some of everything everyone bought. Or if I didn’t finish all of the meal someone made for me, and go for seconds. Or that, well, “I should be thankful, because there ARE starving kids in the world.” Or “This was a $15 plate of pasta. That’s already a waste of money. If I don’t finish it, it’s even worse!”


Don’t worry, the doctor is in.
My self diagnosis for this problem was as follows: 
1) Recognize you have a problem, 
2) Get a reality check. 


And by that I mean:


1) Yes, sadly, there are starving kids in China. And Africa. And probably even America. But a) those last few bites of that cheesecake are not going to magically transport themselves to those kids bellies if YOU eat it, b) nor are they going to magically make some amount of nourishment transport OUT of those kids bellies if you DON’T eat it, and c) Even if it did magically pass from your lips to theirs—it’s cheesecake. What good will that really do them in the long run? Why don’t you eat some grilled chicken next time? (*ahem* Sorry.)


2) If your friend says it’s “SO GOOD!” but they “JUST CAN’T FINISH IT!” then it probably isn’t THAT to-die-for, and you shouldn’t have to finish it either. Especially if you are just as full as your friend is.


3) Trying things is fun, but if you try everything, where’s the MYSTERY? (Okay. Not as convincing. I still want to try everything.) Compromise: Just try a TEENSY BITE.


4) Yes, you may not ever get those cookies your friend made ever again. But once you tried one, you’ve tried them all. Think about it. They aren’t going to get any more delicious.


5) You can be gracious in OTHER WAYS than eating every last bite. Thank your friends for the delicious meal—you ate so much already you can’t take a bite! Thank your baker-pal for the offer of another cookie, but you don’t want another one right away—you’ll save it for later! Or just compliment the one cookie and don’t reach for another.


6) Yes, you spent money on it. But there are way more ways not to waste it than eating it RIGHT NOW when your stomach can’t even fathom fitting another crumb inside of it. You can offer it to someone else, you can take home the rest and have it for lunch tomorrow, or, you CAN LEAVE IT, and think of it this way: By eating it, you are wasting all the hard work you did, exercising and eating well, to get healthier. By eating it, you are denying yourself the rewards you’ve been striving towards. By eating it, you are THAT MUCH closer to a stomach ache that will make it super hard to fall asleep tonight. (Yup, sometimes it’s really hard to sleep when you are uncomfortably full.)


I challenge you to do your own diagnosis, or use mine. A reality check can go a long way. And it’s not real money. So you don’t have to worry about wasting that, either. ;)

Eating out advice

If you are trying to lose weight, eating out can be a daunting, and sometimes terrifying process. Everything on the menu looks so damn delicious, but at the same time, might have hundreds of unwanted calories hidden inside the cooking methods and dressings, which can make even a seemingly harmless veggie side your worst nightmare. Meanwhile, if it’s not a chain restaurant, they aren’t required to have nutrition facts.


But, you deserve a delicious meal. And you deserve to be healthy. Therefore, don’t be afraid to be a diva about it. Ask the waiter how things on the menu are prepared, and ask if you could have them prepared in a healthier way. They’ll usually say yes, or they’ll take a trip to the kitchen to ask. 

I’m pretty non confrontational myself (not that this is really a confrontation…), but I’m starting to get better at demanding (or rather, politely asking for) healthier alternatives. I used to just get “a salad, dressing on the side, please.” But, let’s be honest. That gets dull.


Today, I ordered a DELICIOUS omelet at a fancy restaurant, but only after asking if I could have it prepared with just egg whites. And I could! Not to mention, everyone at the table followed my suit. And the omelet, I must say, was very tasty.
So do it. Request your veggies steamed, not buttered. Get your chicken grilled, not breaded or fried. Ask for egg whites. Get the dressing on the side. Get the mayo on the side too. 


It may sound whiney or picky to you, but it’s really no big deal, especially if you ask with a smile and a “please.” :)