+ DOCTOR’S ORDERS

FAD DIETS DON’T WORK FOR LONG-TERM WEIGHT LOSS

Post-christmas, there will be lots of talk about diets, how to lose weight and get healthy. But there is no magic, one-size-fits-all diet out there, and certainly not a diet that you can do for a bit and then stop without regaining weight. All diets work in the same way – to lose weight, the total number of calories in is less than the number burned.

But it’s not quite as simple as ‘calories in versus calories out’, because while in weight-loss terms, all calories are created equal, in nutrition terms, they are not! So let’s say that your daily calorie need is 2,000 calories a day. If you eat more than this you’ll gain weight; eat less than this and you will lose it. Whether the calories come from chocolate or broccoli, the outcome in weight could be the same, only how much you eat and what you gain would be entirely different.

In nutritional terms, the calorie content of food is not the only thing that matters – a bowl of high-sugar cereal with milk may have a lower calorie content than eggs, avocado and toast, but it’s also lower in macronutrients, such as protein, carbohydrate and fat, as well as fibre and micronutrients. The higher-calorie breakfast here will also keep you fuller until lunchtime. Choosing low-calorie options might lead to you missing out on healthy fats found in fish or nuts.

There are no good or bad foods – simply foods with a higher nutritional content than others. And this does not include other things we can get from food, such as social interaction and joy! So, in 2022, try to eat a varied, balanced diet and don’t focus solely on calories.