Tag: fitnessmotivation

Tuesday Tip: Under-reporting food 📝

The sad truth is that people are terrible at accurately reporting how many calories they’re eating and multiple studies demonstrate this time and time again. For example in a couple of recent studies participants were convinced they were eating 1200 cals or less a day but on average they were eating over 2200 cals! In other studies it’s been shown people under-report by an average of 1500 cals.

It’s not that surprising – if you’ve never tracked your food intake, why would you have any idea how much you’re actually eating? This is even harder when we are surrounded by calorie dense, easily accessible foods which are easy to over eat.

It’s quite fashionable at the moment to disparage calorie tracking (ironically often by those social media ‘experts’ who’ve spent years tracking their own food) but it’s still something that’s actually really important.

Aside from providing a reality check on how much you’re eating it also helps as it gives you a better idea of not only calorie content but also other nutrients. You learn what actual portion sizes look like and how many calories some of those restaurant meals actually contain but equally you may find other things you’ve avoided through ‘fear’ are actually fewer cals than you thought. It also dispels the marketing myths around foods and the assumption that ‘heathy’ foods are naturally low calorie etc.

Tracking isn’t so much about tracking but more about increasing knowledge and awareness about your diet and habits and then how you can make positive changes. Not everybody has to track, but most people could benefit from tracking for a short period of time.

Happy Tuesday 🤗xx

Tuesday Tip: Beat the bloat 🎈

Bloating is generally characterised by the stomach feeling expanded such as from excess gas, air, food, fluid or other gastrointestinal mechanisms. It’s normal for bloating to increase waist size by 5-8cm.

Some level of bloating is normal – and we often perceive it to be bigger than it is due to a feeling of fullness. However it shouldn’t

be painful and if it is or it’s severe to frequent and you’ve ruled out the factors mentioned below then speak to your GP.

Here are some common non-medical explanations for bloating.

# Eating too quickly / not chewing enough

The first part of the digestion process occurs in the mouth. The less chewing you do, the more ‘work’ other parts of the digestive system needs to do. This can lead to bloating.

# Sugar alcohols / sweeteners

Sugar alcohols like sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol and mannitol can be associated with bloating. This is because they pass through the small intestine undigested and undergo fermentation in the large intestine. This produces extra gases and can lead to symptoms of bloating. Some people are more sensitive than others so if you consume a lot of sugar-free products it’s worth cutting back a little to see if that helps.

# Increasing fibre too quickly

If you have just started eating more vegetables, whole grains, beans or legumes than usual then it can take time for the gut to adjust. Instead slowly increase fibre, alongside a lot an increased water intake.

# High stress levels

The brain and gut are connected via the vagus nerve, known as the gut-brain axis. External stress activates the sympathetic nervous system directing blood flow away from your gut, which can reduce movement of food through the digestive tract and leading to bloating.

# Chewing gum or carbonated drinks

Chewing gum generally results in swallowing air and it also contains sugar alcohols. Carbonated drinks can also increase gases in your stomach, leading to bloating. If you have these often and bloating is a concern of yours, try reducing them to see if it helps.

# Large volume meals

Eating a large amount of food in one sitting means a lot of food volume in the stomach, potentially leading to a feeling of bloating or distention. Try to avoid a pattern of not eating or eating little and then having very large meals and instead aim to even out portion sizes across the day.

# Food allergies

There are food allergies (lactose intolerance, coeliac disease, etc) which can cause bloating but if you believe this to be the case then speak to your GP.

# Hydration

Dehydration leads to constipation, which leads to bloating. And while it may seem counterintuitive to drink more water when you feel bloated it can actually help – especially in warm weather.

Happy Tuesday 🤗xx

Tuesday Tip: Food Intolerance tests 🚫

People often tell me that they have an intolerance to certain foods. Quite often this is based on commonly sold finger prick blood food intolerance tests you can take. Aside from the fact they’re taking your money, it’s actually impacting people’s health. I’m seeing more and more people who are afraid to eat certain foods because of these so called intolerances.

So let’s try to separate the facts from this pseudoscience. First off it’s important to be clear that a food intolerance is not the same as a food allergy. Unlike food intolerances, there are VALID food allergy tests and some allergies can be be life threatening so definitely see your GP if you suspect you may be allergic to any foods. Intolerances tend to be based on a test which looks for specific IgG antibodies to foodstuff in the blood, claiming that a positive result indicates diagnosis of a food intolerance. They typically involve long lists of foods which almost always include wheat and dairy. So what are they actually testing – well the reality is most of us will develop IgG antibodies to food. They are an indicator of repeated exposure to that food, not clinical symptoms. This is because it is actually a marker for food tolerance; an indication that our immune system recognises the food to be harmless and does not respond to it. IgG antibodies to a food may therefore be protective in preventing inappropriate immune responses. So if you have a diet high in wheat for example then you will have high levels of IgG, it doesn’t mean you’re intolerant to it!

There is zero scientific evidence for these tests – both in the literature and in clinical settings. Often people feel ‘better’ after eliminating all those foods simply by chance. There are currently NO valid tests for food intolerance (aside from the breath test for lactose intolerance). The only way to diagnose any intolerance/sensitivity to a foods is by an elimination diet where you systematically remove each food individually and then reintroduce it. Often pinpointing the foods is not straightforward so this should be done under the guidance of a specialist qualified dietician. Not as a result of an online blood test.

So don’t waste your money. If you really fee you have a significant issue with certain foods then it’s a medical issue and you need to see your Gp/a qualified and registered dietician. If not then continue to include a range of foods in your diet.

Happy Tuesday 🤗xx