![]() Do you find your weight is changing? Have you tried many of diets, and none seem to work? Have you fallen into the yo-yo diet trap or restricting foods? Are you overwhelmed? If you answered YES to any of these, you’re not alone! Did you know ……… The fact there’s a vast number of Australians carrying more weight than they’re comfortable with, highlights you’re not alone. It’s commonly thought overweight and obesity is a result of an excess of energy intake and low energy expenditure, in many cases this is true. BUT many are struggling not because of these reasons. Stress, hormones, environment, body composition and our age all make managing weight more complicated and keeping weight off may be harder than it seems. Restricting diet and increasing exercise may achieve initial weight loss, but our bodies adapt and learn to burn fewer calories, meaning a start to gain weight. We need to stop restriction and learn to balance our diet and lifestyle to achieve beneficial weight loss. Why should you worry if you carry a few more kilos? Excess in weight is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some musculoskeletal conditions, and some cancers. As the level of excess weight increases, so does the risk of developing these conditions. (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare). As dietitians we can help
If you want help with the management of your weight and perhaps get into a weight loss program, our Dietitian, Marcela Velasquez-Villa, can help. For more information and advice tailored to you, call 82781111.
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![]() Have you ever wondered why you may be experiencing extra gas or why you feel bloated? Gut health issues are a major concern but often can improve with changes in your diet. IBS is a gut issue relating to how your gut including your bowel, functions. Many factors can increase your chance of IBS symptoms, these include stress, poor diet, lack exercise and sleep. The most common symptoms people report is below, do you experience these yourself? *: If yes, what can a dietitian do to help you?
Working with a dietitian helps you understand your gut physiology, that is how your body reacts to the foods you eat. By identifying these foods, we can start to build a personal plan to help you gut feel comfortable again. To do this, a dietitian will take you through the FODMAP DIET Process. What is FODMAP DIET A FODMAP diet works initially on lowering the foods that contain FODMAPS, these are Fermentable Oligosaccarides, Disaccarides, Monosaccarides, And Polyols – these are naturally occurring types of sugars. Research has found that around 80% of people with IBS can improve their symptoms with this diet, in 3 steps: 1. Low FODMAP Diet- for 2 weeks 2. FODMAP reintroduction- Food challenges to identify what foods affect your gut 3. FODMAP Personalization- Fully identified foods that trigger your IBS DID YOU KNOW FODMAPs are fermented in the colon (Large bowel) and it takes on average 4-24 hours for a food to reach the colon after being eaten. In some extreme cases lactose, a disaccharide, has been shown to induce symptoms in 30-60 minutes! If you have those gut symptoms, have been diagnosed with IBS and want a guide thru the FODMAP diet, You can see Dietitian, Marcela Velasquez-Villa, for more information and advice tailored to your needs by calling us on 82781111, or booking online here. REFERENCES
*https://www.metamucil.com.au/en-au/articles/understand-your-gut/5-ways-to-get-relief-from-ibs CARBS OR NO CARBS, THAT IS THE QUESTION!
There’s often debate about how much carb we should be having in our diets. Some people even if think we should cut them out completely. Have you wondered about this? If you have, it’s important to know carbohydrates are the main fuel for our body, we need at least 50g of quality carbs a day just for brain function. We can find carbs in many items including:
First, there are different types of carbs: That’s right, NOT all carbs are BAD, there are different types with different actions in the body. So, we want to have the best quality carbs in our diet when we’re looking after our wellbeing, and our family’s. Carbs are classified as:
Why should we limit the amount of carbs we eat? The amount of carbs you eat will increase the sugar levels in your blood and the type will tell you how fast they break down in the body, and this is what we call glycaemic load (GL) and glycaemic index (GI). Having too much sugar in the blood can lead to weight gain, fatigue and poor health such as diabetes and heart disease. But its not all doom and gloom, because you can change your diet behaviours, even if you start with choosing the right types of carbs! This is a complex topic and if you want more information and tips on the GL and GI of foods, check this out - it’s a ‘swap it’ tool to help you choose better quality carbs Swap It - Glycaemic Index Foundation (gisymbol.com) What are the additional BENEFITS of ‘right’ CARBS?
An excess of the wrong types of carbs across the day, with low or no exercise, can lead to an increase in your weight and can also lead to a fatty liver and fatigue. For this reason, you will see many fad diets that eliminate carbs completely. But this can result in a loss of mainly muscle mass and water levels in your body - and eventually a regain in weight. The trick is getting the right balance and right proportions to fit your diet and lifestyle. SO, WHAT TO DO? Simple start-up tips include:
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