Ask Me!

Here, I will post questions that I have been asked and do my best to answer. So, if there is anything you want to know about health, fitness and weight loss, please ask as it will be a great help to everyone trying to get fit and slim.

First questions:

Q: I keep fit by walking and playing tennis, but I am fond of goodies like butter, full fat cheese and yoghurt and, when I'm being very naughty, - crisps! As a result I'm probably 2 or 3 kilos heavier than I should be. But is that really so bad? I find it comforting to think that I have a little spare to lose, should I become ill. Or am I fooling myself thinking this way?

A: 2 or 3 kilos (5lbs) of extra weight is no threat to your health but butter and full fat cheese are saturated fats and bad for your heart so should be kept to a minimum. Thinking that it will help you in case of illness is not quite correct. In any case it is important to remember that if you are ill and have to stay in bed for a long time, the weight loss is from losing MUSCLE not fat. A person who has complete bed rest, loses 50% of muscle mass in only eight days!  Being fit and healthy is the best way to insure you have that extra strength to cope with injury or illness, extra fat on your body is not.

Q: do you have any tips please on how to avoid craving fatty foods? Craving sugar is not so much a problem for me but fried foods and fast food is a big one.

A: Covering food in a batter and then deep frying it in oil makes it a real artery clogging health hazard and a calorie bomb at that. I would say to keep that kind of food at a minimum and only have it as an occasional treat. The best way would be to wean yourself off these foods and try to cook in a different way. You can do a really delicious potato in the oven by sprinkling peeled potato wedges with a little oil (or even use one of those spray-on oils) and baking them in the oven for half an hour. Tastes just like chips but much healthier.

Q: How do you know when you are the right weight? Should we use the BMI index? I am within my BMI and weigh a little more than I did at twenty years old (maybe four/ five kilos) The BMI seems to be quite flexible and wide.

A:  It is and the BMI is a very good way of checking if you are the right weight. it is quite wide but I find it good. if you weigh just a little over what you weighed at 20, that's great. It's easy to get your BMI rate on any of the online sites. Just google BMI or BMI for women and you'll be able to get your BMI number.

Q: Are there a lot of calories on red wine?

A: A medium glass of red wine contains about 300 calories. A small glass of wine is 125ml, a medium one 175ml and a large one 250ml. But if you only drink wine once or twice a week, there is nothing to worry about. More than 14 units (a small glass of wine is one unit) a week for a woman is harmful but if you stick to a few glasses a week it is beneficial to your health. But do remember that not only does wine contain calories, it also slows your metabolic rate (how fast you burn calories) and also makes you want to eat more.