WEIGHT LOSS PROBLEMS

Weight Conscious
Q: I am a 20-year-old girl. My weight is 80kg and I have tried almost everything to reduce but nothing has worked. Please help me sort this out and suggest a diet chart for me. Malina Momin, Rawalpindi
A: You have mentioned your age and weight but you have not mentioned your height. I can only suggest a diet plan when I have the complete information. If I assume your height as 5’5’’ then your ideal weight should be between 54 to 56kg. As far as a diet plan is concerned I would suggest you to cut out bad fats from your diet, drink lots of water throughout the day and keep yourself physically active. By following these tips you can lose 1 to 2 pounds in a week. Don’t hurry, it takes some time to lose the initial few pounds.

Need Guidance
Q: I need your help regarding my fitness and diet. I have tried every way to find a good fitness trainer/consultant and nutritionist who can not only help me with my workout but also guide me about a proper diet plan but unfortunately I have not found any such person yet. As your column is all about health, you must have all the resources and information about such professionals in Karachi. I will be very thankful to you if you kindly guide me to any particular trainer/consultant who is able to help me. Ali Hafeez Karachi
A: What is important is that you should inform me about your age, height and weight, only then can I design a diet plan for you. You will also have to tell me about your lifestyle and total calorie intake. After getting complete information about you I will be able to guide you about exercises which are most suitable for you. With the little information you have provided, all I can tell you is that you should walk 30 mins/day 5 days a week, and should have a fruit or a cup of skimmed milk or yogurt 90 min before you start exercising.

Tummy Fat
Q: I am a 23-year-old working woman with height 5.7ft and weight 75kg. I have gained weight especially around the tummy area and to get rid of it I joined a gym and am balancing my diet but in the last 20 days I have just lost 2kg. Now I have left the gym and regained the weight I lost even though I am still on my diet i.e. stopped eating fast foods, sweets, junk foods, oily and greasy foods etc. Please suggest how I can get rid of my tummy fat. Neena
A: Well, as you are very young, I would suggest you to at least lose 15kg. It’s good that you were going to the gym but even if you have stopped going you should continue with some physical activity as this is the only way you can burn calories. Regarding calorie intake, although you have stopped eating junk food, your daily intake of calories should also be managed. You should use oil spray for cooking food rather than using oil in table- spoons, 1 spray is 1 calorie but 1 tbsp oil (any oil) is 120 calories. Start your day with a bowl of cereal, then have sandwich and salad for lunch, in the evening go for some physical exercise and for dinner have soup, yogurt and 4 tbsp rice with boiled daal. You should also drink 10-15 glasses of water per day.

Diet Plan
Q: I am a 17-year-old girl. My height is 159cm and I weigh 57kg, my hips and stomach area are really heavy. I want to lose weight but the problem is whenever I follow a diet plan I look weak and frail. Someone has told me about the LCHF (low carbohydrates high fat) diet plan. Is it injurious to health? Bushra
A: According to your weight, height and age I think you need to lose 5kg. That is not a big target. Just go through the above answers and you will have an idea of what should be done. If you are physically inactive try to change your lifestyle and most importantly your dietary habits. A healthy diet should consist of eating less of the foods that contain calories from simple carbohydrates (sugar and processed flour) and more whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and good sources of protein. This is the basis of a good low carbohydrate diet but try to eat smaller meals throughout the day so that you don’t feel weak and lethargic.

Height Problem
Q: I am a 17-year-old boy with height 5 feet and 5 inches. My parents also have short heights and I am always depressed because of my own. My friends are all taller than me. Please guide me on how I can increase my height. Rizvi
A: Height depends on the genetics, diet, exercise and general health during the spurting years. Height increases from birth to the end of puberty. However, there are three succinct spurts: infancy, between the age of six and eight, and adolescence. A proper diet and health care during these spurts can have a dramatic effect on the height. Before puberty, the growth plates (the ends of long bones, namely arms and legs) are soft and the length can be increased. During puberty, the growth plates begin to solidify. Once they are solid the growth stops. For boys the fastest growth period starts at about age 13 and ends at around 20, and for girls it goes up to 18 only. Diet, exercise and lifestyle can dramatically influence height during these spurts before the growth plates are fused. The diet must be balanced with all six food groups (grains, fruits, vegetables, meat/beans, good-fats). It must be rich in calcium and good quality proteins. There must be sufficient vitamin D to help absorb calcium in making bones. Rizvi, you should also engage yourself in vertical-extension exercises such as basketball, volleyball, swimming. Avoid use of tobacco products (smoking, chewing tobacco). Also avoid confined environments, any kind of stress and always to sleep comfortably.

Post Delivery Weight loss
Q: My height is 5’2 inches and my weight is 59kg. I want to reduce at least 4kg. I recently went through a c-section and this is my current weight. Please guide me on how to reduce my weight through diet and exercise. Sundus
A: You have not mentioned how many months have passed since your c-section. Anyways it is good that you are conscious of your weight after delivery. Many women gain so much weight during pregnancy that it takes almost a year to get back to their normal weight. In your case I am happy that it is just a matter of reducing 5kg. If you are feeding your baby than try to take a cup of skimmed milk before major meals and in between these meals eat an apple or salad or a cup of fresh fruit juice. Avoid oily food and eat vegetable and chicken soup daily to keep going. Walk at least thrice a week for 25 min each.