Your Questions. Answered.
The Nutrition Clinic is designed to help you get practical advice on managing your nutrition. Below are the answers to some common questions that Nadeen and her nutritionists are asked. As we get more questions submitted we’ll be adding to this list, so if you have a specific question make sure you ASK NADEEN, and we may even be able to get back to you personally!
Q: Is it true that weight loss is 80% of what you eat and 20% exercise?
A: That depends on your size and body type. I would state that “you are what you eat” so yes what you eat is going to play a large role in your weight loss but probably more like 70/30 is more accurate.
Q: What are some healthy food options for vegetarians?
A: Remember, if you want to be a “healthy” vegetarian you must have a passion for cooking because you are not going to find enough of a good balance relying on fast food and restaurants.
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You must still aim to have a protein in each meal, for example, tofu, beans, or nuts and seeds. Your beans must be combined with a whole grain to be complete. And you must try to get as many colours of vegetables as you can per day. Some quick ideas are: beans, spinach and brown rice in a burrito; vegetable coconut curry with cashews over quinoa; vegetable tomato sauce with tofu over brown rice or whole wheat noodles.
Q: I recently lost 30 lb due to stress. What is a smart way to gain weight without all of it settling in my middle?
A: Firstly and most important you need to address your stressors. Whether it’s counseling, getting a divorce, or changing your job, stress is a guaranteed way to put on fat around the middle.
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In your case you have lost at this point not gained so you want to deal with your stress, be sure you are exercising so that you gain muscle and not fat and go for a balanced diet of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Some good fats to add in would be flax oil, coconut milk, avocados, and nuts and seeds and nut butters (but no peanuts please). Like taking off weight, a pound per week is a good goal.
Q: Is it safe to diet during breastfeeding.
A: Essentially no, but it’s safe to eat a healthy balanced diet during pregnancy. If you are not getting enough calories your milk can easily dry up.
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Breast feeding itself is the best way to loose your post pregnancy excess. Just leave out the cakes, cookies, candies, ice cream and alcohol and you are sure to get back to where you want.
Q: What exercise can I do after having a baby and how soon after having a baby can I start?
A: Hopefully you did not stop exercising during pregnancy you just toned down your regime so you never got out of breath. Assuming you did not have a C-section you can start exercising right away.
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Although, I would give yourself 3 to 4 weeks to get a routine with sleep and feeding and just start with regular walks and yoga so that you do not exhaust yourself. I would resume the type of exercise you were doing previous to labour first because your body will be more familiar with that. Remember though, you must up your water intake to at least 3 litres during lactation and even further if you are getting a good sweat.
Q: How do I stay healthy during pregnancy? Also, how often should I be eating?
A: Staying healthy during pregnancy should be your main goal, remember this is not just about you this is about giving your little one the best start you can.
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Stay away from fast food, junk food, artificial sweeteners (including splenda), hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, pop, and food colourings and include as many foods in their original states as possible. Add a good quality prenatal vitamin from a reputable health food store not a mega store and vitamin D. You should try to eat 6 meals/day. As the baby grows and pushes up against the stomach you will find smaller meals more frequently not only keeps your blood sugar balanced and helps avoid nausea but also reduced the incidence of heartburn.
Q: Is coffee with no calorie sweetener bad to drink whey trying to loose weight?
A: Firstly, “no calorie sweeteners” are a no-no any time. The sweet taste causes an insulin release but there is no sugar to pick up so the insulin grabs fat into storage instead which once stored is not an efficient energy source.
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You would be better off with just sugar, or even better honey. However, coffee gives the body a false sense of energy and in the long run can cause weight gain due to adrenal gland over stimulation causing too much cortisol to be produced.
Q: Are granola bars high in sugar, can they be eaten as part of a healthy diet?
A: There are so many granola and granola type bars on the market it is hard to generalize but the answer is yes most of them are too high in sugar and often use high fructose corn syrup.
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When you are looking for one, look for the one that has the least number of ingredients and nothing that you cannot pronounce nor has the words hydrogenated or artificial in it. Or, try making your own so you can control the amount of sugar as well as the rest of the ingredients.
Q: What kind of fruit juice is OK to drink?
A: My motto is “drink water, eat fruit”. Juice is a treat not a beverage. If you want to drink juice then juice your own and do a mix of fruits and vegetables first thing in the morning on an empty stomach ½ hour before you eat breakfast. My favourite is: carrot, beet, orange, lemon, and ginger.
Q: What website can I go to for reliable information on the caloric content of foods?
A: I have yet to find a good website for that purpose. There are rather extensive programs out there for analyzing the whole diet but they are expensive and tedious. I suggest you stop counting calories and just start eating whole fresh foods.
